The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 383 The Lord humiliates the minister and dies
Starting from Guihua City, we headed east all the way to Daning.

To the south is the Great Wall built along the Yanshan Mountains. North of Xuanfu, a major town through which the Great Wall passes, the desert edge is reached in a straight line at a distance of 700 li. The desert is 800-900 li long from east to west and more than 400 li long from north to south, its vastness is despairing.

First, caravans traveled along this route in parallel, and six months later, one after another, agricultural reclamation teams followed.

Their main activity area was between this desert and the Yanshan Mountains, where they searched for new water sources and established new strongholds based on these sources.

Alternatively, once a trading post is successfully established on pastureland leased by a caravan, it will absorb a large number of people from the agricultural reclamation teams.

The advantage of caravan trading posts is that everything is readily available. Although there are no wages, it is still better than the irregular meals and seemingly endless work in agricultural reclamation teams.

Not everyone can bear the fear of starving to death at any time. As for the trading posts, the food wasn't good either, and you had to keep working, so at least it was more stable.

Many disaster victims have lost all hope and are simply trying to endure it.

Despite the increasing dangers the further east they went.

The trading posts were frequently attacked by the Hu people, but they had mercenary armies, so they were generally safer. On the other hand, the agricultural reclamation teams that were out searching for water sources lacked military protection. Although they were organized, most of them were no match for the Hu people.

"Oh, hehe."

A cloud of dust billowed up from behind the hillside, and more than twenty Hu people on horseback made all sorts of strange noises as they drew their bows and shot arrows at the attacked agricultural reclamation team.

The agricultural reclamation team had over a hundred people.

Two carts were being pushed in the middle of the group, each carrying two and a half bags of rations, which amounted to a little over two bushels.

There are over 130 people, enough to feed them for only one or two days.

But this is the team's rations for five and a half days, calculated down to each and every meal.

They had been walking for twenty days, experiencing disappointment after disappointment. They had not found any of the water sources marked on the map, or even if there had been any water sources there before.

When they set off, there were 150 people, and they were given 15 bags of grain, which is 15 shi (a unit of dry measure), to last them for a month.

Two carts.

They took turns carrying the remaining few supplies.

Then, ten people form a team, and each team takes turns getting food.

They eat two meals a day, each a thin porridge so thin that chopsticks can barely stand upright. More than a dozen people have fallen behind or died on the way, and the group is filled with despair.

If they cannot find the next supply point, or if the supply points are no longer available, or if they get lost...
But at this time.

"The Hu bandits are coming! Gather together, gather together!"

Having persevered to this point, he had painstakingly rallied the troops, with only a dozen or so men killed. He was elected by his men and temporarily appointed as a centurion by the military governor's office. The man in his thirties looked haggard.

But when he saw the Hu people, he still insisted on shouting, using all his strength.

Besides hunger and cold, there was also the plundering by the Hu people.

Amidst the clanging and clattering noises, the more than one hundred "disaster victims" from the agricultural reclamation team finally gathered together. They only had a dozen or so spears, and they stood blankly outside the crowd, facing the Hu cavalry in a panic and fear.

"No one is allowed to shirk their responsibility in protecting food supplies."

The centurion, exhausted from pulling and shouting, tripped and fell, causing a brief commotion in the ranks.

"Swish swish."

The Hu cavalry approached and fired arrows.

Arrows were shot into the dense crowd, attempting to scatter them.

Screams erupted immediately.

One of the disaster victims was unlucky; an arrow pierced his eye socket, causing him to lose his mind in pain and run around wildly, which made the rest of the group even more terrified. Fear was all that remained on their faces.

"what!"

Some mustered their courage, raised their spears and charged at the Hu cavalry, only to be shot dead by them.

"Gather together, gather together!"

The centurion got up again and shouted, urging the men not to disperse, "If we lose the food, we'll all die!"

The Hu people were reluctant to fire too many arrows.

They were unwilling to waste their energy, had few arrows, and often went hungry.

After circling around outside for a while, he found an opportunity and, with great luck, shot the centurion. The centurion stared blankly at the arrow in his chest. Although the arrow was weak and powerless, it still easily pierced through his thin, tattered clothes.

Clutching the arrow, he slowly collapsed amidst the disbelief and fear in the eyes of his companions.

The crowd dispersed.

The Hu cavalry then charged in, their target clear: the grain in the hands of the Zhou people.

Some remained in place to resist, refusing to yield even at the cost of their lives.

This attracted more and more people back. Seeing that things were not going well and fearing casualties, the Hu cavalry only took two bags. They were unwilling to fight any longer for the remaining half bag and quickly rode away.

The people who had been scattering around watched the Hu cavalry leave before they returned, feeling uneasy.

The dead and wounded were everywhere.

The centurion also died.

The young man who had just desperately protected the food rations is also dead.

"Woo~"

Crying broke out in the ranks.

