I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 598 No gray hair allowed in the world! Go to Juyong!
Time is always relative.

The span of ten years is neither long nor short.

But it is enough for a person to complete the transformation from youth to middle age.

As a new soldier added to the Zhen Liao Army in recent years, Wei Yan can be said to be lucky, but also unfortunate.

He was born in the 48th year of Taikang, and by the time he grew up and joined the army, it was already the 64th year of Taikang.

Fortunately, the senior soldiers in the army had fought almost all the battles that needed to be fought in the previous years.

Not only did this battle wipe out the century-long blood feud of the Wuhuan tribe in the north.

Later, he went south to fight and wiped out all the Qingzhou bandits who had invaded Youzhou's territory, and even pushed them all the way back to the Tongtian River, which was only a stone's throw away from Qingzhou.

Therefore, younger generations like Wei Yan who joined the army later have never seen a real battlefield.

They had never seen the scene where thousands of people fought to the death and the ground was littered with corpses and rivers of blood.

If they had not occasionally cooperated with local authorities to eliminate bandits and thieves, it could even be said that their generation had never seen blood.

This is their luck.

However, it is also the greatest misfortune for the younger generation of the Zhen Liao Army such as Wei Yan.

For soldiers in the army, the most important thing is merit. However, these peaceful soldiers have never seen major battles or experienced life and death, so how can they have any merit on the battlefield?

I could only listen to my seniors in the army bragging about the past, with my blood boiling but nowhere to vent.

This goes on for a long time and it's hard to describe how suffocating it is.

Fortunately, just when the depression in their hearts was accumulating and almost overflowing, the king who had been silent for ten years finally used military force.

The fighting spirit that erupted at this moment was truly surging.

……

Juyongguan is built on the mountain, with high city walls and strong walls. It connects the mountains on both sides and almost merges with the mountains.

It can be seen that the cost of building this city was enormous.

To break through this barrier is almost the same as breaking through a mountain.

If it were in the past, I really don’t know how many lives would have to be sacrificed to achieve anything.

However, the group of black-armored soldiers from Zhen Liao who were stationed at the pass at this moment were only watching from afar and had not actually engaged in the battle, but this had already caused this pass, which had not yet become famous throughout the world, to tremble.

Under the continuous bombardment of the intensive and roaring spiritual pattern cannons, the rubble on the city gates flew, and faint shrill howls and the faint smell of blood could be heard from the south wind.

The undulating mountains on both sides were also shaken, scaring the birds and animals into running away in panic.

"This mountain-shaking cannon is indeed powerful enough to shake mountains!"

"Your generation is so lucky to be born in an era with a sovereign."

"If it were in the past, we would probably not survive if we tried to break into this city..."

In the solemn and orderly black-armored army formation, there seemed to be silence, but in fact there was constant whispering.

Hearing the voice of the sergeant in front of them, Wei Yan and several young soldiers around him were filled with impatience.

At their age, they cannot stand being preached to and do not like authority, but their squad leader is a nagging one who always likes to take advantage of his seniority and talk to them in a condescending manner.

Therefore, none of them like their old leader very much.

Oh, isn't it just because he was born a few years earlier and had good luck, so he got to fight in a few battles with the Lord and was blessed with some fortune?
What's there to be proud of?
In terms of cultivation talent alone, which one of us younger generations is not better than you?
However, although they did not like the tone of Shichang's speech, they had to admit that there was some truth in what he said.

This mountain-shaking cannon is indeed powerful.

They are indeed lucky to be able to serve under the king.

If I were reborn under the rule of that old villain Yuan Feng, and was in Juyongguan at this moment, enduring the bombardment of those mountain-shaking cannons behind me, the thought of it makes me feel cold and terrified.

"Okay, everyone, relax. This pass is so majestic that even a mountain-shaking cannon won't be able to break through it in a short while. I guess they'll ask us to set up camp and rest soon."

Unlike the young soldiers like Wei Yan who were nervous when they first went to the battlefield, the old soldiers like Shi Chang were relaxed.

It doesn't feel like being on a battlefield, but more like going out for an outing.

Wei Yan couldn't help but say after hearing this.

"The captain should be more cautious. What if that Yuan thief sends his troops out of the city to launch a surprise attack..."

Hearing Wei Yan's words, the sergeant smiled.

These younger generation child soldiers are indeed very different from the old soldiers they were back then.

When these people first went to the battlefield, they were excited and afraid, but how could they have considered these things?
Otherwise, why do people say that they are lucky in this generation?
After joining the army, although he was not fortunate enough to be selected into the Yulin Guard, he inherited the military knowledge from the Wubei Academy.

But the king still sent people to teach them how to write and some basic battle tactics.

It’s a pity that these old soldiers are too old, their brains don’t work as well, and their potential has reached its limit. After all, they are no match for these little guys.

This is also the fundamental reason why these little guys respect them on the surface, but actually look down on them, the old guys.

