"This is an ancient battlefield!" Tutes said to the "blood people".
A group of warriors trained by the Ice Bone Camp leaped into the blood pool, passed through the corridor, and arrived at a spacious area. They were surrounded by mountains, with a long basin in the middle and ice peaks on all sides. The mountains were majestic, with sheer cliffs encircling them, making the terrain extremely perilous.
Withered grass, lingering clouds, an ancient battlefield. The wind of gore blows blood, splattering clothes. Dust and sand stretch three thousand li; only the horse's head and the setting sun are yellow.
The "blood people" stood on high ground, gazing into the long basin. Everywhere they looked, they saw ruins and desolation, a scene of devastation. The neighing of warhorses seemed to echo in their ears, and they could almost see the glint of swords, the fierce struggles, and the scenes of two armies fighting in a sea of blood.
"From ancient times to the present, how many heroes and brave warriors have fallen on the battlefield, their souls scattered among these ice peaks, their bones buried beneath the ice," Tutes then slowly said to everyone.
Zhou Fugui and others stood solemnly, silently gazing at the magnificent yet tragic and desolate battlefield. Everyone felt exceptionally insignificant within this battlefield nestled among the mountains.
After months of arduous training, the warriors of the Ice Bone Camp had seen their physical fitness, combat skills, and willpower significantly improve. Compared to before they joined the camp, they were like different people. At this moment, everyone felt full of confidence, believing they could fight ten, or even a hundred, opponents.
Yet, at this moment, the grand, tragic, and desolate battlefield, and the countless bones beneath the ice, made everyone feel exceptionally small, causing a sense of frustration.
No matter how brave and fierce an individual was, compared to an army of thousands, they were almost an insignificant blade of grass.
This was likely why Tutes had brought them here today.
Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, was peerless in his might. Standing over eight feet tall, he could lift cauldrons, and his bravery surpassed that of all armies. Yet, in the end, he was surrounded and killed by several thousand Han troops. Although he committed suicide at the Wu River, it was ultimately because Xiang Yu was cornered, leading him to take his own life.
Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms, Guan Yunchang, slew Hua Xiong with warm wine, annihilated Yan Liang and Wen Chou, and overcame five passes and slew six generals. He was a warrior who could stand against a thousand men. Yet, in the end, he was captured and killed at Maicheng by the obscure Ma Zhong of Eastern Wu.
Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Yide, could capture the enemy general's head amidst a million troops as easily as plucking something from his pocket. In the end, however, he was killed by his own subordinates, Fan Qiang and Zhang Da.
The strength of one person cannot hold up the heavens; this is an eternal truth.
"Return to camp!" Tutes waved his hand.
......
"Splash!" A ladle of hot water poured over Zhou Fugui's head, bringing him immense comfort.
The warriors who had undergone rigorous training in the Ice Bone Camp returned to the barracks and needed to wash off the blood. Tutes, in his kindness, allowed them to use the bathhouse to cleanse themselves. For those who had been enduring long periods of hardship, a hot bath was a rare pleasure.
The bathhouse was a large wooden structure. Beneath the wooden floor, numerous ores or charcoal fires were burning. When water was poured onto them, a great deal of steam was produced, making the entire structure steamy and hot. Entering it was like a wet steam sauna.
The warriors of the Ice Bone Camp, stripped bare, "steamed" in the wooden house. Their muscles were well-defined, and the hot water glistened on their skin. Most of them wore a loincloth for modesty, including Zhou Fugui. However, a few were completely naked, laughing and playing loudly within the steamy room.
They were all men, so it didn't matter much.
Zhou Fugui had experienced communal bathing before.
"Haha, Brother Fugui, your flesh is getting darker," Yang Xinhong said, splashing another ladle of hot water on Zhou Fugui.
With Zhou Fugui's encouragement and help, Yang Xinhong had persevered, and their arduous training was nearing its end.
"He's dark? Is he as dark as me?" Xu Mancang asked, flexing his dark muscles and laughing. "Brother Fugui is still like a fair and tender young maiden."
In reality, Zhou Fugui's fair skin had mostly turned a bronze color, except for certain key areas...
"You black charcoal head..." Zhou Fugui said, pushing Xu Mancang and laughing, "Damn it, you must have been like a piece of charcoal since you were in your mother's womb?"
"Hahahahaha!" everyone roared with laughter.
"Mancang's mother probably drank ink before giving birth to him..." Suo Dacheng joked.
"Dacheng, you dark soldier, you dark bird, you're darker than me, and you're calling me names?" Xu Mancang feigned anger, throwing an arm around Suo Dacheng's neck.
"Alright, alright, I'm dark, I'm dark, is that acceptable? We brothers are a pair of black Impermanence, is that alright? Let go of me, hugging and holding is not proper! If you want to hug, go hug a young maiden..." Suo Dacheng said, prying Xu Mancang's arm away with a laugh.
Hearing the words "young maiden," everyone suddenly became restless. For the past few months of hard training in the Ice Bone Camp, they hadn't even seen a pig, let alone a woman!
While they were fooling around, Zhou Fugui secretly scooped up a ladle of cold water and splashed it on himself to hide his embarrassment.
