Overlord's Road to Ancient Emperors

Piles of bonfires are burning, making crackling noises. Fresh and tender whole lamb is roasted on the bonfires. The meat is fragrant and fragrant, attracting soldiers from the barracks to revel. There is wine and meat, and the hearts of this big event are exciting .

They were reluctant to take a bite of the grain and meat distributed to them by the imperial court, and took all of them home. With these things, the family could have a good New Year at least.

"The imperial court is actually very good. I heard that every soldier can get these things this year, which is a huge expenditure. Isn't the national treasury empty? It is said that the military expenditure has emptied the national treasury."

"Impossible, we didn't take much military pay. We must have been corrupted by corrupt officials. The reason for the mutiny in Yingchuan last year was because the higher-ups stole the military pay. We used to have the eldest prince here in the northwest, and the military pay has always been the same. It’s a blessing that the numbers are distributed.”

"The new General Kou is also good. I heard that he has a close relationship with King Shun. King Shun will soon be the next emperor. We can't be without anyone."

"I heard that General Kou will start training us in the next year. I don't know if it will be too hard. In fact, I envy Ah San and the others. It's good to be able to go home. The government has begun to re-measure the land. Next year we will plant The days of growing cotton will definitely not be too bad.”

"The new Mr. Wei is really a good official. This winter, more than half of the people in our Northwest were frozen to death and starved to death. My brother wrote to say that the house has been rebuilt. .”

"Northwest has changed two important figures in a row. It can be seen that the imperial court has seen the difficulties in the Northwest. As long as the Huns don't come, we can really be disarmed and return to the fields."

Kou Xiao was sitting by the bonfire in the middle, turning a grill by himself. He was surrounded by a group of generals who wanted to curry favor with him. Unfortunately, Kou Xiao was in a bad mood and answered his questions one by one.

"General, is the imperial court really doing business with the Xiongnu?" A middle-aged military general asked. In the eyes of the soldiers and civilians in the Northwest, the Huns are wolves, tigers and leopards. It is obviously unwise to trade with wolves.

"It's a pity to hear that a large amount of grain has been transported to the grassland. The grain is enough for us to spend a stable winter in the northwest."

Kou Xiao casually turned the grill, and from time to time cut the flesh with a knife to make the seasoning more flavorful, and said in a cold voice, "If there weren't these grains for the Huns to survive the winter, do you think this winter would be safe? "

"That's right, Nuhar is a ruthless person, but the court can't delay for long. Nuhar is a natural executioner who likes to kill people. He is bloodthirsty and brutal. Once no one in the grassland opposes him, he will definitely Going south." A young general echoed.

Kou Xiao glanced at him, he was an unfamiliar face, but at least he was a high-rank general who could approach him, so young, he should have some background.

"You can see this is very good, so after this year, we should be ready to fight at any time. Similarly, if there is a war, there will be opportunities. You have to use military merits in exchange for any position you want to climb."

"General Kou thinks, when will the Huns be the soonest to attack?"

"At least the spring should be over. If I were Nuhar, I would choose to come before the harvest, just in time to plunder a batch of grain. Their goals are nothing more than grain, gold and silver, and women."

"Then there is still more than half a year to prepare. We have heard a lot about Nuhar's deeds. His soldiers are all fierce and brutal. It is not easy to deal with them."

Kou Xiao looked at them with a cruel smile, "So, this general will also train you brutally, if you can't hold on, leave as soon as possible."

Those who can become generals are capable, and they are not afraid of ordinary training. The young general asked worriedly: "If the Xiongnu go south, and our Northwest Army is not united, I am afraid it will be difficult to deal with it. When will General Kou gather the rest of the troops together?" ? The most taboo thing in wartime is that the soldiers do not obey orders, and our current strength is not enough, should we start conscription?"

"The Huns have been in civil war for many years, and the loss is huge. The army that can be used will not exceed [-]. The strength of three to one is enough. If the training fails to achieve results, no matter how many soldiers are recruited, it will be in vain."

The young general looked at Kou Xiao curiously. It was also the first time for him to get close to the coach and talk to him. He didn't expect that the other party didn't have the arrogance of being superior, and he could have a heart-to-heart conversation with a strange subordinate, and his mind was quick. , with a broad vision, indeed much better than the eldest prince.

