Chapter 90: Slapped in the Face

At the East Gate of Juhua City.

A thousand soldiers of the Leopard Army, mounted and bearing flags, stood in four neat rows, forming a long line.

Each soldier was impeccably uniformed and carried an air of arrogance, clearly here to flaunt their power.

The rider at the front, on a white steed, made it clear they were here to show off. This person was none other than Larry Pansen, the youngest son of Marquis Pansen, who had stabbed Li Xie during their duel and later settled the matter with gold coins.

"It's that guy," Li Xie muttered, looking down from the city wall, eyes gleaming with killing intent.

The barracks had just been burned down, and this guy showed up with his men. It couldn't be a coincidence; he was probably here to cover the retreat of their mage.

"Open the gate!" Larry Pansen shouted from below. "Tell your lord to come out and greet me."

"Pansen Marquis, how audacious of you, demanding this Duke to come out and greet you," Li Xie said as he, Jack, and Vandy walked to the edge of the wall, looking down at Larry Pansen. "A mere marquis, not paying respects to a duke—by royal law, should I..."

"You can find any excuse to kill me, and I won't pay respects. What can you do about it?" Larry Pansen's eyes gleamed with contempt as he challenged Li Xie. "Before I left, I ordered that if I were to die unexpectedly, it would mean Juhua City had rebelled. The ten thousand strong Leopard Army of Sunflower City would march on Juhua and crush you."

Li Xie sneered, "Killing you equates to rebellion? You overestimate yourself."

"Hahaha, the son of the Leopard Army's commander—my death would be enough to label you a rebel. What now, want to try? If anything happens to me, everyone here will pay with their lives."

Hmph.

Li Xie looked disdainful.

He was certain that if he had Vandy pretend to kill Larry Pansen right now, it would scare Larry half to death.

But that's all it would be—a scare. Li Xie couldn't afford to actually harm Larry Pansen. Killing him would only vent his anger but would plunge Juhua City into peril.

Li Xie didn't want to engage in a war of words, so he said flatly, "What brings Marquis Pansen and his troops to Juhua City?"

Larry Pansen looked at Li Xie with extreme arrogance. "Oh, nothing much. Just came to see if Juhua City's barracks had caught fire and to see if the dear city lord's face has turned black. It seems it has. Hahaha... This marquis is in a very good mood today, a very good mood indeed."

Taking out a handful of gold coins from his spatial ring, he flung them to the ground. "And, here's a donation for the fallen soldiers. Haha, no need to thank me."

Li Xie looked at the coins on the ground, then leaped down from the twenty-meter-high city wall. He walked up to Larry Pansen's troops, squatted down, and began picking up the coins one by one. "Since it's a donation for the fallen soldiers, not a single coin should be wasted. Thank you, Marquis Pansen."

Watching Li Xie picking up the coins, Larry Pansen felt an inexplicable sense of disgust. He grabbed a long whip from someone nearby and was about to lash out at Li Xie.

Li Xie noticed his raised hand and said calmly, "If you dare to strike me, I will make sure none of your thousand men leave alive. And as for you, I will cut your flesh piece by piece to feed the dogs. You can try."

Li Xie's voice was astonishingly calm, almost devoid of emotion, as his tolerance had reached its limit. If that whip came down, Li Xie would undoubtedly erupt completely, disregarding the Leopard Army or the potential downfall of Juhua City. He would ensure Larry Pansen experienced the horrors of being alive in the most brutal way.

Larry Pansen was unnerved by Li Xie's deathly cold stare and slowly lowered his raised hand, though he felt humiliated and retorted, "A cornered dog bites. Even if I kill the dog, I'd still be bitten. Not worth it. This marquis won't stoop to your level."

"Thank you, Marquis Pansen." Li Xie finished picking up the coins and smirked.

"No need to thank me," Larry Pansen replied coldly. "You got me slapped by my father that day. Consider the burning of your barracks as one slap back. As for the other slap, just wait for it, because your life will only take one more."

"Oh, I'll be waiting."

"You have no choice but to wait. What else can you do? Hahaha..." Larry Pansen laughed arrogantly. "You know who burned your barracks, and what can you do about it? You know I'm here to mock you, and what can you do about it? Aren't you frustrated? Don't you feel humiliated? Where is the arrogance you showed in the royal court with your brute strength? Worthless. Just wait for death. See that guy? He's a piece of trash. I thought about entering Juhua City, but now it seems beneath me. We're leaving, back to Sunflower City to eat meat and drink wine."

"Don't see me off," Li Xie said, cupping his hands as he turned. "Open the gates."

The city gates slowly opened, and Li Xie walked back into Juhua City, his figure appearing particularly shadowy against the city walls.

Larry Pansen watched Li Xie's retreating back and shivered involuntarily. His awareness hadn't fully grasped the kind of person he had offended, but his instincts were already warning him: that small figure walking toward the gate, dwarfed by the city walls, was the most terrifying existence Larry Pansen would ever face.

Enduring such public humiliation without being able to act was unbearable for Li Xie. After Larry Pansen left, Li Xie returned to the city lord's mansion and shut himself in his bedroom, not coming out. No one knew what he was doing inside.

