After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 320 Mobilization before the war
The two people walked slowly down the mountain.

The security team followed from a distance, but could only see the backs of two people walking side by side, and could not hear what they were saying at all.

However, Yan Xuesong believed that there was only official business to be discussed between His Highness and Jiang Yongkang.

They were probably discussing tomorrow's combat arrangements.

After a while, Jiang Yongkang asked again: "What are your plans after the Northern Expedition? Ascend the throne and become a founding empress?"

Xu Zhenying sighed, "I've come this far, I have no choice but to sit in that seat."

"You..." Jiang Yongkang raised his eyebrows in disbelief, his eyes full of shock, "Have you really thought about not sitting in that position? Your Highness, do you know what that position means?"

"I've told you before that I don't have any big ambitions. I just want to have a small courtyard and a cat or dog, or have a little money and travel around the mountains. I rebelled because I couldn't be content with my small fortune, and it doesn't mean that I have any desire for power. Now that I think about it, it sounds pretty cool to leave after my work is done, hiding my achievements and fame."

Jiang Yongkang didn't ask what "cool" meant.

She always came up with a lot of words that he couldn't understand for no apparent reason.

He just pointed out directly: "Your idea is unrealistic."

"Yes, I know that too." Xu Zhenying said resignedly, "Not everyone can retreat at the height of their career. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't and would not be able to retreat."

"That's right. No one but you can shoulder the burden of millions of people. The free and fair society you want will not be achieved in a day or a year. It will take at least ten years. By that time, when the people are accustomed to freedom and fairness, it will be time for you to retire."

Xu Zhenying sighed, "Alas, I was planning to retire before I turned 30."

"Don't think about those unrealistic things." Jiang Yongkang smiled, and then he looked at her face intentionally or unintentionally with his peripheral vision, "Let's talk about the near future. What are your personal plans?"

"What else can I plan? Of course I will work hard day and night."

"I'm talking about you personally." Jiang Yongkang sighed, "Mr. Lin has privately asked all the unmarried male soldiers in our team about their status."

Xu Zhenying held his forehead with his hand, "He is still choosing a husband for me?! I can't get over this hurdle, no, I have to assign him more work and not let him sit idle."

Jiang Yongkang said, "But what Elder Lin is worried about is not without reason. After all, you are already eighteen years old. Moreover, after we take over Bianjing, you will have to consider the issue of succession."

Xu Zhenying was speechless.

According to the average marriage age in the Zhou Dynasty, eighteen years old was considered old for an unmarried woman.

At present, Mr. Lin is not only actively arranging a marriage for her, but he has even begun to look forward to an heir.

Xu Zhenying was helpless. "Let's talk about it later. There's no rush. Let's take over Bianjing City first."

Just as he said this, Xu Zhenying suddenly reached out and pulled Jiang Yongkang.

The two men took advantage of the situation and hid behind a tree trunk.

Xu Zhenying made a gesture to silence the crowd, pointed to a place not far ahead, and said with a smile, "Let's watch the fun."

Jiang Yongkang was stunned, then looked in the direction of her finger, and saw the figures of Xu Huijia and Qian Zhenniang.

He frowned slightly. They were a single man and a single woman, with no one around. It looked like Xu Huijia was not talking about business.

Is it possible that there is some connection between these two people?
"General Xu, do you plan to rekindle your relationship?"

Xu Zhenying smiled, "Who knows?"

"But he was the one who said he wanted to cancel the engagement!"

"People change. My cousin was ignorant at that time, but now he has changed a lot after several years of experience. Besides, this is a matter between the two of them, why should we interfere?"

Jiang Yongkang smiled bitterly.

He said he would not interfere, but he hid in the corner and watched the fun.

Only at this moment did Xu Zhenying seem not to be the cold and icy ruler he usually was, but instead had a bit more worldly air.

Qian Zhenniang originally wanted to go and see the situation of the young cadres in Jinzhou Prefecture, but unexpectedly Xu Huijia showed up on the way.

During the previous meeting, she noticed that Xu Huijia was a little strange.

Qian Zhenniang has a very sharp mind.

She thought that Xu Huijia might be too proud and had not yet completely gotten over the broken engagement, so she felt uncomfortable seeing her.

