Chapter 101 Beauty Temptation
Three days passed in a flash.
During these three days, Du Qingtang rarely showed up. He stayed in the tent all day, improving the muskets with his firearms troops.
These firearms soldiers had followed her since she was ordered to join the Huben Camp, and participated in the entire process of making gunpowder and muskets.
Although they didn't know as much about these two as Du Qingtang did, they could help out and make the simplest musket.
Du Qingtang knew very well that these people were all close confidants of Emperor Qingyuan, and that during her imprisonment, they had been ordered to make gunpowder and muskets.
Gunpowder has a fixed formula. As long as the raw materials are prepared and mixed according to a certain ratio, it can be made.
But the musket is different, its structure is more sophisticated.
Through the few words of Emperor Qingyuan and Commander Yang, Du Qingtang deduced that the muskets they made were far less powerful than hers.
Because of this, and because Da Qi was about to launch an invasion, Du Qingtang got the opportunity to redeem himself for his crime.
Du Qingtang knew that they had been observing him these days and recording everything they saw, heard, and felt.
She also knew that once the battle at Loushan Pass was settled and the Firearms Army returned to Xiajing, they would have to present the recorded contents to Emperor Qingyuan and train more skilled craftsmen.
Du Qingtang had no objection to this.
She had a lot of things to do and never thought of taking on too much. She did not allow others to learn how to make gunpowder and muskets.
As long as they don't collude with the enemy and steal the gunpowder and muskets to Da Qi, Du Qingtang can turn a blind eye and let the other party steal his skills.
"Commander, I have installed the lens on the musket as you requested. Please check whether it meets your requirements."
Deputy Commander Lu came over holding a musket and placed it in front of Du Qingtang, feeling a little nervous and excited.
Du Qingtang was fiddling with gunpowder. Upon hearing this, he put down what he was holding, picked up his musket and walked out: "Just try it and you'll know."
Deputy Commander Lu hurriedly followed, and several other firearms soldiers hesitated for a moment and then followed.
Du Qingtang came to the shooting range, held up the musket with both hands, brought it to the level of his eyes, and looked at the target two miles away through the lens.
She had planned to make a sniper rifle when she was in Xiajing, but before she could make the lens, Yuanshi jumped out to file a complaint with the emperor.
After that, he was imprisoned and traveled a lot, and only today did he make the convex lens and let Deputy Commander Lu install it on the improved musket.
Within the field of vision, the target and trees were more than doubled in size.
Du Qingtang bent his finger to pull the trigger, and there was a "bang" sound, and the bullet hit the center of the target.
Du Qingtang shot five times in a row, hitting the target and the towering trees on both sides respectively.
Deputy Commander Lu and others watched intently, breathing unconsciously lighter for fear of disturbing the commander's shooting.
It wasn't until Du Qingtang put down his musket and gently rubbed his arm, which was numb from the recoil of the bullet, that Deputy Commander Lu couldn't wait to ask, "Commander, how was the effect?"
Du Qingtang handed him the musket: "There are still a few bullets in it, one for each person."
Everyone's eyes lit up, and they said in unison: "Thank you, Commander!"
Although they were loyal to His Majesty, they had to admit that the commander had real talent and was a remarkable woman with both civil and military skills.
Because of admiration, therefore obey.
Du Qingtang nodded and turned back to the tent.
In order to make the convex lens as quickly as possible, she hardly slept for the past three days, firing and trying over and over again. Now her eyes are full of bloodshot, dry and sore, and her head is dizzy.
No matter how young or healthy you are, you can't endure this.
"Wow, I can see it so clearly! Everything is so much bigger!"
Deputy Commander Lu behind him let out an unsuspecting cry of surprise. Du Qingtang smiled, went back to the tent, took off his clothes, and fell asleep.
......
When I woke up again, it was already evening.
Du Qingtang walked out of the tent dressed neatly. The Tiger Guards were bare-chested, fighting and sparring in the open space.
The cheers and applause were so deafening that the soldiers at Loushan Pass nearby looked sideways and gazed into the distance.
Deputy Commander Lu was the first to see Du Qingtang and called out in a gruff voice, "Commander!"
The other firearms soldiers heard this and stood up straight: "Commander!"
Du Qingtang nodded and folded his arms: "Continue."
The two firearms soldiers who were originally sparring but had stopped because of the commander's arrival grinned and said, "Yes!"
Deputy Commander Lu thought of the newly improved firearm he had made that morning and said in a low voice, "Commander, you are truly amazing. With this thing, we can hit the Qi army no matter how far away they are."
