Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 42 First Encounter After the War

The atmosphere inside the council chamber was solemn.

Chen Xing sat in the main seat, with Chen Wei, Zhao Tiezhu, Wu Xuejiu, Zhou Dashan, Wang Jian, and others seated on either side. Bamboo slips and coarse paper were spread out on the table, the ink still fresh.

"Fourteen dead, sixteen seriously wounded, and forty-three lightly wounded." Chen Wei's voice was not loud, but every word was clear. "Three of the elite soldiers were lightly wounded; seven of the garrison commanders were killed, eight were seriously wounded, and twenty-one were lightly wounded; seven of the Murong troops were killed, five were seriously wounded, and nine were lightly wounded. Among the seriously wounded, five are in extremely serious condition. Wang Jian has exhausted all the medicines at hand. Whether they can survive depends on fate."

Chen Xing remained silent for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the rough wooden tabletop. "The fallen soldiers shall be recorded in a register. If their place of origin is unknown, their physical characteristics shall be detailed. Three days later, a memorial service shall be held in front of the fortress, followed by a collective burial. Their memorial tablets shall be placed in the Martyrs' Shrine, where they shall be worshipped year-round. Their families shall receive pensions according to their rank, with a monthly stipend of millet. Children who are young shall be cared for within the fortress until they are fifteen. Those seriously wounded shall be treated with utmost care, sparing no expense on medicine. Those lightly wounded shall be properly cared for, and their merits shall be recorded as ordered. Li Shu, you shall personally oversee this matter."

"Yes, sir!" Li Shu replied solemnly.

"The spoils have been preliminarily counted," Zhao Tiezhu continued, his eyes bloodshot but his spirits high. "There are 84 horses, 23 of which are injured and have been handed over to horse experts for treatment. There are 567 cattle and sheep, more sheep than cattle. There are 11 carts, 6 of which are intact. Leather armor, scimitars, bone arrows, horn bows, and other items are piled up like mountains and are still being sorted."

"The 237 prisoners have been distributed according to the Lord's orders," Zhou Dashan said. "The 51 able-bodied men are locked up in the west warehouse, guarded by elite soldiers day and night. The 186 women, children, the elderly, and the weak are temporarily housed in the shacks in the west field. Last night, they were given thin porridge according to their numbers. A few Hu women cried and made a fuss, but they quieted down after being reprimanded by the guards. The able-bodied prisoners are relatively docile."

Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard and pondered, "The population surge has greatly increased the pressure on grain reserves. Even with the newly acquired cattle and sheep that can be slaughtered, based on the minimum ration, the current grain reserves can only last for a little over two months. Spring planting is imminent. If that 'miracle grain from the Western Regions' can truly achieve a high yield as scheduled, the situation may ease in the fall. But for the next two months..."

Chen Xing's gaze was calm: "Issue the order: Effective immediately, implement a 'wartime rationing system' within the fortress. Soldiers engaged in combat and daily training will receive their full rations; artisans, medical personnel, scouts, scribes, and other essential staff will receive 90% of their rations; ordinary fortress residents and women and children from the naturalized camp will receive 70%; and captured young men will receive 50%, with adjustments made based on their diligence. Inform the entire fortress that in these extraordinary times, we must all work together to overcome difficulties. In addition, organize hunting teams to go into the mountains to hunt and supplement our meat supply. Of the captured cattle and sheep, select the old, weak, sick, and injured, and slaughter and preserve them in batches."

The crowd solemnly agreed. Although this method was harsh, it was the only feasible option at the moment.

"There's one more thing," Chen Xing said, looking at Chen Wei. "The Murong tribe is skilled in archery and horsemanship, and they have made great contributions in this battle, but they have also suffered heavy losses. Select twenty of the best warhorses from the captured horses and send them to their camp later. Also, if there are any skilled horse trainers or mounted warriors in their tribe, invite them to exchange and learn from the best riders in the Xinghuo Camp. Please keep an eye on this matter."

Chen Wei's eyes flickered slightly, and he clasped his hands in acceptance of the order: "This subordinate understands."

In the midst of the discussion, a guard outside the door announced loudly, "Lord of the fortress, General Murong has arrived."

"please."

Murong Mingyue stepped into the hall. Dressed in a dark red robe, her face appeared even paler, but her posture was as upright as a pine tree, and her eyes were clear and sharp. Her gaze swept over the people in the hall, lingering briefly on Chen Wei's face, where she nodded slightly, before finally settling on Chen Xing, who sat in the main seat.

"Miss Murong, are you feeling alright? Please have a seat." Chen Xing stood up and gestured for her to sit.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord. We are all out of danger now." Murong Mingyue sat down in the guest seat with a composed demeanor. "Yesterday, thanks to your shelter and assistance, my people were able to survive. I am deeply grateful."

