novelnext Chapter 8 Undercurrents
Chapter 8 Undercurrents
In the afternoon, while working, on the third trip carrying fodder, there was a commotion at the front camp.
Judging from the cursing, it was coming from the other side of the camp road.
I thought it would calm down soon, but to my surprise, the shouting only got louder and louder.
As soon as he threw down the bundle of straw, Mo Qin turned around and saw two groups of people blocking the middle of the road.
On one side were the Liaodong border troops, and on the other side were the newly arrived guest troops, their armor more uniform and their accents more refined.
The two men were so close their noses were almost touching, their hands on their weapons, neither willing to give way.
"Don't you even understand the concept of first come, first served?"
The old soldier from Liaodong, his face flushed and neck bulging, made Mo Qin fear he might have a stroke. "I've been guarding this border for years, who do you think you are, coming here to steal our sheds, hay, and cooking stoves?"
The Southern soldiers weren't intimidated either: "We've guarded the border for years, and we still got beaten to this state by the Japanese! You have the nerve to bark here?"
These words were quite damaging, and the air instantly became tense.
Mo Qin could see clearly that the one who started the fight was not the two people facing off, but rather a tall, thin man in the back.
He placed his hand on the leader's waist and gently pushed him away, the movement so quick it was as if he had just brushed against him unintentionally.
The veteran lunged forward half a step and crashed into the arms of the person opposite him, making the scene instantly exciting.
"Damn it, you dare to lay a hand on me?!"
"You son of a bitch, I'm going to touch you!"
The group was entangled in a fierce struggle, and it looked like they were about to draw their swords and draw blood.
But before the real show could even begin, three old soldiers came rushing over with sticks and started smashing things over his head.
"Are they all fucking tired of living?!"
"Let go of me, all of you!"
"Anyone who dares to move again will be tied to a stake and exposed to the wind tonight!"
The separated men were still cursing, but under the threat of the beating, they didn't dare to pounce again.
Mo Qin's gaze, however, passed over them and landed on the crowd of onlookers.
Near the crowd, the young man carrying water stood not far away, watching the whole farce unfold with his hands in his sleeves.
The young man noticed the gaze, simply turned his head slightly, and then walked away as if nothing had happened.
This was the second time Mochin had seen him, and his memory of him had deepened.
"Is it Xu Qing's doing again?"
Lin Jun had appeared next to him without him noticing.
My emotions tell me yes. But my reason tells me no.
Mochin looked away. "It seems there are bad guys among the players."
Meanwhile, Liu Gao carried the last bundle of straw into the shed and came out panting, saying, "It'll be more interesting if we fight. If Liaodong and the Southern Army fight, we can sleep much more peacefully at night."
Yan Qi stood in the shadows, arms crossed: "If you really get angry, you'll be the first one I hit."
Liu Gao was taken aback: "Why me?"
"You're dark-skinned, that's why you stand out."
Yan Qi said.
Lin Jun covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
Liu Gao stared at him, and after a long pause, he managed to choke out, "Your mouth will be sewn shut sooner or later."
Wang De emerged from behind the shed, coldly surveying the crowd: "Have you seen enough? If you have, go and bring those bundles from the west end as well. The front camp isn't a place for you to watch the show."
The four responded and continued working.
At the same time, the channel also started making noise.
"The Liaodong soldiers and the Southern soldiers are clashing again, it's hilarious."
"What's so funny? This is a loophole; someone deliberately pried it open."
"That sounds too far-fetched. Do you really think you're strategists?"
"The situation in the capital is still escalating, so what's wrong with things getting chaotic here first?"
"I've already put my men on the line. Some people in the Ministry of War are saying that with insufficient supplies and Zu Chengxun's previous defeat, it's not worth the rush to send out another large army."
"Who can you hook up with? You're bragging again?"
"Minister of War Shi Xing!"
"Go to hell! You think you're so capable?!"