Du Qingtang looked at the firearms soldiers who were hitting each other with every blow and said slowly, "Choose one hundred people and start learning how to ambush and snipe the enemy from today."
The former is an essential skill for a qualified Tiger Guard, while the latter is the top priority.
"Don't worry, Commander. I'll make the arrangements right away!"
Deputy Commander Lu stopped watching the battle and strode away.
Du Qingtang looked for a while and thought of the wounded soldiers in the wounded tent. She wondered whether the military doctor had accepted her suggestion and whether the wounded soldiers from that day were still alive.
Seeing that it was still early, Du Qingtang decided to go over and take a look.
The military camp was noisy and bustling as the soldiers were training, waving their weapons vigorously.
Before arriving at the wounded camp, I met the military doctor of that day.
The military doctor saw Du Qingtang and immediately came forward with a smile on his face. "Commander Du, thank you for your reminder. After discussing with others, we sutured the wound for the wounded soldier and then gave him internal and external hemostatics. The wound stopped bleeding the next morning."
"So far, their wounds have not festered or rotted, and they are recovering very well. At this rate, they will be fully recovered and ready to return to the battlefield in half a month."
As the military doctor spoke, he bowed deeply to Du Qingtang.
"Thank you, Commander Du! Those children were seriously injured and we had already diagnosed them as beyond saving. It was you who saved their lives."
Although as doctors, especially military doctors, they are accustomed to life and death, they still feel uncomfortable every time they see those fresh and young lives disappear before their eyes.
They also wanted to try their best to pull the wounded back from the underworld, but they were helpless and could only try their best to make the wounded go as painlessly as possible.
Unexpectedly, the situation took a turn for the better, and the suturing technique provided by Commander Du accidentally saved those wounded soldiers who were doomed to die.
Thinking of this, the military doctor was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes: "I have just informed the general of this good news. If this method can be popularized in the army, more soldiers will survive..."
Du Qingtang listened to him rambling on for a long time, and finally asked, "Can Du go and take a look?"
The military doctor nodded. "Of course! We mentioned you to them when we were stitching up the wounded. Even if you didn't come, they planned to find a chance to thank you."
Du Qingtang walked towards the wounded soldier's tent: "It's just a small matter, not worth mentioning."
The military doctor quickly followed and pointed to one of the tents. "We've moved the ten wounded soldiers who agreed to have their wounds stitched up into the same tent. This will make it easier to care for them."
Du Qingtang opened the tent door and walked in. The first thing he saw was a wounded soldier lying on the straw mat closest to the door.
It turned out to be the man who was trying to protect his companions and had his abdomen slashed by the Qi army, with his intestines spilling out.
Due to excessive blood loss, his face was still pale and his lips were dry and white, but fortunately the dying look between his brows was gone.
Not only him, but the other nine injured players are also in good condition.
Du Qingtang's expression relaxed slightly, as long as it worked.
The military doctor introduced: "This is Commander Du."
The wounded soldiers were cheered up and immediately struggled to get up.
Du Qingtang raised his hand to stop them: "You are all injured, so don't move too much. Just lie down."
The military doctor agreed: "Do you really think your body is made of iron? Don't open the wound again, or I will add ten pounds of coptis root to the medicine."
The wounded soldiers: “!!!”
Du Qingtang: “…”
The wounded soldiers didn't want to eat Coptis chinensis, so they had to lie back down obediently.
"Thank you, Commander Du, for saving my life."
"Everything in my stomach came out at that time. I thought I was dead. I didn't expect to be lying here alive now."
"My mother only has me as her son. If I die, she'll be the only one left in the family. The day before yesterday, I asked someone to write a letter to my mother, asking her to pray for Commander Du in front of the Bodhisattva three times a day, hoping that Commander Du will be safe and live a long life."
The wounded soldiers rushed to express their gratitude, and as they spoke, their eyes became red.
Who wants to die if they can live?
"No need to pray for me. You are all alive and well, which is better than anything else." Du Qingtang paused, "Just focus on recuperating. Only when you are healthy can you go into battle and kill the enemy."
"Yes, we listen to Commander Du!"
At this moment, a horn sounded outside.
It's time for dinner.
Du Qingtang asked to leave and did not keep the wounded soldiers. Commander Du was very powerful and she had more important things to do. How could she waste her time on these insignificant soldiers?
As soon as he walked out of the wounded soldier's tent, he ran into General Tian and his group.
Looking around, they were all the generals who had discussed matters with General Tian on the day they first entered Loushan Pass.
