20demayo Chapter 961 Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Chapter 961 Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
The battle in the valley ended faster than anyone had anticipated.
It was less a battle and more a one-sided massacre of the Qiang and Man tribes by the Qing army.
Under the combined firepower of Qing army cannons and muskets, the Qiang and Man troops trapped in the valley were like meat thrown into a boiling cauldron. They could not even make a decent struggle for long before they were completely boiled into a pot of mushy soup.
Muskets are the seasoning, cannons are the broth, and the ingredients are the flesh and blood of the Qiang and Man people.
On this day, the southern barbarians finally felt the fear that the northern barbarians had of the Fengtian Army's firepower.
The shouts of battle within the valley were replaced by the sounds of gunfire and desperate cries.
Eventually, even the cries gradually faded, with only sporadic groans echoing like ghostly apparitions.
When Li Lin ordered a halt to firing, the lingering smoke slowly dissipated, and the once lush and green valley had been transformed into a slaughterhouse.
Since the Qing army consisted mainly of cavalry, it was difficult for them to enter the valley to harvest the crops, so the Shu army took over the battlefield.
A Shu general led his troops into the valley, only to be so terrified by the sight before him that his feet felt like lead and he could no longer move.
As far as the eye could see, dark red blood had soaked into almost every inch of the land, pooling into puddles and flowing slowly.
Limbs and severed bodies were everywhere, some hanging on low bushes, others scattered among the rocks, with broken internal organs and bone fragments exposed to the air.
The corpses were piled up like mountains, many of them so badly that their original shapes were no longer discernible. Where the artillery had hit them directly, only charred craters remained.
The cruelty of cold weapon warfare lies in the fighting with swords and spears, but soldiers usually retain their human form when they die.
Warfare with firearms is completely different; it involves the utter dismemberment and destruction of human bodies without any dignity, with human fragments scattered everywhere.
"vomit--"
Unable to withstand the combined assault of sight and smell, a young Shu soldier suddenly bent over and vomited everything in his stomach.
This vomiting sound acted as a signal, instantly triggering a chain reaction.
"vomit--"
"Wow--"
"I can't take it anymore, I'm going to vomit!"
The sounds of vomiting rose and fell among the Shu army soldiers, their faces pale as they bent over, vomiting violently.
This is the instinctive reaction of a living being to see the corpse of its own kind; even the toughest man would find it hard to resist.
The Shu general leading the troops suppressed the discomfort in his throat and tried to maintain his dignity as a commander.
He only lasted for less than ten breaths before rushing to the side, leaning against a large tree whose crown had been half-shattered by shrapnel, and began to vomit violently.
"Ugh—Holy crap, this is terrifying!"
The Shu general only stopped when he vomited only acidic fluid, panting heavily.
awful! It's too awful!
This is not a sight fit for humanity!
Are these Qing soldiers devils? What kind of weapons are they using that can turn people into mush?!
After vomiting, the Shu general paused, realizing a crucial question had been on his mind.
Why did the Qing army, with such powerful weapons, never use them when fighting against the Shu army?
Luo Yueniang also stepped into the valley at this moment. Even with her tough and resilient nature from years of battle, her face turned ashen white the moment she saw the tragic scene before her.
She bit her lower lip hard, her nails digging deep into her palm.
With extraordinary willpower, he managed to suppress the urge to vomit.
Jie Ming, standing to the side, looked shocked. She seemed to have swallowed it down, and couldn't help but secretly give a thumbs up.
It's a wolf that's gone!
His gaze then swept over the limp and vomiting Shu soldiers, and he forced himself to remain calm as he asked, "How are the brothers responsible for the encirclement? Were any of them accidentally wounded?"
The adjutant beside him had just finished vomiting, his voice still trembling: "Reporting to the general, the brothers who were surrounded are all on the outer edge of the valley. The Qing army's artillery fire was very accurate and did not affect them, but..."
"Just what?"
"But the brothers witnessed the whole thing and were greatly traumatized. It will probably take them ten days or half a month to recover..." The lieutenant's voice grew softer and softer.
Luo Yueniang was speechless upon hearing this.
The battle was won, the enemy was completely annihilated, and our own casualties were negligible. It was a resounding victory.
But seeing the enemy's miserable state, their own people's morale collapsed.
But she couldn't blame anyone, since she herself was just putting on a brave face.
It can only be said that the Qing army's methods were too brutal; thankfully, they didn't use them on themselves...
Just then, Jie Ming spoke up: "General Luo, there is no need to worry too much. His Majesty calls this condition 'post-traumatic stress disorder,' and most soldiers can recover on their own."
"If the situation is truly serious, our army has political commissars specifically responsible for counseling and supporting the morale of our soldiers; perhaps they can help your army..."
Luo Yueniang turned to look at him, her eyes sharp: "You knew all along that this would be the case?"
Jie Ming nodded readily: "Yes."
Luo Yueniang then asked, "Why did we never see you...act like this when you fought against our army before?"
Before Jie Ming could answer, a hearty laugh came from behind him: "Hahaha! General Luo, you are mistaken!"
The newcomer strode up to Luo Yueniang and said earnestly, "The soldiers of the Shu army are also compatriots of our Daqing. How can we resort to such ruthless methods when waging war against our own people? How are we any different from butchers?"
Everyone turned around and saw that the newcomer's armor was covered in dust, yet he still exuded an air of composure and heroic spirit.
He solemnly cupped his hands towards Luo Yueniang, his gaze open and honest:
"My name is Li Lin. I have long admired General Luo's reputation as a heroine. Today, after meeting her in the valley, I can see that she is indeed a master strategist. I am truly impressed!"
Looking at the renowned Prince of Yan, Luo Yueniang's eyes showed little hostility.
The Prince of Yan had clear eyes and an air of magnanimity that was truly admirable. No wonder he was the number two figure in the Feng Army; he was indeed extraordinary.
Little did they know that Li Lin had controlled Yan Fan for many years and possessed his own personal charisma. Though he may be brainless, he was by no means an ordinary person.
Seeing Luo Yueniang remain silent, Li Lin continued to explain, "As for the emotional turmoil after the battle, it is not uncommon in our army."
"His Majesty has long issued a strict order that front-line troops involved in fierce battles should avoid participating in the subsequent battlefield cleanup as much as possible, and that the cleanup should be handled by the troops following up, in order to protect the morale of the soldiers."
As Luo Yueniang listened to his words, her gaze swept over the bloody hell once more, and she felt a mix of emotions.
She took a deep breath and looked directly at Li Lin: "So, Your Highness, what exactly does your Emperor want?"
Upon hearing this, Li Lin's expression turned solemn, and he replied earnestly, "Nothing more! I only wish that Sichuan would return to the territory of Daqing, and that all people could once again enjoy peace!"
"Sichuan is an inseparable part of Daqing. Now, the people of Sichuan yearn for stability and most of them are devoted to the imperial court, hoping for the rule of the emperor."
"General Luo is a man of great principle. Why can't he follow the will of the people and instead go against the tide, causing further suffering and death in Sichuan?"
Luo Yueniang frowned and retorted, "Now that the world is divided into two, with separate courts in the north and south, how can I know which one is the legitimate ruler?"
"All I know is that it was your northern army, armed with swords and spears, that first set foot on my Shu territory!"