For noble families, what matters is their reputation.

And now Xiao Yunqi plans to cede land and pay reparations, which is no different from being a traitor. If anyone associates with him now, they would be colluding and would be backstabbed by others.

Wu Lu felt that it was necessary to do something now to draw a clear line.

...

"Kill..." Chen Mo commanded from his horse, waving a large hand, and the soldiers behind him surged toward the mountain like a tide. Before long, the bandits causing chaos on the mountain were completely wiped out.

Chen Mo came all the way from Nanyang, and whenever he encountered bandits who took advantage of the chaos to commit crimes, he ordered his troops to destroy them, treating it as military training.

These times were truly chaotic.

Nanyang County is only three or four hundred miles from Bianliang, a day’s march at full speed, yet they had already encountered and wiped out three or four groups of bandits along the way.

After a bout of fighting, more than twenty thousand people rested by the river.

Chen Mo’s personal guard was not large, less than three thousand, but they were extremely experienced in battle. The seasoned veterans, even when resting, kept vigilant watch around them and set up several defensive points around Chen Mo.

"These bandits were too easy to defeat, I didn’t even need to take action." Li Weiqiu grabbed a fat fish from the river and started a fire on the bank to roast it.

"After all, these bandits are also driven by desperation." Dai Xishan sat casually in the snow, watching Li Weiqiu roast the fish, and said with a pout: "Li brother, you’re too unfair, only catching one fish."

Li Weiqiu rolled his eyes at him: "In this cold weather, if you want to eat, catch it yourself."

"Driven by desperation or not, does it give them the right to oppress the equally desperate common people? When they committed such heinous acts, they deserved to die." Zhang Lie interjected, having seen a few bandit leaders queuing up to abuse a civilian girl when he stormed a bandit den earlier.

"This place is less than a hundred miles from the Capital, yet it’s like this. Imagine how chaotic it must be in other places." Bai Yongtao chimed in.

Gao Zheng fetched a pot of water from upstream in the river and handed it to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo took it casually, then grabbed the roasted fish on the fire, took a bite, finding it lacked seasoning and tasted ordinary, even fishy.

"Sir, you’re... you’re shameless." Li Weiqiu widened his eyes, watching his roasted fish become Chen Mo’s meal.

Dai Xishan, Zhang Lie, and others laughed heartily.

Helpless, Li Weiqiu could only catch another fish to roast.

Just as he finished roasting it, Chen Mo, having already eaten his roasted fish, said, "We’ve rested enough, time to move."

Saying this, he got up and mounted his horse.

Li Weiqiu: "..."

Hurriedly taking a few bites, Li Weiqiu grabbed his helmet from the side and followed.

He waved his hand behind him, and the fire was extinguished.

...

Chen Mo did not immediately march the troops into the city but instead set up camp outside the city.

If he had marched directly into the city with the troops, it would have meant something entirely different.

"Brother Xishan, Brother Zhang, thank you both for your hard work." Chen Mo took out a small contraption that Tie Li had developed and handed it to Dai Xishan, saying, "This is a Cloud-Piercing Arrow, it flies up and explodes once lit; it’s our signal for contact."

Dai Xishan nodded solemnly.

Chen Mo patted his shoulder, then entered the city with Li Weiqiu, Zhang Lie, and Gao Zheng.

Chen Mo did not conceal his whereabouts, so news of the army setting up camp outside the city quickly reached the Xiao Family.

"What did I say, he doesn’t have the guts. He’s merely here to discuss deployment." Xiao Teng laughed heartily.

"I feel things are not that simple." Feng Ji frowned, Chen Mo’s approach actually making him suspicious.

"Whatever it is, we’ll find out once he arrives. Someone, keep a close watch on his troops camped outside the city." Xiao Yunqi said in a deep voice.

"Yes."

...

Not long after.

The chief steward of the Xiao Mansion came before Xiao Yunqi and respectfully said, "Master, Lord Chen requests an audience."

"How many people?"

"Just him alone."

"Let him in."

"Yes."

...

The hall of the Xiao Mansion.

When Chen Mo entered, the sides of the hall were filled with people.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he respectfully said, "Subordinate pays respects to Lord Anyang, General Xiao..."

"Chen Mo has arrived. Come, come, take a seat." Xiao Yunqi’s face broke into a smile, pointing to the first seat on the left.

Chen Mo didn’t stand on ceremony and sat down.

Xiao Teng sipped his tea, the cup covering the lower half of his face, leaving only his sharp eyes visible: "With this freezing cold outside, taking a turn makes you shiver. What brings you back to the Capital with your army?"

"General Xiao is unaware..." Chen Mo cupped his hands and said, "After many wars, Nanyang has been left with nothing, no grain to sustain life, and now with new battles arising, this subordinate is truly at a loss, and thus came with the troops to the Capital to ask Lord Anyang for grain."

Chen Mo knew that if he only talked about deployment affairs, the old fox Xiao Yunqi would not believe it.

Upon hearing this, the entire hall was in shock.

Xiao Teng’s expression changed slightly, and he rebuked Chen Mo, "Bold."

Chen Mo lowered his head.

Feng Ji was also taken aback.

It seemed he understood the reason Chen Mo brought his troops to the Capital.

Because now, with these words from Chen Mo, the grain whether given or not has to be given.

First, the man clearly stated that Nanyang has no grain.

And now, the master wants him to deal with King Yan, but without grain, the army with empty stomachs cannot defeat King Yan.

Furthermore, Chen Mo came to ask for grain, maybe promising his subordinates that he would surely obtain the grain. If the Xiao Mansion doesn’t provide the grain, Chen Mo’s men might not even listen.

In other words, Chen Mo has latched onto the Xiao Mansion.

No grain will be given, no leaving.

Yet, the request is reasonable without being excessive.

If you want someone to help you fight a war, isn’t providing grain quite normal?

And he’s not unwilling to fight or anything like disobeying orders.

I’ve brought my troops, and as soon as the supplies arrive, we’ll immediately set out.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunqi’s somewhat furrowed brows immediately relaxed as he laughed heartily: "You clever rascal. Someone, bring us wine."

Chen Mo sheepishly scratched his head.

After a round of drinks, Xiao Yunqi asked, "When you were in Nanyang, didn’t you purchase grain?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo immediately sighed, putting on a pitiful expression, and said: "The grain was purchased, but in Nanyang County there are so many mouths to feed, as a local official, I can hardly ignore them.

The grain is insufficient, and now even the army is starving, eating only one meal a day, barely able to hold weapons."

Then Chen Mo went a step further, saying: "Lord Anyang, I’ve heard that King Yan commands over two hundred thousand troops, and my few people are probably not enough. So, I have a presumptuous request, hoping Lord Anyang can allocate me some more troops."