Chapter 83: Harsh Weather

Hongwu Year Four, the twenty‑first day of the fourth month.

The weather on the Grassland changes on a whim; yesterday the sky was clear for miles, this morning snowflakes began to drift.

Zhu Yong's great army, herding prisoners and escorting seized horses and supplies, trudged laboriously through the swirling snow.

The wind blew from the northwest, whipping snowflakes against the face like knives.

Visibility was under a hundred meters, so the column had to slow its pace.

"This damned weather!" Lan Yu spat, and the saliva instantly froze into ice shards.

Since coming out, Lan Yu has done little else but complain about the weather every day.

Wang Baobao tightened his Sheepskin Coat, squinted at the endless white ahead, and said in a deep voice, "This kind of weather makes marching the most dangerous; it's easy to lose the way and easy to get frostbite."

Zhu Yong rode a Wuzhui Horse, wearing only ordinary leather armor, yet felt no hint of cold.

He glanced back at the column; over four thousand soldiers led horses, trudging through the snow with uneven steps.

The prisoners were tied together in a long line, each frozen until their lips turned purple.

"Transmit the order: halt here for half an hour to rest, and find a wind‑sheltered spot," Zhu Yong commanded.

The Command was passed down, and the column stopped.

The soldiers hurried to find a wind‑sheltered place, clustering in groups of three or five to keep warm.

Zhu Yong dismounted and walked to a small earthen slope.

Zhang Wuhe and Chen Heng followed, pulling out Dry Rations and Water Bags.

"Prince, have something to eat," Zhang Wu said.

Zhu Yong took a hard flatbread, bit it, and let it melt slowly in his mouth.

In this weather, the water in the Water Bag was nearly frozen; they could only melt the Dry Rations with body heat.

"How are the prisoners?" Zhu Yong asked.

Wang Gui came over, his face frost‑red, rubbing his hands, and said, "Three old men froze to death; the others are okay, but if we keep going like this, more will die."

Zhu Yong frowned.

These prisoners are mostly the elderly, weak, women and children; their constitutions are already frail and cannot endure such hardship.

But if we slow down, the army's supplies won't hold up.

While pondering, Lan Yu and Wang Baobao also walked over.

"Prince, at this pace we need at least three more days to return to the Buyu'er Sea Main Camp; the food is sufficient, but the horse feed is running low.

Snow covers the grass, so the horses can't eat enough," Lan Yu added.

Wang Baobao added, "Moreover, in this weather, if a blizzard hits, we could easily lose our way. Getting lost on the Grassland is a death sentence."

Zhu Yong was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Elder Brother, is there any wind‑sheltered valley or cave nearby?"

Wang Baobao thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "The terrain here is flat, no big mountains, but twenty li to the southeast there is a place called White Wolf Hollow, surrounded on three sides by low slopes that can barely block the wind."

"Twenty li… if we set out now, can we arrive before nightfall?" Zhu Yong calculated the time and said.

"Barely possible, but we must hurry."

Zhu Yong stood up, brushed the snow off, and said, "Transmit the order: the whole army departs, head southeast toward White Wolf Hollow, set up camp there, and wait for the snow to stop before moving on."

The order was quickly relayed.

Although the soldiers were weary, hearing there was a wind‑sheltered spot lifted their spirits, and they reorganized the column.

In the wind and snow, the army turned and marched southeast.

The road became even harder.

Where the snow was deep enough to reach the calves, each step required great effort to pull the foot out.

The horses also struggled, and occasionally a horse slipped and fell.

Zhu Yong led the front of the column; the Wuzhui Horse, truly a Treasure Horse, still kept a steady gait on this terrain.

He occasionally looked back to see whether the rear of the column was keeping up.

At that moment, a prisoner staggered and fell, rolling in the snow, unable to get up.

A nearby Ming soldier hesitated, then finally reached out to pull him up.

Zhu Yong saw it but said nothing more.

In such weather, horses fell from time to time, and he went forward to lift the fallen horse.

After another roughly ten li, the snow thinned, but the wind grew stronger.

The gale lifted the ground snow, forming a white, misty snow‑fog.

