Chapter 62: Military Advisor Chu Mengmeng

  On the fourteenth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, at noon, Gong Sun Zan and Dong Zhuo parted ways at Street Pavilion.

  Dong Zhuo wanted to keep Guo Lian by his side, and he wasn't very reassured about putting him under Gongsun Zan's command. So he gave Hua Xiong to Guo Lian as a personal bodyguard general. Accompanying Hua Xiong were also five hundred Flying Bear warriors!

  Gongsun Zan was shocked by Dong Zhuo's generosity, as the Flying Bear Army was one of his elite troops, with a maximum strength of only 3,000 men. By sending out 500, Dong Zhuo would be left with no more than 2,500.

  In this chaotic world, what's most valuable is actually the warrior's soul!

  After passing Street Pavilion, the number of Liangjun along the way is sparse, and even cannot effectively sweep away the evil spirits around. How can such a Liangjun stop Gongsun Ce's army?

  That night, Gongsun Zan led his troops down to another county, unfortunately unable to revive the Qin army again.

  At night in the camp tent, nearly twenty generals were inside, and it was a bit crowded.

  There were ready-made houses in the county, but Gong Sun Ce and others did not dare to live in them. No one knew that those concrete buildings had become so fragile.

  "We will march along the central route of Wushan County, with the upper and lower roads being attacked by the eight divisions of Xiliang. They will eventually converge in the Yu Zhong area. At that time, the nine routes will launch a general attack on Jincheng!" Gongsun Zan did not have the idea of holding the eight divisions of Xiliang in his hands, so he wanted to scatter them and let them attack on their own.

  "There are remnants of the Former Qin army on the lower road, so we must be cautious in our march. The terrain in Longxi is all mountains and ridges, and if we're not careful, we'll suffer losses. As for the upper road, there's the Western Xia army, which concerns your lives - I think you all know what to do."

  The eight generals of Xiliang were pleased to have some freedom after joining the Great Qin camp. They naturally nodded in agreement with Gongsun Zan's instructions, eager to set out with their troops tonight.

  After the eight generals of Xiliang left the main tent, Ma Chao sneered: "A group of short-sighted mice, sooner or later they will become ghosts under someone else's knife!"

  "It's hard to imagine, even a ghost can't do it. There were many powers in the Western Liang region that were stronger than them throughout history, so why would they be willing to stay in the Ghost Realm? And yet these guys still want to jump out and look for death?" Chu Mengmeng was a Ghost Dao, the Ghost Dao seal was awakening, he could communicate with the Ghost Realm.

  He knew a bit about the ghost world, such as these resurrected people, who were all unwilling to give up and wanted to fulfill their lifelong wishes in the mortal world. Or they were people who feared that the world would not be chaotic, taking advantage of the opportunity to stir up trouble in the human world, such as the Western Liang Eight Generals.

  "It's a pity that they have those troops in their hands. If they had the full support of those 20,000 troops, we could be drinking wine within the city walls in five days!" Gongsun Zan also didn't think much of the eight generals from Xiliang.

  "Strengthen the guard tonight, and tomorrow select strong men in the city to fill up the heavenly soldiers of each department." Gong Sun Ce has nearly 10,000 troops on paper, but actually he only has 5,000 soldiers.

  Gongsun Zan was promoted by the state of Qin to be a General Beyond the Border, and his troops naturally swelled. The five battalions under the command of the general were not the five battalion lieutenants but rather the five battalion administrators, namely the front, rear, left, right and central battalion administrators. Each administrator had 500 men under him, making up a total force of 2,500 men.

  In addition, the number of soldiers under his command was increased by 6,000, still divided into four divisions. Including the four division commanders and lieutenants, there were nearly 7,000 troops. The two combined forces had a total strength of nearly 10,000 men, which was quite formidable.

  Nothing happened overnight. On the second day, the eight divisions of Xiliang split into two groups and set off early. Gongsun Zan's division is now in the city selecting able-bodied men, registering civilians, and building a foundation for governance.

  Ma Chao gathered his surrendered troops under Han Sui and selected the old and weak to guard the county city, waiting for the regular Qin army to take over.

  He led a thousand elite Western Liang cavalrymen in a direct charge on Wushan County, opening the way for Gongsun Zan's main force.

