"Master Wu." Guo Honglei and his companions bowed and saluted with a calm expression.
As time went by, all the soldiers knew that Wu Hai was a serious person who valued etiquette, so no one dared to joke around and everyone behaved properly.
Wu Hai stood proudly with his hands behind his back, and said with a smile, "Everyone, get up. There's no need for formalities in a daily meeting."
"Thank you, sir!" The soldiers stood stiffly, not knowing where to look, and simply looked down at the snow.
Guo Honglei stood in the crowd. Although he was tall and straight, he was blocked by the taller and stronger Pan Kui. He quietly watched the military officers talking.
Wu Hai made small talk and asked solemnly, "Is the battlefield cleared?"
Didn't we already report everything in detail before we rested? Pan Kui wondered, but he felt obliged to do so. He clasped his fists and replied, "According to the rules, the enemy corpses have been buried and burned, and the martyrs have been recorded and filed one by one, and are being properly buried one after another!"
Another captain present, Lao Luo, chimed in, "In addition, all scattered weapons and other items have been collected and transported back to the military for disposal."
"Well, good." Wu Hai nodded in satisfaction, patted Pan Kui's arm, and praised: "In today's battle, you defeated the Beiqie's hidden masters. It boosted morale and demonstrated the power of the army. You are brave and good at fighting. Very good!"
Pan Kui couldn't help but be modest. "You're too kind. This is the duty of the border troops, and it's what we should do."
Wu Hai instructed, "After all your hard work, it's customary to reward the brothers. You centurions should discuss it and report back once a date is set."
"Yes!" Pan Kui and Lao Luo accepted the order at the same time.
From beginning to end, Wu Hai only smiled and nodded at Mao Zhen when they met, and then pretended to be busy, chatting cordially with his subordinates, leaving outsiders aside.
Mao Zhenxin understood, but he was neither impatient nor anxious. He said gently: "You guys talk, I'm going to get busy."
"Hmm?" Wu Hai seemed to come back to his senses, took two steps closer, and asked warmly, "What's the rush? Let's chat a little longer. We've defeated the enemy, how about we celebrate together?"
"Okay, it's more lively when there are more people!" Mao Zhen smiled and said cheerfully, "I'll assign someone to come over later, and then we can have a few drinks."
"It's a deal!"
Mao Zhen smiled and nodded, then led his men away tactfully.
A moment later
Wu Hai glanced at him, frowned, and asked, "Are you injured? Why don't you go back and recuperate?"
"It's just a flesh wound, it's been bandaged long ago, it's not a big deal." Guo Honglei had to explain again.
Wu Hai smiled faintly, his narrow, puffy eyes gleaming with brilliance. He sounded concerned, but in reality, he was hinting at something else. "A country has its laws, and the army has its regulations. According to the rules, wounded soldiers should rest promptly and only return to the battlefield after their injuries have healed. Since ancient times, everyone in the army has been required to abide by the rules, without exception. Do you understand?"
Guo Honglei remained serious, pretending not to hear the hidden meaning, and replied with a fist clasped, "I understand."
"I understand." Wu Hai smiled indifferently and praised, "I heard you were very brave when you killed the enemy. That's true. Therefore, you must take good care of yourself so that you can continue to serve your country."
"Thank you for your concern, sir. You are too kind." Guo Honglei was careful with his words and actions, trying his best to avoid accidentally offending the other party. After all, when you live under someone else's roof, you have to be careful.
After subtly criticizing the "ungrateful person" in public, Wu Hai calmed down and walked away.
Hahaha, Mr. Guo, your hard days are still ahead! Tian Bo watched the excitement and secretly gloated, hoping that the "arrogant dandy" in his mind would get into trouble immediately.
Evening. Camp Gate
Dismounting at the camp gate is an iron rule in the army.
"Whoa." Pan Kui took the lead in pulling the reins, and after he dismounted from the horse, his trusted confidant came over and took over the reins and whip.
"Guo Honglei!" Pan Kui strode with his head held high, responding to the greetings of the soldiers guarding the camp gate one by one.
"Sir?" Guo Honglei hurried over. "What are your instructions?"
In the snowy twilight, the guards understood and followed closely. Pan Kui looked around, and seeing no one outside, he frowned and asked, "Did you reject Captain Wu's offer of support?"
Guo Honglei was well prepared and calmly asked, "Are you referring to the personal guards?"
"right."
Guo Honglei then said, "I've been thinking about this over and over again lately. I know I'm stupid and I'm afraid I'm not up to the task—"
"Stop talking nonsense and just tell me the result. Did you reject it or not?" Pan Kui interrupted impatiently.
Guo Honglei answered frankly: "Rejected."
Pan Kui gasped, dumbfounded, and asked, "When did this happen? I repeatedly told you to be cautious, why did you still refuse so impulsively?"
Guo Honglei was startled and told the truth: "The night before yesterday. Don't worry, I carefully considered the wording beforehand, and it was euphemistic and subtle—"
"There's no point being euphemistic or subtle!" Pan Kui hurried along, his voice heavy with worry. "Boy, you've offended Captain Wu. No wonder he's speaking with ulterior motives today. He's clearly trying to warn you!"
