Chapter 46

Although Liang Xiao enjoyed reading history, he was essentially a man of engineering, placing great emphasis on quantification. He had never been very convinced by stories of divine calculations and sudden inspirations. After listening to Huan Yuan’s explanation, he believed even more that military strategy was first and foremost a rigorous science, with no room for fancy.

Therefore, while watching the military exercises and listening to Huan Yuan’s theories about leading troops, he dragged Tuniu around the slopes of Shugang, using his feet to measure the terrain and looking for suitable places to dig pits.

Tuniu found this very puzzling. He preferred to find a place to ambush, jump out when Hu Lai passed by, and knock him down with one blow.

Liang Xiao dismissed Tuniu’s complaints with disdain.

If judged by the current situation, Tuniu’s method was indeed effective and more satisfying. But he was not just retaliating; he was also training his mind. If he could not break free from the mindset of street brawls and elevate to the level of military strategy, he would always be a common soldier, dying in some unknown battle, becoming cannon fodder.

A soldier who does not want to be a general is not a good soldier. But to be a general, one must first have the mind of a general; mere passion is not enough to make a general.

Liang Xiao ignored Tuniu’s complaints, braving the scorching heat of the late summer, with sweat dripping from his head, patiently reconnoitering the area.

In a daze, Liang Xiao felt as if he were back on the construction site when he had just graduated.

Huan Yuan did not care much about Liang Xiao’s hard work. Most of the time, he lay under the shade of a tree, watching the bustling camp from a distance, lost in thought as he gazed at the large banner in the center of the camp. Zhongli Qi came every day, checking on Tuniu’s progress, chatting with Huan Yuan for a while, and then also gazing at the banner, his eyes filled with a sense of longing and a hint of melancholy.

On the contrary, Hu Lai was more concerned about Liang Xiao.

Hu Lai also came to watch the military exercises, accompanied by Feng Ji. However, the Hu family’s power was far beyond that of Liang Xiao and his companions. He had almost taken over half of the hill. Liang Xiao’s movements on the hill were noticed by him immediately.

“What is he up to?” Hu Lai found it amusing. “Does he think he can escape like he did on Jin Kui Mountain, using those lowly tricks?”

Feng Ji’s eyes flickered, but he said nothing.

Hu Lai, however, was excited. “This commoner is just a commoner, not even understanding the rules. During the hunt, the area will be sealed off. No matter how many pits he digs, it will be useless. If he injures any of the nobles, he will be in big trouble.”

Feng Ji narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. “Young Master, the hunt might be an opportunity. According to tradition, the area will be cleared during the hunt. If someone intrudes and is injured by the soldiers, their fate is not considered.”

Hu Lai’s eyes lit up. “Can we take advantage of the hunt to drive him into the enclosure and create a false appearance of an accident?”

“Young Master is wise.”

“Ha ha ha...” Hu Lai laughed heartily. After a moment, he added, “However, I still hope to kill him with my own hands. Tell that woman to hurry up. If she can’t even kill a commoner, she has no right to call herself an expert. If she doesn’t act soon, I’ll find someone else.”

...

For several consecutive nights, Liang Xiao felt someone following him, making it hard for him to sleep soundly. His eyes were closed, but his ears were always alert, fearing that someone might sneak up and slit his throat.

To say he was not afraid would be a lie. Liang Xiao originally wanted to discuss the matter with Huan Yuan and have him drive the person away. But seeing Huan Yuan’s indifferent attitude, he knew it would be useless to mention it. He had to stay alert and keep the small crossbow with him.

The crossbow was not a bow and would not affect his practice of drawing the bow.

Whether it was because of the confrontation with Huan Yuan that night, which showed Huan Yuan’s prowess, or because the small crossbow in Liang Xiao’s hand had a deterrent effect, the person never got too close, staying at least thirty steps away. If Huan Yuan was nearby, he would stay even further away.

Of course, except for that night, Liang Xiao never saw the person again, only sensing his presence. Tuniu was skeptical about this, sometimes mocking Liang Xiao, saying he was scaring himself and that there was no such person. An assassin who misses once would immediately flee, not follow like a pest.

Liang Xiao admitted that Tuniu had a point, but he did not dare to relax. If he encountered a persistent assassin, there was nothing he could do. Safety first in the world, though life was hard, he did not want to die.

The highly tense life was not without its benefits. After several days of suffering, Liang Xiao found that his eyesight and perception had significantly improved. He was particularly sensitive to movements behind him, able to sense any slight disturbance. Several times, when Tuniu approached from behind, he knew about it from fifty steps away, making Tuniu envious. Tuniu eagerly went to tell Zhongli Qi, wanting to learn this skill.

Zhongli Qi looked at him with disdain and kicked him three zhang away.

Tuniu was deeply hurt, wiping his nose, and was harshly ridiculed by Liang Xiao. A man should not cry easily. But Huan Yuan could not bear to see this and scolded Zhongli Qi, telling Tuniu that if he really wanted to learn, he should ask Liang Xiao.

Tuniu was delighted and pestered Liang Xiao to teach him. Liang Xiao, helpless, told him the method of drawing the bow without an arrow. Tuniu enthusiastically practiced, but lost interest after less than half an hour, found a place to hide, and fell asleep. This made Zhongli Qi furious, and he searched the mountain to kick Tuniu again.

Liang Xiao was afraid that Zhongli Qi would kick Tuniu into oblivion in a fit of anger, so he volunteered to find Tuniu.

Zhongli Qi was frustrated and said to Huan Yuan, “General, let me teach Liang Xiao for a few days. Teaching Tuniu makes me angry. If he had even a fraction of Liang Xiao’s intelligence, I would be happy.”

Huan Yuan smiled. “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Liang Xiao has a good understanding and has the potential to become famous for his archery, but he is not a genius in everything. It’s a waste for him to learn too many things. He should focus on archery. Tuniu, though less intelligent, has natural strength and talent for close combat. Together, they complement each other and will not tarnish your reputation.”

“I hope so.” Zhongli Qi sighed. “General, I hope they do not make the same mistake as we did, wasting their lives. One wrong step, and everything goes wrong. I see that Liang Xiao seems to have his own plans. Will he listen to you? What if in the future...”

Huan Yuan’s eyebrows twitched, and he narrowed his eyes, hesitating to speak. After a moment, he said softly, “We have our fate, and they have theirs. People can fight each other, but they cannot fight fate. Whether they are friends or enemies, who wins or loses, let it be as it is.”

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