Zhang Ximeng successfully opened the hearts of the soldiers, and most of them began to complain about the injustice they had suffered in the army. Some soldiers talked about their sadness and even fainted from crying.
At this moment, Lao Zhu also arrived. He did not disturb the others, but sat down silently behind the crowd.
Listen patiently, one of the soldiers was captured. His mother was originally ill. He used the money he saved from hunting to buy medicine for his mother. However, because he was carrying a bow and arrow on his back and a machete, Yuan Yuan was killed.
The army saw him and thought he was a piece of material, so he was arrested and forced to join the army.
"I told them that I wanted to go back and see my mother, but they refused. They tied him up and hung him in the stable of the military camp for three full days. I couldn't bear it anymore, so I agreed to them. Within a few days, I
I was forced to follow them. When I left the city gate that day, I saw my mother. She was sitting among a bunch of beggars. Her clothes were torn and she was leaning against the city wall, motionless. She came to see me. She
She was still sick, so it was not easy to get from home to the county town. Some people tried to persuade her to go back, but she refused, saying that she must see me. The day I left, she, she died!"
When the soldier said this, he broke down in tears and almost fainted.
Everyone else gritted their teeth and talked about the bitterness in their stomachs. There were more people than him. Those who were deceived into joining the army and those who were forced to join the army.
There are also Mongolian dignitaries from various places who were asked to join the army to serve the country and wipe out the red bandits. They did not dare to go to the battlefield themselves, so they tried every means to frame and frame them. They even used all kinds of methods, and even kidnapped and blackmailed them to force the young men to pick up the weapons.
Weapons, serving Yuan Ting.
During this period, there were deaths in many families. Some parents were killed, some daughters-in-law were snatched away, and some sisters were kidnapped... There is a saying that under heavy rewards there must be brave men.
When the Yuan Dynasty was at the end of its rope, it should put aside its past grievances, use the national treasury, recruit warriors, and save the country from danger. This also conforms to conventional logic.
But in fact, if there was such a high level of consciousness, Yuan Ting would not be where he is today.
In order to wipe out the Red Turban Army, they first requisitioned food from everywhere, printed treasure money frantically, and robbed civilian supplies to meet the needs of the army. Then after the army suffered heavy losses, they captured husbands from the civilian population.
And those powerful landowners who helped the Yuan Dynasty collect taxes in the past have now transformed into military conscripts, using this to blackmail the people.
If you don't want to join the army and die, you can take the initiative to pay money in exchange for some liberalization. If you don't pay, then I'm sorry and you will have to work for the court... So in the countryside, many strange and unbelievable things happened.
What Zhang Ximeng heard is not even the tip of the iceberg!
"Sir, make the decision for us!"
Zhang Ximeng nodded heavily, "Don't worry, everyone, I will report it to the lord and ask him to make a decision."
The prisoners were all overjoyed, but there was one person who didn't believe it. He muttered in the crowd, "Don't let the officials protect each other, right? I don't believe that there are people who are really good to us!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt his shoulders heavy. He was so frightened that he quickly turned his head and found a man with big ears and clear facial features smiling at him.
"Brother, we are thinking that you should believe that we are the one."
The prisoner was shocked and had no idea what was going on.
Zhang Ximeng also just noticed Lao Zhu, "Since the Lord is here, he must make the decision for everyone!"
Lao Zhu nodded, reached out and grabbed the prisoner's shoulder, "Come on, come with us!"
The prisoner was so scared that his legs were weak. He really wanted to slap himself twice, but why couldn't he control his bad mouth?
He was trembling and was caught in the middle by Lao Zhu. Zhu Yuanzhang smiled at him and said, "Little brother, what the big guy said just now, should your Qianhu be killed?"
"Yeah, why shouldn't I kill him?"
"Okay!" Lao Zhu nodded, and then handed him the sword, "Then I'll give you this knife and go kill him!"
The prisoner was startled. Did you hear that right?
Let him kill people, and they will still be the same Qianhu!
"Don't you dare?"
"Dare... don't you dare..." His legs were weak. This was the following crime! In the past, not to mention murder, even the slightest disrespect would be whipped, and those with poor health would be beaten alive.
Beat to death.
It is easy to break the thief in the mountain, but it is difficult to break the thief in the heart.
The prisoner's hands were trembling, Zhang Ximeng saw it, and he thought it would be enough to let the soldiers accuse him and then execute him on the spot. But Lao Zhu asked the soldiers to kill his own officers, which was a bit cruel. But after thinking about it, this
But at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there was far less tenderness and tenderness. The captives were also all kinds of people. They also came from poor backgrounds, and they may not really like the red scarf.
In this case, it's better to just do it more simply.
"Killing these harmful beasts is, firstly, for the sake of justice, and secondly, for a fresh start. Do you still want to have a unclear relationship with the Yuan Dynasty and continue to be a hawk for the Yuan Dynasty?"
Zhang Ximeng's scolding not only frightened the prisoner, but also other people. Suddenly a dozen people jumped up from the crowd, and then more people stood up and wanted to kill Qianhu with their own hands to settle the score!
The soldier finally summoned up the courage. He held the handle of the knife tightly, screamed strangely, and lunged forward. The knife pierced Qianhu's weak side. Blood gushed out like a spring. The soldier was surprised and said, "I, I killed him."
