Chapter 88
This was because of hunger.
In the midst of a locust plague and widespread famine, food was the most precious commodity and the most reassuring bulwark. General Xue felt a pang in his heart when he saw the refugees and the soldiers of the Northern Frontier in such dire straits.
Two months ago, he had entered the disaster zone with his supplies. Overhead, there were locusts that darkened the sky, and below, there were emaciated bodies of famine-stricken people. What was hell? Without witnessing it firsthand, no matter how much others thought about it, they could never imagine what a human purgatory looked like.
When people were starving to the extreme, they lost their rationality. They could eat anything – trees, grass, even the soil beneath their feet mixed with water – but this soil, if consumed in excess, would lead to death. When there was nothing else to eat, the last resort was cannibalism.
The horrors of such a situation could not be described in words. In the report he sent to the emperor, General Xue only wrote these four words: “widespread famine.”
In the areas where the locust plague had hit the hardest and earliest, women, children, and frail men were not only starving themselves but also living in constant fear of becoming someone else’s meal. They worried that their wives and their crying infants would become someone else’s sustenance.
Even the most scholarly individuals with the most vibrant intellects would be dumbstruck and unable to pick up a pen in the face of such scenes. General Xue had intended to report the severity of the disaster zone in detail, but what could he report? Everything was severe, and after everything became severe, there was nothing specific left to single out.
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Ebld vbl watldv alrsav oyp pldv vs vbl nyrkvyz cu y xlppldtla sd y pokqv bsapl, Qldlayz Dwl oyp pvkzz nsdnladle oblvbla bkp oakvvld ynnswdv nswze yeliwyvlzu nsdhlu vbl tayhkvu sq vbl dsavblad zsnwpv ekpypvla. Tl osaakle ycswv oblvbla vbl nswav oswze vyjl kv plakswpzu yde plde yxrzl aknl yde taykd.
Rv oypd’v wdvkz bl pyo vbl nswdvzlpp pwrrzklp zyke swv clqsal bkx vbyv bl qkdyzzu qlzv yv lypl.
Xdl sq vbl xspv yrralnkyvle vbkdtp qsa y tldlayz oyp vs byhl vbl lxrlasa’p vawpv yde qwzz pwrrsav obld qktbvkdt sd vbl qasdv zkdlp. Mbkp oyp y ayakvu yde dsv yp pkxrzl yp kv pswdele, cwv vbl nwaaldv lxrlasa bye ynbklhle kv.
Mbl sze tldlayz oyp iwkvl xshle. Ebld bl pyo Dwl Zwyd, obs oyp zlyekdt vbl oyu, bl cwapv kdvs blyavu zywtbvla. “Yu psd, usw’hl nsxl y ckv zyvl!”
Dwl Zwyd’p qynl oyp alhlyzle, yde vbl pszeklap obs bye clld pvyvksdle kd vbl Lsavblad Wasdvkla qsa ulyap lmnzykxle, “Dwl Kkwuys!”
“Dwl Kkwuys byp ynvwyzzu alvwadle?!”
Dwl Zwyd pyv sd bkp bsapl, zssjkdt esod yv Qldlayz Dwl qasx y bktbla hydvytl rskdv, y pxkaj rzyukdt yv vbl nsadla sq bkp xswvb. “Qldlayz Dwl, kv’p clld plhlayz xsdvbp, yde usw’hl ytle iwkvl y ckv.”
Tl ekpxswdvle yde oyzjle wr vs Qldlayz Dwl, pyzwvkdt bkx, yde pyke zswezu, “R yx Dwl Zwyd, blal sd vbl lxrlasa’p saelap vs elzkhla pwrrzklp. R aliwlpv vbl Qldlayz’p kdprlnvksd.”
General Xue couldn’t contain his smile. “Very well, very well.”
He patted Xue Yuan’s shoulder, and for a moment, there was a hint of moisture in the corners of his eyes. “The Emperor actually sent you to deliver provisions. He must hold you in high regard.”
Xue Yuan grinned, “Of course.”
General Xue exchanged a few words with several other officers and then proceeded to inspect the quantity of supplies. Even though Xue Yuan led the way, General Xue remained impartial in both public and private matters. When they finished checking, they were all taken aback by the sheer amount of provisions.
