Chapter 1300: Chapter 87 The Untold Story of Doctor Feng and Marshal Meng_7 Chapter 1300: Chapter 87 The Untold Story of Doctor Feng and Marshal Meng_7 After finishing the story, the storyteller still sighed several times.

Although he had told this tale a thousand times over, each time he spoke of it, his spirit was shaken and he was filled with emotion.

The story was over.

Still, there was silence as profound as if not a crow or sparrow was to be heard.

Several old veterans were sobbing quietly, their grief strikingly evident.

“We should go and offer incense to the Great Marshal tonight.”

One of the veterans wiped his eyes, “Who knows if in this life there will be another chance to offer a stick of incense in front of the Great Marshal’s tomb in the Capital City. Sigh.”

“We are not so lucky, sigh. Last time, Lame Hong Er managed to go to the Capital City thanks to his son-in-law’s connections, and joined a trade caravan. He knelt in front of the Great Marshal’s tomb for an entire afternoon. When he returned, he kept saying how content he was to have bowed to the Great Marshal in this life, and how it left him without regrets.”

“Then Lame Hong Er suddenly became boastful. Everyone invited him over to share a meal and asked him to describe what the Great Marshal’s tomb looked like… As they talked, several of the old fellows ended up crying together… Sigh…”

“Of all the sights in the Imperial Capital, they don’t ask about anything else, only the Great Marshal’s tomb…”

Although there was a hint of complaint in this voice, the pride within was unmistakable.

“What scenery could compare with the Great Marshal’s tomb?”

Indeed, someone countered.

“It’s said that the Great Marshal’s three hundred iron guards still loyally protect the Duke of the Kingdom’s Manor, and the Great Marshal’s tomb! The Great Marshal’s gravestone is cleaned several times every day, not a speck of dust to be seen! The vast mausoleum, not a single weed in sight!”

“Not only that, they say in the Great Marshal’s mausoleum, even every leaf on every tree is spotless!”

“I really want to go to the Capital City…”

Several old veterans quietly shed tears, “I really want to tell the Great Marshal, you don’t need to have any regrets, we are all doing well now… The children of those brothers who died in battle have all thrived thanks to your blessings and become the pillars of their families. Please do not fret over us from below…”

“Let him also know that none of our families face bullying these days. When those wives simply say, ‘My husband died fighting under Marshal Meng,’ even the local thugs dare not harass them! This kind of treatment is unique under the heavens and belongs only to us!”

“Yeah, even though we are now crippled and discarded, just by saying we were once under Marshal Meng’s command, many clamor to invite us to their manors to receive offerings, offering whatever amount of money we ask for, they say we can protect their homes… Haha, how could we disgrace the Great Marshal? We all refused! We’ll eat as long as we can work, and we’ll never tarnish the Great Marshal’s name!”

“That’s right, aside from the Duke of the Kingdom’s Manor, who else is worthy of our protection? Protecting homes? Heh, no amount of money would tempt me! If I did, how would I face the Great Marshal when joining his ranks in the afterlife!?”

A few old soldiers continued to sigh and speak in hushed tones.

As they spoke, tearful yet with chests puffed out, they exuded an unspeakable pride and honor!

We are the Great Marshal’s soldiers!

The others watched them in complete silence, their eyes full of genuine respect and envy.

“The Great Marshal,” these two words, were a title only those soldiers who had campaigned across the land with Marshal Meng were entitled to use!

It was a symbol that set them apart from other forces.

Mention Meng Fang, and it stands for the Great Marshal!

Our Great Marshal!

In other forces, when referring to Meng Fang, they would say ‘General Meng’ or ‘Lord Duke of the Kingdom.’

But within Meng Fang’s direct forces, he was the Great Marshal!

Whether it be a high-ranking general or God of War or even Duke of the Kingdom, to us, he is always the Great Marshal!

This is our greatest pride!

To call the Duke of the Kingdom the Great Marshal is our distinguished honor!

