Changning's Imperial Army Chapter 44

When it was nightfall, it suddenly started raining. The drizzle turned into a las.h.i.+ng storm in just a brief moment. After the ten-man squad returned from the battlefield, Chen Ran was the first to charge out into the rain and let the rain wash over him. Apart from Shen Leng, the rest followed suit. Perhaps they needed the rain to wash over them to calm them down because of the stench of blood, or perhaps they were still reeling from what happened earlier.

They were cheering in the rain and strained their voices. After they got back to the barracks, the few of them huddled together and laughed like fools, rocking back and forth.

Chen Ran flipped his hair back and said, “What a downpour…it's raining cats and dogs…”

Shen Leng sat by the window and retorted, “Why didn't it crush you to death.”

Chen Ran replied, “Leng, no, I mean, squad leader…did you see those people out there?”

Of course Shen Leng saw them. On the drill ground, more than three hundred soldiers stood in the downpour. Ever since they got back, they had been standing there, waiting for the general to reprimand them. However, ever since noon to nightfall, from when it was sunny to the current heavy downpour, the general did not bother to deal with them.

They stood very still, not daring to budge even a little bit. The weather was cold, but their hearts were even colder.

Chen Ran felt really awesome, which was why he started cheering in the rain unbridledly. It was his way of hysterically mocking the soldiers who were being punished in the rain. They had won the battle outside the water bandits' camp to their heart's content. Regardless of whether it was their counter attack on the water bandits, or Shen Leng pointing his sword at the military officer Li Yong, it made Chen Ran fired up. At the same time, it was undeniable that…they were so close to death today.

If Shen Leng did not confirm the route and avoided the ambush, they would have no chance of defeating the water bandits, let alone creating the legendary achievement of a ten-man squad exterminating two hundred water bandits.

“It's not their fault.”

Shen Leng poured a cup of water. “You had no choice.”

Chen Ran stared blankly. “We had no choice?”

“That's right…from the start, this battalion has been led by Mu Xiaofeng. When Mu Xiaofeng was a military officer, Li Yong was Mu Xiaofeng's battalion commander. While he had a choice, the other soldiers didn't. They were sacrificial victims. Hence, General Zhuang merely punished them by making them stand in the rain. If he really wanted to pursue the matter, leaving camp itself could get them expelled from the Navy.”

Chen Ran stopped smiling.

“If General Zhuang was a ruthless person, he would use this opportunity to wipe out the entire battalion. In that case, Mu Xiaofeng would truly have no one on his side to use. But General Zhuang is not such a person…”

Shen Leng continued to pour water. Every single one of them had a cup placed in front of them on the table. “I added some medication to the water that helps to expel the cold. Drink up. When your body is heated up, go run in the rain. You did not get taken down by the water bandits, but you got destroyed by a mere downpour instead. How embarra.s.sing.”

Everyone laughed out loud.

Chen Ran sipped the hot water slowly. He suddenly thought of something. “Squad leader, how is it that your physical strength is that good? What methods did you use? Teach us.”

Shen Leng responded, “Oh…go catch some fishes at the Nanping River in your free time.”

Du Weiming asked, “That simple?”

Shen Leng nodded and said earnestly, “Yes, it's that simple. In the future, I will take you there a couple of times.”

Du Weiming replied, “Sure, I'll take it as a leisure activity.”

Shen Leng looked up into the sky. “You might regret.”

At this moment, a soldier walked over with an umbrella. He stood out outside and said in a loud voice, “Squad leader Shen Leng, the general wants you to go over.”

Shen Leng had already expected Zhuang Yong to look for him once he got back. That was because there were more than three hundred people standing outside in such a heavy downpour. Even if those soldiers were very fit and robust, they would be in no shape to go anywhere the next day. The root cause of their punishment could be traced back to Shen Leng. Hence, by asking Shen Leng to go over, he was giving him face.

