Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 4 If you don’t do it, there are plenty of people who will!

Soon, Li Yi also said goodbye to Wang An and turned around to get down to business.

Li Yi is an officer, too. He will be going to war tomorrow, so he certainly cannot ignore the people under his command.

That doesn't make sense!
Soon, Li Yi found his subordinates in the military camp.

There weren't many people, only about fifty or so.

Logically speaking, the captain should have a hundred people under his command, but who asked Li Yi to be the one drawing a salary without doing any work?
The original person was rather cruel and took too much of the empty salary, so that out of the 100 soldiers on the roster, only half of them were actually there.

More than fifty Green Camp soldiers were standing in an open space in the military camp.

Each of them is as thin as a bamboo pole, as if a gust of wind could blow them away.

The military uniforms they wore were also tattered, covered with greasy stains and large patches.

They are more like beggars than an army.

Under the warm winter sun, these Green Camp soldiers trained listlessly, looking visibly pale and listless.

Looks like you missed breakfast!

Li Yi took a few steps forward, preparing to make arrangements for tomorrow's expedition, but as soon as he approached, he smelled a very obvious stench left over from the burning of smoke.

His brows furrowed subconsciously!

These people look like they can't even afford to eat, yet they're still smoking opium?
But Li Yi soon figured it out. Once a person starts smoking opium, he is no longer a human being and can do anything.

Not to mention going hungry to save money to buy opium, even selling children was common.

Restraining his unhappiness, Li Yi ordered everyone to assemble.

After everyone had gathered in front of him, Li Yi began to speak.

"I just received a military order from above. Tomorrow the army will set out to Huazhou in Pingnan to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom bandits."

"Everyone must hurry up and make preparations before going out."

"Prepare dry food and water in advance, and check your weapons several times to make sure there are no omissions."

"Also, those who smoke opium smoked a lot before the march. I don't want someone to get addicted to it after going to the battlefield and embarrass themselves in front of the whole army."

When everyone heard this, they responded in unison.

Seeing this, Li Yi just nodded slightly and didn't take these people in front of him too seriously.

Once a person starts smoking opium, he is ruined.

Instead of trying so hard to get a group of heavy smokers to quit smoking, he decided to simply recruit a group of farm boys and train them from scratch. This would be easier and more effective.

After all, as the saying goes, if you don't do it, there are plenty of people who will.

What China lacks the least is people, so there is no need for Li Yi to waste his energy on a bunch of heavy smokers.

Li Yi stayed in the military camp until the end of his shift. After saying hello to Wang An, he rode out of the camp on horseback.

He first went back home, changed his clothes, packed up all the silver and valuables in the house, and took some dry food and drinking water, then set out from the city.

After leaving the city, Li Yi rode his horse towards his own farm outside the city.

The Li family owned a small farm thirty miles east of Xunzhou Prefecture. The farm was not large, with only about a hundred households, most of whom were relatives and fellow villagers of the Li family.

When Li Yi filled the vacancy, he needed to spend money on gifts and bribes, and the entire clan contributed a lot.

During this period of time, the Li family's servant has been living on the farm.

Li Yi went back to Zhuangzi heading east, and he also went east to Huazhou in Pingnan County to report the news to Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan. The two trips were just on the same route.

This was also the reason why he used the excuse of going home to settle his family as an excuse to deal with Wang An.

In fact, it was not entirely perfunctory. Seeing that the Jintian Uprising was about to break out and the situation in Xunzhou Prefecture was about to become chaotic, Li Yi really needed to settle his family.

He planned to go to Lijiazhuang first, and then go to Huazhou to report the news to Hong Feng.

When Li Yi just left the city, it was still bright, but when he arrived at Lijiazhuang, it was completely dark. Li Yi raised his hand and knocked on the gate.

dong dong dong!dong dong dong!
After a moment, a question was heard in the courtyard.

"Who is knocking on the door? It's already this late, why are you knocking on the door?"

Li Yi was very familiar with this voice; it was the Li family's doorman, Du Er.

"Du Er, it's me. I'm back. It's urgent. Open the door quickly."

Li Yi opened his mouth and greeted loudly.

Du Er recognized the voice of his young master, trotted to the gate of the courtyard holding a lantern, opened the gate swiftly and greeted him.

"Master, why are you back at this time? Did something happen in the city?"

Li Yi looked at Du Er and shook his head.

"Something serious has happened indeed."

"Du Er, go and help me prepare two fast horses now, and then go and invite several elders from each branch of the manor to come to the mansion. I have important matters to discuss with the elders."

Upon hearing this, Du Er responded with a "yeah" and then turned around to do it.

Li Yi turned around and prepared to meet his mother, the only relative he had in this world.

Li's mother, Zhao, had already gone to bed, but when she learned that her son had arrived, she got up immediately.

"Why is Yi'er back? What happened in the city?"

Zhao came out of the bedroom with the help of her maid and met Li Yi.

Zhao was dressed simply and elegantly, and had a pretty face. Although she was not particularly beautiful, she was elegant and dignified.

The mistress of a wealthy family has a very imposing aura.

Ever since Li Yi's father died in battle in Guangzhou, everything in the family has been managed by Zhao, which is why he has developed such a noble and imposing manner.

"My son has seen his mother, and she is fine."

Li Yi bowed and kowtowed, then continued.

"Mother is right. Something has indeed happened."

"The imperial court has discovered the location of the leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Li Dianyuan has decided to lead his troops to attack the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom."

"I have also received a military order and will be marching with the army tomorrow."

"So, I rushed home tonight to settle down."

When Zhao heard this, the expression on her face changed and she couldn't help but ask.

"Yier, are you serious?"

While asking this, Zhao took a few steps forward and helped Li Yi up from the ground, looking at him with shock and worry in her eyes.

After learning that her son was going to the battlefield, how could Zhao, as a mother, remain indifferent?
Li Yi nodded and said with a very confident tone.

"That's true. The Xunzhou Association is already preparing for war."

Upon hearing this, Zhao sighed and clasped her hands together.

"Amitabha, may the Buddha bless me and keep my son safe and sound..."

As they were talking, the mother and son entered the main room together, and the maid Yun'er trotted over to make tea for Li Yi.

The mother and son sat together and talked privately.

From their conversation, Li Yi could clearly sense that Zhao's mother's love and concern for him were genuine and without any falsehood.

(End of this chapter)