Chapter 4: The Social Rat (Eight Below)

How much wine he drank that night, Wang Xun himself couldn't count. I only remember that I was pulled by Feng Changqing in a daze, and went through the entire terrain and landform of Anxi completely. Where to garrison troops, where to defend, where to take the initiative, many military concepts that he didn't need to remember at his level, along with the wine, with a bit of fiery, poured into his stomach one after another. At the same time, he was also forced by Feng Changqing to say a lot of bold words, made a lot of promises that he might never fulfill, and then got drunk in a daze, unconscious.

In a drunken dream, I went back to Chang'an again, still like back then, all day long, carefree. However, the imperial court finally discovered his talent and sent him to be a gatekeeper. Wang Xun took the seal letter and walked triumphantly to take office, climbed to the top of the enemy tower, but suddenly saw that Chang'an City had been surrounded, and there was a crowd of people riding camels outside the door.

"I haven't learned how to fight yet?!" At this moment, Wang Xun suddenly realized that he hadn't remembered anything about the things he had in the White Horse Fort Daying Middle School. wanted to shirk the responsibility, up and down the city, but countless expectant eyes looked at it, converging together, as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"Erlang, be careful!" The voice of concern came from the white viburne. Behind her is the ancestral house in Chongrenfang, which has been passed down for four generations, and the colored paint on the carved beams is becoming more and more mottled.

"You're my man!" In a trance, he walked into his bedroom. The maid Ziluo brought hot water and happily arranged his hair in the mirror, not paying attention to the earth-shattering shouts outside.

"Erlang, your ancestor was only eighteen years old when he was like Gong, but he had already taken five hundred green forests and grasses with him, and he was hard against the five thousand iron horsemen of the great general Wei Wensheng!!" Before the hair was combed, Aunt Yun's face appeared in the mirror again, and in the midst of worry, there was a little hatred that iron could not become steel.

"Don't worry about him, I Feng Changqing's optimistic person will never be bad!" The short Fourth Uncle Feng walked behind Aunt Yun, pressing the handle of the knife with his hand, full of pride.

Zhou Xiaofeng, Zhao Huaixu, Li Yuanqin, Su Shenxing, the future of the Anxi Army appeared one after another, looking at him quietly, making him feel extremely heavy on his shoulders. "You're all wrong, I really don't know anything!" Wang Xun shouted loudly, but the person in front of him disappeared in an instant. He was still standing alone at the city gate, outside which was the Great Black Tide of Food rolling in.

"I really can't do it, I can't do it!" With a shout, Wang Xun turned over and sat up. On his forehead, cold sweat was dripping. It's a dream, what a terrible dream! How could Chang'an City be besieged by the Great Cannibals? Even if the other party raises the country's troops to the east, there are still Anxi blocking the four towns in front!

In a daze, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a knife light in the corner of his eye. "Who!" Wang Xun immediately came to his senses, rolled over and rolled off the bed, and at the same time reached for the horizontal knife hanging at the head of the bed.

The knife was gone, and only an empty leather scabbard remained. In an instant, all the alcohol disappeared from Wang Xun's body, and all the muscles tightened. Fortunately, the knife wielder's reaction was quite timely, "I'm one!" The voice of the answer was hard and strange, and when I heard it, it was not from the mouth of the Central Plains.

Wang Xun held the scabbard vigilantly and looked closely, only to find that where he usually studied, there was a middle-aged man with a short stature but very strong limbs, holding a white cloth, unhurriedly wiping the horizontal knife that he rarely used and rarely cared for.

"Thirteen, it's you, why haven't you left yet......." he asked hesitantly. I remembered in a daze that this person was the one who carried himself back to his tent last night. It's just that he didn't expect that after this person sent himself back, he actually kept watch in the tent all night.

"General, have you forgotten? Thirteen has been your man since yesterday! Putting down the horizontal knife, thirteen knees stepped forward, and saluted Wang Xun again, "From now on, please take care of the master!" ”

"My people? How could you be my person? What is the use of Lao Tzu asking you to be a big man with a scruffy beard? Get out of here, get busy where you need to work! Wang Xun was so angry that he almost fainted. What is this, drinking a drink, actually drinking so much trouble!

