Chapter Ten: Chaos in Times of Turmoil (Ten)

As soon as Li Kuo gave the order, chaos erupted among the troops.
For these peasants who had spent their lives fighting in Huainan and Yangzhou, such an intense forced march was utterly unbearable. Not to mention marching in the snow, they had to exert far more effort than usual. Just the relentless pace set by their general was enough to make them groan in pain.
After all, they were born and raised by their parents—how could they be treated in such a harsh manner?
These conscripts, raised in peaceful times, had no idea what war or responsibility meant. In their entire lives, they might not have even killed a chicken, let alone fought in battles. Suddenly tasked with marching to the capital to aid the emperor, how could they stay calm?
Although their general had become famous at a young age and fought countless battles, those were his own achievements—what did it have to do with them? They were still those inexperienced recruits who could barely handle weapons and would get out of breath after just a few laps around the training ground.
“Sigh. Hey, Old Zheng, what are we doing, leaving our homes to head to Guanzhong?”
A heavily clad recruit removed his fur hat, took down the iron pot from his back, shook off the snow covering it, and stamped on the snow with his toes, eventually creating a sizable snow pit.
“This damned weather—going out means seeking trouble. Not to mention, we can’t even start a fire to cook. If the soldiers can’t have warm meals, how can they wield their weapons or keep up with the pace?”
He belonged to the logistics unit and was considered a cook in the army. He didn’t dare speak about other matters, but no one knew more about food than he did. Food was essential for people—weren’t soldiers also human? Even if they were to defend the country against invaders, they still needed to be fed, right?
If they continued to endure such cold and hunger, by the time they faced the rebels, they might not even be able to lift their weapons!
“Shut up for a bit. The general has no choice either. The emperor issued an order for him to lead troops to Guanzhong to aid the cause. How dare you defy it? Ah, being a subject is truly frustrating—on one hand, you must prove your ability to earn the emperor’s respect, but on the other, you must keep a low profile and avoid arousing suspicion from the court. Ah, this job is really not easy.”

The speaker was a burly man with a sharp jawline; his name was Zheng Jun, from Lantian in Guanzhong. He had once been stationed in Shuofang and later was hit by several arrows while protecting General An Sishun in a major battle against the Turks, collapsing in a pool of blood. When reinforcements arrived and defeated the Turks, An Sishun and his men survived, but Zheng Jun suffered an injury to his feet, forcing him to limp and earning him the nickname “Zheng the Lame.”

Grateful for his life-saving act and unwilling to see him endure the harsh winters in this northern land with his injured leg, An Sishun wrote a letter to the governor of Yangzhou at the time, sending Zheng Jun to the famous city of Huaizhou.

Yangzhou was filled with a strong scent of perfume, almost as intense as the dust in Shuofang. Used to a life of constant struggle, Zheng Jun found it hard to adjust to such tranquility. Yet, as the saying goes, “Trees die when moved, but people can adapt.” The mild climate of Yangzhou proved suitable for living, and after a few years, his chronic back pain even improved.

The training camp was not like the border troops, where there was hardly anything to do all day. After waking up early and reporting for duty, Zheng Jun would go with his comrades to the taverns near the camp to drink and pass the time. At first, this lifestyle seemed pleasant, but over time, it became monotonous.

Just as Zheng Jun was about to go mad from the dull routine, the court announced the appointment of a new commander for the Jianghuai troops to train the recruits in Jiangdu.

Zheng Jun didn’t take it seriously, thinking it was just another nobleman seeking fame in Jianghuai, and that life would continue as before. He feared he would die of boredom in Yangzhou’s overpowering scent of perfume. But unexpectedly, on his first day in office, General Li gave these lazy soldiers a harsh lesson—each soldier had to run twenty laps around the training ground, and those who failed would be denied dinner. To prevent cheating, the general stationed several trusted guards in every corner of the ground to monitor the soldiers’ actions.

Among the soldiers were seasoned veterans who had been freeloaders for years and new recruits who knew nothing about military life. Neither group had ever seen General Li train in such a rigorous manner. In their eyes, training should just be a formality, not something requiring such intense effort.

By the end of the day’s drills, the soldiers from Jianghuai were utterly exhausted—even Zheng Jun, who had once fought against the Turks, was drenched in sweat. But damn, it felt great!

As a veteran from the border troops, what Zheng Jun couldn’t stand the most was indulging in music and revelry. As a soldier, it was his duty to go to battle and fight enemies, and his responsibility to protect his country. The prerequisite for achieving these goals was rigorous training. Only by maintaining a meticulous attitude during training could one acquire skills that would prove useful in actual combat.

