Chapter 1080: The Power of Popular Support
When the Gao Family Village's main regiment deployed, it naturally commanded the full, unwavering support of the entire village.
From the Chang'an Automobile Factory, troop transport trucks rolled out, one after another, stretching for miles. Solar-powered buses were also fully mobilized, and even the trains' carrying capacity was brought into play...
Five thousand men, moving with astonishing speed, as if they had sprouted wings, arrived in Shanyang County in record time.
However, upon reaching this point, their route would turn south into Sichuan, and beyond lay no proper concrete roads.
This was where the true test began.
For both the main army and the accompanying logistics teams, the journey into Sichuan was no easy feat.
Soldiers tightened ropes around their calves, checked their military boots, rations, and waterskins, then shouldered their long Flintlock Rifles and set off.
No one knew who started it, but a voice rose in song: "At the sound of the order, we pack and march..."
Nearby soldiers quickly joined the chorus: "Advancing on the path to defend our land..."
Before long, the army reached Zhuxi County.
Zhuxi County fell under the purview of the Yunyang Pacification Commissioner...
The moment the large army appeared outside a village, the residents shrieked, scattering in every direction and vanishing in an instant.
Cheng Xu blinked. "Huh?"
Padi Tu laughed. "Haha, Instructor He, no need to worry. I'll handle this."
He leaped with a flourish to a prominent spot, spread his arms wide toward the village, and bellowed, "Folks, don't be scared! Your Bunny Lord has arrived!"
His shout proved remarkably effective. The villagers, who had just vanished, now reappeared, their faces shedding fear to reveal warm, welcoming smiles. "Ah, it's Bunny Lord!"
"It truly is the Bunny Lord! We haven't seen you in ages!"
"We thought it was bandits or government troops, so we hid. Who'd have thought it would be the Bunny Lord!"
"It's the Bunny Lord's militia!"
"Don't be afraid, everyone, come out!"
Calls and greetings echoed through the village, and within moments, every villager who had scattered now streamed back out.
Cheng Xu watched, surprised. "Oh? That Padi Tu fellow?"
As it happened...
Back when Lu Xiangheng served as the Yunyang Pacification Commissioner, with the open and discreet support of Gao Family Village, numerous supplies had been delivered to Zhuxi County, aiding the local populace. Padi Tu, Zheng Gouzi, and Luo Xi had all, at various times, brought relief materials and engaged with the community here.
Bunny Lord, in particular, had been the most fervent in assisting the common folk.
As he consistently "regarded money as dirt" and harbored no desire for corruption or bribery, Li Daoxuan had specially bestowed upon him a "Hero's Mandate," granting him the authority to mobilize resources for disaster relief.
Throughout that time, Padi Tu tirelessly traversed the Yunyang region, offering disaster relief and assistance wherever needed, his journeys even taking him deep into the Shennongjia mountains.
Given all this, was his popularity now not entirely natural?
Thus, the moment local villagers recognized Padi Tu, they instantly grasped the army's true nature, shed their fears, and warmly converged upon them.
"Bunny Lord, it's a blessing you've returned!" An old man grasped Padi Tu's hand. "After you left, Lu Xiangheng also departed, and the new Yunyang Pacification Commissioner is like a wooden puppet, completely useless. We've been utterly abandoned. Not long ago, a large bandit army swept through, and we ran for our lives, barely scraping by. Afterwards, the Pacification Commissioner never even came to our aid. Only General Luo Xi led his troops to clear out the scattered bandit remnants near the village."
Padi Tu's face darkened. "That imbecile Luo Xi! He only shows up after the bandits have ravaged the place? Couldn't he have come to defend *before* they arrived?"
The villagers quickly interjected, "Bunny Lord, you truly can't fault General Luo. The terrain here is incredibly complex, with countless paths winding through the mountains and forests. Even if General Luo had 'three heads and six arms,' he couldn't possibly defend every single village around. All he can do is chase the bandits wherever they appear."
