The commanding general was momentarily stunned, not expecting Second Master Liang would actually present it.

Looking again, he saw Second Master Liang’s retainer already walking over quickly with the document.

Since this bookish Second Master Liang dared to hand it over, could he dare not accept it?

The commanding general reached out to take it and immediately opened it to look, saying with a laugh: “Scholars are still more impressive. You people can only shout chaotically, while others can actually write things down—”

One officer leaned back in his chair and laughed: “My lord, you’d better not be unable to understand what he’s written.”

Though they were superior and subordinate, they were all brothers who had faced death together, so speech could be quite casual. The commanding general took no offense and spat: “I’m an educated man—” He looked at Second Master Liang again. “If I can’t understand it, I’ll just ask directly. Liang Ji will certainly be able to explain it clearly to me.”

Laughter rang out in the command tent again. Second Master Liang sat in his position, neither pleased nor annoyed, and nodded: “This subordinate will of course explain.”

The commanding general laughed as he read. Gradually the smile faded, the teasing ceased, his gaze became focused, and his expression turned thoughtful.

The other joking officers noticed and also put away their mirth, exchanging glances—

Was this written well or poorly?

One officer couldn’t help but urge: “My lord, how is it really?”

The commanding general came back to himself and swept his gaze across everyone, finally settling on Second Master Liang.

“Scholars truly are scholars—to be able to play with military strategy in such a manner.” He said.

Was this—praise? Everyone couldn’t help but look toward Second Master Liang.

Second Master Liang sat upright and cupped his hands in salute: “My lord flatters me. I’m merely discussing warfare on paper. Whether it can succeed still depends on my lord implementing it in practice.”

The commanding general looked at him deeply, then withdrew his gaze to look at everyone and cleared his throat lightly.

“Gentlemen, I now have a new idea, ahem—” He said, then pointed at Second Master Liang at the end. “—Inspired by Liang Ji, everyone listen—”

……

……

Liang Qiang didn’t see his father again. With tasks now heavy, after that brief encounter in the military camp, he was assigned another mission—to serve as a lookout at another location.

Liang Qiang lay prone in a ravine with howling cold winds for three days. On the fourth day, when troops were finally recalled to camp, the camp was filled with wild celebration.

“Great victory, great victory!”

“Western Liang retreated a hundred li!”

Soldiers covered in bloodstains galloped on horseback, raising their weapons and shouting in jubilation.

Liang Qiang watched woodenly. What did this great victory have to do with him?

“Liang Qiang.” The officer who usually couldn’t be bothered to spare him a glance suddenly called his name after listening to several soldiers whisper in his ear.

Liang Qiang looked over.

“Liang Ji is your father?” The officer asked with a surprised expression.

Liang Qiang gripped the weapon in his hands tightly. For an instant his spine went cold. Though he hadn’t yet fought Western Liang soldiers or achieved any merit, he knew that a great victory was often built from the blood and flesh of many soldiers—

His father, wouldn’t have become a piece of blood and flesh for this great victory, would he?

“Yes.” He heard his hoarse voice say.

“Amazing!” The officer clapped his hands and said, “In this great victory, one of the battles was commanded excellently by your father. He turned the tides and made our army unstoppable—he achieved great merit!”

The cold feeling on his spine shot straight to the top of his head. Liang Qiang felt as if a fire was burning atop his head. Father—achieved merit!

Battle merit was the best identity card in the military.

Though it wasn’t his own merit, in an instant everyone knew who he was. Those companions who knew him before but never spared him a glance now all stared at him continuously.

“Scholars really are different—to think he can actually wage war.”

The discussions around him also turned to praise rather than the previous mockery.

To say Liang Qiang wasn’t happy would be false, but to say he was happy—it didn’t seem he was that happy either. The merit belonged to his father, not to him, just like before when Young Master Liang’s illustrious reputation came from his uncle’s family, not his own, and could be taken away at any time.

“Liang Qiang.” An officer standing to one side suddenly called out, “Do you dare come to my vanguard battalion?”

Liang Qiang raised his head without hesitation: “I’m willing.”

The officer laughed heartily and said to Liang Qiang’s commanding officer with a smile: “Give him to us. Let me see if it’s true that tigers don’t sire dogs.”

The commanding officer laughed and raised his hand: “Take him, take him. Polish him a bit—he might truly be a good blade.”

Things really were different now. Before, the commanding officer couldn’t be bothered with him and cared even less whether he was a good blade. Now he was so generous to let him go. Liang Qiang cupped his fists in salute: “Liang Qiang will not disappoint my lord’s expectations.”

