The Prodigal Son

Three days later, on the morning.

After all the soldiers finished their basic drill training, it was time for them to eat.

Although Yuan Dingguo and his men mixed the veterans of the Wudang Flying Army with the surrendered soldiers of the Flying Tiger Cavalry, the two sides did not get along.

During the meal, the veterans of the Wudang Flying Army gathered together, while the surrendered soldiers of the Flying Tiger Cavalry gathered on the other side.

The two sides seemed to be clearly divided.

As a group of surrendered Flying Tiger Cavalry soldiers were eating together, Wei Shao, who had just been promoted to the rank of Thousand General for his military achievements, passed by them carrying his meal.

Watching the surrendered soldiers of the Flying Fang Cavalry wolfing down their food, Wei Shao couldn't help but sneer, "A bunch of gluttons! They eat a lot, but on the battlefield, they're all spineless cowards."

"What did you say?"

Wang Jing, a thousand-man general of the Flying Fang Cavalry who had surrendered, suddenly raised his head and stared fiercely at Wei Shao.

In the past few days, Wei Shao has provoked them quite a bit.

He'd disliked Wei Shao for a long time!

Meeting the other person's gaze, Wei Shao immediately became annoyed and raised his voice, "Are you deaf? Did I say you guys are good-for-nothings? Try yelling at me again!"

"So what if I yell at you?"

Wang Jing suddenly stood up, his gaze towards Wei Shao becoming even more ferocious.

Fuck your mother!

Wei Shao suddenly dropped the bowl in his hand and kicked it hard.

Bang!

Wei Shao couldn't dodge in time and took a kick from Wang Jing in the waist.

Wei Shao couldn't stand this insult and immediately pounced on him again.

Seeing the two men start fighting, a Ning soldier immediately shouted, "The surrendered soldiers have rebelled! Brothers, help them!"

With a loud shout from the soldier, a group of veteran soldiers of the Wudang Flying Army who were nearby rushed forward without even eating.

"These Ning people are trying to bully us because they outnumber us! Brothers, follow me!"

A surrendered soldier from the Flying Fang Cavalry shouted.

In an instant, several surrendered soldiers of the Flying Fang Cavalry also rushed forward.

"Get them!"

"Give it your all!"

"I've disliked them for a long time..."

The two sides already had grudges against each other, and this was like igniting a powder keg.

Soon, the two sides were locked in a fierce battle.

As the fighting broke out, more and more soldiers from both sides joined in.

What started as a melee of a few dozen people gradually escalated into a melee of several hundred.

Just as more people were preparing to join the melee, a loud shout suddenly rang out.

"stop!"

Hearing Liang Hongqiao's loud shout, the soldiers who were about to join the melee stopped.

But the people fighting together seemed not to hear her voice and continued to fight fiercely.

Liang Hongqiao flew into a rage, roaring menacingly at her personal guards, "Charge with me!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Liang Hongqiao immediately led a hundred of her personal guards on horseback and charged into the crowd.

"Thump thump..."

The rapid hoofbeats finally brought the soldiers, who were locked in a chaotic battle, back to their senses. Faced with the charging cavalry, they retreated and gave way.

At this opportune moment, Yuan Dingguo arrived with his men.

"Surround them completely!"

With a frosty expression, Yuan Dingguo ordered, "Tell them that anyone who dares to cause further trouble will be executed!"

"yes!"

As soon as Yuan Dingguo gave the order, a group of cavalrymen rushed forward and surrounded the two sides engaged in the melee, shouting in unison: "General Yuan has ordered: Anyone who dares to continue causing chaos will be executed!"

The crowd roared in unison, finally quelling the chaotic battle between the two sides.

Under Yuan Dingguo's strong military orders, the two sides in the melee finally ceased fighting.

However, the way they looked at each other became even more ferocious.

Yuan Dingguo stormed into the encirclement, his face frosty, and demanded, "Speak! What happened? Who started it?"

Faced with the enraged Yuan Dingguo, everyone lowered their heads.

"What, you dare to do it but not admit it?"

