Chapter Nine, on the road to Liling

Then Brother Li let out a heavy "hm" and said: "The person I, Li Yiwen, admire the most is Xi Wang. His Highness is the commander of the front army, always brave and strong, leading the charge. In the battle of Longliao Ridge, he single-handedly killed four generals of the Qing demons. Would you say that is impressive?"

Su Ji's eyes reddened as he said: "Brother Li, I truly do not know how to thank you for taking such good care of me."

Su Ji devoured his food ravenously, and Li Yiwen smiled knowingly, sharing his own meat with him. Su Ji buried himself in his meal, only lifting his head to grin foolishly at Li Yiwen

Su Ji clicked his tongue and said: "Four generals? The highest-ranking Qing demon official I have ever seen in my life is just a county magistrate, and that was from a distance. To think that His Highness the Western King could actually kill four high-ranking Qing demon generals is truly impressive. I will definitely be as brave as the Western King and aspire to kill high-ranking officials like the generals in the future"

While they were eating, a messenger rushed in and shouted: "The Western King has issued an order, after the rear troops have had their fill, they are to form ranks and march together with the Western King to attack the city!"

Then Li Sima laughed and said: "I have told you several times, in the Taiping Army, everyone is like brothers and sisters, so you can call me Brother Li. My military title is Liang Sima, not just Sima. We have already passed You County, and we must reach Liling before sunset. You are a local, so you should know how much distance is left from here to Liling."

Then Su Ji licked his lips, clenched his fists, and waved his hand, saying: "Brother Li, teach me how to kill the evil spirits, I also want to be like you and become an official like Sima Da.

Then Brother Li chuckled and said, "Killing is not as easy as you say; it requires both courage and skill. I remember that time during the breakout in Yong'an, an external commissioner from a Qing demon group wielded a large ring knife. When he swung it, the force was terrifying. The brother in front of me was cut in half by his blow, and his intestines spilled all over the ground. I was momentarily blinded and nearly fainted. Fortunately, our Western King galloped over and with one stroke beheaded that commander, allowing me to escape with my life. To this day, I still cannot comprehend how the Western King managed that strike."

The orderlies rode in from different directions, and the loud commands echoed. Upon hearing this, the crowd lamented in succession, and the Taiping soldiers mixed within the ranks began to scold them loudly. In the end, these individuals had no choice but to take out their rations and eat amidst the dust.

On the main road from Youxian, Hunan to Liling, a peculiar group of people and horses is advancing rapidly. Although it is a main road, it is still an ordinary dirt path, only wider than the usual small roads. However, the mud and dust on it are typically thick; a cloud of dust on sunny days and a puddle of mud on rainy days truly depict the nature of such a road

Then Su Ji and Zhe Shui reluctantly swallowed the black-faced cake, let out a long sigh, and said: "Li Sima, how much longer do we have to walk?"

Li Yiwen relinquished his mule to Su Ji, yet he himself walked ahead, holding the reins of the mule. Su Ji anxiously said: "Brother Li, I would rather walk myself; how can I trouble you to lead the mule for me?"

The sky has transformed into a shade of azure, devoid of any clouds. As noon approaches, the scorching sun causes a sense of unease. Although autumn is near, the lingering heat of the autumn tiger shows no signs of abating. The intense sunlight, combined with the dust rising from the ground, further adds to the discomfort.

The troops continued to march forward, just as Li Yiwen stated, the soldiers of the Taiping Army all came from humble beginnings. Although most were from Guangxi, they quickly integrated with the new army of the Heaven and Earth Society from Hunan, beginning to accept each other and refer to one another as brothers. During the march, the officials of the Taiping Army further disseminated the "General Principles of Marching" and the "Regulations of the Camp." They had no time to pause and organize this newly joined force, so they could only conduct lectures along the way, not knowing how much would be absorbed, but it was certainly better than nothing.

Li Yiwen's expression changed slightly as he stood up in surprise and exclaimed: "What? Let the new army take the lead?!"

Li Yiwen smiled and patted Su Ji on the shoulder, saying: "What is so strange about this? Your elder brother, too, could only enjoy a few more meals of meat after entering a time of peace. In the past, I even ate rat meat; back then, whatever we could catch was what we ate."

Then Li Yiwen smiled and said, "Good lad, you have great ambitions, but for now, focus on the road ahead. We are still over 80 miles away from Liling." Su Ji sighed, but mustered his spirits and quickly followed Li Yiwen onward.

Having just joined the Taiping Army for a day, it is indeed a bit difficult to ask you all to follow the main force in a swift attack. The captain of the Taiping Army is quite handsome, and his warm smile brings a sense of reassurance to those who see it

Among the rear military ranks, a boy of over ten years was devouring half of a black flatbread in large bites, making crunching sounds as he chewed. Unable to contain his anger, he cursed, "Damn it, we've been walking for a whole day, and they won't even let us rest! Now we have to eat dust!"

As the sun gradually sank in the west, the army continued its march without pause. When the sky turned to ink, the army finally halted by a small river. Following the orders given, they set up pots to cook and, after a hearty meal, immediately prepared to attack Liling.

Suddenly, several swift horses galloped alongside the ranks, with riders on horseback wearing red headscarves, dressed in red short jackets, and covered with yellow vests. The front of their uniforms prominently displayed the characters "Tai Ping," while the back bore the inscription "Qian Jun Sheng Bing."

The crowd followed the officiant in performing the prayer before the meal. Su Ji found this ritual quite novel and entertaining. Although it was his first time participating in a prayer, he imitated Li Yiwen's devout demeanor, placing his hands in a fist at his lips and softly reciting the officiant's verses.

