RR Chapter 277

The imperial edict from Luoyang arrived faster than expected. Upon learning that Liang Feng was in Shangdang, the envoy changed course directly to enter Lu City and deliver the decree.

Promoted to General of the North, concurrently serving as the Commander-in-Chief of Ji County, awarded a fief of ten thousand households—these honors confirmed that the court had accepted Liang Feng’s memorial. The blame for the failure of the You County Campaign rested on Wang Jun.

However, Liang Feng and his advisers did not share great joy. This was because they received another piece of information from the envoy: Duan Wumo had become the new Commander-in-Chief of You County.

Even though You County was located on the border, it had never been led by someone from an ethnic minority. The choice of Duan Wumo was all too obvious. He was Wang Jun’s son-in-law and had suffered heavy losses of around thirty thousand elite cavalry in the recent You County War. Appointing a new Commander-in-Chief who was clearly not inclined to be lenient towards Ji County—what could be the intention behind this?

“The court is becoming suspicious of our lord,” Duan Qin said with an unpleasant expression. This attack on Wang Jun seemed to have hit a sore spot for the young emperor. Gaining the trust of the court and the emperor now seemed difficult.

“There are rumors that the plot between Sima Yue and Gou Xi against each other in the battle was instigated by someone in the Luoyang palace. With such rewards, it’s not surprising,” Liang Feng sneered. “It seems we’ll need to employ some means within You County. There’s more than one son-in-law of Wang Jun, and suddenly gaining such benefits is bound to attract envy.”

He had figured it out. Although the young emperor was young, he possessed political acumen and awareness. Liang Feng, who had openly shown his ambition, naturally became a suspect. However, the real focus should be on You County, which was close at hand.

The precedent of the Duan clan’s rule over the Xianbei was likely to attract the greed of many. In this battle, apart from Wang Jun, they suffered the most casualties. Would the other Xianbei tribes not entertain ideas of their own? Moreover, the commander of the troops this time was Duan Jilu. As the heir apparent, his status might be shaken by the loss of so many senior generals and elite soldiers. Stirring up trouble would be as easy as lifting a finger.

Duan Qin nodded, “What you said makes sense, my lord. With this situation, we need to return to Jinyang as soon as possible.”

Not only did they need to return to Jinyang to oversee the overall situation, but they also had to summon Zhang Bin, Wen Jiao, and others back. Ding Shao, the governor of Ji County, had fallen seriously ill and had already submitted his resignation to the court. They had to promptly recommend a trusted confidant to take over the administration of the county. Also, they couldn’t afford to let go of the position of Wei Jun Taishou that Wang Ping held.

With a myriad of issues at hand, how could they linger in Shangdang?

This time, Liang Feng didn’t refuse and nodded, saying, “Let’s return tomorrow.”

While the decision in the main hall was straightforward, they encountered resistance upon returning to the rear courtyard. Yiyan, inch by inch, refused to let go, insisting on going back to Jinyang with Liang Feng and not wanting to stay alone in Shangdang for recovery.

It would take at least three or four days to reach Jinyang, and the bumpy road was not conducive to healing. However, Yiyan remained resolute and raised the matter of military arrangements in Ji County. Unable to refuse on both emotional and rational grounds, Liang Feng had no choice but to offer his spare shock-absorbing carriage for Yiyan to ride.

And so, with vehicles and attendants, the group headed towards Jinyang.

—

Someone was shouting. The voice pierced through thick smoke and flames, intermittent, hysterical, akin to the night cries of an owl. Blood splattered on the face, thick and pungent, too fast to wipe away. Yiyan wielded his long sword vigorously, battling the grotesque enemies. Severing arms, cutting necks, and slicing abdomens—just a slight upward thrust after piercing the lower abdomen, and the bloody intestines gushed out, forming a long trail.

He didn’t stop for a moment. The number of corpses around him increased, making his movements increasingly difficult. However, in the distance, people were still wailing.

He had to break through! Only by breaking through the encirclement could he lead his troops out of this hellish battlefield! Yiyan clenched his teeth, forcefully squeezing the horse’s belly, trying to urge it to leap over the mountain of corpses. But this time, the obedient horse did not heed the command; it emitted a mournful neigh and collapsed.

Unprepared, Yiyan was thrown off the horse. His head hit the ground hard, and his skull buzzed as if a swarm of bees exploded. His entire body felt torn apart, and the pain was unbearable. Yet, he struggled to get up, wanting to turn around and check on his beloved steed. He didn’t see Zhuri. Instead, a face covered in blood and flesh entered his sight. Blood flowed from the mouth, nose, and ears, making the features indistinguishable.

The bloodied figure cried out, “Why? Why?”

A knife was embedded in the person’s chest, and the handle lay in Yiyan’s palm. Why did they kill him? Why didn’t they save him?

Who was that person? Were they a fellow villager who entered the mansion together? Or a soldier conscripted later on? Yiyan knew he recognized him, but he couldn’t recall the person’s name or background. The warm blood flowed down the knife handle onto his hand, burning as if engulfed in flames. Yiyan loosened his grip on the long sword.

However, at the moment of letting go, the person ignited, like a swaying fireball, screaming loudly. Yiyan staggered back two steps, trying to find a way out. But in front and behind him, there were cliffs, the ground trembling incessantly, as if in the next moment, it would swallow him into an abyss thousands of feet deep.

Countless voices whistled in his ears, and Yiyan felt his heart tighten. Had he won? Who else was there? He wanted to go back! Back to the side of that person!

His figure suddenly shook, and Yiyan woke up.

The seemingly endless swaying had also stopped. Covered in cold sweat, Yiyan struggled to climb up. The pain was omnipresent, bringing back his senses. Only then did he realize he was inside a carriage. This was the convoy returning to Jinyang, and outside the window, the sky was dimming—it was time to camp.

