Chapter 125: A General in the Field (Bonus for 'I Want to Live for a Few Decades': 5)

Washe Tribe.

Patches of snow could still be seen on the grasslands. Cattle and sheep bleated, as if they had caught the scent of spring and yearned to run wild. After breakfast, Huazhu took his men out on patrol.

"Khan, it's Nayin."

Nayin was just ahead, speaking in low tones with a few men. The two looked at each other almost simultaneously. Huazhu’s expression remained calm, while Nayin forced a smile and walked over.

"Greetings, Khan."

Huazhu felt immense disgust for the man before him, but he knew he could not act rashly; otherwise, the Washe Tribe would fall apart like scattered sand.

"Spring is coming, and our food supplies are running low. Do you have any good ideas?"

Shifting trouble onto one’s opponent was the prerogative of those in power.

*Old dog!* Nayin cursed inwardly, then said, "We must economize. Also, we can launch raids. Liang Chao’s men have rested all winter; it is time for them to move."

Huazhu nodded. "Understood."

As he watched Huazhu ride away, a trusted aide beside Nayin spat, "That old dog!"

Huazhu returned to the main tent with his men. Once seated, someone remarked, "Khan, when Nayin returned from his defeat, he claimed to have encountered the main force of the Tang army. I suspect that was mostly a lie."

"It was a lie," Huazhu sneered. "But my own men have gone missing, and I have no news. That wild dog—one day, I will make sure he dies without a grave."

The aides then took turns condemning Nayin’s shamelessness and wolfish ambition.

Someone asked, "Khan, where shall we get the grain for spring?"

"Buy some from Northern Liao," Huazhu mused. He knew that buying grain from Northern Liao would be like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water. To solve the Washe Tribe’s food problem, the best method was still…

"Tell Liang Chao: go and loot!"

He laughed. "The Tang people love to farm, they love to build everything themselves, and they value self-sufficiency. But they do not realize that the greatest wealth in this world is not farming or crafting, but… blades and spears."

"Using blades and spears to seize everything we need—that is the foundation of our survival."

The Khan’s voice echoed in the tent, and every man present wore an expression of total agreement. Huazhu’s sons bowed to receive the lesson.

"We cannot build, we cannot farm, but we can kill!" Huazhu’s eyes burned. "Remember this: we are wolves, and the Tang are sheep. It is only natural for wolves to eat sheep; it is a gift from the heavens!"

His sons nodded in submission. Seeing the bloodlust and eagerness in their eyes, Huazhu burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

...

Liang Chao had a healthy appetite. Every morning, he had to eat three pounds of meat, followed by half a wineskin of kumis. He disliked being disturbed during meals; without a good reason, a whipping was inevitable.

Horse bandits were different from tribes. Tribes needed to herd, so they had vast numbers of cattle, sheep, and nomads, resembling mobile cities. Horse bandits, however, did not engage in production and lay idle when not looting. Therefore, they chose comfortable places as their base camps.

This was a flat expanse of land, with Liang Chao’s tent in the very center. On the periphery were rows of tents where bandits were either picking lice or racing horses.

Several riders galloped in.

"It’s the Khan’s men."

Liang Chao’s son, Liang He, went to meet them. Liang He was in his early twenties, full of vigor; even in the cold, he left his tunic open, exposing his chest to the biting wind.

"Follow me."

Liang He kept his hand on his sword hilt, turning back with a look of dissatisfaction.

"Father!" he called out softly while standing outside the tent.

His grandfather—Liang Chao’s father—had been a Tang man, so the family still retained many Tang customs.

"Enter."

Liang He led the messenger into the tent. On the low table sat a large platter piled with sheep bones and a large bowl containing the dregs of kumis.

Liang Chao, with his broad face and large eyes, gave an impression of easygoing nature. "What is it?"

The messenger said, "The Khan has ordered: grain is severely lacking this year. Your band is to strike and loot as soon as spring arrives, prioritizing grain."

