Chapter 287 The Charm of Power
Chapter 287 The Charm of Power
At dawn, the generals of the Golden Tooth Guards had already gotten up and started busy with today's military affairs.
The same is true for Deng Zhizhong, commander of the Dragon and Tiger Guard.
He was currently studying the official road from Yongping Yunlongzhou to Jinchiwei in his room.
Although it has been repaired a long time ago, it has fallen into disrepair and there are not many pedestrians passing by, nor are there any vehicles or horses running through it.
So I hid in the forest.
It is not easy to find and clean it out.
He was scratching his head and looking at the map with a serious expression.
This is a thankless job.
But what can we do? Duke Cao had already let it slip yesterday.
The vanguard scouts will not be stationed in the Golden Tooth Guard.
Instead, they will continue to move northward, looking for opportunities to fight.
The Golden Tooth Guard will be garrisoned by the Dragon and Tiger Guards from now on!
This made Deng Zhizhong stand there in a daze, somewhat unable to believe it.
Such a confidential place just fell into his hands?
It is foreseeable that as long as in this war,
He defended the Jinchi Guards and defeated the attacking Luchuan soldiers.
That is a huge achievement. Even if the credit is divided afterwards, it can be attributed to hard work, which is real qualification.
This made Deng Zhizhong dare not neglect it. He only slept for less than two hours yesterday.
I got up early in the morning to study.
Cleaning up the official roads is to protect the Golden Tooth Guards, and protecting the Golden Tooth Guards is to protect oneself.
Deng Zhizhong saw this clearly.
Even though his eyes were bloodshot, he still watched with great interest.
"Here, here. This is the key node of Yunlongzhou, Yongping, and Jinchiwei.
Once you find this place, you can follow the map to find three roads."
The deputy general on the side nodded repeatedly:
"Your Excellency is right. The brothers are already clearing along the official road.
I just don't know when I can find this place.
The mountain road is rugged, with lots of weeds, and it rained last night so it’s inevitably a bit muddy.”
Deng Zhizhong waved his hand:
"This is a free achievement, so we have to do it well. If something goes wrong, we will lose face."
The deputy general was a middle-aged man in his thirties.
He has a tall body and sharp eyes. His name is Guan Wenji.
He nodded, looked thoughtful and tentative, and said in a low voice:
"Sir...I heard that the front army scouts have captured a Luchuan big shot,
Do you want us to inquire about him and find some enemy troops and gain some gains?"
Deng Zhizhong glanced at him and ignored him.
Guan Wenji's face showed embarrassment, then turned full of envy:
"Sir, the results of the scouts' kills and military achievements have been released.
Six thousand were beheaded, two thousand soldiers were captured, and nearly nine thousand civilians were taken."
Deng Zhizhong was also startled and stood up straight:
"so much?"
Guan Wenji nodded repeatedly, his eyes showing longing, as if there was a blazing fire burning in them:
"That's true. I heard from their military discipline officer himself.
This amount of beheading is more than what we have experienced in several years of traveling around the country. The brothers are already a little overwhelmed.
Yesterday he was still clamoring to go fight under Lu Yunyi.
My Lord, we have traveled a long way,
Not only did he not get any credit, but he also got a job as a road builder.
They are all elites, but there is such a huge difference between them. The brothers are complaining."
The voice echoed in the house. Deng Zhizhong had a complicated expression on his face. He straightened his back and sighed softly:
"I know that my brothers are dissatisfied with coming to the Golden Tooth Guard, but if you want to make achievements, you have to suffer."
Deng Zhizhong's eyes became sharper, and his voice became a little colder:
"I think they have been living a life of debauchery in the capital for too long and have forgotten how to fight and win merit."
Guan Wenji fell silent.
Originally, the Dragon and Tiger Guards were stationed in Yunlongzhou, which was relatively safe, at least in the city.
Now I come to this barren Jinchiwei,
It is inevitable that one will feel aggrieved when having to do the work of a laborer.
Deng Zhizhong sighed and sat down. He picked up the breakfast food placed beside him and took a bite.
Vague opening:
"Tell the brothers, there will be opportunities to make merit, Luchuan will not give up the Golden Tooth Guards.
Even if the Luchuan people didn't come, I would still ask Duke Cao and Duke Shen for help.
We should give our brothers a chance to fight and kill the enemy, so that their trip will not be in vain."
As soon as these words were spoken, Guan Wenji's face changed, with a flash of grief, anger and distress, and he said yes.
Deng Zhizhong ate his dry food while glancing over:
"Why? Are you unhappy?"
