Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 33: A Man in Danger

"A man should take danger seriously, so he won't let his scholarly attitude ruin his life."

"Besides, the country is in danger, and the imperial edicts are being sent without stopping!"

"I throw away my old plow, put on my war collar, call on the hundred thousand soldiers in Hexi, sing the war song and join the army."

"Clear the barbarian dust, and sweep away the barbarian slaves at all costs!"

In the hot summer, a team slowly marched eastward, singing "Military Song".

In the team, Zhang Chang couldn't help but ask: "Captain, what is this Ban Dingyuan? Is he a person?"

"Idiot, you don't even know Ban Dingyuan?" Geng Ming looked at him with contempt.

"Then tell me!" Zhang Chang asked seriously, but Geng Ming hesitated and couldn't say anything.

Looking at their appearance, Liu Jilong explained with a smile: "This is Ban Dingyuan..."

He told everyone about Ban Chao's deeds. Even the soldiers in the rear could not help but lower their singing voices for fear of missing it.

Listening to the story of Ban Chao giving up his pen to join the army, going on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions, pacifying the Wusun, defeating the Kushans, and finally being granted a title of nobility, they couldn't help but feel a yearning in their hearts.

When Zhang Chang heard that Ban Chao was conferred the title of marquis, he was even more excited and praised him repeatedly.

"Once we open up Helong, I will also go on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions like Ban Dingyuan did, and be granted a title of nobility and a military commander!"

"You look like a thunderbolt. If I send you as an envoy, it will be a disgrace to the Han people."

"Bah! When I become an envoy, I will make you my groom!"

Faced with Zhang Chang's wish, Geng Ming attacked him mercilessly, which naturally resulted in Zhang Chang's ridicule.

Watching them playing and fighting, Liu Jilong smiled and shook the reins of his horse, moved away, joined the team, and sang the song together.

While singing the song, Liu Jilong couldn't help but lament the "knowledge" monopoly of this era.

Movable type printing had not yet been invented, and even though the price of paper had come down, the price of books was still not affordable for ordinary people like them.

There is papermaking technology in Hexi, and although the technology is not very good, it can produce enough paper.

If he could settle down and improve the printing technology, he would be able to cultivate a large number of literate people and would not have to rely on the powerful families in Hexi like Zhang Yichao did.

Liu Jilian had already known about the true faces of the Suo and Li families from the history of Dunhuang in his previous life.

This group of people supported Zhang Yichao because he had the background of the Qinghe Zhang family, and they...

At least from his grandparents' mouths, he had never heard that he had any prominent family background.

It is extremely difficult for an ordinary person with no family background to make a name for himself.

Even if you want to stand out, you still need to have good relations with the powerful families, otherwise you won't have anyone to use, and even the children of poor families may not help you.

With a weak background and unwilling to bow his head, all Liu Jilong could think of was to train his own people.

Although this thing is still far away, he believes he can do it as long as he works hard.

"Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers of different races?"

These words flashed through Liu Jilong's mind, and his eyes swept over the soldiers of the 13th Regiment.

They were the same as himself, all working hard in the fields. Three generations before him were common people, not even considered as common people.

But what does it matter? I must lead them to achieve great things and let those powerful families see that a commoner can also rise to a high position.

"drive!"

Shaking the reins, the team continued to move eastward.

They had already traveled forty miles yesterday, and if they traveled another forty miles today, they would only be twenty miles away from Shandan City.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong also turned his attention to Shandan City.

From the morning till dusk, they saw many Huihe tribes entrenched in the Ganzhou grassland. Some tribes were more sensible and saw the 13th regiment in armor. They knew that Ganzhou had changed and offered some lambs.

Some tribes remain neutral, neither welcoming nor causing trouble.

There were many tribes causing trouble like yesterday, but when faced with the pursuit of dozens of armored cavalrymen, they always fled in panic.

After crossing a distance of forty miles, many soldiers set up camp and were no longer as active as they were yesterday.

Seeing this, Liu Jilong ordered Zhang Chang: "Slaughter the dozen sheep sent by the tribes today so that the brothers can have a full meal."

"Yes!" Zhang Chang nodded calmly. There was a red scar on his cheek, which was left in the battle of Zhangye.

Over time, its color will fade, but it will not disappear.

Liu Jilong knew that Zhang Chang was worried about taking over Shandan tomorrow, so he reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, as long as they dare to let us enter the city in armor, there is nothing to be afraid of."

Although there were nearly a thousand Tibetan garrison troops in Shandan, after the Battle of Zhangye, Liu Jilian estimated that only half of these nearly a thousand Tibetan soldiers could wear armor.

If they could enter the city in armor, then even if it was a trap, Liu Jilian would be able to lead this group of foreign soldiers to fight street battles in Shandan.

You have to know that there are still thousands of people in Shandan. Even if only one-tenth of these people help, Liu Jilian can still take Shandan.

"Well, I'm leaving, Captain." Zhang Chang forced a smile, bowed, and turned to leave.

Soon, the strong aroma of barbecue wafted through the camp.

More than a dozen sheep were prepared and roasted in front of the campfire. The sizzling sound of the fat made people drool.

Like the third group of brothers, many new recruits in the Thirteenth Regiment had not eaten meat for a long time, and only ate for three days before the army set out.

Although only one day had passed, they already missed the taste of meat.

For people who eat meat every day, eating meat every day will make them feel sick, but for the soldiers of the 13th Regiment who have no oil in their stomachs, a mouthful of meat can allow them to do a lot of things.

Many people thought that this was the last meal before the war. Regardless of the fact that the mutton was scalding hot, they cut a piece of meat with a knife and put it into their mouths, gobbling it up with grease dripping from their mouths.

"Eat more!"

Liu Jilong took the water bag, took a big gulp, and smiled as he motioned for everyone to eat more.

After eating two kilograms of mutton, the listless state disappeared, and the sounds of talking and laughing were heard again in the camp.

Liu Jilong simply ate two bites of meat and returned to his tent.

However, when he walked into the tent, he saw that Li Ji and Geng Ming had been sitting inside at some point, holding whetstones in their hands, constantly sharpening Liu Jilong's sword and spear.

"Colonel Captain!"

When the two saw Liu Jilong coming in, they stood up subconsciously.

Liu Jilong looked at the sheep bones that had been eaten up and said kindly, "The meat is finished, go out and eat some more. Leave the weapons, I will do it myself."

"Yes..." The two looked at each other, put down their weapons, and walked out of the tent without saying a word.

Watching them leave, Liu Jilong sat down at his seat, and looked at his weapon with a whetstone.

Soon, the sounds of eating and drinking outside the tent became quieter, but instead there were more sounds of sharpening weapons.

Listening to the clanging sounds of swords being sharpened in the camp, Liu Jilong put away the polished weapons and looked at his armor.

He didn't know what he would encounter tomorrow, but he knew that the more than 200 people outside the tent were relying on him, and any of his actions could determine their lives.

For a moment, he felt a heaviness on his shoulders, and couldn't help but think of Zhao Qian and others who died in the battle of Zhangye.

"Huh... Come early tomorrow..."

(End of this chapter)