You have truly caused me great suffering!

A group of low-ranking officers from the Lingwu Army arrived outside Liu Guangshi's tent and were immediately surprised.

What rank, seniority, and achievements does this guy have? Yet his tent is a hundred times more luxurious than the general's.

This large tent occupies almost an acre of land. The central army tents are connected together. From the outside, it does not look very luxurious, but if you look through the gaps in the curtains, you can see that the inside is covered with fine felt strips and mats.

Seeing this, the military officers became even angrier, because right under this tent was the field where they had painstakingly sown seeds and which had already sprouted green shoots.

It was evening, the time for Commander Liu to have his meal. Although the group was invited into the main tent, they did not see Liu Guangshi.

They could only watch as a group of people came and went, and then there was a kitchen staff of at least thirty or forty people, exclusively for General Liu's use.

Among these guards, there were some specifically responsible for cleaning the ingredients, carrying them to the water's edge to wash and prepare them!
The military officers looked at each other in bewilderment. They were still young and had grown up in Xiping Prefecture, so they had never seen much of the world.

Even when he went to Xizhou to destroy the Uyghurs and came to Hedong to fight the Jurchens, it was a journey of thousands of miles, during which he met many famous and fierce generals.

But it was the first time I'd ever seen a separate team of over forty cooks during a march.

From the ranks, some people led out plump lambs. Most of these Lingwu soldiers from Xiping Prefecture had herded sheep before.

This lamb is only about a year old, at its most delicious. It's still bleating at this time. Then it's chopped down by the river and carefully drained of its blood, for fear that the meat will become too gamey if the blood stops flowing.

Not to mention the various vegetables and fruits, everything was washed thoroughly, as if afraid of leaving even a speck of dust on them. Then all these ingredients were collected and taken back to be cooked for Liu Guangshi.

This was beyond their knowledge; where could they find fresh vegetables at this time of year?
If so, why can't your own general eat it, but you can?

Did you win the battle?

After waiting for about half an hour, someone invited them into the tent, where they could see, through a curtain, people drinking wine indistinctly.

Several slender figures stood nearby, serving him.

What brings you here?

Liu Guangshi asked the question knowingly, and his tone was still acceptable. In his eyes, Chen Shao was also a connection that he could use.

His father was arrested in Bianliang, but he wasn't convicted because Chen Shao had also helped him.

After all, Liu Guanglie had been kind and righteous to him, and he couldn't just ignore the fact that Liu's own father had been arrested.

The military officers exchanged glances, and the leader stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Reporting to Lord Liu, we are stationed here to cultivate the land. Your army has trampled countless seedlings during their march, so we have come to inform you."

"Oh? How much was trampled, and what was its value?"

"After the autumn harvest, at least one bushel of wheat was lost per mu, and a total of one hundred mu of fertile land was destroyed."

Liu Guangshi chuckled, and the female guards inside also covered their mouths and twisted their waists to chuckle.

The military officers looked at each other, wondering what was so funny.

"Do you know how much this meal cost?"

"do not know."

The guard in the tent said smugly, "My lord's dinner this time, just the firewood used was worth a hundred bushels of grain!"

The military officer from Lingwu frowned and asked, "Firewood? One hundred shi?"

The guards clearly looked down on these bumpkins, scoffing, "The charcoal used by my master is all the finest charcoal from the Zhongnan Mountains. Do you know the Zhongnan Mountains? Only the charcoal from the trees there not only produces less smoke, but also has its own spiritual energy infused into it, making it very beneficial for health when used in cooking!"

The military officers didn't understand, but they all thought the officers were crazy.

Liu Guangshi laughed and said, "Your magistrate's aunt is my father's concubine, so you're practically family. Since you've come to my door, I can't treat you poorly. How about this, I'll buy all the land along the way."

The military officers came for this very reason; if they had only been trampling on these things, they wouldn't have come to speak to a commander.

The main reason for this is to warn them that the trampling might continue, and I don't intend to ask for any compensation.

The leading military officer shook his head and said, "There's no need for compensation. We're all fighting against the Jurchens, and we might need to support each other in the future. But we hope that Lord Liu can restrain his men and prevent them from destroying the seedlings again."

"My commander said that this war will last a long time and food will be very precious."

After speaking, the military officers stood up, clasped their hands in greeting to Liu Guangshi behind the curtain, and withdrew in accordance with etiquette.

