Feng Guanglu fell into deep thought.
That evening, Wu Shuangren received a reply from Feng Guanglu and the others.
The other party did not mention the Yi Province Militia, but only said that the government would send people to various local militias to recruit manpower, and hoped that Militia Commander Wu could send people to assist.
"Just as you predicted, sir!"
After receiving this reply, Wu Shuangren said to Guo Jiwang with admiration.
Guo Jiwang said, "Before, these people had the Mist Hidden Temple over them, so at least the other side had real power but no official authority, and these officials still had some prestige. If you really were allowed to establish the Yi Province Militia, what would be the point of being the magistrate of Yi Province?"
Wu Shuangren looked at the other person and asked curiously, "When you killed Fan Yu for me, did you already think of this step?"
If Fan Yu were still alive, he would definitely be the one to unite all the forces in Yi Province, and Wu Shuangren would have no say in the matter.
Guo Jiwang's expression was ambiguous, and he did not answer directly, "Back then, you decided to risk everything to ambush the six thousand men from Mount Liang. You took such a huge risk. If you only managed to recapture Yi Prefecture City, that would be a huge loss."
Wu Shuangren nodded; that made sense now.
Killing Fan Yu would be extremely risky for the other party. If it were to happen, the consequences would be extremely serious!
If Guo Jiwang's only goal was to eliminate future threats, he was taking a huge gamble.
He said that Wu Shuangren had taken such a huge risk just to recapture Yi Prefecture City, which was a huge loss.
He was essentially saying that it would be a huge loss for him to risk killing Fan Yu just to eliminate a future threat for Wu Shuangren.
But if we kill Fan Yu, we can then use the opportunity to plan for the military strength of the entire Yi Province. This deal would be very worthwhile!
Guo Jiwang betting not only that Wu Shuangren could win the ambush, but also that Wu Shuangren could become the head of the Yi Province Militia in the future!
Wu Shuangren had always thought that the idea of someone being able to plan ten steps ahead for every one step was an exaggeration. But now, seeing Guo Jiwang, he began to believe that such strategists might actually exist in the world.
The next morning, Wu Shuangren dispatched more than a dozen militia teams, each with different officials, to the other four counties in Yi Province besides Bo County, as well as places like He Family Village near the Yi Province wharf.
Anyone who had local militia, guards, or weapons was sent with an official to deliver a message, inviting these people to come into the city for a meeting.
Soon, the powerful clans throughout Yi Province received the news.
They have been paying close attention to the developments in Yi Prefecture City these past few days.
The local militia from Bo County led several thousand men to Yi Prefecture City, wiped out He Family Village, and took control of the Yi Province docks.
The Mount Liang rebels colluded with the Mist Hidden Temple to seize Yi Prefecture City, but were quickly driven away by the Bo County Militia.
The Bo County Militia wiped out the Mist Hidden Temple...
Each and every one of these events is truly shocking!
These powerful figures from Yi Province didn't really understand the strength of Mount Liang, and they were unaware of how many experts Mount Liang had sent in this battle.
But they know the Mist Hidden Temple well enough; for more than twenty years, the Mist Hidden Temple has been the number one power in Yi Province!
Business at the Yi Province docks had to pay a fee to the Mist Hidden Temple, and the Mist Hidden Temple monopolized the private salt trade. Furthermore, in many other places, local powerful figures inevitably had to deal with people from the Mist Hidden Temple, and ultimately had to bow down to them...
How could they not be shocked that Mist Hidden Temple had been suddenly uprooted?
So when they saw the officials leading the Bo County Militia to deliver the message, no one dared to take it lightly.
Wu Shuangren invited them to send someone to the state capital for a meeting.
To go or not to go? Absolutely!
No one dared not go.
The Bo County Militia, capable of wiping out the Mist Hidden Temple, was already terrifying; now, they've 'colluded' with the government. Who wouldn't be afraid?
The sixth day after Ciwen was killed.
It was the same restaurant, still booked out by Wu Shuangren.
The people who came this time were a mixed bunch, including members of the county militia, members of prominent local clans, elderly men with white beards, and young martial artists with impressive skills.
Fifty or sixty people arrived one after another.
After everyone entered, they took their seats in the lobby on the first floor.
Some knew each other, nodded and clasped hands, and sat down to chat; others had past grudges, exchanged glances, and sat far apart.
By noon, everyone had arrived.
Wu Shuangren did not appear; instead, Xu Yu, dressed in infantry armor and carrying a long-handled sword, walked in, startling everyone present.
"Militia Commander Wu invites everyone to the city wall."
After Xu Yu walked in, he didn't say a word more and went straight to the point.
"To the city wall?"
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand what Wu Shuangren was up to.
Some people were dissatisfied and wanted to voice their concerns.
But seeing Xu Yu, who was dressed in full heavy armor, carrying a long sword, with only his eyes showing and exuding a murderous Xu Yu, he swallowed the words that were about to come out.
The group left the restaurant and followed Xu Yu toward the north gate.
A moment later, the group was invited up to the north gate tower, where they finally met Wu Shuangren.
Wu Shuangren stood on the city wall, not wearing armor, only a black martial arts uniform.
"My name is Wu Shuangren, greetings to all of you."
