Chapter 164: Farewell After All
Chapter 164: Farewell After All
The heavy prisoner carriage drove away from Sanwanwei,
More than 500 soldiers of the Commandery and Zhou E left, taking Zhao Zunian and Liu Xian with them.
Their hair is now disheveled, covering their faces.
The grey lining on his body was already scarred and covered with marks from whipping.
Thirty thousand guards and scouts from the front line stood in the camp, staring at all this with wide eyes, laughing in their hearts.
Lu Yunyi stood at the entrance of the military tent, watching them go away, with a strange look on his face.
Zhou E indeed maintained the domineering style of the older generation of soldiers. After entering the cell, he began to torture without explanation.
Two high-ranking Liaodong officials were beaten to a pulp.
The torture lasted until the early morning, and a complete confession was obtained.
Zhou E just gave up and left angrily with the two of them.
The seized smuggled military supplies were not taken away.
Although Zhou E did not say it explicitly, Lu Yunyi knew what he meant.
Just treat the gift as an apology and hush money, and don't make it public.
Lu Yunyi had no intention of being public, he only cared about the war.
Naturally, some of the corruption and rottenness of the Liaodong Regional Military Commission were the concern of the Regional Military Commission and the imperial court.
He always remembers that he is a soldier.
For thousands of years, military intervention in politics has been the most taboo thing, so he naturally would not get involved.
Liu Heiying, who was standing next to him, had a look of gloating and a hint of regret on his face:
"Brother Yun'er, it's a pity to waste their wealth.
You don't know that Zhao Zunian said that he had earned a total of 300,000 taels of silver over the years, which he hid in the cellar of his residence.
If we can get it, I can buy a house in Beijing!"
Ever since I learned that the general had given me a five-story house,
Liu Heiying had been talking about buying a house in the capital, but his family did not have enough money to buy a good house, so he was hesitant.
Lu Yunyi smiled after hearing this and patted Liu Heiying on the shoulder:
"That's all stolen money, don't keep it, it'll only bring disaster to you.
Although my uncle is old now, he is at the age of struggle.
He has many properties in Peking and has made a lot of money in recent days. If you want to buy a property in Yingtian, just sell some of it."
Liu Heiying just said this and nodded:
"Brother Yun'er, I know that local politics and military affairs must be separated, and no one can interfere with each other, otherwise there will be disaster."
Lu Yunyi looked surprised: "Okay, Black Hawk, you still have this kind of awareness?"
"Xu Zengshou said so. He wants the money, too."
Liu Heiying's face turned red and he betrayed his teammates without hesitation.
Xu Zengshou, who was standing aside as a guard, turned pale and his body stiffened when he heard this.
But he is a soldier now and dares not speak out.
"You have so much money at home, why are you still thinking about this stolen money?" Lu Yunyi turned his head and asked.
Guo Quan and Liu Heiying also turned their heads with interest and stared at Xu Zengshou, hoping to hear his answer.
As a result, the thin-skinned Xu Zengshou stammered and could not explain the reason, and finally said:
"Big brother is very strict. He wants us to be careful with our words and actions, spend less and do more. He gave me 100 taels of silver for this expedition, asking me to be frugal."
Guo Quan blinked his eyes, thought about it carefully, and understood something.
As a descendant of a noble family, Guo Quan had no such concerns. He never had less than a thousand taels of silver on him.
If you run out of it, just take it from home and no one will complain.
The reason for the disparity between the two is that Wuding Hou Guo Ying is still alive and in the prime of his life, and is highly regarded by Your Majesty.
The King of Zhongshan in the Duke of Wei's Mansion had long passed away, and now three years had passed.
But His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince still did not discuss the issue of succession to the title.
This not only caused a lot of speculation within and outside the court, but even the Duke of Wei's mansion was uneasy.
Xu Zengshou was originally a guard with a sword in front of the palace. In order to inherit the title, he ran to the northern expedition army in order to avoid being bothered.
Most of the other descendants of the family were not in the capital, only Xu Yungong was left.
The purpose of all these actions is to let the court see the intention of the Duke of Wei's Mansion.