Zhou Fugui was also a young man of strong passions, and he had experienced the scent of women. As the saying goes, he knew the taste of the fruit. If Suo Dacheng hadn't mentioned it, it would have been fine, but his words made Zhou Fugui recall past romantic memories.
"Hey, Great Monk, have you tasted the flavor of women?" Xu Mancang licked his lips and asked Guan Zhong's crude monk, Xue Wentai.
"Black brute, I am a monk. Do not ask such questions. It is a sin, a sin!" Xue Wentai stood up, cupped his hands in a Buddhist salute, and feigned piety.
After nearly eight months of hard training, Xue Wentai's flabby flesh had turned into muscle. His physique was like a block of iron, making him tall and imposing. He was the tallest and strongest among the warriors of the Ice Bone Camp.
Xue Wentai's pretense made everyone laugh again.
Killing, arson, drinking, and eating meat – were there such monks in the world? Everyone secretly found it amusing.
"Bang!"
Just as everyone's imaginations were running wild, the wooden door was pushed open. A young officer, clad in armor and carrying a saber, entered and announced, "General Tutes has graciously granted you the freedom to enjoy yourselves today!"
Speak of the devil, or rather, think of the devil and he appears... The young officer then waved his hand, and a group of camp prostitutes entered.
Young ladies in various colored dresses, a kaleidoscope of colors, entered the large wooden house like a flock of swallows. Some wore sorrowful expressions, some were timid, while others had beaming smiles.
The earliest camp prostitutes appeared in the Spring and Autumn period, with King Goujian of Yue sending widows to the mountains to entertain his anxious soldiers. This is evident from historical records.
As patriarchy further expanded, by the Qin and Han dynasties, the scale of camp prostitution increased. Emperor Wu of Han established camp prostitutes to entertain the soldiers who were away from their wives and families. Emperor Wu frequently waged war, and to boost troop morale, he established camp prostitutes as a formal system.
Even now, camp prostitutes are still prevalent in the army. Criminals, prisoners of war, and their families were registered as professional entertainers, forming the "Lehu" (music households) under the unified management of the imperial music department. They were either forced into hereditary musical professions, arranged marriages, or used to entertain soldiers. These camp prostitutes were also referred to as "female entertainers."
The influx of a large group of young ladies in colorful dresses, like a flock of swallows, stunned the warriors of the Ice Bone Camp. At the same time, their eyes lit up like famished wolves on a snowfield.
"Thank you, General Tutes!"
Someone shouted, and rushed forward, embracing a young lady. Then, all the warriors rushed forward, including Xu Mancang, Suo Dacheng, and Xue Wentai.
"May I go out for a stroll?" Zhou Fugui, after putting on a robe, asked the young officer.
"Ah? Of course. General Tutes said everyone is free to do as they please today, you can even go into the city," the young officer replied, looking at Zhou Fugui with surprise.
Camp prostitutes in the frontier army were usually a reward for meritorious soldiers. Today, Tutes had graciously offered them as a treat to the warriors of the Ice Bone Camp. Zhou Fugui's desire to leave, however, astonished the young officer.
Therefore, Zhou Fugui donned his armor, slung his saber, and walked out of the large wooden house amidst the astonished gazes of everyone.
......
Xuelin City is the northernmost town in the Great Yan Kingdom, guarding the northern frontier and blocking the southern advance of northern cavalry.
Despite being such a strategically important military town, the city itself appeared relatively peaceful, lacking the oppressive atmosphere of impending doom. The streets extended outwards, leading to quieter suburban areas. Pedestrians were still abundant: some carrying loads on their shoulders, some driving ox carts for deliveries, some herding donkeys to pull carts, and some stopping to admire the scenery. With the tall city gate as the center, houses were scattered on both sides, including teahouses, taverns, small shops, butcher shops, temples, and government offices. Although it was far from the prosperity of Yanjing Shiyouzhou City, it was still one of the most prosperous towns in the north.
Hu Yan Sheng, the commander-in-chief of the frontier forces, did not build Xuelin City entirely as a military fortress. Instead, while reinforcing its defenses, he intentionally developed its commerce. This greatly impressed Zhou Fugui, who was wandering through Xuelin City at the time.
As a Xiongnu, possessing such foresight was quite unusual. What was his identity? Zhou Fugui was extremely curious about Hu Yan Sheng's background.
Although he didn't know what kind of person Hu Yan Sheng was, Zhou Fugui was certain that he was extraordinary. For a Xiongnu to hold the position of commander of a crucial frontier stronghold, could such a person be ordinary?
He hadn't written home in a long time. Looking at the dazzling array of goods on the street, Zhou Fugui suddenly thought of his mother, elder sister-in-law, sister, and Xiao Qing. He wondered how they were doing. Had Xiao Yunü been found yet? And then there was Princess Ziyue of the Great Yan, Murong Huiying, the person Zhou Fugui cherished.
Zhou Fugui had written letters before, but they were like stones sinking into the sea, with no news. That is to say, Zhou Fugui had not received any replies.
"Is that General Zhou? My master requests your presence!" Just then, an old servant suddenly stopped Zhou Fugui and asked.