In August, the sun often shows magnificent colors, the golden autumn is approaching, and the temperature has dropped slightly. Li Pin held a stick and walked among the crowd. He was in poor health, looked disheveled and out of breath. He was surrounded by people
Refugees, the confusion, caution, and fearful expressions of people walking forward are all mixed together with the cries of children, hunger, and exhaustion.
Li Pin, who has been traveling with us for two months, looks no different from these refugees.
They were passing through the countryside near Zezhou, close to Gaoping County. This area has not experienced large-scale wars, but they must have passed many refugees fleeing. The fields were bare and there was no food nearby. After walking for a while, the front of the team
There was a commotion. It was the government who sent people to give porridge in front.
People rushed over, and Li Pin also squeezed in the crowd, holding his small jar to beg for some gruel. He was so hungry that he squatted on the roadside to eat without any appearance. There were people near the road, and some people were in the porridge shed.
Someone nearby shouted: "The Jiuniu Mountain Rebel Army is recruiting! If you are willing to work hard, you will have something to eat! There are steamed buns! If you join the army, you will receive them immediately."
Two! Get Anjiayin! Fellow fellows, Golden Dog is arrogant, Yingtian City is broken, General Chen is dead, General Ma is defeated, you have left your hometown, where can you escape to? We are soldiers under Grandpa Zong Zezong,
If you are determined to resist the Jin, as long as you are willing to work hard and have something to eat, if you defeat the Jin people, you will have money and food..."
People were eager for the steamed buns, and many people crowded in. Some people were dragging their families with them, so they were dragged away by their wives and cried loudly on the road. Along the way, there were many places where the rebels recruited soldiers, and they were all lured with money and food.
Although it is difficult to say whether you will be full after entering, but you may not die in a war. It is not strange for people to sell themselves in when they are desperate, and when they go to the battlefield, they will find an opportunity to run away.
Most people are still watching with caution. Generally speaking, refugees will cause mutiny and instability of public security, but this is not necessarily the case. Most of these people are peaceful farmers and villagers who have lived their whole lives.
When they grew up, they had never left the one-third of an acre of land near the village or county. After being driven out, most of them were scared and frightened. People were afraid of strange places and the strange future. In fact, not many people knew what the future would be like.
What kind of.
There are really old people who have seen a little bit of the world, and they can only say: "When we get to the south, the imperial court will arrange for us."
There are also people who want to hide in the south for a few years until the war stops and then go back to farm.
The mother held her child in her arms and looked at everything around her with vigilance and panic. Families gathered in twos and threes. Li Pin had nothing left on him. More than a month ago, he rescued a child who was dying of hunger during the escape.
That night, the child stole his baggage and ran away, including the three books that Ning Yi left for Qin Siyuan.
He had already finished reading the books, and lost them. It just lost a souvenir. But it was okay to lose them. Every time he saw them, he felt that those books were like demons in his heart. In recent times, he has been running around with this refugee.
Sometimes being troubled and tormented by hunger can actually slightly reduce the burden on his mind.
Here, the big principles can be discarded, and all that is left is the things that are two or three miles in front of you and two or three days in front of you. They are hunger, fear and death. The old man lying on the roadside is not breathing, and the child kneeling next to the corpse has despairing eyes.
The soldiers who were defeated from the front fled one by one. They took steel knives and spears to confront the fleeing people.
One night, looting and massacre occurred. Li Pin escaped in a dark corner, but the Wu Dynasty soldiers who were defeated in the front killed hundreds of civilians. They looted property, killed everyone they saw, and raped.
Women among the refugees before fleeing in haste...
From north to south, the Jurchen army destroyed people's hearts.
After finishing the porridge, Li Pin still felt hungry, but being hungry could make him feel relieved. That night, he was so hungry that he also ran to the recruiting shed, wanting to join the army and earn two steamed buns, but he
His physical condition was so bad that the other party didn't want him. In front of the shed, there were also people coming over. He was a man who wanted to join the army during the day but was blocked. The next morning, Li Pin heard the cry of that family in the crowd.
Voice.
The fleeing team heading south stretched endlessly, with more and more people sometimes less, and most of them didn't even have a clear purpose. After another ten days, Li Pin saw the deserters coming in as he moved forward. Zezhou, Jiuniu Mountain and
The remaining rebel armies were defeated on the battlefield with the Jurchens.
