Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3499 Gossip can melt metal, and constant criticism can destroy a person.

"Why did he come back?"

"How dare this guy come back?"

"Wasn't he arrested?"

"Is that all right?"

The chirping sound, like an invisible curse, continued to linger in Ma Yue's ears.

The sky is black and the ground is gray.

Ma Yue lowered his head and walked silently through the camp.

The soldiers around him pointed at him, but after Ma Yue turned his gaze away, they pretended nothing had happened.

"What are you doing?!" A military school student came over and scolded the soldiers who were gathered together to talk, "So idle?! Have you dug the ditch? Have you arranged the tents? Have you finished your shifts?"

The soldiers seemed unwilling to let go of the fun of teasing and mocking in the winter, and walked back angrily, whispering back, "This guy framed General Zhang, can't we say a few words? We are speaking up for General Zhang..."

"You're complaining?" The school heard the soldier muttering, "Don't blame us, you're the only one! Who are you to General Zhang? I don't see you and General Zhang being close on weekdays! Last time, you said General Zhang was biased, and you were asked to do bad things even though you didn't do good things! Didn't you say that? Why are you pretending now? Go back to work!"

The soldier then shut his mouth and staggered away.

The military school turned around to look at Ma Yue, who was still walking forward with his head down, sighed slightly, and turned away.

Ma Yue dragged his feet back to his tent.

The laying out in the tent is very simple.

A pit was dug in the middle to set up a bonfire, and a few wooden boards were laid on the side, with some hay on top and a mat on top. The blanket was a piece of gray-black leather, probably made of sheepskin. Because the nitration leather-making technology of the Han Dynasty was not as advanced as that of later generations, the leather was not soft at all and could only be considered barely warm enough.

"General!" 』

When Ma Yue's guard in the tent saw Ma Yue coming back, he quickly stood up.

Ma Yue walked into the tent, his vision dimmed for a moment, and it took him a moment to recover.

It was cold in the tent. Not only was there no campfire, but there were also few people. Originally, seven or eight people could sleep in the tent, but now there were only two people left.

"What about the others?"

Ma Yue felt a little cold in his heart.

"They've all left..." one of the remaining guards replied, "These guys! They talk nicely when they're paid, but when something goes wrong, they just run away! What a bunch of idiots..."

Ma Yue glanced at the weapons and armor piled in the corner of the tent, then lowered his head and sat on the mat in silence.

The cavalry army system is a dual-track system of recruiting soldiers and commanding troops.

Those recruited by the Hussars with money and equipment were professional soldiers of the Hussars. During battles, they were assigned to the commanding military academies or generals. According to the Han tradition, the generals would maintain a certain number of private troops.

The Buqu system was inherited from the Qin Dynasty during the Han Dynasty. Initially, Buqu was just a synonym for the military structure system, but by the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buqu had changed from a national military system to a general term for personal private armed forces. Although private Buqu gradually became a threat to the country from the Three Kingdoms to the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and local and personal armed forces made the central control of the country basically equal to zero, everything has its pros and cons. During the war, this kind of private army of local individuals also allowed many rural people to get a certain degree of protection and enjoy a certain degree of security.

Moreover, the troops, which were composed entirely of clansmen, were also very powerful. Not to mention Cao Cao, even the Jiangdong soldiers, who were often considered weaklings, had heroic and unyielding examples. In the Battle of Xiaoyaojin, in order to cover Sun Quan's retreat, Ling Tong led 300 troops to fight to the death and withstood Zhang Liao's attack. In the end, none of these personal soldiers were left, and only Ling Tong jumped into the river and escaped.

It costs money to maintain a private army. It is like a company hiring a lifetime employee, and not only does it support the employee, but it also supports the employee's family. Even if the employee dies from a work-related injury, the company still has to support the employee's family until the company goes bankrupt or the employee leaves voluntarily.

In Ma Yue’s current situation, the employees have left on their own initiative.

