Chapter 119 Weapons, are you even my father? Why are you hitting me so hard?

A fire broke out at the granaries and fodder yards where grain and fodder were stored in the eastern pasture of Beiyong Lake and the Yunya military town. Zhai Jinan could not swallow his grievances and stepped up the allocation of military rations from neighboring prefectures and counties, preparing for battle at any moment.

During the reign of Emperor Xuanyuan, Crown Prince Yizhang dismissed more than half of the northern border garrison. Now, the northern border has only about 200,000 soldiers. If Zhai Ji's 400,000-strong army were to come out in full force, the outcome of this battle would be unpredictable.

Chen Liangyu personally wrote the conscription proclamation, affixed his commander's seal, inserted bird feathers into the document, and poured sealing wax on it to order the generals of the three prefectures and sixteen cities in the northern border to recruit soldiers overnight.

Soldiers are easy to recruit, but weapons for 200,000 soldiers cannot be forged so quickly.

Chen Liangyu gazed at the smoke of war in the north, pondering where to find weapons to replenish the shortage.

To seize control of Zhai Ji, it is essential to occupy the Hudong Grassland and Yunya Military Town before spring arrives. Otherwise, once the spring breeze rises, the embers from the burning of the Hudong Grassland will become natural ash fertilizer for the regenerated pasture.

When the pasture is lush, the soldiers and horses will be strong.

At that time, at the Xiling camp, the Earl of Chengyang led his army to defeat the rebels again, captured a city, and seized a batch of swords, spears, axes, bows, crossbows, and halberds, which were temporarily stored in a city to the north.

That city had a small population and was located near the border of Youzhou; it was named Cangcheng.

Chen Liangyu specially ordered his personal guards to deliver a letter to the Earl of Chengyang, but the Earl refused and turned it away. Not only that, but also, on the grounds that the war in the northern border was imminent and there was a shortage of soldiers and generals, he sent Yue Zhengyang to the Suzhou camp.

They refused to lend her weapons and even shoved a living person into her hands.

Chen Liangyu's lips twitched.

Soon after, scouts from Youzhou reported that the Earl of Chengyang intended to secretly transport the weapons away. At the same time, Lu Guangrong's men were lying in wait, hoping to seize the weapons at any opportunity.

Jingming said, "The rebels in Xiling have not been eliminated, so it is understandable that the Earl of Chengyang is keeping a close watch on weapons."

Besides, weapons are things that, once borrowed, are never returned.

"Miss, what should we do now?"

Chen Liangyu sat behind the command desk and said, "We can't borrow it now, so we'll have to find another way."

Lin Yin said, "The Marquis of Chengyang is determined not to lend it, what can we do? This batch of military equipment is the closest to us."

She planned to rob him outright.

A rigid and inflexible governor cannot be a military talent. In this respect, Chen Liangyu was born to lead troops into battle, always taking unconventional and unexpected approaches.

Jingming also considered some of their methods to be quite unethical.

Chen Liangyu asked, "Has Young Master Yue arrived yet?"

Jingming sighed, "We arrived yesterday."

He brought the boy in from outside the tent. The boy was about half a head shorter than him. Jingming felt a pang of pity and patted Yue Zhengyang's left shoulder twice.

In Yue Zhengyang's view, the pat on the shoulder was a premonition that he was to be entrusted with an important task. Unaware of what was about to happen, he was still immersed in the hope of making a name for himself, his eyes bright and his expression joyful.

Chen Liangyu gave him a handwritten note, saying, "I have received intelligence that Lu Guangrong has deployed two thousand men to ambush near Cangcheng, intending to seize the weapons captured by the Marquis of Chengyang. The situation is urgent, and there is no time to inform the Marquis of Chengyang. Are you willing to lead the troops there?"

Pu Yi arrived and was able to lead troops, a position many in the army longed for but could not attain. Yue Dun had never asked him to lead troops alone before.

Yue Zhengyang was overjoyed, "Of course, this subordinate will obey."

Chen Liangyu glanced at Jingming, then at Lin Yin, and said, "You two, go with one of you and be Yue Liu Gongzi's assistants."