People around were overwhelmed with emotion, realizing that these disabled old men, who came to listen to Marshal Meng’s stories whenever they had the chance, were indeed veterans from Marshal Meng’s own forces.

No wonder they arrived punctually every time, silently coming and going.

Though their clothes were worn, each time they appeared clean and spotless, even if patched aplenty.

No wonder they only ever listened to Marshal Meng’s stories and left immediately after without giving other stories any heed.

So that was why.

Doctor Feng stepped forward respectfully, “Elders, were you once… under Marshal Meng’s command?”

“We dare not bear the title of subordinates. We were just ordinary soldiers under Marshal Meng’s command. Only brothers with military ranks deserve to be addressed in such a way.”

The few old men hurriedly returned the gesture.

“Truly, several great heroes. Elders, we’ll waive the tea fee for today.”

“No!”

A few old veterans wouldn’t have it, “Why should it be waived? If it’s waived, wouldn’t that smear the Great Marshal’s reputation? His soldiers don’t freeload!”

One stubborn old man with a missing leg declared, “We have money!”

“Right, we have money!”

A few old men helped each other to stand up and, very properly, counted out their money, placing it on the table.

“We won’t give more than what is due, nor will we accept less, and we dare not do otherwise.”

“We take our leave, everyone. We’ll come back when we have time to listen again, your storytelling is excellent.”

Several old men bowed in unison, then turned and helped each other out.

Slowly, they merged with the crowd outside the door and disappeared from sight.

Dr. Tea watched the old men leave with respect, then turned around, only to suddenly realize that the strikingly beautiful young couple who had been sitting at the next table had vanished.

On the table, there merely lay a small ingot of silver.

…

Following behind the four old men, Feng Yin and Dong Xiaoyan watched them hunching over, limping through the crowd. Yet their feelings surged tumultuously, complex to the extreme.

When he first heard “General Meng’s story,” Feng Yin thought it a bit absurd, even laughable.

But by the end, the performance of the old soldiers had suddenly filled Feng Yin with a surge of emotion and countless reflections.

Feeling down and confused, for a moment, he didn’t even know what to think.

With Dong Xiaoyan in tow, he followed the elderly men without really knowing why.

He just felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.

They followed all the way out of the main street and into a branching road, ahead of which lay the residential quarter.

A sign stood there.

‘Third Division of the Left Wing’s Third Army Corps, the Five Thousandth Squad, Barracks.’

Feng Yin couldn’t help feeling a bit startled.

This was a residential area arranged based on the positions of military barracks, designated for the full might of a million-strong army.

Within such an army, its full title would be ‘The Five Thousandth Squad of the Third Division of General Meng’s Left Wing’s Third Army Corps.’

Now, the word ‘Barracks’ was just added to the end.

It distinguished military from civilian.

The Five Thousandth Squad was only a thousand men strong on paper, but this residential area was vast! As far as the eye could see, it could house twenty to thirty thousand people.

Inside it was further divided into ‘The First Hundredth Squad, The Second Hundredth Squad…’ and then again into ‘The First Platoon, The Second Platoon…’

Everything was clearly demarcated.

That was… after each battle, many new people were brought in, then after another battle, more were replenished.

The number always remained the same, but over the years of consecutive great wars, it was impossible to count how many had died under these numbers. Now, this group of brothers, those disabled and the families of fallen comrades, if they could move here, they all lived here!

And how could their numbers not be substantial!

Every street was scrupulously clean,

Including every tree within, standing as orderly and upright as if in a military drill.

Feng Yin couldn’t help but pause, momentarily overwhelmed.

Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat.

At that moment, the four old soldiers in front stopped and slowly turned around.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, they formed the stance of a battle array.

The one-eyed old man in the lead, with a sharp light in his solitary eye, looked at Feng Yin and said calmly, “Young man, you’ve followed a few old cripples all this way, do you have any advice to offer?!”

…

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