Chapter 664 Reward for Ye Mingsheng!
When Zhang Chenghu heard that there were pursuers coming, he immediately became nervous and asked:
"How many of them are there?"

Upon hearing this, the subordinate said without hesitation:
“The enemy seems to have mistaken us for a small force. They’ve only chased us with about a hundred people. But they’re very fast and are about to catch up with us. We may not be able to shake them off…”

Hearing this number, Zhang Chenghu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave the order directly:

"Since we can't get rid of them, let's kill them! Everyone prepare for an ambush. No one will be left alive in this battle. We must resolve the battle within a cup of tea."

"Yes!"

After receiving Zhang Chenghu's order, these elites of the Fengwu Army quickly hid in the woods nearby, waiting calmly for the arrival of their prey!
Although the Zhennan Army that was chasing them had about the same number of people as his own side, Zhang Chenghu was very confident in his own side. Although under Xu Zhaojie's training, the Zhennan Army's combat effectiveness was also very strong, much stronger than the Henan Army and the Qi Army, but in the small-scale conflicts between the two sides on the border, the ratio of casualties on both sides was about one to two.

Now that his side is full of elites of the Fengwu Army and they are in an ambush, Zhang Chenghu is very confident that he can resolve the battle in a cup of tea and then continue to advance towards Xiaowuling. Xiaowuling is only about ten miles away from the Hebei-Henan border, so it can be said that it is basically safe there!
Just as his men reported, the speed of the Zhennan Army chasing after them was indeed very fast. Zhang Chenghu’s men had just set up an ambush when they arrived quickly. At this time, the Zhennan Army soldiers were not aware of the danger yet. Their faces were full of excitement and anticipation·······················
In order to completely annihilate the small army that killed Anqing General Chen Zongchang, give an explanation to Xu Zhaojie, and allow himself to take the position of general as he wished, Wang Songhe not only blocked the border, but also offered generous rewards. Killing one Fengwu soldier would be rewarded with five taels of silver, and killing five would result in a promotion by one level!
Many soldiers of the Zhennan Army coveted such a generous reward. They regarded the heads of the Fengwu Army soldiers as the golden key to their promotion and wealth!

However, imagination is beautiful, but reality is very cruel. Just when the soldiers of Zhennan Army were fantasizing about making a fortune with the heads of Fengwu Army, with a roar from Zhang Chenghu, hundreds of Fengwu Army rushed out from the woods like tigers descending from the mountains. The Zhennan Army was caught off guard and lost dozens of people.

Although the remaining Zhennan Army soldiers wanted to form a military formation to resist the Fengwu Army's attack, the advantages of the individual martial arts of the elite Fengwu Army under Zhang Chenghu were demonstrated at this time. They quickly shattered the Zhennan Army's formation and divided and surrounded the enemy.

In a little more than a cup of tea, there were no more Zhennan Army soldiers standing on the ground. After quickly cleaning up the battlefield, Zhang Chenghu led his men to continue advancing towards Xiaowuling. Two hours later, they finally arrived at their destination.

Seeing that his brothers were very tired after tossing and turning for a whole night, and more than a dozen of them could not walk anymore, Zhang Chenghu sent the scouts out and asked his men to rest here for a while, eat something and drink some water...

While everyone was resting, Zhang Chenghu was looking far into the distance. He knew very well that it would be difficult for Jiang Dahai and his dozen brothers, who were responsible for the covering and luring mission, to survive and reach Xiaowuling to reunite under the pursuit of enemy forces that were tens or hundreds of times their number.

But Zhang Chenghu still expected a miracle to happen!
Jiang Dahai was selected from the First Army to the Flying Tiger Battalion just a year ago. When he first entered the Flying Tiger Battalion, he was just a private, but he was brave and careful, and his personal martial arts were also very powerful. In addition, the Flying Tiger Battalion undertook many missions of infiltration and raids behind enemy lines, and the casualties were very high, and there were often vacancies in official positions. So after repeatedly making military exploits, Jiang Dahai was like riding a firework, from a private to the captain of the Flying Tiger Battalion!
Although they had only been together for a year, Zhang Chenghu admired Jiang Dahai's courage and fighting spirit very much, and he specially brought him along on the mission to assassinate Liu Zongchang this time.

