On both sides of the Ula River, Daur villages are dotted like an astrolabe. 【】 Green pastures with galloping horses and herds of cattle and sheep; the plowed land is black and planted with barley, oats, cucumbers, buckwheat, peas and many other crops.
; Scatters of fruit trees bear attractive fruits such as apples, pears, walnuts and hazelnuts. From time to time, the lush virgin forest can also hear the heroic songs of Daur hunters. It is August, and the climate on both sides of the Ula River is pleasant.
In more than a month, the crops in the fields will be harvested. However, for the past few months, the area near the Wula River has been desolate and sparsely populated. Compared with the previous scene, this land seems to have become a dead land, and it is no longer a Daur people.
A paradise to live in.
Under the bright sun, a burst of rapid horse hoofbeats broke the deathly silence. A group of knights in brocade clothes and bright armor quickly passed through the birch forest and arrived outside a village. However, what stood in front of them was an extremely miserable scene.
Scene. This beautiful and rich Daur village that used to be filled with smoke is now a burning ruin. The villagers in the village seem to have fled in all directions, and the whole village is deserted. Occasionally, a few birds are heard from the woods.
The sound is eerie even in broad daylight.
Facing the scene in front of him, the leading old knight showed a look of pain. He turned over and dismounted and walked straight to the field ridge. Although the harvest season was still a few months away, just like the village, this place was also suffering.
It was time to loot. Only some scattered wheat straws were left among the oats and other crops that were originally planted in the fields. The frowning old knight squatted down and reached out to grab a handful of soil. This was a handful of fertile black soil, but the old knight
He felt an unusual sting in his hand. He seemed to have seen a farmer lying on the edge of a field, a herdsman being shot off his horse, or a group of well-armed Rakshasa soldiers chasing each other with animal skins in their hands.
A hunter with a bow and arrow. Thinking of this, the old knight couldn't help but clenched his hands tighter, as if he wanted to squeeze out the blood soaked in the black soil.
"General, there is no one left in the village. They have all been killed by the Rakshasa people! The general requested to lead his troops to pursue the invading Rakshasa ghosts!"
A report from a general interrupted the old knight's thoughts, and he couldn't help but look up at the general standing beside him. This was an unusually young knight, with a round baby face that seemed still childish. But now he
His expression was like an angry tiger cub. It seemed that as long as the old knight gave the order, he would rush to hunt down the murderers without hesitation. However, the old knight stood up and decisively ordered: "No, let's go back.
Guo Tai, you send people to tell the tribes along the river to evacuate the nearby tribes as soon as possible, strengthen the walls and clear the country, and never let the Rakshasa people steal a grain of food from us!"
"Yes, General."
Guo Tai was a little disappointed when he did not wait for the general's pursuit order. He hesitated and finally accepted his task honestly. The old knight in front of Guo Tai was General Ningguta Bahai. For General Bahai, Guo Tai was full of heart.
Out of respect, Guo Tai would not have any doubts about any of his decisions, even if they were wrong, he would obey them. However, when he thought of letting those "Rakshasa ghosts" run away again, Guo Tai felt a little unwilling. Those Rakshasa ghosts
They are not humans, they are beasts! They are a group of man-eating devils!
I don't know when a group of strange people with blue eyes and red hair suddenly appeared in the north of the Qing Dynasty. At first, the local Daur people received this group of people who called themselves "Cossacks" kindly and sent them food, firewood and other items.
But not only did they not express gratitude to the Daur people for their kindness, they instead kidnapped the Daur people's leaders as "hostages" and carried out endless extortion against them. This naturally aroused dissatisfaction and resistance from the local people. However, this group of Cossacks
They were more ferocious than wolves. With guns and cannons at their disposal, they destroyed villages and plundered the people wantonly. They drowned all the captured men, "chopped" their wives, children and minks, even in the winter when there was a lack of food.
Here, they hunted local people for food like roe deer. All kinds of heinous crimes caused people of all ethnic groups to call them "man-eating Rakshasas" without hatred.
