After leaving Gu'an County, the horse team walked south along the flat official road. Less than ninety miles south of Gu'an County was Bazhou City. When Liu Ling and the others set out on the road, the courtyard and gate of Bazhou Mansion were
There was already a layer of red ice on the street in front of me. In the twelfth lunar month, water would quickly freeze into ice if it was poured on the ground. Hot blood would freeze faster than water if it was poured on the ground.
The more than a thousand Han troops who stayed in Bazhou were not killed by Yang Yishan's people. About 600 of them were imprisoned in the backyard of Bazhou Prefecture. All the officers above ten captains were killed, and the remaining soldiers
After being disarmed, they were tied up and left to freeze in the yard. Over the course of a day and night, the bodies of dozens of seriously injured soldiers had become as stiff as stone.
The soldiers were silent, just like the silent and cold weather. Ever since last night, bursts of fighting sounds suddenly came from outside the courtyard, as well as the familiar roar of horse hoofs on the ground when the cavalry charged in groups.
The soldiers did not know what was happening outside, nor did they know who the horse thieves pretending to be Han soldiers were killing. As regular soldiers of the Han Dynasty, they were defeated and captured by a group of horse thieves. This was a great shame to them.
, although those horse thieves entered the city under the banner of the Han army and suddenly launched an attack, they were defeated.
The shouting of death lasted for more than an hour. When the outside calmed down, it was already dark. The firelight could be seen outside the courtyard wall. The soldiers looked at each other's tired and haggard faces, and no one was even interested in talking.
Suddenly, the courtyard door that was locked by iron chains was knocked open by something. Then, under the light of torches, many soldiers wearing Han cavalry armor filed in.
A general in black armor strode into the backyard, stood in the yard and frowned at the soldiers who were tied up sitting on the ground.
"Is there any officer alive? Come forward and see me!"
The black-armored general shouted.
The tied Han soldiers suddenly realized that they all stood up with difficulty and organized themselves into formation as quickly as possible. Although they had been hungry and freezing all night, their hands and feet were stiff and their blood was poor, and although
Many of them were injured. Although their hands were still tied, when they stood up, they held their chests high.
"Inform the general, the Bazhou garrison was raided the day before yesterday, and all officers above the tenth commander were killed!"
A corps commander standing at the front took a step forward, looked at the black-armored general and answered truthfully.
The black-armored general hummed and said, "What's your name, and how many years have you been in the army?"
The corps commander loudly replied: "My humble name is Wang Zhenshui. I joined the army in the first year of Datong in the Han Dynasty. I am corps commander!"
The black-armored general nodded and said: "From today on, you are the commander of the Bazhou garrison!"
He waved his hand, and the soldiers in bright armor standing behind him stepped forward to cut the ropes on the captured Han soldiers. Then the released soldiers also helped the soldiers untie the ropes. Soon, all six hundred soldiers were freed
When they came out, their bodies were very stiff, and many of their arms were purple. The soldiers moved their bodies tentatively to let their blood flow smoothly.
Wang Zhenshui stood there a little stupidly, but he didn't expect that he would be promoted to captain of thousands.
A cavalry general walked over and cut the rope around him and said: "General Zhao, the great general of Huaihua of the Han Dynasty, is right in front of you, don't see me yet!"
General Huaihua?
Wang Zhenshui was stunned for a moment and then woke up.
There is only one General Huaihua of the third rank of the Han Dynasty named Zhao!
See the humble rank of General!
Wang Zhen performed a military salute stiffly. Because his arms were stiff, his movements were not particularly standard, but he was very solemn.
Zhao Er nodded and said: "I already know what happened yesterday. All those horse thieves have been killed. Now take your people to change into clean clothes. After breakfast, order the whole city, appease the people, and clean up the battlefield.
.I have to rush back to the Youzhou camp to replenish your troops. From today on, you will be the commander of thousands. Bazhou City will be handed over to you before the army returns to the main camp."
Zhao Er patted Wang Zhenshui on the shoulder and said: "The prince already knows what happened the day before yesterday. The prince said that you are not to blame for this matter. Don't blame yourself too much. Guard the city well, arrange for the injured brothers, and give the dead a good burial!
"
Wang Zhenshui puffed up his chest and said, "I understand this humble position!"
Zhao Er nodded, then turned around and strode outside. On the street outside Bazhou Mansion Office, thousands of majestic cavalry were already in formation. The burning torches illuminated the dawn. Under the firelight,
The posture of the cavalry looked so mighty and domineering. Zhao Er walked to his horse, got on his horse, and pointed forward. A group of cavalry roared out and took the lead in galloping towards the city gate. Zhao Er immediately mobilized his mount and led
The large group of people left Bazhou City.
Wang Zhenshui looked at the cavalry's leaving figures, with tears welling up in his eyes.
"Did you see it, brothers? The prince sent General Huaihua to save us! The prince said that he already knew what happened the day before yesterday. The prince said that it was not our fault and let us defend the city with peace of mind!"
Hundreds of soldiers gathered behind Wang Zhenshui suddenly raised their right arms and shouted: "Defend the city with peace of mind! The King of Han is mighty!"
"Long live the King of Han!"
I don't know who suddenly shouted, there was still a little childishness in the voice, but it was so sincere.
The scene suddenly became quiet, and everyone followed the voice and looked at the young soldier who was shouting. The soldier blushed, and then realized that there was something wrong with shouting like this. If the King of Han is long live, what is long live? Who cares! The young soldier raised his head
He raised his chest and raised his right arm again: "Long live the King of Han!"
Wang Zhenshui looked at the young soldier with a smile, and then raised his thumb.
Liu Ling's cavalry team had only walked more than thirty miles until noon. They found a house in Niutou Village. They gave them enough money and had a simple but very sweet lunch. After resting for a while, they continued on the road.
Ling looked at this place, which had been renamed Niutuo Village in later generations, and felt a faint nostalgia in his heart when he thought of the several times he had been here in his previous life. The horse team speeded up in the afternoon and covered dozens of miles at sunset.
Arrive outside Bazhou City.
Because there had been two killings in the past two days, Bazhou City seemed quite deserted. If Zhao Da had not sent someone to reveal his identity as the Supervisory Council, the defenders who had closed the city gate would definitely not have let them in.
In the city, the Overwatch Council has a unique position in the Han Dynasty, and the relationship between the military and the Overwatch Council is much closer. The military operations cannot be separated from the intelligence provided by the Overwatch Council, which is the key to victory, so the soldiers are very concerned about the secrets of the Overwatch Council.
None of the people in Yi felt any rejection, on the contrary, they felt somewhat friendly.
"Sir, are you from Youzhou?"
The centurion, whose heart was lifted, asked a silver-robed supervisor Wei Dao.
The man in silver smiled and said, "That's right, brothers have worked hard to defend the city."
These were just two extremely plain words, but they felt warm in the centurion's heart. The prince's ability to send cavalry to rescue them so quickly was definitely a credit to the Overwatch Council in his opinion.
Yinyi ordered: "Don't make any noise, I won't like it!"
The centurion nodded vigorously and moved out of the way.
When Liu Ling passed by the centurion on horseback, the centurion nodded and smiled at him. In the centurion's view, the handsome man was very kind, but he never imagined that this was what he thought.
His Highness the King of Han, who existed like a red sun, Liu Ling liked the centurion's smile very much. It was sincere and not false.
Although they had reported their identity to the Supervisory Yuan, Liu Ling and his party did not stay at the Bazhou Garrison Barracks at night, nor did they go to the Bazhou Mansion Office. Instead, they chose a quite clean inn to stay. After dinner
Liu Ling told Zhao Dadao: "I don't know if the garrison commander promoted by Zhao Er will come soon. You can meet him. After the army returns south, Bazhou will be abandoned. Arrange their retreat. Tell him that the common people will give it a shot.
Don't rob any of them, otherwise they will be killed without mercy. As for the things in Bazhou's treasury, whatever is left after replenishing military supplies will be distributed to the people. Although there are not a few Khitan people in Bazhou city who have been Hanized, but in the future they will all be
My people, there is no difference."
Zhao Da responded and waited in the lobby of the inn. Sure enough, it didn't take long for Wang Zhenshui to bring a few centurions into the inn in plain clothes. Looking at the official in black sitting on the chair, Wang Zhenshui knew that that person was today.
Officials from the Oversight Yuan came into the city. But he did not expect that the person waiting for him here would be the Commander of the Oversight Yuan.
While Zhao Da was comforting Wang Zhenshui, Liu Ling was sitting on the bed soaking her feet.
Minhui squatted beside Liu Ling, washing Liu Ling's feet carefully and gently.
"Your Majesty, Bazhou is a big city, but why does it look more deserted than the small county of Gu'an we just passed through?"
Liu Ling didn't tell Minhui what happened before Bazhou to avoid worrying her, so Liu Ling explained: "With the war in the north, merchants have changed their routes or temporarily stopped their business. And it wasn't long after I conquered this place, so the people
I haven't gotten used to it yet. As you can see, there are very few shops open on this street. If they weren't reluctant to leave their homes and their family businesses, the people might have fled."
Minhui hummed and said, "In a war, the people who get hurt are always the people."
Liu Ling said gently: "You are right, no matter what the purpose of the war is, no matter who starts the war, no matter whether it is justice or evil, and no matter who wins in the end, it is the people who suffer. Today you
My family is coming here to kill me, tomorrow my family is going to go back and kill, and they are all ordinary people. The land of Yanzhao is fertile and wild for thousands of miles, but look at how desolate it is now. This is the price of war.
Very cruel."
Minhui thought for a moment and said, "My lord...why are you fighting?"
This was the first time Minhui asked such a question. Liu Ling thought for a while and answered: "Fight to stop fighting."
He smiled and said: "There are so many ambitious people in the world, and in these troubled times, there are also many people who want to take advantage of the situation. Your prince and I are also ambitious people, but there are too many ambitious people in the world.
We have been fighting with each other for a long time, wasting people and money. They all have the same ambition, why should I give it to others? Is there anyone in the world who can do better than me? So I decided that I would end the troubled times, but many people disagreed.
What should I do?"
Minhui thought for a while and said: "Fight!"
Liu Ling rubbed Minhui's hair and said with a smile: "That's right, it's a fight. If you don't accept it, beat him down, and if you don't accept it, let him die. Although the purpose of everyone's fight seems to be similar, in the end
It's still different. Most of the people involved in this fight are trying to become the supreme person sitting on the dragon chair, but there is only one chair, and everyone has to grab it. But I am still different from them. I am not the prince.
Fighting for that chair."
He smiled and said: "I did it to prevent others from sitting on that chair."
Minhui lowered her head and thought for a while, but she didn't understand.
Liu Ling didn't want to explain these things to her. If he wanted to gain a foothold in troubled times, who else could do it without me? No! What's mine is mine. If it's not mine, snatch it away and make it mine. I can make the people of the world
Life is stable and worry-free. Who can do better than me? If there is someone who can do better than me, then fine, I'll beat you away or even kill you for fear of you, but I won't let it go to you anyway.
"War is not the purpose."
Liu Ling thought for a moment and said, "War is just a means."
Liu Ling lifted up her feet that had been wiped dry by Minhui and put them into the quilt, pulled the quilt and said: "The war will never end completely, no matter when. Even if I make the people rich in the future,
If the world is stable, won't people from other places come to rob it? So we still have to fight. As long as people still have desires, war will not stop. In fact, there are only two types of war. The first is robbing, and the second is robbing.
The second type is protection."
Liu Ling smiled: "What I'm doing now is the first one."
He put his arms around Minhui's waist and felt the temperature of the girl's body: "As for the second one..."
Liu Ling reached into Minhui's chest and held a soft ball: "Let's wait until I've grabbed enough." (To be continued)
