Chapter 195 Lu Zhi's Hope

Chapter 195 – Lu Zhi's Hope

Behind Lu Zhi's back, the guards, which was responsible for keeping watch on Lu Zhi, were Lu Zhi's comrade and Tong's subordinates. Zhou Cang and his men were there!

Tong had sent Zhou Cang and a thousand elites as Lu Zhi's bodyguards when he parted Julu. However, Lu Zhi was arrested with his family members while Zhou Cang and the others were resting in their lodgings, so Liu Ping did not know about these people.

Zhou Cang learned about Lu Zhi's arrest later. They used their skills as trained elites and infiltrated into Liu Ping's royal guard ranks. They easily passed through the Imperial drill tests and became a platoon of Liu Ping's bodyguards with his one thousand men. At the moment, they were the very platoon that took charge of watching over Lu Zhi and his family members.

"Your Majesty. This problem is very simple. You just have to continue marching to Julu in winter."

Liu Ping glared at Lu Zhi in distrust. "Do you think I'm stupid!? Trekking through the mountains to Jinyang in winter is a suicide! Do you think I don't know what you scheme!?"

Right now at Jinyang, it had started snowing, and the paths were filled with white snow. The march would be slower than the usual, and the food consumption would be double. The risk of landslide or an avalanche was there as well.

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood me. The food problem can be resolved by just continue marching. As we move, we will run into wild animals and forest food. In winter, I heard that bears are hibernating in caves around these mountains. We can hunt them while they are sleeping in the caves for our food."

The crowd murmured and nodded as they were impressed by the idea. Hunting had been their main activities since the warring state period. Even nobles went out in the wild to hunt deer or other animals for meat. Hunting for provisions was a logical solution.

However, Liu Ping frowned. As a person from the 21st-century, such a primitive way to secure food for the army would not be efficient. They might get meats from wild animals, but how long they could maintain their food sources was the question. Besides, there were limited resources of meat, and they could not expect to feed 250,000 men with wild animals and the entire forests' vegetables and fruits.

"Do you think hunting a few bears will be enough to supply our large army?" Liu Ping asked.

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood me again. We will not give food to ordinary soldiers, but we will give these valuable meats to those that deserve it. We shall employ a contribution system. Soldiers and militias in this trip have to contribute to the hunt and searching for food, or they will not get their provision! We won't be supplying those lazy bums that only knew how to sleep and eat in the barracks!"

Claps and cheers resounded in the government hall. The laziness of the soldiers, guards, and militias were a problem that could not be cured. There would always be groups of waste or outlaws that leeched the provision of the military. With this system, those parasites had to work to earn their keeps.

Liu Ping still did not like Lu Zhi's answer. He even wanted to refute, but no word came out of his mouth. Seeing the agreeing officials around him, he had to yield as there was no other alternative option.

"You will be responsible for the contribution system you brought up! Remember, by chances that we don't have enough provision for our troops at the end of November. I will cook your family members and gave their meat to our men!"

The officials stopped cheering and gulped. Their face paled as they thought about the scene where they had to eat fellow humans as food. All of them shook their head while they gazed at Lu Zhi, begging him not to accept this task.

"I shall do my best, Your Majesty." Lu Zhi answered with the usual poker-face.

…

After the assembly, Lu Zhi was escorted by Zhou Cang and his men to the main military camp so that he could employ his contribution system.

During the walk, Zhou Cang whispered to Lu Zhi, "Strategist Jia Xu sent us a detail of the operation [Mountain Hammer]. The letter is in your back pouch."

Lu Zhi nodded. "This Jia Xu is my disciple's new officer, huh?"

"Probably, I also don't know about him until our spies contacted me."

Lu Zhi chuckled. "If he can reach us, then he won't be a simple man."

Deep down inside, Lu Zhi was proud of Tong.

Being a Lord did not mean he had to quietly sit on the throne inside the city hall all-day doing mundane tasks for the rest of his life. He had to expand his influence and attract more talents to be his subordinates so that he could reach a new height.

All legendary figures, such as Liu Bang or Xiang Yu, had godly talented officers behind them as they, too, had exceptional charisma as a feudal liege.

Having such an exceptional talent like Jia Xu was a proof that Tong was about to walk the same path as those legends.

'My eyes weren't wrong. Zhang Tong is doing well.'

'I want to see him grow. I want to see how his path unfold!'

A desire had awakened in his heart. A new ambition that never existed in the depth of his mind was born and replaced his loyalty to the Han Empire.

'I want to see him sitting on the dragon throne!'

'I want to see the country he creates!'

'I want to see … his future!'

Tears welled in Lu Zhi's eyes as he had a complicated emotion. He knew that his time was short because he was already in his 40s. He would not be able to live long enough to see the unification of the new country or how this civil war would end. Besides, he also worried about his family.

Zhou Cang could tell what this minister was thinking. He tapped Lu Zhi's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sir Lu. We'll rescue your family! We'll break free from him when we have a chance!"

Lu Zhi nodded as he wiped away the tears in his eyes.

"Ah, please do."

Zhou Cang met the eyes of his subordinates and mustered his courage to ask. "By the way, sir. We have something we wanted to ask you for a long time."

"What's wrong?"

"After this is over, can you teach us how to write? I meant it's embarrassing being nobles without knowing letters."

The subordinates of Zhou Cang withheld their laugh. Zhou Cang's illiterate was his weakness that they knew.

Lu Zhi burst into laughter hearing it. "Sure, why not! Well, how about this. When we get back, I'll open a school in Julu, and you guys will be my first public students!"

…

October 15th.

Liu Ping and his entourages left this city today in a hurry.

At first, everyone wanted to rest their troops in Shangdang until the winter passed, allowing the neighbor lords to tribute their grains to the army in Shangdang. However, Liu Ping planned to use the overwhelming military might to extort supplies from Ding Yuan once he and his followers reached there.

Furthermore, he wanted to complete his soulmate quest as soon as possible as he did not have enough lifespans to sustain his longevity. He wanted to maintain his [Super Human] skill cheat. At the same time, he wanted to be an immortal in this world to enjoy the infinite privilege and pleasure of the Emperor.

Lu Zhi and his family were also dragged along the march. All of them was locked inside a prison caravan which was used to cage animals and slaves.

As usual, Zhou Cang and his men escorted the caravan with great attention. They did not want any outsiders to touch these people.

There were ruffians and rowdy soldiers that attempted to violate the women in Lu Zhi's household, but Zhou Cang and his men always were always there for them, protecting these innocents from the hands of crooked officials and soldiers.

While the protection squad was walking beside the cage, they were being watched by Liu Ping's men as well. Zhou Cang and Lu Zhi could not talk in public, so they pretended to do their roles and kept their mouth shut.

Suddenly

"ACHOOOOHEWHEW!"

A subordinate of Zhou Cang at the front of the cage caravan sneezed as if he shouted. The roaring sneeze got the attention of every onlooker.

In that split second, Zhou Cang slipped in a small wooden fan into the cage while he was walking beside it. He pretended to scratch the back of his fist and patted his shoulder armor. It was a private gesturing communication between Lu Zhi and Zhou Cang that they had prepared beforehand if they wanted to deliver messages.

Lu Zhi took the fan into his sleeves and continued to pretend to look as if he was in despair.

Inside the fan, there was a small roll of papyrus paper in it.

[A task force from Jia Xu is coming to Shangdang in 5 days. Zhang He will come for you.]

It was simple short messages, but it carried much weight.