Chapter 7 Old Subordinates
After they left, Qiandeng lit another stick of incense for his father and grandfather. Before leaving, he reminded the veterans that the previous heavy rains seemed to have caused some mountain to collapse due to mountain torrents in the rear, so they should check the drainage ditches in the cemetery carefully.
Captain Ma, who was guarding the mausoleum, agreed repeatedly. When he sent her out of the mausoleum, he looked in the direction of the Beiya Forbidden Army and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Qian Deng saw that he was clearly hinting at him, so he turned back to the Xian Hall and asked Captain Ma in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
"That person just now, with such a dignified demeanor, who was a head taller than the others, was he Ling Sijie from the Northern Ya Shen Ce Army?"
Qian Deng nodded and said casually, "Yes, he is also the cousin of Ji Linyou, the recorder of the Imperial Guards."
Captain Ma nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "This matter... maybe I'm just saying too much. It was my buddy, Old Wei, who served under the old prince back then. Years ago, he said his son might be a candidate for the Shen Ce Army, and the person responsible for the selection was none other than Ling Sijie. Because Ling Sijie had a close relationship with the county lady, and I was honored to be in the Shanling Guard Division, he asked me to act as a guarantor and send his son to take the exam..."
The Shen Ce Army is a key department and the emperor's personal guard, so to enter it, one naturally needs a reliable person to guarantee it.
After arriving at the Northern Ya Forbidden Army, Ling Tianshui learned that his father was originally a subordinate of King Changhua. The man who was originally very intimidating nodded slightly. Xiao Wei also performed well in the competition. At that time, the family thought it was safe.
Who would have thought that when the roster was finally handed in and he was supposed to call out his name for admission on the spot, Ling Tianshui's eyes suddenly turned cold after he looked through his general situation.
Without saying a word, he closed the file, put down the pen that was already dipped in ink and ready to write, indicating that he needed to think it over again and that they could go back and wait for news.
And then, there was no news.
A few days ago, a few old friends got together to talk about this matter. They were puzzled as to why it failed. Finally, Uncle Ying slapped his thigh and asked him to take out the file and have a look.
When the file was opened, Uncle Ying pointed to Lao Yao's resume and said, "Sure enough, eighteen years ago, you accompanied the old prince to guard the Yellow Sand Valley, and then after the battle ended, you left the team and returned home!"
Qian Deng felt surprised and strange when listening to Captain Ma's story.
She naturally knew about the Battle of Huangsha Valley. Eighteen years ago, when the army was approaching, her father and grandfather gathered hundreds of checkpoints at the border and set up camp in Huangsha Valley to resist the enemy. The two sides fought back and forth on the border, and finally won a tragic victory.
That battle was one of the most horrific ones my father and grandfather had ever fought. Thousands of brave men under his command were buried forever in the desert, and many more were wounded and scattered, leaving behind countless broken and weeping families.
Qian Deng frowned in thought and asked, "But considering Ling Sijie's age, he was only six or seven during the Battle of Yellow Sand Valley. How could he be related to this matter?"
"It shouldn't be this reason, but Ling Sijie misunderstood..."
Uncle Ying lifted his clothes, revealing a deep, long scar on his belly. "Remember? This is the wound I got in the Yellow Sand Valley. After escaping with my life, I recuperated at home for over six months before recovering. I had planned to return to the old prince's service, but I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't swing the knife, so the prince assigned me to be the steward of the manor."
Of course, everyone knew the origin of his injury: "What does this have to do with Ling Sijie?"
"To be honest, although I'm living well on the farm now, I often dream of the days of fighting on the battlefield with the old prince and the crown prince! As a result, a while ago, the warehouse officer of the Northern Yamen Imperial Guard suddenly invited me to the camp and asked if I knew about the income and expenditure of the army. I patted my chest and assured him that I used to be a soldier and now I am in charge of the money and food. Isn't the money and food in the army proper? At that time, the warehouse officer of the Imperial Guard and I were talking when suddenly the camp gate opened and Ling Sijie came in..."
Uncle Ying and Na Si Cang stood up to greet him, a little excited for a moment. Could it be that Ling Sijie, as a candidate for the county lady's husband, knew that I had always had the ambition to serve my country, so he came to help me?
However, to his surprise, the look in Ling Tianshui's eyes when he was examining him at that time definitely did not indicate that he wanted to promote him.
"I can't quite put my finger on what it means, but after learning that I'd left the old prince's army after the Battle of Yellow Sand Valley and never joined the army again, the way he looked at me changed... I can't really put my finger on it, but I always felt a creepy feeling when he glanced at me..."
Captain Ma relayed Uncle Ying's words, but Qian Deng seemed to see Ling Tianshui's eyes at that time.
She was familiar with that look and expression.
He was a man of great power and oppression. When he looked at others silently, the cold aura he emanated from her made her feel a chill down her spine.
Like the sea before a storm, dark clouds cover the abyss, carrying a terrifying dark murderous intent.
Just like that day when he stood on the edge of the cliff and saw Yang Huaijiang bullying her and kicking stones to break the opponent's defense, his face was covered with such a gloomy and terrifying expression.
Anyone who had seen Ling Tianshui knew this terrifying feeling. Even Old Wei couldn't help but shudder and quickly asked Uncle Ying, "What happened next?"
"Then, of course, I did what I did today. I pulled up my clothes and showed him the glory of my life!" Uncle Ying slapped his belly loudly, feeling a bit angry and fearful. "I told him that I couldn't return to the team because I was seriously injured. I'm not a coward!"
Seeing the hideous wound across his vitals, Ling Tianshui's expression finally softened. He said, "To be honest, I've always admired Prince Changhua. I've heard he shares hardships with his soldiers, and none of his men have deserted. Therefore, I'm a little suspicious of your desertion in your prime."
Uncle Ying saw his sincerity and said, "The old prince's men are all loyal and good men. Except for those who died in battle or were expelled for violating military discipline, no one would cowardly flee!"
Ling Tianshui did not embarrass him any further and politely sent him out afterwards. However, his plan to return to the army was ultimately not realized, as he said that it would be more conducive to spending his remaining years in peace and contentment at the farm.
Originally, this matter would have been over, but now that this incident has come out, Uncle Ying suddenly remembered that Ling Tianshui's attitude towards him changed when he learned that he had participated in the Battle of Huangsha Valley.
As for Lao Wei, the three brothers were originally under the command of King Changhua, but his eldest brother and third brother were all killed in the Battle of Huangsha Valley. Therefore, at the pleading of his parents, he left the team and returned home to support his parents.
"So, County Lady, a few of us old buddies have been discussing this. Is it because of some misunderstanding that Old Wei's son wasn't accepted into the Northern Yamen, or is there something he needs to improve?" Captain Ma asked cautiously. "If you have a chance, could you please help Old Wei find out the reason so he can correct his mistakes next time?"
Qian Deng comforted him: "Okay, this is a small matter, tell Uncle Wei not to worry, I will ask Ling Sijie next time I have a chance."
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