"You flatter me, young lady." Chen Xing sat down again, his tone sincere. "We are all adrift in this chaotic world, and it is only right that we help each other. Moreover, if it weren't for your cavalry harassing the enemy's flanks yesterday, scattering their cattle and sheep, and disrupting their formation, our frontal assault would have resulted in even greater casualties. Your esteemed troops deserve half the credit for this battle."

Murong Mingyue shook her head: "Lord of the Fortress is too modest. The Starfire Battalion's infantry, arrayed like a rock, and their crossbow bolts, swift as locusts, were the key to defeating the enemy. My troops were merely providing support from the side. However," she changed her tone slightly, looking directly at Chen Xing, "after this battle, my troops have fewer than twenty able-bodied riders left, and we have also suffered losses among the old and weak, severely weakening our forces. I wonder what Lord of the Fortress's considerations are for the current situation?"

A slight tension gripped the room. Zhao Tiezhu unconsciously straightened his back, and Zhou Dashan held his breath. Wu Xuejiu lowered his eyes and stroked his beard, seemingly deep in thought.

Chen Xing met her frank gaze without flinching: "Young lady, you speak your mind frankly, and I shall also speak frankly. The Wild Fox Yuan Barut tribe has suffered a severe blow and will be difficult to regain its strength for several years. Even if Bald He escapes back, he will find it difficult to gather his old troops. However, the area around Black Wind Ridge is by no means a peaceful place. To the north, the Black Mountain Commander commands tens of thousands of troops, eyeing us covetously; to the east and west, there are scattered Hu tribes' cavalry; and to the south, the mountains block the way out, and the path is unclear. Relying solely on your remaining troops, or even on my Starfire Fortress alone, in this chaotic world, we are like candles flickering in the wind, and it is difficult to guarantee our survival."

He paused briefly, then continued, "Starfire Fortress is newly established, and what it lacks are precisely the brave and skilled riders and archers like you, who are knowledgeable about the Hu (non-Han) tribes. Your tribe, having wandered far and wide, urgently needs a stable foundation, sufficient provisions, and skilled craftsmen. If our two forces join together, my fortress will have a fortified city to rely on, and provisions and weapons to depend on; your tribe will have elite cavalry to ride, and allies to rely on. We can advance together to sweep through the surrounding areas, acquiring resources and people; or we can retreat and defend the fortress, training troops and accumulating grain, gradually expanding our strength. What do you think, young lady?"

Murong Mingyue remained silent. How could she not know the benefits of cooperation? It was just that the other party's straightforward analysis, frankly revealing their own shortcomings instead of acting as a benefactor, made her less wary and resistant.

"What the lord says makes sense," she said slowly. "However, cooperation must have rules. Should the two tribes be merged, or should they form an alliance for joint governance? How should the tribes be settled? Who will give orders?"

The question went straight to the heart of the matter. Chen Xing remained calm, clearly having already considered it: "In my opinion, it can be done in two steps. First, your troops can temporarily reside in or near the fortress as 'guest troops.' Our fortress will supply you with provisions, medicine, and some equipment, and will designate a fixed area for your troops to rest and recuperate. Your troops will maintain an independent organization, and daily training and internal affairs will be decided by the young lady herself. However, external campaigns and large-scale deployments require joint consultation between both sides, with orders issued from the same source. The spoils of war will be distributed according to the pre-agreed proportions."

"The second step," he said candidly, "is that if we spend more time together, build mutual trust, and the young lady and her people agree with the rules and ways of doing things in my fortress, then we can discuss deeper integration. Your elite troops can be incorporated into the Starfire Camp cavalry, and the young lady can become a cavalry commander, with a rank equivalent to Chen Wei and Tie Zhu. Those of your people who are old or weak and wish to stay in the fortress can integrate into the fortress's production according to their abilities; those who wish to live elsewhere can also choose a place to settle, and their treatment will be no different from that of the original fortress residents. Of course, this is not mandatory, it all depends on the young lady and her people's willingness."

Murong Mingyue listened quietly, a slight ripple stirring in her heart. These conditions were more comprehensive and dignified than she had expected, providing both room for maneuver and pointing the way forward. What was even more valuable was the respect shown by the "voluntary" consent.

"What does the Lord mean by 'rules' and 'way of doing things'?" she pressed.

