SPRING RIVER FLOWERS AND MOON - CHAPTER 8 PART 1

SPRING RIVER FLOWERS AND MOON - CHAPTER 8 PART 1

Translations by: Lily of the Valley

CHAPTER 8 PART 1: 

On that night outside the city of Danyang, the great army set up camp to celebrate. Pigs and sheep were slaughtered, and the alcohol flowed freely. Everywhere, torches glowed red, and the sounds of cheers and laughter, accompanied by shouts and fistfights, echoed inside and outside the camp.

"Cheers!"

"We risk our lives at the front, yet they haven't even seen the faces of the rebel army. The ones who contribute the most each time are those people!"

"Li Biebu, brothers, let's toast to you! Will you dare to accept?"

In a corner of the camp, torches soaked in tung oil crackled and burned. The leaping flames illuminated faces flushed with alcohol.

A group of lower-ranking officers and soldiers surrounded Li Mu, eagerly toasting to him. The admiration in their eyes was mixed with resentment.

After each victorious battle, it was customary to reward and honor the military.

In the previous battle, Prince Linchuan, knowing he had no way out, fought like a trapped beast, becoming even more tenacious. With twenty thousand well-established soldiers under his command and the advantage of terrain, if it weren't for Li Mu charging into the enemy lines like lightning, bringing back Gao Huan, who was supposed to become a ghost under the blade, disrupting Prince Linchuan's formation, boosting the morale of the imperial troops, and seizing the opportunity to launch a fierce attack before the rebels could regroup – the rebel army would have fought fiercely, and the outcome would have been uncertain until the end.

On that day, in the vast ancient battlefield, between the two armies, Li Mu, with a firm stance, wielding a long knife and an iron shield, tore through the flesh and blood human wall in front of him. His horse trod over corpses, causing the enemy to lose heart and retreat. In the end, no one dared to stand in his way, only watching in awe as he, amidst a thousand horses and a myriad of troops, brought back Gao Huan.

Anyone who witnessed this scene, even though it had been more than half a month, still felt their blood boil at the memory.

Li Mu was only a captain of a detachment, young in age, but he had been in the military for many years, experiencing countless battles in the chaotic world.

From the lowest rank as a soldier when he first joined the army, to squad leader, platoon leader, and company commander, until two years ago, at the age of less than twenty, he was promoted to be the captain of a detachment with his own private military camp. This promotion was achieved through continuous military achievements.

In the army that was originally stationed in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, under the command of the Xu family, Li Mu, known for his courage and skill in battle, was almost universally recognized. Coupled with the glory of his ancestors, he had great appeal among the lower-ranking officers and soldiers.

After becoming the captain of a detachment, soldiers were proud to join his camp and become part of his private troops.

The three hundred soldiers under his command were all tough warriors who shared the same tent, wore the same uniform, and fought alongside him in every battle, risking their lives.

However, it was only in the past half month, in that particular battle, that he truly established his lofty position in the hearts of the soldiers as an admired figure.

A hero with courage and determination that shook the entire army.

In this battle, not to mention taking all the credit, it was worthy of being called a battle that would be remembered for generations.

However, when it came to rewarding and honoring achievements today, he was only promoted from the captain of a detachment to one of the five captains of a division. The position that everyone thought should rightfully be his, the position of deputy commander that was vacant before, went to another young aristocrat who had only recently arrived.

When the commendation order was issued, the three hundred soldiers led by Li Mu were in an uproar, and the other soldiers discussed it one after another, feeling quite dissatisfied.

Several bold company commanders wanted to appeal to Yang Xuan, but Li Mu stopped them. Seeing that he didn't care at all, they gave up, but the discontent in their hearts lingered. Tonight, they still called him by the old title of "Captain of a Detachment" to show their strong dissatisfaction.

Li Mu smiled and accepted the soldiers' toasts, one cup after another, drinking with the soldiers who were eager to toast to him.

"Riding a carriage, I wear a hat; when we meet again, I'll step down and bow."

"I carry an umbrella, and you ride a horse; when we meet again, I'll bow to you!"

"Don't think that young people in the alleys are poor; in the moment of crisis, they can transform into mighty dragons!"

Gradually, someone started hitting the back of another's knife as they sang this song from the ancient Yue country. More and more people joined in. The song, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of knives clashing, echoed through the entire camp, reaching the ears of the group of officers from noble families who were drinking and having fun in the distance.

In the midst of the singing, Li Mu sat alone by a bonfire, quietly pouring and drinking wine, his expression calm.

Suddenly, the singing around him gradually faded, and finally quieted down.

Li Mu turned his head lightly and saw a young man approaching him with a jug in one hand and a cup in the other. This drew the attention of the nearby soldiers, and countless eyes turned to look.

Gao Huan knew that in the army, a young aristocrat like himself, who had dropped from the sky, would be at least somewhat unwelcome by ordinary soldiers.

Those soldiers, although they didn't dare to show it openly, were secretly resentful of them.

He was extremely envious of his uncle. Born into a first-class noble family in Dayu, when he led the army, he had the utmost support from the lower-ranking soldiers. Whatever he ordered, they executed without hesitation.

It was said that during his last northern expedition, due to unavoidable circumstances, he had to return halfway. One hundred thousand troops returned across the Yangtze River. With autumn grass and yellow reeds, his uncle stood on the northern bank, unwilling to board the ship. When he turned around, tears fell from his eyes. The soldiers behind him also couldn't help but shed tears, kneeling down and vowing that if he were to raise an army for another northern expedition in the future, they would willingly become his soldiers again.

At that time, Gao Huan hadn't been born yet, and he had never witnessed that moving scene. But it didn't prevent him from yearning for it.

After coming here, he had also tried to get closer to them. However, due to years of habits and the gaze of others, he never dared to let go of the attitude he, as a young nobleman, should maintain.

But Li Mu was different.

On the day he was tied up in front of the formation, just when he suppressed the fear in his heart, determined not to beg for mercy and be separated from his life, even if it meant losing his head and staining the reputation of the Gao family, he was saved by Li Mu in a way that he had never dared to imagine before.

A narrow escape!

In that moment, that figure wielding a sword, covered in blood, exuding a fierce and bloodthirsty aura, breaking through the formation of the captain of the detachment who came to him like a god descending from the sky, became a figure in his mind that could be compared to his uncle.

Even though he was born in a commoner's family and his status was far lower than his own.

Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, Gao Huan came to Li Mu and poured wine into the cup, offering it with both hands, respectfully saying, "Captain Li, I will never forget the grace of saving my life! Please drink this cup."

After speaking, he looked at the man in front of him, feeling a bit uneasy.

In the days since he was saved, out of gratitude and admiration, he had been eager to get closer to this young military officer.

He felt that Li Mu was different from those low-ranking officers who rose through the ranks based on military merits. Li Mu didn't seem to have any disdain for him.

Even on the day he was rescued, when he hugged him and burst into tears for the first time, losing control of his emotions, Li Mu raised his hand and patted his back gently, as if comforting him. A tough man with a tender side, that was probably all.

But Li Mu's attitude toward him was not particularly close.

At least, it was far from what Gao Huan expected.