Battle merit was just that powerful. He could finally have the opportunity to fight for glory.

……

……

When night fell deep, Second Master Liang returned to his quarters, still carrying the lingering scent of wine.

Though officers weren’t supposed to drink during wartime, this battle had dealt a severe blow to Western Liang, and Guard General Chu Ling had a deputy general personally deliver a cartload of wine and meat as reward.

This time, Second Master Liang didn’t sit in the last position but beside the commanding general, surrounded like the moon among stars, thoroughly enjoying himself.

“My lord, quickly wipe your face.” His retainer said with a smile, handing over a steaming hot towel.

Second Master Liang took it and pressed it to his face, exhaling: “These people can really drink. It’s not called drinking wine—it’s called pouring wine. I shouldn’t have sat beside the commanding general.”

The retainer removed his outer robe for him and said with a smile: “This wine was bestowed precisely for you, my lord. Of course you should sit in the main seat. It’s that simple in the military. Besides the wine, your merit will also be reported to the court—promotion and ennoblement. Next time, even if it’s not for drinking wine, you’ll still be able to sit beside the commanding general.”

Second Master Liang kept the hot towel covering his face and said nothing, as if he had fallen asleep.

The retainer went to fetch some sobering soup and called softly: “My lord, drink the sobering soup before resting, otherwise you’ll still have a headache tomorrow.”

Second Master Liang’s voice came from behind the towel: “I’m not drunk.”

All drunk people say that. The retainer smiled.

“I’m very clearheaded.” Second Master Liang said, removing the hot towel to look at the retainer, his eyes clear. “You—who exactly are you?”

The retainer was in his thirties, unremarkable in appearance, just like all the menial servants around military officers. At this moment, holding the sobering soup, he was momentarily stunned, then smiled again.

“My lord is truly drunk.” He laughed. “I’m Li Fang.”

Of course Second Master Liang knew his name. His old friend surnamed Cai had secured him this minor position and, fearing he would be lost in the military, also gifted him a retainer.

“Li Fang, who sent you to help me?” He asked. Seeing Li Fang about to speak, he raised his hand to stop him. “Don’t say it was Minister Cai.”

At this point he smiled.

“Even if Minister Cai were standing before me, I would ask him who he is.”

“I haven’t had too much to drink. Rather, I’m more clearheaded. This battle merit, this battle strategy—I couldn’t write it, you couldn’t write it, and Minister Cai couldn’t write it either—”

“So, who was it?”

Retainer Li Fang smiled and said: “Though my lord knows nothing, by mentioning the word ‘help,’ you understand everything.”

Though this sentence said nothing specific, it already confirmed all of Second Master Liang’s suspicions. Second Master Liang rubbed his face hard with his hand. So where was there any fortune turning when he had nowhere else to turn? The path had all been arranged by someone else.

“Who?” He asked again.

Li Fang smiled and shook his head: “Forgive me, I cannot say.”

Second Master Liang understood this kind of person. If he wouldn’t speak, no one could make him.

“Then what does he seek?” Second Master Liang asked, staring fixedly at Li Fang. “The Liang clan has nothing.”

Except a heart full of resentment and indignation.

Did the person behind this seek the Liang clan’s resentment and indignation? Then that person must also have the same enemies as them.

Who were the Liang clan’s enemies? The heartless and ungrateful former Crown Prince who had cast aside Minister Liang like worn-out shoes; the Xie clan who wanted to uproot them completely when the marriage alliance fell through; and the Chu clan whose verbal dispute had precipitated it all.

Li Fang smiled and shook his head: “That person only asks that Second Master Liang kill enemies for the nation and people, and achieve merit and glory.”

Second Master Liang smiled self-deprecatingly. He understood. That person didn’t seek Second Master Liang as he was now, but Second Master Liang after achieving merit and glory.

As for what was sought?

What was sought was everything the Liang clan had.

Because everything the Liang clan had would be obtained through that person’s help.

This was a transaction that wasn’t worthwhile, but—could anyone refuse this kind of temptation?

Tonight was merely a small victory, yet the congratulations of being surrounded like the moon among stars made one drunk without drinking wine—how long had it been since he enjoyed this kind of taste?

Even during the Liang clan’s prosperous times, Second Master Liang hadn’t enjoyed this kind of glory. He was merely Minister Liang’s brother, nothing more.

