Chapter 958

Qian Fugui was genuinely depressed, he felt so depressed he wanted to die.

Translation: Qian Fugui was truly depressed, he depressedly wanted to die.

Qian Fugui was genuinely depressed, he felt so depressed he wanted to die.

Heaven only knows how he managed to get through this period.

Translation: Heaven only knows how he managed to get through this period.

Since the uprising in Yunan, he's never fought such a disgusting battle.

Translation: Since Yunan raised troops, he had never fought such a disgusting battle.

They exploit the terrain, swarming in frenzied raids when together and scattering like monkeys across the hills when apart.

Translation: Those people took advantage of the terrain; when gathered they launched frenzied harassments, when scattered they were like monkeys all over the mountains.

Over the past few months, he's never directly clashed with their main army; those bastards just retreat at the slightest touch, frenziedly goading him to divide his forces.

Translation: In the past few months, he had never directly clashed with their main force; those bastards basically retreated at the slightest contact, madly provoking him to split his troops.

He's never fought a battle of tens of thousands; it's mostly scattered skirmishes. Even so, the enemy makes full use of the terrain—ambushing when they can, fleeing if they can't, and if pursued, leading his troops into forests and cliffs to set up ambushes.

Translation: He had never fought a battle of tens of thousands; basically only scattered skirmishes. Even so, the enemy exploited the terrain to the utmost—if they could ambush they'd launch a wave, if not they'd flee; if pursued, they'd lead his troops into forests and cliffs, then seize the chance to strike.

Night raids, digging pits, laying traps—such tactics keep appearing.

Translation: Night raids, digging pits, laying traps—such methods kept coming one after another.

Those bastards' tactics are actually simple: they use the terrain and their familiarity with it to launch frenzied raids, draining his troops and supplies.

Translation: Those bastards' tactics were actually simple: they used the terrain's advantage and their familiarity with the land to launch frenzied harassments, seizing chances to drain his manpower and supplies.

Even so, he still captured northern Guiling County, driving the bandits into the southern mountains.

Translation: Yet even in this situation, he still captured the northern part of Guiling Xian, driving the rebel troops into the southern mountains.

Chen Wuji saw Qian Fugui's constipated look, smiled faintly, and asked, "After winning this battle, what did we gain?"

Translation: Chen Wuji looked at Qian Fugui's constipated expression, smiled faintly, and said, "After winning this battle, what gains do we have?"

"Yeah, there is!" Qian Fugui nodded. "Their tactics have plenty we can learn from, especially their small-unit raiding tactics. I don't have a clear plan yet, but I have a rough idea."

Translation: "This, there really is!" Qian Fugui nodded, "Their tactics have many points we can learn from, especially the harassing tactics of small forces. But I still have no clue; I just have a rough idea."

Chen Wuji frowned slightly. "Are their small-unit raiding tactics really that brilliant?"

Translation: Chen Wuji frowned slightly, "Are their small‑force harassing tactics really that brilliant?"

"Not exactly brilliant... how should I put this?" Qian Fugui hesitated, thought a moment, then said, "I think they're more like a village town's able-bodied youths who banded together, figuring out on their own how to use small forces to raid larger units, gradually refining it in practice, then spreading it among the bandits."

Translation: "Not exactly brilliant… how to put it." Qian Fugui suddenly stumbled, thought for a moment, then organized his words: "I think they're more like a village‑town's able‑bodied youths who gathered, worked out on their own a harassing tactic using few troops to counter large units, gradually refined it in practice, and then spread it among the rebels."

"These guys are fragmented; when dozens or hundreds raid in small groups, they fight with flair and can be impressive, but when thousands face off, they're just a rabble that can't withstand one of my charges."

Translation: "This bunch is fragmented; when dozens or hundreds launch small‑scale harassments they fight with vigor and can be impressive, but when thousands clash they're just a rabble that can't withstand one of my charges."

"My lord, it's hard to put into words, but basically that's it. Their tactics seem to have been devised in battle just to survive."

Translation: "My lord, I find it hard to put this into words, but it's basically this: their whole set of tactics seems to have been worked out in battle just to preserve their lives."

Chen Wuji roughly understood Qian Fugui's meaning. "Are their tactics more sophisticated than our scouts'?"

Translation: Chen Wuji roughly understood Qian Fugui's meaning, "Are their tactics superior to our scouts'?"

"If we talk purely about tactics, yes, there's definitely something to learn," Qian Fugui said.

Translation: "If we talk tactics alone, yes, there's indeed something worth learning from." Qian Fugui said.

