Chapter 45 The Hidden Rival "I have someone I like, but I'm afraid he'll be unhappy..."

It was already late.

Ying Xi rode the black falcon, and Xie Qianli said nothing more. The two brushed past each other without exchanging glances, like two strangers.

Yingxi led the black falcon back to the camp.

He shared a room with Zhuzhao but not a bed, for the sake of his surveillance plan. Zhuzhao had not yet returned.

The falcon trembled as it walked, and Ying Xi thought it was sick, or perhaps it was like her, prone to trembling and fainting from hunger.

The food was brought into the tent, and Ying Xi ate while feeding the falcon. The falcon was an omnivore and opened its mouth wide no matter what it was fed.

No little girl dislikes cute animals, and Tian Tong exclaimed excitedly, "It's so cute~"

The falcon seemed to understand these words, shoving and nuzzling against Ying Xi while eating, rubbing its beak against her fingers and nudging her waist with its head, wriggling and pushing. It was very ticklish.

The sickening gurgling sounds echoed throughout the tent.

Yingxi had no choice but to hold it and feed it. When she looked down, the black falcon was still blinking its bright eyes at her, its nictitating membrane flashing, pretending to be obedient.

Sweetie: "Waaaaah, you absolutely have to win over that big wolfhound~~~"

Ying Xi: "..."

I don't understand how a falcon could have hit a person. After feeding the falcon, I opened the tent and let it go.

With the lamp oil dripping low, Yingxi rested briefly, thinking about the next few villages and the experience gained from this trip along the Xiaoshan South Road, wondering if it could be applied to other places plagued by bandits in the future.

He intentionally summarized his thoughts, and by lamplight, he wrote some words on his desk, leaving behind a page of flowing and elegant regular script.

Then, a letter was sent to Yu Jing by wild geese, inquiring about the recent situation in the imperial court.

After putting down her pen, Tian Tong awkwardly blurted out, "I think the big wolfhound likes you, he must like you~"

This system likes whoever interacts with it.

Therefore, Ying Xi shook her head slightly and politely declined to kowtow with him.

Sweet Tong went all out: "He's so handsome~"

"Su Xueyi is also very handsome."

"So you like Su Xueyi!"

"What I mean is, appearance is not a reason. He could never like me," Ying Xi said calmly.

Sweetie: "I don't understand." Then she added, "The big wolfhound is especially nice to you!"

"I am their ruler, who dares to treat me badly?" Ying Xi said naturally.

The overwhelming sense of imperial power almost choked Tian Tong, but it seems to make sense when you look at it that way.

Sweetheart was afraid that His Majesty would be even more confused about which kind of lover was better, since His Majesty seemed oblivious.

Sweetie wanted to scratch her head in exasperation: "Please, please explain carefully!"

Ying Xi: "He likes women."

"Straight?"

Ying Xi had a rough idea of ​​what "straight" meant.

When he was young in Fanglan Palace, he wanted to marry a girl. After learning that he was not a woman, the Crown Prince and the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Yingguo did not exchange a single word for several years.

The other party might be angry at her for deceiving them, or perhaps they felt embarrassed and disgusted. Ying Xi didn't want to delve any further and could only make this guess.

At night, the mountain wind howled outside the tent, making the tent flap loudly.

Ying Xi quickly stopped talking and got up to close the tent door.

Through the crack in the door, they heard the patrolling Longwu soldiers outside, their voices not loud, laughing and joking among themselves: "The chieftain's wife's maiden name is Hua Wanhong. She was only fourteen when the chieftain remarried. Such a beautiful age wasted on a lousy old man."

"Madam Hua brought the able-bodied men from the village to visit the military camp. The young men ate heartily, while she just stared intently at our general."

"I heard her sneak out of the dining hall and come to our general to offer herself to him. That Madam Hua is only nineteen, the most beautiful age."

The fingertips rest on the wooden fence of the tent door.

The knuckles are bent into an arc shape.

Ying Xi's eyes darted around, and she took a light breath.

The soldiers outside raised their voices even louder, teasingly asking, "Guess what the general answered?"

"What should I answer?"

"I have someone I love, but I fear he might be displeased."

"The general has someone in his heart; the Duke of Ying's mansion is about to have a mistress! I wonder whose daughter she is, and who the general has been getting close to lately?"

That unfamiliar, unseen feeling of sorrow exploded in Ying Xi's heart.

The emperor thought he was relieved, and he also thought he should congratulate him, but he was also inexplicably angry.

He was unaware of the burning emotion that drove him to jealousy and anger; for him, love was an experience he had been far too meager in.

He sat back down by the door, took off his boots, and went to bed, tossing and turning on the bed.

Fortunately, he slept intermittently and lightly tonight, much to the dismay of the Imperial Tutor Zhuzhao next door.

Zhu Zhao had not contacted the Jiangnan army for two months and was curious about the situation in Jiangnan, wanting to find out how Li Yilong's troops were developing.

But Zhuzhao couldn't get away at all.

