131: King Rong Is Like a Stray Dog

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The warm summer breeze is blowing slowly, but the news is really not good. There is a severe drought in the grassland outside the Great Wall this year. Many pastures have died due to drought, and the number of cattle and sheep has been reduced sharply because they have no grass to eat.

The herdsmen on the grassland have no food to eat, so they can only pick up the things and rob them.

Who to rob?

Of course, it is Nan Qi who is extremely beautiful with treasures.

Such wars happen every year, but no year is as fast and fierce as this year. In previous years, there would be a courtesy test to make both sides somewhat prepared to start another war. This year, maybe they are really hungry, and the cavalry outside the Great Wall is With his eyes red, he attacked the guardhouse all night long.

Three guard posts were destroyed in a short period of time, and Southern Qi suffered heavy losses. Heads of hundreds and thousands of households were killed one after another, and even two commanders of the guard posts were killed.

The whole court was shocked when the news came, and the prince came out to ask for a fight.

King Rong refused to lag behind, gritted his teeth and stood up to challenge.

King Xiang thought about it, and both his brothers stood up. It would be embarrassing for him to stand or not. If he stood up, he would just go along with the general trend. If he didn't stand up, he would be a coward and irresponsible. It would be too late and the situation would change drastically. It was simply His eyes were filled with tears, extremely miserable.

The emperor raised an army, the prince asked for a battle, and the whole court was full of fighting spirit. The soldiers and soldiers came on horseback, vowing to drive out the neighbors who came to rob.

The main points of contention in the court were whether it was feasible for the prince to lead the army, whether allowing the king to follow the army would cause trouble, and who to appoint as the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Civil and military discord, different arguments, and quarrels broke out.

The power to command troops and the power to mobilize troops in the Southern Qi Dynasty were separated. When the dynasty was first established, the governor-general almost took over both powers. Although there were checks and balances by the prime minister, it was of little significance, which meant that the emperor could not directly control military power.

In order to control the military power, Taizu promoted and integrated the Ministry of War, so the Minister of the Ministry of War obtained the power to mobilize troops, and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies had to obey the orders of the Ministry of War.

Although the Ministry of War issued unified troop deployment orders, it did not have the power to control the troops. It could be said that the Ministry of War did not have a single soldier in hand. Even the Minister of War could not ask for detailed information on the number of troops and military status. Anyone who violated the order would definitely be punished. condemn.

In this way, the Ministry of War issues military orders, and the Five Armed Forces Governor's Office directs the army. Both of them obey the emperor's orders at the same time, and His Majesty will be able to control the army of Southern Qi.

The imperial court also had a set of procedures for dispatching troops. The commander-in-chief of the three armies must be the Duke Hou Bo. Su Chun was still able to lead the troops despite his lack of qualifications. The most important reason was because of his background, which was from the Duke of Qi.

All the princes and uncles who were rewarded by the Southern Qi Dynasty were generals who followed Taizu to conquer the world, and all of them were good at fighting. Therefore, the imperial court gave priority to the princes and uncles as the commander-in-chief of the three armies.

Of course, as generations go by, there will be more descendants who fail to live up to expectations and fewer who live up to expectations. Among the few who live up to expectations, not many can become commanders-in-chief of the armed forces. Therefore, every time a commander-in-chief of the armed forces is appointed, there will always be a quarrel in the court.

In addition to the commander-in-chief of the three armies, the troops sent out for the expedition were not the only source. The first was troops from the Beijing camp, followed by troops from various garrison stations, and finally the local recruitment.

Mixing the sources of troops can effectively prevent generals from all over the country from relying on their own troops.

Su Xinyi had no interest in who the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was. It was still unclear whether she could join the army. To care about the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was to reach for the stars, which was out of reach.

But there was one thing that concerned their family, and that was that the Royal Forest Army where Su Yi belonged also dispatched a group of people to the border town.

This is something that has never happened before. The duty of the Royal Forest Army is to protect His Majesty, the palace, and the imperial city. Now they are asked to go to the border town to kill. His Majesty's thoughts are really unpredictable today.

In addition to the Yulin Army, which was stuffed in like a convulsion, the other five military battalions, the three thousand battalions, and the Shenji Battalion each dispatched some soldiers and horses to form an army of 200,000, ready to go.