Chen Wuji nodded. "Then let's organize and train the scout corps. As the saying goes, 'When three walk together, one can be our teacher.' We can call this band of rebels a rabble, but from another angle, they're vicious and successful."

Translation: Chen Wuji nodded, "Then let's properly organize and train the scout camp. 'When three walk together, one is my teacher.' We can call this band of rebels a rabble, but from another angle, their actions are vicious and successful."

"He silently controlled all the county's populace—something an ordinary person couldn't do. A Furong is indeed a help, but it's not that powerful, and its control over people isn't absolute."

Translation: "Silently controlling all the county's populace is no ordinary feat; A Furong is indeed a help, but it's far from that powerful, and its control over people isn't absolute."

"Yes!" Qian Fugui shouted, head held high and chest out.

Translation: "Yes!" Qian Fugui shouted, chest out, head high.

Chen Wuji patted Qian Fugui on the shoulder. "Don't overthink it; tell me about the other three commanders—I've suddenly become very interested in them."

Translation: Chen Wuji patted Qian Fugui's shoulder, "Don't get stuck in a rut—tell me about the other three generals; I've suddenly become very interested in them."

"Here!"

Translation: "Here!"

Qian Fugui followed Chen Wuji toward the tent, saying, "Besides Lin Mao Ming, the other three—those surnamed Gou and Yang—are local gentry of Guiling County. The Gou family's man is Gou Fubo; his ancestors started in the tea trade. The Yang family's man is Yang Yong; his business is quite complex, seeming to have a hand in any profitable venture."

Translation: Qian Fugui followed Chen Wuji toward the camp tent, walking slowly while saying, "Besides Lin Mao Ming, the other three—those surnamed Gou and Yang—are all local gentry of Guiling Xian. The Gou man is named Gou Fubo, his family started in tea trading; the Yang man is called Yang Yong, his business is quite complicated, he seems to have a hand in every profitable venture."

"He even... traded in vegetable people."

Translation: "He even… traded in vegetable people."

Chen Wuji's steps halted abruptly, his face darkening. "Vegetable people?"

Translation: Chen Wuji's steps halted abruptly, his face darkened, "Vegetable people?"

"Yes." Qian Fugui nodded. "These things come from confessions of captured prisoners; their knowledge isn't complete, and I, as deputy general, have pieced it together from bits of what you and I have said."

Translation: "Yes." Qian Fugui nodded, "These things come from confessions of captured prisoners; they're not complete, but I, the deputy general, have pieced them together from your and my words."

"In famine years, Yang Yong sends people out to seize persons; initially he paid money honestly and didn't dare openly trade in vegetable people, often using prime venison as a wrapper. Later, apparently he smoothed some connections, openly seizing and buying, and for meat quality, taking them alive..."

Translation: "In famine years, Yang Yong would send people everywhere to seize persons; at first he honestly paid silver, didn't dare openly trade in vegetable people, often using premium venison as a cover. Later, probably after he'd smoothed some connections, he'd openly seize and buy, and for the meat's quality, take them alive…"

Even someone like Qian Fugui—a battlefield butcher who kills like it's nothing—could hardly utter those words; his lips trembled for a long time, yet he swallowed them silently.

Translation: The latter words, even someone like Qian Fugui—a battlefield butcher who kills like hemp—found hard to utter; his lips trembled for a long before he swallowed them silently.

But anyway, Chen Wuji already understood what was going on.

Translation: But anyway, Chen Wuji already understood what was going on.

"Vegetable people" is a term that makes one's scalp tingle and brain feel oxygen-deprived upon hearing it.

Translation: Vegetable people—a term that makes one's scalp tingle and brain feel oxygen‑deprived just hearing it.

Generally, when this term appears in historical records, it corresponds to a phrase like: "In a certain year of great famine, people ate each other."

Translation: Usually when this term appears in histories, it corresponds to a line: "In a certain year of great famine, the people ate each other."

Moreover, this is not an obscure term; it's quite common.

Translation: Moreover, this isn't an obscure phrase; it's quite common.

Almost every emperor's history contains this one or two times.

Translation: Almost every dynasty's annals show it one or two times.

When the people can't survive, they can only turn their eyes toward their own kind.

Translation: When the populace can't survive, they can only turn their eyes toward their own kind.

The cowardly yet vicious eat whatever they can, while the bold kill and plunder to fill their stomachs—these are all too common.

Translation: The cruel but timid eat mixed scraps; the bold kill and loot to fill their bellies—these are all too common.

And there are not a few like Yang Yong who turn this into a business.

