A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 257 Cheng Qian
The night is like water and the moonlight is like a silk thread.

The moon on the ninth night of the lunar new year looked like a half-eaten Hu pancake. In the temporary camp in the mountains, where the bonfire was swaying, pine branches were burning in the fire.

Li Yi placed a small iron pot on the fire and poured in mountain spring water to make tea.

The personal soldiers from Luojiabao were sitting in front of the fire. Liu Heizi was wiping his steel whip. He was as strong as an ox, and the bamboo-jointed steel whip in his hands was just right for him. It was a pity that he had never had the chance to fight since joining the army.

Luo Dafu was sharpening his sword with a whetstone. This sword, along with the bow and arrows and seven other items for the palace soldiers, were all purchased by the Cavalry Palace after he borrowed money from Li Yi.

Li Yi's four great warriors, Li Cunxiao and his four Qiang brigade commanders, personally stood guard for him on all four sides of Li Yi's tent.

"As the old saying goes, the most feared day is a sunny day on the ninth day of the second lunar month. But today is a sunny day. Even Guanyin, the goddess of spring drought, is worried. It seems that we are in trouble this year. First, there is a late spring cold snap, and then there is a spring drought." Luo Wu muttered.

Li Yi took out a piece of tea cake, pried off a piece with a knife, and threw it into the small iron pot. Then he took out the salt bag and sprinkled some fine salt in it.

Liu Heizi put away the polished bamboo whip and rubbed his belly. "Will the thief come? I'm getting hungry waiting. How about I boil some water and cook some bamboo shoots with the bacon? These bamboo shoots are really fresh. The yellow mud arches that have just emerged are the most tender and fresh."

After hearing what he said, Li Yi actually felt hungry.

"You know how to eat bamboo shoots braised with bacon. Hurry up and peel some bamboo shoots," Li Yi said with a smile. Although he was in this unfamiliar mountain and there were bandits nearby, he felt very relaxed.

Everything is under control,
What's more, Li Jing is sitting next to him to command, and there are also a group of powerful generals at the level of door gods. What is he afraid of?

He is now expecting the thieves to attack.

I really want to imitate Taiyi Zhenren and slap my own face and yell, "Come and hit me, come and hit me, hit me."

The tender yellow mud arch spring bamboo shoots have purple-yellow tips. When you peel off the shell, the bamboo shoot meat inside is crispy. Cut it into strips with a knife and throw it into boiling water to blanch it for a while. This way, it will not be bitter when you stew bacon.

He originally wanted to blanch the bacon, but the distressed looks on Luo Dafu and the others' faces forced Li Yi not to waste it.

In their eyes, blanching meat means removing the fat, and oil is the best thing.

One pot is for boiling tea, and the other pot is for stewing bacon and bamboo shoots.

That fragrance,
Soon even Li Jing was attracted.

Li Jing grabbed a handful of fried rice and chewed it dryly. "There's no movement in the baggage camp over there."

"Do you think the thieves will take the bait, Mr. Li?"

"They're definitely going to take the bait,"

Liu Heizi couldn't help but ask, "Does the steward really trust that lame Zhang? What if he turns around and tells Zhu Shanhai the truth?"

Li Yi smiled and added a few more sticks to the pot. "No, Zhang Wu's wife and children are still in the county. Besides, I promised him to help the government army to eliminate the bandits. Not only will I pardon his crimes, but I will also grant him land so that he can start a new life."
If he performs well, he will even be rewarded with merits, which he will definitely cherish."

"What if?"

Li Jing smiled faintly. "Even if Zhang Wu snitched on us, we don't have to worry. We already have several strategies in place. No matter what Zhu Shanhai chooses, he'll eventually fall into our trap."

Li Yi also grabbed a handful of fried rice and chewed it. "I don't know what's happening to Wei Huqi now. I don't know if he's dead or alive. If he's not dead yet, he's probably imprisoned in a cage and starving. Oh, how pitiful! A dignified fourth-rank Huqi general, the legitimate son of the Jingzhao Wei family,
Not only did he lose the title of Marquis by staying up all night on New Year's Eve, but now his life is in danger."

Li Jing reminded him, "You'd better hope he's still alive, otherwise you'll completely offend the Jingzhao Wei family."

"The battle was dangerous. He was captured because of his lack of skills. It's not my fault."

The bacon and spring bamboo shoots were stewed in the small pot and simmered for a long time before they were finally cooked.

The salty and fragrant bacon, the sweetness of the spring bamboo shoots, and the fat from the bacon that gives the spring bamboo shoots a unique flavor, make a wonderful combination, especially on this cold early spring night in the mountains.

