These were all strong soldiers raised by Gu Yuanbai with enough food and food, with great strength and endurance. They were naturally a piece of cake when it came to fishing in the water and hunting in the mountains.
Xue Yuan didn't let them go deep into the forest, so a group of soldiers caught some pheasants and rabbits at the foot of the mountain, and ate them with fish and shrimp fished out of the water. ①
Xue Yuan looked around, "None of the meals are small."
The officer beside him laughed: "They have all been given a big appetite by His Holiness, and these soldiers in the capital alone have to go down this number for a day of eating and drinking!"
The officer held out both hands.
"The food is good now," Xue Yuan turned around and looked at the fire, the fire flared up and down jumping up and down under his eyes, just like the fire jumping in the snowy pounding at the border pass, he said faintly, "A few years ago that would be, at the border pass to defend against that group of nomadic herds, the soldiers that I brought with me starved and ate the withered grasses in my clothes. "
In winter, the border is so cold that it can freeze to death, the nomads do not have food, three times twice across the border, Xue Yuan had to lead the troops stationed at the border. Thick snow all over the ground, the grass does not see a, a foot down can freeze half a leg.
That will stand in the wind and cold less than a quarter of an hour, whose face can be covered with a layer of ice and snow. Peeing all fucking have to avoid peeing, a careless children and grandchildren root will be frozen out.
But they were soldiers of Daheng, so naturally they had to keep food for these poor old people for the winter even if they were suffering.
Xue Yuan remembers very clearly, at that time the court's food and winter clothes are late, after the food is used up, they can not go with the nomads to rob their own people's food. So they ate snow when they were thirsty, and ate snow when they were hungry, and Xue Yuan simply ate a bellyful of snow at that time.
Snow does not care about full, into the belly will melt water. The winter can not hunt, from the nomadic people to get the horse do not want to eat, when hungry want to eat, turn around and have to hand over to the court.
It was so cold that the soldiers were so hungry that they dismantled their clothes and went to eat the dead grass in them.
The withered grass didn't work either, and in the end they either froze to death or starved to death. Xue Yuan was thinking at that time, what the hell is this shit capital doing?
Where's the emperor? Where are the ministers?
Are they all fucking dead?
Remember to ask them for horses and cattle and sheep. What about food?
It is really quite difficult for a leader to watch his soldiers starve and freeze like that.
That time Xue Yuan loathed the rulers in the capital.
People who eat meat with their mouths full never know what it's like to be hungry.
The officer was somewhat interested in Xue Yuan's affairs at the border, "My lord, you should have some military achievements on you?"
Xue Yuan pulled up the corner of his mouth, "Old me is wasted, with half a point of military service."
The officer gave him a strange look, with disbelief clearly written in his eyes, but he didn't ask any further, he handed the roasted rabbit meat to Xue Yuan, who ate it in a big mouthful, devouring it with a gusto that was no different from that of the soldiers on the sidelines.
The movement under the mountain is very big, the minion who is always watching the movement under the mountain informed Liu Yun as early as when the Jing Guan was barricaded, Liu Yun personally walked to the edge to look down the mountain, and saw that this group of imperial officials and soldiers were eating, drinking and joking around the fire, and the look of relaxation in a celebratory gesture!
What are they celebrating? They haven't caught me yet. What is this celebration?
Liu Yun's face sank as he couldn't help but think, is it possible that these people already have a way to deal with him?
How is this possible!
The more he thought about it, the more he panicked, and the more he thought that it was what he had imagined, and that this group of people eating and drinking at the foot of his mountain was flaunting their power, and was celebrating this victory over the bandits in advance. They had a way to break through Xiguang Mountain and were coming up the mountain to kill him.
Liu Yun's eyes rested on the small mountain-like group of Jing Guan, his body shivered and chills surged up. He couldn't help but think, if the food was depleted in a month, would his head be one of those small mountains?
Nishikiyama can only last a month at most.
"Keep an eye on them at all times," Liu Yun was ready to take the long view with the people in the fortress as he repeated his command to the minions several times, "Come and inform me of any movement on their part, any!"
The minion watching over the situation at the bottom of the hill was also terrified and stammered, "Yes, yes."
