Chapter 898 Ten years of hard work, wind, snow and frost (7)
"The person opposite you, that group of people, they killed the emperor of the Wu Dynasty at the most inopportune moment! They cut off all retreats! They were enemies of the entire world! They faced a million-strong army, but they did not follow
No one begs for mercy! In more than ten years, they fought and survived! You haven’t seen it yet! They are who we were back then——"
The lion-like figure of the veteran general was reflected in the rising fire, and his voice echoed in the wind and snow in front of the tent.
The rest of the people were solemn, but seeing the bonfire burning and the snow falling, the camp was silent for a long time.
Zong Han and the other generals all stood there, and when they saw that night had completely fallen and there were a few more fires in the windy and snowy military camp, they finally spoke.
"In the past thirty years, I have fought on the battlefield and achieved countless victories, but who among you dares to say that you have never been defeated? I can't do it, and neither can Lou Shi. Even if Aguda is born again, I dare not say that. In wars, victory and defeat are inevitable.
Defeat, the defeat of Yuyuxi, there are losses, but it is just a defeat - some people are scared to blame others, but I think it is a good thing!"
"What's so good about it? First of all, this battle at Yuyuxi has allowed you to see carefully what kind of quality the Black Flag Army on the opposite side is. It's completely invincible. A million troops have surrounded Xiaocanghe for three years.
, they can do it too! It's his fault and it's not his fault to rush ahead in vain! It's been two months since Yueyuxi Creek was fought, and he seized the opportunity to bring his personal guards up. I'll do such a thing
Yes, you have done it too!”
"Niao Lili has been with you for more than thirty years. He was a rare warrior. He died in Yuyu Creek, but he was still a warrior. Did he die because of greed for merit and rash advancement? No."
Zong Han shook his head: "His death stemmed from the fact that he did not regard Heiqi as an evenly matched opponent. He regarded Heiqi as a member of the Liao and Wu Dynasties. He took a dangerous blow and was defeated in the end. You are still taking advantage of it today
Black Flag treats such an enemy, thinking that they have used a trick, thinking that their own people are holding them back, and you will also die under Black Flag's swords and guns in the future. Zhenzhu, Baoshan, I am talking about you! Kneel down for me - "
His gaze suddenly became ferocious and majestic, and with this roar, brothers Wanyan Sheyema and Wanyan Xiebao on the other side of the bonfire were stunned for a moment, and then knelt down on the ground.
"Don't think that I don't know what you said these days! As a general, you dare to slander my colleagues who have fought together for hundreds of years! If you don't know your mistake, I will kill you with my own hands!"
"——An arrogant tiger is easy to die! The longest living ones in the forest are the wolves in packs."
Among Zong Han's sons, She Yema and Xie Bao were the generals who led the army when they attacked Bianliang. At this time, Xie Bao was over thirty and She Yema was nearly forty. As for these two brothers, Zong Han's past
Although there were beatings and scoldings, such things have rarely happened in recent years. He finished speaking word by word, slowly turned around and walked to the woodpile, and picked up a piece of wood.
The log was about the thickness of a sea bowl and should have been split in half, but it was not split. There was only a crack on it. Zong Han broke it apart with both hands, and the log split into two halves with a bang.
, white frost spread out. Zong Han threw the wood into the fire.
"Keep your eyes open. This is one of the benefits of the Battle of Rainwater Creek. Secondly, it tests your mettle!"
"It tests the ability to win and hold the world!"
"To conquer the world with 2,000 people, there is a way of fighting with 2,000 people; with 20,000 people, there is a way of fighting with 20,000 people! But till today, which one of you does not have 20,000 people behind him? My Jurchen is rich and has subjects from all over the world.
Billions! Only by co-governing with the people of the world can we survive forever."
Zong Han paused: "Zong Fu and Zong Bi were short-sighted. They drove millions of Han troops from the south of the Yangtze River to surround Jiangning. The young prince of the Wu Dynasty risked his life, and millions of people were defeated like a flood. Instead, Zong Fu and Zong Bi were defeated.
You will suffer the consequences. At the beginning of the Southwest War, Gu Shen taught you that you must survive with the Han army forever and be united on the battlefield, so that this battle can be completed. Why? The Han people will be my subjects of Dajin, and they will
Become your brother! Without such magnanimity, you will continue to fight for the next twenty or thirty years? You cannot secure such a position, and neither can your descendants!"
