Chapter 250: The Great Han's rivers and mountains endure forever

Wind blew from the Mao Wusu Desert, stirring Jia Jing's lapels, stirring the coronet on his forehead, and stirring the hearts of countless Han Army soldiers and civilians.

As Jia Jing stepped onto the altar, the drum and horn sounds gradually faded.

Then came the sound of mountain-shouting, sea-like roars from the hillslope:

"Pay respects to the Grand General!"

From Zhu Que and Niu Jizong downward, countless Han Army soldiers' eyes flashed with reverent light, they lowered their heads, dropped their gaze, touched one knee to the ground, and shouted in unison.

The sound exploded like thunder, deafening.

This was a heartfelt shout; even the civilians surrounding them, upon seeing Jia Jing appear, became emotionally moved, some even with tears welling up.

He is the supreme hero who led their Northwest Border Army to nine victories in nine battles, pacifying the grasslands.

He is the great benefactor who avenged the generations-old blood feud between countless Northwest military and civilians and the grassland barbarians.

He is the Duke and Grand General who did not forget their fallen soldiers, first building their graves and erecting steles, and personally presiding over the sacrifice.

He is the Han Army's divine leader who guided the forces of the Northwest Three Borders and Four Garrisons from one victory to the next.

With such a commander, how could they not be won over and filled with reverence?

Jia Jing stood on the altar, first taking a deep look at the names of over twenty thousand Han Army martyrs engraved on the stone monument.

Then he turned around and shouted in a deep voice:

"Han Army soldiers and civilians! Today we have all gathered here to honor the spirits of our Han Army brothers who fell in this Northwest great battle!"

"Although the Northwest battle was a great victory, war inevitably took the lives of some of our brothers!"

"They cannot share with us the joy of victory and the happiness of reunion."

"At this very moment, we miss them more than ever, we long for them."

"Here, let us use our battle flag as a guide and the north wind as a vessel to summon their spirits home! Everyone, rise!"

Although the crowd was large and the distance far, Jia Jing's loud shout still clearly reached each person's ears.

Everyone rose to their feet.

At this moment, Tang Bin glanced at the sky, adjusted his court robes, and walked to stand beside Jia Jing.

He cleared his throat, his voice solemn and resonant:

"The auspicious time has arrived! The sacrifice begins! Welcome……spirit……"

Hearing this, Jia Jing raised his hand and waved.

Seeing this, Zhu Que immediately turned and waved the command flag at the flag formation behind him.

Only seen, a huge Han Army flag slowly rose from the left side of the altar.

The flag is crimson, with a large "Han" character embroidered in gold thread, glittering in the early rising sun.

As the flag reached the top of the pole, a gust of north wind blew just then, unfurling it with a rustle, like a sigh.

Immediately after, the four war drums on the right side of the altar sounded together.

"Boom……"

"Boom……"

"Boom……"

One after another, like a heartbeat.

Rolling down from the hilltop, it passed over the heads of more than ten thousand soldiers and civilians, over the Wuding River and the Mao Wusu Desert.

Then the horn sounded.

"Who……"

"Who……"

"Who……"

Low and prolonged, it echoed long between heaven and earth.

Niu Jizong fiercely drew his waist sword, the blade tip pointing straight to the sky.

Over ten thousand soldiers simultaneously drew their swords; the sound of blades leaving scabbards was like a wind sweeping across wheat fields.

Swish, swish, swish, neat and uniform, forming a forest of blades.

Tang Bin swallowed, then his voice sounded again:

"Raise……incense……"

Zhu Que brought up a bronze basin containing three long sticks of incense, each as thick as a thumb.

Jia Jing picked up the incense, brought it to the sacrificial cauldron, and lit it.

Green smoke curled upward, not scattered by the wind, as if the spirits surrounded it.

Jia Jing's expression solemn, he held the incense with both hands, raised it above his head, faced that stone monument, and bowed three times.

To this day, few things in the world can make Jia Jing bow and bend low.

But facing the monument of the Han Army soldiers' martyrs, he bows willingly!

"Offer wine……"

The scene fell silent, Tang Bin's voice echoing in the wind.

Zhu Que presented the wine.

Jia Jing reached out to receive the wine jar, lifted it above his head, turned his body, and looked toward the crowd beneath the altar.

Amid the mournful gazes of the crowd, he slowly poured the wine onto the ground before the martyrs' monument.

