Zhao Zengjin left, and Xu Changqing was the only one left in the official hall.

Xu Changqing subconsciously wanted to touch the cigarette case on the table, light a cigarette and smoke it to soothe his mind.

But after a moment, Xu Changqing also came back to his senses and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing.

At this time, tobacco has been introduced to the Ming Dynasty for a long time, not only the common people of the Ming Dynasty many people like to smoke, but also the Manchus, Mongolians, including the Koreans, many people are in love with this imported product in the name of 'medicine'.

It's a pity that now the taste of these dry cigarettes is a bit excessive, and there are many indescribable miscellaneous smells, so that Xu Changqing, who is used to the exquisite cigarettes of later generations, really can't stand it......

There is no smoke, but there is wine.

He poured himself a glass of wine and tasted it in his mouth for a long time, Xu Changqing swallowed it, looked at the fire that had been extinguished a lot outside, and habitually narrowed his eyes.

At this time, although the map work is good, Xu Changqing's strength is limited, but he has refined many things on the seaside and sea, and the first line of Jinzhou, especially the future battlefield Daughter River, Rufeng Mountain, Songshan Ridge, including the first line of Xiaoling River, is not arranged.

This makes the map much less strategically important and less valuable.

However, it is enough to deal with Hong Chengchou and the general soldiers of all the ministries.

After all, the Ming army didn't collect so many nights, and they couldn't let Xu Changqing do all this kind of difficult work alone, so what else did they need others to do?

Not surprisingly, after the main force of the Ming army arrived along the Songshan line, the various units of the Ming army did not collect at night, and they would definitely go to survey more accurate maps.

To be honest, Xu Changqing is also happy to see this situation.

After all, with this kind of big scene, it is impossible for him Xu Changqing to change the overall situation with a flash of inspiration.

According to the principle of the 'barrel effect', even if the Ming army is not very strong, it must not be too bad.

Otherwise, once one part of the ministry collapses first, triggering a chain reaction, the consequences will be catastrophic.

At this time, Xu Changqing couldn't help but want to rush to the frontline battlefield as soon as possible, see Hong Chengchou's arrangement, and then quickly make corresponding plans.

Although the flowering shells were made and the explosives package was also on the road, at this time, these flowering shells were too heavy and destined to be thrown too far, and it seemed more appropriate to call them the simple version of the catapult'.

This time, if you want these sharp weapons to be effective, you must plan carefully.

"Dang, dangdang."

While thinking about it, there was a sudden knock on the bamboo door, and a slightly hoarse and magnetic woman's voice came: "General, you, have you rested..."

Xu Changqing was stunned for a moment, looked at the door, and saw a familiar slender figure, who seemed to be holding something, waiting nervously for the door, and there was a faint fragrance of delicious food coming in.

"Sister Mei?"

After a moment, Xu Changqing saw the person who came clearly, his eyebrows suddenly raised slightly, and he came back to his senses after a while, hurriedly opened the door, and reprimanded with some pity: "Sister Mei, it's so late, why are you here?" ”

The person who came was a young woman in her early twenties, not too beautiful, only about eighty points, but she was extremely charming, with a pair of red phoenix eyes, very cute, and her skin was very white, and her figure was excellent, about one meter six or five, full of the grace and softness of oriental women.

It was one of the first women Xu Changqing rescued from the gold cave by the sea in Kutuna, called Mei Yan.

Before, the reason why these women helped Xu Changqing do many things and appease people's hearts, Mei Yan contributed a lot, and she was also the leader of these women.

This is a very capable woman, her family turned out to be from a wealthy family in Guangning City, and Xu Changqing also admired her.

At this time, on the plate that Mei Yan was holding was a plate of 'stir-fried sea cucumbers'.

Several black sea cucumbers, which are bigger than fingers, have been carefully cut into thin slices, and they are stir-fried with chopped green onions and shredded ginger.

It must be known that on Hope Island at this time, green onions and ginger are luxury condiments.

"General, slave, slave is at the beach today, just right, just caught a few sea cucumbers, today I saw the general come back, so I haven't rested so late, so I went to make some supper for the general privately......"

Mei Yan was already very nervous, Xu Changqing's tall figure blocked the door a little unintentionally, and did not let her enter the house for the first time, which suddenly brought her a mountain of pressure, shyness, panic, and embarrassment, she couldn't help but hang her head, not daring to face Xu Changqing again.

Seeing Mei Yan's appearance, Xu Changqing also came back to his senses, and hurriedly patted his head and said with a smile: "Sister Mei, look at my brain, it's really funny, don't pestle at the door, come in and talk." ”

"Huh...?"

Mei Yan came back to her senses for a while, and the puppets were generally invited to the house by Xu Changqing, but she didn't know how to deal with herself with this plate of fried sea cucumbers, neither standing nor sitting.

Xu Changqing hurriedly smiled and invited Mei Yan to sit down, poured a cup of tea, and put the plate of fried sea cucumbers on the table, then smiled: "Sister Mei, thank you, you have a heart." How about it, are you still getting used to it after coming to Hope Island? ”

Seeing Xu Changqing's gentle attitude, Mei Yan also relaxed a little, but there was a little red cloud on her pretty face, and she said in a low voice: "It's okay, it's okay...... General, you, how many days can you stay on the island when you come back this time? No, slave, slave means, general, although you are still young, you can't work too hard, you must pay attention to your body. ”

As she spoke, she plucked up her courage and looked into Xu Changqing's eyes with great sincerity.

Feeling this kind of sincerity without impurities, Xu Changqing's heart couldn't help but pass through a warm current, only to feel warm in his heart.

This poor woman really treats herself as a relative.

