Chapter 256

The Anning Guard became much colder; the soldiers who used to walk in groups of three or five and chat were nowhere to be seen.

"Magistrate Li, you got sick at a really bad time."

Tan Hu wandered around the guard battalion listlessly.

"A blessing in disguise."

"What horse?"

"Pretend I didn't say anything."

Li Rui didn't expect that his not-so-high cultural level could actually have a chance to crush others.

Tan Hu was very depressed.

Cao Wei and Lei Yong took more than 1,500 people out of the Anning Guard, estimating that they would reach the checkpoint at most by tomorrow, and then gallop on the battlefield.

That must be so refreshing.

Originally, he had already gathered his strength to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, but only three garrison commanders were needed to participate in the war, and Li Rui was not among them, so he naturally lost the chance to go to the battlefield.

Tan Hu didn't blame Li Rui.

He firmly believed that if Li Rui hadn't accidentally deviated his qi, he would definitely have been able to squeeze into the list of those three.

Didn't you see Li Rui beat that kid Qi Ze like beating a cub back then?

Li Rui laughed.

Of course, he wouldn't tell Tan Hu.

Not going to the Witch Kingdom battlefield was something he did deliberately.

Isn't it good to be safe and steady?

"Tiger, peace is a blessing."

Tan Hu curled his lips: "Li Laoge, you can't think like that. A man at seventy is still a good time to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy."

Li Rui added:

"I'm already eighty."

"..."

Tan Hu felt that he still underestimated Li Rui, regardless of age or strength.

Li Rui: "By the way, General Cao and the others have gone to the Witch Kingdom; those rebels in the Witch Kingdom might take the opportunity to retaliate. Keep an eye on the trade route with more people. I have already told Magistrate Lu about the manpower; just go and ask for people directly."

"Alright."

Tan Hu's eyes lit up immediately.

If he can't go to the battlefield, killing a few small thieves within the Yu Kingdom can be considered satisfying his addiction.

Watching Tan Hu run away excitedly.

Li Rui shook his head with a smile: "A young man full of vigor."

Looking far to the south.

He seemed to have already seen the battlefield where corpses were buried in the sand.

This time, it was not just the Anning Guard, not even just Annan Town, but also Jianchuan Town participated.

A major event personally presided over by Governor Yuan, how could it be small?

To put it bluntly, anything under 20,000 people is called a small fight and is not worth that Governor Yuan's attention.

Cao Wei and Lei Yong were just one branch of the army.

This time, the Yu Kingdom's assistance to the Witch Kingdom in quelling the chaos had a bigger movement than he expected.

The few at the top of the Yu Kingdom seem to want to take the opportunity to expand the matter; I'm afraid the Witch Kingdom court did not expect the current scene.

This is an open conspiracy.

That Emperor of the Yu Kingdom is afraid that he has long wanted to intervene in the affairs of the Witch Kingdom.

And he had already tried it before, but due to the new emperor of the Witch Kingdom ascending the throne, he had to withdraw.

Now he has caught the opportunity again.

Of course, he wants to fleece it hard.

The Witch Kingdom court knows, but what can they do?

The war in the Southern Frontier is urgent, and they do need the Yu Kingdom to send troops. Although those who die are Witch Kingdom citizens and those who lose are Witch Kingdom property, at least it's not their own side.

Before achieving final victory, any price can be paid.

Such situations are very common.

When Emperor Taizu was fighting for the world, the Witch Kingdom actually did similar things.

On the surface, they are harmonious, but underneath, they might be cursing.

Still the same sentence: profit is the best friend.

"The world is bustling for profit."

"Damn it, trash, trash!"

Witch Kingdom.

In the City Lord's Mansion of Mangu City, angry curses sounded.

Yuan Gao was angry to the extreme.

"Zhuang Renhe, when I go back, I will definitely slaughter your whole Zhuang family!"

The plan was originally going well.

Ancestor Blood Shadow had already invited the Nine-Soul Dharma King to take action; they only needed to find a way to lure Jiang Linxian out of the city, and then they could capture him alive and complete the task entrusted by the Immortal Venerable.

Now it's good.

Zhuang Renhe is dead.

Dead is dead, but the key is that the crime of killing him was pinned on the Southern Frontier Qi clan. Now the Southern Frontier Qi clan is busy with the war and has no time to take care of the Immortal Venerable's task.

How could he not be angry?

Yuan Gao finally suppressed the anger in his heart and gradually calmed down.

Of course he knew that the one who killed Zhuang Renhe was not a Qi clan person.

Zhuang Renhe is a County Magistrate of the Yu Kingdom on the surface, but his true identity is a spy of the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao. Now that the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao is cooperating with the Southern Frontier Qi clan, the Southern Frontier Qi clan has no reason to take action against Zhuang Renhe.

Yuan Gao's eyelids twitched:

"Then who would be the one who killed Zhuang Renhe?"

Zhuang Renhe is not only a County Magistrate but also a Fifth-Rank Sea-Observing Realm expert.

