My vicious dog, my horse, I can do whatever I want with it

Chapter 281 Solution

Ning Chi was stunned for a moment and nodded. Zong Yanli looked up at Ning Chi and asked, "Is everything okay in Beijing?"

Ning Chi smiled and raised his eyes: "It's not bad. Now that Daqian has established its foundation, the emperor has grown up, and the court is gradually stabilizing. With the generals outside to defend against the enemy, the imperial city is very stable inside and outside."

Zong Yanli listened and nodded, then turned to ask about some situations in the imperial city, to understand the defense of the imperial city, and some family situations. Ning Chi told him everything he knew, and he talked the most about King Ping.

King Ping is now Prince Ping. Since he gradually came into the spotlight and was noticed by others, he has done many meritorious deeds.

The most noteworthy of these was the collection of salt tax, which eliminated the need for private salt in the entire Daqian territory.

He Anxing has changed from his foolish appearance and handled such matters so calmly and appropriately. Just when some people were speculating that Prince Ping was going to follow in the footsteps of the Crown Prince and Prince Xuan, Prince Ping did not make any small moves and showed an attitude of working hard and not complaining.

This year he is also working on the improvement of iron tools, and he seems to be a good helper in assisting the monarch.

"Prince Ping has made such a big change, I wonder if it's the general who is pushing for it?" Initially, many people paid attention to Prince Ping's affairs, but Empress Dowager Gao did not say anything. Ning Chi also had some interactions with Prince Ping, and he found that Prince Ping was very polite to him and had no intention of making friends with him for military power.

He was even very concerned about the wars that Zong Yanli was fighting outside. Ning Chi wondered if Prince Ping had any leverage over Zong Yanli.

When Zong Yanhongjing returned injured this time, Prince Ping also sent an imperial physician and brought him many life-saving medicines. It was almost as if his intention to curry favor with Zong Yanli was written all over his face.

Zong Yanli smiled after hearing what Ning Chi said and said, "We have had some interactions, but not close ones. We did it all for Daqian and for the people. Prince Ping has made such achievements because of his own ability."

"Salt and iron are too important. As a descendant of the royal family, it is best for Prince Ping to have such important tasks in his hands." Zong Yanli looked at Ning Chi calmly and said so.

"So..." Ning Chi roughly understood what Zong Yanli meant after hearing what she said. It showed that she had known about Prince Ping's doing this for a long time, and maybe she was the one who pushed for it.

Thinking of this, Ning Chi was finally relieved. The internal strife in Daqian was too intense, and the calamity of the Qin family had always been a thorn in Ning Chi's heart. He was so wary of Prince Ping because he was worried that Prince Ping would raise an army and rebel under his nose.

Now that I have heard what Zong Yanli said, I feel a little relieved.

Zong Yanli looked at Ning Chi and said, "I feel much more at ease with you guarding the Imperial City. My relatives and family are all here, how can I not miss them?"

"The ten-year period should have passed now. Has any descendant of the Qin family come to the capital to prepare for the exam?" Zong Yanli remembered that the Qin family was implicated by the crown prince and was expelled from the capital. Within ten years, the descendants of the Qin family were not allowed to enter the court. The deadline should have come now, right?

"I'm prepared." Ning Chi nodded in response.

Ning Chi's grandfather enjoyed his old age in the old house and eventually passed away. Now Qin Wujiu is the head of the Qin family.

Qin Wujiu had no intention of returning to Beijing. He only trained the younger generation of the Qin family. It would not be easy to restore the Qin family's former glory. Fortunately, now he has his nephew Ning Chi to take care of things. It is only a matter of time before the descendants of the Qin family return to Beijing to gain a foothold.

Speaking of the Qin family, Zong Yanli couldn't help but think of the Chen family.

Pity……

Of the descendants of the Chen family, there is only one bloodline left, and he has become her adopted son.

Zong Yanli talked to Ning Chi for a long time, and finally he finished his drink and stood up to say goodbye. It was unknown how long they had been apart since then.

"I'll trouble you to take care of my niece." Zong Yanli and Ning Chi stood outside the restaurant. She raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "We'll meet again when you come back next time."

"Okay." Ning Chi smiled, his eyes full of sincerity and eagerness as he said, "I'm really ashamed. We've known each other for many years and I've never invited you to my house for a chat. Next time you win, I'll hold a banquet in my house to celebrate your success!"

"Hahaha! Good!" Zong Yanli burst into laughter upon hearing that, turned around, got on his horse and said, "Then it's settled!"

"I'll wait for you." Ning Chi raised his hand and bowed.