Thirteen shrank back in fright, and reminded aggrievedly: "The general said it himself yesterday. Since last night, even if you are your person, you can follow you to be an official and a big official! You are a general of the Celestial Empire, you can't go back on your word, Feng Jiedu heard it next to him at the time, he can testify for the Thirteen! ”

"Oh! I remember! Being reminded so carefully by the other party, Wang Xun finally remembered some specific circumstances. Last night, someone brought Thirteen to dissuade Fourth Uncle Feng from continuing to drink, but Fourth Uncle Feng suddenly thought that he was going to the countries west of the Green Ridge this time, and there was a lack of a capable guard by his side, so he transferred Thirteen to himself.

At that time, this guy named Thirteen didn't seem to be very reluctant. It wasn't until Feng Changqing promised to give him a Datang household registration and promote him to the Datang travel rate that he finally changed his mind and happily agreed.

Seeing that Wang Xun was finally willing to admit the account, the Japanese thirteen raised his face and added reluctantly: "Thirteen is both your subordinate and your clansman. Of course, I'm going to be by your side! Besides, you didn't assign a sleeping tent to Thirteen last night, so if Thirteen isn't here, where else can you go! ”

"Alright, alright, I'm drunk, okay?" Wang Xun felt that he was at a loss, dropped the scabbard, and gently massaged his temples with his fingers. Although the wine tastes good, after getting drunk, my head hurts very badly. Within sight, many things are oblique, constantly shaking back and forth.

Seeing this, Thirteen immediately stood up obediently and walked to Wang Xun's side to help him massage the acupoints on the top of his head. While patting the horse's ass, he pleaded in a low voice, "Since Thirteen is considered a Tang person." Should there be a surname? Otherwise, if you scream thirteen or thirteen all day long, it will definitely not be pleasing to your mouth! “

"Oh!" Wang Xun's mind was still not very sober, and he responded casually, "Then what are you going to have your surname?" ”

Glancing at Wang Xun cautiously, Thirteen gave an answer that had already been prepared, "Subordinate, subordinate prepare, prepare to be surnamed Wang!" ”

This Japanese man came from an extremely humble background in his own country, so he didn't even have a surname. At this moment, since he followed Wang Xun, it is natural to change his surname to Wang. It's just that in Wang Xun's impression, this person's ideas shouldn't be so flexible, right? How did you just become a Tang person, and your thinking became so clear?

"The surname is Wang. Not bad! But my surname is not very noble! With a somewhat joking tone, he asked tentatively.

Thirteen was really fooled, and immediately said triumphantly about his true intentions, "Last night, Thirteen thought about what his surname should be all night!" Today I suddenly remembered that the general's surname is Wang, and Thirteen can also follow the surname Wang. When he returned to his hometown in the future, Thirteen told people that this surname came from a noble general in the Tang Dynasty. Whoever dares to bully the Thirteenth again will not be able to get along with the Tang Dynasty, and will despise the entire Celestial Empire ......,"

"Flutter!" didn't wait for the other party to finish speaking, Wang Xun couldn't hold back his smile. lowered his head, pointed to the other party's head and said, "Okay, you're thirteen, you actually have so many fancy intestines hidden in your stomach." It's a shame that Fourth Uncle Feng has always treated you as an honest man! Say, what kind of crooked ideas do you still have, and you won't give me the truth! “

"It's not crooked, it's not crooked, it's all a serious idea!" Wang 13 knelt on the ground with a smile on his face, "You became a four-rank general at such a young age. I will definitely be able to get promoted again in the future. Thirteen is now a brigade rate, and in the future, maybe I can borrow your light to move up a few more levels. At that time, Thirteen will take two years of leave from you, and rent a big ship to go back to your hometown. Wearing a general's iron coat and carrying a horizontal sword......"

After all, he is a barbarian, and although Tang Yan is speaking more and more neatly, he has not yet learned how to hide the ambition in his heart. was asked by Wang Xun, just like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, holding out his dreams one by one. Wang Xun listened to it, and a little pride surged in his heart, and he waved his arm and interrupted loudly, "What to rent, look at your little ambition." If you want to buy it, buy a three-story big boat yourself, and hire someone to drive it back to your doorstep! Let your companions from the past see, my king thirteen, is back again! ”

Hearing this, Wang Shisan's eyes lit up, "Yes, buy, I want to buy!" To buy! Thirteen has his own money, and there is a bounty to get for meritorious service. If you save for two years, you'll definitely be able to afford it! ”

"I'll go to your hometown when the time comes!" Wang Xun smiled and stretched out his hand and pulled Thirteen up from the ground, "Don't kneel." Hurry up to the room and ask for something to eat, let's have breakfast together! ”

"Me?" Thirteen hadn't fully adjusted to his new identity and asked hesitantly. Suddenly, he remembered that he was already the brigade leader of the Anxi Army, and he was no longer the slave of the Japanese Kingdom who was sent around, and immediately smiled with joy, "General, wait a minute, thirteen this, no, my subordinates will go and prepare for you early." No, your subordinates will immediately go and order someone to bring you and your subordinates' breakfast in! ”

As he spoke, he had already escaped from the tent, his hands and feet as nimble as an ape.

