Ye Shikai didn’t ride very fast, taking a full two hours to reach the county seat. The guards followed behind but didn’t dare get too close, for fear of disturbing the two of them...
"Alright, we’re here." Ye Shikai escorted He Linghan to the entrance of the market, carefully helping her off the warhorse. Many of the townspeople in the market turned their gaze here, curiously looking at He Linghan, asking each other if anyone recognized this girl.
"Mr. Ye, you have official duties, you’d better hurry to the camp." He Linghan instinctively took two steps back, noticing that many gazes had turned her way. She didn’t like this feeling.
"Alright, I’ll co to pick you up after you’re done shopping." Ye Shikai nodded, not giving her a chance to refuse.
"Xue San, take a few brothers and change into civilian clothes to protect her. There are many people in the market with diverse eyes, I’m worried about her safety." Ye Shikai said softly.
"Rest assured, Military Marquis." Xue San nodded in response. He was originally a man of the martial world, with many good n under him. With him present, He Linghan’s safety was assured. Perhaps it was the shadow left by that previous bully hooligan that troubled Ye Shikai. It was likely that in Heyang County, Linghan’s beauty attracted covetous eyes from more than one person. And so, Ye Shikai had to use his influence.
"Man Cang, how did you deal with those hooligans yesterday?" After He Linghan left, Ye Shikai turned and asked.
"Those hooligans usually oppress the townspeople but are actually bullies who fear the strong. The villagers have long resented them and dared to offend Miss He. Military Marquis, rest assured, they won’t have the chance to co back in the future."
"That’s good." Ye Shikai hesitated for a few seconds after hearing this, then turned and said calmly.
The military camp.
Ye Shikai led the "victorious army" back to Heyang County, so the County Magistrate had already organized the camp for their garrison. The end of the war ant no heavy taxes, and there was enough grain to spend.
At the training camp, Shangguan Jian was already directing the troops’ training. After all, the war was over, and there was no need to maintain the high pressure and tension of the battlefield. The intensity of the training had noticeably decreased.
"In Xianyang City, we divided the troops with Lord Han, each leading five thousand. Among the soldiers we led, there were children of Heyang County as well as so from other counties." Ye Shikai found the roster. In ancient tis, generals were chosen before soldiers, so in a troop, it was common for most soldiers to be locals. The benefits of this were twofold: first, local enlistnt can reduce much friction, strengthening the unit’s cohesion; second, it was convenient for returning ho. Han Hao was very considerate of his soldiers, allowing Ye Shikai and Shangguan Jian to bring back all the local children enlisted from Heyang County, though Ye Shikai’s troop also included so soldiers from other counties.
"Since we’ve given the local children ti off to go ho, we shouldn’t be partial. Give the remaining soldiers so silver to improve their als." Ye Shikai ordered.
"Hmm, I have no objections to this." Shangguan Jian agreed very much. Whether an army can win depends on whether the upper and lower levels are united. Cohesion needs to be ford in daily interactions; if treated unfairly, who would be willing to risk their life?
"They are all excited to return ho."
"Indeed. Speaking of which, the battle with the Wolf Clan this ti was really dangerous. If it weren’t for your strategy, we might have all died in the fortress the night Ma Peng rebelled." Shangguan Jian said, "Had Ma Peng succeeded, every family in Heyang County would wear mourning clothes and raise new tombs."
"That bastard Ma Peng." At this thought, Ye Shikai couldn’t help but curse. Since returning from the battlefield, he had beco very heavy-hearted. On the battlefield, he didn’t think too much, but now off the battlefield, the more he thought about it, the angrier he beca. Ma Peng’s actions could directly cost thousands of Heyang children their lives. And once the fortress fell, the situation would worsen, costing even more lives. Thinking of this, he regretted his initial "leniency." Just one charge of "defecting to the enemy" was enough to execute nine generations of his family. Yet, only Ma Peng was executed.
"I estimate that it will take at least three more years for the Wolf Clan to recover their forces. At the very least, two years for training warhorses. Additionally, two or three years for supplies of grain and military equipnt. It will take three or four years before there might be another battle." Shangguan Jian said. Ye Shikai could only smile bitterly at this. In other words, this kind of battle almost happens once every five years, and Ye Shikai encountered it right after crossing over. Was this luck or misfortune?
...............
Evening, market.
Ye Shikai, with his guards, arrived at the entrance of the market. A troop of cavalry stood majestically in several rows, quite impressive.
"Ling’er, let’s go." Ye Shikai found He Linghan in the crowd and rode over to her.
"Mr. Ye, you’ve co in such grand fashion, what if the villagers see?" He Linghan felt shy. Ye Shikai seed to forget that ancient won were quite conservative, far less open than modern ones. Even expressing affection couldn’t be done so directly. Among the crowd, naturally, He Linghan would feel bashful.
"Let them see, so what." Ye Shikai personally selected a horse, helping He Linghan onto it, holding the reins of his warhorse with one hand and hers with the other, lest the horse be startled.
"Mr. Ye, perhaps I should go to the market alone in the future. Today, all the vendors were inquiring about , making afraid to go forward and buy." On the road, He Linghan complained to Ye Shikai.
"Haha, who would’ve thought these people were so ’Eight Diagrams’." Ye Shikai couldn’t help but laugh.
"Eight...Diagrams, Mr. Ye, what does this an?" He Linghan was at a loss, not understanding what Ye Shikai was saying.
"Well, it’s a saying from my hotown, roughly referring to gossipers or those who love to inquire and casually talk about right and wrong." Ye Shikai explained. If he guessed correctly, the matchmakers in the market should all be inquiring about He Linghan’s identity and background. Soon enough, they would co to match Ye Shikai, and if successful, they could earn so reward money.
Ye Shikai’s status had changed. Already a Military Marquis in his twenties, deeply appreciated by ng Tian, his rise to prominence was assured. Even the County Magistrate of Heyang County held him in awe. At this mont, Ye Shikai could be said to be soone everyone wanted to curry favor with. However, he neither coveted money nor pursued power, indifferent to these matters.
"I see, then Mr. Ye mustn’t be so ostentatious anymore, otherwise...how will I go to the market in the future." He Linghan was sowhat shy and angry, gently patting Ye Shikai’s shoulder.
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