Li Zhi, don't be a coward

Chapter 209
Board the ship at Nagasaki Port and sail to Datang Dengzhou.

Li Qinzai stood on the side of the boat, looking at the endless sea, breathing slowly while bathed in the sun.

It was still the cold winter of the first lunar month when we left Datang for the expedition, and it was already spring when we returned to Datang.

I don't know how Cui Jie lives in the village, did the lady of the family eat poisonous mushrooms, did she fall into the river while fishing, did she go to the street to beg for food...

I really miss it.

There was a soft sobbing sound in his ear, and Li Qinzai turned his head to look. On the other side of the ship's side deck, Luye Zanliang was leaning on the railing and drooping his head, sobbing.

Li Qinzai frowned and walked over slowly.

"It's hard to let go of the old country, isn't it?" Li Qinzai asked softly.

Luye Zanliang was startled, and hastily raised his sleeves to wipe away his tears, saying: "The young general's words are serious, I dare not."

Li Qinzai suddenly increased his tone, and said: "From now on, I will call myself a 'servant' in front of me. I am not a major general, and everyone in my family will call me 'Five Young Man'."

Luye Zanliang was silent for a moment, then bowed his head and said, "Yes, Wu Shaolang, this servant has remembered."

His heart sank a lot, and from addressing Shang Luye Zanliang, he could tell that the Major General Datang obviously did not intend to take her as a concubine, and from now on she could only be an unknown maid.

Li Qinzai said coldly: "Since you said that there is no reason to take back the women sent by the Japanese royal family, you are afraid that you will only grow old in the Tang Dynasty in this life, are you uncomfortable?"

"It's not uncomfortable, it's a slave's blessing to serve Wu Shaolang." Luye Zanliang said in a low voice.

Li Qinzai smiled: "When you say something out of conscience, your face doesn't blush and your heart beats. She is indeed a royal girl who has seen the world."

Li Qinzai said leisurely again: "The person standing in front of you is your enemy who destroyed the country. I decided to land on Wa Island. I commanded the war to destroy the country. The person who forced your father to apologize in Aomori City and sign the truce covenant." It's me too, serving an unshakable enemy, don't you really hate it?"

Uno Sanliang bowed his head and remained silent.

After all, she used to be a pampered princess. She might be able to say a few words of conscience under the eaves, but she would not say more than two words, especially the hatred of the country and the family.

Li Qinzai laughed again: "It doesn't matter to hate, to be frank, she is the eldest princess of a country, there is no need to make a humble appearance of being willing to serve others."

Luye Zanliang gritted his teeth and said, "I...is your Tang Kingdom's spoils of war, right?"

Li Qinzai thought for a while and said, "You can think so. At least in your father's eyes, you are one of the prices that the two countries must pay for the truce, and it is the smallest price."

Luye Zanliang bowed his head and said, "How will you treat your spoils in the Tang Dynasty?"

"Of course I take it back and wash it. After killing it, I make a specimen and hang it on the wall. The guests at home will enthusiastically show him around, and flaunt his achievements by the way."

Luye Zanliang's face suddenly turned pale, and his body trembled.

Li Qinzai said again: "Oh, yes, that's the way to deal with livestock."

Luye Zanliang was slightly relieved, and tried hard to argue: "I... slaves are not livestock."

"I know, I can see it." Li Qinzai nodded and said, "From now on in my house, as long as you don't climb trees, don't steal peaches, and salute immediately when you hear the gong beating, you can live a happy life in my house."

Luye Zanliang looked puzzled, but Li Qinzai did not explain.

The relationship between the two is strange and stiff.

Luye Zanliang harbored hatred for destroying the country, and of course Li Qinzai would not regard her as a close family member. He had always been wary of her.

It's a pity that this face looks like Mikami-sensei...

After a long silence, Lu Ye Zanliang couldn't help but asked: "You... keep the slave by your side, aren't you afraid that the slave will assassinate you?"

Li Qinzai smiled again: "If you succeed in the assassination, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Uno Sanliang looked at him blankly.

"The whole family of the king of the country of Wa, including your father's and mother's family, the so-called royal family, and all the people of the country of Wa, must be buried with me."

"In the eyes of the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, I am much more important than your father, and my grandfather is also a great general of the Tang Dynasty. If I die, he will personally lead the army to avenge me, and there will be no grass on your island. Do you believe me? Do not believe?"