Yue Zhengyang hurriedly waved his hand, "How dare I ask General Jing and General Lin to be my deputies?"

Chen Liangyu dispelled his concerns by saying that it was "experience and training".

Then he asked, "Who's going?"

Jingming said, "You may leave now. Let Lin Yin refrain from doing such despicable things as tricking children."

Chen Liangyu clicked his tongue.

Yue Zhengyang didn't understand what they were talking about and asked Jingming, "General Jing, what do you mean by deceiving someone? Who are you deceiving?"

Chen Liangyu said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. You should immediately dispatch troops to Cangcheng. If you encounter rebels, do you know what to do?"

Yue Zhengyang nodded, his expression resolute, and said, "General, rest assured, we will surely defeat them soundly!"

Chen Liangyu shook his head decisively and said, "If the rebels attack, I order you to evacuate the Cangcheng garrison as soon as possible. The soldiers in Xiling recognize you, so this will not be difficult for you."

Yue Zhengyang did not understand Chen Liangyu's meaning for a moment.

"Dispersing the garrison would be tantamount to desertion, wouldn't it?"

Chen Liangyu said with an air of seriousness, "There is a way to win every battle. Cangcheng has a complex terrain, so we need to lure the rebels out of the city before we attack. The rebels' sneak attack this time was for the lost military equipment. This batch of military equipment is the bait. Once the rebels are escorting the military equipment out of the city, Jingming will help you to surround them at the west gate, and then we can wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Yue Zhengyang suddenly understood, "This humble general has learned a great deal."

That night, the rebels launched a surprise attack on Cangcheng. Yue Zhengyang had all the guards around the armory dispersed. The rebels easily transported the weapons out of the city overnight, heading west. At first, they thought there was an ambush, but they only encountered a few scattered soldiers as they left the city. Just when the rebels thought the city was undefended and they had gained a great advantage, cavalry suddenly appeared from the mountain pass outside the city to encircle them.

The longbow, like a full moon, surrounded the escape route like an impregnable fortress.

The rebel leader who came to launch the night raid only glanced at the eagle-head armor on the shoulders of the cavalrymen in the mountain valley and recognized them as the Eagle-Head Army under Chen Liangyu of the Northern Border.

Has Chen Liangyu also set his sights on this batch of weapons?

She fell for his trap!

Jing Mingli stood with a long spear in front of him and shouted, "You traitors, disarm yourselves and you will not be killed!"

Before long, the weapons of the two thousand rebels were thrown to the ground, and they surrendered.

Jingming confiscated all their weapons, along with the batch that had been transported out of the city. He loaded them onto a cart and, not daring to take a detour through Cangcheng, planned to travel a section of the road outside the city to Suzhou.

He ordered one of his soldiers to summon Yue Zhengyang and commanded the Cangcheng garrison to escort the bound surrendered soldiers to Chengyang Earl Yue Dun for disposal at dawn.

The carriages and horses bypassed Cangcheng and traveled not far north before Yue Zhengyang caught up on horseback.

He finally understood what had happened tonight. Panting, he rubbed the back of his head, dismounted, grabbed Jingming's horse reins, and pleaded, "General Jing, please take me back to the Northern Border. My father will kill me!"

Before Jingming could answer, torches were lit in the city, and the sparks, accompanied by the sound of horses' hooves, led straight to the city gate.

"Treason!"

A deep, resonant voice, with clear and distinct pronunciation.

Yue Zhengyang shuddered, a chill running down his spine to the back of his neck. "Father."

Chengyang Earl Yue Dun spurred his horse around Yue Zhengyang, stopped Jingming, and soldiers behind him drew their swords and surrounded him.

Yue Dun said, "Deputy General Jing, isn't this a bit unethical?"

As dawn broke, frost covered the walls and rooftops of the city, and the mountains were partially obscured by thick clouds.

Fearing oversight, Chen Liangyu donned a heavy cloak and waited for news from Jingming at the pass of the Qilian Pass. In the distance, he saw a messenger carrying a military flag riding a horse towards Suzhou, and knew that the weapons had been intercepted.

Jing Ming could handle an ordinary person, but to have both men and soldiers detained, it could only be that the Earl of Chengyang, Yue Dun, came in person.

