Chapter 1, Sharpening the Sword (5)

However, many things become clear in retrospect, yet when one is in the midst of them, all that is seen is confusion and bewilderment

They are eager to become normal people, to allow themselves and their wives and children to live a normal life. For this, they are willing to pay any price, even including their lives

Having said that, he placed the second axe beside him. He then casually picked up the third axe and pressed it against the stone, producing a clanging sound as sparks flew in all directions.

Uncle Er! A warm current instantly flowed through Ning Yanzhang's chest. Looking at Ning Caichen, whose temples had already begun to turn gray, he did not know how to express his gratitude

***

This is the price of being a lackey for foreign tribes, as one will never be trusted. In any matter, one cannot disregard the attitude of their master above them. A slight misstep could lead to dire consequences. Moreover, regardless of how tragic the outcome may be, not a shred of sympathy will be received

Looking at the disheveled figure of this person, Ning Yanzhang felt a warm smile emerge on his face. Just now, it had been Han Chongyun speaking all by himself; he had not promised this person to keep the secret absolutely. Han Chongyun was the son of a prominent family, with grand ambitions to save the people from peril. However, he, Xiao Fei, was the son of a bandit, and at this moment, he was only thinking about saving himself first, saving those around him, so that everyone would not lose their lives in a confused manner.

Note 1: In the official history, after Liu Zhiyuan raised his troops, he was wary of the formidable combat strength of the Khitan people and consistently avoided direct confrontation with Yelü Deguang. Instead, he widely invited heroes from all over the world and employed methods similar to the later concept of "people's war," which effectively drained the Khitan's confidence in ruling the Central Plains, leading to their hasty retreat. Soon after, Zhao Yanshou, who willingly became a slave, lost his value and was killed.

The only one left with time to exchange a few words with Ning Yanzhang was Han Chongyun. As a young person himself, his purpose for being brought out this time was merely for training. Thus, he had little qualification to speak indiscriminately on matters of "national military affairs." However, compared to Xiao Fei, he was indeed more well-informed. Therefore, what he said, at first glance, seemed to carry a certain degree of insight.

While speaking, he exerted a little more strength with his hand, pushing the chubby boy away. Immediately afterward, he quickly closed the tent door from the inside, no longer giving the young man a chance to argue about going to Taiyuan.

Can we really fight in such disarray? At least recently, the second-in-command Ning Caichen has forcefully stuffed quite a bit into our stomachs, and Ning Yanzhang's discernment has been steadily improving. Observing the scattered appearance of everyone, he increasingly doubts the outcome of this descent to battle.

The sound of the axe struck sharply, causing Han Chongyun to furrow his brow as he patiently explained: "You are not wrong; Zhao Yanshou is not foolish and certainly understands that dividing his forces will affect combat effectiveness. The issue is that he is currently at the mercy of others, with the reins held firmly by his master. Yelü Deguang has ordered him to swiftly eliminate the banditry in various regions. As a result, after more than two months of deployment, he has hardly eradicated any bandits, yet there are signs of conflict even a hundred miles away from Bianliang. If he continues to dawdle and allows himself to be consumed by our slow pace, can Yelü Deguang really spare him from losing his head?"

The scale of those green forest teams is larger than that of the Wagang stronghold, with the smallest having just over 500 members. In contrast, the Wagang stronghold, with only about 180 to 190 people, seems somewhat insignificant.

Thus, the young Xiaofei, with a face full of confusion, joined the others in preparing for battle; carrying countless questions, he descended from Wagang Mountain with his three hand axes and a wooden spear. With a belly full of bewilderment, he arrived at a strange place called Wuzhangling, where he met several other green forest teams that had come from afar. They were preparing to determine their fate against the great army under Zhao Yanshou!

The response to him was a harsh "clang, clang" sound, as Ning Yanzhang lowered his head and began to sharpen the second axe. This was his last reliance, and he could not afford to be careless. For some time, the second-in-command, Ning Shu, had been urging him to put in great effort into reading and writing, but he had not forgotten to supervise his martial training. He repeatedly instilled in him a principle: one should not always rely on others. In chaotic times, the most reliable thing is the weapon in hand; as long as the weapon is not put down, there is hope for survival.

Upon mentioning the phrase "the crowd of the unorganized," his eyes immediately darkened. However, it was soon replaced by another bright hue, and his words became increasingly relaxed, "General Han promised both Wu Laoda and me that after we finish this battle, he would send you to Taiyuan. King Liu Zhiyuan has established a school in Taiyuan, inviting many distinguished scholars to teach. At your age, you just meet the admission criteria!" King Liu Zhiyuan has established a school in Taiyuan, inviting many distinguished scholars to teach. At your age, you just meet the admission criteria!

Many years later, when recalling the circumstances of that time, Ning Yanzhang finally understood why the leader Wu Ruofu and the various uncles and elders were so excited when mentioning the idea of surrendering.

You ... ... '' Han Chongyun covered his ears with both hands and fled in panic

No one is born with a natural inclination to be a robber, nor is anyone born with a desire to roll in a bed of thorns

They have lived in a state of uncertainty for far too long, yearning for a return to tranquility at every moment deep within their bones

Why are you always boosting others' morale? Han Chongyun's face turned red at the question, and he retorted defiantly, "Don't you want to drive away the Khitan dogs sooner? To save the people from their suffering?"

