Returning to the camp, several generals secretly sought out the military doctor to treat their bruises and injuries.
The big fellow’s punches and kicks hadn’t felt like much at the time, but now that they were back in camp, each one of them felt sore in the waist and aching in the back, groaning and moaning as if they couldn’t go on living.
Tao Shang was quite lucky; he had avoided the disaster and didn’t receive any of the big fellow’s fists or feet.
It was a silver lining amid misfortune.
One night passed quietly in this indescribable atmosphere.
The next morning at dawn, Tao Shang immediately ordered the camp to be struck and the march to begin.
As soon as the order was given, Mi Fang became anxious.
Leaning on a crutch and limping, he hurried to Tao Shang’s command tent.
“First Young Master, all of us generals and officers were badly beaten by that pig-raiser last night.
If we set out immediately today, wouldn’t that be too hard on us officers?” Looking at the pitiful Mi Fang, who was swaying even while standing, Tao Shang felt quite reluctant, but there was nothing he could do.
“General Mi, some things cannot be helped.
We are going to the alliance assembly; the schedule is urgent and cannot be delayed…” Mi Fang pointed miserably at his slightly swollen right cheek and said, “No matter how urgent the schedule is, a few days shouldn’t matter, right?
With my current appearance, if I go to the alliance, I’m afraid it will damage the face of our Xuzhou army.” Tao Shang showed an understanding smile and shook his head.
“General Mi, after last night’s battle, more than ten Xuzhou generals and officers were all defeated by a single village fellow.
I think the face of the Xuzhou army has already reached a new historical low… In the short term, there shouldn’t be any possibility of losing more face.
General Mi, you need not worry.” Mi Fang’s face immediately flushed red.
What Tao Shang said was indeed true.
The entire group of officers had been beaten black and blue by a single pig-raising commoner; there was really no way to salvage this situation.
If word of this spread later, that the Xuzhou officers had been thrashed by a mountain village brute and then shamelessly went back for revenge, only to lose again, Tao father and son probably wouldn’t be able to show their faces in the warlord circles anymore.
But to make Mi Fang admit outright that he couldn’t beat a white-body village fellow was something he simply could not swallow.
He had to find some way to step down gracefully.
“Very well!” Mi Fang straightened his expression and put on a righteous and awe-inspiring look.
“If not for the sake of the First Young Master, today I would definitely have that village fellow drawn and quartered, his flesh stripped from his bones.
But considering the Young Master’s gentlemanly conduct and abiding benevolence, this general shall not trouble that village fellow today!
Let him know the breadth of heart of the heroes of Xuzhou.” As the two were speaking, a messenger soldier suddenly ran into the tent from outside, looking panicked.
He dropped to one knee and reported to Mi Fang, “Reporting to General Mi!
Lord Supervisor!
This is terrible!
Outside the main camp, a mob army of about three to five hundred has appeared from nowhere.
They are armed with iron staffs, knives, and spears, and demand that the leading general of our army come out to speak with them.
Otherwise, they will break through the camp gates and leave not even a chicken or dog alive!” “Outrageous!
How dare they!” Mi Fang had just suffered humiliation the night before and was full of pent-up frustration with nowhere to vent.
Hearing that someone had come to challenge his camp, his rage shot straight to the heavens.
“Where did these rebels come from!
How dare they be so rude?
Do they think this general is vegetarian?
Come!
Bring me my weapon!
This general will go out and teach these rebels what the laws of the Great Han are!” Outside the command tent, Mi Fang’s personal guards hurriedly brought his weapon into the tent.
The kneeling soldier caught his breath and continued, “General Mi, although those rebels have no armor, they all look strong and robust.
They seem to be a well-trained militia.
The leading fellow is broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, extremely imposing.
He declares that he has come to avenge the family’s sow.
Your subordinate listened for a long time but still doesn’t understand.
What does challenging our camp have to do with an old sow…?” “Clang!” The weapon that Mi Fang had just grasped instantly fell to the ground.
His small, beady eyes, for some reason, widened almost twice their usual size, as if their eyelids had been cut away.
“That fellow… actually found his way here?” Mi Fang turned his head stiffly to look at Tao Shang.
His Adam’s apple bobbed with fear.
“First Young Master, how did he know to come looking for us here?” Tao Shang sighed deeply and said, “General Mi, they’re not stupid either.
I reckon their village used to be peaceful, with no theft on the roads and doors unbarred at night… Then suddenly, in the middle of the night, a group of black-clad horsemen appeared out of nowhere to steal livestock…” Mi Fang coughed heavily.
Tao Shang immediately corrected himself, “To borrow livestock… And in the vicinity, the only unfamiliar army is ours.
It would be strange if they didn’t suspect us.” Mi Fang touched the still-throbbing wounds on his body and said fearfully, “That big fellow is extremely fierce.
This general fears he is no match… First Young Master, let’s run.” Two black lines appeared on the back of Tao Shang’s head.
They were sons of the same father, yet how could this kid be so different from his elder brother?
