Chapter 81: Peace and Prosperity

Breaking camp and setting off the next day, Wei Jichen saw Nie Cairong, who was blushing and hiding from him with his head lowered. He smiled and stepped forward to say hello, "Brother, I made a mistake while drinking last night. I almost mistook you for a woman. I apologize to you." , how about it, it doesn’t matter much?”

Nie Cairong's eyes fluttered and blinked twice, and he said with some confusion: "Brother Wei, you just made a mistake while drunk, didn't you see anything else?"

Wei Jichen looked slightly surprised and said, "What else?"

"It's okay if I don't have it, it's okay if I don't have it!" Nie Cairong patted her chest and relaxed. If Wei Jichen really found out her identity, she still didn't know how to get along with Wei Jichen. It would be better to maintain the original relationship like this. .

While the two were talking, Cheng Bushi, Li Yunfei and others came over.

"Sir, we have half a day's journey to Ximu City. According to the news, Fengsheng'a, Nie Guilin and others have escaped the Japanese pursuit and entered the city the day before yesterday." Li Yunfei looked at Wei Jichen who was silent. , reminded: "We killed Feng Sheng'a's nephew, I'm afraid this person will not let it go, and he might do evil behind his back."

"Well, now we can only take one step at a time. Without Xiuyan, we can only go to Ximu City. In the past, Ximu City was Haicheng, the gateway to Liaoshen. Once the Japanese occupy Haicheng, they will threaten Liaoyang and Fengtian. Wait for the land, so we have to block the Japanese under Ximu City to prevent them from occupying Haicheng. "

Wei Jichen recalled that in history, the Qing army organized several counterattacks because of the occupation of Haicheng. Unfortunately, they all failed in the end, which put them at a strategic disadvantage in the later period, leading to the occupation of major towns in the Liaodong Peninsula. The Qing army completely collapsed on the Liaodong battlefield.

"As for Fengsheng'a, we don't need to pay attention to him. After all, our Wei Zijun and the Northeast Army are not under each other, and he can't do anything to me." Wei Jichen also thought in his heart at the same time. Fengsheng'a has lost the battle, and now He probably has too much time to take care of himself, and is afraid that the court will blame him, and there will still be time to take care of his little nephew.

But at this time, Fengsheng'a, who had just fled back to Ximu City in shock, was still living a comfortable life. He didn't care at all about losing Xiuyan, as long as he could save his life. If his life was lost, he would have nothing. .

In order to avoid being held accountable by the imperial court for the loss of Xiuyan, Fengsheng'a and Nie Guilin had already thought of countermeasures before breaking out of the siege and made the relationship clear.

Fengsheng'a telegraphed to the court at that time: He fought fiercely with the Japanese in Xiuyan for several days and killed many Japanese. The Japanese became angry and sent a large number of additional troops, but our reinforcements had not arrived yet. So they had no choice but to lead the troops to retreat to Ximu City to do more. Intend.

After the court received his telegram, they believed it to be true. They really thought that Feng Sheng'a retreated after being defeated in several days of fighting. In addition, Feng Sheng'a also had several eloquent princes in the court, so When he arrived at Ximu City.

Instead of blaming him for losing the territory, the Qing Dynasty allowed him to take charge of the military power of Ximu City, hoping to fight the Japanese again to the death.

Fengsheng'a sat in the main seat in high spirits. He started with Nie Guilin and the officials of Yuan Ximucheng.

These people were talking and laughing while watching the singers dancing to entertain them.

"General, I congratulate you on defeating the Japanese and achieving a great victory." An official from Ximu City stood up and toasted.

Fengsheng'a accepted the official's flattery with a natural expression and had long forgotten the embarrassing scene of his escape that day.

Now, even he seemed to feel that it was a great victory for him to escape the siege of the Japanese with more than 5,000 men, lose several thousand men and kill hundreds of Japanese.

Compared with the great victory at Caohekou, it shouldn't be much worse, Feng Sheng'a thought in his mind.

Nie Guilin was still a little ashamed. Hearing all the flattery around him, he couldn't help but look a little embarrassed. He gently lowered his head, picked up a piece of bear paw and put it into his mouth.

"General, Ximu City will be defended by you from now on. We all hope to follow the general and achieve a great victory." A former defender of Ximu City continued.

No ability, as long as you have connections.

Fengsheng'a nodded with a smile on his face and said calmly: "If the Japanese dare to invade Ximu City, I will tell them never to come back."

Fengsheng A guessed that the weather was cold now and it was winter. The Japanese had just captured Ximu City and would rest for ten and a half months anyway. Therefore, he was not afraid of big words before the time of crisis was imminent.

"By the way, general, why haven't the reinforcements from Dakaoling arrived yet?" Another general asked.

"Are the reinforcements in Dagaoling the Wei Zijun and Yijun commanded by Wei Jichen?" Nie Guilin asked aloud.

"Exactly, I heard that Wei Jichen has made great contributions on the Eastern Front. He has become the commander of an army at a young age. I have been in the army for decades and am still a small adjutant. I am really too late to impress him." The general replied with jealousy and envy in his tone.