"The snow in the south is fine." He looked up at the blowing snow. "The Han people who grew up in the Central Plains and in the south of the Yangtze River have been in peace for a long time and have lost their fighting power. But is this really like this? You are forcing people to think
When he dies, there will be a Black Flag Army, and there will also be a young prince who will fight his way out of Jiangning. If there are people who have their hearts set on my Jurchens, they will slowly become like us Jurchens."
"... Gushen did not force the Han army to advance. He clearly established rewards and punishments and set rules. He just wanted to repeat the mistakes of the Battle of Jiangning? No, he wanted the Han army, who knew the general situation, to advance into us first.
In Daijin's army, there are always people in front and people behind. This is preparation for peace in the world. It's a pity that most of you don't understand the intentions of Gushen. You fight side by side but treat them as foreigners! Even so, Yuyuxi
In the battle, were there really only Han troops who surrendered?"
"The Battle of Yuyuxi." Zong Han said word by word, "Among the remaining 7,000 people, nearly 2,000 Han troops never surrendered. Han general Qu Fangyan has been commanding his men to fight forward. Some people don't believe it.
He, he restrained his men to stick to one side. After the battle was over, I heard that in Yuyuxi, some people said that the Han army could not be trusted, and shouted that they wanted to move Qu Fangyan's troops to the rear, or let them go into battle.
Death. Anyone who says this is extremely stupid!"
His scolding was heard. Among the generals, Dalai frowned and looked unhappy. Yu Yu and others also frowned. Zong Han took a breath and waved to the back: "Qu Fangyan, come out.
"
A moment after the voice fell, a general in armor came out of the tent. He walked up to Zong Han, his eyes were reddish, and he bowed his head. Zong Han accepted his kowtow, lowered his head and said, "Qu Fangyan.
, why didn’t you fight against the defeat of Yuyuxi?”
"Minister...the last general's father died at the hands of Black Flag...the commander-in-chief..."
Zong Han nodded, took his hands, and helped him up: "I understand." He said, "In the battle of Southwest, I will give you a word, and I will let you avenge your father, but you must also avenge me.
One word."
"Please, please give me the commander's orders..."
"You must avenge this revenge with your own hands. From today on, you are no longer a partial general with only 3,000 men. I will give you a good job - not just in the southwest. The general trend of the world is divided and combined, and Wu Dynasty is full of energy.
When the numbers are over, the world will belong to Dajin, but in the future, the place where the Han people are will also be ruled by you Han people. This is my king's expectation for you, please remember it."
Qu Fangyan said words of gratitude and bowed his head again. Zong Han grabbed his arm: "Jiujiu man, don't act like a woman. You go in." He waved his arm towards the bonfire.
"From now on, you will be among them!"
Qu Fangyan clasped his fists in a salute and walked over there. He was originally a lowly general in the Han army, but at this moment, there was no one who was not a hero of the Jin army who dominated the world. He took two steps and felt slightly hesitant about where to go.
Over there, Gao Qingyi waved his arm: "Come." He called him to stand next to him.
When passing by Han Qixian, Han Qixian also reached out and patted him on the shoulder.
Zong Han nodded.
"Sa Ba did an excellent job in dealing with the Han people, and I am very pleased. Han Qi Xianqian and Gao Qingyi Qing are also role models. You guys, put away your arrogance, look at them, and learn from them!"
"As for Yuyuxi, I was defeated by an underestimated enemy, but it is not a big deal! In the past thirty years of conquering the world, if they were all opponents who were like chickens and dogs, I would feel a little boring! In the battle of the southwest, I can encounter
Such an opponent is very good."
"I think you will also find it very good."
The wind and snow fell.
Regarding the Battle of Yuyuxi, Zong Han said a lot of things eloquently, but they were all more lofty things outside the battlefield. As for the fact of defeat, there were only two very good things. At this time, he finished speaking calmly, many
But pride arises in people's hearts.
That's right, facing a minor defeat, facing an evenly matched opponent, and looking down on the Jin army for more than thirty years, besides saying "very good", what other emotions should you have?
The snow was still falling, and after a while in front of the blazing bonfire, Zong Han and Han Qixian announced the rewards and punishments for many generals and adjusted the details.
After the rewards, punishments, and transfers were announced, Zong Han waved his hand and told everyone to go back. He turned and entered the tent. Only Wanyan Sheyema and Wanyan Xiebao remained kneeling in the wind and snow, in front of the bonfire, Zong Han.
Without Han's order, they did not dare to get up for a while.
After the meeting, some more generals came one after another and went to the camp to meet Zong Han alone. When the night passed, Wanyan Sheye's horse and Wanyan Xiebao's bodies were both covered with a layer of snow.
