In order to disguise himself better, Zhuang Li painted his entire face with blood.
Le Zhengming, who was sitting on a tall horse, just frowned and glanced at him, then looked at the wider battlefield where blood was flowing and countless corpses were lying.
They were his comrades, not family, but closer than family. They walked, sat, and slept together, sharing joys and sorrows, their backs supporting each other, their lives entrusted to each other. Just one day, they were laughing and joking, drinking from huge bowls, banging crocks with chopsticks, and singing heroic songs. A day later, they were reduced to piles of unrecognizable corpses.
He still remembered someone said cheerfully after getting drunk: "General, if I succeed this time, you must let me go back home and get married!"
Now that I am dead, all my beautiful dreams have become empty.
Le Zhengming's face was as solid as a rock, his eyes gleaming with a chilling coldness, as if unperturbed by the horrific scene. But Zhuang Li, who knew him intimately, knew he was deeply grieving. The corners of his eyes were a little red, and veins etched across the back of his hand gripping the whip, as if he were suppressing the intense emotions surging within.
After a long while, he turned his gaze back and said indifferently, "For cowardice, twenty lashes!"
Zhuang Li suddenly opened his narrow eyes wide.
7480: "Hahahahaha..."
The iron tower-like general immediately shouted: "Understood!"
Le Zhengming tightened the reins, spurring his steed around and away, his hooves kicking up not dirt but specks of blood. The lingering smoke gradually blurred his figure, a scene that seemed like an ominous omen.
Zhuang Li stared at him for a long time, not offering a single word of defense. Playing dead on the battlefield was wrong in the first place, and there was no point in trying to cover it up with some frivolous excuse; otherwise, the first impression would be even worse.
The general casually threw Zhuang Li to the ground and taunted him, "You're really incompetent. You can't even pretend to be dead. Would a dead person breathe as hard as you do?"
Zhuang Li's eyes flashed with understanding. Hearing the enemy soldiers shouting his lover's name on the battlefield had indeed made his breathing quicker. Around that time, the tall, sturdy man noticed him.
"Let's go back and receive punishment!" The general kicked Zhuang Li's butt lightly.
Zhuang Li staggered and fell to the ground, his mouth full of mud.
7480: "Hahahaha, I can't help it, I'm almost dying of laughter! Master, you are so useless! It really was right to send you here."
The tall and strong man was also surprised. After a moment's silence, he muttered, "Are you a pottery boy? I didn't use any force, so why did you fall?"
Climbing from the pool of blood, Zhuang Li was already furious, yet he had to suppress his inner negativity. In this world, there were no computers to search for the original owner's information, nor any high-tech assistance. With everything blurred, he could only wait and see.
The two returned to the camp one after the other.
On the way, Zhuang Li was silently observing his body.
The original owner's palms were very delicate, without the thick calluses from years of holding swords; his skin was fair, without any signs of constant sun exposure; the soles of his feet were very painful, probably from blisters, and he didn't look like a soldier used to marching.
Combining the above points, we can draw two conclusions: first, the original owner was a spoiled person and should have a good family background; second, the original owner had just joined the army not long ago and had never experienced arduous military training.
This makes the situation very strange: why would such a good family send their children to serve in the army? Is there any precedent in the military for sending them to the battlefield without any training?
While he was thinking, he arrived at the military camp. The strong man pushed Zhuang Li into the stable and ordered the soldiers standing on both sides, "Keep an eye on him! Catch all the deserters and torture them together! Bring out the torture rack and place it in the center of the camp. I want everyone to see clearly that this is the fate of deserting in the middle of a battle!"
"Understood." Several soldiers stood upright and shouted.
The strong man left.
Zhuang Li was imprisoned in a stable, with several dejected young men sitting around him. I guess they were all deserters.
Zhuang Li didn't say a word, but just washed his face with the water in the trough, then deliberately wandered in front of the young men, carefully observing their reactions.
These people looked at him as if they were completely unfamiliar with him. They didn't take the initiative to greet him or start a conversation. They probably didn't recognize this face.
This was exactly what Zhuang Li had expected. How could a young man, thrust into battle without even a single military training session, possibly know many of his comrades?
Yes, Zhuang Li's current body was still that of a teenager, short and frail, half a head shorter than those young men. Huddled in a corner, he looked truly pitiful. He tried to recite a few Buddhist verses, his voice clear and melodious, still carrying the youthful tenderness of a young man.
