Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 559: The Battlefield (Part 2)

Lying on the bed, Yu Chong barely moved: "General Fan!"

This movement affected the wound on his left shoulder, causing him to break out in cold sweat from the pain. Though Yu Chong was a tough man, he couldn’t control his body’s instinctive reaction.

General Fan was startled and quickly stepped forward: "General Yu, lie down quickly and don’t move."

Yu Chong gave a bitter smile: "I am now like a cripple, even if I wanted to move, I can’t."

General Fan smiled reassuringly: "On the day General Yu sustained serious injuries, bled excessively, and had a persistent high fever. Even the military doctor said it was good fortune that General Yu managed to survive this ordeal."

Thinking back now still gives a shiver. The wound on Yu Chong’s left shoulder wasn’t initially severe, but it was hastily bandaged due to lack of time for proper care. Then he encountered a storm, getting drenched for half a day. By the time he returned to the city, he was barely hanging on by a thread.

At that time, Yu Chong was in a high fever and unresponsive, and everyone prepared for the worst. Thankfully, Yu Chong’s strong will allowed him to pull through. However, his vitality was completely damaged, and he’s been bedridden for nearly a month, still unable to get up.

Seeing General Fan’s worried expression, Yu Chong asked in a low voice: "Is General Fan troubled by the current battle situation?"

Over the months, General Fan and Yu Chong had frequent interactions and shared similar temperaments, getting along well. He sighed upon hearing this: "Yes, I won’t hide it from you. I’m really in a dilemma now."

"Should the border army abandon the advantage of the city walls and confront the Rouran Barbarians outside, we will certainly not be their match. However, merely defending within the city, watching the Brave Camp soldiers being slaughtered by the Rouran Barbarians while doing nothing, feels too cold-hearted, and I would let down my colleagues and soldiers."

"If we win this battle in the future, it’s fine, I can justify myself. But if we lose, how could I face the Emperor and the ministers, and what face would I have to see General Song?"

Having said this, General Fan sighed again heavily. These past days he has been unable to eat or sleep well, consistently pondering how to break the stalemate. Yet he has decided to continue holding firm in Si State.

Making such a decision is quite a test for him.

Yu Chong, being in a different position, saw the matter more objectively: "General Fan is the main commander of the border army, burdened with heavy responsibilities and must consider the border army’s situation, which is correct."

"As for those rumors in the army, they are just stirred up feelings from a few brave warriors of the Song Family. The general need not pay them any mind."

General Fan gave a bitter smile: "You’ve been lying down all day to recover, yet you even heard the rumors. It shows how rampant these rumors are!"

Among the officers serving in the border army from the Song Family, the highest-ranking is the Fifth-rank General, with others ranging from Sixth to Eighth rank. They belong to a mid-low tier among the martial generals, unable to affect General Fan’s decisions. However, they have been in the army for years, each with their confidants and colleagues, so continuous complaints aren’t in favor of General Fan’s reputation and prestige as the main general.

Yu Chong said quietly: "General Fan should send someone to warn them not to spread false rumors anymore. Such talk harms the general’s reputation and could shake the army’s morale."

General Fan nodded slightly: "I have already sent people."

Just as he finished speaking, a personal soldier hurriedly came in and whispered a few words to General Fan.

General Fan’s expression changed abruptly, anger flickering in his eyes.

Despite his weakened body, Yu Chong’s hearing became more acute, and he vaguely overheard something.

General Fan, not wanting to elaborate, stood up and said: "There are some urgent matters in the military camp that I must personally attend to. General Yu, rest well and recover, and I shall visit again once I have some free time in a few days."

General Fan strode away.

Yu Chong moved slightly and gave a low command: "Go and summon Li Tie."

Soon after, Li Tie arrived: "What orders does the general have?"

"Go scout around and see what’s happening in the border army camp!" Yu Chong instructed in a low voice: "Report back immediately if there’s any movement."

After waiting for an hour, Li Tie gathered the information.

It turned out that General Chu had gathered several Song martial generals in the military tent and gave them a stern scolding. As a result, one of them became enraged, argued with General Chu, and eventually, they came to blows.

Martial artists, you see, have this bad habit where an argument quickly escalates into a fight. That Song General has quite good skills; General Chu couldn’t fight him off and ended up being beaten.

Upon hearing this, General Fan rushed to the military tent, furiously ordered the military doctor to treat General Chu’s injuries, and punished Song General with thirty strokes for insubordination. The other Song martial generals were punished twenty strokes for speaking disrespectfully.

In short, after a round of corporal punishment, the Song generals appeared to be compliant outwardly. However, whether they bore grudges, it’s hard to say.

After finishing his report, Li Tie concluded: "General Fan has indeed been with the border army for too short a time, has only established two confidants, and of those, General Lin has been killed in battle. Now only General Chu remains, and the other martial generals haven’t yet pledged loyalty. It’s clear that the Song martial generals alone couldn’t spread rumors throughout the whole army. The fact is, some border army martial generals are dissatisfied with the general and are deliberately spreading rumors privately."

"General Fan’s outburst today might deter the army’s heart."

Yu Chong frowned: "In the long run, this is detrimental to the army’s morale."

Li Tie shrugged: "There’s nothing to be done. The border army was originally Left General’s domain, and up and down were his confidants. With Left General gone to the Capital City, the border army’s cohesion has dispersed."

"This is also one of the reasons General Fan hesitates to leave the city and confront the Rouran head-on," Yu Chong sighed: "The morale of the army isn’t apparent in ordinary times, but in critical moments, it truly reveals itself."

"The current border army is only capable of defending the city. Beyond the city gates, they stand no chance against the Rouran Barbarians."

Li Tie said: "Our Nanyang Army has already exerted considerable effort, with many brothers lost. Now, General, you need to recover, and we can take this opportunity to step back."

Yu Chong glanced at Li Tie: "Wait and see how the Commandery Princess directs things."

...

During wartime, it’s hard to relay messages.

The last letter received from the Commandery Princess was half a month ago. After a few more days of waiting, finally, the Commandery Princess’s handwritten letter arrived.

Unable to move, Yu Chong lay on the bed, while Li Tie sat at the bedside reading the letter.

"...Liu Hengchang is leading two thousand men to escort a hundred thousand shi of military provisions to Si State. This battle, the border army cannot lose; the court cannot afford to lose; and the people of the North cannot afford to lose either."

"I regret that I cannot personally come to Si State. However, the Nanyang Army and the Personal Guard are representing me. I believe you will do everything to help the border army win this battle."

"General Yu has been injured, so rest and recover at ease. When Liu Hengchang arrives in Si State, hand over the forces to Liu Hengchang."

When Li Tie reached this point, he paused slightly, clicking his tongue with some reluctance.

Yu Chong glared over: "Even if I weren’t injured, I would be willing to follow Commander Liu’s orders. What do you disagree with?"

Li Tie gave an awkward smile: "I agree, I agree wholeheartedly."