ã€ŠI Built a Territory in Ancient Timesã€‹


 CH 1

    Chapter 1

    The sun was scorching, the sky was filled with yellow powder everywhere, and the withered vines and old trees were even more depressed and dilapidated in this environment. A team of hundreds of soldiers and horses guarded more than a dozen carriages, slowly moving towards the west. Looking from a distance, the team twisted and turned into a long dragon.

    The carriage was very luxurious and comfortable, running ahead in the front line. At the end of the group, a few soldiers dragged their steps tiredly. Their mouths were already dry. One soldier took off the bamboo tube around his waist and ferociously took a sip.

    The person next to him glanced at him, ¡°It¡¯s better to save some, this place has no village ahead and no inn behind. If there is no water source to replenish, I will see what you will do then.¡±

    The man raised his head to look at the sky, and then sipped a mouthful of water fiercely, ¡°Pei (spitting sound)! I can¡¯t care about that now, at least it won¡¯t make a person thirst to death, right?¡±

    ¡°Hey! You guys don¡¯t say that, the soldiers here are in turmoil and chaos of war, they have no idea when they might die. There was a saying, what was it? Something horse, something bundle of corpse?¡± Another soldier cried out and said.

    ¡°Pei, Pei! Zhou Dadan, you have a crow¡¯s mouth. Saying something bad like that, what about being buried in a horse hide(giving one¡¯s life on the battlefield)? Bad luck! Laozi has to keep his life to go back home and marry a wife!¡± The man drinking water was called Li Man, and became depressed when he heard Zhou Dadan¡¯s words. But Zhou Dadan was fearless, and always spoke without thinking. ¡°Well, consider it our bad luck to be chosen to follow that kind of master.¡±

    (Laozi: I)

    Zhou Dadan paid it no mind, he touched his forehead and laughed twice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? Coming to this side, we can render meritorious service. Wait for when Laozi beat those barbarians. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to be like a general of the Great Yan, and receive people¡¯s praises and admiration.¡±

    (The Great Yan: the name of the dynasty, just like the Great Tang dynasty.)

    ¡°Shh! Zhou Dadan, a green onion like you is worthy of being on the same level as a general of the Great Yan?¡± someone next to him immediately sneered.

    Li Man drank the last drop of water, feeling a little unhappy. Hearing Zhou Dadan saying this, he felt even more unhappy. He stretched out his hand and slapped it on Zhou Dadan¡¯s helmet and turned it crooked. He swore while talking: ¡°Get lost, if you want to die, then don¡¯t drag us with you.¡±

    Zhou Dadan was slapped, but didn¡¯t get angry. He just straightened the helmet with a good temper, nevertheless, his eyes flashed brightly.

    Everyone around knew of Zhou Dadan¡¯s straightforward character, thus, it was not good to argue with him. Instead, they acted as the middle person making peace, ¡°Fine, it¡¯s just that we don¡¯t have any connections in the capital, that¡¯s why we were instructed to come to this deserted place.¡±

    As soon as this was said, the surrounding people were quiet for a moment. Many people felt perplexed regarding the future. Following this kind of person, will one really be able to have a future? They were all people from the capital, and their living conditions were excellent. After they came here, everything they saw and heard made them tremble, making them more or less a little uneasy.

    ¡°Time is also fate*. Now that we¡¯re here, just take it easy.¡± Someone said soothingly.

    (People have to grasp the current situation and timing when they do things >> they said that you will be successful when you start doing business at the right place and right time, and the right time here refer to this ¡®Time is also fate¡¯ expression from Confucius.)

    ¡°Nonsense and bullsh*t. When there were smooth and steady days to pass, but to run here instead, that fool dragged us here to die with him¡­¡± Before Li Man finished speaking, his mouth was covered by one of his companions, hinting him not to talk nonsense.

    Fortunately, these people were good brothers and were unlikely to gossip unnecessarily and so on. But be careful sailing a ship for ten thousand years (one cannot be overly careful). If one is not careful, and it was spread to that person¡¯s ear, then the consequences would be fatal. That person was a little stupid, but the reputation of being arrogant, domineering and stingy has spread far.

    Li Man struggled to pry away his hand with great difficulty. His lips twitched, and he spat a mouthful of saliva full of yellow sand. Finally, seeing these people looking at him in horror, he finally closed his mouth, feeling meaningless.

    What can be done? Boss Song, who was with them, learned the news early on. Thus, secretly using a lot of money, in addition to his maternal uncle who was an imperial guard, now, he was living comfortably inside the capital city. How could he resemble these people who didn¡¯t have any ranks or connections, and was instructed to come here to protect this fool. From here on, they were afraid they could only live in this deserted place for the rest of their life. Wanting to return to the capital would be difficult now. Thinking to this point, the feeling of unwillingness rose in his heart.

    The silence didn¡¯t last too long as someone saw Elder Shen trotting from this team returning from the front. So they changed the subject naturally, and said with experience: ¡°Let¡¯s walk faster, maybe the frontline is about to set up camp.¡± This was already the usual time to give command to rest and reorganize.

    After he finished speaking, Li Man looked at the front and could almost see a small carriage. His heart was broken: This fool had better be attacked and killed by those barbarians. He hadn¡¯t realized that if the person they were protecting died, none of them would survive. The crime of failing to protect one¡¯s master would be enough for them to have their heads chopped off eight or ten times.

    That¡¯s right, the person inside the carriage in the frontline was the Fourteenth Prince of the Kingdom, and was bestowed the title of Duan Wang* not long ago. While they were the guards assigned to protect the Fourteenth Prince. This trip was to follow the Fourteenth Prince to head for the territory¨CLiangcheng.

    (Duan Wang: or King Duan, a title bestowed to territory or vassal state¡¯s kings by the Emperor)

    The Fourteenth Prince, Ming Yu was a little foolish since he was born. Because he was born from the late Empress Yuan, and because he was stimulated while in the womb, he was born prematurely. The Emperor felt a little guilty and pity for him. In order to compensate him, the Emperor originally wanted to arrange a rich territory near the capital city. Thus, what if the Fourteenth Prince was a little stupid? He could live comfortably like this for a lifetime.

    However, a fool is a fool. He actually gave up the prosperous land of the capital and pestered the Emperor to request for the westernmost Liangcheng. What could that place possibly have? Besides being desolate, it was still just desolate. The most terrifying thing is that Suixi Kingdom was next to it. At times, they would invade the Great Yan from time to time. They burned, killed, robbed and oppressed. Liangcheng was the closest to the Suixi Kingdom. Therefore, whenever the barbarians from Suixi Kingdom invaded, Liangcheng always bore the brunt.

    Now this foolish prince has taken things too hard and wants to go forward to throw away his life? For this foolish prince, these guards who followed to protect him didn¡¯t have zero complaints. To make this many people accompany this fool to die, who would be willing?

    Inside the carriage, Ming Yu¡¯s hand was holding a book ¡°The History of the Great Yan¡±, which he held in his hand every day for the past few months. Although he still didn¡¯t understand the traditional Chinese characters, he could make a wild guess, guessing eight or nine out of ten. Plus, there were many pictures in it, which was clear. Thus, in combination with the pictures, he could still read it with keen interest.

    After he arrived here, he learned about the entire Great Yan Dynasty based on this book. That¡¯s right, Ming Yu was not a person from here. He was a lone soul from the modern generation who had traveled through time and was called Ming Yu. He had the same name as this Fourteen Prince. He also didn¡¯t know the reason, but when he opened his eyes, he had arrived at this never seen in history, Great Yan Dynasty and woke up in the body of the Prince with the same name.

    The owner of this body was Ming Yu, the Fourteenth Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty, who was the second son of the late Yuan Empress. He was born from the same womb as the crown prince, Ming Ye. The Empress and the Emperor were a married couple since they were young and had a deep love. It¡¯s just that since giving birth to the crown prince, the Empress developed a deep-rooted illness. Her body¡¯s bones became a little weak. Later, after being pregnant with the Fourteen Prince, there were accusations of witchcraft in the palace. The Emperor was in great anger. Implications spreading wide, Empress Yuan¡¯s health being not good, and being frightened by the witchcraft matter inside the palace, led to her giving birth prematurely. She died soon after giving birth to the Fourteenth Prince.

    The Fourteenth Prince did not develop well in his mother¡¯s body. Also, being born prematurely, his body was weak from birth. After the death of Empress Yuan, the Emperor was full of sorrow, and he had no heart to take care of such a child, so he issued an imperial decree bestowing Hui Guifei* to raise him instead.

    (Guifei: High ranking imperial consort)

    Since he wasn¡¯t her own child, she didn¡¯t take care of him with all her heart. She threw the child to the nanny and never took care of him on her own. Thus, no one noticed the abnormality in the Fourteenth Prince¡¯s foundation at all. This was until he was six or seven years old and was foolish and silly, and could not use words to communicate properly. This time, it was spread everywhere in the palace that the Fourteenth Prince was foolish.

    Only then did the Emperor take notice of this son. After having the imperial physician in the palace check on him, he also shook his head. This was a congenital deficiency, and he could use cherished medicinal supplements to slowly nourish him.

    The Emperor owed this son a little, and now there was no other method. Since they said he needed to be nourished, could their imperial household lack those good medical ingredients? Thus, his nourishment was overly nourished and made him into a chubby little fatty.

    Over the years, the Fourteenth Prince¡¯s reputation had been labeled as foolish and stupid. But actually, according to the modern Ming Yu, the Fourteenth Prince was just a little slow to react and not good at conveying or communicating. There was nothing else that was different. As for the rumored domineering and stingy reputation, hehe, Ming Yu knew very well in his heart that a large part of it was exaggerated and spread from the mouths of others, while the other part was deliberately done by Ming Yu after he transmigrated through.

    The imperial palace was a big dyeing jar.

    In the dark corner, what kind of snakes, rats, insects and ants aren¡¯t there? The Fourteenth Prince, the kind of person who stood aloof from worldly affairs, and was a bit foolish, surely it was impossible for him to stand in the way of others. However, those people who caused the Fourteenth Prince to fall into the water for their own purposes were tantamount to killing a human life directly. If he hadn¡¯t transmigrated in the Fourteenth Prince¡¯s body, there would be no such individual now. In the eyes of those people, if such a person was gone, he would be gone. It didn¡¯t matter at all, right?

    Ming Yu inherited all the memories of the Fourteen Prince, and naturally knew the causes and consequences. Inside the harem, in order to fight for favor, it was a common matter to fight openly and maneuver covertly. He was entrusted under Hui Guifei¡¯s name and care, and the Emperor was getting more emotional in recent years. He often longed for Empress Yuan and often came to see Ming Yu. Because of this reason, the time coming to Hui Guifei¡¯s palace increased, thus, he would have some affection towards Hui Guifei as well. This was something that even if one requested, they may not get. So, those people who had bad intentions held even more hatred to the Fourteenth Prince. This made them plot a scheme against the Fourteenth Prince to let him accidentally fall into the water. Firstly, one can dispose of an insignificant but incomparable irksome fool. Secondly, making this fool meet with a mishap, in the event of an accident, Hui Guifei, who was in charge of looking after him, will also be punished because of this. When the moment comes, how much care will the Emperor have for her? Isn¡¯t it satisfying to kill two birds with one stone like this?

    According to later generations, over decades of thought, these people were murderers and criminals. They killed the Fourteen Prince and deserved to be punished, but it didn¡¯t work like that here. The greatest power was the imperial power, and the Fourteen Prince did not die. He was only a little frightened at most. Thus, big problems are turned into small ones and small problems turned into no problems at all. Even the Emperor didn¡¯t thoroughly investigate it. He mentioned it strongly, then let it go gently, only forcing the people involved in the matter to forfeit their salaries and restricting their moment for the penalty.

    How can this anger be swallowed? Only Ming Yu knew that the Fourteenth Prince had already passed away. Although he couldn¡¯t have those people be punished as they should be, he still had to take the Fourteenth Prince¡¯s place and vent for him. As a result, Ming Yu, who had transmigrated, didn¡¯t care of any concerns. He simply burned the Pingfu Palace of imperial concubine Shu today. Tomorrow, the Eleventh Prince of De Guifei was beaten. And the day after tomorrow, the head eunuch of Yonghe Palace was whipped. All in all, the Fourteenth Prince Ming Yu launched a ruthless attack that was not foolish, but rather like a little lunatic.

    As a result, for a while, the people in the palace, everyone talked about his change in colour. Seeing this little lunatic from a distance, everyone fled immediately.

 CH 2

    Chapter 2

    At the beginning, when these matters reached the Emperor¡¯s ears, he just dismissed it with a laugh. But there were more people complaining, thus the Emperor started to have a headache. He wanted to lecture the Fourteenth Prince. However, when he saw that chubby flesh like a stuffed steamed bun¡¯s face weeping and sobbing, looking like he¡¯s been extremely wronged, he couldn¡¯t harden his heart and do it.

    It has to be said that Ming Yu inherited the exquisite facial features of Empress Yuan. Later, he was nourished to become white and fat. If there was no foolishness, he would be extremely likable. The Emperor once joked that his Fourteenth son¡¯s face was of good fortune and one that had good blessing. As a result, he could not be beaten or scolded. In the end, he couldn¡¯t reprimand or punish him at all.

    Those people suffered a loss, and the Emperor deliberately shielded him. Since there was nothing they could do, they could only break a tooth and swallow their blood. Since nothing could be done to him, they could only stay far away from this little lunatic who couldn¡¯t be reasoned with. Therefore, Ming Yu¡¯s reputation for being domineering, stingy, stupid and crazy was spread.

    But Ming Yu didn¡¯t mean to take it back in the slightest, and continued his own way of doing things as before. Because of this, Ming Yu was notorious for his misdeeds, and everyone in the capital knew of it. The Emperor also didn¡¯t have any methods to deal with him. In the end, at the suggestion of Imperial Concubine Shu, when he came of age, they quickly started to arrange a territory for the Fourteenth Prince. Sending him far away like this, it would be out of sight out of mind. This would avoid having him make troubles, cause disturbances, and make people feel as though their head could explode, which would be good for everyone.

    Now that it had been decided, it was put on the agenda. But in the end, it was his own son and the second son of Empress Yuan. In addition to the fact that Ming Yu was a little stupid, having him manage a territory far away wouldn¡¯t put him at ease. If it was too poor it would be failing Empress Yuan. Therefore, he thought of arranging a piece of land nearby the capital city for him to play with. If there were any problems, he, this Emperor, would be able to settle everything for him on time, right?

    The land near the capital city was extremely expensive, and the fields were fertile. Even having a small piece of that land, would be like falling into a fortune nest. Many people were jealous when they heard the news, and Imperial Concubine Shu even tore off several pieces of handkerchiefs. For what reason can a foolish prince have such a good territory?

    Just when the Emperor had already decided, Ming Yu suddenly went crazy and didn¡¯t want the Emperor to arrange his paradise land for him. He pointed to the westernmost piece of land on the map and said: He doesn¡¯t want his territory anywhere else, it had to be here.

    His stupid son probably couldn¡¯t read a map, right? So, he just pointed to a place and decided on it. The Emperor tried to explain to him clearly. He, himself, had a fatherly heart, and he did that for the good of this stupid son. This was for the future of this stupid son, so he could sleep soundly without any worries. However, Ming Yu was determined not to listen. He did not listen, no matter what good things had been said. He ignored everything. He showed his attitude, stating clearly that either he would make his own territory there on the map, or don¡¯t give a territory to him at all. He can just stay and play freely in the palace.

    This stupid son, who was unmoved by force or persuasion, made the Emperor blow his beard and stare angrily. How could any of his other sons dare to make trouble in front of him? Didn¡¯t each and every one of them keep silent out of fear? Only this stupid son, he really could do nothing about him. Sometimes, he really wished he could just personally ruthlessly beat him up with his hands, but he was a monarch under the heavens. Thus, he needed to have manners and couldn¡¯t bother to argue with this foolish son. After doing countless psychological construction, to accept what was previously unacceptable, the Emperor finally compromised. That¡¯s it, fine. A grown up son doesn¡¯t need his dad anymore, so he could only comply with him. Pity his fatherly compassion that no one would feel grateful for.

    Imperial concubine Shu smiled until she couldn¡¯t close the corners of her mouth when she heard of this matter. A fool was a fool, haha, don¡¯t want to be put in a good place, but unexpectedly chose Liangcheng. What place is Liangcheng? It was desolate and in the chaos of war, even criminals were unwilling to go into exile there, yet the fool wants to make his own territory there? She was afraid that when he went there, he wouldn¡¯t have a chance to return.

    It wasn¡¯t just imperial concubine Shu. In less than half a day, the news spread from inside the palace to outside the palace, all over the capital. Some clapped their hands and quickly applauded, some sighed and lamented, while most of them watched with amusement as he made a fool of himself. A fool was a fool, even if it was a prince. There are not many people who were this foolish to rush to death.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t care about all of this at all. Now that he had succeeded his own intention, he was satisfied. As for what he thought and why he chose this place, he had to say that it was from this novel in his hand, ¡°The History of the Great Yan¡±. What do ordinary people know? What¡¯s so good about land near the capital? Prosperity is good, but isn¡¯t it only if you have the ability to keep it? Even if the Emperor could somewhat watch over him, the Emperor can¡¯t take care of him for a lifetime, right? When the time comes, wouldn¡¯t he just become the meat on the cutting board of others, to get trampled on? But Liangcheng in the west was different. In the eyes of others, it was a land of turmoil and chaos of war. But in his eyes, it was the only entrance to the Silk Road and, naturally, the lifeline of the economy! Even if there was nothing now, it doesn¡¯t mean that there will be none in the future.

    That¡¯s why presently there was the scene where hundreds of them were now marching towards the west.

    Ming Yu stretched and extended his long body, kneading his shoulders and arms that were aching all over. Although the carriage was very comfortable and the thick mattress was soft, he couldn¡¯t stand the shakes when staying in it for a long time.

    In due course, there was movement outside the carriage, and a voice made a report: ¡°Reporting to Your Highness, it is getting late, and there is a village ahead. Should we go there and camp for the night?¡±

    When Ming Yu heard the voice, he knew that it was the guard leader, Mo Jiang. Mo Jiang was chosen carefully by the Emperor to protect him. Needless to say, the most important thing was absolute loyalty and the ability to absolutely obey the command.

    Ming Yu lifted the carriage¡¯s curtain and looked at the sky. It was indeed not early anymore, so he readily followed the good advice: ¡°All right, Commander Mo can do as you please.¡± Mo Jiang could be regarded as very familiar with marching, fighting, camping, and so on. He was just merely an amateur, how can an amateur command an expert? Therefore, these matters were all arranged by Commander Mo throughout the whole journey.

    Mo Jiang had already figured out Ming Yu¡¯s temperament during these days of interaction, and it was not strange that Ming Yu said such a thing. He had also heard of the reputation of the Fourteenth Prince before. Originally, he thought he was an unreasonable, arrogant and willful person. He didn¡¯t expect that there wasn¡¯t a bit of resemblance to the rumor when interacting with him, instead he was very easy to talk to.

    Since the Fourteenth Prince had already said that, it was left to his sole discretion.

    Mo Jiang took the order and arranged for the scouts to go to the village to inquire. He had to be careful to ensure the safety of the Fourteenth Prince, especially the closer one got to the western boundary, the more one had to be vigilant. After all, this place was not one of peace and security. It was often invaded by barbarians.

    Although the Great Yan troops were stationed here, they still had to be on guard against the large-scale barbarians troops. There were also a small portion of the barbarians who would escape the eyes of the Great Yan¡¯s stationed troops in the form of small groups and sneak into the interior, burning, killing and looting the local common people. They always appeared and disappeared unpredictably like a ghost, coming and going like the wind. Thus, it was really impossible to defend effectively. The Great Yan¡¯s troops also had nothing they could do to them. It was the most troublesome headache.

    After a while, the scout came back. His face was a little pale, and he reported to Mo Jiang what he had seen and heard.

    The more Mo Jiang listened, the more grave his complexion became. His heart thumped. It seemed that what he was worried about was coming quickly now. He thought about it, then decided to look at the situation first before going to look for the Fourteenth Prince.

    ¡°What?¡± Ming Yu¡¯s face changed after hearing Mo Jiang¡¯s report. ¡°Let¡¯s go over and take a look.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s dangerous here. Your Majesty, this subordinate wants to send someone to the garrison to come and protect you. What does Your Highness think?¡± Mo Jiang asked worriedly.

    Ming Yu had already jumped out of the carriage. He frowned slightly when he heard this, then finally shook his head, ¡°Here we have reached the boundary of Liangzhou. The garrison can protect us for a while, but not for a lifetime. We have to survive steadily in this place in the future and only have ourselves to rely on. So, why should we do more than required, and trouble other people?¡±

    ¡°However, those barbarians, they are cruel and savage by nature. Your Highness¡¯s golden body, if something happens, this¡­¡± Mo Jiang was not at ease. Especially after seeing the tragic situation on the scene, he was even more worried. It didn¡¯t matter what happened to them, but if something happened to the Fourteenth Prince, none of the hundreds of them would be able to get away. They might even implicate their family members.

    Ming Yu thought for a while, shook his head, and said soothingly: ¡°We may not necessarily come across them, even if we do, I heard that the small portion of enemies that do invade are no more than a few tens to a hundred people. Our guards, in any case, are around five hundred people. It is impossible to be scared of that many barbarians, right?¡±

    Mo Jiang¡¯s face was reddened by these words. To be honest, he was really worried about this bit. Hearsay, although the number of barbarians who invaded were small, each and every one of them were vicious and merciless. If they met, these capital guards, who had never seen the blood of a real fight, may not have ample strength.

    ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡±

    Mo Jiang wanted to continue to persuade him, but Ming Yu waved his hand, ¡°Needless to say, Commander Mo will lead the way. Let¡¯s go observe the village first.¡±

    Mo Jiang had originally planned to persuade the Fourteenth Prince not to go there, but now hearing Ming Yu¡¯s unconcerned words, he had a second thought, then did not prevent it. Maybe it was not a bad thing for him to see it in person. Maybe the Fourteenth Prince would change his mind after seeing it?

    Recalling that cruel scene, Mo Jiang pursed his lips and a flash of anger flashed in his eyes. Although everyone in the capital heard that the barbarians were savage, cruel and brutal, these descriptions were too mild. Since no one had genuinely seen their means of doing things, they naturally couldn¡¯t imagine this kind of scenery. However, the scenes he saw, he¡¯s afraid that he would not want to see it again in this life. It was no wonder that when the scout came back to report, his complexion was pale. Even for himself, when he first saw it, at that time, his heart was overturning seas and rivers (overwhelmed).

    Thinking of this, Mo Jiang hurriedly ordered dozens of personal guards. Then he stepped forward to lead the way.

    The village was some distance away. Ming Yu and the others had walked for a long time before reaching their destination. At first glance, the village was in a dilapidated condition. After a while, there was a faint smell of blood coming from the air.

    Ming Yu frowned. He lifted his foot and walked in.

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Mo Jiang yelled. When Ming Yu looked over, Mo Jiang reminded him: ¡°If Your Highness really wants to go in, it¡¯s better to be prepared.¡±

    Ming Yu was silent. He closed his eyes, what kind of bad thing could it be? He clenched his fists and walked in, resolutely.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3

    Although he had made psychological preparations, Ming Yu was still shocked when he saw the scene in the village. What kind of purgatory was this?

    There was blood everywhere, corpses in all directions. No matter whether it was an elderly man in his 70s or 80s or a child of two or three years old, none of them escaped.

    It had been several days and the bloodstains had dried up and turned black, while the corpses were already rotten and smelly. Several vultures hovered high in the sky, staring at the corpses on the ground.

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyes were red. For the first time in his life, he felt anger that overflowed his chest. These were not humans at all, they were worse than beasts. He clenched his fist tightly, his nails were already deeply pinched into his palms, but he didn¡¯t feel the pain as he should. He took a deep breath, then looked up at the gloomy sky. He felt heavy, pressure that made him unable to breathe.

    ¡°Your Highness, are you okay?¡± Mo Jiang couldn¡¯t bear to see Ming Yu look like this. The Fourteenth Prince, who had always been in the palace and been pampered, how could he ever see such a bloody scene? He really shouldn¡¯t have let him come over. Mo Jiang felt a little regretful in his heart.

    After getting along with the Fourteenth Prince for quite a long time, he learned that this white, fat and soft bun-like figure was actually the most kindhearted person. Although there were many things he seemed to be very ignorant about, as long as he understands it, he can deduce many things from one case. He was much smarter than the average person. He didn¡¯t know why everyone would say that the Fourteenth Prince was a fool.

    To be honest, Ming Yu grew up in a stable environment in the later generations without any disturbances. He had never seen a chicken being killed before, at most, he had seen such scenes in movies and TV shows. However, everyone knew that those were fake. But these scenes before his eyes were real. There was a bloody and rancid smell around the tip of his nose, and his eyes were filled with black and red colors. All of this was real.

    Only then did Ming Yu come back to his senses. He shook his head with a pale complexion, ¡°Commander Mo, you go and cover them.¡± Having it like this, with no one to look over, isn¡¯t a plan. Since we came across them, then we can at least give these people a place to rest.

    Mo Jiang agreed. Ming Yu couldn¡¯t stay anymore at this time. He turned and returned to the entrance of the village. He was about to go back to the carriage and calm down, when he saw smoke and dust billowing not far away.

    Mo Jiang also saw it. There were dozens of horsemen and horses coming here. His heart was raised. It was not clear whether this was an enemy or a friend. If the barbarians who killed the villager returns, how can this be good?

    ¡°Your Highness, these people, we don¡¯t know if they are friends or enemies. Your servant here will protect you, please hurry and leave here.¡± Mo Jiang said anxiously. The guards who came were only a few dozen people. If they came across those barbarians, he was afraid that they couldn¡¯t thoroughly protect the Fourteenth Prince.

    Ming Yu also thought of Mo Jiang¡¯s worries. He had already seen the ferocity of those barbarians, and he was probably not their opponent. However, these people came too fast. They were just small figures in the smoke, but they seemed to arrive in front of them in the blink of an eye.

    It was too late. Mo Jiang shouted: ¡°Everyone, stand guard! Take precautions!¡±

    As soon as the voice fell, the guards protected Ming Yu in groups. Ming Yu was a little speechless. This formation, wouldn¡¯t he become a living target? The enemies would know who¡¯s the most important person to target at a glance!

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t have time to say anything. Dozens of riders had already gathered around him. Ming Yu could see clearly that these people wore red-clothes and silver-armour, everyone was full of strong killing intent.

    ¡°Who are you people?¡± The incoming young military commander held his whip in his hand and asked Ming Yu and the others guardedly.

    Mo Jiang saw the visitor clearly and was relieved. He took two steps forward and asked: ¡°Are you from the Red Robe Cavalry?¡±

    As soon as he said this, the surrounding guards were all pleasantly surprised. They looked at each other. What did their commander just say? Red Robe Army? Is it really the Red Robe Army who was here? Everyone¡¯s eyes were all shining with the light of worship. Ming Yu thought that if it were not for them having a mission at hand, surely they would have already rushed forward and asked for an autograph like a fan. He really didn¡¯t expect that just a name can make people excited like this.

    Ming Yu looked at Mo Jiang. Along the way, he heard Mo Jiang say that the most aggressive troops in Liangzhou was the Red Robe Cavalry, cultivated and led by the general Xie Yixiu. This mere army of 5,000 troops were invincible, and the only existence that had the ability to make the enemy hear their wind and lose their gall, fleeing at the mere sight of them. If it weren¡¯t for this cavalry, the barbarians would be even more unscrupulous, and today¡¯s Liangzhou city would have fallen into the enemy¡¯s hand long ago.

    It was precisely because of this that the Red Robe Army¡¯s fame spread far and wide and was known to everyone. Moreover, the leader of this army, Xie Yixiu, was a legendary figure. He was the general that all the common people in the Great Yan Kingdom respected. Even more, the Emperor bestowed him the title of the Battle General. From this, it could be seen that he had both honor and glory.

    At this moment, it seemed that the spirit front of this Red Robe Army was indeed different. Looking at the Red Robe Army who were all still sitting straight on their horses covered all over in stern and solemn air, then looking at the trembling guards around his ankles, Ming Yu really couldn¡¯t bear to look. These people could be said to be among the elites among his guards, and were carefully chosen to come here. Comparing the two, it is indeed comparing oneself to others will only make one angry. (not everyone has their own strengths, do not blindly compare, otherwise it will be mediocrity, learn to be content and happy)

    The young military commander overlooked them and sized them up and down. He asked, ¡°Who are you people? Why are you here?¡± This time, his tone had become much better.

    Mo Jiang glanced at Ming Yu. When he saw him nod lightly, he clasped his fists and gave a soldierly courtesy, ¡°I am the commander of the Imperial Guard¡¯s Left Guard, Mo Jiang. Today, I am escorting His Highness Duan Wang to the territory of Liangzhou City. We passed by here and came to have a look.¡±

    ¡°Duan Wang?¡± The young military commander thought for a moment, then in a flash, he remembered he heard people mention it a few days ago. It seemed that there was indeed a prince who had been entrusted to Liangzhou. Hearing them speak, this Fourteenth Prince was a fool. In fact, what they said was right. If he were not stupid, who would want this Liangzhou as their territory? He looked around, and his gaze was fixed on Ming Yu¡¯s body, carrying a little doubt. So, this one, is it?

    ¡°You mean the Fourteenth Prince?¡±

    Mo Jiang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± After speaking, he showed his identity card.

    The young military commander looked at the identification card carefully, then let down his guard. He jumped down from the horse, and cupped his fists and greeted Ming Yu, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured. This humble self is Ji You, a direct subordinate soldier under General Xie. This humble self is wearing armous, thus, it¡¯s inconvenient to prepare the royal courtesy for you now. Hoping Your Highness can forgive me.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled and waved his hand. He was losing patience with these kinds of cupping fists and bowing down courtesy. This manner was actually better, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be over courteous. What are you guys doing here?¡±

    The young military commander, Ji You, didn¡¯t expect Ming Yu to be so easygoing, so he was taken aback for a moment, then he spoke his purpose for coming here.

    It turned out that they received news that a small group of barbarians had invaded, looted, and slaughtered several villages already. They tracked it all the way, and arrived here at last. He spat a mouthful of saliva hatefully, ¡°D*mn it, these bast*rds! Wait until Laozi catches up and arrests them! I will certainly peel off their skins, break down their bones, and drink their blood!¡±

    He said what everyone was feeling in their hearts. Indeed, those deranged people, even if their bones were broken and shattered into dust, their anger still wouldn¡¯t be dissolved.

    Ming Yu heard that several villages had already been slaughtered like this, and he was anxious in his heart. Afraid that the delay would cause even greater losses, he hurriedly said: ¡°Then why don¡¯t you guys hurry and follow their trail now. Otherwise, even a step later, I¡¯m afraid that more people will suffer.¡±

    Ji You didn¡¯t seem to be worried. He smiled confidently: ¡°Your Highness Duan Wang doesn¡¯t need to worry too much. Our general has already anticipated the possible escape routes of these people, and we have divided our troops to chase and block them already, so none of these bast*rds will be able to escape.¡±

    He had 100% confidence in their General Daren*. Since their General Daren had already said to take these bast*rds for sacrifice flags (kill them), then certainly they would not be able to run away. This is because he had never seen General Daren have a slip of the tongue before. A debt of blood must be paid in blood, how could their Great Yan Kingdom be easily bullied?

    (Daren: word of addressing high-ranking people.)

    When these words were spoken, everyone put down their hearts a bit. General Xie was a well-known and always victorious general. Thus, he would never shoot without aim. If the barbarian invaders can be wiped out in one fell swoop in the future, they also would not have to worry about the safety of the Fourteenth Prince.

    In fact, this kind of small group of barbarians was not enough for the Red Robe Army to set out for. Only because of the matter with His Highness Duan Wang coming to the territory, the prefectural magistrate of the Liangzhou prefecture was so worried, he nearly turned his whole head of hair white. Why did this little ancestor have to choose Liangzhou as his territory? It was well known that this place was not peaceful, and if His Highness Duan Wang met with any unexpected misfortune, he must also be held responsible.

    After thinking about it, he found the frontier garrison Great General Wei to consult with. Duan Wang absolutely cannot have anything happen to him. The prince¡¯s golden body, if there was a little damage, they, the officials will also be met with the end.

    The highest civil and marital official of this Liangzhou land also cursed in silence, endlessly in his heart. He really didn¡¯t know what that foolish prince was thinking. Not properly staying at the central plain, but come running to this place to throw his life away? If you want to die, don¡¯t drag other people down with you!

    After a round of discussion, they could only decide to send troops and horses to protect him as soon as Duan Wang entered the boundary of Liangzhou. However, before they could act, they already received a letter from Duan Wang, saying that there was no need to instruct the army to move. They had five hundred guards, so there was no need to bother the local garrison.

    Dang! Sure enough, newborn calves are not afraid of tigers. This place was the borderland and fights can occur at any time. Did they think they were here to see the scenery? The two of them had not finished complaining, but just at this moment, they received a report from their subordinates saying that a small group of barbarians had invaded. These two people felt as though their heads could explode. If they didn¡¯t deal with this properly and these barbarians met with Duan Wang¡¯s troops, thinking of this outcome, a feeling of sorrow and distress rose in their hearts.

    Great General Wei decisively ordered Xie Yixiu to be summoned, so that General Xie could wipe out this small group of barbarians.

    To dispatch the Red Robed Army for such a small group of barbarian invaders, it should have been overkill. Their Red Robed Cavalry and the barbarian cavalry fought a tough battle. The previous small group of barbarians could be resolved by just dispatching a troop from the garrison on the frontier. Even if they were met with strong resistance, they can be driven out by sending out more troops. Xie Yixiu squinted slightly, rubbing his index finger with his thumb, as if he was weighing something. He did not agree or say he wouldn¡¯t agree.

    Great General Wei had no choice but to tell the whole story. This Xie Yixiu was the general he relied on most. He had the ability to lead military operations with extraordinary skill. His great name resounded through Suixi Kingdom at a young age. Hearsay, the people of Suixi Kingdom can stop their children from crying by scaring their children with his name.

    Facing this important subordinate general, Great General Wei did not dare to fool around. He promised a lot of benefits, only then did General Xie relaxed and accepted the task. Therefore, the group of subordinates from the Red Robe Army who were following the barbarians¡¯ trail came across Ming Yu.

 CH 4

    Chapter 4

    Since Ji You¡¯s team had run into Duan Wang, they naturally wanted to escort him. Ming Yu did not refuse at this time. He was not a stubborn person. He had previously rejected the protection of the garrison troops because he underestimated the situation here. Now that he saw the scene in the village, he knew that he was too naive. Now, he understood the situation here. This matter definitely will be spread amongst the guards after they return. He was afraid that the people would panic. So if they have the renowned Red Robe Army here, it should stabilize the people¡¯s hearts. If he didn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore, why not do that? It doesn¡¯t hurt anyway, right?

    Mo Jiang¡¯s heart was completely settled. At first, he was afraid that His Highness would not agree, and he prepared a lot of excuses to persuade him. He didn¡¯t expect his Highness to respond so readily. It was beyond his expectation.

    He instructed people to deal with the funeral here, then escorted Ming Yu back. It was getting late, and they could no longer station themselves at the village. They could only camp and rest on the spot, then set off after dawn.

    Ming Yu¡¯s expectation was not wrong. Before they returned, the village being slaughtered by the barbarians and the news that the barbarians might not be far from them had spread to everyone. Those who can serve as guards of the Imperial Guards had very good family conditions. They were used to living in peace in the capital, so where could they have experienced such things? So for a while, the whole team panicked.

    When Li Man heard the news, he looked anxious and sighed in despair, ¡°These barbarians indeed kill people without blinking an eye. If we run into them, this¡­..this¡­.¡±

    Zhou Dadan was eager to meet the barbarians. He was capable of taking ten enemies on his own. He rolled up his sleeves and said excitedly: ¡°What is there to be afraid of? I heard that there are no more than a hundred people. Run into one, kill one. Run into two, chop down two. One sentence, you just have to kill them to finish them.¡±

    Li Man was speechless. He cast a glance at him, then reached out to support his forehead.

    ¡°Zhou Dadan, we are not like you, who doesn¡¯t value his life.¡±

    These words somehow alleviated the depression of the surrounding people, and another person smiled: ¡°Brother Li Man, there are so many of us, we don¡¯t have to be afraid of these barbarians. We haven¡¯t even seen the shadow of the barbarians since we entered the boundary of Liangzhou.¡±

    ¡°Still, you can¡¯t take it too lightly. Since the barbarians had slaughtered a nearby village, maybe they hadn¡¯t walked far.¡±

    ¡°Ai! You guys tell me, why did we run into such an unlucky thing?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t say it anymore. Look, His Highness and them are back now.¡± Someone reminded.

    When Ming Yu returned to the team and saw the gloomy atmosphere of the entire guards, he had already guessed what was going on. He shook his head. Compared to the Red Robe Army, these imperial guards before his eyes were just simply incapable. The gap between them was too wide.

    Ming Yu squinted his eyes. When he found a place to settle down, he had to train and reorganize them carefully, otherwise he really wouldn¡¯t dare to use this group of people.

    Ming Yu turned his head and told Mo Jiang, ¡°You go and pass on the fact that the Red Robe Army joined the escort. Tell the soldiers to do their part, or don¡¯t blame Ben Wang* for being rude.¡±

    (Ben Wang: refer to I but spoken by the King or Wang as in Duan Wang)

    The tone of his last sentence was a bit cold. Since he came out of the capital, what he had shown to others had always been his nice and warm temperament. It¡¯s just because no one had provoked him. If someone provoked him, he didn¡¯t mind letting them see the rumored, domineering and imperious reputation side of him.

    Mo Jiang heard Ming Yu¡¯s implication, and he looked a little embarrassed. He knew exactly what happened to the guards who came out of the capital, and he knew that these people had a lot of criticism of His Highness in private. He had never prodded, but he didn¡¯t know that Ming Yu had seen all of this in his eyes. He respectfully accepted the order and retreated. This Royal Highness was becoming more and more difficult for people to see through. The best thing to do is to not touch his inverse-scale (weakness).

    The news passed on. The red-robed army that could let the enemy be terror-stricken at the news of them had come to escort him, thus, he would be absolutely safe without any worries. This time, the hearts that were about to jump out of the people¡¯s throats finally had gone back down to their original position. Regarding the legendary Red Robe Army, even though all the guards wanted to pay their respects, Commander Mo had passed the order for each person to perform his own duties. They must not disrupt military order, otherwise the military law will deal with them, thus everyone settled down in their own place.

    It was already late, and everyone camped on the spot and buried the pot to start making a meal without mention it. Ji You arranged for his subordinates to protect Ming Yu with ensured strict obedience, and they did everything in an orderly manner. This made Ming Yu can¡¯t help but envy. The five hundred people of his own, distributed to him by the Emperor, were really extremely useless. En, he really had to think of a way to dig out one or two generals to help him train these people into proper guards.

    Otherwise, inside his own territory, they won¡¯t be able to form a mob. When the time comes, if something happens, he was afraid that besides fleeing, he wouldn¡¯t be able to defend his territory. What would be the worth of raising a bunch of waste?

    The lowly guards at this moment did not know the tragic fate that they would face in the future. Inside the tent, Ming Yu, Mo Jiang, and Ji You were discussing the route to advance. Although Ji You was familiar with Liangzhou, he still depended on how the prince wanted to advance forward. This, he could only give a little advice at most.

    In fact, Great General Wei¡¯s original intention was to let them and General Xie to personally come greet and escort Duan Wang¡¯s troops. But how can General Xie compromise easily? With a cold light sweep of his eyes, Great General Wei who was on the verge of saying what was on his mind changed his mind: No matter what, Duan Wang¡¯s party should not have any mishaps. Your Red Robe Army is the only one who can handle it. You do not need to dispatched everyone. Just dispatch a few people to go and protect him throughout the whole journey, only to safely guard the people to Liangcheng.

    Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t speak. He closed his eyes and relaxed. It wasn¡¯t known whether he had listened to the speech. Great General Wei felt as though his head could explode. He promised the Red Robe Army provisions of supplies for a month. Xie Yixiu curled his lips slightly, then said: ¡°Alright!¡±

    Xie Yixiu finally agreed. While Great General Wei relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief, he also felt distressed about the supplies he had promised. This time he really bled too heavily. This Xie youngster, if he didn¡¯t see the bones, he wouldn¡¯t let go of the eagle. Sooner or later, he will be hollowed out by him. Seeing Xie Yixiu¡¯s calm and straight back when he left, Great General Wei shook his hand and accidentally pulled out two beards. He hissed in pain. He felt that he was not only distressed, but hurt everywhere.

    Therefore, after General Xie returned, he only briefed it a bit. They also had to track down the barbarians anyway. Thus, if any teams ran into Duan Wang¡¯s party, they had to escort him. Everyone of the Red Robe Army was unwilling to take on this task, but they had no choice since their general had already said so. All right, let¡¯s see which team had bad luck to be unfortunate enough to run into him. Coincidentally, Ji You¡¯s team was the one unfortunate child.

    Ming Yu examined the map. From this place to Liangcheng, it was about ten days to half a month. It was neither long nor short, but it was the most dangerous route.

    He looked at Ji You, who was standing respectfully at the side. His eyes were on his nose, his nose to his heart. It was a leaving everything to them to discuss on what is to be done. After the discussion, they only needed to notify him. In any case, he would just handle things according to the rules.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your General Xie send five to six teams to chase and block that group of barbarians. It appears from the speed, time, and route of operation of the group, they should be in the Changlan Mountain area at this time.¡± Ming Yu¡¯s white and slender finger pointed to a certain point on the map and said confidently.

    When Ji You heard what had been said, his heart shook, then he gasped in surprise. He didn¡¯t need to lean over to look at the map, he already knew the place Mingyu had pointed at. That¡¯s right, when he came out, General Xie had personally arranged this by himself. The soldiers were all rushing to Changlan Mountain. Duan Wang didn¡¯t know anything, but from taking a glance at the map, he had already analyzed the location of the barbarians? Furthermore, his manner of speech was not that different from General Xie, this¡­.is this Duan Wang really the rumored foolish prince?

    Mo Jiang was already quite familiar with this. Throughout the whole journey here, it was all due to His Highness making good decisions about matters. Their Royal Highness¡¯s insights were much better than ordinary people. Those rumors about His Highness being stupid certainly must be made behind the scenes by people who were jealous of him.

    ¡°Your Highness, in this way, don¡¯t we have to take a detour to avoid the Changlan Mountain area?¡± Mo Jiang asked.

    Ming Yu nodded, they don¡¯t need to join in on the fun. A group of mobs, if they were to go, it would obstruct the work. In any case, it¡¯s also their fault for being too weak. If they were to get hurt, it would be troublesome. It¡¯s safer to make a detour.

    Ji You was a little regretful. Their general had already set up the battle formation. They only needed to wait for the time to arrive, then those barbarians would enter the urn. Their team, not to mention their participation in rendering meritorious service, he¡¯s afraid that he won¡¯t even be able to have a lick of that soup, Hai! (sound of regret) Why are they so unlucky? If he had known earlier, he would have requested for Wen Xiansheng* to pinpoint a better time before setting off. It would be good if he could have avoided Duan Wang¡¯s group!

    (Xiansheng: I thought it would be better to put up the pinyin for this term, it means ¡®Mister¡¯ in formal term)

    Mo Jiang was also somewhat regretful. He had always been standing in the Imperial Guard inside the capital, and had never seen a real battlefield scene or attacked the enemy. To be honest, their imperial guard¡¯s reputations were just resounding, pleasant to hear, but they have never participated in any war before. Every year, when the Autumn Hunting time arrives, they would just stay inside the imperial garden to help catch a wolf, insect, tiger or leopard, making the Emperor and senior officials satisfied and enjoying themselves.

    Which man isn¡¯t hot-blooded? He was also looking forward to fighting with real swords and real spears.

    Ming Yu looked at Mo Jiang¡¯s regretful look, and smiled: ¡°What? Does Commander Mo have any other opinions? You can talk about it, and we¡¯ll see.¡±

    Mo Jiang hesitated for a while before he said: ¡°Your Highness, it is certainly feasible to go on a detour. However, the Red Robe Army¡¯s combat, if we let them see the Red Robe Army¡¯s fighting capability, then our guards will benefit a lot.¡±

    Although he said he wanted to watch this battle very much, he had taken Ming Yu into consideration even more. He knew the morality and conduct of these guards. In this Liangzhou place, it was very difficult to establish a footing without real army troops for protection. Ming Yu¡¯s thought, he also knew it. That¡¯s why he said these words.

    What Mo Jiang said made sense. A real soldier can only grow up by seeing blood. In the beginning, he won¡¯t let them personally touch it. Just watching the war scene as spectators would be capable of giving them enough shock, right? As for the rest, they can take their time, they were not in a hurry anyway.

    Ming Yu weighed the pros and cons and looked at Mo Jiang. He had already guessed at least seven or eight points from his careful thoughts. He agreed with a smile, but not a smile: ¡°What you said is reasonable. If so, we don¡¯t need to change the route. We can proceed according to the original plan.¡±

    Mo Jiang was fully aware of his thoughts and didn¡¯t care about it. On the contrary, he was delighted. He knew that His Highness would seize this opportunity, and he could witness the Red Robe Army fighting with his own eyes. It¡¯s definitely worth it.

 CH 5

    Chapter 5

    Waiting for them to make a decision, Ji You didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh. He knew the temperament of their general. He hates entertaining guests and exchanging pleasantries the most. Being able to have him send a team to escort him was already based on Great General Wei¡¯s face¡­ Uh, and many benefits.

    Changlan Mountain was not far from here, it was just the journey of two or three days. The most crucial matter is that this road will save a lot of distance and time to Liangcheng. They would be able to settle down sooner if they could reach the destination one day earlier. If one thought about it this way, a little trouble could not be considered a trouble at all.

    Ming Yu arranged for tomorrow¡¯s matter again. Just when it came to an end, the maid Qingping brought the food up. She was the most useful person for Ming Yu among the attendants. Ming Yu¡¯s food and clothing expenses were all managed by Qingping.

    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s getting late, if there¡¯s something else, let¡¯s discuss it after dinner.¡± Qingping put the three dishes and one soup on the small table. Originally, according to the prince¡¯s meal, it could not be so simple and crude like this. But under Ming Yu¡¯s persistence, Qingping could only compromise.

    Seeing this, Mo Jiang and Ji You were ready to salute and retire. Ming Yu suddenly nodded, noticing that time had passed. His complexion turned deathly pale when he saw the meal on the table. Thinking of the tragedy in the village today, he had been suppressing his emotions before and ordered himself to not think about it. Later, he was discussing business with them and temporarily forgot the incident. Now, when he loosened up and saw the big piece of barbecue on the table, he immediately recalled the tragic scenes and could no longer suppress his thoughts. He rolled over and threw up.

    Ming Yu was a person who grew up in the peaceful era of later generations, so seeing this bloody scene unsuspectingly for the first time, no matter how strong a person was, he would not be able to accept it. Him being able to hold it in until now was already not easy.

    ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Qingping asked anxiously. She didn¡¯t understand why His Highness was suddenly like this. She thought it was because his body was uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯ll go call the imperial physician.¡±

    Ming Yu grabbed her, waved his hand, then said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be fine after I vomit. Take these away, I won¡¯t be able to eat for the time being.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Qing Ping was extremely anxious. Not knowing the cause, she didn¡¯t know what to do for a while.

    Seeing Ming Yu¡¯s pale face, Mo Jiang went to help him sit down, ¡°Your Highness? Are you?¡± Suddenly remembering the brutal and inhuman scene in the village, he had guessed seven or eight points in his heart, so he calmed Qingping and said, ¡°Remove the meal first. Go and make some light congee later, that will do.¡±

    Qingping looked at Ming Yu helplessly, then seeing him nod, she quickly ordered the people to take away the meal.

    Mo Jiang regretted it in his heart. He shouldn¡¯t have told His Highness of the matter, or he should have stopped him and not let him go. Thinking of them going to Changlan Mountain, if they encounter General Xie fighting against the barbarians there, he was afraid that His Highness will not be able to stand this scene even more.

    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s better to take a detour tomorrow. Although it will take a few more days, it will be safe and sound.¡± Mo Jiang said worriedly.

    Ming Yu was taken aback. After he vomited, his heart felt much better. Then he thought about it and realized Mo Jiang¡¯s worries. Then he smiled and said, ¡°No matter, since it has been decided, there is no need to change it. Actually it is not a big deal. I¡¯ll just get used to it.¡±

    He looked at His Highness Duan Wang, who was forcing himself to smile and was somewhat helpless. His face with baby fat was pale, and the peach blossom eyes were watery because of the physiological reaction after vomiting. There was even still a little water on his eyelashes. Mo Jiang sighed with grief in his heart. In the end, he was still a young man of seventeen to eighteen years old. He was the prince who was held by the hands of everyone inside the palace since his childhood. Leaving his familiar environment to an unknown and dangerous place, maybe inside his heart, he didn¡¯t want to show that indifferent look on the surface at all.

    Mo Jiang felt distressed. The more he understood him, the more he felt distressed. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s distress. Distressed for this prince who was covered in glory, splendor, wealth and rank. What is he thinking in his heart? Why did he insist on wanting this desolate and war-torn Liangzhou to be his territory in the face of everyone¡¯s strange gaze and ridicule? Is living in the land near the capital and being a rich and idle prince not a good thing?

    He was thinking like that in his heart, but he inadvertently spoke this out loud and asked. Ming Yu looked at him in surprise. Mo Jiang¡¯s face reddened, hai, why didn¡¯t he control his mouth? How could he, a subordinate, ask questions about His Highness¡¯s matter? He saluted in remorse: ¡°Your Highness, Chen* will leave first.¡±

    (Chen: I, your servant. It¡¯s hard to keep saying this subordinate this, this subordinate that, so i just put the pinyin lol)

    Ming Yu nodded. Seeing Mo Jiang and Ji You go out together, for the first time there was a daze in his heart. That¡¯s right, why did he choose such a place? He asked himself honestly. He didn¡¯t want to stay near the capital because the capital was the center of the whirlpool. He was afraid that he would involuntarily sink into it and eventually be torned apart into pieces.  However, he could also find a place far away from the capital and not need to suffer hardship. He could have enjoyed a future life in the land of fish and rice in Jiangnan. So, why?

    His only understanding of the entire Great Yan Dynasty was from the memory of the original owner and from the book ¡°The History of the Great Yan¡±. When he saw the situation in Liangzhou, he subconsciously came up with an idea: crisis and opportunity coexist, this was an opportunity. The place, the female land, was a blank picture scroll that had never been developed. If he arrived in Liangzhou, he could use his hands to draw everything he wanted on this blank paper of Liangzhou. He may be able to change Liangzhou¡¯s current situation a bit as well.

    Ming Yu thought of what he had seen and heard after entering Liangzhou. There were  aged faces who were numb from all of their ups and downs in life, there were young and energetic people who wanted to join the army to kill the enemy, and there¡¯s even an innocent child without guilt or awareness of the dangers he would face in the future. He once asked them, barbarians invaded from time to time, and wars occurred year after year, why don¡¯t you take refuge and move to other peaceful places and live a peaceful and stable life? However, the answers were all the same. It is hard to leave one¡¯s homeland. Their ancestors have lived on this land for generations after generations. Who would want to leave their own homes against their will? Even fallen leaves return to their roots.

    Humans are creatures with emotions. No matter how difficult it is, even if there are barbarians who looked at them like a tiger watching its prey, they still had the garrison troops to protect this land. In addition, there is still the Red Robe Army who were working hard for them. When the future comes, maybe the chaos of war under the heavens would quieten down and make it so they will have a happy life.

    Ming Yu was silent, people had faith only when they had hope. Maybe they could do something for them.

    Quietly staying in the tent, Ming Yu¡¯s eyes gradually became firmer. When he came here, he never regretted it. Not now, nor will he in the future.

    After separating from Mo Jiang, Ji You habitually squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Now, Duan Wang and the others decided to go to Changlan Mountain. Wouldn¡¯t it be troublesome for the general? But, even if there were troubles, it wouldn¡¯t fall on his body anyway. He¡¯d let the general worry about it. As General Xie¡¯s guard, he had never seen any other expressions on his face other than his usual cold face. This Duan Wang was very interesting, he didn¡¯t know how he would react when he met their general.

    Ji You sent a letter to their general about Duan Wang¡¯s party route. Xie Yixiu, who was still creating a plan to trap the barbarians, saw the letter. The expression on his face remained unchanged, but his brow wrinkled slightly. He never liked these noble children from the capital, let alone the prince.

    This kind of person who was unruly, willful, ignorant and incompetent was a typical hedonistic son of rich parents. Wouldn¡¯t this Duan Wang come here to make trouble for himself? Ah! If he wants to come then let him come. If he knows his place then he can follow him, but if he is arrogantly criticizing him and giving out orders, he didn¡¯t mind letting them go back wherever they came from.

    He put the letter back and looked down at the map at hand. He had left this matter at the back of his head. He carefully deduced it to see if there were any mistakes or omissions in the operation. Although it was only against a small group of barbarians, in his mind, no matter how big or small a battle was, as long as the battle was started, there was no difference between big and small. There is only going all out to obtain the greatest victory at the least cost.

    Others say that their Red Robe Army triumphed in every battle and won every fight, never suffering any loss in the war. Also, owing to the Emperor having bestowed a title of War General to him based on his constant victories, the people in the country admired and worshiped them. But what they didn¡¯t know was that all these victories were the result of hard work and repeated calculations. The soldiers and officers were all unparalleled, bold, and powerful enough to kill the enemy

    As a general, he did not dare to be negligent in each tactical plan. The lives of his soldiers were in his own hands, and the responsibilities he shouldered were heavier than that of Mount Tai, thus he didn¡¯t have so much time to think about other things.

    Ming Yu and the others began to strike camp early the next morning. Today, Ming Yu¡¯s spirits have improved a lot, which made Mo Jiang breathe a sigh of relief. After he went back yesterday, he was still worried about whether His Highness¡¯s body was good or not. Now it seems that there was no major problem. This was good, it put his heart at ease.

    Actually, a human¡¯s adaptability is very strong. Ming Yu had a strong heart, otherwise he would have collapsed when he first came to this unfamiliar world. Two or three days was enough time for him to adjust his mentality. Therefore, when he arrived at Changlan Mountain, Ming Yu had already recovered to his original state, speaking and handling things as before. With a kind of unperturbed and unhurried appearance, just like the calm feeling of a spring breeze.

    Originally, Ming Yu thought that he would be able to meet the prestigious War General in Changlan Mountain. Who knew that the other party wouldn¡¯t even pay attention to him. Not to mention greeting him, he didn¡¯t even show his face. There was only the lieutenant of the Red Robe Army and a few close companions coming to greet him.

    Ming Yu was a little disappointed. Ji You had long expected this. He came out and smoothen things over for their general: ¡°Your Highness, the general is still arranging tactics. He can¡¯t get away for a while. I hope Your Highness will forgive him.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled slightly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, the general is excluded and without freedom to act independently. He should by all means attach great importance to his work.¡±

    Ji You quietly looked at Ming Yu¡¯s amiable smiling face, for a while, he wasn¡¯t sure if this was the truth or irony.

    But Mo Jiang opened his mouth to clear the siege, ¡°It¡¯s because we were impulsive, and did not inform General Xie in advance. General Xie was occupied with an important matter, and we were also aware of that. General Ji doesn¡¯t have to mind us.¡± He knew His Highness. Although he had regrets, he did not take this matter to heart.

    Since Commander Mo had said so, Ji Yu nodded with an awkward smile. The lieutenant who came to greet him politely let Duan Wang and his party station there on the spot, waiting for them to destroy the barbarians before settling on to continue the journey. It shouldn¡¯t be long, just the effort of two days. He didn¡¯t dare let them into the battlefield. Although the number of barbarians was not large, they were all bold, powerful and vicious. Even rabbits who are anxious can bite people. If the counterattack happens to hurt Duan Wang¡¯s people, then they wouldn¡¯t have anything good to report back.

    Ming Yu knew of their difficulties, and accepted such an arrangement graciously. In fact, they didn¡¯t really want to participate in the war. It was already a very good experience to be able to observe them from the sidelines.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6

    The lieutenant heard Ming Yu agree to his terms without hesitation, and was taken aback. He had already prepared a lot of excuses to convince His Highness Duan Wang. In this way, the prepared excuses didn¡¯t need to be used. He was somewhat stuck in a daze for a while. After pausing for half a day, he embarrassingly took his leave.

    After ordering the subordinates to camp on the spot and settle everything down properly, Ming Yu took Mo Jiang towards the dwelling of General Xie. It was the so-called if the mountain doesn¡¯t come to me, then I will go to the mountain. Now, the War General is already in front of them, it wouldn¡¯t make sense not to see him, right? Moreover, he also wanted to ask for advice on methods to direct troops.

    However, after waiting for a long while, there was only a soldier coming to pass on a message to them: General Xie is quite busy and has no time to meet, please return. Besides that, there was an additional sentence, ¡°Your Highness, please take care of your own safety and don¡¯t wander around¡±.

    ¡°¡­¡± Ming Yu was speechless. Sure enough, a capable person is arrogant.

    Mo Jiang was afraid that Ming Yu would be angry, ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t we come to see General Xie again after the battle is over?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, even Liu Bei had to visit the thatched cottage three times in order to invite Zhuge Liang to visit, so, what does this amount to? We will pay a visit again when the general is free.¡± Ming Yu smiled, not angry at all, even when he was rejected.

    ¡°What kind of people are Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang? What three humble visits to a thatched cottage?¡± None of the people present knew of the story behind these words, thus, Mo Jiang couldn¡¯t help asking.

    Only then did Ming Yu remember that this world was different. He proceeded to laugh out loud and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a story I heard from elsewhere.¡±

    Mo Jiang nodded, seemingly understanding.

    Seeing that he, in any case, had deceived him successfully, Ming Yu returned to the topic, ¡°All right, let¡¯s go back first, it will not be too late to come later.¡± Ming Yu shrugged. He spread his hands, and said indifferently: ¡°Go and tell your general that Ben Wang will come to pay a visit again after this battle ends.¡±

    The soldier reported what Ming Yu said back. Xie Yixiu finding out that they weren¡¯t reckless, arrogant with strong tempered and even having manners that didn¡¯t seem to take advantage of one¡¯s position to bully people, he was slightly stunned. Then, he  immediately dropped it. This Duan Wang, it¡¯s good that he¡¯s capable of understanding the situation and being tactful, it will save him a lot of effort.

    He didn¡¯t take this seriously, and motioned everyone present to continue discussing the issue.

    ¡°General, is it really okay to give that person the cold shoulder like this? No matter what, that person is a prince. Will we meet him or not¡­¡± Lieutenant Yang persuaded. If they offended these royal families¡¯, when the time comes, it would just be making trouble for themselves. Certainly, the gains do not make up for the losses. However, he hadn¡¯t even finished speaking yet, when Xie Yixiu coldly shot a glance over. He abruptly shut his mouth. Yes, he shouldn¡¯t talk too much about this kind of thing. Isn¡¯t that courting a rebuff?

    Xie Yixiu ignored him. He stared at the map, and threw out a sentence: ¡°Be prepared. Tomorrow, we will launch our attack. Each person be prepared. We must catch everything in one fell swoop.¡±

    Everyone accepted the order and went out.

    When Ming Yu and the others obtained the news that the battle was about to end, Ming Yu dragged Mo Jiang and Ji You over and saw the Red Robe Army cleaning the battlefield from a distance. On a small soil slope, there was a snow-white war horse with a person sitting on it, dressed in red and silver armor, with straight shoulders and back. Like an unsheathed long sword, covered in a swift and fierce aura, it seemed like one would be injured by this aura if they stood near him.

    ¡°That¡¯s our General Xie.¡± A light flashed in Ji You¡¯s eyes, and his tone was full of pride. ¡°Only our general can wipe out the barbarians with such ease.¡±

    Although Ming Yu had a little speculation in his heart, he was now sure after listening to Ji You¡¯s words. He said in his heart: That¡¯s right, besides this rumored War General, who else could have possessed this kind of bearing? General Xie really lived up to his name. Ming Yu had seen countless great people, but this General Xie had a unique and unmatched aura, hai! So, there are still people who can create their own halo of aura!

    Mo Jiang did not speak the entire time. But judging from his slightly trembling hands, the excitement in his heart can be seen. Finally, he saw the Great Yan Kingdom¡¯s great and famous War General. His hands and feet both couldn¡¯t settle down.

    Ming Yu knew this feeling. It¡¯s like the later generations, ¡®little fan brother seeing his admired god¡±. They would be so excited until they¡¯re confused and disoriented. If circumstances allowed it, he¡¯s afraid that he¡¯d already gone up to the stage to get an autograph long ago.

    At this moment, the man on the horse seemed to feel their gazes. He turned his head to look at them. Ming Yu was happy, and was about to step forward to be in close contact, but General Xie had already indifferently retracted his gaze, then left the battlefield without looking back.

    He left? Just like that? Ming Yu looked dumbfounded. Did he not see them, or did he not know who they were? They were right in front of his eyes. So, they just meet face to face like that, then he just nonchalantly leaves?

    Seeing this scene, Ji You couldn¡¯t help holding his forehead. General! Is it really okay for you to leave His Highness directly like this?

    ¡°Your Highness, the general wanted to deal with post-war matters, so¡­¡± Ji You racked his brains to smooth things over.

    Ming Yu tugged at the corner of his mouth and looked at Ji You jokingly, ¡°Really?¡±

    Ji You nodded again and again, with a face full of believe me, what I said is true.

    Mo Jiang looked at Ming Yu and then at Ji You. The words he spoke, he didn¡¯t believe it very much.

    That¡¯s fine, when you are done, I will go find you again. When the time comes, will it be possible to hide and not meet? They weren¡¯t a group of maiden girls, so what¡¯s there to hide from? Ming Yu narrowed his peachy eyes, thinking in his heart.

    Xie Yixiu was not hiding from people, but simply didn¡¯t want to waste time on meaningless people. Instead of making friends with a spoiled rich royalty member, it is better to spend more time on training soldiers.

    Because of this idea, when Ming Yu went to find General Xie after everything was over, the news he got was that General Xie had left with his troops.

    At this moment, Ming Yu really understood that General Xie just didn¡¯t want to deal with him. Even Ji You, who had been helping speak up for General Xie, didn¡¯t say a word.

    Today, you refused to acknowledge and respond to me. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make it so you won¡¯t be able to social climb! Once you have a favor to ask of me, I¡¯ll see whether you¡¯ll still be the same as today.

    Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t know it at this time. Today, he looked down on Ming Yu and regarded him as a stranger, but in the future, he will be deeply bound to him. And whenever he thinks about today¡¯s matter, he would only feel endless remorse in his heart. If they had known it earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have missed out on so much.

    (Ciacia/N: Agh! OMG! So cute!!! I can¡¯t wait for that part to happen already, T-T)

    ¡°Alright, alright, we still have to pay attention to how fate works between people. Since we have no fate with General Xie, we don¡¯t have to force it. Pack up, we also need to get ready to set off to Liangcheng.¡± Ming Yu waved his hand and ordered.

    The more one walked towards the west, the more desolate it was. Many places would have 10 rooms with 9 empty. The chaos of war, year after year, bandits running rampant, and the barbarian invaders from time to time like the autumn breeze has made the already barren Liangzhou incapable of recuperating. Naturally it has become a scene of desolation in the aftermath of a disaster.

    Along the way, Ming Yu¡¯s brows frowned and tightened. This was his territory. The appearance of this territory really made Ming Yu feel pressure. If his arrival cannot change anything, then what is the use of him coming here? The so-called ¡®greater the responsibility, the heavier the burden¡¯ was on his shoulders. What the future will be like, all depended on his thoughts.

    ¡°This is the borderland, after all. It¡¯s normal to have this scene. Maybe it will be different when we arrive at Liangcheng. After all, Liangcheng is also the largest prefecture in Liangzhou.¡± Mo Jiang saw Mingyu getting more and more taciturn these days and said this to ease his anxiety.

    Although everyone was mentally prepared before they came here, it was still hard for them to see such a desolate place.

    These imperial guards had lived in the capital nicely. But because of the Fourteen Prince who had somehow gone crazy, desperately wanting to come here to make this his territory, they were assigned to such a place.

    There were countless delicious food, tasty drinks and interesting things in the capital that their numbers cannot be counted. What does this place have? Besides, desolate, it was still desolate. Sometimes, after walking dozens of miles, you still wouldn¡¯t see any houses here.  Even villages with people were in dilapidated conditions. Many peoples¡¯ clothes didn¡¯t even cover all their body and their food couldn¡¯t fill their stomach.

    Unlike Ming Yu who was concerned about people¡¯s livelihood, the lowly people were more worried about their future when they saw this situation. They were in the capital and had a good family background. Otherwise, they would not have the job of an imperial guard. If they wanted to make them suffer here in the days to come, how can they bear it?

    As a result, there were bad rumors among the imperial guards. Everyone complained, and they soon reached Ming Yu¡¯s ears.

    Ming Yu really did not expect that everyone¡¯s complaints would be this serious. His mood was heavy. Mo Jiang on the side kept his eyes and mouth closed. As the leader of the guards, he didn¡¯t do his job well. He was troubled by his subordinates. He really had no face now. If it was just one or two noises, he could still beat them and punish them. However, a lot of people thought this way, and their attitudes were extremely negative. This was difficult to handle. It was impossible for him to punish all five hundred people under him, right?

    There was no choice now. In the end, the mood became heavy, and the matter became a big deal. It could only be placed in front of His Highness.

    ¡°Go and let everyone come and gather, Ben Wang has something to announce.¡± Ming Yu held his hand and after a few laps, he told Mo Jiang.

    Ming Yu was obviously in a bad mood. To be honest, no one would feel good when encountering such annoying things. Mo Jiang was a bit self-blaming, but also a little worried, ¡°Your Highness, these b*stards, you don¡¯t have to pay attention to them. After a while, they will naturally stop the rumors.¡±

    Ming Yu looked at him with a pair of bright peach blossom eyes, as if seeing through his heart, ¡°Commander Mo, you are a good commander of the Imperial Guard, do you regret following me?

    Mo Jiang was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect His Highness to suddenly ask him such a question. He raised his eyes and looked into Ming Yu¡¯s clear eyes. His heart skipped a beat. He turned his gaze away and said in salute: ¡°Your Highness, it is Chen¡¯s luck to be able to follow you. Chen hopes that Your Highness won¡¯t discard this subordinate.¡±

    These words were very sincere, and Ming Yu could feel it from the bottom of his heart. He was relieved. The corners of his mouth slowly rose, finally a smile reached the bottom of his eyes. There seemed to be countless stars shining in his bright peach blossom eyes.

    Ming Yu¡¯s facial features were extremely beautiful, and there was some baby fat on his round face. When matched together, it gave a very cute and adorable feeling, which made people love it unconsciously.

    Mo Jiang shook his mind, this scene had been fixed in Mo Jiang¡¯s heart, and would not be forgotten for a long time.

    Ciacia/N: Mo Jiang, don¡¯t have any ideas on my baby now or else *shows knife* hehehe.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7

    He was still in a daze. When he had received the imperial decree ordering him to lead five hundred imperial guards to follow and protect the Fourteen Prince to Liangcheng territory, at that time, he knew that from now on, his master would be the reputed, legendary foolish prince. Some of his colleagues who got the news sympathized with him, some laughed at him, and some secretly took joy in his calamity. From everyone¡¯s eyes, he saw his own pitiful self, following a foolish prince, who chose his territory in a war-torn barren land. His official career in the future was ruined, and the hopes of returning to the capital in the future were slim. At that time, It¡¯s not that he had no complaints on why he was unlucky, that he had to follow such a fool?

    At the time the foolish prince made Liangzhou City his vassal territory, everyone in the capital laughed at him. How did this fool not think things through and go to such a dangerous place? Is it not good to live near the capital? Sure enough, a fool is a fool, and his thoughts were different from those of normal people. Can he even last for one or two months? But, that was his choice, and the Emperor¡¯s golden words had already bestowed to him. One is afraid that even if he couldn¡¯t persist through, it would still be impossible to return. Once he was there, maybe after living there for several years, he might get killed by the invading barbarians, and even then no one could appeal for justice for him.

    Under everyone¡¯s laughter, the Fourteenth Prince, not right, it was Ming Yu who had already been bestowed as Duan Wang, set off with the protection of the five hundred imperial guards allocated by the Emperor.

    Mo Jiang had no other choice, and now there was no room to change anything. He could only admit that he was unlucky. Anyway, this master was stupid, so what could he know? Just do your part and do it well. Then for the future days, it would already be good enough just to get through it.

    However, when he set off, the young man in beautiful clothes came to him with a gentle smile on his face. He had a pair of peach blossom eyes curved like crescents, and his voice was clear and sweet, ¡°Commander Mo, I¡¯ll have to trouble you a lot in the future now.¡±

    Mo Jiang was stunned for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect that His Highness Duan Wang would specifically say such things to him. Isn¡¯t it just his duty? There was no need for His Highness to talk to him personally.

    Looking at the back of His Highness Duan Wang, who turned and got on the carriage, Mo Jiang felt flattered for the first time.

    The rumor was that Ming Yu was a fool with imperious and domineering behavior. He always did whatever he wanted. Compared to other princes, he was indeed not good. Any normal person wouldn¡¯t be willing to follow him, right?

    However, Mo Jiang had followed Ming Yu throughout the whole journey and observed him secretly to find that Duan Wang was not like what the rumor said at all. His temper was amiable, and occasionally getting close with his attendants, he was harmless. No matter what he did, he never insisted on doing it his own way and would discuss things with others. For some very common matters, occasionally he would be confused due to his ignorance, but sometimes the words that came out of his mouth were shocking to the world. Things that no normal person would say. Often when this happened, he truly appeared to be foolish.

    Mo Jiang had inquired from Qingping, His Highness¡¯s personal maid in private, why the rumor outside about His Highness would become something like this. The maid gave him a blank look: Our Highness¡¯s idiotic illness had long since healed, and some people in the palace were naturally unable to see that our Highness had become better now, and kept doing bad things behind his back. Our Highness is fine, but how can anyone else become aware that he¡¯s become good now?

    Mo Jiang was speechless, but he still listened. His Royal Highness was gentle and courteous all the way, he was good at accepting the opinions of others, and was also sympathetic to his subordinates. Over time, Mo Jiang put aside his grievances and followed him wholeheartedly.

    Ming Yu helped him up and smiled, ¡°I believe in you.¡± Just one sentence made Mo Jiang¡¯s heart boil.

    ¡°Commander Mo, give me some time. I will not treat you unfairly. Although presently the livelihood and environment conditions in this place here are indeed heavens and earths apart from the capital. But, if you guys believe in me, I will be able to use several years¡¯ time to completely change everything here.¡± Ming Yu¡¯s eyes were glittering with confidence. He does have confidence. With his wisdom and both his hands, he didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t work hard to make an ideal territory.

    As soon as these words came out, Mo Jiang couldn¡¯t help but let go of his anxious heart, ¡°This subordinate will go and gather everyone.¡±

    Mo Jiang left. Ming Yu closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes were already filled with a resolute look. Not for others, but for himself. He had to strive for it. As long as one can change and make life better, who would wish to take things as they are?

    ¡°Do you know what His Highness called us to do?¡± Zhou Dadan gently touched Li Man next to him, and asked in a low voice.

    Li Man was impatient, ¡°Who knows what he called us to do? Just wait and you¡¯ll know.¡±

    Everyone gathered, and suddenly Commander Daren announced that His Highness Duan Wang had summoned them. They knew something in their hearts. Presumably, it was probably due to these lowly people¡¯s big ruckus that Duan Wang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Or maybe it was to reprimand them, to punish them. Even if it¡¯s like this, they weren¡¯t afraid. There were many of them here, so how could he punish everyone? Originally, following him and coming here had already made them feel an enormous amount of grievance. If he dared to punish them, wouldn¡¯t he be afraid that the riot would get riled up and be unable to conclude? The law can¡¯t reproach everyone, so won¡¯t they be afraid of the disturbance getting bigger?

    Speaking of this, Commander Mo was originally good, and was also intimate with these little brothers. But, later on, it wasn¡¯t known what had confused his heart and soul, but he had become loyal and devoted to Duan Wang unconditionally.

    And with that, the lowly people were a little dissatisfied with Mo Jiang. They didn¡¯t understand. Why is Commander Mo so determined to follow this fool? Is it possible that because there was no hope, he could only cling to this fool?

    Thinking about it this way, Li Man sneered. A fool is a fool. What good is there to cling to a fool? Anyway, he didn¡¯t want to submit to his fate. He wondered whether he should write another letter and send it back so that his family in the capital could take care of this and bribe people a bit to save him. His Highness Duan Wang finally appeared in front of them.

    Ming Yu was now at a high place, raising his eyes to look at the dark and oppressive people below. These five hundred people were his starting troops. If he can¡¯t appease them, if they couldn¡¯t be of one mind, then in the future, he would fight alone and be exhausted to death on his own. He wouldn¡¯t succeed in completing anything at all. Therefore, he must suppress the flaming contradiction in the bud now.

    His eyes swept over everyone. The originally noisy crowd gradually faded. No matter how they looked down on this silly prince in private, he was still after all a son of the Emperor, a descendant, and member of the royal family of the Great Yan Dynasty. So, there were still some reveres left.

    Ming Yu squinted his eyes, and there was an unprecedented solemnity in his voice, ¡°I heard that you have a lot of complaints about Ben Wang?¡±

    No one below dared to say anything. Ming Yu cleared his throat with satisfaction, and said loudly: ¡°Ben Wang knows that you are all Da Lao Ye Men (collective term for men of different generations) in the capital. Suddenly coming to this barren, wild, and deserted place, it must be hard to accept the current situation.¡±  He paused, then rubbed his cuff casually with his fingers, ¡°But I want to say something, your choice wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±

    As soon as this was said, some people snorted disdainfully at him. What choice wasn¡¯t wrong? They were not stupid. Letting go of the good days to follow him here and bear the hardships, but still saying that was not wrong were words to deceive ghosts.

    Seeing everyone¡¯s reaction in his eyes, Ming Yu smiled and went straight to the subject, ¡°You guys give me three to five years. At that time, if you still want to return to the capital, Ben Wang promises that you can all go back. Moreover, I will also promote your official rank one level¡­.¡±

    He still hadn¡¯t finished speaking yet, when the people below seemed to explode all at once. What did His Highness say? Did they hear it wrong, or was His Highness talking stupid?

    Even Mo Jiang, who was standing by the side, was stunned. He raised his eyes and looked at Ming Yu in disbelief. When His Highness said this, was he kidding?

    Ming Yu¡¯s expression was the usual one, meaning what he said wasn¡¯t a joke. When the people below calmed down a little bit, he said, ¡°You heard it right. Ben Wang was not joking. After three or five years, you can go back to the capital. I will present a petition to Royal Father. Whoever wishes to return to the capital, listed as personal imperial guards, can be promoted to one level up from the original position. However, all these things have conditions.¡±

    At this moment, everyone heard it clearly and sincerely. They thought they had no hope of returning to the capital. But listening to His Highness, as long as they wait a few more years, they would be able to return to the capital. This was really great news, not to mention His Highness had said that once they returned to the capital to join the personal imperial guards, they could be promoted one level. As everyone here knows, the competition of being a personal imperial guard was very fierce. Without a connection, it¡¯s impossible to get in. Some people would try all of their life, just to withdraw and stay at the bottom level in the end. A promotion of one rank would only occur when the sun rose from the west.

    Now they can be promoted as long as they wait for three to five years to return to the capital? This kind of great benefit, even if you lit a lantern, you still won¡¯t be able to find it. What else could they say? Let alone three to five years, they can afford to wait another ten years.

    The joy of everyone was hard to suppress. A slightly sane person couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°We really can return to the capital in a few years? Are you lying to us?¡±

    Ming Yu really didn¡¯t bluff. That¡¯s right. Everything had just begun, and everything to be done required manpower. As long as they waited a few years, when all the plans are on the way, it didn¡¯t matter if they stayed or not. Moreover, he also believed that the development of Liangcheng would not be much worse than that of the capital.

    Ming Yu raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet. When the restless people calmed down, he said: ¡°A nobleman¡¯s word is his bond. Since Ben Wang has said it, I naturally will fulfill my promise. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for everyone to listen to what the conditions are first?¡±

    Everyone calmed down. Right, His Highness just said that there were conditions. Let¡¯s listen first. No matter what the harsh conditions are, they will agree first. It will be better to struggle a few years to earn an achievement.

    ¡°Ben Wang¡¯s conditions are very simple. You are the imperial guards, you are officers and soldiers, you are military personnel. It is your duty as a soldier to obey orders. Ben Wang wants you to be unconditionally devoted, unconditionally reliable, and must obey orders no matter what. Therefore, everyone must follow orders and act accordingly. One must not be outwardly devoted but opposing inwardly. Also, one absolutely cannot act without permission or behave unscrupulously to bully the common people. If this is disobeyed, one will absolutely not be forgiven easily.¡±

    When Ming Yu finished speaking, everyone was silent. What kind of conditions are these conditions? One, it wasn¡¯t telling them to do something shameful, and second, it wasn¡¯t sending them to their deaths. It was just to follow the rules, but this is what soldiers should abide by, so why did His Highness make it sound so serious?

    Ming Yu looked around, waved his arm, and said powerfully: ¡°You all must always remember that you are all soldiers. You are not here to protect a person. The most important thing you should protect is the kingdom, your home. One¡¯s nation, honor, and responsibility should always be put first. Tell Ben Wang, can you accomplish it?¡±

    Mo Jiang¡¯s heart trembled. He was the first one to step forward and bow to the ground, ¡°Yes! Subordinate will definitely accomplish it!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone knelt down and promised. They saw hope in Ming Yu¡¯s words. No matter what, at this moment, they all sincerely showed their allegiance.

    Ciacia/N: *sobs* I¡¯m so proud of him. And! Therefore, this is how the ¡®Little Fatty Yu¡¯s Cult¡¯ established. Ngl, it was so dope tho, the speech was so powerful that I shed tears of joy.

 CH 8

    Chapter 8

    Everyone¡¯s thoughts were very complicated. Ming Yu gave them their last hope. Three to five years was not long. With hope that was bestowed by the person in front of them, at least at this moment, they were grateful.

    When Ji You saw this scene from a distance, his eyes flashed a ray of light full of interest.  Hey! Interesting! He had been following Duan Wang for a few days, and he had learned to some extent that this Duan Wang did not seem to be as foolish as rumors as stated of handling things without order or rule.

    He rubbed his chin, thinking, but even then he didn¡¯t know that there would be such a big difference in the rumors outside about Duan Wang. He had only thought of one sentence up to now, great intelligence may appear to be stupidity. With a few words of his, he can easily resolve the grievances of the people below, and even conquer the people¡¯s hearts. The brilliance in it, he¡¯s afraid that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.

    He squinted his eyes and concealed the look in his eyes. Everyone was fooled by Duan Wang. It seemed that he should inform General Xie of these things as soon as possible.

    After solving the emotional disturbance in the troops, they already nearly reached Liangcheng. They were only a few tens of miles away. He could see a crowd of grand men and horses from a distance. The people who were sent out to inquire about the news quickly reported back that it was Liu Daren from the prefecture of Liangzhou and Great General Wei from the Liangzhou garrison who came to greet Duan Wang.

    Ming Yu refused their special offer to escort them before, but now that Ming Yu and his party were about to arrive, whatever the case, they should come to greet them. Otherwise, if Duan Wang came to this territory, and they, the officials of this place, acted unconcerned and did not pay attention to it, if they were caught, it could be considered a crime for looking down on imperial power. This was a serious crime. It was possible to exterminate their entire family. Therefore, officials from all over Liangzhou came to greet him.

    Ming Yu nodded at the military formation that presumably came to welcome him. His side couldn¡¯t possibly lose in etiquette. No matter what, he still had to have the prince¡¯s position. He immediately instructed his subordinates to reorganize the troops, unfold the banner, and assume the prince¡¯s majestic presence. The spirit of the whole troop became different.

    When the two parties met, the exchange of polite greetings was inevitable. Ming Yu handled it skillfully and easily. With a smile on his face, he gave people a sense of spring breeze. Of course, this also puzzled those people who have heard the rumors. His Highness Duan Wang¡¯s appearance was so graceful, why was he slandered like that? Therefore, seeing is believing. Things one hears may be false. This was a living example.

    Ming Yu switched his horse carriage and was surrounded by the Prefectural Magistrate Liu and Great General Wei. He came here for the first time and didn¡¯t know anything. Having this opportunity, he naturally wanted to get closer to them and explore the situation in Liangcheng.

    ¡°Your Highness may not be aware, but there are frequent wars in the borderland, and most of the farmlands have long been left to return to the wild. The common people¡¯s life is already difficult. Many people have no food to fill their stomachs. There is a little surplus grain, which is not even enough for the barbarians to come and loot.¡± Liu Daren started to talk.

    This was the truth. It had been like this since he took office. Although he said that he tried hard to change the people¡¯s livelihood, he was powerless, and he had already spent a lot of effort to maintain the current situation.

    He spoke honestly at this time, also hoping that Duan Wang would understand the suffering of the common people. In the future, Liangcheng and the surrounding area of ??several hundred miles will also be Duan Wang¡¯s territory. And the population production in this land will also be counted as Duan Wang¡¯s. If His Highness Duan Wang could sympathize with the people¡¯s circumstances, those common people could possibly make a living. But, if they came across a territory lord who was selfish and did not care for the common people¡¯s life or death or exploit them instead, then, those common people would certainly be miserable. If they did not die, they would still lose layers of skin. These borderland people already suffered enough already, if it¡¯s like this then there would be no way to live.

    Ming Yu nodded. Barbarians looting like the autumn wind was indeed a headache. The tragedy they saw when they came was still as clear as yesterday. He turned his head to look at Great General Wei, ¡°What methods does Great General Wei have against the invasion of the small groups of barbarians? For example, to prevent them from burning, killing, looting and so on?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the two of them couldn¡¯t help but sigh secretly. Sure enough, the imperial family¡¯s members are not well versed in the world. Such a naive question, they¡¯re afraid that no one else present would be able to ask it out loud. At least once one understood everything here, one would know it¡¯s not a simple thing to prevent. If it wasn¡¯t like this, this difficult problem wouldn¡¯t be unsolved even after several generations.

    Although Great General Wei sighed in his heart, he replied respectfully: ¡°Your Highness, the danger of the barbarians has been here since the Great Yan Kingdom was founded. Throughout the past dynasties, there was no lack of people who were more capable than Chen to suppress them. However, the danger of being invaded by the barbarians couldn¡¯t be solved all along. It¡¯s not that Chen is incapable of accomplishing it, it¡¯s because the situation is extremely helpless.¡±

    Ming Yu listened very carefully, then signaled for Great General Wei to say his unfinished meaning in his speech. General Wei felt it unexpected and continued: ¡°The people of Suixi Kingdom have no moral virtues of civility and morality, and the characteristics of their people are as tough as nails. Even their three-year-old children can already play on horseback, having grown up on horseback since birth. They are also adept at archery on horses and come and go like the wind. However, we mainly rely on infantry. Often in combat, they quickly withdraw at fast speeds as soon as they run into our great force. But, if they run into our small troop, then we¡¯re of no match to them.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why, it¡¯s, indeed, really difficult.¡± Ming Yu thought for a while, then said: ¡°A few days ago, Ben Wang had seen with my own eyes General Xie wiping out a group of small barbarians at Changlan Mountain. If barbarians came to invade, wouldn¡¯t it be absolutely safe to wipe them out in one fell swoop? Yi! (surprise reaction) Having said that, why don¡¯t I see General Xie¡¯s people?¡±

    When Ming Yu mentioned this, he remembered that there was no figure in red robe and silver armor among the officials who came to greet him, so he asked casually.

    ¡°General Xie was occupied with important tasks. It was really inconvenient to come today, thus, we request Your Highness not to blame him.¡± Great General Wei hurried to cover for Xie Yixiu, fearing that Ming Yu would blame him. Although it would not have much impact on Xie Yixiu, it would be better to avoid unnecessary trouble. It is always better to avoid something if it can be avoided. If there needs to be someone to be blamed, then it would be Xie Yixiu for his stinky temper. He wouldn¡¯t come no matter how much he had told him, clearly showing his dislike for this newcomer prince.

    ¡°I won¡¯t blame him, haha, Ben Wang just wanted to ask. Military affairs are critical, he shouldn¡¯t delay because of Ben Wang, otherwise Ben Wang can die ten thousand times, but won¡¯t be able to make up for it.¡± Ming Yu said jokingly. Speaking of it, this person had already offended himself by avoiding him before. He was not a narrow-minded man, and unlikely to blame him for this trivial matter. What¡¯s more, even though he was a prince, it was impossible for him to have too much power over the officials appointed by the imperial court.

    He clicked his tongue lightly, why is this person like that? The impression left on him was quite deep. From one side, this person¡¯s indifference seemed to have been soaked in his bones. He only needed to stand there, and he could already freeze others beside him into ice sculptures. This kind of person really couldn¡¯t get along well with other people. Therefore, it would be incredible if General Xie were to appear here.

    Great General Wei shook his head with a bitter smile, then continued to answer Ming Yu¡¯s questions, ¡°General Xie¡¯s Red Robe Army is indeed brave and unparalleled, but using General Xie¡¯s 5,000 troops to deal with such a small group of barbarians is really overkill. And the most important thing is, after those small groups of barbarians enter the kingdom, their routes are usually really tricky and bizarre, incapable of predicting. More often than now, we usually dispatch a great amount of manpower to chase after them. Moreover, the troops of the Suixi Kingdom beyond the border also glare at us like a tiger watching its prey. They somewhat have misgivings with the Red Robe Army. Thus, if the Red Robe Army recklessly chased after those barbarians, I¡¯m afraid that the plan would be to lure the tiger from its domain instead.¡±

    The Red Robe Army was not the same as other armies. It was the elite among the elites in the entire frontier army. A good blade must be used at the crucial point. Whenever a war is at its most tense moment, dispatching the Red Robe Army was the key to victory.

    If it weren¡¯t for the arrival of Duan Wang and his entourage, the previous barbarians would not have been wiped out by the Red Robe Army. Although it took a little time and effort, the risks were within control.

    Great General Wei saying this much, Ming Yu finally understood that the Red Robe Army was indeed well-known inside and outside. It seems that the Great Yan Kingdom only had the Red Robe Army at its disposal.

    ¡°Although the Red Robe Army is very strong, with only 5,000 troops, it is a bit small. Why not train more Red Robe Army troops, so that you won¡¯t have to be afraid of that insignificant Suixi Kingdom?¡± Ming Yu asked a question that he didn¡¯t understand. If there were fifty thousand Red Robe Army troops, they would have attacked the imperial court of the Suixi Kingdom already, where could they have this confrontation?

    In the eyes of these big shots, Ming Yu¡¯s question was very novice, but they had no choice but to explain, ¡°Your Highness has made a mistake. Your Royal Highness must not know but the 5,000 soldiers of the Red Robe Army are more than three times the expenditure of the average infantry. Not to mention the extra military expenditures for each person, just the warhorses equipped for the Red Robe Army are the best of the best of precious horses. Your Highness must know that the Great Yan is not like a Suixi Kingdom and does not produce good precious horses, so, for us to be able to obtain all the horses to make the whole 5,000 is already considered to be quite difficult.¡±

    Ming Yu finally understood. The existence of the Red Robe Army was the only cavalry that could protect the Great Yan. Although the Great Yan had a large army, it was mostly infantry, and this infantry when faced with the barbarians¡¯ cavalry was like delivering the food away. When the cavalry ran into an assault, it was no harder than chopping melons and vegetables. Them protecting the Great Yan for so many years, their contributions don¡¯t go unnoticed.

    While they were talking, the group had already entered Liangcheng. Ming Yu looked all around. This ancient city had witnessed the long-standing war. Under the erosion of the years, it was already full of holes, and the destroyed city wall had gone through many years of mending to stand majestically. Inside the city wall, there were a few pedestrians carrying food. Many houses, because there were no people living in them, had become old and in a state of disrepair. Some had already collapsed. What remained were the walls reduced to rubble. There were only a few houses that could house people.

    Dilapidated and desolated. These were the only words Ming Yu could think of. Thinking that this place will be his territory from now on, he had an urge to hold his forehead. He, indeed, didn¡¯t think it would have these kinds of circumstances. He had once thought about Liangcheng¡¯s situation, but at any rate it was still the largest city on the borderland. It could be also considered as a strategic location. No matter how the war was to be fought, the walls were high and the moat was deep. Even if the battle was to spread, it shouldn¡¯t be a big hindrance. But, he didn¡¯t expect it to be like this.

    At that time, he chose this place because he had thought of wanting to stay far away from the disputes in the capital and didn¡¯t want to be too eye-catching. This place was good. As a transit point on the Silk Road, it should be used as a territory and developed into a trading city in the future. Even if one sat down, one can still make money every day without losing money. Moreover, the Emperor had suffered too much from him choosing this place. He had also supplemented a lot from his own private storehouse. From the original three hundred guards who had been entrusted when he became conferred a Wang title to five hundred. He originally thought he had made a profit, but he was finally shocked by reality. He was the one who made a big loss!

    It¡¯s fine now, there was no way to retreat, he could only brace himself and move forward. It was what he chose, so he himself will have to swallow his own tears.

    Liu Daren saw Ming Yu¡¯s complexion, and understood his thoughts. He smiled and said soothingly: ¡°Your Highness, Liangzhou City is also considered to be quite good, this is only the outer city. The inner city is quite prosperous compared to here, and there are also foreign female entertainers shops that sell wine, those would definitely have some foreign customs. These are what you can¡¯t see in the capital, so you might as well go and take a look when the time comes.¡±

    Foreign female entertainers? Foreigners?

 CH 9

    Chapter 9

    When Ming Yu heard that, sure enough, he was interested. He asked in a surprised tone, ¡°Foreign female entertainer? Where are they from?¡±

    ¡°From the west of Suixi Kingdom. There are also many large and small kingdoms there. For example, Wan Kingdom, Madan Kingdom, Huhu Kingdom, and many others. Chen knows about a dozen of them.¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s gloomy mood finally improved. Very good. It was not that different from what he knew. ¡°Not bad. After I find a place to settle down, I¡¯ll have to go and see these foreign customs¡±

    The people who heard this couldn¡¯t help but smile. The prince from the capital indeed had a young man¡¯s temperament. Seeing novel playthings, he would become over-anxious to seek it.