“General Mi, didn’t you just say you were going to draw and quarter that fellow, strip his flesh from his bones?” Mi Fang gave a dry, awkward laugh.
“First Young Master, look at what you’re saying… What kind of person does this general seem to you?
I was just saying that earlier.
You just heard it that way… Besides, this general feels that right now, the matter of suppressing Dong Zhuo is more important.” Tao Shang shook his head and said, “Absolutely not.
Five thousand regular troops running away in fear from a few hundred militiamen- if word gets out, how can the Xuzhou army’s golden reputation survive?” Mi Fang hesitated upon hearing this.
“Then… shall we fight him?” Tao Shang felt helpless.
Mi Fang’s character really needed tempering.
“First have the archers and crossbowmen set up a defensive line in front of the camp,” Tao Shang said unhurriedly.
“Although that fellow is brave, his militiamen may not be.
Moreover, civilian forces are not as well-equipped as regular troops.
They probably only have ordinary blades.
With archers and crossbows holding the camp, no matter how fierce he is, he won’t be able to break through.” Mi Fang nodded.
After his initial panic, he gradually calmed down and felt that Tao Shang’s idea was good.
He added, “This general will immediately arrange it… But then what?” “Then… then I must trouble General Mi to go to the front and speak with that big fellow to see exactly what his intentions are.” Mi Fang shivered the moment he heard this.
“I’m not going!” It was no wonder Mi Fang refused outright.
This fellow had been pampered since childhood, with a body full of flabby fat.
Even picking up something usually required someone else to do it.
Now that he had encountered someone who could give him a solid beating, the psychological shadow was enormous… Let alone going out to speak with that big fellow—even looking at him one more time felt blinding to Mi Fang.
Tao Shang looked at Mi Fang’s cowardly appearance.
While hating that he could not live up to expectations, he also sighed inwardly.
Sure enough… how did that saying go?
You can’t help a dead dog up the wall.
“Brother Mi, you are the commander of the three armies.
The enemy has come to provoke us, yet you won’t even show your face.
Isn’t that a bit unacceptable?” Mi Fang shook his head vigorously.
“First Young Master, that fellow landed a punch on me last night that sent two of my three souls flying.
How can I face him again?
I’m not going no matter what!” Tao Shang stood up and comforted him, “General Mi, you are the commander of the three armies with heavy responsibilities.
Now that outsiders have come, if you do not step forward, how can the soldiers and officers below respect you?
If this matter spreads back to Xuzhou and your colleagues learn of it, how will you command the army in the future?
Your elder brother went through great difficulty to secure you a chance to lead troops.
If you ruin his hard work over such a small matter, how could you face him?” Mi Fang’s small beady eyes wandered as he stared at Tao Shang, seemingly somewhat moved.
“Moreover, our army’s archers and crossbowmen have already set up a defensive line.
That big fellow is not made of copper head and iron bones, he can’t break through the arrow formation and come over to beat you up, can he?
Brother Mi is worrying too much.” Mi Fang took a deep breath and said, “Fine then… Come!
Bring me my armor!
Arrange more guards to escort this general to the camp gate… to meet the enemy!” Tao Shang nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
“Excellent!” Outside the camp gate, the Xuzhou troops were uniformly dressed in blue cloth armor.
Shield soldiers holding giant shields as tall as half a man formed the front line, arrayed to block the camp entrance.
The shields planted on the ground left almost no gaps, like a huge, cold iron wall sealing the area inside and outside the gate completely.
The Xuzhou army’s archers and crossbowmen were divided into three units.
Two units were positioned on the left and right wings and on the watchtowers, while the third was hidden behind the shield soldiers.
Bows and crossbows were drawn, pointing diagonally upward at the sky as if to shoot down the blazing sun.
Beyond the camp gate, several hundred paces away on open ground, several hundred militiamen wearing clothes of various colors and fabrics, armed with assorted iron tools, forks, short axes, steel knives, or even hoes, had formed up in ranks and were facing off against the Xuzhou army’s camp from a distance.
These militiamen wore no armor, and their weapons were varied and disorganized.
They also had no ranged bows or crossbows.
Facing the Xuzhou army’s arrow formation holding the camp, even from far away they could feel the cold, bone-piercing killing intent and glint emanating from the arrows nocked on the strings.
At this moment, the Xuzhou troops guarding the center of the camp gate slowly parted to both sides.
The tightly sealed shield wall opened a gap in the middle, and fully armed Mi Fang, protected by a squad of personal guards, slowly advanced to the front.
Mi Fang’s eyes scanned all around, searching for the big fellow’s figure, when he suddenly met two icy cold gazes.
There stood the big fellow, astride a poor horse, holding a long-handled tiger-head saber, glaring fiercely at him.
Just this one glance made cold sweat pour down Mi Fang’s back, and his crotch felt somewhat damp.Mi Fang recognized the big fellow, and the big fellow naturally recognized Mi Fang.
This kid, wasn’t he the “leader” from last night who had ordered the soldiers to capture him?
What a guy.
He had thought the other side was just a few Xuzhou soldiers, but it turned out to be the commanding general.
Truly eye-opening.