Chapter 209 Honor and Sacrifice

The big drum in front of Qingyun Hall is beating, and the rapid and unique drums are telling everyone - the Lord is here!

One or two hundred men who had been waiting all day in Qingyuntang stood up straight, and even his voice was almost neat and uniform.

Chu Tianya took the lead, followed by dozens of leaders of Qixingzhai, such as Bai Xun, Wang Xun and Tang An.

Xiao Linglong deliberately walked behind Tang Ang. Because there is such a huge figure in front of her as a cover, and most people are standing with fists without squinting at this time, many people really don't notice her for a while.

"Lord!" A neat shout.

Chu Tianya strode to the wide tiger-skin chair and stood still. He hugged his fist and said, "Let the brothers wait for a long time!"

Then everyone put down their fists.

Chu Tianya looked around the hall and was very satisfied. Because he clearly saw the abundant spirit from everyone. Although they have been waiting here for a day, they are not wilted or messy.

"Chu came late and violated the military law. After the meeting, please ask the military division to punish according to the law. Chu Tianya said and then punched the people in the hall, "Brothers, please sit down!"

Everyone sat down and stared at Chu Tianya coincidentally. No one looked around, and no one expressed any objection to what Chu Tianya had just said. Because Chu Tianya has always emphasized "discipline". Whether it's the lord or the big leader, as long as you make a mistake, you will be punished. This kind of thing is not new for a long time. If not, there would not be such a strict scene in today's Qingyun Hall.

Although Chu Tianya is serious on the surface, he is actually in full bloom in his heart for a long time.

Only half a year ago, when the meeting in Qingyuntang was held, it was still smoky and noisy. There were everywhere who scolded the sky. It was not uncommon to take out the stinky feet from the shoes and buckle the toes in public. The last time on the eve of Chu Tianya's appointment as the leader, when Zhang Xiaochun came to visit with a group of officials, didn't he quarrel and scold, and there were still people who were going to kill people with knives?

In just a few months, the Qingyun Hall has been silent, neat and orderly. Even Xiao Linglong's sudden appearance did not cause any sensation. Although Chu Tianya knows that many people have noticed her, including Jiao Wentong.

Because in many meetings in the past, the seats of Xiao Linglong, one of the twelve leaders, were empty. Today, a big beauty sat there. How could a group of men not see it?

But they can turn a blind eye.

This is obviously the effect of "discipline".

"Before the meeting, I have a small announcement." Chu Tianya did not sit down and stood in front of the big chair and called, "Xiao Linglong."

"My subordinates are!" Xiao Linglong got up and answered with her fists and stood in the hall.

"One small thing I want to announce is that Xiao Linglong, one of the leaders we have been away for many days, is back today." Chu Tianya said, "This is a happy event."

At this time, the whole hall stood up and punched Xiao Linglong sideways, but there was no chatty.

Jiao Wentong's seat is opposite Xiao Linglong, and they are very close to each other. At this time, looking at Xiao Linglong's eyes are very hot and complex, just like an old father finally looking forward to the wandering world and leaving no message. Love and annoyance are written on his face and in his eyes at the same time.

But he didn't say a word, just punched Xiao Linglong like this.

"Please sit down!" Chu Tianya shouted, and everyone came to their senses. Xiao Linglong returned to her seat and sat down.

"The meeting begins." Chu Tianya also sat down, "Military division, please speak first."

"Yes, my lord." Bai Shu left his seat and walked into the hall. He opened a thick notebook and began to tell the big and small leaders about "military exercises".

This is a very new thing for everyone. Today, there are more than one or two hundred people who can sit on this Qingyun Hall, except for the military division, all of them have been to the battlefield, cut their heads and seen blood. They will not be surprised to ask them to take any military fort, which city to attack, or even to level which mountain. Only this "military exercise" that simulates a war, they are like listening to the book of heaven.