Zheng Gouzi poked his head out from nearby. "Bunny Lord, you're scolding Luo Xi for arriving *after* the events, but didn't *you* also arrive after the events?"
Padi Tu fell silent.
Alright, that was undeniably awkward.
Padi Tu, frowning darkly, had no choice but to ask, "Which direction did those bandits head?"
The villagers pointed south, toward the forested mountains. "They crossed over in that direction, likely heading for Daning County in Sichuan."
Daning County, known today as Wuxi in Chongqing City.
Chongqing, a city built into mountains, was notorious. Even in the future, people equipped with satellite navigation often got lost there, let alone in these ancient times. Travelers to Chongqing were said to accidentally wander so deeply into its labyrinthine streets that they'd never find their way out, eventually just becoming locals.
Cheng Xu glanced at the endless mountain peaks stretching south. Suddenly, a spectral great-grandmother drifted past him, unexpectedly blurting out a line in Sichuanese: "Little one, great-grandma got lost halfway to Fengdu Ghost City and just settled here in Chongqing. Come visit my home and play!"
Cheng Xu was jolted. "I'm your great-grandson! Why are you calling me 'little one'? And referring to yourself as 'great-grandma'?"
The spectral great-grandmother chuckled. "In Chongqing dialect, we call all our beloved younger kin 'little ones,' and we say 'popo' instead of 'nainai' for grandmother. So, a great-grandmother like me is also a 'tai popo.'"
Cheng Xu gasped, as if sucking in a mouthful of cold noodles. He then realized that the "cold skin noodles" he enjoyed daily in Shaanxi had now transformed into "cold noodles," and this Chongqing place was truly terrifying. "Is Great-grandma appearing like this to warn me that I might get lost and die in these mountains? And even as a ghost, I won't be able to find my way out, destined to become a local Chongqing spirit? Absolutely not!"
A mountain of worry pressed down on him!
While he was mulling over his anxieties, a villager stepped forward. "Bunny Lord, are you heading off to pursue those bandits?"
Bunny Lord nodded. "Indeed."
The villager offered, "Then you'll certainly need to venture into those southern mountains. Let me guide you. I know that terrain intimately, and I'll make sure you don't lose your way."
Bunny Lord's face lit up. "Then many thanks indeed!"
The villager replied, "This is but a small favor, utterly insignificant compared to all that Bunny Lord has done for us. To be able to assist Bunny Lord—our entire village is overjoyed."
A chorus of villagers behind echoed, "We all wish to contribute what we can for the Bunny Lord!"
A wave of relief and joy washed over Cheng Xu. With a local to guide them, he thought, chuckling inwardly, the spectral great-grandmother's figure began to fade. Her blurry silhouette waved at Cheng Xu. "My dear great-grandson, great-grandma has found her way out... hehe..." she whispered.
And with that, she vanished from sight.
Cheng Xu let out a relieved sigh.
Thus, the army could confidently and boldly push deep into the treacherous Shu mountains.
A villager took the lead, with Padi Tu at the forefront, commanding a team of scouts who escorted the guide.
Behind them, Zheng Gouzi followed with the vanguard battalion, maintaining a deliberate distance. Further back, out of sight, marched the main force. This tactical approach was designed to maximize their avoidance of enemy ambushes in the mountains.
Even if an ambush struck, it would only snare the foremost scout team and the vanguard battalion.
Cheng Xu, from his rear command post, watched Padi Tu and Zheng Gouzi on the distant mountain path. The way they moved now, with such discipline and order, made him sigh inwardly. "The Heavenly Lord said these three simpletons had grown up, and I was still a little skeptical, but now... they truly are different."
Cheng Xu picked up his pen and inscribed: "People evolve, and so too do bunnies and dogs."
This quote was later enshrined in the "Collection of Gao Family Village Aphorisms: Cheng Xu's Volume."
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