Chapter 22: Repaying with Peaches for Plums

  Seeing the more than 500 people gathered in front of her, Du He's expression changed.

  The people standing in front of him, how can they be ordinary civilians? They are all armed to the teeth and clearly a well-trained army!

  Most of them were between thirty and forty years old, and at a glance, they all looked like seasoned soldiers with rich combat experience.

  Were all the garrison militia of the Tang Dynasty at this level?

  Du He felt strange in his heart, but after a moment's thought, he suddenly realized.

  It's only been ten years since the Zhen Guan era, and it's only been a little over ten years since the world has been at peace. These people are all in their thirties or forties, and they're obviously all old soldiers who survived the battlefield, no wonder they have such an aura about them.

  They stood one by one with their robust bodies, waiting for Du He's command.

  In fact, if it weren't for Du He's move to calm things down yesterday, these battle-hardened warriors who had laid down their arms many years ago would never have picked them up again.

  Only soldiers who have survived the battlefield can be considered elite, but only those who have survived the battlefield know the horror of war. Once off the battlefield, unless necessary, no one is willing to stand on the battlefield again.

  These iron-blooded men are ordinary people too.

  It was just that the ancients valued righteousness and emotions, and Dugu Jue had a debt of gratitude to them, so at first they were willing to fight for Dugu Jue, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.

  Nowadays, Du He is also ordinary.

  Yesterday, Du He met with the Zhuang family and the manager. Their status is similar to that of a village head, and they are all local figures with high moral character. They are responsible for taking care of the people, and their words carry weight, earning them the trust of the people.

  Last night, as soon as they returned to their respective villages, they immediately mobilized the people and explained Du He's intentions, and also told them in detail about how Du He handled affairs.

  Du He handled all the trivial matters of the people's lives yesterday, such as Dongcun Village being short of a well, Xicun Village lacking several horses and cows, or some households having less land allocated to them, or some households struggling to make ends meet due to illness of their able-bodied men. Du He has always been lenient towards the people, so he would dig wells where there were none, buy cows where there were none, allocate land where there was none, and exempt from rent those who struggled to make ends meet, without giving it a second thought.

  But these small things in Du He's eyes are all big things in people's lives.

  These old soldiers, seeing how Du He treated them and cared about their livelihoods, one by one repaid his kindness. They put on their armor again, polished their rusty swords, and came to Du He's side, willingly serving as his personal bodyguards.

  Du He could never have imagined that he would be able to gather so many brave warriors, and was overjoyed.

  The role of elite soldiers on the battlefield is self-evident. To be able to possess 500 elite soldiers without any effort is truly a great joy.

  Looking at these soldiers, Du He said: "You are all brave warriors who have survived on the battlefield, and your experience is much stronger than mine, a fledgling who has never been to war. However, people have their own strengths. Although my experience is not as good as yours, my martial arts skills are better than any of you. So, I hope that when you go into battle, you will not think about how to protect me, but rather how to kill more enemies and gain more merit."

  Du He spoke lightly and casually, but the people below immediately became dissatisfied.

  Du He was only fifteen years old. Although he looked tall and big, in front of these soldiers who had been on the battlefield, he was just a little kid.

  "Second Master, what makes you say we're inferior to you!" a burly man with a thick beard shouted.

  Du He smiled and said: "Because I have this confidence! If you don't believe me, let's try it out. Don't worry, we'll just exchange a few moves, I won't hurt you!"

  Du He took another step forward.

  The big bearded man burst out laughing, the strong men around him all took a few steps back, forming a semicircle, each looking at Du He with playful eyes.

  They are all comrades-in-arms and brothers who have gone through life and death together. They know each other, and they also know the capabilities of this big-bearded man.

  Da Hu Zi was called Hong Da Hu Zi because he had a big beard on his face, and his real name was unknown to everyone.

  Hong Dahuizi, although he had not been on the battlefield for a long time, was naturally pugnacious and worked as an ironworker, with a robust physique that was unusually large. He was quite a character, perhaps slightly inferior in terms of martial arts techniques, but in no way inferior to those fierce generals on the battlefield in terms of bravery. Friends all jokingly called him "Big Whiskers Who Doesn't Want His Life".

  "Come on!" Du He hooked his finger and smiled: "I don't have the habit of making the first move, you go first!"

