Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 557 Welcome from afar
"What did you write?" Ding Baiying stopped. "If you want to know so much, why didn't you ask Marshal Hou Zhen when we were still in the training ground?"

"If I dare to ask Marshal Hou Zhen, why would I ask you now?" Ding Xiu rolled his eyes at Ding Baiying. "If you can't tell me, forget it!"

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Ding Baiying sighed softly, turned around and looked at everyone, and said apologetically, "My senior brother will be coming to Weining on business soon, so I asked Marshal Hou to stop all my work. I should be able to accompany you on this operation in Niumao Village."

"When will Captain Lu come to Weining?" Li Xian asked Ding Baiying with a smile, "I would like to pay my respects to this uncle-master."

"Don't yell, I'm not... Never mind," Ding Baiying said, not wanting to refuse. "I don't know. The official letter didn't specify it, it just said 'soon'."

"Master Baizong," Hu Zengshou moved to Ding Xiu's side and suggested quietly, "Why don't we change the time and wait until this 'soon' is over before heading to Niumao Village?"

"Are you scared?" Ding Xiu glanced at Hu Zengshou.

"I, I can't help but be afraid," Hu Zengshou said with a wry smile. "Among us, Master Ding is the most skilled martial artist. Without her, it would be like losing an arm."

During the camp's rest period, Ding Baiying patiently and voluntarily taught them many practical skills. Moreover, in any one-on-one duel, Ding Baiying almost never lost. Even the tallest and most powerful men with brute force could be defeated by Ding Baiying.

"Who knows how many days this 'soon' is," Ding Xiu said, continuing his pace towards the camp. "If Captain Lu returns in a month, won't we have to wait another month? Besides, if General Hou asks why we announced the operation but didn't take action, what do you want me to say? We've already prepared the food bags for the expedition." The General Hou Ding Xiu was referring to was Hou Gongji, the son of Hou Shilu and the commander of the hunting camp.

"Master Baizong, let's recruit more people," Yan Nian suggested. "Let's get a team of fifty."

Cui Laoliu's brows immediately furrowed, and he thought to himself: Twenty more people to share the money?

"Fifty people? Do you think she can defeat twenty of them alone?" Ding Xiu shrugged and smiled, raised his thumb and pointed at Ding Baiying with his backhand.

At other times, Ding Baiying would have fought back and taunted him, but at this moment, her mind was full of the scene of their reunion. She had no intention of joining in the conversation.

How should she face him? What should she say after meeting him? Ding Baiying didn't know.

"This..." Yan Nian was speechless. He thought for a moment before saying, "I originally thought thirty people weren't enough. Hu San mentioned earlier that those ranches were managed by a Niulu. But a Niulu has 300 men, and even if they were scattered across the ranches, each ranch would still have plenty of men. Furthermore, now that the bandits have withdrawn, the defenses in various locations will undoubtedly be even tighter. If we go with fewer people, we might end up walking into the tiger's mouth."

"It would be difficult to hide our whereabouts if there are so many people around, right?" Ding Xiu said.

"Fifty people isn't a lot, actually. We just need to pay attention to reconnaissance and advance slowly," Yan Nian said. "If we're discovered along the way, we can just retreat. This is better than advancing and finding it completely impossible to advance, and then retreating in a cowardly manner. And once we have more people, even if we can't reach Niumao Village, we can still attack some small villages along the way, or ambush the slave bandits' cavalry. I heard that those southern barbarians often do this, and they get quite a lot of rewards."

Ding Xiu was persuaded, but still a little hesitant. "But I've never commanded so many people before."

"Fifty men are nothing. You'll be a high-ranking official sooner or later." Yan Nian flattered him. "With the commander's order on your lips and the captain's badge in your hands, are you still afraid they won't obey?"

"Hmm!" Ding Xiu was quite pleased, but he kept a straight face and didn't raise his head. "If General Hou agrees to assign me more people, then I'll give it a try."

"How about that," Ding Baiying suddenly said, "I'd better go with everyone."

Hu Zengshou's eyes lit up, but he didn't say anything, just looked at Ding Xiu.

"Why?" Ding Xiu asked in surprise.

"I think we shouldn't ignore everyone just because of such a private matter." Ding Baiying said half-truthfully.

Yan Nian hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Ding Xiu again. He found that Ding Xiu didn't seem to realize the essence of the problem, so he said, "Master Ding, I think this is no longer a matter of whether you want to or not."

"What does Mr. Yan mean?" Ding Baiying tilted his head.

"Because what you just read was the official letter from the Jinyiwei asking the governor's office to send to the general's office." Yan Nian said tactfully.

"That's right!" Ding Xiu quickly understood the twists and turns here. "If you leave with us, I won't be able to explain to Marshal Hou. You'd better wait for Captain Lu in the city and don't cause trouble for everyone."

