Han Xiang

Chapter 52

Returning to Qiao Mansion as a guest for the second time, Long Xiang felt unreal. The politeness shown by the mistress Chen made him very uncomfortable.

Even the aggressive Qiao Wei showed due courtesy at this time, although she was still as cold as ice, she was already looking at Long Xiang, and she had that rare toothless smirk.

What about the original nobility and indifference?What about the gap between the big family and the head of Guizhou?

It can't be a Hongmen banquet if it's arrogant and then respectful, right?
Qiao Ni's friendly eyes and Qiao Wan's sweet smile made Long Xiang feel the sincerity.

In the original world, Long Xiang had participated in countless wine games, and he could handle any occasion with ease, so he always maintained a humble attitude when he came to the Qiao's house for a banquet.

Smile when you should smile, toast when you should toast, answer politely, eat and drink happily, these behaviors make Qiao Rui admire secretly, thinking in his heart that he is a seedling in the officialdom.

Seeing that the banquet ended happily and lively, but Chen's words made the hall quiet.

"Yun Qi, I want to borrow someone from you, but I don't know if I can give up my love?"

As soon as the words fell, Qiaorui and Qiaoyou turned their heads to look at Mrs. Chen almost at the same time. There was a complex look in Qiaorui's eyes, and she said to herself, madam, you are too impatient, didn't you tell you to wait for a while?
Qiao Ni is full of gratitude to his mother, while the Qiao family sisters set their sights on Long Xiang.

"Uh..." Long Xiang was startled when he heard that, and quickly responded with a smile: "Of course it's no problem, Madam wants to borrow Luo Yicheng?"

Mrs. Chen winked at Qiao Rui, as if saying that Long Xiang agreed readily, and you were the only one thinking wildly, then turned around and nodded with a smile.

"Sure enough, Yun Qi can understand everything. You'er is already 11 years old, and he is slowly getting in touch with the affairs of the camp. Now he needs someone who can provide him with a guard. Luo Yicheng has saved the general's life. I want to send him You will definitely not lose him if you borrow it to teach him, but are you really willing to use it for such a talent?"

Long Xiang got up and clasped his fists: "I am the general's soldier. Madam wants to use Luo Yicheng. It is his blessing. I will arrange for him to report to the Qiao mansion tomorrow morning when I return."

"Thank you so much, I offer you a toast."

At this moment, Mrs. Chen raised her wine glass to signal that Long Xiang could see the sincerity in her eyes, and said in her heart that mothers are worried about their children's education, and it seems that parents have been the same for thousands of years.

"The last general dare not accept it, the last general respects the general and his wife"

Long Xiang bent down and picked up the wine glass and drank it down. The heroic feeling he showed inadvertently made Qiao Ni envious, and he thought that he would do the same in the future, and be a heroic and dry man.

After the banquet, Qiao Ni took the initiative to get up to see Long Xiang off.

Seeing the one tall and one short figure disappear, Mrs. Chen shared with Qiao Rui with a face full of relief, "General, Ni'er has really grown up, let's not talk about training him to be Sun Ce, at least he can't be worse than Long Xiang ?”

"Long Xiang is not bad." Qiao Rui waved his hands lightly, and walked to the dormitory alone.

General, are you annoyed that I have made my own decisions?Mrs. Chen sent Qiao Wei and Qiao Wan to rest, and moved her lotus steps towards Qiao Rui.

Qiao Rui's footsteps were also fast in the night, and Chen returned directly to the dormitory and closed the door, asking meaningfully: "Is the general blaming my concubine? Didn't you see that Long Yunqi was very cheerful?"

"Cheerful? That means Yun Qi knows how to be a man." Qiao Rui shook his head when he heard that.

Chen frowned, and asked angrily: "Is my concubine not good at being a human being? There are fish and meat at the banquet today. I'm afraid that Long Yunqi has never eaten so much in his life, and I don't know why he asked for someone. .”