As a result, although Xu Zengshou now has a prominent status, he has nothing on him. He eats and lives among the army, but he has gained some good reputation.
Lu Yunyi, who had already noticed this, smiled lightly and looked at Xu Zengshou:
"Don't worry, everything will be settled after the army returns to the court, and you won't be short of money."
Xu Zengshou's eyes lit up: "Really, sir?"
Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded.
Xu Zengshou smiled, feeling relieved.
Guo Quan on the side blinked his eyes, thinking that the adult was right.
Only Liu Heiying looked confused. What was he saying?
The Northern Expedition has ended. General Lan Yu has made great contributions and will become the new Duke, with great influence in the army.
When the old is replaced by the new, the court naturally has to consider the balance.
By this time, the Duke of Wei's succession to the title would naturally be decided.
Whenever Lu Yunyi thought about this, he felt as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart.
The house was taken, and the work was accomplished.
He has now become a staunch supporter of Lan Yu, and this has been established among the army of nearly 200,000 people.
The court naturally felt the same way.
Lu Yunyi felt that when the time came to be beheaded, given his relationship with Lan Yu, he might be able to get a good position, so he knelt beside him.
Taking a deep breath, the fear in Lu Yunyi's eyes gradually faded, and he looked at Liu Heiying with a sharp look:
"Did you gain anything last night?"
At this point, Liu Heiying showed anger and said viciously:
"Our brothers are blocking the way outside the 30,000 guards, and those from the Dusi are blocking every intersection.
They stopped two large trucks and I wanted to see what was inside, but they wouldn’t let me.”
"Hahaha, family disgrace should not be made public. Lord Zhou has already made a promise.
They will send people to keep a close watch on the border of Liaodong, and they will not withdraw until the war is over."
Lu Yunyi laughed out loud, and his mood became relaxed. With Zhou E's promise,
These more than a thousand people did not have to wait in Liaodong.
You can go to Liaowang County to reminisce with the King of Liao, the King of Huining and others.
For a moment, Guo Quan and Xu Zengshou became excited.
They were tired of standing guard here all day long, and they felt more comfortable fighting on the battlefield.
"Sir, when are we setting off?" Xu Zengshou asked.
Lu Yunyi raised his head and looked at the sun.
It is early morning now, the sun is climbing up the eastern sky, and the weather is not that hot.
"We will set off after you guys finish your meal. You guys have worked hard these days, and we must give you some of the heads of Liao Wangjun."
As Lu Yunyi issued the order to move out, the entire camp suddenly became lively.
Soldiers hurriedly walked in the military camp.
It was a very busy scene with people moving weapons and food, dismantling tents, and collecting clothes.
On one side, the soldiers of the Fire Army also moved faster.
His knife skills are extremely swift, and he can cut vegetables much faster.
These soldiers were not pure firemen.
Instead, when the army was expanding, he was recruited into the front army scout unit because of his cooking skills, and cooked in his spare time.
If a war really breaks out, we have to charge into the battlefield.
Among them was Zhang Zhengyi, who was introduced by Hu Kui to the Front Army Scouting Division.
At this moment, he was holding a huge bamboo hat and sifting the sand from the rice, cursing loudly:
"These bastards even mix sand into the grain they sell. They want to mix a pound of sand into the rice. They are so evil-minded."
"Hahaha, Lao Zhang, you're going to be scolded again." The soldier who was washing vegetables nearby laughed at him without hesitation.
The food and fodder used by the front-line scouts are all smuggled spoils.
The rice is good, but there is too much sand in it.
Zhang Zhengyi is now responsible for steaming rice.
Because there was sand in it, he was often scolded by the soldiers.
As a newcomer, of course he endured it and could only curse at those smugglers.
Although I was scolded all day long, I had no time to rest.
But Zhang Zhengyi was extremely satisfied with this day.
Although I was only a fireman, it was much better than guarding the horses and food in the army.
There is a reward for going to war, and there is more reward for a successful war. Now we are going to go to war again to slaughter the grassland people in Liaowang County.
Zhang Zhengyi swung his bamboo hat and licked his lips.
