weaving

Chapter 1343 No Blessing to Enjoy

July 14th is the eve of the Ghost Festival.

Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, looked at the rising morning star and could not help but recall the scene of himself and the sisters Liu Ying and Liu Yan visiting the Zhenwu Temple in the south of Dushikou City during the Zhongyuan Festival in the twelfth year of Chongzhen.

In a flash, more than three years have passed!

He put on a single piece of clothing and got out of bed, but just as he got out of bed, he saw his personal soldier, his adopted son Zhang Zhongkuan, coming to him and asking softly, "Father, it's still early, why don't you rest a little longer?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head and said softly, "I'm not sleepy at all. I won't rest. Don't disturb others. Just accompany me to walk around the camp."

Hearing his adoptive father say this, Zhang Zhongkuan hurried in tiptoe and helped him put on his clothes. Because it was chilly in the morning, he also put a crimson cloak on him.

Although Zhang Cheng did not want to alarm other people, when he walked out of the general's tent, he saw that his soldiers had already gotten up. They were doing their respective tasks in an orderly manner, but no one was whispering to each other, which made it seem very quiet.

Zhang Cheng smiled secretly and looked back at Zhang Zhongkuan. Although there was no blame in his eyes, he felt embarrassed and could only smile innocently.

In this way, the father and son walked all the way in the military camp. When they met some low-ranking officers and soldiers on the way, they all stopped and saluted him. Such things had long been commonplace in the camp. Although everyone felt honored to see the Marshal, it did not attract the attention of the generals and soldiers.

As he was walking forward, he suddenly ran into He Biao, the chief governor who was patrolling the camp. After greeting him, Earl Yongning asked him, "Master He, have you finished your official duties?"

He Biao saw him talking like this, and rolled his eyes at Earl Yongning, but still replied sternly: "Commander-in-chief, I have finished my inspection of the camp."

"Well, walk with me. I haven't talked to you for a long time."

He Biao's expression did not change when he heard this. He just waved his hand, signaling the soldiers behind him to step away so as not to disturb his conversation with Earl Yongning. Then he followed Earl Yongning's footsteps and accompanied him to the high platform not far away.

…………

Zhang Zhongkuan took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and distributed them to the four sergeants. Only one sergeant refused the cigarette he handed over and said with a smile: "Oh, Brother Kuan, it's good. It's 'Yun Brand'. It's a pity that we can't enjoy it."

"Old He, although 'Yun Pai' is good, you just don't have the good fortune to taste it."

Lao He raised his hand and wiped the slightly gray beard on his chin, and said with a smile: "Alas, there is nothing I can do. I injured my lungs when I killed the Tartars in Liaodong last year. I can't stop coughing when I inhale this magical cigarette. It's really hard for me."

Zhang Zhongkuan stopped joking after hearing this, and instead asked him with concern: "Brother He, your injury is not fully healed yet?"

Brother He smiled lightly and said in relief: "That's good, but from now on, I will no longer have any connection with Shenxian cigarettes. Even the 'Shaodaozi' that our brothers love the most cannot be touched."

"Ugh……"

Zhang Zhongkuan heard Brother He's long sigh and asked, "Brother, what's wrong with taking a bite?"

"I can't touch it, but if I take a puff, whether it's alcohol or cigarettes, I'll make you cough so much. I can't stand it... I really can't stand it!"

Seeing him like this, Zhang Zhongkuan took back the cigarette he had handed over, and lit it for the others first, and then lit his own cigarette. He then asked Brother He who was a little further away: "Brother, you were an eyewitness to the battle in Liaodong. In your opinion, how does it compare to the current battle?"

"hey-hey……"

Brother He smiled and asked him, "Didn't you also go to the Liaodong battle?" "That's different." Zhang Zhongkuan said regretfully, "I'm young and have been serving the commander-in-chief at the headquarters. I didn't have the chance to kill slaves!"

