Chapter 456: Chapter 463: Shallow Thoughts
 

What does this mean? Is it implying that he lacks the ability to match the opponents’ general, and that term ‘slain under the horse’—why does it sound so unsettling? As soon as one hears that phrase, it brings bad luck. Moreover, there’s a hint of admiration for Han Yu in those words—what’s that all about?!

“Hmmph!” Vice General Zhang had a few dark lines appear on his forehead upon hearing what the minor officer below him said. They had already lost the battle, which was depressing enough, but this guy just had to rub salt in the wound without being explicit, merely hinting with a look.

Unfortunately, the minor officer failed to grasp Vice General Zhang’s good intentions. Seeing that Zhao Fan and Zhang Meng were not speaking up, he continued, “General, perhaps we should retreat. With a general like Han Yu under Liu Xiu, our chances of victory are too slim. Instead of wasting our efforts, it might be better to return to the Imperial Court…”

Although the young general held a low rank in the army, his family background was not bad, which was why he became a minor officer at such an early age. Otherwise, with no experience in the military camp, he would have been nothing more than lowest rank soldier material. He had come to Yiyang only looking to easily capture a small place like this to gain some credentials, never anticipating consecutive defeats. However, the young general didn’t seem to mind, as his family’s support ensured he could live comfortably regardless.

For this reason, the young general didn’t harbor any hostility toward the local generals. In fact, he had developed a bit of admiration for Han Yu’s courage and almost divine military strategy, which was evident on his face, barely concealed due to his naïveté.

“Enough, hold your tongue! If I didn’t know you came from Duke Wei’s Mansion and that your status poses no concern, I would suspect you to be a spy sent by Liu Xiu. How else could you praise the enemy general so highly, and even utter such treacherous, morale-sapping words?”

The young general might have been overly indulged by his family to the point of not knowing his place, but he wasn’t a fool. Seeing Zhao Fan’s strong reaction, he realized his impropriety. The situation was different from the time when the late emperor was in power; Prime Minister Wang now manipulated the Little Emperor and controlled political affairs. The Duke Wei’s Mansion also had to live under Prime Minister Wang’s influence, so he couldn’t afford to cause trouble for his family because of his own actions.

“General, forgive my reckless words,” the young general said.

“Let it be, I will spare you this time, but let there not be a next time!” Zhao Fan, though displeased with the young general, ultimately let it go. After all, he couldn’t compare to the opposing general Han Yu, and the young general wasn’t just anyone—his background forced Zhao Fan to be considerate. Although Prime Minister Wang now held power, Duke Wei’s Mansion still held significant influence, and the unwritten rule in officialdom was to foster more alliances and cause fewer offenses. Having been defeated, Zhao Fan could still be blamed by Prime Minister Wang, and he didn’t know what his fate would be.

“Thank you, General, for not holding me accountable,” the young general said, although he wasn’t too worried about being blamed by Zhao Fan. His apology was merely for appearances, but inwardly, he somewhat disagreed. He had merely spoken the harsh truth, which usually isn’t well-received.

Vice General Zhang had his own calculations, and understanding the situation, he knew what was going on.

After some time, some soldiers came to assist Zhao Fan, and the few of them returned to their tent. Zhao Fan rested for a while, had his wounds treated by the Military Doctor, and then called in a general to discuss matters. They reviewed the casualties, and seeing that only half of the 30,000 Army initially brought with them remained, despite already having a guess and an estimate, he couldn’t help but feel disheartened.

“General, our losses are severe this time, with brothers either dead or wounded. It’s truly tragic. Morale is extremely low; it might not be suitable to initiate a battle for some time,” one general said with a sorrowful tone. The bond within the military camp was strong; the dead and injured were brothers who had shared daily life together, and it was profoundly affecting. Initially, the general had set a Military Order before Prime Minister Wang: seize Yiyang and capture the traitor within half a year. The reason behind those words was that he didn’t want Zhao Fan to recklessly sacrifice the lives of his men to fulfill his task, not realizing that Han Yu was someone not to be trifled with, which resulted in a heavy price paid by the general.

“Indeed, General, we’ve suffered a crushing defeat in this battle, with nearly half of our brothers either dead or injured. We should take time to recuperate; none of us can withstand more,” everyone felt the same.

Zhao Fan could hear the implicit message in his subordinates’ words. True soldiers, unless they were spoiled heirs seeking military credentials or were cold-blooded, care deeply for their officers and soldiers. Comradeship—the bond born from mutual reliance and shared fate in the military—is something outsiders cannot truly comprehend or feel.

“Rest assured, I won’t make any hasty moves before finding a better method to deal with the enemy forces! For now, that’s all I have in mind; you all are dismissed. Get the aftermath sorted out, and Vice General Zhang, stay behind,” Zhao Fan said gravely, keeping Zhang Meng there.

Zhao Fan trusted Zhang Meng deeply; Zhang Meng was shrewd and often acted as his Military Advisor. Before they launched an attack on Yiyang, Zhang Meng had advised him not to act rashly and had warned about Han Yu’s strength. It was he, Zhao Fan, who had not heeded Zhang Meng’s advice, which led to their devastatingly crushing defeat and loss of many brothers’ lives. He was deeply grieved by this.

But no matter how grieved he was, they had to move on. There was a deadline set by the Imperial Court that he couldn’t indefinitely delay just because the enemy was too formidable. If the court held him responsible later on, he couldn’t afford to take the blame.

His subordinates didn’t see his predicament the way he did; they weren’t aware of his difficulties. At the time, he had made a Military Order without an option for regret. Now, with everyone’s morale so low, he couldn’t be too drastic or say too much, lest he provoke even deeper conflicts. If a mutiny erupted, it would be disastrous. All he could do at this point was to keep Zhang Meng and discuss the situation.

“Zhang Meng, you are the person I trust the most. It was my mistake to not listen to you and act stubbornly, leading to this devastating defeat. Seeing our brothers dead or wounded, I’m very heartbroken. But what’s done is done, and regret won’t help. In front of the Prime Minister at the court, I’ve made my Military Order, and it cannot be changed. If I fail to do what I promised by the deadline, I fear…” Zhao Fan exposed his feelings openly in front of Zhang Meng, full of concern.

Zhang Meng was unlike the other generals; although he felt regret and sadness over the losses of the soldiers, he wasn’t mired in the pervasive despondency of the others. Seeing Zhao Fan so dejected, he spoke out.