Whenever he made a sound, Yingxi would cough a few times, and Zhuzhao would have no choice but to give up and lie back down. This happened repeatedly, countless times.

Ying Xi secretly played a trick, thus becoming a naughty student who teased her teacher.

Zhu Zhao, however, had the complete opposite mindset. He thought that Ying Xi's health was so poor, yet he still insisted on going out to observe the people's conditions, without seeking special treatment or bringing any attendants or guards, which made him increasingly resemble a wise ruler.

Finally, Zhu Zhao got up and ordered the soldiers to fetch licorice tablets. The teacher fed the students medicine and water at night.

Ying Xi held the water glass, his palms warm. He was both afraid it was poisoned and regretful.

The bond between teacher and student, spanning over a decade, is indeed difficult to sever overnight. Even knowing that the teacher is a traitor, if the teacher is willing to change his mind, he is not incapable of giving him a chance to return to the court.

System Task: Hold hands with the Imperial Tutor (0/1)

Tsk, what kind of mission is this so late at night...

***

The system has been benign lately, and even when it assigned strange tasks, it didn't force Ying Xi to complete them immediately.

Therefore, Ying Xi temporarily ignored the matter of holding hands.

He placed the pill under his tongue and pretended to drink it. After drinking it, he fell asleep immediately.

The following day, the delegation left behind some soldiers and officials to continue the work of incorporating Fufeng Village.

The main force continued its march along the southern route of the Xiaoshan Mountains.

The mission learned from the experience of the Fufeng Village operation, and as a result, the Black Cloud Village, White Dragon Village, Peach Blossom Village, and others advanced triumphantly and were captured very smoothly.

Passing through the Xiaoshan South Pass, crossing Yanling Pass, and passing through Yiyang County, these places are strategically important and have been home to notorious bandits.

The most difficult type of bandits to deal with are the ruthless ones. For example, the bandits that Pingling Village encountered were ruthless bandits.

The imperial court must never tolerate ruthless bandits, but Ying Xi had never truly grasped this point before.

The notorious gangsters, now a formidable force, are a scourge on the local area!

The bandits of Qingniu Village rode their horses for over a hundred miles, slaughtering the people of Pingling Village. They were utterly depraved and committed countless crimes. Ying Xi had already experienced this firsthand.

Finally arriving near Qingniu Village, we asked the local people. They clearly showed hatred, but stammered and dared not speak their anger.

Only after revealing their identities as imperial envoys seeking amnesty did the people begin to believe them, gradually uncovering the true nature of Qingniu Village.

It turns out that Qingniu Village was fully equipped with all its pillars and beams. There were more than a thousand bandits, and countless henchmen and their families. They occupied hundreds of acres of fertile land.

The bandit leader, Boss Han, was violent and bloodthirsty, with countless lives on his hands. He loved to dress people up in colorful armor.

"Walking through flowers" refers to stripping hostages naked and tying them to trees in the summer. If they don't pay a ransom, they are left to die from mosquito bites, their bodies covered in wounds that resemble flowers.

The "armor-hanging" method involves splashing buckets of water on hostages during winter. In the harsh winter, the hostages will soon freeze into shiny, hard sticks.

Even the emperor, with his calm demeanor, couldn't help but feel a burning urge to retaliate.

Then, seeing the people who exposed the evil deeds of Qingniu Village, with their sleeves pulled up and trousers rolled up, revealing deep, festering wounds on their bodies, they were indeed survivors who had been taken hostage by Qingniu Village. It was only because their families had raised a lot of money and they were related to Dingtianliang that they were able to survive.

Offering amnesty to these bandits would only cause trouble for the imperial court.

Ying Xi had just assembled the Dragon Martial Army; he absolutely could not allow these scumbags to dull his sharp sword.

Therefore, Qingniu Village was completely wiped out, and Zhuzhao was not even allowed to go up and negotiate.

On the morning of the day the battle began, Ying Xi issued a proclamation to the entire township, gathering villagers from various villages to watch the battle from the foot of the mountain.

The emperor instructed Zhuzhao to mobilize the local troops that could be assembled to surround the entire mountain, block the mountain pass exits, and prevent the bandits from escaping.

On the main battlefield, Xie Qianli personally led the Longwu Army to attack the mountain stronghold.

Archers fired from a distance, releasing rockets specifically to burn down the rooftops of the village.

In the north, roofs are mostly made of thatch. Arrows wrapped in sesame oil cloth can be tied to the roof and burned accurately.

Rockets filled the sky, obscuring everything.

The ground was covered with crossbow bolts that pierced through the city.

The crossbow that could penetrate the city was about ten feet long, four or five feet wide, and four or five feet high. The crossbow bolts it carried were more than ten feet long. When these bolts were fired in quick succession, they could penetrate the city gate.

The crossbows that penetrated the city walls suppressed the mountain strongholds; any bandits who dared to show their faces were instantly killed

The crossbow bolts were so powerful that soon the sound of houses collapsing could be heard everywhere.

