Free Web NovelChapter 273: Warm-Hearted Long Chen
They mutually permitted each other’s men to collect the bodies of the fallen soldiers on the battlefield; this was an unwritten rule.
In ancient times, the dead were greatly respected. These deceased soldiers needed to be retrieved, and if possible, buried. If not, their bodies were to be cremated, and their ashes taken back to their hometowns for burial.
Sitting in the tent, Long Chen silently listened to the words of the advisor Jia Xu.
"Lord, in this battle, our army lost three thousand men, with five thousand seriously injured and eight thousand lightly wounded."
Losing one-fifth of a fifty-thousand-strong army without causing a mutiny or desertion was indeed rare in ancient battlefields.
This was a testament to Long Chen’s excellent military management; otherwise, most armies would likely collapse after losing even a tenth of their forces.
"Sigh! The fallen soldiers are the heroic souls of our army. We must not let their bodies be exposed in the wilderness; they must be taken back to Jiangdong for a proper burial!"
Long Chen sighed heavily, his pale hands clenched on the desk.
The battlefield is cruel and merciless!
Countless sons of Jiangdong died on the battlefield, something Long Chen witnessed with his own eyes, making his heart heavy.
Although this was just a game, none of the players considered it purely as such; the fallen soldiers were not just cold numbers...
Regardless of what others thought, Long Chen was certain that this was not just a game.
The people here had their own independent thoughts and were just like him, with two arms and two legs; they were all human!
Seeing the ordinary people living so miserably at the end of the Han Dynasty, a fierce fire burned in Long Chen’s heart.
This might be a sense of responsibility... or something else...
"Sun Tzu’s Art of War" states that the best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting! Bloody hand-to-hand combat is a last resort.
However, facing a formidable figure like Cao Cao, Long Chen could only fight him head-on!
Seeing his lord grieving for the lower-ranked soldiers, the advisor Jia Xu, who himself came from humble beginnings, was deeply moved.
This lord seemed genuinely different from the likes of Dong Zhuo or Yuan Shao, who had no compassion for the common people.
A sense of resonance stirred in Jia Xu’s heart, gradually dissolving his resentment from being cursed by Long Chen.
The situation in the world was already quite clear.
Long Chen held Emperor Xian of Han in his hands, occupied the wealthy Yangzhou among the thirteen provinces, and commanded the brave and battle-hardened soldiers of Jiangdong.
It was only a matter of time before he swept across the land.
Although the North and West had countless warlords, Jia Xu believed Long Chen had the potential to emerge as the ultimate victor.
"Lord, your benevolence is admirable, and I am wholeheartedly convinced," Jia Xu bowed and expressed his respect.
"Benevolence is not just about words. Issue my command! Grant fifty acres of land, ten taels of silver, and five bolts of cloth to the families of these fallen comrades!
Reward those with merits on the battlefield according to their contributions.
Punish those who retreat or desert, demote them, and send them to the deep mountains of Danyang County to mine."
Long Chen ordered.
Jia Xu quickly noted this down, nodding secretly.
Clear rewards and punishments make the army reliable!
For an army to perform at its best, there must be clear rewards and punishments.
This way, the soldiers know that the more enemies they kill, the more rewards they will receive, including land, which will greatly boost their morale.
In ancient times, land was the lifeblood of the people, and granting land was a powerful incentive.
Moreover, in "The Great Lord," the land area was expanded nearly a hundred times, so Long Chen still had plenty of land to bestow.
"Wenhe, what are the casualties of Cao’s army?" Long Chen asked.
Jia Xu replied, bowing, "Cao’s army lost about eight thousand men, with nearly ten thousand seriously injured, and countless lightly wounded."
Upon hearing this, Long Chen nodded.
In conclusion, they still had the upper hand in this battle.
Being able to defeat a larger force, especially when the enemy is Cao Cao, was enough for Long Chen to feel proud.
However, his goal this time was not to completely crush Cao Cao, as Cao’s army was vast and formidable.
The main objective was to drive Cao Cao out of Xuzhou and then occupy it himself.
With Xuzhou in hand, he could link it with Yangzhou, effectively controlling the entire southeast of the Han Dynasty.
At that time, Long Chen, who occupied two provinces, would be the largest warlord force in the Han Dynasty.
Oh, it shouldn’t be called a warlord force; it should be said that he was reclaiming old territories for the emperor...
As for how to drive Cao Cao out of Xuzhou, it certainly wasn’t about a direct confrontation to see who had the bigger fist.
That would be the worst strategy. Even if he could drive out Cao’s army, Long Chen’s fifty thousand troops might be reduced to less than a tenth!
The real trump card... Long Chen hadn’t revealed it yet~
After discussing the details with Jia Xu, the advisor hurried off to attend to matters.
The fallen soldiers were also a tricky issue, ensuring that the land and silver bestowed by Long Chen could safely reach the families of the deceased.
Compiling various records would also take a lot of time.
Thus, Jia Xu rushed out, remembering how leisurely he used to be in Dong Zhuo’s army, only needing to come up with bloodless schemes.
Now, under Long Chen, he not only had to occasionally come up with schemes but also had to handle grassroots work. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
It wasn’t easy for an old man in his fifties!
Not long after Jia Xu left, Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci came to Long Chen’s tent.
Long Chen first encouraged the two, then bestowed upon them their deserved rewards, and invited them to a banquet.
"Don’t be shy, sit down and eat!"
Long Chen picked up a piece of wild ox tendon and stuffed it into his mouth, completely without airs.
This left Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci looking at each other. Zhao Yun, having been with Long Chen for some time, was accustomed to his ways.
Taishi Ci, on the other hand, was not and found Long Chen very approachable.
Ordinary warlords wouldn’t treat their subordinates like this!
A warm glow appeared in Taishi Ci’s eyes as he took his seat alongside Zhao Yun.
In his mind echoed the words his elderly mother had said to him before he left.
"Son! Lord Long is a great man! He treats the common people very well. Back in our hometown, the villagers were starving, emaciated, and their faces were full of lifeless despair.
But when we came to Yangzhou, we found a paradise!
Everyone’s face was full of happiness, and their eyes were bright!
I don’t know much about the officials, but I know... Lord Long must be a good man! ƒгeewёbnovel.com
I don’t ask for great achievements from you, but you must protect Lord Long!!"
Taishi Ci’s eyes gradually became determined as he picked up his bowl and started eating quickly.
"Ding! The favorability of the five-star general Taishi Ci has increased to 93."
The system’s voice suddenly sounded in Long Chen’s mind.
Long Chen paused, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Ah, it seems my personal charm is quite strong! Even eating can increase the favorability of famous generals.
