NOVEL WEB Chapter 135: Duty
“Have the people from [Shuimu Principality] arrived?”
Gaoer, clad in golden armor, casually inquired of the aide riding beside him on a tall steed while he sat atop a white tiger with black stripes.
The aide, although sitting upright, leaned forward respectfully and replied, “Marshal, they've arrived. They got here yesterday, but you were busy handling military affairs, so Leader Zhuo arranged for them to set up camp outside our base.”
Gaoer gave a nonchalant nod as he idly glanced at the fields of 'Blue Silver Grass' near and far. It was merely a passing thought that prompted his question; he wasn't particularly concerned.
Naturally, he had no intention to meet that so-called ‘reinforcement’ from [Shuimu Principality].
Nothing more than mere cannon fodder after all.
…
[Shuimu Principality] Camp.
Jiang Yuan roamed the camp with ease, observing the soldiers' morale and occasionally engaging in brief conversations.
“Brother Yuan.”
Upon returning to his tent, Jiang Yuan found Li Zhishu already waiting.
“Old Li is here~”
Jiang Yuan nodded and led Li Zhishu into the tent. They walked across the soft "Blue Silver Grass" that covered the ground. Inside, Jiang Yuan took off his battle blade from his waist and placed it on the table. He then turned to Li Zhishu and asked, "Tell me, has something happened on the Heaven Dou side again?"
“Yes." Li Zhishu nodded, his slightly round face filled with indignation. "Brother Yuan, the Heaven Dou lot have really crossed the line this time!"
“Although it was agreed from the start that we'd supply our own provisions, you know we've come with over ten thousand men and two to three thousand warhorses..."
"With the number of people and horses we have to feed, what we brought from the principality can only last ten days or half a month at most. After that, we have to buy supplies from the rear cities controlled by Heaven Dou."
“But—!" Li Zhishu paused, gritting his teeth. "I just went to Notting City at the back to gather some information. All the grain stores in the city, whether official or private, have been incorporated into the military supply depot at market price in advance. If we want to buy grain, we can only purchase from the military supply depot!"
"And the price is three times what it was a week ago!!"
Listening to Li Zhishu's explanation, Jiang Yuan furrowed his brows tightly and sighed, "The Heaven Dou Army is even more shameless than it was over a decade ago!"
Over a decade ago, when Jiang Yuan first came to the front lines of the two empires with the army, there were already some dirty dealings, but never to the current extent—without basic decency or shame.
“Where's A Yi?" Jiang Yuan suddenly remembered Ling Yi, wanting to consult the smartest person he knew for an analysis of the situation and some advice.
“A Yi ah~" Li Zhishu shook his head without thinking, "He's been with the medical unit since the gathering back in the principality and hasn't come out—"
Li Zhishu shook his head, and Jiang Yuan couldn't help but do the same—not towards Ling Yi, but towards certain people within the principality.
"Not a single one of them has any vision or heart!"
Even though no one in the entire Shuimu Principality believed that Ling Yi was an ambitious person, there were always those who couldn't stand the Blacksmith Association's Shuimu Principality branch from thriving too well.
This burgeoning force, like a rising sun, had at its core none other than Ling Yi, who hadn't even reached the status of a Soul Elder yet!
“Enough~” Jiang Yuan mused on the faces of those higher-ups and thought about how the military of Heaven Dou had shown its ugly side—it was black crows all over the world.
Li Zhishu, filled with hot blood, especially after having visited the idyllic 'Blue Silver Territory', compared the attitudes of Shuimu Principality's nobles and blurted out, "With those parasites around, no matter how hard we try, how can the principality get any better?!"
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan's expression changed, and he immediately hissed, "Silence!"
He then glared at Li Zhishu, summoned his soul power, heightened his senses, and listened carefully, sensing the surroundings of the tent.
Once he confirmed no one was outside, Jiang Yuan glared at Li Zhishu again and lightly scolded, "You're over twenty years old, yet you're just like Long Yin and his kind, with no filter on your mouth?"
"Oh." Li Zhishu, chastened, didn't retort, only lowered his head and softly responded.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuan sighed deeply in his heart, his previously upright spine slumping slightly.
Sometimes, what one says and what one really thinks are two entirely different things.
Yet, in this world where the power of the upper echelons decides everything, no matter how absurd those above acted, the powerless citizens below could only endure it silently.
Compared to the common folk who remain blissfully ignorant, Jiang Yuan finds that such unawareness might actually offer more mental happiness. What the commoners know are only things that those in power want them to know, usually aligning with their joys.
Sometimes, living a simple, mundane life isn't too bad.
“Brother Yuan—” Li Zhishu's voice rings out again, his emotions now back under control, sounding much calmer: “We don’t know how long this will last. How should we manage our provisions?”
“Aside from the supplies we brought with the army, the funding allocated to us by the principality isn't enough to sustain these costs at triple the usual rate!”
“And who’s to say prices won’t rise further tomorrow?!”
Jiang Yuan: “……”
Opening his mouth, Jiang Yuan finds himself speechless, as Li Zhishu questions him on a matter outside his expertise.
Before commanding the army at the frontlines of the two great empires, Jiang Yuan was merely a school captain in the Cold Wind Camp, never managing so many people or dealing with the intricate, delicate relationships involved here.
Even if General Song Yao, the 'Marquis of Cedar,' were here, he wouldn’t arrive at a good decision either.
Of course, Song Yao wouldn’t share Jiang Yuan and Li Zhishu’s worries.
It isn't because Song Yao is an Emperor of Souls while they are only a Soul King and a Soul Sovereign, but simply because, as a prominent General, Soul Emperor, and Marquis, Song Yao never needs to worry about sustenance. Even in the chaotic and turbulent frontline, he can always enjoy lavish meals.
The concerns weighing down Jiang Yuan and Li Zhishu stem from carrying the burden of ten-thousand comrades on their shoulders, feeling immense pressure akin to mountains.
In their view, since they had brought these brothers-in-arms out with them, it was their duty to ensure every single comrade returned.
This was the responsibility of both the commander and the logistics officer.
About three hundred meters away from Jiang Yuan's camp, in a smaller tent, Ling Yi sat on a stool, gazing at the books spread out on the table before him.
Suddenly, he appeared lost in thought, eyes unfocused, as if he had heard something that shook him from his reading, causing him to shake his head.
He reached out to caress the "Blue Silver Grass" swaying gently by his feet, his expression serene, his eyes as deep as ancient pools.
In a past life, he had come across such a saying:
"When a country thrives, its people generally thrive as well. But when a nation falls into decline, its citizens tend to become apathetic."
People are not naturally indifferent; it is the circumstances over time that force them to shut off their once fervent hearts.
Such was the case with the Shuimu Principality for him, Jiang Yuan, Li Zhishu, and others.
Similarly, the Heavenly Dou Empire with its vassals and dukedoms.
Ling Yi, at present, was merely a humble healing-type soul master, capable only of treating injuries, unable to save a country or the world.
(End of Chapter)
