Chapter 313 Killing the Enemy
Fang Ruyu hurriedly put the red silk around the horse's neck, and then General Ma squeezed the horse's belly hard. The horse felt pain and ran away like crazy.
Xie Deshu, who had already led his men to fight the enemy, watched from afar as General Ma and Fang Ruyu madly rushed towards Luzhou. He immediately flew into a rage: "Great! It turns out this pair of bastards have already defected to Jinzhou!"
Then a sense of panic arose in Xie Deshu's heart.
There was a commotion in the Junshan camp today, and the noise could be heard two hundred miles away. And Fang Ruyu escaped at this time. Does this mean...something happened to His Majesty Ming Wang?
——Boom
The firearms that terrified the Qiongzhou soldiers and brought back their nightmares appeared again.
With the emergence of firearms, only continuous "bang bang bang" sounds were heard, followed by the city walls being pierced and the soldiers on the walls being blown away. The city walls, which were more than tens of meters high, were now like soft tofu, with countless large holes being punched out.
The city walls collapsed and the city gates opened wide. The dimensionality reduction war was so cruel.
It is impossible to stop it with flesh and blood alone.
Fang Ruyu held General Ma tightly and rushed around the battlefield, completely lost.
As soon as they jumped into the territory of Hongzhou, all they saw were soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture with short hair and long sleeves.
I don't know who took the lead and shouted, "The Ming King is dead. Surrender and don't kill. Give out grain and land! Clothes and food!"
Soon, countless voices converged into waves, forming a deafening sound.
——The Ming King is dead. Surrender and don’t kill. Give them grain and land! Clothes and food!
As more and more people shouted, the sound naturally became louder and louder.
Fang Ruyu was a little shocked: "How did these people know that Zhou Heng was dead?"
Ma Yao thought for a moment and said, "They don't know."
"Then why—"
Ma Yao curled his lips slightly, "This is Jinzhou Prefecture's tactic. Didn't you see that the morale of the Qiongzhou Prefecture troops has begun to waver? The most feared thing on the battlefield is the collapse of military morale. Moreover, such things cannot be verified. Now it's General Xie's turn to worry—"
Soon someone came riding a horse. Judging from the badge on his chest, he must have a high position in the army.
General Ma and Fang Ruyu are really eye-catching.
The two of them were wandering around in the mountains and forests like headless flies, and with the dazzling red silk around their necks, it was hard not to attract attention.
"Is that General Ma Yao from Qiongzhou?" He tilted his head to glance at Fang Ruyu again, then smiled and said, "Teacher Fang?"
Fang Ruyu had never expected that someone would recognize her. Only then did she realize it was an acquaintance. Unable to help but feel a little excited, she asked, "Are you... Tian Xiaohu's father?"
"That's right. My son was your student before, and he must have caused you a lot of trouble. I'm really sorry, I've been away fighting all these years and rarely paid attention to him."
Fang Ruyu kept saying that she didn't dare.
The general looked ferocious, but now he seemed a little shy in front of his son's teacher. "You two, go in this direction. Don't lose the red silk around your necks. Our soldiers were told before they set out that to avoid harming innocent people, all traitors from Qiongzhou will be tied with red silk around their necks to distinguish them. Now that the battlefield is silent, you'd better leave quickly! A dozen miles ahead, someone will naturally meet you!"
The battle had already started. There was no time for greetings. Ma Yao and Fang Ruyu quickly disappeared in the scorched earth.
Sure enough, after running about ten miles and officially entering the direction of Hongzhou, they saw a carriage parked on the side of the road, and there were only four people welcoming them.
However, it is obvious that one of them is of noble status, otherwise Fang Ruyu would not have dismounted in such a hurry to meet him.
Ma Yao had just arrived and knew nothing and didn't know anyone, so he had to rely on observing people's words and expressions.
He had a vague feeling that the woman in her early twenties in front of him should be someone powerful in Jinzhou Prefecture, but when he suddenly heard Fang Ruyu say "Secretary Zhou", Ma Yao was still a little surprised.
Secretary.
