Chapter 190 Recruiting Soldiers

Chapter 190 Recruiting Soldiers

Zhao Zhendong received information that Princess Jing had gone missing with the young prince; it turned out they were hiding on the border.

Seeing that General Zhao remained silent.

Shen Nanzi said, "Is General Zhao afraid that getting involved with me, the Princess Consort, would damage your reputation? Or is he afraid that the Second Princess Consort will harm the women in your General's residence?"

Zhao Zhendong placed his hands on his knees and said, "Since Princess Jing understands my concerns, there is no need for further explanation."

Shen Nanzi: "But have you considered the 30,000 soldiers on the border? They don't have winter clothes now, and in the future, they may not even have military rations!"

Zhao Zhendong's expression was solemn; he was well aware of all this.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent their deputy general back to Luoyang to demand military pay.

Shen Nanzi: "Now it's not my brother who is the Grand Commandant, it's Xue's Yu Bai who is in charge of the military pay."

“When my brother was Grand Commandant, even when his military pay was in dire need, he would always allocate some funds to help him in times of emergency.”

"According to the information I have received, your army has not received its pay for three months."

"Three months. If it weren't for the fact that your 10,000 soldiers here still have some rations left, they would all be starving by now!"

Zhao Zhendong gripped his knees tightly with both hands, his face ashen.

Shen Nanzi looked at his increasingly indignant expression and said, "You must have also received the news that your deputy general, General Zhao, is still kneeling in front of Chongde Hall and cannot even see Grand Commandant Xue's men."

"To tell you the truth, the Second Princess Consort holds a grudge against your Zhao family!"

“Your daughter Zhao Ji is the Second Prince’s concubine, and the Second Princess Consort will never give you military pay.”

Zhao Zhendong's face grew even more somber, like the calm before a storm.

"The Second Princess Consort would never be so unable to distinguish between public and private matters!"

"Ha!" Shen Nanzi sneered, "General Zhao, you can't believe it, but if the Second Princess Consort eventually gets the throne, do you think your general's mansion will still have a good life?"

"Your daughter gave birth to the Second Prince's eldest son, but he died a few months after birth. Didn't you check?"

"After the Second Prince went on an expedition, Zhao Ji returned to the General's Mansion to visit her family. Suddenly, she had an accident in the mansion and fell into the water and died."

"Didn't you ever have any doubts?"

Zhao Zhendong suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and turned his back to Shen Nanzi.

“Enough, Princess Consort Jing. I have my own plans. Please leave! Grand Commandant Xue and the Second Princess Consort come from families of high-ranking officials. Grand Tutor Xue has strict family discipline and would never raise a descendant who would seek personal revenge.”

Shen Nanzi also stood up: "General Zhao, this princess will give you one last piece of advice. Once the soldiers have died, you will receive an accountability letter from Luoyang. At that time, it won't just be a demotion, but the execution of your entire family."

"The border troops you've guarded for decades will be taken over by the Xue family."

Zhao Zhendong's body trembled, and he turned around, staring at Shen Nanzi in shock.

However, Shen Nanzi led Qinghe directly out of the camp.

When the curtains fell, the cold wind outside made Zhao Zhendong shiver.

Not only was he heartbroken, but beneath his armor, his winter clothes were also exceptionally thin.

…

After revealing her identity, Shen Nanzi and Qinghe went to the next city and found a spacious mansion.

They sent some people over and secretly began recruiting.

It's winter now, especially in border areas where there are few job opportunities, and people lack food and clothing, so many people won't survive the winter.

They had food and drink, a monthly allowance, and even a death benefit, so many men signed up.

This matter quietly reached General Zhao's ears.

Inside the military tent, his military advisor excitedly said, "Food and clothing are all provided, along with a monthly salary of two thousand coins. If I die, I will receive a pension of fifty taels."

"This is better than being a soldier! I wish I could send all the border troops over; at least they wouldn't freeze or starve to death."

Zhao Zhendong, who was standing to the side, felt heartbroken as he listened, and looked at the tattered clothes on the military commander's body, feeling grief and indignation.

Their army was inferior to that of an ordinary guard.

A soldier ran into the tent, “General, a letter has arrived from Luoyang.”

As he spoke, he handed the letter in his hand to General Zhao.

Zhao Zhendong and the military commander were both delighted, their faces filled with anticipation.

"Could it be that Deputy General Zhao has received his military pay?" the military clerk said, rubbing his arms to warm them as the cold air from outside wafted into the tent.

Zhao Zhendong unfolded the letter, and the words on it made his vision go black.

He stumbled back several steps in an instant, nearly losing his balance.

Fortunately, the military commander reacted quickly, grabbing him and anxiously asking:

"What's wrong, General Zhao?"

Zhao Zhendong handed him the letter, and the military commander read it aloud as he read, "General Zhao has offended Grand Commandant Xue and the Second Imperial Concubine and has been detained. His fate will be decided later."

The military commander read aloud in a softer and softer voice, until finally tears came out and his voice choked with sobs.

