Chapter 1001

Chapter 1001: West into the Vast Sea

Sun Zhengheng led a thousand elite Yulin Guards back to the camp at midnight.

They carried blazing torches, and most riders had boxes or bulging bundles attached to their sides, all displaying excited and thrilled expressions.

They looked like they were returning with great bounty!

After meeting, Sun Zhengheng joyfully told Wang Chen that their haul was tremendous; they not only completely destroyed the White Wolf bandit nest but also discovered the bandits’ treasure trove.

Besides countless gold and silver treasures, food, and medicinal herbs, the Yulin Guards also confiscated a vast amount of armor, long spears, arrows, heavy crossbows, and other weapons.

These armaments were of exceptional quality, rivaling the standard military weapons, and some even surpassed them.

Clearly, this was no ordinary situation!

Because typical bandits could not possibly stockpile so much weaponry unless they had ulterior motives.

The White Wolf Bandits were certainly not your average marauders, and these weapons provided further evidence of their rumored connections to Dayan.

After all, excellent armor and weapons were not something that ordinary craftsmen could produce, especially not in such large quantities!

Wang Chen felt a spark of interest and asked, “What will you do with these items?”

The Yulin Guards led by Sun Zhengheng were light cavalry and could not carry more than the visible gold and silver treasures.

“Everything, including the provisions, has been sealed.”

Sun Zhengheng lowered his voice and said, “All the bandits have been slaughtered, and the bandit nest has been burned.”

Wang Chen nodded, “Good.”

Sun Zhengheng’s actions were completely justified.

There had certainly been many bandit families left behind, including the elderly, women, and children, but Wang Chen did not see them as innocent.

“By the way.”

Sun Zhengheng handed Wang Chen a sandalwood box, “Taibao Wang, this is your share.”

With the decisive victory over the bandit alliance that had plagued the West Sea Prairie for years, Wang Chen’s contributions were first-rate.

It was only right that he received a portion of the spoils, and he needed to take the bulk.

The wooden box Sun Zhengheng presented to Wang Chen looked small, but the wealth inside was extraordinary.

Wang Chen accepted it without hesitation, “Hmm.”

Of course, besides Wang Chen, the other two thousand Yulin Guards who remained at the camp also received their rewards.

Everyone was very pleased.

The entire camp stayed awake all night.

As a result, the next day, close to noon, the marriage convoy finally packed up and set off.

The subsequent journey went smoothly, and they did not encounter any bandits while crossing half the West Sea Prairie.

Seven days later, the marriage convoy arrived at the West Sea County government and stayed in the county capital for three days.

On the very evening they arrived in the county capital, the heads of the three leaders of the White Wolf Bandits were hung from the flagpole in front of the city gate for public display.

The hundreds of thousands of people in the city erupted in wild celebration!

Over the years, the White Wolf Bandits had frequently raided caravans traversing the vast prairie, attacking local herding tribes and villages, inflicting deep suffering on the people of the West Sea.

The major merchant guilds harbored an intense hatred for them.

Now that the White Wolf Bandits had been utterly annihilated, with all three leaders executed, the greatest threat to West Sea County was eliminated in one fell swoop.

The people’s joy was palpable.

Thus, when the marriage procession departed the county capital, throngs of citizens poured out of the city to bid them farewell, creating a magnificent spectacle.

Wang Chen also took with him the substantial reward he had earned, amounting to over a million taels of silver!

After leaving the county capital, the marriage procession journeyed for another five days, finally leaving the West Sea Prairie behind.

They crossed into the territory of Hanhai County.

Hanhai County was the second-largest county in Daliang, its expanse only slightly smaller than West Sea County, yet far more barren.

As they pressed westward, the prairie gradually gave way to a desolate Gobi desert, with snow-capped peaks rising in the distance.

For hundreds of miles around, there was no trace of human life, only the occasional presence of wolves, mountain goats, and snow hares.

This border county served as a buffer zone between Daliang and Dayan and was infamous as a place of exile in Daliang, where countless criminals had been sentenced to hard labor over the centuries, serving their sentences by defending the frontier.

Due to the harsh environment and sparse population, the marriage procession encountered no bandits along the way.

It wasn’t that Hanhai County lacked bandits; rather, small groups of thieves dared not approach such a formidable convoy.

Only large bandit groups like the White Wolf Bandits would venture into the fertile lands of West Sea County.

However, half a month after entering Hanhai County, the procession caught sight of a vast oasis nestled at the foot of snow-capped mountains.

Hanhai City had come into view!

Hanhai City was the capital of Hanhai County and its only major urban center, home to the majority of the county’s population.

This centuries-old city also served as a critical fortress, guarding the sole passage to Dayan.

The enduring amity between Daliang and Dayan was due not only to their shared strong enemy, Daqi, but also to the strategic importance of Hanhai City.

Before the marriage procession arrived, Hanhai City had received a flying eagle message and had made thorough preparations for their reception.

After a grand welcoming ceremony, the marriage procession was accommodated in Mingyu Palace.

Mingyu Palace was a royal residence of Daliang, intended for the emperor’s use during inspections of the border counties. However, since its construction, it had seldom hosted an emperor, given the remoteness and desolation of Hanhai County, not to mention its large population of exiles.

Nevertheless, the palace was spacious enough to comfortably house the three-thousand-strong marriage procession.

According to the plan, the procession would rest in Hanhai City for five days before exiting the hidden chamber to traverse the Hundred Miles Canyon.

Beyond the Hundred Miles Canyon lay the territory of Dayan!

After the grueling journey of recent days, the Three Thousand Yulin Guards finally relaxed upon settling into the palace.

“Lord Wang, Lord Sun…”

A portly man with a round face and large ears bowed obsequiously to Wang Chen and Sun Zhengheng, saying, “The county governor has sent three hundred fat sheep to reward the imperial guards, along with a thousand jars of fine wine.”

This man was clearly a merchant who had curried favor with the county governor to gain access to Princess Qingyun.

Sun Zhengheng smiled and replied, “Since the county governor is so generous, we shall not refuse his kindness!”

The man bowed repeatedly, “It is only proper, only proper!”

In addition to the fat sheep and fine wine, he had also brought along cooks, kitchen staff, and miscellaneous workers.

With Princess Qingyun’s approval, bonfires were quickly lit in Mingyu Palace, and the fat sheep, cleaned and prepared, were skewered and roasted over the flames, their skins turning golden and glistening with juices.

The rich aroma of grilled meat wafted through the palace, making the Yulin Guards’ mouths water!

When the fat sheep were nearly done, the chef in charge of grilling brought out a jar of spices and liberally sprinkled them over the meat, intensifying the already irresistible aroma.