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Hearing that Wang He and the Old General had already moved the Army into Old Horse Ridge, Luzi, the commander of the Qin Army's vanguard, led Meng Wu, Li Xin, and thirteen others to report on the situation. Hundreds of soldiers had fought hard, leaving only a few for the Old General; it was necessary to discuss this matter.
After listening to the battle damage report, Wang He immediately offered words of comfort. After all, if not for the hundreds of men who sacrificed their lives to hold their ground at Old Horse Ridge, attempting to seize the hilltop now would likely result in even more casualties. War is war; there is no such thing as a battle without loss of life! In any situation, one should do their best. As for the final outcome, it is not something anyone can control, so there is no need to dwell on it.
Luzi was about to take his leave when Wang He called out to him. "General! Is there any order that needs to be executed?"
Wang He took Luzi by the arm and walked out of the Main Tent. "In this battle at Old Horse Ridge, we have served the State well. I have already taken care of the compensation for the fallen soldiers. General Lu, please rest assured; our soldiers will not have died in vain."
Having received a reminder from Wang Jian during that snowy night, Luzi had reflected deeply on his recent performance. If it weren't for this reason, he would have proactively brought up this matter right after reporting his work. The army has its own set of rules, deeply ingrained. As an outsider, it is better to observe more and speak less.
Hearing the Old General mention this matter, Luzi quickly bowed and said, "This matter should be decided by the Left Minister; I thank you on behalf of my fallen brothers."
The issue of living support for military dependents had long been a pressing problem. It wasn't that they didn't want to resolve it; rather, the country simply lacked the capability at this time. However, things are not always so absolute; if one does not consider the large number involved, it is still possible to discreetly make some arrangements.
News travels fast; even if those directly involved do not speak out, it can still spread widely. Ever since Luzi proposed this suggestion, it had been discussed fervently. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, topics related to this matter were subtly circulating in every street and alley. If it weren't for the strict Qin Law, people would have already organized these orphans to approach the Government.
The country's policies cannot be changed overnight; they require tedious discussions and must align with current national conditions. It is not as simple as living at home where one can just buy meat whenever they want. After all, managing a nation involves numerous interconnected issues that require time to address.
When King Zhao of Qin learned that Luzi had led the vanguard to risk seizing high ground at Old Horse Ridge, he knew that casualties in this battle would be significant. Upon hearing that Sovereign Zhao had already taken action, he ordered Wang He to immediately dispatch reinforcements regardless of whether it was snowing or raining heavily outside. If necessary, they could consider temporarily abandoning all supplies in the rear in order to focus fully on capturing Old Horse Ridge.
Among the issued orders was a small detail instructing Wang He and Luzi to proactively address compensation for fallen vanguard soldiers. This matter needed resolution sooner or later; starting now would be beneficial. It would also allow Wang He to do a favor while achieving two goals at once.
With King Qin's decree in hand, Wang He naturally felt confident speaking up. He had prepared his remarks but was surprised that Luzi did not mention anything about it. However, these details seemed less important now; what mattered was that this issue should have been resolved earlier. As previously stated, without an opening, one cannot initiate relief efforts. This is ultimately a blessing for all soldiers in the army; as a military general, one should be pleased if this matter can be resolved successfully.
Since the battle at Old Horse Ridge concluded, the Qin State has officially begun to pay attention to the issue of orphans left behind by military dependents. However, it wasn't until five years later that efforts to address this issue were gradually implemented across various counties. Based on the financial income and expenditure situations of each county, the initiative was first piloted in wealthier counties.
The results of the implementation were evidently positive, alleviating concerns for many military families about their future livelihoods. This was certainly a good development, even if it felt somewhat delayed. These details are secondary and will not be mentioned further in subsequent chapters.
The first clash between Old Horse Ridge and the Zhao Army had already demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of the long-range projection weapons used by the Qin Army. Not only did they completely annihilate the Zhao forces' reconnaissance unit, Sentinel, but they also wiped out their vanguard troops.
This unexpected outcome genuinely excited Old General Wang He. He drafted a report based on feedback from the front lines and called for Luzi to review it for any necessary additions. After all, this battle was fought at great risk by those on the front lines. Most of what he had was hearsay, which could lead to inaccuracies.
Luzi did not raise any objections regarding the content but simply crossed out his name from Above. He then changed the command of the troops to be led personally by Meng Wu, with Li Xin assisting in completing the defense of Old Horse Ridge.
"Are they trying to take credit for each other?" Wang He pondered for a long time without understanding what was happening. While taking credit is certainly inappropriate, Luzi had participated in the frontline battles. Even if he did not command this particular engagement, according to military customs, this is how credit is typically assigned. As a veteran, Meng Wu would naturally understand this rule and would not say anything about it.
Moreover, if this memorial were indeed submitted as it was, it would be surprising if King Qin did not reprimand them harshly. After a battle like this, how could a general claim no credit? The battle was fought under the command of deputy generals; what would be the role of a general in future conflicts? If such situations continue, they might as well send deputy generals into battle directly.
"General Lu! This handling seems somewhat inappropriate."
Luzi looked up at Old General's questioning gaze and smiled, "The facts are as they are! Left Minister, forgive my rudeness; if this battle report is submitted as it stands, it will surely earn us a scolding from the old man."
Wang He was unaware that Luzi's identity could not be publicly acknowledged in official documents until a clear royal decree was issued. Seeing that Luzi remained insistent, he said, "Luzi, didn't you just say something incorrect? If we don't write it this way, we will definitely be scolded by the old man."
Some things cannot be openly stated due to numerous taboos involved. Just like Bai Qi couldn't explain military unwritten rules to Luzi; they essentially meant the same thing. Luzi shook his head with a smile and decided not to insist further. He had every reason to believe that if the battle report were submitted unchanged, King Qin would order Zhang Cheng to redo it for archival purposes. Since that was the case, he thought it best to let it go.
As for attributing credit to officers, it would not affect the overall progress of the battle report. For the Qin Army Commander in this instance, there was no need for him to appear in every single battle report. His responsibility lay in overseeing the entire campaign; even if Wang He's name were never mentioned in any reports, he would not be forgotten. The report for his return to court would be personally completed by him. Consequently, any subsequent rewards or punishments would also fall squarely on his shoulders.
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