In the northern part of Yuanyang County, there is a narrow and winding road leading to the outside of the Great Wall. It is called the Yinshan White Road because of the white color of the surface.
The State of Zhao built a city at the exit of Baidao in Yinshan Mountain to defend against the attacks of the barbarians. It was called Baidaosai. On both sides of Baidaosai, there were the undulating Great Walls along the mountains.
Zhao Kuo is no stranger to the Great Wall. He has seen many Great Walls for so long, but whether it is Shangdang's Bailishi Great Wall, Zhangshui Great Wall, Yan State's Yishui Great Wall, Qi State's Great Wall
...are not as majestic and majestic as the Yinshan Great Wall.
The reddish-brown city bricks are laid on thousands of miles of green mountains, like a blood-stained red ribbon falling on the world, dividing the earth into two parts, the north and the south.
Standing on the Great Wall, Zhao Kuo could clearly feel a chilling air rushing toward him, mixed with the smell of blood and the belief in protecting his family and country.
The city wall on the north side is darker than the south side. The outside of the city wall is full of holes left by weapons and bloodstains that cannot be wiped away. Occasionally, arrows can be seen stuck in the gaps of the city bricks.
The Great Wall guards stood along the pass wall, their bodies upright, looking at Zhao Kuo intently, with excited expressions on their faces.
This is one of the most elite legions of Zhao State. Every soldier has experienced hundreds of battles. Even though the Battle of Changping was extremely brutal, Zhao State did not send them south.
"On behalf of all the people of Zhao State, I would like to thank you all for your hard work." Zhao Kuo faced everyone and bowed deeply.
Only the names of a few generals can be remembered in the merit book. Who knows that there are tens of thousands of ordinary soldiers buried at the foot of the Great Wall without even leaving their names?
Their bones can build a mountain. Their blood can fill an entire river.
They also had parents to honor and wives and children to raise, but they chose to stay at the border without hesitation.
They have no regrets, but they feel aggrieved because no one remembers their contribution or what they paid.
At this moment, someone finally remembered them.
The eyes of the seven-foot-old man, who had shed no tears despite bleeding, instantly became moist, and all the grievances disappeared.
"I hereby promise that all the soldiers who died in the battle will enter the Hall of Heroes and worship the four solar terms in person. In my absence, ministers will be responsible for the sacrifices. The Zhao Kingdom will never be destroyed and the incense will continue. All rewards will be given by me.
The king will distribute a lot of money to everyone. If there is any deduction, you can go to Handan to find me. If anyone dares to stop you, kill them without guilt." Zhao Kuo said loudly.
The last sentence is not to the soldiers, but to all the officials of Zhao State. No warning is as effective as a knife hanging around the neck. As long as there are these words, when they corrupt the soldiers and award rewards, they will
You need to weigh whether your neck is stiff enough.
"In addition, starting from January this year, all the Great Wall Guardsmen will be paid salaries according to normal standards, and the unpaid salary will be made up for everyone in the next month." Zhao Kuo said.
"Your Majesty, do we conscripted soldiers also have salaries?" A soldier couldn't help but ask.
There are a total of 50,000 Zhao Kingdom's Great Wall Guards, divided into two types. One is the soldiers who are normally paid and have only 15,000 soldiers. These soldiers will guard the border for their entire lives, or receive orders to be transferred to other places to fight until they die in battle.
Or too old to move.
It seems very cruel, but it's actually pretty good. At least you have money and food to support your family. If you perform meritorious service, you can also obtain slaves, fields, and even titles, so as to provide a good background for future generations.
The other type is soldiers recruited from the border. They have no salary or official position. They have to prepare their own weapons and horses. After meritorious service, they receive relatively few rewards.
Service in the Central Plains generally only lasts for one to three months, and it will be over if you endure it, but guarding the border will take one to three years. If there is a war, you will be recruited again, and the period will be extended indefinitely.
The soldier who asked the question was obviously the latter.
"What's your name?" Zhao Kuo looked at the young soldier.
"Your Majesty, he is still young and ignorant. I hope Your Majesty will not blame him." Sima Shang came over quickly and kicked the soldier hard, "Why don't you admit your mistake to Your Majesty quickly?"
"He is not wrong, why should he admit his mistake?" Zhao Kuo reached out to stop Sima Shang, walked up to the young soldier, stretched out his hand to help him straighten his clothes, "Tell me your name, I am a soldier of the Zhao Kingdom.
"
"Your Majesty, the little one...the name of the little one is Xiao Zhi." said the soldier.
"Are your parents still alive at home? How many brothers do you have?" Zhao Kuo asked casually, as if he were chatting about family matters.
"Your Majesty, my father died in the war ten years ago, and my mother is still alive. I also have an older brother who died in the battle in Jiuyuan three years ago. The younger brother is sixteen years old this year and is still at home. He also has two younger sisters.
, is already married." Xiao Zhi said.
Of the four men in the family, two died in the battle. Zhao Kuo believed that this was definitely not a special case, but a reality.
There are many families like this in Zhao State.
"Don't worry, everyone, everyone has a salary, and will always have a salary." Zhao Kuo said solemnly, and then patted Xiaoshe on the shoulder, "I still need a personal guard, why don't you just stay with me?
.”
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Zhi said excitedly.
Everyone looked at Xiao Zhi with envy. From this moment on, Xiao Zhi's fate was different from theirs.
This was an opportunity, but they failed to seize it.
"I know that this is far from enough for everyone's efforts over the years, but please give me a certain amount of time." Zhao Kuo said loudly, then reached back and said, "Give me the flag."
Ben quickly put the flag he was carrying into Zhao Kuo's hands. Zhao Kuo untied the rope, grabbed the calf-thick flagpole with both hands, and waved it vigorously. A large Zhu Tong-colored flag fluttered in the wind, with five words written in Zhao's seal on it.
A big character: Great Wall Guards. Hunting on the Great Wall.
"This is the banner I prepared for the Great Wall Guards. It belongs to each of your soldiers. Now, I hand it over to you." Zhao Kuo slowly placed the banner in Li Mu's hands.
"The people are here and the flag is here." Li Mu said solemnly, carrying the big flag.
"The people are here and the flag is here!"
"The Kingdom of Zhao will last for ten thousand years! The Kingdom of Zhao will last for ten thousand years!"
All the soldiers waved their weapons and roared loudly, like thunder exploding from the sky, swallowing up mountains and rivers with rage.
"Wu Qi's ulcer is nothing more than that." Lian Po said silently.
The Great Wall Guards Army is the only legion in the State of Zhao that is not a direct descendant of Zhao Kuo. Although Zhao Kuo sent Li Mu to take charge, they have always criticized Zhao Kuo and even thought that they were a 'forgotten' legion.
.
Now, he has completely become Zhao Kuo's die-hard loyalist.
The soldiers' request was so simple that it could even be said that Zhao Kuo did not need to make a promise. As long as he took a look at them, the soldiers would believe that they had not been forgotten and that the king still had them in his heart.