After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

The three servants, who had learned some methods of treatment, were urgently moving around with their sleeves rolled up, their foreheads already covered in cold sweat.

The wounded Imperial Guards and the wounded cavalrymen looked at the servants bandaging them and remained calm.

The severely injured members of the Heavenly Principle Sect were all somewhat flattered.

They came under orders from their respective temple leaders.

The incense master came on the orders of the altar master.

Naturally, he didn't know Ning Nan.

However, being able to fight alongside soldiers with long hair and wearing the uniforms of the Great Liang army made these Tianli Sect men both excited and somewhat embarrassed.

They had shaved their heads, and their armor and weapons were all different kinds, making them look much more shabby than the people of Daliang.

Many people then tore off their clothes to cover their bald heads.

After being injured, I had someone to take care of me and someone to cook meat for me—something I never dared to imagine before coming here.

After all, their predecessors often never returned, and no one even knew where they were buried.

Just now, someone even came to record their merits, and they even recorded the merits of their dead brothers, recording their brothers' names, birth dates, hometowns, and even details down to the village.

To prevent leaks, when it came to villages, the other party used code words.

For example, if a brother is from Daluo Village in Lianshui County, Huai'an, the merit book will have the three characters "Daluo Village" written in a script that they cannot understand.

The Imperial Guard said, "Don't worry, we can read the characters. Our spies here will deliver the silver to their family. You can verify it."

The crowd looked at each other, their expressions and the atmosphere becoming subtly complicated.

There was excitement, emotion, disappointment, doubt, and disbelief.

The people are a mixed bag, but there are also some good things about them.

For example, among the Tianli Sect men who are now treating the wounded alongside the three servants, there is a doctor and a pharmacy apprentice.

The two men did not know each other. The doctor was from Yangzhou, and the apprentice was from Chuzhou.

This middle-aged doctor surnamed Chen's father was killed by the Tartars twenty years ago, and he converted to Christianity thirteen years ago.

Today I think I've avenged his father. He just kowtowed for a long time, crying and shouting in one direction.

The camp was located on the side facing the mountain.

After Chen San's men cleaned the thieves' bodies, they carried the corpses back into the mountains and piled them up.

"Reporting to the Cult Leader,"

Chen San's voice was deep.

"This time, I have sent five incense masters, each leading more than twenty people to come and help.

"A total of thirty-two brothers died in battle, including one incense master. The brothers who were lightly wounded were not sent to the wounded soldiers' camp. The more than ten brothers who were seriously wounded were in the wounded soldiers' camp."

"Chen San sent five brothers to Tiger Crouching Mountain to set up camp. We will send the seriously injured brothers into the mountains to recuperate. There is no need for the leader to worry about it."

Chen San felt a chill in his body. He realized that the brothers he had summoned were far inferior to the soldiers of the Great Liang Army, and even to the cult leader's personal guards.

Although they were riding horses and wearing armor, they still seemed no different from the rabble.

His brows were furrowed, worried that his brothers would be looked down upon by the cult leader.

Ning Nan looked at this young altar master and calmly said:

"Brother Chen, the supplies and spoils are all yours."

"Huh?" Chen San suddenly looked up, his face showing surprise.

Ning Nan, with his hand on his sword, took a few steps forward:

"Brother Chen, if the brothers are willing, I will have Li Erlai select thirty brothers whose injuries are not too serious to temporarily join my household guards and accompany me north. The rest of the brothers will take the wine, meat, dead horses, and wounded horses here and go into the mountains to eat for half a month, hiding during the day and going out at night."

"All the armor and weapons of the Green Forest Army went into the mountains."

"But I need the armor and weapons of those thirty Tartar cavalrymen, so I have to take them with me."

"As for good horses,"

Ning Nan thought for a moment, then turned around, looked into Chen San's eyes, and said:

"We need to get the Jiangpu Army and the Yongwei Battalion to replenish their horses first, and then we'll give you the rest."

Chen San's expression froze for a moment.

He hadn't even considered the supplies, spoils, or horses. As for food, he thought he'd rely on his brothers in Chuzhou to send some over, and then they'd hunt in the mountains to get by.

Ning Nan looked at Chen San, who seemed somewhat embarrassed, or even dejected, and sighed, saying:

"Brother Chen, Jiangpu, the Second Battalion of the Brave Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and my household servants."

