Chapter 20 Ten Military Strokes
Before Old Liu could finish speaking, the whip struck Lin Changning's thigh.
Lin Changning begged for mercy while dodging the old man's whip: "Old Liu, talk to me nicely, don't hit me! Today was just an accident, an accident!!"
Old Liu kicked Lin Changning hard and said irritably, "Isn't your servant a doctor? Come with me to my house later, I'll give you some wound medicine, and your doctor will prescribe two more doses of medicine for you. No need to fetch water. What about Wan Jin? Is he injured?"
Lin Changning scratched his head: "Wan Jin is outside. He shouldn't have gone far. He came back and called for help to save me. I wasn't injured."
Old Liu turned to look at the horses: "Alright, call the man back to fetch water. You go and rest in the shed. I'll call you when I'm done. Come home with me to get the medicine."
Lin Changning chuckled and replied, "Commander Zheng just said that the gala director might call me in for questioning. After that, we'll go back together."
Old Liu waved his hand impatiently: "Go away, get out of my way and get out of my sight."
Lin Changning recalled Zheng Baihu's words and spoke again: "Cherish me, old Liu, I'll be able to go to the front line in a few days! Zheng Baihu asked me about it this afternoon, and I agreed. I'll probably be transferred to the guard in a few days."
Old Liu stared at Lin Changning's youthful and handsome face for a moment, then said, "Old Zheng?"
He then sighed dismissively, seemingly a little angry: "Do as you please."
Lin Changning was a little confused, but he could also sense that Old Liu was a bit angry, so he didn't dare to say anything more and went out to find Wan Jin.
Wan Jin was in the camp tallying the number of warhorses and the casualties when he heard Lin Changning's words and he began to understand.
"Wait for me a moment, we'll be done compiling the statistics soon, I'll tell you in a bit."
After saying that, he went to attend to his own business.
Lin Changning waited for a while, and after Wan Jin finished his work, he led his men back to the stable.
Wan Jin was sweating profusely from the work. After wiping away the sweat, he filled several buckets with clean water. The two of them walked and talked, one using his uninjured hand to carry the bucket and the other using a carrying pole.
Wan Jin, panting, explained, "Old Liu is a veteran. All three of his sons and one grandson joined the army. His eldest and second sons were killed more than ten years ago."
Two years after his third son and grandson died, and after his grandson also passed away, he lost his spirit and had someone transfer him to raise horses.
His grandson's name is Liu Fengnian. He's about your age now and has a rather handsome appearance.
After his father passed away, he insisted on joining the army. Old Liu couldn't stop him. He died in his first year. Old Liu was a pitiful man too..."
Lin Changning wasn't ungrateful; she could roughly understand that Old Liu was afraid something might happen to her, which was why he had always been reluctant to let her go to the front lines.
But there was no way around it; she had to find a way to make a name for herself, and the hostility her family harbored towards her family was impossible to hide.
No one can predict the female lead's halo, so we can only hope that we can climb higher and higher.
Even if the female lead's brother becomes the top scholar or the richest man, so what? As long as she stands high enough, they can't do anything to her.
"I can skip that. I'm going to Old Liu's house tonight to get some wound medicine. Want to come along? How about we buy a roast chicken?"
Wan Jin nodded: "Okay, then I'll go and freeload."
As the two men were talking, they poured the water from the bucket into the large vat. Suddenly, an old man with a white face and no beard, who was over fifty years old, called out to them.
"Ten thousand gold pieces! Ten thousand gold pieces! Wait a minute."
Wan Jin's steps became even more flustered. Lin Changning turned to look at her and asked, "What's wrong?"
Wan Jin's steps became even more hurried, and she grabbed Lin Changning's hand, trying to leave: "That old man is here, ignore him, let's go!"
Seeing Wan Jin in such a panic, Lin Changning also quickened his pace.
Suddenly, a horse groom appeared in front of them and blocked their way. Before they could speak, the old eunuch caught up from behind.
"Oh dear, I've been shouting for you for quite a while now, Wan Jin, why are you running away!"
Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Wan Jin turned around and politely cupped his hands: "I'm sorry, Bai Changsui, I left in a hurry and didn't hear you. Master Liu is calling the two of us to fetch clean water. There are still many horses that need to be treated."
Lin Changning also raised his head and carefully examined the old eunuch who had followed them.
The newcomer was thin, wearing a black gauze hat and a faded blue collared robe. His face was so pale it was almost sickly.
There were still wrinkles around her eyes that she couldn't hide, her cheeks were slightly sunken, her eyes were slightly squinted, and her somewhat yellowish eyes shone with a gaze that made people feel uncomfortable.
Her sparse white hair was neatly tied into a bun behind her ears, and her gaze kept shifting between the two of them.
After looking them over, a shrill voice reached their ears: "Wan Jin, who is this?"
Wan Jin's heart sank to the bottom. The person who came was a servant of the chief eunuch of the Sima Jian. It was said that he had been demoted for making a mistake in the palace. He was a lecherous man and had a particular fondness for handsome young men.
Wan Jin noticed the way Bai Changsui was scrutinizing Lin Changning and his mind raced. "Bai Changsui, we have matters to attend to at the stables, so we can't stay any longer. The horses are valuable, so we'll take our leave now."
"Hey, hey, don't go!"
Seeing that the two were in a hurry to leave, the eunuch surnamed Bai hurriedly grabbed Lin Changning's sleeve.
He smiled and said, "It's alright to stay a little longer, Wan Jin. If you're busy, you can go ahead. Can this young man stay? I'll find two people to help you."
