The hall was even more brightly lit, with eight large gilt lamps hanging from the beams, illuminating the entire room as if it were daytime.
A round pear wood table was placed in the hall. The table was already filled with dishes. The braised meat had a mellow aroma, the steamed river fresh meat was tender and tangy, and there were several plates of exquisite snacks and seasonal fruits. The cups, bowls and chopsticks were all made of clear white jade.
From these preparations, it can be seen that Ji Xunjiang has really put some thought into it.
Ji Xunjiang turned sideways to lead the two of them to sit down. He sat at the banquet next to the main seat and raised his hand to signal the servant to pour wine.
"I couldn't prepare any delicacies in a hurry, so the two generals will use some."
"This is our Yan Kingdom specialty 'Drunken Flowing Rosy Clouds'. It is soft in the mouth but has strong staying power. Please try it."
When the wine glass was full, Ji Xunjiang took the lead in picking up the wine glass, stood up and saluted the two of them, and said in a sincere tone.
"General Du is the god Great Xuan Army. He single-handedly put down the rebellion in the northwest, and his reputation spread far and wide."
"Marquis Su is a young talent. He has reached Celestial Person Realm at a young age. His talent in martial arts is unparalleled in the world. The two of you leading the army to help today are like holding up the sky for me Upper Valley Commandery. Ji Xunjiang would like to toast you two first and say thank you. You two can do whatever you want."
After saying that, Ji Xunjiang raised his head and drank the wine in the glass with a respectful gesture.
Du Tianwu also picked up the wine glass and smiled heartily.
"The county guard is overrated. It is my Great Xuan duty to protect the country and the people and help our neighbors. We will do our best to exterminate the White Lotus Sect traitors and protect Upper Valley Commandery's safety."
Su Fei took a sip and the wine went into his throat. As expected, it was soft and mellow. He didn't say much.
During the banquet, Ji Xunjiang toasted frequently, and his words were full of flattery, sometimes praising Du Tianwu for his strict military management and illustrious military exploits.
Sometimes he praises Su Fei Celestial Person for his appearance and his powerful martial arts.
He also cleverly interspersed talk about the current difficulties in the Yan Kingdom, mentioning that the people of the Yan Kingdom were suffering from the war, and his words were full of compassion, which not only showed his sense of responsibility as a county guard, but also secretly reminded the two of them of the heavy responsibility of this trip.
Du Tianwu has a bold temperament, and was very happy to be coaxed by Ji Xunjiang, drinking and drinking non-stop.
Su Fei, on the other hand, always remained somewhat sober. He occasionally asked White Lotus Sect about the movements of the small group of rebels, and Ji Xunjiang answered them one by one.
After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.
Seeing that he was almost finished eating, Ji Xunjiang saw this, put down his wine glass, and clapped his hands lightly towards the outside of the living room.
Two servants in green gowns bowed and walked in carrying trays.
The tray is covered with bright yellow brocade.
The servant brought the tray to Su Fei and Du Tianwu. Ji Xunjiang stood up and walked forward, opening the brocade with his own hands.
I saw neatly stacked stacks of Silver Notes in the tray, with the imprint of the bank Yan Kingdom printed on the face of the note. The handwriting was clear and the amount was considerable.
Ji Xunjiang had a gentle smile on his face.
"General Du, Marquis Su."
"This small gift, one hundred thousand taels Silver Notes, is not disrespectful. Firstly, I would like to thank you two for leading the army to the rescue. Secondly, it is a small kindness from me, Upper Valley Commandery, to help you subsidize military supplies and reward the soldiers. The safety of Upper Valley Commandery, and even the lives of the Yan Kingdom people, are all entrusted to you."
Su Fei and Du Tianwu looked at each other again, with no surprise in their eyes.
The assistance between countries is inherently mixed with interests. Ji Xunjiang These one hundred thousand taels Silver Notes are both a thank you and a reassurance, hoping to use this to make the two of them work harder.
