Chapter 193 - They Dont Know Who You Are! (1/2)

Ye Xiaoxian asked, “The sixth prince’s army went to help the south?”

“Yes! I saw his designation on the flags. It is said that he has done many good deeds since he went to Baoning city. His acts of kindness have won him respect and support from the locals. The war is raging in the south, but reinforcements still haven’t come. Even though the sixth prince is far away, he still dispatched troops over there. What a respectable leader he is!”

Hearing that, quite a few people in the hall began discussing the topic. Some said that the sixth prince wouldn’t have dispatched the troops because he did not have the forces to rival the enemy. However, a new and formidable general a.s.sured the prince that he could defend the county.

Li Hongmei was surprised. “Really? Can a good general do the work of thousands of troops?”

Xiao Tongshu said, “Of course! A bad general will waste a powerful army. In contrast, a competent general will make full use of his soldiers’ strength by giving tactical instructions.”

Li Hongmei exclaimed, “Awesome!”

“Yes, awesome!”

Just then, another man said, “This general is drafting soldiers along the way. I saw many refugees joining the army in the morning. The sixth prince will give subsidies to their families in return, so the people are very grateful to him. I can tell from their expressions that they are resolute to retake their homeland.”

“Some other people also joined the army. What prospects do men have staying in such a humble place? They’d rather fight on the battlefield to serve the country. As long as they survive, they can earn an official’s salary as well as a good job.”

Xiao Tongshu and Li Hongmei didn’t have the slightest doubt about it. One of their ancestors got a job in the government office after leaving the army and his descendants could also work as constables. This was of great benefit for future generations.

The “general” reminded Ye Xiaoxian of Xiao Baoshan.

Li Hongmei also thought of her son.

…After the Xiao family finished their meal, Li Chengru and Fengsheng also went down for breakfast.

Knowing that the troop had left the county, Li Chengru flew into a rage. He blamed himself for getting up too late, or he could have gone with the army and joined the battle. He wanted to ride a horse and catch up with the army, but Fengsheng grasped his arm tightly.

“Young master, they don’t know who you are and they won’t believe what you tell them! Don’t be over-confident!”

Li Chengru soon felt discouraged. It was true that he had not brought a token to show his ident.i.ty and the gate of Zhengwu county was also closed to him. He was a n.o.body now. It was likely that he was just a stranger to this general. Only after meeting the sixth prince in Baoning city could his ident.i.ty be confirmed. Only then could he make any contribution to his country.

Li Chengru was too angry to have breakfast, but Fengsheng managed to coax him to eat some steamed buns.

…After noon, the Liu family and the Xiao family gathered with the two young men again. Squire Liu was reluctant to leave. The county provided them with not only comfortable accommodation but also delicious food, tempting him to settle down here. Now that the troops had gone to stop the war, he might enjoy a period of peace here. He had enough money to buy a house in the suburbs where he could start life anew. But Ye Xiaoxian didn’t advise him to do so.

She said with a smile, “The locals here hate strangers. You’re an easy target for evildoers because you look so high-profile with these carriages. The landlords here may also charge you many fees. How much money can you give them?”

Squire Liu asked, “You mean you still want to go?”

She replied, “Of course. Didn’t you hear about the sixth prince’s achievements in Baoning city? If he’s a virtuous ruler, he’ll treat us well. As long as we pull together, we won’t be bullied by the locals.”

Li Chengru interrupted, “The sixth prince is a trustworthy leader.”

She asked, “You know him?”

He cast a disdainful look at her. “I’m not like you who only care about material things. What I pay attention to are national affairs. The sixth prince is such a famous figure that everyone should know him.”

She replied, “You live in luxury. What you see and hear are indeed national affairs. But we’re just ordinary people who have to struggle for survival. How could we have time to concern ourselves with the country?”