Tiger Guards

Chapter 24 Confident People
Under the night sky, on the north bank of Fen River.

Xu Huang stopped his horse on the shore, looking at the blurred river surface and the south bank.

He was surrounded by more than a dozen key members of the local party. One of them couldn't help but ask, "Sir, can the Tiger Guard Battalion succeed?"

He had never been to the south bank. When Xu Huang went to the south bank, he stayed on the north bank to supervise the officials.

Xu Huang scratched his temples with his horsewhip. "I've explained everything I need to say. If they can't hold the city, what business is it of ours? I also hope they can hold it."

He really hoped that the imperial court could be more effective. The Baibo generals had become a burden to the imperial court and a burden to the middle and low-level officials like them.

As long as the Baibo generals exist, they will not be able to gain the trust of the court.

Precisely because they were not trusted, the imperial court did not dare to instigate them.

Without the imperial edict, how could these generals and their subordinates rebel against the generals?
Actively resisting...what's the difference between this and the Baibo generals?
The biggest variable at the moment is this Tiger Guard. Since their formation, they have been the emperor's guards, and any action they take can be considered legal.

At this moment, in the Huben camp, the military flags began to be distributed.

They are all old flags, or flags made from old cloth and then newly dyed, and they are not very bright.

Contrary to Zhao Ji's expectations, his troop deployment plan received unanimous support, and neither Wei Gu nor Pei Xiu made any additions, deletions, or modifications.

They look down on this achievement and false reputation, and can give it to Zhao Ji, Wang Zhi, or anyone else.

Inside the camp, Zhao Ji wore armor and a crimson cloak with two holes on the back, on which were inserted two rectangular red flags.

He walked in the camp. Only the training ground had a bright campfire, and there were busy figures everywhere.

The hay in each barracks has been cleared out and piled in the corner. We slept in the corner for the first half of the night.

All barracks can be set on fire when fighting is intense in order to request help from the garrison.

Zhao Ji came to the largest stable. The cavalry commander was Jia Tong, a native of Pingyang. He was wearing lacquered leather armor, a plain black cloak, and two rectangular yellow flags on his back.

Jia Tong was feeding the horses when he saw Zhao Ji coming and went to greet him: "Captain Zhao."

"Brother Wenzhen, what's going on?"

"All instructions have been given. At the sound of the horn, we will spur on our horses and charge."

Jia Tong pointed at the knights lying down or resting against the low wall not far away and said, "As long as Captain Zhao can hold them off, the men of Beijun will not be afraid of fighting."

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Jia Tong's ancestors served as officials of the State of Jin in Pingyang. They took their fiefdom as their surname, which gave rise to the Jia clan.

The change of dynasties would not affect such a large family as theirs, but the arrival of the Huns would obviously bring oppression and even cause the Jia family to become extinct.

Zhao Ji simply nodded and continued, "Apart from me, the only ones capable of fighting the Xiongnu to the death are the warriors of the northern prefecture. I will say no more. If I don't die tonight, I will spend the rest of my life fighting alongside the warriors of the northern prefecture, making it my mission to drive out the Xiongnu."

"Captain Zhao, there's no need to do this. This battle concerns the survival of our families. Who dares not fight to the death?"

Jia Tong also knew that everyone was just starting to get together, and what they lacked most was trust between each other.

The most difficult part is actually this first battle.

The only good news was that people like Wang Zhi and Wei Gu did not interfere, and Zhao Ji was a typical hardliner. Zhao Ji also knew and trusted the tiger guards from the counties in the north of the county, and believed that they had the strongest desire to fight.

If the attackers were bandits from Jishan, the Junbei Tiger Guards would not have acted like this, but tonight it was the Huns who came, so we really couldn't be lenient.

Killing one more person might prevent your children from being bullied in the future.

After Zhao Ji bowed solemnly to Jia Tong, he left and went to the nearby Cang Cao camp.

The grain and supplies that were originally scattered among the teams have been gathered together and handed over to the warehouse manager Jia Kui for safekeeping and distribution.

When he arrived, Jia Kui was improving the vehicles. There were four carriages in total, with firewood and straw piled in the carriages, and crossbeams being nailed to the shafts.

The purpose was to light the firewood, and then the soldiers at the back would push the vehicles to attack the enemy infantry and cavalry.

When Jia Kui came to see Zhao Ji, he saw that Zhao Ji had a sword hanging on his left waist and a quiver hanging on his right waist. The guards following him were either holding iron halberds or carrying several long swords on their backs, and some were carrying bows or crossbows.

The two chatted at the door, briefly exchanging information. Before parting, Jia Kui suddenly asked, "After repelling the Xiongnu, if General Bai Bo comes to seize military power tomorrow, will Aji dare to kill him?"

"How could Big Brother have such a prediction?"

