章節 27: | Lady Luck Favours the Brave (Bonus Chapter)
War had raged on for ten years now, on the northern and western borders of the Silla Kingdom. While the northern front was far from being spared from troubles, most of the fighting was taking place in the western lands.
The mountainous region of the north and General Min-Jun's legions held at bay the foes. Tirelessly, the Tang armed forces tried to advance, counter-plotting and focusing on the occidental regions, coming through the western wide mountain pass, or by the West Sea. Massive galleys would drop enemy troops on the shores of the neighbouring kingdom, which allowed them to pass.
The Sillans had only one friendly neighbour: the East Sea.
On the western border, standing against the invaders were three military divisions, some of them commanded by veteran generals appointed directly by the king. Only one division had at its front a young mind who rode for glory alongside his peers. It was the most battered out of all of them and it belonged to General Sung-Ho.
The strategies he always opted for were perilous, making them what the enemy least expected. His gambles landed him countless victories, building his renown as the King's Great General. He was considered the most reckless among his peers. "A fool and a fresh sprout," the elderly generals hissed amongst themselves. But this young sprout was for sure the most successful of them.
They said that Lady Luck favoured him because luck always favours fools.
Hearing these words made the young general huff every time. It was easy to talk about divine intervention, and difficult to understand and accept the facts. Sung-Ho was aware his success had nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with the company of soldiers he kept. He could blindly lay his life in his men's hands because he was the one who trained those hands, mercilessly.
And it was not his foolishness that made him mount guerrilla attacks against the enemy. It was good intel. This general was no stranger to the power of information. Sending a handful of troops against an entire enemy regiment, while camped, could be considered a foolish thing indeed. But the plan was to instigate and draw out the invaders on a terrain of his choosing, and under his own terms – not foolish at all.
Strike first was what he aimed for. Then count the moments until the foe falls prey to the trap laid before him. This was one of the strategy lessons he made sure to learn well by doing.
One by one rectangular ribbon tail flags appeared on the horizon. The enemy's numbers grew as they mounted the chiselled ridge of the hill, and were coming down in waves, diverging and converging in their path, around the boulders scattered on the slopes, splitting like water rushing down a rocky stream bed.
General Sung-Ho and his army lurked on the other hillside, waiting. He organized his men, lining up the bowmen in two rows at the front. After being put to good use they could fall back behind the lines, pacing quickly through the evenly spaced rows that his spearmen and cavalry were holding steady.
In their crazed chase, the guttural shouts let out from deep off the enemy's chests and came slamming against the silent wall of the Silla army's stillness. After years of experience, Sung-Ho learned to appreciate the ideal moment to strike based on how loud their shouts were sounding to his ear. Then the enemy would get a bitter taste of what the Sillian prized army unit could deliver: arrows fired with lightning speed from their crossbows.
The general's lamellar-armoured mount shifted uneasily and stomped the ground until he yanked at the reins to keep him steady. "Crossbows ready!" he commanded, stretching out his arm so his commanders could see his hand sign.
The first line of arbalists armed their crossbows and held them steady, waiting for the next order. Sung-Ho closed his eyes to focus solely on his hearing. It did not take long for the enemy's shouting to come closer, pounding his ears. He launched his hand forward: "Release!"
Fast, piercing arrows were set loose upon the enemy, striking those who were not quick enough to protect themselves under their long shields. Barely having time to take in the outcome of their attack, the bowmen from the first line quickly ran behind their comrades and took their position at the back of the aligned troops. The second line of crossbowmen stepped in and nocked their arrows.
"Release!" echoed for all soldiers to hear, as the general's hand movement signalled again.
One more round of raining arrows came down on their enemy, reaping a large portion of them. And yet they were still coming, men and horses, streaming like a never-ending river.
The Sillian pikemen were steadying themselves as the terrain began to shake under the soles of their boots, tingling their feet. Anticipation stirred their stomachs. Sweaty hands took better hold of their weapons and slammed them against their shields, in unison. Their chant filled the surrounding hills and deafened the enemy's cry. With each hit, courage charged them as every soldier no longer felt alone. They were an army until the god of death would make brothers of them all.
Sung-Ho watched the approaching wave and felt adrenaline fill his heart, pushing blood to his pulsing temples. He grinned in anticipation. Nothing made him feel more alive than being so close to the edge of death. He could taste the air filled with sweat and the sweet aroma of the stirred mud and grass. Soon there would be blood.
"Charge!" and with a final gesture, he motioned for his mounted squadrons and pike units to move forward.
Their descent began slowly, pacing and trotting down the hill. Gradually, with increased speed, the cantering and walking turned into galloping and running. The earth was swallowed under their feet until they ploughed into their enemies, slowing down their advance.
Sung-Ho put the management of the main battle in the trusted hands of his commanders. The general remained behind with his own company of soldiers this time. He had a different goal today. His eyes scanned the clumps of men fighting, taking note of the progress on the battlefield, and trying to identify the lion-adorned helmet of the enemy's General.