    Only Great General Wei was impatient, with a faint look of contempt. The soldiers in the frontline were fighting desperately, bleeding and sweating, but these people in the rear only knew how to eat, drink and enjoy life. If it were not for having to weigh the pros and cons of his position, he would have long ago waved his sleeve and left. It¡¯s no wonder that Xie youngster would rather receive the mission to scout the enemy¡¯s situation, than wish to stay here.

    Prefectural Magistrate Liu had a deep friendship with Great General Wei. Knowing the temperament of General Wei, he secretly winked at him to make him feel at ease, and he brought up another topic.

    Civil court officials and military commanders generally looked at each other and despised one another. Each looked down on the other party. You dislike me for being a brash man who only knows how to fight and kill, while I dislike you for speaking with a belly full of trickery and sour water. Prefectural Magistrate Liu was able to become friends with Great General Wei because both of them were from the same place, so naturally, they would be closer than ordinary people.

    The two secretly made signs in the dark without letting Ming Yu know. There was another scenery inside the city wall. A lot of people were doing small business here. Loud and chaotic sounds penetrated into the eardrums, and there was a more prosperous smell of fire and smoke. Of course, they also saw many foreigners with bizarre outfits, high noses and deep set eyes.

    With guards to clear the way, the group of pedestrians moved quickly. Many people saw the formation and knew that a big shot had come. The common people here had never seen such a scene before, so many people stopped to stand in a circle and watch curiously.

    Ming Yu was very pleased. This appearance was what a city should have. Although it was not as bustling with noise as the towns in the Central Plains, it was still popular here.

    ¡°This is a place of war and chaos on the frontier, so why are there still foreigners from other countries here?¡± Ming Yu still had a bit of an odd feeling. Normally, this kind of dangerous place with 10 rooms, 9 empty, should have many people wanting to leave instead.

    ¡°Your Highness must not be aware, but a majority of these foreigners came here to do business. Or perhaps, they had fled from the chaos of war inside their own countries. Although there are wars here from time to time, in any case, Liangcheng is relatively stable, thus many foreigners come to Liangcheng.¡± Liu Daren explained.

    Because the people in the hinterland of Central Plain did not understand the foreigners, they had deep prejudices. Therefore, these foreigners did not dare to venture there. They could only do business in Liangcheng, and the people here have long been calm in the face of the unexpected of those foreigners. That¡¯s why many foreigners had settled here.

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyes were shiny, ¡°Doing business? You have to pass through Suixi Kingdom when you come here. Is Suixi Kingdom not concerned with these foreigners?¡±

    ¡°The Suixi Kingdom has no supervisors to take care of these foreigners passing through. Also, some small countries have pledged allegiance to Suixi Kingdom, so, the barbarians of the Suixi Kingdom open one eye while closing another for them.¡±  The accompanying officials understood this matter decently and tried to cure Ming Yu¡¯s confusion.

    Ming Yu nodded, there were already some vague thoughts in his mind. But, that¡¯s only because he just arrived here. No matter what thoughts he had, he can only let go of them temporarily. It seems that he should find an official who knows the borderland to stay by his side, so that he can inquire more at any time.

    This request was made to Prefectural Magistrate Liu, and Prefectural Magistrate Liu did not refuse. He only said he would return and arrange someone for him.

    While he was speaking, he saw a commotion on the side of the road ahead. There was a strange burst of swearing and cursing that rang out.

    Ming Yu¡¯s group had officers and soldiers guarding them, so the commotion didn¡¯t affect their side at all. Ming Yu didn¡¯t mind it at first. Later, a figure emerged from the crowd. He directly bypassed the gap between the soldiers and guards, and knocked into the front of Ming Yu¡¯s horse in an instant. The horse that was walking slowly was hit and neighed. It¡¯s front hooves were thrown up, almost throwing Ming Yu off the horse. Fortunately, Ming Yu saw the situation was not good and clung to the reins tightly. Leaning on the horse¡¯s back unwaveringly, only then was he not thrown off.

    Everyone was losing their head out of fear. If Duan Wang was injured as soon as he arrived, that would mean they did not protect him well. No matter what, they would be implicated. Mo Jiang, in any case, was a military personnel. He reacted very quickly. When he saw the figure in front rushing out and seeing Ming Yu¡¯s horse being frightened, he immediately stepped forward to mount the horse in two or three steps.

    Moreover, Great General Wei, who was next to Ming Yu, had also taken action. Both of them were military commanders. Relying on both their hands and body¡¯s strength, they steadily restrained the horse with its hoofs under control.

    The surrounding was silent. The people watching the excitement dared not speak out, let alone the officials present.

    Ming Yu¡¯s face was pale. At this moment, he had just recovered from the shock, and could only utter a single word, ¡°Fuxk!¡±

    Only then did all the people react. When they saw the perfectly all right Ming Yu, their hearts were placed back in place somehow. Fortunately, the prince was fine, otherwise everyone would need to bear the blame. Prefectural Magistrate Liu repeatedly apologized humbly, and hastily made people arrest the culprit.

    Ming Yu¡¯s hand and feet were limp and painful. He has never encountered such a thing prior. He had never ridden a horse before and after he left the capital, he occasionally rode a horse. Thinking about it, he still had some lingering fears. Him being able to be safe and sound was an enormous fortune.

    He waved his hand to indicate that he was okay, then raised his eyes to look at the culprit. It was just a scrawny little poverty-stricken boy with scraggly hair, and his whole body filthy. There were some purple bruises on his body from beatings he had gotten before. He tightly squeezed the half-piece of dusty bread in his hand. His big and conspicuous eyes on his small face stared at Ming Yu and the rest nervously. With a bit of viciousness in his appearance, he was like a little beast protecting his food.

    After Ming Yu was frightened, his legs and feet were still limp and painful. With Mo Jiang¡¯s support, he got off the horse and walked in front of the little boy. Then, he waved his hand for the guard to release him.

    He smiled amiably, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Did you know that it¡¯s dangerous to just rush out like this and bump into the horse?¡±

    The little boy didn¡¯t say a word, but watched closely at Ming Yu who was approaching. He hid the bread in his arms.

    Ming Yu raised his eyes and looked at the commotion just now that was next to him. Not long after, a guard picked up a bearded foreigner from the crowd.

    That foreigner tremblingly saluted at Ming Yu and the others, ¡°Xiaoren*, Bu Atan greets prince daren.¡± He spoke Chinese fluently, obviously having been here for many years.

    (Xiaoren: I, or this lowly one)

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Liu Daren¡¯s beard was almost raised up in anger. The common people in Liangcheng had already heard that Liangcheng would be the territory of Duan Wang, and they had been noisily discussing it for a while now. Today, Duan Wang arrived in Liangcheng, and all the officials went out to greet him. The people in the city had heard about it a long time ago, so he had already given repeated orders to his subordinates. When Duan Wang entered the city, they must not cause any trouble. Unexpectedly, someone violated the order.

    ¡°Daren, Xiaoren didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Bu Atan knew that the crime could be big or small. So, he hurriedly cried out injustice. ¡°Daren, this little brat stole my shop¡¯s flatbread. Who would expect that this boy when turning around to run away would collide with the prince. It really has nothing to do with Xiaoren.¡±

    It turned out that the boy¡¯s name was called Gouzi and was an orphan. Wandered about, he arrived at Liangcheng not long ago. Usually, he helped the shop to do some work, barely being able to get a bite of rice. However, he was still young, and he couldn¡¯t do heavy work well. Sometimes he would slip and get beaten and scolded. Today, the injuries on his body from the beating still haven¡¯t recovered, so he couldn¡¯t go and work. He was so hungry that he could not help stealing a piece of bread, but he was chased and beaten by the shop owner. Running away in a panic without looking at the road, he knocked against Ming Yu in the end.

    Ming Yu felt a little uncomfortable. He raised his hand and wiped the dust on the boy¡¯s face. Bu Atan said that he was twelve to thirteen years old, but looking at his thin and weak body, he seemed to only have the appearance of an eight to nine years old. It really makes a person feel sorry for him.

    ¡°Why make such a big ruckus for a piece of flatbread? How much is this flatbread? Ben Wang will buy it.¡± After saying that, he motioned to the guard on the side to give the money. It was already good that the prince didn¡¯t blame him, so how could Bu Atan dare to receive payment? He waved his hands again and again with a resolute face, firmly refusing to accept it.

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t about that piece of bread. His reason was actually because he had a quarrel with his wife, and had no place to vent the fire in his heart. He just happened to encounter Gouzi stealing bread. Thus, with the fire in his heart rising, he wanted to vent it on this boy¡¯s body and that¡¯s why this happened.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t care about him anymore. For such an orphan, it would be pitiful to let him live by himself. Ming Yu sympathized with him in his heart and blurted out, asking: ¡°Gouzi, are you willing to follow me?¡±

    Gouzi looked up at him in surprise, with doubts in his eyes, as if he didn¡¯t understand what the person in front of him meant.

    ¡°If you follow me, at least you will be able to eat well and wear warm clothes, without having to be beaten or scolded.¡± Ming Yu smiled, looking like a Pai Hua Zi * kidnapper.

    (Pai Hua Zi: name for people who kidnap children.)

    Hearing that he can eat until he was full and wear warm clothes without being beaten, how could Gouzi be unwilling? There was a radiance glowing in his eyes, and the small head kept on nodding.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are willing. Gouzi, this name is really hard to listen to. I will help you choose another name. En, let¡¯s call you A Bing then, is it alright?¡±

    (Gouzi= gou here literally means dog)

    The current Gouzi, and the future A Bing only thought that this big brother¡¯s smile was really good-looking. No matter what he said, he could only nod his head.

    Ming Yu touched A Bing¡¯s scraggly hair and asked some people to go to the back of the troops to call Qingping to come over, and bring this child to settle down. Qingping had already learned what had happened from the people nearby, and she had lingering fear in place of her master. She also felt sorry for this child and immediately brought out some refreshments for A Bing to eat.

    There was no major trouble. Ming Yu turned big problems into small ones, and small problems into no problem at all, then he let Bu Atan return.

    Bu Atan finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and left thankfully.

    Just a brief interlude, no one took it to heart when the matter was resolved. Prefectural Magistrate Liu had long been prepared to hold a welcoming dinner feast to wash away the dirt. Since ancient times, the drinking tables in a banquet were places to make friends with each other and to worm one¡¯s way into being friends with someone. Ming Yu sat in the upper position, among the wine goblets and the gambling chips lying intertwined. He squinted his eyes while feeling tipsy. He aloofly looked at the officials below, the faint smile on his face, from the beginning to end, never faded.

    From now on, he will take root here and strive with great effort to make his territory better. He will use all these people, and they will become his people in the future. It was a long road ahead, a heavy burden, and a long journey!

 CH 10

    Chapter 10

    When Ming Yu woke up, his head was spinning. It was the hangover effect. He was a little dazed to see the strange environment when he opened his eyes. Later, he realized that this was his prince¡¯s mansion in Liangcheng. It was not as delicate and richly ornamented as the ones in the capital, but it had a rough, wild, and bold style.

    ¡°Your Highness is awake?¡± Qingping¡¯s voice came, then a pair of white hands opened the bed¡¯s curtain. There was a gleam of bright light, somewhat dazzling to the eyes. Ming Yu blocked it with his hand, and narrowed his eyes, so that he could adapt to the direct light on his face.

    ¡°Oh, what time is it now?¡± Ming Yu asked in a lazy, hoarse voice.

    Qingping had heard some movements, so she came to serve His Highness to get up. She had served His Highness for more than ten years, and naturally understood the habits of His Highness. Hearing the question at this time, she hurriedly replied: ¡°Reporting to Your Highness, it¡¯s already Sishi (9-11am) now.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ming Yu stretched out his hand to rub his temples. Qingping had already walked around behind him and massaged it for him. The strength was moderate, making him can¡¯t help but sigh. Qingping really was considerate.

    Waiting for when Ming Yu got a bit better, Qing Ping said, ¡°It¡¯s because Your Highness hasn¡¯t been drunk in a while, that¡¯s why it¡¯s like this. Your body won¡¯t be able to stand it for a while. This servant had prepared honey water, Your Highness should be fine after drinking it.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she brought the honey water that was on the side and waited for Ming Yu to drink it.

    Ming Yu drank half of the bowl in one breath, only then did he feel better, and his throat became less uncomfortable.

    Thinking of what happened yesterday, he naturally recalled Gouzi. That¡¯s wrong, it was A Bing now. Then, he asked casually about him. Qingping had always done everything meticulously. The matters that His Highness had given her, she did her best to do it well. So, naturally, there wasn¡¯t any negligence, and Ming Yu also trusted her a lot.

    While serving His Highness to wash and change clothes, Qing Ping reported on A Bing¡¯s arrangements. Ming Yu was satisfied and nodded: ¡°That¡¯s good, you watch over him for the time being. After I finish this matter here, I will make other arrangements.¡± For such a big child, it¡¯s impossible to learn skills without reading, so, it won¡¯t be too late for him to get used to life here before making arrangements.

    Qingping tidied Ming Yu¡¯s belt and hung up a good deal of jade pendants and pouch sachets along the way. Mingyu didn¡¯t like to wear these things, but after saying it many times, Qingping was still unchanged, thus he had no choice but to comply with her.

    As the personal maid of His Highness, Qingping naturally had to dress His Highness in a proper manner. These were identity¡¯s tokens, how could they not be worn? As His Highness, the prince, without these things on his body, wouldn¡¯t it make people look down upon him? His Highness had never liked being served by others, so she had to be more careful on her own.

    After taking care of everything, it was almost an hour before Qingping clapped her hands and let people bring out the meals. Ming Yu was starving. Qing Ping was very considerate and prepared some light side dishes and bland congee. Just looking at it, his mouth started to move. Just barely sitting down, a report from outside the door rang saying that Commander Mo had arrived.

    Boss Qingping was unhappy. Commander Mo didn¡¯t come too early or too late, but came when His Highness was just about to dine. He really knew how to choose his times. She was afraid that His Highness would just go out to discuss matters and would not be able to eat well. How can this be okay?

    She had wanted to persuade His Highness to see him after finishing his meals, but she already heard His Highness let the person in.  She could only ruthlessly stare at Mo Jiang who had just stepped in.

    Mo Jiang was speechless. He didn¡¯t know how he had offended this great aunt.

    Mo Jiang bowed. Ming Yu was already smiling and telling Mo Jiang to sit down and talk. Mo Jiang was there to ask for instructions on the arrangements of the five hundred guards. With so many people, it was impossible to arrange for all the guards to stay in the prince¡¯s mansion to guard. Thus, regarding a place to settle them in, he left it to His Highness¡¯s decision.

    Ming Yu took a sip of congee and said, ¡°Go arrange an empty land outside nearby the city. Bigger is better. When the time comes, it could be made into a training ground. These Da Lao Ye Men (men) from the capital need to be trained properly. They, in any case, also originated as imperial guards. If they don¡¯t learn even a bit of skill, then won¡¯t they just flee at the mere sight of those barbarians in the future? How could this be called a soldier? How can they be worthy of the name of an Imperial Guard? They can¡¯t just follow me in vain this time! Afterward, gaining a bit of ability could be considered one type of experience when they go back.¡±

    How could the current Ming Yu know that those brats, who will be trained until they were screaming and wailing, who dreamt every night of growing a wing to fly back to the capital, would not be willing to return even when using a stick to beat them away a few years later.

    What Ming Yu said made sense and Mo Jiang couldn¡¯t refute it. His Highness had already revealed some training content to him while they were still on their way. What troop formations, capture enemy tactics, physical training, those stuff were all things he had never heard of before. Cross-country long-distance running, capture enemy beating, they should be able to train a person¡¯s physical fitness, but he didn¡¯t understand the troop formation training. Who couldn¡¯t stand in battle formation? Why did it need to be singled out to be trained? He thought that this was all imagined out of thin air by His Highness. Well, as long as His Highness was happy, what else can he say? Because these people had the two-year commitment from His Highness, they would follow suit no matter what. Moreover, he also felt that these things should be able to toughen them. Because he hasn¡¯t practiced it yet, he didn¡¯t know if it would be effective.

    There was a malicious smile at the corner of Ming Yu¡¯s mouth. He planned this for his subordinates with all his heart and soul.

    When Mo Jiang saw his expression, how could he not know they were about to brave his evil tricks? He could only silently mourn for his subordinates in his heart. Actually, in his heart, it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t want to see that group of brats as a joke.

    Mo Jiang nodded calmly, then discussed some insignificant things. Now that he had just settled down, he had to start everything from scratch, so many tedious things had to be arranged one by one.

    After Ming Yu quickly drank the whole bowl of congee, he asked Qingping to take it away. Qingping frowned. His Highness had only eaten a few bites. Really?! He didn¡¯t even let His Highness eat the food properly. She wanted to persuade His Highness to eat some more, but Ming Yu had already seen through her thoughts and said with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s enough. Just prepare some snacks later, and I¡¯ll eat them when I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Now that His Highness was going to discuss matters, he definitely was not in the mood to eat anymore. It was also good to prepare some light refreshments, so she just agreed, and ordered people to take the meal away. She gave Commander Mo a fierce glance before stepping out. How would Mo Jiang still not understand at this time. He stroked his head awkwardly. He was careless. He had forgotten that His Highness was drunk last night and only just got up now. Now that the matter was discussed halfway through, it was impossible to give up now.

    After the two talked for a while, Ji You asked to see him. Ming Yu looked at the time and it was already late. He also thought that Little General Ji should be here at this time, and asked someone to let him in.

    Ji You took a big stride forward and bowed to Ming Yu. He came to say goodbye today. He met Ming Yu and escorted him all the way. Now that his task was completed, he should go back to report the mission back.

    Ji You explained his intentions. Ming Yu guessed it a long time ago. ¡°This time we troubled General Ji a lot. Ben Wang knows that General Ji was also occupied with military affairs, and Ben Wang wouldn¡¯t dare to keep you here for long. We prepared some silver rewards, think of it as Ben Wang giving it for everyone¡¯s hard work.¡±

    When Ji You heard of this, how could he dare to accept it. He quickly declined: ¡°Protecting Your Highness is Chen¡¯s duty, how could I dare to ask for rewards¡­¡±

    Before he finished speaking, Ming Yu interrupted him and said with a smile: ¡°Ben Wang had always given out rewards and punishments clearly. This is what you people deserve. Moreover, there is one more thing I want to ask General Ji to tell your General Xie.¡±

    Ji You¡¯s heart thumped. What matter can¡¯t he directly find their general to talk about, and instead make him the middle man to say? He was a little embarrassed, and afraid that things would be difficult to handle.

    Ming Yu saw through his thoughts, and said with a smile: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal. You just need to help me arrange a deal. It doesn¡¯t matter whether it succeeds or not.¡±

    ¡°What is Your Highness¡¯s matter?¡± Ji You¡¯s heart revolved, and he still decided to ask.

    Ming Yu was pleased. He folded his hands under his chin, ¡°General Ji, you have also seen that our imperial guards are all brought from the capital, and their combat power is far less than the Red Robe Army. Therefore, Ben Wang would like to borrow two of Red Robe Army¡¯s soldiers from General Xie to help train their combat ability. It won¡¯t take long. It will be done in three to five months or half a year.¡±

    After hearing this, Ji You was taken aback. He still had to borrow someone to help with training like this. He couldn¡¯t help but say that this was really a trivial matter, but there had never been a precedent before. However, who in the Red Robe Army would be willing to come here to train these spoiled and indulgent Da Lao Ye Men? He didn¡¯t say anything extreme, he only promised to help ask General Xie. As for General Xie¡¯s answer, it didn¡¯t matter to him.

    How could he have known that his promise would be a pitfall for himself?

    Ming Yu nodded, it¡¯s good as long as he agreed. After Ji You left, Mo Jiang was puzzled by His Highness¡¯s intentions. The army of the Great Yan Dynasty practically all set up a system of their own. Just like the frontier garrison under the jurisdiction of Great General Wei and the Red Robe Army under General Xie, they were two systems. Usually, they could not participate in their respective training, and only listened to the commander generals¡¯ commands to arrange battle arrays. Waiting for the orders to be passed down, each acted according to the order, performing their own duties. Everyone minded their own business, thus, there would be no dispute or whatsoever.

    Because of this, Mo Jiang didn¡¯t understand why His Highness would let the Red Robe Army generals participate in the training of the imperial guards of the mansion.

    ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t it wrong like this?¡± Mo Jiang said euphemistically.

    Knowing Commander Mo¡¯s concerns, Ming Yu didn¡¯t take it to heart. He waved his hand and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Red Robe Army has their strong points. They can fight against the barbarians, and their soldiers have never suffered defeat before. So, how could we not learn from their strong points? With such people¡¯s encouragement, our imperial guards will grow up faster.¡± He mainly thought of the Red Robe Army fighting against the barbarians all year-round. With rich combat experience, casually talking about their own combat experience and the process would benefit everyone a lot.

    Ming Yu¡¯s explanation made Mo Jiang suddenly realize that he couldn¡¯t help being ashamed. It turned out that His Highness had seen so far ahead. He was really short-sighted. In this case, he should try his best to train these people as soon as possible, so that His Highness¡¯s safety can be a little more assured.

    However, His Highness personally said three to five years¡¯ time. After those three or five years, what should they do when these people return to the capital?

 CH 11

    ¡°Your Highness, what about afterward?¡± Mo Jiang still asked out loud.

    It was their duty to protect His Highness, so how can they leave without saying a word? So what if His Highness spent his energy to train an elite team now? Won¡¯t everything have to start over again after a few years?

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t understand that Mo Jiang¡¯s brain circuit had already thought of that far. He looked at him with a puzzled look, and Mo Jiang said his worries, ¡°How about we annul the promise. They are carrying on the Emperor¡¯s order to protect Your Highness, it is to protect Your Highness for a lifetime.¡±

    Ming Yu suddenly knew that Mo Jiang was indeed thinking about himself wholeheartedly, but he could not agree with Mo Jiang¡¯s words, ¡°A nobleman¡¯s word is his bond. How can I go back on the words I said? Don¡¯t worry, since we are able to cultivate the first group of people, we will naturally be able to cultivate the second group. Does Commander Mo not believe in himself or in Ben Wang?¡±

    He had decided that these people would be handed over to Mo Jiang for training. He can put forward some substantive ideas, but the specifics depended on the ability of Commander Mo.

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made Mo Jiang suddenly become clear at once. That¡¯s right! What if these people return to the capital? He could just cultivate more talented people for His Highness. Mo Jiang left with the belief that he could do it. Five hundred Huben troops gradually took shape under his polishing. They also became a legend in the borderlands, but of course, this was something to be talked about in the future. Now everything had just begun.

    After taking care of various chores, Ming Yu only brought a few guards and wandered out the prince¡¯s mansion. He was thinking about the foreigner¡¯s affairs in his heart. He wanted to learn more about these things, so he thought of going to the foreigners¡¯ gathering place at the south of the city to take a look.

    Along the way, what he saw and heard was very different from when he entered the city yesterday. Today, there was obviously a lot of bustling noise on the streets. People came and went on the main streets, the shouts of street vendors never stopped. Occasionally, there was the sound of cows and horses neighing.

    Hastening his journey yesterday, he wasn¡¯t able to take a good look at the scenery along the road. At this time, he noticed a strong western wind blowing on his face. The streets, houses, and even flowers and trees all carried a wild and unruly style.

    This was a gathering place for foreigners, thus a large part of them were foreigners. Among these people, there were travelers passing through, who were dressed in strange clothes, and spoke a non-intelligible foreign language. Some had lived here for many years and had been Sinicized a long time ago, so each and every move revealed a Chinese person¡¯s mannerism. There were also foreign female entertainers dancing their foreign whirling dance among the crowd. With their enchanting posture and rhythmic drums, it made the viewers stop and become fascinated. There were also foreign female entertainers with wonderful figures standing at the door of their stores, welcoming guests to come in for a drink.

    Everything felt so novel in Ming Yu¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s not that he was a person who hadn¡¯t seen the world before, what kind of person had he not seen in the later generations? But standing at this place, at this moment, made him feel an unprecedented amazement. That¡¯s right, this was the tip of the iceberg in the long river of Henggu history, and he was fortunate to stand here and witness this frame of living picture scroll.

    He walked and stopped as he pleased, then finally was dragged into a door by a female foreigner with two braids.

    ¡°Gongzi*, come in and have a drink? My family¡¯s alcohol is famous in Liangcheng. Ask the neighbor¡¯s stores. In this entire street, the most pure and strongest drink is from my shop.¡± The female foreigner giggled, her voice was clear and sweet. Pulling Ming Yu to boast about her family¡¯s stuff that only existed under the heavens without comparison.

    (Gongzi: noble son, not sure if I had written this down or not, so here it is.)

    ¡°Really? It¡¯s that good?¡± Ming Yu was a little tired after walking for so long, so he simply stepped in.

    The female foreigner¡¯s eyebrows were crooked, her eyes full of wandering autumn ripples. She looked around with passion, and made a gesture to pull the guard behind Ming Yu. Several guards saw this kind of situation and their complexion flushed red through and through. Seeing that their master had entered without changing his complexion, they were in a dilemma for a while.

    The female foreigner chuckled, ¡°Several Da Lao Ya Men, how come you all be shy? You¡¯re not even comparable to this easy-mannered and dignified little Gongzi.¡± She spoke straightforwardly, which made several people want to find a place to dig a hole and get in.

    Seeing that this group of people were all Chinese people, she had the feeling to tease them a bit. Chinese people were really interesting. Their men are unexpectedly more shy than their women.

    Ming Yu also had a good laugh. These guards were all from the capital, so their insights were naturally extraordinary. However, Chinese women were all dignified and elegant, reserved and gentle. Today, when running into alluring female foreigners with brazen dresses exposing their snow-white arms and legs, wouldn¡¯t they be afraid of where to put their eyes?

    ¡°Come in for a drink of water and wine, rest your feet, before strolling to other places.¡± Ming Yu opened his mouth to save them from their embarrassing situation, ¡°Guniang*, there is no need to bother with them. This is the first time they came here, so it is inevitably somewhat uncomfortable.¡±

    (Guniang: Young lady, lady, girl. So, basically means for women, it¡¯s like a form of address like sir, madam,ma¡¯am, but in Chinese, it¡¯s kind of a bit respectful since you would call anyone Guniang without minding if they are female entertainers or not.)

    The female foreigner curled her lips and muttered: ¡°Isn¡¯t it Gongzi¡¯s first time too?¡± Having said that, she let them go. She turned her body sideways, then let them in. The few people breathed a sigh of relief, then hurriedly dodged aside like snakes and scorpions, slipped away and entered.

    When that female foreigner saw this, her little mouth was about to rise to the sky. Was she that terrifying? It was funny when she thought about it again, but she couldn¡¯t neglect customers when they entered the store. She hurriedly stepped forward to take care of the customers¡¯ food and drinks.

    It was not big inside the shop. There were six or seven tables, one could see everything at a glance and there were already two tables seated with customers. Ming Yu chose to sit down by the window. The guards did not dare to sit at the same table with him, so they chose a nearby position to form a protective circle.

    Soon, the wine and dishes arrived. It was a signature dish unique to foreigners. Mingyu tasted it slowly, it really had a special flavor.

    ¡°Bu Atan, you have to think about it, just set it on a good day. Tell me, what do you think?¡±

    A voice entered Ming Yu¡¯s ears. Originally he didn¡¯t care, but after hearing a familiar name, he looked over.

    It was quite a coincidence. Not far away, sitting with his back to them, was the foreigner, Bu Atan, who he had met yesterday. He didn¡¯t intend to recognize the person, but their conversation later attracted his attention.

    ¡°He Danhan, I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a long time. You know my flatbread business. Right now, it¡¯s already hard enough to feed my family. I quarreled with your sister-in-law yesterday and I thought about it all night before, only then did I decide to risk it once. Not for anything else, but to survive.¡± Bu Atan took a sip of wine, his voice was melancholy.

    After a while, Bu Atan continued: ¡°If I didn¡¯t think well about it, I wouldn¡¯t have come to you. How about it? One word, would you like to follow Lao Ge to work?¡±

    He Danhan thought for a long time, a little confused, unable to make up his mind. ¡°Lao Ge, have you really decided? This risk¡­¡± He paused and looked at Bu Atan, ¡°You have to think well about it. Today is not like the past. Since five years ago, after the caravan of Boss Luo suffered a calamity, how many people still dare to do it now?¡±

    (Lao Ge: Big brother)

    What he mentioned was Boss Luo¡¯s largest caravan in the borderlands from five years ago. There were more than ten carriages and hundreds of guards. However, after a merchant trip five years ago, for some reason, there was no news from them afterwards. Finally, someone saw the caravan¡¯s broken carts and horses in the wilderness. There was no living being left, and the goods were all looted. At that time, this incident caused a sensation in the entirety of Liangzhou. Hearsay, this caravan had encountered bandits and the whole guard was wiped out. Later, several waves of caravans were robbed one after another. Since then, the caravans have gradually become scarce. Who would risk their lives to go and be a traveling merchant?

    ¡°To tell you the truth, even if you don¡¯t follow me, I will still do this business. The Great Yan¡¯s goods are all very rare and incomparable to all the western countries, while the goods transported from there are also priceless inside the market here. I just need two trips to make a full profit. When that time comes, I can let my wife and children live a good life.¡± Bu Atan stated his plan.

    Bandits are difficult to deal with, but one just needed to be more careful. If one really ran into one, those bandits also only sought money and valuables. Using a bit of money to bribe them, maybe they could get out of it unscathed. Besides, he didn¡¯t believe that his luck could be so bad that even when he went in secret, he would still run into those bandits. No matter what, it was a risk, and it couldn¡¯t be worse than it was now, right?

    He Danhan thought of Bu Atan¡¯s prospects. It would be fake to say that his heart wasn¡¯t moved. It¡¯s just that, unlike Bu Atan, he still hadn¡¯t decided for the time being. He said with some difficulties, ¡°Then Lao Ge, let me think about it carefully.¡±

    Bu Atan was also very straightforward. He nodded and agreed: ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can think it over, but time doesn¡¯t wait for people. You¡¯d better reply to me as soon as possible.¡±

    How could He Danhan still care about drinking at this time, he couldn¡¯t sit still, ¡°Then I will go back and discuss with my family, I will answer you in three days.¡± After speaking, he got up and left.

    Bu Atan didn¡¯t keep him either. When He danhan left, he was ready to settle the bill.

    At this moment, someone slapped him on the shoulder. Bu Atan looked back and almost fell to his knees in fright. Isn¡¯t this the prince he saw on the streets yesterday? How could they meet at this place?

    He was about to greet him, but Ming Yu stopped him. He walked to the other side of him and sat down on his own, then motioned for him to sit down and speak.

    Bu Atan did not dare to defy him, and sat down tremblingly.

    Ming Yu was interested, ¡°Do you want to do business with Western Countries?¡±

    Ming Yu merely listened a bit and after a little analysis, he already knew Bu Atan¡¯s plan. Therefore, as soon as he spoke, he was ready to go straight to the subject.

    Bu Atan¡¯s heart shook. He only had one bad thought. It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, this time having it known by this person, he¡¯s afraid he will have to face the consequences.

    But how could a person like him submit to his fate easily? His eyeballs rolled and turned, and there was only one thought in his mind. He would never admit to it no matter what.

    In the Great Yan Kingdom, foreign trade was not allowed. But the benefits of this were huge, thus it made many people take risks for the sake of their interests. Of course, this was only in secret, and no one dared to mention it on the surface.

    Bu Atan made an appointment with He Danhan here today to talk about his plan. Firstly, it was because he was too excited, and secondly, it was because this was a gathering place for foreigners. These things were common here. Thirdly, he never thought that the prince would come here.

    Bu Atan made a firm face and looked left and right, then said to him, ¡°Heihei (laugh)! Wangye, maybe you have heard it wrong? How could Xiaoren dare¡­.¡±

    (Wangye: prince, or the title to call the vassal state king)

    Ming Yu¡¯s slender fingers tapped the tabletop lightly, staring at Bu Atan with a smile.

    Bu Atan couldn¡¯t say what he was saying anymore, he closed his mouth in embarrassment.

    ¡°Okay, Ben Wang is not going to talk nonsense with you, nor is Ben Wang trying to punish you. However, you have to say everything about your plan.¡± Ming Yu smiled, giving people a gentle and harmless feeling.

    Bu Atan thought he had survived the calamity when he heard the first half of the sentence, but when he heard the rest of it, his face turned pale. Did he think he was foolish? Won¡¯t saying it lead him to being punished? Will he have any good outcomes after saying everything about his plan?

    Ming Yu knocked on the table not hurriedly nor slowly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t say it, you know that this Liangcheng is now Ben Wang¡¯s territory, your every move can¡¯t escape Ben Wang¡¯s eyes. Unless you leave Liangcheng right now¡­¡±

    This was naturally impossible. He had been here for more than ten years. His wife and aunt were from Liangcheng, and his children had also grown up here. How can his hard-to-get personal connections be lost all at once?

    Bu Atan was weighing the pros and cons in his heart, then he heard Ming Yu casually say: ¡°Have you ever thought about having your caravan escorted and protected by Ben Wang?¡±

    Bu Atan¡¯s hand trembled. The wine glass on the table rolled to the ground and broke apart. Everyone in the small shop looked over. Bu Atan smiled awkwardly and apologized: ¡°It was a slip of the hand, a slip of the hand.¡±

    He also called out to the female foreigner to remove the leftover food from the table and ordered a table of dishes again. At this time, Bu Atan¡¯s heart stabilized, and he pondered the meaning of the Duan Wang words in front of him.

 CH 12

    In the end, he still couldn¡¯t figure out the reason for the words, so his mind being harsh and blunt, he directly asked: ¡°Wangye, what do you mean?¡±

    Ming Yu no longer made things difficult for him. He smiled: ¡°Ben Wang wants to set up a caravan that can do business with countries in the Western Regions. You should know right? Our Great Yan Kingdom¡¯s tea, porcelain and goods made from woven silk are transported to the southern parts, to countries like the Wan Kingdom, Di Kingdom, Madan Kingdom, Hu Kingdom¡­..en, afterwards, those other countries¡¯ spices, gems and so on that are transported back to the Great Yan Kingdom are also very popular to sell.¡±

    Bu Atan was already stunned. He didn¡¯t expect that the prince of the Great Yan Kingdom could speak such words openly. He remembered that the Great Yan Kingdom had not yet allowed trade with other countries, right? Or had it unknowingly changed with the current political situation?

    He asked cautiously: ¡°Wangye, the rules of the Great Yan Kingdom have changed?¡±

    Ming Yu shook his head, ¡°Naturally not, but who is Ben Wang? The rules are set by our family. Do you think Ben Wang needs to abide by such rules?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Bu Atan was speechless. What Ming Yu said was the truth. The rules were always followed by the people below.

    ¡°Now, Ben Wang is the lord of this land. They can control you people, but can they control Ben Wang?¡± Ming Yu gave him reassurance.

    In fact, Ming Yu had always been thinking about this plan and had been paying attention to the situation in the Western Regions. When he arrived here, the first thing he immediately did was to come to the foreigners gathering place. Not because of fresh curiosity, but because he wanted to know more about the countries in the Western Regions.

    While still on the way here, the idea of ??forming a caravan was already in his mind.

    It¡¯s just that, he had just arrived and didn¡¯t understand everything, so he could only let it go for the time being.

    After coming to the boundary of Liangzhou, seeing the current situation here made him feel impatient. It¡¯s too barren and poor, everything must be changed.

    However, to change and create new things, to build this land, and to feed the commoners here, which one does not require a lot of money? Although he had the Emperor¡¯s reward in his hand, this was nothing but a drop of water in the bucket. Using a little will decrease it a little. Without increasing income and saving spending, sooner or later, it all will be spent.

    It¡¯s easy to speak about increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, but to increase revenue is a big problem. Liangzhou is this barren, so what could be the source of revenue? As for controlling the spending, haha, that was nothing. With places where robbers often visit, what things don¡¯t require people spending money?

    He heard Bu Atan¡¯s conversation just now and found out that he wanted to take a gamble and risk sending Great Yan¡¯s goods to the Western Regions for trade, so the idea of ??forming a caravan came out.

    That¡¯s right, hasn¡¯t he been worrying about the candidate for making a caravan? This was because there was no one around him who really understood the situation in the Western Regions countries.

    And what about Bu Atan? As a foreigner, no one knew these things better than him. When he first met him yesterday, he had a tenacity to have a clear view of things. Together with his current momentum, these were the best characteristics of a business person. And Ming Yu valued ??these points.

    As for whether he would do his best to help himself to handle matters, with regard to whether he was sincere or not, it didn¡¯t matter in Ming Yu¡¯s eyes. As long as there was enough interest involved, what should be chosen will be chosen. They were all smart people, and shouldn¡¯t make people speak too much. He believed that Bu Atan can weight and gauge things properly in his heart.

    Bu Atan¡¯s heartbeat speeded up at this moment, and his hands and feet trembled a little. He understood what Ming Yu meant. It was precisely because of this that he was so excited that he couldn¡¯t control himself.

    At the beginning, he could only fight a small fight on his own. Now if the prince joined him, he believed that with this kind of backing, he had already succeeded more than half of what he had planned.

    He squeezed his thigh hard, it was not a dream. He confirmed again and again: ¡°Wangye, you are not joking, right?¡±

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t speak. He drank the wine in the glass and stared at him with a smile.

    Bu Atan quickly picked up the wine cup, poured it respectfully, then scratched his head and smiled awkwardly: ¡°Heihei! Xiaoren¡¯s mouth is clumsy and does not know how to speak. Being capable of following Wangye, it¡¯s this Xiaoren¡¯s great fortune. Wangye, you just have to say your orders and Xiaoren will fearlessly climb mountains of swords and enter seas of flames, and will definitely do as you say.¡±

    He patted his chest to guarantee. With such a good thing, taking this opportunity to favor the prince of the Great Yan Kingdom, the future will be boundless. Only an idiot wouldn¡¯t agree to this kind of matter.

    Ming Yu nodded. It was nice to talk to smart people. You only need to mention a few words, and they would know how to choose the most beneficial option.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult task. You don¡¯t need to climb mountains of swords and enter seas of flames, you just need to form a caravan. As for the goods, Ben Wang will find a way. When the time comes, Ben Wang will send someone to contact you and discuss all the cooperation matters.¡±

    This request was not difficult. Bu Atan repeatedly agreed. He originally intended to make a caravan. Although it was a small scale, he didn¡¯t dare to be open about it. He had already contacted many people privately, and today he was also persuading his old friend to join, only then did he run into Ming Yu.

    Now, if he was going to work for Duan Wang, he had to consider this matter again more carefully. Moreover, it must be trustworthy people. As for the size of the caravan that Duan Wang wants to form, he has to listen to the arrangements of the prince.

    ¡°Ben Wang still has an important task here.¡± Ming Yu said, looking at Bu Atan. Seeing him listening with respectful attention, he continued: ¡°Ben Wang wants you to collect seeds. No matter what kind of seeds, as long as the Great Yan does not have it, Ben Wang needs them. Remember, no matter how precious gems and spices are, they are no better than these seeds in my heart. Do you understand?¡±

    This world was not the same as the original world. Many things in later generations were rarely seen or absent here. He was also able to understand this. He remembered that many crops in later generations were obtained after the opening of the Silk Road, and was slowly being introduced by foreign countries. Although Ming Yu was not sure if there were any of these seeds, or whether the seeds were still in their original places, it was still an unknown factor. Right now, it is still necessary to draw attention to it.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Bu Atan was stunned. He saw Ming Yu¡¯s solemn expression. At first he thought that the task Ming Yu would say would be a difficult task, but after listening to Ming Yu¡¯s words, there was only a question mark in his heart. That¡¯s it? Collecting seeds? Did he really hear it correctly, or did the prince say it wrong?

    However, Ming Yu¡¯s serious and firm tone made him can¡¯t help but believe that everything he said was true. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t understand, what¡¯s so valuable about this kind of thing? Wangye even regarded it as more valuable than gems and spices. However, the prince had handed him a small matter. Other things he might not be able to do, but this thing was a trivial matter, so it was absolutely no problem.

    Although he was puzzled in his mind, from the beginning to the end, he never asked anything more. He knew that he had to grasp his own position. This kind of opportunity was hard to come by, thus it was better to do more and ask less.

    Upon seeing this, Ming Yu was very satisfied with his tactful understanding. With this kind of partner, he would be relieved a lot.

    This matter, naturally, cannot be accomplished overnight. For a caravan to be formed, in addition to manpower, one also needs goods. He didn¡¯t have anything in his hands now, so what will he trade with then?

    Therefore, after the two separated, Bu Atan went to find someone he could trust, and Ming Yu immediately began to write letters after returning home.

    The only person in the capital who could help him was His Highness the crown prince. Crown Prince Ming Ye, who was born of the same mother as him. When Ming Yu was in the palace, Ming Ye often came to visit him. Apart from the emperor, Ming Yu was relatively close to him.

    It was Prince Ming Ye that he wrote the letter to, to ask him to provide the supply of goods. Which of the princes in the capital did not have his own property? The palace paid a bit of salary every month. Where could these royal descendants and grandchildren squander it? Therefore, when they were a little older, capable people would operate their own properties and these properties would have specialized people to take care of them. Thus, they only need to pay tribute every year.

    Ming Yu was a little silly when he was a child, and the palace was full of fighting and scheming. Thus, he was left without anyone to be considerate of his needs. Except for Qingping, there was only a loyal and devoted servant. No one had considered his property issues. Therefore, Ming Yu now only had what the emperor gave when he left the capital, and nothing else.

    Now he had no choice but to ask the crown prince to help. He knew that Ming Ye also had a lot of properties in Jiangnan, and his request should just be a trivial matter. Moreover, when the caravan returns, won¡¯t the goods of other countries have to go through the hands of the crown prince to be sold too? When the time comes, earning money will sound like gurgling water.

    In the letter, Ming Yu stated his plan in an extravagant embellishment. He even promised a bright future. In the future, he would share the account with the crown prince equally in half. He did not believe that the crown prince would not be persuaded by him.

    Of course, he also had to write a letter to request this of the Emperor. It was stated to be a request, but it was only to inform him, so that the Emperor would keep it a secret. After all, this kind of matter of going abroad for trade was not allowed in the Great Yan Kingdom. In the future, if someone tried to play him and giving him small shoes to wear (try to put him in a difficult situation), he will say he had reported it, then there would be no inconvenience. As for the follow-up, it will be the Emperor¡¯s headache.

    Ming Yu wrote a letter happily, but he didn¡¯t know that when the letter was delivered, the Emperor was worried and balding with concerns.

    At this time, Ming Yu didn¡¯t care about this. In the following days, he tidied up his affairs, built a training base, and inspected his territory situation. He was so busy that his feet could not even touch the ground.

    Fortunately, Prefectural Magistrate Liu had finally sent an official that knew the territory situation well according to his request. He was called Xu Wen, a young man with a flexible mind, and he had been a small official here for many years. Thus, it could be considered that he knew everything here like the back of his hand.

    Xu Wen had been here for many years and the most powerful official he had seen here was the Prefectural Magistrate Daren. He heard that he was going to be sent to serve as a servant in Duan Wang¡¯s residence, so he was nervous for several days.

    This was the prince, a very noble, respectful and matchless person in the royal family. Being able to work for the prince was a good thing that other people could only envy. Although he had also heard some bad deeds of this Duan Wangye, as long as he could be a little quick-witted and work hard, maybe he could obtain this Wangye¡¯s recognition! Then, will he still need to worry about his career at this point in time?

    Xu Wen was excited and nervous to proceed toward Duan Wang¡¯s mansion to report for duty. He was still speculating about what errand Wangye would give him. Then, someone came to pass on a message to tell him to join Wangye¡¯s carriage.

    He was taken aback for a moment. He came to the Wangye¡¯s mansion to run an errand, what does he need to go with the prince for? He grabbed the person who came forward and asked with a cheeky smile.

    As the saying goes, you don¡¯t hit the smiling man with your hand. The man also knew that this Xu Daren especially came to the prince mansion, and it was not good to pull a long face at people. He just muttered, ¡°This is Wangye¡¯s order. This lowly person also doesn¡¯t know anything. If Xu Daren really wants to know, you can simply go and ask Wangye.¡±

    How could Xu Wen dare to ask the prince. He embarrassingly withdrew his hand. That man looked at him like this, and thought that he would be doing things for Wangye in the future, so he sold him a good card, and said, ¡°Xu Daren, please be at ease. Our Wangye is very easy to talk to, you can just go and do what Wangye had ordered, and it will be fine.¡±

    Xu Wen nodded again and again, thanking that person for mentioning it to him, then he waited alongside him for Duan Wang¡¯s carriage to arrive.

 CH 13

    As soon as Ji You returned to the Red Robe Army, he went to the tent in the center to find General Xie to report the mission.

    When he arrived in front of the tent, he tidied up his appearance nervously while waiting. He had been with General Xie for several years already as General Xie¡¯s personal guard. But he still felt nervous every time he saw General Xie.

    Ugh! Having said that, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone who isn¡¯t nervous when seeing General Xie, right? Just facing that all year round cold face, their hearts were chilled.

    After a while, the person who passed him the message let him in. Ji You relaxed his mind. After thanking him, he strode into the tent.

    Xie Yixiu sat behind the table. He was dealing with official duties with a pen and scribbling rapidly by himself.

    Ji You cupped his hands in salute, ¡°General, Mojiang* was fortunate enough to survive and come back after successfully completing the mission.¡± After finishing speaking, he also reported the process of the escort back to him.

    (Mojiang: this subordinate but used for military)

    ¡°En, Got it.¡± The pen in Xie Yixiu¡¯s hand paused, then without raising his eyes, he just said in a cold voice.

    It is reasonable to say that Ji You should leave after reporting his own affairs, but he did not move his foot, both hands were rubbing each other restlessly.

    Xie Yixiu wrote for a passage of time, then found that the person was still there. He raised his eyes to look at him and said coldly: ¡°Is there something else?¡±

    Ji You nodded in embarrassment, ¡°Mojiang still has something else to report to General.¡± He quietly measured the General Daren, and said boldly, ¡°It¡¯s about Duan Wang.¡±

    Xie Yixiu frowned, what¡¯s the matter with Duan Wang? He originally was impatient to listen to these trivial matters. However, looking at Ji You¡¯s appearance that was at a loss of what to do, the words that wanted to refuse were swallowed back down. He changed his tone: ¡°Speak.¡±

    Ji You was overjoyed and quickly told Ming Yu¡¯s request at the time when he was bidding him farewell.

    After Xie Yixiu listened, he put down the pen in his hand. ¡°You mean, Duan Wang requested to dispatch two Red-Robed soldiers to assist him in training the imperial guards from the capital?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ji You nodded: ¡°Previously, when we were on the way, Mojiang occasionally heard him mention about building a training ground. Moreover, the name of those trainings apparently seem to be very different.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t even heard many of the things Ming Yu said at the beginning. He sneered when he first heard it. What can a prince who only knows how to eat, drink and have fun know about training troops? It was just drawing a gourd from the model. (copying things without understanding or any originality)

    Many things that Ming Yu proposed, he thought it was funny at first. What station formation? What five-kilometer running? Such a simple thing can also be used for training? Shouldn¡¯t real troop training be trained with swords, spear, blades and halberds used to chop, split, cut, and stab? Is it possible that you can kill the enemy by just standing there or by running and jumping? It¡¯s too childish.

    Hehe! It¡¯s extremely ridiculous. Sure enough, it was just a way for the spoiled rich son to have fun, that¡¯s all. However, when he calmed down and thought about it, he felt that it was not that simple, but he couldn¡¯t tell the reason why.

    This was also one of the reasons why he agreed to help Ming Yu to inquire. If their General agreed to send someone over, then he could figure out what was that strange feeling in his heart.

    He said everything he had heard in full detail. In the end, he also said his own thoughts, then waited anxiously while looking at his General Daren.

    Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t care about it at the beginning, but with his intuition of many years, he only needed to think a little about it, and he found the difference in this kind of training. Long-distance running every day can train people¡¯s endurance and physical strength, and station formation can also train the soldiers¡¯ obedience capability very well. The training of soldiers in the army is all about training soldiers to be familiar with following orders and being proficient in practicing weapons. He had no choice but to say that Ming Yu¡¯s training was very comprehensive and suitable for personal combat capabilities.

    ¡°These are all what Duan Wang said?¡± Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold face had a difficult to detect astonished look.

    Ji You didn¡¯t notice it. He nodded repeatedly and said, ¡°It is what Duan Wang personally said.¡± Seeing that Xie Yixiu seemed to be thinking over it, he said: ¡°Mojiang had escorted His Highness Duan Wang throughout the whole journey, and after staying in contact all those days, I¡¯ve also found out that he wasn¡¯t like the rumors at all.¡±

    Many people knew of the rumors about Duan Wang, and he found that this Royal Highness Duan Wang and the one in the rumors were two different people. He had been observing for a long time in secret, if it was a pretense, it would be impossible not to reveal the tiniest clues. Sometimes he could expose that true nature outside unconsciously.

    He believed in his own vision, and what he saw was the real, unpretentious Duan Wang.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s mind suddenly floated up to the boy he had a fateful encounter with at the time. A person with such insight was indeed not like an imperious and domineering good for nothing fool.

    At that time, if he had met him once, maybe he would have had a genuine pleasant surprise. However, this thought only flashed through his mind. Xie Yixiu was not someone who would regret things. At that time, Duan Wang had come to meet him, he was really busy with his affairs, and on the other hand, he didn¡¯t want to get too involved with him. If he missed it then he missed it, there was nothing to be regretful about.

    Xie Yixiu thought about it for a long time, then finally decided: ¡°Okay, since that¡¯s the case, then you and Cao Jian will go.¡± One matter shouldn¡¯t bother two masters. Ji You stayed with Duan Wang for so long, so everything was relatively familiar. It was best for him to lead and train these imperial guards.

    Upon hearing this, Ji You had a bitter face. It wasn¡¯t easy to come back. He wanted to follow the general to go into battle. Now he had him go back to help Duan Wang to handle some training, how could he be willing?

    ¡°General, you saw me return with great difficulty. Could you give this mission to someone else? In any case, whoever goes will still be the same, why must it be me?¡± Ji You said pitifully.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold gaze swept over, and Ji You froze immediately. He withered, grumbled and looked at Xie Yixiu with grievances.

    He was also his personal guard, if it was someone else, who would dare to negotiate with him? ¡°Since everyone going is the same, is there any difference? After you go, you will report the training process and results honestly back.¡± Xie Yixiu ordered.

    His purpose was also to see if the training method proposed by Duan Wang can really surprise him.

    Now that General Xie said so, Ji You also knew that the matter had already been decided, there was no room for change. He really had crushed his own foot while trying to lift the rock. If he had known earlier that it would be like this, he definitely would never have agreed to His Royal Highness Duan Wang to come back to talk about this matter.

    Since it couldn¡¯t be changed, he could only fight for his own benefit as much as possible.  Ji You knew this well, and reluctantly agreed. He put on a hesitant expression wanting to say something.

    Xie Yixiu frowned as he saw, ¡°Speak if you have anything else to say!¡±

    Ji You hurriedly said with a mischievous smile on his face: ¡°General, Mojiang promises to complete the task, but after this mission, can the general let Mojiang be the vanguard in the next battle against the barbarians?¡±

    It is necessary to talk about the conditions that can be mentioned. He had already accepted the compromise, so this kind of small request should still be mentioned. It¡¯s great to be on a vanguard, as long as he can attack and slay a few barbarians, what could this small grievance be regarded as?

    Xie Yixiu was helpless against this shameless Ji You. If he didn¡¯t agree, he was afraid that he would be nagged until he agreed. This request was of no great matter, so he simply agreed.

    Ji You happily said goodbye and left. Being able to exchange this for being a vanguard, if he said it out loud, he¡¯s afraid it will lead fellow soldiers to be envious and jealous of him. Hahaha!

    Not mentioning Ji You¡¯s beautiful bubbling thoughts, Ming Yu¡¯s carriage had already driven all the way out of the city.

    At this moment, Xu Wen was sitting upright in the carriage. Opposite him was Ming Yu, who was leaning, reclining his body down.

    Facing His Highness Duan Wang, Xu Wen felt very stressed and pressured. With the atmosphere, he did not dare to take a breath.

    This carriage was very spacious and shiny, with thick mattresses underneath the body, so the people sitting on it felt very comfortable and soft. But Xu Wen, nevertheless, felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, wishing that the farther away he was, the better.

    ¡°Relax, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Ming Yu has said this many times, but it still had no effect. Seeing Xu Daren sitting upright, Ming Yu felt tired for him.

    Xu Wen nodded, but sat even more upright.

    Ming Yu helplessly placed his hand on his forehead. He could only bring up the main topic to talk about. Maybe talking like this would gradually relieve his nervousness. ¡°Xu Daren doesn¡¯t look like a person here, right? Where are you from? How long have you been here?¡± Ming Yu began to chit-chat casually about ordinary daily life.

    ¡°Report to Wangye¡­..¡± Xu Wen cupped his hands and reported back, but was stopped by Ming Yu.

    ¡°Both of us are just chitchatting, it¡¯s not official business, so don¡¯t be like this.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Wen replied, then cautiously and solemnly answered: ¡°My Xu family¡¯s ancestors were from Suzhou, and it was in my father¡¯s generation that we moved here. So, Chen was born in Liangzhou.¡±

    (Chen: I, your lowly servant, speaking from low officials to prince or king or emperor)

    ¡°How many people are there in your family?¡±

    ¡°Chen¡¯s parents are still alive, and I still have my wife and young children.¡± When talking about his family, Xu Wen¡¯s tone was a little more cheerful, and his body was not as tense.

    ¡°Not bad. With this kind of harmony at home, you can work with peace of mind when you are away.¡± Ming Yu was very pleased and said with a smile: ¡°You grew up here, and you know more about the commoners¡¯ conditions, that¡¯s why I arranged for you to come over. You can tell Ben Wang about the folk customs here and the surrounding geographical environment, these kinds of things.¡±

    Talking to Duan Wang really felt like a spring breeze. Xu Wen¡¯s nervousness gradually relaxed. ¡°Chen will say all that Chen knows without any reservations.¡±

    Ming Yu was satisfied. He lifted one leg and changed to a comfortable lying position. Leaning on the small case table with his hand supporting half of his head, he said with a smile: ¡°That¡¯s perfect, we will go out of the city to visit the villages today. Do you have any good suggestions?

    When Xu Wen heard this, he was shocked. He only heard that Duan Wang¡¯s carriage was going outside the city, and he didn¡¯t dare to ask where they were going. He could only follow and get in the carriage. Before leaving the city, Duan Wang asked someone to tell him to get on the prince¡¯s carriage. He thought that Wangye was looking for him because he had something important for him. Unexpectedly, as soon as he got into the carriage, Duan Wang told him to sit down and told him to talk and accompany him. This is why there was the chit-chat about normal family stuff just now.

    Now, Wangye¡¯s intention was to go all around the place to see the villages in his territory? Although Wangye can inspect his territory at any time, this place was not like other places. Outside Liangzhou city was very dangerous, not to mention the barbarians had swept past to invade and loot just recently. Even if there were no barbarians, some treacherous bandits could be extremely evil.

    ¡°Wangye, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s inappropriate to go.¡± Xu Wen persuaded.

    Wangye¡¯s precious gold body, how could he go to such a dangerous place in person? If something were to happen, even with ten thousand deaths, they wouldn¡¯t escape the blame.

    ¡°What¡¯s not appropriate?¡± Ming Yu smiled, but it was not a smile. Nevertheless, he also understood Xu Wen¡¯s concerns. But he didn¡¯t intend to change his course.

 CH 14

    ¡°A nobleman shouldn¡¯t stand under a dangerous wall. The places outside Liangzhou are not stable.¡± Xu Wen cupped his hands and said it as tactfully as possible.

    ¡°Ben Wang knows what you mean, but if one is too scared to go out because there are bandits near his home, then what good does Ben Wang have in coming here?¡± Ming Yu said with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s more, Ben Wang is just going to inspect his own territory.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Xu Wen couldn¡¯t refute it.

    Ming Yu took out a map from a drawer on the side. He spread it in front of Xu Wen, tapped his finger and asked, ¡°According to Xu Daren, where should we go first?¡±

    Xu Wen settled his mind and his eyes fell on the map. In fact, he didn¡¯t need to look at the map. The whole terrain of Liangzhou was in his heart. When he was young, he followed his father and ran this way and that. Later, he became a small sesame official and traveled everywhere all over Liangzhou.

    At this moment, he pondered in his heart. His opinion and whether Wangye listened to it or not was secondary. The most important thing was where Wangye wanted to go, and what was Wangye¡¯s purpose for this trip? Was it merely to inspect his own territory?

    His train of thoughts went back and forth for a while. Seeing Ming Yu¡¯s waiting appearance, Xu Wen clenched his teeth, then pointed to the nearest village to Liangcheng. The closer the village was to Liangcheng, relatively speaking, it was also safer.

    Ming Yu glanced at him with a smile yet not a smile. Without making things difficult for him, he nodded and said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go there today.¡± He gave the order after finished speaking.

    Xu Wen sighed. He was afraid that Duan Wang would not listen to his words and persist with his view. Now it seems that Wangye was quite easy to talk to.

    Ming Yu put down the map and once again talked about the commoners¡¯ livelihood in Liangzhou. Most of it was Xu Wen talking, while Ming Yu listened attentively, and occasionally raised one or two questions.  Xu Wen also answered all of them one by one.

    The carriage advanced forward quite fast, thus, the group arrived in the village close to noon. There were some people watching the carriage and went back to report. Someone squeezed the hoe in his hand, poked their head out cautiously, and asked the half a wall tall person from a far: ¡°Who had come and why have they come?¡±

    It¡¯s not strange for them to be cautious and timid. They have been wreaked havoc by barbarian invaders and bandits. Only seeing that the carriages did not look like those of the barbarians, bandits and so on, did they dare to inquire.

    Immediately someone stepped forward and answered on behalf of Ming Yu, ¡°We are merchants from Qingzhou, passing by this place. Is it possible to stop on our way for a rest here?¡±

    This speech was what Ming Yu had already explained at an earlier time. Their troops were indeed built as a caravan scale, so in this way, it would not arouse suspicion.

    Hearing the answer, the villagers obviously relaxed a little. Several people gathered together muttering to discuss. Before they could consult for the reason, they saw a bunch of people following an old man out. The old man in front should be of high position, since the villagers¡¯ attitude toward him was respectful.

    When the few villagers saw the old man, they quickly greeted him. One of them whispered what he had just said.

    When the old man heard this, he carefully sized up Ming Yu and their carriages. Seeing that it was indeed a caravan, he stepped forward and said with a smile: ¡°Everyone, please don¡¯t blame us for our negligence. Lao Xiu is the village head. These sirs had come from afar and there isn¡¯t anything inside the village, but we can still offer these sirs to drink a bowl of water.¡±

    (Lao Xiu: form of address from old people, it¡¯s like I but in elderly address, lol)

    Ming Yu had already gotten out of the carriage. Hearing the village head say this kind of thing, he clasped his hands together to thank him. Then, he ordered everyone else to rest on the spot. He took Xu Wen and a few of his personal guards into the village.

    Seeing that only a few of them entered the village, the villagers finally let go of their guards from the bottom of their hearts and their actions also became excited.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a caravan coming over for many years now. Why have Ming Gongzi come to Liangzhou? Liangzhou is not peaceful.¡± The village head led Ming Yu and the others into the village. They had introduced each other just now, and he also knew that this caravan was owned by this, Ming Gongzi.

    (Ming Yu + Gongzi = Ming Gongzi)

    Ming Gongzi¡¯s caravan unexpectedly arrived here safe and sound in good condition. It could be said that Ming Gongzi¡¯s luck was quite good. It¡¯s not that there were no caravans coming to this side before. However, in recent years, the fire of war between the border of the Great Yan and Suixi Kingdom had intensified and there were even more bandits carrying blades to break into houses for robbery. Today¡¯s Liangzhou territory was really a dangerous place, and many merchants have long since stopped coming here.

    It was a miracle to be able to see a caravan of this size today. In recent years, there had been frequent wars in the borderland, thus there were rarely any caravans that came over.

    ¡°Hai! I also don¡¯t have any choice. I had a big argument with my family and received an order. I must make some achievements first before I can go back with peace of mind. As the saying goes, riches, honor and danger come together. So, how could I not want to give it a try?¡± Ming Yu spread his hands and said helplessly.

    Xu Wen¡¯s eyes twitched when he heard this. His Highness¡¯s ability to lie through one¡¯s teeth was really matchless.

    The village head seemed to believe what he said and had no choice but to believe it. This youngster Gongzi, who was as round as pearls and as smooth as jade, from one glance, one would know he came from a rich family. Young people do everything with enthusiasm. Saying something about looking for riches, honor and danger, he¡¯s afraid it was a newborn calf who doesn¡¯t fear a tiger.

    ¡°Ai! Young man, Lao Xiu advises you to leave Liangzhou, this dangerous place, as soon as possible!¡± After the village head finished speaking, seeing Ming Yu nod his head, but obviously doing it only for show, he stopped talking. His words ended here. It was up to him to listen or not. In short, he can¡¯t control what others do.

    ¡°Village head uncle said that Liangzhou is dangerous, but Xiaozi didn¡¯t see anything dangerous when I traveled all the way here.¡± Ming Yu pretended to be puzzled and asked.

    (Xiaozi: I, but speaking from kids or young people to old people)

    The village head shook his head. It may be assumed that it was because of this fellow¡¯s good luck. Hearsay, a while ago, General Xie of the Red Robe Army had set out to wipe out the intruders. With the prestige and glory of General Xie, the other bandits should have gotten wind of this and tucked their tails in between their legs, behaving themselves in integrity. That¡¯s why this fellow has not encountered them. However, not running into one doesn¡¯t mean that there aren¡¯t bandits here.

    ¡°You are an outsider, so you¡¯re not aware of it. Wars are frequent here. Not to mention there are barbarians who invaded from time to time, bursting into Liangzhou to loot. There are also bandits coming out from the mountains to loot. The commoners have suffered no small consequences. With your people¡¯s caravan coming over here, if you run into these kinds of people, life and properties will have to be left behind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that serious?¡± Although Ming Yu was prepared, he couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard this, pretending to be worried. ¡°Leaving aside barbarians invaders, those black-hearted humans, but aren¡¯t the strength of those bandits inferior to the barbarians? Why don¡¯t the local garrison send people to suppress them? Why let those bandits make trouble in this place?¡±

    Hearing Ming Yu¡¯s words, Xu Wen¡¯s forehead broke out in cold sweat. What did Wangye mean by this? Is he possibly blaming them? But he couldn¡¯t believe it would fall on the head of the local garrisons!

    The old village head had a wise and farsighted vision. He explained with a smile: ¡°You can¡¯t say it like that. Firstly, the garrison needs to defend the frontier from the barbarian armies and the military strength is scarce. Second, those bandits are crafty and cunning. They never commit a crime in one place. As soon as they hear the officers and soldiers are coming, they would have long since fled to hide. The officers and soldiers always rush into thin air.¡±

    Ming Yu only thought about it a bit and he already understood the reason why. Whenever the soldiers sent armed forces to suppress bandits, they would always make big noises. So, as long as a secret agent inquired about it, they would know and send a letter in advance for them to plan to escape on time and make those soldiers catch thin air.

    He recalled the previous invasion by barbarians with only a hundred people. Their actions were like the wind, and several villages suffered calamities in just that short period of time. If it weren¡¯t for the dispatched General Xie of the Red Robe Army, then he was afraid it would not be so easy to wipe them out.

    ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Ming Yu rubbed his fingers, his frowned brows tightened.

    The village head shook his head and sighed, ¡°How many people are like General Xie in the Great Yan Kingdom?¡±

    Only with General Xie setting out can one intimidate those bandits, but General Xie is already busy with his business. How can he be distracted by these trivial things when he wants to deal with the confrontational barbarian army?

    When the few people arrived in the village head¡¯s house, they sat down and rested. The house where the village head was living in was considered to be better compared to the whole village. However, the house was still the same as the others before, only left with four bare walls. There were also a few decent pieces of furniture. There was a big Kang(heatable brick bed) in the middle of the house for people to sit cross-legged.

    The juniors in the family who received the order brought a few bowls of water over, and there were a few children at the doorway clinging to the door frame, exposing several little heads. It may be assumed that they were the village head¡¯s young descendants. They watched eagerly as Ming Yu picked up the bowl and took a sip of water, then licked his lips.

    Ming Yu was taken aback. There was a slight sweet aftertaste in his mouth. It may be assumed that the master of the house, in order to not appear rude to the guests, had especially added precious sugar powder inside the water. These children, each and every one of them, coveted with envy for this sweet water.

    Sugar powder was just an ordinary thing in the capital, but here it was classified as a precious thing. People here didn¡¯t have enough food to eat. How could they buy useless things like sugar powder, so it was normal for children to be envious.

    Ming Yu beckoned them to come in. Several children looked back and forth at each other, then finally came in front of Ming Yu curiously. Ming Yu took out a delicate pouch from his sleeve, grabbed a handful of candied fruit from it, and handed it to them. This was what Qingping had prepared for him this morning. Occasionally, Ming Yu may have some symptoms of hypoglycemia when he wakes up early, so he often had sweet things like candied fruits prepared on his body.

    The children glanced at their grandfather, and saw that the grandfather had no objection. They happily took it, thanked him, and ran out with hoots of laughter.

    The village head kindly looked at the back of the children leaving, ¡°Children are not sensible, so visitors, please don¡¯t take offense from them.¡±

    Ming Yu waved his hand to indicate that it was fine, then continued the previous topic and asked: ¡°I saw that the living conditions here are difficult. Did the officials not think of a plan for this?¡±

    ¡°What choice could they have? The grain produced in the field nowadays will attract barbarians to invade like the autumn wind every time it matures. The painstaking hard work throughout the year has become the things inside someone¡¯s else bag in an instant. Those barbarians are brutal in nature. Their fighting strength, besides General Xie¡¯s Red Robe Army, when other armies confronted them, nine out of ten would lose their helmets and armors and be utterly defeated. Ai! it would be good if they could grab some food without hurting people. But they directly slaughter the villages and take the women and children away.¡± The village head said all of this from the bottom of his heart, and his words were filled with helplessness. ¡°It is precisely because of this that the life of the people in Liangzhou is not good from one year to the next. We are still good here, being not far away from Liangzhou. In other distant places, people¡¯s lives are more like having today but without a tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why¡­ why don¡¯t you move out of this place?¡± Ming Yu asked with some difficulty, but he said what was in his heart.

    ¡°Hai! Our ancestors have been here for generations, this place is our root, where can we go? In fact, we also know it in our hearts. Furthermore, we still have the soldiers ahead to protect us, and we believe they are capable of defeating the barbarians. At that time, we will be able to live peacefully. ¡°

    Isn¡¯t the commoners¡¯ greatest wish to be safe and stable?

 CH 15

    When he came out, Ming Yu¡¯s eyes were slightly red, and his mood was very heavy. After truly being in contact with the commoners, he understood them a lot more. Ming Yu felt that the burden on him was heavy, and the commoners shouldn¡¯t be carrying that much. Most of them were kind and simple. They only asked for their lives to be peaceful, and that would already be their greatest fortune.

    The wars since ancient times have brought disaster for the innocent commoners. The only way to solve the problem from the source is to stop the war. The solution is either to negotiate for peace or to knock the enemy down.

    ¡°Xu Daren, do you know the reason for the war between the Great Yan and Suixi Kingdom?¡± Mingyu only knew that the disputes between the two countries had a long history. The Great Yan people hated them to their bones and the people of Suixi Kingdom were brave and fierce, they often invaded the Great Yan Kingdom¡¯s border.

    What he knew now was really too little, no matter how he planned. Nevertheless, know yourself, know your enemy, only then could he have the ability to have methods to deal with it.

    Because His Highness was in a bad mood, those who accompanied him did not dare to provoke him, and only followed silently. Xu Wen was even more cautious and did not dare to breathe out loudly.

    Hearing Ming Yu¡¯s question at this time, Xu Wen followed two steps closer. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°The Great Yan and Suixi Kingdom are close to each other. Ever since the day the Great Yan was founded, the two countries had already been crossing swords with each other. It was because the Suixi Kingdom¡¯s barbarians grazed to make a living, so many of their supplies and goods were extremely scarce. It used to be tolerable before, no more than a scale amount. But during the fall harvest of food time, small groups of barbarians would come to snatch some food and leave after snatching them. It¡¯s the strike of the autumn wind that everyone often talked about.¡±

    He paused, and found that Wangye was listening very seriously, and continued: ¡°However, in the past few years, Suixi Kingdom had been suffering from natural disasters continuously. I heard that many cattle and sheep had been frozen to death. As a result, many barbarians have also died of starvation. Then, at that time, Tuo Bahong, the new Han* of the barbarians came in power. He was outstanding, ambitious and vigorous. In order to divert the barbarian¡¯s grief, he started a war against the Great Yan. They obtained great benefits in the war, therefore, they weren¡¯t able to stop themselves. It is precisely because of this that the barbarians send out large armies to take the cities and seize territories every year, and had captured many of the Great Yan¡¯s commoners.¡±

    (Han: king but term used for barbarians, if you¡¯ve watched C-drama then you would hear that Kehan, kedun, so basically they¡¯s like emperor and empress)

    ¡°Most of these abducted people, those who were physically strong, were sold like animals and became slaves. Women and children were also sold to the rich and powerful officials for pleasure and entertainment.¡±

    This place, Liangzhou, with nine out of ten rooms empty, except for the people who were slaughtered, most of them were abducted to become slaves or victims of war.

    Xu Wen spoke slowly. Everyone who heard it gritted their teeth in anger. Ming Yu tightened his clenched fists. He looked up to the sky and took a long, deep sigh. What are these commoners¡¯ sins to suffer this kind of cruel calamity?

    He was now the king of this place, and he had the responsibility and obligation to protect the people in his territory. He must think of a way to change this situation of being trampled on.

    Ming Yu looked back at the auspicious and peaceful village not far away. This auspiciousness and peacefulness was merely in appearance. They had no idea when they would be trampled on by the enemy¡¯s armored horses. He only hoped that the village would be truly auspicious and peaceful next time he came.

    In the next few days, Ming Yu visited many different villages and learned many things.

    Afterwards, Ming Yu returned to the prince¡¯s mansion and stayed in the study room for three whole days. He ordered Xu Wen to find a lot of books about Liangzhou and Suixi Kingdom, and read them slowly by himself. Whenever he encountered any difficulties, he would invite Xu Daren to come and ask. Fortunately, Xu Wen was indeed a talented person and many questions were all easily solved by him. Because of this, Xu Wen was always prepared to answer His Highness¡¯s questions and within a few days, Xu Wen¡¯s eye circles were dark. His whole person was floating when he walked.

    Xu Wen stared at Ming Yu, watching him write and draw on the paper. There were even words that he could not understand, or it could be said that he had never seen these kinds of characters before. Xu Wen was a passionate person, and he knew most of the Sui language from the Suixi Kingdom, but he didn¡¯t know anything at all from Mingyu¡¯s very simple strokes.

    It¡¯s a pity that Ming Yu didn¡¯t know his thoughts. He only minded his own businesses and wrote down the vague thoughts in his mind, gradually refining them. He repeatedly deduced the feasibility of the method. Furthermore, he also used a calculation formula to calculate the way for his own method to save up manpower and resources.

    Ming Yu rubbed the swelling in between his eyebrows and stopped writing. Xu Wen asked, ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing?¡±

    Ming Yu remembered that Xu Wen had come early at dawn, and after asking two questions, he completely put him at the back of his head and forgot about him. Xu Wen didn¡¯t leave either. He just stayed silently at the side without uttering any noise to disturb him. Although he didn¡¯t know what Duan Wang was busy with, he would have questions to ask him here and there, so it would be better for him to just be there on standby.

    Ming Yu figured out a few things at this time and felt quite happy. He smiled and said: ¡°If we want the commoners to live a stable life, we must first find a way to deal with internal troubles. Here I have figured out some ways to deal with the bandits and barbarians invaders. Xu Daren, why don¡¯t you take a look to see if there is any oversight here?¡±

    Xu Wen was taken aback. What did His Highness Duan Wang just say? How to deal with bandits and barbarians? His Royal Highness had been neglecting sleep and forgetting about food these days so he could think of these kinds of plans? However, these bandits and barbarians have been a calamity for a long time. It¡¯s not that no one tried to figure out a solution, but it was just helpless and incapable of being solved.

    Now His Highness Duan Wang actually said that there is a way? How can Xu Wen not be stunned by this? It took a long time for him to retrieve his voice, ¡°Your Highness, is what you said true? There really is a solution?¡±

    Ming Yu picked up a neat stack of papers full of plans on the table. He nodded and said: ¡°Naturally it is true.¡± After speaking, he handed the paper to Xu Wen. ¡°You can take a look at it first, and ask any questions after you finish reading it.¡±

    Xu Wen took it carefully. From the beginning, to be honest, His Highness¡¯s handwriting cannot be described as nice. The curvings looked like the shape of a dragon, he could only figure it out with great difficulty. It was really not that different from children¡¯s writing in school.

    From the onset, Xu Wen read it quickly. His memorization ability was strong, so he just needed to sweep through it one glance, and he could remember almost all of it. However, after turning two pages, his reading speed clearly slowed down. From ten lines at a glance to one row to one line, even the places that were paused between words and sentences were all hard to let go.

    In the end, Xu Wen¡¯s eyes were shining and the excitement in his eyes had long been revealed. He strolled around in a circle twice, then asked: ¡°Your Highness, this¡­this plan really can be used?¡± Before Ming Yu could answer, he clenched his fists and waved, minding his own business and said excitedly: ¡°It could be successful, it certainly will be successful.¡±

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    Ming Yu smiled without saying a word. He took a sip of the tea on the table that had long been cold, and immediately the bitter taste made his entire face wrinkle. He then remembered that he had ordered Qingping to serve especially strong tea, which would be good for refreshing and clearing the mind.

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    Xu Wen fell into deep thought. He carefully studied Ming Yu¡¯s paper and deduced it in his head. Then he bowed to Ming Yu, ¡°Your Highness¡¯s plan will definitely solve the current troubles. Let this subordinate thank you on behalf of the commoners.¡±

    Ming Yu helped him up and said with a smile: ¡°The people under the jurisdiction of the territory are originally the responsibility of Ben Wang. There is no need for you to express thanks, but can you speak your opinion first?¡±

    Xu Wen pondered for a while before organizing his sentence and said: ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the first method that Your Highness proposed. First, it is to let the commoners in the village patrol the village every day, and even build a watch house. If there are any news of the enemy positions, then they can notify the others in advance and let them prepare for enemy attack. Second, have everyone dig complicated tunnel channels that secretly connect each household together, so that everyone can hide in the case of an enemy attack. They can also hide the extra food and financial assets in each household into the tunnel to leave nothing for the invaders. In this way, if bandits or barbarians come, there will be no damage, and the commoners can hide in advance. This will have the enemies rushing into thin air, and obtaining nothing. This method is indeed wonderful!¡± He stroked his palms and exclaimed in admiration. He sincerely admired Ming Yu for being able to come up with this kind of method. However, he paused, and raised his own question, ¡°It¡¯s just that if the enemy finds out any clues and uses water to flood and fire to attack, could the commoners¡¯ safety be guaranteed?¡±

    Xu Wen arrived at the critical point as soon as he asked, proving that he indeed had carefully pondered over Ming Yu¡¯s plan. Ming Yu was very satisfied. His brain was indeed intelligent. Xu Wen¡¯s performance these days, Ming Yu saw him and regarded as a rare and hard to come by talented person. Previously, he was just a small official in the prefectural government who took care of papers, records and so on. It really was a waste of talent.

    Ming Yu nodded, ¡°Naturally, these must be considered in advance. The tunnel is like a maze, and the tunnel entrance is set in a hidden place. It would not be easy for an average person to find it. Even if one found the entrance and even if people who don¡¯t know of it enters, they still wouldn¡¯t find anything. If the enemy is all alone, two fists would find it challenging to match four hands. The commoners can handle it easily. With the talk about using water to flood and fire to attack, then we will need to have a proper elimination of smoke and water plans for the tunnel. This will ensure the safety of the people inside.¡±

    ¡°As for the construction of tunnels, Ben Wang brought many skilled craftsmen from the capital. When the time comes, they will personally survey and plan out the tunnel maps, then the commoners will start excavating during the slack season. It is assumed that as long as the commoners work together for a common goal, we will be able to finish it in a short period of time. We can try to make a few of them first, and then spread it to the entire Liangzhou territory when it has achieved results.¡±

    Ming Yu had already thought of everything. Xu Wen only had reverence and admiration from the bottom of his heart. Originally, he thought that Duan Wang was like most Gongzis¡¯ of the rich. When he made Liangcheng his territory, he thought he would be the same as the rumors, that his head was already ruined. But these days when he came here, he could clearly see that Duan Wang had neglected sleep and forgot about food, all for the commoners. He really didn¡¯t expect that Duan Wang would think of the commoners all this time, and exhaust one¡¯s thoughts and ingenuity to plan for everything for the commoners. This kind of Wangye really subverted his usual thoughts. He was not like those influential and powerful officials, he was a good man. It was really the blessing of the commoners that Duan Wang was able to come to Liangcheng!

    ¡°Your Highness is wise!¡± Xu Wen cupped his hands and saluted while praising sincerely. He thought about it for a while and continued to say: ¡°The second method that Your Highness proposed is to merge small villages into one big stockade village. When the time comes, the village will be built into an easily guardable while hard to attack fortress. Then we could have one or two troops of soldiers to defend, to advance and to repel the enemy, and to retreat to defend the villagers. In this way, the enemy will not be able to attack the stockaded village that was as strong as a turtle shell. This was really a good method to preserve the city, making the commoners able to receive the greatest defense. It is indeed, a hard to come by method. However, the cost should also be huge. Moreover, the construction is time-consuming. In addition, if we have the garrison troops stationed in the stockade village for a long time, if they have different kinds of thoughts, and clashes with the commoners, then it would be troublesome.¡±

    Xu Wen was even more optimistic about the second method, but the stockade must be guarded by the real army, so that when truly facing the enemy, it will not be chaotic and they can command the commoners to fight the enemy together. This was also the biggest drawback. It was impossible for the soldiers to stay in line with the commoners. Moreover, the garrison has to guard against the invasion of the barbarians. The soldiers were already very nervous, and there was not enough manpower. When they distribute guards to protect the stockaded village, it will make them even more scattered. It would be hard to make Great General Wei nod his head in approval.

    Raising the subjects of cost, money and soldiers are all sources of headache for Ming Yu currently. Manpower and material resources are indispensable for the construction of the stockaded village. Even the cleverest housewife can¡¯t cook without rice, no matter how good her methods are and if it can¡¯t be implemented then it¡¯s equal to zero.

    Ming Yu summoned up his courage and said: ¡°I will find a way to make money. It is impossible to get the money overnight. I have to eat one bite at a time. As for the army troops protecting the stockade, I have also considered it and it is just as you precisely laid it out, so I don¡¯t plan to let the garrison army come. After all, it is already very difficult for the garrison to deal with the barbarian troops outside the borderland. I will find a way to make additional arrangements for this.¡±

    ¡°Separate arrangements? If the garrison is not allowed to guard, how can the commoners resist when the enemy comes? If the enemy has a plan to attack the city, the stockade, from beginning to the end, would be inferior to the city¡­¡± Xu Wen said anxiously, but after thinking about it, he changed his words, ¡°Your Highness. Could it be that you have some good ideas?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to rely on yourself than on others.¡± Ming Yu saw Xu Wen feeling anxious and getting heated and felt it somewhat laughable. He originally had a vague idea, so he no longer kept the listener in suspense at this time. He calmly said: ¡°I plan to make the strong and vigorous young male commoners come to the military base for training every year, and after two or three months when they return back to the stockaded village, they will be able to take on the responsibility of guarding their homes and their families.¡±

    ¡±

 CH 16

    ¡°What!¡± Xu Wen was really surprised at this moment. He had never heard that commoners could become a military personnel after only two or three months of training. Could it be that His Highness Duan Wang is joking right now? At this moment, it was not the time to make jokes.

    Ming Yu, in order to prove that he wasn¡¯t joking, continued to explain his reasoning. ¡°This kind of people, for the time being, I will call them reserve soldiers. They will work during harvesting time and train during their spare time. The stockade is their home, and the commoners are their family members. There is no need to be worry about them not exerting their best efforts to safeguard. In the same way, the commoners also will trust them. With them, they will be able to effectively organize the commoners to resist the bandits and barbarian invaders.¡±

    What has been said was all correct, and it also sounds like a good method. But the most important point is that could the commoners who only know about farming really have the ability to resist the bandits and barbarian invaders in just two or three months? That is simply a fantasy.

    Xu Wen asked out loud before he even knew it. Before he could react, Ming Yu¡¯s answer was already in his ears, ¡°They can, they can use their leisure time to train twice a year, every two or three months, so they won¡¯t delay the farming time. Moreover, there will be this kind of training every year in the future. After they go back, they can train in the stockade by themselves according to the training methods they have learned daily here.¡±

    Xu Wen still didn¡¯t believe it. In this way, wouldn¡¯t everyone be a soldier? When that time comes, we, the Great Yan, wouldn¡¯t be afraid of the little Suixi kingdom.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, according to imperial court laws and decrees, only military households can register in the army.¡± Xu Wen still had a lot of misgivings.

    Ming Yu smiled slightly, ¡°They are not from military households, so naturally they will not become soldiers, they are just commoners who are capable of guarding their home and defending their country, and nothing more.¡±

    Xu Wen was a little dazed, it was difficult to turn his head all of a sudden, but Ming Yu didn¡¯t explain more. Many things can only be accepted by seeing them with one¡¯s own eyes. Otherwise, it was difficult to change one¡¯s inherent thoughts. By the time his five hundred elite troops were born, he¡¯s afraid that many people¡¯s eyes will be shocked.

    Speaking of it, after such a long time, the training ground that Mo Jiang handled should be built, right? Although Commander Mo would come to him every two or three days to report on progress and solve the problems here and there, for a long time now, he had been busy with something else and didn¡¯t have time to take a look at the scene. En, he should take a look whenever he has spare time.

    ¡°Speaking about current circumstances, the manpower and material resources for building stockades are indeed lacking. It is impossible to build stockades in all villages in Liangzhou, therefore, I plan to build tunnels and combine villages to build a stockade. This is also my previous intention. First, do a few experiments to see how the result will be, and then we can decide what to do next. In this way, even if my ideas are wrong and are not suitable for these two methods, we can stop the loss in time.¡± Ming Yu calmly spoke his thoughts out loud.

    Although these methods were based on his summary of his experiences in later generations, in the end, this kind of method, whether it was suitable for Liangzhou or not, Ming Yu¡¯s heart had no idea. He could only adopt a compromised method.

    In addition, the money expense aspect was also unable to make ends meet. There was no news about the letter he sent to the capital. Even if his caravan could set off immediately, it won¡¯t be right now if he wants to see profit, so he can only take his time.

    Xu Wen understood Ming Yu¡¯s concerns. He had long considered all the issues. This was, however, already the best way, and it won¡¯t be an excessive waste of manpower and resources.

    ¡°Xiao Chen agrees!¡± Xu Wen saluted.

    ¡°Then how about handing this matter over to Xu Daren?¡± Ming Yu said with a smile. Ai! Who let him have only a few people at hand, it¡¯s the most capable people who do the most work. Xu Wen was also a talented person, and he was a genuine Liangzhou native. If he persuades the people to implement the plan, he would get twice the result with half the effort. Leaving this matter to him, he, himself also felt at ease.

    Regardless of whether Xu Wen agreed or not, he immediately said: ¡°This matter is of great importance and is closely related to the commoners. And we have to work to accomplish it. Without using force, we have to explain how this works and explain the merits and drawbacks carefully to the commoners to make them understand and let them come forward voluntarily without any resistance in their hearts. Only then would it be considered as finishing the first step, do you understand?¡±

    Xu Wen¡¯s mood was very excited, it was difficult to put into words. He did not expect that Wangye would give him such an important task. If this matter was successful, it would definitely change the future of Liangzhou, and maybe it will be recorded in the annals of history. He was merely a small seventh-rank official, and there were countless officials in Liangzhou who were greater than him, so when and how could he gets Wangye¡¯s strong trust? Wangye¡¯s kindness of recognizing his worth and employing him, it will be hard to repay this kindness.

    Xu Wen¡¯s eyes were red with excitement. He straightened his clothes, then knelt down to the ground toward Ming Yu to give a deep bow, ¡°Chen will certainly live up to your trust.¡±

    Ming Yu helped him to get up, ¡°This body will live up to the commoners, and the commoners will certainly live up to you. You just need to think of the commoners attentively, then it¡¯s already the best payback you can give Ben Wang.¡±

    Xu Wen nodded his head heavily and promised. He also brought up the things he didn¡¯t understand. Ming Ye answered patiently, one asked another answered, the master and the official brought out the best in each other. Xu Wen gained a lot from it, and he admired Ming Yu¡¯s unconventional but wonderful ideas even more.

    When the two were discussing, the letter Ming Yu thought of also entered the capital. Crown prince Ming Ye heard that there was a letter from Liangcheng. He was baffled. This fourteenth little brother unexpectedly would even send him a letter? It is indeed extremely rare. Now, he wanted to look to see whether this younger brother could not get used to Liangcheng¡¯s custom and regret it after arriving?

    Opening the letter, Ming Ye swept through it, ten lines at a glance. He was somewhat in disbelief, and read it again. After finishing it carefully this time, Ming Ye¡¯s brows wrinkled. This fourteenth little brother wanted to go as far as to the Far West, western regions to do business? This is, however, something that their ancestors have not allowed since the founding of this country. No matter what he does, wouldn¡¯t it be a violation?

    The crown prince¡¯s worried expression was seen in the eyes of the prince¡¯s attendant, Xu Xi. He couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Taizi*, what is this? What happened in the letter from Duan Wang?¡±

    (Taizi: Crown Prince, can be used as Your Highness too, basically, they just call it in second-person perspective)

    This Xu Xi had been studying with Ming Ye since he was a child, and now he also worked in the crown prince¡¯s mansion as an official. Ming Ye had always treated him kindly, and he did not hide a lot of things from him. He also helped Ming Ye come up with a lot of ideas. It can be said that Ming Ye¡¯s journey, this confidant, can be said to have contributed a lot.

    When Xu Xi asked like this, the crown prince also effortlessly handed him the letter paper without much concern, ¡°You can take a look.¡±

    After Xu Xi saw it, he also showed a look of surprise, ¡°Taizi, why does His Highness the Fourteenth Prince has this¡­ this kind of idea?¡±

    Ming Ye shook his head and did not speak. To be honest, he had never understood this little brother, born of the same parents. Inside the imperial palace, how can there be any genuine brotherhood? None of his brothers were worry-free. He was the crown prince, and since he started to understand things, he knew that he was isolated and helpless. He had always been cautious and solemn, fearing that his so-called brothers would squeeze and suppress him, or if he was a little careless, he would allow others to stab him from the back. In the eyes of others, the position of the prince was a sweet potato, but only he knew that this position was actually a hot potato (troublesome).

    It was lonely at the top. Ming Yu was born of the same mother and was foolish ever since childhood. Nevertheless, he was quite intimate with him. Sometimes he thought that if this little brother born of the same mother was a normal person, then it would be good. At least in this hypocritical palace, his fourteenth little brother could help him so that he would not fight alone. And sometimes he was thankful that his little brother was a fool because it would make people feel at ease like this.

    It was precisely because of this that he also treated this little brother with some sincerity. He once thought that after His Royal Father¡¯s hundred years of reign, he would naturally inherit that position. When that time comes, he would let his fourteenth little brother be the idle Wangye, to sleep soundly without a worry, then that would be good.

    How could he have known that his fourteenth little brother would go to look for Royal Father and beg him to go to Liangcheng. And now he still made this kind of ruckus out there, how can this make a person feel good? If being exposed by people with bad intentions, he also wouldn¡¯t be in a good position.

    Ming Ye was feeling things were difficult. Thinking about whether to write a letter to persuade his fourteenth little brother to dispel this idea or not, he heard Xu Xi say: ¡°But the fourteenth prince¡¯s idea is really good.¡±

    Ming Ye looked at Xu Xi without knowing why. Xu Xi tapped his finger on the letter paper and said: ¡°The Fourteenth Prince¡¯s plan written on top is clear and logical. Even in terms of future profit sharing, evaluation has also been divided, I have no choice but to say that this benefit is very attractive to people.¡±

    Ming Ye smiled bitterly, what if it is attractive? It is not just idle chit-chat. He was His Highness the crown prince. On the surface, he looked like he was well off, looking very beautiful on the surface, but he is also raising Menke*. He has to involve himself to make friends with the high-ranking officials in the kingdom, so how could it not require a lot of money? Although he also had a farm shop under his name, however, he had felt that he cannot make ends meet over these past few years.

    (Menke: people who stay inside the prince¡¯s mansion, ready to go to work at any time.)

    ¡°Your Highness, Chen personally thinks this is indeed a way of making money, and there is not much risk to bear.¡± Xu Xi said, returning the letter to Ming Ye.

    Ming Ye¡¯s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, ¡°How could that be the case?¡±

    Xu Xi thought about it for a while before he said: ¡°His Highness the fourteenth prince asked you to send out some goods such as porcelain, silk clothes, and tea. And he is responsible for everything else. Taizi, it¡¯s not that you don¡¯t have these in your shop and the store has overstocked too many of these goods. You can give them to the fourteenth prince to handle. When the time comes, no matter if the earning is several times or even dozens of times the original, the profit can be divided into half still, so why not do it?¡± In the letter, Ming Yu had already said that the future benefits will be divided fifty-fifty equally. It seems that this kind of thing had no risk, ¡°In terms of retreating 10,000 steps, if these goods are lost, they were nothing more than old goods that were not worth a few pennies. But in this way, it would be considered that you helped the fourteenth prince, thus the fourteenth prince will only be more grateful. He would be even more affectionate to you.¡±

    It was indeed like this. Ming Ye nodded, and Xu Xi continued to say: ¡°His Highness the fourteenth prince being able to think of Taizi while outside shows that your position in his heart is very important. Hasn¡¯t Taizi been wanting someone to help him for a long time now? Nowadays, the fourteenth prince is outside living in his vessel state, so how can he not be Taizi¡¯s helping hand?¡±

    Ming Ye frowned. ¡°If the fourteenth little brother is entrusted to the vassal state near the capital or the southern populous and affluent state, then he would be regarded as a helping hand. But, he unexpectedly went to Liangzhou. What can Liangzhou have? A barren land. Ai!¡± It was not that he hadn¡¯t persuaded him at the beginning, but he just refused to listen to others and insisted on going there.

