In the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion, all the drunken mess after yesterday's banquet has been cleaned up, and now it has returned to its original appearance.
It started to rain early this morning, and the hall looked a little gloomy at this time.
Onian and the two Dukes Nanton and Kasugi were discussing how to rush to the front line in front of the sheepskin map. The city guard, Feng Yu, listened without saying a word.
"According to your Majesty's military order, these soldiers and horses under our command should be stationed in Xituo City, but your Majesty, if you want to rush to the front line, how can you do it without a serious army to protect you?" Duke Nanton said in surprise, "Just rely on these unscrupulous soldiers. mercenary group, this is too dangerous."
"Yes, Your Highness, don't play with your own life." Earl Jishan persuaded him, then turned to look at Nanton and said: "The way I see it, we have brought 10,000 people this time, and we will share it in half. Your Highness, our remaining five thousand men are enough to defend against the enemy."
"I think it's okay." Nanton nodded and said, then glanced at Feng Yuan aside, "He still has five thousand defenders, and we have a total of ten thousand. As long as they are not the main force of Tingxiao's army, ordinary miscellaneous It is impossible for our army to capture Xituo City in the short term."
"There will be a decisive battle in two days. That Jiu Zhan should not divide his troops and come south at this time. I think ten thousand people are enough to defend the city." Ji Shan said.
Feng Yu nodded in agreement.
"Okay, I'll lead five thousand people to the front line of Yiling Bernard. I'll leave it to my two uncles and the city guards here in Xituo City." O'Nian saw that the two dukes said it sincerely, so naturally it was hard to refuse. . In addition, she originally felt that there was no need for so many troops in Xituo City.
"I will live up to your majesty and princess' trust." The three said in unison.
Onian nodded, and then started thinking about the map again.
"I know that His Highness is eager to go on the road, but I still have to tell His Highness something." Nanton glanced at Onian and said.
"Uncle Nanton doesn't need to see anyone outside." Onian came back to her senses.
"These royal cavalry followed the old minister and drove hard all day and night. Yesterday, there was another fight at the foot of the mountain. They were already exhausted. Although they rested all night, they may not have regained their fighting strength. Now His Highness has to march in a hurry again, and the old minister is worried about this. The people and horses will not be able to eat or live," Nanton reminded.
"Indeed, logically speaking, these people should have rested for a day or two before going on the road, but the current situation does not allow this condition." Onian said with a frown.
"Old minister, I have a way to shorten the journey by half a day." Jisugi said.
"Oh? Uncle Jisu wanted to talk about it." Onian became interested.
Ji Shan pointed at the map and said: "Look, Your Highness, if we walk north from Xituo City on a provincial road, then change to a small road and take the provincial road from New Yin to Yiling Bernard Castle, this is the way we came here. If we don’t rest along the way, it will take about a day and night. However, if we march northeast along the coastline, we can go straight to the south of the Mallord Plain, which can save about half a day."
Onian looked at the map and pondered for a while, "It seems that this is the only way to go faster. In this case, these five thousand people don't have to rush too much. After two days of marching, they should be able to arrive before the war starts."
"God bless our country, Your Highness will definitely be able to catch up." Duke Kasugi said with a smile, "Your Majesty is so powerful, and with the help of the princess, this battle will definitely be a success."
"Yes, yes, with the princess here and Master Piro, I don't believe those Tingxiao people have any chance of winning." Duke Nanton also laughed.
Feng Yuan nodded mechanically again, looking at the two smiling dukes beside him, he woke up from his trance, and a feeling of disgust and contempt arose spontaneously.
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At this time, the four young masters were gathering together and talking by the stone railing on the second floor.
"Why did it start raining so early in the morning?" Alvin watched the raindrops fall briskly in the hall, and the rich bamboo leaves were beaten up and down.
"Yeah. Maybe even God felt that our leader shouldn't abandon us, so he started complaining." Kaiba joked.
"Oh, it's not like you don't know that I can't resist my old father." Lai Wu said helplessly, "He rushed into my room last night and wanted to quarrel with me. I happened to When I was changing clothes, he saw the wounds on my body and immediately stopped allowing me to join any more mercenary groups."
Speaking of this, Laiwu sighed again, "Stop talking about it. We have been arguing for most of the night about the mercenary group."
"I love my son, that's understandable." Alvin said with a smile. However, he also knew in his heart that after the battle with An Yu Chen, Lai Wu had been suffering from various injuries. In order to save him and Onian in the battle the day and night before, Lai Wu was stabbed deeply in the shoulder. Alvin thought to himself, any father would feel distressed seeing such large and small wounds on his son's body.
"Oh, it means that if Laiwu doesn't go, you all have something to say. If I don't go, no one of you will mention it?" Chen Zhu said with an unhappy look on his face.
"I know that you were seriously injured by the knife from Conyu Chen. I can understand it." Alvin patted Chen Zhu on the shoulder and said.
"It's obvious that they are going to abandon us, why are you going to comfort them?" Kaiba looked at Alvin and asked.
"There's nothing I can do. I'm the leader now, so I have to deal with the situation." Alvin said with a wry smile.
Alvin also understood the severity of Chen Zhu's injury. In fact, the stab wound would not heal for more than ten days. But the blindly confident Alvin and Laiwu insisted on fighting those tens of thousands of Tingxiao people, and Chen Zhu also endured injuries for the sake of his brothers. It is reasonable that he now proposes to recuperate from injuries. Besides, with Chen Zhu's current physical condition, if he were to forcefully drag him to the front line to fight, it would be no different than asking him to die directly.
