CH 70

Ch70 - Sentiment

“What did you say?! People in Qi County have revolted? When?!” Liu Xuan asked in rapid succession. Originally, he’d laid down to sleep, but the news his aide brought startled all the somnolence out of him.

“About five days ago…”

“Five days! Why am I hearing about this only now?!” Liu Xuan asked as he jumped to his feet furiously, before he was even fully dressed.

“The Huyan family’s thousand horse-master was killed…” the aide said cautiously.

“Those imbeciles!” Hearing his answer, Liu Yuan immediately understood the hows and whys.

The Huyan family were Liu Yuan’s in-laws. They’d become pompous and arrogant, having lead the Eastern Xiongnu Division for many years. All the restrictions that the higher-ups had issued this year in preparation for their grand plan had cut into quite a few people’s profits. But his conceited in-laws weren’t going to put up with that; they’d likely kept on filling their own pockets in secret, making life so unbearable for the already destitute herders that they rose up in rebellion. And once things got out of hand, they tried to cover it up, afraid of the big tent’s censure. But why didn’t those imbeciles consider that Liu Yuan was still in Ye City?! They weren’t worried the court would retaliate if the rebels kicked up too much fuss?!

“Where have the rebels gotten to now?”

“Apparently, they’re heading for Gaodu…”

“Pass down my orders this instant. Have the Huyan family dispatch soldiers to eradicate those rebels!” Liu Yuan growled.

This was no laughing matter! Gaodu sat right at the entrance of Taihang Pass. If those rebels took Taihang Pass, scurried into Si Province, and ran into the armies besieging Luoyang, even even-tempered Sima Ying would make an example out of Liu Yuan! Plus, Haosan’s little jaunt in Bing Province several years ago had already roused the court’s suspicions. Liu Yuan might never return to Bing Province if the Eastern Xiongnu Province caused another disaster!

Liu Xuan wouldn’t let a few dimwits ruin this golden opportunity. They needed to exterminate the rebels! They had to present a solution to the court.

He could only hope that those pathetic Jin soldiers could hold out for another two days and keep the rebels from conquering Gaodu!

※

“Master, it’s getting late. You should go to bed,” Lüzhu quietly urged. It was nearly nine now, her master should’ve been resting already. He might damage his health if he stayed up any longer.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” Liang Feng frowned as he looked into the darkness beyond the window.

It was the second day since the militia had departed from the Liang Estate. Whether the militia won or lost, they should’ve heard about it by now. The lack of news was making him lose sleep and appetite. Strictly speaking, it was the Bravesage Battalion’s first battle – and their first opponent was a Xiongnu cavalry. Any mishap would result in the loss of human lives!

Lüzhu pressed her lips at her master’s anxiousness and said no more. The militia’s deployment was a major undertaking to the Liang Estate. Though she didn’t know why they had to save Gaodu, she knew better than anyone what the militia meant to her master. If things really did turn out for the worse, her master might just have a conniption. Oh, Buddha’s blessings, if only Yiyan could return victorious.

The still silence in the study was shattered when hurried footsteps sounded outside their door. In the hushed darkness, the noise was particularly conspicuous. Liang Feng shot to his feet and strode over, “Any word yet?”

The sweat-soaked scout plopped to his knees, “Master! The militia won! The enemy forces have been annihilated! It’s victory!”

They’d really won! Liang Feng hurriedly queried, “What about casualties? How many casualties did they take?!”

“Seventeen dead, and about twenty seriously wounded…”

Liang Feng’s heart sank at those numbers. For a militia of only two hundred people, those were heavy losses. He took a deep breath and said, “Approximately when will they arrive at the estate?”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“They captured a lot of horses, so they should be able to get back in an hour or so…”

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“Master!” Lüzhu gasped, “Your health is unwell and it’s the middle of the night, you can’t be so immoderate!”

“They all fought for the Liang Estate’s sake, it’s only right that I should welcome them!” Then, Liang Feng briskly headed out the door. Industrious little Lüzhu could only grab a cloak and chase after him.

※

They had indeed seized a good number of horses, but with the lack of visibility, the casualties, and the materiel, they really couldn’t go any faster. Their bodies ached and pained from the fierce fighting. Discomfort and weariness gradually eroded their elation. And the agonized groans of their comrades coming from the carts was an even heavier weight on their hearts. They’d won the battle, but not without cost.

But when the new gatehouse came into view as they rounded the last mountain ridge, many of them lurched on their horses. Lit by countless fires, it was bright as day outside the gatehouse. Dozens of people milled about with torches in hand. Standing at the very front was a young man beautiful as jade. Draped in a fox fur coat, his complexion was wan, but all the same, he stood there augustly, awaiting their return.

That was the master! The master had come to welcome them home!

Pausing only briefly, Yiyan spurred his horse and galloped over. The icy wind pricked the wounds on his face like needles, but there was a fire burning in his chest! His lord was waiting for him! Waiting for him to return!

“My lord!” Before the horse had fully stopped, Yiyan was already dismounting. He cupped his hands, intending to kneel in salute.

