Chapter 40: On the Eve of Battle (Please Follow Along)

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In the city of Xinye, at the Wangjiang Tower, a blind musician was swiftly beating a small drum on stage while two young children cartwheeled across the platform, performing acrobatics.

Whenever their act reached an exciting moment, the guests in the tavern would shout their approval loudly.

Some would even toss a few coins onto the stage in encouragement.

Near the window, several tables were occupied by young men in military attire, but they were not watching the show. They whispered among themselves, discussing the battles that had recently taken place in Jinyang and Yuyang.

“Ninth Captain, your Langya Infantry Battalion is truly formidable. You fought from Jinyang to Yuyang, two battles in one day, both decisive victories, wiping out more than ten thousand of the Northern Campaign General’s troops. Tsk tsk~ I heard that when news reached Xiangyang, it stunned the people of Jingzhou. They simply couldn’t believe it.”

Liu Heiwu, dressed in military garb, gave a thumbs-up in admiration.

Zhao Erping, the Ninth Captain, glared at him. “I’ve told you, don’t call me Ninth Captain. Call me Zhao Ping or Brother Zhao. We’re proper elite infantry, not some bandit rabble.”

“Hehe, as you say, Brother... Ping, Brother Ping,” Liu Heiwu said, scratching his neck with a grin.

“Old Wu, how did you end up in Xinye too?” Zhao Erping asked.

“I’m not entirely sure. The afternoon after you left, we were training when Commander Yu came to the drill ground and ordered all soldiers from the Mountain Battalion to assemble. He said there was an urgent mission. We didn’t even have time for lunch, and hurried toward Jinyang.

The Light Cavalry Battalion was also on the move; we set out almost simultaneously. They had horses and raced ahead, disappearing in a flash, while we had only our legs to walk. Halfway there, a leader from Black Bear Fortress found Commander Yu and claimed to know a shortcut over the mountains that would take just half a day to cross Mount Huo. Once he spoke up, other mountain fortress leaders said they too knew quicker paths over Tongbai Mountain.

Commander Yu simply called all the battalion leaders together for a meeting. After some discussion, they actually pieced together the shortest mountain route. We followed Commander Yu through the mountains for a day, crossing two great mountains in a single day—over a hundred li. We were even faster than the cavalry,” Liu Heiwu said with a hint of pride.

“Haha, not bad. I heard when you arrived, you happened to catch the general fighting Zhang Xiu?” Zhao Erping laughed.

“Haha, exactly! Brother... Brother, you know I run fast. This time, I kept up with Commander Yu all the way, never falling behind. When we reached the foot of Tongbai Mountain, I heard the thunder of hooves, shouts of battle. I climbed up to see our general leading the Langya Cavalry, charging at Zhang Xiu’s eight hundred Xiliang riders. Before the charge, Commander Zhang Baiqi led eight hundred light cavalry to reinforce them.

Commander Yu shouted ‘Charge!’ and we followed. When Zhang Xiu saw us suddenly appear, he panicked, leading his eight hundred Xiliang riders in a terrified retreat—ha! Left behind over four thousand infantry, we followed the general to attack their infantry phalanx, but before our troops could reach them, the general and Langya Cavalry had already slaughtered the four thousand soldiers from Rangcheng, sending them scattering in chaos. Tsk tsk, what a sight...” Liu Heiwu smacked his lips, shaking his head—he couldn’t find words to describe the spectacle.

“The general and the Langya Cavalry are truly fierce—four battles in one day, each with at least five thousand men. Especially the third, I heard the general, to cover the retreat of wounded soldiers, led just over a hundred Langya Cavalry brothers in a direct assault on Han Song’s six thousand men. The general rode at the front, spear in hand, and amidst thousands, took down Han Song single-handedly. My heavens! To take a commander’s head in the midst of ten thousand—that’s incredible. Even Xiang Yu, the conqueror of Chu, was no greater,” Zhao Erping exclaimed, pounding the table in excitement.