“Will we be able to eat all of this by the New Year?”
With so much food and tens of thousands of troops delivering it, General Xue couldn’t help but suspect that there was more to it. He was about to call Xue Yuan over to inquire when he was informed that Xue Yuan had already gone to freshen up with the other officers.
General Xue’s eyes narrowed, and he cursed in anger before dismissing the thought. “Unload the provisions, forget about everything else, and let everyone have a good meal first!”
*
After Xue Yuan finished freshening up and emerged from his quarters, he could smell the fragrant aroma of food wafting through the air.
He wiped the water from his face and looked around leisurely in the army camp, a circle of soldiers watching him. The new recruits had heard of Xue Yuan’s reputation for suppressing bandits, and the veteran soldiers knew of Xue Yuan’s name from his time stationed in the Northern Frontier. As he strolled around, many in the army were aware that Xue Jiuyao had returned.
Xue Yuan’s name was truly illustrious among the Northern Frontier soldiers, and many had followed him into battle in the past. When they occasionally saw him pass by, they would respectfully call out, “Junior General.”
During the time when Lu Feng held power, Xue Yuan’s achievements had been overshadowed by General Xue. Even after the current Emperor ascended to the throne, due to General Xue’s caution and concerns, he had not understood the current Emperor’s temperament, so he had not been recognized for his merits. During his time on the border, Xue Yuan naturally didn’t hold the rank of a general. But when he heard this familiar address now, Xue Yuan couldn’t help but think of Gu Yuanbai and felt relieved that he was unaware of this matter.
Otherwise, that little unscrupulous fellow would surely suspect him of having ulterior motives.
Xue Yuan deliberately dismissed thoughts of his once ambitious aspirations and strolled casually into General Xue’s tent. Just as the food was being served, General Xue paused his discussion with the other officers and invited him to sit down and eat together.
At the dining table, General Xue couldn’t pour out his loyalty for the Emperor, so he could only continue to ask Xue Yuan, “How is the Emperor now?”
Upon hearing this question, a shadow crossed Xue Yuan’s features, “I haven’t seen him for over a month. How would I know?”
General Xue didn’t understand why Xue Yuan’s mood had suddenly soured. “Well, how was the Emperor when you left?”
“He looks as tender as the clouds in the sky,” Xue Yuan paused with his chopsticks, lost in thought. “And he’s still thin, you can practically see his bones.”
General Xue didn’t understand the first half of the sentence. “What do you mean by ‘looks as tender as the clouds in the sky’?”
Xue Yuan didn’t hear his question; he was fully immersed in his thoughts, and his bones tingled with a pleasant itch. “I wasn’t there for his birthday. In the past, when he got sick, he would feel weak even standing on the white jade tiles by the hot spring pool and had to be carried. Now that I’m not around, who’s going to carry him?”
“It’s not necessary though,” he suddenly grinned maliciously, “I went to South Jing for a month, and when I came back, I found out he looked even healthier.”
“With so many people around him, anyone can carry him, right?”
General Xue was confused by his vague responses, going in circles. “Xue Yuan, I’m asking about the Emperor’s health!”
Xue Yuan snapped back to reality and gave him a sideways glance, lowering his eyebrows in irritation. “He’s doing fine, no need for your concern.”
“How can I not be concerned!” General Xue exploded in anger. “The Emperor cares for me so much, trusts you and me so much, how can I be heartless and indifferent, not even caring about the Emperor’s well-being?”
Xue Yuan: “He has me to care for him.”
General Xue was momentarily taken aback, and his anger quickly faded, replaced by a joyful expression. “Very well, my child, don’t forget this loyal heart. We, as servants, should behave this way.”
Xue Yuan patted his chest, his lips curling into a smile, and a glint of deep amusement flashed in his eyes. “Well, this loyal heart seems to beat quite fast.”
*
During this time, the nomadic tribe that had been in constant skirmishes with the border troops were one of the eight tribes of the Khitan, led by a chieftain named Rilian Na.