Moreover, Great Xuan Army came from afar, and although he had his own supplies of food, grass, ordnance, he still needed additional subsidies, so Silver Notes accepted them without any harm.
Du Tianwu was the first to reach out and take the Silver Notes in front of him, and said loudly.
"The Sheriff is interested. In this case, I will be disrespectful. Please rest assured, Sheriff, I, Great Xuan Army, will go all out to exterminate the Yan Kingdom White Lotus Sect traitors!"
Su Fei also casually put Silver Notes in the tray into his arms.
He looked at Ji Xunjiang.
"You don't have to be polite, Sheriff. White Lotus Sect traitors are our formidable enemies. Even if I don't have this intention, I will do my best to eliminate them."
Seeing the two of them accept it readily, Ji Xunjiang was heartbroken, and the smile on his face became more sincere and bright.
He picked up the wine glass again and toasted the two of them.
"With these two words, I am completely relieved. Come, let's have another drink and wish you a great success in suppressing the bandits."
As the lights flickered, the crisp sound of glasses clashing echoed in the hall.
Su Fei looked at the sloshing wine in the glass, but he was thinking in his heart. Ji Xunjiang is so eager. It seems that Upper Valley Commandery's situation is more dangerous than it looks.
He estimated that White Lotus Sect's large group of rebels would arrive at the city soon.
After the banquet is over.
On the second day, Du Tianwu began to organize the army and prepare for war in the military camp without any delay.
Great Xuan Army's camp was set up in the open area on the south side of Upper Valley Commandery City. One hundred thousand soldiers were divided into five battalions, with cavalry on the left, infantry on the right, archers guarding the high ground, and spearmen setting up formations for daily drills.
Du Tianwu must personally patrol the camp every morning, holding a riding whip to randomly inspect the ordnance and inspect the formation.
The crisp sound of armor clashing, the sound of galloping hooves, and the shouts of soldiers waving their arms resounded throughout the countryside day after day.
Su Fei, on the other hand, took three hundred Imperial Guard, traveling between the camp and the county town every day, while exploring the surrounding terrain, marking the passes that could be set up for ambush, and the strongholds that could be defended, while investigating the detailed operations in the county town.
White Lotus Sect has always been good at penetration, Su Fei will not give the other party a chance to cooperate inside and outside.
These Imperial Guard were all people with rich experience in solving crimes. They went door to door to investigate suspicious persons. In just a few days, they uncovered more than a dozen lurking White Lotus Sect gangsters. After dealing with them all, the people in the county felt a little calmer.
Ji Xunjiang was never idle. He urged his subordinates to prepare food and fodder every day and strengthen the city defense. He mobilized thousands of remaining village warriors in the county to help defend the city wall. He also mobilized the people to repair the damaged battlements and stockpile rolling logs and stones and other military supplies.
The people of Upper Valley Commandery have seen the miserable situation of the refugees outside.
Knowing the fate of the city's destruction, they hated White Lotus Sect to the core. When they heard that Great Xuan Army was coming to help, they all took the initiative to help, including men, women, old and young.
After intensive preparations, more than ten days passed in a flash. The Great Xuan Army soldiers became more energetic and Upper Valley Commandery City's defense became stronger.
On this day, the autumn wind suddenly rose, sweeping the dead leaves all over the sky and passing over the county town. There was a chilling atmosphere in the air.
At noon, a scout cavalry, covered in sweat, rode into the governor's house and knelt down in a panic to report.
"Lord Sheriff, a large number of people have appeared on the hillside thirty miles outside the city. These people are camping on the hillside under the flag of the White Lotus Sect."
Ji Xunjiang felt nervous, and immediately sent several more scouts to investigate, making sure to find out the strength of the rebels.
Half an hour later, the scouts reported back one after another, and the news was summarized.
The White Lotus Sect rebels who came this time numbered 70,000 to 80,000 people. Their camps stretched for hundreds of miles, and their flags were everywhere. They were approaching menacingly.