A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 4

31

The wind tapped on the curtains, rustling them towards the courtyard.

Under the same moonlight, He Xia was sitting alone, not asleep.

After everyone's repeated urgings, He Xia went to the Royal Residence of Gui Le. These brilliant golden walls made him even angrier than facing the overgrown wilderness of the Jing-An Ducal Residence.

It's difficult to sleep.

After all the tangible enemies were removed, invisible enemies quietly emerged.

The four countries were crushed by the war horses' hooves, and after all the official armies that dared to resist him were eradicated, a new instability emerged instead.

The rumours were spread everywhere.

The Yun Chang army had nothing to do now that they lost their opponents. They were harder to control than before, and the generals' greed became even more difficult to fulfill.

He Xia restlessly paced by the window. He tried to restrain himself and sat down again, carefully studying the document on the table.

There had been absolutely no news from the party sent out to track down Chu Beijie, and they couldn't find any real clues to their whereabouts. As expected of Chu Beijie, he could really hold back. He didn't when the Yun Chang army was attacking Gui Le, using it as an opportunity for public recruitment. He didn't declare it himself, summoning all the remaining rebels to resist.

He Xia guessed this much long ago and even gave Chu Beijie chances to do them, but Chu Beijie didn't.

It was a little unexpected.

That person was just like a breath of wind, briefly popping out in the east before briefly popping out in the west. With just a few little tricks, they played until the tens of thousands of Yun Chang troops were a mess.

But in Bei Mo, there were rumours about the former Main General of Bei Mo, Ruohan, secretly recruiting.

"Someone come."

Two guards and two officers on night shift came out from behind the curtain. They stood in two rows as they bowed, "Here."

He Xia asked, "How has Bei Mo's recruiting been?"

"There are young men escaping from the Bei Mo villages, approximately a dozen hundred every day to somewhere unknown. I have sent several orders about severe punishment, but those damn Bei Mo people seem to have gotten used to seeing fresh blood. They are no longer afraid of cruel punishment and escape without fear or death. I heard the little thief Ruo Han has secretly constructed several recruitment camps. I've sent spies who destroyed two or three of them, but..."

"I didn't ask you about those remnants." He Xia coldly replied, "I asked you about how many we have recruited after putting up our announcements?"

The person standing at the front lowered his head even more. He Xia coldly grunted. He hesitated for a few moments before finally reporting. "So far, about...about...four hundred maybe?"

He Xia was furious, wanting to slam his fist onto the table. He forced himself to hold back, lowering his voice, "Didn't I tell you to give recruited soldiers lenient conditions?"

That officer cautiously answered, "I have. According to Marquess of Jing-An's instructions, Bei Mo citizens who become soldiers will have huge rewards and family tax would be reduced by a half..." He stiffened in horror and didn't say any more when He Xia's eyes flickered to him.

Ever since the news of his intention to establish a new country spread, He Xia planned to gather talented individuals from every country. He wasn't as kind to these old nobles of Yun Chang as before.