allonlinenovel Chapter 1011: Ma Chao's Instructions to the Jie People
Chapter 1011: Ma Chao's Instructions to the Jie People
On the morning of the second day, a biting cold wind blew across the grassland like a knife. Dawn had not yet fully broken, and a few remaining stars twinkled faintly in the inky blue sky. Then, a rapid and passionate drumbeat echoed through the camp. The dull beats were like hammers, hammering at the soldiers' hearts, urging them to act swiftly.
In an instant, the camp, still immersed in the lingering rhythm of sleep, erupted in excitement. Soldiers filed out of their tents, quickly donning their heavy armor with swift movements. The clinking of metal echoed incessantly, weaving together into a tense pre-battle melody. Their expressions were solemn, their eyes revealing a resolute determination, as if they were about to embark not on an unknown battle but on a glorious feast.
Soon, the soldiers were lined up in the center of the camp, awaiting Ma Chao, the Prince of Liang. Ma Chao emerged from the tent with steady, powerful steps. He wore a black cape that rustled in the wind, like a black eagle about to take flight. Ma Chao stood still, his gaze piercing as he scanned the neatly arrayed soldiers before him. He called out, "Brothers, are you all ready? Have you all rested up well after all this recent rest?"
All the generals responded in unison, their voices shaking the earth, as if to shake off the snow on the grassland: "Ready, ready!" The uniform shouts echoed for a long time in the empty grassland, demonstrating the high morale and strong cohesion of this army.
Ma Chao nodded slightly, his expression solemn as he continued, "Last night, on New Year's Eve, we celebrated the New Year with great joy. Today marks the beginning of a new year, and the heavy snow has ceased. It's time to continue our campaign. However, I would like to ask my brothers: has this brief period of rest allowed you to become complacent and forget our mission?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the soldiers instantly became somewhat unnatural, and they all shrank their heads unconsciously. After all, during this period of rest and recuperation, they had provoked those Xianbei women quite a bit. Ma Chao looked at the soldiers' reactions and couldn't help but laugh out loud. His laughter was hearty and heroic, and it carried far into the morning air. He smiled and said, "Brothers, I don't mean to blame you. You have followed me on many expeditions, sleeping in the open air, and suffered too much. It is only natural to let you relax and take it easy. This matter will be forgiven."
After hearing Ma Chao's words, the generals felt a surge of warmth in their hearts. They knelt on one knee and shouted in unison, "The King of Liang is benevolent and righteous, the King of Liang is mighty!" The shouts were like thunder, shaking the entire camp. Seeing this, Ma Chao quickly waved his hand, his expression becoming serious. He continued, "But, brothers, we are now in this foreign land, surrounded by enemies who are eyeing us covetously. We must always remember our mission and must not sink into this and lose our fighting spirit and courage!"
Ma Chao then turned to Lu Su and nodded. Lu Su understood, having already made the necessary arrangements. A group of soldiers quickly set about gathering the women and children in an open area within the camp. The entire process was meticulously executed, demonstrating the army's strict discipline and efficient execution.
The expressions of the soldiers instantly became somewhat unnatural, and they unconsciously cast their gazes towards the Xianbei women. After all, many of them had had physical contact with them during these days, and it was inevitable that they would feel a little nostalgic.
Upon seeing this, Ma Chao's face suddenly darkened. His eyes swept over everyone like lightning and he scolded them harshly: "Look at you, what kind of behavior is this! Have you all forgotten what our mission is? Have you forgotten how the Xianbei people burned, killed, looted and abused our brothers and sisters in our homeland? Now, you actually have feelings for these enemy women. I am deeply ashamed of you! We shoulder the heavy responsibility of defending our country, not here to talk about love! If you can't even let go of this little love, how can you face the next battle and protect the mountains and rivers of the Han Dynasty?" Ma Chao's voice was passionate and angry, echoing in the camp, like a heavy hammer, knocking on the hearts of every soldier.
After hearing Ma Chao's words, everyone lowered their heads, their faces filled with shame. They realized that their behavior was indeed inappropriate and that they had almost lost their way at this critical moment.
And was Zhang Xiu's rendition of "The Dust of the Great Han Expedition" last night a spur-of-the-moment impulse? In fact, all of this was planned long in advance by Ma Chao. He knew full well that the soldiers, after spending so much time with the Xianbei women during this long campaign, would inevitably develop feelings for each other. So, he deliberately had Zhang Xiu sing this war song imbued with patriotic sentiments, hoping to awaken the soldiers' deep sense of mission and responsibility, to shame them for their indulgence in the pleasures of the world, and thus to steel their resolve and rediscover their fighting spirit.
