Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3757 No Clothes
At the top of Yique Pass, Zhang Lie gasped for breath, each inhalation carrying a heavy, pungent smell of blood.

His arms were already numb, and he was only wielding his sword out of instinct, honed by years of battlefield experience.

The bloodstains on the armor were layered upon layered, making it impossible to distinguish whether they were from the enemy or his own.

His outer armor was almost completely tattered, hanging precariously and swaying, much like the rumors and gossip that had plagued him over the years.

A Cao soldier charged forward with a howl, but Zhang Lie dodged to the side, his sword slicing across the soldier's neck.

Warm blood splattered on Zhang Lie's face, but he didn't even have the strength to wipe it away.

Of course, I'm too lazy to wipe it.

More blood and flesh will splatter out in the next moment...

"Captain! There's a breach on the east side!" The guard's voice was hoarse.

Zhang Lie staggered and turned around, only to see several Cao soldiers already climbing up the ramparts.

He roared and once again unleashed his full potential, charging towards the battlements. With a slash of his sword, two Cao soldiers fell to the ground.

The third Cao soldier's spear pierced through him, grazing his ribs, shattering his armor and leaving a bloody gash.

The excruciating pain brought Zhang Lie back to his senses.

He swung his sword backhand and severed the spear shaft, then charged forward, knocking the Cao soldier off the city wall.

Hearing the screams coming from below, Zhang Lie staggered, bracing himself against the edge of the battlement, breathing heavily.

In that brief moment, some memories flooded Zhang Lie's mind uncontrollably.

……

……

The earthen walls of that small county town north of Bingbei were much shorter than those of Yique Pass.

That year, he had just become a county magistrate and had only a few dozen old, weak, and disabled soldiers under his command.

The sons of noble families rode by on horseback, watching them repair the city wall, and laughed heartily on horseback.

They went hunting in the desert.

Dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse.

The robe they wore was enough to buy Zhang Lie and his men a month's worth of provisions...

"Zhang, the county magistrate, the wall you built is so bad it probably couldn't even stop a pig!"

The gentry members seemed to think that what they said was very pertinent, practical, and interesting, and they laughed and pointed.

Zhang Lie remembers that he just smiled innocently and continued moving stones with the soldiers.

Those aristocratic sons will never understand that what was just a joke to them was a mountain weighing on Zhang Lie's heart day and night.

They chuckled and gestured wildly, indicating that they were all straightforward and honest, and always spoke their minds...

"County Lieutenant Zhang, we were just stating the facts. Please don't take offense! Please forgive us!"

"Exactly, exactly! Hehe haha!"

……

……

The sound of war drums pulled Zhang Lie back to reality.

Another wave of Cao Cao's troops surged onto the city walls.

Zhang Lie raised his sword to meet the enemy, but his arm was so weak that he could barely lift it.

A young Cao army soldier thrust his spear forward, his movements clumsy, his eyes filled with fear.

Zhang Lie easily parried the spear, and the back of his blade struck the boy's helmet, causing him to fall to the ground.

Normally, Zhang Lie might have spared his life, but now, it was a matter of life and death...

Zhang Lie sighed inwardly, reversed the blade, and plunged the blade into the throat of the young Cao soldier.

The young soldier from Cao's army grabbed Zhang Lie's sword, his eyes wide, making gurgling noises, as if he wanted to say something...

Zhang Lie suddenly remembered his first murder.

That was in Bingbei, when three Xiongnu people broke into the village.

Only three!

But they ran away first...

Zhang Lie was just an ordinary soldier at the time, and his hand holding the spear trembled violently.

In the end, he killed one and drove away two other Xiongnu, not because of his superior martial arts skills, but because he was not afraid of death.

"Just a brute."

Only courage and bloodshed matter.

Afterwards, no one praised him; instead, they commented, "It was all luck."

There were still those who pointed fingers and gossiped, "If you're so capable, why didn't you save that village? Didn't you kill all those Xiongnu? You only killed one person, what are you so proud of? What kind of elite are you?"

