I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 162 Yang Jiamo Reappears, the Revenge Army of the People's Salvation Army
In the days following the official appointment of the City God, Earth God, Mountain God, and River God, when there was no need to spend money on incense, the common people would still go to offer incense every day.

But life goes on.

So, the novelty only lasted a few days. After burning incense for several days in a row, the general public resumed their daily lives and went about their business.

Only those with considerable wealth, who occasionally pass by and remember to offer incense, will enter to do so.

At other times, when one needs to go to the abode of these deities to handle some business, one will offer incense and pray for blessings.

For example, when going into the mountains to hunt or into the river to fish, people would pray to the mountain gods and river gods for protection.

Apart from that, the entire territory has returned to calm.

In Lintao Prefecture, looking at the reports from various places about the developments of this period, the training of new recruits, and so on, Wang Chao showed a satisfied smile.

Subsequently, he summoned Wang Sanshun, the chief of staff of the General Staff, and others, and issued an order to begin expanding the army.

All qualified recruits were transferred to the regular army of the Salvation Army.

At the same time, another round of new recruit recruitment began.

In an instant, the entire territory became lively again, with countless people flocking to the recruitment office.

In Lanzhou, on the second floor of a restaurant, a down-on-his-luck scholar with white hair and one arm looked down at the bustling crowd below, overwhelmed with emotion.

"Brother Yang, you have a refined taste."

Just then, a loud voice suddenly came from the stairwell.

The newcomer was also dressed in a scholar's robe, but his body was incredibly robust, standing at a height of 2.2 meters, with bulging muscles all over his body, making him look like an iron tower when he stood there.

The scholar surnamed Yang felt that he was already quite tall, but when he stood in front of the people coming, he appeared rather small and thin.

"Brother Chen!"

The one-armed scholar surnamed Yang looked at the newcomer and greeted him with a smile.

"boom!"

"Crench!"

The scholar surnamed Chen plopped down opposite the scholar surnamed Yang, and the chair immediately groaned as if it could not bear the weight.

Upon seeing this, the scholar surnamed Yang couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile.

"Brother Chen, what brings you here this time?"

The scholar surnamed Chen did not answer immediately, but instead picked up the wine cup on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and then said with a smile:

"Didn't you want to become a teacher? I found you a teaching job at an elementary school in Lanzhou."

Upon hearing this, the scholar surnamed Yang immediately stood up, bowed slightly, and thanked him.

"Thank you very much, my dear brother."

"Hey, we're brothers, why should Brother Yang stand on ceremony?"

The scholar surnamed Chen looked completely unconcerned.

"Yes, yes, I was being dramatic."

Come on, this time it's my treat, let's drink until we drop!

The scholar surnamed Yang personally poured him wine, speaking with a broad smile.

"it is good!"

Without any hesitation, the scholar surnamed Chen raised his wine cup and clinked it against the scholar surnamed Yang's, then drank it all in one gulp once again.

Then, with a hint of regret, he said:

"I don't know when I'll be able to drink with Brother Yang again in the future, so we must have a good, hearty drinking session today."

"What? Brother Chen is going to join the army?"

Yang, who was about to start his business, paused slightly with his raised glass. Then, a knowing glint flashed in his eyes, and he said casually.

"Yes, this is a rare opportunity, and I must seize it."

Sigh, I should have joined last time. I was too proud of being a scholar, so I missed a great opportunity.

With my physique, I feel that joining the army would definitely allow me to make a name for myself.

This time, I absolutely won't miss it.

He paused slightly at this point, then looked solemnly at Brother Yang opposite him.

"Brother Yang, we hit it off immediately and are true friends despite our age difference. After I leave, I hope you can take care of my wife, children, and parents when you have time."

"Don't worry, my dear brother. I'll take care of everything at home, including the young and old."

"Alright, then I'll thank you in advance!"

"Eh~? Brother, you're being too polite again, aren't you?"

"Haha, okay, let's drink!"

After several rounds of drinks, the scholar surnamed Yang looked out the window and said in a somewhat enigmatic tone:

"Don't you think the People's Salvation Army is being a bit too militaristic, my dear brother?"

I heard that the regular army of the People's Salvation Army has nearly 300,000 men. Add to that the city defense army, auxiliary troops, and construction army, and the total number is probably close to a million.
The fact that they need to recruit soldiers again is really...

"Hey, this is nothing!"

Before the scholar surnamed Yang could finish speaking, the scholar surnamed Chen interrupted him dismissively.

"Brother Yang has been in Lanzhou for more than a month now, so you should know about our harvest here, right?"
That's a crop that can be harvested three times a year, and each season yields a bumper harvest.

Moreover, I heard that in the area surrounding Weiyuan County, where the People's Salvation Army originated, as well as Lintao and Gongchang Prefecture, it was even possible to achieve four harvests a year.

We have absolutely no worries about food now.
A mere million-strong army is perfectly manageable.
Moreover, the people of the world are still suffering. Since we are in the name of saving the people's army, we must save the people of the world, right?
How could a mere 300,000 regular troops possibly conquer the vast territory of the Ming Dynasty?

I don't think even increasing it tenfold would be enough.

"Uh"

For a moment, the scholar surnamed Yang was speechless.

The People's Salvation Army has developed to this point, so how could it remain stagnant and keep hiding out?
The National Salvation Army had not previously deployed troops simply because the newly occupied territories needed to be governed and new personnel trained. Now, after such a long period of development, it is sufficient to support the National Salvation Army's further expansion.

Unconsciously, the scholar surnamed Yang sighed inwardly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Didn't he anticipate this situation? Why would he still harbor any illusions?

The scholar surnamed Yang, or rather Yang Jiamo, originally intended to commit suicide by jumping into the river.