Liang Chao squinted at the messenger, a sharp aura suddenly enveloping him. "Northern Liao has just undergone internal strife, and the Northern Border has won a battle; their morale is high. This year will not be easy. Go back and tell the Khan that I will do it, but I cannot guarantee how much we will be able to loot."

The messenger looked up, displeased. "Do you dare to disobey the Khan’s order?"

"What did you say?" Liang He roared, drawing his saber halfway.

"Dulang," Liang Chao barked at his son, then stared at the messenger, saying coldly, "If the Khan feels I am disrespectful, he is welcome to replace me. Go!"

The messenger left in a rage.

Liang He sneered. "Father, these people are wild dogs; they aren't comfortable unless they’re being beaten."

Liang Chao wiped his mouth with a cloth and said calmly, "When I followed your grandfather to Washe, I was still young. Your grandfather relied on killing Tang people to become the confidant of the previous Khan, but hearts are hidden things. By the time Huazhu took over, suspicion had set in. Your grandfather died of grief, and I—I am treated by Huazhu as a wild dog used for looting. Heh! A wild dog!"

A cruel glint appeared in Liang He’s eyes. "Father, if we must, let’s just strike."

Liang Chao’s gaze grew melancholic. "The best path is to return to the Great Tang. But over these years, your grandfather and I have killed too many Tang people. Unless the Emperor grants us amnesty, we will die without a burial place."

Liang He smiled. "Father, we have over three thousand riders under our command. Where can we not go?"

"Indeed!" A mocking tone entered Liang Chao’s eyes. "These three thousand riders are mostly desperate men who have long been gathered by me. Huazhu thinks he can still order me around? He’s dreaming!"

"Father, what about the looting this year?" Liang He asked ambitiously. "Let’s go further afield."

Liang Chao smiled and beckoned. "Come here."

As Liang He approached, Liang Chao stood up and tucked in his son’s collar. "When I was your age, I was just like you, wearing thin clothes even in winter. But as you get older, you will suffer for it. Wear more, hmm!"

Liang He pulled a face. "That’s the only way to kill enemies with spirit."

Liang Chao patted his shoulder and smiled. "My son has grown up; from a fledgling eagle, he has become a majestic one. My greatest wish in this life is to see you spread your wings and fly high."

Liang He scratched his head. "Father is still fierce! I will just help you. When you are old, I will lead the men to loot and provide for your retirement."

Liang Chao’s eyes grew warm. "Good."

"Chief!"

Someone shouted from outside, "Chen Prefecture has mobilized its troops."

The warmth in Liang Chao’s eyes vanished, replaced by a sneer. "The entirety of Chen Prefecture can muster no more than five thousand men. They dare to come looking for trouble with such a ragtag army? Perfect. Once we defeat them, we’ll go and loot Chen Prefecture. Guards!"

The small-unit leaders, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, entered. Liang Chao stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his son and said in a deep voice, "Tell the brothers: the opportunity has come. Gather together and prepare for battle!"

"Understood!"

The men roared in response. Immediately, all sorts of shouts erupted outside, and warhorses neighed, as if longing to see the early spring grasslands.

Liang Chao led his son out of the tent, took a deep breath of the still-chilly air, and praised, "Spring! Truly, it is full of life!"

...

One thousand men advanced slowly across the grasslands. In the distance, scouts were probing deep, looking around with vigilance.

"Ask where the main force has reached," Yang Xuan commanded from horseback.

"Understood."

One thousand men had been mobilized this time—a significant force. Zhen Siwen had also come along, acting as a scribe. He arranged for someone to go back and inquire about the news. When he returned, he saw Old Ghost and Wang Laoer riding side by side, occasionally emitting sounds like lecherous laughter, and curiously leaned in to take a look.

Old Ghost was holding a scroll of books, pointing out the interesting parts to Wang Laoer.

