Chapter 38: The Farmer and the Snake (1/2)

  Today's update may be delayed, probably around 8-9 pm

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  Yiyang soldiers are considered a crack troop in Jingzhou and Xiangyang.

  If we trace back to its origin, it can be traced back to the time of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Faced with the Yellow Turban bandits and the official army that was similar to robbers, the people of Yiyang spontaneously formed a righteous and brave militia, which had several bloody battles with both the Yellow Turbans and the official army, and from then on, the name of bravery and martial valor spread throughout Jingzhou.

  It is said that Wei Yan's father died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

  Liu Biao's takeover of Jingzhou was not a smooth sail. Especially when he first arrived in Jingzhou, Liu Biao was almost alone, with no soldiers or troops by his side. At that time, bandits were rampant in Jingzhou, and the aristocracy was scattered all over the place, with local tyrants occupying various regions, making it a chaotic mess like a plate of loose sand.

  Liu Biao's arrival will inevitably lead to dissatisfaction among many powerful families and aristocratic clans.

  In addition to the bandits who were rampant in various places, Liu Biao had to quickly form his own army. After some private transactions, Liu Biao gained the support of three major families: Jiangxia Huangshi, Xiangyang Caiyan and Xiangyang Kuoshi. Then, with the name of state shepherd and the honor of Han's clan relatives, he recruited soldiers and bought horses in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. The Yiyang Wu Zu was formed under such circumstances and became an elite army.

  At first, there were more than 560 people in Yiyangwu village.

  Wei Yan was only 15 years old at that time and was just a small soldier. Later, the Yiyang Wu soldiers followed Liu Biao and fought in various places in Jingzhou. They successively pacified the bandits in Nanyang, Nangong, and Changsha, suppressed several large families in Jingzhou, such as Yang of Nanyang and Chen of Changsha, and achieved great military achievements. However, because the Yiyang Wu soldiers were a group of people from humble origins, Liu Biao's governance of Jingzhou relied more on the support of several large families, so that the Yiyang Wu soldiers fought north and south, established countless military achievements, but did not gain many benefits. Only those generals who led the army gained promotions one after another. Wei Yan also rose from a small soldier to gradually climb up, and even served as a lieutenant for a period of time.

  "Why did it become Duber again?"

  Wang Mai asked curiously.

  Deng Ji was slightly drunk, leaning against the simple bed, and let out a soft sigh.

  "Everyone has seen your long-winded and arrogant attitude."

  You say, how can someone like him win the favor of his superiors? So, it's no wonder that Yiyang Wuze got no credit for his achievements and always charged to the front line in battle... It was as if a year ago, when Yiyang Wuze's commander-in-chief at the time was Wen Chang's uncle, who was ordered to follow Liu Jingzhou's nephew Zhang Yun to quell the rebellion of the Wuxi Man in the mountains of Wuling. Unexpectedly, they were ambushed by the Wuxi Man and nearly annihilated, with Wen Chang's uncle killed on the spot. Of the over 300 troops, only 43 remained. Wen Chang was also punished for this and demoted to a minor official position.

  After that, Yiyang Wu Zuo returned to Yiyang to garrison and no one bothered with him again...

  Wang Mouqi said: "How can this be? If it was an ambush, shouldn't it be the commander's responsibility? What does Wei Tunjiang have to do with it?"

  "Having lost the fight, someone has to be the scapegoat."

  At that time, Zhang Yun reported that the Yiyang Wu Ze had launched a surprise attack, resulting in the entire army being ambushed. Fortunately, Wen Chang's uncle died in battle, otherwise he would have been charged with some crime. The Yiyang Wu Ze had been campaigning east and west for years, and they had built up some connections. Those people came forward to plead on his behalf, and Wen Chang was able to keep his life. However, wanting to be promoted was unlikely...and Zhang Yun didn't particularly like them either.

  The king's face was gloomy for a long time before he said: "What is the use of keeping you, sir?"

  "Brother Tiger Head, be careful what you say!"

  Cao Peng, who had been half asleep and cultivating his spirit, was startled and quickly opened his eyes, shouting in a low voice.

  Where is this place?

  Jiuniu City's large camp... even in the Yiyang Wu Ze's barracks, it's hard to guarantee that there aren't prying ears behind the wall. Wang Mai's previous sentence was treasonous and deserving of beheading.

