The stone wall at the west entrance of the canyon was not completely demolished, and the door was left like the stone wall at the east entrance. The team returned from the grassland like a long dragon. The soldiers who stayed behind in the canyon stood on the wall, waving flags and cheering. The marching soldiers They also waved their arms and shouted, and everyone's face was full of joy.
Because they will be transferred to Huangyang Road, all the soldiers who stayed in the canyon will also be evacuated.
After the team walked over, the soldiers on the stone wall jumped on their horses and joined the team under the command of the general. The defenders of Fan Gucheng walked out of the city gate reluctantly. Although they were stationed in rotation, the soldiers who had lived here for several months were still a little bit reluctant. They are used to living in this small town, and they did not lose their sweat in repairing this border town.
After joining the soldiers from the canyon, Fan Gu, and the cottage, the team became even more magnificent. Seventy thousand cavalry entered the customs and advanced on the official road.
Someone could be seen peeping in the distance, but the Black Banner Army ignored it. No need to think about it, they knew that it was Jin Shixiong's scouts. They must have been terrified to see such a huge cavalry team entering the customs. Fortunately, the Black Banner Army is still fighting the Da Sui Lie red battle flag and the black army flag, otherwise Jin Shixiong's men might have already sounded the warning horn.
There are also teams of bandits and bandits nearby, and they have already avoided them from a distance. I'm afraid that if someone accidentally provokes this giant dragon, it will cause death.
Fang Jie rode on the white lion and looked back. In the carriage not far behind him was the Great Master Meng Yuan who followed him into the customs without saying a word, and he was riding alone in a carriage. This woman hasn't found a solution for these days in the camp, nor has she communicated with anyone. Fang Jie arranged a military tent for her, and she lived in it without any excuses.
Of course, Fang Jie's women are the ones who are most curious about her.
"Report!"
A scout came back from the front, jumped off his horse and hurried over to salute when he was still far away: "General, someone in front stopped the team, saying that it was Jin Shixiong who asked to see the general. wait."
Fang Jie smiled and looked back at Sun Kaidao.
Sun Kaidao said with a smile: "Sure enough, as the general expected, Jin Shixiong will definitely not be able to sit still when we see our soldiers coming back strong and strong. It would be strange if he didn't come to see you."
"The military division will go with me."
Fang Jie smiled and said, "I also want to hear what this general has to say to me."
"It's nothing more than three points. First, I must ask the general to stay and join forces with him. Of course, Jin Shixiong also knows that this is impossible, but he will still say it. Now he is struggling. There is no food, and the food and grass in Jinyang City are probably taken away by the emperor, leaving him with not much. It is difficult to stabilize the northwest with that remnant soldier."
Sun Kaidao stretched out his second finger: "Secondly, after the general refuses him, he will definitely say some great things. If the general insists on leaving, he will have the cheek to ask the general to leave a team. The general will naturally return." If he refuses, then he will have the cheek to beg the general to leave some food and grass."
"The third is to test the purpose of the general. If our Black Banner Army does not leave the northwest, I am afraid that Jin Shixiong will not be able to sleep well in the future. In this situation, he can avoid it if he can avoid it. It is said that the imperial court is still on the west bank of Luoshui. Blocked by the rebel army of King Gao Kaitai Yiqu, the emperor lost a lot of troops. It seems that he didn't order him to rush to support, but he stayed in the northwest... Hehe... I'm afraid this general has moved his mind gone."
Fang Jie nodded: "Let's go, let's see what sweet words he will use."
"General."
Sun Kaidao thought for a while and said: "This man is a veteran who has been famous for many years. He is proud and arrogant. At this time, seeing the general's soldiers are strong and strong, he may not have no resentment in his heart. So you need to be more careful... It is better to let Qilin lead the fine cavalry to follow."
Fang Jie smiled and shook his head: "No, just you and I and a few followers will do."
He urged the white lion forward, and the white lion roared and rushed forward. Sun Kaidao was worried, so he sent someone to Qilin to give some instructions, and then asked Chen Xiaoru to choose a dozen or so skilled Xiaoqi schools to follow. A group of people broke away from the brigade and headed for the see-off booth.
