The next night, the compensation from Xiliang finally arrived at full gallop.
Jingzhe, Luo Xunlong, Long Cuihuan, Cheng Hao, Pin Hao and others all pitched in to count and check one by one. After more than an hour of busy work and confirming everything was correct, they finally bid farewell to the Xiliang prince.
Li Mingyang led the group away tearfully. He wished he would never see these people again in his life.
That night, Wei Dongling slept surprisingly well.
At dawn, Luo Xunlong directly barged into General Cui's tent, dragged him out and waved for the guards beside him to lead a team of soldiers to follow.
General Cui asked sleepily, "Brother Luo, what's the hurry?"
Luo Xunlong laughed heartily, "The compensation from Xiliang arrived in the middle of the night last night. Wake up quickly. Let's go to General Fei to get the silver!"
Hearing this, General Cui instantly perked up and asked excitedly, "After we get the compensation, we don't have to stay in this god - forsaken place anymore? Can we go back?"
"Yes!" Luo Xunlong laughed heartily.
Soon, he took General Cui in a carriage to the inn where Wei Dongling was staying.
As soon as General Cui reached the second floor, he suddenly heard louder and louder noises coming from General Fei's room. He couldn't help but listen intently and vaguely felt that the person loudly questioning inside seemed to be the Ninth Prince of the Celestial Dynasty.
The Ninth Prince slapped the table and shouted, "Why is the compensation for your Northwest Iron Cavalry so much more than that for our Celestial Dynasty soldiers? General Fei! Anyway, you should treat everyone equally!"
General Cui curled his lips inwardly. Then he heard General Fei roar hoarsely, "This is all I'm giving you! Take it or leave it!"
The Ninth Prince refused to yield and said loudly, "Is this appropriate for you?"
General Fei sneered coldly in the room, "When attacking the city gate of Jiangcheng, our Northwest Iron Cavalry charged forward bravely. More than 30,000 heroic soldiers died in battle, and the number of the injured is countless! How much have your Celestial Dynasty soldiers sacrificed? How could you have the nerve to come to me and make demands?"
"You!" The Ninth Prince was so choked that he couldn't say a word for a long time.
General Fei roared angrily, "For all the injured soldiers of our Northwest Iron Cavalry, no matter how much it costs and how much money is spent, I will cure them one by one and provide for them until they are old! As for your Celestial Dynasty soldiers, giving you this much compensation is already more than kind - hearted! If you don't think it's too little, leave the money and get out of here by yourself!"
"You're simply going too far!" The Ninth Prince seemed about to fly into a rage, but was stopped by the people around him.
Soon, the indignant Ninth Prince led several Celestial Dynasty soldiers out, carrying several heavy boxes. As he passed by General Cui, he glared at him fiercely.
General Fei inside the room coughed loudly. Luo Xunlong stepped forward and knocked on the door carefully, "General Fei, General Cui is here."
It took General Fei a long time to stop coughing, and then softly called out, "Come in!"
Only then did General Cui and Luo Xunlong enter and take their seats.
Jingzhe walked over impatiently and handed over a list, which listed all kinds of compensation and pension for the Northwest Iron Cavalry. General Cui checked the total amount carefully and found that it was much more than he had expected!
General Cui couldn't help but feel relieved. He sighed silently in his heart that General Fei really never treated his own people badly!
General Fei was slowly drinking medicine behind the screen. Seeing that they were silent, he waved his hand and said, "If you have no objections, take the silver and go back to report!"
Luo Xunlong immediately nodded, stood up and asked the guards waiting at the door to come in and count the silver. Box after box, they counted more than a dozen boxes in a row. Luo Xunlong beamed with joy and asked them to carry the silver back to the barracks of the Northwest Iron Cavalry.
Seeing that General Cui was sitting on the grand master's chair without moving for a long time, Luo Xunlong couldn't help but look puzzled.
General Fei's tired voice came out, "Does General Cui have any objections to this compensation amount?"
General Cui shook his head and said, "No objections. Thank you, General Fei, for always protecting your subordinates! I, on behalf of all the brothers, thank you!"
Wei Dongling's tone softened and she sighed, "You lead the brothers back! Take good care of yourselves! We'll meet again one day!"
General Cui's eyes turned red and he was on the verge of tears. General Fei had clearly chosen a perilous and desperate path, but still said nothing at the moment of parting and took all the responsibility alone!
General Cui knelt down with a thud and choked with sobs, "General Fei! All of us brothers will follow you to the death! Take us to the capital with you!"
These words shocked Jingzhe so much that his eyes almost popped out.
He never expected that the ruse of feigning defeat would work so quickly!
Luo Xunlong gave him a knowing look, beaming with pride.
Wei Dongling coughed lightly and sighed, "Have you thought it through? This is a one - way road."
General Cui replied with tears in his eyes, "Our Iron Cavalry is willing to advance and retreat with the general all our lives!"
With a general who always protected the Iron Cavalry like this, what were they afraid of even if it was a mountain of swords or a sea of fire? What kind of battles hadn't the brothers fought!
Wei Dongling said solemnly, "With General Cui's words, I will never treat the brothers badly!"
General Cui bowed respectfully and retreated with excitement in his heart.
Luo Xunlong winked at Jingzhe and then trotted after General Cui. His task was to infiltrate the Iron Cavalry, get along with the soldiers like brothers, increase the cohesion and obedience of the Iron Cavalry, and guide General Cui to gradually gather around General Fei.
Now that General Cui had chosen to follow Wei Dongling to the capital on a whim, he was very satisfied. But he also knew that on the way to the capital, his connecting role would have to be even greater.
If it weren't for his reluctance to part with Cuihuan, he would even have wanted to grow a beard and live and eat with the Iron Cavalry soldiers!
Jingzhe rarely showed a smile on his face and happily went to congratulate Wei Dongling.
Soon, Wei Dongling summoned Cheng Hao and the secret guards of the Prince's Mansion. When Cheng Hao learned that everyone was going back while he and the secret guards were left in the snow - covered Jiangcheng, he couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Is this appropriate for you?"
Wei Dongling waved her hand and said, "Now that our two armies have withdrawn, the economy of Jiangcheng will surely recover. All the properties we bought at low prices are in your and Brother Long's names. After the market price stabilizes, these properties can all be sold. This matter can only be entrusted to you. I can't trust others to do it."
Hearing this, Cheng Hao felt a little relieved and asked plaintively, "When can I go back to the capital?"
Wei Dongling carefully flipped through the ledger in her hand and sighed, "Although the compensation from Xiliang is quite satisfactory, after all, so many soldiers are going back to the capital. The expenses will be too huge. So, I'm poor again! If the properties in Jiangcheng can be sold at a normal price, it can at least subsidize us a little."
Hearing this, Cheng Hao felt dizzy. How could they be poor again in an instant? He was counting on following Miss Wei all the way to enjoy delicious food. Even eating taro balls every day would be fine! How could all the dowry and compensation be gone after a battle?
Cheng Hao seriously suspected that Miss Wei had faked the accounts!