"I dare not." Guan Wenji bowed slightly and then spoke:
"I just feel that the opportunity to make meritorious contributions has been given to the front scouts.
We didn't get anything either, and the adults were a bit biased.
It was fine when we were on the road, but when we arrived at Yunnan Provincial Administration...
Lord Mu is always taking good care of Lu Yunyi, and Lord Feng,
They were drinking together yesterday and got drunk.”
Guan Wenji felt an itch in his heart at this moment, and couldn't wait to know something.
Their Dragon and Tiger Guards also participated in the Northern Expedition.
Knowing that Lu Yunyi was a native of the northern borderland and was valued by the general,
But now that I have come to the southwest, how come Lord Mu values me so much?
Could it be that his fortune is really very good?
Deng Zhizhong snorted coldly and shook his head slowly:
"Many generals in the army think so."
"Reporting to the Lord, it is true. The brothers are a little indignant.
When it comes to the ability to march and fight, we are not bad either."
Deng Zhizhong chewed his food a little slower, and finally sighed heavily:
"I was like this when I was young, I made many military achievements, and wherever I went, I was protected by important figures.
But now it’s not possible, I’m old,
The superiors are getting old and dying, and no one is protecting them anymore."
Guan Wenzhi fell silent. This was indeed true.
All the commanders of the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty were young heroes who were very popular when they were young.
But as he got older, his career stagnated.
Gradually replaced by new young talents.
Deng Zhizhong glanced at him and said in a deep voice:
"Don't talk nonsense when Lu Yunyi and Lord Feng were drinking in the army yesterday.
It is only natural for an uncle to drink with his nephew, so he should avoid getting himself into trouble."
In an instant, Guan Wenji's face was blank, with confusion in his eyes.
nephew?
Deng Zhizhong explained:
"I'm telling you, don't gossip outside. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, I won't be able to save you."
Guan Wenji nodded repeatedly, Deng Zhizhong sighed softly, and spoke slowly:
"The third daughter of Lord Mu's family has taken a fancy to Lu Yunyi and wants to marry him.
Lord Mu and Madam Feng did not object to this either."
"what?"
Guan Wenji was shocked, his eyes widened, and a strong sense of jealousy immediately emerged in his heart.
"This guy is different.
A month ago, they were both generals in the army.
But now, in the blink of an eye, he has become a royal relative.
So stop gossiping, people can’t compare with each other.”
Deng Zhizhong spoke in a gentle voice, with a hint of pity and regret.
I can't help but think, if he had such an opportunity when he was young,
Now there is no need to stagnate at one commander.
Guan Wenji pursed his lips and smiled bitterly:
"Sir, why didn't you tell me about this earlier? I was left guessing."
“This matter had not been decided before, but after the incident with the Golden Tooth Guard, it was decided.
With such a great achievement, both Lord Mu and Lord Feng were extremely satisfied with him.
In the next war, we don't need to compete for merit.
I just hope to have some soup and some water, and to be remembered for my hard work."
Guan Wenji seemed to have realized the reality and sighed helplessly.
At this moment, the guard standing at the door hurriedly reported:
"Sir, Duke Cao is here."
Doubt flashed in Deng Zhizhong's eyes, and he quickly spoke:
"Please come quickly!"
Soon, Duke Cao Li Jinglong, wearing dazzling gilded armor, walked slowly into the main hall with steady steps.
The morning sun shines in from outside the door.
It shone on his dazzling armor, flashing a blinding light.
His figure was elongated in the interweaving of light and shadow, appearing particularly majestic and solemn.
He exudes a dignity that is inconsistent with his age.
Seeing him dressed like this, Deng Zhizhong's eyes fixed on him and he could not help but be stunned.
The armor in front of me is worn by the Duke, and there are only a few of them in the entire Ming Dynasty.
It was specially made by the weapons bureau in the palace at the order of His Majesty, and was used in a number of important scenes.
How come it came out in Jinchiwei now?
Deng Zhizhong's expression changed back and forth. He saw the footsteps getting closer.
He brushed his sleeves and bowed slightly:
"Your humble servant, Deng Zhizhong, commander of the Dragon and Tiger Guards, greets Duke Cao."
Duke Cao Li Jinglong had a calm smile on his face, and his deep eyes revealed determination.
He slowly looked around, and finally his eyes fell on Deng Zhizhong, and he nodded slightly.
His posture reveals the majesty of a superior.
This scene made the deputy general Guan Wenji, who was standing at the entrance of the room, hold his breath.
Duke Cao seems a little different today.
