Where Immortals Once Walked

Aside from plunder, the other side’s goal this time had been to deliver a vicious slap in the face.

Was the Gale Army not impressive? Was Panlong City not impressive? And yet had I still not broken through your gates and humiliated you by force?

Of course, the goal of slapping someone’s face had indeed been achieved. It was just that the bandit army’s own face had been slapped swollen instead.

Willow had not said a word this entire time.

As an old squadmate, she was long used to He Lingchuan’s plans. She only had to carry them out. She did not ask why.

All she had to do was trust Broken Blade.

When they returned to Yuheng City, even though it was already deep in the night, the victorious army was welcomed by civilians lining both sides of the street. Yuheng City’s newly repaired roads were broad, but the enthusiastic crowds still packed them until not even water could squeeze through.

Had the soldiers not beaten back the bandit army, the people in the city would have suffered a terrible calamity tonight.

No one was stingy with their cheers, nor did anyone hide the gratitude brimming openly on their faces.

Some warm, outgoing young women even rushed forward and hugged the soldiers outright.

Many of the young warriors had killed for the first time tonight. It was also their first glimpse of a battlefield as brutal as an Asura field. They had ducked into corners afterward and vomited until their faces turned white. Yet the moment they came back out, they were met with such a grand and thunderous welcome, which was also a first for them.

The contrast of ice and fire left these raw recruits completely at a loss, and most could not help but feel as if they were dreaming.

When Wen Daolun stepped out and announced to everyone, “Tonight we celebrate our victory! Drink to your hearts’ content!” the applause rolled like thunder.

Since no one could sleep anyway, they might as well get up and celebrate.

For the first time ever, the shops along the streets opened in the middle of the night. Red lanterns were hung outside, stoves and cauldrons were fired up, and tongue-watering fragrance soon wafted through the air.

The city office went to the shops to requisition wine, the cooks prepared fish and meat, and commoners slaughtered cattle and sheep. Soon, victory feasts were set up in several large restaurants within the city.

The tables were laden with fish and meat. The cooking was rough, but the flavor was good. The braised pork came up in huge basins, and the glistening layer of oil at the bottom was half a finger thick.

The soldiers had fought for half the night. Only now, after easing off that battle-crazed state, did their stomachs immediately begin growling. They grabbed coarse wheat buns half the size of a human head, took a bite of meat, tore into the bun, then drained a bowl of wine. Heroic ambition surged at once, and they began bragging about how bravely they had fought and slain enemies just now.

They had won! And now, it was time for delightful celebration!

Of course, the work of settling prisoners, treating the wounded, cleaning the battlefield, and recording military merit still had to proceed in an orderly fashion. This, too, was an excellent chance to train the logistics corps.

Wen Daolun, wine cup in hand, found He Lingchuan among the soldiers. The moment they met, he drank first in respect. “Come, come! Congratulations on your first victory, Commander He!”

He Lingchuan returned the toast. “Congratulations to the soldiers and civilians of Yuheng City on their first victory!”

The crowd burst into applause.

Wen Daolun wanted to speak privately with him, but the soldiers refused to allow it. They insisted on dragging the deputy commander over and forcing three cups down him before finally letting him go.

Finally, He Lingchuan managed to tug him out to a quiet spot outside. Only after looking left and right and confirming no one was nearby did he ask, “Have you questioned the prisoners?”

Wen Daolun nodded. “This force was mostly made up of mercenaries. There were Longchuan water bandits, refugees and drifters from Jintao, and some desperate villains conscripted from the other side. Only the commander was a Jintao officer.”

“Did we catch the ones leading the charge?”

“One died. The others all escaped. They had decent ability to protect themselves.”

He Lingchuan pondered. “The moment they gathered a crowd to attack Yuheng City, I knew the State of Jintao was behind it.”

Would water bandits and wandering outlaws attack Yuheng City on their own?

Such things had indeed happened elsewhere, but within Panlong City’s sphere of influence? It was simply too unlikely.

“Your prediction of the enemy attack this time truly spared us a great disaster.” Wen Daolun still felt lingering fear when he thought of it. “Otherwise, with Yuheng City having only just been rebuilt, we would have suffered a severe loss.”

