At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Outside Jinling City, dusk was falling.

The escort team stopped in the wide open space at the city gate. Three thousand soldiers stood in neat formation, ready for battle, not daring to slacken their guard in the slightest.

The boxes on the carriage were tied tightly with ropes, and the mud left by the wheels after rolling over hundreds of miles of official roads had dried and formed a thick crust.

Wang Ben dismounted and stretched his legs, which had become stiff from being jostled on the horse's back.

He looked up at the city gate of Jinling and sighed, "Jinling, it's been a long time."

Han You also dismounted, handed the reins to his personal guards behind him, and walked to Wang Ben's side.

He didn't rush into the city. His gaze fell on the street inside the city gate where people were still walking, and he frowned slightly.

"Lord Wang, have you noticed?"

"Most of the people entering the city on the road were young men, carrying bundles and bags, walking in a hurry, not like they were visiting relatives."

Wang Ben followed his gaze and saw several young people walking quickly through the city gate. Some carried rolled-up bedding on their shoulders, while others had short knives at their waists. They walked in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones as they went.

"They've come to join the army." Wang Ben withdrew his gaze. "The news of General Su's conscription has spread throughout Jiangnan, and these young people have probably come here specifically for this purpose."

Han You frowned and said, "The Jiangnan region is prosperous, and the people can make a living. They have never been willing to send their sons to the army."

"In previous years, the conscription quotas for various prefectures and counties in Jiangnan were always delayed until the very last minute. This time... it's unusual."

"Yes, it is indeed somewhat unexpected." Wang Ben sighed softly. "Hopefully, this time, with Elder Su's prestige, we can recruit 50,000 soldiers."

"Otherwise, even if we set foot on the Eastern Barbarians, we will have little chance of victory."

Just as the two were talking, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside the city gate, and Zhou Wenjin led several subordinates out to greet them.

He was still slightly out of breath when he reached Wang Ben and Han You. He cupped his hands and said, "Lord Wang, General Han, you must be tired from your journey! I am late, please forgive me."

Wang Ben returned the greeting: "Lord Zhou, you are too kind. We have only just arrived and it is no problem."

Zhou Wenjin turned to the side and made a "please" gesture.

"I have already sent someone to inform General Su. Please come with me into the city and settle down first."

The group rode their horses through the city gate and headed along the main street toward the government office.

Han You walked beside Zhou Wenjin, hesitated for a moment, and then asked the question that had been puzzling him for a long time.

"Lord Zhou, on my way here, I've seen many young men flocking to Jinling. I wonder how the conscription is progressing?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wenjin's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smug and excited expression.

Instead of answering directly, he asked in return, "General Han, how many men do you think can be recruited this time?"

Han You thought for a moment and replied, "In previous years, the number of soldiers conscripted by various prefectures and counties in Jiangnan was at most 20,000 to 30,000, and at least less than 10,000."

"With General Su personally overseeing the operation and the momentum of the recent victory in the East China Sea, I believe... the number could reach fifty thousand?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Wenjin had already burst out laughing.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it carried an overwhelming sense of pride.

"General Han, you underestimated Elder Su's influence."

Han You raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh?"

"Fifty thousand?" Zhou Wenjin held up five fingers and flipped them over. "On the first day, it's already reached fifty thousand."

Han You's expression suddenly froze.

Wang Ben, who was behind him, was also stunned.

Then the two looked at each other and saw the same expression on each other's faces.

That kind of bewilderment—thinking you misheard, yet knowing the other person wouldn't joke about something like that.

"The first day?" Han You was still skeptical. "Fifty thousand people signed up in just one day?"

Zhou Wenjin turned her head to the side, her gaze resolute.

"yes!"

"In three days, it's already reached 100,000."

Han You and Wang Ben instinctively pulled on the reins, and the officials behind them stopped as well, some looking ahead in confusion.

Wang Ben first came to his senses: "One hundred thousand?"

"One hundred thousand." Zhou Wenjin's tone had returned to calm. "And it's not over yet. Applicants from surrounding prefectures and counties are still arriving one after another. I estimate that the final number will probably double."

"Ten thousand in three days... Who would have believed that before?"

"Old Su's influence is too strong."

"This is truly an unprecedented and extraordinary event since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty."

Zhou Wenjin has continued walking forward.

"My lords, Elder Su is still waiting at the government office."

"You can talk to him about conscription in person once things are settled."

"I think you'll be even more surprised."

"hey-hey……"

"Let's go see Elder Su!"

The three of them said no more and quickened their pace.

……

at the same time.

In the eastern part of Nanjing, in a courtyard hidden at the end of an alley, the lights are dim.

The door to the house in the center of the courtyard was tightly closed, and the light coming through the crack was extremely weak, as if it had been mostly blocked by a thick cloth.

Inside the room, several assassins dressed in black sat around an old wooden table. There was no food or wine on the table, only a simple map spread out on it. The map showed the general layout of the government office, with several important locations circled in charcoal.

Seated in the main seat was a leader wearing an Eastern Yi ghost mask.

The mask was made of dark brown wood, with ferocious fang patterns carved on it. The openings at the eyebrows and eyes only revealed two eyes, which gleamed with a cold light in the dim light.

He sat there with his back straight, his hands clasped on the table, his knuckles thicker than usual, marks left from gripping knife handles many times.

"How's the recruitment going?" His voice was muffled by the mask, but clear.

The person sitting opposite him spoke up.

"It's been confirmed. The training ground outside Jinling City has been open for three consecutive days, and the number of applicants has reached 100,000."

The room immediately fell silent.

The leader's finger stopped on the table, and he exclaimed in surprise, "One hundred thousand?"

"The number is still increasing; at this rate, the final number will probably be no less than 200,000."

The leader's gaze, hidden behind his mask, was filled with astonishment.

He glanced down at the map on the table, his gaze lingering on the location of the government office.

"If Su Mu were to lead an army of 200,000 across the sea to the east, the Dongyi Kingdom would face annihilation."

"Therefore, we must not allow him to lead the troops out to sea alive."

Another person nearby spoke up: "The people who have been following us these past few days haven't left. If we delay any longer, the risk of being exposed will only increase. We must act as soon as possible."

"Boss, what should we do next?"

"We can't let Su Mu live until the conscription ends, otherwise, with one order from him, 200,000 troops will be protecting him, and we will be completely helpless."

"Therefore, it's better to do it sooner rather than later."

The leader remained silent for a moment, and the thought that had been lingering in his mind for a long time finally settled down.

Then he looked up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present from behind his mask: "Good!"

"You all prepare yourselves immediately."

"Tonight's operation: assassinate Su Mu!"