Liang Shanbo: The Poor Scholar-Emperor

Chapter 146 Winning Hearts and Forging Loyalty, Absence Makes the Heart Blossom Again

In today's battle, nearly twenty soldiers under Liang Shanbo's command were wounded.

Two of them were slightly more seriously injured. One was stabbed in the ribs by a wooden spear, leaving a large bruise, while the other fell and was trampled in the melee, injuring his tendons and bones. Fortunately, neither of them was in mortal danger and will recover after some time.

Most of the wounded soldiers were gathered in a spacious tent, with clean straw mats on the beds and the air filled with the bitter smell of wound medicine.

At this moment, two medics were busy in the tent, one applying medicine and bandaging the wounded, and the other decocting a soup to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.

Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu lifted the curtain and entered. When the wounded soldiers in the tent saw that it was the military advisor who had come in person, they all struggled to get up and pay their respects, but Liang Shanbo quickly waved his hand and pressed them down: "Lie down, don't move, it's important to recover from your injuries."

He first inquired in detail about the wounded soldier's condition, what medicine he was using, how long he needed to recuperate, and whether there would be any long-term effects. The medic answered all his questions.

He personally went to each of the wounded soldiers, checking their injuries, tucking in the blankets for one, asking another if they were still in pain, helping another with the wooden crutch beside the bed, and even personally picking up a bowl of water to feed a young soldier with a slightly more serious injury a sip of water. His attitude was gentle and approachable, without any airs of a superior officer.

After examining all the wounded, he turned to the two medics and solemnly instructed them: "Thank you both. These brothers risked their lives and shed sweat for our vanguard battalion on the training ground today. You must treat them well, do not be stingy with medicine, and do not be perfunctory in the slightest. If there is any shortage, just let me know and I will take care of it myself."

The two medical workers quickly agreed.

The wounded soldiers, some lying on the beds and some sitting on the edge of them, some young and some old, some former refugees and some former defeated soldiers, all felt a surge of warmth in their hearts as they listened to the military advisor's words and looked at his sincere face. Some even had tears welling up in their eyes.

Among them, some had spent half their lives wandering and had never been looked at seriously by any distinguished person; others had served in other groups and were whipped more often than they ate.

Now, this young recruit, whose archery skills are divine and whose martial arts are amazing, has personally come to their tent to check on their injuries and care for them. This kindness and consideration are enough for them to remember.

Liang Shanbo did this because he genuinely cared about the soldiers who had shed blood and sweat for him, and because he knew how to win hearts and minds and forge loyalty in the army.

Treat others as you would like to be treated, and exchange sincerity for sincerity.

On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes; only those soldiers who respect and trust you from the bottom of their hearts will stay by your side and fight to the death when life and death are at stake.

Although the Guangling camp has always prohibited alcohol, it is not a monolithic entity.

After all, drinking was prevalent in this era, and soldiers were not allowed to leave the camp without permission, so it was impossible to strictly prohibit soldiers from doing so.

Drinking in the camp, if not allowed to drink even a little, is likely to cause resentment.

Today, Liang Shanbo has achieved a great victory over Liu Laozhi, and he is finally able to hold his head high. As the military advisor, he has fulfilled his previous promise and has graciously allowed the soldiers under his command to drink wine and meat in the camp to celebrate this hard-won victory.

At the Liangshanbo vanguard camp's encampment, there was a fairly flat open space.

At this moment, the soldiers who participated in the battle today had gathered on this open space, each holding a rough earthenware wine bowl.

A group of guards carrying several jars of wine moved among the ranks, filling each bowl with wine that was clear and bright yellow.

Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu stood side by side on a stone step in front of the crowd.

After pouring the wine, Liang Shanbo held a bowl of wine and slowly glanced at the somewhat familiar faces in front of him.

He spoke loudly, trying his best to make his words clearly reach everyone's ears and hearts: "Today's victory is not the achievement of Liang Shanbo alone, nor is it the achievement of Protector Xiao alone."

Today's victory is the result of the hard work and perseverance of each and every one of you—every shield soldier at the front, every spearman thrusting through the gaps in the shields, and every archer in the rear—all achieved through the sweat and dedication of the past two weeks. It was a testament to your unwavering formation, your steadfastness, your courage and tenacity, and your fearlessness in the face of a formidable enemy.

This victory belongs to you, to every single one of us in this vanguard battalion!

Today, some brothers performed exceptionally well in the battle, but I won't name them all. Your merits and demerits are clearly recorded in black and white in the merit book, and I remember them all clearly in my heart.

Today's victory proves that we are a disciplined and courageous army.

We don't need to envy the bravery of others, because we have our own principles; we don't need to fear the ferocity of others, because we have our own backbone!

