Encountering Patrol Soldiers, Clever Words Bewilder the Enemy Army; Generals and Soldiers Eat Breakfast in the City

(Clearly, I'm just not a very literary person. I spent half an hour coming up with the titles for these two chapters...)

"Master Li, um, may I ask you something? Is what they're saying about Liu Bei's army outside true? What's this battle about? Can we win?" Chen Hong, the leader of the mounted courier soldiers, asked uneasily. In every major battle, these soldiers suffered the heaviest casualties. No one knew whether they would survive until tomorrow; they could be said to live in fear all day long.

He had run into Master Li, the leader of the city's famous Wandering Knights, while patrolling at midnight. Since Master Li had exceptionally reliable information, he naturally had to seize the chance to ask.

Master Li looked at the soldiers, his brows creasing slightly.

"Don't worry, Master Li. They're all brothers under my command," Chen Hong hurriedly added.

"Forget it. Who knows how many of us will still be alive once the battle begins?" Master Li shook his head and sighed. "What they said is all true. The treatment really is good. Besides, the information I received says that Yuan and Liu are going to war on an all-out scale this time. The two sides have mobilized nearly five hundred thousand troops, not counting the laborers they've conscripted. As for whether they can win, I don't know."

"Whether they win or not has nothing to do with me. What does it matter to me who occupies Nanpi? Whether Nanpi belongs to Liu or Yuan, neither side can do without our brothers' business. Otherwise, Nanpi would descend into chaos!" Master Li laughed with an unconcerned look.

"Exactly." Chen Hong gave a thumbs-up. "Nanpi can do without a governor, but it can't do without Master Li. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to get through