Chapter 377 Who, Willing to Die Nameless?!

The wind and rain are coming, the black clouds are rolling, and the yellow sand is churning between the heavens and the earth, and there is a roar.

Liangzhou is more desolate than Lanzhou. There is a lot of wind and sand, little vegetation, and the environment is harsh in summer and cold in winter.

On the female wall at the head of the city, the neat red banner hunted and flew.

Qin Mubai and Xue Wanche stood side by side at the head of the city and looked into the distance, the armor on their bodies rustled from the sand in the wind.

"The sky is full of sand clouds, and the demons are dancing. The storm is coming, Liangzhou is a poor mountain and bad water, and it is difficult to even have good weather. Xue Wanche looked at the rolling yellow sand and the rushing black clouds, and said with a feeling.

The corners of Qin Mubai's mouth lifted lightly, and he smiled: "I see, but the country is picturesque." ”

Xue Wanche was slightly stunned, and then smiled: "The young marshal has a broad mind and has a lot of ambitions. ”

"It's just optimistic." Qin Mubai smiled and asked, "Haven't you found Hou Junji yet?" ”

"Hey! ......" Xue Wanche shook his head with a wry smile and said, "He came to Liangzhou alone, neither in charge nor with his family, sometimes crowded with the doorman in the yamen's ear room, sometimes he had a hangover in a wine shop or a fragrant garden, and even slept directly on the street, in the bridge and cave, and was dragged out of the horse pen. He behaved grotesquely and had no fixed residence, and because he used to be an official with a prominent residence and a fiery temper, he was also one of the best officials in Liangzhou, so no one dared to ask him. I, the governor of Liangzhou, was once his subordinate general, so it's hard to say anything about him. Now more than a dozen people have been sent to Manchurian City to look for him, but they can't find him. ”

Qin Mubai nodded and said, "Don't worry. We have a lot of other things to do anyway, and maybe he'll be back on his own when he comes. Let's go to Juntun to see how the relocation and change of defense are going. ”

"It's fine."

Not long after, a torrential rain poured down, enveloping the entire Liangzhou. Lightning and thunder thundered and rain poured down, and the barracks were muddy. It is inconvenient to carry and unload baggage and other items, so people and horses have to rest for the time being. Qin Mubai and Xue Wanche inspected the barracks once, and the generals in the barracks never used umbrellas, so they were drenched.

In the evening, Xue Wanche said that the diet in the army was poor, and the young marshal was afraid of the cold after being drenched in the rain, so he still found a better place to soak in a warm bath and drink some wine to drive away the cold.

Although Liangzhou is desolate as a whole, it has become a business and travel transit station since the "great development" of Lanzhou, so there are many wine shops and hostels, and Hu merchants are the majority.

Xue Wanche invited Qin Mubai to a Qingyuan building in the state city for a drink, saying that the Sanle pulp and moxibustion lamb leg there are more famous, although they are not as good as Qin Xian wine and Chang'an famous dishes, they also have a different flavor. The guest is as he pleases, and Qin Mubai naturally does not shirk.

The two took three or five entourages, put on civilian clothes, and went to the Qingyuan Tower in the city. Qin Mubai inquired with his subordinates, saying that he still hadn't found Hou Junji, so he had to give up for the time being.

If the big Liangzhou City, a large area of mud fence wall bungalows, only the central street of the state city has built a few neat brick buildings, which is the wine shop and shop where the business travelers settled. On weekdays, it is also lively here, and the business travel is endless, and the shouting and shouting are endless. It's just that there have been many wars in Liangzhou recently, so many shops have closed their doors due to panic. There are also some merchants who are anxious and forced to stay here and cannot leave for the time being.

A few people walked for a while into the commercial street, and it looked a little deserted around.