When General Feng saw Du Qingtang, the bullet marks on his face had clearly scabbed over, but at this moment they began to hurt slightly.
He swallowed, sweat broke out on his forehead, and he hid behind the deputy general, fearing that Du Qingtang would notice him and shoot him in the head again.
Little did they know that with his size, he looked like a tower right there, and it was hard not to notice him.
The generals walking behind General Feng: "......"
What a coward! He has completely lost face as a man!
Du Qingtang: “…”
After a moment of silence, Du Qingtang leaned slightly to the side and asked, "Is General Tian here to visit the wounded as well?"
General Tian looked at Du Qingtang with mixed feelings.
When the military doctor went to the main tent, he was discussing matters with his generals.
When they learned that the suturing technique proposed by Du Qingtang saved the wounded, no one believed it.
"Your body and hair are given to you by your parents. How can you sew on your body? Do you really think you are sewing clothes?"
"Maybe it's just their destiny, and they just stumbled upon it by accident."
The military doctor sternly retorted, "Those ten wounded soldiers were severely injured. Either their internal organs were spilling out, or their bones were exposed. They were undoubtedly dead."
This military doctor has worked in Loushanguan for twenty or thirty years and has a very high prestige. He would never speak nonsense.
General Tian was skeptical, and after the meeting was over, he came to take a look at the wounded soldiers' tent.
When the other generals learned about it, they also followed.
Unexpectedly, I met Du Qingtang on a narrow road.
General Tian hummed a sigh of relief and said, "I heard Commander Du's suture technique saved them, so I came to visit him."
After saying that, he walked into the wounded soldier's tent.
Du Qingtang was about to leave when the deputy general stopped him and said, "I haven't seen Commander Du for a while. What have you been busy with lately?"
Du Qingtang looked at the general of Loushan Pass opposite him.
Most of them were over forty years old, with dark complexion, unshaven beards, tall and strong build. They stood there with their hands on their hips, looking like a dozen unkempt brown bears.
The only exception was Pei Yuchun, who was still in his twenties.
Military generals usually wear casual clothes when they are not fighting. Pei Yuchun was wearing a dark green round-necked robe today.
Years of military career have made his back as straight as a pine tree. The round-necked robe makes his shoulders broad, waist thin and legs long, and his figure slender, combining the agility of a military general with the elegance and grace of a scholar.
Noticing Du Qingtang's gaze, Pei Yuchun pursed his lips and smiled, his eyes slightly curved, his green eyes clear and bright, like a dazzling and top-grade emerald.
Du Qingtang looked away without leaving a trace and said concisely, "Improved musket."
When talking about muskets, everyone couldn't help but think of the confrontation on the city wall that day, and their faces turned pale.
The deputy general curled his lips and said nothing.
Du Qingtang was about to leave when General Tian came out, looked at her with complicated eyes, and bowed slightly: "Thank you, Commander Du."
The deputy general and others were stunned. What was the general doing?
It is said that what you hear is not as good as what you see.
Previously, General Tian had only heard the military doctor praising the suture technique, but he didn't take it seriously and thought he was making a big deal out of nothing.
It was not until I entered the wounded soldiers' tent and saw their wounds after they had been sutured.
General Tian remembered two of them.
That day he came down from the city wall and happened to see these two men being carried to the wounded tent.
One of them had his helmet pierced by a spear from the Qi army, leaving half of his face exposed, revealing his white bones.
In addition, his armor was also cut, and the wound almost spanned the entire chest, and the blood that flowed out dyed the stretcher under him red.
The other man was stabbed in the abdomen by a scimitar, and his calf was broken by a warhorse. The broken bones pierced his skin, revealing a white section, which looked very scary.
General Tian was still thinking at the time that these two people would definitely not survive.
Unexpectedly, three days later, he saw them in the wounded soldiers' tent.
Not only did they not die, but the fatal wounds were all properly sutured. Although there was some redness and swelling, there was no sign of the horrific scene of torn skin and blood three days ago.
The military doctor kept chattering, "I've already told you that suturing can speed up wound healing, but you just don't believe me and insist on saying it's not your fate... Humph!"
General Tian opened his mouth but was speechless.
Tian Xiu is not a good person. He is profit-driven and ambitious, but he is definitely not a person who oppresses his soldiers and takes human lives lightly.
Although the Tian family is a family of generals, the grandfather is very strict with his children and grandchildren. He also started as a soldier and climbed up step by step to the position of general today.
Looking back, the soldiers who had fought alongside him are no longer with us.