Soon, the people at the foot of the mountain were satiated, and they were summoned by the leading one, the official, and not knowing what to say, these imperial soldiers and horses set off in a long line toward the foot of the mountain, and looking at the minion, he cried out, "Walled City Lord! It's not good!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yun rushed over and when he saw the situation below was when his eyelids jumped. He sent someone to probe what this group of officials and soldiers were doing, and got the news that these imperial officials and soldiers were stacking firewood at the foot of the mountain.
Liu Yun stagnant: "They are going to ...... this if they set fire to the mountain?"
Xiguang mountain naturally more than just Liu Yun a steward, a few small chiefs heard, each expression was shocked hideous, personally followed the minions to the bottom of the mountain to explore, sure enough! These court officials and soldiers are cutting firewood, there are already several piles of firewood piled up under the mountain road.
This is going to burn them alive!
After coming back and reporting to Liu Yun, Liu Yun's face was grave, he finally touched his face and said, "Late night is deeper and the dew is heavy, they can't burn it, and they don't have the time to get together so much firewood. Let's pack up our bags and escape down the mountain at night while the enemy is most asleep!"
When these words came out, many big and small chiefs agreed. They were clear in their minds, knowing that staying on the mountain would lead to death sooner or later, so they might as well let go at night and still have a chance of survival.
And Xue Yuan, as it happens, thinks so.
During the night, it was quiet at the soldiers who had set up camp, and the bandits on the hill waited until the middle of the night to make sure that the group of officials and soldiers at the bottom of the hill were asleep before they gingerly made their way down the hill.
The concealment of darkness obscured their figures, as well as the figures of the soldiers hiding in the shadows and watching intently. Xue Yuan hid here with his soldiers and horses, the archers ambushed them, and when all the people of the mountain fortress stepped onto the flat ground, Xue Yuan made a gesture, and a shower of arrows from the archers rained down in a rush, shooting these people over and over, screaming miserably.
Someone screamed, "We've been tricked!"
The rain of arrows was unceasing, and after the neat team was impacted by the archers and collapsed and scattered, Xue Yuan made an immediate decision, "Charge!"
The infantrymen hiding in the forest showed up just in time and stabbed one of these bandits trying to run back, the bodies slid down the hill and the bandits tried to fight back, but they were already surrounded by the enemy army.
A clump of torches lit up steeply, the loud drumming was violent and oppressive, and the entire foot of Xiguang Mountain was lit up with the bright light of torches.
The flags fluttered majestically, and the expressions on the soldiers' faces were majestic and appalling. Xue Yuan approached with five hundred cavalrymen, and the sound of the horses' hooves was so loud that it was on the verge of striking the hearts of the bandits.
The light from the torches swayed with the wind, and Xue Yuan looked down on the ghostly bandits and opened his mouth, "Surrender, and spare you from death."
The robust horse's tail wagged and he barked majestically as well.
Xue Yuan didn't even change his clothes, his armor was covered with dried blood, he had killed a lot of people today, his fierce aura was heavy, his eyes were horrible like evil spirits under the firelight.
"Surrender Walled City Lord!!!" I don't know who cried out, followed by a continuous chorus of "Surrender".
That mountain of heads was the best deterrent for them; if they didn't surrender, they would be beheaded and die.
"Walled City," cried the roarer, "we don't want to die! We must surrender!"
Liu Yun disheveled and softened on the ground, shivering uncontrollably, his teeth chattering as he said, "Sir, we surrender."
*
The elimination of the bandits on the three hills took a total of three and a half days, of which the round trip to catch the road, accounted for three days. Soldiers are precious, this speed, I don't know how many Beijing officials' jaws should be shaken off.
While the other soldiers were still resting, Xue Yuan had already rushed back to the capital at a fast pace.
By the time he entered the capital, the sky was already dark. It was not appropriate to go into the palace to disturb the young emperor at this time, so he went directly back to the Xue Mansion.
General Xue and Mrs. Xue were taking a walk in the courtyard, when they heard that he had returned, they went up and took a look, and their faces darkened, "What a look you're giving!"
Covered in blood and water and fishy breath, with some unknown stuff on his Xuan Armor, this sinful son killed Crazy Head again?
Xue Yuan took the towel handed over by the boy and wiped the dust off his face, "Prepare the water, master wants to bathe."