Ding Baiying's blood boiled and she was about to refute immediately, but before she could finish her words, her anger dissipated.

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The chirping of cicadas in early summer was suddenly cut off by the scraping sound of iron!

As the cavalry from the Weining Camp rounded another mountain pass, three whistling arrows suddenly rose from the opposite forest, startling birds. The next moment, the 120 light cavalry from Fengji Fort split into three groups: thirty on each wing, archers at attention, seizing the high ground, while the center, sixty, held muskets, blocking the narrow pass. This entire tactic was clearly a frontier troop's response to the Jiannu cavalry!
"Raise the flag!" Hou Shilu's loud shout caused the gravel on the mountain road to roll down.

The flag bearer jerked the reins and rushed out of the ranks, the golden banner emblazoned with the Chinese character "威" unfurling in the river breeze. The iron-clad copper hoop at the base of the eight-foot flagpole struck heavily against the grounded bluestone, sending out a few sparks.

The captain coming from Fengji reined in his warhorse thirty paces away, his breastplate heaving violently with his breathing. He gazed at the oncoming general's armor and called out, "I am Chen Qiao from Fengji Fort! May I ask if you are Commander Hou?"

Hou Shilu pulled the reins and steed his horse sideways, his iron-studded armguards deliberately clanging against the armor. "Captain Chen, what a grand display!" His eyes swept over the other man's still-quivering bowstring, and suddenly he tapped his own silver-studded saddle with his whip. "Could it be that they think our town is a band of robbers and bandits?"

"Retreat!" Chen Qiao shouted sternly. Then the men of Fengji Fort gradually gathered their guns and gathered together.

As Chen Qiao dismounted, his boots crushed a dead branch. Leading his horse, he quickly approached Hou Shilu, bowed, and said, "My orders were to escort Yuan Bingxian. I unexpectedly encountered Marshal Hou. I was overly cautious and rudely bumped into him. I hope you will forgive me."

"Haha," Hou Shilu said with a tolerant smile. "It's better to be vigilant. Captain Chen is innocent and can't be forgiven. No need to be polite."

"Thank you, Commander!" Chen Qiao bowed again.

"Where is General Yuan Bingxian? Please lead me to his presence," Hou Shilu asked. "Here is General Yuan Bingxian," Chen Qiao's voice was drowned out by the clatter of horses' hooves behind him. He looked back and saw the cavalry of Fengji Fort parting like a tide, revealing Yuan Keli and Lu Wenzhao, who were riding out, and the Jinyiwei surrounding them.

"I'm Yuan Keli, honored to meet Marshal Hou." As Yuan Keli rode forward, the mountain breeze lifted the outer hood of his green robe, revealing the hem of his mail mail. Lu Wenzhao, half a step behind, maintained a perfectly protective distance.

"I, General Hou Shilu, pay my respects to Yuan Bingxian." Hou Shilu first looked deeply at Yuan Keli. Then, as a gesture of returning the greeting, he quickly glanced at Lu Wenzhao.

The attendant's left hand rested on his sword, looking neither like an ordinary attendant nor an ordinary border soldier. However, Hou Shilu couldn't confirm whether this person was the Jinyiwei captain Lu who had mentioned in the official letter that he was looking for someone to reminisce about the past.

"Yuan Bingxian has worked hard on the journey. I am sorry that I was unable to come and greet you. I hope you can forgive me." Hou Shilu waited for a while, and seeing that the attendant had no intention of introducing himself, he began to speak politely to Yuan Keli again.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," Yuan Keli said with a smile. "Having Marshal Hou come to pick me up personally would actually make me panic."

"Why are you being so polite, Yuan Bing?" Hou Shilu said with a smile. "The governor's office has already sent a letter asking me to entertain you two well. How dare I neglect you?"

"You two?" Chen Qiao looked puzzled.

Yuan Keli was stunned at first, then startled. Then, an idea struck him. He looked behind him and called out, "General Gao Qian!"

The Beijing Camp's cavalry was indeed merely a facade. Even if it was just a false alarm, they had failed to coordinate with Chen Qiao's Fengji Fort cavalry, only to lose their composure. Even as Yuan Keli was giving orders, General Gao Qian was still frantically ordering the Beijing Camp's cavalry to gather.

"Here!" Gao Qianzong replied from a distance, and then handed the task of gathering the cavalry to the two captains leading the accompanying troops. He rode over, his face full of embarrassment and awkwardness.

"This is Captain Gao Qian from the Beijing Camp." Yuan Keli introduced him to Hou Shilu.

"I, Gao Yang, the commander of the left patrol of the Beijing Camp, pay my respects to Commander Hou!" Commander Gao Yang saluted and said, "I am sorry to see my soldiers behave so unbelievably."

