knife

Chapter 40 The Scythe of Darkness, the Edge of Light

Riding high on the spring breeze, the horse gallops swiftly.

Xiao Dongwei twirled the riding crop with his finger, his face beaming with joy.

It was their own general who had influence; he managed to secure another 20% of the money and provisions, and with what they had plundered from the bandits this year, their soldiers were able to have a better year.

This damn weather is getting colder every day, and the winter is getting longer every year. Naturally, the expenses are getting bigger and bigger. These young men all have families to support. Without enough money and food, how are they supposed to survive?
Money and provisions are a man's courage. Without these, how can you expect your brothers to risk their lives for you?
"General, that scoundrel Chen Liang is incredibly audacious!" Xiao Dongwei said. "He actually did something like this. I remember that guy used to be a very upright person, and he was impeccable in battle. This time, I'm afraid he won't be able to save his life. It's a pity that he only had a little girl last year. When he came back last year, he even invited us to his one-month celebration. She's such a beautiful girl."

"So many innocent people were killed; even extermination of their entire clan wouldn't be unjust!" a guard behind him said indignantly. "Aren't the lives of ordinary people lives too? Taxes and voluntary donations weigh heavily on people every year, and then they suffer such a calamity!"

"Where did the money go?" Xiao Changche suddenly asked. "Those three towns were all relatively wealthy, and there were some merchants there with considerable reputations outside the Great Wall. They were all wiped out. So where did the money go? Chen Liang's family only had 30,000 taels. Do you really believe he distributed the rest to the ordinary soldiers?"

Xiao Dongchuan's one eye gleamed brightly: "General, do you mean there's more to this than meets the eye?"

"That's quite a lot of money!" Xiao Changche laughed heartily. "How much wealth does Chen Liangcai have? The commander-in-chief wants to replenish everyone's food and rations to 70% this year. Where will he get the money? Chen Liang must have distributed money to the soldiers under his command, but it's not hard to find out how much he distributed. Where did the bulk of it go?"

Xiao Dongwei rubbed his dark eye patch and said cheerfully, "So, some big shot is going to be in trouble. But even if it's the Marshal, it's not easy to mess with him, is it?"

"So we left Chen Liang behind, claiming we were going to hand him over to the court! That way, naturally some people will get anxious and want Chen Liang dead as soon as possible. Wouldn't that be catching him red-handed?" Xiao Changche said calmly, "Killing two birds with one stone has always been our commander's style!"

"Who is the other eagle?" Xiao Dongwei asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Chen Liang!"

"Why him?"

"Didn't you just say that Chen Liang is undoubtedly a great warrior? Now that the real culprit has been exposed, someone like Chen Liang can naturally be exonerated. Tell me, from being a prisoner awaiting death to being released without charge and reinstated, who is Chen Liang most grateful to?" Xiao Changche said with a smile.

"Well!" Xiao Dongwei said with some regret, "In that case, we've lost another drinking buddy I can stand!"

"Drinking is one thing, but what's wrong with that!"

“I don’t care, and neither do you, but I’m afraid Chen Liang will care in the future!” Xiao Dongwei sighed. “Your relationship with the Marshal is no secret outside the Great Wall!”

Xiao Changche tilted his head and looked at the one-eyed general, then laughed, "Regretting following me?"

"Aside from being a bit poor, we don't have much else, but this joy is something you can't find anywhere else!" Xiao Dongwei laughed heartily. "Actually, compared to ordinary people, we're already living a very good life. Contentment brings happiness!"

Xiao Changche reached out and patted Xiao Dongwei on the shoulder, saying nothing, but it was as if he had said a lot.

"General, I'm home!" Xiao Dongwei said with a smile as he reined in his horse at the crossroads. "It's been three months since I've been home, and my wife and kids are longing to see me!"

"I'll give you ten days off." Xiao Changche waved his hand.

"Thank you, General!" Xiao Dongwei was overjoyed. He quickly cupped his hands in thanks, spurred his horse on, and with a thud, the horse galloped off.

He could hear his companions laughing and cursing behind him, but he couldn't care less.

Xiao Changche's army was extremely disciplined; committing adultery was almost always a capital offense. Even his trusted and fierce generals, like Xiao Dongwei, dared not cross that line, let alone others.

Now that he's finally back, Xiao Dongwei naturally wants to go home as soon as possible and have some fun. A general like him naturally has no shortage of concubines in addition to his legal wife.

The thought of having ten days off made Xiao Dongwei overjoyed.

In the back hall of the general's headquarters, Linghu Ye sat cross-legged behind a low table, personally brewing tea. However, Linghu Zhishu politely declined Linghu Ye's tea, while Li Guohua enjoyed it. Linghu Zhishu, however, always suspected that Li Guohua was merely trying to please his uncle. Linghu Zhishu preferred a simple cup of roasted tea brewed with hot water.

