Besides plundering, what the enemy had wanted this time was to deliver a stinging slap to the face.
Isn't the Gale Army supposed to be badass?
Isn't Panlong City supposed to be invincible?
Aren't they still getting their doors kicked in and thoroughly humiliated by us?
Of course, the goal of a face-slapping had indeed been achieved—it was just that the bandits' own faces had been slapped swollen.
Willow hadn't spoken the entire time.
As an old comrade-in-arms, she was accustomed to He Lingchuan's plans; she simply executed them without asking why.
Trusting Broken Saber was always the right choice.
Upon their return to Yuheng City, even in the middle of the night, the army returning from great victory was welcomed by citizens lining the streets. No matter how wide Yuheng City's newly built roads were, they were packed shoulder to shoulder with enthusiastic crowds.
If the troops hadn't driven back the bandits, the people of the city would have suffered terribly tonight.
No one held back their cheers, and their gratitude was written plainly on their faces.
Some outgoing, spirited girls even rushed up to wrap them in hugs.
The young soldiers had killed for the first time and witnessed a living hell for the first time; they had ducked into corners and vomited until their faces turned pale. Yet stepping out to such a grand, solemn welcome was also a first for them.
This swing between ice and fire left the greenhorns utterly bewildered, feeling as though they were still in a dream.
When Wen Daolun stepped forward and announced to everyone, "Tonight, we celebrate our victory—drink to your heart's content!", thunderous applause erupted below.
Since no one could sleep anyway, everyone might as well get up and celebrate.
For the very first time, shops along the streets opened for business in the middle of the night. Crimson lanterns were hung outside, and once the stoves and pots fired up, mouthwatering aromas filled the air.
The municipal office procured wine from merchant shops, cooks prepared fish and meat, and commoners slaughtered cattle and sheep. Feasts of reward were set up across several large restaurants in the city.
The tables were laden with hearty fish and meat. Though prepared roughly, the flavors were delicious. Braised pork served in massive basins had a gleaming layer of drippings half a finger thick.
Having fought through half the night, the soldiers had just come down from their adrenaline rush, and their bellies immediately rumbled with hunger. They snatched up coarse flour steamed buns half the size of a human head, alternating between a mouthful of meat and a bite of bun, washing it down with a bowl of wine. Their heroic spirits surged at once, and they began boasting of how valiantly they had slain enemies just moments ago.
With victory in hand, everyone was overjoyed.
Of course, tasks like processing prisoners, treating the wounded, clearing the battlefield, and recording military merits still had to be carried out systematically—which was also a prime opportunity to drill logistical operations.
Holding a wine cup, Wen Daolun found He Lingchuan among the soldiers and drained his cup first in greeting:
"Come, come, congratulations to Commander He on a resounding victory in your maiden battle!"
He Lingchuan toasted back, "Congratulations to the soldiers and citizens of Yuheng City on our first victory!"
The crowd erupted into applause.
Wen Daolun wanted to speak with him privately, but the soldiers wouldn't allow it. They insisted on dragging the Vice Commander into downing three consecutive cups before letting him leave.
He Lingchuan pulled him over to a secluded spot outside, glanced left and right to ensure no one was around, and asked, "Gotten a confession out of them?"
Wen Daolun nodded. "This force was composed mostly of mercenaries: river bandits from Longchuan, vagrants and drifters from Jintao, and desperate scoundrels recruited from the other side. Only their commanders were Jintao generals."
"The leading ones—did we catch them?"
"One died; the rest escaped. They were fairly capable of saving their own skins."
He Lingchuan murmured in thought. "The moment they gathered in force to attack Yuheng City, I knew Jintao was behind it."
Would river bandits and wandering outlaws attack Yuheng City on their own?
Such things had happened elsewhere, but within Panlong City's sphere of influence? Highly unlikely.
"Anticipating their raid really spared us a massive catastrophe this time," Wen Daolun said, lingering fear still palpable in his voice. "Otherwise, with Yuheng City newly established, we would have suffered a terrible loss."
