aircannonsinc Chapter 399 Dengzhou Army's Expedition to Hebei
Chapter 399 Dengzhou Army's Expedition to Hebei
There was so much mixed in that laughter.
There was helplessness, and there was disdain.
It's true what they say, comparisons are the thief of joy.
When Lü Xiao first came to Dengzhou, his adoptive father said that he was like gold found in dung.
And Xue Liang is the worst of the worst.
I've finally moved on from this, stopped thinking about it, stopped comparing myself to others, and life is pretty comfortable now.
As a result, when Lü Xiao's son and daughter arrived, their godfather praised them to the skies, making them look down on him one after another.
He might as well just find a block of tofu and smash his head against it and die.
"Second Uncle, Master said that diligence can make up for lack of talent, so your martial arts skills will definitely improve."
Although Lü Jing was young, she was born with a clever and insightful mind.
Seeing her second uncle with his head drooping and a look of utter despair, she quickly offered him words of comfort.
"But your second uncle isn't diligent either!"
Xue Liang sighed and readily admitted to his slacking off.
Knowing his own limited talent, he thought in his youth that he could hone his skills and share his adoptive father's burdens.
But no matter how much he practiced, his skills didn't improve.
In recent years, he hasn't practiced as much as his two nephews and nieces.
"Nephews and nieces, do you think your second uncle still has a chance to shine on the battlefield?"
Xue Liang's eyes darted around, and he moved closer to the two children, asking them questions without any shame.
His face was full of expectation, eagerly awaiting a positive answer.
"have."
Lu Heng raised his head, glanced at his second uncle, his little face expressionless, and answered crisply and decisively.
"Tell me! Tell me!"
Xue Liang's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward half an inch, as if he wanted to put his ear right next to his nephew's mouth.
"When I grow up, I'll be your vanguard, and then you'll be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield!"
Lu Heng said slowly and deliberately.
"That...that's a pretty good idea too!"
Xue Liang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh.
He truly lacked the talent for martial arts; no matter how much he practiced, it was all in vain.
But he has a nephew and niece who are extremely talented in martial arts!
Now he's relying on his adoptive father's power; in the future, he'll be relying on Lü Heng and Lü Jing to show off his power.
"Get out of here."
Luo Fang couldn't stand it anymore and kicked her shameful second brother.
Xue Liang got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and smiled sheepishly without getting angry.
"Yin Yue will remain to guard Dengzhou, while Luo Fang, Xue Liang, Li Wan, and Zuo Xiong will accompany me on my campaign against Hebei."
After laughing and joking around, Yang Lin's smile faded, and he spoke seriously.
The area around Dengzhou is relatively peaceful now. The bandits that needed to be suppressed have been suppressed, and the rebellions that needed to be quelled have been suppressed. It is unlikely that any major disturbances will occur in the short term.
It's time to settle the score between him and Qin Qiong.
"promise!"
When serious matters were mentioned, the playful expressions on everyone's faces vanished, and they all agreed in unison.
"Grandfather, what about the master?"
Lu Heng asked.
Although he is considered a grandson, his mother has always insisted that he call him grandfather, not maternal grandfather, since he was a child.
The master he spoke of was none other than Jiang Song, who had originally intended to join the Li family but was persuaded to return by Cheng Yaojin to his evil ways.
Jiang Song was skilled in spear fighting and had extraordinary martial arts skills. Upon arriving in Dengzhou, he was treated with great courtesy by Yang Lin.
Later, when the topic of revenge came up, the two hit it off immediately.
Their common enemy was Qin Qiong from Hebei. With the same goal, they naturally came together.
However, Jiang Song is a cold and aloof person who doesn't like crowds.
He was not a general under Yang Lin, but more like a retainer.
He usually kept to himself and rarely went out, only teaching Lü Heng and Lü Jing martial arts in his residence, and rarely spoke.
"Grandfather has already sent someone to invite him; he should be arriving soon."
Yang Lin said with a smile, stroking his beard with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
"That's good. With Master's help, Grandfather's chances of winning will be even higher."
Upon hearing this, Lü Heng's tense face relaxed slightly, as if he had let go of something.
He had been worried about this.
Although he and his sister had practiced martial arts since childhood and had some talent, they were still young and couldn't even climb onto a horse's back, let alone fight on the battlefield.
Apart from Yin Yue, the other uncles were all of mediocre skill.
If we actually get to the battlefield, we'll probably have trouble even protecting ourselves.
Although Zuo Xiong was highly skilled in martial arts, he could not fight against many people with his bare hands. How many people could one person stop?
His grandfather was old and no longer the powerful and influential figure he once was. He didn't want to see his grandfather suffer any mishap on the battlefield.
"It's kind of you to think so much at such a young age."
Yang Lin sensed the concern in the child's words, and his heart warmed. He reached out and gently patted the child's shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy.
This child is very thoughtful at a young age, just like his mother, Yang Yu'er.
Unlike his father, Lü Xiao, whose mind was entirely focused on fighting and who didn't think about or care about anything else.
Before long, Jiang Song arrived at the camp.
He wore a blue robe, a long sword at his waist, and a silver spear on his back. He was like a drawn sword, sharp and piercing yet controlled with ease.
He dismounted swiftly and cleanly, bowed slightly to Yang Lin, and exchanged no further pleasantries.
Upon learning that they were going to attack Qin Qiong, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he immediately joined the ranks.
He didn't ask where they were going, when they would return, or even how many soldiers they were taking with them.
He cared about nothing else but one thing: when Qin Qiong would die.
"Advance! Suppress the bandits!"
Xue Liang held up the Yang family's banner high and shouted at the top of his lungs.
The camp gate slowly opened, the heavy door panels creaking softly.
Yang Lin rode his warhorse at the very front of the column.
He stood tall and straight, and although he was old, he still had some of the imposing presence he had when he fought on the battlefield.
Behind him, generals such as Luo Fang, Xue Liang, Li Wan, and Zuo Xiong filed out.
Their armor was gleaming, their swords and spears were like a forest, and the sound of their horses' hooves was so uniform that it made the ground tremble slightly.
A carriage was tucked in the middle of the procession, its curtain half-drawn, and inside sat Lü Heng and Lü Jing.
The two children sat quietly in the car, occasionally peeking out from behind the curtain.
The scene outside the car was no different from what they usually saw, except that the procession was longer and there were more flags.
Yang Lin's personal command of troops this time was not merely to settle things with Qin Qiong.
He wanted to take advantage of the fact that he could still walk and fight.
He took these two children with him, watched them grow up, and personally taught them military skills.
When he passes away, his two children will be able to stand on their own and become pillars of the Sui Dynasty.
This was the last token of his affection that he could leave for the Sui Dynasty.
"hey-hey."
Xue Liang, riding on his horse, seemed lost in thought, occasionally letting out a silly grin.
The laughter was abrupt and jarring, drawing the attention of several generals around.
"Are you out of your mind?"
Luo Fang frowned and glanced at him, her face full of disgust.
This guy just loves to giggle like an idiot, and when he laughs, he doesn't even know how to be serious; he looks like a complete fool.
With the departure imminent, everyone was tense, but he was all smiles.
"We're going to avenge the fourteenth prince. He'll be overjoyed if he finds out!"
Xue Liang completely ignored his brother's disdain, his eyes filled with smugness.
He never imagined that one day he would be able to help the fourteenth prince.
Upon hearing this, Yang Lin scoffed:
"You're still trying to avenge Zi Lie? You're lucky if you don't get yourself involved."