Chapter 116 (Chapter 116) - Family Wealth Scattered
Zhu Mingyue was not discouraged by his words. Instead, she looked at him with bright eyes and asked, "Is General Guan very poor?"
Li Zhengyang was baffled: ? ? ?
He nodded nonetheless, implying he must have been quite poor. He subsidized the wounded soldiers' pensions with his own salary. He was summoned by General Guan once; he looked very simple and unassuming, with slightly sunken cheeks.
“I have silver, I can buy grain.” Zhu Mingyue was afraid he wouldn’t believe her, and to prove that she was telling the truth, she continued, “I have a lot of money. Besides Guangyang, hot pot restaurants in the other two counties will also open one after another in a while.”
After saying that, he raised his chin, with an arrogant expression that said, "So what? I'm rich, aren't I?"
Li Zhengyang was stunned, clearly not having reacted yet.
"you……"
He was speechless for a long time. Zhu Mingyue covered him with a blanket and said, "Don't try to persuade me. I've already figured out what to do."
He had thought it through clearly: if the Jizhou army really ran out of food, not only would Jizhou fall, but the Nanman army would also take advantage of the victory and advance all the way north. At that time, how far would Ganzhou be?
Moreover, Kangyang County is located north of the capital and is the only way to attack the capital, so it will inevitably suffer the most severe attack.
He did not want to see the people displaced, nor did he want to see his hard work over the past two years destroyed by the southern barbarians.
Therefore, the Jizhou army must hold on; only by holding on can their people have any hope of survival.
Even he, an outsider, understood such a simple truth. If he were the current emperor sitting on the throne, he would do everything in his power to supply the Jizhou army with food, even if the national treasury was empty.
Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; how could the national treasury be poorer than him? It's just a clear case of treating the Jizhou army as expendable resources.
Li Zhengyang stared at his missing right leg for a long time, a sharp pain rising in his heart. When he spoke again, his voice was muffled: "I won't try to persuade you." As a soldier on the front lines, he knew better than anyone how right Zhu Mingyue's decision was.
Unfortunately, it was only a merchant who made this decision, not the current emperor.
Zhu Mingyue tidied up the dishes and stood up, saying, "I have to go. The doctor said your wound is healing very well, and you may be able to go home in half a month."
Li Zhengyang nodded: "Today the doctor told me to try walking with crutches, but not for too long. I'll go home in the next few days; staying at the clinic all the time isn't a solution." He needs to change his dressings every day, which costs money, and his parents and Zhu Mingyue have to go to great lengths to bring him meals every day. Li Zhengyang hadn't said anything, but he felt very bad.
Zhu Mingyue frowned: "I told you money is not a problem. Just make sure your leg heals properly so it doesn't become a chronic condition later."
Li Zhengyang nodded haphazardly. Zhu Mingyue was wealthy, but his money was earned through his own abilities, not a reason for him to squander it recklessly. In just over half a month, Zhu Mingyue had spent several hundred taels of silver on him to save his life.
Although Zhu Mingyue didn't care about the money, her family cared a lot about it.
His parents always said they would repay him even if they had to eat coarse food and vegetables, but Li Zhengyang knew very well that this sum of money was far beyond what his family could repay by eating coarse food and vegetables.
Zhu Mingyue looked down at his face, which was covered with worry, and knew without thinking that he was overthinking something again.
Zhu Mingyue pretended not to know and said in a relaxed tone, "You can only work to pay for the medicine if you get well. He An keeps talking about it. He can't manage several shops right now, so he's hoping that someone can come out and help him with one of them."
“I was thinking that I can’t just pay all that money for nothing. You probably wouldn’t want Uncle Li and Aunt Li to be paying off your debts at their age. Why don’t you come work for me as the manager and work for me for free until the debts are paid off?”
Li Zhengyang gripped the blanket tightly with excitement, but spoke cautiously, "Can I? Will I...?"
"No! Being a shopkeeper doesn't require serving tea and water. I believe you can do it." Zhu Mingyue interrupted him with a stern face, "But you have to listen to me. You can only work to pay off your debts when you are fully recovered."
What else could Li Zhengyang say? The thorn in his heart was finally pulled out, and he said with emotion, "You gave me my life, and I'll work for you for free for the rest of my life."
Zhu Mingyue immediately hummed in agreement, "Okay."
"Alright, my aunt asked me to tell you that she can only come to take care of you this afternoon. Please take good care of yourself. I've already taken care of the apprentice at the clinic; feel free to ask him for help if you need anything."
"Mingyue!"
Zhu Mingyue took a few steps when she was suddenly called back. She stopped and turned around, looking puzzled, quietly waiting for him to say what he was going to say next.
Li Zhengyang's lips trembled, and he whispered, "Thank you."
Zhu Mingyue assumed he had something important to tell her, and waved her hand, saying, "You're welcome!"
It's only right that he helps his brother when he's in trouble. There's no need for thanks. Besides, he's waiting for Li Zhengyang to work for him for free for a few years!
His shop is currently lacking a trustworthy person, and Li Zhengyang happens to fit the bill. Moreover, his experience in the army has changed his demeanor; he's less naive and more shrewd and perceptive. With just a little guidance, he should be able to take charge on his own.
