Conflict between Two Towns

While Chu Tian was preoccupied with prospering the industries, in Lingyan Town, which was about 25 kilometers from Xia Town, the feudal lord "Li Er from the Great Tang" had just finished training the 50 cavalrymen and 100 light infantrymen that he had recruited.

One after another, about a hundred free players from the guild had arrived in Lingyan Town.

"Our target this time is the Level 3 gold quarry of Shangbi Village. Shangbi Village has probably been colonized by a powerful feudal lord. However, we have to seize the Level 3 gold quarry no matter what. With an investment of 100 labor forces, the Level 3 gold quarry will produce at least 30 units of gold on a monthly basis. 

"If we increase the labor forces, we can obtain an even greater amount of gold every month. With this amount of gold, combined with the Level 2 pasture of my town, our Lingyan Guild will rise as the greatest influence in Langya Nation. Before the feudal governor of Xu Prefecture, Tao Qian, becomes active, we have to expand our territory as much as we can!"

Li Er from the Great Tang glanced around at the members of the guild. With the military forces he had at hand and the hundred free players, they should be able to capture the Level 3 gold quarry.

"Set off!"

The united army of the Lingyan Guild, which was formed by 50 light cavalrymen, 100 light infantrymen, 100 free players, and 300 local soldiers, marched in the direction of Shangbi Village.

Chu Tian, who was still unaware of the fact that his client village had drawn the interest of other feudal lords, was on an inspection tour around the farmlands with Li Kui. Li Kui had organized a group of refugees to irrigate the newly cultivated farmlands with water from the Yi River, beginning to dig drains and wells in the meantime.

The sowing season would begin in October. Xia Town had to get the farmlands ready before October and organize the usage of the farmlands in reasonable ways. For farmlands that had lost their fertility, coarse cereals and beans would be planted to increase the speed at which the soil regained its fertility.

The root-nodule bacteria of leguminous plants possessed a very strong nitrogen-fixing ability. Chu Tian understood such basic knowledge.

Apart from soybeans, other oil-bearing crops, like peanuts, could also be planted.

Soybeans were a crop unique to the Eastern Han, while peanuts and corn were more common in other civilizations. Even the champa paddy, which was crucial to the Eastern Han, was from the Annan region. There were still seven to eight months left until the opening of borders between civilizations, so the seeds of these crops could not be purchased yet.

Even after the borders between civilization areas were opened, traders from both parties had to transport the cargo across the vast ocean.

Xia Town and its client villages were executing the crop rotation between wheat and soybeans.

"Lord mayor."

The farmers were clearing weeds and preparing the soil in the farmlands. When they saw the feudal lord Chu Tian and the agricultural officer Li Kui here to inspect the farmlands, they offered them warm greetings.

Chu Tian inspected the farmlands quite frequently now. When the town was upgraded to a city in the future, he might not have time to visit the farmlands in person.

The farmlands weren't located within the town, but on the outside of town. The area covered by the rammed earth walls of the town wasn't big. During the era of the Three Kingdoms, the city walls of the Cao, Wei, Du, and Ye cities were only 10.3 kilometers in length. 

Normally, buildings of administrative, commercial, and residential nature had to be protected by city walls, while farmlands, orchards and minelands, which occupied more space, would be situated outside the town. If the population had been greater, market areas would have been formed beyond the city walls.

A fast horse galloped past the rural trail, and the cavalryman on it yelled, "Out of the way, everyone out of the way!"

The farmers on the earth trail hurried to the sides to give him room.

Chu Tian frowned slightly. Turning to Hua Mulan, who had come along on the inspection tour, he ordered her, "Stop him."

Hua Mulan stood in the middle of the earth road, leaving the fast rider no choice but to hold his horse and come to a halt.

The cavalryman seemed rather anxious. He had once served under Hua Mulan, so when he saw that the person standing before him was Hua Mulan, he dismounted the horse. "Commander!"

Then he saw Chu Tian, he hurriedly knelt to the ground and greeted him, "Sir feudal lord!"

"What made you so anxious that you had to ride your horse in the middle of the farmland?"

Chu Tian's "soldiers-farmers separation" policy had clearly stated that soldiers were not allowed to simply disturb the residents, especially in peaceful times. Cavalrymen should not ride recklessly in the town, neither should they ride their horses on farmland. The policy was meant to prevent farmland from being trampled on and farmers from getting knocked out.

The cavalryman explained in a rush, "I was ordered to safeguard Shangbi Village, and while I was patrolling outside the village, I noticed a military troop advancing towards Shangbi Village, so Sir Wu Shang immediately sent me back to Xia Town to report the matter!"

