knife

Chapter 739 Farewell
The sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. Xue Li looked in the direction of the sound. From a small lump to filling his field of vision, it only took a few breaths. Watching the white warhorse sweeping in like a whirlwind, the people waiting there all showed undisguised envy on their faces.

What a fine horse!
This horse was the first offspring of Li Duhu's mount, Xiao Hei, and Xiao Duhu's mount, Xiao Bai. This first horse was given to Ding Ergou by Xiao Changche.

A three-year-old warhorse is in its prime, and even if it lives to be twenty, it still has about ten years of peak performance left.

For a general, a fine horse that resonates with his soul is priceless.

However, they also knew that it was probably impossible to obtain such a fine horse. Ding Ergou was the youngest general in the Beiting Protectorate and also had a good wife, which was why he was able to receive such an honor.

Without Ding Ergou needing to pull the reins, the horse obediently stopped in front of Lü You, Xue Li, and the rest of the group.

Ding Ergou dismounted and nodded to the group of people, but walked straight to the thick pile of firewood in front of him, looking at a guy dressed in brand-new funeral clothes and hat.

That's Cai Qi.

One of their brothers.

Beneath the volcano fortress, he followed Xiao Changche to fight against the combined forces of Li family warriors and Yang family generals led by Li Zhengtai and Yang Rong, and ultimately died in battle.

"We're just waiting for you to come back and see him one last time!" Lü You said. "Jinbao is setting off tomorrow."

He lit three incense sticks and placed them in the incense burner, grabbed a handful of joss paper and swept it into the sky, then lit some more and put them in the brazier. Ding Ergou knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed three times.

"Brother Cai, may you rest in peace!"

The few people present were all somewhat saddened, but not overly grief-stricken. As the saying goes, "Even a clay pot breaks near the well, and a general is bound to die on the battlefield." They were all people who risked their lives to make a living; if Cai Qi died today, it might be their turn tomorrow.

The battles to come will definitely become more and more difficult. Just look at how terrifying this battle was. Two experts at the Innate Realm level died, not to mention those at the Profound Realm level and above. They died as many as dogs.

Someone like Lü You, who was only at the peak of the sixth rank of Qi Control, would not cause any ripples if he died on the battlefield. However, this guy was incredibly lucky and always managed to survive unscathed.

After taking a hit of alcohol, Ding Ergou picked up the large urn beside him and poured the grease inside onto the firewood. Jinbao stepped forward, lit a tinderbox, and threw it onto the pile of firewood. A raging fire immediately broke out, and thick smoke shot straight into the sky.

The group watched Cai Qi silently amidst the flames.

This is the last time I'll see it.

“Although Brother Cai is gone, he still has a wife and son!” Ding Ergou said to Jinbao, “When you go to Dading this time to deliver Brother Cai’s ashes, tell his wife that she is still young and can remarry if she wants to. But Brother Cai’s son cannot go with her. If he wants to remarry in three years, we brothers will give him a generous dowry.”

“Okay!” Jinbao nodded.

"Brother Cai's horse farm in Dading, and his shares here, must be left for my nephew. We'll hand them over to him when he turns sixteen!" Ding Ergou glanced at everyone and said, "Make it clear to the people in Dading that Brother Cai is gone, but he still has a group of good brothers. If anyone tries to bully them, they're just a widow and her children, so don't blame us for being ruthless."

A ferocious glint appeared in Jinbao's eyes as he said, "If there are really such blind fools, it's not up to you brothers to do anything. I'll take care of them. You can all rest assured and do your own things. Leave these matters to me!" Everyone nodded. Compared to the fact that everyone else was an official, it was indeed much more convenient for Jinbao to do these things.

The fire grew larger and larger, but the figures in the fire grew smaller and smaller. The group sat down cross-legged, and Jinbao took out wine and food from the carriage and set out bowls and chopsticks for Cai Qi. Everyone raised their cups to invite him to drink.

"Let me tell you a few things, so you all know what to expect!" After downing a bowl of wine, Ding Ergou wiped his mouth and said, "The Protectorate has decided to expand its army, doubling its size!"

Double the amount? The ancestors were all stunned, but Lü You blinked and became excited. "Doesn't this mean I might get promoted too?"

“An officer with rich combat experience like Brother Lü can lead at least one general’s garrison this time!” Ding Ergou said.

"A garrison of three thousand elite soldiers! We never even dared to dream of that before!" Lü You turned to look at Cai Qi, who was almost invisible in the firelight. "This kid is still a bit unlucky. Otherwise, he could easily become a captain. Er Gou, if we can all lead a garrison, wouldn't you be able to command your own division?"

"I suppose so! But rights and responsibilities are commensurate," Ding Ergou said. "Not getting promoted has its advantages, and getting promoted has its difficulties!"

"Er Gou, why don't you find someone to get me under your command?" Lü You said, "Brothers united can move mountains!"

“That’s definitely not going to work!” Ding Ergou refused outright: “Jiaojiao said that the Protectorate’s system of having both disciplined and undisciplined troops is most averse to this kind of factionalism, and personally, I’m not willing to do it either.”

"Why? Are you afraid the brothers will make things difficult for you?" Lü You asked, somewhat annoyed, as he downed a bowl of wine. "Er Gou, I've fought just as many fierce battles as you, I would never be a burden to you!"

“It’s not because of that!” Ding Ergou sighed. “Do you remember Huang Fugui? He was from the same village as me on the Helan Plain.”

"Hasn't he been dead for over a year?"

“I went back last year and ran into his wife and children. His wife tugged at my sleeve and asked why Fugui hadn’t come back. You know how uncomfortable I felt then!” Ding Ergou shook his head and said, “A kind heart cannot command an army, so I don’t want my relatives, friends, and brothers under my command. It would make me hesitate when making a decision.”

"I understand!" Lü You suddenly realized, turning to look at Xue Li: "Old Xue, didn't you say you were going on a long trip?"

Xue Li nodded: "The brothers aren't outsiders, so I won't hide it from you. I got this long-distance job through connections. It's to the south!"

"Why the sudden decision to go south?"

"Seeing my brothers all doing so well and rising through the ranks, I'm lagging far behind in Zhi Qiu Academy. But I'm not good at leading troops in battle, so this mission to Jiangnan is an opportunity for me. I don't want to see my brothers in the future with such a large gap in status. You might not care, but I'll feel uncomfortable!"

“It’s a mess over there!” Lü You said. “The enemy is among us, and we are among the enemy. It’s hard to tell who’s who. Be careful! If Brother Cai dies here, we can still collect his body. But if you die in Jiangnan, there’s nothing we can do!”

"Can't you wish me well for once?" Xue Li spat, raised his bowl and said, "Brothers, let's have a drink, firstly to send off Brother Cai, and secondly to wish us all the best in the future!"

With a bang, the bowls collided, and each person drank it all in one gulp.

(End of this chapter)