Han walked out of the tent. He moved a wooden stake in front of his two sons and sat there for a moment. Then he stood up and sighed: "Come in."
Their legs were numb, so they followed each other step by step, and knelt down again in the tent. Zong Han pointed to the chair beside him: "Sit down on a chair, don't kneel down. Have a sip of hot tea, don't hurt your knees."
."
The two brothers stood up again, sat aside and took a few sips of hot water from the small table, and then returned to sitting upright. Zong Han sat behind the table. After a while, he finally spoke: "You know why my father knocked
you?"
Wan Yanshe also immediately bowed his head and handed over his hand: "It is indeed inappropriate to slander the general who just died in the battle. Moreover, after suffering such a defeat, only a father who beats his son can have a deterrent effect on the rest."
"Superficial!" Zong Han's eyes were cold, "The Battle of Yuyuxi shows that the Chinese army's combat power is no longer inferior to ours. If you continue to act smart and underestimate the enemy in the future, in the southwest battle, your father will die in vain.
Black-haired man!”
"...Yes." Wan Yanshe immediately turned his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and finally lowered his head again.
At this time, Wanyan Xiebao stood up and said, "Father, handsome, my son has something to say, I don't know whether to ask him or not."
"explain."
"The battle of Yuyuxi, the ins and outs of the information, the generals and many people in the army knew it. With the intelligence of Gao Qingyi, Han Qixian and others, they probably didn't know the crux of the battle. Although they didn't say it, they still allowed the army to
Everyone is talking about the problem of the Han army. This is because the Han army really cannot fight. Now that my father is boosting the morale of the Han army, can he really let them... participate in this war? "
Wanyan Xiebao hesitated a little when he asked, but his thoughts were obviously well thought out. Zong Han looked at him for a while and smiled approvingly:
"You seem to be reckless, rough and subtle, but it's not a bad thing. These days, you are taking the lead in discussing lies in the army. Do you have a plan that you have already thought of?"
Xie Bao said: "Reporting to Commander-in-Chief, we defeated Yingzui Rock's eight hundred black flags with nearly a thousand personal guards. Although the ones guarding Yingzui Rock were one of the most powerful teams among Black Flags, it still shows that Black Flags
combat power. Only the commander-in-chief said this matter today can it inspire everyone. The son feels that... someone has to take the blame, whether it is deception or the Han army, it is better than letting it go.
Everyone thinks Black Flag is better than us."
"Then why did you choose to slander Nie Lili but not criticize the Han army for being incompetent?"
Xie Bao smiled bitterly: "Commander Father knew what he was asking. After fighting Yuyu Creek, the Han army in front was indeed less than 2,000 men. But with the addition of those from Huangming County and along the way, there were nearly ten Han troops.
Thousands of people, it took us two months to cram them in. If we say they can't fight and then withdraw, there will be no need to fight the Southwest Battle."
He paused: "But even so, I don't understand the reason why I rely so much on the Han people - of course, for future planning, it is indeed appropriate to reward Qu Fangyan. But if he is dragged to the battlefield,
My son still feels...the southwest is not the place they should come."
Zong Han burst out laughing. Wanyan Xiabao's face was rough, and all the previous words seemed cautious. Only in the last sentence, there was a vague aura of looking down on the world. When Zong Han noticed this, he was greatly relieved and smiled.
It took a long time before it gradually stopped.
He sat in the chair and remained silent for a while. It was not until the big tent was so quiet that it almost made people hallucinate, and Shiyama and Xiebao heard his words.
"The affairs of the Han army are the plan of the God of Grain, and they have their own purposes. Since you are still a little smart, you should build up a good relationship with the Han generals in the future. Also, keep an eye on Qu Fangyan!"
Hearing the name of the Grain God, the two of them felt a little calmer. They stood up together to accept the order, and Shi Ye immediately said: "Could it be that my father feels that there is a fraud in this canal?"
"All the Han troops have surrendered, but he is the only one who has not surrendered. With the methods of that inner demon, who can know? It is necessary to be on guard against others." After Zong Han finished speaking, he waved his hand.
"Everyone, go down."
****************
The moonlight was hidden in the thick clouds, and the wind and snow blew across the vast mountains.
From the Kingdom of Jin, to the Central Plains, to the south of the Yangtze River, heavy snow covered everything in sight. This was the most severe year for the Han people in the world. The burned cities had not yet been rebuilt, and the refugees with their families were struggling in the howling wind and snow.
After falling down, the starving people exchanged children for each other and ate them. Many people who had lost their family members also set foot on the road to return home with their families soon afterwards.