When he went to Jinzhou Prefecture, he knew that a secretary was equivalent to an aide-de-camp, but one with a rank and also had to pass a formal assessment.
From Xu Zhenying to the county magistrate, everyone has a secretary around them.
But who is this Secretary Zhou?
Judging from her behavior, she has the air of a lady from an aristocratic family. Her eyes are gentle and her way of interacting with others is refreshing. But just by standing there, she exudes an aura of pressure that cannot be ignored.
With such demeanor, could he be the secretary of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?
Ma Yao's heart tightened, and he almost couldn't wait to see Fang Ruyu's expression.
Secretary Zhou stepped forward and took Fang Ruyu's hand affectionately. "Miss Fang, you've had a hard time traveling. Hurry up and get on the horse. There are some spare clothes in the carriage. Please pack them. His Highness has been waiting for you in Luzhou for a long time."
Fang Ruyu was surprised and delighted, "Your Highness really came to Luzhou just for me?"
"Of course. His Highness was still talking about it on the way, saying that he was going to pick up an old friend."
Ma Yao immediately looked away, but his heart was pounding.
Oh my God, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao’s secretary actually came to pick them up in person!
What an honor this is!
Although Ma Yao knew in his heart that this honor belonged exclusively to Fang Ruyu, this girl from the Fang family was truly extraordinary. Not only did she dare to enter the enemy camp alone, she even dared to assassinate the Ming King!
He didn't even understand what Fang Ruyu had done to raze the entire warehouse fortress to the ground.
It can be imagined that with the merit of getting rid of King Ming and all the officials under King Ming, Fang Ruyu can probably walk sideways in Jinzhou Prefecture!
Not to mention, Jinzhou Prefecture is promoting the practice of women serving as officials!
Who knows, after Fang Ruyu returns, he might be appointed as prime minister or even become his superior.
Ma Yao originally felt a little strange in his heart. After all, there had never been any women in the officialdom of Qiongzhou Prefecture. He was a tall and strong man, but he would have to live under the control of a woman in the future.
However, Ma Yao was also open-minded. Since he had already defected to Jinzhou Prefecture, every move he made had to be closer to Jinzhou Prefecture.
"Are you General Ma from Qiongzhou Prefecture?" Zhou Houfang smiled at the young man in front of her. It was obvious that he was very nervous as he had just arrived in Jinzhou Prefecture. She smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. Our prince is very friendly. This time, thanks to the brothers lurking in Qiongzhou Prefecture, otherwise the eastward advance would not have been so smooth. Don't worry, His Highness is well aware of your contributions."
These words made Ma Yao's blood boil!
"General Ma is still covered in blood and his clothes are disheveled. Why don't you go and wash up? I will take you to see His Highness."
Ma Yao clasped his fists and accepted the order.
Fang Ruyu, however, grabbed Zhou Houfang's hand and asked impatiently, "Secretary Zhou, my family...are my parents okay? Where's my sister?"
Zhou Houfang smiled and said, "It's all good, all good. It's just that they've been stripped of their positions, and they've complained about you and been subjected to some cold words. But don't worry, His Highness has always sent people to protect them."
Fang Ruyu burst into tears immediately, "It's me who has implicated them."
"How can you say you're causing trouble? You're serving your country. How many people yearn for this opportunity to make great achievements and yet haven't yet received it?" Zhou Houfang wiped Fang Ruyu's tears with a handkerchief. "You've resolved the crisis in the Eastern Territory. You can be said to have returned home in glory and become a great contributor to the entire Jinzhou Prefecture! His Highness wants the editorial department to focus on your story this month to clear your name and that of the Fang family. So, rest assured and prepare to return in glory!"
Fang Ruyu tried hard to suppress her emotions, but the resulting shock and fear made her feel like she was walking on thin ice, which made her feel very tired. Only when she met the acquaintances in Jinzhou Prefecture did she feel that she had really returned home.
The string in her head loosened a little, and she was able to withdraw from the huge emotions that almost prevented her from getting on the carriage.
Fortunately, the two female soldiers supported her in time.
After changing clothes, Ma Yao, Fang Ruyu and Zhou Houfang were in the same carriage.