His Majesty, the commander-in-chief of the three armies, finally appointed Zhu Pengzu, Duke of Zheng, and Zhu Pengzu signed the seal to go out for the expedition, and all the ministries in the capital were quickly put into operation.

Su Xinyi went to see her grandfather at this time. She wanted to join the army.

The old man looked at Su Xinyi intently. He was not surprised at all. He said after a while: "You have to know that even if you go out with the army, as a woman, even if you get to the border town, you will only stay in the city and work as an internal affairs soldier." rise."

If Su Xinyi were a man, things would be very easy. Most of the men in the Su family joined the army. That is to say, this generation seems to have strayed away from the style of painting. Many children in the family actually like to read.

If Su Xinyi was a male and had the support of her ancestors, the minimum position to join the army would be a hundred households. However, she was a girl and wanted to convince the crowd and fight her way out among a group of men. Then she had to rely on her own true strength. ability.

Leading troops to fight is not just a fight between neighbors. Just scold me and I'll kick you and that's it. It's about seeing blood with your head hanging on your trousers. The boss leading the troops is a woman. Can you be subdued by a soldier?

Su Xinyi knew that it was hard and dangerous, but she still wanted to give it a try. She didn't want to repeat the path of her previous life. She wanted to walk the path that her father had walked.

Even if this road is a thousand times more difficult for her than her father, she is still willing.

"Grandfather, you asked me to drink tea at home, embroider, recite poems and paint, and be a lady of the family. My granddaughter can do it. However, I don't want people to just shake their heads when they mention the descendants of Fourth Master Su. What about women? When Taizu raised an army, There is also a female military camp under the account, and my granddaughter is willing to join the army in the name of Tiehu."

Southern Qi household registration was divided into three categories: civilian households, military households, and craftsman households, which were managed by the Ministry of Households, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Industry respectively.

Minhu are ordinary people who farm and pay taxes.

A military household refers to a family that has served in the military for generations and cannot be changed at will. Each military household was required to serve in the designated guard post in accordance with the imperial decree.

Craftsman households are craftsmen with various skills. Craftsman households, like military households, are not allowed to change their household registration at will.

Among them, military households have the greatest demand. Since the founding of the Southern Qi Dynasty, there have been constant frictions with various ethnic groups outside the Great Wall. Troops must be raised every year. However, the number of troops sent depends on the size of the conflict.

The military households in the Southern Qi Dynasty came from various sources. The first type was those who followed Taizu in the army. They had military status for generations, so the Su family also had military status.

The second type is surrender, which refers to the army that Taizu defeated or rebelled during the expedition. The third type is those who committed crimes and exiled themselves from the army, such as Li Ji.

There is also a situation where the war is tight and the number of soldiers is insufficient. When the military registration is still unable to meet the needs of the war, civilians may also join the army. Three civilian households are grouped together, one of which is a regular household, the other two are postal households, and one of the regular households is People serve in the military and receive household subsidies as a supplement and reserve.

It's true that the Su family is a member of the military, but female soldiers are now rare in the army, and she herself is a bachelor. How to place her in the army is a headache.

Now that Su Yi has been transferred to the border town, he can take this opportunity to ask Su Xinyi to be Su Yi's follower. In fact, this is a side step, but for now, he is only going there as a follower, plus the status of the Su family There won’t be anyone who doesn’t have a long-sighted objection.

But how Su Xinyi can stand on her own feet after becoming a household holder is her own business.

The old man can only help so much, and any more will violate His Majesty's taboos.

Su Xinyi could open his mouth to say "Tiehu", which showed that he had carefully considered it. The old man nodded and said, "Since you have made up your mind, then go ahead."

The eagle always fights in the sky. The descendants of the Su family, regardless of gender, can fly high as long as they have the will.

Su Xinyi was overjoyed, "Thank you, grandfather. My granddaughter will definitely not bring shame to the Su family."

The old man smiled, looked at Su Xinyi and said word by word: "You have chosen the road. No matter how hard it is, you have to persevere. You have to know that once you join the army, it is not easy to get out. Moreover, on the battlefield No eyesight, my grandfather hopes to see you return triumphantly."

Don't be like your father who sent his white-haired people to his black-haired people.

"Yes." Su Xinyi's eyes were slightly red, and he knelt down and kowtowed, making a big gift to his grandfather and making a solemn promise.

