Life in Qi Barracks seems to be a bit boring, day after day, nothing changes, but the process of becoming stronger is generally the same.
There are so many ups and downs in life. Most people become strong and mature in peace.
Months have passed in the blink of an eye, and as the New Year approaches, Yunzhou City has long since returned to calm, and the previous bloodshed has turned into a feast of feasting and feasting.
Red lanterns were hung up on the streets early, and everyone's faces were filled with festive colors, which matched the red lanterns so well.
In the past few months, the Qi Army Battalion, under the order of King Kitano, searched the mountains outside the city many times, but found nothing every time.
Those gangsters seemed to come and disappear out of thin air. Everything in the ghost market had traces. It seemed that those gangsters really came from the netherworld.
Lin Ye has never been to the ghost market again. That place did not match him before, and there will be no possibility of it matching him in the future.
The team returned from outside the city. This should be the last patrol of the year. The people in the Qi Barracks were also waiting for their annual vacation and were looking forward to going back to spend the New Year well.
In the first battle into the mountains to encircle and suppress the bandits, the performance of each branch camp can be described as a complete mess.
The only thing that makes people feel a little relieved is Captain Jiang Shengshang. He led a group of young boys who didn't know what the war was about to confront the gangsters head-on. No one was killed and the entire army was annihilated. Jiang Shengshang was indispensable.
Without him, in the first three ambushes, probably no one from the Lanzi camp would have come back alive. Those fierce bandits killed more than 600 contract soldiers as easily as cutting down 600 straw men.
Jing Sheng was killed, but the reason why he was killed was not announced. Not many people saw it anyway, so it was only said that he died at the hands of gangsters.
Captain Jiang Shengshang was promoted to General of Lanziying, and Inspector Lin Ye was promoted to Captain.
The lost contract soldiers of the Lanzi Camp will not be replaced for the time being, so they are divided into separate camps. They are the one with the smallest number, with only more than 700 people.
On the street, the Lanzi Battalion, which was ordered to go on patrol, was marching. The people were no longer curious about the Qi Barracks and were accustomed to their patrols.
General Jiang Shengshang looked at Lin Ye: "We are passing by the martial arts school. You don't need to go back to the camp. You can go straight back. Anyway, we will have annual leave tomorrow."
Lin Ye cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, General."
Jiang Shengshang said: "You must carefully consider what General Yuan said before and don't act out of emotion."
Lin Ye hummed, then jumped off the horse, handed the horse to his own soldiers, and walked home.
Yuan Qingze approached Lin Ye before and said that if Lin Ye wanted to practice at Beiye Army Shangwu Academy, he could recommend him.
Everyone knows what it means to enter the Shangwuyuan. Everyone who graduates from the Shangwuyuan will become an officer in the Kitano Army.
That was the Beiye Army, not the Qi Barracks. Even if I lost my current position as a captain, I would have a better future as a hundred commander there than in the Qi Barracks.
Of course, Lin Ye understood that this was not what Yuan Qingze meant, but what his aunt meant. Her aunt had told him about this a long time ago.
Thinking about this, he did not go back to the martial arts school, but went to Gao Gong's home.
When Lin Ye came to Gao Gong's house for the first time, he couldn't accept the mess in the yard. Now that it's clean, he feels better just looking at it.
A few months ago, after Lin Ye went to the Jade Bird Tower to meet Zhuang Junji, he quietly sneaked into the government prison that night.
He met Jin Shengwen.
After all, Jin Sheng did not avoid this wave and ended up in jail. He probably understood that no matter how hard he struggled, what was supposed to happen would still happen.
He even said mockingly to himself in front of Lin Ye, of course a monkey being tricked would be put in a cage after it loses its usefulness.
So he's in a cage.
Lin Ye didn't know who he was talking about being tricked, and Jin Shengchang didn't mention it either, because it was useless for him to mention those things to Lin Ye.
The priest Ai Youyou said to him that since it is a matter that the government should take care of, he should go ahead and do it. Others are just meddling.
It was precisely because of these words that Jin Sheng made up his mind to mobilize the Qi military camp, and then the Qi military camp was beaten in the mountains and suffered heavy losses.
King Kitano took advantage of the situation and put him in prison. Isn't this a monkey trick?
Ai Youyou is on the side of Kitano King.
Jin Shengchang never thought that Lin Ye would take the risk to see him, let alone that this young man would negotiate terms with him.
Lin Ye said, you promise me one thing, and I promise you one thing.
Jin Sheng asked, what do you want me to promise, and what do you want me to promise you?
Lin Ye asked, where is the list of prisoners in the City Lord's Mansion?
Jin Sheng raised his finger and pointed at his head and replied: "Here."
Lin Ye said: "If Mr. Jin still has options to save himself, then there is no need to tell me this list. If Mr. Jin feels that your self-rescue method is not safe, I will do my best to save your life."
Jin Shengchang didn't think for long before the two of them reached an agreement.
Jin Sheng went to say that there was someone of his in this prison. If he was safe, he would have someone leave a mark at a fixed place every day. If he didn't leave a mark on one day, something would happen.
Then, he asked Lin Ye for paper and pen, and wrote the list to Lin Ye.
Lin Ye pointed to his head: "I'll remember this."
Over the past few months, through constant inquiring and comparison, Lin Ye discovered something very strange.
There is no Sun Enwei in the roster, and there is not even a person named Sun. There are about fifty people of similar age.
After the gangsters robbed the prison, they killed many people in the prison. Most of these people's names are on the notice.
Then let Gao Gong find a way to bribe the police officers of the government to find out the specific number of people who died in the prison and who they were.
Only one person is missing.