There are not many people in the whole of Qinghe who can kill Zhuang Renhe, or rather, they can be counted on one's fingers.

Just as Yuan Gao was thinking.

A woman's voice sounded: "Mr. Yuan, why be so angry? We still have a chance."

Yuan Gao followed the voice and saw a woman with fair skin wearing a fiery red long dress walking over gracefully.

Beside her was an old man, Qi Rui.

"Madam Qi, what do you mean by this?"

Yuan Gao looked at this beautiful woman with some wariness.

Madam Lingluo is not surnamed Ling, but Qi.

She is the City Lord of Mangu City.

Ten years ago, Madam Lingluo was the City Lord's wife; later, the City Lord died, and she became the new City Lord.

I heard she killed the previous City Lord.

The news might be false, but Madam Lingluo's snake-scorpion heart, ruthlessness, and cruelty are true.

He had seen it during his stay in Mangu City these days.

Madam Lingluo: "Just an Assistant Regional Commander of a guard battalion. When the time comes, Mr. Yuan just needs to invite the Dharma King, and I have my own way to lure him out. With the Dharma King taking action, isn't it a matter of grabbing him?"

She laughed so undulatingly.

Yuan Gao snorted coldly in his heart:

"Seductive fox."

Madam Lingluo obviously didn't intend to tell him the specific method first.

In the past few days, he had fought with this Madam Lingluo, and every time they met, Madam Lingluo would mention the Nine-Soul Dharma King.

How could he not know Madam Lingluo's thoughts?

Isn't it just hoping that the Nine-Soul Dharma King will come and guard Mangu City for her?

The Southern Frontier Qi clan has experts.

But those experts are all sitting in big cities. If Mangu City could have an Earth Immortal powerhouse sitting in it, it would definitely be much more stable.

This abacus bead was almost hitting his face.

"The Dharma King has already headed south and will arrive in Wu Gu City in a few days. I hope Madam will not break her promise then."

Yuan Gao said lightly.

To capture Jiang Linxian alive, relying solely on the Ghost Gui Ming Jiao is very difficult; it must be assisted by the Southern Frontier Qi clan.

"Naturally."

Madam Lingluo's fiery red lips lifted slightly.

"Since that's the case, I'll take my leave first."

After saying this.

Yuan Gao had no interest in staying long and turned to walk out of the City Lord's Mansion.

Watching Yuan Gao leave.

Qi Rui then spoke slowly: "City Lord, do you really have certainty?"

Capturing Jiang Linxian alive is not an easy thing, let alone the fact that the Yu Kingdom's army is now only a hundred miles away from Mangu City.

A hundred miles is only a day's journey for the Yu Kingdom's army. And Jiang Linxian is still thousands of miles away in Qinghe; he really couldn't think of how to lure Jiang Linxian here.

Qi Rui looked at this young Qi family descendant.

Madam Lingluo, if you count the generation, is his granddaughter's generation.

But Qi Rui is willing to be a deputy in Mangu City.

Why?

Isn't it because Madam Lingluo has a heart with seven orifices, which is what people commonly call "this child has been smart since she was little."

And her martial arts foundation is also good; she is ruthless to others and even more ruthless to herself.

At only sixteen, she married the old City Lord of Mangu City, who was already three hundred years old. At that time, it became a joke of the Qi clan; I didn't expect her to sit on the City Lord position silently.

Since then, no one has dared to mock Madam Lingluo.

"Truly saw a ghost, why can't the men of the Qi clan stand up?"

The smile on Madam Lingluo's face completely faded, and the whole person was like an iceberg: "Yu Kingdom, you really think my Qi clan is so easy to bully? I will definitely make you pay the price!"

"Uncle Rui, don't worry."

"Big brother, I beheaded thirty people today, everything went smoothly, hoping for an early return in victory."

Li Rui looked at the short slip of paper in his hand.

This was sent by Ning Zhongtian along with the military report.

Ever since he went to the Witch Kingdom, Ning Zhongtian would send a slip of paper back every once in a while.

According to the letter, he had made many contributions on the battlefield.

Now he has accumulated no less than a dozen great merits.

This is not a small number for a garrison commander.

Don't say that the battlefield is the place for soldiers to build merit and soar; Ning Zhongtian's trip, just by killing the enemy, I'm afraid he could earn dozens of great merits.

Such a number of great merits is truly extraordinary.

Of course.

Li Rui didn't feel that things were as easy as Ning Zhongtian's letter said; if it were really that simple, then Annan Town and the imperial court would definitely increase the requirements for military merit.

The imperial court's things are not blown by the wind; if you want to earn them, and on the battlefield, you must exchange them with your life.

The army promotes quickly, and you can even often see twenty-year-old generals.

Little do they know.

These are all piled up with lives; behind a young general are countless withered bones.

And.

Who do you know is standing behind the young general?

Young man, don't be misled by appearances and then get hot-blooded.

Li Rui took the letter to Wang Zhao: "Little Zhao, send the letter to the Tiandi Alliance and let your senior brother give it to Alliance Leader Huang."