    ¡°Haha, you can¡¯t say it like that. Taizi, isn¡¯t His Highness the fourteenth prince now thinking of a way to make money?¡± Xu Xi is still very optimistic about the plan mentioned in Ming Yu¡¯s letter. ¡°Furthermore, in Chen¡¯s eyes, the fourteenth prince seems different from before. His foolish, insane illness was actually not what the rumors outside described at all.¡±

    Ming Ye nodded in agreement. His fourteenth little brother¡¯s stupidity was obvious in his childhood. Later, under the meticulous treatment of the imperial physician, he improved greatly, but now that his thoughts were incompatible with everyone, he appears to behave strangely.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that this matter has never happened before. It violates ancestral rules.¡± Ming Ye was still worried and anxious.

    ¡°Chen thinks otherwise. It would be better for Taizi to send the letter to His Majesty. If this matter has passed through the hands of His Majesty, then you don¡¯t have to take any risk, and need not worry about people with bad intentions to expose you. Moreover, Taizi¡¯s concern for your little brother would also leave a good brotherhood impression in front of His Majesty too. If His Majesty agrees, then, you don¡¯t have to be restrained in your actions.¡±

    Ming Ye¡¯s eyes lit up, and he patted Xu Xi¡¯s shoulder happily, ¡°Great!, Qing* is thoughtful, it is indeed a good method, so I will just do what Qing said.¡±

    (Qing: what superior calls his subject)

 CH 17

    The emperor also felt a headache when he saw Ming Yu¡¯s letter. Old Fourteen*, this shameful son started the letter by complaining about hardships and being poor right away. Fortunately, he had filled the gap from his private storehouse a lot. How long has it been? He even wrote another letter saying he had almost become cold and hungry now? This is simply preposterous!

    (Old Fourteen: term of endearment, and it¡¯s fourteen because Ming Yu is the fourteenth prince)

    In the letter, Old Fourteen sincerely said that he did not want to add to the burden on his Royal Father, and even said that he wanted to earn money to support himself. If it was placed on an ordinary father, his foolish son being capable of not burdening the family and even thinking of earning money, one was afraid that even if he fell asleep, he would laugh and wake up.

    However, now that Old Fourteen acted willfully and made a scene like this, it is obvious that he wants to infuriate his father. Looking at the method of how he wants to make money, unexpectedly, it was to do business in other small countries in the Western Regions. How could this matter be what a grand and majestic Great Yan Kingdom¡¯s prince should do?

    The emperor blew his beard in anger. After a while, he calmed down, but then he started to worry again. Old Fourteen is now in the desolate and war-torn land, how can it be compared to the south. Ai! This son of his, he¡¯s a bit stupid, but he is honest. He has just arrived in a new place. Everything needs to be started from scratch. It is normal to spend a lot of money. If the majestic prince became poor and could not keep up with his food and clothing expenses, isn¡¯t that like slapping one¡¯s own face?

    The Emperor secretly wondered whether or not he should help this son of his and send a few gold and silver rewards or something along this line? However, everyone in the palace was watching him attentively as the emperor. If he deliberately sent gold and silver rewards for no reason, he¡¯s afraid that no one will accept this wholeheartedly. And it¡¯s not like he only has this one son, if other people in the harem make noisy complaints, then he may not be free from worry then.

    When he was pondering on what to do, at this time, crown prince Ming Ye came over. Why did the crown prince come over at this time? The Emperor was baffled. He immediately let the person inside. Just in time, he could lend a hand and come up with ideas for this matter.

    After Ming Ye saluted, he explained his purpose in coming here, ¡°Reporting to Royal Father, fourteenth little brother wrote a letter to Erchen, saying that there is something to ask of Erchen. After Erchen read the letter, I couldn¡¯t make up my mind. Therefore, requesting Royal Father to make a decision instead.¡±

    (Erchen: speaking from royal sons or princes to their Emperor Father or the Emperor)

    After finishing speaking, he offered up Ming Yu¡¯s letter with both hands, and the head eunuch presented the letter to the Emperor.

    Hearing what Ming Ye said, the Emperor was also curious about what Old Fourteen wrote in the letter to the crown prince. He took it and took a look. He couldn¡¯t help but feel both happy and funny. This Old Fourteen complained about hardships in a letter to himself, but in a letter to the crown prince, he said that he wanted to form a partnership with the crown prince to do business.  How to make money, and how to share profits. He hasn¡¯t done it yet, but it seems like the money has already been in his pocket.

    There were great changes across the Emperor¡¯s whole face. He, this Royal Father, was inferior to his crown prince elder brother. Wasn¡¯t the difference in treatment quite huge here? He couldn¡¯t help but feel unfair about this, ¡°Old Fourteen, this shameful thing, he simply acted willfull and made a scene!¡±

    Ming Ye secretly took a peek at the Emperor¡¯s expression, he didn¡¯t have a real angry appearance at all. He persuaded: ¡°Royal Father, fourteenth little brother is away from the capital for the first time, and it is normal for him to be unable to make ends meet in such a remote place. Him having this kind of idea, it could be assumed that he doesn¡¯t want to trouble Royal Father to worry.¡±

    The Emperor originally was complaining, but after hearing this, the original melancholy turned into distress. Ai! The grown-up son just doesn¡¯t listen. Originally, he planned to not listen to any persuasion and requested to go to the hardship territory, so it was already settled, and now he regretted it? But it is useless to regret it now! The Emperor¡¯s mouth is gold and his word is jade, no matter how willful it is, it is impossible to change anything.

    ¡°Royal Father, Royal Mother, passed away early. Fourteenth little brother has been put into a lot of trouble and became foolish from childhood. He hasn¡¯t even seen Royal Mother¡¯s face. If Royal Mother was still here¡­¡± Ming Ye¡¯s voice was somewhat choked with sobs. Erchen is older than Fourteenth little brother by a few years, and had been in Royal Mother¡¯s care, so, I¡¯m more fortunate than my fourteenth little brother¡­¡± Ming Ye was truly touched by the situation. Whenever he thought of Royal Mother passing on early, he felt his heart being broken. If Royal Mother was still alive, how could they, be in this current situation?

    ¡± My fourteenth little brother is in a difficult situation now. As an older brother, Erchen should help. Erchen¡¯s farm shop also has a little income. It would be better to convert some money and send it over.¡± Ming Ye said cautiously.

    The Emperor also thought of Empress Yuan. He felt extremely melancholy in his heart. He waved his hand, ¡°You, the crown prince, are too cautious, unlike Old Fourteen who dared to rush and dared to dash. Alright, when will your farm shop be able to fill the gap? ¡°

    Ming Ye¡¯s face turned red. He has always been cautious and timid and had already gotten used to it. How could he learn from his fourteenth little brother¡¯s temperament of whimpering without any fear like that? Maybe because fourteenth little brother had a unique bold and fearless temperament, maybe it was such a unique fourteenth brother that made Royal Father be fond of him from the bottom of his heart? After all, in the imperial palace, there is only mutual deception, everyone had to wear a mask to live their life. But, fourteenth little brother who stood out from the masses had always been real, making people envious of him.

    ¡°You brothers have always had a deep relationship, helping each other out a bit is good. And it¡¯s not like Old Fourteen¡¯s method of earning money is not feasible, he will find a way to do it anyway since he wants to do it. Instead of obstructing him, it is better to follow his wishes.¡± The Emperor understood Ming Yu¡¯s temperament, he won¡¯t give up until he achieved his goal. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed him to go to Liangzhou, a bitter cold place. With his words, he had already agreed to let the crown prince help Lao Fourteen, which means he agreed with Ming Yu¡¯s plan.

    The Emperor¡¯s meaning, Ming Ye understood thoroughly, ¡°Erchen sincerely obeys Emperor Father¡¯s instruction. Erchen has the goods that fourteenth little brother needs at hand, so I will arrange for someone to send it to fourteenth little brother. However, fourteenth little brother¡¯s words about sharing the benefits, Erchen won¡¯t take them and will hand it all over to Royal Father. Treat it as filial piety from us.¡± He said what he had long thought of when he was on the way here.

    These words made the Emperor finally feel happy. He said with a smile: ¡°How could Zhen seek your things? It¡¯s already good that you are able to have this kind of heart. How about this, Zhen¡¯s personal storehouse also has a portion of silk fabric and porcelain that I have no use for, you can lump it together and send it over. You two brothers¡¯ business¡¯s gain or loss of profit in the future, Zhen won¡¯t be concerned with anymore.¡± Now without a trace, no one will be able to say anything old fourteen¡¯s gaps like this.

    (Zhen: I, but speaking from the Emperor position, no other people can use this term besides the Emperor)

    Old Fourteen raised this business method proposal, who knew if it was him just momentarily foolishly deciding. It was unknown how it will turn out, but even if he throws himself into a terrible mess, he, as the Royal Father, can only help him take some responsibility in his place. As for the ancestral rules, can he still be unclear? There was no explicit document, therefore, since Old Fourteen loves to act willfully and make a scene, then just let him be.

    Ming Ye was overjoyed, he bowed in salute and said, ¡°Thank you, Royal Father!¡±

    Although the Emperor said that he would not participate in anything, Ming Ye had already made up his mind. It¡¯s fine if the business was not successful. If he could continue to do it in the future and make a profit, he would still have to take this share and give it to Royal Father to show filial respect in fourteen little brother¡¯s stead anyways.

    Fourteenth little brother was not by Royal Father¡¯s side, and right now Royal Father still thinks of him, but the monarch¡¯s heart is hard to fathom. No one can guarantee how this kind of holy grace and grand affection will change in the future. Thunder, rain, and dew are all the monarch¡¯s graces, he can see and understand it clearly. That¡¯s why he has to be careful to not make even the smallest of mistakes. Since fourteenth little brother couldn¡¯t think of this, then he, the older brother, should think more rationally for him.

    This matter had passed through the Emperor¡¯s mouth, and it was considered to have entered the bright, public road. In this way, others would not dare to say anything sour now.

    At this time, Ming Ye didn¡¯t know how far-sighted his decision was until the future came when Ming Yu¡¯s caravan became bigger and bigger. Even the Emperor would covet their profits in envy, let alone other people. However, with the Emperor¡¯s reputation and name, it is impossible for others to intervene even if they are green with envy.

    And when Ming Yu¡¯s wings became more and more prosperous, and he establishes a firm foothold in Liangzhou, no one would dare to even do anything. Also, because of Ming Yu¡¯s strong backing, he will be able to steadily seat himself as the crown prince, no one among his good deal of brothers will be able to shake his position.

    Xu Wen in any case finally understood most of his doubts. It was almost noon at that time. Qingping urged several times to send in the meal, but they were all blocked by the two people who were talking. She waited with great difficulty for the two of them to finish talking. With this kind of tough attitude, what else could Ming Yu say? He can just talk again after eating.

    Ming Yu had no choice, so he had to let someone send in the meal, then he invited Xu Wen to eat with him. Xu Wen wanted to reject, but thinking of discussing things later at the meeting, he readily accepted. Over these past few days, Duan Wang has not been arrogant or whatsoever, and Xu Wen was also relaxed and comfortable. The two people got along well with each other like teachers, like friends, and brought out the best in each other.

    The two hurriedly finished the meal, then discussed some details once again. This matter could not be accomplished overnight. Because Ming Yu¡¯s plan was unheard of by Xu Wen, Ming Yu had to spend more time explaining it to him.

    Before long, he heard someone come to report that General Ji You asked to see him.

    Ji You? Ming Yu was taken aback, didn¡¯t General Ji go back to the Red Robe Army? Immediately he came to a realization. It may be related to the matter that was given to General Ji last time. It must have been settled. He hurriedly ordered for the person to come in.

    Ji You took Cao Jian into the room to pay a formal visit to Duan Wang together. Ji You stayed with Wangye for some time. In front of Ming Yu, he was not as cautious as Cao Jian, who had just arrived. After a few polite words, he took out a paper from General Xie to transfer the order. Mentioned on the document was the dispatch of Ji You and Cao Jian to Duan Wang¡¯s guard camp for training.

    ¡°It¡¯s only three months?¡± Ming Yu read the transfer order and was a bit dissatisfied. What can a three-month training do to make the lowly people learn something? The time is really too short. He originally thought that they could be temporarily transferred for about a year.

    Ji You has black lines on his head. Three months is not short, right? If the time period was any longer, he definitely wouldn¡¯t want to come.

    ¡°Your Highness, if there are any orders, don¡¯t hesitate to instruct us, we will do our best.¡± Ji You cupped his hands and said.

    Ming Yu nodded. He also heard some rumors about General Xie. He heard that this man¡¯s nature was quite independent and icily arrogant, and he would never create false pretenses or put up and act. He had also experienced it before, remembering General Xie pulling a long face and leaving directly in front of him. Ming Yu twitched his mouth.  He originally made this request with the attitude of giving it a try. If he agrees, then it is granted that he gave him some face. In any case, after three months, he can just shamelessly borrow someone again.

    He stood up and said with a smile: ¡°I have to trouble General Ji and General Cao now. Our training base has already been built. Carefully setting an auspicious date does not beat seizing an opportunity. It would be better if we go and observe the situation first then we can decide what to do next.¡±

    He and Xu Wen had almost finished the discussion already. And it was still early at this time. Anyways, his heart had always been thinking about the training base, it just so happens that they can go and take a look together.

    Xu Wen was also full of curiosity when he heard this. He heard Ming Yu say that the commoners could be trained to become soldiers in two to three months, and he somewhat didn¡¯t believe it. Thus, he wanted to see what the training base Ming Yu said was like?

    How could Ming Yu not know, so he didn¡¯t intend to leave Xu Wen out. Ji You and Cao Jian naturally complied with him. Therefore, Ming Yu ordered people to prepare for a trip without ostentation and set off immediately.

    The training base was ten miles outside Liangcheng, next to a village called Baicun.

    These days, the commoners of Baicun had been discussing enthusiastically a strange matter. Every day when the sky hasn¡¯t turned bright yet, there would be a team of people running around the road in front of the village when the chicken cries, and when they come back, the sky was already slightly bright.

    (Chicken cries: usually indicated early hours that farmers or people in villages rise to prepare their work of the day, usually common in Asia region, I also hear it every day here too xD)

    In the beginning, the commoners didn¡¯t know what was going on, and all the curious villagers, the old and the young came out to watch the excitement. Later, every day, regardless of weather conditions, there was nothing strange about it anymore. They only knew that whenever this group of people bypassed the village, it will be time to start a new day of work now. (use this troop exercise time instead of chicken cries now xD)

    Later they also learned that this troop seemed to be the guards of a prince from the imperial court, and a military camp was set up on the back of a small hill, a distance away from their village.

 CH 18

    The villagers also didn¡¯t understand. Shouldn¡¯t Wangye¡¯s imperial guards¡¯ troops be guarding Wangye by his side? Why are they stationed outside the city? However, with these major events, it would never involve them. Since they have been stationed here, unexpectedly, a person who looked like a military commander came to find them to buy some eggs, chickens, ducks, and livestock, all this stuff.

    The villagers have never dealt with this kind of high-ranking official before. The chickens, ducks, and eggs they have finally raised with difficulty were all stored, even their own family was reluctant to eat them. These were all to be sold inside the city, so they could bring back some money. They were close to Liangcheng, so their conditions were better, and they could have a little surplus grain to raise some livestock, which can improve the living conditions of the whole family. Hearsay, other remote places can¡¯t even support people properly, so how could they raise others?

    The commander¡¯s surname was Mo. It was Mo Jiang. After he said his intentions for the future, the villagers discussed it spiritedly and couldn¡¯t make up their minds for a while. Those people were generals sent for official business, and hearsay, they also came from the capital. If they, the villagers, didn¡¯t follow their wishes, they may bring some harm to Baicun village. But if they agree, what if the money they offer is low, or they simply fail to pay up, then what should they do? Seeing that autumn was approaching, it was time for all families of all sizes to buy some warm things for home. If it¡¯s like this, how could they collect all the money?

    The villagers looked at each other in dismay, and no one dared to open their mouths and agree. Mo Jiang looked toward the village head, whose face was also an awkward complexion.

    Mo Jiang was baffled. What¡¯s there to feel awkward about? Don¡¯t the villagers have to sell all these things? What is the difference between selling to them and selling to the city? Moreover, they came to collect at their doorstep and didn¡¯t need the villagers to go all the way to the city to sell them. This is a good thing that can¡¯t be easily looked for. Why do these people have such reluctant and unwilling expressions?

    If it weren¡¯t for His Highness warning them repeatedly, saying the food for the soldiers in the base must be a combination of meat and vegetables, so their nutrition can be kept up with, how could he have made this kind of trip here and even come to negotiate with the villagers. It¡¯s just that he was afraid his subordinates wouldn¡¯t be able to get things done.

    Originally, they could also go to the city to buy these. Later, he thought that the daily consumption of the soldiers was not small. Every time they go to the city to buy these things, it is both time-consuming and laborious. So, it was better to find a few nearby villages to buy these. If the cooperation is good, one matter won¡¯t bother two masters.  And, long-term cooperation in the future can save a lot of things.

    ¡°Can the village head speak your concern out?¡± Mo Jiang openly asked.

    ¡°This¡­¡± The village head pondered over this for a long time, then he stammered: ¡°The villagers¡¯ daily life barely passes by. Commander, the things you want are not many in our village. My family stored up some eggs, I will bring them out and give them to Commander.¡±

    The village head gritted his teeth resentfully and said this, thinking that if he could send these people away by losing a few things, then it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t know if they will be satisfied or not. If they are stubborn and take it by force, he can only do his best to say something good to make the villagers lose fewer things then.

    The things he wants to buy are not many in the village? This speech made Mo Jiang baffled. He had already inquired about it. Most of the eggs in the city were sold by villagers around here. He specially came here to collect them. How could there not be much?

    Mo Jiang looked at the vigilant expressions of the surrounding villagers, then he thought over this again. Once he understood it clearly, he smiled slightly and plotted a plan in his heart.

    At this time, the junior from the village head¡¯s family had already brought a basket of eggs over. The village head took it, twitching his cheeks, and handed it to Mo Jiang reluctantly, ¡°Commander, this is a little of our kind regard, and I hope you will accept it.¡±

    But Mo Jiang smiled and said: ¡°Village head, I¡¯m here to buy things. You have to count the basket of eggs first, then I can buy it according to the price you people sell inside the city.¡± After speaking, he called out the soldier behind him to count the amount.

    The village head still couldn¡¯t believe it, even when his hand was already holding on to the copper coin. He didn¡¯t expect that they really came to buy the eggs, and they gave them 10% more than the price in the city. This was much more cost-effective compared to when they were obtained in the city. Thinking about it, it took a lot of time to transport these things to the city, and they may not all be able to sell everything after entering the city. Now they could sell things at their front door, it really saves on a lot of matters.

    The thoughtful villagers¡¯ eyes rolled. No matter who they are selling it to, it still counts as selling right? They hurriedly went back and brought their own stored eggs out or the chickens or ducks they prepared to sell.

    Mo Jiang welcomed all those who came with a smile and settled the accounts one by one. The villagers who got the money were all grinning from ear to ear, and some people even asked them if they would come to buy these things in the future.

    Mo Jiang took advantage of the situation and said he will come to collect once a month in the future. He also said to collect fruits and vegetables, those kinds of stuff. Thus, the villagers should store everything and sell them together when the time comes.

    In this way, after several exchanges, even if the Commander surnamed Mo did not come, the other people dispatched could also handle the work upright and honestly. They never cheated the villagers, let alone renege on a debt to make things difficult for them. Even when the villagers have any difficulty, they would help out when they can.

    Over time, the villagers here were relieved, and they would warmly welcome them every time they came. When they saw them running past the village, they would smile and call them out for a drink, and so on. However, they never dared to stop for a drink and whatnot. The more familiar ones would take the opportunity to make a few innocuous little jokes with the villagers.

    ¡®Haha! I won¡¯t drink water, but next time when I come, uncle, you just sell your sheep to us for us to have a large and sumptuous meal, okay?¡¯

    The villagers have not been afraid of them since they got acquainted with each other. That uncle smiled back and said, ¡®Fuxk off! Thinking about my lamb? How big is it? Yet you want to offer it as a sacrifice to the five internal organs¡¯ temple? ¡¯

    ¡®Tsk, I¡¯ve been greedy for those sheep for a long time now. Uncle, make sure you spend some extra time to nourish them to raise them to become both fat and strong! ¡¯

    Hahaha¡­ As soon as these words came out, everyone roared with laughter. Seeing them already run far away, the villagers were also busy themselves with their own affairs. Since they came, the villagers¡¯ income has also improved a lot, and their daily life was much better than before.

    Daily trail running, climbing, combat training, riding, and shooting training. In the beginning, Commander Mo announced: This mountain hollow will be their training base in the future. Each of them must be trained. If they do not obey the commands, they will not have their names on the list when they return to the capital a few years later. So, even though everyone was confused and didn¡¯t know what these training sessions were for, they still did everything as instructed.

    However, they repeated the same things day after day, which made many people question the reason for this. But, due to the number of people wanting to return to the capital, everyone dared not make a fuss. Only a few people discussed in private the meaning behind what Duan Wang had made them do.

    Naturally, there were also people like Zhou Dadan, who didn¡¯t care much about these. Anyways, it¡¯s already good that they were eating well and sleeping well. As long as the sky didn¡¯t fall, their hearts would be the same as other free people.

    ¡°Hurry, hurry, I still don¡¯t know what kind of dishes the kitchen had made today. I can already smell a strong scent of meat from afar, and Laozi¡¯s greedy saliva is coming down now.¡± Zhou Dadan was the most active when it came to eating. He urged Li Man and the others, who were in the team with him, to walk quickly.

    Had it not been for the commander¡¯s arrangement that each team had to line up to get food, he was afraid he would have abandoned his teammates and ran off long ago.

    Li Man gave him a dissatisfied look. He was exactly like a starving ghost reborn, besides eating, what else could he do? But, smelling the scent of the meat in the air, his nose stirred twice and he swallowed his saliva secretly. They have been training since they got up in the morning until now, and the buns from breakfast have almost digested.

    They couldn¡¯t help speeding up their pace. Coming to this so-called training base, they were arranged to train all day long. From their point of view, they were finding things to do when there was nothing. However, the most gratifying thing for them was their afternoon meal which had both meat and fish. They could eat even better than when they were in the capital.

    Now they didn¡¯t care about these things. These days were not as difficult to bear as they had thought. Anyways, it will only be three to five years, and they will be able to go back soon.

    ¡­¡­

    When Ming Yu and his party arrived outside the training base on their horseback, Mo Jiang had long been informed and took a few generals and waited outside the great camp¡¯s fences.

    Seeing Ming Yu and the others approaching, they hurriedly saluted one after another. Ming Yu waved his hand to exempt them from greeting and said with a smile, ¡°Commander Mo, it has been quite hard for you these days.¡±

    Over the past few days, he had been busy with his own affairs and he didn¡¯t even have time to come take a look. In the beginning, he expressed his own imagination and discussed with Mo Jiang how to arrange the venue, how to train the soldiers, as well as the rules and regulations, and rewards and punishments. These were all complicated and enormously complex tasks, and Mo Jiang was able to use his single manpower to slowly achieve everything he said step by step. These were contributions that cannot go unnoticed.

    Mo Jiang¡¯s tanned face warmed up slightly, he cupped his hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s this subordinate¡¯s duty, it¡¯s nothing hard at all. It¡¯s just that, although this subordinate did what Your Highness said, I don¡¯t know if the results are as what Your Highness intended? If there is something improper, Your Highness may hand out your punishment.¡±

    Ming Yu supported him up, conveniently grabbed his wrist and walked inside. He smiled as he walked: ¡°No matter what, Commander Mo¡¯s contributions cannot go unnoticed. Without Commander Mo to carry this out, what I have said could only be a mere idle chit-chat. Come, let¡¯s go in and take a look together.¡±

    Mo Jiang was overwhelmingly flattered. Although the place where Ming Yu was grabbing was blocked by a sleeve, the temperature of Ming Yu¡¯s palm could still be passed through to iron his heart through his arms.

    The group of people who followed after him all stayed at the back, and their eyes couldn¡¯t hide their deep curiosity. Xu Wen wondered if this place could really be capable of training ordinary people into soldiers in just two or three months. Ji You and Cao Jian, the two people were also wondering whether these things Ming Yu had repeatedly tossed out were really useful.

    After passing through the rows of camps, there was a wide flat ground. At this time, the soldiers lined up neatly into a square formation. Following the leader in front of them, they waved their sharp spears in their hands. Their movements were adjusted to uniformity. Obviously, they could only have this kind of result after practicing countless times. It would appear quite magnificent from a distance.

    ¡°Your Highness, this is the time when the soldiers are training the square-shaped striking formation to attack. Their training time is still short and there are still many shortcomings.¡± Mo Jiang explained on the side and reported to Ming Yu about the soldiers¡¯ all-day long drill training.

    Although what Ming Yu said was difficult to understand, Mo Jiang still tried his best to do what he said and added some of his own ideas. This kind of square-shaped formation weapon training was added on the basis of Ming Yu¡¯s square-shaped formation. In addition, there was also riding and shooting, and fencing that were all proposed by Mo Jiang and then approved by Ming Yu afterward.

    ¡°Very good.¡± Ming Yu nodded and smiled gratifyingly. ¡°Commander Mo, is there any problem with the current training?¡±

    Mo Jiang would find him and make reports about the situation every few days and raise all kinds of proposals. The two discussed together to improve the plans. What Ming Yu saw just now, he had to admit that Mo Jiang gave him quite a big surprise.

    He was not a stubborn person. To make training more rational, to be able to use it freely on the current battlefield, and finally to be able to defeat the enemy is what they are currently doing.

 CH 19

    Hearing the words, Mo Jiang thought for a while, then said: ¡°There were some minor problems in the training process, but the problem is not big. We only need to adjust according to the situation, and it will be fine.¡± He glanced at Ming Yu, and there was a trace of embarrassment on his face. There was one thing, but he didn¡¯t know whether to say it or not.

    Ming Yu saw Mo Jiang¡¯s expression and said bluntly: ¡°If you have anything to say, don¡¯t hesitate to say it. It¡¯s no use keeping it in.¡±

    Since Ming Yu had said this point already, Mo Jiang no longer hesitated and said directly: ¡°Your Highness, this subordinate feels that the arrangements made by Your Highness for the soldiers to have meat and fish every day is a bit too much. Even the emperor¡¯s personal guards don¡¯t have this kind of treatment. In this way, the money expense is really a lot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ming Yu was suspicious about the kind of problem it was, but isn¡¯t it normal for the soldiers who are training to have meat every day? Training consumes a lot of physical energy. It is compulsory to have a combination of meat and vegetable in order to keep pace with the overall nourishment. Although it was impossible to keep up with nutrition comprehensively under their current conditions, adding meat and fish for the soldiers, he had repeatedly emphasized this since the beginning.

    Mo Jiang nodded. Could it be that this can¡¯t be counted as a problem? The problem with daily expenditures, he regarded it as a headache. Wangye¡¯s little family property, it¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t know of it. Not to mention the long-term maintenance of the army, it will be good if it can last for about a year.

    ¡°Your Highness, do you think we can change it to having meat and fish every three days instead?¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Ming Yu interrupted him before Mo Jiang finished his sentence. He waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to deduct the food. It¡¯s good to let the soldiers eat to their fill. If they don¡¯t eat enough, where could they have the strength to train? Training without results, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of work?¡±

    ¡°But¡­..¡±

    Ming Yu knew Mo Jiang¡¯s concerns and said with a smile: ¡°Just go on like this, Ben Wang is not afraid that you will eat until I become poor. You don¡¯t need to worry about money expenditures. Ben Wang already has a way. When Ben Wang has money in the future, a meaty meal must be added to the menu.¡±

    Although Ming Yu¡¯s words were reassurance for Mo Jiang, the cost still made Mo Jiang distressed. However, Ming Yu¡¯s attitude was firm, and Mo Jiang could only accept it.

    The conversation between the two of them fell into the ears of the people at the back, and the three following behind them stared at each other in dismay. What? Did they hear it right? The soldiers trained here have meat and fish every day? How much money do they consume?

    Ji You savored his tongue secretly. In their Red Robe Army, General Xie never desired  the soldiers¡¯ funds and provisions. But, in the Red Robe Army, it was already good if ordinary soldiers could see meat once a month or two. But here, unexpectedly, they can have meat and fish every day? Is this for real?

    He looked at the hundreds of people moving neatly in the open space, and a faint fascination arose in his heart. It seems that Duan Wang has a lot of secrets. For the next three months, he won¡¯t have to worry about working for free now.

    It¡¯s all thanks to General Xie for entrusting the mission for him to visit the training base. Could it be that their general was able to predict without being a clairvoyant, and had long known this training base was not so simple? Thinking of this, Ji You couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, and threw this absurd idea out of his mind. It seems that he must complete the mission well, and must report everything he has seen and heard here to the general. Having made up his mind, Ji You became even more motivated now.

    Mo Jiang took Ming Yu and the others to inspect the entire training base.

    The training base was in the initial stage of construction now, and many places were very simple and crude. Ming Yu also brought up the not suitable places on the spot, so that Mo Jiang could rectify and improve afterward. Mo Jiang also remembered them one by one in his heart.

    Nevertheless, the more Ji You looked at it, the more interesting it became. The obstacle training ground was equipped with trenches on the inside, low walls, jumping platforms, single-plank bridges, and so on. There were dozens of obstacles without duplication. Hearing from Commander Mo, it was necessary for the soldiers to pass through these so-called obstacles in the shortest time possible, and it would be considered as passing a test.

    He couldn¡¯t bear his own curiosity, so he personally went on stage and tried it himself. He didn¡¯t expect that such a simple obstacle would actually stop him. Before he was halfway through, he was already defeated, and for a while, he was unexpectedly made to feel somewhat dejected and depressed by this.

    One should know that as General Xie¡¯s personal guard, it was impossible to get into this position without any skill. He admitted that part of the reason was that this was his first try, and it was because he¡¯s not familiar with terrain obstacles. If letting him try this out several more times, he would certainly be able to crash his way through the checkpoint.

    But thinking about it carefully, Ji You had no choice but to admire the people who designed this kind of training method. Such ingenuity not only allowed soldiers to deal with complex terrain situations anytime and anywhere, but also toughened their speed, endurance, coordination, and sensitivity, a basic body¡¯s inner quality.

    Therefore, after he made insinuations, he heard Mo Jiang say that these were all planned by Duan Wang. He stayed stunned for a long time. This kind of training method was really rare, and it was useful for soldiers¡¯ training. Not good, he had to tell their general as soon as possible. Their Red Robe Army may also be able to make this kind of obstacle training ground.

    Not to mention Ji You¡¯s twisting and turning selfish calculations in his mind, after Ming Yu looked at everything at the base, he was very satisfied with Mo Jiang¡¯s execution ability. He was capable of making it seventy to eighty percent identical with his ideas. This made Ming Yu very pleased.

    Back in the central camp tent, Ming Yu sat down in the middle, his mood quite good. During the conversation, he confirmed the contribution of Commander Mo, and conveniently brought up the next plans, explaining his preparation for the strong, vigorous and young villagers in Liangzhou to enter the camp for training.

    Mo Jiang frowned when he heard this, and hesitated: ¡°Your Highness, you are planning to let these people who have never been in contact with training before come to train? Won¡¯t it produce just the opposite of the desired result?¡±

    Ming Yu looked at him, ¡°How so?¡±

    Mo Jiang thought for a while and said anxiously: ¡°These people can only farm, and I¡¯m afraid they can¡¯t even hold a sword or a spear. How can they train together with the soldiers?¡±

    Ming Yu put both his hands on the table, pressed his chin, and gently curled his lips with a smile, ¡°No one is born with the ability to do it. It¡¯s because they can¡¯t, Ben Wang will organize them to come to accept the training. In this way, they could learn some skills and go back to protect their village. If they encounter bandits and barbarian invaders, they could at least deal with it easily. Like this, with their leadership and protection, the commoners will not be trampled on like sheep, and it could also minimize the commoners¡¯ loss.¡±

    He still had one more idea that he hadn¡¯t revealed, that is, he can still select some useful people among them and focus on cultivating them. Thus, he won¡¯t have to worry about the lack of manpower in the future.

    Ming Yu¡¯s idea was very good and everyone agreed, but the concept and implementation were basically two different things, right? It was impossible to make assumptions about people.

    It was precisely because of this that Mo Jiang earnestly and well-meaningly advised: ¡°Your Highness, in only two or three months, not mentioning how the training results will be, it is still a question of whether they can get along well with the original soldiers after they enter the camp. This is, but a small problem. But, if there are conflicts inside the camp, the polarization will be serious and the consequences will be unpredictable. Your Highness, please consider it again.¡±

    As the commander of this escort, Mo Jiang naturally understood what manners the soldiers he was handling were like. They were the imperial guards from the capital. Each and every one of them were people with eyes above their heads. The training base set up by Ming Yu allowed them to train, if Ming Yu hadn¡¯t promised their return to the capital at first, then who among those Da Lao Ye Men would be willing to listen and obey the command? If it was handled like this, with them trained together with those peasants whose foundation can¡¯t even be put in their eyes and given the same treatment too, it would be strange that they won¡¯t make any trouble at all. Even if he kept the place under control, the contradictions in private will definitely be fermented. And when the time comes, there will be a lot of trouble. He¡¯s afraid that it will be hopeless by then.

    Mo Jiang¡¯s words hit the spot, and Xu Wen also had this concern, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have come here to have a look. If this plan doesn¡¯t work, then they will have to think of other ways.

    Who would have known Ming Yu would play it down and say: ¡°What Commander Mo worried about is all correct. But I didn¡¯t plan to make them stand against each other. We can make the old handle the new, divide them into several teams, give the veteran soldiers a mission and use them to give marks to take a look at the new soldiers¡¯ training results for the first month. With this, they can use it to evaluate their achievements. If they do well, they will naturally be rewarded, otherwise, they will be punished. In this way, healthy and virtuous competition will be formed in our guard camp, which will not only improve everyone¡¯s performance but there also won¡¯t be any big conflict among the old and new people.¡±

    Ji You couldn¡¯t help but nod his head and become radiant with delight. Today¡¯s harvest is too great. There are many things that even their general can¡¯t even imagine. With Ming Yu here, he can treat it as if it was nothing out of the ordinary and even find methods to settle things with no difficulty.

    When Ming Yu finished speaking, everyone fell silent. This method was indeed fresh. Why couldn¡¯t they think of such a simple method? Everyone asked themselves honestly in their hearts, and finally looked at the young man sitting on the seat of honor here who revealed his innocent, unaffected and harmless smile on his smooth, round, fair, and clear face. Their hearts trembled. It was not that they were useless and incapable of thinking, but rather it¡¯s this rumored foolish young man who was the real evildoer.

    ¡°Yes, this subordinate will draw up the regulations as soon as possible. Your Highness, please take a look.¡± Mo Jiang cupped his hands and said. According to his experience, he just had to follow the direction of His Highness, and it will be fine. Now that His Highness has explained the method clearly, he will not have any major problems as long as he does as was instructed. Now, he even admired Ming Yu¡¯s foresight. The training results from today¡¯s guard camp was something he didn¡¯t even dare to think about before.

    Now that the matters were already settled, Ming Yu also nodded and then talked to Mo Jiang about Ji You and Cao Jian¡¯s purpose of coming here. These were the tactical talents he sought after using all possible means. Them as the Red Robe Army had been in who knows how many battles with the barbarians. They were all seasoned by the mountain of corpses and seas of blood. This kind of precious experience was exactly what their guards lacked. With them coming here to instruct the basic battle training, it was assumed that they would be more useful compared to those flowery fish with fancy footwork, that were attractive in appearance but without any substance.

    Mo Jiang recognized Ji You. He respected the Red Robe Army from the bottom of his heart. He was naturally overjoyed when he heard Ming Yu¡¯s arrangement. This was good. In this dangerous place of Liangzhou, if you have the same skills, you will be able to have hope of survival. They, as the guards of His Highness, if they could catch up with the Red Robe Army¡¯s ability, then it would already be good. Otherwise, he as the commander will really be ashamed to death.

    Mo Jiang faced the two of them and made a salute gesture, which was considered to have agreed to the matter, and the two hurriedly returned the politeness. Ji You grinned and smiled, ¡°Commander Mo, for the next three months, I will be in your care.¡±

    Now he had no sense of resistance, and the initial complaints have long been thrown out beyond the topmost clouds. Based on what he has seen and heard, he¡¯s convinced that the next three months will be very interesting!

 CH 20

    Once everything had been properly arranged, Ming Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was just the beginning now, and he believed that it would not take long for his territory to become better and better.

    Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. Xu Wen began to lead people to visit the village. Selecting the village was the test point, and he began to implement Mingyu¡¯s plan. On one side, he asked the villagers to dig tunnels according to the craftsman¡¯s design, while on the other hand, he chose capable and strong youth, letting them sign up for training in the guard camp.

    The commoners nowadays were all honest and simple. Whatever affairs that the officials ordered out, they would always grin and bear it. They didn¡¯t know what they needed to dig the tunnels for and also didn¡¯t dare to ask. But making people go to train and so on would take place once every three months, which was a bit of a hassle.

    In the past, the government officials would recruit strong laborers for various purposes every year, either to transport supplies for the army, or cast military fortifications, and even have these unarmed and defenseless people go to the frontlines to throw their lives away during wartime.Almost all the dirty and hard work was done by these commoners.

    Nowadays, the word labor force would already make people¡¯s complexion change. They were all afraid it would fall on their heads. As long as one was a little capable, they would try to think up every possible method to avoid forced labor. If there really was nothing to be done, one could only feel apprehensive and go into the plague and pray from the bottom of their hearts for heaven¡¯s blessing and protection to make them be able to return back home safe and sound, then it would be fine.

    Now was not the time to do forced labor. This time, this nuisance training shouldn¡¯t be the method that these officials thought of to toss people aside again, right?

    Everyone was watching from the sidelines. No one wanted to do this training task that had never been heard of before, and the government officials also did not say that people were forced to go. For this kind of thing, the best way to avoid getting caught up was to stay away.

    No one came to sign up for several days in a row, which made Xu Wen worry until his hair turned gray. Wangye had already ordered that he could not force the request, so the notice he gave out was for strong young people to come forward to take the initiative, but the outcome was already obvious.

    There was indeed no other way, so Xu Wen once again ran to Duan Wang¡¯s Mansion, and requested to meet Ming Yu with a bitter expression.

    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s simply no one willing to go train at all. Xiao Chen really has no choice now. If we force each household to make one person go, as long as this regulation is in place, we won¡¯t be afraid that no one will go.¡± Xu Wen explained the current situation in detail, then finally he offered a suggestion.

    Ming Yu listened very carefully, then finally asked: ¡°Have you explained to everyone why they have to go train and the purpose of training already?¡±

    Xu Wen nodded. He did everything according to Wangye¡¯s instructions. Naturally, he explained all this clearly. ¡°Your Highness, on the first day, the ministers have posted notices everywhere, which clearly and obviously stated the meaning of Your Highness¡¯s intention very clearly.¡±

    It was reasonable to say that this was impossible. Since it was said and understood clearly already that this matter was not dangerous or difficult, how could no one be willing to come forward to sign up?

    He was strolling and thinking. Could it be that he made a mistake? After all, he had never really understood these common people, and his own thoughts were impossible to replace their way of thinking. If there was really no other way, then he would take a trip and visit each family to see the situation¡­Huh?

    That¡¯s not right! Ming Yu frowned and thought about Xu Wen¡¯s words, ¡°Notice?¡± Ming Yu¡¯s mind suddenly flashed with divine light, ¡°You said you only posted the notices?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± That¡¯s right! Xu Wen thought suspiciously, any affairs in the government have always been assigned through notices, was there something wrong with this?

    Ming Yu smiled, it turned out to be like this. How many commoners have learned to read these days? There was nothing wrong with officials posting a notice and informing them this way, but commoners are illiterate. Not every one would take a look and understand it, but the more they gossiped, the more out of context it would be.

    Therefore, the huge possibility was that Xu Wen¡¯s notice here was clearly written out, but the villagers had not figured it out yet, so no one dared to act rashly, right?

    Ming Yu thought for a while. He already had an idea in his mind.

    Baiping Village had the majority of people with the surname Wang. Years of wars had reduced the population of the village by one-third. In the past few years, many people died in the village due to barbarian invaders plundering. That¡¯s when Wang Da from the west of the village of Wang Four had their parents pass away. This only left the two brothers who escaped to be mutually dependent on each other.

    These past few years, the days had not been good from one year to the next, and they were also troubled by the bandits and the barbarians. The harvest in the field was not even enough for them to plunder. The people in the village all had a hard time.

    A few days ago, many lord officials came to the village, saying that they were going to build tunnels in the village so that when the time came they could protect the villagers and prevent bandits and barbarian invaders. The people in the village didn¡¯t understand this. They only knew that as long as they were involved in the work, they could have two full meals to eat. For this, all the people in the village were dispatched. This kind of good thing was hard to come by.

    The Wang Da two brothers naturally went there too. Every day, they could muddle along with two meals to eat, enough to make everyone¡¯s heart move. They really hoped that this work would last forever, but they all knew in their hearts that the tunnels that the officials made them dig would one day be finished. What should they do when that day comes?

    ¡°Big Brother, today I heard that as long as strong young people agree to be recruited to that training base, they will not only have enough food every day but they will have meat to eat. Moreover, as long as they are in the training camp, they will be able to receive the same amount of money as those soldiers at the end of the month. Not only is there food, but there is also money to take. Unexpectedly, there is such a good thing that has fallen on our heads, everyone is talking about it now.¡± As soon as the two brothers arrived at the doorway of the house, Wang Si was excited to tell his Big Brother what he had heard.

    Wang Da frowned. He had also heard about this. Before, the government officials announced that strong young people will be recruited for training. Everyone had never heard of such training. They thought it was forced labor issued by the government, so everyone was worried and didn¡¯t understand as a result. Thus, naturally, no one wanted to go.

    Early this morning, the officials sent someone to read the contents of the notice and if these uncouth fellows were unable to make sense of what they heard from those bookish speeches, they also had it explained clearly, word by word.

    At that time, he also listened. They said that this training was not as hard as the forced labor work. Everyone was recruited voluntarily, and what they did was not sweated labor and heavy work. And just like the army, they would be trained in the skills to attack enemies with swords, spears, clubs and so on. Train one¡¯s skills in this way and return to the village in the future, so that even if there were bandits and barbarians coming, they would be able to fight against the other.

    He didn¡¯t quite believe it. They were just ordinary common people, could they really be capable of learning high-ranking officers¡¯ skills, or capable of killing those black-hearted barbarians? He was afraid the officials once again had come up with some tricks, probably to send them to throw away their lives, right?

    Wang Si didn¡¯t notice Wang Da¡¯s expression at all. He was still muttering to himself excitedly, ¡°Big Brother, do you think this is true?¡± Before Wang Da answered, he hit both of his palms together and said happily, ¡°En, It must be true. This is what the government officials said. The notice was also stamped with the government¡¯s official seal, so it must be true. The rest is not important. The important thing is that if they can really teach us the ability to kill the enemy when the evil invader comes, we can kill them without leaving a piece of them alive.¡±

    Wang Da¡¯s complexion was a little gloomy. Could those bandits and barbarians be killed if they say they can kill them? Can there be immortals in war? Not to mention others, but even the government army already had a countless number of them dying under the swords of those bandits and barbarians on the battlefield. The government officials put it this way, if it wasn¡¯t calling them to come forward to throw away their life, then what else was it?

    ¡°Big Brother, why don¡¯t we go too¡­¡±

    Before Wang Si finished speaking, he was interrupted by Wang Da, ¡°Go what? You are not allowed to go anywhere!¡±

    Wang Si was stunned, he didn¡¯t understand why his Big Brother reacted so strongly like this, ¡°Big Brother?¡±

    Wang Da wiped his face and said solemnly: ¡°This matter, we won¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Why? This is a good thing. We would be able to learn skills to defend ourselves and we won¡¯t be afraid when those barbarians come anymore. We will be able to raise our faces and exhale.¡± Wang Si didn¡¯t understand why his Big Brother resolutely opposed this matter.

    ¡°No reason, in short, I said no, so you are not allowed to agree to be recruited.¡± Wang Da didn¡¯t explain anything to him. Even if he spoke out his suspicion, his fourth brother would definitely not believe it, so he could only refuse it by force.

    When Wang Si heard his Big Brother say this, he felt a little dissatisfied. He had already thought of a good idea. He wanted to go to the recruitment place to try it out tomorrow. Now that Big Brother resolutely refused him without listening to him, it was somewhat unimaginable.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then don¡¯t. In any case, it¡¯s also based on an individual¡¯s wish. Nevertheless, I want to give it a try.¡± Wang Si saw that his Big Brother wanted to stop him, so he hurriedly said: ¡°Big brother, I want to learn some skills, I want to kill the barbarians, I still can¡¯t forget the tragic death of my parents and siblings to this day. I want to kill those barbarians to avenge them!¡±

    Wang Da¡¯s heart trembled. His eyes were red, but he only had this one younger brother. He couldn¡¯t let his only younger brother throw away his life. How could he not remember the enmity of his parents and siblings? It¡¯s just that this enmity in this life, he¡¯s afraid it will be hard to get revenge.

    Wang Da¡¯s voice was a little dry and rough, ¡°Fourth Little Brother, you have to know that bandits and barbarians are fierce and savage, and those soldiers all find it difficult to resist them. We are just ordinary common people, how can we be capable of fighting against them? Anyways, it will be merely going to throw away one¡¯s life!¡±

    Wang Si refused to believe it. What Big Brother said was too one-sided, and all the officials had already said it. This was the Wangye sympathizing with the commoners like them and being unable to bear the commoners being harmed by bandits. This was how he can teach them the skills.

    He was the prince, but he left the good days in the capital, and unexpectedly came to this land. This was because Wangye cherishes the land under the heavens and he knew the hardships of the commoners in the borderland, so he came here to rescue them.

    Wang Si tried to persuade his Big Brother, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. They said it already, it¡¯s just two months of training and nothing more. When that time comes, we will still be able to return to the village. We, these strong young people, will be able to patrol and guard the village. Didn¡¯t Xu Daren take us to build this tunnel in order to protect the villagers? Usually, the excess food will be hidden inside. Just in case, if those evil invaders come, the villagers can also go hide inside. When the time comes, those evil invaders will have to work to no avail, and we can also save our lives.¡±

    ¡°Only you young and ignorant people would be convinced by this speech.¡± Wang Da rigidly believed these were the words of officials who deceived others.

    Seeing that his Big Brother couldn¡¯t be convinced, Wang Si was frustrated and immediately stopped saying anything more. He simply stopped paying attention to Wang Da and entered the house with anger. However, he also made up his mind. He has grown up now and it was time for him to make his own decision.

    Wang Da looked thoughtfully at his fourth little brother¡¯s back and finally left out a helpless sigh, slowly blending into the darkening night.

 CH 21

    The next day, before dawn, the door of Wang Si¡¯s room opened slightly, and a figure came out silently. Finally, he glanced at the dark room, gritted his teeth and left.

    This figure was Wang Si. He had made up his mind a long time ago to apply for the recruitment and sign up for the training. He was afraid that his big brother would disagree, so he might as well just secretly hide it from him.

    However, there was a rustling sound from the room shortly after he left. Wang Da opened the door and sighed silently as he watched the dark shadow gradually disappearing in the night.

    Under Xu Wen¡¯s information, everyone heard that they only needed to stay at the base for two months. The situation was that not only will there be food and housing, but also meat and money. Many young people were moved. No matter what, as long as you go, you can reduce the burden on your family and you will also be able to have money to supplement your family. It couldn¡¯t be more cost-effective.

    There were also people like Wang Si, whose families did not support the idea, and came quietly to act first and report later.

    No matter what kind of training, no matter how hard or tired it will be, as long as one can fill one¡¯s stomach, it would be fine to sacrifice their life.

    When Xu Wen saw many young people coming to respond to the recruitment early in the morning, his worried heart finally dropped. At the same time, he had no choice but to admire Ming Yu. He could break the deadlock just by one method, making the plan proceed smoothly.

    Wang Si was very excited. He was holding two sets of brand-new clothes in both hands. These were the new clothes given after he registered for the recruitment, the government¡¯s new clothes. It seems that what they were talking about was true. This kind of clothes, for poor commoners like them, it was already very extravagant to put on this set during the New Year. Now, they have two sets to wash and change when they are recruited. In this way, what they said about eating meat every day with enough rice to eat till full, this is something they can¡¯t run away from.

    Being able to live this kind of life, he was afraid that he would even wake up with a smile within his dreams.

    Not only Wang Si, others were also full of expectations for the life of this training camp. There were also a lot of people who were hesitant. Seeing this kind of situation, they immediately made up their minds and joined the queue to be recruited.

    The great tent in the Red Robe Army.

    Xie Yixiu opened the letter in his hand. This was the news that Ji You had just passed on. They had also been in Ming Yu¡¯s training camp for some time now, and they had thoroughly understood everything in the training camp.

    Xie Yixiu read the letter carefully, and his originally tranquil and unwavering eyes leaked out a sense of interest. He propped up his temple with one hand, and suddenly remembered the smooth, round, and graceful youngster whom he had caught a glimpse of that day.

    At that time, Ming Yu came to find him several times but was rejected by him because of his busy schedule. In the end, he patted his horse in front of Ming Yu and left. It was because he was afraid of getting into trouble. The officials and noble children in the capital have always been arrogant and domineering. It was better not to be infected by them if possible.

    What¡¯s more, the reputation of this fourteenth prince outside, he had also heard of it when he went to the capital to report on his duties. Naturally, there was no need to spend time making friends with him.

    However, now it seems that this Duan Wang was a very interesting person. It was necessary to pay him an official visit once he had the spare time. Moreover, this training base, whether it¡¯s really like what they said, he should also personally go and observe it.

    He lowered his eyes, pondered for a while, then finally made up his mind.

    The news from the capital finally returned, followed by carts of tea, porcelain, fabrics¡­ and other materials sent by Crown Prince Ming Ye.

    Ming Yu was overjoyed at the unexpected good news and carefully checked over these things. This could be a lot of money. Seeing that the expenses were getting bigger day by day, he was worried about it every day until he lost his hair. Afraid that when the time comes when the money is used up, there would be no place to fill the gap. Now it was alright. With these things, as long as Bu Atan takes them to the west, won¡¯t silver money and other things be like gurgling water flowing into his pockets. Thinking of this, Ming Yu smiled with teeth revealed and eyes hidden, looking like a money-grubber.

    ¡°Wangye, General Xie requested to see you.¡± A personal guard came to report.

    ¡°General Xie? Which General Xie?¡± Ming Yu was taken aback for a moment, recalling anyone he knew in his memory who could match General Xie, but he didn¡¯t think of anything.

    ¡°Report to Wangye, it¡¯s General Xie of the Red Robe Army.¡± Once the personal guard¡¯s words came out, Ming Yu remembered in a flash. Isn¡¯t this the same great General Xie who he had personally sought to meet several times but couldn¡¯t have met? How come he unexpectedly requested to meet him now?

    Ming Yu propped his chin and thought for a while but couldn¡¯t think of Xie Yixiu¡¯s purpose in coming here. Might as well not think about it, he looked at the items in his hand and replied casually, ¡°Let him wait for a while. When Ben Wang finishes over here, I will go and see him.¡±

    Although he was curious about the purpose of Xie Yixiu¡¯s arrival, the goods here occupied all Ming Yu¡¯s attention at this time. These were related to his future construction of the territory, solving the food and warm clothing of the commoners, and the foundation of economic construction. It was top priority. Currently, it could be said that no one could be compared to it. Anyways, he had checked most of them, and the remaining half was still hanging and he couldn¡¯t feel at ease about it, so he might as well finish checking all of them before going to do other things.

    Ming Yu¡¯s disapproval appearance made the person unable to see through him. That was General Xie of the Red Robe Army! A reputed War General who was observed and worshiped by countless people, he wasn¡¯t someone that can be seen by anyone who wants to see him! In the beginning, their Wangye was eager to meet him and still hadn¡¯t seen him! Now that General Xie has come to his door, Wangye unexpectedly doesn¡¯t even care about it? And just left the person with cold shoulders here?

    That personal guard opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but Ming Yu had already lowered his head to continue with his own affairs. Now how could he dare to say anything, so he closed his mouth resentfully and went on to pass the message.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s expression on his face remained unchanged after hearing the message from the personal guard. He took a sip of the tea prepared by the people, pressing down the emotion in his eyes.

    He made a special visit today because he was fascinated by Ming Yu¡¯s method of training soldiers, and he came to explore the real situation. He wanted to know if this was really thought of by a prince, or if another expert pointed it out.

    If it was the first one, he still didn¡¯t quite believe that. An ordinary prince who grew up in the palace from the capital, never exposed to important military affairs, how can he figure out this kind of training method? But if there was someone behind him pointing it out, then the person behind him was a rare talented field commander. This kind of talent should not be buried behind a high reputation person and remain nameless.

    It was with this kind of thought that Xie Yixiu made this trip. However, the tea refillment had continued for four or five times already, and unexpectedly he still didn¡¯t see the person.

    The little boy servant who came to refill the tea was a little embarrassed. If it were others then it would be okay, but this person¡­ alas! It couldn¡¯t be that their Wangye, in order to take revenge on General Xie from locking his door before, is refusing to see him, right? But what is this? If this spreads out that their Wangye left General Xie with a cold shoulder for a long time, does he still want his reputation?

    The little boy servant went out, frowning and began to worry. But what do the thoughts of a lowly person count for? How could he dare to get involved with his master¡¯s affairs? It couldn¡¯t be that he dislikes having a long life, right?

    When he was eager in his heart, he saw Qing Ping approaching from a distance, and his heart moved. He hurriedly greeted her and informed the matter to Elder Sister Qing Ping.

    Qingping also heard that someone came to visit, but she didn¡¯t know who it was. At this moment, she was a little surprised to hear that it was the famous General Xie. It was not that she had never heard of General Xie¡¯s military glory, and she knew that their Wangye had heard of General Xie¡¯s past achievements, and also thought highly of this general, but what¡¯s the situation now? Her family¡¯s prince deliberately put the person aside and left him with a cold shoulder, just for revenge? But her prince was not a narrow-minded person like this.

    Qingping frowned and thought for a while, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Wangye now, and find out what Wangye really means.¡± If Wangye really gave General Xie a display of strength, then she would have to persuade him. Wangye had just taken a foothold in this Liangzhou land, so they must not let any bad rumors out.

    Qingping energetically came to find the busy Ming Yu. Burning with anxiety, she grabbed him, ¡°Wangye, what are you doing here?¡± Ming Yu had always treated his subordinates generously. At this moment, Qing Ping didn¡¯t care about anything, and immediately asked out loud.

    Ming Yu looked back and saw that it was Qingping. He didn¡¯t understand what she was doing here, but he was happy in his heart and said with a smile: ¡°I¡¯m busy checking the goods here. With these, I can make a lot of money. That¡¯s right, what are you looking for me for?¡±

    Qingping understood Ming Yu. Seeing him like this, it was a little funny. She already understood it in her heart. It seems that Wangye didn¡¯t really want to give General Xie a display of strength and deliberately gave the guest a cold shoulder. It should be that he¡¯s too happy and busy that he forgot about the matter.

    Qing Ping stomped her foot and reminded: ¡°What matter could it be? Wangye, could it be that you forgot that General Xie has been waiting for you in the front hall for more than half a day already.¡±

    ¡°What? General Xie?¡± Oh no, Ming Yu patted his head, he really forgot about this person.

    He looked at the sun that was about to set outside, a little annoyed. Regarding his memory, he really left everything behind at the back of his head due to the silver money.

    He grabbed Qingping¡¯s sleeves, ¡°You said General Xie is still waiting?¡± Seeing Qingping nodded assuredly, he urged at once: ¡°Quickly, help me wash and change my clothes, I will go to see General Xie now. ¡°

    Qingping was not in a good mood now that she knew it was urgent. Her hand movements were not slow, and without much effort, Ming Yu was tidied up by her and went to see the guest.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s facial expressions were cold. If he hadn¡¯t taken the big picture into consideration, he would have left long ago already. Now he became more and more convinced that this was definitely not a training method that a mere Duan Wang could possibly come up with. He had previously thought that he was different from other royal nobles, but now it seems that white silk is just white silk. It is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one¡¯s character. The results of what one sees today can allow one to easily make out Duan Wang¡¯s heart. This kind of behavior really made people disappointed. How can this kind of person have great wisdom and knowledge? If he can get a piece of news from his mouth, he will definitely think of a way to recruit this person into his troops, so that he will be able to display his greatest capacity. In the end, to win success and recognition, that was not impossible.

    While still thinking about it, there were movements from the outside, and after a short while, a smooth and round figure rushed in.

    Seeing the impatient and eager appearance of the person who just arrived, Xie Yixiu frowned without a trace. He immediately stood up, bowed and cupped his hands, ¡°Chen Xie Yixiu pays a visit to Your Highness Duan Wang.¡±

    Ming Yu ran all the way here, and he hadn¡¯t gasped in some air yet. Seeing him saluting to himself, he repeatedly waved his hand to stop him: ¡°No¡­you don¡¯t need to be over courteous. General Xie coming here, there has been much negligence, so please don¡¯t be offended.¡±

    Xie Yixiu pursed his lips, his tone was indifferent without the slightest billows, ¡°It was Chen¡¯s presumptuousness that troubled Wangye, how can I blame Wangye.¡±

 CH 22

    Chapter 22

    Ming Yu quietly looked at Xie Yixiu¡¯s complexion. He saw that there was no superfluous expression on his face, thus didn¡¯t know what was on his mind. He really didn¡¯t mean to neglect this person. If he was misunderstood by him, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to explain it well.

    ¡°Cough!¡± After the two sat down again, Ming Yu cleared his throat, took a sip of the tea on the table, and then probed: ¡°I wonder what matter General Xie had in coming here?¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold voice sounded, ¡°Two or three months ago, Wangye had borrowed two soldiers from the Red Robe Army to go to Wangye¡¯s training base for training. Now the period of three months is approaching. I wonder how Wangye¡¯s progress?¡±

    Ming Yu patted his forehead and suddenly came to a realization, ¡°Ah-so you came for this matter? Ahaha! Time unexpectedly passed by so quickly? Hai! Look at me, actually forgetting about this matter.¡±

    In fact, the agreed three-month period was fast approaching. Ji You and the two people also started reporting in advance, preparing to apply to return to the Red Robe Army, but how could Ming Yu be willing to let the people go so easily. He would drag it out if he can, and hide if he can¡¯t. In short, without his words, the two people will have to remain inside the training camp for the time being.

    Unexpectedly, this kind of a small matter, had moved General Xie to come in person. Ming Yu could only let out a haha ??at this moment, hoping to deal with it temporarily.

    ¡°Ah! General Xie, how about we discuss more¡­¡± Ming Yu rubbed his hands and looked at Xie Yixiu with a smile. Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t say anything, but he narrowed his eyebrows deeply. He wanted to see what Duan Wang¡¯s meaning was.

    With Xie Yixiu¡¯s silence, Mingyu didn¡¯t think he disagreed, so he proceeded and said: ¡°You see, your Red Robe Army is admired by the people. All of you people are good. Compared with our guards, we are too far behind. Each and every one of them are not capable. On the contrary, their eyes are higher than their heads, and no one was willing to change.The only one who can restrain them is the famous Red Robe Army. That¡¯s why Ben Wang borrowed someone from you to come and instruct them with their experience. That is to let them grasp real fighting skills, so that they will not collapse at the first blow. In this way, Ben Wang¡¯s safety could also be guaranteed a little more, right?¡±

    He said a huge pile of reasons, while Xie Yixiu was still as calm as before. Ming Yu laughed twice, ¡°So, how about letting the two generals Ji and Cao stay in the training camp for a while longer?¡±

    Xie Yixiu lifted his eyelids and glanced at Ming Yu coldly, before he said, ¡°Your Highness should know that one should keep one¡¯s promise. At that time, since it has been agreed for three months, then you should keep your promise.¡±

    The smile on Ming Yu¡¯s face almost froze, ¡°Aiya! There must be room for negotiation in everything, right? How about Ben Wang ask General Xie to temporarily transfer the two generals for another three months? No! How about two months? Hai! Ben Wang guarantees to give them enough food to eat and drink, funds and provisions and so on, they will be paid twice as much as before, no! Triple! How about returning the two generals back safe and sound after two months?¡±

    Xie Yixiu remained unmoved. Ming Yu felt a little headache. It seemed that he had not paid enough for it! He had also heard of a few deeds of General Xie. It is said that in addition to the title of the General of the people, there was another renowned reputation of being a sly person, not letting the eagle go until he saw the benefits.

    It now seems that his bargaining chips were not enough to move this person, but now that the training camp had just started, giving up halfway, the gains won¡¯t make up for the losses. To be honest, the Red Robe Army was indeed capable. Relying only on the help of Ji You and Cao Jian, the guards of the camp had been changed to be submissive and docile now; that¡¯s why Ming Yu was reluctant to let the people go.

    Ming Yu touched his nose. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to raise his head and laugh, ¡°General Xie, think about it¡­¡± For the sake of his future plans, he had no choice but to be humble in a gentle manner.

    It¡¯s a pity that Xie Yixiu still stayed calm, only rubbing his fingers carelessly. He wasn¡¯t a bit moved by Ming Yu¡¯s proposal. Ming Yu cursed himself, there was no other way. He couldn¡¯t even use his power to suppress the other. Who is this person in front of him? He¡¯s the War General that one would need to give face even when in front of his Emperor Father, His Majesty. What¡¯s more, he was taking root here, doesn¡¯t that mean in the future, he would have to rely on this ever-victorious War General?

    Ming Yu¡¯s face turned bitter, now he was already impoverished, and the money had been flowing out with a crashing sound these days. His little money he had to begin with was about to be squandered empty by him. How could he pay a huge price just to attract this person¡¯s heart? Hai! Had it not been for the life-saving straw of His Highness the Crown Prince, he would be caught unprepared now!

    Ming Yu thought of the goods that he checked earlier, his tightly clutched heart finally loosening up a bit. It won¡¯t be long before there will be income, and when the time comes, he will be able to let go of his hands and feet to implement all the plans and make a big splash on his own territory.

    Yi! He suddenly remembered something. He took a glance at Xie Yixiu, and showed a smile that was determined to win. He stood up, strolled twice in a circle, thinking things through, then stopped in front of Xie Yixiu, with a pair of peach blossom eyes bent like crescent moon, ¡°General Xie, how about we cooperate together¡­¡±

    ¡°Cooperate?¡± Xie Yixiu looked up at him when he heard the words. He didn¡¯t understand why Ming Yu said that. What could be cooperated in between them?

    And Ming Yu seemed to be sure that his proposal would be accepted by the other party. With a card up his sleeve, he said: ¡°That¡¯s right, I heard that the red cavalry led by General Xie can compete with the iron cavalry of Suixi Kingdom. One is because the general leads the army well and the soldiers are bold, powerful and fearless. Second is because relying on good, precious warhorses, one could move like the wind, and anticipate the enemy¡¯s move in advance to be able to resist and defeat them.¡±

    Xie Yixiu tapped his finger on the table lightly, he didn¡¯t express any opinions, as if waiting for Ming Yu to continue.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t intend to keep the person in front of him waiting. Xie Yixiu looked like the kind of person that was outwardly cold but deep and passionate inside. It was better to take the initiative to speak up in front of this kind of person. Throwing out a bad idea could potentially lead to something good, so he said: ¡°The Red Robe Army triumphs in every battle and wins every fight. But in the end, the numbers are too small. If there are tens of thousands or even several tens of thousands of people and horses, how can the barbarians of Suixi Kingdom dare to do anything rashly? I heard there are only five thousand people in the Red Robe Army, but one has not dared to expand the army because there are no more good horses.¡± He saw Xie Yixiu¡¯s fingers increase in frequency, and he knew he had hit it spot on, ¡°It¡¯s a pity! Good, precious warhorses, nevertheless could only be discovered but not sought in the Great Yan Kingdom. However, what if I say that I can bring these precious horses over¡­..¡±

    Before Ming Yu finished speaking, Xie Yixiu suddenly stood up in a flash, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Ming Yu smiled like a fox, slowly turned back to his seat, took a sip of tea, and said unhurriedly: ¡°Ben Wang can bring the horses here. I wonder if General Xie is willing to cooperate?¡±

    Xie Yixiu couldn¡¯t believe it, what ability does Duan Wang have to get the precious warhorses? This matter was of great importance, how can it be treated as a joke at will? But looking at Ming Yu¡¯s expression, it didn¡¯t seem to be a joke.

    Seeing the unmoved Xie Yixiu finally changing his expression, the corner of Ming Yu¡¯s mouth could not stop rising. He brought up his right half-fisted hand against his mouth and coughed slightly, covering the smile on his lips. He said confidently: ¡°General Xie, it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t believe me. How about this, half a year, let¡¯s set a time limit of half a year. During this half year, your two Ji and Cao generals will stay at Ben Wang¡¯s training base. After half a year, Ben Wang will send you five horses that are not inferior to any of the good horses in the Red Robe Army.¡±

    ¡°Half a year?¡± Xie Yixiu asked.

    Ming Yu nodded, Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t know where his confidence came from. In half a year¡¯s time, where could he obtain good horses from? Xie Yixiu lowered his eyes slightly. It is a well-known fact that their Great Yan Kingdom lacked horses. Because of this, the barbarians, who made a living on nomads, relied on their strong soldiers and horses to invade Great Yan Kingdom every year.

    Xie Yixiu was about to break his head but he still couldn¡¯t figure out how Ming Yu could have such a great skill.

    Regardless of whether Ming Yu would be stealing or robbing, the more precious horses, the better. This matter was greatly beneficial to Xie Yixiu. Since it was profitable and harmless, Xie Yixiu naturally had no reason not to agree.

    Now speaking to this part, Xie Yixiu naturally and logically agreed, ¡°Alright! But the two generals¡¯ triple pay by Wangye¡­¡±

    Ming Yu twitched the corners of his mouth, the main part was already given away, would he even care about this little bit of silver money? He patted his chest and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since I said it then naturally it will count.¡± However, Ming Yu silently cursed in his mind. General Xie¡¯s reputation as a sly person is indeed well-deserved. It could be considered that he had finally gained first hand experience of it.

    But now that Xie Yixiu agreed, Ming Yu was also happy. He had reached the goal of keeping the two people behind, in that way, he was once again able to make progress again.

    Ming Yu approached Xie Yixiu with a smile, grabbed his shoulders, and said enthusiastically: ¡°General Xie, now that we are all familiar with each other, it¡¯s better for us to cooperate more. You see, our guard camps lack real swords, real spears, real combat experience, and your Red Robe Army has rich combat experience. It just so happens that both of us can arrange a few real combat training sessions so that my cubs can grasp the actual combat skills as soon as possible. Do your cubs also need this kind of sparring partner?¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s face turned blue. He had never liked to be close to people, but this person was too shameless to actually get this close to him, even putting arms around his shoulders and being intimate. Is this really the fourteenth prince of the Kingdom, the current Duan Wangye? But how does he have the slightest demeanor of a Wangye? If Xie Yixiu hadn¡¯t taken into consideration his status as a Wangye, he¡¯s afraid he would have thrown a punch then gone out already.

    ¡°Wangye, please conduct yourself with dignity!¡± Xie Yixiu gritted his teeth and reminded.

    Ming Yu released him, flicked his sleeves, returned to his seat, then curled up the corner of his lips, ¡°Qi (whispering sound)! How boring. I¡¯m saying this to you, but you¡¯re still young, why do you talk and do things like those old and stubborn people? Hai! Always sporting a stiff face, aren¡¯t you tired of it?¡±

    Xie Yixiu finally breathed a sigh of relief and ignored Ming Yu¡¯s sarcasm. Only then, did he have time to think about his proposal just now. He didn¡¯t know what this real combat training would do. Could it be a new thing he made up again?

    Before he figured out anything, Ming Yu had already explained it to him in high spirits, ¡°It means that each of our two sides will come out with their true abilities, at an appointed place. They will fight a battle, compete in tactics, commands, and strategies. Teamwork and cohesion, as well as individual combat capabilities, and so on to see who wins and who loses in the end.¡±

    It sounded like a good proposal. Xie Yixiu has never seen such a competition before. These days, it is quite peaceful in the borderland. Having this kind of training could also increase the enthusiasm of soldiers in training. It¡¯s just¡­ Xie Yixiu raised his concerns, ¡°It¡¯s just that the sword has no eyes. If there are casualties during the practice, it will not be nice.¡±

    Xie Yixiu obviously had the intent, but this concern was really nothing to worry about for Ming Yu.

 CH 23.1

    Ming Yu smiled and shook his head, ¡°Hey! Why is there a need for real swords and spears? It¡¯s just practice, it¡¯s already enough not to overdo it.¡±

    Ming Yu spoke of the overall situation of his idea of practice. Xie Yixiu listened quite seriously, and thought of the feasibility of this matter. The more he listened, the more he became suspicious and bewildered.

    He had previously known of Duan Wang¡¯s peculiar way of thinking from Ji You and their letters. There were a lot of things inside their training camp that were unheard of before. After these days of observation from Ji You, these training items were indeed very useful to train the body¡¯s potential.

    This method could make the commoners who couldn¡¯t distinguish between left and right to quickly create the formation in a month¡¯s time. And their mannerism after training was basically like a whole different person compared to before. This was just a month or so! If they train for several years, he believed this would definitely become an army full of elite soldiers and strong generals.

    Before that, he had never believed that there was such a rapid way to form an army in this world. Since ancient times, even those experts in the art of war, respected by people all around the world, have not had such a great method of training soldiers.

    Xie Yixiu absolutely did not believe that the smiling, ill-intentioned Duan Wang in front of him could have this ability. So who is the divine person behind him, a person who is capable of having this kind of skill and not of high reputation? It¡¯s certain that he was not a person who can be manipulated at will, but how can this person be nameless and be willing to hide behind others?

    Xie Yixiu was overthinking, and only thought that what Ming Yu was saying just now was also from a written script made by the person behind his back. Now, he was all the more certain of the suspicion in his heart and was determined to find the person in hiding.

    With this kind of thought, Xie Yixiu was not in a hurry, and made up his mind to feign civility with Ming Yu. He would have to come in contact with him more in the future to observe, maybe he might be able to find the person behind the scene. He was worried that he could not find an excuse for it, but now that Ming Yu had raised his proposal, he quickly blurted out his agreement.

    ¡°Yi?¡± Regarding Xie Yixiu¡¯s frank and straightforward answer without additional conditions, Ming Yu felt somewhat incredulous. He opened his two eyes wide, looking him up and down.

    Xie Yixiu was a little uncomfortable with his gaze. Among all the king¡¯s horses and men, he could maintain a calm expression showing his impressive display of manpower, as motionless as the mountain. However, when he came into contact with Ming Yu¡¯s bright eyes, his face unexpectedly turned slightly warm and a bit stiff.

    He bowed his head, restrained his expression, and did not dare to look at that person. He only reached out and took a sip of the tea on the table to hide the slight uneasiness in his heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s good! Then, that¡¯s settled between us.¡± Ming Yu was afraid that this person would take back his words, so he made the final decision at once.

    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, would Wangye mind if Chen goes to take a look at your training camp?¡± Xie Yixiu deliberately asked.

    It was best to take a look at it personally. With this way of thinking and seeing an opportunity, he decided to take advantage of it. Even if Wangye didn¡¯t agree, he can also think of other methods. No matter what, he had to examine it clearly.

    Ming Yu¡¯s peach blossom eyes shone brightly, and he replied very straightforwardly, ¡°Of course! It¡¯s a blessing for them to have General Xie honor them with your presence and guidance. This is their blessing and something they can¡¯t even beg for.¡±

    Xie Yixiu, who was still thinking about how to persuade the other party to agree, did not expect that he would agree so happily. The speeches prepared in his heart were useless for a moment. He was stunned for a while before resuming his indifferent appearance, but in his heart he couldn¡¯t figure it out. If something abnormal happens, could this be counted as a military secret? Easily agreeing to letting other people go ahead and look, does this Duan Wang just not mind or does he still have some other scheme? However, when he inquired and learned about this person, it seemed he had always done things without following any ordinary course of events. So, is he secure in his backing? He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking towards Ming Yu with a somewhat complicated mood. Nevertheless, he was also shaken up by Ming Yu¡¯s bright and shiny eyes.

    Seeing that it was already late today, the two agreed to visit the training camp in three days, and discussed the next cooperation matters in the passing. Based on the united friendly attitude and cooperation, the two can be regarded as talking extremely joyously. In the end, Ming Yu reluctantly sent Xie Yixiu out.

    Settled on his horse, Xie Yixiu gripped the reins, turned back to look at Mingyu, then having some thoughts, he galloped away.

    Ming Yu waved his sleeve at Xie Yixiu, who was leaving, and when he saw he had gone far already, he also breathed a sigh of relief. Sure enough, it is difficult to deal with a big shot. But with his silver tongue, is there anything that can¡¯t be done?

    As long as they have the opportunity to practice for the first time, will they be afraid there will be no second time? He just wanted to use this most powerful Red Robed Army to train his army. By the time the guard camp matures rapidly, when that moment comes, their army will be quite useful. At that time, will he still have to go and beg the Red Robe Army to come and help? Hey! General Xie Yixiu, so what if he¡¯s the War General that everyone respects? Wasn¡¯t he still caught up in his scheme, humph! Little guy!

    However, before he could be pleased with himself for long, he recalled his promise to get a good and precious horse, then his heart began to throb with pain. This was really a big price. Thinking about it, those precious horses were not something an average person could play and raise in the later generations.

    The confrontation between the two seems to be on par, and neither of them can do anything to one another. Ming Yu obviously lost a lot, but Ming Yu was not a character who can suffer losses. He had already made up his mind. However much he loses now, he will definitely have it compensated when the time comes.

    While walking and thinking on the way back to the hall, he didn¡¯t go too far before a small figure jumped out of the path next to the road, startling Ming Yu.

    The little figure saw Ming Yu and quickly bent down and knelt in the middle of the road. Ming Yu was stunned. Who is this? Before he could ask, the little figure kowtowed, ¡°Ah Bing greets Wangye.¡± He learned the practice of his subordinates in the mansion and gave Ming Yu a salute.

    These past days living inside the prince¡¯s mansion was simply like living in an immortal palace in story books. There was no beating or scolding, and he no longer had to starve. Everyone here treated him very well, and they taught him a lot of things.

    ¡°Ah Bing?¡± Ming Yu looked carefully, and only then did he recognize that this child was the little boy who had stolen bread and startled his horse when he first entered Liangcheng. Nowadays, this child was already a different person from that time. At that time, he had left him in Qing Ping¡¯s care. It seems that Qingping was very dedicated. In a short period of time, this child was not thin and weak anymore, but also grew a lot taller.

    Ming Yu led him up and smiled, ¡°Ah Bing, what are you doing here?¡±

    At first, Ah Bing was still a little uneasy. It was this person who saved him, allowing Elder Sister Qingping to take care of him, give him food, and clothes to keep himself warm. He heard the people in the mansion say that this person was the prince from the capital, but he was not the same as the white-bearded and fierce looking prince he had seen on the stage at all.

    The beautiful brother in front of him who was smiling tenderly and warmly made it difficult for him to connect him to the fiend princes on the stage play. Anyways, no matter what, this big brother in front of him was a good person.

    Due to Ming Yu¡¯s gentle smiling expression, Ah Bing¡¯s perturbed heart finally calmed down, ¡°Ah Bing, Ah Bing¡­¡± He looked up at the person in front of him and gritted his teeth: ¡°Ah Bing wants to learn the skill of killing the barbarians like the guard brothers.¡± ¡±

    Ming Yu was stunned for a moment and said softly, ¡°Why?¡±

    Ah Bing clenched his fists tightly, ¡°The people in the village, my father, mother, brothers and sisters are all dead. They were killed by the barbarians, I want to learn the skills to kill the enemy to avenge them.¡± ¡±

    He saw the barbarians on horseback with his own eyes, roaring with laughter, then raising their knives and blades to chop down towards the running villagers. Running forward, they used the horse¡¯s hooves to trample on children¡¯ heads.

    He hid in the underbrush in the distance, watching helplessly as one familiar person after another collapsed. The village head, brother in law, third uncle of the Li family, Uncle Zhou, and the little brave young boys that he played with¡­ He was so frightened that he fainted, and when he woke up, those people were all gone without a trace. The village was in a bloodbath and his parents were also collapsed to the ground holding his brother and sister, with long cuts made by blades on their bodies.

    Since then, he had no home and drifted about all over the place until he met the man in front of him in Liangcheng.

    Looking at Ah Bing¡¯s reddened eyes, Ming Yu couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He reached out and rubbed the top of his head, ¡°You are still young. Now, you just have to learn to read properly, and become a useful person in the future. The Great Yan¡¯s soldiers will help you avenge your parents¡¯ enmity.¡±

    This kind of small child, how could he let him be blinded by hatred?

    The top of Ah Bing¡¯s head was caressed by a warm hand, a warm current surged into his heart. He looked towards Ming Yu firmly with his eyes, ¡°Elder Brother Wangye, I have grown up already. I have heard the guard brothers say that Elder Brother Wangye can teach them the skill of killing enemies. I beg you, please, I can also learn. Moreover, I will definitely learn well.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Ming Yu was in a difficult situation. He was still a child, he should be carefree without worries and acting spoiled in front of his parents, yet he has to endure the pain and suffering that he shouldn¡¯t at his age.

    When Ah Bing saw that he did not agree, he fell to his knees with a thud and kowtowed continuously, ¡°Elder Brother Wangye, Ah Bing begs you.¡±

    Ming Yu wanted to pull him up, but he refused to comply no matter what, a appearance of not getting up if Ming Yu didn¡¯t agree to his request. Ming Yu was helpless, so he had no choice but to say: ¡°You get up first, let Ben Wang think. It¡¯s best to have a method that would satisfy both ways.¡± Speaking of this, he looked at Ah Bing¡¯s stubborn expression and couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°Alright, alright. Since it¡¯s like this, how about Ben Wang help you find a powerful master to teach you the skills?¡±

    Ah Bing was still a little unsatisfied, what powerful master. Could he be as powerful as Elder Brother Wangye? He heard the mansion guards say that Commander Mo was already the most powerful person among them, but Commander Mo had told him that Elder Brother Wangye was the most powerful one. He was able to teach the guards a lot of skills to kill the enemy. Since this is the case, Elder Brother Wangye must be the most powerful person, right? Thus, he deliberately waited here today to seize the opportunity to make his own request to Elder Brother Wangye.

    Ming Yu did not know his position in Ah Bing¡¯s heart. Since Ah Bing was determined to learn the skill, then what he will learn should not be just the method to kill the enemy, but to cultivate his military strategy, the art of war and tactics. In the future, he can grow up to be like General Xie¡­ He remembered the first time he saw Xie Yixiu, that cold disposition of the Red Robed General mounted on the horse while giving out orders. En! it¡¯s decided then.

    Since Ah Bing followed him, he had to spare all efforts to cultivate him well. In the future, he can become his left wing and right arm and then he himself would also be able to take things a lot easier.

    After finishing appeasing Ah Bing, he stepped into the backyard.

    After he entered the hall, he saw that Qingping had already commanded her subordinates to start preparing dinner. Ming Yu stopped, frowned, pondered, then immediately ordered his subordinates to ask Bu Atan to come and discuss things.

    QingPing, who was directing the people to spread the dishes, heard his orders and obviously disapproved of it. She advised him at once: ¡°Wangye, it¡¯s already late today. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to leave whatever matter it is to discuss tomorrow instead?¡±

    Seeing General Xie today has delayed his timing, it was now early evening when lanterns started to lit. If Wangye still had to discuss things with others, will he be able to sleep tonight?

    However, Ming Yu couldn¡¯t wait any longer, he was now short of money. He still had debts, and if he didn¡¯t put things in place as soon as possible, he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease in his heart. Even if he had to rest, he still couldn¡¯t sleep! Moreover, it was still early now, most young people in the later generations would only sleep in the middle of the night.

    Ming Yu insisted, so how could his subordinates dare to say anything? The little boy servants hurriedly went away and Qing Ping sighed helplessly. She had no choice but to do her utmost to take care of His Highness to have him eat more stuff. It seems that coming to Liangzhou not that long ago, the originally plump Royal Highness has already become thin now. If he continued like this, she was afraid that she would have to die to make up for it.

    Ming Yu did not understand the twists and turns in Qingping¡¯s heart. There was something in his heart, and he couldn¡¯t eat the food, so he hurriedly pulled a few bites and pushed the bowl away. Qingping with her swift eyes and quick hands, scooped an extra bowl of ginseng soup for him, persuading him to drink.

    Not long after dinner, he heard the report that Bu Atan had requested to see him.

    Bu Atan was already ready to rest when he saw the people sent by Duan Wangye. They came to pass on the news of Wangye¡¯s summon. How could he mind anything? He told his wife to rest first, and he hurriedly went out.

    When he arrived at the doorway, he suddenly remembered something. He turned back, rummaged through the boxes and cabinets to find a small green cloth bag, tucked it into his sleeve, and then walked out with a peace of mind.

    Once he entered the mansion, Wangye immediately called him. After the respectful salute, Ming Yu smiled, sat down, and started to talk.

    ¡°Ben Wang summoned you through the night, I hope the madam isn¡¯t angry.¡± Ming Yu took a sip of tea and casually made a joke.

    ¡°How could that be, Wangye really knows how to crack a joke.¡± Bu Ah Tan, this crude and wild man unexpectedly blushed at Ming Yu¡¯s joke.

    Ming Yu was in a very good mood, and at this time, he no longer teased him. He directly got onto the main topic, ¡°The reason I summoned you today is to tell you that the matter of the caravan¡¯s goods has been settled.¡±

    Bu Atan was overjoyed by this, ¡°Wangye, is this true?¡± He didn¡¯t expect that the goods of the caravan that he was struggling to get together unexpectedly would be ready so quickly.

    But thinking about it, who is this person? He¡¯s the grand prince of the Great Yan! Is there anything that he couldn¡¯t do? His decision at that time was indeed, very correct. Leaning against a great tree will allow him to enjoy the shade. With this golden thigh to hug, in the future, won¡¯t he just have to follow after him and benefit from the profit?

    Ming Yu smiled, ¡°They are all placed in the mansion¡¯s warehouse and they can be taken over at any time. It¡¯s just that, has your caravan been set up?¡±

    Bu Atan was very excited. When he heard Ming Yu¡¯s question, he nodded. Wangye had entrusted him with the task of forming a caravan, which had been prepared for so long and almost done now. But¡­ He hesitated for a moment before speaking out, ¡°Reporting to Wangye, the caravan has been formed and it¡¯s almost done, but there¡¯s one thing¡­ theres some difficulties. ¡±

    Ming Yu sat up straight, and listened solemnly, ¡°What is it?.¡±

    Bu Atan organized his words, ¡°Wangye, during the previous peaceful years, the caravan did not need too many manpower, as long as the people were enough, they only needed to depend on the situation to ask some bodyguards to escort them. But now it is not the same as before. Not to mention other things, but even the bandits around Liangzhou territory are already swarming like flies. It is impossible without bodyguards.¡±

    Ming Yu was baffled, ¡°What¡¯s so hard about this? If you need bodyguards, you can directly go and find them. All the expense and so on, you can come to the mansion to get the money for it.¡±

    Bu Atan smiled, shook his head, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of money, rather, it¡¯s difficult to find someone who can take up this job in Liangcheng these days. Any person who learns that we were going to escort the caravan towards the west would shake their heads, expressing their unwillingness to go. It was because thieves and bandits were rampant. Losing goods was a trivial matter, but a moment of carelessness could lead one to lose their life.¡±

    It is precisely because of this risk, almost no one dared to set up a caravan for business in these past few years. Originally, he was hot-headed, threw caution to the wind and was going to take this risk out of desperation. Unexpectedly, he ran into Wangye, who also wanted to take part in it. Now that there was Duan Wangye¡¯s influence, it was no longer a small scale caravan. This kind of big caravan, there will be more than a few people who will keep an eye on it. In this way, it was too conspicuous, he was afraid that it would be difficult to go smoothly.

    Ming Yu understood Bu Atan¡¯s worries, this was indeed a problem. The caravan had no guards, this was no different from sending meat buns at dogs. Wouldn¡¯t he be busy in vain just to make a wedding dress for others?

    Ming Yu frowned, and the excitement just now was splashed with a basin of cold water, immediately cooling down. That won¡¯t do, he had been planning this for so long, and it was all up to this caravan to make him money. If the caravan could not make it, all his plans would fail.

    ¡°Is there no other way? It still won¡¯t do even if you hire the guards at a high price? ¡±

    Bu Atan shook his head in embarrassment, ¡°There are wars year after year, it has long worsen compared to previous years. Who doesn¡¯t treasure their life nowadays? Those thieves and bandits¡¯ calamities are too grave. They aren¡¯t even afraid of the power of the borderland great troops. It is estimated that in the entire Liangzhou, the only troops that could suppress them could would be the Red Robe Army, this ever victorious army.¡±

    He had lived in Liangcheng for a few decades, he knew more of the situation in Liangzhou compared to Ming Yu, this territory lord.

    Listening to his words, Ming Yu fell into contemplation. The Red Robe Army¡¯s fame for their fighting prowess has spread far and wide, so who wasn¡¯t afraid of them? Letting the Red Robe Army be the guards, this matter was difficult to think about. Yi¡­ Ming Yu¡¯s mind turned, but this matter is not impossible to achieve! My caravan has already passed the Emperor¡¯s eyes, thus it can also be regarded as the Emperor¡¯s caravan. Naturally, it should be acceptable for the Emperor¡¯s caravan to use a little bit of the troops¡¯ power. So, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to have the Red Robe Army help and what not?

    The idea in his heart just came out and Ming Yu shivered. He suddenly remembered Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold face. It was another big matter to persuade this guy, he still didn¡¯t know how much capital he had to give in order to persuade him. It was a headache just to think about it. Unfortunately, the training time of his guard camp was too short. They were not suitable as the escorts yet, otherwise, he would just dispatch people from the guard camp as the bodyguards and he wouldn¡¯t need to go to such trouble.

    Having made up his mind, Ming Yu¡¯s expression relaxed a bit. He said reassuringly: ¡°How about this, Ben Wang will take care of the bodyguards arrangement, and you can act according to the plan.¡±

    Bu Atan¡¯s eyes widened, immediately beaming with joy, ¡°Yes! Xiaoren guarantees that everything will be taken care of properly. It will take only half a month more to embark on the journey. ¡±

    Ming Yu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine, but this trip Ben Wang has an extra very important task to entrust to you.¡± He solemnly said..

    Bu Atan¡¯s heart shivered with cold. He immediately solemnly looked at him, cupped his hands and replied, ¡°Wangye just have to order, Xiaoren will certainly do his best.¡±

    Bu Atan¡¯s words made Ming Yu very satisfied, he said at the moment: ¡°I heard that the Western Regions produce an abundant amount of precious horses and there is a kind of rouge horse in the Wan Kingdom where its fur is bright red, and could run for thousand miles a day. And there is Xi Yue Kingdom fine horse, one of the very best horses in the world.¡±

    Bu Atan was stunned for a moment. What is the purpose of Wangye suddenly mentioning the horses? He didn¡¯t understand, but still nodded respectfully, ¡°Indeed, these two horses enjoy a high reputation in all countries in the Western Regions, and they are rare precious horses.¡±

    Ming Yu was overflowing with smiles, it was not in vain that he spent a lot of time understanding this.

    ¡°Wangye, your meaning is?¡± Bu Atan pondered about it but couldn¡¯t understand what Ming Yu meant by raising this topic, so he simply asked it out loud.

    Ming Yu calmly tapped on the table and leisurely threw out a bombshell, ¡°I want you to bring back these precious horses in addition to collecting all kinds of crop seeds for this trip.¡±

    Bu Atan was stunned, ¡°This¨Cthis-¡°.

    ¡°What? Do you have a problem? ¡±

    It¡¯s not a problem, but a very big problem! Bu Atan complained. Not only are the prices of obtaining these kinds of horses great, but to bring horses back from that far, the risk won¡¯t be small.

    Bu Atan¡¯s face was bitter, ¡°Wangye, the risk is too great to bring these kinds of horses back, not to mention the prices needed to bring these horses over. Even when passing through other countries, it is already inevitable that people will recognize them and we may be intercepted to leave them there. But even if those people are safely evaded, the Suixi Kingdom that we must pass through unavoidably won¡¯t allow those fine horses to smoothly reach Great Yan.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled, ¡°No matter how much it costs, you have to get it. If you¡¯re afraid of people recognizing them, then you can just disguise the horses. Won¡¯t it be fine if people can¡¯t recognize them?¡±

    Ming Yu also had no other choice, he still owed that person good horses. He can¡¯t just promise and not follow through. Moreover,  the Great Yan Kingdom lacks good horses in combat. If they can bring back precious horses that are first-rate breeds, would they be scared they can¡¯t have good offsprings? When the time comes, he will build a pasture on the territory specifically to raise horses. Then, would he still be afraid that the horse supply will not be enough? It was with this idea that Ming Yu familiarized himself with good horses that were famous from far and wide.

    Over the last few years, Suixi Kingdom had jammed the horses flowing into Great Yan Kingdom. The Great Yan Kingdom was originally based on agriculture, with the lack of high-quality good horses. In this way, the horses were seriously insufficient. That¡¯s why Great Yan could only form a mere five thousand people for the Red Robe Cavalry in the whole kingdom.

    Therefore, Ming Yu thought about it from the root. He could slowly grow and expand animal husbandry. It is necessary to have land to raise horses and a good horse breed. The best way is to form an animal husbandry chain. The barbarians gained victory from high amounts of excellent horses. If these advantages were gone, would they still be able to show off their strength as they are now?

    ¡°¡­¡­ How is this possible? ¡°Bu Atan was speechless, can horses be disguised like humans? Whatever it is, it sounded unimaginable.

