"It's the ashes of the White Robed Soldiers, no wonder General Lu and the others returned so late!"
The once jubilant crowd was now struck with horror.
In an instant, cries of sorrow filled the air!
Seven hundred White Robed Soldiers personally escorted the ashes of their comrades all the way from Yan Province back to the capital!
"Do not speak to me of merits and titles, for a general's victory is built upon ten thousand skeletons!"
Lu Changhe delivered his impassioned speech, and almost simultaneously, the White Robed Soldiers behind him recited it in unison, their grief overwhelming.
At this moment, no one could comprehend the sentiment of this verse better than they could!
A general's victory is built upon ten thousand skeletons!
The common people wept uncontrollably.
Each White Robed Soldier came from a family.
To defend against the barbarian invasion, as elites, they followed General Tian into battle, engaging in arduous and fierce combat with the barbarian cavalry time and again.
Seven thousand White Robed Soldiers, the pillars of the Great Gan Dynasty, only seven hundred returned!
A White Robed Soldier explained to the crowd with tears in his eyes.
"Long before we set out, we all agreed that whoever fell in battle would be cremated on the spot, and their ashes sent back home. The uniforms would remain in Yan Province, to be buried with General Tian, and to guard the land of Yan Province!"
"Since General Tian has already been enshrined as a deity in the capital, we have sought permission from His Majesty and the families of our fallen comrades, and decided to place everyone's ashes in the Shenwei Mansion, to be honored alongside General Tian!"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless people were overcome with sorrow and spontaneously knelt, bowing towards the carriages.
Luo Qingxue, Yue Lian, and Zhen Mi were already in tears.
The land was safe, but the heroes were gone!
Even Liang Xiao's eyes were reddened, his heart filled with emotion.
At that time, he was a stranger to these White Robed Soldiers; he had merely suggested to the governor that an elite force be assembled for a surprise attack on the barbarian cavalry.
These seven thousand men, however, admired General Tian's bravery, signed up without hesitation, and followed him fearlessly into battle against the invincible ten thousand barbarian cavalry!
Even when later facing an ambush by rebels and barbarian cavalry from all sides, they fought to the death without retreat, charging with General Tian everywhere, buying a sliver of hope for the Great Gan army!
Among the Great Gan army, the White Robed Soldiers paid the most tragic price!
Lu Changhe gazed at the plaque of Shenwei Mansion and sighed sadly.
"We, the seven thousand White Robed Soldiers, believe we have been true to the people of Great Gan! Our only regret is that we could not save General Tian..."
As soon as his words fell, the surrounding soldiers and civilians wept even more heart-wrenchingly.
General Tian, who had turned the tide for the Great Gan Dynasty, had also met a glorious end, his remains lost...
The seven hundred White Robed Soldiers pushed the carriages, entering Shenwei Mansion amidst the tears of the crowd.
The accompanying Imperial Guards voluntarily stood guard at the entrance, sealing off Shenwei Mansion, not daring to disturb them within.
Arriving outside the Temple of General Tian, the White Robed Soldiers finally could not contain themselves any longer as they looked upon the temple.
Seven hundred men wept silently!
They had never imagined that one day they would be able to fight against ten and defeat the arrogant barbarian cavalry!
Achieving the immortal legend of "a thousand soldiers shying away from white robes," a feat that would ensure their fame for generations to come!
The General Tian who had given them courage, commanded their battles, and brought them renown, had already passed away and become a deity!
Under the leadership of Lu Changhe, the seven hundred White Robed Soldiers entered the Temple of General Tian one by one to pay their respects.
Lu Changhe opened a pot of wine and poured it onto the floor, gazing at the statue of General Tian, tears streaming down his face.
"General Tian, we did not even have the chance to see your true form before we were separated by death..."
"This coarse wine is offered to General Tian on his deification!"
"Without General Tian, I, Lu Changhe, would not even have the courage to face the barbarian cavalry. From now on, we will surely inherit General Tian's spirit, protect our home and country, and fight until our last breath!"
The White Robed Soldier captains behind Lu Changhe also opened their wine flasks with tears, offering them to General Tian, sobbing uncontrollably.