"A troop? How many people do they have?"

"More than 500, and among them were loads of foreign people!"

Chu Tian's heart skipped a beat. He had not engaged in real battles with other feudal lords before, whether it be with Xiaozhu Village or Yunlai Village, which had both surrendered when they realized the predicament they were in. Conquering Shangbi Village only took a small-scale battle with the horse thieves.

As the territories of all the feudal lords expanded, some conflicts would become inevitable.

If one could own a troop formed by more than 500 soldiers and players, the feudal lord behind it sure wasn't a weak one. He must own a town at the very least.

"Their target is Shangbi Village, which is only a Level 2 village, not a Level 3 one. Hence, chances are they have come for the Level 3 gold quarry."

Although Li Kui was a hero proficient in internal affairs, his current intellect was 75, which was comparable to second or third-class advisors of the Eastern Han. As he listened to the cavalryman, he quickly figured out the opponent's intention.

Chu Tian had thought of the Level 3 gold quarry of Shangbi Village at almost the same time. Quite a lot of people out there knew about the existence of the Level 3 gold quarry, such as the miners in Shangbi Village, as well as the village chief, who had fled upon being attacked by the horse thieves.

Indeed, one had to be capable enough to keep the treasure he had stumbled upon.

"Haih… I just can't farm in peace, can I? Trouble has to come knocking on my door." Chu Tian dusted off the dirt on his boots and issued orders, "Gather all the military forces. Ask Xiaozhu Village to send 300 local soldiers and our Xia Town will send 400 local soldiers. We'll see who wins in numbers!"

The training duration of Xu archers in the military camp was long, and they were still in the midst of training, but the 60 elite infantrymen had finished their training.

With 40 cavalrymen, 40 Xu archers, and 140 elite infantrymen, there were a total of 220 professional soldiers congregated on the drill ground of Xia Town.

Chu Tian was getting ready for the sowing in October, but trouble happened to arrive at his doorstep at this time, leaving him no choice but to send in his forces to settle the dispute.

"Hold on, the opponent must be a feudal lord who owns a town… I wonder if I could turn his town into my client town."

Xia Town had a quota left for one more client village.

Theoretically speaking, the status of the main territory had to be higher than its sub-territories. For example, now that Xiaozhu Village had become Xia Town's client, it would not be able to be upgraded to Level 1 town before Xia Town got upgraded to Level 2 town, even if Xiaozhu Village fulfilled all the requirements for a Level 1 town.

Chu Tian wasn't sure if he could gobble up a Level 1 town. If he could merge with a town of the same grade as his, Xia Town's capacity would be raised by leaps and bounds.

"Lord mayor, the local soldiers are all indignant at hearing about the invasion by enemies. They are all willing to participate in the fight before farming gets busy."

Elder Li had gathered 400 local soldiers to take part in the fight. The average status of the local soldiers was around Level 20.

The combat power of local soldiers was lackluster, but at least their numbers looked terrifying.

Chu Tian appointed the bronze-level hero, Zhao Qi, to lead the troop of local soldiers. His characteristic [Commander of Local Soldiers·minor] could raise the total attribute of local soldiers by 1, which was considered a little magical tactic during the early stages.

Hua Mulan took charge of the valuable 40 cavalrymen of Xia Town. The 25% reinforcement in defense and attack contributed by Hua Mulan enabled the Level 1 light cavalry to be utilized as a Level 2 elite light cavalry.

Liu Sandao led the 40 Xu archers. Being a commander of the archerys' line, combined with his characteristic [Military Spirit of the Great Han·minor], it provided twice as much reinforcement to the archers.

As for the elite infantry, Chu Tian decided to lead them himself. Chu Tian had no characteristics to provide reinforcement, but the characteristics of the elite infantry itself were great enough.

"If the opponent retreats knowing that the odds are against them, we'll drop the matter. But if the opponent insists on fighting, then we'll defeat them and occupy their territory."

While pondering, Chu Tian led the 220 professional soldiers and 400 local soldiers of Xia Town out of the town.

"Ding! Notification for the Eastern Han: All players of the Eastern Han, take note, the first ever historical warfare, the 'Riot of the Yellow Turbans,' will begin on the 1st of December of the first year of Feudal Lords. All feudal lords and free players, do prepare in advance!"

As Chu Tian took his first stride out of Xia Town, he received stupefying news.

The time of the first historical warfare had been determined, and they were left with two and a half months' time to prepare, beginning now!