Back to the Beginning of Ming to do Charity

Chapter 114: Directing Troops

Ni Wenjun was in the back of the army. In front were the generals and soldiers who charged into battle. He was sitting on the chariot behind, stretching his neck to watch the battle in front of him. He gained his position from fighting wars and became a marshal by virtue of his military merits. But now, he was unwilling to step on the battlefieldthat was the job of the general, not the emperor.

Since ancient times, when the imperial presence led the expedition, few emperors actually fought on the battlefield. They only needed to drink tea in a safe place, and then wait for the news of victory to come.

Now Ni Wenjun felt that his identity had changed, and naturally he could no longer be the same as before.

But what he didn't expect was that the enemy he had thought would be easily defeated now showed an extremely tough side. Zhao Pusheng personally led his troops to the forefront, fought a blood-soaked struggle, and turned the original disadvantage into an evenly matched battle.

Ni Wenjun was so angry that he almost gritted cracks into his own teeth.

Wasn't he more worthy of following than Xu Shouhui? Wasn't he smarter and greater than Xu Shouhui?

Were these people blind?

When he won, Zhao Pusheng's head must be cut off! Let everyone see that this would be the fate of resisting him!

Compared with Ni Wenjun, the situation on Lin Yuan's side was much better.

Sun Deyas general obviously didnt expect to encounter obstacles. The general sent by Sun Deya was Zhao Junyong. He was originally the military commander of Xuzhou. Later, together with Peng Da, he led his soldiers and subordinates to follow under Guo Zixing. That Sun Deya could replace Guo Zixing and take over his power was in large part due to the two of them.

Both of them had their own strengths and their own shortcomings.

But there was one thing the two of them were similar inboth were full of ambition, and their hearts were loftier than the sky.

Peng Da was more calm and steady, while Zhao Junyong was more temperamental. In other words, he was very easy to be irritated, was prideful and arrogant, and couldn't stand any doubt against him.

In the historical records absent of Lin Yuan's presence, Zhao Junyong betrayed Guo Zixing by just a little urging from Sun Deya.

Then he and Peng Da became emperors when Guo Zixing and Sun Deya were still marshals.

It was just that this time the two of them were for some reason won over by Sun Deya, and they became generals under the latter's command.

However, according to Lin Yuan's experience, although they did not establish themselves as emperors, their personalities should still remain the same.

Lin Yuan said to Luo Ben: "I also need to ask the military strategist to go to the front."

Luo Ben got up and bowed: "I will not disappoint."

Lin Yuan reminded: "Zhao Junyong, this person, is proud and arrogant. It might be more appropriate to lure the enemy into a trap."

Luo Ben was stunned. He looked at Lin Yuan, and suddenly felt that there was nothing in this world that Lin Yuan did not know, and there was no one who Lin Yuan did not understand. The gaze he looked at Lin Yuan with increased in respect that even he hadn't even noticed.

Perhaps..there was a reason for the people to call Lin Yuan the South Bodhisattva.

At least Luo Ben had never seen someone like Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan watched Luo Ben leave on horseback. For scholars like Luo Ben, riding a horse was a form of torture.

After all, even if they could ride a horse, they didnt ride it often. Once the skin on your thighs was rubbed bloody, that kind of feeling was very indescribable and could make a normal man waddle like a "duck".

Lin Yuan thought to himself, if Luo Ben didn't feel tortured riding a horse, then he would really be jealous of him.

After all, Lin Yuan also felt riding a horse was very handsome, but it was too painful to ride for a long time. If possible, he hoped that he could ride for a long time like Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang.

The scouts also went with Luo Ben as he had to continue to keep watch on the battle ahead, and then make reports to Lin Yuan.

In the woods ahead, it was rare for Chen Baisong to stand with Zhu Yuanzhang and Li Congrong on the same battlefield. Although the three of them were important generals, they were stationed in different places. Except for the first few years, there was basically no contact among them and they also had not collaborated much either.

It was Li Congrong who spoke first. He was born with this temper, and he didn't become more steady when he became a general. He opened his mouth and said, "I will take people and close in from the south, Bai Song can take people and attack from the north and then pretend to be repelled. Lead them to the canyon to the north, where it will be up to Yuan Zhang."

Li Congrong then asked Luo Ben after the allocation was completed: "Is this possible?"

Luo Ben looked at the expressions of Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang, and found that neither of them had any displeased expressions. Then he said, "General Li is wise and resourceful."

Li Congrong proudly said: "Alright already, you don't need to say something that everyone knows."

The other three people: ".."

However, Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't latch onto Luo Ben and insist on swearing brotherhood.

Li Congrong also sighed: "I have not seen second brother for a long time. It would be great if he could come this time as well." (TN: second brother=Yang Zi'an

Did this person think of fighting wars as a spring outing?

Luo Ben was somewhat speechless.

However, Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him, and each went off to direct their troops.

