Sun Lang, the former Grand Marshal of the Empire.
After the war ended, for some indescribable reason, he was forced to retire.
Now he was a Sword Hero.
The strongest in the world.
And for some indescribable reason, he regretted it. He wanted to be a thinker, politician, strategist, and revolutionary that could be written in history books and textbooks again.
Therefore, he decided to go to the Empire again to become an official. His goal was to gather like-minded and righteous men, so that they would be able to fill the imperial court with righteous people. He wanted to set an example for the future generations. For this, he had to set a small goal first.
For example, he had to fill up his circle of like-minded people first …
Mingzhou's Grand General Qi Guanyan, a master of military tactics and techniques. He was good at military formations, firearms, and commanding. He could coordinate with the cavalry, infantry, and artillery. He could line up and kill, cavalry charge, and clean up the battlefield in an instant. He had S-level training skills. He knew how to conduct himself, knew what to do, loved his wife, and had military power. He could be said to be the best hero in the Mingzhou Military Region.
Perfect.
But for some reason, Qi Guanyan and Hu Shouxin's compatibility … was a little bad?
To be honest, Old Hu was famous in the army for being popular. He was forthright, enthusiastic, and magnanimous. If there were any disputes or conflicts in the army, he could resolve most of them with his face and mediation. It would not be too ugly, and everyone was willing to be friends with him.
Because the battlefield was the easiest place to cultivate friendships, Hu Shouxin only did two things on the battlefield: shooting arrows and saving people. These two things were usually done together. Wherever there was a troop that was heavily surrounded, he would go and save them. If there was a general that was injured, he would also go and save him. He wielded the Thunder Bow, his speed was like thunder, and his archery skills were as swift as lightning. Most importantly, he was Sun Lang's sworn brother. Who wouldn't want to be friends with such a good person?
Old Hu was also happy to play the role of a big brother. He was amiable to everyone and was deeply admired and respected by everyone. Such a person was cold to Qi Guanyan. Obviously, there was something wrong with him.
Sun Lang thought for a moment. He looked at Old Hu and said, "Could it be that because this fella secretly took in a concubine, you feel jealous and don't have the guts?
En … this reason is indeed very convincing. When I heard it, I was also extremely angry. Let's find a chance to follow him to a deserted alley in the middle of the night, put a gunnysack over his head, and give him a beating … I will do it, and you will act as a lookout. Forget about Qi Guanyan, even Sanskrit Temple's head would have to eat a beating. what? "
Hu Shouxin stared blankly for a moment. Then, as a former professional soldier of the empire, he instinctively began to consider the feasibility of this plan. For Qi Guanyan to be able to become a military official of a province, he naturally relied on his outstanding military achievements. As one of the top military officials under the heavens, his martial arts naturally wouldn't be lacking. However, what made Qi Guanyan famous under the heavens and recorded into the annals of heroes and history was still his unconventional, all-embracing military skills, and not his individual bravery. In other words, his martial arts, even among the great generals guarding the nine provinces, probably couldn't be ranked in the front …
As long as his martial arts didn't reach Zhao Yunlong's level, if he was ambushed by Sun Lang, this shameless and peerless expert, he might not even have the chance to bring out the Imperial Army to defend himself …
He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and couldn't help but imagine such a scene. On a dark and windy night, the Great General of Mingzhou, Qi Guanyan, was on his way home. Suddenly, a huge gunny sack fell from the sky and covered his head. At the same time, the bodyguards around him were all knocked down in an instant. Great General Qi wanted to struggle, but in the end, he was knocked down by the bold thief who dragged him into an alley …
F * ck … although it was a street hoodlum plotting against his opponent, the person who did this was the Supreme Marshal of the Heavens, Sun Lang, and the person who was beaten up was the Great General guarding Mingzhou, Qi Guanyan. Two of the top military officials of the empire acting out such a street fight, such a scene was so f * cking cool when he thought about it carefully!
Hu Shouxin's heart skipped a beat. Although he had been instigated by Sun Lang to do all sorts of things back then, he had never done something as big as putting a gunny sack over a Great General of a province …
At that moment, he couldn't even care less about Sun Lang's nonsense. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I've disliked him for a long time. I'll take this opportunity to teach him a lesson!"
Sun Lang was shocked, "… You actually agreed?!
You really have a lot of resentment towards him. "
Hu Shouxin snorted, "I don't like him, can't I?