"Deputy General Xiao Zhao attempted to escape from prison while in custody and was punished with fifty strokes of the cane. His fate is currently unknown."

Deputy General Zhao is General Zhao's son, the most outstanding son of the Zhao family.

He brought this disaster upon himself by kneeling to beg for military pay.

"Fifty strokes of the cane, even if he doesn't die, he'll be crippled!" General Zhao said, tears streaming down his face.

"According to the General's Office, Grand Commandant Xue has already selected members of the Xue family, and they are just waiting to be convicted before they come to the border to take up their posts." The military commander became more and more angry as he read, afraid that he would hit the table.

"The Xue family is really going too far. The throne is not even settled yet, and they dare to be so arrogant. If Xie Hongrui ascends the throne, will we still have a chance to live?"

Zhao Zhendong muttered to himself, "Princess Jing is right. The Second Princess resents our Zhao family and wants to kill us."

He was filled with remorse, tears streaming down his face. "That day, when she came to deliver winter clothes, I thought the Xue family wouldn't disregard the law and, out of consideration for my past relationship with Prince Jing, wouldn't harm our Zhao family!"

"It turns out, it was all just wishful thinking on my part."

Military Commander: "General Zhao, let's go to Princess Jing and see if we can find a solution!"

Zhao Zhendong looked somewhat reluctant: "She's just a woman. She might have some money on her hands, enough to buy the soldiers a winter coat. What other ideas could she possibly come up with?"

Military Commander: "General Zhao, if Princess Jing is willing to donate winter clothes, why wouldn't we? What can we do if we can't? Do you really want to watch the soldiers freeze to death?"

"Look at my feet."

The military commander took off his boots, revealing that his heels and five toes were all frostbitten and cracked. He grimaced as he took them off.

Zhao Zhendong felt a sharp pain in his heart as he looked at the bloody and mangled scene.

The military commander stretched out his hands, which were red and swollen from the cold. "General Zhao, if we are in such a state, what about the soldiers below? If Fang Shuo attacks, how can we possibly defeat him?"

Zhao Zhendong turned his back, sadness filling the entire military tent.

"I'll go and invite Princess Jing! Let's get some winter clothes for the soldiers to keep warm first, and we can discuss the rest later." The military commander knew General Zhao's integrity and didn't want to get involved with Princess Jing.

Let him, the middleman, go!

The military commander put on his cold boots and went outside.

"I'll go with you."

Zhao Zhendong's voice sounded like a muffled sob rolling from his throat, as if blocked by sand and gravel, making the listener feel suffocated.

The military commander didn't turn around, pretending not to notice General Zhao's distress, and said in a light voice, "Alright, you'll show more sincerity by going."

…

Shen Nanzi thought it would take a few days, but she didn't expect to see General Zhao again so soon.

"Please sit down."

Zhao Zhendong looked around. "Is Princess Jing staying at the inn?"

"Hmm!" Shen Nanzi took a sip of tea. "I'll stay for a few days."

"Zhao thought that Princess Jing had a residence in Tayun Pass."

Shen Nanzi: "I obtained three thousand soldiers and armor in Fangshuo. I will take my little grandson back to Luoyang to demand an explanation."

Zhao Zhendong and the military commander were both shocked. "Fang Shuo's three thousand soldiers?"

Shen Nanzi took out the fish tally, "It already belongs to me, and it also belongs to my son Xie Chengze's soldiers."

Zhao Zhendong's face turned pale instantly. This was a rebellion using borrowed troops! With Prince Jing's son involved, her rebellion was perfectly legitimate.

Shen Nanzi looked out the window at the sky, a deep blue tinged with a heavy feeling:

"The throne has been vacant for too long, and the three powers are vying for power. As long as the throne remains undecided, it will only be the people who suffer. We urgently need someone like Xie Chengze to break this balance."

Zhao Zhendong knew Shen Nanzi was right: "The Princess Consort of Jing gifted winter clothes to the border troops, is she telling us to let them pass?"

Shen Nanzi offered a cup of tea: "General Zhao, I hope you will grant my request."

“No,” Zhao Zhendong reached out and blocked her teacup. “My family has been loyal to Yunhan for generations, and I would never allow the enemy to enter Yunhan.”

Shen Nanzi: "General Zhao, I respect the Zhao family's sons who have guarded the border for generations, which is why I am having this amicable conversation with you."

"Let me tell you the truth! My three thousand soldiers are cavalry, strong and well-equipped. If I, the princess, were to force my way through the pass, given the current state of the border army, even if you had thirty thousand troops, you would not be a match for me."

"Because we are all soldiers of Yunhan, we do not want to kill each other, so we are sitting here with you."

"No need to say anything more," Zhao Zhendong said angrily as he stood up. "We don't need your winter clothes."

Shen Nanzi calmly put down her teacup. "Really? It's going to snow again tonight. They say it's a heavy snow that will last for three days."

"Three days of snow, plus the thawing, will keep the cold for at least ten days. If your soldiers don't have warm clothes for the winter, I'm afraid many will suffer losses."