Xue Wanche sighed: "In the past, this was the most lively and prosperous place in the state city, and it was always crowded with people. After months of absenteeism, Liangzhou is a lot desolate! ”

Qin Mubai twisted his brows and said, "It's good to get through this while." The expansion of border defense to keep the enemy in the field can make Lanzhou peaceful. This is also one of the reasons why I asked you to change your guard to Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass. After many fierce battles, although we were always victorious and did not lose the city, the people were afraid, and the merchant travel was cut off. In the final analysis, in the war with the Hu people, we who live in the city will always suffer more. In addition to the casualties on the battlefield, it is difficult to estimate the losses suffered by the city and the people as a result. ”

"What the young marshal said is very true." Xue Wanche said with deep feelings, "Since last winter, Liangzhou has begun to suffer from military disasters. Since then, taxes have been reduced to nine out of ten, the people's hearts have been swayed, business travel has been cut off, the whole city is no longer prosperous, and the sky is full of panic and tension, and even the perpetrators have increased. I just hope that this battle will be finished as soon as possible, otherwise, Liangzhou is always so lifeless, and it is really not a place for people to stay. ”

Qin Mubai nodded, smiled and said, "I remember not long ago, it was two years ago, and Lanzhou is almost what Liangzhou is like now." Don't worry, it's man-made. As long as you expand the defense line quickly and stabilize it on the line from Yu, Yang to Puchanghai, and when my father builds the Anxi Protectorate in Gaochang, the Helong area will gradually become as stable as a rock. Since then, the Tang Dynasty has expanded its territory for thousands of miles, and General Xue has made great contributions! ”

Xue Wanche was slapped on the back with no light or heavy, and he was a little excited, and he arched his hand and said: "If you can win a small meritorious service, it is all up to you to follow the young marshal's father and son to pick up some cheap." If it is said that the merit is great, the Lord and the young marshal will definitely go down in history! ”

"Haha!" Qin Mubai laughed, and the group laughed cooperatively.

Just as everyone was chatting and passing by a small green building, the originally closed wooden door was suddenly opened, and several big men carried a mud drunk man out and took him to the ground. Clapping his hands, the big men didn't say much, just smacked the drunk man a few times with resentment and disgust, and then went back and closed the door.

The drunken man was thrown into the street, which immediately attracted some onlookers. A few people who came close glanced at each other, covered their noses and frowned, and walked around quickly. The man lay motionless on the ground as if he were dead, occasionally twitching a few times, but spitting out piles of filth from his mouth.

Qin Mubai glanced up at the green building and knew that it was a prostitute. So I didn't care, and I was ready to go around. At this time, Xue Wanche exclaimed in a low voice: "Hou Junji? ”

Qin Mubai couldn't help but be stunned, and looked at him suspiciously: "Won't it?" ”

"Really!" Xue Wanche suddenly looked embarrassed, and bowed to the two pawns next to him, signaling them to carry Hou Junji away, so as not to let him lie on the street and be embarrassed.

"Wait." Qin Mubai called his entourage to stop, walked over and squatted beside the drunken man, stretched out his hand and turned him over, and looked, is it Hou Junji?

Although I didn't have much contact with him, when I was in Chang'an in the past, I didn't look up and saw him, and people always recognized him.

Hou Junji, from Rongwu, was famous for his bravery when he was young. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he was introduced to the shogunate by Li Shimin, and was promoted step by step by Li Shimin because of his heroic feats in battle. During the change of Xuanwumen, he also gave Li Shimin advice and supported him. Since then, he has been deeply relied on by Li Shimin and has become one of his confidants. Its limelight is not lost to Wei Chi Jingde, one of the "Four Great Heroes of the Kaiyuan Dynasty", and even far better than Qin Shubao and Cheng Zhijie, the old generals of the Qin Palace.

After Li Shimin ascended the throne, Hou Junji successively served as the general of the left guard and the general of the right guard, and was named the Duke of Luguo. Born as a military general, he also transferred to literature, and successively served as the secretary of the military department and the secretary of the ministry, and did a good job. In fact, these are only secondary, the most important thing is that he was ordered by the emperor to learn the art of war from Li Jing, and followed Li Jing to fight in the south and the north, and made great military achievements, becoming the most active Mesozoic general in the military after Li Shimin ascended the throne. When he was appointed as the secretary of the ministry, he also took care of the affairs of the Hongwen Pavilion, that is, he had the real power of the prime minister to participate in politics!

