"What! Another caravan was intercepted? Damn it! Is the public security in the country this bad? How can there still be so many bandits active in the dead of winter!"
Upon receiving the news, the head of the Wu family in Tongzhou was furious, smashing things in anger.
After a while, he calmed down and asked, "Have you investigated where these bandits came from?"
"To the family head, it's freezing cold, and we are in a more southern region, lacking sufficient warhorses. We haven't found out. We only know that all caravans heading to Shizhou have been intercepted."
The butler replied respectfully and fearfully, keeping his head down.
"Damn it! The losses from transportation are too great. My Tongzhou doesn't border Shizhou, and my industries in Quzhao Prefecture aren't extensive. With these repeated caravan ambushes, how can there be any supplies to support that person?"
The Wu family head angrily slapped the still intact table, feeling extremely agitated and uneasy.
He dared to bet ten thousand taels that these bandits were no ordinary ones.
Normal bandits would have plundered enough supplies before the winter solstice and holed up in the mountains all winter. They wouldn't be bored enough to be active in the middle of winter.
How would these bandits, in winter, know about the changes in the outside world, and how could they so accurately know the whereabouts of the caravans?
This was definitely orchestrated by someone, or these bandits were raised by certain individuals to do dirty work.
"Has anyone been sent to notify the Zheng family about this matter?"
"To the family head, we notified them long ago, but the Zheng family replied that their caravans were also intercepted by bandits, and they fear they will have difficulty supporting that person with supplies. Furthermore, the head of the Zheng family has expressed considerable dissatisfaction, with hesitation in his demeanor."
"Damn it! This scoundrel probably wants to back out, but once you're on board with such a major undertaking, you can't just get off whenever you please! Is there such a good thing in this world?"
The Wu family head became even more enraged, yet felt a deep sense of helplessness.
Although these bandits' origins were unknown, their combat power and the quality of their warhorses were unparalleled, not to mention their simple leather armor.
With such equipment quality, even the imperial cavalry could not compare. Only the three thousand cavalry of the Beast Hunting Division could be compared to them.
However, the Beast Hunting Division had only three thousand cavalry, busy hunting mutated beasts, and had no idle personnel to spare for this matter.
The most important point was that these were not one group of bandits, but multiple groups. Based on the reports from the surviving guards, it could be analyzed that there were at least five thousand cavalry.
A few caravans were intercepted, and a very small number of individuals feigned death to escape. Otherwise, their families would still be kept in the dark, receiving no information at all.
Not a single cart of the transported supplies had reached its destination, resulting in a significant loss and enriching the bandits, which was truly hateful.
But with so many well-equipped bandits, his Wu family was truly unable to deal with them.
"Go, send someone to ask the other families what should be done about this matter!"
With no other recourse, the Wu family head gave this order.
"Yes, I will send someone immediately."
Just as the butler was about to leave, the Wu family head's voice came from behind him: "Wait a moment, also pass this news to that person, so that they at least know what has happened and have a rough idea."
"Understood, family head."
Shizhou, Anlan Prefecture, Mengdie County.
Prince Liu, Li Mengdie, was throwing a tantrum in the royal palace's grand hall: "Scoundrels! All of you are useless! You can't even find out who these bandits are! What's the point of me keeping you!"
The guards at the entrance exchanged glances, feeling helpless.
This scene had been happening almost every day for the past few days, yet no good news had been received.
This had led to Prince Liu, Li Mengdie's, extremely bad temper recently, often flying into a rage.
After a while, the sounds in the hall subsided. Two guards quickly entered, skillfully dragged out the corpses of those who had died in the hall, and called for someone to mop the floor.
"Your Highness, I believe someone is targeting us."
In the grand hall, a civil official cautiously said.
"Are you saying? Our plan has been leaked?" Li Mengdie asked, her eyes filled with killing intent.
"Eight or nine times out of ten. We just don't know who is behind it."
"Hmph, if that's the case, I know who it is."
After saying this, Li Mengdie's mind conjured up the figure of someone dressed as a eunuch.
"May I ask Your Highness? Who has such capability?" the civil official asked curiously.
"In the entire Yunyue Kingdom, all the civil and military officials are incompetent fools, yet there is only one person with the bearing of a hero. Who do you think it is?"
Li Mengdie sat back on her throne, gritting her teeth and saying.
"Oh? So that's how it is. But I don't understand, where did Chu Chen get so many cavalry? And is His Majesty aware of this matter?"
The civil official's eyes lit up, and a plan suddenly formed in his mind, with a sinister smile.
Li Mengdie's eyes also lit up at this.
She didn't know where Chu Chen got so many elite light cavalry from, nor did she have any evidence that these cavalry belonged to Chu Chen. However, her sixth sense directly locked onto Chu Chen as the mastermind.
This was because in the Yunyue Kingdom, since Chu Chen entered the imperial palace as a fake eunuch, too many incredible things had happened around him.
As long as it was something that the vast majority of people in the Yunyue Kingdom could not accomplish, and was considered astonishing, it was nine times out of ten done by this fellow. It was safe to assume so.
"I'm a bit interested in your idea. Go and handle this matter. No matter what, at least we must curb the arrogance of the cavalry."
"Yes! I will definitely handle it perfectly for Your Highness. Please rest assured and await good news."
The civil official smiled sinisterly, his mind already conjuring up several methods.
On the other side, Xingli Prefecture, Yunzhong Prefecture, Yunting County Royal Mansion.
Li Yunting resided in a slightly expanded and improved, yet simple, royal mansion.
At this moment, she had also received news of what had happened in the neighboring Shizhou.
Putting down the intelligence in her hand, Li Yunting frowned. Her first thought was to point to Chu Chen as the mastermind behind the bandits.
The intuition of the two sisters was surprisingly similar at this moment.
"Even the imperial court cannot afford such elite light cavalry. Such a scale of cavalry used as bandits would only be possible in the northern Yan and Zhao kingdoms. Could it be that Chu Chen persuaded or somehow obtained secret support from these two countries?"
"But that's not right either. Regarding his Three New Laws, any country with aristocratic families and powerful officials would fear being affected if they truly succeeded. There is no possibility of secret alliances. But if not, how did Chu Chen obtain so many cavalry?"
"It's truly baffling!"
Cavalry were different from infantry. It required years of massive investment to form an army, and a series of industries were needed. It was not something one could do just by getting on a horse.
This matter had planted a seed of unease in Li Yunting's heart.