Liu Guangshi, who was drinking, suddenly stood up and went outside.

He stopped the group and asked, "What are your positions in the Dingnan Army?"

If it were an ordinary person, they would definitely think he was going to take revenge. Facing such a high-ranking official, they would probably be nervous.

However, the men remained calm and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "We are Xu Gong, the commander of the Second Cavalry Battalion of the Lingwu Camp of the Dingnan Army, and these are my subordinates."

After they finished speaking, seeing that Liu Guangshi did not continue, they left.

The guards in the tent fawned, "What a piece of trash! He's just a low-ranking military officer, yet he dares to act so presumptuously in our central command tent."

“That’s right. Let alone him, even Chen Shao was originally a servant in our household.”

Liu Guangshi didn't say anything; he simply went back behind the curtain and continued enjoying his meal.

But both the delicious food and the beautiful maids seemed to have suddenly lost their color.

Before setting out on the expedition, he genuinely believed that the Jurchens were nothing special, and if Chen Shao could hold them off, he could too.

The Fuyan Army is a battle-hardened elite force that was once evenly matched with the Xia bandits, and even had a slight advantage.

To put it bluntly, Chen Shao's troops were just the former Western Xia soldiers.

As for the campaign against Liao, it was the Song Dynasty's reckless interference; otherwise, his father might not have lost.

But today, he met several low-ranking military officers in the Lingwu Army, just cavalry commanders with a hundred or so men under their command.

But when they arrived at their own tent, they were neither servile nor arrogant, and their behavior was polite.

Looking at his own generals and soldiers, who exactly are the barbarians?

Although Liu Guangshi was extravagant and frivolous, he was, after all, from a military family and had been groomed as their successor since childhood.

Later in the Southern Song Dynasty, he never won a single battle and repeatedly fled in fear of fighting, yet he rose to the highest position among officials. After his death, he was posthumously granted the title of Prince of Fu, ranking first among the seven princes.

He wasn't entirely without merit.

A glimpse of the leopard in the tube can be seen.

In the days that followed, when Liu Guangshi passed through the Hedong defense zone, he instructed his subordinates not to trample on the seedlings.

He then observed carefully and found that the Lingwu Camp's troops were indeed very well-organized.

He was raised as a successor in a family of generals from a young age, and honed under the command of the old general. Even if he was not good at fighting and not brave enough, he still had some insight.

Can't he tell which troops are strong and which troops can win battles?

At this point, Liu Guangshi slightly curbed his arrogance and dared not underestimate the Dingnan Army anymore, becoming more cautious about this eastward advance.

Of course, he only slightly curbed his arrogance, but he didn't miss out on any of his enjoyment.

In fact, compared to historical figures, Lord Liu has already lowered his standards of enjoyment.

His extravagant lifestyle when leading troops into battle and on marches was unprecedented in history.
-
Xiping Prefecture, Zhezhi Ward.

Since caravans opened up the roads to the Western Regions, more and more merchants from Central Asia have flocked to the area.

In Xiping Prefecture, there were many brothels run by people of foreign origin, and Zhezhifang was one of them.

The women here only dance and serve drinks; they do not engage in prostitution.

Of course, if you have enough charm to win over a Hu woman, that's your own skill.

As a result, business was surprisingly good, since the target consumer group here was men.

Men generally like challenges.

Many people also came simply to enjoy the song and dance performances, such as Cai Tiao, who was almost driven crazy by boredom in the Dingnan Army.

He drank a few glasses of wine and found that the wine here was at least really good, even more authentic than that of Bianliang.

In the high dance floor in the middle, a group of Hu women are dancing gracefully. Their dance steps are light and cheerful, quite different from those of the dancers from the Central Plains.

Cai Tiao has recently become somewhat addicted to it, watching it from time to time.

His position is a top-level position; looking down, he can see scenery that others cannot.

Cai Tiao was leaning against the wooden wall, drinking alone and enjoying the song and dance, when suddenly he heard some familiar Bianliang accents.

This made him very happy, and he was about to make their acquaintance when he listened carefully to their conversation and angrily gave up.

Next door to him, a group of scholars, like stars surrounding the moon, placed Geng Nanzhong at the head of the table and showered him with compliments.

"Brother Xidao, it truly takes courage to resign from your high-ranking official position in the court and come to the Northwest. I never imagined that in just one year you would support the local military governor, destroy the Xia and Jin dynasties, and restore Yunzhong!" Liu Songnian raised his cup in celebration.