Before the Prince Incident, Hou Junji even had to overshadow Li Tao, who was stationed outside in a low-key manner, and was the most popular military representative in the court. But it was this sudden political turmoil that dragged the once-famous Hou Junji from the clouds to the quagmire, and fell to the ground.

At that time, when the eldest grandson Wuji tried the case of the prince's rebellion, there were not a few people who killed and excluded them, and Hou Junji was one of the biggest names. Just because Hou Junji has made outstanding contributions in the past, the eldest grandson Wuji did not (or "failed") to completely destroy Hou Junji, but only relegated him to Liangzhou according to the crime of "accomplice rebellion".

Hou Junji, who is in his early forties, is at the peak of his life, but he was kicked over and never recovered, and I am afraid that only he can experience the taste. As for whether he really participated in the rebellion, Qin Mubai didn't know, but the eldest grandson Wuji "needed" Hou Jun to rebel, so he had to be "rebelled".

At this moment, Hou Junji, who was covered in mud and filth, was looking at Qin Mubai with drunken eyes on his back, and he was still spitting out wine stains in his mouth.

"Quick, carry away!" Xue Wanche waved his hand anxiously, signaling his entourage to hurry up and get the people back, don't be embarrassed here.

"Take him to Qingyuan Tower, arrange for bathing and changing, and let him sober up and rest." Qin Mubai said lightly, but it cannot be refuted or questioned.

"Young marshal, isn't this okay?" Xue Wanche said with some disgust, "Such a filthy description of dislocation may disturb the young marshal's drinking." ”

"Everyone has times when they are frustrated." Qin Mubai stood up and said lightly, "My own brother, and you don't like it?" ”

"Okay!" Xue Wanche sighed, wrinkled his eyebrows and looked at Hou Junji, and said, "Hey, it's quite pitiful, but it's also quite infuriating." The young marshal is open-minded, I can't reach - you are still stunned, resist people, go! ”

The group was about to leave, and the door of the brothel opened again, and a turtle slave rushed out of it, nodded to everyone left and right, and said flatteringly: "A few must be friends of this marquis, and they are also dignitaries. The villain didn't dare to disturb, but the owner had an order, so he had to salivate and beg you for a thing. ”

"If you fart, let it go!" Xue Wanche was angry and had nowhere to sprinkle, and shouted.

"Yes, yes, yes." The turtle slave snorted, "This Hou Ye...... After more than ten days in the small shop, all the money brought was spent, and it was all on credit. Originally, the small shop didn't dare to ask for it, let alone deceive him, but the small shop really couldn't afford to underwrite it. In the past few days, this Hou Ye has been full of big fish and meat, and every day eight girls accompany him to eat, drink and have fun, and when he is drunk, he will beat and scold others and smash the tables and chairs...... Therefore...... Therefore! ……”

Qin Mubai gritted his teeth a little annoyed, took off a money bag from under his waist and checked it in his hand, and said, "How many girls do you have in this store, and how much is the whole store worth under the plate?" ”

"Huh?" The turtle slave was startled, not knowing how to answer.

"What do you ask?" Xue Wanche shouted, "The answer is!" ”

"Uh...... There are a total of about a dozen girls in the shop, and the population is only twenty people, and the store is rented by the landlord, so we can't be ......the master," the turtle slave said timidly.

Qin Mubai casually threw the money bag to him and said, "It's yours." You take down this brothel for me, from now on you are the shopkeeper here, this marquis has to spend again, you must not charge a penny, you have to serve him like your ancestors. As for how to negotiate with your owner and how to run the business, that's your business. Do you understand? ”

The turtle slave stood on the spot, at a loss.

Xue Wanche hurriedly snatched the money bag in his hand, tore open the rope and shook it, and a bunch of golden bumps fell out of it, making the turtle slave's eyes tremble.