    Ming Yu saw through his thoughts, ¡°How is it impossible? In ancient times, there was a fine steed that Bo Le met by chance. There were many swift horses, but very few can actually spot them. Not everyone can tell at a glance whether a horse is good or bad. ¡±

    Bu Atan¡¯s stunned look amused Ming Yu. He simply said his words, ¡°Our caravan carriages and horses, whatever the case, will have several tens to a hundred. When you go, it¡¯s fine to have the common horses to pull the goods. But once you finish trading for good horses, just use them to substitute the common horses. Although there will be some differences in the fur and skeleton framework of the precious good horses, as long as the bright appearance on the outside is covered, who would recognize if they¡¯re good horses or inferior horses?¡±

    Bu Atan twitched at the corner of his eye. What he understood from Wangye¡¯s intention was to use good horses to pull the carriage for the purpose of misleading the public. This way, no one will notice that these are good horses, then there would be no risk this way.

    In today¡¯s world, everyone in the world loves good precious horses, they could show off their wealth from having a good horse. Test question, whoever obtained a good horse,  wouldn¡¯t they feed them well and serve it properly? Thus, he was sure that no one will think of actually using such good horses to pull the carriage, right?

    It just makes a persons¡¯ heartache from thinking about it.

    ¡°Just think about it. As long as you cover the horses¡¯ original furs with mud and starch water, if one didn¡¯t look closely, could they be able to recognize it? ¡± Ming Yu supported his chin and spoke out his thoughts without reservation, ¡°As for Suixi Kingdom, the horses carrying goods in the caravan, will they intercept to keep them behind?¡±

    Bu Atan thought about Ming Yu¡¯s words carefully, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the feasibility was very high. In this way, maybe he could really bring the horses back safely.

    Looking at him deep in thought, Ming Yu didn¡¯t disturb him. He just quietly drank a sip of tea, with a smile hung on his lips. Under the illumination of the candlelight, his fair white face was stained with a layer of haze, a gentle and lukewarm halo.

 CH 23.2

    Bu Atan sobered up and realized that he was disrespectful, and was about to get up and confess his sins, but was stopped by Ming Yu, ¡°What do you think of this method? Can it be done? ¡±

    Bu Atan nodded, ¡°We can try it, but to get good precious horses, the price is significant. Wangye, you really decided so?¡±

    Ming Yu knew this point, he had already thought about it. He wanted the best horses, and the strongest genes so it would breed good offspring. He would choose the right breed to pair. A single spark can start a huge blaze. If they succeeded with one pair then there would be good horses in the future.

    As for the price, Ming Yu believed that the goods sent by His Highness the Crown Prince would definitely set off a storm in the far West. He wanted to make the tea, porcelain and silk of the Great Yan become famous and make the Western countries crave madly for them. He must plan well, come up with the means of marketing in the future, and let Bu Atan arrange it in the western region.

    At that time, driven by interests, there will always be some profit-seeking merchants who will come to Liangcheng regardless of difficulties and obstacles. What will Liangcheng look like at that time? It will truly make people yearn for it. He hoped that day could come soon!

    Seeing that Ming Yu did not intend to change his mind, Bu Atan had no choice but to accept the orders, ¡°Xiaoren will definitely do his best to handle this matter for Wangye on this trip.¡±

    It was already late at night. Bu Atan was ready to say goodbye when he suddenly remembered the small green cloth bag he had specially brought, so he took it out and presented it to Ming Yu, ¡°Wangye, this is the seed that Xiaoren has specially bought from the foreigners these days. Xiaoren did not recognize it, and did not know whether it could be useful to Wangye, please take a look. ¡±

    Ever since Ming Yu gave him the task of collecting seeds, he had kept his mind on forming a caravan while collecting seeds amongst the foreigners. Wangye solemnly told him to do this, so it must be a very important task. Thus, he started to collect them early, regardless if it was useful or not, it would allow Wangye to see his ability of handling affairs.

    He originally didn¡¯t have any hope, but after passing the news out, he did not expect that the next day someone would come to his door bringing seeds from his hometown.

    Later, he learned that everyone had left their hometown against their will. Reluctant to leave their homeland, they brought some seeds from their hometown, which could be considered as something to remember it by. Therefore, the seeds in the cloth bag was not many, but there was a wide range, more than ten common and uncommon types here.

    For Ming Yu, this was a good start. He said a few words of encouragement and let Bu Atan continue to work hard to show off his accomplishments in the future.

    Bu Atan was pleased and happy, vowing to offer his life in devotion and left.

    Ming Yu opened the cloth bag, he didn¡¯t recognize most of them. It seemed like he had to find an expert to come and identify them. He carelessly flicked his fingers through the seeds in the cloth bag, then suddenly his eyes lit up. A familiar black piece laid there quietly.

    This is ¨C watermelon seeds?

    In the future generations, he had always loved to hold half of a melon and eat it with a spoon every summer. It was both sweet and thirst-quenching, and was his favorite. After coming here, he did not recall seeing such an item, making him miss it for a long time.

    Unexpectedly, he actually got a watermelon seed today. As long as he cultivated it, he would finally be able to satisfy his craving in the future.

    What a good day today was! All the good things had gathered. Ming Yu¡¯s heart was full of joy, the corners of his smiling mouth grinning to the roots of his ears.

    The good mood was maintained until three days later, when Ming Yu saw Xie Yixiu and was frozen up by his cold face.

    There was nothing to be done about it. General Xie Yixiu Xie was born with a cold face. Coming out this time, he met with Wen Yuzhao who for the death of him wouldn¡¯t stop talking. Some Hongluan star, some marriage fate, simply nonsense. If it weren¡¯t for their years of friendship, he¡¯s afraid that he would have been slapped away on the spot.

    Speaking of which, in the entire Red Robe Army, he was probably only the one who would be shameless in front of him. In his subordinates¡¯ eyes, only Mr. Wen that different individual, wasn¡¯t afraid of his cold face. Naturally, only he had the ability to make Xie Yixiu change his complexion.

    Therefore, once he was in front of Ming Yu, Xie Yixiu¡¯s mood had not eased up, and he could directly freeze the people around him into ice cubes.

    Since he had made an appointment to go to the training camp today, Ming Yu had to pack up his mood and go with the ice cube Xie Yixiu.

    Journeying together with General Xie, Ming Yu simply refused to let the servants move the carriage and simply brought dozens of guards on horseback. Xie Yixiu coldly watched Ming Yu flusteredly get on the horse with the help of his guards. He frowned. Although he was a little impatient, he still slowed down and followed closely behind Ming Yu.

    Ming Yu was really not very good at riding horses, and this time he chose to abandon the carriage and ride a horse in order to be able to walk side by side with General Xie along the way, and also to communicate more with him.

    Xie Yixiu was cold and reticent. Along the way, only Ming Yu was speaking happily and excitedly. Xie Yixiu occasionally replied, and this situation continued until they reached the training camp¡¯s gate.

    Mo Jiang had already been informed and was waiting there with his troops. Nowaday,  he had put all his attention to the management of the training camp. He was trying to understand what kind of training camp His Highness wanted and what kind of soldiers he wanted to train. In order to live up to His Highness¡¯s trust, he had to work very hard to keep up with His Highness¡¯s thinking.

    Seeing Ming Yu¡¯s group approaching in the distance, Mo Jiang sorted out his clothes and led everyone to kneel down to greet him.

    Ming Yu hopped off the horse, personally supported Commander Mo up, smiled and patted his shoulder, and said very intimately: ¡°Commander Mo, this training camp, you took care of it well!¡±

    These days, the villagers brought by Xu Wen have begun to train in the training camp. Although there was a little friction in the beginning, fortunately, Mo Jiang was able to control it well. According to Ming Yu¡¯s suggestion, a series of adjustment plans were carried out, and finally the two parties were smoothly and steadily integrated into the training camp. Because it was divided into several teams of old and new, there was a vague sense of competition between several teams to see who could scout out new and hard working people more. It was also because of this that the training efficiency had improved a little. He had to say that Ming Yu¡¯s method was very effective, and Mo Jiang¡¯s role in it could not be ignored.

    Mo Jiang was an old man who came out of the capital with Ming Yu, and in Ming Yu¡¯s eyes, he was naturally different, much closer to him than others.

    When Xie Yixiu saw this scene, he thought of the way this person had come put his arms around his shoulders. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. It seems that this person was someone who wasn¡¯t concerned with trivial matters, but as a prince, isn¡¯t this kind of manner shameful?

    Mo Jiang was flattered and said humbly, ¡°It is all because of Your Highness¡¯s wise decision-making, this subordinate dare not take credit.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled and said a few greetings to the others, and introduced them to Xie Yixiu.

    The great reputation of the War General, Xie Yixiu was known to everyone present. Being able to see him today was certainly their blessing. Even Mo Jiang, who had seen the wind and waves, secretly rubbed his palms, not to mention the others. One by one, they were extremely excited to get close to express their admiration. However, with Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold face on display, who would dare to make a rash decision in front of him?

    They came here for a serious reason, and Ming Yu, the master, had to do his best as a landlord. Mo Jiang immediately led them in front, while Ming Yu and Xie Yixiu grouped around him and headed towards the camp.

    Along the way, Ming Yu was quite interested in telling Xie Yixiu what he had seen and heard along the way. These were all put forward by him and handled by Mo Jiang single-handedly, and he was also very pleased to have everything in today¡¯s sight from scratch.

    ¡°There¡¯s a training ground ahead.¡± In the distance, a cacophony of shouts was heard mixed with cheerings. Obviously, the soldiers were all on the training ground at the moment, and Ming Yu¡¯s face had a smiling expression. He said with great interest: ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±

    The group did not alarm anyone, and when they entered the training ground, they saw many people sitting in a circle, leaving a large open space in the middle. The voice they had just heard was coming from among these people.

    ¡°Everybody! Does anyone want to come up for the test? Don¡¯t hesitate to come up, I, Zhou Dadan, am fearless.¡± In the open space in the circle stood a burly man, who spoke triumphantly at this moment, while patting his chest.

    The words caused a burst of laughter and boos from the onlookers sitting below.

    ¡°Zhou Dadan, you should quickly get lost! You¡¯ve already played three games, come down and let the other brothers go up.¡± Someone laughed at this.

    ¡°Thats right, you are a rough Lao Yamen. Everyone here already watched you enough and have found you hard on their eyes long ago! If you have some craving, just go to the side to cool down.¡±

    Zhou Dadan still refused to come down and give way, but the team leader went up to kick him down, driving him off the field.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Don¡¯t rush me, give me a chance! I¡¯m not satisfied yet!¡± Zhou Dadan begged for forgiveness. The crowd burst into laughter again

    Zhou Dadan was chased down and his face was full of displeasure. He had not yet been satisfied, and was already driven down. What is this broken rule? If you win a battle, you won¡¯t get a reward by playing one more game, bad review!

    After Zhou Dadan came down, two more people stood in the centre of the field. The people below were discussing it spiritedly. They assessed them and there was also a faint shout of bids.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Ming Yu saw that everyone¡¯s mood was enthusiastic so he couldn¡¯t help but ask. He found that the two generals, Ji You and Cao Jian, were also in the crowd, and even followed after others, participating in the cheerings.

    Mo Jiang smiled, ¡°Reporting to Your Highness, this is the training of the soldiers in the freedom of confrontation battle event. That is, one-on-one, two-on-two or five-on-five, everyone can freely combine to fight in their own way, or compete in punches and kicks, or in weapons, there is even a wrestling competition. Anyways, it is an event to use whatever they¡¯re good at to knock down the other party and win. As for the people below¡­¡± Mo Jiang touched his nose and said awkwardly, ¡°I think they have set up a gambling game in private, betting on who loses and who wins.¡±

    Small gamblings would please them and the soldiers were also enthusiastic in this kind of situation. So, their enthusiasm also improved, thus Mo Jiang did not stop it, turning a blind eye to it.

    At this time, the two people in the center of the field had already drawn a fist and a leg, and Ming Yu was not in a hurry. Instead he stood in place to watch the battle.

    Xie Yixiu originally objected to this. Confrontational training was organized in almost every military camp. This was a very serious training event, and simply not something to be treated as child¡¯s play like them where they could happily gamble away.

    However, after he casually restrained his eyes twice, he couldn¡¯t move his eyes away. The two people in the field were pulling out all their punching and kicking skills. Average person couldn¡¯t see anything at all. But what kind of person was Xie Yixiu? At a glance, he could already see the difference. The hands and feet of the two were fast, strong and powerful without any attractive appearance. It can be seen that each move and each style were both offense and defense. Their movements were concise and practical, each move a move to defeat the enemy, and each shot directly attacked one¡¯s weak points, making a person unable to guard against it.

    Xie Yixiu believed that if he used this set of punching and kicking against the enemy, if it was a one on one fight, he would certainly be able to quickly subdue the enemy.

    Xie Yixiu looked solemn. He said, ¡°Who created this fighting technique?¡± The method of fighting between the two had rules and regulations, and it was certain that this kind of performance could only be done after training. So it can be seen that everyone in this training camp knew this fighting technique.

    Mo Jiang looked at Ming Yu hesitantly when he heard what he was saying. Xie Yixiu followed his gaze, he saw Ming Yu smiling brightly at him, and asked with some self-satisfaction: ¡°General Xie, I don¡¯t know if this set of martial arts may be able to enter your eyes?¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold expression emerged as a surprise expression for the first time, although it died down in a flash. He could also see that his heart was not at peace. How could this fighting technique have come from him? This Duan Wang, who was not even skilled in riding a horse, could actually use this kind of fighting technique that required one¡¯s whole strength? How can this be credible?

    Being able to make this ice sculpture unable to control his astonished expression, Ming Yu¡¯s heart was already happy like a blooming flower. But he couldn¡¯t show it too much. Gently flicking the dust that did not exist on the edge of his sleeve, he cleared his throat in a serious manner: ¡°Ahem! Ben Wang had just learned a little superficial knowledge randomly, and thanks to the polishing and supplementation of Commander Mo, this set of martial arts could be put to use. ¡±

    That must be a joke, this was the famous military sport, boxing technique that captured the wrestling technique of later generations. Coupled with Mo Jiang¡¯s martial arts and everyone¡¯s dedication to learning from each other¡¯s strengths, the result was today¡¯s set of martial arts that can even surprise the well-known War General¡¯s fist techniques.

    This set of martial arts was easy to master and was very powerful, thus it was popular in the training camp and was also treasured by the soldiers. Every time they drew punches and kicks, eight out of ten would use this set of punches.

 CH 24

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s face was prudent, and he scoffed at Ming Yu¡¯s words when he said he had learned it from elsewhere. How could this kind of boxing skill be a lousy product, but why did Duan Wang lie? Is it because of the person hiding behind his back?

    It¡¯s inevitable to say that Xie Yixiu really over thought. If you look up this military boxing sport on the Internet in later generations, you will find detailed teaching videos about it. Mingyu¡¯s university had a military training period, so he learned it before and thought of taking it out to use here. It can cultivate the soldiers to be tenacious and unyielding, brave and undefeatable. The most important thing is that it toughens the body, but also is an effective means of defeating the enemy.

    ¡°Actually, this is mainly due to His Highness¡¯s achievements. If it had not been for His Highness coming up with strategy and plan, this training camp would not have this kind of scale either.¡± Mo Jiang said respectfully.

    Ming Yu smiled but said nothing. Xie Yixiu stared at him intently, trying to see something from his face, but it was in vain.

    ¡°I wonder if I can gain first hand experience of the whole set of the technique?¡± Xie Yixiu asked slowly. He also saw Ji You the two people jumping up and down in the gathering place, with blue veins visible on their foreheads. Originally, he considered it not a good idea and that he should just dispatch a steady person instead. Although Ji You¡¯s letters mentioned many novelties in the training camp, it was only when he really arrived that he could appreciate the unusualness.

    Hearing that, Ming Yu rubbed his fingers on his smooth chin, raised his eyebrows and smiled: ¡°Of course it¡¯s fine, why don¡¯t we let Commander Mo arrange it?¡± After speaking, he looked at Mo Jiang. To be honest, every time he came here, he came and went in a hurry, so he didn¡¯t watch the soldiers¡¯ training well, it¡¯s not bad to take advantage of this opportunity to take a look.

    Mo Jiang readily agreed and ordered someone to arrange it, while he led Ming Yu and the others to the high platform of the training ground to sit.

    When the soldiers heard the order to gather, they quickly assembled. The gathering speed was very fast. They were assembled on the training ground in less than a quarter of an hour, moreover they were neatly arranged in order.

    Ming Yu sat in the main seat, Mo Jiang and Xie Yixiu sat next to him. Mo Jiang whispered something to Ming Yu. Ming Yu listened with a smile on his face, showing appreciation from time to time, and occasionally whispering a few words back.

    The closeness between the two made Xie Yixiu frequently look sideways, and an inexplicable feeling filled his heart. He frowned, simply stopped looking, and lowered his eyes to the troops below.

    The troop of several hundred people suddenly did not feel disorganized at all when they assembled. It was unexpectedly completed in a short period of time. He was afraid that even his Red Robe Army can¡¯t do it efficiently like this.

    Although Xie Yixiu had seen countless military disciplines, he had to admit that this kind of situation was indeed rare.

    Ji You and Cao Jian already knew that General Xie was coming, and hurried over to greet him. Xie Yixiu only glanced at the two of them. Ji You shuddered and pulled Cao Jian with a smile to stand behind Xie Yixiu.

    Ji You weighed his words and observed his facial expression, although it wasn¡¯t known how he could see the slightest difference from Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold face. He leaned into Xie Yixiu¡¯s ear and explained in a low voice, ¡°General, this rapid assembly is also part of the training. Occasionally, in the middle of the night, the whistle will be blown suddenly in the training camp. Whatever time it is, you have to move when you hear the whistle. If you delay for a moment, you will not be qualified. The last three to come will also be unqualified. If there are unqualified people, the small group will be punished together.¡±

    Ji You paused after explaining until this point. Seeing Xie Yixiu show interest, he then continued: ¡°The punishment is not corporal punishment where they will be hit with stick, instead, they are given sandbags and have to run around the camp for a few laps, that¡¯s all. Of course the camp is big, and the sandbag¡¯s weight is heavy, so everyone all suffer unspeakable misery. It is even scarier than being hit by a stick . Therefore, when the assembly whistle blows, the soldiers quickly assemble, and there is no time to be sloppy.

    Xie Yixiu looked at the neatly arranged and absolutely silent troops in the field below. This method of governing the army was really beyond his reach.

    ¡°The one who leads the army is Commander Mo?¡± Xie Yixiu asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ji You firmly answered: ¡°All things in the training camp are handled by Commander Mo alone.¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s knuckled fingers tightly clasped the armrest of the seat. If all the means of governing the army were from Commander Mo¡¯s hands, this man¡¯s ability might not be inferior to his own. However, with this kind of method, why isn¡¯t he famous? Why is he willing to stay behind someone¡¯s back?

    He looked at the two people whispering next to him again, feeling a little irritable in his heart. This is very strange. Normally he could deal with danger that lurks on every side easily, so what¡¯s going on now?

    Xie Yixiu was still at a loss when the soldiers below had already prepared and started to practice the whole set of boxing techniques. Hundreds of people move neatly and uniformly, with powerful movements, coherent patterns, and aggressive momentum, which was pleasing to the eye.

    Dozens of moves in a set of boxing techniques were soon completed, but Xie Yixiu was so shocked that it was difficult for him to regain his senses.

    ¡°General Xie! General Xie!¡±

    Xie Yixiu regained his senses, and on one side he saw Ming Yu¡¯s peach blossom eyes looking at him with a smile.

    ¡°What does General Xie think about this boxing technique?¡± Ming Yu asked casually as he tapped lightly on the armrest with his fingers.

    ¡°very good.¡±

    After getting Xie Yixiu¡¯s affirmative answer, Ming Yu¡¯s smiling expression took a turn. He was just joking. If it wasn¡¯t good, would he use it against the enemy?

    ¡°Commander Mo¡¯s method to govern the army is brilliant. He has the talent of a general. If he can join the Red Robe Army, he will definitely be able to live up to his skills, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    The more Ming Yu listened, the more he felt wrong about it. The smile on his face became stiff. He was still thinking about poaching the Red Robed Army people, but this guy already made the first move and gained the upper hand. This is ridiculous! Does this guy still want face? He unexpectedly dug out his people in front of him! Did he think he¡¯s just a clay figure? No, this is absolutely impossible! Ming Yu started to explode.

    ¡°Our commander Mo has the ability, but talented people can shine everywhere. They don¡¯t have to go to the Red Robe Army to show their ambitions. General Xie, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Ming Yu raised an eyebrow and interrupted Xie Yixiu. If he really proached his people right in front of his eyes then where could Ming Yu put his face?

    Before Xie Yixiu could speak, he heard Mo Jiang cup his hand and say, ¡°General Xie is kind and well-intentioned, I really appreciate your kindness; but I am His Highness Duan Wang¡¯s commander guard, I have already pledged to follow Wangye for life.¡±

    As soon as these words came out, he had already made his position clear and Xie Yixiu had a little regret. He also knew that he was reckless, thrilled for the hunt, and the heart that admired talented people made him say that regardless of everything. But he also understood that people have their own aspirations and cannot be forced.

    However, it seems that he should have a good relationship with this side. Fortunately, when Duan Wang borrowed his manpower, he also agreed. Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to find an excuse to come.

    Mo Jiang firmly stood on Ming Yu¡¯s side, making Ming Yu very satisfied. He lifted the corner of his lips and his fingers rubbed the jade ornamental ring on his thumb, ¡°General Xie¡¯s men are all strong elite soldiers, making Ben Wang quite envious of you. To be honest, when Ben Wang first arrived, it was not easy to manage a training camp to train this escort team, there was not enough manpower. Nowadays, Commander Mo is already suffering hardship enough from this side, so why don¡¯t you send a few more people to help Ben Wang share the burden?¡±

    Xie Yixiu looked at him coldly, he said with his flat voice, ¡°That¡¯s possible. You can borrow a person for half a year in exchange for 10 fine horses.¡±

    ¡°Shoot! Why don¡¯t you go and steal it then?¡± Ming Yu exploded. Xie Yixiu is worthy of being the lord who does not release the hawks until he sees the rabbits. This business can smash people to death with a stick. In his later life, he had never been unfavorable in the business field. Talking about trading, this kind of simple thing, it¡¯s almost as easy as stretching a hand to grab it. Unable to get past Xie Yixiu, he was so angry, he had become a puffer fish.

    Ming Yu puffed up his plumpy cheeks, making people can¡¯t help but want to pinch it. Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes softened, his fingers rubbed each other without a trace, trying to rub away the itch of restlessness that he had.

    To not lower himself to argue with the ice scuplture, Ming Yu mentally prepared himself, wanting to convince him with reason. He brought out up decent smile, ¡°General Xie is quick to speak, but you also know that Ben Wang has only settled down, and I am not that plentiful either. How about a discount£¿ ¡±

    Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu, and just when Ming Yu thought he really impressed him, Xie Yixiu spoke, ¡°Or you can exchange Commander Mo for it?¡±

    ¡±¡±Ss ~¡± Ming Yu felt that his cheeks hurt. This lord who is unmmoved by force and persuasion, it was really not good to attack him. Mo Jiang was his right and left arm, how could he possibly exchange him out. This person clearly planned something against him, so how could he let him succeed?

    Ming Yu laughed and changed the topic, ¡°Since General Xie wants a good colt, I have the means here, why don¡¯t we talk about a long-term cooperation?¡±

    Xie Yixiu was stunned. Could it be that he really has a way out? Remembering that three days ago, Ming Yu promised five good horses as soon as he opened his mouth, it made him have no choice but to think about it over and over agian.

    ¡°What kind of long-term cooperation?¡± Xie Yixiu asked ambigiously.

    Ming Yu did not intend to hide it, and said the plan of forming a caravan and sending a caravan to bring back the good colt. At the end he said, ¡°How is it? Is it interesting? Bringing back a few dozens of good horses would be no problem if the trip goes smoothly. When the time come, I will share 10 horses with you, how about this?¡±

    ¡°Conditions?¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyes grunted, ¡°To go to the Western Regions, the caravan still needs to be escorted. General Xie only needs to send a few hundred troops to escort for a round trip and it will be enough.¡± He saw Xie Yixiu pondering the feasibility of his words, so he striked the iron while it was hot: ¡°What do you think I did to train these soldiers in this training camp? Won¡¯t it be possible for them to escort the caravans in the future? It¡¯s a pity that the people here have not been trained, otherwise we would not have had to find outsider¡¯s help. A year and a half more, and Ben Wang won¡¯t have to use other people anymore, I will be able to use these people by then.¡±

    Xie Yixiu narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°That¡¯s too little.¡±

    Ming Yu was stunned for a moment before he realized that what he meant by too little was for the horses that will be given to him. So he shook his head resolutely and said, ¡°More than this will not do well. I am relying on these horses to build a horse farm in the future.¡±

    ¡°Horse Farm?¡± Xie Yixiu no longer knew how many strange ideas he still had.

    Ming Yu¡¯s mouth slipped, but it didn¡¯t matter. He waved his hand and said, ¡°This is just a plan for the future, now there is no sign of success yet. Rice has to be eaten bite by bite, this first step has not yet been taken.¡± He paused, retreating in order to advance, ¡°If you are unwilling, it¡¯s fine. Ben Wang can do this half a year at the latest. It wont be too late to wait until these people could assume their responsibility.¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s lips curled a little, ¡°Wangye can wait until that time, but I heard that Wangye treats the soldiers in the training ground generously; and the fortifications being implemented in various villages also cost a lot of silver, right? I wonder how long the property led by the prince would last? ¡±

    Xie Yixiu hit the nail on the head and stabbed Ming Yu in the heart. The angina was about to be forced out by this person.

    Motherf*cker! This demon, opening your big lion mouth, why don¡¯t you just kill me directly?!

 CH 25

    Xie Yixiu was not in a hurry, but his fingers involuntarily rubbed faster and faster. The exploded Ming Yu really made people want to knead him in between their fingers.

    Ming Yu calmed down a little, and finally said reluctantly, ¡°Five more horses, no more.¡±

    ¡°Alright, for the sake of Duan Wang¡¯s face, I¡¯ll give you two hundred troops then.¡±

    Phew! If you really want to save me some face, you won¡¯t even talk to me about all these conditions, Ming Yu scoffed at his statement.

    ¡°Two hundred troops is too few.¡± Ming Yu frowned and said disapprovingly. Taking so many benefits, but not trying his best, how could there be such a good thing in this world?

    ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Xie Yixiu looked at the soldiers who changed their formation confrontation practice on the field and said firmly, ¡°The opportunity is rare, could it be that Wangye doesn¡¯t want them to learn through experience?¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyes lit up, yes, no matter how much they practice, it¡¯s still not as good as the actual battlefield. How is this not a good opportunity? Ming Yu rubbed his chin and began to consider the feasibility of this matter.

    Since they had already roped the Red Robe Army troops in, with the prestige of the Red Robe Army in the border area, when the bandits saw them, it would probably already be too late to escape. They certainly would not dare to have any idea to attack them either. Even if there were people who are not afraid of death, as long as they dare to come, can they still go back alive? Letting the guards at the barrack to follow them and go earn some first hand experience, it really was a good idea.

    Xie Yixiu saw him thinking, so he did not bother him and concentrated on watching the practice on the field. The soldiers were in pairs, and along with the command of the general, they either changed into groups of four or into groups of six, each group cooperating well. There were spears that attacked from a distance, there were those who slashed and killed enemies at close range with blades, and there were those who held shields to protect the weakest places of their teammates. Each group could attack, retreat and defend.

    Later, two groups, three groups, or four groups could be combined into a whole to be a sharp blade or a turtle shell, which made it impossible for the enemy to defend against. It was also difficult to break through. Xie Yixiu calculated in his mind, what would it be like if he encountered such an enemy? If his army was not cavalry, he¡¯s afraid that the outcome would be hard to guess.

    He had to say that the person who can come up with such a formation against the enemy is unparalleled.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyebrows were raised slightly, and his eyes swept to Mo Jiang, was this really the skill of Commander Mo? But if it was Commander Mo¡¯s merit, why didn¡¯t he reveal even a bit of it in the capital? The current emperor was not incompetent, and he wouldn¡¯t suppress talented people. If such a skill was recognized by the emperor when he was in the capital, obtaining meteoric rise simply would not be in the question at all, but why was he still without any reputation? Why did he follow Duan Wang to the borderlands instead?

    Xie Yixiu couldn¡¯t understand the key point, maybe he should secretly investigate this.

    Thinking about these trivial matters, Ming Yu on the side said, ¡°Okay, then you can send two hundred people to escort the caravan, and after the trip succeeds I will give you 15 fine horses back to show our gratitude.¡± He had already figured it out. Borrowing the Red Robe Army, he only needed to have the Red Robe Army¡¯s outstanding military glory, so there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with him bleeding a little.

    ¡°There is also another condition. If in the future, Wangye will really build a horse farm, I hope that our Red Robe Army will be prioritized for selling and buying.¡± Xie Yixiu said calmly.

    Ming Yu endured the pain of losing fifteen good horses. The second condition proposed by Xie Yixiu was also fine, anyway, it will be the same to whoever he will sell them to. Humph! When you want my horse and come to look for it, see if I don¡¯t cheat your bloody dregs until nothing remains! Thinking that he might be able to cheat him in the future, he was happy again. While agreeing on this side, he held out his right hand to Xie Yixiu, signaling the business was negotiated successfully with a handshake.

    Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu¡¯s outstretched white and rounded hand, slightly stunned. He did not move for a while. Ming Yu then remembered that this place was not like his later generation, how could there be the etiquette of a handshake? It was Xie Yixiu who made Ming Yu have a sense of having a good chess opponent, so when he was happy, he did not pay attention for a while and used the etiquette of the future generation.

    Ming Yu was a little embarrassed, and was trying to retract his hand, when his hand tightened. Xie Yixiu, as if learning without a teacher, gently grabbed Ming Yu¡¯s hand.

    ¡°£¡£¿¡± Ming Yu looked confused, fortunately, Xie Yixiu had already withdrawn his hand in an instant, and then sat up straight, no longer looking at Ming Yu.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s hands were clenched into fists. Although there was still no expression on his face, his heart was already in a complete mess. Ming Yu¡¯s fleshy hand shook in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but want to hold it. The result was obvious, he went ahead and held his hand on a moment of unexplained impulse.

    As a general, he had a good sense of self-control. However, in front of Ming Yu, he couldn¡¯t control himself, which made him a little overwhelmed. The temperature of the other party¡¯s palm remained on his hand, which made him even more flustered.

    This is not right! Xie Yixiu had experienced countless great battles, and there had never been such a situation like today. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason, so he had to suppress this matter for the time being and wait until he returned.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s thoughts, how could Ming Yu have known? He only found that the atmosphere around him seemed to be cold for a few minutes. Even the temperature around his body dropped by a few degrees.

    However, since Xie Yixiu did not speak again, it meant he agreed on the implementation of the matter regarding the caravan escort. Ming Yu relaxed a bit. When the time came, he would send two hundred more guards from the barrack then this trip could be counted as a success already.

    Ming Yu was in a good mood making people feel like they¡¯re bathing under the spring breeze. He and Xie Yixiu were a clear contrast, but the two people sitting together looked extremely harmonious.

    Ming Yu then raised another question about the general¡¯s practice. Xie Yixiu was not in a good mood now and he did not have the heart to discuss it with Ming Yu. He had already learned something about the battle practice from Ming Yu¡¯s mouth last time, in any case, there was no trouble in doing it. Thinking that he could have more opportunities to get in contact and inquire about the news, he simply agreed to it.

    Ming Yu originally thought that he would spend more time talking, but he did not expect that he would agree so easily. There wasn¡¯t even any bargaining, which made Ming Yu a little uncomfortable, but it¡¯s also good this way, it would save him a lot of effort.

    ¡°Since this has been decided, Ben Wang will draft a practice plan. When the time comes, you can take a look first. If there is no problem, then arrange the time as soon as possible. At that time, I will be looking forward to the Red Robe Army¡¯s soldiers to come to bestow their enlightenment.¡± Ming Yu said happily.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Xie Yixiu was absent-minded at this time. He couldn¡¯t stay here any longer, so he simply agreed and got up ready to take his leave, ¡°It¡¯s quite late now, this subordinate will withdraw first.¡±

    Ming Yu accomplished his wish, nodded happily, and did not have the intention of keeping him. He also had some things to discuss with Mo Jiang.

    Xie Yixiu walked to the sidelines, and couldn¡¯t help but look back again. Seeing Ming Yu and Mo Jiang talking and smiling, being incomparably intimate with one another, he felt somewhat indescribably irksome. But without knowing the reason of his feelings, he could only conclude this as the influence from Mr. Wen¡¯s god-nagging attitude. It was really not suitable to come out on a trip today.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t know Xie Yixiu¡¯s thoughts, and as soon as Xie Yixiu left, he talked to Mo Jiang.

    ¡°Now that those newly recruited young and strong people have been training for more than a month, is there any problem with Commander Mo¡¯s side?¡± This was Ming Yu¡¯s biggest concern.

    These young and strong seedlings were his reserve strength in the future. In the next few years, he will slowly select the most powerful supplements from these people to enter the guard camp. This was to avoid after 2 to 3 years, if these guards Lao Yemen really will return back to the capital. When the time comes, he will really have an empty shelf here, by then he will not be able to say anything. There were also caravan guards, he had better make use of his own people to feel at ease.

    ¡°Your Highness can rest assured. Everything is going well.¡± Mo Jiang nodded. Wangye¡¯s method is very good, using the old to bring the new, these new people have quickly adapted to it. ¡°This subordinate will immediately make arrangements, so Your Highness can consult these newcomers.¡±

    Mo Jiang was indeed the person who understood him the most. One of the purposes of Ming Yu¡¯s visit this time was to see how these people were training. This was the idea he first proposed, in fact, he was also a little worried about whether it would be useful, but according to Mo Jiang¡¯s report, the effect was there. It¡¯s just that if he didn¡¯t see it with his own eyes, he still had some uneasiness in his heart.

    When Xie Yixiu was there, he naturally had to take out the most elite people, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to look down on them. Not to mention these guards, after being subdued by Ming Yu, they had been training according to the new rules every day for the past few months, and it was no wonder that even Xie Yixiu was very surprised.

    Ming Yu wanted to see the training of recruits.  First, to see how the progress was, and second, to see if there were good seedlings.

    Mo Jiang had already passed on the order, then Ming Yu suddenly remembered A bing¡¯s request for him that he wanted implemented for him as soon as possible. This also counted as completing a task, so he mentioned this matter to Mo Jiang, ¡°A Bing, this child you have also seen. He was determined to learn some skills. So Ben Wang wants to leave him to you, that way you can both teach and look after him. If he has you as a master, it may be assumed that he will be able to achieve great success in the future.¡±

    Mo Jiang then remembered the skinny boy, and he hesitated: ¡°Wangye, this subordinate is busy with affairs, I am afraid that I will not be able to take good care of him.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, this child is already quite old so he¡¯s fairly sensible. It doesn¡¯t mean that you have to take care of him through every step at all times. Staying here is unlike staying at other places. As long as the education in the general direction is correct, he will not take a crooked road. For boys, wrestling with the soldiers is also an experience. ¡±

    ¡°This is also true, but this subordinate¡¯s skills are limited. There are not many skills that I could teach him.¡± Mo Jiang blushed a little, he had never thought about the matter of teaching a disciple, so he was afraid of leading people astray.

    Ming Yu patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Are you saying that Ben Wang isn¡¯t clear about your skills? You don¡¯t have to be unduly humble. This matter is already decided. Actually, Ben Wang also has another plan,  which is to find a few teacher to come over and teach the soldiers every day. ¡±

    ¡°Teach?¡± Mo Jiang had never heard of a teacher  teaching soldiers. The literati had always despised the military generals, and the military generals also weren¡¯t able to take those nasty literati in their eyes. How could they stay in contact with each other peacefully? So how could they even talk about teaching? Alas! It may be assumed that this is another result of His Highness wild imagination again.

    Mo Jiang¡¯s surprise was expressed on his face, Ming Yu saw through his thoughts at a glance, and it was not convenient to say more at this time, he laughed and said: ¡°Now I just have this idea, so it¡¯s nothing serious. So I won¡¯t talk about it today. Look at the training results of the new recruits under Commander Mo.¡± He finished speaking and pointed to the middle of the field.

    Commander Mo looked over and saw that the recruits had finished lining up. Ming Yu also focused on the field. Mo Jiang had to swallow back the words he wanted to say, and also looked into the training ground. At this time the recruits took neat steps and gradually arranged into a phalanx. It can be seen that the most basic in-place steps today were much better than when they first entered the camp, without distinction between left and right, and with the same hands and feet.

    With the slogan of the leading general, the weapons in the hands of the recruits split, slashed, and stabbed ¡­ Unexpectedly they also practiced in a similar way. This was even better than Ming Yu had imagined. He originally had thought that it¡¯s already good that they could line up in a good formation. It can be seen that Mo Jiang has indeed trained them with his heart.

    These recruits were all villagers, simple and honest, as pure as pieces of white papers. Training was like smearing ink on white paper, not that they have to train what they thought of training. Although at first it was difficult, not being able to understand many of the instructions, they trained in a confused way like a headless fly that can¡¯t find north. However, as long as they started on their journey, these people became much better trained than those veteran wily old foxes. Not to mention other things, just being able to follow orders was already most praiseworthy.

    In fact, for these people, everything was good here. They can eat until they¡¯re full, wear warm clothes, and eat meat every day, which was something they did not dare to dream of in the past. Their idea was simple, they will obey whoever feeds and clothes them warmly. With this mentality, they actively worked hard, afraid that they would be one step behind, in case Commander Mo did not want them. At that time, it would be too late to cry by then.

    Ming Yu was very satisfied, ¡°Very good! This is all Commander Mo¡¯s credit! If you hadn¡¯t trained the army for Ben Wang, then Ben Wang would really have been helpless. ¡±

    Receiving a sincere praise from Ming Yu, Mo Jiang was overjoyed in his heart, but he did not show even a bit of it on his face, but said modestly. ¡°This is not Chen¡¯s credit, it is the wisdom of Your Highness¡­¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, Ming Yu waved his hand and jokingly said, ¡°Commander Mo is too humble. For Ben Wang, you are the right and left arm of Ben Wang, so you can¡¯t be unduly humble.¡±

    This evaluation was very high, and Mo Jiang¡¯s heart was moved. How could he be both kind and capable? To be able to follow His Highness, in this life, he will certainly live up to the grace of His Highness¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Chen¡­.Chen will definitely live up to Your Highness¡¯s cultivation.¡± Mo Jiang knelt down and saluted Ming Yu, his eyes slightly moist.

    Ming Yu stood up and lifted him up, patting him on the shoulder, ¡°Haha, if we are a ruler and his minister, maybe this can be passed on as a good story.¡±

    Just like a ruler and his minister, how many people have been able to do this since ancient times? However, Mo Jiang had a bold obsession in his heart. That¡¯s right, this would be the goal he has to achieve in his life. Just like a ruler and his minister, to have the future generations mention the legendary reputation of His Highness and him, his little chess piece, then he would have no more regret in his life.

 CH 26

    Wang Si worked very hard, trying to make his every movement more powerful. He knew that the person sitting on the top and watching them training was Wangye. He had never seen Wangye before, but he had heard from the veterans from the former guards barrack that Wangye was the emperor¡¯s son and a very honorable person under the heavens. So they knew that Wangye was a heavenly official, and even the biggest official, Commander Mo, served under him.

    Wangye was watching them, so they must show their best side so that they will not disappoint Wangye. Therefore, everyone conscientiously did every movement.

    They came to this training ground, just like falling into a honeypot and they never thought there would be such a day. Since birth, hunger, panic, and war happened all the time, they had never had such a peaceful and beautiful day.

    Wang Si was very fortunate, fortunate he had decided to come over. If he had listened to his eldest brother, where would he be today? It can be said that after he goes back, he must also persuade his eldest brother to come over. In fact, how could he be willing to go back? It¡¯s just that when he was called that day, he had said that he would train for two or three months. Once the farmers were idle, when the training was over, they would be allowed to go back.

    But he also thought it through. When this side called them again, he would come. It would be great if he could stay here forever. He heard the news that the top few people trained would have the opportunity to stay and become real soldiers.

    After he came here, he did not do heavy work, did not get beaten and scolded, and after eating and drinking his fill, he was trained by veterans. He usually did farm work or all kinds of physical work, so this training was not a problem for him at all.

    However, if he wanted to stand out, he had to work harder. That¡¯s right, he wanted to stay here to learn more skills, and serve Wangye. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just Wang Si alone who thought like this.

    When their practice was over, Ming Yu stepped down from the stage and stood in front of them, his eyes sweeping over this group of young people with dark skin.

    Not bad, energetic and full of vitality. The best group of people he would ever wish to meet.

    When everyone looked at Ming Yu, they couldn¡¯t help but straighten up and puff out their chests. Everyone¡¯s heart was excited, Wangye was looking at them now. They didn¡¯t understand why Wangye valued them, but they knew that it was this person in front of them who gave them this opportunity and let them see a different path from their father¡¯s generation. This group of people was simple and unpretentious, so all of them thought that they must do their best to repay this person.

    Ming Yu nodded satisfactorily, he cleared his throat, and said in a loud voice, ¡°You all are doing a good job, Ben Wang is very relieved to see you like this.¡±

    The people below were silent. With a smile on his face, he continued, ¡°Do you know why you are here? And why you had to participate in the training?¡±

    Some people shook their heads. At the beginning they also heard that they can eat to their fill and dress warmly here without having to do any hard work. They have been bitter enough with their days, so what if they suffer a bit more? In any case, they came here with that mindset in mind. But they didn¡¯t know why Wangye won¡¯t let them do anything, but just train every day.

    Ming Yu looked at them and used the simplest words they would understand: ¡°This is a military camp, and what you have learned here are the skills of killing the enemy.¡±

    He paused to see how these people would react. Sure enough, the people below showed surprised expressions. They knew that this was a military camp, and Wangye let them learn the skill of killing the enemy, but did he really want them to go to the battlefield?

    Some people hesitated for a moment, but became more determined. Then again, even if they go to the battlefield, they were willing. Scholars die for their confidants (willingness to devote themselves to those who appreciate and cultivate themselves). Wangye treats them so well, and even taught them the skills of killing the enemy. They originally were useless, what can they repay him except for their life? Going to the battlefield was going to the battlefield, it¡¯s nothing more than death. When the time comes, Laozi will kill one to be even and kill two to make some compensation. This transaction will not make them lose money in the end.

    They were all deeply afflicted by bandits and barbarians, everyone wanted to tear apart those people¡¯s bones, eat their flesh, and drink their blood. In the past, they wanted to be soldiers, to really go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, but there was no way out. Now, it was considered as a good thing for them to be able to kill the enemy with dignity.

    The current military system was like the average military household system, that is to say, if a father was a soldier, the son must also be a soldier; that¡¯s why there is a saying that a father and son are soldiers who go to the same battlefield. Under normal circumstances, commoners cannot join the military household, unless there were not enough soldiers, then the government will come forward to forcibly recruit the people into the army.

    They knew that there were a lot of people who were forcibly recruited into the army without regarding them as a human being at all. Not only do they need to do dirty work, but they will also be sent to be the vanguard, that is, as a human shield. They would lose their life once the enemy charged in, this is basically just having unarmed people throw away their lives. Therefore, many ordinary people would resist when they hear that the government was forcibly conscripting them into soldiers.

    They had been here for more than a month, but they have not done anything except training every day. Their hearts were not at ease, but listening to Mingyu¡¯s words today had made them feel at ease.

    ¡°Ben Wang asked you to learn these things, not to send you to the battlefield to die, but to learn the ability to protect your relatives and your homeland behind you.¡±

    ¡°Those who burn and loot, kill our fathers and fellow countrymen, rob our sisters and wives, and the heinous crimes they committed must be repaid, the blood debts must be paid!¡±

    ¡°You tell me. Would you be willing to do your best to protect your brothers and sisters, your parents and relatives? Can you do it?¡±

    Wang Si¡¯s heart was surging with blood. Protecting the village and protecting his family, he must do it! Remembering the numb and desperate expressions that had once been under shining dangling blades, the villagers who had been trampled under their horses that howled in despair, his heart could not be calm.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Si¡¯s mood was agitated, and he shouted out loudly regardless of it.

    When the crowd heard this, they couldn¡¯t help but shout in unison, ¡°Yes! We pledge our lives to protect! A debt of blood must be paid in blood! We pledge our lives to protect! A debt of blood must be paid in blood! ¡±

    For a time, the excitement in the field was surging and all the new recruits¡¯ emotions almost reached the highest point.

    The audiences outside the venue were touched by this scene, and they were even a little excited. Zhou Dadan even shouted along with them. Li Man glanced at him, but in the end he still did not say anything.

    They were the imperial guards. When they first became soldiers, they were also full of enthusiasm, but after a long time, their passionate blood had long been wiped out by the city servants in their bones. But now, why did the hot blood in their body that had been silent for a long time actually start to stir up?

    Li Man looked around. The slightly trembling fists of his comrades and the bright light in his eyes proved that everyone was in the same mood as him. It¡¯s just that their parents, wives and children were all in the capital, and he can¡¯t abandon his parents, wives and children because of this blood, right? He moved his lips, but finally did not make a sound.

    ¡°Ben Wang does not want you to die, but to keep a useful body and conduct your duty humbly. Therefore, you must study hard and train hard. Only after you have learned your skills can you protect the people of our Great Yan and protect the land of our Great Yan. We will not let others bully us, we will drive out the bandits and barbarians! ¡±

    ¡°Send them away! Send them away!¡± Everyone shouted with all their might.

    Ming Yu squinted his eyes slightly, looking at this group of young people. These people were the hope of the future Liangzhou. Although it was only a small fire now, a single spark can start a huge blaze. He believed it would not be long when these fires were all over Liangzhou, then it would be the day when Liangzhou would be in peace and stability.

    Ming Yu waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, then finally said: ¡°Ben Wang believes in you. Ben Wang can also promise you that I will guard Liangzhou and will no longer let the commoners of Liangzhou suffer anymore. After five or even ten years, Ben Wang will give the people of Liangzhou a stable, peaceful, and prosperous living environment. But I can¡¯t accomplish all of these alone, it will need everyone¡¯s support here to create it.¡±

    Hearing Ming Yu¡¯s words, some people were already moved to tears. Can such a Liangzhou really be achieved? Will they really be able to see this day? If that¡¯s the case, then they¡¯ll have no regrets when they die.

    Xie Yixiu, who had just walked out of the training camp, heard the faint sound of movement. He stopped to listen slightly, then his facial expression softened. The corners of his mouth even raised a bit. This Duan Wang is interesting!

    Where had his personal guards ever seen Xie Yixiu¡¯s gentle expression before? This almost scared them to jump, was this still their General Xie? That cold-faced war god? Did he get possessed by some evil spirit? If that¡¯s the case, they will need to notify Mr. Wen to exorcize the evil spirit.

    The personal guards¡¯ hearts were complicated and entangled into a lump of ball when Xie Yixiu had already jumped onto his horseback, galloping the horse away. The few personal guards couldn¡¯t comprehend what happened just now and quickly chased behind him.

    After intersecting with the soldiers, the soldiers in the training camp were like aroused chickens. They worked harder than before. Not only the recruits, but even the wily old foxes veterans of the escort team were full of energy, spilling their own spirits everywhere on the training ground.

    That day, Duan Wang specially trained these new recruits, which made the veterans of the guard put on an unfavorable expression. They had been following Duan Wang from the capital until here, not to mention the rest, they all did their duty to escort. At this point, even if they don¡¯t get credit, they at least made efforts right? But now where were they in Wangye¡¯s eyes? These peasants had only been here for more than a month, but they have already been treated favorably by Wangye, even obtaining Wangye¡¯s encouragement.They have followed Wangye for so long, but they have not yet had this treatment. They were also hot-blooded men, thus they cannot lose to these peasants.

    It was precisely for this reason that they were also full of energy, that is, they want to show off to those new recruits their abilities, so that they won¡¯t be cocky without knowing the immensity of heaven and earth. As long as they were still in Liangzhou for a day, Wangye still needed them and had to rely on them.

    Soon after, won¡¯t they still have to train with the Red Robe Army? They had been training well, so when the time came for the training, as long as they could win against the Red Robe Army, Wangye would also notice them. At this time, they did not even realize their thinking had changed slightly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to the capital, I want to stay here and follow Wangye to drive the barbarians out.¡± After resting, Zhou Dadan spoke out what he had been thinking about for a long time.

    ¡°What? Are you crazy?¡± Someone exclaimed, Zhou Dadan must have had that muscle not work properly again to speak this kind of thing out loud.

    Li Man on the side did not show any surprise, as if he had expected him to say this.

    Zhou Dadan¡¯s complexion was very firm, he had thought this through before finally deciding to say this. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy, I have thought about it very clearly. When I was in the capital before, I spent my days drinking and living a peaceful and carefree life, thinking that people all over the world should live such a life. But after arriving here, I realized the suffering of the people in the border areas. I still remember the tragic situation of the village after being massacred by the barbarians when we first came here. Furthermore, take a look at these new recruits, our fellow comrades. Which one of them does not have a blood hatred as deep as the sea against the barbarians? ¡±

    These days them and these new arrivals have already shared their sentiments with each other. From being unable to look them in the eyes to becoming genuine fellow soldier comrades.

    Zhou Dadan¡¯s words made many people sigh endlessly, some became silent.

    ¡°What Wangye said was quite right. The commoners of the border areas are also the people of our Great Yan. They¡¯re our brothers and sisters. As soldiers, we should be people-oriented. To be able to dedicate oneself to the cause of one¡¯s country is the greatest glory of soldiers.¡± Zhou Dadan¡¯s face was full of admiration, ¡°I am an uncouth fellow, I don¡¯t understand many things, but Wangye¡¯s words really reached the bottom of my heart.¡±

    The surrounding people nodded. Listening to this, who could stop their blood from burning up? But they calmed down, those people who had the same decision like Zhou Dadan were very few.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, have you ever thought about fighting with those barbarians with real weapons? That fight that can cause you to lose your life at any time¡­¡± Someone said anxiously.

    Zhou Dadan smiled and did not take the life and death matter to heart at all.

    Many people looked at Li Man on the side, hoping that he could come out to say a few words. Li Man¡¯s mind was flexible and always had many ideas. Among their group, they had considered him as the leader. The group believed in him, so everyone earnestly hoped that he could make the decision on a lot of things.

    At this time, Li Man didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, until someone pulled on his sleeve and he came back to his senses. He glanced at the people around him, and finally his eyes fell on Zhou Dadan¡¯s fearless face. His heart trembled fiercely. Perhaps it was a fearless person like Zhou Dadan who would have the energy to express his noble aspiration. Moreover, when did these people become afraid of their hands and feet? At that time, as youngsters, they were hot blooded, opening their mouths wide to drink wine, spouting out bold words, swearing to wipe out those barbarians, and regaining the Qingping River and Mountain to the Great Yan. When he first entered the imperial guard, his hot blood had not yet cooled, but now¡­

    He opened his mouth, his voice a little dry, ¡°Everyone has their own idea, and no one can interfere with other people¡¯s decisions.¡±

    That being said, everyone still regretted Zhou Dadan¡¯s decision. However, they did not find out where the trace of envy hidden in their hearts came from.

    Being a person, you must have backbone and ambition. The training ground was buzzing with activity at this moment just like normal. The two sides, neither gave way to another. There was a slight sign of competition. If you run five laps today, then I will run six laps; if you train for one more hour, then I will train for two more hours.

    When Mo Jiang saw such a situation, he did not point it out and directly approved of their competitive behavior. When Ming Yu got this news, he smiled like a fox. People will only make progress when there is competition. If you want to confront the Red Robed Army, you must come with your best state, so as not to waste his effort.

    Ming Yu had already handed over the entire plan for the training to Xie Yixiu. After Xie Yixiu looked at it, he confirmed that there was nothing missing and after consultation between the two sides, it was decided for the practice to be held in half a month¡¯s time.

 CH 27

    Imperial court of Suixi Kingdom.

    In the midst of the dazzling imperial palace, a young man unfolded the cloth in front of him. He swept a glance at the handwriting on it, then his complexion became serious.

    He looked at the kneeling spy in front of him, his knuckle knocked on the table with the cloth. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is what¡¯s written on this real?¡±

    ¡°Bing Khan*, what is written there is true. I dare not deceive you for even half a sentence.¡± The spy said resolutely, ¡°The Fourteenth Prince of the Great Yan is now in Liangcheng.¡±

    Khan: Title for rulers elsewhere beside central plain.

    Tuoba Hongze laughed softly, and then turned his head to look at Tuoba Ren, who was sitting upright at the lower left seat, ¡°Hunle Wang, what do you think about this?¡±

    Tuoba Ren¡¯s face was a little pale. He covered his mouth and coughed for a long time before he calmed down. His pale face was stained with a thin layer of redness because of the cough.

    He was a member of the Suixi Kingdom¡¯s royal family, the younger brother of Tuoba Hongze, the Khan. This first warrior of Suixi Kingdom had been in poor health since he was injured and defeated in a battle five years ago.

    Tuoba Hongze hearing the cough and thinking of his little brother who was once standing heroically in the battlefield being tortured all these years, his complexion was a little ugly. If it were not for that war, his little brother would still be galloping on the battlefield, maybe Liangcheng would have been taken by them a long time ago. But now¡­this number one warrior of the Suixi Kingdom was thus destroyed, becoming an eagle with broken wings. It was difficult to even get on a horse.

    He sighed regretfully in his heart before asking with concern: ¡°Why did you cough repeatedly for a while and not get better? I¡¯ll let the doctor check your body for you later.¡±

    Tuoba Ren waved his hand and took a sip of tea before saying, ¡°No need, this is just a chronic illness, not that you don¡¯t know. Calling the doctor over is useless.¡±

    Tuoba Hongze remembered the source of all this, slammed his fist on the table, snorted coldly, and gritted his teeth: ¡°Xie Yixiu, sooner or later Ben Wang will crush his corpse into ten thousand pieces to avenge you.¡±

    ¡°I will personally take this revenge.¡± Tuoba Ren sneered. How he had lived these five years, no one could know better than him. His own revenge naturally needed to be repaid. He would never let another¡¯s hand to accomplish this. Instead, he will catch him with his own hand, making him unable to live or die, letting him taste his own pain over these years.

    With regard to this stubborn little brother who will not easily change his mind once he decides on something, Tuoba Hongze could do nothing at all. He simply skipped the question, ¡°Regarding the fact that the Fourteenth Prince Duan Wang being assigned to Liangzhou by the Great Yan¡¯s Emperor, what does little brother think?¡±

    ¡°Does the king want to make a fuss about Duan Wang?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Tuoba Hongze nodded, ¡°Duan Wang is the fourteenth son of the Emperor of the Great Yan Kingdom. I heard that he is quite loved by the Great Yan¡¯s Emperor. Although I don¡¯t know why the Great Yan Emperor conferred a title to his son to Liangzhou, this is indeed an opportunity for us. If we can seize Duan Wang and use him to blackmail the Great Yan¡¯s Emperor, at that time, won¡¯t the conditions be for us to decide?¡±

    Tuoba Ren also agreed with this. ¡°It¡¯s just that this Duan Wang is holed up in the middle of Liangcheng with guards to protect and follow, I¡¯m afraid that it will not be easy for us to lay a hand on him.¡±

    ¡°It is impossible for this person to hole up in the middle of the city all the time without coming out. We can send out spies. As long as we wait until he leaves the city, I am not afraid we are not able to catch him¡± Tuoba Hongze thought about it for a moment and said with a very tough attitude: ¡°Even if he does not go out of the city, we, the Suixi Kingdom will send out our army. As long as we capture Liangcheng we will be able to capture Duan Wang alive, then we won¡¯t be afraid that the Great Yan¡¯s Emperor will not obey.¡±

    Tuoba Ren frowned. Although it was easy to say, only he understood that it would not be easy to conquer this Liangcheng. Five years ago, they almost took over Liangcheng, but were disrupted by the Red Robed Army led by Xie Yixiu. It was at that time, he was shot by Xie Yixiu¡¯s arrow, and almost lost his life to the underworld. He survived that incident with great difficulty.

    Today¡¯s Red Robed Army was no longer the same Red Robed Army from before. It was no longer possible to enter the wilderness like they did back then.

    Tuoba Hongze seemed to see through his concerns. His heart was depressed. When did his younger brother change his temper and nature? Unlike their Suixi Kingdom¡¯s youngsters, he has become more and more indecisive, and overcautious.

    ¡°Since we were able to march down to the city five years ago, we will be able to do it this time too. Has my little brother gotten scared from that battle five years ago and lost the courage of our Suixi Kingdom¡¯s first warrior?¡±

    Tuoba Ren was stimulated by these words. He clenched his fists, his face turning red. Under this stimulation, he couldn¡¯t suppress his cough.

    Tuoba Hongze had some regrets. Tuoba Ren was not in good health, he should not have said this to stimulate him. However, as soon as the words were spoken, there was no room for take backs.

    After a long time, Tuoba Ren stopped coughing, and he stood up, ¡°Khan, you can hand over this Duan Wang to me. No matter what method, I will definitely capture him alive and hand him over to you, otherwise, I will come forward to apologise.¡± Tuoba Ren bowed and left without looking back.

    ¡­¡­

    Mr. Wen had been in the great tent inside the barrack for over half a day already. It was already nightfall, but he had no intention of leaving. He paced back and forth, sometimes shaking his head, sometimes thinking, sometimes looking at Xie Yixiu and sighing. Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold face did not seem to exist in his eyes.

    Xie Yixiu was finally at his last straw. He put down the book in his hand, before shooting a glance at him coldly, ¡°If you have anything to say, just say it.¡± Regarding this army advisor who has been doing nothing for the entire day, Xie Yixiu¡¯s tolerance had reached its highest point.

    Since the General had spoken, Mr. Wen finally stopped his footsteps. He looked at Xie Yixiu for a while with the appearance and aura of someone worldly, then stroked his two eight-character shaped moustache that were hard to keep, and asked leisurely: ¡°Why did General become well spoken after going out for a trip? You really aren¡¯t like our ¡°scary¡± general Xie at all. Could it be that you went out to meet someone or something on this trip?¡±

    If you ignore the gossip expression on his face, others will think that he was actually being caring.

    He also heard his personal guards say there seemed to be something wrong with their general, but what was wrong? They couldn¡¯t say what it was. Xie Yixiu had always been calm and steady, cool headed and self-sustaining. It is reasonable to say that he should not be moved by external objects.

    However, when Xie Yixiu returned, he brought back a message that he was going to have an exercise confrontation with Duan Wang¡¯s guards. This, this, this shocked his jaw off okay? What kind of confrontation exercise is this? Isn¡¯t it to accompany the crown prince to study? But who is Xie Yixiu? Never bowing his head or bending his back for high court officials before, how could he have agreed to accompany His Highness Duan Wang to train troops without any benefit or reason? He was really puzzled. Curiosity killed the cat, but if these questions were not answered, he won¡¯t be able to eat or sleep well, so he has to figure it out clearly.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s face was already darkened, ¡°Nothing happened. Since you have time to stay here, can I assume that you have already properly arranged the 3 months¡¯ army provisions and expenses?¡±

    Mr. Wen smiled until his eyes squinted and said, ¡°These are not urgent, but this matter of providing sparring partners to Duan Wang, General, you really did not take even a bit of benefit?¡± What is the identity of Duan Wang? The emperor had rewarded him a lot of money. Him casually leaking it out between his fingers could be enough for us to eat for half a month. Since he came to beg for a favour, General, are you really willing to miss such a good opportunity? Agreeing to do things without benefits is not like the general¡¯s style! He shook his head and asked his doubts in one breath.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes were sharp, but this person was completely unaware, still shamelessly hoping that Xie Yixiu could tell him the reason why.

    Xie Yixiu rubbed his eyebrows, wondering in his heart whether he had indulged these people too much? Otherwise, why can he frighten outsiders making them gargle and tremble, yet these people do not fear him. Of course, there is another one who is not afraid of him. Thinking of the first time he saw Ming Yu, that person putting his arm around his shoulders without rules or customs, even bargaining with him with smiles, he really doesn¡¯t know if this person¡­..

    Xie Yixiu shook his head, why did he suddenly think of that person?

    ¡°I have my own plans for this.¡± He saw that this person was still unwilling to give up unless he understood the bottom of things and would not give up otherwise, he could only say helplessly, ¡°He has horses.¡±

    Mr. Wen was surprised, pulled his two small moustaches and asked in surprise, ¡°What are you talking about? Duan Wang has horses? How many? Is it a good colt?¡± He spun back and forth twice, ¡°No, where could he get his horses?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, but in half a year there will be fifteen good horses as promised.¡± Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold voice unconsciously brought a hint of softness as he explained.

    When Mr. Wen heard the explanation, he was even more doubtful in his heart. That¡¯s not right. Xie Yixiu, this person does not act before he is sure of success, so how did he allow others to owe a debt. Besides, god knows if this Duan Wang was just blurting things out without thinking? Ordinary horses are easy to say, but he promised fifteen good horses, which is not a small number. Where will he find these good horses when the time comes? Could it be that he will go beg his Royal Father for it?

    ¡°In the future, he will also build a horse farm. If it is successful¡­¡± The unfinished meaning in Xie Yixiu¡¯s words was obvious. There is no if, he intuitively felt that what Ming Yu said would definitely be realised.

    He is not a blind man, he would not easily believe anything without seeing results. However, he felt the feasibility of Ming Yu¡¯s plan, and deeply believed it. He also investigated clearly how Ming Yu tidied up the training camp in a short period of time. The caravan¡¯s preparation that was now ready, the tunnel digging that was being carried out in the village, and the call on the commoners to have no fear for invaders¡¯ plans; everything seemed to be incredible and in the long run it seemed to be able to really solve the problem. What plans Ming Yu had in mind for the future, he didn¡¯t leak it out too much to him, but this was enough to impress him.

    ¡°Hiss!¡± Mr. Wen¡¯s treasured moustache was pulled down, he couldn¡¯t care less about the pain, and asked astonishingly, ¡°What? Horse farm? Duan Wang wants to build a horse farm? This¡­¡­it¡¯s a big deal! ¡±

    The Great Yan Dynasty lacked horses, everyone knew that. It wasn¡¯t because the imperial court did not think of building a horse farm at the beginning, but firstly, it cost a lot of money. Secondly, there were few natural large grasslands and abundant water sources in the territory of the Great Yan Kingdom. Third, the Great Yan Kingdom was not rich in good colts. All the good colts were stuck at Suixi Kingdom unable to enter the Great Yan. For these various reasons, in the end, it could only be left unsettled. The five thousand war horses of their Red Robed Army were also extremely hard to get, but it¡¯s still the same as before with good and bad horses intermingled.

    If what Xie Yixiu said was true, and Duan Wang will be able to make a horse farm, then  the problem of their war horses could be solved. When the time comes, their Red Robed Army can add several ten thousand more people, so why would they still be afraid of the insignificant Suixi Kingdom then? Sooner or later, they will invade their royal court and capture the Khan alive.

    ¡°Can he really build a horse farm?¡± Mr. Wen asked excitedly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Xie Yixiu was calm, no matter whether Duan Wang could really build a horse farm, it didn¡¯t matter to him. Of course, if Duan Wang really made a horse farm, then the Red Robed Army could also benefit.

    Mr. Wen finally came out of the great tent of the barrack in a trance. At this moment, it was already full of stars outside. Slightly blown by the wind, he became calmer. He looked around, straightened out his robe, and returned to the appearance of someone with extraordinary temperament.

    He looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back, his face mysterious.

    A patrol team turned around and greeted him. The leader of the team was quite familiar with him, smiled and asked: ¡°Mr. Wen can read celestial signs. Do you know when we will fight with the barbarians again?¡±

    Mr. Wen twirled his beard and shook his head, ¡°What do you know? What I have calculated from observing the celestial signs is the great change in the future of the land of Liangzhou, which can be said to be an unprecedented change in the Great Yan Dynasty.¡± After saying that, he looked at several people and said impatiently, ¡°Go away! If you don¡¯t understand then don¡¯t bother me!¡±

    Someone from the small team burst out laughing. This Mr. Wen really keeps listeners at suspense. The leading young general smiled and said, ¡°We naturally don¡¯t understand, but Mr. Wen, the last time you calculated our General Xie¡¯s recent lucky star movement, why hasn¡¯t there been any movement so far?¡±

    Mentioning this, Mr. Wen felt that his old face could not be held up. He absolutely could not be wrong. Just looking at the cold appearance of their general, he¡¯s afraid that even if the lucky star jumped in front of his eyes, he still wouldn¡¯t catch it. You can¡¯t blame him for that, can you? After all, he was not a matchmaker.

    Mr. Wen snorted twice and said in disgust, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because it¡¯s not time yet? What are you in a hurry for? With General Xie¡¯s ability, this is just a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true too!¡± Everyone nodded yes in unison.

    Mr. Wen felt pleased with himself. He was thinking of bragging a few words, when a cold voice came from the lord behind him, ¡°Wen Yuzhao, if you say one more word, you will also participate in the training tomorrow morning.¡±

    Ah! Forgetting that this place was not far from the barracks and that their words were all listened to by their master, no wonder General Xie would threaten him.

    Wen Yuzhao immediately closed his mouth and waved his hand to signal the patrol team to do their own things, while he himself patted his *ss and slipped away. How could the crowd dare to say anything more, they promptly lined up neatly and left.

    Time passed quickly. The half-moon period had arrived, and Xie Yixiu personally led the people and horses over.

    This was a scheme that Ming Yu had planned with great difficulty, so naturally no mistake was allowed. Ming Yu didn¡¯t rely on his identity to be pretentious. He personally led people to greet him.

    In the distance, a group of red-clad silver armour came swooping in. Before they could get closer, a wave of stern aura rushed towards them. Sure enough, it was an elite unit that has experienced bloody battles on the battlefield, with flags flared between the movements. The military appearance was neat, at a glance one could tell it was a well-trained and powerful army. There were no poor soldiers under a good general. Ming Yu secretly admired in his heart, General Xie was indeed worthy of his reputation.

    Because there were only five hundred people for the confrontation exercise, Xie Yixiu only brought five hundred troops with him. The two sides naturally had to exchange a few words of pleasantries first.

    Wen Yuzhao had to follow along no matter what. He wanted to see the rumoured Fourteenth Prince, now His Highness Duan Wang. When he was in the capital, the Fourteenth Prince had always been reclusive. It was said that it was a symptom of stupidity, so he had been cultivating deep in the palace for many years. Although he had a wide range of friends, he had never really met the Fourteenth Prince, his impression of him stopped at just the rumours.

    Now that the Fourteenth Prince had been conferred the title Duan Wang and arrived at Liangzhou, he also learned some things about Duan Wang from Xie Yixiu¡¯s mouth. It could be seen that Xie Yixiu had a high evaluation of him. He had followed Xie Yixiu for many years and this was the first time he had seen him look up to a person like this.

    He quietly looked at the fair and bright teenager in front of him who was like the spring breeze, talking and laughing, elegant and indifferent, graceful and luxurious at every movement, but without the overbearing attitude he had seen from the royal family descendents. Is this Duan Wang really the one who was rumoured to be a shameful and domineering foolish prince in the capital?

    He shook his head secretly, he really can¡¯t believe everything that has been said.

    The two sides briefly introduced their people, and after performing basic courtesy, Wen Yuzhao stood up and bowed his hand to Ming Yu: ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you at last, Wangye. There is a saying that knowing somebody by their reputation can¡¯t compare to meeting them in person. Sure enough, Wang Ye is humble and as modest as a jade gentleman. Seeing Wangye also concerned about the commoners of the border areas with consideration to the people¡¯s needs, this is simply a rare sage king.¡±

    Ming Yu did not know why the other party praised him so much on their first meeting. He had heard that this Mr. Wen¡¯s scheming is rather deep and has no exhaustion of strategy. His position in the Red Robe Army was second only to Xie Yixiu. He was General Xie¡¯s right and left arm, and was very valued.

    However, with Ming Yu¡¯s identity he had already listened to a lot of compliments, so he didn¡¯t mind this.

    Ming Yu smiled and said a few modest words, returned politeness for politeness and praised all kinds of deeds the Red Robe Army had done, emphasizing Mr. Wen¡¯s contribution. The two of them had a ride of flattering each other for half a day. Their faces were so thick that they complemented each other perfectly. Xie Yixiu was full of cold air all over his body, but none of the two had paid attention to General Xie on the side.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s temples faintly hurt. He somewhat regretted letting Wen Yuzhao follow. Now that it was to this point, it was impossible to drive him back.

    The so-called what the eye doesn¡¯t see, the heart doesn¡¯t grieve over, he might as well pay no more attention to the two and look away.

    At this moment, not far away with flying dust, a group of troops were rushing towards this side. This movement was very big, Ming Yu also saw it, feeling a little strange. Which troops had come? Only before they got closer did he see that the person who had come was actually the Great General Wei.

    The author has something to say: Thank you all for your support!

 CH 28

    ¡°Great General Wei.¡± Ming Yu took two steps forward, ¡°What wind blew you here?¡±

    Great General Wei stopped his horse, dismounted and greeted Ming Yu, ¡°Greetings Wangye. I heard that Wangye had made some uncommon entertainments these days so I came here to join in the fun. Turning up unannounced like this, I hope Wangye won¡¯t blame me.¡±

    He had heard that Duan Wang had made some new playgrounds for the soldiers to train and even relied on Xie Yixiu to pull up the Red-Robed Army as sparring partners . The strange thing was that Xie Yixiu, this stubborn master, unexpectedly agreed. Therefore, he had to come to take a look no matter what.

    Ming Yu laughed a bit, ¡°How could that be? Having Great General Wei arrive and be able to give some pointers to the soldiers would be considered as the soldiers¡¯ fortune.¡±

    ¡°Wangye has overpraised me. I just fancy lively scenes and nothing else.¡±

    The group smiled and walked inside, while the soldiers all went down to make their own preparations.

    The details of the confrontation practice had been agreed on, including single-player, team competition, as well as offensive and defensive confrontation between the two sides, surprise attacks and ambush breakthroughs; all possible strategies and tactics on the battlefield will be carried out in this practice.

    Single-player, team competition is easy, since everyone has eyes, they could see who¡¯s strong and who¡¯s weak at a glance. It¡¯s just that this strategy and tactics would need to be used in war with real weapons to see its real potential. In this way, if everyone is heated during the practice and someone didn¡¯t hold back it could result in casualties that would damage everyone¡¯s harmony.

    Ming Yu naturally took this into account: it was just a drill, how could they use real weapons? So the sword was replaced with wood, the iron arrowhead on the arrow was also replaced with a wooden arrow wrapped in a soft cloth, and then smeared with white ash. Finally, the white ash marks on the soldier¡¯s body was used as the basis for battle damage and calculating casualties. Through this estimation, the victory or defeat will be determined. In any case, everything was based on safety.

    Single-player and team competition was a warm-up, the focus of this confrontation drill was in the confrontation of attack and defense, encirclement and breakthrough, ambush and anti-ambush.

    These were the most likely to be encountered on the battlefield, and Ming Yu had repeatedly pondered the most characteristic battles in ancient times, and comprehensively sorted them out to several sets of rules. After giving Xie Yixiu a look, Xie Yixiu combined it with the current situation, made modifications and adjustments, and finally selected several case files for integration and replication.

    Ming Yu¡¯s guard battalion and Xie Yixiu¡¯s Red-Robed Army respectively casted lots to decide the red and blue camp, then it would be you attack and I defend, or you ambush me, and I calculate your ambush pattern to counterattack.

    The number of people was the same, but the Red Robe Army is a veteran of the battlefield for a long time. It had always been easy for them to fight in war. The guard battalion, on the other hand, was a group of lazy laoye men from the capital. Their formal training time lasted only a few months, it was just that Ming Yu¡¯s training method was different.

    The effect of this innovative training method was still unknown, and everyone wanted to see how the results were. Therefore, although it was known that the guard battalion would not win against the Red-Robed Army, everyone was very interested in the performance of the guard battalion at this time.

    After the rules of the confrontation drill were conveyed, it was up to the soldiers to discuss countermeasures and how to deal with the enemy.

    This kind of confrontation made everyone feel interesting. General Wei listened to the rules of the confrontation drill and was also full of interest. He asked curiously: ¡°I wonder which side Wangye is optimistic about?¡±

    Ming Yu turned his head and smiled: ¡°Winning or losing is not important, what is important is to be able to see the weak and strong points of the opponents and learn to absorb the other side¡¯s strong points while learning to change one own¡¯s weak point, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    General Wei nodded in admiration, ¡°Yes, Wangye thought it through.¡±

    Mr. Wen clapped his hands and sighed: ¡°Indeed, the method of this drill is very good. When the drill is conducted, if you make a mistake, there will be a chance to correct it, so you will not make the same mistake on the real battlefield. After all, once you go to the battlefield, it will be a matter of life and death. It¡¯s either you die or I die. As soon as there is a mistake, there will be no chance to start again. ¡±

    ¡°Haha, it is precisely so. It seems that this kind of drill training is beneficial and harmless, so that the soldiers can become familiar with the cruelty on the battlefield as soon as possible, thus, the soldiers will be able to grow quickly. After experiencing more of such battles, soldiers can cope with it freely on the battlefield.¡± General Wei said while twirling his beard. They were all veterans who had been on the battlefield for a long time, and they only needed to think about it a little to understand the key points, ¡°It is really admirable that Wangye was able to come up with this.¡±

    Receiving praise from the big shots in the army, Ming Yu just smiled, ¡°I¡¯m merely passing on of what others have said, I am truly not worthy of the Great General¡¯s praise.¡±

    He knew his ability well, and it was absolutely impossible for him to come up with such a plan.

    He only made certain changes to some of the practice methods that he learned from the later generations while adding it on to the existing basic conditions. Then adding his own ideas, and Xie Yixiu¡¯s suggestion, he polished it until it became this kind of 4 ways confrontation drill. In fact, in Ming Yu¡¯s mind, this kind of confrontation drill was like a gang fight that wasn¡¯t even 1 in 100,000 of the benefits of military training of later generations, but even so, at this point in time, it still amazed everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Xie Yixiu stared at Ming Yu¡¯s calm smile, unconsciously softening his gaze. He still remembered the first time he heard Ming Yu bring it up, the shock in his heart was no less than the others.

    General Wei did not believe his modest words. During the days when Duan Wang came to Liangcheng, he learned that His Highness Duan Wang, instead of being even a little bit foolish and domineering, he was was humble and courteous, sensitive and studious, with outstanding wisdom, and a compassionate heart, which was able to sympathize with the commoners¡¯ suffering.

    It¡¯s just that somehow when he was in the capital, His Highness Duan Wang had shown a different side, making everyone misunderstand his character. However, thinking about it, there was nothing wrong with it. What kind of dirty things doesn¡¯t exist in the imperial palace? He heard that His Highness the Fourteenth prince was still in the womb when he was secretly plotted against resulting in his premature birth.

    It wasn¡¯t like there wasn¡¯t any prince who didn¡¯t die in the imperial palace. It is precisely like this that it would appear the fourteenth prince was foolish. He did not fall into the water for unknown reasons a few years ago, but the matter was left unsettled and treated as settled. If he had revealed his wise side early on, no one would know if it would result in fortune or a curse.

    General Wei twirled his beard, he admired Ming Yu while also somewhat sighed in pity. The tough and resolute face of decades of mighty domineering forced him to squeeze out some kindness.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t know that General Wei had already made up thousands of words in his mind about his miserable past. He himself and Xie Yixiu discussed it for a while, and then decided to start the drill.

    As soon as they spoke, the guards passed on the order.

    A battle drum sounded. When the two sides of the groups who had been preparing launched an assault, Ming Yu and the rest was at the tent at a comparably high terrant with table and chairs arranged. Nowadays, there were no telescopes, communication equipment, or high-tech stuff that can allow real time monitoring, so they could only have a superintendent to run back and forth to report on the situation on the battlefield. Although there will be delays, it was better than nothing.

    Ming Yu and the others leisurely drank tea, ate snacks, and occasionally listened to the report of his subordinates while looking at the sand table in the center of the tent, deducing what step had been taken so far, and what the gap between victory and defeat had been so far.

    This sand table was also prepared by Ming Yu, who had already sent someone to survey the terrain of the drill place, and then let the craftsmen make it according to the proportions.

    The rest of the people felt strange when they saw this novel thing, after Ming Yu explained it, the eyes of several people looking at Ming Yu became hot.

    General Wei circled around the sand table several times. He spoke while admiring it greatly, ¡°This thing is good, it is clearer than the map. Wangye, how many good things do you have, might as well take them all out at once to take a look.¡±

    Mr. Wen stared at this thing called the sand table. It was really exquisitely well made: the valley rivers, tree roads were like a miniature version of the real mountain view, which was able to make people understand the situation at a glance.

    ¡°Exactly! This topographic sand table was cleverly conceived and well-made, making it a rare thing. Wangye, speaking of our Red-Robed Army accompanying the guard battalion to practice, there is hard work but no merit. No matter what there should be something in it for us, the Red-Robe Army.¡± Mr. Wen rubbed his hands and bluntly began to demand stuff.

    Xie Yixiu was very satisfied with Wen Yuzhao¡¯s pioneering voice. Very good, he learned a bit from his own style.

    General Wei was not satisfied, he raised furrowed brows and furious eyes at Mr. Wen. He, as a senior hadn¡¯t opened his mouth yet, but was already preempted by this boy. He hurriedly and urgently said, ¡°Wangye, you can¡¯t just take care of the Red-Robed Army, our border garrison needs such a sand table even more.¡±

    ¡°It is a waste for your garrison to hold it but when our Red-Robed Army has this thing, it may be assumed that we will be like fishes in water.¡± Mr. Wen did not let the old man¡¯s thoughts go, he refused to give in at all cost.

    ¡°Why? How can it be wasted on our garrison? Boy, today you have to clearly explain this to me.¡± General Wei was so angry that he blew his beard and narrowed his eyes. Subordinates imitate their superiors¡¯ vices, this stinky boy of the Wen family was brought here from Java Kingdom by this boy, Xie Yixiu.

    Wen Yuzhao was not afraid of him and he was about to refute when he was pulled by Ming Yu.

    Seeing that the two were about to quarrel, Ming Yu really had a big headache. He looked at Xie Yixiu, who was standing silently on the side, the other party had no intention of soothing the fight so he had no choice but to go up on his own.

    He pulled Wen Yuzhao along and smiled while trying to sooth thing over, ¡°This thing is not gold nor an expensive thing, if the two of you want it, Ben Wang will send craftsmen to make one for each of you.¡±

    With Ming Yu¡¯s promise, the two finally did not have to argue anymore, but they were not happy in their heartsl; the state of being in mutual hostility in the big tent was still the same as before.

    Ming Yu really did not expect such a situation to happen. He was about to say something to ease the atmosphere, but he heard a cold voice ring out, ¡°The blue team of the guard battalion only has about an hour more, i¡¯m afraid they are going to lose.¡±

    Ming Yu was surprised to hear this, he hurriedly rushed over to look at the sand table. The rest of the people couldn¡¯t care about anything else, their eyes were fixed on the sand table.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Ming Yu wondered why Xie Yixiu had concluded that the guard battalion would lose within an hour. He also knew this group of people, but if it was before, he would believe this, but now that the guards had been training for many months, how could they be defeated so quickly? Moreover, he was well prepared for this drill, there were several sets of battle plans. Although the Red Robe Army was the most powerful, he did not believe that they could not support such a little period of time .

    On the sand table there were small red and blue flags representing the two camps of the red and blue sides. The location of the two sides were clear at a glance. The scouts had just reported the actions of the two sides, and the red and blue flags on the sand table at this time were the current battle situation.

 CH 29

    As soon as he said this, the crowd stopped and thought about the same rationale. His Highness had them try their best, although the first confrontation was a bit difficult to draw, but losing was losing. They could always try harder for the next drill. They were all big Laoye Men, can¡¯t they afford to lose?

    Zhou Dadan stood up, craned his neck and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, next time, Lao Zi will rush in first to kill him without leaving a piece of armor left.¡±

    ¡°Hey hey! You think you got it!? You rushing in first to send yourself to death is not even good enough.¡± Someone started joking.

    ¡°But to tell the truth, the Red-Robed Army is worthy of the soldiers brought out by our Great Yan¡¯s Battle General, that imposing manner¡­.tsk tsk!¡±

    ¡°Your words doesn¡¯t compliment them, it just discourages and destroys your own prestige! The red-robed army is powerful, we are also not bad, just like His Highness said, there is no enemy that cannot be defeated. ¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Well said! Who can say otherwise. ¡±

    The crowd swept away their previous decadence and began to restore the morale from the beginning.

    Not far away, Ji You and Cao Jian couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. The two of them belonged to the high ranking guest officials of the guard battalion. In the face of the confrontation between the new and old teams, the balance in their hearts was also somewhat difficult to have. In terms of the strength of both sides, it was impossible for the guard battalion to win against the Red-Robed Army, but they did not want the guard battalion to lose too badly.

    They stayed in the guard camp for some time, and have slowly integrated into the team. In particular, Ji You can be said to have watched the soldiers of the guard battalion¡¯s entire progress, slowly condensing from a mass of loose sand into a rope. Although it is said that Duan Wang cannot do everything himself, without Duan Wang, there would never be today¡¯s guards.

    The defeat of the guard battalion was long expected. It should be said that everyone has this psychological preparation, but when the real result comes, they still couldn¡¯t accept it.

    After the defeat of the guard battalion, the sluggish and dull atmosphere of the soldiers made Ji You a little worried. This spirit of a person is very important, let alone a team. If this defeat leaves a psychological shadow on them, in the future, this team will never be able to stand at the highest peak.

    Looking at this group of people reconcile and still have the thought of joking, it seems that his worries were completely unnecessary.

    ¡°To be honest, this team is different from all the armies I¡¯ve seen, what do you say? I feel that there is something very peculiar about them, something I can¡¯t see or touch, but it seems to be real.¡± Cao Jian on the side pondered and said with a feeling of inexplicability.

    Ji You smiled and nodded, Cao Jian felt it too. He thought about it carefully and there was a vague idea in his mind.

    He remembered that when they first came here, everyone was full of complaints until Duan Wang gave a speech and calmed everyone down. Later on, he was sent to this guard camp and those days, he saw a completely different guard camp. He saw their changes with his own eyes, and he was deeply touched.

    Today¡¯s guard battalion was no longer just a dish of scattered sand; he saw trust, unity, and progress; there was competition and mutual aid. Everyone was more like brothers, relatives, who can mock each other and fight with each other usually, but could fully trust their teammates and give their backs to their teammates during battle. Sooner or later, such a group of people would shine brightly.

    He didn¡¯t understand why they could change so much in a short time, but the people behind them had put in a lot of effort. This way of guiding people, only a real broad-minded person can truly do this.

 CH 30

    Chapter 30

    ¡°As a high ranking military officer, you can¡¯t be discouraged by a single success or failure. If you are like this, what about the soldiers under you?¡± Ming Yu consoled Mo Jiang for half a day, it was not easy for Mo Jiang to dispel the guilt in his heart.

    ¡°I have received Your Highness teaching.¡± Mo Jiang cupped his hands in salute. He knew what His Highness meant. No matter what he can¡¯t fail to live up to His Highness¡¯s sincere intention.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Ben Wang is also at fault. I had underestimated the strength of my opponents. We¡¯re not in a rush, there will be next time. Even if we all lose this time, we can make an appointment for the next drill, anyways, there is sparring partner, isn¡¯t there?¡± After he finished speaking, he winked in the direction of Xie Yixiu.

    Xie Yixiu couldn¡¯t bear to look at him. Wen Yuzhao directly supported his forehead, Wangye, do you want to blatantly ask the Red-Robe Army to be your guards¡¯ sparring partners? However, what he was more curious about was that Xie Yixiu did not look unhappy, and seemed to acquiesce to Ming Yu¡¯s statement.

    In fact, Xie Yixiu was also very interested in such a drill. Training soldiers, how to train, letting other people be sparring partners without training alone by themself; this confrontation drill method that Ming Yu came up with was indeed good, which was one of the reasons why he did not refuse in the first place.

    By the time the guard battalion genuinely grows, maybe it will produce a sense of urgency in the Red-Robed soldiers. It has to be said that the Red-Robed Army has stood on a high place for too long making the soldiers develop wanton pride. Without saying anything about how an arrogant army will be bound to lose, everyone understood that, now that he is still in the Red Robe Army, he may be able to conscientiously support the victory of every battle. But there is no certainty. If he wasn¡¯t here, maybe a defeat would wipe out this proud army, which he didn¡¯t want to see.

    With the pursuit and progress of the guard battalion, they can also realize that there doesn¡¯t exist only one iron army under the sky. In this way, joint progress is also a good thing.

    Wen Yuzhao¡¯s right thumb and index finger rubbed his chin, his eyes kept swirling around Ming Yu and Xie Yixiu, did he neglect something?

    ¡°Soldiers always have to have a process of growing up. Without encountering setbacks and failures, they will not become a perfect soldier. It is better to fail now than to lose on the real battlefield, right? At the very least, you can learn your lesson and start all over again. ¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made everyone ponder. This made a lot of sense. General Wei nodded in agreement. That¡¯s right, when he returns, his garrison should also follow this model and get things done without losing the soldiers¡¯ spirits by using a few rounds of these confrontation drills which could also improve their combat capabilities.

    However, when his eyes fell on Xie Yixiu, he immediately dispelled this thought. Not everyone will follow this rule, just like Xie Yixiu, a genius who has not been defeated since he was seventeen years old.

    At this time, Ming Yu also remembered Xie Yixiu¡¯s situation, such a nevildoer was not an ordinary person at all. He touched his nose awkwardly and said with a grin: ¡°Of course, there are always exceptions to everything. General Xie is not the same as ordinary people, naturally he is not among them. Think about it, there is only one battle general in this world, which is not something that ordinary people can reach. ¡±

    For Ming Yu¡¯s praise, Xie Yixiu did not blink an eye, ¡°Wang Ye is also very good, since he can make the Red-Robed Army willing to be a sparring partner. This world also only has one Wangye.¡±

    ¡°Clang!¡± The tea bowl that Wen Yuzhao had just held in his hand suddenly fell to the ground and shattered! Just like his three views, it shattered to the ground.

    Everyone turned their heads to look at him, he reached out and touched the sweat that did not exist in the corner of his forehead. Embarrassed, he smiled and said, ¡°Excuse me, I slipped my hand! Haha!¡±

    F*ck! He was scared by him, okay? Xie Yixiu, who has just exchanged compliments with Wangye, is not their general, right? Definitely not! Who is their general? How is it possible to say such a thing? His weakness must have been caught by Wangye so he is making threats and promises. He had no choice but to praise a person like this! General, if you¡¯re threatened, blink your eyes!

    Xie Yixiu looked at him coldly. Wen Yuzhao shivered and calmed down a bit. It seems that their general has not changed!

    Wen Yuzhao often convulsed, those who knew him well had long been accustomed to it, and it was not strange to see it. Ming Yu asked him a few words of concern, after hearing that he¡¯s fine, he didn¡¯t ask anything more but discussed with everyone to rehearse the matter of the drill.

    Mo Jiang naturally went down to make arrangements. Following this was a detect and investigation, ambush and counter-ambush. This project was Ming Yu¡¯s, it was not easy to start up. Their guard battalion had been training these past few months in this area, so they¡¯re relatively well prepared. Using their own strengths to attack the other¡¯s weaknesses, even if they lose, they will not lose so unsightly.

    Strategies for detecting ambushes were diverse, everyone who is of a general rank knew the importance of these strategies in war. Ming Yu being capable of putting it forward as a drill project shows that he still has some confidence, but it is a pity that he cannot personally observe it from the sidelines.

    At this time, Ming Yu¡¯s face also showed a bit of eagerness. He raised his hand to summon a soldier and whispered a few words, the soldier understood and trotted out of the tent.

    Not long after, the soldier ran in again and replied, ¡°Wangye, Elder Huang has come.¡±

    Ming Yu was stunned, ¡°He came personally?¡± Wasn¡¯t it up to our people to pick it up? Why did he make a trip himself? ¡±

    His voice just fell when there came a hearty laugh at the door of the tent. ¡°Wangye, I am not that old to be unable to make a trip. This kind of gold and precious item, I was not at ease sending it off with someone else.¡±

    Hearing this voice, Ming Yu had already went to greet him. Everyone was pondering in their hearts who this man was, who could actually make Wangye go up personally to greet him. When they saw Ming Yu, he was already back while lending an arm to support an old man with white beard and hair inside.

    The man was hunched over, wind and frost of years outlining a series of folds on his face. He looked like a very ordinary old man, but Ming Yu¡¯s respectful attitude made people a little confused.

    After he stood still, the old man was going to bow down to Ming Yu when Ming Yu hurriedly stopped him, ¡°Elder Huang, Ben Wang has long said that there is no need for courtesy. ¡±

    ¡°Etiquette cannot be abandoned.¡± Elder Huang insisted.

    He was grateful to Wangye, but who among the craftsmen who followed Wang Ye was not grateful? They were the lowest craftsmen, doing the hardest, most tiring and complicated work, and they were yelled at and insulted and lashed at every day.

    When Wangye left the capital, he specially went to the craftsman¡¯s camp, selected various craftsmen, and asked them if they would go west with him. He did not insisted on taking people and even guaranteed that anyone who goes with him will never be treated badly. Some people wanted safety and stability, not willing to take risks, while some people simply broke the jar and moved. People move to live, trees move to death, no matter how bad it is, it is better to follow Wangye to fight.

    He was so old, he should not have followed his blind coaxing, but at that time he heard Wangye said a sentence, ¡°You are all useful people, people who can create miracles.¡±

    He had lived most of his life, from apprenticeship to now, but in the scornful eyes of others, all he heard in his ears were insults and yells, it was the first time he had heard someone praising them, saying that they were useful people. At this moment, he finally understood how precious it was to get the trust of others, and at that time he first understood what is called respect, Just because of this sentence, he was ready to offer his life in sacrifice to repay the kindness and recognition of his worth.

    So he was the first to stand up, willing to follow the young prince to go west to achieve something.

    The young craftsmen who were still a little wobbly saw Elder Huang standing up, so they made up their minds and expressed their willingness to follow Wangye. In this way, dozens to hundreds of craftsmen like them joined the westbound team.

    And Wangye really did not treat them badly. Since he came here and settled down, he has served good food and drinks every day. This should not be the treatment that craftsmen should have. At the beginning everyone was still nervous, they were used to their struggling days so the sudden change made everyone a little uncomfortable.

    Later, Wangye summoned them and told them his future plans. They were divided into groups, assigned tasks, and were specially allocated a sum of silver, saying it was a research fund or something. They were allowed to take out their own craftsmanship, and work on their proudest skills.

    Sticking to the rules and polishing your own skills, inventing and creating novelties; with a word, silver money is given to you; as long as you spend it, as long as you can have satisfactory results, then all the honour and glory will be awarded as they deserve.