  "Ma Chao is a special existence, and can actually command the enemy's vengeful spirits." Gong Sun Zan gazed at the cavalry heading west, with clouds of dust rolling up.

  Beside him were his guards, Ma Dai and Chu Qiao. Chu Qiao's face was pale and somewhat unnatural. Deep autumn wore a green shirt, nothing else, as if immune to the cold.

  Ma Duan cupped his hands and said, "I think that for those over a thousand elite Western Liang cavalrymen, even my brother will not be able to control them for long. Those elite cavalrymen have defected to Great Qin and are constantly being influenced by the power of the water element, and before long they will all become Great Qin's cavalry."

  "Yes, I remember that the initial 1,500 troops of Fisherman's Disease were not strong because they had just been revived. In a very short period of time, they were completely transformed by the Water Virtue Power of Great Qin. Now that the military soul power has become much stronger, its resistance to Water Virtue Power is naturally enhanced." Gong Sun Ce thought he had guessed correctly.

  Chu Mengmeng coughed twice and said, "What the master said is only half right. The enhancement of Junhun's strength, apart from his body gradually filling with vitality, mainly lies here."

  Chu Mengmeng pointed to his own head with a fan, and seeing Gong Sun Ce nodding, he continued: "The power of Water De is a force of faith, and the most powerful way to resist faith is wisdom. The military soul's intelligence has basically recovered to its pre-birth level, unless they truly surrender to the Great Qin camp, it will be difficult for the power of Water De to transform them."

  That night, Gong Sun Ce made the rounds in his simple military camp and couldn't help but take a peek when he passed by Chu Meng's barracks.

  The two hundred young women under Chu Mengmeng's command had long since settled in. They spent the whole day marching and receiving training from ghostly girls summoned by Chu Mengmeng from the underworld, which could also be described as being tamed.

  Inside Chu Mengmeng's large tent, the light from the lamps cast a glow on the white canvas, and several slender shadows were printed on the wall of the tent, captivating people's hearts.

  Gongsun Zhi clearly heard the panting of the ambush soldiers around him, and just shook his head with a smile. These ambush soldiers were all selected from the Ambush Camp, young men with potential to break through the limitations of the Ambush Heaven Soldiers.

  He brought these young warriors with him, apart from protecting himself, the most important thing was to increase their experience, which was beneficial for their growth, and at the same time deepen their relationship.

  The ghost general Li Jin stood like a statue outside Chu Mengmeng's tent, without any reaction to Gong Sun Ce's arrival. This was not the first or second time it happened, and Gong Sun Ce also knew that Li Jin's physical body remained here, while his soul was training in the ghost realm. When Li Jin entered the ghost realm, it was as if Gong Sun Ce had entered his own conscious starry sky.

  After entering the account, Chu Mengmeng was seen to be sweating all over, slightly dazed and confused, holding a wine jug, shaking his head and brain, occasionally taking a sip from the jug. There were also seven or eight beautiful ghost women, frolicking among themselves, wearing tattered clothes, with only thin silk covering their vital parts, extremely seductive.

  "Master... how did you come?" Chu Mengmeng wanted to get up, but she didn't even have the strength to stand up, like a puddle of mud.

  "What's wrong with you lately? You look like you've overdosed on something." Gong Sun Ce sat beside Chu Mengmeng, pouring himself a drink, but didn't expect to be pushed over by Chu Mengmeng.

  "This wine is made from the Five Stones Powder, can't drink it! I can drink it, but Master can't!" Chu Mengmeng had used up all her strength earlier and was now lying on the fur blanket, panting heavily, her eyes becoming blurry again as she chuckled foolishly.

  "Wushi powder? You're looking for death!" Gong Sun Ce picked up Chu Mengmeng with one hand, his tone icy cold.

  Wushi powder is something he knows a little about. It seems to be made from various minerals in a certain proportion, and when taken orally, it is served with warm wine. Legend has it that Zhang Zhongjing invented it for patients with typhoid fever because of its dry and hot properties.

  Later, the medicinal ingredients were transformed and promoted by Cao Cao's son-in-law He Yan, becoming a kind of poison that was sought after by scholars in Central Plains. After taking it, without mentioning other effects, just the spiritual euphoria alone could bring various inspirations to the scholars.

