Tao Feng was overjoyed to hear that the rebellion had been quelled.
"Xiao Cui, well done. From today onwards, you are a deputy general."
Cui Pingwei grinned slyly: "Thank you, General."
"Zhao Peng also contributed to this suppression of the rebellion."
Cui Pingwei wanted to use Zhao Peng. If war was about to break out, they needed someone who knew how to fight so they could save their lives.
Tao Feng smiled: "This man is not bad, let's transfer him to the vanguard!"
This shows that Zhao Peng was fully trusted.
Although it is dangerous for the vanguard, it may be the fastest way to gain merit.
This was exactly what Cui Pingwei wanted.
Cui Pingwei reported again: "General, we have suffered heavy losses this time and are currently reorganizing. We cannot break camp for the next two days."
Tao Feng frowned.
This time, he was essentially on a forced march.
Upon reaching Tongxian, they were about to leave Jianming Prefecture and pass directly through Juxian, bypassing the rebellious areas of Shanghe and Xiahe counties, and attacked Santian County of Yuzhang Prefecture, whose capital was right next to Santian County.
According to reports from scouts, half of the troops in Yuzhang Prefecture were left behind to stop Jianming Prefecture and Xianghe Prefecture.
Once you've truly passed Tongxian, there will be no more carefree moments.
That's why they set up camp in Tongxian so early on.
Who would have thought that something like this would happen in Tongxian?
If we linger here too long and delay military intelligence, wouldn't the governor blame us?
"How long will it take to rectify this?"
How could Cui Pingwei know how long the rectification would take? But he could read people's expressions.
"Two days, it will definitely be sorted out in two days."
If things aren't handled well, those who are supposed to leave will leave anyway, and the unfinished tasks can be handed over to the local magistrate.
"good."
"Go and get things sorted out. I want to sleep a little longer; my head hurts."
Cui Pingwei fawned over Tao Feng, helping her along.
"General, I have studied massage techniques. Let me give you a massage, and your headache will be gone soon."
Tao Feng was very satisfied.
He drank way too much last night.
But that wine was really good, strong, and flavorful.
"Ask Zhao Peng again later if there's any more of that wine."
"Yes, if the general wants to drink, Zhao Peng will search high and low to find it for the general."
Cui Pingwei continued to fawn over Tao Feng, massaging her head.
Tao Feng drifted off to sleep again, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Only after Tao Feng fell asleep did Cui Pingwei stop his slightly sore hands.
He quietly slipped out, shaking his hand.
The head guard, Qian Youde, asked softly, "Is the general asleep?"
Cui Pingwei nodded slightly.
“You all need to protect the general well. If anything happens to the general, our wealth and status will come to an end.”
Cui Pingwei walked out with measured steps, no longer looking like the disheveled figure from last night when his helmet was askew.
Cui Pingwei yawned: "I'm exhausted."
The captains of the vanguard and rearguard waiting outside were already getting anxious.
When Cui Pingwei came out, although they disliked this scoundrel, they couldn't help but think that he was favored by the general.
"Commander Cui, does the general wish to see us?"
Cui Pingwei's eyes were filled with tears as he yawned.
He rubbed his eyes and said sleepily, "The general was exhausted last night and has fallen asleep again. You all go back and get ready; we won't be breaking camp for the next couple of days."
These captains were furious; they'd been here for ages and hadn't even seen the general.
But everyone knows Tao Feng's temper, and no one dares to cross her line.
"Then we'll go back and reorganize. If anything happens, Captain Cui must let us know!"
Cui Pingwei yawned again: "I understand, you guys go back first."
The group left in a huff.
After walking a little further, one of the captains said angrily, "We're both captains, so why is Cui Pingwei acting so arrogantly?"
Another person advised, "It's because he's a favorite of the general. Why don't you go and lick his boots too?"
"I'm not going! I'm a soldier, not a slave!"
"I wish I could be like Cui Pingwei, but I don't have the silver tongue."
Some were resentful, some were envious, and some were sarcastic.
"Alright, enough said. Let's get on with our business. Making more money is the best thing we can do."
“That’s true. The general loves money. We don’t give as much as Cui Pingwei, so naturally we’re not as favored as him.”
"You'd better take it easy. The chaos in the central army is so big, I don't believe it has nothing to do with Cui Pingwei. If he hadn't colluded with several captains to embezzle rations, how could so many people have mutinied?"
"Don't talk nonsense. If this gets to Cui Pingwei's ears, we'll be in big trouble."
"Okay, let's not talk about it anymore. Let's go back. If a real war breaks out, we'll probably be the ones risking our lives while Cui Pingwei enjoys the good life."
Cui Pingwei didn't care what they said. He called over his guard and said, "Go tell Zhao Peng that the general still wants the wine he drank last night. Tell him to get some more."
"Yes." The guard ran off to inform Zhao Peng.
Zhao Peng is extremely busy.
Not only do we need to tally the losses of our troops, but we also need to search for the two captains who could not be found during the war.
These two captains were the culprits who caused this mutiny.
They were all people trusted by Tao Feng, yet they were the first to cut back on the soldiers' food in the military camp. They had been cutting back on food and military pay in the prefectural city before.
The soldiers who followed them were already full of resentment. Then, with someone instigating them, and someone shouting slogans last night, they rioted.
The rioting soldiers—more than half of their soldiers were involved.
After searching high and low, they finally found their bodies thirty miles from the military camp.
Unfortunately, it's already a terrible sight.
Their internal organs had been removed.
Moreover, his body and head were separated, and his head was impaled on a nearby tree.
There was also a letter left next to it.
Zhao Peng opened the package and found that it listed the two men's crimes one by one, which were simply too numerous to count.
If it's war, no matter how much you torment the enemy, you can explain it away by saying that war is cruel.
It's hard to forgive someone for being so cruel to their own soldiers at home.
Any young soldier with even a bit of good looks would be summoned by the two men in turn, ostensibly for individual instruction.
But with everyone giving guidance, he became a plaything for the two of them.
Any resistance would result in death, and the soldiers' families would also be killed.
If a soldier's family has a young woman who is even slightly attractive, she will be taken advantage of.
Their methods of killing are endless; gutting someone is the least of their tricks.
They might even tie someone up, slice off pieces of meat, and cook them in a pot, forcing the person to watch helplessly as their own flesh is eaten.
Not only did they eat, they also forced their subordinates to eat.
If anyone refuses to eat, that person will become the second to be slaughtered.
If anyone reports that the soldiers' rations are insufficient, they will kill the person who reported it and distribute the body to the soldiers.
And they even created a hierarchy among cannibals.
The flesh of old, thin men, called "burning fire," is not eaten by them; they find it too tough and dry, and the soldiers are given to eat it instead. They will eat the flesh of young women, called "not envying sheep," and the flesh of children, called "rotting bones."
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