After Su Xinyi left, the old man let out a long sigh.

Chen Hai watched from the side and said softly: "Old Master, let the prince take his household to join the army. We have to say hello to Commander Guo about this matter, otherwise I should go and take a trip?"

Commander Guo, Guo Meng, was the person sent by the Royal Forest Army to lead the troops in the border town this time, and Su Yi followed his orders.

"There's no rush yet." The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, "Wait a moment."

Chen Hai didn't know why, but he soon found out because Tian Zao and Bao Datong also wanted to take this opportunity to go to the border town to join the army. It was easy to change civilian status to military status, but it still took some effort to decide where to go.

The old man waited until he got the news he wanted and asked Chen Hai to go there in person. Tian Zao and Bao Datong didn't want to be a post-householder. They wanted to go into battle to kill the enemy, but they were still a little young and the border town didn't have enough soldiers to let them grow up. The eldest child rushed to kill, but the two teenagers' objections were ineffective and they could only follow them.

Guo Meng saw Chen Hai's bald head and called Su Yi to ask about it. In the end, Su Yi didn't know anything and he was dumbfounded.

Guo Meng was even more heartbroken when he saw him. Why did the eldest brother look so inconspicuous?

Guo Meng kicked Su Yi out, who was unaware of the question. He walked around the room several times with his hands behind his back. After much hesitation, he still reported the matter.

It's a small thing to be a Tiehu, but this Tiehu has a big background, and she is the only daughter of Mr. Su. You said that you were not at home to embroider well, but you actually caused trouble to others.

Guo Meng could not go beyond the level to report back, so he could only ask to see the commander-in-chief Zheng Guogong and explain the matter exactly as it was.

Zhu Pengzu:......

Guo Meng didn't dare to raise his head. What if the coach kicked him out like he kicked Su Yi out in anger? How embarrassing would he be?

Of course Zhu Pengzu knew about Su Xinyi. I'm afraid there was no one in the capital who didn't know about the sixth girl from the Su family.

Others don't know it, but Zhu Pengzu is the Duke of the country after all and is well-informed. The sixth girl also had a hand in the Yanyin case.

Why was Su Yi able to be banned from hundreds of households?

Because there is also a contribution from Miss Su Liu here, but Su Xinyi only pushed her eldest brother to others without stepping forward, and the court could not reward her, so the credit fell on Su Yi. Otherwise, although Su Yi would His meritorious service is not small, but his position in the army is a carrot and a pit. It would be good if he can raise the general flag.

Zhu Pengzu also had a headache. Seeing Guo Meng pretending to be a quail, he gasped in anger and drove him away angrily.

When Guo Meng saw the coach, he didn't agree but didn't object either, so he probably had a chance.

He let out a long sigh of relief, threw the hot potato away, and just waited for the news.

Zhu Pengzu had pulled out more than a dozen strands of his beard. This kind of thing cannot be ambiguous. Su Chun was registered in front of His Majesty. Although His Majesty did not summon his daughter after she was found, I heard that the Queen rewarded Miss Su Liu. As a generous gift, Concubine Li once summoned her to the palace. It is difficult not to guess whether it was His Majesty's intention.

Zhu Pengzu gritted his teeth and decided to throw this hot potato out. Of course, His Majesty was the one who finally made the decision.

After all, she is Su Chun's daughter.

Zhu Pengzu went to the palace to ask for an audience with His Majesty. Su Xinyi of the Duke of Qi didn't know that she would be in such trouble because of her joining the army. She thought that as long as her family greeted her, she would join the army as a householder. After joining the army, wouldn't she have a chance to play? ?

But she really underestimated her father's reputation. She was the only child, so others had to be extremely cautious.

Was he worried about her safety?

No.

But he was afraid that if the news of Su Xinyi's death came, His Majesty would know that Su Chun's only daughter had also followed in her father's footsteps and served the country loyally. What would he do if he found trouble with the people who sent her to the army?

Zhu Pengzu walked out of the palace in the night, with a thin layer of sweat on his back. He couldn't figure out what His Majesty meant for a while. Did he agree or disagree?

When he mentioned Su Xinyi, His Majesty's expression of no surprise made him feel vaguely that although His Majesty did not summon Su Xinyi, he was afraid that he would pay some attention to her in the case of the salt permit.

