Chapter 1289 - 317: Mobilizing Troops (Part 4)

Chapter 1289: Chapter 317: Mobilizing Troops (Part 4)

Hui An wasn’t sure of the specifics, he only knew that many servants from the homes of high-ranking officials had started appearing in their labor team begging for food.

His godfather told Hui An, life is fickle. One moment you’re high above, and the next, you might find yourself knee-deep in mud.

Early in the month,

his godfather suddenly invited him to drink wine,

Hui An didn’t like drinking wine; he preferred eating meat.

To his surprise, there was a big plate of meat on the table.

His godfather told him to eat, saying he had neglected being good to him, letting him suffer.

Hui An gobbled up the meat,

The next day,

he was sent by his godfather to the conscript camp, replacing his godfather’s son to serve in the labor duties for the campaign against the Chu State.

Hui An didn’t cry or cause a fuss, and he didn’t resent his godfather; he even felt he came out ahead.

That plate of pig head meat, it was delicious.

Of course,

it wasn’t just about the pig head meat; Hui An understood the logic: no matter how delicious the meat might be, it would never be as precious as life.

But how to put this,

Hui An’s home was originally in a village near the Jade Plate City, his parents were actually killed by the Chu people.

Back then, he and his father were taken to Jade Plate City as forced labor; his mother was also captured but her whereabouts were unknown, later his godfather told him that when the Chu in Jade Plate City were besieged with no food, they resorted to cannibalism, of course, they didn’t eat their own but...

A group of forced laborers took a risk to escape, his father took him along, but his father didn’t make it out; he floated across the Wang River clinging to a wooden board and eventually joined the refugee group at Ying Capital City.

Hence, he actually held deep-seated hatred towards the Chu people.

He didn’t have a good impression of the Yan people, as in Ying Capital City, they were always arrogant.

But Yan people were going to attack the Chu State, and he was willing to be part of it; after all, labor duty, conscript work, are nothing significant.

Hui An had come to terms, truly accepted his situation.

When the conscript team crossed the Wang River, a boat encountered an issue and capsized.

Hui An was skilled in swimming and went into the water with a group of people, rescuing someone there about his own age, who he later found was named Guo Dong.

After crossing the Wang River, a military officer came to organize and distribute them.

The Jin people and Yan people would be mixed together and made into one team.

Hui An understood that this was to let the Yan people oversee the Jin people.

His own godfather would do the same, often combining local Ying Capital City folks with outsiders during work for mutual oversight, fearing dishonest actions.

Somewhat luckily, once Hui An’s team was newly assigned, he found Guo Dong was there as well.

Guo Dong’s father was somewhat of an official in the conscript camp, at least someone with authority, and under his arrangements, Hui An and Guo Dong were assigned to the same squad.

Hui An knew it wasn’t gratitude from the other side, but rather because he had saved his son once, hoping he might save him again.

Yet, being with Guo Dong meant better rations than he had in the Jin camp, and Hui An was quite satisfied.

The team continued onward, conscripts and auxiliary soldiers from Yan State and Jin State gathered at Ying Capital City, then set out from there, crossing the Wang River;

After crossing, they’d split again, led by their respective officers to where they needed to go.

The conscript camp of Hui An and Guo Dong consisted of around six thousand people, their route heading due east.

Unlike other teams, when they marched, they really just marched without transporting supplies or military gear, everyone walked on foot, which was actually quite relaxing.

Guo Dong asked Hui An why this was the case?

Hui An responded by questioning him if he didn’t like being lazy the most?

Without anything to carry, no blisters or delays, isn’t it good?

Guo Dong replied seriously: I’m concerned about what we’ll eat later!

They wouldn’t be using military gear as conscripts and auxiliary soldiers unless there were many casualties on the front lines creating gaps for auxiliaries to fill.

But military rations, they certainly wouldn’t have as good as regular soldiers, but at least there would be food!

Going empty-handed like this, once their brought rations are finished, what will everyone eat?

Hui An said that during his labor work, unloading and loading goods for officials and trade caravans in Ying Capital City, he heard numerous times that people at Snow Sea Pass were living well.

Guo Dong asked excitedly if the team was heading to Snow Sea Pass? He knew Snow Sea Pass, Lord Pingye was the pride of the Yan people!

In the end,

Their team wasn’t heading to Snow Sea Pass, but stopped at the northeast side of Town South Pass.

Everyone was assigned tasks to gather timber from nearby and set up a camp.

Not a camp for them to sleep in, but a military camp.

During wartime, a soldier’s energy and rest are crucial, hence these tasks fell mostly to conscripts and auxiliary soldiers, while regular soldiers focused on resting and preparing for battle.

The next day, a team of cavalry arrived from the north, taking over the command of the camp construction, demanding conscripts and auxiliaries build the fortifications they required.

High demands meant Guo Dong and Hui An had to double their anticipated effort.

However, by noon the following day, a convoy carrying provisions arrived from the north, and as cooking began, everyone’s enthusiasm was instantly ignited because they saw meat!