Xue Yuan’s arrival with troops and supplies in the Northern Frontier was a significant event. The scouts sent by Rilian Na, upon seeing this, hurriedly returned to their tribe to report the situation. They informed their chieftain that the Da Heng Empire had sent soldiers with provisions to the border.
Upon hearing this, Rilian Na’s face darkened, and he asked, “How many people did the Da Heng Emperor send?”
The scout replied solemnly, “There are at least tens of thousands!”
“Hiss…” Rilian Na took in a sharp breath and pressed, “Have you seen who’s leading them?”
“They also had scouts scouting ahead, so we couldn’t get too close,” the scout explained. “Although we didn’t see who’s leading the troops, we could tell that the commander seemed to be a young man.”
Rilian Na sighed in relief and burst into laughter. “I’m afraid the Great Da Heng Court is left with only soldiers, without any competent commanders, right? Hahaha! That old Xue Ping must be getting old. Does the court think sending a young man is enough? Don’t worry, when a bunch of greenhorn commanders like these come, I, Rilian Na, will kill one for every sight of these young pups! I’ll make them wet their pants when they see me!”
His followers who had gathered around also burst into laughter.
After the laughter subsided, thinking about the continuous supply of provisions as mentioned by the scouts, a greedy glint flashed in Rilian Na’s eyes. “Our horses haven’t had a good meal for a long time. During this period, how much of the meat from cows and sheep have our warriors devoured? Do you all still remember the taste of the Da Heng women and Da Heng food?”
His subordinates wore fierce expressions. “Chief, we’ve been pushed back by that old Xue Ping several times. This time, a young man has come, and perhaps he has never been on the battlefield or fought against us before. If we break through from him, we can surely deliver a heavy blow to that old man!”
Rilian Na’s eyes narrowed with determination. “You’re right. This time, we must return with both benefits and profits.”
One of his subordinates spoke up, “Furthermore, Chief, the current leader of the Khitan Eight Tribes is nearing the end of his life. If we can achieve something significant before the current leader dies, you might become the next leader of the Khitan tribe.”
This statement stirred Rilian Na’s interest.
Indeed, this was a critical moment. The current Khitan leader was on his deathbed, and if the other chieftains learned of the arrival of a young leader from the Da Heng Empire, they would undoubtedly launch raids against the Da Heng people to compete for glory. Rilian Na was the first to receive this information, and he was also the closest. Wasn’t this the opportunity for him to gain great achievements?
Old Xue Ping had been guarding diligently, but now, there was a glaring hole in this iron plate. If Rilian Na didn’t kick through this loophole, he would regret it even if he died.
Kill, it must be a kill!
He wanted these young soldiers to understand the harshness of the world, and he wanted the young general leading them to experience nightmares!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes A Hunger Games Novel
Chapter 88
This was because of hunger.
In the midst of a locust plague and widespread famine, food was the most precious commodity and the most reassuring bulwark. General Xue felt a pang in his heart when he saw the refugees and the soldiers of the Northern Frontier in such dire straits.
Two months ago, he had entered the disaster zone with his supplies. Overhead, there were locusts that darkened the sky, and below, there were emaciated bodies of famine-stricken people. What was hell? Without witnessing it firsthand, no matter how much others thought about it, they could never imagine what a human purgatory looked like.
When people were starving to the extreme, they lost their rationality. They could eat anything – trees, grass, even the soil beneath their feet mixed with water – but this soil, if consumed in excess, would lead to death. When there was nothing else to eat, the last resort was cannibalism.
The horrors of such a situation could not be described in words. In the report he sent to the emperor, General Xue only wrote these four words: “widespread famine.”
In the areas where the locust plague had hit the hardest and earliest, women, children, and frail men were not only starving themselves but also living in constant fear of becoming someone else’s meal. They worried that their wives and their crying infants would become someone else’s sustenance.
Even the most scholarly individuals with the most vibrant intellects would be dumbstruck and unable to pick up a pen in the face of such scenes. General Xue had intended to report the severity of the disaster zone in detail, but what could he report? Everything was severe, and after everything became severe, there was nothing specific left to single out.
When the urgent report was sent to the capital by a messenger on a swift horse, General Xue was still concerned whether his written account could adequately convey the gravity of the northern locust disaster. He worried about whether the court would take it seriously and send ample rice and grain.