"General Gao Qian, don't blame yourself. Soldiers who have never seen blood are all like this. It will be fine after a few defeats and kills." Hou Shilu was a shrewd man. He understood from the pulling and tugging that Yuan Keli was deliberately concealing the existence of the Jinyiwei from Chen Qiao.

But why did he hide it from Chen Qiao and then tell him specifically? Hou Shilu couldn't figure it out, and he felt his heart beating faster and faster.

"Yuan Bingxian," Chen Qiao said, looking at Yuan Keli and pointing behind him, "Since Marshal Hou has come here to welcome us personally, and the troops have regrouped, I will take my leave and return to the fort."

"Captain Chen, wait a minute." Hou Shilu gathered his composure and held out his hand in a mock attempt to stop him. His armored armguard gleamed coldly in the sun. "Since we've reached Weining territory, why don't you take the brothers back with me to camp for some mutton soup? The old goat, just slaughtered at noon, should be tender by now. It's delicious!"

Chen Qiao rubbed his thumb twice along the leather of the hilt. "I appreciate Marshal Hou's kindness. But if I go to Weining, I won't be able to return to Fengji today."

"Hey," Hou Shilu snorted, "Look at what you're saying. You were going to Weining anyway!"

"We are going to Weining, but Marshal Li won't let me stay overnight. If I don't return tonight, I will definitely be beaten with a stick tomorrow." Chen Qiao stroked the horse's mane and smiled. "I and my soldiers have already thanked you for saving us a lot of distance. I dare not bother you again."

Fengji and Weining were only sixty miles apart, connected by a smooth, paved road. For pure cavalry, as long as there were no obstacles and no stops, they could leave at dawn and return at dusk. But if they had to eat and rest for a while, they would probably have to return to camp under the full moon.

"You're too rigid!" Hou Shilu said, waving his hands in mock anger. "If you want to leave, leave now. Otherwise, I'll have someone kidnap you."

Chen Qiao smiled silently and saluted with his arms, "Yuan Bingxian, Hou Zhenshuai, Gao Qianzong! I'll take my leave now, take care!" The armor plates vibrated with the shaking, making a jingling sound.

"Take care!" Yuan Keli, Hou Shilu and Gao Yang returned the greeting, and Lu Wenzhao also bowed silently.

Shortly after Chen Qiao returned to the ranks, the left cavalry of the Beijing Camp, which had finally completed its formation, also emerged from the cavalry of the Fengji Biao Camp, which had separated on the left and right. They passed through a sea of ​​contempt and mockery, and no one dared to look up or back.

"Shame on you!" Gao Yang blushed, not daring to look up. Even so, Yuan, Hou, and Lu didn't show any special expressions.

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The bright sun approaching noon dyed the Taizi River into red gold, and the three riders rode side by side, crushing the mottled light and shadow on the mountain path.

Hou Shilu walked on the left, his black armored beast-eating robe gleaming darkly in the sun; Yuan Keli was in the middle, holding the reins, the chain mail under his green robe rose and fell with the horse's back, making a rustling sound; Lu Wenzhao walked half a hoof behind on the right, his coarse cloth sleeves lifted by the mountain wind, revealing the cowhide wristband lining.

Directly in front of the three men, the brave cavalry under the command of the Weining Battalion General were arrayed in a flank formation. Even in the relatively safe zone between the two towns, their reins remained perpetually resting on the bowstrings. Every hundred steps, two cavalrymen would automatically break away to seize the commanding heights, returning to their formation only after the majority had passed.

The 120 soldiers of the Beijing Camp huddled behind the three men, as if they were protected by the Jinyiwei in the middle and the cavalry of the standard camp at the rear.

"The strong man next to Yuan Bingxian should be Captain Lu, right?" Hou Shilu turned his head to look at Lu Wenzhao with a smile on his face.

Yuan Keli was about to respond when Lu Wenzhao had already turned sideways, facing Hou Shilu. "Your humble servant Lu Wenzhao, I pay my respects to Marshal Hou!"

"Looking at Captain Chen's expression earlier," Hou Shilu asked with a smile, "the people in Fengji Fort probably don't know Captain Lu has also come to Liaodong, right?"

"You probably don't know yet, right?" Lu Wenzhao glanced at Yuan Keli, who nodded silently.

"In other words, Captain Lu came here specifically to intimidate me?" Although Hou Shilu was confident that he had not committed a crime so serious that the Jinyiwei had to be sent to arrest him, a look of panic could not help but flash across his eyes at this moment.

Hou Shilu's tone remained normal, his expression barely changing. Yet, Yuan Keli could easily sense the alarm Hou Shilu felt at the sudden arrival of the imperial guards. He explained, "Captain Lu didn't come to Weining specifically. His mission was simply to accompany me to my new post. He passed through Weining simply because I insisted on heading north to Shenyang."

(End of this chapter)