Such a young, pampered, and untrained recruit can appear on the cruel battlefield. Is this army extremely short of manpower or does someone want to kill this young man?
Zhuang Li calculated various possibilities in his mind, while also listening attentively to the discussions of those around him.
After experiencing such a brutal battle, everyone was in a low mood and couldn't help but express their anger and fear.
The deserters sitting together lowered their voices and said, "General Le Zheng was ambushed! The letter sent to him was false. The Ninth Prince was not ambushed at all. The general rushed to rescue him, but was ambushed by the enemy. Only 500 of the 10,000 cavalrymen were killed!"
"Is there a traitor in our army? Otherwise, how could the letter be fake?"
"There must be a traitor, but I don't know who it is. I'm more suspicious of the Ninth Prince. Without his fire seal, the general wouldn't believe the contents of the letter. This shows that the letter is true, but the story of the Ninth Prince being attacked is false."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you understand? The Ninth Prince is allying with the enemy to kill our general!"
"I guess so! Otherwise, why would General Xu, who was guarding Qiuzhuang, lead his troops to retreat first? If General Xu hadn't deliberately let the enemy into Guandu, we wouldn't have been ambushed!"
"General Xu is General Le Zheng's confidant!"
"Bah! He's been bribed by the Ninth Prince and Zhuang Ran a long time ago! The Ninth Prince is afraid that the general's achievements will threaten his master, and Zhuang Ran wants to take over the general's military power. They all want to kill the general!"
"The heaven is blind!"
“Good things don’t happen to good people!”
"Of our 170,000 soldiers, only 40,000 were left after being slaughtered by the Jie people! 130,000 of our comrades were killed! The blood flowed all over the ground, forming a river. I ran through the blood, feeling like my heart was being torn apart! There were broken arms and legs, broken intestines, and internal organs everywhere. I was terrified!"
"I'm scared too!"
"There's something even more terrifying to come! General, you almost wiped out the Jie tribe, and this time they're determined to kill you right here. Who knows, in a few days, the Jie might gather their army and attack us!"
"Only 40,000 of us are dead, but the Jie people still have 180,000 men! 180,000! Their horses' hooves alone can crush us!"
"I don't want to die, wuwuwu..."
The intermittent cries of grief echoed in the stable, stinging Zhuang Li's eardrums.
He closed his eyes to block out distractions and silently gathered this information in his mind. First, Le Zhengming's situation was indeed dire. Defeated by the enemy externally and betrayed internally by our own army, he was now out of ammunition and food, with nowhere else to go.
Secondly, the enemy force that just retreated will attack again. If 7480 is right, it should be three days later.
Finally, the Ninth Prince and Zhuang Ran who appear in this story are Le Zhengming's enemies. They may have some connection with the Lord God, or perhaps it's just a simple political struggle.
Forty thousand troops against an army of one hundred and eighty thousand, the gap between the two sides was too great.
Zhuang Li frowned deeply, and then began to calculate various war models.
7480 laughed in his mind: "Master, have you thought of a way to escape?"
"Although 40,000 troops are few, we can fight our way out. Let's save our lives first and talk about other things later." Zhuang Li said nonchalantly.
7480 immediately denied it, "Impossible. If Guandu falls, Guancheng will fall soon. There are hundreds of thousands of civilians living there. Le Zhengming would never choose to flee even if he died. He would never abandon the people. He would only choose to hold on!"
Zhuang Li probed, "Thank you for your affirmation of my lover. You're right, he's incapable of such a vile act. He's not like the child of destiny chosen by your Lord God, who would abandon morality and humanity for a little selfish gain and transform into a beast."
"Who are you calling a beast? The Son of Destiny is going to dominate this dimension! You can't even imagine what he'll achieve!" 7480 retorted, jumping up and down.
"Dominate the plane? A mere Ninth Prince? Is he worthy of it?" Zhuang Li tested again.
7480 blushed and said, "What qualifications do you have to look down on the Ninth Prince? In terms of strategy, courage, and boldness, he's no less capable than Le Zhengming! He's surrounded by many renowned teachers and generals; he's a natural born king!"
"Only by killing my lover can he become the king. If my lover is still alive, he is nothing." Zhuang Li said calmly.
"It's a pity that you and your lover will die in three days! Why are you so proud? If you have the ability, help Le Zhengming win this battle!" 7480 twisted his butt and turned around in the small dark room.