Guo Honglei sighed, "It seems so."
"Seems? No need to doubt it, he's targeting you!" Pan Kui, his uniform stained with blood, said solemnly, "Others may not be able to tell, but I've known him for nearly ten years, and I understand immediately. Alas, Master Wu—"
At this time, Lao Luo, who was a step behind, caught up and approached, saying tiredly, "Oh, I've been busy since last night, and I'm tired and sleepy. Kuizi, let's go to the kitchen and get some hot meals." He raised his fist and hit his best friend's arm, saying, "Young man, you come too!"
Before Guo Honglei could say anything, Pan Kui said unhappily, "No, this kid needs to see a doctor first."
"Oh? That's right." Lao Luo adjusted his helmet, his face still stained with enemy blood, and said happily, "Old Xiong in the kitchen is a great cook. He's good at making mutton noodles and brewing corn wine. I'm sure you'll want more of it after you've had it. You wish you could eat it every meal!"
Guo Honglei smiled and said, "What a pity, I don't have the good fortune to eat it."
"Lao Luo, don't tempt him. The kid is in mourning. Even if he wasn't injured, he wouldn't drink." Pan Kui had a dark face and felt a headache.
"What?" Old Luo was shocked. He stared at the man in disbelief and asked in surprise, "You really haven't touched alcohol since you began mourning?"
Guo Honglei nodded.
Lao Luo blurted out, "Silly! Aren't you too stubborn?"
My father and brother passed away, and the funerals were extremely simple. My family was unable to observe the traditional mourning period... For reasons of emotion, reason, and filial piety, I simply cannot drink. But Guo Honglei couldn't express these difficulties.
Pan Kui couldn't bear to see his admired subordinate embarrassed, so he tried to smooth things over, saying, "You're right, this kid can be a bit clueless and stubborn sometimes. Humph, when he first joined the army, he even abstained from meat. It took a good scolding from me before he changed."
Old Luo opened his mouth, unable to resist persuading him, "Well, we understand the saying 'filial piety is the most important of all virtues.' But you're a new recruit now, training hard all day, patrolling and killing the enemy. How can you not eat or drink? In my opinion, filial piety lies in the heart. As long as you have filial piety, the gods and Buddhas in heaven and earth know it, so there's no need to express it."
"Listen, listen to this! What Lao Luo said makes so much sense!" Pan Kui was so disappointed that he sternly warned him, "From now on, don't be impulsive or reckless. Think twice before you act!"
Guo Honglei knew that the other party was worried about him, and with gratitude, he said seriously, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will be more careful next time."
"Hmm." Pan Kui waved his hand. "Go find a doctor and see your wounds! Rest well. I won't assign you any errands in the near future."
"yes."
After watching the new recruit walk away, Lao Luo elbowed him and asked, "Kuizi, why are you so angry? Did you run into some trouble?"
Pan Kui trusted his friend so much that he smiled bitterly and said, "Lord Wu wanted to promote Hong Lei, but he would rather follow me into battle than serve as a personal soldier, so he rashly refused."
Lao Luo was shocked and said firmly: "Oh no, he has offended the captain."
"Of course! Oh, it really gives me a headache." The wind and snow howled. Pan Kui wiped the snow off his face and said helplessly: "Although he is smart, he is too young. He still has the air of a scholar and does not understand the ways of the world."
Lao Luo paused, then burst into laughter, sighing, "When you were seventeen, you were even more clueless than Guo Honglei! Hahaha, remember that time when we first went into battle and you captured five enemy heads, but the general questioned you, so you got angry and challenged him to a duel, beating him so hard he fell to the ground, holding his head and begging for mercy."
"He deserved it!" Pan Kui said happily, recalling his youth: "I had a great time beating him, and I don't regret it at all."
Lao Luo laughed and scolded: "You felt happy at the time, but afterwards you got hit with twenty sticks, and you made me carry water and food for half a month!"
Dusk fell, and before they reached the doctor's tent, night had already enveloped Xi Cang.
The north wind at the frontier was as sharp as a knife, blowing snowflakes into one's face, making it so cold that one could not stand.
The four members of the Guo family share joys and sorrows and are always inseparable.
It was not until he completely recovered that Guo Honglei clearly felt the severe pain in his shoulder injury. Due to heavy blood loss, his face turned pale and his steps slowed down.
"Young Master, you are seriously injured. You should rest for a while." Lin Qin's arm was also stabbed.
Braving the north wind, Guo Honglei leaned sideways as he walked and asked in a low voice, "Is your injury serious?"
Lin Qin shook his head. "It's okay, it's just a shallow cut."
"Where's Changxing?"
Peng Changxing touched his chest and replied fearfully, "The bleeding has already stopped. Alas, I was accidentally hit by the tip of the knife. Fortunately, I leaned back in time, otherwise I would have died on the spot."
"Thanks to our ancestors and the gods for their protection. Although we are injured, our lives are safe!" Peng Changrong was extremely grateful.
Guo Honglei readily agreed, "Very much."
Peng Changrong hesitated several times, his heart itching like a hundred claws scratching his chest. Finally, he couldn't help but move closer, rubbing his hands and asking, "I was too busy last month and didn't have time to visit my family. This month, this month - sir, can you come back home?"
