Chapter 6: Zhao Jun's Camp (I)

Furthermore, after Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, his temperament underwent a significant change. Historians of later generations generally regard Qin Shi Huang as a tyrant, particularly referring to his actions after unifying the realm, such as the grand ceremony at Mount Tai, the burning of books and burying of scholars, the construction of the Great Wall, and the building of the Epang Palace. Therefore, working under such an emperor was not a pleasant experience, and one could easily lose their life if things went awry. Gao Yuan vaguely remembers that the protagonist of that novel ultimately left the Qin state to establish his own country beyond the frontier. Thus, working under such an emperor was not a pleasant experience, and one could easily lose their life if things went awry. Gao Yuan vaguely remembers that the protagonist of that novel ultimately left the Qin state to establish his own country beyond the frontier.

However, this path may seem easy, but its feasibility is quite limited. The current Qin Shi Huang is no longer an ignorant youth, but an adult who has fully grasped the power of the Qin state. He has also gathered a group of capable and elite civil and military officials, all of whom are the most outstanding talents of this era. In simple terms, the cake of the Qin state has already been largely divided, so even if one were to arrive in the Qin state, it would be difficult to find an opportunity to stand out.

The soldier responded with a sound, picked up a large bowl, approached the big pot to ladle some soup, and then brought it to the table in front of the plateau

During the Warring States period, the military systems among the various states were quite similar. They were fundamentally organized into groups of five soldiers forming a unit, ten units forming a squad, and subsequently progressing to formations of fifty, one hundred, five hundred, and one thousand soldiers. The titles of officers at each level were also largely consistent, including names such as unit leader, squad leader, captain, military officer, deputy general, and general. Du Yi held the position of military officer, overseeing five hundred soldiers under his command

Gao Yuan had been lost in thought for half a day, yet still had no clue. At that moment, the tent opened, and a soldier, dressed in armor but without a helmet, entered. He appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and was holding a pile of clothes. He said, "Mr. Gao, these are the clothes that the General and the Librarian asked me to bring you." As he spoke, he placed the clothes on a small table and added, "I will be outside. If Mr. Gao needs anything else, please feel free to let me know." After saying this, he placed the clothes on the small table and then stepped back outside.

The plateau also felt somewhat awkward, saying: "It was too dark last night, so I didn't see it. By the way, what is your esteemed name?"

The soldier smiled and said, "Mr. Gao is too polite; there is no need for such formalities. My name is Du Yi, and I currently serve as a soldier under the general. You can just call me Xiao Du, Mr. Gao."

Gao Yuan smiled and said: "At that time, I was also all in, because if I didn't fight desperately, I would have died at the hands of the Qin army. Later, I was nearly exhausted; if it weren't for the general coming to my rescue, I probably wouldn't have survived."

Now, I find myself in the year 230 BC, just before the war in which Qin will annihilate the six states. From the perspective of historical development, this year Qin will destroy Han, and the following year it will be Zhao's turn. Should I align myself with history and seek refuge in Qin, or should I remain in Zhao and attempt to alter the course of history? Although I am not a history major, I understand that at this time, Qin's comprehensive national strength is the strongest among the seven warring states. No single state among the other six, nor even a coalition of two or three of them, can compete with Qin. Despite being a modern person with knowledge of history, can I truly change this course?

The soldier laughed and said, "Last night, I went with the general and saw everything clearly. Mr. Gao first descended from the sky along with a large fireball, and then a person killed more than 200 Qin soldiers. It was incredible. Moreover, we also collected over 30 Qin swords last night, and I got one for myself. Mr. Gao probably doesn't remember me."

Upon reflecting on this, Gao Yuan couldn't help but let out a bitter smile. The identity of a fallen star has its advantages and disadvantages for him. On one hand, people in this era are quite superstitious, and such an identity can indeed intimidate many. If utilized well, it could certainly be a favorable condition. However, on the other hand, it can also easily bring about great disasters, as natural anomalies are something that any ruler would be extremely wary of. Gao Yuan still has no clue on how to make good use of his identity. Nevertheless, from the current situation, at least Li Mu has unwavering faith in him, so remaining in Li Mu's camp for the time being is still safe.

The observer on the plateau noted that Zhao Jun's armor style was quite similar to that of the Qin army; however, the clothing was all red, making it easier to distinguish. The saddles and reins of the warhorses were also the same as those seen the previous day, lacking stirrups, with the saddle only curving up at the front and remaining flat at the back

The small camp where the tents are located on the plateau is generally arranged in a "凵" shape, with a large open space in the center. Outside, there are more than twenty soldiers, some sitting and some lying down. Some are wearing armor, while others are in casual clothing, and a few are bare-chested. Around them are a dozen warhorses, with some sharpening swords, some grooming horses, and others organizing their armor. A few are gathered together, seemingly engaged in some activity. In the middle of the open space, several large pots are set up over a fire, with steam rising and a rich aroma of meat wafting through the air. A few individuals are adding meat broth to the pots.

Naturally, the highland is also wary of saying too much, so he posed several questions to them regarding various matters and literature. It turns out that Zhao Jun is currently in a standoff with the Qin army, and Li Mu has ordered strict defense of the camp, avoiding engagement with the Qin forces. Moreover, he has been diligently training the soldiers every day, occasionally slaughtering a few cattle to reward them. The two sides have been in this standoff for over three months now. During this period, every morning, Li Mu personally drills the formations and practices team combat, while in the afternoons, the training of individual soldier skills is the responsibility of mid-level and junior officers. Du Yi is one such mid-level officer.

