Jin Feng rushed up the watchtower and was startled by the sight of the crowd surging towards them like a tide.
Only when he recognised through the telescope that they were all common people did he breathe a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he felt curious. What were the people madly running towards Great Python Slope for?
No one was chasing them from behind, after all.
Below the watchtower, the escorts immediately formed a battle array, surrounding the watchtower in the centre.
The Weisheng Army and Iron Tiger Camp reacted a bit slower, but they also rushed to the front line.
Meng Tianhai also charged up the watchtower and asked anxiously, “Gentleman, what’s the situation? Where are the enemies coming from?”
“Not enemies. They are common people.”
Jin Feng handed the telescope to Meng Tianhai.
Meng Tianhai adjusted the focus familiarly, then visibly relaxed and asked in puzzlement, “So it’s the people. Why are they running so fast?”
“I don’t know either.” Jin Feng shook his head.
“Since they are people, I’ll withdraw the brothers then.”
Meng Tianhai was about to go down, but Jin Feng pulled him back.
“There are quite a lot of people coming. To avoid any accidents, let’s proceed according to the drills.”
Jin Feng said, “But pass the word down. Tell your men to be civil. Don’t lay a hand on the people like rogue soldiers, or I won’t go easy on them.”
“Understood!” Meng Tianhai nodded quickly. “Anyone who dares touch a hair on the people’s heads, I’ll lock him in the little black room myself!”
At noon today, his personal guard had reported to him that the two Weisheng Army soldiers locked in the little black room had already broken down, crying and shouting while pounding nonstop on the cellar lid.
They said they would rather accept double punishment than stay in the little black room.
But how could Meng Tianhai agree?
He directly had people place a stone roller on the cellar lid, then send food only after dark.
He had decided that in future, if anyone in the Weisheng Army erred, no more flogging. Just lock them in the little black room.
Under Meng Tianhai’s arrangements, the Weisheng Army soldiers lined up in a row behind the trenches.
Seeing Big Liu return with the personal guard team, Jin Feng walked down the watchtower. “Is Her Highness settled?”
“All arranged. Qin’er, Zhu’er, and Old Qin are protecting her, and war horses are ready too. We can leave anytime if needed.”
Big Liu said, “It’s just that Her Highness seems a bit unhappy. She’s been saying she wants to come and see, but Old Qin won’t agree.”
“Then let Old Qin deal with the headache. We’ll go to the main camp gate.”
Jin Feng silently mourned for Qin Ming for a second, then led the Black Armour Battle Team to the main camp gate as well.
Seeing the people getting closer and closer without any sign of slowing down, Jin Feng turned to Big Liu and said, “Send someone to position three to throw a hand grenade. Be careful not to hurt anyone.”
“Got it!” Big Liu turned and ran.
Just as the people were about to reach the trenches, a huge explosion suddenly came from position three.
Immediately afterwards, a column of flame shot up into the sky.
The people were all startled and finally stopped.
Jin Feng seized the chance to jump onto a large rock, picked up a tin megaphone, and shouted to the people, “Ahead is the military camp. If everyone keeps running forward, it’ll become storming the camp!”
“Mr Jin, we’re not storming the camp. We’ve come to enlist as soldiers!”
A man running at the front shouted.
“Was Old Han a pyramid scheme leader in his previous life? Even he wasn’t this effective, was he?”
Hearing this, Jin Feng could not help but stare wide-eyed.
In Great Kang, recruiting soldiers basically relied on forced conscription. As long as a household had an adult male, he had to serve.
Jin Feng could not force conscription, so he thought recruiting five thousand would be difficult. Who knew that on the very first day, so many people would come to enlist.
He really had no idea what Han Feng had said to the people to mobilise so many.
While thinking of Han Feng, he saw him riding a war horse, arriving behind the crowd.
Seeing the gate here already blocked, Han Feng quickly turned his horse and entered the camp from another side.
Then he found Jin Feng at once.
“Old Han, what did you say to the people? How did so many come at once?”
Jin Feng asked with a frown.
Last time Han Feng had privately decided to let the people lead out the horses, and Jin Feng had praised him highly for it.
This fellow wouldn’t have got addicted and promised the people something again, would he?
Jin Feng was genuinely a bit worried.
“I didn’t say anything special. I just said the gentleman is recruiting soldiers with the same treatment as escorts, and the people came.”
Han Feng said, “Probably afraid of arriving late and missing out.”
“This is too enthusiastic.”
Jin Feng felt both amused and exasperated. “It all depends on comparison with peers!”
In fact, the escorts’ treatment could not compare to modern soldiers from his previous life, but in Great Kang, it was already top-tier.
No wonder the people were so eager.
“Old Han, they listen to you. This recruitment is now your responsibility. I’ll have Big Zhuang assist you.”
Jin Feng instructed, “Go arrange things. Don’t let chaos break out.”
“Yes!” Han Feng quickly jumped down from the rock to calm the people.
Zhou Youda arrived soon after with the various clan elders, and finally the scene was brought under control.
In the end, the people were all led to the former camp of Danzhu, and unified selection took place on the parade ground.
The specifics of selection were up to Old Han and Big Zhuang.
While soldier selection proceeded, construction of the memorial monument also began.
This time there was no need for Zhou Youda to mobilise. The people came voluntarily to help.
Generally, places that had experienced war would remain depressed for a while afterwards.
But the entire western suburbs of Xichuan City were filled with a fervent atmosphere.
Qing Xinyao and the Ninth Princess climbed together to the top of Great Python Slope. Looking down at the crowds of busy people coming and going below, Qing Xinyao sighed, “Now Great Python Slope is even livelier than Xichuan City!”
“Yes, it reminds me of the first time I went to Xihewan. I saw the same kind of scene.”
The Ninth Princess also sighed, “The gentleman seems to have magic. Wherever he goes, that place becomes prosperous.”
“Indeed, the gentleman is truly a divine person. Without him, who knows what Xichuan would be like.” Qing Xinyao nodded.
“You two have had enough. If you really want to praise me, say it farther away. Saying it to my face like this, are you deliberately mocking me?”
Jin Feng said with a dark expression.
He was also at the top of Great Python Slope. For the Ninth Princess and Qing Xinyao to say this, they were clearly teasing him.
“Hahaha, we are sincerely praising the gentleman. How could it be mockery?”
The Ninth Princess covered her mouth and laughed.
“I almost believed you!” Jin Feng curled his lip and asked, “Alright, what is it? You two coming together, is there something?”
“Yes,” the Ninth Princess nodded. “The money house you wanted has been approved. It arrived today.”
“So fast?” Jin Feng asked in surprise.
“The second batch of red-feather urgent couriers brought it back together.”
The Ninth Princess said, taking a document from her bosom and handing it to Jin Feng.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ve troubled you again this time!” Jin Feng said gratefully.
“What’s troublesome about it? It was just a handy matter.” The Ninth Princess waved her hand nonchalantly.
“A handy matter?” Jin Feng was stunned.
In his view, a money house was a bank.
Approving a money house should be harder than approving a second-class army.
How could the Ninth Princess make it seem so simple?