They either died on the battlefield or were forced to return home due to serious injuries or disabilities.
General Tian has been guarding Loushan Pass for many years and knows the cruelty of war. Every victory is built with the blood and flesh of countless soldiers.
Therefore, when he witnessed the effect of suturing with his own eyes, even though he had a conflict with Du Qingtang before and they had a deep disagreement, he still thanked Du Qingtang solemnly in the shocked and puzzled eyes of his generals.
"I will petition Your Majesty to popularize suturing techniques in the military as soon as possible."
General Tian's attitude was beyond Du Qingtang's expectations. It seemed he wasn't completely hopeless. "That's great. I'll have to trouble you, General Tian."
After some pleasantries, Du Qingtang left first, saying he had something to do.
Du Qingtang walked a distance away, and the deputy general made sure she couldn't hear him before speaking, "General, is that suturing technique really effective?"
General Tian simply said, "The wounded are inside. Go and see for yourself."
More than ten people filed into the wounded soldiers' tent.
The wounded soldiers had never been in such close contact with the generals before, and they felt a little uneasy, but they still showed their wounds as they were told.
Due to the urgency of the situation, the military doctor sewed the wound directly with sewing thread.
The black sewing thread passes through the skin and flesh, making it look like a centipede, which is not very beautiful.
The generals present were not new soldiers, but anyone could see how long, deep, and fatal their wounds were.
"Thanks to Commander Du's suturing skills, otherwise we would have been reincarnated long ago."
"Commander Du saved my life. She is a good person."
Everyone looked at each other, their expressions changing.
General Feng smacked his lips. "It seems this Du Qingtang is quite capable after all... Ouch! Why did you hit me?"
The deputy general's back teeth were nearly broken as he pounded General Feng's head twice, whispering, "Did that musket damage your brain? Du Qingtang nearly killed you, and you actually spoke up for her?"
General Feng covered the back of his head, his face wrinkled into a bitter melon. "I'm telling the truth. I've been asking people these past two days, and she's actually the top scholar, and she's been first for six consecutive times. Back when I was in private school, I couldn't answer the teacher's questions every time, and my palms were almost broken."
The deputy general was so angry that he fell backwards, opened the tent door and left.
The other generals followed suit.
General Feng adjusted his hair and went out as well.
Pei Yuchun was at the rear, leaning over to pull the corner of the quilt over the wounded soldier's leg. "Everyone, rest assured and recover. Everything will be fine."
The green-eyed young general left the wounded tent and just took two steps when he heard a loud "bang" and the earth shook.
Looking back, there was smoke in the distance, as if flying in the clouds.
It goes without saying that it was the Firearms Battalion that was training.
Pei Yuchun stroked the jade pendant pressing on the corner of his robe, his green eyes like the shimmering lake water, rippling with tiny ripples.
He turned and strode away.
-
Du Qingtang returned to the Firearm Battalion's territory, and Deputy Commander Lu was leading his men to make lenses.
One hundred firearms soldiers need at least fifty lenses to train in sniping.
This was a delicate job, and Deputy Commander Lu was worried, so he reluctantly sacrificed his dinner time and came over to supervise it personally.
Seeing Du Qingtang from afar, he waved and greeted: "Commander!"
Du Qingtang stepped forward in response.
The small kiln emitted high temperatures, baking the firearm soldiers' faces and necks red and making their entire bodies hot. It was a unique way of keeping warm.
Deputy Commander Lu reported on the progress: "This is the second batch. A few of the first batch were burned. Two more batches should be enough."
Du Qingtang nodded: "Stop when this batch is finished, and burn the rest tomorrow."
She has been working non-stop these days, and her subordinates are tired too. It's time for them to stop and rest for a night.
Deputy Commander Lu grinned, revealing his white teeth, and shouted at the top of his voice: "The commander said, we'll rest after we finish burning this batch!"
The Firearms Army cheered in unison.
Not long after, Du Yi came over and said, "Master, the meal is ready."
Du Qingtang was about to leave when Deputy Commander Lu suddenly slapped his head and said, "I almost forgot something—"
Du Qingtang paused.
"Tomorrow is Loushan Town's monthly market. It's said there will be all sorts of entertainment, and it's going to be quite lively. Commander, you've been working hard for a long day, why not take a day off and stroll around town to relax?"
Loushan Town is a small town near Loushan Pass. The Firearm Battalion passed by there when it came to Loushan Pass and saw many ragged and skinny people.
Du Qingtang said casually: "Let's talk about it later."