  Deng Jie shivered and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and his intoxication vanished instantly.

  He couldn't help but smile wryly, what's the point of saying these things to Wang Mai? This guy is straightforward and can't hide anything in his heart. In the future, when looking for someone to confide in, he must be careful about who to choose. Ah Fu is not bad, at least he knows what can and cannot be said.

  Cao Peng got up and walked out of the small tent, seeing no one around, before coming back.

  "Brother-in-law, you did something wrong today."

  "Huh?"

  Cao Peng said, "There is a saying that benevolence does not control the military, and righteousness does not control wealth. Today you should not beg for mercy, let Ma Yu and others come in... Brother-in-law, we are now in a dangerous situation, so we should be more careful. Ma Yu obviously has a grudge against us, but you still let him in, isn't that asking for trouble? When we charge into battle, they can stand by and watch. Then they should prepare to be punished."

  Since ancient times, has there ever been a superior officer who charges into battle while his subordinates stand by with folded arms?

  To put it bluntly, this is desertion in the face of danger. According to the law, beheading them would not be excessive, so why bother pleading for leniency?

  "But..."

  Deng Ji said in a soft voice: "After all, we are all fellow villagers, I really can't bear to..."

  "Brother-in-law, if you were to take charge of a region in the future, your heart would always be tied up with thoughts of old acquaintances and hometown relationships. How could you possibly achieve clear rewards and punishments, and give orders that are obeyed? Moreover, you know very well that some of these people have ill intentions, yet you still want to indulge them and consider their feelings..."

  Brother-in-law, let me tell you a story.

  Long ago, there was a farmer who saw a venomous snake frozen and almost dead on the road. He took pity on it and put it in his bosom to warm it up. The snake revived but instead of being grateful, it bit the farmer severely. Your actions today are just like that farmer's. Ma Yu and those people are like venomous snakes; you saved him, but he may not be grateful and might even bite you to death at any time.

  "Brother-in-law, you've read more books than me and understand the bigger picture... But being overly sympathetic is absolutely unacceptable. Otherwise, it will harm both others and yourself."

  Deng Jie's face showed a hint of embarrassment, he lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

  Cao Peng said he wasn't being ignorant.

  After all these years, he has gotten used to it... This hometown friendship and local affection always have some attachment. Suddenly wanting to abandon it is really a bit difficult for Deng Ji. But he knows that Cao Peng's words are absolutely right, and he seems to be wrong today!

  "What's to be done?"

  "Take advantage of the current situation and find an excuse to get rid of Ma Yu."

  "Ah!"

  "Sister's husband, Ma Yu is a troublemaker, you mustn't be misled again. You're also a military officer, it's just right to start from the aspect of military discipline."

  Deng Jizhi hesitated!

  Cao Peng was extremely helpless, it seemed that his temperament couldn't be changed for a while.

  Reading the books of saints and sages, cultivating a strong and upright spirit, seeking to act with integrity and sit with dignity. This deliberate behavior was difficult for Deng Yizhong to accept at first.

  If you don't take a few blows, it's probably hard to correct.

  It seems that if I want to get Ma Yu back, I'll have to think of a way myself...

  A moment of silence in the small account.

  Deng Jiban raised his head after a while and said softly, "Ah Fu, can you tell me what's going on? Why was I summoned?"

  It's estimated that this issue has been pent up in Deng Jiaxi's heart for quite some time.

  He can drag it out until now and ask about it, which is also a testament to his endurance. Cao Peng glanced at Wang Mai, then smiled and said, "It's just the usual romantic nonsense."

  "The Wind, the Flower, the Snow and the Moon?"

  "Do you still remember Zhang Shuo?"

  "Zhang Shuo?"

  "It's that girl from the Zhang family in Neyang..."

  Cao Peng told Deng Ji all about his conjecture in detail.

  Deng Jia was speechless with laughter.

  I thought it was something else, but it turned out to be this. He didn't blame Cao Peng because how could you clearly say whose fault it was in such a situation?

  "Sister's husband, what do you think will happen next with Huang Shi?"

  Deng Ji thought for a moment, shook his head and said, "This is not good to say! Someone like Huang She, a young master from a noble family, if he's consumed by jealousy, who knows what kind of things he might do, without considering any consequences. But you've done well, follow me, at least it will save our family some trouble."