After drinking his fill, Geng Nanzhong waved his hand and said, "That's not true. Before I came, the Dingnan Army was already quite formidable. It's just that I noticed there were too many barbarian generals here, and I was afraid that the barbarians would suppress the Han people, so I stayed here to observe for a while."

"Mr. Xidao's magnanimity is truly admirable!"

Geng Nanzhong, quite drunk, couldn't help but blurt out a few truths. He sighed and said, "After more than ten years in officialdom, I've finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. It just goes to show that good things often come after many trials."

"Absolutely, absolutely! Today in Xiping Prefecture, besides Wei Li, Brother Xi is probably the best, isn't he?" He hurriedly got up and poured Geng Nanzhong another cup.

Regardless of the fact that Dingnan Army is now just an "army" organization, the ranks of its officials are naturally not very high.

But their strength is what it is; at the very least, they could be a reincarnation of the Western Xia.

Moreover, it was an enhanced version of the Western Xia.

Strictly speaking, the territory they occupied, particularly the lands west of the Liao Dynasty, was already comparable in size to that of the Song Dynasty.

Of course, the quality of the land is still incomparable. After all, the places carefully selected by the Han ancestors are not comparable to the barbarian lands of the surrounding areas.

Geng Nanzhong was not of high rank, but he was in charge of many government affairs. So, while he did have a lot of power, it wasn't that great.

The general direction of the Dingnan Army was determined by Chen Shaolai; he only pointed out a direction, such as "I want to attack Xizhou," "I want to attack the Jurchens," and "I want to establish the Lingwu Army."
The remaining scheduling, preparation, and financial planning were all handled by Wei Li's subordinate offices.

Then submit it to Chen Shao for approval. If he is satisfied, we can start implementing it; if not, you can continue planning.

The planning itself is a huge exercise of power; power is not just about making decisions.

Chen Shao has limited energy and cannot manage every detail. They all have a say in what methods to use and who to promote.

These people showered Geng Nanzhong with empty praise, trying to elevate him to the highest level. But they forgot that Geng Nanzhong was someone who had endured decades of struggle in the vortex of factional strife in the Song Dynasty.

Can he be so easily flattered that he gets dizzy and confused?

He was just enjoying the quiet satisfaction of being praised; once he was done with his work, he would go back to doing what he was supposed to do.

During the initial stages of Dingnan Army's establishment, it was a time to diligently accumulate merits. Even if they were extremely ambitious for official positions now, it would be impossible for them to start forming cliques and engaging in infighting.

Seeing that Geng Nanzhong wasn't buying it, the group had no choice but to change the subject.

They knew that Geng Nanzhong hated Cai Jing the most in his life because Cai Jing had suppressed him for decades.

He spent his best years under Cai Jing's suppression.

"In the end, it's because there are too many treacherous officials in the court. Otherwise, with Brother Xi's talent, he should have been appointed prime minister long ago!"

"That scoundrel Cai Jing, by flattering and currying favor with Liang Shicheng and others, has held the position of prime minister for over a decade. Look at the state he's made of the Song Dynasty!"

"Absolutely, absolutely. In the past ten years or so, the Great Song Dynasty has been transformed from a celestial empire into a nation besieged by the Jurchen Tartars."

Geng Nanzhong, who was initially able to remain rational, sat up straight as soon as he heard the name Cai Jing, as if he had been stressed.
He slammed his hand on the table and uttered two words: "Old dog!"

"It's better not to mention that old dog, because as soon as I do, I..."

Just as the group was getting into a drunken frenzy, Cai Tiao suddenly entered, and they immediately started fighting.
-
"Fight?"

Chen Shao looked at the intelligence report in his hand, feeling somewhat bewildered.

In fact, the team I left in Xiping Prefecture did a really good job.

This was mainly because the caravan itself was highly independent, so the bureaucratic staff of Xiping Prefecture only needed to maintain order and collect provisions.

The caravans transported the goods, reducing their workload by half.

Look at Liu Guangshi's army; he mobilized over 100,000 laborers from Shaanxi.

Chen Shao was quite satisfied with Wei Li and Geng Nanzhong, and had praised them not long ago.

Unexpectedly, I received a message today saying that Geng Nanzhong beat Cai Jing's youngest son to a pulp.

The extent of his injuries remains to be seen; all that is known is that he was unconscious for several days.