Ma Yue's family was originally poor, unlike some big families who had raised private soldiers for generations...

The trees fell and the hozens scattered.

Although these dispersed guards might not be able to find the next house in a short time, they still dispersed.

"Master...would you like to find them?" the guard said, "At least we should pay them the money they just received..."

"Forget it..." Ma Yue shook his head and said halfway through the sentence, then found that his voice was hoarse.

Once on the battlefield, the guards cannot withdraw. They must share life and death with their leader and protect the leader even at the risk of their lives. However, after leaving the battlefield, they are allowed to withdraw, but generally speaking, no one will easily change jobs. Therefore, it is in accordance with the rules for Ma Yue's guards to go offline when not in combat.

In addition, when these guards left, they did not take their armor and swords with them...

"General, how can you just let it go like this?"

The guard was still a little indignant.

What happened to sharing life and death together?

When they were eating and drinking and taking Ma Yue's money, they kept thanking him. But now that Ma Yue is in trouble, those promises they made with such confidence will not be just ignored, right?

Moreover, these guards said that Ma Yue's behavior was tainted, but they just walked away when their leader was in trouble, and then they could feel at ease? In the final analysis, isn't it selfish? How is it different from Ma Yue's previous double standards? They are brave and aggressive when blaming others, but are timid when talking about themselves? Others made mistakes first, so they can feel at ease with their mistakes?

"They are all a bunch of ungrateful people!" Another guard also cursed, "One thing is one thing! They were smiling like flowers when they were getting the money, but now they are running faster than bastards! And those guys in logistics! They used to call me big brother, but now their eyes are almost on the top of their foreheads! They are all shit! Who has never done anything wrong in this life? Who is the great saint? Damn it, why are they all standing with their hands on their hips and pretending to be so cool..."

"Hey! Stop talking..." The guard pulled him a little, then turned to Ma Yue and said, "General... We are not saying you are wrong..."

"I was indeed wrong..." Ma Yue smiled bitterly and emphasized again, "Forget it... let them be..."

The two guards fell silent. After a while, one of them couldn't help but ask, "My lord... about this matter... what does the cavalry say..."

Ma Yue was silent for a moment, then said, "Dismissed... Go to the Snow Region, and... Help me find some thorns... I will go to General Zhang to apologize..."

"What? 』

"Carrying a thorny stick?"

The two guards couldn't help but shout.

Ma Yue nodded.

"How about... later?" a guard said, "Now... wait until it's dark..."

"Yes, yes, let's go later... Otherwise, the whole camp will be watching, and you will be laughed at to death..." another guard also advised.

Ma Yue was silent for a long time, and finally said through gritted teeth: "I said something wrong in front of people, how can I apologize behind their backs now? Go find Jing Tiao, no need to say any more!"

……

……

On the other side, Zhang Liao's guards also rushed into Zhang Liao's tent, "General! That guy is back!"

"What that guy?"

"It's that bastard named Ma!"

Zhang Liao's face immediately darkened when he heard this. "Asshole! Slap yourself in the face!"

The guard's eyes widened, "General! He is the one who hurt you..."

"What harm did you do to me?" Zhang Liao asked in a deep voice, "Did you cause my family to be destroyed, or did you cause me to die without a complete body? Tell me, what harm did you do to me?"

"Uh... he ruined your reputation!" the guard said, "that guy framed you!"

Zhang Liao pointed at the guard and said, "You are being rude and insulting the generals. Slap him first before you speak."

The guard was about to say something, but was stopped by the captain, who glared at him, "What, you've grown so arrogant that you don't even listen to the commander?!"

The guard then shut up.

The captain of the guard handed the guard a wooden stick.

The guard bit it, and then was slapped twice on the face. Zhang Liao listened to the sound and glanced at the captain of the guard.

The captain of the guard smiled awkwardly and stepped aside.

Zhang Liao didn't care about the captain's slapping and letting him go, but waved his hand and said, "Sit down."