Li Yi and Li Jing shared the meal. They cut a bamboo stick, stuck a piece of bacon on it, and then ate a piece of spring bamboo shoots. Then they had a mouthful of fried rice.
Satisfy.

The wind blows through the forest, and the bamboo waves rustle.

Baggage camp.

Niu Jinda, the deputy commander of the right battalion, came to Cheng Yaojin while chewing some fried rice. "It seems there's some movement. I guess the fish is about to take the bait."

Cheng Yaojin spit out the bamboo stick he had been chewing for a long time and said, "I was almost sleepy waiting, but now it's finally here. Let's cheer up, brothers, and don't mess up the performance."

Old Cheng looked at the bulging straw bags under the moonlight.
These were carried into the mountains by the mules and horses of the supply battalion, and now they were piled up there like a wall. They were so conspicuous in the moonlight, and some of the grain bags were even opened, revealing the golden millet inside.

suddenly,
The sky is full of sparks,

Cheng Yaojin stood there looking at the twinkling lights.
It was rocket after rocket.

A rain of arrows suddenly came down, targeting the food in the baggage camp that was piled up like a wall.

Old Cheng raised the corner of his mouth,
"Old man Li Jing is really good at what he does. His calculations are quite accurate. This fish hook always catches fish."

Niu Jinda pushed him and said, "Don't just watch the show, perform the whole show and shout quickly, don't let anyone see through you."

At this time, Old Cheng was wearing an ordinary battle robe over his armor, covering up the fine Ming Guang armor inside. He also abandoned his usual 10-foot-long lance and held two axes that he had picked up from somewhere in his hands. Suddenly, he started screaming.

In the camp, all the officers and soldiers were possessed by the spirit of drama.

They scattered in all directions, in great panic.

They shouted and some shot arrows into the darkness, while others looked around with spears.

Zhu Shanhai, under the leadership of Zhang Wu, personally led his team to burn the baggage. Seeing the bags of grain catching fire one after another,

Flames shot up into the sky and he let out a hideous laugh.

What kind of prince will Xiangning?

Since the damn God won't let me live, I will completely rebel and live a happy life.

Hu Xianggong rushed towards the officers and soldiers with a big knife in his hand and roared. His weapon was a chopping axe with a hook. Because he was very strong, the axe was specially customized to be thicker and heavier, and it was forged with steel and equipped with a long handle, which could be used for chopping, cutting and hooking.

Zhao Qin was hooked off his horse by him and then killed with a single blow.

He rushed towards the chaotic camp,

Just as he knocked down an officer and soldier, a strong man with a full beard came up with two axes, yelling and chopping randomly.

Zhu Shanhai attacked several times but failed to gain any advantage and was forced to retreat.

"Brother, you have strong arms, why don't you come and join me? I will make you a marquis!"

Cheng Yaojin swung his axe wildly, his wind and rain unable to penetrate. Upon hearing this, he laughed and said, "Who are you to grant me a title of nobility?"

"I am Zhu Shanhai, the Protector of the Township. Have you heard of me?"

"Are you Old Zhu? I say you have no ambition. Why did you give yourself such a title? Duke Protector of the Township? Forget Duke Protector of the Country. At least you should be Duke Protector of the County. A township is so small, with only 500 households." Cheng Yaojin laughed at Zhu Shanhai and increased his strength. He did not expect to meet the leader of the bandits.

I wish you amazing strength,
As a result, he was suppressed by the man's double axes and ridiculed, and he was so angry that his face turned red.

At this time, in the blazing fire,
Almost all the food and grass in the camp were set on fire.
The officers and soldiers seemed to have finally come to their senses from their panic. An officer was shouting orders loudly, and the soldiers slowly gathered together, forming a square formation. Their spears were like thorns, and they also began to fight back with bows and arrows.

Zhu Shanhai saw many of his brothers fall down, and he was unable to do anything with these hedgehogs.

After taking a look at the burning food and grass, he simply let out a long roar and shouted to retreat.

Cheng Yaojin wanted to keep this guy, but he found that the axe in his hand was not very suitable for chopping wood. It was dark at night and he was not familiar with the terrain, so this guy slipped away in a few strokes.

"Pah, you run pretty fast."

Zhu Shanhai relied on his familiarity with the mountains and scurried away into the night. His arms still ached slightly, and he was secretly surprised that a soldier from the logistics battalion of the government army could possess such brute force.

Although he failed to annihilate the officers and soldiers of this logistics battalion, he successfully burned their food and supplies, and Zhu Shanhai felt a little relieved.

He retreated to the agreed location and reorganized his troops.
"Let's go to the front camp and attack these dog soldiers from both sides. After we've dealt with that side, we can come back and kill these dog slaves."

