Chapter 261 Conclusion (1)
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As Qingming approached, it had been raining continuously in the capital for several days. The rain washed away the dirt on the ground, and everywhere was lush with vitality.
It had been over a month since the Great Wei soldiers left the capital.
Near Jiuchuan, there was an endless desert.
“Lord He,” a young deputy walked into the tent and said to the female official sitting on the ground drawing a map, “Your order to reduce the military stoves in the camp has been conveyed.”
He Yan smiled, “Thank you.”
The deputy looked at the woman in front of him with some emotion. Originally, the soldiers of the Fuyue Army, who followed Flying Phoenix General, were unwilling when they learned that a young woman would lead them. It was not entirely their fault. Having followed Flying Phoenix General of the Great Wei, they couldn’t help but compare with other commanders. He Yan, as a woman, dared to go to the battlefield, was admirable. However, in fact, she had never led troops into battle alone, and her true skill level was unknown. Even though she had won battles in Rundu and Jiyang before, there was always the Right Army Commander overseeing.
Now, she was on her own.
Fighting a war was different from simple martial arts competitions. Emperor Zhaokang might have allowed this because of the position of the Right Army Commander. However, within the Fuyue Army, they were not truly convinced.
In the past month, they had only arrived near Jiuchuan not long ago. Jiuchuan, originally a city in the desert, had now been occupied by the Wutuo people. Instead of launching an attack immediately upon reaching Jiuchuan, He Yan chose to camp near Jiuchuan. In the past few days, there had been complaints from the soldiers.
But the deputy knew that the reality was not what people saw.
He had been in the Fuyue Army before. Although he hadn’t been in close contact with the former Flying Phoenix General, he knew that Flying Phoenix General dared to be bold and decisive. The woman in front of him had not yet shown a brave side, but she seemed more rational and calm.
The camping location was chosen just right. It could be attacked and defended, and it was at the windward side, making it convenient to adjust for retreat in case of any movement. The deputy was somewhat puzzled. He inquired and learned that He Yan had come to Jiuchuan for the first time, but she seemed very familiar with the terrain here and had a lot of experience in surviving in the desert.
Of course, he had no way of knowing that He Yan was the former “Flying Phoenix General,” and Flying Phoenix General had initially followed the Fuyue Army to deal with the Western Qiang people, which was in Moxian. Moxian was not far from Jiuchuan, and the terrain was similar.
“Lord, are you drawing a map?” The deputy’s gaze fell on the long scroll in front of He Yan.
“These Wutuo people have abundant forces and have been planning for a long time. Although the Fuyue Army has been training daily, it has not been on the battlefield for several years, and the losses in the previous battle in Huayuan were heavy. The strength is not as good as the opponent. I cannot rashly attack and disregard the lives of these soldiers. Before that, understanding the enemy is crucial, and only then can we avoid danger in a hundred battles.”
Every day, she had Shitou, Wang Ba and others explore the area around Jiuchuan from a distance, not too close. After they became familiar with the nearby terrain, she personally ventured deeper for a few days. Finally, she had drawn a complete map. With this map, the Fuyue Army, which originally had fewer numbers than the Wutuo people, could exert its maximum strength.
However… He Yan sighed in her heart. She knew that the Wutuo people had been recuperating for many years, and their military strength must be abundant. But only when she truly arrived at Jiuchuan did she realize that the Wutuo people’s forces were even stronger than she had imagined. If it were just Jiuchuan, it would be okay, but if the other three places were also like this, this war of the Great Wei would indeed be difficult.
For so many years, Emperor Wenxuan had favored literature over military affairs, and the Great Wei’s military had stagnated, allowing the Wutuo people to seize the opportunity. It seemed that the battles in Huayuan, Rundu, and even Jiyang were just a diversion. The military strength displayed by the Wutuo people was not their true strength, and their purpose was to make them relax their vigilance.
