Xie Ming

Years of fighting and warfare have brought chaos and uncertainty; the struggle for power has not yet subsided.

The Changle Secretariat was ruled by ten different emperors, and the aristocratic families submitted their petitions to the emperors of three dynasties.

The remaining years followed the Tang dynasty's calendar, and the land and rivers were ceded to the Liao dynasty as a bribe.

Forever abandoning Youzhou and Bingzhou, sixteen provinces, the Central Plains will forever be filled with eternal regret.

Warfare is a force of great misfortune.

However, the northern lands have not yet been recovered, and it is precisely the time for military action.

On the deck of the lead ship at the Linjiang Water Fortress, Xiao Jingchuan overheard a few complaints from the shrewish star that he had learned in the camp, and was immediately taken aback.

It's not that they're making a mountain out of a molehill; rather, they're using this as an excuse to elaborate.

It is only because of that glimpse of a spot that the whole leopard is revealed.

Soldiers are known for their ruthlessness and willingness to sacrifice the people's resources, relying entirely on their martial prowess and fierce fighting.

It is unlikely to become a serious problem in the short term or even a year or two.

However, if this continues, it will surely harm the people.

His expression was complicated, but he had no choice but to suppress it.

Xiao Lang took a deep breath, temporarily setting aside his worries, and glared at the jinx beside him.

"Go away, go away, what kind of fucking nonsense is that?"

"From now on, stay away from those soldiers in the camp and learn these things from them."

“If I hear you spouting nonsense again, go downstairs and get a beating.”

Xiao's sudden burst of anger seemed utterly inexplicable to the jinx.

"Yes, yes, Commander."

However, with the warlord above him, he could only endure the scolding and sullenly pouted.

Seeing this, Xiao couldn't bear to argue any longer, so he waved his hand, ending the matter and discussing what to do next.

"Alright."

"With the wind howling and the snow falling, I'm too lazy to argue with you."

"Write this down. Regarding the slave revolts and uprisings reported in various places, I have added the following arrangements," Xiao continued.

Upon hearing this, the jinx did not hesitate. He quickly turned around, straightened his posture, clasped his hands, and listened attentively.

"Yes!" he replied.

"Firstly, a force of Xu Jizu, currently stationed east of Hangzhou, was dispatched to move south."

“In Taizhou and Jinhua in Zhejiang, on the east and west sides respectively, troops were dispatched to deal with the situation and suppress the riots.”

"As for the specific methods of maintaining stability at the local level, we will follow Jie Feiyu's guidance."

"Anyone who dares to harm or disturb the peace without cause shall be executed!"

Xiao Ling's expression was stern, clearly indicating that there were already concerns about military matters at hand.

"Yes!" The jinx remembered this passage.

"Also, things are chaotic around Zhenjiang, so let Hu Chen handle it."

"He's the closest, so it's easier for him to act."

As they spoke, the two strolled slowly toward the cabin door.

"As for... ah, the southwest, the prefectures of Chizhou and Anqing in the southwest."

"Currently, there is indeed a shortage of local soldiers."

"Now it's gotten into this mess again, with Jiangxi and the two lakes east of the border."

"To put it bluntly, what if the western provinces get the wrong idea and start having other ideas? That would make things difficult."

"In that case, send Yuan Ping."

"Handle this matter swiftly and decisively; we must not allow the situation to escalate."

Considering the situation in Anqing at the western end, there is a fear that the rebel troops from the two lakes might take the opportunity to cause trouble, just like Zuo Liangyu's rebellion.

Xiao Yin was wary, which is why he was able to draw Yuan Ping's hand for this mission.

"In short, to sum it up, even if fires break out everywhere, we can put them out."

"When these three armies arrive at their respective locations, the standards for their actions shall be strictly observed by the officials appointed by Fei Yu, and they shall not act arbitrarily."

Finally, he handed over a bunch of local trivial matters to Qiu Zhizhong.

After all, this kind of military operation is not the usual method of attacking cities and capturing strongholds.

With the chaos and unrest among the people, and the complex relationships in various places, it would be inappropriate to not have a leader to govern the area.