"Hilarious! You guys in Liaodong actually treat Li Rusong like a god?"
"Those of you in the capital, don't pretend. Yesterday, someone was asking for connections in the chat."
"The clerks from the Ministry of War here have all spoken to me a bit more today, you understand?"
"You get so happy just from saying a few words, you're quite something."
"Has anyone tried to get close to Wei Zhongxian?"
"Touch him? What a load of crap. Going to help him wash vegetables in the kitchen now would be a waste of time."
"I told you long ago, finding him in the twentieth year of the Wanli reign was like digging for gold in a dog's kennel."
"Living is what matters; who cares if the line is right or wrong?"
To put it bluntly, you just want to take a crooked path.
Even a crooked path is still a path.
Upon seeing the last sentence, Mo Qin looked displeased and immediately closed the panel.
By the time the hay and ropes were all put away properly, the sky had already turned gray.
The four of them leaned against the wall, catching their breath, finally getting a moment of respite.
Liu Gao plopped down on the ground, first touching his stomach, then sighing.
"I finally understand the difference between the front camp and the mountain valley."
Lin Jun tilted her head to look at him: "What have you figured out this time?"
"They don't treat people like human beings here."
Liu Gao said in a serious tone, "They're being treated like livestock."
"No, you said earlier that it looked like a person."
When it comes to sabotaging someone, Lin Jun is truly ruthless.
"That's different."
Liu Gao waved his hand, "Yesterday I was alive, today I'm alive but still have to work. It's a far cry."
Mo Qin wiped the grass clippings from his hands and casually asked, "Where did you get all that strength?"
Liu Gao exclaimed "Ah!" and scratched his head.
"I was a farmer. The year before last there was a severe drought, and last year there was war. Even grass couldn't grow in the fields. People in the village scattered, some sold their possessions, and I fled with them. Later, I was captured and forced to carry sacks, rice, wood, whatever was heavy. As I carried, I ended up like this."
He grinned as he said this, but it was a forced smile.
"Later I realized that farmers and livestock are pretty much the same. In good years, they're tied up in the fields. In bad years, they're taken out and sold. I heard they were recruiting soldiers here and there was porridge, so I came."
Lin Jun glanced at him twice and slowly nodded.
"That's quite practical."
Liu Gao curled his lip, "Survival is more valuable than face."
Yan Qi, who was leaning against the side, paused for a moment when she heard this, as she wiped the arrow.
Lin Jun turned to look at him: "What about you? You can't have been raised on the land either, can you?"
"The hunter."
Yan Qi said.
"So short?"
Liu Gao was displeased, "You're quite sparing with your words, aren't you?"
Yan Qi looked at the arrow in his hand and said slowly:
"My father went hunting, and I followed him into the mountains. I learned to recognize footprints, know the wind direction, and listen for sounds at night. Later, the mountains became less peaceful; there were fewer wolves and more people. People went into the mountains not necessarily to hunt, but also to kill."
Liu Gao felt a chill run down his spine: "You've seen him before?"
"I've seen it all before."
Yan Qi raised his eyes slightly. "Dead people are easier to deal with than beasts; they won't bite back."
Liu Gao immediately shut up.
Lin Jun looked at Yan Qi thoughtfully: "No wonder you always look at people like you're hunting."
"You talk too much."
Yan Qi said.
"I'm just being lively."
Lin Jun wasn't embarrassed at all.
"You're like a pressure cooker! You're like a mouse gnawing on a table leg, grinding its teeth."
Mochin answered very quickly.
Lin Jun glanced at him sideways: "Do you have the right to talk to me like that?"
"Yes, I have."
Mo Qin said lazily, "I'm handsome, so whatever I say is right."
"I think you're a cricket!"
"Yeah. That's handsome too."
"OK."
Lin Jun nodded. "Then next time something happens, you can stand first. You can take advantage of your appearance."
Liu Gao, who was listening nearby, chuckled. Halfway through his laugh, he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Lin Jun, could I be... a model?"
