Section 07: Official Appointment

The uncultivated land is a vast treasure, with wild onions growing lush and plentiful, a handful at a time, which are quite delicious. Just a smear on the dough, fried in oil, and the fragrant scallion pancakes are enough to make one salivate. What good fortune to even encounter a Sichuan pepper tree; although still green, it can certainly be used as a seasoning. The women spent half the day gathering, finally picking a handful. This plant is covered in thorns, and when Wangcai took a bite, he couldn't help but drool, likely due to the numbing sensation. It was too troublesome, so in a fit of determination, they even chopped down the tree and dragged it back. After gathering two large baskets of wild vegetables, they finally returned to the camp.

San Le Jiang

Why drink strong liquor as if it were plain water? With just one sip, you can name the wine, clearly indicating that you are a connoisseur of fine spirits. It is evident that you must be a regular drinker of this wine. The Sanle wine originates from the Western Regions and is highly esteemed in Chang'an, its value is considerable. Common folk seek a taste but cannot obtain it. My brother, I have secretly taken this from my father's collection, originally intending to show off in front of you, but I did not expect you to drink it without changing your expression and to name the wine in one breath, which truly astonished me. My brother, you must also come from a prestigious family, yet why have you fallen into this desolate place?

How are the brothers in my camp doing?

Why?

It is fine to be persuaded to return; after all, the secretary is not one who does the work, regardless of its scale. In any case, there are not many secretaries in later generations who actually do the work. Moreover, their performance is exceptionally vigorous; the assembly line methods outlined yesterday were executed very smoothly. There is nothing to criticize.

"Will being in the company of us not bring shame to Brother Yun?"

"Trouble? My family, the Chengs, has never been afraid of trouble," said Yun. It is indeed true; would a world-dominating demon be afraid of trouble?

In order to equip the two women with a skill, Yun Ye decided to teach them how to make scallion pancakes with lard: "Dear sisters, you have worked hard these past two days. I am immensely grateful for your care. Today, I would like to share a small skill with you. Although it may not lead to great wealth, it can ensure a life free from worry about food and clothing. In the future, opening a small shop could provide a means of livelihood. I wonder if you two sisters would be willing to learn?"

In Cheng Chumo's eyes, His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is a wise, open-minded, brave, and enlightened leader. In Yun Ye's view, Emperor Li Er is a cunning man shrouded in countless halos. Cheng Chumo is proud and happy, while Yun Ye is in pain; the higher the intelligence of the leader, the harder it is to deceive. Reflecting on his interactions with so many outstanding individuals, Yun Ye feels that his future is bleak, as if he is reaching out in the dark and cannot see his fingers.

As I have just arrived in this world, being able to associate with all of you is something I have long sought. I fear that I am merely a stranger with an unknown background, which may cause trouble for Brother Cheng

Yun Ye feels as if he was born to be a person of the Tang Dynasty. After just one day of blending into the crowd, he has already gained a leader and some followers, along with a group of people sharing meals with him. He is living vibrantly. The past truly fades like clouds of smoke. Yet, there is a faint sense of heartache. Life must go on; once it begins, it must have an ending. This is the worst of times, yet also the best of times

A pure silver flask was held in Yun Ye's hand. Under Cheng Chumo's teasing, he pulled out the cork and took a sniff, discovering it was wine. It was not very strong, just a small sip revealed it was quite fiery, around 30 degrees. It had not been blended or enhanced, and the strongest wine in the Tang dynasty was merely Sanle Jiang. After three fermentations, the alcohol content could reach over 30 degrees, which was quite good. The wine was somewhat cloudy, but that didn't matter; today there was wine, so today he would get drunk. He lifted the flask and took two gulps, "Gulon, gulon," which was nothing for Yun Ye, who was accustomed to strong barley wine. Cheng Chumo's face twitched.