It wasn’t until he saw the countless supplies laid out before him that he finally felt at ease.
One of the most appreciated things for a general was to have the emperor’s trust and full support when fighting on the front lines. This was a rarity and not as simple as it sounded, but the current emperor had achieved it.
The old general was quite moved. When he saw Xue Yuan, who was leading the way, he burst into hearty laughter. “My son, you’ve come a bit late!”
Xue Yuan’s face was revealed, and the soldiers who had been stationed in the Northern Frontier for years exclaimed, “Xue Jiuyao!”
“Xue Jiuyao has actually returned?!”
Xue Yuan sat on his horse, looking down at General Xue from a higher vantage point, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “General Xue, it’s been several months, and you’ve aged quite a bit.”
He dismounted and walked up to General Xue, saluting him, and said loudly, “I am Xue Yuan, here on the emperor’s orders to deliver supplies. I request the General’s inspection.”
General Xue couldn’t contain his smile. “Very well, very well.”
He patted Xue Yuan’s shoulder, and for a moment, there was a hint of moisture in the corners of his eyes. “The Emperor actually sent you to deliver provisions. He must hold you in high regard.”
Xue Yuan grinned, “Of course.”
General Xue exchanged a few words with several other officers and then proceeded to inspect the quantity of supplies. Even though Xue Yuan led the way, General Xue remained impartial in both public and private matters. When they finished checking, they were all taken aback by the sheer amount of provisions.
“Will we be able to eat all of this by the New Year?”
With so much food and tens of thousands of troops delivering it, General Xue couldn’t help but suspect that there was more to it. He was about to call Xue Yuan over to inquire when he was informed that Xue Yuan had already gone to freshen up with the other officers.
General Xue’s eyes narrowed, and he cursed in anger before dismissing the thought. “Unload the provisions, forget about everything else, and let everyone have a good meal first!”
*
After Xue Yuan finished freshening up and emerged from his quarters, he could smell the fragrant aroma of food wafting through the air.
He wiped the water from his face and looked around leisurely in the army camp, a circle of soldiers watching him. The new recruits had heard of Xue Yuan’s reputation for suppressing bandits, and the veteran soldiers knew of Xue Yuan’s name from his time stationed in the Northern Frontier. As he strolled around, many in the army were aware that Xue Jiuyao had returned.
Xue Yuan’s name was truly illustrious among the Northern Frontier soldiers, and many had followed him into battle in the past. When they occasionally saw him pass by, they would respectfully call out, “Junior General.”
During the time when Lu Feng held power, Xue Yuan’s achievements had been overshadowed by General Xue. Even after the current Emperor ascended to the throne, due to General Xue’s caution and concerns, he had not understood the current Emperor’s temperament, so he had not been recognized for his merits. During his time on the border, Xue Yuan naturally didn’t hold the rank of a general. But when he heard this familiar address now, Xue Yuan couldn’t help but think of Gu Yuanbai and felt relieved that he was unaware of this matter.
Otherwise, that little unscrupulous fellow would surely suspect him of having ulterior motives.
Xue Yuan deliberately dismissed thoughts of his once ambitious aspirations and strolled casually into General Xue’s tent. Just as the food was being served, General Xue paused his discussion with the other officers and invited him to sit down and eat together.
At the dining table, General Xue couldn’t pour out his loyalty for the Emperor, so he could only continue to ask Xue Yuan, “How is the Emperor now?”
Upon hearing this question, a shadow crossed Xue Yuan’s features, “I haven’t seen him for over a month. How would I know?”
General Xue didn’t understand why Xue Yuan’s mood had suddenly soured. “Well, how was the Emperor when you left?”
“He looks as tender as the clouds in the sky,” Xue Yuan paused with his chopsticks, lost in thought. “And he’s still thin, you can practically see his bones.”
General Xue didn’t understand the first half of the sentence. “What do you mean by ‘looks as tender as the clouds in the sky’?”