  The effect of Wushi Powder after modification is very obvious, but taking it lightly is extremely painful and severely fatal. However, the fame and status of its creator He Yan, combined with its high price, made it a sought-after product among scholars who emulated it tirelessly, treating it as a symbol of their identity.

  Scholars recite poetry and engage in elegant conversations, all while taking wu shi san and drinking wine. The insertion of the words "xing" and "san" into their poems may be a way to express nobility. Wu shi san has transformed from a poisonous substance to a symbol of that era's demonization, allowing one to numb and indulge oneself in an age filled with the stench of blood.

  Scholars in the turbulent years of Wei and Jin lived a life of uncertainty, always supporting themselves with a noble and elegant dream. They would rather die by taking medicine than sink to the center of struggle.

  The Five Classics of the Qi brought temporary joy and prosperity. Its advocate, the founder and spokesperson of Xuanxue, He Yan, who was also the son-in-law of Emperor Cao Pi of Wei, did not escape the fate of being killed as a famous scholar.

  However, the Wushi Powder that had caused many people to sink did not disappear with it, but continued to appear in history from time to time. By the Sui and Tang dynasties, even a "Dispersion Formula" appeared, showing the charm of Wushi Powder.

  Historically, Guo Jia's early death was closely related to the Wushi Powder. Gong Sun Ce did not expect that Chu Mengmeng would also like this, and he felt uncomfortable in his heart.

  He had known Chu Mengmeng for only two or three weeks, and he didn't quite trust her. But Chu Mengmeng was always thinking of him, using all her strength to help him come up with plans, which touched him deeply. So he couldn't just sit back and do nothing, watching as Chu Mengmeng embarked on this road of no return.

  Chu Mengmeng was lifted up by Gongsun Ce, and he gazed at Gongsun Ce with a distant look, as if his soul had left his body. A string of tears slid down from the corner of his eye, and he weakly waved his hand. The ghost woman inside the tent stopped dancing, and she bowed to him and Gongsun Ce from afar before disappearing into thin air.

  "My lord, I, Chu Mengmeng, was originally a foolish and inflexible loser. I was deeply immersed in historical books and couldn't extricate myself, a thoroughbred otaku. I once fantasized about being like Guo Jia or Wang Meng of history, finding a big shot to shelter me from the wind and rain, contributing my wisdom, and realizing the value of my own existence."

  "You know how the world is, what society lacks most are people who use their brains, but what's lacking even more are those who take action. And I'm a bit of an old-fashioned person, not in line with the mainstream of this era, so even if someone appreciates me, they won't use me."

  "It's okay, that era has changed! Ah Meng likes the current world, Ah Meng found her own sense of existence. Then met Master again, really lucky, Ah Meng is very happy."

  "Because you, my lord, are a man of noble character, who upholds principles and pursues ideals. Moreover, you also understand the way of ruthlessness, and are not a pushover. You have not only run to the forefront in this tumultuous era, becoming an existence that everyone admires. The ambitions in your heart make Ah Miao feel that you are a man destined for great things. Therefore, Ah Miao is very happy, and following you gives her a sense of belonging that comes from the soul."

  "Ah Meng followed the master to fight in many places, but couldn't achieve great merit, so she felt depressed. Later, when she saw Li Ru, Ah Meng found that compared to that guy from 2,000 years ago, she was still far behind. So..."

  Gongsun Ce listened to Chu Mengmeng's heartfelt confession, and his heart was also sorrowful. He shouted directly: "So you're numbing yourself? Indulging in self-pity? Do you know that you're seeking death?"

  Chu Mengmeng laughed even harder and said: "How can that be? Only in this way can we stimulate our potential and quickly reach Li Ru's level!"

  "Compared to the ghostly Guo Jia, the poisonous Jiashi is still slightly inferior. Only by surpassing him can I reach the level of Guo Jia in history! Moreover, these guys have thousands of years of accumulation and will only be stronger than in history!"

  Gongsun Ce left Chu Mengmeng's tent in a daze, and the ghostly figure of the woman reappeared inside the tent, accompanied by Chu Mengmeng's joyful laughter.