Li Zhengyang was not worried about losing his leg at all; physical disabilities would not have a significant impact on non-manual laborers.
Li Zhengyang watched him leave the house, leaving him alone in the small, dimly lit room. He lowered his head, wanting to laugh but unable to.
Zhu Mingyue probably misunderstood why he said thank you.
He wasn't speaking for himself, but for the soldiers on the front lines.
Thank you for stepping forward when Jizhou was facing a life-or-death crisis. Since regaining consciousness, he has had nightmares every day, in which corpses are strewn everywhere and blood flows like rivers. He wakes up in fright every time, and his heart pounds for a long time.
Li Ding, who was willing to kill his comrades to save his own life, was right in front of him. He deserted in the face of battle but was instead beheaded by the Southern Barbarians. The head rolled to his feet, its eyes wide open, filled with fear and resentment.
In an instant, all the grudges vanished. Putting aside all the past entanglements, he was just a pitiful person who had been forcibly conscripted by the imperial court.
There were thousands of people like him in the army, including him. They should have been living peaceful and contented lives in their hometowns, eating simple meals.
Because of the inaction of the imperial court, they were forced to leave their homes and come to Jizhou. Because of the inaction of the imperial court, the entire Jizhou army ran out of food and supplies, and the soldiers lived in fear of starvation every day.
If it weren't for a last resort, why would the general issue an order to attack Suiyuan in winter?
Ironically, the reason for this desperate situation lay not with the southern barbarians, but with the imperial court.
Li Zhengyang closed his eyes and couldn't help but think viciously that the person sitting on the dragon throne might not be a true emperor at all, but a brainless beast.
...
Deep winter has arrived in Jizhou. The cold wind is howling, and the whole city is filled with a deathly atmosphere. Despair permeates every corner. Only the elderly, weak, women and children are left huddled in their homes. Some are crying, while others are kneeling devoutly in front of the Buddha.
"Reporting to the General, a scout from the front has reported!"
Guan Shao's brows furrowed, his entire being radiating a murderous aura: "Speak!"
"The enemy has deployed heavy troops on both the left and right flanks."
Guan Shao said coldly, "Get down!"
"Xie Pei, what's your opinion?"
The man who was called out seemed to have expected this. As soon as Guan Shao finished speaking, he decisively said, "Rushing in without authorization may result in being surrounded by three parties."
Guan Shao: "So?"
"The enemy's forces are running low. We should send out elite heavy cavalry in two groups to break through and launch a fierce attack."
Guan Shao: ...
That's it? Well, this kid's words are always simple and blunt, as if he said something and yet he didn't say anything at all.
He glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Sun Biao, who was huddled in the corner, silent until now: "General Sun, what are your thoughts?"
Sun Biao, who had been singled out, looked up abruptly, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. He seemed not to have expected that he would still be singled out despite his efforts to keep a low profile.
He glanced at Xie Pei without saying a word: "I believe that what the Jizhou army needs most right now is to reorganize and rest. We have been fighting the Southern Barbarian army for nearly two months, and our army is out of food and supplies. We should not take any more reckless risks."
His words were a rebuttal to Xie Pei's suggestion, and he even muttered a curse at Xie Pei for being brainless at the end.
Xie Pei chuckled and remained silent, looking at him as if he were looking at a corpse, not a living person.
Sun Biao's face turned pale, and he felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Guan Shao pondered for a moment, then continued to call on others: "What does General Wei think?"
General Wei, his anger simmering, stepped forward immediately when called upon, saying, "I am willing to lead heavy cavalry into battle."
Guan Shao was satisfied and immediately agreed: "In that case, I order you and General Wang to each lead five hundred heavy cavalry three days later, and split into two groups to break through the encirclement of the Southern Barbarians from the east and west."
Sun Biao: ...
The fact that the order was given so decisively suggests that the decision was already in mind. In that case, why bother asking for advice? It would be pointless.
Upon receiving the order, General Wei hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously, "However, the army's provisions are almost exhausted. The soldiers can endure hunger, but the horses cannot..."
Upon hearing this, Guan Shao immediately flew into a rage, grabbed a teacup and smashed it at him, "If you don't want to do this job, just say so! Stop with your whining! Where am I supposed to get you food? If people can go hungry, why can't horses? If you dare say another word, I'll make you regret it!"
This was not the first time Guan Shao had lost his composure, but this time his behavior was far more undignified than usual.
General Wei gritted his teeth, his facial muscles twitching violently. After a long while, he finally had to compromise: "Your subordinate obeys."
Guan Shao: "Xie Pei?"
Seeing General Wei's embarrassing state of being humiliated in public, Sun Biao almost burst out laughing. He and this guy hadn't gotten along lately either, since he had been supporting Xie Pei in everything as if he were under a spell!
But more than General Wei, he wished Xie Pei had been the one insulted by Guan Shao. That brat, barely out of his teens, dared to oppose him time and again. If it weren't for Guan Shao's appreciation, he'd probably still just a lowly centurion in the army.