Otherwise, how could these four cities fall so quickly?
“Lord, are you making the map in a hurry? Pay attention to your health,” the deputy thought for a moment and reminded her, “These days, my lord has been sleeping very little…”
“It’s okay, I know.” He Yan continued without lifting her head.
Seeing her like this, the deputy didn’t know what else to say and respectfully retreated.
After he left, someone outside called, “Lord He.”
He Yan: “Come in.”
It was Jiang Jiao and Shitou, who came in.
They addressed He Yan as “Lord He” like other soldiers in public since He Yan had not yet been appointed as a general. However, privately, they still liked to call He Yan “Brother He.”
They were meticulous and stable in their work. In the current Fuyue Army, the elite troops from before were buried by He Rufei, and there were not many available people. For important matters, He Yan entrusted them to Jiang Jiao and Shitou.
She raised her head, looked at the two approaching men, and asked, “Have you found out about the Wutuo people’s movements?”
Jiang Jiao replied, “There was a group of Wutuo people who came out of the city at night to scout, but they did not approach our camp. They just looked around nearby and left. Following Brother He’s suggestion, we did not pursue them. However, there has been no movement from them in the last two days.” He asked, “Brother He, should we continue to wait?”
“Wait,” He Yan said in a deep voice, “We won’t actively attack the city; let them come after us.”
“Baiting the enemy?” Jiang Jiao was puzzled, “But if they initiate an attack against us, won’t we be at a disadvantage? After all, the Wutuo people now have more troops than we do.”
“Don’t worry,” He Yan smiled, “Those Wutuo people are cunning and suspicious. They won’t send out all their forces from the city. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been safe here for so many days. Sending scouts out at night is just to probe our strength.”
He Yan stood up, walked to a wooden plate in the tent, and on the plate, there were many small mounds made of sand. Next to the mounds were markings made with rice grains. She picked up a branch and pointed to it for the two to see, “Moreover, the location where we are camping, if we retreat later, we’ll pass through a canyon. The Wutuo people fear that we may set up an ambush on the way back, so they dare not act recklessly.”
“Previously, when I fought against the Wutuo people in Jiyang and Rundu, if the people of Maka and Huyate spread the word back to the Wutuo country, the Wutuo leader in Jiuchuan should have heard my name. But he cannot be sure whether I will really lead the army. He looks down on me, but because of the events in Jiyang and Rundu, he doesn’t dare to underestimate me. What do you think he will do?”
“What will he do?” Jiang Jiao was puzzled.
“He will try to prove that I am incapable. Once he finds evidence, he can look down on me with reason and evidence,” He Yan smiled. “Although I don’t quite understand why Wutuo commanders are always like this, since they want to see a woman who is just a name and can’t really lead the army, then I’ll show them exactly what they want to see.”
“So,” Shitou, who had been silent, brightened up, “Those military stoves…”
“We’ve been camping here for several days without taking any action. The Wutuo people will suspect that we are deceiving them, and that’s why they sent troops out at night to scout. If I were a Wutuo person, seeing the military stoves decrease every day, I would think it’s because the person leading the army on the other side is a woman, the soldiers underneath are not obedient, and many soldiers have become deserters. This will breed a sense of underestimating the enemy.”
“When they relax their vigilance and lead the troops deeper, we can set up an ambush.”
Jiang Jiao was excited at first, but then he thought of something and hesitated, “But Brother He, didn’t you say that the Wutuo people are cunning and suspicious? They won’t let all their troops leave the city…”
“Yes,” He Yan looked at him, “So the troops they sent out should only be a part. We only need to annihilate this part. If they really dare to launch an all-out attack, we will be at a disadvantage.”
“Have you ever thought about wiping them out completely?” Shitou was somewhat puzzled.