"This guy!" Seeing the other party's happy appearance, Wang Xun was also a little happy in his heart. You can not think about those drunken words last night, anyway, Fourth Uncle Feng is still very healthy, and he has not been ten years or eight years, so there is no need to consider the transfer of power in the Anxi Army. Besides, Wang Xun still can't believe that Feng Changqing was still sane enough when he said those words. After all, the Anxi Army seems to be full of talents at the moment, and no matter how it turns, it will not be the turn of a junior to take charge of the power.

However, some preparations before the westward journey need to be done in a hurry. He is no longer an old brother, and he can come and go freely at any time. The former Wyvern guards who arrived in Anxi alive, the people who accidentally got caught up in the whirlpool between him and the Yang clan and had no home to return to, and the tribal warriors who had been his enemies and later volunteered to serve under his command, all counted on him to seek a future. In a way, these people have formed a small circle around him, and will be worth more than he will be promoted in the future. He will also be instantly depressed with his failure.

Taking advantage of Wang Shisan's going to pass breakfast, no one came to disturb him at the moment, Wang Xun forced himself to be full of energy and planned what he needed to do recently. The fields and pastures that everyone has just allocated cannot be left unattended, although these lands are far less fertile than those in the Central Plains, and there are enough of them. If it is taken care of, even if some people unfortunately retire due to injuries in the future, they can also become small landowners on the banks of the Shule River. Guarding hundreds of acres of fertile land and a few ploughing cattle to live a good life. And the brothers who continue to follow him before and after the saddle will also have a little less worries because the land and pastures under their names are sufficiently produced.

In addition, the training of the samurai of the subordinate tribes also needs to be more intensive. Although all of these samurai were good at horses, marching and fighting were not horse racing and hunting. Compared with the Mo Dao team under Li Siye and the scout battalion under Duan Xiushi, these tribal warriors were simply a rabble. One-on-one with the first two, you will definitely not fall behind. If each side plays against each team, they will lose at least seven out of ten games. If one brigade is against the previous brigade, there is no need to fight at all, and those warriors under Wang Xun's command will be abused so much that they can't even find the north!

There is also the issue of training, replenishment, and selection of officers in the lineage. At present, not only the Anxi Army, but also the entire military towns of the Tang Dynasty, there is the trouble of having many soldiers and few soldiers. With Wang Xun's current status as a lieutenant general, theoretically speaking, he can bring at least one army with two generals, four captains, eight divisions to join the army, and a number of brigade leaders and team leaders. Officers at all levels below the rank of lieutenant will be approved by him as long as he recommends them. There will be no interference at all. In fact, the soldiers under his command were only able to make up enough for a regiment together. (Note 1) Those who knew a few words and were slightly respected among the brothers, such as Wei Feng and Zhu Wuyi, the leaders of the Minzhuang, became military officers directly. But most of the military positions are still vacant, and there are no qualified candidates to be found.

If you go out with such a team that lacks troops and major generals, if you encounter big trouble along the way, you will definitely not be able to cope with it. Even if you don't have a conflict with horse thieves, cannibal spies or local powerful families on the road, when you arrive at the various destinations of the envoy, you will smear Datang's face. So, either leave them in the army and take none with them. Or seize the last few days before your trip to build a group of elite soldiers for the future.

Thinking of these things, Wang Xun immediately couldn't even eat the food. After taking two bites of the meal that Thirteen had worked so hard with his own soldiers, he hurriedly went to a few good friends to discuss. In private, everyone regarded the westward envoy as a rare opportunity to make contributions, so they did not make any reservations and planned for him wholeheartedly. Everyone gathered firewood and the flame was high, and with Xue Jingxian, a veteran of officialdom, pointing out from the side, many hidden dangers were quickly solved. Only the issue of troops is a real trouble, but under Feng Changqing's deliberate care, Zhou Xiaofeng, Li Yuanqin, Zhao Huaixu and others all endured the "pain in the flesh" and cut dozens of elites from their respective commands and merged them into Wang Xun's lineage. Although it was still not enough, it was barely able to put up the shelves of the two regiments.