*"Spring Night?"* Zhen Siwen found the protagonist’s name familiar.

Old Thief raised an eyebrow. "You’ve read it too?"

Zhen Siwen glanced at him. "It’s a pity that she’s a female ghost; you can’t sleep with her."

"Wonderful! That is exactly what makes me melancholy," Old Thief replied, as if he had found a kindred spirit. "That female ghost is deeply devoted to Qiao Ge, but can only hover nearby, waiting until he is asleep to lie beside him. But a soul is ultimately intangible. Sigh!"

Yang Xuan, riding in front, had a darkened expression; he really wanted to conduct an anti-obscenity raid.

"He probably doesn't know Ning Caichen," Vermilion Bird croaked with laughter.

"Ning Caichen?" Yang Xuan hadn't read that book.

"I’ll recite it to you," Vermilion Bird began.

A while later, Yang Xuan looked full of admiration. "Truly a hero, to be able to sleep with a female ghost."

"Prefect!"

The scouts had returned.

"The enemy camp is empty."

"Halt. Send word to the main force to be on alert."

Yang Xuan issued a series of orders. Not long after, a messenger from the main force arrived.

"The enemy is harassing the main force. The Governor orders your unit to close in on the main army."

Yang Xuan frowned. "If my unit returns to the main force, the main force might appear secure, but our army consists mostly of infantry, while the horse bandits are all cavalry. What is the point of us huddling together? It only allows for defense."

The messenger said, "These are the Governor’s instructions, Prefect Yang. Just comply."

Yang Xuan shook his head. "Tell the Governor: once our army is fully gathered together, this battle will surely end in failure. The enemy can maneuver around us with ease and launch attacks at any time... We are far from the city; how long can we hold out? Tell the Governor that my unit will roam the periphery and wait for an opportunity to strike."

The messenger said angrily, "The Governor is worried about your unit being surrounded, yet you don't appreciate his kindness!"

Yang Xuan naturally wouldn't argue with the messenger, remaining silent instead.

After the messenger left, Nan He said, "Huddling together makes us a flock of sheep. Surrounded by wolves, our fate is unknown. The best method would be to engage in a hasty battle, kill some horse bandits, and then retreat."

"The biggest problem with this battle is the failure to launch a surprise attack," Yang Xuan shook his head. "Horse bandits come and go like the wind. Governor Liu’s idea is sound, but in my view, this battle should have been as swift as the wind. We should have used a small cavalry force to raid the enemy’s nest, with the main army following closely to provide support. Whether successful or not, we could have retreated with ease."

Liu Qing’s approach was too upright, but it failed to solve the biggest problem.

"We lack enough cavalry."

The main force had only eight hundred cavalrymen; how could they contend with the horse bandits?

...

The main force had already stopped. Liu Qing was listening to reports from all sides.

"Governor, Liang Chao’s force of over two thousand is heading straight for the main army." The scouts brought the latest news.

"Where is the Taiping Army?" Liu Qing asked.

"The messenger hasn't returned yet."

Liu Qing looked worried. "I am only concerned about Yang Xuan. He is alone out there—what if he is surrounded?"

"Form ranks."

The main army began to form ranks, preparing to meet the enemy.

"The messenger is back."

Someone praised, "The messenger is running really fast!"

Ahead, the messenger was galloping at an astonishing speed, as if pursued by vengeful ghosts.

*Indeed!* Even Liu Qing felt that the messenger’s horsemanship was not inferior to his own.

Then, dust appeared in the distance.

"Enemy attack!"

The messenger waved his hands frantically.

"Prepare for battle!"

The messenger rushed through the central corridor. Liu Qing asked, "Has the Taiping Army departed?"

The messenger panted, "Governor, Prefect Yang says the Taiping Army is roaming the periphery, waiting for an opportunity to strike."

"This is insubordination!" Lu Jiao, the magistrate of Wangu County who accompanied the army, turned red with rage.