Liu Heiwu nodded repeatedly, recalling how after four battles, the general went up the mountain to practice spear techniques, wielding a heavy iron spear weighing over a hundred jin, moving with fluid precision.

The two marveled together—the general was indeed a man of legend.

“Brother, pardon me!” Someone patted Zhao Erping’s shoulder. He turned to look, his expression changing dramatically as he quickly rose to offer a respectful path. When he sat back down, he instinctively pulled his chair forward.

“Ninth Brother, who are those two? They look fierce, quite imposing,” Liu Heiwu whispered after a furtive glance.

“Shh!” Zhao Erping leaned over the table, lowering his voice. “Those two are Langya Knights.”

Liu Heiwu stole another glance. “Ninth Brother, Langya Knights wear masks in battle. How can you recognize them so easily?”

“Look here!”

Zhao Erping pointed to his left chest and spoke softly, “The knight by the window has two small golden spear decorations pinned to his chest. According to Langya Cavalry regulations, after a year of service, you earn one golden spear; two means two years. That knight has served over two years—an old soldier, ranking higher than a squad leader in the Langya army.”

He gave a thumbs-up as he spoke.

Liu Heiwu scratched his eyebrow, taking the chance to sneak a look at the golden spear decorations—bright and dazzling.

After the two Langya Knights sat down, the surrounding soldiers continued to steal glances at them.

These days, the general had led the Langya Cavalry on a hundred-li raid, four consecutive battles, driving back over twenty thousand Jingzhou soldiers. Their exploits were being spread far and wide across Nanyang and Jingzhou, known to all.

If the general was the god of war, then the Langya Knights were the divine weapons at his side—worthy of awe and admiration.

“Sigh~”

At a nearby table, a burly man with a round face propped his forehead on his hand, idly fiddling with a tea bowl, sighing twice in succession.

“What’s with the sighs?” Wang Shuang, whose face was dark, glanced at Niu Jin.

Niu Jin gulped down his tea. “Last time, we won two great battles and retook Xinye. I thought our infantry battalion was fierce, but the Langya Cavalry is even fiercer—one hundred against six thousand, slaying the enemy commander. Incredible!”

He clenched his fist, pounding the table in excitement. “I want to be a knight. Hero Wang, how about joining me?”

Wang Shuang shook his head. “I’ve asked around—Langya Cavalry has strict selection standards. You need strength, skill, can’t be too tall or too fat, or the mount won’t carry you. You’re too fat, you won’t pass.”

“Why bother with details? Let’s try first—if it works, great; if not, figure something else out. If I join, I want to be the strongest, fiercest soldier!” Niu Jin declared, waving his fist.

“You try first. If you make it, I’ll follow,” Wang Shuang replied.

“What about you, hero?” Niu Jin asked.

Yang A’ruo swirled his tea cup. “The strongest troop in the Langya Army isn’t the Langya Cavalry.”

“Huh? If not the Langya Cavalry, then who? Our infantry battalion?”

“The strongest are the scouts of the Reconnaissance Battalion,” Yang A’ruo set down his cup, speaking slowly. “Their scouts run daily through enemy territory. Their riding and martial skills are top-notch. They can write, read, do arithmetic, forecast weather, draw maps—they possess many talents. Each is accomplished in both civil and martial arts. Last time, Commander Pei took just a few scouts and secured Xinye. I hear most scouts are chosen from the best Langya Knights and infantry. Ordinary people can’t become one. Their pay is also the highest in the Langya Army.”

“Tsk tsk, literate, numerate, able to draw, skilled in both civil and martial arts—impressive, but those skills are too hard. I’d never learn them, so I’ll settle for joining the second-best, the Langya Cavalry,” Niu Jin said, frowning.

“Haha~”

At that moment, laughter came from nearby. The three sensed it was directed at them and turned to see the Langya Knight with two golden spear markers looking at them.