Damn it, if it weren't for the fact that he's been in Ming Province for the past two years, organizing the border defense, attacking the bandits, and guarding the northern border, he's finally loyal to the emperor and didn't throw away the proper business, leaving the last bit of face for his ancestors. Otherwise, I would have already written a letter to impeach him. "
Sun Lang blinked, "… Impeach?
F * ck, the Emperor has three palaces and six courtyards. Every night, he's f * cked until he's satisfied. If you write a letter to impeach Qi Guanyan for illegally marrying a concubine, aren't you pointing at a monk and calling him a bald thief? "
Hu Shouxin was going crazy, "It's not him marrying a concubine!
What does him marrying a concubine have to do with me? I'm saying that this bastard's subordinates are all dirty. I don't know if it's a bad habit he brought from the southeast war zone or if it's because he became arrogant after the war. Humph, the moment he became an official, he revealed his true colors … "
Sun Lang yawned. He already had a rough idea of what was going on, "What's wrong?"
Old Hu sneered, "You don't know that in Mingzhou, all the officials, regardless of whether they are civil or military officials, all praise General Qi."
Sun Lang said happily, "That's a good thing. He's good at socializing and can handle the relationship with his subordinates and colleagues well. You said that he didn't throw away his work, which means that he's clear-headed and has a strong sense of purpose. Overall, he's a talent who's flexible in handling small matters and has principles in handling big matters!"
"Bah!" Hu Shouxin said indignantly, "Which one of the generals from the northern war zone is like him?
Damn it, when I resigned two years ago and returned to Mingzhou, this bastard had already taken up his post in Mingzhou. He's very well-informed. The next day, he sent someone over with gifts. Can you guess how many gifts there are? "
He seemed to recall the scene at that time and was still very angry, "Damn it, there were two big boxes of gold and silver. He also gave my wife a big box of gold and pearl jewelry. There was a long list of gifts, which was more than my military merits. General Qi casually gave me a housewarming 'gift', which was almost the same as the military merits that the imperial court has given me over the years. If you say that his extravagant wealth is all from the imperial court, I won't believe it even if you beat me to death!"
Old Hu said angrily, "At that time, I was still cautious. I was afraid that I would misunderstand a good person, so I politely accepted the gifts and sealed them. Then I personally went to investigate. General Qi's ancestor was an official, but his family had declined. How much wealth could he have?
His wife's family wasn't rich either. Then there's the problem … "
"Where did Qi Guanyan get so much money that he could be so extravagant?"
He said coldly, "During festivals, people welcome and send gifts. The entire Mingzhou is harmonious. The civil and military officials live in harmony. They don't interfere with each other and don't interfere with each other's business. Who doesn't praise them?
When an official from the capital goes north to Mingzhou, he will definitely be treated well. He will eat and drink to his heart's content, and his face will be glowing. After the event, he will even give them gifts. As for the important officials in the capital, how can they be left behind? Do you know how much money General Qi has to send to the capital and how much money is sent to his residence from all over the country? "
"All in all, the evidence is conclusive. With his military merits and his salary, there's no way he can support such a huge expenditure. Then, there's only one conclusion!"
Hu Shouxin's eyes were Senran, "Qi Guanyan gives out money even if he wants to. He's just the same as those vermin. He's unethical!"
"Amazing, amazing."
Sun Lang was silent for a moment before he praised, "No wonder he can become the commander of a military region. An idiot like you can only be transferred."
Hu Shouxin shouted, "Sun Lang!
I know that you have a deep prejudice against the empire and don't care about these things, but don't forget that he's an official in the empire. Corruption and bribery have nothing to do with you. If you want to play chess with His Majesty and build Mingzhou into your rear, do you have to use Qi Guanyan? "
Sun Lang curled his lips and said, "So, you've turned against him a long time ago?"
Hu Shouxin snorted, "Why would I work with him after I found out the truth?
I've spent half my life on the battlefield, struggling to survive in a sea of blood to protect my country. I've shed blood and sweat, and I've won hundreds of battles. I've done justice to the heavens, to my country, to my ancestors, and to myself! "
"From the day I joined the army to the day I resigned from my post, I've been a general and an official all my life. I've never done anything against my conscience. After returning to the imperial court, I resigned from my post. The imperial court couldn't persuade me to stay, so they bestowed me with an imperial weapon, as well as gold, pearls, brocades, and silver coins as a reward. I risked my life to earn this money. It was my reward for fighting on the battlefield for half of my life. I took it with a clear conscience and spent it with a clear conscience!
