The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 54 Who belongs to whom?

Silent all night.

Early the next morning.

The morning glow gives the Tonghui River a rusty red hue.

The boatman shouted and rowed the merchant ship, and the peddlers' blue cloth headscarves fluttered in the morning light.

The smell of dried dates, cotton cloth, and iron pots mixed with the fishy smell of the river, but the rammed-mud military barracks on the west bank remained quiet.

Collapsed ground.

It was just dawn and soldiers were already leveling the road.

Qi Shannian was covered in sweat as he pushed a wheelbarrow full of soil and poured it into the pit in one breath. The soil in the wheelbarrow fell into the pit, and the two people next to him began to break up the soil and fill it up.

Qi Shannian and another person made more than ten trips to transport enough soil.

After filling.

Several people worked together to use hemp ropes to pull the paving stones to compact the ground.

Yesterday I cleared weeds, swept the ground, and did all kinds of odd jobs.

Start filling the hole today.

It's really hard work.

It's not easy for anyone.

"Captain, several people are lazy, and our team is acting like fools." Someone couldn't work anymore, was sweating all over, had a stomachache from hunger, and felt dizzy. He angrily threw the shovel in his hand to the ground.

Qi Shannian didn't stop working, then turned around and glared at him.

"If others die, will you die too?"

The man was a little afraid of the captain, but when he saw the captain was angry, he smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Boss, isn't this just to stand up for ourselves?"

Qi Shannian snorted coldly.

"I don't care about others, just do our own thing."

"That Dusi is a good man. I trust him this time. I hope he won't lie. If you don't think about yourself, think about your wife and children. Do you really want your wife to run a half-open business?"

The man's face changed drastically.

I haven't received my military salary for so long that I can't even support myself, let alone my family.

These things should not be known to others.

But you can't look down when you look up.

It can never be hidden.

"You and I are brothers. As your leader, I have no ability and can't help you. Since the commander boasted, we are just working hard. We are not afraid of risking our lives, so why should we be afraid of working hard?"

"But what if he lied to us?"

"It's a lie, so what can we do?"

Qi Shannian continued to work.

The man felt as if a stone was pressing on his heart.

I want to cry but I can't.

Yes.

So what if I deceived them?

Who are they?

The man was dejected. He picked up the shovel again, broke up the soil in the pit and filled it up, as numb as a walking corpse.

"Head, when will it end?"

The soldiers who were tamping the ground together sighed after seeing this.

The captain has to do it.

Everyone obeys the captain, no questions asked, just follow the captain.

The captain is in his thirties. The commander said that the captain is a bachelor, but he didn't know that it was because the captain usually takes care of his brothers. There are dozens of people in the team. Some of them ran away before, but later when they saw that the captain was a good person, others also wanted to come.

Taking advantage of the captain.

So there are quite a lot of people in their team, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight people.

Other teams only have five or six left.

It's a great bargain.

There are always a few people who still have a conscience.

The few of us left here, just make do with what we have and live one day at a time.

Hearing his brothers' complaints, Qi Shannian gripped the hemp rope in his hand even tighter.

On one side, a rotten window frame hung on the wall like a broken tooth, and the row of barracks along the river looked the most desolate.

Outside the camp.

The surrounding vendors were watching.

A group of soldiers suddenly came yesterday and cleaned up this long-abandoned corner. Unexpectedly, they came again early this morning.

"These soldiers are crazy, working so hard."

"Someone important must be here to inspect."

"What are you doing here?"

The vendors were incredible.

Everyone was talking at once.

The canal water flows southward, carrying silk from Suzhou and bricks from Linqing.

Ordinary ships on the canal cannot enter the capital, whether they are merchant ships, cargo ships, or other ships. The final destination is Tongzhou. Only a small number of passenger ships or official ships can continue to move forward.

Therefore, the Tongzhou wharf is very busy.

The canal stretches for several miles along the river. Zuozhen is east of Tongzhou, and Youzhen is west of Tongzhou. The canal's Tongzhou section is shaped like a human figure, with the tip just skirting Tongzhou. Youzhen's main camp is towards Tongzhou. Because soldiers fled or were sent to work as long-term laborers in officials' homes, many camps along the west side were vacant.

