Rebirth of a Star General - Chapter 116

Chapter 116-Young Man (Part 1)

“It’s no wonder that Xiao Zhongwu and his wife fought for military power before the first seven days. It’s no wonder that 60,000 people were drowned in the Battle of Changgu, Guocheng, and they didn’t change their faces. In terms of ruthlessness, who can compare to Xiao Huaijin?”

In the dungeon, there was silence for a moment.

Shen Han wanted to say something, but finally didn’t say anything. The young man turned his back to the prisoner, his hand close to his side slowly clenched into a fist.

But after a while, he slowly released it. He turned his head, looked at Lei Hou, and smiled indifferently: “It seems that you know exactly what kind of person I am. Then you have to think more clearly,” he walked out, his voice cold, “I never give someone a chance. Second chance.”

When he walked to the door, he happened to ran into He Yan and Lin Shuanghe who were standing on the corner. He stared at him and left without paying attention.

No one behind dared to catch up.

Shen Han asked Lei Hou to be locked in again. I don’t know if Lei Hou’s heart was desperate because of his words with Xiao Jue. Lei Hou laughed miserably. The laughter echoed in the dungeon, grim and stern.

Feinu walked out of it, and saw He Yan and Lin Shuanghe also startled, and said, “Master Lin, why are you here?”

“I want to say,” He Yan glanced inside: “I have fought against Lei Hou, and when the supervisor interrogated Lei Hou, he might be able to help, so I just came to have a look.”

“No, it has been resolved.” Feinu replied quickly, “The two can go back.”

Lin Shuanghe shrugged and saw Xiao Jue’s cloak in Feinu’s hand. He proactively reached out to take it and said, “This is Huai Jin’s clothes. I’ll send it to him. If I want to come to him, I don’t want to see anyone. .”

Feinu: “Don’t bother Master Lin.”

“No trouble, no trouble,” Lin Shuanghe said, “I’m going to look for him later.”

Feinu gave up and nodded to Lin Shuanghe: “Thank you Master Lin, then.”

Lin Shuanghe smiled and said to He Yan: “Let’s go.”

The two walked outside together.

When I came out, it was snowing in the sky, and now it was a bit bigger. He Yan was injured and walked very slowly, with Cheng Lisu’s cloak still covered outside. Although Lin Shuanghe’s mouth is called “sister” and is affectionate, he has a sense of proportion in getting along with the woman, as if deliberately avoiding suspicion, not even helping He Yan.

But the two were not in a hurry, and they left very slowly.

The snow particles fell down and hit people. He Yan thought in his heart that he had just heard Lei Hou’s words in the dungeon. He was meditating, but Lin Shuanghe didn’t want to prevent Lin Shuanghe from speaking. ?”

He Yan was startled, and then replied: “I’ve heard it.”

The Battle of Changgu in Guocheng was the most important battle in the past when Xiao Zhongwu led the Nanfu soldiers to quell the Nanban Rebellion after Xiao Zhongwu’s death. At that time, the whole country of Wei Wei was waiting to see Xiao Jue’s jokes. A sixteen-year-old boy with so many soldiers, even his father couldn’t win a foreign soldier, he was sure to lose no matter how he looked at it.

Who knew that the first battle was a complete victory, so that later Nanban was defeated steadily, Xiao Jue really calmed down the turmoil in Nanban, but only half a year.

“Do you know how he won the first battle of Hase?”

“Water attack.”

“How do you know?”

He Yan didn’t speak, and the bamboo stick paused on the snow, poking a small hole.

“Then you know that in the Battle of Changgu, Fengyun General Xiao Huaijin flooded Guocheng with water, and 60,000 people died.” Lin Shuanghe held Xiao Jue’s black cloak tighter. Stinky, Guocheng is like a hell on earth, it is unbearable to hear.” He asked with a smile, “How is it, do you think he is cruel and inhuman?”

He Yan calmly said: “War is cruel. To be kind to the enemy is to be cruel to the people of the country. What’s more, no one knows the truth if he is not in that position. If it weren’t for his cruelty and inhumane, perhaps Those who are drowned today are us.”

Lin Shuanghe paused, turned to He Yan, and asked, “How would you think this way?”

“I just think that Governor Xiao is not such a person.”

Lin Shuanghe stared at her as if seeing He Yan for the first time.

He Yan asked, “What’s wrong with what I said?”

