Chapter 37

Lu Yao was currently in a dilapidated house in the southern part of Jinyang City. Since entering Jinyang City, Lu Yao and his subordinates had been stationed there.

The winter sun finally freed itself from the纠缠 of the cold wind, lazily shining in the courtyard, casting a patchy shadow on the ground. The courtyards, one after another, were filled with soldiers. At this moment, the drills had not yet begun, and most of the soldiers were staying indoors to avoid the cold, their noisy voices coming from each room.

Lu Yao got up very early. He practiced several rounds of spear techniques in the courtyard, feeling his whole body warm up. He then leaned the long spear against the courtyard wall, drew a bucket of water from the well in the corner of the yard, splashed it on his face, and casually threw the bucket back into the well.

The bone-chilling well water made him feel even more refreshed. Lu Yao walked out of the courtyard, and all the soldiers along the way respectfully saluted him. Lu Yao smiled and returned their salutes, giving extra encouragement to a few wounded soldiers from the recent battle at Banqiao.

The military organization of the Jin Dynasty followed the system of the Han and Wei dynasties but had significant differences. The main changes were the gradual abandonment of the original units of "bu," "qu," and "tun," and the adoption of a five-tier system of "jun," "zhuang," "dui," "shi," and "wu." Lu Yao was originally the commander of the Bingzhou Army, leading 2,000 troops. Due to the current small scale of the army under Duke Yuexi, Lu Yao, as the newly appointed vice-general, actually led only about 200 troops in Jicheng, far fewer than before. After the battle at Banqiao, Duke Yuexi captured about 2,000 mixed barbarian prisoners and later received another 2,000 troops from the remaining Bingzhou Army. Duke Yuexi then dispersed them into various units.

Lu Yao, due to his achievements on the battlefield, received additional commendation from Duke Yuexi. Not only was he rewarded with gold, silk, and other valuables, but he was also allowed to select personnel to strengthen his unit. Compared to military achievements, such rewards were indeed generous, making many generals who followed Duke Yuexi to Bingzhou very envious. If it weren't for Duke Yuexi's long-standing authority, there would have been many complaints.

As a result, Lu Yao's unit expanded to nearly 500 men, reaching the standard of a "zhuang," with many elite soldiers. To facilitate command, Lu Yao formed a new "dui" and led it himself. Xue Tong and Shen Jin's units also expanded to 120 men. This exceeded the normal 50 men per "dui," but due to the lack of experienced officers, Lu Yao was unwilling to promote anyone randomly, so he had to make do for the time being and adjust later.

The newly added mixed barbarian soldiers were mostly brave and strong, which made the original veterans feel quite threatened. Conflicts often arose over trivial matters, causing headaches for the lower-ranking officers. However, Lu Yao was not worried. In his view, if the conflicts were handled appropriately, they could actually help the commander gain a firmer grip on the troops.

In every arbitration of conflicts, Lu Yao maintained a fair and impartial attitude, quickly earning the trust of the soldiers. When he easily overpowered more than 20 wild and unruly prisoners with a staff, no one in the entire camp dared to question his authority.

It was now the hour of Shen. Deng Gang set up a large pot outside the courtyard, boiling a pot of mixed grain porridge. Xue Tong was already waiting with a bowl, impatiently waiting for the meal. Soldiers were gathering from various rooms, each with a relaxed expression.

The occupation of Jinyang had been over ten days ago. The seemingly powerful Xiongnu fled in disarray under Liu Kun's attack, and the Jin army almost reclaimed the entire Taiyuan region without a fight.

This glorious victory greatly inspired the soldiers, and the morale was high. Many new recruits in Bingzhou had deep-seated grudges against the Xiongnu, and their desire for revenge was ignited by the victory. In recent days, some claimed they wanted to advance south to attack the Xiongnu from both sides with the Luoyang imperial army; others called for a push to Lishi to destroy the Chanyu's court. However, these suggestions were not even considered in the military council. Duke Yuexi had no intention of continuing the campaign, for two main reasons: the cold weather was not suitable for large-scale military movements, and the army lacked food supplies.

Last year, Bingzhou suffered a severe drought, leading to a serious famine. Since the beginning of the year, the Xiongnu and the imperial army had been in constant conflict, causing the people to flee, leaving large areas of farmland abandoned and barren. The granaries were already empty, and after several raids by the Xiongnu, even the people's hidden food supplies were reduced to a shocking level.

Liu Kun entered Bingzhou with a small cavalry, carrying limited supplies. Fortunately, the cities of Shangdang suffered less, and received support from several groups of refugees, barely managing to gather enough food for the army for a month.

Jinyang, a frontier stronghold since the Qin Dynasty, was known for its strategic location and prosperous population, and was considered the foundation of Bingzhou. However, no one expected Jinyang to be in such a dilapidated state: the entire city had at most a thousand households, less than one-tenth of its peak; most buildings were burned down, and the granaries and prisons were reduced to ruins; the city was overgrown with thorns and wild animals roamed the ruins; along the roads, dead bodies and even skeletons were visible everywhere—this was not the capital of Bingzhou, but a ghost town! In such a city, how could they gather enough food to support further military operations?

Duke Yuexi convened a military council to discuss this issue, and the generals debated, but no solution was found. However, a scout brought good news: the famine in southern Bingzhou was even worse than in Jinyang, forcing the Xiongnu to stay in Hedong for food. The few Xiongnu left in Bingzhou were suffering, with many of their livestock dying from hunger. It was unlikely that the Xiongnu would launch large-scale military actions until the next autumn harvest. As a result, the northern part of Bingzhou, which was supposed to be in constant warfare, experienced a temporary peace.

For the long-time warriors, this period was relatively leisurely and comfortable. However, due to the lack of food, they had been eating only half a meal for the past few days, which was a headache for the big eaters.