I originally wanted to give Jiang Dahai some experience so that I could promote him in the future, but I didn't expect things to turn out like this!

The task of covering the main force's retreat and leading away the enemy's pursuit troops was extremely difficult and arduous. It was impossible for ordinary people to complete this task. Therefore, under the circumstances at the time, although there were other options, Zhang Chenghu still felt that Jiang Dahai was the best candidate. Only he could complete this task, so he finally made this painful choice!

After waiting for a whole incense stick of time, the sky was already getting light, but there was still no sign of Jiang Dahai and the others in sight. Zhang Chenghu could not help but close his eyes and sighed silently in his heart.

Although he personally wanted to wait for Jiang Dahai for a while, as a leader, he could not risk the lives of more than a hundred of his brothers when the enemy could catch up at any time!

After opening his eyes again, Zhang Chenghu regained his composure and ordered loudly:

“Brothers, let’s go home…”

･････････････
･････････････
Yijing, Governor's Mansion

Late at night, after delivering the grain, Ye Mingsheng was very tired physically and mentally, and just wanted to have a good sleep. However, at this moment, he felt a small hand behind him, hugging his waist.

Feeling the breath so close, Ye Mingsheng was a little surprised. An Miaoyi's fighting ability has never been very high, and she often needs Qiqige's assistance to deal with her. She was almost exhausted after the fierce battle just now. How come she recovered so quickly now?

Just when Ye Mingsheng was hesitating whether to fight another 300 rounds, he heard An Miaoyi's gentle voice.

"Ms. sir, are you asleep?"

"Ok?"

An Miaoyi was silent for a while in response to Ye Mingsheng's response. Just when Ye Mingsheng, who was very sleepy, was about to fall asleep, she leaned over to Ye Mingsheng's ear and said:

"My dear, can I ask you something?"

An Miaoyi’s voice immediately woke Ye Mingsheng up. Ye Mingsheng rubbed his eyes and leaned against the headboard. Although he didn’t know what An Miaoyi was going to ask him, Ye Mingsheng felt that based on his understanding of An Miaoyi, she still insisted on asking him at this time, which must be no ordinary matter, so Ye Mingsheng needed to take it seriously·······················

Facing An Miaoyi's gaze, Ye Mingsheng said very seriously:
"Tell me everything you know!"

After getting Ye Mingsheng's answer, An Miaoyi bit her red lips and said:
"Husband, Qiqige came to see you that day, right?" Ye Mingsheng was somewhat surprised to see An Miaoyi mentioned Qiqige. In the short period of time just now, Ye Mingsheng thought that An Miaoyi would ask about the Murong family, so Ye Mingsheng deliberately said very carefully that he would tell you everything he knew, but he did not say the second half of the sentence!
But since An Miaoyi didn’t ask this, it’s a good thing for everyone!

Even though Qiqige said that she came here without telling An Miaoyi that day, it seems now that An Miaoyi obviously knows something, but she is not quite sure. Therefore, if she says now that Qiqige did not come to see her, she would be treating An Miaoyi as a fool!
Ye Mingsheng did not deny it. He nodded slightly under An Miaoyi's gaze and said:
"She came to see me!"

Seeing Ye Mingsheng admit it so straightforwardly, An Miaoyi seemed a little surprised. After a moment of silence, she asked Ye Mingsheng:
“Husband, you two…”

Seeing An Miaoyi's eyes flickering and her vague words, Ye Mingsheng was also a little confused. What did An Miaoyi know?

After hesitating for a moment, An Miaoyi finally made up her mind and looked at Ye Mingsheng and said:
"My husband, please take Qiqige as your concubine! I should have understood this long ago!"

Seeing that An Miaoyi didn't mention Xiao Ruolan at all, and even wanted him to take Qiqige as a concubine, Ye Mingsheng couldn't help but said curiously:
"Miao Yi, what on earth are you thinking?"

Faced with Ye Mingsheng's inquiry, An Miaoyi simply did not hide it and told Ye Mingsheng directly. Although she trusted Qiqige very much, under Jiyue's persuasion and seeing with her own eyes that Qiqige deliberately concealed and secretly met with Ye Mingsheng without telling her, An Miaoyi was somewhat suspicious. She wondered if Qiqige was not satisfied with just being a maid here and began to seek a place in the Ye Mansion.

