Mid-March.
As news of the war in Yan Province spread with astonishing speed, the name of the Qihuo Army and Zhang Yuheng entered the minds of people across the realm.
The entire course of the campaign was laid out on the desks of every warlord.
And from this month onward, all of them learned that the Yellow Turbans of Yan Province had long since changed their name to the Qihuo Army.
Its lord, Zhang Yuheng, held four commanderies of Yan Province and defended them firmly.
His strength was no less than that of any major warlord under Heaven.
When the news reached Jing Province, after his initial shock, Liu Biao quickly made a decision.
He would immediately dispatch troops to Nanyang and bring all of Jing Province under complete control.
……………..
Yan Province, Dongping Kingdom.
Inside the government hall of Wuyan City.
“Zhongde,” Zhang Jing asked after listening to Cheng Yu’s report, “How much seed grain are we still short of after collecting Yuan Shu’s grain supplies? We received two hundred and thirty thousand shi, correct?”
“We’re still short by two million eight hundred thousand shi.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Cheng Yu gave his answer.
“That’s still quite a lot.” Zhang Jing sighed unwillingly.
“Zhongde, is there any other way to raise more grain?”
“There is.” Cheng Yu nodded.
“If my lord is willing, you could write letters to Tao Qian, Zang Ba, Kong Rong, Yuan Shu, and others. Appeal to their emotions and reason with them—ask them to lend us grain.”
“…” Zhang Jing and Xun You fell silent.
“Strategist,” Dian Wei spoke up.
“Would they actually lend it?”
“No.”
Cheng Yu answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“But if we include detailed instructions on how to breach their city walls along with the letters, we should be able to borrow at least some grain.”
“Good. Then that’s what we’ll do.” Zhang Jing immediately made the decision.
“We’ve still got half a month. If we can scrape together another million shi of grain, we’ll be able to celebrate a truly prosperous New Year.”
“My lord,” Dian Wei said somewhat embarrassed, “I’ve actually had my eye on the big yellow dog at the strategist’s house for quite some time now.”
“…”
Cheng Yu glanced at Dian Wei and said nothing.
He silently decided that once he returned home, he would simply give the dog to him.
After all, he had heard of Dian Wei’s performance in this campaign.
At present, he was the only warrior in the Qihuo Army who could truly be called a match for ten thousand men.
“Just endure for another three months, Dian Wei.”
Zhang Jing casually painted another hopeful picture.
“Once the autumn harvest comes in and we have grain again, the Qihuo Army will establish a Livestock Office. By then, eating fish and meat every day won’t be a problem.”
“I’ll listen to you, my lord!” Dian Wei wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and nodded heavily.
“Forget three months—even four months would be fine. Back when I lived in the mountains, I stayed there for nearly three years.”
“Hm?”
Hearing that, Zhang Jing suddenly thought of something.
Turning toward Cheng Yu, he asked, “Zhongde, do you think we could organize a force specifically for hunting in the mountains? We could use the game they catch to make porridge for both the army and the common people.”
As he spoke, a scene from one of those absurd military dramas suddenly flashed through his mind.
The kind where an army suffering from food shortages somehow hunted millions of jin of game in a single month.
Ridiculous as it was.
Zhang Jing wasn’t asking for much.
If he could send five thousand men out and have them bring back fifty thousand jin of game every day, he’d be thanking Heaven.
“It can be done.”
Under the eager, green-eyed gazes of Dian Wei and the others, Cheng Yu swallowed and slowly nodded.
Truthfully, it wasn’t just Dian Wei and the rest.
Even Cheng Yu himself had undoubtedly lost weight after following his lord through these past few months.
“Then it’s settled.” After a moment’s thought, Zhang Jing declared, “Select five thousand soldiers skilled in hunting from across the army and organize them into the Falcon Guard.
“For the time being, their sole duty will be hunting.
“Whether in the mountains or along the rivers, anything that can provide meat may be hunted.
“But they must never enter cultivated farmland.
“Merit will be awarded according to the weight of the game they bring in.
“Once this period is over, they will be reassigned as regular troops.”
“As for the meat they obtain,” he continued, “Zhongde will oversee its distribution and formulate an appropriate plan to allocate it among the army and the common people.”
Just imagine it.
He was a great warlord commanding an army, yet he had reached the point where he was creating an entire military unit solely to hunt for meat in the mountains.