    It is precisely because of this that the enthusiasm of the craftsmen was unprecedentedly high, even Elder Huang, walked with the wind as if he was a teenager again.

    Today, this thing was something that Wangye had ordered them to do. Wangye explained the principles of this thing to them one by one, and then allowed them to start making it. It was simple to explain, but hard to do. Repeated practice, failing countless times, until today, they barely made a finished product. No, he was afraid that Wangye was in a hurry, so as soon as the thing was ready, he hurriedly sent it over.

    Ming Yu was indeed very anxious. He waved his hand, was not polite, and directly said: ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, the item is all done?¡±

    Everyone didn¡¯t understand what was the thing that made Ming Yu anxious, as a prince, what hadn¡¯t he seen? How can he be so desperate for an item like this.

    Elder Huang smiled: ¡°We hurried it over and was able to make it. I was afraid of any mishap so I delivered it myself.¡± With that, he carefully removed a small wooden box tied to his back.

    Ming Yu also did not use someone else¡¯s hand, he personally took it, and then gently placed it on the small wooden table.

    ¡°Wangye, open it to see if it is the same as what you said.¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s heart beat a little faster, but he didn¡¯t hesitate. He opened the wooden box, which was wrapped in layer after layer of soft cloth, all eyes fixed on this thing. Everyone was curious, what¡¯s going on here?

    With Ming Yu¡¯s movements, the soft cloth was uncovered layer by layer, revealing a long wooden cylindrical object.

    When everyone saw the item, they couldn¡¯t help but be a little disappointed. They thought, what kind of a valuable and good thing could it be, it turns out to be just a thing made of wood. What can this thing do?

    Ming Yu¡¯s smiling eyebrows bent. He reached out to hold the thing in his hand and gently rubbed the smooth surface. It can be seen that the craftsmen of the production team were very careful, even the surface was polished smooth and flat.

    Ming Yu said heartily, ¡°Elder Huang, you have worked hard. ¡±

    Elder Huang shook his head and said gratefully, ¡°Wangye is too much, this is my duty and same for the others. As long as we can be of help for Wangye, we have already received honour.¡± Wangye was tolerant and generous. His temperament was kind and gentle making them all incomparably happy.

    In fact, how could they have the ability to make such an exquisite thing? It was all from the guidance of His Highness. Speaking of which, Wangye truly was brilliant, talented, and had a heart of seven apertures. (smart and attentive)

    Things that no one had ever thought of, after being explained by His Highness, they could actually make things that could conquer the heavens and the earth.

    When the finished product came out, he saw its use for the first time. His heart was shocked beyond belief. Now he knew what Wangye said at the beginning. If they followed him, it was true that they would create miracles, and they really did create miracles.

    It is their blessing to be able to do things with such a Wangye. Everyone was eager to do something more for Wangye and will do their best to complete any command.

 CH 31

    Ming Yu brought the end of the cylinder close to his eyes, and looked around everywhere. His face showed a look of joy. That¡¯s right, this is it, this is the telescope that he polished with the crystal glass bottle that his Royal father gave him. It took more than a month to make it. Well, it¡¯s more apt to call it thousand mile eye here.

    General Wei finally couldn¡¯t bear it and asked, ¡°Wangye, what is it? What is its usage?¡±

    Ming Yu put down the thing and smiled mysteriously: ¡°I can¡¯t see through it here, so it would be better for us to go out and try this item¡¯s effect.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he took the lead and walked out. Everyone was a little unclear but since Wangye had gone out, it was not good for them not to keep up, so everyone also walked out of the tent one after another.

    Because of the confrontation drill, they chose to stay on a hill higher in the terrain. In this way, they can look at the overall situation with a better observation, facilitate timely adjustment of the layout, and better convey the command.

    At the bottom of the mountain was the place where the red and blue sides were facing each other. Mo Jiang had already passed on the order, and both sides had entered a state of readiness.

    Ming Yu used a telescope to look over, the effect was there, but probably because of technical reason, it was far less powerful than the later generations¡¯s. The later generations¡¯ one is the true thousand mile eye, but as long as it is within sight, it can be seen clearly.

    This was only the initial version of the telescope, for Ming Yu. Although it was a little unsatisfactory, in terms of current conditions, this was already the best, he really did not dare to be too demanding.

    Elder Huang was still a little worried in his heart, waiting for Wangye¡¯s affirmation with anticipation. In his opinion, such a divine object was given by Wangye. Made from the hands of these craftsmen, if it could be affirmed by the prince, their hard work would not be in vain.

    ¡°You have done a good job. With this thing, our soldiers have another layer of chance of winning against the enemy. When we return, Ben Wang will surely reward you satisfactorily!¡± Seeing Elder Huang¡¯s worries, Ming Yu acknowledged it frankly.

    When Elder Huang heard this, he was truly relieved. It didn¡¯t matter what the rewards were, what matters was that the prince was satisfied and they could really be affirmed. Everyone will be inspired. In this way, the craftsmen will be full of energy and will make better objects for the prince in the future.

    ¡°What the h*ll is this? Why is it so mysterious? Is it possible for Wangye to show us?¡± Wen Yuzhao couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and asked Ming Yu directly for it.

    Mingyu did not refuse, he handed him the telescope in his hand, and explained along the way,¡±Just use this to look at the distance, you will understand what this is.¡±

    Wen Yuzhao did as he was told. In accordance to Ming Yu¡¯s appearance, he put the cylindrical object on his eyes and looked down the mountain.

    ¡°Dang, what the h*ll is this?¡± Wen Yuzhao was so frightened that he almost threw out the thing in his hand, but fortunately, he stabilized his mind in time, which did not cause a catastrophe; otherwise, he¡¯s afraid that this thousand mile eye that had just been made would be scrapped in his hands.

    Looking back, he saw Ming Yu looking at him with a smile. There was a look of scorn on his face. It seemed that his heart was palpitating: ¡°Wangye, what is going on here? Why is it that from this cylinder, the people and things at the foot of the mountain seem to be extremely clear in front of me? I wonder what kind of immortal law this is? ¡±

    Ming Yu had not yet replied, but General Wei on the side was already itching, he couldn¡¯t wait to hear Wen Yuzhao¡¯s statement at this time. He grabbed the telescope in Wen Yuzhao¡¯s hand, ¡°How can there be such a miraculous thing? Let me see.¡± After saying that, he can¡¯t wait to pick it up and look at it.

    Fortunately, Wen Yuzhao¡¯s words had laid the foundation before, which somewhat gave General Wei a psychological preparation. However, when he saw the scene in front of him, he was still surprised. Wen Yuzhao was right, obviously there were people at the foot of the mountain and grass, trees and rocks, but at this time, it seemed that they were within reach in front of him.

    ¡°This¡­ This! What is this? It¡¯s really weird.¡± General Wei was amazed, he said to Xie Yixiu next to him: ¡°General Xie is experienced and knowledgable. Have you ever seen this kind of magical thing before?¡±

    Xie Yixiu did not speak, he calmly took the object in the hand of General Wei.

    Ming Yu placed his hands behind his back and tilted his head to look at Xie Yixiu. The corners of his lips slightly revealed a look that seemed to be smiling. He wanted to see what kind of expression Xie Yixiu would have after using this telescope. Will the face of the 10,000-year-old iceberg be moved, it may be assumed that the changed expression of General Xie will be interesting. Ming Yu looked expectantly.

    Xie Yixiu was not as anxious as the two people before. After he took the thing in his hand, he carefully looked over and over inside and out, and waited until he looked at it enough before putting it on his eyes and aimed like Ming Yu into the distance.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going? What do you think?¡± Wen Yuzhao circled around him, hoping that Xie Yixiu could have some opinions.

    Xie Yixiu looked for a long time, he kept changing the angle and position to watch, and did not pay any attention to Wen Yuzhao, who was jumping around him.

    Ming Yu also thought that he could see something different from Xie Yixiu¡¯s face. Unexpectedly, he wasn¡¯t a bit surprised but the more he used it the better he became at using it.

    This made Ming Yu a little unhappy, but he had to admit that an evildoer is an evildoer, he could not be treated with common sense.

    After a long time, Xie Yixiu put down the telescope in his hand. He looked at Ming Yu with some complicated eyes and asked bluntly, ¡°Who made this thing?¡±

    Ming Yu nodded in the direction of Elder Huang, ¡°Here, far away in the horizon but actually right under one¡¯s nose.¡±

    Xie Yixiu took a deep look at him before turning his head to look at Elder Huang and asked in a very calm tone, ¡°Is this what you made?¡±

    The eyes of the big shots present all fell on him. How could Elder Huang have been in this kind of situation before. So his speech was a little stuttering, ¡°Yes¡­ Oh, no¡­ It¡¯s His Highness¡­¡±

    Ming Yu couldn¡¯t look anymore, and stepped forward to smile and put his hand around Xie Yixiu¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Whew! It doesn¡¯t matter who made this, what matters is whether General Xie can see what it is? Any other good suggestions? ¡±

    This scene shocked everyone, making them drop their jaws. Wangye actually hooked his arms around Xie Yixiu, a person who was cold as ice and frost and as distant as a thousand miles distance? When did these two people have such a good relationship?

    Xie Yixiu stiffened his back, his heart was hopelessly embarrassed. For a moment his face was so dark that he could almost drip water but there was nothing he could do about Ming Yu¡¯s repeated approach. He was completely helpless. This man was a prince, so he can¡¯t just throw him out right? It¡¯s just that with this kind of appearance, what will come next?

    Ming Yu was secretly smiling. Last time he found out, Xie Yixiu did not like people to be close, looking at his black face, Ming Yu¡¯s dark heart turned bright. Who told you to act like that?

    ¡°Cough cough!¡± Wen Yuzhao, who was frightened by Ming Yu that his three views got destroyed could not help but come back to his senses. He could only cough twice in embarrassment to remind him, Wangye! How can you be so unbothered about the trifle?! You are no different from the stupid goons in the capital who call on friends everywhere! Look at their general who has always been cold and majestic, who has been so angry that he dares not speak out.

    However, seeing Xie Yixiu¡¯s helpless expression for the first time, he was inexplicably happy in his heart. He suddenly remembered a sentence, the wicked have their own wicked grinding, and it is also a good thing that General Xie has his nemesis named Duan Wang. Finally, he saw a little bit of his character now.

    A certain person¡¯s face full of smile was being swept over by Xie Yixiu¡¯s cold eyes, so in the end, he received his general¡¯s glance at an opportune moment. He was a passerby, so the account should not fall on his head, right? However, Wen Yuzhao was frozen and shivered from his glance, Oh my! If he didn¡¯t stop Wangye and give their general a break from the siege, their general will really be mad. General Xie didn¡¯t dare to blow his anger on Wangye¡¯s head, but could it be the same for these minons¡¯ heads? Those who dare to see the general being made into a joke must be ready to be innocently implicated at any time.

    For the sake of his own life, Wen Yuzhao took the first two steps. His brain turned quickly, and quickly thought of countermeasures. He planned to distract Wangye while rescuing his general, ¡°Wangye, why does this thing¡­.oh!¡± He couldn¡¯t find the word for a moment, and after thinking about it, he continued: ¡°Why is it that the foot of the mountain is so far away, but it looks like it is close at hand? Moreover, it is so clear that even the eyebrows of the face can be seen. I would like to ask Wangye to please expel my curiousity.¡±

    General Wei repeatedly nodded his head after hearing what was said. Recalling what he had just seen, it was really unbelievable. In addition to the immortal magic and the like, they thought about it back and forth but still can¡¯t find the answer. So they could only ask Wangye to explain it to them. After all, Elder Huang was the one brought by Wangye from the capital, and this thing was made by Wang Ye, so only Wang Ye knew the origin of this thing.

    Ming Yu was finally willing to let go of Xie Yixiu. When Ming Yu stood up straight, Xie Yixiu immediately moved to the side without a trace. From where Ming Yu had just been stuck, the layers of fabric were all hot. There seemed to be Ming Yu¡¯s temperature on his body, which made him feel an inexplicable palpitation in his heart. Since he had become of age, no one had ever approached him, Ming Yu was the exception. In his memory, he had never experienced this feeling before.

    ¡°Because this thing is called ¡®thousand mile eye¡¯!¡± Ming Yu put his hands behind his back and looked up smugly, ¡°As the name suggests, this thousand mile eye can see objects in the distance, and it is best used to detect the enemy at a distance.¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s slender fingers clung to this thing called thousand mile eye, which was almost what he imagined. With this thing, there was no need for people to take risks to go close to inquire into the enemy¡¯s situation, and only needed to observe the ingenuity of the barbarians from a distance, so as to come up with a more effective plan against the enemy.

    Obviously, this was not just Xie Yixiu¡¯s thought, which one of the people present was not an old fritter who had been immersed in the battlefield for many years. Everyone¡¯s eyes were glowing. Staring dead at the thousand mile eye in Xie Yixiu¡¯s hand, if there was such a thing in his own army, it might be the key to defeating the enemy.

    Ming Yu did not perceive everyone¡¯s strange appearance at all, and said to himself: ¡°Ben Wang intends to use this thousand mile eye in the stockaded village. When the time comes, if there are bandits or barbarians invading, they can see it from a distance, so that they can also warn people in advance. There will be sufficient time for the people to evacuate and transfer or discuss strategies against the enemy.¡±

    Although he had such a plan, this material was not easy to be implemented for a long time. This telescope, he spent a lot of money and polished the crystal glass bottle given by the emperor. One needs to know, this crystal glass bottle was offered as a tribute from a foreign land. So there are few in the whole Great Yan. He has one because his father emperor loved him so dearly that he bestowed it as a gift for him.

    If he wanted to produce it in large quantities, he had to make cheap glass. Unfortunately, he only knew that glass is made of sand through high temperatures, but the specific steps were not very clear, so he could only provide a general direction for the craftsmen at the bottom to slowly explore and create.

    Fortunately, these craftsmen still had the spirit of research, and they had heard reports before that they had made a little progress and made colored glass. It¡¯s just that what he needs is pure glass, and this will probably take some time.

    Ming Yu squinted, if the glass is good, this thing can be made. Whether it is a thousand mile eye or glass mirror, it could become expensive. If he sells them out, whether it is the western region or the south of the Great Yan, this thing will be able to earn him a lot of silver money. At that time, he really did not need to do anything, he just needed to move his fingers, lie on the money to count the money, then sleep, eat and drink to live a stable life.

    Thinking about the beautiful life in the future, Ming Yu¡¯s mood turned bright. The corners of his mouth rose, becoming softer and brighter

    Xie Yixiu shook his head, inadvertently there was an imperceptible gentle smile in his eyes.

    The author has something to say: Thank you very much! Rest assured, this is not a fraud. This novel is being written out slowly. Adjust your mindset and keep going! If you do not leave, I will not abandon you!¡± Love you guys!

 CH 32

    Hearing Ming Yu say that this magical object was meant to be used by the common people, General Wei couldn¡¯t help frowning, what do those villagers know? Isn¡¯t it a tyranny for them to use this? This kind of thing that is very useful for combat, shouldn¡¯t it be used in the army?

    ¡°Wangye, listening to you, it seems that more can be done. This thing is of great benefit to the army, and I also ask Wang Ye to think twice and give priority to equipping this thing to the border garrison.¡± General Wei stepped forward and persuaded bluntly.

    ¡°If you want to equip it, you should first equip it with our Red-Robed Army. With this thing, our Red-Robed Army will definitely be able to control the enemy¡¯s situation and defeat the enemy more effectively, so as to increase our victory.¡± Wen Yuzhao naturally refused to show weakness and followed closely behind General Wei.

    At this time, the Red-Robed Army absolutely cannot be left behind. If it is preempted by the border garrison, it will be difficult for him to explain to his brethren after he returns.

    ¡°Nope! Everything else can be given priority to the Red-Robed Army, but this one can¡¯t.¡± General Wei refused to give in the slightest.

    ¡°Why not? Only our Red-Robed Army can make the most out of it. ¡±

    ¡°Humph! Does the entire borderline rely solely on the Red-Robe Army? If it were not for the garrison desperately resisting in the frontline, the barbarians would have entered the border a long time ago.¡± General Wei snorted coldly, he just couldn¡¯t stand Wen Yuzhao¡¯s condescending behavior. If it weren¡¯t for his father being the prime minister of the dynasty, could he have entered the Red-Robed Army?

    Wen Yuzhao was naturally unconvinced, General Wei had always been at odds with his father, so he also also looked at him unpleasantly in passing. Although he was young, he won¡¯t submit to bully easily.

    ¡°Back then, when the barbarians entered the border, was it not the Red-Robed Army that was not afraid of death and formed a struggling military group to take the lead in breaking through the enemies¡¯ armies and only then did we repel the barbarians? Therefore, what I¡¯m saying is the garrison only needs to defend, why do you need to use this magical item?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± General Wei blasted with anger. This stinky boy, in the end does he know how to respect his elders? He glared at him through his beard angrily, this kid even daring to refute in front of elders, he is not at all like his hypocritical father. Although his father was cunning and calculating against others all day long, he was still respectful outwardly, how did he make a b*stard like this?

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth. Don¡¯t tell me the old general won¡¯t even let a youngster to voice out the truth now?¡± Wen Yuzhao straightened his chest and was very straightforward. Don¡¯t assume that you can do whatever you want just because you are old and want to use your seniority to overwhelm others.

    Wen Yuzhao was not afraid of him. General Wei didn¡¯t get along with his father, so it is reasonable to say that the younger generation should not get involved. However, when he came to the border alone, he did not expect to fall into the hands of General Wei. When he heard that he quietly escaped to this place, he unexpectedly ruthlessly beat him up and locked him away. He even threatened to send him back to his father for discipline. Later, although he didn¡¯t know why he was released, Wen Yuzhao took this matter to heart, he always wanted to assassinate General Wei whenever he encountered him.

    Ming Yu blinked, why are these two quarrelling? The glass experiment has not been completed yet, so how can the thousand mile eyes be made at will? Do they think that this thing is like a cabbage and can be found at a street stall casually?

    ¡°I say the two of you, do you know what kind of materials Ben Wang used to make this thousand mile eye? I had used the pair of crystal glasses that my father bestowed for me to make this thousand mile eye. If the two of you have 8-10 crystal glasses, then Ben Wang will let them help you make some for fun! ¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made the two look at each other, not knowing what to say for a while. Others might not know what a crystal glass was, but how could these two people also not know? This was a rare item given by a foreign land for tribute that could be counted with both hands in the entire Great Yan Kingdom. It was highly treasured by the current emperor, so no one expected His Majasty the Emperor would bestow a pair of it to His Royal Highness Duan Wang. This was enough to explain the position of His Royal Highness Duan Wang in the emperor¡¯s heart. It seems that they should all re-examine this Royal Highness Duan Wang.

    Ming Yu was very proud when the two were speechless. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands and said, ¡°How is it? No one has it? Since this is the case, then Ben Wang is also powerless about it. ¡±

    He was telling the truth, although he could forcefully make one now, the cost was high and he could only produce one of it. The low-cost glass was still being experimented, even if the experiment was successful, he didn¡¯t know when it would be until he could mass produce it. Moreover, his main purpose of glass products was to make money. Even if this thousand mile eye was sold to them, selling to his own people won¡¯t fetch him a high price! The little abacus in Ming Yu¡¯s heart was buzzing with noise.

    ¡°I have one, could Wangye help me make this thousand mile eye as well?¡± Xie Yixiu, who had been watching coldly and did not speak, spoke at this time.

    ¡°Cough, cough cough!¡± Ming Yu didn¡¯t pay attention and choked on saliva. When he finally stopped, he squinted and looked at Xie Yixiu, ¡°You said you have this crystal glass?¡±

    Xie Yixiu shook his head and nodded again, explaining for the first time, ¡°Five years ago, when the barbarians invaded, I led the army to surprise attack their camp, cut off their main banner and kill their left captain. His Majesty evaluated my merits and bestowed me a pair of crystal glasses. I wonder if it can be used to make this thousand mile eye?¡±

    Xie Yixiu said it simply, but in fact, that battle could not be more dangerous. If it weren¡¯t for Xie Yixiu leading the Red-Robed Army to penetrate the enemy¡¯s heart, Liangcheng would have fallen into the hands of the enemy.

    At that time, the Red-Robed Army did not have the scale it had now and its equipment and weapons were not as good as now, but the soldiers regarded death as their home, and the momentum of perseverance and courage was vividly exerted under the leadership of Xie Yixiu.

    At that time, the barbarians under the leadership of King Tuoba Ren, broke through the Great Yan¡¯s most relied on, mountain pass¡ª¡ªShi Chongguan in one strike. One must know that Shi Chongguan is the barrier of Liangcheng, and once this border was broken, Liangcheng was a fish on the cutting board, ready to be slaughtered.

    Moreover, the barbarian great armies were at a critical juncture while Liangcheng approached a crisis. If Liangcheng was broken through, then the capital would no longer be able to defend itself. The barbarians¡¯ armoured horses could flatten the land it came across on the way and the Great Yan would be exposed under the enemy¡¯s armored horses; the end result would be unthinkable.

    At this critical moment of survival, Xie Yixiu, who was only eighteen years old at the time, led only 3,000 soldiers into the enemy¡¯s great camp. He entered and exited three times, shot and wounded King Tuoba Ren and killed their left commander, Helian Sui. The garrison took advantage of this opportunity to launch an offensive stand and finally repelled the invading enemy. In this battle, the Great Yan army won a great victory.

    At the end of the battle, Xie Yixiu was covered in blood, as if he had come from h*ll. After this battle, Xie Yixiu became famous in the First Battle and became a war general respected by everyone in the Great Yan Kingdom. The Red-Robe army also became a local legend in the border areas.

    The soldiers were not afraid of battle, they would not be afraid of death, because they werre strong!

    Ming Yu had also heard of the tragedy of this battle, but at that time he was still confused and didn¡¯t pay much attention to it at all.

    Because of this battle, Xie Yixiu made great achievements in battle, and the emperor personally gave him the title of war general with countless imperial gifts, including a pair of crystal glasses.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s words left General Wei speechless, this was a solid merit that cannot be erased. If Xie Yixiu hadn¡¯t come forward at the beginning, no one would know what it would be like now.

    But Wen Yuzhao was extremely proud. Their general become famous after the First Battle, becoming a myth yearned for by many young people. At that time, he seemed to see the light after fighting cocks and lackeys after living muddleheadedly in confusion for 20 years in the capital. He made up his mind, even if he fell out with his family and went to the border alone, he would go follow general Xie Yixiu.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s definitely doable, but this is an imperial gift, if it is made into other things, I am afraid that His Majesty will blame¡­¡± Wen Yuzhao reminded.

    ¡°I will report to the emperor and explain everything. His Majesty is magnanimous, he certainly won¡¯t blame me. Your Highness Duan Wang, what do you think?¡± Xie Yixiu stared at Ming Yu and said.

    Ming Yu shrunk his neck, inexplicably hearing a hint of threat from these words. What he meant by this should be that if he didn¡¯t agree, he would report him to his royal father, right?

    Speaking of the things that the emperor rewarded, they are not ordinary items and they cannot be trampled by people at will. It would be too late for ordinary people to make use of them, so how could they disassemble and make other things out of it like Ming Yu? It is estimated that only Ming Yu dares to act so willfully in this world.

    Ming Yu laughed twice embarrassedly, and echoed: ¡°Father Emperor has always been reasonable, and is an extraordinary wise monarch. How can he blame anyone for this trivial matter? Moreover, the thousand mile eye has many usages, its role is better than a dead object for decoration, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°What Your Highness said is exactly correct.¡± Wen Yuzhao nodded repeatedly.

    ¡°I have to trouble Elder Huang now. I will have someone send the crystal glass over tomorrow.¡± Xie Yixiu looked directly at Elder Huang planning to settle things down.

    Elder Huang was a little at a loss. Wangye has not spoken, how could he dare to make his own decisions?

    Receiving Elder Huang¡¯s gaze for help, Ming Yu had to stand up, ¡°Okay, if you want the thousand mile eye then you can have it but as you can see, Ben Wang¡¯s craftsmen have a hard life. If you want the fruits of their labor, you can¡¯t treat them unfairly, right? All kinds of bonuses, allowances, subsidies and so on, General Xie has a lot of money, I think he won¡¯t mind giving this bit of money, right? ¡±

    Ming Yu looked like a money grabber, approaching with a big grin on his face.

    Xie Yixiu was simply afraid of this person¡¯s shameless face he directly took a step back, ¡°Conditions?¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s calculation succeeded. Humph! Sooner or later you will fall into my hands, so why not now? Retribution is coming, the way of heaven is accurate, your retribution is me!

    ¡°The conditions are not high, my craftsmen are living a hard life. I want you to pay ten times the salary, is it okay? Also, I heard that the battles of the Red Robe Army over the years have all been sorted into a book, recording all the gains and losses, as well as General Xie¡¯s personal annotations. As a matter of fact, Ben Wang has envied you for a long time. So I want to borrow the book to take a look to let my surbodinates read and learn from your experiences. This is not a difficult matter, right? Ming Yu¡¯s eyebrows curved, looking pure and harmless. If you ignore his words of extortion of taking advantage of somebody¡¯s weakness, this scene can be said to be very beautiful and harmonious.

    ¡°What? How can this be borrowed?¡± Wen Yuzhao jumped to his feet, this was sorted out by him and General Xie after a year of various researches. It can be said that all the battles of their Red-Robed Army have been collected in it, it is also a confidential thing, how can it be shown to people at will?

    Ming Yu spread his hands, looking indifferent. Hearing Wen Yuzhao¡¯s words, he pretended to sigh helplessly and said: ¡°Since you can¡¯t do it, Ben Wang won¡¯t force it. Let¡¯s disperse! Let¡¯s continue what we were doing. Look, our cubs have started a new game, let¡¯s continue to watch the drill¡­¡±

    Before he finished speaking, Xie Yixiu spoke, ¡°Deal!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ming Yu couldn¡¯t react for a while, he was confused for a moment before he understood that Xie Yixiu had agreed to his conditions.

    Tsk tsk! It¡¯s a pity, he was still preparing to give the cold shoulder with them and convieniently raise the condition but he didn¡¯t expect Xie Yixiu to agree so easily, does General Xie really not have to think about bargaining anymore? If it¡¯s like this, it will be difficult for him to open his mouth again!

    Ming Yu¡¯s regretful expression could be seen at a glance, he was ready to slaughter Xie Yixiu to retrieve the previous stage earlier.

    However, his mind had long been guessed by Xie Yixiu, he was bound to gain this thousand mile eye anyway, so why bother with some gains and losses?

    Judging from their previous encounters, a quick victory is the way to win.

    Ming Yu¡¯s regret and annoyed expression entered his eyes, which inexplicably made him feel happy, ¡°I¡¯ll send the items over tomorrow.¡±

    Since it was decided, Ming Yu had no choice but to nod in agreement.

 CH 33

    Wen Yuzhao, on the other hand, never expected that it would be settled in such a short time. What about the secrets to completing a negotiation? At the beginning, General Wei begged them for half a month and his general did not agree, and now they agreed after two sentences?

    He secretly glanced at General Wei next to him, he seemed to be stunned by the negotiation between the two. When he came to his senses, it was a foregone conclusion already.

    He squinted his eyes. When he first learned that Xie Yixiu had sorted out various war documents, he thought of borrowing them to study, but after grinding for ten days and half a month, he didn¡¯t see this person yield. Finally when he had no other choice, he could only give it up. Sigh! Constantly comparing oneself to another will only make one angry. How can the difference be so great?

    He secretly calculated in his heart, the cost of the thousand mile eye is really expensive. He will definitely not be able to get the crystal glass material. However, Wangye was Wangye, his vision is different. The summarized battle documents are always cherished by Xie Yixiu. Wangye getting this thing from Xie Yixiu, he had no choice but to say that Wangye did have some tricks. Since there was no thousand mile eye, then he shall retreat for second place. He can¡¯t say for sure but he could borrow the documents to study from Wangye by using his thick skinned face.

    Now it seems that it is necessary to have a good relationship with Wangye and move around more in the future. This is the so-called ¡°the pavilion closest to the water enjoys moonlight first¡±. Looking at the novelty here that Wangye made: the sand table and the thousand mile eye, which one was not a good thing? Maybe he will come up with something good in the future. It is good to follow along and drink the soup himself when the time comes.

    The people in the field had different thoughts, but the atmosphere was inexplicably harmonious. The battle situation under the mountain has begun, with this thousand mile eye, the battle situation was clear, thus everyone¡¯s minds were also attracted to the battle situation.

    ¡°Wangye, the escort battalion has set up an ambush, but I don¡¯t have even a little clue. Is there any trick in this?¡± General Wei looked around with thousand mile eye in his hand, but found nothing, only seeing that the Red-Robed soldiers had already entered the destination. As long as they succeeded in capturing the flag, they could win but he didn¡¯t see half a figure from the escort camp. Could it be that they¡¯re afraid of the Red-Robe Army and didn¡¯t even dare to show their faces?

    The confrontation in this game was also divided into two sides, the offense and defense. The defending side erects a flag and can ambush according to the terrain and environment, to catch the enemy by surprise and protect the flag. However, the attacking side needs to win the defender¡¯s flag within a certain period of time.

    At this time, the flag was already not far in front of the red side¡¯s eyes.

    Vice General Yang looked at the flag that was blown high in the woods not far away, which was very conspicuous. Only one charge was needed to take it down, but at this moment he felt a sense of uneasiness in his heart.

    He paused, raised his hand and made a gesture that stopped the others. The Red-Robed Army behind him stopped, looking at him not knowing what to do and why Vice General Yang stopped. Obviously the flag was in front, but they couldn¡¯t see even one figure of the members from the blue side¡¯s escort battalion team. It may be assumed that they have all been scared by them from the game just now that they don¡¯t dare to come out now.

    ¡°Beware of traps!¡± Vice General Yang was silent for a while and reminded: ¡°Some of you go explore the way.¡±

    The soldiers were stunned, do they still need to use pathfinding? The front was clear at a glance! There was not a single trace of the enemy, it was not necessary for all five hundred of them to go get it, they can just send a few people to get the flag.

    However, the Red-Robed Army has always followed orders. When they heard the order, several people immediately stood up, and went to explore the way.

    Everyone in the Red-Robed Army were experts. They were all masters who could fight hard with the barbarians, otherwise they would not let the barbarians worry like this. Everyone¡¯s talk changed.

    ¡°You guys be careful.¡± Vice Admiral Yang instructed.

    Several people answered, and their movements neatly burrowed into the woods. Perhaps Vice General Yang was too worried, it was just such a small piece of wood, what dangers can there be? Even if the escort battalion set up an ambush, with their skills, they were not afraid of them. Perhaps, a few of them could take down the flag in one fell swoop obtaining first class merits.

    There was nothing unusual in the woods, only the song of insects and birds, and the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves.

    Several people had a hint of contempt in their hearts, what escort battalion? They¡¯re just imperial bodyguards from the capital with a pleasant reputation. They have just been scared by them, and cannot be seen at all at the moment, it may be assumed that they have hidden somewhere to cry already.

    Vice General Yang waited for a long time, but no one came out. The feeling of uneasiness in his heart became stronger and stronger.

    ¡°Old Liu, they won¡¯t want to grab the lead and go directly to capture the flag, right? Vice General Yang, why don¡¯t we rush in together. These guard battalions are just useless troops, they will be beaten down by me and the others when we encounter them. What¡¯s more, there is no one in the forest at all, they have long been scared by us and dare not come out.¡± A person beside Vice General Yang persuaded him. They were all a little anxious, this game they can¡¯t let Old Liu and the few steal the credit, right? Later, when they got the flag and came out, they were afraid that they would laugh when they saw them.

    ¡°It is said that we have seen the ability of the escort battalion before, so what if they are lying in ambush? Couldn¡¯t they still turn over a flower in the woods? Let¡¯s just raid it together. ¡±

    Vice General Yang couldn¡¯t help but hesitate a little when he heard this. He looked at the eager soldiers around him, and then looked at the quiet woods, could it really be that he thought too much?

    ¡°What are we afaid of? The escort battalion is just a rabble. We only need half of our men to win them. General, hurry up and order a quick battle! ¡±

    Vice General Yang¡¯s originally hesitant heart became steady after hearing this from the soldiers. It was also known that their Red-Robed Army had never been defeated, how could they be afraid of this insignificant guard battalion?

    He nodded and raised his hand, ¡°Dash! Seize the flag! ¡±

    Everyone took the order and rushed into the woods.

    When everyone on the mountain saw this scene, they all decided that the game would end soon.

    Ming Yu¡¯s hand in his sleeve gently clenched into a fist, his eyes were shining, a pair of peach blossom eyes were as bright as obsidian.

    How beautiful! Xie Yixiu, who accidentally saw this on the side, thought.

    Xie Yixiu took the thousand mile eye handed by Ming Yu and followed Ming Yu¡¯s gaze. Seeing Vice General Yang ordering the soldiers to rush into the woods, he frowned immediately. He took down the thousand mile eye and looked sideways at Ming Yu.

    Ming Yu seemed to feel his gaze, tilted his head to show him a big smile. Xie Yixiu quietly withdrew his gaze, and pursed his lips inexplicably.

    Not far into the woods, the soldiers accidentally tripped over vines one after another.

    Before anyone could get up, they heard someone shouting, ¡°D*mn, who is plotting against me behind my back?¡± Then the referee who was accompanying them ruled the man out.

    It turned out that just now, he felt a pain in his back. He had already received a dark arrow with a white gray mass on his back. It was a short arrow with a blue band tied to the arrow laying on the ground.

    When everyone was a little confused, there were a few more calls, and more than a dozen people were judged out.

    Where is the enemy? Where did the cold arrows come from? For a while, everyone in the Red-Robed Army was a little surprised, but they were people who had gone through a big battle, experiencing great hardships. They were not afraid of such tricks. After a brief panic, they all quickly calmed down and each became cautious.

    Vice General Yang had already understood at this moment that the guard battalion was waiting to ambush them in this forest. His hunch was not wrong, in the end, he was reckless.

    Now that they have entered, it was impossible to exit. The only way was to move forward to seize the flag and win the final victory.

    ¡°Swoosh!¡± After a loud sound, another dozen or twenty people were hung upside down on trees by ropes, their bodies covered with white ash. They would become hedgehogs long ago if it had been real enemies.

    The people hung on the tree were confused and disoriented at the moment. They didn¡¯t know what was happening, they were obviously very cautious, but they didn¡¯t expect to be caught in the trap.

    ¡°Bah! What bad luck!¡± A grumpy and bad tempered person was hung up. When he heard the news that the referee had announced that they were out, he couldn¡¯t help but curse. He, Wang Dahu, had never suffered such a loss during the time he had joined the Red-Robed Army.

    In the blink of an eye, dozens of people had lost, but the shadow of the enemy was not seen, this made everyone in the Red-Robed Army a little frightened. If this is a real enemy, then their Red-Robed Army would only suffer heavy losses.

    ¡°General, what now?¡± Someone calmed down and asked Vice General Yang.

    Now the enemy was in the dark and they were in the open, it is clear that they were being used as living targets. Changes must be made, otherwise they will have no power to fight back.

    Vice General Yang thought for a while and said resolutely: ¡°Everyone disperse, detect the enemy¡¯s tracks, and be ready to fight back at any time. ¡±

    When they were gathered together, the target was too big, it would only make the opponent better target them, but if they were divided, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to target them.

    Being able to hide in a secret place and release cold arrows means that the enemy is not far from them. But they were concealed too well that no one had detected them so far. The enemy must be found so that they do not fall into a passive position.

    Everyone listened to the order to act separately. To be honest, they were not afraid of any enemy, meeting force with force, no one had been their opponent so far. But, this kind of hidden tactic, they don¡¯t even know where the opponents are, so how can they fight the enemy?

    They were in teams of three or five, horned at each other, fanning out in all directions, searching in a carpet manner, powerfully determined to expose the guard battalion position.

    ¡°These youngsters are also abominable, how could they be regarded as heroes when they don¡¯t even dare to fight with swords and spears but only hide behind to sneak attack? A group of cowards.¡± Someone complained, ¡°If I find them, Lao Zi will beat the crap out of them.¡±

    Someone echoed, ¡°They can only hide like rats, if they really dare to come out, won¡¯t they be like last game, losing even their pants.¡±

    ¡°Zhuzi, you should be more serious. Later if you get out before you even encounter them, you¡¯ll be making a joke out of yourself.¡± The teammate next to him advised.

    Team leader Wu Wang glanced at them and said solemnly: ¡°Although this is a drill, we have to look at it as a real battle. If you lose this game, I will see if you have the face to see General Xie? ¡±

    Everyone was silent at this remark. Not to mention going to see their general after losing this game, they themselves were afraid that they would not have the face to stay in the Red-Robed Army.

    ¡°This game is really very resigned, there is no one in sight, so how can we fight?¡± Someone was anxious, he stomped his foot and whispered. However, he suddenly felt that something was wrong under his feet. When he was about to check, he didn¡¯t know what tripped his ankles, but he suddenly stood unsteadily and fell straight down.

    Several people in front heard the movement. They turned around, someone did not pay attention, and was also tripped and fell to the ground like the other just now.

    Wu Wang secretly said no good. Knowing that his team was probably in the middle of a trap, he kicked under his feet, wanting to stand up straight, but before he could move, his waist had already been hammered with a punch, and the supporting strength was immediately loosened.

    Then he was chaotically held down unable to move.

    ¡°Stop struggling, you¡¯re out.¡± Someone was speaking in his ear.

    He looked out, and then found that several faces were smeared with yellow-green paint. There were also many dead branches and grass leaves hanging on their bodies, who could it be if it was not the people from the escort camp? No wonder they haven¡¯t noticed, they were too well disguised.

    The men of the escort battalion had already subdued their squad, covering their mouths with cloth balls like bundles of rice dumplings one by one, before throwing them all behind the bushes, rolled into a pile.

    A person approached with a grin, ripping off the rag in Wu Wang¡¯s mouth. Then he slapped him on the back of the head, scolding very familiarly: ¡°Stinky boy, how did the general teach you? You have to always be alert, do you understand? Have you learned your lesson now? ¡±

    Wu Wang¡¯s eyes widened, he was stunned for a while before recognizing the person in front of him, and stammered and shouted: ¡°Ji, General Ji?¡±

 CH 34

    This person was Ji You, who Ming Yu borrowed for the escort camp at that time, but has not been able to return until now. There was nothing he can do about it so he could only stay in the escort camp.

    And it was he who led a small team to ambush and capture Wu Wang and the others.

    At this moment, Wu Wang wanted to knock against a wall. General Ji, whose family do you belong to? In any case, you¡¯re also from the Red-Robe Army, but he showed no mercy to his former comrades. There was still faint pain in his waist, Ji You¡¯s punch just now was really ruthless.

    ¡°General Ji, you¡¯ve only left the Red Robe Army for a few days, right? Is this how you treat your brothers?¡± Wu Wang complained, but it¡¯s not that different from calling him traitor, white-eyed wolf, that kind of insult.

    Ji You smiled, not thinking about it in the slightest, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do, who can I call brothers now that I make a living in the guard battalion? When I go back, if I become an opponent with the escort camp brothers, I will also not be soft! Therefore, I¡¯m sorry everyone.¡±

    Everyone was speechless, they really wanted to tear that proud face to shreds. Good, they will all remember this now, the kid surnamed Ji had better not go back, as long as he dared to go back to the Red Robe Army, see if they don¡¯t get together to clean him up.

    Ji You watched them fight during the confrontation drill from the sidelines. The truth was he envied them, he itched to join in the fight so much that he asked Mo Jiang to let him play as well.

    So, Wu Wang and his team hit the muzzle, and they were captured alive without defense. The brothers all looked at Ji You with resentment, and blamed themselves for being unlucky by bumping into such a troublesome person.

    In fact, many of the same people encountered something similiar being staged in the woods. The opponent caught them off guard in their operation. The seamless disguise almost made the Red-Robed soldiers helpless in the face of danger, putting them in in a passive beating position for a while.

    In the blink of an eye, several squads had met with a deadly blow. Vice General Yang had a thud in his heart, it was a bad calculation. Before when they huddled together, the escort army did not dare to force a breakthrough. Although cold arrows flew out from time to time, this casualty was nothing, yet now they dealt with them one by one. It perfectly aligned with the core of their trick, allowing them to seize the opportunity to breakthrough one after another.

    In a flash, Vice General Yang already figured out the key, it seems that the escort camp has some skill. At least their lying in ambush like this was unmatched. They have had a lot of experience against the enemy for many years, but they had never seen such a brazen combat method.

    Logically speaking, they were not afraid of any opponent, even if they fight alone, they would still fight until they die or live with the barbarians. But who were they facing? These people were fierce and decisive, one move to control the enemy. No matter what kind of tricks and damages, as long as they were useful, they could all be used on the other party, which was really unguardable and miserable.

    Fortunately, this was a drill, if it was really against the enemy. If they encountered this kind of enemy, then it would feel like their head would blow and they could only acknowledge they were out of luck.

    At the moment, the battle situation was stale, it didn¡¯t allow him to think too much. He glanced at the location of the flag and immediately issued an order. Ignoring the squad that had fallen around, he quickly gathered his men and rushed towards the flag. The only way to win at this moment was to capture the flag.

    Everyone understood that capturing the flag was the only opportunity. They can¡¯t lose, they were the Red-Robed Army, the undefeated Red-Robed Army.

    Only by capturing the flag can the guards hidden in the shadows face each other head-on. And as long as they dare to come up to obstruct them, even if they only have half of their manpower, they can guarantee the victory of the game.

    Mo Jiang saw the changed strategy of the Red-Robed Army and felt a little regretful in his heart. It¡¯s a pity that they couldn¡¯t consume some more manpower.

    Seeing the red-robed army recklessly wanting to capture the flag, there was no point in blocking the small squads at this moment. As long as they took the flag, even if there was only one person remaining, it will still count as a victory for the Red-Robed Army.

    It will be hard to fight. Mo Jiang observed the situation, he could not let them easily capture the flag. Fortunately, they have just destroyed a third of their manpower. They have five hundred against more than three hundred, if they can¡¯t win in this way, it can only show that the Red-Robed Army was really too strong.

    ¡°Kill the enemy with all your might and defend the flag.¡± Mo Jiang gave the order.

    One side attacks, the other defends, and the two sides quickly formed a confrontation.

    Although Ming Yu had the thousand mile eye, the trees were deep and the forest was dense. It was difficult to see through, but there were personal subordinates who reported the battle situation in time, so he was able to quickly grasp first-hand battle information.

    Hearing General Wei¡¯s puzzled question, Ming Yu raised his eyebrows and chuckled, ¡°Since it is an ambush, how can ordinary people see through it? It¡¯s normal that the general can¡¯t see through it. General Xie, isn¡¯t that right? ¡±

    Seeing that Xie Yixiu was silent in thought, Ming Yu raised his chin, ¡°General Xie, how about you guess when the two sides will come to decide the winner and loser and the casualties?¡±

    After being oppressed in the previous game, Ming Yu still felt a little uneasy in his heart, but at this moment, he had the intention to checkmate him.

    Xie Yixiu looked at him, and before he could speak, Wen Yuzhao had already said with a smile: ¡°Wangye, the battle situation just now is already clear of its problem. Although the escort battalion is from imperial bodyguard origin, in the end, they lack combat experience, they are not as good as the Red-Robed Army that has experienced a hundred battles.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement. Ming Yu was depressed, but he didn¡¯t expect this group of old soldiers to really be able to defeat the Red-Robed Army, so he snorted, ¡°Is that right? The Red-Robed Army is powerful, but it is not necessarily invincible, right? Ben Wang believes that even if they can¡¯t win now, they may not necessarily be unable to win in the future. ¡±

    In the end, Wen Yuzhao was the son of the prime minister and had a fearless temperament. He was not afraid of offending Wangye, and said bluntly: ¡°With General Xie in the Red-Robed Army, I¡¯m afraid that it will be difficult to win. ¡±

    Ming Yu squinted at Xie Yixiu, the other party did not think it was inappropriate, he seemed to agree with this sentence. He snorted, and a competitive idea arose in his heart. One day he will let him see that the soldiers of his escort battalion were no worse than anyone.

    In the end, the results were reported, the red-robed army finally took the flag and won the victory. However, the losses were not insignificant. They were caught off guard by the new combat methods of the escort army. The concealment methods of the escort army were endless, it was impossible to detect them with the favourable terrain and environment around them.

    Vice General Yang was dejected, their red-robed army had never won such a difficult victory. In his opinion, although this game was narrowly won, in fact, such a big loss should be counted as their loss, and such a battle situation made them feel extremely humiliated.

    After learning about the entire battle situation, Ming Yu calculated the casualty ratio of both sides in his heart. Very good, although the escort battalion failed to hold the flag in the end, even if they were defeated, they could still severely damage the red-robed army. They almost annihilated more than half of the manpower of the red-robed army. Although the defeat was glorious, in comparison, this was a big improvement, and Ming Yu believed that this progress will only get bigger and bigger, then the distance between them and the red-robed army will become smaller and smaller.

    He was very satisfied with this result, and went to encourage the escort army again. Letting them continue to work hard, but what about the red-robed army? They can still knock them down as before.

    Ming Yu was triumphant and looked around, ¡°What else does everyone want to say?¡±

    If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, General Wei was afraid that he would be the first to not believe such a result. It was simply a fantasy that a guard battalion could make the red-robed army lose so much manpower, right?

    He was not ignorant of the combat strength of the imperial guards. It was pleasant to hear of their reputation as the emperor¡¯s guards, in fact, those all show and no go people can only drive away domesticated beasts such as snakes, insects, tigers and leopards when the royal nobles hunt. Their real strength was not comparable to those border garrisons.

    However, it was such a group of people who actually made the red-robed army suffered an embarrassing loss. He believed that the red-robed army had not lost so many men in a battle for a long time.

    He had no choice but to say that this was a wonderful ambush. It was an impressive show to successfully ambush the red-robed army. The camouflage and solo killing ability of the escort battalion were also too strong. It was almost as long as if it¡¯s the lone small squad, and as long as they have the right opportunity, they could attack them in one fell swoop. Their concealment methods were skillful to ensure that their own side was not detected by the enemy army, and they can also disrupt the judgment of the opposing generals. More importantly, those trap barricades were simple and practical and according to local conditions, which were rare tricks against an enemy.

    The art of war has a saying: Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick grass means that the enemy wants to make us suspicious; the rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming. ¢Ù And the ambush of the escort camp seen today can be judged without common sense. There were no people everywhere, but people everywhere.

    General Wei touched his beard, he was still reminiscing about the battle just now. If he encountered it, how would he deal with it, how much causalities would he have? If such concealment methods can be applied to the border garrisons, then the garrisons will certainly be able to catch the enemy off guard.

    Hearing Ming Yu¡¯s words at this moment, his old face smiled like a chrysanthemum blooming, ¡°The ambush of the escort camp was really beautiful. At that time, our border garrison will have to learn from the escort camp. Wangye, how about our garrison and Wangye¡¯s escort army also have an appointment for a few confrontation drills? ¡±

    Ming Yu naturally viewed this request as exactly what he was looking for. He came up with the confrontation drill not to improve the combat capability of the soldiers. Each army has its own different combat style, and adapting to different combat tactics can make the soldiers grow up as soon as possible, so such confrontation drills were the more the better for Ming Yu.

    ¡°Great!¡± Ming Yu agreed very cheerfully, ¡°We will be waiting for the garrison troops at any time. Friendship come first, while competition come second. Win or lose doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s already good enough as long as we can make progress together and learn from each other. ¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! That makes sense, then it¡¯s settled.¡± General Wei laughed. Although their garrison was not comparable to the red-robed army, there should be no big problem for the escort army to fight and resist. It was of course better to make progress together.

    ¡°You guys are very good, through time, this army will become a very unique existence.¡± Xie Yixiu said firmly.

    Ming Yu narrowed his eyes with a smile. Obtaining General Xie¡¯s affirmation, it would prove that the hard work of the escort battalion was not in vain. As long as he can train this escort army, he would have useful manpower, and won¡¯t be afraid of anything in the future, whether it was to escort the caravan or guard the territory, he will not have to ask others for help.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s vision was indeed unique, he did have the idea of training this escort army into a famous special combat team in the future, but the current escort army was too far behind. Today, they were just caught off guard, therefore they were defenceless against the opponents. If the opponent understood their routine, he¡¯s afraid that they would be abused just like the first game and would be discarded and lost in a few minutes.

    ¡°You¡¯ve over praised. It¡¯s still the Red-Robe Army that started off leniently on us, that¡¯s why these cubs were not completely wiped out.¡± Ming Yu laughed twice, although his mouth was modest, his heart was secretly happy.

    The author has something to say: Note (1) The article quoted in this chapter from the marching chapter of ¡°The Art of War¡± will be marked with a serial number. I am afraid of forgetting it, so I noted it down.

 CH 35

    ¡°It¡¯s just that this kind of concealment ambush method is indeed rare, I don¡¯t know where the escort battalion have learned it from?¡± Xie Yixiu stared at Ming Yu, as if he wanted to see something from his face.

    Ming Yu this person, how could one say it? He¡¯s gentle, kind, sincere, with an inclusive heart, he heard that when he first came to the borderlands, his surbordinates had voices of disobedience.

    As a foolish prince, he had already been cut off the road to imperial power when he was born. The existence of an invisible man in the palace, coupled with a bad reputation that was deliberately spread by others, people under the sky only regarded this stupid prince as a joke. Even if there was an emperor who owed guilt compensation, so what? There were many people who were attached to wealth and power, and everyone understood at one point that he was just a powerless outcast, so what can he do?

    That¡¯s why there was a lot of people who didn¡¯t look favorably on him. The emperor sent them to protect him, but it was only forced by the emperor¡¯s order, how many people were willing to follow such a useless prince? These surbordinates did not put such a prince in their eyes at all.

    One must know, as long as there was a little bit of authority, surbordinates only dare to obey orders, and never dare to have any objections.

    However, how did he solve it at that time? He promised to release these people back to the capital in a few years, and even lured them with benefits.

    After Xie Yixiu learned about this, he had a strange feeling in his heart. Then he came into contact with Duan Wang himself, after thinking about it carefully, he understood the origin of this feeling.

    This was not at all like the actions of a prince. No matter how stupid a prince is, growing up in the palace, he should also have a sense of imperial power that has invaded his bones since childhood. Moreover, Duan Wang was not necessarily a real fool, in his opinion, a person in power would punish someone as an example to others when faced with opposition, so that everyone fears the power of the person in power. However, Duan Wang was too tolerant, he did not have the arrogant idenity of a prince at all, but seemed to put himself in an equal position with his surbordinates, which made people feel strange.

    He¡¯s unable to say why, but since he came into contact with Ming Yu, this feeling has become stronger and stronger, making him want to go deeper and truly understand what kind of person he was. This made him pay more attention and thus become more interested.

    Ming Yu seemed to be out of place with these people. His speech and behavior, way of doing things, and ideas and opinions were all different, but there was not the slightest sense of discord in him.

    How could he have known that Ming Yu, as a visitor from the future generation, received ideological education that stated everyone was equal since he was a child. Coming to this time period, although he came into contact with feudal etiquette and the strictness of the hierarchy, the idea of equality and fraternity in his bones made him unable to integrate into this box, and since he could not fully integrate, he could only think of covering it up.

    After leaving the capital, Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief, living in such an environment almost drove him crazy. When he arrived here, he was like a fish in the sea, he was finally breathing the air of freedom, allowing him to be himself again.

    It was also because of this that made it difficult for everyone who saw him to connect him to the rumored fourteenth prince.

    What he saw and heard in the escort camp at the beginning exceeded Xie Yixiu¡¯s expectations. He greatly appreciated the boxing techniques of the soldiers, and saw the impressiveness of this set of boxing methods. He didn¡¯t believe that this was something that Ming Yu could make, and only Mo Jiang beside Ming Yu seemed to have this ability, however, after he investigated and understood things, the fog in it overlapped, making it even more difficult to distinguish between truth and false. Commander Mo has the ability, but it was not enough to have this amazing talent. Therefore, it just made him become more and more doubtful.

    Today¡¯s concealment ambush methods of the escort army should be the same as that boxing method, the two were used together to complement each other, which was far beyond the simple one plus one equals two. Its effect was even more powerful. Maybe there was really some secret on this Duan Wang, Xie Yixiu pondered.

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyelids jumped. He obviously didn¡¯t want to answer Xie Yixiu¡¯s question. However, his burning gaze swept over, making Ming Yu become uncomfortable. The rest of the people were also curious about this question, and all of their eyes fell on Ming Yu, while their faces were full of curiosity.

    It¡¯s impossible to stop halfway for Ming Yu at the moment, but he couldn¡¯t tell the truth, so he racked his brains to think about how to fool these people. Wen Yuzhao couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Yes!¡± Wangye, where did the escort battalion learn such a skill, you shouldn¡¯t hide it! It should be taken out, so that everyone can exchange and learn from it, it can also benefit the Great Yan soldiers. ¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± As soon as these words came out, Ming Yu did not dare to fool at will, his forehead¡¯s vein popped up, his heart moved slightly, and he blurted out, ¡°This, well, do you know that there was a fairy-like figure named Sun Wu in the past?¡±

    Everyone looked at each other, then they slowly shook their head to indicate that they have never heard of it.

    Ming Yu chuckled, it¡¯s good that they haven¡¯t heard of it. This was the so called Sun Wu of the ¡®Most Holy Military Strategies¡¯ known as ¡°the master of a hundred generations of military strategies¡± and ¡°the originator of oriental military science¡±. His influences impacted the future generations in an extremely significant way. However, this Great Yan Dynasty was an unprecedented new dynasty, which was naturally different from the history that Ming Yu was familair with.

    ¡°Let me tell you, this person was not ordinary. He knows astronomy from above, geography from below, and he can know things thousands of miles away when he sits at home.¡±

    Wen Yuzhao was dumbfounded, ¡°How is this possible? Where in the world can there be such a person, how come he¡¯s not god?¡±

    ¡°Although he¡¯s not, he¡¯s similar.¡± Ming Yu joked and said half-truthfully half falsely: ¡°It¡¯s this person who left a book called ¡°The Art of War¡± by Sun Tzu, which was a strange book. ¡±

    Wen Yuzhao didn¡¯t believe it, how could they not have heard of such a fairy character, and what kind of book was that strange book? Could it be that these things made by Duan Wang were all related to this book?

    Before he could ask a question, he heard Ming Yu continue: ¡°Because the time was from a long time ago, this strange book has been handed down to this day and has fallen into an ordinary farmer¡¯s household. Ben Wang accidentally found the content of the book quite interesting, so he sorted it out and asked the soldiers of the escort battalion to train according to this, and as for the results, everyone also saw it, and that¡¯s it. ¡±

    He glanced at Xie Yixiu from the corner of his eye, and saw that there was no expression on his face. He didn¡¯t know if he believed it. In fact, he himself also doesn¡¯t believe it, but there¡¯s no other way, if he doesn¡¯t take this opportunity to pull out a name and talk about everything, he will be annoyed in the future. He said all this, as for whether people believe it or not, it¡¯s not something he can control. Besides, his statement was much better than the nonsensical story of having a white-bearded grandpa coming to his dream to teach him all these stuff, right? Ha ha!

    Ming Yu comforted himself in his heart. Anyways, he was a prince, no one dared to get to the heart of the matter.

    ¡°But if there really was such a fairy character, it is impossible for everyone not to know it.¡± Wen Yuzhao was suspicious, ¡°What Wangye said is true? I wonder if the strange book ¡°The Art of War¡± can be borrowed to take a look? ¡±

    Ming Yu smiled and said nothing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what conditions Wangye has?¡± Xie Yixiu asked straightforwardly. After so many exchanges, Xie Yixiu already knew Ming Yu¡¯s actions very well. It was better to talk to this person straight, if you beat around the bush with him, he¡¯s afraid that he won¡¯t know when he will be taken by him to fly 108,000 miles away.

    And no matter how credible his words are, the source of what he wants to know was from Ming Yu. What Ming Yu said was the clue, no matter whether what he said was true or false, he always has to take a look at it personally, only then will it ease his heart.

    Ming Yu wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction. He wanted to put on an act but he was seen through by him at a glance. However, Xie Yixiu¡¯s words just asked what¡¯s in his heart, who told him to lack everything now? Of course, he will not let go of the benefits when he can get them.

    He grinned and stretched out his hand, rubbing his thumb and index finger lightly. ¡°Sigh! If you say it like this, it is as if we are strangers£¡You guys don¡¯t know. This book has been handed down too long and have been thoroughly damaged. Ben Wang had spent a great deal of effort, endured the suffering of day and night; not to mention, losing weight, even dark circles are coming out of my face!¡±

    General Wei, who was originally watching from the sidelines, couldn¡¯t help but look away, this was Wangye, the real Duan Wangye.

    Wen Yuzhao twitched the corners of his mouth, ¡°Wangye, what do you mean?¡± Needless to say, this was a prelude of extortion by taking advantage of somebody¡¯s weakness. This Duan Wang won¡¯t lift a finger unless there¡¯s something in it for oneself. He¡¯s simply the same as their general.

    Mingyu smiled until there was only teeth and no eyes, ¡°I, in fact, don¡¯t mean anything else. It¡¯s hard work fee, you should know. ¡±

    He really knows how to speak nonsense! Wen Yuzhao choked on a mouthful of old blood in his throat, he shouldn¡¯t have asked such a sentence with his mouth. He looked at Xie Yixiu, and felt sorrowful in his heart, his family general really met an opponent now! However, who was their general? Being called ¡°ghost worry when meeting with him¡± has become not only because the enemy is afraid to see him, but also because no one was willing to be General Xie¡¯s negotiator. Everyone knows that General Xie can only enter and not exit. It has always been only their general who pull back things from others, when would it be the turn of others to get benefits from their general? So what if the other party was the prince, their general even dared to bargain in front of the emperor before too.

    Just when Wen Yuzhao wanted to see Ming Yu meet with a sharp rebuff, Xie Yixiu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡±

    Po-possible? Did he hear it right? What does his general mean? Ming Yu hadn¡¯t put forward any conditions, yet he readily agreed? What if Mingyu opens his lion mouth widely?

    ¡°Hahaha, General Xie is rich and imposing. You¡¯re really a straightforward person. Ben Wang likes to deal in a frank and straightfroward way like this with you. In fact, my requirement isn¡¯t high, for this much hardship, it would be enough if you give me five thousand taels of silver.¡± Ming Yu stretched out his left hand, his fleshy palm swayed in front of Xie Yixiu.

    Wen Yuzhao almost went dizzy, how was this requirement not high? What little hard work? Sure enough, you can¡¯t expect anything from him.

    Xie Yixiu pondered for a while, ¡°Yes, but I have one condition. ¡±

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t expect him to agree so quickly, so he was stunned for a moment and nodded. ¡°What might it be?¡±

    The corners of Xie Yixiu¡¯s lips hooked slightly, ¡°I also want all the training plans of the escort camp.¡±

    Wen Yuzhao was finally relieved when he heard General Xie say these words. He said it, how could their General Xie suffer losses?

    ¡°What? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Ming Yu didn¡¯t think before he directly refused. Are you kidding? The training project plans of their escort battalion, that was their killer skill, if it has been known by the opponent, how can they still play?

    Xie Yixiu was not surprised by Ming Yu¡¯s refusal. His fingers caged in his sleeve rubbed lightly. Unhurriedly, he said indifferently. ¡°The training plans of the escort camp were all newly sorted out, right? Anything brand new can¡¯t be perfect, doesn¡¯t Wangye want to make it more perfect? ¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Ming Yu gasped, Xie Yixiu¡¯s words could be regarded as saying what¡¯s in his heart. These training projects were all planned by him by following the model but without capturing the main essense of the subject. Only when he asked Mo Jiang to investigate and research the loopholes of whatever he had given out did a general outline could be seen. When it comes to perfection, this was impossible, if there was a military big shot like Xie Yixiu to help him improve it then he can achieve twice the result with half the effort!

    It¡¯s just that he¡¯s unwilling to send it out. His heart was really entangled so he was silent for a while.

    Xie Yixiu was in a good mood when he saw his tangled appearance. The speed of rubbing his fingers was somewhat faster at the same time. He didn¡¯t urge, and looked away calmly.

    Ming Yu weighed the pros and cons for a long time, then gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Okay, Ben Wang agrees, but you have to increase the¡ª¡ªprice!¡± The last two words came out almost with a bit of gnashing of teeth. At the moment, there was only one thought in his mind, he can¡¯t make a losing transaction!

    Xie Yixiu was relaxed and comfortable, ¡°Okay! ¡±

 CH 36

    Looking at Xie Yixiu¡¯s indifferent appearance, Ming Yu was still a little angry. Isn¡¯t this person conveniently obtaining more benefits? What¡¯s important was that he had no other choice but to agree to it. If he could make suggestions or something, he would have to be grateful to him, but he would have taken advantage of everything! D*mnit!

    Ming Yu won¡¯t suffer loses easily, he must find something else to make up for it.

    Feeling depressed in his heart, he pulled a smile on his face with difficulty, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you can also see how good our relationship is, that we can be considered as one family already. Ben Wang¡¯s guard battalion cubs are all lacking in experiences, so why don¡¯t we choose some good seedlings to go to each other¡¯s army every year to learn from each other. With this back and forth going on a long term, we can also exchange and learn to absorb the good side of each other, what does General Xie think?¡±

    Xie Yixiu thought about it, and felt that this idea was quite interesting, but then again, Ming Yu¡¯s thinking is novel. All kinds of strange ideas came out endlessly, it was really difficult to figure out how his little head came up with it.

    ¡°Okay, Wangye can leave these things to Wen Yuzhao to handle.¡± He directly threw these trivial matters to Wen Yuzhao.

    Seeing that he did not prevaricate, Ming Yu finally relaxed the depression in his heart. Good, this can be considered as him succeeding!

    Wen Yuzhao still didn¡¯t know why the two people made a deal, but why they left the adsurd work to himself. It can¡¯t be played like this.

    Today was already getting late, the practice was basically completed. The rest was only their summary reports respectively.

    Ming Yu also didn¡¯t want to stay longer. Today while the iron was hot, he had to sort out the results of this practice, so that everyone can understand their shortcomings, and learn to face it and learn as a lesson so there will be no mistakes when they practice next time.

    The hot blood of the soldiers of the escort camp had not yet dispersed. They were so d*mn refreshed this time. They have never went all out in a carefree manner like this for many years.

    A real man was a manly man so which one among them didn¡¯t have hot blood? Shedding sweat like this, the bold spirit of attacking the enemy with everything they have, they will never ever feel this with the pleasurable life in the capital.

    No wonder they¡¯re appreciated, a man should be like a machete living up to the youthful  energy.

    They originally missed the luxury life of the capital. But these days, Duan Wang treated them with generosity and benevolence. The living conditions were no worse than that in the capital. Many of them seemed to have forgotten the past life of the capital, but occasionally when they thought of it, they would still sigh when they thought of their families in the capital.

    Perhaps, it was not bad to make the decision to stay like Zhou Dadan? Family and country in the world, it is always difficult to have both. If you can make meritorious deeds and grant your wife a title as well as making your son the heir, then you have lived your life. And even if Duan Wang agreed to promote them to a higher rank when they returned to the capital, they will still be imperial bodyguards. What great achievements could they achieve? When their children grow up in the future, will they blame themselves for this decision? Now that they have followed Duan Wang here, why not take it as an opportunity? At least not to allow themselves to regret it.

    Many people¡¯s minds began to waver.

    The new recruits who were watching their drill were full of envy at this moment. They can compete with the legendary red-robed army in the border area, which was a great blessing in their opinion, who in the border area does not know the famous red-robed army? Even if their escort battalion lost this drill, they were still proud of them.

    In the face of the envious eyes of the new recruits, the soldiers of the escort battalion straightened their backs and held their heads high. As men, they should establish otherworldly and receive people¡¯s admiration; such thoughts took root.

    ¡°We can send some outstanding guards and soldiers to the red-robed army to exchange and study, this is a good opportunity to learn from each other¡¯s strong points and let our escort battalion grow at a faster speed.¡± Ming Yu lowered his head and whispered to Mo Jiang.

    Mo Jiang understood what Ming Yu meant, and nodded yes, but when he thought about it, he said with some embarrassment: ¡°Wangye, I have something in mind, but I don¡¯t know if I should say it or not.¡±

    Ming Yu patted him on the shoulder and said very trustingly: ¡°What is there to not talk about, just say what you have in mind.¡±

    Mo Jiang thought about it before saying. ¡°Wangye, the child you handed over to me before has a good natural understanding and is a good seedling, but I am really busy with affairs that I do not have much time to teach him properly. Moreover, in terms of his talent and understanding, I am of humble talent and shallow learning, and I¡¯m afraid of delaying a good seedling.¡±

    When he mentioned this, Ming Yu remembered that the child he gave him to teach and train a few days ago, Ah Bing. Ming Yu frowned. In his opinion, putting Ah Bing here under Mo Jiang was the best choice at present, but Mo Jiang¡¯s words did not seem to be the same as his thought.

    Listening to his words, there seemed to be an unfinished meaning, Ming Yu pondered for a while and asked, ¡°What are your thoughts, Commander Mo?¡±

    Mo Jiang cupped his hands and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Wangye mentioned about sending someone to the red-robed army to exchange and study? I suddenly had an idea, but I don¡¯t know if it will work. ¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I secretly thought that there is another place that is very suitable for Ah Bing, where he would definitely learn much more than in the escort camp.¡± Speaking of this, he glanced up at Ming Yu.

    Ming Yu raised his chin and signaled him to continue.

    ¡°What I am talking about is the red-robed army. If we can hand over Ah Bing to General Xie to study under his careful teaching, Ah Bing¡¯s achievements will definitely not be under me in the future. In the future, Wangye will definitely have one more trusted aid.¡± Mo Jiang completely said what he thought in his heart.

    Ming Yu¡¯s eyes lit up, why didn¡¯t he think of this? General Xie¡¯s skills were beyond doubt. Who else in this world can compare to a famous war general? Sending Ah Bing to General Xie to teach, even if the learned skills were no good, they will still be of some use, right? The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it became. Ming Yu said with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s still Commander Mo who thinks thoughtfully. Thanks to you reminding Ben Wang, I would really have missed this opportunity.¡±

    Ming Yu clenched his chin, thinking that he had to ask for his opinion on this matter, so he ordered people, ¡°Go and bring Ah Bing over.¡± After speaking, he said to Mo Jiang: ¡°Let¡¯s ask him his own opinion first, if he doesn¡¯t want to, it¡¯s not good to force it.¡±

    Mo Jiang just made a suggestion, seeing that Ming Yu agreed, he was relieved in his heart. Ah Bing, he really liked this kid. If he can be in a good place, his future performance will be much stronger than him.

    Ah Bing had already arrived not too long ago, he naturally wouldn¡¯t miss the battle between the escort battalion and the red-robed army. Although it was not his turn to play, he gained a lot from watching the battle.

    At the moment, like everyone else, he still had a flush of excitement on his face. Seeing Ming Yu, he was happy and excited, but he did not dare to act rashly, he hurriedly saluted according to the rules.

    Ming Yu saw that he was a lot taller, his originally thin body also had strong tension, it seems that he had trained very effectively these days.

    Ming Yu asked him about his recent training results, asked him with concern whether he was used to living in the escort camp, then finally mentioned Mo Jiang¡¯s proposal, ¡°Ah Bing, this is your own affair so we can¡¯t make decisions for you, you can think about whether to go or not.¡±

    Ah Bing knew that Wangye and Commander Mo were sincerely thinking about him. What kind of place was the red-robed army, it was not something that people could enter if they wanted to, let alone follow General Xie.

    He was originally reluctant to leave the escort camp, but he knew that Wangye and Commander Mo had high hopes for him; only when his own strength is strong could he serve Wangye well in the future.

    ¡°Ah Bing is willing! Ah Bing will definitely cherish this opportunity, learn the skills well, and serve Wangye in the future. ¡°Ah Bing¡¯s heart was like lightning, he had made his decision.

    Ming Yu touched Ah Bing¡¯s head with great satisfaction and said with a smile: ¡°In the future, you don¡¯t have to serve Ben Wang, but serve the country instead and protect the commoners behind you, understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Ah Bing will remember!¡±

    It was just in time to take this opportunity to strike while the iron was hot and set things up. Ming Yu raised his head with a smile and looked at Xie Yixiu. Xie Yixiu¡¯s heart tightened, he took two steps back without a trace, afraid that this Duan Wang would not play his cards according to reason, and he would be sticky to him again.

    ¡°General Xie, Ben Wang still has something to discuss with you, don¡¯t worry, this is a great thing for you.¡±

    Wen Yuzhao pouted, since the words came out of Ming Yu¡¯s mouth, they should be discounted a lot, if there is really a great thing, why would he find their general to bring it up?

    Xie Yixiu looked at him quietly. When he saw the sincere expression on Ming Yu¡¯s face, he knew that there must be something troubling for him. He cupped his hands towards Ming Yu and said, ¡°There is no harm in speaking what order Wangye has for me.¡±

    Ming Yu waved his hand. ¡°What orders! It¡¯s just a trivial matter, Ben Wang has a child named Ah Bing. He¡¯s smart and studious, a good seedling. You should know that if a good seedling is not taught by a good teacher, it will grow crooked in the end. In order to save the seedlings, Ben Wang thought of finding him a good teacher, after I thought about it, only general was compentent.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xie Yixiu never expected that Wangye would find him a student.

    He frowned and was about to refuse when he heard Ming Yu smile and say: ¡°General Xie, don¡¯t be too quick to reject. Ben Wang knows that this request is a bit excessive, but for the sake of General Xie, I have no choice but to mention it. Just think about it, what a pity would it be if there was no one to inherit your skills! When you are a hundred years old from now, there cn be those who follow in your steps, even if you die, you will also have no regrets. ¡±

    What did Wangye say? What kind of curse is this to curse someone after a hundred years. Wen Yuzhao quietly looked at Xie Yixiu¡¯s face, their general was really extraordinary, hearing these words, his face did not change at all. If it¡¯s him, he would be very angry already.

    ¡°Wangye can hire another famous teacher, I am not suitable for this position. I am of humble talent and shallow learning. I absolutely cannot hamper a student¡¯s progress.¡± Xie Yixiu¡¯s refusal was obvious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be unduly humble, how can you not be suitable? Where was there a second war general under the sky? Who here is not clear about General Xie¡¯s skills? No matter what, you can¡¯t value the broom as your own. If we can cultivate a talent like General Xie in the future, there will be successors to the war general. This will be a great fortune for the country.¡± Ming Yu said everything, so it seems that if Xie Yixiu still did not agree then he would disppoint himself and also disappoint the country.

    Xie Yixiu knew that he would definitely not be able to refute to Ming Yu¡¯s words, but it was not a trivial matter to accept a student disciple. If he agreed, he must teach with all his might, but where could he find so much time to teach a child himself?

    He was still thinking about how to make Ming Yu give up this idea when Ming Yu seemed to already know his thoughts, and said with a smile: ¡°In fact, General Xie does not have to personally teach, but it is enough to put this child in the red-robed army and be able to follow General Xie. That¡¯s not too much to ask, right? ¡±

    Xie Yixiu was visibly relieved when he heard this, so he might be able to accept it. He looked at Ming Yu¡¯s bright smile and nodded to agree, but why did he feel something wrong in his heart?

    It was not surprising that Xie Yixiu was uneasy in his heart, but Ming Yu¡¯s words contained a small trick. Because he knew that it was impossible for Xie Yixiu to suddenly agree to accept a disciple, at the beginning, he put forward such conditions in order to raise the difficulty, and then lowered the conditions himself, lowering the personal disciple to a personal follower. With this much contrast, the person would know what to choose.

    Ming Yu smiled like a fox. Since he promised, then the affairs was settled. Ah Bing was a very smart child. Ming Yu created these conditions to let him follow Xie Yixiu. Under his influence, he didn¡¯t believe that Ah Bing would not learn anything.

 CH 37

    When the matter was settled, Ming Yu was also relieved, and immediately took leave.

    Wen Yuzhao came to Xie Yixiu while pulling his little eight-character beard, ¡°General, you agreed to this?¡± Why does it feel like something was wrong? He was puzzled.

    Xie Yixiu glanced at him, ¡°Otherwise?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Wen Yuzhao laughed twice embarrassedly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, anyway, it was agreed that the two armies would exchange people to study, it is just one person as your personal follower, I think it¡¯s no big problem.¡±

    Xie Yixiu said no more, and left with General Wei.

    General Wei watched the red-robed army and the escort battalion fight. He was also envious and jealous in his heart, but he also knew that there was really nothing they could do with the garrison on the border. Alas! In the future, it will be good to just follow behind and pick up some leftover soup to eat.

    The drill came to an end. The caravan had already been prepared, and an auspicious day was chosen, then Ming Yu personally marched for the caravan.

    Bu Atan took the wine handed over by Ming Yu. The excitement in his heart was indescribable, he had waited for this day for too long. He has been a good for nothing nesting in the worn out place of Liangcheng. Now Duan Wang gave him this opportunity, so that he can fight hard and get ahead, which made him grateful.

    ¡°Wang Ye, I will definitely live up to your trust and do my best to do things for Wang Ye. The task assigned by Wang Ye will definitely be completed.¡± Bu Atan finished speaking, and drank the wine in the bowl in one gulp.

    Ming Yu nodded and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Take care of yourself, no matter what put your life first, and do your best within your ability. You must come back with everything intact, I will wait for you!¡± For the first time, Ming Yu abandoned his identity and waited for an old friend who was about to travel away to return safely.

    Ming Yu sighed, the transportation of this time period isn¡¯t as developed as later generations¡¯, even if it¡¯s a distance of a globe, it still felt near. Although from Ming Yu¡¯s point of view, this trip to the countries of the Western Regions won¡¯t go beyond the territory of the magnificant Great Yan Kingdom, at most, it¡¯s just a domestic tour.

    However, it would take about a year to come back from doing business in the countries of the Western Regions. With this long time period, not to mention the time and energy spent, the dangers on the road were also unpredictable. He won¡¯t mention anything else for now, he just hoped that this team can return safely.

    Bu Atan was emotionally moved, he made a deep bowing etiquette to Ming Yu. Duan Wang was respectful for the wise and lenient to others, being able to follow such a master was a blessing that he had cultivated through several lifetimes. He made up his mind that he would be loyal to His Royal Highness Duan Wang in this life, and would not hesitate to always be there for Wang Ye.

    Ming Yu helped him up, and looked at the guards behind him. There were two hundred people from the red-robed army, and two hundred people selected from the escort battalion integrated together. It was believed that with them, this trip will be a complete success.

    ¡°Going west on this trip, I believe that there will be difficulties, but you are all our Great Yan soldiers, you are well-known iron-blooded men, I believe that such difficulties can be perfectly solved with everyone¡¯s concentrated efforts. Your trip is not only for Ben Wang, but also for the future of the Great Yan.¡± Ming Yu said loudly.

    Everyone looked solemn, their shoulders straighthened, they had a heavy responsibility, but they must not be overwhemed

    ¡°General Xie has already explained your tasks clearly, you only need to keep those tasks in mind anytime and anywhere. Ben Wang will wait until you return from completing the task, and then personally hold a welcoming party to clean the dust for you.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he took the wine bowl that had been prepared early by his personal guard, ¡°Ben Wang hereby toasts you a glass to wish you a smooth journey. Cheers!¡± He drank it all in one gulp, revealing the empty bottom of the bowl.

    The surbordinate soldiers also took the wine bowl and drank it dry in one big gulp, ¡°We will live up to Wang Ye¡¯s trust and will definitely complete the task!¡±

    Ming Yu nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Remember that you are the Great Yan soldiers. Walking out of the land of the Great Yan, you represent the Great Yan Kingdom, no matter where you go, you must not degrade the prestige of our Great Yan.¡±

    ¡°Yes! The Great Yan is mighty! The Great Yan is mighty! ¡±

    Xie Yixiu on the side looked at the figure of Ming Yu in front of him. Ming Yu at this time was not as round and plump as when they first met, he had lost a lot of weight, and his height had soared, his whole person looked humble as jade that could attract everyone¡¯s attention. These days when he arrived at Liangcheng, he had exhausted his thoughts and ingenuity, sparing a lot of effort for Liangzhou.

    The courtesy official glanced at the time and reminded: ¡°The auspicious time has arrived, everyone can set off now.¡±

    Bu Atan glanced at Ming Yu, saw him nod, and then gave a salute. He turned over his horse, raised his hand and waved, ¡°Set off!¡±

    The sound of horses¡¯ hooves sounded. The carriages that have been lined up slowly started to move, heading toward the west.

    Ming Yu watched the caravan go away. He couldn¡¯t say what he was feeling in his heart. There was some reluctance, some worries, some hope and expectation, and finally all of it turned into a sigh. Everything is difficult at the beginning, as long as he take this step, everything will develop on the good side.

    Xie Yixiu stepped forward, ¡°Can they really succeed?¡±

    Ming Yu looked back at him, his eyes full of confidence, ¡°I believe them, they will definitely hand over a satisfactory result.¡±

    Xie Yixiu was in a bit of a trance, he didn¡¯t understand why Ming Yu had such confidence. Could it be that Ming Yu had already thought of it this far when he first asked him?

    He still remembered that when Ming Yu spread the whole plan in front of him, he was not only surprised in his heart, but also shocked with admiration. Ming Yu was becoming more and more incomprehensible, capable of making such a big move, he does not believe that just Ming Yu alone can design it so perfectly.

    He still remembered Ming Yu expounding his thoughts with a proud expression: this caravan was not only going to trade with various countries, they will also have diplomatic responsibilities. It was best to contact the nobles of the countries of the Western Regions, make friends with them, and tell them that in the east, there is a country called the Great Yan, mysterious, kind, civilized, and powerful. Their silk porcelain was the best thing under the sky. The Great Yan Kingdom was friendly to the countries of the Western Regions and was willing to form an alliance with them for long-term commercial exchanges.

    If this move can be successful and the Great Yan can get the support of the countries in the Western Region, then the situation in Liangzhou will show unprecedented changes. Long-term commercial and trade exchanges will make caravans from all countries concentrate in Liangcheng, so will Liangcheng still be as barren and desolate as it was now? Thinking deeper, between the Great Yan and the countries of the Western Regions, if they form an alliance, then the Suixi Kingdom will have a situation of being attacked by the back and belly, and at that time, can the Suixi Kingdom still be so unscrupulous?

    ¡°I hope so!¡± Xie Yixiu sighed with hope, and for the first time, he hoped that Ming Yu¡¯s plan could be truly implemented perfectly. His soldiers have always been the best. He, himself, should also trust them.

    When they return, it will be when Liangzhou¡¯s situation will change.

    ¡°Now the most urgent task was to deal with the bandits in Liangzhou. If the bandits are not eliminated, it will be difficult for the commoners to have a stable day.¡± Ming Yu finally mounted a horse with the help of his personal guard. He still didn¡¯t dare to gallop a horse alone, so he could only pace slowly.

    Xie Yixiu followed behind at the distance of half a horse, looked sideways at him, and said involuntarily: ¡°The bandits in Liangzhou have been a trouble for a long time. It is difficult to annihilate them in one fell swoop. ¡±

    Ming Yu focused his whole body and soul on the reins in his hands, holding the rope tightly. He had to control the direction of the horse. At this time, he nodded when he heard, ¡°I know, but you can¡¯t just ignore it because of its difficulties, right? No matter how cunning and cruel they are, there will always be a way to deal with them, isn¡¯t that right?¡± He turned around, a pair of peach blossom shinny eyes looked at Xie Yixiu, however, the horse under him snorted violently, startling him to hurriedly turn back, he was afraid that the horse would not be in control and throw him down. Although his subordinates chose a particularly docile and well behave horse for him and even with personal guards looking after him, he was a little nervous and afraid.

    Xie Yixiu showed a smile that flashed away in a blink of an eye. He then said in a cold voice: ¡°Don¡¯t hold the reins too tightly, relax your body, don¡¯t be too tense.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Only then did Ming Yu react. Xie Yixiu was teaching him to ride a horse, so he did as he said by slightly loosening the reins that were tight, but the tense body could not relax.

    ¡°If you ride like this, you will be very tired. Relax your body, don¡¯t use too much force in your whole body.¡± Xie Yixiu said.

    Ming Yu suddenly showed a big smile towards him, his eyes looked at him brightly. Xie Yixiu¡¯s heart tightened, he subconsciously reacted, what trouble was Ming Yu causing him again?

    Sure enough, Ming Yu said: ¡°General Xie is proficient in both civil and military knowledge. Riding a horse is nothing difficult for you so why don¡¯t you teach me how to ride a horse!¡±

    Xie Yixiu had a headache, he looked at Ming Yu¡¯s posture while riding a horse. It can¡¯t be taught in a short period of time, if he had known this earlier, he wouldn¡¯t speak so much.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s first reaction was to refuse, ¡°Wang Ye, I am busy with affairs, I don¡¯t have spare time¡­..¡±

    ¡°What kind of relationship do we have between the two of us. There is no need to say any polite words. Rest assured, Ben Wang is gifted and intelligent, it won¡¯t take long for me to learn to ride a horse. Thank you General Xie for teaching, Ben Wang will hold on to this favour. It¡¯s a small world; only mountains never meet. This way, we will have more opportunities to cooperate in the future, General Xie, do you agree?¡± Ming Yu threw out a lot of explanation before Xie Yixiu could completely refuse, making it impossible for him to reject it at all.

    What was their relationship? What relationship could they have? As a prince, how could Ming Yu spout such nonsense. Xie Yixiu could only swallow the words at the moment. The cooperation opportunity that Ming Yu said really made him unable to simply refuse. It¡¯s just that this troublesome thing gave him a bit of a headache.

    ¡°Ben Wang knows that General Xie is busy with military affairs. In any case, Ben Wang is not in a hurry. When General Xie is free, you can make an appointment with me, what do you think?¡± Ming Yu smiled and made the decision. In any case, he could be considered as his instrutor now, then he can depend on him for everything.

    Xie Yixiu tugged at the corners of his mouth, ¡°Alright, since Wang Ye asked me to teach you horsemanship, then everything will be according to my rules. I don¡¯t know if Wang Ye is willing.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled and nodded, ¡°Of course, why would I not be willing? A teacher like General Xie is difficult to find even with a lantern. Everything depends on you.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s start now.¡± After Xie Yixiu finished speaking, he took two steps forward on the horse, parallel to Ming Yu, and then the horsewhip in his hand pointed to all over Ming Yu¡¯s body, ¡°Keep your head and body naturally straight, relax your shoulders, look straight ahead, don¡¯t look down at the horse, straighten your chest, raise your head, put down your legs naturally, and relax your knees.¡±

    Everywhere the horsewhip pointed, it was all the irregularities of Ming Yu¡¯s movements. Xie Yixiu corrected them one by one, but caught Ming Yu unprepared. He had a bitter face, he was not ready, and acted with confusion for a while that he almost fell off the horse.

 CH 38

    Seeing Ming Yu flustered, Xie Yixiu was happy in his heart, maybe it was also a good thing to teach him to ride a horse.

    ¡°General Xie, General Xie, don¡¯t be too strict with me. Aiya, no can do, I can¡¯t do this, my legs are sore!¡±

    ¡°Grasp the direction, your strength is not right. Master the rhythm, follow the rhythm and move with it so that you don¡¯t get tired.¡±

    Although he understood the reason, Ming Yu still had difficulty letting go, which was much more difficult than learning to drive in his later generation life. After Xie Yixiu corrected his posture, it had indeed become much better than at the beginning. he became much more relaxed.

    He breathed a sigh of relief with great difficulty. He was about to say something, but how could he know that a sound of a whip coming from his back would make the horse neigh, and the speed would actually begin to increase.

    When Ming Yu reacted, he found that Xie Yixiu actually took advantage of his inattention, and whipped his horse, speeding it up for him.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Ming Yu began to cry in alarm, he can¡¯t bear this speed! ¡°General Xie, Xie Yixiu, you did this on purpose. Save me! I¡¯m finished! I¡¯m finished! You¡¯re conspiring against royalty, plotting to murder me for my property, murdering your husband!¡±

    In a panic, he has long since lost the meaning of the words that popped out of his mouth. Don¡¯t ask, if he were to be asked, it would be that he was too panicked to select words so he was babbling nonsense.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s face darkened, he wanted to add another whip to make the horse a little faster, who told him to babble nonsense. Fortunately, the horse had already distanced itself from the personal guards behind, and the people behind could only faintly hear the intermittent shouts in the wind.

    Just when Ming Yu didn¡¯t know what more outrageous things to say, a voice next to his ear said: ¡°Lean over and lower your body, master the rhythm of the horse¡¯s running, and clamp the horse¡¯s body with both legs.¡±

    He listened and did as he was told, and finally became stabilised, only then did he find that Xie Yixiu had been following him. Ming Yu was relieved, he would not let himself have an accident. However, what a strange way of thinking. If he had met a mishap, Xie Yixiu, the culprit, would definitely not be able to get away.

    Now that he had Xie Yixiu¡¯s protection, Ming Yu was completely relieved and began to enjoy the joy of galloping against the wind, which was much more comfortable than driving a car in the later generations.

    On a whim, he wanted to go faster. He whipped the horse to speed up. As long as people get lost on a whim and get carried away, they don¡¯t care about anything at all, so Ming Yu, who was afraid to die earlier, now has let go of his hands and feet, becoming hot blooded. He only wanted to pursue the speed of the wind.

    Xie Yixiu frowned slightly, disapproving of Ming Yu¡¯s approach. He accelerated his speed a bit for Ming Yu but not as reckless as Ming Yu. After all, it was just the first class, he should start slow then go fast, it is naturally not advisable to run before learning to walk.

    Seeing that Ming Yu¡¯s horse had galloped forward, Xie Yixiu also sped up and chased after him, ¡°Wang Ye be careful, the speed can¡¯t be too fast, otherwise I am afraid that you will be injured.¡±

    Ming Yu smiled back and said cheerfully, ¡°Isn¡¯t General Xie here with me? With you here, you will be able to protect me, right? ¡±

    If Xie Yixiu watched him be injured and ignored him, he was afraid that someone would impeach him before the imperial court, it would also be troubling for him.

    Today¡¯s Ming Yu just wanted to be willful once. Since coming to Liangzhou, the situation in Liangzhou was not optimistic with war and famine. The commoners had no clothes to wear, no food to eat, and was in wretched poverty. To be honest, the pressure in his heart was unprecedented from his position and his own government. As a Wang Ye, Liangzhou was his territory, he had the responsibility and obligation to lead himself to govern the commoners below him to live a better life.

    When he first arrived, he had a very urgent mindset to change all of this. But he also knew that changing the current predicament in Liangzhou was not a trivial matter, so he must not be in a hurry. Therefore, no matter how anxious and urgent he was, he could only keep everything in his heart.

    He wanted to make a lot of money and use this money to build a new Liangzhou. He wanted to change people¡¯s livelihood to allow the commoners to live a good life, wanted the people of the Great Yan Kingdom to no longer suffer from war, and wanted the two countries to turn their hostility to friendliness so the commoners of the two countries would be able to trade freely.

    All of this was too difficult. Ming Yu wanted silver money but there was silver money. He wanted manpower but there was no manpower, everything could only be a delusion.

    Today, the caravan was finally confirmed and set off. One has to say that this caravan carried all of Ming Yu¡¯s expectations. If it can meet his expectations, then the subsequent development of Liangzhou will not be a problem at all. There was still a long way to go, and the first westward journey of this caravan was destined to be recorded in history.

    Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu¡¯s bright smile, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned for a moment. The subconscious line on his face softened a little, was this person really so sure that he can protect him? However, what¡¯s so difficult about protecting him?

    ¡°Jia! Riding a horse and catching the wind was really a good amusement, it¡¯s really fantastic! There was a poem that went:  Riding on a white horse with a silver saddle, galloping down the street as fast as a shooting star in the sky; being able to chase the stars and the moon, the frivolous youth was just like this.¡± Ming Yu shouted excitedly, completely dispelling the depression in his heart. No wonder everyone in the world loves magnificant carriages and precious horses, as long they can catch up with the wind, there is nothing to worry about.

    Xie Yixiu did not make a sound, he only followed closely. The two horses ran side by side, the sky was clear, the wilderness was vast, the people on the horse were dressed in fluttering clothes, and between heaven and earth, a natural and beautiful picture was formed.

    Perhaps it was because Ming Yu was too carried away, only caring about galloping freely, not noticing the hollow ravine in front of him; without being careful, the horse lost its front hooves, looking like he will be thrown off the horse in a moment.

    It¡¯s over, extreme joy turns to sorrow! If he broke a leg or a hand or something, then he¡¯s really going through sheer h*ll. His heart was beating violently, Ming Yu closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the pain that was about to come once he came into contact with the ground. However, the pain did not come as expected, his back touched a broad, firm and warm chest. Only when the violently beating heart finally returned to its original position did Ming Yu open his eyes and see a careful, solemn and indifferent face.

    It was Xie Yixiu who caught Ming Yu when his life was a thousand pounds hanging by a thead. Fortunate, fortunate! He didn¡¯t want to be a crippled prince, it¡¯s best to have everything intact.

    ¡°I said there would be danger.¡± Xie Yixiu¡¯s voice was as cold as ice slag. If it weren¡¯t for his quick eyes, he was afraid that Ming Yu would have been injured at this moment.

    Ming Yu decisively replied with a huge grin on his face: ¡°Thank you very much, sure enough, I said that you could protect me, wasn¡¯t I right? It was precisely because of General Xie that Ben Wang dares to act so willfully! ¡±

    Xie Yixiu pursed his lips, his eyes were deep, did this person really trust him so much?

    The horse ran forward for a while before Xie Yixiu stopped the horse.

    The two dismounted. Ming Yu unconsciously felt that his legs were weak. He was about to kneel to the ground, when Xie Yixiu quietly supported him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here today. Riding too urgently, I¡¯m afraid you will get hurt. Wang Ye should go back to the residence early to rest, otherwise you will be uncomfortable tomorrow.¡± Xie Yixiu said a word of concern for the first time.

    Ming Yu nodded, he was frightened just now, so he was a little weak. Only at this moment did he feel a trace of fear, at the same time he also made up his mind. Without Xie Yixiu¡¯s protection, he would absolutely not go at high speed alone. The risk factor was too high.

    Soon, Ming Yu¡¯s personal guards also followed up. Ming Yu was helped into the carriage, and after sitting down, he poked out his head. ¡°General Xie, let¡¯s meet again when you have time, you promised to teach me how to ride a horse, you must not break your word.¡±

    Xie Yixiu was speechless, did he look like the kind of person to go back on his word? However, in the next few days, Ming Yu won¡¯t be able to ride a horse. The carriage started to move slowly, he lowered his head, and greeted Ming Yu to leave.

