When Lao Li said this, he paused and lowered his voice, "Lu Fengshou didn't believe that the two generals would secretly withhold food and wages, but he was hungry every day and he couldn't help but think about it. No, the military supplies will arrive this year. When Lu County was handed over, he risked being slapped with a military stick and followed secretly, but as a result, he never came back..."
After hearing this, the companion was surprised and said: "I wonder why every time the imperial court transports grain and grass, the general specially sends people to Lu County to hand it over, instead of sending it directly to our Huangshaling. If there are no tricks in Lu County, Lu Fengshou will not be able to harvest it. As for being executed on the spot.”
"That is to say, there is something fishy about this matter. Before Lu Fengshou left, he told a few close friends about the matter. If something happened to him, some people would naturally become suspicious."
"There is another thing that is very strange. Although the people who go to hand over the food and fodder are rotated every time, they are all the general's direct subordinates... Is it possible that our food and salary are really being deducted?"
It is not uncommon to deduct military pay to enrich one's own pockets. During the late emperor's time, the imperial military pay was escorted all the way to the border and even had to be skinned by local officials in the places they passed. After the current emperor ascended the throne, he focused on rectifying this matter and slaughtered them ruthlessly. Only the cysticercids that ate military pay reduced this trend.
However, not long after such good days, the soldiers stationed in Huangshaling found that their food and salary were getting less and less. From the initial seven-percent full to half-full, they could only drink one water a day.
The soldiers complained and became increasingly dissatisfied with the imperial court.
After that, Mu Rencheng began to use his own money to subsidize the soldiers, but he could only give them half a full meal every day.
However, even so, it still played a role in winning people's hearts, and many soldiers were devoted to Mu Rencheng.
"It's hard to say. The wool comes from the sheep. Maybe the so-called 'private self' was just our wages in the first place!"
"That's all. What else did you say in Nanying last night?"
Old Li asked in surprise: "What else is there?"
"It is said that some food and wages were smuggled to Huolonggou."
"Fire Dragon Valley?"
After passing Huolonggou, it is the boundary of Chongnan...
The two were silent for a moment, exchanging glances with each other, unable to calm down in their hearts.
At this time, many people in Huangsha City were secretly discussing food and salary matters, and some even got more secretive news.
"I heard that General Mu has been secretly meeting a mysterious woman. The woman speaks Chongnan Mandarin!"
"What's all the fuss about? We have many Chongnan people coming to stay in Dajing. It's not unusual for the general to secretly keep a Chongnan woman as his wife."
"Why is raising an aunt so secretive?"
"A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a thief. Maybe... this is what the general likes?"
They were all rough men, and they spoke in a non-vegetarian manner. The people gathered around burst out laughing when they heard the words.
"I'm telling you something serious!"
The speaker was slightly angry. Everyone looked at me and I looked at you, and gradually stopped smiling.
"What, you mean, that woman is a craftsman?"
"The general is very cautious in his attitude towards that woman. If it was a detailed work or an outhouse, it probably wouldn't be justified, right?"
Someone stared after hearing this, "Are you afraid that you drank two ounces of horse urine and started talking nonsense?"
Everyone knew that the speaker was loyal to Mu Rencheng.
The suspicious man glared at him fiercely and sneered: "The general is so friendly that he won't mind you asking. Why don't you ask on behalf of the brothers?"
"Just go!"
"Hey! Why is this necessary!" Everyone tried to persuade him, pulling the man to stop him from doing whatever he did.
However, the man had listened to a lot of gossip these days and felt a lot of anger in his stomach. Today, he was so aroused that he made up his mind, "General, you are kind and generous, and you will never kill me just because I say one more word!"
After that, he left everyone behind and strode away.
Everyone looked at each other and sat down to drink in silence, not waiting for a result.
Similar things happened all over the city.
Nagasawa hid in the dark and said to his subordinates: "The heat is almost there, let Vice General Li get ready."
