Chapter 37 How is it you who’s bringing the meal today?

Xue San, sitting on the cabinet at the tent entrance, asked while swinging his three legs.

Gou Moli, holding a meal in his hand, smiled and said, "I have nothing to do, so I came to chat with him, enlighten him. You've worked hard, Third Master."

Qu Peiluo was under the exclusive guard of Xue San.

Handing him over to others wouldn't be safe;

A'ming is too lazy;

The Sword Saint coming to watch over him is too wasteful;

Si Niang going to see him, can't bear it;

Fan Li watching him, afraid he'd watch him to death.

After much deliberation, only Xue San was suitable for this job. With him watching Qu Peiluo, even if Qu Peiluo wanted to use any tricks, they wouldn't work. There wouldn't be that kind of depressing situation in TV dramas where a captive princess inexplicably escapes.

"You're too kind." Xue San shook his head. "We don't need to be so polite; His Majesty doesn't like it."

A person's respect is earned.

In the Battle of Qingtan, from the setup to the breaking of the situation, a series of operations flowed smoothly, ultimately allowing the Yan army to win a great victory at a very small cost. This was all thanks to Gou Moli's contribution.

The amount of respect you receive depends on your ability; this is an eternal principle.

Gou Moli nodded, reached out, and gently tugged at his own mouth, saying, "That's right, already changing."

Xue San said, "Going to see a defeated opponent, reaping happiness?"

Gou Moli said, "Yes, double the happiness."

"Alright, go enlighten him. He's still a bit useful."

"Of course, but still have to be careful. This kid is young, but because he's young, it's easy to nurture a tiger's threat."

Xue San didn't take it seriously, "We can afford to nurture even you, let alone him?"

"Tsk, very reasonable."

"Go in."

"Okay."

Gou Moli went into the tent with the meal.

Inside the tent, Qu Peiluo was chained and sitting on the ground.

Gou Moli put down the meal.

The dishes,

Were pretty good.

Braised beef with bamboo shoots, stir-fried phoenix tail greens, mutton soup, and two steamed buns as the staple food.

With the Chu soldiers looting and supplying everywhere, the military supplies were naturally not a problem.

The people here in Chu were living an extremely difficult life due to the war, but no matter how difficult, the collaborators could still squeeze out the stored grain for you, not to mention the large families or nobles, who would never really suffer during times of shared hardship.

Qu Peiluo didn't act coy.

Since he wasn't dead,

He should eat and drink.

Seeing him eat so happily,

Gou Moli sat next to him and reached into his pocket to take out two mints, putting them in his mouth.

He didn't smoke Zheng Boye's cigarettes;

In his opinion, tobacco, like recreational drugs, was a bad habit;

But he had asked the Blind Man for some of these mints. They were the same kind that Zheng Boye kept in his cigarette case.

Qu Peiluo ate halfway and stopped, looking at Gou Moli. He could feel that the person bringing the food today was unusual.

Because,

He was very ugly;

The scar on his face was too conspicuous.

Gou Moli nodded and said, "Good, being able to eat means you're alright. In this world, no matter how much difficulty, no matter how much pain, as long as you're still willing to eat, you can get through it."

"Who are you?"

"The same as you."

"The same as me?"

"Yeah, the same as your father, perhaps."

"........." Qu Peiluo.

"Your father and I joined forces before, and then we both lost to the same person."

Qu Peiluo's eyes narrowed, and then he smiled somewhat amusingly:

"He would actually keep you by his side?"

Obviously, the young master of the Qu Clan had guessed Gou Moli's identity.

"Hoo........."

Gou Moli breathed a long sigh of relief,

And said:

"What's so strange about that?"

Qu Peiluo nodded and said, "Indeed... I admire him a little."

Stationed at Snow Sea Pass, yet he keeps a Savage King by his side;

What great magnanimity. Putting himself in Zheng Fan's shoes, Qu Peiluo felt that he could never do it.

"Hehe." Gou Moli reached out to pick up the chopsticks, took a piece of beef, put it in his mouth, and said while chewing, "He is indeed a person worth admiring."

"He keeps you by his side, as a slave?"

Qu Peiluo pointed to the food in front of him.

If he was just keeping the Savage King in sight, as a slave, that was still somewhat understandable. This feeling of having a former great figure serve him should be very pleasant.