After a long while, he shook his head and smiled, and said: “I was just surprised. You and Huai Jin believed in him in less than a year. Why was I not as firm as you when I heard about this?”

He Yan said in his heart that it was because Lin Shuanghe had not really been to the battlefield. I have seen people fighting on the battlefield, only to know how difficult it is for a general to make a decision. Xiao Jue is smart and calm. If there is no reason to do this, he doesn’t need to be so, instead he will leave himself a bloodthirsty notoriety.

You know, at that time, after the Battle of Canggu, although Xiao Jue defeated Nanban and attracted countless young people’s respect, he was also criticized by many literati for being ruthless and unjust and killing too many sins. After all, among the people drowned in the Battle of Hase, there were also Nanban civilians.

“Doctor Lin seems to know why he did this.” He Yan asked, “Why?”

“I didn’t know it at first.” Lin Shuanghe sighed, “You said, with three thousand soldiers, against 60,000 people, what else can be done besides the water attack?”

“Three thousand soldiers?” He Yan suddenly raised his head: “Isn’t it one hundred thousand soldiers from the Nanfu?”

“One hundred thousand?” Lin Shuanghe smiled: “If there are one hundred thousand Nanfu soldiers in hand, he doesn’t have to take this method.”

After Xiao Zhongwu’s death that year, Mrs. Xiao followed. For a time, Xiao Mansion cried loudly and said in grief. At that time, Xiao Zhongwu was defeated in the First Battle, because of his self-control and command errors, which caused tens of thousands of Wei Sergeants to be buried on the battlefield.

His Majesty is kind, thinking about the many years of merits of the Xiao family, and will not pursue Xiao Zhongwu for negligence, but at the same time, the military power has also been taken back. Xiao Jue was only sixteen years old at that time, and Xiao Jing was only eighteen. Bai Rongwei was married and had this catastrophe within half a year. For a while, people were panicked and didn’t know how to take the road in the future.

Lin Shuanghe still remembers the first time he saw Xiao Jue after the Xiao family’s accident.

Teenagers are used to being cold and tired, as if nothing has ever been reflected in their hearts. But it also teaches people that there is nothing in the world that can beat him.

It’s just that anyone who suffers from this catastrophe in his home will inevitably fail. No matter how bad it is, it will be very different from the past. But the Xiao Jue whom Lin Shuanghe saw was not like that, except that he looked a little more haggard than before, he was not depressed in any way.

“Do you have any medicine to make people sleepy all day?” Xiao Jue asked.

Lin Shuanghe said: “My medicine store has it. If you want it, I will get it for you right away.”

Lin’s drugstores were all over Dawei, and there were several in the downtown area of Shuojing alone. Lin Shuanghe ordered Xiaosi to go to the nearest drugstore, took two of them, and handed him: “You can sleep for ten hours after eating.” He suddenly What comes to mind: “If you have insomnia at night, I can make a milder one for you.”

Perhaps, Xiao Jue was unable to fall asleep all night due to sudden changes at home, and wanted to ask for medicine to calm the nerves and help sleep.

Xiao Jue took the medicine back into his sleeve, waved his hand to him, and said, “Thank you.” He turned to leave.

“Huaijin!” Lin Shuanghe called him.

Xiao Jue stopped and looked at him.

“This medicine…you use it, right?”

The young man’s eyebrows were delicate and bright, his eyes passed over him, and fell in the distance. At the end of the distance, the towering palace was looming. He said indifferently: “I want to enter the palace.”

Lin Shuanghe is not a stupid person, he immediately understood Xiao Jue’s intentions, and he said in horror, “Are you going to enter the palace without your eldest brother?”

“Tell him what to do.” The young man lowered his head and smiled, “It’s just annoying.”

“You’re crazy!” Lin Shuanghe said anxiously: “Do you know, now because of General Xiao, there is a mess in the center. Now no one dares to speak for General Xiao, Xu Xiangjin will accompany your Majesty every day, you What is it for?”

“I know.” Xiao Jue said, “So what? Bingquan must return to Xiao’s house.”

“You are likely to die like this!”

Xiao Jue turned his head and looked at him steadily, “Then it’s dead.”

“you!”

“By the way, I want to ask you to help me if I have something.” He started.

The youth’s face rarely showed such a solemn expression. An ominous premonition surged in Lin Shuanghe’s heart for an instant. He whispered his lips and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“If I come back alive, I will assume that this hasn’t happened. If I die,” he paused, “You don’t have to collect the body for me. Doctor Lin can speak in front of the empress dowager, please help My eldest brother, this matter has nothing to do with him.”

“What do you mean… you are dead?” Lin Shuanghe heard his trembling voice.

“It’s very simple. As soon as tonight is over, either I will die today or he will die tomorrow.” He looked calm, as if it was someone else’s business. “But I’m not sure about the outcome, so,” he curled his lips. , “You can pray.”

“Xiao Huaijin!”

The boy bowed deeply to him, and when he straightened, he only said two words.

“Thanks a lot.”

Lin Shuanghe’s eyes were red.

Xiao Jue waved his hand: “Go back.”

Lin Shuanghe did not move.

He laughed, turned and left by himself.

That was a long, long time ago, but Xiao Jue’s back at the time seemed to be still standing in front of him. On the bustling downtown streets, the young man stands tall, but he is extremely lonely.

No one knows what kind of road he is going to take, but Lin Shuanghe knows one thing very well.

Xiao Jue will not look back.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he was interrupted by He Yan’s words. He Yan asked, “So later, the governor went into the palace by himself like this?”

Lin Shuanghe returned to his senses and continued to walk forward slowly, saying: “I didn’t go into the palace with me. What happened afterwards was also from my grandfather.”

That night, it started to rain.

The autumn rain was cold and cold, as if it was going to soak into people’s hearts. In a few days, it will be Mid-Autumn Festival. If nothing happens to Xiao Zhongwu, Xiao Mansion should be busy arranging the banquet for the Mid-Autumn Festival. But now it’s bleak, and filial piety is everywhere.

The three people on the table were silent.

No one wanted to move the food, and Bai Rong said warmly, “Eat as much as you want. If this goes on, your body won’t be able to take it anymore.”

They were all simple porridge and side dishes. After a moment of silence, Xiao Jing still picked up the bowl, he took a sip, then put it down, and said, “Huaijin, tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace with you.”

Xiao Jue: “Good.”

Bai Rongwei asked: “Into the palace…what do you do?”

“The Xiao family has no military power, and sooner or later it will become meat on the chopping board and be slaughtered.” Xiao Jing said: “In any case, the Nanfu soldiers must return to the Xiao family, otherwise…”

Otherwise, the Xiao family doesn’t know how long it will last.

“Then, even if your majesty returns the military power to us, what should we do in the future?” Bai Rong said slightly wingedly, “Rubi, you are a doctor, even if you Huai Jin is a martial artist, he is only sixteen years old.”

Xiao Jing’s movements stopped.

He had to admit the fact that there was no one in the Xiao family. Even though Xiao Jue had different talents, he was only sixteen and he was a half-old boy. How could he lead tens of thousands of Nanfu soldiers?

It’s hard to convince the crowd.

“There are so many things that I can do at the age of sixteen.” Xiao Jue casually picked up vegetables, “Big brother, you will only get nowhere.”

Xiao Jing sighed and said, “Finally, let’s take one step at a time. Now, there is no other way to go.”

“Will your Majesty return the military power to us?” Bai Rong said in a sad voice: “Xu Xiang’s power is now overwhelming, and he won’t let this opportunity to deal with the Xiao family go.”

“Yes.” The young man lazily poured tea for them, “Don’t be afraid, Xu Jingfu is just a mortal.”

No one speaks anymore.

Ye Yu kept coming next, and the servant helped Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing back on the bed.

Xiao Jue stood up, put on his outer clothes, and went out.

Outside, Fei Nu was waiting. The rain fell on the ground, smashing puddles and ripples, soaking all the white lanterns hanging in the doorway.

Xiao Jue stopped at the door.

Feinu said, “Master.”

He bowed his head and told the butler: “Take care of them.” Turning into the carriage.

“Let’s go.”

Then disappeared into the night.

The carriage drove to the palace, where the current prime minister Xu Jingfu was playing chess with Emperor Wen Xuan.

The palace man came to report: “Your Majesty, the second son of General Guangwu’s mansion, please see me.”

Emperor Wen Xuan paused when he played chess, “Xiao Huaijin? What is he doing?”

“Xu is for his father.” Xu Jingfu smiled: “Your Majesty, be careful.” He picked up a sunspot.

