Chapter 555 I Should Enter the City

By the time Hu Ma left Black Mountain Old Ghost, dawn was breaking.

Zhu Gate Town was already bustling with activity. Three thousand Grain Protection Soldiers, along with managers from various branch offices, military leaders, and even the Grain Protection General himself, were all coming to the town to pay respects to the Red Lantern Goddess.

It could be said that this small deity shrine, covering only a few square feet, had never welcomed so many people kowtowing, people whose destinies and fortunes had undergone changes.

The scene moved the Red Lantern Goddess so much that she didn't dare to move a muscle.

Seeing the Grain Protection General come to seek her blessing, seeing the managers and patrons outside, people with significant destinies among the Grain Protection Soldiers, all kowtowing, she didn't even dare to respond. She secretly sent a message to Left Protector Shen Hongzhi: first, to settle these people down, take care of their food and drink, and make sure they weren't pushed to the point of demolishing her temple.

Second, to bring out the remaining blood offerings from the blood food storage? They had rushed over to protect her last night, so her small deity shrine couldn't be ignorant of their efforts, even if they seemed to be protecting something other than herself.

However, Left and Right Protector Shen Hongzhi was equally overwhelmed. No one had expected that the town, which had been deserted yesterday, would suddenly be so crowded in just half a night.

Fortunately, the Grain Protection Soldiers were quite disciplined. Most of them were stationed outside the town, so it was only necessary to arrange for the leaders and others to stay in the town, and to bring out the town's stored grain, cattle, and sheep to reward the soldiers.

When Yang Gong heard this, he was surprised. "The remnants of the True Meaning Church are still outside the city, and the grain we seized earlier is also outside the city. You managed to gather so many troops. Shouldn't you strike while the iron is hot and drive back Mingzhou? Why are you leaving now?"

However, there was enough of the remaining blood offerings, nearly a thousand pounds. Yang Gong and the leaders of the Grain Protection Soldiers had never seen so much blood offering.

In Yu Jiangxin's eyes, there was only some surprise as she looked at the people, some dressed as fortune tellers, some in plain clothes with strong physiques, some wearing square scarves, refined and courteous, and some in colorful clothes with weapons, a monkey perched on their shoulders...

"I don't care who taught you all this nonsense. I'm just asking you, now that you have so many troops, each with their own agenda, how many tricks do you have up your sleeve to control them?"

When he wanted to agree, he suddenly remembered what Hu Ma had told him at the Qing Stone Town estate. He slowly shook his head, "I can calculate, but they can calculate even better. If I leave now, won't the grain in the mountains be lost?"

"Grain Protection General, there's an unsuccessful scholar who offered half a bag of grain as military funds and wants to manage the accounts." When the white oil paste, the town's stored grain, cattle, and horses were delivered to the Grain Protection Army's camp, Jiangxin and a group of country bumpkins from the mountains were shocked. "Is the Red Lantern Society so poor?"

"..." "Hey, why is there even a street performer?"

"The noble lords in the city initially sided with the True Meaning Church, but now they see that you have some momentum and are trying to test you. If you only care about these few grains, how many of them will take you seriously?"

"Could it be another demon from the True Meaning Church?"

"The people who went early this morning saw her from afar. She shouted, dropped the cart, and ran away. Her legs didn't seem very nimble, but she ran very fast." "When this place is in darkness, you will naturally have a time to come out of the mountains again!"

Taking advantage of the fact that there was no one around the fortune teller, he calmly greeted him and kowtowed to the ground. It wasn't just the Red Lantern Society. Before dawn, people from all directions, villages, towns, and even those who secretly opened the gates of Mingzhou Prefecture, came to Zhu Gate Town to pay their respects.

At a glance, the things each group of people brought were shocking. On the visiting cards were written cattle, sheep, horse farms, grain, and even weapons and armor, which made Yang Gong and the others from the mountains feel unreal. "..."

"..." "Now that you've reached this point, not to mention the grain in the mountains, even the grain in Daozhou County has been protected by you. The Grain Protection General's army has also arrived."

He was just a little surprised. When he was in the mountains, he couldn't get anything at first, and even the weapons were chipped.

Old Yue Zhang sternly reprimanded, "Things are wrong. The steps are too fast. You're being pushed out to die."

"Return to the mountain?" Rubbing his eyes and looking again, his face changed drastically. He calmly hid until Yang Gong met these people and ordered people to arrange a banquet to wash away the dust for them.

"Four years ago, Senior Brother passed by Yuerwa and saved the lives of everyone in my village. He told us to wait secretly for an opportunity to accomplish great things. In the past four years, we have kept it in mind and have never eaten a bite of beef again. We only wish to receive your guidance again." Is this entire jar full of blood offerings, which are said to be more valuable than gold? Taking a bite of that stuff adds another layer of building. These two big blue women can actually use big jars to hold it?"

