Chapter 36: The Worthy Soldiers Should Be Praised

The wailing sound of horns echoed across the battlefield, and the army formation ahead began to change.

Several generals walked outside the fortress and, for the first time, carefully examined the reinforcements before them.

The reinforcements were a dense mass—not an enormous number, but neither small. It had to be noted that this was within the territory of the Jurchen people, facing tens of thousands of troops.

However, the reinforcements were arrayed in strict formation. Even while changing formations at this moment, every individual held their head high and chest out; apart from the sound of footsteps and armor, there was no extraneous noise at all.

Their imposing presence seemed to saturate the heavens and earth, exuding an unparalleled deterrence.

Was this the Shun'an Army?

The generals, familiar with the various forces of the northern lands, couldn't help but show stunned expressions.

Not to mention their armor—this aura was unheard of before.

This was evidently a top-tier elite force, with each soldier capable of matching ten.

"Good soldiers."

The Duke of Chengguo's voice came from behind.

The generals hastily turned their heads and saw the Duke of Chengguo being carried forward on a soft sedan chair. Though his vitality seemed low, his gaze remained clear as he observed the military formation before him with unreserved admiration on his face.

"Are all these your soldiers?" He asked Miss Jun while glancing over.

The question was peculiar.

This was clearly the Shun'an Army, so why had he referred to it as Miss Jun's army?

The generals exchanged bewildered looks.

Standing next to the Duke's sedan chair, Miss Jun smiled softly.

"These are soldiers of the great Zhou," she replied.

The Duke of Chengguo's gaze fell on the towering red flag within the formation.

"Qing… Shan… Army," he pronounced slowly, one word at a time.

Qingshan Army?

So, it was the Qingshan Army?

The generals turned their eyes back toward the military formation. In addition to the flag of the Shun'an Army, indeed, another large banner was fluttering.

Qingshan Army.

What kind of army was this?

As the thought flashed through their minds, the distant sound of galloping hooves broke the air—massive numbers of troops and horses approached.

Who were they? Could they be woodcutters?

The generals focused their gaze, only to see thousands of people drawing closer. Their clothing, armor, and flags were all distinctly those of the Zhou people.

Relieved, the generals exhaled, recalling the young lady's previous remark; this must be the force that had gone to raid the Jin Army's camp.

As the troops neared, they immediately, under the command of signals and drums, melded seamlessly into the military formation, flowing like streams into a great river, naturally and smoothly.

Only one rider continued galloping toward this side.

When the person came into view, the generals were visibly startled.

It was, astoundingly, another woman.

The woman was mounted on a black horse, a crimson cape billowing as she sped forward. She carried a bow slung over her shoulder, a long blade gripped in her hand, a round shield tied to her saddle—a warrior's full arsenal.

Her face was obscured by a red cloth, but her eyes shone bright and piercing.

The horse approached rapidly without slowing, kicking up a gust that stirred the dust in its wake, making Miss Jun's cape and dress hem flutter in the wind.

"Sis, you told us to retreat too early," she called loudly, reining in her horse before Miss Jun, her voice fierce. "I already found out where that prince is hiding. Just give me a little more time, and he'd be done for."

Had she really infiltrated the Seventh Prince's base?

This girl was truly extraordinary.

The generals couldn't suppress their astonishment. What was even more remarkable, however, was her immediate withdrawal upon hearing the recall order, not hesitating to pull back at such a critical juncture.

Miss Jun smiled at her.

"Hanqing is impressive," she said. "But if you truly finish him off, none of us will be able to leave."

Zhao Hanqing made a noise of understanding, steering her horse in several circles before her gaze fell upon the Duke of Chengguo.

The Duke observed her and offered a gentle smile.

Zhao Hanqing's expression turned wooden as she averted her gaze, seemingly paying no attention to anyone but Miss Jun.

"Sis, I'm rejoining the formation," she said flatly.

