The Feilong Forbidden Army is trained at the White Horse Fort, ten miles south of the city, which is more of a small city than a military camp. Since the eleventh year of Kaiyuan, His Majesty the Emperor adopted the suggestion of the prime minister Zhang Shuo at the time and gradually replaced the government army system with a recruitment system.
This place became a place for examination and training for new recruits of the Imperial Guard. The folk customs of the Tang Dynasty were martial, and young people often took pride in fighting for the country. Therefore, the assessment standards for the Imperial Guard were mentioned again and again. In addition to the requirement of physical health,
In addition, several other conditions are also required: a well-off family, many brothers, brave talents, and a good background. Therefore, those who can join the Imperial Guard will not be too shy about their money. After training, they will take time off to buy wine around the camp.
Buying meat is a common thing. When the common people saw business opportunities, they spontaneously formed a grass market to sell some daily necessities and various snacks to earn the copper coins in the hands of the military men. Soon, the first batch of people to do business with the military men were
, and all of them got rich. As a result, the reputation of the Guards for "having a lot of money makes people stupid" quickly spread, and more and more businessmen of all kinds gathered around White Horse Castle. Over time, teahouses, restaurants, and brothels were also established near the military camp.
Get up, there are constant singing and dancing every day, and the lively place is almost as lively as Pingkangli in the city. (Note 1)
But today, the atmosphere in White Horse Fort seems a bit desolate. The sun has risen very high, but the doors of the shops near the military camp are still locked. In the past, there was not even a ghost around the stall selling sheep tripe soup, and there were only three people working there.
The bottom of the cauldron, which can only be reached with a handle, is piled with white embers. Occasionally, when the wind blows, the weightless ashes fly up one after another, making the surrounding scenery even more desolate.
As early as more than two months ago, Wang Xun was dragged by Yu Wenzhi and others to Baima Fort for a feast. The most profound thing in his memory was the huge iron pot near the military camp. Seeing the desolation in front of him
Seeing the situation, I couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, took my mount, raised my head and looked around.
After taking a look, he became more and more surprised. In his memory, the four doors of the building were wide open, and the lively place with people coming and going had long since disappeared. Instead, it was a heavily guarded military town with many sentries. At the front entrance,
Several officials and officials from the capital who had reported early were ordered to jump off their horses and line up one by one. All the large and small packages they were carrying were thrown aside. A servant volunteered to pick them up and was immediately whipped by the officers.
"Grandma, did you think I was going to let you travel around and bring so many things with you?" A guy with a huge scar on his face whipped around with a whip while cursing and shouting. "Look.
You look like a bear, but you still have the nerve to say that you will serve as a guard for the emperor! If something happens, will His Majesty protect you, or will you protect His Majesty? Put your hands down and straighten your waist. You haven't eaten breakfast. If you haven't eaten, go home.
Come back when you’re full!”
Wang Xun's heart skipped a beat, and all his beautiful dreams for the Feilong Forbidden Army were wiped out. Among the people lined up to be scolded, there were several familiar faces to him. They were all evil young men walking around in the capital, whom he had never seen before.
Even the imperial censor's official sedan may not be willing to give in. Now, being forced to the gate of the military camp by his parents, only to be scolded as if he were a grandson by a seventh-grade deputy lieutenant. The scene is as ridiculous as it is.
At this moment, a large group of soldiers from the Feilong Forbidden Army ran past him, all wearing their armor crookedly and sweating profusely. Seeing the new recruits being scolded in front of the door, everyone had an obvious expression of gloating on their faces.
"Someone came to our door again and was scolded. It's really rare this year!" "Isn't this a shame? Hehe, you can't live a good life, you have to be treated like a donkey!"
"You guys, hurry up and follow!" Another officer in a school captain's uniform galloped past. He swung the white wax pole in his hand and hit the backs of the guys at the edge of the team, making a "pop" sound.
"Don't stand in the way here. Either report to the camp gate or go home quickly!" The captain turned his head and shouted angrily at Wang Xun and the servants beside him. Then he took his mount and ran forward like lightning.
"Virtue! I just killed a few big cannibals. What's there to show off?" A beaten flying dragon guard spat at the officer's back and cursed in a low voice.
"That's right, you guys don't have a chance to go. Otherwise, it won't be their Anxi country bumpkin's turn to show off!" Another Feilong guard extended his tongue and gasped for air while whispering in agreement.
Wang Xun moved his mount outwards, trying to stay away from the group of soldiers returning from morning exercises. It could be seen that the soldiers of Feilong Imperial Guard were tortured by the Anxi officers brought by Feng Changqing. Thinking about it, he would soon
He couldn't help but hesitate to become one of them. The Flying Dragon Guard was indeed a good place to avoid disaster, but for the sake of a disaster that hadn't yet appeared, he sent himself to the barracks until he was so tired that he was foaming at the mouth. The price
Not necessarily too big.
Just when I was hesitating whether I should go home first and think about it again, or just rush in now, a familiar voice suddenly came to my ears, very low, as if it came from the ground, "Two
Brother, you are here too, send the servants home quickly and give them your things to take home. Except for a few pieces of clothing, don’t take anything else with you if you can!"
"Shou Zhi?" Wang Xun turned around when he heard the sound, and found his good friend Ma Fang wearing a soldier's uniform behind his mount. "Why are you dressed like this? When did you come? Didn't you just report it today?"
"Don't mention it!" Ma Fang, who was holding a pewter pole as high as two of his own, looked around and tried his best to hide behind Wang Xun's horse, "My grandpa thought I was an eyesore at home, so he sent me out early yesterday.