She also deliberately avoided Xu Huijia.

But unexpectedly, we still met.

The man in front of him seemed thinner than the last time they met, his eyes were sharper, and his demeanor was calmer.

As for the two people in the past, well, it’s better not to mention them.

One is ignorant and stupid, the other is cowardly and confused.

Qian Zhenniang couldn't avoid her in front of Xu Huijia. After all, they were in the same officialdom, and she didn't want things to be too awkward between them. So she had to walk up to her, exchange a few words, and then leave.

But before she could open her mouth, Xu Huijia took out a bracelet with beads from her bosom and stuffed it into her hand without saying a word.

The man's hands were hot like fire.

Qian Zhenniang frowned slightly and stepped back, but the man was very strong and she was pulled back, unable to break free.

She had no choice but to accept it. Then she looked up, without any embarrassment on her face. She was very calm and said, "General Xu, what do you mean by this? Bribing me? I am in charge of publicity now. If you need it, the newspaper can reserve a publicity section for you."

"These are pearls from the Deep Lake in the west. They are bright, round, and beautiful in shape and color. They are most suitable for young girls to wear. I saw that you never wear any jewelry, so I bought them for you."

Qian Zhenniang's smile froze slightly, and she felt that the pearl flower was a little hot.

"General Xu, if you have anything to say, just tell me directly. Your gift is too valuable, I dare not accept it."

Xu Huijia sighed, his eyes staring at her fieryly, "I have nothing to do with you. Just think of it as me offending you when I was ignorant and naive, and now I'm apologizing to you. If you accept it, you can forgive me."

Qian Zhenniang smiled, covered her chest and said, "I thought it was nothing. I remember three or four years ago, when General Xu went to the western battlefield, he apologized to me. Does General Xu have to apologize every time he sees me? That's fine, I'll accept the gift every time."

"Okay, as long as you don't mind, I'll bring you a gift every time I go out."

Qian Zhenniang took a half step back calmly, with a smile on her face. "How can I do that? It's just a joke, General Xu, don't take it seriously. And didn't we make it very clear at the time? You are not the only one to blame for what happened on the way to exile. I was ignorant at the time. If we talk it out, there will be no misunderstanding. I don't blame you either."

Xu Huijia took a half step forward and closed the distance between the two of them: "Since you don't blame me, why don't you write me a reply?"

"You wrote me a letter?" Qian Zhenniang raised her eyebrows. "When? I never received it."

"One per month. Sent to the government office."

Qian Zhenniang was startled, then smiled, "Isn't this a military report written to His Highness?"

Xu Huijia was stunned, thought for a moment, and frowned.

Now that I think about it, it seems that what he wrote was indeed a military newspaper—

But what else could he tell her except the battle reports from the front line?

No wonder she misunderstood it as being addressed to His Highness.

“I signed your name at the beginning!”

Qian Zhenniang said calmly, "Yes, I was His Highness's secretary at the time. It would be fine if you signed my name and passed it to His Highness through me."

Xu Huijia was now in a state of silence, unable to express her pain.

So, my cousin has been reading my love letters for several years?

Could it be that Your Highness has already discovered that he wrote a letter to Qian Zhenniang?
"Forget it." Xu Huijia was a little angry, and then made way, "Just pretend I didn't say these words, and go."

Qian Zhenniang glanced at Xu Huijia, who seemed a little puzzled, then bowed and left.

Turn around without hesitation.

Xu Huijia stared at the person's beautiful back, lost in thought.

Did he...do something wrong?

The more books he read and the more experiences he had, the more he realized how stupid he was because of the mistakes he made when he was young.

On countless tossing and turning nights, he always thought of how heartless he was when he threw a letter of cancellation of engagement in Qian Zhenniang's face.

He actually drove away a woman who was so kind to him and had no one to rely on!
Is that person really Xu Huijia?

He couldn't help but doubt himself deeply, how could he be such a heartless person?

When I turned around, that person was no longer there.

But he could no longer tell whether he was feeling guilty or moved.

When the two men separated, the two people behind the tree also had a look of bitterness and hatred on their faces.

Xu Zhenying looked at the people around him, "Old Jiang, what do you think?"

Jiang Yongkang said in a deep voice: "I don't understand."

