Rong Lu did not have the joy of the meeting of his comrades in the Mengshan Army, and he was more anxious to see the prisoners of the coalition army. So, Long Qian didn't bother to introduce the two parties, and immediately took Rong Lu to meet Seymour, who was held in solitary confinement. An old man with a Western beard, with a grim expression, a fancy military uniform was dirty, especially a pair of boots, and the original color could hardly be seen.

Although Long Qian introduced Rong Lu's official position in English, Seymour didn't care about Rong Lu at all, and shouted with anger and arrogance on his face.

Rong Lu looked at Long Qian in surprise and replied to the British general with a stiff face, and with Long Qian's "reprimand", the British lowered his head.

"What did he say?"

He threatened to give the Qing the harshest punishment. I said that if the British came according to the rules, I would treat him as a prisoner of war, and if the British came, I would kill him first. I asked him if he had been abused by my men during his time in captivity. He recognized that we are a civilized army. ”

Although Rong Lu does not understand English, his ability to observe words and emotions is first-class. He noticed that Long Qian replied with a remark, and Seymour's momentum immediately disappeared. He decided that what Long Qian reported to him was true. And Long Qian's fluent English dispelled the little doubts left by Rong Lu after the most, this person really grew up in the United States.

"Come back to thought, this is a beautiful thing. This person is of great use, so you must be optimistic. ”

"Don't worry, my lord, they are all taken here from Tianjin, and there will be no more chaos."

"Let's go, look at the other captives." Now Rong Lu is in a good mood.

The black-pressed coalition captives made him even happier. The credit is handed over. The Queen Mother must still be in a good mood. The things that Long Qian told him about the coalition on the way made him less afraid of negotiating peace with the aftermath, and made an idea in his heart that if the Queen Mother wanted to participate in the peace negotiations by herself, she must take Long Qian with her.

But after seeing the main force of Long Qian's department, Rong Lu had a different mind.

Lu Shan took it upon himself to assemble the troops when Long Qian accompanied Rong Lu to inspect the prisoners, and his original intention was to let Long Qian inspect the troops, but Rong Lu saw a neat square formation in the open space. I couldn't help but walk over. "Retreat, is this your man?"

"Exactly, get rid of the injuries that can't move on their own, almost all here." Long Qian's voice deepened. "Your Excellency. He took nearly 2,000 Shandong sons to the north to King Qin. In the first battle of Tianjin, half of it was lost. ”

"Hmm, what a strong soldier......" Rong Lu didn't seem to hear Long Qian's words just now. He was attracted by the queue of Mengshan troops.

Rong Lu is also a person who leads the troops, the Eight Banners, the Green Battalion soldiers, including Yuan Shikai and Nie Shicheng's new army, which is taught by Western instructors and equipped with a stream of Western firearms, Rong Lu is no stranger. But the Shandong soldier in front of him had a spirit that he had never seen. Although they were disheveled, the murderous aura they showed made Rong Lu, who had been in the army for a long time, breathe, what is an elite soldier in a hundred battles? That's it, no wonder they were able to defeat the Seymour coalition with inferior forces and capture their commander alive!

"Retreat! Why did you cut off your braids? Always feeling that something was not right, Rong Lu finally found a problem.

"Thank you for your understanding. In the first battle of Xigu, the coalition forces were basically defeated with bayonets, and in hand-to-hand combat, many officers and soldiers were killed by the coalition forces by grabbing their braids, and after the war, I ordered the braids to be cut off temporarily. If there is a violation of the national book, please punish me alone. ”

Rong Lu looked at Long Qian's bald head wrapped in gauze, and thought, believe that you are a fool. But this is not the time to think about these details, "I have also heard about the battle of Xigu. It's also a stopgap measure. The Queen Mother, I will turn around for you. But this is a big festival, not a small matter. Let's make up for it after the war. ”

Make up for it. Long Qian sneered, but he was still a little modest, "The adult is responsible." However, the humble position is a little insightful, and I secretly think that soldiers cannot be the same as ordinary people, and the two armies are fighting, and the braids really hinder the exertion of combat effectiveness...... Soldiers, the first thing is to win the battle for the court, and if the battle is lost, it is the greatest disrespect to the court. ”

"What you say is not unreasonable. But it's not a small thing, you know? Rong Lu unconsciously put on the habitual tone of being in the top position for a long time.