Shen Leng followed the soldier and headed to Zhuang Yong's tent. At this moment, the general was not in the study – he was in the tent. This meant that he had other businesses to attend to.

The soldier who brought Shen Leng over got him to wait outside, as there was someone else in the tent.

Inside the big tent, Zhuang Yong held his cup of tea and sat on his chair, looking rather tranquil. On the other hand, Mu Xiaofeng evidently looked fl.u.s.tered and exasperated. He had already raged for about an hour, and yet Zhuang Yong did not utter a single word.

After waiting for him to finally stop yelling, Zhuang Yong put down his cup of tea and narrowed his eyes at Mu Xiaofeng. “Are you done?”

Mu Xiaofeng stared blankly for a bit. “General, if there is anything you want to say, you can be direct.”

Zhuang Yong said plainly, “There are some things I don't want to phrase ambiguously. You want to kill Shen Leng; the opportunity you used was pretty good too. You wanted to use the ambush on the water bandits as a way to make it seem as though Shen Leng died on the battlefield. This matter would not arouse any suspicions. However, the execution was rather poor. I feel that if I were the one who did it, I would have done a much better job than you.”

Mu Xiaofeng was taken aback. “General, what do you mean?”

Zhuang Yong spoke as slowly as he could, “Since you were able to make use of an ordinary field exercise to take Shen Leng out, similarly, I am able to use an ordinary field exercise to get rid of you. I have already made myself very clear, and yet you still asked that question. It makes you seem very dumb. The Great Scholar bore a son in his old age; maybe because he was old, that's why his son did not inherit his wits. Since you're dumb, I shall make it clearer for you…the position of the second-in-command was bestowed upon the Great Scholar by His Majesty. It is not for you. Don't you see that?”

“If you understand, be an honest and righteous person. It doesn't matter whether or not you get any credit. With your father around, you will have a bright future ahead. The moment you were born, you were dealt a good hand in life, why do you have to insist on wrecking it?”

Mu Xiaofeng scoffed. “General Zhuang, are you threatening me? I wonder what His Majesty would think if he heard these words.”

Zhuang Yong casually replied, “Don't you worry, His Majesty will not be hearing these words. He would only hear what I have to say, that's because I'm still the commander of the Navy. What you say will not reach his ear. Even if it does, His Majesty will pretend not to hear it. Previously, I mentioned twice before that I am His Majesty's counselor. It seems to me like you don't know the significance of it.”

“To put it even more simply, don't you like to take your battalion out of the camp all the time? I will send you out on a mission tomorrow. Perhaps your battles.h.i.+p might suddenly sink, or perhaps you will come across a large group of water bandits. In any case, you will die on the battlefield. I will send a memorial to His Majesty in Changan city and expedite it. His Majesty would be enraged and reprimand me harshly. He would most likely demote me by a few ranks, at the very least and force me to go back to Changan city to continue being his counselor and pacify your father after that.”

“After some time has pa.s.sed, the Navy would have to prepare to head to the south. At this time, some officials in the imperial court would rationally suggest that apart from me, no one else can lead the Navy and head down to the southern border. His Majesty would then reinstate me. This…would be the ultimate outcome.”

Zhuang Yong took down a peidao and tossed it in front of Mu Xiaofeng. “There's another way. Kill me.”

Mu Xiaofeng went pale. He was so livid that his lips went purple. His shoulders were trembling violently. However, he knew what Zhuang Yong said was right.

“You have one last layer of skin left.”

Zhuang Yong pointed at the sword. “You have the words 'Great Scholar' carved on your skin, and nothing more. Don't tear it off. It's not good for you.”

Mu Xiaofeng was stomped off furiously. “Just as you wish, general, I will perform my duties well and become a second-in-command in name!”

Zhuang Yong smiled and nodded. “I will appeal to His Majesty later on to increase your salary.”

Mu Xiaofeng was so furious that he almost tripped. He turned around and glared at Zhuang Yong hard. He pushed aside the curtain of the tent and stormed off. The moment he got out, he saw Shen Leng standing outside. He stopped in his tracks and exchanged glances with Shen Leng, while the latter stood there without moving an inch.

