My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 32 One-Cent Man
"It's dangerous, it's dangerous."

Gao Yu almost thought the two sides were really going to fight. After all, the armored cavalry were already in a charging stance. Under such circumstances, it was easy for the two sides to accidentally clash and actually start fighting.

Gao Huan frowned. "This matter is probably not that simple."

"Ok?"

Seeing Gao Yu's puzzled expression, Gao Huan explained, "This matter has not been completely resolved. Both sides have their own version of events and concerns, so they have to compromise."

“Look, the Grand Commander has already ordered them to return to camp, but many soldiers are still dragging their feet and refusing to go back.”

Gao Yu immediately looked into the distance and found that it was indeed the case.

The soldiers in the central army seemed to be cursing and swearing, showing no signs of obeying orders. It seemed that Li Chong's military orders were not very effective with them?
"Having suffered such a great loss, I'm afraid the soldiers in the central army won't let this go easily. We must be careful these next few days."

………………

The wind on the vast grassland seems to blow forever.

The aroma of food could be faintly smelled in the wind.

The millet rice in the steamer was ready, and the soldiers lined up to receive their meals, which were served with pickled vegetables and fermented black beans.

"What kind of pig slop is this? Is it even fit for human consumption?!"

After receiving their food, one soldier grumbled and complained, "Where's the meat?!"

Once someone took the lead, others immediately chimed in, "How can anyone swallow such food!"

Immediately someone else spoke up, "I heard that the Lou family supplies our central army with provisions, and they're trying to fool us with this kind of food?"

"How despicable! I'm afraid the Lou family is just using this as an excuse to retaliate. They're living the high life at home, while we're fighting the Rouran in the north to protect their property!"

Discontent was spreading among the soldiers!
How good can the food be in the military?
It's just an excuse to complain.

As Gao Huan had predicted, the conflict between the central army and the Huai Shuo army was not resolved, but rather forcibly suppressed as if covered up.

"If General Lu were here, we would certainly have fine wine and good food right now!"

One of the men walked up to the soldiers; he appeared to be a lieutenant general.

"General Kou!"

This man held the same position as Lu Zhong, also serving as a junior officer, and was named Kou Wen.

His ancestors' original surname was "Ruokouyin", but after Emperor Xiaowen established the Han surname system, it was changed to "Kou".

When Emperor Xiaowen was compiling the "Surnames and Clans," in addition to listing the eight surnames of meritorious officials such as "Mu, Lu, Liu, Yu, etc." as first-class noble families along with the four surnames of Han people, he also listed other tribes according to their past merits and the rank of their positions in the court at that time.

This group of people was divided into 'D, C, and B'.

The latter three classes, though not as prestigious as the first class, were still aristocratic, with most of the central army coming from the second and third classes.

This is why the soldiers in the central army are all arrogant.

Everyone in their family was considered to be from the aristocratic class. They joined the army to gain seniority and military merits, which would make it easier for them to be promoted in the future.

"General Lu was always so loyal and righteous! Such a fine young man was murdered by the Lou family, and his death was so tragic!"

Kou Wen sighed, "The body is torn apart; even in death, there's no whole corpse left."

"That Lou family is utterly despicable! If this were in Luoyang, we would definitely appeal to the imperial court and ask His Majesty to redress our grievances!!"

"That's right! We are all from the Imperial Guards and the Tiger Guards, the Emperor's personal guards. When we go to war, we represent the Emperor's face! General Lu went out to borrow grain from the Lou family to improve our meals, but the Lou family not only refused to give it to us, but also falsely accused General Lu of disguising himself as a bandit to plunder!"

"Why should our central army pretend to be bandits to demand grain from them? Their intentions are despicable! Killing General Lu wasn't enough; they also want to ruin their reputation!!"

The soldiers remained in high spirits; they had been so arrogant in Luoyang that no one dared to discipline them.

What are the Lou family anyway?
Kou Wen shook his head, instead adding fuel to the fire, "What robbery? It was clearly the Lou family who coveted our armor and robbed us outright! Didn't you all notice... that the soldiers who were being held captive by the Grand Commander went out wearing armor, but came back stripped naked?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I noticed that too!"

"The Grand Commander won't stand up for us?"

But one soldier scoffed, "Bah, what a load of rubbish, Grand Commander! That damned penny-pincher Li Chong is probably just waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves." Seeing this, Kou Wen immediately suggested, "Brothers, don't you want to avenge General Lu?!"

"Of course we must take revenge!"

"We must make those lowly military households like Huai Shuo understand that we, the Central Army, are not so easily bullied!"

"........."

However, some cautious individuals said, "This is probably not appropriate. The Grand Commander has repeatedly issued strict orders prohibiting us from leaving the camp."

"Who wants to listen to that worthless bastard's military orders? I don't believe he dares to do anything to us! We are the Emperor's personal guards! He wouldn't dare to punish us!"

"That's right! If you're a coward, then get out of the way and stop getting in my way!"

"Who are you calling a coward! General Lu has always treated me well, and I will naturally avenge him!"

"But the Lou family also has a private army. How can we seek revenge against them?"

Kou Wen laughed and said, "Why bother going to their door?"

"I have already inquired about the location. About fifty miles from the military camp is the Lou family ranch. Tonight, we will leave the camp and slaughter all the cattle, sheep, horses, and herders on the ranch! This will comfort General Lu's spirit in heaven!"

"At that time, with no one left to testify, even the Grand Commander will have nothing to say!"

"it is good!"

"Tonight we will march out of the camp to avenge General Lu!!"

...............

Moon stars are rare.

About two or three hundred soldiers from the central army, along with about thirty or forty men on horseback, rode off in a swaggering manner towards the Lou family pasture in the northwest, without gags or hooves.

"General Kou, kill the herdsmen and most of the livestock, but keep some to take back to the camp to improve our meals later!"

"That might not be a good idea. If the Lou family comes looking for us again, wouldn't that be evidence?"

"Hmph, who says these cattle, sheep, and horses have to belong to the Lou family? Can't we just buy them with our own money?"

"That's it!"

"That's fine."

Kou Wen chuckled, "I doubt that old man Lou would dare to be our enemy. So what if he finds out?"

The group traveled through the night without even sending out scouts to explore the area ahead.

I don't know.

They've been targeted!
On the grass not far away, a figure got up, ran a distance back, untied the rope binding the horse, mounted the horse, and rode away into the night!
Outside Lou Family Ranch!
Gao Yu was waiting there, with a burly young man beside him.

The sound of horse hooves came from far away.

Liu San rushed to Gao Yu and knelt down to report.

"My lord! There are about two or three hundred men marching in this direction, about twenty miles away."

"Your Highness is truly a brilliant strategist! It's exactly as he predicted!"

Gao Yu was immediately astonished. Gao Huan had said that these soldiers from the central army would come to retaliate, and they really did come?
The Lou family has two ranches near the Zhongjun camp.

He and Lou Zhao led the Lou family's private troops to guard this place, while Gao Huan led Hou Jing and others to guard another place.

"What are we waiting for? Everyone, follow me and attack! These ignorant fools, do they really think the Lou family is easy to bully? Tonight, let them see if the blade in my hand is sharp enough!!"

Lou Zhao immediately ordered his men to attack!

Gao Yu stopped him.

"Why confront them head-on? You and I will lead men to ambush them, and we'll wipe them out in one fell swoop this time!"

(End of this chapter)