“Even if the bandit army had entered the city, we would have driven them out in the end. It was only a matter of difference in cost.” He Lingchuan’s mind was clear. “Jintao spent this much effort attacking Yuheng City because they wanted to anger us. No, not only us. They wanted to anger Panlong City and make Commander Zhong and the Red General send more troops here to garrison the region.”

After taking West Ji, Panlong City’s territory had expanded, but its army was simply unable to grow at the same rate. Panlong City’s forces had to guard the Panlong Wasteland, the Chipa Highland, and now the lands of West Ji as well. Their burden had become extremely heavy.

“There are others behind this, trying to pin Panlong City’s strength down within West Ji. In that case, our defenses over the Panlong Wasteland will naturally weaken,” said Wen Daolun solemnly. “The only solution now is for the Yuheng Army to grow quickly so we can relieve some of the burden that Panlong City is carrying.”

“Mm, and today’s great victory is a good beginning.”

“They brought us a pillow just as we were getting drowsy.” What the newly formed Yuheng Army needed most was a great victory, and victory had come. “With this victory as our foundation, recruitment will become much easier.”

People admired strength. People wanted flowers, cheers, and applause.

“They’re still very green. You will have to put quite a lot of effort into shaping them up.”

Compared to a full-blown steel army, this force still lacked the tempering of a thousand hammer blows.

He Lingchuan smiled and said, “Mm, they just so happened to pick up an easy bargain today. All they did was beat up a routed army.”

The bandit army had fallen into the trap he set and had been blasted apart until they fled like dogs with their tails between their legs. Throughout nearly the entire battle, all they wanted was to escape back across the border. Having realized that their enemies had seen through their plans and that their operation was doomed for failure, where could they have still found the heart to fight? For the Yuheng Army to take down such enemies was naturally nothing but easy.

This was also He Lingchuan deliberately avoiding his own side’s weaknesses. Otherwise, with so many raw recruits under him, the battle would have been full of problems, and casualties would have been high.

Proper tactics could make up for insufficient military strength, but that required the right timing, location, and people.

One day, if the two armies met head-on in open battle and the Yuheng Army could still hold firm and claim victory, only then would it truly be ready to take the field.

At this thought, he remembered his father, He Chunhua. When He Chunhua had first taken office as the Governor-General of Xia Province, the northern front had been squeezed half to death by Nian Zanli. At the time, the Xia Province army had also only recently been formed, and He Chunhua had racked his brains, using every means at his disposal, all for the sake of that first victory.

Sigh. Father’s power should be quite stable now, right? Hah, even if he were trampled into the mud, he’d still claw his way up and think of every possible method to rise step by step.

Wen Daolun took a sip of wine. “Speaking of which, the border troubles are actually not worth mentioning. Commander Zhong’s focus isn’t here either.”

Those words were far too blunt. Given Wen Daolun’s temperament, he would only speak without weighing his words in front of someone he truly trusted.

He Lingchuan was not offended at all. He nodded and said, “Right now, the key to stabilizing Yuheng City, and even the entire West Ji region, lies in Longchuan.”

More than a quarter of the bandit army that had attacked the city today had been Longchuan water bandits. This proved that forces inside and outside the border had already colluded and were wallowing together in the same filth.

The Longchuan water bandits not only threatened the southern trade routes, but were also being driven by the State of Jintao. They were a festering wound on the lands of West Ji.

“So long as we pull the bandit scourge up by the roots, the border troubles will naturally dissolve.”

Wen Daolun asked He Lingchuan, “Has your subordinate already managed to infiltrate them?”

“Yeah. He even made a great contribution today by saving the life of one of the Lu Family Gang’s major leaders.” He Lingchuan was talking about Skinny. He had transferred him over from Panlong City precisely to have him infiltrate Longchuan.

Skinny had the air of a bandit by nature, allowing him to fit right in with Longchuan.

Today, He Lingchuan had personally cooperated with him in staging a bitter-flesh ploy[1]. At the cost of taking an arrow to his left arm, Skinny had thrown himself forward and saved one of the bandit leaders.

1. The exact wording here was 苦肉计, which refers to a strategy of inflicting an injury upon oneself to win the trust of an enemy. Honestly, there was really no need to translate it so literally; I just wanted to teach you about the idiom lol ☜