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墨書 Inktalez
Changzi County City, also known as Dan City, is said to be the fief of Dan Zhu, the eldest son of the Yao Emperor, hence its name. The city stands at a height of five meters and eight centimeters, remarkably sturdy. It is said that after the completion of the city walls, they were tested with a spear; anyone who could embed their spear into the wall would have the craftsman responsible executed publicly. Whether the walls are truly as solid as the legends claim remains untested.
Due to the need to secretly capture the traitor Feng Zhiyuan from the Qin State, Luzi specifically traveled to Changzi County City for this task. He had official duties and could not afford to test the city walls with a spear in the middle of the night. Furthermore, Chang Yu, who could explain the situation, was not present, leaving him without anyone to consult.
At this moment, Changzi County City was housing various defeated troops from the Shangdang Region, with an estimated garrison exceeding thirty thousand soldiers. According to traditional siege ratios, the Qin Army would need at least two hundred thousand troops to have a chance of taking the city. Commander Bai Qi of the Qin Army had such numbers available for deployment since many elite troops were stationed along the Dan Shui River defense line. However, if he were to take these forces to attack the county city, he would once again find himself without any troops.
Because Luzi was self-aware, he had no desire to take on such a risky task. Without sufficient strength, going would be tantamount to seeking death! Rather than leading two thousand elderly generals to their demise, it would be more straightforward to end his own life by jumping into the river. However, he could not express this thought openly; it would be quite embarrassing if Bai Qi looked down on him.
Seeing Bai Qi intensely focused on the markings on the map, Luzi felt a sense of relief that surpassed even that of receiving a massage. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and noticed Bai Qi revealing a hint of a sinister smile.
"General Lu!" Bai Qi broke the silence first and said, "A shiver is still a shiver; two shivers are still shivers. Hmm! The troops you have stationed here serve little purpose because I will be taking all forces from the Dan Shui River Defense Line tomorrow. It’s time to close in! Look here! Since Changzi County City is guarded by Zhao Army, there’s still an opening in our net. What do you think our next step should be?"
Luzi glanced at Bai Qi's indicated direction and replied with a heavy "Hmm." "What else can we do? Block it!"
That’s exactly what I wanted to hear! Bai Qi slapped his thigh excitedly and said, "Good! As expected of my great General Qin! However! There’s a bit of a difficulty... that puts me in a tight spot... you see... isn’t it..."
Lu Zichao peered outside into the dark tent; fire and light had been strictly prohibited to avoid exposure. "Although I may not understand siege tactics well, my loyalty to Great Qin is unwavering! Grand Commander need not feel troubled; I am willing to personally lead my elite troops to block this opening! If even one soldier steps over my Defensive Formation line, I am willing to present my head!"
As Bai Qi searched through various camps for Lu Ziyun Corps, he felt more troubled than Luzi himself. Not only was there an issue with Old General's rank, but most soldiers were also over forty years old. This was uncommon in Qin State; according to military service regulations, once a family's eldest son reached adulthood, he could replace his father in military service.
Due to family needs for procreation and rest, not all male members were required to go to the front lines. Based on marriage ages at that time, older military households did not have men over forty serving anymore. The average lifespan during that era was only about thirty-five years. That’s why when discussing Old Generals, they were considered long-lived individuals who had far surpassed average age.
The elderly mentioned in this text are based on age ranges derived from average lifespans at that time. If compared with today's average lifespan, these individuals would merely be considered middle-aged. Therefore, we should cherish and protect our peaceful era because it truly is hard-earned!
In that era, people breathed fresh air, drank unpolluted water, and ate the healthiest organic vegetables. If we could bring that to the present peaceful times, wouldn't the average lifespan exceed a hundred years? So, let's ignore the clamor of those with ulterior motives and quietly live our lives as ordinary citizens; that's what truly matters.
At this moment, the Lu Ziyun Corps was mostly composed of elderly individuals who no longer needed to serve in the military. Yet, in response to King Qin's call, they picked up their weapons once more to fight on the battlefield. It was a pitiable sight!
Bai Qi knew what Luzi was looking at because outside in the darkness were tens of thousands of loyal Qin soldiers standing ready! Thinking of this, Bai Qi clenched his fist tightly but was pulled by the arrow wound on his right arm, causing him to wince in pain. Zhao State's Xiao Kuo! This commander will make you pay with your life!
A gasp from someone nearby accurately reached Luzi's ears, confirming that Wuan Jun was indeed injured. Not wanting to embarrass Bai Qi, but out of concern, he couldn't help but say, "Alas! Is it really that dire? What does it mean? My accompanying surgeon is a disciple of Shennong; you shouldn't force yourself any longer!"
Bai Qi never mentioned his arrow wound to anyone because he didn't want anyone to see him as a joke. I am the mighty war god of Qin State; even if I die, I will stand tall! But an injury is still an injury, and the resulting limitations would surely be noticed by those with ill intentions. Hearing Luzi speak so frankly made him smile bitterly and shake his head.
"I am no longer myself, that carefree Bai Qi. How can the Great Banner of Qin State fall just like that? The common people are watching closely! This banner is the backbone of my Qin Army!"
Luzi looked into Bai Qi's unwavering gaze and eventually called Xiao Yu'er into the tent. While waiting for the surgeon to arrive, he quietly made a promise to the Grand Commander. This matter would remain confidential; there would be no fourth person who knew.
Bai Qi nodded gratefully and turned to sit on a stool while Luzi helped him remove his armor. As his injured right arm was revealed, blood had already soaked through the bandage. The next steps were not something they could handle alone, so they both stared at the dark red bandage in a daze.
"Luzi! Sometimes I really envy you. If it weren't for the Shangdang Campaign, I believe you would still be living carefree."
"Your Majesty! What time is it? Why are you still joking around? Every family has its own troubles; what you see is merely the surface."
Bai Qi nodded seriously and smiled, "I feel like I'm back to when we first set out together. I remember our conversations back then; they weren't as distant as they are now."
Luzi turned to look outside and then smiled back, "Back then, at least we were both still human! Now it's different; Your Majesty is a great banner of our army, while I've become a genuine devil!"
Looking up at Luzi's gaze, Bai Qi suddenly showed a hint of relief. "General Lu! There is no true black and white in this world! True peace is achieved through the means of war. Even if Great Qin is not rising now, I believe other Feudal States will receive heaven's mandate to initiate the Unified War! Rather than handing over Huaxia to those with ulterior motives, we should seize the opportunity while we still can and shape the future with our own hands! At the very least, we deeply love this land in our hearts!"
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