At noon that day, Zu Dashou sent soldiers to pass on orders, asking Li Xiao to go to the Martial Arts Hall of the Forward Camp to receive the promotion and reward from the court.

In the martial arts hall, Li Xiao and others knelt down to receive the order and read the commendation order of the Ministry of War to him was Zu Dashou, the general of the vanguard battalion who had just added the scattered cavalry general.

Zu Dashou was able to add the scattered ranks, which was also entrusted to Li Xiao’s merit. After all, Li Xiao was his subordinate officer and soldier, so he did not escape this direct credit.

This time, no other generals came to the Martial Arts Hall. This was because it was rumored that the Tartars were about to send troops to attack. In order to strengthen their combat preparations, Zu Dashou ordered the famous generals to train their soldiers and prepare for the Tartars invasion. Therefore, he did not arrange for all the generals to come together, but gave promotions and rewards to Li Xiao and others alone.

In this somewhat deserted occasion, Li Xiao felt comfortable. After all, he didn't have to face those jealous and jealous eyes, which made him feel much more comfortable.

Zu Dashou was wearing the second-rank military officer uniform of the governor, with a refreshing face and could tell that he was in a very good mood.

He read the imperial court's reward order to Li Xiao with a loud voice.

"Li Xiao, the military elected officer of the Ming Dynasty, led his troops to fight against the Tatars' scepter cavalry, wiped out all the enemy's enemies, killed 18 heads of the Tartars, and had outstanding martial arts. He could be used for great use and was promoted to the position of the chief thousand households. He was promoted to the chief of the military position, and was awarded the hereditary hundred households. He was also awarded the fifth-rank general of the stern rank. The officer must be kind to the sacred, work hard to serve the court, and live up to the high hopes of the appointment!"

Li Xiao knew in his heart that adding a scattered rank to a thousand households was rare in the Ming Dynasty, which means that he was more trusted by the emperor and was also happy in his heart at the moment.

"I'll thank you for your gratitude!" Li Xiao, who had a smile on his face, received the order from the smiling Zu Dashou.

Next, he took the seal of the official uniforms issued by the court from Zu Dashou, and reported his body to his waist. He received 800 taels of silver and 20 pieces of silk and satin rewarded by the court.

In addition, during this promotion, the subordinate general Wang Yishou was promoted to the 100 households, rewarding 200 taels of silver and 4 pieces of silk and satin. Tian Wei was promoted to the general flag official, rewarding 100 taels of silver and 1 piece of silk and satin. During the period, he was promoted to the small flag official, rewarding 30 taels of silver.

Subsequently, the 18 head-level reward silvers were issued to Li Xiao at a price of 50 taels each, and a total of 900 taels of silver were handed over to Li Xiao.

Zu Dashou told Li Xiao that Zu Dabi, who was stationed in the camp, had been promoted to deputy general as he wished because of these 25 heads, and was promoted to the commander-in-chief of the army.

When Zu Dashou told Li Xiao about this, his face was full of inexplicable smiles. Li Xiao naturally knew the meaning, and both of them laughed and didn't mention it.

In order to attend the banquet arranged by Zu Dabao, Li Xiao and others then changed their clothes. He wore a silver silk tray and green crystal jade hair crown, and a bear pattern with a bear pattern on the front chest and back. He wore a fifth-grade Thousand House official uniform with black horned silver lozenges and jade belts with black horns and silver lozenges wrapped around his jade belt. He wore an exquisite Thousand House official bronze medal and black rhinoceros thick-faced straight-slit official boots, which made him look even more heroic and majestic.

At this time, Tian Wei, Wang Yishou and Duan also changed into official uniforms. After the three of them changed their clothes, Tian Wei and Wang Yishou pulled each other's clothes and laughed at each other for their ugly clothes, mocking each other for their ugly clothes. Duan Shiqi's face was calm, and he just carefully pulled his official uniform neatly without saying a word.

Li Xiao smiled and watched them make enough noise, then tidied up his collars, and said proudly: "Let's go, Lord Zu's banquet is waiting for us."

For this feast, Zu Dashou, Li Xiao and others parted happily.

But when he left, Li Xiao saw that General Zu Dashou had a complicated vision when he saw that he had a look, including appreciation, concern, and inexplicable loss.