His uncle would crush the tea leaves and boil them in a teapot, then add milk or goat milk, ginger, roasted wheat grains, and a whole host of spices, resulting in a pot of strange-tasting tea that Linghu Zhishu resolutely refused to drink.

Linghu Ye also liked to treat his subordinates to a large cup of this tea.

Only a handful of people have the right to refuse.

"Will that guy fall for it?" Although he had personally set up the scheme, Linghu Zhishu was still somewhat unsure. After all, the scheme seemed very simple, and with a little thought, one could see the sinister intentions hidden within.

"Don't worry, you'll see the results in a couple of days!" Li Guohua sipped his tea, chewing and swallowing down the contents as well. "Greedy people are always blinded by their desires, and when danger strikes, they cling to wishful thinking."

"I hope so. If we don't fall for it, then the expenses you just promised the generals today will be wasted. Breaking your promise to everyone is not a good thing!" Linghu Zhishu said.

"If we take down that guy, we'll not only satisfy the soldiers this year, but we'll also have a surplus." Linghu Ye actually downed a cup of steaming hot tea that had just been poured, then smacked his lips, seemingly still wanting more.

"What about next year? We can't just target another one, can we? Wang De has always been very cautious!" Linghu Zhishu was very worried.

"Don't even think about such a good thing!" Li Guohua said with a smile. "Wang De is trying hard to curry favor with a high-ranking official in the court, hoping to be transferred away from the border region. In recent years, he has been sending that official as much as 100,000 taels of gold and silver jewelry every year."

Linghu Zhishu was a little annoyed; it was such a waste to spend so much money.

“Wang Dezhen is short of money, yet he didn’t do such a thing. Wan Feng is not short of money, yet he is still insatiable.”

"Wang De is ruthlessly exploiting his men. He's after all set on leaving the pass, and he doesn't care about the lives of the soldiers here! And in the end, the commander-in-chief takes the blame. Wan Feng, on the other hand, has already taken root outside the pass, so he has to consider the feelings of his soldiers and doesn't dare to be too harsh on them. So he can only come up with other crooked ideas. But it's all for the best. In the end, it only benefits the commander-in-chief!" Li Guohua laughed like a night owl.

Linghu Zhishu sighed, "Actually, it's not a good thing that Wang Dezhen left. With one less Left General, the court has a reason to send another one, and what if a powerful one comes!"

“So, he can’t leave!” Linghu Ye smiled and said, “I disagree. Where can he go? Over the years, the resentment of the soldiers under General Zuo’s command has accumulated enough. When the time comes, we can use him as a sacrifice to appease the soldiers’ anger and win their hearts!”

Linghu Zhishu nodded repeatedly: "Uncle, today Xiao Changche took the initiative to propose attacking Qingtongxia and Shazhuling. Why don't you let him try? If he succeeds, it will be a great thing. If he fails, his strength will be weakened, and it will also prevent him from acting arrogantly and domineering in front of you!"

"Zhishu, are you jealous of him?" Linghuye asked with a smile.

“What do I have to be jealous of!” Linghu Zhishu shook his head. “I just feel that my uncle is too lenient with him.”

“You are my hidden scythe, Xiao Changche. I expect him to become my visible blade. Capable and talented people will always be respected and tolerated,” Linghu Ye said. “Zhishu, you must understand that to accomplish great things, one must have a broad mind. If your subordinates are all just blind followers, it’s not necessarily a good thing!”

"Xiao Changche is so arrogant, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to become your sharpest weapon!"

"Why not? Xiao Changche doesn't have much affection for the Great Qin. All he cares about is defeating the Northern Yuan and avenging himself. As for who he follows, it doesn't matter to him at all."

“But Uncle, if we really have the chance, we will completely abandon the area outside the Great Wall and march into the interior!” Linghu Zhishu lowered his voice. “This goes against Xiao Changche’s wishes. He might turn against us then. We need to make arrangements as soon as possible!”

“Xiao Changche is such a clever man!” Li Guohua said, “He knows very well that the people in the central government of Qin have never even considered a northern expedition, and Qin is not strong enough to launch one. In a few years, Qin will probably become even weaker. What can he do if he wants revenge? Lead troops north and go it alone? That would be humiliating himself. So when the time comes, he will understand that what he needs is a strong court and a wise and decisive ruler.”

Linghu Zhishu immediately realized: "If the Qin Dynasty falls into chaos, his desire to launch a northern expedition will be even more thwarted. If he wants to launch a northern expedition, he needs to end the chaos in the Qin Dynasty quickly. This is something we can take advantage of!"

"That's right!" Linghu Ye said, "Xiao Changche is the most capable general I've ever seen in training and commanding troops. When the time comes, he can serve as my vanguard and lead the army into the pass. Which of those weaklings in the pass can withstand three blows from him?"

"Uncle, you are very insightful! I admire you greatly. In that case, I must treat Xiao Changche even better from now on, even if it means being met with indifference, I must make him feel that our Linghu family is truly good to him," said Linghu Zhishu.

(End of this chapter)