Chapter 14 General Bai Gu, I did what you wanted...
The incident happened suddenly and Fang Yilan had no time to care about anything else. She could only stretch out her arms, pick up Zhao Huaixu and hurried into the house.
Only when I held him in my arms did I truly feel how thin he was. He was nestled quietly in my arms, his eyes closed, his eyelashes trembling uneasily, looking so sickly that I felt even more pitiful.
The soldiers around caught a glimpse of this scene and subconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to look at it any further.
Our general is truly a heroine.
Just as he put the person on the bed, there was a sudden knock on the door. A soldier clasped his hands and reported, "General, we have found the whereabouts of Qi Chun, but..." He showed some hesitation on his face and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Fang Yilan didn't bother to ask more questions. He told his men to take good care of Zhao Huaixu, then he quickly followed the soldiers.
A group of people holding torches walked through the deep forest. The flames flickered like a string of ghostly fires.
Soon, everyone came to the foot of a cliff.
The torchlight faded, revealing a broken body. Qi Chun collapsed in a pool of blood, emitting a nauseating stench.
A hideous gash had been ripped across his neck, the flesh turned inside out, and his stomach had been ripped open. His hands and feet had been torn apart by some ferocious beast, leaving only bare bones, some with bits of flesh still hanging from them.
Fang Yilan frowned, an inexplicable uneasiness growing in his heart. He felt that something was wrong. The skills of those men who suddenly appeared seemed different from Qi Chun's random slashing and swinging moves.
She gave a few instructions and strode away.
When Fang Yilan pushed the door open, she saw Zhao Huaixu, who had woken up at some point and was half-leaning on the bed.
Inside the room, the candlelight burned dimly, and the corners of his mouth suddenly rose. It should have been a heartwarming smile, but in the flickering dim light, the curve of his mouth seemed stiff and distorted.
"General."
Zhao Huaixu spoke softly,
"Did I do what you like?"
A chill ran up Fang Yilan's spine.
*
Her feet seemed to be nailed to the spot, and her back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.
Seeing her standing there, Zhao Huaixu tilted his head slightly, his eyes full of innocence, and asked softly, "Did something happen to Qi Chun? It's all my fault. I sent the signal a little late, so he took the opportunity to escape. Didn't I miss anything important?"
As he spoke, he tried to prop himself up, but it pulled on his chest and his face showed a bit of pain.
This series of words finally brought Fang Yilan back to her senses.
I was really being paranoid. This man was saving people and sending signals, and he was seriously injured. How could he have time to kill people?
She exhaled, lifted her feet and moved to the side of the bed to sit down, forcing a smile, and gently comforted her like a child: "You've done very well. Stop thinking about it and lie down and have a good rest."
As she spoke, she held Zhao Huaixu's shoulders and helped him lie down slowly.
Fang Yilan lifted one of his hands and examined it carefully. His fingers were red and swollen, and the skin at his wrist was already broken and damaged, with clots of blood still clotted in the interlaced wounds.
But the situation is chaotic right now, and we can't even find a doctor who can treat the wound. We have to take good care of ourselves when we go down the mountain.
"Having the general care so much for me makes me feel content." Zhao Huaixu raised his head slightly and looked at Fang Yilan with tenderness in his eyes.
Fang Yilan was speechless for a moment, her lips opened, not knowing how to respond.
"Oh, what's going on? I thought you were just playing around before, but now you're serious?"
A joking tone suddenly broke the delicate atmosphere in the room.
Xiao Yue saw this scene as soon as he entered the room. He looked back and forth between the two of them and couldn't help but make a joke.
Zhao Huaixu immediately became displeased. Just as he was about to open his mouth to refute, he was choked by something. He couldn't catch his breath and started coughing violently. He kept moving closer to Fang Yilan and was about to nestle in her arms.
Fang Yilan took advantage of the situation and put her arms around him, patting him gently on the back. She turned her head and glared at Xiao Yue unhappily, scolding him, "Can't you see he's injured? Why are you provoking him for no reason?"
Xiao Yue pointed at himself:?
Xiao Yue shrugged helplessly, feeling that he had made a fool of himself.
"Commander Wang asked me to inform you that the stretcher sent from the mountain has arrived. When do you plan to return?"
"Right now."
*
These days, Fang Yilan has been very busy and has no time to rest.
There were many complicated matters to deal with in Ningqiu, and it was necessary to send troops to garrison key fortresses and formulate defense lines and strategies; the matter of recruiting Huanying also could not be sloppy, and the situation had to be reported to the court in writing, and all the people on Qishan had to be properly resettled. She had to do everything herself.
Seeing that she had become much thinner due to being busy, Zhao Huaixu took the initiative to help her with some paperwork.
Looking at Zhao Huaixu sitting at the desk writing, his every move was elegant and calm, and he handled all matters in an orderly manner.
The autumn wind picked up, rustling the yellow leaves from the branches. However, in Fang Yilan's courtyard, there was no such desolate scene at all. Everywhere was neatly tended, spotless, and not a single fallen leaf could be found on the ground.
Fang Yilan sat opposite her, supporting her head, looking at the spotless room with clean windows and desks.
On the pearwood table sat a plain porcelain vase, a few sprigs of hibiscus infused with morning dew. Wisps of smoke curled upward from the incense burner, the rich incense carrying a subtle aroma.
