Chapter 402: Chapter 340: He Who Takes Xiao Mo’s Head Shall Be Made a Thousand Households Marquis

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion of Yanmen Pass.

Xiao Mo was taking inventory of the remaining Elixirs, Spirit Beast Flesh and Blood, Spirit Medicines, rations, and various weapons and armor.

Finally, looking at the numbers on the white paper, Xiao Mo’s expression grew solemn.

The Spirit Beast Flesh and Blood could replenish qi and blood, which was crucial for the soldiers.

The Elixirs and Spirit Medicines could stop pain, staunch bleeding, treat injuries, and even keep a man breathing on the verge of death.

As for the grain and fodder, soldiers who couldn’t yet practice Fasting definitely needed to eat every day.

However, there was only half a month’s worth of Spirit Beast Flesh and Blood and rations left. The Elixirs and Spirit Medicines wouldn’t last through more than a few major battles.

The weapons and armor were also nearly depleted. If the soldiers’ equipment was damaged, there were only enough replacements for ten thousand men.

All in all, Xiao Mo felt that even if he sealed the city and meticulously managed their resources, he could hold out for twenty days at most.

And that wasn’t even accounting for the Wei Kingdom’s frenzied assaults on the city.

’Can I really hold out for a month?’

Xiao Mo didn’t have much confidence.

But Xiao Mo knew he had no choice.

The Wei Kingdom’s supply lines to their Eleven Southern Cities had also been cut, so they too were short on all sorts of resources.

If he could hold on, and the Northern Wilderness Army took the Wei Kingdom’s Southern Realm, then this war would be at least half-won.

But if he failed to hold on, it wouldn’t just be his own death on the battlefield. The men of the Northern Wilderness would have sacrificed themselves in vain. Everything they had accomplished would be for naught, and they might even face a counterattack from the Northern Wei!

"Pass down my orders. Starting today, all soldiers below the Foundation Establishment Realm will continue to eat two meals a day, but each meal will be reduced to seventy percent of the original portion.

Soldiers at the Foundation Establishment Realm and above will receive one pound of Spirit Beast Flesh and Blood per day.

All Spirit Pills and Spirit Medicines must be requested through a Centurion.

Xiao Gui, Zhao Guang, you will take Chief Clerk Wang of Yanmen Pass and some men to the homes of the wealthy merchants in the city, especially the grain merchants. Confiscate all of their grain, record the amount, and tell them we will compensate them at market price after the war.

If they refuse, kill them!

Afterward, open the city granaries daily. We’ll cook porridge to distribute to the common people. One bowl per person, per meal. But I want it so thick that a chopstick stuck in it won’t fall over!

Everything I’ve said, is that clear?"

Vice General Zhao Guang frowned. "General, these are special circumstances. Our army doesn’t have enough food as it is. Do we really need to provide relief for the common people?"

"If the people become desperate with hunger, they’ll mutiny. The city will fall into chaos, and that will be a huge problem for us." Xiao Mo glanced at Zhao Guang. "Just do as I say. I know what I’m doing."

"Yes, General..."

Zhao Guang saluted and went with Xiao Gui to carry out the order.

If it were an ordinary general, Zhao Guang might have tried to persuade him further.

But this was Xiao Mo.

For days now, Zhao Guang had followed Xiao Mo onto the battlefield, fighting tooth and nail. Not a single one of Xiao Mo’s decisions had been wrong.

Therefore, Zhao Guang deeply admired Xiao Mo. As long as Xiao Mo had made a decision, Zhao Guang would execute it.

It wasn’t just Zhao Guang. Xiao Mo had gone through life and death with all his soldiers, was clear with his rewards and punishments, and shared in all their hardships. His status in the hearts of the soldiers was like that of Prince Zhenbei himself.

Soon, Zhao Guang and Xiao Gui led dozens of soldiers to raid the homes of the city’s wealthy merchants one by one.

When these merchants saw the soldiers of the Northern Wilderness Army arrive, they sensibly opened their granaries. They even offered to donate the grain to the Northern Wilderness Army, claiming they needed no compensation.

But neither Zhao Guang nor Xiao Gui were fools, especially not Xiao Gui.

Although Xiao Gui was from a branch of the Xiao Family, he was still a landowner!

So how could he not understand how these old foxes thought?

Xiao Gui brandished his blade as he questioned the merchants’ butlers, wives, and concubines, asking where the hidden grain was stored in their mansions.

At first, they tried to feign ignorance.

But when Xiao Gui made it clear he was about to start cutting people down, the old foxes immediately fell to their knees and hurriedly led him and his men to various storehouses and cellars.

"Sirs, I’m begging you! Please leave us a little... If you take it all, what are we supposed to do? We have dozens of mouths to feed in this household, we’ll starve to death..."

Watching the sacks of grain being carried out of their homes one by one, the merchants clung to Xiao Gui’s and Zhao Guang’s legs, wailing for all they were worth.

"Cut the crap!" Xiao Gui roared. "Bother me again and I’ll cut you down!"

Xiao Gui kicked him away.

"Besides, it’s not like we aren’t paying you back. After thirty days, when the main Northern Wilderness Army arrives, someone will naturally deliver silver taels to you. Just hold on to the IOU."

"Thirty days? In three days, my entire family will starve to death!" the merchant said, on the verge of tears.

"You won’t starve! My general will be distributing porridge in the city. There’s a share for everyone, every day!"

With that, Xiao Gui said no more and moved on to the next house.

Within a single day, if the city’s wealthy merchants weren’t cleaned out completely, they were at least plundered for everything they were worth.

The common folk in the neighborhoods watched the Northern Wilderness Army carry away sack after sack of grain, their hearts filled with lingering fear, terrified that their own meager stores would also be confiscated.

But to their surprise, the Northern Wilderness Army didn’t even glance at ordinary citizens like them.

「On the second day of the Northern Wilderness Army’s defense of Yanmen Pass.」

Every household barred its doors, and a sense of panic spread among the city’s populace.

Yesterday, the Northern Wilderness Army had plundered the homes of the wealthy. While it had nothing to do with them, who knew what would happen next?

When the army’s food ran out, wouldn’t the soldiers from the Northern Wilderness come for their food?

They had even heard stories of an army in the Chu Kingdom that had also been besieged in a city. After their food ran out, the soldiers had resorted to eating the common people! It had reached the point of cannibalism!

"How much extra grain do we have left?"

In the city, a carpenter with the surname Tang looked at his wife and daughter and sighed.