Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Kidnapped!

The cook glanced at the main general, who was enraged, and promptly went to summon someone.

Soon, the Grain Transport Officer arrived before Zhan Lan, respectfully kneeling to explain, “Main General, the military provisions have been detained. I truly have no choice; there’s a decree from His Majesty, and I must comply with it.”

Zhan Lan stepped forward, causing the Grain Transport Officer to tremble all over. Faced with offending the Emperor or Zhan Lan, he chose the latter.

Zhan Lan’s gaze was cold, confirming her fears—there was indeed a problem with the supplies.

“Main General, although I follow His Majesty’s orders, I did bring fodder for the return journey’s horses.” The Grain Transport Officer spoke with lowered eyes.

Zhan Lan snorted coldly, thankful she had retained Shen Shan’s jade pendant, indicating her father and Lu Youjun should be taking action.

Her fists clenched with a crackling sound, cursing Emperor Qingwu—how dare he cut off the army’s supplies!

Emperor Qingwu probably doesn’t want her to return alive!

Zhan Lan looked at the Grain Transport Officer, her voice suppressed, “When the general is on the outside, the Emperor’s orders may be disobeyed, using discretion in emergencies. Since you are so disobedient, I don’t mind appointing a new Grain Transport Officer!”

Upon hearing that Zhan Lan wanted to dismiss him, the Grain Transport Officer immediately pleaded, “Main General, Main General, please give me another chance!”

Zhan Lan’s expression remained indifferent; in times like these, so-called mercy would only harm the Zhan Family Army.

“Bind him, send him back, await his fate!”

“Yes, Main General.”

As people dragged him away, the Grain Transport Officer sobbed and pleaded, “Main General, I have a family, and I don’t dare defy the Emperor’s decree; you can’t do this to me!”

Zhan Lan calmly replied, “Ha, the Zhan Family Army also protects the peace for the families of the people. If you miss home so much, you can go back and accompany your family!”

The Grain Transport Officer felt utterly defeated. Why was Zhan Lan so stubborn, insisting on attacking Western Rong? Wouldn’t it suffice to just teach them a lesson?

Zhan Lan turned to Li Sui, “Brother Li, quickly return and meet with my father. The matter of supplies is paramount; even if by force, we must seize them. I’m entrusting this task to you.”

“Yes, Main General!” Li Sui nodded in agreement.

Zhan Lan looked towards the direction of Western Rong; now, aside from crossing the desert, another route to enter the capital city of Western Rong is through the Snow Eagle Tribe and the Liao Tribe.

The Snow Eagle Tribe had already been eradicated by Mu Yan, leaving the most difficult Liao Tribe to deal with.

Could Mu Yan be at the Liao Tribe?

She felt uneasy, as the leader of the Liao Tribe, who would become the future king of Xiliao, was even more ruthless than the current king of Western Rong.

In her past life, she had learned, just before dying, that Si Jun ceded four cities to secure Nanjin’s peace.

Historically, every dynasty follows a similar pattern from prosperity to decline—founding, flourishing, fall, and extinction.

The Emperor of Nanjin no longer possesses the deep understanding of the demise and founding turmoil like their ancestors, nor does he focus on the people’s livelihoods like the previous generations. He also ignores the welfare and recuperation of the citizens.

Emperors like Xuanwu and Qingwu, due to the foundation laid by previous emperors during the flourishing era, grew complacent, acting recklessly.

It is known since ancient times that extreme prosperity leads to decline.

The Emperor of Nanjin disregards national security and the hardship of the people, acting carelessly. The former policies of not laboring, harming, disturbing, or impoverishing the people, light taxation, and accumulating wealth among them were all abandoned by Xuanwu and Qingwu.

Under the Si Family’s rule, Nanjin is destined for extinction.

Zhan Lan refocused her thoughts and immediately summoned Xiao Chen, Zhan Hui, Dugu Yan, and Huang Gun to discuss strategies.

Xiao Chen pointed at the map, saying, “The Liao Tribe has ten thousand cavalry, also the most formidable tribe in Western Rong. As Western Rong’s last remaining tribe, even if we don’t act, they will attack us.”

Zhan Hui nodded, “Currently, the water in our tribe is sufficient, but the military provisions are depleted. If provisions arrive, we could fight them.”

Dugu Yan suggested, “Then let’s slaughter the herdsmen’s sheep to eat, giving them silver for compensation.”

“Even sheep soup will eventually run out, we still need military provisions.” Huang Gun rarely displayed such seriousness.

While they were still discussing, after listening to everyone’s opinions, Zhan Lan said, “The Liao Tribe is unlike other tribes; rash actions will only put us in danger, with one wrong move resulting in total defeat. What we must do now is abandon a few small tribes, consolidate our forces, and continue to withdraw, awaiting reinforcements and provisions.”

Everyone agreed.

After the discussion, Zhan Lan immediately set off with the eight thousand Zhan Family Army.

Finally, fifty li away, Zhan Lan met up with the Zhan Family Army from a few small tribes.

Now under her command were fifteen thousand Zhan Family Army soldiers, but they were all hungry, lacking strength to fight.

If they could just endure through the day and night, they would about be able to wait for military provisions.

Zhan Lan spotted a green clump on the ground. She rode out for a li and returned holding several wild vegetables, her expression showing a hint of excitement.

“Huang Gun, take men to dig up this Uta vegetable!”

Huang Gun was amazed, “Th-this, is it edible?”

Zhan Lan smirked, “Trust me, it’s everywhere a li ahead, cook it into a vegetable soup to tide the soldiers over.”

“Alright, I’ll take the men to dig now!” Huang Gun chuckled and asked, “Should we have the soldiers dig some mushrooms too?”

Zhan Lan remembered the absurd incident of poisoning everyone when she treated them and her lips twitched, refusing, “Mushrooms are unnecessary.”

If they mistakenly ate poisonous mushrooms again, total annihilation could indeed occur.

The wild vegetables she consumed were still somewhat safe.

Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Uta vegetable in Zhan Lan’s hand. These vegetables could grow even in winter; he and Zhan Lan had eaten various wild vegetables when driven to desperation in their past life.

Thus, Zhan Lan was no stranger to these wild vegetables.

Looking at the Uta vegetable, Zhan Lan began to feel bitter, stomach acid surfacing; during battles of her previous life when military provisions were lacking, she had consumed these wild vegetables countless times, reacting just by seeing them.

Her stomach suddenly rumbled. Hunger took over; no doubt, the soldiers felt similarly.

An hour later, the cook had prepared the vegetable soup.

After savoring a bowl of vegetable soup, Zhan Lan suddenly found the wild vegetables truly delectable.

She watched the soldiers sitting on the ground with bowls in hand and spoke with an elevated voice, “You soldiers, endure just a bit longer; once this battle is over, I’ll treat you to a feast!”

The Zhan Family Army cheered; their general never treats herself differently from them; whatever they eat, their general eats too.

Since their general drank vegetable soup, they had no complaints.

“Is it delicious?” Zhan Lan asked the veteran beside her.

The veteran sipped the piping hot soup from his bowl, exhaled warming breath, and chuckled, “Main General, it’s been a long while since I had vegetable soup. My family is poor, back home we often had vegetable soup, and we made cornmeal vegetable buns. I’m used to eating these vegetables!”

Zhan Lan gazed at the wrinkles on the veteran’s face; had he not been from a poor family, he wouldn’t have come to fight!