The vast mountain wind swept by, gently shaking the trees in the wilderness and carrying the fresh scent of palms through the air.
"...Bertade, you have worked hard."
After a few moments of silence, Xiulote looked at the Head Warrior with an apologetic expression and decisively handed the flavorful mixed-grain dumplings back to Pimeng.
"Pimeng, how many of these dumplings do the prisoners eat in a day?"
"Your Majesty, it depends on how fast the prisoners can walk."
With caution, Pimeng glanced at the composed Head Warrior and respectfully replied.
"Legion Commander Ezpan decreed that the prisoners are not allowed to carry food with them, nor are they allowed to leave the group to forage during the journey. Offenders are whipped the first two times, and executed upon a third infraction. Every thirty li, there is a samurai camp where food is provided. And in each camp, the escorting samurais may eat their fill, but prisoners can only receive food once."
"Hmm, a camp every thirty li is still reasonable."
Upon hearing this, Xiulote nodded. Lacking beasts of burden, a large infantry unit’s consistent marching speed ranged between thirty to sixty li per day, varying according to the load and terrain.
"However, the prisoners are all mountain folk accustomed to traveling. They don’t need to carry equipment or food and without these burdens can easily cover at least fifty li in a day."
"Exactly, Your Highness is wise!"
Pimeng nodded in agreement and continued.
"Legion Commander Ezpan has ordered that with limited food supplies, only one mixed-grain dumpling is provided per meal. If the prisoners can cover ninety li in a day, they’ll get three dumplings; for sixty li, two dumplings. And for less than sixty li, they only get one dumpling and will also face the samurais’ reproach and whipping!"
"Ah? Only one dumpling per meal? They must at least travel sixty li a day?"
Hearing this, Xiulote was taken aback. Eating a mixed-grain dumpling for thirty li, this level of hardship was akin to the Celestial Empire’s proverb, "A single grain of rice to pass three barriers, three grains of rice to climb over mountains." To force a march of sixty li a day with such meager provisions meant an inevitable calorie deficit. By the time the prisoners reached the outskirts of Apa City, after traveling three or four hundred li from the deep southwest mountains, they would all be significantly thinner—losing two jin a day would be easy.
Thinking of this, Xiulote frowned slightly and turned to the Camp Commander Pimeng.
"Pimeng, the food supply for the prisoners seems too scant. Starving them and forcing the march , I’m afraid some won’t make it to the outskirts of Apa City."
"Ah! Your Majesty, Legion Commander Ezpan said that the mountain folk are unyielding and fierce by nature. Only when they are starved and exhaust their strength daily will they refrain from harboring superfluous thoughts. As for the weak and elderly who die of hunger, they wouldn’t have survived in the mountains anyway."
Pimeng scratched his head, cautiously glanced at the King, and attempted to justify the conditions.
"Moreover, Your Majesty, food supplies in the camp are already insufficient! Currently, there are a full seven thousand of the Royal Army, deep in the southwest mountains. Keka, the leader, has arrived at Palm Bay with two thousand Guajili warriors, capturing—no, gathering—displaced locals. Ezpan himself leads two thousand samurai to guard against the various tribes of Colima in the Wild Mountain Village. Then there’s a thousand warriors stationed at the Hand Snake Basin. As for the remaining two thousand Canine Warriors, they must maintain the long supply line as well as oversee groups of displaced locals leaving the mountains..."
"And Hand Snake City was burnt to the ground by Legion Commander Black Wolf, with all the food supplies along the way destroyed... There’s a dire shortage of food in the mountains, with no chance of timely resupply!"
Hearing this, Xiulote was lost in thought and silently nodded.
Now the starting point for food transport was Apa City; the supply train traveled a hundred and fifty li of flatland, reaching Kan River Village. From there, it entered the mountains and followed a hundred and twenty li of smooth mountain roads to reach Hand Snake City. Then it traveled another sixty li to reach Wild Mountain Village, where Ezpan was stationed. From Wild Mountain Village, they would set off on a hundred and twenty to thirty li of rugged mountain paths to reach Palm Bay, where Keka was located.
To supply food from Apa City to the frontline at Palm Bay, the Royal Army would have to cover a total of four hundred and fifty li! And the deeper into the mountains they went, the more difficult the terrain became, with transport losses increasing. The most critical issue was that all the villages along the way had been burned down by Black Wolf, leaving no local supplies to requisition, forcing all provisions to come from the rear and also sustaining the Tecos tribespeople they had gathered.
"Black Wolf, oh my Black Wolf, you’ve been too harsh..."
