Chapter 175
Chapter 175
Ji Yan’an had originally planned to send strong, able-bodied villagers to study at the academy, but he later discovered flaws in the idea.
For one thing, those villagers were the main laborers in their households. No matter where the academy was built, some villages would always be far away.
The journey there and back alone would take ages. With so much work waiting at home every day, they simply could not spare the time.
That was when Ji Yan’an thought of retired soldiers.
He could hire veterans and station them in villages throughout the region, where they would teach the people martial arts and how to make traps for use against the Barbarians. This would both provide livelihoods for retired soldiers and prove far more efficient than making villagers travel all the way to a military academy.
The academy would still be built, but its purpose would be to train exceptional soldiers.
There was another major problem in the army as well: far too many superfluous troops.
The Ji Family Army in Mobei might number in the hundreds of thousands, a figure that sounded immensely intimidating, but the old and infirm made up a large proportion of its ranks.
More men meant greater expenditures on military pay, weapons, and supplies. When there was not enough fighting to justify those numbers, they became a burden on the entire Ji Family Army.
Ji Yan’an therefore wanted to reduce the army and build a smaller, elite force.
But he could not simply drive men away. That would cause trouble.
“Nanshu, count the silver in my private treasury.”
Nanshu did not know what the Young Master intended, but he accepted the order.
Ji Yan’an sat behind his desk and returned to work.
“Ji Yan’an!”
Jiang Yunsui’s voice suddenly rang out, brimming with unmistakable excitement.
“Ji Yan’an, the little golden eagle hatched!”
She held a newly hatched chick in her hands, with two great roosters and a large dog following behind her.
“Look!”
Jiang Yunsui raised the chick for him to see. Its sparse down revealed pinkish-red skin, making it rather ugly.
The hatchling was surprisingly large and let out a series of tender chirps.
Ji Yan’an’s first thought upon seeing it was that it was hideous.
“Have you fed it?”
Jiang Yunsui quickly shook her head. “Not yet.”
The little thing did seem hungry.
Birds ate insects, did they not?
“Qianqian, Houhou, hurry and catch some fat bugs for it!”
With that, Little Mushroom swept out again with the chick.
Ji Yan’an shook his head helplessly.
The two great roosters did most of the work raising the little golden eagle, because Jiang Yunsui absolutely refused to catch bugs.
Then she heard from somewhere that bee larvae were highly nutritious, so Little Mushroom went to dig out a beehive.
She came back hugging a huge honeycomb, her face stung until it had swollen like a pig’s head.
Ji Si, who had gone with her, suffered as well. His eyelids were so swollen that he could not even open his eyes.
Ji Yan’an nearly had a heart attack from fury.
“It is bad enough that she has no sense, but Ji Si, why did you join her nonsense?”
His face was so swollen that Ji Yan’an could barely make out his features.
Jiang Yunsui clutched the honeycomb and sobbed, her little shoulders jerking.
“I-it wasn’t Ji Si’s fault. I-I forced him.”
Shen Qingzhu applied medicine to her face.
Song Jin truly wanted to laugh. Ji Si’s expressionless face looked particularly ridiculous now that his eyes were swollen shut, though the poor little girl did look genuinely pitiful.
“What could you possibly threaten him with? Could you even reach high enough to hold a knife to his throat with those short legs?”
Jiang Yunsui hissed as the medicine touched her painful stings.
“I told him if he didn’t listen, I’d come back and bite Ji Yan’an.”
Ji Yan’an’s hand paused. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “And why would you bite me if he refused to listen?”
Jiang Yunsui whispered, “Because you’re his master. He has to protect his master.”
Ji Si could not open his eyes, so no one could tell what he was feeling.
“Pfft…”
Song Jin truly could not hold it in any longer, especially when he looked at Ji Si’s usually expressionless face with both eyes swollen shut.
Ji Si said nothing.
Once the medicine had been applied, Jiang Yunsui was about to take the honeycomb to the little golden eagle when a group of people suddenly entered. Two men among them were being held under guard.
One was even dressed in prison clothes and looked thoroughly disheveled.
Ji Yan’an instantly resumed the bearing of an elegant Young Master. Even seated, he radiated the noble pride of someone favored by heaven.
Jiang Yunsui activated Stealth Mode.
She did not leave.
Not even her injuries could suppress her desire to watch the excitement.
The person assigned to take her away to rest glanced at the prisoners for a moment. When he turned back, she had vanished.
Everyone was speechless.
“Deputy Commander Song, have you been well these past few years?” Ji Yan’an asked calmly.
Deputy Commander Song raised his head and glared viciously at him.
“Young Master Ji, do not think I cannot see through you. You were born a rebel! His Majesty should have killed you in the Capital!”
Beside him stood Ouyang Can, the former Prefect of Qiusha. His hair was tangled and his face filthy, and he hated Ji Yan’an just as fiercely.
“You are all rebels! This old man will report you to His Majesty. You, Ji Yan’an, and every one of your people intend to rebel!”
No one’s expression changed at his accusation.
Was that not already obvious to everyone present?
Of course, none of them were foolish enough to admit it outright.
Only Jiang Yunsui looked a little confused.
Hmm? Was she a rebel too?
It sounded rather impressive.
Little Mushroom wanted to stroke her chin and put on a profound expression, but both her hands were occupied.
Ji Yan’an said, “What makes you gentlemen say that?”
Then he continued lazily, “The two of you, on the other hand… Prefect Ouyang – no, Former Prefect Ouyang.”
He struck directly at Ouyang Can’s sorest spot.
“Stupid, lecherous, arrogant, selfish…”
Ouyang Can shook with rage.
“You…”
“What? Did I say anything untrue?”
“You brought catastrophe upon Qiusha. When enemy troops reached the city walls, you abandoned its people and fled with your fortune.”
“You are neither benevolent nor righteous nor loyal. What right do you have to accuse me of plotting rebellion?”
“As for you, Deputy Commander Song…”
“You attempted to seize the grain being sent to Qiusha, repeatedly colluded with criminals, and released deadly venomous snakes inside my residence.”
“It seems you are the one plotting rebellion.”
“Men, announce their crimes to the public and execute them on the spot.”
Chiliarch Lin answered, “Yes!”
The two prisoners finally panicked.
“Ji Yan’an, you cannot do this! Even if we committed crimes, His Majesty should judge us. What authority do you have to pass judgment?”
Deputy Commander Song shouted, “I serve His Majesty! Ji Yan’an, you cannot kill me!”
Ji Yan’an acted as though he had not heard a word.
“Ji Yan’an, you harbor the ambition of a wolf! You intend to rebel! His Majesty will never spare you or this band of rebels!”
Song Jin clicked his tongue and kicked Deputy Commander Song.
“You make it sound as though the founding emperor of Great Liang did not begin as a rebel himself. When you curse rebellion like that, have you considered his dignity?”
“Y-you…”
Song Jin continued, “How pitiful. You have not even eaten your final meal, have you? But don’t worry. After you die, your family’s property will be confiscated. The Young Master will spend it all on the soldiers, and everyone will remember your generous contribution.”
“Pfft!”
Deputy Commander Song was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood.