Chapter 136 Tit for tat

Chapter 136 Tit for tat

Chapter 136 Tit for tat
The curtain of the camp was opened by two soldiers.

Lu Yunyi, with a tall stature, handsome face and wearing black armor, appeared in front of the military tent, staring at the two people confronting each other in the tent with a smile.

Wu Fuliu's long sword did not retract at all, and it was pressed against Jiang Li's heart, but was blocked by the soft armor inside.

The soft sword in Jiang Li's hand had broken into two pieces and hung at his side.
The palm seemed to be trembling slightly, and there was some redness at the base of the palm.

Lu Yunyi took light steps, entered the military tent, and came in front of the two men.
He looked down at the slightly sinister long sword, smiled gently, raised his hand and moved the long sword slightly away.

He spoke in a slightly scolding voice:
"No rudeness."

As soon as these words came out, the frost on Wu Fuliu's face dissipated like ice in winter, and instantly turned into a smile.

There was also some flattery on his face that ordinary soldiers would show to their superiors.
He let out a "yo" and quickly sheathed his long sword. He hunched over, clasped his hands together, and smiled repeatedly:

"General Jiang, I was blind and thought he was a spy from the grasslands, so I attacked him too hard.
You didn't even say a word, it's like a flood that washed away the Dragon King Temple, family members fighting each other."

Such a sudden change in atmosphere made Jiang Li frown slightly, feeling uncomfortable all over.

But he still managed a smile:
"It's Mr. Jiang's fault."

Lu Yunyi laughed and waved his hand casually:

"Since this is all a misunderstanding, let's disperse. Wu Fuliu continues patrolling the camp."

Lu Yunyi looked at the middle-aged man standing in front of the military tent holding the curtain and ordered:

"Zhang Yu, tell the fireman to prepare some food. Since General Jiang is here, we have to keep him company for a meal."

"Yes." The middle-aged man named Zhang Yu said without any change in expression and left.

Wu Fuliu did the same, bowed, and left as well.

For a moment, only Lu Yunyi and Jiang Li were left in the military tent.

Jiang Li looked at Lu Yunyi with a strange expression, smiling and saying:
"There are no guards in General Lu's tent? If Jiang is an assassin, wouldn't that put General Lu's life in danger?"

Lu Yunyi paused as he was putting on the head armor, smiled, and said calmly:
"To be honest with you, Jiang, I have never met an opponent in the military fighting."

"If you want to kill someone, you don't necessarily have to fight him or her. There are many other ways."

Lu Yunyi's eyes flashed.
He glanced at the three silver needles pressed against the back of Jiang Li's hand, the abnormal bulge on his boots, and the slightly sunken chest.

There is also the slightly simple but complex and fluffy bun on her hair.

Finally, she met Jiang Li's eyes with a smile.

Jiang Li felt his heart tighten, his face became extremely solemn, and there was a deep fear in his eyes.

The gaze of the person in front of me is like a knife scraping and a sword sweeping.
It made his hair stand on end, as if he was seen through. The last person who gave him this feeling was Mao Xiang.

Jiang Li's breathing became a little faster, and he also glanced at Lu Yunyi.
I found that his body was wide open and wide, and he just stood there sideways calmly.
But for some reason, he didn't find the corresponding weakness, and didn't even have the opportunity to take action. Instead, he felt that he had weaknesses everywhere.

The atmosphere in the military tent was somewhat solemn, and a trace of cold sweat appeared on Jiang Li's forehead.

Lu Yunyi smiled and sat down at the top:

"It's easy to dodge an open attack, but it's hard to guard against an arrow from the dark. If it really comes to the time when Mr. Lu will die."

Lu Yunyi's voice was long and drawn out, but what he said made Jiang Li's hair stand on end:
"I will end up dying together. I can't let others take advantage of me in this life."

The dim light flickered, magnifying the shadows of the two people and casting them on the outer wall of the military tent.

One is big and the other is small, and they look extremely ferocious, like a dragon and a tiger confronting each other.

A thin layer of sweat appeared on Jiang Li's palms.
He actually sensed a similar aura in a young man.

It is like a poisonous snake hiding in the shadows, small and not easily showing itself to others, but capable of killing people instantly.

The last time I saw him at the Kharajhang camp,

He has only the courage of a general.

But what I saw today was completely different. Combined with the arrangements made by the front scouts and the soldiers who were proficient in shady tactics,

He somewhat believed that this was another Jinyiwei.

But the strange thing is that Lu Yunyi's background is so clean that even his parents and relatives can be traced.
Anyone who sees him will say that he is a good family with a clean family background in the Ming Dynasty.
But Jiang Li had a feeling at this moment.
The Lu Yunyi in front of him, who seemed to be smiling but not smiling and exuding a dark aura, was his true face.

Jiang Li didn't know why he wanted to show his true face. Maybe it was to shock others, or maybe his actions today had stimulated this new military leader.
In short, Jiang Li knew that he had offended this former military lieutenant general.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Li gradually calmed down, forced a smile on his face, and walked forward, pointing outside the military tent:
"Is that Zhang Yu? I remember he used to transport food for the central army. How did he end up under General Lu's command?"

Lu Yunyi did not answer immediately, but stood up and sat down at a long table on the side. He picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea, then made a gesture of invitation:
"General Jiang, please sit down."

Jiang Li sat down with a smile, and then Lu Yunyi spoke:
"Zhang Yu was the Privy Councilor of the former Yuan Dynasty. After he surrendered to our dynasty in the 18th year of Hongwu, he has never been welcomed. His influence is not taken seriously.
A few days ago, when I went to the central army to select soldiers, I discovered him.

You also know that my hometown is close to the border, and I will inevitably have to deal with those Yuan people in the future.
An old Yuan official could always be of some use, so he was taken in. He is now a deputy commander in the army.
How come General Jiang also thinks that Zhang Yu is a talented person?"

Jiang Li pursed his lips and shook his head slowly:
“I’m just a little curious. General Lu is well-known in the Northern Yuan Dynasty. If you want to find Yuan people, you only need to say a word, and there are countless people who will come to surrender.

Why do you like this piece of jade, which is not well-known?"

At this point, Lu Yunyi laughed, raised his hand and patted his face gently, then leaned forward:

"I have risen to a high position suddenly, but I am still a young man after all, and I have a thin skin.

I don't know how many people want to join my army expansion, and I can't refuse them.

So they found an older person to fudge them. This jade-skinned man is very thick and is enough. "

Jiang Li was stunned, and absurdity surged in his mind.
The feeling that Lu Yunyi gave him changed again.
Just like those civil servants in the court who always talk about irrelevant things and speak in a sticky and insincere manner.

He is enthusiastic and polite, but he knows nothing about anything. He just can't learn to be proactive.

"What's the matter? Could it be that General Jiang also likes this jade? If you like it, just let me know and I'll transfer it."

Lu Yunyi behaved very generously, but his words revealed a sense of absurdity, as if he was joking.

Jiang Li quickly gathered his thoughts and calmed down.

He couldn't be led around by the nose like this anymore, he had to get down to business.

"Master Lu, please don't make fun of me. I am not here to snatch someone from you.
But there are some unclear accounts in the central army, so I came to inquire about them."

"What connection do the military accounts have with my former army?"

Lu Yunyi put away his smile, his face turned serious, and his whole person became cold and murderous, just like an ordinary soldier.

Jiang Li's throat moved and changed again.

"That's right. The Central Army has too many prisoners, and there are also many Northern Yuan dignitaries.
Therefore, the Central Army planned to classify and register the grassland captives in advance so that the court could place them.
But I found that this is a confusing account, and nothing can be right.
So I decided to ask the adults one by one, so that the account would at least look acceptable. "

"Oh? General Jiang is in charge of this matter?" Lu Yunyi's eyes flickered back and forth, his voice calm.

Jiang Li sighed softly: "To be honest, I am only responsible for the reorganization of the grassland dignitaries.
A few of them are missing, so I came to ask you, Lord Lu, if you have any impression of them."

"Who is it?" Lu Yunyi asked.

Looking at Lu Yunyi's frank eyes, Jiang Li suddenly hesitated.
If it weren't for the scene just now, he could even ask directly and to the point, just like asking other soldiers.

But not now.

Jiang Li reacted quickly, laughed immediately, took out a piece of paper from his arms and handed it over:

"Master Lu, please take a look. It is said that these four women were from the Dibao Nu and Tianbao Nu camps, but now they have disappeared." Jiang Lin looked at Lu Yunyi as he took the paper, his eyes fixed on his.

But to his disappointment, Lu Yunyi's eyes were calm, without any ripples, only a hint of curiosity appeared on his face.

Then, Lu Yunyi's calm voice sounded:

“I know all these women.

Their children are either under the command of the Dibao slaves or the Tianbao slaves, and they are all under our overall management.
But I don't know their whereabouts.
I only know that their sons participated in the battle of Lianfeng Valley.
Either die in battle or be captured,
General Jiang can check from this direction. That was the first batch of prisoners, and the soldiers were the most serious when counting them. "

Jiang Li smiled lightly and said calmly:
"To be honest, I have investigated from many aspects. Two of these men's sons died in the battle, and two are missing. There is no trace of them."

As he spoke, Jiang Li showed a bitter smile:
"Sometimes I think the imperial court is too merciful. In order to appease the grassland people, they even record their lives and deaths. Even if they are missing, they have to conduct an investigation."

Lu Yunyi's eyes flickered, and he changed his words in an instant:

“The pen of history is like a knife; it records not history but accounts.

If these grassland dignitaries don't coordinate well,

There will be people in the northern grasslands who will use their names to deceive the grassland people, and even deceive our court."

Jiang Li had a hint of doubt in his eyes, frowned slightly, and asked:
"What do you mean? In my opinion, these grassland nobles are no different from those captives."

Lu Yunyi shook his head:

"This is absurd. For the regime and the court, orthodoxy and legitimacy are more important than anything else.

The Northern Yuan Dynasty court stayed in Buyuerhai because it wanted to use the legitimacy of Hechiwen to coordinate the surrounding grassland tribes.

When the Ming Dynasty went north to attack the Yuan Dynasty, we did not do a good job when we conquered Dadu.
No history is kept, no accounts are made,
The grasslands are full of royal descendants.
Those ambitious people simply gathered a team of more than a hundred people and dared to claim to be the orthodox of the grassland, and wanted to compete with the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty for the world.

I heard from the elders in Gyeongju that outside of Gyeongju,
There are more than a dozen orthodox royal families of the Yuan Dynasty, all of whom are from the Golden Family, and some even have the same name.

But if we really send troops to capture them, they will all be sloppy and hungry grassland people who are just using a name.

This is a lesson for us. Those grassland dignitaries who were captured or killed in battle should be recorded in the book to prevent recurrence. Jiang Canjun must do a good job in this task. "

Jiang Li was stunned. He actually felt that what Lu Yongyong said made sense.
But what he said before was just a fabricated excuse.

Even the clerks in the central army tent kept a muddled account of the captives of the grassland nobles, which was far from being as rigorous as he said.

This made Jiang Li fall into deep thought, wondering if there would be any hidden dangers.
After a long time, heavy footsteps sounded outside the military tent, and a fragrance began to fill the air.
Jiang Li only realized it at this moment, his face changed drastically, he was distracted from his thoughts without any notice.
He quickly calmed his breathing, a smile appeared on his face, and he asked:
"Hulun Yarong's son, Ertai, is said to be a captain under General Lu.

He is one of the missing persons. I wonder if General Lu still remembers whether he was dead or alive during the war?"

Lu Yunyi shook his head calmly:

"I don't remember. At that time, Wu Fuliu and I were running for our lives.

The tactical arrangement for clearing out the grassland soldiers was made by the central army.
I can tell you the exact location of his troops, and General Jiang can check the tactical deployment of the central army at that time, and perhaps he can infer something."

Lu Yunyi's voice was sincere, but Jiang Li shook his head helplessly:
"Thank you, Lord Lu. Since we can't find out the truth, we can only treat it as missing.

I hope that no one will use their names to cause trouble on the grassland in the future."

"He's a captain of a thousand men, General Jiang is worrying too much." Lu Yunyi said, looking towards the entrance of the military tent:

"Since the food is ready, bring it in."

Soon, four side dishes and the meal were brought in and placed on the long table between the two of them.
Lu Yunyi smiled and raised his head:

"It's getting late, and the army doesn't have any extra delicacies. Please make do with these."

Jiang Lin was a little hesitant, but still picked up the bowl and started eating carefully.

Seeing his cautious look, Lu Yunyi sneered in his heart, but his face was very calm:

"General Jiang, please feel free to eat. These dishes have been tested for poison at least ten times."

Jiang Li suddenly raised his head, and for the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.

Lu Yunyi explained:

"You don't know, the competition between the Tianbao slaves and Dibao slaves in the royal court has become unimaginably fierce.

They may not have the intention to poison anyone, but they cannot stop their subordinates from poisoning people.

I lead the Dibaonu army, and every day there are people who want to assassinate or poison us, so we must be on guard."

In this way, Jiang Li's inner confusion was slightly relieved.
Any spy's means and experience cannot be achieved overnight, and there must be a process of strengthening.
The experience in Yuanting also provided some explanation for these unusual behaviors in the front army scout camp.

At least Jiang Li felt better. He had only six elite subordinates.
But there might be more than fifty or even hundreds of people in this camp, which was hard for him to accept.

Now that he had some reasons, he would convince himself to believe it.

"Master Lu, you have worked hard. This battle can be regarded as your first achievement. You will become a new noble of the Ming Dynasty."

Jiang Li's words were sincere.
He is a man of the dark, who cannot stand on the stage. He also knows how capable those who can stand in the sun are.
He couldn't do what the front scouts did.

Lu Yunyi shook his head and said meaningfully:
"The Tao Te Ching once said: He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.

"Lüshi Chunqiu" once recorded: There is no greater failure than not knowing oneself.

Xunzi once said in "Encouragement to Learning": "The one who borrows the carriage and horse is not good at running, but can take a thousand miles; the one who borrows the boat and oar is not good at swimming, but can cross the river. The gentleman is not born different, but is good at borrowing from things."

"What do you mean?" Jiang Li's eyes flashed with doubt.

Lu Yunyi smiled, his eyes deep:
"The ancients said that the most taboo thing for this person is to mistake the platform for ability, to mistake luck for strength, and to mistake chance for inevitability.

We who are soldiers should do the same.
The credit I got was not because I was so powerful, but because the vanguard scouts were in the Ming Dynasty.

Even without me, the army will win this battle.
Just like everything in this world, the lack of some people and things will not affect it, so don’t get carried away.”

Jiang Li's face froze, and he clenched his hands tightly. He was very sure at this moment.

The Lu Yunyi in front of him already knew his identity as a Jinyiwei.

"I am very grateful to Jiang. Lord Lu is absolutely right."

After eating and drinking, the dinner ended in less than a quarter of an hour, and Jiang Li also said goodbye in a hurry.

Lu Yunyi did not go to see him off, but just sat there quietly.

Not long after, Wu Fuliu came in with a serious expression and said in a low voice:
"Sir, the person has already left. What is he doing here? Has the matter been exposed?"

Lu Yunyi's face was solemn, and he shook his head slowly:

"There is no false reputation under a great name. There are people who, like us, have set their sights on those grassland criminals."

In an instant, Wu Fuliu tightly grasped the long sword at his waist, his eyes full of murderous intent, and said viciously:
"My Lord, I should have killed him."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand with some disdain:

"The war is over. It is not good to fight and kill so much.

Let's use our own methods and tell Chen Jingyi to take a few days off and think carefully about whether there are any loopholes. Don't alert the enemy."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)