Chapter 390: Earthquake in Dongqing (XXII)

Qiguan Rang used both his hands to pull the rope. His palms held his fan, made from feathers, tightly. “Xiaoyu is very intelligent. Why don’t you guess?”

He never expected to meet an old friend under such circumstances. Make a guess? To h*ll with guessing.

Xu Ke pursed his lips. He glanced at the young man holding the torch and said, “The troops?”

“Exactly,” Qiguan Rang replied with a smile.

If Qiguan Rang was not riding a huge horse, Xu Ke would have pulled him down and given him a good beating.

“Why are Langjun’s troops here?”

The troops were one’s personal army––one’s own military might. Why did Qiguan Rang rally so many of them from Chongzhou?

Qiguan Rang did not reply; rather, it was Meng Hun, who was standing at the side, who cupped his hands and bowed politely. He said, “Master Qiguan knew Langjun was in danger. Thus, we came.”

Xu Ke responded, “Why didn’t I know you were able to predict the future?”

Qiguan Rang smiled but remained silent. He glanced at the carriage, full of rations, that they were transporting, then saw how exhausted Xu Ke and his party were. It moved him.

“It is not ideal to debate this now. If you are suspicious of me, you can interrogate me later. The lives of the people are at hand. You should show us the way so we can meet up with Langjun.” Qiguan Rang signaled with his eyes. “It is not wise to linger here.”

Xu Ke understood his rationale; however, he didn’t understand why Qiguan Rang coincidentally appeared outside Shangjing city.

“Let’s discuss it when we return.” Xu Ke’s face was solemn. Their present location was not ideal for such discussions.

The military training the troops underwent was personally choreographed by Jiang Pengji. It intensified over the years.

After three to four years of training, a pig could stand on two feet and walk––let alone the young, buff men who were painstakingly and carefully chosen. The majority of them had been bandits previously. They originally had violent bandit tendencies, but over the years, they were trained to obey every order. They eventually became valiant soldiers.

Meng Hun waved his hands, then someone immediately brought a horse over. He said politely, “Master Xu, get on the horse.”

“How many troops did you bring along?”

Xu Ke saw Meng Hun, and his heart filled with understanding. He now knew that Qiguan Rang dispatched the troops following proper procedure.

When Jiang Pengji left, she gave authority to Meng Hun to oversee the troops. Qiguan Rang occasionally came to lend a helping hand in managing them.

Jiang Pengji was not comfortable ordering others to work when she did nothing herself.

“A total of 3,000 men,” Qiguan Rang replied and added, “There are only about a thousand people here.”

Meng Hun was military trained but very meticulous in his thinking. He was sensitive to the atmosphere between them and directed the conversation, pulling both of them apart.

“The rest of the 2,000 men were dispatched to Fengyi County to render aid to the people there.” Meng Hun considered and said, “Rest assured, Master Xu––we brought the 3,000 out of Chongzhou, but they were undercover most of the time. They will not cause Langjun any trouble…”

Every aristocratic family had their own troops that differed in size. They were not allowed to be out in the open during times of peace.

If someone discovered a group of them, they would be suspected of stirring up trouble, which would implicate their master.

After Xu Ke heard their words, he nodded in agreement. His face became amicable, but he raised his eyebrows and did not appear relaxed.

He knew that Qiguan Rang was very careful and would not easily let their enemies get ahold of their weaknesses. It was true: After the troops left Chongzhou, it was as if they were invisible. They assembled at the border between Shangyang County and Fengyi County and did not arouse any suspicions along the way.

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However, it still bothered him, as Qiguan Rang didn’t seek Jiang Pengji’s permission to dispatch 3,000 troops.

Qiguan Rang ordered the 3,000 troops to settle down and hide in a discrete valley. They set up camp and hid for several days.

When the earthquake happened, none of the troops died; however, when the tent collapsed, some unfortunate men were injured.

Qiguan Rang had never been to Shangjing before. Upon seeing the towering city gates, he could only imagine the grandeur of the city’s infrastructure.

As he passed through the damaged city gates, the scene within hit his heart, causing his pupils to constrict.

The desolation filled his eyes. Widespread ruins abounded. Where was the bustling city he had imagined?

They entered via the north city gate. The nearby area had not been searched. When the few survivors heard the footsteps, they thought of ways to attract the attention of the living. The image was rather heart wrenching, but the troops’ faces remained unchanged. They were unaffected.

“How has the court not sent men to assist? Or have the relief efforts not reached this area yet?”

Qiguan Rang had remained in the small valley in the hills and had not been updated about anything.

If not for the earthquake, he would have squatted there and waited for Jiang Pengji to come.

Xu Ke’s expression was cold, and he said mockingly, “The Emperor is sitting up in the heavens. How could he hear the sufferings of the world?”

Qiguan Rang’s heart sank. It had been one day and one night since the earthquake happened. Yet, the court still had not taken action. Why?

He understood that more and more people would die the longer they delayed rescue.

******

She left over ten groups of troops behind to rescue the people trapped in the ruins.

After Jiang Pengji received the edict, Huang Tan hurriedly left a thousand imperial guards and 500 deniers of rations behind.

Seeing that Huang Tan was escorted away by hundreds of men, Jiang Pengji held the edict in her hand firmly and remained expressionless.

She glanced at the imperial guards. “Who is in charge here?”

Space was limited, and there was no room for people to come inside. Thus, only three people followed Huang Tan before her, while the rest stood outside and waited for further instructions.

After she finished her briefing, someone stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “It is your servant.”

Jiang Pengji scrutinized this man. His height was roughly seven feet tall. He had a sturdy back and waist, and he was tall and powerful. His gate was twice that of an average person. He wore armor exclusively made for the imperial guards, and under that, he wore a thin shirt that was unable to contain his muscles.

Jiang Pengji was not short compared to men her age, but facing that man required her to lift her head. “What is your name?”

“My name is Luo Yue.”

“The Emperor has assigned all of you to me. During this time, your livelihood will be determined by me. You only need to obey my orders,” Jiang Pengji said calmly, “If anyone rebels, they will be beheaded immediately. There will be no burial.”

When Luoyue heard her words, he knitted his thick, black brows. He was displeased.

The imperial guards maintained peace in Shangjing. Their thought process was naturally different from the average person. Even if the person came from a prestigious background, he was ultimately just a scholar. If not for the Emperor’s order, she had no right to order them around. Yet, Jiang Pengji actually dared to speak such words.

Jiang Pengji noticed the other party’s brief unhappiness. She sighed coldly. If she didn’t need manpower, she wouldn’t bother entertaining such people. Though Luoyue was proud, he was still rather capable. After the earthquake ended, if she could abscond 1,000 imperial guards, it would be good. Jiang Pengji’s eyes drooped. She began to scheme in her mind.

At that moment, her ears twitched when she heard the sound of footsteps. She raised her eyebrows and asked Luoyue, “Did the Emperor send more imperial guards over?”

Did he dispatch 2,000 men? That was so generous.