From the beginning of spring this year to now, the Rakshasa ghosts have once again come down the Wula River to attack the tribal people along the coast. This time they are twice as many as those who came three years ago, and they are also extremely well prepared with firearms and ammunition. Facing the Rakshasa ghosts
With the fierce invasion, General Ningguta's Mansion was naturally like a formidable enemy, and the tribes along the Wula River were strictly ordered to defend to the death. But what made Guo Tai very confused and depressed was that there were only more than a hundred Rakshasa ghosts who invaded, but Ba
However, General Hai was unwilling to mobilize his army to encircle and suppress them. Instead, he let the border residents passively defend and watched one village after another being looted by the Rakshasa ghosts.
Guo Tai couldn't figure out why General Bahai has become so timid now. Where did his courage go to fight against the Rakshasa people? Thinking of this, Guo Tai couldn't help but secretly glanced at the stern-faced General Bahai next to him, but saw the setting sun.
The wrinkles on the general's face became deeper and deeper.
"General, this place is still dozens of miles away from Songshan Fort. According to the accounts of the three Wu rebels, the rebel leader Zhao Qiang and a group of rebels are hiding more than a hundred miles north of Songshan Fort. Please give me an order, General.
Immediately lead your troops to encircle and suppress them?"
The person who spoke was the assistant leader Fuloluo. Seeing General Bahai staring at the wheat field in a daze, he came to ask for instructions whether to continue advancing northward.
Bahai didn't want to but shook his head and said to Fuluoluo: "Let these Wu Ni and Rakshasa people fight dog by dog. You send people to contact them. Their current movements, if necessary, you can also give them some weapons."
"
"General, I'm afraid this is not good?" Fuluoluo was stunned by Bahai's words. Even if he didn't destroy Wu Ni, how could he give them weapons? Guo Tai on the side was also dumbfounded. Why did the general suddenly change?
What's your idea?
Bahai glanced at Fuluoluo with an expression on his face: "What's wrong?" He took a few steps forward, turned to Fuluoluo and Guo Tai and said, "Isn't it a good thing to have someone to fight the Rakshasa for us?
"
"this"
Fuloluo and Guo Tai looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Bahai ignored the hesitation of the two and ordered: "Tell Zhao Qiang that I have said that if he is willing to surrender, I can protect him."
He is a guerrilla, but the premise is that he must cut off enough Rakshasa heads for my general. You tell him that this is his only chance. If he does not seize it, the general will kill him in two places.
!" After giving the order, Bahai was a little dissatisfied when he saw that Fuloluo didn't move, and said in a stern tone: "Don't go yet!"
"twitter!"
Fuloluo was excited, responded hurriedly, and quickly retreated to arrange for people to contact those Wu Ni.
After Fuloluo went down, Guo Tai stood there and hesitated for a long time before he boldly walked to the general and said cautiously: "General, I heard that the imperial envoy is still in Heilongjiang. Sabusu also knows about Wu Tie's defection.
Yes, if he told the imperial envoy about this matter, I'm afraid the emperor would blame the general. Then..." Guo Tai couldn't express the following words clearly. Seeing that the general didn't seem to care much, his expression was very indifferent. Guo Tai felt worried and worried.
Yi Heng gritted his teeth and said: "The general believes that these Wu Ni can never be tolerated and they must be suppressed as soon as possible! The same should be done to the Rakshasa people. They must not be allowed to dominate and bring harm to our land of the Qing Dynasty.
I, the people of the Qing Dynasty! Let me tell you the truth from my heart. The general indulged the Rakshasa people and what he did to Wu Ni is really hard for me to accept!"
After Guo Tai finished speaking, he knelt heavily on the ground. Although Bahai regarded him as his own son and taught him carefully, this was the first time he had spoken like this. Although he did not regret it, he was very uneasy, fearing that the general would be annoyed by it.
own.
However, after hearing this, Bahai did not angrily scold Guo Tai. Instead, he glanced at Guo Tai kindly and said softly: "You are still young after all, and you think some things are simpler. Let me ask you, is the most popular person in this court?
Who are the people who want to fight Rakshasa people?”
"Um?"
Guo Tai was prepared to be scolded, but he didn't expect Bahai to ask him this. He was stunned for a moment, and then thought for a moment and said: "Isn't it the emperor's intention to conquer Rakshasa in the north?"
"What does the emperor mean?"