Hearing this, Brother He's eyes were filled with solemnity, and he said in a deep voice, "In war, blood must be shed, and death is a common thing. We are lucky to be alive and well. How many brothers have left their bodies in the bitter cold of Liaodong."

He turned his head and stared at Zhang Zhongkuan, saying, "If you ask me, the best thing would be not to fight. Each of us would get a few acres of land, a wife, children and a warm bed. That would be the best."

A pacification sergeant nearby said, "It's not us who want to fight. It's because Li Zicheng is a traitor who is not at peace. He is burning, killing, and looting everywhere, causing unrest in the five provinces of the Central Plains."

He finally said with great enthusiasm: "The commander-in-chief said, 'If we don't eliminate the thief Li today, he will become stronger in the future and the Central Plains will no longer be able to accommodate him. Then he might come to our hometown of Xuanfu to kill us.' Just think... How can we allow him to go wild in Xuanfu and threaten our parents, wives and children!"

"Liu Zhen, good job."

A bearded pacification sergeant immediately responded: "We must not let Li the thief go to Xuanfu."

Liu Zhen took a deep puff of his cigarette, which suddenly produced a large cloud of smoke, and said softly, "It's a pity that we are not in the camp and cannot rush to the battlefield to kill the bandits."

Brother He, who was a little depressed at first, was also infected by them and said in a deep voice: "Didn't Governor He say that we supervise the battle in front of the battlefield and reward and punish after the battle, which is the same as killing the enemy in the battlefield. We just have different divisions of labor on the battlefield, and there is no distinction between noble and humble."

The bearded pacification sergeant sighed and said, "Although this is true, I still feel that it is more exciting to go into battle and kill the enemy."

"Li Zhankui, you can't have such thoughts. If you have such thoughts in your mind, you will be distracted and may not be able to do a good job in pacifying the people."

Li Zhankui smiled awkwardly and said, "Yes, Captain He's teaching is correct."

Brother He's name is He Zhenjun. He is a veteran soldier. He became a pacification soldier after the Liaodong War and is now a squad leader.

He comforted Li Zhankui with kind words, "Zhankui, just focus on the task at hand. If you really want to go to the camp, after this battle, we will go to the governor-general to plead your case."

Before Li Zhankui could say anything, Zhang Zhongkuan blurted out, "Brother He, please tell us about it, too."

He Zhenjun was stunned when he heard this, and he scolded him with a smile: "You are so lucky to be able to serve the commander-in-chief. We can't even ask for it. Why do you want to go to the camp?"

Li Zhankui also asked him puzzledly: "We go to the camp to kill the enemy in front of the battle, to fight for our own success. You are following the governor, and you are bound to succeed sooner or later. Why do you have to compete with us for the position of the camp?"

Seeing Zhang Zhongkuan's face full of grievances, He Zhenjun gently counseled him, "Brother Zhongkuan, you are still young, unlike Brother Zhankui, who wants to go to the camp as soon as possible so that he can kill the enemy and make a name for himself. Look at the few gentlemen who were beside the commander-in-chief in front. When they went to the camp, who of them didn't start as a colonel?"

Seeing that Zhang Zhongkuan seemed to have listened to him, he continued, "Now that you are following the commander-in-chief, you should not only study hard to learn how to lead troops in battle, but also not neglect your skills in killing the enemy on horseback or on foot. I think... within a year or so, all of you, the commander-in-chief's adopted sons and personal soldiers, will have the opportunity to lead troops in the camp."

Zhang Zhongkuan was speechless after being taught this lesson. He could only smile awkwardly and said, "We saw that Jin Tai and his men had all gone to the camp, so we also wanted to go to the front to kill the bandits for the commander-in-chief, so we came up with this idea."

He Zhenjun smiled and said, "Quickly stop this crooked idea and serve the commander-in-chief well. As long as you serve our commander-in-chief well, that will be the greatest achievement."

"Ok!"