TGCFNM -Chapter 300 Rescued

Chu Ling kicked the person at her feet toward the young soldier in the white robe, then stepped forward until she stood right in front of him.

“Both witnesses and evidence are present! It’s a serious crime for a general to accept bribes!”

The young soldier straightened his back. “Young master, you might not understand. Right now, the mighty general is here training troops, and in the future, he will be guarding the border. How could the mistakes of a few low-ranking soldiers implicate the general? The general spills his blood for the people of Dazhou—should he be slandered like this?”

“Slandered?” Chu Ling sounded as if she’d heard a hilarious joke. “What is that in your hand?”

The young soldier frowned. “I will report this. These people will be punished under military law.” He would not let such matters slide.

“Deputy General Qi, there aren’t that many soldiers involved, and once they go to the border, their heads are basically on the line. We were only collecting a little money for drinking. So why… why is military law even involved, Deputy General Qi?”

“Deputy General Qi, military law will take half our lives!”

“Exactly, Deputy General Qi!”

“Please, Deputy General Qi, spare us this once. We won’t dare do it again, we really won’t.”

“Deputy General Qi, if we go to the border, can we even survive? We won’t make it!”

The young soldier snapped sharply, “Enough! Silence!”

Chu Ling glared angrily at them. “The food, clothing, and shelter you enjoy are all paid for by the people’s taxes, aren’t they? You yourselves came from the common folk, and now, with a little power, you start oppressing the very people who raised you?”

After her shout, she fixed her gaze on the young soldier.

The soldier removed his helmet, revealing a young face. He looked at Chu Ling seriously. “It’s true that they were at fault. I will not defend them. They will still be punished under military law.”

Chu Ling let out a breath of relief, but looking at the soldiers’ resentful eyes, she was still furious. She grabbed the young soldier aside and stood in front of them.

“Do you think that because you fight for Dazhou, risking life and death, the people should all be grateful and obey your every command?”

The soldier who had been kicked to the ground gritted his teeth, stood up, and pressed a hand to his chest. “Yes!”

Chu Ling felt a surge of anger rise to the top of her head. The Ghost Scholar pressed her down and fanned her with a folding fan, advising calmly, “No matter what reasoning or logic you give to soldiers, they won’t listen. Because in their hearts, nothing is more important than life. They have already given up their lives—what is there that they cannot obtain?”

Chu Ling took a deep breath and slowly calmed herself.

The young soldier looked at Chu Ling’s suddenly serene face, unsure what she intended to do.

Seeing that she had slightly composed herself, the Ghost Scholar smiled faintly. “You should ask them if they have family, if they are married. If their loved ones faced such a situation, where could they seek justice? That is why there is military law, and why it is strict.”

Chu Ling looked at one soldier. “Do you still have family at home? Are you married?”

The soldier gritted his teeth and, under the intimidating gaze of the young officer, finally answered truthfully: “Both parents are alive. I have a younger brother and sister. I got married last year.”

Chu Ling looked at him. “Judging from your appearance, you seem capable of handling responsibilities as well.”

“I’m not very capable, and I only have a dozen or so men under me,” the soldier said proudly.

Chu Ling couldn’t help but lower her gaze and smile. She looked at the soldier’s angry, contorted face and said bluntly, “Now that you serve under the Mighty General and command a dozen men, you’ve brought some honor to your family. Let me ask you a question—think carefully before answering.”

“First, suppose this time you go to the frontier. The war situation is intense. You survive by luck but lose a leg and can no longer serve in the Yuanzhou army. You have to return home. Tell me—though you were once a soldier and in charge of men, once you retire, will those soldiers still respect you? Will they treat your family well?”

“Second, suppose this time you go to the frontier and die there. Your family might receive some money, but without your protection, they are just ordinary civilians. Ordinary civilians have to pay fifty taels just to enter a city—can they survive like that?”

After speaking, Chu Ling’s gaze blazed as she stared at the soldier.

“Answer me!”

The soldier seemed stunned, frozen in place.

The junior officer couldn’t help stepping forward: “Their families—we will take care of them, we will…”

“Don’t say such ridiculous things.” Chu Ling looked at the officer. “Back then in the Yuanzhou army, what did low-ranking soldiers like him understand? They just followed orders. And you’ve seen firsthand what happened to them, and what happened to their families.”

The junior officer frowned: “That’s different.”

“Different how?” Chu Ling shot him a sharp glance, then turned to the soldiers and demanded, “Why is military law strict? Why is discipline so rigid? You’re a soldier—you should know better than I do why!”

The Ghost Scholar tugged at Chu Ling’s sleeve: “Watch your tongue. That’s enough.”

Chu Ling exhaled deeply and spoke her last sentence: “Remember this: civilians pay taxes to support the army, and soldiers shed their blood to protect the Great Zhou. It’s reciprocal. Everyone has their duty; no one owes anyone else.”

The Ghost Scholar looked at Chu Ling and said, “Actually, from past to present, the management of the Great Zhou army has always been strict. A mistake like this would at least warrant thirty strokes of the army cane. So I’m curious—how did a group of soldiers like this appear?”

Chu Ling then looked at the junior officer: “Did some of you get in through the back door?”

The junior officer seemed to realize something suddenly; his face instantly darkened.

“Is it that person flaunting power, mistreating his subordinates, and treating military law as nothing?” Chu Ling looked at him. “Investigate properly. Even one rotten apple on the battlefield can kill everyone.”

The junior officer’s face turned cold as he glanced at the soldiers behind him, heads bowed in fear.

“Sir! Sir!”

Zhang Dong ran up, holding his whip, his clothes torn and even stained with blood.

Chu Ling, seeing him in that state, asked anxiously: “What happened?”

“Res—rescued them…” Zhang Dong exhaled heavily. “There was an ambush over there, at least a hundred soldiers, and a building… inside were many women tied up, all said to be of lowly birth, treated however they wanted… we, we rescued them all. I came here first to report.”

Chu Ling glared at the junior officer: “So the fifty taels for paying respects was just a pretense, meant to exploit these low-born people safely, wasn’t it? I underestimated the person behind this—he even knew how to avoid risk.”

The junior officer’s expression stiffened. He adjusted his helmet and looked at Chu Ling: “Matters concerning the army will be dealt with under military law. You may rest assured, sir.”

With that, the junior officer ordered the barricades removed and opened the official road, allowing them to leave.