But Liang Feng stepped forward and held up his arms with both hands, “Stand. I should be the one thanking you! Yiyan, it’s all thanks to you!”

With just a few words, Yiyan’s eyes reddened and his ears blushed. His lord hadn’t rebuked him for losing so many soldiers – on the contrary, he’d personally stood outside the gatehouse to welcome them. His lord needed him; he’d protected the Liang Estate on his lord’s behalf!

When the rest of the soldiers hurried over and witnessed this scene, their eyes teared as well. Liang Feng didn’t let go of Yiyan’s arm, tightening his grip instead, as he stepped forth and announced, “With this battle, you have defended the Liang Estate and guarded your homes. Every soldier of the Bravesage Battalion served valiantly! Those who died or were heavily injured will be honored as martyrs! Everyone, return to the barracks first to rest and have your injuries treated. The rewards will be issued another day!”

Like firey coal on a winter day, his words instantly warmed their hearts. All the exhaustion and fatigue was crowded out by gratitude. Ah-Liang quickly ushered everyone through the open gates and towards the barracks. Liang Feng, on the other hand, stood with Yiyan at the gatehouse, watching the proud yet tired soldiers orderly file in. Once the last cart passed the gates, Liang Feng exhaled lightly and asked, “Did you sustain any injuries?”

Yiyan shook his head forcefully. In this moment, he was mute; his words could hardly leave his mouth.

“Excellent,” Liang Feng sighed in relief. “Let’s return as well. Tell me just how you fought this battle!”

Yiyan snapped back to the present, remembering what time it was, and answered urgently, “My lord! It’s too late now; how about we wait until tomorrow…”

Liang Feng chuckled amusedly at Yiyan’s flusteredness, “It’s fine, I can sleep whenever. Let’s ride back to the main residence.”

Without giving Yiyan a chance to refuse, he dragged him over to his horse, stared at him until he got on, then mounted his own horse. Two tall Wusun steeds entered the gatehouse, one after the other.

※

In his bedchambers, Lüzhu had already prepared ginger soup and buttermilk so the two could warm up and quench their thirst. Liang Feng perfunctory sip, as he listened intently to Yiyan’s recounting of the situation. When Yiyan got to the part where the Xiongnu shot arrows into their spear formation and he and his team charged into the enemy’s ranks, Liang Feng frowned, “There are still flaws in the spear formation.”

The spear formation’s greatest use was in defending against enemy footsoldiers. But its effectiveness was greatly diminished in large-scale battles where the enemy could initiate a cavalry charge or field a massive amount of archers.

“The spear formation cannot serve as the main force. We need more sabermen and bowmen,” Yiyan said, “As well as cavalry. With a hundred or two of cavalrymen, I can fight even against the Xiongnu’s elite!”

Yiyan had learned much from this battle. The rebel leader was no simpleton. Facing off against him was a true life and death struggle. And after this battle, the Liang Estate’s militia was finally shaping up into a proper military. A proper cavalry force would certainly bolster their strength!

“Cavalry…” Liang Feng smiled wanly. Cavalry was great, but they were expensive as hell. He really couldn’t afford to build one at the moment…

Liang Feng pondered for a moment, then said, “How many warhorses did you capture from the Xiongnu?”

“Over two hundred. The rest died in battle. Also, I didn’t bring back those with leg injuries,” Yiyan answered.

“What about the enemy’s heads?” Liang Feng asked.

Yiyan blinked. Didn’t his lord say dead bodies could easily transmit disease? Why was he asking about enemy heads?

“Left them all in the valley.”

“Very good,” Liang Feng nodded, “You can go now to bathe and bandage your wounds. Make sure to recuperate. Tomorrow morning, we’ll make a trip to Gaodu.”

The fighting was over. Now, it was time to figure out merits and gains. The Liang Estate would not have fought this battle in vain!

※

Guo Jiao had hardly gotten a wink of good sleep. Nightmares of rebels swarming up their walls and massacring his city kept him up all night. The battle yesterday had shaken him to the core. Who could’ve imagined that the enemy was so terrifying? Even an experienced soldier like Wu Ling was helpless against them!

Currently, less than half of Wu Ling’s bodyguards remained, and many of the young men sent to the wall to aid in battle had been injured or killed too. If the rebels came again, could they still defend the county town? And come to think of it, why had the Xiongnu rebels suddenly turned and left? It’d been a day already and the Eastern Xiongnu Division’s troops were still nowhere in sight. Unless, they had some other surreptitious motive?

All the conjectures were giving Guo Jiao a migraine. Before, when he hadn’t become magistrate yet, he’d drooled after the position. But now that he was in office, he realized that being the magistrate of a strategically important place wasn’t at all a cushy job!

“Someone, get me some tea…” Guo Jiao instructed as he rubbed his temples; he hadn’t the appetite for buttermilk anymore.

But a familiar face arrived before the tea did, “Your honor! Wonderful news, your honor!”