Ma Yao was naturally extremely uncomfortable.
Not to mention that in the Zhou Dynasty, only fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters could be alone in a room, not to mention that the soldiers escorting them along the way were female soldiers.
Ma Yao wanted to refuse again and again, but then he thought that he was just a surrendered official from Qiongzhou with an awkward status, and he was only able to ride in a carriage because of a great contributor like Fang Ruyu. If he made further requests, it would make him seem ungrateful.
He kept convincing himself that this was the prevailing trend in Jinzhou Prefecture, and he had to adapt to it from now on.
Therefore, he had no choice but to endure and stay in the confined carriage with two strange women.
Fortunately, Zhou Houfang quickly asked a question that he was very interested in but had not had time to ask: "Miss Fang, can you tell me what is happening in Qiongzhou Prefecture now?"
Fang Ruyu calmed down, but she was still a little nervous after just going through a riot. Her face turned pale. "The hundreds of kilograms of gunpowder I got from Wang Sanniang all exploded in the warehouse."
"No wonder the earth is shaking today." Zhou Houfang nodded. "Can you confirm that Zhou Heng is dead?"
When Zhou Heng was mentioned, Fang Ruyu bit her lower lip slightly, and her emotions became very complicated.
"I can't confirm it, I can only infer." Fang Ruyu raised her eyes, her gaze instantly becoming resolute and firm. "I told them that gunpowder can't be exposed to moisture, but flour can absorb moisture from the air, making the gunpowder dry faster. They sprinkled the flour into the air and lit the tinderbox. At that time, Zhou Heng and the civil and military officials of Qiongzhou were outside the warehouse door, only ten meters away from the fire."
Zhou Houfang nodded, "I understand."
Fang Ruyu's chest rose and fell as he exhaled a heavy breath. "But to confirm his death, you'd better send someone to search until his body is found."
"Okay, I will report the truth to Your Highness."
Ma Yao, who was sitting on the side, was very puzzled as to why the warehouse exploded?
At that time, the tinder was so far away from the gunpowder, it didn't even touch the shadow of the gunpowder, so how could it suddenly explode?
Judging from Zhou Houfang's expression, he seemed to understand the key.
Thinking about it now, Ma Yao is also scared.
He was also standing outside the warehouse door at that time. If he had not received his mission in advance, which was to protect Fang Ruyu, he would not have paid more attention at that time.
He noticed Fang Ruyu stumbling as he ran, and out of curiosity, he followed him. Unexpectedly, he escaped death!
Ma Yao couldn't help but scratch his head and finally couldn't help but ask, "Miss Fang, why did the tinderbox explode even though it was far away from the gunpowder?"
"Pile of flour can't be ignited by open flames, but flour floating in the air combines with oxygen and explodes when it encounters open flames. So the explosion in the warehouse was not caused by gunpowder, but by flour. The burning flour caused the explosion of the gunpowder."
Ma Yao was completely confused.
What flour, what open flame, what oxygen.
Zhou Houfang smiled slightly. "General Xiao Ma, don't worry. We have all this information in the Jinzhou Prefecture's intermediate literacy class. When you go to class, you'll naturally understand what's going on."
Ah, I still have to go to class.
Ma Yao was secretly disappointed. He thought he would be given an important position as soon as he arrived in Jinzhou Prefecture.
Secretary Zhou was shocked, as if he had seen through his thoughts. "Anyone who seeks refuge in Jinzhou Prefecture, regardless of their previous official position, must complete literacy classes and receive training at the grassroots level. Even if the renowned Prime Minister Han from Bianjing City came, he would have to follow this process."
Ma Yao quickly calmed down and didn't dare to act presumptuously anymore. He thought to himself, are all these people in Jinzhou Prefecture all sharp-eyed?
The secretary beside His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is so capable, so doesn't she have to be as prophetic as a god?
Ma Yao began to look forward to this trip.
Although he didn't like reading, it sounded interesting for him to learn how to kill people with flour.
The carriage swayed slowly, and Luzhou, far away from the war, was now peaceful.
