Xie Ming

Chapter 78 Pay the salary!

After leaving the secret vault, Xiao Jingchuan and Qiu Zhizhong reappeared in the small square in front of the cave.

At this time, Qi Dayong also led his troops back to pursue the enemy and appeared at the entrance of the village.

Seeing this, Xiao Lang jumped onto the platform of the small square and shouted loudly towards the village!

"Soldiers!"

"Today's anti-bandit campaign is our first battle after crossing the Hun River and shaking off the enemy!"

"A great victory!"

"It's a great harvest!"

"I, Xiao Jingchuan, won't say anything else nice!"

"Today, right here, we'll pay everyone!"

"Everyone will receive a monthly salary based on their war pay! Six taels of silver per person!"

"The pension for those killed in battle will be issued according to the severity of the situation!"

The more than 400 soldiers who followed this time were now all in the camp. Upon hearing this, they were stunned at first, and then gradually came to their senses.

In all these years of military service, I have never seen such a full pay!

Six taels of silver a month, what does that mean?

You have to know that it was the late Ming Dynasty. The harvest from one acre of land in a good year would be just over one or two taels of silver, not to mention that all kinds of taxes had to be deducted from this money, leaving only a few cents!

Therefore, six taels of silver a month was equivalent to the annual harvest of dozens of acres of land for a farmer!
Being a soldier and fighting in war is a life-threatening job that puts your head on the line. The reason why the pay is so high is because it is life-threatening money!

But even for this kind of money earned through risking one’s life, the army has repeatedly deducted the money and has been in arrears for years!

Today, the soldiers suddenly heard that they had received their full pay. How could they not be excited, thrilled and cheering?

"The general is mighty!"

For a moment, like a tsunami, the soldiers shouted from the bottom of their hearts!

A moment later, Gu Changting led people to carry a large wooden box filled with silver out of the warehouse.

"All troops line up!"

"According to the organization, whoever's called will step out and come forward to receive his salary!"

Afterwards, Ma Minglu also came out of the warehouse and organized the order during the salary distribution.

"Sun Peizhong's unit, Ge Shuangquan, step out!" Ma Minglu checked the accounts.

"To!"

Suddenly, among the troops led by Sun Peizhong in the village, a sturdy man stepped out of the line with a smile on his face, scratching his head. Under the envious gazes of everyone, he was the first to run to the position for distributing salaries under the high platform in the small square.

"Ge Shuangquan, monthly salary is six taels! You should get six taels, and you actually get six taels!" Ma Minglu chanted.

"Hey, thanks."

"Thank you General!"

The sturdy man Ge Shuangquan was very excited. He nodded to thank Ma Minglu, then quickly looked up to thank Xiao Jingchuan who was standing on the stage and watching.

"Ge Shuangquan, tell them, whose soldier are you?!"

At this moment, Xiao Lang suddenly squatted down and listened to the words half-jokingly.

"Ah? Whose soldier? I am General Xiao's soldier!" Ge Shuangquan was a little confused when asked and blurted out.

"Hahaha!"

"Good boy, you have a conscience!"

"Tell them louder! Whose soldier are you!"

Xiao Jingchuan was very satisfied with the soldier's answer, so he made a loud request.

"I, Ge Shuangquan, eat General Xiao's salary and serve as General Xiao's soldier!"

The sturdy man had a deep voice, and the whole village could hear it clearly!

After shouting, Xiao Lang laughed!
All the soldiers in the army were laughing. The atmosphere was very lively and everyone was very happy!

On the other hand, the atmosphere in the mountain village was lively and joyful, but in Jiulong Town, most people were in a state of panic. After Xu Jingyi ran into Xiao Jingchuan at home in the morning, she returned to the second floor until the afternoon, when Feng'er, a good sister from her clan, came to visit her after lunch.

My mother, Mrs. Xu Wang, led Feng'er to Xu Jingyi's boudoir. Because she was worried about Hongwen, she didn't say hello and went downstairs alone. She just waited in the hall facing the courtyard gate in a daze.

"Eh?"

"Jingyi, why do you feel so weird today?"

After seeing Aunt Xu Wang leave, the younger sister Feng'er looked at Xu Jingyi attentively and spoke in private.

"Huh? What's weird? Where is it?" Jingyi was stunned and asked hurriedly.

"Well, I can't explain it either. Yesterday, you looked worried about your elder sister."

"Looking at you again today, you seem less depressed, and, yes, your eyes, there is light in them!"

"Tell me the truth, who was here today?"

"How could the second young lady of our great patriarch Xu's family have such a change?!" Feng'er said angrily.

"Bah! Where did you come from, you chatterbox! Stop bothering me!"

Jingyi rolled her eyes at him, then sighed and collapsed.

"Alas! I don't know if it will work!"

"It would be great if my elder sister could be rescued safely!"

Xu Jingyi held her chin up and looked out the window at the eaves.

"Who?!"

"My grandfather told me that Uncle Xu brought home a handsome young man. He also said that the young man from another family was very generous and spent four thousand taels!"

"Is your change related to that person?!"

"Jingyi, oh, stop sighing, talk to me quickly!"

Feng'er acted coquettishly and refused to give in, pestering Xu Jingyi. Jingyi had no choice but to tell Feng'er everything that happened after Xiao Jingchuan returned home with his father.

Feng'er listened with great interest and waited until Jingyi had finished speaking before she began to speak, as if she was afraid of interrupting and missing out on any details.

"Jingyi, I saw your expression when you mentioned Mr. Xiao just now."

"Hey, look at yourself in the mirror, your face is red!" Feng'er joked.

"Feng'er, that's enough. There's still no news from my elder sister. Stop making trouble!" Xu Jingyi seemed really annoyed.

Seeing this, Feng'er had to restrain herself a little.

"Well, that's true. People are fickle. You can't tell whether a person is good or bad until they encounter something bad!"

"Take for example Jia Lubo's nephew Liu Xiaoquan, who comes to your house so often!"

"Sister Jingyi is tall and sister Jingyi is short all the time!"

"But when something really happened, he couldn't even be seen!"

"What a useless thing!" Feng'er seemed quite angry for Jingyi when she thought of this.

"Alas, Feng'er, you can't say that!"

"After all, I have no interest in him, and there is no sign of our relationship. Right now, I don't have a brother who can take on the responsibility of paying the ransom. If he is willing to help, that would be great. If he is not willing to come, then I can't blame him!"

"Going alone to deal with bandits is a life-threatening thing!"

"Who would be willing to risk their life to help someone who has no relatives or friends?"

Xu Jingyi murmured something, it seemed like she was speaking to Feng'er, but also to herself.

"Didn't your Master Xiao step forward and provide both money and manpower?"

"Although I haven't seen this person, but from what you said just now, I think he must have good character to be able to take on such a responsibility!" Feng'er said sincerely.

After hearing this, Xu Jingyi shook her head slightly, held her chin in her hand and began to ponder again.

For a long while, he kept muttering to himself.

"Maybe! Master Xiao, you must rescue my sister!"

"Don't let anything happen to you either!"

Thank you for your comments:
Monthly ticket voted by book friend 20230914603_Cc!

The recommendation vote from Shuhaiwuya888!
Thanks for your support! Thank you!


(End of this chapter)