"Old Deng, we've been eating this half-dry, half-wet stuff for several meals now. The soldiers think the quartermaster is incompetent! What are you old man up to?" Gao Xiang sat by the stove, glaring at Deng Gang and sneering. He was used to being indulged by his old superior and still acted like the commander of the archers, offending people with his words.

Deng Gang, a kind and gentle elder, waved his hand and said, "Don't talk nonsense. Didn't I say the other day that due to the rugged terrain in Bingzhou, the food supplies will be delayed by a few days? Just bear with it for now. When they arrive, you'll have plenty to eat."

Gao Xiang's face was full of disdain. "I risk my life in battle, and you can't even give me a full meal!" He was about to complain loudly when Lu Yao stood between him and Deng Gang, holding a large bowl and said to Deng Gang, "Old Deng, give me a bowl." Gao Xiang, who was somewhat afraid of his superior, did not dare to say more.

Deng Gang, holding a large ladle, filled Lu Yao's bowl with porridge. The porridge, made from millet, red beans, and mulberry berries, had a rough and sour taste, making it hard to swallow.

Lu Yao did not want the soldiers to see him drinking the porridge with a grim face, so he turned and went back to his room. After a few steps, he said to Gao Xiang, "Shen Jin has been busy hunting lately and has had some success. Why don't you take a few skilled archers and go to the mountains outside the city in the afternoon? If you can hunt some yellow sheep or deer, you can have a feast. It's better than complaining here."

Gao Xiang grumbled in response.

Deng Gang, busy serving porridge to other soldiers, nodded and said, "The general is right! Right!"

Lu Yao quickly returned to his courtyard, and Xue Tong followed.

Xue Tong whispered, "Gao Xiang is a troublemaker with his mouth, but he's actually a straightforward man. Don't take it personally."

Lu Yao nodded. "Why should I argue with him? Tell Gao Xiang for me to stop talking nonsense. The army is temporarily short of food, and the soldiers will have to endure for a few days. All officers must maintain calm and avoid public complaints."

Xue Tong nodded.

After a moment of silence, Xue Tong whispered, "In the past few days, I've been interacting with Duke Yuexi's old subordinates and learned some inside information. Duke Yuexi is a pillar of the Donghai Wang lineage, and has been fighting in Central China for years, defeating many strong enemies. However, the court not only failed to reward him but also stripped him of most of his troops, handing them over to Prince Gaomi Sima Lue and Prince Dongying Sima Teng, and transferred them to Bingzhou. Therefore, the officers under Duke Yuexi have some grievances."

He sighed. "Since the recovery of Jinyang, what I've seen and heard is shocking. Many soldiers are complaining, saying they thought Jinyang was a place to achieve great deeds, but it turned out to be a dead end with no food or pay. Many are cursing Prince Dongying Sima Teng for his incompetence and leaving them a mess. Even we, the remaining Bingzhou Army, have not fared well. Some officers even spread rumors that the idea of advancing to Jinyang was your bad advice to Duke Yuexi, and they have been criticizing you... The words are very harsh."

"Those officers are long-time followers of Duke Yuexi, and they don't take us, the former Xiongnu soldiers, seriously. If they vent their anger at Prince Dongying on us, where will we vent our grievances and the grievances of our fallen comrades?" Xue Tong said, feeling indignant.

Lu Yao smiled bitterly and waved his hand. "Old Xue, bear with it. Things will get better. Duke Yuexi entered Bingzhou with only a thousand men. To defeat the Xiongnu, we need the support of the remaining Bingzhou Army. The current food shortage is causing everyone to be anxious and speak without restraint. Once the food supplies are sufficient, these grievances will naturally disappear."

He looked at the murky porridge in the bowl, frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then drank it down. He continued, "Moreover, although the current situation is difficult, it is not without solutions. Duke Yuexi's subordinates are not yet familiar with the situation in Bingzhou, so they don't know where to start. In fact, Bingzhou is not without food; it's just that the food sources are not in the counties."

Xue Tong widened his eyes. "The food sources are not in the counties? Where are they?"

Lu Yao was about to explain in detail when he heard a commotion outside the courtyard.

Xue Tong shouted, "What's the commotion?"

Before he finished speaking, a soldier rushed into the courtyard, panting heavily. "It's bad... It's bad... They... They are fighting!"

Xue Tong frowned and lifted the soldier, who was tall and strong. "Zhao Lu, why are you panicking? Speak slowly! Who is fighting with whom?"

Zhao Lu, a middle-aged soldier with a weathered face, said, "It's Commander Shen! Commander Shen and the city patrol soldiers are fighting!"

Lu Yao put down his bowl and asked sternly, "What happened? Didn't Shen Jin go out to hunt?"

Zhao Lu calmed down and replied, "Commander Shen went to the mountains early in the morning with many men and equipment. By the time of the fifth hour, they had hunted four yellow sheep, two deer, and many other animals. General, you should have seen how fat the yellow sheep were..."

Xue Tong slapped him on the back of the head. "You talkative fool! Get to the point!"

Zhao Lu, who was prone to rambling, was immediately alert and said, "Commander Shen returned to the west city gate with the game, but the city patrol soldiers stopped him and demanded to split the game. Commander Shen refused, and they started insulting him and tried to take the game by force. That's when the fight broke out. I came to report it!"

Lu Yao and Xue Tong exchanged glances. Lu Yao frowned and said, "The city patrol soldiers? Aren't they all Liu Yan's subordinates?"

Xue Tong was angry. "That petty and arrogant second-generation is causing trouble again, which is truly despicable!" He rushed out of the courtyard, shouting, "Prepare the horses! Prepare the horses! Gather fifty men and follow me!"

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