The chaotic team stretched on and on, with no beginning or end in sight, and no way to reach the edge. Compared with the land of the Wu Dynasty in previous years, it was like a completely different world. Li Pin sometimes raised his head in the team, thinking
In the past few years, I have seen everything. Sometimes when I look at the people who are fleeing, I feel that it is the same world and the same people.
Ning Yi's words sounded like a curse again. Natural selection, survival of the fittest. The world has begun to become cruel, and the warm world is peeling off and broken piece by piece. What can people do, and how should people do?
In this way, when he was not so hungry, his head began to hurt again. On this day, when he arrived at the edge of the Yellow River, a large number of refugees were gathering. The Wu Dynasty army and the rebel army continued to recruit brave warriors, and more news was spread.
Came over.
It is said that the northwest is now in chaos. The Western Army, which was once considered the most capable force of the Wu Dynasty, has fallen into disrepair since the death of Zhongshi Dao. Not long ago, Wanyan Loushi traveled across the northwest and achieved an almost invincible record.
Countless troops of the Wu Dynasty threw away their helmets and fled. Now, they have lost their families and paid money, and planted their troops to defend Yanzhou, but it seems that they are already in danger.
It is said that after the capture of Yingtian, Emperor Jian Shuo who had gone south was not captured. The Jin army began to wreak havoc in all directions, and most of the Wu Dynasty armies that came from the south were defeated.
It is said that Mr. Zongze is seriously ill...
On the bank of the Yellow River where countless people gathered, the autumn rain fell continuously, and the commotion was unspeakable. This was the panic that enveloped the entire world...
******************
In Bianliang City, the autumn rain was like crisp, knocking off the yellow leaves on the trees. Yue Fei came in the rain and walked into the courtyard.
After the Jurchens captured Yingtian, they postponed their march to the south, but instead expanded and consolidated the areas they occupied. The Jurchen army, divided into several groups, had begun to sweep away unconquered areas in Shandong and north of the Yellow River. Zong Han's troops, however,
Also began to approach Bianliang again.
Outside Bianliang City where Mr. Zongze had consolidated the city's defenses, Yue Fei led his army and had several more confrontations with a small group of Jurchens. Seeing that Yue Fei's army was in good order, the Jurchen cavalry retreated to Bianliang, which was no longer the capital.
, for the Jurchens, the value of a strong attack has been lost. And now
Zongze was very powerful in restoring the defense. In more than half a year, he basically restored 70% to 80% of the defense force near Bianliang. However, due to the gathering of a large number of rebels under his control, this area was very difficult for the Jurchens.
So far as I'm concerned, it's still a tough guy.
Only Yue Fei and others understood how difficult this matter was. Zongze spent the whole day running around and dealing with the leaders of the rebel army, trying every means to make them effective in resisting the Jurchens, but in fact, in his hands,
There are very few resources that can be used, especially after the emperor's southern hunt. All these efforts seem to be waiting for the day of failure. But this old man is still here struggling to support himself. Yue Fei has not seen him.
He had half a complaint.
Especially when the Jurchens sent envoys to solicit surrender, perhaps the Zong Lao was the only one who directly pushed out several envoys and beheaded them to sacrifice the flag. For Zongze, he had never thought about the need for negotiation. Bianliang was
The desperate soldiers are desperate, but now there is no hope of victory.
After holding on until now, the old man finally collapsed...
…
Yanzhou City.
Huge stones streaked across the sky and smashed hard against the ancient city wall. Stone chips flew everywhere, arrows flew down like raindrops, and blood and shouts of death continued to resound throughout the city.
The siege truck hit the city wall, and was then ignited by the fire arrows and poured kerosene. The soldiers howled and fell from the city tower.
Zhong Lie waved his long sword and killed back a group of siege soldiers who climbed up on ladders. His beard and hair were messy, and his clothes were soaked with sweat. He was shouting and leading his Zhong family soldiers to fight hard. The walls were densely covered with dense sieges.
However, the attackers were not Jurchens, but surrendered to Wanyan Loushi. At this time, there were more than 90,000 Han troops responsible for attacking Yanzhou.
Leading the army below the city was Yan Zhenguo, the former envoy of Qin Feng Road's strategy and pacification. At this time, he was also a general in the Wu Dynasty. When Wanyan Lou's family came to kill him, he was defeated and paid gold. At this time, it had been seven days since the siege of the city.
The Zhe family had offered money five days ago, but Zhe Keqiu refused to agree to attack Yanzhou, but he wrote a handwritten letter to persuade him to surrender, arguing that the situation was superior to others and that he had to surrender. He also pointed out the current situation of Xiaocanghe's unwillingness to participate in the war.