    The next day, in the Wang Ye Mansion, Ming Yu was lying on the bed, and Qingping was rubbing his shoulders for him.

    Ming Yu grimaced, screaming non-stop. ¡°Lighter, lighter, ouch! It hurts, it hurts¡­¡±

    Qingping was full of helplessness, she was already doing it very lightly, okay? Wang Ye was really good, a grown up already, but still doesn¡¯t know how to take good care of himself, going out to work for half a day yesterday. This was good, today his body hurt everywhere and he almost can¡¯t get out of bed.

    Looking at him like this, she was really distressed. When has His Royal Highness suffered such hardships since he was a child? Why does he need to learn horsemanship? There were carriages in and out, where could he use his horsemanship skill?

    ¡°Your Highness, tell me why did you unnecessarily went to suffer such hardship? In the end, aren¡¯t you suffering it by yourself like this?¡±

    ¡°Sigh, you don¡¯t know how refreshed and unrestrained a real horse ride is. This was incomparable to riding a carriage. If a man says that he can¡¯t ride a horse, then won¡¯t it make others laugh their head off?¡±

    Ming Yu opened his mouth to make a lot of fallacious reasoning, he really admired those soldiers who rode on horseback and galloped across the frontier. Although he would not personally go to the battlefield, riding a horse was so exciting, he still wanted to try.

    When Qingping heard his words, she wanted to put more strength in her hand so that His Royal Highness would remember the pain for a long time. ¡°Your Highness, you are a Wang Ye, who under the sky dares to laugh at you? Such a dangerous thing like horseback riding, Your Highness¡¯s golden body does not have to try it personally. ¡±

    What else could Ming Yu say? Qingping kneaded his sore spot, so he couldn¡¯t say anything more and only screamed in pain.

    ¡°Wang Ye, General Xie sent someone to send things over, please take a look.¡± At this moment, there was someone reporting from outside the door.

    Ming Yu was curious, what would Xie Yixiu send over at this time? However, since he specially sent things over, it was not good if he did not accept them, so he asked the person to come in loudly.

    The door was pushed open, and a figure walked in. Ming Yu took a closer look, it was the personal guard beside Xie Yixiu.

    ¡°What did General Xie ask you to send over?¡± Out of curiosity, Ming Yu asked directly.

    The personal guard took out a brocade box and opened it. Inside was a small crystal clear porcelain bottle. ¡°This is the medicine that General Xie asked me to send to Wang Ye, he said that Wang Ye rode too violently yesterday, so he was worried that Wang Ye would be unwell today. This medicine can relieve physical pain.¡±

    Ming Yu was overjoyed when he heard this, ¡°Really? You go back and thank the general for his kindness for Ben Wang.¡± After speaking, he looked at Qingping, ¡°Qingping, quickly bring it to Ben Wang to try how the effect is.¡±

    Qingping responded, then walked over and took the medicine bottle from the man¡¯s hand.

    As soon as it was opened, Ming Yu could smell a fragrant smell. It must be good for General Xie to send it over. He urged, ¡°Quickly help me apply it.¡±

    Qingping¡¯s movements were not slow, she very neatly poured the medicine on her hand, rubbed it and then gently wiped it on Ming Yu. Ming Yu inhaled a cool breath, there was a faint feeling of coolness in the place where the ointment was smeared, it really didn¡¯t hurt so much.

    ¡°Go back and thank General Xie for Ben Wang. When I get better I will personally visit him to thank him. Let him remember that no matter what, Ben Wang also asked General Xie to teach me horsemanship.¡± After saying this, Qingping¡¯s hand strength unconsciously became a little heavier. Ming Yu grimaced bitterly, but in front of outsiders, he had to bear it without shouting out to lose face.

    After the guard returned, he reported to Xie Yixiu in full detail. Originally for such a small matter, his general mostly would be impatient to listen, but how not only did General Xie listen patiently, but he also personally asked two sentences about the situation of Duan Wang.

    The personal guard has followed Xie Yixiu for many years, but he has never seen him care about someone. Before his general disdained Duan Wang, so much that when he personally came to his door, he still refused to see him. How can he care about the other party now? After thinking about it, he still couldn¡¯t understand, so he could only think that maybe Wang Ye was still a prince and as his subject, it¡¯s okay to care about him, right?

    Xie Yixiu naturally didn¡¯t know the psychological activities of his subordinate, but when he heard that Ming Yu was like this, he was a little helpless thinking about the matter of riding a horse.

    This man¡­

 CH 39

    Due to the muscle injuries caused by horse riding, Ming Yu could only stay in the prince¡¯s mansion to cultivate. There was no time to ask Xie Yixiu to learn horse riding for the time being.

    But he was not idle, all plannings were methodologically arranged. He more or less controlled the general direction. The rest was left for the surbordinates to do. The people he selected were capable, but the ideological framework cannot be adjusted, and many things had to be left for him to make further adjustments.

    So don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that¡¯s staying in the prince¡¯s mansion, he was actually quite busy.

    Just after reading a stack of document, Ming Yu stretched and rubbed his astringent eyes, when he saw Qingping walking in with a happy face.

    ¡°Why are you so happy today? Is there a happy event (could sometimes refer to wedding)?¡± Ming Yu asked jokingly. Qingping has been with him for the longest time. She was a person he trusted, in front of her, Ming Yu rarely puts on airs. The two got along with each other more intimately than relatives.

    Qingping put down the ginseng soup in her hand and said with a smile: ¡°There is indeed a happy event.¡±

    Ming Yu was curious, ¡°Oh? Is there? Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    Qingping kept him in suspense, then pointed to the ginseng soup on the table, the meaning was obvious, Ming Yu had to finish the ginseng soup first. It can¡¯t be blamed why she was observing him so closely. She had once noticed Ming Yu pouring the soup sent to raise the flowers and plants in the corner instead of drinking it, so she personally supervised him every time.

    Ming Yu begged for mercy with a bitter face, ¡°Spare my life! It¡¯s fine to drink these things once in a while but there is no need to drink them every day, right? ¡±

    Qing Ping stomped her feet, hating that iron can¡¯t become steel, ¡°Your Highness, you haven¡¯t been eating well or sleeping well ever since you arrived here. While worrying about a lot of things, soon you might become thin beyond recognition. How can you make me be at ease like this?¡±

    Ming Yu had a head full of black hair. Before he used to be plump, which isn¡¯t normal, okay? Now this was just right. Thin was thin but with muscle, ugh! Although he was still a white cut chicken, once he stopped being busy he would train his body whenever he got time.

    No matter how good things were, no one can stand eating it everyday. Ming Yu thought about how to obfuscate this matter, but Qingping already knew his thoughts, and wept, ¡°Your Highness is making things difficult for me, I am not taking care of you well, it¡¯s my fault, I will go take my punishment now.¡±

    Here it goes again, this was the same thing. Qingping has served him for too long, knowing that he is soft-hearted, every time she would use this trick to unwaveringly subdue him.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I will drink it.¡± Ming Yu was simply afraid of her, he took the bowl and drank it.

    Qingping saw him drink it all, only then did she smile. She tidied up before talking about the happy event, ¡°Your Highness, you don¡¯t know, the seeds you planted have germinated in the mansion¡¯s backyard. Its really unimaginable, Your Highness¡¯s method was really useful. Logically speaking, this season is not suitable for growing things, but you made that thing that controls the temperature, that humidity thing. It¡¯s really magical, it really made the watermelon seeds sprout. ¡±

    ¡°What?¡± After hearing this, Ming Yu immediately jumped up, ¡°Aiya! Such a big thing, why didn¡¯t you say it earlier?¡± After saying that, he had already ran out.

    Qingping looked at Ming Yu rush out like the wind and couldn¡¯t help but laugh and pout. In any case, it¡¯s in the backyard so he can¡¯t run far, there was no difference between going early and going late. However, Ming Yu had already run away thus he didn¡¯t hear Qingping¡¯s broken thoughts.

    Ming Yu was really happy, this batch of seeds was painstakingly collected by Bu ATan. He asked people to carefully identify the seeds, put aside the ordinary and common, and then put away a few seeds that he didn¡¯t know, ready to cultivate them, including the watermelon seeds that Ming Yu did know.

    Ming Yu specially got watermelon seeds and asked local farmers, but none of them knew such seeds. In the memory of the original owner, there was no fruit called watermelon, which showed that in this world, there was no watermelon in the Great Yan Kingdom. This should be considered a foreign item, right? Although in later generations, watermelons were very common, in the current Great Yan Kingdom it was a rarity.

    Ming Yu¡¯s brain turned quickly, if the watermelon was cultivated, it would become their landmark fruit in Liangzhou in the future. Transported to a big city like the capital, such a rarity would be able to sell for a good price, anyway, he was also short of money, the things that can make money should not be done in vain. Who dislikes earning more money?

    As soon as he thought of doing it, Ming Yu specificially opened up the backyard of the prince¡¯s mansion and get a few experimental fields. When his plant cultivation suceeded, he could think of a way to distribute the methods for the struggling commoners to be able to earn money. Maybe it was more profitable than growing foodstuff. These were all money, all were treasures to make a fortune.

    It¡¯s just that now the commoners in the border areas don¡¯t have enough food to eat, so it¡¯s probably a little difficult for them to grow watermelons and make a fortune, right? His first priority was to fill the stomachs of the commoners. Ming Yu was worried, he thought about letting people buy grain from the grain-producing areas in the south, but the cost of transporting it so far was not small, and he was now short of money, which caused him to be stuck in a dead circle. Alas! He still has to wait until he earns money, in fact, the best way was to hope that the caravan can find high-yielding grain seeds and come back in order to solve the problem.

    Everything has to wait now, he was still experimenting for the first time to see if he can plant the seeds. It was precisely because of this that Mingyu was so ecstatic after hearing the seed germinate.

    He rushed all the way to the backyard, which has been transformed greatly by a craftsmen, one piece of land divided into several small pieces and squares. A glass shed was also built on it.

    If others saw such a glass shed, they would be amazed at the wealth of the Prince¡¯s mansion. The Great Yan Kingdom¡¯s glass was a luxury item, only the imperial palace or the palace of the minister can use glass as tiles. However, looking at this, Duan Wang actually unexpectedly built such a large glass shed for a few seeds.

    There were several old people next to him, dressed in coarse clothes with short builds. They were already old, but they were still in good spirits, simple and capable, experts in local farming.

    When these people saw Ming Yu, they all hurriedly saluted. Ming Yu waved his hand and said eagerly: ¡°I heard that everything has sprouted? Take Ben Wang to see it quickly. ¡±

    One person smiled and said, ¡°Wang Ye, do not rush, it has indeed budded, it is the batch planted in the third greenhouse that Wang Ye called watermelon seeds.¡±

    They have been planting the land for decades, but had never seen anyone who does not plant following the planting season like this. And this glass shed, it let the seeds be planted directly in the shed, but the crops are not in the open air so do they have to accordance to the season, turn the ground, plant the seeds, weed and apply fertilizer?

    It¡¯s almost turned cold during this time, won¡¯t the seeds planted be frozen alive because of this? Wang Ye brought them in and said that he wanted them to help him grow something. They were very puzzled at that time, thinking that Wang Ye was a prince and nobleman who had just come from the capital, therefore it was normal for such a person not to understand the crop season of the countryside. Since Wang Ye didn¡¯t understand, they can¡¯t deceive him at will, can they? So they opened their mouths to persuade that no matter what, he would have to wait until the spring season when everything was revived before he could plant. Now there were only a few months left until the beginning of next spring, he just has to wait a little longer.

    However, Wang Ye simply did not listen to their words, being willful. He made them plant the seeds as usual, and they just had to take good care of them.

    Several people were helpless, but they can¡¯t help it, after he¡¯s Wang Ye; what Wang Ye said, who dares to disobey.

    What¡¯s even more magical is that Wang Ye actually let them grow things in the shed. This¡­ This is not nourished by rain dew, so how do the seeds grow? How are seeds planted? They have been planting for years now, and this method was just an incredible thing to them.

    Since they did not dare to disobey Wang Ye¡¯s order, they had to accept the instruction. They might as well give it a try, if it really can¡¯t be planted, it will cost them their lives. It will be impossible to let the seeds germinate.

    The shed where they planted seeds turned out to be a different world. The cold wind was obviously howling outside, but as soon as they entered the shed, they could feel the warm breath, making people feel like they were in the small sunny spring in February and March.

    At first, they didn¡¯t know why, but later they heard from the craftsmen that this shed was built by Wang Ye with great effort.

    The Dilong (Chinese herb) was installed under the shed. There were special people who could control the temperature, so that this shed is capable of holding in all seasons. This was simply unheard of, this¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to grow things all year round? If this were the case, the amount of food grown in a year would be one or two times more! At that time, will the commoners still need to eat sparingly and endure hunger all the time?

    They all felt incredible and longed for such a day. With this in mind, they tried their best to grow the seeds.

    Fortunately, the heaven will live up to the hopes of people with aspirations. Wang Ye¡¯s method was really effective. Early this morning, when they came to check as usual, they actually found that sharp greens had emerged from the soil, and the seeds planted had really sprouted.

    They told this good news to the head maid Qingping beside Wang Ye. It didn¡¯t take long for Wang Ye to hurry here. It can be seen how attentive Wang Ye was about this matter.

    Ming Yu entered the third shed, and saw that on the carefully cultivated mud ground, several delicate and tender seedlings were standing. He could see it at a glance on the black ground. Ming Yu stepped forward carefully, afraid that he would accidentally break this freshly unearthed seedling.

    He crouched down and looked closely, these are watermelon stalks.

    Miao, something that is very common in later generations, but has never been seen here, as long as it can be cultivated, I believe it can give everyone a surprise.

    ¡°I have been planting the land for decades, and have never seen this water¡­watermelon. Wang Ye, is the fruit really delicious?¡± An old man asked. Forgive him for living his entire life, but still not seeing as much as the young Wang Ye did. Wang Ye treated them kindly with good will so they were no longer restrained, thus they would ask him directly if they had any questions.

    Since they came to the prince¡¯s mansion these days, they have never been treated harshly. They were peasant men who had been living off the soil all their lives. They dare not even dream of doing this when they came to the prince¡¯s mansion. The people in the powerful mansion were all a class above others. Originally thinking that they would tread on thin ice here, they did not expect that everyone in the prince¡¯s mansion to be social and kind, even Wang Ye talked to them with an amicable manner. This flattered them. After living in the royal mansion for a long time, they did not treat themselves as outsiders, so not only did they do their best to do things, but also made conversation with Ming Yu.

    Ming Yu laughed twice. Thinking of the taste of watermelon, he was a little hungry, ¡°This watermelon is a good thing, it¡¯s sweet and delicious. When the results are ripe in the future, you will all get a taste of it.¡±

    Listening to Ming Yu¡¯s words, these people looked at each other, how could they dare to eat such a valuable thing, but they were still happy in their hearts. No matter what, since Wang Ye liked them, they had to take good care of them, then they could also let Wang Ye get what he wanted when the time came.

    ¡°In the future, when the caravan returns, maybe more and better seeds will be brought back, and by that time, I will have to trouble all of you to take care of it.¡± Ming Yu said with a smile.

    They all agreed but someone was anxious: ¡°Wang Ye, the seeds that are brought back from the outside, I don¡¯t know if we can keep them alive, and these little things are expensive. There is a saying that if a tangerine is born in the south, then it is tangerine, but if the tangerine is born in the north then it is an orange. If the water and soil are not enough, with different climatic conditions, the changes in many things are unknown. ¡±

    These words spoke to the hearts of several people, and everyone looked at Ming Yu with anxious eyes.

 CH 40

    Their worries were not unreasonable, their ancestors had been planing food in the field for generations, naturally they have their own disposition. If Wang Ye had not broken their fixed concepts, they were afraid that they would have always thought that spring plowing, summer weeding, autumn harvest, and winter to store away food, the four could not be missed to allow the grain continue to grow, and the people could have surplus food. Note (1) If they hadn¡¯t seen with their own eyes, seeds could grow and germinate on a winter day when everything was withering, they would never have believed it. This is simply a miracle.

    Ming Yu was not worried at all, what was he afraid of? He had a greenhouse nd he can still make plants blossom and bear fruit in winter. When the time comes, he could conduct more experiments with grafting, hybrid breeding and so on. Although he was not an expert in this area, he can also put forward this aspect of things and hand it over to professionals to study slowly, he believed that in terms of human creativity, from having nothing to producing something, one day there will be advanced technology in regard to this matter.

    The current shed used glass, mainly for light transmission and heat preservation, but because of the color, the effect was not particularly good. Unfortunately, glass has not made much progress. If glass can be produced, when the time comes, there will be a few glass greenhouses, so the rest will not need to worry too much.

    Ming Yu smiled, with a little confidence, ¡°The rest don¡¯t worry too much about it, in any case, we have to take it step by step.¡±

    He believed that as long as he can grow the seeds, it will naturally be convincing. He can take his time since nothing can be achieved overnight.

    Ming Yu was in a happy mood, and even dreamed of holding one large watermelon to nibble. However, after a few days, the good mood was gone.

    Ming Yu looked at the letter in his hand, his hand trembling slightly. He finally turned genuinely unbearably angry. He smashed his fist on the table, ¡°How can this be! Lao Tzu hasn¡¯t troubled you, yet you actually provoked me to my door first? Very good! Very good! Very good!¡± Ming Yu gritted his teeth and said several very goods one after another.

    ¡°Wang Ye, what should we do now? These bandits come and go like the wind. Our tunnel construction and stockage village progression are still slow, only about ten villages have achieved the testing point; therefore, the result is not clear.¡± Xu Wen was a little worried, he also received a report that Ningshi Village had been ransacked by bandits the day before yesterday, so he hurried to the prince¡¯s mansion to report the letter.

    Ningshi Village was in the northwest of Liangcheng, not very far from Liangcheng, and the geographical location was very good. It was a relatively large village in Liangzhou. Such a large village, judging from the geographical location and the size of the population, was reasonably relatively safe, but unexpectedly these bandits actually hit them with their bad intent. The village was looted overnight, many villagers lost their lives in their dreams, some villagers who escaped rushed overnight to report the news. When the news came out, there was an uproar in Liangzhou City.

    In the past, these bandits only dared to rob some remote small villages, but now they brazenly committed crimes around Liangcheng, how can it not make people tremble? At this time, everyone in the villages around Liangcheng was at risk.

    Prefectual Magistrate Liu had already rushed over after receiving the letter, however, the matter had already come out. He could only handle the aftermath just like in the past.

    ¡°These bandits really are d*mned! They ransacked a village and fled without a trace, so there is no way to arrest them.¡± Xu Wen said indignantly.

    Ming Yu thought of the massacre they encountered when they first came to Liangzhou. The barbarians do not treat the Han people as human beings and wantonly slaughtered them. Afterall, non-Han races all have different hearts. However, these bandits were also people of the Great Yan, yet they are cruel to their own compatriots, which is unbearable.

    Ming Yu clenched his fists, he had long had the intention of rectifying it, but he had never been able to free his hand. Now it seems that it was indeed not toleratable.

    Xu Wen was right, there were countless large and small bandits in Liangzhou. The number of forces was not the same. If the government caught and pursued them in a grand way, it would only make these bandits hide and wait for the opportunity. If they just catch some small minions, it would not hurt those bandits at all, instead it would alarm them to be more cautious. If they want to fight, they must beat them up and uproot them to solve the future trouble.

    However, this matter was indeed not easy. If it was really easy to solve the bandits matter, then the border garrison would have sent people to surround and suppress them already, why would they wait until today, and allow them to continue to commit a lot of crimes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that there is no way, anyone can make up the methods. There must be a way to deal with it.¡± Ming Yu paced back and forth in the hall, his eyebrows slightly wrinkled.

    Xu Wen looked at him without blinking, his eyes shining. If Wang Ye said that there is a way, then there will definitely be a way. He has been following Wang Ye for so long, and he has seen Wang Ye¡¯s swift and decisive reaction and his style of putting enormous weight on his words. If he was not sure, Wang Ye will definitely not say it.

    Xu Wen asked hopefully, ¡°What do you think, Wang Ye?¡±

    Ming Yu shook his head, ¡°There is no arrangement for the time being, we need to collect everyone¡¯s opinion for an advantage. It would be fine to just give some suggestions.¡±

    Xu Wen was a little disappointed, even Duan Wang said that there is no way, how could others think of a way? Will it take a few years until the people and villages of Liangzhou completely built underground passages and stockage villages before they can deal with these bandits?

    Wang Ye had the intention of helping the people and villagers to fight against the barbarians and bandits, so he came up with a way for everyone to be a soldier, so that each village could build a labyrinth-like underground passage, which could attack and defend, but also protect the lives and property of the commoners.

    But in this way, how long will it take? With each extra day, more people will suffer.

    Ming Yu seemed to see through his thoughts, and said aloud: ¡°Ben Wang will definitely not let them go unpunished. If you want to get rid of the bandits, you must first make sufficient preparations. First find out the background of the bandits in Liangzhou, you must know yourself and know your enemy before you can make a plan to deal with them.¡±

    Ming Yu did not fight uncertain battles, the bandits matter cannot be done by him alone, so he has to find helpers.

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made Xu Wen nod repeatedly, what Wang Ye said was not unreasonable. If someone came to say something like those bandits are nothing to worry about with a boastful talk, Xu Wen might also consider the authenticity of these words. Duan Wang did not take complete charge of everything, instead he eased his heart. With Duan Wang present, there will definitely be a solution to this matter.

    Xu Wen patted his chest and stood up a little excitedly, ¡°Wang Ye, if you have any order, do not hesitate to command. I will definitely complete it for Wang Ye.¡±

    Xu Wen, a down-to-earth and capable person, being able to get Ming Yu¡¯s appreciation from when he was a small official, has already proven the reliability of this person. Ming Yu was able to entrust him with the construction of village tunnels, which showed his ability.

    ¡°Ben Wang knows that you are meticulous in your work. You also understand the situation in the entire Liangzhou, you go help Ben Wang sort out and collect the current distribution of the bandits in Liangzhou, as well as the relationship between various forces, the number of people, etc., as detailed and accurate as possible. If you are not clear about something you can give it to Commander Mo, let him take people to investigate, the more detailed the better.¡± Ming Yu thought for a while and ordered.

    Xu Wen nodded and agreed, and he immediately went to do it

    Ming Yu nodded, ¡°As for your previous affairs, you also can¡¯t leave it behind, you can hand them over to trusted and capable people to continue to supervise the construction, the process must be accelerated.¡±

    After Xu Wen left, Ming Yu couldn¡¯t sit still. Finally he couldn¡¯t stay idle, so he directly asked people to prepare a carriage and drive to prefectural magistrate Liu¡¯s mansion.

    Prefectural magistrate Liu welcomed Ming Yu into the door, General Wei was also there, both of them looked bad. Thinking about it, when such a big thing happened, Liangzhou City was also bubbling and gurgling. Prefectural magistrate Liu was in charge of the decrees of a province, and the commander-in-chief of each county announces the decree of the state and governs the people under his jurisdiction. As the commander of the border garrison, General Wei not only had to guard against the barbarians, but also had the responsibility to arrest bandits.

    Now good, the bandits had brazenly looted and killed under their noses. They are only afraid that they will be smeared with a huge black spot on their political achievements.

    The land of Liangzhou had always been plagued by bandits, but it can only be done in a more remote place. The losses of small fights were also under control. And because these people¡¯s whereabouts were erratic, they often plundered one place and immediately moved to other places, or hid with the people, or immediately escaped into the deep mountains and old forests, it is really difficult to grasp their accurate information, this is why they were helpless against them.

    Just like the case of Ningshi village the other day, when they got the news and rushed over, the bandits had long disappeared. When prefectural magistrate Liu rushed over, there were no trails, nothing.

    General Wei¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Ming Yu coming, he didn¡¯t expect Wang Ye to come over so quickly, which showed that Wang Ye was also very concerned about this matter. Duan Wang had always had many ideas, if Duan Wang thought of a way, maybe things could have a chance to turn around.

    This matter has a great impact, it is impossible to conceal it. They must have felt the censure and have already made a compromise, even if His Majesty the Emperor blames them, they hope to have the opportunity to make up for the merits by wiping out this group of bandits, and calm the people¡¯s hearts.

    ¡°What are the casualties in Ningshi Village this time?¡± As soon as Ming Yu entered the door, he asked unceremoniously.

    Prefectural magistrate Liu was stunned, but fortunately, he rushed over immediately and understood everything clearly. He was only stunned for a moment before reacting, and replied: ¡°Ningshi Village is a relatively large village near Liangzhou, with a total population of more than two hundred people. The bandits raided in the middle of the night, the people were defenceless, and only 2 or 3 escaped every ten. ¡±

    Although he had expected it, Ming Yu couldn¡¯t help but gasp, his heart couldn¡¯t help but feel cold. He hated these people even more, a group of animals who bullied the soft and feared the hard, he hated them to the bones.

    General Wei saw that Ming Yu¡¯s face was gloomy like sinking water, so afraid that he would be angry, he stood up and said: ¡°Wang Ye, this matter is unexpected, the subordinates are responsible for it, you can punish me and the others when we eliminate the bandits.¡±

    Ming Yu sneered: ¡°Eliminate? Do you have a way to kill the bandits now? ¡±

    He¡¯s afraid that they did not pay attention to these bandits at all. They always thought that the little bandits were not to be worried about, to indulge one¡¯s enemy is asking for trouble. By ignoring their strength, today¡¯s disasters would continue. Two hundred lives! It was because of the disapproving attitude of these people.

    Ming Yu hated it, not only hating the bandits, but also hating the inaction of these officials. Obviously they can eliminate these calamities while they¡¯re still sprouting, but they wait for the calamity to occur before remedying.

    Both of them had nothing to say, both had remorse. They had always focused on the barbarians and to prevent the invasion of the barbarians. If they specially freed up manpower to deal with these bandits, one, it will not be easy to destroy the bandits, second, it will cost a lot of manpower and material resources, and third, they were afraid that the investment in manpower and material resources won¡¯t leave great results. No one was willing to do such a laborious and unflattering thing, so they can only let it go, but they did not know that the people in the border areas had suffered for a long time.

    The author has something to say: Note (1) is from ¡°Xunzi Monarch System¡±

 CH 41

    Chapter 41

    Prefectural Magistrate Liu frowned, if there was really a way to deal with the bandits, they would not have to discuss it here.

    ¡°Wang Ye, I have investigated, this group of bandits should be Song Qingfu¡¯s men who appeared only two years ago. Two years ago, they were just a small group of rogues. Later on, they had internal strife, and Song Qingfu rose above the others and took control of the whole team. I heard that this man was ruthless and quite thoughtful in his scheme. He had not committed any major crimes in two years. In the past two years, he had successively annexed and absorbed some small rogues, gradually showing his edge, making this team of bandits grow stronger and stronger, slowly becoming a relatively powerful force in Liangzhou. ¡±

    Probably because the power had increased, the people had also swelled, so they unexpectedly attacked the villages around Liangzhou. Did they really think that the government had no way to catch them?

    Prefectural Magistrate Liu briefly introduced the situation of the bandits, they had only learned this much. ¡°After discussing with General Wei, he will send soldiers to chase and intercept this group of bandits.¡±

    Ming Yu frowned slightly when he heard this, his white fingers lightly tapped the table. There was also a sense of powerlessness in his heart, haha! The thing happened yesterday and they¡¯ve only discussed sending troops today. Just waiting for all of you to send troops, the bandits would be long gone to who knows where. Could it be that they would stay in place waiting for you guys to arrest them?

    ¡°Send troops to chase and block, good! Very good! But do you know how many men they have? Where are they now? Liangzhou is so big, where will you go to block it?¡± Ming Yu almost laughed angrily.

    ¡°¡­¡± These words indeed stumped the two of them. This group of bandits were indeed cunning, Liu Zhifu* went to investigate the clues and discovered that the useful clues were basically gone. They not only erased the clues when they left, but even specially arranged a maze that seemed to be both true and false. He sent someone to track them down, but the result can be imagined. They¡¯re being played like a monkey, Liu Zhifu was really angry in his heart.

    Note: Liu Zhifu* will refer to Prefectural Magistrate Liu from now on.

    The two were silent, the atmosphere in the hall became depressed for a while.

    At this moment, someone came to report that General Xie was visiting, only then did he break the silence. Liu Zhifu glanced at Ming Yu, Ming Yu¡¯s anger had subsided a little at this time. Since this matter had already happened, no matter how much resentment he had it would not help anything. He could only take a look on how to remedy it, so that everyone could come up with a rule. Thinking of this, Ming Yu waved his hand, and Liu Zhifu let Xie Yixiu in.

    Because of the recent signs of being ready to move, Xie Yixiu had taken people to the front line to check the enemy situation before, and only returned today. He didn¡¯t expect to hear about the robbery of bandits as soon as he came back. This matter implicated something huge, there were bandits on the rampage around Liangcheng, so can Liangcheng still be counted as a peaceful place to live? Obviously, it was impossible, this matter was really troublesome. The Emperor was furious, he was afraid that the implication was extremely wide. The consequences were unimaginable, if there was a remedy, it may be able to alleviate a few things. Thinking of this, he hurried over without even taking a sip of water, ready to consult with Liu Zhifu.

    Xie Yixiu entered the door, saw Ming Yu sitting in the upper position, and was slightly stunned. He did not expect that Duan Wang would also come. Thinking about it, it made sense, this matter caused such a huge noise, Duan Wang had no reason to turn a deaf ear. He instantly recovered his expression, calmly saluted according to etiquette.

    Ming Yu waved his hand, he was not in the mood to be polite at this time, and motioned for Xie Yixiu to sit down before speaking.

    ¡°The matter is already known to the public, we need everyone¡¯s opinions for mutual benefit on this matter. Everyone will also voice out their own ideas and opinions.¡± Ming Yu said.

    What other opinion could they have? It was nothing more than sending troops to capture bandits. But it had already been refuted by Ming Yu, so he didn¡¯t dare to raise it easily at this time, so the two of them focused their attention on the newcomer Xie Yixiu.

    Xie Yixiu looked focused. He had no intention of speaking, just carelessly rubbed the edge of the teacup with his fingers, as if he was contemplating. Everyone had long known his nature. If he was unwilling to speak, then no one could make him change his mind.

    Ming Yu glanced at him, after he did not see anything from his face, he turned silent for a while before he broke the silence, and said: ¡°Since no one will speak first, then Ben Wang will talk about his thoughts first.¡±

    Ming Yu cleared his throat and said, ¡°The matter of bandits must be dealt with severely and strictly. Ben Wang had asked Xu Wen to investigate and collect information about the bandits with all his strength, I hope that Liu Zhifu can fully cooperate.¡±

    Liu Zhifu stood up, ¡°I will definitely give my full support.¡±

    Ming Yu nodded and continued: ¡°Bandits have been a scourge for many years, now it is already a deep-rooted tumour. If you want to cut the grass and remove the roots, I am afraid that it will not be easy to do it for a while, so we have to kill the chickens to scare the monkeys. Since Song Qingfu came to visit like this, we will have to catch him first then catch everything in one net.¡±

    Liu Zhifu and General Wei looked at each other, didn¡¯t Wang Ye mean the same thing as they thought? They just wanted to send troops to hunt them down, could it be that Wang Ye knew their whereabouts and was able to annihilate them in one fell swoop?

    They did not dare to ask for a while, General Wei was itchy, and unconsciously landed his eyes to Xie Yixiu.

    Xie Yixiu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s possible!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Liu Zhifu and General Wei.

    Ming Yu¡¯s face had returned to normal. At this time he couldn¡¯t help but hook the corner of his lips. He supported his head with one hand and continued: ¡°It is useless to blindly pursue them like this, the bandits are not dumber than us, that they would be stupid enough to wait for you to send troops to arrest them. Being able to successfully loot the village under everyone¡¯s nose is enough to prove that there are still capable people among them. ¡±

    The two nodded in agreement, Ming Yu¡¯s words were very reasonable. Liu Zhifu said with a bitter face: ¡°That¡¯s right, but if you don¡¯t send troops to arrest them as soon as possible, these bandits will only think that the government is afraid of them. I am afraid that they will be even more unscrupulous in the future.¡±

    General Wei also agreed and said: ¡°That¡¯s right, if you don¡¯t send troops to capture them at this time, there will be no way to take them in the future. What Wang Ye said, kill chickens to scare the monkeys and catch them all, how can you do it?¡±

    ¡°Who said there¡¯s no way?¡± Ming Yu raised his chin and said very confidently: ¡°With Ben Wang here, of course, I can do it.¡±

    The two widened their eyes in surprise and made a gesture of deference.

    ¡°These are greedy and ruthless people. To deal with them, naturally one needs to have a perfect strategy. You must first understand the personality of their leader and the internal personnel situation before you can plan for the next step.¡± Ming Yu¡¯s eyes fell on Xie Yixiu, ¡°Ben Wang has a vague idea in his heart for the time being, the specific needs to be slowly improved, but I don¡¯t know if General Xie has his own ideas?¡±

    Hearing Ming Yu mention his name, Xie Yixiu came back to his senses, he just wanted to speak but was stopped by Ming Yu. A smile flashed in Ming Yu¡¯s eyes, ¡°General Xie doesn¡¯t have to say it, it¡¯s better for us to each stick to our own ideas for now and speak a word of confirmation in the end?¡±

    Xie Yixiu also had a trace of interest. He nodded and agreed, then immediately someone brought pen and ink. Ming Yu bit the pen and thought for a while before drawing a word in the palm of his hand.

    After Ming Yu finished writing, he looked defiantly at Xie Yixiu, who had not yet moved, and signalled him to start writing quickly.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes darkened, then he lowered his eyelids, lifted the pen, and also wrote a word.

    Ming Yu couldn¡¯t wait, walked over, the two spread their palms at the same time, saw the same words in Xie Yixiu¡¯s hand as himself, Ming Yu was slightly startled, and then smiled: ¡°Good! So it is decided. If necessary, I will ask General Xie for help in the future.¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyebrows also eased a lot, ¡°There is no need for Wang Ye to say more, I will help you wholeheartedly.¡±

    With this promise, Ming Yu finally put his heart down and received the support of General Xie, which showed that this plan was very feasible. He had to perfect the plan, so when he returned home, he could gather information and start arranging it.

    Liu Zhifu and General Wei watched blankly as these two people talked in riddles. They were extremely harmonious, and others had a feeling that they couldn¡¯t insert any words.

    Liu Zhifu was somewhat better. Knowing that Ming Yu had a plan and would definitely not avoid them, they would know sooner or later. But General Wei was impatient, he couldn¡¯t see what the two of them were discussing, so he was a little itchy when he couldn¡¯t get an answer. He kept looking at this and that, just hoping that they could solve his confusion. However, neither of them looked at him, leaving him to be anxious.

    Liu Zhifu on the side secretly pulled his sleeves and gave him a look, which made him feel a little calmer.

    Ming Yu had something in his heart, thinking that he had to hurry up if he wanted to implement it as soon as possible. Who knew when the next action of the bandits would be, they had to make a plan as soon as possible, and annihilate them as soon as possible, so that they can rest assured. He immediately did not stay any longer, directly left and returned home.

    Everyone sent him off. General Wei grabbed Xie Yixiu, ¡°What were you talking in riddles about just now? Is there a way to deal with the bandits? I say, you kid shouldn¡¯t look blankly, speak it so everyone can hear!¡±

    Xie Yixiu was leisurely for a long time before he came out with a sentence, ¡°There is no comment on the matter of confidentiality.¡±

    ¡°£¡¡± One sentence made General Wei so angry he wanted to curse at him. Fortunately, he knew Xie Yixiu¡¯s nature, and he couldn¡¯t really be angry with him, so he could only blow his beard and glare.

    Liu Zhifu laughed, this General Wei. He¡¯s already this old, yet he¡¯s still angry with young people. It¡¯s true that the more you live the more backward you will be. (like the older you are you get more childish)

    Xie Yixiu also ignored him and saluted Liu Zhifu: ¡°Lord Liu, after hearing the incident happened, Lord Liu was the first to rush to Ningshi Village, I wonder if I can lend the information collected first-hand to the next one?¡±

    This requirement was not excessive, Xie Yixiu, as a general, naturally had the right to know. Duan Wang had already ordered himself to fully cooperate with the collection of information, in any case, he had to sort it out and send it over, it won¡¯t cost anything to sort out one more, why not sell this favour?

    Thinking of this, he readily agreed, ¡°General Xie, rest assured, when my side is sorted out, I will send someone to send a copy to you immediately.¡±

    ¡°Then thank you Lord Zhifu.¡± Xie Yixiu got what he wished for and left.

    The purpose of him coming here was for this first-hand information. With this, he should be able to detect a little trace of the bandit, in case it might be useful in the future. Therefore, it was not for nothing. Unexpectedly, he met Ming Yu that also came for this matter, and Ming Yu¡¯s thoughts were the same as him, which made him admire Ming Yu a little more.

    After being in contact with Ming Yu for a long time, after his unobtrusive observation, he had given up the idea that there was someone behind Ming Yu. Some people were born to be this kind of evildoer, their ideas were incompatible with the world, but the unique insights could always make people have a breath of fresh air.

    This cooperation, he hoped that they could work together to catch all the bandits in one net.

    Maybe Liangzhou with Mingyu, can really change the current status quo. This change depended on this person, so he will protect this person no matter what.

 CH 42

    In a humble farmhouse, a few intermittent and suppressed coughs rang out. It was freezing cold, and the cold wind blew in through dilapidated windows, making a whining sound.

    A lean and capable man looked around cautiously to make sure that there was no one around before he pushed away the wood and flashed neatly into the house.

    ¡°Mr. Song! Mr. Song!¡± The room was dark and cold, the man whispered a few times, then he heard a cough, and frowned. He walked a few steps, fumbling to light the oil lamp on the table.

    The light was like a bean, dangling in the wind a few times. The man carefully protected it with his hands, only then did it stabilise.

    In the dim light, one can see through the room with a glance. A table with missing corners, there was a simple wooden bed and a person lying on the bed. Black hair like a waterfall scattered on the head of the bed. His brows frowned slightly, and the suppressed but unstoppable cough made his pale complexion gradually turn a faint red. The man seemed to be half-dreaming. Seeing the light, he opened his eyes slightly. The water shining between the waves of his eyes was peerless and magnificent at a glance.

    That man was stunned for a moment, then he came back to his senses. Even if he saw it often, he would be stunned by this man¡¯s face every time. He shook his head, shook off the numb itch in his heart, and stepped forward a few steps to help the person up and lean on the head of the bed. He tugged the corners of the quilt for him.

    He reached out and touched the man¡¯s forehead, it was hot, and he said distressingly: ¡°Why are you still so hot? Did you not drink medicine again? ¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, he flicked away the man¡¯s hand without a trace, and did not answer his question, but asked coldly in a hoarse voice: ¡°What was the result of this trip?¡±

    Hearing the question, the man said excitedly: ¡°Thanks to what Mr. Song said, we can earn enough money this time, hahaha, the people near Liangcheng are fat sheeps, we have found a lot of grain. We can at least alleviate the current predicament of our comrades.¡±

    That man was none other than Song Qingfu, who led someone to rob Ningshi Village a few days ago. Song Lian was an important person who helped them with their advice. Others called him Mr. Song.

    Song Lian came from the north two years ago, it was rumoured it was to hide from someone. After coming to the Liangzhou region, he contracted a cold, and was rescued by Song Qingfu when he was hungry and frozen. After that, he had been following him and advising him, so that Song Qingfu, a small minion, had become a big leader of one of the major forces in Liangzhou. Song Lian had made a great contribution.

    Song Lian did not have the slightest hint of relief on his face, and coughed twice, ¡°What is the reaction of the government office now?¡±

    Song Qingfu looked proud, ¡°Government office? How can a bunch of waste react? They didn¡¯t even dare to chase us. ¡±

    According to the method given by Song Lian, he arranged the clues falsely and realistically, and set up a few more traps. The troops would suffer a crushing defeat, how could they dare to chase again?

    Now the comrades all had reverence for Mr. Song. Since having Mr. Song, their life was getting better and better. Their power was getting stronger and stronger, which man on the road did not admire them? Now the villages around Liangcheng, they could rob them as long as they said they would. Maybe one day they can rob the rich merchants in Liangcheng who were rich and flowing with fat, then they will be able to eat and drink for a lifetime.

    This time they robbed in delight and the government didn¡¯t even dare to fart. To be honest, this was the most refreshing thing they did.

    ¡°Do not take it lightly, let the comrades settle down a little. Have them tuck their tails between their legs without showing their heads in public to arouse suspicion. Cough cough!¡± Song Lian instructed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I have told my comrades as you commanded, they have always believed in you and dare not disobey. Come, take some medicine first.¡± Song Qingfu brought the warm soup medicine in the corner of the wall and said.

    Song Lian looked at the black and mushy soup medicine in his hand, he frowned in disgust, and moved back without a trace.

    Song Qingfu noticed his small movement and said with a smile: ¡°I brought you candied fruit, if you drink the medicine, I will give it to you. These were preserves that only existed in the capital, it took a lot of effort to exchange it for it. ¡±

    Song Lian was fine at first, when he heard him mention the capital, his face showed a fierce resentment. He said hatefully: ¡°I said, don¡¯t mention the capital to me!¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why, after Song Qingfu rescued him, he was secretive about his origin. They only knew that he was called Song Lian, and the rest was unknown. Once they accidentally mentioned the northern capital and Song Lian who was present immediately lost his temper, so the comrades below also knew Mr. Song¡¯s reverse scale and never mentioned this in front of him. Only Song Qingfu did not shy away from this, he always blurted it out, Song Lian was angry with him every time.

    Song Qingfu hurriedly surrendered, but he was insincere, and said perfunctorily: ¡°Alright, alright, alright, I won¡¯t mention it, won¡¯t mention it, drink the medicine first, then I will tell you about the things in Liangcheng after you finish. ¡±

    Song Lian glared at him fiercely before taking the bowl and drinking it. Song Qingfu also took his words seriously. Seeing that he finished drinking the medicine, he took out a small cloth bag, picked up the preserves and put it in Song Lian¡¯s mouth.

    Song Lian held the candy expressionlessly, listening to Song Qingfu chatter. He began to talk about what he saw and heard in Liangcheng. In order to rob the villages around Liangcheng, they listened to Song Lian¡¯s words. If it was brought up, they would step up and advance, so they also went to Liangcheng for a walk. Seeing and hearing a lot of strange and interesting things and thinking that Mr. Song did not have the opportunity to see it with his own eyes, he thought of picking some interesting things to tell him, which could also make him happy.

    He was respectful and loving to Song Lian, if it weren¡¯t for Song Lian¡¯s plan, how could they dare to come to the vicinity of Liangcheng? Now they have plundered a lot of property, not only can they not worry about winter, but they can also make the Liangzhou large and small forces admire them. He believed that this time, their position would firmly become the leader boss in the Liangzhou region.

    ¡°Mr. Song, you don¡¯t know how prosperous Liangcheng is, what food is used, the people all use the best. There are many things that have not been seen. I heard that there are good things shipped from the foreigners in the west.¡± Song Qingfu sighed.

    Since he was a child, he had lived by begging, wandering around, living a life with no tomorrow. When he grew up, in order to beg for food, he joined a team of bandits, specializing in murder and looting property. In this team, he belonged to the lowest level, had been bullied and oppressed for a long time, did all the dirty work, but always got the least things.

    Until he met Song Lian, who taught him how to please the boss, how to buy people¡¯s hearts, and how to eradicate dissidents, step by step, from a small minion who was bullied, he slowly became the leader of a big force who controlled everything. It can be said that without Song Lian, there would be no Song Qingfu today.

    ¡°I went to Liangcheng this time and heard the news. I heard that the emperor¡¯s son lives in Liangcheng. I went to see the house where he lived from afar, it was so big. I wonder how nice it would be to live in such a house. Sir, do you think that the emperor¡¯s son¡¯s house is paved with gold? Does he use a golden bowl to eat? It would really be a d*mn good reincarnation. Sir might as well think of a way to take our brethren to f*king rob them and carry all the gold and silver treasures of his house up the mountain, so that we can eat and drink for the rest of our lives.¡± Song Qingfu spoke with relish, not noticing Song Lian¡¯s face twisting terribly.

    ¡°The emperor¡¯s sons, all of them deserve to die!¡± Song Lian scolded hatefully.

    ¡°Yes, yes! They deserve to die!¡± Song Qingfu heard Song Lian¡¯s rare echo of his words, and his heart was even more happy. He said rudely: ¡°Then let¡¯s go rob him next, maybe as soon as he sees us, he will be scared to the point of peeing himself. Bah! A bullsh*t of a prince, I will chop off his dog head with a knife to feed the dog. ¡±

    After he said that, he excitedly grabbed Song Lian¡¯s hands, his eyes full of attachment and obsession, ¡°Sir, by that time, those things will be yours. Even if you want the moon in the sky, I will also take it for you.¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s eyes showed a look of disgust, he quietly withdrew his hands. Turning a deaf ear to Song Qingfu¡¯s heartfelt words, if he had a choice, he would have left this ghost place long ago.

    Two years ago, when he fled to Liangzhou, he contracted a cold and fell seriously ill, and met Song Qingfu who saved him. In order to repay this kindness in the past two years, he advised him and helped him to a high position that he could not reach in his life, which can be regarded as already repaying his kindness.

    He had long known that Song Qingfu had thoughts about him, so he had thought about leaving here, but the serious illness at that time had hurt his foundation. He had been weak and sick for the past two years, if he left rashly, it was unknown what kind of outcome he would have in such a harsh environment. He was unwilling, unwilling to die in obscurity, at least not until his wish was fulfilled.

    ¡°Enough! If there is nothing, you better go back first! Think about how to divide the looted things, and what the next path should be. If the government comes to hunt down and arrest you, how will you deal with it?¡± Song Lian¡¯s face was frosty, and he said extremely impatiently.

    ¡°Sir!¡± Song Qingfu saw that he was angry and couldn¡¯t help but be anxious. ¡°Sir, I have sincere affection for you¡­¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s eyes flicked over coldly, obviously not wanting him to mention this matter.

    ¡°Song Lian, it¡¯s because I respect you that¡¯s why I talk to you like this. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would already have no bones at this moment.¡± Song Qingfu was anxious, and couldn¡¯t help but say something ruthless.

    Song Lian glared at him fiercely when he heard this. His eyes flashed a charming red with anger. ¡°Haha! Are you threatening me? You saved me because you wanted my body? Yes?¡± He said while pulling off his front clothes hard, ¡°Song Qingfu, if you have the ability, come. Whatever happens, one will die anyways. I am a person who has already died once, I don¡¯t care about dying anymore!¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s white chest was covered with a hazy colour under the dim light. Song Qingfu was stabbed like this, but he calmly woke up, he knew that he had hurt this person¡¯s heart. He took two steps back, and slapped himself twice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! You¡­¡­ You know that¡¯s not what I meant. I-I¡­.¡± He was clumsy for a while, not knowing what to say. Under Song Lian¡¯s mocking gaze, he snatched open the door and fled.

    Bang! The door closed, the red in Song Lian¡¯s eyes finally dispersed, and he looked at the closed door in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking. After a while, he coughed violently, tearing his heart and lungs, before he finally laid down on the bed weakly, a tear unconsciously crossed the corner of his eye.

    The bandits who ransacked Ningshi Village were nowhere to be seen. They did not see the garrison of the government sending troops to arrest them, rumours filled Liangcheng for a while.

    ¡°Is that all there is to it? What does the government do? ¡°There was a lot of talk in the building.

    ¡°The government office is just a bully of the weak and afraid of evil. Those people are extremely vicious, in order to protect themselves, they are afraid to chase after them, right?¡± Someone scoffed.

    ¡°Hai! Such a big thing happened, who dares to go out of the city now. If the bandits were still nearby, one would lose his life if he was not careful, it would be a big loss. ¡±

    Someone sneered, ¡°You think everything will be fine if you don¡¯t go out of town? Looking at the government¡¯s behaviour, when the bandits enter the city, they won¡¯t dare to make any moves, right? ¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an alarmist, I heard that Wang Ye was furious and vowed to annihilate the bandits in one fell swoop.¡±

    As soon as these words came out, everyone laughed in ridicule, someone immediately retorted: ¡°Annihilate them in one fell swoop? He has to send troops to destroy them for us to believe that. But there is no movement, can it be that Wang Ye can make the bandits obediently wait to be catched with a word? What a joke! ¡±

 CH 43

    For the discussion outside, Ming Yu did not take it seriously at all, he was writing at this time, frowning from time to time, tilting his head and thinking for a while before continuing to write.

    At this time, someone came over lightly, deeply afraid of disturbing Ming Yu, who was deep in thought, ¡°Wang Ye, Master Xu is coming.¡±

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t raise his head, ¡°Let him in, Ben Wang already said there is no need to report, just let him come directly.¡±

    Before he finished speaking, Xu Wen had already walked in and saluted Mingyu.

    Ming Yu waved his hand, still preoccupied with the things under his hand, ¡°Everything is ready?¡±

    Xu Wen nodded, ¡°The basics are all ready, I have already brought it here.¡± After that, he took out a booklet and offered it with both hands.

    Ming Yu glanced up and motioned for him to put it on the table, ¡°Since you are sorting out these things these days, I think you should be more familiar with this, just talk about it first.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Wen organized the language and concluded with his mouth: ¡°This group of bandits, led by Song Qingfu, is entrenched near Huanyan Mountain north of Liangzhou. This Song Qingfu was a minion two years ago, but later, for some reason, the original leader found him and began to promote him, so now he sits in the position of the second chief. Originally, there were many people who were not convinced, but he did a few beautiful things and slowly began to serve the public. A year ago, the original leader died of illness, and Song Qingfu directly sat in the position of the big boss.¡±

    ¡°Died of illness?¡± Ming Yu put down the pen in his hand, pondered, and asked, ¡°Died of illness for no reason? Have you checked the matter of the original boss? ¡±

    Xu Wen nodded, he had always done things meticulously, it was impossible not to check this, ¡°I checked. The original leader fought with other forces two years ago because of the territory problem. Although he defeated the enemy forces, he did not go through it well. I heard that he was seriously injured at that time. It was at that time that Song Qingfu first appeared and won the attention of the original leader. ¡±

    Xu Wen paused, saw that Ming Yu listened very seriously, and continued: ¡°Just because of this injury, he died of illness in less than a year.¡± Speaking of this, he seemed to have thought of something, and asked in amazement: ¡°Wang Ye, do you mean that there is something tricky in this? His death¡­ How did I not think of this? ¡±

    Ming Yu was a little embarrassed, he didn¡¯t think that much, let alone say that. Young people¡¯s imaginations were too much. But, with his previous experience, it should be the experience of dog blood TV series, this is indeed a problem.

    Ming Yu nodded quietly. Before he could speak, he heard Xu Wen say excitedly: ¡°I will go and check along this line, maybe we can really find out something useful.¡±

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t want to discourage him. After a while, he asked again: ¡°What is the current internal structure of the bandits? How is Song Qingfu? Is he really convincing? ¡±

    ¡°Song Qingfu is from a beggar background, he only knows a few big words, and he acts in a treacherous and fierce style. He is ruthless, his heart is small, and he does not tolerate dissent. In the past two years, his subordinates have made small moves continuously, the means to exclude dissidents have emerged one after another, and now they have almost all fallen into one rule under Song Qingfu. However, any voice that opposes him would disappear directly in a short time. Like the old man who used to follow the original leader, he was basically cleaning up. Everyone dared to be angry but did not dare to speak, the rest were those who obeyed him. Those who obeyed him would prosper and those who rebelled against him would die. However, in the past two years, he did have the means to let his subordinates have a good life, and those who opposed him were silenced, now almost everyone is quite convinced of him. ¡±

    Ming Yu pondered deeply. According to this, the position of Song Qingfu¡¯s leader was already firmly seated. If he wanted to break up their power from within, he¡¯s afraid it was not so easy.

    But if there was really a problem with the cause of the original leader¡¯s death, can they start from this side? ¡°Then do you know what kind of person the original leader was?¡±

    Xu Wen thought about it. ¡°I have heard people say that this person was bold and benevolent, quite righteous and responsible, and can be regarded as a hero. The former brothers who followed him also thought of him well, but he died suddenly, and Song Qingfu rushed to the position, which made many old people have some complaints. ¡±

    Ming Yu intended to start from inside and the outside, as long as there are rifts and differences within them, it will be much easier to deal with. Even if they were harmonious inside, they can create cracks themselves. It is still feasible to let Xu Wen check the cause of death of the original leader. If there is a problem with the cause of his death, that is good. If there is no problem, well, rumors are also possible of coming out of nowhere.

    Just thinking about it, Xu Wen hesitated and said: ¡°Wang Ye, in fact, there is another thing, I have always felt a little strange, but I don¡¯t know if it is just my delusion.¡±

    Ming Yu said with a smile: ¡°Speak, there is no need to hide anything when you talk here.¡±

    Xu Wen pondered for a while, but decided to say it, ¡°I investigated that one of them called Mr. Song seems to have a high prestige, but he is not a leader, which is a little strange. ¡±

    Ming Yu narrowed his eyes, supported his chin with his hand and said, ¡°Mr. Song? What is his connection with Song Qingfu? ¡±

    Xu Wen shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, this person lives in seclusion, and there are only a few people who really know him and have seen him. It stands to reason that with Song Qingfu¡¯s origin and temperament, if you want to sit in the position of the big boss, you can¡¯t do it without some tricks, but this made me feel strange. Song Qingfu did not stand out before, why did he suddenly jump up in these two years? Is there someone behind him plotting for him? Is this person named Mr. Song? But I was incompetent, I really couldn¡¯t find out more information about this. ¡±

    Hearing that there was no more news to inquire about, Ming Yu calmed his heart. No matter who Mr. Song was, he just needed to go according to the plan. As for irrelevant people, it didn¡¯t hurt to think about it. He thought about it and said soothingly: ¡°You just pay attention to this person then. As for whether he is the person behind the scenes, it doesn¡¯t matter, we will just wait for everyone to be caught in one net. ¡±

    Although this person was a little abrupt and strange, he could not focus his energy on such a person. Xu Wen nodded his head, accepting Ming Yu¡¯s view.

    Immediately, he asked a little uneasily: ¡°Wang Ye, do you have a way to deal with these bandits?¡±

    Wang Ye had been inquiring about the news these days, he checked and sorted out documents, and also sent people to scout the terrain, draw maps and sand tables. He was busy night and day, forgetting food and sleep. However, there were many rumours outside, which made him have to worry, he only hoped that Wang Ye could come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible to destroy this gang of bandits so as to block the mouths of those outside.

    ¡°Well, soon.¡± Ming Yu said, and lowered his head to write. His plan has been completed about more than a half. This was the result of several days of discussion with General Xie, and when he finished supplementing the rest of the bits, he could hand them over to Xie Yixiu and let him see what was missing. He had to put it in order and plan it as soon as possible, so that he could implement it as soon as possible and try to catch all these bandits.

    Xu Wen finally put his heart down, he believed Wang Ye, since Wang Ye said it will be soon, he was already sure.

    After Xu Wen left, Ming Yu sent someone to call Commander Mo over. The information sent by Xu Wen was very useful. If you want to split the inside of the bandits, you must send clever people to infiltrate them, such candidates can only be selected in the guard camp.

    The training items in the guard battalion were Ming Yu¡¯s training methods combined with the later generations of troops, and under the advice and guidance of Xie Yixiu, the current battle methods have been integrated. In recent times, they have improved a lot.

    This kind of training to break into the enemy, to gain the enemy¡¯s trust, and obtain intelligence was a project that Ming Yu set up from the beginning. And lurking with the enemies to do things was easier than getting intelligence, the guards should be able to complete the task well.

    If they cannot work together internally, it would be naturally greatly beneficial to their side, and the chess pieces placed may have unexpected effects at a critical moment. In any case, this pawn has to be put in with ideas.

    After writing the last stroke, looking at the ink on the paper that had not yet dried, Ming Yu smiled with satisfaction, then stretched his waist. In the imperial palace of the capital, the Emperor was looking the urgently sent letter from Liangzhou, he was furious, and slapped the imperial chair, ¡°A group of messy things, there are bandits near Liangcheng on a rampant, Liu Zhen, Wei Wuji what are these two people doing?¡±

    Note: Liu Zhifu as expected was Prefectural Magistrate Liu, his full name is Liu Zhen

    Seeing that His Majesty was angry, everyone was cautious, for fear that one of them would accidentally meet this anger.

    His Highness Ming Ye sat at the bottom, these days Imperial Father was not in good health, so he was here to assist Imperial Father in government affairs. He was the crown prince so concerning how to deal with government affairs, he needed to learn it slowly. Although he dealt with some trivial things, the real important things were still for Imperial Father to decide.

    He was careful, trying his best to seek no merit thus seeking no fault. But he didn¡¯t expect that Imperial Father would turn angry after looking at the letter sent from the borderland. He didn¡¯t know what happened to the border land, that could make the Imperial Father angry like this, could it be that the barbarians began to attack again?

    Thinking that Fourteenth Brother was still in Liangcheng, Ming Ye¡¯s heart was aroused. If Liangcheng was in danger, what should Ming Yu do?

    The anxiety in his heart naturally appeared on his face, he stood up, ¡°Father, what happened to Liangcheng? Is it the barbarians? ¡±

    The emperor glanced at him and handed him the letter, letting him see it. Ming Ye was worried about Ming Yu at this time, and did not shy away, he took the letter with both hands, and looked at it, ten lines at a glance.

    The Emperor¡¯s temper was not smooth, originally bandits were very common in the borderlands and there has been no effective way to govern them, but in previous years, they did not dare to be so rampant, so he turned a blind eye to it.

    Now that the bandits were committing crimes around Liangcheng annd there was also his son Old Fourteen in Liangcheng, was his son¡¯s safety still there? He didn¡¯t want to hear bad news one day. It was precisely because of this that he was furious.

    Ming Ye finally finished reading the first letter report from the vassal state, it wasn¡¯t the attack from the barbarians and Fourteenth Brother was fine, so he relaxed a little. Seeing that there was a letter behind and that it was Ming Yu¡¯s handwriting, he quickly opened it.

    It turned out that Liu Zhifu and general Wei insisted on jointly writing a letter to the Emperor and requesting punishment. Ming Yu also had to write a letter to explain to the Emperor, trying to protect the two lords. One needs to know, this matter was not a minor matter. These two large civil and military officials in Liangzhou, their political achievements were still remarkable and there was still a tacit understanding in government affairs, if the two were convicted for this matter, no matter what, Ming Yu did not want to see it.

    Therefore, he also sent a letter behind the letter, which could at least help the two of them speak, so that Imperial Father could punish them lightly, or the merit could be compensated. He did not know that the main reason why the Emperor was angry was because he was worried about his safety.

    ¡°Imperial Father don¡¯t be angry, here is a letter from Fourteenth Brother. I ask Father Emperor to look at it.¡± Ming Ye presented Ming Yu¡¯s letter.

    When the Emperor heard there was a letter from Old Fourteen, he was stunned for a moment. He was so angry just now after reading the report that he didn¡¯t find Ming Yu¡¯s letter that was sandwiched behind.

    After receiving the letter, it was indeed the handwriting of Old Fourteen, making threatening scratch marks just like him, the words cannot be fake.

    ¡°Imperial Father, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m living here fine without lacking anything. It¡¯s just that there is a shortage of money¡­.¡±

    As soon as the letter began, the Emperor already found it angry but also laughable. This son, he really couldn¡¯t handle him, where could there be a prince who complains all day long? He¡¯s afraid that others will probably think he is cold and hungry. He¡¯s already a Wang Ye now, yet he¡¯s still so unstable, how can this be! He deserves to be poor, who told him not to jump into the nest of blessings, but to jump into the chaff pile. This is called self-inflicted sins!

    The author has something to say: Thank you all for your support! Here are two articles by gay partner, you can take a look if you like it. ¡°How to Bully Master Venerable by Turning into a Cat¡± by Carrying a lantern and bumping into Yu Chengzhi who had always liked his Master very much.

    He liked his integrity, coldness, arrogance, and nobility.

    So he worshipped him from the bottom of his heart, valued him, and worshipped him as a god.

    But later, he hated his pretense of being noble, partial, selfish, and insensitive and distant.

    His good teacher¡­ Wearing the fake skin of great benevolence and righteousness, but deep down in his heart, he was very tired of the filth in his bones and blood.

    That¡¯s later later.

    He simply gave his god ¡°beep-¡°.

    After that, Yu Chengzhi turned into a cat and returned to the sect.

    Although this cat liked to get into the clothes of his master, gnaw him, bite him, be moody with him, open its teeth and dance with its claws, and repay him, as if there was some deep hatred.

    Master Venerable still tolerated this little thing.

    Even lightly poke its forehead and laugh.

    He whispered: ¡°You seem so similar to him¡­¡±

    ¡­¡­ As a result, Yu Chengzhi found that half of his life was really ridiculous.

    ¡°The world is innocent, only I am not¡­ Is that right? ¡±

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    ¡°Teach me how not to hate you.¡±

    * Small theater

    The man¡¯s tall shadow fell from behind, his arms were tightly locked, his voice was low, and his tone was deplorable: ¡°Good master, apprentice likes cat cubs the most¡­ From today on, you will try to help your apprentice conceive one, okay? ¡±

    Gu Huaiqu¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled slightly, he secretly clenched his fingertips.

    The man scoffed, resting his chin on his shoulder, ¡°Apprentice knows that Master Venerable is a man. ¡±

    ¡°But why don¡¯t we try¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you know that Master Venerable¡¯s body can¡¯t conceive a child?¡±

    ¡°White Moonlight transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder [farming]¡± by ¡°painting the East Building after he accidentally died¡±. Qin Yaochuan became a small cannon fodder for a scumbag gong and despicable shou. His parents died early and he was heavily in debt.

    On the first day of transmigration, Qin Yaochuan encountered bandits attacking the village. It was hard to survive, but he found that he was about to participate in the children¡¯s examination!

    Fortunately, he had not forgotten it and he also had the memory of the original owner.

    After overcoming difficulties all the way, he won the title of top scorer of the examination, only after seeing the emperor did he know that the original owner was actually the prince who had been left behind among the people.

    All princes: Steal the throne?

    Qin Yaochuan: No, I just want to be a petty official.

    He thought I could spend this life safely, but he didn¡¯t expect that someone actually wanted to rob his sweetheart!

    Qin Yaochuan: The throne can be thrown away, but Chu Linlang must be mine!

    Qin Yaochuan had a secret, his luck in collecting medicine after he was reborn was bursting, and he could find even precious medicines.

    He liked the male side character in the book, the medicine immortal Chu Linlang. He heard that the other party had a peerless appearance and a cold temperament, no one can enter his eyes, the proper flower of Gaoling.

    Later, Qin Yaochuan took the flower home by his luck that was comparable to a herbal surveyor.

    Others say that Chu Linlang is unattainable and indifferent, only Qin Yaochuan knew that the other party was as deep as the sea, falling in love with someone, he would be willing to give his life for the other party.

    In the past, when Qin Yaochuan sent a precious herb, Chu Linlang would look at him squarely.

    Later, Qin Yaochuan casually sent a flower, and Chu Linlang would be happy all day.

 CH 44

    ¡°Imperial Father, do not need to be angry, the matter of the bandits only needs to be handed over to me. I will definitely beat them down until even their mothers won¡¯t recognize them. As for Liu Zhifu and General Wei, just let them use their merits to wash away their sins. You just have to wait for our good news! Finally, I wish Imperial Father a long long long life, living for thousands of years, dominant over all corners of the country! PS: If Imperial Father still has money left, it would be good to send some emergency relief my way! Urgent emergency relief to the remote area!¡±

    Reading until the end, His Majesty the Emperor didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. This, this what did he write! This shameful thing was specifically here to collect debts, right? He already knew it, what good can Old Fourteen do when he opens his mouth? Doesn¡¯t he just want his father to give him money? However, his nonsense entanglement made the Emperor¡¯s anger subside a lot.

    Ming Ye observed his facial expression and saw that the dark clouds on the Emperor¡¯s face dispersed and were replaced with a little smile. His heart was also a little relieved: ¡°Father, what did Fourteenth Brother say?¡± In the entire palace, he was afraid that only Ming Yu could easily change the Emperor¡¯s temper, but now without him, the palace was much cooler, without the loud noise and bustle in the past, people were a little unaccustomed.

    ¡°What else could it be besides whining about hardships and poverty in front of me, sigh! Children are debts, this saying is true throughout the ages.¡± Although the emperor¡¯s words were complaining, he was faintly happy, no matter how big his son was, he still needed him as a father.

    Ming Ye also didn¡¯t point it out bluntly, the Emperor disliked it the most when someone could speculate about his sacred heart. Thunder and rain were all king¡¯s grace, including him, the crown prince, who never dared to show his expression. When the thunder strikes, the gain will not make up for the loss. Speaking of which, Ming Yu in the palace was not afraid of this, in any case, he even jested, and pestered endlessly, even the emperor with an unfathomable sacred heart would also suffer.

    Ming Ye gripped on to the Emperor¡¯s words and said with a smile: ¡°Although Fourteenth Brother is not in tune, he still thinks about Imperial Father in his heart. Last time, he specially sent someone into the capital to give Imperial Father that kind of mirror crystal.¡±

    He thought hard, but he couldn¡¯t recall, so the Emperor reminded: ¡°It¡¯s something that is called eyeglasses.¡±

    Ming Ye, who was reminded, said happily: ¡°It is precisely called this. Imperial Father uses it well, didn¡¯t you also praise Fourteenth Brother for being considerate?¡±

    The thing that Ming Yu specially sent to the capital last time was really easy to use. He only needed to wear this every time he made a memorial. It was indeed clear and refreshing to see things, his eyes would not be tired. It was also difficult for this son to think about him from time to time. But the precious crystal glass bestowed by him, there are few of it in the entire Great Yan Dynasty, but he squandered it like this, which is really distressing. Old Nine grinded him for so long, but he was not willing to give it to Old Nine, and now Old Nine often complained in front of him that he was partial.

    The emperor was proud in his heart, but he did not show it on the surface, ¡°Hmph! Old Fourteen doesn¡¯t do his work all day long, so he can ponder these strange tricks closely.¡±

    Ming Ye lowered his head and did not dare to answer, the emperor looked at this self-restrained crown prince, and sighed in his heart. He eased his tone, ¡°I don¡¯t really blame him. You, it¡¯s just that your mind is too cautious.¡±

    Ming Ye quickly trembled and knelt down to plead guilty, ¡°Father forgive me.¡±

    The emperor was helpless so he didn¡¯t say anything. Ai! If it was Old Fourteenth, he would definitely climb up the pole after he expressed this opinion, even scolding him could be taken as a good word.

    He looked at the crown prince kneeling on the ground, ¡°Get up! Us, father and son are just gossiping, what is the reason for kneeling while talking? ¡±

    ¡°Yes! Imperial Father.¡± Ming Ye stood up, his face ashamed.

    The crown prince was his first child with Empress Yuan. When he was married to Empress Yuan, the two people¡¯s feelings were serious. He remembered how excited he was when the prince was born. In order to choose a name, he spent several days without closing his eyes, and used almost all the words with good meanings. In the end, Empress Yuan personally picked a Ye character, which represented the meaning of bright and vigorous. Both of them hoped that this child will be brilliant in his life, as their hope.

    The child who was held in the palm of their hand had grown up, gentle as jade, burning his brilliance, but his temperament was more cautious and docile; as the crown prince of a big country, his courage was still a little lacking. Well, it¡¯s fine, there is still more time, let¡¯s just take it easy!

    Seeing him like this, the emperor softened his tone, ¡°There are no ruler and his minister here today, only father and son. Let¡¯s talk about common gossip like your Fourteenth Brother, who is making trouble for me every day. Can I really ignore him? In the end, we are father and son, blood is thicker than water, who said that there is no father and son in the imperial family? If there is really no family affection, Old Fourteen would have lost his head long ago. ¡±

    ¡°Yes! I understand.¡± Ming Ye said emotionally.

    But it was only that momentary emotion. He was in a position above ten thousand people, he clearly understood in his heart that he was facing a cliff, if he was not careful, he would fall to pieces. Perhaps only the character of Fourteenth Brother can enjoy the so-called family affection of the imperial family.

    ¡°Imperial Father is benevolent. I think Fourteenth Brother also knows this, although he is willful and presumptuous, he also knows that it¡¯s because of Imperial Father¡¯s heart that is forgiving and affectionate. That¡¯s why he always came to hide behind Imperial Father whenever he made trouble.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true too.¡± Thinking of Ming Yu¡¯s calamity in those years, the emperor couldn¡¯t help but laugh, remembering that Concubine Hui¡¯s small treasury was set on fire by Ming Yu. Concubine Hui was flustered and exasperated at that time, and didn¡¯t Ming Yu come and hide behind him like a quail! He was both angry and happy, but what could he do when he looked at his pitiful appearance? Of course, he had to protect his own son.

    Thinking of these past events, the emperor¡¯s eyes were much kinder, but when he thought of Ming Yu¡¯s letter, he was angry and uneasy, ¡°Speaking of Old Fourteen, I¡¯ve become angry again. He actually wrote that he would eradicate the bandits himself. These bandits are ruthless and cunning, why is he taking this matter on himself? isn¡¯t he afraid that he will be in danger?¡±

    ¡°It may be assumed that Fourteenth Brother has good intentions and that he wanted to share your worries. Although he likes to make trouble, he also knows appropriate behaviour.¡± Ming Ye exhorted.

    ¡°Appropriate behaviour? What appropriate behaviour can he have? If he had half of your mind, I would be relieved.¡± The emperor frowned. ¡°The only people under him who could be used were five hundred guards, the last letter said that two hundred guards were sent out to escort the caravan, so what could be do with these remaining more than three hundred people? ¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there still a garrison in the borderland? No matter how bad it is, there is also the Red Robe Army. ¡±

    ¡°The Red Robe Army had to guard against the invasion of the enemy, and there are good and bad people intermingled in the border garrison. They can¡¯t be relied on. If they are really useful, will they still let the bandits run amok?¡± He began to worry about Old Fourteen. As long as he decided something, even nine horses would not be able to pull him back. He said that he would deal with the bandit, that was the decision. But how can bandits be so easy to deal with? The emperor was worried and full of helplessness.

    ¡°Imperial Father, can this be okay?¡± Ming Ye also began to worry when he heard this.

    ¡°I can only hurry up and make an order to let Wei Wuji and Xie Yixiu protect him thoroughly.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I also have this intention. ¡±

    ¡°By the way, next time you send someone to send something over, just bring a pair of crystal glasses to Old Fourteen in the passing.¡± After thinking about it, the emperor still ordered. This stupid son, if he really become cold and hungry, then the person who loses face, won¡¯t it still be him as the father? Hai! He heard that the fool went to the border area and lost a lot of weight, it may be assumed that he¡¯s starving, right? When he thought about it, he felt distressed again.

    Ming Ye obediently agreed.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t know how his cry in poverty in the passing and just conveniently opening his mouth to ask his Emperor Father for money had caused the emperor to lose a pair of crystal glasses.

    Although his hands were a little tight now, it wasn¡¯t like he was unable to live. Among the goods sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince last time, he carried the silver ticket that the emperor secretly compensated for him, which the emperor took out of his private treasury.

    And the crown prince also subsidized him somewhat so that he would not be stretched. However, Ming Yu was a child who cries to get candy to eat, so he didn¡¯t mind at all to cry and say that he¡¯s poor. What¡¯s wrong with it? This thing called money, the more the merrier, isn¡¯t it?

    After all, he was really short of money now, what thing in his hands did not cost money? Seeing the silver money flowing out like flowing water without the slightest return, how can he not be anxious?

    As for the caravan, there was no result in sight yet, so they could only wait slowly.

    ¡°General Xie, what do you think of the terrain here?¡± Ming Yu pointed to a place on the sand table in front of him and asked.

    Xie Yixiu stared at Ming Yu¡¯s fingers and shook his head, ¡°Although the terrain here is dangerous, it is not easy to leave the enemy behind. In case the bandits break the net and break through from this side, I am afraid that it will be a failure.¡±

    Ming Yu followed his words, thought about it, and felt that it was reasonable. He couldn¡¯t help but frown and ask: ¡°Then can we strengthen this place, send more troops to ambush there, and set up more traps?¡±

    Xie Yixiu still shook his head, ¡°After all, there are still flaws. I feel that it is better to choose this place than to choose the dangerous terrain here.¡±

    Ming Yu looked over, there was nothing special about the place he was referring to? This is a land of river valleys, without any passes; setting up ambushes in this place? This¡­¡­ Is this possible?

    Ming Yu looked over suspiciously, this person is really not joking? As they all know, ambushes generally rely on the terrain, gourd mouths, narrow passages, or cliffs. The soldiers lie high above, waiting for the enemy to enter the ambush circle, then they can attack the enemy with rolling stones, logs or rockets to make the enemy defenceless making it difficult to hide, and can only be slaughtered like a lamb with cubs.

    There were no sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces or deep forests, it was not easy to be able to find a dangerous place like a valley mouth here.

    That¡¯s right, Ming Yu wanted to set up an ambush from the beginning, lead people into the encirclement, and then catch them all in one net. Therefore, when he was at Liu Zhifu¡¯s residence and saw Xie Yixiu, he gave birth to a testing and playful heart. Together, they might as well write down their own ideas, then show them together to see whose method was good, but they did not expect that the same ¡®conceal¡¯ character was written in the palm of their hands, which was simply a spiritual understanding, great minds think alike!

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t understand why Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t use the dangerous place to set up an ambush, but chose to set up an ambush in an ordinary river valley, but this place was just a depression, flat and without any cover. If he sets up an ambush here, wouldn¡¯t others be able to see through it at a glance? How can people set up ambushes like this?

    Seeing Ming Yu¡¯s shining peach blossom eyes full of doubts, Xie Yixiu was slightly stunned. He shook his head and said: ¡°May I ask Wang Ye, if it is you, will you rush in regardless of the dangerous place?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ming Yu was asked, ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xie Yixiu said in a light voice: ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this group of bandits, I have checked, the bandits ransacked Ningshi Village not on a whim, they came prepared. Without careful planning, they would never be able to be so clean in execution. In the end, they not only set up doubtful formations to mix the truth with falsehood, but also set traps to block the pursuit of the government, which is enough to show that the person who led this group of bandits is a smart and brainy person. ¡±

    Ming Yu suddenly realized and understood what Xie Yixiu meant, indeed, it was not easy to lead the bandits into the ambush circle, not to mention that as long as the terrain was dangerous, if a smart person came, they would definitely not choose such a path. Not everyone can guess people¡¯s hearts like Zhuge Liang.

    ¡°But! The land of this river valley you said is flat and unobstructed, how do you have the soldiers ambush? As soon as it appears in the enemy¡¯s line of sight, it will be discovered, how can it be used for ambush? ¡±

 CH 45

    For Ming Yu¡¯s question, Xie Yixiu was not worried at all, and pointed to another place outside the river valley with his clear joint finger, ¡°We don¡¯t need to ambush here, the place where our soldiers really ambush is here!¡±

    ¡°!¡± The place pointed out by Xie Yixiu did not match the river valley just now, which was simply two places that were far apart. Is Xie Yixiu really not mistaken?

    Ming Yu jumped over and grabbed his hand, Xie Yixiu was caught off guard and couldn¡¯t dodge, so for a while he lost his calm appearance and was a little at a loss.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t care, ¡°Hey! Tell me quickly, what the h*ll are you thinking? ¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s head was full of black lines, he didn¡¯t care about the distinction between their statuses, and scolded: ¡°You let go of your hand first, what kind of scandal are you doing by tugging and pulling?¡±

    ¡°What are you afraid of? You¡¯re not a little girl, will holding hands make you devote your life to me or something? I don¡¯t have as much trouble holding a girl¡¯s hand as you. Tsk, tsk! Why does a real man haggle over every ounce for? In the end, are you a man or not?¡± Ming Yu¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t spare the person.

    ¡°¡­¡± Xie Yixiu really had nothing to say, this person, how does this person look like a Wang Ye? Is-is it possible that he¡¯s this unrestrained and bold to women as well, holding their hands as he wants?

    Thinking of this, he felt a little panicked in his heart. This feeling was inexplicable, he couldn¡¯t figure it out himself.

    It¡¯s inevitable to say that he thought too much about this. Ming Yu really treated him as a buddy. How could he be so formal with the ettiquette. In later generations, weren¡¯t good brothers puttinng their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders? Not to mention, he has been in public baths many times.

    In other words, he was not that casual.

    Under Ming Yu¡¯s questioning, Xie Yixiu¡¯s originally cold and indifferent face finally had a look of helplessness, ¡°Let go first, otherwise I won¡¯t be able to speak.¡±

    Ming Yu only let go of his hand, and looked at him with a smile. For the first time, he saw a different expression from Xie Yixiu¡¯s indifferent expression. Such a handsome face, isn¡¯t it a waste to be tense all day, it¡¯s better this way, people should naturally have joy, anger, happiness and sorrow. ¡°Don¡¯t only make one expression all the time, otherwise, you will really become face paralyzed over time.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Li Man and Wang Si staggered to the back of the team, and the two of them looked lean and hungry, not much different from the rest of the team.

    This was a squad of only a dozen to twenty people, all of them more or less wounded, tired and hungry, so they were not even willing to say a word.

    It wasn¡¯t known how long it took, but the person who took the lead in front finally spoke, ¡°We¡¯re arrived!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Arrived? We¡¯re finally here.¡±

    The people behind rejoiced, someone came to Li Man¡¯s side and said with a smile: ¡°Well, if they can take us in, we won¡¯t have to worry about anything anymore.¡±

    Li Man also had a smile on his face, but he accidentally moved the wound on his face. He cursed in his heart: These smelly boys, they are really ruthless.

    While nodding in response to this man¡¯s words, he pretended to be worried: ¡°Brother Li, do you really think that they can take us in?¡±

    Li Da smiled, ¡°It must be possible, otherwise what are we doing here?¡±

    Li Man relaxed his heart when he heard this, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±

    Wang Si next to him asked curiously: ¡°I heard that as long as the brothers come here, they can eat enough, it¡¯s true.¡±

    Li Da said in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t know yet, do you? The big leader here is powerful, have you heard that Ningshi Village outside Liangcheng was robbed? That¡¯s what the big leader here did.¡± He looked around, and at the end, there was no one else, ¡°Hai! No one in Liangzhou would not envy such a powerful skill, they must have robbed a lot of money and grain this time. If we can enter such a force, no matter what we will obtain some soup to drink, right?¡±

    Wang Si exclaimed, ¡°That¡¯s good, we can drink soup, so we don¡¯t have to go hungry.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Li Da smiled, ¡°The government doesn¡¯t dare to deal with them, so let¡¯s lean against the big tree to take advantage of the cool shade.¡±

    ¡°Brother Li, these people are really so powerful. Those officers and soldiers are really powerful, we have lost dozens of brothers. Now everyone is still injured, look at our group of scattered remnants. If we go to seek shelter like this, will they be willing to take us in?¡± Wang Si still didn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Li Da nodded and affirmed, ¡°Didn¡¯t Leader Song already speak? As long as they come to him, they will not be refused. As a leader, his words naturally counts, otherwise why do you think he can improve so much in just two years? Wasn¡¯t it because all parties have been taken in when defecting to him. Now in the entire Liangzhou, who else can compare with leader Song? He grabbed from wherever he wanted, he didn¡¯t even put the government in his eye. ¡±

    Speaking of government office, Li Da shrunk his neck. They were so miserable this time, they met the troops of the government office. It was also strange, usually, these soldiers were unwilling to deal with a small group of bandits like them, but this time they were chased and beaten by soldiers, which was really unlucky.

    Li Man and Wang Si looked at each other, the corners of their mouths couldn¡¯t help twitching. Although they sneered in their hearts, they didn¡¯t show it on their faces, ¡°That¡¯s great, we won¡¯t have to suffer this sullenness in the future.¡±

    As he spoke, a voice came from the front. But they didn¡¯t see anyone, instead they heard a voice asking: ¡°Stop! Who are you? ¡±

    The person leading the front hurriedly said: ¡°We are all people on the same path, my name is Qiu Dayuan, and I specially brought my brothers to join leader Song. ¡±

    The voice did not speak again, it seemed to go to report. It took a long time to reply, ¡°Let them wait for a while, someone will come to check on the situation.¡±

    Everyone did not dare to move, but fortunately, after a while, a bearded man brought a small group of people over. They were checking to see if they carried weapons with them. If they were going up the mountain, they must not bring weapons with them. When the inspection was completed, each of them was given a black cloth towel, they were to be blindfolded before they could go up the mountain.

    On someone else¡¯s territory, how dare these twenty or so people, remnants of the defeated army, dare to resist?

    Li Man and Wang Si also went up the mountain with the others.

    The road up the mountain was winding and rugged. At first, the two of them thought about remembering the way, but halfway through, they already understood that the person who came to lead the way intended to circle them, and they were blindfolded, so it was impossible to remember clearly.

    Discovering this, the two did not panic too much. They had already expected this situation before they came, in any case, as long as they mixed up in the mountain and completed their task, it would be a great achievement.

    After walking for about the time make half a cup of tea, the people in front finally stopped, they had arrived. Then someone removed the cloth scarf over their eyes. Li Man raised his hand to cover his eyes, the strong light stimulated his eyes, making him a little uncomfortable. When he got used to it, he saw that his position was a wide flat land.

    ¡°Wait here first, someone will come to settle you down later.¡± The bearded man who took them up the mountain said and left with the people.

    Everyone was talking about it, they had never seen this kind of battle. The people who were originally full of confidence and were determined became a little flustered at this time. ¡°What do they mean by that? Didn¡¯t they say that it¡¯s best to make friends with leader Song¡¯s chivalrous heart? And that as long as we come to join him, he will warmly welcome us? But what¡¯s with him throwing us here now? ¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been walking all the way, we¡¯re so hungry that we¡¯re already pressing our chests against our backs, we¡¯re just hoping for a meal here, why doesn¡¯t it look like that now?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Didn¡¯t they say that leader Song is anxious for justice and righteousness, and is thirsty for merit? Wouldn¡¯t it be disappointing for us coming here to seek shelter?¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Qiu Dayuan shouted, everyone did not dare to say more, one by one they all lowered their heads. He glanced around, there was a majesty and momentum emanating, after all, there were dozens of brothers under him, being the boss, he still had a little aura

    ¡°We came here to join another, can you see what you all look like? Do you think this is your own turf? Nonsense!¡± Qiu Dayuan was also irritable in his heart, so he spoke even more unceremoniously.

    Li Man had been observing the surroundings since he came here, he knew that others could not just ignore them, there must be someone staring at them in the shadows. Sure enough, behind the woods not far away, a figure flashed. He already counted in his heart, and he casually tapped Wang Si¡¯s arm with his finger a few times, telling Wang Si what he had found. This secret method of communication was learned in the guard camp, it was the secret contact information that Wang Ye personally taught them. Except for the people in their escort camp, no one else would know.

    Wang Si didn¡¯t even look at the other party, but nodded faintly, indicating that he understood.

    After Qiu Dayuan said this, everyone was silent, and for a while only the sound of rustling wind blowing leaves was heard.

    ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting for a long time, there are too many affairs to take care of. I¡¯ve offended everyone, I hope you all will forgive me!¡± Before the person arrived, the voice had arrived, a shrewd and thin middle-aged man came over, smiled and cupped his fist and saluted.

    Qiu Dayuan didn¡¯t even dare to speak, the middle-aged man smiled kindly, ¡°Since you are here to join our great leader, please follow me.¡±

    Listening to his words, everyone seemed to have taken a reassuring pill since they were impetuous just now. Leader Song made a name for himself on the road and it was not a waste of fame, look at his subordinates and one would know, how could he be as unbridled as them? Thinking that they could follow Leader Song to make some achievements in the future, they couldn¡¯t contain their excitement.

    This time they finally saw Song Qingfu, although he had nothing special to look at, becoming the big leader of a force, how can he be good. He has been in a high position for two years, and he naturally has an awe-inspiring aura to himself.

    Everyone did not dare to be presumptuous. They kept silent.

    ¡°You can come to join me, I naturally welcome you. Since you are here, everyone will be good brothers in the future. But ugly things are ahead, when you come up the mountain, you should worship me as king. If you dare try draw your own forces, if you agree outwardly and oppose inwardly and cause the brothers to kill each other, don¡¯t blame the bloodthirsty broadsword in my hand.¡± Song Qingfu said with a smile, but there was a chill in his voice.

    ¡°Leader Song, rest assured, since our brothers have come up the mountain to defect, naturally they are under the command of the leader. If you have any order, we will never dare to disobey.¡± Qiu Dayuan cupped his hand and promised, ¡°If everyone dares to disobey, I, Qiu Dayuan, will be the first to not spare him.¡±

    These words were both a sign of loyalty and a warning to those below, everyone had no objection, and they all solemnly agreed.

    Song Qingfu was very satisfied, ¡°Very good, I believe everyone also knows the rules on this road, all those who defect need to pay a certificate of submission. Brother Qiu, are you willing? If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force it, just go down the mountain on your own.¡±

    They came to seek shelter with difficulty, they couldn¡¯t just drift along anymore, they wanted to find a big backer, so they didn¡¯t have to live a precarious life. If they go down the mountain at this time and ran into the soldiers, won¡¯t it be just a dead end? Song Qingfu was not a difficult person, there was indeed this rule on the road, so this requirement was not excessive.

    Immediately everyone promised and swore loyalty.

    Li Man and Wang Si followed and responded on the surface, but in private they observed without a trace, they were chess pieces arranged by Ming Yu. They must integrate here as soon as possible, and investigate intelligence anytime and anywhere.

    At this moment, a figure not far away attracted Li Man¡¯s full attention. This person was very familiar, it was not easy to forget at a glance, this familiar peerless style was Song Lian he had seen in the capital. It¡¯s just that this person disappeared two or three years ago, why did he suddenly appear here?

 CH 46

    The reason why he recognized Song Lian was because Song Lian was almost known by everyone in the capital three years ago. Everyone has a heart for beauty. Initially, he would startle celestial beings at a glance. He had a beauty in the world that can amaze men, women and children.

    In the autumn of that year, many scholars in the capital gathered together, including some young talents who were rich in learning. Song Lian was one of the best among them, coupled with his outstanding peerless appearance, his grace, talent, and manners, how can he not make everyone in the capital compete for his favor. Every time there was a poetry gathering, whenever Song Lian came out with a new poem, the streets and alleys were vying to recite his new works.

    Even the palace heard about it. It was rumoured that the princess specially sent palace people to inquire about him. Originally, everyone thought that there was no doubt that he would be in the top three in the autumn this time, but he did not expect to be implicated in the imperial examination fraud case that year.

    He still remembered that at that time, everyone in the capital regretted it. Even he, a person who had nothing to do with him, could not help but sigh when he heard it, such a person should have succeeded in the imperial examination. When he entered the dynasty as an official in the future, he would be able to walk the path smoothly. It¡¯s just that there has been no trace of him since this fraud case.

    Now that they met again in a different place, Li Man recognized him at a glance. However, he was not worried that this person would know him, he was just a passerby to him. He just wondered, why did this person appear here, could it be that the Mr. Song they investigated before was this person?

    If this was true, it was Song Lian who was planning for this gang of bandits behind the scenes. It will be a little tricky, Wang Ye must be notified of this news as soon as possible.

    He and Wang Si were selected by General Mo from the guard camp, just to get in and get information anytime and anywhere. It was even possible for them to make some chaos under certain circumstances, everything depended on them to make their own decisions according to the actual situation, and then implement the action.

    Mo Jiang received instructions from Ming Yu, and after returning home, he carefully selected these two people, mainly because they were bold and careful, had many sly ideas, and were good at judging the time and sizing up the situation. They also performed well usually so they were considered the best in the guard camp.

    As an old man in the guard camp, Li Man had now adapted from the dissatisfaction and complaining when he first came to the border land. He was smart enough, and now in the guard camp for all subjects, he was in the top ten. Whether he was trying to earn performance so that he can get the recommendation of Duan Wang after returning to the capital in the future so as to go to a higher level on his career path, or what other plans he has, at least judging by his current performance, he was still a capable person, enough to allow him stand alone.

    Wang Si was a villager who volunteered to participate in training, and later, because of all his excellent grades, after the training period expired, he was unwilling to go back and applied to stay voluntarily, so he became a member of the guard battalion. For these newcomers, Ming Yu was thinking of focusing on cultivating them, so that after a few years, when the old batch of people return back, this batch of new ones will be able to take the lead. With fresh blood injected into supplements, the people he can use will steadily flow in.

    The two mixed into a small force. After gaining trust, they informed the news to the guard camp, then the guard camp sent people to specifically chase them, so that these people were cornered, and under the deliberate guidance of the two, they thought of defecting to Song Qingfu.

    Li Man touched the bruises at the corners of his mouth, the pain caused him to grit his teeth. It could be said that the injuries on their bodies were beaten by their own family. These b*stards, saying it was in order to make them more trustworthy, they greeted him in the face, motherf*cker! They must have used the public office to avenge private wrongs to leave such heavy hands. Wait for him to go back and see how he cleans these people up.

    Song Qingfu allowed them to eat and drink enough, it was impossible to let them go hungry if they wanted their petitions.

    In fact, the petition was just a formality, in order to show their sincerity and show that they have one heart, they must bear the official chase order, or rob a house and hand over the materials to them in order to be trusted.

    Although they were cleared by the government, only these twenty or so people remained. But it was not a problem to raid people¡¯s houses. On the same day, they went down the mountain and robbed a family that still had surplus food.

    ¡°Godd*mned bandits! This old lady will fight with you! You have snatched all the grain, so how can our family survive the winter? You must die horribly!¡± Seeing that her grain was robbed, a strong woman hugged Li Man¡¯s leg who was walking at the back, and pulled him to prevent them from robbing the grain.

    Li Man was hugged by her, he couldn¡¯t get out of this for a while. The few people who had already walked to the front laughed when they saw it, and said jokingly: ¡°Brother Li, don¡¯t tell us that you can¡¯t even deal with women.¡±

    As soon as Li Man heard this, he laughed awkwardly twice, turned his head and immediately kicked her away viciously, ¡°Stinky woman, do you want to die? You even dare to entangle me, believe it or not, I can kill you with a single blade of mine.¡± After finishing the cruel words, he no longer paid attention to her. Carrying half a bag of snatched grain, he followed the people who were already walking in front.