“You, don’t take advantage of my distraction,” Wen Xuan scolded with a smile, “cunning.”

Xu Jingfu also laughed: “Your Majesty let the old minister.”

The two of them talked and laughed and played chess again, seeming to have forgotten Xiao Jue. The time for a stick of incense passed, and the palace people came in again to remind: “Your Majesty, Second Young Master Xiao is still waiting outside the gate of the palace, it’s still raining outside.”

“Go back when it rains,” Emperor Wen Xuan was worrying about the chess game in front of him, “what to do.”

“Your Majesty,” Xu Jingfu said, “The second son of Xiao’s family has undergone drastic changes, and he is still a child. There are definitely many grievances in his heart. It is better to let the veteran go out and persuade him. It is best to persuade him back.”

“You go.” Emperor Wenxuan waved his hand impatiently: “The upper dynasty is also Xiao Zhongwu’s business, and the next dynasty is still in the Xiao family. I am tired of listening to it. You let him go back! Go ahead. Come back quickly, you have to accompany me to finish this game.”

Xu Jingfu got up and saluted respectfully: “Yes.”

When I left the hall door, I saw Xiao Jue kneeling at the door waiting at a glance.

Xu Jingfu was in his sixtieth year. When he was young, he worked in the Imperial Academy and had students all over the world. Wei’s outstanding young son Lang has something to do with him to some extent. Even if Xiao Jue is not his student, but Xiao Jue is outstanding, he has also heard of it. I once saw Xiao Jue during a royal hunt, and I also remember that the white-robed young man was so handsome, as if the pearl was dizzy, and compared to others.

Xu Jingfu also sighed in his heart, such an outstanding young man, if his Xu family is so good, it would be a pity that Xiao Zhongwu’s barbaric man would be cheaper.

He stood still in front of Xiao Jue and said, “Second Young Master Xiao.”

The boy raised his head and looked at him, “Master Xu.”

“It’s raining so heavily outside, why don’t Second Young Master Xiao wait outside without holding an umbrella.” He told the palace clerk, “Come here, give Second Young Master Xiao an umbrella.”

The palace man stood behind Xiao Jue holding an umbrella, Xu Jingfu made a gesture to help him up, as if the elders really cared about the younger ones: “What are you still doing on your knees, get up quickly.”

Xiao Jue didn’t move, and said, “I want to see your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty is busy right now. If there is anything really going on with the Second Young Master Xiao, he won’t be in a hurry to come back tomorrow. It’s already very late, and your Majesty will have to rest after he’s busy. It’s not a good time to face saints.”

The young man was unmoved and only repeated: “Master Xu, I must see your Majesty today.”

Xu Jingfu stepped back two steps, and put his hands in his sleeves to look at him, with a kind smile on his face, “Second Young Master Xiao, Your Majesty is kind, used to be the Xiao family’s meritorious service and favored you. Now your father is negligent. The battle of Mingshui caused the Great Wei soldiers to be defeated. It should be pursued. It was your Majesty who read the old sentiment points and opened the net. How can you get an inch and don’t know what is good or bad?”

Ye Yu drifted diagonally, sneaking in from under the umbrella, dampening the boy’s clothes. He had terribly handsome eyebrows, his expression was calm, his voice was no longer half lazy, and he said: “What Mr. Xu said is.”

Xu Jingfu’s smile remained unchanged.

“So,” Xiao Jue raised his head and looked at him, “I beg Master Xu to be accommodating with Your Majesty, Xiao Jue would like to see your Majesty.”

“Second Young Master Xiao joked, why did the old man want to accommodate your majesty for you?” Xu Jingfu asked.

The young man looked at him and bowed his head slightly: “Lord Xu, please make it happen.”

Young people’s arrogance is the most unbearable, and sometimes the spine bends so gently and can’t stand up anymore.

Xiao Zhongwu Ruoquan knows, what kind of expression would it be to see his proud second son kneeling in front of him now, asking for his mercy and charity?

For an instant, Xu Jingfu didn’t want to drive him to a dead end. People who watched the pride fell into the mortal world, were stepped into the mud, and their self-esteem was trampled on worthless, much more interesting than this.

He raised his head slightly, and said distressed: “Second Young Master Xiao, it’s not that the old man doesn’t help you. It’s just that your Majesty is angry with the Xiao family now. Even if it is an old man, it is difficult for him to intervene in this matter.”