All emotions are useless.

Not only were the Zhou people searching for a way to survive, but the Hu people were also searching for a way to survive; they were all seeking to live under the same sky.

Simultaneously.

Zhou Jun's figure disappeared into the desert, like a grain of dust in the sand.

"Bahhhhh."

Shi Ping personally led his team in pursuit, which lasted for three days.

"General, we cannot pursue them any further," the military officer beside him said solemnly.

There weren't many of them, and they didn't bring much supplies. If they continued running, even if the people could keep going, the horses wouldn't be able to.

Shi Ping's eyes were filled with anger.

His troop of soldiers was ambushed by the Hu people and was wiped out.

What angered him even more was that the Hu people not only killed his soldiers, but also cut off their heads and neatly arranged them on the sand, which was full of a demonstrative atmosphere.

By the time they were discovered, they had been gnawed to death, leaving only bones.

"Sukh!"

Shi Ping gritted his teeth.

This man was the most notorious bandit in the desert.

Since Shi Ping couldn't find any enemies, he could only blame it on Shi Ping.

He had finally learned of this person's whereabouts by chance, and in order to prevent the other party from escaping, he rushed out to chase after them, but the other party still got away.

"go back."

Although Shi Ping was furious, he did not lose his temper and returned empty-handed with his team.

A protracted confrontation.

Even though Zhou Jun's strength far surpassed that of the Hu people, as time went on, Zhou Jun's casualties increased, which Shi Ping could not accept. Upon learning that Zhao Yong had arrived near Camel Mountain, he quickly rushed over.

Zhao Yong led only a thousand cavalrymen, from the Yellow River to Sanbulachuan, and then from Sanbulachuan to Changshuihai and Kushuihai.

Having personally experienced the difficulties faced by the agricultural reclamation team, Zhao Yong was deeply troubled by the fact that even these two famous locations had been cut off from their water supply. He personally led his team out to search for water and, at the same time, fought against the Hu people.

Finally, we arrived at Camel Mountain.

Where there are mountains, there is water.

This place, Camel Mountain, as the name suggests, was a place where camels drank water and ate camel thorns, saxaul, and jujubes. However, that was a long time ago. Camel Mountain still exists, but the camels have all died out.

The guide looked bewildered.

“It wasn’t like this when I came here ten years ago,” the guide said with a look of despair. “It used to be lush and green. How could it have become like this?”

A gray, earthen hill. There's not a trace of green, let alone water.

Having experienced too many disappointments, Zhao Yong was still upset when he experienced disappointment again. He did not blame the guide. There were no road signs or roads in the desert, and the guide had already done a great job in finding Camel Mountain on the first try.

The soldiers remained silent.

Under the guidance of the military officers, they set up camp. They would continue their journey tomorrow. The army did not have much food, and the water in their canteens was also running low. Both people and livestock had to drink sparingly. It seemed that they would have to borrow water from a trading post a hundred miles away tomorrow.

It was indeed a loan.

The water at the trading post costs money.

As promised by the Jiedushi government, the land belonged to the trading post, and the water source on the land naturally also belonged to the trading post.

Although it was unpleasant, it was indeed a trading post built with the money of the merchants, and it did provide the army with a stable supply. Otherwise, the situation today would be dangerous without the trading post.

Day two.

The group resumed their journey and was about to leave Camel Mountain when the guide, who hadn't returned all night, rushed back, clutching a handful of green grass. "I've found water! I've found water!"

Smiles appeared on the soldiers' numb faces.

It seemed to come alive.

The team became more lively.

"Great."

"We've found another place to graze our livestock."

"At least the trip wasn't in vain."

"Damn it."

A smile unconsciously appeared on Zhao Yong's face. He never thought that he would be excited by seeing a bunch of wild grass.

They stayed.

He personally settled the subsequent agricultural reclamation teams and learned about the surrounding conditions.

Many agricultural reclamation teams disappeared without a trace, while others, after losing contact, would suddenly send back messages after a long time, saying that they had found a water source somewhere. After Zhao Yong signed off on their mission, the Jiedushi (military governor) would send grain seeds and other supplies.

Then a new settlement appeared on the map.

However, these messages circulate very slowly.

Zhao Yong wanted to understand the surrounding situation as soon as possible and provide as much support as he could.

"Besides the bandits hiding in the desert, there are also a few old acquaintances." Shi Ping reported the military situation in the eastern region to Zhao Yong after arriving.

"Suhe, who used to be one of the ten tribes of the Yinma River Kulu, along with Jose and Ertdun, were all former subordinates of Ou Yanhu. Jose and Ertdun seized several tribes and settled in the former territory of the Donghu."

After arriving in Daning, Shi Ping led troops into battle on his own several times.

The rumors were so numerous that even Zhao Yong had heard some of them. Although he didn't quite believe them, this person came from the Imperial Guard and was considered a rising star in the army, so Zhao Yong didn't say much.