If Zheng Boye knew what Qu Peiluo was thinking, he would probably say: That's right, King Fuchai of Wu was also this comfortable back then.

Gou Moli shook his head,

And said;

"I took the initiative to come and see you. As for being a slave, how should I put it? The emperor treats all people as sheep, and sends frontier officials to herd them;

To put it bluntly,

Unless you sit on that dragon throne,

Everyone is a slave,

The only difference is between those who are dressed well and those who are dressed poorly.

As for me,

Which am I?

You can guess for yourself;

But,

I can tell you,

That the battle on Qingtan was directed by me.

Our Boye is too lazy to bother with you, so he left it to me to arrange."

"Heh, heh heh..." Qu Peiluo twisted his neck, "Then I really didn't lose unjustly."

"There's nothing unjust about it. In the end, you're still a young man; your feathers haven't fully grown yet."

"He's not necessarily much older than me."

"It's different, it's different." Gou Moli only said "different," but in reality, it was difficult for him to explain exactly where the difference lay.

That Blind Man, that Liang Cheng, that Mr. Feng, these three are real experts in people's livelihood and military affairs, yet they have always been wholeheartedly devoted to that one, without the slightest intention of rebellion;

The others are fine,

But even the Blind Man has no intention of rebelling, which is what Gou Moli can't figure out the most!

Clearly, that one is most enthusiastic about rebelling, so why don't you rebel against your lord?

"These days, your Qingluan Army under your command has committed no small amount of evil; you can't wash yourself clean."

Qu Peiluo was silent.

Some things, Zheng Fan would send people to tell him.

"If I were you, I would be thinking about doing something practical now. After all, the reputation of your Qu Clan is destined to be ruined. It's better to perk up and strive for more things for yourself on this basis.

For example, the safety of the Qu Clan's home. For example, the Fan family; do you want to see the scene where the Fan family becomes the master and your Qu Clan becomes the slave after the Great Yan's iron cavalry enters Chu?

You wouldn't want that, would you?

Hahaha,

Do you know,

What is the scariest thing?

It's the former slave turning around and becoming the master of the original master.

That method,

That torment,

That humiliation,

Can you stand it?

In the final analysis,

Where in this world is there an undying dynasty?

A thousand years ago, half of Yan was still a barbarian pasture, Jin was still the homeland of my Holy Clan, and Chu was still the paradise of the Shanyue;

When the Great Xia Emperor issued an order,

The three lords opened the borders,

Everything that needed to be explained was explained, wasn't it?

But,

Wasn't the mighty Great Xia of a hundred years ago also said to collapse and then it collapsed?

People,

Sometimes you have to take things lightly. Only after taking things lightly can you discover what you really want.

That Marquis of the South of Yan, annihilated his entire family, but led his army to fight abroad, never losing a battle, destroying countries and swallowing territories, a generation of military gods. There are certainly many who scold him, but there will only be more who admire and worship him.

What's the point of you dying here now?

Not to mention whether there will be figures like Meng Shou in decades, even if there are, they would at most add four words to your Qu Clan: 'Father and Son, Loyal and Martyred.'

But, who would care about you, Qu Peiluo?

Sometimes, history books are not that different from vernacular novels. Most people read them for the excitement.

Even if you, Qu Peiluo, generously sacrifice yourself now, most people who know you in the future will know you from the biography of the Earl of Pingye, know that you were robbed of your wife by the Earl of Pingye, hehehe.

The greater the future prospects of our Boye, the heavier the historical records will naturally be, and you will be increasingly regarded as a stroke of romance, known by more people, and turned into novels and put on the stage for thousands of generations to come;

The Boye actor in front, with a heroic face, holding a knife, hugging a beauty;

As for you,

Your actor, kneeling below, trembling, ridiculed by the audience below.

If Boye is ennobled as a marquis in the future, and then as a king,

That would be amazing,

You, Qu Peiluo, would also rise with the tide;

In the future, if any woman steals a man and is known by the villagers, when reminding that man, they would probably say: What's your surname?

The man answers: My surname is Zhang.

The villagers say: No, your surname is Qu!

The man will immediately understand.

Hehehehehe,

Tsk tsk,

Do you like it?"

Qu Peiluo pursed his lips.

