Chapter 599 Persuading surrender, fighting to the death
The simple rural sentiment can die, but I hope to be buried in my hometown.
Li Qinzai had no choice but to agree. This was the last request of the soldiers. More than 3,000 soldiers, some alive and some dead, should return home regardless of life or death.
"I promise you." Li Qinzai looked at the dying wounded soldier and made a serious promise.
The wounded soldier finally put aside his last worry and smiled gratefully at him. After his body twitched for a while, his chest no longer rose.
Li Qinzai silently took out a piece of white cloth and covered his face.
Turning around and seeing all the soldiers watching him silently, Li Qinzai said loudly: "I don't guarantee that you will survive, but if you die in battle, I will take each of you back to your hometown!"
"If I die in battle, I will also send a letter to General Su Dingfang and ask him to take us home."
One of the soldiers laughed a few times and said, "With what County Uncle Li said, you will die without regrets!"
"Since we have a destination, why not fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death or surrender!"
"No surrender!"
Li Qinzai bowed to everyone with tears in his eyes and refused to get up for a long time.
In the following time, the soldiers treated the wounded soldiers, collected Pao Ze's body, strengthened the trench fortifications, and took advantage of the break to eat dry food and drink water.
There was a temporary peace and tranquility on the battlefield, but it was eventually broken by the sound of horse hooves.
A Tibetan general, holding the royal flag high, appeared two hundred steps away from the fortifications.
The soldiers were about to take aim with their three-eyed guns, but Li Qinzai raised his hand.
If you ride alone, you must be envoys.
The Tubo general held up the flag and loudly said: "By order of the Prime Minister, I would like to ask Li Qinzai, the envoy of the Tang Dynasty, to come out and make a statement."
Liu Asi nervously grabbed Li Qinzai's arm and said, "Fifth Young Master, I'm afraid there's some fraud..."
Li Qinzai shook his head and said with a smile: "In this situation, I believe Lu Dongzan will not do any dirty things."
After all, when Li Qinzai accepted the invitation, he would not really believe Lu Dongzan.
So Li Qinzai set the meeting place about two hundred steps in front of the two armies' formations.
This position happens to be within the shooting range of the three-eyed gun. Once there is a change, the soldiers behind him will use fire guns to protect his safety.
An hour after burning incense, Lu Dongzan walked out of the battle alone, dressed in a white robe and a large cloak.
In front of the confrontation between the two armies, a Tubo sergeant had placed a low table, two futons, and a pot of steaming highland barley wine.
Li Qinzai also laughed and walked out alone.
Compared with Lu Dongzan's luxurious and elegant dress, Li Qinzai looked much more embarrassed. The armor he wore was scratched everywhere, his face was blackened and whitened by gunpowder smoke, and his arms were wrapped with cloth strips.
The two walked to the open space in the formation. Behind them were two armies, each of which was an enemy.
Lu Dongzan was still the same as when he first met him, with a gentle and elegant smile on his face, and a gentleman's demeanor in every move he made.
Li Qinzai raised his eyes and glanced at him, without saying hello, he sat down on the futon, held the pot in one hand, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it all in one gulp.
"It's been a long time since I had hot wine, so happy!" Li Qinzai said and poured himself another cup.
Lu Dongzan looked at him with a smile, not minding Li Qinzai's rude behavior at all.
Li Qinzai drank three cups in a row, then exhaled and smiled at Lu Dongzan: "Goodbye at the Tubo camp. It's been a long time since we last met."
Lu Dongzan also smiled and said: "I have not treated you well, please forgive me, County Uncle Li."
"No, no, the Prime Minister's hospitality was so considerate and gracious that I will never forget it." Li Qinzai blinked: "In the name of the envoy of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, I invite the Prime Minister to come to Japan and visit Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty for a few days. I don't know what the Prime Minister wants.
how?"
Lu Dongzan smiled and said, "I'll be sure to bother you when you have time."
The two were very polite to each other when they met, and the atmosphere of chatting was like a spring breeze, but behind them were two armies at war with each other.
Li Qinzai drank another glass of wine and said, "The Prime Minister invited me here. If you have anything to do, just tell me. Everyone is very busy."
Lu Dongzan pondered, seeming to be organizing his words.
But Li Qinzai said again: "Don't say anything about persuading surrender or promising high-ranking officials and generous salaries. It's too bloody. It's a good chatting atmosphere. Don't let the prime minister spoil the scenery."
Lu Dongzan's eyes flashed and he said: "You are in a desperate situation and you are willing to die? I thought that County Uncle Li was born in a powerful family. He should be a person who understands current affairs and knows how to adapt to the situation. Unlike those foolish men who only know the so-called loyalty and filial piety..."
Li Qinzai laughed and said: "I come from a powerful family. My ancestor was the British Duke Li Ji. I was a famous general in the three dynasties of the Tang Dynasty. My Li family was favored by the emperor. If I surrendered to Tubo, haha... I can't go on, I'll laugh to death!"
Lu Dongzan's eyes flashed sternly, and then he smiled and said: "It seems really ridiculous. I am being reckless."
Sighing, Lu Dong praised: "Since Uncle Li left my camp, you have caused me a lot of trouble..."
Li Qinzai nodded: "It can be seen that Dalian has abandoned Tuyuhun's strategy and mobilized all their troops just to annihilate me. To be honest, I am honored."
Lu Dongzan smiled and said: "It is my great fortune to be able to fight against the heroic young men of the Tang Dynasty at this seventy-year-old age."
As he spoke, Lu Dongzan filled two glasses of wine, raised his glasses and said: "Life and death are decided on the battlefield, friendship is discussed in front of the bottle, I would like to toast the young hero."
Li Qinzai was not polite and drank it all in one gulp.
After Lu Dongzan finished drinking, he put down his wine cup and sighed: "There are heroes like this in the Tang Dynasty. Tubo is in danger. In thirty or forty years, Tubo will no longer have any hope of advancing eastward."
As he spoke, Lu Dongzan emphasized his tone: "Uncle Li, are you really unwilling to surrender? If you are willing to surrender, I will not keep you and will send you back to the Tang Dynasty afterwards."
Li Qinzai said calmly: "Prime Minister, I want to lose face."
Lu Dongzan stared at him deeply, with disappointment in his eyes.
After a long sigh, Lu Dongzan took another cup and said, "In this case, you and I will have one last drink, and from now on we will settle down with our destiny."
Li Qinzai finished the cup, put down the wine cup, then took the silver pot on the desk and shook it. He found that there was still more than half of the wine in the silver pot, so he took it away unceremoniously.
"Prime Minister, I have to say goodbye. Thank you for the wine."
After Li Qinzai finished speaking, he laughed and strode back to his position.
Lu Dongzan stared at his back, his eyes gradually darkened.
There is no hope of surrendering, but Lu Dongzan still needs chips.
…………
Returning to the position, Li Qinzai took a few sips of wine into the spout and shouted: "Soldiers prepare for war! Tubo is about to attack!"
After speaking, he threw the wine bottle to Sun Congdong aside. Sun Congdong took it and drank a few sips. He said with a smile: "I can still drink a few sips before I die. Even if I die, I will have no regrets!"
Then Sun Congdong turned around, drew his sword, and said sternly: "All gunmen, enter the trench and prepare to fight to the death!"
Zi Nu snuggled closer to Li Qinzai, her body trembling slightly.
The moment Li Qinzai came back from the battle, she knew that death was getting closer and closer to her.
She is not afraid of death, she just has some regrets.
We met in troubled times and died in troubled times. The spring breeze under the weeping willows and the smiling young man riding a horse will never be seen again in this life.