Hope is just like a faint spark.
The new emperor of the Wu Dynasty, the former prince, was heading south with his troops and refugees. Further south on the coast, the eldest princess landed near Putian and contacted nearby armies in an attempt to capture Fuzhou.
On New Year's Eve, Mao Yishan and his wife took their children back home, cleaned up the stove, posted blessing characters, and cooked a hasty but warm and lively New Year's Eve dinner.
In Liangshan, for the New Year's Eve meal, Zhu Biao, Liu Chengzong and others approved three times the daily quota of food for everyone in the army. A stage was also set up in the military camp, and performances began at night. Zhu Biao and everyone
While eating and drinking, they discussed the war in the Southwest and arranged gossip about Ning Yi and everyone in the Southwest. A bunch of thin people laughed heartlessly.
Wang Shanyue and his wife, whose faces had been disfigured and turned into pieces by Zhu Biao, also came to sit there for a while: "It's been two months since the Southwest War, and I don't know if that guy Ning Yi can survive it.
." Talking about such things, Wang Shanyue said: "Perhaps he died in the hands of Zong Han, and his head was used as a ball for others to kick? We have to come from the Wu Dynasty to save this world."
"Ever since the face was disfigured, this face no longer looks like his own." Zhu Biao and the people around him teased him, "You are such a sissy, you have given up on yourself, haha..."
The Huaxia Army and the Guangwu Army in Liangshan fought side by side, but nominally they belonged to two camps. They were now used to each other. Wang Shanyue occasionally said bad things about Ning Yi, calling him a lunatic and insane; Zhu Biao occasionally talked about martial arts.
After all the energy was gone, Zhou Zhe was said to be a hermaphrodite, but both parties had gotten used to it.
Who can be as knowledgeable as a fool - both parties thought so.
Jin Di, Lou Shuwan and others organized a simple yet grand dinner.
Since Liao Yiren retreated steadily and even gave up the victory, horse bandits and rebels from all walks of life in Jin Dynasty came to surrender one after another. Some dozens or hundreds of them came to pay homage to this legendary female prime minister.
Under the advice of the Huaxia Army, Shi Jin and others, Lou Shuwan cleaned up a group of horse bandits with serious misdeeds. For those who wanted to join and were relatively innocent, they were also required to be dispersed and unconditionally accept the leadership of their superiors in the army. However,
Those with leadership skills will be retained in their positions.
Even after such a strict elimination, the New Year's Eve banquet still attracted people from all over the world to vote. Some people even regarded the female prime minister, Yu Yulin and others as the future emperor.
Of course, Lou Shuwan, who has experienced so many ups and downs over the years, will not feel complacent because of this. Even if Liao Yiren is completely eliminated and half of the Central Plains is in hand, the possibility of catastrophe is always waiting for them ahead. Others
Not to mention, let's just talk about the return of the Western Route Army led by Zong Han and Xi Yin. No matter whether they win or lose in the southwest, it will be a difficult test for the Jin Dynasty.
She did not hide it, but frankly shared this prospect with everyone.
"...I used to be the daughter of a wealthy businessman in Hangzhou. Ever since Fang La broke into Hangzhou in my twenties, I often feel like I'm living in a nightmare that I can't wake up from."
At the dinner party, he held up his wine glass and said this to everyone.
"When I was reading history when I was a child, I often saw that there were turmoils one after another over the past thousands of years, often lasting tens or hundreds of years. People were starving and dying all over the ground, changing their bodies to eat. In the past, these were all in books, and the time of hundreds of years was understated.
It's gone by in a flash... Until now, I have seen these things, and many times when I think about it, I still can't figure out how people can survive here for decades."
She spoke solemnly, and everyone was somewhat silent. When she said this, Lou Shuwan stretched out the tip of her tongue and licked her lips, and laughed: "I am a woman, and I am sentimental, which makes you laugh. This world has been fighting for more than ten years, and there will be another ten
I don’t know if the remaining years will be the same, but other than getting through it - unless I get through it, I can’t think of any other way to go. You are heroes and you must understand this."
"This year's New Year's Eve is a bit easier. There will be a war next year, so...whether it's for ourselves or our descendants, let's work together to get through it...let's fight it through!"
She spoke calmly before, but at the end she raised her glass and added, "Kill it," and then a bright smile appeared on her face. She lowered her head, and her smile at this moment was like that of a girl.
At the meeting, Yu Yulin, Wang Juyun, An Xifu, Shi Jin, Zhan Wu... and many other officials and generals also smiled and raised their glasses happily.