"It's just a matter of changing places. If I were one of the generals, I would lead the troops in pursuit of the Xiongnu after they attacked, rescue the Hu Ben, gain favors, and recruit the officers and soldiers."

Jia Kui looked up at the stars and moon in the night sky with a calm gaze: "If the Hu Ben lost, he would repel the Xiongnu and recruit the Hu Ben when he rescued them; if the Hu Ben won, he would seize it by force. Now, Aji, do you understand?"

"I understand. He seized the Tiger Guards by force, and only by killing them can he establish his authority and intimidate others. And if I survive tonight, I am the most suitable person to do so." Zhao Ji took a deep breath and bowed to Jia Kui. "I will never forget your life-saving grace, brother."

No matter whether it was Han Xian, Li Le or Hu Cai who came, these people would definitely not be happy to kill Wang Zhi, Wei Gu and Pei Xiu, and his head was really suitable for it.

You cannot expect goodwill and restraint from the other party.

They must be killed as soon as they meet, without giving others the chance to remain neutral, and the facts must be established.

Seeing this, Jia Kui helped Zhao Ji up with both hands and said: "Aji, there is no need to do this. I know Aji's ambition is beneficial to our family, so I warned him."

"Brother, this is a life-saving grace."

Zhao Ji also felt a little scared. If the Baibo generals with important general seals really came to the camp to seize power tomorrow, he would become a fish on the chopping board if he hesitated for a moment.

If you speak a little louder at that time, the other party may be displeased with you and may kill you if they think your butt is not raised high enough when you kneel.

After the two parted, Zhao Ji met Wei Xing again, with a red flag on his back.

The garrison commander carried two flags, and the team commander carried one flag. Carrying flags and feathers on their backs was not unfamiliar to the Han army.

However, during hand-to-hand combat, many people would remove their flags and feathers to avoid becoming targets of enemy bows and crossbows.

In order to identify military rank, the number and rank are indicated by the negative badge hung on the back.

Tonight is the first battle and it is a night battle, so we must carry the flag. Only in this way can we gather the soldiers and prevent them from disintegrating.

As a military officer, you should have a higher awareness of casualties.

Wei Xing has two squads here, and they use what they are good at.

Unlike Zhao Ji, the three squads under his command are a mix of selected and capable personnel.

After meeting Wei Xing, Zhao Ji came to see Pei Xiu.

The topic was somewhat confidential, Zhao Ji glanced around, and Guan Shang, Shen Tulan and others who stayed with Pei Xiu walked away.

Pei Xiu saw this and followed Zhao Ji to the edge of the camp: "What's the matter, Aji?"

"I am worried that one of Bai Bo's former generals will enter the camp and seize power tomorrow."

Zhao Ji spoke frankly and asked in a low voice, "Seventh Brother, do you have the imperial edict to punish the rebels?"

Pei Xiu was silent for a moment, then he took out a folded silk book from his sleeve and handed it to him: "Aji, take a look."

Zhao Ji took it with both hands and shook it, but there was nothing inside, just an ordinary handkerchief.

Pei Xiu looked at him suspiciously. He reached out and took the silk book, folded it, and put it into his sleeve. "This was given to me by my uncle, and it was also given by the emperor. If I win, this will naturally be the emperor's handwritten and secret edict. If I lose, even if it is issued by the Secretariat, it will be a forged and false edict."

"It's good to have it."

Zhao Ji sighed in a low voice. He could already foresee the scene where his side would hold the secret imperial edict to fight against the rebels, while Yang Feng and others would follow the imperial edict to quell the rebellion.

Our side had no chance to set up a trap to assassinate or capture Yang Feng and others, because from the very beginning, they were planning to directly seize the Huben.

Pei Xiu carefully observed the changes in Zhao Ji's expression and couldn't help asking, "Aji, aren't you afraid?"

"Seventh Brother, if we are afraid of them, will they let us go?"

Zhao Ji asked back in confusion, this world is terrible.

A large number of walking experience packages will be delivered to your door soon, so what’s there to be afraid of?
If you are chopped to death, what is there to be afraid of?
As for the recruits in the camp, are they afraid?
Most people are not afraid. As long as the leading military officer does not run away, most people dare to fight.

Young people in civilized society dare to chop people with machetes, let alone now.

There are three major characteristics of those who apply to become Tiger Guards: they come from wealthy or poor families, and are generally from good families; they are generally young, with the highest spirits and passion, and are easily carried away; and they eat well, and their physiques are not comparable to those of their civilian peers.

In Mount and Blade, this is a noble soldier.

Besides, how many Hun nobles and warriors were there among the invading Huns?
Most of them were Xiongnu herdsmen and slaves. In terms of height, physique and equipment, they were not as good as the county soldiers. How could they fight against the Huben?

Zhao Ji's self-confidence emanates from within.

Pei Xiu even had an illusion that even if Zhao Ji was shot to death by an arrow tonight, he would die standing up with the help of a spear.

(End of this chapter)