Zong Yanli grabbed the reins and rode away. Ning Chi stood there watching Zong Yanli's departing back. He couldn't help but reached out and touched the beard on his chin. Suddenly, he felt as if he had grown old.

Zong Yanli is surprisingly not much different from before. Although his face looks a little weathered and has fine lines, he looks younger without a beard, right?

Ning Chi thought about shaving his beard when he got home.

Zong Yanli had not even had time to rest after returning home when he was summoned by the emperor and entered the palace again.

He Honglang has great respect and love for his teacher Zong Yanli. He summoned him today because he heard that Zong Yanli was about to leave Beijing. He was very reluctant to let him go, so he specially prepared a banquet to entertain him.

"Teacher, there is no one else here, so there is no need to be so polite." There were only Zong Yanli and He Honglang at the small banquet. He Honglang seemed to have finally let go of the burden of being an emperor and got along with Zong Yanli as an ordinary teacher and student.

"Your Majesty, would you like to play two games of chess?" Zong Yanli asked with a smile.

"That's exactly what I wanted!" He Honglang's eyes lit up, and he quickly turned around and told his servants to bring the chessboard.

Zong Yanli was playing chess with He Honglang. He Honglang took every step very carefully and only made his move after careful consideration. Perhaps he felt from the bottom of his heart that the 'enemy' he was facing was too powerful, so he seemed a little restrained.

Zong Yanli saw through He Honglang's thoughts and used the chess game as a guide to guide He Honglang to learn how to face strong enemies and not to be cowardly.

The two games of chess were played very slowly. When Gao Jiayue came over, she saw the two people sitting opposite each other. Zong Yanli was giving instructions to He Honglang with a slightly peaceful look on his face, and told him how to use the tactics in the chess game.

He Honglang nodded, learned and imitated. It felt like he was standing on Zong Yanli's shoulders and looking at the world.

It turned out that his vision was so broad. In just two games of chess, He Honglang seemed to have suddenly become enlightened, and he now had ideas for many things that he had not been able to understand before.

"Mother." Gao Jiayue came in at this time, and He Honglang and Zong Yanli both stood up.

"I told you to see the general off properly, why did you make him so tired?" Gao Jiayue looked at He Honglang helplessly and said with a smile: "Sit down, everyone."

"Mother, I haven't seen my teacher for so long..." He Honglang pursed his lips and smiled. He had a lot to say!

Ever since exchanging letters with Zong Yanli, He Honglang has had close correspondence with him, and the relationship between teacher and student has become much closer. Now that he finally gets to meet Zong Yanli, he naturally wants to spend more time with him.

Gao Jiayue knew about this, and smiled at He Honglang and said, "I know that the emperor is eager to learn. Today is enough. Let the general take a rest."

Although He Honglang was still a little unsatisfied, but since his mother had spoken, he obediently agreed: "Yes."

"Teacher, when you come back to Beijing next time, we will play chess again." He Honglang turned his head to look at Zong Yanli, bowed and said: "Teacher, please talk to the Queen Mother. I will go and draw today's game of chess!"

Zong Yanli leaned forward to agree, and He Honglang turned and left eagerly, obviously wanting to take advantage of this moment to remember it clearly and draw the chess game.

Gao Jiayue was finally able to speak to Zong Yanli alone. His eyes slowly fell on her and he said, "General, you have worked hard. You have done so much for General Daqian. Your father... I am sorry that I have tried my best but failed..."

Zong Yanli lowered his head and said, "The Empress Dowager has done a lot for the Zong Yan family. I would like to thank the Empress Dowager."

"Why should we be so polite?" Gao Jiayue smiled. So many years have passed, and the excitement she had when she treated Zong Yanli back then has now calmed down. When facing Zong Yanli, she feels that getting along with him is like being a confidant and a relative.

"This is another life-and-death battle, General, you must take good care of yourself."

Gao Jiayue said with a worried look in her eyes: "Although the Northern General is dead,... we should not underestimate him."

Zong Yanli leaned forward and responded: "I understand."

Gao Jiayue pursed her lips and smiled, then asked tentatively, "I heard that the general's wife passed away, leaving behind only a young son to be sent back home. General... do you still want to marry?"

Zong Yanli was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and then he realized what Gao Jiayue said, and immediately said: "Thank you for your concern, Queen Mother. I have no intention of remarrying. The incense has been passed down, and the inheritance has continued, which is enough for me."

"So... I understand." Although Gao Jiayue had guessed Zong Yanli's answer long ago, she still couldn't help but sigh when she heard it with her own ears. Perhaps she was sighing at Zong Yanli's long-lasting love, and that he missed his deceased wife so much that he even had no intention of remarrying.