Li Fang stood to one side, watching Second Master Liang’s expression shift, and set down the sobering soup: “My lord, drink the sobering soup first. Don’t make things difficult for yourself.”

Second Master Liang didn’t speak. After a moment of silence, he reached out to take the sobering soup and said: “Thank you.”

After saying these words of thanks, he lowered his gaze.

He was accepting not merely the sobering soup, and his thanks were not merely for the sobering soup. This counted as acceptance.

Li Fang straightened his body and said with a smile: “Moreover, my lord, your achievements will also assist Young Master A’Qiang.”

A’Qiang! Second Master Liang raised his head again, his expression tense.

“Is A’Qiang going into battle to kill enemies?” He asked.

He, as a military officer, could earn merit through writing and speaking. A’Qiang was different—A’Qiang had to personally enter battle and kill enemies to earn merit.

Entering battle to kill enemies, one inevitably risked being killed.

Second Master Liang, having asked this question, smiled bitterly.

Hadn’t they left the garrison that night precisely to enter battle and kill enemies?

Why was he worried now?

Second Master Liang finally lowered his gaze again and sighed softly.

“Second Master need not worry.” Li Fang said with a smile. “Tigers don’t sire dogs. Young Master A’Qiang will certainly become famous in one battle.”

……

……

The battle came without warning.

Unlike serving as a guard lookout, when they saw the enemy then, they were responsible for raising the alarm but didn’t need to jump out to engage.

Being a scout was different. They needed to track enemy movements, then charge forward to fight fiercely with them.

In his ears were roars and screams. Whether from the horse’s jolting or dodging a long spear, Liang Qiang felt the sky and earth spinning. He barely managed not to fall from the horse’s back. As he rose, with a spurting sound, hot blood sprayed across his face.

A companion beside him screamed and fell. Liang Qiang found himself facing a Western Liang soldier’s savage face.

The Western Liang soldier’s blood-stained long blade swung toward him.

At this moment, Liang Qiang should raise his own blade to block it, then with a reverse strike cut the Western Liang soldier from his horse.

This was a scene he had rehearsed many times and imagined many times.

Only, when everything truly happened before his eyes, his hands seemed beyond his control. The blade weighed a thousand pounds, and the horse beneath him also lurched wildly, about to throw him off—

Life and death were but an instant. In this moment of distraction, the Western Liang soldier’s long blade had already reached him.

It’s over.

Liang Qiang thought.

The next moment, blood sprayed again. The harsh sound of weapons colliding—he even saw sparks. But the one who fell wasn’t him, but the Western Liang soldier.

The Western Liang soldier’s long blade was blocked, and at the same time another long blade severed the Western Liang soldier’s neck.

The Western Liang soldier’s savage face disappeared from his view. Liang Qiang looked to his side. At some point, two companions had drawn near, protecting him on his left and right.

“Kill!” They shouted.

With this shout, the two men, flanking Liang Qiang and the horses, charged toward Western Liang soldiers on the other side.

Amidst the sounds of slaughter, Liang Qiang followed them, raising his blade, swinging his blade, changing formations, charging and killing—

It seemed a very long time passed, yet also seemed like the blink of an eye. A ground covered in corpses announced the end of the battle, and in the distance, a large force of cavalry was galloping over.

Seeing that among the ground full of corpses only three people were alive, the leading officer’s expression was both grief-stricken and wildly joyful.

“Good, good.” He shouted loudly. “Ten of you defeated dozens of Western Liang soldiers—this can be called a great victory.”

His gaze fell on the three men. Those two were familiar old faces, the most fierce soldiers in the army. It wasn’t surprising they survived. What drew his gaze was the other person. This young officer was covered in blood, his young, handsome, and pale face particularly eye-catching—

“Liang Qiang!” The officer shouted loudly.

The young officer seemed to be lost in thought. Startled by this shout, his gaze focused. He squeezed the horse’s belly, and the horse let out a neighing cry.

“Truly tigers don’t sire dogs—impressive!” The officer laughed heartily. “You’re worthy of being a fierce general under my command!”

A fierce general? Liang Qiang gripped his long blade, feeling his hands trembling. He couldn’t help but look at the two companions beside him. Both had wooden expressions and didn’t look at him. They only followed the officer’s loud laughter and raised the long blades in their hands.

“Unafraid of death!” They shouted loudly. “Kill the enemy!”

Liang Qiang slowly raised his long blade, hearing his own hoarse voice: “Kill the enemy!” “Unafraid!”