They were old acquaintances and had long taunted each other on the battlefields. Capturing him would glorify this day even more than if they came out of this battle victorious. And it could prove to be a source of valuable information. The key that would put a stop to their ongoing fighting in this region.
When the general spotted his counterpart, in the company of only four other soldiers, making sweeps and bringing down his Silla countrymen, Sung-Ho whispered to himself, "You are mine!" and he beckoned his personal company, made of ten strong horsemen, to follow him.
The man in the lion helmet noticed the retinue of raiders coming fast in his direction and he realised he was their target. Putting a stop to his onslaught he changed his direction and retreated with his men towards a small grove, far from the fighting action.
"The coward is running away, faster men, faster!" urged Sung-Ho of his men, brushing shoulders together, keeping close. He followed that cowardly general across the battlefield and through the grove. He would have hounded him until the edge of the earth if that was what it took to get his fingers on the man. The edge of the earth had to wait because they came into a clearing, giving way to the rim of the ancient forest, guarding the area.
An unexpected sight awaited Sung-Ho when he found his path blocked by twenty more of his enemies.
The general under the lion helmet, grinned at him while congratulating himself for having lured this foolish Silla leader into his trap. He took his four soldiers and intended to return to the battlefield. He stopped to gloat and locked eyes with general Sung-Ho, uttering foreign words, saying he left him in good company.
Sung-Ho found himself outnumbered two to one. He cursed himself for being so cocky and distancing himself from the open field and his troops. What else did he have to lose apart from his life? Having his blood spilt for his country was the utmost honor he could dream of. At least he would go down fighting.
His enemies, on their horses, confidently launched at him and his fighting party, swords at a ready. Sung-Ho and his men advanced forward, in a tight-knit formation. Hitting left and right, the metal loudly clanged, rammed against the edge of the enemy's sword, or across the plaque metal plates, scratching their eardrums, and igniting sparks. One by one, all the raiders got knocked down off their horses in the clash and continued fighting on the ground.
The sun flashed along the edges of their blades while they were kept in constant movement. Sung-Ho had to fend off two enemy soldiers at once until he was violently shoved back. Quickly enough he regained his balance.
He struck one advancing foe with the hilt of his sword, the clash against the armour sending vibrations through his bones. In a swift sequence, he hit the other one hard against the middle of his face with the ring-shaped pommel of his hwandudaedo. Filled with macabre excitement, he watched his enemy stagger while blood trickled from the man's broken nose. Dancing with death excited him.
Thinking he barely got out of this assault, he sensed the imminent approach of another enemy blade, coming fast at his head. All he could do was use his hand to protect his face as he tried to dodge. Not fast enough though.
The hit left him with a gaping wound on his eyebrow, and on his hand. Blood came gushing out, blinding his left eye while a metallic taste filled his mouth. His opponent smirked at him, seeing himself victorious, and getting ready to strike again.
Suddenly, he heard a loud shout from the direction of the battlefield. Sung-Ho knew there was only one who was foolish enough to follow him without orders and in a dire situation such as this. His commander-in-chief. Those howls distracted his opponent long enough for Sung-Ho to launch his sword at the man's throat. Not waiting to see the outcome of his hit, he signalled his men to regroup.
[The chief commander rushed on his horse towards two of the enemy warriors who came to intercept him. They were moving corpses in his eyes. His fast blows, landing hard on their bodies, sounded like jabs at empty barrels. Blood spluttered in the air, the red dots stealing light from the sun. Where once jingled the chainmail armor now dangled strips of raw flesh. With holes in their sides, the soldiers plummeted to the ground.]
Among his entire regiment of soldiers, Sung-Ho never saw anyone react as fast and with such killer instincts, as his commander-in-chief. It was one of the reasons why he'd named him to such an important position, though he was very young. That, together with the fact that he knew the man for a long time, and he could trust him with his life.
The young commander effortlessly slid out of his saddle, not waiting for his horse to stop, and came to join his general's fighting party.
General Sung-Ho acknowledged his presence with a nod. "Commander. Sometimes I wonder if you are the bravest man I know or plain crazy."
"Looking at the situation you are in, my general, I think you need "crazy" right now," the commander replied, offering a partial smirk, and taking a fighting stance.
Looking around they were still outnumbered, and their enemies were regrouping as well.
"My men, tonight we dine together. Either in my tent or with the gods," Sung-Ho said, taking a glance at his soldiers. But his eyes glinted seeing the woodland behind them. The gears of his brain were turning, and a plan took shape as he asked his companions, "Friends, are you ready for a game of hide-and-seek?"
His men grinned at him and grunted in unison, knowing what their general was talking about. They practised a lot of fighting strategies within their company, so on the general's mark, they all turned around, and ran for the trees.
Their group split into pairs, each going in a different direction. The general paired up with his commander, as they made themselves unseen behind the overhanging branches.
What remained of their enemies looked at the men running, puzzled. Not having time to plot a strategy of their own, they followed suit, splitting up as well.
