George Washington asked, “Big brother, when do you plan to set out?”

George T. smiled and said, “At the very least, I’ll wait until Steven Scott and Peter Harris lead their troops into Yizhou.” George T. was well aware of his own abilities. If he and his group of friends entered Yizhou before the government troops, going up against the main force of the southern barbarians would be nothing short of suicide. He had already made his plans: let Steven Scott’s unit enter Yizhou first and engage in battle. Once the government troops and the southern barbarians had worn each other out, he would go to Yizhou to pick up the spoils and seize any opportunities for gain.

George Washington responded with an “oh,” keeping it in mind, then took his little sister Mary Clark and headed back to their uncle’s house.

On the way, Mary Clark held George Washington’s hand and asked, “Third brother, is big brother really going to Yizhou to fight the barbarians?”

George Washington nodded.

Mary Clark asked again, “Will it be dangerous?”

George Washington said, “There’s always danger in war, but big brother is clever. He’ll wait for Steven Scott’s unit to enter Yizhou first. That way, when big brother goes to Yizhou, he won’t run into large numbers of barbarians, only small groups of defeated soldiers.”

“Do you think Steven Scott can defeat the barbarians?”

George Washington smiled, and said with confidence, “Steven Scott is a skilled commander. The southern barbarian army is definitely no match for him.”

But he didn’t say the next part: Steven Scott was notoriously cruel and committed all sorts of atrocities, his cold-bloodedness was appalling. Wang Mang sent Steven Scott to fight in Yizhou, and it was likely that not only the barbarians would suffer, but also the people of Yizhou.

Everyone thought George Washington was an honest, simple country boy, but few knew that every time George Washington went to the market to buy grain, he would ask people about events happening all over the country—where there were upright officials, where there were corrupt ones, which generals were skilled in battle, which were useless, and so on. He could always say a thing or two about each.

Over time, even though George Washington stayed in the small place of Chongling, he had a broad grasp of affairs across the land.

Steven Scott was a fierce general under Wang Mang, and together with Wang Mang’s sixth son, Wang Kuang, they were considered Wang Mang’s two sharpest blades.

The sixth prince, Wang Kuang, was already cruel by nature, but compared to Steven Scott, he was nothing. Later, in the wars to suppress local rebel armies, Steven Scott’s brutality became even more evident—but that’s a story for another time.

When they returned to their uncle James Clark’s house, just as they reached the gate, they saw James Clark coming out from inside.

James Clark was already over fifty, with graying hair and beard. The old man looked displeased and asked, “Why are you only just getting back?”

George Washington and Mary Clark respectfully saluted their uncle. George Washington said, “Uncle, after dinner we talked with big brother for a while, so we’re back late.”

At the mention of George T., James Clark immediately became angry and said sternly, “Don’t follow your big brother’s example, loafing around all day and making friends with a bunch of good-for-nothings. You should go to your big brother’s house less often. Who knows, one day his friends might break the law, and you’ll get dragged into trouble with them.”

Although James Clark had a bad temper and was stubborn like an old relic, he was, after all, an experienced man who understood the ways of the world. What he said today would, in fact, turn out to be prophetic.

Hearing her uncle criticize her big brother, Mary Clark was full of displeasure, but didn’t dare show it in front of her elders. The little girl deliberately yawned and said, “Uncle, I’m sleepy.”

James Clark had no daughter of his own and treated Mary Clark as his own. Seeing the little girl really looked tired, he stopped nagging and urged, “Hurry back to your room and go to sleep!”

George Washington let his little sister go first. After Mary Clark left, George Washington said, “The southern barbarians have invaded Yizhou, harming the people. The court has sent Steven Scott to lead a hundred thousand troops to wipe out the southern barbarian army, and they’re also organizing a hundred thousand-strong volunteer force. Big brother plans to join the volunteers.”

James Clark immediately frowned and asked, “Is this what your big brother told you?”

George Washington nodded and said, “Uncle, I want to go with big brother too…”

Before he could finish, James Clark’s expression changed and he scolded, “Your big brother wants to mess around, and you want to follow him? You have peaceful days and don’t want them, so you want to join the volunteers? Can you and your big brother even fight?”

The old man grew angrier as he spoke, stomping his foot and saying furiously, “Tomorrow I’ll go talk to him!”

George Washington sighed inwardly and said nothing more. He knew that, given his uncle’s and big brother’s temperaments, neither would agree to let him join the volunteers.

Day by day, time passed. William Grant did not return, and the war in Yizhou grew ever fiercer.

General Steven Scott led a hundred thousand troops into Yizhou and engaged the barbarian army.

The Mang army of the new dynasty was, in fact, the Han army. Their weapons and equipment were no different from those of the Han army.

As for the Han army’s combat strength, at that time, it was absolutely among the world’s best.

Even at the end of the Western Han, the Han army was still formidable. During Emperor Yuan’s reign, Chen Tang led Han troops to defeat the Xiongnu army multiple times.

A single Han soldier on the battlefield was roughly equal in fighting power to five Xiongnu soldiers.

The reason the Han army was so powerful was simple: they were well-equipped. The Han army’s armor was made of lamellar plates—iron cut into pieces, strung together to make armor.

The armor also had a lining: the innermost layer was cloth, with cotton padding in the middle, and a thick layer of leather on the outside.