Yes, he's just a brute.

Yes, he's not an elite.

He couldn't compose poems or write essays, and he didn't understand military strategy.

When he first joined General of the Cavalry, he couldn't even understand the military orders.

But he wanted to learn.

They were still pointing and whispering.

……

……

How is the city?

Zhang Lie took a break during a battle to ask the question.

"The wounded have all been evacuated!" replied a newly arrived veteran. "Now it's the laborers who are leaving!"

"Alright! Hold on a little longer!" Zhang Lie encouraged the soldiers around him.

"Captain!" Just as Zhang Lie was about to leave, the old soldier pulled out a gourd of wine from his person, grabbed Zhang Lie, and said, "Have a drink! It's on you!"

"..." Zhang Lie glanced at it, then suddenly laughed, "Good!"

He took the gourd of wine and took a swig.

Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited in the army, and the old soldier carrying alcohol was clearly breaking the law, but now...

The cheap liquor slid down his throat, and his parched, torn throat seemed to revive in that instant, desperately groaning in pain, trying to make Zhang Lie understand that he needed to rest, needed to relax, needed…

"Good wine!" Zhang Lie handed the wine gourd to the old soldier, and then walked forward.

The strong liquor mixed with blood and burned inside the chest and abdomen.

He remembered...

In the military camp after nightfall, while others rested and drank, he fiddled with a twig on the ground.

Recognize each character one by one, and read each sentence one by one.

When the patrolling officers saw this, one of them asked in surprise, "What is Magistrate Zhang doing?"

He blushed and stammered, "Practice...practice calligraphy."

Later, that aristocratic youth became his friend, but privately he said to him, "Why go through all this trouble? Warfare relies on bravery; knowing a few characters is enough."

The gentry believed that he was thinking of Zhang Lie's best interests, and that Zhang Lie's efforts in practicing calligraphy were inefficient and unwise.

Zhang Lie did not explain.

How could he explain the shame and indignation he felt when those aristocratic youths mocked his handwriting as being like a dog's scratch?
How could he explain how much he longed to be like those people, quoting classics with ease and humor, instead of just standing awkwardly to the side?
……

……

"Captain! The West Tower has fallen!"

Another bad news came.

Zhang Lie gritted his teeth and charged toward the western pagoda, with fewer than ten guards remaining by his side.

With every step I took, my legs felt as heavy as lead.

Blood mixed with sweat flowed down from where the armor was torn.

At the west wall, Cao Cao's army had already occupied a section of the city wall and was fighting fiercely with the defending troops.

Zhang Lie roared and joined the battle, wielding his sword and forcing Cao's army back several steps.

During this brief respite, he thought back to his days at the military academy.

That was the first time he had studied in the same classroom as the sons of the gentry.

The instructor was explaining military strategy. Once, he finally mustered up the courage to speak. He stammered out his views, and the room fell silent. Then someone burst out laughing.

After class, he overheard two aristocratic youths chatting.

"To share a room with such a boorish person is a disgrace to our culture."

"Isn't that right? His handwriting is crooked and messy, his understanding of military strategy is superficial, yet he dares to speak so arrogantly."

That day, he practiced his sword at the training ground until late at night, each strike filled with resentment and unwillingness.

why?
Why are they born able to read and write, while he has to put in a hundred times more effort just to recognize a single character?
Why is he ridiculed and mocked for the slightest mistake, while those aristocratic sons are treated as if it were their right to talk about war on paper?

Why is it that even though he worked his way up to the Military Academy, there are still people pointing fingers and saying that if the Military Academy is full of useless people like Zhang Lie, wouldn't that ruin the important mission of General Piaoqi?

……

……

A stray arrow whistled through the air, piercing Zhang Lie's cheek, and blood dripped down his chin.

"Captain!!"

The guards exclaimed in surprise.

Zhang Lie wiped his hand with the back of his hand to indicate that it was alright.

What are a few physical injuries compared to the trauma in one's heart?
Cao Jun's offensive became increasingly fierce.

