Chapter 46

The next day, around noon.

Lu Yao led his warhorse slowly along the mountain path. He pulled hard on the reins with one hand and held a long spear in the other to probe the road ahead. Sweat trickled down his forehead, freezing instantly on his iron helmet.

The chestnut horse under him was a fine steed captured from the Xiongnu after the Battle of Banqiao. Though it was a magnificent horse, it lacked training and had a fierce temper. The mountain path was rugged and steep, and the snow-covered road made it necessary for him to control the horse's steps with extreme caution, for a fall into the valley would be no laughing matter.

After a few quick steps, Lu Yao reined in his horse and climbed a high slope to look back. As far as the eye could see, apart from the snowflakes swirling in the air, there was only this small group struggling forward.

Their formation stretched long through the mountains, figures appearing and disappearing between the ridges. Even for these five hundred seasoned soldiers, marching in the cold winter was an unimaginable task. The soldiers all looked rather listless, and no doubt each one was inwardly complaining.

The first half of this twelfth month had been a continuous march and battle. The soldiers had thought that after reaching Jinyang, they would have a few days of rest, at least to celebrate New Year's Eve and the New Year's Day in peace. But who would have thought they would be assigned such a difficult task, forcing them to leave Jinyang and camp in the wilderness of Zhongdu County.

Two days ago, when Lu Yao announced that the training was canceled due to the snow, many soldiers were overjoyed. They had been complaining for a while, as this General Lu was excellent in every way except for his relentless training, which left the soldiers exhausted every day. The snow came just in time, allowing them to rest!

This sense of happiness reached its peak at noon. At lunch, each soldier received four solid baked cakes, and each group shared a pot of extremely fragrant mutton soup. The golden baked cakes emitted an irresistible aroma, and large bones and chunks of meat floated in the soup, making the soldiers' mouths water. Such a sumptuous meal was something even wealthy families might not enjoy every day, and the soldiers were all very satisfied. Unfortunately, happiness always comes and goes quickly. Before the lunch was fully digested, Lu Yao ordered the entire army to form up and leave the camp.

Although this was somewhat unexpected, it was not too much to ask given the sumptuous lunch. Thus, as with every long-distance training, each soldier carried all their weapons, armor, bedding, and supplies, and put on thick winter clothes before setting out in formation.

However, no one expected this to be a regular training session. The soldiers followed the fluttering military flags at the front of the formation and marched south, all the way until late at night!

Lu Yao did not choose to advance along the main road with great fanfare but entered a winding small path shortly after departure. Under the cover of the snow, they silently bypassed the cities, fortresses, and villages along the way, heading directly to the south of Zhongdu. This small path, running through rugged and dangerous terrain, was little known and had been abandoned for a long time. The vanguard of the formation often had to use large knives and axes to cut through the thorny branches blocking the way, thus expending a great deal of energy. Soon after departure, they had to select soldiers to take turns as the vanguard.

As the snow continued to fall, the weather became increasingly cold. In such harsh conditions, no one in the entire Bingzhou region would venture out except for Lu Yao and his troops. Even the wolves that usually roamed the fields were nowhere to be seen. Some clever soldiers took the opportunity to dig out hibernating hedgehogs and squirrels from the ground during the march, planning to have them as a supplement for the evening meal.

That day, the formation covered a total of fifty miles. None of the five hundred soldiers fell behind, thanks to the support of the officers and the strict training that had greatly enhanced their endurance. In such a harsh environment, falling behind almost meant death.

After resting in a sheltered area in the mountains for the night, the next day they continued south along the small path. The terrain of Zhongdu County gradually became more rugged from north to south, with intersecting ravines and dense forests, making the journey very difficult. Sometimes, what seemed to be a short distance required descending into a deep ravine and then walking a long way to return. From morning to afternoon, the soldiers had crossed more than ten ridges, covering no less than thirty miles. Due to the heavy load of weapons and armor, the soldiers were extremely exhausted. If it weren't for the thick cakes and large pieces of dried meat provided by Deng Gang before departure, many would have given up by noon. However, the soldiers couldn't complain much, as Lu Yao himself walked alongside them, carrying even more than they did.

The soldiers had been under Lu Yao's command for only about twenty days, but they had already deeply felt the difference between him and other officers. He was brave and led from the front in battle; he treated the soldiers kindly and never abused them, providing compensation for the dead and injured; he shared meals and lodgings with the soldiers, rarely enjoying special privileges; and his strict training, with the slogan "more sweat in peacetime, less blood in war," made sense. Such a general was worth following... Many soldiers thought this as they continued to march mechanically, struggling through the mountains.

Zhu Sheng was one of the captives who surrendered to Lord Yue Shi after the Battle of Banqiao. Most of the captives were from the Lushui Hu, Xi, and Jie tribes of Hexi, but Zhu Sheng was the only Han Chinese among them. Although the times were turbulent and often left people with no choice, the soldiers still didn't treat him well. Zhu Sheng's life in the army was truly miserable. For example, during this raid on Qixian, many of his companions stuffed heavy luggage into his pack, making his load almost three times that of others. This heavy load almost drained all his energy during the long march, making his steps unsteady.