However, he had indeed cultivated some internal energy, so he did not die immediately, but only fell into a coma.

As it drifted downstream, it was swept to the lower reaches of the Shuimo River, near Changning Fort, where it was rescued by a family of refugees fleeing from outside the Great Wall.

After some twists and turns, he finally returned to the Great Wall Pass a little over a month ago.

Then, he met the bold and unrestrained scholar in front of him, Chen Mo.

During this month, Yang Jiamo visited many places, from bustling cities to rural villages.

Originally, Yang Jiamo wanted to gather intelligence on the territory of the Salvation Army and then find a way to pass it on to the Ming Dynasty court.

However, during his visits, he gradually began to have doubts. He had to admit that under the rule of the People's Salvation Army, the lives of the people were far better than before.

Even the common people have gradually forgotten that they are citizens of the Ming Dynasty, and only remember that it was the People's Salvation Army that brought them a good life.

They were overjoyed and proud to have become civilians of the Salvation Army and subjects of the dynasty.

Even the vast majority of people throughout the territory yearn to join the People's Salvation Army and expand their territory.

The soldiers' pay of several taels of silver was one aspect, but more importantly, joining the army offered the possibility of acquiring supernatural powers.

On this point, Yang Jiamo can responsibly tell the people that this is not just a possibility, but that the People's Salvation Army truly possesses supernatural powers.

In addition, there were newly established City God Temple, River God Temple, Mountain God Temple, etc., which Yang Jiamo also visited to observe.

He didn't know if there really were city gods and land gods.

However, relying on his keen senses honed through the cultivation of true qi, he did indeed discover that there were some special auras of power within these temples of city gods, local deities, mountain gods, and river gods.

As time went on, he witnessed more and more miraculous things in the territory of the People's Salvation Army, and his desire to send messages and intelligence to the Ming Dynasty began to fade.

In the end, he even considered settling down here and becoming an ordinary poor scholar, teaching at a school.

Given the importance the People's Liberation Army placed on education, the salary they paid the teacher was enough for him to live a very comfortable life.

That's why he intentionally or unintentionally mentioned to Chen Mo his desire to teach.

By this time, Yang Jiamo had given up all hope that the Ming Dynasty could defeat the People's Salvation Army.

There was still a sliver of hope in his heart: seeing that the People's Salvation Army was only developing its own territory peacefully, perhaps it would not expand and conquer the Ming Dynasty?

However, the sudden large-scale recruitment by the People's Salvation Army shattered his last bit of hope.

The People's Salvation Army wasn't unwilling to expand; it just hadn't been prepared beforehand.

Then, Yang Jiamo shook his head with relief, smiled, raised his glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

It doesn't seem so bad that the People's Salvation Army has taken over the country.

At least the general public will be able to live very well, and we will surely usher in another era of peace and prosperity.

Seeing the change in Yang Jiamo's expression, Chen Mo couldn't help but laugh, raised his wine glass to clink with Yang's, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Although Chen Mo was broad-shouldered and burly, standing at 2.2 meters tall, he was as big and strong as an iron tower.

But he was also a genuine scholar, even more learned than most scholars, and he was thoughtful and not pedantic.

He could naturally see that Yang Jiamo had something on his mind and was alienated from the People's Salvation Army.

However, seeing that the authorities hadn't bothered him, he didn't care too much, only hoping that Brother Yang wouldn't do anything he would regret.

At this moment, hearing Yang Jiamo's relieved and hearty laughter, Chen Mo couldn't help but feel happy for this friend who was much older than him.

Out of their sight, at an inconspicuous stall, a vendor picked up a palm-sized, compass-shaped object, glanced at it casually, then looked at the second floor of the restaurant. His smile widened, and he shouted even more enthusiastically.

He knew the people who had lived in their militia territory.

Whether you are a refugee fleeing disaster or a traveling merchant.

Whether you are a prisoner of war or a spy from another faction, you will be deeply attracted to this place and eventually join in.

Those at the bottom of society are more easily attracted to this prosperous era and more eager to join in.

Leaving aside Yang Jiamo's subsequent teaching career and Chen Mo's path to joining the army.

After completing a new round of military expansion and preparation, the dynasty began to deploy troops. Wang Dahu went north to plunder the various tribes of the Tatar Tumed, mainly plundering young men and strong men to bring back to build the territory of the Salvation Army.

This also lets these Mongols experience the suffering of the Ming people when they were plundered.

In addition, Wang Shi, Li Shu, and Li Yu each led their own troops across Dongkeer, occupied Haiyan, and entered the Qinghai Tatar Tumed tribe.

Wang Erniu was stationed at Zhenluwei to guard against attacks from Ningxia and beyond the Great Wall.

Tumed and Ligdan Khan, prepare for his revenge for saving the militia.

Outside Gansu Town, Wang Dahu sat on his horse, looking at the five thousand cavalrymen in front of him, a bloodthirsty smile on his face.

"Soldiers, those Mongol bastards are burning, killing, looting, and plundering our border areas, attacking our people, and attacking our militia without cause. How should we deal with them?"

"Tooth for tooth, blood for blood!"

"Tooth for tooth, blood for blood!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

In an instant, the five thousand militiamen in front of him roared loudly, their fierce and bloodthirsty aura spreading like a thick cloud of blood.

On the city wall of Gansu Town, Xu Ming looked at the situation below and frowned almost imperceptibly.

The People's Salvation Army led by Wang Dahu was indeed powerful, and could be described as invincible.

However, Wang Dahu and his 5,000-strong militia seem to be a bit too bloodthirsty, and it's hard to say whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

However, considering the atrocities committed by those Tartar armies, it seems there's nothing wrong with it.

(End of this chapter)