On New Year's Eve, the barracks were full of noise all night long, and Jiang Qiuming stayed in the government office until midnight, talking to Mr. Wei for a long time. Both of them had traveled to many counties and counties, and they had many topics in common. They are friends who have known each other for many years.

After returning from the government office, Jiang Qiuming was dizzy and fell asleep on the bed, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Kou Xiao standing beside his bed with a serious face.

He was startled and exclaimed, "What's the matter? The Huns are calling?"

"No, you have a fever, don't you feel it?" Kou Xiao returned home after dawn. When he came back, he heard from the housekeeper that Jiang Qiuming seemed to be looking wrong. Kou Xiao came to see him without changing his clothes. Wrapped in the quilt flushed and shivering, his forehead was so hot that he could fry an egg when he touched it.

Jiang Qiuming felt okay, he touched his forehead and didn't find out why, but the dryness of his throat was real, "It should be because I drank a few more glasses last night, and I blew on the wind again. alright."

They are not noble people, they grew up stumbled, and they survived when they were sick or injured, so Kou Xiao didn't think there was anything wrong with ordering a patient around, but he was still a little scared standing in front of the bed just now.

"The military doctor came just now, and I have ordered someone to decoct the medicine. You should rest well and go out when you are fully recovered."

Jiang Qiuming got a few more days of vacation by accident. He should be happy, but he also knows that the military affairs in the Northwest are heavy. Kou Xiao spends a lot of time on military training and annexation. Was it shared with Kou Xiao?

"Then let someone carry the official document to my room, it's boring to lie down."

Kou Xiao was afraid of tiring him, so he only had half of the official documents carried, and he specifically instructed: "Just look around, there is no important business, as long as you control the military power in your hands, the rest is not important."

"My subordinates heard that King Shun proposed to let the generals go home to visit their relatives during the Chinese New Year. Do you think the lord means to let us take advantage of it?"

"Maybe, but it's not easy. If you send troops without any reason, you won't be able to convince the crowd." Kou Xiao also knew Li Xu's intentions. Although the other party didn't say it clearly, it did create a good opportunity for him.

"Now that you are Sima Zhaozhi's heart, everyone knows that any reason will be mistaken for falsehood. It is better to take their soldiers quickly and accurately. Those generals who are willing to submit to you will stay. Just kill them, none of these generals in the northwest is clean, and there can be legitimate reasons for killing them."

"The method is good, but the two newly recruited teams don't seem to be very good, so don't lose your wife and lose your troops."

Jiang Qiuming secretly rolled his eyes, "How did you take down Li and Xu when you had only five thousand bandits? I heard it didn't cost a single soldier."

"The right time, the right place, and the right people will be easy to deal with when the time comes, and a hard fight will also hurt both sides."

Jiang Qiuming thought for a while, his eyes lit up, and he asked, "I heard that the Tang family and the Tuoba family have been at odds for a long time, is there such a thing?"

Kou Xiao has been cooperating with him for so long, and he knows what he means when he mentions it a little bit. The remaining troops of the Northwest Army are mainly in the hands of three generals. General Tang was originally a civil servant with both civil and military skills. After he achieved meritorious service, he simply abandoned literature and joined the military and became a military general. He has superb military tactics and strategy, and soon took his own soldiers to occupy a place in the northwest. one.

The Tuoba family is just the opposite. The Tuoba family used to be a big family in the northwest. During a war against the enemy, the Tuoba family used all their strength to support the Northwest Army. The emperor issued a reward and gave them a general background. , and then relying on their local network, they quickly climbed to a high position.

General Tuoba was ruthless, and he was even more ruthless to the enemy and his own people. It is said that the soldiers he trained can fight five against one. Although the number of soldiers is the smallest among all the troops, no one dared to bully him, which shows his great reputation.

Maybe it's because their personalities are too different and their methods of doing things are also very different. These two people have always been rivals, and it's not impossible to take advantage of them.