There was a strong desire in his eyes, wondering if he could win the first level.
He is not greedy, one level, one level is enough!
The first level is ten taels of silver. After returning home, you can speak more confidently in the garrison and your status will be different. The soldier who was washing vegetables saw that he was absent-minded and smiled:
"Old Zhang, you have to work harder this time. You have to kill a grassland man anyway.
I heard that You Dafeng and Lord Black Eagle went to chase and block the enemy, and shot a grassland man to death, which cost him ten taels of silver! ! "
The soldier washed the vegetables with a little force, and was extremely envious.
If you save a little, ten taels of silver can be enough for a family to eat for two or three years.
By then I will save up all my salary, and when my child grows up, I can find him a wife early. Life will be so wonderful then.
Zhang Zhengyi swung his bamboo hat with increasing force, and white rice grains rolled in it, while sand fell from the cracks bit by bit.
If there are some bigger ones, he will stop to pick them out.
He said fiercely, "Don't worry, I have already inquired.
This time the general will lead us to attack the grassland people from behind and catch them off guard.
I must kill one of them, or I will have no chance."
After hearing this, the soldier next to him looked tense and serious.
Zhang Zhengyi was right. They were veterans and could clearly sense that the chances of fighting were becoming fewer and fewer.
If we don't seize this opportunity, we don't know when we will go on the next expedition, which will only lead to more accidents.
Thinking of this, he quickly said:
"Lao Zhang, let's help each other when the time comes."
Zhang Zhengyi glanced at him and said, "Just wash your vegetables properly. If you eat sand in your food, you will be scolded and you will have no way to defend yourself."
As soon as the words fell, the two of them moved faster.
The two of them were often scolded because of sand, but gradually they came together and got along very well.
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye an hour passed.
The soldiers are working hard to eat.
Lu Yunyi burned the strategies and writings he had made in the past few days in the military tent.
A faint smell of cigarette ash filled the military tent, causing Lu Yunyi to squint his eyes.
The curtain at the entrance of the military tent was lifted early, and the smoke drifted out little by little.
At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the smoke, quietly
Lu Yunyi's eyes fixed and he glanced over, then returned to normal. It was Xu Cheng, the commander of the 30,000 guards.
Xu Cheng walked in, holding a package in his hand, with a somewhat reserved look on his dark and weathered face.
"General Lu, are you leaving?"
Lu Yunyi nodded: "Since Lord Zhou has agreed to block the Liaodong border,
There is no point in us staying here any longer, we should hurry to Liaowang County and support our brothers."
Xu Cheng looked lost, put the package on the table and said:
"I don't know how to repay you for saving my life.
These are some rice cakes made by my wife. My Lord, you can eat them on the way to keep yourself from getting hungry."
When Zhou E left, he took Zhao Zunian and Liu Xian with him, and the smuggling incident came to an end.
As the chief officer of the northernmost garrison, since he was not taken away, it meant that he had passed the test safely.
Zhou E also asked him some questions about border smuggling.
Xu Cheng naturally held an attitude of resisting the strict regulations of going home for the New Year. He was nervous and reserved and didn't know anything when asked.
Zhou E was very satisfied with this and praised his diligence. He also asked him to keep an eye on the border and report to the commander in time if anything happened.
This is undoubtedly great news for Xu Cheng.
It allowed him to completely break away from his previous anxiety and wait for death.
Xu Cheng almost cried with joy. After his backer fell, he encountered many setbacks and everything went wrong.
No one was willing to lend a hand, and in the end he could only build weapons in Sanwanwei and wait for death.
Xu Cheng's eyes flashed with complexity, and he said in a deep voice:
"General Lu, I am much older than you, but you are my savior. Please accept my greetings."
Without waiting for Lu Yunyi to speak, Xu Cheng turned around and looked outside the military tent, waving his hands repeatedly:
"come on in."
Lu Yunyi looked surprised and looked towards the entrance of the military tent.
A woman in her forties came in with two children in their teens.
The woman had a reserved look on her face, and the child's eyes were evasive, somewhat fearful.
