Early in the morning, Yang Yuanqing took his eldest son Yang Ning to get into the carriage and drove to the military camp outside the southern city, which is a tradition, starting from Fengzhou, on the second day of the first month of each year, Yang Yuanqing has to go to the military camp to visit the soldiers and pay New Year's greetings to the soldiers, but this year he took his eldest son Yang Ning with him, but it was the first time -

In the carriage, Yang Ning wore a red sè fine linen robe, a leather belt around his waist, and a purple and gold crown on his head, looking young and heroic, but he and his father who was powerful and dressed in armor sat together, and he looked a little nervous.

He stared out the window and didn't say a word, Yang Yuanqing sat on the other side of the carriage, he saw his son licking his lips constantly, and he also felt his nervousness, and couldn't help but smile slightly: "Are you afraid to go to the barracks?" ”

Yang Ning nodded silently, "The child is a little afraid of the murderous aura of the army!" ”

Yang Yuanqing likes his son the most, that is, his honesty, which is a good quality inherited from his mother, Yang Yuanqing can forgive his son's weakness, but he can't tolerate his lying, Yang Yuanqing nodded, "This is because you usually emphasize literature and light martial arts, in the future, I will let the guards teach you martial arts, don't want you to be strong in martial arts, but practicing martial arts can strengthen your physique, it will be of great benefit to you throughout your life, in addition, you should see the real war, you will go with me in a few days!" ”

Yang Ning was taken aback, "Is my father going to go on the expedition again?" ”

Yang Yuanqing nodded, and said with some emotion: "This year will be the most critical year, maybe next year, I won't have to go out again." ”

Yang Ning lowered his head, his heart was also excited, his father was actually going to take him on the expedition, and his heart was full of desire......

The military camp located outside the south gate of Taiyuan is called Nanda Camp, which is one of the four military camps that defend Taiyuan City. It is also the largest one, with a garrison of 100,000 people, the military camp covers an area of 1,000 acres, and a two-zhang high board wall is built on the periphery, just like a small city.

At present, the South Battalion is mainly composed of veterans, while the recruits are concentrated in the East and West Battalions. Each barracks is made up of 40,000 recruits and 10,000 veterans mixed together, and the recruits and veterans are trained together, for the recruits. It's stressful and the training is brutal, but it works well.

Recruitment in the counties continues. However, 80,000 troops have been recruited before the year, all of which are concentrated in Taiyuan City for training, according to Yang Yuanqing's order, this recruitment is very urgent, and it is required that all the recruits be completed before the Shangyuan Festival, and they will be concentrated in Taiyuan before the end of the month to participate in training.

In fact, the training of recruits began a year ago, and for recruits, there was no New Year, under the severe scolding of the recruit instructors. Tears and sweat, all the time is desperate.

At this time, the southern camp was very quiet, and on the vast training ground, the 100,000-strong army was already lined up, and the ranks were overwhelming. The black-pressed army was out of sight, and in front of the team, hundreds of generals wore helmets and armor, waiting for Yang Yuanqing's arrival.

Yang Yuanqing's carriage came to the front of the barracks under the escort of hundreds of personal soldiers, Li Jing, Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin, Cheng Yanjin and others had been waiting for a long time, and even Pei Xingyan, Yang Wei and Xie Yingdeng, who had not recovered from their injuries, also came with injuries.

The carriage stopped. Yang Yuanqing walked out of the carriage, his son Yang Ning also held his father's hand and followed out of the carriage, everyone quickly greeted them, they also saw the son behind Yang Yuanqing, and they were all a little surprised, but at this time, they didn't have time to think about it, and knelt down on one knee together to salute, "See His Royal Highness the King of Chu!" ”

"Generals, excuse me!"

Yang Yuanqing smiled and asked everyone to get up, and then pointed to his son and said to everyone: "Bringing the dog today, I also want the dog to give everyone a New Year's greeting, the dog is young, and I will ask the generals to bring me more in the future." ”

Without Yang Yuanqing's instructions, Yang Ning knelt down obediently and kowtowed to the generals to greet the New Year, "Yang Ning wishes all uncles and uncles all the best in the New Year!" ”

The generals were caught off guard, Qin Qiong reacted very quickly, and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, "The son of the world can't be like this, hurry up, I can't afford it." ”

Li Jing glanced at Yang Yuanqing meaningfully, he heard that Yang Yuanqing took his eldest son to Ziwei Pavilion, and now he brought his eldest son to the military camp, this meaning is obvious, it is estimated that Yang Yuanqing has decided to make Yang Ning the crown prince after ascending the throne.

Yang Yuanqing saw that everyone's eyes were full of expectation and enthusiasm, and knew that they wanted to hear his New Year's speech, so he smiled and said, "Don't let the brothers wait, let's go into the camp!" ”

Everyone happily hugged Yang Yuanqing and walked towards the barracks, Li Jing had seen Yang Ning a few times, and he was quite familiar with him, he saw Yang Ning's nervousness, so he smiled and stepped forward to hold his hand, "The prince will follow me!" ”

Yang Yuanqing nodded, Yang Ning was dazed and nervous in his heart, but when he saw that it was Li Jing who pulled him, he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, he was very familiar with Li Jing, Li Jing also taught him to read Sun Tzu's Art of War, he suddenly had a reliance in his heart, and couldn't help but hold Li Jing's hand tightly.

As Yang Yuanqing walked into the barracks, the 100,000 army suddenly cheered, and the cheers resounded into the clouds, this is the commander who led them to fight in the south and the north, and the Great Sui Emperor in their hearts, who existed like a god in their hearts.