  "Hong Da Hu Zi shouted: 'Second Master, today I, Hong Da Hu Zi, will let you know what it means to be arrogant...' He couldn't finish his sentence and instead rambled on, charging towards Du He."

  Hong Da's whiskers bristled with a fierce aura, charging towards Du He like a mighty tiger, his posture and figure resembling a tiger pouncing on a lamb.

  Faced with this momentum, Du He didn't move at all, and some people thought he was scared silly, each showing a worried expression; but most were still watching with a curious and expectant attitude! I wonder what Du He's capable of, to be so full of confidence.

  Just as the two were approaching each other, Du He's hand suddenly quickly grasped Hong Da Hu Zi's wrist, his body slightly tilted to one side, and with a pull of his hand and a trip of his foot, Hong Da Hu Zi's massive body was like a kite that had broken free from its string, and he plunged headfirst into the mud with a thud, getting completely covered in mud.

  Everyone was stunned, and no one expected that Hong Dahou would not even take a single step in Du He's hands.

  Hong Da's big beard was covered in dust and dirt as he crawled up, the fall wasn't very heavy but not light either. This kind of injury didn't count for much to him, it was just a matter of losing face. He let out an angry roar and once again pounced at Du He.

  This time, he went all out!

  Du He smiled slightly and used the same method to throw Hong Da's whiskers to the ground.

  Duhe has never learned Tai Chi, but in martial arts, one method is clear and all methods are understood. This Tai Chi's soft-overcoming-hard technique can also be used.

  Against the likes of Hong Dahuizi's powerful warriors, using Tai Chi as a countermeasure is indeed the best choice.

  Bang, bang, bang......

  Hong Dahuzi was still not convinced, and began to use his wrestling skills, but was repeatedly thrown down by Du He's clever use of softness to overcome hardness.

  In fact, if he had used his fists and feet to fight back, it wouldn't have been so embarrassing, but Hong Dahu's mind only had one thought, and that was to wrestle, insisting on competing with Du He in wrestling.

  Even letting Du He fall eight times, Hong Da Hu Zi was finally convinced, lying on the ground in a sorry state and saying: "I won't come again, I won't come again. Second Master, I admit defeat. If we keep fighting, my bones will be broken by you, Young Master. From now on, whatever orders or summons, I, Hong Da Hu Zi, will obey to the death."

  This first move revealed a shocking expression on the faces of the old soldiers around, and their eyes looking at Du He were different.

  They were all figures who had fought their way up on the battlefield, and what they valued most was strength.

  Du He lightly knocked down Hong Da's beard, and has already shown a convincing strength.

  "Here I come!" A figure emerged from the crowd!

  As he spoke, all the old soldiers who had been arguing stopped talking and stared at him in shock.

  Du Ziying furrowed his brow and stepped forward, saying: "Fan Yuanchen, isn't it enough already?"

  Du He nodded at Du Ziying to step down, also knowing that the newcomer was not a simple character, which could be seen from the fierce killing intent on his body.

  This Fan Yuanchen must be one of the strongest among them.

  Du He's recruitment this time is not just for guards, but for a powerful and elite troop that can follow him into battle. Therefore, he must use his strength to make them surrender willingly.

  Beating their strongest one is the most direct way!

  Fan Yuanchen was also a very extraordinary person. He used to be a member of the Xuanjia Army and was the deputy general of Qin Qiong, the first fierce general of the Tang Dynasty. He was also a notorious general in the Xuanjia Army. Later, Li Jiancheng feared the intelligence of Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, and repeatedly sent assassins to kill them.

  Li Shimin specially drew a group of people from the left and right Xuanjia Army to serve as bodyguards for Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, in order to be absolutely safe.

  Fan Yuanchen thus became Du Ruhui's personal bodyguard. During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Xue Wanche, the top general under the Crown Prince, attacked the Xuanwu Gate. Fan Yuanchen was wounded by Xue Wanche during their confrontation and subsequently retired to settle in Ruyang.

  P.S: Yesterday old friends came, went to KTV with them, got drunk, and didn't write a single word. Today there are only two updates, really sorry about that.

  Sanjiang recommended it, next week if there's nothing special, one day three shifts is a must.

  There is an update at midnight tonight.