OBS Chapter 1007: Prince Liang's Evil Deeds Wreak Havoc on the Xianbei
Chapter 1007: Prince Liang's Evil Deeds Wreak Havoc on the Xianbei
Time flew by, and in a flash, it was already the twelfth lunar month. Ma Chao no longer cared about the specific day. Across the vast grasslands, a sudden, heavy snow fell, blanketing the earth and sky, as if to bury the entire world. The snowflakes were so dense, like a white curtain draped from the sky, blocking out the sun. Even in broad daylight, it felt as if night had fallen, and the world was shrouded in darkness.
Fortunately, before the sudden snowstorm arrived, they successfully invaded the Yuwen tribe, led by the former Xianbei Right General Yuwen Dashi, and were able to find shelter. However, Ma Chao's army adhered to their usual strategy and slaughtered all the men in the tribe upon entering. They then left some women and children behind to work for the army while they prepared to rest and recuperate.
Outside the tent, a howling wind whipped through the blizzard, a sound like the howling of ghosts and wolves. Inside, Ma Chao gazed at the raging snowstorm, his brow furrowed. It was unknown how long this blizzard would last, and they were deep in the grasslands, with supplies scarce. The days ahead would surely be filled with hardship. But for now, all they could do was stay in this temporary camp, wait for the wind and snow to subside, and then make their next plans...
However, as Ma Chao and his men advanced deeper into the grasslands, their whereabouts were eventually detected by the Xianbei Great Chanyu, Kebi Neng. Kebi Neng quickly assembled his forces and advanced aggressively. The two sides soon encountered each other and exchanged blows.
That day, the Xianbei army advanced with overwhelming force, a black mass surging like a tidal wave. Seeing their momentum, Ma Chao decided not to engage them in a fight. As the two armies met, Ma Chao gave the order, and the Western Liang cavalry charged like a black torrent. After just one charge, Ma Chao led his troops into a swift retreat.
The Xianbei pursued relentlessly, but faced with the fierce charge of the Western Liang cavalry, they were still frightened. Although they mustered the courage to pursue, they still did not dare to engage in battle again. They could only watch helplessly as Ma Chao's troops retreated further and further in the wind and snow, but they could do nothing.
Inside the tent, Ma Chao, Lu Su, Zhang Xiu, and other generals gathered around a warm brazier. A large cauldron, already in place, simmered a large hunk of beef. The rich aroma of meat filled the tent, dispelling some of the winter chill. Ma Chao ordered the captured women and children to bring him hot water, and he and his generals enjoyed a comfortable bath before sitting together in the tent. Each man, holding a silver knife, delicately shaved the beef, eating as they discussed their next move.
Lu Su spoke first, his expression solemn, "Your Majesty, if it weren't for this sudden black snow, Kebineng's army would have caught up long ago. But now they're trapped here, and I don't know how long they'll have to rest."
Zhang Xiu waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "Who cares? Since we're in this heavy snow, it's hard for them to catch up. We just happen to have this warm campsite to stay in. Once the snow stops, we can make plans later."
Ma Chao nodded slightly, looking out at the still raging snow outside the tent, muttering, "I wonder how far into the twelfth lunar month it is now? It must be almost New Year's Eve. Send the word down, my brothers, to prepare for defense. We'll spend the New Year here in peace."
"Yes!" the generals responded in unison.
Lu Su frowned slightly, looked at Ma Chao and said, "Your Majesty, we have always slaughtered everyone we encountered, but this time you left these women and children behind. I'm afraid this will cause more trouble."
Ma Chao raised his head, his eyes filled with inquiry, and asked, "For example? Zijing, please tell me in detail."
Lu Su straightened his posture and said seriously, "Your Majesty, consider this: most of our soldiers are bachelors who have fought in this harsh environment for a long time. Now that they are in the warm and comfortable tents, with women around them, it is inevitable that they will do something immoral. This will not only undermine military discipline, but also damage our reputation."
Zhang Xiu waved his hand carelessly and said nonchalantly, "It's done. We have been fighting hard with the king for a long time. We have been suppressed for a long time. What's the big deal even if we do it?"
Lu Su disagreed. He looked at Zhang Xiu sternly and continued, "We are not plants or trees, so who can be heartless? What if we need to rest here for a while and the soldiers develop feelings for these women? Then, the morale of the army might be shaken. Moreover, we have slaughtered their people, and their hearts will surely be filled with hatred. What if one of them harbors resentment and poisons the food? The consequences will be disastrous."
Ma Chao's expression was stern. He swept his gaze over the crowd and spoke slowly, "I naturally have a purpose for keeping these people, especially those wolf cubs. If I only kept the women, how could I enjoy them with peace of mind? The New Year is coming soon. My brothers have fought all the way and must have worked hard. I also want to give them some rest. How these foreigners treated us Han people in the past, we should return the favor in the same way."