Guo Jiao blanked for a second, “You, didn’t I send you to deliver a letter to the Liang Estate? Why have you returned already?!”

The messenger shuffled forward on his knees and blurted excitedly, “Your honor, I’ve just come back from the Liang Estate! When Marquess Liang heard that Gaodu’d been attacked, he sent out his militia to lure the rebels away from Gaodu, then destroyed their entire force!”

“What?!” Guo Jiao jumped up in astonishment, “Liang Feng sent troops to exterminate the rebels? He, he doesn’t have that many soldiers!”

“Well, I don’t know about that either. Although Marquess Liang’s personally come to Gaodu and says he wants to see you, your honor…” the messenger replied.

“You useless thing, why didn’t you say so sooner?! Where’s he at?!” Guo Jiao yelled.

“He, he’s right at the walls. Colonel Wu’s people refused them entry…..”

“Oh my! Quick, quick, get a carriage… no, bring a horse! I’ll go see for myself!” Guo Jiao gathered up his robes and scurried out.

After arriving at the wall, verifying the Liang Estate’s carriage and servants, and making sure there weren’t any enemies nearby, Guo Jiao had the city guards open the gates. A light carriage creaked into the city. As it was about to pass Guo Jiao, it stopped. The curtain opened, Liang Feng disembarked, and greeted him cordially, “I hadn’t expected you to greet me here, your honor.”

“But of course! But of course!” Guo Jiao said, “Do forgive the delay, it’s all because these soldiers didn’t recognize your carriage…”

Liang Feng smiled faintly, “Well, it’s war, you know. That’s how it should be. I really must thank you for sending a message or I wouldn’t have known about the rebels.”

Guo Jiao replied, “I’ve heard that the rebels were exterminated by your estate’s militia?!”

“That’s correct.” Liang Feng chuckled, “I came here to inform you of this matter.”

“But, but that’s four or five hundred Xiongnu cavalry! How, how did you…” Guo Jiao sputtered. Just how had they done it? But then again, Liang Feng really wasn’t the kind of person who’d lie bald-faced!

“Perhaps we could talk inside the county bureau?” Liang Feng suggested.

“Ah!” Guo Jiao suddenly realized it wasn’t quite proper to be standing around at the city gates and agreed, “You’re absolutely right, Zixi. Please, please, board your carriage.”

After herding Liang Feng into the carriage, Guo Jiao dithered for a moment before sending a subordinate to call for Wu Ling. It was too important for him to handle alone.

Shortly, the guest of honor took his seat. Buttermilk served and snacks placed, Guo Jiao couldn’t help but ask, “Zixi, those rebels…”

“The day before, when I received your letter, your honor, I thought long and hard. Gaodu is to the Liang Estate as lips are to teeth; naturally, I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. So I sent my militia to fend off the rebels. Luckily, the enemy was reckless and fell for our ambush, giving my troops the opportunity to win….”

“What? How many soldiers do you even have? They really managed to eradicate the rebels?!” A gruff voice came from the hallway outside. His face nearly green, Wu Ling rushed into the drawing-room. But once he laid eyes on Liang Feng’s renowned visage, he bit back the curses on his tongue. This was the so-called bodhisattva? He sure as hell lived up to his reputation…

Liang Feng smiled at the heavily bandaged officer loitering dumbly in the doorway, “You must be Colonel Wu, I presume? Gaodu is fortunate to have you. If something happened to Gaodu, all would be lost.”

Guo Jiao piped up too, “Exactly. Colonel Wu, come, have a seat. Let’s hear what Zixi has to say first…”

His wrath was mostly calmed, having seen a beauty and heard his praise. Wu Ling coughed dryly and sat down. Liang Feng laughed, in his mind, at Wu Ling’s awkwardness, and continued, “In truth, there was some trickery involved. While the rebels assailed the city, we cut off their supply line, forcing them to turn back and rescue their backline. Then we simply set up an ambush on the latter half of the road. If they hadn’t been tied down by Gaodu and weakened by Colonel Wu, defeating the rebels would’ve been much more difficult.”

His words instantly dispersed the rest of Wu Ling’s ire. He couldn’t help asking again, “Are the rebels really annihilated?”

“Of course.” Liang Feng smiled, “The corpses are still lying on the battlefield. If you don’t believe me, you can send your men to retrieve their heads.”

Guo Jiao gasped in shock, “Even their corpses! That…”

That was an incredible amount of credit! It’d outweigh even the loss of hundreds of soldiers! Wu Ling, of course, caught on to his hint. His eyes brightened, “Marquess Liang… is this true?”

“It’s true,” Liang Feng said earnestly, “But those are just minor affairs. This incident has brought out some concerns – concerns that I would like to discuss with the both of you.”

Ah! Guo Jiao and Wu Ling weren’t stupid. They heard his undertone. He wanted to talk about his “concerns” before telling them where the battlefield was. That was probably what Marquess Liang had really come to Gaodu for.

Guo Jiao hesitated for a moment, then asked, “May I ask, Zixi, what concerns you might have?”