Zhu Yuanzhang took away 50,000 people, Chen Baisong and Li Congrong each took 10,000 people. After all, their main task was to harass. Once Zhao Junyongs fighting intent was provoked, their task would be completed. Besides, leading too many people would become a hassle when retreating,

Both Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang wore a full set of armor. They also wore a helmet that Lin Yuan had specially made for them. It was even uglier than the helmets worn by the soldiers and looked a bit like a medieval European helmet, but it didn't cover the cheeks. It just covered the forehead, back of the head and the sides of the head, allowing the face to be exposed.

After wearing it, people would look a little humorous, and no matter how handsome the facial features, it would give one the appearance of a marinated egg head.

In private, many people call it a marinated egg hat.

Chen Bosong and Zhu Yuanzhang also called this strange helmet that way as well.

Although they have to admit that it was really effective, it was just a bit ugly.

Only Lin Yuan did not think it was ugly, in fact he felt that it was quite artistic as well as practical.

Of course, this helmet was heavier than the helmets worn by the soldiers. As soon as Chen Baisong put it on, he felt that his feet were even sinking a little into the mud.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled at Chen Baisong next to him: "Your head looks like an overcooked tea egg."

Li Congrong responded on the side, "Don't mention him, do you think you look any better?"

Li Congrong put on his helmet and said, This thing might be ugly, but I dont know how many times it saved my life. Let me tell you, if we can give a marinated egg hat for every soldier in the future, maybe the casualties in battle can even be reduced by half."

Chen Baisong said: "We can sell you to see if it will raise up enough money."

Li Congrong laughed and said, "I am very popular now."

Then Li Congrong said in a lower voice: "Don't tell my wife."

Li Congrong looked rough and careless, but after getting married, he became a severe hen-pecked husband. His wife was from a small modest household, but somehow she had a big temper. Lin Yuan had heard that he went to battle wine-drinking with others only to have the wine table be flipped over by his angry wife. He could also really put aside his dignity and plead and beg for mercy with his wife. After that, he only dared to hide from his wife or find someone to cover him whenever he wanted to go drinking.

When he got drunk, he would sleep over in someone elses house, and only dared to go home when the smell of alcohol disappeared from his person.

It was Jiang Gui who was often the reluctant host of such sleepovers. Jiang Gui was nearly annoyed to death by him. He complained about it several times when he wrote private letters to Lin Yuan.

According to Jiang Gui, how could a grown man be controlled by women. Men manage outside affairs while women manage inside affairs. Each had their own place and shouldn't overly interfere with each other's affairs.

Li Congrong and Jiang Gui were two completely different models of men.

Jiang Gui completely ignored the internal house affairs, and his wife could manage it however she wanted.

But if his wife tried to manage his outside affairs, he would feel that his territory had been invaded. He had found respective places for himself and his wife and delineated their responsibilities and role.

So he hoped that his wife would be like him and would do things in the prescribed position, and don't step over the boundary.

Lin Yuan didn't know whether he should be called a male chauvinist or an excessively disciplined person.

Li Congrong was completely different. His wife could manage him, his money, his daily life, and his socializing outside. He didnt consider it a pain, but instead took pleasure in it. He once wrote to Lin Yuan: "When she manages me, it gives me the feeling of a family and home." Lin Yuan felt that this had something to do with their different family backgrounds.

Jiang Gui was born in a complete family structure. His parents were an old-fashioned husband and wife couple, so he would use his parents' behavior with each other to demand the same of himself and his wife.

Li Congrong was a person whose parents passed when he was still young. He didnt know what an ordinary husband and wife relationship was like, or what a husband and wife relationship that met the requirements of this era was like. He thought that it was enough if someone managed and cared about him, so his wife could do whatever and he would be tolerant and didn't feel offended at all.

Lin Yuan once thought about whether he would be like Jiang Gui or Li Congrong if he married.

But he couldn't imagine himself acting like either of them. After all, for ancient women, there should be a small number of women who dared to control someone in his position. If he happened to come across one, then given his status, this woman should also be a person with an extreme desire for power. This was not a good thing.

But if he married a wife who had no mind of her own, it might be difficult for him to even communicate with her. Getting married would then become nothing but an action just to continue the blood line, which was too boring. He couldn't even find a place to rest and heal from a day's hard work.

After Li Congrong finished speaking, the three of them drank a bowl of wine together. After drinking, Li Congrong said with a face of enjoyment: "When we win, let's find time to drink a pot. I will get both of you drunk!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Just bluster away, you will fall down before you even reach ten bowls."

Chen Baisong was expressionless: "You were drunk last time and vomited all over me."

Li Congrong: "..You are talking about four years ago, right? I am no longer that person!"

"You just wait!" Li Congrong mounted his horse, "After victory, I will get you both so drunk you won't even be able to distinguish between day and night!"

Chen Baisong and Zhu Yuanzhang also mounted their horses one after another.

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and said: "If you have the ability then go get the South Bodhisattva drunk."

Li Congrong cowered in a very righteous manner: "If you want to go, then you go, don't think you will succeed by goading me."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Baisong both laughed.

After that the three people led their respective troops in different directions.

Only Luo Ben was left alone in a cold sweat.

Why did he feel that after these generals got together, they all seemed so unreliable?

He felt that he might have to ask for forgiveness from the South Bodhisattva.

Luo Ben looked at the almost disappearing horse asses in the distance, his face smiling, but inside..