Xie Ming

The north wind blows across the long Huai River, while snow falls from the Yangtze River.

I doubted that the gourd and hat were flying north, and I looked up expectantly at the Jade Palace where the jade pendants jingled.

As the twelfth lunar month approached, military conflicts continued in the northwest. Taking advantage of the situation, the Great Shun dynasty rose again and its power was restored.

However, in a corner of Yangzhou in the southeast, Liu Zeqing suddenly went mad, which was truly unexpected.

That person was two-faced and extremely wicked; he deserved to die and was a worthy victim of his crimes.

However, the chaos caused by the dismemberment of soldiers has led to widespread devastation in Yangzhou and other areas.

It has been nearly a month since the incident, and he is deeply embroiled in a power struggle. His future is ruined, but that is not the most serious problem. It is only the people of the surrounding prefectures and counties who have suffered this undeserved disaster that I regret.

Long arms make it difficult to govern all areas, which is a pity and a lament.

The next day, Dan Yan spoke again. By this time, in the dead of winter, the stalemate between the Qing army and Xiao's army had completely reached a deadlock.

Having had this much-needed respite, Xiao Jingchuan was finally able to catch his breath. However, given the fierce battle that had raged on, he dared not slacken his efforts.

And so, on the sixth day of the month...

At the same time that Liu Zeqing was assassinated in Yangzhou City, there was another place.

Less than two hundred miles southwest, on the snowy river, in the warm cabin of the dragon ship at Hengjiang Water Fortress, Xiao was at his desk brewing wine, while Ye was drafting military orders for the transfer of grain from the south to the north and the supply of provisions to the army.

During the journey, a creaking sound was heard as the small door of the cabin opened slightly.

Xiao overheard something inside, but the matter at hand remained unresolved.

"In that case, you can have the quartermaster inspect the grain later, and then the men can return west."

"I will send a letter to Peizhong when I have some free time."

"Now that you're here, Wenze, don't rush back yet."

"Right now, Ma is raising grain for the people and is traveling around Chizhou and Ningguo."

"Sigh, speaking of which, I'm so busy I'm practically running around like a headless chicken."

“Minglu and Qigang were left in Hangzhou, but they were too anxious to do anything about it.”

"You are an expert in logistics and military supplies; it's something you're used to doing."

"So he left and stayed to take over the position of logistics commander."

"But if it were someone else, I wouldn't feel at ease either."

"With you by my side, I can save some trouble when it comes to the transfer of grain and fodder."

As Xiao Lang spoke, he personally carried a thermos and poured a cup of hot wine for Xu Wenze, who was sitting opposite him from the east.

Seeing this, Wenze half-squatted down and quickly reached out to show his support.

"Ah, yes, yes."

"Your subordinate will follow the Commander's arrangements."

Xu Wenze readily agreed, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Speaking of which, Xu Wenze was ordered by Sun Peizhong to transport grain and transfer it from the west, heading straight to Nanjing by waterway.

This was entirely due to the Nanjing army's food and rations being in short supply.

In a corner of Runing, Henan, the stored grain was still sufficient for their needs.

Recently, Henan has stabilized, and the situation between the north and south has become stagnant. The two sides of the Huaihe River border have finished work earlier.

With the troops stationed there, there is no need for military operations or campaigns, thus greatly reducing the expenses and losses incurred.

Then, after the military governor secretly informed Pei Zhong that there was an emergency in Nanjing, Xu Wenze came east to provide supplies.

Furthermore, Xu Wenze had remained under Pei Zhong's command ever since Gao Hu betrayed the enemy.

Xiao was aware of this matter and had recently expressed his frustration with the lack of effective logistics coordination within the military, as he personally coordinated every matter, which was exhausting and mentally draining.

Wenze is a capable and competent man, and he also has connections with the Xu family in Jiulong Town.

Therefore, the reason why Wen Ze was ordered to go east this time was not only because of the grain issue, but also because Xiao Lang and Pei Zhong privately wanted to meet someone.

"OK."

"Go ahead and take care of it. There are still some trivial matters to attend to later. I'll call you then."

