It was getting dark and the rain was getting a little heavier.
The soldiers, who were sweating so much that they were so hot that they were shirtless after being poured down by the rain, were relieved of the sweltering heat and cheered. However, soon as the sky turned dark and rainy, the temperature dropped, and each one of them began to shiver.
If we continue like this, we will only fear that the cold air will enter the body... We have to find a place to camp. Zhu Chongsheng couldn't help but make suggestions. It is easy to get sick due to the wind and rain, and it will be painful if the dry food gets wet.
Lao Jiu frowned. In fact, he was marching while it was cool, but the rain was indeed a bit heavy. He knew that it would damage the troops and horses if it continued like this. Besides, there was no urgent military situation at the moment. He briefly discussed with Hao Yaoqi, He decided to set up camp and rest.
But where can I camp in this wilderness?
They are mobile special forces that focus on combat. They travel lightly with little luggage and even only a few tents.
"Report..., there is a village five miles ahead." Tan Ma came to report, and Lao Jiu decisively ordered an urgent march to camp in the village ahead.
The village is not big, with twenty-three households.
It was just getting dark, I had just finished eating, and I was taking advantage of this rainy day to hug my wife and go to bed for a discussion. Suddenly, there were chickens and dogs barking, saying that a robber had entered the village.
Of course he is not a robber.
In fact, Lao Jiu and Hao Yaoqi didn't want to enter the village and make the people panic. In fact, there was no place to camp and shelter from the rain, so they couldn't really just get wet all night.
Taking shelter from the rain under the eaves of ordinary people's houses?
Sorry, they can't be so forward-thinking.
Disturbing the people is unavoidable, but as Dongchang Guards soldiers and horses, they can absolutely do not loot, rob, kill many, and do not rape or commit adultery!
After a lot of confusion, the villagers finally settled down. It turned out that they were not bandits or bandits, but soldiers and horses of the imperial court, and they were a group of officers and soldiers with strict military discipline. They were just staying overnight to find a place to take shelter from the rain. .
But how can a small village with no more than twenty households accommodate more than a thousand soldiers and horses?
It's okay, there are still a few scattered villages a few miles south...
Lao Jiu waved his hand: "Jiu Guan, this village cannot accommodate your big Buddha. I occupy this land."
Hao Yaoqi cursed and led his troops to stay overnight in a nearby village. His Xiong camp had a thousand cavalry, which could not accommodate both men and horses. Unlike Lao Jiu's Wolf camp, which only had 300 cavalry, the village was small and crowded but could still barely accommodate them. Shelter, at least you don't have to be exposed to wind and rain.
But it’s so crowded!
Everywhere in the village that can accommodate a foot is full of people, under the eaves, in thatched sheds, in cowsheds, pig houses, and woodsheds. It can be said that every house that can accommodate feet is crowded with people.
Finally there was a clean place to stay. Lao Jiu lived in a relatively spacious house. He lit a fire to dry his clothes, and then he and Zhu Chongsheng stretched on the ground until late at night and slept in their clothes.
It rained all night, and it cleared up in the morning.
People who like to snore when sleeping usually have deep sleep. Lao Jiu is such a person, but Zhu Chongsheng next to him suffered a lot. He has a lot of worries and his sleep is shallow. You can imagine how much trouble he suffered when he was a prince in the past when he had such a loud snorer next to him. , he had already treated Lao Jiu like a pig and kicked him out of the house.
However, he was just a pawn now, holding a bowl under someone else's hand to eat. No matter how impatient he was, he could only endure it. He finally endured it until dawn and the rain stopped, and then he quickly got up and left the house. He saw the owner of the house busy in the kitchen and walked in to take a look. At first glance, he was making breakfast for them. He had some porridge and boiled eggs.
Zhu Chongsheng took out some broken silver and handed it over. The host waved his hands repeatedly: "I can't take it. How can I accept the silver from the military master..."
In their minds, there is no difference between soldiers and bandits. If they don't rob you or kill you, it's considered a high price. How can anyone give you money and dare to accept it?
