coobybook Chapter 111: The Expedition Begins!
Chapter 111: The Expedition Begins!
On the morning of the day of departure, the Duke's mansion was orderly and quiet. The gates were opened early, and the outer courtyard and the front gate were guarded by neatly arranged soldiers. Warhorses and carriages were also ready in advance.
Shen Li stayed here last night, along with the rest of the Shen family.
Before leaving, Old Man Zou carefully examined the old Duke's pulse and concluded that, as in the previous days, he was in good health with no illnesses, only some old injuries and his advanced age.
"Traveling should be fine, but you can't engage in high-intensity combat or overexert yourself." Even the eccentric old doctor Zou became quite proper in front of the old Duke.
"I know, I've selected a few good deputy generals, and I'm looking forward to giving them some experience." Xiao Zhan laughed heartily. Ever since it was decided that they could go on the expedition, his spirits had lifted, and even his complexion had become rosier.
"You must always listen to Li'er and not make decisions on your own," Xiao Bailing said sternly. She knew she couldn't blame the old woman anymore and could only offer this advice.
Shen Li also held her mother's hand and assured her, "Mother, there are young people to handle the hard and tiring work. Don't worry, just wait for me to bring Grandpa back."
"Yes, Ling'er, your father knows what he's doing, and with Li'er here, what do you have to worry about?" Xiao Zhan looked at his daughter and asked teasingly, "You cried again last night, didn't you? Your eyes are all red."
"No." Xiao Bailing denied it, sniffed and pointed at Shen Zizai: "He hit me."
Shen Ziyi was stunned. She asked, "Who hit whom?"
Everyone in the room just chuckled when they heard this, but then a faint sadness enveloped them.
Xiao Bailing fastened the silver armor for the old Duke, who gently comforted his daughter, promising to bring her new gadgets when he returned, just as he had done when he coaxed her before she went to war as a child.
"Father can't go back on his word." Xiao Bailing sniffed again. At forty, she looked much younger than her peers because she was carefree. However, the naivety of her youth was gone, and she could only use a smile to cover up her bitterness.
"When has Father ever broken his promise? Father is a great hero." Xiao Zhan teased her with a hearty smile.
On the other side, Shen Li also arrived wearing armor. She had borrowed a set from Lin Wan'er from Lin's mother at the last minute, because there were no women's styles in the army and there was no time to make one herself.
The silver armor looked exceptionally beautiful over the plain white dress. Her long hair was neatly tied on top of her head with a jade crown, making her look heroic and dashing, just like a female general from a play.
"You are the first woman in our family to wear armor. You must take good care of your grandfather and protect yourself, understand?" Shen Zizai put the silver helmet on his daughter's head, feeling endless emotion and reluctance.
His daughter grew up by her grandfather's side and was well-versed in poetry and literature and knew how to strategize. He never doubted that his daughter would achieve great things in poetry and literature, but he never thought that one day she would put on armor and go to the battlefield.
Even if his daughter is exceptionally talented, how could he, as a father, not worry?
"Father, don't worry, it's not that easy for you to hurt your daughter," Shen Li said with a bright smile, reassuring her father.
"Your father has never shown you military strategy since you were little, but you should know that in military strategy, planning comes first and courage comes second. You must never act rashly out of personal courage, or you will be led to your death," Shen Zizai earnestly instructed.
He now even regrets not taking his daughter to see this more often when she was young.
Shen Li agreed to everything, and finally bid farewell to her parents, letting Shen Yue, the little crybaby, pull her out the door, crying and telling her to be careful.
At dawn, Shen Li helped Xiao Zhan to the front of the imperial city, the very place where the emperor saw him off.
Emperor Cheng, accompanied by civil and military officials, came to see him off. Before the departure, he bestowed upon Xiao Zhan the military tally and the imperial sword, granting him the authority to mobilize troops from all the prefectures and counties in the north.
Shen Li stood beside the old Duke. She never imagined that two months ago she was here to bid farewell to Lin Wan'er, and now she would be embarking on the same journey as her.
She spotted Gu Chang'an among the officials. His fair and handsome appearance stood out among the group of elderly people in their forties and fifties, so much so that Shen Li recognized him just by looking at his hands.
Gu Chang'an also looked at her, his eyes filled with indescribable reluctance and longing.
She was reluctant to part with it, but with the war at hand, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to contribute.
Success or failure is better than doing nothing.
After bidding farewell to the Emperor, Shen Li turned and helped the Duke onto his horse, while she herself boarded the carriage. The moment she got into the carriage, the helplessness in her heart reached its peak.
Lin Wan'er rode in a carriage because there was no war ahead; she was simply going as a family member to offer thanks to the soldiers.
But she took a carriage because she couldn't ride a horse.
She preferred quiet to activity. In her previous life, she didn't practice martial arts not only because it was unseemly, but also because she disliked it. The same applied to horseback riding.
Women in the Great Zhao Dynasty did not value horsemanship, but noble ladies who learned it were not criticized. Her mother wanted to teach her since she was a child, but she refused to learn, which resulted in her not knowing how to ride at all now.
As Kyoto's most talented woman, she has many strengths, but she also has quite a few weaknesses.
Emperor Cheng, accompanied by his two sons and officials, watched as Xiao Zhan, along with his lieutenants and personal guards, rode away into the distance, his heart filled with unease.
They have already invested too much in this war. Judging from the current situation, the Rong and Di tribes have taken the money but are still eyeing the country covetously. Before leaving the capital, the Japanese launched another raid on the people in the east, revealing their disloyal intentions.
If we win this battle, it will surely deter these petty neighboring countries. If we lose this battle, they will probably all want a share of the spoils. At that time, we will be attacked from several sides, and the Great Zhao will be in grave danger.
The army was already waiting outside the city. The moment the old Duke Xiao Zhan rode out of the city on horseback, the soldiers' eyes turned red. There was no need for morale-boosting; the presence of such a veteran general who had fought for more than sixty years was enough to boost the soldiers' morale.
The army marched off silently, their hooves and footsteps pounding the snow-covered road, the rhythmic sounds filled with a sense of impending doom.
Shen Li took off her helmet and lifted the curtain next to the carriage. The soldier standing there was none other than the one who had delivered the message that day.
"Zhu Zi, how long will it take for the 50,000 troops to reach the border?" she asked.
"Traveling day and night, it will take half a month," Zhu Zi said in a gruff voice. "My young lady marched like this last time."
Shen Li frowned slightly. She could manage marching day and night, but she was afraid the old man couldn't withstand such exertion.
Moreover, even if we could travel this far, it would be unwise to lay all our cards on the table given the complex situation ahead.
After the army had been marching for half an hour, Shen Li called for a halt, got out of the carriage, and helped the old man down from his horse and onto the carriage.
He may have some presence when he sets off on horseback, but at his age, if he were to ride a horse for an extended period, he would likely be in trouble within a few days.
“I’m perfectly healthy, why did you step down?” Xiao Zhan was clearly very dissatisfied: “Why are you just like your mother, always so worried?”
"Here, hold this hand warmer."
Regardless of what the old man said, Shen Li had already draped the cloak over him, stuffed the hand warmer into his hand, and covered his legs with a blanket.
She was now glad she had come along; otherwise, there really wouldn't have been anyone to manage the old man.
Xiao Zhan really couldn't do anything about her, so he could only obediently listen to her.
"How does Grandpa plan to march?" she asked, sitting to one side.