Lin Jun raised her hand and brushed a stray hair from her forehead, a hint of smugness appearing on her face.
"It's difficult; there are certain requirements."
Liu Gao thought for a long time: "How much can I earn in a day?"
"Two hours, one tael of silver."
Lin Jundao.
Liu Gao immediately became respectful: "My goodness, that really takes skill."
After resting for a while, Liu Gao leaned against the wall and kept yawning.
Yan Qi carried the quiver to the side and, using the last bit of daylight, readjusted the fletching of the arrows.
Mo Qin glanced at Lin Jun.
Lin Jun understood and got up to walk to the back of the shed, with Mo Qin slowly following behind.
The shed is sheltered from the wind, with only wooden stakes and piles of old hay providing shelter.
Lin Jun leaned against the wooden stake.
"Speak."
She said, "You didn't call me here just to look at the scenery."
Mo Qin leaned against the other side, as if asking casually.
"This isn't your first time here, is it?"
Lin Jun paused.
"no."
She said, "The second time."
Mo Qin looked at her and said, "Then you're an expert."
"Old bullshit."
Lin Jun rolled his eyes at him. "A real veteran wouldn't be sitting here moving hay."
Where was your first time?
"Japan."
After Lin Jun finished speaking, he laughed first.
"When I first went in, I was much dumber than I am now. I didn't even know where I was, let alone how to assess the situation."
"How did you survive?"
"Hooking on someone's coattails."
Lin Jun spoke very frankly.
Mo Qin's eyes widened.
"There's really a powerful figure I can latch onto? Is this for real?"
"Yes. I met a veteran player who was better at fighting and quick-witted than me. I didn't know anything back then, so I just followed him wherever he went, and I didn't even dare to breathe loudly when he stopped. To put it bluntly, my life wasn't my own; he just took it by chance."
"And then?"
Lin Jun paused for a moment.
"He didn't make it."
After those words were spoken, there was a moment of silence behind the shed.
Lin Jun quickly composed herself and her tone returned to normal very quickly.
"So the second time I came in, I understood. When you can cling to someone's coattails, do so as much as possible; when you need to use your brain, do so. If you don't learn to assess the situation, you'll die before others sooner or later."
Mo Qin nodded without commenting; in fact, he hadn't understood.
After a while, he seemed to remember the important point and asked in a low voice:
"So, what did you choose when you first came in?"
Lin Jun was taken aback.
"What should I choose?"
"That's right, when you first came in."
Mochin looked at her. "Wasn't I supposed to give you three options?"
These words made Lin Jun look puzzled.
"I've never seen what you're talking about."
Mo Qin froze. He had originally thought that Lin Jun would either have a storage space or something like the "Tiangong Kaiwu" (a magical artifact).
"Really not?"
"no."
Lin Jun tilted his head and looked at him. "When I opened my eyes, there was a crowd of people. I didn't even have time to escape. I didn't have any choice."
At this point, she realized something was wrong.
"etc."
"Do you have it?"
Mochin did not answer.
Lin Jun lowered his voice.
"I think I understand. But don't ask me about this again, and don't mention it to anyone else."
"Huh?" This time it was Mo Qin's turn to be puzzled.
"I'm not kidding."
Lin Jun continued, "Once this gets out, people will only want to know what you have that you don't, and why you have it that I don't."
He spoke very seriously, and Mo Qin nodded after a long pause.
"understood."
Lin Jun didn't ask any more questions.
But after a series of questions and answers, the two of them ended up truly bound together.
Once some things are said, they become more than just temporary companionship.
Before evening, another conflict broke out on the camp road.
It was still Liao soldiers and Southern soldiers.
It was still a verbal altercation, and there were clearly more people starting it, as if they were waiting for this fire to start.
Mochin stood at the edge of the crowd and could see clearly.
Those who bully newcomers in Liaodong are not southern soldiers.