"We are the Dongchang Guards, the emperor's personal soldiers. We have strict military discipline and will not loot or plunder, nor will we use needles and threads from the people in vain." Zhu Chongsheng handed the pieces of silver to the bewildered male host and shook him hard. hand.
The common man in the countryside had never heard of Dongchang Guards, but he knew about the emperor's personal soldiers. These words shocked and overwhelmed him. This was Jingzhou and Li Chuang's territory. The rebel soldiers did not have such good military discipline. If you try to get cards in the country, if you don't go according to your will, it will cause disaster or even annihilation of the family.
But why did the emperor's personal soldiers come here?
Although the rain stopped, the sky was still cloudy. At midnight, Lao Jiu got up and ate, but did not rush to order the march. The soldiers under his command were all drenched in the cold last night, and they did not sleep well all night. The soldiers and horses were all tired. Need to rest.
Eat well, drink well, sleep well, and have enough rest before leaving!
This also means that the soldiers and horses will officially camp in the village to rest, so the three hundred soldiers under his command ate hastily dry food and began to dig pits for stoves, build tents for camps, cut firewood, boil water and dry clothes... They were very busy. Make a deal.
Lao Jiu and Zhu Chongsheng rode south with a few soldiers, hoping to see how Hao Yaoqi had rested in the village over there last night.
It rained last night and made the wilderness muddy. Lao Jiu and the others held the reins and walked slowly to look at the surrounding scenery. After walking less than two miles, they looked at the wilderness to the west and saw numerous horsemen running wildly. They couldn't help but raise their eyebrows. They recognized them as outside spies. When something happened, he winked and several people galloped up to meet him.
"Report to your lord, the enemy has been spotted three miles ahead." The scouting horse recognized Lao Jiu from a distance of more than ten meters and shouted from afar.
Lao Jiu was startled at the sight of the enemy, and then he realized that they should be soldiers and horses from Jingzhou. I couldn't help but glance at Zhu Chongsheng next to me: "So fast!"
He had just entered the boundary of Jingzhou, which was only twenty or thirty miles away. He still had nearly two hundred miles to Jingzhou City, but the other party came so quickly. What a good guy, he was alert enough and strict enough.
Not so, Zhu Chongsheng expressed doubts. In doubt, Tan Ma approached him and asked carefully. Only then did he learn that a small group of more than 20 cavalrymen had been encountered in a village a few miles ahead. Tan Ma was alone. Without negotiating with the other party face to face, he rushed to warn him.
"They may not be Jingzhou soldiers and horses, maybe they are horse bandits and robbers." Zhu Chongsheng frowned and said, Lao Jiu snorted: "Jingzhou soldiers and horses are originally thieves, what's the difference?"
"The difference is huge. If it's just a chance encounter with bandits, but if it's Jingzhou soldiers and horses, it means they are well prepared or waiting for us." Zhu Chongsheng said solemnly: "If this is the case, this matter is difficult to solve."
"Fuck, I'm not a good person, why should I be nice to him?" Lao Jiu cursed with disdain on his face, and then said to a scout: "Go to the south and report the wine can. The rest of you will follow me to meet them and see which one it is." On the road."
"General, don't be careless. Don't act rashly if you don't know the depth." Zhu Chongsheng hurriedly stopped him. He only had seven or eight cavalry, and Tan Ma reported that the opponent had twenty or thirty cavalry. The disparity in strength was quite large, and if the opponent was Jingzhou soldiers and horses, they might not dare to do so. You are tampering, but if the desperate bandits on the ground don't follow the rules and come up to kill you, then who can you talk to?
Lao Jiu didn't take it seriously: "Scholar, if you are timid, just wait here for help. I can't bear it anymore." As he spoke, the reins shook, his legs clamped, and the horse flew away like the wind, followed by seven people behind him. Later, Zhu Chongsheng let out an ouch and chased after him: "How can I be called a scholar? The three-foot sword in my hand has also drank blood..."
"Damn it, you're so literate and you don't say you're a scholar." Lao Jiu cursed, and the entourage behind him cheered: "Scholar, hurry up and follow..."