"At that time, our three thousand well-fed soldiers attacked Tayun Pass as easily as taking candy from a bag."

The military commander glanced out the window. The wind outside was gloomy and carried a biting cold, a sign that snow was imminent.

Shen Nanzi smiled at the two of them, "Not only will the border troops be slaughtered by us, but your official position will also be revoked without the Xue family having any reason to find one. We can just fabricate a crime, and the people in your general's mansion will either be exiled or beheaded. They will not have a good ending."

"And General Zhao, who lies in prison with his life hanging in the balance, will also be taken advantage of and tortured to death."

"From then on, not only were there no border troops, but the Zhao family's general's mansion also disappeared."

"The lives of 30,000 soldiers! Behind them are 30,000 families, all for the sake of the Xue family, who are determined to exterminate you. If you think it's worth it, then be loyal to them!"

Zhao Zhendong, who was about to leave, was stopped in his tracks and stood there stunned.

Shen Nanzi took a sip of hot tea, the warmth flowing down her throat to drive away the chill.

The military commander pulled on Yang Zhendong's sleeve: "General Zhao, the young imperial grandson is a descendant of the Xie family, a legitimate member of the royal family, and also the son of Prince Jing."

"The Second Princess Consort withheld our military pay and injured Deputy General Zhao. They don't care about our lives at all. Why should we risk our lives for the Xue family?"

"We will serve whoever can keep us alive. Anyway, the situation is still uncertain. If we are going to die, we might as well follow Prince Chengze."

Zhao Zhendong's fingers twitched slightly, and his body stiffly turned around, his voice filled with despair, "If we run out of food, we're doomed!"

"That's better than Qiang freezing to death right away. If we can get through this heavy snow, maybe things will turn around later?" the military commander advised optimistically.

Shen Nanzi looked at them and said, "This princess has enough grain to guarantee at least a year's worth of military pay."

The military commander's eyes lit up instantly, and Zhao Zhendong's eyes trembled slightly.

Having warm clothes and food means they won't freeze or starve to death.

Shen Nanzi: "I, the Princess Consort, have sent an urgent message to the Sixth Prince, asking him to find a way to rescue Deputy General Zhao."

"If I, the princess, can protect the general's mansion, I beg General Zhao to lend me a hand."

How could Zhao Zhendong not be tempted? Shen Nanzi's sincerity was too much; one wanted him dead, and the other wanted him to live.

Everyone wants to live.

How can we provide assistance?

"I have signed a hundred-year non-aggression pact with Fang Shuo, so this place is currently very safe. Of course, it's not completely unguarded."

"This princess wishes to ask General Zhao to lead 10,000 elite troops to help us march back to Luoyang."

"I am always worried about Fang Shuo's generals, but I can only trust you."

Zhao Zhendong hadn't expected that Princess Jing would still want him to send troops. "No way."

"Please think it over carefully." Shen Nanzi didn't say anything more. "Just give the order to open the border gate, and our winter clothes are ready!"

The military commander asked curiously, "Where did Princess Jing get so many winter clothes?"

Shen Nanzi smiled without saying a word. For her, a merchant, storing various goods and tens of thousands of winter clothes on the border of Yunhan was nothing more than a trivial matter.

"By the way," Shen Nanzi asked Zhao Zhendong, "Xie Chengze wants to come up with a designation for the army. Could you help me come up with one?"

"In return, I, the princess, will send five hundred bushels of grain."

"Five hundred bushels of grain just for a designation!" The military commander covered his mouth in astonishment, looking at Zhao Zhendong and gesturing for him to agree quickly!

Zhao Zhendong turned and left, completely ignoring how much regret the military commander behind him felt.

…

Standing atop the city gate of Tayun Pass, Zhao Zhendong watched the neatly arranged soldiers pass by, their strong horses and fine, thick armor bringing tears to his eyes.

Why do the soldiers of Yunhan live such a difficult life?

Three thousand soldiers entered Yunhan territory, followed by winter clothes sent by Princess Jing.

The military commander exclaimed from the side, "Princess Jing has truly saved our border troops!"

Zhao Zhendong looked at the gloomy sky, the wind blowing on his face like a knife.

"It seems the snow is definitely going to fall on Tayun Pass tonight!"

The sudden interruption made both Zhao Zhendong and the military commander turn around.

Looking at that upright figure and that indifferent and resolute face, Zhao Zhendong immediately bowed and clenched his fists.

"Your Highness Prince Jing, you're still alive?"

The military commander knelt on one knee, crying and bowing, saying, "Your Highness, are you really trying to scare us to death?"

The military commander, still seemingly in disbelief, touched his calf and found it to be a solid, warm leg. He immediately burst into tears of joy, "Your Highness, you're still alive! That's wonderful!"

"Everyone thought you had passed away and burned a lot of paper money for Your Highness. No wonder you didn't appear in my dreams. It turns out you're not dead at all."

Prince Jing helped Zhao Zhendong rise to power, and also helped the military commander rise to power.