Ji Han Zhangwu Chapter 28 Bereavement of a Friend
When Guanqiu Xing approached Dingtao City again, there was still silence in the city. He called to the city twice before someone finally responded to him. The voice was so mute that he couldn't hear it at all. He had no choice but to mind his own business.
He will announce his name and the news of the arrival of reinforcements outside the city. After that, he will take his name certificate, hang it on an arrow, and shoot it to the top of the city.
Unexpectedly, after a while, the city gate slowly opened. Just as Guan Qiu Xing was about to lead his soldiers in, he saw a dozen ragged people walking out first, looking at him carefully, and asking in a hoarse voice.
Said: "Is there anything to eat?"
Guanqiu Xing was a little surprised at first, but then he suddenly thought: After guarding for so many days without external aid, they must have been drinking gruel for a long time! He immediately called his subordinates to come over and put the dry food and smoked food on the horse.
Take all the meat and hand it to these people.
There were not many things, and they were too dry and hard to swallow. Unexpectedly, the guards saw this as if they were delicacies. After thanking them repeatedly, they actually downed the food in a few mouthfuls. Then they waved to their colleagues behind the door. Soon, the gate of the city came.
Nearly four hundred people crowded together, scrambling to share the dry food. As they gnawed, Guanqiu discovered to his surprise that these people had lost some of their teeth, and some even had only four or five left. But even so, they still
Chewing dry food hard, some people's mouths were filled with blood, but they didn't even cry out in pain.
And when he entered the city, he realized what a hellish scene it was. As far as he could see, the houses in the city had been demolished, and all he could see were the foundations of previous houses, the dug-out loess, and the trees that could be seen.
They were all stripped of their skins, and even there was very little green grass on the ground. They turned and walked up to the tower, only to find that the corners of the city were filled with corpses lying on the ground. They were emaciated, leaning on each other, and they were densely packed like withered grass in autumn.
It seemed that if the wind moved, they would all float away. Only then did Guanqiu Xing realize that there was no longer a bird, a mouse or even a grasshopper in this silent city. He looked at the blood-stained city
I almost groaned in my heart: What kind of person can persevere to this extent?
When Chen Chong arrived at the city, it was already dusk, and in front of him, nearly five thousand Han troops had entered the city one after another, either hauling corpses outside the city one by one, or digging and filling corpses outside the city.
The sky was a little dark in the big pit, so people raised fires everywhere, but the fire intensified the gloomy color and brought a lot of confusion to people.
After learning that Chen Chong had arrived in front of the city, Yang Mi, who was in charge of the city's affairs, walked quickly and reported to him the details of the city.
Chen Chong asked straight to the point: "How many casualties are there in the city?"
Yang Mi replied: "The household registration in the city was originally 26,032, and the number of soldiers was 8,119." He glanced at Chen Chong's face, and then whispered: "The current population is 3,260.
Five, there were two thousand and thirty-seven soldiers, almost all of them were wounded."
Chen Chong was silent, taking the eucalyptus slip in Yang Mi's hand with both hands, and looking through it like a dead tree.
At this time, someone suddenly reported to Yang Mi that there were guards in the city who had been begging for food from them. They refused to give it, so those people made trouble in front of the fire camp and blocked the door, hoping that Yang Mi could come to rescue the siege. Yang Mi was afraid that Chen Chong would be angry.
, immediately pointed at the man and cursed: "Isn't it just some grain and rice? Giving more will kill people? Ah? They are all national heroes, so you can compare a little grain and rice?!"
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Unexpectedly, the man said aggrievedly: "Sima, we also know! But today they ate too much. Some people even ate sixteen bowls of soup cakes and died from exhaustion! There are seventeen more people like this. If we continue
Come on, hundreds of people will die!"
Yang Mi did not expect this to happen, and he chatted for a while, while Chen Chong sighed in his heart. He had long known that there was a shortage of food in the city, and had allocated 20,000 hu of rice noodles to go ahead. Unexpectedly, it led to such a tragic incident. He then said: "This is very special.
It’s your fault for waiting, I’ll go there myself!”
Chen Chong then went straight to the city, and saw many Dingtao guards making trouble around the fire camp. When they saw the dragon head coming, they cheered loudly, and then surrounded Chen Chong and asked for comment. Who knew that Chen Chong laughed and said: "
This is my order! Today is just to cope with one or two, why do you have to eat too much? Three days later, I will hold a banquet to celebrate everyone! By then, this is not what everyone will eat, there is guaranteed to be chicken
Duck, fish, and wine!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone burst into tears. After Chen Chong comforted them a little, they gradually dispersed.
Only then did Chen Chong realize that Zang Hong was not seen here. He turned to ask Yang Mi, and then learned that he was recuperating in the tower. When Chen Chong thought about the last time the two met, nine years ago, Chen Chong felt a surge in his heart.
Warmth flowed out silently, and he immediately set off on his horse.
But when he stepped into the tower and met Zang Hong again, he was surprised to find that he did not recognize Zang Hong at all.
In the past, Zang Hong was slightly taller than Chen Chong, but his voice was extremely loud, and it was like pouring down a basin of water, which immediately made people sober. Moreover, his steps were also huge, and his hands and feet were waving like a lion, and every move was extremely powerful.
But when Chen Chong saw Zang Hong on the couch again, he found that he was sitting leaning against the wall, facing the west with his eyes slightly closed. He was as thin as a withered bamboo, and the cheekbones on his face were also protruding, looking very decadent.
And on his left eye, a scar extends from his eyelid to the corner of his mouth, which looks very scary and no longer has the heroic spirit of the past.