Cao Guogong Li Jinglong slowly sat at the head of the table.
Deng Zhizhong's face was solemn, and he asked in a deep voice:
"May I ask what orders Duke Cao has? If so, I will not refuse even if my life depends on it."
Li Jinglong sat there, feeling the dignity that gradually faded after joining the army.
It seems that he has regained his appearance of being a bully in the capital.
But he didn't like that feeling.
It was because at that time, as a duke, he had to take care of the people around him, and because he had done nothing, he was not worthy of the title.
And now, after inheriting the title of Duke for many years,
He truly felt the power of a duke.
This feeling made him dream of it.
Although he was still far from what his father had done, he was immersed in it.
Taking a deep breath, Duke Cao Li Jinglong spoke calmly, his voice cold and distant.
"Master Deng, I have an errand for you."
Deng Zhizhong paused, with some hesitation on his face, but still bowed slightly:
"Please give your instructions, Lord Cao."
He had already made up his mind that if things got difficult,
Then just delay it as long as possible. Anyway, whatever comes to him won’t be good.
"Ah."
Cao Guogong Li Jinglong nodded slightly:
"Your soldiers are clearing the road between Jinchiwei and the border city, right?"
"Reporting to Duke Cao, yes."
"Withdraw all the people."
"what?"
Deng Zhizhong was shocked, and his face turned dark and ugly in an instant.
Since good things don't come to him, does it mean that the Dragon and Tiger Guards are no longer needed to be stationed in the Golden Tooth Guard?
For a moment, Deng Zhizhong was in a state of confusion.
Even Guan Wenji, who was standing at the door, felt dizzy.
A huge stone in my heart seemed to have fallen into a bottomless abyss, and I was already thinking about how to explain to the soldiers.
"May I ask Duke Cao, what happened?" Deng Zhizhong pursed his lips and asked in a deep voice.
Li Jinglong looked at Deng Zhizhong with a calm expression and cold eyes.
She took in the anxiety on his face, chuckled, and said in a calm and cold voice:
"The soldiers from Luchuan who came to Dali have already found out the location. I hope the Dragon and Tiger Guards will go and clear them out."
As soon as the words fell, it was as if a huge rock was thrown into the calm lake.
It caused a huge uproar and completely destroyed the undercurrent of internal strength!
Deng Zhizhong stood there, his pupils suddenly dilated, and he fell into a brief daze.
But he quickly reacted and asked:
"May I ask Duke Cao about this matter?"
Deng Zhizhong was at a loss for words for a moment, not knowing how to ask the question.
Are you asking how such a good thing could happen to him?
Li Jinglong took in his expression, and seemed to have regained his shrewdness and commercialism as he did in the capital, and smiled faintly:
"Does Lord Deng think that the Dragon and Tiger Guards are incapable of completing such military tasks?"
"No, no, no, the Dragon and Tiger Guards have been gathering their strength for many days.
It is the time to get ready, and we have been looking forward to the war.
It was just that the incident happened suddenly, and I was caught off guard."
"In my opinion, Lord Deng doesn't believe that such a free achievement will fall on his head."
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy. Deng Zhizhong and Guan Wenji looked embarrassed, their expressions changing back and forth.
After all, they were just talking about this.
It's inevitable to feel a little embarrassed when my feelings are revealed at this moment.
Li Jinglong didn't care:
"We are all members of the Beijing Army, so we should be of the same blood.
The front scouts have made great contributions, so you can't just sit there and do nothing.
If Lord Deng feels that the Dragon and Tiger Guards are not competent for such military duties,
This guild summons the Heyang Guard and Henghai Guard in Yongping to come."
Deng Zhizhong understood a little, and his face showed enlightenment.
The huge surprise overwhelmed him, and his face turned red.
He waved his hands repeatedly without caring about his image:
"Duke Cao, there is no need to go to so much trouble. The Dragon and Tiger Guards have already made preparations for the fight and are only waiting for the order to come!"
Li Jinglong nodded with satisfaction, reached into his arms, and handed over a piece of paper:
"This is the hiding place of Luchuan's troops and their specific strength.
Although it is a surprise attack, the Dragon and Tiger Guards still need to provide a specific battle plan and complete combat preparations. "
Deng Zhizhong took the document and was extremely excited.
He quickly opened it and took a look, his eyes widened again and his breathing became rapid!
Thirty thousand! A full thirty thousand Luchuan soldiers! !
Such a great achievement almost made Deng Zhizhong unable to see clearly what was in front of him.
He quickly gathered his thoughts and bowed:
"Reporting to Duke Cao, the battle plan can be fully prepared today and presented to Duke Cao!"
