knife

Chapter 51 How can this be called stealing?

Xiao Dongwei was very enthusiastic towards the Yuan brothers.

Talented people are welcome wherever they go.

Especially when these capable people are willing to become your partners.

The Yuan brothers were highly skilled in martial arts.

Their cultivation level of the seventh grade of Xuan Yuan has already surpassed Xiao Dongwei's level. Moreover, they are brothers, and with their combined swords, their level can rise to another level.

Xiao Cheqi was renowned outside the Great Wall, but that didn't mean he could attract more talent.

On the contrary, since everyone understood Commander Linghu's little schemes for Xiao Cheqi, almost all the capable and ambitious people went to Commander Linghu. Those who came to join Xiao Cheqi were true heroes who wanted to fight to the death with the Northern Yuan, the kind who didn't care about life and death.

On their way from Zhenwu City, Xiao Dongwei had already given the two brothers a general overview of Yuan'an City.

It is well known that Xiao Changche commanded three thousand cavalry.

However, this does not mean that Xiao Changche truly only had three thousand men under his command.

These three thousand men were cavalry.

To maintain the extraordinary combat effectiveness of these three thousand cavalrymen, the auxiliary troops serving them numbered as many as five thousand.

Of course, these 5,000 people were a mix of civilians and soldiers.

The funds allocated to Xiao Changche by the headquarters were far from enough to cover the expenses of this army.

But Xiao Changche had nowhere to seek justice.

Generally speaking, Linghu Ye was allocated military funds according to the imperial court's regulations. Although Commander Linghu often deducted funds from other troops, he never deducted funds from Xiao Changche's.

However, the funding is far from sufficient.

Therefore, Xiao Changche frequently used war to sustain war.

Whether it was suppressing bandits or crossing the border to rob the Northern Yuan, the main purpose was often to obtain enough money and food.

Even so, it was still not enough, and borrowing became a frequent occurrence.

This is how Li Dachui became Xiao Changche's creditor.

"Our three thousand cavalry have nearly ten thousand warhorses!" Xiao Dongwei said proudly. "We also have people specifically responsible for breeding better warhorses. Nearly half of our budget is consumed by these warhorses!"

"Three horses per person, that's amazing!" Yuan Rong exclaimed sincerely.

"The soldiers stationed inside the city aren't really soldiers; they're half-soldiers, half-civilians, taking turns on duty. When they're not on duty, they farm or do small business. Only these three thousand cavalrymen outside the city are the real warriors!" Xiao Dongwei continued, "Cavalry needs more space, so we don't station them inside the city. We've divided them into two large camps outside, which we habitually call the Left Camp and the Right Camp. The Left Camp has two thousand men, and the Right Camp has one thousand. The horse farm and other facilities are located in the Right Camp. The General resides in the Left Camp. We're going to see the General now!"

"Only after arriving beyond the Great Wall did I realize how formidable General Xiao's reputation is. To be honest, I'm still a little uneasy about it!" Yuan Rong said with a smile.

"General, you value talent," Xiao Dongwei said. "But if these two heroes truly want to fight against the Northern Yuan with us, then they are brothers in arms. What's there to be nervous about?"

"Does the general have any preferences or dislikes regarding his carriage? Could you reveal a little so that we brothers can avoid offending him?"

Xiao Dongwei thought for a moment and said, "No, really. Well, there's one thing I should mention: when talking to our general, don't praise anything about grandeur or anything like that. It's best to avoid those kinds of topics!"

"Understood!" Yuan Rong nodded.

Xiao Cheqi has a feminine appearance and probably hates being told that.

Braving the wind and snow, the group saw the military camp in the distance. Just like in the city, rows of mud-brick and thatched huts were surrounded by snow, but the area around the military camp was almost completely free of snow.

It must have been cleaned up by the soldiers, just like it was on the city wall.

The closer they got to the barracks, the more pressure Yuan Rong and his brother felt, as an invisible aura of menace permeated the area around the barracks.

Yuan Rong suddenly reined in his horse and looked at Xiao Dongwei, saying, "The Heaven-Slaying Technique!"

"Brother Yuan is indeed knowledgeable!" Xiao Dongwei laughed. "In the military camp, many people practice the Heaven-Slaying Technique. I imagine it's the same in the Chang'an Imperial Guard. I also practice this, but I'm not talented enough. I'm only at the sixth level of Qi Control so far. I don't know when I'll be able to break through to the Profound Origin level."

“Cultivating the Heaven-Slaying Technique requires focusing on killing intent and murderous aura. General, you have been fighting in the army for many years, so it is only a matter of time before you break through. However, I have heard that the Heaven-Slaying Technique has very obvious side effects. I wonder if you have considered this? As far as I know, very few of the high-ranking generals in Chang'an are practicing this anymore!” Yuan Rong said.

Xiao Dongwei chuckled: "I'm not qualified to think about that yet. The problem you mentioned will only appear when Fa Tian reaches the peak of the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan. I'm afraid I'll never reach that level in my lifetime, so there's no need for me to think about it at all." "Is the chariot and cavalry training the same thing?" Yuan Tong suddenly asked.

Xiao Dongwei's smile faded slightly, and he nodded, saying, "That's right, Cheqi is now at the ninth rank of the Profound Origin Realm!"

The Yuan brothers gasped in astonishment. At the age of twenty-five, they had already reached the ninth rank of the Xuan Yuan realm. Even Li Muyi, the military genius of the Qin Dynasty, was far inferior to them at that age.

Li Muye died before he was fifty years old, with a cultivation level at the peak of the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan. He died so suddenly, reportedly because of the Heaven-Slaying Technique.