Fifteen years old

In the military, soldiers share a bond akin to that of brothers. As long as it is sanctioned by the authorities, they regard each other's wives as their own, and no one would dare to harbor ulterior motives. Any breach of this code is considered a grave taboo within the ranks, and no one, from the highest to the lowest, would spare those who entertain such thoughts. It seems that His Majesty, Emperor Li Er, is resorting to any means necessary to increase the population

The entire camp is now under Yun Ye's control; he is the military secretary, and he holds the highest authority in the logistics battalion. Struggling to push away the heavy leg pressing against his neck, it's no wonder he had a night full of nightmares last night, while Cheng Chumo continued to sleep soundly, snoring like thunder

Brother Cheng, you flatter me. The matters concerning me are difficult to articulate. Since childhood, I have been taken in by my esteemed teacher. According to his words, I should be a native of Chang'an. When I was found, I was still in swaddling clothes, which bore the character 'Yun.' Thus, my teacher named me Yun Ye. In this chaotic era, I was unable to search for my parents, so my teacher took me on journeys across the vast lands, along the banks of the great rivers. When I was ten years old, my teacher fell ill, and we settled by the river, away from human habitation. This past early spring, my teacher passed away. In accordance with his last wishes, I cremated his remains and scattered them in the great river. I built a hut by the riverbank to observe the mourning period for my teacher. Unfortunately, a spring flood unexpectedly destroyed the grass hut during the night. I struggled to climb ashore and wandered in the wilderness for an entire month before encountering Uncle Zhang and his companions, which led to this matter of procuring salt.

What is it and why?

The Chinese nation is hardworking and kind, and Yun Ye has always believed this without doubt. Look at these individuals; they have been working since dawn until now, their muscular arms tanned to a bronze color by the sun, resembling bronze statues, a hundred times more appealing than those intentionally tanned in later generations. This makes Yun Ye hesitant to take off his *book* clothes; in comparison, he only has his limbs tanned by the sun, while the rest of his body remains fair, resembling a panda.

Two women attentively served for two days, and it would not be appropriate to treat them poorly. I called them over for a detailed inquiry and learned that one was from the Zhang family and the other from the Liu family, both without personal names. In this era of turmoil and displacement, they were assigned by the government to be wives of two soldiers, Zhang and Liu. Since it was a government arrangement, they had no choice in the matter. This time, they were heading to Heifengkou to reunite with their husbands

Yun Ye knows that the brilliance of the Tang Dynasty will surely illuminate the ages. Just thinking about this makes Yun Ye tremble with excitement. He coldly observes the final performance of these clowns.

All are individuals with warm hearts and valiant skills in battle

At this moment, Yun Ye was completely immersed in a beautiful dream of sweeping the world with an AK47 in hand. The thought of having the AK made him smile broadly. Next to him, Cheng Chumo and Zhang Cheng unconsciously took a step back, distancing themselves from Yun Ye, while the two women looked on with affectionate expressions, mistakenly believing he was having a fit.

There is no other way; I must fabricate a complete background. After all, my Yun family has resided in Languan since the Sui Dynasty. In the future, I might have to pay respects to my ancestors. In this sense, it is not entirely a deception. My origins are extraordinary, and if I were to explain them, he might think I am trying to deceive him, and in a manner that lacks any technical sophistication.

While teaching the woman how to knead dough, planning to cook the flatbreads, Cheng Chumo returned, and he killed three wild goats. Looking at one of them, with its long, gnarled horns twisted and coiled, it was evident that the lead goat had not escaped. The ancients said that the skill of the butcher in dismembering an ox was something one had never seen before, yet Zhang Cheng, with a half-foot-long cleaver, in an instant turned the three goats into chunks of meat, large and small, suitable for the pot. This left Yun Ye utterly astonished. The ancients said that the skill of the butcher in dismembering an ox was something one had never seen before, yet Zhang Cheng, with a half-foot-long cleaver, in an instant turned the three goats into chunks of meat, large and small, suitable for the pot. This left Yun Ye utterly astonished

"Indeed, a true man, free from worries, shall naturally roam the world with confidence" Yun Ye pretended not to notice Cheng Chumo's eager gaze.

Yun Ye was envious of Cheng Chumo's precious bow, but unfortunately, despite his efforts to pull it, he could not manage to do so. It is said to be a San Shi bow, crafted by the best artisan over the course of three years, valued at three hundred guan, equivalent to six hundred thousand yuan. Goodness, that amount could buy a BMW, yet it is only worth a broken bow. By the way, Yun Ye appreciates the value of this bow.