Li Jinglong's heart was pounding.
Until this moment, he really knew the taste of power.
This is not the joy that can be brought by promotion of official rank.
But the life and death of 30,000 Luchuan soldiers was in his hands, and he had never experienced such a feeling before.
He pretended to be calm and nodded slightly.
He slowly stood up and walked toward the door, saying as he walked:
"We also need to submit a copy to Lord Feng."
"Subordinate to obey!"
Deng Zhizhong bowed and finally showed a smile that had been suppressed for a long time on his face!
Before Li Jinglong walked out of the courtyard, he heard two people laughing from behind.
He couldn't help but smile more.
When he left the yard, the guards immediately surrounded him.
Until this moment, the solemn and cold look on Li Jinglong's face gradually disappeared, replaced by excitement.
He clenched his fists tightly and swung them back and forth in front of him, his body trembling slightly.
One step closer to regaining the power that his father had lost.
His excitement spread to the guards around him, and they also became excited.
His eyes were empty as he walked among the Golden Tooth Guards, muttering to himself:
"Father, I will do it."
That evening, soldiers who came to garrison the Golden Tooth Guard arrived one after another.
This made the front army scouts and the Dragon and Tiger Guards all breathe a sigh of relief.
The front scouts thought that the follow-up soldiers were coming.
They can finally leave this troubled place.
Killing in battle is fun, but the subsequent cleanup is really difficult.
The Dragon and Tiger Guards were finally able to leave the Golden Tooth Guards and head south.
The Luchuan soldiers in Pingshan Valley were prepared to launch an attack.
The next morning, the sky was still immersed in a leaden gray tranquility.
The mist covered the Golden Tooth Guard and the surrounding mountains like a veil.
Lu Yunyi, dressed in armor and looking heroic, stood side by side with Governor Feng Cheng at the gate of the camp.
Feng Cheng's face was solemn but with a hint of relief. He patted Lu Yunyi's shoulder vigorously and said in a low voice:
"Yun Yi, this trip north carries a heavy responsibility, so please take care of yourself."
Lu Yunyi nodded and responded with a resolute look on his face:
"Please rest assured, Lord Feng. Yun Yi will live up to your trust and wipe out the bandits."
"Okay, go ahead."
Afterwards, Lu Yunyi turned around and strode towards the 5,000-strong vanguard scout force that were already ready to go.
The soldiers lined up neatly, their armor reflecting a cold luster in the dim light.
Every pair of eyes reveals determination, and the whole body is filled with solemnity!
Lu Yunyi jumped on his horse and waved his hand gently. A desolate horn sounded.
"Northward!"
Following the order, the team slowly started moving.
The sound of horse hooves, the slight clink of armor, and the steady footsteps interweave with each other.
Like a black torrent, it slowly flowed out of Jinchiwei and headed towards the mountains and forests in the north.
The troops were now more calm than before.
No longer concerned about the jungle warfare or the Luchuan people,
Victory can make people go to their heads, but it can also make soldiers become elite!
Lu Yunyi was riding on a war horse at the moment, looking at the mighty team.
He couldn't help but smile, looked at Liu Heiying on the side, and ordered:
"Black Hawk, the brothers seem very happy."
Liu Heiying curled his lips and muttered:
"That's because they don't know they've missed the great achievement of Pingshan'ao."
Lu Yunyi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
In order to keep it secret, the news of the Sichuan soldiers at Pingshan Aolu was not disclosed to the outside world.
Only the commander-in-chief of each unit knew something about it.
The soldiers were still focused on their campaign against the Jinchi Guards.
Lu Yunyi spoke softly:
"We gained a lot on this trip. Although their heads are not as valuable as those of the grassland people,
But it is a large enough sum of money, so I should be content with what I have!"
Under the coordination of Yunnan Provincial Administration,
It's eight ounces of silver each.
The head of a grassland man is worth ten taels.
There are even some elite ones that have reached fifteen taels, but the combat power of the two is very different.
At least judging from the performance of the soldiers and the smooth progress of the war, there was no sign of difficulty at all.
Lu Yunyi immediately looked at Li Jinglong who was not far away and shouted to him:
"Duke Cao, firearms will play a huge role in subsequent battles, so don't neglect them!"
Li Jinglong was holding a musket and examining it carefully.
He raised his head when he heard the shout, a smile appeared on his face, and he waved his hand:
"Don't worry, we will definitely beat the crap out of those Luchuan people!!"
Laughter immediately began to spread.
(End of this chapter)