"Even if the bandit army had entered the city, we would have driven them off eventually. It was only a question of the cost." He Lingchuan saw things clearly. "Expending so much effort to assault Yuheng City means Jintao wanted to provoke us—no, more than that, they wanted to provoke Panlong City, forcing Commander Zhong and General Red to send reinforcements to garrison this place."
After taking Xiji, Panlong City's territory had expanded, but its military strength hadn't yet been able to grow quickly enough to match. Panlong City's troops had to guard the Panlong Wasteland and the Chipa Plateau, and now they had the territory of Xiji on their hands as well—a heavy burden indeed.
"Someone behind the scenes also wants to tie down Panlong City's forces in Xiji. That way, our defenses over the Panlong Wasteland will naturally be weakened," Wen Daolun said gravely. "Our only course of action now is for the Yuheng Army to grow quickly so it can relieve the pressure on Panlong City."
"Today's great victory is a good start."
"Just as we were dozing off, someone handed us a pillow." What the newly formed Yuheng Army needed most was a great victory, and victory had arrived. "With this victory as a foundation, subsequent recruitment will be much easier."
It was human nature to admire the strong, and everyone desired flowers, cheers, and applause.
"They are still very green. Commander He, you will need to expend considerable effort on them."
Compared to a battle-hardened army of steel, this unit still lagged far behind, lacking the tempering of countless trials.
He Lingchuan smiled. "They got lucky today, merely delivering a beating to a routed force."
The enemy had fallen straight into his prepared trap, battered until they scurried like terrified rats, their only thought being to flee across the border. How could they have had any stomach left for battle? For the Yuheng Army to assault such an opponent was naturally easy and pleasant.
This was also He Lingchuan's deliberate attempt to cover their weaknesses. Otherwise, with so many green recruits under his command, fighting a pitched battle would have invited endless complications and heavy casualties.
Sound tactics could compensate for an army's shortcomings,
but that required favorable timing, advantageous terrain, and unity among the men.
Only when the Yuheng Army could face another force head-on and secure a decisive victory would they truly have graduated.
Speaking of this, he was reminded of his old man, He Chunhua, when he had first taken office as Chief Administrator of Xiazhou. Back then, the northern front had been pressed to the brink of death by Nian Zanli. At that time, the Xiazhou army had also been newly formed, and He Chunhua had wracked his brains and stopped at nothing to secure his first victory.
*Ah, my old man's power should be quite secure by now, shouldn't it? Even if a man like him were trampled into the mud, he would crawl back up and find any way possible to climb step by step.*
Wen Daolun took a sip of wine. "Speaking of which, the border trouble isn't truly worth fretting over. Commander Zhong's focus isn't here either."
These words were exceptionally blunt. Given Wen Daolun's temperament, he would only speak so unguardedly before someone he genuinely trusted.
He Lingchuan took no offense at all, nodding. "Currently, the core of stability for Yuheng City and the entire Xiji region lies in Longchuan."
Over a quarter of the bandits who had raided the city today were Longchuan river bandits. This proved that forces inside and outside the borders had already colluded and formed a united front.
The Longchuan river bandits not only threatened the southern trade routes but were also driven by Jintao, acting as a festering wound upon the territory of Xiji.
"As long as we uproot the bandit plague, the border trouble will resolve itself naturally."
Wen Daolun asked He Lingchuan, "Has your man already infiltrated them?"
"He has. He even achieved a great feat today, saving the life of a major boss from the Lujia Gang." He Lingchuan was referring to Skinny. The fellow had been transferred over from Panlong City specifically to infiltrate Longchuan.
Skinny was a bandit by nature, making him a perfect fit for Longchuan.
Today, He Lingchuan had personally cooperated with him to put on a self-injuring ruse: Skinny had taken an arrow to his left arm to throw himself forward and save the bandit chieftain's life.
Chapter 733