Bahai laughed when he heard this, and then said seriously to Guo Tai: "If there were no advice from the ministers, would the emperor be so laborious and mobilized to deal with Rakshasa?" Without waiting for Guo Tai's reply, Bahai walked forward and Guo Tai was busy seeing this.
Following behind, Bahai said: "When Wu Sangui rebelled, it was Mingzhu who advocated for the quelling of the rebellion. It was Mingzhu who advocated for the Zheng family in Taiwan to recover it by force. Now it is Mingzhu who is shouting the loudest in the northern expedition to Rakshasa. Now that San Francisco is at peace, Taiwan has taken over.
, Mingzhu's status is also rising. In the eyes of the emperor, he is a powerful minister, a person who can rebuild the country. It is said that some people in the capital call him Mingxiang, and there are countless courtiers who belong to him. Hehe, but the credit in this life cannot be
Let him take all the pearls by himself, so he has to give some to others..." At this point, Bahai suddenly stopped and glanced at Guo Tai: "Let me ask you, do you know who you have the most trouble with Mingzhu?
"
"So'etu!"
Guo Tai blurted out the words "Suo'etu" almost without any hesitation or consideration. Bahai nodded slightly after hearing this, and then said: "Suo'etu is the one who advocated peace. Wu Sangui raised his troops and he advocated peace. The Zheng family in Taiwan
He also wants to make peace. I heard that Suo'etu also wants to make peace with the Rakshasa people. In this case, can there be no conflict between him and Mingzhu, who is fighting? In addition, he has always been dissatisfied with Mingzhu. What do you mean?
Will the Northern Expedition of Rakshasa be as simple as the stage?"
Guo Tai tasted it carefully. The general was right, but it was a matter of intrigue, and it could not involve Ning Gutatou.
"But Mingzhu and Suo'etu are both important ministers of the imperial court. Whether they have any conflicts has nothing to do with us."
"There is a prince behind Suo'etu. I am getting older, and I have lost interest in fame, fortune and other things, but I have to consider the following." Bahai sighed: "If I die, what will happen to me under Ninggu Pagoda?"
You will definitely need to be replaced, and no one will be able to take care of you by then. At the beginning of the year, Suo'etu sent me a letter. I thought about it for several days and agreed to what he asked for, so
You are here. I am no longer as good to the Rakshasa people as before. Maybe you will blame me in your heart, but there is nothing you can do about it. However, the days of the Rakshasa people are coming to an end. Of course, I, Ning Guta, cannot do anything to them.
, but there is a big war going on in Heilongjiang. The emperor has decided to start a war, and this war will definitely be fought. I have done everything I promised Suo'etu, and now it is up to him whether he can make some plans.
It’s over.”
Guo Tai really wanted to know what the general had promised to Suo'etu, but the general didn't say a word, and he didn't seem ready to tell him. Although he was very curious, he could only hold back and didn't dare to ask what the general had promised to Suo'etu.
.However, he understood why the general was so indifferent to the Rakshasa people. It must have been something Suo'etu promised the general, otherwise the general would not have turned a blind eye to the Rakshasa people.
As Bahai silently walked forward for several dozen meters, Guo Tai said, "Does the general really want to surrender this Wu Ni gang?"
"What do you think?" Bahai glanced at Guo Tai meaningfully.
"I don't know the end." Guo Tai shook his head honestly.
"I have done everything for Suo'etu, but this Wu Ni is an extraneous matter. Since they only dare to operate in the territory of the Rakshasa people, let them do it. The emperor is so thoughtful and wants to follow
When the Rakshasa people fight, I can't explain why there is no movement in Ninggu Pagoda. The appearance of Wu Ni's gang just happens to help us, so we will make use of them. The Han people call this killing with a borrowed knife, borrowing Wu Ni's hand to kill Luo
Let the Rakshasa people kill Wu Ni with the help of the Rakshasa people and let them go dog-eat-dog. If this group of Wu Ni can really gain something, I can also have an explanation with the emperor."
"The general is wise!"
Guo Tai praised him and thought of something, he couldn't help but said: "Didn't Shu Mulu die in vain?"
Hearing Guo Tai mention Shu Mulu, Bahai snorted coldly: "This fool will die when he dies, but he broke the red flag of more than 500 of our garrison troops. It was really a waste. Don't mention this fool in front of me in the future."