Liang Xiao frowned, immediately ascended the city wall, and with his extraordinary eyesight, looked into the distance, smiling knowingly as he saw the army in the darkness.
"It must be friendly forces from Jiangnan!"
The crowd clearly did not have Liang Xiao's keen eyesight and remained skeptical.
It was not until Zhuo Ying led thirty thousand troops to rendezvous with Liang Xiao that everyone was overjoyed!
Zhuo Ying chuckled, "This journey into Sichuan, the fiercest resistance was only in Ba County, with a garrison of six thousand. Other prefectural cities had garrisons of one to two thousand, or at most three to four thousand. Just mentioning the name of the Marquis of Anguo was enough for them to surrender obediently! It's all thanks to the Marshal for capturing over ten thousand of Helian Heng's men!"
Everyone looked at Liang Xiao with fervent admiration.
Liang Xiao smiled, "That is because the people long for the return of Da Qian, and your army was swift. You cannot always attribute all the credit to me."
The crowd also understood that Liang Xiao wanted to give them more opportunities to achieve fame and secure their families' future. Touched by his words, they returned to sharpen their weapons and prepare for the march into Mianzhu.
When Yue Qingtian and Yue Yun arrived at Mianzhu, the city's mere five hundred old and weak soldiers, along with the civilians, came out to surrender and report the situation.
"Young Helian Jun, couldn't he put up even a little resistance?" Yue Qingtian, touching his bald head, couldn't help but chuckle heartily.
Yue Yun explained, "He must have known that Mianzhu could not be defended. It would be better to return and join forces with Jincheng, defending Jincheng with all their might, and there might still be a chance."
Regardless, Mianzhu was easily taken by the Da Qian army, with the addition of Zhuo Ying's thirty thousand reinforcements!
The next day, Liang Xiao personally led an army of eighty thousand, all elites, departing from Fucheng and heading towards Mianzhu. On the way, he received news of the victory at Mianzhu.
"It seems the enemy has lost their spirit. We must pursue them relentlessly and strike directly at Jincheng, unifying Xichuan in one decisive campaign!"
Liang Xiao's heroic spirit surged, and he gestured southwest with his whip. The army advanced at an increased pace, rushing towards Mianzhu.
The distance from Mianzhu to Chengdu was just over two hundred li. Liang Xiao could reach it in only four days with forced marches.
The news of victory, delivered by carrier pigeons, reached the capital and Yanzhou ahead of time, filling the hearts of the soldiers and civilians there with jubilation.
In the Western Palace Villa, Xiao Qing and Zhuo Xun, their eyes filled with tenderness, gently caressed her swollen belly, their pride overflowing.
Beside them, Luo Qingxue and the others were also filled with laughter and joy, a scene of domestic bliss.
It had been less than five months since Liang Xiao left the capital!
The smoother Liang Xiao's front lines were, the more stable the capital became, thus ensuring stability across all regions of Da Qian!
Over one hundred and twenty million mu of farmland had been repurchased by the court and distributed to landless farmers for cultivation.
Wang Canghai and Zhuo Zifang, at the Ministry of Revenue, were greatly moved after understanding the situation.
"Indeed, since there is no longer a head tax, various regions have begun to voluntarily report unregistered individuals and household slaves. Coupled with the people of Xichuan, Da Qian's actual population may have reached one hundred million. More wasteland must be opened up..."
This was a good thing, but the sudden surge of over twenty million people requiring registration placed an immense pressure on the Ministry of Revenue, which was self-evident.
This could be considered a joy mixed with hardship.
Liberating these unregistered individuals meant liberating productive forces, and more people could now cultivate the official fields.
The King of Brocade fled at top speed to southern Sichuan, finally meeting up with Illyas and Xiao Feng.
"Mianzhu is likely lost as well, and then Jincheng will follow... our Xichuan!" Xiao Feng lamented deeply.
Illyas's eyes, rarely, were bloodshot.
Was the Huichun Cult's centuries-long plan about to be dashed in a single blow?
"We should have taken advantage of the barbarian invasion of Yanzhou, before General Tian rose to prominence, and let the Helian family establish themselves independently!" the King of Brocade gritted his teeth.