Ignoring General Xue, he was about to walk around them and leave, when he suddenly stumbled and looked back at Mrs. Xue, "Mother, where are the clothes?"
Mrs. Xue wondered and asked, "What clothes?"
Xue Yuan topped his palate, the tip of his nose filled with the scent of his own blood as he patiently said, "The one the saint wore."
Mrs. Xue came to a sudden realization, "That dress was worn by His Holiness, so naturally it was taken away by the palace guards, so how come it's still in our mansion?"
Xue Yuan was silent for a while and suddenly held his forehead and laughed, unable to suppress it. He turned around and walked towards his room, on his way there he suddenly let out a cry, "The money for the clothes wasn't even given."
The boy following behind him was puzzled, "What is the Grand Duke talking about?"
The corners of Xue Yuan's mouth lifted, "I have to find a way to get something back from that little heartless man that will cover the money for the clothes."
The boy listened in confusion and didn't ask, after returning to his room and another boy removed Xue Yuan's armor. This body armor weighs more than twenty kilograms, no tall body can not support the armor, no strong endurance can not wear such armor to fight.
And Xue Yuan wore this kind of armor to cut down no less than a hundred people in a row, blood-washed Wangtu Mountain, and took down Xiguang Mountain, and even drove his horse back in the night. Until now, he was in high spirits, so it was obvious that he had a lot of energy. After the subordinates removed his armor, Xue Yuan loosened his muscles and bones, and the muscles in his back bulged, still powerful.
"Grand Duke, the hot water is ready," said someone outside, "you bathe now?"
Xue Yuan nodded his head and took large strides towards the outside.
*
In the palace, Gu Yuanbai was also ready to rest.
He had just finished bathing, and the palace maid was wiping away the last of the watery dew from his head, and that was when he learned of Xue Yuan's return.
"Half a day," Gu Yuanbai didn't know whether to exclaim or sigh, "Tian Fusheng, did you hear that, it only took him half a day to round up the bandits on three hills."
Tian Fusheng nodded his head and said, "Your Holiness, Servant Xue has excellent means."
Gu Yuanbai closed his eyes and nodded, then paused for a moment and said, "When tomorrow comes, have Qin Sheng come over to see me."
*
The Holy Spirit understands Xue Yuan's hard work and appreciates his good work in fighting the bandits, so he rewarded him with many rewards, and along with the rewards, he also gave him two days of rest, as well as the position of being appointed.
His Majesty gave Xue Yuan the official position of Marquis of the Temple Front Duyu.
The Imperial Court of Justice, a senior officer in the Forbidden Army, is one of the military commanders, with an official position of the fifth rank. If Xue Yuan's previous military achievements were taken into account, he would have to be given an official position of a military officer of the fourth rank or above, with a knighthood on the side. However, General Xue had suppressed Xue Yuan's military service, so Gu Yuanbai had given Xue Yuan a higher rank among the possible ranks.
The General's Mansion was filled with joy, including General Xue, who had been suppressing Xue Yuan, could not help but reveal a few happy colors. Even though he had been suppressing Xue Yuan, now that his own son had received a reward from the Holy Spirit, it still made him proud.
Not everyone can eliminate three hills in half a day's work!
It's just a shame that you can't participate in the martial arts exams after you have an official position.
When the Xue Mansion was in a frenzy, Chang Yuyan came to the door just then.
He looked him up and down when he saw Xue Yuan, then smiled and said, "Going out for a walk?"
Xue Yuan walked out of the Xue Mansion with him, and Chang Yuyan couldn't help herself, so she went with him to a restaurant, wrapped up an elegant room, and when no one else was there, she asked, "Xue Jiujiuyao, why did you go to fight the bandits?"
Today is a day of rest, Xue Yuan touched the wine cup, look a little careless: "What, the old man still can not be suppressed?"
"I just didn't think that you would also have a day to do things for the saint," Chang Yuyan said with a smile, "I heard that last time the saint also sent you to the Hanlin Academy to give Chu Wei and Kong Yilin the ink stone rewarded by the saint, how come you don't come over to talk to me?"
Xue Yuan was impatient, "All men, what is there to say?"
Chang Yuyan laughed, "Then if you stay in front of His Majesty all day long, won't you become a sawbucket?"
Xue Yuan snorted, can it be the same in front of His Majesty as it is in front of you?