There is also the last general named Yao, a very old general who has spent his whole life in the front line of the Anti-Japanese War. He is the most famous general in the Northwest Army. If he is not old, he can definitely respond to everyone.

When the First Prince was around, he often wooed this General Yao, but unfortunately the other party always avoided seeing him, he was the most disrespectful general to the First Prince.

"I'm going to meet Old General Yao first. He's getting old. If it's not too bad, let him die."

After talking for a while, Jiang Qiuming became sleepy. He lay back on the bed and nodded. He knew that Kou Xiao was a man with ideas, and he couldn't help much.

"Then the general will do it himself, and the military division will not interfere."

Kou Xiao snorted coldly, "There's something wrong with lazy people, hurry up and take care of yourself, the general didn't ask you to come to the Northwest to play." Seeing that Jiang Qiuming was breathing deeply and fell asleep, Kou Xiao tucked him in the quilt and left quietly .

The winter in the Northwest is very dry and windy. Kou Xiao is not used to this kind of weather, but the more the weather is like this, the more he wants to move, otherwise he will really be lazy.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, when all the soldiers were still asleep, there was a high-pitched sound of drums, followed by the sound of horns for training camp. Many hangover soldiers sat up with their brows rubbed and complained: "Who made it out early in the morning?" the sound of."

Before they could complain, a group of soldiers in military uniforms ran in with buckets and iron rods in the other hand, knocking on them one by one, "Get up, if you don't meet at the school grounds in the time for a stick of incense, you will end up here!" You don't want to know."

A soldier on the inside didn't move for a long time, he fell asleep, a bucket of cold water was poured directly on his head, and soon, screams came from the barracks.

No matter how sleepy people are, they have to get up after this commotion, and the speed must not be slow. No one knows what punishment awaits them if they run too slow. This General Kou looks gentle on weekdays, but everyone can tell He is not kind.

As a result, a group of soldiers began to practice desperately with their tired bodies, followed by a group of Kou's troops holding bows and arrows. The soldiers of the paint can only receive half of the usual food. If it is still like this in the afternoon, then sorry, you can save dinner, go hungry.

Food is always the best catalyst. When you are hungry, watching others eat meat, but they can only gnaw on dry steamed buns, the feeling is not to mention how sad it is.

After a day of hard work, the soldiers were so tired that they fell to the ground and could not move. Kou Xiao stepped on his sheepskin boots and walked among the corpses. The general will let you experience the feeling that life is worse than death. If you are afraid of death, you can leave quickly. If you feel that you can't hold on, you can also leave. But the ugly words are up front. When the war comes, the families of soldiers have the right to get government protection as soon as possible. , After leaving this barracks, you are ordinary people, and you will no longer enjoy all the privileges that belong to soldiers. If you think clearly, you can go to Deputy General Cao to register."

A small soldier Zhan Weiwei asked: "General, what is the preferential treatment you are talking about? Will the government really give priority to protecting our family members during wartime?"

Kou Xiao winked at the entourage at the side, and the other party opened a piece of paper that was as tall as a person, pasted it on the bulletin board of the military camp, and then announced in public the benefits that soldiers can enjoy, which are benefits that ordinary people do not have. In addition to the one that Kou Xiao just mentioned, there are more than a dozen other items, such as: after soldiers are discharged from the army, the government can arrange suitable positions at their discretion, and it is not necessary to disarm and return to the farmland. The government is responsible, and children have a chance to go to school for free.

After reading more than a dozen articles, everyone was dizzy and felt that they were not soldiers but officials. How could such a good thing happen?Can their children go to school?It's still free, does that mean their children will be able to become officials in the future?

If I work harder and make more military exploits, will I be able to become a general one day?

Kou Xiao looked at the exhausted soldiers who had been washed away, and there was a smile in his eyes. He also bought the morale of the soldiers with benefits, and Li Xu's approach was obviously much smarter than that of the eldest prince.

How much hardship they endure depends on how ambitious their dreams are. It seems that tomorrow's training can be doubled. Time is limited, but he can't help it.

"Don't look, go back and rest. If someone is late tomorrow, go to the top of the snow mountain to be a snow sculpture." Kou Xiao shouted angrily, and drove a group of excited soldiers back to the tent.