Blue, Red and White Dark Abyss Cauldron

After hearing the latter part, Chu Xiaomu felt so sad that he actually shed tears.

The two leather pots of Biyuandiao liquor that Zhang Hou begged for weighed at least eleven or twelve pounds. The liquor was very strong, and the men didn't have a good alcohol tolerance, so they all got drunk after drinking a few bowls. They lay crookedly in the military tent and fell asleep without realizing it.

In a daze, he suddenly heard someone shouting, "Get up, get up, General Zhou has an order!" Chu Xiaomu was startled and thought, "General Zhou, what General Zhou? Could it be Zhou Bo..." He wanted to sit up, but his head was too dizzy, so he lay down again and couldn't get up. The messenger who came into the tent shouted loudly, but everyone was drunk and didn't hear a word he said.

After an unknown amount of time, someone shouted, "Tear down this military tent and take everyone to the training ground!"

Chu Xiaomu and his companions were sleeping soundly when suddenly they saw a bright light under their eyelids. They opened their eyes and saw that the military tent was being dismantled by several soldiers. They were lying under the bright sun, which was very dazzling. There was also a large circle of soldiers around them, some serious, some laughing, watching Chu Xiaomu and his companions making a fool of themselves.

One of them said in a deep voice: "Drinking in the army is against the military order of Bicheng. Tie him up and take him to the training ground to be punished by military law!"

Chu Xiaomu woke up immediately and climbed up. Only then did they see clearly that the man who spoke was Zhou Bo, the central commander of the Nanding Army, and they had to wait for him to be tied up. Yu Aqi, Yingdan and others had never seen Zhou Bo before, but seeing that he had a stern look and a majestic aura, they knew that he was an important figure in the army. Seeing that Chu Xiaomu was obedient, they did not dare to resist at all. Hai Wuqing, Yang Dou, Wu Sheng and others who reacted slowly did not know what happened.

Chu Xiaomu whispered Zhou Bo's name to everyone, and everyone was so frightened that they dared not say a word.

More than a dozen soldiers tied the hands of Chu Xiaomu and thirteen others behind their backs and dragged them to the Zhongjing Army's training ground.

Zhang Hou begged, "General Zhou, we didn't know that drinking alcohol violated military orders. You are a divine body with the power of a dragon and a tiger. Please be magnanimous and consider that we are new here, so you don't need to use military law?"

Zhou Bo said coldly: "If you flatter the emperor and beg for mercy, you will be beaten with ten military sticks first!"

Several soldiers pushed Zhang Hou to the ground, ignoring his struggle, and beat him with ten military sticks without mercy. After two blows, Zhang Hou grimaced in pain and screamed.

Zhou Bo added: "You cried out in pain when you were punished. You have no backbone. I will punish you with ten more military sticks!"

Zhang Hou was horrified, but was held down by two soldiers and could not move at all. He had to receive ten more blows with the military stick. Although he still could not help crying out in pain, he did not dare to cry out as wantonly as before.

Chu Xiaomu gradually regained consciousness. Seeing that Zhang Hou was beaten so badly, the other twelve people might not be spared. So he said, "Zhou Zhongjun, I read the military regulations of Bicheng, and there is no rule prohibiting drinking. It is hard for us to accept your punishment like this."

Zhou Bu said: "Very good, you have read the military regulations of our city. Although it is not stated in the military regulations that drinking is not allowed, there is a rule that 'military intelligence shall not be delayed for any reason'. Your drunkenness and delays are not a violation of the military regulations?!" He became more and more severe as he spoke later.

Chu Xiaomu asked: "I don't know what military information has been lost, I...I...willing to take full responsibility..."

Zhou Bo turned to a sergeant beside him and said, "Camping officer, you talk to him."

The camp officer said loudly: "The order of the Nanding Army's Zhou Zhongjun is to order Chu Xiaomu, Lin Zhen, Yingdan, Zhang Hou, Lingweidou, Su Mishun, Wu Sheng, Wangang, Zhou Weide, and Zhou Weiyi to follow our Nanzhen Camp and set out for the Nanding Army camp at 2:30 am today. There must be no delay!"

Chu Xiaomu looked up at the sun that was almost at its zenith and was shocked. He said, "Two quarters past noon? It's already passed. Let's set off quickly. Maybe we can still make it."

The camp officer sneered and said, "Still in time? An hour is a delay, a quarter of an hour is also a delay, what do you mean by still in time? If the battle ahead is urgent and needs your help, but you are late because of drinking, many soldiers would have already died on the battlefield, how can you still make it?!"

Chu Xiaomu was so frightened that he could not speak when he heard this. He thought that he had not even entered the army yet, but he had made such a big mistake of "delaying military information" on the first day. How could he live up to the high expectations of General Biye, and how could he live up to the great reputation of his ancestor Chu Xiong in Bicheng?

Yingdan knelt slowly on the ground and said, "We are not familiar with military regulations, so we acted recklessly. Fortunately, we did not make a big mistake. We ask the central army to show leniency." His voice was soft, and as charming as a woman's.

Zhou Bu stared at Yingdan for a few seconds and said, "What's your name? It's absurd for you to join the army in this state!" Seeing Yingdan's frail appearance, he knew that he would not be able to endure the hardships of the army. Thinking of Fengtan arranging him to the Nam Dinh army, he couldn't help feeling angry.

Yingdan knew that Zhou Bo looked down on her frail body and was not afraid of his majesty. She said slowly: "General, my name is Yingdan and I come from Yutuo City. My ancestors made a living by buying and selling jade. Unexpectedly, my family fell into poverty and my parents were unable to raise me. I was sold as a slave at the age of twelve, and then moved to Jinyang City... I have been weak since I was a child and often looked down upon by others. Beating and scolding me are common... However, I dare not lag behind others in doing things, and I dare not suffer less than others. Although life in the army is hard, it is not as hard as being a slave in Jiaoshan. I think I can still endure it." Although Chu Xiaomu and others had heard him briefly talk about his life experience, this was the first time they heard him say that he was sold as a slave by his biological parents. Everyone felt pity and wondered how there could be such cruel parents in the world. They were worse than pigs and dogs.

Zhou Bo frowned and said nothing, but he seemed to be touched.

Chu Xiaomu also knelt down and said, "I have violated military regulations and I dare not beg for mercy or deny it. I drank too much last night and it was all my fault. Please punish me and spare the others."

Yu Aqi also said hurriedly: "I am also wrong, I should share the blame with Xiaomu."

Zhou Bo pointed at Yang Dou, Lin Zhen and others and asked, "Did you force them to drink?"

Chu Xiaomu hurriedly said: "That's not the case. How could a soldier...a soldier do such a thing?"

Zhou Bo turned stern again and said, "That's it. Since they drank voluntarily, what does it have to do with you? You have to take responsibility for yourself, how can you blame others? I am not so foolish as to do this!"

Chu Xiaomu, Yu Aqi and others were so frightened that they dared not say a word.

The camp commander shouted, "Soldiers, listen up, lie down on the spot, and each of you will be punished with thirty sticks. You are not allowed to hide, beg for mercy, or shout loudly. If you violate any of these rules, you will be punished with ten more sticks!"

Everyone fell to the ground in a hurry.