There really was no one else quite like him.
“Your subordinate obeys!” Cheng Yu respectfully acknowledged the order.
He had already decided that the newly formed Falcon Guard would be placed under Lu Qian’s command.
“There’s one more thing, Zhongde. Make a note of it.” Zhang Jing continued, “Have the physicians and craftsmen among the common folk search for deposits of saltpeter. Saltpeter can produce ice when mixed with water. Although it can’t be eaten directly, it can be used to preserve meat. We can build icehouses with it in the future.”
“This subordinate will arrange it immediately.”
Amid the puzzled and curious looks of Xun You and the others, Cheng Yu committed the matter firmly to memory.
He had always trusted his lord’s words.
“Good.” Zhang Jing nodded slightly before turning to Xun You.
“Gongda, report the spoils of this campaign and the army’s casualties.”
“Yes, my lord.” After bowing, Xun You took a document from his robe and began reading.
“From Yuan Shu’s siege until today, General Pei Yuanshao’s forces suffered five hundred dead… the Forlorn Hope Battalion lost six hundred and seventy-five men…”
“In total, this campaign has cost us two thousand nine hundred and eighty-three soldiers killed in action and three thousand four hundred and seventy-two severely wounded.”
“All soldiers of the Forlorn Hope Battalion were severely wounded.”
“Boning.” After hearing the report, Zhang Jing looked toward Man Chong.
“You’ve seen the casualties suffered by the Forlorn Hope Battalion. In the future, when enforcing the law, make sure the evidence is conclusive.”
Hearing the condition of the Forlorn Hope Battalion, even Zhang Jing, who was accustomed to life and death, could not help but feel moved.
After all, his Forlorn Hope Battalion was not the same as the famous Forlorn Hope troops of Qu Yi.
Those men were elite soldiers capable of wielding powerful crossbows.
His own Forlorn Hope Battalion, by comparison, was essentially a unit of expendable assault troops.
“Please rest assured, my lord.”
Man Chong stepped forward with a solemn expression and bowed.
“This subordinate will enforce the law impartially.”
“From now on, the Forlorn Hope Battalion shall be organized in units of one thousand.” Zhang Jing nodded.
“Those convicted of serious crimes shall be given priority for assignment. Man Chong will oversee recruitment and assignment, while Pan Zhang will be responsible for training.”
“This subordinate obeys!”
“This general obeys!”
Man Chong and Pan Zhang clasped their fists and accepted the orders.
“Though our circumstances remain difficult,” Zhang Jing said as he looked toward Wang Du, “I, Zhang Jing, always keep the promises I make to my soldiers.”
“Wang Du, as Vice Minister of Works, once this meeting ends, immediately organize the necessary manpower.”
“Build a Shrine of Heroes south of the city.”
“Its scale shall be equal to that of the residence of one of the Three Excellencies of the Han court.”
“Once it is completed, carve the names and native places of every soldier who fell in this campaign onto a Heroic Monument.”
“That includes the fallen soldiers of the Forlorn Hope Battalion.”
“When construction is finished, invite all the families of the fallen heroes to Wuyan.”
“I will personally join them in paying tribute to the departed.”
“As for inviting their families, it must be entirely voluntary. Under no circumstances are they to be pressured. Is that understood?”
He had said before that those who risked their lives against the enemy were heroes.
Then heroes they would be.
Nor would Zhang Jing begrudge them the recognition they deserved.
At the same time, it was a measure that would bring both honor and practical benefits.
“Please rest assured, my lord.” Wang Du’s face grew solemn as he bowed deeply.
“This subordinate would never mistreat the families of our heroes. I will hire the finest craftsmen and ensure the Shrine of Heroes is completed properly.”
“My lord is wise and benevolent!”
As soon as Wang Du finished speaking, Cheng Yu, Xun You, Man Chong, Dian Wei, and the others all stepped forward and respectfully saluted Zhang Jing.
“Enough.” Zhang Jing waved his hand and spoke seriously.
“To honor heroes is my duty.”
“And through this, I also wish to tell every soldier and every commoner that we finally have a place to call our own.”
“Behind every soldier stand family members, fellow countrymen, brothers-in-arms, and a foundation worth protecting.”
“And the people must understand as well that it is only because the soldiers on the front lines fought bravely and faced death without fear that they can possess fertile fields, grain to eat, and lives of peace and happiness.”
— The end of the Chapter–
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