“Now, the Silver Tiger Army is also a member of the Peace Army. It makes no difference whether they protect me or you protect me. There’s no need to say more.” He said decisively when some Peace Army soldiers raised objections.
"Alright, I'm tired. Do as you decide. I'm going to get some sleep. We can discuss things again tomorrow." After the Peace Army soldiers reluctantly left Silver Tiger City, Li Jun gave the following order to the Silver Tiger Army generals, who were still somewhat at a loss and had just been promoted. Then, without any hesitation, he went into the Silver Tiger Army camp and fell fast asleep, leaving the bewildered officers buzzing with discussion.
"What should we do? What should we do?" a captain (Note 1) said anxiously. "Li Jun... Commander Li lives here... we will protect him..."
“He is showing us that he absolutely trusts us,” another commander said.
“That’s right. But if our governor were alive, would he dare to lie so high among his former enemy subordinates?” asked a captain named Shang Huaiyi.
The question silenced the other generals for a moment. Although they were reluctant to speak ill of the dead, it was indeed difficult for them, who were not members of the Tong clan, to be promoted to a rank like Qianzong under Tong Sheng. Moreover, Tong Sheng certainly did not have the magnanimity and courage of Li Jun.
“Each of us will lead a hundred-man squad to take turns protecting Commander Li,” said Captain Fan Yong. “In any case, I am willing to follow such a general who is exceptionally wise, brave, and magnanimous and make a name for himself.”
Thus, as Li Jun wished, the morale of the Silver Tiger Army temporarily shifted to his side.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Note 1: In the regular army of Shenzhou, not among mercenaries, a general who commands a thousand men is called a "Qianzong" or "Qianfuzhang".
Section 2
For Hua Xuan, the nominal new ruler of Silver Tiger City, it was a completely unfamiliar place, but for Li Jun, the actual new ruler, it would be a key piece in his grand plan.
Silver Tiger City is surrounded by hills, but between Silver Tiger City and Raging Waves City lies a vast plain suitable for cultivation. Controlling Silver Tiger City would mean that the massive Raging Waves City could be completely self-sufficient in food. For Yuzhou, where rice is the main crop, the suitable climate allows for a single rice harvest, sometimes even three times a year, sufficient to sustain Raging Waves City's rapidly growing population and meet Li Jun's war plan requirements.
Moreover, and more importantly, just five days' journey north of Silver Tiger City lies the Qionglu Grassland, where the Rong people graze their cattle and horses. A truly effective fighting force cannot exist without a large cavalry force. The reason the Tong family was able to dominate Yuzhou for a time was because of their ever-victorious light cavalry. Li Jun's control of Silver Tiger City means that he can obtain a large number of horses from the Rong people. Combined with the horses produced in the Tong family's own horse farms, this is enough to support a medium-sized cavalry legion.
The Peace Army also had cavalry, one of the few units not incorporated into the Crimson Dragon Formation. Li Jun believed that the mobility and striking power of cavalry meant they shouldn't be confined to formations but rather placed outside the battlefield. When the Peace Army's cavalry began their charge, it signified that the battle's outcome was about to be decided. However, his cavalry force numbered a paltry three hundred, insufficient to play a decisive role on the battlefield. Capturing Silver Tiger City, however, would at least increase those three hundred cavalry to three thousand.
Therefore, he decided to temporarily abandon the struggle for Thunder City and set his sights on Silver Tiger City. When he revealed his plan, Sima Hui vehemently opposed it, even angrily saying, "If we suffer a crushing defeat because we first attack Silver Tiger City, Li Jun should commit suicide to atone for his sins."
Sima Hui also had his own concerns. Cavalry was important, but the power of the Rong cavalry was even more terrifying. Taking down Yinhu City would mean facing the invasion of tens of thousands of Rong people who were both civilians and soldiers, putting himself directly under the blade of the Rong cavalry. If that was the case, why not temporarily let go of Yinhu City and focus on Leiming City, which had silver mines, and let the Tong family hold off the Rong people for the Peace Army first?
Naturally, within the Peace Army, Sima Hui's rebukes did not elicit a cold response from Li Jun. On the contrary, like Lu Xiang, Li Jun always welcomed his subordinates and advisors to raise various, even somewhat difficult, questions. This was beneficial for the commander-in-chief to consider the overall situation and avoid overlooking important aspects. As for Sima Hui, despite his criticisms, he diligently followed Li Jun's instructions when Li Jun insisted on his own approach.