However, as long as it is a dog, it will bite people, especially when it is driven into a corner. Although Ning Yanzhang agrees with most of Han Chongyun's views, he still does not have high hopes for the future of his own team. He picked up the first axe from the stone, ran his fingers over the blade that was bright as new, and continued to speak softly: "Even if we are not at a disadvantage in numbers, winning will probably not be that easy! With so many bandit groups gathered together, they would fight over food and water on a regular basis. Even your grandfather personally stepping in cannot suppress them. If it comes to the battlefield, who can guarantee that everyone will work together?"

After a pause, he added with a smile, "Alright, let us not discuss these matters. You just focus on getting a good night's sleep and do not worry about adult affairs all day long. With the few of us here, it is not your place as a little child to fret unnecessarily!"

However, the decision-making power of a few leaders is bound to be significantly diminished. In this regard, Commander Han Pu is also powerless. As the commander of an army, he cannot act with too obvious a bias. Otherwise, it will inevitably weaken the cohesion of the team. Moreover, this force is composed of various green forest armed groups that have been hastily assembled, which originally lacked much cohesion.

"Do not expect to always rely on me!" Ning Caichen deliberately pretended not to understand his current feelings, smiling and teasing, "As a man, you will eventually have to go out and experience the world. Moreover, every battle has its end; one can conquer the world from horseback, but cannot govern it from there. When that time comes, Second Uncle will see your abilities. If you become a prime minister or a regional governor, benefiting the people, Second Uncle will also feel honored!"

Speaking, he placed his hand on Ning Yanzhang's shoulder and gently pushed the young man out of the military tent. "Go to sleep, quickly, rest well and prepare to gain experience alongside Young Master Han Chongyun. By the way, when the day comes to go to the battlefield, remember to stay closely behind Young Master Han. No matter how fierce a tiger may be, it will not devour its own offspring!"

The more one remains silent in response, the greater the pressure it can create for the other party. Soon, Han Chongyun succumbed, gritting his teeth and voluntarily revealing, "Sigh, stop dragging this out, it's driving me crazy. I'll only tell you this: you must not tell anyone else, including Ning Er, the leader! My grandfather definitely has more tricks up his sleeve. But what exactly they are, I am not sure. Don't ask too many questions, and don't worry unnecessarily; in any case, we will definitely win!" My grandfather definitely has more tricks up his sleeve. But what exactly they are, I am not sure. Don't ask too many questions, and don't worry unnecessarily; in any case, we will definitely win!

"Then Zhao Yanshou is not foolish; on what grounds do you expect him to divide his troops just because you want him to?" Ning Yanzhang squatted beside a large rock, sharpening his hand axe, producing a sound of 'clang, clang'.

"Second Uncle..." Ning Yanzhang staggered a few steps and slowly turned around. The mountain wind howled, yet he felt that the air tonight was filled with warmth. "I will definitely!" His fingers tightened around the edge of the retreat, and he slowly made a promise.

This is a bad habit he developed after waking from his coma. Whenever he feels anxious, he instinctively wants to sharpen his axe. It is through this method that he gradually seeks to regain his tranquility. However, the more tense he becomes, the harder he grinds, and the sound produced becomes increasingly unpleasant. As a result, many bandit leaders can no longer tolerate it and keep their distance whenever they see him sharpening his axe

However, no one was able to address his questions. The leader, Wu Ruofu, was busy all day devising strategies for the commander Han Pu and rarely returned to the Wagang camp. As Wu Ruofu's capable right-hand man, the second-in-command, Ning Caichen, was recommended by him to manage the entire army's supplies and logistics, leaving him so occupied that he hardly had time to offer guidance. From the third-in-command, Xu Yuanju, and below, the other leaders of the bandit strongholds viewed Xiao Fei as merely a half-grown child, capable of managing himself without causing trouble for others, which was already sufficient. He was fundamentally unqualified to offer opinions on the impending battle.

Do not always be overly worried! Seeing his playmate frowning all day long, he felt it was his duty to offer some words of encouragement. "There are others besides us who are coming to deal with Zhao Yanshou. General Yang, General Yan, General Xiang, and General Nie, as well as the Han Wang's own brother, General Murong, are all currently ordered to gather troops in the surrounding counties of Bianliang. Zhao Yanshou's forces only number a little over 20,000, and if they are divided into so many factions, none of them will be particularly strong!"

That night, he quietly shared the information he had gathered with Ning Caichen. He expected the other party to be taken aback, but to his surprise, the latter merely smiled and shook his head. Then he raised his hand and patted his shoulder, saying softly: "Han Chongyun is a straightforward person, worth befriending. You shouldn't always play tricks on him! As for future plans, General Han will certainly have them! He has been in the military for a long time; how could he place all his hopes on our ragtag group!"

Well then! Ning Yanzhang raised the second axe, repeatedly rubbing the blade with the thumb of his left hand. "I hope General Han achieves a victorious start!"

Fortunately, the temporary commander of this troop was appointed to be Han Pu, the father of Han Chongyun. This individual had once served as a minor soldier under the same military governor as Wu Ruofu, the leader of Wagangzhai, and he always cherished a sense of kinship. Therefore, Wagangzhai was not directly swallowed up by others and could still barely maintain an independent camp.