!Kill Qianhu!”
Others are angry and anxious, they are useless, they are not dead yet, let us make up for it!
Several more soldiers rushed over. They had no weapons, so they simply punched and kicked Qianhu. Within a few blows, Qianhu died. Then more people rushed over and drowned the corpses.
When everyone dispersed, only a dark red was left on the ground.
At this moment, the soldier who stabbed him first was kneeling on the ground, crying and laughing... Only then did he tell his story. He was an officer and soldier, and was first captured by Liu Futong's men of the Red Scarf Army.
, he became Liu Futong’s soldier.
Then he was attacked by the Yuan army again, and he became a Yuan army again.
In the past few years, he had repeatedly danced between the Yuan army and the Red Scarf, and he had become numb.
He saw so many armed landlords that he simply sat on the wall and fell to whichever side was stronger... He jumped so fast that sparks appeared on his crotch.
The irony is that the Red Scarf Army has been in uprising for several years. Han Shantong was killed, Zhizhi Li died in the battle, Bu Wangsan died in the battle, and Monk Peng died in the battle. Too many leaders of the Red Scarf Army died, and the generals of the Yuan Dynasty also died.
Quite a few.
However, the small army leaders, armed landlords, and powerful bandits below relied on repeated leaps and changes of direction, and many people were safe and sound. No matter who came, they would benefit.
As for the soldiers below, they will fight for whoever gives them food and salary!
At this point, a grumbling soldier like this one asks, what happened to the officers protecting each other?
I would like to ask, what is the difference between Hongjin and Yuanting?
Aren't it the common people who suffer the consequences? When will we see the Paradise?
But today, facing Zhu Yuanzhang and being among the Zhu family army, I really feel that it is unusual!
A Qianhu member of the Yuan army was executed just because he had done something that harmed the common people, and just because of the soldiers' accusations. The new superior did not win over and appease this Qianhu, and did not allow him to continue to manage the soldiers under his command. Instead, he complied with the people's will.
, killed him decisively, and almost instantly, these hundreds of people felt that Zhu Yuanzhang was much closer, and their hearts were much closer to each other.
"My lord, the current situation is very clear. The officials and generals of the Yuan Dynasty are still not convinced, and they are trying to incite the soldiers to rebel."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, "Yes, sir, what do you think we should do?"
"An order should be made immediately to separate the generals and soldiers. Let's solve the problems of the soldiers first and communicate with everyone. Most soldiers are good. Even if someone does evil, it is because of orders from above and they have to do it. Therefore, except for extreme cases,
A small number of scum need to be eliminated. Others can be educated and the principles explained clearly. If they are useful, they will be added to the army. If they are not useful, they will be allocated fields and allowed to settle down."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly and agreed with Zhang Ximeng's proposition.
Soon, Zhu Yuanzhang showed up and got rid of a Qianhu who had committed many crimes. The news spread quickly among the prisoners of the Yuan army.
Subsequently, one after another Yuan army generals were captured, and more than a hundred households were wiped out.
All those found guilty will be investigated thoroughly.
Although the prisoners were in shock, they were generally stable.
Zhang Ximeng thought about it again and again and decided to take a risky move.
"Lord, how about we let our people take the prisoners and build a food distribution point in the city to distribute food to the people now?"
Lao Zhu said: "What is your intention, sir?"
"The first is to see if the prisoners are obedient and honest. The second is to resolve conflicts between the army and the people. The third is to select those who are honest and willing to work, promote and appoint them on the spot, and select qualified good people to manage these prisoners.
, completely eliminate the bad habits left by the original Yuan Ting!"
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he couldn't help but laugh and said: "Sir, your mind is indeed flexible and full of wisdom. We accept it. But we must arrange for our people to watch from the side to ensure that no accidents occur."
Zhang Ximeng agreed. He was more worried than Lao Zhu. After all, he had just surrendered. He couldn't say whether there would be any accidents. He could only take a gamble.
After all, there was once a time when someone could directly ask captured soldiers to turn their guns and become their own soldiers. This is the power of ideological work.
Zhang Ximeng couldn't catch up, and he didn't dare to let the prisoners go directly to the battlefield, but it seemed that he could still look forward to letting the prisoners do some work.
Sure enough, just half a day later, the first batch of three thousand prisoners happily entered Yangzhou City carrying hoes and shovels.
They built an earthen platform according to the selected location, used bricks to mark the queuing position, and built a wooden shed to protect them from wind and rain. In addition, they also prepared a special rest area for the elderly next to it.
The prisoners worked very quickly. Gradually, some Yangzhou people came out to inquire about the situation. What on earth were they doing?
When they heard that food would be delivered soon, everyone was overjoyed.
Someone immediately brought water and thanked these "masters", saying that they had worked hard.
The prisoners of the Yuan army who were holding water bowls were all dumbfounded. What kind of royal masters are they?
Yesterday they were Yuan Ting's soldiers!
"We, let's work hard and strive to become a king master!"
Only then did the people of Yangzhou understand, darling, how could these people who only harmed the people in the past be able to do good things in a blink of an eye? Harmful hawks and dogs can actually become good people!
Incredible!
This Zhu Jiajun is really a king who has descended from heaven!