Hearing An Miaoyi's idea, Ye Mingsheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He said to An Miaoyi very seriously:
"Qiqige is not what you think! She is like a sister to you and is very loyal to you!"

An Miaoyi was silent for a while before she said to Ye Mingsheng:
“If that’s the case, why did Qiqige secretly look for you? You made her look like that. She didn’t dare to sit on a chair for two or three days…”

When An Miaoyi said this, she looked a little angry, as if she was standing up for Qiqige!

Seeing this, Ye Mingsheng looked a little embarrassed. He had indeed played quite crazily that day and used all the moves he could think of on this wild horse on the grassland. However, her physical fitness was really good and she recovered in two or three days. If it were someone else, they would probably need to rest for at least ten days!

Ye Mingsheng originally didn't want to answer An Miaoyi's question. After all, it was better for An Miaoyi not to know about Xiao Ruolan's affairs. So just when he was thinking about how to change the subject, An Miaoyi seemed to be aware of Ye Mingsheng's thoughts. She directly grabbed Ye Mingsheng's hand and stared into Ye Mingsheng's eyes, as if to say that if Ye Mingsheng didn't tell the truth today, no one would be able to sleep tonight.

Seeing her expression, Ye Mingsheng sighed in his heart, knowing that An Miaoyi was going to get to the bottom of the matter today, but he still held on to the last glimmer of hope and said to An Miaoyi sincerely:
"An Miaoyi, this is not a good thing. Qiqige is also thinking about you. This will not have any impact on your life now!"

Ye Mingsheng's sincere dissuasion did not dissuade An Miaoyi from thinking this. She looked into Ye Mingsheng's eyes and insisted:
"My husband, you just said that you will tell me everything you know. No matter what it is, I can take responsibility for it!"

After receiving this answer, Ye Mingsheng shook his head, but he could only say:
“Qiqige saw Xiao Ruolan and I hugging each other, so she thought that there was something going on between me and Xiao Ruolan. She was afraid that you would know about it and wouldn’t be able to bear the blow, so she came to me secretly and advised me not to have any contact with Xiao Ruolan anymore…”

Before Ye Mingsheng finished speaking, An Miaoyi's eyes were already wet, and two lines of tears ran down her face. She asked Ye Mingsheng word by word:

"My husband, are you and Xiao Ruolan really together?"

Listening to An Miaoyi's question, Ye Mingsheng suddenly felt helpless. An Miaoyi was usually such a smart and intelligent woman, why was her brain not enough for such a problem? Although he was very helpless, Ye Mingsheng still explained:

"Tian Yu is your brother, and also my brother. I, Ye, am not that hungry for love. Tian Yu's life has been miserable enough. I will not bully him over this matter!"

“By the way, Miaoyi, do you think I, Ye, lack women around me? That day, Xiao Ruolan promised not to bother me anymore, but asked me to hug her. Qiqige saw this situation, so Qiqige misunderstood and thought that there was something going on between us…”

Hearing Ye Mingsheng say this, An Miaoyi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and whispered:

"I believe in you, my lord! Thank you for telling me the truth. I misunderstood Qiqige!"

"I thought Xiao Ruolan was a decent and polite woman, and I looked at her with a different eye, but I didn't expect her to be so shameless! Tomorrow I will let Tian Yu divorce this bitch and let her go back to Guanzhong!"

Ye Mingsheng had no objection to this. He comforted An Miaoyi with a few words and wanted to continue sleeping. He still had to hold a military and political meeting tomorrow morning to listen to the preparations of the General Staff and the Provincial Government for the Yunbing War. In addition, tomorrow morning he and An Miaoyi would bring little Jingren to accompany Ye Cui for breakfast, so he had to go to bed early.

As soon as his head touched the pillow, Ye Mingsheng opened his eyes and looked into the quilt in disbelief. Feeling Ye Mingsheng's gaze, An Miaoyi said a little embarrassedly:

“My husband, you resisted the temptation this time, so I should give you some reward. This is my first time, and my skills are not as good as Qiqige’s…”

(End of this chapter)