It is better not to speak of my younger brother's matters; the past is like smoke, ultimately untraceable. To be able to survive in this world is already a blessing from heaven. Today, meeting with Brother Cheng, we have a good rapport, so let us drink heartily.

Cheng Chumo woke up, rubbed his waist, and walked out of the tent, asking Yun Ye why his waist hurt after drinking. Of course, Yun Ye would not tell him that it was because he had kicked him. Obviously, anyone would lose their temper if someone shoved their foot into their mouth

Yun Ye understood that this was Emperor Li Er's strategy to buy time. Currently, the Tang Dynasty is plagued by unpacified vassal kings, and the people's livelihoods are in dire straits. The grain left by the Sui Dynasty has been nearly exhausted. Eighteen rebel kings and seventy-two factions are engaged in mutual slaughter, with the male population reduced to less than one in ten, and the population has sharply decreased from over 17 million households to 6.4 million households. The Han people still exist, yet they lack their former might. Surrounding foreign tribes are stirring restlessly; the Turks continue to raid the borders without cease, while Tuyuhun seeks to take advantage of the chaos. The son of the Tibetan leader, Sun Zanganbu, has also grown up and begun his own campaign. Silla and Goryeo are particularly covetous of the northeastern plains.

Throughout the long river of history, the great monarchs who have shone through the ages have all carved a bloody path through thorny roads. Now, His Majesty Li Er withdraws his minions, curls up his body, and licks the blood from his wounds. He awaits the moment to leap into the heavens.

In the early years of the Zhenguan era, the young Tang Empire faced its most perilous moment as the Turks invaded the Central Plains. The situation in Jingzhou and Wugong was critical, with the enemy advancing directly towards the banks of the Weishui River. His Majesty Emperor Li Er, accompanied by Yuchi Gong, struck down two thousand Turkish cavalry at the Jingzhou camp, traveling light with only six riders departing from Chang'an to meet with Jili at the Weishui. The next day, on the pontoon bridge over the Weishui, an alliance was formed with the Turks, swearing an oath by sacrificing a white horse, which led to the retreat of the Turkish forces.

Isn't Brother Yun only around fourteen or fifteen years old

He called Zhang Cheng to bring him a bow and arrow, intending to go hunting. Ever since he witnessed the bow and arrow last night, he has been fervently delighted by this primary weapon of the cold weapon era. You haven't heard the storyteller say, with the left hand pushing the full moon, ... and the right hand cradling an infant, with a slight release of the two fingers, one can only hear the enemy general's scream of despair ...

Yun Ye decided to prepare the meat by hand, without washing the lamb, directly throwing it into the pot with blood to boil. Once the water boiled, he drained the entire pot and added fresh water to cook again. A handful of wild onions and a handful of Sichuan peppercorns were added, and it was done. After taking it out of the pot, he added another handful of salt, creating a delicacy of the world

Since Yun Ye agreed last night to associate with the Lao Cheng family, he has felt uneasy, genuinely worried about Cheng Chumo's character, feeling as if he has boarded a pirate ship. History is written by people, and if the one writing history misguides his pen, employing a Spring and Autumn style, Yun Ye fears he will be wronged. It is often said that a son resembles his father; if Old Cheng possesses such a character, where would he go to seek justice? This is the aftermath left by Cheng Chumo seizing the wine flask after Yun Ye agreed to serve as his military secretary.

So, Brother Yun, are you now all alone, with no attachments?

Disregarding these low-quality individuals, Zhang Cheng was driven away, and Wang Cai along with two women entered the woods to gather wild onions. Meanwhile, Cheng Chumo saw Yun Ye struggling to draw even the softest bow, and with a face full of disdain, he led a few personal guards into the forest to hunt, stating that he would not bring along children or women, as he found it inauspicious

He went up to help with the work, but was persuaded to return by a group of people, who repeatedly said: "Esteemed Secretary, please take a seat. There is no need for you to handle such rough tasks; we will certainly arrange everything properly."