Chapter 47.2
For some reason, while standing in the cold wind, Zong Luo suddenly remembered when Yu Beizhou held his wrist, with merely just a few fingers, he could feel the temperature of the other person’s body which was much higher than that of ordinary people.
Especially for people like Zong Luo with low body temperature, it was simply like a furnace.
The young man in red, who was originally sitting on the corner of the wall, was nowhere to be seen, and only a puddle of melted frost remained.
The plum blossom trees on the side swayed, rustling the snow to fall.
****
The next meeting with the former subordinate went smoothly.
Xuan Cavalry were soldiers he brought out by hand, and each one was personally selected by Zong Luo. Some of them came from other regiments, and some were selected directly from the recruiting battalion. Among them, there were also younger brothers that Zong Luo took in from other influential families in the Imperial City, as well as talents from other countries who came out of admiration.
According to common practice, in general, a prince should not have the right to form his personal soldiers. Now that Zong Luo had obtained this power, Xuan Cavalry was equivalent to private soldiers directly loyal to him. Although the other half of the tiger talisman was stored away at Emperor Yuan’s place, as long as Zong Luo reckoned, the master of Xuan Cavalry would always be him.
Zong Luo could distrust many people, but he definitely would not distrust his soldiers.
In his previous life, he was demoted to the border by an imperial edict from Emperor Yuan.
Before leaving, Zong Luo went to the barracks with his body and kneeled for a day and a night, speaking bluntly of going to the border, he was even ready to never return to the Imperial City.
He was alone on his own, but the soldiers under his command, above were elderly and below were the young. Although he usually provided them a lot of subsidies out of his own pocket, in the end, the things related to the overall situation were still very important.
(t/n: above were elderly and below were the young-to have to take care of both one’s aging parents and one’s children)
Zong Luo really didn’t want to delay his brothers’ career, so using good words, he persuaded all the brothers to disband and dismount the horses. In the morning of tomorrow, he would write to the Taiwei to dismiss their military registrations, to never pursue and detain, and to wish everyone a promising future.
(t/n: Taiwei-supreme government official in charge of military affairs)
After speaking, Zong Luo drove everyone out of the barracks.
There was such a process like this before each expedition. The soldiers would have to go home and pack their luggage, meet their families, and even needed to subsidize their monthly salary for household use, because no one knew whether it would be a farewell this time.
However, when the troops were gathered for a roll call on the next day, Zong Luo counted them one by one.
At the end of the count, his voice nearly choked.
There were more than 3,000 people, all of them came back, and none of them left because of this.
Later, after being stationed at the border for two years, Zong Luo received a letter from Imperial Censor Xue, intending for him to return to the Imperial City immediately.
Just like two years ago, before he left, he told all the brothers that if they followed him back, they would probably be directly involved in the battle for the crown prince position, and would have a slim chance of surviving.
The final result was the same as two years ago.
Zong Luo committed suicide under the Imperial City gate, and the whole army of Xuan Cavalry who accompanied him back was completely wiped out.
Therefore, Zong Luo had no doubts about such a team that would rather die following him, regardless of his glory or status, they would swear to follow him until they could no longer move.
“Deputy General Mu Yuanlong, pay respects to His Royal Highness!”
As expected, as soon as he entered the study, Mu Yuanlong would kneel down and present the tiger talisman.
This tiger talisman was a piece made in a hurry after the Third Prince’s death along with the disappearance of the Xuan Cavalry’s tiger talisman. In Zong Luo’s hand, its shape and style were different from the old tiger talisman.
Zong Luo quickly went to help him, “Get up quickly. You are now the commanding general, why are you still kneeling casually?”
After his death at Hangu Pass last year, Emperor Yuan handed over Xuan Cavalry’s military power to Mu Yuanlong.
Whether emotionally or logically, Mu Yuanlong could now be regarded as Xuan Cavalry’s serious commanding general. Except for meeting the emperor on major occasions, when seeing Yu Beizhou, he only needed to cup his fists and salute.
Mu Yuanlong refused to get up by all means, and said in a deep voice, “This subject will always be His Highness’s deputy general.”
“His Highness has taken the Tiger Talisman, this subject’s status will be restored again.”
Zong Luo sighed, “Now that I am like this, leading troops to fight is just an extravagant hope. Why do you have to be like this, acknowledging a blind man as master, saying it will only make people laugh at you.”
“Your Highness, where are the words?” (TL: That’s not true.)
Mu Yuanlong became anxious, “Xuan Cavalry is His Highness’ personal soldiers.”
Behind him, several other Xuan Cavalry men also lowered their heads and half-kneeled, unwilling to get up even if convinced to do so.
Zong Luo’s heart was half bitter and half moved.
Bitterness, bitter that he ended up in such a way in his previous life, but still dragged down these brothers under him. And moved, moved by their ‘always by your side, never parting, and never abandoning’.
“Your Highness, everyone in the camp is looking forward to your return.”
“If His Highness does not accept, this subject will immediately enter the palace to meet the Emperor, be dismissed from this position, take off the armor and go home.”
This also possessed a threat.
Zongluo gave a bitter smile, “Yuanlong, don’t embarrass me.”
Mu Yuanlong refused, “Your Highness, why don’t you follow this subject to the camp to have a look, the brothers miss you very much, and so does Zhao Yebai.”
After the Battle of Hangu Pass, all the surviving Xuan Cavalry, even if the commanding general died, none have left or applied for transfer.”
“Over the past year, Xuan Cavalry’s daily practice has never stopped, and its loyalty remains unchanged.”
“Now, the entire army is on standby, and is ready to be mobilized at any time, Commanding General, please give instructions!”