Hurriedly smiled: "It's okay." The army is about to go on the march, and I can only hold on first. When the Tartars are gone, we can really change places, have a good rest, and recuperate. ”

"Great, the army is going to go on the march?"

Mei Yan was stunned for a moment, and her slightly calmed pretty face lost color for a while.

As a native of Quang Ninh, after all these years of exile and watching her relatives continue to sink into the hands of the Tartars, no one knows better than her the horror of those hateful Tartars.

If it weren't for Xu Changqing, she would have been reduced to despicable dry bones and dust.

"I'm sorry, general, slave, slave is a bit messy. You, are you going to go on the expedition too? Mei Yan also realized her outburst at this time, and she was busy calming down and looking at Xu Changqing.

Xu Changqing smiled, took the wine jug, poured a glass of wine for Mei Yan, poured another glass for himself, and said with a smile: "Sister Mei, this matter is a long story." Let's talk while eating. I haven't tasted Sister Mei's craftsmanship yet. ”

Seeing Xu Changqing's gentle and relaxed appearance, without an angry appearance, Sister Mei relaxed a little again and was busy serving Xu Changqing to eat.

I have to say that Mei Yan's craftsmanship is quite good, a plate of fried sea cucumbers, although there are no condiments, but they successfully suppressed the fishy smell of sea cucumbers, and the fresh fragrance is very pure, quite good, definitely at the level of a chef.

Xu Changqing briefly chatted with her about the army's expedition to Jinzhou, but he no longer talked about such a heavy topic, but turned to the question of why she made sea cucumbers.

Mei Yan smiled bitterly: "General, our Mei family has always been doing some seafood business, back then, on Changsheng Island, our Mei family was barely one of the imperial merchants, specially configured the unique sea cucumbers of Changsheng Island in the palace, and there were several recipes for cooking sea cucumbers at home." I also found out a few days ago that there are still sea cucumbers on Hope Island. However, compared to those sea cucumbers on Changsheng Island, it is still a little worse......"

With Mei Yan's statement, Xu Changqing also understood some of her past, and she couldn't stop sighing for a while.

If there were no Manchu Tartars, a barbarian neighbor full of aggression, even though the Ming Dynasty was old and corrupt, the whole general direction would at least be right.

If it can be developed smoothly, it may ......

It's a pity that history never ifs......

The two talked for a while, and the atmosphere began to become a little solemn, and they stopped talking.

Mei Yanqiao's face couldn't help but appear again, and the whole person was thin like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind, and she was about to fall when she was gently blown by the wind.

The reason why she came over today was that on the one hand, she was really worried about Xu Changqing's body, after all, Xu Changqing's work intensity was really a bit too high.

And then there's ...... Something that's hard to describe in words.

That kind of thing, since the moment she was rescued by Xu Changqing from Kutu's hands, has been breeding, and it is growing wildly.

And before Xu Changqing ransomed the peony and a few of their little girls, and the rapid explosion and tearing of this thing gave her a sense of crisis.

As she encouraged herself before: "Whether you succeed or not, you have to try." Even if you fail, you will die without regrets! ”

"General, I'm ......"

At this time, Mei Yan finally mustered up the courage, drank the wine in the cup in one go, and looked into Xu Changqing's eyes, but Xu Changqing came back to her senses when she heard her words, and turned to look at her......

Even if she has been working hard all these days, to a certain extent, she is a person that Xu Changqing trusts and relies on very much, but ...... After all, she is a broken flower and a willow......

How can you hope for something that is simply out of reach?

That will definitely disgrace the heroic man in front of him!

Thinking about it, Mei Yan's psychological defense line had collapsed, and tears were like springs, desperately gushing out.

I only hate 'I was born before I was born, and I am old when I was born'......

"Sister Mei, what's wrong with you? You okay? ”

Xu Changqing was thinking about the future war, but he really didn't notice the fluctuations on Mei Yan's side, relieved himself, and looked at Mei Yan's appearance, Xu Changqing was also a little speechless for a while.

The thing he hated and feared the most was a woman crying.

Moreover, as a veteran, Xu Changqing can naturally feel the indescribable affection in Mei Yan's eyes when he looks at him.

"General, I, I'm fine. You, you rest first, slave, slave won't bother you......"

As she spoke, Mei Yan hurriedly touched a handful of tears and turned around to leave.

Looking at his curvaceous waist, but it was haggard and sad, Xu Changqing was also a little angry for a while.

What the hell!

Can't this woman talk well?

The key is that Xu Changqing has a lot of evil fire these days, and coupled with the big supplement of sea cucumbers tonight, he is really a little uncontrollable restless.

"Sister Mei, I~~, I'm going to go on the expedition tomorrow morning!"

Seeing that Mei Yan was about to go out, Xu Changqing suddenly said loudly.

"Huh?"

Mei Yan was stunned for a moment, her whole person was like being struck by lightning, and she hurriedly turned around and said, "General, this, so fast?" ”

"Huh."

Xu Changqing smiled a little self-deprecatingly, "Sister Mei, the Tartar is powerful, and time waits for no one!" Perhaps, this expedition ......"

Xu Changqing deliberately whetted Mei Yan's appetite, and said with a long sigh: "Sister Mei, don't worry, tomorrow morning, I will arrange everything, and I will leave a way back for everyone, so that everyone can live well in Guannei." ”

"General......

"No, it's not ......"

"General, this ......"

Although Mei Yan has a lot of experience, because of her good family conditions since she was a child, she is also literate and reasonable, but how can she be the opponent of Xu Changqing, a veteran?

In an instant, it was a mess, and there was no time to take care of himself, all his thoughts were gathered on Xu Changqing's body.