Visibility dropped further, so the column had to link together with ropes to prevent anyone from getting lost.

"Prince, this won't do! It's too dangerous!" Lan Yu shouted, his voice breaking intermittently in the wind.

Zhu Yong also realized it.

He tightened the horse's reins, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed the wind direction.

If they don't find shelter soon, the whole column could freeze to death on the Grassland.

"How much farther?" he asked Wang Baobao.

Wang Baobao squinted to determine direction, pointed to the left‑front and said, "About seven or eight li, but the wind has shifted; now it's tailwind, so move faster."

"Increase the pace! Throw away anything that can be discarded, travel light!" Zhu Yong shouted.

The order was passed down, and the soldiers began discarding unnecessary gear.

Pots, bowls, and tents, even some seized weapons, were thrown into the snow.

The prisoners were also untied, allowing them to help each other along.

The speed indeed increased considerably.

After another half an hour, undulating slopes finally appeared ahead.

"We've arrived, that's White Wolf Hollow!" Wang Baobao shouted excitedly.

It was a hollow surrounded on three sides by slopes; though not high, it could indeed block most of the wind and snow.

Sparse shrubs dotted the slope, all covered by snow.

The troops poured into the hollow, and the wind immediately felt much lighter.

The soldiers quickly cleared a patch of ground and erected the few remaining tents.

The rest could only find a relatively dry spot, spread blankets, and huddle together for warmth.

Zhu Yong dismounted and surveyed the terrain.

The hollow was small, barely able to accommodate all the people and horses.

The shrubs on the slope could be cut for fire; though wet, they were better than nothing.

"Zhang Wu, take men to chop firewood, cut more."

"Chen Heng, have people dig pits, dig deeper, line the bottom with branches, cover the top with blankets; it's better than sleeping directly on the snow."

"Wang Gui, you handle the captives over there; the old, weak, women and children go into the tents, the young and strong stay on the perimeter."

Orders were issued one after another, and the troops settled in an orderly fashion.

The sky gradually darkened.

Several bonfires ignited in the hollow, the wet wood crackling and puffing thick smoke.

At least there was fire, there was warmth.

The soldiers gathered around the Fire Pit, roasting Dry Rations and drinking melted snow water.

Zhu Yong sat beside the largest fire, with Wang Baobao and Lan Yu sitting opposite him.

"Prince, today we owe it to your decisive decision; otherwise spending the night outside would have frozen hundreds to death," Lan Yu said sincerely.

Wang Baobao also nodded and said, "The wind and snow on the Grassland are the most lethal; back when I marched with the army, I saw an entire hundred-man unit freeze to death in one night."

Zhu Yong gave no reply, merely staring at the leaping flames.

He actually felt a lingering fear.

If today Wang Baobao hadn't known the terrain, if I hadn't acted decisively, the over five thousand of us might truly have perished on the Grassland.

Leading troops into battle, bravery alone is insufficient; one must understand the timing and know the terrain.

"Will the snow stop tomorrow?" he asked.

Wang Baobao looked up at the sky, shook his head and said, "Hard to say; judging by these clouds, it will last at least another day or two."

"Then we'll camp here, wait for the snow to stop; how many days do we have of Grain and Fodder?" Zhu Yong said.

Lan Yu calculated and said, "If we ration, five days."

"That's enough; how could five days stop it?"

While speaking, Zhang Wu came over carrying a ceramic bowl filled with steaming meat broth.

"Prince, have some hot broth, just boiled, with dried meat and wild vegetables."

Zhu Yong took it, took a sip, and the hot soup warmed his whole body.

"Have the captives over there also been sorted?" he asked.

"Sorted, per your orders; the old, weak, women and children are all present," Zhang Wu said.

Zhu Yong nodded and continued drinking the soup.

Lan Yu looked at his profile and suddenly felt that the Wu King before her was somewhat different from before.

He still had that simple, honest face, but his actions became increasingly thorough, his considerations more far‑reaching.

Perhaps it was forged through military experience, Lan Yu thought.

Hmm! They could only think that way; Lan Yu, who knew the great secret, dared not speak recklessly.

Lan Yu was merely unruly, not foolish.