"Yesterday, I don't know who took advantage of the chaos, went over at night, drugged the guards, and pulled the blood offerings out cart after cart. Fortunately, that person doesn't seem to have any helpers. They don't even have livestock. They're pulling it out on a single cart." Now, seeing Yang Gong again, she felt even more timid. She also had an impression of this Little Red Incense back then.

At first glance, it was really colorful and didn't look like anything, but their expressions were calm and natural. From afar, seeing the dark mass of troops around Zhu Gate Town, they were not afraid at all, but rather admiring.

"Let him call himself the Grain Protection General. Does he really only have a few grains in his eyes?"

Old Yue Zhang was breathless when he heard this and wanted to hit him with his crutch, but seeing Jiangxin's seriousness, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He just said angrily, "These mud legs, once they're full and have had their fill, who will care about him?"

"I also know that Mingzhou will have a calamity, and I can also see that those who come to join me are not convinced by me. I don't even know that although the troops are strong now, they are actually a rabble and can't fight hard battles. But the more this is the case, the more it is time for me to make a name for myself."

Now, Yang Gong and others didn't know about the 80,000 Hungry Ghost Army, but they all realized that Mingzhou Prefecture was not simple. The strange phenomenon last night was still weighing on everyone's minds. Yang Gong also knew that what Old Yue Zhang said should be right.

He was so excited that he burst into tears and said repeatedly, "Liu Fugui from Yuerwa, Daliang County, Black Mountain Old Ghost pays respects to Senior Brother 'Doesn't Eat Beef.' I wonder, does Senior Brother still remember me?"

"The troops have been gathered, but they're just using his name and will easily drown him."

"Returning to the mountain, carefully planning, and training troops carefully is the right time, but if you stay here, which of these Jianghu outlaws and noble lords will sincerely obey you?"

"Old Man, I still can't go back."

"Benefactor, benefactor..." "I don't know where a fortune teller came from. He only said that he came from the city and has important matters to report." After kowtowing to the Red Lantern Goddess with Yang Gong, he calmly summoned Yang Gong to his tent and slowly said, "I already know what's going on here. Slowly, come back to the mountains with me!"

However, he was shocked by this trip. "Good heavens, half of the remaining blood offerings are gone." Right Protector Shen Hongzhi was momentarily confused. "There's so little left, and you're still thinking about it?..." Yang Gong was not a Red Incense disciple for nothing. Knowing that he was being looked down upon, he hurried up to greet him.

Other specific matters are not mentioned, but just the troops that have surrendered, dozens here, hundreds there, all the bandits on this mountain have reformed and come to join the army, and hundreds of strong young men in that village all feel grateful and want to protect the grain. "Quickly, now is not the time for him to enter Mingzhou City. Pretend to be injured... No, pretend to be sick and come back to the mountain with me."

"After all, I came out of the mountains to guard the grain in Mingzhou..." Yang Gong was speechless for a moment. On major issues, he believed in Hu Ma and the "heavenly book" he heard that night. He knew that he shouldn't retreat at this time, but instead should stand up, but when it came to specific matters, he really felt like a mess and didn't know what to do.

How could it be that in just seven or eight days, it was as if their identities had been reversed, and everyone was sending so much? "I also don't know if this trip to the city is auspicious or inauspicious. I don't know what I will encounter, but I believe in one sentence: as long as I remember to protect the grain for the people, Mingzhou will definitely not let me down."

Speaking of their origins, each one was shockingly big. They were all noble lords from Mingzhou City, saying that they were grateful for the Grain Protection Army's kindness and came to help and join the army.

Of course, they didn't know that the people in the city had realized something and wanted to place their bets quickly to avoid being left behind.

"If you don't leave, you're afraid you'll die."

Before the sound fell, someone shouted again, "Brother Yang Gong, come quickly. There's a Jianghu expert who says he admires him and has come to join him!"

At this rate, wouldn't the number of troops directly break through 10,000 in just two or three days? But now, seeing his identity change so drastically, he felt uncomfortable talking, and he agreed with what the Red Lantern Goddess said about taking out the blood offerings. He had already arranged for people to go to the blood offering storage early in the morning.

However, Yang Gong just greeted them with a smile. He didn't refuse anyone who came to join him. However, Old Yue Zhang, who came out with Yang Gong, originally thought they were people with ulterior motives, but after taking a look from afar, his face suddenly changed.

This series of movements left Yang Gong and Old Yue Zhang stunned. Helpless, they could only come out to meet them.

Just at this moment, when everything was changing so fast, making people overwhelmed and somewhat at a loss, someone came from the mountain. It was Yang Gong's Old Yue Zhang, who hurried to the town with a dozen servants.

But at this time, I suddenly heard someone report in the tent: "Is Brother Yang outside? Please come out quickly, more people have come."