Apart from wealth, Lu Yonggang's family and the families of his personal soldiers were all settled in Celestial Water Town.

Of course, calling them family is less accurate than calling them spoils, and as time passed, especially after having children, they simply accepted their fate.

To this, Chen Mo had nothing to say, it was survival of the fittest.

However, Xia Zhining was afraid that Chen Mo might reward these women to the soldiers beneath him and felt sympathy for them, asking Chen Mo to spare them.

Seeing these women, Xia Zhining felt a sense of shared sorrow, wasn't she in a similar situation...

Not to mention, these women did have some beauty.

But Chen Mo had no such intention, his standards had been elevated by Han Anniang, the Xia Sisters, and Yi Shiyin, and he had no thought of giving them to his soldiers.

Regardless of whether they were forcefully taken by Lu Yonggang, their current status was as family members of Lu Yonggang and his personal soldiers.

There are quite a few soldiers under Lu Yonggang in the city, so he could completely provide for them generously to serve as "propaganda" and win over some people's hearts.

After all, with just this few people, it wouldn't cost much.

Chen Mo's eyes flickered, and he smiled: "Zhining, then how do you plan to handle them?"

"I... I just asked, and these women are actually all people with hard lives; some are often beaten and scolded. Please don't make things difficult for them. Let each take one thousand coins and return home." Xia Zhining said.

"In this world now, where would they have a home? Do you believe that if they leave Celestial Water Town and still carry a thousand coins, the best result is being captured by others, and the worst is being... killed, with the money taken. If I release them, I would be harming them." Chen Mo said.

"Then how do you plan to handle them?"

Chen Mo pulled Xia Zhining aside and said, "Initially, I planned to distribute them among my men, but since I cherish you so much, Zhining, I'll decide to let them stay with the army for now, and once we return, settle them in Pingting County, give them some money, and let them live as ordinary citizens."

At least in Pingting County, Chen Mo could ensure their safety.

As for whether they form families later, as long as it's not forced, they can make their own choices.

Looking at the youth with burning eyes looking at her, Xia Zhining's face reddened, feeling sweet inside, he's doing this for my sake...

She huffed coldly, pushing Chen Mo away: "It's broad daylight, don't get any bad ideas..."

...

Chen Mo initially had a headache about how to handle the more than eight thousand Celestial Master Army soldiers.

Although he had taken them in, he needed to find a way to turn them into his own people.

After all, the reason they listened to him now was, first, they lost their backbone, and second, due to military orders, since he was the deputy general in charge of them.

This method works short-term, but not long-term.

But now, after striking riches, Chen Mo was not worried at all.

There are only a few methods to win people's hearts, and the most straightforward approach is naturally to give money and food.

Chen Mo gave orders to let them change shifts to rest and gather at the training ground at noon the next day.

Taking this time, Chen Mo started formulating detailed steps.

...

At noon the next day.

The entire army lazily gathered at the training ground. Although the Celestial Master Army soldiers were lazy, they weren't negligent because they vaguely sensed that this new leader had some ambitions and wanted to incorporate them into his forces.

So, they were very concerned about their future direction.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the entire army had gathered, with members of the Three Guards maintaining order around.

Sun Meng, Han Wu, Su Wu, Shao Jinneng, and Fang Quancai stood at the forefront of the crowd.

Xia Zhining, being a woman, although Chen Mo normally let her, was behind the scenes at this moment.

Chen Mo raised his eyes to the stage, observing numerous faces tinged with hunger and wearing tattered clothes.

Similarly, they were looking at Chen Mo, looking at this youth much younger than them, not with disdain but with expressions full of fear.

This youth was not harmless; when he killed, he didn't even blink.

Moreover, the reason for the entire army's notification was due to Chen Mo's "celebrity halo."

They all knew that this youth was not as simple as he appeared.

To put it bluntly, this youth held their life and death in his hands.

The weather had already turned colder.

The cold wind raged through the mountains, producing eerie howling sounds, sweeping through forests, houses, and the crowded training ground.

The various flags planted beside the tall stage fluttered loudly in the wind.

"Suffering, corruption, tyranny..."

Chen Mo said loudly: "We poor commoners, in order to pay the high taxes, face the ground every day, unceasingly farming, enduring the sun's scorching and the cold winds of winter, just to live well..."

The expressions of fear on the faces of the crowd below gradually disappeared, replaced by sorrow and confusion.

Puzzled why Chen Mo was saying this now?

"There has been a severe drought, no harvests, yet taxes only increase because the Emperor is without virtue, because officials and noble families live extravagantly..."

"It's here, that familiar feeling is back." Han Wu couldn't help but savor a familiar feeling when he heard Chen Mo's words.

