Chapter 1374: Growth and Maturity

By the Yizhi River not far from the camp, a small squad of the Han army was drawing water and scrubbing their warhorses. Apparently pleased by the care they were receiving, the horses let out occasional whinnies that drifted across the open wilderness.

Accompanied by two personal guards, Prince Wei Liu Min trod across the wild grassland where green shoots were just beginning to sprout, walking slowly toward the riverbank. At this moment, no one would dare imagine that this was the noble Prince Wei—hair disheveled and tangled in the chill early-spring wind, draped in a sheepskin that barely provided warmth. To look at him, calling him a shepherd boy from the frontier would not be out of place.

Having personally taken part in the Mobei expedition and endured the tempering of iron and blood, the boyish immaturity had been clearly worn away. Liu Min had already become a true warrior; the blade at his waist had tasted the blood of enemies.

Having practiced martial arts since childhood and honed his riding and archery skills year-round, Liu Min was never a pampered noble youth. But now, under the washing of the desert wind and sand, his whole bearing had become much rougher, and his complexion was darker than before.

Moreover, his face clearly showed signs of malnutrition. During the months of retreat westward after the defeat, the remnants of the expeditionary army had remained in a difficult predicament. Even after escaping the threat of pursuers, they still faced material shortages and the harsh winter conditions of the Jinshan mountains. Over one winter, several hundred officers and men had lain down to eternal rest at the foot of Jinshan, in the grip of bitter cold and hunger.

And throughout this process, Liu Min, just as he had shown in battle, was mature and responsible. He required no special treatment, no separate yurt or tent. He wore the same clothes, ate the same food, and slept the same way as the soldiers, sharing their hardships—yet without any affectation, revealing a sincere and guileless heart.

In truth, having fallen into such a dire situation under such extremely difficult circumstances, the expeditionary soldiers had not collapsed. There remained a conviction in their hearts that sustained them in their struggle against the harsh environment, holding on until now.

This was not only because Yang Ye and Wang Yansheng managed their troops well and had won the hearts of their men, but also because of the performance of the two imperial princes, Liu Fang and Liu Min, in the army. How noble were the two princes' statuses, yet they treated the soldiers as brothers-in-arms and comrades, sharing the hardships together.

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness!"

Seeing Liu Min, the busy soldiers all stopped what they were doing and paid their respects one after another. Their movements and expressions showed their respect for this young prince.

"No need for such formality! You all carry on!" Liu Min's voice was somewhat muffled, but his manner was warm and approachable.

The surroundings had become familiar to him—spring had returned to the earth, full of vitality. The area was quiet; the sounds of birdsong, horse whinnies, and flowing water were all clearly audible.

Liu Min's mood improved somewhat, but looking at the soldiers before him—each one sallow and gaunt, bedraggled and worn, their skin roughened by the grinding of wind and frost—his heart sank again.

These soldiers were all warriors who had survived a hundred battles, yet now they had to do the work of grooms. The centurion leading them was not yet thirty, but his rugged face was slightly swollen, with several patches of frostbite—marks left by wind and frost. Walking up to the centurion, Liu Min took a currycomb from his hand, said "You rest for a bit," and began working himself.

Apparently already familiar with the prince's temperament, the centurion did not stand on ceremony or refuse, nor did he actually go rest. Instead, he shouted at his subordinates to speed up the washing of the horses.

The horse Liu Min tended was a large yellow-brown steed, but by now it was nearly emaciated beyond recognition. Liu Min was a man who loved horses. Reaching out to gently stroke the horse's head, he sighed softly: "This is a Hexi horse, isn't it!"

"Yes, Your Highness, it is—from the Shandan Horse Pasturage!" the centurion replied.

"Such a fine warhorse, now nothing but skin and bones!" Liu Min said. Through the past winter, even people had lacked food—how much more so the horses.

"It's the season for losing weight anyway, and on top of that, the feed has been insufficient!" The centurion could not help but sigh as well, a trace of melancholy flashing through his eyes as he spoke: "It's just hard to say how much longer these horses can hold out..."

Hearing this, Liu Min fell silent for a moment. He knew what the centurion was referring to. Earlier, to alleviate the food shortage, the expeditionary soldiers had been forced to weep bitter tears and slaughter horses to stave off hunger. Such a decision was not hard to make, but carrying it out was deeply painful. Warhorses were not merely riding tools—they were companions and comrades-in-arms who had spent days and nights together. When they had withdrawn to Jinshan, the entire army still had over three thousand horses, but now they could not even manage one mount per man.

"Slaughtering horses to stave off hunger was a choice of last resort. Now that the weather has warmed and there are more places to forage, Generals Yang and Wang are considering solutions! But one thing is certain—we will not stay here much longer, and we will not slaughter horses lightly again. We will definitely make it back to the Great Han!" Liu Min's voice was not loud, even carrying a sense of muttering to himself, but the firmness of his will came through clearly.