She mounted her horse and rode towards Cangcheng.

The oil-paper torches on the city tower of Cangcheng flickered in the morning wind, the stone-paved road outside the city gate gleamed with a cold light, and a series of sobs came from the city, like flowing water or a long wind.

Chen Liangyu entered the city without being stopped.

As the jade lion stepped through the city gate, it saw a rough bench laid out in the passageway. Yue Zhengyang, stripped of his armor and left in only a single garment, lay there, his mouth bound with strips of cloth, his hands and feet tightly bound to the bench with thick hemp rope. A soldier held up a military baton as thick as a bowl and began to strike Yue Zhengyang's buttocks with it.

The sobbing sound they vaguely heard was not from flowing water or a long wind, but from Yue Zhengyang's throat.

"Stop!" Chen Liangyu reined in his horse and shouted to halt the caning.

Yue Zhengyang was in so much pain that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and caught a glimpse of white satin in his peripheral vision. He recognized it as Chen Liangyu's mount. His eyes showed a mixture of pity and resentment.

Chen Liangyu glanced at him as he passed by; the blood hadn't yet soaked through his inner clothes, so he probably hadn't been hit by the cane many times yet.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Yue Dun ordered someone to bring over a square table and two chairs.

And so a makeshift negotiating table was set up.

There wasn't even a pot of warm tea or a plate of snacks on the table; there was absolutely no hospitality.

Chen Liangyu and Yue Dun each occupied a chair and sat facing each other.

Jingming stood behind Chen Liangyu. Chen Liangyu said, "Why didn't you stop him?"

Jingming said, "We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen until he insisted on beating us." It's only natural and justified for a father to beat his son, just as it's inevitable that the sky will rain and a mother will remarry.

Yue Dun snorted and said, "Let's not worry about that rebellious son for now, General. You can't just rob us if you can't borrow the weapons, can you? If it weren't for my foresight in predicting that the rebels would launch a night attack and waiting here in advance, these weapons would be in your pocket."

Chen Liangyu said, "I don't like hearing what the Marquis of Chengyang said. What do you mean by 'outright robbery'?"

"What is this if not outright robbery?"

Chen Liangyu asked, "Did you report the capture of these weapons to the court? Is there a record of it?"

Yue Dun hesitated, then said, "I haven't had a chance to report it yet!"

"It's better that it wasn't reported, so that the Earl of Chengyang won't have to write another report of damage."

"Xiling is plagued by rebels and plague. There are priorities. Why not leave these weapons in Cangcheng for a few days? This release and release has somehow made them yours, Chen Liangyu? In any case, the weapons cannot be taken away by the General."

Chen Liangyu said, "The weapons you captured were stolen. This batch was intercepted by Jingming from the rebels. Since it was obtained by my northern cavalry, it should belong to me! It is only right that I take it away."

"The armory was robbed, wasn't it you who instigated that rebellious son to lure the guards away first?"

"It was I who ordered Young Master Yue to evacuate the armory's garrison. But you lost your weapons, and now look what happened."

"Are you even being reasonable?"

"Where did I say something unreasonable?"

Yue Dun took several deep breaths, then looked up to the sky and sighed, "Heavens, how can there be such a person?"

"Lord of Chengyang, this general has had it tough too."

"You've had a tough time again?"

Chen Liangyu sat up straight, adopting a reasonable posture, "Lord of Chengyang, you also said that there are priorities. With 400,000 troops from Beiyong pressing on the border, without these few carts of weapons, are you suggesting that the soldiers of the northern border fight them bare-handed?"

Yue Dun also thought of this. Logically speaking, a few cartloads of weapons wouldn't be enough for Chen Liangyu to personally take action, or even for Jing Ming on ordinary days. Now that the Grand Marshal of the Northern Army and the Eagle Head Army have arrived in Cangcheng one after the other for these items, the situation in the Northern Frontier is probably very dangerous, and he really can't refuse to give them to them.

But he had spoken too confidently, and now he couldn't find a way to back down.

Chen Liangyu quickly added, "Today you stole a credit from the Marquis of Chengyang, didn't you also give him two thousand rebel soldiers? The score is even now, isn't it?"