Running away was not a disgraceful option. It was the means to an end, called divide and conquer. Yet another strategic lesson the general was fond of.
General Sung-Ho and his commander concealed themselves, one lying low under a scrub, and the other behind an old and hollow tree trunk.
Not long had passed before a group of three enemy soldiers were approaching their location. At the right moment, jumping from behind the tree, the young commander drew their attention, taunting them. "Did you miss me, fellas? I sure missed you!" and he blew a kiss in their direction, mocking them.
This distraction was enough for Sung-Ho to jump one of the soldiers and make a slice under his armpit, tearing through the soft spot in his armour. He then used his victim's body as a human shield to defend against another incoming hit. Now their numbers were even.
Sung-Ho stepped back, not paying attention to the mud sticking to his feet, appearing to retreat, luring one of the opponents to make the first move. When the Dao was swung in his direction, he dodged and slid his blade over the man's thighs making him fall to his knees, lamenting out loud. Injured, the soldier began to crawl through the wet soil towards the illusion of safety, turning and looking with scared eyes at Sung-Ho, as if begging to be spared.
General Sung-Ho allowed him a couple of moments of hope. He could afford But then he came and stopped his advance by placing his foot on his back. The injured turned to face him. Or perhaps he looked for the sky one last time.
There is no room for mercy when fighting to the death. Sung-Ho did not blink when he sank the sharp tip of his sword along the man's collarbone, watching him in the eyes, as the only act of grace and respect he could give.
Looking in his commander's direction, to see how he was faring, all he could hear was his man teasing his rival, playing cat-and-mouse, going round and round the tree. "Now you see me!" said his commander, playfully hitting the soldier with the tip of his sword. "Now you don't!" and he went unseen behind the tree trunk.
Watching the scene, the general could barely abstain from laughing. "Commander, don't play with your enemy. I thought you already learned this lesson. Or maybe you need my help and are too cocky to ask for it?" asked Sung-Ho, catching his breath and massaging his throbbing shoulder after the exertion and the adrenaline from the fight.
"No way you are taking my fun away from me, general!" The commander suddenly turned to face his already enraged adversary who swung his sword at him. He hissed and jumped back to avoid having his immaculate chest armour slashed. With one side step and sharpened reflexes, he gifted the soldier a sword through his unprotected side and pushed the blade all the way to the man's stomach. Keeping the heated body close, as if to say goodbye and thank you for the fun, the commander gently put his human plaything down, leaning his ear to hear the gurgling sounds coming from his victim's throat.
Sung-Ho huffed and shook his head, always astonished by the approach his commander took when fighting.
The commander took note of his disapproval. "You need to have fun in front of Mistress Death, General. Or she will have fun with you." He looked back at him, conceited, as he cleaned up his blade.
The general said nothing; instead, he whistled a familiar song and waited for the rest of his soldiers to follow the sound. Relieved, he watched as they appeared in pairs, following their general's hum to find their way through the forest.
The thought-out strategy and all the practice runs they had together, had ensured their success.
Having the group reunited, they joyfully saluted each other, although Sung-Ho had a bone to pick with one of them. He gripped the back of the head of his chief commander and squeezed hard, making the young man grimaced.
In a teacher-like manner, disciplining his student in front of the others, he brought the commander's head to bump with him and said in a condescending tone. "I left you in charge of the battle. Why is it so hard for you to follow my orders? I could have you whipped for disobeying a direct order. You stupid, brave, fool!" Saying these last words, he launched into an affectionate hug.
The commander did not reciprocate his superior's show of affection. "Their army started to retreat, general, and we already subdued the rest. It was getting boring out there." A dissimulating joke and an eager push from the general put an end to this embarrassing situation he was put, in front of his comrades.
Sung-Ho turned his attention and acknowledged each of his men for their bravery. "I am sorry gentlemen if you made your plans with the gods, but tonight I can only offer you the mere comforts of my tent. How should we celebrate?"
"Good food!" answered one of his men, whose armour barely fit him.
"Lots of drinks!" added a hefty soldier loudly, towering high above all his other companions.
"Randy women!" shouted the young commander louder, making all the men around him cheer and pat him on the back for such a reasonable suggestion.
That night they would share all the joys of being alive, in the same way, they faced the dangers of being alive, as part of the army. Together.
As they made their way out of the clearing and back to the battlefield, where his soldiers were gathering up the prisoners and counting their dead, General Sung-Ho took in the outcome of the fight. They had lost some men, and he did not succeed in snatching his principal target. But at least the enemy was held at bay. And he got the chance to fight another day. He had work to do. Unsettling news came to him from the northern front. It was a long burning ache that called to him from the north, aside from the King's orders. And another chance to make the most of his military and strategic ingenuity and make others blather about how lucky he was for being so foolish.
However, Lady Luck had a better sense of whom to give the upper hand to. She never favoured the fools. She always favoured the brave.
-- 收到的禮物 
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票