Chapter 1 A Bloody End on the Yan-Qian Border

On the Yan-Qian border, a fierce battle had just ended. Some soldiers were bandaging their wounds, while others were organizing their arrows.

War can turn individuals with rich emotions into emotionless machine parts. This scene was the best illustration of that.

No one was sad, no one shed tears, no one played the flute or zither, and no one looked at the setting sun and thought about how well it matched the current situation.

The Qian Kingdom had many poets, and many frontier poets had emerged. But no one knew how those Qian frontier poets were able to "touch the scene and give birth to feelings" to write such magnificent battlefield poems during the nearly century-long peace between Yan and Qian.

Zheng Fan had studied many famous Qian poems, focusing on frontier poems due to the environmental and political situation in Yan. He wanted to compare the poems in his mind with those of this era to see which was better, in case he needed them in the future.

He found that the Qian people's poems describing war and the frontier gave people the feeling that they were piling up words like "simple," "honest," and "simple-minded" when writing about the countryside, just like those high-ranking traditional writers of later generations.

People who didn't know the truth would think, "So that's how it is," but those who had truly experienced the baptism of war would sneer at it.

There was no wailing, no shouting. Even the seriously wounded soldiers only emitted slight grunts from their throats. Even when a wolf licked its wounds, it had its own way.

This was already the sixth encounter in this period.

The Zhenbei Army (Army that Guards the North) and the Jingnan Army (Army that Pacifies the South), with a total of 250,000 iron cavalry, went south, heading straight for the heart of the Qian Kingdom. However, to the surprise of the many generals along the Nanwang City line, the Qian Kingdom's three border armies did not return to defend. They remained firmly within their defensive lines.

They even took the initiative to send troops north, their eagerness very clear.

At first, it was just probing, with a scale of one or two thousand. But gradually, this probing turned into a prelude to a major battle, and the scale of their northward troops began to reach tens of thousands.

The three Qian border regions already had many cavalry. When Zheng Fan led the Cui Liu Fort cavalry south to reap military merits, he had encountered the Qian Kingdom's three border cavalry's interception. With the addition of the Western Army's Xishan Camp of more than 30,000 cavalry, the number of cavalry in the Qian Kingdom's three border regions had reached a very considerable scale.

Just now, there had been an encounter involving tens of thousands of people. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. In the end, the Qian retreated. The Yan were unable to take advantage of the situation to pursue. First, they needed to seize the time to rest and recuperate. Second, no one knew whether there were other Qian armies lurking in the direction of the Qian retreat.

Two general officers sat together. One had been slashed in the leg, the cut deep enough to see the bone. Even if it healed, it would be difficult to ride a horse again, and he would even have to use a crutch to walk.

The other general had been shot with arrows in front and behind. Because of the armor's protection, the arrowheads had pierced the body but not any vital organs. However, removing the arrows would still require gritting his teeth and enduring the pain.

In fact, for the two of them, their own injuries were not the most painful. What pained them the most were the soldiers who had fallen on the surrounding battlefield and would never stand up again.

The Yan military system was very rough. Just as civil officials looked at whether or not a position was a real one, military officers looked at whether or not their troops were strong.

Similar to the desert barbarians, the Yan Emperor might be the royal court, and the generals and their troops below were like tribes in the desert.

Although they were different in appearance, the biggest thing in the minds of these warlords was actually preserving their strength, just like Zheng Shoubei in Cui Liu Fort.

"Old Liang, if we keep fighting like this, our family fortune will be wiped out."

"Who says not? After decades of hard work, we finally accumulated this wealth. We originally thought that we could snowball a few more times while His Majesty went south in a big way. Who would have thought that we would have to fight this kind of stupid battle here?"

"That Xu fatty claims to be from the north and thinks he understands the military. Yes, the Zhenbei Army is good at fighting, but what does that have to do with Xu fatty?

If this battle continues like this, I really can't take it anymore. These brothers have been following me for so many years, and they can't all be accounted for here. We have to leave some seeds."

"Hehe, what's the use of saying this now? The Qian are coming more fiercely each time. Next time, the little family fortune we have left won't even be enough to fill the gap.

Although our soldiers are not as good as the Zhenbei Army or the Jingnan Army, they are still good horsemen. Their equestrian skills are definitely not worse than the Qian cavalry, but they are being forced to charge against the Qian!

Wasteful, damn it, really damn wasteful!"

