Chapter 54: Sacrifice

Shentu Zhen looked at the half-dug snow, his expression grave and bitter. He thought to himself:
From Xinjiang to Kyoto, it would take at least five days to travel by fast horse. And even when the reinforcements from Yongzhou arrive, it would still take another three to five days. This is assuming the best scenario where Tarza does not harass us. The army is severely injured, the weather here is extremely harsh, and the amount of snow we can dig each day is decreasing. We only have enough food and supplies for three days, and it is almost impossible to hold on any longer.
Unless...
“现在只有那头大牛活着了，还有一头牛埋在前面雪底下……”
裴学谨知道申屠镇这么说就是要杀牛取肉给将士们饱腹。
“宰了做汤吧，人命要紧。”申屠镇望向远处静静守着粮草的大牛，眼神中饱含不舍，口中命令却仍然坚决。
“右副将三思！那头牛身体健硕，咱们一路走来，它又是驮粮草又是驮伤兵，自从困进这雪山谷里，就一点草料也没吃过，已经瘦了一大圈下去。它虽说是畜生，也通人性，没有功劳，也有苦劳啊！”
"So what if we don't kill the cow? Pei Xiong, do you think we can still survive until the day we get out?" Shen Tu Zhen's eyes turned red.
The two slowly walked back to the middle of the gathering troops, and a few sharp soldiers immediately surrounded them and said, "Deputy Commander on the right, we cannot kill the big cow!"
"Yes, you're right. It has also made great contributions to the Great Zhou dynasty! It cannot be killed!"
“右副将，你平日里最喜欢大牛，到雪地以后就一直牵着它走路，连骑都舍不得骑，兄弟们也都看见你亲自喂它吃草，怎么可以说杀就杀？”
The soldiers heard that the Vice General on the right is going to kill a cow, and they all went to persuade him in front of Shen Tu town.
“右副将，别杀牛，我马上就去把那头压死了的牛挖出来！”
申屠镇抬眼看，说这话的是被砍伤的士兵张广祥，正颤抖着身子朝南谷口走去，又被十几个人拦下。
"Guangxiang, you are injured, if anyone should go to dig, it should be me!"
"All the uninjured brothers go!"
"That's right, soldiers of Great Zhou should value loyalty and cannot tolerate innocent sacrifices! Let's go! Those who are men will go together. Everyone dig out the dead cow and cook it to warm up Deputy General's stomach!"
The soldiers responded immediately and advanced towards the valley.
申屠镇见状站起来怒吼道：“反了！反了！你们要是有血性，就留着战场上使！保存体力，大家都能活着出去！现在为了一头牲口闹成这样，是成心不要命了？！”
The Fanye Army has always emphasized discipline, and everyone admires young military commanders with such talent. It is not intentional to go against Shentu Town. Therefore, after listening to his rebuke, everyone fell silent.
“裴总旗，请你去把牛杀了。”申屠镇额头青筋暴起，握着拳头下令道。
裴学谨不忍心下手，因而只站在原地不动。下级的士兵们更加不敢动手。
大牛站在木桩旁，又大又圆的黑眼睛清澈透亮，好像含着泪光。
大家僵持了半刻钟，申屠镇终于再次发话：“裴总旗，杀牛！这是军令！我不想再看见更多人牺牲了，大家伙一个都不能少，通通要从雪谷里走出去！”
Pei Xuejin couldn't resist his superior and could only sigh helplessly. He led the big bull to a place far away from the bonfire.
With one swift motion, the snowy ground quickly turned a bright red. The big bull fell to its knees with a "thud", silently departing from this world. Everyone watched it go in silence. Translated content: Pei Xuejin couldn't resist his superior and could only sigh helplessly. He led the big bull to a place far away from the bonfire. With one swift motion, the snowy ground quickly turned a bright red. The big bull fell to its knees with a "thud", silently departing from this world. Everyone watched it go in silence.
夜幕降临后，山谷里漫着一股烟火气。将士们闻到肉汤的味道，思念起远方的家乡。
有人唱起歌谣：“知卿心，千里寄寒衣。若功成，冠翎归故里。今夜边声迢递，频传急，血染黄沙，魂归止兮！月光斜，今夕似何夕。雪花飞，问归未有期。今夜更漏迢递，无泪戚，青丝成雪兮钗委地……”
申屠镇新婚燕尔，也是头次参军，便遇险情，思乡之情更甚。只不过他还陷在深深的自责中，掩盖了一些思念家人的情绪。
If he had more experience, the speed of transferring food and forage would be faster. With a faster speed of transfer, the army would not be slowed down and easily attacked by Taza. If the rear is not attacked, they might have already repelled the enemy and returned to the capital, without suffering from hunger and cold in the northern border. Lives are at stake, and Da Niu would not have died.
裴学谨见有个小士兵端着一碗肉汤向申屠镇走去，忙挥手把他叫住，让他悄悄转达所有人，这些日子不要在右副将面前提起大牛。
"Deputy General..." Pei Xuejin took a stool and sat beside Shentu Zhen.
Shentu Zhen curled up next to the stake where he used to tie up the cow, with a desolate expression. "General Pei, just call me Boping. I feel like I'm completely unworthy of the position of deputy general and I've brought shame to both the Fanyin Army and even the Great Zhou." Translate the above Chinese into English and keep all @ matches.Only reply to the translated content.
裴学谨从怀里掏出一块干粮，硬塞到申屠镇手里，“伯平，你只顾着兄弟们，都忘了自己。”
"I don't deserve it," Shentu Zhen hurriedly tried to push the dried food back.
“我有个秘密要讲给你听。”裴学谨不接，干粮便掉在地上。
申屠镇爱惜粮食，不得不拾起干粮，捧在手里，“既然是秘密，我值得你信任吗？”
"Of course it's worth it! Being caught up in this unfortunate situation, it's hard to say whether we can make it out or not. The two of us can be considered partners in life and death!" Although Pei Xuejin sincerely believed that the Great Zhou Dynasty would not let them sacrifice in vain.
"Please speak, Brother Pei. I'm all ears."
"My father is Pei Jian."
申屠镇愣住了。裴鉴，本朝吏部尚书，出身望族河东裴氏。裴家世代圣眷优渥，族中多出高雅名士与朝廷大员。
眼前这个普通得不能再普通的军队总旗，竟然是裴鉴的儿子！
而且他听说，裴鉴膝下只一个独子。他一个文官，居然舍得将儿子送上前线！
"What's wrong? Is it hard to accept?" Pei Xuejin nudged Shen Tu Zhen with his elbow. "I had the same expression on my face when I said I wanted to join the army, and my dad reacted just like you do now."
“我第一次上战场，还是六年前纳桑国侵占花城的事情了。那时候我啥也不懂，就想着多立功给我爹看看，就拼命地往敌军阵营里冲啊……
As a result, my mind went blank and I forgot what the boss had instructed - the Nasang tribe would tie a long thin iron wire to the legs of two horses, and if they drove fast enough, the wire could cut off the legs of both the person and the horse in the middle; if they went slower, they could directly knock down and drag away the person...