Chapter 155: The Zhou Family's Curse, Symptoms First Appear

On the Wardrobe, Xiao Moting's bold and elegant handwriting appeared.

"You've worked hard. The Beijiang Army is having dumplings today, so I'm sending a plate for you to taste."

"If it's not enough, I'll have the cook boil another plate."

The fragrant dumplings were chive and pork filling.

Bai Wei was so happy her eyes curved into crescents, and she snatched the plate down.

"Xiao Moting, do you think we have a telepathic connection? I wanted to eat dumplings, and you happened to be making them over there."

She picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and took a bite.

The juices overflowed, and it was so hot that Bai Wei kept puffing air.

"Delicious!"

After a large plate of steaming hot dumplings went into her stomach, Bai Wei felt completely satisfied.

She was just about to chat with Xiao Moting when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure flashing past outside the vehicle.

"Zhou Yuchuan?"

Bai Wei rubbed her eyes, stood up in shock, pulled open the vehicle door, and ran out.

Not far away, Zhou Yuchuan's face was pale; he was bracing himself against a wall, his gentle and handsome face twisted, as if in great pain.

Bai Wei hurried over in a few steps and reached out to support him.

"Professor Zhou, what's wrong? I'll call a doctor right away!"

"No... no need..." Zhou Yuchuan gasped for air, struggling to squeeze out a few words, "Don't call a doctor."

His face was as white as paper, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Bai Wei had intended to call an ambulance, but since Zhou Yuchuan wouldn't allow it, she became even more anxious, "Are you sick? Or what is going on?"

"It's just a common dizzy spell."

Zhou Yuchuan had already composed himself; he closed his eyes and let out a faint breath.

"Thank you, I'm fine now."

"Are you really fine?" Bai Wei looked him up and down, her eyes full of suspicion.

The white shirt on Zhou Yuchuan's body was already soaked through with cold sweat; he didn't look like he was fine at all.

"Perhaps I've just been too tired these past two days," Zhou Yuchuan smiled, "I'll just go back and get some rest."

After saying this, he turned and walked toward the hotel.

Bai Wei stood where she was, her brows knitting together involuntarily.

He was clearly so weak that it seemed like he would faint the next second, yet he insisted on not going to the hospital.

What kind of illness could it be?

Zhou Yuchuan walked into the stairwell, his tensed body suddenly relaxing as he leaned wearily against the wall.

He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling continuously.

Has it already begun?

A bitter smile could not help but appear on his handsome face.

There were clearly still three years until his death date.

Yet the symptoms had already appeared now.

Just a moment ago, the life force within his body felt as if it had been drained away by an invisible force, leaving him as weak as an old man in the twilight of his years.

In the dark stairwell, Zhou Yuchuan leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

The curse that had plagued the Zhou Family for thousands of years... perhaps, even if he studied it for a lifetime, he would not be able to resolve it before he died.

The Beijiang Camp.

Over a hundred thousand Beijiang soldiers stood neatly in front of the camp, banners fluttering!

Smiles beamed on everyone's faces.

Qin Zhan stood before the ranks and announced loudly.

"Everyone, go to your officers in order and collect your military pay!"

"Anyone who collects their pay must sign it themselves and press their thumbprint."

The Beijiang Army formed dozens of long lines to step forward and collect their pay.

Everyone was very excited.

They hadn't been paid for three months, and today they were finally getting their money!

With money, everyone could buy rice and grain, let their families eat their fill, and make new clothes for their wives and children!

A small soldier received his money and suddenly shouted.

"This amount isn't right, is it?"

Everyone cared most about money; once they heard the amount was wrong, they all stretched their necks to look.

"How is it wrong? Did they pay you less?"

The small soldier looked astonished and blinked hard.

"It's too much! I should clearly be getting three hundred wen a month, so three months should be nine hundred wen."

"But what I have in my hand is actually three taels of silver!"

"They gave me nearly three times the money!"

According to the Daliang currency system, one tael of silver is one thousand wen.

As soon as his voice fell, cries of surprise rang out one after another all around.

"Me too, I also got three taels of silver."

"Me too, did the Military Advisor calculate our money wrong?"

A female soldier also exclaimed in shock, "The monthly pay for female soldiers is five hundred wen, but I actually received six taels of silver; this is too much! I don't dare to take it."

The crowd was in an uproar.

Many in the Beijiang Army crowded in front of the table where the military pay was being distributed, one after another wanting to return the money.

Everyone knew that the Imperial Court was suppressing the Beijiang Army and hadn't allocated silver for several months; the military pay currently being distributed to them was all earned by Xiao Moting himself through trade.

This money did not come easily.

The soldiers all had a conscience and were unwilling to accept extra money.

The area in front of the camp was in chaos.

Qin Zhan shouted loudly.

"Everyone be quiet! The amount of money distributed to you is correct."

"The Prince said that it is not easy for everyone to fight in wars, so he has raised the military pay for everyone: one tael of silver for a soldier's monthly pay, and two taels for female soldiers!"

As soon as the words fell, the entire Beijiang Camp went silent.

Everyone could hardly believe their ears and looked at Xiao Moting in a daze.

A raise in monthly silver?

In the Daliang Kingdom, the treatment of soldiers was very poor; if everyone could just have a mouthful of food, it was already quite good, and they dared not hope to receive much money at all.

Especially in famine years, the Imperial Court would even go door-to-door to press-gang men into the army, and they would never give the soldiers good treatment.

In times of war, soldiers were all cannon fodder; going to the battlefield was a life-and-death struggle, so who would give money to cannon fodder?

Only after performing military exploits and being promoted to an officer could things be slightly better.

No one expected that Xiao Moting would not only give the soldiers money but also give them so much!

Xiao Moting sat on his horse, scanned the dense crowd of the Beijiang Army before him, and spoke in a deep voice.

"Everyone need not be surprised; this is the intention of Shennü Daren. The military pay distributed to you was all earned by selling the items sent by Shennü Daren."

"Shennü Daren said that soldiers are the cornerstone of the country, and the peace and prosperity of the nation depend on the military to maintain. Soldiers charge into battle, protect their homes and defend the country, and shed blood and sweat for the nation; soldiers must be treated generously!"

"Therefore, from now on, the military pay of the Beijiang Army will be raised across the board! Those who perform military exploits will receive double rewards."

The soldiers of the Daliang Kingdom were all treated very poorly.

Children from wealthy families all went to pursue official careers, and only children from poor families would come to the military camp to be soldiers; many people joined the army just to get a mouthful of food so they wouldn't starve to death.

However, Xiao Moting had seen on the videos sent by Bai Wei that the world on her side was completely different from Daliang.

In Bai Wei's world, becoming a soldier who protects their home and defends the country is a glorious thing!

Every year when it was time to join the army, everyone would beat drums and gongs, pin large red flowers on the soldiers, and send them off on trains.

The treatment of soldiers was also much better than that of the Daliang soldiers, and there were various benefits as well.

Xiao Moting was very puzzled and had asked Bai Wei.

Bai Wei told him those words mentioned above.

Xiao Moting kept them in his heart.

Now, he finally had the opportunity to implement them.

Once the Beijiang earned silver, his first priority was to improve the soldiers' treatment and give them a raise in military pay.

Xiao Moting cleared his throat and announced loudly.

"From now on, the Beijiang Army will implement a seniority system; every year, veteran soldiers will receive a raise in military pay. The longer one has served as a soldier, the higher the military pay will be."

"In addition, retired veteran soldiers will also receive a retirement allowance so they can return home to provide for their old age."

After he finished speaking, the surroundings were silent.

Suddenly!

A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering cheer erupted in the military camp.