It was brought here. The old man was afraid that I would die too slowly, and he told the general named Feng that he would impose strict requirements on me. No, with a wave of his hand from the general named Feng, I would change from an officer to a soldier! I won’t follow.
You said, hurry up and do what I say. Hurry, hurry up."
After that, he turned around and ran towards a team not far away who had just returned from the exercise without looking back. He was afraid that he would accidentally be seen by the officer leading the team and receive a whip in vain.
"Grandma, it's a blessing, not a curse, and you can't avoid it!" When he heard that Mr. Ma personally sent his son to Feng Changqing to teach him a lesson, Wang Xun felt violent in his heart. He had never believed that Mr. Ma would really harm his own flesh and blood. Normally, Mr. Ma would really harm his own flesh and blood.
The conflict between Ma Fang and his father is more like a different kind of love. One side is very iron-clad, so he has to be a strict father. The other side is always against his father.
This shows that you have grown up.
For Wang Xun, a child whose parents died young, having a father like Mr. Ma is an extravagant wish. As if someone was watching him from behind, he smiled and faced the little boy who followed him to report to the military camp.
Wang Ji and Wang Xiang both ordered, "Keep the package containing my change of clothes and take the rest back with you! Tell Aunt Yun not to worry about me!"
"Little Marquis!?" Wang Ji protested loudly, "Zi Luo took three days to clean this up for you. If you..."
"Didn't you see what's going on over there?" Wang Xun pointed at the gate of the camp with his riding whip and reminded him angrily. Those who had registered had already entered the camp one after another, and all their packages were thrown at the camp gate.
Outside, the servants neither received orders from their masters nor dared to go back to pay errands. They all stood beside the luggage group, bewildered and at a loss.
"Go back and make it clear to Aunt Yun. It's a request from the military camp. The old general is granted the title of strict ruler of the army. We can't cause him any trouble!" Looking at Wang Ji and Wang Xiang's pitiful looks, Wang Xun smiled again.
, said in a slower tone. "Anyway, it's not that far from our home. In a few days, the control in the camp will be loosened, and I will ask someone to deliver the letter to you. You can quietly deliver the things to me. That's all."
Are you getting the best of both worlds? Why do you have to follow me there now? Not only can’t things enter the camp gate, but also drag me down and get a whipping in vain? "
Wang Ji and Wang Xiang thought about it and understood that today's Feilong Forbidden Army camp was different from the past. They had no choice but to nod, pick out a bag of Wang Xun's clothes, put the other luggage back on the horse, and walked away sadly.
.
Watching them go away in the autumn wind, Wang Xun took a long breath, pulled his mount and a small withered bag, and strode towards the military camp.
The officers on duty had clearly seen what he had done in the distance just now. Seeing that he could take the initiative to dismiss the servants and refuse the extra luggage, he couldn't help but feel a little fond of him. He was responsible.
The scarred-faced officer who arranged for the new recruits to join the camp gave a rare smile and asked in a relatively soft tone: "What are you doing here? Please provide your name, age, home address, and recommenders. Do you have any other credentials for joining the camp?"
, take them out together quickly!"
"My name is Wang Xun, and my courtesy name is Mingyun. I am seventeen this year. I live in Chongrenfang. The recommender is General Feng Changqing. This is my badge!" Wang Xun put his legs together, straightened his body, and said his name respectfully.
Then he handed over his waist badge.
"What?" Hearing the words Feng Changqing, the officers around him were horrified. The leader of the team stood solemnly with a scarred face, took the waist badge from Wang Xun's hand with both hands, looked over it several times, and then
He nodded with a smile and handed the badge back, "Yes, it is the badge given by General Feng. Since you can catch General Feng's eyes, you are definitely not far behind. Do your best and don't give it to us.
Disgraceful General!"
After that, he patted Wang Xun hard on the shoulder, called a few soldiers, and led him directly to the depths of the military camp.
It wasn't until Wang Xun led his mount away that several other officers who were also responsible for placing new recruits came back to their senses, pulled their scarred faces, and asked in a flurry of words: "Old Zhou, are you reading that right?
Just such a half-year-old kid? Will General Feng personally be his recommender?"
"Yeah, the hair hasn't grown yet? It can't be a waist card bought elsewhere. This capital is not as good as Anxi. I heard that as long as you have money, you can buy anything!"
"Shut your stinky mouth!" Officer Zhou glared, and the long scars twitched as his eyelids twitched, "What nonsense are you talking about? Is our general someone you can bribe with money? He likes it.
It's true that a person is a half-grown child, but who said that a half-grown child can't do anything? The ambition is not in the age. I think back then, our Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty followed the great ancestor in the army, but he was only in his early twenties. He still controlled the world.
The hero was beaten all over the ground and found teeth..."
Hearing him mention the founding battle of the Tang Dynasty, all the officers smiled and shut their mouths. Yes, what does age mean? We in the Tang Dynasty look at people based on their abilities. Li Xiaogong, Xu Shiji, Luo Shixin, and the then Emperor Taizong
I, who is not a young man who leads an army and makes great contributions at a young age?
In our Tang Dynasty, there are heroes from generation to generation, both older and younger, who have conquered all foreigners and shocked everyone.
Note 1: It is recorded in the Liudian of the Tang Dynasty that "whenever all the states in the world send out troops to recruit, they select people with many households in Yin and Ding, who are talented and brave, and select senior officials and honorary officials. Some of them are strong and capable, and they are promoted to commanders at the provincial level to rule them."