She couldn't help but be amazed. She thought she was lucky. She had chosen the right man as her lover. He could be her study or her bedroom...?
The other people in the mansion lived completely different lives.
Chudie was thoughtful, often bringing Xunyun along for a visit. Each time, she brought a variety of homemade pastries and snacks. Zhuang Gu and Shuxue were both gluttons, and after a few days, their faces had become a little plumper.
After Huan Ying brought Qishan's brothers down the mountain, he saw that Fang Yilan kept his word and settled everyone in Ningqiu. He felt guilty and moved, and was willing to die on the spot to apologize.
Fang Yilan was quick to stop him and said, "The person you should really apologize to is Lieutenant General Lin, not committing suicide here."
Lieutenant General Lin had been in the army for decades and was naturally a man with a deep understanding of the world. After hearing Fang Yilan's words, he understood what she meant and hurriedly pleaded for Huan Ying.
Huan Ying's leg injury was delayed for too long. Although he received careful treatment, he would probably not be able to stand and walk like a normal person in the future. However, he was indeed resourceful and had been able to settle down in Qishan for many years. He was definitely not an ordinary person.
Fang Yilan naturally accepted the opportunity to use Huan Ying for his own benefit, and took advantage of the situation to bring Huan Ying under his command.
It’s just Xiao Yue…
If this guy's behavior were put into modern context, he would be just like a street thug, reckless and casual, doing things based on passion and acting on impulse.
If Xiao Yue really joined the military camp, he would definitely be a troublemaker and cause Fang Yilan a lot of headaches.
Although Xiao Yue has always been carefree, he somehow saw a hint of disgust on her face. He spat out the dogtail grass in his mouth.
"Why, you still need so much time to think about this? My skills are no worse than a centurion, no, a thousand-householder."
Zhao Huaixu stood beside Fang Yilan, shaking out a white fox cloak and covering her with it, saying immediately, "This person has no respect for rules and regulations, no regard for hierarchy, and is wild and unruly. If he remains in the army, he will probably be difficult to control in the future, and may even cause great trouble."
When Xiao Yue heard this, his face became long. He was about to curse, but he saw Fang Yilan nodded in agreement and echoed, "You're right."
After saying that, the two heavy doors of Ding'an Marquis Mansion slowly closed as Xiao Yue was dumbfounded.
A series of urgent knocks on the door rang out, and Xiao Yue's cry was piercing: "Wait, at least give me a chance!"
"Open the door, I was wrong, okay!"
…
Unexpectedly, Huan Ying came to visit in person early the next morning.
"General, I understand your concerns. But Xiao Yue is truly a rare military talent. It would be a shame if his abilities were buried like this. I hope you will give him a chance to show his abilities."
Huan Ying paused before continuing, "This world is filled with temptations, and people's hearts are fickle. Those who can hold onto their true hearts are the most precious and valuable. Xiao Yue has followed me up the mountain since he was young, and I've personally taught him all these years. Although he's been accustomed to the freedom of the mountains since he was young, and has developed a somewhat casual temperament, it won't be difficult for him to gain some experience in the army, smooth out those flaws, and correct them."
Fang Yilan sipped his tea for a long time before speaking: "I can give him a chance, but whether he can pass it depends on his ability."
"The general is wise."
*
The military camps in the border towns of the northwest were extremely lively, with people crowded inside and outside. It turned out that a conscription notice had been posted on the brochure.
A literate soldier, surrounded by the crowd, stood before the notice and read aloud the contents word for word: "Our army is now recruiting elite troops from various parts of the northwest. This recruitment does not discriminate against background or rank. Anyone with aspirations and who can successfully pass the rigorous test will be accepted!"
The recruitment benefits were also very generous; once selected, they could enjoy a generous salary equivalent to that of a centurion. However, if someone of a high official rank insisted on joining, they would have to give up all the privileges and favorable conditions they had previously enjoyed. In this newly formed team, everyone was treated equally, regardless of past qualifications or official rank.
At the same time, in Kangrao's main camp, Fang Yilan was directing her subordinates in an orderly manner, arranging the martial arts field according to her dog-crawling draft drawings, and creating a runway with an extremely strange shape.
First round: Applicants need to carry a sandbag and run five laps around the track;
Level 2: Crawl on the ground and crawl under a low net;
The third level: Jump on the horse and cross several guardrails of varying heights, and shoot at three targets along the way;
The last level: You have to climb up a seven or eight meter high stone tower with your bare hands to pass the level.
Fang Yilan sat on the high platform of the martial arts arena, looking calm. On the table in front of her was an incense burner.
She stood up slightly and clapped her hands a few times. A clear sound rang out, and the noise around her instantly quieted down.
"Have you all read the rules clearly? As long as you can successfully pass all the levels before the incense stick burns out, you'll pass."
Below the stage, the Ruining soldiers who came to participate in the selection gathered in a large crowd, and their number was quite considerable.
Which of these Ruining men didn't want to follow their commander into battle and rise to the top of the army? That was a place where they could rise to prominence and rewrite the fate of their family.
However, when the almost harsh rules reached everyone's ears, the soldiers looked at each other in confusion, whispering to each other: "This is too difficult, how can we possibly pass?"
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Lubu: Similar to the ancient notice board
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