Translation: And those like Yang Yong, who turned this into a business, are not few.

Who knows which bastard discovered in practice that corpses change flavor, leading to the horrifying practice of dissecting the living for meat, and they even classified people into grades for this purpose.

Translation: Nobody knows which bastard, in practice, discovered that corpses spoil, so they came up with the horrifying act of dividing the flesh before death, and they further classified people into grades of three, six, nine, etc.

Chen Wuji knew of such things from his past life; he had

Translation: Chen Wuji knew of such things in his previous life; he had read the suffocating poem "Vegetable Person's Lament."

In this lifetime, such things have practically become common sense.

Translation: And in this life, such matters have practically become common knowledge.

One reason the Qiang people provoked such hatred from the Lingnan locals is this.

Translation: One reason the Qiang people make the Lingnan populace hate them so much is this.

They really like the vegetable people!

Translation: They love vegetable people!

They have been teaching their descendants that Lingnan is their pasture, the Lingnan people are their livestock—creatures that not only eat meat but also grow grain.

Translation: That lot teaches their descendants that Lingnan is their pasture, the Lingnan folk are their livestock—these animals not only eat meat but can also grow grain.

Even Qiang children, upon seeing the Dayu people, think not about communication but about how to turn them into food.

Translation: Even a Qiang child, upon seeing Dayu commoners, thinks not of how to communicate but how to turn that person into his meal.

Chen Wuji feels uneasy about not executing this self‑proclaimed superior race that treats others as less than human by laying the wheel flat.

Translation: Facing such a self‑styled superior race that treats neither itself nor others as human, Chen Wuji feels uneasy not putting the wheels flat to execute them.

He doesn't want his generation's battles to end only for the next generation to repeat the same mistakes.

Translation: He doesn't want, after his generation's war ends, the next generation to repeat the same mistakes.

You must pull out the roots when cutting weeds.

Translation: To cut the weeds, we must pull out the roots!

This evil person will take it.

Translation: This villain—he'll be the one to do it.

Foreign tribes are bad enough, but such people still appear among our own.

Translation: Foreign tribes are already bad enough, yet such people also appear among our own kin.

Yang Yong is not the only one who sees profit and forgets righteousness, lacking any humanity.

Translation: Those who profit at the cost of righteousness, utterly lacking humanity, Yang Yong is not an isolated case.

"Remember this grandson—I want him alive!" Chen Wuji said, his face stern and voice cold.

Translation: "Note down that bastard—I want him alive!" Chen Wuji said grimly, voice cold.

Qian Fugui replied hesitantly, "My lord, it's not worth spoiling your appetite over this kind of grandson; better not."

Translation: Qian Fugui responded with an assent, then stammered, "My lord, for this kind of bastard it's not worth spoiling your appetite; better leave it be…"

Chen Wuji turned his head and asked, "What do you mean?"

Translation: Chen Wuji turned his head, "What do you mean?"

Qian Fugui's expression tightened: "My lord, I know this grandson truly deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces, but he's not young either—surely not tasty. In livestock terms, he's the kind of meat that even boiling won't make tender."

Translation: Qian Fugui's expression hardened, "My lord, I know this bastard deserves death by a thousand cuts, but he's probably not young either—surely he'd be tough to eat. In livestock terms, he's the kind that even boiling won't make tender."

Chen Wuji's face darkened instantly: "What are you thinking? I'll hand you this pleasant task!"

Translation: Chen Wuji's face instantly darkened, "What are you thinking of? This nice job I'm handing to you!"

Now we need to ensure each line is a single output line with 【N】 prefix.

Now after all lines, output ===TITLE=== with translation of chapter title: Four Great Generals.

Then

Heaven only knows how he got through this period.

Yunan is in the glossary: Yunan.

Those people, taking advantage of the terrain, when gathered they launch frenzied raids; when scattered they are like monkeys all over the mountains.

In the past few months, he has never actually faced their main force head-on; those bastards basically retreat at the slightest touch, madly goading him to divide his troops.

He has never fought a battle of tens of thousands; it's mostly scattered small skirmishes. Even so, the enemy makes full use of the terrain: if they can ambush, they do; if not, they flee; if pursued, they lead his troops into forests, cliffs, and precipices, then seize the chance to ambush.

Night raids, digging pits, laying traps—such tactics keep appearing endlessly.

Those bastards' tactics are actually simple: they rely on terrain advantage and their familiarity with the land to launch frenzied raids, thereby consuming his troops and supplies.

Guiling Xian is in the glossary: Guiling Xian.