In this way, the military and the people's livelihood will not suffer from any unexpected conflicts.

"Yes, I understand."

"Commander, I'll go right away."

Upon hearing this, the jinx memorized the order, bowed and clasped his hands in greeting, and was about to leave to relay the message.

But before the boy could finish speaking...

Suddenly, it appeared behind the two of them.

Dengdengdeng-

Gu Changting, that impatient fellow, actually stepped onto the ramp and chased after us.

"General—"

"General!"

Approaching from afar, shielding himself from the wind and snow with his bent arms, he strode towards them, calling out urgently. Hearing this, Xiao and the jinx simultaneously turned to look.

"kindness?"

The jinx beside him let out a soft, hesitant sound.

Before the gossip could subside, Xiao Wuyu glared at him and scolded him.

"Look at you, all flustered. What kind of behavior would it be if the soldiers saw you like that?"

Xiao Chi, who was near the long courtyard, looked bitter and was panting heavily, before he could retort.

"What happened? Tell me quickly!" Xiao urged.

"Ah, yes."

"This"

"Ugh!"

Unexpectedly, Changting exhaled a large amount of foul air, and his face became even more anxious.

"General, something bad has happened! Xue Bogang from the south has sent a message through someone."

"They said that the lady and the child have contracted typhoid fever and have had a persistent high fever for several days."

Changting recounted everything in detail, revealing a shocking truth.

Upon hearing this, Xiao's eyebrows furrowed, his expression one of shock and distress.

"what?"

"This"

"Why is that?" he asked impatiently.

"I don't know, the person who came was Guan Er, a servant from the gate."

"What details could he possibly know?"

"I've asked for a long time, and all I've heard is the same question over and over again."

"I think you should go back as soon as possible."

Changting shrugged, realizing he had nothing more to say. He became flustered and grabbed the general's arm, ready to leave immediately.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jingchuan stood alone, as if he were a nail driven into the ground.

He remained silent, lost in thought.

Despite Changting's pulling and tugging, it remained completely unmoved.

Standing nearby, seeing that the military governor was likely on the front lines, he couldn't bring himself to suggest returning home because of personal feelings.

The constellation of Ce Li is nearing the ominous star of misfortune, and all one can do is anxiously wait.

So they took a step ahead and spoke quickly.

"Yes, Changting, let's go. There are two more of the warlord's cotton robes in the cabin. Take them with you. The wind and snow on the way will be heavy. No matter how urgent the situation, we must not cause any trouble."

Before his departure, he gave many instructions, and the ominous star seemed to bite again, urging him to immediately follow the plan to return south.

However, just as the two sons were about to discuss their plans and take a step forward, Xiao Yu shouted at them from behind to stop them.

"stop!"

"You two, stop right there."

After speaking, the two generals turned their eyes back.

"Oh, General, let's go, there's no time to lose."

"Furthermore, we originally planned to travel south to Hangzhou on the Laba Festival."

"Now that something has come up, it's time to get going. It's alright to leave a couple of days early."

Changting earnestly advised him to leave.

"Yes, Commander."

"At present, the defense along the Yangtze River is stable, and all the generals are cautious and capable of defending the area."

"In this cold winter month, I doubt the Jurchens would dare to invade our borders."

"Don't hesitate, go soon and come back soon."

"I'll keep an eye on things here, though I won't be of much use."

"Yes, if there is any urgent matter, it will be sent south to the governor by express courier."

The jinx star echoed the previous intention and kept urging them to proceed.

At this moment, Xiao Lang was worried about his young son and even more concerned about Xiao E's safety.

His words, as described by the actual jinx, also have their own logic.

Winter has arrived, and the north is getting colder, making it more difficult to manage affairs compared to the south.

Thinking it through the next month, there should be no further fighting.

Now that many of your family members are ill, why not return home early to visit them and ease your worries?

However, Xiao was still not entirely at ease, and wrapped his robe around himself as he looked north again.

After a while, as her black hair turned white, she finally calmed down and agreed to reply.

"This"

"Ok."

"Since that's the case, Changting, go, pack your things, and we'll leave together now." (End of Chapter)