He Yan patted his shoulder, “You haven’t been to a real battlefield. You don’t know that true wars are not something that can end overnight. The Wutuo people have the advantage in terms of military forces, don’t attack their strengths with our weaknesses. I never intended to clash head-on with them. Lure them in, annihilate a portion of the enemy forces, and it’s enough to damage the morale of these Wutuo people. After that, we can plan step by step.”
“To win a war, you must have endurance and patience to last until the end,” He Yan smiled faintly. “This is just the beginning.”
Jiang Jiao and Shitou looked at the woman in front of them, clad in armor. Back when they were in Liangzhou Garrison, they already knew she was skilled and extremely cunning. But now, seeing her standing here, leading a force of soldiers, calmly unfolding her strategy, it was only then that they slowly began to truly understand her capabilities.
Jiang Jiao joked, “Brother He, you’ve only had one more battle in Jiyang than us, but you seem so familiar with it.”
“That’s different,” the woman’s mouth curled up slightly. “I was born to fight.”
A gust of wind blew outside, stirring up yellow sand in the desert. Amidst the fluttering banners, the desolation became more evident.
Shitou murmured, “Jijun is not far from here. I wonder how General Yan is doing over there?”
“Jijun…” He Yan’s gaze became heavy.
It was said that the plague had spread there.
…
In the fields outside the city, along the riverside, piles of bodies were stacked up.
A group of soldiers was digging graves, digging deep holes. Looking into the holes, all one could see were bodies wrapped in white cloth, emitting a nauseating smell of decay. At first glance, it looked like a h*ll on earth.
There were makeshift sheds made of thatch, with coarse cloth on the ground. Dozens of people lay flat, showing signs of decay on their bodies. A young person was brewing medicine on the side, stirring the herbs in a huge tub with a large iron spoon.
His body was not very strong, and stirring the herbs in the huge tub was already quite strenuous. In no time, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, but from start to finish, there was no hint of laziness. His pristine white robe had long been stained with mud and fresh blood. Instead of holding a folding fan, his hand, which had been either holding healing silver needles or life-saving medicine bowls these days, was worn and overworked.
The epidemic in Jijun was even more severe than expected.
After the Wutuo people occupied Jijun, they massacred civilians and abducted women in the city. The large number of dead bodies was carelessly thrown to the riverside, and with the onset of spring, an epidemic broke out quickly. The Wutuo people directly expelled all the surviving Great Wei citizens from the city, leaving them to fend for themselves. When Lin Shuanghe and Yan He arrived in Jijun, the fields outside the city were filled with piles of bodies.
Lin Shuanghe, considering himself a healer who had witnessed life and death, couldn’t help but be shocked by the horrifying scene upon arriving here.
Yan He’s troops were to be used against the Wutuo people, and there were not many military doctors here. As Lin Shuanghe was the grandson of Lin Qingtan, many advised him not to personally touch these patients. If he contracted the plague… However, Lin Shuanghe did not heed these well-intentioned suggestions. If he were afraid of death, he wouldn’t have chosen to come here in the first place.
The deceased civilians could not be buried on-site; they had to be cremated. After turning into white bones, they were buried in deep pits. This was already the best solution. Even so, every day, one could still hear the cries of surviving family members.
He ladled the brewed medicine soup into broken bowls, let them cool for a bit, and then carried them into the grass shed to feed the patients.
He was originally a very meticulous young master, a bit vain, always smiling more brightly when treating female patients in Shuojing. If he saw someone cute and beautifully dressed, his smile would be even more radiant. However, now, the patients here emitted a foul odor, were filthy and hideous, yet he didn’t show the slightest disgust.
The patient he helped up was a young woman, likely still quite young. Her looks were ordinary, even a bit overly plump. Lin Shuanghe scooped up a spoonful of medicine soup, brought it to her lips, and she drank it carefully. Looking at the gentle and handsome young man in front of her, her face blushed slightly, as if the pain in her body had also eased a bit.
“Doctor Lin, I can do it myself,” she whispered.