Yue Dun pointed at Yue Zhengyang and said, "How will the score be settled? What about the punishment that rebellious son received for being flogged?"

Yue Zhengyang's face was flushed red, whether from the cold or from the pain.

Chen Liangyu feigned surprise and said, "Are you my real father? Why are you hitting me so hard?"

Yue Dun said, "Keep fighting!"

As he spoke, Yue Zhengyang was struck again with a cane, and the veins on his neck bulged.

Chen Liangyu raised his hands and said, "Wait a minute."

"If an entire armory of weapons is lost, even if he's killed, he'll be dealt with according to military law! Even if I'm handling a family matter today, the General isn't a teacher or an elder, so why should I interfere when I'm disciplining my son?"

"How is he neither a teacher nor an elder? Not long ago, the Earl of Chengyang even told me that Young Master Yue Liu was short of a good teacher, and the person had already been sent to the Northern Border Camp. How could I not interfere?"

"I did say that, but why didn't you confiscate it?"

"Did I confiscate it?"

"Did you say you accepted it?"

Didn't I say I wouldn't accept it?

Will you accept it or not?

"I'll accept it. I didn't say I wouldn't."

...

Yue Dun clapped his hands and laughed a few times, "Hahahaha, alright, untie the rope."

Several soldiers rushed forward and, with a flurry of activity, untied the ropes binding Yue Zhengyang, helped him up from the bench, and draped clothes over him.

The military baton was quite heavy; even if it wasn't used for actual combat, it could still cause injury from falling.

Yue Zhengyang shakily put on his clothes and armor, then limped over.

Yue Dun said, "Quickly, kowtow and become my disciple."

Upon hearing the word "become a disciple," Yue Zhengyang's pent-up resentment vanished like smoke, and he said, "I am grateful for my master's permission and will bow three times to you."

He bowed deeply to the ground and knelt down to kowtow three times.

Chen Liangyu took a half step forward and helped Yue Zhengyang up with one hand. "When we return to Suzhou, I will have a craftsman forge a fine sword for you. Remember, those who practice martial arts must forge their swords with loyalty and courage to guard the mountains and rivers and protect the common people. Can you do that?"

Yue Zhengyang's Adam's apple bobbed as he said, "This student will remember it well. Those of us in the martial arts world are here to defend our land and protect our people. Even if we die on the battlefield, we will not regret it!"

Yue Dun clapped his hands, looked up and laughed heartily, "Hahahaha, very good, excellent. The six gifts of tribute will be made up later and sent to the Xuanping Marquis's residence in Suzhou."

Chen Liangyu asked, "Lord of Chengyang, what about these cartloads of weapons?"

"Take it! If the general wants it, take it all. What's so special about a few cartloads of weapons?" Yue Dun said, "After wasting so much time, I also need to go back to the camp. The Imperial Inspector is on an incognito visit. If I'm late, Yunshan County will cause me trouble."

Chen Liangyu happened to ask, "Lord of Chengyang, is the female physician by my side, named Zhu Ying, still at the Xiling camp?"

Yue Dun said, "Yes, it's this Zhu Ying. I sent her south to buy medicinal herbs to treat the plague, but she never returned. She kidnapped Physician Ye from the palace and hid many people suffering from the plague in a cave in Yunshan County. The yurts everywhere are not enough, so the governor of Yunshan County requisitioned a secluded house to house the sick. If she hadn't been the doctor you recommended and hadn't concocted a prescription for the Peach Blossom Plague, no one could have saved her head this time!"

Author's Note: Grand General is an official title.

The commander-in-chief was the one who led the troops into battle during wartime.

As for whether she refers to herself as "this general" or "this commander," it mainly depends on whether she is fighting at that time. Generally, she uses "this commander" when issuing military orders to her subordinates and "this general" when speaking to her colleagues. Sometimes she gets used to it and is too lazy to change it.

Thanks for considering Deepwater!

I've been under a lot of pressure ever since I found out that Deepwater was going to update more chapters. I owe so many chapters. Can I write a side story to pay off my debt? I'll write a side story for anyone.

Thank you for reading this far!