"Commander, I am still uneasy about taking Silver Tiger City." The day after entering Silver Tiger City, Sima Hui, who had only met Li Jun after passing through the heavily guarded Silver Tiger Army, greatly admired Li Jun's courage; the Silver Tiger Army's protection was far more stringent than that of the Peace Army. However, he still expressed his dissatisfaction to Li Jun.
"Is it still because of the Rong people?" Li Jun asked with a smile, sitting cross-legged on a tiger-skin cushion.
“Exactly. When the Rong people learn that Silver Tiger City has changed hands, they will surely launch a large-scale attack. And when the Zhu family and the allied forces of various smaller powers in Thunder City learn that the Peace Army has captured Silver Tiger City in one fell swoop and taken over the Tong family’s troops, they will surely feel insecure and are very likely to unite to attack us. The Peace Army is weak, and it would be good enough if it could hold Kuanglan City under the pressure of a large army. Now that it has divided its forces between the two cities, I am afraid that not only will it not be able to defend both cities, but they will also fall into enemy hands.” Sima Hui spoke frankly and without restraint. Although his attitude was very respectful, his words were very sharp.
“That’s exactly what I was worried about, so I sent Commander Xiao Lin and Song Yun back to Kuanglan City overnight. If I’m not mistaken, Zhu Wenhai and Peng Yuancheng will reach an agreement to split the revenue from the Leiming City silver mine as soon as they receive the news, and launch a major invasion of Kuanglan City,” Li Jun said with a smile. “However, this will be at least four days from now. By the time their troops reach the walls of Kuanglan City, Xiao Lin and Song Yun will already be waiting outside the city. I’ve also placed a pawn in Leiming City. As long as they send troops to Kuanglan City, they will inevitably suffer a great defeat. As for the Rong people, dealing with them will really be a headache.”
As he spoke, Li Jun unconsciously touched the sparse mustache on his lips. Although he still occasionally showed a childlike side and his mustache was not obvious, out of the same mentality as every man of his age, he would always touch his mustache to indicate to others that he was a grown man.
Sima Hui found his own analysis of Li Jun's actions amusing; the two were discussing a matter concerning the lives of millions, yet both seemed somewhat distracted. Li Jun called out loudly, "Someone, bring all the captains here; I want to invite them for tea."
Sima Hui's conclusion about Li Jun's appreciation of tea was similar to Lu Xiang's: it was less like a wise man's refined taste and more like a cow chewing on a peony. Therefore, Sima wanted to get up and take his leave, but Li Jun wouldn't let him go: "Sir, don't go. I want to hear their opinions on fighting the Tong Rong people. You can also offer me advice while you are here."
Sima Hui had no choice but to stay. Soon, all ten captains entered Li Jun's tent, filling the small space to capacity. The guards served tea, and Li Jun gestured for everyone to drink. Most of these men were warriors, and their appreciation for tea was no better than Li Jun's. Seeing that everyone had drunk their tea, Li Jun smiled and said, "You all had a hard night's sleep. Since I came to Zuozhou, I have never had such a good night's rest."
The officers smiled. Li Jun dared to sleep with them, which meant he trusted them greatly, but they themselves didn't trust themselves and took turns keeping watch all night.
"I invited you all here for two reasons: first, to have some tea, and second, to share your views on the Rong people. If I am not mistaken, the Rong people will attack Silver Tiger City sooner or later."
The initial tension among the officers had been quickly dispelled by the tea. After listening to his questions, they exchanged glances. Most of them were mid- to low-ranking officers in the Tong family's army, respected among the soldiers, but only promoted to senior command after the arrival of the Peace Army. In the past, they had never had a say in Tong family military meetings, or even the right to participate. Li Jun's sudden questioning of them caught them completely off guard.
"The Rong people come to plunder every year when the autumn horses are fat and strong, but they don't come as often in spring and summer," said Qianzong Fan Yong boldly. "Does the commander think they will attack?"
Li Jun laughed: "That's right. Although the people of Yinhu City are happy to have captured it, there are bound to be some who are unhappy. They have nowhere else to go but to ask their old enemy, the Rong people, for help. Knowing that Yinhu City has recently changed hands, the Rong people will surely plunder along the way."
His statement was hard for the generals to accept. The war between the Tong family and the Rong people had lasted for decades. How could the remaining forces of the Tong family join hands with the Rong people? But seeing how certain Li Jun was, they had no choice but to believe him for the time being.
"There is one thing to be careful about in dealing with the Rong people," said Qianzong Shang Huaiyi thoughtfully. "The Rong people are all soldiers, fierce and ruthless. If they gain the upper hand, it will be extremely difficult to reverse the situation."
