Before Sima Ping left, his father had specifically instructed him to stay close to Lu Yuanpeng, because Chancellor Lu would definitely send people to secretly protect Lu Yuanpeng, and he could benefit from this as well.
Moreover, if Lu Yuanpeng went to the northern frontier battlefield alone, Sima Ping truly wouldn’t feel at ease.
In this capital city, although Sima Ping appeared close to everyone, the only one he truly considered a friend was Lu Yuanpeng, who seemed easily deceived and not very clever. He was unwilling to lose this friend.
The journey to the northern frontier battlefield was long and distant. If he didn’t follow, Lu Yuanpeng might be sold off without even knowing it.
Thinking of this, Sima Ping took the clothes behind the tree to change properly, losing all trace of his elegant young master’s graceful appearance.
Lu Yuanpeng looked at Sima Ping, who was now as dusty and gray as himself, and covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Seeing that his fine horse and bundle had disappeared, leaving only a sword that Lu Yuanpeng held in his arms, Sima Ping frowned and asked: “Where are my horse and bundle?”
“Oh… I saw two beggars and gave them away!”
Sima Ping took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and calmed the surging anger in his heart: “Yuanpeng… that bundle contained our travel money! Five hundred taels…”
Lu Yuanpeng was stunned, then cleared his throat and said: “Hey! We’re going to the military camp, following the troops. Could they starve us to death? You have no sincere intention of joining the army. You tell me, with us dressed like ordinary common folk going to the military camp, would it be appropriate to carry five hundred taels of silver? No experience! Let’s go…”
“Fine!” Sima Ping smiled without mirth, gripping the silk embroidered garment in his hand tightly. “Don’t cry when the time comes!”
Jin army camps weren’t like Bai family army camps. Without money to grease palms and without revealing their identities to seek protection, the most tiring, dirty work would fall to them. He hoped Lu Yuanpeng could still hold on when that time came.
Sima Ping went to a pawnshop in the city and pawned his set of clothes, then with the dusty Lu Yuanpeng carrying their small bundles, they walked on foot toward the north of the city.
Who knew that after just a few steps, they were recognized by some of the wastrels they usually played with. The wastrel dismounted from his horse and circled Sima Ping and Lu Yuanpeng, laughing until he doubled over: “What are you two doing?”
“Going undercover to join the army!” Lu Yuanpeng answered with a righteous spirit. “Going to the northern frontier to drive those Liang dogs back to Liang!”
Seemingly moved by Lu Yuanpeng’s righteous spirit, the group of wastrels all dismounted. They hadn’t expected Lu Yuanpeng to have such a manly spirit. Someone thought for a moment and on impulse suddenly shouted: “Hey hey hey! Since we always play together, why don’t we all go join the army together?”
“Don’t fool around! We’re going to join the army, not to play!” Lu Yuanpeng held his head high and chest out.
“Now that you put it that way, I want to go! Everyone… even the Lu family’s Yuanpeng, who loves to fool around the most, is going to join the army. Can we still spend our time in romance and revelry in this capital city? Let’s go too! After we drive the Liang dogs back to Liang, we can celebrate with drinks! We’ll have impressive experiences to boast about to the flower house girls!”
“Easy to say, but which of your family’s grandfathers and parents would agree to let you join the army?” Sima Ping crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows with a light laugh.
“Then how did you two get your grandfathers and parents to agree?” a wastrel asked.
“That’s simple – go secretly! Under assumed names. I’m called Wang San! Sima Ping is called Ma San!” Lu Yuanpeng said proudly.
“Then we can go secretly too! Anyway, this recruitment order says, regardless of status, anyone can go, even beggars! We can make up stories saying we have no household registration – maybe they’ll even register us! I’ll be called Li San!”
“Where did you get those clothes?”
“Right… where did you get the clothes? Let’s go get a set to wear too!”
“Then I’ll be called Yu San!”
The group of wastrels talked and laughed, whether from momentary impulse or wanting to fool around with Lu Yuanpeng and Sima Ping, they all changed into ordinary commoner’s clothes and shoes, and went together in a grand procession to the military camp to enlist.
When Chancellor Lu returned from court, he heard that the group of wastrels led by Lu Yuanpeng in the capital had all changed into commoners’ clothes today and gone in a grand procession to the northern city military camp to enlist. Chancellor Lu’s forehead throbbed.
He had clearly instructed Lu Yuanqing to tell Lu Yuanpeng to go quietly! Quietly! How did it still cause such a commotion?
Now, the wastrels joining the army had become news known throughout the capital’s streets and alleys.
This grandson of his was always unreliable, acting unexpectedly, giving Chancellor Lu endless headaches.
However, when Chancellor Lu calmed down to think about it, this was also good. With the matter blown up… the Emperor would know it wasn’t because Chancellor Lu had some scheme that he sent his grandson to the military camp, but because Lu Yuanpeng was fooling around, secretly slipping out of home and bringing that group of wastrels to join the army, wanting to drive the Liang army out of Jin. The Emperor would surely be pleased to hear this!
It was also fortunate that Lu Yuanpeng didn’t say he wanted to go to the northern frontier to follow Sister Bai or anything like that; otherwise, the Emperor would surely be suspicious again.
Chancellor Lu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and let out a long breath.
Anyway, Lu Yuanpeng was a famous wastrel in the capital. His foolish decision to join the army… the Emperor surely wouldn’t take him seriously. He just hoped Lu Yuanpeng could be more promising and not come back unable to endure hardship in the end. If he could make a name for himself in the army, it would be their Lu family’s fortune.
“Chancellor! Chancellor, this is bad! Patrol Battalion Commander Fan Yuhuai has come to the door with a mournful face, begging the Chancellor to control Young Master Yuanpeng, not to take their family’s only heir to the northern frontier battlefield, otherwise Lord Fan worries his old mother will fight him to the death!”
“Chancellor! Chancellor, this is bad! Lord Shoushan has personally come, saying he begs the Chancellor to have our Young Master Yuanpeng release his great-great-grandson…”
Chancellor Lu’s teacup trembled in his hand as he quickly stood up: “Quickly invite Lord Shoushan and Lord Fan in first…”
Bai Qingyan followed Liu Hong on horseback, waiting for Xun Tianzhang at the Dragon Mother River between Longyang City and the Liang army’s main camp.
Today, the sky was overcast and the wind was particularly strong.
Before long, Xun Tianzhang slowly approached, standing on a war chariot, with Zhao Sheng riding alongside with a team of elite troops.
Liu Hong had people present the heads of the Zhao family army scouts who had entered the city last night to Xun Tianzhang, smiling as he said: “If General Xun wants to know our Jin army’s military intelligence, why go to such trouble sending people into the city to scout? Why not ask me and General Bai? Liu Hong will surely speak without reservation… holding nothing back.”
Before coming, Bai Qingyan had specifically instructed Liu Hong that his attitude must be firm, and he must give the Liang army a time limit to show the Jin army’s eagerness for battle, so the Liang army would believe Jin reinforcements had arrived.
Xun Tianzhang’s gaze fell on those heads of the Zhao family soldiers. He gripped the chariot’s handrail tightly and looked at Bai Qingyan, who sat on her horse in silver armor with cold, indifferent eyes.
It seemed that Jin’s reinforcements had indeed arrived, which was why they dared to be so aggressive. Otherwise, they would surely be hesitant and indecisive like Zhang Duanrui.