Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 268: A Bucket of Cold Water (2/2)
As Li Bonian screamed, Li Bo’s face turned ghostly pale and he fell to the ground. He hadn’t expected Liu Cong to do something so ghastly. Technically, it didn’t violate military discipline; it was merely a test of their courage. Those with strong nerve might only feel a bit queasy, but Li Bonian and Li Bo were not amongst the courageous.
The heads were piled in the box, one on top of another, still stained with fresh blood, mingling together, along with some other things…
Li Bonian, unable to bear the image he had just seen, ran off and began to retch violently, utterly repulsed by the gore and grisliness.
“Master Li, you mentioned earlier that there were fewer bandits about – well, the missing ones are all in here. Lugging the corpses of slain bandits back with us over such a distance wasn’t practical, so we thought of this solution; it saves energy and checks off our duty. We’ve killed so many bandits – surely our superiors ought to reward us generously for our efforts. Isn’t this just the kind of thing that could lead to promotion and fortune?”
Liu Cong mocked Li Bonian’s cowardice, questioning his right to call himself a soldier. If he were to go into battle, wouldn’t his legs turn to jelly? “Lord Han has said the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, and it’s anyone’s guess what it will come to,” he mused. A day like today was inevitable.
After settling the matter with Li Bonian, Han Yu led his team to report back, only to be met with a cold response. Despite their strenuous efforts and sacrifice, they were dismissed with nothing more than a cursory “you worked hard” and faulted for taking too long. The hollow words left them feeling deeply disheartened.
“Lord Han, we’ve toiled and risked our lives, yet we lose credit for our deeds and can’t even earn a word of praise – it’s infuriating!” Liu Cong declared angrily, having barely relieved his frustration with the encounter with Li Bonian before being doused with yet another bucket of cold water.
“There’s no need for anyone to feel downcast. We’ve not come back empty-handed from our mission, and this matter won’t end so easily. As long as you trust me, no one will be deprived of what they’ve earned.”
Han Yu reassured his subordinates. He had anticipated such a reception and was calm about it, but he wasn’t about to quietly accept someone else claiming credit for his achievements. The campaign against the bandits wouldn’t just pass without consequence. When he first learned of their schemes and traps, he had made plans not only to bribe an insider within the stronghold. If it were that simple, there would’ve been no need to make any plans at all; a comprehensive strategy was in place.
“We believe in you, Master,” said the soldiers, whose respect for Han Yu was beginning to take root. With his assurance, the grumbling ceased; after all, tangible rewards had been secured.
Upon completing his report back, Han Yu gave some instructions and immediately set out for home. In his absence, he wondered how his daughter-in-law was coping, surely worried about him, given that she sent a servant daily to the camp for news.
Even while out on the campaign, Han Yu had left his own people in the camp to maintain the flow of information, preventing anyone from conspiring against him. Thus, he knew as soon as he returned to the camp that Su Wenyue had sent someone for updates. The thought filled him with warmth, knowing there was someone constantly caring for and waiting for him at home, along with three little ones. They say children change so much day by day; having not seen them in a while, he wondered what changes there might be. Were they behaving themselves? And what about Team of four including Zhai Li – how had his daughter-in-law managed everything?