Can I Become Emperor by Being This Lazy? - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Everyone calmly raised their blades and charged fearlessly into the woods like arrows released from a bow, carrying a sharp and fierce momentum—bold and resolute.

The mess squad, though burdened with numerous tasks and larger in number than other units, faced the enemy without fear. They wielded their broadswords with the skilled proficiency of their daily training. With each swing and fall of their blades, a metallic clang rang out, knocking away the opponents’ red tassel spears, while warm enemy blood splattered across their cheeks in an instant.

The success of subduing the enemy in a single move further invigorated the mess squad. Their blood boiled with excitement, rushing to their heads and momentarily stripping them of reason, as their bodies unleashed boundless strength.

Relying on the habitual movements ingrained and stored within them through training, they successively cut down three or four enemies without any sense of fatigue, feeling capable of continuing the slaughter indefinitely.

The cries of agony dispelled the darkness before dawn, as light gradually emerged. The ground was littered with corpses clad in armor, piled two or three layers deep in overlapping and intertwined disarray. The scene was filled with imperial soldiers, their severed limbs scattered haphazardly on the ground, and rivers of blood flowing freely.

The leading captain was stunned. Glancing around, he realized that the several hundred men they had arrived with had dwindled to a mere dozen or so.

The women grew even more fervent, clearly consumed by bloodlust. Their blades were not meant for delicate tasks like skinning or deboning; they were crude and brutal, indiscriminate and effortless in shredding the flesh before them, resembling demons clawing their way out of the underworld.

The captain swallowed hard, his legs trembling, as he realized that these seemingly frail women were not to be trifled with.

Even the cooks, who typically tended to fires and prepared meals, were so formidable, fighting one against ten and cutting down enemies as easily as slicing vegetables—let alone the others in the Loyal Army.

They stood no chance against the Loyal Army; the outcome had been decided from the start.

Seeing the situation clearly, fear filled the captain’s chest, spreading to every limb and bone, draining all strength from his body.

The surviving imperial soldiers, sensing the dire circumstances, were overwhelmed by terror and fear, unable to resist the urge to flee.

However, without orders to retreat from above, they could not take a single step back. Retreating would mean facing beatings upon return, and if the Prefect were angered, it could even cost them their lives.

Unable to retreat and unable to advance, they were trapped.

After weighing his options, the captain turned and fled. The others, lacking the resolve to face certain death, followed suit in a frantic rush.

At the start of the skirmish, the specifics were unclear, but by daybreak, Tang Zhegui had already tasted the sweetness of successful combat. Her excitement unabated, she was unwilling to let go easily, her mind fixated on total annihilation. As the squad leader, with no one to restrain or hinder her, Tang Zhegui’s eyes gleamed with exhilaration. She dashed forward in a burst, raising her blade and shouting, Follow me! Annihilate all the imperial lackeys!

The others obeyed Tang Zhegui’s command, swiftly following behind with a determined air, their eyes blazing and spirits high, resolved not to cease until the enemy was wiped out.

The captain had not run far before Tang Zhegui caught him. He hastily discarded his weapon, turned, and knelt before her, clutching her leg as he pleaded tearfully, I beg you, spare my life! I surrender, I surrender! I’ll do anything, just don’t kill me!

Recalling Xu Bihe’s earlier advice that surrendered soldiers should not be killed, Tang Zhegui hesitated for a moment. She grabbed him by the collar, lifting him into the air, and scrutinized him closely. Do you mean it?

The captain dangled mid-air, gasping for breath as his face turned blue from suffocation. He flailed desperately to regain his composure, mustering all his strength to stammer: Really… I know the Prefect’s scheme… Spare my life, madam!

Tang Zhegui’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. She immediately released her grip, then glanced at the other fleeing government soldiers and warned sharply: Surrender and you’ll be spared. Take one more step, and don’t blame us for being merciless.

Recognizing their predicament, they promptly chose to surrender.

The mess squad had achieved a brilliant victory, filling Tang Zhegui with immense satisfaction. She triumphantly stepped onto a roadside resting stone, proclaiming with pride: Wouldn’t it have been better to surrender earlier? You made me waste so much time that I’ve even delayed delivering the Marshal’s breakfast!

Tang Zhegui ordered everyone to tie up the surrendered soldiers, quickly clear the battlefield, collect the scattered weapons on the ground, and strip them of their armor and valuables.

She herself passed by the corpses, pried open one soldier’s armor, cut a clean piece of cloth to wipe her blade, and cleaned off the bloodstains.

The surviving soldiers trembled in fear, their faces ashen.

By the time the battle concluded, the sun had shifted positions. Xu Mao grew puzzled at the absence of breakfast – according to routine, Tang Zhegui never delayed, yet today was unusual. It was nearly noon with no sign of her.

A dreadful thought crossed Xu Mao’s mind: Could they have encountered an ambush by government troops along the way?

Lost in thought, Xu Mao momentarily lost focus and accidentally bit her tongue. Sharp pain radiated from the tip throughout her body. She instantly squeezed her eyes shut, hopping on one foot while sucking in air.

Marshal, what’s wrong? a nearby soldier asked with concern.

Xu Mao covered her face, tears welling from the pain. After catching her breath, she waved her hand and forced through trembling lips: …It’s nothing. I was wondering why the mess squad is so late – it defies reason. If they were ambushed by government troops halfway, we should immediately go to their rescue.

Just as she finished speaking, Tang Zhegui’s excited voice echoed from afar, giving Xu Mao a sudden sense of foreboding.

Marshal, great news! The mess squad has completely annihilated the troops the court sent this time! Twelve surrendered, we captured numerous weapons – we’ve achieved a total victory! Tang Zhegui laughed heartily, her mouth curved high in a smile, joy sparkling in her eyes as she beamed with triumph.