While the two generals were cursing,

a team of people came out of the forest behind them, led by a mountain of flesh.

Fortunately, the mountain of flesh was riding a pixiu (a mythical wild beast), otherwise, an ordinary warhorse would not have been able to bear the weight.

Even so, the pixiu was panting heavily when it ran up to them, looking exhausted.

Xu Wenzu turned over and dismounted. Behind him were three other generals.

Because of the cold weather, the smell of blood on the battlefield was not very strong. The blood on the ground was either congealed or frozen.

But the corpses scattered across the field still told of the cruelty of the previous battle.

When Xu Wenzu came over, the two generals acted as if they didn't see him at all.

Xu Wenzu wasn't angry. Seeing that the two generals were both injured, he immediately squatted down in front of Liang Guohong with concern, looked at Liang Guohong's leg, and said with great heartache:

"This...this...this...how could you be so careless?"

This emotional release was a bit too forceful and too rich.

Liang Guohong said somewhat stiffly:

"Master Xu is joking. On the battlefield, swords and arrows have no eyes. When it's time to add some red, it has to add some red. You can't avoid it. Besides, no matter what, I at least still have a life. Compared to those soldiers who are lying on the ground and can't get up again, I am really too lucky."

Xu Wenzu retorted, "Although I haven't personally led troops to charge, I also know the principle that it is easy to get a thousand troops but hard to find a general. There are already many good family children newly recruited in Nanwang City. They need to be led by experienced veterans. You should go down to recuperate first and train new recruits by the way."

"What? You want me to leave my troops and go to Nanwang City?"

"Can you still lead troops to fight now? Besides, those good family children also need someone to lead them."

"Heh, what's the use of new recruits? Although my Great Yan has a strong martial spirit, and almost everyone in Great Yan knows how to ride a horse, you and I both know that it's impossible to pull them out and form an army right away.

Master Xu, I don't want any good family children. I only want my soldiers, my soldiers who came all the way from Huwei County!"

Guo Tongsi, who was treating his arrow wounds, gently tugged on Liang Guohong, signaling that if their generals started fighting among themselves in front of the soldiers, what would that be?

Xu Wenzu smiled and said, "I know, I know."

Guo Tongsi then said, "Master Xu, this battle really can't continue like this. All of us generals combined only have these troops. Although they are not as elite as the Zhenbei and Jingnan armies, they are still first-class cavalry in the four countries. It's really too wasteful to fight the Qian head-on like this!"

This kind of fierce attack, although the Yan had won several consecutive encounters and the Qian had retreated, had also resulted in great losses, and the mobility advantage of the cavalry had not been fully utilized.

Liang Guohong also chimed in:

"Master Xu, even if you want to attack, don't be so impatient."

As soon as these words came out,

not only Guo Tongsi but also the other three generals around him changed their expressions.

Liang Guohong's words were really too accusatory.

It was almost pointing at Xu Wenzu's nose and saying that even if you want to reduce our strength so that you can secure your position as the number one in Yinlang County, you shouldn't be so hasty. Your behavior is too ugly.

Xu Wenzu didn't show any anger. Instead, he continued to smile and said:

"Don't say that. I believe everyone has seen my usual behavior. Usually, when we close the door and calculate, I, Xu Wenzu, am better at calculating than all of you. I'm fat and I get hungry quickly, so naturally I eat more;

But now we are facing the Qian. Brothers may fight at home, but after going out, they still have to stand together to resist foreign enemies. I, Xu Wenzu, still understand this principle.

Originally, the most capable force under my command, as you all know, is the one from Cui Liu Fort, but wasn't it transferred south with the Jingnan Marquis? But I still have a few thousand cavalry here. In this way, I won't keep a single one and will directly hand them over to the two brothers in an organized manner."

Xu Wenzu's words caught Liang Guohong off guard. He subconsciously asked:

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

Xu Wenzu seemed to be tired from squatting. He simply sat down on the frozen earth, pulled at his collar, and continued:

"You've all seen that I'm so fat that it's hard for that pixiu to carry me, let alone lead troops to charge. In the past, although I haven't never seen battle formations, I was just in Beifeng County, encircling bandits or fighting small barbarian tribes. I haven't really handled this kind of big scene, so I still have to rely on you all.

You can divide up the troops under my command, and you can send the best of the newly recruited good family children to you first.

I won't ask for these troops back after they're sent out. I'm saying these words in front of you today, so you won't worry that I'll go back on my word in the future, right?"