Xue Yuan didn’t hear his question; he was fully immersed in his thoughts, and his bones tingled with a pleasant itch. “I wasn’t there for his birthday. In the past, when he got sick, he would feel weak even standing on the white jade tiles by the hot spring pool and had to be carried. Now that I’m not around, who’s going to carry him?”
“It’s not necessary though,” he suddenly grinned maliciously, “I went to South Jing for a month, and when I came back, I found out he looked even healthier.”
“With so many people around him, anyone can carry him, right?”
General Xue was confused by his vague responses, going in circles. “Xue Yuan, I’m asking about the Emperor’s health!”
Xue Yuan snapped back to reality and gave him a sideways glance, lowering his eyebrows in irritation. “He’s doing fine, no need for your concern.”
“How can I not be concerned!” General Xue exploded in anger. “The Emperor cares for me so much, trusts you and me so much, how can I be heartless and indifferent, not even caring about the Emperor’s well-being?”
Xue Yuan: “He has me to care for him.”
General Xue was momentarily taken aback, and his anger quickly faded, replaced by a joyful expression. “Very well, my child, don’t forget this loyal heart. We, as servants, should behave this way.”
Xue Yuan patted his chest, his lips curling into a smile, and a glint of deep amusement flashed in his eyes. “Well, this loyal heart seems to beat quite fast.”
*
During this time, the nomadic tribe that had been in constant skirmishes with the border troops were one of the eight tribes of the Khitan, led by a chieftain named Rilian Na.
Xue Yuan’s arrival with troops and supplies in the Northern Frontier was a significant event. The scouts sent by Rilian Na, upon seeing this, hurriedly returned to their tribe to report the situation. They informed their chieftain that the Da Heng Empire had sent soldiers with provisions to the border.
Upon hearing this, Rilian Na’s face darkened, and he asked, “How many people did the Da Heng Emperor send?”
The scout replied solemnly, “There are at least tens of thousands!”
“Hiss…” Rilian Na took in a sharp breath and pressed, “Have you seen who’s leading them?”
“They also had scouts scouting ahead, so we couldn’t get too close,” the scout explained. “Although we didn’t see who’s leading the troops, we could tell that the commander seemed to be a young man.”
Rilian Na sighed in relief and burst into laughter. “I’m afraid the Great Da Heng Court is left with only soldiers, without any competent commanders, right? Hahaha! That old Xue Ping must be getting old. Does the court think sending a young man is enough? Don’t worry, when a bunch of greenhorn commanders like these come, I, Rilian Na, will kill one for every sight of these young pups! I’ll make them wet their pants when they see me!”
His followers who had gathered around also burst into laughter.
After the laughter subsided, thinking about the continuous supply of provisions as mentioned by the scouts, a greedy glint flashed in Rilian Na’s eyes. “Our horses haven’t had a good meal for a long time. During this period, how much of the meat from cows and sheep have our warriors devoured? Do you all still remember the taste of the Da Heng women and Da Heng food?”
His subordinates wore fierce expressions. “Chief, we’ve been pushed back by that old Xue Ping several times. This time, a young man has come, and perhaps he has never been on the battlefield or fought against us before. If we break through from him, we can surely deliver a heavy blow to that old man!”
Rilian Na’s eyes narrowed with determination. “You’re right. This time, we must return with both benefits and profits.”
One of his subordinates spoke up, “Furthermore, Chief, the current leader of the Khitan Eight Tribes is nearing the end of his life. If we can achieve something significant before the current leader dies, you might become the next leader of the Khitan tribe.”
This statement stirred Rilian Na’s interest.
Indeed, this was a critical moment. The current Khitan leader was on his deathbed, and if the other chieftains learned of the arrival of a young leader from the Da Heng Empire, they would undoubtedly launch raids against the Da Heng people to compete for glory. Rilian Na was the first to receive this information, and he was also the closest. Wasn’t this the opportunity for him to gain great achievements?
Old Xue Ping had been guarding diligently, but now, there was a glaring hole in this iron plate. If Rilian Na didn’t kick through this loophole, he would regret it even if he died.
Kill, it must be a kill!
He wanted these young soldiers to understand the harshness of the world, and he wanted the young general leading them to experience nightmares!
******
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There seems to be a double up in chapters? Thanks for the translation though.