"Yes, yes." Long Qian turned to the troops who stood and said, "Brothers, this is Lord Ronglu, who is the Minister of Military Aircraft, and is the Optimus Jade Pillar of the Imperial Court. Lord Ronglu heard about the victory in the Battle of Xigu and reported everyone's exploits in front of the Queen Mother. He also said that when the situation is stable, he will show mercy to the fallen officers and soldiers and reward the meritorious soldiers! Everyone must remember the kindness of Lord Ronglu. Remember? ”

"Remember!" The team responded neatly.

"Now, please review it for Lord Ronglu. All of them are there, stand upright! ”

With Long Qian's command, all the officers and soldiers in the queue touched their heels and made a neat sound. Long Qian turned around, "Please review it." ”

Rong Lu was stunned for a moment, when did you say that you were kind to the dead? But what Long Qian said just now was very decent, which made him very comfortable, "Well, it's good...... "It's not that he hasn't inspected the troops, Yuan Shikai has been to the small station for training more than once, but the momentum shown by the soldiers of Shandong Qinwang today made him feel that there was something he had never seen before.

Long Qian accompanied Rong Lu to "review" his "long-absessed" troops, and Long Qian's gaze, which was walking behind Rong Lu's side, searched Rong Lu's face, and secretly scolded Lu Shan in his heart for messing things up. What kind of review, really.

Rong Lu walked to the end, turned back again, and stood down in the middle of the line, "Om, brothers of the Shandong Army, the Queen Mother heard about your merits, the Sacred Heart is happy, and has awarded Long Qian, Om, awarded Long Qian the post of deputy general, to show his merits!" Everyone's merits, when Vice General Long plays the court, he will definitely be rewarded! ”

Long Qian took the lead in applauding, and the team burst into applause.

Rong Lu saw this tone for the first time, and his face was a little confused. Long Qian leaned over and said, "This is the rule of lowly duties, and applauding means thanking the adults for their words." ”

"Well, I see. Retreat, let's disperse. You must be optimistic about foreigners! Rong Lu told again.

"Yes, my lord has 10,000 hearts. If the lowly can capture them from the battlefield, how can they let them escape? ”

"Ha Lu Ha. Well said. A good soldier trained by Vice Admiral Long! No wonder foreigners are no opponents. Rong Lu walked in front of the short queue of the Mengshan army. I found that the soldiers' eyes were basically not looking at themselves, but at their leader, "Your soldiers admire you very much." ”

"My lord, I admire Zeng Wenzhenggong the most, I have read a lot of Zeng Hou's soldiers' books, and I strive to train soldiers according to Zeng Hou's method of military training. They are all simple peasant children, who have little arrogance and teach righteousness, so they can fight without fear of death and bravely kill the enemy in battle. ”

"Good. Good. When the Queen Mother sees it, she must like it. Ha Lu Ha. ”

"My lord, please go back to the house to rest first, the conditions are simple. I hope you will take care of me. Lushan. Long Qian shouted.

Lu Shan ran over.

"Vacate the best house for adults. Immediately ask the food soldiers to cook a hot meal for the adults. ”

"Yes." Lu Shan suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and agreed.

"Take the adults to rest first." Long Qian ordered.

From last night's tossing to now, Rong Lu, who is sixty-five years old, has long been tired enough. Now I really want to lie down on the soft mattress and sleep, but my stomach growls uncontrollably, and Rong Lu is deeply satisfied with Long Qian's arrangement just now.

"Commander, the captives live in the Land Temple, where conditions are better."

"How can you let the adults live with the captives? I really can't do anything. So, where do you live? ”

"I've been sleeping rough for the past two days." Lu Shan said coldly, "Commander, you taught us not to disturb the people, and we can't rob people's houses." ”

"Who told you to rob a house?" Long Qian glared at Lu Shan, and said to Rong Lu with a smile, "Don't be angry, adults. His name is Lu Shan, and he is my deputy, and he is straightforward and reckless. Fighting is a first-class bravery. In that case, let's go to the temple and find a cleaner upper room. ”

"What a sturdy man, at first glance, he is a warrior." Rong Lu looked at Lu Shan, even if Long Qian was burly and strong, but this big black man was taller and stronger than Long Qian, "Don't be so particular, think back, just order whatever." ”

Long Qian accompanied Rong Lu back to the temporary headquarters of the Mengshan Army, a dilapidated land temple, where allied prisoners of war occupied most of the rooms and the rest by guard troops. Long Qian chose a small ear room facing east and placed Rong Lu.

"My lordship will rest for a while, and then I will come over at once."

"Okay, there you go." Rong Lu nodded.

Steward Zhang, who had been following behind, hurriedly beat his back and knocked his legs for the master, "This Long Qian is quite sensible." ”

"Hmm," Rong Lu thought about his mind with his eyes closed.