    The woman¡¯s rough cry came from behind him. Li Man pursed the corners of his mouth, veins popped on his forehead. His face was distorted. D*mnit! Really d*mned cruel!

    After Li Man and them walked away, the man lying motionless in the corner of the wall climbed up. Patting the dust on the coarse cloth clothes, he walked over, kicked the woman who was still crying, and frowned: ¡°Okay, don¡¯t howl, they have all gone away.¡±

    The woman immediately stopped and got up with a grunt; don¡¯t look at her howling for a long time, there was not even half a tear on her face.

    ¡°Did they really go far?¡± The woman looked east and west, and then babbled a few times, pulled off the silk flowers on her head, and wiped a few handfuls of her face, smearing the rouge powder on her face black and white, he still did not realize it, ¡°Count me unlucky, pretending to be a woman is really not a human thing.¡±

    How was this a woman? Obviously he was a rough man pretending to be a woman.

    The man smiled, ¡°Eldest brother, I am willing to gamble and lose, but to be honest, your dominatrix appearance made those bandits dare not look at you more, hahaha.¡±

    Zhao Changzi gave him a blank look, humph! If he hadn¡¯t lost the bet with his brothers, why would he have been willing to play a woman. These rouge powders and this outfit were put on by these puppies, he knew that these people had no good intention.

    He stood up straight, a pain in his waist, he held his waist and cursed and shouted: ¡°Li Man, this son of a b*tch! He exerted all his strength in that kick, aiyo! My old waist! ¡±

    The man patted him on the shoulder and laughed, ¡°Come on! This is called one revenge comes another one goes, at that time didn¡¯t you also greet his face fiercely? ¡±

    Zhao Changzi choked and touched his neck to defend, ¡°Can that be the same? I did it for the sake of Brother Li. So I made a heavy move in case someone sees through it, it¡¯s a life-threatening matter.¡± After he finished speaking, he glanced at the man, ¡°Old Liu, don¡¯t patronize me, you talk as if you didn¡¯t make a move.¡±

    ¡°Eh!¡± The man was also obviously guilty, and did not dare to laugh, and changed the topic in a mocking manner, ¡°That¡¯s right! What code did Brother Li give you just now? Let¡¯s go back quickly.¡±

    This was arranged and planned by them a long time ago. Knowing that they went up the mountain to join Song Qingfu, therefore a petition must be indispensable. So they set up this bureau, let the brothers of the guard camp dress up as villagers, and let the bandits rob things.

    And the person who pretended to be the village woman just now, Zhao Zhangzi, deliberately entangled with Li Man. The two have quietly exchanged code words with each other.

    In fact, there was no need to deliberately remind them, they also knew the priority of the matter, and the two hurried back to report.

    ¡°In this way, Li Man and the two did not have the slightest suspicion, they mixed in very smoothly.¡± Ming Yu nodded and praised: ¡°Well done.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, now that they have returned the petition, Song Qingfu and his gang will not suspect them.¡± Mo Jiang said.

    ¡°Yes, have them be careful, the longer they lurk, the better, to gain their trust as much as possible. In the future, it will depend on them.¡± Ming Yu said. Although he had already ordered them, he couldn¡¯t help but remind them more.

    ¡°Your Highness rest assured, these two people dispatched are clever. Their ability to adapt to changes is not inferior, they will definitely successfully complete the task entrusted to them.¡± Mo Jiang swore that he knew the people he brought out of his hands best, and naturally believed them.

    Since he had already given full authority to Mo Jiang to handle it, Ming Yu also trusted him, so he stopped talking about this. Thinking of the news that Li Man brought back, he asked instead: ¡°Who is this Song Lian? Since Li Man knew him, I think that General Mo should have heard of him as well, so it is better to go talk about this Song Lian. We have to deal with things regardless of their importances, so don¡¯t hesitate to speak.¡±

    He really had no impression of this person named Song Lian. He used to live in the palace in seclusion, being muddleheaded all day long, stupidly staying in that small world, indifferent to external things. Only after falling into the water did he wake up completely. Sometimes he recalled the memories of the original owner, but most of them were vague, and his memories were not very clear.

    As a military general, Mo Jiang had never interacted with scholars, but for Song Lian, who was famous in the capital back then, Mo Jiang naturally heard of him.

    Mo Jiang sorted out his thoughts and said everything he heard and learned one by one.

    ¡°Song Lian was originally famous in the capital. His appearance and talent were all talked about by everyone. I heard that as soon as he appeared, there would be countless ladies in the capital who were watching and pursuing him. His poetry and literary works were also appreciated by the Lord Prime Minister. It can be said that if it were not for the involvement of the administration fraud case, Song Lian would have been able to shine in the palace examination, his future prospect limitless. ¡±

    ¡°I have not really seen Song Lian before. The fraud case at that time shocked the entire capital, His Majesty, the Emperor¡¯s, dragon mood was furious. He dealt with the offending officials and scholars with thunderous means, as for how Song Lian was implicated, I did not handle this case, so I¡¯m unaware of it. I only know that after Song Lian¡¯s accident, no one in the capital did not sigh. Some people even gathered to ask for His Majesty to give him favour outside of the law, and give a lenient treatment. In the end, this matter was settled by leaving it unsettled.¡±

    When Ming Yu heard this, he also deeply regretted it. Since he was a truly talented person, how could he cheat in the imperial examination? To no avail, time was important and so was luck and fate! It¡¯s a pity that this person was implicated!

    ¡°It¡¯s just that my subordinates also heard a gossip about him, I don¡¯t know if I should say it or not.¡± Mo Jiang was a little hesitant, this matter sounded quite strange. He only smiled when he heard it at that time, but now it seems that there are all kinds of doubts in this, so regardless of the truth or falsity of the matter, he wanted to tell His Highness about it, so as not to regret it when the time comes.

    Ming Yu was baffled, he had already told him to speak of what he knew, how can there be hesitation?

    ¡°This news was related to the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Third Prince, so¡­¡± Mo Jiang said the reason for his hesitation.

    ¡°Speak.¡± Ming Yu spoke. It¡¯s just an insignificant candidate going to the capital to take part in the imperial examination, what if he was an outstanding talent? How could he implicate the princes? Ming Yu¡¯s curiosity has been hooked, he can¡¯t wait to hear what this gossip is.

    Mo Jiang then said: ¡°I heard that although the case back then was said to be an administration fraud case, in fact the situation was related to the two princes. It was said that the crown prince and the third highness took a fancy to the talented Song Lian at the same time, and even fought for him. His Majesty was furious. In order to cover up people¡¯s eyes and ears, so as not to make such a scandal public, he randomly made a fraud case out, only to implicate Song Lian in it, saying to the outside world that he severely punished those who cheated and the officials were exiled thousands of miles away, and the scholar who was implicated in this could never be elected as an official. Although Song Lian was talented, he ended up like this.¡±

    If it was anyone else, Mo Jiang would never say these words. But Ming Yu was different, he believed that His Highness would never be able to punish him because of this.

    Ming Yu laughed when he heard this, if he hadn¡¯t understood His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, maybe he would have really believed it. However, the crown prince has always abided by the rules and was cautious in doing things, how can he be jealous for a man. This was not in line with the principle of the crown prince as a person.

    Ming Yu was somewhat close to the crown prince, but he had never heard the crown prince mention a Song Lian. If you really like someone, and was jealous because of him, how can you never mention him?

    Ming Yu waved his hand, ¡°How is this possible? It may be assumed that this rumour is groundless, don¡¯t mention it in the future.¡± He reminded. This rumour was treated as a joke when he heard it but it¡¯s not the same to the outside.

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Seeing that Ming Yu was not angry after hearing this and it was confirmed that this was just a rumour, Mo Jiang was also relieved. He naturally knew.

    Speaking about it today, he didn¡¯t understand why Song Lian came to the border. Song Lian was a southerner. Even after the fraud case and he could no longer continue to take the test, he could still return to his southern home, he can still live an ordinary life. But he did not return home, and came to the border, which was somewhat intriguing. He had heard that His Third Royal Highness Ming Tao had sent people to find Song Lian for a while, but in the end he found nothing. Thinking about it, no one knew that he came to the border land, naturally the person couldn¡¯t be found.

    Since the Third Highness had brazenly looked for Song Lian, it showed that Song Lian was not unrelated to the prince. He came here to hide from the people, could it be that he was hiding from the Third Highness.

    But these were just speculations, he really did not dare to say more, only silently swallowing these words into his stomach.

 CH 47

    Chapter 47

    The two couldn¡¯t think of the reason why Song Lian came to the borderland, so they didn¡¯t think about him. Song Qingfu relied on Song Lian behind him, then the case of Ningshi Village was all Song Lian¡¯s work, no wonder even the final sweep was done cleanly without missing anything.

    No wonder, Song Qingfu¡¯s power had been able to leap from a short period of two years to become one of the top forces in the entire Liangzhou, which can be said to be related to Song Lian¡¯s behind-the-scenes manipulation.

    ¡°Song Lian, Song Lian!¡± Ming Yu frowned, it¡¯s a pity, such a smart person was willing to degenerate with bandits, alas!

    However, no matter how much he cherished his talents, he could only put Song Lian aside. No matter what, since Song Lian helped to cause abuse, it was impossible to let him go. What was done, cannot be let go, if the forces of bandits are not eliminated, the commoners will never have peace.

    Following this, Ming Yu was completely busy. He worked out a battle plan with Xie Yixiu, General Wei and the others on how to lure the lord into the urn, how to arrange an ambush, and how to catch everyone in one net. Everything must be perfect, his determined words have already been spoken, if it fails through the lack of a final effort, then wouldn¡¯t his face be beaten, pow pow?

    Since Song Qingfu did the sensational case in Ningshi Village, all the large and small forces in Liangzhou have been alarmed. Everyone was staring in the dark, but they did not expect that the government did nothing, they did not even touch their tails. Seeing that they were full of harvests, there were more red-eyed people.

    Since it¡¯s like this and they can do it, they can do it too. Although their own power was not as big as his, Song Qingfu¡¯s, even the manpower was not as much as him, it was completely fine to rob some smaller villages!

    Many people thought like this, including Shi Dashun¡¯s team. They have two or three hundred brothers. Song Qingfu was not yet the leader at that time, and he was not as strong as Shi Dashun¡¯s team. Later on, Song Qingfu gradually gained power, only then did his team develop stronger and stronger, leaving them far behind.

    Nowadays, many small forces that can¡¯t get by have also turned over to get help from him. Song Qingfu was getting stronger and stronger, while Shi Dashun¡¯s heart was extremely sour since he was inferior to Song Qingfu. The more he compared, the angrier he got.

    No, they also have to learn to do something big. In the past, they were afraid, causing the brothers below to complain more and more. As long as they operate like Song Qingfu, maybe some people will come to seek shelter with them, he didn¡¯t believe he was much worse than that kid, Song Qingfu.

    Since he decided, then he had to do it. Thus, he chose a village that was not big nor small. He did not dare to look for a village on the edge of Liangcheng like Song Qingfu, he could only find a place that looked good, somewhere not too dangerous, and he could step on for a few days. Shi Dashun gritted his teeth, d*mn it! One who is unwilling to take risks will not achieve great things! He needs to go for it!

    In the past, all chaos was small scale. Although there were break-ins to rob, it was just robbing one or two and running. They were afraid that the government would pursue them, but now with Song Qingfu as an example, his courage also fattened up. He had the intention to learn from it, and loot the entire village¡¯s belongings.

    ¡°Brothers, if we do this today, we will be able to survive the winter in peace and never have to go hungry again.¡± Shi Dashun was a little excited, raised the wine bowl in his hand, and saluted to the circle, ¡°Good days are just around the corner, everyone, let¡¯s work together then this trip will definitely succeed.¡±

    Everyone was eager to try it, so they all took their bowls and drank it all in one gulp. ¡°To win instant success! F*ck them! ¡±

    As night fell, when the people in the village turned off the lights and rested, Shi Dashun and his group, who had been waiting for a long time, began to act. They couldn¡¯t contain their excitement for a long time, and rushed in.

    Shi Dashun was proud and excited, they wanted to rob property and food. As long as they dared to block it, the knife in their hands would not be vegetarian.

    Shi Dashun kicked open a door and scanned the room through the moonlight, there was nothing else in the room except for tables and chairs. Looking around, he felt that something was wrong.

    Maybe the family didn¡¯t put their valuables here waiting for people to grab it? Thinking about it, he walked towards the bedroom on the side. With a target, he walked directly to the bed and was just about to grab someone, but the hand detective fished out emptiness, the bed was empty, where was the figure?

    What about the people? Shi Dashun was dumbfounded, he couldn¡¯t believe everything in front of him, he obviously saw all the villagers enter the house before dark, but he never saw anyone come out again. Why is there no one now?

    However, he was not the only one who suffered this, almost everyone was stunned.

    Shi Dashun exited the house. One after another, his own people came out cursing, empty-handed, it seemed that they had found nothing.

    ¡°Leader, this is cursed, there is nothing in the house, let alone a grain. There was not even a pot or pan, there was no one inside and outside the house.¡± Someone saw Shi Dashun and said what he saw.

    At this moment, Shi Dashun¡¯s heart was slightly cold. What was the situation? Not just one or two families but the whole village was gone, however, in the evening it was clear that there were people everywhere, he had seen seven or eight children chasing and running out to play when they were shouted at and scolded by adults and reluctantly went home.

    How long has it been? How can they not see even one person?

    ¡°Leader, have you seen anyone go out of the village?¡± Someone asked, their voice trembled a little.

    They were all bandits on the road, so they often do murder and arson, but they didn¡¯t even blink their eyes on that, however the situation now made these people a little afraid.

    Everyone found nothing, so they gathered here. When someone heard these words, they involuntarily rubbed the goosebumps on their arms.

    None of them had ever seen anyone come out. That was what was horrifying here, obviously there were so many people, such a lively village but they all disappeared in just a breath.

    Shi Dashun¡¯s expression darkened, he didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Leader, this is¡­ What¡¯s going on, this¡­this, did we see ghosts?¡± The person next to Shi Dashun trembled and spoke a sentence.

    Shi Dashun slapped him with a wave of his hand, ¡°Shameful thing, what are you talking about? If you dare to say more, I will immediately turn you into a ghost. ¡±

    The man covered his face and did not dare to speak, neither did the others.

    Shi Dashun frowned and thought about it, the matter was definitely not simple, ¡°These people can¡¯t disappear out of thin air, they must be hidden. Go search for me, search separately.¡± He didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t find these people. Even if no one was found, some food will definitely be found.

    Someone led the way, ready to search every house.

    ¡°Ah! Someone died!¡± A group of people ran out in a panic. They went to Shi Dashun, and pointed to the house over there, ¡°Leader, Lao Wang, Lao Wang seems to be dead.¡±

    What was so terrible about the dead? Shi Dashun just wanted to open his mouth to curse, but he was not calm when he heard the latter sentence. Lao Wang was their old buddy, how can he die here for no reason?

    He hurriedly followed over to check, and saw a pool of blood in the house. Lao Wang fell in a pool of blood, with a kitchen knife stuck in his chest. Who killed him? They killed people so quietly under their noses?

    However, after a while, news came of several deaths. At this moment, everyone was panicking, no matter how angry Shi Dashun was, he couldn¡¯t calm everyone¡¯s emotions.

    ¡°How good would it have been if we had defected to the power of Leader Song? We can follow them to eat and drink well, but what is the situation now?¡± Some people complained on the spot, which attracted many people to echo.

    Shi Dashun was depressed. When he proposed this plan, no one stood up against it, yet now when there was a problem, they begun to regret his decision. A group of easily swayed people. Since the plan failed, there was no point in staying any longer. More than ten brothers were lost, this trip was purely suffering a double loss after trying to trick the enemy. Shi Dashun could only let everyone retreat, they can always talk about things when they return.

    Just after exiting the village, intending to leave, there were many people outside the village, it seemed that there were people everywhere. Before they could understand, someone lit a torch in front of them.

    Shi Dashun¡¯s pupils constricted, this¡­ This was the government¡¯s troops? Shi Dashun secretly cried in his heart but he had never heard of the garrison coming here. In order to guard against the troops, he also specially picked a slightly more remote village to attack, how can this also attract the soldiers?

    The black pressure with torches in front of them pressed the group. Dressed in armour, their movements were uniform. With them just standing there, the aura of a blade had already spread out.

    An official at the front stood up, smiling proudly, tilting his head, ¡°Shi Dashun, we have been waiting for you for a long time.¡±

    Shi Dashun couldn¡¯t help but take a step back, the people below all nervously clenched the weapons in their hands. They couldn¡¯t figure it out even if they thought until their heads broke, how can they run into soldiers after making all the preparations for this trip?

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Shi Dashun boldly asked, ¡°You¡­ You are not from the garrison?¡± He has seen the other party¡¯s people clearly. The armour was clear, the action was orderly, everyone was like a sword out of the sheath, no matter who he touched, he would only be strangled.

    ¡°Naturally, I am not from the garrison. You may know that we are the escort of Duan Wang. If you lay down your arms and surrender obediently, we will spare your life, if not, you will surely die! ¡±

    If it was not the garrison, then it was good. Besides the red robe army in the entire border area that can make them fearful, they were not afraid of the garrison, not to mention that they were not the garrison at all.

    Escort guards, they had also heard of them, they were the imperial guards who escorted Duan Wang to the borderlands. However, they knew that the imperial guards from the capital were just some flower racks, donkey dung eggs, and shiny surfaces. They were left here just to scare people, not to mention they were outlaws with many lives on their hands, will they be afraid of these embroidered pillows? Moreover, their numbers were close, if they fight together, they may still have a chance to survive.

    In any case, they would not believe that these people would let them go just because they laid down their weapons, they would simply be meat on the chopping block to be slaughtered. They were not fools, how can this kind of nonsense be believed?

    Shi Dashun made a gesture towards the brothers and pulled out a broadsword, ¡°Brothers, go! They are small fries, let¡¯s fight with them, there will still be a way to live! Kill! ¡±

    ¡°Hehe!¡± Shi Dashun¡¯s reaction made the soldiers of the guard battalion get excited, they have already explained the intention of the higher up. It was these people who were unwilling to cooperate and looked for their own death, so it can¡¯t be blamed on them.

    These bandits were all guilty of terrible crime, they should all be annihilated as soon as they are seen, only Wang Ye was benevolent, saying that as long as they surrendered, he would give a chance for them to reform. Well, they have been given a chance, who was it if it¡¯s not them who did not cherish it?

    Everyone was ready to roll up their sleeves for battle. The previous training exercises were not enjoyable at all, now that there was a target for training, this opportunity should naturally be cherished!

    The battle soon fell into a one-sided situation. In less than a cup of tea¡¯s time, the battle was already over, this was the result of the guards¡¯ desire to accumulate actual combat experience. It¡¯s a pity that these people were not worthy of beating.

    Shi Dashun didn¡¯t figure out until he died, how his actions were exposed, how the people in those villages disappeared, and how the said imperial guards embroidered pillows who were just good for nothing had combat power more terrifying than the garrison, just like madmen? But he would never figure out all of these forever.

    Everything went smoothly, the escort army cleaned the battlefield cleanly. As soon as the battle was over, someone had already gone to report to Ming Yu and the others who were watching the battle not far away.

 CH 48

    Chapter 48

    Ming Yu watched the battle from the rear heights, accompanied by Xie Yixiu, Mo Jiang, Xu Wen and others. This was the first time that the guard battalion had a formal battle in a real situation. It can be said that it¡¯s a valuable experience for everyone who was participating in the battle. No matter what kind of battle there would be in the future, this time, it was undoubtedly of great significance.

    A few days ago, the people on the watchtower in Wang Village had already discovered the clue because many young strong people in their village had gone to the base to participate in training. The things taught there were very practical on how to defend themselves, how to fight back, how to check the enemy¡¯s situation, and how to organize the people to avoid danger, and so on.

    After returning, they organized patrols. In addition to the underground passage, there was a watchtower about three or five meters high, which was convenient to observe the movement a little further out

    Every day they took turns to send people to be on patrol while the rest of them worked as usual, so that they would not delay the farming time and protect the village well. Since the discovery a few days ago of strangers sticking their heads out and looking around the village from time to time, it caused them to be alert. The bandits were eyeing their village, but they did not panic, they quietly observed these people, at the same time they also sent people to the base to report the news, and waited for people to come to support.

    After several months of training, the young people of the patrol team had a calm and collected response. They did not tell the villagers the news, mainly for fear of causing the villagers to panic.

    So they not only let the villagers hide all the food in their homes in the underground passage, but also let the villagers hide in the tunnels every night, saying that in order to train the villagers¡¯ resilience, they need to familiarize themselves with the underground passages in advance to facilitate their skill in hiding in the future.

    This tunnel was built by their own family, why would they need to be familiar with it. They could know the way even with their eyes closed. But under the insistence and persuasion of the juniors in the family, the old people who were originally unwilling to toss could not resist, so they had to obey the juniors.

    After tossing and turning like this for a few days, everyone was almost impatient, but they did not expect that there were really bandits in the village today.

    Thinking of this, the village elders in the village were secretly afraid, if it weren¡¯t for the juniors¡¯ insistence that everyone in the village hide in the underground passage, tonight, their village would only be faced with doom.

    Now they also really understood the reason why the government asked for the underground passage to be built. They used to think that it was just a task assigned by the government, and they only needed to complete it. They didn¡¯t think it would come in handy at all, but it turned out that now the tunnel really saved their lives.

    After cleaning up the battlefield, Ming Yu and the others moved into the village to calm the people in the village. The elders of the village also led the villagers to greet them at the entrance of the village.

    Now Ming Yu has been mentally prepared for the battle and killing scene, compared to the tragic scene that he saw when he just came to Liangzhou and was caught off guard, it was already good. Besides his face being a little pale, everything else was fine.

    These people deserved it. If they were not eliminated, more innocent people would suffer, so they cannot be soft-hearted. These people did not deserve sympathy. Ming Yu secretly did some heart construction, he was not Virgin Mary. To mention to the soldiers to not kill those that surrender, it will also deeply influence the future generations. As for these people, even if they are captured, they will never have a good life. The crimes they have committed, they will always have to pay a price.

    Xie Yixiu noticed his miserable white face and turned his head to look at him, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

    Ming Yu smiled, took out a candy from his purse and put it in his mouth. The sweetness of his mouth suppressed the stuffiness in his heart, which made him feel better. Seeing that Xie Yixiu was looking at him, he took out another piece and handed it to Xie Yixiu.

    Xie Yixiu looked at the candy in Ming Yu¡¯s hand, then at his face, but he didn¡¯t move. Ming Yu was impatient, so he put it directly into his mouth, and muttered: ¡°This was what Qing Ping made by herself, it¡¯s sweet and delicious, you willl know when you taste it. Whenever you are in a bad mood, eat some sweets, and your mood will become happy. When I suffer from hypoglycemia and become dizzy and fatigue, taking a few pieces will solve the problem. ¡±

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s mouth was sweet, he rarely ate sweets when he was a child, now his mouth was full of sweetness that can¡¯t help but make him frown since he was a little unaccustomed.

    ¡°Delicious, right?¡± Ming Yu¡¯s eyebrows curved. Xie Yixiu looked at the bulging on his cheeks, and his fingers moved unconsciously, but he controlled it and moved his eyes away.

    After entering the village with the villagers, the village head took the lead and knelt down to thank Wang Ye for saving his life. He didn¡¯t know that this underground passage could protect their lives, these were the grace of Wang Ye, how could they not be grateful?

    Ming Yu helped them up, said a few words, and told them to be careful in the future, after all, the bandits have not been completely eliminated, so they should still be on guard.

    Everyone respectfully obeyed his order.

    Xu Wen was excited, he personally led the construction of the underground passage. This one today allowed him to witness the true role of this tunnel.

    At first, when Ming Yu proposed it, to be honest, he was a little hesitant, not believing that the underground passages being built and ordinary villagers alone could change the situation. The commoners have always been a vulnerable group, only Ming Yu really wanted to protect them and let them save themselves.

    When the bandits first entered the house to search, the hidden patrol was already waiting for the opportunity. The enemy was in the light, They were in the dark, and it was the easiest to attack. Such training subjects have been practiced countless times when they were in the training base, so they didn¡¯t have any fear, some were just excited, if you met them, then consider yourself unlucky!

    Lao Wang was one of the unlucky ghosts, he looked everywhere, but there was nothing, what was this? They busied themselves for a long time, but wasn¡¯t it all in vain? The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. He was a little indignant when he saw that the people who searched had gone out. Just as when he wanted to follow the person in front of him out of the house, he heard something in the cabinet behind him, there seemed to be some noise.

    He glanced back, a little unsure, then glanced at the others who had left. He gritted his teeth, his heart was unwilling. Maybe there was something in the cabinet. Although it had been searched just now, he always felt that there may be a missing place in the search, otherwise how can a family have nothing of value?

    Even a person, he still hasn¡¯t seen anyone so he was a little embarrassed. As he looked at the cabinet that made the noise again, his heart was even more certain, in case it was a person hiding inside, he could catch a living mouth, then he would not worry about the whereabouts of his belongings.

    Thinking of this, he turned around alone and came to the cabinet door. As soon as he opened the cabinet door, before he could see clearly what was in front of him, something flew out of his hood, and then his heart hurt, the blade had passed through his chest, that¡¯s how he didn¡¯t even know how he died.

    Wang Dachuan looked at the person who fell to the ground. The kitchen knife was stained with blood, he was sure that he was dead. Then he only let out a long breath in his chest, he had just killed someone, and his hands and feet were still weak. Commoners like them, in addition to killing pigs and sheep during the New Year, where else would they have used their knives. This is the first time they have done murder, although the person who was killed deserved it, he still felt uncomfortable. It was a contradiction that was both exciting and nerve racking.

    The training method taught by Commander Mo was really useful, you can kill the enemy by surprise, plus the underground passages that extended in all directions allowed for advance or retreat, they can appear and disappear in top secret without anyone knowing it, catching the enemy by surprise.

    The blow just now made him feel that this matter was much easier than he thought. Commander Mo was right, it was the mule that was led out by the horse to walk, as long as there was a chance, it was still the easiest to improve his ability in such a real battle. Perhaps in the future, they can condense more combat methods in actual combat.

    This idea was consistent with what Xu Wen currently thought, this time the guard battalion was dispatched because the enemy situation was discovered early. If there was an emergency and it was impossible to move to the rescue quickly, then the villagers can only save themselves, which depends on the organizer¡¯s ability to respond.

    No wonder Wang Ye was determined to let the young adults in the village go to the training base for several months of training. First, young people are flexible and easy to accept new things, and most of the things taught by the training base were how to protect the villagers and how to fight the enemy.

    Wang Ye¡¯s meaning, to sum it up in one sentence: the enemy advances and I retreat, the enemy retreats and I advance, overcome rigidity with softness, and take advantage of your weakness to take your life.

    Ming Yu said that this was the fruit of wisdom of his ancestors, and he was just borrowing such advanced concepts to place it here.

    Xu Wen was excited. Wang Ye was able to think of the actual combat drill of the guard battalion and the Red Robe Army, and could also borrow it to use it here? Letting the villagers and ordinary people also practice several times and become more proficient and skilled, when the enemy comes, they can deal with it calmly and reduce unnecessary losses. Well, when he goes back, he will present a petition and must let Wang Ye agree and arrange it as soon as possible.

    He can now affirm the role of the tunnel, and believed that when the entire village of Liangzhou has built underground passages, by that time, whether it is bandits or the barbarians, they can deal with this with great results.

    Ming Yu had checked the situation of the entire village at this time, there were no losses, except for one person who accidentally sprained his foot while hiding in the tunnel.

    This was the first time that Wang Village had encountered thieves and bandits robbing the village, but the personnel and materials in the village were very good, of course, this was also the reason why the escort army came in time. Aside from this reason, there should not be much loss in the village. This was very good, proving that this method was indeed feasible, in fact, such a method, Ming Yu also had some drumming in his heart, after all, he had not personally experienced it, he just based it on the experience of some predecessors according to the implementation of inspired imitation. Now that Wang Village was in front of him, he believed it would be much easier to extend this method to the entire territory of Liangzhou.

    Therefore, the publicity of this matter cannot be small, it is necessary to make the people of Liangzhou themselves believe that what can protect them is in their hands, so that they can do it willingly without the need for the government to pressure them.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great method!¡± Xie Yixiu praised.

    Although he had long known about the underground passages Ming Yu spent a lot of manpower and material resources on, at first he just thought that people like Ming Yu were probably coming up with something new, under the guise of being good for the people, and then tossing the people to do what he wanted.

    He¡¯s nothing more than just an idle Wang Ye who had just come to Liangzhou, so how can he have an actual good method for Liangzhou? Does he know what kind of life the people of Liangzhou live? The people have long been miserable, how could there be more opportunities for him to play around?

    However, now Xie Yixiu admitted that he was short-sighted and began to examine Ming Yu again, only to find that every time something came out of his mouth and he did it, it was really useful. Obviously they were all very complicated things, yet he can easily deliver them. Like the thief and bandit attacking the village, in the past, it was only after the incident that the government sent officers and soldiers to investigate, but in the end, the losses had already been caused, and no matter how much they traced, they could not recover the losses.

    And when Ming Yu handled it, not only can he prevent such a thing, but also effectively launch a counterattack, with the patrol team composed of young and strong people to protect the village wholeheartedly, there was no need to send border garrisons and it can still be very effective.

    He really wanted to see how many good things were contained in his little head, Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes had a hint of softness.

    After being affirmed, Ming Yu was happy in his heart, but his face still had to be a little reserved. High-sounding words came when he opened his mouth, ¡°Sigh! I¡¯m only here to blindly play around, the most important thing is the result of the intentions of the people below, everyone working together for a common purpose to achieve this result together. ¡±

 CH 49

    Ming Yu¡¯s words moved the people below beyond words. Look, only this kind of utterly fearless spirit and broad-mindedness would completely push his own credit to his subordinates.

    The people below were not finished feeling moved, when Ming Yu tilted his head, ¡°Of course, this is also inseparable from the teachings of Ben Wang, who is Ben Wang? Ben Wang¡¯s the Great Yan¡¯s smartest Wang Ye. Let me tell you, with a good team, you can achieve the glory of a person, and if I eat meat, there will be soup for you. ¡±

    After speaking, he squinted his eyes towards Xie Yixiu, ¡°How about it, do you want to come over and join Ben Wang?¡±

    Xie Yixiu was speechless, he still remembered the matter of him trying to lure his subordinate away from him? At first, he didn¡¯t understand the situation and couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth to lure the person, trying to convert Mo Jiang who was under Ming Yu. This was good, this person directly copied what he did and spoke like that.

    It wasn¡¯t known why, this person¡¯s pettiness made him feel he was a little cute. Although he knew that he was joking, Xie Yixiu still shook his head.

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made Mo Jiang and the others not know whether to laugh or to cry but the words were reasonable, Mo Jiang had already made up his mind to follow Duan Wang loyally, and he had only this way to go.

    And Xu Wen was even more excited, if he could have met such a master earlier, he would not have spent so many years in vain. Thinking of Wang Ye who once revealed the future blueprint of Liangzhou, Xu Wen¡¯s heart was surging.

    As a man, although he cannot carry a knife to kill the enemy, he can carry a pen to calm the world. He didn¡¯t dare to think about this kind of thing before, he could only be a petty official, even if he tried his best, it was just a job such as sorting out paperwork, mediocrity and stumbling all his life, what ideals, what brilliance?

    It wasn¡¯t until he met Wang Ye and was appreciated and put into an important position by Duan Wang that he had a place to use his skill. Fortunately, it was not too late, he can still do a lot of things for Wang Ye in the future, and follow Wang Ye to rectify Liangzhou into the way he had in his heart. At that time, he will have no regrets, when his children and grandchildren look back to today, he can proudly tell them about their grandfather¡¯s time.

    When things were over, everyone had gone back to their houses. After saying goodbye to Ming Yu, Xie Yixiu took two steps, turned back and looked at Ming Yu fixedly.

    Just when Ming Yu still thought that he had something important to say to himself, Xie Yixiu spoke: ¡°It¡¯s very sweet!¡±

    After saying that, he quickly left, leaving a confused Ming Yu with a full head of question marks. What was very sweet? Sweet? After thinking about it, Ming Yu reacted, he was talking about the candied fruit he had given him earlier.

    It turns out that this was praising the sweetness of the candies! Then again, he didn¡¯t have to come back to him to say such a thing, right? Could it be that this person had never eaten candies? Gee! It is so pitiful, the child who lacked love since childhood, no wonder he grew into such an ice sculpture as he is now. However, if he likes it, he can let Qingping make more another day, and send someone to send some over when the time comes.

    The fact that Shi Dashun¡¯s group was completely annihilated was rumored among the thieves.

    Many people were shocked, because Shi Dashun¡¯s team had always belonged to a medium force, and Shi Dashun still had some talent for leading hundreds of people. It¡¯s just that no matter how bad it was, it can¡¯t be completely annihilated, right? Could it be that they met the Red Robe Army?

    With such doubts, everyone sent trusted people to inquire about the news.

    ¡°Mr. Song, what do you think about this?¡± Song Qingfu carefully poured a cup of tea for Song Lian before sitting across from him and asking.

    Song Lian didn¡¯t have any expression on his face, he lifted his eyelids to look at him, and then picked up the tea in both hands and took a sip gently.

    Song Qingfu kept secretly looking at his face, everything was as usual, as if the events of that day had not happened, he breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time felt a little annoyed in his heart. That day, he was reckless and got carried away by the victory, so he confessed his feeling without hesitation.

    He knew that Song Lian¡¯s past was not simple, and he also knew that a proud person like him would definitely look down on a boss like himself, but he just couldn¡¯t help it.

    Now it¡¯s okay, he hoped Song Lian was not affected by the events of that day, and can still advise them as always.

    ¡°This matter was a little strange, have you found out the cause of the matter?¡± Song Lian asked in a deep voice.

    Speaking of business, Song Qingfu did not dare to think about those trivial matters, the person he sent to inquire about the news had returned. When he got the news, he immediately came to find Song Lian.

    He nodded, ¡°I heard that the target of Shi Dashun and his gang was Wang Village, and they stepped on the spot to investigate for a few days, preparing to carry out a surprise attack at night like us, but they didn¡¯t expect to enter the village that night and couldn¡¯t come out again.¡± He glanced at Song Lian and saw that the other party was listening carefully, and then said: ¡°The news that came back said that it was because they encountered an army, and then they were wiped out. ¡±

    Song Lian held the mouth of the teacup, there was doubt in his eyes, and he asked: ¡°Is it the garrison or the Red Robe Army? Why did the army happen to be there? Were they waiting to ambush there or they just happened to run into the army? ¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± These questions, Song Qingfu was not very clear. The person who brought back the news could not inquire about this at all, he only said what he knew, ¡°The spies came back and said that this army was neither the garrison nor the Red Robe Army, but a guard army that came to Liangzhou with Duan Wang. As for whether an ambush was set up in advance or happened to happen, this was not clear. ¡±

    ¡°Guard army?¡± Song Lian was puzzled.

    ¡°Yes, also the Imperial Guard that the emperor gave to his son, Duan Wang, to guard his safety. However, everyone knows that the Imperial Guards are simply vulnerable. Shi Dashun should not be completely annihilated if he encountered them. Even if he can¡¯t fight, he can escape, right? That¡¯s kind of weird.¡± Song Qingfu scratched his head.

    He couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on. He knew this team of Shi Dashun, they¡¯re cunning, vicious, they can also rank high even on the road. Even if they encounter the garrison, they can fight together, why didn¡¯t any of them escape this time?

    In this way, it was indeed a little strange, Song Lian frowned, ¡°Go and let people inquire again, I want to know the details of that battle from beginning to end.¡±

    Song Qingfu answered, and then asked, ¡°Shall we make another big deal?¡±

    They had robbed a lot of things before, enough for them to squander for a while. They originally wanted to live a few days of stability, however, their reputation spread, and for a while many small forces on the road heard the wind and wanted to come to them. Song Lian once said that to let him develop his power, as long as they wanted to join he should accept it.

    What Song Lian ordered, he didn¡¯t dare not listen, if it weren¡¯t for Song Lian¡¯s support, he would still be a low-level little minion, so he loved and feared Song Lian. However, after accepting in these people, although the power seems to have grown a lot, this indicated that the amount of eating had increased a lot.

    The food supplies they robbed last time had to feed more and more people, only sitting on the mountain with nothing to eat, if they don¡¯t do another big deal, then this winter will be a little difficult.

    In addition, since the brothers under their hands successfully ransacked Ningshi Village last time, their hearts have become proud, as long as they want, Liangzhou can be theirs inside and out, they can rob wherever they want, so what about officers and soldiers? They would only suffer humiliation when they ran into them.

    Although he felt that something was wrong in his heart, when others praised how wise and brave this big leader was, how clever he was, and how he was powerful, his heart was also fluttering.

    After all, he still had some inferiority, as if after hearing this, he can stand side by side with Song Lian. Although he said that today¡¯s idea was the idea of his brothers, how could he not want to create miracles again? He wanted to become the largest force in Liangzhou, wanted to be affirmed and appreciated by Song Lian, he wanted to protect Song Lian under his wing, so no one dares to bully him in the future.

    Song Lian stared at him, his eyes were a little penetrating, Song Qingfu was at a loss by his stare, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Song Lian snorted coldly: ¡°What did I tell you that day?¡±

    Song Qingfu shivered, ¡°You said that we have to be lying low during this recent period,¡± he paused, and raised his head, his words revealed caution, ¡°I know that you are afraid that the soldiers will track us down, but you see, it had been so long, but the soldiers don¡¯t even dare to let out a fart, what is there to be scared of?!¡±

    When Song Lian heard such vulgar words, he frowned in disgust and sneered: ¡°If you want to go then go, what is the point of asking me?¡± The implication was that it doesn¡¯t matter what he did.

    Song Qingfu was a little flustered when he heard this. Looking at Song Lian¡¯s face, it did not seem to be a joke, if Song Lian really didn¡¯t care about him, then he would be miserable. He quickly waved his hand to explain, ¡°I don¡¯t mean that either, please don¡¯t get angry, sir.¡±

    Song Lian hooked the corners of his mouth, ¡°Huh! What am I angry about? You guys want to send yourselves to death by yourself, I can¡¯t care about it, can I? ¡±

    Song Qingfu scolded, how was it sending themselves to death? Song Lian was also too fussy, but he didn¡¯t dare to mention this again, so he had to talk about other things.

    After that, Song Lian looked sickly, not interested in any topic, most of the time it was Song Qingfu who was talking, he just spoke one minute and quiet the other minute. Song Qingfu barely stayed for a while longer, then ended the topic and left.

    Not long after Song Qingfu left, a small person popped in outside the door, like an eight- or nine-year-old child.

    Song Lian was originally dizzy, but when he saw this person come in, his spirit suddenly improved, and a beautiful smile appeared on his face, it seemed that the whole room became bright.

    ¡°Uncle Ping, are you back?¡± Song Lian¡¯s voice had a touch of sincere joy, the indifference just now was simply making it seem like there were two people.

    Uncle Ping wiped a few times on his face, his figure did not change, but after such a brush, a child¡¯s face became like an orange peel. Deep and shallow wrinkles like a ravine covered the entire face, so that at a glance, you can see that his real age should be forty or fifty years old.

    Uncle Ping smiled kindly, ¡°Master, I have already heard about the things you asked me to inquire about.¡±

    Song Lian no longer had any shelves at this time, and personally poured him a cup of hot tea, ¡°Uncle Ping had worked hard, drink a cup of tea first, sit down and talk slowly.¡±

    In this world, only Uncle Ping was his closest person, in front of him, there was no need to pretend.

    He and Uncle Ping came here to find an opportunity, he was not willing to do nothing for a lifetime, he wanted revenge at all costs.

    How those people treated him back then, he had to return it all. How the emperor was back then, how the prince was back then, he hated these supreme people, they didn¡¯t need to do anything, and only needed a word to destroy a person¡¯s life, drive people deep into the mud, and never be allowed to turn over.

    And he, clearly was unwilling, on what basis? He was ambitious, talented, capable, should he end up in this situation just because others framed him, just because someone didn¡¯t want him to come out?

    Therefore, as long as he had the opportunity, he must let them know how to write the word regret.

    However, the hatred in Song Lian¡¯s eyes gradually faded, and he returned to his usual calmness. Now in his own situation, he did not know when or how he will be able to realize his ambitions.

    Uncle Ping knew Song Lian¡¯s thoughts, he watched this child grow up, how can he not know what¡¯s in his heart, but no matter what he did, he would do his best to help him.

    ¡°Master, don¡¯t be anxious, one day, it will be fine.¡±

    Uncle Ping¡¯s words calmed Song Lian down. Yes, it will be fine, isn¡¯t today¡¯s dormancy just for his day¡¯s edge, everything had just begun!

 CH 50

    Chapter 50

    ¡°What did you hear this time? Say it for me to hear.¡± Song Lian sat down and started the conversation.

    He heard about Shi Dashun so he asked Uncle Ping to inquire, not that he didn¡¯t believe the spies sent by Song Qingfu, but he just thought that maybe Uncle Ping would find out more when he went out to investigate.

    Uncle Ping took a sip of the tea that Song Lian handed him, and then he spoke: ¡°This Wang Village seems to be very unusual, Shi Dashun led hundreds of people to attack Wang Village at night, but there was no casualty in Wang Village. After that, it should have been surrounded and ambushed by troops, then the whole group will be destroyed. It stands to reason that Shi Dashun¡¯s team cannot be so incompetent, and I can¡¯t figure out how this result came about. ¡±

    Song Lian frowned, ¡°There were strange things in Wang Village, have you checked it out in Wang Village?¡±

    ¡°I have been there, but now the Wang Village is on guard and treating everyone as enemies so the guard against outsiders was very strong, ordinary outsiders were not allowed to enter the village. I have used my identity as a beggar to ask for food, so that I could enter the village, but I did not dare to stay for long, and was hastily taken out. But I have paid attention to it, the village was the same as usual, and the villagers¡¯ demeanor was also as usual, with one glance, I can¡¯t tell that they have been subjected to the ambush of the bandits.¡± Uncle Ping recalled the scene in the village.

    Song Lian thought for a long time, what Uncle Ping said was exactly what he couldn¡¯t figure out, but no matter how mysterious it was, he believed it would definitely be exposed in the future.

    ¡°That Shi Dashun and his group of people were destroyed by the escort army, I heard that they were sent to Liangzhou to protect Duan Wang. I heard about it when I was there at that time¡­Duan Wang he is but a foolish prince, and his guard was dispatched by the emperor from the capital. If they were against Shi Dashun, there is no reason why the whole army would be destroyed!¡± Song Lian only felt that this matter was weird everywhere. ¡°If it was an encounter with the Red Robe Army, it might be believed that this situation would have resulted like this, but¡­¡±

    Song Lian shook his head, as everyone thought, Shi Dashun and these people would have definitely come up with a way to retreat when they met the garrison, so that at least a single living mouth was left behind. What if the Red Robe Army disguised as the guard army? Or what¡¯s so tricky about the escort? In short, there was something crafty in this matter that can¡¯t be guarded against.

    ¡°The Red Robe Army is impossible.¡± Uncle Ping affirmed: ¡°First, the Red Robe Army was guarding against the barbarians west of Shi Chongguan and had not been active here, and second, General Xie of the Red Robe Army had always paid little attention to the thieves, they should not have bothered to deal with Shi Dashun¡¯s side.¡±

    What Uncle Ping said was very reasonable, Song Lian nodded, and he continued: ¡°As for the garrison, I have already inquired, and there had never been a garrison near Wang Village, so it is certain that who Shi Dashun and the others encountered were indeed Duan Wang¡¯s escorts. ¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, Duan Wang, Duan Wang, the emperor¡¯s fourteenth son, that man¡¯s same mother¡¯s stupid brother, really had this ability?

    He let out a long sigh. Duan Wang? So what if he¡¯s making an enemy out of him, or even the world? It was better for him to be responsible for the world than for the world to be responsible for him. He came to this land himself, this was what they owe me!

    On the vast grassland, a group of men and horses came slowly, they wore their hair, short clothes and leather boots, bows and arrows and machetes on their waist, everyone was fierce and brave, and their weapons were excellent. This was a group of barbarians.

    In the middle of the horse team, there was a luxurious carriage, and from time to time there was a coughing sound in the carriage, which fluttered softly in the wind.

    ¡°Where are we now?¡± The coughing sound in the carriage stopped for a moment, and an inquiring voice came from it.

    A soldier replied outside the carriage, ¡°Reporting to the king, we can reach Shi Chongguan in half a day, we have already sent news to Chacha Qi, they should come to pick us up soon.¡±

    This group of men and horses were none other than the team of Tuoba Ren, the king of Hunle, who took over the task of Khan Tuoba Hong back in the imperial hall. He prepared everything and began to travel east. This task must be done beautifully in order to prove that he was capable of doing everything even if he was sick for many years.

    Therefore, although Tuoba Hong regretted it after the agitation and planned to change person to do it, who knew that Tuoba Ren was stubborn with him and was bound to go in person. Tuoba Hong could not make him change his mind in any way, and in the end he had no choice but to allow him.

    So there was this mighty team. Tuoba Ren was a little depressed, hated his body for not contending. If it was five years ago, he would be with a horse and a whip, across the entire Suixi grassland, galloping wantonly on horseback as if it was his world.

    Now, he gasped in three steps and coughed in five steps. No matter where he goes, he can only be held back in a small carriage, and he can no longer experience the pleasure of galloping through the wind.

    Tuoba Ren stopped talking as there were several more coughs in the carriage.

    The soldier¡¯s face showed a hint of unbearability, he had followed Wang Ye for so many years, and naturally knew the pain in Wang Ye¡¯s heart. The arrow at that time, now that he thought about it, he still had palpitations. The fierce momentum was like a broken bamboo, shooting straight into the chest. If it weren¡¯t for this arrow, their king would be an eagle in the sky, and now the eagle had been folded, yet it still yearned for the vast sky.

    It wasn¡¯t clear how long it took, but a horse came from the front, bringing news that General Chacha Qi was waiting in front to greet him.

    The personal soldier passed the news to Tuoba Ren, he was silent for a moment before he said in a deep voice: ¡°Got it.¡± ¡±

    The cold wind was fierce, the horses were snorting, and they kept rolling their hooves in place, the jujube red horse at the front was extraordinary. There was a rough man sitting on it, with a high nose and deep eyes, typical of the Suixi national martial general. The reins in his hand tightened slightly, the originally restless horse quieted down in his hand.

    This person was General Chacha Qi who came to greet Tuoba Ren when he got the news. A group of dark shadows slowly approached in the distance. Chacha Qi¡¯s eyes were a little impatient, and when he saw the carriage in the team, his face became gloomy, there was a look of contempt and disdain in his eyes.

    Ah! This was their famous Hunle Wang of Suixi Kingdom, a young hero who killed wolves at the age of five and hunted tigers at the age of eight. Now he was a waste that cannot even get on a horse, he rubbed the reins in his palms, hmph! If it weren¡¯t for that layer of identity, Hunle Wang would have changed hands a long time ago.

    They, the people of the grassland have always worshipped heroes, no matter where they inhabited, the former hero has now become a wasted person, how can he still enjoy the glory of the past?

    Although Chacha Qi had a complaint in his heart, etiquette should still be followed. When Tuoba Ren¡¯s carriage approached, Chacha Qi dismounted, stepped forward a few steps, put his fist on his chest, and bowed: ¡°Chacha Qi greets Wang Ye.¡±

    The carriage didn¡¯t even open the curtain, and after waiting for a while, a faint voice came out: ¡°Cough¡­. Got it, go directly to the military camp tent. Cough cough cough¡­.¡±

    Chacha Qi¡¯s face was unhappy, the personal soldier stepped forward and explained in a low voice: ¡°General Chacha Qi, Wang Ye had been seriously ill in recent days, he can¡¯t be under the wind, please forgive me.¡±

    A smile tugged at the corner of Chacha Qi¡¯s mouth, ¡°Wang Ye¡¯s illness is not serious right? The weather is getting colder, there are palace walls and tiles in the royal court, which is best to shield from the wind and cold. This ghost place only has tents and felt houses, I¡¯m afraid that it is not good for Wang Ye¡¯s body. ¡±

    He deliberately said it very loudly, just to let Tuoba Ren know that it was better not to come here to make trouble.

    The soldier¡¯s face was slightly embarrassed, but he glanced at the carriage and saw that there was no movement, so he breathed a sigh of relief. He changed the topic and said, ¡°General Chacha Qi, please lead the way.¡±

    Chacha Qi also stared at the curtain of the carriage, it did not move for a long time, he cursed a word coward in his heart, and said no more, beat the horse and walked forward.

    The soldier returned to the carriage and whispered Wang Ye.

    Tuoba Ren¡¯s dull voice came out, ¡°Keep up.¡±

    The carriage moved slowly until it entered the middle of the army camp, and then stopped, the curtain was lifted, a skinny hand stretched out, and then a thin man wrapped in a thick fox hair came out.

    Chacha Qi was a little stunned, the former goshawk, the former hero, and the former proud son of heaven turned out to be like this.

    He felt a little stuffy in his heart, if this person was himself, he would be so frustrated, he was afraid that he would not have the courage to live anymore.

    Thinking so, the body was already ahead of the brain, and he reached over to help him. Tuoba Ren glanced at him lightly, but his hand turned and rested on the personal guard.

    Chacha Qi helped the air, his face was a little unbearable, but it was difficult to erupt, so he had to withdraw his hand.

    When they entered the big tent, several braziers had already been lit inside, the big tent was baked warm.

    Tuoba Ren slowly breathed a sigh of relief and stepped directly to the top position.

    ¡°Cough¡­ You have worked hard here. Cough cough¡­¡± After everyone sat down, Tuoba Ren spoke, but as soon as he spoke, there was a heart-wrenching cough.

    Those who can enter the middle military tend were the backbone of the generals, or veterans who have already made great achievements, or young generals who have been newly promoted with outstanding talents. At this time, they gathered together, and when they saw Tuoba Ren¡¯s appearance, they felt a lot of emotion in their hearts.

    There were veteran generals who regret the folding of the wings of the goshawk, and there were also young generals who have admired and worshipped for a long time, determined to become heroes like the King of Hunle.

    Tuoba Ren was a former hero of Suixi Kingdom, everyone knew it, he was a heroic figure that many young men on the grassland once admired.

    ¡°Cough¡­ Do you know the purpose of Ben Wang¡¯s visit?¡± Tuoba Ren took a sip of hot water, barely suppressing the cough in his throat, and asked.

    Everyone looked at each other, they only knew that Hunle Wang was going to come in person, but they didn¡¯t know why.

    Everyone was silent, and Tuoba Ren did not detour, he said directly: ¡°Everyone should know that the Great Yan Emperor divided the land of Liangzhou to his youngest son, right?¡±

    Everyone had heard about this, they heard that the prince was a foolish person. Now that they thought about it, it seems to be true, only those who were not liked by the emperor will be sent here, right? Whether you were dead or alive, no one will care too much.

    Chacha Qi sneered lightly, ¡°It¡¯s just a stupid prince not liked by the Great Yan Emperor, and was assigned here, what? Could it be that Hunle Wang came here just because of a stupid child? Hahaha! I really couldn¡¯t imagine that such a person would actually make Hunle Wang make a journey here.¡±

    He laughed wantonly, there was contempt in his words, and the meaning of his words was self-evident, it was estimated that only such a sick man could deal with a fool.

    ¡°General Chacha Qi, what do you mean by this? Hunle Wang came here with his own intentions, so how can you as a general put his beak in place?¡± The person who defended Tuoba Ren immediately stood up and said very unconvinced.

    This Chacha Qi acted arrogantly and despotic, thinking that he was a hero, but in fact he was just arrogant, and compared with the Hunle Wang, he could not even compare to his toe.

    ¡°Nuha! What kind of thing are you, to dare to speak in front of me like that? The last time your flying cavalry team was wiped out, it hasn¡¯t even been dealt with yet!¡± Chacha Qi snorted coldly.

    He was stabbed at his feet, and Nuha did not dare to speak again, he was also unlucky, last time when he sent a flying cavalry team deep into the hinterland of the Great Yan, they actually encountered the Red Robe Army. They were surrounded and annihilated by the Red Robe Army, leaving no one behind. They also learned the news later. However, the destruction of the entire flying cavalry team must fall on someone, this responsibility naturally fell to him, the leader.

    But he was young and vigorous, so he was still a little unconvinced, this Lao Tzu was truly unlucky that the flying cavalry team met the Red Robe Army. Who was General Xie? There were very few people who could escape from him, and if it weren¡¯t for General Xie of the Great Yan, how could their Goshawk Hunle Wang of their grassland become what he was now? Humph! If you, Chacha Qi had encountered him, you may not be able to escape with all your tails, right?

    The big tent was silent for a while, but it was extremely tense.

 CH 51

    Chapter 51

    ¡°Bang!¡± Although Tuoba Ren looked sick, how could the eagle on the grassland have no man¡¯s blood? He slapped his palm on the desk, before he could speak, he had another heart-wrenching cough.

    Everyone did not dare to come out while the personal soldier hurriedly handed over the medicine bottle he was carrying.

    Who knew that Tuoba Ren would wave his hand, refuse the medicine bottle, and have the person put the medicine bottle away, every medicine had its side effect. Tuoba Ren naturally understood this. His body knew that it was wounded to the root, and there was no hope of healing. Medication was only a temporary relief, in the long run, it will make him dependent on drugs. He was rebellious by nature and did not want to hold the medicine jar for the rest of his life, so he generally endured and endured.

    Seeing that he refused to take the medicine again, the soldiers were a little worried, but their Wang Ye was stubborn, as long as the decision was made, no one could change it.

    Fortunately, after a heart-wrenching cough, Tuoba Ren finally calmed down, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

    Tuoba Ren looked around and calmed his breath before saying: ¡°The fourteenth son of the Great Yan Emperor, named Yu, was the youngest son of the emperor and Empress Yuan, he had a disease of stupidity, after recuperating, his dementia had improved, his nature was domineering, stubborn and wanton. The people who suffered from it in the palace hated him, and the Later Great Yan Emperor had no choice but to send him far away to Liangzhou and make him Duan Wang.¡±

    These were all the news that he specially asked people to inquire about.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Chacha Qi smiled and said, ¡°This is a well-known fact, did the people sent by Wang Ye find out this kind of news? In fact, there is no need to specifically inquire, long before he came, the border land had already spread all kinds of deeds of Duan Wang. ¡±

    Everyone also didn¡¯t know so, what¡¯s the reason that Hunle Wang is spending a great deal of effort? Was it really because he had to deal with a useless fool?

    Tuoba Ren shook his head and coughed twice, ¡°Do you think what you heard was true?¡± ¡±

    ¡°This?¡± Someone lowered his head and whispered.

    Chacha Qi was impatient, ¡°Wang Ye, what do you mean by this? Could it be that there is another side to this Duan Wang? ¡±

    Tuoba Ren chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t know if he has another side, but to say that he is not valued by the Great Yan Emperor, it is not necessarily true. Cough¡­¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nuha heard what Wang Ye meant and asked busily.

    ¡°As the youngest son of the Great Yan Emperor and Empress Yuan, Duan Wang naturally had a different position in the emperor¡¯s mind. I heard that Duan Wang¡¯s fief Liangzhou was not set by the Great Yan, Emperor, but by Duan Wang himself. ¡±

    Before Tuoba Ren¡¯s words were finished, Chacha Qi laughed out loud, ¡°It¡¯s really a fool who asked to come to Liangzhou to die? Hahaha! ¡±

    Tuoba Ren looked at him coolly, he laughed a few times, felt embarrassed, snorted, and turned his head away.

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­. Since Duan Wang is important to the Great Yan Emperor, then he is useful to us¡­ Since he came to Liangzhou, as long as we can grasp this chess piece¡­ cough.¡± The unfinished meaning in Tuoba Ren¡¯s words was obvious.

    Nuha couldn¡¯t help but clap his hands, ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s catch him, and when the time comes, we will negotiate conditions with the Great Yan Emperor, gold and silver treasures. I think the Great Yan Emperor will not be stingy for his son. ¡±

    The other person gave him a blank look, ¡°It¡¯s easy to say, do you think this Duan Wang will stand there and let you go and catch him?¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Nuha scratched his head, that was right. Duan Wang was in Liangcheng, if he wanted to capture him, he could only attack Shi Chongguan and take Liangcheng.

    Everyone looked at Tuoba Ren, no wonder Tuoba Ren wanted to take this trip in person, if it was really like he said that the Great Yan Emperor valued this son, as long as he could catch Duan Wang, it would be a great achievement.

    ¡°Hmph! Whether it was true or false was not certain. Even if we take the effort to catch this fool, can the Great Yan Emperor really let us do it? There were so many sons of the Great Yan Emperor, even with one more it won¡¯t be too many and even with one less he will not have less sons, right? ¡°Chacha Qi was very skeptical of Tuoba Ren¡¯s words.¡± If you spend a lot of manpower and material resources just to catch a foolish Wang Ye, it is not appropriate, right? ¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡± Tuoba Ren sneered, ¡°Ben Wang was determined to get this done, since General Chacha Qi is afraid, you don¡¯t have to participate.¡±

    Chachaqi stood up abruptly and curled his neck: ¡°Who said that I¡¯m afraid? He¡¯s just an insignificant fool, should I be afraid of him?¡±

    Tuoba Ren shook his head, judging from the news he inquired about, the other party could never be a fool, ¡°Ben Wang got the latest news, cough¡­ Not long ago, Duan Wang¡¯s escort army completely annihilated a medium-force bandit in Liangzhou, cough¡­ If Duan Wang didn¡¯t have half the ability, it would definitely not be possible. ¡±

    The situation in Liangzhou, they knew it better than anyone, those thieves and bandits were also outlaws, each with its own forces entrenched, many forces even the border garrison did not pay attention to it. They often flee immediately after committing crimes, it is too late by the time the garrison arrives. As long as the troops go to encircle and suppress, as long as there is a small number of guards, they will also scatter and flee. Therefore, these thieves and bandits would slip through their hands, so the troops have no way to take them.

    This was the first time they have heard that a thief and bandit have been wiped out in one fell swoop, was this Duan Wang¡¯s escort army more powerful than the garrison? It wasn¡¯t known how powerful they were compared to the Red Robe Army.

    ¡°So what? The total annihilation of that rabble does not prove how strong his escort army is, the escort army was only five hundred people at best, why fear them? ¡± In Chacha Qi¡¯s opinion, there was no real army in the Great Yan Kingdom except for the last real army of the Red Robe Army. He patted his chest and said with conviction: ¡°As long as I go out, I will be able to capture him.¡±

    Nuha poured cold water on him, ¡°General Chacha Qi, Duan Wang is in Liangcheng, dare to ask how the general plans to capture him? Is it to break through Liangcheng and capture him alive, or to sneak into Liangcheng and bring him out without anyone knowing it? I didn¡¯t know that General Chacha Qi had such great ability. ¡±

    ¡°Hmph! You can¡¯t do it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t do it, Nuha, do you dare to gamble? The loser will have to give their mount to the other party? ¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t I dare?¡±

    The two sharply pointed at each other with neither side taking an inch back, it looked like they¡¯re about to quarrel.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Tuoba Ren shouted, ¡°This matter concerns the interests of Suixi Country, how can it be considered as child¡¯s play?¡±

    Seeing Tuoba Ren¡¯s anger, the two stopped and closed their mouths unwillingly.

    This matter needed everyone¡¯s advice. They wanted to kidnap the Great Yan¡¯s Wang Ye in Liangcheng, this matter was more difficult than ascending to the sky, how can it be settled in a few words.

    Ming Yu on this side did not know that someone had intention to make a move on his body as he eliminated a bandit group, which was an inspiring event, which didn¡¯t take long for it to spread to the whole of Liangzhou.

    ¡°These guards, like the heavenly gods, slashed those people one by one, killing all the thieves and bandits who were frightened.¡± A middle-aged man dressed as a scholar sorted out the gossip he heard. When he said it like this, not to mention that there were really many old men, even the little lady loved to listen to him.

    The men, women, and children surrounding him surrounded him in three layers in and three layers outside, when they heard the joy, they shouted and applauded. These people used to love to hear the news of the victory of the Red Robe Army, they would not tire of hearing about it, later after the news of the annihilation of the thieves and bandits spread, everyone became interested in the escort guard, or rather, they were grateful to the escort army.

    These people of Liangzhou have suffered greatly from the scourge of thieves and bandits, so they hated them deeply. In the past, the officials and troops had no choice but to let these bandits go, what if the people suffered from them? It was unacceptable.

    Now, someone had finally helped them take a breath, how could it not make people excited. These people had never heard of any escort army before, but now they heard the three words of escort army, and they wanted to step forward and listen more.

    Everyone was preaching the courage and ability of the guards, how to save the people from fire and water, and how to fight against thieves.

    They all hoped that the escort army can continue to work hard to eliminate more thieves, so that they don¡¯t have to worry about it, and have a peaceful life.

    ¡°You know what? These guards are the same as the guards that Duan Wang Ye brought from the capital. I heard that they used to protect the emperor, they were called the Imperial guards. What do you think, can the guards around the emperor not be powerful?¡±

    ¡°Tsk, tsk!¡± Many people give a thumbs up, ¡°No wonder they¡¯re so powerful.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! The escort army is powerful, and our Great Yan¡¯s Red Robe Army is also powerful. I don¡¯t know which of these two armies is more powerful?¡± Someone asked curiously.

    ¡°Whoosh! What is there to compare with this? The Red Robe Army resisted foreign enemies, the merit is indispensable, and the guards suppressed thieves and thieves within the territory, they are equally meritorious as they work together inside and outside, they could return Liangzhou to a peaceful Haiyan River. ¡±

    These words won the approval of most people, before they knew it, the people had put the escort army in the same position as the Red Robe Army. In fact, this was also very understandable, in the hearts of the people, those who can do things for the people and protect the people were all great.

    These words reached the ears of the soldiers of the escort battalion, one by one they were like beating chicken blood, even their walking postures were much higher

    When they left camp in the morning for a morning jog, there were even ordinary people waiting on the side of the road, either carrying baskets of eggs or carrying a chicken or two ducks, no matter what they said, those people still shoved those stuff to them. Commander Mo had long had a rule that it was not allowed to take even a needle and thread from the common people, how could they dare to accept these. They had to say good words to appease them, and in the end, Commander Mo came forward and persuaded them with good words, and for those who he couldn¡¯t persuade, there was no other choice but to use money to buy the stuff.

    These things touched the soldiers of the escort battalion very much. They had never heard the people¡¯s praise, only then did they feel that nothing was comparable to someone¡¯s praise and love. In the past, in the capital, they were of only title with no use in the eyes of the people, naturally they could not hear any good words, yet they could still be proud of their status as an Imperial Guard all day long. They lived a life of spending days drinking in confusion, it was really incomprehensible.

    Today¡¯s people¡¯s praise and recognition made them feel a real sense of pride and complacency, compared to the emptiness and complacency of the past, this was what they should really pursue, what real men should be.

    As for the matter of returning to the capital, they have long forgotten. Could the capital be any better than this place? Can the people of the capital be so cute and unpretentious? They were going to stay and protect the people here.

    The soldiers of the guard battalion screamed and went to find Mo Jiang, one by one they begged Mo Jiang to give them another chance to suppress the bandits. It annoyed Mo Jiang so much that he felt like his head could explode. Finally there was no other way, so he let out the words, if anyone did not train well, and instead came to him to speak of this trivial matter, they would be beaten by the stick. As soon as these words came out, the soldiers stopped a little.

    When Mo Jiang helplessly told Ming Yu these things, Ming Yu laughed, this was very good, it shows that the soldiers still have hot blood left!

    ¡°¡­.¡± Mo Jiang was left with only black lines on his face.

    Ming Yu leaned on the small bed, holding an idle book in his hand, he supported one leg up, leisurely dangling, Mo Jiang simply didn¡¯t look at it, how could such a person who sat improperly look like a king? But thinking about his actions in the palace, he also felt relieved, he even dared to set fire to the noble concubine small treasury, so no one should expect him to abide by the rules.

    There were two braziers next to him, it was cold, Ming Yu was afraid of the cold, so he could only idly nest at home and not go out too much, at most, he would run a few times to the greenhouse to see the watermelon seedlings that had borne flowers.

    ¡°You tell them not to be anxious, sooner or later there will always be a place for them to move their bodies.¡± Ming Yu reached out and picked up a small pastry, threw it into his mouth, and said nonchalantly.

    To be honest, Mo Jiang being here was because he was anxious. He knew Ming Yu¡¯s plan to deal with Song Qingfu, but he had not seen movement for a long time, so he thought of coming over and asking about it.

 CH 52

    Chapter 52

    ¡°Your Highness, I have heard that Song Qingfu¡¯s force is now growing stronger and stronger, and many thieves and bandits have heard and defected to his command. Up until now, he was already the most powerful group in Liangzhou. If he is allowed to develop, will there be endless disasters?¡± Mo Jiang asked the question in his heart.

    Your Highness, the brats below were looking forward to His Highness¡¯s early action, but in this day of doing nothing, how do you want me to explain to those brats?

    Ming Yu ignored Mo Jiang¡¯s unspoken criticism and smiled, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? We can just let them all gather together to annihilate them in one fell swoop! The bigger their power expands now, the better, so as not to have to work hard to clean up the little ones. ¡±

    ¡°Eh!¡± What His Highness said was so reasonable, he actually thought it was true, but can you sit in the mansion like this and wait for someone to throw themselves into the net? Wang Ye, can you use dim sum to deal with thieves?

    As if seeing through his thoughts, Ming Yu waved his hand and said with a big grin: ¡°Just wait! It¡¯s not time yet.¡±

    This wait lasted until the beginning of spring, until the mountains and rivers recovered, and the earth rejuvenated.

    Fortunately, there was not much war in these days. Although small frictions between the border and Suixi Country occurred from time to time, they did not cause large-scale conflicts.

    As for the matter regarding bandits looting the village, after Shi Dashun¡¯s entire army was annihilated, all the other bandits also converged somewhat. Even if there were those who did not have long eyes, the people hid everything in the underground secret passage, avoiding it in advance, and so the loss was not great.

    Along the way, the incident of the underground passage in Wang Village was intentionally or unintentionally publicised, it was learned that they escaped because of this, and there was no loss of people and property.

    At this time, the people of the other villages followed suit. Xu Wen was so happy that he was grinning ear to ear. Now he did not have to persuade the village to build an underground passage, the others came to the door and asked the government to send someone to guide the villagers. Therefore, each village intensively organised its own manpower, and started construction day and night, without the supervision and management of the officials.

    Ming Yu also organised people from the Wang Village patrol team who had studied it before to go to various villages to tell them how they trained in the training base, how they found the enemy when they returned to the village, how they protected the villagers, and how they killed the enemy. Because they have personally experienced it, it was especially easy to resonate at this time.

    Therefore, the young and strong in the village were both red and envious, they all signed up to go to the base for training, their families were also optimistic about it. There were men who did not want to go, and they were beaten out of the house by their parents with sticks, bluntly saying that if they did not go, they would never have to go home. Of course, this was just a very small number of people, most of the young and strong had their blood boiling. Before dawn, they rushed to the road, for fear of going late, not being able to sign up, and having to wait for the next batch.

    Song Qingfu¡¯s power was getting stronger and stronger and his actions were more unscrupulous, it was good that the old man had Song Lian under his control, they knew that it all depended on Mr. Song today. But the newcomers looked down on this thin and weak scholar looking Mr. Song. When they were told to listen to the words of this weak scholar, hehe! What a joke.

    However, Song Qingfu would never allow anyone to be rude to Mr. Song. Although he felt that Mr. Song was a little too cautious and was watching the great opportunity slip away, on the surface he did not dare to choke, and relied on Mr. Song for basically everything.

    However, there were many complaints from the people below, and they all began to complain in private.

    ¡°What does the Great Chief Song think? Our brothers came to him because they wanted to follow him and drink and eat well, not to live a miserable life here.¡± A new man complained.

    They heard that Leader Song ate meat and drank alcohol here. One should know that Leader Song led people to rob the villages near Liangcheng, and the official government suffered a secret loss. They came over, not mentioning anything else, as long as Leader Song leads them to continue to rob, what were they worried about? Aren¡¯t the better days just around the corner?

    However, looking at the present, they have been here for so long, yet they were only nestled in this mountain, and can¡¯t go anywhere. Not to mention drinking alcohol and eating meat, you can¡¯t see white noodles or buns all day long. They also have to hunt some pheasants and rabbits themselves, so they can barely get some oily meat.

    And when they asked Leader Song when he would go out again to do a big deal, he always said all kinds of excuses.

    ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s this called?¡± Someone spoke with a belly full of fire.

    ¡°What could this be? In fact, this matter can¡¯t be complained about on Leader Song, I heard that the person in charge was a rabbit master, who has fine skin and tender flesh. Leader Song really likes him, and he listens to everything that guy says..¡± Someone who knew a little bit of the inside story interjected.

    The newcomer was curious, ¡°Huh! Is there really such a thing? No matter what, Leader Song is also a heroic character, how can he ¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmph! What heroic character? Do you still think that he is really open and honest? How did the old chief die in the first place? To say that there was not the slightest bit of fishy thing, who would believe it? ¡±

    As soon as these words came out, everyone looked around for a while, and they were relieved to see that no one else was there, and then whispered, ¡°Tell me quickly, what¡¯s so fishy about this?¡±

    Li Man and Wang Si looked at each other and smiled, they had already gained a foothold these days, as for those rumours, they just pushed a hand in the back.

    Song Qingfu had just returned from seeing Song Lian, and now he sat in the hall with a stern expression. He had just had another unpleasant argument with Song Lian. As the leader of the gang, he wondered why all the brothers under his command showed him respect, only Song Lian always treated him with a bad attitude, and he could never please him

    It had been three years, he knew his thoughts, but he never responded, sometimes he really wanted to lock him up, so that he no longer thought about the outside world, so he was the only one in his heart. But he knew that this was impossible, although he had saved him, he had never put himself in his eyes.

    Song Lian had a clear grudge, and he saved him, so he helped himself plan and single-handedly pushed himself to such a high position. He was clear about his own skills, if there was no Song Lian, how would he be in today¡¯s position.

    At the beginning, he was only a small team of seven or eight hundred people, but now he had more than two thousand people under his command. The more people there were, the more difficult it was to reconcile, and in recent times, many brothers have mentioned in front of him the matter of going down to work. However, Song Lian rigidly did not allow them to go down and had them rest on the mountain for a while. Both side¡¯s opinion was not united, he was really a little anxious, and he didn¡¯t know how to mediate in the middle.

    In fact, in his heart, he was also biased towards the opinions of the brethren, however, he could not help but listen to what Song Lian said. Scholars have a lot of thoughts, always afraid of the tiger and the wolf, and everything must be thought through.

    In his view, their group of over two thousand people no longer needed to consider the government, let alone the stationed troops or escort armies. Even if they encountered the Red Robe Army, he could still stroke his beard confidently. He didn¡¯t know what Song Lian was worried about, as he believed they would surely return with full loads as long as they descended the mountain. A few days ago, a message came from the road that a caravan was delivering supplies to the Duan Wang and had just arrived within the Liangzhou territory. These were rare treasures sent from the capital, including gold, silver, jewels, and countless exotic items. If they could get their hands on these supplies, they wouldn¡¯t have to do anything for two or three years, and they could live luxuriously and carefree.

    Song Qingfu was naturally moved, today he also went to find Song Lian because of this matter. However, when he told the matter and his thoughts again, Song Lian did not agree no matter what he said.

    Song Qingfu was sulking because of this, but deputy leader Sun Zheng came in.

    Seeing Song Qingfu¡¯s obvious face, Sun Zheng pondered in his heart, but still did not withdraw, and only stepped forward to meet with the leader of Song.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Song Qingfu asked in a deep voice.

    ¡°Leader, do you have a decision on the matter of Duan Wang¡¯s caravan materials?¡± Sun Zheng did not mince his words, and asked directly to the point.

    Song Qingfu frowned, ¡°Let me think about this again.¡±

    Hearing the words of the leader, Sun Zheng was also a little anxious in his heart. It seems that what Li Man said was true, it must be that Mr. Song did not agree to this matter, that¡¯s why the leader could not make a decision.

    ¡°Leader, you should have made a decision early on, you must know that the opportunity is fleeting, if Duan Wang¡¯s caravan enters Liangcheng, everything will be for nothing at that time.¡±

    How could Song Qingfu not understand this truth, it¡¯s just, it¡¯s just, alas!

    Seeing that Song Qingfu remained silent, Sun Zheng continued to speak, ¡°Boss, our scouts have already found out that there are only two to three hundred guards protecting the caravan. Are we, with our two thousand brothers, afraid of them?¡± He stole a glance at Song Qingfu¡¯s slightly moved expression and continued, ¡°I heard that the Emperor dotes on his youngest son and has given him countless treasures, including the most precious crystal and glass. They are all bestowed upon Duan Wang. Crystal and glass! They are priceless treasures. Once we get our hands on them, we will be wealthy.¡±

    When Song Qingfu heard this, his breathing was a little rapid, his hand was clenched into a fist and released, and he repeated it several times, but he still couldn¡¯t make up his mind.

    ¡°Boss, we can¡¯t just sit and wait like this with so many people. You don¡¯t know how much resentment there is among the men down below. They joined us and followed you because of your exceptional courage and style, and they naturally wanted to achieve great things with you. However, after following you for so long, they realized that things are not what they seem. You could have led us to a better life, but we are still starving and suffering here. This is not what everyone had in mind when they first joined you. You worked so hard to gather so many people to follow you, are you going to let them down?¡±

    ¡°If you are afraid, I will personally lead a team of people to go, and you just need to wait for the good news I will bring.¡±

    Sun Zheng¡¯s words came down, straight into Song Qingfu¡¯s heart, finally got to the current situation, he didn¡¯t want his power to fall apart. How could he not understand the complaints of the people below, but if he did nothing like this, let alone his brothers, even he himself would be in flames.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We are going to get this batch of goods, it should be ours, no one can take it away, you let the brethren prepare first, we may leave at any time.¡± Song Qingfu gritted his teeth and said.

    No matter, this batch of things was too tempting. Robbing this order, even if they were desperate, he can be worry-free. If he really watched this batch of things slip under his nose, then he couldn¡¯t be the leader.

    Sun Zheng was overjoyed in his heart, it seemed that he finally moved the leader, he was afraid that Song Qingfu would take back his words, so he quickly answered, ¡°Yes, I will go and tell the brothers to prepare to go.¡±

    After Sun Zheng left, the heroic feeling in Song Qingfu¡¯s chest dissipated. Thinking of Song Lian, he was a little unsure in his heart, Song Lian did not recommend them to go, but if he insisted on going, he didn¡¯t know what Song Lian would think, how should he explain it to him?

    Thinking of this, Song Qingfu couldn¡¯t help but sigh again.

    ¡°Are you really going to rob Duan Wang caravan?¡± Song Lian¡¯s voice sounded.

    Song Qingfu looked up and saw that Song Lian was standing at the door, he didn¡¯t know how long he had been here. Looking at his appearance, it seemed that he had listened to what he had just said in his ears.

    He was a little uneasy in his heart, quickly stood up, greeted him, and smiled, ¡°You, why are you here?¡±

 CH 53

    Song Lian sat down, his expression calm as water. Song Qingfu sat down next to him, and before he could sit firmly, he heard Song Lian ask, ¡°Have you already decided?¡±

    Song Qingfu stammered, since Song Lian had heard it, there was no need to hide it, he finally gritted his teeth, ¡°That¡¯s right, the brothers below are already thinking about it, if they are not satisfied this time, these people who defected to me will only be extremely disappointed, then everything we have done before will be in vain.¡±

    Song Lian nodded, ¡°You can go, but you must not be greedy, if they have backups, you can¡¯t insist on fighting.¡±

    ¡°What? What?¡± Song Qingfu thought that he had heard it wrong, he thought that Song Lian would not agree, but listening to this, he agreed?

    ¡°It¡¯s better to agree and decide on a plan, after all, this is a royal gift from the emperor, when and where can we make our move? And what to do after we get the goods, how to get rid of the pursuers, these are all problems, they all have to be planned and arranged.¡±

    Song Qingfu was overjoyed. As long as Song Lian agreed, then nothing would be a problem, he rubbed his hands and said happily: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, as for how to arrange all this, I will have to trouble Mr Song.¡±

    Song Lian let out a ¡°En¡±, lowered his eyes and stopped talking.

    Song Qingfu did not notice his abnormality, and walked back and forth in the hall a few times, then said excitedly: ¡°I will tell them the news, this time we must make a big splash, robbing the rich to help the poor. If we even dare to make a move on the emperor¡¯s things, just wait for the news to spread around. In the future, we will see who dares not look at me Song Qingfu, hahaha!¡±

    Song Lian frowned slightly, he wanted to say something, but finally his lips twitched a few times, and he didn¡¯t say it, however, there was an imperceptible dark light under his eyes.

    Song Qingfu was proud, his face was full of red light, he had not yet begun to implement it, and yet he acted as if he had already succeeded. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t care about anything, and energetically asked people to come and discuss.

    Song Lian didn¡¯t like to see the others, he got up and left. When he walked to the door, he turned his head to look at Song Qingfu before leaving.

    Ming Yu took a bite of the crisp and sweet watermelon, it was indeed the taste in his memory, mmm! Now he can finally satisfy his craving.

    General Wei had already eaten two small pieces, he had never eaten this thing, the taste was really good, he opened his mouth, ¡°Your Highness, is there any of the thing called watermelon left? I still want to¡­.¡±

    Liu Zhifu glanced at General Wei and shook his head, how did this person live to this age? It¡¯s really incurable stupidness.

    Liu Zhifu and General Wei could still sit in this position, all thanks to Ming Yu, so they were very grateful to Ming Yu. In the last incident in Ningshi Village, he and General Wei were inescapable from punishment, he had already written to His Majesty the Emperor to request for punishment, and it was Ming Yu who interceded on their behalf to save them of their crime. His Majesty¡¯s imperial decree also mentioned to punish them lightly, but reproached them for their dereliction of duty, letting them remember it first. If such a thing happened in the future, they would be punished heavier. To make up for their crime, they had to do good deeds to assist Duan Wang with all their strength.

    Today, Duan Wang sent someone to invite them to his house, so even if they were busy, they still had to come.

    Sure enough, before his words were finished, Ming Yu had already waved his hand again and again to refuse, ¡°It¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone, there are only a few in total for this first batch, and I have to send it to the capital to give my father a taste, I don¡¯t have anymore.¡±

    To be honest, the emperor has been very good to his son. Perhaps he is not a competent father, but his kindness is visible. Maybe because the emperor is getting old or yearns for the warmth of an ordinary family, he has become more tolerant of his harmless and foolish younger son. This is also the reason why Ming Yu dares to be so reckless in the palace. He empathizes his father¡¯s favor and is willing to do things that can warm his father¡¯s heart so his Father will spoil him such as asking the emperor for help when he needs money. Thus giving the glasses he made or sending some freshly grown watermelons to show his affection was a must.

    Since Ming Yu had already said it so clearly, General Wei knew that he couldn¡¯t get it, so he still had some regrets in his heart. Originally, he thought that he could get more from Ming Yu, so he could bring it back to his family for them to have a taste, but it¡¯s a pity!

    Today, Ming Yu held a melon eating conference, as the name suggests, the watermelon he planted in the greenhouse was ripe. Except for the one to be given to the emperor, the rest was used to treat guests to have a taste. Taking advantage of the good weather today, he invited them over, and conveniently the net that should be collected by the way should also be collected.

    Although Ming Yu said that the watermelon was gone, but¡­

    ¡°Wang Ye, how does this watermelon grow? How was the harvest? Can the commoners grow this watermelon as well?¡± Liu Zhifu asked respectfully.

    Liu Zhifu¡¯s vision was unique, he understood the truth that things were rare and the watermelon that Wang Ye took out to treat guests today was sweet and delicious. It was really a rare good thing. He had never heard of it before, had never seen it before, it was a real rarity. It was believed that as long as the people can grow this watermelon, it will inevitably be favoured by the world.

    General Wei¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this, Aiya! Yes! Since Wang Ye can take out this watermelon, of course there is a way to grow it. Although there was none this time, it does not mean that there will be none next time.

    Ming Yu smiled, this Liu Zhifu was really shrewd, he asked about this as soon as he came. However, Ming Yu did not plan to hide it, he first planted it experimentally, but also so that the people could plant it as soon as possible.

    ¡°If Liu Zhifu is interested, you can ask the old farmers who planted this watermelon, the watermelon was all grown by them, if you want to talk about experience, they are much better at it than Ben Wang.¡±

    Liu Zhifu was overjoyed, then hesitated a little. Such a rare thing, Wang Ye didn¡¯t care about taking it out, didn¡¯t he know that if this thing was in his hands, how much profit and wealth can be created for him, can he really give it away like this?

    ¡°Wang Ye? This?¡± Liu Zhifu didn¡¯t understand what Ming Yu was thinking.

    Ming Yu saw through his thoughts, and laughed, ¡°Liu Zhifu rest assured, Ben Wang will not ask you for patent copyright fees. Even if you don¡¯t ask, Ben Wang will still let the old farmers take a small number of people to try to plant, the watermelons planted will be sold by Ben Wang¡¯s own sales channels, then the watermelon farmers will naturally have a shared profit. ¡±

    Liu Zhifu did not understand what patent copyright was in Mingyu¡¯s mouth, but he also understood what he meant. It turned out that Wang Ye had already thought through it,  and it was he who was overthinking.

    Xie Yixiu, who was silently eating melons on the side, glanced up at Ming Yu at this time, but he was not surprised by Ming Yu¡¯s statement. Perhaps Ming Yu was the only one in this world who was so different, something that may be precious and rare in the eyes of others, in his eyes, he did not care at all. It was the same for the crystal glass, same for the thousand mile eyes, and same for the watermelon today.

    He wiped his hands with the cloth towel sent by his subordinates, he really just tasted it. This watermelon was very sweet, he can¡¯t say whether he liked it or not, but it can only be said that it was not unpalatable.

    ¡°Wang Ye asked us to come, it¡¯s probably not just a simple matter of eating melons, right?¡± Xie Yixiu said lightly.

    Ming Yu smiled, ¡°Of course, the most important thing is that the news just came today, the fish have been hooked, our net had long been laid, and it¡¯s time to close the net.¡±

    General Wei slapped his thigh, they finally waited for this day. He had enough of these waiting days. The commoners were pointing them behind their backs, scolding the garrison officers and soldiers for being a waste, did they think this was what they wanted to do? It was Wang Ye who gave the extreme order so that they could not act rashly, that¡¯s why it had been delayed until now.

    Now that Wang Ye had spoken, they finally had a place to be useful, they were ready to do a grand service to wash away the wrongs they have suffered these days.

    Xie Yixiu nodded, they had been preparing for so long, it was time to annihilate them in one fell swoop.

    The materials sent over were not only the things that the emperor rewarded, but also the next batch of goods that the crown prince prepared for Ming Yu. The caravan sent away by Ming Yu last year had not yet returned, but counting the time, if there was no accident, it should probably be on the way back. Because it was the first time they travelled to and from various countries in the Western Regions, Ming Yu did not ask them to travel to all countries, but only let them take Wan Kingdom as their destination and bring back good horses as many as possible, as for the rest, there was no need to force it.

    When they come back, they can rest first before setting off again with their goods. When they get bigger and bigger, one day, the reputation of the Great Yan caravan will spread in the countries of the Western Regions, and more people will join in. That would be the true formation of the Silk Road.

    By that time, Liangcheng, as a real east-west hub station, what kind of sparks will be produced when the cultural and economic between the East and the West collide? The future of Liangcheng will have endless possibilities.

    Song Qingfu carefully wiped the big blade in his hand. The blade followed him for several years, going through fire and water, now it can come in handy again.

    Everyone on the mountain had already gathered, they were going to set out today, with the goal of bringing back the convoy of supplies that was sent to Duan Wang.

    Everyone was in a stirring mood, their blood was gushing. They were going to rob the things of the Great Yan¡¯s Wang Ye, who else under the sky dared to think about this, but they dared. They were already ready, ready to accomplish an amazing task.

    Song Qingfu walked to the front of the team, what should have been said had already been said. He raised his hand and waved it forward vigorously, as he shouted with great enthusiasm: ¡°Go!¡±

    The team of two thousand people walked toward the bottom of the mountain, their purpose was to move to Zhaofeng Mountain. It was also the closest way for the convoy to Liangcheng. They heard accurate information that within two days, the convoy will arrive at Zhaofeng Mountain. As long as they make an ambush in advance, they will be able to take this batch of materials in one fell swoop.

    After that, Mr. Song had already arranged how to retreat, how to keep the backhand, and how to transfer and hide in groups afterward. As long as they succeed, they will not worry about eating and drinking in the future. They all believed in Mr. Song. As long as the goods were in their hands, and as long as they did as Mr. Song said, then the soldiers would not be able to do anything to them.

    Song Qingfu walked these past two days as if he was floating, when he thought of this, he couldn¡¯t suppress his grin. In addition to gold, silver jewellery, and crystal glass, these were treasures among treasures, the emperor¡¯s playthings will all fall into his hands, he can also live such a life.

    However, the sun was already westward, and yet there was still no figure on the mountain road, let alone the convoy. The people below were a little restless, what¡¯s going on? Have they already figured it out? At this time, the convoy should have come a long time ago, but what about the people? Can it be that they flew away already?

    ¡°Leader, why haven¡¯t we seen this convoy arrive yet? Our brothers have been waiting here for two days already.¡± Sun Zheng was anxious in his heart and found Song Qingfu to ask.

    Song Qingfu didn¡¯t know what was going on, he glanced at Song Lian next to him and saw that the other party frowned, he didn¡¯t know what he was thinking.

    He circled around in place twice, ¡°The spy is already inquiring about the news, I believe he will be back soon.¡±

    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long for the spy to report the message.

    Song Qingfu urgently let the person in while panicked, and before the spy could catch his breath, Song Qingfu had already stepped forward and grabbed the person¡¯s clothes, asking urgently: ¡°Quickly speak, where is the convoy? Why hasn¡¯t it been seen yet? ¡±

    The spy did not dare to delay, he was forced by the pressure and stumbled and said: ¡°Reporting to leader, convoy¡­ The convoy did not come this way. ¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Song Qingfu threw the word out, ¡°What did you say? What does it mean not coming this way? ¡±

    He was about to lose his temper and kick the person, but was stopped by Song Lian, ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, wait for me to ask properly.¡±

    Song Qingfu sat back in his seat with a huff.

    ¡°Speak clearly, what¡¯s going on? Where did the convoy go if it didn¡¯t come this way?¡± Song Lian walked to the spy, squatted down, and asked softly.

    The spy was finally less afraid, and said what he had inquired about, ¡°When the convoy was not far ahead, it wasn¡¯t known why there was a pile of rubble on the road. Because it was not good for the convoy to pass, their people discussed and decided to take a long detour and went to the side of the Qifeng River Valley instead.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Sun Zheng was also very angry when he heard this. What is this? So, their plan to lie in ambush for the past two days had been in vain? ¡°Whoever put the rubble on the road, when Lao Tzu catches him, I will have to separate him into eight pieces.¡± Sun Zheng said fiercely. He was really angry, seeing that they were about to succeed, but in the end, they fell short, and their hard work these days was in vain.

    Song Qingfu was also speechless, just because of such a little thing, they let them slip away from under their noses like this? The wealth that should have been in their hand was lost in vain, this was absolutely impossible!

 CH 54

    Not only Song Qingfu, but I¡¯m afraid anyone would find it hard to swallow this anger. Who the h*ll is so despicable, piling up rocks on the road? And those imperial guards are such a bunch of sissies, haven¡¯t they grown any hands? Can¡¯t they move the rocks blocking the way? Why take a detour and make them wait for nothing?

    ¡°What to do?¡± Sun Zheng stomped his foot anxiously and asked again and again. Watching the goods slip away, he was really unwilling.

    Song Qingfu was also anxious, if only he knew what to do. Obviously, everything was planned, how could something go wrong? He looked at Song Lian, ¡°Mr. Song, now that the convoy has changed route, what should we do?¡±

    Song Lian didn¡¯t mean to speak,  he just frowned and pondered. Sun Zheng saw this scene and felt a little contempt in his heart, this Song Lian was only used to put on an act, he¡¯s nothing but a weak scholar, what can he do? His position now came to be just because their leader treasured him.

    He couldn¡¯t wait for Song Lian¡¯s opinion, and said directly: ¡°Leader, they are only two or three hundred people in total, we can chase after them, kill them and loot the goods.¡±

    Song Lian looked up, ¡°It¡¯s not good! I¡¯m afraid this is a trap! ¡±

    Sun Zheng pulled the corners of his mouth and revealed a contemptuous smile, ¡°What is the trap? Mr. Song is also too careful, right? How many of them are there? Even if there is a trap, so what?¡±

    Song Lian ignored his peculiarity, and said to himself: ¡°What if there is an ambush? ¡±

    ¡°This?¡± Leader Song frowned, in case what Song Lian said was true, it would indeed be difficult to do.

    Unexpectedly, Sun Zheng laughed. ¡°Ambush, a few hundred people ambush us two to three thousand people? Hahaha! What a joke, Mr. Song is really a scholar, your gut is small. During this period of time, being bloat will go to the bold and famine will go to the timid. If Mr. Song is afraid, you don¡¯t have to go. ¡±

    Song Lian¡¯s face was a little displeased. Before he could speak, he heard Sun Zheng continue: ¡°Leader, our spy has already inquired, have you forgotten? The barbarians¡¯ movement outside Shi Chongguan was frequent, now the border garrison is on the lookout at that side tightly, the Red-Robed Army is also guarding against the barbarians in Shi Chongguan, if they can¡¯t get troops from these two sides then who dares to fight with us? ¡±

    Sun Zheng continued his efforts, ¡°With the hundreds of guards under Duan Wang, could we still be afraid of them?¡±

    That¡¯s right! Song Qingfu slapped his thigh, ¡°Even if there is an ambush, we are not afraid of him. Mr. Song, there are just a few hundreds of guards under Duan Wang, there is no need to be too cautious.¡±

    ¡°Shi Dashun¡¯s hundreds of men, weren¡¯t they all annihilated in the hands of those guards?¡± Song Lian¡¯s intuition in his heart was not so simple, Duan Wang¡¯s guards were really incomprehensible.

    Sun Zheng twitched his lips and said dissatisfied: ¡°Can Shi Dashun also be compared with us? Mr. Song, don¡¯t be an alarmist here, wait until we snatch the things back, then we can talk about the rest. ¡±

    At this time, Song Qingfu had completely fallen to Sun Zheng¡¯s side, he really couldn¡¯t bear to waste a great opportunity like this, those gold and silver belongings should be theirs.

