Chapter 11: Accused of Cowardice and Self-Preservation

The City Lord’s Mansion was divided into two sections.
The front was the administrative hall, where the important officials of Desolate City took office and attended to their duties.
Behind it lay the City Lord’s residence.
Yang Tian instructed Uncle Fu to settle the family members there.
No one had lived there for years; it was nearly derelict and in need of renovation.
Fortunately, they were all diligent people, and Uncle Fu would make proper arrangements.
Yang Tian, accompanied by the city guard Chen Qinglin, proceeded to the City Lord’s office to listen to the reports on their work.
Having assumed the position of City Lord, he naturally needed a basic understanding of all affairs in Desolate City.
The city currently had fewer than twenty civil officials.
Yang Tian understood that having more people would be useless.
With Desolate City in such a state, the entire system was problematic.
“My lord, Desolate City now has a population registry of thirteen thousand five hundred and seventy-two households, totaling more than forty-six thousand five hundred people. There are... over two thousand soldiers, only two hundred remain in the city, the rest patrol the outer city...” Chen Qinglin reported every detail.
Listening to the thorough report,
the more Yang Tian learned, the more his scalp tingled.
He had known Desolate City was in dire straits, but reality was even bleaker than he imagined.
Administrative affairs were basically abandoned.
The economy was completely paralyzed, with no circulation whatsoever.
Daily life itself was a problem, so naturally no one had the energy for invention or creativity.
Military strength was sorely lacking; with less than fifty thousand people, it was impossible to organize large-scale training.
Culturally, the city was falling further behind, many had never entered a school, nor could they read.
Resources were nearly nonexistent, barely enough for themselves, and nothing of value to attract trade.
Connections with other cities were few and far between, and they were hardly valued or noticed.
If Desolate City were a person, it would be a useless wastrel.
Yet the people of Desolate City could not let the city fall, for then they would have nowhere to shelter.
No matter how arduous life was, they could still struggle to survive.
Yang Tian felt a headache coming on. He was only an ordinary man, and could only take things step by step in the face of such circumstances.
“Have someone take me to inspect the border defenses,” Yang Tian said, rubbing his brow.
He needed to go to the outer city wall to see the situation for himself.
External threats concerned the safety of their lives, so he had to understand them.
Chen Qinglin agreed, offering to accompany him.
They brought out a horse, pitifully thin.
Yang Tian worried he might unknowingly break its back.
“My lord, Desolate City lacks sufficient fodder for the horses. We only have a dozen or so, and the City Lord’s Mansion keeps just three. We rarely use them, mainly for transmitting messages to the borders and the outside world,” Chen Qinglin guessed Yang Tian’s concerns and explained.

“Never mind, let’s go,” Yang Tian said.
Yang He brought two family retainers to escort him.
The City Lord’s Mansion also assigned ten soldiers.
Their martial cultivation was merely first or second rank.
According to Chen Qinglin, the captain of the soldiers, Wu Yong, possessed the highest cultivation, at seventh rank in martial arts.
Of over two thousand soldiers, most were ordinary men.
Even those who had begun martial cultivation lacked resources to break through, most were low-rank: first, second, or third.
There were only about twenty mid-ranked soldiers: fourth, fifth, or sixth rank.
Defending Desolate City relied entirely on the city wall and sacrificing lives.
If a large-scale attack occurred, they would hold out desperately until reinforcements from the nearest border city arrived.
There were only casualties, never replacements, so how could Desolate City’s population not dwindle ever further?
The border fortifications lay over a hundred li from the City Lord’s Mansion.
Desolate City was built as a prefectural city.
It was designed for a population of one or two million, with several county towns under its jurisdiction and numerous villages.
Now, with only tens of thousands of people, everything was hollow and abandoned.
The population clustered around the City Lord’s Mansion in the core area.
Beyond twenty or thirty li, one rarely saw any sign of human habitation.
After more than three hours, they finally reached the border city wall.
Yang Tian slowed his pace, both because the soldiers had trouble keeping up on foot and for fear the horse Chen Qinglin rode might falter.
They needed to provide more fodder and strengthen the horses.
Horses were vital for transportation.
Now, everything in Desolate City belonged to him.
He was the authority!
Yang Tian had chosen Desolate City partly to lower others’ guard, partly to build it into his own domain.
Strength required comprehensive development.
Looking at the continuous defensive walls before him, the original construction had been costly.
Sadly, they were not well maintained.
Decades of warfare had left the walls damaged here and there, resembling a dangerous ruin.
Yang Tian truly admired the people of Desolate City.
Perhaps only those who remained from the beginning treated Desolate City as their home.
As for sanitation and the environment, those were trivial matters.
Yang Tian followed Chen Qinglin up the wall, looking out from the height.
They had already sent word to Captain Wu Yong.

To the west stretched a vast, endless expanse of mountains and forest, the region of Thorn Ridge where wild beasts lived.
Wild beasts were ordinary animals that had evolved, akin to human cultivators.
Their bodies were treasures.
Their flesh was highly nourishing for humans, with effects of strengthening and invigorating the body.
Their hides, teeth, sinews, bones—all could be utilized and were valuable.
Humans ate wild beasts, and wild beasts, naturally, ate humans too.
Groups of wild beasts often attacked Desolate City.
They were powerful, tough-skinned and thick-fleshed, and their charges inflicted terrible damage on the city walls.
Most of the wall’s destruction was caused by wild beasts.
Humans and wild beasts bore irreconcilable hatred.
To the east lay the grasslands occupied by the Northern Barbarian Kingdom, the Shakel Prairie.
Yet at a glance, the grass coverage was sparse, and much of the land had become desert.
This was why most of the tribes of the Northern Barbarian Kingdom had migrated.
In a nomadic nation, when grasses are scarce, grazing is impossible.
Several hundred li away, a few small tribes remained.
Even if the prairie’s geology changed, it would still be sufficient for them to graze for a hundred years.
The people of the Northern Barbarian Kingdom were robust, tall and strong; even the women were burly.
Almost everyone could fight on horseback.
Fierce and bloodthirsty, with a deep-seated love of conquest, they were one of Qin’s greatest enemies.
Chen Qinglin explained all this, though he did not command the border defenses and his knowledge was not comprehensive.
Soon, Captain Wu Yong arrived.
“Captain Wu, this is the new City Lord, Yang Tian,” Chen Qinglin introduced, giving him a meaningful look.
For Wu Yong, upon approaching, did not salute or greet, a grave taboo in official circles.
Chen Qinglin was puzzled; though Wu Yong was known for his straightforwardness, he usually observed basic etiquette.
What was wrong with him today?
Yang Tian scrutinized Wu Yong, who stood nearly two meters tall, was broad-shouldered, and sported a full beard.
“So you’re the youngest son of the Champion Marquis, Yang Lin’s brother? What a pity that, after generations of bravery, the Champion Marquis finally produced a coward like you—how laughable!” Wu Yong said with contempt.
Chen Qinglin was horrified, as were all present.
He quickly rebuked, “Captain Wu, what nonsense are you speaking? Apologize at once and beg the City Lord for forgiveness.”
“How dare you insult my young master—you’re courting death!” Yang He roared, drawing his sword to fight.