I've been an indomitable spirit all my life, a great man. How can I associate with such vermin after I've succeeded and become a traitor, ruining my illustrious reputation? "
Sun Lang looked as if he couldn't stand him. "Maybe she's just giving you a generous gift for the sake of being fellow soldiers of Tianyuan Empire. She wants to make friends with you and have a drinking partner in the future. She doesn't want to hook up with you. Why are you so sensitive?"
"Come on. Do you even believe what you're saying?
Qi Guanyan is a smart man. I'm afraid that he's trying to curry favor with me because of my connections among the generals of the Heaven's Origin Sector in the north. "
Hu Shouxin said casually, "Even if it's not for that, I won't be friends with such a person. He has his way, and I have mine."
Sun Lang squinted at him. "You didn't beat him up, did you?"
Hu Shouxin said calmly, "No. I sent someone to return the gift. If he still doesn't give up and comes to make trouble again, I'll let him taste the feeling of a thunder bow. He knows what's good for him. After that, he hasn't bothered me again. That's good. He has a bright future, and I'm content with peace. We won't disturb each other."
Sun Lang suddenly said, "I'm thinking how sad General Qi must be after receiving the gift you returned … He hasn't contacted you since then …"
Hu Shouxin was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't hear him clearly. "What did you say?"
Sun Lang waved his hand. "Nothing … You won't believe it either. Let's talk about it later."
Hu Shouxin frowned. "You haven't given up?"
Sun Lang smiled. "Not only that, but I'm relieved to hear that."
Hu Shouxin's expression gradually became serious. "Are you serious?
As the saying goes, if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked. The atmosphere in the army of the north is so good, and the morale is so good that after the victory, they can still maintain the highest unity and cohesion in the army. They help and support each other, mostly because of your example and influence … Are you sure you want to let someone like Qi Guanyan hold the power? "
Sun Lang smiled. "I'm sure. Don't worry. If he follows me, he won't have to do those things."
Hu Shouxin still didn't believe him. "You …"
"Okay, okay, Old Hu, don't be so mean. Everyone makes mistakes. Who doesn't make mistakes? If you know your mistakes and correct them, you're a good comrade. After all …"
He smiled and then counted with his fingers. "I think that a person can only have two out of the three things: party spirit, sincerity, and wisdom. So don't take it too seriously."
Realizing that he couldn't persuade Sun Lang, Hu Shouxin sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing … Also, if you insist on doing things your own way, I'll keep an eye on Qi Guanyan."
Sun Lang nodded. "Okay, okay, okay. After the framework is set up, I'll set up a Cheka Committee. You'll be the leader there and play the bad guy."
"What's that …" Hu Shouxin shook his head. "Forget it, it's up to you."
Sun Lang nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, since we've reached a consensus, let's wait for Qi Guanyan to deliver himself to our doorstep. With such a huge incident happening in Ming Province last night, I'm afraid that the Prefecture Overseer of our province is on the verge of going crazy. Hucheng isn't too far from Ming Province, so he'll have to send a messenger pigeon over today no matter what. We'll just wait here quietly for General Qi to pay us a visit …"
They waited until night fell.
No one came at all.
Rangers were sent out to ask around, but there was no news of a general entering the city.
The yamen in Ming Province was also strangely quiet.
The Prefecture Overseer nervously sent out patrolling soldiers and constables of the Six Fan School to collect the bodies of the Black Armored Troops scattered all over Ming Province. They found a place to put them away, then strengthened the patrols and control, put out rumors, and maintained law and order. Other than that, they also sent out five or six groups of messengers to Hucheng. Without the presence of a general, they didn't even have the courage to talk to Old Hu.
For some reason, General Qi Guanyan didn't come.
The officials of Ming Province were very anxious and angry.
Sun Lang, who had waited for an entire day, was even angrier.
He felt a sense of shame and anger from being looked down upon. That arrow of yours truly last night was so breathtaking, so pretentious, so arrogant, so cool, I don't know how many people peed in their pants. Logically speaking, you should have been subdued by my domineering aura and be so shocked that you would piss your pants and come to Ming Province to kowtow. You actually didn't take it seriously at all. What's the meaning of this, what's the meaning of this?
"We're not waiting anymore!"
In Marquis Jingan's fu, Sun Lang slammed the table and stood up. During the day, he was still admiring Qi Guanyan, but at night, his attitude changed drastically. He looked up to the sky and howled, "Dog official, your reign is over!"