In fact, even if Kaiba proposed to stay in Siduo City today, Alvin would not be surprised. After all, his three brothers are all bruised and bruised now. But Kaiba didn't say anything, and didn't pay any attention to the injuries on his body.
"Then we have to part ways today?" Chen Zhu sighed as he looked at the rain in front of him.
"Don't worry, when we get to the front line, I will take back your share of the battle achievements." Kaiba teased Chen Zhu.
Chen Zhu was about to taunt, "Survive first, then talk about it", but after thinking about it for a while, he still didn't say it. He hesitated and nodded.
"Be careful in everything." Lai Wu looked at the pounding rain in front of him and said this very restrainedly, obviously for Alvin who was beside him.
"Yeah." Alvin said in a deep voice. For some reason, when he heard Lai Wu's words of "Be careful," he felt a little depressed and his throat was a little choked, as if it was blocked by something. The pure gray city lord's mansion was infected by the humidity from the seaside, supplemented by the heavy rain. It really felt like there was a lot of sadness in my heart, which was so depressing.
This is the first time that the Fourth Young Master has parted in this way.
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"Dong dong" Alvin knocked on the door of the opposite room on the airship, "Is little sister Kui Qing here?"
It took a while before there was any movement in the room. Alvin thought to himself why this girl got up so late today? It turns out that's not the case.
"Brother Alvin?" Kui Qing opened the door a crack and tilted her head to look at Alvin outside the door.
Alvin saw that her eyes were slightly red, and she had obviously just cried.
"What's wrong, little girl? Is it your father who did something wrong?" Alvin couldn't help but ask.
Two or three coughs were immediately heard inside. It was obvious that Kui Qing's father had listened to Alvin's words outside the door, but did not dare to have an attack. He had seen Alvin lose his temper before, so he had to cough to show that he was not deaf yet.
The little girl shook her head, walked out of the room, and closed the door.
"I just saw Uncle Langyun and the others carrying luggage. Brother Alvin, don't you need this empty boat?" Kui Qing was as smart as ever.
Alvin nodded, "Yes, I originally wanted to borrow your airship to go to the front line. However, the battle between the two countries was just two days later. The speed of the airship was still not as fast as that of the war horse, so we had to abandon it and replace it with a war horse." Went on horseback. Although I personally prefer more empty boats, after all, it is more comfortable to sit on."
Seeing her lowering her head and saying nothing, Alvin could only smile and comfort him: "I will return this empty boat to you today, little sister. However, Brother Alvin has to hold on to your money and cannot let these mercenaries do it. Follow me to fight for nothing."
After speaking, Alvin began to admire himself for being so straightforward even when he was shameless. But how did he know that the little girl didn't care about those external things at all.
"Then will we meet again? Brother Alvin," Kui Qing suddenly raised her head and asked, tears starting to well up in her eyes again.
"What you said is right. After the war is over, can't you just come to Saluhi to find me?" Alvin said with a smile, "Miss Kui Qing, aren't you a businessman traveling between the north and the south? Why don't you pass by? Salyuhi? Just come to Earl Felie's Mansion and find me when the time comes."
The little girl thought it made sense when she heard it. Her eyes were watery, a smile appeared on her lips, and there was a slight pear dimple on her cheeks. "Then we have agreed. I will go to Salyuhi to find you then. Ai Brother Erwin, then you have to promise me that you won’t fight as hard as before on the battlefield.”
"Ah? Did I like to work hard in the past?" Alvin said in surprise.
"Hmph, you like to show off, but you also like to protect girls. Her Royal Highness, the cultivation is so powerful, and with her status, she will definitely be the target of public criticism when she goes to the battlefield. If you want to protect her, then You have to be careful about your own life." Kui Qing warned, looking at Alvin very seriously.
After hearing this, Alvin couldn't help but be secretly shocked. He felt that this little girl looked very vicious and had a maturity that was completely different from her age.
"Okay, I promise you." Alvin couldn't resist, and nodded in the little girl's stubborn eyes.
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By the time the Quartet mercenary group was ready, Onian had ordered five thousand troops and horses and was waiting outside the city.
"Why did it take so long?" Onian asked with a frown.
"You can't move the money and the equipment you need from the empty boat. You also have to hold on to all your bottles and cans," Alvin said helplessly.
"Time is very tight, we have to get on the road as soon as possible." Onian turned the horse's head and prepared to set off.
"Hey, why don't you go to the provincial road to the north? Are you going north along the coastline?" Alvin asked curiously.
"Well, it's faster this way." After O'Nian said, he whipped the horse's butt and took the lead and rushed out.
Alvin sent a look to Xia Ye and Lang Yun, telling them to lead the people to follow them.
Then he turned around and looked at the two figures on the top of Xi Tuo City, smiled and waved, clamped his knees, and the horse galloped away.
The morning rain and light dust in Xicheng make me farewell to my old friends in the mountains to the north.
Lai Wu and Chen Zhu stood on the top of the city, staring blankly at the figures of Alvin and Kaiba, dressed in bright clothes and angry horses. They gradually moved away and couldn't see clearly before they came back to their senses.
"How many years have we been brothers..." Chen Zhuhong sighed with his eyes, biting his fist hard, obviously holding it in very uncomfortable.
Lai Wu seemed much more restrained. He patted Chen Zhu on the shoulder and walked down the city without looking back.
Not far from these two people, there was another figure, the city guard Feng Yu. He was still staring at a certain beautiful figure that was close to the sky, feeling lost. There were some things he didn't dare to say, and couldn't say. He thought he would never have the chance to say them in this life.