The distance was not far, and it didn't take long for Fang Jie and his party to arrive not far from the see-off booth. The see-off pavilion is on the side of another official road, next to it is a peach grove. It's just that no one has taken care of it for many years, and the peach forest looks extremely desolate. When he stopped, the white lion rubbed Fang Xie's hand, Fang Xie glanced at Taolin and then smiled. He stroked the long fur of the white lion a few times, and then walked slowly to the see-off booth after getting down.
Still far away, General Jin Shixiong greeted him from the pavilion.
This general, who is already in his fifties, seems to be in good spirits. It's just that she is much thinner than the last time we met, and her cheekbones are protruding outward.
"General Fang is worthy of being the pillar of the country, the talent His Majesty relies on!"
Jin Shixiong smiled while walking, "I haven't seen you for more than a year. General Fang actually recruited such a powerful cavalry for the Sui Dynasty. Your Majesty will be happy if he finds out. General Fang has made great contributions to the country. It is expected that your majesty will He will not be stingy with rewards, I remember that General Fang is already a country lord? This time he has made great achievements, and he will be promoted again!"
Fang Jie greeted him with a smile and said, "I haven't seen you for a long time, the general has become more and more interesting. I was worried that the general would not be able to stand the bitter cold in the northwest for more than a year, but I didn't expect the general to look more energetic than last time." It seems that life in Jinyang is fine, so I feel relieved."
Both of them smiled, and there was a knife hidden in their bright smiles.
…
…
On the stone table in the pavilion are several plates of side dishes, a jug of wine, and two cups. There were only two personal soldiers serving in the pavilion, and they didn't have any weapons on them.
Jin Shixiong invited Fang Jie to sit down, and personally filled a glass of wine for Fang Jie. Fang Jie deliberately did not give in, but accepted it calmly.
"Who is this?"
Jin Shixiong glanced at Sun Kaidao and asked.
Fang Jie smiled and introduced: "This is Mr. Sun, a great talent I invited to teach me. The general also knows that I have not graduated from the Yanwu Academy. I always feel that my knowledge is too shallow. It is precisely when I met Sun Sir, I immediately asked him to stay and ask for some knowledge in my spare time. Recently, my articles have become more and more neat, and Mr. Sun praised me yesterday."
Jin Shixiong sneered in his heart, but there was no change on his face: "In this case, I invite Mr. Sun to take a seat. Although I have been a soldier all my life, I have always admired great talents. Haha... General Fang is really a rare talent. If there were more young talents like General Fang in the village, why worry about the country’s disasters and why the Sui Dynasty would not be able to prosper again? His Majesty sent General Fang to guard the canyon that day because he knew people and made good use of them. General Fang lived up to His Majesty’s painstaking efforts. A nice talk."
Fang Jie smiled: "Your Majesty really knows how to use people well, otherwise how can I have 100,000 cavalry under my command?"
The corner of Jin Shixiong's mouth twitched slightly, and he laughed loudly and said, "General Fang is grateful for His Majesty's kindness. He came back with a brigade after the initial achievements in training, and his loyalty can be learned from. When His Majesty left Jinyang City, he specifically explained that when General Fang came back Join forces with me to protect the safety of the northwest side. Your Majesty also said that after General Fang returns, I must not rely on the old and sell the old, but respect... "
"Ha ha."
Fang Jie clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, General, for your love. Your Majesty didn't leave any will before leaving?"
"Well… "
Jin Shixiong pondered for a while, but didn't answer right away.
Sun Kaidao smiled and said: "My general also often mentioned that when he was in the northwest, he was taken care of by the old general Jin, and his majesty also gave him a lot of gifts. That's why my general went through all kinds of hardships in the enemy's land. Wan Ku pulls up this team. Old General Jin doesn't know that it's hard to pull up a team, and it's even harder to lead a good team... "
He deliberately used the tone of the general's big characters very strongly.
Sure enough, Jin Shixiong's expression changed slightly.
Sun Kaidao seemed to be a little helpless and said: "Old General Jin also knows that although His Majesty has appointed my general as a fourth-rank general, according to the military system of the Sui Dynasty, the fourth-rank general will lead an army of 10,000 horses. The result is that one hundred thousand cavalry were trained by accident... but... but the team has grown so large that it has some disadvantages. The general is only a fourth-rank military position, and the generals under his command are no more than fifth-rank. Military generals have no right to be appointed. You see, the generals of the fifth rank below will lead 10,000 cavalry, and they all feel that the name is not right, let alone my general... Your Majesty knows things like a god, and he should Are there any arrangements?"
