Chapter 33: Arrival at Liang Province
The journey from the capital to Liang Province took over two months and was far from easy. They had to carve paths through mountains and build bridges across rivers. By the time they finally reached Liang Province, everyone was utterly exhausted and noticeably thinner. When He Yan scooped water from the lake to drink, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. The fair-skinned Miss He of the past was now tanned from two months of relentless travel under the sun—so much so that she no longer needed to dust her face with ash powder, matching Xiao Mai’s complexion.
If the real Miss He were to return now, she’d probably want to strangle me, He Yan thought with sudden amusement and chuckled to herself.
"Brother He, what’s got you laughing so happily?" Xiao Mai asked.
Hong Shan glanced at He Yan by the lake and nodded knowingly. "We’ll reach Liang Province by nightfall after half a day’s walk. The hard days are almost over—of course he’s happy."
"That’s true," Xiao Mai agreed, turning to Shitou. "Big brother, you must be happy too, right?"
The usually silent Shitou gave a slight nod.
These past two months of travel had been grueling. Though most of the recruits came from poor families accustomed to hardship, the journey had been far more difficult than they’d imagined. Some of the weaker ones had even perished along the way—never making it to Liang Province, nor ever returning to the capital.
This was a road of no return.
By evening, the large contingent finally arrived in Liang Province. Located in the northwest, Liang Province was expected to be desolate and barren, but to their surprise, it turned out to be relatively prosperous. Though it couldn’t compare to the capital, it was still lively and well-supplied. As He Yan walked with the others, she mused that Xiao Jue had indeed picked a good place—Liang Province was far better than Mo County, where she had enlisted before. Back then, Mo County had nothing; the people could barely afford food, and the soldiers lived in true hardship.
Upon arrival, they first had to report to the Liangzhou Garrison, stationed at the foot of White Moon Mountain. The vast open land below the mountain served as the Martial Arts Field, where soldiers trained daily. At night, they could sleep in tents, though for now, they were all housed in the garrison barracks.
With so many people, the barracks didn’t have enough rooms, so a dozen or more had to squeeze into small quarters, sleeping on shared plank beds. Naturally, He Yan stayed with Hong Shan and Shitou. None of them had much baggage, so they quickly claimed spots on a bed and relaxed.
"I saw a river nearby," Xiao Mai said excitedly as he returned. "Lots of guys are bathing there—let’s go too!"
"Great! I’ve been sweating buckets!" Hong Shan stripped off his outer robe in a flash and was about to dash out.
Xiao Mai looked at He Yan. "Brother He, aren’t you coming?"
"He won’t—he’s afraid of water. Just the three of us!" Hong Shan pushed Xiao Mai and Shitou out the door.
He Yan had explained the first time Hong Shan invited her to bathe in the river—she claimed that a near-drowning incident in her childhood left her dizzy and short of breath whenever she entered water. Hong Shan didn’t question it, and truthfully, He Yan wasn’t entirely lying. She really was afraid of water now.
Still… He Yan lay down on the shared bed. The wooden planks creaked loudly, and she frowned, unsure whether it was her bony frame or the unforgiving hardness of the bed that made it so uncomfortable. After a moment, she sighed inwardly: "Luxury is easy to get used to, but hardship is hard to return to." She had spent three years in the barracks, but after just one year as Madam Xu, she’d grown accustomed to soft bedding—now, this hard plank bed felt downright infuriating.Xiao Jue was better off, his bed was probably soft. He Yan felt it was quite unfair.
She rested in the room for a while until Hong Shan and the others returned, then followed them to the barracks for dinner.
It was their first day. After two months of chewing dry rations and drinking plain water on the road, they finally had a hot meal upon arriving in Liang Province. Even simple congee and steamed buns were steaming hot. The new recruits sat on the ground devouring their food with such gusto that one might think they were feasting on delicacies.
"The meat filling in these buns is barely a speck," Hong Shan complained while licking his fingers. "So unsatisfying."
"Having hot food is already good enough," He Yan said. "Better than dry rations."
"No worries, I just found out there are plenty of wild animals and rabbits on White Moon Mountain here," Xiao Mai said cheerfully. "Brother and I can go hunting later. We can catch rabbits or wild boars, clean them, skewer them on branches, or wrap them in leaves, sprinkle some salt, and roast them. The sizzling oil makes them delicious!"
Xiao Mai was a foodie—he couldn't go three sentences without mentioning food. Hong Shan grew even hungrier listening to him and downed his bowl of congee in one gulp, slamming it heavily on the table. "Damn it, now I can't wait to go up the mountain!"
"Military orders prohibit unauthorized trips to the mountain," He Yan poured cold water on their enthusiasm.
"There'll be chances to go up eventually," Hong Shan said dismissively.
After eating their fill, everyone tidied up briefly. The drill instructor had already informed them that they would assemble at the Martial Arts Field at mao hour (5-7 AM) the next morning, so they should rest early tonight.
He Yan followed Hong Shan back to their barracks room, where many had already gathered. Some were asleep, while others chatted excitedly.
He Yan slept at the innermost end of the communal bed, sandwiched between Xiao Mai and the wall. Hong Shan's cheerful voice came from the other end, "Compared to the journey these past days, this is the life of immortals!"
With food, drinks, baths, and beds, no more exposure to sun and rain or sleepless nights plagued by mosquitoes—it did seem much better than before.
Xiao Mai whispered, "Training here feels easier than hunting in the mountains. And there are so many people to play with."
He Yan: "..."
Silly child, how could anyone think military training was easier than hunting in the capital? These were all first-time recruits, assuming every night would be as relaxed as this one. But it was like a condemned prisoner's last meal—after this good meal, it would be the end.
Tonight would be the easiest night they'd spend in Liang Province. Starting tomorrow, the real torment would begin.
He Yan closed her eyes. Let these naive kids enjoy their sweet dreams a little longer.
Sure enough, early the next morning, before dawn, the loud sound of a horn echoed across the barracks' open grounds.
"Mmm, so early... Can't we sleep a bit longer?" Xiao Mai turned over, rubbing his eyes, only to find He Yan already dressed and standing by the bed.
"Brother He, why are you up so early?" he asked groggily.
"Failing to answer when called, arriving late when mustered, or missing deadlines—these are acts of military negligence, punishable by flogging," she said with a smile, looking completely alert, as if she wasn't the least bit tired.
"If you don't want a beating, get up now."
(End of Chapter)
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