Illyas merely shook her head slightly and sighed, "What good would that have done? Even if those hundreds of thousands of troops had not been annihilated, could Jian'ge alone have defended against Liang Xiao? The Da Qian army could have taken the water route, crossed the river directly from Jiangnan! The prime culprit is Liang Xiao!"
Half a day later, Master Longyue also returned with his tattered remnants, crestfallen and dejected.
"In this life, I have never experienced such despair and powerlessness," Master Longyue sighed.
Everyone fell silent.
As the National Preceptor of the Peacock Dynasty, Master Longyue had contributed immensely to the dynasty and was a revered figure by all.
Yet, facing Liang Xiao, he felt so stifled, his reputation utterly ruined...
Hatred surged among them, but they were helpless against Liang Xiao. They could only dejectedly gather their remaining troops and retreat to Jiaozhou and the southwest.
The forces of the Huichun Cult stationed in Xichuan had been largely lost in Luzhou and Jian'ge, rendering them unable to recruit new soldiers from Xichuan.
The evil cult that had plagued Xichuan for hundreds of years was finally driven out of Xichuan by Liang Xiao!
Jincheng remained as prosperous and decadent as ever, a place of indulgence and luxury.
The local gentry and magnates had not yet received news of Fucheng's fall, and they lived in drunken stupor, indulging in extreme extravagance.
In stark contrast, the people of Jincheng were suffering immensely, especially the farmers, all of whom had gaunt faces.
Centuries of exploitation had left the populace exhausted, which in turn provided the Huichun Cult with a foundation of followers. With a little incitement, a large number of people would naturally join the cult.
However, the people did not realize that this was a consistent tactic employed by the Huichun Cult and the Helian family, forcing more and more people into the cult's embrace.
Anyone who dared to criticize or question the Huichun Cult, like that group of scholars, suffered extermination.
The people of Xichuan, though harboring resentment, dared not speak out, having long suffered under the Helian family and the Huichun Cult.
"Fucheng has fallen! Mianzhu has abandoned its pass!"
Helian Jun's army fled back to Jincheng, shattering the city's luxurious tranquility.
All the local magnates descended into chaos, seeking divination from every deity they could find.
Helian Heng's second brother, Helian Xun, the new prefect of Jincheng, convened a meeting with all the prominent families overnight.
"We absolutely cannot surrender the city. Otherwise, our good days will be over!" Helian Jun stated grimly.
"But can Jincheng be defended? If we don't flee now, once Jincheng falls, we won't even have a chance to live!" wailed a wealthy landlord.
"How about we take the civilians hostage and threaten Liang Xiao to promise us safe passage?" another suggested.
Helian Xun forced a bitter smile, "These defending soldiers are already in a state of panic. If we ask them to take civilians hostage now? Are you not afraid of a military mutiny here as well??"
Overnight, the once influential and decadent landlords of Jincheng found themselves on tenterhooks.
Half of them packed their valuables under the cover of night and fled to Jiaozhou, their last refuge.
The Helian family, being the largest landowners in Xichuan, controlled over twenty million mu of land. This was immovable property, and now, no one dared to take it over.
For the sake of these twenty million mu of land, the Helian family made a firm decision.
They would send their young men to Jiaozhou, while the rest would defend the city to the death and then negotiate with Liang Xiao!
"The Great Qian's General of Pacifying Rebels, Shi Liuyun, has arrived at the city gates!"
Just as the Helian family was consumed by anxiety, several urgent reports arrived, shattering the fragile peace they had managed to maintain.
"Regions falling one after another?!"
Helian Xun staggered, nearly falling to the ground.
"Quick, defend the city! We must not let them breach it!" Helian Xun's hysterical roar echoed through the hall.
The Helian family knew their sins were deep, and Liang Xiao would not easily forgive them. Now, they could only fight like cornered beasts.
At noon that day, Shi Liuyun led thirty thousand troops to the city gates, their imposing presence overwhelming.
Jiangnan had dispatched a total of one hundred thousand troops. Zhuo Ying and Shi Liuyun each left twenty thousand to guard the conquered territories in Xichuan.
Shi Liuyun also brought ten thousand elite cavalry from Jiangnan, positioning them to the southeast of Jincheng, their imposing aura radiating outwards.
In the afternoon, Liang Xiao's forces finally arrived at Jincheng, joining forces with Shi Liuyun, a combined army of one hundred and ten thousand men, surrounding Jincheng!