At that, everyone nodded. It made sense.
The heir was an important figure. What would he gain from lying to people like them? Nothing at all.
In that case, it had to be true.
Gulp!
They could not help swallowing. If it really was true, no one in Xiliang Commandery would go hungry again.
"Your Highness, I want to follow you and grow this high-yield crop too!"
"I'm an expert local farmer, Your Highness. I won't let you down. Please take me in!"
"Your Highness..."
The people of Xiliang Commandery could no longer sit still. The Prince of Northern Liang's heir had personally vouched for it, so there was hardly any chance of a problem. No one but a fool would pass up a grain crop with such a high yield.
Even the old general stopped talking about leaving. He simply planted himself beside Lin Yi and refused to go.
"Your Highness, I was planning to go back, but now that there's such a miraculous crop, I've decided to stay and lend you a hand. If we really manage to grow it, all the people of Northern Liang will thank you!"
A thought stirred in Lin Yi's mind. The old man was probably one of his father's people, so there was no problem with letting him stay.
Just then, Wang Yue walked over and said quietly, "Your Highness, this old man should be White Asura, one of the prince's trusted aides. He's no ordinary man. They say he used to be one of the prince's vanguard commanders."
What?
Hearing that, Lin Yi could not help questioning his life. This shabby old man before him was the god of slaughter from the Northern Liang upheaval? White Asura had buried fifty thousand Northern Region barbarian soldiers alive back then?
No wonder there had been no news of him. His father had stationed him here to keep Dayu Pass under control.
Good grief. There was a formidable figure hiding here.
But that made sense. It explained why, although Northern Liang appeared to have deployed few forces here, those people did not dare overstep in the slightest. As it turned out, there was such a ruthless man here.
It was said that White Asura's daughter had died a tragic death at the hands of the Northern Region barbarians. Later, after routing the enemy army, he had buried fifty thousand Northern Region barbarian soldiers alive.
Heads had rolled, all as a tribute to his daughter, and the deed had caused a sensation.
Having an old man like that here was a good choice. As for secrets getting out, Lin Yi really did not care.
Everything he had was a reward from conquest, so there was nothing to leak. At most, other people would find it unbelievable.
With that thought, he smiled. "Since you're willing to help, old sir, I'll leave this matter in your care. Zhou Cang, if you need anything, just ask this old gentleman. He's a veteran general here."
Seeing how shameless the fellow before him was, White Asura seemed to recall that rascal Lin Rusong, and the corner of his mouth twitched. They really were father and son.
Forget it. For the people of Northern Liang, I'll put up with it!
If there really was grain with such a high yield, the people of Northern Liang could live good lives and no longer be eaten away by hunger.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. I understand!" Zhou Cang was thrilled. With a local power to help, things would be much easier. He hurried over to curry favor with the old gentleman.
White Asura glanced at Zhou Cang with a look of disgust. He was far too dark.
Not far away, a furtive figure had been watching the entrance to the governor's residence. Seeing the people kneeling all over the ground, he could not help dropping his jaw, and for a long time he could not get a word out.
This was too terrifying. It did not feel safe here; he had better leave quickly.
If those people found him, they would probably tear him apart alive.
"Kid, are you scared? Want to go back?"
A voice suddenly sounded beside his ear, giving him such a fright that he nodded instinctively.
But he quickly came to his senses, and his expression changed drastically. He was gathering intelligence. How could someone be right beside him?
He turned to see someone looking at him with a smile. At the sight of the man, his face went deathly pale. This seemed to be the person who had been beside the Northern Liang heir just now.
Damn it, I've been discovered!
Wang Yue looked at him coldly and said disdainfully, "You've fallen into my hands, and you still want to run? Do you really think the Net eats only vegetables? Speak. Who sent you?"
"I won't tell you. Kill me!"
The spy gritted his teeth.
"Hmph. A spiderweb clings like a maggot to the bone. Even if you don't talk, we have ways to find the person behind you," Wang Yue said with a cold smile.
He handed the man over to his subordinates. The Net had talented people when it came to interrogation too, and they were guaranteed not to disappoint these intelligence agents.
The spy soon broke down and revealed the person behind him.
"Zhuo Feifan?"
After hearing Wang Yue's report, Lin Yi, who had been in a good mood, instantly looked displeased.
I'd only just gotten into a good mood, and now someone has come along to spoil the scenery. What a killjoy.
"Your Highness, Zhuo Feifan is the head of one of Xiliang Commandery's three great clans. He has nearly ten thousand men under his command," Wang Yue explained.
Lin Yi nodded and studied the information in his hand, lost in thought.
According to the Net's intelligence, the three great clans remained the strongest powers in Xiliang. Of the three, only the Duan Clan was native to Xiliang; the Zhuo Clan and the Wang Clan had both come from elsewhere.
Zhuo Feifan dared join forces with others to make trouble for him because of his own formidable power. He was the boss of Xiliang's twenty-eight mountain strongholds, which meant he controlled twenty-eight bands of mountain bandits.
With his own forces added to that, it was only natural for him to have such ambitions.
But natural or not, that did not mean Lin Yi would accept it. With a sweep of his brush, he crossed out Zhuo Feifan's name. This was the man he would kill to warn the monkeys.
Then there was Wang Chengfei. The Net had been in contact with him, and the fellow knew what was good for him. He had volunteered quite a bit of information, so how to deal with him remained to be seen.
As for the last man, Duan Yingxiong, Lin Yi hardly knew whether to laugh or cry. The information showed that he was a die-hard fan of his father. It was said he even imitated the Prince of Northern Liang, Lin Rusong, in the way he spoke and conducted himself.
Whether that was true, however, remained a question.
Handing the list to Wang Yue, Lin Yi said in a low voice, "We have basically enough men now. Once Ma Chao arrives, we'll wipe out Zhuo Feifan."
"Since they think wiping out more than thirty mountain strongholds wasn't enough and still dare provoke me, I'll announce my arrival by starting with Zhuo Feifan. I'll also show Xiliang what rules are. My rules are the rules!"
The initial arrangements had long been completed. Together with the troops he had secretly infiltrated into Xiliang, they were enough to eliminate Zhuo Feifan, all the more so now that he had another thirty thousand Yellow Turban Army troops.
Even if they were a rabble, they were enough to deal with Zhuo Feifan.
He was only the head of a great clan, after all, and a clan was still just a clan. Lin Yi was somewhat interested, however, in who stood behind him.
To gain a firm foothold at Dayu Pass and become one of the three great clans, it was absolutely impossible to have no backing at all.