Speaking of the saint, Chang Yuyan silently answered a cup of wine, then sighed and said, "Xue Jiujioyao, with this dog temper of yours, you've still managed to get lucky. To tell the truth, even I, the editorial supervisor of the Hanlin Academy, have never attended a lecture in front of His Majesty, and you, you really get to be in front of His Majesty every day."
Xue Yuan also laughed and narrowed his eyes, "Chang Yuyan, what do you mean by that."
"What can I mean?" Chang Yuyan smiled bitterly, "Just envying you for being able to face the Holy Spirit day in and day out."
Xue Yuan drank a mouthful of wine and was so cool that he thought Laozi not only faced the saint, Laozi even touched the saint s thigh, but what is the use of this? Laozi does not like men.
Envious my ass, he's so weak, Xue Yuan's dog temper can't even be mad at him.
Riding a horse can wear out the skin, touching a hand can be a red piece, just like this saint, Xue Yuan did not dare to toss him.
"Xue Yuan?" Chang Yuyan called out twice, "What are you out of your mind thinking about?"
Xue Yuan shook the bottle, "How do you think some people can be so tender?"
Chang Yuyan said, "Tender?"
Xue Yuan stroked his chin, the corner of his mouth hooked into a smile that couldn't be said to mean anything, "It's like a block of tofu, it crumbles when you pinch it."
He was like a bandit in this manner, Chang Yuyan couldn't understand him this anymore, shaking his head and sighing, "Let's not talk about this. Let's talk about your bandit suppression, I heard that you exterminated three mountaintops in three and a half days of traveling back and forth, what's going on?"
And in the palace, Qin Sheng is also talking in detail with His Majesty about this bandit suppression.
Gu Yuanbai listened carefully, while reviewing the folders, while in the heart of the three bandit mountain terrain outlined. Qin Sheng spoke in an organized manner, although he did not read books, but was born with a feeling of a Confucian general, at this time the bite of words clear, even Xue Yuan said with him the sentence "still want to Laozi praise you? Also did not forget to say out.
Like Xue Yuan's feeling, Gu Yuanbai found that Qin Sheng could easily become an excellent command enforcer.
He was very good, with a strong ability to learn, and after letting him lead a certain number of soldiers and horses on his own and instructing him on what to do, he would accomplish the task perfectly. But Qin Sheng couldn't be a marshal.
As a commander-in-chief, the most important thing is to control the subordinates, Qin Sheng is too honest, or too loyal, such a person can not go to be the one who issues orders, but it is easy to get the trust of the one who issues orders.
Gu Yuanbai liked this kind of person.
He stopped the pen he was using to review the zhengfu and said, "Xue Yuan only took the head of the Wang Tushan Walled City Lord?"
"Yes," Qin Sheng affirmed, "Lord Xue said outright that he only wanted this one man's head."
Gu Yuanbai smiled faintly and taught, "This is the way of harnessing one's subordinates."
Qin Sheng's expression was solemn as he saluted, "I still ask for your holiness' guidance."
"Harnessing your subordinates is nothing more than 'leniency' and 'strictness,'" the saint said in a slow voice, "This 'leniency' refers to gold and silver, fame and fortune. ', refers to gold, silver, wealth, fame and fortune, the men follow you in order to gain benefits. As a general, you can't take credit with your soldiers, as a leader, your soldiers need to be rewarded and praised for their good work. Might and favor, one for their obedience, the other for their use for you." ②
The thoughts of the higher-ups were always common, Qin Sheng had been in a position of being ruled before, and when he stood tall like this to understand these words, he had a steep feeling of bewilderment.
Gu Yuanbai looked at his expression, smiled, and told him to stand back and think slowly.
The government dealt with a part, sent up the folders have begun to appear templates and tables, charts mode, in the form, charts, this aspect, Gu Yuanbai confident that no one can beat him, he can see which point is not right, which point is false, full of loopholes, found that such an absolute words of criticism, and even be demoted to reassignment, the beginning of the treatment of a few people, the rest of the officials really honest a lot.
Seeing that there were no outsiders in the hall, Tian Fusheng stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Your Holiness, the heads of Lu Feng's men that were previously found in the family of the Qi King's house have been sent to Jinghu South and Jiangnan by fast horseback."