La la la, after three days it will be completely free!
Zhuang Li extended his slender index finger and gently tapped his brow. After concentrating and thinking for a moment, he replied, "Okay."
7480 was puzzled: "What's good about it?"
"I think I can help my love win this battle." Zhuang Li stood up, walked to the stable, and shouted to the strong man who had grabbed him earlier, "Hey, I want to see General Le Zheng!"
"Who are you calling, kid?" The burly man walked over aggressively.
"Then do you know who I am?" Zhuang Li raised his chin, narrowed his eyes, and his arrogant and contemptuous expression made people angry.
The strong man sarcastically said, "Aren't you just a phoenix with its feathers plucked? Right now, you're worse than a pheasant. Why are you trying to be so arrogant to me? Let me tell you, your mother is dead, your uncle is dead too. In this Wei State, no one will protect you!"
"Do you know why you were sent to our army? Zhuang Xu knew about your father and the Ninth Prince's plan a long time ago. He knew our army would be ambushed by the Jie people, so he sent you here to kill them with a borrowed knife! Do you still think that Wei is your uncle's Wei? Pah, you ignorant idiot!"
The burly man spat on the ground and turned away. It was clear that he was extremely dissatisfied with the current state of the Wei State, which was probably due to the Ninth Prince's schemes and the corruption of the upper class.
7480 was getting more and more amused as he watched. He laughed non-stop in his host's mind and taunted, "Master, you don't know anything right now. You're completely in the dark. What's the point of struggling? Just wait for death!"
Zhuang Li lay on the wooden fence, swinging a piece of straw back and forth in his hand. He looked dejected, but in reality, he was asking questions one after another in his mind: "System, my uncle was the previous ruler of Wei, right?"
"In that case, my mother is a princess, of noble status."
"That person also said that Zhuang Xu had long known about my father and the Ninth Prince's plan. Combined with the deserters' comments, Zhuang Ran must be my father, right? Zhuang Ran, Zhuang Xu, and Zhuang Li all have the surname Zhuang. Isn't this a coincidence?"
"There's a 90% chance that the three of us are family. Is Zhuang Xu my brother or uncle? I'm guessing a brother. He personally brought me to Guandu, taking so much trouble. His generation and status must be quite high."
"He knew Zhuang Ran's plan, yet he personally put me in a desperate situation. He and I must be from different mothers, and we've been competing for resources since we were young. He hates me."
"The current Ninth Prince is the son of the new emperor."
"Zhuang Ran has a close relationship with the Ninth Prince, so he must be the new emperor's man. Zhuang Ran must have been involved in the deaths of my mother and uncle, as well as the change of supreme power in this dynasty."
"My mother is the elder sister of the previous emperor. Her existence is a thorn in the heart of the new emperor. To show his loyalty to the new emperor, Zhuang Ran will definitely find a way to get rid of us."
"No wonder this body, which grew up in luxury and comfort, was still sent to this place where death is certain." Zhuang Li stared at his fair and delicate hands and suddenly realized.
7480 was very proud: "..."
Fuck! How did the host know this?
Chapter 86 How Science Fights War 03┃Zhuang Li: My boyfriend is so cute, how can I let him die.
Zhuang Li completely understood his situation.
Simply put, this was nothing more than a political struggle for imperial power. Because he carried the blood of the previous emperor, he was pushed into a desperate situation by his own father. His mother, uncle, and everyone close to him were presumably killed in this political struggle.
Perhaps for the sake of reputation, or perhaps for the sake of their family's reputation, those ambitious people did not kill him, but instead sent him to Le Zhengming's army. Because they knew that this army would also be completely destroyed.
The conspiracy was intertwined, but Zhuang Li finally figured it out with just a few words. He had no time to think about the past; the most important thing now was to survive.
"Hey, you," Zhuang Li stretched out his slender index finger and gently hooked it, "I have something to say to General Le Zheng. Take me to see him."
The burly man whose fingertips were hooked turned black in the face. He strode over and said in a thunderous voice: "Do you want a beating, kid? Do you still think you are a young marquis?"
7480 finally came to his senses, wiped his face fiercely, and complained in his heart: Damn, even without computers, these noisy humans will take the initiative to send information to the host. Why are they so stupid?
"So I am still the young marquis?" Zhuang Li pondered in his heart with amusement.
7480: “…”
"I have very important information to tell General Le Zheng about Zhuang Ran." Zhuang Li said seriously.