Gao Jiayue told Zong Yanli some things about the court, and then did not keep her long and ordered people to send her out of the palace.

The next day, Zong Yanli packed his bags and left home early.

This time he couldn't leave directly. His fourth uncle and aunt were reluctant to let him go. Zong Yan Haoyan hugged Zong Yanli's feet and cried loudly. The front of Zong Yan's mansion was really lively for a while. In the end, it was his fourth aunt who took the child away.

Zong Yanli was able to escape at this point. He was reluctant but dared not look back. He immediately said goodbye to his family and rushed towards Shouxi County.

end of September.

Zong Yanli and Zong Yanfeiyi returned to Shouxi County. The recruitment order had been issued, and many soldiers and generals arrived from Shouxi County one after another. Long Feiguang was very busy, and seeing Zong Yanli coming back was like seeing a savior.

"Here is the roster, General, take a look." Long Feiguang handed over the roster of soldiers who had recently arrived and said, "I have already screened it once, and those who are left are pretty good, but the number is still too small."

"Yes." Zong Yanli nodded as he took the military register and looked through it. He then frowned and said, "Let Gao and Jin also not be idle. How can they not be responsible for recruiting soldiers?"

"Go around and recruit soldiers from other places." Zong Yanli raised his head and said, "Fourth uncle, write a letter to second uncle and ask him to recruit some soldiers and transfer them here."

"And Monchi and the others, how did you recruit soldiers in the military tent in the past? Do the same when you go out and recruit soldiers now." Zong Yanli raised his chin and said, "If you can recruit soldiers by yourselves, they will all be yours!"

"I only have one request, that you be responsible for your own soldiers."

"If your own soldiers make mistakes, the entire battalion will be punished!"

"From top to bottom, not to mention the generals, even the grooms will be punished!" Zong Yanli issued the order, and Monk and others were instantly excited. Bai Xiujun asked, "What if we recruit too many soldiers and how to distribute the military funds..."

“Distribute according to the number of people.”

Zong Yanli's words gave everyone a reassurance. It seemed that she was telling them that as long as they had the ability to recruit soldiers, she had the ability to support them!

There was no time for Monk and his companions to sit still, so they all rushed out to recruit soldiers.

Zong Yanli has said before that one must never force someone. Even if the family has an only son, he must be persuaded to give up, and the son's family background must be clean.

With so many requirements in place, it is not that easy to recruit soldiers. And Monk and his men are not stupid. If they are to be under their command, of course they want capable ones. If they are all cowards, not only will they be useless, but they will also have to spend food to feed them. Just thinking about it will make them lose money!

As the soldiers went out to recruit soldiers, Long Feiguang suddenly felt the pressure reduced.

Even 6 was a little confused. Why didn't he think of this method?

He even took the trouble to check on the soldiers himself and then consider how to distribute them, which really made him worry.

As a result, now that Zong Yanli has arrived, a big problem has been solved directly!

"The general is really amazing." Pei Liang admired and praised.

"There's nothing going on in the army, why is Mr. Mingxi gone?" After Zong Yanli simply dealt with military affairs, he found that Zhan Haoyue and Lu Peibai were missing.

"He went to a nearby town." Pei Liang lowered his head and flipped through a book, then said calmly, "Mr. Mingxi has never been to Daqian before. He said he wanted to take this opportunity to take a look around and look for talented advisers for the general. The military affairs are piling up, so more people would be more help."

Pei Liang suddenly raised his eyes and said, "Oh, there is one more thing."

Pei Liang took out a letter from his bosom and said, "This is from Sha Haoqian, General Sha."

"General Sha has gone back again?" Zong Yanli felt helpless. He reached out to take it and started to read it.

The content of the letter was actually Sha Haoqian's self-recommendation letter. He planned to settle his relatives and family members when he returned this time, and he earnestly requested to join Zong Yanli's camp and never return to Luoshang Pass again.

Sha Haoqian probably always felt that he was still a Qing citizen. After so many years of waiting and watching, and seeing the development of Daqian and Zong Yanli's persistence, he finally let go of the past. This time he no longer came as an ally, but asked to join Zong Yanli's camp.

From now on, I will do whatever you ask of me!

After reading the letter, Zong Yanli couldn't help but smile. He looked up at Pei Liang and said, "You will soon have another colleague."

"General Sha finally figured it out?" Pei Liang was not surprised at all. He laughed and said, "You should have come a long time ago!"

"Get ready and expand the camp a bit." Zong Yanli stood up and ordered, "If nothing unexpected happens, two months will be enough to prepare enough troops."