Gao Yuan shook his head. It seemed that without a specific plan, he would have to temporarily stay in Li Mu's camp and take things as they come. Thus, Gao Yuan got out of bed and dressed. Although wearing ancient clothing felt somewhat awkward, his own clothes were already tattered and could no longer be worn, so he had no choice but to wear these garments. However, Gao Yuan had short hair and did not style it into a crown like the people of this era. Therefore, even though he put on this outfit, it appeared somewhat out of place.

Initially, the soldiers held a certain reverence for the Plateau, as stories about it circulated in the barracks one morning, described in a manner that was both mystical and profound. However, once the conversation began, and given that the Plateau did not exhibit any airs of superiority, the soldiers soon relaxed. They began to chatter away, asking all sorts of questions, most of which were related to the Plateau. For instance, they inquired about its origins; how it had not been burned in the fireball; why it had not died when falling from the sky; and whether it could perform magic, among other things. Lacking any pretentiousness, the soldiers felt at ease, leading to a flurry of inquiries. This left the Plateau somewhat overwhelmed, and it had no choice but to resort to a mix of deception and persuasion, half-truths and half-fictions, managing to appease the soldiers in the end.

On the battlefield, no matter how strong an individual's combat ability may be, it is ultimately limited. In situations where the quality of both armies is roughly comparable, a person who can kill a dozen enemy soldiers is already considered formidable, while one who can achieve a hundred kills is a rare warrior. Tales of single individuals defeating thousands or charging into enemy lines and returning seven times are merely stories told by storytellers. Therefore, if someone were to single-handedly kill over 200 enemy soldiers on the battlefield, it would undoubtedly be a miracle. In fact, at the beginning, Gao Yuan only managed to kill a dozen Qin soldiers, which was already close to his limit.

In fact, Du Yi is definitely older than Gao Yuan, so Gao Yuan would certainly not call him "Little Du." However, as they were talking, a few soldiers also gathered around. One soldier asked, "Mr. Gao, did you really kill more than two hundred Qin soldiers by yourself last night?"

As Gao Yuan emerged, the other soldiers also paused their tasks, staring at him as if he were a monster, which made Gao Yuan feel quite uneasy. The soldier who had just delivered clothes to Gao Yuan hurried over and said with a smile, "Mr. Gao, you are up. Come and have a meal first." Then he turned to a young soldier and instructed, "Xiao Liu, go and bring Mr. Gao a bowl of meat soup, and find some good pieces of meat."

Du Yidao: "Is there still a possibility of falsehood? I, the Grand General, and General Zhao all witnessed it with our own eyes. The bodies of the Qin army lay scattered everywhere, with severed hands and feet, and heads rolling on the ground."

Gao Yuan nodded and said, "Thank you." He took the large bowl, which was a ceramic bowl about the size of a small basin, filled to the brim with meat soup, containing several large pieces of beef.

The plateau seemed somewhat strange, and he laughed, saying: "How has it benefited me?"

After Li Mu left, Gao Yuan lay back down on the bed and began to contemplate the next steps. Although his mind was quite chaotic at that moment, it was a habit he had developed over many years to approach any task with a plan and purpose

Dressed and stepping out of the tent, Gao Yuan realized that it was already noon, with the sun at its zenith. He found himself in a large military camp, where there were thousands of tents like his. Each group consisted of dozens of tents, separated by war chariots, wooden fences, and other objects, forming pathways. Although it appeared chaotic, it was actually arranged according to a certain order, though Gao Yuan could not discern the intricacies of it. Occasionally, groups of soldiers patrolled back and forth within the camp, and now and then, a few warhorses galloped by.

At present, the plateau certainly does not contemplate establishing its own state. Unable to go to the Qin state, it can only remain in the Zhao state. After all, the Zhao state can still sustain itself for more than two years, and it seems that Li Mu treats me quite well, truly regarding me as a star general descended from the heavens

The plateau quickly recalled the fate of Li Mu, noting that the downfall of the Zhao state was directly related to him. Li Mu was the only capable general of this era who could withstand the attacks of the Qin army. If it had not been for Zhao's falling victim to Qin's scheme of discord, leading to the assassination of Li Mu and the self-destruction of the Great Wall, Zhao could have at least held on for a longer period. Therefore, should he consider changing this part of history to save Li Mu? Even if Zhao cannot be preserved, he could still buy himself some more time. If it had not been for Zhao's falling victim to Qin's scheme of discord, leading to the assassination of Li Mu and the self-destruction of the Great Wall, Zhao could have at least held on for a longer period. Therefore, should he consider changing this part of history to save Li Mu? Even if Zhao cannot be preserved, he could still buy himself some more time

Seeking refuge in the State of Qin and aligning oneself with the victors is undoubtedly the safest course of action. Gao Yuan recalls that in a previous life, there was a novel in which the protagonist allied with the young Qin Shi Huang, ultimately thriving in the State of Qin, surrounded by numerous wives and concubines.

The soldier who had previously delivered clothes to the plateau said, "Eat up, it is also thanks to Mr. Gao's good fortune that the general has ordered the slaughter of ten cattle today to reward the soldiers, so everyone has meat soup to drink"