"Breath... breath..." Zhu Sheng panted like a bellows, struggling to keep up with the formation. Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he stumbled and rolled down. He clawed at the ground with both hands but couldn't stop his body from sliding down the steep slope towards a deep ravine. Just as he was about to be crushed, he felt a tight grip on his wrist, and a strong force pulled him back onto the path. It turned out that Lu Yao, who was nearby, had seen the situation and rushed to save him.

Zhu Sheng repeatedly thanked him, but Lu Yao just patted his shoulder and said, "Be careful on the road, don't fall again!" before heading to the rear of the formation.

Zhu Sheng tightened his pack, tested the weight, and was about to continue when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his knee. He cursed and involuntarily sat down.

The mountain path was narrow, and his sitting position blocked most of the road. The other soldiers passed by him one by one, not offering any help. Some muttered curses from a distance, and others even stepped over him. Zhu Sheng, feeling humiliated, tried to stretch his left leg, but it took him a long time to stand up again. As soon as he took a step, he showed a pained expression.

"Sprained, right? Get on the horse, I'll take you a bit!" Lu Yao, who had returned from the rear, led his horse over and patted the saddle, saying to Zhu Sheng.

Zhu Sheng waved his hands frantically, shocked. "This is not right! How can I ride the general's horse?"

"All of us eat from the same pot and fight in the same formation. We are brothers in arms. On the march, we support each other. On the battlefield, we entrust our lives to each other, never leaving or abandoning each other. If any of my brothers are in trouble, I will come to their rescue, even if it means facing a mountain of knives and a sea of fire. If I am in trouble, I believe my brothers will save me." Lu Yao said solemnly, "So, what's the problem with riding my horse?"

The surrounding soldiers heard this and many were deeply moved.

Zhu Sheng still wanted to refuse, but Lu Yao said firmly, "No more nonsense, get on the horse!" He then supported Zhu Sheng's elbow and half-forced him onto the horse.

At this moment, the harsh wind carried the call of the guide from the front: "General! General!" Lu Yao handed the reins to a nearby soldier and turned to meet the guide.

The guide was about forty years old, with a weathered face but still agile. He was a member of the Wen family of Qixian, and it was said that he was related to Wen Qiao. The Wen family of Qixian had been a prominent clan since the Han dynasty, producing high-ranking officials. Although Wen Qiao's branch had moved to Luoyang for many years, they still maintained close ties with their hometown in Taiyuan, with numerous disciples and officials and nearly a thousand households in the local Wen family, who owned two fortresses. Under Wen Qiao's influence, the head of the Wen family of Qixian, Wen Xu, had already paid homage to Lord Yue Shi and offered three thousand stones of grain, greatly alleviating the army's food shortage. For this expedition, Lu Yao had specially obtained sufficient provisions through Wen Qiao's connections and invited several guides to lead the way. Without this, it would have been impossible to march in the snow.

"General, there's a sheltered mountain hollow beyond this hill, perfect for the soldiers to rest. After passing the mountain pass, it's only five miles to Tuomu Ridge, and it's just a half-hour walk along the main road," the guide reported, his gray beard trembling in the cold wind.

Lu Yao nodded slightly and took a half-full wine gourd from his horse, handing it to the guide. "Thank you, old uncle. Have a drink to warm yourself."

After the guide left, Lu Yao hurriedly urged the troops to the mountain hollow. In such harsh weather, a day's march without timely replenishment of hot food and rest would render the troops almost combat-ineffective. Moreover, the necessary pre-battle mobilization and promises required an appropriate environment.

Once the soldiers were settled, Lu Yao gathered the officers above the rank of squad leader.

"This is our target," he said, pointing his index finger heavily on the map.

"The Guo family fortress!" Chu Kun exclaimed.

"Exactly!" Lu Yao nodded. "Since the southern counties of Jinyang are led by the Guo family in their dealings with the court, I will take the Guo family's heads with overwhelming force to intimidate the rest! These powerful families are just bullies who fear the strong and bully the weak. Once the ringleader is punished, the others will naturally submit."

Shen Jing clapped his hands. "Great! My saber has been thirsty for a long time!"

Gao Xiang even laughed fiercely. "Dao Ming should have dealt with these pig-dog scum long ago. It's time to speak with the saber."

These two were naturally belligerent and always eager for conflict. The frustration of the past few days, when Lu Yao's repeated attempts to recruit the powerful families failed, had left them furious. Now, hearing that there would be a battle, they immediately jumped up.

Xue Tong, a brave and valiant general, was more composed than the two. He looked at the map thoughtfully. "The Guo family is a prominent clan in Bingzhou. Although this branch is not the main line, it is still well-populated and powerful in the area. Attacking the fortress directly with our current strength may not be the best strategy... I believe Dao Ming has a better plan?"

Lu Yao was confident. "Gentlemen, just do this. We will take the Guo family fortress today."

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