"The past is the past, and it has already happened. How should I put it? It still depends on how you make up for it next. You are still useful now, really; otherwise, you would have died long ago."

Gou Moli knows Zheng Boye's temperament;

The Earl of Pingye doesn't like killing;

But,

Boye kills people, only as a last resort, and doesn't need to do it himself.

"If I were you, I would have seen it long ago. It's better to live shabbily than to die. How about this? You live for your clan, for the inheritance of the Qu Clan.

Thinking this way,

The days of enduring humiliation,

You can also taste a little sweetness, and it won't be so bitter."

"You are a very skilled persuader." Qu Peiluo said sincerely.

"You flatter me, you flatter me."

The Savage King pointed to the food he had brought,

"Eat well, drink well, life is so good, why think so negatively? The most taboo thing in this world is to act like a whore and still want to build a chastity arch.

Anyway, the reputation is gone,

And you haven't gotten any benefits,

A loss,

A real loss!"

"What can I do now?"

"First, you come forward and ask Zhang Huang and Han Xu to come over and meet. The problem with Han Xu is not that big; our Boye still values Zhang Huang quite a bit. This person has a way with leading troops. Tell him your inner thoughts, let him recognize reality, and know what you mean.

Second, send someone in your name to announce to the Qu Clan that you have surrendered to Yan."

"The first one can be done, but the second one is impossible just by sending a letter back. Even if I personally go back, many clansmen will object."

"That doesn't matter. After the Great Yan's iron cavalry enters, allow you to take two thousand iron cavalry home for a stroll. The second one isn't asking you to immediately pull out another Qingluan Army from the Qu Clan's territory.

Your Qu Clan is fat, but it's impossible to squeeze out milk one after another.

First, a letter to let those people jump out, and next time you take the iron cavalry back, it will be convenient to clean up the heads."

"Those are the loyal and righteous men of my Qu Clan!"

"No, those are the thorns who don't obey you. What's the point of keeping these thorns, no matter how loyal they are, if they aren't loyal to you?"

"........." Qu Peiluo.

"There's a third thing: go to Boye, offer him a cup of tea, and kowtow."

"Will he trust me?"

"Laughing, what kind of thing are you compared to me?"

"........." Qu Peiluo.

"He can tolerate even me, why can't he tolerate you? Did Boye rob your wife, or did you rob his wife?"

"I........."

"Put on a tragic act, cry poor, ask for grievances; anyway, your surname is Qu, you don't need to be taught, right?

Our Boye is actually quite kind-hearted. As long as you're good, sensible, and obedient, he will more or less compensate you.

Let me tell you this: I think that this time, it's enough for Yan to take Zhennanguan and then collect Shanggu County.

Zhennanguan will also be under the control of our Boye in the future.

As for your Qu Clan's territory, you can stand on your own as one.

If the Chu people want to deal with you, the Great Yan's iron cavalry can go south to help you from Zhennanguan. That river can be dug again, and there will be another road from Jin to Chu in the future.

In an age of great contention,

In an age of great contention,

How many aristocratic families have been overthrown, how many commoners have ascended to the heavens,

Being able to keep the family from falling in this tide is already a great difficulty. If you can do this, even if you go to the netherworld in the future, you can have a good argument with your ancestors, and they won't be able to say anything about you."

"How can I argue with them?"

"At first, you certainly won't be able to argue, but after your son comes down, after your grandson comes down, after your great-grandson comes down, sons and grandsons are infinite;

By then, they will help you argue together, won't that be enough?"

"Hehehe........."

"You think this is a joke?"

"Isn't it?"

"This is the greatest truth in the world. Why are those emperors most afraid of having no heirs?

Look,

The founding emperor of Qian, the world only knows that he snatched the country from the orphans and widows left behind by his righteous brother, but the founding emperor was a fierce general who opened up territories and destroyed several small dynasties together with his righteous brother.

But, how much of his story is there?

Not much.

Because his descendants didn't become emperors and were kept in captivity generation after generation."

Qu Peiluo slowly nodded.

Gou Moli stood up and said, "That's all I have to say. You should be able to listen to it. I rarely talk nonsense."

"Did he ask you to say these things to me?"

"No, you're not that important in our Boye's heart."

"Good..."

