Thief Emperor

Chapter 719 New Year, New Battle
The fifth year of Zhaoding, New Year’s Eve.

In the headquarters of King Wu in Chenzhou, Li Yun looked at the documents sent from Jinling, read them quickly, then put them aside and shook his head slightly.

Lao Jiu, you have been working as a spy for too long, and your style of doing things has become somewhat radical and sinister.

However, it must be said that this style of action is very efficient and useful. It has suppressed all the trivial matters in the old village.

There will be no more changes in the short term.

Of course, this matter may be a big deal for the Li family, or for Li Yun himself, but for the entire Jiangdong, it is just a small matter.

It doesn't matter.

Even Du Qian didn't take it seriously, thinking that this matter was dispensable.

However, it is worth mentioning that Du Qian has already met his adopted brother.

That is to say...

Li Yun looked out the window and understood.

He didn't know about others, but based on his understanding of Du Qian, Du Qian should have known his background very clearly by now.

This matter actually has some hidden dangers, because.

At this point, he knew clearly that Li Yun was a bandit in the past, and must have committed robbery, so the close relationship between him and Li Yun was likely to have a crack.

After all, Li Yun had no way to explain to him what "time travel" was.

He inherited some of the "power" and a little bit of military force from the former Li Mazi, so everything that man did in the past would be blamed on him.

Li Yun had already figured this matter out as early as when he was trying to snatch Xue Yun'er. He still has some sense of responsibility and will not shirk his responsibilities.

Thinking of this, Li Yun looked at the documents sent by Jiusi again, and then threw them into the brazier to keep warm.

At this time, there was a knock at the door, and Meng Hai's voice came: "Sir, General Chen is here."

Li Yun nodded and responded, "I understand. Let him in."

Meng Hai nodded and was about to leave, but he stopped and turned back to Li Yun and bowed, saying, "My Lord, have a happy New Year's Eve."

Li Yun was startled, looked up at him, and laughed: "It's rare that a dull guy like you can speak. Happy New Year's Eve, Happy New Year's Eve."

Meng Hai lowered his head and smiled, "In fact, I have always liked to talk, but in the first few years after I took office, my family went through a big change, so I didn't talk much."

"In the past few years, thanks to the grace of the superior, the family has recovered."

"OK OK."

Li Yun waved his hand and said, "Today is New Year's Eve, you don't have to work so hard, go back and rest, come back later, Chen Da is here too, let's have a drink together, and celebrate the New Year."

If it were in the past, Li Yun would not be in Jinling at this moment. Of course, he would be in the army and celebrate the New Year with the soldiers of the three armies. However, at this time, there is only his guard camp and two or three captain camps guarding here in Chenzhou. After the New Year, he can just go around the army. There is no need to celebrate New Year's Eve in the army.

Tonight, it is estimated that Chen Da, Yang Xi, Meng Hai and other close friends of Li Yun will celebrate the New Year with him.

Meng Hai responded and left with a smile.

Not long after, Chen Dabian knocked on the door and walked in. As soon as he came in, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "Happy New Year to the Lord."

Li Yun helped him up and scolded him with a smile: "You are making trouble."

Chen Da stood up with a big laugh, brushed off the dust on his pants, sat down next to Li Yun, and said with a smile: "After receiving the letter from the superior, I rushed here at full speed without any delay. Finally, I arrived in front of the superior before the end of the year."

At the end of the year, Li Yun didn't have many close friends around him. It happened that Chen Da was recruiting soldiers in Yuzhou near Chenzhou, so Li Yun sent him a letter and transferred him over.

Let’s spend the New Year together.

Humans are social animals. As the year draws to a close, with few close friends around us, it's inevitable that we feel lonely.

Li Yun personally poured him a cup of hot tea, handed it to him, and said with a smile: "How long have we known each other?"

Chen Da took the tea, bowed his head and counted, then said: "I met the superior in the spring of the third year of Xian De. From the year of Xian De to the change of the reign title in the fifth year of Xian De, it will be exactly eight years after this year."

Li Yun nodded and said, "Yes, I was 20 years old that year, this year..."

He sighed, "I'm already twenty-eight years old."

Chen Da looked at Li Yun and said with a smile: "In the past eight years, the position has been completely changed."

Li Yun shook his head: "That's because you don't have much experience. I know a man who, in just eight years, went from being almost a nobody to starting a business and became an emperor, a great achievement that will last forever."

Chen Da drank a cup of tea and shook his head, saying, "Then it's almost time to get promoted. According to our current progress, it will take at most ten years for us to get promoted."