Xu Jin and the others didn't know how to speak, so they stood aside awkwardly in silence.

"I think it's just because they're bored."

With his qualifications and reputation, Geng Nanzhong attracted many talented people to the Dingnan Army, but he also attracted many corrupt scholars from the Central Plains.

They're the ones who spout nonsense, stir up trouble, and are number one at making things difficult.

Chen Shao closed the letter and thought carefully about whether his relationship with Cai Jing was good or bad.

He was initially a little conflicted, but the thought of Cai You made him feel relieved.

This is someone who has appeared on the list of treacherous officials to be killed in his own memorials every time, and he is ranked very high.

whatever!
With Cai You around, things won't be good for me and Cai Jing. Sooner or later, I'll kill them.

Chen Shao didn't pay any attention to it, but only instructed Guangyuan Hall to strengthen their surveillance of the officials and prevent them from causing trouble in the rear.

Cai Jing's youngest son was knocked unconscious by former key members of the old party on Dingnan Army territory.

As time went on, the matter continued to escalate.

Chen Shao oversimplified the matter.

In the Song Dynasty court, Li Gang, a member of the old faction, is now in real power and preparing for a major campaign against the Jin.

Cai Jing, on the other hand, lost power.

Geng Nanzhong was very famous, so people inevitably associated the old party with Chen Shao.

Although this incident occurred at the Dingnan Army's headquarters, it did not cause much of a stir in Xiping Prefecture.

Meanwhile, in Bianliang, thousands of miles away, a storm was brewing.
-
Liu Guangshi's army arrived in the Taiyuan area.

He was not happy that Chen Shao did not come to greet him.

But considering Chen Shao's current power, it seems quite normal.

Just as he was trying to figure out Chen Shao's intentions, he received news that Chen Shao had gone to Yanmen Pass.

Liu Guangshi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling inexplicably relaxed.

It's not about looking down on yourself.

Although he may not admit it, he actually cares a lot about it.

His stronghold, Fuyan Road, is adjacent to Hengshan, so Liu Guangshi knows better than anyone how powerful Chen Shao is now.

Everyone said that Chen Shao obeyed orders but not imperial decrees and harbored rebellious intentions, but only Liu Guangshi knew that Chen Shao was truly loyal to the emperor.

Taking advantage of the Jurchens' southward advance, he declared himself emperor in the northwest, and who could possibly stop him?

Of course, it's also possible that he had grand ambitions and didn't want to become a second Western Xia. Since Chen Shao was absent and the military situation at the front was urgent, Liu Guangshi urged his troops to continue eastward.

The forced march along the way, with the need to avoid farmland, left many soldiers exhausted.

Unlike Chen Shao's troops, the Fuyan army did not have many horses; the soldiers relied solely on their own two legs to march.

They also had to carry so many supplies.

As a result, Liu Guangshi continued his extravagant lifestyle along the way. The number of packhorses he used to carry his luxuries was almost equal to the number of supplies the entire army used to transport.

After passing Taiyuan Prefecture, when they reached the Pingcheng area, some soldiers could no longer endure the hardship.

His legs were already swollen, and the pain was unbearable. He simply threw down the tools he was holding, lay sprawled on the ground, and began to curse loudly:

"For generations, the men of my family have followed the Liu family into battle. We lost our fathers and brothers because of them. Even Old Master Liu never treated us soldiers like this!"
Damn it, since we crossed the river and set out to fight, we haven't had enough to eat or wear, and we have to carry all our own weapons on long journeys.

We're camping here, toiling in the fields, while he's out there eating young lambs and drinking fine wine! He has top-quality packhorses pulling dozens of women for his amusement. And the military equipment that should be pulled by packhorses is being carried by us common soldiers!
"Whoever wants to work hard and risk their life can go, I'm not leaving. I'm just a worthless life with no other skills, all I can do is lie here and sleep happily!"

Actually, once we pass this area, we'll be engaged in battle soon. The thought of my miserable situation, having to fight the Jurchens to the death, and earning credit for my husband, Little Liu, who doesn't care about me at all, is unbearable.

Many soldiers harbored resentment, but dared not voice it.

With someone taking the lead now, what is there to be afraid of?
The soldiers immediately became complacent and full of complaints; the bolder ones even started shouting loudly.

The military officer supervising the encampment was terrified upon seeing this. He knew he couldn't possibly bear the consequences, so he could only rush to report back.

