I Became a Sugar Mama to an Ancient General during a Famine! - Chapter 1 Part 2

Three armored soldiers knelt at the foot of the bed.

They were covered in dust, their lips cracked from days without water. One of them was already swaying, barely able to stay upright.

Chen Kui, originally tall and sturdy, now had sunken cheeks and skin clinging to his bones.

His throat was parched and cracked, as if scorched by fire. With deep sorrow, he said, “General, if we keep going like this, we won’t be able to defend the Pass for much longer.”

“If these twenty thousand troops could break through from the rear, we might have a chance to escape,” another added.

Zhan Chengyin’s eyes were bloodshot. He hadn’t slept for days, having just endured a fierce battle to defend the city.

Their original force of twenty-five thousand had been reduced by five thousand.

Now, barely twenty thousand soldiers remained.

The Zhan family army had guarded Zheng Guan (Pass) for years, with his father once commanding two hundred thousand troops.

After the young emperor ascended the throne, corrupt officials gained power. Prime Minister Su persuaded the emperor to seize control of the Zhan family’s military power.

Since the founding of the Great Qi dynasty, the Zhan family had loyally served the imperial power for generations.

His father refused to relinquish military control.

Otherwise, there would be no one to keep Minister Su in check.

He would then manipulate the emperor to control the feudal lords!

When his father refused to hand over the tiger tally, Minister Su flew into a rage. During the critical phase of the war against the northern barbarians, he ruthlessly cut off the Zhan army’s supplies.

The supplies had been cut for eight months. At the war’s outbreak, his elder brother had sold their family assets in the capital to stockpile provisions. Without that, they wouldn’t have lasted this long.

Even so, their force of two hundred thousand had been reduced to twenty thousand in less than a year.

Heaven was unjust, treating all beings as mere straw dogs. Zhen Guan, a crucial border fortress, had seen no rain for ten months.

The earth was parched and cracked, temperatures soared, and the common people couldn’t grow crops…

The barbarian army had blocked all major routes, surrounding Zhen Guan for hundreds of miles, turning it into a dead trap.

Famine had plagued the city for over half a year. Of the original two hundred thousand inhabitants, more than half had perished, leaving fewer than a hundred thousand.

People had stripped the grass and tree roots bare, with deaths occurring daily.

Cases of cannibalism had begun to appear among the desperate populace.

Seeing the general’s determination to hold out, Chen Wu spoke with anguish, “General, please leave. The barbarians aim to starve us out with their three hundred thousand-strong army. I would sacrifice my life to get you out. You’re the last of the Zhan military lineage. That dog emperor doesn’t deserve your sacrifice!”

The officers fell to their knees, pleading in unison, “Yes, General, let’s break out of the city!”

Zhan Chengyin clenched his fists, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.

He wanted to lead the last of the Zhan army to survival more than anyone!

However, if Zhen Guan fell, the northern barbarians would sweep south unopposed, conquering dozens of cities.

They would then storm the imperial capital and annihilate the royal family!

Ultimately, all thirty million citizens of the Great Qi dynasty would be slaughtered.

If he abandoned the people and fled, he would be condemned throughout history.

He spoke mournfully, “Recent news tell of drought not just in Zhen Guan, but across most of Huaxia.”

“For a thousand miles, there’s no one left, only corpses strewn about. Of our Great Qi’s forty million people, only thirty million remain.”

The royal family had increased taxes to satisfy their own desires, with most of the extorted money lining Prime Minister Su’s pockets.

The outside world might not be much better than inside the city!

If they abandoned the city, eighty thousand citizens would die, becoming fodder for the barbarians’ southern advance.

“This general cannot abandon the city and flee!”

Hearing this, the soldiers’ faces fell into despair.

Staying meant death; leaving also meant death!

Heaven seemed determined to destroy the Zhan family’s army!

What could they do?

Zhan Chengyin asked, “How many warhorses remain?”

“General, we can’t keep killing horses for food. Of our ten thousand horses, only two hundred are left!”

“Kill them all! Our twenty thousand troops cannot starve!”

The soldiers were devastated. These strong men all knelt, their eyes dry from dehydration, unable to shed a tear.

But what would happen after the horses were gone?

How long could two hundred horses sustain them?

“General, we can’t kill the horses. We lack food, but…” Chen Wu gritted his teeth, making a harsh decision. “I… I’ll think of something!”

With food scarce everywhere, what could be done?

Zhan Chengyin waved his hand. “My decision is final. Deputy General Chen, carry out the order!”

The soldiers bowed their heads in sorrow, kneeling where they were, motionless.

Once the last two hundred horses were gone, there would be no chance to break through. All that remained was waiting for death!

At their most desperate moment~

Suddenly, the sound of rushing water came from the wall!

Everyone looked up, their eyes widening in shock!

Water~

It was water!

T/N:

1: “视万物为刍狗” (shì wànwù wéi chúgǒu): This is a Chinese idiom meaning “to treat all things as straw dogs,” implying that something is considered worthless or expendable. It originates from Taoist philosophy.

2: “挟天子以令诸侯” (xié tiānzǐ yǐ lìng zhūhóu): This is a historical phrase meaning “to control the emperor to command the feudal lords,” describing a situation where someone manipulates the ruler for their own purposes.