"Changrong, do you want to be slapped by Xiao Cui'er again?" Lin Qin teased.
"Go away! She wouldn't bear to actually hit me."
Guo Honglei's eyes were full of smiles. He walked forward with his head held high, not looking away, and said, "I can't make the decision on this matter. However, I will try to ask Lord Pan."
"good!"
On a snowy winter night, when they were walking not far from the doctor's tent, a faint voice suddenly came on the wind: "I just can't stand Guo Honglei. What's the matter?"
Instantly, the four of them looked at each other in bewilderment. Guo Honglei quickly recovered his senses and, with swift eyes and hands, stopped his companion who was about to speak. He quickly hid in the darkness and looked around suspiciously:
A group of seven people came forward, all of them were Pan Kui's men, all of them were wounded in battle, carrying medicinal herbs in their hands, supporting each other, and talking casually:
"Why do you dislike him? He hasn't offended you, has he?" the thin man asked curiously.
The superior curled his lips, angrily, and replied with confidence, "How despicable is it that the Jingyang Marquis's Mansion embezzled military funds? The Guo family are all exiles. Who in the world would look down on criminals? Humph, Guo Honglei has always been aloof and arrogant, thinking of himself as noble. He usually spends his free time reading books and rarely talks to us. I guess he must look down on us!"
"I don't think so," the thin man shivered with cold, his teeth chattering as he spoke. "I was curious, so I deliberately tried to chat with him. He didn't ignore me or show any impatience. He was very polite and courteous. Moreover, people often asked him to help write letters home, and he always agreed readily and was happy to help read the letters. He's obviously a very easy person to get along with."
The others jokingly interrupted, "The Marquis of Jingyang's mansion is far away in the capital. I heard it was confiscated by the imperial court a long time ago. Tsk, you two are really worrying about nothing!"
"Ah, I'm too lazy to think about anything. I just know that Guo Honglei is very skilled in martial arts. When we go into battle, I won't follow anyone except Brother Pan and him."
"Me too! Hehe, following an expert is both reliable and makes it easier to capture the enemy's head, which can earn you a few more taels of silver."
…
They walked further and further away and disappeared into the night.
"How ridiculous!" Peng Changrong's face turned pale, and he said bitterly, "We are both under Lord Pan. We have no grudges against each other and we talk and laugh together, but behind his back, he has such a face!"
Lin Qin sneered, "Your face is not worthy of being on the stage, bah!"
Guo Honglei held his companions down, remaining composed and calm. He said calmly, "Some spoke for justice, while others tried to smooth things over. This was beyond my expectations. You don't have to be angry. Just pretend you didn't know anything and go on with your life as usual. The Guo family's bad reputation will eventually fade away."
"……yes."
The next day at noon
Pan Kui leaned back in his armchair, drinking hot tea, and asked slowly, "Are you visiting relatives?"
Guo Honglei, with his arm in a sling due to a shoulder injury, stood at the table and answered: "I didn't go home last month, and my family must have been waiting anxiously."
Pan Kui took a sip of tea, pondered for a moment, and nodded, "Alright. You're injured, so you can recuperate anywhere."
Guo Honglei's mind moved, and he asked tentatively: "How many days?"
"How many days do you want to stay?" Pan Kui put down his teacup, picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write the warrant.
Guo Honglei made a prompt decision and replied seriously, "Of course I'll follow your instructions."
"Oh? Humph, you kid..." Practice makes perfect. Pan Kui wrote the warrant in a blink of an eye and handed it over.
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Guo Honglei took it, looked at it carefully, and asked in surprise: "Ten days?"
"What? Are you scared?" Pan Kui continued writing the warrant without raising his head. He wrote three copies in one breath, blew the ink dry, and picked up one to hand over.
Guo Honglei examined the warrant and said, "I can hardly believe it." He took the other three copies and scanned them quickly.
Pan Kui leaned back in his chair with a cup of hot tea and said sternly, "Alright, stop making such a fuss! The four of you have made contributions, and three of you were injured, yet you haven't received a penny in reward. It's strange, strange—I don't have the ability to ask for a reward for you, but I can grant you a few days of home leave for the wounded soldiers."
"Thank you, sir!" Guo Honglei clenched the order.
Pan Kui changed the subject and warned, "However, if you are summoned for military matters during this period, you must return immediately at any time."
"yes!"
Pan Kui waved his hand, feigning anger and smirking, "To avoid the celebration banquet in two days, where you refuse to drink and I have to waste my breath explaining myself again!"
Guo Honglei felt extremely guilty and was about to apologize, but the other party urged him, "Go, go back and see your family."
"yes."
Evening · Liucunkou
The wind stopped and the snow stopped, the mountains and fields were covered in white, and the horse's hooves made a "crunching" sound as they stepped on the snow.
"Let's go back suddenly and scare them!" Peng Changrong said excitedly.
"It's still daylight, who are you trying to scare?"
"Of course it's Cui Er."
Guo Honglei held the reins with one hand, feeling a little hot all over and aching in his left shoulder.
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