"Good!" Gu Yuanbai laughed and urged, "I really want to see their expressions."
Tian Fusheng followed with a couple of heated laughs, "The scouts that the forbidden army found in the residences of the various patriarchal lords have also been put on the torture wagons, only that the number of people is too large, and it is estimated that it will take a month before they can be sent to the two places in Jinghu South."
"Not exactly slow," Gu Yuanbai touched up his chest, feeling the slow rate of his heart's beat under his hand, and sighed, "I hope they'll be able to fight for it."
If the dog bites the dog, let the dog bite the dog; if the dog rebels, let the dog rebel; don't show him any mercy.
Those magnates, after robbing Gu Yuanbai can praise them as individuals.
Gu Yuanbai silently fueled his opponent.
Don't ever let him down!
*
Two days later, the spirited Xue Yuan with a smile on his lips stood in front of Gu Yuanbai.
Gu Yuanbai was deliberating with the Imperial Historian, and only after the Imperial Historian had left did Xue Yuan respectfully step forward and salute before saying, "Your Majesty, I have returned victorious without dishonoring my mission."
In the absence of Xue Yuan these days, the head of the guards have been healed and appeared in front of the saint, tall guards stand straight, with a mountain like the points do not move to guard in front of the saint.
That position was still where Xue Yuan usually stood.
Xue Yuan glanced over with his afterglow, his face still wearing a smile, but his eyes were already clouded over.
What do you mean, he's been fighting bandits for the little emperor for a few days, and he's been replaced?
The corners of Gu Yuanbai's lips hooked up as he looked at him with a smile, "Xue Qing has made a big splash these past few days."
The little emperor's smile was vivid, his light-colored lips hooked, just like a flower. The hostility under Xue Yuan's heart was instantly smoothed out, and he grinned back, "It's all thanks to the blessings of His Holiness."
Gu Yuanbai asked Xue Yuan to say what happened again, Xue Yuan simply said something, three or two sentences about the bandits, these things in his eyes is really lackluster, the opponent is too weak, there is nothing to say.
After finishing the bandit suppression, Xue Yuan smiled, "Your Holiness, I would like to offer you one more thing."
Gu Yuanbai lifted his eyelids and signaled for him to bring it up.
Then he saw Xue Yuan walking up carrying a human head.
Xue Yuan was so debauched that the human head was not placed in a tray, but was brought in directly by his hair. The blank-faced head bobbed and shook, Gu Yuanbai's face was expressionless, and Tian Fusheng on the side had already shrieked.
Xue Yuan didn't pay attention to their expressions and held the head up, smilingly saying, "Your Holiness, this is the head of the Lord of the Walled City of Wang Tu Mountain."
Gu Yuanbai nodded expressionlessly.
Xue Yuan's smile deepened and he thought to himself, trading a head for a piece of clothing worn by the emperor, not bad, right?
This head, at least, would still be worth a lot of gold and silver.
But before he could make his request, Gu Yuanbai said, "Get out."
Xue Yuan's smile faltered.
Gu Yuanbai's face remained unchanged, neither angry nor joyful, and instead of looking at the head in Xue Yuan's hands, he looked straight into Xue Yuan's eyes and said indifferently, "Xue Qing, either you get out or the head gets out."
Xue Yuan "heh", backhanded and threw the head to the guards, let the guards to take out.
When he turned his head, he also met the head guard's angry gaze. That gaze seemed as if it was condemning Xue Yuan for how egregious this behavior was, Xue Yuan hooked his lips in a fake smile, "Your majesty doesn't like what I've offered?"
Why so picky.
A rat covered in meat doesn't like it, a head worth a thousand dollars doesn't like it, so what does it really like?
Xue Yuan thought about what jade pieces and lone books the gatekeepers in the mansion had asked him to send up, and thought what's so good about that stuff?
But when he glanced at the rest of his eyes, he saw that His Holiness raised his hand and touched the suet jade on the table. The white jade-like hand touched the fine moist and soft white jade, and for a moment he could not tell which one was more beautiful.
Even the nails of the saint showed a faint pinkish tint against the goat's jade.
Xue Yuan looked at it for a while and averted his gaze, but after a while, he unconsciously looked toward the saint's hand again.
...... It's kinda nice.
It would be even better if the jade was slimmer, with five fingers holding the slender jade.