"This humble officer believes it too!" the centurion responded.

Sensing the same resolute tone in his voice, Liu Min turned to look at him and asked with slight curiosity: "You're so certain?"

"If Your Highness will forgive my bluntness—the two princes are beloved sons of His Majesty, and the two generals are His Majesty's beloved commanders. The court will absolutely not abandon us!" the centurion replied. "Moreover, both princes and both generals are heroes of this age, gifted by heaven—they are certain to be blessed by the heavens above. The brothers also believe that as long as we hold fast to our banners, we will surely escape this predicament and return to the Great Han!"

These words from the centurion came from the depths of his heart, and Liu Min sensed in them a profound trust—trust that could almost represent the will of the entire expeditionary army. This trust both moved Liu Min and weighed heavily upon him.

"We will, for certain!" Liu Min said solemnly.

Behind him flowed a river clear to its bottom; before him gleamed snow-capped mountains. The forests on the mountain slopes were lush with green—a beautiful scene of spring at Jinshan. Yet Liu Min had no heart to appreciate it. As he headed back to camp, a hint of gloom even surfaced on his young face.

These past days, his mood had not been good, and he had never been able to let things go. Not only because of the dire situation, but more because, during the chaotic retreat after the defeat, too many soldiers had died shielding him. This feeling of being a burden weighed heavily on Liu Min's heart.

"The prince has brought people back!"

Amid a rare burst of cheering, the camp gates were quickly thrown open to welcome the return of over three hundred Han riders, led by none other than Duke Zhao, Liu Fang. Of course, what caused the commotion was that he had brought back not only the Han cavalry but also a considerable number of cattle and sheep. The Han soldiers under Liu Fang's command returned in high spirits, like hawks that had found their prey.

After the beginning of spring, to resolve the food shortage crisis, the soldiers no longer huddled in camp shivering as they had through the winter. Under Yang Ye's arrangements, men were sent out in all directions to forage for food, gather in the forests, hunt in the wilds, and even fish in the rivers.

A few days earlier, Liu Fang had requested permission to lead three hundred riders on patrol around the surrounding area, and now he had returned laden with goods. Upon learning of Liu Fang's return, Yang Ye immediately came out in person to greet him.

"Greetings, Commander-in-Chief!" Reporting back, Liu Fang performed the full formal salute to Yang Ye.

"Please, rise quickly!" Yang Ye hurriedly helped Liu Fang up and looked him over carefully. Seeing that although he was somewhat haggard, he was whole and unharmed, Yang Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where has Your Highness been? If you had not returned to camp soon, I was about to send men to search for you!" Yang Ye said.

Under any circumstances, the safety of the two princes was paramount. In Yang Ye's heart, even if the entire army were wiped out, as long as the two princes could return safely to the Great Han, it would be worth it. Yang Ye's loyalty to Emperor Liu also led him to devote all his care to the brothers Liu Fang and Liu Min.

If Liu Min had grown, then Liu Fang, having gone through this ordeal, had become thoroughly mature—his words and deeds carrying the bearing of a great general. The experience of defeat brought pain, and the harsh environment was torment, but Liu Fang also displayed his formidable mental fortitude and a character that grew stronger with each setback. Through the bitter months of the past few months, his fighting spirit had never been extinguished.

"Rest assured, Commander-in-Chief! I am fine!" Liu Fang laughed heartily, pointing at the spoils behind him: "Not only am I fine, I've brought back quite a haul!"

Under Yang Ye's questioning gaze, Liu Fang explained: "I led the men westward, traveling about three hundred li, and discovered a tribe. From them, I borrowed these livestock and grain, and some salt as well!"

Clearly, the word "borrowed" in Liu Fang's mouth needed to be put in quotation marks.

"There are tribes on the southern slopes of Jinshan as well?" Hearing this, Yang Ye's brow furrowed slightly, but he soon let it go. After setting up camp, they had only scouted the immediate surroundings and had not gone deep.

"Did you leave any lingering troubles behind?" Yang Ye asked.

At this season, for any tribe, livestock and grain were the most precious resources—the kind that could save lives—and would not be easily lent out, especially to outsiders like the Han army.

At the question, Liu Fang's smile faded. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes, along with a trace of melancholy. He said in a low, grave voice: "Handled very cleanly. There will be no lingering troubles!"

"This place is still not one for a long stay!" Yang Ye sighed, patting Liu Fang on the shoulder: "Good that you're back. You've had a hard journey—go rest for now!"

"Yes!" Liu Fang acknowledged the order.

In the camp, the soldiers began happily storing away the spoils. With this batch of supplies, they could hold out for a while longer—perhaps even enjoy a rare full meal. And Yang Ye's subsequent order for the entire army to eat their fill proved exactly that, sending the whole camp into an uproar.

Heading toward the main command tent, Liu Fang could not help but ask: "How is the old General Wang doing? I've brought back some mare's milk wine!"

"He's much better these past two days!" Yang Ye sighed.