Marching Odds and Ends

"Heh heh... I get it. I was just saying, I didn't mean anything else!"

Over the past three days, Shi Jin had come to understand Jiang Sheng's stern character and, even more so, his strength. He did not dare clash with him, so he gave an embarrassed smile. After a pause, his plump face reddened slightly as he looked at Jian Shang and asked:

"Actually, I'm very good at managing supplies and calculating accounts. Yu Wen has fought through countless battles and has seasoned experience. Making him a mere quartermaster is wasting his talent. How about letting me do it?"

Shi Jin had kept this request bottled up ever since Jian Shang had appointed Shi Ji as the temporary scout captain, and it had been making him miserable.

Now that he saw Shi Ji formally take office, cutting such a dashing figure, he finally could not hold back from volunteering himself!

"As the military texts say: before the troops move, provisions must go first! An army's logistics are of utmost importance. They concern whether the troops are fed and clothed; they are the army's rear base and its pillar of support. If logistics fail, the whole army collapses. Many classic tactics and famous military treatises target logistics. Moreover, in the initial stages of income and expenditure, even the difference of a single coin will eventually become an enormous discrepancy. This requires not only exceptional arithmetic and a rigorous, cautious attitude, but also an understanding of leading troops into battle and the ability to handle all kinds of unexpected events!"

The moment Shi Jin finished speaking, Jiang Sheng's thick brows furrowed deeply as he warned him in a grave voice.

To be honest, over the past three days, Jiang Sheng had formed a good impression of his lord Jian Shang and the others. Yet he deeply disliked this fat man, who loved eating and hated work, wandering around doing nothing while everyone else trained diligently.

"I was just saying..."

Shi Jin's expression dimmed as he replied awkwardly.

"Fine! Since you're interested, give it a try. Go speak with Yu Wen. For now, serve as his deputy, help him manage the supplies, and share some of his burden. At the same time, learn military strategy from him. It will definitely benefit you in the future!"

As Jian Shang's foremost general, Jiang Sheng naturally hoped Jian Shang could do better; he was acting for Jian Shang's sake. Jian Shang did not blame Jiang Sheng for meddling, but Shi Jin's identity was special after all, so Jian Shang readily agreed.

"Alright!"

Shi Jin's eyes lit up. As though afraid some new complication might arise, he immediately answered loudly. He did not even look at the others, much less dare look at Jiang Sheng, and promptly wheeled his horse around, racing toward the rear of the column to find Yu Wen.

"My lord?!"

Jiang Sheng frowned at Jian Shang and called out worriedly.

"It's fine! I believe in my brother. Not knowing is nothing to fear; refusing to learn is. Since he has this enthusiasm, we should support him. Besides, I believe Yu Wen will handle it well!"

Jian Shang nodded at Jiang Sheng in firm approval and spoke earnestly.

"My lord is right!"

Jiang Sheng pondered for a moment, then stopped objecting.

Jiang Yao nodded gratefully at Jian Shang. After all, they were born commoners. Aside from knowing a little martial skill and how to survive in chaotic times, they knew nothing else. That was also the main reason Jiang Yao had decided to join the army.

It was rare for Jian Shang to be willing to provide them with an opportunity to learn. Such a chance was exceedingly precious. Few generals would be so broad-minded as to let commoners who knew nothing of warfare tinker with their precious troops.

By now, Gao Gong and Ma Qiang had hit it off at once, as if they had met too late, and were as close as one person. Gao Gong was currently following Ma Qiang.

Though Yang Ning was not good at expressing himself, he silently stayed at Le Yun's side as Le Yun led the Black Wolf Cavalry's mounted archers. Beyond assisting him, Yang Ning's main purpose was to learn. Yet Yang Ning's archery and keen eyesight greatly impressed Le Yun, who instead often sought Yang Ning's guidance. As for military common sense and strategy, Le Yun taught him everything he knew without holding anything back.

Only Jiang Yao, Jiang Qing, Gao Hong, and Sun Ji remained at Jian Shang's side. After all, this force still revolved around Jian Shang, and there were plenty of opportunities to learn from him.

