"Bang!" A bearded guard tossed a ring-locked breastplate and a black cotton coat onto Zhou Fugui, who had just woken up. "Kid, you sure can sleep. Get up quickly and go to the Governor's room."
"Oh..." Zhou Fugui had slept soundly, feeling incredibly refreshed. Hearing this, he quickly sprang from his bed, putting on the black cotton coat first, then the breastplate. A saber hung from his waist, completing the standard guard's attire.
The bed Zhou Fugui slept on was simply some furs laid out on the floor. It was hard, but at least warm.
"To the Governor's room?" Zhou Fugui asked as he tightened the straps of his armor. "Big brother, may I ask your surname?"
Yesterday, Zhou Fugui had been sharply rebuked by Hu Yan Sheng, his spirit thoroughly crushed. The battle on the snowfields had indeed seen Zhou Fugui make a significant mistake, leading to more than half of the four hundred convicts being lost. Zhou Fugui felt dejected and no longer resisted the idea of being Hu Yan Sheng's guard.
"Liang Bajin," replied the guard named Liang Bajin.
"Liang Bajin? Big brother, are you Han?" Zhou Fugui asked.
"I am Han. Is there a problem?" Liang Bajin retorted, glancing at Zhou Fugui.
"Oh, no problem. Big brother, please don't misunderstand. I am also Han, a Han from Yan Yun," Zhou Fugui said with a smile.
"I know you're a Han from Yan Yun. Hurry up, go to the Governor's room, and stop chattering," Liang Bajin pushed Zhou Fugui and chided him.
"Oh, is there no breakfast?" Liang Bajin and Zhou Fugui walked side by side, Zhou Fugui asking as they went.
Zhou Fugui had slept for a day and a night. While he had slept comfortably, his stomach growled with hunger upon waking.
"What food? The Governor is still in session. There'll be food after the session," Liang Bajin said, glaring at Zhou Fugui.
Damn it, if the old man deliberates all day, will I starve all day? Zhou Fugui stopped talking, cursing inwardly.
Liang Bajin and Zhou Fugui, hands on their sabers, walked out of the room, turned a corner, and ascended a flight of over two hundred steps paved with bluestone. After climbing the steps, they stepped onto the city walls of Xue Lin City.
The towering walls of Xue Lin City reached into the clouds. Standing on the wall, one could survey the snowfields outside the city at a glance, offering an excellent view.
The weather was exceptionally good today. The sky was clear and azure, as translucent as jade. Only a few cotton-like white clouds drifted across the sky. Below the clouds, at the edge of the snowfields, stood towering ice peaks. They shimmered brilliantly under the sun, like giants looking down upon the snowfields and Xue Lin City.
The snowfield between the ice peaks and Xue Lin City was incredibly flat and vast, capable of stationing a hundred thousand troops.
The vast expanse was adorned with continuous white snow, like jade branches and jeweled leaves, all in white and pink, exuding an extraordinary charm.
As they walked along the city wall, a gust of cold wind blew. Although it was cold, it was also invigorating, making Zhou Fugui's mood much better.
Zhou Fugui and Liang Bajin walked side by side and soon arrived before a large building. Dozens of guards had already gathered in front of the building, standing at attention with their sabers, surveying their surroundings.
"Greetings, Zhonglang General," Liang Bajin said, cupping his fists in salute before a burly man with blond hair and blue eyes, then pulled Zhou Fugui forward.
The man was around thirty years old, with a tall, sturdy build and well-developed muscles. The bulging pectoral and abdominal muscles, even beneath his armor, gave an immediate impression of strength and power. His golden hair fell to his shoulders, and a long scar, like a centipede, crawled across his angular face from his forehead down his right cheek, appearing quite formidable.
The man was named Tu Tis. He was neither from the central plains nor the northern tribes, but the chief of Hu Yan Sheng's personal guards.
Zhou Fugui also bowed and saluted.
Tu Tis raised his hand, adjusted Zhou Fugui's attire, and patted his shoulders, seemingly satisfied with his strong physique. He then hung a wooden token around Zhou Fugui's waist, inscribed with the character "Shi," signifying his status as a personal guard to Hu Yan Sheng.
"Go in," Tu Tis said, bringing a wooden tray containing food and wine to Zhou Fugui.
Damn it, they really treat me like a servant! Zhou Fugui cursed inwardly but still carried the food and wine into the room.
Zhou Fugui entered the room, placed the wooden tray on a low table, and then stood with three other guards, sabers in hand.
"Governor..." a middle-aged man resembling a civil official from Yan said to Hu Yan Sheng after glancing at Zhou Fugui. "After the border skirmishes, our forces have increased by tens of thousands. The sheer number of troops relies on the Son of Heaven's provisions. However, winter has arrived, and the roads are blocked by heavy snow, making the transportation of grain and fodder extremely difficult."
"Hmm, how much longer can we hold out?" Hu Yan Sheng asked.
"Less than three months," replied the middle-aged civil official, Fan Guxi, the general registrar of the Flying Bear Army.
"Three months? We need enough supplies for at least a year," Hu Yan Sheng frowned.
"Great Governor, the grain and fodder allocated by the court or from nearby prefectures and counties are extremely difficult to transport due to the snow-blocked roads. Even if some arrives, more than half is consumed en route..." Fan Guxi said with a worried expression. "Why not engage in further plundering?"