His Majesty did not object in anger, which meant that he agreed.

Zhu Pengzu grinned. Anyway, he was following Su Yi as a householder, and his direct superior was Guo Meng. After he reported to His Majesty, he could not control other things. In the end, it all depended on Su Xinyi's ability.

When Prince Rong heard the news that Su Xinyi was following the army as a householder, he almost jumped up. Is it still possible to do this?

What did Su Xinyi think?

Did she want to go to the battlefield to wrestle with a group of tough men from the frontier?

This was not to fight those dandies in the capital. The tribes from the frontier grew up on horseback. They were strong and muscular. If someone stood in front of them, they could hold two Su Xinyi.

Isn't this rushing to give yourself a head?

Being a householder?

It sounds good. With Su Xinyi's personality, a householder will be turned into a regular householder sooner or later!

Prince Rong asked his father to go to the war and his father ignored him, but why could Su Xinyi go as a householder and a woman?

Although there were female soldiers in the army, that was when Taizu started his army. Since the world was stable, which military camp still has women?

However, it is true that the female barracks in the army have not been completely abolished, but they have not been recruited.

This is skirting the law. Everyone knows that the female barracks established by Taizu have not been abolished, but they can be recruited.

Now that Su Xinyi has come out, Prince Rong is a little bit annoyed. Do you think this person can't live a peaceful life?

Compared with Prince Rong's anger, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is much calmer.

This time he will follow the army to manage food and grass matters. Although he is a reserve army, this is also a good opportunity for training. The Crown Prince will naturally not think that letting him coordinate food and grass is a waste of talent.

The three armies have to go before the food and grass. There are 200,000 troops from the capital alone. Eating is not a small problem. In addition to food and grass, there are also weapons, war horses and other military supplies that need to be transferred and replenished at any time.

After receiving the order, the whole Donggong Palace started to operate. In addition to the food and military supplies taken away from the capital, they also had to be allocated from the garrisons in various places, which gave him the opportunity to deal with the commanders in various places.

He couldn't guess what his father was thinking, but he knew that this opportunity was rare.

Yan Junchu's eyes fell on Su Xinyi's name. Su Yi, a hundred households of the Imperial Guards, followed the army as a householder. In addition to Su Xinyi, there was another person named Tian Zao. He slowly retracted his gaze.

His father tacitly agreed that Su Xinyi would follow the army as a householder, which made Yan Junchu think deeply.

Why did his father tacitly agree?

Yan Junchu couldn't figure it out, and couldn't understand his father's mind.

Making this decision was really unlike his father's temperament.

Whether it was good or bad remained to be seen.

Yan Junchu's fingertips gently drew a circle on Su Xinyi's name, and then slowly put away the list.

The news that Su Xinyi was going to work as a householder spread in the Duke of Qi's mansion. The three sisters Su Jingmo and Zeng came to see her. They didn't know whether to persuade her or support her. The four of them sat in a row and were very distressed.

Su Xinyi had packed her bags. She would not leave with her eldest brother because Su Yi was traveling with the army and it would be troublesome to bring her. She had already received the waist badge to the guard post and would rush over first to wait for her eldest brother.

Su Xinyi looked at Su Chaoyan and the others and said with a smile: "I know what you are going to say first, but this is my decision. I hope my sister-in-law and sisters can support me. You wait for me, I will definitely come back."

Su Chaoyan was soft-hearted, her eyes reddened, and she nodded heavily.

Su Jingmo pursed his lips and said, "Xiao Liu, we are all waiting for you to come back."

Su Xixian was very sad. She had never thought that her sisters would join the army. This was beyond the boundaries of her inner house survival. Seeing her sister, who had just come back, flapping her wings and about to fly away, she was angry, amused, and helpless. She could only tell her, "Come back alive."

Zeng looked at Xinyi and said softly, "Your eldest brother said that he would take good care of you. Don't worry about the family affairs. We are all waiting for you to come back."

Su Xinyi smiled and nodded, "Okay."

The day before Su Xinyi left, the fourth wife came to sleep with her. She tossed and turned all night and didn't sleep well. She sat up in the middle of the night and stared at her daughter's sleeping face in a daze.

She had sent her husband away in this way before, and now she had to send her daughter away again.

