Enemy Troops Prepare to Invade

Ao Chen remained silent for a moment, then said, "Let's not worry about him. None of that concerns us. How did you get into the farm, and how did you escape? Also, what did you mean when you said the farm fire was actually murder?"

"Get me some water to drink first!"

Ao Chen quickly poured him a cup of tea and then waited patiently for him to finish.

After drinking the tea, Feng Ya felt somewhat refreshed. "Let me ask, why are there so many toll stations outside the county? Good thing I had money, or I couldn't have made it back home. Are we openly robbing people now?"

"This is because the Master can't bear to see poor people..." Ao Chen replied awkwardly, "Let's discuss important matters, the important matters first!"

Feng Ya took another sip of tea before slowly explaining, "Ah, initially I was tending to flowers and plants in the back garden of the Prince's palace. After some time, perhaps because the farm was short-handed, I was transferred there."

"The farm was managed very strictly. Except for necessary purchases, no one could leave. It's normal that the Master couldn't find me."

"So how did you get out?" Ao Chen asked.

Feng Ya smiled proudly. "Hehe, everyone in the farm is now my man! I can come and go as I please!"

"What?" Ao Chen was shocked. "You turned them against their master? Aren't you afraid they'd unite against you and sell you out?"

Feng Ya waved dismissively. "That's not it at all. I just gambled with them a few times, and they all owe me debts."

"I used their gambling debts to have the purchasing agents take me into the city at first. Once in the city, I helped them make money and also made some new friends at the casino."

"How is that possible? Everyone owes you debts, and you aren't afraid they'll band together to sell you out?"

Feng Ya scoffed, "Heh, they're just a bunch of farmers. Even with ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare. I gave their gambling debts to my friends at the casino."

"If anything happened to me, none of them would escape. Besides, the purchasing agents made money, and the others were still waiting for me to help them get ahead."

"Is it really that simple? How could everyone gamble with you?" Ao Chen asked, puzzled.

"In this world, there are only two kinds of people. Gamblers and those who haven't truly gambled yet! Of course, this requires skill, which you wouldn't understand." Feng Ya took another proud sip of tea.

Ao Chen nodded admiringly. "With your abilities, you wouldn't starve anywhere."

"Certainly!"

"Continue with your story."

"King Wu occasionally came to inspect the farm. The last time I saw him, I noticed something was off." Feng Ya's expression turned contemptuous. "He walked around the fields twice, appearing calm but actually quite panicked, just like... a gambling dog about to flee, hehe."

"So the second day after he left, I escaped under the pretext of making purchases. But a missing person in the farm would definitely trigger a strict investigation, so I stayed with friends at a casino in the capital until yesterday when the farm burned down. Only then did I feel safe enough to return."

"As I expected, the gambling dog fled and destroyed the evidence. If I'm not mistaken, King Wu is probably no longer in the capital."

Ao Chen said incredulously, "Just because you thought his expression was off?"

"Don't doubt me. I've seen too many such people!" Feng Ya snorted coldly. "Heh, he'll never achieve greatness."

"That's the whole story, and it has nothing to do with us anyway. Forget about him! By the way, I've been away for so long. How's my casino doing?"

"The casino is doing well, except that the people from the Firearms Institute had two lawsuits against you."

Feng Ya immediately jumped up. "The Firearms Institute came to the casino again?! Weren't they banned?"

Ao Chen gave him a look and said, "We're running a business. Why wouldn't we let people in? Your casino has already been fined, you know."

"Damn! Those bastards come to the casino with one person playing cards and a dozen more calculating behind him. Are they there to gamble? They're basically taking money from my establishment!"

"I've discussed this with the Master, and he agreed! How could you still let them in! Where is the Master?"

"The Master is away on official business, not in the county." Ao Chen smiled awkwardly. This wasn't a big deal. The Firearms Institute people also visited brothels. As long as the money stayed within the county and they didn't take a cent back home, it was fine!

"I won't talk to you anymore. Remember to arrange those seeds properly. I need to go to the casino!" With that, Feng Ya rushed off.

Outside Taoyuan County.

The soldiers on duty were chatting.

This was arguably the most leisurely job in the county, but not a particularly likable one, as it was too boring, and they couldn't extort people.

Usually, there was nothing to do except for the occasional wealthy merchant entering the city.

To prevent the guards from becoming lazy, all the county's soldiers took turns at the city gates.

During their chat, a young soldier suddenly noticed people in the distance and nudged the captain beside him. "Big brother, something's not right."

"Look, why are there a dozen or so poor people coming? Dressed so shabbily, yet they dare to enter our county?"

The gate captain squinted into the distance and muttered, "Something does seem off. There seem to be more people behind them. They're not coming to beg, are they?"

"You stay here and don't let them in yet. I'll go up to the city wall to take a look."

With that, the captain darted back into the city and up to the wall.

The guards on the wall greeted him. "Captain Liu, what brings you up here?"

"Something doesn't look right down there. Let me take a look through the telescope!"

"Being so cautious, Captain Liu?"

"Year-end performance evaluations and bonuses are coming up. Better safe than sorry!"

The wall guard took out a telescope and looked into the distance, frowning, "Hmm!? Why are there so many beggars coming? Are they trying to get free food in the city?"

Captain Liu also borrowed a telescope to look. "Hmm... there are more behind them, coming in twos and threes. Something's not right! These people are dressed like farmers, but their posture is wrong, their backs too straight."

A guard beside him added, "And there are so many of them. I count nearly a hundred, with more behind... And their hands keep unconsciously touching their waists, probably concealing weapons."

Captain Liu's expression suddenly turned serious. "This doesn't look good. Quickly get more brothers to gather below! You all hide in the city first, and if there's a conflict, come out then."

The wall guard also dropped his relaxed demeanor and nodded seriously. "Should we notify Captain Zhang?"

"No need. Just these few people, and we have twenty crossbows in the city wall, right? Bring enough crossbows and quivers. That should be sufficient to deal with them!"

With that, Captain Liu hurried down from the wall.

Outside the city, Little Six led several men through four toll stations and finally arrived at Taoyuan County's gates.

Looking at this money-devouring city, Little Six and his men couldn't help but shed tears.

Never in their lives had they been so extorted!

But at least they had arrived, finally arrived!

When the captain comes, we'll unleash a bloodbath and rob them all!!!