Chapter 41: Hugging the Thigh

  She saw He Gu Niang lightly move her lotus steps, walking to the eaves below, facing the two aunts of the Xu family and bowing, with an apologetic expression saying: "My mother has just recovered from a serious illness, her mood is not good, if there's any offense or fault, please forgive me."

  Xu Xiuping's face lengthened, and she didn't say a word. Xu Wangshi smiled and said, "It doesn't matter." He Gu niang seemed a bit embarrassed, but still said: "The young master of your esteemed household has saved my mother and me from death, and has troubled you for several days, accepting your care. Great kindness is not to be thanked with words. If all of you come to Dongjing in the future, you must come to my home and stay for a few days. Just ask for He Fu inside Xuan De Gate."

  Xu Xiuping snorted coldly and said with self-mockery, "How dare we? If our rural family were to go to Tokyo, wouldn't we get lost?"

  Xu Wangshi pulled her sister-in-law and forcibly returned the twenty taels of silver, saying with a smile: "It's settled then. There is still a long way to Xiajin, and your mother is ill, so it would be better to hire a horse carriage from Zhang's house in the west village. If you can't bear the bumps, hiring a sedan chair will do. Just say that Xu Jiulang sent you." In the west village, Zhang Qing's family raised horses, and during the slack season, Zhang's father would drive carriages or carry sedan chairs to earn some money.

  He Gu Niang thanked her, and Xu Wang Shi said all the words "take care along the way", but she still didn't see her leave. He Mu urged again from outside, she turned around and responded with a sentence, looked back at the two women of the Xu family, saw Xu Xiuping's face full of dissatisfaction, wanting to speak but stopping herself. After a while, she said in a low voice: "Is the young master of your esteemed house present?"

  Xu Wangshi didn't have time to respond, Xu Xiuping hastily said: "Not here!"

  "Then, please trouble the two sisters to convey my gratitude. Just say that I will never forget the kindness of saving my life. If there is a chance in the future, I will definitely repay it." Hei Niang bowed again and then turned around to leave. Xu Wangshi looked at her slender figure and felt extremely regretful. This girl was not only beautiful but also knew how to handle things properly. How could she be so unlucky?

  Back in the house, Xu said this matter, and both Xu Taigong and Xu Sheng didn't think much of it. With so many women in the world, are they afraid that our family's Xu Jiu will remain a bachelor? Even before he became an official, there were many families who wanted to be related to us. Since he was appointed as the Repairing Wu Lang, people from all over the county, including those from nearby villages, came to propose marriage and act as matchmakers, lowering their door sills by three inches in respect. Let her go.

  After the victory of Zibei Gou, the morale of the soldiers in the Jingwei battalion was greatly boosted. Every day, they worked hard without complaint, diligently practicing their drills. In the territory of Daming Prefecture, people came to join the army continuously until the end of July, when the Jingwei battalion had already formed six infantry units. On that day, bandits attacked Xujiazhuang and were defeated by Xu Wei, capturing over 40 warhorses. With Ma Tai as the leader, they were organized into a cavalry unit, also occupying one unit's quota.

  Xu Sheng returned to the Daming Mansion and wrote down all the military rules, regulations, and laws regarding marching and camping, handing them over to his younger brother. Xu Wei was overjoyed and treasured them like precious jewels, carefully studying them before seeking opinions from Xu Taigong and others under his command, making revisions to the military rules and implementing them throughout the camp. As most of the soldiers in the Jingwei Camp were illiterate farmers, Xu Wei ordered that during their daily drills, every ten men would gather in the barracks, with those who could read reading aloud while those who couldn't listen to others explain and teach, making sure to memorize everything by heart. Regardless of whether they were officers or soldiers, anyone who dared to violate the rules would be severely punished without leniency.

  Xu Taigong again taught his life's experience and lessons, as well as the deployment of troops and the laws of attack and defense. Xu Wei practiced military training during the day and discussed with the old master at night, especially emphasizing the tactics to counter cavalry. As everyone knows, whether it is the Khitan or the Jurchen, they all rely heavily on cavalry, with thousands of iron horses charging forward, how formidable! However, since Shi Jingtan infamously ceded the "Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun" to the Liao State, the Central Plains country not only lost its natural barrier against the northern nomadic tribes but also exposed the central region directly to the iron hooves of the northern grassland tribes. Moreover, the Central Plains dynasty lost its natural horse breeding grounds. The arch-nemesis of cavalry is cavalry, but due to the above reasons, the Song court was unable to form a large-scale cavalry army and could only rely on the flesh and blood of infantrymen to resist the trampling of the northern iron horses. Xu Wei deeply understood this point, so he especially emphasized it.

