He turned and walked toward the soldier in charge of tallying casualties, asking questions and taking notes carefully.
Lu Yan stood quietly to the side, watching Zhang Xun's busy figure, a trace of sadness flashing in her eyes.
Although he appears indifferent on the surface.
But deep down, he valued the lives of every soldier very much.
A short while later, Zhang Xun strode back to Lu Yan, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice:
"My lord, we have 28 lightly wounded and 30 seriously wounded."
After he finished speaking, he paused, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes.
He lowered his head, his voice becoming even deeper:
"Three people were killed in action."
He looked up at Lu Yan, his tone tinged with self-reproach:
"My lord, the troops sent by the Northern Xiang Kingdom this time... should all be their elite troops."
Zhang Xun clenched his fist slightly, his knuckles turning white, seemingly annoyed by the casualties on his side.
After listening to the casualty report, Lu Yan remained silent for a moment.
He gazed into the distance, his brows furrowed slightly, the mountain wind rustling his robes.
In the distant valley, soldiers were busy cleaning up the battlefield, the firelight illuminating half the sky.
It also reddened Lu Yan's angular face.
He turned around, looked at Zhang Xun, and spoke calmly, yet with a hint of sternness:
"It has nothing to do with that. It's just that we haven't fought a war for a long time, and you guys have become careless during training."
Lu Yan patted Zhang Xun on the shoulder, his tone softening:
"There is life and death on the battlefield, so there is no need to blame yourself too much."
He sighed heavily again and gave the order:
"Properly resettle the wounded, give the fallen soldiers a grand funeral, double the amount of their compensation, and take good care of their families."
Lu Yan watched Zhang Xun's departing figure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
War is always cruel; regardless of victory or defeat, there will always be sacrifices.
At this moment, Li Kui, carrying his broadsword, strode up to Lu Yan.
He grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth:
"Sir, everything is ready!"
"Those bastards from Beixiang Kingdom, they all collapsed without even uttering a fart!"
"Hehe, I chopped off five heads, would you like to see them, sir?"
Lu Yan glanced at him with disdain:
"Stop being so disgusting. Withdraw the troops and return to Jianmen Pass."
Li Kui chuckled and scratched the back of his head:
Alright!
He ran off eagerly to relay the order.
He jogged along, the armor on his body rustling like a string of wind chimes echoing through the valley.
He would occasionally touch the five bloody severed heads hanging from his waist.
His face beamed with barely suppressed excitement.
He couldn't help but stop as he passed other soldiers.
He boasted excitedly about his "achievements".
"Let me tell you, I, Old Li, have gone on a killing spree today!"
"Those grandsons of the Northern Xiang Kingdom, all of them with their delicate skin and tender flesh, are utterly no match for my old Li's physique!"
"With one stroke of my knife, Old Li, the head flew off a long way with a snap!"
"The blood spurting out, tsk tsk tsk..."
As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if it were as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.
The soldiers around him burst into laughter at his exaggerated description.
Some people joked:
"Brother Kui, your bragging skills have gotten even better!"
"I think you scared them to death, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, Li Kui immediately became displeased and stubbornly argued:
"You think your brother Kui is bragging? I'm telling the truth!"
"If you don't believe me, ask Zhang San. He saw it with his own eyes!"
Zhang San, who was called out, smiled and echoed:
"Yes, yes, Brother Kui is incredibly brave, we all saw it with our own eyes!"
The crowd burst into laughter again, the sound echoing through the valley.
This eased the tense atmosphere considerably.
Lu Yan rode his tall horse, following at a leisurely pace behind the group.
Li Kui's exaggerated descriptions and the soldiers' hearty laughter occasionally reached my ears.
Even he was amused, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
This Li Kui is a master of fighting, and his ability to boast is also top-notch.
However, this relaxed atmosphere also made him slightly worried.
After all, it's easy to become complacent after a victory.
His eyes sharpened, and he shouted:
"Xiao Kui!"
Li Kui was gesturing animatedly as he described how he could "kill one kid with one slash."
Upon hearing Lu Yan's voice, he immediately straightened his back.
Like a student being called on by the teacher in class, he shouted in response:
"arrive!"
"Pass down the order to make the brothers more vigilant and increase patrols."
"That old bastard Mu Qing won't let this go easily; he's probably plotting something against us!"
"yes!"
Li Kui responded loudly, his previous playful expression turning serious.
He tucked the heads in his hands behind his waist.
He then took off running towards the front of the group.
His armor rattled like a bull in heat.
Lu Yan watched Li Kui's departing figure, his eyes full of admiration.
This kid is a bit rough around the edges.
But his strength lies in his obedience and strong execution ability, making him a rare talent.
Upon returning to Jianmen Pass, Lu Yan immediately organized his soldiers to reinforce the city's defenses.
He arranged patrols and personally inspected the reserves of grain, fodder, and other supplies.
He knew that this was just the beginning, and Mu Qing would soon launch a second attack.
Lu Yan stood on the city wall, gazing at the distant, rolling mountains.
A gentle night breeze rustled his robes.
"My lord, what are you thinking about?"
Zhang Xun's voice came from behind.
Lu Yan turned around, looked at Zhang Xun, and sighed softly:
"I'm thinking that although we won this battle, we paid a heavy price."
"Three brothers... just like that, gone."
Zhang Xun was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"I have arranged for them to be given a proper burial, and the compensation has been doubled and given to their families."
Lu Yan nodded: "Yes, well done."
"By the way, how are the wounded?"
"The wounded have all been properly cared for and are being treated by military doctors. They are not in any immediate danger."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yan felt slightly relieved.
He patted Zhang Xun on the shoulder and said:
"Thanks for your hard work."
Zhang Xun clasped his hands and said:
"I would gladly die to serve you, my lord!"
"Alright, stop with the 'I'd die for you' stuff, it's cheesy."
Lu Yan joked with a smile.
"Go and rest, you've had a long day."
...
Meanwhile, in the Beixiang Kingdom's military camp, ten miles away from Jianmen Pass.
The commander's tent was filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.
Mu Qing paced back and forth like a trapped beast, his boots screeching against the ground.
The flickering candlelight inside the tent illuminated his gloomy face, making him appear even more ferocious.
"Report—"
A loud shout came from outside the tent, causing Mu Qing to stop abruptly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.
Damn it, why haven't I heard anything yet?
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