"In this army, the strong are always respected..."

"But it doesn't really matter. Let us old guys protect you for a while longer and make use of our remaining energy!"

The sergeant sighed in his heart and responded with a chuckle.

"Don't worry, they won't do that. At least they won't dare to do that until they are desperate."

The chief's words were quite firm, and his tone was full of confidence.

And this confidence did not come out of thin air, but was earned with their own flesh and blood when they went south ten years ago.

However, these young generations lack this confidence.

So after realizing that the little guys behind him seemed unconvinced, the captain added another sentence.

"Don't worry, we are not in the front line. Even if something happens, it won't be our turn for the time being."

As he spoke, he continued to babble as usual.

It is said that 'when facing a battle, the most important thing is not to waste your energy, otherwise life and death will be decided in a split second.'

He also warned them that if they were to meet the enemy, they should not hesitate, show mercy, or…

The speech was like chanting a sutra, and the young warrior, who had heard it countless times, was already fed up with it.

Just when they were feeling overwhelmed, an order suddenly came from the front army, signaling them to dismount and camp, rest and prepare for battle on the spot.

"I'll tell you, there won't be a fight anytime soon."

Wei Yan and other young warriors were a little surprised, but when they heard the somewhat smug tone of the commander, their surprise turned into disdainful curling of their lips.

……

Perhaps it was because Lord Yan himself came from a cavalry background.

When they went south to fight against the Qingzhou bandits, the cavalry of the Tianzi Camp of the Zhen Liao Army were the main vanguard.

Today, the same is true when the troops are at Juyong Pass.

And these 100,000 black-armored cavalry, including both men and horses, set up camp and spread out outside the pass, which was truly a spectacular sight.

Apart from the annual routine drills in the past, Wei Yan rarely saw such a scene. Being in it, he felt like a drop of water in the sea and could not help but feel his own insignificance.

His comrades who had the same feeling as him looked at each other and saw a hint of excitement and confusion in each other's eyes about facing a big battle.

What makes me excited is that the opportunity to achieve success that I have been looking forward to day and night is right in front of me.

The reason why I feel lost is because I have never experienced it before...

"Don't worry, there will be many opportunities like this in the future, and you will get used to it slowly."

The chief, who was always talking, suddenly pulled them aside and whispered after he finished speaking.

"The world is in chaos today. Your Majesty has rested for ten years, and now you have a strong army."

"When you start to use the army, you will definitely not just focus on that old villain Yuan Feng. In my opinion, you will have wars to fight in the future, but by then you kids will probably..."

One will be a million bones.

Even if you are invincible, people will still die.

When the sergeant said this, his eyes dimmed a little when he looked at Wei Yan and the others.

"I wonder how many of them will be left if Your Majesty leads them into Guanzhong today..."

Wei Yan and others did not understand the meaning of the emotions in the chief's eyes at this moment. They were just excited about the foreseeable grandeur.

Just when they were about to say something, the squad leader patted one of them on the head. "Let's go, it's almost time to get food!"

As he said this, he kicked and urged with a smile.

"Hurry up, all of you! You're not even active in eating, and you expect to fight for merit in the battle later?"

……

The food in the army is just like that. It is a great blessing to be able to eat enough and eat well, and the taste is not very particular.

Seeing the disgusted and complaining looks of Wei Yan and other young warriors, an old soldier frowned.

"You have all been spoiled by the Lord! If it weren't for the Lord, you would have been lucky to have some jerky and some cold water during the march. You still want something hot? You're screwed!"

After being scolded like this, young warriors like Wei Yan felt a little indignant, but after seeing the looks of the old soldiers beside them, they finally did not dare to show any dissatisfaction.

Wei Yan, who was somewhat embarrassed, saw this and made small talk.

"So what did you eat there?"

One of the old soldiers said in a muffled voice.

"What else can I eat? I'll eat whatever I have!"

"You little brats who have never suffered are the ones who cause the most trouble all the time!"

It has to be said that since Han Shao took control of the army and power, the entire Zhenliao faction has undergone tremendous changes.

The old soldiers who felt it most deeply were all grateful.

Apart from anything else, just the natural disaster that year when supplies were scarce throughout Youbei, Han Shao's words, "Men, fight on the battlefield with your heads hanging on your belts. No matter how hard it is, we will not let them suffer," was enough to make them remember it for the rest of their lives.

Therefore, these old soldiers are actually very dissatisfied with the younger generations who do not appreciate what they have.

This has also resulted in the current Zhenliao Army, which is replaced by the old and the new, actually having a significant split within it.

To bridge this gap, it takes time and opportunity.

Just like at this moment, seeing that the atmosphere was not right, the sergeant hurriedly made a comment to laugh it off, and then boasted about his past bravery.

But his meager military achievements were just the same old story over and over again, and they were already tired of hearing about them.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be just a sergeant now.

