My Cultivation Starting from Archery

"Understood!"

"Brothers, advance at full speed!"

Chen Sansi's thousand men were all cavalry, superbly equipped—a reward for his victory.

For Bai Thingzhi and the others, they could muster at most two or three hundred horses.

A distance of one-hundred-fifty li, even average cavalry would need to rest intermittently, but they could still arrive within a day.

But by the time they reached their destination, it was already too late.

Bai Gou County, being an interior county within a state, didn't have fortifications as tall and robust as those of frontier counties like Po Yang County; its walls were usually thin and low. A ladder would suffice to scale them. The defending force rarely exceeded five hundred, with some consisting of only a hundred City Guard Army members, supplemented by fewer than a hundred from the government office.

Zhao Kang said, "General, Bai Gou County seems to have fallen..."

Chen Sansi reined in his horse.

Looking from afar, he saw the city gates of Bai Gou County already burnt to charcoal. The neglected walls had collapsed greatly, and from a distance, he could see the hellish scenes inside.

"Zhao Kang, take ten riders with you to scout ahead in case of ambushes."

Such small-scale bandits usually killed and looted before leaving; they wouldn't stay to defend the city, nor would there be high realm martial artists—refining internal was the most one could expect.

But underestimating the enemy is a major taboo for the military.

Chen Sansi's military strategy was based on caution; he never acted rashly.

"Understood!"

Zhao Kang, fearless, led the cavalry into the city and quickly returned, "Sir, not a single rebel in sight, just utter disarray."

"Enter the city and take a look."

Chen Sansi commanded.

"Daddy..."

"Ahh—"

"Wuu wuu..."

As they entered through the city gates, the scene before them vividly defined what was meant by devastation: cries and howls, corpses strewn everywhere, a veritable purgatory!

Houses aflame, streets turned into rivers of blood.

Bodies lying haphazardly blocked their path, forcing them to dismount and step over the corpses to find any living souls to question.

"Squeak!"

A disheveled woman staggered out from one of the houses. Her hair was unkempt, her expression numb, her eyes hollow, as if she were a walking dead among the piles of corpses, searching for something.

"Daddy!"

A little girl of about five or six lay on the body of a middle-aged man, repeatedly calling out sweetly with no response, until after a long time, she realized her dad would never wake up and burst into tears.

"Save me!"

Someone grabbed at Chen Sansi's ankle, and he instinctively dodged.

After that single grab, the person took their last breath.

"Clang!"

The group continued forward.

Behind them suddenly came the sound of a weapon hitting the ground. Turning back, they saw that the woman had finally found what she was looking for—a knife to end her own life.

This was the chaos of war.

In that moment, fifteen hundred soldiers were all rendered speechless.

Especially those who came from Po Yang County, felt the deepest impact.

If not for General Chen back then, their fate, and that of their families, would have been the same.

"The Red Eyebrow Army..."

Chen Sansi closed his eyes.

This force, initially a people's uprising against oppression, turned into something even more frightening than their oppressors due to the lack of proper ideological guidance. They became demons that created one hell after another with their own hands.

The mentality of bandits!

It doesn't lead to success!
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"Little girl."

Chen Sansi walked over, looking down at the little girl: "Would you like to come with me?"

"Wuu wuu wuu..."

The little girl just sobbed, without speaking.

"Who are you people, are you official soldiers of the Great Sheng Dynasty?!"

At the end of the street, a servant-dressed man shouted towards them.

Zhao Kang answered, "We are the elite soldiers of the Liangzhou Eight Camps here on orders to suppress the rebellion!"

"The government troops, it's the government troops!"

The servant shouted excitedly.

Soon, seven or eight individuals dressed as Martial Arts Academy Disciples came towards them from behind him.

"My lord!"

"You finally arrived!"

"..."

Chen Sansi observed their swords and, judging by the qi within their bodies, concluded they were in the Blood Refining realm, and among them were even Martial Artists in Bone Training.

His face expressionless, he asked, "Where have you been hiding?"

"Please follow me, my lord!"

The Martial Artist led the way.

In the southeastern area of Bai Gou County, there stood a huge castle with the words "Li Family Manor" written at its entrance. Many Martial Artists and Armoured Soldiers stood guard before its doors, where a large number of civilian corpses were piled up.

"The elite from the Liangzhou Eight Camps have arrived!"

The servant shouted at the front of the gates.

The castle doors opened.

A middle-aged man dressed in splendid clothes came out first, followed by the County Magistrate and the city defense Generals.

Gradually, more than seven hundred people gathered, all vigorous young fighters rather than the old, weak, sick, or disabled.

"I am Li Changsheng, the head of the Bai Gou County Li family, and I have the honor of meeting you, sir!"

The middle-aged man greeted with utmost respect.

"Who is the defending General?"

Chen Sansi, his face expressionless, asked, "How was Bai Gou County breached?"

"Sir, my name is Hu Wen, and I am the Inspector of Bai Gou County."

Hu Wen explained, "The county's walls were in disrepair after years of neglect, the Red Eyebrow Army was fervent, and they were aided by a Miracle Soldiers Heavenly Book bestowed by an Immortal, so we were no match for them. That's why we retreated to the manor to hold out, waiting for reinforcements to arrive!"

Chen Sansi nodded and said in a deep voice, "So you're saying, you didn't hold the line at all?"

Hu Wen remained silent.

"My lord."

Li Changsheng took over the conversation, pointing southwards and said, "After pillaging and setting fires, the Red Eyebrow Army fled straight through the South City Gate. If you pursue them on horseback now, you should be able to catch up with them quickly!"

"Are you certain of the direction?"

"Certain! I guarantee it!"

"Hmm."

Chen Sansi led his army towards the South City Gate.

Relying on his keen senses, he overheard a conversation meant only for Li Changsheng and his associates carried by the wind.

"See, I told you there was no need to defend the city!"

"Who would risk their life for that!"

"Why should we risk our lives defending the city for these lowly commoners!"

"Exactly, now that the army has arrived and the Red Eyebrow Army has scattered. I remain the County Magistrate, Mr. Li remains the lord, and Inspector Hu remains the inspector."

"Give it two years, and everything in Bai Gou County will be as it always was!"

"What's it to us how formidable the Liangzhou soldiers are? In the end, aren't they here to serve us?"

"..."

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?!"

As Li Changsheng was speaking, he suddenly realized they were surrounded by the Liangzhou soldiers with bows and arrows aimed at them.

"You..."

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"..."

Zhao Kang, his expression cold and voice booming, proclaimed:

"The Bai Gou County Magistrate and Inspector, who surrendered without a fight, are equivalent to colluding with the enemy and committing treason. Execute them all!"

"Release the arrows!"