A general is the soul of an army. With a loyal and brave general like General Li, how could there be any worry about raising capable soldiers?

As Zheng Jun had expected, within just ten days, the once lazy and listless Jianghuai provincial troops were transformed under General Li’s strict discipline. In less than a month, these once weak soldiers began to take on the appearance of border troops.

He didn’t know what others thought, but Zheng Jun was extremely grateful to Li Kuo! Without him, he might have drowned in the gloomy and stifling air of Yangzhou, or become as apathetic as the other provincial troops.

Li Kuo had helped him become a soldier again—how could one not respect such a general?

That’s why, when Wu Lengzi began complaining about General Li, he stepped forward without hesitation to defend him. These new recruits still didn’t understand! Every move they practiced could save their lives on the battlefield, and the strict demands during marches could benefit them for life!

“Dedede, I can’t argue with you. Anyway, in your eyes, Old Zheng, General Li is always perfect—brilliant, heroic, loyal, and filial. As for us ordinary soldiers, we just have to endure the bitter cold and march forward, risking our lives!”

Wu Lengzi truly couldn’t understand Zheng Jun’s mindset. Weren’t soldiers just there to make a living? Faking it in Jianghuai got them by, and fighting in the front lines did too—both were ways to make a living. So why would they go to such lengths and choose such a difficult path?

“Hey, Old Zheng, I have something to tell you—please don’t spread it around.”

Wu Lengzi leaned close to Zheng Jun, timidly nudging him with his elbow and saying, “Well, first you have to promise me.”

Seeing his attitude, Zheng Jun felt both annoyed and amused. He grabbed Wu Lengzi by the neck and said, “Spit it out quickly, then go cook. We won’t rest here for more than an hour and a half. If you want to eat hot food, hurry up. Don’t start complaining behind our backs once the army sets off.”

“Hey, Old Zheng, are you really thinking I’m that kind of person?”

Wu Lengzi patted his chest and said, “I guarantee to you—no matter who suffers losses, our mouths won’t suffer. What do we do? Whether it’s something flying in the sky, swimming in the water, or growing in the soil, anything you can see or touch, I have a way to get it into the pot.”
“Enough, enough! Just tell me what’s going on quickly. Look at you, always joking!”
Zheng Jun shook his head helplessly and forced a smile.
“Hey, have you heard that Luoyang City has been taken by that barbarian An Lushan?”
Wu Lengzi tilted his head and nodded at Zheng Jun, speaking slowly and deliberately.
“I’ve heard something about it. It seems An Lushan led 200,000 troops to besiege the Eastern Capital. The emperor sent Generals Gao and Feng to recruit troops for support. The two generals fought fiercely against An Lushan’s forces on the outskirts of Luoyang City and reportedly gained some advantages. But later, for some reason, Gao and Feng ordered a retreat when their troops were at their strongest. An Lushan, already considering retreating, then launched a fierce attack on Luoyang City. Li Cheng, the governor of the Eastern Capital, and Lu Yi, the chief censor, refused to surrender. They led all the city’s troops and able-bodied men to defend the city to the death, but in the end, they were overwhelmed and all died defending their country. Luoyang City eventually fell into the hands of the rebels.”
After saying this, Zheng Jun sighed deeply, his face filled with frustration and helplessness. After all, Luoyang was the Eastern Capital of the Tang Dynasty. Though its status wasn’t as high as that of Chang’an, the Western Capital, it still held great symbolic significance. Now that the Eastern Capital had been taken by the rebels, where could the Tang court’s face be placed? And where could the emperor’s face be placed?
“Hehe, I told you, Old Zheng, you didn’t know. Still don’t believe it?”
Wu Lengzi shrugged and said, “You only know that Generals Gao and Feng suddenly retreated. But do you know why?”
Thud!
Zheng Jun’s heart suddenly jolted, and he thought for a moment. Although he hadn’t studied military strategy books, he understood the importance of striking while the iron was hot in battle. If Gao and Feng had the upper hand in the battle outside Luoyang City, why not pursue victory and gain even more advantages? The only explanation seemed to be that they were under some pressure and had no choice but to retreat.
“Hehe, stop guessing. With your honest-mindedness, you’ll never figure it out even if you break your head.”
Wu Lengzi curled his lips and said, “Do you know who the generals sent to suppress the rebellion in the Eastern Capital this time?”