The reason why Chu Tianya wants Bai Shu to speak is that Bai Shu knows more about the habits of these people present than him, including language habits and thinking habits. To accept a strange thing, it is best to describe and describe it in familiar language or an example. Obviously, Baixu is more suitable for this matter than Chu Tianya.

Because it is novel and important, everyone in the hall listened carefully and curiously, paying attention to the first word and every sentence of Baixu. From time to time, there are people who ask serious questions in an orderly manner, and they answer them patiently. Fortunately, today's Qingyun Hall is not the Qingyun Hall of the past, otherwise everyone will quarrel, and such a "fresh meeting" will not go on at all.

Chu Tianya also listened carefully and added a few sentences from time to time. Bai Xi is indeed a smart person. His language is well organized, and the examples are vivid. From time to time, he also plays a little humor, so that everyone will not listen too boringly.

Chu Tianya is secretly gratified. If there is no such a dog-headed military division as Bai Xun, I really don't know how anxious he will be.

Involuntarily, Chu Tianya looked at Xiao Linglong, who was sitting at the bottom. However, she gave Chu Tianya a look and motioned him to come out and have something to say.

Chu Tianya got up to change clothes conveniently. A moment later, Xiao Linglong also retreated from the side door of the lobby, and the two met in the backyard of Qingyun Hall.

"What's the matter?" Chu Tianya asked her.

"What should I say to my second brother later?" Xiao Linglong's expression was a little embarrassed. "You just saw that he looked like that... It really made me feel guilty. I have a feeling that I have deceived my father and made him sad. My heart is about to break.

"Let's go straight." Chu Tianya replied.

Xiao Linglong frowned tightly, "Do you want me to tell him that I don't want to see you two fighting openly and secretly before hiding?" I left to make time and space for you to sit in this master's position? Although I didn't want to hurt him in the past, but... he was really hurt by me! He lost his previous prestige and power. He was deceived by me, cared about me, and hurt his feelings by me!"

"If Brother Jiao really regards you as your daughter and sister, he won't ask, and he won't compare." Chu Tianya said, "For my father and brother, the most important thing is that you come back safe and sound. Everything else is not important and is not worth investigating.

"That's why I feel more and more guilty!" Xiao Linglong's expression was already a little painful. "When I left, I knew you would win; I had thought of a thousand or ten thousand ways to face the second brother in the future. I thought I was fully prepared - but when I saw him, my heart was broken, really! He really cares about me. That kind of look can't deceive people. That's how my father looked at me, especially after I was naughty!"

"Flying Fox, you have grown up." Jiao Wentong's voice suddenly came from behind Xiao Linglong.

"Ah!" Xiao Linglong was really shocked. She really screamed, and her face turned white!

"You! ...Second brother, when did you come here?" Xiao Linglong was caught off guard and angry, "Tianya, why didn't you tell me?"

"I came out with the master." Jiao Wentong stroked his long-beard and smiled, "The master's eyes followed him. I know that there will be something interesting today. Sure enough!"

"Funny? Do you think it's fun? Xiao Linglong's expression was extremely embarrassed. She was both shy and annoyed. She couldn't wait to dig a hole and get in.

"Haha!" Chu Tianya laughed and said, "How can there be so much embarrassment in my family? Second brother, what do you think?

"Yes! Feihuer, do you need any more concerns in front of the second brother? Jiao Wentong laughed happily, "In fact, even if you didn't leave at the beginning, the second brother would find a way to drive you away or hide you for a period of time. The fight between me and the lord is a gentleman's fight. It's all for the sake of the rebels. There is nothing hideous. But it's too painful for you to be caught between us. You are very smart and wise, and you choose to leave quietly. Then, I let go of my lord - and you also saw it. Jiao Wentong was convinced of his loss. From now on, he will be the first to the Lord and sincerely assist the Lord to achieve great achievements. Now that you are back safe and sound, I don't know how happy I am. How can I blame you?"

