Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 559 - 493: In Need of Training

Eight thousand remnants and defeated soldiers, a large part chose to surrender, but some were not willing to be captured, and from Qi Yunfan’s side, they fought their way out alone and escaped.

Finally, Wang Jun counted the number of Hu army deaths outside Linzhou City, more than seven thousand.

In the last few days, the Hu army had only carried enough water for their generals like Tingmao to drink, while the other soldiers were already weak from thirst, dizzy and exhausted, yet even the well-fed and hydrated Great Liang army let a few hundred of them escape. Su Jingchen was very angry.

These soldiers really lack training!

"Sir, how should we handle the Hu people’s corpses?" Wang Jun has been following Su Jingchen around these days and has developed immense admiration for Su Jingchen.

"You’ve been in the army all these years, and you’re asking a civil servant like me? I don’t know!" Su Jingchen was frustrated when he remembered that a few hundred Hu people had escaped.

Wang Jun touched his nose, forced a stiff smile, and asked, "Burial or burning?"

The Prince and Sir Fu asked me to follow your lead, and I can’t decide on my own!

Su Jingchen glanced at the corpses lying around, "Let them rest in peace by burying them!"

He didn’t want to commit such a great sin, but for the peace at the Great Liang border for decades, he had to do it!

"Yes!" It was the first time Wang Jun had seen so many corpses; burying so many would not be a task completed in a day or two!

Su Jingchen left Wang Jun to handle the follow-up matters and took a team of two hundred soldiers back to Yangcheng at top speed.

Ever since Su Jingchen had left, Yu Xiaolian had been feeling anxious, fearing something might happen to Su Jingchen.

Seeing Su Jingchen return unharmed, Yu Xiaolian breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where’s Qi Yunfan?" Yu Xiaolian asked.

"He returned to the Four Bright Mountains!" After this event, Qi Yunfan’s mindset also changed significantly. In the short few decades of life, it is always the common people who suffer when those in power are scheming. Qi Yunfan didn’t want to aid a tyrant anymore.

"I’ll go report the battle results to the Prince and be back soon!" Su Jingchen knew Yu Xiaolian would be worried about him, so he reported his safety to her first.

Due to Jin Langzhong and his daughter’s care over this period, Jun Mobai’s complexion improved significantly, though it was still somewhat sallow compared to before.

When Su Jingchen arrived, Jin Shourou was supporting Jun Mobai in taking a stroll in the courtyard, while Jin Langzhong stood at a corner, staring at his daughter with a complicated expression.

Seeing Su Jingchen approaching, Jin Langzhong appeared somewhat unnatural, but said nothing, turning away to prepare medicine for Jun Mobai.

"Prince..." Su Jingchen reported the latest battle status to Jun Mobai.

The day before Su Jingchen returned, the skilled fighters Fu Qing sent to chase down the An Family brothers had already come back; Fu Dong and his men chased all the way to Jinzhou but could not find traces of the An Family brothers.

But since they had reached Jinzhou, they naturally had to urge Li Guangpu’s reinforcements to head quickly to Yangcheng.

Who knew Li Guangpu said that the Emperor had dispersed his forces and he needed to consolidate his forces with the Emperor’s approval before he could advance, otherwise, without permission, consolidating forces would mean his title of Great General of the Northern Frontier would be meaningless if reprimanded by the Emperor.

Li Guangpu was waiting for the Emperor’s orders, and also for Jun Mobai to personally beg him.

Upon hearing that Su Jingchen had greatly defeated the Hu army, Jun Mobai was overjoyed, "Li Guangpu wants to sit back and watch the tigers fight, gaining the benefit like a fisherman, yet he didn’t expect Sir Su to achieve victory over the Hu Kingdom’s elite with fewer troops more.

When I see the Emperor, I will surely commend Sir Su in front of him, so Sir Su can expect promotions and wealth!"

Then, he would accuse Li Guangpu in front of the Emperor, leaving Li Guangpu unable to defend himself and facing consequences.

After all, the Emperor had long wanted to replace the old generals with new ones; this time, accusing Li Guangpu would align with the Emperor’s intentions.

Jun Mobai summoned the Magistrate of Linzhou, Lin Heqing, to return immediately to Linzhou and commence rectification: arrange for new wells for the villagers affected by poisoned water, repair the paths disrupted by traps, and find ways to restore collapsed houses and walls to their original state.

Lin Heqing looked dejected, with the populace having fled; how could he carry out the work without manpower?

Jun Mobai glared at Lin Heqing, "Aren’t there still thousands of soldiers? Let them work first; as for the fleeing populace, find ways to see if they can be encouraged to return voluntarily."

Jun Mobai looked towards Su Jingchen, hoping he could offer a good plan.

Su Jingchen had long wanted to increase the population of Yangcheng County, "As long as our Linzhou is willing to offer great benefits, there’s no worry about the populace returning!"

As long as the welfare is good, not only the people who fled previously but even fishermen from Jinzhou and Bohai City might be attracted to come over.

"But, our Linzhou is poor right now!" Lin Heqing sighed.

Su Jingchen said, "At the end of the year, Ping City and Bohai City, as well as Jinzhou and Jizhou, all sent people to purchase cement.

Our manpower for excavation is insufficient; I think we should sell the cement recipe to them, allowing them to set up cement factories in their counties, which also alleviates Linzhou’s resource strain."

"In Sir Su’s opinion, what price is suitable for selling this cement recipe?" Lin Heqing asked.

"No price would be suitable!" Su Jingchen smiled.

Lin Heqing and Jun Mobai exchanged a glance, not understanding Su Jingchen’s meaning.

In front of two superiors, Su Jingchen dared not keep them guessing, and continued, "Bohai City is coastal, with marine products and sea salt being precious to Linzhou.

Regarding Jinzhou, a significant number of refugees from Linzhou were received there; we can use the cement recipe to reclaim Linzhou people with Jinzhou registration.

As for Ping City..."

Su Jingchen’s idea of ’selling’ was not in the pure sense, but what was gained was more tangible than real silver.

Only population can create more and greater wealth.

Jun Mobai’s gaze moved deeply between Su Jingchen and Lin Heqing, suddenly feeling that Su Jingchen was more suited to the Magistrate position in Linzhou than Lin Heqing.

Su Jingchen could be promoted, but it must be within Linzhou; he didn’t want such a capable person placed in the fiefdoms of other princes.

After Jun Mobai left, Lin Heqing and Su Jingchen began working clearly divided tasks.

Compared to Linzhou City, Yangcheng remained intact, able to recover quickly.

Su Jingchen sent two groups, one to Bohai City, the other to Jinzhou.

A few days later, representatives came over from Bohai City to negotiate cooperation with Su Jingchen.

Su Jingchen’s condition was simple: sea salt.

Marine products weren’t the main focus; his primary target was salt.

Salt was expensive, and the government strictly controlled it, yet Bohai City was coastal and produced salt.

"Sir Su, we indeed produce salt in Bohai City, but the court sent a Salt Transport Envoy to manage the saltway; our county government personnel don’t have the authority to privately handle salt." The collaborator was Bohai City’s Assistant Magistrate, Liu Shengping.