NOVPUBWhen the Xiliang Soldiers reached the fourth lap and caught the scent of meat wafting everywhere, they all went berserk. Gan Ning used a ship to transport the spices back, and naturally, Chen Xi spared no effort in his research. This was enough to provide for the meals of thirty thousand troops—meat chunks so fragrant they could spread for ten miles!
"This aroma~" Hua Xiong took several deep sniffs, his nose twitching. The fragrance was just too fresh.
"Pretty good, right? Just toss in a variety of spices and simmer it," Chen Xi said with a smile. "Xingba went to a place overflowing with spices and brought these back—each spice has its own medicinal effects too. Quite tempting, isn't it? Want to try some?"
"No need. I'll wait until everyone returns, then we'll eat together." Hua Xiong wasn't particularly charismatic, and his martial prowess was only average compared to others with Inner Qi Manifestation, but he excelled in sharing hardships with the soldiers.
"Don't worry. Things are different from when you ventured to Sili. No one will be left out. Wounded soldiers, in particular, need extra nutrition," Chen Xi said with a smile. "What sets us apart from others is that we pursue comprehensive development. None of our strengths will falter."
"Hmm, these guys are running pretty fast, huh." Chen Xi looked at the dust flying in the distance, his face displaying surprise. If he remembered correctly, they were still running their fourth lap earlier. Yet, in just one quarter hour, they've already reached their fifth lap. Their speed certainly had improved.
"Go and have someone prepare the steamed buns, meat soup, and wooden bowls," Chen Xi instructed the trusted aide behind him. Truth be told, Hua Xiong was more of a trusted aide to Chen Xi, though Chen Xi had never treated him as one.
As carts upon carts of meat food were brought over, the Xiliang Soldiers were practically squeezing every last ounce of strength out of themselves to run faster. It had been years since they last laid eyes on meat, and now it was right in front of them.
"First, give him a bowl of meat soup to rest and refresh himself, then have him eat some food," Chen Xi said with a smile.
"Good work, Hu Zhen." Hua Xiong patted Hu Zhen's shoulder approvingly. This fellow could be counted as one of the leaders within the Xiliang Army.
"Ha ha ha, glug glug glug." Hu Zhen guzzled down a bowl of meat soup with gusto. "Refreshing! General, is there any other reward for finishing first?"
"I'll reward you with a jin of liquor and two more bowls of meat," Hua Xiong said while patting Hu Zhen's shoulder. He had once been a subordinate of Hua Xiong.
In no time, all the officers of the Xiliang Army had arrived. Within the pyramid hierarchy of the Xiliang Soldiers, which was built upon martial prowess, aside from some unusual cases of rapid runners, the top three hundred in ranking were essentially all officers.
In this regard, it must be admitted that the hierarchical stability of the Xiliang Army's system was remarkable, achieved through sacrificing the base of the pyramid. It truly held its share of advantages!
The first batch of finishers drank a bowl of rich meat soup each before eagerly grabbing a bowl to eat the meat, while the latter-arriving Xiliang soldiers could only watch, swallowing their saliva as they observed others enjoying the soup.
Still, no one acted otherwise. Unlike other armies, the Xiliang Army's hierarchical system was solidly stable. The officers earned their positions through strength, keeping it pure and meritocratic. Thus, the soldiers only expressed envy toward those drinking the soup—after all, the hierarchy was one they inherently respected.
"Marshal Chen has issued the order: distribute lunch according to previous rewards!" A relay soldier sounded the drums and began issuing the midday meals. Lunch wasn't provided before, but after much consideration, Chen Xi ultimately decided to offer the soldiers and students this meal.
Each soldier received a bowl of soup, a bowl of meat, and three steamed buns. The Xiliang Soldiers mostly sat on the ground, voraciously eating. Though many soldiers initially had a puzzled expression, once presented with the meat and buns, they didn't hesitate and devoured the food right away.
"Mount Tai isn't just wealthy—it's incredibly wealthy." Hu Feng chewed on a chunk of searing hot meat, throwing it into his mouth with great relish. Glancing at the cook serving the meat, he muttered to Wang Fang beside him.
"Elder Hua found himself a worthy master," Li Meng said with a smile. "What does it matter? Commander Li handed us over to Elder Hua, so we know Elder Hua won't let us suffer. With liquor to drink and meat to eat, that's enough!" Saying so, Li Meng tossed a chunk of meat into his own mouth.
Although the Xiliang Soldiers were brash and coarse, they held a collective sense of right and wrong. Dong Zhuo was tyrannical, but he treated them well, so they willingly fought for him. Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, and Zhang Ji committed plenty of misdeeds but also did some good, never mistreating them, which earned their loyalty.
Likewise, when Commander Li handed them over to Hua Xiong, the Xiliang Soldiers were prepared. They were tools of battle, born for slaughter, and only the battlefield could give their lives value. Hua Xiong had once been their commander, and as long as he shared their hardships as before, they wouldn't hesitate to fight for him again.
For this reason, the Xiliang Army was an exceptionally pure collective. Yet, it was precisely this purity that made them so formidable.
"With Elder Hua as our leader, meat to eat, liquor to drink, and battles to fight, I wouldn't mind fighting to the death for Liu Xuande. This meat—even for us—it has been a long, long time since we've tasted it, let alone our soldiers under us," Hu Feng said bitterly, "I wonder how my second brother is doing."
"Sustaining such severe injuries and lasting until now—it's already a miracle." Hu Zhen, also a comrade, sighed as he picked up a bowl of meat. "Go see him. If he's on the verge of death, at least let him have a proper meal before it happens."
Hu Zhen's tone was nearly indifferent, but no one took offense. Having spent years teetering on the edge of death, they'd grown desensitized to life's fragility. On the battlefield, the comrades who shielded each other were no different from blood relatives, but no amount of sorrow could halt the inevitable passing of companions.
Thus, the Xiliang Soldiers had long since learned to confront death with serenity. Instead of mourning their powerlessness, they chose to channel their pain and anger over fallen comrades toward their enemies, which allowed them to crush their foes faster and better protect their brethren.
"Where are you going?" Hua Xiong asked, seeing Hu Feng and a few others carrying bowls of varying amounts of meat as they prepared to leave. But the moment he spoke, realization dawned upon him. "Just eat the meat yourselves. The wounded soldiers will have meat porridge today. If you go now, you'll only disturb them. Wait for tomorrow instead."
To be honest, Hua Xiong didn't have much hope for Li Jue's other nephew, Li Li. The injuries he suffered were grave, leaving him clinging to life by a thread. His wounds had already begun to fester.
Li Jue was truly a ruthless character. During the battles against the Qiang and Hu, he didn't keep his nephews close by his side but treated them as ordinary officers. As a result, one nephew died outright, another was gravely injured and near death, leaving Hu Feng as the sole survivor.
Nonetheless, the ordeal profoundly impacted Hu Feng, sharpening both his skills and temperament. This was why Hua Xiong held him in such high regard. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian [qidian.com] to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)