Miss Jun nodded, and Zhao Hanqing immediately spurred her horse into a swift gallop away.

"Is she your younger sister?" the Duke inquired.

Miss Jun looked at him with a smile and nodded.

"A fine young lady," the Duke said approvingly. "And fine soldiers."

Miss Jun beamed, her eyes sparkling—tinged with modest glee and a hint of shy pride.

It was rare, truly rare, for Miss Jun to display such a tender demeanor.

At the side, Lei Zhonglian shot a sidelong glance, and then overheard someone nearby emitting two cold laughs.

"If you're not dead, save your strength to recover," Lei Zhonglian turned and muttered quietly. "You laugh coldly all day long, but what's the point of your cold laughter?"

Eighteenth Jin glared icily at him, one arm bound to his chest—evidently injured.

The wound was inflicted during an encounter with the Jurchen people days ago.

"There are many pointless things," Eighteenth Jin sneered. "Do you think that by saving him, he won't die?"

As he spat these words, his focus fell upon the Duke of Chengguo.

Lei Zhonglian frowned.

"People all face death. If that's how you view it, then there's no point in anything we do at all," he countered. "But the things we do aren't always just about life and death."

Eighteenth Jin smirked in sarcasm, but Lei Zhonglian ignored him since Miss Jun was now directing the cleanup of the battlefield.

"There are thousands who perished on the battlefield here, a thousand heavily wounded, and the lightly injured remain uncounted," a general reported casualties, his words casting silence over the area and an oppressive atmosphere.

The losses were truly immense. More than half of the Duke's Personal Soldiers had fallen here.

"Cover their faces locally, collect the identification plates, and retreat," the Duke of Chengguo ordered succinctly.

Perhaps due to his frailty, his voice carried a somber sadness.

In truth, there wasn't even time for proper burials, let alone cremation or collecting ashes.

To die in foreign lands, without even a mat for a burial, only to be exposed to wind, sun, and scavenging beasts—it was undeniably heartbreaking.

Yet, it was a reality everyone accepted.

Just as the generals were about to convey the orders, Miss Jun interjected.

"Let us handle the burials," she said firmly.

The reinforcements were numerous, but even so, digging mass graves was an incredibly labor-intensive task.

Women were inherently tender-hearted, prone to sentimentality.

The generals glanced at the men nearby, hoping someone would offer opposition. Was this Shun'an Army truly commanded by this woman?

The men, too, looked at Miss Jun, but contrary to the generals by the Duke's side, their expressions bore no trace of doubt.

"Yes," they answered resolutely in unison.

The generals inwardly sighed—these men were clearly of no help. One stepped forward.

"Miss Jun, this will be far too taxing on manpower…" he began.

Miss Jun interrupted him with a shake of her head.

"No, it won't be taxing on manpower," she stated, turning to Xia Yong. "Use the stone bullets."

Stone bullets?

The generals understood what they were, but surely she didn't mean to dig graves with them? That would be slower than manual digging.

Frowning, the generals looked on as Xia Yong responded affirmatively and quickly departed. Moments later, the flags and gongs commanding the military formation paused briefly.

The troops ceased their movement accordingly.

Then, the command flags and gongs resumed, yet the army remained unmoving. Instead, numerous supply carts emerged from the formation.

Could these carts dig graves?

The generals watching from outside the fortress exchanged complicated looks; some couldn't resist shaking their heads.

What was the matter with this Shun'an Army?

"Duke,"

A woman's gentle voice rang out again.

"Cover your ears—the noise will be loud."

What noise was going to be loud?

The generals blinked in confusion, turning to look at Miss Jun. Just as they did so, a deafening series of booms erupted, accompanied by trembling ground.

The sound wasn't merely loud—it was overwhelmingly powerful.

Caught off guard, many stumbled and nearly fell. Forgetting Miss Jun, they turned their shocked eyes forward.

Flames and plumes of smoke rose across the ground, while soil and stones scattered in all directions.

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