  We're now in Huang Sha's hands, he'll definitely stir up more trouble again.

  I'm guessing it's probably about these past few days. Anyway, you and I should be careful not to let him catch us off guard. Remember, military law is merciless...

  It's roughly as I guessed, and Huang Shi is likely to take action, starting with military law.

  In that case, I must be careful when dealing with Ma Yu, and I need to have a thorough plan before taking action against him.

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  The sky is bright!

  Above Jiunü City's grand campsite, a majestic bugle call resounded through the air.

  Every day at this time, there will be a drill. In fact, it's nothing special, just marching in formation and practicing some martial arts. Moreover, each battalion is separate and not joint. The specific content of the drill is mostly decided by the commander of each battalion, without too many rules.

  After all, the Jiunücheng Grand Camp was a temporary gathering of local braves and soldiers summoned from various places.

  Everyone has their own system, and it's impossible to merge them together at this time. The situation in Yiyangtun is even more special, basically belonging to the state of "grandma doesn't care, uncle doesn't love", and no one intentionally comes to inspect and supervise. It can be said that Yiyangtun only listens to Wei Yan's dispatch.

  Ma Yu walked out with a blue nose and a swollen face, subconsciously tightening his brown robe.

  These are prisoners' uniforms. Since they just arrived yesterday, they have not been issued with clothes and armor yet, so they can only wear prisoner's clothing and line up in the camp.

  Wang Mai became a cavalryman and became Wei Yan's personal attendant.

  Cao Peng continued to follow Deng Ji, while Wei Yan also brought over four knife guards to protect Deng Ji's safety.

  He was promoted to Tun Jiang, so his original department and tune would also be promoted. Tang Ji, the sturdy man who looked like a black iron tower, was Wei Yan's closest good brother, with decent martial arts skills, almost at the level of a third-rate general. So it was natural for him to become Du Bo.

  One village two teams, that is to have two all-around champions.

  Wei Yan proposed that his own younger brother take up another position of General, and Deng Ai had no opinion on this.

  Wei Ping is eighteen years old this year, and has been in the army for three years. He is also a survivor of the Battle of Wuling Mountain. He is not very tall, about 175 cm or so, with a pale complexion and a sturdy build. If he changed into different clothes, he would look more like a scholar. However, Tang Ji told Cao Peng that Wei Ping was known as "Desperate Third Son" in Yiyang Village. This guy's martial arts skills are not impressive, but once on the battlefield, he becomes exceptionally fierce.

  Every time he goes into battle, he is bound to be injured all over his body. He happens to come back alive every time, which is also a miracle.

  Deng Jie would certainly not express opposition, and this attitude made Wei Yan extremely satisfied.

  Everyone today is divided into groups of five for practice.

  Those without armor and weapons will temporarily perform in the theatrical formation. Wait for Deng Jie to take back the armor and weapons, then issue them again and form a team!

  "Ah!"

  Ma Yu shivered and stood together with Ji Yang prisoners.

  Yesterday night, he was beaten up by these thorny prisoners and suffered a lot. In the eyes of the thorny people, if it weren't for Ma Yu and others, they wouldn't have to suffer such humiliation yesterday. Everything has to be blamed on Ma Yu's body, everyone lives together, how can there be his good fortune?

  "What's with the wound on your face?"

  Wei Ping walked over with a cold expression and asked Ma Yu.

  Those eyes revealed no emotion at all, making one feel a chill in their heart.

  Ma Yu shivered and said in a low voice: "It's nothing, I just accidentally hurt myself last night."

  "Hurt?"

  "Wei calmly asked: 'Is there anything wrong?'"

  "It's all right, it's all right!"

  Under the gaze of many prisoners with thorns and evil eyes, Ma Yu's heart was racing as he replied.

  "It's all right as long as you're fine, just be more careful next time. We'll have a mission in two days and I don't want to unnecessarily add to the list of injured personnel. Alright, return to your unit and continue with the exercise."

  Wei Ping finished speaking, patted Ma Yu's shoulder and turned around to leave.

  Ma Yu's heart trembled slightly as she gazed at Wei Ping's back, and an inexplicable feeling arose within her...

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  Thank book friends jhonjhw, Anshi Menghun, Fei Zuo, Mingxing Baobao, fell into the deep mountain RMB, ten years and ten years.

  Shoot azure clouds generously reward