Although Luzhou was captured not long ago, everything has been put back on track. The fertile fields on both sides, the children going to school together, the farmers carrying hoes home, and the smoke from cooking on both sides all make them feel as if they have entered another world.
It is hard to imagine that such a peaceful scene is only a few dozen miles away from the war-torn front line.
There are no people wandering around, no unrest, and no separation of families. The people here seem to have nothing to do with the previous war and are immersed in their own world.
Ma Yao had seen many people living in the midst of war on the front line.
Most of them only had numbness and fear in their eyes, or left early with their wives and children.
Unlike the people here, they seem unhurried, calm and confident.
It’s been less than half a year since Jinzhou Prefecture took over this place!
Although Ma Yao struggled with the urge to betray his former master, he felt even more condemned after seeing the raging fire engulfing Ming Wang.
The Ming King is not a bad lord, but he is not a good lord either.
Following him is just a way of survival in troubled times.
There would be no difference if you followed anyone else except the Mingwang.
But it was not until he went to Jinzhou Prefecture two years ago that he realized that perhaps his life would really be different.
Ma Yao's mind was confused, with both grief for his old master and anticipation for his new master. Soon the carriage drove into the Luzhou camp.
Zhou Houfang got off the carriage first and then said to them, "Private carriages are not allowed in or out of the camp. We can only walk. Please excuse me."
Fang Ruyu looked around. She saw the familiar crew cut and clothes, and heard the accent from Jinzhou Prefecture. Her heart finally settled down.
She, Fang Ruyu, is finally back.
Under the guidance of the two people, they soon arrived outside Xu Zhenying's coach's tent. Zhou Houfang asked them to wait outside and then went in.
Ma Yao saw that there seemed to be countless figures surrounding a person in the tent, and intermittent voices could be heard. It was not like the quiet and slow meetings in Qiongzhou, but instead, everyone was passionate and making speeches. When they were moved, they even greeted each other's families. However, he was soon caught by a female voice and scolded.
They seemed to be studying the candidates for the prefect of Hongzhou.
Ma Yao immediately knew that the person who had just spoken must be Xu Zhenying.
Ma Yao nervously gathered his clothes and said to Fang Ruyu, "I didn't expect the Jinzhou government's meeting style to be so intense."
Fang Ruyu seemed proud of it. "We in Jinzhou Prefecture have always been like this. If there is something to say, we will talk about it and say what we mean."
After saying that, she turned her head and looked at Ma Yao beside her. His shoulders were tense, his hands folded in front of his abdomen, and he looked very nervous.
"Don't worry, His Highness is very easygoing. Since you have chosen our Jinzhou Prefecture, then Jinzhou Prefecture will be your home from now on, and we will be your brothers and sisters."
"Yes." Ma Yao lowered his head as if he was listening to a lecture.
Fang Ruyu laughed dumbly.
Ma Yao originally thought they would have to wait for a long time, but not long after Zhou Houfang went in, someone came out and invited them in.
Both of them were a little nervous.
Although Fang Ruyu had just comforted Ma Yao not to be nervous, she still felt a little breathless when she turned around.
When was the last time you spoke to Xu Zhenying alone?
It was probably when Zhou Heng sent an envoy to propose marriage.
In the past, she looked down on Xu Zhenying, thinking that as a woman, Xu Zhenying was not only strong-willed, but also liked to show off and did things without leaving any room for others.
Her grandmother always asked her to spend more time with Xu Zhenying, but she never took it to heart.
They have always been people on two different paths. She walks her Yangguan Road, and I walk mine. Why do we have to get together and get tired of each other?
It was not until later that Xu Zhenying occupied Lan County, grew stronger, and took over Jinzhou and Qianzhou prefectures. The situation changed instantly.
Gradually, she was no longer Xu Zhenying, but became the city lord.
And how did she change her mindset?
Fang Ruyu herself couldn't remember it.
Perhaps it was during her grandmother's repeated scoldings, her sister's repeated persuasion, or perhaps it was during the time she was living among the refugees and teaching students, when she saw those refugees who had suffered the same fate as them now had their own families, fields, and started a new life, when newborn baby girls were no longer abandoned in the wilderness, when female households and marrying into a family became popular, that she seemed to gradually understand what Xu Zhenying was doing.