Chen Wuji is in the glossary: Chen Wuji.

"This, it really exists!" Qian Fugui nodded, "Their tactics have many things we can learn from, especially the small-unit harassment tactics. But I currently have no clue, just a rough idea."

Chen Wuji frowned slightly, "Are their small-unit harassment tactics really that brilliant?"

"Not exactly brilliant... how to put it?" Qian Fugui stumbled a bit, thought seriously for a moment, then organized his words: "I think they're more like a group of able-bodied villagers who gathered together, figured out on their own a harassment tactic using small forces to deal with large forces, gradually refined it in actual combat, and then spread it among the bandits."

"This bunch is quite fragmented; when dozens or hundreds launch small-scale raids, they fight with vigor and can be impressive, but when thousands face off, they're just a rabble, unable to withstand even one of my charges."

"My lord, it's hard to put into words, but basically that's it. Their tactics seem to have been devised in battle just to preserve their lives."

Scout is in the glossary: Scout.

"If we talk solely about tactics, indeed, there is indeed something worth learning from," Qian Fugui said.

Chen Wuji nodded, "Then let's organize it well and train the Xùhòu yíng. Among three walking, there must be my teacher; we can call this band of bandits a rabble, but from another angle, what they do is vicious and successful."

"Silently controlling all the commoners in the county is not something an ordinary person could do; A Furong is indeed a help, but it's not that powerful, and its control over people is not absolute."

"Yes!" Qian Fugui shouted, head held high, chest out.

Chen Wuji patted Qian Fugui's shoulder, "Don't get stuck in a rut; tell me about the other three generals—I suddenly became very interested in them."

no new.

Lin Mao Ming, Gou Fubo, and Yang Yong are person names; Local Gentry is in the glossary as Local Gentry.

"He even... sold vegetable people."

Chen Wuji's steps halted abruptly, his face darkened, "Vegetable people?"

Deputy General is in the glossary: Deputy General.

"Whenever famine struck, Yong Yang would send people to various places to collect humans; initially he properly took out Silver, didn't dare openly sell vegetable people, often using premium venison as a cover. Later, probably after he cleared some connections, he openly seized and bought, and for the sake of meat quality, took them alive..."

The latter words, even someone like Qian Fugui, a battlefield butcher who kills like hemp, found them hard to utter; his lips trembled for a long time, yet he swallowed those words silently.

But anyway, Chen Wuji already understood what was going on.

"Vegetable people," a term that makes one's scalp tingle and brain feel oxygen-deprived upon hearing it.

Generally when this term appears in historical records, it corresponds to a phrase: "In a certain year of great famine, people ate each other."

Moreover, this is not an obscure term; it's quite common.

Almost every emperor's history will show this one or two times.

When the commoners could no longer survive, they could only turn their eyes toward their own kind.

The cowardly but vicious mixed eating, the brave killed and looted to fill their bellies—these are all too common.

And there are not a few like Yong Yang who turned this into a business.

Who knows which bastard discovered in practice that corpses taste off, leading to the horrifying practice of dividing meat before death, and they even classified people into three-six-nine grades for that purpose.

The title "Vegetable Person's Lament" is a poem title.

And in this lifetime, such things have practically become common knowledge.

Qiang People is in the glossary: Qiang People.

no new.

That group of things has always taught its descendants that Lingnan is their pasture, the Lingnan commoners are their livestock, which not only can be eaten for meat but can also grow grain.

Even the Qiang people's children, upon seeing the Dayu commoners, think not about how to communicate, but how to turn that person into their meal.

Faced with such a self-proclaimed superior race that doesn't treat others as human, Chen Wuji does not lay the wheel flat to execute them, his heart feels uneasy.

He doesn't want, after finishing his generation's wars, the next generation to repeat the same mistakes.

no new.

no new.

Foreign tribes are already bad enough, yet such people still appear among our own kin.

Such profit-seeking, ruthless, inhuman wretches, Yong Yang is not an isolated case.

"Remember this bastard, I want him alive!" Chen Wuji said with a stern face, cold voice.

Qian Fugui answered, hesitatingly advised: "My lord, for such a bastard it's not worth affecting your appetite; better not."

Chen Wuji turned his head, "What do you mean?"

Qian Fugui's expression turned stern, "My lord, I know this bastard deserves death by a thousand cuts, but he seems not young either, surely not tasty. In livestock terms, he's the kind that even boiling in fire won't make tender."

Chen Wuji's face instantly darkened, "What are you thinking about? I'll hand this nice job over to you!"