"Dead turtle slave, stupid or stupid?" Xue Wanche said angrily, "This gold is enough to buy three small shops like you." You're in luck, stupid boy! Still dumbfounded, don't you hurry up? ”

"Ahh Yes, yes, yes! Then the turtle slave came to his senses, and ran back to the brothel like a dog with his tail chopped off, as if he had found a treasure in his hand.

Xue Wanche sighed, and said sullenly and funny: "Young marshal, you don't have to be used to Hou Junji like this, right?" ”

"How do you call this habitual?" Qin Mubai smiled and said lightly, "If I am frustrated and lonely, I will want to drink and get drunk, at this time, even if it is a beautiful woman in Jinshan Yinshan, in my opinion, it is not as good as mud and dung." At this time, if someone can buy a large urn of wine to drink with me, that person must be my best confidant and friend. ”

"I understand...... Xue Wanche nodded, sighed, and said, "Young marshal, I didn't think about it, you are still a careful person, and you are very righteous." ”

"Could it be that you used to think that I was unrighteous?" Qin Mubai said with a smile.

"Uh...... That's not what it means! …… The meaning of lowly position is that it is a great blessing to have a friend like the young marshal! ”

Everyone came to Qingyuan Building, and a few entourages sent you to drink to the shop, and Hou Junji bathed and changed clothes and poured sobering soup. Qin Mubai and Xue Wanche sat in an accomodation, and there were some bamboo zhengs in the pavilion behind the bead curtain, and the wine was quite acceptable, at least in Liangzhou, it was considered a "high-standard" treatment.

The young marshal smiled. Xue Wanche smiled bitterly, "Liangzhou is broken, and there is no decent hospitality. In the Assassin's Mansion and the Governor's Mansion, they are being relocated for several days, and they are even more unbearable. I had to grieve the young marshal generals. ”

"It doesn't matter. I'm not particular about that. Qin Mubai replied with a faint smile, not focusing on these things.

He has been thinking about how to "deal with" Hou Junji.

Dealing with this word, Hengsheng appeared in Qin Mubai's mind, and it was really a little weird.

In his impression, Hou Junji is a master with a strong personality and a high heart. It's the past, even if it's him, Qin Mubai, the captain of the horse, the royal celebrity, or the son of the Qin family, the new lord of Lanzhou, Hou Junji will not put it in the corner of his eyes.

People who have been in the court know that Hou Junji has only been respectful to one person in his life, and that is Emperor Li Shimin. In addition, the eldest grandson Wuji and Fang Xuanling, even if they were his mentor Li Jing, he didn't take it very seriously.

Therefore, although Hou Junji and Li Jing have the name of master and apprentice, they do not have a good relationship with each other, and they even die of old age and do not get along with each other. It is reported that Hou Junji wanted to learn the art of war from Li Jing, but Li Jing was unwilling to teach it, just because Hou Junji was unruly and unruly. So Hou Junji found the emperor and asked the emperor to issue an order for Li Jing to accept Hou Junji as a disciple.

In desperation, Li Jing had no choice but to do it. But when teaching Hou Jun the art of war, he naturally had reservations. For this reason, Hou Junji was very angry, and also complained to Li Shimin, saying that Li Jing "violated the yang and yin" of the imperial decree and did not do his best to teach the art of war. Li Jing explained to Li Shimin, saying: If the art of war I taught him is profound and thorough, it will be no problem to defeat the enemy in front of the battle. No matter how much he wants to learn, he is not right.

Li Shimin naturally didn't want to blame Li Jing, and he also understood Li Jing's intentions. If Hou Junji is allowed to inherit all of his Li Jing's skills, in the future, when the older generation of Li Shimin and Li Jing pass away, who will be able to control Hou Junji?

It is precisely because of this incident that Hou Junji and Li Jing turned against each other.

Qin Mubai pondered, if he used the identity of "the teacher is out of the same family" to get close to Hou Junjitao, it is estimated that not only will it not be good, but it will also be bad.

