"Cattle and sheep, while alive, have pastures to graze."
Early this morning, Zhou Fugui, whip in hand, rode his horse towards the military camp within Xue Lin City, pondering the words Huyan Sheng had gifted him.
The saying was akin to 'where there's life, there's hope', imbued with Huyan Sheng's concern for Zhou Fugui.
At this moment, however slow Zhou Fugui might be, he understood that Huyan Sheng valued him. But if that were the case, why would he be sent on such a perilous mission? Zhou Fugui felt a pang of bewilderment.
Valuing and cultivating me, yet sending me on such a dangerous errand? Zhou Fugui mused.
Leading two hundred horsemen out of the pass, to escort civilians and retreating soldiers, and to scout the strength and movements of the Xiongnu's Duoyong Jianbu – if things went wrong, it could lead to valuing and cultivating him to his death.
It was almost another "suicide squad." Of course, this wasn't the first time Zhou Fugui had led troops as a "suicide squad." During his time in Guangling Commandery, Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Battalion were such a unit, though they weren't called "suicide squads" but rather "city-breaching death warriors."
Still, this time was much better. Last time, Murong Boli had ordered Zhou Fugui to lead the "city-breaching death warriors" in an assault. Failure to breach the city meant the entire battalion would be executed; no retreat meant death. This time, however, Zhou Fugui had far more freedom; in times of crisis, he could lead his troops back to Xue Lin City.
Since Huyan Sheng had ordered Zhou Fugui to lead his troops out of the pass, there was no room for refusal, even though he had inquired beforehand.
Given that refusal was not an option, Zhou Fugui simply obeyed without hesitation, thus earning Huyan Sheng's great satisfaction.
Damn it, to compare me to cattle and sheep? Zhou Fugui found it secretly amusing.
"Fugui is here!"
"Battalion Commander!"
"Fugui is a flag officer, not a battalion commander."
"Go on, whether battalion commander or flag officer, aren't we still brothers together?"
"Fugui, what are you standing there blankly for? Here, over here..."
Xu Mancang, Suo Dacheng, Pan Jian Gui, Li Qing, Yi Ji Sheng, Yang Xin Hong, Wu Tian Qi, Hu Yuan, Wei Xia Zi, Chen Kun Kun, Hong Wei, Hu Tie Niu, and a host of fellow villagers and friends, along with Xue Wentai and other Han people from Guanzhong, seeing Zhou Fugui ride in alone and dazed, called out to him.
They were all exceptionally excited and joyful. With the exception of Xue Wentai and the other Guanzhong Han, they had not fought together since the White Tiger Battalion was incorporated into the Yan Dynasty's army. Now, reunited under Zhou Fugui's command, with Zhou Fugui as their flag leader, how could they not be joyous and excited? Even though this mission was fraught with extreme peril.
Xue Wentai and his group readily accepted, for reasons that were self-evident: Zhou Fugui had saved Xue Wentai's life twice.
Huyan Sheng had ordered Zhou Fugui to lead two hundred cavalry out of the pass and to select his own troops. Zhou Fugui, naturally, chose Xu Mancang, Suo Dacheng, Xue Wentai, and the others.
The oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden: not seeking to be born in the same year, month, and day, but only wishing to die in the same year, month, and day.
"You guys..." Zhou Fugui awoke from his thoughts and looked at the assembled fellow villagers and friends. "Li Qing, you scholar, what are you doing tagging along for the fun? Old Yi Tou, you're old now, can you still ride a horse? We'll be spending our days on horseback! Wei Xia Zi, you should continue treating your cattle and horses, no need to come along?"
Zhou Fugui spoke successively to Li Qing, Yi Ji Sheng, and Wei Xia Zi, three individuals unsuitable for frontal assault, his concern evident.
"Hahaha!" Xu Mancang, Suo Dacheng, Xue Wentai, and the others burst into laughter.
"Zhou Fugui, following you, this disaster star, to this desolate land, Li is no longer who he was!" Li Qing said with feigned indignation.
Li Qing was a frail scholar, but after arriving in Xue Lin City, though life was hard, his physical condition had greatly improved.
"Heh heh, I say, Fugui, am I, Lian Po, old? Still capable of charging into battle, and Old Yi is only forty-something this year and can't ride a horse anymore?" Yi Ji Sheng chuckled.
"Big Brother Fugui, in the midst of battle, injuries are inevitable, aren't they? Won't treatment be needed? How many times have I told you, Old Wei can treat humans as well as cattle and horses," Wei Xia Zi also exclaimed loudly.
"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter again.
"Absolutely not, absolutely not," Zhou Fugui still shook his head.
Despite Zhou Fugui's earnest persuasion, Li Qing, Yi Ji Sheng, and Wei Xia Zi were adamant. Finally, Zhou Fugui was forced to issue a command, and only then did Yi Ji Sheng reluctantly agree. Li Qing and Wei Xia Zi, however, insisted on accompanying him.
Yi Ji Sheng was a skilled blacksmith, and Zhou Fugui needed him to forge superior equipment. It would be a pity if he met his end like this.
"This general's surname is Zhou, given name Fugui, also a Yan person, Zhou Fugui!" Zhou Fugui then looked at Mancang, Suo Dacheng, Pan Jian Gui, Li Qing, and over ten fellow villagers, Xue Wentai and over twenty Han men from Guanzhong, and over a hundred elite cavalry from Xue Lin City, and declared loudly, "By order of the Grand Commander, we are to go out of the pass to meet the enemy. This mission will be extremely perilous. Are you afraid?"
