Midsummer in southern Xinjiang is like a steamer.

Under the scorching sun, the five thousand troops looked a little listless.

Until Yiqi appeared.

Shi Zhongtang rode his horse to the front of the formation.

His general Wei Ming came forward and said, "More than 10,000 rebels have fled into the mountains. I am not in a good position to deal with them. I ask the general to deal with them."

"I can't blame you!" Shi Zhongtang patted Wei Ming on the shoulder, "The rebels had been prepared for a long time. They were unlucky in the first battle and fled far away."

Wei Ming said gratefully: "Thank you, General, for your generosity. Alas! How can these rebels be killed without stopping?"

"There are many foreign ethnic groups in southern Xinjiang. They were able to survive the high taxes originally. It's not that they can tolerate it, but there are fewer people to take the lead. From the first time someone raised the flag of rebellion, the situation was unstoppable."

"But now taxes have been reduced a lot."

"Look at the people in southern Xinjiang, are they simple and honest?"

"simple!"

"The original foreign tribes in southern Xinjiang were more simple and honest than them." Shi Zhongtang said with a smile: "But once the ambition is gone, it will be difficult to dissipate."

"Best greetings, General."

"There is no shortage of ambitious people in this world. In the past, those people were busy farming and had little money at home. But once they became ambitious and recruited some stupid people as their subordinates, they suddenly had power in their hands, women in their arms, and gave orders. It was so refreshing. Now,

It is the source of constant rebellion in southern Xinjiang."

After several years of strangulation, the momentum of the alien rebellion in southern Xinjiang has been contained, but it still cannot be completely eradicated.

"The only way to eradicate it is to kill them all." Wei Ming felt that this was the way to eradicate the root cause.

Seeing that Shi Zhongtang was smiling but not smiling, he asked, "General, do you think it's inappropriate?"

Shi Zhongtang's eyes became more radiant.

"If we kill them all, where can we go to find military merit? Without military merit, how can we get promoted and make a fortune?"

A group of scouts came out of the mountain.

"General."

"Give them water!" Shi Zhongtang asked for news in no hurry.

The scouts looked grateful. After drinking the water, they began to report.

"After we entered the mountains, someone was waiting for us and said harsh words to us, but in the end they said they wanted to go home and farm."

"The color is sharp and the heart is soft." Shi Zhongtang squinted at the mountains, "But there is no food?"

Wei Ming said: "Mostly."

"There are beasts in the mountains, but there are more than ten thousand rebels. No matter how many beasts there are, there is not enough food for them. Therefore, they will either starve to death or have to surrender."

The scout said: "The man said that if we are willing to negotiate, we can send people into the mountain."

Wei Ming was overjoyed, "General, if you can recruit and surrender more than ten thousand thieves, it will be a great achievement."

"There's no rush."

Shi Zhongtang ordered: "Watch the foot of the mountain and don't allow the thieves to escape."

Wei Ming was puzzled, "Why doesn't the general accept the surrender?"

Shi Zhongtang said calmly: "I would rather see them kneeling in front of me than asking me for any conditions."

The third day.

"General, the rebels in the mountains have sent people."

Shi Zhongtang sat under the tree, "Kill!"

The fifth day.

"General, there are people coming from the mountain again."

"How do you look?" Shi Zhongtang was drinking.

"Sallow complexion and thin skin."

"Bring it here."

The two rebels were brought under the tree.

"Say, when are you going to go down the mountain?"

A thief said: "Our leader said, if we can..."

"Kill."

Day 6.

Hundreds of thieves appeared at the foot of the mountain covered in blood.

"There's a fight on the mountain."

"The leader collected the rest of the food."

"Those people were discussing, and someone asked about the possibility of eating human flesh."

Shi Zhongtang stood up and said, "Go and tell them that in two days, I will see all the rebels come down the mountain. Tell the leader that I will spare his life."

On the eighth day, a group of rebels who almost starved to death appeared at the foot of the mountain.

"Choose the strong ones."

The sergeants rushed over and picked out the strong thieves with punches and kicks.

The leader arrived in front of Shi Zhongtang, knelt down and said: "This villain does not know the power of God. Please forgive me, General."

"I promise to spare your life, and I will keep my word."

The leader was overjoyed.

Shi Zhongtang pointed at him and said, "Cut off the limbs."

leader:"……"

Amidst the miserable howls, a naked man was thrown aside.

"The rest depends on your fate. If you can survive, it's God's will. If you can't survive, it has nothing to do with me."

The traitors looked at him in fear.

"Take the strong ones away, and the others... trap and kill them."

Amid the cries, the survivors looked at Shi Zhongtang with fear in their eyes.

"Give them meat!"

After a full meal, there was more gratitude and obedience in those eyes.

"go back!"

Shi Zhongtang returned to the army with his men.

After coming back, Zhang Huan was naturally full of praise.

Shi Zhongtang immediately went to the King of Yue.

Logically speaking, he is the godson of the imperial concubine and should be at odds with the King of Yue.

But strangely, the relationship between the two is very close.

"Yunshan slave!"

The King of Yue met him in the study.

"How was the trip?"

Shi Zhongtang briefly saw the battle situation during this trip and covered up the matter of trapping and killing the prisoners.

Seeing that he spoke and acted calmly, the King of Yue couldn't help but secretly praise... This man became more and more like a general.

Talents are rare, but the relationship between this man and the imperial concubine is somewhat awkward.

"I have watched you grow from a general to where you are now. This step by step is accompanied by military exploits and killings. Killing is good, but you will inevitably suffer some backlash if you can do it. Just... someone, take my king's string of beads.

Come."

A string of jade beads was brought, and the King of Yue smiled and said: "My wife, the king, went to ask for this from outside the country. It is the most effective for protecting one's body. If you take it with you, it will ward off evil spirits in the future."

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty!" Shi Zhongtang gratefully took the bead string and couldn't help stroking it with joy, "It turned out to be a gift from the empress. It turned out to be a gift from the empress."

The King of Yue said calmly: "I heard that you have frequent contact with the imperial concubine?"

The imperial concubine was very fond of her godson, and sent people to send her gifts every now and then. Shi Zhongtang reciprocated the favor and often sent people to send special products from southern Xinjiang to Chang'an.

Shi Zhongtang knelt down in panic, "The lower officials are terrified."

At this time, no matter how he explains it, it is wrong, and the best way is to apologize.

The King of Yue smiled and said: "Why is this so? The imperial concubine came to Chang'an from Shu alone. She has been alone all these years with no one around her. Having you as her daughter-in-law is a comfort to her, so there is no need to panic."
To be continued...