Chapter 62: The End

Ning Ye's decisive command made the sneak attack exceptionally smooth. After eliminating this wave of enemies, Ning Ye knew it was time to make his way back. Moreover, losing supplies twice in a row would undoubtedly be a severe blow to the already provision-starved barbarians.

If this still failed to resolve the crisis at the frontlines, Ning Ye could only say that he had truly done his utmost. As for whether anyone would ever know of these deeds, Ning Ye did not care in the least; he merely wished to maintain a clear and untroubled conscience.

The way one came was naturally the way one should return.

Soaring through the clouds, the safety of Ning Ye and his men was as secure as a fortress. Meanwhile, the bloody battle at the Kan'er River was still far from over.

After a series of successive skirmishes, Wang Mingyuan's reinforcements had finally arrived. Enticed by the promise of vast amounts of genuine wealth, the morale of the troops rose by another significant notch.

On the evening of that very day, Wang Mingyuan glanced at the cooking smoke rising from the encampments across the river. "It seems the enemy's supplies must be severely depleted. Judging by the ratio of one large stove for every ten men, they can currently manage to prepare at most about half of their usual rations."

Li Ruochen nodded expressionlessly. "Their provisions have always been the prime target of our assaults, so it is only natural that they have little left. However, logically speaking, a new batch of grain should have arrived long ago."

Lin Changhe said dismissively, "Who can say for sure? Perhaps the barbarians brought some absurd trouble upon themselves. After all, it is never surprising whatever bizarre incidents happen among those people."

Wang Mingyuan cared little about what had transpired; however, if they could keep the enemy starved of provisions, these people would naturally collapse without a fight—unless they were willing to resort to cannibalism on the battlefield.

Once they did that, the morale of the barbarian army would completely disintegrate. No matter the scenario, the enemy would inevitably defeat themselves.

Over the next few days, the intensity of the enemy's attacks grew progressively weaker. Finally, after seven days, Zamute actually ordered a full retreat.

As the barbarian army withdrew, everyone was finally able to heave a sigh of relief. Although Wang Mingyuan was a civil official, he had remained at this post throughout, sparing no effort to bolster the defense.

Everyone felt like a tightly strung bowstring that could at last relax. Li Ruochen, in particular, tipped backward and collapsed completely unconscious.

Meanwhile, Ning Ye and his men happened to bump into Sikong Changfeng deep within the mountain forests.

"Daoist Priest Sikong, what brings you all the way out here, old man?"

Observing Sikong Changfeng, who currently looked rather like a wild savage, Ning Ye bit his lip to suppress a rising wave of laughter, though he dared not actually laugh aloud.

Sikong Changfeng dusted the fallen leaves from his robes. "Where on earth did you kid run off to earlier? I've circled this entire mountain and couldn't find a trace of you. Do you have any idea how much time you wasted for me?"

"Daoist Priest, why did you come looking for me? Could it be that Xiaoqing and the others sent you?"

Sikong Changfeng supported his aging lower back with one hand. "Otherwise? Did you really think an unfilial brat like you was worth me coming out of my way? Since you're fine, hurry up and head back. Don't keep those young lasses at home waiting anxiously."

Ning Ye shared the exact same sentiment. However, to avoid running into the retreating barbarian troops, he had been forced to weave through the mountain forests on foot, unable even to ride horses, which made their progress excruciatingly slow.

Sikong Changfeng, on the other hand, could easily traverse the woods, even leaping up into the canopy and moving rapidly by springing between tree branches.

Roughly a day later, Sikong Changfeng spotted the retreating barbarian army and immediately rushed back to inform Ning Ye.

Upon learning that the barbarians had retreated, Ning Ye felt a wave of relief wash over him; at the very least, the common people were now safe. Now he could finally emerge from the ancient forest and hasten his return.

Two days later, Ning Ye finally returned to the grand estate. Passing by the Kan'er River, he saw several villagers busy clearing away the wooden fortifications.

These villagers had come of their own accord to salvage the materials, as such a massive quantity of timber constituted prime material whether used for firewood or other purposes.

The moment he stepped back into the estate, Ning Ye was met with a fierce embrace from Lin Qinshu, staining her elegant azure dress with streaks of dirt.

Yet Lin Qinshu cared not at all; right then, she merely wished to hold Ning Ye tightly.

After lingering in each other's warmth for a long while, the two suddenly remembered that a whole group of rugged men was still trailing behind them.

Ning Ye turned around to find some forty or fifty men staring at him with undisguised envy in their eyes, yet not a single one dared to make a sound.

Ning Ye nodded with satisfaction and said, "Alright, everyone dismissed for now. As for the rewards for our merits, I'll announce them in the next few days. Don't rush; get some good rest. Tonight, I'll have Old Wang take you all out to paint the town red—drinks and entertainment are on me."

A bunch of young, virile men eager to let loose only had a handful of places to go. Usually, they were too thrifty to spend money on such luxuries, but with Ning Ye footing the bill, they finally had the chance to sample establishments they had never dared to patronize before.

As the saying goes, two kinds of people cannot be washed out of the same wooden tub. Despite Lin Qinshu's repeated refusals, she ultimately yielded to Ning Ye's coercion and persuasion.

When Ning Ye uttered those words with a completely straight face, Lin Qinshu desperately wanted to ask precisely which region's proverb that was supposed to be.

Yet Ning Ye did nothing inappropriate. Submerged in the steaming hot water, Lin Qinshu gently massaged his weary muscles, and within moments, Ning Ye drifted into a deep sleep.

Lin Qinshu traced the contours of his face with her gaze, realizing that though he was merely seventeen or eighteen years old, Ning Ye's face already bore traces of vicissitudes and unyielding resolve, bearing little resemblance to an ordinary youth.

Lin Qinshu knew well that her husband must have experienced countless hardships out there. Now that he had returned safely, he deserved a thorough rest.

Elsewhere, Chen Santong, who had previously proposed a partnership with Lin Qinshu, had already returned to Jiangnan Dao. His very first task upon returning was to convert his largest storefront into a brand-new soap workshop. However, they would be selling far more than ordinary soap—facial soaps and luxury bathing bars were also on offer.

In Jiangnan, Chen Santong's name was a resounding and influential emblem. The sudden appearance of these novel goods instantly captured the attention of countless people.

Chen Santong merely offered a modest amount of publicity. After all, excellent goods spoke for themselves: the more you boasted, the less credible you seemed, whereas keeping tight-lipped naturally aroused boundless curiosity.

Moreover, Chen Santong himself served as a golden guarantee; up to this day, not a single person had ever spoken ill of the merchandise he sold.

On the grand opening day of the soap shop, Chen Santong immediately tallied the day's revenue. Gazing upon the piles of genuine gold and silver, he knew that this venture would reap astronomical profits.