Shen Zechuan's shackles were untied, and he moved his wrists, listening to Xiaoqi complaining endlessly. Ji Gang pushed the unicycle and swiftly finished unloading the drinks from the forbidden army, and moved over with a coarse cloth wrapped around his head.
Xiaoqi instructed Ji Gangchun to clean up the yard before going out, and told the guard team tonight not to spread the word.
"Are you hurt?" Ji Gang pulled Shen Zechuan's arm.
"No." Shen Zechuan raised his hand and wiped his neck, where Xiao Chiye found traces. He said, "Master."
Ji Gang said, "Where does it hurt?"
Shen Zechuan shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, "His foreign kung fu is strong and his fists are strong. I feel familiar."
Ji Gang's burnt face showed consternation, and said, "Our Ji family boxing has not been passed on outside."
"As soon as he shot, I didn't dare to respond." Shen Zechuan's mouth still seemed to smell of blood, he licked the tip of his teeth with the tip of his tongue, thought for a while, and said, "I was afraid that he would see something, so I didn't dare to It's real. He just didn't coax him out of it. Master, why does he hate me so much? When talking about current affairs, shouldn't he hate the foreign relatives headed by the Queen Mother even more?"
"Drunken brat!" Ji Gang wickedly said, "The persimmon is soft, I can only find you!"
Shen Zechuan shook out his left hand: "He's looking for this, does Master recognize it?"
In that palm lay an old and worn bone spanner finger.
"People with strong arms in the army often use big bows, and they must wear this kind of wrench to pull the string." Ji Gang looked at the wrench and said, "I am afraid that with such wear and tear, it is still the big bow of the sky in the Libei iron cavalry. But this Xiao Second Young Master is not in the army to fight, what is he wearing this for?"
* * *
Xiao Chiye fell asleep, but was woken up by Lu Guangbai.
"You can do it last night." Lu Guangbai didn't shy away, sitting on a chair and said, "I just got a job, so I went to find someone to trouble you. I think Jiming just left the house and went to the palace."
Xiao Chiye was covered with a quilt and felt uncomfortable in his throat, and said, "Drinking too high."
"In a few days, we will all be leaving the capital." Lu Guangbai said earnestly, "You can't drink like this anymore, what if you drink so much that you lose your kung fu and your body breaks down?"
Xiao Chiye didn't answer.
Lu Guangbai said: "Last night at the banquet, they punished your eldest brother so much, and you are more considerate to him. He was busy with military affairs in Libei, and he was still thinking about your sister-in-law, and now he has left you here again, he is not feeling well. Ah Ye, whoever doesn't compliment him in front of people, can't wait for him to come back when he goes out. For these people, he has to lead troops to the battlefield every year. He won't say, but he's always flesh and blood. Body, how can it not hurt."
Xiao Chiye lifted the quilt, sighed, and said, "I don't understand what you said?"
"What do you understand?" Lu Guangbai smashed the tangerine in his hand at Xiao Chiye, and said, "If you don't understand, I'll admit it to your elder brother."
Xiao Chiye took the tangerine and sat up.
Seeing the wound on his hand, Lu Guangbai couldn't help laughing. He ate oranges on the chair and said, "What are you doing to provoke people? You have to take a bite to be happy!"
"I asked him to sing a song." Xiao Chiye said, "He said I would kill him. What kind of fuel-efficient lamp is this man."
"You're not a fuel-efficient lamp either. You fight on the street with an imprisoned prisoner. Luckily, you got there in time, otherwise it's going to be stormy today." Lu Guangbai asked, "Are you seriously injured?"
Xiao Chiye raised his hand to look, and said annoyed, "He belongs to a dog."
* * *
Xiao Jiming didn't come back until afternoon, Zhaohui followed behind, and saw Xiao Chiye standing under the eaves waiting.
"Big brother." Xiao Chiye said.
Xiao Jiming took off his cloak, and Zhaohui took it. The maid came over with a copper basin, Xiao Jiming washed his hands and ignored him.
Zhaohui looked back at him and said, "Young Master, didn't you go to the Imperial Army for review today? I went to get the Governor's card, and come back for dinner at night."
Xiao Chiye said, "I'll go as my eldest brother said."
Xiao Jiming wiped his hands, finally looked at him and said, "I didn't let you go last night, didn't you go as well?"
Xiao Chiye said, "I ran the other way and wanted to go home."
Xiao Jiming put the handkerchief back into the copper basin and said, "Go and get the brand, and come back to eat."
Xiao Chiye just went out.
* * *
The Imperial Army has since been withdrawn from guard duty, and the former office has become deserted. Xiao Chiye rode his horse over and saw a few men in short coats and sacks sitting around in the sun and posing in a dragon gate array.
Xiao Chiye got off his horse and stepped into the yard with his whip in hand. There was a bald pine tree in the yard, the snow was piled up in random piles, the icicles hanging on the eaves of the porch were not hit by anyone, and the roof tiles seemed to need to be rearranged.
poor.
Xiao Chiye continued to look around, and the plaque was all peeled off. He went down a few steps to the main hall, lifted the curtain with his horsewhip, and leaned in slightly.