He paused, then added emphatically, "But I must make it clear to my brothers: play is play, but don't let any real feelings develop. And I've made plans to rest here for half a month, at most. When we leave after half a month, we'll still have to slaughter everyone here. Even if someone develops feelings, you must steel yourselves and wield your sword. You know, if a man isn't as strong as iron, how can he have the ambition to reach for the moon, how can he protect the Han territory, and how can he be worthy of those compatriots who have been slaughtered by foreigners?"
Ma Chao's words resonated deeply, echoing through the tent. Everyone's expressions shifted. Zhang Xiu nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with Ma Chao's point. After all, in this brutal war, he was already accustomed to ruthless tactics. Lu Su frowned slightly. While he understood Ma Chao's decision was motivated by the greater good, he still felt it was too cruel. However, in this army, orders were as strong as a mountain, so he could only suppress his worries for the time being.
Ma Chao's expression was resolute, his eyes gleaming as he continued, "A few days ago, Kebi Neng became aware of our situation and sent a large force to intercept us. However, our strategy of taking no prisoners and launching lightning-fast attacks was highly effective. Every time we attacked a place, we utterly slaughtered them, leaving them no prisoners, leaving them to clean up the mess. This naturally greatly slowed down their pursuit."
He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the snow drifting outside the tent. His tone was calm and resolute, "After the heavy snow stops and the brothers have rested for a while, we'll continue our assault. From my observations of the grassland situation, I'm afraid the situation is already in chaos. If they remain as united as before, uniting to resist us wherever we go, our offensive would be much more difficult. However, I believe they are already experiencing internal strife."
Ma Chao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a grim smile. "We must take advantage of the civil unrest on the grasslands to turn them upside down. Tell the men, it's my order. Let them have fun, drink to their heart's content, and rest well for the next half month. After half a month, I want to see a group of energetic men, not those who are coy and pretentious."
"Yes!" All the generals responded in unison, their voices echoing in the tent, full of heroism and determination.
Lu Su pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, although the current civil unrest on the grasslands presents an opportunity for us, we must not take it lightly. During this half-month rest period, we must strengthen our defenses to prevent Kebi from attacking while we are relaxed."
Ma Chao nodded in agreement. "Zi Jing is absolutely right. Pass the order down. All camps must strengthen patrols and vigilance. No slackness is allowed. Even if we have to relax, we must remain vigilant and not allow the enemy to exploit any gaps."
Zhang Xiu laughed heartily and said, "Why should we be afraid of him? If Ke Bineng dares to come, we can let him see the power of our Xiliang cavalry and kill him without a single piece of armor left!"
Everyone in the tent burst into laughter upon hearing this, and the atmosphere suddenly became warm and full of fighting spirit.
Despite Ma Chao's indulgence, the soldiers finally gave up after just a day or two. These men, fresh-blooded and having endured the rigors of warfare for so long, finally lost control of themselves when faced with the Xianbei women wandering around their tents. They forcibly abducted them into their own tents.
Inside the tents, the Xianbei women's faces were filled with terror, their eyes filled with helplessness and despair. Huddled in the corners of the tents, they listened to the clamor coming from outside and felt the impending doom. It was the same pain and fear they had inflicted on the Han women when they had joined their tribesmen in invading the Han people. Now, like a nightmare, it was replaying itself upon them.
Ma Chao's previous order had already been passed on to every soldier: You can have fun, but you must not be tempted. If anyone dared to disobey this order, the King of Liang would punish them by military law without mercy.
For a moment, the entire camp fell into an atmosphere of chaos and indulgence.
Upon hearing this, Lu Su's concern deepened. He knew that while this action might offer a temporary reprieve for the soldiers during the arduous battle, it would likely cause long-term problems. He decided to find a suitable time to advise Ma Chao, hoping to devise a better solution to the matter, without negatively impacting military morale and the overall war effort.
Zhang Xiu picked out a beautiful Xianbei woman from among the other women and secretly arranged her to stay in Ma Chao's tent under cover of night. Ma Chao was stunned at first when he saw the woman suddenly appear in the tent, then he started to laugh and scold her. He pulled the woman up and walked her out of the tent, ordering his men to take her to Zhang Xiu's room. Then, Ma Chao rushed to Zhang Xiu's tent in anger and yelled at him, "You are really messing around! Do I, Ma Chao, need women? I allowed my brothers to do this so that everyone could relax a little during this arduous battle, but you actually set your sights on me. It's unacceptable for the superiors to allow the subordinates to act recklessly while the superiors allow it. We are now living in this chaotic battle life every day, and we can't let this little thing disrupt the morale of the army."
Zhang Xiu lowered his head and muttered, "I just feel bad for you, big brother..."
Ma Chao glared at him and said, "Don't give me these excuses! We have a heavy responsibility. Every move we make on this grassland is related to success or failure."
The Xianbei women in the camp, for the safety of their children and to secure food from the Han troops, could only endure this in silence. They watched the reckless men around them, their hearts filled with hatred, a blazing fire. However, they were unaware that their own men, when they had invaded the Han Dynasty, had treated Han women with similar cruelty, even worse than they had been.