Liu Guangshi was quite experienced in dealing with such matters and never showed up himself.

He simply distributed more flags to his personal guards, and the brightly armored guards, holding the imperial command, began patrolling the camp.

Anyone in the camp who disobeys orders or slacks off will be pinned down and beaten with military rods. The flag bearers will announce that every commander of troops near the central command will be rewarded with two rams, ten he of the finest soybean paste and fermented ginger, and two shi of fine rice. Those who have worked hard for several days will be rewarded with another 100 guan (a unit of currency), regardless of life or death, all of which will be paid out after the battle.

If we don't quickly establish a camp, military law is merciless, and they won't hesitate to kill people to uphold military law!

Xiao Liu was, after all, from a military family. Although he was fond of pleasure and even disdained to deal with these soldiers personally, he was not interested in such things.

However, this combination of kindness and severity was quite effective, especially since the Song army's organization was still largely intact, with all the military commanders present.

As Liu Guangshi dispatched his flag officers and personal guards to move around, the discontent was suppressed, and the disturbance was quickly quelled.

Although the situation has been calmed down, one can only imagine how much the morale of the army will plummet after this incident.
-
While at Mount Wutai, Chen Shao also heard about Liu Guangshi's extravagant lifestyle along the way.

His contempt for the Western Army was deeply ingrained; he used to think that the Western Army was very strong and was one of the few elite field troops in the Song Dynasty.

Looking back now, the soldiers were good soldiers, and some of the generals were also quite good generals, but the generals and their families were really not that great.

If they suffered a major defeat during the campaign against Liao, it could be attributed to the imperial court. However, in later history, every time they left Shaanxi, their entire army was wiped out, which is impossible to deny.

The men of the Western Army were no longer willing to fight for the Western Army's generals; their century-long exploitation and oppression had completely alienated them from the people.

At Yanmen Pass, in the Lingwu Army camp, Chen Shao looked at the situation on the sand table and pushed a small figure to Zanhuang Mountain in Hebei.

"If the Western Army can cooperate with Zong Ze, they will pose a significant threat to the Jin army once they arrive here."

Wu Lin said, "If they can tie down the Jurchen troops, it will be helpful for our attack on Weizhou."

Chen Shao chuckled, "When attacking Weizhou, don't expect any external assistance. Just prepare for another fierce battle with Wanyan Zonghan."

"How difficult can it be? No matter what, Weizhou is easier to conquer than Datong. This time, the armies of Han, Li, and Zhu have all proven their strength. I believe your Lingwu army also has a good set of teeth."

Upon hearing this, Wu Lin was very excited and immediately promised, "This humble general will definitely take Weizhou!"

"Taking Weizhou is just a general statement; our goal is to defeat Zonghan here again. As for the cities of Weizhou, I predict they will change hands repeatedly and be contested back and forth."

Weizhou is different from Datong Prefecture in Yunnei; it's not so easy to gain a foothold there.

Wu Lin took it as a provocation from the military commander, but he was already itching to prove himself in Weizhou.

Chen Shao ran his palm across the entire top of the sand table and said in a deep voice, "To deal with the Jurchens, we can't concentrate our attacks on one place. Since we're going to attack Weizhou, let Li Xiaozhong push forward the defensive line. Take advantage of their weakness of having fewer main and elite troops but more auxiliary and auxiliary troops, and launch attacks from multiple points at the same time. Our strength is evenly distributed, and the more chaotic the battle becomes, the more advantageous it will be for us."

Everyone who saw his actions felt very inspired, especially Wu Lin.

It seems we can already see that Zonghan and his army were forced to retreat eastward by the military governor, handing over the cities and lands in the west to the Dingnan Army!
"The commander is absolutely right. Eliminating the main force of the Tartars is even more important than capturing the city!"

While the Lingwu army was united in its determination to capture Weizhou, the morale of the Western Army was wavering.

The Zhe family army, which set off later than Liu Guangshi's troops, followed behind and gradually advanced, spreading out in an orderly manner to protect the flanks of the advancing army.

Although Yao Gu mediated, the Zhe family was only allowed to operate on the right wing, which made it easier for them to embezzle some of the Zhe family's supplies.

However, the Zhe family is not to be underestimated. The prominent figures in the Zhe family today are much more reliable than Liu Guangshi.

Because they were regional military governors, they had to be wary of being dismissed by the imperial court at any time, which put them under great pressure. Therefore, each generation of family heads attached great importance to the cultivation of their children.