She knew that Xinyi had always been filial. If she asked her not to go, the child might agree in the end, but she would definitely not be happy.

What's the point of keeping her?

She was filled with so much worry and anxiety. She knew that her husband was a man who would move forward even if the road ahead was difficult.

Xinyi was his child. His blood flowed in her bones and veins. Both father and daughter made the same choice, and she could only support them silently.

The next day, Su Xinyi got up before dawn, and the fourth lady followed her and took her to say goodbye to the old master and the lady. Neither Madam She nor Lian Qiao would follow. After breakfast, Su Xinyi set off with Tian Zao, Bao Datong, Zhan Qiao and Cao Qing.

Unexpectedly, when she arrived at the gate of the mansion, she saw Zeng with several young ladies, and even the third lady was there, all seeing her off.

Su Xinyi's eyes turned red, and she bowed deeply to everyone, and then left without looking back.

After leaving the gate of the capital, they headed north, riding horses all the way. On the way, they also met a team of officials escorting exiled officials and military households.

Now that the war is imminent, the prisoners in the prison have also embarked on the journey of exile in advance. Su Xinyi felt a little sorry that she couldn't see Li Ji.

At noon, they found a shade to eat and rest. The packages contained easy-to-carry bread and some pickled meat. Food cannot be kept for a long time in the hot summer, so they only brought enough for one day, and tomorrow's food can only be replenished on the road.

After opening the cowhide water bottle and filling it with water, Su Xinyi ate the bread in small sips and took out the map she brought with her to look at the route.

Zhan Qiao and Cao Qing were originally military personnel, but they were private guards of the Duke of Qi's mansion and did not need to listen to the dispatch of the guard.

Tian Zao and Bao Datong were a little nervous. Although they clamored to join the army, they had never been in contact with the guard, and they were looking forward to it with some uneasiness.

After eating and resting for a while, they immediately set off. It would be best to find a place to stay before dark. Sleeping in the wild is not a good idea.

As they went north, the scenery along the way gradually changed, from densely populated areas to gradually desolate areas. Sometimes it was difficult to see a person after running for a whole day.

The further north they went, the stricter the patrol officers and soldiers at the checkpoints on the road were. They checked and verified everything, including the ivory cards, road permits, and official documents.

Su Xinyi wore men's clothes to make it easier to travel. She was carefully observed every time she was checked. After all, women had not been seen as household servants for decades. It was strange.

The patrol officers kept muttering, and the look in their eyes when they looked at Su Xinyi was not quite right.

Su Xinyi smiled in response. She had seen such looks many times along the way. Later on, she became more and more numb and didn't even want to waste her saliva to explain.

She didn't know how many strange looks she would face when she waited until she reached the border town. Su Xinyi knew she had to get used to it.

After passing Suian, the number of guards gradually increased, and it became more and more desolate, getting closer and closer to Yulin Guard where they arrived.

The summer in the capital was hot, but it was already a bit cold in the morning and evening when they got here. It was getting dark earlier and earlier. There was still a long way to go from the post station, so they had to find a place to camp.

Su Xinyi and the others pitched a simple tent and lit a bonfire. The food could be eaten cold, but the water had to be hot.

The water on the shelf had just begun to bubble, and suddenly they heard the sound of hurried horse hooves in the distance. Su Xinyi and the others looked up, and several horses appeared in their sight in the last rays of sunset.

Su Xinyi looked far away, and probably saw the fire here, and the people in the distance ran directly towards them.

Cao Qing and Zhan Qiao immediately stood up, protecting Su Xinyi behind them, and put their right hands on the hilt of the knife.

The border line is long, and the border guards cannot patrol all the time. Occasionally, there will be cavalry from the grasslands to visit. This place is not as stable as the inland, and you have to be careful all the time.

When the people approached, Su Xinyi saw that the person in front was a little familiar. She half-squinted her eyes, and when the people got closer and could vaguely see some of their faces, she couldn't help but be shocked.

Is there something wrong with her eyes?

How did she see Prince Rong here?

Su Xinyi signaled Cao Qing and the others to step back. She took a step forward and was speechless when she saw the embarrassed Prince Rong.

What is he doing? He is like a lost dog.

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The transition chapter is a bit stuck. I updated late today. Sorry for the long wait. Kisses.