Ma Chao's own Xiliang cavalry stood tall, their faces resolute, their eyes filled with support and loyalty to Ma Chao, like rows of unshakable steel barriers. However, the Jie soldiers, led by their leader, Mo Lixige, looked timid, their eyes revealing a hint of panic and bewilderment. Faced with Ma Chao's rebuke, they didn't know how to respond.
When Ma Chao saw this scene, the anger in his heart suddenly burned up. He opened his eyes wide and shouted loudly: "Morrissie!" The sound was like a thunder, exploding in the camp.
Morisco was so frightened by the shout that he trembled all over. He hurried forward, nervously clutching his collar, and stammered, "Liang...Liang Wang."
Ma Chao glared at him and demanded, "For the past few months, you've followed me through battles across the country. I've long since forgotten past grudges and consider you Xiliang soldiers. But now, look at these people from your tribe. Just because of these women, they've remembered your Jie identity and are even holding onto it. If this continues, how can I truly consider you Xiliang people?"
Upon hearing this, Morisco fell to his knees with a thud, exclaiming in fear, "Your Majesty, we dare not even entertain such a thought!" Seeing this, the Jie soldiers behind him also knelt, pleading with Ma Chao. In truth, they truly couldn't bear to lay hands on these foreign women; after all, to Ma Chao, they were also foreigners. Yesterday's song, "The Dust of the Great Han's Expedition," had stirred the hearts of the Xiliang cavalry, but it hadn't fully moved them. But now, seeing Ma Chao so enraged, they patted their chests and pledged their loyalty.
Ma Chao looked at the kneeling crowd with a stern gaze. He then pointed at the trembling women and said to Morisco, "Morisco, have your soldiers finish them off. From now on, regardless of whether you are Jie or Han, you are all my subordinates and only recognize me as your master. Do you understand?"
Morisco knelt on the ground, his face filled with confusion and pain. He looked up at Ma Chao, his lips trembling, as if he wanted to say something, but Ma Chao's unyielding gaze forced him back. Finally, he gritted his teeth, slowly stood up, and turned to face his Jie soldiers.
"Brothers," Morisco said in a hoarse voice, "We all heard what the king said. Since we follow the king, we must obey his orders." The Jie soldiers looked at each other, their eyes full of struggle. Although they understood that in this chaotic world, obeying orders was the key to survival, they could not bear to kill the women they had been with for a while.
Yet, Ma Chao's commanding gaze was like a hammer, hammering down upon their hearts. Finally, a few soldiers gritted their teeth, slowly stood up, and walked toward the women. Their steps were heavy, each one carrying a thousand-pound weight. Seeing this, the other Jie soldiers also rose and followed.
The Xianbei women seemed to sense their impending doom, their cries of despair sounding especially pitiful in the cold wind. The Jie soldiers approached them, their swords still hanging in the air. Their hands trembled, their faces contorted with pain.
"Do it!" Morisco shouted, his voice filled with determination. He felt bad, but he knew that if he didn't do this, the Jie people would have no place under Ma Chao's command.
Hearing their leader's command, the Jie soldiers finally steeled their resolve, their swords falling one after another. Blood splattered everywhere, the cries of grief and wailing ceased abruptly, and the once bustling camp fell silent, leaving only the whistling of the cold wind.
Ma Chao watched this scene, his expression still stern, but a subtle flicker of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. He knew this was the only way to truly integrate the Jie people into the Western Liang Iron Cavalry. Only by completely letting go of their distracting thoughts could they become a truly united and loyal team.
"From today on, you Jie people are part of my Xiliang Iron Cavalry, and you will share life and death with me, Ma Chao!" Ma Chao shouted loudly, his voice echoing across the grassland.
"We share life and death! We share life and death!" The Xiliang cavalry and Jie soldiers shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the sky.
As Ma Chao and the Jie soldiers engaged in this tangle, Wulanda led his Xianbei troops, charging across the grasslands like a black torrent. A biting cold wind rustled the army flags. Astride his towering warhorse, Wulanda stared intently ahead, as if he could pierce the thick snow and see Ma Chao's camp.
Wulanda, mindful of Kebineng's instructions, was determined to deplete Murong Xuepo's strength so he could reap the benefits. Thus, he led his army to the planned battle site with Ma Chao early, then remained stationary, awaiting Murong Xuepo's arrival. He calculated that once Murong Xuepo arrived, a fierce battle with Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry would ensue, giving him the opportunity to strike and reap the rewards.
However, time passed, and Murong Xuepo's army showed no sign of advancing. Wulanda sent out wave after wave of spies, only to receive reports that Murong Xuepo's army had somehow stalled. Little did Wulanda know that Murong Xuepo had never truly intended to cooperate with him against Ma Chao; all this was merely a deliberate ploy to deceive him. Murong Xuepo, fully aware of Kebineng's intentions, sought to weaken Wulanda's power while preserving his own strength for future independence plans.