"I just want to find a companion for myself, that's all."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, thank yourself for being unwilling to die all along."

After saying that,

Gou Moli left the tent.

Xue San was still swinging his three legs,

Crashing like a pendulum:

"Pa! Pa! Pa!"

This was Xue San applauding with his hands.

"Wonderful, wonderful."

"You're too kind, you're too kind."

"When we used to run an inn, there was always a problem. A Cheng and I would perform acrobatics, the Blind Man would set up a stall at the door and sleep, A'ming would brew wine in the back, Fan Li would carry water and chop firewood, and Si Niang would greet guests, but women are always inconvenient sometimes, especially now that there's a man.

Now, I think you can be a waiter in the future."

A smile appeared on Gou Moli's face,

And said;

"My honor."

Xue San reached out to cover his chest,

Closed his eyes,

And said:

"Good, I approve of you."

Gou Moli blinked.

Xue San opened his eyes,

Shrugged,

And said;

"Unfortunately, no use."

………

"Alright, you've worked hard too, go down."

"Yes, Boye."

Jin Shuke retreated from the marshal's tent.

Zheng Boye sat on the blanket, and Si Niang walked over to help him massage his temples.

"Master, have you decided what to do next?"

"The safest thing is to block the food supply of the Dugu family's army in front, but I think that's not enough fun. A riskier one is to continue fighting north.

Previously, the Dugu family's army didn't come to deal with us, probably because the war in the north was particularly important, and the Qingluan Army of the Qu Clan came, and everyone thought that the Qingluan Army was enough to force me back.

Now that I have defeated the Qingluan Army and followed them, the pillar of the state might start dealing with me.

After all, we have few troops. Those Chu soldiers who have surrendered are good at burning, killing, looting, and destroying the Chu state's war potential, but if they really fight against the Dugu family's army, it would be good enough if they don't help backward."

Si Niang smiled; "Master is still not reconciled? In fact, Master doesn't need to have so many concerns; just make the choice that makes you happy."

"I believe that the prince's army has already been dispatched, and I also believe that once the prince's army sets out, after bypassing Zhennanguan, it will inevitably drive straight in, pass Shanggu County, cross the Wei River, and fight all the way south.

Actually,

Think about it,

If our army is trapped in the Dugu family's encirclement, on the verge of life and death, the Black Dragon flag of Great Yan suddenly appears on the mountain slope in the sky, several eagles soar again, and then,

It's 'Roar' 'Roar' 'Roar.'

How beautiful is this scene."

"It's indeed very beautiful."

Si Niang didn't say the second half of the sentence; it's like a prince saving a princess.

"But this is, after all, a scene in a TV drama; the real situation will never be so coincidentally captured."

"Master is right."

"Forget it, let's take it one step at a time. Let's compromise a little. We don't want to be too stable, nor do we want to ignore stability altogether.

Fight north while stopping, stop, and then continue fighting north, fighting, stopping, and watching.

It's best to

Sense that the prince's army has arrived in the north, and then echo them to charge together. This way, the danger is minimal, and the visual effect is also the best."

Speaking of this,

Zheng Boye reached out and patted his forehead,

And sighed;

"So, the more exquisite the scene, the more it is designed."

………

Outside Zhennanguan,

The Yan army surged and surged like a black tide,

Heading south, south, and further south with an air of indifference.

In Zhennanguan and the military camps on both sides, the Chu army, without military orders, did not dare to fight and could only choose to watch.

This was not the first time the Yan army had acted like this. In the past, when they went south to attack Qian, they bypassed the three border towns and the triple defenses of Qian in this manner.

At that time,

What the Yan army left behind was the Silver Wave County of Great Yan;

This time, what was left behind was almost a ruin of eastern Jin.

Nian Yao sat on the Zhennanguan city tower,

Staring blankly,

Completely ignoring the black cloud that was visibly appearing on the ground.

Below him,

A group of generals knelt,

Their foreheads kowtowed blood,

Requesting the Grand General to send troops to stop the Yan army.

Nian Yao ignored them and continued to stare blankly.

…

One person, wearing golden armor and riding a pixiu, galloped along with the protection of close guards. Beside him was an endless torrent of rolling black cavalry.

The royal flag went south,

Marking the second stage of the campaign against Chu,

Officially beginning!