Chapter 241: The Death Warrior Lao Niu
Zhao Xiaofei smiled as he read the battle report and said to Li Sihong, "The Jianlu and Wu Sangui want to continue to fight us! They are really overestimating their own abilities!"
Li Sihong took a look at Zhao Xiaofei's battle report. She also didn't understand why the Jianlu and Wu Sangui did not leave after taking Yulinwei, but only cleaned up the surrounding counties.
"This! How could this happen?" Li Sihong asked.
"They think we don't have much food! Okay! I will fight them! Let's see who can outlast the other! Also make good preparations for Li Zicheng and let him give a big gift to the Jianlu! Our big gift is on the way!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
Li Zicheng in Xi'an was also wondering what was wrong with these two enemies? They weren't advancing! This time, Li Zicheng didn't summon Song Xiance to the main hall, but summoned him to the study.
"Military Advisor! What's going on with the Ming court? Please analyze it for me!" Li Zicheng asked Song Xiance.
"Your Majesty! Zhao Xiaofei wants the Jianlu to attack us so that he can sit back and watch. The Jianlu does the same, wanting to reap the benefits! This is a good opportunity for us! We can send people to negotiate with the Ming court and delay time! We will also send envoys to the Jianlu! Anyway, it's a matter of delay! Let's take this opportunity to make Xi'an's defenses stronger!" Song Xiance said.
"How is the food preparation going? If the enemies on both sides attack us, how long will we be able to eat if we hold off on them?" Li Zicheng asked.
"Three years of food! I believe that no one can afford to fight us for three years. One year would be very good. The war situation will definitely turn around by then!" Song Xiance said.
"I always feel a little uneasy. Is it really the best choice to stay here? I hope to abandon these things and continue to fight in the north and south. Maybe there will be a glimmer of hope!" Li Zicheng said.
"Your Majesty! No! If we give up this place, who will follow us? Who will give us advice? Who will collect taxes for us? If there is no civil servant following us, how can we recruit soldiers? Now our Dashun court is still supported by the people. Every day, scholars come to surrender and believe that Dashun has hope! If Your Majesty plans to give up this place, then the people's hearts will be scattered. Not only the scholars, but they will also affect our soldiers. Your Majesty must not think like this!" Song Xiance persuaded earnestly.
Song Xiance knew that becoming a bandit might be advantageous militarily, as he no longer had to guard those jars and cans. However, politically, it would be absolutely useless. Who would want to hang out with a bandit who went from being a bandit leader to an emperor, and then back again? Wouldn't he worry about what would happen to them if the imperial court collapsed? And how many people would follow Li Zicheng everywhere? Who would endure the hardships of crossing mountains and hills with him?
Song Xiance understood all these things, but he didn't expect that this would drag them into death.
While Li Zichu was investigating the traitor in Nanjing, he arranged for his assassins to go to Shaanxi. In the middle of winter, a group of people were following the Jianlu troops.
The leader of the team was a captain of the Imperial Guard. There were forty of them and two captains from the original guards. The remaining two hundred were all carefully selected able-bodied men who had a deep hatred for the Jianlu. Their families were killed by the Jianlu, so they fled to the south, got married, and had children. Or they had younger brothers and sisters. Their families were taken care of very well by the Imperial Guard. Their children, brothers and sisters all had schooling and food to eat. They would even have jobs in the future! Their wives and parents were all taken care of. They signed a life and death agreement with the Imperial Guard, which was like selling their lives to the court. Of course, there were also some trainee assassins here just to be witnesses. In order to let them see that they would not be deceived by the court if they became assassins, all the assassins' families would be taken care of in the best way. This would be good for their publicity and for them to continue recruiting people.
The Jinyiwei who led the team was called Song Chenfeng, who was picked by Li Zichu because he was more loyal and more steady in his work.
Seeing they were getting closer to Yulinwei, Song Chenfeng ordered the cavalry to stop and find a sheltered spot to rest. He called everyone over and whispered, "Heroes, we're almost at the Jianlu camp! So now is the time for me to distribute the supplies. After I'm done, you'll put the bottles in your arms. Smash them when you get to the Jianlu camp, and your mission will be accomplished! If anyone survives, congratulations! Those who return alive can become officials! We'll leave life and death to fate!"
"Thank you for your kind words, sir! I, Old Niu, never planned to come back alive! I just hope that my sons can study and become officials in the future. Then my death will be worth it! The court has been very good to me. They built a house for me and gave me land to farm! Unless I have unfilial sons in the future, I will not ruin my family!" said a warrior named Niu.
He was from Zhili, and everyone called him Old Ox. His village had been slaughtered by the Jianlu, leaving few survivors. Fortunately, he had taken his three sons out hunting that day, and they had escaped. They had heard that the Anqing Prince lived in the south, and that the land was well governed and they could make a living there. So he fled south with his sons. But it was not paradise, so he and his sons went around begging and doing odd jobs. They went hungry every day, and the three sons were on the verge of starvation. It was then that they were discovered by the Imperial Guard.
Seeing that Niu met the criteria for a death warrior, the Imperial Guards recruited him into the Death Warrior Battalion. From then on, his son had someone to take care of him, and he had good food and drink every day. Later, he saw that the families of those who joined the Death Warrior Battalion were living a good life. He also witnessed several suicide bombings. The warriors detonated the bombs and were instantly destroyed, without feeling any pain.
And daily hatred education was essential. Countless operas and storytelling stories filled their minds daily. The White-Haired Girl, the Bloodbath at Yang Village—all written by Zhao Xiaofei himself, they were both authentic and moving.
After several months of training and field visits, Lao Niu felt he was ready to join the operation, but asked only to see his son one last time before leaving.
The Imperial Guards agreed to his request and let Lao Niu return home. When Lao Niu got home, he said to his three sons, "From now on, you three brothers must live a good life, study hard with your teacher, and bring honor to our Lao Niu family. "Big brother! You are the eldest brother, you must look after them. Don't neglect your studies! Everything you have today is earned by your father at his own risk!"
"Dad! I will definitely take good care of my younger brother!" said the eldest brother.
"Dad believes in you! Whether I am around or not, you must remember what I said, do you hear me?" said Lao Niu.
"Don't worry, Dad! We will be obedient!" The third brother suddenly said.
Old Niu was very excited when he saw his three sons. They gave him hope. Perhaps many years later, one of his sons, or even all three of his sons, would be wearing official robes.
"It's delicious! Eat more!" Old Cow said and put a piece of meat in each of his three sons' bowls.
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