Xiao Jue only said, “Lord Xu, please make it happen.”

Xu Jingfu stared at him for a long while, he said: “If the second son of Xiao insists on seeing your majesty, it is better to take the punishment yourself first. Xiao family is already wearing the body of sin. If the second son can survive, your majesty will see it, and the fire in his heart may disappear a bit. It’s a good idea for the old man to speak for Xiao Er Gongzi.”

“Master Xu, please advise.”

“You are young now, and you can hardly bear more punishments, so go get fifty boards first.” He said.

These words were completely relaxed, as if they had already opened up to Xiao Jue, the palace man next to him bowed his head and did not speak, but he could not hide his surprise in his heart.

Fifty boards, a slightly weaker body, can be dead, even if it is an ordinary person, 50 boards can save half of their lives, and it will be hard to survive for a year or a half without raising them.

Xiao Jue said: “Okay.”

Xu Jingfu smiled: “Second Young Master is really like a father.” He turned around and ordered the people behind him, “Take Second Young Master Xiao down to get the board.”

The night rain rustle, fifty boards fell on people, not as easy as imagined, especially the executioner of the palace, who was deliberately “explained” by Xu Jingfu.

The boy said nothing, gritted his teeth and carried it down. After fifty boards, he wiped the blood stains from the corners of his lips, slowly propped up and stood up.

When he stood up, his footsteps were a little vain, and he almost couldn’t stand firmly, and the palace man beside him looked a little unbearable. The second son of Xiao, a fox and fur, was expensive and magnificent, and now he is so embarrassed, who could have expected? No one expected it.

Xu Jingfu was not interested in watching Xiao Jue hit the board. He entered the hall and talked to Emperor Wen Xuan first.

Emperor Wen Xuan said: “Aren’t you saying you want to drive him away?”

“Your Majesty,” Xu Jingfu shook his head, “Second Young Master Xiao insisted on seeing your Majesty, and the old officials couldn’t persuade them. Young people, full of energy, really want to know what happened, and the nine cows can’t be pulled back. Now the General Guangwu is no longer there, and his mother again … The old minister also saw him poorly. Your Majesty might as well just meet him and listen to what he says. If you don’t speak well, let him go out and you’ll be fine next time.”

Emperor Wen Xuan sighed: “Aiqing is softened.”

“Your Majesty is kind.”

“Fine,” Emperor Wen Xuan instructed the palace, “I watched him grow up anyway, let him come in.”

The outside of the hall was extremely cold, and the inside was extremely warm. There was no nowhere to avoid the night rain, only the scent of flowers that made people dizzy. The lights were dazzling, and someone came.

He knelt down in front of Emperor Wenxuan and said, “Chen, see your Majesty.”

“Free ceremony.” Emperor Wenxuan said casually, raising his eyes to look at Xiao Jue. As soon as he saw Xiao Jue, he was stunned and asked: “How did you become like this?”

It has been raining outside, and Xu Jingfu’s umbrella can only last for less than a moment. He was wet and embarrassed, and because he had just passed fifty boards, his body was extremely weak, his face was like gold paper, and his lips were pale, as if he was about to faint in the next moment.

It is very different from the past.

After looking at growing up, Emperor Wen Xuan couldn’t help but feel compassion, moved a bit of real care, he slowed down his tone, and said: “Tell me, someone bullied you?”

“No.” Xu Jingfu stood aside and replied, “Second Young Master Xiao knew that the Xiao family was guilty, so he took a fifty-fifth penalty on his own, so as to teach him to feel better, and to let your majesty know the regretful heart of the Xiao family.”

Emperor Wen Xuan looked at him and sighed, “Fifty boards…too much.”

“Second Young Master Xiao is also grateful for His Majesty’s benevolence.” Xu Jingfu smiled.

“You came to me, why on earth?” Emperor Wen Xuan said: “I don’t want to mention the Xiao family’s matter anymore.”

Xiao Jue’s gaze swept over the chess game on the table. On the top of the chess game, black and white pieces were intertwined and scattered, and under the warm lights, a gloomy coldness appeared.

If life is strange, no one can predict what will happen in the future.

But the past is over, and the future can be created without predicting it.

The young man leaned over, his voice calm, with unstoppable stubbornness, he said every word.

“Chen, I beg your majesty for permission, and I would like to personally lead the Nanfu soldiers to enter Mingshui again and go to the Nanban.”