Section 4

Listening to the incessant preaching of the sergeant about how each soldier would receive a settlement fee of five taels of silver, along with the back pay for the past ten months, Huang Shi understood his calculations very well. The more soldiers from Liuhe Guard who were willing to enlist, the more benefits the sergeant could opportunistically gain. As for whether Mao Wenlong was as brave and skilled in battle as the sergeant claimed, the sergeant did not care in the slightest.

We toil diligently to seek wealth, and violence cannot be exchanged for money. Zhao Manxiong said calmly, "I have always believed that wise individuals never forget their objectives, and the means employed by wise individuals serve their purposes."

Having received permission, Huang Shi was about to go out when he suddenly saw a general lifting the tent flap to enter. Clad in a golden helmet and silver armor, with fierce eyes and a copper beard, Zhang Yuanzhi jumped up upon seeing the visitor, rushed down from the tent, and bowed with cupped hands, saying: "I pay my respects to you, my lord"

Yellowstone gently applauded: "Well said"

A few days later, a new order from Wang Huazhen, the Governor of Liaodong, was conveyed and publicly read during the military drill at Liuhewei, which included Huangshi. The Guangning Army was about to mobilize its troops again to attack the Later Jin, and the general leading the troops was named Mao Wendlong, the newly appointed guerrilla commander of the Guangning Army. Upon hearing this, the soldiers in the audience began to whisper among themselves, as no one had ever heard of Mao Wendlong's name.

Yellowstone could no longer absorb what was being said. The blood in his body was boiling, and his fists were clenched tightly, with his nails digging into his flesh without him even realizing it. The uncontrollable excitement caused his entire body to tremble, and the surging emotions in his heart nearly made him shout out loud: "Mao Wenlong, Mao Wenlong, yes, it is this person, the first step towards my wealth and glory has finally appeared before me"

The first year of the Apocalypse, April

Knowing that Old Zhang could no longer persuade him, Huang Shi had no choice but to sign up with the sergeant himself. A few days later, Mao Wenlong ordered the brave warriors who had registered to gather in Guangning, and at the same time, the sergeant notified Huang Shi to collect the 7 taels and 5 cash as well as 2 taels of the original color—settlement funds and part of the owed wages. After giving the sergeant a gratuity, he took more than 5 taels of silver and 2 taels of the original color to bid farewell to Old Zhang's family. He handed over everything except for the 2 taels of silver to Old Zhang's wife, under the pretext of asking her to help prepare some clean clothes and provisions.

The news of General Cheng's demise quickly reached the Guangning Army, which suffered another crushing defeat. Of the five hundred who went out on the expedition, only a little over a dozen managed to escape with their lives.

They dare." Zhang Zaidong swung the axe in his hand

Ultimately, it is just a matter of earning a living. It is not as if we cannot survive now. After daily drills, we can take on some odd jobs. Liuhewei is not like Guangning; there are forests and rivers nearby. We can catch rabbits, hunt birds, and catch fish and shrimp. Unlike other garrisons, we do not go hungry. During festivals, we can receive rewards and enjoy a meal of pork. I believe you do not need to risk your life for this.

Dinner was quite enjoyable, with plenty of meat. This time, Lao Zhang's mention of Mao Wenlong was akin to the descent of the Martial Star. Huang Shi, instead of being comforted, ended up comforting himself. While feeling desolate inside, he could only drink heavily. Lao Zhang, observing Huang Shi's demeanor, assumed he was worried about the possibility of not returning, so he doubled his efforts to share witty remarks and risqué jokes, and after the meal, he continued to see Huang Shi off to the door.

After the drill, Huang Shi rushed to the sergeant to inquire about the specific arrangements, exerting all his strength to keep his voice from trembling even slightly. The sergeant confirmed Huang Shi's statement, stating that the commanding general for the deployment was Mao Wenlong. As for his background, the sergeant vaguely indicated that he was quite capable, and then eagerly pointed out that the treatment this time was very generous.