Zhang Lie knew that it was only a matter of time before the wall fell.

Du Ji's order was to evacuate in stages, but he had to buy time for the retreat.

Zhang Lie continued running around the city walls, going wherever the danger was.

His steps slowed, his breathing grew heavier, but his gaze remained firm.

Another memory surfaced.

That was when he had just been promoted to captain and was ordered to escort a group of civil officials.

On the way, they encountered a small group of enemy troops. He led his troops to repel the enemy and ensure the safety of the clerk.

At the victory banquet afterward, the clerks were overheard gossiping in the next tent: "What else can that Captain Zhang do besides risk his life? If it had been someone knowledgeable in military strategy, we wouldn't have lost so many brothers."

"A warrior is just a warrior; he may be brave, but he lacks strategy."

His hand holding the wine glass was trembling violently, but in the end he said nothing.

Say what?

Is it said that he studied maps all night to plan the marching route?
Does that mean the terrain he chose in the skirmish was the optimal solution?

It is said that he led the charge into the enemy lines and personally beheaded an enemy soldier.

Those people wouldn't understand; they'd just sit in their safe tents and point fingers.

……

……

"Captain! Cao's army is coming!" The guard's shout was filled with despair.

Zhang Lie came to his senses and saw that a large number of Cao soldiers had climbed onto the city walls from multiple locations.

The defending troops suffered repeated defeats and heavy casualties.

it's time.

"Order! Remove the barrier!"

Zhang Lie shouted, "Retreat according to plan!"

He watched as the soldiers began to retreat in an orderly fashion, but he remained standing still. Several guards tried to pull him away, but he waved them off.

"I'll cover your retreat."

These three simple words are irrefutable.

Zhang Lie stood at the top of the steps of the gate, facing the surging Cao army alone.

His sword was already dulled and his armor was tattered, but he stood there, as unshakable as a mountain.

A Cao army officer recognized him as the leader and charged forward with a shout.

Zhang Liege deflected the officer's knife, retaliated with a swift strike, and the officer fell to the ground.

Another person rushed in, and then another...

He didn't know how many people he had killed; he only felt his arm getting heavier and heavier, and his vision began to blur.

In a daze, he seemed to have returned to that small county town, standing on the low earthen wall, gazing at the desolate frontier.

At that time, his greatest wish was simply to protect that land and water and to reduce the suffering of the people.

Later, he followed the General of the Flying Cavalry, saw a wider world, and also endured more criticism.

More criticism and comments.

Those aristocratic scions will never understand how heavy a burden their casual sarcasm was for someone like Zhang Lie.

……

……

"Captain! Run!"

The last few guards called out to him from below.

Zhang Lie then slowly retreated, each step incredibly difficult. He felt as if he were stepping on soft fur or burlap instead of bricks and stones.

After descending the wall, they saw soldiers arranged by Du Ji setting traps in the streets.

The smell of the flammable oil was pungent.

"Captain, your wound..."

A young soldier looked at him, his eyes filled with worry.

Zhang Lie shook his head, wanting to say something, but suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The soldier rushed forward to help him, but was gently pushed away.

"Carry out your mission," he said hoarsely. "I'll go check the rear."

On the streets, the retreating teams are moving forward in an orderly manner.

Seeing this, Zhang Lie felt somewhat relieved.

But just then, he seemed to hear several clerks whispering in the shadows nearby...

"It's all because that Captain Zhang was greedy for merit and acted rashly; otherwise, things wouldn't have come to this..."

"A warrior is just a warrior; he doesn't understand military strategy but insists on being strong..."

Zhang Lie stopped in his tracks.

Those words pierced his already wounded heart like needles.

He turned his head and looked closely, but there was no one in the shadows. It seemed that several demons and monsters were hiding in the darkness, chirping and murmuring.

Pointing.

In the darkness, Zhang Lie's face was as pale as paper. He shook his head but said nothing, simply turning and walking away silently.

"Captain! Where are you going?" a soldier exclaimed.

"Cover the rear." Zhang Lie said without turning his head. "You all hurry."