Those people were really brave; they brought their own farm tools to the mountain to help the government suppress the bandits.

Upon reaching the mountain, they were awestruck by the sight of these giant crossbows alone.

When the crossbow was fired, the sound was like thunder!

The bandits who used to terrorize the village were now forced to cower in their mountain stronghold under heavy crossbow bolts.

The people naturally clapped their hands in delight.

After that, the people who came up the mountain to watch the bandit suppression no longer brought farming tools, but instead beat drums and gongs to cheer on the imperial court. The scene was just like a festival.

Han Laoda shouted in the village:

"Thank you, Qianli!!!"

"You think you can bully me just because your weaponry is better than mine? Turn off your crossbow and you dare to fight me one-on-one?"

"If I lose to you, you can kill me or bury me as you please, you can execute me!!!"

As soon as Han Laoda finished speaking, a strange atmosphere quickly spread throughout the Longwu Army. The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Then the crossbow bolts that pierced the city ran out, and the barrage came to an end. The Longwu Army infantry entered the camp and joined the battle.

The bandits' henchmen launched a coordinated attack, attempting to fight their way out and escape.

Han Laoda led the way and rushed towards Xie Qianli.

This ruthless bandit was strong and agile, wielding a large knife. His blade moved with deadly speed, each strike sweeping away thousands of enemies.

However, compared to a sword, a longer sword is always stronger, so the sword clearly has the advantage.

Xie Qianli did not rush the battle, but chose to kill Boss Han immediately.

This battle was long and drawn out.

Xie Qianli restrained Boss Han.

The Longwu Army's guns moved like dragons, and the soldiers were all clad in armor. The mountain bandits could not withstand them and were instantly lying scattered all over the ground.

The gate of Qingniu Village was wide open.

The soldiers on the mountain, the envoys offering amnesty, and the people at the foot of the mountain... about a thousand people gathered at the bandit camp.

The bandit stronghold reeked of blood.

The fire was not yet extinguished.

The bandit leader, Han, was still locked in a fierce battle with Xie Qianli, believing that the two were evenly matched and that he still had a chance of winning. He thought that if he could publicly defeat the commander of the Longwu Army in front of everyone, he could save his life.

Unexpectedly, more and more people gathered, and You Long'e's previous strength was so fierce that it stirred up a howling wind and a burst of clear light.

Around Xie Qianli, there seemed to be an unapproachable silver-white ring.

With a clang, the spearhead of the heavy spear collided with the blade!

Han Laoda felt his blood vessels explode at the same time, the broadsword flew out of his hand and flew far away, the blade suddenly breaking in half.

Han Laoda vomited blood.

Blood splattered on the ground. Boss Han looked down, his thighs and calves stabbed repeatedly. He couldn't stand and staggered to his knees.

He leaned on his knife and stood up.

The spearhead pierced his body, leaving red marks like plum blossoms, and blood splattered everywhere, causing his clothes to lose their original color.

Finally, he used the "Summoning the Phoenix Three Nods" technique.

It appears to be a single, seemingly casual strike, but it actually wounds three vital points; it is a remarkable and practical technique in marksmanship.

When he was captured, Han Laoda was covered in bloody holes.

Only then did I realize that his demand for a one-on-one fight was tantamount to allowing Xie Qianli to bully the weak.

Longwu Army tied up Boss Han.

Han Laoda could only move his eyes. He was in excruciating pain all over his body, and his eyes were filled with fear, his pupils constricted to the size of beans.

But there is something even more desperate.

Before Han Laoda was dragged down from the mountain stronghold by the Longwu Army and displayed to the public, he heard Xie Qianli say sternly:

"Wear flowers and armor to him, and offer sacrifices to the living beings."

***

The envoy Zhu Zhao, who was granted amnesty, was as gentle as a spring breeze, and his good name spread far and wide.

Xie Qianli, the deputy envoy who offered amnesty, was as powerful as thunder, shaking all directions.

The fierce battle at Qingniu Village removed a tough thorn in their side.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ying Xi issued an imperial edict ordering all bandits to surrender themselves and accept reform.

The initial orders will take time to show results.

The mission to offer amnesty continued, but the mountain road ended and they reached the plains, where Luozhou was just ahead.

The Heluo region has always been a major grain-producing area in the north.

Compared to the harsh and desolate landscapes along the Xiaoshan Road, Luoxian County was the best place to resupply. This meant that the delegation could get a good night's sleep in Luoxian, instead of staying in the camp and having to guard against insect bites and wolf howls at night.

The sky was overcast; it had rained in late spring.

The entire Los Angeles County area was covered in mud.

The carriage got stuck in the mud, and the Imperial Tutor and his disciples had no choice but to get out and walk.

Ahead was a stream, and the surrounding area was all swamp, with water bubbling and gurgling in the mud. Thinking about it more creepily, it looked like someone had just drowned there.

The county seat of Los Angeles County is not even visible in the distance, so how can we cross the swamp?

In the spring rain, Yingxi frowned.