Lu Changhe voiced their innermost feelings. They had maintained their strength for so long in front of others, and finally, before the statue of General Tian, they let down their guard and revealed their personal sorrow.
The Great Gan Dynasty had long suppressed the military in favor of the civil, and the status of soldiers was not high, naturally leading to a lack of fighting spirit.
Facing the fierce and formidable barbarian cavalry, the defenders of Yan Province were all filled with fear.
The suddenly appearing General Tian had given them unprecedented shock and inspiration.
It turned out that the barbarian cavalry could indeed be defeated!
"General Tian has become a deity, but the military spirit of our Great Gan Dynasty will be passed down eternally!"
"If the barbarians dare to invade again, we will still fight to the death, and show no mercy!"
"The souls of our fallen comrades have returned home to accompany General Tian. General Tian is not alone! General Tian and everyone else, though dead, are not forgotten!"
The men knelt on one knee, pledging solemnly, their words accompanied by tears.
After the White Robed Soldiers concluded their worship, the gates of Shenwei Mansion slowly opened, and the Imperial Guards assisted in arranging the placement of the ashes.
"I heard His Majesty has promised great rewards to the White Robed Soldiers, and the families of the fallen soldiers will also receive pensions and be cared for by the Ministry of Revenue, ensuring they have no worries about food and clothing!"
Amidst the crowd, Luo Qingxue heard the discussions and finally managed a smile through her tears: "His Majesty is wise!"
"Ministry of Revenue?"
Liang Xiao's gaze sharpened, his fists clenched, and he sighed.
It was better not to let the girls worry together; he would handle the civil official clique.
"Let's go back," Liang Xiao said softly.
Luo Qingxue, afraid that lingering here would make Liang Xiao jealous again, obediently agreed and followed behind him.
The four turned and left.
Lu Changhe led the White Robed Soldiers out, their spirits somewhat dazed.
At this moment, Lu Changhe still could not fully recover from his grief and could not hear the applause and praise from the crowd.
Gazing north, Lu Changhe felt a sense of unease.
Now, they could indeed live up to the glorious name of the White Robed Soldiers.
However, without General Tian, if Great Gan encountered the barbarian cavalry again, could they still defeat them decisively?
"It is only my own limited ability that I could not take up General Tian's mantle..."
Lu Changhe's spirits were low. He scanned the crowd, seeing their looks of admiration and gratitude, and finally managed to muster some spirit.
No matter what, as soldiers, they should protect their homeland and stand tall!
The seven hundred White Robed Soldiers walked down the aisle, finally managing a weak smile.
Suddenly, Lu Changhe's gaze fell upon Liang Xiao's retreating figure in the distance, and his heart trembled.
"This figure..."
Lu Changhe's pupils constricted. After a moment of stunned silence, he anxiously reached out, as if trying to grasp the figure in the distance, his eyes brimming with tears, and he blurted out.
"General Tian!"
The people around were startled. They saw Lu Changhe quickly leave the ranks, push through the crowd, and run towards the distance, but he could no longer find the person.
Liang Xiao had already gotten into the carriage, and the caravan was moving away.
"What's wrong with General Lu?"
The White Robed Soldiers and the crowd looked at each other, and then someone suddenly realized.
"Could it be that General Tian has appeared again?"
The crowd rejoiced and looked at Lu Changhe.
Lu Changhe was still unwilling to give up. He turned and ran back into the crowd, mounted his warhorse, and waved to the crowd, "Please make way!"
The crowd immediately cleared a path. After Lu Changhe rode out of the crowd at a trot, he disregarded the rules of the capital and galloped down the official road.
Liang Xiao's caravan was traveling on the official road when a shout came from behind: "Stop!"
The guards saw Lu Changhe and were startled, all saluting him. The caravan also stopped.
Liang Xiao and Luo Qingxue, inside the carriage, curiously pulled back the curtain to look.
"General Lu?" Luo Qingxue exclaimed in surprise.
Lu Changhe immediately dismounted and came to Liang Xiao's carriage, sizing him up.
"You..."