“General Yi is awake?” a maid asked from outside the curtain.

This return journey wasn’t urgent; if they didn’t reach a city, they camped in the wilderness. At such times, Liang Feng would send someone to invite Yiyan. The tent was more comfortable than the baggage cart, not only for Yiyan but also for other staff. However, General Yi, being the commanding officer, was the most “valued,” and the tent set up for him was closest to the main tent.

His arms were still trembling; Yiyan clenched his fists fiercely a few times, barely stopping the shaking. He picked up a cloth to wipe the sweat from his forehead and then draped his clothes before lifting the curtain, “I’m awake, lead the way.”

Seeing Yiyan directly getting off the carriage, the maid exclaimed, “General! You should ride the palanquin…”

The Bing County army always had stretchers ready, specifically used to transport heavily wounded or those unfit for walking. However, considering Yiyan’s status, Liang Feng arranged for a palanquin to transport him. Such things were seldom used by the lord, and Yiyan found them particularly uncomfortable. The first two days, he endured it, but today, he needed something other than this light and delicate contraption.

Ignoring the maid’s exclamation, Yiyan firmly landed both feet on the ground.

After a few days of rest, most of the wounds on his feet had scabbed over, and he wore soft-soled shoes, so it wasn’t too painful. It was the fractured shin that lacked strength. However, he had endured it for over a hundred miles; there was no reason why these few steps would be difficult. Gathering his resolve, Yiyan stepped forward toward the main tent.

As the commander of two Counties, Liang Feng’s tent was indeed somewhat simple, but the camp’s defense was quite meticulous. Passing through two sentry posts, Yiyan finally reached the tent and immediately someone entered to report. Shortly after, the lowered tent flap was lifted.

Inside the tent, candles had already been lit, and there was a pleasantly bright scent of incense. The person was leaning against a table, eyes closed, seemingly recovering from motion sickness. Obviously still feeling a bit dizzy, his face had an extra layer of paleness. However, the orange-yellow light reflected on his pale cheeks, adding a touch of warmth to his jade-like features.

Just this simple scene, and Yiyan’s heart, which had been tightly clenched due to the nightmare, settled down. He entered the tent and softly called, “Lord.”

Upon hearing Yiyan’s voice, Liang Feng opened his eyes. The vehicle had been modified with shock absorbers, and the road had been reinforced and leveled, reducing the symptoms of motion sickness. However, after a day of travel, the headache was still severe. But when he saw Yiyan, his brows immediately furrowed, “Why did you come here? Don’t you want your leg anymore?!”

Was a bone fracture a joking matter?! After a hundred days of recuperation, how could he start walking now!

“The injuries are not serious, just a few steps.” Yiyan slowly walked to the other side and sat down. His body was full of injuries, making it impossible to kneel properly. However, sitting casually like this added a bit of intimacy, making him quite pleased.

“Turn around, and we’ll put on a splint later,” Liang Feng had no intention of letting him be stubborn, “By the way, Liu Gong just rushed here from Ye City; I’ve called him into the tent to see you.”

As he spoke, a guard lifted the curtain again, revealing a man with his arm in a splint. Seeing the two inside, his eyes lit up, he quickly entered the tent and bowed to both, “Lord! General! I’m late!”

“Rushed here from Shangdang? Not bad at all,” Liang Feng smiled, “Report to General Yi about your family.”

With the Lord’s approval, Liu Gong raised his head and looked at Yiyan, “General, more than two hundred people have returned! Many of the brothers who were separated in Wang Jun’s camp survived. About seventy people were injured when entering the city, but there were no major issues. I heard the Lord say that he personally intends to reward them with military merit, and they are overjoyed. We are also going to be promoted to a military unit! With a regular force of nine thousand, we are on par with the Thunderbolt Army!”

Every word he said was filled with uncontrollable excitement. No resentment, no grievances, no regrets. It seemed that the shadow of death had faded away with these words.

In Yiyan’s chest, there seemed to be a crisp sound, and he involuntarily looked towards Liang Feng. The response he received was a calmly smiling face. It seemed that all of this was natural, just like every return from battle before.

Something seemed to choke in his throat. But this time, it wasn’t the illusory unreality of dreams. He had experienced this, every moment of appreciation and praise, every instance of joy and care. The mind that floated on clouds and fell into ravines no longer scattered but slowly coalesced, settling in his chest. Just like waking up from a deep dream.

At that moment, Yiyan couldn’t find the words to speak.

Liang Feng answered for him, “Not only will we establish a military unit, but your rank will also be promoted. How about the position of Commandant of Wei Commandery?”

Liu Gong’s face turned red; he had killed the previous Commandant of Wei Commandery! Moreover, Ye City was filled with officials appointed by the Lord. Entrusting such a strategic stronghold to him was a great trust!

“I am willing!” This declaration could probably be heard clearly from two miles away.

Liang Feng smiled, “Truly a strong general with no weak soldiers.”

This statement praised Liu Gong but also praised Yiyan. Suddenly, the pain and numbness in his body seemed to awaken. The desire in Yiyan’s heart surged again—not a gentle touch, not close companionship, but a longing to devour someone to the bone.

With pain and palpitations, making one restless.

Yiyan clenched his fists, holding that budding desire in the palm of his hands.

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Translator’s corner:

As of today, there are a total of 53 weekend chapters for this weekend ૮₍ ꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ ₎ა Goodluck, Me! ૮₍ ꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ ₎ა

Starting tomorrow, weekend chapters added will be scheduled for the next weekend. Lemme rest too ૮₍ ꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ ₎ა 53 will be a struggle and adding more, I don’t think I’ll still live ૮(˶╥︿╥)ა😆