HLnovel Chapter 488 The Struggle of an Ordinary Person
Chapter 488 The Struggle of an Ordinary Person
"Ah."
Meng Liang nodded and didn't say anything more, but his eyes were fixed on Tian Yu.
The barbarians were tall and had terrifying appearances. When ordinary soldiers faced the barbarians, they would inevitably be hesitant and even afraid to fight. On the other hand, Tian Yu seemed to have no fear of the barbarians and fought very bravely, which was in stark contrast to the ordinary soldiers.
"This man is indeed brave and fierce."
A look of approval flashed in Meng Liang's eyes; clearly, Tian Yu had caught his attention.
And the gears of Tian Yu's fate have finally begun to turn.
Since that great battle, Tian Yu has gained Meng Liang's appreciation, and his position has risen like a rocket. In just three months, he was promoted from platoon leader to centurion, and then from centurion to chiliarch, becoming a mid-level general in the Great Wall Army.
The surprises didn't end there. On the day he was promoted to centurion, Meng Liang summoned Tian Yu for a talk. During the conversation, he made no attempt to hide his admiration for Tian Yu and even planned to marry his only daughter to him.
Tian Yu did not refuse.
Having served in the army for several years, he was no longer the naive young man he once was. He clearly understood the importance of having connections and powerful backers in the military, so he readily agreed, transforming himself from a bachelor into Meng Liang's son-in-law.
With his father-in-law's help, Tian Yu's career in the Great Wall Army became increasingly smooth. His father-in-law not only helped Tian Yu advance in his career, but also bestowed upon him his family's martial arts: the superior-grade Meng Family Spear.
From then on, Tian Yu officially embarked on the path of martial arts. Due to his good talent and his father-in-law's generosity in providing him with cultivation resources, Tian Yu's progress in martial arts can be described as rapid as the weather. He advanced to the peak of the seventh rank in three months, reached the peak of the middle rank in one year, and possessed the strength of the fourth rank in less than three years. In the fifth year, he even advanced to the peak of the third rank.
In the military, strength is what matters. With his peak third-rank strength, Tian Yu naturally rose to a high position. In the end, when his father-in-law retired, he recommended Tian Yu to the court. Tian Yu was both capable and had accumulated numerous military achievements, so the court had no reason to refuse.
Thus, Tian Yu became the new commander of the Great Wall Army.
Looking back on Tian Yu's experiences over the past twenty-one years, it can be described as a story of an ordinary person's struggle.
An ordinary person, through his own hard work and the appreciation of a powerful figure, finally changed his own destiny, realized his dream, and achieved upward social mobility.
Tian Yu has now served as the commander of the Great Wall Army for five years. His twenty-one years of military service have not diminished his bravery, nor have they broken his spirit; only his eyes have become increasingly weathered.
Over the past twenty-one years, Tian Yu has witnessed countless battles and experienced hundreds of large and small conflicts. He is well aware of how cruel the barbarians are, so he dares not slack off in the slightest, fearing that one day his negligence might lead to the barbarians invading Youzhou and causing endless slaughter to the people living behind the Great Wall.
"Commander."
The younger man said urgently, "The court is so anxious. If you don't return, there will likely be many rumors circulating in the capital, which will be detrimental to you!"
The young man's name is Chang Yong, and he is currently serving as Tian Yu's adjutant.
He was a talent that Tian Yu had personally promoted from the lowest ranks of the army, so his loyalty to Tian Yu goes without saying.
It was precisely because of his loyalty to Tian Yu that Chang Yong was so anxious at this moment.
The military commander has not returned to the capital for several years, and rumors have been circulating in the capital that he harbors rebellious intentions and intends to seize power.
Chang Yong, who knew Tian Yu well, naturally wouldn't believe such nonsense, but the officials in the capital and the emperor might not. And once they did...
Unless the military commander really intends to rebel, the imperial court may remove Tian Yu from his position as commander of the Great Wall Army at any time.
"Why do you think the imperial court summoned me back to the capital?"
Tian Yu asked softly.
Chang Yong thought for a moment and replied, "They probably hope that you can lead troops to suppress the domestic rebellion."
Tian Yu was a military general, and the court's urgent summons of him back to the capital could only be for the purpose of fighting.
The current imperial court does indeed need Tian Yu to fight, because it is currently too busy to deal with its own problems. Yang Zheng in Liangzhou is too powerful to be controlled, and there are large-scale rebellions in Haizhou, Yuzhou, and Qiongzhou. However, the local government troops are unable to quickly suppress these rebels.
Under these circumstances, the imperial court naturally thought of the Great Wall Army, the strongest fighting force in the Nine Provinces.
The officials in the capital might suspect that Tian Yu had treasonous intentions, but they would never doubt the fighting strength of the Great Wall Army.
After all... the Great Wall Army, which had fought against barbarians for many years, was a highly experienced and battle-hardened army.
"Do you think I can go back?"
Tian Yu asked again.
Upon hearing this, Chang Yong fell silent.
Can Tian Yu go back?
If we disregard the possibility of barbarian invasions from beyond the Great Wall, Tian Yu could certainly return.
However, if the barbarian tribes are taken into account, Tian Yu absolutely cannot go back.
Having commanded the Great Wall Army for several years, Tian Yu had already gained sufficient prestige within the army, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the backbone of the Great Wall Army.
Once Tian Yu leaves, the barbarians will take the opportunity to attack. With Tian Yu gone, the Great Wall army will likely be thrown into chaos and the barbarians will break through the Great Wall's blockade and enter Youzhou territory.
At that time...
It is unknown how many people in Youzhou will be slaughtered, or how many will be abducted by the barbarians and taken to the grasslands to become their food.
"Chang Yong."
Tian Yu turned to Chang Yong and asked, "Do you know the origins of the barbarians?"
"Know a thing or two."
While recalling the ancient texts he had read, Chang Yong replied, "According to the oldest historical records, the barbarians were a race that lived in the Nine Provinces just like us Xia people. At that time, the Nine Provinces had not yet established a unified country, and both the barbarians and the Xia people existed in the form of tribes."
Among them, ordinary Xia people like us mainly obtain food by hunting and gathering, but the barbarians are different. They not only hunt wild animals, but also hunt Xia people!
Barbarian tribes often attacked Xia tribes. After conquering a tribe, they would plunder all its resources and even take its people back to their own tribes to raise as reserve food.
Because of the barbarians' naturally strong physique, ordinary tribes were often no match for them and could only be slaughtered at their mercy. They were then domesticated like pigs and sheep, with weak women being raped or even eaten, while men were enslaved and subjected to their power. This situation continued until the establishment of the first kingdom!
At this point, Chang Yong paused slightly before continuing, "In the Jingzhou region at that time, the largest tribes united and elected a common leader. They then united with other tribes of all sizes to establish a unified kingdom, which was named Xia!"