He knew that Du Ji's arrangements were excellent, the traps were well-placed, and the retreat was orderly.

He was relieved to know that Du Ji was more capable than him.

He also knew that even the most meticulous plan needed someone to execute it.

It might even require sacrifice...

And he was willing to be the sacrifice.

He never feared death or was afraid of sacrifice.

At the street corner, Cao Jun's vanguard had already appeared.

Zhang Lie took a deep breath and gripped his battle sword tightly.

The first Cao soldier to charge was cut down by him.

The second, the third...

He stood like a rock in the middle of the street, refusing to retreat an inch as Cao Cao's army surged forward like a tide.

Memories flooded back like a tide.

When I was a child, my family was poor and we couldn't afford to go to school, so I could only eavesdrop outside the school window.

When the teacher discovered this, he struck the boy's palm with a ruler, saying, "The son of a lowly person, does he even deserve to study?"

Later, he joined the army, but because he was illiterate, he could only serve as the most dangerous vanguard.

He always charged ahead not because he was brave, but because he had no other choice.

He wanted to do well, but he couldn't read.

It wasn't until I met Fei Qian that I had the opportunity to learn.

On those nights, he practiced calligraphy by the campfire, his fingers turning red from the cold, but he persisted.

why?
Isn't the point to prove that ordinary people can also change their destiny through hard work?
But those aristocratic sons will never understand. They are born with everything, yet they still mock those who strive to climb the ladder.

They pointed and whispered.

With a single slash, another Cao soldier fell to the ground.

Zhang Lie's arm was numb, and he was only able to keep going by sheer willpower.

A huge explosion was heard in the distance—

It was Cao Cao's army that detonated the gunpowder at the city gate.

The gates of the city collapsed with a crash, and more of Cao Cao's troops poured in.

broken……

It seems we won't be able to leave...

Zhang Lie laughed.

Flames began to ignite everywhere, and the fire traps set by Du Ji were activated.

The street quickly turned into a sea of ​​fire, and scorching heat waves rushed towards us.

Zhang Lie was panting, coughing, and laughing loudly...

The bigger the fire, the more it can delay Cao Cao's pursuit, giving the retreating troops more time.

Several soldiers tried to pull him away, but he shouted at them sharply: "Go! That's an order!"

He stood in the middle of the sea of ​​fire, his sword on the ground, barely supporting his body.

Cao Jun was first blocked by Zhang Lie, and then blocked by the fire, so he was unable to pursue them.

In these final moments of his life, Zhang Lie's thoughts were exceptionally clear.

He thought of the loess slopes of his hometown, the sandstorms of Bingbei, and the first time he met Fei Qian, a young man also from a noble family, who said: "In my world, I don't care about background, only merit."

Yes, the General of the Cavalry gave ordinary people opportunities.

But this road remains incredibly difficult...

Even though he tried so hard, every mistake he made was magnified to the extreme by the gentry, who then pointed fingers, criticized and berated him.

The flames drew ever closer, the heat scorching.

Zhang Lie slowly closed his eyes, and he seemed to hear again the mocking voices of those aristocratic youths, some loud and some sharp.

But this time, he felt no anger, only deep exhaustion and a sense of relief.

He is tired.

He didn't want to listen to certain people's criticisms anymore.

In his final moments, he mustered all his strength to straighten his back, standing tall like a pine tree amidst the sea of ​​fire.

A true soldier, until the very last moment of his life, did not fail in his duty.

Fight to the very last moment.

……

……

Among the retreating troops, several clerks huddled together, whispering among themselves.

"Zhang Lie truly deserved to die. If it weren't for him..."

"Indeed, a mere warrior, pretending to know what he doesn't, truly deserving of death..."

Du Ji, riding by on horseback, happened to pass by and overheard these remarks, his face turning ashen.

He suddenly reined in his horse and turned to look at the clerks.

"Take it down."

His voice was as cold as ice.

The soldiers were stunned and at a loss for what to do.

