OFTLHFRO C137

Chapter 137: Paying New Year’s Greetings?

The next day, when they went to the Beiyue border, Wu Qing actually arrived quite quickly, waiting outside Han City early in the morning.

This surprised Luo Mingchen a little.

He had thought Wu Qing would deliberately put on airs and make them wait.

Before leaving, Luo Mingchen saw the three children staring at him with eager eyes and asked: “Do you want to come along and play?”

Huo Xiang’s eyes lit up. He was just about to say yes when his older brother beside him asked: “Little dad, wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”

“It won’t. I’ll protect you. It’ll be good for you to broaden your horizons too.”

With Luo Mingchen’s current ability, protecting the three children was still quite easy. Even if a fight broke out, it wouldn’t matter—no one here could break his water shield.

With that reassurance, Huo Xiang exclaimed happily: “That’s great!”

Although Huo Yuhui didn’t say anything, the joy in his eyes was obvious.

Huo Xinyue didn’t understand what “going to demand ransom” meant. She only knew she could go out to play with her daddy and brothers, so her smile was especially bright.

“But we’ll have to ride horses to get there.”

Luo Mingchen’s real concern was that they might be afraid. But as soon as he said it, Huo Xiang asked excitedly: “Little dad, we can really ride horses?”

“…Someone will take you riding. You’re too small—controlling the horse would be hard.”

That said, Huo Yuhui was at the age where he could try riding a pony.

Huo Xiang shouted excitedly: “Yay!”

Two of the kids weren’t afraid, and the other didn’t even know what fear was.

So Luo Mingchen carried Huo Xinyue, while Xiao Chen and Zhu Qing each took Huo Yuhui and Huo Xiang, and together they rode horses to the Beiyue border.

Since Huo Xinyue was still so little and her legs too short, Luo Mingchen had to place a soft water cushion under her bottom so she wouldn’t be uncomfortable sitting.

Everyone was busy on the road, so no one paid special attention to his setup.

They dragged a large group of prisoners along, making for an impressive sight.

Luo Mingchen rode beside Huo Yan, with Xiao Chen and Zhu Qing flanking him.

If you wanted to watch the excitement, the front row was always the best place.

The cold wind howled. Huo Xiang, his face wrapped up tight, blinked his big eyes as he gazed at the opposing city walls.

So this was Beiyue’s border city…

The walls seemed much sturdier and taller than theirs.

Many Beiyue soldiers had come out too, led by a bearded man with a long scar across his face.

With the two armies confronting one another, Luo Mingchen, being in the front row, could see everything quite clearly.

By protocol, Huo Yan should have been in the second row.

But Hu Zhongyi ignored such rules, and since Wu Qing was just here to sponge off the credit, everyone knew the greatest contributor was Huo Yan. Of course, he wouldn’t embarrass him before the Beiyue troops by forcing him to stand back.

“General Fu, if I’m not mistaken, these should be your Beiyue people.”

As he spoke, Huo Yan gave Ruan Feng a look. At his command, several Beiyue soldiers were pushed forward, including Beiyue’s great general.

“These men intruded into Dayan’s borderlands. We’ve specially brought them back home. I wonder if General Fu has prepared a gift of thanks?”

Fu Jia said: “The gifts are here. Release the men first.”

Behind him, soldiers led out cattle, sheep, horses, and grain.

So Huo Yan ordered a thousand Beiyue soldiers brought over. “General Fu, please have this portion of the gifts handed over.”

Never expecting Huo Yan to be so sly, Fu Jia had no choice but to order the so-called gifts—ten carts of grain, twenty sheep, ten cattle, and ten horses—delivered.

Once he had them, Huo Yan released another thousand Beiyue soldiers.

Yet Fu Jia couldn’t very well refuse to ransom his men in front of so many witnesses.

The group of nearly stripped men, released back, shivered violently from the cold. They had no chance of regaining fighting strength any time soon.

So even if he gave them another ten thousand men, it would have been useless.

When all the soldiers had been returned, it came to the Beiyue great general’s turn. Huo Yan said: “I just counted. The gifts you’ve provided are half of what I requested. I wonder when General Fu will have the rest ready? We can wait—but can Great General Wu afford to?”