Since Jian Shang and his group held no military posts or official ranks, the camp naturally would not sell them military maps. Furthermore, they were strangers in an unfamiliar land and had no channels through which to buy maps.

In the end, Jiang Sheng asked about the general location of the giant Central State City, and the group continued northeast.

Nothing happened over the next two days. Moreover, the Black Wolf Cavalry had no warhorses to ride, so they covered only around four hundred li in those two days—not even comparable to the distance Jian Shang, Jiang Yao, and the other nine people on seven horses had traveled in half a day before.

Still, over those two days, Jian Shang's party ran into several groups of barbarian stragglers. After surrounding and exterminating them, they killed around fifty barbarian cavalrymen and obtained forty-five Northern Plains Biao, along with some supplies, wealth, and other goods.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."

As Jian Shang and the others traveled as usual that day, they saw Shi Ji leading two mounted archers toward them at full gallop. Everyone was puzzled and reined in their horses to a halt.

"Jian Shang..."

From dozens of meters away, Shi Ji shouted excitedly. Then he noticed Jiang Sheng's frown and the sharp gaze shooting toward him. When he reached Jian Shang, he leaped from his horse and saluted in military fashion.

"Reporting to my lord! A barbarian column has been discovered, encamped roughly one hundred and thirty li to the northwest!"

At first, Jiang Yao, Shi Ji, and the others had all called Jian Shang by his full name, and they had grown used to it. But Jiang Sheng repeatedly emphasized the matter and sternly reminded them several times. Jiang Yao, Sun Ji, Gao Hong, and the others who had not formally joined the Black Wolf Cavalry were one thing, but those like Shi Ji, Shi Jin, and Gao Gong, who had indirectly joined the Black Wolf Cavalry, had to use a uniform form of address and observe military etiquette. That was what was meant by: the state has its laws, and the army has its regulations.

At first, Jian Shang would explain things away a few times, but Jiang Sheng persisted time and again. After it happened often enough, Jian Shang could not be bothered to say more. After all, Jiang Sheng was doing it for his sake and for the sake of the troop.

"Oh?"

Jian Shang's spirits rose as he turned to look questioningly at the others.

Five men formed a squad, ten formed a small unit led by a squad leader; fifty formed a medium unit led by a company commander; one hundred formed a large unit led by a centurion; five hundred formed a column led by a minor commander; one thousand formed a detachment led by a major commander; three thousand formed a main unit led by a deputy general; five thousand formed a square formation led by a deputy tooth general; and so on.

The barbarian column Shi Ji mentioned meant that he had discovered roughly five hundred barbarians.

"The Northern Di excel at riding; they are a people born on horseback! Five hundred will not be easy to fight, but we truly need real combat to raise morale, replenish supplies, and fulfill our mission of driving out the barbarians. Moreover, we need warhorses for travel and replacements. This battle can be fought!"

As Jian Shang's foremost general and the Black Wolf Cavalry's chief commander, Jiang Sheng pondered briefly before speaking first.

"Battle!"

Seeing no objections, Jian Shang answered solemnly. He looked to the others and ordered:

"Little Ji, tell us about the specific terrain, formation, and other details around the barbarians' position. Let's discuss how to fight and how to achieve the greatest results. The main objective this time is the barbarians' warhorses!"

The various generals dismounted one after another and gathered around Jian Shang, preparing for the Black Wolf Cavalry's first battle.

A force of two hundred men who could be counted as infantry was going to face five hundred cavalrymen skilled at riding.

Normally, that would be a fantasy beyond the sky. But the Black Wolf Cavalry's lowest martial value was above 25, and most were battle-hardened elite soldiers, so the battle was not impossible.

"The barbarians are arrogant, and they are confident! They have brazenly encamped right on the plain, with no proper formation. They seem to be arranged in a circle!"

Once everyone had gathered, Shi Ji used a dagger as a pen to sketch the rough terrain around the barbarians' location, emphasizing their position as he explained with a frown.

"Encamped on a plain? Plains favor cavalry battles, not infantry battles. Tactics will be even harder to employ; we can only clash head-on. This battle will not be easy, and the circumstances are quite unfavorable to us!"

As soon as Shi Ji finished, Jiang Sheng was the first to look at Jian Shang and speak in a grave tone.