Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 130 Bribery

The Nanyue army successfully crossed Hengshan, and the Xiling army retreated to Longli City. Beyond Longli lies the capital of Nanyin Prefecture, and beyond Nanyin Prefecture is Jiangzhou. Longli was considered a strategically important military location, and Xiling immediately dispatched reinforcements.

Longli is situated in a wide mountain basin, with thousands of acres of fertile fields crisscrossed by paths. The city gate of Longli has a three-story watchtower, which is no less impressive than the city gate of Qinzhou.

Xu Sheng disliked living in tents and always requisitioned civilian houses. He summoned the generals from all sides to the hall to discuss countermeasures. The soldiers, taking a break from their busy work, gathered in small groups to chat.

The burly squad leader glanced at the silent young man beside him: "I'm the newly appointed squad leader, Niu Fugui. You're new here? What's your name?"

The soldier's throat seemed uncomfortable, and his voice was hoarse: "An Sheng!"

Niu Fugui said, "Ansheng, look at your fair skin and tender flesh, your family must be well-off. How could they bear to let you become a common soldier?"

Luo Andao said, "Establish military merits."

Niu Fugui raised his hand to pat An Sheng's shoulder, but An Sheng happened to turn around to grab the kettle, so Niu Fugui's hand missed.

Niu Fugui didn't mind, and said in a tone of someone who had been through it all, "You're still too young and naive. Many people thought the same as you, and they lost their lives without gaining any military merit..."

"If I were you, I would bribe the recruiting officer to say I have a serious illness, secretly get married and have children. It's better than going to the battlefield as a common soldier."

Luo An said, "I am already married."

Niu Fugui said "Oh," and then said knowingly, "Your wife sent you, didn't she? Women have long hair but short brains; they don't understand the cruelty of the battlefield. Little Zhu, what did you say last time, something about bones by the river..."

Xiao Zhu chimed in from the side: "Pitiable are the bones by the Wuding River, still the dream of those in their boudoirs."

Niu Fugui said, "Listen to this! Xiao An, how long have you been married? Have you had a son yet?"

Luo An shook his head.

“Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring. You must be careful to save your life.” Niu Fugui said righteously, “You are good-looking and clean. After we successfully conquer the city, I will find you a mistress. I guarantee she will have a round face and a big bottom, making her easy to bear children. She will give you a son in one go.”

Someone nearby laughed and said, "Young man, don't believe him. He's just all talk. He's swindled all his military pay by girls and hasn't even gotten a wife yet."

Zhu Fugui blushed and argued, "They'll be here soon. The general said that as long as we defeat Xiling, every unmarried soldier will be matched with a beautiful woman. You, with children, won't be able to enjoy that..."

Another person laughed and said, "The general also said that the ranking is based on military merit, rank, and age. When it's your turn, you'll only be an ugly woman."

Xiao Zhu said, "When choosing a wife, one should prioritize virtue. What good is a beautiful woman? Even Zhuge Liang married a woman of low social standing..."

Zhu Fugui nodded repeatedly: "That's right, little Zhu is the most sensible."

Just as everyone was joining in the banter and joking, a messenger rode up and said that the general had ordered his army to set off for Kunzhou immediately.

Luo An asked, "Are we going to abandon Longli City?"

Luo An spoke up first, which surprised Niu Fugui: "The general says we should go wherever he wants, and he doesn't need your pay. I've also heard that the girls in Kunzhou are pretty..."

Military pay and girls were all Niu Fugui's thoughts. Luo An got up to leave, but Niu Fugui said, "Young man, you're not going to desert your post, are you?"

Luo An slipped something into his hand and whispered, "Brother Niu, I just got married and don't have a son yet..."

Niu Fugui lowered his head slightly, his eyes widening in surprise: Gold?!

Xiao Zhu noticed something was wrong with the two of them and called out, "Brother Niu, let's go."

Niu Fugui clenched his fist to cover the gold and whispered, "You don't look like a soldier. When we gather for a headcount later, you stay in the woods and don't come out. I'll just pretend we're one person short."