Hou Junji, this is a fierce horse, of course, if used well, it is naturally a peerless good horse. How to control it, keep one mind.

The two drank for a long time, and after an hour, it was dark, and Hou Junji was still taking a bath. Xue Wanche was a little impatient and said, "Young marshal, it's better to go back and rest first." When Hou Junji woke up, I told him to go and pay respects. ”

"We are all military people, why bother so much. If he doesn't come, I'll just go and see. After saying that, Qin Mubai got up, and casually picked up a plate of newly hot lamb shank, carried a pot of wine, and said with a smile, "Count, he is also my senior brother." It doesn't hurt to serve him as a junior and younger brother. ”

Xue Wanche snorted coldly in his nose, really annoyed. The dignified lord of the Lanzhou Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, who governs thousands of troops under the command of the people, treats a waste who has lost his position in such a low voice, it is really aggrieved!

Hou Jun gathered his gang to soak in the bathtub, and there were two disgruntled soldiers next to him, rubbing their backs and shoulders patiently. Hou Junji poured it well, put his hands on the edge of the barrel and covered his face with a steaming towel, shook his fingers, and instructed the two soldiers to wipe and press where, quite enjoyable.

Qin Mubai walked in, pursed his mouth, and motioned for the two little soldiers to go out. If they were pardoned, they let go and ran away. Xue Wanche couldn't stand it, so he gently pulled the door and left.

"Don't stop, keep pinching. Shoulder here, sore. Hou Junji was still covered with a towel and hummed.

Qin Mubai smiled, put down the mutton and wine jug, and walked behind Hou Junji seriously, put his hands on his shoulders, and pressed his hands.

Maybe there was still the strength of the wine, but Hou Junji's reaction was a little sluggish, and he didn't react at all. The hot towel on his face was a little rough, as if he was still napping.

Qin Mubai didn't call him, he really massaged him for a while, at least for a stick of incense. Hou Junji lay in the bucket like a dead man, unable to move.

After a long time, Hou Junji reached out to his face and touched the towel to soak it in the bucket, and without looking back, he said lightly: "The water is cold." ”

"I'll call Xiao Er to change." Qin Mubai said.

"No need." Hou Junji paused, turned his head, looked at Qin Mubai with a smile, and said, "The craftsmanship is good, Metropolitan Governor." ”

Qin Mubai smiled easily, handed over the meat plate and wine jug, and said, "My stomach is empty, come, eat some." You were drunk just now, and we didn't wait for you to eat first. ”

Hou Junji was not polite, stretched out his arms from the bucket, grabbed the mutton with his hands and stuffed it into his mouth, picked up the wine jug with the other hand, and poured it into his throat with his neck up.

Qin Mubai stood aside like a little guy, holding a meat plate, still with a smile on his face.

Hou Junji was like a prisoner from a hungry prison, without the slightest gentleman's demeanor, he ate and chewed heavily, after eating up the meat and drinking the wine, he put the wine jug on the empty meat plate with a long snort, burped, and said coldly: "Nothing to offer affection, either treachery or theft." Say, what's the matter with me as a waste, Governor Qin. Oh, they all call you, young marshal. ”

"You're right, I did have something to do with you." Qin Mubai didn't care, threw the plate and wine jug aside, clapped his hands, and said, "I know that you are unwilling and unconvinced, but I am afraid that you will not be able to escape a wrongful death." So now I live in great pain every day, and I can only anesthetize myself with a wandering wreckage. ”

"How I live is none of your business." Hou Junji turned his back to Qin Mubai, slowly wiped his body with a towel, and said coldly, "Tell me what you mean." Although I, Hou Junji, have been a civil official for several years, I am a martial artist who bends the bow and shoots arrows, and I don't like that set of twists and turns. ”

"Okay, refreshing!" Qin Mubai stroked his palm and said, "Since we are people on the same boat......

"Wait!" Hou Junji suddenly interrupted Qin Mubai's words in a loud voice, "Who is in the same boat as you?" ”

"We have a common enemy, so that's the same boat. Isn't that right? Qin Mubai said.

