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This battle was no longer about individual lives or personal grievances. It was a matter of life and death for the entire city's population and the fate of the whole State of Zhao.
In the face of national enmity, any personal grievances, no matter how significant, become insignificant.
Gu Chengfeng and Tang Yueshan descended from the city tower and entered the makeshift camp where they saw Gu Jiao tending to the wounded.
Gu Jiao was unaware that Tang Yueshan had been saved and brought into the city.
The moment she entered the city, the city gate closed.
Tang Yueshan sacrificed his own chance of survival to throw her inside the city. She understood this, but she wouldn't sink into the emotions it brought.
In this moment of crisis, she quickly entered a state of readiness for the war.
Her calm and decisive demeanor once again astonished Tang Yueshan.
If it weren't for everything she had done earlier, he might have thought her to be an extremely cold-hearted person.
Seeing that she appeared fine, neither Tang Yueshan nor Gu Chengfeng came forward to disturb her.
Tang Yueshan took charge of the defense of Yuegu City.
He had brought back two thousand infantry and five hundred archers from Ye City, and together with the five thousand troops already in Yuegu City, the total force numbered seven thousand and five hundred soldiers, with nearly six hundred of them wounded.
All the wounded soldiers wanted to participate in the upcoming battle.
However, their ability to rejoin the front lines depended on Gu Jiao's evaluation. Only those she deemed fit for battle were allowed to return.
In addition, among the five thousand troops of Yuegu City, nearly half of them were conscripted from the civilian population, and these untrained individuals couldn’t just be sent to the front lines to die.
Tang Yueshan selected those with combat experience and enlisted them to assist in the rear. Those without martial skills were to remain on the city walls, where they would play a supportive role in handling military equipment attacks, such as launching projectiles like stones.
Additionally, there was a shortage of weapons and armor.
Tang Yueshan instructed his subordinates to gather the blacksmiths in the city and have them forge throughout the night.
"Hold on." Tang Yueshan said.
"Supreme Commander Tang, do you have further instructions?" Deputy General Li inquired.
Tang Yueshan paused and told Deputy General Li, "Forge an extra set of armor."
Outside the city walls, the State of Chen's army of nearly twenty thousand soldiers loomed like a menacing beast, ready to devour Yuegu City at any moment.
Inside the city, the doors and windows of the common people were tightly closed, and their fear was palpable.
The Prefect's Mansion was also running low on provisions. Without the garrison troops, the available supplies were originally only sufficient for the over two thousand city guards. With an additional five thousand mouths to feed, the Prefect's Mansion's food storehouses had become stretched to their limits.
Gu Chengfeng's task was to procure more provisions from the city's populace.
Advisor Hu accompanied him.
"Let's first visit the grain shops in the city." Gu Chengfeng suggested.
Advisor Hu led Gu Chengfeng to a nearby grain shop near the city tower.
The shop's door had long been closed, but when government officials came knocking, the owner dared not stay hidden.
"How much grain do you have in your shop? Sell it all to me." Gu Chengfeng said to the shop owner.
The shop owner looked at Gu Chengfeng with surprise and uncertainty.
"Is there nothing left?" Gu Chengfeng asked.
"Ah... No, there's still some." The shop owner said, and hesitantly handed over the remaining grain and rice. "Lord Official, this is all I have left. There's nothing more."
"How much for all of it?" Gu Chengfeng asked while reaching for his money pouch.
The shop owner was surprised once more, and this time, he was certain he had not misheard it. This official was here to buy food, not to requisition it.
The shop owner fetched an abacus and began calculating. He said cautiously, "It's a total of five taels of silver."
Gu Chengfeng handed over the money.
The shop owner held the silver in his hand, still in disbelief, unable to regain his composure for a long time.
Gu Chengfeng left the shop after making the purchase, only to find some curious heads emerging from the houses on the streets, cautiously peering at him.
Doors of every household were slightly ajar, and townsfolk were both curious and fearful, looking in his direction.
A young boy, about the same age as Little Jing Kong, suddenly came running forward. Ignorant and unafraid, he was undeterred by the presence of the officials before him.
The child approached Gu Chengfeng, tilted his little head, and asked in a childish voice, "Are we going to die? Are you going to run away?"
His mother hurried over, embracing the child and covering his mouth to hush him.
"Forgive us, my Lord! Please forgive us!" The woman knelt and kowtowed in apology to Gu Chengfeng.
“We won’t.”
A cold and clear voice sounded calmly from not too far away.
Gu Jiao came to the city's herbal medicine shop with Hu Dongqiang to gather herbs.
She stood in front of the child and the woman, pointed toward Tang Yueshan, who was conducting a headcount outside the military tent, and said, "Do you see that man? He is the Supreme Commander of the whole army of the State of Zhao. Every soldier in the State of Zhao follows his command."
The young boy stared at the tall and imposing Tang Yueshan in amazement, saying, "Wow!"
Gu Jiao then pointed to Gu Chengfeng and continued, "And him, he is the Second Young Master of the Gu Family Army. The Gu Family Army is the most formidable military force in the State of Zhao. They are on their way here and will arrive soon."
The young boy gazed at the impressive Gu Chengfeng and exclaimed again, "Whoa!"
Gu Chengfeng was deeply moved by the child's innocent and admiring eyes. For the first time, he felt the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke, addressing not only the young boy but also the entire street of anxious onlookers, "That's right! My eldest brother will be here soon! He's bringing a hundred thousand Gu Family soldiers with him! Everyone, rest assured, Yuegu City will definitely be saved! Even if we have to fight to the last man, we will definitely defend this city!"
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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