“That’s right. The Rong people also have a weakness: they love to show off their bravery and are almost undisciplined. If they get into a winning streak, they are unstoppable, but if they are at a disadvantage, they will be routed,” Fan Yong added.
Li Jun had already learned about this during the Peace Army period. The battle he witnessed when he saw Lu Xiang was when he saw the Peace Army decisively defeat the Rong people.
"At your age, you should be at home enjoying the company of your parents..." That's what Lu Xiang said four years ago, right? Although that person has passed away, the mark he left on Li Jun's heart can never be forgotten.
"War is like this, rivers of blood flow like dams." Li Jun softly recited a phrase that Lu Xiang often used to say, and suddenly felt a sense of disgust for war. He said, "Why do the Rong people invade every year? Why can't we live in peace with them?"
The commanders exchanged glances, their faces showing confusion. In their view, the Rong and ordinary people had been sworn enemies since the Battle of the Million Ears, a war that began a thousand years ago. It was understandable that the remnants of the Tong family wanted to use the Rong's strength for revenge, but Li Jun's idea of peaceful coexistence with the Rong was rather chaotic. Recalling Li Jun's oath, passed down through generations, that all people—Civilians, Qiang, Yi, Rong, and Yue—were equal, it seemed this new leader was truly going to overturn this millennia-old tradition. They hadn't yet realized that, as early as the Battle of Thunder City, in order to contain the Tong family's army, Li Jun had suggested that Hua Feng forge alliances with the Rong.
"The Rong people are plunderers by nature, and I'm afraid they won't live in peace with us," Sima Hui said. "Even if our main branch makes overtures, there's the question of whether they'll accept them, and war is unavoidable."
"In other words, we must at least fight a battle first, forcing the other side to accept peace talks..." Li Jun made a slight concession, but refused to give up his position of wanting to negotiate with the Rong people. Just like Lu Xiang, he was also someone who wavered between war and peace.
On April 20th of the twelfth year of Chongde in the Chen Kingdom, on the border between the Qionglu Grassland and the jurisdiction of Yinhu City, Ge Shun rode on horseback and pointed ahead, his Confucian robe swaying slightly in the wind.
"Li Jun was busy taking over the Tong family's property and did not expect that the Great Khan would send troops to help. According to our agreement, all the children and property north of Yinhu City will belong to the Great Khan. The Great Khan will help me restore the Tong family's foundation!"
"Don't worry, they're just a few thousand mercenaries."
The person who answered Ge Shun was completely covered by armor. The voice, though slightly muffled, came from a helmet that only revealed the eyes, but was still clear enough for Ge Shun to hear. Ge Shun harbored distrust towards this mysterious Rong general, not believing he could surpass Tong Chang, who had commanded troops for many years, nor that he could defeat Li Jun. However, the Rong Khan, Hulei, insisted on appointing this man, respectfully called "Jisu," as the commander of 20,000 Rong people. And those Rong people seemed to hold this commander in extremely high esteem, even to the point of fear, and the curtsy they performed towards him was the kind reserved only for tribal chiefs.
"Ugula!" Ji Su said. A Rong man riding a large red horse rode up to him, bowed, and said, "Please give your orders, Ji Su."
"You will lead five thousand men as the vanguard to scout out Li Jun's strengths and weaknesses, and also teach these cowardly commoners a lesson, showing them how to fight!"
Ge Shun felt a pang of bitterness, but there was nothing he could do. Wugula spurred his horse forward, calling out "Yo-ho, yo-ho!" Thousands of Rong people echoed his call, raising countless sabers high, pointing them at the gloomy sky. At that moment, Ge Shun was almost overwhelmed by this earth-shattering momentum. These countless warriors, these strong men of the grasslands, would surely give Li Jun a major headache and allow the Tong family to rise again.
At the same time, a hidden worry also rose in his heart. Since the beginning of the millennium of war, ordinary people have been particularly wary of the Rong people, which has forced their forces to stay within a few large grasslands. But this time, it seems that he has played the role of letting wolves into the house. When will these thousands of wolves and tigers stop slaughtering and plundering in the world of ordinary people and return to the grasslands? Or will they, like the Khan of the Four Seas, sweep across the entire continent before they are satisfied?
Now that things have come to this, he can only resign himself to fate. Even if he is destroyed, he wants the Peace Army and Li Jun to be destroyed with him, he thought to himself.
Ugula led his five thousand iron cavalry like a rushing river, charging southwards, raising plumes of smoke wherever they went. The people, who had just been slaughtered and plundered in winter, were forced to flee their homes again, as the flames of war pressed directly toward Silver Tiger City.