As he spoke, his rough hand grabbed Lin Changning's hand, his eyes lecherously watching Lin Changning, his restless claws gently rubbing Lin Changning's slender fingers.
"Wow, so delicate!"
Even the slow-witted Lin Changning realized what kind of scoundrel this was.
He twisted his hand behind his back and kicked out.
Upon hearing a cracking sound, the rather elderly Bai Changsui was sent flying backward.
"What the hell are you doing, you shameless old man? You even take advantage of men!!!"
With a bang, Bai Changsui crashed into a pillar in the stable behind him.
The impact seemed to shatter his internal organs. His body slid down the pillar, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His face was contorted with pain, and his cloudy eyes were wide open, pointing at Lin Changning.
"You, you dare to lay a hand on me???"
Feeling disgusted, Lin Changning frantically wiped his hands. Hearing the old eunuch's indignant words, he grabbed a wooden stick from the side and smashed it down on the old woman's head.
Wan Jin was startled by the sudden turn of events and couldn't stop him in time. He watched helplessly as Lin Changning was about to crack open the old eunuch's skull.
With a muffled thud, the old eunuch collapsed to the ground.
Then came the screams of several young eunuchs behind me.
"Oh dear, Eunuch Bai, what's wrong?"
"What are you standing there for? Go and call the doctor."
"Oh my god, quick, help him up!!!"
Several young eunuchs helped the unconscious old eunuch and hurriedly rushed him to the doctor's tent.
They met him head-on; it was Zheng Baihu walking towards them.
Zheng Baihu happened to witness the entire scene of Lin Changning beating someone.
Wan Jin muttered, "It's over, it's over, it's over. Changping, you were too brave. That's someone under the command of the eunuch in charge of the Sima Bureau, released from the palace. The eunuch in charge of the Sima Bureau is his godson."
Lin Changning blinked twice: "We've already fought, what can we do now?"
Wan Jin was sweating profusely: "That damned eunuch has a thing for young, handsome boys. You've offended him, and you're probably in for a world of hurt."
Zheng Baihu frowned deeply: "Come with me first. Lin Changping, right? You and Wan Jin come with me. The commander is looking for you."
The two men exchanged a glance and followed Commander Zheng into the tent. After Commander Zheng led his men inside, he walked over to Qi Rong and whispered a few words in his ear.
One of them seemed somewhat surprised and looked up at Lin Changning.
"Is it the spies you discovered among the Tartars today?"
Wan Jin and Lin Changning bowed respectfully.
"Reporting to command, it's us."
"Yes, sir."
Qi Rong sat in his chair, staring at the two of them, and asked again, "How did you find out?"
Wan Jin noticed that her idol was stuttering and couldn't get to the point in his two sentences.
Lin Changning interrupted Wan Jin and briefly explained how the two of them had discovered the spy that day.
Qi Rong remained silent, staring intently in one direction, and said nothing more to the two of them.
Lin Changning mustered up the courage to take a look; these days he usually only saw this legendary commander from afar.
He is said to have a good family background, excellent martial arts skills, and strong ability to lead troops, making him an idol of many border soldiers.
At this moment, the commander was not wearing armor, but a black undergarment, which made him look clean and neat. Although he was sitting, you could still see that his posture was upright and his aura was as strong as the sun.
Looking at his face again, one sees a handsome man with long, straight, black hair that falls behind him and over his shoulders. Beneath his sword-like eyebrows are a pair of eyes that shine like cold stars, and his gaze is aloof and arrogant.
He has an exceptionally outstanding appearance; one could imagine that if he were dressed in fine clothes, he would look like a noble young master from a prominent family.
Lin Changning glanced at him furtively and then dared not look again, while Qi Rong stared at him.
Why did you hit him?
Lin Changning thought for a moment and answered truthfully: "That shameless old man is too insulting. No man could tolerate it."
As she spoke, she seemed to get angry, and her face turned red.
Wan Jin seemed afraid that Lin Changning would be blamed, so he interjected, "This is not the first time Bai Changsui has done this. That old eunuch is most fond of fair-skinned young men."
"Commander, who knows how many people he's abused in private? I was taken advantage of the first time I went to the stables; that old eunuch is truly despicable!"
Commander Zheng chimed in, "Commander, there are indeed rumors circulating in the army that Bai Changsui isn't... not quite..."
Zheng Baihu was stumped, unable to find a suitable adjective.
Qi Rong nodded to indicate that he understood.
"Today, both of you have violated military law by leaving your post without permission. However, considering your merit in capturing the spy today, you will each receive five strokes of the military rod."
Merits are merits, and demerits are demerits. The gold and silver confiscated today will be a reward of five taels each. Report to the army tomorrow and follow along.”
Qi Rong pondered for a moment and continued, "Follow Commander Zheng. Commander Zheng will train with you tomorrow."
Commander Zheng responded, "Yes."
Wan Jin and Lin Changping both breathed a sigh of relief, but the two had not yet left.
Commander Zheng then reminded him, "Commander, what about that Bai Changsui?"
A look of disgust flashed in Qi Rong's eyes as he coldly said, "Insulting the border troops? Drag the person out and give them thirty strokes of the cane."
Zheng Baihu hesitated for a moment: "Thirty sparring sessions... that might cost him his life. What about the Sima Jian?"
Qi Rong looked up, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "So what if they're dead? If we hadn't brought back a few spies today, we would have said that Bai Changsui colluded with the Tartars to ambush the warhorses."
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