Liu Qing’s eyelids twitched. "Prepare for battle."

It was too late to say anything now.

Du Hui watched coldly, whispering to the County Assistant Xie Ru beside him, "The Governor is full of confidence in this attack and has even brought us along. If we suffer a crushing defeat, Chen Prefecture is finished."

With the Governor and several magistrates wiped out, Lu Qiang, who was left behind, would likely go mad.

"Four thousand against two thousand; if it were a normal fight, our army couldn't possibly lose," Xie Ru shook his head. "I know something of the Governor’s thinking. The six counties of Chen Prefecture have had some barriers between them over the years. Taking this opportunity to gather everyone together is also a good chance to dissolve those barriers."

"Barriers?" Du Hui sneered. "Yang Xuan is disobeying orders. Let’s see how the Governor punishes him."

The enemy had arrived.

Liang Chao looked at the four thousand Tang soldiers and couldn't help but laugh. "Our army is all cavalry, free to come and go. Do the Tang soldiers want to be turtles? Attack!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Liang Chao ordered his men to attack.

"Form ranks!"

The Tang officers kept shouting. In the front, a forest of long spears stood ready. The archers were already prepared.

Liang Chao sneered. "Spread out. Roam from all four sides and seize the opportunity."

More than two thousand cavalrymen scattered, swarming in from all directions.

How to face this? Everyone looked at Liu Qing.

"Hold the line." Liu Qing ordered the spearmen to disperse and wait at all four sides.

"This is drinking poison to quench thirst!"

Liang Chao waved his hand, and the horse bandits began to strike from the left flank. This was the advantage of having more cavalry: flexibility and mobility.

"Fire!"

The losses caused by this wave of arrows made Liang Chao’s eyelids twitch wildly. But it was only one wave, and then the two sides collided.

Spears thrust, sabers slashed. Blood sprayed in the front, and the screams sounded like they came from hell, making one’s very soul tremble. The Tang army’s formation was resilient; several times it seemed precarious, but it immediately returned to a state of normal defense.

"Chief, I’m afraid we cannot completely defeat them," someone said. "Perhaps... strike once and retreat?"

Liang Chao shook his head. "No. Huazhu ordered us to seize as much as we can this year. If we don't meet the quota... he will cut off our supplies."

The small-unit leader said, "We can go loot."

No food, no clothes—we can just go loot.

"What about weapons?" Liang Chao said coldly. "Where will we loot weapons? Once we lose our source of weapons, we will become wandering ghosts."

He pointed to the fierce fighting in front. "Chen Prefecture’s mobilization suits my intentions perfectly. If we can severely damage the Chen Prefecture army, we will be able to loot with ease in the spring, to a degree you cannot imagine."

"Then... the Junior Chief is leading troops nearby. Should we call him?"

"Wait a little longer," Liang Chao said calmly. "Let him stay on the flank. This is to guard against Liu Qing having another hidden hand."

On the flank, Liang He and his thousand riders were waiting impatiently.

"If I lead my troops to arrive and attack from the other side, the Tang army will definitely not be able to hold out. What is Father waiting for?"

The horse bandits under his command watched the battle, and seeing their side attacking with ease, they were delighted.

"Looks like a good year!"

On the other side, Yang Xuan and a few men had circled around, surrounding a dozen horse bandit scouts.

"There are only a few of them!" The bandits charged over with excitement.

"That’s the Tang general!" a scout pointed at Yang Xuan, ecstatic. "Kill him!"

As the two sides closed in, Yang Xuan drew his horizontal saber...

"Fire!"

The dozen scouts fired their arrows in unison. Yang Xuan’s saber danced with ease, deflecting the arrows one after another.

*This is an expert!*

The scouts’ faces changed drastically.

Yang Xuan grinned hideously. "Kill them all!"

The saber easily sliced through skin, drawing bursts of blood. Then, the bandits fell from their horses, and the warhorses neighed.

