Chapter 202: Commander of Yingtian Guard, Praise in Public but Demoted in Private

Chapter 202: Commander of Yingtian Guard, Praise in Public but Demoted in Private

Chapter 202: Commander of Yingtian Guard, Praise in Public but Demoted in Private

The desolate horn sounded, and the front scouts began to gather quickly.
After Lu Yunyi washed up, he put on the military standard armor.

He is wearing black armor, a red helmet and carrying a long sword at his waist, which makes him look very heroic. If it weren't for the dark sockets under his eyes, he would look even more heroic.

As the soldiers gathered, Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, also put on a new set of armor.

His tall stature and handsome face also make him look extraordinary and heroic.

He was now in the big tent, looking back and forth at Lu Yunyi, frowning slightly.

Although they were both equally tall, strong and handsome, and even of similar age,

But Li Jinglong always felt that he was lacking something.
After pondering for a long time, he looked at himself in the bronze mirror, and a flash of enlightenment appeared in his eyes.

Lacking the solemn and murderous spirit of the soldiers,

He quickly made his face stern, but it was useless and it only made him look a little out of place.

He was seen jumping up and down, fiddling with his armor.

Lu Yunyi, who was quietly checking the training documents on the side, raised his eyebrows, glanced over, and chuckled:
"Duke Cao, once you have killed people on the battlefield and seen tens of thousands of cavalry charging, your temperament will change."

"Change? To what?"

Li Jinglong turned around with a questioning look on his face.

"Don't care, just a disregard for human life."

Lu Yunyi's face became serious. This was the experience he gained from observing many soldiers and military commanders.
No matter they were dukes or veteran generals, their eyes were filled with indifference and disregard for human life.

After all, with hundreds of thousands of people fighting on the battlefield, people are dying every minute and every second.
If we were to feel so much pain, there would be no need to fight.

After hearing what Lu Yunyi said, Li Jinglong had some enlightenment in his mind.
I recalled the cold eyes of His Majesty that were indifferent to everything.

I couldn't help but shudder, it seemed that was the case.

Since he needed to kill someone, Li Jinglong stopped forcing it and turned to look at Lu Yunyi:
"General Lu, I have long heard that you have few rivals in the army.

It just so happens that I have practiced some martial arts recently, why don't we have a competition?"

Lu Yunyi was stunned, his eyes widened slightly, and his expression immediately became strange.
After the front army scouts were formed, some old soldiers in the army were inevitably dissatisfied and started to stir up trouble everywhere. The way to resolve the disputes was to fight.

There were indeed a few people who could be considered fierce in a one-on-one fight, but none of them were his match.

In addition to the various things that happened during the training, no one in the front scout unit mentioned fighting him.
Li Jinglong: Why is this?

Lu Yunyi thought about it, but couldn't figure it out, so he smiled bitterly:
"Duke Cao, swords have no eyes, forget it, let's start training first."

"No, no, no, you have to show me your skills before you start training.

If I am a natural talent, I am a good general in marching and fighting, wouldn’t it save me a lot of effort?”

As he spoke, Li Jinglong moved closer and lowered his voice:

"General Lu also knows that I am going to the southwest to gain experience.
It would be best if I could get military merit, but if I can't, I won't force it.
If I really had some skills, I would have practiced less and suffered less, wouldn’t I?

Lu Yunyi suddenly realized what was going on.

However, Lu Yunyi did not intend to fool around with him, his face was serious:
"Duke Cao, if you want to survive on the battlefield,
You have to practice hard day and night. If you neglect one point today, you will neglect one point tomorrow.
On the battlefield, death becomes a very important issue. Even if one has enough skills in fighting one-on-one, one must have enough physical strength.

On the battlefield, we cavalrymen fight not for our personal bravery, but for our physical endurance.

Even if you have the ability to kill with one strike, you will be exhausted after charging a few times, so this won’t work.”

"Isn't it infantry fighting in the southwest?" Li Jinglong was stunned.

Lu Yunyi shook his head, his face solemn:

"Although the southwest is full of mountains and forests and the terrain is rugged, there are still some open areas for the army to fight.

But in places like this, infantry alone is far from enough, and the combination of infantry and cavalry is the right way.

Usually, those traveling in the mountains and forests are infantrymen, with horses at their side.

In real battles, there are cavalry, infantry, and elephants.
Therefore, the battle in the southwest is particularly difficult, especially for us cavalrymen, who need to learn some skills from the infantrymen in order to thrive like a fish in water."

"That's it"

Li Jinglong looked grim. The weather outside was getting hotter and he was sweating in his armor.
He felt bitter at the thought of the training that was to come.

"No, no, let's have a competition. I usually fight against the people in the mansion, but they are no match for me.

But I know that they are hesitant to act because of their status, and I want to see my own abilities."

Lu Yunyi was somewhat helpless:
"Okay, then I'll ask Xu Zengshou to perform martial arts with you. He has grown a lot these days, and he should be able to fight Duke Cao just fine."

"No, my father once said,
In order to learn the essence of marching and fighting, one must follow someone who is stronger than oneself. The same should be true for martial arts performances.

He is about the same age as me, what's the point of chopping him off?"

