Chapter 60: They Were Too Eager to Advance

Though they had just repelled Wei Kegu’s surprise attack, there was no trace of joy in the Wei army’s camp.

Before the main tent, the imperial guards of Luoyang and the local mountain bandits and fugitives stood apart, each despising the other.

The Luoyang imperial guards looked down on them because of their origins; the mountain bandits and fugitives looked down on them because of the imperial guards’ cowardly performance just now.

Inside the main tent, only Li Chong and Li Shuang remained.

“Father, I just saved your life—how can you refuse to pay me?”

“No, no!”

If it were just a thousand or so men, fine—but look outside, that sea of people! If you’d raided Luoyang, you might’ve scraped together enough reward money.

“Old man, how can you be so unreasonable?”

“How am I unreasonable? Go ask the market—has anyone ever looted like this?”

Li Shuang smiled.

“If the Grand General can’t pay, then at least give me a chance to serve the court!”

“What do you mean?”

“Shuozhou has been reduced to wasteland. Those loyal imperial soldiers have either defected or died. Give these men outside some land, weapons, and armor—let them guard Wei’s borders. Is that too much to ask?”

Li Chong stared at the memorial Li Shuang had presented: “Petition for the Pacification of the People.” The signature bore the name of General Li Shen.

“You’ve been planning this all along, haven’t you?”

“Planning what?”

“Your three strategies against bandits, your inciting of Qingzhun to fight the rebels, driving all the Hu Ren out of Heng and Shuo provinces—you did it all for this moment!”

By driving out the Hu Ren and sending the bandits and fugitives down from the mountains, he turned Shuozhou, already reduced to wasteland, into a settlement for displaced civilians.

The key point: these displaced civilians weren’t just hundreds or thousands—they numbered in the tens of thousands.

“Father, how can you say I planned this in advance?”

Li Chong snorted. The more he had missed this boy, the more he now resented him.

“I was originally the leader of a mountain rebel force. Later, thanks to the patronage of the Marquis of Liang, I gained the chance to serve the court. Of course, being a rebel isn’t bad—but serving the court offers greater scope!”

“Hmph!”

“I’ve pledged loyalty to the court—what about my rebel brothers? They begged me for help—how could I refuse?”

Li Chong glared at Li Shuang, wanting to tear him apart.

“I bet if you had the chance, you’d drag your village dog here too, just to get imperial rations.”

“Father, you’re mistaken!”

Li Chong laughed bitterly.

“How am I mistaken?”

At that moment, a dog barked outside the tent.

“Woof!”

A Chinese Tianyuan dog trotted in, tail wagging, ecstatic.

Li Shuang bent down, stroking the dog’s head; the dog clearly enjoyed it.

“Da Huang, say ‘Grand General!’”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“Good Da Huang! From now on, you’re the Grand General’s personal guard dog!”

Li Chong clutched his chest, feeling his liver ache from rage.

How could a man be so vile!

Night mist.

In the mountains, Wei Kegu sat on the ground, chewing grass.

The fire blazed, radiating warmth through the cold night.

“General!”

He Ba Duoba and Yuwen Gong arrived together, here to explain why they hadn’t reinforced Wei Kegu during the day.

Both He Ba Duoba and Yuwen Gong were tall and imposing, yet shorter than Wei Kegu by a full head, and aged—before him, their presence naturally dimmed.

“General, we…”

Wei Kegu cut them off, asking only:

“Did we keep the grain?”

“We sensed danger and, fearing our rear would be cut off, did not reinforce you. After driving off the bandits, we counted—only sixty percent of the grain remains.”

“Sixty percent.”

Wei Kegu murmured the number, lost in thought.

He Ba Duoba spoke:

“General, the situation is what it is—let’s retreat.”

The He Ba and Yuwen clans were renowned families of the Six Garrisons, producing generations of fierce generals.

Their desire to retreat wasn’t without reason.

Since the surprise attack failed, there was no point in staying.

Besides, they had no wish to waste time fighting the imperial troops.

“I know your concerns—but the True King has his plans. We still have a chance to win.”

He Ba Duoba and Yuwen Gong exchanged glances, unsure where that chance lay.

As the saying goes: first strike brings vigor, second brings decline, third brings exhaustion.

If the situation deteriorates to the point where they must trade lives against Li Chong’s troops, even victory would be defeat.

They might win for Po Liuhan Baling, for the Six Garrisons—but they themselves would lose.

In this northern frontier, everyone knew: sacrificing your own troops for the “greater good” wouldn’t make you a hero—it would make you prey. The strong would devour your last remnants without mercy.

“Wait a little longer.”

Wei Kegu murmured, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He Ba Duoba and Yuwen Gong stood silent beside him.

“Commander, hurry to the Grand General’s tent—he’s fallen ill!”

Hearing the report, Li Shuang rushed to Li Chong’s tent in the dead of night.

On the bed, Li Chong lay pale, lifeless.

Beside the bed stood Li Chong’s chief clerk, Wei Langen.

“What happened to the Grand General?”

Wei Langen bowed deeply:

“A letter arrived from Luoyang—Grand General’s eldest son, Li Shizhe, passed away recently. Upon hearing the news, the Grand General collapsed.”

Li Shuang listened, glanced at Wei Langen, then kicked him to the ground.

“Guards! Arrest this traitor!”

Li Chong’s troops, without asking why, immediately seized him.

“Ma Yi’s commander, why this?”

Li Shuang sneered:

“You’ve served the Grand General for years. With enemies outside, knowing how deeply he loves his son—you chose this moment to deliver this death notice? That’s clearly collusion with the enemy!”

“I didn’t!”

“Still you dare to lie!”

On the bed, Li Chong coughed twice.

“Shuang’er, don’t trouble him.”

Li Shuang helped Li Chong sit up; the old man fixed his gaze on Wei Langen.

“I value your talent—I won’t kill you. Go. And tell the one behind you: stabbing a man in the back isn’t the way of heroes. Let him think carefully.”

Wei Langen’s expression trembled, as if he had much to say—but he said nothing, only bowed his head and said:

“Grand General, take care.”

On the bed, Li Chong looked ten years older, drained of all his former vigor.

“Shuang’er, whatever you wish to do, I won’t interfere again. Take Shuozhou if you want. But one thing: protect Qingzhun.”

“Father, rest assured.”

From Li Chong’s ear came Da Huang’s bark—seemingly worried for the old man’s health.

In the deep, quiet night, Li Chong lay awake, unable to sleep. He gazed at the dog, still crouched beside his bed, and smiled.

“A lifetime of battle, dominating the age—yet in the end, all my sorrows can only be whispered to this dog.”

Let this Wei empire go to hell.

…