Chapter 58: The Imperial Guard Holds the Line

[Thanks to Master Xiong Linhai for the generous reward~ The competition for the Sanjiang selection is fierce; just twelve more votes are needed to surpass the previous leader. Dear readers, could you lend a hand to Weiyan~~]

Next, the new military uniform was designed as a two-piece set—not a single garment, but resembling a traditional military skirt coat. The lower half was simple trousers, and each soldier was extravagantly equipped with leather straps. The brand-new leather boots gleamed brightly; as they stepped forward, the hundred soldiers moved in unison, like one being. Their shining boots lined up neatly, exuding a majestic and imposing aura.

When the hundred guards marched side by side into the grand training ground, Zhu Cilong spurred his horse forward at full gallop, entering the field and heading straight to the high platform overlooking the training ground.

Behind him, the seventeenth commander followed closely with his elite guards. Their presence was like jade and dragons—horses charging with immense momentum, a sight both magnificent and awe-inspiring.

As Zhu Cilong mounted the platform and took his seat, the atmosphere grew heavy and subdued.

No one spoke; not even a greeting or a sign of respect. The silence was downright rude.

Zhu Cilong remained unmoved, watching his personal guard step onto the training ground one by one.

Following Zhu Cilong’s gaze, Liu Zeqing felt a pang of discomfort. If they treated Zhu Cilong this way, the morale of their own troops would soon collapse!

With this in mind, Liu Zeqing spoke up, “Lord Qin! Before the army advances, provisions must be arranged. How is the preparation for the supplies? For an army of twenty thousand, at least twenty thousand laborers are needed for transport!”

“Twenty thousand laborers?” Zhu Cilong widened his eyes in surprise, as if hearing this for the first time.

“Do you mean to renege, Lord Qin?” Liu Zeqing’s tone grew cold.

Zhu Cilong smiled without changing expression. “General Liu, you’re mistaken. As we march into Henan, there is no need for laborer transport. Twenty thousand laborers will not be hired. The Yellow River itself serves as a natural supply channel. I have already prepared a hundred large boats; transporting supplies will be effortless.”

Hearing this, Liu Zeqing was momentarily speechless. The general had no room for resistance. He was not truly ignorant—he merely used the laborers as leverage to secure benefits.

Sensing trouble, Liu Zeqing grew increasingly anxious and impatient. “What about arms and armor? Twenty thousand sets of armor, nine thousand firearms, fifty thousand swords and spears, sixteen flintlocks, and four red-coated cannons. Where are these?”

At this, Sheng Zhongquan chimed in from the side, “Without weapons, how can we fight? Will we carry hoes instead? If that’s the case, better to stay and defend Linqing! No need to send troops to Henan!”

Seeing the two speak in unison, Zhu Cilong let out a cold laugh, glancing at his hundred-strong guard lineup. Confident now, he showed no intention of sparing these men any face.

Noticing Zhu Cilong’s expression, Liu Zeqing’s sense of foreboding deepened. Sheng Zhongquan also felt the general would try to play tricks again.

Yet Zhu Cilong showed no hesitation. He stated firmly, “None.”

The two words were resolute and unequivocal.

To Liu Zeqing and Sheng Zhongquan, it sounded like a thunderclap, shaking their very spirits. They both exclaimed in shock, “What? None?”

At that moment, Yang Chuan also realized he had been outwitted by Zhu Cilong.

He shouted, “No preparations for pay and supplies, Lord Qin? The twenty thousand soldiers of the Shandong garrison require 24,400 taels of silver monthly. For war, at least two months’ provisions must be ready. Do we have fifty thousand taels today?”

“Fifty thousand taels? Hmph, no,” Zhu Cilong rejected without a second thought.

Liu Zeqing and Sheng Zhongquan now understood clearly.

Zhu Cilong was toying with them!

Anger flared in all three. Sheng Zhongquan’s voice was sharp and unrestrained: “Could it be that supplies, weapons, and laborers are to be sourced from Linqing itself? If so, I will immediately report this and forbid a single soldier from Shandong crossing the border!”

Yang Chuan’s tone grew grim and ominous: “Military provisions are the lifeblood of morale. If Lord Qin plays with fire like this, the resentment will fall squarely on your shoulders. Consider this a warning.”

Liu Zeqing remained silent, fixing his gaze on Zhu Cilong and snorting coldly. Then he glanced downward at Ruan Yingzhao and Liu Kecheng, signaling them with a clenched fist.

This gesture was not new. When Liu Zeqing was in Tongzhou, he had used this tactic to cause a fuss over funds. Even the Ministry of Revenue’s deputies would tremble and immediately disburse funds.

Ruan Yingzhao and Liu Kecheng understood instantly, and soon a loud clamor erupted. Over four thousand soldiers from the Shandong garrison began to shout and riot.

At first, the noise was chaotic, but it quickly became organized.

“Hungry soldiers need to live! We fight for our food!”

“Corrupt officials are withholding our silver!” “No! We won’t accept this!”

“Pay our wages!”

“Give us silver!”

…

More than four thousand voices rose as one. Such a spectacle was beyond imagination. Normally, a school’s physical education exercise on a 400-meter track gathers only one or two thousand at most.

Now, two soccer fields, each with a 400-meter track, were packed with people, a black sea of humanity that was intimidating at first glance. The soldiers shouted as if they had suffered the greatest of personal tragedies. Such fervor, if faced by a civil official, would have them begging on their knees long ago.

But what kind of man was Zhu Cilong?

He was a warrior who had slain enemy generals on the battlefield.

More importantly, he was His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Ming Empire, the heir apparent and future emperor!

At present, he commanded three thousand soldiers.

With elite troops at his side, why would he fear this disorderly array of Shandong garrison soldiers?

Suddenly, Zhu Cilong stood, his gaze piercing the shouting mass below.

Then he fixed his eyes on Liu Zeqing with a hint of mockery, “Could it be that I have no soldiers under my command?”

“Where is Shibian Bang? Where are my personal brave warriors? Step forward for inspection!”

As Zhu Cilong’s voice rang out, the seventeenth commander, now clad in armor and mounted, appeared without warning. Behind him, about a hundred guards stood in new uniforms, each holding a weapon, silent and stern, arranged in tight formation. Though no shouts echoed from them, their disciplined presence was far more fearsome than the raucous soldiers below.

“I am here!” the seventeenth commander responded solemnly. “Personal guards, heed the lord’s command; stand ready!”

“Yes!” the hundred horsemen shouted in unison, then fell into solemn silence, their formation rigid and disciplined.

On the platform, Sheng Zhongquan and Yang Chuan exchanged glances with Liu Zeqing.

Though Liu Zeqing had known Zhu Cilong’s guards were formidable, seeing them today confirmed their true strength.

Yet Liu Zeqing remained unafraid. Looking at Zhu Cilong, he sneered inwardly, “A mere civil official dares to brandish a blade before General Guan’s statue? Little does he know, besides five thousand soldiers, I also command five hundred armed servants.”