"If General Shu is really as they described, subordinate suspects that General Shu may have had ulterior motives. Tule Haojia is probably in great danger," the guard voiced his thoughts.
The Grassland King had the same thought. Although he felt sorry for Tule Haojia's death, what he really lamented was Tule Haojia's military mind. It was truly a pity.
On this side, Jing Xunce had already led his troops to the vicinity of Wupian Mountain. Looking at the complex terrain, Jing Xunce frowned. It seemed that this would be a tough battle.
"General Jing, what should we do now?" General Zhang looked at Jing Xunce and asked.
He was personally assigned by Yuan Yuchuan to assist Jing Xunce, but whether he would really assist was hard to say. Jing Xunce didn't trust him and was on guard against him everywhere.
"General Zhang, lead the troops to set up camp here. Let the soldiers rest well, and then have the main generals come to my tent to discuss our plan," Jing Xunce pointed to an open space beside them.
"Yes, I understand, sir," General Zhang glanced at Jing Xunce. Although his face showed no expression, he was very unconvinced in his heart. A young upstart wanted to lead troops into battle. He didn't even know if he had the ability.
After General Zhang walked away, Mu Nan said indignantly,
"Master, that General Zhang is really too presumptuous. He clearly doesn't put you in his eyes."
"Don't bother with him. He's just a troublemaker sent by the emperor," Jing Xunce replied. The real person to be on guard against hadn't shown his true colors yet.
"Then, master, shall we just let him be?" Mu Nan asked with suppressed anger. When had their master ever been treated like this? Even when the old general was alive and took their master to lead troops into battle, he had never suffered such treatment.
"Don't worry about him. As long as he doesn't cause trouble, just let him be." Jing Xunce didn't take General Zhang seriously at all. If General Zhang knew this, he would surely be furious.
Jing Xunce sat in the main tent waiting for the other generals to come, but after waiting for a while, no one showed up. For a moment, Jing Xunce's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Mu Nan, go out and see where they are," Jing Xunce said.
"Yes."
Mu Nan came back soon, but his face showed a complicated expression.
"Master, the soldiers are making a fire and cooking outside, while the other generals are... all gathering in a tent drinking," Mu Nan said. When he went out, he had thought that the generals might be training outside or just idling around, but he had never expected that they were actually drinking in the tent!
It was really going too far.
Jing Xunce laughed after hearing Mu Nan's words. Mu Nan knew that his master was really angry. The cold aura around him could freeze a person to death.
Jing Xunce didn't say anything. He got up, picked up the whip hanging on the tent, and walked out. Some people just wouldn't learn their lesson without a beating. If their hides were too loose, they needed to be tightened.
General Zhang, who was drinking with everyone in the tent, smiled smugly when he saw Jing Xunce coming.
"General Jing, do you want to come and drink with us?" A young upstart in his twenties still wanted to act high - handedly in front of him? Even his father had to give him some face back then. Who did he think he was?
Unfortunately, Jing Xunce didn't answer his question. Without saying a word, he raised the whip in his hand and lashed it out, breaking the table in front of them. For a moment, the air was filled with silence.
"Yo~ General Jing, why are you so angry? Come and sit down and drink with us. Look at my memory. I get so carried away when I drink that I even forgot about General Jing. Please don't mind, don't mind," General Zhang said with a smug smile on his face. There was no sign of apology in his words; instead, there was a hint of provocation.
"General Zhang, I seem to have told you to gather all the generals in my tent to discuss matters," Jing Xunce said expressionlessly, looking at General Zhang.
"Oops, look at my memory. I completely forgot. How about this, Marquis, let's discuss it tomorrow. You see, we've already set out the wine. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to take it away now?" General Zhang didn't take Jing Xunce's words to heart at all.
We've already set out the wine. You want us to discuss matters now. Isn't that a bit inhumane? You're likely to offend people this way. We're all your elders. You're really not respecting your elders at all.
"Inappropriate? Military orders are as unshakable as mountains. You're here to fight a war, not to drink and feast. Since General Zhang has doubts about my orders, then I don't need to mince words with you anymore," Jing Xunce said, then nodded to Mu Nan. Mu Nan immediately understood what Jing Xunce meant and strode towards General Zhang.
"Jing Xunce, what do you want to do? I'm warning you, I'm the emperor's man. If you dare to touch me, the emperor will never forgive you," General Zhang said in a panic as he watched Mu Nan getting closer.
"Whether the emperor forgives me or not is my own business. Now, General Zhang, you've defied military orders and disrupted the morale of the troops. Military punishment will be directly imposed. Considering that this is your first offense, it will be a lighter punishment. Mu Nan, thirty lashes," Jing Xunce said, completely ignoring General Zhang's words. A man sent by the emperor? Hmph! He really thought highly of himself. If Wupian Mountain wasn't captured, General Zhang would surely not have a good time.
General Zhang was dragged by Mu Nan to the center of the military camp. Everyone gathered around, looking at them in confusion. They had just arrived on the first day. What had happened?
"Jing Xunce, you're bullying others with your power. You're not worthy to be our commander - in - chief!" General Zhang started to curse loudly when he saw Jing Xunce walking out unhurriedly.
"I'm not worthy, but you are? What's your intention in disrupting the morale of the troops? Our soldiers are here to attack Wupian Mountain, but you main generals are gathering to drink and feast on the first day of our arrival instead of quickly discussing the plan to encircle and suppress the enemy! Now, I seriously doubt whether you've already defected to Wupian Mountain or if you're actually from Wupian Mountain, infiltrating our court to be a traitor!"
Jing Xunce stared sharply at General Zhang, putting one accusation after another on him. General Zhang's face turned from green to white and then to red.
"Today, General Zhang has blatantly defied military orders and violated the discipline of the military camp. He will receive thirty lashes as a warning. If anyone else breaks the rules in the future, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Jing Xunce glanced around. After seeing that everyone was listening attentively, his expression softened a bit.