Chen Xing gestured to Li Shu to present two neatly copied bamboo slips to Murong Mingyue. "One is the 'Order of Merit,' and the other is the 'Spark Camp Military Regulations.' All soldiers and civilians of our fort must abide by them. Rewards for merit are different for Han and non-Han people, regardless of their origin, but are based on hard work and combat achievements to obtain rice, grain, land, houses, and even positions; the military regulations are ironclad, and those who violate them will be severely punished, with the aim of protecting the people and maintaining discipline within the ranks."

Murong Mingyue took the document and examined it intently. She was fluent in Chinese, and the more she read, the more shocked she became. This "Order of Merit" was intended to break down the barriers of social status and tribal privileges, rewarding and punishing based on merit; the "Military Regulations" strictly prohibited the abduction of women and children and the indiscriminate killing of surrendered prisoners—each rule was vastly different from any military unit she knew. She couldn't help but look up again, her gaze fixed intently on Chen Xing.

"Can these... really work?" she asked directly. In this world, there's no clear distinction between soldiers and bandits; the law of the jungle prevails.

Chen Xing said solemnly, "Starfire Fortress is still in its early stages, and it is the perfect time to establish rules. I will lead by example, and Chen Wei, Tie Zhu, and others will strictly enforce them. So far, no one has dared to break the rules. If you stay, young lady, you can observe the results."

Murong Mingyue lowered her eyes, her fingertips tracing the neat characters on the bamboo slips. The hall was quiet, with only the faint sounds of drills coming from afar. Zhao Tiezhu clenched his fist nervously, Chen Wei's face was calm as still water, and Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard thoughtfully.

After a long while, Murong Mingyue raised her head, the doubt in her eyes gradually disappearing, replaced by a clear and determined look. "The Fortress Lord is frank and open, and his plans are far-reaching. If Mingyue continues to hesitate, it will only make her seem petty. Our troops are willing to follow the Fortress Lord's suggestion and, for the time being, cooperate with Xinghuo Fortress as 'guest troops' to jointly defend against the external enemy. Details such as the placement of troops and the supply of provisions and weapons can be discussed later. As for the 'Military Regulations,' since our troops are operating within the fortress, we shall naturally abide by them."

She stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "From now on, I hope Lord Chen and everyone else will take good care of me."

Chen Xing also rose to return the greeting, a genuine smile on his face: "With the assistance of Miss Murong and the heroes of your tribe, Xinghuo Fortress is like a tiger with wings! The details of the cooperation will be discussed later by Mr. Wu, Secretary Li, Miss Murong, and the elders of your tribe. Miss Murong and your men can rest and recuperate in the fortress for now. In addition, the twenty warhorses selected from the captured horses will be sent to your camp later as a token of our appreciation."

A flicker of surprise crossed Murong Mingyue's eyes, quickly replaced by solemnity. To the nomadic tribes of the grasslands, warhorses were as precious as life itself; the generosity of this gift was self-evident. "Your Excellency's gift is too kind; Mingyue...is unworthy of it."

With the initial alliance established, the atmosphere in the hall immediately relaxed. Zhao Tiezhu grinned, and Zhou Dashan rubbed his hands together, clearly looking forward to the powerful assistance that was about to arrive.

Chen Xing added, "This afternoon, a memorial service will be held in the fortress for the fallen soldiers. If you are feeling well, you might as well come along. The dead are gone, but the living should work together with one heart."

"Mingyue will personally come to pay tribute to the heroic spirits," Murong Mingyue solemnly replied.

After discussing a few more miscellaneous matters such as the care of the wounded and the guarding of prisoners, Murong Mingyue took her leave, preparing to discuss the matter in detail with the elders and followers.

Watching the woman in red disappear through the door, Wu Xuejiu sighed softly, "This woman possesses a restrained yet heroic spirit and extraordinary insight. In these chaotic times, she is able to assess the situation and make decisive choices, which is truly rare. If she can sincerely submit to us, she will surely be a great help to the lord of the fortress."

Chen Xing looked at the rising sun outside the door and said slowly, "Time will tell. From the beginning of our cooperation, let's treat each other with sincerity and cooperate on mutual benefit. As for whether we can work together in the future... let's wait and see. But in any case, from today onwards, Xinghuo Fortress will no longer be alone."

A bloody battle has temporarily halted the retreat of the formidable foe; new allies have been gained, and the road ahead is becoming clearer. However, Chen Xing knows that the real storm may have only just begun. The threat from the Black Mountain Commander looms large, and the sudden increase in population and potential conflicts within the region also require careful management.

But looking at the soldiers training tirelessly in the morning light outside the hall, listening to the orderly sounds of labor coming from afar, and recalling Murong Mingyue's clear and decisive eyes just now, his belief in carving out a pure land in the chaotic world became even stronger.

The spark has been ignited, and the fuel is gradually being gathered. This prairie fire may spread even faster than he anticipated.