They called it a main camp, but it was only an empty patch of ground hastily enclosed with wooden palisades, with dozens of shabby army tents pitched inside.
With the snow and so many people tramping about, the ground around the camp had become a muddy mess.
Snow drifted down from the sky and landed on the ground, only to be trodden into black sludge before it could accumulate.
There was nothing imposing about the place.
According to the original plan, the Cui Family's Xingyang contingent had numbered over two thousand. But after deaths from illness and cold, along with desertions during the march, only about fifteen hundred remained.
It was still a large force.
When Chen Ye and his companions arrived, the already disorderly camp descended into even greater chaos.
Everywhere they looked was a scene of utter confusion.
A rank stench of horse dung mingled with human urine hung in the air.
The retainers and stewards who had received their assignments at the docks quickly reported for duty at the camp gate, then entered the camp to carry out their tasks in an orderly fashion.
But no one assigned anything to Servant Soldiers like Chen Ye and his men. They were all completely in the dark, standing where they were without knowing what to do.
Chen Ye waited for a long while before a military commandant from the camp finally hurried over to assign them a place to bivouac.
Yan Zhang and Cai Shang of the Black Guard had presumably received consideration from someone above, since each was given a decent spot.
When Chen Ye's turn came, the military commandant pointed to a corner at the very edge of the camp. "You lot, go camp over there."
Chen Ye looked in the direction he indicated. The spot lay