Mu Xiaofeng said coldly, “Don't be too happy just yet.”

Shen Leng shrugged. “You can go back to pick up the general's sword. I'm not giving you mine.”

Mu Xiaofeng cursed and left.

The new recruit looked at Shen Leng and stuck out his thumb. Shen Leng entered the tent with an arrogant look on his face.

After entering the door, Shen Leng bent over to pick up the peidao. He walked over to the rack and hung it properly. “General, it's not good for you to say things so explicitly.”

Zhuang Yong laughed, “In what way is it bad?”

Shen Leng replied, “It's bad for me. You said the same thing to Mu Xiaofeng and me, in the future, wouldn't I have to walk through fire for you? Thinking about it makes me feel like I'm at a huge disadvantage…”

Zhuang Yong retorted, “The favor is too great that you're afraid you can't repay it?”

Shen Leng thought to himself: If that's truly for my sake, the favor is indeed too great. However, he chuckled, “I am a very easy going person. I am able to return small favors. I don't need you to reward me greatly. For example, I fancy things like twenty taels of silver very much.

Zhuang Yong replied, “Actually, you shouldn't say it out loud. It's better not to talk about what you know.”

Shen Leng responded, “Acting dumb? Well, acting dumb is a lot harder than acting smart.”

Zhuang Yong laughed. “That is very true. Acting dumb is indeed hard, and acting smart is not difficult at all. For example, the person who just walked out of here wanted to act smart, but it ended up being disastrous.”

Shen Leng thought that he was going to say something worse, which would make General Zhuang seem undignified…

Zhuang Yong poured a cup of tea. “Sit down and talk.”

Shen Leng shook his head. “It's better if I stand.”

Zhuang Yong ignored what he said. He took a sip of his tea and asked, “How's the wound on your arm?”

Shen Leng shook his head. “It's just a superficial wound. Fortunately, I tied some sandbags to my arms. The sword merely grazed my skin.”

Zhuang Yong nodded. “I'm glad you're ok. And the ones outside?”

Shen Leng sighed softly. “You just have to give orders, general.”

Zhuang Yong grunted and called his soldier over. “Tell those people to return to the barracks. And tell them that their squad leader Shen Leng asked for forgiveness on their behalf, or else I would not have let them go so easily.”

After Shen Leng waited for the soldier to leave, he sighed. “General, I feel that you have added interest to the twenty taels…”

Zhuang Yong rolled his eyes. “I helped you bribe their hearts and yet you are not grateful…how about this – I have selected nine ten-man squads for you. From now on, you will be a battalion commander.”

Shen Leng responded, “Huh?”

Zhuang Yong replied, “Huh what?”

Shen Leng answered, “General, are you promoting me that fast because you want me to pay you back the money I borrowed from you as soon as possible? Since a promotion would give me a higher salary.”

Zhuang Yong replied, “If you were to bring the twenty taels of silver up again, I will chase you out.”

Shen Leng said, “Thank you, general, for canceling my debt of twenty taels of silver. Thank you, once again! Thank you, for the third time!”

“When did I say you don't have to return?”

“Since you said that if I were to talk about it again, you will chase me out. Hence, I dare not talk about it again.”

Zhuang Yong was speechless.

He looked at Shen Leng helplessly. “Shen Xiaosong taught by example. You've learned well.”

Shen Leng replied, “I have a good foundation after all…”

Zhuang Yong gestured. “You may go back. Starting from tomorrow, train up your men well. Not long from now, I will make arrangements for you to go to the southern border. Since you were able to bring your ten-man squad back without losing a single one of them, you have to bring a hundred odd soldiers back from the southern border without leaving a single man behind.”

Shen Leng facepalmed. “Let's talk about money.”

Zhuang Yong pointed towards the door. “Scram, immediately.”