Ashes to Crown

Chapter 251 -61: Identity (3)

Liang Qiang offered a salute, and a few of the Generals left. Mr. Liang dismounted to speak.

Since leaving the criminal’s Fort that night, the father and son had gone their separate ways. This was their first meeting since then.

“How have you been?” Mr. Liang studied his son and asked with a smile, “Are you getting used to it?”

Liang Qiang studied his father in return and said with a laugh, “I used to ride and run wild as a boy, so I’m fine. But you, Father, after so many years of holding a brush in a study—are *you* getting used to it?”

Mr. Liang said, “In fact, I’m still just holding a brush in a study.”

“The ambushes a few days ago were all great victories,” Liang Qiang said. “I heard the soldiers say it was all thanks to proper command and the element of surprise.”

“Indeed,” Mr. Liang said. “As a General, every word and action affects the lives of countless soldiers. Only after coming here have I truly come to understand the immense weight the brush in my hand carries. I don’t dare speak carelessly.”

‘Once you’re actually on the battlefield, you realize winning glory and establishing a legacy isn’t so easy. To be honest, he often woke in the middle of the night filled with regret, thinking he’d be better off doing hard labor back at the Fort.’ This was something a father couldn’t say to his son.

“Ah Qiang, you must be careful. War is no child’s play. Just surviving is an achievement in itself.”

Liang Qiang nodded. The father and son were about to say more when a soldier called out from a distance, “Lord Liang.”

Mr. Liang said no more. He gave his son one last look, ‘not knowing when they would meet again, or if it would be a living person or a corpse he saw next.’ But there was nothing to be done. He could only turn and hurry away, not daring to keep the other Generals waiting.

Although he was a General, among this vast army, he was of the lowest rank. His old friend, Cai, had limited influence and could only arrange this position for him.

“Mr. Liang, from now on, you’ll have to rely on yourself to earn merits,” Cai had said.

‘Earning merits was hardly so easy. Setting aside the fact that he was just an armchair strategist, even if he did have a brilliant plan, his superiors wouldn’t necessarily listen, given his low rank.’

With his thoughts in turmoil, Mr. Liang stepped into the command tent. Inside, Generals were seated around a sand table and maps according to their rank. Mr. Liang nodded to the others and quietly took a seat at the very end, removing his helmet and handing it to his personal attendant.

The main general didn’t spare him a second glance, continuing what he had been saying and pointing at the sand table and maps as he expounded on his points.

“This battle is of utmost importance to our Northwest Line. It can sever King Western Liang’s rearguard.” The main general looked at the men gathered. “General Chu has entrusted us with a great responsibility. Let’s hear everyone’s thoughts.”

The Generals in the tent began speaking all at once, each proposing their own brilliant strategy or displaying their martial bravado.

Mr. Liang sat at the end, looking at the sand table. No one cared whether he spoke, and besides, he didn’t know what to say. He had studied the sand table, the maps, and all the various battle reports, but this business of war was different from the classical texts he knew so well. In the short time he’d been here, even if he could understand the situation, he felt constrained and hesitant to act. ‘Every potential move feels wrong—’

“My lord,” his personal attendant suddenly whispered, handing him a scroll. “I also brought the battle plans you’ve been organizing recently.”

Mr. Liang, lost in thought, was startled by the sudden interruption. “What?”

As he spoke, the clamor in the tent died down, and the main general’s gaze shifted toward him.

“Liang Ji,” he asked, “do you have something to say?”

The gazes directed at him were filled with undisguised contempt. One General even chuckled and said, “Perhaps our talk wasn’t refined enough? We must look like fools to you, Mr. Liang.”

Mr. Liang was not surprised by their mockery and contempt. For one, Civil Servants and Military Generals had always disdained one another. Furthermore, he was a former criminal. The army might not care for family background, but it valued ability above all—and getting a seat among them through a friend hardly counted as ability.

Mr. Liang looked at the scroll that had been thrust into his hand. He unrolled it and, upon seeing its contents, froze for a moment.

Seeing him lower his head to read the document, the main general frowned. “Liang Ji, this is not the time for reading.”

Mr. Liang remained silent, but his attendant beside him said anxiously, “My lord isn’t just reading! He’s written a plan for this very battle.”

At these words, more eyes turned toward them. The main general was surprised, though he quickly dismissed it—he had seen plenty of essays on armchair strategy from scholars before.

“Is that so,” the main general said. “Well, since you’ve written it, present it so we can all have a look.”

Mr. Liang clutched the scroll, still silent, a hesitant look on his face.

“Does Mr. Liang perhaps think we’re too uneducated to understand it?” a General said with a smirk.

Another General said impatiently, his face stern, “Forget about these documents and writings. We can look at that later. Don’t delay urgent military affairs. Victory and defeat are decided in an instant—this isn’t a game of writing characters.”

Laughter echoed through the tent.

Hearing these words and the ensuing laughter, Mr. Liang, who had been hesitant, lifted his head. “This is merely my humble opinion,” he said. “It is not yet fully considered, which is why I dared not present it to you, my lord.”

The main general chuckled and was about to speak, but Mr. Liang held up the scroll.

“However, after hearing your words just now, my lord, I have found my courage,” he said. “I will be so bold as to present it. If there is anything inappropriate, I ask for your guidance.”