"yes."
*****
The atmosphere in Huangsha Pass suddenly became unpredictable.
Mu Qing and Mu Rencheng, father and son, sat opposite each other, their faces as cold as ice.
"Rumors are spreading in the city and the morale of the military is shaken, which is very detrimental to you and me."
Mu Rencheng frowned deeply, "Since someone started it, the military pay issue must have been exposed."
Mu Qing's expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to speak, a report suddenly came from outside the door, "General, Mr. Chen Qi wants to see you."
Mr. Chen Qi is the angry man in the wine shop just now.
Seeing that the two generals were there, he quickly saluted, "I've seen both generals."
"Come here at this time, but what's going on in the camp?"
Mr. Chen Qi usually speaks straightforwardly, but he is not a villain. He did not explain the people who were talking in the wine shop just now. He only said that he had seen Mu Rencheng secretly meeting a Chongnan woman and asked whether the woman was related to food and salary.
Mu Qing and Mu Rencheng looked at each other with twinkling eyes.
After a moment, Mu Rencheng asked in a gentle voice: "Did you see that woman?"
General Chen Qi could only make up lies, "My subordinates just happened to see it. Now there are rumors in the army, which is very detrimental to the general's reputation. I hope the general can give an explanation to the soldiers so that the morale of the army will not be shaken."
As a subordinate, he naturally had no intention of questioning his superior's position, but General Mu was always friendly to the soldiers below, so he might be able to give him an answer.
Mu Renguo was really lifeless, and Su Rong said: "This matter must be Chongnan's trick. I, the general, am not afraid of slanting shadows. It won't take long for the rumors to dissipate. You don't have to worry."
Mr. Chen Qi's brows relaxed when he heard this, "My subordinates already know that these people are all doing this, so that woman must have been raised by an adult to work in Chongnan..."
Upon hearing this, Mu Rencheng nodded quickly: "Exactly."
He looked at Mr. Chen Qi and said, "Don't let too many people know about this matter, otherwise this detailed work will be useless. Are you the only one who knows about this matter?"
General Chen Qi thought that those dogs should be relieved to know the truth. It is better not to tell them about it now, so as not to offend the general. Thinking in his mind, he said: "General, don't worry, only one of my subordinates knows about this matter. I promise that no one will mention this matter again.”
Mu Rencheng nodded and waved to him.
Mr. Chen Qi bowed his hands and turned to leave. However, the moment he stepped out the door, he suddenly felt a chill on his neck.
*****
In the dark night, the mountains are undulating and the road is blurry.
High on the city wall, two guards were chatting away.
The tall man said: "I come to a place like this, and I don't know when I can go back. I also want to find a wife as soon as possible and give my mother a fat grandson."
"Hey, you are really thinking about the long term and want to marry a wife. If we stay in a place like this, we might die one day. Which little lady will follow us?"
"Don't be so discouraged! We followed the general and stationed at Huangsha Pass. We fought against the enemy in Chongnan countless times. The casualties never exceeded a thousand people. We were able to beat the shit out of those cowards in Chongnan. Let's be smart and only need to leave one If you are destined, maybe you will be able to make a contribution at some time, and then you will be able to marry a wife!"
The short man shook his head dumbfounded: "Listening to what you said, fighting is just like playing."
"Hey, I heard that the enemy in the north would suffer tens of thousands of casualties every year against the enemy Beirong. Compared with us, it's just a joke!"
"When you say that, I'm a little surprised. Those chickens in Chongnan know they can't be beaten, but they still come to touch the tiger's butt again and again. Could it be that their balls are sore and they just come here to beat him?"
The tall soldier laughed for a while after hearing the words, and was about to speak when he saw a long string of torches suddenly appeared in the distance. He immediately became wary: "Look! These bastards in Chongnan really can't resist talking. You're staring at me here." Come on, I’ll tell Vice General Li!”