After a moment of thought, Xiulote sighed helplessly. Ezpan’s measures were correct; it was essential to exhaust the strength of the mountain folk to their limits, driving them to emerge from the depths of the forests with the greatest speed and the least consumption of resources. Otherwise, should famine spread, the death toll would be far greater.
"Your Highness, it’s difficult to transport food during the initial three hundred li of mountain roads, so it can be done as General Ezpan has planned. However, the Apa Plain is flat, making food transport easier. Once we reach Kan River Village here, for the final one hundred and fifty li, we can provide ample food to let the mountain folk properly rest and recover before continuing the march."
Guessing the thoughts of His Highness, Bertade smiled and made his suggestion.
"Indeed, we’ll do as you suggest!"
Xiulote nodded gravely, looking toward Pimeng.
"Pimeng, the Imperial Guard Legion has accompanied the army and brought a batch of food here. All this food is allocated to you, and more will be delivered later. Starting from Kan River Village, double the food supply for all mountain people! Furthermore, separate the weak mountain people and children into a single camp and march them at a standard of thirty miles a day! Yes, this is a Royal Decree!"
"Ah?! Your will shall be obeyed, Your Majesty!"
Pimeng scratched his head and bowed deeply with respect. He thought for a moment and tried to offer a compliment earnestly.
"Your Majesty, you are as mighty as a brown bear and have the gentle heart of one, unlike the Jaguar who glorifies in killing. You are the divine Great Bear!"
"I am the divine Great Bear?..."
Hearing this, Xiulote showed no expression. He had never heard such praise and for a moment didn’t know whether it was sarcasm. The King observed the other’s sincere eyes for a while before nodding slowly.
"Very well, you may leave! Pimeng, ensure the captives are well settled. I will remember you!"
"Ah! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Ecstatic, Pimeng knelt on the ground. He bowed deeply several times before bustling off excitedly.
"Food... food... the food in the mountains..."
Xiulote stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought. He gazed towards the Colima Mountain Region to the west and asked in a grave voice.
"Bertade, what are the various Tribes in Colima doing? Have they sent envoys over?"
The Head Warrior recalled for a moment and shook his head.
"Your Highness, the Tribes in Colima should have completed the mobilization of the Militia and are now holding their ground on the defensive. The last time they sent an Envoy was four months ago, expressing nominal obedience."
"Select two Tecos trusted aides who are fluent in the language and send them to Fire River City!"
Xiulote paused briefly to ponder before making a decision.
"As the army heads south, we will destroy the Palm Family and obliterate the tribes of the Alcoman Mountain Region, so Fire River City must be trembling in fear by now! The Fire River Plains have always been known for fertility, yielding two harvests a year; Fire River City cannot be lacking in food. Command them to hand over enough food for twenty thousand people for one year and to transport it to the wild mountain village where Ezpan is located, as a Tribute for the army’s campaign southward! Tell them that if they fail to comply, tens of thousands of the Royal Army will continue their campaign westward and set Fire River City ablaze!"
"Your will shall be obeyed, Your Highness!"
Upon hearing this, light shone in Bertade’s eyes. Fire River City was only two hundred miles from the wild mountain village, and if enough food could be provided from there, Keka’s Red Frog warriors could continue to capture or gather refugees along the Seaside. The supply of food for the frontlines would be much easier.
The Head Warrior immediately arranged for envoys, carrying a pictorial letter stamped with the Kingdom’s seal, to set out for Fire River City. After everything was properly arranged, he returned to the King’s side and asked softly.
"Your Highness, what should the Royal Army do if Fire River City refuses the Tribute or even sends out troops to attack?"
"If they refuse the Tribute or dare to send out troops..."
Xiulote looked towards the towering mountains in the west. The legendary Fire River City stood on the fertile volcanic ash plains. To the north rose the four-thousand-meter-tall Colima Volcano, under which lay a giant iron ore vein, a hundred meters deep. There were red volcanic rock city walls, countless tribal villages, and the ancestral lands of the two hundred thousand Tecos Tribes of the west.
The King’s gaze grew deep, and a strong desire for conquest rose in his chest.
"If they don’t give us the food, we’ll go and take it ourselves! Even if we can’t take down the sturdy Fire River City, we’ll set the rich Fire River Plains ablaze!"
The long wind swept across the sky, causing the forest to sway noiselessly. The Head Warrior regarded the King’s profile and sniffed the scent in the wind. The fragrance of the palms reached his nose, yet it smelled of gunpowder.