Tonight, he's going to do something big.

On the hillside in front of the manor, Li Yi drank tea while looking at the flames rising into the sky in the distance.

"The fire is quite big."

Li Yi wasn't worried at all about Cheng Yaojin and Niu Jinda messing up their performance or getting themselves into trouble. There were 700 men in the rear camp, plus 750 auxiliary soldiers, totaling over 1,000 men.

What's more, it is led by Generals Lao Cheng and Lao Niu.

Li Jing spit out a mouthful of tea foam, "The bandits should be here soon."

Li Yi said to Luo Wu and the others, "Quickly pack up the tents and pots, and remember to bury the stove. The enemy is about to attack, so we have to retreat to the mountain behind and hold on until help arrives. Don't let the wind blow this fire into the forest and start a wildfire."

Luo Wu said as he packed up his things: "Why don't we just go straight to them?"

"You know how to boil a frog in warm water? First, you have to give the thief the illusion that he can do it, that he can win, and that he will win soon. Then he will lose his vigilance and throw all his strength into it.
If we come with a strong front, the bandits' first reaction will be to flee into the deep mountains and forests, and it will be difficult to wipe them out completely."

A mountain breeze blew by,
There were shouts and cries of killing coming from the bottom of the mountain.
The bandits are coming.

Li Yi and Li Jing smiled at each other, and then they retreated slowly with their teacups in hand.

On a mountain path, Qin Qiong and Luo Shixin were leading a group of people on a march under the moonlight.

"Look, the fire."

"Well, it seems everything is going according to plan. Pass the order and speed up the march."

Changan.

night is deep,
Crown Prince Li Jiancheng was not sleepy at all. On the table in front of him was an urgent report.

Wei Ting was captured and his life or death is unknown.

In the fragrant mist rising from the gilded beast furnace, Jiancheng's brows were tightly furrowed and unable to relax.

Crown Princess Zheng Guanyin came over accompanied by palace maids.

"What troubles you, Your Highness?"

Li Jiancheng sighed deeply, "I may have made a big mistake. I shouldn't have trusted Wei Ting's words, and I shouldn't have trusted Li Yi's ability to lead troops.

Now Wei Ting has been captured by the bandits, and his life or death is unknown. I am afraid that Li Yi will also fail in this bandit suppression. Alas!

"Hasn't there been any news of defeat yet? Perhaps things won't be that bad after all. Your Highness, please go to bed early."

In Tai Chi Palace,

Li Yuan hadn't slept yet either.

The palace gates were locked after dark, but a small window was left open so that urgent military and national affairs could be sent into the palace through it.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late, you should rest," the eunuch advised.

Li Yuan asked about the time.
"hold on,"

Li Yuan was waiting for news. The news of He Panren and Zhao Qin's defeat and death the previous two times was delivered in the middle of the night.

Li Yuan did not want to receive any news tonight, but after learning that Wei Ting was captured, he was worried about receiving the news.

It's hard to sleep if you disturb me, so just wait.

Like the emperor and the prince, the Jingzhao Wei family also couldn't sleep late at night. When the news of Wei Ting's capture reached Chang'an, the entire Wei family was shocked. Even late at night, many members of the Wei family gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

They cursed Li Yi, saying he did it on purpose.

This time, not only Wei Ting from the Wei family was captured, but also six other Wei family members were captured.

I had thought of joining the expedition and gaining military merits by fighting in it, but unexpectedly I was wiped out in one fell swoop.

Taiji Palace, in Chengqian Hall.

Li Shimin was pacing anxiously.

The Qin prince's wife, Changsun, was in labor in the middle of the night, her water breaking. The midwife yelled at her to push. This was her first child, and she had been trying for a long time, but the baby still hadn't arrived. Her voice was almost gone, and she handed the princess a piece of top-grade Codonopsis pilosula to hold in her mouth.

The dawn appears,

Finally, a baby's loud cry was heard.

"Congratulations, Princess, it's a boy."

Li Shimin finally breathed a sigh of relief after hanging on for half the night. He hurried to the door and asked, "Is the princess okay?"

"Your Majesty, mother and child are safe!"

Finally completely relaxed, a smile appeared on Li Shimin's face. He had a son.

The eldest son.

The eunuch Zhang Ananda came over.
"Any information on the battle at Sizhu Garden?"

"No military intelligence from Zhou Zhi reached Chang'an last night."

Li Shimin nodded. There was no military intelligence sent to Chang'an in the middle of the night, which meant there was no bad news last night.

There is no bad news, that's good news.

"Pay close attention to the situation over there, and report immediately as soon as you have any news."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)