On the other side, the people in Chengan District were also restless.
The Tsing Yi Army had grown too much in a short period of time. Everyone was like a mouth, but they couldn't take out enough food to feed everyone. They could only plunder and clean up everywhere. However, the amount of food obtained through this method was limited. Many people still couldn't fill their stomachs.
There were people in the Tsing Yi Army, but no one could manage such a big "family business". They were short-sighted and did not know how to manage it.
To put it bluntly, they were a group of bandits with no discipline or morals.
Even though they were more powerful than the Red Lotus Group in the beginning, after a winter of anxiety, the Tsing Yi Army's power became smaller and smaller. On the contrary, the Red Lotus Group was like the sun in the sky. Its territory expanded step by step, further reducing the living space of the Tsing Yi Army.
Now, Chengan District was desolate. The people shut their doors and did not go out. There were few people on the streets.
No one dared to expose their rations. The merchants who could escape had already done so. Those who could not escape had been plundered by the Tsing Yi Army. Half a lifetime's worth of savings had been forcibly taken away. Those who were lucky could still keep their lives. Those who were unlucky died on the spot.
Now, the people were full of complaints, secretly mocking the Tsing Yi Army should be renamed as a bandit army.
Last autumn, because of the earthquake in Shangjing, there was very little grain production. Moreover, the Tsing Yi army was causing trouble everywhere. This caused the farmers in Chengan district to lose their annual harvest. After the beginning of spring, there were no good seeds to sow, and the grain stored at home was robbed by the Tsing Yi army.
Many people could not stand the hunger and the tyranny of the Tsing Yi Army. They were afraid of losing their lives, so those who could escape escaped.
The old, weak, sick, and disabled who couldn't escape stayed behind, relying on the food they carefully stored to survive day after day.
Some people were even afraid that the smoke from cooking rice would attract the Tsing Yi Army, so they only dared to soak the rice in water and then eat it.
Last winter, countless people froze to death. Now, there were people starving to death in Chengan District every day.
The district headquarters had already been occupied by the Tsing Yi Army. As one of their main camps, it still maintained its luxurious decorations.
The common people outside did not have warm clothes, did not have enough to eat, so they froze to death or starved to death. The leaders of the Tsing Yi Army, on the other hand, were enjoying themselves, eating meat and drinking wine.
However, they were not in the mood to enjoy such an extravagant life because there was not enough food in Chengan District.
If the food shortage continued, not only would the people below starve, but they would also have to endure the taste of hunger.
"Damn it, didn't they say there was a batch of rations? Looking at the time, even if he crawled, he should be here by now. Why isn't he here yet? "
After half a year, many of the valiant leaders had grown fat, and this one was no exception. His fingers were full of fat, and his knuckles were round and round, looking like short fat sausages. His originally bronze-colored skin had also become a bit whiter.
"Could it be a problem on the road?" The members of the Tsing Yi Army who were in the district headquarters were at least at the level of a small chieftain. Their faces were all flushed red. Looking at their faces, one could tell that they had lived comfortably in the past. "After all, the Red Lotus Group's evildoers are very strange …"
The fat general pondered for a while and said, "How about this, send someone out to investigate …"
This batch of rations was exceptionally important to the Tsing Yi Army in Chengan District. If they did not have enough rations, they did not know what the Tsing Yi Army would do. By then, even they would not be able to suppress them. Thinking of this, the fat general furrowed his brows fiercely.
The small leader received the order and left. Another shifty-eyed small leader took the opportunity to suggest.
"General, didn't everyone say that the neighboring Xiangyang District is overflowing with wealth? If there's really no rations, we can attack them and occupy that piece of land. Do we still have to worry about not having enough rations? "When the small leader said this, the spy's words surfaced in his mind.
According to the spy's description, Xiangyang District was a place comparable to the Heavenly Court. It was clean and tidy, and the houses were all new. It was so beautiful that it did not seem like it belonged to the human world. It was more like it fell from the sky. Every citizen was dressed like a noble, and no one had starved or frozen to death …
At that time, the small leader scoffed at the words. How could there be such a good place in the world?
However, now Chengan District was facing the predicament of running out of ammunition and rations. The promised rations had yet to arrive. This made him anxious.
He originally thought that this suggestion would be rewarded. At the very least, it would be able to divert the general's attention. Who knew that he would be scolded instead.
"If Xiangyang District was easy to conquer, I would have done so long ago. Do I need your hindsight?"
The general said angrily. The fat on his face jiggled and his eyes were almost squeezed out by the fat.
Not long after, a messenger suddenly rushed in from outside. He knelt on the ground and panted, "Bad … Bad news …"
"What's bad news?" The general's heart tightened.
The messenger caught his breath and said heavily, "The rations were robbed …"
What!
The small leaders in the hall were shocked. The general directly stood up and grabbed the messenger's collar with one hand. He lifted him up and said furiously, "Say it again. What was robbed? Which bastard dared to rob my rations? "
The messenger said with difficulty, "It was the cook who transported the rations … They escaped and said that there was an ambush. They didn't see who the enemy was …"
The general's face was ashen. The fat on his face trembled with his heavy breathing.
"That's too much!" He casually threw the messenger out. "Those good-for-nothings who transported the rations didn't even see who the enemy was …"
The general was about to say that the cook who transported the rations should be killed to avoid wasting rations. Just as the words reached his throat, another sound came from outside.
"Report …"
The general took a deep breath and asked, "What's the matter now?"
"There are thousands of troops surrounding the city!"
What?
Everyone's faces were already ashen to the point where they couldn't look anymore.
The rations were robbed, and then the enemy came knocking on their door. It was like when it rains, it pours. They were out of luck.
"Is it the demons from the Red Lotus Group again?"
The messenger said, "No, the flag on it says' Liu '. They've already started challenging us."
Liu?
Which family is this?
Jiang Pengji indicated that she was not willing to challenge them. They were already at the city gate. Wouldn't it be better to just start fighting?
"What if they don't come out?" Jiang Pengji turned her head and asked Wei Ci, "Don't you think this is very childish?"
They had to have a war of words with the enemy before they started fighting. They would curse their parents and it would be like children playing house.
Wei Ci's face was cold. He said, "This concerns morale. My lord, please don't joke."
Jiang Pengji responded with an "oh." She behaved herself for a while. She made things difficult for Wei Ci again. She held back her laughter and asked, "But some of the soldiers can only speak in the local dialect. They can't speak in the official language, and they don't understand the dialects of other places. If the people challenging us don't speak the same language, wouldn't it be like chickens talking to ducks? "
Wei Ci was speechless.
Xu Ke, who had already pacified the logistics and ordered all kinds of siege equipment to be in place, rode over on horseback. When he heard this tricky question, he almost fell off his horse … She could not make things difficult for Wei Zixiao. Even if she asked Master Yuanjing, the old man might not be able to answer.
Jiang Pengji muttered to herself, "Do both sides have to communicate beforehand and send an interpreter who is proficient in dialects?"
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