bayedsolid Chapter 230 Extra 6
Chapter 230 Extra 6
With Grandpa Mo providing Liuli with bodyguards and maids, Jiang Chun no longer needs to worry so much and can calmly choose her own guards. Finding subordinates who are both skilled in martial arts and loyal is not easy; it depends on opportunity.
After some time, he would make a special trip to Xiaoxi Village and other villages to select some boys aged twelve or thirteen to train as reserve forces for his personal guard. In time, once they turned fifteen, many of them would become his capable assistants.
Then, he selected the most loyal men from among them, instructed them in martial arts, and trained them to become highly skilled personal guards. In the future, these men would become his retainers, and even if he left the army and retired to his hometown, they would still follow him and serve him.
Of course, he would treat these people well, at least giving them a substantial monthly allowance so they could provide enough for their parents' filial piety and help their siblings. However, maintaining so many personal guards and reserve guards would cost a lot of money. Currently, he was still poor.
However, things will get better once he becomes a marshal. As marshal, he'll get a larger share of the spoils after each victory. Also, when there are no battles, he can lead his soldiers to suppress bandits and wipe out all the local thieves and bandits in the Northwest.
If the bandit suppression is successful and the bandits' stronghold is destroyed, a large amount of gold, silver, and even weapons can be obtained. Eighty percent of the captured gold and silver will be handed over as military expenses, and the remaining two-tenths will be distributed among the soldiers. As the marshal, he will naturally receive the lion's share.
There was nothing he could do; he was poor. As a fourth-rank general, his monthly salary was only thirty taels. What could thirty taels possibly cover? If one of his personal guards had an emergency, he had to lend a hand. If he helped one, another's family would have an emergency, and he couldn't be biased. Over time, his salary was completely depleted. If his father hadn't given him five thousand taels in silver notes before he came, he would have been penniless long ago!
About ten days after Jiang Chun returned to the military camp, the imperial court's appointment finally came down. Jiang Chun was indeed appointed as the successor to the marshal position.
The old marshal smiled with satisfaction, patted Jiang Chun on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Jiang Chun, I'm very relieved to have you in charge of the border! I'll hand over the reins to you in the next few days, and then I'll be heading back to the capital! Once I'm back in the capital, I'll retire from the military and return to my rural home. I'm getting on in years; I should just go back home and live a simple life of farming!"
The old marshal wasn't actually that old, only around forty-five, but years of fighting on the border had left him with many wounds. On ordinary days, when the weather was bad, he often suffered from aches and pains, finding it unbearable. Now, finally able to relinquish his heavy responsibilities, he no longer wanted to serve in the court; he only wished to return to his hometown and live a simple, happy life with his wife and children.
"Marshal, thank you for your guidance and care all this time. I am very reluctant to see you go. I don't know when we will have the chance to meet again." Jiang Chun said sadly.
The old marshal said, "Actually, you don't necessarily have to stay on the frontier. If you retire from the military in the future, you can take your wife and children and leave the Northwest to return to the capital. Even if you don't want to stay in the capital, you can find a city with a good climate and environment to live in. With your status, the safety of your wife and children is not so guaranteed if you stay in the Northwest!"
Jiang Chun: "Thank you, Marshal. I understand. After I retire from the military, I will consider leaving the Northwest and returning to the capital."
However, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will likely remain in the position of Marshal of the Northwest Frontier for at least five years, or perhaps ten. Of course, the longest would be ten years; after that, he will certainly have to leave the position. This is because no emperor would allow a frontier marshal to remain in the same place for such a long time, allowing him to become too powerful.
However, it doesn't matter. Five years is enough time for his wounds to completely heal. Five years later, he should have children, and if he returns to the capital with his wife and children, he will have the courage to face Princess Yulin. Hopefully, by then, he will be able to face Princess Yulin with a very peaceful mind.
Zisu, I hope you can live a happy and joyful life, and that you and Prince Duan can live a harmonious and loving life together until old age. You must be happy and joyful, otherwise I won't be able to be happy and joyful either. Only when you are happy and joyful can I be happy and joyful, and only then will I dare to be happy and joyful!
Despite being married and enjoying a loving newlywed life with his wife, Jiang Chun still deeply misses Zisu. This woman, the only one he has ever loved, and still loves now, is his first love, leaving an indelible impression on his heart.