Wu Shuangren took the initiative to bow to everyone with clasped hands.
Everyone was surprised to see the legendary Militia Commander Wu.
Too young!
'Isn't this just a little kid? Did he really build this up to this level?'
'Is there someone else behind this?'
'I heard this person is First Rate top-tier expert, so young and already First Rate?'
'...'
People had different thoughts, and some powerful figures who were originally afraid of Wu Shuangren.
Wu Shuangren didn't say much, but walked straight to the edge of the battlements, put his hands behind his back, and looked out of the city.
Guo Jiwang and Xu Yu followed, one on the left and one on the right.
Seeing this, the rest of the people also walked to the edge of the battlements, stood in twos and threes, and talked in hushed tones.
"What did Militia Commander Wu invite us here to see?"
An elderly man took the initiative to ask.
Everyone turned to look.
Wu Shuangren didn't turn around, and announced loudly, "Please, everyone, watch a military parade!"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
parade?
Is this a show of force?
Some people found it funny, while others looked on with amusement.
Young people are just like that; their way of showing off their muscles is so blatant and so tacky!
Before long, the drawbridge outside was lowered, and the north gate slowly opened.
Then, a hundred-man brigade emerged from the gate, all dressed in gray cloth uniforms, their spears pointing straight to the sky, their tips forming a continuous line in the morning light.
The man at the front, a knife at his waist, shouted commands. With each shout, a hundred men behind him would simultaneously step forward, their feet rising and falling like the beat of a drum!
When they reached a point thirty paces outside the city, the order suddenly changed. The entire team stopped, turned around, and aligned themselves again.
The whole process was smooth and seamless.
The city fell silent. No one spoke anymore, and the mockery in many people's eyes disappeared, replaced by serious expressions.
Most of the powerful figures from these places were worldly-wise. They had met the government troops and soldiers in the city and the garrison troops before.
This hundred-man squad outside the city already resembles some of the elite government troops!
'These are probably the hundred most elite men in their training regiment, right?'
Many people think this way.
Immediately afterwards, the second contingent marched out of the city gate. Like the first contingent, they were in groups of one hundred, their steps were synchronized, and their spears were like a forest.
Then came the third, the fourth... one after another, like a river continuously flowing out of the city gate!
The crowd's eyes followed the formation outside the city, their expressions shifting from initial calm to surprise, then disbelief, horror, and finally numbness.
These men, with anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred laborers, how could they possibly have such a sizable force?
The difference in the aura of soldiers standing together is immediately apparent.
These militiamen under Wu Shuangren's command, a hundred of them, were so well-organized and spirited; how could a thousand of them be so?!
What made everyone even more envious was that half of the more than two thousand people in the group were wearing full sets of leather armor.
Leather armor is not rare; it's possible to gather over a thousand sets of leather armor, which is a level of display that ordinary local militias can only produce.
Just when the local tyrants thought the 'military parade' was over, a heavily armored battalion marched out of the city.
There were more than forty of them, all dressed in full armor, the black plates layered upon each other, like black iron towers, inspiring awe.
Behind them were more than thirty people, wearing homemade heavy iron armor. Although the style was not as uniform as that of the infantry armor, it was still thick and heavy.
When this heavily armored battalion appeared, everyone on the city wall felt as if their breath was being suppressed.
Infantry armor – this is a heavy weapon possessed only by the elite border troops!
Those present had only ever heard of this thing in plays and rumors; they never imagined they would see it in person.
Moreover, possessing armor is a capital offense, while leather armor is less serious. Yet this Militia Commander Wu) openly displayed nearly a hundred suits of iron armor, right outside the city, right under the noses of the government!
Have they become this arrogant?
Wu Shuangren glanced at the reactions of the powerful figures around him and nodded in satisfaction.
Publicly displaying armor was indeed taboo, but he had a reason—he had repelled the Mount Liang rebels and defeated the Mist Hidden Temple, and these armors were spoils of war, not privately forged armor.
It was Guo Jiwang's suggestion to bring out all the armored vehicles in public today.
This 'military parade' served two purposes: it intimidated these local tyrants and simultaneously 'laundered' all their armor—a double win!
"These armors were seized from bandits. What do you all think?"
Guo Jiwang spoke at this moment.
Upon hearing this, the powerful figures all looked enlightened and nodded in approval.
"Militia Commander Wu defeated the rebels and saved Yi Prefecture City; his merits are immeasurable!"
"Militia Commander Wu troops with the bearing of a renowned general!"
"I think Militia Commander Wu is in no way inferior to the generals of the border army!"
"..."
Suddenly, the city walls became lively. All the contempt and mockery disappeared, replaced by deep awe!
Everyone wore forced smiles and cautiously glanced at the young man standing with his hands behind his back in front of the battlements.
Just then, a new procession emerged from the city gate.
This time it's cavalry!
One after another, nearly three hundred riders slowly emerged from the city gate, their hooves clattering in unison.
In fact, Wu Shuangren's current militia training doesn't have that many militiamen who can ride horses. However, riding slowly forward on horseback like this can be done with a little practice.
If these cavalrymen were allowed to gallop freely, their secret would be exposed immediately.
However, that was enough to intimidate the local tyrants on the city walls.