He sneered inwardly, imagining that Xie Pei could suffer the same fate as General Wei.
However, the expected exhilarating scene did not occur. Guan Shao simply gave two brief instructions, telling Xie Pei to stay behind and guard the rear, and then selected another person to lead the infantry into battle.
Although Sun Biao was unwilling, he breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Xie Pei would not be leading troops into battle this time.
Guan Shao glanced at him almost imperceptibly before quickly looking away.
Sun Biao left the tent and saw Xie Pei coming out after him. He couldn't help but tease him: "Everyone says that General Xie is valued by the General, but it seems he's nothing special. What kind of job is it to stay behind and guard the rear?"
Xie Pei was not angry, and said in a calm tone: "What? Does General Sun want me to volunteer for the battle?"
Sun Biao's breath hitched, but he put on an air of complete indifference and said with disgust, "You little brat, you overestimate yourself."
After saying that, he left as quickly as if his butt was on fire.
Sun Biao has been doing well these past few days, and he is naturally happy that he doesn't have to lead troops into battle this time.
I got up in the middle of the night and came back with a dry mouth. I poured myself a glass of water and drank it. Perhaps it was the cold wind that made me dizzy and lightheaded, so I went back to bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Little did they know that a new group of people had already arrived outside the tent.
The Jizhou army launched a surprise attack at midnight.
As dawn broke and the sky began to lighten, drums sounded loudly outside the city, and the city gates were slowly opened.
A few days later, news of victory arrived from the capital: the Jizhou army had won a great victory and captured Suiyuan in one fell swoop. The Emperor was overjoyed and bestowed rewards...
He bestowed a series of verbal commendations upon the emperor.
"Damn it, not a single penny!" Guan Shao was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged.
The guards secretly watched his expression, struggling to suppress a laugh.
When the general received the imperial edict, his face was as red as spilled paint—it was quite a sight.
Unfortunately, the old eunuch was oblivious and still expected the general to slip him some silver.
They didn't even look at what the imperial court had bestowed upon him. Giving a military general who spent most of his life in the army a pair of antique calligraphy and paintings, they could expect General Guan to be interested in appreciating them.
Guan Shao sighed, "Will they be able to sell?"
The guard's smile spread uncontrollably to both sides: "They should not be sold privately."
Guan Shao: ...
A commotion came from outside the camp, and the guards stopped smiling. "General, General Xie has arrived."
The door was flung open, and sure enough, it was Xie Pei.
When Guan Shao saw him, his anger dissipated by more than half. Instead, he softened his tone to comfort him: "You deserve the most credit for bringing back Suiyuan this time. Now that you have been rewarded, what are your plans for the future?"
If it weren't for Xie Pei, we wouldn't have been able to outwit Suiyuan this time.
Don't let his appearance fool you; this guy looks just like him, like a roughneck, but his mind is definitely extraordinary.
When it was discovered that Sun Biao was indeed in close contact with the Southern Barbarian spies, Guan Shao wanted to order his execution on the spot.
To his surprise, Xie Pei stopped him and instead suggested that Sun Biao continue to provide information so as not to alert the enemy.
The surprise attack on Suiyuan that night was achieved by using Sun Biao to provide false information to the Southern Barbarians.
Guan Shao pretended to be angry, but it was just a show put on for Sun Biao by him and his accomplices.
The claim that three days later was false, that each person would lead 500 heavy cavalry was false, that Xie Pei would be left to guard the rear was false, and that the army's food supplies had been cut off was also false.
In terms of leading troops into battle, Xie Pei's current ability is no less than his. The Southern Barbarians hate him to the extreme, both hating and fearing him. How could they let Xie Pei stay behind for such an important battle? It was just to make the enemy mistakenly believe that Xie Pei would not fight this time, so as to lower their guard.
As for provisions, it must be said that Xie Pei has a wonderful sister-in-law that even he envies.
He was even willing to spend his own money and squander his family fortune to secretly send merchants to various prefectures and counties to buy grain.
The timely arrival of this food was a lifesaver for the Jizhou army. After Sun Biao delivered the false message and drank the sleeping potion to meet with the Duke of Zhou, the soldiers finally had a full meal. With their morale high, they went into battle as if divinely aided.
Having food in the army is great; it means we don't have to hold back when fighting.
Guan Shao was not an ungrateful person. He appreciated Zhu Mingyue's kindness and would do his best to help her in any future matter.
only……
Guan Shao's eyes darkened. He had already inquired about Xie Pei's sister-in-law. She was very capable in business and had become a wealthy merchant in Kangyang County in just two years. It was said that her restaurant was extremely famous.
But aside from his status, he was just a poor old man who couldn't even afford a reward. What kind of help could he possibly offer?
Guan Shao felt increasingly distressed, as if her heart was being torn apart. She was immediately annoyed and turned her gaze back to Xie Pei: "Xie Pei, why don't you speak?"
Xie Pei replied calmly, "I have no plans."
Guan Shao: ...This awful sight made him lose his temper. Just as he was about to explode in anger, he heard Xie Pei's voice again.
"Having won this battle, I wish to return to Ganzhou to visit my family."
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