Chapter 1375: The Search Bears Fruit

Since the defeat at Wugu Mountain, the entire expeditionary force had been in a state of extreme tension, with both body and mind under immense strain. As one of the principal commanders and the leader of the Hexi army, the pressure Wang Yansheng bore was all too easy to imagine.

Campaigning deep into the great desert, fighting beyond the borders, was inherently an extraordinarily arduous and perilous undertaking—the grueling marches and continuous combat drained one's energy and stamina relentlessly.

And Wang Yansheng, after all, was a veteran general past his fiftieth year, no longer the fierce and unruly martial champion of over two decades ago. It could be said that throughout the westward retreat, Wang Yansheng had been commanding and leading while propping up his body through sheer willpower.

By the time they withdrew to the southern foothills of the Jinshan Mountains and the immediate crisis began to ease, the moment his spirit relaxed, Wang Yansheng collapsed completely into illness. On top of that, wounds sustained during the fighting in Mobei showed signs of worsening as well.

Far away at Jinshan, conditions were harsh. Though a few military physicians remained, medicinal herbs were scarce, and even if he was temporarily safe, Wang Yansheng could not enjoy particularly good treatment.

Through the brutal winter at Jinshan, many wounded soldiers perished amid pain and bitter cold, their bones buried in foreign mountains. As for Wang Yansheng—whether it was luck or something else—he stubbornly managed to survive.

Even so, his constitution was severely damaged, his foundation fundamentally impaired, and the root of illness was thoroughly planted within him. Inside the tent, Wang Yansheng leaned against a woolen mat, gaunt and haggard, his face bearing the full marks of sickness. His rough-hewn features looked almost ugly and frightening, entirely bereft of the awe-inspiring bearing of a great general.

On the crude stove platform, some prepared charcoal burned, its dim flames flickering across his face. Were it not for the occasional cough, he would have seemed utterly devoid of life.

When Yang Ye and Liu Fang entered, he showed no reaction, until he noticed Liu Fang—only then did he struggle to rise, and Liu Fang stepped forward to personally help him up.

"Old General, you must take care of yourself!" Although Wang Yansheng's temperament and ways were not to Liu Fang's liking, he nonetheless deeply respected the man's lifelong fortitude and resolve.

Facing Liu Fang's concern, Wang Yansheng coughed twice. His voice was aged and feeble, yet his tone showed not the slightest sign of yielding: "Rest assured, Your Highness! To have my bones buried in the green hills or my corpse wrapped in horsehide is truly this old man's long-cherished wish. But even if I die, I will die in the Great Han!"

Though the tiger is old and sick, its might remains undiminished. Wang Yansheng's bold spirit endured, yet it could not help but carry a note of tragic grandeur. Yang Ye could not help but console him: "Old General, there is no need for such talk. The hardest times have already passed—we escaped dangers as ferocious as any during our flight, and we survived a winter as brutal as last year's. As long as we stand united, we will surely return to the Great Han!"

Hearing this, Wang Yansheng glanced at Yang Ye and sighed softly: "These past months, I have been recuperating in my tent, avoiding military affairs, but I still have some understanding of the army's situation. The current circumstances remain difficult—hardly optimistic, wouldn't you say?"

During the time Wang Yansheng was convalescing, the expeditionary force's affairs were entirely managed by Yang Ye. Since the troops came from the two circuits of Hexi and Yulin, the soldiers naturally harbored loyalties to their respective origins, and Wang Yansheng gave Yang Ye his full support.

To be honest, at first Wang Yansheng had been quite unimpressed with Yang Ye, this junior upstart of a general—even somewhat jealous. But what contradictions existed were merely clashes of pride. After the bitter fighting in Mobei, the bond of comrades who had fought shoulder to shoulder was more than enough to erase that trivial discontent. Now the two men shared a deep mutual trust, willing to go through fire and water for each other.

Seeing this, Yang Ye pondered for a moment, then said solemnly: "Regarding the army's next course of action, I was just about to discuss it with you, Old General!"

"Speak!" Wang Yansheng roused some of his spirits.

Yang Ye said: "At present, our army's greatest difficulty lies in being stranded beyond the borders, with supply lines severed. The soldiers have endured hunger, surviving the bitter winter by slaughtering horses for food, but the problem of food shortage remains unresolved.

These past few days, His Highness Lord Zhao has led troops to seize some supplies, but they cannot sustain us for long. Relying solely on foraging, fishing, and hunting is like trying to put out a cartload of firewood with a cup of water. There are no enemy forces near the camp, but the local tribes cannot be trusted—they are a latent threat.