We are one unit. Shield bearers, spearmen, and archers are one unit; cavalry and infantry are one unit; squad leaders, deputy squad leaders, platoon leaders, and soldiers are one unit; and I, Commander Xiao, and you are also one unit!

As long as we work together and keep striving to hone and refine these skills, one day when we truly step onto the battlefield filled with smoke and blood, we will be invincible and unstoppable!

What awaits us ahead are challenges and hardships, but also opportunities to make achievements and build a career.

"Come, let me, the military advisor, offer you all a bowl of wine!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised the wine bowl high with both hands.

Xiao Hu also raised his wine bowl, and everyone else raised their wine bowls high above their heads, shouting in unison, their shouts shaking the heavens.

The soldiers tilted their heads back and drank the bowl of wine, which was filled with the taste of victory and the camaraderie of their comrades, in one gulp.

The wine went down my throat, hot and refreshing, washing away all the hard work, fatigue, tension, and pressure of the past two weeks, turning it into a heartfelt sense of belonging and pride.

The soldiers witnessed firsthand their commander's astonishing martial prowess and personally experienced his sincere treatment of them; their awe and gratitude were intertwined.

In one place, as closely intertwined as the warp and weft, a steadfast and unbreakable loyalty was forged.

A group of guards once again picked up the wine jars and walked through the ranks, refilling each empty bowl with wine.

Xiao Hu, carrying a bowl of wine, stepped forward and stood where Liang Shanbo had just stood, his tiger-like eyes sweeping over the crowd.

He said in a deep, booming voice, "Gentlemen, as Military Advisor Liang just said, today's victory is due to our formation remaining intact, our people staying together, our courage and tenacity, and our fearlessness in the face of a powerful enemy."

This phrase is the soul of our vanguard battalion, what sets us apart from others! You have lived up to this phrase today!

I personally witnessed that such a fierce attack and such a ferocious enemy did not manage to scatter you!

The reason I was able to capture the flag today is not because of my own great abilities, but because of Military Advisor Liang and all of you who held off the attack of those tigers and wolves!

I, the Protector-General, am also here to offer you all a bowl of wine!

The crowd shouted again, raised their bowls once more, and drank the wine in their bowls together with Xiao Hu and Liang Shanbo.

After drinking that bowl of wine, the soldiers' morale soared even higher.

After the drinking session, the soldiers dispersed in small groups to return to their tents to continue drinking and eating meat. Laughter and cheerful voices echoed throughout the camp, dispelling some of the winter chill.

Liang Shanbo led Xiao Hu into his barracks.

A table of wine and meat had already been set out in the barracks.

A dish of braised beef, a dish of roasted mutton, two dishes of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and the wine is a fine yellow wine warmed in an earthenware pot.

Steam rose in the air, and the aroma of wine filled the air.

On the table were two exquisitely crafted plain porcelain wine cups, not the coarse earthenware bowls used when toasting the soldiers outside.

Liang Shanbo sat down at the table, pointed to the Lin family's seat opposite him, indicating that Xiao Hu should take a seat, and said with a smile, "Xiao Gu, there's no need to be so formal."

Let's change our glasses and use some warm wine; it'll make us more comfortable.

Xiao Hu grinned, sat down opposite him casually, picked up the plain porcelain wine cup and examined it from all angles in his palm, muttering, "This cup is more exquisite than the one in my barracks."

In the hierarchical military camps of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, ordinary soldiers mostly drank from simple, practical earthenware bowls, while those with exquisite designs...

Intricately crafted porcelain or lacquer cups were primarily used by generals.

Just now, when toasting the soldiers outside, Liang Shanbo deliberately used the same coarse earthenware wine bowl as everyone else, which meant that he placed himself on the same level as the soldiers. Now, drinking alone with Xiao Hu, he has switched back to his more familiar wine cup. This is a private exchange, a friendly toast between brothers.

Liang Shanbo personally poured Xiao Hu a cup of warm wine, then filled his own cup. He put down the wine pot, raised his cup to Xiao Hu, and said with a smile, "We agreed before that today I'll toast you with a cup of wine, and you'll toast me with a cup of wine. It's all in this wine. Come, Xiao Gu, this first cup is for you."

Xiao Hu held the cup with both hands and gently touched it to Liang Shanbo, the rims of the cups striking each other with a ringing sound.

The two looked at each other and smiled, then tilted their heads back and drank it all.

Xiao Hu put down his wine cup, then picked up the pot and refilled Liang Shanbo's and his own cups, saying solemnly, "This second cup is for the Military Advisor. That arrow you shot today was truly miraculous. From over eighty paces away, an arrow without an arrowhead struck right in the face. I, Xiao Hu, have seen many archers, but none can match the Military Advisor's skill."