"Uh, Changting?"

"Is that Changting?"

After Xiao finished speaking, with one matter settled, he had no time to spare. He quickly turned his head to the direction of the sound and called out to inquire at the door.

Upon hearing this, Gu Changting, who was behind the screen inside the door, quickly spoke up to respond.

"Ah, yes."

As he spoke, he lifted his leg from where he was and then went inside.

Wenze, knowing better, drank the wine in his cup, then got up and exchanged glances with Xiao. The governor waved his hand, and Wenze bowed and took his leave.

The layman turned around, brushed past Changting, and greeted him as Brother Gu.

Changting returned the greeting with a fist salute, and said no more.

After the man left, Xiao glanced at Fang Zhan, who was now following up. "What?"

"But the ship has arrived?"

After saying this, he poured himself a cup of wine, without any pretense, and placed it in Changting's palm.

Gu Changting didn't take it seriously and drank whatever wine was offered.

After downing a cup of hot wine, he wiped his mouth and quickly replied without hesitation.

"Ah, yes, the ship is here."

"Zheng Sen has arrived."

"They've already entered our water fortress. We await your command, and then we can gather them together and prepare to take over the planks."

"Look."

Changting was honest and straightforward, and he thought things through without any time for reflection.

Seeing this, Xiao Jingchuan paused noticeably.

"kindness"

"Go outside and keep watch. Did you see clearly?"

"How many ships did he bring with him this time?" Xiao Xing asked again.

"Oh, look."

"There are at least thirty or forty that can be seen."

"The snow has never stopped, and it's impossible to see any further away."

"Right now, in our water village, Zheng Sen's is the only one."

"The rest are all stationed outside the village on the river, about five miles from the village gate."

Changting was brazen and spoke no falsehoods.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lang let out a long sigh, but his expression remained quite complex.

His son slapped his knees and stood up in front of the table.

"call--"

"After waiting for more than ten days, we've finally arrived."

"Come on, Changting, let's go outside and greet them?"

Xiao deliberately asked this unnecessary question.

Seeing his mocking expression, Changting grinned and remained silent.

Nearby, the cabin door opened, and people from both sides leaned out onto the deck.

Snowflakes were falling heavily in the north wind, and it had been snowing for most of the day.

Looking into the distance, both banks of the Yangtze River, north and south, are now covered in winter clothing.

Moreover, the ship itself was entirely covered in white, with people wearing white robes.

creak—

Recently, Xiao Jingchuan has been frequently experiencing aches and fatigue all over his body from being confined to his workspace in the cabin for so long.

I finally went out for some fresh air, and as soon as I stepped out, I stretched and yawned, stretching my muscles and bones.

Afterwards, Changting took off his robe from the side of the door and hurriedly followed him out.

Fearing that the biting wind might cause Xiao to catch a chill, which would be no small matter, they quickly approached the general and, taking advantage of his pause, draped a fur robe over his shoulders.

Braving the snow and wind, Xiao and Gu stepped to the bow of the ship, looking up with anticipation.

Only after the order was given, fifty paces away, Zheng Sen's ship, which had rushed from Fujian, dared to inquire about the order to move closer.

The two boats were side by side, so they lowered planks.

Zheng Sen was overwhelmed with gratitude to see the Duke of Jingguo personally leading the ship to greet him. Without waiting for the board to be laid down, his son swiftly crossed over to Xiao's large ship.

"The Duke of Jingguo is above."

"Zheng Sen, a student of the Imperial Academy, pays his respects to Your Excellency the Duke!"

When Zheng Sen paid his respects, his expression genuinely showed excitement and joy.

Xiao examined the man's features closely, but for a moment he couldn't discern how much sincerity he truly possessed.

"Hahaha, get up, get up quickly."

"Why are you being so formal, my dear brother? Haha."

"The journey has been bumpy; is the road still passable?"

As he spoke, Xiao grasped his hand, extended his arm warmly, and gestured towards the middle section of the ship.

Zheng Sen was apprehensive and dared not act rashly, but he still tried to bow, displaying a very humble attitude. (End of this chapter)