Xu Zhenying was instantly amused, "Why can't I understand? This is the story of me loving you, you loving him, and he loving her!"

Jiang Yongkang's face turned slightly red, but he also understood what Xu Zhenying wanted to say, "I don't think so. This is a case of flowers falling with intentions but water flowing without feelings."

Xu Zhenying shook his head. "I think he is too eager to do things. My cousin's behavior is hard to understand. Is he trying to eat grass near his burrow?"

Jiang Yongkang saw Xu Zhenying's serious analysis and smiled helplessly, "Maybe it's a good horse that turns back to the good old days, right?"

"It's pretty much the same."

"I don't think so. You underestimate your secretary Qian."

"You mean Zhenniang?" Xu Zhenying laughed, "I think she is just not smart at all." "Really?" Jiang Yongkang suppressed the smile on his lips, "Why do I feel like she is pretending to be ignorant even though she knows the truth?"

"Who pretends to be ignorant when they know the truth?"

Suddenly a voice was heard, and the two turned around and saw Qian Zhenniang returning.

It's obvious that the person who came here is not good-natured.

Xu Zhenying smiled awkwardly.

Qian Zhenniang glanced at Jiang Yongkang and said sarcastically, "It seems that Minister Jiang's fighting skills are not that good. I was close to you, but you didn't notice it at all. If the enemy attacked from behind, Minister Jiang would be captured immediately, right?"

Jiang Yongkang begged for mercy, glanced at Xu Zhenying, and said quickly: "Minister Qian, please spare my life. It is really because the king ordered me to watch the fun, and I have to watch. All this is the order of your highness-"

Xu Zhenying stared in amazement as the man left her behind and walked away alone.

Xu Zhenying sighed: You are such an ungrateful Jiang Yongkang! You ran away alone when you were in danger!

Qian Zhenniang looked Xu Zhenying up and down, and Xu Zhenying kept smiling and let her look at her.

Qian Zhenniang was discouraged. "Your Highness, everyone is very busy with this war. If you really feel bored, can you go and help those young cadres write notes?"

Xu Zhenying laughed, "You make me sound like a tyrant. I just happened to walk here and saw you. Then I saw my eldest cousin. I couldn't come over to listen to you two talking."

Qian Zhenniang frowned, "So you were hiding and listening?"

Xu Zhenying coughed softly and looked at her with a smile, "Tell me, I don't believe you didn't see what my brother meant. Are you going to rekindle your relationship?"

"What a past relationship!" Qian Zhenniang was so angry that she laughed, "It is said that a good horse never turns back to eat the grass it has returned to. People can't fall in the same place twice."

"My eldest cousin is not well?"

"It's not that he's bad. It's just that I'm not moved. For me, that letter of cancellation severed the bond between him and me. I don't like to look back. To me, he can only remain as a colleague. That's all."

Xu Zhenying nodded, "It seems that my cousin will return with regret."

Qian Zhenniang turned and left. "Tomorrow we will launch the Northern Expedition. Your Highness should think about how to defeat the enemy without fighting. You don't need to worry about my marriage."

The next day, just after daybreak, Luo Qingzhou sent people to carry out several firearms. According to Xu Zhenying's request, regardless of whether they had been debugged or not, the soldiers pushed them out after they were assembled.

The soldiers coming from the west naturally had never seen this thing before. When they came back from morning exercise, they couldn't walk when they saw this thing and rushed over to touch it.

Fortunately, Chang Zizai organized in time and sent his brothers to maintain order. He also promised to organize a firearms tour after the war, which barely calmed the excited crowd.

However, Chang Zi was humming a little tune along the way and seemed extremely excited. He also kept asking Luo Qingzhou about firearms.

Although Chang Zizai had received emergency training all night last night, he still couldn't get enough of it. He touched the barrel and the iron wheel, and sighed, "If only we could use firearms every day, we could just flatten the city of Bianjing."

Luo Qingzhou smiled, "Go and tell His Highness this."

Chang Zizai shook his head, "I dare not. His Highness said that the people on the other side of the river will be included in our territory in the future, which means they will all be our people. We cannot attack our own people. He who can capture the city without killing anyone, this is a true general."