Li Jinglong refused to give in. Lu Yunyi put the training manual aside and sighed:
"Then follow Duke Cao's advice."

Li Jinglong smiled, showing satisfaction, and then said:

"I am not in vain compared to General Lu. Xu Zengshou asked me about the reward before.
Although the new reward has not yet been decided, I can reveal a few things to General Lu."

"And." Li Jinglong looked at Lu Yunyi meaningfully:
"General Lu, do you want to know why His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rejected the previous reward from the Governor's Office?"

The early morning sun penetrated through the gaps in the military tent and hit Li Jinglong's face, making him feel a little more confused.

Lu Yunyi narrowed his eyes, walked from the desk to Li Jinglong's side, and listened attentively.

Seeing him like this, Li Jinglong did not keep him in suspense and said in a low voice:

"There are only two reasons why the petition for merit was sent back.

One is that the reward is too much, the other is that the reward is too little.

The rewards given to General Lu's troops were too little.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was dissatisfied, and His Majesty was also dissatisfied.
He scolded several officials from the Governor's Office and the Ministry of War and ordered them to make a new plan."

For a moment, Lu Yunyi's heart was pounding, his eyes widened slightly, and he clenched his fists at one side, making a creaking sound. A completely different temperament rose from him.

Li Jinglong felt as if he was in a large army, with tens of thousands of enemy troops fighting against him.

Even though Lu Yunyi knew that it was difficult for him to be promoted due to his young age, and it was not a good thing to win the first place in front of all the dukes and marquises,
But when the great achievement really happened to him, he couldn't help but feel excited.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi looked at Li Jinglong and said in a low voice:

"May I ask Duke Cao what the reward was previously set by the Governor's Office?"

Li Jinglong looked puzzled and said frankly:
"I don't know the Ministry of War, but several commanders highly respect General Lu, especially Yu Tongyuan.

He once explained the pros and cons and persuaded several governors to ask for a title of nobility for General Lu.
But in the end, he was suppressed by the general and Duke Shen. Even Duke Zheng, who was far away in Longzhou, sent a message through someone.

I said earnestly, General Lu, you are a young man, you can't be like him, who suddenly rose to a high position at a young age, it's easy to take a detour,
I think General Lu must have understood who is behind this."

Lu Yunyi pursed his lips, and he naturally understood.
Duke Chang Mao of Zheng was far away in Longzhou, and had long been away from court affairs. This letter must have been written at the behest of the general.

"Yi naturally knows it and keeps it in mind."

Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, sighed with emotion and felt a little envious. He spoke sourly:
"To be honest, I have been in the capital for nearly twenty years, and this is the first time I have seen a general protect someone like this. General Lu, you are very lucky." After a pause, Li Jinglong's face became a little more serious, and he continued:
"As for why the final reward ended up being so ugly, being scolded by the Crown Prince and His Majesty, it was a trick played by Yu Tongyuan and others.
They used the names of the great generals, Duke Shen and Duke Zheng, to suppress the merits again and again.
The purpose is self-evident: riding a white horse to find a black horse. "

Li Jinglong's face darkened a little, and he spoke meaningfully:
"Perhaps this is their real purpose.

The sedan chair is fake, the suppression is real.
But it is useless. Your Majesty and His Royal Highness are so wise and brave.
He saw through their evil plot at a glance and sent the memorial back.

To be honest, some of the young generals in the Governor's Office breathed a sigh of relief, and I am one of them!"

Li Jinglong raised his hands and clapped his armor, as if to say, we are on the same side.

Lu Yunyi stood there thinking for a long time before he sighed softly in his heart. The matter also involved a struggle for power.
But just like what happened at Tianjie Temple, he also realized it later.

If you don’t have the status, you can only make new chess pieces.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Li Jinglong spoke again:
"You don't know, it's no wonder that His Majesty is angry about the reward they set. Even I would be furious when I saw it.

Xu Zengshou was the deputy commander of Yingtian Guard, a rank 4th grade official.

But what did General Lu get? He was appointed Commander of Yingtian Guard and given the rank of General Zhaoyong. "

Seeing Lu Yunyi's calm expression, Li Jinglong thought that he didn't know the key, so he explained:

"Although you are a third-rank official and have obtained a military position, where is the Yingtian Guard? The capital Yingtian City has taken care of you.

You don't know, my father once said that the more powerful the general is, the farther away he should be from the court.

The reward they gave you is to keep you in the capital.
The soldiers have been torn into pieces by you, without any position or power, and are just like clay Buddhas, used as ornaments, unable to protect themselves. "

Lu Yunyi's face was calm, but his heart was extremely cold, and his whole body exuded bursts of coldness.

Li Jinglong was right. Soldiers would rather stay in the capital than in any other place.
Whether it is to go to a foreign garrison, to train troops, or to repair a city,

At least he has military power in his hands, which means he is in a high position and should be feared by others.

Nowadays, many military officers in Yingtian City have been given idle positions.
Either he was in the Five Military Commandery or in the Beijing Camp, keeping aloof and not having any military power.

The position of nobility sounds good, and is respected by people, but without soldiers, it is a low status.