He chuckled and said, "When the time comes, we brothers will accompany you back to Qingyang. When the people in Qingyang see you and us, they will probably be so envious."

Li Yun also laughed when he heard this.

Men’s hobbies are all similar, and the biggest hobby among them is probably returning home in glory.

Mr. Li’s “hometown” is in the mountains. He doesn’t know many people there, so it’s not much fun. But he does have quite a few acquaintances in Qingyang County, so he can really go back and visit them when the time comes.

Speaking of Qingyang, Li Yun recalled an old story and said with a smile: "Speaking of which, when our brothers were on duty in Qingyang, Li Zheng fell in love with the girl from the restaurant next to the government office. He hesitated for half a year and didn't dare to tell her." Chen Da's eyes lit up: "I didn't know anything about this. Which family is she from?"

"It was Huixianglou or something else. It's been so long that I can't remember clearly."

Li Yun smiled and said, "Ask Li Zheng next time you see him. He should remember it clearly."

"Later, when I learned about this and was about to speak for him, the girl had already been promised to someone else. When I returned to Qingyang to marry my wife, the girl was already married."

"what a pity."

Chen Da shook his head and said, "If I marry General Li, my whole family will live a good life in the future."

"You can't say that."

Li Yun said calmly: "Maybe the girl married someone she likes. Maybe her life is worse than that of a prince or general."

Chen Da shook his head: "The one who got to the top has never had a hard life."

"I vaguely remember that girl. She has been helping her parents run a shop since she was young. How can she marry into a good family?"

At this point, Chen Da said, "Eight years have passed. When General Li returns to Qingyang in the future, it will be a different experience if we meet again."

Li Yun lowered his head to drink tea, and was dumbfounded when he heard this: "You speak so elegantly, kid. Have you been studying for a few years?"

"Study, of course you have to study."

He looked at Li Yun and said sincerely: "You don't know, but more and more people are emerging in our Jiangdong Army."

"There are more and more characters, some of whom are very powerful and are both civil and military."

Chen Da stood up and poured tea for Li Yun, saying, "If we don't study hard, we won't be able to do this job. We will have to go back to our hometown to farm."

Li Yun smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, "Then take advantage of the fact that those people haven't shown up yet and recruit them under your command. Since ancient times, scholars have recruited students and military commanders have recruited adopted sons."

"Have you adopted a son, kid?"

Chen Da was a little embarrassed, and lowered his head and said, "I didn't accept it, but there were a few rascals who followed me and called me godfather."

He went on to say, "If the superiors are not happy, I will explain it to them when I return and transfer them to another place."

Li Yun shook his head slightly: "I want to cling to your thighs."

"You have followed me for so many years, it's time for you to have some power of your own, but I have something to say, you must remember it."

Li Yun warned: "Don't overdo anything. Those who follow you must also be well disciplined. If you don't discipline them well, they will get into trouble in the future."

"I'll deal with them, don't protect them."

"Don't get angry with me."

Chen Da forced a smile on his face: "What are you talking about, my lord? Even if I die, I won't dare to be angry with you."

"We are family, old brother, that's why I'm telling you this."

Li Yun said softly: "I never tell these things to others. I just wait for their subordinates to commit crimes in the future and then kill the chicken to scare the monkeys."

Chen Da was awed in his heart, and bowed his head slightly, saying, "I have taken note of what the superior said."

Li Yun said "hmm" and smiled, "Take a break, I'll call Yang Xi and the others, and we'll drink together."

Chen Da responded: "Okay!"

…………

While Li Yun was drinking in Chenzhou, Zhao Cheng had already led his troops to explore Xiayi, Songzhou.

As the scouts went deeper, they soon saw someone rushing into Zhao Cheng's army. After entering the general's tent, he knelt down in front of Zhao Cheng with a plop, bowed his head and kowtowed, saying, "General, there are a large number of Shuofang troops stationed in Xiayi. A rough estimate is that there are about two thousand people."

"Except for Xiayi, there should be nearly 10,000 Shuofang troops in the entire Songzhou!"

The messenger paused and whispered, "Besides, the Shuofang Army must have discovered our army!"

“They are moving on a massive scale!”

Zhao Cheng frowned slightly when he heard this.

"I see. Report back if you continue to investigate."

After sending the messenger, Zhao Cheng called his subordinates and ordered, "Tell the army to retreat and communicate with the Nine Departments to have them contact General Su to see what's going on in Xuzhou."

"Report immediately as soon as you have any news."

The subordinate bowed his head deeply.

"I obey my orders!"

(End of this chapter)