At first, Liu Guangshi was a little unwilling, but as the battlefield drew closer, he could only acquiesce.

Because what the Zhe family army did was to gradually advance, completely cover the flanks of the main force, and send out scouts to scout far away to ensure the absolute safety of the entire army's advance and retreat.

In this way, the Zhe family also witnessed firsthand the internal conflicts within the Fuyan Army.

With Liu Guangshi as a role model, the generals under the Fuyan Army naturally followed suit, and everyone enjoyed the benefits.

It was impossible to expect them to have any sympathy for their soldiers; the Western Army had always only ever exploited and oppressed its soldiers.

Over the past century or so, it has long since become a system.

Liu Guangshi's central army was quite far ahead, and the troops selected to lead the way for the central army were among the most elite units in the Fuyan army.

So even though he himself was the most incompetent, the central army's battalions were still somewhat organized. However, the various units and battalions behind Liu Guangshi's central army were in even greater chaos.

No shame!
Even marching on the relatively open roads east of the river, they could still make such a miserable journey.

There wasn't a single officer to step forward and direct the operation. They didn't look like elite field troops at all. Tens of thousands of soldiers were crammed together and it took them several hours to slowly move forward more than ten miles.

The soldiers were thirsty and tired, and the army was moving so slowly that they simply sat down by the roadside.

When they sit together, all they do is hurl insults, the most nasty insults imaginable.

Liu Guangshi could not send his personal guards to enforce military law every day.

The lower-ranking military officers and generals, seeing that the troops were moving slowly and the soldiers were so undisciplined, mostly didn't bother to manage them.

Since the start of the campaign, the army's supplies have been insufficient, a problem that could previously be blamed on the imperial court.

This time, the imperial court clearly transported supplies to the prefectures and counties along the route several times.

They were truly generous in supporting the Western Army, providing them with food and money. However, the rewards and military pay seemed to vanish into thin air once they entered the camp, never reaching the brothers.

The lower-ranking military officers, generals, and ordinary soldiers of the Western Army had accumulated a lot of resentment. At this time, it was best not to be too strict, lest it provoke a change in the army.

In fact, while top-tier generals are certainly valuable in an army, the quality of lower-ranking officers at the grassroots level is also crucial!

These military officers and generals are the ones who directly face the soldiers. Their abilities and enthusiasm will directly determine whether the commander-in-chief's intentions can be accepted by the soldiers and whether they will work hard for them.

The Jurchen Tartars' high combat effectiveness is also related to this; their system of "mouke" (a military term referring to a specific type of military officer) directly binds the "mouke" and "puliyan" (another type of military officer) to their Jurchen armored soldiers.

If the leader of the Jurchen warriors dies but the soldiers escape, all the soldiers must be executed; conversely, if all the Jurchen soldiers die but only the Jurchen warriors return alive, the Jurchen warriors must be executed.

Therefore, the Jurchen people cherished their soldiers and had excellent relationships with them. There was a strong connection of interests between the generals and soldiers, and they would not abandon each other.

When a battle breaks out, the generals will consider the soldiers' needs, and the soldiers will fight desperately for their generals.

When it was time to cook dinner that evening, the army was stuck in one place, moving slowly and disorganized.

The cooks couldn't leisurely prepare a hot meal, but each soldier had a few days' worth of roasted millet rice in their ration bag.

Everyone could have just made do with a meal, after all, the Western Army had been having a tough time for a while now, and they were more capable of enduring hardship.

However, seeing the grain convoy crowded in the middle of the road, with bags of grain, once it was transported into the camp, these ordinary soldiers would never see it again.

Seeing the chaotic state of the army and knowing that the grain was about to be embezzled by the generals, many soldiers crowded around the grain depot and made a ruckus.

The military commander in charge of logistics was to distribute grain, dried meat, and the finest sauces, as well as the wine prepared for the victory celebration.

The Western Army soldiers who were originally squatting there stepped forward upon seeing this. The atmosphere had reached such a point that if anyone stirred things up, the crowd would become agitated.

Soon, more and more people started causing trouble, with hundreds making a ruckus.

In the chaos, some people attacked the laborers who were following the convoy and stole supplies from several carts.

As the crowd grew larger and the noise increased, the lower-ranking military officers became anxious.

They rushed over to maintain order, arresting people and beating them with military sticks.