It turns out that Xu Zhenying is really changing the world.
She was like a rude intruder who kicked the Zhou Dynasty into pieces and then began to reshape the entire world.
Gradually, she no longer had the qualifications to even meet Xu Zhenying.
But she heard her name all the time.
The people loved her, respected her, and were loyal to her. Even during years of war, they were still willing to squeeze out food from their teeth to support her.
The people of Jinzhou Prefecture have reached an unprecedented level of unity!
The gap between them is getting bigger and bigger, and now it is like heaven and earth.
Xu Zhenying has now become an unattainable existence.
Fang Ruyu thought that Xu Zhenying must look down on her.
After all, she put her loved ones in danger time and time again for the sake of Zhou Heng.
And what Xu Zhenying seemed to hate the most were girls like her.
She even remembered the slap Xu Zhenying gave her in front of everyone six years ago.
But she also felt that Xu Zhenying didn't look down on her, but rather that he didn't even have her in his eyes.
Xu Zhenying's journey was to explore the vast lands of China, and he had probably forgotten about her long ago. He even forgot that Fang Ruyu existed.
In the past few years, they have met only a few times, let alone face-to-face private meetings like this one.
Until Zhou Heng sent an envoy to propose marriage.
Xu Zhenying sent someone to find her privately and told her some things about Zhou Heng.
Then, it is this moment.
Xu Zhenying didn't seem to have changed much. She was just more majestic and dignified than before, and her every move carried an aura of pressure that could not be ignored.
Even though she never yelled at her subordinates or embarrassed them intentionally, and even though she was very friendly to them, who in her position would really dare to act calmly in the face of such a young ruler?
Fang Ruyu also saw many familiar people in the room, such as Ming Xiaoshuang, Old Lin, and people from the secretariat. They all looked at her with smiles on their faces, and their eyes showed a kind of respect and admiration that she had never had before, which made Fang Ruyu a little flustered.
However, when Ming Xiaoshuang passed by, she said, "Well done, Miss Fang."
Fang Ruyu frowned slightly.
If she were to say who in this room, the person she hated the most was Ming Xiaoshuang.
This person forcibly abducted her back to Lan County when she went to Qiongzhou alone to look for Zhou Heng.
The journey lasted several days and nights. The mountains were covered with snow, and they were alone, a man and a woman. She listened to the young man bragging all the way, bragging about how great a foundation he would build in the future, his blind mother, and his sister who got married early.
In addition, her father had once thought of marrying her to Ming Xiaoshuang, so Fang Ruyu felt even more uncomfortable facing Ming Xiaoshuang.
Ming Xiaoshuang didn't know where he got the information from, and shamelessly came to her to verify it, and even said that if Zhou Heng didn't want her, he would accept her reluctantly.
Fang Ruyu was so angry that she avoided Ming Xiaoshuang whenever she saw him.
Ming Xiaoshuang didn't know what he said wrong. Why did Miss Fang glare at him again?
This Miss Fang is very kind to outsiders and speaks softly, so why does she only look down on him?
How did Ming Xiaoshuang offend this rich young lady?
But Miss Fang looks pretty when she's angry.
Ming Xiaoshuang thought so when he left.
Xu Zhenying dismissed everyone and then stood up to greet the two of them.
Ma Yao was too timid to do that. He almost knelt down to pay his respects before they even met. Fortunately, Xu Zhenying gave him a slight support. "General Ma, we don't have kneeling in Jinzhou Prefecture. Nodding or clasping fists when meeting someone is considered a formality. Please stand up."
Ma Yao couldn't tell whether these words were sincere or false, so he looked to Fang Ruyu for help.
Fang Ruyu smiled and said, "Stand up! We in Jinzhou Prefecture kneel before our elders. Your Highness has made our knees stiff."
Ma Yao stood up and followed suit.
Xu Zhenying took Fang Ruyu's hand again and motioned Fang Ruyu to sit next to her.
The woman's eyes were as calm as water, and she said, "Fang Ruyu, you've worked hard on this trip."
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