"Do you know why I have to punish you by slapping you in the face first?" Zhang Liao asked the guard who was slapped in the face.

"Because... my words were inappropriate..." the guard replied.

Zhang Liao nodded, "Yes and no. I slap you in the face to punish you, but also to protect you! I've punished you in this tent, and the matter is over. Otherwise... if I send you to Pang Lingjun's central army tent, what do you think will happen? At least twenty military sticks will be given, right?"

The guard sniffed and finally lowered his head, "Thank you, General..."

Zhang Liao said with some emotion: "What I am most afraid of is not the punishment, but just leaving it alone... until when..."

Putting things on hold is the customary practice of feudal dynasties.

This was particularly prominent in the Ming Dynasty, because the Ming Dynasty was so unique. The emperor would keep the memorial in his palace, and it might be issued in a few days, a few years, or even a dozen years, or even a lifetime...

Once the memorial left in the central government is issued, it will be like an overwhelming storm and thunder!

Zhang Liao was afraid that Pang Tong would not take action, and he was also worried that Fei Qian knew the truth but would not talk about it.

"This is a good thing, understand?" Zhang Liao said in a deep voice.

"How can this be a good thing?" The guard still didn't understand.

Zhang Liao couldn't help but laugh and shook his head, "It seems like you got slapped in the face for nothing... You haven't made any progress..."

The guard was confused, but the captain of the guard beside him seemed to understand something, "General, according to what you said... Pang Lingjun's side..."

Zhang Liao nodded, "So... before you said bad things about Pang Lingjun... Should I also arrest you one by one and punish you for false accusations?"

"How can this be the same?" One guard disagreed with Zhang Liao's statement.

A few days ago, when Pang Tong did not deal with Ma Yue on the spot but sent Ma Yue to Fei Qian, Zhang Liao's guards were discussing that Pang Tong was partial, disregarded loyal and good people, believed in slander, and whether he wanted to harm meritorious officials, etc. Even though Zhang Liao stopped them and did not say it openly, they were still muttering behind their backs.

"If I hadn't stopped you two days ago..." Zhang Liao pointed at the people who had been muttering bad things about Pang Tong behind his back, "and what you said was heard by others, spread out, and made a big fuss...what would have happened?"

"How can they be the same?" The guard still couldn't understand, "I was just saying it casually... I didn't take it seriously..."

Zhang Liao's smile slowly faded, and his brows gradually stood up. "What others say is slander and beasts, but what you say is just casual talk and you don't take it seriously? My place is small, I'm afraid it can't accommodate a great god like you!"

The guard then realized the problem and quickly fell to his knees and slapped himself, "Damn it... I didn't mean it... I take back what I said before..."

The captain of the guards at the side also stepped forward and kicked the guard on the buttocks, "You are such a grown man, but you can't control your mouth! If you keep talking too much and imitate those gossipy women in the market, I will peel off your skin and make you go to the market to fetch water and gossip with those women!"

Zhang Liao sighed, his eyebrows gradually lowered, "Trouble comes from the mouth... If you take back what you said, it will be fine... Back then... Oh, forget it, get up, remember, if there is a next time, it will not be me who is ruthless... You think you are just talking, or others say that you think you can say it, these ideas are all wrong... You must know that public opinion can melt metal..."

As they were talking, there was suddenly a noisy sound outside the big tent, coming from far away and approaching with a sound of laughter and rustling.

Zhang Liao was stunned, "What's the commotion?"

A guard ran out of the tent and came back quickly, "General...he, General Ma, is here with a bramble on his back..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao immediately stood up and walked out of the tent.

As soon as I walked out of the tent, I saw Ma Yue, bare-chested, carrying a bramble on his back, walking slowly with his head lowered on the road between the tents in the camp. On both sides of Ma Yue, behind him, was a group of soldiers following and surrounding him, like a group of spectators who had seen someone fall or jump off a building.

Some were laughing, some were pointing, some were chattering, and some were silent.