The people who were rubbing peanuts around the stove suddenly turned their heads and looked at Xiao Chiye.
Xiao Chiye put the whip on the table, picked up the chair, sat down and said, "It's all there."
The people around all stood up with a "clatter", and the peanut shells were trampled under their feet. Most of them are old military households over forty years old. They have been in the Imperial Army for a long time and have no other skills. They are the best at cheating money. Seeing Xiao Chiye now, he first looked up and down, and then looked at each other with guile.
"Second Young Master!" One of them wiped his hands on his robe and said with a smile, "I'll be waiting for you to get the cards today!"
Xiao Chiye said, "I'm rushing here, what about the cards?"
He smiled and said: "Waiting for you this morning, the Ministry of Industry is urging people to work again, so Cao Yanshi took the card to transfer people. Come back later, when I come back, I will find someone to do the work. Take it to the house."
Xiao Chiye also smiled at him and said, "Which one are you old?"
The man said: "Well, you can call me Lao Chen! I used to be a hundred households of the Hundred Households in Dicheng, and I was promoted by the Thirteenth Master Hua. Now it is our experience in the Imperial Army."
"It's weird here." Xiao Chiye held the handle of the chair with one hand, and looked at Lao Chen sideways, "The Governor should be the commander of the Imperial Army, how did something happen to get the card?"
"You don't know." Old Chen saw that Xiao Chiye was listening intently, and the bowed body became more and more straight, and there were no rules, "Last year, Zhongbo was defeated, and Jincheng's water transport was not able to come, and the food was in short supply. The old man couldn't pay his annual salary, so he cut half of the people in the office of the Imperial Army. Now there is no commander and knowledge, only Cao Yanshi is next to him, and there are only a few of us left."
"In this way." Xiao Chiye said, "Can everyone touch the Governor's waist badge?"
"In the past, it was customary to take a card and leave. The Ministry of Industry can't wait for the work, it's all for the palace to carry lumber. We are lighthearted, and we can't afford to offend anyone, and there is nothing we can do." Old Chen Lai got up, "If you want If you think this is illegal, you have to explain it to the Ministry of Industry first.”
"I am a listed governor." Xiao Chiye said, "What do you want to explain to the Ministry of Industry? The Imperial Guard is the emperor. The Six Ministries want the Imperial Guard to help. In the past, it was a love affair, and they did not settle accounts. In the future, who needs manpower, what to do, and how long If you don't understand, don't understand, don't expect my people to move."
"If you speak a word, you can say whatever you want." Lao Chen laughed at the others and said, "But now we don't care about patrolling, we just do handyman! It's useful to be able to help the Sixth Division. Besides, after so many years, The emperor didn't say anything. Second Young Master, having money in your pocket is not as good as having friends in the court. In the past, you were in Libei, but the situation of the Imperial Army was different from that of the Libei Iron Cavalry. Some things are left here, and it won't work! Besides, Our Imperial Army is no better than the Eighth Battalion, who—"
Xiao Chiye stood up and said, "You just said, who recommended you to come here?"
Old Chen poked straight at the waist, his face was glowing, and he wished to say three times aloud: "Master Hua Thirteen! Do you recognize it too? The Queen Mother's grandson of the old man, Miss Hua San's—"
Xiao Chiye lifts his leg with one kick! Old Chen was still talking with a red face, and he was kicked down without any precautions, hitting the table and chair and smashing the teapot. The tea splashed on the ground with a "bang", and the splash made Lao Chen shuddered and shivered on his knees as he climbed.
"The bastard raised in the Hua family's side room." Xiao Chiye swept away the peanut shells on the table, "What kind of shade tree do you think of the one who lifted my boots for me? That's a dog's tail grass at best. I want the Governor's waist. Card, you tell me the rules, the lard is so hard to recognize who I am? I will say what I will say in the future of the banned army!"
Lao Chen kowtowed to him on the ground, woke up like a dream, and said anxiously: "Second son, second son..."
"Who the fuck is your second son." Xiao Chiye's eyes were cold, "As the governor of the forbidden army, I am the master who hangs your life. Take Joe in front of me and pretend to be a hooligan. The Ministry of Industry wants someone to do it. The job is all the hands of the banned military. If there is no money in the middle, how can you go to people's feet like this? The people below are working hard, but you are raising your own brains. What's the matter, Hua Shisan said Guarantee, you think you are carrying a gold medal to avoid death!"
"Don't dare, don't dare!" Old Chen walked on his knees a few times and said, "Lord Governor! The humble office has spoken nonsense..."
"It's half a stick of incense." Xiao Chiye said, "I will check the waist card, roster, and 20,000 soldiers. It doesn't matter if one is missing, you can just bring your head up and replace it."
Lao Chen hurriedly got up and ran outside.
* * *
A few days later, the generals left the capital, and Emperor Xiande led a hundred officials to send Xiao Jiming. During the heavy snow, Emperor Xiande held Xiao Jiming's arm and coughed intermittently.