Zhong Lie tore the letter into pieces and led his army to fight till this point.
The Zhong Family Army is the strongest branch of the Western Army. At first, there were thousands of elites left. Over the past year, they gradually gathered the old troops and recruited new soldiers. Now there are 18,000 capable men gathered in Yanzhou.
Such a core army, unlike the 30,000 people sent to Fengxiang, can still hold on to the city at this time, but it is only a matter of time before the northwest land sinks.
The strongest Jurchen army led by Wanyan Loushi has remained stationary and only supervises the battle from the rear. Zhonglie knows the strength of the opponent. When the opponent sees the situation clearly and launches a thunderous strike, Yanzhou City will probably fall.
.By then, there will no longer be Northwest.
However, the Zhong family has been guarding the northwest for more than a hundred years and has killed the Xixia people in fear. How can there be any reason to surrender to foreigners!
He brandished his long sword and chopped off the head of an enemy who came up to him, shouting: "Thieves! How dare you, traitors to your country and seek glory, fight with me?"
The sound was like thunder and majestic, and the morale of the soldiers on the city wall was boosted.
In the midst of countless offensive and defensive fights, Zhong Lie raised his head, which already had white hair.
The most regrettable thing is that I can no longer go back to Qingjian...
…
In Miaojiang, Tie Tianying walked among the mountains with brilliant yellow leaves. Looking back, he saw that the surrounding areas were covered with dense forests.
Several huts appeared at the end of the road, most of them deserted. He walked over and knocked on the door of one of them, and then the sound of questioning came from inside.
Tie Tianying told Jianghu about the incision, and the other party opened the door and let him in.
The person in the room was an old lame Miao man, carrying a sword on his shoulder. He didn't look like a kind person. After the two parties reported their names, the other party became respectful and addressed himself as "sir." Tie Tianying asked about some things, and the other party looked at him.
Flickering, he usually answers after thinking about it. Tie Tianying smiled and took out a small bag of money from his arms.
"I am an official, but I have always known the rules of the green forest. It is not easy for you to live here. These money should be used to buy information from you and to supplement the family income. But, Fujian Cripple, I give you money because I follow the rules.
I respect you as a person, but
This is not the first time that Mr. Tie has walked around the world, and his eyes are clear. I am just asking about these things, and it is not harmful to you. If you think you can talk about it, just say it. If you think it is not possible, it doesn't matter if you speak up, and I will find someone else.
This is a good thing to say up front.”
When he said these words, the other party nodded repeatedly. This time, after accepting the money, he spoke freely, but only said a few words. He was a little hesitant.
Tie Tianying snorted coldly, and the other party's body shook and he raised his head.
"Master Tie, I'm afraid this matter is not far away. I will take you to have a look..."
After finishing speaking, the two of them went out immediately. Although the Miao man was lame on one leg, he was still walking very fast in the mountains. However, Tie Tianying was a top-notch master in the world, so there was no possibility that he could not keep up.
The people passed through a mountain col ahead and headed to the top of the mountain. When they reached the top of the mountain, Tie Tianying frowned: "Fujian Cripple, do you want to entertain Tie? Or have you arranged someone to ambush Tie? Why not be more direct."
"My lord, I misunderstood. It should...should be right in front..." Min Laizi pointed forward. Tie Tianying frowned and continued to move forward. The view of this mountain range was excellent. At a certain moment, he suddenly narrowed his eyes.
He raised his eyes and then ran forward. The Fujian lame man looked at it and suddenly followed him. He stretched out his hand and pointed forward: "Yes, it should be them..."
In the distance, there is dust stirred up by the movement of people in the mountains.
As they ran on the mountains, the scene over there gradually came into view. It was the tail end of a marching army, meandering forward along the rugged mountains.
After leaving the northwest, Tie Tianying hung out in the Jianghu for a while. When the Jurchens went south, he also came to the south to escape. At this time, he remembered some things a few years ago. Back then in Hangzhou, Ning Yi and Ba Dao
There was a friendship, and later during the conflict when escorting Fang Qifu to Beijing, Ning Yi stood up in front of Liu Xi
Gua's face cut off the heads of the seven Buddhas below, and the two of them took over the unrelenting Liang Zi. But later, when he knew Ning Yi's character better, he noticed something was wrong, and in Li Pin's mouth,
He also accidentally heard that there is still an unclear connection between Ning Yi and Ba Dao.