When some people saw it, they shook their heads and walked away, while some people who were about to do something put down what they were doing and gathered around.

People eat five kinds of grains, but they come into a hundred different forms.

Ma Yue's head was buzzing, and the sounds around him were like waves, hitting him in the face.

The cold north wind blew on his exposed skin, and soon he began to shiver uncontrollably.

He tried hard to stop himself from shaking and not to appear timid because of shaking, but this body's instinctive reaction would not be changed by his will.

It was like he couldn't control the mouths of the soldiers around him.

Even though many of these soldiers were cavalrymen he led back then...

He stepped on the ground and felt it was uneven and light, just like he was stepping into a muddy swamp.

why?

He was indeed wrong.

But why did he get one thing wrong, as if he got everything wrong?

Could it be that those people will never make mistakes in their entire lives, and if they make a mistake they will immediately destroy themselves?

As for the soldiers he had taught before, they were either silent or jumped up and shouted the loudest...

Why is this again?

Ma Yue is not a smart man, he can't figure it out.

He was wrong and he came to admit his mistake.

"The criminal Ma Yue..." Ma Yue was shaken when he saw Zhang Liao, but soon lowered his head and prostrated himself on the ground, "I apologize to General Zhang... Please punish me..."

Zhang Liao rushed forward a few steps, stepped forward and grabbed Ma Yue. He was startled when he touched him, and quickly pulled off the thorns on Ma Yue's back and threw them aside. Then he took off his cloak and covered Ma Yue with it, "Brother Ma, there is no need to be like this! It's just some quarrels... There are times when there are quarrels between lips and teeth. If we make it clear, everything will be fine... You are so cold, come, come to my tent and warm up!"

Ma Yue smiled bitterly, "It doesn't matter... I'm going to the snowy area... It's better to get used to the cold sooner... I'm guilty..."

"You are not guilty! You just made a mistake!" Zhang Liao frowned and said, "Brother Ma, I am still standing here! You just made a mistake! Even if you are guilty, you can still make meritorious contributions, let alone just a mistake? You didn't commit a crime! Don't talk about crimes anymore!"

Ma Yue's eyes turned red, "General Zhang..."

"Just call me Wenyuan!" Zhang Liao pulled Ma Yue, "Just like before, call me Wenyuan! Come on, let's talk inside the tent!"

Ma Yue stopped and shook his head, "I... am ashamed... I really don't have the face to come here again..."

After saying that, Ma Yue saluted again and staggered away.

The soldiers standing around were chattering.

"What are you pretending to be?"

"This person deserves to die..."

"How dare you speak ill of General Zhang..."

"General Zhang is a great hero! To speak ill of General Zhang is to commit treason!"

"Is it okay to just apologize now? It's not that easy..."

Zhang Liao listened, anger gradually gathered on his face, and he shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about! Are you all blind? General Ma just came here shirtless, didn't you see the scars on his body? ! General Ma is also a meritorious person! General Ma said something wrong, and he took the blame! What are you doing and talking about? ! Assholes! Disperse immediately! If you gather and make noise again, you will be severely punished!"

Some soldiers had already left, but some were unwilling to give up and did not dare to approach. They just opened their mouths and shouted from a distance, "General Zhang, we are fighting for your justice!"

In fact, it is the same in any era. Those who clamor for trouble are actually a small number of people, but this small number of people will always talk about "us" every day...

"If you keep making noise, you will be beaten with forty military sticks!" Zhang Liao shouted angrily, "If you don't retreat!"

Seeing that Zhang Liao seemed to be serious, those soldiers left in disappointment.

Zhang Liao watched these soldiers leave, but his brows did not relax, but instead became even more furrowed.

"General?" said the guard standing nearby, "They mean well..."

"Good intentions?" Zhang Liao frowned. "Do you really think they have good intentions? If I remember correctly, some of the soldiers who insulted General Ma were trained by General Ma..."

"Huh? This......"

Zhang Liao turned around, "I'll go find your Lord..."