Chapter 009: The Grand Master

Mo Hei was most aware of Zhang Zhen's intentions and said in succession:

Li Shengping initially intended to refuse, but given the rampant banditry and his concern for his family, he thought of taking this opportunity to return home for a visit. However, it was evident that this official was likely somewhat out of his mind; if he were to anger him now, his life would be in jeopardy. Thus, he reluctantly agreed.

Zhang Zhen burst into laughter, saying, "Hanyang is finished; I no longer have to go to Hanyang to meet my demise. This is heaven helping me succeed"

"My Lord." At this moment, Xie Yi approached, having gauged the temperament of this individual, who particularly enjoyed being addressed with the title 'My Lord'

You say you are not a spy, then why are you observing my camp

In the middle of the night, I was suddenly awakened by someone pushing me, and I heard Xie Yi's low voice by my ear: "Sir, sir, the bandits have come!"

"Sir, since Hanyang has already fallen, does that mean we have nothing to do with it?" said Mo He, taking advantage of the situation.

The two exchanged a glance, both wearing bitter smiles. This "gentleman" is far from being "loving towards his soldiers"; he is clearly just afraid of death, terrified of encountering the Taiping army head-on in Hanyang.

Your message has been received with gratitude. Once we return to Wuchang, I will certainly request a reward for you from the authorities. For now, you have nowhere else to go, so it would be best for you to stay by my side.

Zhang Zhen's face was stern, and he spoke in a manner that was both proper and dignified

The adults love their soldiers so much that the brothers naturally feel it is never enough. In my view, the renowned generals of ancient times, such as Bai Qi and Sun Wu, employed their military strategies in a similar manner

Li Shengping was startled by him. After regaining his composure, he finally spoke:

Sir, at the pace we are going, I fear that by the time we reach Hanyang, those bandits will have already...

Zhang Zhen then realized he had lost his composure, and he coughed twice to cover it up, allowing them to release Li Shengping

He does not consider anything else at all, but Xie Yi and Zhang Rongyuan cannot help but think of themselves and these brothers

Hanyang has already fallen, and the bandits are now in Hanyang

Zhang Zhen nodded repeatedly, just as he was about to order a retreat. However, he felt both exhausted and hungry. Considering that the bandits would not reach this place so quickly, it would be better to have a good rest for the night and plan the retreat for tomorrow.

Zhang Zhen did not interrupt him, yet this person went on and on for half a day, making Zhang Zhen nearly fall asleep. With great difficulty, he endured and continued to listen to him speak.

That person raised their head, feeling somewhat perplexed. "General?" "Sir?" There are only about 200 people in total, and the one leading the group is merely a captain; where could a general come from? Where could a sir come from?

Later, the family fell into decline, and I had no choice but to take up this profession. Although my wife is of Han descent, she is well-educated and reasonable. In my spare time, I also enjoy studying military strategy, such as ... ...

When it comes to this, I still feel the need to be cautious in front of the esteemed official, and the words that followed were swallowed back down.

The bandits' naval forces have landed, launching a fierce attack on Hanyang. Hanyang has already fallen, and I...

Thus, we walk and stop, stop and walk, only setting off when the sun is high in the sky. After walking for just one or two hours, we will camp again. After nearly two days of travel, we are still quite a distance from Hanyang.

To put it bluntly, where are you from? Are you a deserter?

Zhang Zhen, who was in a daze, suddenly sprang up and said, "What did you say?"

Stop, stop!

No wonder, I just came out after having lunch

About twenty miles outside the city, Zhang Zhen looked around and saw that no one was present, so he quickly ordered to set up camp on the spot. He and his companions began to prepare a meal, but he felt no hunger at all. Calculating the time, it seemed to be only around three o'clock in the afternoon.

Zhang Zhendai is quite pleased, feeling that among all these people, it is still this subordinate whose words and actions align most with his own intentions

The bandits are making rapid progress; it is uncertain whether they will arrive here tonight. Do not awaken from your slumber only to find that all of you have become the unjust souls under the blades of the bandits.

Zhang Zhen could no longer contain himself and loudly interrupted him. If this person continued speaking in such a manner, he feared it would take until tomorrow morning to explain why he had moved from Shandong to Anhui

Sir, we have captured a spy

Good! Good!

Nonsense, I, as a high official, cherish my soldiers as if they were my own children. How could I possibly allow my brothers to travel on an empty stomach? One must understand that only when well-fed can one have the strength to fight

It is evident that these two hundred individuals do not appear to be suited for battle. While in the city, despite their robust physiques, each one displayed a lackluster demeanor. Once they left the city, their spirits seemed to lift; however, they were all looking around anxiously, shrinking back in fear, as if they were terrified that the Taiping army might suddenly emerge from somewhere.

Fortunately, this doubt remained in my heart and was not expressed. Otherwise, even if I were not a spy, I would still have been treated as one by Zhang Zhen

"What? What did you say?" Zhang Zhen suddenly jumped up and asked loudly

Where would Zhang Zhen concern himself with these matters? Moreover, even if he wanted to, he would not be clear about these issues. Seeing everyone busy, he happily indulged in his own leisure and fell into a deep sleep.

After reporting to "the Grand Commander," he ordered the entire army to relocate to a nearby grove to set up camp, and arranged for a large number of sentries, which finally put his mind at ease

Zhang Zhen plopped down onto the ground, exhausted and only able to catch his breath. After all, he was a "high-ranking official," yet he had no mount and had to walk to Hanyang just like these soldiers.

I am indeed not a spy; I am merely a soldier earning my keep. My surname is Li, and my given name is Shengping, which is derived from the phrase "prosperity in music and dance." My ancestral home is originally in Shandong, but my family later moved to Anhui

"Nonsense, I clearly saw you sneaking around and spying. If you are not a spy, then what are you? Are you here to deliver food to us?"

Listening to the soldier's scolding was quite amusing, and Zhang Zhen couldn't help but chuckle. He then turned to look at the "traitor," a young man in his twenties, who was fairly good-looking and did not seem to resemble a spy at all. Zhang Zhen casually asked him:

On that very day, just as the meal was prepared and the bowl was held in hand, a soldier on guard brought over a person dressed in commoner's clothing, boasting with great pride:

Zhang Rongyuan, however, seemed somewhat oblivious to the situation, stepping forward to say: "My lord, it is still early for mealtime; I suggest we hasten our journey and, upon reaching the front..."

Sir, the bandits are not far from us

Since ancient times, military orders have been as unyielding as mountains. Despite Zhang Zhen's reluctance, he had no choice but to lead his two hundred soldiers "in a grand procession" into battle

But those soldiers were all too eager to follow the orders of "the Grand Master" and busily set to work.

The soldiers stared in astonishment at "the Lord Commander." What has happened to the Lord? Since Hanyang has fallen into the hands of the bandits, the next to fall will inevitably be Wuchang. Could it be that the Lord is worried about the war situation and has lost his sanity?

"No, no, how could I possibly do such a thing?" When Li Shengping responded to this, he was quite straightforward

I am not a spy, I am not a spy!" The person struggled desperately, shouting loudly.