Hou Junji froze, noncommittal, and continued: "Even if we have a common enemy, then we are not friends. I, Hou Junji, have never had any friends. ”

"But you have comrades, comrades-in-arms." Qin Mubai said, "Over the years, who has accompanied you on the battlefield to gallop through life and death?" How can you Hou Junji be brave and good at fighting alone, and you can kill thousands of troops and horses? How many people are friends who know each other and know each other? But it is necessary to work together with the enemy. I don't need to tell you such a simple truth, right? ”

"You have a point." Hou Junji seemed to be a little disdainful, and said like a little desperate, "But what is the purpose of you, a big man who is in the limelight, to come to me, a down-and-out and ominous person?" Aren't you afraid of getting into my bad luck and being cleaned by the eldest grandson Wuji? ”

"Huh! If I, Qin, were afraid of his eldest grandson, Wuji, I wouldn't have set foot in Lanzhou again today. Qin Mubai smiled, "I came to you with a very simple intention. I have 100,000 soldiers under my command in Lanzhou, and I can't control them. But that's your forte. Come help me. ”

Hou Junji's whole body froze, and he turned his head and looked at Qin Mubai incredulously: "What did you say?" ”

Qin Mubai smiled, smiled sincerely, and said: "The Lanzhou Metropolitan Governor's Mansion still lacks a marching Sima, and my Yifu relatives are also short of Yifu Zhonglang General, if the senior brother doesn't dislike it, please come and help me." ”

"What do you call me?"

"Senior brother."

"......" Hou Junji turned his head and fell into a long silence.

Qin Mubai was not in a hurry, and stood patiently aside, waiting for his reply.

The room was silent, and there was no sound.

After a long time, Hou Junji opened his mouth and said-

"My Hou Junji has been full of ups and downs in this life, and I have tasted everything. Right now, my life is just about wine, meat, and beauty. I don't want to try that ridiculous feeling of ups and downs anymore. You go, don't come to me again. ”

Qin Mubai was not in a hurry. If Hou Junji was said to be moved so easily and subdued, then he would not be the Hou Junji who was proud of the battlefield. He nodded and said, "I won't force you, and I'm not in a hurry." One year, two years, ten or twenty years, as long as I, Qin Mubai, am still in Lanzhou, the door of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion will always be open for you. Until then, you just have to enjoy it in Liangzhou. As long as you don't kill people and don't commit crimes, there won't be half a person to bother you. ”

"You want to get away with it, don't you?" Hou Junji sneered, "It seems that you have won the true inheritance of Pharmacist Li, not only the art of war, but also the way to deal with people." ”

"If Senior Brother doubts my sincerity, time will tell." Qin Mubai said, "It's useless to say too much, so I'll stop here." Rest well, I won't bother. ”

With that, Qin Mubai walked towards the door.

Just opened the door and was about to walk out, Hou Junji behind him jumped out coldly: "Qin Mubai, what are you doing with such things jumping up and down?" In the end, it's all about nothing. What fame, wealth, and meritorious people hope for, it is all ethereal things. You're still young after all, and you only know how to do these boring and stupid things with all your heart and blood. When you go through what you should have experienced, you will be as disheartened as I am. Rather than going around in a big circle like this, I advise you not to waste your efforts. In this life, what should be enjoyed and what should be let go should be let go, this is life. ”

"Maybe you're right." Qin Mubai turned his head, smiled at him, and said, "As you said, I'm still young. Wouldn't it be a greater sorrow to not do a few stupid things when you are young, and when you are old, your memories will be blank? In this life, people should enjoy what they should enjoy, let go of what they should let go, what they should fight for, what they should grab, and what they should want, and they can't let go of any of them. This is the life that I Qin Mubai wants. Who would like to die nameless? You Hou Junji, should you be really willing? ”

"Who...... Willing to die nameless?! …… Me, Hou Junji? ”

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[7,000 words in this chapter, gradually returning to the state......]