The scouts immediately turned and charged toward Wang Laoer, who looked foolish.

*Smack! Smack! Smack!*

Wang Laoer slashed with his saber, his left hand not remaining idle, slapping one down with every strike. Nowadays, his slaps were becoming increasingly powerful, with perfect control of force.

Subsequent scouts saw their comrades simply get slapped and rush past, and they were ecstatic, following suit to escape.

*Smack!*

One received a slap. Then he saw what was behind him.

*Isn't that the Tang general? How am I seeing him?*

The last man spurred his horse for all he was worth, finally breaking out of the small circle. He cursed, "Trying to ambush our army... keep dreaming!"

He saw those men hadn't moved; only that Tang general was drawing his bow.

*Whoosh!*

Yang Xuan put away his longbow and nodded. "Bring them here."

One thousand soldiers arrived quietly. Everyone crouched down, while Yang Xuan and a few others stood.

"They are still fighting," Nan He glanced over. "Our army is a bit passive."

"The enemy has more cavalry; there is no other way," Yang Xuan wished he could have a telescope like in the movies, but he lacked that ability for now.

"Look, they’ve broken through." Nan He pointed to the front.

The left flank had been breached. A group of fierce horse bandits had surged in.

"Governor!"

Du Hui said, "I request permission to plug the gap."

His eyes were burning, but Liu Qing shook his head. "Don't panic. Someone has gone."

Over a hundred reserves rushed over, and after a round of slashing, they drove the invading enemy back out. But this was a signal.

"The Tang army is weakening," Liang Chao sneered. "Tell the brothers to push harder. If we can defeat the Tang army, I will take nothing of what we capture; I’ll let the brothers divide it all."

The order was given, and the horse bandits cheered, launching their offensive with even greater ferocity. The defensive line began to show signs of crisis.

"Governor, let’s retreat." Du Hui felt that this battle would not yield any great results. "If our army uses spears and bows to lead the way and retreats slowly, the horse bandits will surely not dare to pursue."

Liu Qing gripped his sword hilt and said coldly, "Now it is a battle of willpower. The enemy has only two thousand-plus, and we have over four thousand. We are double their number and yet we retreat? You tell me: how many troops will we need to dare to fight next time?"

If the Chen Prefecture army, with double the numbers of the horse bandits, could only retreat, then next time the bandits came to the city gates, who would dare to sally out? Once they retreated now, it would be a heavy blow to the morale and popular sentiment of Chen Prefecture.

Du Hui’s eyes filled with anger. "Why hasn't the Taiping Army returned? If we had those one thousand men, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

Everyone felt quite indignant.

Liu Qing said calmly, "I ordered him to command his unit independently. The general is abroad..."

*This favoritism has no limits!* Lu Jiao was so angry his stomach ached.

Du Hui’s mouth twitched, thinking that Liu Qing had lost his mind.

Liu Qing watched the fighting ahead, sighing in his heart. Yang Xuan’s disobedience was undoubtedly a grave mistake, but what could he do? Young people were always hot-blooded, impulsive, and loved to flaunt their abilities. But talent was hard to come by; he would have to lecture him separately later.

Liang Chao had already spotted the opportunity.

"The Tang army’s right flank has transferred many men to support the left. The chance is here. Signal!"

*Wooooo...*

The horns wailed. Liu Qing’s body shook.

Someone exclaimed, "Look to the right!"

Everyone turned slowly. A black line appeared in the distance. The sound of hoofbeats came faintly, like muffled thunder.

"It’s the enemy’s reinforcements!"

Amidst the screams, Liu Qing’s expression changed.

Du Hui’s eyes narrowed. "Governor, this is Liang Chao’s reserve unit. He was just waiting for this moment to strike us."

"No need to say more."

Liu Qing drew his sword and shouted sternly, "Today we fight to the death with the enemy. If we don't win... we don't return!"

That black line accelerated, drawing closer and closer. The horse bandits on horseback were cheering.