Work Prophet

Pearls naturally didn't have the courage to return and organize his forces for battle, otherwise, he wouldn't have surrendered to those Wing Tribe people in the first place.

Moreover, the Resistance Army led by the Lady had just defeated those Wing Tribe people and their allies, clearly not something Pearls could provoke.

Not to mention, when he entered Rock Snow City, he saw that giant dragon named the White Queen fly over his head.

Though Pearls felt unwilling in his heart, in the end, he could only accept the conditions set by the Lady with tears.

And once he signed his name on the contract, the girl immediately put away the earlier look of impatience and replaced it with a smile, even pouring Pearls another glass of wine.

She comforted him, saying, "Don't be too sad. From what I know, when your ancestor built the city in the lake, the Marier family's territory was only a third of what it is now. Compared to then, your situation isn't too bad now.

"And if you find the land insufficient, there's still a way. You've joined the Resistance Army now, so as long as you earn military merits, you can gain land and slowly compensate for it."

However, her words only made Pearls want to cry again, "But I, I'm not good at fighting wars... It was always my father and uncle in charge of the warfare, and my brother was involved too.

"When my father went to subdue those savages, he also took him along to familiarize him with leading troops and also to show his face in front of Marquis Kuren.

"But later they all died in the Dragon Ridge Mountain Range, leaving only me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have become the Family Head of the Marier family."

Miss Rabbit also felt he was truly pitiful, and she said, "Then you can follow me in the future. I'll command, and you just fight as I tell you. As long as I win, you certainly won't lose.

"And I've heard that the Marier family's guards are courageous and good fighters. With them around, you don't have to worry about earning military merits."

Pearls felt very grateful hearing this, but also thought something was off. It wasn't until he left that he realized that not only had he ceded land, but also had to provide troops and follow Ireya's orders.

But the girl's words were reasonable. Since those Wing Tribe people had already withdrawn from the western territories, there was no one left to stop the Lady and her Resistance Army from taking the land.

This was a war destined to be won. Picking up some military merits while following behind didn't seem too bad, as it might compensate for some of the losses this time.

Moreover, the Marier family was truly out of money now. After all the trouble in Lake City, many residents fled. It's unlikely he could comfortably live like before just on farming and taxation.

He could only rely on warfare to make money like other lords.

And there were quite a few other lords who had similar ideas as Pearls. They were first robbed of their wealth by the Wing Tribe people and then bled dry by the Lady, ceding land.

This further worsened their financial situations, and many were heavily in debt, making warfare their only relatively reliable way to clear debts.

This made them particularly enthusiastic about warfare, and in modern terms, they became war fanatics. Because of these people, Miss Rabbit's military alliance later became increasingly aggressive.

This was something even the Lady hadn't anticipated. Meanwhile, Ireya was immersed in the joy of her harvest. The noble captives she'd captured earlier had made her a fortune, and now she had gained so much more land.

Though a large portion had to be distributed, there was still quite a lot left, almost the size of two Green Fields. Unlike Green Field, which was half-swamped, this land's soil was fertile.

Almost anything planted could yield a decent amount of grain.

Speaking of grain, it was past the spring planting season, and due to the war, many farmers were conscripted to the front lines, leaving the fields untended.

Each household still had some stored grain for now, but there might be a famine later. Especially since many birds had died in the western territories this year, insect infestations must be guarded against.

The good news was that as soon as Li Yu arrived in Bratis, he began organizing the selection and cultivation of seeds, and now they've made significant breakthroughs.

The selection team had nearly a hundred people now. In the autumn of last year, they found a wheat strain resistant to insects. If it could be popularized, it might mitigate some of the insect threats.

But this matter also needed the Double Rest Sect to promote it. The Lady planned to discuss this with Li Yu later, especially the agricultural reforms he conducted in Green Field, which Miss Rabbit intended to implement across the western territories.

However, the immediate priority was to end the current war as soon as possible. The Lady had already captured Rock Snow City, and with Pearls coming to surrender, Lake City was now in her control as well.

Thus, the two biggest obstacles to recovering the western territories were resolved.

The Lady divided her army into three units, attacking separately to capture places still on the fence or attempting to resist, while she also instructed Pearls and other later defectors to deploy troops to follow her.

It took less than a month for the Resistance Army to occupy most of the western cities.

Those who resisted were forced to hide in villages and forests outside the cities. As news spread of the Wing Tribe army's near annihilation at Lake City, and the remaining troops fleeing the western territories overnight, more and more people learned about it.

Ireya could clearly feel the resistance the army faced was weakening, with local minor nobles and farmers all siding with them. The subsequent battles became so simple that the Lady was too lazy to intervene.

Nevertheless, she took the time to kill a few people.

Looking at the row of kneeling prisoners before her, the Lady's gaze became exceptionally cold. She knew most of these people—they were once members of the Resistance Army.

They were among the earliest nobles to join the Resistance Army, but when they heard that Tristan's army was about to attack Green Field, they fled with their men.

Not only that, but they also went to the Wing Tribe people and offered the Resistance Army's intelligence to them.

Although this intelligence helped lull Tristan, contributing to the final victory of the Resistance Army, Miss Rabbit and the other nobles of the Resistance Army wouldn't forget their betrayal.

The Lady planned to personally execute these traitors today, including a minor noble nicknamed the "Wise Man," whom Miss Rabbit had heard Tristan mention, and who was also captured this time.

He wasn't stupid. Seeing Tristan and his Alliance Army nearing defeat, he escaped early, returned home to gather gold and silver, and continued running.

Initially, he intended to seek refuge with the Wing Tribe people in Lake City, but when he couldn't get in, the Wise Man changed direction and continued fleeing, avoiding cities, hiding in rural areas.

When the Lady caught him, he was already ten days' journey away from his feud, demonstrating his ability to run.