Yuan Dingguo coldly surveyed the crowd.

Wei Shao hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped out from the crowd: "General, it was Wang Jingxian and I who started this!"

Since Wei Shao had stepped forward, Wang Jing had no choice but to follow suit.

"Fine, you dare admit it! I'll consider you heroes!"

Yuan Dingguo stared coldly at the two of them. "Speak, what happened?"

Wang Jing, indignant, glared fiercely at Wei Shao, "General, he was the one who humiliated us first!"

Then, Wang Jing explained the whole story.

"is that so?"

Yuan Dingguo coldly questioned Wei Shao.

"yes!"

Wei Shao argued, "But this is not an insult, it's just stating the truth!"

"You think you're very capable, huh?"

Yuan Dingguo narrowed his eyes. "Men, drag Wei Shao away and give him fifty strokes of the military rod! Seize Wang Jing and give him a severe beating..."

"Hey, what's going on here? Why is it so lively?"

Before Yuan Dingguo could finish speaking, Qin Yu's voice suddenly rang out from outside the encirclement.

Yuan Dingguo's expression changed, and he quickly turned around, "Greetings, Commander Qin!"

"Greetings, Commander Qin!"

Everyone bowed in greeting.

"No need for formalities!"

Qin Yu raised his hand and gently pressed it down, looking at Yuan Dingguo with a smile: "What are you all doing? Why is it so lively?"

Yuan Dingguo dared not conceal anything and recounted the whole story in detail, then bowed his head and said, "This humble general has failed in his duty; please punish me, Commander Qin!"

"fine."

Qin Yu didn't seem to care. His gaze fell back on the overturned bowls of rice on the ground, and he said with a smile, "I think everyone's eaten quite well!"

"Therefore, everyone involved in the fight should go hungry for three days!"

"Let's have another match in three days, and I'll be there to watch!"

"Whichever side wins, I'll reward them with a year's worth of military pay!"

Qin Yu's face was full of smiles.

However, what he said sent chills down everyone's spines.

Should we starve them for three days before we start?

If you starve for three days, you'll starve to death. What's the point of fighting then?

Wei Shao steeled himself and stepped forward. "This humble general takes full responsibility for his actions! If Commander Qin wishes to punish someone, then punish this humble general alone!"

Wang Jing also stepped forward, "This humble general is also willing to accept punishment; please, Commander Qin, spare the others!"

"You think I'm negotiating with you?"

Qin Yu's face suddenly darkened, and he shouted sharply, "Yuan Dingguo!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Immediately lock all those involved in the fight together, give them only water but no food, and let them fight to their heart's content!"

"Your humble servant obeys!"

"Big Hammer, you personally keep an eye on them! If they see even a single grain of food within three days, I will hold you responsible!"

"yes!"

Qi Dachui accepted the order.

Yuan Dingguo glanced at the crowd with a dark expression, then waved his hand and shouted sternly, "Detain them all! Anyone who resists will be killed without exception!"

"yes!"

At Yuan Dingguo's command, all four hundred-plus soldiers involved in the brawl were apprehended.

Yuan Dingguo specially had a temporary large prison cell made of wooden fences. It had no roof or walls, and they were given some dry grass so that the nights wouldn't be too difficult for them.

At noon, more than 400 soldiers who participated in the fight were locked up.

At first, although neither side had the intention to fight again, the soldiers still looked at each other with fierce eyes.

But as night fell, neither side had any desire to be aggressive towards the other.

A cold wind howled past, and everyone hadn't eaten all day. Their stomachs were growling with hunger, and they had to endure the cold wind.

The two sides could only huddle together for warmth and to fight off the cold wind.

Liang Hongqiao returned the telescope to Qin Yu and suggested, "General Qin, shouldn't we have someone secretly send them some food? Otherwise, they might not be able to hold on!"

"No need! With their physical condition, they can definitely hold out for the night!"

Qin Yu gently shook his head. "Tomorrow night, have someone replace their water pouches with wine, and secretly send them some food! Remember, only for our people!"

Liang Hongqiao nodded knowingly: "This subordinate understands!"