You have to seek help from people both inside and outside to do anything because it is not within the court system.

If this is the case for nobles, what about other military generals?

Lu Yunyi's face was extremely calm, and there was not even the slightest fluctuation in his heart.

He had guessed about this situation long ago, and had anticipated the open and covert attack.
But he was trapped in the capital. He didn't expect that
If a third-rank garrison commander is in a local area, he is a local lord.
But in a place like the capital city where housekeepers are everywhere, she is just a bigger ant.

With a long sigh, Lu Yunyi gathered his thoughts. No matter what, the current situation was not too bad.

He still has someone to protect him, there are battles to fight, and he doesn't have to stay in this capital.

He looked at Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, and said in a deep voice:
"Duke Cao, I will fight you in person.

In addition, Duke Cao should pay attention to the training.
You are weak, and if you mess up, the miasma in the southwest can easily take your life."

After a pause, Lu Yunyi said solemnly:
"This is what I really think, Lord Cao, please keep it in mind."

Li Jinglong was stunned, and a sense of absurdity suddenly arose in his heart. He hurried forward:

"No, no, I have even told General Lu such confidential information. Why do we still need to practice, and practice hard?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was calm, and he seemed to have regained the coldness he had during the battle, but his face had softened a bit:

"Duke Cao, if you and I are just casual friends and you just messed around with me,
But now you and I are comrades in arms, good friends in the army,
In this case, I can no longer allow Duke Cao to act recklessly.
You must pay attention to the training, so that you can make achievements in the southwest, and at least be able to ride a horse for 300 miles."

"Three hundred miles?" Li Jinglong looked dazed and blinked:

"What is three hundred miles?"

"From Yunnan in our Ming Dynasty to the core area of ​​Luchuan, the straight-line distance is 300 miles.

But the actual practice may require more than double the time.
If he doesn't have enough physical strength, Duke Cao won't be able to take the credit in the end.

I can only place you in the rear army, and let you be my front scouts charging forward."

For a moment, Li Jinglong was stunned.
He suddenly remembered that his father had disciplined him severely when he was still alive, and he had also said the same thing.
It's just like scolding him for eating shit, which is not as good as warming up.

Lu Yunyi straightened his armor, held his sword in his hand, and looked serious:
"Okay, Duke Cao, please follow me. I'd like to meet the brothers first."

As he spoke, Lu Yunyi walked out of the tent with heavy steps.

In September, the sky begins to show signs of autumn, and the morning light is slightly cool.

The scent of grass and soil that should have been everywhere was gone, replaced by the iron smell of weapons and armor.

The soldiers of the front army's scout unit quickly assembled.

In the camp, a horn sounded, long and deep, penetrating the mist and awakening the earth.

The soldiers moved upon hearing the sound, dressed neatly, and walked out of their tents. Their figures gradually became clearer in the hazy morning light, full of solemnity!

On the huge parade ground where the front army scouts were stationed,
More than 5,000 soldiers in black armor stood quietly, their armor gleaming with a cold luster in the weak sunlight.

The soldiers had resolute faces, their eyes flashing with excitement and coldness.
After a few days of nourishment, their vitality has recovered a little.

Moreover, the senior officers in the army promised that the food and supplies would be better after the training began, which made them full of expectations!

On one side of the parade ground, command flags waved back and forth, and the formations quickly changed shape, in an orderly manner without any disorder.

After changing the formation three times, the soldiers seemed to have regained their gradually subsiding desire to fight, and the air was filled with solemnity and solemnity!

No one spoke, only the occasional sound of horse hooves and the slight collision of weapons, which was particularly loud in the parade ground.

Every soldier looked straight ahead, looking at the huge platform in front of them and the two people slowly approaching from it.

Countless soldiers stared with their eyes wide open, trying to see the figure beside Lu Yunyi clearly.
There have been rumors in the army these days that the late Prince Qiyang's son, Duke of Cao Li Jinglong, will join the front army scouts.

But it was just a message before. Now I have seen it with my own eyes. The young man who looks about the same as General Lu should be Duke Cao.

This made the soldiers excited!
Although they have also seen many military officers,
However, as part of the northern expedition army, they were not under the jurisdiction of the front army scout unit.

Now, it is different.

Li Jinglong followed behind Lu Yunyi and noticed that he was being watched by so many people.
I couldn't help but feel flustered, and clenched my hands on the side.

He had never faced five thousand people directly before, and this was completely different from looking at them from the side.
Faces, yellow faces hidden under black armor, staring straight at me,

The murderous aura that rushed towards him almost overwhelmed him, and his face turned pale.

Li Jinglong did not dare to look at the soldiers again, but stared at Lu Yunyi closely. Seeing that his expression was normal, he couldn't help but admire him.

Soon the two of them stood still, with Lu Yunyi standing at the top and looking directly down.
Looking at their puffy cheeks, I felt somewhat satisfied, but I didn't show it on my face.

He took out a brass trumpet from his waist, opened it, closed it, and put it in front of his mouth, and said loudly:

"I still remember the bravery of my comrades, and I am filled with emotion.
Before we start the exercise, I will first answer your questions. "

(End of this chapter)