After the prayer, Su Ji followed the group to the large pot of their brigade, where a fragrant aroma wafted through the air. Li Yiwen joyfully exclaimed, "We will have meat to eat tonight!" The crowd immediately stirred with excitement, as everyone was overjoyed, for many of these impoverished people had not had a single meal of meat throughout the entire year.

Li Yiwen smiled and said, "I have already mentioned that once peace is achieved, we will be like brothers and sisters. If you wish to repay me, then quickly learn the skills to defeat the enemy and eliminate more Qing demons."

Half of this group is walking, while the other half is riding various animals. Among these animals are the commonly seen Southern Debao ponies from Guangxi, the Lichuan horses from Hubei, as well as the Mongolian steeds found in the official post stations, along with mules, donkeys, and other livestock. Their clothing is similarly mixed and impure.

The young man Su Ji turned his head to take a look, startled, he shrank his neck, quickly stuffed the remaining pancake into his mouth, and indeed began to chew vigorously without saying another word

Su Ji choked up a bit and said, "Brother Li, if I were to say that this is the first time I've eaten meat in my life, would you laugh at me?"

The Taiping soldier smiled, unfastened the leather water pouch from his waist, and handed it over. The young man, Su Ji, hesitated for a moment before taking the pouch and drinking a large gulp.

As Su Ji took the steaming clay bowl, his eyes fixated on the three pieces of meat inside, he swallowed hard. Li Yiwen laughed heartily and said, "Go ahead and eat, this is donkey meat. I've heard from the elders that the meat of dragons in the sky is delicious, but down here, donkey meat is the most fragrant."

"Originally, at your age, you should be attending the youth camp, but since our camp is still in Chenzhou, you have no choice but to follow the army for now." Li Yiwen walked briskly, leading the mule and horse, his pace unwavering, and continued, "If a battle were to break out, I wouldn't let you charge to the front at this moment. If there were any danger, I would be in front of you."

Li Yiwen chuckled and said, "Among the more than twenty people I brought, you are the youngest, so naturally, I have to take care of you. My hometown in Guangxi is all mountains; I am used to this kind of road, running back and forth for dozens of miles is just a trivial matter." Seeing that Su Ji was about to say more, Li Yiwen angrily said, "You little brat, stop talking nonsense, just sit quietly and don't delay everyone's pace." Su Ji, seeing him angry, was too scared to say anything further.

Hearing that a battle is about to take place, the newly affiliated members of the Heaven and Earth Society in Suji and other places are quite excited. When passing through You County, they originally thought there would be a fierce fight, but upon arriving in You County, they found that, like in Chaling, the officials had already fled. The Taiping Army merely opened the treasury to take some money and grain before setting off, leaving the remaining rice and grain to be distributed among the people of You County

Returning to Liling this time, there may be fierce battles. The people of heaven and earth have long been contemplating how to achieve some merits. Since they have already joined the Taiping Army, they must strive to make a name for themselves.

A Taiping soldier, nearly thirty years old, stepped forward and said gently: "Su Ji! Stop talking nonsense and save your strength for the journey!"

At noon, the scorching sun poured down, and even a short stay in the sunlight could leave one drenched in sweat. Yet this group of people and horses pressed on valiantly under the blazing sun. Dust rose along the road, enveloping the entire group in a hazy cloud, with only the bright red scarves atop their heads moving forward in unison.

Several cavalrymen, all of whom were skilled and formidable, galloped forward while loudly shouting: "Order of the Western King: Each army shall take their own provisions for food! The main force must not stop! After another ten miles, we will change horses!" They repeated this as they swiftly rode towards the rear of the ranks.

Su Ji shook his head and said: "Brother Li, I am not from Hunan. Two years ago, I followed my uncle from Hebei to escape the disaster and arrived in Hunan. Later, my uncle passed away, and I survived by begging in Chaling County."

This contingent set out from Chenzhou, launching an assault on the Taiping Army led by the Western King, Xiao Chaogui, in Changsha. After successively capturing Yongxing, Anren, and Chaling, they stayed in Chaling for a day before continuing their advance northward. The vanguard of the troops consisted of the authentic Longma Taiping Army, while the rear guard comprised over a thousand members of the Tiandihui who had surrendered in Chaling

Su Ji's eyes sparkled as he said, "Is His Highness the West King really that formidable?"

Then Brother Li sighed and said: "You and I are indeed quite similar. Before I invested in the stock market, I also lived by begging. I had an elderly mother at home, and during that time, my mother and I wandered around in search of food to survive, often having one meal but not knowing where the next would come from"

The individuals at the back of the team are dressed in a particularly disordered manner. Although they all wear red scarves, they lack uniforms, donning a variety of colorful and mismatched garments. Some are wearing short jackets, others are in sleeveless short coats, and many are clad in tattered clothing that barely covers their bodies

The soldiers at the front of the ranks were all dressed in the uniform of the Taiping Army. Upon hearing the command, they took out flatbreads, fried rice, and other dry rations from the bags at their waists and on their backs. However, many of them, as they opened their mouths, found that the food in their hands was mixed with dust and sand, making a crunching sound as they chewed. Yet, they remained silent, eating and walking, with only the sounds of chewing and footsteps audible.

Once again, amidst the ranks, orders were issued, and the Taiping soldiers riding horses and mules dismounted one after another, offering their mounts to their companions beside them, while they themselves switched to marching on foot, yet the pace of the march remained unimpeded