A person who should have been very inconspicuous turned out to be the only missing person. Because he was so inconspicuous, no one in the government paid much attention to him. No one cared whether he was missing or killed.
This person's name is Sima Lingru, a figure in the city lord's palace who doesn't even have an official position or even a decent status.
He is the attendant of the steward of the City Lord's Mansion, and is usually responsible for the purchases of the City Lord's Mansion, such as how many brooms should be bought today, some feather dusters tomorrow and other trivial matters.
Maybe even the government thought that this man had already died in the prison robbery. Even if he didn't die in the prison robbery, he died in the fighting in the ghost market.
But Lin Ye felt more and more that this Sima Lingru was by no means a small role.
When Gao Gong saw Lin Ye entering the door, he hurriedly greeted him: "I've checked today's mark and there's nothing wrong with it."
Lin Ye hummed and told Gao Gong to take people to buy some things for the New Year. Don't be afraid of spending money. Everyone should get a share. The things should at least be enough for the New Year.
There are probably more than a thousand people at the bottom of the Jianghu who are closely related to Lin Ye. Some have joined Dafu Dog, and some are still working alone.
Lin Ye asked Gao Gong to check the number of people clearly and not to miss anyone. He gave Gao Gong a banknote and asked Gao Gong to get things done.
This bank note belongs to Lord Jin, not the ones Lin Ye took back from under Lord Jin's bed. It was given to him by Lord Jin after meeting Lin Ye.
Master Jin said that there was a small courtyard in the city, and the things in it were the money he had accumulated over the years. He was willing to share it equally with Lin Ye, as long as Lin Ye kept his promise.
Lin Ye was not even polite. Since Master Jin said it should be divided equally, then it should be divided equally.
The greatest advantage of Mr. Jin is that he does not take money from the hands of ordinary people. His money comes from rich people who ask for help from him.
Lin Ye had been to that small courtyard, and there wasn't even a guard. He would just lock the door casually on weekdays, but the rooms in the small courtyard were filled with boxes upon boxes of silver.
"correct."
Lin Ye handed the key to the small courtyard to Gao Gong: "We will continue to serve porridge from tomorrow. Last year we only opened one porridge shop, this year we will open ten, and we will serve three meals a day."
Lin Ye said: "Hang a flag for the porridge shop and write... a birthday note. Let's use Mr. Jin's money to do good deeds. I hope Mr. Jin will be rewarded well."
After he finished speaking, he added another sentence: "All the workers who serve porridge during the New Year will be paid five times the salary, and they will be paid out of Mr. Jin's bank account."
Gao Gong said: "Master Jin, you will definitely get a good reward."
Lin Ye added another explanation: "Master Jin said to give us half, that's half. Don't take even one more copper coin."
Gao Gong was already familiar with Lin Ye's character and nodded: "Don't worry, I won't take more."
After explaining these things, Lin Ye returned to the martial arts school and bought some gifts on the way, including the wine his master loved to drink and the snacks his wife loved to eat.
The martial arts school has been on holiday, and most of the senior brothers have gone home. Only Ning Zhu and Xue Tongchui are still there, and even Mo Wutong has left.
When Lin Ye entered the door, four people, the master, his wife, Ning Zhu, and Xue Tongchui, were sitting side by side on the steps. All four of them were in a daze with their chins in their hands.
From left to right, large size, medium size, small size, small size, it looks very regular...
As soon as he saw Lin Ye, Xue Tongchui was the first to jump up and pull out the wooden pacifier from his mouth with a popping sound.
"Little Sidi!"
He ran over with a bang. He was already a year older, but he was still wearing crotchless pants. In such a cold weather, that little thing was really resistant to freezing.
This made Lin Ye ask himself, was I like this when I was a child?
He jumped up, and Lin Ye quickly followed up, holding Xue Tongchui's butt in his hands. Not to mention, the buttocks were really cold, and it was a bit cold.
"Annual vacation?"
Lei Hongliu asked with a smile.
Lin Ye nodded: "Yes, Master."
He handed the things to Master: "Happy New Year to Master, Happy New Year to Master."
Yan Xiniu chuckled and held the wine in his arms: "This is the Chinese New Year wine that my apprentice bought for me. I must not be allowed to drink it."
Lei Hongliu glared at him, then glared at Xue Tongchui: "Get down!"
Xue Tongchui curled his lips and slid down Lin Ye. Then Lei Hongliu stepped forward and hugged Lin Ye: "Be good."
Xue Tongchui: "Hey! Si Niang, you just want to hug me!"
Lei Hongliu hugged her, and Yan Xiniu hugged her: "Master, give me a hug too."
Lin Ye: "Master, there is no need..."
Yan Xiniu hugged Lin Ye and exerted force with his arms, which made Lin Ye cough.
Then came Ning Zhu. Ning Zhu was already half-grown, so he was a little shy. Lin Ye reached out and put his shoulder around him: "I didn't buy any gifts for senior brother and little senior brother. After all, you are still young."
Then he stuffed a bulging money bag into Ning Zhu's hand.
Lin Ye lowered his voice: "You two, buy it yourself."
Ning Zhu chuckled: "We are still children. Whatever gifts we want, my master and my wife will give them to me."
Then he quickly stuffed the money bag into his arms, pretending to hide it well, but half of his chest was bulging.
Lin Ye said: "Let's celebrate the New Year together."
Lei Hongliu looked at Yan Xiniu, who nodded: "Okay."
At this moment, a carriage bell rang outside the door.
Everyone turned around and saw a Tianshuiya carriage stopping.
Blue-robed Chen Weiwei got off the carriage, also carrying many gifts in his hands.