He hoped she would be happy, wished her happiness, and hoped that when he saw her again, she would still be happy. She was so elegant, so sweet, so kind, and so intelligent. A woman like her deserved to live a happy and joyful life, and should be loved and cherished by her husband.
Prince Duan, you must treat Zisu well! Otherwise, I will never be happy in this life, and I will never forgive you! Such a good woman, if you have the heart to betray her, it is an injustice to heaven!
Twenty days later, after imparting all his knowledge to Jiang Chun, the old marshal left the Northwest. Jiang Chun was reluctant to part with him and escorted him with ten personal guards all the way until they left Green Leaf City. The old marshal naturally also had personal guards, numbering as many as two hundred, more than 30% of whom were highly skilled in martial arts.
Even so, Jiang Chun was still somewhat uneasy, so he dispatched fifty elite soldiers to escort Marshal Ge'a all the way until he safely arrived in the capital. He also tried to select soldiers whose homes were in or near the capital, so that they would have the opportunity to go home and see their elderly parents.
The soldiers were very grateful for Jiang Chun's thoughtfulness and made a solemn pledge to him, vowing to safely escort the old marshal back to the capital.
After seeing off the old marshal, Jiang Chun went home. This time, the old marshal stayed at Jiang's residence for two days to prepare the necessary provisions and supplies for the journey before hurriedly setting off. Now that the old marshal is gone, Jiang Chun is the backbone of the military camp. He cannot leave the camp for too long and plans to stay one more night before returning to the camp.
After a long separation, Jiang Chun was very warm and affectionate towards his wife in bed, which somewhat soothed the wounds in Mo Liuli's heart. It's said that since their wedding, her husband had returned to the military camp, and she hadn't seen him for over a month.
This separation occurred during the height of the war, and she didn't know when she would be able to see her husband again. Moreover, she hadn't been able to conceive last time. This time, she was determined to find a way to get pregnant, no matter what. So, she put in her utmost effort and tried her best to please her husband.
The night was short, and dawn broke quickly. With urgent military matters at the front, Jiang Chun had no choice but to bid farewell to his wife and head to the military camp. Perhaps a major battle awaited him the next day.
Mo Liuli understood the gravity of the situation. Although she was extremely reluctant, she let her husband leave without making a scene or causing any trouble. Alas, compared to the families of soldiers far away, she was still fortunate. At least, she could see Jiang Chun five or six times a year, unlike those poor families who might not see him even once every three to five years.
Not the best, but better off than most; Mo Liuli's mood suddenly improved. Yes, contentment brings happiness; if one is never content, won't one only suffer?
The old marshal returned to the capital and brought Jiang Shichang a letter written by Jiang Chun, informing him that he had gotten married and that he and his wife had a good relationship. He also told his father that he was now a marshal and would take good care of his second brother, Jiang Yong, asking him not to worry.
With the old marshal's return to the capital, many people in the city knew that Jiang Chun had succeeded him as the Grand Marshal of the Northwest Frontier. At the same time, many also learned that Jiang Chun had married the eldest daughter of the most prestigious family in the Northwest. This rumor quickly reached the ears of Jiang Chun's birth mother, Lady Murong.
That day, Hua'er came to visit her mother and told her about her eldest brother's marriage: "Mother, I have good news for you. My eldest brother is finally married. My sister-in-law is the daughter of the most prestigious family in the Northwest. From now on, my eldest brother will have someone to rely on in the Northwest. By the way, my eldest brother is now the marshal of the Northwest. With someone to rely on, my eldest brother can quickly gain a foothold in the army!"
Hearing that her son had married a woman from the Northwest without consulting her beforehand, and without informing her afterwards, Murong looked at her daughter, Hua'er, whose eyes were like those of a venomous snake, and instantly felt anger towards her.
"Fine, you all don't respect me at all!" Murong glared fiercely at her daughter, unable to vent her anger and shame, and raised her right hand to slap her daughter.
Hua'er is neither a fool nor the kind of person who is blindly filial, so naturally she will not obediently stand there and let her do whatever she wants.
"Mother, what's wrong with you?" Hua'er couldn't help but get angry. She was a grown woman, and her mother hit her without warning, and it was completely unreasonable.
Murong: "Yes, I've gone mad, I've really gone mad! I'm like this because of you all! Your eldest brother got married without even telling me, without my consent! Does he even have me as his mother anymore?"
The flowers were speechless. What could she say to a mother like that?
There will be a second update, around 10 PM.