Chapter 3 (Part 4)

Early the next morning, Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, praised the two strong men who donated horses for the country in public in the name of the marching treasurer, and promoted the two of them to be the commander of the treasury brigade and the chief of the grain supervision team within the scope of his authority. Liu Hongji and Li Xu thanked the treasurer for his promotion, and after receiving the armor and equipment, they officially became a member of the Great Sui march.

After arranging a day's idle affairs, Li Yuan immediately sent his henchmen to follow Liu and Li to the suburban farmhouse, and drove all the war horses except for the injured Hei Feng and the two of them into the barracks. Among the more than 90 horses, 50 were Turkic military horses, and the remaining 40 or so were rare horses in the Central Plains. When the officials of Huaiyuan Town saw it, their eyes lit up with envy. It is said that Tang Gong had the blessing of accidents, and he was able to get so many good horses before the army set out.

Li Yuan has been in officialdom for so many years, so he naturally knows what thoughts everyone has in their hearts. Immediately, he ordered people to pick out thirty war horses with the purest blood and the most exquisite skeletons, and ordered them to feed them with concentrate alone. When the army arrives, it is ready to be presented to the current saint in the name of the meritorious descendants and the sons of the Great Sui Liang family. The rest of the horses waved their hands, and the officials and soldiers under their command picked them up.

The crowd cheered and immediately plunged into the herd. In an instant, nearly seventy good horses were divided up cleanly. As for Li Yuan, the chief official, he didn't get a single horsefoot nail. Jiancheng, Hongji and Li Xu were angry, and privately muttered that the officials had no conscience, but Li Yuan only laughed when he heard it.

Later, someone took Li Xu and Liu Hongji to the military camp to settle down. The two of them were officers personally promoted by Li Yuan, and they were the former owners of all the mounts under the crotches of officials, so they were looked at by people wherever they went. The Wang surnamed Wang, who was in charge of the tents, also personally led people to vacate two large houses for the two strong men to "rest" temporarily.

"Thank you General Wang for your kindness, the two of us have just arrived, so it's better to stay in a tent. So as not to break the rules here and bring unnecessary trouble to General Wang! Liu Hongji is very old, and when he saw the size and structure of the house, he quickly excused himself.

"It doesn't matter, everyone is a good brother. Winter is coming soon, and it's cold and dry in this place, so why are the tents for us people to live in? Even if you move in, if you lack anything, go to Lao Qi to ask for it, and he is responsible for everyone's food and clothing! Wang Senjun patted Liu Hongji on the shoulder, showing enthusiasm like an old friend who had not seen him for many years.

"Then, thank you, General Wang!" Liu Hongji heard what the army member said, so he had no choice but to accept this friendship. Turning around, he took out a snatched Turkic scimitar from his luggage, held it in both hands and sent it to the army surnamed Wang.

"Brother Liu, what do you mean by this!" When General Wang saw the hilt of the knife inlaid with gold and jade, his face immediately changed, and he asked as he hid back.

"General Wang has been fighting horses for many years, and he must like to collect some weapons. This is the younger brother from the Turks, so it is not easy to use. It's better to give it to General Wang, so that it can help the general to capture the flag! Liu Hongji explained with a smile. This knife was searched by him from the Turkic general who was shot to death by Li Xu, and he was reluctant to use it. At this moment, when I first came to the house, I urgently needed to accumulate contacts, so I had to take it out to save the emergency.

"Good brother, I take your heart. But I've never touched a knife since I was a child! The surname Wang shook his head with a wry smile, and pushed the knife back into Liu Hongji's hand.

This time, not only Li Xu was stunned, but Liu Hongji was also as confused as the second monk. When the soldier surnamed Wang saw them fluting, he smiled, and hurriedly added in a low voice: "Not only me, but at least a dozen of us who can't use knives." If you want to make friends, after closing the camp gate at night, everyone will sneak out and drink together. Although this is a border place, the Tianxiang Building in the city ......"

Wang joined the army and gave a thumbs up, his face full of intoxication.

Hearing this, Liu Hongji immediately put away the knife and said with a smile: "General Wang has a good relationship there, I don't know if it's from the Yan Yan or the Khitan?" ”

"Go, it's all about it!" When it came to women, the surname Wang joined the army and immediately became familiar with Liu Hongji, punched him, and scolded with a smile: "That girl is black and thin, and she has nightmares for half a month when she touches it." The Khitan girl is even more fat, but her waist is thicker than a bucket. How could our brothers be so tasteless. Let's enjoy the flowers......"

He looked up at the soldiers who were busy packing their bags for the two chief officers outside, and said in a low voice: "There are a few daughters of prisoners over there, who are knowledgeable, let's take care of the business, it is better to let her be pinched and touched by those black hands ...... plow."

Li Xu heard that he was obscene, shook his head, and quietly walked outside the house. Liu Hongji quickly got acquainted with this person, and after talking about some ups and downs, he gradually figured out the details here.