Luo Qingzhou didn't know what he was thinking. "I think His Highness is right. We are lucky to have met His Highness. Otherwise, we would have died of cold and starvation like them, or died in the war. How could we have the opportunity to achieve success?"

Chang Zizai sighed, "Ah, so today His Highness only allowed me to fire one shot, saying that it would just have a shocking effect. He also said that only one shot would make the enemy lose their weapons. But I can't fire enough!"

Luo Qingzhou was speechless. "Okay, next time you come to the Xishan Camp in Jinzhou Prefecture, I'll let you be the experimenter and I'll make sure you get enough fights."

Chang Zizai immediately turned his worry into joy, and he walked with brisk steps, calling out to his brothers with great enthusiasm.

By the time they pushed the firearms to the flat ground on the hillside and placed them side by side with the firearms that had been moved up yesterday, with some distance between them, the brothers there had already become impatient and kept urging them to start.

Soon, there was no sound from the crowd.

Because Jiang Yongkang is here.

Jiang Yongkang was extremely powerful in the army. No matter how high-ranking a general was, he had all been to the Xishan Camp in Jinzhou Prefecture for further training. In the office of the Xishan Camp, hanging in the middle was this person's portrait.

There are even rumors in the military that if you pay homage to Minister Jiang before going into battle, you will be victorious in every battle.

"Minister Jiang is here?"

"Hello, Minister Jiang!"

"Minister Jiang, there won't be a big fight today. His Highness said we'll just use firearms to scare them. How could we trouble you to come?"

Although Jiang Yongkang was intimidating and rarely smiled at the soldiers, he was not difficult to get along with.

Xu Zhenying's army always emphasized that they were superiors and subordinates at work and comrades in life. As the first person to follow Xu Zhenying, he naturally had to align his behavior and thoughts with hers.

So he said, "Don't be nervous. Today we are just promoting the reputation of Jinzhou Prefecture. We will not charge into battle. Your Highness will also be watching the battle a hundred meters behind. Wait for my order before you take action."

Chang Zizai immediately said excitedly: "Your Highness is here too? Doesn't that mean Your Highness can also see my heroic figure on the battlefield?"

When Jiang Yongkang thought about how Mr. Lin had secretly inquired about Chang Zizai's marriage, he felt uncomfortable all over. He glared at Chang Zizai several times, then patted him on the shoulder and said, "Take care of yourself!"

Chang Zizai was totally unaware of the cold stare he received, and even said to Jiang Yongkang from behind, "Okay, Minister Jiang, I'll make sure to complete the mission! Remember to have His Highness pay attention to my heroic posture when I fire the cannon later!"

After Jiang Yongkang walked away, the soldier next to Chang Zizai said, "Why did I feel like Minister Jiang glared at General Chang several times just now?"

Another soldier also said, "General Xiao Chang, have you done anything recently that Minister Jiang is unhappy with?"

"Oh, that's impossible!" Chang Zizai waved his hand nonchalantly, staring at the firearm with shining eyes. He rubbed his hands excitedly, having long forgotten Jiang Yongkang. "Minister Jiang is like that, he always has a sullen face towards everyone. It's definitely not directed at me! You're overthinking it!"

And on the city wall of Fengxiang Prefecture, it was obvious that they had already seen the situation more than ten miles away through telescopes.

When the sky gradually brightened, Wang Xinde raised his telescope and cursed angrily: "Damn it, why are there still firearms?!"

This startled Deng Quanan awake. He had been sleeping on the city wall with his clothes on for the past two days, not daring to leave. When he heard Wang Xinde's loud voice, he jumped up in fright and adjusted his official hat, "Are the soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture coming?"

"not coming!"

"Here they come, General!" A soldier pointed at the people below and said, "Here comes a man and a horse!"

"What? One man and one rider?!"

Wang Xinde pointed the telescope at the open space beyond the city wall, and sure enough, he saw a young general wearing silver armor, riding a horse, and holding a spear rushing towards them.

"Quick, quick, quick, beat the drum to meet the enemy!"

Wang Xinde spat, "You little brat, you dare to enter the enemy camp alone, even though you haven't even grown all your hair yet? Do you really think that the soldiers of our Great Zhou Dynasty are cowards? What enemy are you going to meet? He's alone! Bring me the bow and arrows!"