“Senior Langya Knight, my name is Niu Jin. This is Yang A’ruo and Wang Shuang. May I ask your esteemed name?” Niu Jin clasped his fists in greeting.

“Haha, esteemed name is too much. I am Chen Lie of the Langya Cavalry,” the knight with two golden spear markers replied, clasping his fists with a laugh. “I know you three as well—famous figures from the rookie battalion: Bigmouth Niu Jin, Battalion Leader Niu; the hero Yang who dared to steal our general’s golden horse-drawn carriage; and Battalion Leader Wang who likes talking to the dead.”

Brush brush brush~ Wang Shuang, Yang A’ruo, and Niu Jin all flushed with embarrassment.

“Hehe, Senior Chen, why did you laugh when I spoke?” Niu Jin interjected.

Chen Lie smiled and replied, “In the Langya Army, the Langya Cavalry is not the second most formidable unit.”

“Is it the first?” Niu Jin laughed.

Chen Lie shook his head. “We wouldn’t dare compare with the Reconnaissance Battalion. The Langya Cavalry ranks only fourth in the Langya Army.”

“Fourth?!”

Niu Jin and Wang Shuang cried out in surprise, even the always calm Yang A’ruo’s scar twitched.

“Indeed. First is the General’s Guard, second is the Reconnaissance Battalion, third is Commander Li’s Divine Archers, fourth is the Langya Cavalry,” Chen Lie explained with a smile.

The answer made the three frown.

They knew of the Divine Archers—a unit with thirty or so master archers who could draw five-stone bows. Their marksmanship was exceptional, and paired with specially made Langya arrows, their lethality was enormous. Anyone targeted by them, even in armor, had little chance of escape. Ranking them third wasn’t an exaggeration.

But they had never heard of the General’s Guard.

Yang A’ruo frowned. “Senior Chen, do you mean the general’s personal bodyguards? I’ve fought them before; their martial skill is decent, but there are more than ten in the infantry battalion who are stronger.”

Chen Lie laughed heartily and shook his head. “Those are the guard squad. The General’s Guard are the ones who always accompany the general in battle—just eight of them. You know them all.”

“....”

The three were stunned. “You’re sure we know them?”

“Indeed. The General’s Guard consists of eight: Zhang Baiqi, Pei Yuanshao, Li Da Yan, Yu Du, Liu Da Shi, Bai Feng, Liao Hua, and Dian Wei—the eight commanders. Don’t you recognize them?” Chen Lie laughed.

The three opened their mouths. So it was these eight—who wouldn’t know them? Yet no one realized they were the General’s Guard.

Chen Lie laughed, “The General’s Guard is an old story; only veterans of the Langya Army know it. Back when the general was at Langya Mountain Fortress, he often took Commander Zhang and the others out to fight. There were originally over twenty; more than ten died in battle, leaving just seven. Commander Dian Wei joined only last year.

You three are quite capable. Keep striving; perhaps one day you’ll be selected for the General’s Guard.”

“That sounds pretty good.”

The three stroked their chins, each pondering the possibility.

At the neighboring table, Liu Heiwu and Zhao Erping listened with wide grins. At first, they had believed the Langya Cavalry ranked first, Langya Infantry second—true elites.

After hearing Chen Lie, they realized the Langya Cavalry was only fourth, Langya Infantry fifth, dead last.

“Langya Army is truly incredible!” Zhao Erping was not disappointed but rather even more excited. For a mountain bandit like him to end up in such a formidable force—he considered himself incredibly lucky.

Across the tea tables, two men dressed as scholars exchanged glances. Dipping their fingers in tea, one wrote on the table, “Quickly send news of this back to Jingzhou.” The other nodded gravely.

“The general is leaving the city, clear the way!”

Suddenly, someone shouted outside the window.

Everyone in the tea house rushed to the window to catch a glimpse of the legendary general.

——