With the addition of this group of elites, the skills Wang Xun learned in White Horse Fort also found an opportunity to show. With the help of Fang Ziteng and other flying dragon guards, he copied the training methods of the year, and soon performed the two regiments of men and horses in a good manner. Although against the elite under Li Siye, Duan Xiushi and others, they will definitely still be beaten to the point where they have no power to fight back. However, it is more than enough to scare the layman and the horse bandits along the way.

When people are busy, life passes quickly. After more than half a month, Xue Jingxian finally couldn't find an excuse to continue to stay in the Anxi army, so he had to get up and go back to Chang'an to resume his life. Feng Changqing also followed the previous private agreement, pushed the boat down the river and ordered Wang Xun and his two regiments of soldiers and horses, and was responsible for escorting Lord Qincha back to the east. As for where to be escorted and when to return to the Anxi army to surrender the order, all of them are subject to the arrangement of Lord Qincha, and no soldier is allowed to make an arbitrary opinion.

Seeing that the target was getting farther and farther away from him, the old eunuch Bian Lingcheng also felt very helpless. He and Wang Xun didn't have any big enmity, and putting each other to death was just to comply with the request of a big man. Since Wang Xun hid away from his sphere of influence under the protection of Feng Changqing, it cannot be regarded as that he did not do his best. Besides, Xue Jingxian's house obviously relied on the support of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince behind him to protect Wang Xun. As a smart person, there is no need for Bian Ling to be honest in order to give an explanation to his friends, and block his future way out!

Finally came to the day of leaving, Anxi Jiedu envoy Feng Changqing and the supervisor Bian Lingcheng personally led the team to see off Xue Jingxian. At the time of parting, Feng Changqing jumped off his mount, walked in front of Wang Xun and the others, and neatly pulled the military generals on their bodies one by one. Then he looked at everyone and solemnly advised: "The road ahead is high and the water is urgent, so you should be more careful." Wherever you go, remember, you are all my brothers in the Anxi Army! ”

Wang Xun smiled and solemnly clasped his fists and saluted, "Lord Jiedu take care." Ladies and gentlemen, take care! I'll wait for you to go, we'll see you later! ”

Most of the brothers did not know the true purpose of the trip, but as members of the Anxi Army, they felt a strange sense of parting. Following behind Wang Xun, he stood solemnly at everyone, "Lord Jiedu take care." Ladies and gentlemen, take care! ”

"Go ahead!" Feng Changqing smiled and waved his hand, his gray hair looked particularly clear in the morning sun, "The old man is standing behind you with these tens of thousands of soldiers!" ”

"Fourth uncle, you ......" so dignified, Wang Xun suddenly felt that there was something warm in his eyes, and he wanted to say a few words of advice, but opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't find any appropriate words at all. Coming to Anxi Army was not his active choice. Leaving the Anxi Army was not his own willingness. In the dark, it seemed that a pair of big hands were pushing him away, step by step away from Chang'an, away from his hometown, away from all the places he was attached to.

Only God knows where it ends! What tribulations await him on the road in the future, and only God knows the answer. Since that autumn two years ago, Wang Xun has been like having a long dream. I don't believe that everything I encounter is true, but I can't wake up from a nightmare.

"Let's go, see what you do!" Feng Changqing smiled kindly, as if he was looking at his nephew who was about to go out to practice, "Since you were born as a man, don't be a mother-in-law." Remember, there are some responsibilities that you are born with, and no matter how you run away, you can't escape them! ”

"Nephew remembered!" Wang Xun nodded lightly and held back the tears that welled up in the corners of his eyes into his nostrils. "Fourth uncle, take care."

With that, he turned around and waved vigorously at the brothers, "Get on the horse!" ”

"Mounted ——!" Wang 13 tore open his throat and passed the order out in a very non-standard Tang dialect.

The officers and men of the two regiments quickly jumped on their mounts. Following behind Zhonglang General Wang Xun, he protected Lord Qincha and slowly walked east. Drifting away, countless pairs of concerned or hateful eyes were left far behind the depths of the mountains behind.

At the front of the team, several scarlet flags were raised high. "Anxi", "Datang", "Zhonglang General, Wang". Like several dancing flames, it ignited the whole autumn.

The third volume broke the final

Note 1: In the Tang Dynasty, a regiment of soldiers and horses was 300. Commanded by a lieutenant.