Steward Zhang took the opportunity to say, "Master, I didn't expect them to really catch so many foreigners." What a great honor it would be if this was a prisoner. Since the high temple, the imperial court has not had such martial arts to the outside world. ”

Rong Lu's face changed, "What nonsense!" Jingshi has let the family occupy it! What else to mention for the captive! ”

"Yes, yes," Steward Zhang, who was reprimanded, also felt that it was a bit inappropriate to say this at this moment.

The high temple that Steward Zhang said refers to the Hongli of Gaozong in the Qing Dynasty, and Qianlong claimed to be a perfect old man, and he had ten major martial arts to the outside world. But only for the neighboring subjects. However, it is true that as Steward Zhang said, after the state of the imperial court deteriorated, and the First Sino-Japanese War was even more disgraced. The capture of the vice admiral of Britain, the most powerful country today, in World War I was indeed a remarkable feat.

"You've been with me for years, so you're well-informed. What do you think is different about this Shandong army? Rong Lu opened his eyes.

"Back to the master's words. I think they've all killed people and seen blood, and they have a fierce aura. ”

"Well, I remembered something, you go and ask Vice Long to come, and you will say that there is something to discuss."

Long Qian came out of the Land Temple and was immediately surrounded by the officers.

"Commander, you're wounded, doesn't it matter?" Xiong Xun asked with concern.

"Commander, what about Camp Commander Wang?" Fan Deping asked.

"It's been a hard time. I was relieved to see that everyone was so good. I just scratch a little bit of skin, not tight. Mingyuan, Shi Jun, and Erhu are still in the city, performing another important task, and they are all good. However, Mingyuan's affairs must not let Rong Lu know. Now what I explain to you is this Rong Lu, he is a Manchurian, not surnamed Rong, everyone calls the adult, don't call it Rong Daren. ”

". An old coffin. What a shelf! One look at these Tartars makes me angry. Du Sanli, who was not very sharp, said indignantly.

"Commander, what are you doing with this old man?" Feng Lundao.

"He's not an ordinary person, he's a scholar, a minister of military aircraft. A real prime minister. However, if it weren't for the future of our Mengshan Army, how would I slap him? But the future of our Mengshan Army lies on this person. He is the first celebrity of the Empress Dowager Cixi, if we want to go back to Shandong, there is a place for us to accumulate strength, this person must be. So everyone should be respectful to him these days, even if it's for my sake. ”

When everyone saw Steward Zhang running upside down, they stopped.

Steward Zhang came over, "General Long, my lord, please come over." There is something important to discuss. ”

"Good. You are waiting here. I'm going to see my lord. By the way, is it okay to urge the meal? Adults must be hungry. Long Qian glared at Du Sanli and went with Steward Zhang.

"Thinking back, the Queen Mother and the Emperor went in the direction of Xuanhua. We'd better get over there sooner. Rong Lu didn't want to serve the black porcelain bowl. But I couldn't hold back my thirst. I still drank the boiling water in the bowl.

"Obey orders." Long Qian smiled, "But you still have to prepare, the humble post now has more than a thousand people." When a man eats what a horse chews, his daily consumption is not a small amount, and he must prepare all the grain and grass. In addition, the queen mother and the emperor are covered with dust, and we can't help but pay respect. ”

"Well, it's very thoughtful."

"Please rest assured." Long Qian replied, "Count the grain and grass baggage, and then find a more comfortable sedan chair for the adults, and march for a long time, for fear that the adults will not be able to bear the bumpy." ”

"Then you don't have to, right?" Rong Lu said this, he still misses the sedan chair very much. The way out of the city in a mule cart was already a little unbearable for him.

"General Long is thoughtful." Steward Zhang, who was standing behind Rong Lu, praised.

Long Qian saw Lu Guangda come in with food, and took it, it was a bowl of noodles and a bowl of noodle soup, "Hey, I asked you to make a decent lunch for adults, why is it just a bowl of noodles?" What are you going to do with this errand? ”

"The army's lunch is dry cakes, this noodle is made by me, the military regulations are not allowed to disturb the people, and I can't buy meat__" Xiao Lu was a little aggrieved.

"Okay, it's hard for him." Rong Lu was already hungry, and his eyes lit up when he saw the bowl of noodles, "Retreat, you let this little brother make some food for my entourage." You go busy with yours. ”

Can't wait for Long Qian to leave, Rong Lu picked up the rice bowl and swallowed it heavily.