Yang Yuanqing smiled and beckoned to everyone, the cheers were even louder in the sky, even Yang Ning felt this fanatical atmosphere, he only then understood his father's high prestige in the army, and then deeply understood what his father had warned him, only by grasping the army can he sit firmly in the world, at this time, Yang Ning's eyes looked at his father with great reverence.

In front of the army placed a big wooden platform five feet high, the generals surrounded Yang Yuanqing on the wooden platform, this is also a custom, every year Yang Yuanqing will have a New Year's speech, not empty words, will give some promises to the soldiers, like last year's New Year's speech promised to the soldiers the uniform field system and the meritorious service award system.

Especially this year, everyone knows very well in their hearts that this year will be a year of great changes, and what promises King Chu will give to everyone, everyone's hearts are full of expectations.

Yang Yuanqing walked up to the wooden platform, he waved his hand, the 100,000 army was silent for a while, 100,000 pairs of eyes stared at Yang Yuanqing, looking at the faces full of excitement and anticipation below, Yang Yuanqing seemed to be infected, he took a deep breath, and said loudly: "Brothers, I will give you New Year's greetings first!" ”

After speaking, he bowed deeply and continued: "Brothers fought bloodily, we won a brilliant victory last year, and let us take this opportunity to deeply mourn the fallen soldiers............

Just when Yang Yuanqing was giving a New Year's speech in the barracks, Pei Minqiu took Yang Bing to Xitang Lane in the west of Taiyuan City, which was originally a pond, due to the increasing population, the pond was filled in, and the poor built simple houses, gradually forming several small alleys, which is also a famous gathering place for the poor in Taiyuan City.

The reason why Pei Minqiu came to Xitang Lane today is because there are more than a dozen families of fallen soldiers living in the lane, if Yang Yuanqing can't come, then as the princess, she will come to appease the relatives of these fallen soldiers.

The alley was too small, Pei Minqiu's carriage couldn't enter the alley, she got out of the carriage, took Yang Bing's hand and walked to the alley, more than 200 female soldiers and guards guarded them tightly, this is also what Pei Minqiu has to do every year, to comfort and comfort the families of the army.

The reason why she brought Yang Bing with her today is also because Pei Minqiu is grateful to her husband, Yang Yuanqing took her eldest son to the barracks, of course she knows what it means, Pei Minqiu is grateful, she will bring Yang Bing with her, this will be Yang Yuanqing's eldest princess in the future, not her own daughter.

The alley is very deep, about 400 steps long, the low shed is high and low, messy and dilapidated, the ground is uneven, the snow is trampled thinly, very dirty, the arrival of a large group of soldiers, so that the residents in the alley are full of curiosity, have to go out to watch, both sides are full of curious people, groups of children in the crowd to wear and walk.

Pei Minqiu walked unhurriedly with a smile on his face, nodding and smiling at everyone from time to time, someone recognized that this was the princess of Chu, and the crowd suddenly became excited, surging forward, and was stopped by the soldiers.

Yang Bing was also a little nervous, this was her first public appearance, and the emotional crowd on both sides made her a little scared, she held the eldest mother's arm tightly and asked in a low voice, "Auntie, there is ...... How far? ”

"Don't be afraid, it's coming soon." Pei Minqiu felt her body trembling slightly, so she smiled and comforted her.

The group finally came to a small courtyard, two soldiers were already waiting at the door, this small courtyard is also a poor family, surrounded by low courtyard walls, the courtyard is three low mud huts, there are seven or eight sheep in the corner, the owner's surname is Jiang, about sixty years old, the old couple has three sons and a daughter, the second son and the third son both died in this campaign against the Turks.

The old couple had just arrived and received the news that the princess was coming to visit, and they were at a loss, and the house was in tatters, and it was impossible for the princess to enter the house to sit, so they had to set up a table in the courtyard and borrow a few stools, but the coffins of their two sons were placed in the courtyard, which made them feel inappropriate.

At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside, and more than 20 female soldiers surrounded Pei Minqiu and Yang Bing and walked into the courtyard, it was too late, the old couple stepped forward and knelt down, and the eldest son, several grandsons and daughters-in-law also knelt behind.

"A salute to the princess!"

The family knelt on the ground and kowtowed, Pei Minqiu hurriedly helped the old man up, and comforted: "Two old people, please get up, don't do this big gift, everyone please get up!" ”

The soldiers put up a few couches, Pei Minqiu invited them to sit down, she saw two more coffins, sighed secretly in her heart, and asked softly, "Can you find a cemetery?" ”

The old man said gloomily: "The government has given two cemeteries, but we want to go back to our hometown in Xihe County for burial and prepare to leave tomorrow." ”

"Did you transport the coffin yourself, or did the government help transport it?" Pei Minqiu asked with concern again.

"The government promised to help us transport, someone will come to help tomorrow, thank you princess for coming to visit, thank you princess!"

The old couple was moved in their hearts, wiped their tears with their sleeves, Pei Minqiu turned around and said hello, a female soldier put twenty silver coins on the table, Pei Minqiu smiled: "It's the New Year, we don't have anything to give, these silver coins are the hearts of me and His Royal Highness the King of Chu, please accept them!" ”

The old couple was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly waved their hands in fright, "The government has already given a bereavement pension, and we can't ask for money from the princess and the king of Chu anymore." ”

Pei Minqiu stuffed the money into the old woman's hand and said with a smile: "Every fallen soldier has it, although the money is not much, it is just a little bit of my heart and that of the King of Chu, you must accept it." ”