The sturdy man's curse words were all blocked back, and he actually believed it 100%. You have to know that this boy is Zhuang Ran's legitimate son. Although he is now abandoned, he was doted on by Zhuang Ran for a period of time in the past. He should know some secrets that ordinary people don't know.
"I'll take you there." He opened the stable gate.
"Take me to take a shower first!" Zhuang Li tugged at his sticky, smelly clothes. He wouldn't go see his lover in this state.
"Why are you so nosy?" The sturdy man rolled his eyes, but still took Zhuang Li to a tent and poured him a bucket of cold water.
"I want hot water." Zhuang Li's face was full of disgust.
"You fucking..." The burly man clenched his fists and gathered his sleeves, making a gesture to hit.
"Go ahead and hit me," Zhuang Li tapped his temples with his fingertips and said in a rambling voice, "If you hit me in the head, I'm afraid I'll forget what I was going to say later."
The burly man clenched his teeth, then loosened his gums, his cheeks bulging and rising and falling, as if he would turn against his will at any moment. After a long moment of adjustment, he finally broke into a sinister smile: "Wait, I'll go boil some water for you!"
After three quarters of an hour of struggling, Zhuang Li finally arrived outside the commander's tent wearing a clean military uniform and with wet hair.
The strong man pointed his finger at him and warned him sternly: "Wait here, keep your eyes open and don't look around!"
Zhuang Li squinted at him, his expression clearly one of leisurely waiting, yet it betrayed a profound disdain. He had a naturally arrogant face that made anyone want to punch him.
The strong man pointed at him again, his teeth chattered for a while, then he lifted the curtain and went in.
Faint voices of conversation could be heard from inside the tent: "...He wants to see you."
"No, haven't you whipped me twenty times yet? Does he still have the energy to make trouble?"
"No, we'll fight together at night... to shock the troops."
"Let him go. Zhuang Ran raised him like a toy since he was a child. What could he know?"
"Let's meet him, just in case..."
After a long while, the impatient voice of the strong man came from inside: "The general asked you to come in!"
Zhuang Li adjusted his clothes, lifted a strand of curly hair on his forehead, and then walked in slowly.
I saw an unusually tall and strong man sitting in the main seat, his upper body robes completely removed, revealing his muscular chest. Dense beads of sweat made his bronze skin glow with oiliness, and his muscular muscles bulged in the halo, forming smooth lines that merged into his narrow waist.
A pure masculine aura washed over him. According to nature's definition of male animals, the man before him was undoubtedly the most powerful.
When he saw him, Zhuang Li naturally thought of their past passionate love, and his body suddenly became hot.
Le Zhengming was originally very impatient to meet such a cowardly thing. When he looked up, his eyes were full of contempt, but the moment he saw the face clearly, he turned into astonishment. Then his mind was filled with a chaotic roar, and he temporarily lost the ability to think.
He had always known that there was such a person in the army, but this was the first time he met him.
As the eldest princess's son, Zhuang Li was indeed very weak and delicate. He had narrow eyes with upturned eye corners, and long, thin eyebrows that slanted down to his temples and were slightly raised. His expression was both smart and cunning.
He is like a fire fox running on the grassland. When he escapes from the hunter's pursuit, he will look back and smile, playfully expressing his pride and ridicule.
Le Zhengming once met such a little fox. He had the arrow on the string, but he could not bear to let it go.
His mind was filled with the little fox and the little fox in front of him, whose face was stern and solemn, but whose ears were completely red.
Zhuang Li walked straight up to him, sat down next to him, and said as a matter of course: "I'm hungry."
"Someone, come and get some food." Le Zhengming immediately raised his hand and shouted, his voice inexplicably hoarse.
"Are you going to whip me in public tonight?" Zhuang Li lay on the table, half of his face pressed on his arm, and the other half facing his lover, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if he was very unhappy.
His arrogant demeanor irritated the burly man, who couldn't help but yell, "What's with that attitude? Stand up and salute me!"
"Forget it. He is still young and weak. He was frightened on the battlefield just now. Let him lie down for a while." Le Zhengming raised his hand to stop him. His seemingly cold tone secretly became a little softer.
"General, that's not what you said just now!" the strong man accused with his eyes wide open.
Le Zhengming also glared back, his majestic aura suppressing the other party, but his red ears emitted an astonishing heat.
