"Young General, the grain and fodder were robbed en route. All the soldiers escorting them were killed. One soldier, feigning death, escaped their slaughter and rushed here with his last breath," Xie Qing stood there, his face etched with a hint of sorrow.
"What is his condition?" Xie Yunliu asked.
"I've already asked Elder Li to treat him. I'm confident that as long as Elder Li is here, he will be fine," Xie Qing replied.
Xie Yunliu sat in the main tent, a sheepskin map spread across the table. Xie Qing pointed to a rugged mountain path at the intersection of Qingzhou and Lizhou. Even when the Emperor had ordered mountain roads to be built, any soldiers sent there would cause landslides before they could even begin their work. Over time, no one dared to undertake the road construction, and it remained unfinished.
This was why Lizhou to Zhen Wuguan was so desolate. Xie Yunliu recalled leading the hundred thousand strong Zhen Wuguan army along this very path. The mountain road was truly treacherous, allowing only ten men to walk abreast, or a single carriage. Nothing else could pass, with a bottomless abyss below. Above, endless mountains rose steeply. If there had been an ambush, he couldn't guarantee his Zhen Wuguan army wouldn't have suffered heavy casualties.
"Young General, what are you thinking about?" Xie Qing asked softly, seeing Xie Yunliu staring blankly at the map.
Xie Yunliu snapped back to attention, "Nothing."
"How many more days can the army's grain and fodder last?" Xie Yunliu inquired.
Xie Wei, standing nearby, replied, "Ten days."
"What about the remaining ten-plus days?" Xie Qing's expression turned anxious.
Xie Wei shrugged and spread his hands, "If you ask me, I don't know."
"Young General, should we report this to the驸马 (Fuma)?" Xie Yu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up.
Xie Wei sneered at Xie Yu with utter contempt. "He's just a Fuma, living a life of luxury. How would he understand these matters? What's the point of telling him?"
"Xie Wei," Xie Yunliu turned to Xie Wei, his tone sharp.
Seeing the icy expression on Xie Yunliu's face, Xie Wei quickly said, "Young General, I take back my words."
"Xie Yu is right. Since the current Emperor has appointed the Fuma as the Grand Marshal of the hundred thousand strong Zhen Wuguan army, then this matter of grain and fodder should be his concern," Xie Qing said with a cold smile.
Xie Yu nodded. "Xie Qing, you've finally come up with an idea."
"Young General, what do you think?" Xie Yu turned to ask Xie Yunliu.
Xie Yunliu looked up, seeing the gloating expressions of Xie Qing and Xie Yu. He pressed his hand to his forehead and after a long moment, said, "Let's do as you say!"
Xie Qing's entire demeanor suddenly became energetic. "Then I, as the commander of the Imperial Guard overseeing the camp, will go and invite the Seventh Fuma!"
"Xie Qing, that is the Fuma. Do not bully him," Xie Yu said with a light laugh.
Xie Qing feigned fear. "Xie Yu, he is the Fuma. What is my status? How could I bully the Fuma? You think too little of the Fuma's status."
"Enough, Xie Yu, you go instead," Xie Yunliu reprimanded Xie Qing sharply.
Xie Yu shrugged. "Fine! Who asked me to think of it?"
After speaking, Xie Yu walked out of the tent.
After a while, voices were heard from outside the tent. Xie Yu re-entered. "Young General, the Fuma has arrived."
Meng Jiangming walked into the tent. Xie Yunliu stood up and bowed. "Fuma, I apologize for summoning you so late at night."
"No matter," Meng Jiangming replied.
Xie Yunliu made a gesture of invitation. Meng Jiangming unceremoniously sat in the place of honor. Xie Qing and Xie Wei below looked displeased. That was their general's seat, and this Fuma had arrogantly taken it.
Xie Yunliu appeared indifferent and sat below. He looked at Xie Qing and said, "Tell the Fuma about the situation."
Xie Qing nodded and said, "The grain and fodder were robbed. Not a single soldier escorting it survived."
Meng Jiangming looked at Xie Qing and asked, "How many more days can the army's grain and fodder sustain?"
"Ten days," Xie Qing replied.
Meng Jiangming looked at Xie Yunliu and asked, "General Xie, have you thought of a solution?"
Xie Yunliu stood up and bowed. "Your subordinate is foolish and has not thought of a solution. That is why I have come to invite the Fuma, hoping the Fuma will devise a plan."
Devise a plan? Meng Jiangming sneered inwardly. The plan was a pretense; the real aim was to embarrass him.
"General Xie, the Emperor has given you one month to repel the Tianqi Kingdom and prevent Qi from invading again. Do you have confidence?"
Xie Yunliu looked at Meng Jiangming. "Fuma, you are now the Grand Marshal of the army. I implore the Marshal for guidance."
Xie Yu, Xie Qing, and Xie Wei also echoed, "We implore the Fuma for guidance."
Meng Jiangming clenched his fist hidden in his sleeve, his knuckles cracking as they pressed against each other. "This Fuma has only been here for less than a day and needs to understand more. The Emperor appointing me as Marshal is merely to give me a title. The Zhen Wuguan army should still be led by General Xie."
"What the Fuma says is correct. Then, Fuma, please instruct your subordinate whenever you have thought it through. Ten days. I believe the Seventh Fuma can figure it out by then," Xie Yunliu said with a smile, looking up.
Meng Jiangming looked at Xie Yunliu's smiling face and wished he could kick him a few times to vent his frustration. This was clearly done on purpose.
"This Fuma has never led an army. I will need to learn from General Gu on this matter," Meng Jiangming said.
"Fuma, you are too kind. Your subordinate is humbled," Xie Yunliu replied.
"General Xie could lead soldiers in battle at the age of eight and quell troublesome bandits at ten. Is he not a fish in a pond? This Fuma has heard that the leader of those bandits is also in the Zhen Wuguan army. Why haven't I seen him?"
Xie Yunliu replied, "Although he was pardoned from the death penalty by the Emperor and was granted a military post for his meritorious service, his bandit nature is hard to change. He recently violated military regulations, received one hundred military lashes from me, and is currently confined to his tent under my orders."
"So, this Fuma has heard many of his deeds in Zhen Wuguan," Meng Jiangming said with a smile, looking at Xie Yunliu.
Meng Jiangming continued, "This Fuma has heard that he recently bought several women with money? Is this true?"
Xie Yunliu paused slightly, then replied, "Yes, but your subordinate has already sent them home."
"Sent them home?" Meng Jiangming pressed.
Xie Yunliu smiled and looked up, meeting Meng Jiangming's phoenix-like eyes. He chuckled, "Isn't Fuma clearer about this than your subordinate?"
Meng Jiangming suddenly remembered that he was the one who brought Jiang Xiuyi back to the army. He coughed a few times. "There's still someone missing?"
"This subordinate does not know," Xie Yunliu said, pretending ignorance.
"It is said that the Zhen Wuguan army's orders are as unshakeable as a mountain, and its regulations are as grand as heaven. I hope General Xie will continue to uphold the final wishes of Old General Xie," Meng Jiangming said with a smile.
Xie Yunliu bowed. "What Fuma says is correct."