Chapter 23: The Eve—As Peaceful As Ever

After entering Qiansang City, Li Guang first sent the severely wounded to receive treatment, while those with lighter injuries had their wounds dressed and remained by the city gate awaiting further orders. After such a battle, no one knew what the situation would be moving forward. If Li Guang were to defend the city, his force of over two thousand men would not fear the Xiongnu cavalry; the Xiongnu had never been adept at storming fortified cities.

Once the troops’ placements were arranged and the city’s defenses strengthened, Li Guang allowed the remaining soldiers to rest. After a day’s fighting and a night’s desperate escape, everyone was utterly exhausted.

After properly handling the yellow banner, Qin Cheng made his way alone to the resting place of the Eighteenth Squad. Though his formal appointment as squad captain had not yet come through, Li Guang’s battlefield order left no doubt about the role. At this moment, Qin Cheng was carrying out the handover of certain duties with the Eighteenth Squad.

The residents near the city gate had already been relocated in accordance with wartime regulations, so the area was now occupied only by several thousand soldiers. Considering the Xiongnu still posed a threat to Qiansang City, the entire garrison had been concentrated at the city gates, with the northern gate being most heavily manned.

Due to limited accommodations, both sides of the streets were crowded with Han troops, gathered in their respective units; most had already fallen asleep. Torches, spaced at intervals, cast orderly light across a broad swath near the north gate, illuminating countless flickering shadows—some whole, some partial—dancing in the firelight, belonging to men and equipment alike.

The autumn night was bitterly cold, especially in the north. Tunics, soaked with blood and sweat, clung to bodies, chilling the men to the bone in the night wind. Qin Cheng flexed his wrist and gazed up at a sky whose constellations differed from those he remembered in his previous life, a faint melancholy touching his heart. He drew his long saber, now chipped in places, and suddenly the famous line from a poem, known to all even a thousand years later, surfaced in his mind: “By drunken lamplight I inspect my sword; in dreams, the bugle calls me back to the camps…”

He had not yet reached the Eighteenth Squad’s encampment when a squad of nearly ten cavalrymen thundered past, racing by Qin Cheng at full gallop. He looked closely and spotted Yue Yi at the end of the column. Yue Yi recognized him as well, shouted to his companions, and reined in his horse, heading over to Qin Cheng.

Before Qin Cheng could speak, Yue Yi nimbly dismounted, his face alight with excitement. “I heard you killed the Xiongnu’s Left Bone Commander! Are you hurt at all? I saw you sticking close to General Li earlier, but had no chance to ask—I was unconscious when you struck down the Left Bone Commander.”

Yue Yi’s first concern was not for the battle’s outcome but for Qin Cheng’s injuries, which warmed Qin Cheng’s heart. “I’m fine. You lost consciousness? How are your wounds?”

Still grinning, Yue Yi thumped his chest heavily with a fist. “Nothing serious—just exhausted myself earlier, fought too hard, and when we broke into Eagle’s Mouth and finally relaxed, I blacked out and tumbled from my horse. Luckily, I had friends nearby. I cut down twenty Xiongnu cavalrymen today!”

“Twenty?” Qin Cheng was a bit surprised. He knew well how brutal the melee had been, and that killing twenty foes was a feat that would command respect from the entire army. Smiling, he said, “It seems your years of training were not in vain. With such merit, few in the army can compare. As long as you survive, promotion and rewards are inevitable. You’ve brought honor to your family.”

“A mere tally, nothing worth boasting about—unlike you, who slew the Xiongnu’s Left Bone Commander with a single stroke!” Yue Yi had heard others describe Qin Cheng’s battle with the Left Bone Commander and felt both amazed and genuinely pleased for him. “Their Left Bone Commanders are always the bravest, the pick of ten thousand. You’ve achieved a great victory, unnerved the enemy, and played a crucial part in the army’s safe withdrawal from Eagle’s Mouth. I truly admire you.”