"Second brother... Do you really think so?" Xiao Linglong looked at Jiao Wentong in a stunned way, as if she had never known him.

"Did the second brother say a lie in front of you?" Jiao Wentong still smiled so relaxedly. His smile contained a trace of father's kindness and doting, and his voice was much softer. He said, "Seeing that you go in and out with the Lord, I feel like seeing the most beautiful scenery in the world, and I'm going to be happy. Flying Fox, hurry up and marry the master - I want to drink 3,000 cups and get drunk!"

"Second brother, I'm wrong..." Xiao Linglong's tears came down like this. Her eyes turned red, but her tight lips were also shivering.

She is tolerant, tolerant. She didn't want to jump into her father's arms and cry like a seven- or eight-year-old child.

However, she really has such a strong impulse.

"Second brother, you have a good chat. I'll go back first." Chu Tianya smiled slightly and walked away gently.

Jiao Wentong walked to Xiao Linglong, stretched out his heavy and rough hand to wipe the tears on Xiao Linglong's face, and said, "Flying Fox, you have grown up. You are already the woman of the lord and the mother of 100,000 brothers. You can no longer cry in the future, because many times you represent the Lord. Since you have enjoyed extraordinary honors, you must bear the corresponding responsibilities and make corresponding sacrifices. You can't cry like a little girl. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Xiao Linglong smiled and cried, "But second brother, I want to do it for the last time today!"

"No." Jiao Wentong's expression became very serious. "I can't let you cry in my arms like before. Because you are the woman of the master, it is a crime for me to kill my head!"

"He doesn't care. What are you afraid of?" Xiao Linglong was a little annoyed and stamped her feet, "He knows that you are like my father and brother!"

"That doesn't work either! Rules are rules. After all, I'm not your father or brother!"

Xiao Linglong was speechless and could only cry in silence.

Jiao Wentong took two steps back, solemnly punched Xiao Linglong, turned around and strode away.

Xiao Linglong took a deep breath, wiped away the tears on her face, barely squeezed out a smile, and said to herself, "Actually, I understand, I understand! I just miss the kind of fatherly love in my childhood, the feeling of carefree under the protection of my father. But now I'm his woman. I have to give up what should be given up, and what should be given up... The second brother is right. Since he has enjoyed extraordinary honors, he must bear the corresponding responsibilities and make corresponding sacrifices. Tianya, why is he not like this?"

This meeting will be held for five or six days.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, not to mention such a major thing as the military exercise of 100,000 people. This is an extremely strange new thing for everyone. Even Chu Tianya himself learned while groping, and revised and changed the plan and details of the exercise with everyone.

On the third day of the meeting, Chu Tianya sent someone to invite Zhang Xiaochun and several important generals guarding Taiyuan to listen and understand, and then ask them to send troops to participate in the exercise.

If there is a war in Hedong in the future, the officers and soldiers of the imperial court will definitely participate together. This means that there will definitely be cross-cooperation between the officers and the rebels. If you don't practice and get familiar with it when the war doesn't start, it's easy to make mistakes when it's time to fight. Because, if there is really a war in Taiyuan this year, it may not be the pure city guard battle last year. There will definitely be field battles, and it is mainly mountainous.

The location of the exercise was selected at a 40-mile radius with Xiaocang Mountain as the core. It can be used as an outpost in Taiyuan City, using the terrain and landforms there to resist the enemy. In fact, this idea was not created by Chu Tianya. Wang Yu had this idea as early as last year, but he immediately gave up. The reason is that the victory and victory army at that time did not have the strength to fight against the golden soldiers in the field. And at that time, time was tight. Where was there time to build fortifications and adapt to the terrain?

It's different this year. Chu Tianya has 100,000 horses under him, and most of them are Qing Yunzhan, who is good at mountain battles. Moreover, he has enough time to use the mountains to build enough fortifications, so that the mountains near Xiaocangshan can be turned into a wall in front of the iron horse of the Golden State, so that they have to pay a huge price for attacking the city every step forward!

