Chapter 61 - Recruiting New Guards (1/2)

Chapter 61: Recruiting New Guards

Yaoyi couldn’t understand what Yuwen Tong was going to do. He rifled through the baggage doubtfully and took out two maps drawn on the fabric. He and the person standing by the side exchanged a glance before the latter nodded and took one map from Yaoyi. Then the two stood by the desk, each holding an unfolded map.

Yuwen Tong set his eyes on these two maps. His expression grew serious after some careful observation.

“Marshal, what do you find?” Yaoyi asked.

Yuwen Tong asked in reply, “Who is in charge of the water route of the Huangsha River in Yanzhou?”

Yaoyi answered after some ponderation, “Li Chong.”

“Now, send someone to investigate whether Li Chong has contact with Imperial Concubine Shu and the sixth Prince. Look into every possible lead, and leave no stones unturned,” Yuwen Tong said.

“Got it, Marshal,” replied the man who put the map down and went out.

Yaoyi watched the man go out and looked at the map again, his eyes widening out of shock, “Marshal, do you mean that Zhang Chong will take this waterway?”

Yuwen Tong glanced at him and said, “You are not so stupid.”

Yaoyi wasn’t interested in hearing Yuwen Tong’s praise at all. “But the encampment of the Prefecture Guard in Tanyang and Huangsha River are separated by vast mountains, right?” Yuwen Tong pointed at those mountains on the map. Eyes following along his fingertip, Yaoyi said, “These palaces have been occupied by the bandits.”

The map was marked with dense red dots, all referring to the ma.s.sive bandits.

“Get someone to dig out everything in these mountains,” Yuwen Tong said.

The lights in Green Bamboo Mansion were turned off again after an hour. Ling Zhang, who lived next door, still didn’t fall asleep and only slightly relieved the inward fidget by drinking a large cup of cold water.

It was not until dawn that he finally managed to fall asleep.

When he got up the next day, he looked terrible. But he changed his clothes, went to the residence of the Guard and continued his morning training.

w.a.n.g Dasan greeted in a hurry as he saw Ling Zhang coming, “Young master.”

“Guard w.a.n.g, I need you to fill in for the twelve guards temporary, I am sorry it will be a hard work for you.” Ling Zhang said.

“That is what I am supposed to do. Since I took your salary, I will share your concerns. Young master, I’ve found someone to fill the vacancy. When do you have time to test him?” w.a.n.g Dashan said.

“So soon? You are well-connected,” Ling Zhang said with a smile.

“I am flattered, I just have a lot of friends,” w.a.n.g Dashan said.

“Is he in Tanyang?” Ling Zhang asked.

“Yes. He lodges at an inn,” w.a.n.g Dashan said. “He’s from Yanzhou. He originally wanted to join the army to contribute to the country after hearing that the bandit was serious in Tanyang. But he changed his mind after a visit to the encampment of the Prefecture Guard. So I took the chance to propose when he was preparing to return to Yanzhou and he agreed.”

Noticing that Ling Zhang was listening carefully, w.a.n.g Dashan continued, “His name is Liu Yi, who ranks third at home, with two elder brothers and a younger one; with an awkward position not favored his parents, he left home at a young age and had worked as escort for some Express. He is quick-witted with good martial skills. The most important thing is, he is a man of integrity, not someone with sticky fingers or lazy character.”

Ling Zhang nodded, “Alright, you take him here. I need to see him first. If he is fine, I will let him stay.”

w.a.n.g Dashan said with joy, “Thank you very much, Young Master. I will let someone notify him right away.”

Then Ling Zhang began to run around the residence of the guards. He didn’t feel well when he started running.

The emergency happened yesterday and the long journey exhausted him. He still felt sore after rubbing the medicine oil. But he insisted on exercising without even frowning.

Ling Zhang felt particularly grumpy when he thought of being held like a child by Yuwen Tong for a few times. Then he practiced harder because of it.

A man in black standing on the roof of the Green Bamboo Mansion was surprised when seeing Ling Zhang running around the residence of the guards before dawn, and his surprise increased when Ling Zhang was still running after quite a long time. And he couldn’t help but jump off the roof as he saw Ling Zhang begin practicing horse stance and lifting stones under the guidance of a guard.

“Marshal, Young Master Ling is practicing horse stance.”

Yuwen Tong also got up and washed up just now. After hearing this he involuntarily raised his eyebrow.

Leaping to the rooftop, as expected, he immediately saw Ling Zhang was basic skills, with stones tied to his legs. Ling Zhang was sweating and his legs were shaking. Even so, he still insisted. Yuwen Tong looked at Ling Zhang, his curiosity towards this man acc.u.mulating. His clothes clung to him because of sweating, which fully exposed his slim figure.

Yuwen Tong watched this scene with great interest for a long time. Not until Ling Zhang was almost impossible to hold on did he finally jump off the roof.

Yuwen Tong would very much like to tease Ling Zhang, but then on a second thought he decided to save some dignity for Ling Zhang so as not to annoy him.

“He gets angry so easily,” Yuwen Tong thought.

A whole morning pa.s.sed in exercise, and Ling Zhang was soaked in sweat already. He went back to his yard and washed up. Then he rubbed himself with medicine oil to relieve the pain of muscles as taught by w.a.n.g Dashan.

By the time he got changed and came out of the house, it was bright.

“Young Master, Old Master asks you to have breakfast in the front hall,” the servant said.

Usually they ate in their own room.

Why the change? Absolutely because of the arrival of Yuwen Tong.

Much unwilling as Ling Zhang was, he still went to the front hall.

As soon as he entered, Yuwen Tong eyed him from head to toe.

“Big brother, you stink,” Ling Maomao said.