This technique, which relies on the energy of killing, does indeed progress very quickly, but its harmful effects are also quite obvious.

Half an incense stick later, the Yuan brothers saw Xiao Changche again.

Just like the last time I saw him, Xiao Changche was like a long sword drawn from its sheath, exuding a chilling killing intent. Getting too close to him made it hard to breathe.

"I, Xiao, have always been eager to recruit talented people. I am extremely happy that you two brothers think so highly of me and have come to join the army," Xiao Changche said with a smile. "However, there are some things I must say first. As the saying goes, let's speak frankly. If you two can accept this, then I welcome you to join me. If you cannot accept this, you are free to leave, and we can still be good friends in the future!"

"Please speak frankly, cavalry!" Yuan Rong and his brother bowed in unison.

"You two were once chivalrous heroes of the martial world, used to a life of leisure and freedom. But the military is different. Military regulations are strict, and I, Xiao, am exceptionally strict in my military discipline. If you two cannot stand this kind of restraint, it would be better if you did not join the army!"

Yuan Rong laughed and said, "There are rules everywhere in life, and the martial world is no exception. No matter where you are, there is no absolute freedom. This time, my brother and I have broadened our horizons. After fighting the barbarians, we realized that it is meaningful for us martial artists to use our skills to protect our comrades. Therefore, my brother and I are not afraid of strict military regulations when it comes to chariots and horses."

"Excellent!" Xiao Changche clapped and laughed: "You two are at the seventh rank of Xuan Yuan, which is stronger than Dong Wei. However, there are rules in the army. Without military merit, one cannot serve as an officer and thus cannot command troops. Therefore, I can only ask you two to serve as my personal guards for now. Once you have made military merit, you will naturally be able to lead troops."

“Excellent!” Yuan Rong said, “My brother and I were just carefree wanderers in the past. We were good at being tough and combative, but when it came to commanding troops and fighting, we were completely clueless. Even if you were willing to give us troops, General, we would not dare to accept! You are a general who has fought a hundred battles. It is our great fortune to be able to learn from you!”

Yuan Rong was a man of the Jianghu (江湖, the world of martial arts and chivalry), and his flattery was so smooth and subtle that it didn't reveal any of his true intentions.

Xiao Changche laughed and raised his fist: "Since that's the case, then we're brothers from now on. There's a big thing to do right now, and with you two brothers joining us, our chances of winning will increase even more!"

The two brothers clenched their fists and bumped them with Xiao Changche's, then looked at each other and smiled.

The sound of the clapper at the third watch echoed through the streets.

Zhang Ruo pushed open the door and stepped out. The cold but fresh air invigorated him. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. Behind him, he heard the cheerful voice of Liu Yi, the magistrate of Yuan'an County: "Scholar is indeed a scholar. He handles these troublesome matters with ease. Haha, I thought it would take three to five days. The scholar has handled everything perfectly in the blink of an eye. I admire you, I admire you!"

"How long have you been serving as the county magistrate?" Zhang Ruo asked.

“It’s been almost two years. When the previous magistrate went out to inspect the area, he was beheaded by those damned Northern Yuan people!” Liu Yi said. “I unfortunately only studied in a private school for a few years before being dragged here by the cavalry to become this magistrate. Normally, being promoted would be a good thing, but all these complicated matters have really overwhelmed me. In the past two years, I’ve lost twenty or thirty pounds!”

"The headquarters did not send an official to take over?"

Liu Yi sighed, “Nobody wants to come to our place! Firstly, the cavalry is too strict, and secondly, there’s always the risk to your life. Just think about it, it’s only a few dozen miles away, and those barbarians are there! The cavalry can arrive in an instant, cut off your head, and run away. No matter how powerful the cavalry is, they can’t protect you.”

"You also practice martial arts?"

"I'm ashamed to say I'm just a novice, a typical case of being good at nothing and bad at nothing! It was completely unexpected that I could become a county magistrate. Xiao Dongwei said it wasn't that my ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke, but that they were on fire! It's a pity I don't even know where my ancestors' graves are, otherwise I would have gone to kowtow a few times and tell my ancestors that I've become an official!"

Zhang Ruo smiled and said, "You're actually quite good. Although you're slow at handling things, you're generally organized and logical. You're a very talented person. If you don't mind that I'm a criminal who's been sent to serve in the army, I can teach you a thing or two in the days to come!"

"That's great!" Liu Yi exclaimed with delight. "You don't know, I can't just not be a county magistrate, but even if I am, I sometimes get scolded by the officials for not doing a good job. If I can get away with being scolded less often, I'm willing to learn! Just wait for me!"

Before Zhang Ru could react, the magistrate turned around, crouched down, and slipped into the darkness. He returned a moment later with a chicken in his hand.

"What's going on?" Zhang Ruo asked, dumbfounded.

"I've taken one of the chickens raised by the cook at the county government office. If you're willing to teach me, then you're my master. I may not have anything else, but I can certainly treat you to a chicken!"

"A gentleman would not even eat food offered with contempt, let alone food stolen."

"So that's stealing? I'm the magistrate. If a magistrate takes a chicken from the county office, can that be considered stealing? Come on, come on, let's go back to my house. I'll make you a truly authentic beggar's chicken! I guarantee you'll eat so much you won't even know where your tongue went, hahaha!"

Zhang Ruo was dragged away by Liu Yi.

Looking at Liu Yi, who was smiling broadly, Zhang Ruo felt that the guy was happy because he could eat chicken in her name, not because he could have a teacher like her.

If a county magistrate is like this, then the financial situation of Yuan'an must be far beyond my imagination.

(End of this chapter)