When Feng Sheng'a heard the people below talking about Wei Jichen, his face turned gloomy and he drank a glass of wine.

He just received a report from a subordinate who ran back yesterday that Wei Jichen killed a distant nephew of his in Mayang Town.

Feng Sheng'a wasn't very impressed with this nephew at first, but it depends on the owner to beat the dog. Wei Jichen knew his identity and dared to kill him on the spot without giving me, the deputy, any face. This is Feng Sheng'a's fault. Sheng A cannot tolerate it.

Seeing that several generals were still talking about Wei Jichen, Feng Sheng'a snorted coldly and said, "The young boy was praised to the sky for just a small victory by luck, and he completely forgot who he was. That's why he came to support us on the western front. I hope he doesn't cause any big trouble."

Feng Sheng'a's words immediately changed the tone of the generals. The generals originally had prejudices against Wei Jichen, who was young and held a high position, and this time they spoke unscrupulously.

"Yeah, I heard that Wei Jichen also called himself the God of Death. He really doesn't care if the wind blows his tongue off."

"I heard that Wei Jichen never thinks much when he fights. He just rushes into the fight. He is lucky, otherwise his body would be gone. It is a great general who can plan and win in the battle. He is nothing. He is nothing."

…

Feng Sheng'a squinted his eyes, stroked his beard, and nodded his head. After a while, he said: "Wei Jichen doesn't care about the overall situation at all. He only thinks about his own promotion. Guan Fa Cai, if this man had not been late to rescue me at Xiuyan City last time, I would not have lost the city. I heard that the reason why he was late to rescue was to annihilate a Japanese cavalry brigade. My troops tied down most of the Japanese in Xiuyan, but he ignored the overall situation in Liaodong and secretly accumulated military merits in the rear. When this man arrives in Ximu City, I will definitely question him. "

As if to verify Feng Sheng'a's words, not long after he said this, a lieutenant hurried into the room and reported loudly.

"Report to the general, the reinforcements Wei Zijun and Yijun have arrived outside the city, and General Wei and General Ma are waiting for dispatch outside the city." The lieutenant was obviously very good at talking. Wei Jichen just asked someone to tell Feng Sheng'a about it, but the lieutenant said he was waiting for dispatch when he reported it.

Feng Sheng'a sat up straight and said seriously: "Let these two people come in to see me."

"Yes, General." The deputy commander turned around and left after receiving the order, and went down to convey it.

At the city gate, Wei Jichen led a group of generals in his army and was talking to Ma Jinxu.

Wei Jichen stretched his body on the horse and said with a smile: "After many days of hard work, we finally arrived in Ximu City. This time we can have a good rest. After Feng Sheng'a assigns the garrison, the boy must have a good sleep."

The Weizi Army and the Yi Army are still resting and waiting outside the city gate for the time being. They will set up camp after negotiating with the defenders in Ximu City.

Ma Jinxu glanced at the Japanese command knife in Wei Jichen's hand and said with a smile: "The Japanese may not give Zijie time to rest. Zijie severely humiliated the Japanese a few days ago. They must be thinking about how to take revenge in their hearts."

"When the enemy comes, the general will fight, and when the water comes, the earth will cover it. It's just right that the Japanese come to find me, and I don't have to go to find them." Wei Jichen said jokingly.

"My two generals, General Feng has already set up a banquet in the mansion waiting for you. Please follow me to see General Feng." The deputy leader who had just reported came up with a few soldiers and said with a smile.

Wei Jichen took Mengzi and Huzi with him, and walked into the city with Ma Jinxu.

The rest of the people were preparing to set up camp.

There were few pedestrians in the city, and they were all in a hurry with their heads down. The houses and shops on the street had already closed their doors. The whole street seemed a little empty except for the patrol soldiers passing by from time to time.

Wei Jichen and others followed the deputy leader to the outside of the government office. There is a saying that the government office is iron-clad but the officials are changing. In ancient times, there has always been a tradition that officials did not repair the government office, so the appearance of this government office looked a little shabby.

However, after entering, Wei Jichen realized that he had seen too little. This Rongrong courtyard and the exquisitely decorated scenery opened Wei Jichen's eyes.

The deputy leader only led the way and did not talk to Wei Jichen and others. After several in and out, Wei Jichen heard a burst of laughter, the sound of the pipa and the music from the hall in front.

Wei Jichen frowned secretly. The war was about to come, but Feng Sheng'a and others were still enjoying themselves without considering the current predicament. It seemed that it would be difficult to win this war.

As soon as he entered the hall, there was a scent of rouge. Several women in revealing clothes were dancing in the middle of the hall. It was so lively.

"General, General Wei and General Ma are here." The deputy leader knelt down and saluted, reporting loudly.

The laughter stopped abruptly, and the singing girl covered her mouth and dared not make a sound. Only the dancing girl was still dancing tirelessly in the field.

All the generals in the hall focused their eyes on the door, looking at Wei Jichen and Ma Jinxu who walked in with a calm face, either indifferent, jealous, or sneering.