Deputy Commander Lu did not force it. He just felt that the commander was too tense, which was not good. He should relax occasionally.
"Farewell, Commander."
Back in the tent, Du Qingtang sat down to eat.
Du Qingtang ate a bowl of coarse grain porridge, two steamed buns, and a fish.
After eating and drinking, the sun set and the tent became dark.
Du Yi lit the candle, Du Qingtang took out the military book and sat under the lamp to read it.
She had never been to the battlefield, this was her first time.
The Firearms Battalion needs to cooperate tacitly with the soldiers of Loushan Pass, and she has absolute command of the Firearms Battalion, so she needs to be extremely cautious.
Not only should we make up for the shortcomings of military tactics, but we should also avoid empty talk and avoid making big mistakes due to command errors.
Du Qingtang was watching intently and didn't even notice Du Ba coming in until he called out to him.
"Master, there's a letter from Master Ruan."
Du Qingtang immediately put down the military book and said, "Give it to me and let me see it."
Du Ba presented the note.
Du Qingtang opened the note, and there was not a single word on it.
Place it above the candle flame to bake, and after a moment, a line of tiny handwriting appears on the note.
After reading it, Du Qingtang crumpled the note into a ball, threw it into the charcoal brazier, and watched it burn to ashes.
......
Have a good night's sleep.
The next day, General Tian ordered the popularization of suturing techniques in the army.
Any wound larger than one inch must be sutured.
The military doctor tried several suture materials and finally selected catgut and mulberry bark.
Both can promote wound healing. The former can be absorbed by the human body, while the latter is more resilient and not easy to break.
The soldiers accepted this well.
With the ten wounded soldiers as a precedent, they knew that suturing could save their lives at the critical moment, so they didn't care about the saying "our bodies and hair are given by our parents."
Being alive is more important than anything else. Even if their parents knew, they would approve of their actions.
General Tian also drafted an urgent memorial, in which he wrote down the advantages of suturing, hoping that Emperor Qingyuan would popularize it in military camps across the country as soon as possible.
The order was sent to Xiajing urgently over 800 miles, and General Tian was going to visit the Firearm Camp.
Although he was grateful for Du Qingtang's contribution, he still didn't want to let go of the fat meat that was right in front of him.
The second prince was demoted to a commoner, and Qi Lianmao, that fox, was too old to achieve anything significant.
And he, Tian Xiu, holds military power, and the status of the Empress in the palace is second only to the Queen. The Third Prince is both civil and military, and is kind, respectful and humble.
Looking back at emperors throughout history, how many of them ascended the throne as legitimate sons?
The third prince is determined to seize the throne, and General Tian also wants to become a relative of the emperor, so he can have his way.
If the Tian family can take over the Firearms Battalion, their power will be further enhanced, and they may be able to compete with the Cao family.
Thinking of this, General Tian's heart was burning with excitement.
Then he was stopped outside the Firearms Camp by the Firearms Army.
General Tian: "...How dare you block my path? Retreat immediately!"
The firearms troops must always bear in mind the commander's orders, and no one is allowed to enter or leave the firearms camp at will.
Therefore, no matter how much General Ren Tian shouted at the top of his lungs, they refused to budge, their muskets flashing with cold metallic light.
"Military orders are as heavy as a mountain. I dare not disobey them."
"General, if you wish to enter the camp, please inform the commander in advance."
General Tian: “…”
Loushanguan is his place. How can this woman Du Qingtang have the nerve to take over the position?
General Tian was so angry that he turned around and left.
He didn't give up and decided to find Du Qingtang.
Today he insisted on going to the Firearms Camp to take a look!
Then I was told that Commander Du heard that there was a market in Loushan Town and went to join in the fun.
General Tian: “…”
It is true that only women and villains are difficult to raise.
It really makes me angry!
......
Loushan Town.
Du Qingtang only brought Du Jiu and Du Shi with him this time.
The master and his two servants were walking on the street, surrounded by a lot of noise and bustle.
Loushan Town is a small town, not even half the size of Dahe Town where the Hu family lives, and correspondingly, its population is smaller.
The local architecture has a strong local flavor, with brightly colored silks hung on one side of the doors and windows and dried auspicious grass hung on the other.
Du Qingtang looked carefully and found that the lucky grass looked a bit like a four-leaf clover.
She remembered that when she was in primary school, she and her friends would often crawl into the flower beds just to find a four-leaf clover among a bunch of three-leaf clovers.
The vendors shouted their wares at the top of their lungs, and the customers bargained at the top of their lungs.