According to the military regulations of the Great Sui, the weight of grain and grass is a key object of protection, and non-capable cadres are not allowed to hold the post of supervising grain for the army. And the command of the grain superintendent needs to be equipped with "elite soldiers and strong generals". As long as the grain and grass are protected, the "elite soldiers and strong generals" will be counted as national merits. There is no risk of going to the battlefield, and it can also earn the capital to be added to the rank and knighthood in the future.

Therefore, since the Great Sui Emperor issued a conscription order, those children of officials and eunuchs who had some small ways in their families broke their heads and squeezed into Huaiyuan Town. Although Tang Gong Li Yuan's current official position is small, he is a "Hidden Dragon and Crouching Tiger" under his hands, and he pulls out a fire at will, and if he doesn't get it, he is the son of the county commander. (Note 1)

"Okay, Zhong Jian and I will set up wine in Tianxiang Building tonight and meet your brothers!" Liu Hongji and Wang joined the army almost enough, and generously promised.

"If you two pay for it, we can't take your horses for nothing. Tonight, you two will come out empty-handed, and we, the brothers who came first, will wash the dust of the two good brothers! The surname Wang smiled and patted his chest and replied.

Liu Hongji is also a child of a family, knows the importance of interacting with people, and thanks Wang for joining the army with a smile. At night, Li Xu couldn't excuse himself, and dragged him to the horse.

The barracks, which appear to be heavily guarded during the day, are extremely loosely managed at night. When the junior colonel in charge of the camp saw Liu and Li, he moved the barricade without asking. The soldiers patrolling outside the camp were even more lazy, and when they heard the sound of horses' hooves, they were reluctant to hold up their lanterns.

"This is an official army!" Li Xu followed behind Liu Hongji and said indignantly. In his dream, the Great Sui army could not be the legendary mighty and benevolent army, at least it was a place where orders were forbidden. Unexpectedly, after closing the camp gate at night, he and Liu Hongji could still swagger out.

"What is the official army in your heart?" Liu Hongji turned around from his horse and asked in a low voice.

"At least, at least like the Tiger Ben Iron Cavalry under General Luo Yi!" Li Xu thought for a while and replied in a low voice. The impression of the first day of enlistment hit him hard, and at this moment he was not only disappointed, but also disappointed. In contrast, the impression left by the infantry captain in his heart became even more profound, so profound that he wished that he would immediately become a member of the Tiger Horseman.

"Brother, listen to my brother!" Liu Hongji took the war horse and warned Li Xu very solemnly: "Things in reality will never be the same as you think. You don't have the power to change, you have to find a way to adapt. Only when you adapt can you go up step by step. Otherwise, you will always be trampled under your feet!! ”

After speaking, he grabbed the horse's belly and quickly rushed into the endless night.

Is that what I want? Li Xu looked at it in confusion. It was pitch black all around, and there was no fireworks in the world except for the military camp behind him. The night wind of late autumn came from the north over the mountains and mountains, blowing through people's clothes and making them cold and cold.

"This damn weather, it's going to snow!" Tang Gong Li Yuan listened to the wind outside and said in a low voice.

"It was snowing, and my dad happened to take me hunting. I shot a duck yesterday, and tomorrow I might be able to shoot a deer to serve Daddy! Li Yuanji came up and hugged Li Yuan's neck and shouted.

"Yuanji, don't mess around, Dad is tired and won't come back until a day!" Li Wan'er, who was pouring tea for her father with her own hands, straightened her face and scolded in a low voice. Li Yuanji turned around and grimaced at his sister, and instead of letting go, his hands hugged him tighter.

Mrs. Dou stepped forward with a smile and hugged her son, who would never grow up. The subordinates have all been sent out by her, and at this moment there are only four Tang Gong and his wife and Jiancheng brothers and sisters in the room, so the atmosphere in the room is extremely warm.

Mrs. Dou cherishes this warm feeling, that is, outside the plug, the family can get together and talk quietly for a while. If it is in the Central Plains, the husband has endless entertainment, and there are six or seven concubines and a dozen other people's children at home. And as a standard good wife, she can't show the slightest complaint.

"Daddy is really, it's just a matter of taking care of the Liu family's brother alone. Why bother to spend so much money for a stupid peasant boy! Li Wan'er saw that her younger brother didn't get the lesson he deserved, and immediately transferred the anger that was held back to others.

"Do you really think that Li Zhongjian who came with Hongji is a stupid boy?" Li Yuan shook his head with a smile and asked his children. Helping Liu Hongji and Li Xu clear their identities is easy to say, but there are many things that need to be operated in private. In particular, this batch of war horses of unknown origin must be erased as soon as possible all traces related to the Turks. Li Yuan is a delicate person, and he doesn't want to make any mistakes in the middle, so he personally worked all day and sorted out all the details before he can rest assured to arrange his subordinates to carry it out.

"That man is clearly a fledgling fool, he doesn't understand anything, he speaks timidly, and he doesn't have the slightest heroism! At most, the arrows are better shot, with accurate head and strength! Li Wan'er put down the copper kettle and commented with a smile.