The two walked side by side, Yue Yi leading his horse, both survivors of the day’s ordeal, their conversation open and heartfelt.

“On the way back, I saw you holding the yellow banner and was quite puzzled. How did it end up in your hands?” Yue Yi asked.

“The squad captain was killed in action, so I seized the yellow banner back from the Xiongnu. General Li then had me bear it… General Li has appointed me as the new squad captain, though right now the Eighteenth Squad is without a proper leader, so he’s asked me to have Dong Chu act in the role for now.” Qin Cheng spoke without the slightest hint of pride, as if becoming a cavalry commander was nothing worth mentioning.

“You recaptured the yellow banner?” Yue Yi was astonished. “That’s another great merit! No matter how many heads I take, I can’t compare with you. I wonder how General Li will reward you after the battle—and the imperial court. These two feats must be reported to the capital.”

Qin Cheng merely smiled and said little more.

As they conversed, Qin Cheng found the Eighteenth Squad and took his leave of Yue Yi; each returned to his own camp.

“Captain, you’re back!” A sentry in the squad opened his eyes and, seeing Qin Cheng, exclaimed in delight, “Everyone, wake up! The captain has returned!”

Qin Cheng nodded, unable to do much about the sentry’s excitement.

Dong Chu had not fallen deeply asleep; hearing the commotion as he noticed Qin Cheng, he smacked the sentry on the back of the head and scolded with a laugh, “Captain? He’s a squad officer now! Don’t you know? Appointed by the general himself—I heard it with my own ears. Isn’t that right, Captain—no, Squad Officer?”

Seeing that those who had survived the battle were now awake, Qin Cheng said, “General Li sent me to arrange things. Dong Chu will temporarily act as captain of the Eighteenth Squad.”

“Is it true?” Dong Chu was overjoyed, but then, remembering it was only temporary, his spirits fell. Still, knowing he had killed many Xiongnu that day, he reasoned that as long as he survived, the appointment would be made permanent after the battle. “Don’t worry, Squad Officer, I won’t let you down!”

Qin Cheng nodded. “Though I’m no longer your captain, if you ever need anything, as long as I can help, I will never refuse.”

The Eighteenth Squad had been the cradle of his career, and Qin Cheng still felt a certain affection for its men.

Hearing this, everyone offered their congratulations.

At last, Qin Cheng ordered them all to rest, then pulled Dong Chu aside to ask, “I didn’t get a chance to check on Wu Daliang—how is he?”

“Don’t worry, Squad Officer. Daliang is tough; he’s fine. He regained consciousness on the road back. I saw him then—his first words were to apologize for being a burden to you, and to say your blow that killed the Left Bone Commander was truly awe-inspiring!” Dong Chu reported truthfully.

Qin Cheng nodded. Wu Daliang was not particularly skilled, but as a veteran, he had plenty of experience. Qin Cheng couldn’t understand why such a veteran was still an ordinary sentry and hadn’t even been made a squad leader. If the opportunity arose, he thought, perhaps he could help him.

Seeing Qin Cheng silent, Dong Chu said animatedly, “Your strike that killed the Left Bone Commander was truly earth-shaking! I saw it myself, and was filled with admiration. With your ability, your future is limitless! If you ever rise high, I hope you won’t hold past slights against me and will lend me a hand. I’d be forever grateful.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be counting on you to look after the Eighteenth Squad; if anything happens, I’ll hold you responsible!” Dong Chu had his faults and could be opportunistic, but he had saved Qin Cheng’s life on the battlefield earlier that day, so Qin Cheng accepted him. Because of this, he spoke to Dong Chu frankly.

“Rest assured, Squad Officer! I’ll make sure no one bullies the brothers of the Eighteenth Squad!” Dong Chu vowed, then, seeing Qin Cheng’s amused expression, added in a quieter voice, “Of course, I won’t bully them either.”

“That’s good.”