“That won’t do,” Lin Shuanghe said seriously, “How can I let a beautiful girl drink medicine by herself? After all, I am a man who cherishes beauty and kindness.”
The patients in the grass shed smiled kindly at his words.
This Doctor Lin was handsome, with a good temperament. Unlike the often stern and fierce general, he always had a smiling face. He was in the mood to joke with everyone, talking about everything from north to south, and even though no one was sure to see the light of dawn tomorrow, and even in such a tense and sorrowful moment, his attitude had never changed. So, with him around, the atmosphere became much lighter, as if everything was the same as in the past, as if waking up, Jijun was still the same Jijun, and everything could be resolved easily.
After feeding all the patients with medicine in the grass shed, Lin Shuanghe told them to rest well before picking up all the bowls.
He rinsed the bowls that had just been used for medicine with boiling hot water before stopping, rubbing his shoulders, finally taking the opportunity to scrutinize himself. However, after seeing the dirt on one spot and another on his body, he stared blankly for a while and gave up.
The reason was that the white robe he brought had all been cut into bandages for patients. Now, this was the last piece of clothing, and there were no other white clothes to replace it.
Lin Shuanghe walked to the other side.
Yan He’s troops, after several clashes with the Wutuo people, had both victories and defeats. The terrain outside Jijun was complicated, and the Wutuo people were easy to defend and difficult to attack, resulting in a stalemate. Fortunately, Yan He himself was not affected by this. Seeing that he was still in good spirits and the morale was quite high, and now that the epidemic had been slightly brought under control, the panic had not continued to spread. Although this war was not easy to fight for a while, things were gradually moving in a positive direction.
In the previous night’s surprise attack, Great Wei had a small victory. Many new wounded had been added, and some soldiers had died in battle. The soldiers who died in battle were buried on the spot. Lin Shuanghe let other military doctors treat the wounded soldiers first, while he took over the most dangerous epidemic patients.
At this moment, some lightly injured soldiers were sitting by the tent talking, and Yan He was sitting on the ground, drinking water in an unsightly manner.
Lin Shuanghe walked over with a tired pace and spread his hands in front of Yan He.
Yan He inexplicably waved his hand away: “What are you doing?”
“General Yan,” Lin Shuanghe licked his lips, “I’ve been busy treating patients until now, and you haven’t even left me a bowl of vegetable soup. I’m starving to death. At least give me some food.”
Yan He gave him a disdainful look, took out a dry biscuit from his pocket, and tossed it to him, “Eat, it won’t choke you to death.”
Normally, Lin Shuanghe would have retorted and bantered with him, but today, he was really exhausted and hungry, so he sat down with a sigh and took a big bite.
The dry biscuit was rough and swallowing it was scratchy, and the taste was far from delicious. Lin Shuanghe indeed choked on it. Yan He looked at him with disdain, handed him the water flask, and said, “Are you a starving ghost reincarnated?”
Lin Shuanghe quickly took the water flask, took a big gulp, swallowed the dry biscuit, and said, “Big brother, I haven’t eaten all day today. Even prisoners get more than this. Instead of showing any sympathy, you scold me. Are you human?”
Yan He glanced at the disheveled appearance of the person opposite him and subconsciously wanted to say something sarcastic, but when he saw the person’s clothes covered in dirt, he swallowed the mocking words.
Well, to be honest, Lin Shuanghe’s behavior on this trip was really unexpected for him. Originally, Yan He thought that although Lin Shuanghe had been to Liangzhou Garrison before, Liangzhou Garrison had not been in a state of war, and he had lived in the barracks, sheltered from the hardships of the world. Yan He had expected that when they reached Jijun, this pampered young man would surely complain incessantly. But from the beginning until now, Lin Shuanghe hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint.
Although he hadn’t been at the forefront fighting the Wutuo people with a drawn sword, taking care of the wounded soldiers and comforting the frightened civilians scared by the plague was not an easy task.
