Li Daoxuan had thoroughly enjoyed his role as an observer. He thought that since Li Ying's intention to avoid battle had been "seen through by the Donglin faction," he would at least pretend and lead his troops away, turning west.
But he soon realized he had overestimated this man's character.
After leaving the county town, Li Ying didn't head west. He tilted his head, thought for a moment, then chuckled. "We'll go north, to Fengyuan Town. That Fengyuan Town is also a good place. It connects to Yan'an Prefecture to the north. Staying in Fengyuan Town also allows us to advance or retreat. Plus, we can stay far away from those two Donglin mad dogs."
His deputy lowered his voice. "General, we don't have much food. We couldn't get provisions in Chengcheng County. The next few days will be tough."
Li Ying snorted. "Hmph, the road to Fengyuan Town is a major official road. There are plenty of households along it. We'll just eat our way there."
The deputy chuckled.
They truly did head north along the official road…
Not long after setting out, they saw a small tea house by the roadside. Li Ying pretended not to see it, but his deputy waved a hand. A squad of soldiers rushed into the tea house, smashing and looting. They quickly cleaned out the meager money and food inside. The tea house owner cowered in the inner room, trembling, not daring to come out and stop them.
The soldiers continued north. Not much farther on, there was a small inn. The deputy waved again, and another squad of soldiers charged in to smash and loot…
Li Daoxuan watched their rampage with a cold eye. A nameless fury rose within him. If this were Gao Village, he wouldn't have been able to resist swatting them down with a palm.
This Guerrilla General Li Ying was clearly asking for punishment!
Should he give him a heavenly slap as divine punishment?
No, he couldn't handle everything personally. Matters the miniatures could handle themselves should be left to them.
Besides, this guy was walking experience points. He could be used to grind battle experience for his miniatures. Opportunities to fight regular official troops weren't easy to come by.
Li Daoxuan blew a puff of air at Li Ying's troops.
A fierce gale erupted. Li Ying was nearly blown off his feet, giving him a fright. His soldiers stumbled and staggered, a sorry sight.
Now too afraid to plunder the commoners, he roared, "Something's strange here! Demonic winds keep blowing right at us! Hurry, move on to Fengyuan Town!"
The soldiers hurried along, not daring to cause trouble anymore.
Li Daoxuan grabbed a small handful of flour and dropped it in front of the owners of the small tea house and inn who had been robbed.
The two owners didn't know where the flour came from but felt a deity must be protecting them. They hurriedly kowtowed to the sky.
Li Daoxuan tapped a finger, shifting his view back to Gao Village.
Gao Village currently displayed two emotional states.
The ordinary villagers remained happy and content, farming, working, attending school as usual… maintaining their joy.
But the militia, led by Cheng Xu, had entered a state of combat readiness, organizing troops and preparing horses, their morale high.
Li Daoxuan searched the crowd for Gao Yiye. The young girl, having just returned from the county town, had regained her cheerful state. She, along with Gao Sanwa, Young Master Bai, Third Lady, and other children, were running wildly along the edges of the fields.
Gao Yiye shouted, "You really found will-o'-the-wisps?"
Gao Sanwa replied, "Really! I'm not lying. On that slope over there, when night falls, they float out, drifting eerily. So scary!"
Third Lady: "Wow, and we're still going over? Won't we get eaten by ghosts?"
Young Master Bai: "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could there be ghosts in a village where Tianzun resides? I suspect it's a physical phenomenon. I just haven't studied it yet."
The four older children pitter-pattered up the slope, circled around, and saw nothing. Where would you find will-o'-the-wisps in broad daylight?
Seeing their playful mood had subsided somewhat, Li Daoxuan spoke up. "Yiye, go to Cheng Xu and relay an order for me."
Gao Yiye jumped up with an "Ah!" "Okay, I'll go right away."
"Don't worry, it won't take many words. You can come back to see the will-o'-the-wisps before dark."
Gao Yiye: "Tianzun, will there really be will-o'-the-wisps?"
Li Daoxuan smiled. "Will-o'-the-wisps should actually be called phosphorus fires. They aren't ghosts, but a chemical phenomenon. Hmm, now that you mention it, Young Master Bai and Third Lady are about ready to learn Middle School Chemistry. Tomorrow, I'll have the block carvers start making that book."
Gao Yiye: "Wow, if I tell Young Master Bai this, he'll be so happy."
Li Daoxuan smiled, a look of paternal benevolence on his face.
However, when Gao Yiye ran up to Cheng Xu, Li Daoxuan's expression instantly turned ferocious—a roar, a dragon's roar: "Cheng Xu, muster the troops. Prepare to deal with someone."
Cheng Xu hurriedly bowed to the sky. "Are we dealing with the Guyuan rebels?"
"Not them!" Li Daoxuan said with a dark face. "We're dealing with Guerrilla General Li Ying."
Cheng Xu had been in the trenches for many years. He had heard of most of the famous figures in Shaanxi's official circles, especially those in the military ranks. Upon hearing Li Ying's name, he frowned. "That guy was appointed Guerrilla General and came to our area? Heh, we're going to deal with him? I understand, I understand…"
Li Daoxuan: "What do you understand?"
Cheng Xu said, "Li Ying is notorious for his troops' poor discipline. Useless against enemies, but a master at extorting money and looting commoners. Most Shaanxi military officers know this. Civil officials have impeached him many times, but it's always been suppressed by Shaanxi Provincial Governor Hu Tingyan. Heh… His Excellency the Governor must have received a lot of bribes from Li Ying… I've suspected half the wealth Li Ying looted from the people ended up in the Governor's pockets."
Li Daoxuan was speechless but not surprised.
Cheng Xu's spirits lifted. He roared at the militia, "You bunch of trash! Remember what this drillmaster told you last time? Why did Tianzun organize you?"
The five hundred militiamen replied in unison, "To fight for the common people of the world!"
Cheng Xu chuckled. "Good. Now your chance has come. Guerrilla General Li Ying has arrived in Chengcheng County. This Li Ying, though an official soldier, has always acted like a bandit, oppressing good people and plundering their wealth. Tianzun has just delivered a divine decree. We are to drive this scoundrel Li Ying out of Chengcheng County."
Everyone was slightly stunned, a bit scared.
Before, they had always fought bandits—a righteous war, no burden on their conscience. But this time, they had to fight official troops? So we really are rebels?
This… this…
Just as they were hesitating, they suddenly heard Flat Rabbit burst into loud laughter. "Finally! Finally! Hahaha! This Rabbit Lord knew we'd fight the official troops sooner or later! Hahaha! This Rabbit Lord has long disliked those oppressive official troops! Hahaha! This Rabbit can finally execute Heaven's will! Hahahaha!"
He swished and drew his family's heirloom sword.
The sword had long been polished to a gleaming silver.
Sword in hand, he swished, swished, swished, waving it wildly, with no technique whatsoever—because he still hadn't obtained a single sword manual and knew no sword techniques.
But that didn't hinder his performance. He raised the long sword, laughing up at the sky. "I will use this move, Heavenly Rabbit Severing Tyrant Sword, to slay all the evil official troops!"
His antics suddenly energized the previously hesitant militia. Especially the soldiers from Qingjian County, who roared, "That's right! Kill all those shitty, oppressive official troops!"
Only Cheng Xu sarcastically remarked, "There are good people among the official troops too. What the hell are you getting all worked up about, you bunch? And that stupid rabbit, your 'Heavenly Rabbit Severing Tyrant Sword' is just random slashing. Don't make it sound so impressive."