The good news Tang Zhegui brought struck Xu Mao like a thunderbolt from clear skies.

Xu Mao’s eyes widened as she stood frozen in place. Her blood and marrow seemed to freeze over, more terrifying than falling into an ice cellar, leaving her entire body chilled.

This was like seeing ghosts in broad daylight – were the government troops’ combat capabilities so weak that Tang Zhegui’s group could annihilate them?

Xu Mao walked over in a daze, grabbing Tang Zhegui’s hand to confirm: What did you say? Repeat that?

Tang Zhegui looked confused, scratching her head as she noticed Xu Mao’s stern expression devoid of any delight.

Sensing something amiss, she immediately wiped the smile off her face, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. Tang Zhegui pressed her lips together and said nervously: Marshal, we encountered an enemy ambush while delivering the meal. Fortunately, they were all incompetent fools – we only fought briefly before they became completely helpless… I understand I shouldn’t have pursued them and delayed everyone’s meal!

As Xu Mao’s face grew darker, Tang Zhegui racked her brains, desperately trying to identify her mistake, quickly amending her statement at the last moment.

Behind Tang Zhegui stood the tightly bound prisoners. Xu Mao closed her eyes, unwilling to look – each glance felt like a stab to her heart.

I truly don’t understand what the Prefect of Jin Province was thinking. She was simply waiting here for him to come and eliminate her, yet he foolishly ignored the easy target right before him and instead targeted her mess squad. How absurd.

Throughout history, great generals have emerged from kitchen troops – the mess squad is the last group you should provoke. Moreover, she had assigned all her best-performing soldiers to the mess squad. Wasn’t the Prefect of Jin Province just asking for trouble?

Xu Mao felt darkness cloud her vision, nearly fainting.

Alright, no need to be nervous. I was just concerned that you might lack experience and could get injured if you rashly engaged with imperial troops. Quickly tell me, what were the casualties? Xu Mao pinched the bridge of her nose, forcing herself to accept reality and handle the aftermath promptly.

Relieved that she wasn’t being reprimanded, Tang Zhegui wiped sweat from her forehead, straightened her posture, and confidently replied: Marshal, rest assured. Only a few of us sustained minor injuries, nothing serious. They’ll recover after two or three days of rest.

Xu Mao’s eyes widened in surprise. Was her side too strong, or were the enemies too weak?

After pondering for a moment, Xu Mao concluded that the imperial troops dispatched by the Prefect of Jin Province must have been of poor quality this time, and Tang Zhegui’s squad had just gotten lucky.

Xu Mao patted Tang Zhegui’s shoulder and said gravely: Good, you’ve done well. But you must remember to take care of yourselves and always keep in mind that comrades are most important. No matter the time, place, or situation – never abandon, never give up. Preserving your own life and your companions’ lives comes first. Fight side by side until the very end.

Deeply moved, Tang Zhegui’s eyes welled up with tears, warmth flowing through her heart. She stiffened her body resolutely and vowed: Marshal, please don’t worry. Your subordinate will firmly remember your instructions and guarantee that the enemy won’t harm us in the slightest. We will remain safe and sound to campaign for you for decades to come.

Xu Mao stumbled slightly, her mouth twitching.

Well, as long as they value their lives and don’t charge recklessly into battle with death-defying courage.

If she said more, she didn’t know what Tang Zhegui might misunderstand. It was best to let the matter end here.

Xu Mao wisely chose to remain silent.

Nearby, the captured imperial soldiers who had surrendered listened to the conversation between Xu Mao and Tang Zhegui with mixed feelings. Xu Mao’s every word showed concern – she didn’t obsess over battle details but instead focused on her soldiers’ casualties.

How extraordinary, almost like an illusion.

Common soldiers were destined to perish on battlefields – their lives were cheap and insignificant. In a commander’s eyes, human lives were as light as goose feathers, as worthless as grass. The death of one insignificant soldier was all too common.

Moreover, kindness doesn’t command troops. In any battle, casualties were inevitable. Having witnessed too many deaths, hearts had grown numb – where could so much compassion come from? Only defeating the enemy should be the marshal’s primary concern.

Yet today, they encountered a commander who valued her soldiers’ wellbeing and advised them to prioritize survival – wasn’t this a strange occurrence in this world?

The captain recalled imperial military law, which absolutely forbade any thought of self-preservation. Soldiers were encouraged to face death unflinchingly and return wrapped in horsehide. Anyone who dared entertain thoughts of self-preservation would face severe consequences.

Perhaps because the captain’s gaze was too intense, Xu Mao soon noticed and turned to look at him.

Something was wrong – this wasn’t the look a captive should have.

Alarm bells rang in Xu Mao’s mind. She ordered: Tang Zhegui, set aside kitchen duties tomorrow and escort the prisoners to Fengcheng.

These were all experienced fighters. After hearing her conversation with Tang Zhegui, their eyes showed clear abnormality, with subtle signs of switching allegiance. She absolutely couldn’t keep such people around.

What if Tang Zhegui and the others receive a few pointers and suddenly have an epiphany!

To nip the problem in the bud, Xu Mao immediately eradicated the potential threat by sending these surrendered soldiers to Fengcheng, keeping them far away from her.

Yes, Marshal.

Tang Zhegui nodded in acknowledgment, feeling somewhat exhilarated.

Her interest in managing kitchen affairs was only moderate, but the Marshal suddenly assigning her to escort prisoners implied trust and reuse. In an instant, she perked up with renewed vigor.

Moreover, the thought of potential dangers along the journey invigorated her, filling her with anticipation.