"Sukhe is hard to find, so why weren't José and Erttun eliminated?"

“These two tribes were terrified of us before. After learning that the bid had been won, they took the initiative to send people to contact us, expressing their willingness to submit and hoping that we would not attack them.” Shi Ping laughed and said, “Defeating them is easy, but I’m afraid we can’t wipe them out in one fell swoop. As long as they don’t cause trouble, the bidder believes that we can coexist peacefully with them.”

Zhao Yong sneered, "Can weapons or people grow in the desert?"

Shi Ping was stumped by the question.

Zhao Yong slammed his fist on the table. "If you don't eliminate these two units, you'll never be able to destroy Suhe. Why don't you report this!"

Shi Ping's arrogant face froze.

The guards outside looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing the shouts from inside the tent.

“Biaoxia.” Shi Ping lowered his head, then raised it again, and said calmly, “Biaoxia thought these matters were minor and that he could handle them, so there was no need to cause trouble for the Marshal’s Mansion. Biaoxia was wrong.”

"If you weren't a former bodyguard of the general, I'd drag you out and give you thirty lashes right now. Who do you think you are? A mere battalion commander, daring to disregard military orders, who gave you the courage!"

Shi Ping blushed and finally lowered his head.

Zhao Yong snorted coldly.

"Someone is coming."

"exist."

"By my command, transfer the Shi Gandang Battalion to Camel Mountain."

"Here!"

Shi Ping became excited and explained, "Shi Gandang is far away, and going back and forth would waste more resources. Please, General, let the commander atone for his crimes and make him a hero. We will definitely annihilate the two tribes completely."

Zhao Yong sneered, "You think you're a good fighter, and I admit you are, but do you know..."

Zhao Yong suddenly pulled Shi Ping to the map.

in all directions.

Zhao Yong slammed his hand heavily on the eastern part of the map, which was made of oilcloth and almost tore it apart.

Normally, Zhao Yong would never treat a map like this. He roared angrily, "Do you know that the number of agricultural reclamation teams that disappeared in your direction is far more than in other places? More than double! Your army also suffered the most casualties. And you still think you're so capable? Is that your secret? How ridiculous!"

Shi Ping remained silent.

Zhao Yong knew Shi Ping was resentful and said disdainfully, "You think you're the only one in trouble? Do you still remember Li E'ci?"

Shi Ping, who was serving under Wang Xin at the time, was very familiar with the names of Ou Yanhu and the other Hu leaders, and nodded honestly: "I remember this person."

“This person is based north of the Little Yellow River.” Zhao Yong was too lazy to say more and said hastily, “There are also Mali and Erci’en. Others have your troubles too, and even bigger ones.”

Shi Ping finally lowered his head.

General Zhao said that the agricultural reclamation teams on his side had disappeared the most, and the military casualties were also the highest.

Shi Ping felt lost.

Since I began leading my troops into battle, I have won every single one. Which barbarian tribe would dare to fight me? My soldiers also admire me. How could this have happened?

"Woooooooo~"

Trumpets sounded.

The city of Datong was deathly still, but a family was holding a funeral. They saw several soldiers, so it seemed that the deceased was a soldier.

Since the change of military governor, the treatment of soldiers has been getting better and better.

These days, many ordinary people die and are simply buried in mass graves. But when soldiers die, they get funeral processions with trumpets playing. Looking at the two children and the woman in mourning at the front of the procession, it's not a bad thing that they died.

The people watched numbly.

The price of grain in the city is unbelievably high, and it is often unavailable.

They went out to beg in the streets, one family after another.

The number of disaster victims seemed endless. So many people were crammed into the desert, and the next day, even more people poured into Datong. Datong had never seen so many people before; it was unbelievable.

Shi Ping returned, but did not attend his men's funerals; he was unable to meet with their families.

I never thought I would be afraid.

He calmly returned to the governor's mansion. No matter how much the governor scolded him, or even if he were forced to return to being a common soldier, Shi Ping was prepared to accept any punishment.

"The boss."

The former actress, now a middle-aged woman, stood at the door, biting her lip as she held her child, looking at Shi Ping with concern.

"It's okay, go back."

Shi Ping waved his hand and left home.

Upon arriving at the Jiedushi's residence, everyone recognized Shi Ping. Many of the guards in the Imperial Guard were his former subordinates, but today they all wore cold expressions. Although they greeted Shi Ping, their faces remained frosty.

Shi Ping found it strange and pulled one of them aside to ask, "Even if I was wrong, you shouldn't stop here, right?"

"what?"

The man was bewildered, and said angrily, "Someone has insulted the commander!"

Shi Ping was utterly astonished upon hearing this, then his face turned ashen, and he forced out a single word through gritted teeth, "Who is it!"

(End of this chapter)