Liang Guohong's expression was somewhat doubtful. He asked:

"Master Xu, why are you doing this?"

Everyone was a military officer. After finally getting to this position, they naturally understood the importance of the troops under their command. Xu Wenzu was directly giving away his family fortune, which was really hard to understand.

"Hey, it's already at this time. Don't divide yours and mine. In the eyes of the Qian, we are all Yan."

Xu Wenzu struggled to get up from the ground, pointed to the east,

and said:

"To be honest with you, the Jin Kingdom to the east has already started fighting. It is said that they are coming with great momentum. The two major clans of the Jin Kingdom, the Helian family and the Wenren family, have exhausted all their family resources. I don't know how many troops they have, but the east has 50,000 Jingnan Army rear camp troops plus 100,000 imperial guards and those county soldiers, but they are still fighting very hard.

The imperial court cannot spare another soldier to support us. The two Marquises have already led their troops south. Although I don't know why, the Qian army on these three borders doesn't seem to be moving to defend. But if they really want to go north, who can we rely on to block them except us between them and His Majesty's Yanjing?

Brothers, I also know that you cherish your soldiers, and I also feel the pain. Damn it, don't forget who allocated the food, armor, and horses to you. If I were to embezzle public funds, wouldn't it be easy for me to gain two more rounds of weight?

But we can't retreat now, not even a step. We can't avoid their sharp edges. The Qian are testing us. The Qian are also afraid. It's true that they didn't move to defend, but they don't dare to really go north in a big way. They are afraid that the two Marquises will kill their way back.

We don't know when the two Marquises will kill their way back, but we have to do our own thing. What do we soldiers rely on?

It's just the swords, spears, arrows, and horses in our hands. We can't lose anything that we can risk our lives to fight for.

If we are cowardly, if we retreat, if we consider it in the long term, it's like giving the Qian reassurance. Maybe the Qian will really dare to send a large army to try to conquer the north.

So, right now, no matter how many Qian come, we will eat them all up. Even if we fight to a mutual loss, even if we lose all our family fortune, we can't retreat. Everything is afraid of momentum. We have to keep this momentum up, and we must keep it up!"

Xu Wenzu faced north, in the direction of Yanjing,

and said:

"To tell you the truth, rather than saying that we are protecting His Majesty this time, it is better to say that we are protecting Great Yan.

Our ancestors risked their lives to fight, so that our Great Yan could have a century of peace. There have been wars in these hundred years, but no enemy troops have ever really penetrated deep into the territory of our Great Yan, and our Great Yan has never lost an inch of land!

If we can't hold on, we'll be too ashamed to face our ancestors when we die and go to the underworld.

Everyone, this is what I, Xu Wenzu, mean. We have been mocking the Qian for a hundred years, always laughing at them for being spineless, laughing at them for not having any balls.

Now, it's time to see the truth. Let's show these Qian people what real men are!"

There was no applause, no echoing.

Everyone's expressions, on the contrary, seemed relatively calm.

They were all seasoned soldiers who had come out of the military camp, not young and vigorous new recruits who could be aroused with a few words.

What they valued was not what you said, but what you were going to do.

At this time,

Liang Guohong looked up at the clouds in the sky, opened and closed his mouth, and slowly said:

"My leg is crippled. I originally thought that I would leave this little family fortune to my son, but I know my own family's affairs. My son can be a military officer or a garrison commander, that's fine. When there's no war, it's okay for him to be a general and enjoy some benefits. In this respect, he's like me, hahaha;

But if he really wants to lead thousands of brothers to fight the Qian, this kid can't do it.

Let's just leave it at that. You can divide up the remaining soldiers under my command. Now I can't ride a horse anyway, so I'll just go to Nanwang City to train those recruited good family children. In such a short time, I don't expect to train them into elites. Just instill more murderous aura in them."

Xu Wenzu smiled beside him, his fat face full of relief.

Liang Guohong turned to look at Xu Wenzu and said:

"Master Xu, there's something I've wanted to say for a long time."

"You say, I'm listening."

"The way you smile really makes me want to vomit."

Xu Wenzu smiled even more brightly,

and responded at the same time:

"Actually, I was also quite happy when I saw your leg was crippled just now."

——————

Recommending a friend's book, *I Have Survived 999 Tribulations*:

Zhen Hetu, who has traveled through the Divine Land, sees everything with a game description bar.

He looks at his own attributes before looking at anything else—Luck!