The days passed in a busy haze for me, every day I would get up and train the soldiers preparing them for battle.
Then I would figure out new tactics to defeat the enemy and plan where I should put the different battalions.
Occasionally, I would watch from the towers as the soldiers charged to meet their enemies, screaming their fury
on the way. And occasionally I would notice that some of them did not make it through the battle.
I thought that was extremely frustrating, at times it would seem like our army was going to win and at
other times it would seem utterly hopeless. I really pray that the war is going to sometime soon, although,
having judged our status, it seems like the Qing army might stand a chance against us.
~
As General Zhang reflected on the countless hours he had spent on training the men, working with
them tirelessly every day, never leaving a second to spare, and the nights when he tried to think of new ways to
defeat the enemy.
Those were his country’s finest men, and presently, most of them lay on the battlefield, dead and
rotting like useless tools.
The sight and smell of bloodshed was so heavy that it could easily bring down the greatest warrior to
his knees.
General Zhang averted his eyes and turned away, he could not bear the sight any longer. He let out an
agonised sob. It was already ten years into the war with the Qing army, and already, too many men were killed
on the battlefield, too many families ripped. He loved Ming and all her people, it pained him to see so many of
them dead. He missed his family a great deal and he prayed, hoped and wished that the war would soon come to
an end so that he could go to see his family.
Little did he know, the Great Wall was about to play a crucial role and the war was far from over and
his wish would never be fulfilled.
* * *