Plundering, in this context, meant raiding enemy granaries, or even raiding the grain and money of the Yan populace.
"Plundering?" Hu Yan Sheng said, looking at Zhou Fugui with an empty wine cup.
Damn it, drink yourself to death... Zhou Fugui cursed inwardly again upon seeing this but respectfully refilled Hu Yan Sheng's wooden cup.
Zhou Fugui's stomach had been growling for a long time. At this moment, he wished he could drive away Hu Yan Sheng and feast while he continued his deliberations...
Hu Yan Sheng took a large gulp of wine and said to Fan Guxi, "Where to plunder? Plunder the northern barbarians? How much can we plunder? It's not a long-term solution."
"Why not send troops to raid bandit strongholds?" Fan Guxi suggested. "If not to the north, then perhaps to the south?"
"To the south? To rob the common people? The people are already living incredibly difficult lives. How many have food for more than a day?" Hu Yan Sheng shook his head.
"Great Governor..." Fan Guxi continued, "The bandits in Feilong Mountain, Lanling Mountain, and other areas have been causing a lot of trouble recently. Why not send troops to suppress them? They must have plenty of grain and wealth."
Upon hearing the words "Feilong Mountain," Zhou Fugui's spirits immediately lifted, and he pricked up his ears, listening intently to their conversation.
If Hu Yan Sheng truly dispatched troops to attack Feilong Mountain, how would Zhou Fugui respond?
At that time, Zhou Fugui had been captured and taken to Feilong Mountain by the bandits. However, Yuan Meiyu and others had indeed saved his life from the jaws of death. Secondly, the bandits of Feilong Mountain had treated Zhou Fugui quite well; the few days spent there were arguably the most comfortable days Zhou Fugui had experienced recently. Lastly, Zhou Fugui had eloped, leaving without saying goodbye, which was indeed a disservice to Yuan Meiyu, and he felt a pang of guilt about it.
If Hu Yan Sheng agreed to send troops to attack Feilong Mountain, should he find a way to warn them? Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
However, Zhou Fugui had completely misunderstood. Hu Yan Sheng merely smiled and shook his head without speaking, his intention clear: he had no intention of sending troops to attack the bandits of Feilong Mountain, Lanling Mountain, and other areas.
"Great Governor, the north is not feasible, and the south is not feasible. Your subordinate is at a loss," Fan Guxi said, spreading his hands.
"Hmm..." Hu Yan Sheng pondered for a moment and then said, "What about the 'Righteous Tax'?"
Isn't that still robbing? Fan Guxi muttered inwardly but then nodded.
The so-called Righteous Tax was the collection of taxes from households under the supervision of the Ministry of Works, forcing the populace to pay taxes to serve as military provisions. It was by no means voluntary, merely a more pleasant-sounding name than "plundering."
Zhou Fugui did not understand the meaning of "Righteous Tax" and showed a look of confusion.
"Commander Fan, go and oversee the matter of the Righteous Tax. Do it immediately. We must raise enough for the army's needs for one year," Hu Yan Sheng instructed Fan Guxi.
"Great Governor, why the hurry?" Fan Guxi asked.
"There are constant border skirmishes. I must be prepared in advance," Hu Yan Sheng replied.
......
"Zhou Fugui, come here." After Fan Guxi left, as the other attendants were about to exit the room, Hu Yan Sheng called him back alone.
The other three attendants looked at Zhou Fugui with envy and left the room, closing the door behind them.
"Great Governor, what is it?" Zhou Fugui asked, bowing. His gaze fell on the food and fine wine on the table, and his stomach growled audibly.
Hu Yan Sheng acted as if he saw and heard nothing, leaning back on a cushion and looking at Zhou Fugui. "How did you sleep yesterday?"
"Well, thank you, Great Governor," Zhou Fugui replied, bowing.
"Why thank this old man?" Hu Yan Sheng nodded and asked, "Have you thought some things through?"
"I have..." Zhou Fugui replied. "What I did was not entirely appropriate. I am truly unfit to be a commander."
"That's not necessarily true. Sit down," Hu Yan Sheng nodded.
Zhou Fugui knelt on the ground.
"There are no generals who win every battle, no perpetual victors. But there are those who are indomitable," Hu Yan Sheng said to Zhou Fugui. "Looking through history, which famous general has never suffered defeat? You know about enduring hardships, don't you?"
"Yes..." Zhou Fugui nodded. "How could I not know about King Goujian of Yue? However, I am merely a common soldier. How dare I compare myself to Goujian?"
"King Goujian of Yue was once a lowly slave under King Fuchai of Wu," Hu Yan Sheng glared at Zhou Fugui and then asked, "What do you think about this matter?"
"What matter?" Zhou Fugui asked, taken aback.
"The matter of military provisions. Haven't you heard? Yet you look so perplexed," Hu Yan Sheng said.
"Ah, before troops move, provisions must be sent first," Zhou Fugui said. "What the Great Governor is concerned about is a matter that military strategists should consider. I just have a question: will the Great Governor be using troops soon?"
"When has there ever been no military activity on the border?" Hu Yan Sheng retorted.