Chapter 271: Jingguan
Building a mound of skulls is a common means of deterring enemies and demonstrating great military might.
In the past, when Xiongnu Barbarians invaded, they slaughtered villages and built mounds of skulls as a routine matter. Who would have thought that one day, they could use the heads of Xiongnu Barbarians to build one themselves!
Lu Feng’s eyes lit up, he grinned, and loudly agreed. After ascending to the city gate, Lu Feng eagerly told Yang Hu this big news.
Yang Hu’s brain worked quickly, and he immediately said: “The Pei Family Army, Guangning Army, and Pingyang Army all suffered casualties yesterday, and they still need to patrol the city and reinforce the city gate. They really can’t spare the personnel. For building the mound of skulls, we’ll have to trouble the Fanyang Army.”
Lu Feng rubbed his hands, both excited and joyful, yet somewhat guilty: “In yesterday’s battle, our Fanyang Army didn’t send troops or exert effort. How could we have the nerve to take this benefit and steal this glory.”
Pei Qinghe said: “This is a tough battle, who knows how long it will last. There will be plenty of opportunities later for the Fanyang Army to exert effort. Young General Lu, just take on this errand.”
The Fanyang Army’s military discipline was lax, and the soldiers were lazy and cowardly. They needed to be properly honed and trained to barely be fit for battle.
Lu Feng clearly hadn’t grasped this deeper meaning. Having gotten this glorious errand, he was quite joyful. After receiving the order, he went to muster several hundred men.
When the soldiers heard it was to build a mound of skulls, sure enough, they all beamed with joy and perked up in spirit.
They had never won a battle against the Xiongnu Barbarians. In the past, they were the ones contributing heads; now they could actually cut off the heads of Xiongnu Barbarians!
All the soldiers, majestic and high-spirited, picked up their long sabers and followed Lu Feng out of the city.
The corpses of Xiongnu Barbarians, dead in various gruesome states, were dragged back. No matter how fierce or barbaric a person was in life, in death they were just a pile of rotten meat. The soldiers raised their blades and neatly chopped off the heads, moving the bloody, stinking heads to one place and stacking them layer by layer.
To ensure the mound of skulls was majestic and imposing, Lu Feng specially fetched two clay pots of rice paste water. Once the rice paste water solidified, the heads would be firmly stuck together.
Pei Qinghe stood on the city gate and could clearly see the Fanyang Army soldiers busily at work.
“At least they’re somewhat useful.” Pei Yan muttered.
Pei Qinghe glanced at Pei Yan: “Don’t talk nonsense. Especially in front of Lu Feng, you must not show any contempt or disdain.”
Regardless, the Fanyang Army had ultimately sent three thousand soldiers. No one is born a coward, and no one is born unafraid of death or willing to fight to the death. With proper training, they could still be of some use.
Pei Yun understood immediately and smiled softly: “Soldiers are cowardly one by one, generals cowardly one nest. Before, they were General Lu’s soldiers; when they couldn’t win, they wanted to flee. Now they’re all under the general’s command; even soft bones should toughen up.”
Pei Qinghe also laughed: “My parents gave birth to me, but Pei Yun knows me.”
The two exchanged smiles.
Pei Yan was so jealous she was bubbling with it. If it were anyone else, she’d step forward and push them away. The only one she couldn’t provoke was Pei Yun. Though Pei Yun looked fair and delicate, she was actually black-hearted and ruthless. Pei Yan had always been wary of her.
Pei Qinghe teasingly said with a smile: “Why aren’t you speaking? Aren’t you usually the most barbaric and domineering?”
Pei Yun smiled sweetly as she looked over, casually clenching her fist.
Pei Yan coughed: “I’ve always deeply respected Cousin Sister Yun.”
Pei Qinghe and Pei Yun smiled again.
After half a day’s busy work, the mound of skulls was finally built. The corpses had all been stripped of their soft armor and clothes, and quite a bit of gold, silver, and valuables was found.
Strangely, the usually greedy and money-loving soldiers all honestly put the plundered gold and silver jewelry into the bamboo baskets.
Lu Feng couldn’t help but click his tongue twice: “You’re all being awfully honest and obedient today.”
“Young General, don’t shame us.” A bold soldier sighed: “We’re men too; how could we be so shameless.”
The other soldiers chimed in noisily: “We didn’t exert any effort in this battle, yet we got such a cushy errand. Building a mound of skulls from Xiongnu Barbarians is enough for us to brag about for a lifetime.”
“Before, we were scattered by the Xiongnu Barbarians’ cavalry charge; if the Pei Family Army hadn’t come to help, we would have fled in disorder.”
“General Pei is watching from the city gate; if we pocketed the gold and silver jewelry, how could we have the face to return to the city.”
In the soldiers’ words, there was shame and self-blame, disgust for their past selves, and above all, reverence for General Pei.
Lu Feng felt no dissatisfaction or displeasure, and said solemnly: “We’ll let it slide this time. In future battles, we must proactively apply to fight. Let General Pei, General Yang, and Young General Song see that our Fanyang Army has good men too, not cowards!”
The soldiers listened with blood boiling and all agreed.
“Quick, look, General Pei is coming down from the city gate.”
All the soldiers immediately fell silent and continued with the cleanup work. They strove to show their best side in front of the God of War in their hearts.
Pei Qinghe walked over, her gaze sweeping around, and she praised: “This mound of skulls is built well today.”
Lu Feng subconsciously straightened his chest and loudly replied: “This is what we should do; we don’t dare accept the general’s praise.”
Pei Qinghe glanced at the full bamboo baskets and said with a smile: “These are all the wealth seized from the Xiongnu Barbarians’ corpses. Have someone send them to Steward Shi for inventory and storage. In the future, when exchanged for military rations, the Fanyang Army will have a share too.”
Lu Feng’s gaze suddenly burned with eagerness, and he grinned in agreement. He turned and called over a few strong and sturdy soldiers to carry the bamboo baskets into the city.
“General, what about these corpses?”
The headless corpses were piled up like a small mountain.
Pei Qinghe’s gaze was cold: “Set them on fire.”
The general’s order must have deep meaning.
Lu Feng respectfully acknowledged the order, fetched several buckets of vegetable oil, poured them on, and lit over a dozen torches, throwing them over.
When the flames touched the vegetable oil, they immediately flared up, and in an instant, a raging inferno blazed.
The smell of burning corpses was thick and pungent, mixed with charred stench, making one want to vomit.
Pei Feng couldn’t hold back and turned to vomit.
This time, Pei Xuan didn’t mock him. Because she was about to vomit too. In her life, she’d fought in many battles big and small, but this was the first time she’d seen such a scene.
This was truly grinding to ashes; even in death, the Xiongnu Barbarians found no peace. For Xiongnu Barbarians who revered sky burial, it was both a show of might and a provocation.
“The news will soon reach the Xiongnu Barbarians’ ears.” Pei Yun softly reminded: “Changli County is just over a hundred li away; a fast horse can reach below the city in one or two days. We need to prepare for battle.”
Pei Qinghe sneered: “That’s exactly what I want—to draw them here.”
Pei Yan couldn’t help interjecting: “The Xiongnu Barbarians are besieging Liaoxi Commandery; this way, their main force might come straight for us. Won’t that make it too easy for Li Gouzei!”
Yang Hu and Song Dalang, with one arm bandaged, both looked over, and Lu Feng perked up his ears.
The red glow of the fiercely burning flames illuminated Pei Qinghe’s heroic and awe-inspiring face: “We are saving the common people of Liaoxi Commandery. Li Gouzei couldn’t protect the common people; from now on, I, Pei Qinghe, will shelter them.”