This place truly cannot be held for long! Earlier, the bitter cold and snow had cut off the roads and made travel difficult, but now spring has arrived with flowers blooming. My view is that we should set out to return to the Great Han!"

Hearing this, Wang Yansheng nodded gently: "The soldiers have survived countless battles and been away from home for so long—it is time to bring them back!"

"The only possible route now lies to the south—returning through the Western Regions!" Yang Ye said.

At this, Wang Yansheng's brow furrowed slightly: "To the south lies the great desert of shifting sands, and besides, we know nothing of the current situation in the Western Regions. Heading south is fraught with unforeseeable dangers!"

"But we have no other choice!" Yang Ye said.

Hearing this, Wang Yansheng gave a bitter laugh or two. He had to admit that when they had first retreated westward to Jinshan, this had been their original intention as well.

"It seems that even if it's a dragon's pool or tiger's den, we must venture through it—we cannot sit and wait for death!" Wang Yansheng quickly affirmed: "You are the commander now, and whatever decisions you make, this old man will support!"

"Thank you, Old General!" Yang Ye said: "I have already sent Wang Shenqi and Yang Yanzhao separately with men southward to scout the route. Though the Jinshan and the Western Regions are separated by shifting sands, the stretch is far shorter than the Mobei desert! The camp must also begin preparations—once the route is confirmed, we depart immediately!"

"Compared to Mobei, Liao's control over the Western Regions is far weaker, and it is also closer to the Great Han. If we can make contact with Pule and gain the support of the surviving Uyghur remnants, that would add further assurance!" Wang Yansheng said: "Moreover, the current situation in the Western Regions may be even better than we imagine!"

Compared to Yang Ye, Wang Yansheng was clearly more familiar with the Western Regions—after all, he and Guo Jin had been drilling troops and preparing for war in Hexi, targeting the areas around Hexi, so naturally he had somewhat more understanding.

"Is the Old General referring to General Guo Jin?" Liu Fang spoke up.

"Your Highness is truly gifted with keen intelligence and an exceptionally sharp nose!" Wang Yansheng admitted readily: "Guo Jin is fierce in style and skilled at leading troops. Though he advanced westward with only ten thousand men, that is enough to shift the situation in the Western Regions. This old friend of mine is no easy opponent—if he achieves a breakthrough in the Western Regions, it will also facilitate our army's reception!"

"If that is the case, then we should head south all the more!" Wang Yansheng's words added further confidence to Yang Ye.

"General, the young general has returned!" Just as the three had settled their deliberations, they suddenly heard a soldier's report.

"Have him come see me!" Hearing this, Yang Ye immediately ordered.

"Chonggui, with both father and son fighting on the front lines together, that counts as a fine tale in the Han army! That lad Yanzhao is promising—if he returns safely through this ordeal, given time, he will surely become a pillar general of the Great Han!" Wang Yansheng rarely praised people, but toward outstanding young talents in the military, his attitude was quite genial.

Hearing this, Yang Ye reacted like any strict father, shaking his head: "He still has a long way to go—he lacks experience and tempering!"

"Greetings to Your Highness, greetings to the Commander-in-Chief!" Soon, Yang Yanzhao entered the tent, paying his respects to each in turn.

Yang Yanzhao had clearly lost weight as well, but his vigor remained. Under Yang Ye's years of meticulous tutelage, he had grown increasingly composed and measured.

"How did the route reconnaissance go?" Yang Ye asked directly.

A hint of joy showed on Yang Yanzhao's face, a smile he could not quite conceal at the corners of his mouth. He introduced the man who had entered with him to the three: "I led men southeast to scout the route, searching over three hundred li until we reached the Tianshan mountain range. However, on the return journey, we encountered Director Wang and his party. He has important intelligence to report, so I specially brought him back to camp!"

"Director Wang?" Hearing this, the three only then turned their attention to the middle-aged man who had returned to camp with Yang Yanzhao.

The newcomer was fully armed, with a square, upright face, wearing black garments and a black jacket, his features weathered—giving an impression of depth. He looked exhausted, but upon seeing Liu Fang, Yang Ye, and Wang Yansheng, he displayed extraordinary agitation.

Meeting the gazes of the three, he bowed with clasped hands: "I am Wang Yinwu, Hexi Director under the Wude Office. Greetings to Your Highness, greetings to the two Generals!"

Hearing him identify himself, the three were also stirred, and Yang Ye even stood up directly: "You are a man of the Wude Office!"

"Indeed!"