Indeed, Chen Mo planned to hold a conference to reflect on the bitterness and sweetness of life, a routine he was well-versed in since he had emerged from Fu Ze Village.

First, stir up their hatred and let them feel the bitterness of life, and then promise them benefits, so they can feel the sweetness of life after joining him.

"We are merely expressing our grievances and injustices to the Court, and yet we suffer suppression from them. They not only want to exploit us, oppress us, but now they want our lives."

After completing the process, Chen Mo pondered for a moment and began the conclusion: "In the battle of Zhuima City, the Song Army wantonly slaughtered us. Don't think of surrendering because those comrades who surrendered before were used as cannon fodder by the Song Army to deal with us. They won't give us any chance of survival.

They will cut off your heads to exchange for military merits with their superiors, with the Court."

Chen Mo was cutting off their retreat.

"I am Chen Mo, County Magistrate of Pingting County.

Now, I am your General."

Chen Mo slowly swept his gaze over the crowd below. Under the control of the Three Guards soldiers, everyone's eyes were again focused on him.

"I once led my troops and killed five thousand Song soldiers, captured six thousand, escaped the encirclement and pursuit of the Song Army, and in this battle of Zhuima City, even when our main force was ambushed and severely hit by the Song Army, I led my subordinates to kill several thousand Song soldiers, rescuing thousands of comrades..." Chen Mo recounted his achievements.

The first half of the statement had been reported in the military Gazette, and the crowd did not doubt it but was instead filled with admiration.

"Now, the Song Army is still chasing us, the sword is still at our throats, and only I can lead you to resist the pursuit of the Song Army, leading you to survive.

From today on, as long as you follow my command, everything will be utterly different. I guarantee that no one will dare to oppress you wantonly anymore. Every Divine Courage, Divine Martial, Xianzhen Guard here is your comrade. If anyone dares to bully you or your family, they will be my enemy, and they will be the enemy of tens of thousands of guards."

"We will seek justice for you."

"Even if it is the Court, even if it is the Song Army, they must listen to our voice and let them know that Princes and Generals, are they born to be noble!!!"

"Princes and Generals, are they born to be noble!"

Around, the soldiers of the Three Guards raised their weapons high, signaling and responding to Chen Mo on the high platform.

The crowd below stared intently at Chen Mo on the high platform, infected by this momentum.

Their past Commander had never said such words to them before.

Xia Zhining, standing in the corner, gazed obsessively at the young man on the high platform.

She just felt that he was particularly charming at this moment, very mature, exuding the aura of a hero from his body.

Chen Mo knew that he was just short of the final push.

Having said so much, there must be something concrete, there's a limit to drawing a pie.

Chen Mo struck the war drum behind him, and one cart after another loaded with copper coins was pushed in front of the platform by the Divine Brave Guard, pouring them onto the ground, forming small hills.

On the other side of the carts were large pots containing cooked beef and mutton, as well as millet rice.

To sell one's ancestral land for his offspring, the heart doesn't ache.

Not to mention that these things had nothing to do with him.

So Chen Mo used them more generously, willing to invest the cost.

"Food, money, weapons, as long as you follow my command, I guarantee you will have them all."

"If any of you are afraid of death, willing to live being bullied, willing to continue the life of insecurity, you can leave now, I, Chen Mo, am not difficult.

Those who are willing to stay, from now on, you are one of my subordinates, and food, money, you shall have abundantly."

After speaking, Han Wu stepped onto the platform and handed Chen Mo a roster.

The booklet contained the names of those who achieved battle merits among the Three Guards in the battle of Zhuima City.

Then, Chen Mo read out a name one by one.

The clerk picked money from the pile and handed it to them.

The exaggerated performance of the Divine Brave Guard touched the soldiers of the Celestial Master Army.

One must know that, apart from major achievements like capturing enemy generals, being the first to ascend walls, or capturing flags, they received no rewards.

What was called a reward was allowing them to loot freely after breaching a city, where everything they grabbed was theirs.

But such a rewarding method was too unfair.

After all, in attacking a city, not everyone's efforts were equal.

And after breaching a city, it relied on personal ability to loot.

Because of the large number of people, some could grab nothing, and even what they grabbed wasn't enough to buy a pound of grain.

Therefore, this kind of military merit system where killing enemies brought rewards, like Chen Mo's, was very tempting.

At least it provided a steady income regardless of circumstances.

Seeing the real money being distributed below, everyone was immensely envious.

"Subordinate Fang Quancai pays respects to Marshal Chen, willing to be at Marshal Chen's disposal from now on, not daring to disobey." Fang Quancai stepped forward, paying a respectful salute to Chen Mo.

Following were the hundreds of personal soldiers next to Fang Quancai.

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