Shandong Dao, Laizhou Prefecture.
Fang Er and Li Xiaogong led their troops, standing in the valley for a long time.
Liu Meng led a regiment, and Gua Wang led the Hundred Ride Division, with thirteen hundred urns of ashes in their arms.
The Skyfire Army, the Eastern Depot's Jianzi, the Dengzhou Protectorate Army, the Hundred Ride Division, the Special Operations Team, and the Yan Yun Cavalry, totaling over fifty thousand men, were arrayed behind them.
Return, souls! Brothers, go home!
Fang Er's voice was filled with tears as he shouted.
They were about to be sent back to Fangjiazhuang and buried in the mausoleum.
Return, souls! Go home!
Return, souls! Go home!
Return, souls! Go home!
Everyone, in a voice of deep sorrow, called out the souls of the fallen soldiers.
After three calls, the commander of the Third Division and Third Regiment, Hao Daniu, personally led a thousand men carrying white banners to escort the ashes of these soldiers back to Fangjiazhuang for burial.
These thousand Skyfire Army soldiers, along with the three hundred from the Hundred Ride Division, were ambushed in the territory of Laizhou.
This area was under the jurisdiction of the Dengzhou Protectorate.
Therefore, Li Xiaogong, in addition to his anger, felt a touch of guilt towards Fang Er, and dispatched a thousand men to escort the ashes.
Including the men from the Hundred Ride Division transporting the ashes, nearly three thousand people set off grandly towards Chang'an.
"Brother, dare you accompany me to Yanzhou for a trip?"
After seeing Hao Daniu off, Fang Er asked Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong raised an eyebrow and said, "I can go through mountains of knives and seas of fire!"
"Don't forget, you sent ten thousand of my men to Ni Mountain!"
Hahahaha!
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
The gloomy weather at that moment dispersed its dark clouds, as if pierced by the killing intent contained within their laughter.
Li Xiaogong made arrangements for the Protectorate Army, with Xie Bian leading five hundred personal guards and Fan Wujiu leading five thousand troops to accompany them, while the rest were to return to Dengzhou.
With the seven thousand Skyfire Army present, the Protectorate Army did not need to go together.
They immediately set off at noon that day, heading towards the territory of Yanzhou.
The hundred tractors were taken by Hao Daniu, so the soldiers had to march on foot.
Fang Er and Li Xiaogong boarded hovercraft, moving at a slow pace at the forefront of the convoy. The remaining two hovercraft, carrying the spoils confiscated from the Kong family in Langya Commandery, followed at the rear.
The moment Li Xiaogong saw the hovercraft, he was captivated by these machines.
Their size was not much smaller than the Wuya Great Ships, they had no wheels, yet they could travel on cement roads – it was so magnificent!
Along the way, Li Xiaogong became a curious baby, poking and prodding here, contemplating there, this flying ship was so magical.
"Brother, name your price. As long as you sell one to this old brother, you can set any condition!"
How could Fang Er sell them? There were only three of these things in total!
With the current capabilities of the workshops, it was not easy to replicate them. Not to mention anything else, the black skirting around the bottom of the hull alone was impossible to create!
That was high-strength nylon rubber, and without the petroleum industry reaching a certain level of development, it was impossible to procure.
So, he smiled calmly at Li Xiaogong.
"Brother, don't set your sights on these ships for now. This brother only has these three, and the materials are too difficult to obtain."
"However, after this matter is resolved, I can sell you that transport ship you took a liking to last time."
The transport ship was a modified tuna fishing boat. With the addition of over a dozen drag and encircling fishing vessels, the importance of the tuna fishing boats was no longer as high, and selling one was not out of the question.
"Brother, are you not joking?" Li Xiaogong asked, his eyes widening.
Before, he could have offered to trade a Wuya Great Ship, and Fang Er didn't agree to trade three for one.
After receiving Fang Er's affirmation, Li Xiaogong no longer dwelled on the hovercraft beneath their feet. One must be content, mustn't they?
Ni Mountain was the first destination, about nine hundred li from Laizhou.
With no logistical support, they traveled light. Along the way, they sent out scouts to procure food in every city they passed.
After marching a hundred li per day, Li Xiaogong's Protectorate Army could no longer keep up in less than four days.
Just as the convoy passed Qingzhou, soldiers began to fall behind. Xie Bian, with a distressed expression, rode his horse from the rear of the formation to catch up.
"Your Highness, Duke, the Protectorate Army is struggling to keep up."
Li Xiaogong was furious upon hearing this: "To keep soldiers for a thousand days, to use them for a moment, they can't even walk this distance, and they still have the nerve to call themselves elite soldiers chosen from the best?"
"Issue an order, even if it means death, they must crawl to Yanzhou!"
These days of forced marches had completely exposed the gap between the Protectorate Army and the Skyfire Army.
Putting aside the advantage in weaponry, purely in terms of physical fitness, the Protectorate Army was no match for the Skyfire Army!
This made him feel humiliated in front of Fang Er, the scoundrel, they were too disappointing!
Xie Bian had no choice but to reluctantly go down and relay the order.
Just then, the sight of tractors appeared on the cement road ahead, with Hao Daniu driving the lead vehicle.
As they drew closer, Hao Daniu jumped down from the tractor and quickly ran to Fang Er.
"Reporting, Duke, the ashes of our brothers have been handed over to Captain Qi for burial."
"As per your orders, I have requisitioned the transport convoys from Chang'an, Bianzhou, and the route to Yangzhou."
"A total of eight hundred and fifty-three vehicles, please verify!"
Fang Er nodded slightly, then looked at Li Xiaogong: "Brother, let the men board the vehicles. If we keep running like this, even the Skyfire Army will be exhausted."
Li Xiaogong knew this was Fang Er giving him face.
Outsiders watch the spectacle, insiders observe the skill.
After these few days of interaction, he was well aware that the Skyfire Army could reach Yanzhou without any problem even if they maintained their current pace!
The soldiers gradually boarded the rear beds of the tractors.
The total number of men, less than fifteen thousand, with twenty soldiers assigned to each vehicle, did not even fill all eight hundred vehicles. The ox carts carrying the confiscated goods from the Kong family were eventually abandoned.
Fifty li southeast of Qufu.
Fang Er and Li Xiaogong, riding in hovercraft, arrived first. From afar, they could see the military tents at the foot of Ni Mountain.
Similarly, the roar of the hovercraft alerted the Protectorate Army soldiers at the foot of the mountain.
Lian Haolong, one of the four commanders of the Dengzhou Protectorate, hurried out of the main tent upon hearing the soldiers' report.
Just as he shouted for alert, the walkie-talkie at his waist rang.
"This Prince is back!"
"It's His Highness! Everyone, assemble immediately!"
Hearing Li Xiaogong's voice, he immediately issued the order for the entire army to assemble.
In an instant, the hovercraft reached the side of the military camp and stopped. Fang Er and Li Xiaogong leaped off the deck.
Looking at the quickly assembling Protectorate Army, the two of them frowned in unison. Weren't they ordered to come here to suppress bandits? Why were they setting up camp at the foot of the mountain?