Cang Tou, who was serving on the side, said that Zang Hong only drank a bowl of porridge today and couldn't drink it anymore. He kept asking when the dragon head would arrive. When Chen Chong heard this, the warmth in his heart turned to desolation. He was sad.
I thought: How could the heroic man who could intimidate the servants in Beijing become like this?
He asked Cang Tou to bring another bowl of porridge, while he sat beside the couch, only to find that there was a sheathed dagger beside the pillow. He turned the dagger on the eucalyptus, and then asked Zang Hong softly: "
Ziyuan? Can you still bend the bow? How about going to Jinyang to kill the northern captives?"
When Zang Hong heard the voice, he slowly opened his eyes and found that it was Chen Chong. He shook his head slightly and asked, "Ting Jian, what's going on with your Majesty?"
Chen Chong was silent, knowing that he was a loyal minister, but he didn't expect that he cared to this extent. What should he say at this time? It didn't sound good no matter how he said it, but Chen Chong didn't want to deceive his friends, so he finally told all the previous experiences one by one.
After hearing this, Zang Hong asked again: "So, you have made up your mind to help Liu Xuande become emperor?"
Chen Chong replied in a low voice: "The world is not at peace, and the time has not yet come."
Zang Hong sighed and said in a low voice: "What do you think of the marriage between the princess and you?"
Chen Chong smiled bitterly and said: "What else can be done? If I marry the princess, it will only cause the two families to suffer again."
Zang Hong shook his head and said: "No, at least I can save your majesty's life."
Chen Chong did not expect Zang Hong to say these words. He shook his head slightly and said: "Since I don't kill him now, I certainly won't kill him in the future. You are worrying too much."
Hearing Chen Chong say so confidently, Zang Hong showed a trace of self-mockery on his face. He stretched out his right hand to show Chen Chong. Chen Chong saw several cuts and thought he was going to describe the pain of the fight. Unexpectedly, he said: "No.
Thinking like this, life is unpredictable and it is difficult for people to control themselves. If I were not in this city, I would not know that I could kill my wife and children with my own hands."
Speaking of this, Zang Hong's eyes rose slightly. Chen Chong looked over, but saw nothing. Then he heard Zang Hong say leisurely: "Ting Jian, I have no other wishes in my life, and I don't have much friendship with Liu Xuande. I just want to
It’s just a matter of being loyal to the country and asking for your life. I have already achieved the former. Can you fulfill my wish for the latter?”
Seeing Chen Chong's silence, he suddenly opened his mouth and laughed. Only then did Chen Chong realize that his teeth were almost gone, which made him extremely embarrassed. Zang Hong grabbed Chen Chong's hand and said solemnly to him: "
Ting Jian, your temperament is so similar to mine. It’s just that you are more polite, so everyone can’t tell. But I have known for a long time that you are in a high and powerful position, but you are unwilling to make changes. One day, you will be like me.
Sooner or later, you will suffer for the rest of your life."
Chen Chong was stunned when he heard this. He had heard such an assertion in Yang Biao, and unexpectedly his long-lost old friend also spoke like this. He couldn't help but feel dissatisfied, and he was about to refute, but Zang Hong continued.
He no longer sat sideways, but lay back on the couch, and said sentimentally: "Your life is too hard, and you will probably die very late. This is not a good thing. Only now do I understand Kang Ju's words, all life is suffering, and all sentient beings are all suffering.
Evil. To live is to suffer. Perhaps you can find peace only after you die."
Chen Chong smiled at him and said: "No matter how hard your life is, you can crawl out of this hell. You can't die." He then said: "I have already told Xuande that you have made such great achievements.
It can be said that you are the best in the court. You can be made a Taiwei, named Marquis of Dingyang, and have thousands of households in the city."
When Zang Hong heard this, he waved his hand and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about this today. Just let me rest first!"
Chen Chong also knew that he was tired and tired of hearing this, so he nodded and stood up to leave. Just as he was about to go out, Zang Hong suddenly sat up again and said loudly to Chen Chong: "Ting Jian, don't forget to talk to the Tian family
You should think carefully about getting married!"
Chen Chong turned back to look at him and found that the tough man's eyes were red and his whole body was shaking slightly. He was obviously very concerned about this. Chen Chong couldn't bear to make him sad, so he nodded and said, "I will think about it carefully. Ziyuan should rest early." When Zang Hong heard this, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief. His eyes became firm and his tone gradually became calmer. Finally, he smiled slowly at Chen Chong and said, "I'm sorry."
It seems that he is in a better mood, Chen Chong thought, and called his guards to go out and go downstairs. Then he put on the stirrups and mounted his horse, intending to go to the camp to find Liu Bei. Calculating the time, he should be there. He could be halfway there, Chen Chong thought in his mind.
Suddenly Zang Hong's eyes flashed through his eyes, and he remembered where he had seen it. Yes, it was in Lishi, in the Zhonghuang Taiyi Temple. It was Peng Tuo's suicide eyes!
Chen Chong immediately rode back and hurried to the city tower. Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived downstairs, he heard sad cries upstairs. His heart sank, and he quickly walked upstairs, only to see the soldiers outside the house kneeling together.
, when they saw Chen Chong, they said: "Zang Shijun committed suicide!"
As soon as Chen Chong turned his head, he saw the short knife stuck in Zang Hong's neck. He leaned over and reached out to touch it. The blood had stopped flowing, but it was still warm. Cang Tou, who served Zang Hong, cried and recounted Zang Hong's last words to Chen Chong.
.Zang Hong said: How can I exchange the lives of my wife, children, and common people for my rich and prosperous future? Then he committed suicide with a knife.
After hearing this, Chen Chong trembled all over. He felt that he was completely old. It was only at this moment that he realized that his tears had already dried up.