Chapter 534 Jia Cong's Comments on Wu Hou
"Don't worry, didn't the Queen tell us that the battle to the north of Chengdu Prefecture has been decided? The army is currently stationed in Chengdu Prefecture City. There is no fighting for the time being, and the war will resume in the spring of next year!"
"In the two previous large-scale wars, our troops were victorious. The soldiers from Southern Xinjiang are clearly no match for Brother Cong."
"Alas, even if we can accomplish many great things, we are still women of the harem. I envy Xiangyun. If she had that kind of temperament, like a female knight, she could also follow Third Brother to fight. It might not be a bad thing."
Baochai couldn't help but smile when she heard this. She took Daiyu's hand and said, "The Sister Lin that Cong likes is the smart and pretty Sister Lin, not a crazy girl like Sister Yun."
…
"I once heard the cuckoo bird in Shu, and I also heard the azalea flower. Every time it calls, my heart breaks. I miss Sanba in the third month of spring!"
Outside Chengdu Prefecture, in the Wuhou Temple!
Miaoyu began to hum softly!
"Miss Miaoyu is missing home? You still don't know where your paradise is?" Jia Cong asked from the side.
Today, with nothing to do, Jia Cong decided to accompany Miaoyu on a leisurely stroll outside the city. Originally, Jia Cong wasn't interested in such things, but after their last tea tasting, he became extremely curious about Miaoyu's identity. Plus, since there was nothing to do in the military camp, he left the city. He had long heard that the Wuhou Temple in Shu was extremely famous, so he came here.
Unfortunately, the dilapidated and abandoned Wuhou Temple made him somewhat disappointed.
Miaoyu shook her head slightly, but continued to sigh, "There are green mountains everywhere, and there are yellow earth everywhere!"
"That's true. Just like Zhuge Liang, although he died of illness at Wuzhangyuan, there are temples dedicated to him everywhere," Jia Cong said with a smile.
"My Lord, do you admire Marquis Zhuge Wu?"
"His achievements encompass the three kingdoms, his fame earned through the Eight Diagrams Formation. How could this man not be admired by me?" Jia Cong sighed, paused, and spoke again respectfully, "A truly remarkable talent, he holds the world at his heart! He is unwavering in his determination to restore the Central Plains! He uses the lands of Bashu to conquer the Central Plains, and the people have no fear when his troops march out! His military strategy for the Northern Expedition, occupying the lands of Liang and Shu before advancing northward, is so profound that only an immortal or a saint could achieve such feats."
"Devoted to his duty, he would not give up until his death! He followed the late emperor's will and raised the young master with all his heart! His integrity and loyalty are rarely matched in the entire Central Plains for thousands of years!"
"If Wu Hou knew that future generations would comment on this, he would be pleased!" Miaoyu sighed.
"Does the Marquis want to be a saint who helps the world and brings peace to the people?"
Jia Cong laughed when he heard this, "Ms. Miaoyu thinks too highly of me!"
"I am a common man, how dare I sully the word sage!"
"But in my opinion, isn't it saving the country, rescuing the people, and rescuing them from disaster when the Marquis leads his troops to conquer the southwest?"
"Miss, you are wrong! This Marquis is only after power!"
"Power?" Miaoyu was stunned. "Is power so alluring? Even a figure like the Marquis succumbs to power?"
Standing in the Civil and Military Corridor, Jia Cong stood with his hands behind his back. After a long pause, he finally said, "Perhaps this Marquis wants too much. If it's just about power, this Marquis will treat it as nothing!"
"A few years ago, I was a bastard, without a house, a piece of land, a single piece of silk, or even a penny! Back then, I thought it would be wonderful if I could have a few hundred taels of silver to feed and comfort my maidservants."
"But now, I, the Marquis, have inherited the Ning State Mansion, am the head of the Jia family, and am the champion of the imperial court! Surrounded by close friends and beautiful women, I'm determined to ensure the prosperity of my family and the safety of my woman! To possess and protect all of this, I absolutely need power!"
"It is a blessing for a woman to be able to become the Marquis's wife!"
Jia Cong shook his head and smiled, "It is my great honor to have met them!"
"Then Miaoyu met the Marquis twice. Was it Miaoyu's good fortune or the Marquis's good fortune?"
Hearing this, Jia Cong turned around and saw Miaoyu's inquiring gaze, and for a moment he was stunned...
After the Little New Year on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the army’s kitchens would begin slaughtering cattle, sheep and other livestock in preparation for the New Year’s banquet (the guard knew that cattle were important in ancient times, but after doing some research, he found out that the army did eat beef, and a lot of it...)!
Starting from the morning of the 30th, Jia Cong reviewed the troops. All the nearby prefectures, counties and districts, led by local chiefs, sent wine, meat and other New Year gifts as rewards for the troops.
It is customary for soldiers guarding a region and for local officials and people to show respect.
Although the camp wasn't decorated like at home, it was still filled with the atmosphere of the New Year . The soldiers patrolling the camp would occasionally sniff at the aroma of wine and meat wafting from nowhere. These turbid wines and stale meats were considered unrefined for the wealthy, but for the common soldiers, being able to enjoy such a grand feast was a matter of great joy.
After reviewing the troops, the military celebrations began.
Except for the patrolling soldiers and the soldiers stationed in all directions, the remaining tens of thousands of soldiers were all gathered on the parade ground.
Soldiers were divided into different armies, and the types of activities were also diverse! For example, games like Cuju and sumo, as well as horseback archery competitions.
As the two armies faced off, the shouts of thousands of people were deafening. Even the generals who were usually calm and composed shouted with their necks thick and their mouths wide open. Some even ignored the freezing weather and went into battle shirtless, taking off their armor and engaging in a direct general-to-general battle.
The winners are elated, while the losers curse...
At sunset, the entire camp was lit up with torches, illuminating the camp that stretched for several miles. The soldiers, who rarely saw such a lively scene, were still busy and excited.
It wasn't until the long tables were carried out by the brothers from the kitchen camp and large pots were set up along the edge of the training ground that the people's interest and attention finally shifted...
“Bang, bang, bang…”
With the sound of a series of rapid drumbeats, all activities were declared over. Then, Jia Cong led the generals to the platform to distribute rewards to the winners of the various activities.
The prizes weren't generous, some were a couple of taels of silver, others were just a bowl of wine. However, even so, it was enough to make the recipients cheer.
After all the rewards were distributed, Jia Cong waved his hand, and the huge training ground became silent in an instant.
Then, Jia Cong shouted loudly, "We serve in the army and receive a salary, which provides support for the elderly and children at home. For this, we should be grateful to the court and to Your Majesty!"
After saying this, he led all the generals to kowtow to the palace!
No matter what one thinks in one's heart, the emperor is the greatest in the world, and at least one must have political awareness.
"All the soldiers fought bloody battles, and we are still alive today because of the support of our comrades! Countless comrades have shed their blood on the battlefield, and we are still able to stand here. This second bow should be to our comrades!"
Jia Cong led all the generals and kowtowed to the ground again!