The wild boy who returned from outside the Saiwai made a very deep impression on her, unlike the usual children of the family, who were all suave and suave. Rather, it looks like a green mountain pear, which smells a little tempting, but when you look at the surface, you know that it won't taste too good.

"Since Brother Liu took the initiative to bring him to join us, this person is definitely not a vulgar thing!" Li Jiancheng shook his head and disagreed with his sister's opinion.

"His mind is actually quite detailed, maybe he has seen less of the world. Let me fool almost everyone except Daddy with that arrow! Li Shimin also shook his head and stood on his brother's side. A person who can pinch well in the martial arts arena and make the other party happy without showing traces of concessions will definitely not be the stupid boy that the second sister said in his eyes.

"When your father and I first entered the court as an official, I looked no better than him." Li Yuan glanced at his wife affectionately, and said his opinion to his children with a smile. "At that time, the Manchu Dynasty was my elder in terms of civil and military age, and they were all deeper than me in terms of scheming. I was so frightened that my legs trembled, and I held on to answer the emperor's question! When I got home, your mother took the court clothes I had changed into, and twisted them with her hands, and actually wrung out a mess of water. ”

Mrs. Dou's hand quietly reached over and took her husband's big hand. It is true that the husband at that time was also a young boy, but everyone has a time to grow up. No matter how young the pears are, they will eventually ripen, and they will bend the branches heavily. If you are happy, you can witness its youthfulness and taste its maturity. Although, when you are young, you feel it alone, but when you are mature, you have several people to share it with you.

"That man is a farmer, how can he compare with his father!" Li Yuanji's eyes widened and he protested loudly.

Li Yuan turned his head, patted his young son's head gently, and pointed in a low voice: "Actually, it's almost the same, you were born in a wealthy family, but you have more experience than others." Experience can be made up, but a person's talent and backbone can't be made up. If you want me to see it, this person is a lump of money, just lacking grinding. This world is about to be chaotic, our Li family will help one more person, and one more person will help in the future. If you can keep him, it will be a rare good help! ”

"The world is about to be in chaos!" This kind of words coming out of Li Yuan's mouth have a completely different weight from those spoken by ordinary people. The Li brothers and sisters were silent, and after thinking for a while, the eldest son Jiancheng brought up the conversation again.

"In my opinion, our Li family can treat him favorably and tie it up with kindness and righteousness. He is a righteous person, otherwise he would not take the initiative to share the responsibility of arson with Brother Hongji! ”

"I'm afraid he doesn't know gratitude, yesterday my father promised to recommend him to be the team, but he didn't even say a word of thanks!" It's been a whole day, and Li Wan'er is still haunted by the stupid boy's faux pas yesterday.

"Wasn't he afraid of dragging us down at the time, Brother Liu has already explained!" Li Jiancheng smiled generously and said a good word for Li Xu. Since my father wants to win over this person, he has to put some effort into it. If it is really a troubled era in the future, that kid has excellent archery skills, and his martial arts are said to be good, and he can at least be a pawn if he stays in the Li family.

"If you are not grateful, kill him. If anyone is not used for me, he will be killed! Li Yuanji jumped off his mother's knee and said viciously. Maybe it's because he's too young to know what killing is. The word "kill" was said by him as if it were playing, and it was extremely relaxed.

"Who taught you this!" Li Yuan made a straight face and asked sharply.

Seeing that his father was angry, Li Yuanji was so frightened that he immediately hid behind his mother, and while hiding, he muttered in a low voice: "As it says in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, if the father thinks it's wrong, the child will change it!" ”

"Master, he's still a child!" Mrs. Dou smiled and played a round for her son, reached out and pulled Yuan Ji out from behind her and put it on her knee again. "What's wrong, you teach it a little bit, why bother staring at every turn!"

With his wife by his side, Li Yuan knew that he couldn't teach his children a lesson. sighed helplessly and said, "It's all used to you, and you mention the word killing at every turn." I don't have any skills, and I will inevitably cause trouble for the family in the future! ”

"What is the trouble of a ten-year-old child. Besides, isn't he making up your mind? Dou touched Yuanji's head lovingly, and defended his son in a low voice.

She personally gave birth to four sons for Li Yuan, and the eldest son was built into a generous old man and a talented man. The second son of the world is magnificent, and he is also a handsome man who can gain a foothold in the world. The third son, Xuanba, was weak and sickly, and stayed in his hometown and didn't bring it out. Therefore, the Dou family gave the love that should be given to the two sons to the youngest son. Although this youngest son has a worse temperament, he is smart and studious, and he has made rapid progress in martial arts.

"Shimin, what do you think!" Li Yuan no longer paid attention to Yuanji, and turned his attention to Li Shimin, who didn't talk much, but acted with a strong sense of proportion.

"This person has a very simple personality, shallow experience, but his mind is not simple!" Li Shimin, who had not spoken, slowly analyzed. "There is a good saying, a gentleman is straight, but he can be bullied......"

He smiled and didn't continue. He looked at his father, and his bright eyes were full of pride.

Note 1: The Great Sui military system, ten people are fire, and the fire has a fire chief.