    Regarding Sun Zheng¡¯s words, Song Qingfu nodded and said: ¡°Exactly, Mr. Song, rest assured, we will catch up, whether they have an ambush or not, even if there is a trap, we don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he instructed Sun Zheng to immediately go to gather the brethren, it was not too late to catch up now.

    He was in great joy as soon as Sun Zheng heard this, he hurriedly agreed and withdrew, before leaving, he did not forget to glance at Song Lian proudly.

    Song Lian already knew that he couldn¡¯t persuade them, the huge wealth and benefits were placed in front of this group of people who had never seen anything in the world, none of them could withstand such a temptation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in the entire border area, except for the Red Robe Army, our forces are not afraid of anyone. It¡¯s impossible for the Red Robe Army to rush over here. Let¡¯s make a quick decision, and everything will be up to you in the future.¡± Song Qingfu said soothingly.

    Song Lian¡¯s fingers jumped slightly, he pinched a piece of the corner of his clothes, and smiled beautifully, ¡°Then I will be here wishing for leader to achieve a victorious return.¡±

    This smile made Song Qingfu¡¯s heartbeat lose a beat, he must bring the crystal glass to him, only a person as delicate as him was worthy of the best crystal glass in the world.

    Song Qingfu did not dare to look at him again, and left in a hurry, to go early so they could return early.

    Qifeng River Valley, as the name suggests, was a low-lying valley, Qifeng River meandered out from the mountains and every time the water rises, Qifeng River will flood and wash into the valley, gradually forming this depression.

    It¡¯s just a little strange that this season was the season of abundant water, but the water of this Qifeng River was like winter water, the amount of water had not increased.

    At this time, when the sun was setting, as soon as the sunset receded, the earth became a little gloomy. The view showed a foggy feeling. In the middle of the valley, more than a dozen carriages were parked there, and swaying figures were vaguely seen.

    Song Qingfu¡¯s men did not dare to approach because the area was empty and spacious, as long as people appeared, they could see it from far away.

    It was clear that Duan Wang¡¯s convoy supplies were there. Needless to say, it was also known that they were stationed there for the convenience of water sources.

    Sun Zheng was very excited, this kind of empty place, there was no hiding place, how could there be any ambush, Song Lian had groundless fear and exaggerated.

    ¡°Leader, see what I said was correct, right? What Mr. Song mentioned, where is the ambush? It is simply a joke. It¡¯s a pity, I really should have let him come to see, where are the ambush soldiers?¡± Sun Zheng did not forget to say a few sarcastic words.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Song was just being thoughtful, there is no need to mention this matter anymore.¡± Song Qingfu knew that Sun Zheng had never been convinced by Mr. Song, and naturally, he couldn¡¯t hear any good words from his mouth. However, Sun Zheng was a good brother who had always followed him, so he also can¡¯t be too harsh on him.

    Sun Zheng had to shut his mouth ruefully, pulled a stick of grass into his mouth and chewed it, because of the bitter taste of the grassroots, he spit it out again with a few snorts.

    Li Man stood behind Sun Zheng, at this time, just like the others, his face was full of excitement. Because he had done a few beautiful things for Deputy Leader Sun, he still had some status beside Sun Zheng at this time.

    ¡°Leader, Deputy Leader, when are we going to stop waiting? The brethren are dying of waiting.¡± Li Man asked in a low voice.

    Sun Zheng slapped his backhand on the top of his head, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Can we rush when we are doing something big? Rushing up at this time, wouldn¡¯t it mean giving them a chance to escape? ¡±

    Li Man simple-mindedly smiled and touched his head, bootlicking somebody was his top-grade skill, ¡°Exactly, we, your brothers are just pawns, not as good as the strategizing of Leader and Deputy Leader!¡±

    Sun Zheng listened happily, ¡°Is that right? Just wait until the middle of the night and you guys will also be able to work.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Leader rest assured when the time comes, I will rush up first.¡± Li Man said with a happy face: ¡°I will first tell the brothers the news and let them be rest assured.¡±

    Li Man found Wang Si, the two lowered their heads and muttered a few words, and quickly separated. Everyone was looking forward to the arrival of the night, and the night gradually thickened. Everyone stared at the river valley in front of them with excitement and nervousness, although they couldn¡¯t see anything in the dark field, they knew that there was something in their hearts and minds, it was gold and silver belongings that could allow them to live a good life.

    Finally, when the time came, Song Qingfu passed on the order, and everyone rushed toward the river valley. Li Man and Wang Si disappeared in the chaos, at this time, naturally no one cared about the whereabouts of these two people, everyone was so attracted by the convoy in front of them that they were about to lose their minds.

    However, in the middle of the river valley, there was no movement whatsoever, only the gurgling water rushing in the quiet night.

    Almost everyone went crazy, they went into the river valley, originally thinking that they would encounter resistance, ready to kill all sides, but unexpectedly, there was no figure, all the tents were empty.

    Before he could react to what was going on, someone looked at the carriage and exclaimed, ¡°Nothing, there¡¯s nothing in the carriage.¡±

    What¡¯s going on? Song Qingfu was frightened, and quickly jumped into the carriage in a few steps. Sure enough, he found that the carriage was empty, there was not even grass on it. He hatefully cut the door a few times with the blade and jumped off the carriage.

    Sun Zheng had already cursed, ¡°We were fooled, it must be a plan to move the tiger away from the mountain, they left the empty carriage here, just to attract our attention, and then secretly transferred everything away.¡±

    He can¡¯t help but say that Sun Zheng¡¯s mind turned quickly, he could think of the plan to transfer the tiger away from the mountain already due to the result of Song Lian¡¯s long-term influence.

    The people below were all indignant, the things in their hands disappeared, they were busy for a while but everything was empty, so no one¡¯s heart was comfortable.

    Everyone had set their eyes on Song Qingfu, what should they do now?

    Song Qingfu was also big-headed, he had never encountered such a thing. He was used to having Song Lian by his side. Song Lian helped him make ideas for anything. It¡¯s a pity that now Song Lian didn¡¯t come with him, so he didn¡¯t even have anyone to discuss with.

    ¡°Leader, please immediately send a spy to inquire about the news, they must not have gone far. We can see where they went, we will wait for the specific news, then we will be able to catch up after dawn.¡± Sun Zheng thought about it, but he was still unwilling, so he suggested.

    Song Qingfu nodded, it can only be like this. Now at this time, it¡¯s already so dark that they can¡¯t see the road clearly, even if they wanted to chase, they couldn¡¯t chase them. For the first two days, in order to lie in ambush on the mountain road, the brothers had to guard at all times, then they rushed to the river valley non-stop and endured until this time. Originally, the brethren were thinking about their belongings and could remain in a state of excitement, but now, after working in vain, their hearts were relaxed, and everyone felt extremely tired.

    It¡¯s wide and empty here, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about someone¡¯s sneak attack. There were tents that had been set up a long time ago, everyone was also tired for so long, they no longer wanted to toss anymore.

    So Song Qingfu discussed with Sun Zheng and directly ordered everyone to rest in place, and to pursue the convoy tomorrow at dawn, so everyone settled down.

    In the quiet night, Song Qingfu turned over and over and couldn¡¯t sleep, he didn¡¯t know why, he had an unsteady sense of panic in his heart, maybe it was affected by Song Lian¡¯s words, alas! If only Song Lian was there, at least he was his backbone. Originally he thought that he could do well without Song Lian, but now it seems that he overestimated himself.

    ¡°Boom¡­¡± A strange sound resounded through the river valley. Song Qingfu rolled over and sat up, he was about to go out to check, when there was already an exclamation outside, ¡°The water is here! The water is here! Run!¡±

    The water is here? Song Qingfu was still confused, what kind of water was sent at this season? He opened the tent in a few steps, and was stunned by the scene in front of him, the black water upstream rushed down, its speed was so fast that it almost reached his eyes in the blink of an eye.

    We¡¯re finished! Song Qingfu had only one thought in his mind, that is, to run away. He took a horse, rolled over neatly, and beat the horse to get out of the valley.

    This river valley belonged to the depression, the water flew low, as long as the water was large, the entire depression would be flooded, and no one would be able to run away at that time.

    Song Qingfu was glad that he did not fall asleep, he found out that it was wrong early enough to respond in time. At this time, the sky was not clear, he was dizzy while crazily galloping the horse, so he had long been unable to distinguish between southeast, southwest, and northwest, and only knew to run for his life quickly. Behind him there was a flood beast, he did not dare to look back, but the rumbling sound had been endless.

    The sky was getting bright, Ming Yu stood in a high place, holding a thousand-mile eye in his hand while looking at the river valley with a cold face.

    The river valley was a mess, more than two thousand people, except for a few who escaped, the rest of those who did not have time to escape were struggling in the water.

    Xie Yixiu glanced at his face. He heard that this person had not eaten for several days after seeing the scene of the barbarians slaughtering the village, now he witnessed this scene with his own eyes, and even caused such a result with his own hands, he didn¡¯t know if he could bear it.

 CH 55

    Ming Yu was looking at the scene in front of him intently, his brows were locked, his fingers were tightly clenched into fists, and he had an indescribable emotion in his heart at this time.

    ¡°They only have themselves to blame for this.¡± A light voice sounded in his ears.

    Ming Yu looked at the voice and looked into Xie Yixiu¡¯s worried eyes. Ming Yu was stunned for a moment. Knowing that Xie Yixiu was worried about himself, his heart inexplicably warmed. He didn¡¯t expect that in this lonely world, there were still people who cared about him, this really made him feel a trace of warmth.

    He nodded, ¡°I know.¡± Ming Yu knew that these people had no need for sympathy at all, each of them had the blood of innocent people on their hands, every one of them deserved this end.

    Thinking about the massacre in Ningshi Village and the people who were harmed by them, Ming Yu did not have a trace of sympathy in his heart, nor should he have sympathy.

    Xie Yixiu saw that his state seemed to be okay, so he nodded and did not say anything more. He knew that his mental state had to be overcome by himself.

    He, Xie Yixiu was called a war general, the barbarians change their expression by just hearing his name. His name could scare children, just by walking step by step past them. When he first picked up the half-broken sword he had lost and was forced to penetrate the enemy¡¯s heart with a sword, his palpitations, panic and nausea at that time can not be forgotten. Until later, fighting on the battlefield, at which time did he not face the enemy in a life or death situation? Thinking of the brothers who died because of him, his heart was as hard as iron, battle after battle. He cannot fail his dead brothers, he must kill the enemy, kill the enemy! If he had the slightest soft-heartedness, he would be afraid that there would be no such person as Xie Yixiu in this world.

    Ming Yu tugged at the corners of his mouth, ¡°Kindness to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. This saying has always been the most reasonable, although I have good intentions and cannot see the people suffer, I am not a saint to those who do evil, I will not be merciful. ¡±

    It¡¯s good that Ming Yu can think like this. As a fief lord, being a person who tried to be good to everyone was not necessarily a good thing. Xie Yixiu knew that Ming Yu was open-minded and generous, he seemed to see no distance between the commoners and himself. There was no domineerance from being superior. He can be approachable to servants, subordinates, and commoners, everyone seems to be the same in his eyes.

    ¡°This sentence was well said, it was well said, the so-called heaven¡¯s law is clear and one is inevitably punished for their mistake. They ended up like this because of what they did, there is no need to feel sorry for these kind of people.¡± Although General Wei was grinning usually, he also saw the unusualness of today¡¯s Ming Yu. It¡¯s reasonable, Ming Yu grew up in the palace since he was a child, where had he experienced such a scene? Not to mention that these were personally planned by him. If you can¡¯t get through this level in your heart, it¡¯s really a bit troublesome.

    General Wei¡¯s words of encouragement, Ming Yu naturally heard it, he smiled and completely put aside the trace of guilt in his heart.

    ¡°And the fish that slipped through the net, will it go according to plan?¡± General Wei changed the topic and asked directly. This had already come to an end, the rest of the people that escaped were already calculated in Ming Yu¡¯s plan.

    It was really a pleasure to see with their own eyes the destruction of the most powerful bandits. These were all the results of Ming Yu and Xie Yixiu¡¯s careful planning behind their backs. Being able to annihilate the bandits without spending a single soldier and pawn had to show that Ming Yu made them wait for so long was all worth it.

    As for the remaining remnants of the defeated bandits who escaped, Ming Yu already said he will completely annihilate them all leaving no one behind.

    Ming Yu said confidently: ¡°Naturally, the net has been laid ahead, all we have to do is to just wait for them to pass.¡± After speaking, he looked at Xie Yixiu and showed a smile, the scene in the river valley had been completely put down by him. Next, he had to firmly move forward, the stumbling blocks on the road will be moved away one by one, and the rest will be used to build Liangzhou¡¯s brilliant future prospects.

    The starry light in his eyes at this moment shook the eyes of another person, to the extent that it was much difficult to forget for a long time.

    Song Qingfu finally escaped, looking back at the subordinates wailing in the water for help, besides panic, he could do nothing. Manpower was too small under the power of nature.

    So many brothers, many of them had followed him through thicks and thins all the way, now they¡¯re just gone. These were all his painstaking efforts over the years! How was it not distressing? Now with things like this, can he still make a comeback?

    Song Qingfu sat on the ground tiredly, but he did not curse the god. It¡¯s gone, everything is all gone. It all happened too quickly and too suddenly, catching him off guard. He couldn¡¯t figure out how things had become like this, obviously, he was only one step away. He could have looted the convoy and enjoyed a few years of blessings but why did the convoy suddenly change the route? Why was the weather clear without rain and then the water of the Qifeng River rose sharply? Where did the water that flooded the Qifeng River Valley come from?

    Puzzled, he remembered Song Lian¡¯s words before leaving. Be careful of deception! Yes, Mr. Song was right, there must be something strange in this, these huge waves of water must be planned by someone.

    Thinking of this, Song Qingfu jumped up in shock, looking around like a frightened bird, afraid that an enemy would suddenly appear from somewhere. However, until now, he had not even seen a single shadow of the enemy, this made him very much terrified.

    What should he do now? The figure of Song Lian appeared in his mind, he regretted his past deeds. If only he had listened to Mr. Song at that time. Right, Mr. Song, he can still go back to Mr. Song. Since Song Lian can support him from a small minion who had nothing to a leader of a great force, he will definitely be able to do it again.

    Finally, Song Qingfu picked up a little confidence. To be precise, he had confidence in Song Lian. He thought carefully about the situation at this time, he couldn¡¯t sit still, there were some brothers like him who escaped, although he wasn¡¯t sure how many, he wanted to gather them together. With their support, it was still much better than fighting alone.

    In the end, there were only more than 300 people who came together, all of them wounded and extremely tired.

    Just like that, Song Qingfu¡¯s heart was dripping blood, it¡¯s afraid that he won¡¯t be able to recover for many years.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back first, we can go rest and recuperate first, and then think of another way. Rest assured, with Mr. Song here, I believe it won¡¯t be long before we can improve.¡± Looking at the people waiting for him, the leader, to get an idea, Song Qingfu spoke out with difficulty.

    It can only be like this, now it was already a great blessing to be able to escape with your life, the main thing now was to get out of here first.

    Someone trembled and asked, ¡°Where do we go?¡±

    If they return the same way, it¡¯s the most time-saving, but now that they were like this, naturally, they hope to return to their territory as soon as possible. However, Song Qingfu hesitated, looked around, and finally chose another path.

    He also clearly understood now that this was definitely not a natural thing, and that someone was definitely using the Qifeng River to deal a blow to them.

    Moreover, this person¡¯s strength was not ordinary, just think about it. First, they lured them with a convoy and let them be fooled. One needed to know, how can they give up if they can¡¯t swallow such a piece of fat meat? They were deceived from about the time in Zhaofeng Mountain. What kind of rocks could block the road that made the convoy take a long detour, in fact, it was to especially lead them to the Qifeng River Valley.

    However, the people behind the scenes have already calculated this step, cutting off the water flow upstream and storing water early, which was why the Qifeng River, which should have been abundant water at the beginning of spring, had had less water than usual. As long as they chased to the river valley while they were both exhausted and extremely tired, those people would directly release water, so that they had no escape. Was there a tougher trick than this?

    No wonder, they didn¡¯t need to use the manpower from the garrison and the Red Robe Army, it did not take a single soldier to eliminate them. Therefore, Duan Wang¡¯s method was really impossible to guard against.

    Since Duan Wang wanted to destroy them, he would definitely not leave behind any of them, so they must be careful. Song Qingfu directly gave up the plan to return the same way and led the remaining group of remnants to leave with difficulty.

    It¡¯s just that no one expected Song Qingfu who had a hard time choosing a good path to still be faced with the people from the escort battalion that have long been waiting in ambush there. With a few people with him, falling into the hands of the escort army, how could there be a chance for them to escape? In less than half a day¡¯s work, there was good news ahead. The leader of the largest bandit force in Liangzhou, Leader Song, was to be executed.

    As soon as the news came out, the people all rushed to tell each other, it was so thrilling that everyone rushed to spread the news. Some even cried loudly on the spot, just because they have been too affected by those bandits over the years, their evil deeds were too many to count. There were also relatives and friends who died at the hands of bandits, all of whom will have their spirits comforted in heaven.

    The total annihilation of Song Qingfu and his group this time was all the result of the planning of Duan Wang and his guards.

    For a while, the name of Duan Wang and the guards spread almost all over every household, everyone was chasing him, in order to express gratitude. Some people offered Ming Yu what they thought was the best. After Ming Yu refused a few times, everyone was unwilling, so they directly put things at the gate of the prince¡¯s resident and left, thus Ming Yu could not find anyone when he returned. This time. Ming Yu did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Although these things were not worth anything in his eyes, he knew that this was the best thing the commoners had. Seeing that there were more and more things in front of the door, all kinds of things, it was almost possible to open a grocery store like this. Having no other choice, Ming Yu directly sent someone to block the door to keep an eye on it. Once such a situation was discovered, it made everyone stop.

    There were also people who were grateful for the kindness of Duan Wang and directly set up an immortal tablet for Duan Wang to worship every day. Ming Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry after hearing this, he issued a notice so that everyone did not have to do this, the bandits in his territory were rampant, it was he who did not fulfil his responsibility, so eradicating the bandits was within the scope of his obligations, it was due righteousness. Not only the current Song Qingfu, in a few years, he will wipe out all the bandit forces in Liangzhou, then everyone will no longer be harassed by them. Everyone really didn¡¯t need to do anything for him, as long as they all live a good life, it can be regarded as the best reward for him.

    As soon as this notice came out, everyone was relieved. Duan Wang said that he would wipe out the bandits, then it must be true, didn¡¯t you see Song Qingfu¡¯s forces all annihilated overnight? They heard that the underground secret passages built in various villages were the method that Duan Wang came up with. It had been several times already that the bandits entered the village without gaining anything, the patrols in some villages even beat the bandits making them cry so that they did not dare to come again.

    Song Qingfu¡¯s news was not only spread among the people, but the bandit forces. On the road, it set off waves of horror when they heard the news.

    Song Qingfu¡¯s force of more than 2,000 people was completely destroyed by Duan Wang¡¯s escort army, leaving no one behind.

    One must know, the escort army consisted of only a few hundred people, no matter how useless Song Qingfu forces were, it was impossible for them to be destroyed by hundreds of people in just one day, right?

    After they understood the whole process, everyone was silent, this Duan Wang was a ruthless person! Under such circumstances, it¡¯s afraid that it will be difficult for them to escape, right?

    No wonder Duan Wang had to work hard to deal with Song Qingfu. Perhaps after they committed the crime in Ning Shi village, Duan Wang had them on his mind. He was able to endure for months, step by step designing a trap for them, and finally annihilating them in one fell swoop. Is this really the same foolish prince from the legends? Without relying on stationed troops or the Red Robe Army, he single-handedly defeated an enemy five times his size. Just thinking about it is enough to make one shudder in fear.

    As bandits, they have always done whatever they wanted. In the past, they were afraid of the Red Robe Army, just because the Red Robe Army had always won hundreds of battles, but fortunately, the Red Robe Army mainly dealt with the barbarians, so they can still have a fluke mentality. But now that there was another escort army, what should they do?

 CH 56

    It seems that they will have to be careful in the future. Originally they thought that they would be fine by keeping their tails between their legs as much as possible in the future, but they did not expect that Duan Wang would release a bold statement that in less than two years, he would eliminate all the bandit forces. How will they live now?

    Duan Wang came up with a set of secret passages, these people suffered a lot of losses, and now the people in the village had their hearts greatly raised, their people did not dare to enter the village easily.

    All forces began to silently calculate in their hearts. Leader Song had already fallen. Can these small fish and shrimp really escape the disaster? So some shrunk their heads and retreated, and some found another way out, and for a while, the atmosphere in Liangzhou was unexpectedly serious.

    This was the result that what Ming Yu wanted, killing chickens to scare away the monkeys. Nevertheless, it scared away some people, as for those that were really not long-sighted, he didn¡¯t mind letting Mo Jiang¡¯s guard battalion go to practice their skills.

    Ming Yu gave full marks for this operation, the only regret was that Song Qingfu¡¯s military master Song Lian escaped. Song Lian did not follow Song Qingfu to act together but stayed behind so by the time Ming Yu sent people to arrest him, the person had long since disappeared.

    Ming Yu was entangled for a while, but he also gave up. He¡¯s but a scholar, so it¡¯s fine if he ran away. As the saying goes, when Xiucai (referring to the scholar who passed the imperial exam) rebelled, they wouldn¡¯t succeed even in ten years, now only he remained, what can he do? There were still many follow-up things, and he didn¡¯t have much time and energy to care about such an insignificant person, he just asked someone to draw a portrait and issued a chase order, leaving the matter with Song Lian at the back of his head.

    The most important thing in the follow-up was to first report it to his imperial father. At that time, the emperor heard Ming Yu say that he would deal with the bandits, he also sent an order, afraid that his stupid son would get hurt.

    There was no news these days, he thought that Old Fourteen had changed his temperament and forgotten about it. Before he could relax, the news came that Old Fourteen had wiped out more than 2,000 bandits of Liangzhou¡¯s largest force overnight without using a single soldier.

    At this time, the emperor did not know whether to scold him for being bold or praise him for being brave and fearless. Ming Yu¡¯s letter was a random boast of himself, almost boasting that there was nothing comparable to him under the sky and on the land. This careless tone of the Old Fourteen even made the emperor angry half to death. What skills did Old Fourteen have, yet he didn¡¯t care about making unreasonable and confusing scenes, how can the emperor not understand him? Anyway, the emperor never believed that the annihilation of the bandits only relied on this stupid son alone.

    It was not difficult to see from the battle report that there were shadows of Xie Yixiu and Wei Wuji carving and polishing the plan, the biggest possibility was probably the result of the help of the border garrison and the Red Robe Army. It was estimated that they were not willing to steal merit from a Wang Ye, so they gave the credit for everything on the head of Old Fourteen, right?

    This stinky kid owes such a big favor. If he doesn¡¯t repay it, he as his father will suffer the consequences. We can¡¯t let the hard-working border heroes feel neglected just because of Old Fourteen. We can only compensate them a little in terms of military rewards and bonuses, but we can¡¯t make it too obvious. After all, Old Fourteen is still the prince of Liangzhou, and we have to consider his son¡¯s face. Otherwise, it will be difficult for Old Fourteen to govern his fief, and as a father, it breaks his heart.

    It had to be said that his imperial father thought too much about his youngest son¡¯s brain, moreover, both Xie Yixiu and Wei Wuji inexplicably won the emperor¡¯s reward, which was really a little confusing.

    Only Ming Yu smiled like a fox, this was why he wanted Xie Yixiu and General Wei to pull him up. When this matter spreads to the capital, it will definitely cause a wave of topics. How can he, a stupid prince, annihilate more than 2,000 bandits with his own strength? If this was said, who in the capital would believe it? However, with the help of General Xie and General Wei, his destruction of the bandits was not remarkable.

    The emperor was still relieved in his heart, in whatever way, it could be said that this stupid son shared his worries for him. After eliminating this wave of bandits, the people of Liangzhou may be able to live a peaceful life for a few days.

    Along with the war report, there were several green round things, which looked like jade jasper, round and cute. Looking at what Old Fourteen said in his letter, this was a fruit called watermelon that he had just experimented with, he only needed to cut it with a knife and eat the red inside.

    His youngest son always thought about himself whenever there were good things. He really didn¡¯t waste his affection for him. The emperor was very happy and personally tasted the watermelon sent by Ming Yu, sure enough, it was as crisp and refreshing as he said, and sweet.

    The so-called love me, love my dog, the emperor also liked this watermelon, and specially gave one to the crown prince, one to the favoured concubine of the harem, and one to the important ministers of the dynasty.

    There were not many watermelons, there were also several respected noble concubines in the harem. When Concubine Hui heard that this was brought back by the fourteenth prince, she was still worried about the past in her heart. She gambled a breath, and politely refused. Unexpectedly, as soon as she said that she was unwell, it was snatched by her nemesis Concubine Zhen, saying that since she was unwell, she might not good have a good appetite, since she just tasted this watermelon and it¡¯s cool, she¡¯s afraid that Concubine Hui will have a cold stomach, it¡¯s better for herself to enjoy it instead. Concubine Hui was really angry at this time that her stomach really hurt so she couldn¡¯t eat it.

    This watermelon is an unheard-of thing, it turns out to be the 14th prince¡¯s. Hmm! It¡¯s likely that Duan Wang unintentionally grew it from seeds from the Western Regions. However, speaking of it, this watermelon called ¡®xi gua¡¯ is really sweet and delicious, with a lingering aftertaste. I wonder if Duan Wang will be able to present more of such watermelons next year. Even we old officials want to shamelessly ask the emperor for some.

    West of Shi Chongguan, Tuoba Ren received the secret report, he read the secret report carefully, feeling it a little unbelievable, the power of the Liangzhou bandits was not small, to be so easily destroyed by the Duan Wang? How could he believe this? It can be said that there was the handiwork of the Red Robe Army and the garrison, but even then it was not very believable. Because of the Suixi Kingdom¡¯s involvement from time to time, these two armies have been stationed on the side of Shi Chongguan, there was no sign of transferring troops.

    This matter was very strange, the guards they all knew about were only the imperial guards who came with Duan Wang, their main duty was to protect Duan Wang¡¯s safety. At best, the escort army with no more than five hundred people, how did they annihilate the bandits of more than two thousand people?

    Tuoba Ren turned his back a few times, his eyebrows locked, was this Duan Wang really as stupid as the rumour? Or was the imperial guard really so powerful?

    No matter what, that kind of speculation, he really didn¡¯t wish to see it become true. He came here with a mission, in order to capture Duan Wang to threaten the emperor of the Great Yan Kingdom.

    If Duan Wang was a shrewd person, and the imperial guards were all fearless people, then can their plan be implemented smoothly?

    Under anxiety, Tuoba Ren coughed lightly a few times, the weather was warming up in the beginning of spring, his illness was not as serious as in winter, and his body and bones were also relieved a lot.

    He came to Shi Chongguan for several months, but he had not found any breakthrough, Duan Wang was in Liangcheng, although it was not far from Shi Chongguan, but Shi Chongguan defense was not broken, it would be difficult for them to attack Liangcheng.

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    Shi Chongguan was a difficult-to-defend and difficult-to-attack place. Five years ago he was lucky enough to break through it in one fell swoop, directly controlling the whole city. It was also that time that it left him a lifetime of regrets. Today¡¯s Shi Chongguan was heavily guarded by the Great Yan¡¯s armies, there was also a Red-Robed Army lying in wait for the opportunity, it was difficult to break through as five years ago.

    Seeing Duan Wang jumping under his nose, even after accidentally accomplishing such a big thing, made him feel more and more intractable.

    However, he originally issued a military order in front of King Khan, that he must take down Duan Wang, but now it seems that it¡¯s useless to just wait here, he should act. Perhaps it would be more reassuring to go to investigate the situation in person, Tuoba Ren made up his mind in his heart.

    With everything settled, Ming Yu relaxed, he was able to eat and drink well, and Qing Ping, who was waiting for him, was also a lot happy.

    ¡°Qing Ping, the weather is good today, let¡¯s go shopping together? You can look at your rouge powder or something, you should use some of it ah, what a woman should do is to dress up beautifully.¡± Ming Yu stretched out and said.

    Qing Ping was not angry, ¡°Wang Ye if you want to go out, just say it directly. Why is there a need to pull me?¡±

    ¡°Hehe! Do you agree with this? Spring is infinitely good, but it might be disappointing.¡±  Ming Yu smiled mischievously with no upright manner.

    Qing Ping glared at him, she really wanted to nag him for having no manners, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s come to an agreement first, you can only wander around the city, you are not allowed to go out of the city, and you have to bring a few guards with you. This is what Commander Mo had commanded. ¡±

    Now the barbarians were watching them like a tiger watching its prey, there were frequent movements on the border. If they entered the border unguarded, it would be dangerous outside the city. There were also bandits that cannot be ignored. Although Ming Yu destroyed Song Qingfu and had a deterrent effect on the Liangzhou bandits, there was no guarantee that those bandits would not resort to making some move out of desperation. At least it would be safer in Liangcheng, so Mo Jiang instructed Qing Ping not to let Wang Ye act alone, if he had to go out of the city, she must also notify him, then he would arrange it.

    Originally, Mo Jiang was supposed to protect Ming Yu without leaving an inch, but Ming Yu really didn¡¯t have enough manpower at hand, the guard battalion had to be taken care of. Recently a new batch of young and strong people from the village came to the guard camp to train. Therefore, Mo Jiang still couldn¡¯t pull out his hand for the time being, so he could only let Qing Ping restrict Ming Yu and prevent him from going out of the city.

    Ming Yu originally didn¡¯t want to cause trouble to Mo Jiang and the others, it¡¯s not impossible to stay in the prince¡¯s residence, didn¡¯t you see him holed up at home for the whole winter? However, going out today was important.

    Ming Yu threw a candied fruit in his mouth, moved one leg over another and said ridiculously: ¡°Qing Ping, take a look at yourself, all day long you do nothing but repeat what Commander Mo says over and over. Let me ask you, is there another implication in this?¡±

    Qingping was stunned, then her face turned red with shame. The master was good at everything, but there was no door on his mouth. She stomped her foot and said angrily, ¡°Wang Ye! Don¡¯t talk nonsense, who is Commander Mo? How could he fancy me just because I want him to? If I confess, won¡¯t it just make people laugh? Wang Ye¡¯s Great Learning and the Five Classics of Confucianism books from yesterday, it seems that the Shengzu learning court had not yet finished making a copy, right? I will go to Mr. Zhou to talk about it later, okay? ¡±

    Mr. Zhou was the teacher sent by the emperor to Ming Yu. When he came to Liangcheng with Ming Yu, he lived in the prince¡¯s residence. He supervised and taught Ming Yu to study every day.

    Hearing Mr. Zhou¡¯s name, Ming Yu¡¯s face changed and he quickly begged for mercy, ¡°Cough! Good Qing Ping, I was just saying it, nothing serious. I didn¡¯t mean it. Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give you something as a gift later, okay? ¡±

    Qingping had not yet dissipated her anger, she did not intend to pay attention to him. Ming Yu was someone who spoke sharp and unkind words, it wasn¡¯t good this time, so it took a lot of effort to coax her well.

    He ordered the people to prepare the carriage and horses because he was only walking around the city, so they specially ordered the light carriage to be simple. But no matter how streamlined it was, Wang Ye¡¯s guard was still indispensable.

    The main thing for Ming Yu to go out today was to go to the craftsman¡¯s workshop, which was a place for craftsmen to produce and experiment. When he first came to Liangcheng, he wanted to station them in the prince¡¯s residence but the residence was too small to open a smithery. When he was completely settled, Ming Yu set up a craftsmanship workshop alone and set aside a separate place in the west of the city.

    Because of the good news coming from the craftsman who visited, saying that the glass matter had progressed, Ming Yu planned to go over today to take a look.

    After getting off the carriage, Elder Huang had already led people to wait at the door, everyone¡¯s faces were beaming. Seeing Ming Yu, after saluting, Elder Huang came up and said joyfully: ¡°Wang Ye, we have made glass according to your method, it¡¯s shiny and transparent, delicate and clean, I have never seen such a magical thing.¡±

    Ming Yu was also happy in his heart, he waited for so long. His painstaking efforts were not in vain. This glass production cost was low, if it was launched, not to mention that it was scarce and expensive, he thought it would definitely lead to a luxury trend. As long as it was properly marketed and sought after by the world, will he still be afraid of lack of money?

    As for marketing, hehe! Who under the sky was as skillful as him? With the endorsement of his imperial father, it will not be difficult for this glass to be popular.

 CH 57

    ¡°Wang Ye! See, this is what you call a glass mirror.¡± Elder Huang came out with a box and handed it to Ming Yu respectfully with both hands.

    The box was luxuriously carved. When Ming Yu opened it, he saw layers of mirrors wrapped in silk brocade, a round, and small piece, framed by exquisite wooden frames by craftsmen, and carved with generous and simple patterns on the back. He had to say that the craftsmanship of the craftsmen was indeed very pure, at a glance, it showed exquisiteness and luxuriousness, very good, it was indeed made according to his ideas.

    Ming Yu grabbed it, which scared the craftsmen on the side. You know, this thing called a mirror took a lot of their effort. This mirror was really ingenious, delicate, clearer than a copper mirror. There was only one disadvantage: it cannot be bumped, and it¡¯s easy to break. They were afraid of it being broken, so each and every one of them took extreme care of it.

    Ming Yu¡¯s careless action really made their hearts rise up to their throats. They were afraid that the mirror would accidentally be bumped by Ming Yu. However, it¡¯s also reasonable to say that they¡¯re blindly worried about it, the mirror was originally proposed by Wang Ye to make. Therefore, it could be seen that Wang Ye was the clearest about how this mirror functions and performs.

    Ming Yu looked at it carefully in his hand, he was also amazed in his heart, but what he marveled at was not the mirror itself, but the craftsmanship of the craftsmen. This kind of carving, retro, simple, and elegant, it can be sold for a high price with this craft alone. It¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s values were different, now people¡¯s eyes were amazed at the incomparable mirror, while Ming Yu was used to seeing mirrors, so what he appreciated was the beauty of what was hand-carved.

    Ming Yu looked at it for a while, pulled Qing Ping, and handed the mirror to her, ¡°Take a look if you like this mirror or not, if you like it I will give it to you.¡± He already said that he would give something to her as a gift, so he can¡¯t take back his word. If he can please Qing Ping, then it would be good if she supervised him less with telling him to study this and that in the future. Ming Yu¡¯s heart crackled with abacus noises.

    Qing Ping took this fairy-like thing defenselessly and was suddenly frightened. She did not dare to move at all. She had just seen the magic of this mirror behind Wang Ye, when Wang Ye suddenly threw it at her, catching her off guard.

    It was not only her, but the people next to her were all frightened by Ming Yu¡¯s actions, they all knew that Ming Yu treated anyone with an easygoing attitude with no arrogance. But to generously give such a rare treasure to a handmaid, this somewhat made them unable to adapt.

    Their appearance amused Ming Yu. He smiled at Qing Ping, who did not dare to move: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as it is not bumped, it won¡¯t be so easy to break.¡±

    Only then did Qing Ping come to her senses, ¡°Wang Ye, this¡­ I can¡¯t afford it. ¡±

    ¡°What afford or can¡¯t afford, since it was given to you, you should take it, even if it is broken, it will be fine. When the time comes, you can have 8 to 10 more of these to play with.¡± Ming Yu was also grateful for Qing Ping¡¯s dedicated service and care for so many years, he had always been generous to his own people. Qing Ping was the person who had followed him the longest and the most trusted undoubtedly.

    Ming Yu¡¯s words made Qing Ping carefully plop down, His Highness was already Wang Ye, how can he talk so unreliably? Such a precious thing, how can he say she will have 8 to 10 more to play with? This was deliberately said to scare her, right?

    Seeing that Qingping¡¯s face was frightened, Ming Yu smiled and said: ¡°What are you panicking about, since this plaything was made once then it can be made countless in the future, it¡¯s nothing at all.¡±

    Everyone gasped, they were all convinced by Wang Ye¡¯s words. Elder Huang smiled and said, ¡°What Wang Ye said is true, since we can make the first one, we will be able to make more in the future.¡±

    This mirror could only be made by Wang Ye under the guidance of Wang Ye, but they have mastered the technology. When they do more and become more skilled in the future, they will naturally be able to make more and better ones. The so-called one reason makes a hundred reasons, in the future, they can also make other glasses, bottles, glass plates and other good things, it could be seen that it won¡¯t be any less inferior to the crystal bottled glass (gifted by the emperor before).

    Ming Yu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly the case. You should not be afraid of failure, you must be bold and innovative, and give full play to the spirit of research, then you will be able to make better and more useful things in the future.¡±

    Everyone promised that if Wang Ye directed it, they would accomplish it well.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t want to put too much pressure on them, so he changed the topic and said, ¡°By the way, can your thousand mile eyes be made with these glass mirrors?¡±

    Because of the thousand mile eyes matter, General Wei looked for him a lot, only hoping that Ming Yu would think of a way for him. Xie Yixiu used the crystal glass rewarded by the emperor to find Ming Yu to help him make one, although the price of the cost was quite a lot, whatever the case he already got one.

    He looked at him with envy, how could he not have crystal glass, so he was coveting Ming Yu¡¯s. He came to find Ming Yu today to borrow it for two days, then tomorrow he came to find Ming Yu to borrow it for half a month, Ming Yu was really impatient, he told him to wait, wait for his side to make a new one, and he would let him pay money to buy it.

    Knowing that Ming Yu can still make thousand-mile eyes, General Wei was overjoyed. Since he said that he can pay silver money to buy it, then it was a deal, he was willing to pay more considering the value of this thing.

    Now that it¡¯s a deal, General Wei came to ask Ming Yu every three or five days, when will the thousand miles eyes be done. His money had already been prepared, and he¡¯s waiting for Ming Yu to fulfill his promise.

    There was really no way but to let the craftsmen make the glass first and let them take the lead in making the thousand miles eyes, so he can send this to General Wei first. Now that many months have passed, whenever Ming Yu saw General Wei he would start to hide, knowing that he would be cheap and demanding it in advance.

    Fortunately, now that the glass was made, as long as he can give General Wei a progress report, then he won¡¯t come to bother himself, he can take it much easier.

    Elder Huang knew about Ming Yu¡¯s situation, he knew that Ming Yu was urgent, so they used the first batch of glass produced to hurriedly make the thousand miles eyes. Because they have done it before, they were more proficient, so they were able to do it in a timely manner.

    He nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wang Ye, the thousand-mile eyes you ordered had long been ready. Our people worked nonstop and made a few more out. ¡±

    Sure enough, Elder Huang understood his thoughts, it¡¯s just what he wanted. He had a tight hand, so he could use this to earn some extra money back. How can the thousand mile eyes not be demanded in the army? First, he will pick up some orders and come back, get through the current difficulties, and when the caravan returns, they can send the first batch of glass mirrors and goods from the Western Regions to the capital. He only needed to plan a marketing plan and ask crown prince Ming Ye to preside over the sale for him, hehe! When he has money, he can show his strength.

    Now everything was ready, lacking only one tiny item. It wasn¡¯t known when that caravan would return. Will there be any changes on the way? No matter what happened, the slow remedy doesn¡¯t address the current emergency. So everything can only be done by themselves.

    Coming out of the workshop, Ming Yu took Qing Ping around the workshop market and bought a few things he liked. He bought a lot of rouge powder for Qing Ping, and went for a walk before returning to the prince¡¯s residence.

    As soon as he entered the door, someone came to report that General Wei had been waiting in the hall for a long time. Ming Yu had a headache. He knew that General Wei must have come for the thousand mile eyes again, but fortunately, he had already brought it back. When the errand was handed over, General Wei should not be so troublesome in the future.

    Sure enough, when General Wei saw Ming Yu¡¯s face, his eyes lit up, ¡°Greetings, Wang Ye!! I¡¯m not sure if your thousand mile eyes showed any progress? I really can¡¯t wait to the point of being unable to swallow down my food, being restless at night and having my heart extremely anxious! ¡±

    Ming Yu sat down on the main seat, waved his hand and said: ¡°General Wei doesn¡¯t have to be like this, since Ben Wang promised you, I will definitely fulfill my promise, you just need to talk about how many thousand miles eyes you want, alright?¡±

    As soon as Ming Yu¡¯s words came out, General Wei was almost so shocked that he almost jumped up from his seat. Wang Ye, what does this mean? What does it mean by how many thousand miles eyes he wanted? Could it be that there were many thousand miles eyes? If so, naturally the more the merrier.

    He rubbed his hands and asked happily, ¡°Wang Ye, you mean you have many thousand miles eyes? I¡¯m not sure how many you have? And what are the conditions? ¡±

    Listening to the meaning of this, he wanted to test and tempt, to see how much his family can buy?

    Ming Yu crossed one leg over another and leisurely said, ¡°It¡¯s not considered many, just about 8 to 10. It is estimated that you can get it, as for the price? General Wei already knows that the price I calculated for you is already the most favourable price. If you were to take out ten eight crystal glasses to make thousand miles eyes, it is estimated that the entire family base led by General Wei would not be enough. ¡±

    8 to 10? General Wei gasped. It¡¯s not that he thought it was expensive, it¡¯s just that he was surprised by this number.

    ¡°Yes, I want all of them!¡± General Wei couldn¡¯t wait to speak. He was afraid that if he was one step late, it would be directly snatched away by others.

    Hearing that everything was all wrapped up, Ming Yu smiled happily. He can set General Wei as a high-quality customer, after all, frank and straightforward people were not many during this period.

    Ming Yu smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes, but it will take half a month to be able to get the goods. General Wei can pay half of the deposit first, and the remaining half can be settled when the goods are picked up. ¡±

    He had waited for many months already, it¡¯s not bad to wait a little more for things to settle. It only took half a month for the thousand miles eyes to be ready.

    After General Wei left, Ming Yu entered the study, put down the paper, and after a while, a note with undried ink was already out.

    After the ink was dried and sealed in an envelope, he summoned someone to send the letter to General Xie of the Red-Robed Army.

    Xie Yixiu received the letter and saw the handwriting of bird dancing claws written by Ming Yu himself, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh in his heart. He is a prince, and yet his handwriting was not as good as a three-year-old child¡¯s. He heard that he was supervised by Teacher Zhou every day to practice writing, but he had not grown a little. Obviously, he was such a smart person, but learning things from books was like killing him, it¡¯s funny to think about it.

    However, after he read the content of the letter, he could not laugh. Just because the letter mentioned, ¡°Bigshot Xie, I have thousand miles eyes here, about 8 to 10. I need to get in touch with you.¡±

    Xie Yixiu was shocked, he had already asked the craftsmen to make one before, knowing that this thing was very useful and could be called a great weapon in military affairs. Since Ming Yu spoke about it, he had been able to make it in large quantities? Of course, the more such a thing was equipped in the army, the better it will be. If the follower generals can have one, 8 to 10 was too little, he can¡¯t miss this opportunity.

    Xie Yixiu couldn¡¯t wait to immediately have people prepare their horses and set off to find Ming Yu.

    For such a bigshot customer who took the initiative to send him money, Ming Yu had always been patient and gentle, giving people a feeling of spring breeze. Of course, be gentle when you should be gentle, and be even more ruthless when you should be ruthless. When it comes to the issue of money, he was absolutely unrelenting, never letting go. This was a major issue of people¡¯s livelihood, so, if you can make a move, make a move, bite the meat fiercely so that they can¡¯t even scream.

    Even a lord like Xie Yixiu, who couldn¡¯t suffer a loss anywhere, could only suffer a dumb loss when he encountered Ming Yu. There was no other way, who made Ming Yu have the upper hand? Ming Yu¡¯s cool poke secretly, finally won back under Xie Yixiu, it was really not easy!

    Xie Yixiu plus General Wei¡¯s deposit was quite a lot, he was finally able to sleep peacefully, but unfortunately, these twenty thousand miles eyes were the limit of the craftsmen¡¯s manufacturing, otherwise, they could earn more. It seemed that there was still a need to cultivate talents in this area, en, it¡¯s better to have an assembly line.

 CH 58

    Amid Ming Yu¡¯s heartfelt longing and eager waiting, half a month later, Ming Yu finally waited until there was news of the caravan¡¯s return.

    It had to be said that this was their first trip to the West, the experience was difficult to say, but fortunately, they lived up to the trust and finally completed the task assigned by Ming Yu.

    Ming Yu finally waited for the return of the dust-covered caravan ten miles west of Liangcheng.

    Carriage loaded with goods returned from the journey, the horses pulled carts covered in dirt and dust. Although they were all dirty, they could tell that they were more than a lap larger than the horse when they were taken out on the journey.

    The group almost burst into tears when they saw Ming Yu, after going out for so long, and finally returning home to see familiar people, they suddenly had sustenance in their feelings, the excitement was incomparable.

    Bu Atan dismounted first and made a big salute to Ming Yu, ¡°Wang Ye, I have lived up to your trust and finally fulfilled Wang Ye¡¯s request.¡±

    Ming Yu quickly stepped forward two steps, helped Bu Atan up, and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Good, good! Ben Wang was relieved that you were able to return safely. Did it all go well? ¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s words of concern made Bu Atan extremely grateful, ¡°Thank you Wang Ye for your thoughts, everything was fine, although there were unsatisfactory things, but relying on everyone working together we finally got through the difficulty.¡±

    Along the way, it¡¯s impossible to say that they haven¡¯t encountered difficulties. From bandits to furry thieves, not to mention the treacherous environment and harsh climate. But fortunately, everyone did not give up, they united as one, and helped each other, such a result was already very satisfactory.

    Bu Atan pointed to the horse behind him and said: ¡°Wang Ye, please take a look, these are all good horses of the Western Regions. Two of them are called rouge horses, their fur is as red as rouge. They are rare good horses. If it weren¡¯t for the method Wang Ye said, I¡¯m afraid someone would have seen through our idea a long time ago. ¡±

    Ming Yu followed his hand and looked over, there were indeed two horses with tall and upright postures, if not covered by mud, others could see the horse¡¯s divinity at a glance.

    Ming Yu stepped forward, nodded again and again and said good, with great joy in his eyes. Looking at the dozens of horses in front of him, it was as if he saw the potential development of the future horse farm. Give him a little time, his horse farm will have infinite possibilities.

    The Great Yan lacked horses. Because there were no good horses, that¡¯s why the number of cavalries was too scarce thus they could only be used for small-scale battles or surprise attacks. The iron cavalry against the Suixi Kingdom could only resist with the flesh and blood of infantry, so every time they took a hard battle, the casualties of the Great Yan garrison were a terrible number.

    Suixi Kingdom fought with cavalry to show off their might and repeatedly attacked the side, but the Great Yan dared to be angry and did not dare to speak, why? Wasn¡¯t it because there was no good horses? In a few years or even a dozen years, he, Ming Yu, will change this status quo, by relying on these horses in front of him.

    ¡°Wang Ye, I also specially brought back two people to Wang Ye, hoping that Wang Ye can use them.¡± Bu Atan said.

    ¡°You brought back two people?¡± Ming Yu wondered, who would be the person that Bu Atan would bring back on purpose?

    Bu Atan nodded and smiled: ¡°They are from Wan Kingdom, called Chi Zhe and A Jiapa, their family has helped people raise horses for generations. They have a very good set of skills for raising horses and taming horses. In fact, along the way, we also have them to thank for taking care of the horses.¡±

    Speaking of which, Bu Atan¡¯s caravan being able to gather so many horses, it was all thanks to these two to maneuver in it. The two brothers, Chi Zhe and A Jiapa, were arrested for offending the nobles, and just as their caravan was passing by, Bu Atan overheard the history of the two and had an idea.

    Thinking of the task of buying horses that Ming Yu gave him, their team was a stranger in a strange land, their understanding of horses was not very thorough, and there was a lack of such good horses in the team. If he could give a small favour and rescue these two people to the caravan, when buying horses, it would be much easier with the help of these two.

    Thinking of it, he proceeded to do it. Bu Atan bribed the responsible official with a blue and white porcelain vase, and easily rescued the two. These two men were deeply grateful so they lived up to their expectations. They dedicated themselves to doing things for them, these horses were good horses selected by their hands. The two brothers had no relatives, that¡¯s why they came back in the caravan and came with them.

    Bu Atan¡¯s words made Ming Yu really unexpectedly surprised. Originally he had a headache for raising horses. Because it¡¯s the horses from the Western Regions, their living habits were completely different from the Great Yan¡¯s horses, and it¡¯s afraid that when the horses were brought back, no one would be able to take care of the horses, therefore it will be a little difficult. Fortunately, Bu Atan was very careful, thinking of this, now Bu Atan brought him back two ready-made solutions, why wouldn¡¯t he rejoice?

    ¡°Seriously? Really good, Ben Wang lacks such talents. Bu Atan, Ben Wang really needs to give you great credit.¡± Ming Yu stroked his palm and smiled.

    Chi Zhe and A Jiapa had already stood up under Bu Atan¡¯s gesture and knelt down to bow to Mingyu, saying in not very fluent Chinese: ¡°Master Wang Ye, we pay our respect to you.¡±

    They were sinners who were sent into slavery, Bu Atan bought them as their masters. However, Bu Atan said that their master was the Wang Ye of the Great Yan Kingdom, a respectable noble lord. They had never heard of it. There was also the Great Yan Kingdom, which they heard was in the far east, and Bu Atan came from there.

    They worked for Bu Atan¡¯s caravan, the people in the caravan treated them very well and did not treat them as slaves in the slightest. These Easterners speak with great discourse from each other, they speak and do things with humility and courtesy, which made them deeply curious about the distant Eastern countries.

    So what kind of person will their master, Wang Ye, be? At first, they were very apprehensive. However, seeing Ming Yu¡¯s humble and jade-like demeanor and kind smile, their hearts finally relaxed. No wonder, with such a master, the people in the caravan would be the same as the master

    Ming Yu smiled and let them get up, ¡°You guys can raise horses?¡±

    The two looked at each other and nodded.

    They can¡¯t do anything else, but they have no problem raising horses. It was also because the horses raised by their two brothers were fancied by the noble lords that they wanted to forcibly occupy them by imposing a crime on them and treating them as slaves of sin. If it were not for Bu Atan¡¯s caravan passing by and rescuing them, they were only afraid at this moment, they would already be¡­.

    ¡°Very good, in the future, Ben Wang will hand over these horses to you, if you raise horses for Ben Wang, and do a good job, Ben Wang will naturally not treat you badly.¡± Ming Yu said.

    Letting them raise the horses was their job. The two nodded vigorously in unison, it was proper to do things for the master, they were already lucky to be able to raise horses and do familiar things. They believed that they would be able to raise the best and strongest horses for Wang Ye.

    Ming Yu was very happy, and looked at the Red Robe Army and the guard army guarding the caravan. He waved his sleeves, and said in a heroic loud voice: ¡°Everyone has worked hard, Ben Wang will set up a banquet tonight to welcome everyone and to wash the dust, let¡¯s make the night out of it!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone was overjoyed. The atmosphere suddenly reached its peak annd with Wang Ye¡¯s affirmation, the fatigue of the past few months was swept away, they suddenly regained their energetic spirit.

    Tonight was destined to be full of laughter and singing. Ming Yu had never been happier than today. He was very drunk that night. Almost everyone at the banquet was drunk and crooked, and it was not until dawn that the banquet gradually dispersed.

    When Ming Yu woke up, the sun was already westward. After drinking the hangover medicine and decanting soup brought by Qing Ping, Ming Yu¡¯s headache hangover was relieved a lot, but he didn¡¯t expect this hangover soup to be so good.

    Qing Ping rubbed his temples for him understandingly, and said angrily: ¡°Look at you, drinking so much, your body should be uncomfortable now, right?¡±

    Ming Yu smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t this because I was happy. Qing Ping, do you know, I have horses, my horse farm will be built soon, those horses are good horses, it won¡¯t be long before I have more horses, they will become war horses, not any inferior than the barbarians¡¯ horses, they will carry the soldiers on the battlefield, fight side by side with the soldiers, and make the enemy flee.¡±

    Thinking of this day, Ming Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The more he thought about it, the happier he was. Qing Ping¡¯s movements were gentle but not without strength. The just-right press made Ming Yu squint his eyes comfortably.

    ¡°Okay, got it. But does Wang Ye know that General Xie had been waiting for you for a long time?¡± Qing Ping pursed her lips and smiled.

    ¡°Aiyo! General Xie came? What is he here for?¡± Ming Yu straightened up and asked with a frown.

    Wasn¡¯t this asking the question while already knowing the answer? Qing Ping remembered the hangover medicine just now, it was thanks to General Xie. So she smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but General Xie should be worried about His Highness.¡±

    It would be strange if he believed this! He can be concerned about himself, hehe! It was better to care about these horses and think of the originally promised promise. Ming Yu made a bitter face and hummed angrily, this Xie Yixiu ran too fast, right? Why wasn¡¯t he this energetic with other things too?

    ¡°Debt collector.¡± Ming Yu muttered, ¡°You tell him that Ben Wang is still drunk and has not woken up.¡±

    Qing Ping smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that, but General Xie said he will wait until His Highness wakes up.¡±

    Ming Yu raised his forehead. Xie Yixiu¡¯s purpose in coming over was already obvious, he¡¯s really a master of not moving until he sees the benefits. Yesterday the caravan just returned, and today he had already come to collect debts. Tsk! He hasn¡¯t warmed the horses he brought back yet!

    Well, since you can¡¯t dodge, you can only face it.

    After Ming Yu freshened up and changed, he went to the front hall to meet Xie Yixiu. After waiting for half a day, Xie Yixiu¡¯s face was still indifferent.

    When he saw Mingyu, they sat down with each other after saluting. Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu, because of the hangover, Ming Yu¡¯s face was a little pale and tired. Xie Yixiu was in an inexplicable mood and frowned slightly.

    He had heard yesterday that the caravan sent by Ming Yu had returned with a full load. Ming Yu set up a banquet for them to welcome them and to wash the dust, it was inevitable for him to drink and socialize at the banquet. He was afraid that Ming Yu would have to suffer when he woke up today.

    Anyway, in the army, there was a special hangover medicine used for the relief of the headache after a hangover. The effect was very good, it was better to send some to Ming Yu, so as not to let him suffer. Thus he came early, and along the way, he had a worry that he didn¡¯t even know until he saw him that his heart got relieved a little.

    He saw that Mingyu rubbed his temples with his head propped up after sitting down, obviously a little uncomfortable, and couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Wang Ye, drinking hurts your body, it¡¯s better to drink less in the future.¡±

    Ming Yu slandered in his heart, humph! What fake kindness, knowing that Ben Wang has a hangover today, you still ran over early in the morning to collect the debt?

    Ming Yu waved his hand and said with a smile on his face: ¡°I¡¯m fine. General Xie is really well-informed, yesterday the caravan just returned, and here you already came to ask for horses today.¡±

    ¡°Eh!¡± Xie Yixiu was stunned, asking for horses? Only then did he remember their original agreement, but at this time, it was difficult to say that was not the reason he was here today, so he could only be silent.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s silence was equivalent to an agreement in Ming Yu¡¯s eyes. Ming Yu pouted, ¡°Hey, in fact, because yesterday was too hurried, Ben Wang didn¡¯t take much look at these horses, why don¡¯t General Xie come and take a look together?¡±

    Xie Yixiu naturally readily agreed, the two of them each brought their guards to accompany them. Those horses were kept in the guard camp outside the city. Because Ming Yu was still a little unwell, he prepared a carriage, and Xie Yixiu rode a horse accompanying him

    The horses had long been cleanly washed and were grazing leisurely at this time. Bu Atan really knew how to do things, each of the horses selected had smooth fur, strong and powerful, smooth waist, and thick limbs, which were completely incomparable to the Great Yan¡¯s ponies.

    Even Xie Yixiu, who was used to seeing good horses, couldn¡¯t help but look on with envy.

 CH 59

    ¡°These are the horses that the caravan brought back from the Wan Kingdom?¡± Xie Yixiu was surprised.

    Ming Yu nodded proudly, he pleasley said: ¡°Of course, the horses of the Wan Kingdom are famous in the countries of the Western Regions, otherwise Ben Wang would not bother to let people bring the horses back.¡±

    ¡°Good horse!¡± Xie Yixiu praised.

    Hearing the praise, Ming Yu smiled until his eyebrows bent, looking like ¡®you have good taste.¡¯ ¡°Let me tell you, this time Bu Atan also changed back two rouge horses, the fur color is as red as rouge, hence the name. This rouge horse can be regarded as a famous horse in all countries of the Western Regions, its speed is as strong as if it¡¯s flying. It¡¯s really a rare good horse.¡± Ming Yu began to show off.

    Xie Yixiu looked over, and sure enough, there were two red horses, which were like cranes in a flock of chicken. It¡¯s whole body was as red as charcoal rouge, without the slightest bit of variegated color from head to tail. At a glance, it could be seen as a good horse breed.

    Xie Yixiu nodded in agreement. At the beginning, when Ming Yu had nothing, he came to beg him, and promised to exchange with a good horse, originally he did not believe in this kind of empty words of wolf in sheep clothing, but after listening to Ming Yu¡¯s plan, he actually took the advantage to agree on the spot.

    He didn¡¯t have much hope for this. It wasn¡¯t until Ming Yu began to prepare the caravan. Then the caravan went west, it was only now that the horses really appeared in front of him as Ming Yu said, that he realized that Ming Yu had unknowingly fulfilled his words that were once like a fantasy story.

    No matter what, Ming Yu was determined in moving towards the goal he had set. When others were still confused by the light in front of them and couldn¡¯t see through the direction of the future, Ming Yu had already planned the path he would take in the future. Moreover, he had begun to silently prepare in this aspect, how strong a wisdom is needed to move forward step by step like this? Then the next step would be the horse farm, the future armored horses of the Great Yan, all of them will be slowly realized in the hands of Ming Yu.

    Xie Yixiu was shocked and relieved in his heart. Ming Yu was really different. He stared blankly at Ming Yu¡¯s bright smile, as if as long as he saw his smile, his heart could gush with sunshine-like warmth.

    Ming Yu didn¡¯t notice Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes, he looked at these horses, the smile on his face couldn¡¯t stop, these are the capital of his fortune, all his future wealth!

    These horses were previously covered in dirt, so they couldn¡¯t see anything, but now that they were clean, they looked noble and strong, with smooth lines. Each one of them was too beautiful. Especially these two rouge horses, as long as people see them, they will grow to like them. Ming Yu had already begun to regret it, he already knew that he really shouldn¡¯t have agreed to General Xie¡¯s conditions, he really couldn¡¯t bear to give the horse out for nothing.

    If he left all these horses behind, he would have a lot of foals in the future! Therefore, Ming Yu regretted.

    ¡°That¡­ General Xie, what do you think about this horse?¡± Ming Yu¡¯s heart spun quickly.

    Xie Yixiu came back to his senses, ¡°These horses are very good. ¡±

    ¡°No, I, Ben Wang meant¡­ Well! Is it okay if Ben Wang owe the horse to you and slowly send you one by one instead?¡± Ming Yu said with a shy face.

    Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t know why. Why would Ming Yu propose to slow it down like this?

    Ming Yu leaned in and said with a smile: ¡°These horses are all from the Western Regions, think about it, they came all the way here, they definitely are not used to the climate here. Moreover, these horses are very expensive, the horse breeder over there on your side will definitely not be able to raise them if they don¡¯t understand their habits. If you instead let them foster on my side first, and have professionals from Wan Kingdom to take care of them, there will never be such a problem, right? ¡±

    Xie Yixiu narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Ming Yu, as if to pry something from Ming Yu¡¯s sincere face.

    Ming Yu generously let him look, the expression on his face was indifferent. It was as if everything was really for Xie Yixiu¡¯s sake.

    Xie Yixiu thought for a while, and already understood what Ming Yu meant, there was a hint of softness in his eyes, he nodded in thought, ¡°Hmm! That¡¯s true. ¡±

    Ming Yu was overjoyed in his heart, seemingly promising, as long as he continued to work hard, this matter might really have a turnaround.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? You also think that this is the case, then Ben Wang¡¯s proposal should be feasible, right?¡± Ming Yu put his elbow on Xie Yixiu¡¯s shoulder and asked with a smile.

    Xie Yixiu had long lost his temper with Ming Yu¡¯s occasional unruly behavior. At first he was not used to it, so he would avoid it, but now, he had even begun to get used to it.

    Therefore, regarding to the hand on his shoulder, Xie Yixiu turned a blind eye, only glanced at it and withdrew his gaze, ¡°It¡¯s feasible¡­¡±

    Before Ming Yu could rejoice, he heard the second half of Xie Yixiu¡¯s words come out, ¡°It¡¯s feasible, but¡­ I thought that I could also send people to learn the horse breeding method of the Wan Kingdom people. It¡¯s better to teach people to fish so they can eat fish forever than to give them the fish so they would finish it in a day, right?¡±

    No! Don¡¯t think that! Ming Yu gritted his teeth angrily, b*stard, you¡¯re deliberately teasing me, right?

    His eyes opened wide, he hated the fact that he can¡¯t stare holes into this person. Xie Yixiu was calm and collected, unaware of the eye blades that Ming Yu threw over.

    However, even though he was angry and hateful in his heart, on the surface he still had to show a smile, ¡°There are so many troubles, Ben Wang will do it for you, General Xie, you just have to rest assured.¡±

    Xie Yixiu saw that Ming Yu was bulging and dared to be angry and did not dare to speak, he even had to force a smile showing a joyful expression, the corners of his mouth had a slight curve.

    He doesn¡¯t really necessarily want these horses now. What he said just now was just to tease him, seeing how Ming Yu changed his expression so quickly, how cute! It made his fingers itch and wanted to poke! Who would have thought that the usually not laughing person, the cold General Xie would tease people?

    ¡°No trouble at all.¡± Xie Yixiu¡¯s usually cold voice was also two points lighter.

    Ming Yu supported his forehead, why doesn¡¯t this person listen to advice? ¡°General Xie, how about you put the horse here, and Ben Wang will help you raise it first, then Ben Wang will calculate it as rent money for you later?¡± Ming Yu was determined to leave the horses behind, he simply released a big move. These horses were deposited in the bank as principal. When he pays interest, he does not believe that this person would not be moved. Wasn¡¯t it because this person would never want to suffer losses? If there is something cheap for him and he doesn¡¯t bite then he¡¯s simply not called Xie Yixiu.

    Sure enough, Xie Yixiu showed interest, ¡°What did you say?¡± After listening to Ming Yu¡¯s explanation of interest, Xie Yixiu did not immediately agree, and hesitated for a while before saying: ¡°I am afraid that this matter is inappropriate, Wang Ye will inevitably suffer too much.¡±

    Seeing that he was shaken, Ming Yu was happy in his heart, little guy, I already said it, how could this trick of luring with interests can¡¯t hook you?

    ¡°I won¡¯t suffer losses, won¡¯t suffer losses, as long as General Xie agrees, everything is good.¡±

    Xie Yixiu finally seemed to make a decision, ¡°I can¡¯t let Wang Ye suffer a loss, so I will leave the horse to settle here temporarily, but¡­¡±

    What Ming Yu hated the most was when people say something half way and leave the other half, General Xie was usually extremely straightforward, but today he¡¯s too over sensitive, really making people anxious.

    ¡°But what?¡± Ming Yu asked patiently.

    At this time, Xie Yixiu did not keep suspense, and said directly: ¡°The eight thousand mile eyes that Wang Ye promised me last time are too few, the high ranking generals in the Red-Robed Army can¡¯t be covered at all¡­¡±

    This is easy to do, it¡¯s possible if he wanted the thousand mile eyes. The craftsmen can also take a small number of orders after the craftsmen have finished the glass mirrors that are to be transported into the capital, as long as it does not affect the normal workshop work.

    ¡°I can help you order another batch of thousand mile eyes for you, but it will take a little longer.¡± Ming Yu said truthfully.

    Xie Yixiu nodded in agreement, ¡°Then what about the money?¡±

    Last time Ming Yu traded with his thousand mile eyes, it was obvious that Ming Yu had resolutely ripped off a sum of money. If he didn¡¯t ask for some back, his heart would be uneasy, after all, he still had the Red Robe Army to raise, so he had to be meticulous. Otherwise others would not give him the title of ¡®ferocious¡¯ and ¡®cheapstake¡¯, Ming Yu gritted his teeth, ¡°Okay! Ten percent less¡­¡± Seeing Xie Yixiu stretching out three fingers and tapping lightly, Ming Yu jumped to his feet, ¡°No, thirty percent less is too much, at most twenty percent less for you!¡±

    Getting twenty percent worth of thousand mile eyes less was indeed the bottom price of Ming Yu. If he took even lesser money then he will be poverty stricken. He still relied on this income to support his family, and to be honest, it is not easy for everyone.

    Seeing that Ming Yu had an iron heart, Xie Yixiu nodded and compromised, ¡°But! When Wang Ye¡¯s horse farm is completed in the future, Wang Ye will give priority of trade to the Red Robe Army. The price is ten percent lower than that of others, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Hiss!¡± Ming Yu felt a chill down his spine, the spit of his stomach hurt. If it¡¯s like this, how much will his horse farm be sold in the future? If he¡¯s like this how can he earn any profit!

    ¡°I love these horses. There are only more than ten horses, but there are many soldiers in the Red Robe Army, therefore it won¡¯t be enough.¡± Xie Yixiu shook his head and sighed.

    ¡°Hehe! General Xie, what do you think is the relationship between the two of us? Why do you still have to divide between you and me? I would suffer big losses this time.¡±Ming Yu cried bitterly.

    ¡°Favor returns with favor, transaction returns with transaction, the two of them cannot be confused, isn¡¯t this what Wang Ye said?¡± Xie Yixiu had a smile in his eyes.

    This is what Ming Yu said when he talked about thousand mile eyes trade last time, now it was borrowed by Xie Yixiu to say this, directly blocking Ming Yu back.

    Alright! Disaster is one brought by oneself, Ming Yu finally understood. Turns out this person had been prepared to take revenge from the start. Because he took advantage of the thousand mile eyes last time, it made him suffer some losses. But this time he came to make up for it! Xie Yixiu is indeed Xie Yixiu, worthy of his name, and he finally experienced it now.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it, so be it.¡± Ming Yu said with a shrug. Otherwise, what else can he do? He¡¯s seriously short on good horses now, with these more than ten horse breeds, there will be more than this number in the future.

    He wants to build the largest horse farm in the Great Yan, so good horse breeds are indispensable, so Ming Yu can only bear it by gritting his teeth.

    Xie Yixiu knew the needs of Ming Yu to build a horse farm, otherwise he would not have agreed to leave his horse behind. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s still very good to be able to get some benefits from it, looking at Ming Yu¡¯s frustrated appearance, the more Xie Yixiu looked the more he cherished it. This person is liked no matter what he expression he had on his face, but being able to bully him is indeed very fulfilling, of course, only he can bully him. Others, hum!

    Xie Yixiu said that he couldn¡¯t let Wang Ye suffer a loss, but in the end, he took advantage of it. More than a dozen horses were only temporarily raised here in Mingyu¡¯s place, nominally they¡¯re still Xie Yixiu¡¯s, but Xie Yixiu took this as a condition, not only did he get more thousand miles eyes, but also set preferential conditions for the sale of horses in the future.

    In this way, Ming Yu had suffered a big loss. After fighting with this person for so long, he was at a disadvantage most of the time, is this still humane? Ming Yu¡¯s current expression was sad, not wanting to speak to him and did not want to pay attention to him.

 CH 60

    ¡°If there is anything in the future, you only need to give an order, and the Red-Robed Army will do everything possible to assist.¡± Xie Yixiu promised.

    Hearing him say this, Ming Yu¡¯s heart calmed down a little. With his words, it is not too much of a loss to be able to use the Red Robe Army.

    ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s decided.¡± The two made up their minds and reached an agreement.

    Next, Ming Yu had to plan the place to genuinely build a horse farm, the land where the water and grass are abundant. In fact, Ming Yu had been paying attention to these for a long time, the biggest disadvantage of Liangzhou is that the water source is too scarce, while the Qifeng River is already a relatively large river, the terrain there is not very satisfactory.

    ¡°Since you want to build a horse farm, have Wang Ye chosen the location of the horse farm?¡± Xie Yixiu asked with concern.

    If Ming Yu can really build the Great Yan¡¯s first horse farm, then it will be a great thing for the Great Yan. At least the soldiers will not have to use infantry against the cavalry because of the lack of horses and their Red-Robed Army also had the opportunity to expand its scale. By that time, they really won¡¯t have to be afraid of the invasion of the barbarians at all and adopt appropriate measures according to the situation. They will even be able to counterattack the barbarians¡¯ imperial court sooner or later.

    Ming Yu frowned, he was also troubled, ¡°Before I thought about the east of the Qifeng River Valley, but that land is too small to be suitable for raising horses, other places are too far from the water source, and the water and grass are not abundant there, so naturally it is impossible to raise horses. Now Ben Wang is also at wits¡¯ end and can¡¯t think of a suitable place.¡±

    Xie Yixiu pondered for a moment, and then suggested, ¡°Then has Wang Ye seen the area around Changlan Mountain?¡±

    ¡°Changlan Mountain?¡± Ming Yu thought about it carefully, he still had some reflections. When he first came to Liangcheng, he passed through Changlan Mountain, where Xie Yixiu¡¯s Red-Robed Army surrounded and annihilated the small group of the barbarians bandits who had entered Liangzhou. It was the first time he saw Xie Yixiu there, General Xie in a red robe, looking down on the entire battlefield, he was there as the king of the entire battlefield. Until now, that scene was still deep in Ming Yu¡¯s mind.

    ¡°But there is no water source near Changlan Mountain?¡± Ming Yu said suspiciously.

    Xie Yixiu nodded, ¡°Does Wang Ye know? The Qifeng River passes east of Changlan Mountain, but it is blocked by Changlan Mountain. ¡±

    Ming Yu was stunned, he didn¡¯t notice this point at all. He pulled Xie Yixiu¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk, let¡¯s go and look at the sand map.¡± After saying that, he pulled the person and left in a hurry.

    There is the guard camp, a map of Liangzhou, and a scaled-down terrain were all in the sand table.

    Ming Yu can¡¯t understand the map made by people here, so he made a sand table model, which is convenient and quickly understood at a glance.

    He is now standing in front of the sand table, looking at the terrain around Changlan Mountain. Xie Yixiu was right, west of Changlan Mountain is a large area of flat grassland, but the Qifeng River is east of Changlan Mountain, because it was seperated by the Changlan Mountain, Ming Yu did not put this place under consideration.

    It¡¯s a pity, Ming Yu looked at the terrain for half a day, if it weren¡¯t for the Changlan Mountain, this plain meadow would be the most suitable place to build a horse farm.

    No matter how strong his ability is, it is impossible to remove the Changlan Mountain, it is also unrealistic to open a canal in the mountain. In this world, the production capacity is backwards, and no matter what it is, it can only be carried out by manpower. It is not like the later generations where Ming Yu once lived, where they used high-tech means such as mechanical explosives and substances to easily  accomplish this.

    Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu¡¯s expression, and pointed his finger somewhere not far from Changlan Mountain in the upper reaches of the Qifeng River on the sand table, and said softly: ¡°Can you think of a way in this place?¡±

    Ming Yu followed his fingers and looked over, but did not find anything special. He turned his head to look at Xie Yixiu in confusion. His eyes were full of inquiry.

    ¡°Wang Ye came to Liangzhou recently so you didn¡¯t know about this place. Every time in the previous years, when there was flooding season, the Qifeng River would flood here. When the flood is severe, the Qifeng River would change the flooding route to the west of Changlan Mountain.¡± Xie Yixiu said what he knew.

    It is precisely because the rising water level receded that the sediment is left behind, gradually forming a flat land, so the land west of Changlan Mountain is fertile, and even the grass is more lush than other places.

    ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± Ming Yu was pleasantly surprised, so as long as the problem of water sources is solved, there is really hope that a horse farm can be built here.

    Ming Yu leaned down and carefully looked at the place where Xie Yixiu¡¯s finger pointed. He finally found some clues when he looked at it, this should be a canyon mouth. The terrain is much lower than anywhere else. If the Qifeng River¡¯s water doesn¡¯t flow it is good, but as long as the water flows there, it could flood the mouth of this canyon and flow across the Changlan Mountain to the plain grassland.

    In this way, what Xie Yixiu said, it is not impossible to think of a way in this place. Ming Yu wrapped his arms around one hand and supported his chin with the other to make a thinking gesture.

    Xie Yixiu didn¡¯t bother him either, he just stood on the side and watched him frown and ponder. When Ming Yu thought about the problem, he lowered his eyebrows, pursed his lips, and only immersed himself in his own world.

    Before, when Ming Yu discussed with him the strategy of encircling and suppressing the bandits, he often saw Ming Yu¡¯s appearance like this, that person¡¯s radiance made people unable to take their eyes off him.

    After a long time, Ming Yu¡¯s eyebrows gradually stretched, he lightly snapped his fingers, and said excitedly: ¡°Yes, maybe we can really reroute this Qifeng River, as long as the river can flow west of Changlan Mountain and nourish this pasture, then this place is the most suitable place to become the largest horse breeding place in Liangzhou.¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s flying posture made Xie Yixiu also fly with his mood, Ming Yu always has the charm of his unique style, infecting the people around him.

    Xie Yixiu¡¯s eyes were soft, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Ming Yu was stunned, and directly wailed, ¡°Ahh! But this is a big project, it needs to cost a lot of money, but Ben Wang is short of money! ¡±

    He had never worried about money before, but now he felt more and more that money is not durable, everything needs money. This won¡¯t do, he had to sell the goods brought back from the Western Regions as soon as possible.

    As soon as he raised his eyes, he saw Xie Yixiu, who was caught off guard and had not had time to look away, he was only slightly stunned, but did not pay attention to it. He said with a smile: ¡°General Xie, I heard that General Xie is rich! How about it, are you interested in investing a little together, it¡¯s just a small investment now, but it will be a big return in the future! ¡±

    He is a general, he only needs to lead troops to fight, where would he need to participate in the horse farm. With Mingyu, this Wang Ye here, he still has to avoid suspicion. So, Xie Yixiu shook his head and directly refused, ¡°I have no family background, so how could i be wealthy? It may be that Wang Ye had misheard, right? ¡±

    Ming Yu pouted and didn¡¯t believe it, a man¡¯s mouth, a deceitful ghost, Xie Yixiu had scooped out a lot of profit from his side, and he is still pretending to be poor here? However, he also knows the reason for officialdom to avoid suspicion, what he said was just a joke, it¡¯s not necessary to recruit him to his side.

    After a few more playful jokes, Ming Yu gave up, his mind fell on the matter in front of him.

    Of course, diverting water to change the river channel is not a trivial matter that can be done overnight. It is necessary to conduct on-site field surveys to decide on the plan, it is too early to say anything now.

    The most important thing is to put the money in place first, and then he can take the rest slowly, without money, don¡¯t think about anything.

    After going back, Ming Yu summoned Bu Atan overnight. Right now he can only hope on the batch of goods that Bu Atan brought back, if he can sell it out as soon as possible, he won¡¯t have to worry so much.

    Although Bu Atan was drunk yesterday, he had already sobered up at this time, he saw that it was late, and thought that Wang Ye would wait two days before summoning, but he did not expect to be summoned overnight in a hurry like this.

    After freshening up, Bu Atan went to the prince¡¯s residence, Ming Yu had been waiting for a long time, and at this time, he couldn¡¯t be polite, and asked directly: ¡°How many goods did you bring back from this trip to the Western Regions?¡±

    Bu Atan had already prepared for Ming Yu¡¯s question, he took out a pamphlet from his bosom and handed it to Ming Yu with both hands. ¡°I¡¯ve recorded the list of items for this trip in this booklet, please take a look, Wang Ye.¡±

    Ming Yu took it and flipped it over, the book was full of more than a dozen pages of small characters, all of which were clearly recorded in categories.

    ¡°Wang Ye, the harvest this time was far more than that, but almost half of the goods were exchanged for the horses.¡± Bu Atan said truthfully.

    Ming Yu nodded, he was surprised by the amazing return of foreign trade. When Bu Atan left, it was only more than ten carts of the Great Yan¡¯s items, but when he came back, it was more than three or five times more. When these Western Regions goods are sold, the profits will be like fallin snowballs.

    Although it shows that Ming Yu had already estimated this before, when he really saw it and held it in his hand, it still made Ming Yu¡¯s heart jump a little unreal.

    No wonder throughout the ages, great attention has been paid to foreign commerce and trade, there are even foreign trade taxes that are no less than the local taxes themselves. There were businessmen who risked their lives to smuggle goods, this was the huge profit that drove them.

    This also made Ming Yu firmly confident that Liangcheng would become a foreign trade distribution center, so that Liangcheng could feed the entire Liangzhou just by collecting taxes from the merchants.

    Ming Yu nodded, looking at the spices, gemstone agate, fur blankets and all kinds of treasures full of characteristics of the Western Regions in the booklet. Ming Yu squinted slightly, the rarer something is, the greater its value, he¡¯s not worried that these things won¡¯t be sold at a good price, his horse farm can all rely on these things.

    ¡°You guys did a great job.¡± Ming Yu praised, ¡°When you follow Ben Wang, Ben Wang will not treat you badly, when the time is ripe in the future, Ben Wang will present the memorial to the imperial court including all of you¡¯s merits.¡±

    Bu Atan was overjoyed, Wang Ye¡¯s words had already shown that he would no longer be a nobody, and he might even be rewarded by the Great Yan Imperial Court.

    ¡°To do things for Wang Ye, I do not dare to be greedy for merit. I¡¯m only seeking to do my best to complete the task assigned by Wang Ye to repay Wang Ye for your kindness of recognizing my worth and letting me work under you.¡± Bu Atan said sincerely.

    If it weren¡¯t for Wang Ye, he might not have achieved anything until now. He had already experienced the risks on this trip, if it was not arranged by Wang Ye, then relying on his impulse to go trade in the West, he would never succeed. It is Wang Ye who has fulfilled his lifelong wish. In the future, he will not refuse to offer his life to jump into scalding water and raging fire for Wang Ye.

    Ming Yu smiled and waved his hand, ¡°I will have to trouble you for the future trips to the Western Regions. Ben Wang is also not a harsh and merciless person, you just need to remember that if you invest, then you will be rewarded with the return, Ben Wang will remember this.¡±

    Ming Yu¡¯s heartfelt words made Bu Atan extremely grateful, it was his luck to meet a master like Ming Yu.

    ¡°Wang Ye, according to your orders, we also collected a lot of seeds during this trip, but I don¡¯t know if Wang Ye can use them.¡± Speaking of the tasks assigned by Wang Ye, in addition to exchanging good horses, he also let them collect seeds from the Western Regions, which is also the top priority that Wang Ye said, so Bu Atan did not dare to take it lightly, nevertheless he still did his best and collected a lot of seeds.

    Ming Yu almost forgot this. After Bu Atan¡¯s reminder just now, he patted his head and said happily: ¡°Really? Quickly take it out for Ben Wang to see.¡±

    Bu Atan hurriedly asked people to carry a small wooden box in, opened it in front of Ming Yu, and through the transparent light, Ming Yu saw many seeds that he didn¡¯t know

    Ming Yu reached out and grabbed a handful, his heart was full of joy, all he knew from these were walnuts, sesame, and broad bean seeds. These are all specialties of the Western Regions, things that the Great Yan Kingdom does not have at all.

    When the time comes, Ming Yu will plant them and see who will say that they are poor in Liangzhou?

    Suddenly, a flash of gold flashed in front of Ming Yu¡¯s eyes, this¡­ This is¡­¡­

 CH 61

    Ming Yu still thought that he was dazzled, and it quickly turned out the golden yellow that had just glowed earlier. It was not much, it looked like more than ten grains.

    Ming Yu carefully held it in the palm of his hand, looking at this thing that was very common and familiar in the later generations, his voice trembled a little, ¡°How did this seed come about?¡±

    Bu Atan was stunned for a moment, he looked carefully and found that there was no recollection of this seed. He shook his head a little blankly. Not all of these seeds were under his control, he just issued the task, and when the people below went out, they paid attention to collecting them, when they came back, they handed them over to him for safekeeping. Otherwise, dealing alone with the trading of goods and trading of horses, he would not be able to do much if everything had to be done by himself.

    Bu Atan was a little embarrassed, ¡°Wang Ye, it¡¯s better for me to find someone to ask, the seeds collected in the Western Regions here are both many and mixed, I haven¡¯t seen most of them before.¡±

    Ming Yu nodded, he already affirmed in his heart that this thing is the origin of South Central China, Meizhou, called maize, also known as corn, and in the former Compendium of Medical Herbs, there is also the sentence ¡°maize is planted in the western soil¡±. Ming Yu originally thought that this thing was difficult to see in a lifetime, but he didn¡¯t expect to see it again today, how is this not gratifying.

    You know, corn has strong hardiness, drought resistance and barren resistance, strong environmental adaptability, high output, not only can it be used for food, but also for fodder, with it, the people won¡¯t be afraid of hunger.

    Bu Atan brought someone over, the man looked confused, he received so many kinds of seeds, how could he know everything?  However, when he saw the golden seed in Ming Yu¡¯s hand, he thought for a long time before saying: ¡°I recall a bit of it, but I can¡¯t remember it accurately. I heard that the person said that he met a person who was going to the west, who it was, and where it came from is really impossible to verify.¡±

    Ming Yu was actually just curious, he didn¡¯t expect this thing to fall into his hands. As for why the seeds of the Meizhou would fall to the Western Regions, and it happened to appear here, Ming Yu didn¡¯t want to verify too much, there was also no way to verify it.

    But since it has fallen into his hands, then he would let this thing carry forward in his hands and play its due value. At the very least, the people of Liangzhou must no longer go hungry.

    ¡°Wang Ye, I don¡¯t know when the next trip to the Western Regions will be, so when it¡¯s decided, I will be well prepared.¡± Bu Atan asked.

    This is the issue he is most concerned about at present. Wang Ye had said there will be a trip to the Western Regions in the future, there will be more goods to trade, and he will go to more countries in the Western Regions and go further away.

    Their caravan will be the first to take the lead, their every move will gradually attract attention, and will also make more people rush to follow suit, driving more caravan trade. When more people go, under their leadership, they will embark on an unprecedented Silk Road, which can benefit future generations a lot.

    The caravans from the south and towards the north, the news brought over will make people no longer be blocked. It can let the people of the Great Yan appreciate the customs and folklore of the Western Regions. It can also let more people know about the Great Yan Kingdom of the East, and understand the silk, tea, porcelain and many other mysterious and beautiful items of the Great Yan Country.

    In this way, the mysterious East will attract countless people to come to trade, there will also be people like Bu Atan who are unwilling to accept their ordinary life and move forward to the West to find opportunities.

    Liangcheng is a large city on the road between the east and the west, all kinds of caravans will pass through Liangcheng. It can be imagined what a great opportunity this should be for the future development of Liangcheng. The prosperity of Liangcheng will be just around the corner.

    Bu Atan has lived in Liangcheng for many years, so he also had a deep affection for Liangcheng. It will be a glorious and great mission to be able to single-handedly drive the development of a state city and even the entire Great Yan Kingdom. If he is lucky, then he may be able to leave a strong mark on future generations in the long river of history.

    Bu Atan¡¯s eager eyes made Ming Yu embarrassed, they had just returned, why did they think of leaving again? No matter what, he had to let them rest and relax, and then arrange the follow-up afterwards.

    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to mention this matter, you just came back yesterday, you should be very tired too. Reunite with your family, rest and then we can discuss the next trip to the Western Regions.¡± Ming Yu persuaded with a smile.

    Bu Atan also knew that he was a little anxious. Even if he was in a hurry alone, the people below also had to rest! People are not ironclad, and after months of being very scared and on edge, it is time to relax now.

    He laughed a few times, scratching his head a little embarrassed, ¡°Wang Ye, if you can, it is better to arrange it as soon as possible. The Western Regions are too far. If it¡¯s delayed too long, I¡¯m afraid I will not be able to finish it in my life. ¡±

    Ming Yu was a little moved, he knew that Bu Atan was speaking from the bottom of his heart. To make the best use of one¡¯s time, don¡¯t waste the good times one has! The people should carry the weight and move forward.

    Ming Yu stood up and walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to wait long, what is the Western Regions? In the west of the west, there is a wider world, there is the promising endless sea. One day, we will leave footprints on all the lands, even if we can¡¯t do it now, but our children and grandchildren will one day be able to fulfil our dreams. ¡±

    Bu Atan clapped his hands and said with a smile: ¡°What Wang Ye said is correct. I¡¯m just being too anxious. I only want to set foot in rivers and mountains with my own strength, but I never thought that the power of one person is too small. After a generation of hard work, future generations can always step further and into more vast places. I¡¯m really looking forward to that day! ¡±

    Ming Yu was not looking forward to it like Bu Atan, because he knew that there would really be that day. Through the efforts of our ancestors, the accumulation of knowledge passed down from generation to generation will become an irreplaceable wealth.

    ¡°However, now while I can still move, I want to go to more places, so I can record what I see and hear along the road and pass it on to the future generations, so that they will not have to take indirect routes.¡± Bu Atan said expectantly. After listening to Ming Yu¡¯s words, he suddenly had such an idea, so he said it without hesitation.

    For Bu Atan¡¯s idea, Ming Yu also agreed, ¡°This is very good!¡± He even made a few suggestions, and Bu Atan nodded repeatedly.

    Bu Atan was excited in his heart, Duan Wang understood him. He benefited a lot from this discussion. After he went back, he had to think about it, sort it all out, and really use it to realize his dream.

    The next day, Ming Yu summoned the farmers who were still staying in the prince¡¯s resident early in the morning. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that it was too late yesterday, and Qingping persuaded him to rest, then he would have wanted to summon them overnight to discuss the corn seeds matter.

    Elder Liu took the lead to pay respect. Wang Ye summoned him so anxiously, he didn¡¯t know what could be the matter that made Wang Ye summon them. He thought that the watermelon seedlings that Wang Ye fancy had been growing very well, and there was no problem? Is it because of the glass greenhouse? They heard Wang Ye say earlier that after a transparent glass is made, they will replace all the glazed greenhouses with glass greenhouses, and they heard that the lighting is better and the crops will grow better.

    They have been farming the land for generations with their faces to the ground and backs to the sky all their lives. Not to mention being proficient in the things in the ground, but they¡¯re more than clear on the growth habits of crops, what kind of weather to plant, when to emerge, when to water and fertilize, they all do it according to their own judgment.

    But after arriving here, they realized that this unexpectedly was also a great learning question. What is the temperature, humidity, lighting, pollination, coming from Wang Ye¡¯s mouth is simply a fantasy, what do these things have to do with farming?

    Wang Ye had lived in the palace since he was a child, they¡¯re afraid that he can¡¯t even tell the difference between wheat seedlings and weeds, right? It is too ridiculous for a man who has never farmed the land to point fingers and order in front of their group of old farmers. So what if he¡¯s the Wang Ye? Even the emperor Laozi can¡¯t have the old farmers change their farming methods, right?

    Wang Ye also could not use farming as a child¡¯s play, food is the god of the people. If they could not grow grain in the field, then everything that was said would be in vain. On the farming questions, several of them reached an agreement but they could not compromise.

    However, later on, they were deeply slapped in the face, it turned out that as long as the temperature and humidity are right, even if the weather is reversed, good crops can still grow. Now they wish Wang Ye could explain a few more words about what photosynthesis, what fertilizer trace elements, what grafting skill are. These are all of the things they have never heard of, it¡¯s like a fantasy, but it makes people feel it very reasonable.

    They didn¡¯t dare to underestimate Wang Ye now, Wang Ye is a person with great wisdom. He was sent down by heaven to save their Liangzhou people. No matter what, they just have to do what Wang Ye said.

    ¡°Wang Ye summoned us here, I wonder what happened?¡± Elder Liu asked.

    Ming Yu beckoned to them, motioning for them to go over. A few people didn¡¯t know why, but they still came together. They saw a piece of silk cloth with a few golden grains on top, what is this? None of them knew what it was, several people glanced at each other and all shook their heads.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is?¡± Elder Liu asked suspiciously.

    Ming Yu was happy in his heart and looked at these seeds. His eyes were full of cherished love. ¡°This is corn, it¡¯s also called maize, this thing has high nutritional value, and can be used as a staple food like wheat. The yield is also particularly good, it¡¯s both drought and cold resistant, with a high survival rate. With it, our people in Liangzhou do not have to starve anymore.¡±

    Several old farmers looked at each other, they didn¡¯t know that there was such a good thing. If it is really like Wang Ye said, then the people of Liangzhou can really have a good life.

    Wang Ye is really knowledgeable and talented, he seems to know more about crop seeds than these old farmers, just like the watermelon seeds, which are obviously something that has never appeared in the Great Yan Kingdom. But Wang Ye knew, not only did he know, but he also knew how to plant it, even knew the growth habits of this watermelon, as if he was born knowing them.

    The thing called corn that appeared here now is also like a watermelon, no one in the Great Yan Kingdom knew, but Wang Ye knew it very well. It also wasn¡¯t known where this corn came from? Wang Ye is really capable of what people cannot do.

    ¡°Corn? Is this really as Wang Ye said? Can it be used as a staple food, easy to survive, and even the yield is high?¡± Elder Liu exclaimed.

    Ming Yu smiled, it is useless to say anything now, practice comes out of true knowledge. As long as they are planted, everyone can see them with their own eyes and know whether what he said is true or false.

    ¡°If this is the case, the people of our Liangzhou will be blessed.¡± Elder Liu rubbed his rough hands covered with cocoons, and his heart was full of heroic spirit. They must plant this corn to see if it was really as Wang Ye said, and whether this thing really can save the people from hunger. In short, the addition of a new food crop is a great good thing for poor people like them.

    Ming Yu nodded, he wrapped the seeds, and solemnly handed them to Elder Liu, ¡°This thing is not easy to get, it came from the very far west, Ben Wang spent a lot to get this dozen, you must plant them carefully, otherwise if you miss this village, you won¡¯t have this shop, you all should understand the importance of these seeds.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s hearts shivered, they had never seen Wang Ye value something so much. He even instructed so seriously, which showed that this thing was indeed very important in Wang Ye¡¯s mind.

    Elder Liu took it carefully, it¡¯s just a dozen seeds in his hands, but it seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. This was entrusted by Wang Ye. At this time, they did not know that Wang Ye entrusted not only a few small seeds, but the livelihood plan of the entire Liangzhou.