The soldier next to him immediately went to get the bow and arrow.

In an instant, everyone on the city wall was facing a powerful enemy, and the sound of war drums, one after another, echoed throughout the mountains and fields.

But the young general from Jinzhou Prefecture stopped.

He stopped just out of the range of their bows and arrows.

Wang Xinde was furious. "What is he going to do? Damn it, are we going to fight or not? Are all the people in Jinzhou Prefecture so fussy? That's right, their master is a woman!"

Deng Quanan walked over, squinted his eyes at the young general, and then raised his hand: "Wait, he seems to be saying something."

Wang Xinde immediately raised his hand to stop the beating of the drum.

The drums of war are about to die down.

Sure enough, the next moment, Chang Zizai took out a specially made oversized iron loudspeaker. He held the horse in one hand and held the loudspeaker in the other, and first said "Hey, hey, hey" a few times to clear his throat.

Then, when he saw that it was almost time, he shouted to the people on the city wall: "Everyone in Fengxiang Prefecture, listen to me! We will launch a firearms attack in a quarter of an hour, including but not limited to penetrating your city walls, taking your lives, and robbing your government office. If you know what's good for you, quickly find a place to hide!! Our Highness said that a general who doesn't kill anyone to seize a city is a good general! I, the general, now give you a friendly suggestion to hide quickly, otherwise if you die, your lives will be counted on my head, and His Highness will criticize me for taking human lives lightly!"

After saying that, Chang Zizai leisurely put away the loudspeaker and then hurried back without stopping.

He had to go back and look after his precious firearm.

Wang Xinde on the city wall was so angry that he almost vomited blood. "Damn it, this is too much! This is too much!"

Deng Quanan immediately pulled Wang Xinde and said, "General Wang, calm down! Calm down! This is the enemy's way of provoking us! They just want to trick us out of the city and kill us one by one! Didn't you say that as long as the people of Fengxiang Prefecture hold their ground and wait for the imperial court's reinforcements to arrive, we will still be able to fight!"

But the soldier next to him said: "General, why don't we find a place to hide. I heard that the firearms are very powerful and can even penetrate the city wall that is dozens of meters high--"

"Ah! If the people from Jinzhou Prefecture really wanted to use firearms, why would they come here to inform us in advance? Did a donkey kick your brain?! This is clearly a strategy to lure the enemy! It's designed to shake our morale!"

Deng Quanan also said: "That's right, if anyone tries to dodge or desert again, I will kill them without mercy!"

"Yes! Isn't it said that firearms are powerful? I want to see how powerful this firearm is!"

Xu Zhenying, who had been watching the battle in the front line in the blue-marbled carriage, was also holding her forehead at this moment. She leaned forward slightly and said to Jiang Yongkang beside her: "I asked you to do pre-war mobilization work for Chang Zizai, and this is what you did?"

Jiang Yongkang was helpless, "How could I know he would understand it this way."

"Then how did you explain it to him?"

"I said that Your Highness doesn't want too many casualties. We should try to show off our muscles and make the enemy fear us like a tiger. It would be best if Fengxiang Mansion could fall without being attacked." Jiang Yongkang's mouth curled slightly, "Chang Zizai did nothing wrong."

Xu Zhenying was speechless.

What Chang Zizai said just now in front of the battlefield, such as "I want your dog life" and "rob your government office", are not warm reminders at all, they are clearly curses in front of the battlefield!

It's over. She heard that General Wang Xinde was loyal and had fought on the battlefield for many years. He was a powerful general of the Zhou Dynasty. She also said that she wanted to recruit him for her own use.

Elder Lin also laughed: "Young people... just have good physical strength. If Your Highness is worried, I, an old man, will be the one to yell and curse in front of the battle next time."

Xu Zhenying glanced at him and said, "Mr. Lin, you are almost sixty years old this year. How can you not cause trouble? Look, General Wang Xinde is probably about to be pissed off to death by us."

Elder Lin smiled and said, "Your Highness, don't worry. He is old anyway, and he will die sooner or later."

Xu Zhenying was speechless again.

What kind of people are under her command?
Just as Xu Zhenying was thinking this, he heard a loud "boom".