At dinner, Huang Shi attempted to persuade Old Zhang's family to join Mao Wenlong's army. After listening, Old Zhang remained silent for a long time. "In the past, Lord Wang sent many teams of soldiers to raid the territory of the Jianzhou bandits, but none returned." After a pause, Old Zhang emphasized, "None have ever returned. I have heard that the Jianzhou bandits are all cavalry, and their arrows never miss. Nowadays, any soldier who can find a meal will definitely not go to die for Lord Mao or any other lord. Shitou, do not sacrifice your life for a few taels of silver." Old Zhang reiterated, "None have ever returned. I have heard that the Jianzhou bandits are all cavalry, and their arrows never miss. Nowadays, any soldier who can find a meal will definitely not go to die for Lord Mao or any other lord. Shitou, do not sacrifice your life for a few taels of silver."

I think that although this sum of money is not substantial, it is quick money; one just needs to be a bit clever when the time comes. It will return in at most ten days. Moreover, it is said that weapons will be distributed this time, and we will be going to the battlefield. When that happens, selling them to Chen the blacksmith and claiming they were lost on the battlefield could still fetch a few taels of silver.

Regardless of the soldiers' reactions, the officer in charge of announcing the orders continued to read them aloud. Among the murmuring crowd below, only Huang Shi remained focused and held his breath, listening intently to the orders. The Governor of Liaodong urged the brave warriors of the Guangning army to actively enlist, as the guerrilla commander Mao Wendong had just been appointed and had not yet gathered his troops. Wang Huazhen stated that any soldier who enlisted in this army would be generously rewarded.

The entire team will set off tomorrow afternoon. I need to return to Liuhe to fetch something anyway, and it just so happens that I can trick Zhang Zai into coming along. Tomorrow morning, I will bring him to enlist in the army, and Old Zhang has no place to find us. This plan is quite clever. Having completed the entire plan in his mind, Huang Shi immediately went to request leave from Captain Zhang Yuanzhi. He had already been appointed as a personal guard, and this small convenience would likely not be refused by Zhang Yuanzhi.

Regardless of how Old Zhang thinks, the outcome for his family staying in Liuhe is unpredictable in Huangshi. Taking this child away is always a precaution. As the saying goes, one should not put all their eggs in one basket

In the third year of the Tianqi era, Japan, fearing the might of the Ming Dynasty, released the king of Ryukyu to return to his homeland. If this opportunity is well utilized, it could lead to the acquisition of this territory. The Dongjiang army happens to have a navy that can be employed, and Mao Wenlong is also in need of funds. In the fourth year of Tianqi, Zheng Yiguan and the Dutch arrived in Taiwan one after the other, which was previously an undeveloped virgin land. Subsequently, conflicts arose between the Dutch and the Spanish, marking the opportune moment to advance into the South Seas. As long as one can attain a sufficiently high position beforehand, the subsequent steps should proceed seamlessly.

After arriving in Guangning to report to Zhang Yuanzhi, the captain, and the library, Huang Shi became exceptionally calm and confident, feeling that the heavy, dark fate and the shadow of death were being cast far away from him. He contemplated that he must find a way to deceive Zhang Zai into joining Mao Wenlong's army.

Encouraged by this, Zhao Manxiong continued: "The resentment they experienced today must be vented; this is human nature. I can imagine that whenever they recall the beating they received today, their anger will only intensify, and they will want to create some trouble for us. However, if we give them a few clips, when they think back on it, they will immediately associate those clips with the incident, leading to a thought of: 'Well, we didn't really suffer much after all.'"

With your assistance, I am no longer afraid of them; it is now they who should be afraid. Zhao Manxiong said as he began to draw circles on the ground, "However, I believe that if they are intent on causing us trouble, sabotaging our traps and snares, it would not be beneficial for us."

A slap for a date, along with simple psychology, Huang Shi solemnly gazed at the young man Zhao Manxiong for the first time, and Zhao Manxiong smiled back.

Upon seeing the visitor, who exuded an imposing presence without displaying anger, Zhang Yuanzhi greeted him with the courtesy due to a superior, undoubtedly recognizing him as Mao Wenlong. Huang Shi immediately bowed and said: "I pay my respects to you, my lord."