The people doing business outside are small vendors, doing small business along the street. They dare not encroach on the land and occasionally take a break to hide inside for urgent needs. Therefore, the weeds are becoming more and more lush and there are more mosquitoes. Over the years, the land has become more and more desolate.

Canal, on boat.

"Finally back to the capital."

Two people stood on the deck, looking at the scenery on the shore, and one of them sighed.

Another person said, "The antiques they brought back are all exquisite. The eldest and second masters will surely be satisfied. The garden is now completely decorated. Mr. Cheng has done the Jia family a great favor this time. The second master will surely be very grateful to you."

Hearing this, Cheng Rixing smiled and said, "I first learned about you when Zhou Rui told me that his son-in-law Leng Zixing was doing antique business in Jinling. Thanks to you, it is much easier for me to buy antiques in Jinling."

Leng Zixing was proud inside, his expression unchanged, and he boasted to himself, "I'm just a businessman, how much can I contribute? It mainly depends on Lord Jia to help."

Who is Cheng Rixing?

He had long seen through Leng Zixing's intentions, but did not point it out. Instead, he said, "That's because you and Lord Jia started from the tip of a green duckweed, the waves formed between the ripples, and your friendship began when you were insignificant."

really.

These words made Leng Zixing overjoyed.

Leng Zixing was impressed.

No wonder my father-in-law told me that the second master attached great importance to these literati.

at this time.

An official ship passed by us as it sailed downstream.

Dock at this pier.

The first to come down was Zhang Can, and several soldiers he brought with him.

Go inside.

"Master Dai, Master Chen, this is the place."

Zhang Can looked respectful.

Dai Wei glanced around the barracks and could see signs of fresh cleaning. Chen Yan came down behind Dai Wei with his hands behind his back. Neither of them spoke and the atmosphere was slightly cold.

Zhang Can didn't dare to hesitate.

He yelled, "Where's your Dusi?"

"Hurry up and tell your Dusi that Sima and Yuanwailang are here."

Everyone working in the camp looked over.

Those who were lazy in the house also got up and hid behind the windows to watch.

After a while.

"Your humble servant, Li Wu, has met Sima and Commander Zhang Qian."

Li Wu came over on his own initiative.

"Where are you guys?"

Zhang Can asked.

Li Wu did not dare to hide it, and was afraid of causing trouble for Wang Xin, so he did not tell the truth, but simply replied, "The commander has gone out."

Zhang Can looked surprised.

There was a hint of a smile in Dai Wei's eyes.

Chen Yan was dissatisfied.

He had also heard news about Wang Xin at the Ministry of War.

Everywhere has already started practicing, and everyone is afraid of falling behind, except this kid who doesn't take it seriously.

I didn't expect this to be the case.

He can take it lightly.

But I can't.

There's a lot of drama behind this matter. Since I was the one who ordered it, I can't let the blame fall on me.

"Tell your commanders, the three months given by your governor are not for you to waste. Now that you have been selected and formed into an army, you should train seriously."

Chen Yan just finished speaking.

Dai Wei added, "Training soldiers is difficult and the workload is overwhelming. If Commander Wang really doesn't want to take on the responsibility, you can tell him that you can raise the issue with the Military Affairs Office. They'll have enough time to replace him."

"No."

"How can the list of the Ministry of War be changed at will?"

Chen Yan refused directly.

Dai Wei didn't care. It was still unknown who would have the final say on the Ministry of War's affairs in the future.

The Minister of War is on sick leave.

Li Yuan, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, wants to be the head of the Ministry of War, but Lord Tao, the Minister of Military Affairs, will not agree. Chen Yan is Li Yuan's man, and it seems that Li Yuan wants to interfere in the affairs of the Beijing camp through the training list.

Could it be that Wang Xin is Li Yuan's man?
Dai Wei pondered.

its not right.

Isn’t the Rongguo Mansion behind Wang Xin?

There are Jia Mansion, Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion, and Rongguo Mansion is divided into two branches.

The calculations are taking off.

Place a bet on every plate, aiming for a sure win.

Don't be unconvinced.

This is the advantage of having a large family and a large business.

So Dai Wei was a little confused.

(End of this chapter)