IDWBE -Chapter 164 Fighting Spirit

In Baiyun City, donations from wealthy households were just the beginning—some poor citizens even started sending food, livestock, silver, jerky—everything—to the provincial administration.

Lin Yi didn’t hesitate to have Shan Qi refuse these. He wouldn’t accept anything from the rich, let alone take the meager offerings from poor families.

No need to deplete their resources before the war even started. Later, he would have to aid them anyway—counterproductive.

When Sanhe held the second military supply meeting, Lin Yi publicly stated, “I am leading you to wealth, not to losses. The Ayu Kingdom grows crops three times a year—food piles up and rots! If you can, bring it back yourselves!”

However, he made one rule: laborers must follow the soldiers’ discipline and not act recklessly.

Sanhe erupted in excitement!

This time, every supplier went full force. The number of laborers exceeded expectations.

Sanhe’s population was limited, with most young and able-bodied men in the garrison or militia.

Yet in just ten days, over 37,000 people had reported to the provincial administration, with women and the elderly forming the bulk.

Shan Qi objected—for example, the butcher’s daughter, Jiang Zhen, had just turned fifteen!

Such a young girl as a laborer? Treating war like a game?

Jiang Zhen ignored her father’s objections and joined Li Sanniang’s tailor shop. Li Sanniang took her to the provincial administration with a commotion—though young, she held a third-rank position!

Was she taking that rank lightly?

“Minister Shan, Baiyun City is plastered with ‘Women hold up half the sky’ slogans—is that a lie? Why can a fifteen-year-old boy join the militia, but a girl can’t even be a laborer?”

“I shall comply with your wish!”

Shan Qi, a great scholar, flushed from being cornered and had no choice but to agree.

But then he looked at Liu Duo’s father, Old Liu, and thought: what nonsense are you stirring?

“Liu Banzi, don’t think I don’t know,”

Shan Qi grit his teeth, “You are seventy-three. By the rules, you cannot be a laborer!”

The elderly, weak, and women are usually a burden in war. Bringing them along is ridiculous!

“Minister, I don’t like your words. Protecting Sanhe is everyone’s responsibility,”

Liu Banzi actually had little interest in defending Sanhe—he would have run if possible.

But his grandson Liu Kan was in the militia. If he didn’t go, he wouldn’t feel safe.

His son, Liu Duo, wouldn’t agree, so he joined the basket team with his friend, the crippled grandson. “Besides, Minister Shan, I have practiced internal power for years. Facing enemy chiefs, I’m not afraid.”

“Then so be it—life and death as fate!”

Shan Qi then looked at the group of elderly women, coldly, “If you insist on going, I take no responsibility for what happens.”

These people were determined—he couldn’t stop them.

“Thank you, Minister.”

Liu Banzi strode proudly out of the provincial administration.

After the elderly and women left, Shan Qi reviewed the laborer lists submitted by suppliers. Many names were clearly foreign, from the Nanyang region.

Having ten or a few hundred foreigners as laborers could be overlooked—they had been in the last campaign to Daxi City.

But this time, there were over ten thousand!

Some household heads even promised “freedom” for outstanding performance, so the foreigners’ enthusiasm would match the locals’.

More people is good, but too many foreigners could be dangerous.

Many had secretly learned some martial arts. “Non-kin, different intentions”—with so many together, Shan Qi worried about trouble.

He had no choice but to discuss it with Prince He.

“Let them prove themselves with action and loyalty,” Lin Yi said with a smile. “Select the skilled, let them join the militia. Those with battle achievements get Sanhe household recognition.”

Sanhe’s biggest weakness was manpower. Even with many refugees, they were still short!

Suppliers were already sending wagons and ships to Nanzhou to hire people and buy livestock.

To save labor, Deng Ke, who was in labor reform, ingeniously invented a new type of wagon, using iron bars as spokes and coating the wheels with sap from a Nanyang tree. The wagons were smooth and heavy-duty.

Lin Yi, seeing this, couldn’t help but marvel—war really drives productivity.

He immediately pardoned Deng Ke, restoring the Deng family workshop’s status as a military supplier.

A month had passed since the official declaration of war and conscription, and Sanhe’s fighting spirit had only increased.

Seeing the determined populace, Lin Yi felt guilty.

Even if shameless, he couldn’t publicly say things like “If we lose, I’ll flee by sea” or “Everyone fend for themselves.”

Having promised to lead personally, he had to go, though he regretted it.

Consort Wen hadn’t left the palace yet. Without a grandmaster, he felt unsafe.

What if the Ayu army launched a midnight raid? His life would be forfeit—unfair!

He shouldn’t have acted impulsively. He should have stayed behind to strategize.

But words once spoken are hard to retract.

“Prince,” Qi Peng handed a note almost simultaneously with Wang Qingbang, “A vanguard of over 2,000 Ayu soldiers is clearing a path and has entered the Ten-Thousand Mountains, now less than eighty li from the Sanhe border.”

Lin Yi said, “The so-called Ten-Thousand Mountains—is it really that difficult? Such a short distance, but it’s taken them half a month?”

He had heard of the Ayu vanguard entering the mountains half a month ago—didn’t expect they were still on the way.

“The Ten-Thousand Mountains are rugged, with peaks overlapping for hundreds of li. Without heavy supplies, travel is easier,” Wang Qingbang said, bowing, “But once there are provisions and baggage, it’s not so simple.”

“When do we depart?”

Lin Yi, a seasoned online strategist, was modest in real-life, especially in ancient times.

Better to listen to professionals than act recklessly.

He Jixiang said, “Prince, Jinji Mountain is the only route for Ayu to enter Baiyun City. I suggest we depart tomorrow and confront the enemy outside!”

Wang Qingbang nodded, “Baiyun City is over six hundred li from Jinji Mountain, including a hundred li of newly built road. We can reach first, form a strong defense, and have a chance of victory.”

“Then we depart tomorrow.”

Lin Yi agreed readily.

At noon, ten thousand laborers, carrying provisions, set off under the escort of over a thousand cavalry.