Chapter 429: Sister Zou

"Eight hundred?" Cheng Yaojin exclaimed.

"And it's heavy cavalry?" Yuchi Gong was dumbfounded.

Qin Qiong let out a long sigh: "This kid really is something, eight hundred heavy cavalry, I actually have no idea at all."

Immediately after, he said angrily: "My eldest son is there, no wonder he's been acting all mysterious afterward, asking him what he did gets no answer; I thought he'd been messed up by Jin Da's torment and didn't want to mention it."

This reminded Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong — their sons are also there!

The situation is exactly the same as Qin Qiong's!

The three gritted their teeth, wishing they could go over right now and slap those brats hard.

Li Shimin said impatiently: "Enough, it's me who didn't let them speak; don't bother them — these three kids have done something worthwhile, and those eight hundred heavy cavalry were brought out by them personally."

"Of course, we're using Zi An's method."

Originally Li Shimin said those eight hundred were brought out by those three kids, and Qin Qiong and the others were almost scared out of their wits.

Don't you fathers know what abilities those three have?

And they brought heavy cavalry?

They simply don't have that capability.

But as soon as they heard it was Chen Yan's method, their hearts instantly settled.

"Your Majesty, what is your plan?" Qin Qiong asked.

Li Shimin pondered: "Now that it's come to this, I won't hide it from you — Zi An asked me for eight hundred men to form a unit called the Flagless Cavalry, intending to send this unit out of the Tang Dynasty in secret to seek anything beneficial for the Tang."

"For example, Champa Rice that yields two or even three harvests a year, fine horses from nomadic lands, advanced knowledge and skills, and Japan's silver mines, etc."

"Right now, the Flagless Cavalry is about to embark on its first expedition; the target is the seed grain of Champa Rice in Lin Yiguo. After all, food is heaven for the people — bringing back the seed a day earlier means planting a day earlier, and the people will eat a day earlier."

"Lin Yiguo is not far from the Tang Dynasty, and its national strength is weak; I believe the Flagless Cavalry will be able to return soon. Then we will send them to Japan, where they will undertake some disguise, seize the silver mine, and later dispatch people to mine it slowly."

"Anyway, according to Zi An, that is a silver mine sufficient for mining several hundred years — rushing now is pointless. Wait until the Tang Dynasty rests and recovers, resolves the border troubles, and then immediately send troops to conquer Japan."

After hearing this, everyone fell silent in thought, then nodded in agreement with Li Shimin's idea.

For now, this is indeed the best approach.

Because Japan is indeed separated from the Tang Dynasty by a sea, lacking full preparation, and with border troubles still present, launching an attack rashly would be unwise.

Sending eight hundred heavy cavalry to occupy a mountain that the Japanese consider ordinary might raise their alertness, but given the Japanese tendency to act like dogs and their lack of full unification — more like a collection of small states — the heavy cavalry's combat power makes taking a mountain trivial.

The bigger issue is how to timely supply them, conduct silver mining, and transport the ore.

This is also the reason Li Shimin summoned them immediately upon receiving the news.

Advance preparations must definitely be done first!

A moment later, Qin Qiong murmured softly: "Flagless Cavalry... sigh."

Likewise, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, and Li Jing likewise grasped the deep meaning of that name, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

Although the Tang Dynasty's militia system requires able-bodied people of the appropriate age to serve, regardless of who, after eliminating coercion, who wouldn't want to achieve social advancement through military merit?

Compared to the path of relying on study, which is controlled by aristocratic families, rising through military merit is undoubtedly far fairer.

Chen Yan's father is the best example — in a major battle he slew generals, captured flags, and in one fell swoop crossed countless social strata.

But the Flagless Cavalry is destined never to enjoy glory, only to live in obscurity.

To do those dirty jobs for the country abroad, advancing while bearing curses.

Cheng Yaojin couldn't express what he felt, muttering to himself:

"Chen Yan!"

"Chen Yan!"

"......"

"Chen Yan!"

"Chen Yan!"

Gao Yang gritted his teeth and said angrily: "If those exercises you mentioned don't work, see how I'll kill you."

"I'm looking forward to it!" Chen Yan spread his hands, looking completely indifferent.

Gao Yang eventually gave in, and in order to recover his belly as soon as possible, he began exercising under everyone's rather strange gazes.

Of course, given her current condition, intense exercise is definitely out of the question, since this period is Gao Yang's crucial recovery phase; Chen Yan only let her go out for a stroll and do some stretching.

Still, this made Gao Yang feel uncomfortable all over.

Feeling like he was walking back and forth like an idiot, and those movements were being watched by others.

He was even laughed at by Prince Wei.

If Chen Yan hadn't stopped her, she would have almost started arguing with Prince Wei.

Gao Yang felt wronged as he rubbed his belly: "When will my belly ever return to how it was before? It's so ugly."

"What's the rush?"

Chen Yan gave her a sideways glance: "You've only been like this for ten days or half a month, and you already want to recover? Dream on."

"This can't be rushed; just recover slowly."

Hearing that, Gao Yang had no choice but to restrain himself, glanced at his husband, and felt a bit of comfort in his heart.

At least Chen Yan didn't despise her; instead, he kept thinking of ways to help her recover.

"Alright, alright, go out now — I need to rest."

Chen Yan widened his eyes: "What did you say? Have me go out?"

"What else then?" Gao Yang countered.

"......"

Chen Yan's expression gradually grew strange; he looked Gao Yang up and down, stroked his chin, and said: "You're not right."

"You're very not right."

Back then you practically begged to sleep with me every day......

"That was the past!!" Gao Yang hurriedly cut him off: "Now it's different—don't even think about sleeping with me until my body recovers!"

Ah, I see!

Chen Yan suddenly realized—Gao Yang was afraid he would dislike her.

He smiled and said, "Then I'm not leaving—what can you do to me?"

Gao Yang said nothing, just gave him a cold stare.

Chen Yan shamelessly clung to her, and no matter how Gao Yang tried—soft or hard—it was no use.

Finally she gave up, turning away in anger.

Consequently, Chen Yan sprang up again: "Since you're so unwelcoming, I'll go find my little lychee—you can sleep alone."

Gao Yang: "......"

Not long later, Sizi finished washing up and was about to go to bed when she saw her older sister Li Lizhi strolling past with a smirk, looking quite pleased.

Sizi blinked, surprised: "Jiezou Jie, you seem really happy, Jiezou Jie!"

Li Lizhi: "......"

"......"