Return to Yanmen

Is it really possible to tie grass to your body?

I feel fine!

On the second mission to transport the dragon bones, they encountered the Feiyu Demon King. When Zhang Xuezhou finally found Wei Qing's army again, he did not run away.

Various methods for tracking high-altitude flyers have emerged from time to time. The simplest method is to cut some weeds and tie them to the body to achieve the most rudimentary concealment.

He whispered to the new emperor, while Wei Qing watched the exhausted legion, their bodies covered in weeds, as they rode.

No amount of pep talks will help if you're on a long march.

Many knew that their legion would be credited with a great service if they could return to the Great Han territory, but many of them couldn't keep up with the physical demands.

It was difficult to find a place in the grasslands where a legion of over a thousand men could take shelter and rest. After more than ten days of marching on horseback, the soldiers' rations were gradually running out.

Youthful impulsiveness inevitably has its drawbacks, which are areas that need to be corrected in the future.

At present, everyone's only wish is to safely return to Yanmen Pass and other places so as to rejoin the main army.

"Is there anything from the treasure we obtained from Dragon City that we can provide for the soldiers' food, drink, and energy?"

Wei Qing pondered for a few seconds, then sought out the new emperor and others for further questioning.

"I don't know, I only transported two dragon bones and a blood serpent!"

Dong Zhongshu shook his head, seemingly lost in his own world. The new emperor shook his head repeatedly, indicating that he did not know. Zhang Xuezhou also quickly shook his head, indicating that he was unaware of the treasures hidden in the ancestral land of Dragon City.

Although they had seen boxes of demon cores, as well as medicinal herbs and blood essence, these could not be eaten directly.

With several days left in the march, the legion's overall condition was indeed problematic, and even Zhang Xuezhou was somewhat fatigued.

If the condition worsens, the marching speed will slow down, not to mention the ability to withstand unexpected risks.

The treasures and prisoners found in the ancestral lands of Dragon City were a major factor slowing down the march, but could also bring about change.

While it's not to say that the Great Han army treated prisoners as spare meat like the Xiong State, it was certainly feasible to rummage through and select usable items from the ancestral land of Dragon City.

"Seventy percent of the soldiers' cultivation level is below the Realm Entry, meaning they cannot use many of the items suitable for our use. It's unlikely that the treasures Chanyu Junch en contain anything suitable for ordinary people!"

When Zhang Xuezhou and others agreed to Wei Qing's suggestion and prepared to investigate the treasure hidden in the ancestral land of Dragon City, Dong Zhongshu was somewhat slow to react, quietly reminded them.

Although Zhang Xuezhou and his group seemed to associate with mostly cultivators and experts, the vast majority of people in the world were still ordinary people. Even the archers that Wei Qing carefully selected from his 10,000-strong cavalry regiment were mostly ordinary people.

Arrows have great penetrating power; they can even pierce through armor.

These skilled archers, like Zhang Zhong in the past, relied more on their youthful bodies and practiced techniques than on the power derived from their cultivation level.

There are about two hundred people with cultivation in the legion, but only about ten of them have high-level cultivation. The rest are ordinary people.

Dong Zhongshu's reminder made Wei Qing take a deep breath and nod to indicate that he understood the situation.

"The soldiers with cultivation are in relatively good physical condition; what we need to supply is the general population," Wei Qing said. "If we could also find some suitable mounts, that would be even better!"

"That's asking too much!"

This was Wei Qing's first long-range surprise attack, and he clearly didn't want anyone or any of his horses to fall behind. Even the new emperor had to comment, mentioning that the emperor's expectations were too high.

"There are many problems with long-distance marches. People can't endure it, and the horses' hooves wear down. We also have limited supplies, making it difficult to maintain optimal condition," Wei Qing said. "The legion needs people skilled in calculation to rationally allocate food and water, veterinarians to manage the mounts, people to determine directions, and people to identify usable herbs and other items to obtain supplies in the wild!"

Wei Qing let out a long sigh of relief.

He was skilled in swordsmanship, archery, horsemanship, and commanding troops, but lacked other abilities. When Wei Qing set out, he carefully selected those skilled in archery and did not consider other factors.

It wasn't until he personally made the long and arduous journey that he realized what he needed.

The Great Han army was indeed different from the Xiong State. The Great Han army consisted of more professional soldiers, many of whom honed their skills in killing enemies. In contrast, the Xiong State army lived on the grasslands and were not only accustomed to survival in a vast territory, but they were also able to adapt themselves and maintain their mounts, thus gaining the ability to survive for a long time and raid long distances.

Wei Qing's statement about this need was more of a reminder, informing the new emperor that wars could not be waged on a whim, and that everyone could not always maintain a good state of mind, as the outcome of battles between legions was too uncertain.

People can have good luck, but they can't have good luck every time. This requires the Great Han Dynasty to consider things carefully when sending troops.

"This problem..."

"There's a Bodhi flower in this box!"

When Zhang Xuezhou called out, the new emperor and the others immediately stopped their private conversation.

What is the Brahma lotus?

Seeing Zhang Xuezhou open a large box, take out a black, hard object the size of an egg and sniff it repeatedly, and even bring a captive from the Xiong State to question him, the new emperor couldn't help but feel a little curious.

"This is a stuffy substance that grows in the snowy lands of the Xiong State. It makes you extremely resistant to hunger and provides a continuous supply of energy. After eating it once, you won't need to eat for two or three days. The fire toxin it carries can also keep you warm. However, ordinary people shouldn't eat too much, or they will get fire sores!"

Zhang Xuezhou looked at the boxes of dried, blackened lotus flowers and finally identified them by their scent.

He pondered the environment of the ancestral land of Dragon City and quickly figured out the staple food that Yu Dan and others cultivated in the ancestral land.

Zhang Xuezhou had previously lost his way and run out of supplies while traveling west in search of the Kunlun Sacred Land, and he had also relied on the Bodhi Lotus to sustain him for a period of time.

While ordinary people face various conditions when consuming the Bodhi Lotus, cultivators can rely on it to survive for a longer period of time.

"No wonder Yu Dan wanted to kill Nidulu, the Corpse-Chasing Bone Lord, before fleeing. Nidulu was knowledgeable and fluent in Great Han. Killing Nidulu would leave us without a proper communicator, rendering us useless even if we obtained the treasures of the Dragon City ancestral land!"

The new emperor belatedly realized Yu Dan's intention, and he was also glad that Zhang Xuezhou was knowledgeable enough; otherwise, how would he have known that these dark, hard things were used to fill their stomachs?

It appears that there is only one large box containing the Bodhi lotus, but there are thousands of Bodhi lotuses inside. Even if the legion needs to march for several days, it could march for half a month without any problem.

"The Xiong State have always relied on us for food and drink when they fight; we can do the same to them!"

The new emperor had been worried by Wei Qing's reminder, but he quickly came to his senses after Zhang Xuezhou found the Lotus of the Bhadra, and did not forget to teach Wei Qing.

Some shortcomings can be remedied, but our mindset needs to be updated.

What the Xiong State can do, the people of Great Han can do as well.

As long as the Xiong State can survive in this territory, they can also survive, and even survive better.