“What are you doing now!” Zhong Changrong shouted irritably.
Xie Yanlai had an expression that said ‘how do you understand nothing,’ frowning as he said: “There’s an ambush at Three Gully Ravine. We were originally heading there. Now, although we’ve eliminated the main force, the rebel troops at Three Gully Ravine are still there. Of course we must immediately go kill the enemy.”
He was right. Zhong Changrong glared at him, his gaze sweeping over the young general’s bleeding arm. He wanted to say something but ultimately swallowed it.
“Men—” He turned to muster troops.
Just then, scouts galloped from ahead to report: “The rebel enemy at Three Gully Ravine has been eliminated.”
Zhong Changrong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked: “Which unit?”
“Left Wing Army vanguard,” the scout said. “Young General Liang.”
Ah, Young General Liang. Zhong Changrong’s expression became somewhat complex. Yunzhong Commandery had five great generals with hundreds of named subordinate commanders that Zhong Changrong knew. But beyond them, the smaller commanding generals—Zhong Changrong might not know them all. However, at this moment, just saying “Young General Liang” without even mentioning the name, Zhong Changrong knew who it was. Not just him—by now, everyone in the border army knew.
Liang Qiang.
The reason for calling him Young General Liang was because his father was also in the army, serving as the Left Wing Army’s Chief Administrator.
After Left Wing Army’s General Guo was dismissed for previous errors, Second Master Liang temporarily assumed the position of Left Wing Army general, called Great General Liang.
The Liang father and son were gradually rising in reputation in the army—criminal family members exiled to the border, seeing the dynasty in peril, taking up arms to render meritorious service.
Father Liang, a scholar, possessed extraordinary intelligence and had repeatedly broken Xi Liang military strategies.
Young Master Liang was brave and martial. Since beginning his campaigns, he had been victorious in every battle, rising from a common soldier through military merit to the rank of military marquis.
As they spoke, hoofbeats thundered. A troop of cavalry galloped from the distant dusk, numbering less than a hundred, each appearing as if soaked in blood, their armor broken.
The young general leading them held a long blade. Drawing near, he dismounted and saluted: “Left Wing’s Liang Qiang pays respects to General Zhong.”
Although the Liang and Chu families had some minor friction, Zhong Changrong wouldn’t make things difficult for a warrior who killed enemies. He gestured for him to rise: “Military Marquis Liang is brave. What’s the situation?”
Liang Qiang rose, his gaze seemingly inadvertently sliding past Xie Yanlai nearby.
In the heavy dusk, the tall, slender young general covered in blood was talking with several soldiers, but the next moment his sharp gaze looked over.
Liang Qiang lowered his eyes.
“Our scouts tracked Xi Liang movements. I led the vanguard here, encountered an ambush halfway, and fortunately fulfilled my duty by fighting out of the encirclement, then continued pursuing—” He spoke, then glanced at the brutal battlefield around them. “Congratulations to General Zhong on your great victory.”
Zhong Changrong laughed heartily. Taking a big step, he raised his hand to hook around Xie Yanlai nearby, but that youngster slipped away like a fish, leaving his hand grasping at air—somewhat embarrassing.
“This—Captain Xie was one step ahead,” he could only point at Xie Yanlai to introduce him. “It was them who valiantly annihilated the Xi Liang rebels.”
Liang Qiang then bowed to Xie Yanlai: “Thank you, Captain Xie, for resolving our crisis. Otherwise, we would surely have been completely annihilated.”
Xie Yanlai raised an eyebrow with a smile: “Military Marquis Liang is too polite. Consider yourselves lucky.”
Damn brat! Zhong Changrong glared at him.
Liang Qiang didn’t seem embarrassed at all. He smiled and, without saying more, took his leave to return and report.
Zhong Changrong watched as the young general mounted his horse. The young general seemed somewhat hesitant, his horse pawing the ground.
“General Zhong,” he seemed about to say something.
Zhong Changrong looked at him, waiting for him to speak.
But Liang Qiang ultimately raised his hand in salute, withdrew his gaze, and spurred his horse to gallop away.
“This Liang clan son is truly excellent,” Zhong Changrong sighed, especially when he turned to see Xie Yanlai standing nearby with crossed arms like a lone black eagle.
A Xie clan descendant from a great family with a resounding reputation, Xie Yanlai was arrogant and untamed. Even soldiers who had fought alongside him through life and death didn’t dare approach him.
Liang Qiang was also from a scholar-official family. Besides being brave and skilled in battle, he was courteous and refined. Soldiers always surrounded and clustered around him.
“That mouth of yours,” Zhong Changrong said resentfully. “Comrades fighting together—would it kill you to say something pleasant to make people happy?”
What did he mean ‘consider yourselves lucky’!
Xie Yanlai smiled mockingly: “If I said pleasant things, he wouldn’t be happy either, and he certainly wouldn’t like me. Why should I waste my breath?”
That was also true. It was the Xie clan that had caused the Liang clan’s conviction. These two families were enemies. Zhong Changrong grunted.
“As for whether the soldiers like me or not—” Xie Yanlai looked back.
The soldiers gathered behind him immediately stood straight, some even fearfully stepping back.
Xie Yanlai withdrew his gaze.
“They didn’t come to make friends with me. Following me, they can kill enemies, earn merit, and survive deadly battles. That’s enough.”
With that, he let out a whistle.
“Muster troops, form up, and depart.”
With his command, those soldiers who had stepped back immediately picked up their weapons and mounted their horses without the slightest hesitation. Even soldiers not part of Xie Yanlai’s unit couldn’t hide their excitement, urging the muster to include them.
This youngster’s words weren’t pretty, but his fighting was indeed quite impressive. In the army, he was like a thorny flower that bees buzzed around eagerly.
A good prospect. No wonder Miss wanted him tempered here. Zhong Changrong grabbed Xie Yanlai: “You can’t stray too far from camp. Going deeper into enemy territory is too dangerous.” His hand felt sticky—the blood seeping from Xie Yanlai’s arm had already soaked through his robe. Zhong Changrong didn’t release his grip but forcefully pulled his arm back. “Immediately, right now, go bandage that wound.”
Despite being injured, Xie Yanlai still nimbly broke free, saying: “My unit has medics who can bandage wounds. You should hurry back to take command. Keep your head clear and don’t let those generals fool you.”
Since Chu Ling’s absence, the generals had indeed gradually become uncontrollable. Zhong Changrong thought that he could still hold this position, first relying on Chu Ling’s remaining authority—especially dying in battle at the front lines, the soldiers revered him as a war god—and secondly because of Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao was the Empress, but not merely because she was Empress. It was because this Empress had personally fought and killed enemies with the border army.
The soldiers recognized her, trusted her, and through that also recognized him, Zhong Changrong.
He had always thought that with the General gone, Miss would need his care. He hadn’t expected Miss would instead be caring for him.
Thinking of Miss, Zhong Changrong felt worried again.
Miss was in too much danger now, her life hanging by a thread. Should they really not dispatch some troops there?
“If you send troops there,” Xie Yanlai said coldly, “she’ll die even faster.”