It wasn't until seven in the evening, when someone came to see him, that Li Xie emerged at Lily's call. When Lily entered Li Xie's room, she found that his golden bed had been cut into numerous finger-sized gold chunks by some sharp instrument.

The visitor seeking Li Xie was Lei Di Gaga, the chief of Longhu Village.

His arrival somewhat alleviated Li Xie's pent-up frustration, as it gave him an idea.

In the city lord's study:

Li Xie sat in a chair, with Fandi Sel standing beside him. Lei Di Gaga knelt on one knee, holding a brocade box in both hands.

Li Xie took the box, opened it, and saw it contained two portions of herbs.

"Rise. These are the ingredients for Sleeping Fragrance?"

"Yes, my lord."

"How much Sleeping Fragrance can these two portions make, and how many people can they knock out?"

"These ingredients can make two doses of Sleeping Fragrance. One dose, when dissolved in water, can knock out about a hundred people."

Li Xie's eyebrows raised. "Master Mian has been at this for three months, and this is all you've managed? Are you treating my orders like a joke?"

Sensing Li Xie's displeasure, Lei Di Gaga hurriedly explained, "My lord, I would never dare neglect your orders. It's just that the ingredients for Sleeping Fragrance are extremely difficult to find. One key ingredient, Star Grass, only grows on the summit of Wanren Cliff. It's rare on the market. I had to go to great lengths to acquire these two portions. I would never deceive you."

"I'll believe you for now." Li Xie put away the brocade box. "Sit down. I have something to discuss with you."

Lei Di Gaga sat down. "Please, my lord, give your orders."

"Do you have the guts?" Li Xie looked directly at Lei Di Gaga, a strange smile on his face.

Lei Di Gaga's tiger eyes flashed with ferocity. "There are only two things I fear: certain death and breaking loyalty."

"So," Li Xie tapped the table, "you dare to betray me."

Lei Di Gaga spoke plainly, "I dare, but I won't."

"There's a difference between daring and doing," Li Xie said, squinting.

"I dare because there's a possibility I could betray you. I pledged my loyalty under the threat of death. If I face a similar threat again, betrayal is possible. But I won't because that would mean betraying the hundreds of brothers in Longhu Village. Without you, our village would have been wiped out. Betraying you would be disloyal."

"Heh, I don't care if you might betray me. Just know that if you do, your life will be forfeit." Li Xie smiled lightly. "Of course, if you remain loyal, wealth and honor will be yours. I have a big job for you now. It's neither certain death nor disloyalty."

"Please, my lord, tell me."

"I want you to go near Sunflower City and become a bandit. Rob every caravan heading to Sunflower City. Do whatever you can to disrupt Sunflower City's economy." Li Xie's eyes gleamed with malice.

The military expenses of the Leopard Legion are composed of two parts: one portion is allocated by the dynasty, and the other portion is half of Sunflower City's tax revenue. By disrupting the economy of Sunflower City, it will inevitably affect the military expenses of the one hundred thousand Leopard Legion. Then, by secretly delaying the allocation of funds by Mercedes VII and so on, without money, who will help them fight?

Furthermore, if the economy of Sunflower City is damaged, the economy of Juhua City will inevitably prosper, just like when Larry Bradley used Lei Di Gaga to disrupt the economy of Juhua City, causing all caravans to head to Sunflower City.

This is a good strategy to weaken the combat effectiveness of the Leopard Legion and develop Juhua City at the same time.

Li Xie continued, "Furthermore, if there is an opportunity, we should also sabotage the agriculture of Sunflower City. It would be best to make their land infertile, their grasslands unable to graze, and their waterways unable to fish."

Money and provisions are always the foundation of an army. Without these two things, the Leopard Legion will fall apart on its own.

Since Li Xie is confronting the one hundred thousand Leopard Legion of Sunflower City head-on, he naturally has to resort to unorthodox methods.

Cutting the golden bed in his room was not just about venting anger.

"Also, about some news regarding Sunflower City, you should report to me promptly." Li Xie continued, "If you lack manpower, I'll give you people. If you lack money, I'll give you money. If you lack equipment, I'll give you equipment. And you, you have to find ways to help me with these three things."

Lei Di Gaga pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, Sunflower City is not like Juhua City. The garrison there..."

"I don't care about the garrison. You're bandits. If you can't escape from the iron cavalry of the garrison, then you don't deserve to be called bandits. I only ask you, do you dare or not?"

"I dare," Lei Di Gaga said fiercely.

"Good, then let's do it." Li Xie stood up and shouted, "Lily..."

Lily quickly walked in. "Master, what are your orders?"

"Go summon Commander Rothschild." Li Xie watched Lily leave. He really needed to recruit more servants.

"In a while, you will meet with the Commander of the Evil Legion and contact him more often in the future." Li Xie continued, "Remember, if there is a danger you can't resist, flee to Juhua City. Here, I will guarantee your life."

Fandi Sel interjected, "My lord, are you not afraid of Sunflower City using this as an excuse?"

Li Xie sneered, "For them to attack Juhua City, they need a decent excuse. Otherwise, there are too many concerns. Just like how we know they burned our barracks, but we can only endure. In fact, I could let you all kill them to vent our anger, but do I dare? Rest assured, if they make us suffer losses, we must reciprocate in kind."