Long Qian returned to the officers who were waiting for him again, while eating cakes with cold boiling water, while listening to Lu Shan and Ye Yanbing's reports, and asking about the troops' food, grass and ammunition, he said with satisfaction, "You have done a good job." Next, let's escort Rong Lu to find Cixi and Guangxu on the way to escape, and the destination, maybe Xi'an, maybe Taiyuan. Strive for us to stop in Taiyuan. Because Dong Fuxiang's Gan army, that is, the rear army of Wuwei, has rebelled, Dong Fuxiang is a native of Gansu, and he will definitely return to Shaanxi and Gansu with his soldiers. The imperial court was worried about him, and he might not dare to go to Xi'an. I'll do these things, and you can take care of your troops and take care of the prisoners. There are several other things to be done: First, the troops should be properly reorganized. Now the number of people in each company is too small, in case of a battle, it is inconvenient. In my opinion, the formation of the battalions remained the same, and the four companies, plus the artillery company without artillery, acted as a guard company. It is mainly responsible for the custody of prisoners and the alert headquarters. The remaining three battalions should still be ready for battle at any time. The small 300-strong people's team is not needed, mobilize it, those who are willing to join the army, stay, and those who are unwilling will be dismissed with silver. When I was in Xigu, I said that I would pay one or two pieces of silver a day, and after the battle, how was the salary set? Long Qian went to see Lian Shupeng.

"One or two for five days."

"That's it. Just press this knot. I'll also bring some Mexican eagles and give them to you for safekeeping. ”

Lu Shan said with a smile, "When I came out of Tianjin, I was mobilized, and since these people came with me, they must be willing." ”

"Well, explain to them the salary and military regulations of the troops. It is necessary to leave enough convoys to be responsible for the transfer of wounded numbers and food. Even you calculate. The redundant people were incorporated into each company by Lu Shan. Weapons should also be uniformly deployed. ”

"Yes."

"The second thing is to try to buy more grain, salt and medicinal herbs, and buy as much as you can at a high price. You also do this, and Li Sancai assists you. ”

"Done." Lian Shupeng agreed.

"The third thing is to find a sedan chair, choose a few people to be sedan chairs, and give enough wages. In addition, make it clear to the people in the Minfu team who have participated in the Boxer Rebellion that now the imperial court has begun to kill the Boxers, telling them to keep their mouths shut and not to reveal what happened before if they want to survive, just say that they are all honest peasants. ”

"I still want a fucking sedan chair!" Du Sanli said indignantly.

Long Qian glared at Du Sanli again, "This time the battle of King Qin is basically over. I don't think there will be a big battle. However, you must not let your guard down. I ask everyone to change their mentality, especially after joining up with Cixi's ranks, and not to do anything that violates my orders. Whoever messes things up is the sinner of the Mengshan Army! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if we use it well, how much effort will we spend? You'll understand later. Brothers, this year is the Year of Gengzi, and this year's chaos will be called the Gengzi National Disaster. The foreign powers occupied Beijing, and then they will force the imperial court to sign a series of traitorous treaties, and what they want is, first, silver, and second, privileges in our China. These things are more complicated, and when I have the opportunity, I will explain it to you slowly. The Gengzi national disaster is a catastrophe for our China, and the people are going to be unlucky. But for our Mengshan Army, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we just want to use this opportunity to strengthen ourselves. This time I came to Beijing and Tianjin, and I lost a lot of our good brothers, and I was very sad. But this is necessary, if you don't take this step, the big guys will be sacrificed in those ravines in Zhengjiazhuang. When we get the real recognition of the imperial court, the army will be doubled, tripled, or even tenfold developed! You have to trust me. In addition, the Gengzi national disaster will damage the prestige of the imperial court, and the revolutionary party in the south will take advantage of the situation, and the revolutionary party will be the one who vows to overthrow the imperial court. This matter has been told to you in advance, so we need to pay attention to it. To ensure the stability of the troops, political matters, I deal with them. Military matters depend on everyone. ”

"What we listen to the commander is," Lu Shan stood up, "The commander is back, and we have the backbone." ”

"Okay, let's go and get busy."

In order to find a decent sedan chair and to raise more food and grass, the troops delayed for a day. In the early morning of the second day, a cavalry company sent a guard to "intercept" two nobles who had escaped from Beijing, and when they saw the troops wearing the uniforms of the new army, they said that they would follow them, because Long Qian had confessed that they should pay attention to intercepting such people, so Chi Chun took them back to the garrison first.

When they heard that Rong Lu was also here, the two of them cried and almost fainted. (To be continued......)