"Ma'am, I don't know. The last time Long Xiang was demoted due to loss of food, the family members of the soldiers who died in battle under his command were not paid by the government. I tried to intercede for my husband, but the higher-ups didn't agree, hey." Qiao Rui Halfway through the speech, he sighed deeply.

"The young and the strong can still farm and survive, but the old and the young will not be able to survive without military rations."

Because of Long Xiang, the Chen family has a superficial understanding of military households. Ordinary soldiers do not directly pay their salaries. When the young men in the family are conscripted to join the army, the government will regularly distribute rations to their families.

Long Yuan died in Fengqiu in the battle. Although the orphan Long Xiang received some relief food, he lost his long-term source of livelihood, so he was raised in the mansion by Qiao Rui. Most of the family members of the soldiers who died in the battle were selectively forgotten by the government. .

For ordinary people who have no value, they are not considered human beings in the eyes of the ruler.

"These people should have been helped, but in the end they couldn't bear the hunger and left Shouchun one after another. I think Longxiang and the others have tried their best. I feel ashamed." Qiao Rui fell down on the couch after finishing speaking.

Only then did Chen know why Qiao Rui was unwilling to speak, she walked over and sat down guiltily, and said softly: "I am born in troubled times, so helpless, the general will take care of me in the future."

Even if Mrs. Chen didn't mention it, Qiao Rui would still do it. He felt guilty towards the soldiers' families, and he was also grateful to Long Xiang and Luo Yicheng.

After returning to Shouchun, Qiao Rui wandered around the South City Gate when he was free, sharing his experience in leading troops, showing that he valued Long Xiang, and deterring Cao Xing.

Although Qiao Rui could be ranked high in Yuan Shu's army, he was a mediocre general in the late Han Dynasty. His ability to govern and use troops was not outstanding, and Long Xiang thought he was not a general.

The result is like a teacher who graduated from three majors, sharing the experience of the college entrance examination with students who can only be admitted to a junior college.

As for Qiao Rui's intimidation of Cao Xing, it was completely icing on the cake. As a project manager and professional expert, Long Xiang's ability to lead a team was an order of magnitude higher than Qiao Rui's.

Long Xiang usually doesn't get angry, but he is loved by everyone under his command. Cao Xing is used to his superiors who "conquer people with force", but he has no idea about the "smiling tiger", so he is cautious and well-behaved in front of Long Xiang.

After a period of recruiting, training, and preparations, Long Xiang's Qu Department was transferred from Shouchun City Defense, and reassigned to Qiao Rui's command.

Locust plagues and droughts gradually took hold, sweeping through Xu, Yu, Yang, Jing and other prefectures. Among them, the Huaihe River Basin was the most serious. The reduction in grain production was a foregone conclusion. The daily rations of the battalions without war missions were also greatly adjusted and reduced, so that Both recruits and veterans have complaints.

In autumn and July, Zhang Xun, Qiao Rui and other generals collectively wrote a letter, telling the ministries that there was a risk of food shortage and mutiny, and asked Yuan Shu to increase the rations of the soldiers.

No matter how hard life is for the common people and soldiers, Yuan Shu's life has not changed at all.

Seeing that the generals wrote to ask for food, Yuan Shu threw the problem to Yan Xiang and said: "Since the army is in such a difficult situation, let the counties and counties open their treasuries and transfer the stored food to Shouchun. .”

Yan Xiang was speechless when he heard it, and hurriedly handed over his hands and went out to report: "Your Majesty, we have repeatedly used troops, and the government treasuries of all counties and counties are empty. In addition, this year's natural disasters have failed to pay, so how can we still receive tax? I am afraid that all regions have to give relief to the victims, otherwise there will be no more money." It is a scene of refugees everywhere and starvation everywhere.”

"But the soldiers are hungry, who will help me fight the world?" Yuan Shu didn't care about the lives of the people.

Yan Xiang replied: "As the so-called increase income and reduce expenditure, the only way is to lay off some soldiers."

(End of this chapter)