The best situation for Taiyuan, who is recovering his vitality, is the best situation. The people, who have just lived a stable life for less than a year, do not want to abandon the background of farmland and livestock and leave their hometown again; those people who build the city ponds do not want to climb to the ten-foot-high wall to wipe the black and smelly blood stains on it and eradicate the deep arrow clusters.

The people under Chu Tianya and the victory army of Hedong Xuanfu Sisheng, stationed in Taiyuan, have a total of about 150,000 people. Coupled with those people and soldiers engaged in logistics, the number of people participating in this exercise will not be less than 300,000!

In addition, the areas that may be affected by the exercises and future wars, if there are people living there, they will have to be relocated in advance. These things are not easy to do without the participation of the government and the officials and the army. Moreover, all the operational power of the officers and soldiers is in the court. Zhang Xiaochun also needs to ask the court to give instructions in advance so that this exercise can be held successfully.

Take a hair and move your whole body. This is a preview of the upcoming war. From the emperor sitting in the Jinluan Hall to the most inconspicuous horse-feeding groom in the cottage, they all need to participate and play the role they deserve.

While the meeting was held in Qingyun Hall, someone had already taken people out to work in advance. The "supreme command post" of Xiaocangshan, where Chu Tianya will take command in the future, has already built a general platform and a cloud platform to watch the battle. All kinds of flags and robes are in an emergency. Facing the front fortifications in the north, countless towering trees have been cut down and dragged there to build military fortresses and fortresses.

Not only did 100,000 rebels take action, but the people nearby also took action one after another. Some moved, some participated in labor, and some donated food and winter clothes. Zhang Xiaochun has written a letter of order, and more than 20,000 people have been recruited in Taiyuan Prefecture to help Qingyunbao transport grain, grass and other goods.

The whole Hedong boundary was full of wind and clouds because of an idea of Chu Tianya, and hundreds of thousands of people fell into tension and busyness.

In the evening, Chu Tianya and Xiao Linglong rode a horse together and came to the small hillside where the two of them were used to going out for an outing.

There is already a chill in the wind, which is not as seductive as the original spring breeze. There is no sunset, but the poetry is still the same.

"Tianya, did you think about today a year ago?" Xiao Linglong's tone was a little joke, "Because of your words, Fang Yuan Qianli trembled for it, and the Song Dynasty was restless for it? Even the official sitting on the dragon chair is restless about it?"

"I haven't thought about it. Even today, I haven't thought about these problems. Chu Tianya smiled indifferently and said, "I've always been just doing what I think I should do. If you think too much, you will be afraid of gains and losses. I don't want to look back, and I don't want to think about it. It's what it should be, which is the best."

"Simple is indeed the most effective way in the world. Everyone knows it, but it is indeed the most difficult to do." Xiao Linglong said with deep understanding, "I can't do it. Maybe it was too painful for me to recover before, or maybe it was too much pressure in my heart. It's hard for me to be simple and free.

"Actually, everyone can, and you can." Chu Tianya looked sideways at her, "It's just that you don't want to put down your past and your burden."

Xiao Linglong took a deep breath, "Teach me, how can I forget the hatred of the country, put aside all the distractions, and concentrate on being myself?"

"I don't need to teach you. When you have this idea, you are already trying and trying. Chu Tianya smiled and said, "Actually, I don't blame you. You have been hurt, and you have been too lonely for a long time, lack of love, lack of care, and you have no sense of security and a sense of belonging. But now it's different. You have me by your side. I will do my best to give you everything you lack. When your heart is filled with something, you can naturally be yourself, forget those unpleasant experiences, and live a simple, free and happy life.

Xiao Linglong smiled. The smile is gratifying and satisfied, and there are some jokes and mischievousness, and there are also some provocations that make Chu Tianya feel restless.

Or those three words--

"Can you do it?"