  Xu Taigong has been fighting against the Tanguts in the northwest since he joined the army. The Xia army is well-trained, brave and good at fighting, and also has the famous "Iron Swallow" heavy cavalry, but they have not gained an advantage in front of the Great Song Western Army. Xu Taigong explained the tactics of restraining the cavalry in detail to his son, reminding him that there is no fixed pattern for the army, and no constant state for water, only by adapting to the local conditions and using flexible tactics can one achieve victory.

  In early August, Xu Sheng sent a big gift to his brother. A letter of recommendation brought more than 30 people. These thirty or so people were not ordinary people, but the escaped soldiers and officers of the Western Army. The Western Army was an elite army of the Song Dynasty, why did some soldiers escape? This has to start with the story of Tong Taishi, who became a king as a eunuch.

  After Tong Guan took control of the military power, he campaigned in the northwest. The northwest was a gathering place for ethnic minorities. According to the imperial court's regulations, non-Han people were not appointed to official positions, but Tong Guan intentionally promoted the leaders of the ethnic groups, and some even became Jiedushi (military governors). This led to dissatisfaction among the Han army, which Tong Guan ignored, instead relying heavily on the ethnic minority troops. He even dispatched them to replace the Han army in guarding the borders, leading to the desertion of the imperial guards.

  Tong Taishi knew that this matter was somewhat tricky and if not handled properly, it would backfire. So, under the identity of "knowing the secrets of the institute", he issued a military order stating that any imperial guard who deserted but had not died could return to their post and be assigned to another military unit.

  As a result, many deserters joined other armies, including over thirty people from the Western Army who defected to the Luoyang Prefecture's Pacification Commission. Before Xu Sheng returned to the Luoyang Prefecture, Xu Wei had asked him to deliver some gifts to Zheng, expressing gratitude for his support in establishing the Jingwei Camp.

  Zheng saw that Xu Wei was a reasonable person and wanted to help him out, knowing that it wasn't easy for him to clean up the mess in the Jingwei Camp. He pulled strings and from among the Western Army deserters who had not yet been registered, he selected over thirty people through Xu Sheng and sent them to Xiajin.

  Xu Wei was thrilled to receive these thirty-odd men, feeling "like a fish in water". He immediately incorporated them into his camp and entrusted them with important tasks.

  On August 6th, Huang Qianshan, the county magistrate of Xiajin, sent someone to invite Xu Wei to gather at the county government office. During the gathering, he informed him that he had been summoned back by the imperial court and promoted to Left Censor-in-Chief. Xu Wei immediately sensed that this promotion was not ordinary, as Huang Qianshan had only served as a county magistrate for less than a year and was already being recalled to the capital so quickly?

  Huang Qianshan was either in a hurry to return to the capital or did not beat around the bush like last time, speaking very bluntly. You Xu Wei have achieved what you have today, naturally with your own abilities, but if your superiors do not promote you, you are just an idle official who eats without working. So, as long as you know yourself well and work hard, eliminate more bandits, send more good news, your superiors will not mistreat you. Xu Wei of course agreed wholeheartedly, currently the highest military officer in the Song Dynasty "Zhi Shumi Yuan" "Guangyang Duke" "Taishi" Tong Guan was far away in Taiyuan, the Shumiyuan institution which oversees national military affairs is controlled by second-in-command Cai Yao. Temporarily clinging to this powerful leg, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

  After presenting a thoughtful gift, Xu Wei tactfully brought up the many difficulties currently faced by the Jingwei Camp, especially their inadequate equipment, and asked if it would be possible to consider addressing these issues. Huang Qianshan was a slick talker and didn't commit himself, only saying that he would take care of things at his convenience.

  ..............

  First of all, I apologize. Yesterday, after working overtime and returning home in the wee hours, I was both tired and sleepy, and slept until now. But a person without credit cannot stand, so today is the fourth update! This is the first update! If book friends enjoy reading it, please recommend, collect, reward, thank you! Here, I would like to especially thank "Worrying Brother" for his second reward!