When the news reached the central army again, Liu Guangshi, seeing that battle was imminent and his subordinates were behaving this way, couldn't help but feel anxious.

In a fit of anger, he dispatched hundreds of fierce and ruthless men, who managed to forcibly restore order.

After the guards took action, they arrested more than a hundred typical cases and immediately punished them with military rods as an example to others.

They also arrested dozens of the most troublesome soldiers, tied them all up, and prepared to hand them over to the central army, asking General Liu to deal with them severely.

It must be said that these men in the Western Army were used to being exploited by powerful military families, and it had become a habit.

After the personal guards beat another hundred or so men with military rods, the army quieted down again. Those who were beaten were all tough and stubborn, and they grumbled and ate a few mouthfuls of dry millet porridge before stopping. The water in their water gourds had long since been drunk clean.

Many soldiers disregarded their ranks and rushed in a chaotic manner to drink water at the banks of the Wei River and the Huai River.

The river water is clear and cool; drinking it instantly invigorates the spirit, and the river breeze makes one feel even more refreshed.

Many soldiers drank water and filled their gourds, then simply refused to leave, lingering there to cool off. Some even fell asleep on the rocks by the river, snoring away.

Zhe Kecun saw all of this, and his Zhe family army observed from both flanks, becoming increasingly alarmed as they watched.

Because of the Zhe family's geographical location, they were originally surrounded by enemies on three sides, so they were never called out to fight. They mostly cooperated on their own borders.

This time, I marched with Liu Guangshi, and it was a long march with a long distance to travel.

This made him realize that the corruption and decadence of the Western Army was far more serious than that of the Zhe Family Army.

In fact, the Fuyan Army was one of the six routes of the Western Army, and it did have basic qualities. It was just that its core members had dwindled too much and its commander was too fond of pleasure.

Don't underestimate Lord Liu just because he's good at recruiting soldiers; in such a short time, he's managed to build up such a large new army.

However, this long march thoroughly exposed the problems of the Fuyan army.

For a force of men, the most important thing is their organization.

Tens of thousands of warriors gathered in one place, with weak organization and poor discipline, cannot be considered a strong army.

Sometimes you can tell the fighting strength of a group of people just by watching them march.

Zhe Kecun watched coldly as Liu Guangshi, now the commander of the Fuyan Road, did nothing but cause destruction.

He single-handedly ruined the organization of the Fuyan army.

He was extravagant and self-indulgent, neglected his soldiers, rashly deployed troops, and had poor logistics.

The military officers promoted in the past two years are mostly those who are good at flattery and bootlicking, and a considerable number of them were bought with money.

With this kind of manpower and military family, they can barely manage to get by during times of peace.

When faced with a formidable enemy, they don't even know how to fight!

In the original history, Zong Han's army marched westward to Taiyuan Prefecture, while Liu Guangshi led 40,000 troops from Fuyan directly to the Fen River to reinforce Taiyuan, only to be easily defeated!
As darkness fell, over a thousand Zhejia soldiers marched straight into the night, led by their guide, and arrived at a mountain pass that they were supposed to reach for the day.

The Zhe family was also constrained by the number of horses in the Song Dynasty, relying mainly on infantry and having very few cavalry.

The infantrymen immediately set up camp despite their exhaustion, while the cavalry also sent out a large number of night scouts.

The riders dismounted to water and feed their horses, and at the same time removed their saddles and brushed their coats to improve their blood circulation.

Compared to Fu Yanjun, Zhe Jiajun performed much better.

Zhe Kecun was also among this large group of knights, but he wasn't wearing iron armor; he was dressed in light armor.

He only carried a short blade; his bow and arrows, long spears and lances were carried by his personal guards.

He carried seven days' worth of dry rations and two water gourds on his back, just like his soldiers.

During the rest and repair process, he also grabbed a brush and brushed his horse.

The Zhe family and other military families in the Northwest are, after all, different.

Zhe Kecun brought three horses with him on this expedition, all of which were his beloved horses.

They came rushing over on their own, without the guards having to lift a finger.

Since they had to continue their journey the next day, the cavalry did not set up camp. They simply found a shady spot, dismounted, sent out scouts to keep watch, and then, from Zhe Kecun down to the soldiers, they put on their armor and clothes and closed their eyes haphazardly for a moment.

Dozens of soldiers walked along the road, discerning marching tracks. The Zhe family's troops had advanced after Liu Guangshi's main army. Zhe Kecun personally commanded the vanguard, maintaining a one-day march distance from Liu Guangshi's army, with little active communication.