"They are all soldiers who train in peacetime. They don't farm, work as grooms, treat patients, apprentice, or work as long-term or short-term laborers at the old master's house... The fact that you came here to fight alongside them is truly an immense act of courage..."

He paused, intending to say, "I greatly admire you," but that would seem too distant.

He then changed his words and said:

"This current leader... greatly admires all his brothers!"

"Hmm? Acting leader?"

Chen San was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up, and his tone became urgent:

"What does the cult leader mean?"

Master Ning removed the phoenix-winged crown, which he felt was somewhat crooked, unfastened his armor, took out the iron plaque given to him by the Guan Gong mask from his robes, showed it to him, and said solemnly:

"I, Ning, am unworthy to temporarily assume the position of leader of your sect. At the upcoming Xiangshan Grand Assembly, I will consult with your former leader and two Dharma Protectors before relinquishing the leadership of your sect!"

Ok.

Daring to fight and kill.

It can gather and disperse.

And he's not greedy for money.

Such quality,

What other outstanding talents are needed for the Northern Expedition?

……

Erlaizi stood at the entrance of the cave, holding a knife, and yawned.

The cave was originally lit by a dim oil lamp.

The people hiding inside voluntarily turned off their lights.

A cavalryman chasing a Green Standard Army soldier discovered this place and rushed over.

Immediately, three men in black jackets roared and charged out.

He chuckled and drew his sword, killing them all.

But five men in black vests rushed out again, protecting the group.

Three strong men, with golden gourds tucked at their waists, rode over on horseback.

He and Sanzhuang killed all five of them.

Those distinguished guests had no choice but to crawl back into the cave.

Erlai threw in the flint and steel, telling them to light the oil lamp, or he would kill them right now.

The dim yellow light inside the cave then peeked out from the cave entrance again.

When Ning Nan arrived here, the bodies of the guards in black vests at the cave entrance had already been moved away by the Heavenly Principle Sect.

He was followed by about ten people, each holding a torch.

There were Imperial Guards and armored cavalry.

Qian Sijin stood beside him, leaning on a long spear.

"Big brother." Erlai and Sanzhuang rubbed their faces and stood up.

With a series of thuds, a dozen or so people behind Ning Nan rushed into the cave carrying torches, and the cave was filled with bright light!

"Walk,"

The two rascals who performed great deeds tonight, and the three valiant men who, together with Qian Sijin, successfully surrounded and killed Amurtu.

"Let's go in and take a look."

He took a step and entered the cave, which looked small from the outside but was quite a hidden gem inside.

Inside the cave.

More than ten men carrying torches surrounded the three people in the middle.

When Ning Nan entered, his eyes lit up when he saw one of them.

When Ning Nan saw another young man with a pale face and a white cloth wrapped around his head, he was first taken aback, somewhat unexpected, and then his eyes became filled with emotion.

have to,

Previous intelligence reports stated that this person was unconscious and still recuperating.

I never expected to meet him here today.

Master Ning took a breath, his eyes warm, and smiled at the young nobleman in the red and blue mandarin jacket with a white cloth tied around his head:

"Seventh Young Master, you're not dead... Heh... That's wonderful."

Standing between his fourth brother Hongjiao and the eunuch Guicai, Prince Hongfeng of the Prince Yi's Mansion felt a chill run through his body.

Upon seeing the newcomer, his bloodshot eyes revealed an overwhelming resentment.

"Ning!" the Prince said coldly, "—Bai! Xuan!"

……

……

On the road from Jiangpu City to Chuzhou City.

Four laborers died at the mission's camp. After their bodies were buried and recorded, the camp gradually returned to calm.

A heated argument was taking place inside a large tent at the front of the mission.

"General Zhang!"

An official in a blue robe suddenly waved his hand and roared,

"I now order you to immediately dispatch cavalry to find Vice Envoy Ning and tell him not to act rashly, but to return to the mission at once!"

Zhang Yaojie, the commander of the Yongwei Battalion and the highest-ranking military officer in charge of the entire delegation's military force, was furious.

However, the slightly overweight old man with graying temples opposite him, although a seventh-rank official, held the position of Censor of the Censorate. If the old man were to submit a memorial to the throne, and no one was willing to protect him, he would be dismissed immediately.