"Yes, Master."

Wang Zhao nodded.

Ning Zhongtian is not just his brother; his friendship with Huang Chui and Fei Laosan is even deeper. There is no reason not to tell them both when he knows.

Just treat it as reporting safety.

After getting along, Li Rui could also feel it.

Huang Chui and Fei Laosan had already regarded him as the Alliance Leader, while Ning Zhongtian was a brother.

Li Rui didn't feel sorry for himself about this; being able to maintain superficial respect is already very good, there is no need to be brothers with everyone, and there is no such reason.

The timing is wrong, the occasion is wrong, there is no possibility in this life.

Who has seen brothers who share adversity, but who has seen subordinates treated as brothers?

Although the three are all Alliance Leaders, Li Rui is essentially the superior of the two.

Li Rui admits he doesn't have the ability to be loved by everyone.

Military reports were constantly sent from the front.

They were all good news.

Today killed a few people, tomorrow took a few cities, it was like a broken bamboo.

These were posted on the bulletin board of the guard battalion.

Making those left behind in the guard battalion look jealous.

Undoubtedly, if they can win beautifully, then it won't just be military merit on the battlefield; after returning in victory, if the Emperor is happy, maybe he will reward another sum.

White-picked benefits.

Tan Hu looked at it and was even more greedy.

Recently, he has been taking people out on patrol every day, but he hasn't met a single enemy.

He was so angry that he directly led people into the mountain forest and cut down several groups of horse thieves.

"Magistrate Li, Elder Jiang invites you to his mansion for a talk."

A Huaqing Sect disciple knocked on the door.

At first, there were quite a few Huaqing Sect disciples in the Anning Guard; now, except for those who hold positions, the rest can only be seen at Jiang Linxian's mansion.

"Okay."

Li Rui nodded.

Immediately, he followed the Huaqing Sect disciple to Jiang Linxian's Assistant Regional Commander mansion.

When he walked into the main hall.

He saw Jiang Linxian sitting on the grand chair, and Jiang Yan standing obediently to one side.

"Old Jiang."

Li Rui bowed.

Jiang Linxian waved his hand with a smile: "Just looking for Li Laoge to chat casually, there is no distinction between superior and inferior. Sit down, Yan'er, serve tea to Li Laoge."

As soon as Li Rui sat down, a burst of fragrance hit him.

Flattered.

Jiang Yan served him tea; he really hadn't enjoyed this treatment.

Jiang Linxian: "Li Laoge, I went to visit Senior Tie a few days ago, and he often mentions you."

Li Rui's heart moved slightly.

Jiang Linxian has a good relationship with Tie Kuang; he knew this.

Li Rui took a sip of tea.

The taste was average; Jiang Linxian had never paid much attention to the way of enjoyment, and he was simply a clear stream among the officials in Qinghe.

"Just helped Senior Tie with a small favor; it's Senior Tie who is kind and keeps me in mind."

Jiang Linxian's mouth lifted slightly: "Casting an Immortal Weapon, this credit is really not small."

Li Rui's hand putting down the teacup paused.

"This tea is really hot."

He guessed that Jiang Linxian looking for him today, calling him old brother and letting his precious daughter serve tea, definitely wouldn't be as simple as drinking tea.

"It's all Senior Tie's superb craftsmanship; I just did my best."

Li Rui didn't feel strange that Jiang Linxian knew about the Immortal Weapon.

The Immortal Weapon matter would spread sooner or later.

It's not strange that Jiang Linxian knew in advance.

But Jiang Linxian's next words were shocking.

"Li Laoge, we are family, so let's not speak two languages... Zhuang Renhe, you killed him, right?"

Li Rui was slightly surprised, his complexion unchanged: "Old Jiang, how would I have that ability?"

Jiang Linxian laughed and didn't continue to ask, saying to Jiang Yan:

"Yan'er, I hid a pot of wine in my room; go get it for me."

"Oh."

Jiang Yan responded softly and then went out.

Only Jiang Linxian and Li Rui were left in the main hall.

Jiang Linxian said to himself: "I have seen Zhuang Renhe's corpse; it was slashed by an Immortal Weapon."

Li Rui raised his eyebrows.

"Li Laoge, rest assured, I estimate that I am the only one in the world who can see it. I have already erased all the traces for you; no one will be able to find you."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly:

"Old Jiang, thank you."

Jiang Linxian smiled slightly: "A small effort, and I have long wanted to kill that Zhuang guy for a long time."

The two smiled at each other.

Then they chatted for a full hour.

Jiang Linxian took a sip of tea and sighed long:

"Li Laoge, I was enlightened at three, practiced sword at five, and have had no opponents in the same rank; I often feel lost and lonely."

Li Rui blinked:

"Why does Old Jiang feel this way?"

Jiang Linxian narrowed his eyes:

"I am a person who can do whatever I want to do, and I can kill whoever I want to kill. Geniuses can only see my back."

"So sometimes I can't help but ask."

"Am I too genius?"

Li Rui: "..."

(End of this chapter)