Those who shouted that the southern barbarians wanted to seize grain were not Liao soldiers.
When the old soldier went over with his stick for the second time, those who were tending the fire slipped away like eels in the water.
Liu Gao stared in disbelief: "This kind of pushing doesn't do them any good either!"
Lin Jun whispered, "Something terrible has happened."
Mo Qin subconsciously looked at the channel.
"Shi Xing from the Ministry of War is still dragging his feet; there are genuinely people who don't want to send troops."
Why?
"Food, pay, troop numbers—Zu Chengxun suffered another defeat; aren't there ready-made excuses?"
"They're just afraid of taking responsibility."
"Being afraid of taking responsibility is just a face-saving excuse; some people want to use this incident to gain prestige."
"Hilarious, isn't reputation meant to be earned?"
"Every man for himself! Survival comes first; what difference does it make who you help?"
"Then why don't you go help the Japanese pirates?"
"If such a path exists, it's not impossible to take it."
"You bastard."
"What are you pretending to be, acting all high and mighty?"
After dinner, the front camp was unusually quiet.
Not long after Liu Gao returned to the shed, he fell asleep like a dead pig, while Yan Qi sat in a corner of the shed cleaning arrows.
Mo Qin and Lin Jun stood at the edge of the stall, each lost in their own thoughts, and neither of them spoke.
Until a private message popped up in the bottom right corner.
Wolong is from Chengdu: "Li Rusong saw blood last night."
This major news gave Mochin a jolt.
Nine-Headed Bird of Central China: "Is he dead?"
Wolong is from Chengdu: "It's just a minor injury, otherwise it would have been a disaster."
Mo Qin touched his chin and breathed a sigh of relief.
If the commander-in-chief were to be gone, the court might just have to take over from Nurhaci!
Wolong, from Chengdu, said, "There's something else. Someone asked me to pass on a message."
Nine-Headed Bird of Central Japan: "As long as it's not the Imperial Army asking you to deliver a message! Who is it?"
Wolong is from Chengdu: "No need to ask your name. Just one sentence: Now that you've joined the guards' camp, if anything really happens later, find a way to protect Li Rusong."
Mo Qin stared at the line of words and blurted out the Three Character Classic!
What's the difference between this and the Nine-Headed Insect telling Benbo Ba, "Go and eliminate Tang Sanzang and his disciples"?
Nine-Headed Bird of Central China: "What do you think my status is now?"
There was a brief silence over there.
Wolong was from Chengdu: "That's why I said it was a message, not an order."
Mo Qin closed the private message and told Lin Jun the contents.
Lin Jun just chuckled after hearing this.
"You really think highly of yourself."
"Um."
"Is it funny?"
"Inconceivable."
Mo Qin smirked, "Instead of asking me to protect Li Rusong, I'd rather kill Toyotomi Hideyoshi."
Lin Jun couldn't help but laugh again.
This proves one thing.
she said.
"Someone is getting anxious."
Mochin said.
"right."
Lin Jun nodded, "If anything happens to Li Rusong, we'll just have to commit suicide ourselves."
Mochin looked at her: "It's November now."
Lin Jun said in a low voice, "According to the normal timeline, we should be setting foot in Korea in the first month of the lunar calendar."
"Some in the court opposed sending troops, the Liao and Southern troops were incited to escalate the conflict, and the generals also suffered bloodshed. It is no coincidence that the three sides moved at the same time."
Mo Qin added, "This is a confrontation between two forces, and there are also fence-sitters watching from the sidelines."
Lin Jun looked at him: "Anything else?"
"And what a ghost! My backside is perfectly upright; even if I die, I'll die on the side of the Ming Dynasty!"
While Mo Qin was still standing there with righteous indignation, a series of footsteps came from afar.
"You four! Get up!" It was Wang De's voice.
A noise came from inside the shed.
"Master Han needs people."
"Put on your armor, grab your sword, and come out immediately."