It was exactly mid-morning, the sun high in the sky, dust billowing outside Gansha City, black smoke rising at the South City Gate, and a thick layer of corpses piled beneath the city walls.
"Hurry up!"
"Everyone, speed up, don’t be lazy."
The Wei Army commanded the defectors to move the bodies out of the city, transporting them outside to be piled together. The corpses of the Wei Army and the Jin Xia Army soldiers were separated, then doused with kerosene and burned to prevent plague.
A breeze swept in, stirring the scent of blood and burning flesh from the ground, carrying it into the city.
On the city wall, the banner of Jin Xia had already been replaced with the military flag of Great Wei. The weary Wei soldiers leaned against the battlements, resting and taking turns on guard.
Chen Mo, facing the sun, sat atop the city wall. Yu Zhu wet a towel and knelt beside Chen Mo, wiping the blood off his face.
At that moment, Deputy General of the Imperial Guard, Luo Yong, approached to report the casualties: "Your Majesty, our army has slain over 1,300 enemies and captured nearly 3,000. We have suffered 287 losses."
Chen Mo waved his hand and said, "Has that prince’s identity been clarified yet?"
"Your Majesty, the enemy prince whom you beheaded was named Tuoba Hong, a brother of the Jin Xia Khan and a Fifth-Grade Martial Artist. Deputy General Fu Cha Fu, a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist," Luo Yong detailed to Chen Mo.
Chen Mo nodded and said, "Issue my decree immediately, let the Fire Head Battalion prepare breakfast quickly so the soldiers can fill their stomachs. Also, have the defectors repair the destroyed South City Gate as soon as possible."
Such a large city could be used as one of their bases for advancing into Jin Xia and could locally replenish military supplies, reducing the pressure domestically.
"Yes."
Luo Yong withdrew to make arrangements.
"Where’s the State Preceptor?" Chen Mo looked at Yu Zhu.
"Treating our army’s wounded," Yu Zhu responded.
Chen Mo had marched through the night and quickly, without bringing any military doctors along.
"Have someone find all the doctors in the city to treat our wounded. The State Preceptor is alone; how long will she be busy?" Chen Mo said.
"Your Majesty, the State Preceptor has already sent people to find them. She is holding out until they arrive," Yu Zhu said.
"Alright, I’ll rest for a while. Inform me if there are any urgent matters."
If it was just a sleepless night, Chen Mo could manage, but each time he stormed a city, he led the charge himself, exhausting a great deal of Spiritual Qi and needing rest to replenish it.
"Your Majesty, please sleep. I will watch for you,"
Chen Mo nodded, found a comfortable position, and began to rest.
With the current realm of the Purple Sun Transformation Skill, Chen Mo could restore Innate Spiritual Qi just by basking in the sun.
Of course, restoration is possible, but for cultivation, only the Solar Purple Qi in the early morning is effective.
...
Chen Mo was awakened by a commotion.
He opened his eyes, finding a cloak draped over him, and Yu Zhu stood straight with a long sword in hand, standing guard without moving an inch.
"What’s happening? It’s so noisy," Chen Mo stood up.
"Your Majesty, you’re awake." Hearing Chen Mo’s voice, Yu Zhu turned around with a smile and said, "It seems a soldier down below violated military discipline and got caught by the discipline team."
Chen Mo nodded, draped the cloak over Yu Zhu, and asked, "What hour is it now?"
"Just reached 1:00 PM."
"You’re tired too. Take a moment to rest while I go have a look."
Yu Zhu nodded, indeed feeling a bit weary.
Below the city, Nalan Yiren was watching the commotion with interest.
Seeing Chen Mo descending, Nalan Yiren merely cast a casual glance.
Chen Mo called Luo Yong over to inquire about the situation.
According to Luo Yong, it turned out some Xianzhen Guard soldiers, while searching for remaining Jin Xia soldiers in the city, took a fancy to a beautiful woman.
Due to the more open and revealing attire of Jin Xia compared to the Wei,
these soldiers, unable to resist, violated this beautiful woman.
The most crucial point was that many Jin Xia civilians witnessed the scene at the time.
Upon hearing this, Chen Mo frowned.
From the establishment of the army, Chen Mo had enforced strict military discipline.
Among them was a strict prohibition against drunkenness or harassing civilians.
Once violated, if severe, it warranted death.
As recounted by Luo Yong, the soldiers who violated such rules were to be punished with thirty lashes.
Thirty lashes may not sound like much, even seeming bearable with gritted teeth.
But thinking that way would be a grave mistake.
"Your Majesty, you see, when the Jin Xia barbarians attacked us, they didn’t shy from humiliating our people either. These few people below are simply responding in kind, so perhaps you could..." Luo Yong began to plead for leniency for the soldiers.
But before he could finish, Chen Mo shot him a glare.
"Discipline is discipline, and the law is devoid of emotion," Chen Mo stated. Primarily, the rules could not be broken; if these men were not dealt with, others would follow their example.
Of course, here is not the Central State, and Luo Yong’s words bear truth; isn’t it just that the Jin Xia barbarians could humiliate us, but we can’t retaliate in kind? Hence the thirty lashes cannot be genuinely administered.
Moreover, to put it bluntly,
If these soldiers committed their offense out of sight of many, it would be handled internally, making a big issue small and a small issue disappear.
In any case, as the leader, Chen Mo had to uphold the rules.
"Carry out the punishment publicly. Select a few to administer it personally and use Soft Force," Chen Mo instructed.
Upon hearing this, Luo Yong was initially startled, then his face lit up with joy: "I shall attend to it immediately."
"Wait, you keep this matter to yourself and don’t spread it around," Chen Mo instructed.
"Yes."
Luo Yong, light-footed, retreated.