Winter snow days, Hugh slaughterhouse.

In the main hall, Li Li was in the main position, and behind him stood Li Zhi and Tie Tuo.

Under the hall, more than ten generals such as Li Dian and Dian Wuflaw sat on both sides, and everyone looked at Ma Chao standing in the center of the hall.

At this time, Ma Chao was wearing a gray-white coarse cloth shirt, with several large patches on the hem and buttocks, covered in dirt, and his long black hair was glued together, unkempt and greasy, looking very sloppy.

Li Li looked at Ma Chao in the hall, and suddenly lost his mind, he really couldn't connect the person in front of him with Jin Ma Chao, who was wearing a brocade robe, a silver armor, and a white horse and a silver gun two months ago.

The gap is too big!

made Li Li feel like a dream, and couldn't help but sigh secretly: People rely on clothes and horses to rely on saddles, how can Ma Chao's dress and spirit at this time be worthy of the name of "Jin Ma Chao"!

Today's Ma Chao has a blank expression, sluggish spirits, confused eyes, and is clearly a depressed and decadent person.

The only thing that made Li Li more relieved was that Ma Chao's unruly and domineering expression between his eyebrows had been completely worn away. Although he looks depressed and decadent at the moment, standing in the lobby can give people a sense of calm and solemnity.

Obviously, after two months of hard labor, Ma Chao's previous arrogant and unruly temperament has disappeared, and he has begun to take on the appearance of a young man and an old man, and his heart tends to mature, which is not the same as before.

repeated hardships have prompted Ma Chao to gradually mature, which can be of great use.

However, whether Ma Chao sincerely surrendered this time and willingly joined the Wuwei Army, Li Li was not sure in his heart, and he still had doubts.

Ma Chao, such a high-minded and arrogant person, did he give in like this and be willing to serve under him Li Li?

"Meng Qi. Don't stand stupidly, come on, take a seat! ”

After looking at Ma Chao for a while, Li Li waved his hand with a smile on his face and motioned for the soldiers at the door to move a few and let Ma Chao sit down.

"Thank you too much." Ma Chao bowed to Li Li and said in a low voice.

"Meng Qi doesn't need to be formal, sit down and talk." Seeing that Ma Chao was so polite and thoughtful, Li Lijian's eyebrows moved slightly, and he said with a smile.

After Ma Chao sat down. Li Li smiled at the corner of his mouth, and said curiously: "I heard Mancheng say that Meng Qi has something to discuss with Ben Taishou in person, I don't know what is going on?" ”

"Ugh! Didn't General Li Dian make it clear? Ma is willing to join the Wuwei Army and worship under the command of Taishou! ”

Although Ma Chao's voice was still low. There was no obvious change in his expression, not the slightest hint of anger. But he raised his eyebrows slightly. still let Li Li see the shame and anger hidden in his heart.

It's just two months of hard labor, Ma Chao didn't work in vain, at least he learned to forbear, knew how to control his emotions, and his joy and anger were invisible.

It's a pity that Ma Chao's forbearance skills still lack some heat, and there is a slight jump between his eyebrows when he speaks. After all, it did not escape Li Li's deep and sharp eyes.

"Oh? Meng Qi actually wants to serve Ben Taishou, is this true? ”

Ma Chao frowned slightly when he heard this, and said in a deep voice: "I, Ma Chao, am an eight-foot man, how can I be a man who is untrustworthy?" Ma has made up his mind. May the Lord! ”

The smile on Li Li's face disappeared instantly, his eyes stared at Ma Chao's eyes deeply, and he said in an indifferent tone: "There are still no less than 30,000 war horses in the Fufeng Ma family, and there are also 10,000 or 20,000 horses in ordinary county soldiers, and the strength cannot be underestimated, and it is not much different from my Wuwei army."

A month ago, your father Ma Tengqin led 30,000 foot cavalry to form an alliance with Han Sui and jointly attack my Wuwei County. Although they fled in panic after the war, Ma Jiajun still fled back with more than 10,000 steps, and their strength still existed, not in a slump.

It's incomprehensible that you're taking the initiative to serve me now. I wonder if Meng Qi can solve Li's doubts? ”

"Without it, just to survive. Ma replied like this, I don't know if Taishou is still satisfied? Ma Chao said in a deep voice with a blank expression.

Li Li smiled slightly when he heard this, and muttered: "Live? Very haode a reason, Li believes this reason.

It's just that??????? Meng Qi asked to surrender this time, I don't know if it was a real surrender or a fraudulent surrender? Show your sincerity, otherwise it will be difficult for Li to trust you Ma Mengqi! ”

"Sincerity? Isn't it sincere enough for me to worship you as the Lord, so what do you want? ”

A hint of flush appeared on Ma Chao's cold face, his eyebrows raised, and he asked angrily.

Li Li saw that Ma Chao's expression was different, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and his face was still full of smiles.

Then he laughed and said, "Meng Qi doesn't have to be angry. Half a year ago, the two of us had never met, and although we were the same age, we had no intersection with each other and had nothing to do with each other.

In the first battle of Maple Canyon, Meng Qi raised troops for no reason to attack at night, trying to ambush and kill 7,000 soldiers and horses under my account in one fell swoop, cutting the grass and eradicating the roots, leaving no trouble. Unexpectedly, Meng Qi's luck was not good, not to mention the loss of soldiers, he was also seriously injured and absconded in embarrassment.

