Chapter 9

Now, Bai Dong had developed a conditioned reflex; as soon as it was mealtime, his stomach would churn, and his mouth would fill with acid, making everything look like food. Many of the Qin soldiers had similar issues, and their conditions were even worse. Yesterday, one soldier even bit his comrade's head, and Bai Dong was sure it wasn't because of any homosexual tendencies, as he himself had experienced similar hallucinations, once mistaking the driver's head for a five-spice braised pig's head.

If things continued like this, everyone would be doomed, and they wouldn't even need the Wei army to attack. So, when he saw the earthen pot with boiling noodle water at breakfast, Bai Dong no longer hesitated. He rushed to the Qin soldier responsible for inspecting the military rations and loudly said, "Give me the grain probe!"

The grain transport team wasn't just responsible for ensuring the grain wasn't lost; they also had to maintain the quality of the rations. The grain probe was a bamboo tube with the nodes removed, which could be inserted into a bag to extract grain from the bottom, allowing for easy inspection of any spoilage. The Qin soldier handed over the grain probe without hesitation. Was he really that willing? Seeing a faint smile on Bai Chong's lips, Bai Dong suddenly understood something. He had underestimated the ancients. How could someone who could become the magistrate of Liyang be just a brute who liked to fight?

But it didn't matter. He was also starving, and some things had to be done. He walked to the grain cart, selected a bag of grain, and inserted the grain probe. Golden millet flour flowed out from the bottom of the probe. Bai Dong raised his head and shouted, "I am the one taking the grain now. If it violates military law, it will be my fault. Lord, what do you say?"

The eyes of the Qin soldiers all widened. To them, the millet flour flowing from the grain probe was fragrant dry cakes, steaming hot porridge, and a lifeline! Some Qin soldiers picked up the earthen basins and ran to Bai Dong's side to receive the grain.

Faced with the strict military discipline, everyone was in a mental battle, enduring the pangs of hunger. No one dared to violate the military law, not even Bai Chong. But when Bai Dong took the first step, the iron dam of military discipline would immediately crack and eventually collapse.

Just as Bai Chong had hoped, the starving Bai Dong finally took this step. He squinted his eyes in delight and mustered his strength to respond, "Taking military rations without permission is punishable by death! However, according to the laws of the various states, officials and scholars are not subject to corporal punishment. Mr. Bai has given me a difficult problem... If I don't execute you, I will violate military law; if I order your execution, I will violate national law. This is truly a dilemma."

"I have already opened the grain bag. It would be a waste to let it go to waste. Everyone, help me eat some of it, and it will slightly reduce my guilt."

Bai Dong took one grain probe after another, walking around the grain carts and piercing over a hundred grain bags. Watching the Qin soldiers run over to receive the grain, he nodded and walked back to Bai Chong, giving the strategist a knowing look. "Lord, according to your logic, the national law and military law are in conflict. Will you follow the military law or the national law? This concerns my life, so you must think carefully."

Bai Chong had already thought it through. The army was out of food, and relying on noodle water to reach the west of the river was a miracle. The only one who could break this deadlock was Bai Dong. Taking away Bai Dong's dry cakes and roasted fish was to force this scholar to act. Bai Dong naturally saw through his intentions and was willing to play along.

Looking at this rough but shrewd strategist, Bai Dong nodded inwardly, acknowledging that he was teachable. Although the relationship between higher and lower laws had not yet been clearly defined in this era, and the methods and theories of legal application had not been established, Bai Chong should still understand that national law was superior to military law. Or perhaps this was part of his plan to cooperate with him.

"Exempting scholars from capital punishment is not just a law of Qin; even the six states of Shandong, Wei, Song, Lu, and Yue all abide by it. This is a national law and a principle of the world. Therefore, although military law is strict, it does not apply to you. By willingly violating military law, you have saved the lives of the three thousand soldiers in our army. Please accept my respects!"

Bai Chong's bow was for the three thousand starving soldiers, the ten thousand soldiers in the western camp, and an apology for his stratagem. Therefore, Bai Dong did not refuse, accepting the bow with a smile and winking at him. "Hurry up and make the cakes. I'm hungry..."

In this era, even pots had not been invented, let alone the griddles used for making cakes. The cakes were baked on the inner wall of a large earthen pot, with charcoal burning in the center. It was somewhat similar to modern baked cakes, and when baked, they were crispy and fragrant, making a bowl of noodle water a supreme delicacy.

The Qin soldiers would take a bite of the cake and exclaim, "Thank you, Mr. Bai!" The forest trembled, and birds took flight. Few were fools; everyone knew that Mr. Bai had saved their lives, preventing them from becoming starving ghosts.

***

In historical novels, there are often scenes of intercepting grain supplies. However, transporting grain is usually done in the rear, and while the enemy can harass and attack, intercepting the grain is very difficult. The most common scenario is that the enemy, deep within our territory, often faces a food crisis. They lack supplies, cannot carry heavy weapons like chariots, and even the number of arrows they carry is limited, forcing them to launch futile suicide attacks.

Bai Dong was disappointed because he did not see the famous Wei Wu soldiers. This elite force of the early Warring States period had been mythologized by later military historians, described as fully armed, the first semi-professional army in ancient China, and capable of forming phalanxes that could defeat ten enemies with one. In reality, Bai Dong saw a group of lightly equipped soldiers wielding bronze swords, with the largest group numbering only four to five hundred. Facing the well-fed and spirited Qin soldiers, the outcome was inevitable.

Bai Chong killed five enemies, hanging their heads under his horse's neck, and proudly showed them to Bai Dong. This was a common trait among warriors, who deeply admired and respected scholars like Bai Dong but never missed an opportunity to show off their martial prowess.

"Mr. Bai, we are only thirty miles from the western camp. We can reach it before sunset."

Bai Chong rode over, the grain transport army having just repelled another Wei attack. His face was still stained with the blood of the enemy, and he came to show off, his head held high like the old hen named Huahua.

"I heard the lord ordered you to collect eight thousand stones of grain, but you only got four thousand. According to military law, that's a beheading offense, right? Don't expect me to help you this time. You are a schemer."

Looking at the heads of the Wei soldiers hanging from the horse's neck, Bai Dong felt nauseous.

"I don't dare to ask you to save me. Although Liyang is prosperous, the wars in the west have long been a heavy burden. Should the people starve to death? I cannot bear it. If the lord wants to behead me, let him do it!"

Bai Chong laughed heartily, showing no fear, but rather a sense of pride.

"Ha, Lord, you are truly a father to the people, aren't you? You want the historians to record this, right?"

Bai Dong smiled. "Since that's the case, forget it. I might have had a way to save you, but now it seems I shouldn't stop your noble act of self-sacrifice..."

Ps: Thank you to brother 'Da Meng Qian Qiu San Zai' for your generous support.

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