Great Tang Idyll - Volume 4 Chapter 211

Watching the man in charge speak, Guo Tu felt his face burn with embarrassment.

 And this was what he called “a hurried setup”? Even feeling apologetic? In the pouring rain they had already raised the shelter, lit the fires, and cooked the meat porridge.

If this still didn’t count as good enough, then what would?

No wonder the court didn’t send anyone else to handle logistics and instead assigned Zhang Zhong here. So this was the reason. Zhang Zhong had only been in Yizhou for—what—five days? How did he accomplish this?

“General, please remove your wet clothes first. There are clean towels here for drying off. Your garments can be baked dry shortly. Rain cloaks and straw hats are prepared as well. After eating you may continue on the road. If anyone feels unwell, there is medicine—specifically for chills and wind exposure.” The man in charge spoke as respectfully as before.

This time, Guo Tu no longer dared show the slightest disrespect. Their capability was right in front of him. 

He responded politely, “Many thanks. I truly didn’t expect to encounter the logistics camp under such conditions. You arrived at the perfect time—this is indeed extraordinary.”

He meant it. With logistics staff providing support to this degree, this was the kind of thing every general dreamed of. It was simply too comfortable. If he failed to win the battle, he wouldn’t even have the face to see these people again. Being fed this well—was it to make them fight like cowards? Even a dog knew to bite to protect its master.

After finishing the hot porridge and putting their dried clothes back on, the soldiers donned their straw hats and rain cloaks. Once they set off again, they felt strength surge through their whole bodies.

“General, looking at the map, the road ahead may be difficult. There are several consecutive slopes. The rain makes the path slippery. Should we consider something—perhaps cutting branches along the way?”

An hour later, the rain still hadn’t stopped. The adjutant held a military map printed with oil ink—one of the maps supplied to the court by the Zhang family—and showed it to Guo Tu.

The moment Guo Tu saw it, he felt another wave of admiration. With this and the thousand-mile eyes, it seemed the Zhang family had prepared everything.

Studying the terrain on the map, Guo Tu hesitated. “Let’s look once we get there. The road is narrow—advance as quickly as possible. If we truly cannot climb, then cut branches nearby.”

Two quarter-hours later, when the leading troops reached the foot of the slope, Guo Tu looked through the thousand-mile scope—and was stunned once again.

Many people were working in the pouring rain, paving the slope with sand and gravel. They had already laid the path from the bottom all the way to the top. Nearby, a rain-soaked banner lay rolled by the wind. Even without unrolling it, he knew the emblem embroidered on it—an adorable rice seedling with large eyes: the emblem of the Yizhou Zhang family’s logistics camp.

“Double-time! Anyone who delays will explain themselves directly to the logistics camp! Look—this is what logistics means! Unimpeded passage! Everyone, move!” Guo Tu shouted in excitement. 

The order rippled through the ranks. The troops stomped forward with a unified rhythm, charging up the slope. 

When they reached the top and looked down, they saw the path below had been laid as well—and the next slope ahead was already paved with sand and soil. It was clearly completed in sections.

Seeing those figures bent under the rain, shoveling sand one thrust at a time—anyone would be moved.

Every soldier felt something indescribable stir in his heart. If logistics worked this hard, what excuse did the main force have? This battle could only be won—never lost—even if it meant fighting until the last man.

More than a few soldiers walked this supposedly “most difficult path” with tear-filled eyes—only to find it had become the easiest stretch yet.

When Guo Tu reached the top and looked back, he sighed, “Zhang Zhong truly is formidable. The Zhang family’s logistics—no one can match it. Now we no longer need to fear supplies lagging behind. I only wonder how far they can take this.”

The adjutant nodded. “The general is right. When we win and return, we must properly thank Zhang Zhong. No wonder His Majesty transferred him from Shuzhou to Yizhou instead of sending someone else. No one else could handle logistics to this degree. It’s terrifying—in a good way. I just don’t understand how their family rushed all the way to Yizhou and still managed all this. Where did they find the time? I’ve heard at court that Zhang Zhong’s name is so familiar that His Majesty forbids anyone from impeaching him. I thought that was exaggeration before. Now I see it’s true—anyone who impeaches Zhang Zhong must harbor ill intentions. A man like that—even if he makes a mistake, it must still be the right mistake. Put him anywhere and he’ll set the place in order. What’s a minor misstep compared to that? Don’t you agree, General?”