In the battle of Heilongling, Meng Qi once again raised troops to crusade, and united with Han Sui and other seven troops, totaling 60,000 people, to invade our Heilongling Pass. Unexpectedly, the Pegasus thieves came out of nowhere and joined forces with our Wuwei army to defeat the coalition army, chasing and killing for hundreds of miles, causing the coalition army to flee in defeat, and there were few survivors. And you, Ma Mengqi, were hit hard by me again, and after the war, you hid in my Wuwei County, and tried to escape after recovering from your injuries. It's a pity that you are still unlucky, and you ran into my general Tatar guarding the pass, but you couldn't break through, but you leaked your whereabouts, and then you were captured by Li Zhisheng and served in hard labor until now.

After I have captured you alive, I will neither treat you favorably nor deliberately humiliate you. Let you serve as a prisoner in Wuwei County, but I heard that you cherish war horses very much, so I sent you to the stable to raise horses. You used to work in the stables of Guzang City, and a month ago, your father Ma Teng and Han Sui came to attack with the combined army, so they sent you to this slaughterhouse to continue raising horses.

Ask yourself, I, Li Li, admit that I am not a person with a small belly, nor is I intolerant, and I will not show off my might in front of my subordinates and defeat you, torture and humiliate you. The generals of the defeated army since ancient times, if they do not surrender, except for beheading the public, who is not reduced to a prisoner under the ranks, straining their muscles and bones, and starving their bodies and skin.

Meng Qi, do you know that I won't kill you? Because you are a great general, and you are also a brave general who leads the cavalry into battle, I can't bear to kill you.

Besides, do you know that I don't send you to work in the fields, but I let you do the labor in the horse farm? Because I know that you cherish war horses, and I want you to learn to raise horses and be familiar with the habits of war horses. If one day you can change your mind, I will let you command the cavalry to fight! ”

Li Li's words moved the generals of the Wuwei Army in the hall, so they also knew that the lord really valued Ma Chao and had good intentions!

Listening to Li Li's words, Ma Chao held his head high at first, and a little disdain flashed in his eyes, thinking that Li Li was showing off his achievements and putting gold on his face.

However, as Li Li's earnest words came out, Ma Chao's heart was shaken, and he gradually lowered his head, and his eyes moistened unconsciously.

Before, Ma Chao had always thought that Li Li asked him to go to the stable to raise horses, which was to humiliate him and torture him. However, he now recalled.

After he was captured by Li Lisheng, he was not verbally insulted by Li Li, and he did not even meet Li Li. He Ma Chao was the general of the defeated army, and tried to kill Li Li many times, but Li Li did not kill him, but treated him like a heavy prisoner and served hard labor. Although the horse farm is pickled and the clothes are in tatters, the food is not bad, and there is a thick bedding when you sleep, so you will not be hungry or cold. During his servitude, no soldier whipped him at will, and no one sneered at him.

Thinking back carefully on the labor life in the past two months, Ma Chao suddenly found that everything was really as Li Li said.

No one deliberately humiliated him, and he did learn how to raise horses, knew how to identify various war horses, and was familiar with the habits of various horses such as Xiliang war horses, Dawan horses, sweaty horses, and horses. It can be said that there are many treasures and very good knowledge.

Now, as long as Ma Chao sees the war horse under the crotch of others, he can see the type, endurance and other advantages and disadvantages of this horse at a glance, and there are few mistakes.

Li Li saw that Ma Chao lowered his head for a long time without saying a word, sighed, and said, "Meng Qi, I know that you like brocade clothes and silver armor, and I have prepared it for you in advance, go to the wing room and change your clothes." Whether you sincerely serve me or surrender by fraud, as long as you are still serving under me, I will treat you as a general of the Wuwei Army and treat you equally, and I will never favor one over the other and be biased. Go ahead, change your clothes, and come back to the church. ”

After Ma Chao heard Li Li's words, he was excited, but he couldn't cry or laugh. He does have this hobby, he loves brocade clothes, silver armor and white robes, but how can he say this in public, isn't it a joke for the generals to see him.

Suddenly, Ma Chao really didn't know whether he should change his clothes, or politely refuse Li Li's kindness.

Originally, he was very disgusted with this gray-white tattered robe, but after listening to Li Li's words just now, he suddenly felt that this dress was actually very practical. Although it is not good-looking, it is sturdy and durable, and it also absorbs sweat, and this dress is the most suitable for working on the horse farm; If you wear a brocade dress, I'm afraid you won't be able to work.

In the dark, Ma Chao inexplicably felt that Li Li should not say such useless nonsense, when was this time, and he was still thinking about changing clothes!

As soon as he thought of this, Ma Chao suddenly became excited, and dense cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he trembled.

Then he hurriedly got up, knelt on his knees, bowed to Li Li and said, "Subordinate Ma Chao Ma Mengqi to meet the lord!" Ma Chao will swear to follow the lord to the death in his lifetime, lead the horse and pedal, and let the lord drive! ”

While Ma Chao lowered his head and pondered, Li Li kept squinting his eyes and paying attention to Ma Chao's actions.

It was only at this time that Ma Chao knelt down to confess the Lord, and Li Lifang opened his eyes, breathed a sigh of relief, and said in a deep voice: "Well, Meng Qi, you finally figured it out!"

Brocade clothes are just things outside the body, how can you be overly obsessed? At the time of life and death, if you still have a few beautiful clothes, even if Ben Taishou pities your talents, he will definitely not use you! Fortunately, the two-month horse farm experience is still a little useful for you, at least it has made you gradually mature and calm.

Get up, from today onwards, you will be the commander of the Thousand Commanders in the Golden Guard, ranking second to Tie Xiao. ”

"Thank you, my subordinates have received orders!" Ma Chao said loudly. (To be continued)(To be continued......