Jin Shixiong smiled sarcastically: "This... this... Your Majesty probably didn't expect General Fang to be able to train a hundred thousand cavalry for the country... Later, I will personally submit a memorial to talk about this for General Fang."
"Hey...how can this work."
Fang Jie hastily declined: "There is no reason why a subject wants to be an official. Wouldn't it be a joke to spread it... I don't think so. The general told me His Majesty's itinerary. I have cavalry under my command. I should have time to catch up. Your Majesty saw so More cavalry will also be very happy, and naturally there will be arrangements."
Jin Shixiong twitched his eyebrows, smiled and said: "I think it's not as good as this... General Fang went to chase His Majesty, and the team stayed..."
Before he finished speaking, Fang Jie interrupted: "It's just that there is something difficult, and I need to ask the general for help."
Jin Shixiong suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and asked, "What's the matter?"
Fang Jie said earnestly: "It's hard to say. Although I have pulled up a team on the grassland, the general should also know that the grassland is very chaotic now. There are no people in the area for thousands of miles, so my people have always been Training on an empty stomach, you are not afraid of the general's jokes when you say it... "
Fang Jie pointed to a plate of wild rabbit meat on the stone table and said: "I haven't tasted meat for a long time. I saw that the general is in good spirits, and the two soldiers behind him are also stately. I think Jinyang City must be There is plenty of food and grass. Since I want to lead the army to pursue His Majesty, can the general distribute some food and grass to me? You and I are both serving the country, and the general will definitely not let my people starve... I am grateful !"
He stood up and clasped his fists to salute, but Jin Shixiong's eyes flickered a few times immediately.
Jin Shixiong opened his mouth, he could only chuckle and said: "We are also serving the country... this... of course I won't refuse, it's just..."
Sun Kaidao also got up and cupped his fists and said, "Then I would like to thank General Jin for his generosity on behalf of the soldiers!"
Jin Shixiong was silent for a while, then smiled and said: "There is no rush, come on, let's drink first."
Fang Jie said: "The soldiers have been hungry for several months, how can they not be in a hurry? How about this, if the general nods, I will immediately send someone to wait outside Jinyang City, just waiting for the food and grass to be shipped out?"
The anger in Jin Shixiong's heart could not be suppressed, but he still smiled and said: "After all, we must ask His Majesty for instructions. Although there is no shortage of food and grass in Jinyang City, I dare not use it without His Majesty's will. How about this, General Fang left his troops here, how about going to pursue His Majesty's request in person?"
"oh?"
Fang Jie glanced at him and smiled, "And then?"
Jin Shixiong didn't speak, just lowered his head and took a sip of his wine.
Fang Jie said with a smile: "Could it be that the general wants to embezzle the food and grass of his own team and distribute it to me?"
Jin Shixiong remained silent, and raised his head after a long while and said, "General Fang, if you really want to serve the country, why not let me distribute the food and grass for you? But... how do I know that you really want to serve the country?" Why don't General Fang leave the team behind, and then catch up with His Majesty to ask for instructions, if His Majesty says that General Fang is in charge of the northwest, I am also willing to be his deputy."
"It's not as good as this."
Fang Jie said with a smile: "As far as I know, His Majesty's itinerary has been blocked in Luoshui, and the rebels are rampant. Naturally, you and I, as ministers, can't just sit idly by. I think that if Your Majesty was humiliated by the rebels, the general will not be loyal and patriotic." Pretend to turn a blind eye, regardless of whether His Majesty has a will or not, you must do your duty as a minister, right? Why don’t you go with me and go to Luoping to rebel with the general?”
Jin Shixiong's hand holding the wine glass was tight, and the veins on the back of his hand were exposed.
With a click, the wine glass was overwhelmed and crushed by him.
Fang Jie glanced at the soldiers who were about to rush out in the peach forest at any time, and sneered: "If the general is unwilling, then I will lead the soldiers to rescue him. Thank you for your hospitality..."
He squeezed a piece of rabbit meat and threw it into his mouth: "It tastes good."