Chapter 55: Li Shuang Is a Loyal and Honest Man

Shengle, the Northern Wei military camp.

Endless tents stretched across the fields; water and defense were convenient here, even enough for local garrison farming.

Behind the Wei camp stood the "Jishang Saiwei," the border wall guarding the Dai region in the north.

The Great Wall, like a heavenly moat, separated Hengzhou from Shuozhou.

Now that the Eastern and Western Chiles had both rebelled, Li Chong, leading the main army, dared not venture too far.

Pingcheng was the frontline protecting Hebei and Shanxi; its military defenses were solid, yet it still required sufficient manpower to hold.

Li Chong Ming knew that leading troops out beyond the Great Wall at this moment carried too great a risk.

But Yunzhong must be saved!

If Yunzhong fell, the Liuzhen army would not only gain a fortified city as a forward base but also acquire a vast stretch of fertile land around Yunzhong suitable for farming and grazing.

Once firmly established, the Liuzhen army would push their battle lines into Hengzhou.

This was merely a military consideration; more importantly, losing Yunzhong would leave the court with no way to explain the situation.

Let us hope that young man knows what is important!

Li Chong could only hope so in his heart!

Inside the main tent, the number of generals capable of discussing military affairs with Li Chong, the Grand Commander, had now halved.

The tent stood empty, yet no one dared to speak.

Until a cry of weeping sounded.

"Grand Commander, how terribly the generals have died!"

Hearing that familiar voice, seeing that familiar figure, Li Chong thought: It's over!

Hoping that young man would know what was important was no better than hoping Li Shen Gui would avoid the brothels!

"Governor of Ma Yi, what exactly happened?"

Seeing this, all the generals were astonished and hurriedly asked.

Li Shuang choked, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.

"My unit served as the vanguard and encountered the Liuzhen rebels at Shankou. A great battle ensued. The other generals, positioned behind us, all rushed forward to rescue us. Alas, those rebels were truly formidable; we were no match for them. In the end, only I led my unit to break out!"

"Those generals were loyal and righteous! For the court and the people, for the military duties entrusted by the Grand Commander, some were struck by more than ten arrows yet persisted, fighting the rebels, their battle robes soaked in blood, never turning back."

As soon as Li Shuang finished speaking, silence fell over the tent.

Li Chong remained silent; Fei Mu was like an ant on a hot pan; the other generals, looking at the tent now half-empty and then at Li Shuang, the sole survivor, felt a chill rise within them, their eyes filled with dread.

Only one person, General Pingbei Li Shen Gui, had eyes brimming with tears.

Little pearls kept falling down!

"Brother, you have suffered greatly!"

Saying this, Li Shen Gui stepped forward, embraced Li Shuang, and they wept together.

Li Shuang wept even louder.

"It is all my fault; it is all because I am incompetent! Those generals were loyal ministers and worthy commanders, yet they died on the battlefield to save me. If I could, I would rather have been the one to die there to ensure the safety of those generals."

"This is not your fault; the rebel army was simply too cunning!"

The generals in the tent were all accustomed to great storms.

At first, they felt fear, suspecting some conspiracy. But with Li Shen Gui's involvement, combined with the moving scene of the sworn brothers embracing and weeping, they began to wonder if they had overthought things.

Moreover, Li Shuang's weeping appearance and heartbroken expression were indeed genuine!

Could the truth be exactly as Li Shuang described?

"I am heartbroken; truly, I am heartbroken!"

"Brother, do not act thus, lest you harm your health. The spirits of those generals in heaven would not wish to see you like this."

"When those generals parted from me, they even joked that if they did not return from this battle, I should care for their wives and daughters. Who would have thought... who would have thought! The spirits of those generals in heaven, please rest assured; I will certainly fulfill your last wishes!"

"Brother, you are truly a loyal and honest man!"

At this moment, the other generals also stepped forward, joining the fray.

"General Pingbei, we will not let the Governor of Ma Yi suffer alone; we will also care for the wives and daughters of those fallen generals!"

After Li Shen Gui had comforted Li Shuang for half an hour,

"Enough. You all may leave now; I have further details to ask the Governor of Ma Yi."

Li Chong kept only Li Shuang behind. Seeing him still weeping, his words carried a hint of irritation and displeasure.

"Will you never stop crying? Are you still acting for me?"

"The emotion has reached this point, plus..."

"What?"

"That bastard Hou Jing gave me such a strong dose that I can't stop it now even if I wanted to!"

Li Chong waved his sleeve, very displeased.

"You have dealt with Yuan Shen's old subordinates, but none of them lacked connections to Luoyang. With troops lost and morale shattered, the danger to Yunzhong remains unresolved. If someone raises an issue, how can I explain this to the court?"

"Grand Commander, rest assured; the siege of Yunzhong has been lifted!"

"How is it that after winning a victory, the army withdrew?"

Inside Li Shuang's tent gathered Yang Kan, Gao Ang, Yu Jin, Hou Jing, She Di Gan, and others.

Hearing this news, She Di Gan scratched his head and asked, puzzled.

Li Shuang smiled and explained:

"Hulü Jin was originally a heroic general among the Chiles, holding great prestige. Now that the imperial army was decisively defeated, Po Liu Han Kong Que feared he could not control the situation and recalled him from the front. Without Hulü Jin, the other tribes scattered in disarray."

Yu Jin felt somewhat worried.

"The Governor of Ma Yi, the tribes remaining within the Shuozhou Region that are still loyal to the court need soothing; the morale of the garrison in Yunzhong City is low, and I fear it will not hold out for long."

The Shuozhou Region has already been swept by the Liuzhen rebels; under the Hu Ren's Style of Combat, most of the prefecture is now empty.

Villages and pastures have become ruins, and the people have been swept up into the rebel ranks.

There are vast tracts of fertile land around Yunzhong City, but under these circumstances, they cannot be cultivated.

The city's grain and fodder can only be transported from Hengzhou; the mountains are high and the roads are long, and if this continues, we cannot sustain it.

Yu Jin's face was full of worry, unable to think of a solution.

Li Shuang nodded.

"This matter is easy; implement the Three Strategies for Suppressing Bandits throughout the Shuozhou Region as soon as possible."

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, Hou Jing and She Di Gan both perked up.

"You do not know that with the implementation of the Three Strategies for Suppressing Bandits, the Liuzhen rebels have reached such a predicament internally; for instance, when Hulü Jin won this battle, the rewards for his subordinates were paid with money I provided."

Yu Jin's face was streaked with black lines.

???

Regarding this matter, Yu Jin had not known beforehand. But now, hearing Li Shuang's words, he felt he could understand every single character, yet when put together, it made no sense.

She Di Gan slapped his hand, seeming to understand.

"So they truly find it difficult; they are rebelling at their own expense!"

Li Shuang encouraged the crowd, saying:

"Everyone, push a bit harder; as long as the Three Strategies for Suppressing Bandits continue to be implemented, the Liuzhen rebels are not far from destruction!"

Yu Jin, after all, still retained a scholar's measure of compassion.

"But the Hu Ren in the Shuozhou Region have just suffered the calamity of the Liuzhen; now they are asked to support the court's Three Strategies for Suppressing Bandits; I fear it will be an uphill struggle!"

Li Shuang sighed.

"For the sake of the court, we can only make these Hu Ren suffer a bit more; if it truly comes to it, I, the General of the Northern Pacification, will bear the infamy!"