Zhuang Li almost couldn't help laughing. He was still lying on his arms, his red lips squeezed and slightly pursed, as if asking for a kiss.
Le Zhengming glanced at him, then quickly shifted his gaze. A drop of sweat slid down his neck, down his chest, and slowly seeped into the texture of his abdominal muscles.
He is terribly hot now.
"General, don't hit me. My small body will be gone after a few whips." Zhuang Li stretched out a slender fingertip and lightly poked the back of the man's hand like a dragonfly touching the water.
Le Zhengming sat steadily, as if he was not affected at all, but the muscles in his arm twitched uncontrollably for a moment. Then, a few blue veins appeared on the back of his hand that had been touched, pulsating slightly with his rapid heartbeat.
He is nervous.
"I won't hit you," he began, then closed his mouth awkwardly, because his voice was hoarse as a broken bellows.
Zhuang Li smiled, his eyes twinkling with joy. This was still his lover, not a bit changed.
7480: "Bah! You dog!"
The strong man said in disbelief: "General, you just said..."
Le Zhengming sighed and said, "Let's release the rest of the deserters as well."
"What, what?" The burly man looked towards the main seat in a daze.
Was this still the same General Le Zheng who enforced orders, clearly distinguished rewards and punishments, and was strict and fair? Could he have heard it wrong?
"Release them all," Le Zhengming repeated. "The enemy could attack at any moment. With the whip wounds now, they have no chance of survival. They can die in battle, retreat, or even flee, but they must not die in my hands. I am their commander, after all."
These words were so full of affection and righteousness that the strong man's eyes filled with tears and he almost cried.
In reality, everyone knew that with their current limited strength, they could not possibly stand against the Jie's 180,000-man army. Everyone would die; there was no question of survival or demise. However, abolishing the flogging penalty might be the general's final act of mercy.
"General, I will definitely convey your words to those deserters and let them see clearly what kind of person they are loyal to!" The strong man knelt on the ground, shouted this sentence passionately, then ran away wiping his tears.
Zhuang Li buried his face in his arms and smiled grimly.
7480 said sarcastically: "Honest and selfless? Haha..."
"He has the intention to exonerate me, but he may not mean it in his heart." Zhuang Li retorted coldly in his mind. He raised his head, revealing a weak and helpless face with a slight blush at the corners of his eyes, as if he had just cried.
"First time on the battlefield?" Le Zhengming asked in the softest tone possible.
"Yeah, I'm scared." Zhuang Li nodded.
"It's normal to be afraid. I was also afraid when I first went to the battlefield." Le Zhengming tried to hold back, but finally couldn't help it and gently touched the boy's slightly curly long hair.
"Your hair is still wet. I'll find you a towel to dry it." He walked behind the screen and took out a linen towel from the wooden box where his clothes were kept. He first wiped it on his face, but found it too rough. He then rummaged through the boxes and cabinets for a long time before finally finding a piece of uncut brocade.
He tore off a piece of brocade without hesitation and wiped it on his face again. He felt the touch was very comfortable and delicate, and then he walked out with satisfaction.
Zhuang Li pricked up his ears to listen to the movement behind the screen, and a smile of pleasure appeared on his thin lips.
It's just a handkerchief, but why is such a big fuss made about it?
7480: Bah! You two desperate couple!
Le Zhengming walked back to his seat and was about to hand over the brocade when Zhuang Li leaned over and put his head right under his nose. His hair was long, black, soft, slightly curly, and had a faint fragrance.
Smelling this sweet fragrance, Le Zhengming's head began to buzz again. He carefully held the boy's long hair, rubbing it gently against the brocade. The black hair would occasionally tangle his fingers, but it seemed to tangle his heartstrings, making him itchy, hot, and flustered.
"You said before that you had information to tell me?" In order to hide the strangeness in his heart, he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Well, I lied to you. I just wanted to plead for myself." Zhuang Li narrowed his eyes and smiled without any guilt.
Le Zhengming: “…”
"Are you angry?" Zhuang Li tapped his bare chest with his fingertips.
Le Zhengming's chest muscles trembled uncontrollably, and then he realized that he was actually shirtless to escape the heat! He quickly threw the brocade over the curly-haired boy's head and ran behind the screen to change clothes. On the way, he bumped into something, making a loud ping-pong sound.
Zhuang Li listened attentively, then smiled silently.
How could he bear to let such a lovely person die.
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