The people here live a hard life, but the suffering has not dampened their fighting spirit. Instead, it has allowed them to take root and grow tenaciously in this land where the sky is filled with yellow sand and howling winds all year round.
But wherever there are good people, there are bad people.
For example, right now——
"Don't run!"
"Stop right there!"
A group of strong men with thick waists and big arms were chasing a man with sticks in their hands.
The man was tall and thin, wearing a green robe. He stumbled forward and passers-by avoided him wherever he passed.
"Stop! If you run again, I'll break your legs!"
The strong man waved a stick and threatened fiercely.
The man looked panicked and ran forward with a pale face, risking his life.
Du Qingtang turned sideways and retreated to the side of the street.
Du Jiudu took a 11-step step and stood behind her.
The man was getting closer and closer, and Du Qingtang could see his appearance clearly.
The man's skin was extremely white, but due to running he had a gorgeous layer of pink on his face.
Her nose is like a jade peak, her eyes are like autumn water, what a beautiful woman with extraordinary grace.
"Stop right there!"
The strong man threw the stick and hit the man's calf.
"ah!"
The man screamed, staggered and fell heavily.
As luck would have it, he fell right in front of Du Qingtang.
"Run? Why don't you run?"
The strong man rushed up and kicked the man hard.
"Your parents sold you to Yichun Pavilion for ten taels of silver. Who gave you the courage to sneak out?"
The leading strong man was so angry that he kicked him again.
The man cried out in pain, tears welling up in his eyes, and grabbed something in the chaos.
He looked up and saw a young man dressed in rich clothes... No, not a young man, but a young lady dressed in men's clothes.
The man clutched the corner of Du Qingtang's robe tightly, like a drowning man grasping at the only floating piece of wood in the water, and choked with sobs, "Miss, they are going to take me to Yichun Pavilion. Please save my life!"
Du Qingtang lowered her eyes and found that the man had a small mole at the corner of his eye, and his eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings with his rapid breathing. He was really pitiful.
Her eyes were fixed on the man's face, as if she was completely attracted by his beauty.
After a while, Du Qingtang asked, "What is Yichun Pavilion?"
A vendor watching the excitement nearby said, "It's Nanfeng Pavilion."
——A place where men sell their skills and bodies.
The burly man looked Du Qingtang up and down and said in a rough voice, "Nanping's parents sold him to Yichun Pavilion for ten taels of silver. They paid for him and took the goods. His parents took the silver and he ran away. Did he really think Yichun Pavilion was taking advantage of him?"
Nanping sobbed, two lines of tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes, wetting the ends of her eyes, making her even more beautiful.
"I don't want to. You're forcing me to buy something! Even if I die, I won't let you succeed!"
As he spoke, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and was about to crash onto the stone steps beside him.
"Du Jiu."
Du Jiu moved as fast as lightning and stopped Nanping just as he was about to hit the stone steps.
Nan Ping struggled, her voice tinged with tears: "Don't hold me back! Let me die! Rather than end up in such a filthy place, it's better to die!"
Du Qingtang sighed, looking uneasy.
Du Jiu understood and covered Nanping's mouth with his hand.
Nan Ping: “Mmmmm!”
The thugs from Yichun Pavilion: "......"
Du Qingtang pointed at Nanping, whose face was red from crying, and said expressionlessly: "How much is it? I bought it."
The leading thug raised his eyebrows and gestured a number.
The onlookers exclaimed.
"Fifty taels?!"
"This is too expensive. This man is too skinny. He won't be able to work if I buy him back."
"You don't understand this. He doesn't work after buying it." The vendor said with a chuckle.
Du Qingtang: "Du Shi."
Du Shi took out fifty taels of silver and handed it to the thug.
The thug verified her authenticity and said with a smile on his face: "Miss, you are so generous. Welcome to Yichun Pavilion."
Du Qingtang ignored him, and the thug didn't get angry either. He waved his hand and left with the banknotes.
"Du Jiu, go see if there are any yards for rent in town."
Du Jiu took the order and left, while Du Qingtang went to the nearest inn.
Nanping climbed up weakly, lowered his head and looked timid, and followed Du Qingtang step by step.
When they arrived at the place, Du Qingtang paid for the waiter to buy Nanping a set of clothes.
Nan Ping was very flattered when she heard this, and waved her hands repeatedly: "I have clothes to wear, Miss, there is no need to buy clothes for me."
Du Qingtang glanced at him. The green robe was very thin, and the outline of his figure was vaguely visible. "I don't like this kind of brothel-style clothes. It's too ugly."