The two drank together again.

After a couple of rounds of drinks, Xiao Hu's rugged face suddenly showed a hint of emotion. Looking at Liang Shanbo, he said sincerely, "Commander, let me tell you what's on my mind."

Today in the camp, I saw you personally visit the wounded, checking each one's injuries, asking about their well-being, and even doing trivial things like tucking them in and feeding them water. Finally, you gave the medical staff such solemn instructions.

I saw the way those wounded soldiers looked at you.

They were all refugees, defeated soldiers, and peasants before; they had never received such consideration. From now on, these people would probably not even bat an eye if they had to go through fire and water to join the army.

Just now I saw you standing on the stone steps again, holding a rough earthenware wine bowl, toasting the soldiers and saying those words, not taking credit for yourself, but giving credit to everyone.

These two actions by enlisting in the army were truly brilliant, as they aimed to win hearts and minds, build loyalty, and boost morale.

He truly possesses the qualities of a great general; not only is his martial skill astonishing, but his ability to command troops is also beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Liang Shanbo smiled faintly, picked up his wine cup, took a small sip, and said humbly, "Xiaogu, you flatter me. I was just doing my duty. The soldiers fought for me, so I should treat them with sincerity."

He didn't say much, quietly concealing his deep-seated ambition and schemes within his heart.

He wanted to win over his soldiers and build their loyalty. In a more immediate sense, he wanted to establish himself in the army, achieve great things on the battlefield, and live up to his own expectations, as well as the kindness of Zhu Yingtai and Xie Xuan.

Looking further ahead, it was all for his own grand ambition of conquering the world and establishing his own dynasty.

He wanted to build himself a loyal iron army, an army that would not only be invincible on the battlefield, but also loyal to him, Liang Shanbo, as its commander in the long run. No matter what the situation was in the future, this iron army would be loyal to him, Liang Shanbo, and fight for him.

Every heart he wins over and every loyalty he forges is laying the foundation for his future path to conquering the world.

However, he naturally could not, and did not need to, express these thoughts to Xiao Hu.

As dusk fell, the setting sun cast its golden rays upon the banners of the Guangling camp.

Slightly intoxicated, Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu rode their horses out of the camp and headed into the city as dusk fell.

After half a month, I can finally go back to the city and reunite with my wife.

The twilight was beautiful, but the chill was biting. Fortunately, the gate of Guangling City was just ahead, leading to the house in the corner of the courtyard with a clump of green bamboo, where my wife lived and where I found warmth.

Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu rode their horses together into the quiet alley, where they said goodbye.

Xiao Hu continued riding deeper into the alley, while Liang Shanbo dismounted, handed the reins to Yinsheng, and pushed open his own courtyard gate. As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Zhu Yingtai quickly coming out of the main hall to greet him.

She already knew her husband would be returning home in the evening, so she dressed up specially, wearing a somewhat flamboyant women's outfit, and even adorned her hair with a jade hairpin shaped like a pair of lovebirds. This jade hairpin was a gift from Xie Daoyun, and she had worn it in her hair on their wedding night.

Her face was full of joy as she stepped forward, took the helmet from her husband's hand, and said with a smile, "Brother Liang is back. I've been waiting for you at home every day for the past two weeks, and I'm so glad you're finally back."

The couple entered the main room side by side. After they sat down, Liang Shanbo briefly recounted his experiences in the camp over the past half month, especially today's battle formation. Although Zhu Yingtai had already learned of her husband's victory from Yinsheng, who had returned with the news, hearing it from his own mouth still made her eyes light up. However, she didn't say much, only smiling and saying, "I knew Brother Liang would win."

This simple smile and these simple words already demonstrate her trust and tenderness towards him, and show that she is happy and proud of him.

Zhu Yingtai had already asked Yinxin and Amian to boil water in the kitchen.

She personally served her husband during his bath, gently scrubbing his back and washing his hair with tender and meticulous movements.

The room was filled with warm steam and mist, enveloping the two of them in a cozy atmosphere.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

This is the first time the couple has been separated for half a month since their marriage, and tonight they are as loving as when they were newlyweds.

A dim yet warm lamp was deliberately lit by the bedside, and a faint red glow lingered in the charcoal brazier. The cool moonlight quietly filtered in from outside the window.

Lamps, charcoal light, and moonlight—three kinds of light converged in the bedroom, which resembled a bridal chamber.

The bed swayed gently, and the red waves of the quilt rippled.

The two embraced tightly, pouring all their longing, worry, and anticipation from the past two weeks into their tender embrace, making this winter night gentle and even passionate.