They were already a little tired of listening, and suddenly someone asked.

"Sergeant, at your age, you should be able to retire and return home, why are you still in the army?"

Here we have to mention another policy of Han Shao.

That is to release some of the older soldiers who have retired from the army and return home, and appoint them as local village elders.

Not only can we show kindness to those old soldiers, but it will also strengthen our control over the local area.

As the young warrior said this, both the old soldiers and the young warriors like Wei Yan realized that their leaders' temples had turned white without them noticing.

Facing all the looks falling on him, the usually eloquent officer now looked a little embarrassed.

"Well...I still want to fight again..."

"When the day comes when I really can't lift the knife anymore, it won't be too late to retreat."

He was not gifted and had suffered many injuries from years of fighting, which affected his foundation.

It is almost impossible to make further progress in cultivation.

However, the present time is different from the past. His Lord holds some kind of mysterious power that enables him to ignore these originally insurmountable obstacles. After all, he is reluctant to give up this God-given opportunity and wants to give it a try.

As for Han Shao, although the energy and blood of these old soldiers had begun to decline and their training value was not as good as those of the younger generations, in terms of battlefield fighting experience, these old soldiers who crawled out of the pile of dead bodies were all absolutely strong.

So there is no one-size-fits-all choice, but it is up to you to stay or leave.

Although it has been said since ancient times that heroes are like beauties and are not allowed to grow old in the world.

But if they were old and ready to move forward, how could Han Shao bear not to give them a chance to continue to advance?

……

In fact, there are quite a few old soldiers like Wei Yan and his squad leader in the army nowadays.

They were also deeply grateful for Han Shao's tolerance towards them.

However, the only way they could repay Han Shao was to fight hard on the battlefield and spare no effort to protect the younger generations who would join the army later.

Because these young little guys are the future of the Zhen Liao Army.

It is the spark of the entire Zhenliao inheritance!

So after several days of continuous bombardment by the mountain-shaking cannons, the defenders in Guanzhong could no longer hold back and sent a detachment to detour to the rear in preparation for a surprise attack to destroy those mountain-shaking cannons. At that time, the Wei Yannash people, who happened to be on duty to guard the rear, rushed forward without thinking, accompanied by thousands of their comrades.

Raising horses in Youzhou.

Therefore, Younan also has cavalry, and with the support of the Yuan family of Runan, it is no longer what it used to be.

"Kill the rebels! Charge!"

The brave general in black armor, who was leading the Zhen Liao army, rode ahead and charged like a dragon.

Thousands of Zhen Liao cavalry followed closely behind.

The Younan Iron Cavalry on the opposite side had a mission to accomplish and did not want to get entangled with them, but if the cavalry simply ignored the confrontation, they would only be defeated in the pursuit.

Therefore, only a part of the people could be divided to turn around and fight back.

In an instant, the two sides collided directly.

The brutality of the swords flying and blood and flesh flying at that moment was enough to dilute the passion and boiling blood in the young warrior's fantasy.

Of all the martial arts and kung fu that he had practiced so hard, his mind was blank at this moment, and he couldn't even tell how much of it was left.

Wei Yan, whose body rose and fell with the warhorse under him, looked at his comrades who fell off their horses one after another in front of him. It was not until this moment that he understood what the sergeant's words "a moment of life and death" meant!
When the Younan cavalry, who were also wearing cold masks, came towards him with swords swung, he suddenly realized that his movements were slow.

Even though it is only a split second, it is this split second that can make the difference between life and death!

Wei Yan, who had already realized that he was about to die, looked pale and miserable.

But at this moment, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in his sight without warning.

The blade slashed vertically, and when it collided with the metal, a teeth-grinding sound was made.

However, this little sound could not cause any ripples in such a chaotic battlefield, and not many people could notice it.

But Wei Yan is different.

Because he is not dead.

In just this instant, the sword energy that was supposed to hit him clearly did not fall on him, but made him feel a heart-wrenching pain that he had never felt before.

puff--

The spurting hot blood turned into blood mist, dripping onto Wei Yan's body. Although the armor was blocking it, it still burned into his heart.

In an instant, Wei Yan rode his horse forward and reached out to grab the figure who was about to fall off the horse.

When his peripheral vision met, the familiar face with the black mask chopped off seemed to be smiling helplessly.

"I'm old and useless. Do you think your master can block this knife?"

no no……

Wei Yan opened his mouth but no sound came out, and he could only hear faint whispers in his ears.

"When facing the enemy, do not hesitate, do not show mercy, do not... do not... do not..."

These words, which Wei Yan had heard so many times that his ears were almost callused, lingered in his ears.

But he knew that he might never hear it again.

So he roared in agreement with all his might.

"When you meet the enemy! Do not hesitate! Do not show mercy! Do not underestimate the enemy! Do not..."

"Sir! I remember it! I remember it!"

“I really remember it!”

……

(End of this chapter)