Nanping: “…”
He pinched his sleeve and said nothing.
The waiter came back quickly with the clothes.
Du Qingtang raised his chin: "Give him the clothes."
Nanping took the clothes, shoes and socks and went behind the screen to change.
When he was dressed, Du Jiu also arrived.
Du Qingtang ordered: "Take him there and prepare some food and daily necessities for him."
Nan Ping was stunned for a moment, his face suddenly turned pale, and he shook his head desperately, stammering, "Miss, I, I don't want to live in town, I want to be with you."
Du Qingzhu glanced at him and said, "I'm in the military, and the barracks are full of men. What are you going to do there?"
Nan Ping: “…???”
Isn't he a man too?
Nan Ping choked, lowered his head and said weakly, "My lady, you saved my life. I want to stay by your side and serve you well."
Du Qingtang: "No need, I don't like to be served by others."
Nanping wanted to fight for it again: "But..."
"No buts." Du Qingtang said in a more serious tone, "I don't like men who disobey me. If you dare to talk too much again, I will sell you back."
Nanping: “…”
Nanping had not expected Du Qingtang to be so cold and ruthless. It took her a long while to find her voice. She sniffed and said aggrievedly, "Nanping knows her fault. Nanping will be a good boy and wait for the young lady to come back to town."
Du Qingtang nodded with satisfaction: "I like men like you who keep to themselves."
Nanping: “…”
Du Qingtang ignored Nanping's affectionate eyes and got up and left.
Before leaving, Du Qingtang warned Nan Ping: "I don't like men showing up outside all day long. If I find out you're running around outside, I'll break your legs."
Nanping: "...Miss, don't worry, Nanping won't run around."
......
Loushan Town is so small that once something happens, it will spread throughout the town in just a few hours.
It happened that a garrison commander at Loushan Pass was attending the market in the town. When he heard the description of the people, he felt a pang in his heart.
Why did the woman they were talking about, dressed like a man, with a noble temperament and a face as white as ice, look more and more like Commander Du of the Firearm Battalion?
After returning to the military camp and asking around, I found out that Commander Du had indeed gone to Loushan Town today.
Seeing his face turn pale and blue, his colleagues couldn't help but ask, "Why are you asking me about Commander Du?"
The garrison commander looked dazed and didn't think much about what he said. He just told him his guess.
His colleagues were horrified: "What? You said Commander Du spent fifty taels to buy a man?"
Someone happened to be passing by and was shocked when he heard this: "What? Commander Du bought a man?"
By the time Du Qingtang strolled around Loushan Town and returned to the military camp, the news that she had a man outside had spread.
Du Qingtang: “…”
After a brief silence, Du Qingtang picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a line on the paper: "Go, give it to Nanping."
Du Er took the note and left.
The person who had the most intense reaction after learning that Du Qingtang had kept a man in Loushan Town was the deputy general.
"I've only heard of men keeping mistresses, but never heard of women keeping men."
"She's just fooling around! She's not a faithful woman!"
"This is simply outrageous. I really don't understand why His Majesty would allow such a fickle woman to be in charge of the Firearms Battalion."
"A woman like this deserves to be thrown into a pig cage! She deserves to be drowned in a pond!"
The deputy general cursed with all his might, spitting everywhere, but no one agreed with him.
"Why aren't you talking?"
General Tian's face was gloomy. He was still angry about being rejected by the Firearms Army. "So what if she has a man? She has a musket in her hand. Do you want to be blown to pieces by her?"
The deputy general's throat choked, his nostrils flared, and his face flushed red, clearly furious. "Are we just going to sit there and watch her do whatever she wants?"
General Feng rubbed the back of his head and said, "She supports men, so we can support women too. It won't affect the war, so why do you care so much?"
The deputy general was so angry that he fell backwards, pointed his trembling fingers at General Feng, snorted coldly, and walked away on the spot.
General Tian twirled his beard and said, "Alright, we have no business interfering in her affairs. As long as she doesn't fail at the critical moment, it will be fine. Otherwise, I will report this to His Majesty and ask Him to send someone else."
Du Qingtang has fallen into depravity, so he can take advantage of this opportunity to take down the Firearms Battalion in one fell swoop. Isn't that wonderful?
"Based on the pattern of the past two months, the Qi army will undoubtedly make some moves in the next three to five days. Send spies to monitor the Qi bandits' movements, and do not relax at night. Everyone should be prepared to fight at any time."
The generals stood up: "Yes, I obey your command!"
Everyone walked out of the main tent and left in twos and threes.