Luo An nodded, and watched as Niu Fugui led Xiao Zhu away. He found a secluded spot, took off his soldier's clothes, and smoothed out his indigo long robe underneath. He then felt a gust of wind behind him.

Luo An dodged, only to see a long arrow embedded in the ground, just an inch away from him. A commotion in the army would be disastrous. Luo An rolled over and saw Niu Fugui holding a knife to his neck, and Xiao Zhu pointing a bow at him.

Xiao Zhu sized him up and down: "I could tell you were a spy, that's why you wouldn't come with us. And it's true, now come with us to see the general."

The presence of spies in the army is a serious matter. Luo An was quickly brought before Xu Sheng.

Xu Sheng's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes revealed surprise. Xue Yunting was packing his things when he heard the news and rushed over. He was also stunned when he saw Luo An.

Xiao Zhu handed over Luo An's soldier's uniform and gold, briefly recounting what had happened. He was very perceptive; observing Xu Sheng and Xue Yunting's expressions, he tentatively asked, "Does the general know him?"

Xue Yunting asked, "What's your name?"

Xiao Zhu said, "My name is Zhu Liye."

Xue Yunting said, "You're quite agile. Would you like to become my personal guard?"

Of course I'm willing! Xiao Zhu knelt on one knee: "I swear to follow the general to the death."

Niu Fugui quickly asked, "General, what about me?"

Xue Yunting returned the gold nugget to him: "Here's a reward for you. Go back and fight the enemy well and make contributions. Don't have any crooked thoughts."

Xue Yunting's voice was calm yet carried a chilling pressure. Niu Fugui bowed his head and replied, "Yes!"

After the others had left, Xu Sheng smiled and said, "You are such a beautiful woman, why did you become a thief?"

Luo An dusted off his clothes and sat down, then asked Xue Yunting, "Why the sudden trip to Kunzhou?"

Xue Yunting said, "His Highness said we will split into three routes: north, central, and south. Qi Yang will lead the northern route, His Highness the central route, and I will lead the southern route. We will each break through our own defenses and then gather in Furong City..."

Luo An asked, "Won't this disperse our forces?"

Xue Yunting said, "Commander-in-chief, give the order. Brother-in-law, are you coming with me? I've heard the girls from Kunzhou are very beautiful."

Xu Sheng laughed: "Yun Ting, this doesn't appeal to him. What beautiful girls haven't he seen..."

Xue Yunting said, "The girls from the southern ethnic groups are naturally quite different from the ladies from the prominent families of Bianjing."

Xu Sheng said, "You're such a good brother-in-law...aren't you afraid your sister will chop you up?"

Xue Yunting said unhurriedly, "When a general is in the field, he may disobey some military orders."

Luo An shook his head: "I'm not going."

Xu Sheng immediately said, "See? Neither foreign girls nor ladies from noble families can compare to my attractiveness."

Xue Yunting got up and went out. Luo An sensed something was wrong and followed him out, asking, "How many soldiers are you taking to Kunzhou?"

"Ten thousand." Xue Yunting smiled. "I'm so happy that my brother-in-law cares about me."

When Xue Yunting smiles gently, he always makes people feel like he's their little brother, a boy who needs and deserves to be cared for.

Luo An wasn't one to meddle, but he still couldn't help asking, "Isn't it a bit too little?"

Xue Yunting said, "Kunzhou is different from other places. It is the fiefdom of Duke Duan Yi. In recent years, Duan Yi has been all-powerful, and even the King of Xiling can't do anything about him."

Luo An asked, "So?"

Xue Yunting said, "Duan Yi has a daughter who is sixteen years old, fair-skinned and beautiful, and I heard that she is very much loved."

Luo An understood immediately. He remembered that Nian Yao had said that Xue Yunting wanted to marry Princess Dongyang.

Luo An blurted out, "You all have a habit of scheming in marriage and using it as a bargaining chip."