Unlike Liuya and Fuling, Zhongzhong Military Town, which was located behind Huaiyang Pass, was mostly guarded by infantry. However, compared to Huaiyang Pass, which had a natural barrier to rely on, Zhongzhong Military Town seemed to be less confident. In fact, on this line of defense, the general of Zhongzhong Military Town could not stand up straight when facing three colleagues of the same rank, and his voice was never loud. The two towns of Liu Ya and Fuling had always been garrisoned with a considerable number of cavalry troops at the border. The two Generals of the two towns were related to the two current Deputy Generals of the cavalry. Zhong Zhong was an awkward character that was neither loved nor loved by his grandmother. Although it belonged to the Northern Liang Cavalry, it had more infantrymen. However, it had nothing to do with Great Ancestor Gu and could not rely on anyone. When Huaiyang Pass became the location of the Protectorate Manor, Zhong Zhong Zhong, who was raised by his stepmother, became more and more inconspicuous.
Xu Fengnian lived in a courtyard that had just been cleaned up. The courtyard was not big, but it was elegant and quiet. It was not easy to find a courtyard like this in a military town that was filled with influential officials at the border of Liangzhou. After Hsu Fengnian lived in the courtyard, he sent a signal to Zhongzhong that was worth chewing. The young lord did not summon Zhou Kang, the partridge who had accompanied His Royal Highness to the capital with hundreds of old soldiers, nor did he summon Great Ancestor Gu, who he had found in the Jianghu of the Central Plains, nor did he summon Great Ancestor Qi Dangguo, who was the adopted son of a general like Chu Lushan and Yuan Zuozong. Instead, he called Ning Emei, who was from the Phoenix Battalion, to drink with him in the courtyard.
The new deputy general of Iron Pagoda, Ning Emei, was still the interesting man with a rough appearance and a delicate voice. However, he was more restrained than before. After all, the young man sitting across from him was no longer His Royal Highness, who was looked down upon by the whole Beiliang.
Xu Fengnian clinked his cup with Ning Emei's and lamented, "Back then, General Ning took a hundred men to accompany me to cause trouble in Jianghu. Many of them, including Hong Shuwen, are no longer in the Phoenix Barracks. They have all become local military officers or even field officers. Yuan Meng, however, is still here. A few days ago at the Courtyard Ranch, he complained to me that he mentioned to you that he wanted to enter the Iron Stupa. However, not only did you not agree because of old friendship, you also scolded him."
Ning Emei subconsciously sat up straight and said with the graceful voice of a woman from Dongyue, "The Phoenix Battalion has had many new faces in the past two years. I feel that with an old man like Captain Yuan in the battalion, I can be at ease."
Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "Some of the young men who left the Phoenix Battalion under the identity of the White Horse Righteous Faction would occasionally meet in private. I heard that they like to ask each other how high an official they have become, as well as how high an official they hope to become. They talk about who will become a border general or a border official in the future, and whether or not they can support each other. In this aspect, it is a bit like the Liyang imperial court's fellow countrymen in the imperial examinations. Back in the day, our Beiliang's earliest border crossbowmen also went through such a phase. When they first met again, they were all talking about who had died on the battlefield. Moreover, they were all speaking in a very envious tone. After a few years or ten years, it was different. They were all asking how big the newly bought residence was, how beautiful the newly taken concubine was, and how many acres of high-quality farmland they had obtained. "
Seeing Ning Emei's expression change drastically, Hsu Fengnian waved his hand and smiled. "Don't be nervous. This is all human nature. Situations like the Phoenix Battalion's are rare for the time being. When the water is too clear, there will be no fish. I understand this principle. Besides, Xu Xiao also said something similar. In his eyes, the world we live in now is too different from decades ago. At that time, almost everyone was thinking about how to survive. Everyone's head was tied to their waistbands. The only difference was that the commoners' heads were tied to straw ropes, while the scholars' heads were tied to the more valuable jade waistbands. In reality, everyone was in precarious situations. But now, everyone is thinking about how to live better. Therefore, since last year, families have all moved outside the borders of Beiliang. Since staying in Beiliang could lead to death, then they fled to a place where there was no smoke, a place where they couldn't hear the hooves of Beimang's horses. If Huainan doesn't work, then they can go to Gangnam-do. If Gangnam-do is also at war one day, then they can go south of the Guangling River. If that doesn't work, then they can go to Nanjiang. As long as they have money, they can escape all the way south. In the end, they can survive. "
Hsu Fengnian's fingers twirled the white porcelain wine cup that didn't lose out to the exquisite ones used by the aristocratic families of Jiangnan. He raised it slightly. "I am one of the few extravagant people in the world. I know the market price of this small wine cup. In the rich places of the Central Plains, it probably sells for two or three taels of silver. After painstakingly moving to our Beiliang, the price will more than double. Of course, if we really want to talk about it, the valuable items in Mount Qingliang are innumerable. The scholars of the Central Plains say that Beiliang 'made millions poor, but one family rich.' In fact, they aren't wrong. Just in Wutongin alone, there are more than 300 precious calligraphy and paintings with the word 'fake' on my handprint. However, compared to people like Zhong Hongwu, I, Hsu Fengnian, have long been known for being a prodigal son. I'm not quite the same as those misers. "
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