The two children walked into the military tent, fell to their knees with a plop, and spoke timidly:
"Thank you for saving my life, General."
Lu Yunyi stood up quickly: "What are you doing!"
He wanted to pull the two children up, but Xu Cheng blocked his way and said quickly:
"General Lu, I cannot repay you for saving my life, so I can only do this.
The honor and disgrace of Xu's family all depend on me. If I die, they will certainly not have a good ending."
As she spoke, the woman came up and stood side by side with Xu Cheng, bowing deeply to Lu Yunyi.
With a sincere face and tears in his eyes.
Lu Yunyi stood still, his brows furrowed, his mind filled with complicated and unspeakable thoughts.
"General Xu, please be busy now. We will not bother you any more. If there is anything you need me to do in the future, please let me know."
After saying that, Xu Cheng bent down repeatedly and pulled the child and his wife away.
When they left, the tent became quiet.
Lu Yunyi shook his head, his face regained its composure, and continued to burn the documents and military newspapers.
The fire was filled with smoke and flickering flames.
Illuminating Lu Yunyi's face, sometimes calm, sometimes smiling.
The sun is blazing, at noon,
The sun scorched the Liaodong land like a raging flame, covering everything in golden color.
In the quiet afternoon, a burst of rapid and powerful horse hoof sounds suddenly broke the tranquility of the Sanwanwei camp.
It was like a storm coming from the horizon, the roar was getting closer and closer!!
More than a thousand cavalrymen suddenly rushed out from a corner of the camp like black waves.
They were wearing black armor and red helmets, holding long swords in their right hands and reins in their left hands, carrying bows, crossbows and spears on their backs, with their legs tightly clamped around the horses' bellies, rising and falling on the horses' backs.
The black armor gleamed coldly in the sun.
The eyes of the front scouts were burning with excitement and impatience.
They were rough and dark, and their hands tightened around the knife handles.
Although they were hundreds of miles away from Liaowang County at this moment, they seemed to be impatient.
The blade radiates cold light and reflects the sunlight.
The soldiers looked at the long swords with some regret in their eyes, and they couldn't wait to paint the long swords bright red.
Their arrival completely disrupted the leisurely afternoon.
The scorching sun was still high in the sky, blurring the edge of the sky and the earth into a golden hue.
Thirty thousand guards and numerous civilians and craftsmen gathered in the camp.
They bid farewell to the former army scouts who had a brief connection with their lives.
People are like passers-by. After we say goodbye today, we may never meet again in this life.
The soldiers lined up neatly, with envy and complexity in their eyes.
The laborers and craftsmen stood aside, and their eyes had the same expression.
As the vanguard scouts rushed out of the camp, the noisy atmosphere in the camp gradually died down, leaving only an empty and quiet area.
A breeze blew through the camp, taking away some dust and also seemed to take away some sadness of parting.
The clouds in the sky seemed to be seeing them off, floating slowly and changing their shapes.
It was not until their figures slowly disappeared at the end of the sky, as if they were swallowed by the scorching sun, or merged into the boundless golden color, that the soldiers, craftsmen and civilians came to their senses.
The foremen began to yell, "Get to work, get to work!"
The soldiers and civilians headed towards the Yingchengzi Iron Mine not far from Sanwanwei, their eyes becoming gradually more silent.
Although the soldiers of the front scout unit did not have much interaction with them,
But the sudden appearance of some intense, busy and stimulating moments in the boring days is always something worth remembering.
Although it will pass in the blink of an eye and life will return to being boring, it is still some embellishment in the busy days.
Enough for them to talk about when smuggling starts again,
Some people even had already thought of what to say to those who came after them, and a little more smile appeared on their numb and tired faces.
"You don't know, but when General Lu's soldiers were here, no one dared to smuggle.
At that time, if you were caught, your goods would be seized and you would be killed, which was very impressive.”
"In the past, their smuggling was rampant, with hundreds of trucks at a time.
There were also our soldiers escorting them, and no one dared to offend them, so General Lu had to arrest them all."
"You were young at that time and didn't remember much. You didn't know how powerful they were. General Lu and his men had a very good relationship with us!"
(End of this chapter)