"Present the offerings……" Tang Bin's voice rang out in the wind.

Four soldiers carried a whole roasted sheep onto the altar, placing it respectfully.

Next came a whole roasted pig, a whole roasted ox, each set out in turn.

Fruits, dried rations, wine jars, and the like filled the altar completely.

Reading the prayer……

Jia Jing took the yellow silk from Tang Bin's hand beside him, unfolded it, and read aloud:

In the tenth year of the Jing Sheng reign of the Da Han Empire, the year bing-shen, the first day of the fifth month, geng-yin.

Duke of Jingguo, Champion Grand General, Superintendent of the Three Borders and Four Garrisons, Military Governor of Ba Shang, bearer of the Imperial Sword, overseer of the Nine Border Military Affairs, Jia Jing, respectfully presents the sacrificial rites; with pure wine and assorted offerings, he offers sacrifice to the spirits of the fallen soldiers of the Northwest, saying:

I, the Emperor Jing Sheng of the Da Han Empire, having received the mandate and reached the utmost, govern the four seas. Since ascending the great throne, my civil virtue and martial prowess have shone throughout the eight directions.

Only the northwest borderlands, close to the barbarians, have been a perennial menace. Recently, from afar they invaded our borders; barbarian tribes raised troops, wielding scorpion tails to summon evil, stealing wolf hearts to revel in chaos.

The Emperor, inheriting the vast undertaking, dares not rest easy; he therefore commands the six armies to sweep clean the plains.

You officers and soldiers, disregarding personal safety, charged forward, broke through formations, snapped banners, slew commanders, pursued the fleeing enemy, and struck straight at the royal court.

At Mount Langju Xu they inscribed stones as monuments; by the shores of the Vast Sea they watered their horses and returned. All this is your doing.

Alas! Who can escape death? What matters is dying in the right place!

But the soldiers and lads are all heroes of the Nine Provinces; the officials and officers are all heroes of the Four Seas: practicing martial arts, joining the army, serving a wise lord, they all obey the three orders and together display the nine victories.

United in their loyalty to the state and their devotion to the ruler, who would have thought you would lose the military opportunity through treachery: some struck by stray arrows, their souls hidden in the springs; some wounded by swords and blades, their spirits consigned to the long night—alive they showed courage, in death they earned fame.

Now, as the triumphant song seeks to return and captives are to be presented, your heroic spirits still linger; my prayers will surely be heard:

Follow my banners, pursue my troops, return together to the central state, each to your native village, to enjoy the warmth of kin and receive the rites of family; do not become ghosts in a foreign land, merely spirits of an alien realm.

I will report to the Emperor so that each of your families may fully receive grace, yearly granted provisions and monthly stipends; thus I shall repay and comfort your hearts.

The living already tremble before heavenly might; the dead likewise return to the king's transformation. I merely express my sincere loyalty, reverently presenting the sacrificial rites. Alas, lament! May you partake!

When Jia Jing's recitation ceased, the civil and military officials, soldiers, and commoners present again all bowed to the ground; the sound of armor plates colliding rang like rolling thunder across the earth.

Then Zhu Que, Niu Jizong, and others first shouted loudly:

"The rivers and mountains of the Da Han Empire shall endure forever! Our Han Army soldiers shall endure forever!"

All the commanders rose to their feet, raising their halberds; the long whistles shook heaven and earth, as if even the clouds in midair would be shattered.

Over 100,000 Han Army soldiers flushed red in the face, then followed up with a unified roar.

That sound rose in waves, like the wind of the northern desert, rolling outward from beneath the altar, past the mausoleum, and toward Yu Lin Cheng.

"The rivers and mountains of the Da Han Empire shall endure forever! Our Han Army soldiers shall endure forever!"

"The rivers and mountains of the Da Han Empire endure forever; our Han Army soldiers endure forever!"

……

The commoners also rose to their feet; an elderly lady, trembling, walked with several grandchildren to the front of the mausoleum gate.

They began burning paper money, muttering:

"Oh child! Mother has come to see you! His Majesty the Emperor and the General have praised you; rest easy and go on!"

"The General has given our family consolation silver and grain; we need not worry about me and Flower and Egg."

Saying this, she also pointed toward the Martyrs' Monument and said to the several children:

"Your father is right there! From now on, we'll come see him every year!"