Although he was in the south, he was still well-informed. While Zong Han and Zong Fu's armies were invading the south, the God of War Wanyan Loushi was also wreaking havoc in the northwest. When these three armies beat the whole world to its knees, Tie Tianying
He was curious about the movements of Xiaocanghe, but in fact, there was currently no movement in Xiaocanghe. He did not dare to risk the disapproval of the world and start a war with the Jurchens. But Tie Tianying always felt that with that person's character, things would
It won't be that simple.
He came all the way to the Miao Territory and inquired about the situation of Ba Dao and what happened after Ba Dao took over Lan Huan Dong. Many people knew this, but it was useless to inform the government. The terrain of Miao Territory was dangerous, and the Miao people had always
To achieve self-government, the government was no longer able to send troops for the remnants of the Fang La rebel bandits. Tie Tianying asked along the way...
On August 20th, Tie Tianying was on the mountain and saw a shocking sight in the distance.
For so many years, entrenched and silent in a corner of the Miao border, the last remnants of the Fangla Yongle Dynasty uprising sent troops from Lanhuandong.
The stretching army, just in Tie Tianying's field of vision, was like a long dragon, pushing through the mountains of Miao territory.
***************
It rained heavily on the night of August 20th.
Yue Fei and some other officials and generals were in the courtyard, listening to Zongze talking a lot on the bed.
These words were still about fighting against the Jin people, and then they also talked about some official matters, how to ask for help, how to make some things work, etc. The old man's official career was not smooth, and he had an upright temperament throughout his life.
Although he can still do things, after reaching a certain level, he starts to hit a wall. In the early years, he saw many things that he couldn't do.
, left for official duties, and this time when the court needed it, he stood up again. The old man had an upright temperament, and even though he did not have much support from above, he did his best to restore Bianliang's city defense and order, maintain the rebel army, and promote them.
Fight against the Jin. Even after the emperor fled south, many ideas had come to nothing, but the old man still carried out his meager efforts without complaining.
Today, the war in the north is still going on. On the land north of the Yellow River, several rebel armies and imperial troops are still fighting for territory with the Jin people. It is the old man's indelible contribution. Even if the defeats continue, at this time they are still there.
Although the old man had always hoped that the imperial army would push northward with His Majesty's encouragement, the Jurchens were consuming their energy to invade the south. Now they can only defend.
So he could only explain some thoughts on the next defense.
In the afternoon, the old man fell into a drowsy state for a while, which lasted until nightfall. After nightfall, the rain was still falling, making the yard look dilapidated and desolate. Around midnight, some people said that the old man woke up, but with his eyes open.
Eyes don't know
What was Tao thinking about, but there was no response. Yue Fei and others went in to see him. At a moment's notice, the old man on the bed suddenly moved. His son Zong Ying next to him leaned over. The old man grabbed him, opened his mouth, and said something,
It's vaguely: "cross the river."
"What?" Zong Ying didn't hear clearly.
"Cross the river." The old man looked at him, and then said a third time: "Cross the river!"
He stared and stopped breathing.
Yue Fei felt his nose was sore, tears fell down, and countless cries rang out.
At the moment before leaving, the old man confused hope and reality.
The opportunity to cross the river was long lost. From the moment Emperor Jian Shuo left Yingtian, there was no longer any chance.
The autumn rain is fluttering, and the yellow leaves are falling. In every era, there are always beings that can be called great. Their departure will change the appearance of an era, and a certain part of their souls will be attached to other people.
Pass it on. After Qin Siyuan, Zongze did not change the fate of the world. However, after Zongze left, the rebel armies north of the Yellow River soon began to fall apart and go their separate ways.
After the fall of Bianliang, Yue Fei rushed to the south to welcome the new transformation. Only the word "crossing the river" has never been forgotten in this life. Of course, this is a story for another day.
…
The smallest corner of the world, Xiaocang River.
Calm autumn.
When the yellow leaves fall, the valley becomes eerily quiet.
Different from the restlessness before sending troops to Xixia a year ago, this time, some kind of enlightenment has come to the hearts of many people.
In the evening, Luo Ye tidied up his military uniform and walked to the small auditorium halfway up the mountain. Soon, he met Hou Wu, and then other officers. People came in one after another and sat down. After the crowd was almost full, they waited for a while,
Ning Yi came in.
Everyone was sitting upright, with their hands on their knees and clenched fists.
Outside the window, there is a pleasant autumn night... (To be continued.)
ps: It’s the last day, please give me a monthly pass^_^