Having finished with Dong Chu, Qin Cheng found himself at a loss for where to go. Neither of his two lifetimes of memories provided an answer to where a squad officer should sleep. As he hesitated, someone came to call for him.

“Qin Cheng, the general summons you,” the captain of the personal guard approached briskly.

“Yes, sir,” Qin Cheng replied, following at his side.

“How should I address you, brother?” After a few steps, Qin Cheng asked. He had glimpsed this man in action on the battlefield and had been impressed by his skill and his willingness to risk his life to protect Li Guang. He also recalled from their first meeting that he showed no sign of currying favor with Li Gan, which left a favorable impression.

“Call me Li Hu,” the captain replied coolly.

“So it’s Brother Hu. I saw your skills today on the battlefield and was impressed. Why didn’t you take part in the selection trials? It’s a pity I didn’t get a chance to cross swords with you.” Qin Cheng spoke with easy familiarity, hoping to build rapport; such a straightforward, formidable man as Li Hu would be a valuable acquaintance.

“The selection trials didn’t interest me,” Li Hu replied in the same indifferent tone. After a glance at Qin Cheng, whose expression remained calm, he added, “But I’d be interested in exchanging a few moves with you.”

“Oh? I’d like that very much. I’ll be sure to seek your instruction another day,” Qin Cheng said with a smile.

“Then practice hard—I won’t go easy on you,” Li Hu said coolly, apparently unimpressed by Qin Cheng’s feat of slaying the Left Bone Commander. “Of course, that’s assuming you survive this war.”

By now, Li Guang had finished inspecting the city walls and was reading by candlelight in his tent. When Qin Cheng entered with Li Hu, Li Gan was nowhere to be seen—presumably already asleep.

“General, I’ve brought Qin Cheng,” Li Hu announced, then left the tent.

“Greetings, General. May I ask why you summoned me?” Qin Cheng saluted.

Li Guang set down his bamboo slip and looked at Qin Cheng. “Earlier, seeing your meritorious defense of the yellow banner, I appointed you as the new squad officer. On reflection, however, I’m not sure that’s the best use of your abilities, so I’ve summoned you to consider changing your assignment.”

He paused, observing Qin Cheng’s calm demeanor, then continued, “At the moment, I have no suitable position for you elsewhere. Why not remain with me for now? When this campaign is over, I’ll report your deeds to the court and see to it you receive an appropriate post. What do you think?”

“I obey your orders, General,” Qin Cheng answered respectfully, thinking: It seems Li Guang was impressed by my performance today and wants me to serve as his aide. He smiled inwardly, feeling his earlier risk in offering counsel to Li Guang—despite their difference in status—had not been in vain. Fortunately, he faced Li Guang, the Flying General himself; had it been any other commander, he would likely have been silenced, as Li Gan had tried to do.

Li Guang nodded, clearly satisfied with Qin Cheng’s composure. He asked for his opinion on the current situation. Before Qin Cheng could reply, Li Hu entered with a report: “General, Cavalry Captain Ji Zhu has returned to camp!”

“Send him in!” Li Guang’s spirits lifted immediately. Ji Zhu was the officer who had led a cavalry detachment at Eagle’s Mouth, staging the “hanging sheep and beating drums, starving horses whinnying” ruse.

“Yes, sir!”

Shortly after, a man of similar stature to Qin Cheng strode into the tent. His features were utterly ordinary—the kind of face lost in a crowd. What set him apart were his shining eyes and the aura of rugged strength that surrounded him.

“Ji Zhu reports to the General,” the man announced, bowing deeply.

“Ji Zhu, what’s the situation?” Li Guang asked eagerly.

“I carried out your orders at Eagle’s Mouth until midnight, and the Xiongnu remained unaware. Only then did I withdraw my men and return, as ordered,” Ji Zhu replied.

“Well done!” Li Guang exclaimed. “General Ji Zhu is as brave as ever. Go and rest now, and prepare for tomorrow’s battle!”

“Yes, General!”