"We are not afraid!" Everyone raised their weapons and shouted in unison.
"Someone once told me that fortune and glory are like snatching dates from a fire. Those who seek a future, let it begin today," Zhou Fugui declared loudly again.
Zhou Fugui thought of Murong Huiying, and his heart felt a wave of sweetness, followed by a pang of sadness.
Would he ever see her again in this lifetime? Would he ever behold her beauty and embrace her in this lifetime?
"Yes!" Everyone raised their weapons and shouted in unison.
"Mount your horses, and depart the pass!" Zhou Fugui said, after slowly glancing at each person, and waved his hand to give the order.
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, then mounted their horses. The clatter of weapons and armor filled the air.
When Zhou Fugui led two hundred "death warriors" out to battle, the armor and weapons provided were naturally of the highest quality. Fifty archers, each wielding a three-stone strong bow. Two hundred warriors, all clad in brand-new two-layer iron armor. The three feathers on their helms signified an elite force. Iron shields, cavalry crossbows, heavy swords, and sharp blades were all fully equipped.
As the two hundred elite soldiers mounted their horses, Zhou Fugui, carrying the Moon Chasing Bow on his back and the heavy sword at his waist, led the way towards the city gate of Xue Lin City. Wu Tian Qi, holding a small banner, followed closely behind. The triangular banner was embroidered with a fierce, claw-waving white tiger.
The White Tiger Banner, the White Tiger Battalion, and henceforth the White Tiger Army, had been rebuilt starting today. In the days to come, they would be invincible. Wherever the great White Tiger banner flew, all who heard of it would tremble in fear, and all who saw it would flee in disarray.
Of course, this is a story for later.
The two hundred riders formed two columns and silently followed Zhou Fugui towards the outside of the pass. Not a single person spoke, only the sounds of armor and weapons drew curious glances from passersby.
The clang of armor rewards ambition; the fluttering of war banners urges the long wind!
"Grand Commander, what are you...?" The chief of the guards, Zhonglang General Tu Tisi, watched Zhou Fugui's retreating figure from the city gate tower and said to the border general Huyan Sheng with concern.
After eight months of rigorous training in the Ice Bone Camp, Zhou Fugui was Tu Tisi's most accomplished disciple. At this moment, how could Tu Tisi not worry?
"A fledgling eagle must leave its mother to soar, a lion cub must leave its mother to become the ruler of the grasslands," the white-haired Huyan Sheng, clad in a black fur-lined cloak, stood on the city gate tower and said calmly.
.......
"Is that Deputy General Zhou Fugui ahead?" kuAiδugg
As Zhou Fugui led his troops out of the pass and had just crossed the drawbridge, a troop of about two hundred riders approached from behind like the wind. These two hundred cavalrymen were magnificent, each spirited and imposing, their armor and weapons of superior quality.
The general at the front shouted loudly towards Zhou Fugui.
"It's Flag Officer Tuoba?" Zhou Fugui looked back and saw Tuoba Hai of the Dangxiang tribe leading two hundred riders approaching.
After leaving the Ice Bone Camp, Tuoba Hai had been promoted to flag officer in the army and was now also ordered to go out of the pass to meet the enemy.
"Congratulations, Deputy General Zhou!" Tuoba Hai rode up to Zhou Fugui and reined in his warhorse, his smile not reaching his eyes.
"Congratulations on what?" Zhou Fugui also smiled. "Flag Officer Tuoba has been promoted, and I congratulate you. I should have invited you for a celebratory drink, but the Grand Commander has ordered us out of the pass now. We'll discuss it when we return."
"Return? Heh heh, what if Deputy General Zhou doesn't return?" Tuoba Hai said with a laugh.
The Dangxiang people were not like the Han, who spoke circuitously and with great subtlety. Tuoba Hai of the Dangxiang said whatever came to his mind, smugly believing that Zhou Fugui and his men were like a meat bun thrown to a dog, never to return.
"Haha, as soldiers, is returning to the battlefield in spirit not the best end?" Zhou Fugui also laughed heartily.
Huyan Sheng had dispatched five detachments out of the pass, each with two hundred cavalry, for the purpose of scouting, harassing, and rescuing. Such small-scale sorties were of little consequence compared to a major battle and generally could not affect the overall war effort.
The dispatched soldiers were not expected to all return.
"Heh heh, while that may be true, Deputy General Zhou, please do not have any accidents..." Tuoba Hai said with a smile. "The Grand Commander has placed great hopes on you."
Tuoba Hai and Zhou Fugui, both outstanding individuals from the rigorous training of the Ice Bone Camp, with Tuoba Hai slightly surpassing Zhou Fugui, knew that this mission had its peculiarities. Therefore, at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a desire to compete with Zhou Fugui, especially in front of Grand Commander Huyan Sheng.
After scouting the enemy's disposition and returning safely, or even killing enemies and earning merits, it would be a great achievement and could even earn the special attention of the border commander Huyan Sheng.
Tuoba Hai was also aware that Huyan Sheng valued Zhou Fugui.
"Likewise, likewise!" When words fail to connect, it's best to stop talking. Zhou Fugui, too lazy to engage further, cupped his hands and led his troops away at a gallop.
Over two hundred riders galloped together, their hooves sounding like thunder.
At this moment, a drizzle began to fall. The autumn rain was fine, like silk, like brocade, like mist, like smoke, and also like a dream, adding a touch of sorrowful color to the impending fierce battle.
Fine wine in a jade goblet, a pipa's melody urges the charge. Though drunken, lying on the battlefield, do not laugh; since ancient times, how many have returned from war?