And it was very dangerous.
Yan He snorted and didn’t answer.
After a few more bites of the dry biscuit and some sips of water, Lin Shuanghe felt a bit better, both physically and mentally. He looked at Yan He and said, “Yan Nanguang, I’ve been through a lot here. When we return to Shuojing, you must report my merits to the emperor truthfully. At least give me a decent official position. I’ve grown up, and I’ve never experienced such hardship. This biscuit, if it were in the past, even my family’s dog wouldn’t eat it.”
As soon as he came back to life, he started talking nonsense. Yan He coldly laughed, “No one is forcing you to eat. Besides, I haven’t seen you suffer at all. It’s already this late, and you still have the mood to joke with women. Lin Shuanghe, your habit of flirting with women wherever you go really hasn’t changed.”
“Don’t act like you’re full of righteousness,” Lin Shuanghe scolded him, “You have a wife and children, while I’m all alone. How do I know which girl is my destiny? Naturally, I have to try. You hung yourself on a tree early on, now your eyes are turning red watching others pick flowers and sniffing grass, are you sick?”
Yan He was about to retort when a passing soldier, astonished, spoke, “General Yan, do you have children?”
Yan He glared at Lin Shuanghe, who coughed lightly. The news of Xia Chengxiu’s pregnancy had not been publicized yet. However, since it was overheard now, there was no point in denying it. Yan He said, “Not born yet, still in my wife’s belly.”
The soldier, who looked in his thirties with a dark complexion and a somewhat simple and honest appearance, sat down and scratched his head, “That’s great, General. When you finish this battle and go back, you’ll be able to see your child. Just like me back then.”
“You?” Yan He asked, “Do you have children?”
“Nonsense,” Lin Shuanghe couldn’t help but interject, “Do you think you’re the only one in the world who can be a Father?”
The man scratched his head, laughing, “Yes, I have two. The older one is three years old, and the younger one just turned one month. When I go back this time, I originally wanted to spend more time with my wife. I didn’t expect the Wutuo people to come… I told my wife that when I finish the battle and get paid, I’ll buy a silver necklace for my little son. And my big daughter, when I left, she cried so loudly, it broke my heart…”
Yan He, who was never an approachable person due to his noble background and proud temperament, actually spoke a few more words today because this man shared the same identity as him, that of a “Father,” which was rare.
He asked, “Is your daughter very close to you? You live in the military camp most of the time, so you don’t go home much, right? How can she still be close to you?”
Lin Shuanghe was puzzled, “Are you seeking advice for possible troubles you might encounter in the future?”
Yan He scolded him, “Shut up,” then eagerly looked at the man in front of him, “You speak quickly.”
“Well… I don’t know.” The man was a little confused. “I do go home less often, but every time I go home, I remember to bring her favorite malt candy, buy her beautiful fabric, and let my wife make her new clothes. General Yan, don’t worry. People say that daughters are close to their Fathers. If the general’s wife gives birth to a daughter, the little lady will definitely be close to General Yan.”
Yan He was delighted by his words and then became serious again. “But what if it’s a son?”
“Even better?” The man said, “The general can bring the young master with him, and they can fight together. No need to be separated.”
Yan He suddenly realized and looked at the man in front of him, “I didn’t expect you, as a Father, to be quite clever.”
Lin Shuanghe, on the side, was speechless.
The man, pleased with the praise from his superior, chuckled for a while, then suddenly fell silent. After a moment, he sighed, “My little daughter, when I left, she kept holding onto my legs. I know she’s afraid I’ll die on the battlefield. If… “He looked into the distance, “I can go back alive, that would be great. I’ll definitely buy her favorite candy.”
Yan He was stunned for a moment and, after a while, also looked into the distance.
The sky was dyed with the red glow of the setting sun, and the remaining sunlight was like blood. The wilderness was gentle and silent.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “She will definitely get to eat the candy you buy.”
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