"I said take them down!" Du Ji shouted sternly, pointing at the few civil officials.

Several clerks, escorted by soldiers to Du Ji's horse, were still protesting, "Military Advisor Du, what crime have we committed?"

Du Ji's gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over the terrified faces of the civil officials, and then looking at the silent crowd around him.

"Those who speak out against heroes deserve to be punished," Du Ji said, emphasizing each word.

A clerk, forcing himself to remain calm, argued: "Military Advisor Du, you are wise! We were merely discussing it privately, just chatting casually... How can this be considered dissenting opinion? Regardless of whether Zhang... is a hero or not... Military Advisor, you are innocent!"

Du Ji sneered, "What a casual remark! 'Speak without consequence!' Then let me ask you, according to military law, 'Those who frequently complain, anger their commander, disobey orders, and are difficult to control are considered to be committing military offenses, and shall be executed!' Do you know that?!"

The clerk was speechless.

Du Ji's gaze swept over the crowd, his voice rising: "Colonel Zhang fought valiantly to his death, sacrificing himself for his country. Not only do you show no grief, but you also slander him behind his back, disrupting the morale of our army! Such behavior deserves to be punished according to military law!"

Another clerk struggled to say, "Military Advisor Du! We were merely... offering some comments, and besides, Commandant Zhang... Commandant Zhang also made mistakes..."

"Commentary? Mistakes?" Du Ji interrupted him. "You lot hide in your safe havens, pointing fingers and offering unwarranted criticism of those fighting valiantly on the front lines. Is that what you call commentary? Even if Captain Zhang was wrong, instead of offering advice and taking responsibility, you spout nonsense afterward. Is that what you call mistakes?"

The clerk shook his head, "No, no, it's not like that... Advisor, aren't you just giving us pointers and criticisms?"

Du Ji was so angry that he laughed instead.

Du Ji looked at the few civil officials, his voice filled with suppressed anger, "I know you people have studied the classics since childhood, learning to spout benevolence and morality. But have you ever truly understood the battlefield? Have you ever experienced what the soldiers are defending with their lives? How did you manage to escape?!"

Du Ji's gaze deepened. "You mock him for not understanding military strategy, but do you know that he always led from the front in every battle? You have the authority to stand here and point fingers, but do you know who shielded you from the enemy's pursuing swords and spears? You say Captain Zhang made mistakes here and there, but when he bravely faced his death, what could you people do besides empty talk?!"

The detained clerk, his face ashen, still stubbornly argued: "Military Advisor Du... you too come from a gentry family, why..."

"It is precisely because I am of noble birth that I know all too well how shameful your behavior is!" Du Ji roared. "Today I kill you not for Zhang Xiaowei alone, but so that the countless soldiers like him, born of humble origins yet sacrificing their lives for their country, will not be subjected to your pointing fingers and insults after their deaths!"

Du Ji waved his hand and ordered: "Execute!"

A flash of light, and several heads fell to the ground.

The entire place was silent, except for the crackling of the torches in the night wind.

Du Ji surveyed the room and slowly said, "Such petty people exist everywhere—in the court, in the army, and everywhere else! They consider themselves superior, scoffing at the efforts and sacrifices of others, only mocking their mistakes and never praising their good deeds! Even if I kill these petty people today, others will appear tomorrow! But as long as we remember how Captain Zhang sacrificed himself, and how our soldiers defended us with their lives, these people's words will forever remain in the shadows, unable to exist openly and honestly between heaven and earth!"

He turned his horse around and looked toward Yique Pass.

Flames soared into the sky, illuminating half the night sky.

Cao's pursuers could arrive at any moment, and Du Ji could not afford to waste too much time.

"Keep moving forward." Du Ji's voice regained its calmness, yet carried an undeniable firmness. "Take good care of the wounded; not a single one can be lost."

The team started again, silently and in an orderly fashion.

Everyone was pondering Du Ji's words and Zhang Lie's death.

The starlight in the sky was chaotic, much like the fate of countless ordinary people struggling to survive in this era—dim yet resilient.