Luye Zanliang's face turned pale, he lowered his head and dared not speak.

Li Qinzai sighed: "Under a full nest, there are no eggs. It is really lucky that you and your royal family survived this war. My original plan was to conquer the entire territory of the Wa Kingdom by force and destroy the entire territory of Japan." The Japanese palace will be replaced by my Tang generals and officials stationed in the army."

"But why didn't you..."

Li Qinzai said regretfully: "Your father kneeled too fast and moved too neatly, I didn't even realize it..."

…………

After sailing for ten days, we finally returned to Datang Dengzhou.

When the warship docked, Li Qinzai stepped out of the warship first and stood on the port of Dengzhou. Li Qinzai couldn't help but kneel down on his knees, touched the ground with his lips, and kissed the soil under his feet.

Li Sujie behind him said in astonishment, "Sir, why did you do this?"

Li Qinzai stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said calmly: "The ceremony of returning to the homeland, this land is the root of our Tang people, and we should pay homage to it."

Li Sujie understood, so she knelt down like Li Qinzai and kissed the soil under her feet.

Li Qinzai smiled happily: "The sages said that people in the world can kneel all their lives, 'heaven, earth, king, master, teacher', we kneel to heaven and earth, and we don't lose face."

On the shore of Dengzhou Port, the governor and a group of officials had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing the warship approaching the shore, the officials rushed to meet it, saluted and congratulated Wang Shi on his triumphant return.

Li Qinzai was eager to return home, but he still had to put on a smiley face to socialize.

It wasn't until the governor warmly invited Li Qinzai and other generals to a banquet at the governor's mansion that Li Qinzai politely refused.

What is the first thing you do when you return to Datang?
Of course it is to hurry home, otherwise?Is it meaningful to drink and have fun with these officials who have never met?

About [-] soldiers returned with Li Qinzai, all veterans.

The soldiers have been away from home for a long time, and a war has delayed the spring sowing. It is the time when everyone is very anxious, and they don't want to stay in Dengzhou for a long time.

After a short rest, Li Qinzai said goodbye to the officials, and led the troops to march towards Chang'an City in a hurry.

Along the way, besides rushing, they camped. When passing through the city, Li Qinzai even ordered to avoid it deliberately, because he didn't want to waste time with those unfamiliar officials.

After traveling for more than [-] days, they finally arrived outside Chang'an City.

Counting the days, it was the end of May, and it was summer.

Looking at the majestic Chang'an City Tower, Li Qinzai smiled happily on his tired face.

"This...is Datang Chang'an?" Luye Zanliang's pretty face showed shock, and he stared blankly at the endless city wall.

"Your appearance, which has never seen the world, is more and more suitable for the role of a servant." Li Qinzai praised.

Luye Zanliang raised his eyebrows, and there was just a hint of arrogance of a long princess between his brows, but when he thought of his own identity at this moment, he immediately bowed his head sadly and sighed quietly.

Chang'an is just around the corner, Li Qinzai was so excited that he still did not forget his mission, and calmly ordered: "All the soldiers will enter the Peking Camp to rest, and Ah Siling will follow me into the city, first hand over the order to the Ministry of War, and then return home!"

Just as he was about to urge the horse to move forward, the rein was grabbed by the other hand.

Li Qinzai turned his head and saw Cheng Boxian looking at him with a worried face.

"Brother Shangxian, what's wrong?"

Cheng Boxian coughed, and said: "After handing over the order to the Ministry of War, my virtuous brother will come to my Cheng family as a guest first, how about sending you home after having a banquet?"

"Are you crazy? I rushed back to Chang'an all the way, instead of going home first, I went to visit someone else's house instead?"

Cheng Boxian's tone was almost begging: "Just this time, it's just a guest. My Cheng family doesn't have much else, I have enough of good wine and beauties, and Bao Jingchu's brother is happy and forgets to return."

Li Qinzai sighed, and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Shangxian, if the matter is done, you and I will resign ourselves to our fate. If you stretch your head and shrink your head, you will be stabbed. Why wouldn't I be beaten up when I get home? Just carry it over." The young model in the clubhouse, if you can't carry it, you will burn paper for the Qingming Festival, you and I ask for blessings."

(End of this chapter)