The fiercest soldier of the border army

Tang Shun did not stop walking. The noise of the banquet hall behind him had long been left far behind, leaving only a deathly silence pressing down on him.

He knew that if he stayed any longer, the three of them might not be able to maintain their dignity, and he didn't want to escalate the situation to the point of no return.

Leaving gracefully after suppressing their arrogance can actually avoid some unnecessary trouble.

I hadn't gone far from the side hall door when I heard hurried footsteps behind me.

"Lord Tang, wait for us!"

Tang Shun stopped and turned around to look.

Li Changlin quickly caught up, the fine sweat on his forehead glistening slightly under the lamplight, but he didn't bother to wipe it away, only staring straight at Tang Shun.

Li Yingchu followed half a step behind him, her hair slightly disheveled, her cheeks flushed, clearly having jogged all the way, her chest still rising and falling gently.

Tang Shun chuckled lightly: "What, are you afraid I'll get lost?"

Li Changlin caught his breath, but his brows were tightly furrowed.

He stepped forward, lowered his voice, and said with some concern, "Lord Tang's words just now were easy to say, but they also offended many people."

He paused, then added, his voice filled with undisguised anxiety, "Those three are narrow-minded and wield great power in the government. When Lord Tang takes charge of Lingzhou in the future, he will likely face difficulties from these three."

Tang Shun didn't seem to mind, and simply smiled and replied, "Tonight's dinner table is indeed full of thorns."

"Pfft—"

Li Yingchu, who was standing to the side, found it amusing and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

When she smiles, her eyebrows and eyes crinkle, but as her gaze shifts, a gentle, tender affection emerges beneath that smile.

From the start of the banquet until now, her gaze has never truly left Tang Shun.

"Prefect Tang is quite adept at using metaphors. However—"

She tilted her head slightly, a few strands of hair brushing against her reddened earlobes, her tone light but concealing a burning passion only she knew:

"With your teeth, my lord, even the hardest thorns can't hurt you."

Li Yingchu's beautiful eyes were fixed on Tang Shun, almost without moving an inch.

"Speaking of which, Lord Tang really taught them a good lesson tonight."

Li Changlin's previous worries vanished, and his expression suddenly brightened.

He clenched his fists, as if he were venting Tang Shun's anger once again:

"Han Cheng was so angry that he almost crushed his wine glass, Zhou Xingsong dropped his chopsticks, and Lei Song was so restless that he couldn't even say a polite word."

Tang Shun nodded, his gaze calm: "Those who deceive others will only be deceived in return."

He looked up at the night sky, where a few stars hung forlornly.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered his past life.

Before enlisting, he was a student majoring in Chinese literature at university. Although he did not write poetry or prose, he was still quite skilled at seven-character couplets and cursing without using vulgar language.

Back then in the debate team, I could leave my opponents speechless with just my words.

Later, after joining the army, the sound of gunfire drowned out the sound of reading, and those literary skills were ingrained in my bones.

Picking up my old skills again today is just something I did on a whim.

"It is truly admirable that Lord Tang, who came from a military background, possesses such literary talent."

Li Changlin spoke sincerely, and halfway through his sentence, his eyes dimmed slightly for a moment before brightening again:

"I also come from a martial arts background, and I have always been inferior to them."

He gritted his teeth, as if chewing on years of humiliation he had swallowed. "Scholars talk about rules and elegance; a single sentence can condemn you as vulgar."

"Today, Lord Tang has avenged us warriors."

He felt a lump in his throat, a clear sign that the grievances a martial artist had suppressed for years were finally being rightfully voiced tonight.

Tang Shun waved his hand: "What literary talent? It's just some common sense from the streets and alleys."

"They mocked my ignorance, so I said they were short-sighted; they ridiculed the brainless warriors, so I said they were no better than doormen."

"The facts are there, and everyone can understand them."

Li Yingchu, standing to the side, said with great admiration: "Governor Tang is skilled in drinking games, able to outwit civil officials, capable of leading a hundred men against a thousand cavalry, and also possesses the ability to devise brilliant strategies to secure the country."

Her voice was clear and crisp; with each word she spoke, the light in her eyes grew brighter, and her admiration was undisguised on her face.

Rather than a compliment, it sounded more like he was stating something he had already decided: "Truly exceptionally talented."

Tang Shun shook his head, "Showing off at the dinner table is of little use."

"Those people have now lost face and will surely see me as a thorn in their side. In the future, they will only try to trip me up at every turn. In the long run, this is not a good strategy."

"Don't worry, Lord Tang."

Li Changlin's tone was resolute, as if he were issuing a silent military order:

"Even if you are far away in Lingzhou in the future, with my brother and I looking after you, those three will not be able to easily succeed in making things difficult for you."

Tang Shun was taken aback upon hearing this, and turned to look at him: "Brother and sister?"

Li Changlin smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:

"This is my fault. I forgot to mention that the General is my distant cousin, and we usually have some influence with each other."

Tang Shun then realized what was happening.

No wonder Li Changlin dared to defend him in public.

It turns out that it wasn't just about loyalty; there was another layer of relationship supporting it.

He felt slightly relieved, but didn't show it on his face, only nodding: "I see."

He could clearly see that when Li Changlin spoke these words, the fervor in his eyes not only did not diminish, but became even brighter.

"The mansion is just ahead."

Li Changlin pointed ahead to a courtyard with green tiles and high walls, "That's where the governor of Lingzhou stayed when he came to Tingzhou on official business. It's well-maintained and quiet."

"The commander has ordered that you go there to rest after you finish attending the banquet."

"Once the military commander is finished with his work, he will summon Lord Tang to discuss official business in Lingzhou."

Tang Shun looked in that direction and saw that the mansion was located on the east side of the street, with two red lanterns hanging high in front of the door and straight walls extending on both sides. It was indeed a respectable place.

This area of ​​streets and alleys was the residence of the powerful and wealthy. When he first came here, he stood at the street entrance and silently counted the plaques of each house, thinking to himself that this place was a gathering place for the powerful and wealthy, quiet and solemn.

At that time, he was just a squad leader, and even when he went to the mansion to hold meetings, he had to wait in the side hall and argue with a group of scholars.

Now, in the blink of an eye, he has a house here.

Life's twists and turns are truly wondrous.

"Please lead the way, Lord Li," Tang Shun said.

Li Changlin responded and led him along the street.

He deliberately slowed down by half a step, always protecting Tang Shun on his left side. His posture was so natural that he acted as if he were a subordinate.

Li Yingchu stopped in front of the mansion.

She lowered her head to straighten her wind-blown clothes, and when she looked up again, a faint smile was on her lips: "I won't go in, I need to go back and see Little Baozi."

She deliberately spoke in a light tone, but the word "little bun" was lowered, hiding a hint of disappointment.

Tang Shun nodded: "Thank you for escorting me this far, both of you."

She smiled, turned and left.

A night breeze blew by, and a faint fragrance seemed to linger at the alley entrance.

The mansion gate was already open, and two soldiers stood by the door with spears. Upon seeing Tang Shun arrive, they immediately knelt on one knee: "Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Tang Shun raised his hand to indicate that he should not stand on ceremony.

As soon as he stepped across the threshold, Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, Cheng Feng, and Zhu Hang were already waiting in the courtyard, all dressed in military uniforms, clearly having waited for a long time.

The four men clasped their hands in greeting: "Greetings, Your Excellency."

Tang Shun nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "You're all back?"

"They're back." Wei Zong stepped forward, his voice low. "The two people you brought today are locked up in the backyard."