After returning to Buguidun, Li Xiao took the initiative to hand over the 800 taels of silver he had obtained and 900 taels of reward silver to Zanhua Wu Liang. He left only 2 pieces of 20 pieces of silk, but also handed over 18 pieces of silk to Wu Liang to sell, allowing him to use all his income to the daily expenses of the soldiers and their families.

Li Xiaolei's approach of sympathizing with his subordinates made Wang Yishoutian Wei and Duan Shiqi deeply moved the other two. Although Li Xiao was dissuaded, the three of them then raised 150 taels of silver and handed it over to Wu Liang.

Now in Li Xiao's silver treasury, the total public silver in the entire army is more than 2,400 taels, which can barely last for two months.

The days were spent peacefully like flowing water. Li Xiaojun trained to do exercises every day, but it was already early November.

During this period, Li Xiao was worried about the shortage of money every day, but something terrible happened suddenly in Jinzhou.

In the early November of the lunar calendar in the sixth year of Chongzhen, the general of the Zhengbai Banner of the Later Jin Dynasty, Gushan Ezhen Irgen Jueluo Ashan led 2,000 elite cavalry and infantry of the Zhengbai Banner, together with 2,000 Han troops in Tong Yangxing, and a total of 4,000 troops and horses to attack Jinzhou.

The Ming army in Jinzhou guarded the castles strictly and was ready to fight against the invading Tartars. However, they did not expect that the Tartars did not take the initiative to attack the prefectures and towns, but only plundered villages near Jinzhou, where the troops were heading, burned, killed and looted. All villages in Jinzhou were ruins, and the people were captured and plundered more than 2,000 households.

When Li Xiao heard about the large-scale invasion of the Tartars, he felt extremely worried. He only regretted that he had few soldiers and was not allowed to fight the Tartars to the death. During these days, everyone in the pier saw that although this young Qianqian official was no different from usual, his face was full of solemnity.

In the evening a few days later, Zu Dashou sent two whistle cavalry to rush to Buguidun and told Li Xiao another news that shocked him even more.

It turned out that yesterday, Zu Dabi's troops stationed in the west gate of Jinzhou saw dozens of Jurchen Tatars burning and killing a nearby village. Seeing that the Tartars were so rampant that they had been patient for many days, Zu Dabi could no longer hold back. He ignored the orders issued by Liaodong Governor Fang Yizao and General Zu Dashou that strictly guarded the prefecture towns and forts, and could not fight against the enemy. He led more than 400 elite cavalry in Jinzhou City to rush out of the city, hoping to eliminate the dozens of Tartars who were burning and killing the village in one fell swoop.

But he never expected that these dozens of Tartars were just baits. After Zu Dabi led the elite cavalry out of the city, he walked not far and was quickly surrounded by more than a thousand elite Tartar cavalry and infantry. After a desperate battle, Zu Dabi led dozens of remaining cavalry out of the encirclement and fled back to Jinzhou City. In this battle, in addition to the dozens of cavalry that fled back, more than 370 cavalry were killed or captured. Zu Dabi was shot in his back and thigh, and was seriously injured.

After hearing the news, Li Xiao sighed. He thought to himself that it is very likely that Zu Dabi wanted to rush out of the city to fight with the enemy cavalry like his own rescue team that day, but he did not expect that it would be the result.

"How is Deputy General Zu's injury?" Li Xiao asked anxiously.

"Reported to the general of General Zu, although he was severely injured and could not get up in bed, he was strong and was treated by the doctor. General Zu and the younger ones came here to ask Li Qianhu to follow us and hurry back to Jinzhou. General Zu and all the generals should discuss military information with General Zu."

After the two whistle riders finished speaking, they bowed their hands, their faces full of anxiety.

Wu Liang next to him looked surprised, and he lowered his voice and said, "Sir, that's strange. It's quite strange that this General Zu and a group of senior officials and generals want to invite you, a general, to discuss military affairs, to take you, to discuss military affairs."

Li Xiao looked serious and serious. He did not answer Wu Liang, but whispered to the two whistle drivers: "Military information is urgent, I will wait for you to go to Jinzhou immediately!"

The dusk was dull and the evening breeze was whistling. As the sound of horse hooves, Li Xiao led a group of flying kite light cavalry and followed the two whistle cavalry and galloped to Jinzhou City together.
Chapter completed!