Chapter 50: Decisive Battle (Three)
(Recommended, recommended, collect, collect, use these two chapters to knock out Ah Cao, finally completed the last time, hard work!)
When it comes to the night of the rain, when hundreds of people rushed into the camp, two veteran generals were amazed. They naturally knew that this seemed like a small trick, but what was needed in between was the extraordinary courage to die and be reborn. Even if it were placed on these old veterans and the Qin army led by them, it would still be considered a remarkable achievement, let alone a young man who had just come out of his hometown leading a miscellaneous army. What they admired most was the grasp of the war machine and the decisiveness of their actions, which is what they valued most. As for the outcome of the battle, it didn't count as much in their eyes.
Later, when the Xixia army retreated without fighting, the two of them had nothing to say. They both understood the danger and cunning of this move, a classic example of a bold and unorthodox tactic, similar to the Empty Fort Strategy. However, as seasoned veterans, they knew that such clever plans may bring brilliant victories and praise, but also carry great risks. A general who often takes reckless risks will eventually suffer the consequences. In the end, the outcome of battles still depends on which side has superior military strength, morale, and elite soldiers. Nevertheless, the situation at the time forced them to take a gamble, and it was a young teenager who came up with this daring plan. The two men's gaze towards Zhao Shi had become increasingly heated, as if they saw him leading thousands of troops to victory in the future. With such bravery and strategic thinking at his age, what else could be said except that he was a genius? If not for the extraordinary circumstances, the two men would have already thought of ways to keep this young man by their side, not for any other reason than to guide and mentor him, so that one day, if he were to rise through the ranks in the Western army, their bond would be truly unbreakable.
Two people secretly observed the young man's expression, but he remained as usual, as if the one being praised was not himself at all. This inner evaluation rose to another level, with a calm and composed demeanor, like a great general. The two of them secretly admired him in their hearts. The only thing that wasn't perfect about this young man was that he had no background or foundation. If his own son or nephew could have half of this young man's talent and bearing, they would not be just a small team leader at this time.
However, this young man seems to have won the favor of Li's family daughter. With such a prestigious family backing him up, his future achievements are hard to predict. The two of them thought to themselves, praised with their mouths, and looked at each other with eyes that showed several points of concern unique to elders. This young man had lowered his status to show closeness, what's the big deal?
It seems that Li Jinhua has made everything clear, but only vaguely mentioned the matter of Li Jizong. Han Shi burst out laughing and said: "It looks like we can't help but admit defeat. At your age, you've already accomplished such great things, it's really embarrassing for us old folks... Hmm, this young man is quite impressive. He doesn't look like he's over 18 yet, has he had his coming-of-age ceremony? I used to be the superior of Qu Guizhen, the team leader of Fengxiang West Road. Do you want me to put in a word for you and get you into the Imperial Guard or would you rather come to our border town? There are plenty of opportunities to make achievements there, and after spending some time at the border, you can return and serve as my personal soldier. I won't mention anything else, but I'll definitely promote you to the rank of school lieutenant first. Our border town has always had a generous salary, and in a year, you can earn around 100-200 taels of silver. As for achievements, that's something that requires using people's heads... However, now is not the time, as we are facing difficulties ourselves. Once this hurdle is passed, if you're interested in making a name for yourself on the battlefield, you can come find me anytime..."
He said this, and Li Renquan on the side also smiled and chimed in: "Old Han is indeed impatient, but to be honest, it doesn't make sense not to promote such a talented young man. I, Li Renquan, will put my words here: if nothing goes wrong this time and you have the intention of joining the military, the doors of my army are always open. Once you come to me, first take on the rank of advisor, give me some advice, and after gaining enough experience, leading the army into battle is only a matter of time. A man should strive for achievements in his lifetime, don't you think?"
These two men spoke out not only to recruit a useful talent, but more importantly, they saw that Li Jinhua valued this young man very much and had been keeping him by his side. They also understood the implication of this, as their future prospects were now largely in Li Jinhua's hands. Buying some goodwill wouldn't take much effort, and it could also bring their relationship to a deeper level, so why not do it?
Zhao Shi pursed his lips, and this scene reminded him of Jin Chengmin, that little brat. Although he couldn't stand the guy with half an eye, he had to admit that the power of the relationship network woven by these aristocratic families was terrifying. It was a kind of invisible resource that could make complex things simple, and simple things incredibly complicated. It could also turn truth into falsehood and falsehood into truth. It seemed that this rule also applied in this place. The factionalism had already permeated the bones and blood of the people living on this land. At this time, he only saw some superficial things, but when he delved deeper into everything here, perhaps he would have a different feeling.
"That nephew will thank the two uncles first, he is a proud person, his niece wants him to be a personal soldier, but he doesn't nod, being able to get the care of the uncle is also his blessing, Zhao Qiang, still not thanking several generals for their cultivation."
A few people chatted, outside the sun had already set, a large piece of cloud was dyed with crimson color, as if the entire sky was about to burn up. From the direction of Qingyang City, there were faint sounds of killing shouts. The faces of several people who were talking and laughing all tightened, even the dishes and wine that were continuously served seemed to have lost their flavor. They spoke incoherently, but their ears had already perked up, and their eyes occasionally glanced towards Qingyang direction, their minds were no longer here.
This situation continued until the night was deep, and the sound of horseshoes was faintly heard. Before long, Zhang De let out a big yawn, walked in with a tired look on his face, still with a hint of murderous aura between his brows. He didn't say a word as he entered the tent, plopped down into an empty seat, grabbed the wine jug and took several gulps, wiped his mouth, then burst out laughing: "I didn't disappoint your trust, the big matter has been settled, it's exhilarating."