Fu Jia looked at Wu Hong, the great general bound tight, wearing only thin clothes. In such bitter cold, his beard was crusted with ice.

“Everything is here. If you don’t believe me, count it yourselves.”

Hearing this, Hu Zhongyi frowned as he looked at the goods behind Fu Jia.

“If it’s all ready, then send it over.”

At that, Huo Yan sliced through Wu Hong’s bindings with one stroke. “Please, Great General Wu, walk over on your own.”

Wu Hong’s body was frozen stiff, his steps slow.

Wu Qing was about to speak, but Hu Zhongyi cut him off: “Listen to him.”

Though he didn’t understand, Wu Qing, seeing Hu Zhongyi’s expression, guessed there was some other plan and held back.

Fu Jia exchanged a look with his deputy. Soldiers led the livestock and grain across, successfully retrieving Wu Hong.

Once they retreated to a safe distance, the second batch of Beiyue soldiers suddenly lashed out, targeting who looked like the weakest—Luo Mingchen.

But before they could even reach him, they were drenched by a torrent of icy water and flung far away.

The few men at the front, just about to strike: “…”

Cradling Huo Xinyue, Luo Mingchen looked at Fu Jia. “What’s this? You trying to cheat us?”

Suppressing his inner shock, Fu Jia said: “I’ve already given you the goods…”

Before he could finish, two water ropes lashed out, binding both him and Wu Hong together.

Dragged off their horses, Fu Jia’s head buzzed. When he lifted his eyes, Luo Mingchen and Huo Yan were right before him, leaving him utterly stunned.

What kind of skill was this? Too bizarre!

At such a distance, and he hadn’t reacted at all!

Luo Mingchen’s water ropes condensed in an instant, not sent from his side. If Fu Jia had managed to react, that would have been the amazing part.

This distance was well within ability attack range.

Hu Zhongyi laughed: “Well now, is this paying New Year’s greetings?”

Fu Jia’s face twisted. “You… you’re cheating!”

Luo Mingchen couldn’t be bothered with his nonsense. Taking a knife from Huo Yan, he pressed it against Fu Jia’s throat. “You tried to renege first. So—are you paying up or not?”

Huo Yan said: “Two men—ransom doubled.”

Fu Jia & Wu Hong: “…”

Beiyue’s soldiers were furious, but powerless. With both their generals captured, and only two deputies ransomed back, how could they fight?

Xiao Lin cheerfully dismounted, stripping the clothes off Fu Jia, and shouted to the Beiyue soldiers: “If you don’t hurry up, when they freeze to death, it won’t be our problem—”

Liu Changlian followed with a shout: “Then everyone will know Beiyue are misers! You’d rather watch two generals freeze to death than pay ransom!”

Urged on by Ruan Feng, Luo Mingchen heard the crowd behind him yelling in unison: “Misers!”

The sound was deafening.

The deputies had no choice. After a look from the strategist, they conceded and went to gather the ransom.

This time, Luo Mingchen’s side still released the men first. But Beiyue’s side dared not make any more moves.

With all the goods in hand, the group happily returned to the city.

On the way back, Wu Qing said discontentedly: “You really just let them go? Wouldn’t it have been better to take the goods and then kill them?”

Hu Zhongyi sneered. “Has General Wu forgotten? Do you think we have the strength to fight all of Beiyue head-on right now? Kill these two today, and tomorrow Beiyue’s entire army will press down on us. The reason this crisis is resolved is because Brother Huo planned ahead. Otherwise, the ones being ransomed would be us.”

Wu Qing sneered. “You had the chance to kill them, but didn’t. Letting the tiger back into the mountain.”

Seeing how stupid he was, Hu Zhongyi gave up on explaining.

Both Han City and Bing City were struggling, and there were so many refugees.

No matter how powerful Luo Mingchen and Huo Yan were, if the enemy fought to the death, their losses would be enormous. Now with food supplies, at least they could last another month or two.

Only a fool would start a fight at a time like this!