Pei Yuchun looked far away in the direction of the Firearms Camp, his green eyes dark and bottomless.
"Commander Pei, I have something important to discuss with you."
Pei Yuchun blinked, and his green eyes instantly regained their clarity: "Let's go, we'll talk while we walk."
......
Loushan Town is not far from the military camp, and it only takes an incense stick of time to ride there on horseback.
Du Er arrived at the rented house and handed the note to Nan Ping. His expression was serious and rigid, without a trace of gentleness. "The master will come the day after tomorrow, and she will want to see these dishes on the table."
Nanping looked at the note, feeling a little confused and ashamed: "I, I can't read. Can you read it to me?"
Du Er opened the notes and read them one by one.
"Wife cake."
Nanping: “?”
"Baby cabbage."
Nanping: “???”
"Fuqi Feipian."
Nan Ping: “???”
Du Er placed the note on the table and said in a commanding tone, "These three dishes are the master's favorites. Be sure to prepare them in advance."
"In addition to these three dishes, the master has many other favorite dishes. Now that you have become the master's person, you should serve the master well and make the master happy. I hope you can learn these dishes as soon as possible. Do you understand?"
Nan Ping's lips trembled, and he spoke with difficulty: "I understand."
"Oh, right." Du Er added, "The master said that these dishes cannot be shared with outsiders. If anyone knows about them, the master will sell you back."
Nanping: “…”
After Du Er left, Nanping closed the door, rushed into the main room like a gust of wind, and grabbed the note on the table.
The handwriting on the note was vigorous and elegant, but he had no intention of appreciating it. He stared at the contents with horror on his face.
Wife cake.
In Loushanguan, wife and wife have the same meaning.
The pancakes made by my wife, aren’t they human meat pancakes?
Baby cabbage.
Literally, a dish made of dolls.
There is also Fuqi Feipian.
This one is easier to understand. It's a dish made by taking the lungs of a couple, slicing them, and making them into slices.
Nanping: “!!!”
Nanping: “!!!”
Looking at the names of the three dishes on the note, Nanping turned pale and her mind was full of exclamation marks.
Before coming to Loushan Pass, the general gave him detailed information about Du Qingtang.
Born into a rural farming family, he ranked first in the county examination at the age of thirteen, and remained at the top of the list for many years thereafter. At the age of eighteen, he became the youngest top scholar in the sixth imperial examination in Daxia.
After entering the officialdom, it took only a few months for him to be promoted from a sixth-rank official to a third-rank official.
Later, her identity was exposed by her biological mother and she was thrown into prison, but she survived at the critical moment of life and death. As a woman, she was promoted to the fourth-rank official and became the commander of the firearms battalion.
At that time, Nanping was still sarcastic and thought that the men of Daxia were all useless and let a woman get ahead of them.
Now he finally understood why Du Qingtang was so powerful.
Looking at the name of the dish on the note, a terrible answer was about to come out.
Nanping swallowed his saliva, and his face, which was difficult to tell whether he was male or female, turned pale as paper.
He crawled to get the pen and ink, and wrote two lines tremblingly. He waited in fear until the evening and handed the envelope to the peddler who was selling goods from door to door.
"Send it out quickly! Quickly!"
Da Qi, Changping Pass.
General Fang was discussing the next plan with his generals, including when and how to send troops.
"The Xia soldiers are nothing to be feared. Their weapons are mainly gunpowder and muskets. According to the spies, their power is too terrifying. If we were to confront them, our army would have no chance of victory."
"Yes, I hope... to get the gunpowder and muskets as soon as possible, preferably with the blueprints and formula as well."
While the discussion was in full swing, a soldier walked into the main tent and said, "Report—Secret report from Loushan Pass!"
General Fang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, clapping his hands: "Speak of the devil, and here he comes!"
That person was really far-sighted. He saw through Du Qingtang's soft-heartedness and carefully created the image of a man who was "forced into prostitution but would rather die than surrender."
No matter how cruel and ruthless Du Qingtang was, he still fell into the trap in the end.
The generals quickly understood and were overjoyed.
"Congratulations, General! Now that we have gunpowder and muskets, we will be able to conquer Loushan Pass, invade Xiajing, and take the head of the dog emperor of Great Xia!"
General Fang couldn't wait to open the envelope and found only a note inside.
Where are the drawings?
What about the recipe?
General Fang frowned and took out the note.
"Du Qingtang is not even human! She's a thousand-year-old monster who eats human flesh and practices magic!"
"I quit! Send someone to take me back!"
General Fang: “???”
What the hell?
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