"It's clear." Emperor Xiande wrapped himself in his cloak, but was surprisingly thin, and said, "After leaving today, we can see you again next year. I have always been restless from the northern border. Although the cavalry in Biansha retreated this time, they still refused to bow their heads and serve as ministers. , The ambition of the twelve wolves is clearly revealed. You are my servant and my valiant general in Da Zhou, and you must be careful in everything."
"This time the rescue came late, but the emperor's love was given to him. Both father and ministers were terrified. In the future, the emperor will have an order, and Li Beiding will be dead." Xiao Jiming said.
"You haven't seen me for many years since your father fell ill." Emperor Xiande looked back slowly, looking at the crowded heads inside the city gate, and at the magnificent palace that has stood for a hundred years, and said softly, "Shen I can't help but be loyal to the battlefield regarding the remnants of my family. But I have been on the sickbed for a long time, and many things are helpless."
Xiao Jiming followed and looked around, and after a while, he said, "The city is full of wind and snow, and the emperor takes care of the dragon's body."
Emperor Xiande slowly let go of Xiao Jiming's hand and said, "Good son, go ahead."
Lu Guangbai rode out of the city and saw Xiao Chiye alone in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain. He didn't dismount, he whistled at Xiao Chiye and said, "Stinky boy, the brothers are gone!"
Xiao Chiye led the horse and said, "There are many storms in the rivers and lakes, and the boat may fall [1]. You have to be careful!"
"If you have something to say, what are you doing reading poetry?" Lu Guangbai laughed heartily, "Just wait, you can go home one day."
"Then it depends." Xiao Chiye also smiled.
There was a sound of horses' hooves behind, and Lu Guangbai looked back. Seeing the man riding the horse in the snow, his hair was high, and Chen's robe was shortened. He hurriedly turned his horse's head and shouted, "Master! Let's go together."
Qi Zhuyin slowed down. She was wearing a cloak, carrying a long sword, and her robe was old and very light. If you only look at the dress, she is just an ordinary woman in the rivers and lakes. It was only after the wind passed that the face became clear, and it was extraordinarily charming.
"You're a second-class Awu'er." She raised her eyebrows and smiled, and her power suddenly realized, "You can't keep up."
Lu Guangbai liked it very much, and said, "He's not as agile as a handsome man, but he's also a good boy on the battlefield. Let's run on the road, don't we know that we can't keep up?"
"I saw that it was rare." Qi Zhuyin raised her chin at Xiao Chiye, "Change with me?"
Xiao Chiye touched the horse's mane and said, "No way, no matter how I look at it, it's all my fault."
Qi Zhuyin raised her hand and threw something to Xiao Chiye. Xiao Chiye caught it with both arms, but he held the extremely heavy ghost-headed sword in its sheath.
"Libei raised a group of good war horses for Qidong a few years ago. You have contributed greatly. This thing was forged by the best craftsman under my account. It cost me a lot of precious materials." Qi Zhuyin said, "Well, it's not a loss. ."
Xiao Chiye weighed the weight and laughed. He said: "Master, you will be my sister from now on! The knife brought from home is good, but it's too light, it's not better than this one."
Qi Zhuyin said, "Sister? When you draw your knife, you should call me grandpa!"
Xiao Chiye said, "Is this knife named?"
"I thought about one." Qi Zhuyin said, "Anyone who speaks of cruelty means greed and cruelty [2]. Isn't it right for you?"
However, Lu Guangbai said, "The word 'Langru' is too fierce. He just—"
"Ferocious." Qi Zhuyin twitched her whip, and the horses under her seat rushed out immediately, without turning her head, she said, "Libei's son, just wants him to be fierce!"
The army had already moved, but Hongying saw the spear waves of the Qidong garrison following Qi Zhuyin, rushing towards the eastern wilderness. Lu Guangbai couldn't stay any longer, so he waved with Xiao Chiye and chased after him.
The next moment, I heard the iron cavalry stepping on the ground again, as if my feet trembled slightly. Xiao Chiye looked over and saw his big brother taking the lead, the familiar Libei iron cavalry swept across the snowy fields like a black tide, galloping towards the north.
Haidongqing chased after the wind, circling and whistling over the Libei Iron Horse. Xiao Chiye stood holding the knife, watching the Libei Iron Cavalry disappear into the vast snow.
* * *
Shen Zechuan was a little distracted, and was knocked back by Master Qi.
"Now that the generals have returned to their positions, Qi Du has once again fallen into a pool of stagnant water." Mrs. Qi stretched his neck in a disheveled manner and looked at Shen Zechuan, "You don't have much time, so you can't be willing to be the turtle in this urn forever!"
"People are knives, I am fish." Shen Zechuan raised his eyes and said, "Sir, do I really have a chance to go out?"
"Fortune and misfortune depend on each other, and confinement is a good thing." Master Qi opened the gourd stopper and took a few sips of wine. "It's easier to keep a low profile if you don't close your door. You have more opportunities in the future!"
The palace bell rang in the distance, and the new year began.
The author has something to say: [1]: "Dream of Li Baiqi II" by Du Fu
[2]: Yan Shigu