Chapter 74 The provocation (1)
Considering Li Youde’s identity, Lang Yu who had arrived first and the county magistrate of Yi City came out of the city to welcome him. Seeing the arrogant look on Li Youde’s face, Chen Hui knew that he was about to soar to the heavens from pride at the moment. A castrated man has nothing to fight for aside from power and status. That all the complete men must treat him respectfully was about the highest level of mental enjoyment for him.
After the several people exchanged some polite greetings, the county magistrate rode in a carriage and the group of people entered the city.
This whole way, Chen Hui had heard Li Youde talk about the situation of the frontier.
The city they were going to was called Fanyang. It was a city at the border but it wasn’t on the frontline. There was a smaller city called Jianbei thirty miles towards the northwest. That was the real frontline. Now that the city’s defense was complete, there was not much panic in the city. After all, it was a city at the frontier. There had been many similar battles here. The people were used to it.
The two cities were built between the range of Mountain Liyang and controlled the only passage that ran through the north and south. Hence, if the Xi tribe in the north wanted to go south, they must successfully conquer the two cities. Chen Hui had also asked why the Xi tribe had to fight. Li Youde had faintly explained it to her. It was because the people of the Xi tribe had been arrested and this side wasn’t willing to easily let them go. The Xi tribe then simply assembled their forces and prepared to attack. At first, Chen Hui felt that the reason for the battle was too trifling. Thinking about that there was indeed much ‘bloodiness caused by a steamed bun’ in history, she also accepted that fact.
As for the number of people involved in this battle, Chen Hui heard the people chatting about the battle said that the Xi tribe had two hundred thousand people, and Great Liang sent four hundred thousand soldiers to crush Xi tribe. Chen Hui didn’t have much concept as to what two hundred or four hundred thousand was. If the number was too large, it was just a number. However, Li Youde said that it was true that the Xi tribe had two hundred thousand people, but their men were divided into several tribes. Even the largest tribe has no more than eighty thousand people. Excluding, the old, weak, women and children, their combat power was no more than thirty to forty thousand. Of course, Great Liang also didn’t have so many people. Aside from the twenty thousand soldiers from the capital that came this time, the people transferred from other places didn’t surpass sixty thousand. It was still relatively easy for eighty thousand people to defend a city. Therefore, the emperor didn’t put much attention to it. He only felt being provoked by the Xi tribe and that was a humiliation to the dignity of the heavenly empire Great Liang. And wanted to teach them a lesson ruthlessly and convince them through a beating.
Chen Hui didn’t know what the other people thought. To her, a relatively clear-headed spectator who has the experience of the later generation, this war was almost like a joke. But those who die, wound as well as those who become destitute and homeless were real and no joke could be tolerated.
“Is it impossible to put the war on the negotiating table?” Chen Hui had once asked this question with a sigh, but Li Youde’s answer was very simple.
“Daring to provoke the national prestige of my Great Liang, if we let Xi tribe get through this unscathed, where would the face of my Great Liang be?” He said as if it was a matter of course.
Presumably, on the matter of face, Li Youde and the emperor have a deeply felt resonance. Recalling her past few achievements of letting Li Youde lose face, Chen Hui deeply felt that Li Youde treated her pretty well.
During the past two days when Chen Hui was in pain due to her period, she was physically and mentally fragile and was unconsciously a bit more dependant on Li Youde. And perhaps, it was her frailness and dependence that caused Li Youde’s compassion. He was so good to her during those two days that she felt she was dreaming.
It was just that after the psychological pain, Chen Hui reinstated her small distance from before. How it will be in the future, let the future decide. At least, during this time in Fanyang, she had to take care of her function as the scabbard.
Fanyang was situated at the border area. The folkways were much stronger than in the capital. Chen Hui looked curiously out of the window to those dresses that had the feel of a different tribe. She admired them very much when she saw that they didn’t show the slightest panic for the dark clouds of war.
The group finally stopped in front of a courtyard. According to the county magistrate, this was a courtyard offered by a wealthy man for the few sirs to use and it could be temporarily regarded as the headquarters. But whether it was offered by the wealthy man on his own initiative or forced by the county magistrate, it wouldn’t be able to withstand further investigation.
Chen Hui and Li Youde were arranged in one yard. They haven’t settled down yet when someone came over saying that they had to discuss the war with Li Youde.
No fatigue of the journey could be seen on Li Youde’s face. When he heard what that person said, he let someone lead the way. Chen Hui silently followed behind him. In fact, how could they need Li Youde, this layman, when they discussed the war? It was just that they had to call him over because of his identity.
Li Youde took two steps when he turned his head, “What are you following for?”
“This little one is lord’s personal servant,” Chen Hui said.
Li Youde said, “That person surnamed Qi must also be there. Are you not afraid of being seen by him when you go?”
“He will see me sooner or later. If he dares to talk nonsense, lord can just beat him up and see whether he still dares to mess around!” Chen Hui said. She had been hiding from Qi Shengwen before, but she also knew that she wouldn’t be able to hide for long. Her purpose for coming was to stop Li Youde from courting disaster. How could she stop him if she kept on hiding and not following him? Qi Shengwen would see her sooner or later. It doesn’t matter if he sees her now.
Li Youde laughed from anger, “Little Monkey, you also learned how to take advantage of one’s position to bully people?”
Chen Hui said, “Thanking lord for the praise. It is lord that has taught well.”
Li Youde’s face turned as long as a horse’s face and he humphed coldly, “Nonsense!”
Chen Hui immediately changed her words, “…Yes, it is this little one who has learned without a teacher!”
“Don’t talk about nonsense with me. Stay here and don’t go anywhere!” Li Youde said with a glare. Then, he turned his head and left.
Chen Hui watched him go further and further. After pondering about it, she still chased after him.
“Lord, this little one feels that it is too boring being in the carriage for too long. If this little one doesn’t walk around, this little one is afraid that this little one will become crazy,” Chen Hui caught up with Li Youde.
Li Youde didn’t expect that Chen Hui would dare to follow. He stopped and scolded, “Hurry up and go back!”
“No,” Chen Hui said.
Li Youde’s voice suddenly rose, “Say that once again!”
Chen Hui didn’t speak. She pressed her lips and looked stubbornly at Li Youde and tears seemed to flicker in her eyes. It undisguisedly told him the fact that ‘you are fierce to me’.
The servant who was leading the way was silently waiting in the front. From time to time, he would cast a curious glance over. He remembered that when master asked him to come over to invite Lord Li, he told him that he should be more cautious and said that this Lord Li is temperamental and have mood swings. A moment of carelessness could send off his life. However, the way he sees it now, that didn’t seem the case. Didn’t you see that this lord can’t even handle his personal servant? Those must be an exaggeration!
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