“Yes.” Guo Tu nodded. “If anyone came complaining to me about Zhang Zhong, I wouldn’t listen. If I had a man like him under my command, anyone bad-mouthing him would be the first one I’d punish. And I’d find out who sent him. A man like Zhang Zhong is too valuable.”

Guo Tu had already decided—after winning this battle, he would give a share of the spoils to Zhang Zhong to make up for his earlier disrespect.

Back then, Zhang Zhong hadn’t argued with him at all. If he had sabotaged logistics in retaliation, Guo Tu would be miserable now. But not only had he not done so—he had arranged everything with meticulous care. Looking down on Zhang Zhong had been equivalent to belittling himself.

At that time, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan had also arrived at the first shelter. They were in no rush—the path ahead was already prepared. They waited for the troops to rest and listened to the report.

“Little Master, Young Lady, Guo Tu’s troops have passed. Is there anything else for us to do?” The logistics leader served a large bowl of soup.

Zhang Xiaobao glanced at the soup and praised, “Good. Plenty of ginger. No need to rush—it’s still raining. Once it stops, follow this plan. Advance the logistics line. Juanjuan has estimated that this ambush may not go smoothly. We must prepare fully.” He handed over the new plan. 

The leader accepted it respectfully and withdrew to let them drink their soup. As for whether the Young Lady was right—he never even dared question it. Whatever the immortals said was correct. It had never failed. If they said advance, then advance. It wasn’t even strenuous.

Wang Juan had already learned to remain appropriately quiet in public. Both her mother and Zhang Xiaobao’s mother had taught her: when a man was working outside, he should take the lead; a woman, no matter how capable, must not overshadow him.

She followed that teaching—not only because of these two women, but also because her own family had been the same. Even when her father occasionally acted over the top, her mother never contradicted him in public.

When the logistics leader had departed and no one else was around, Wang Juan nudged Zhang Xiaobao. “Didn’t we agree I’m responsible for battlefield matters? When did you write a plan? Why didn’t I know?”

“Drink your soup. The vinegar’s not light—taste it.” Zhang Xiaobao dodged, pushing the bowl toward her.

“I’m talking to you. Answer properly. We’ve been together so many years and I still can’t see through you?”

Zhang Xiaobao chuckled. “Honestly, I don’t understand you completely either. Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. Think about it—we used to be a cop and a thief. We already understood each other too well. Now we live together here. If everything were laid bare, how would we live when we grow up? What passion would be left? Men and women are drawn to each other through mystery—and conquer each other through gradual understanding. Don’t you want to conquer me through your own judgment?”

“Oh? So you want to conquer me? And what do you mean by ‘passion when lying in bed later’? Should I lie there and wait for you to conquer me? Say it clearly.” Wang Juan widened her eyes.

“You can conquer me later too. I’m easygoing. Drink your soup while it’s hot.”

She reached to pinch him, then withdrew her hand—knowing such pain couldn’t affect him.

Zhang Xiaobao wisely stopped responding and drank his soup quietly.

If one listened carefully, his muttering could barely be heard: “Respect… you conquer me… I save effort… being passive can be enjoyable…”

After their rest, they resumed moving with the logistics team.

Meanwhile, Guo Tu’s army reached another difficult stretch. This time the problem wasn’t mud but exposed rocks—round ones, sharp ones, all treacherous. With armor weighing them down, soldiers risked twisted ankles or sliced calves with every step.

Looking at the endless rocky path, the first thought in Guo Tu’s mind wasn’t how to cross it—but whether the logistics camp would appear again.

He stopped, scanning the area with his thousand-mile scope. Just when disappointment was settling in, a team emerged from a nearby mountain hollow—and his eyes lit up.

“General! Is that the logistics camp again? So many! Where did they find so many mules?” The adjutant shouted, equally excited.

Guo Tu swallowed hard. “Yes. It seems they even anticipated this section. Give the order—soldiers remove their armor and hand it over to logistics. Summon their leader. I need to ask how much more lies ahead.”