At this moment, a young general found Zhe Kecun, clasped his hands, and reported: "General, I have examined the marching tracks ahead, and it is impossible to distinguish the units! The tracks of carts and horses are mixed together, and both sides of the road have been trampled into muddy puddles. What kind of road is this? If a Jurchen Tartar army were to suddenly rush out from the side, we would be unable to fight them or escape them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guards around Zhe Kecun laughed contemptuously.

Due to their special background, the Zhe family army also had a semi-private army status. Although their combat strength was good, their equipment was not strong, and their size was also limited.

The neighboring Fuyan army, with its larger force, steadily outnumbered the Zhe family army in the war against Western Xia, but the Zhe family was required to send troops. The vast majority of these troops were deployed to cooperate with the Fuyan army, making them old partners.

However, in recent years, the Fuyan army of yesteryear has gradually become a shadow of its former self. Especially after returning from the campaign against Liao, it suffered a severe blow.

Now that Liu Guangshi has taken over as the commander of Fuyan Road, it has degenerated into a completely unrecognizable state in the blink of an eye!
The Zhe family looked down on Xiao Liu even more.

Zhe Kecun gave a casual "hmm" without expression, and waved his hand, saying, "Go down and have something to eat and drink. You don't need to keep watch tonight. Just lie down and get some sleep, save your energy so you can be useful in case of emergency."

This young general was a nephew of Zhe Kecun's clan, and being young and impetuous, he was particularly reckless with his words.

Zhe Kecun ordered him to rest, but the young general still grinned and approached him, saying, "Second Uncle, the Fuyan Army is such a useless bunch, why are we still dragging them along? Let's just charge ahead!"

The veteran guards surrounding Zhe Kecun, all seasoned warriors, smiled tolerantly at the young man and said nothing. It was Zhe Kecun who stood up and slapped him across the face.

"Stop talking so much! Since you're so energetic, don't sleep tonight either! Keep on guard duty! I bet it'll take a few days to wear you out! Get out of here, I'm getting old, I can't stay up all night, I need to get some rest!"

Amidst laughter and curses, the young general retreated dejectedly.

Zhe Kecun's smile vanished in an instant. His personal guards had followed him into battle since childhood, and most of them were members of the Zhe family. Their closeness to him was greater than that of ordinary people. Whenever something happened, Zhe Kecun would rather discuss it with them than deal with Liu Guangshi and others.

A guard, nearing forty and bearing the marks of countless wounds and hardships, whispered, "My lord, this young Liu is truly outrageous. He has utterly humiliated the once-deserving Fuyan Army."

Then Zhe Kecun sneered disdainfully, "You think only the Fuyan Army is failing? I doubt it. The entire Western Army isn't much better off. This Great Song Dynasty has fewer and fewer strong armies. In this world, a strong army is the only real asset!"

The guard cautiously asked, "What does the general mean...?"

Zhe Kecun stood up and stretched his waist and legs, then sneered, "What could I possibly mean? I'm just following along to cover General Liu's retreat and flanks!"

However, if General Liu really runs into trouble, don't expect me to risk my life for him! It's more important to protect our possessions!

He took a few steps and issued a series of commands.

"We are about to engage the Jurchens. The infantry that follow us and set up camps along the way need not be too tightly packed, nor should they be stockpiled with too much food and supplies. Keeping them light is the key! When the time comes, we can move out at a moment's notice!"
“Starting tomorrow, at least half of the supply trains transporting supplies to the Fuyan Army will be intercepted. Liu Guangshi is furious; I'm going to sue him. He's been driving recklessly and getting all high and mighty, while we've been protecting and guarding him from behind. Are we supposed to be his servants for nothing? If things go well at the front, we'll let him have some of these supply trains. If things don't go well, you'll know what to do!”

Upon receiving this order, the guards immediately mounted their horses and set off under the cover of night to relay the message. Some went to find the various camps of the Zhe family infantry that had been deployed along the way to control the mountain passes, while others went to find the cavalry that were following behind.

The soldiers of the Zhe family army obeyed orders and followed instructions without question, far surpassing Liu Guangshi's massive Fuyan army!

Sometimes, Zhe Kecun would quietly rise at night, look at the Fuyan army's camp not far away, and suddenly let out a cold laugh. (End of Chapter)