"Your Highness, General Baili said that releasing the 30,000 Chu army prisoners would kill two birds with one stone. I have already guessed it, but there is something I still can't figure out. Please give me some advice..."
In a corner of the Yanshui camp of the Wei army, Zongwei Shen Yu asked Zhao Hongrun for advice seriously.
Zhao Hongrun, King of Shi Su, was squatting in the corner. When he heard Shen Yu's question, he couldn't help but frowned slightly: "Shen Yu, before I answer your doubts, would you like to think about it first?" Is this question really appropriate for me to ask?"
"Uh..." Shen Yu finally woke up from his deep thoughts and smiled coquettishly: "Your Highness, please forgive me, I've been thinking about this issue for the past two days and I've been a little crazy..."
Zhao Hongrun glanced at Shen Yu and shook his head angrily.
After a period of silence, Zhao Hongrun coughed and whispered: "Paper."
Shen Yu quickly handed the paper he had prepared to his Highness behind his back.
After a period of rustling sounds, Zhao Hongrun stood up with his pants lifted, frowned at the filthy things in the small pit, and used his boots to fill up the soil that had just been dug out on the side, filling the small pit. And he even stepped on it.
There is no way, the living conditions in the military camp are so simple, Zhao Hongrun is still very public-minded, and look at the other Wei soldiers in the army, none of them just find a corner to solve the problem, so that Zhao Hongrun went to the corner of the camp at night When inspecting the loopholes in the camp's defenses, they didn't dare to set foot in remote corners for fear of stepping on something bad.
Damn war...damn Chu State...damn Xiong Tuo...
Looking at the stains on his sleeves, Zhao Hongrun sighed silently, and then asked Shen Yu, "What did you want to ask just now?"
"I would like to ask, in this humble position, why does Your Highness treat those prisoners with such... well, courtesy?"
"A courtesy?" Zhao Hongrun was stunned and asked funnyly: "What kind of courtesy?"
"I can't say it's a humble position. I just feel that His Highness is very tolerant to those prisoners of Chu. Not to mention anything else, except when you released those prisoners, you also asked them to take two steamed buns each to satisfy their hunger on the road... Although there are two for each person. There are not many steamed buns, but there are more than 30,000 prisoners there..."
"What do you want to say?"
"Bizhi just thinks that you are too kind to those prisoners... Not only does Bizhi think so, many of the soldiers in the dredging camp in the camp can't understand it. After all, those people are our enemies of the Wei Dynasty and are invading the territory of our Wei Dynasty. , the enemies who killed the people of our Wei Dynasty... I don’t understand why Your Highness treats them so favorably. Does Your Highness still expect those people to change their minds and surrender to our Wei Dynasty? "
Hearing this, Zhao Hongrun glanced at Shen Yu, nodded and said, "Yes, you are right... Those 30,000 Chu soldiers are prisoners of our army and have a grudge against our great Wei. In this way, they fell into the hands of our army. Even if our soldiers kill them all, no one can fault our army... I believe even the prisoners themselves think so."
At this point, he paused for a moment and suddenly changed the topic: "Shen Yu, why do you think giving help in times of need is more memorable than adding icing on the cake? ... It's also help, isn't it?"
"Huh?" Shen Yu thought for a while, shook his head and said, "Not really, of course, when you are in a difficult situation and need help urgently, you will remember the kindness of the other party..."
"You are right... When people are in danger, when they are in urgent need of help, they will pay more attention to this kindness. After all, this is also the human heart... When a person is desperate, give him a little kindness and help. , this person will be grateful..."
"The same is true for those prisoners of the Chu army?"
"Well...it's a bit close. But slightly different."
"Your Highness, please make it clear."
"Shen Yu, people's hearts are very complicated... As you said, those Chu soldiers are the enemies of Wei Dynasty. Therefore, even if we kill them all, it is not an exaggeration. We know this. Those Chu soldiers knew it well... However, our army did not kill them, but gave them hope of living, and even gave them some small favors, such as giving each of them two steamed buns when they were released... ...Do you believe that those Chu soldiers will be grateful to our army for this?"
"I don't believe it." Shen Yu shook his head without any shame.
"Haha, I don't believe it either." Zhao Hongrun laughed.
Hearing this, Shen Yu couldn't laugh or cry. He was about to speak when he saw the smile on Zhao Hongrun's face drop and he said seriously: "But, Shen Yu, when those Chu soldiers return to Yangcheng Jun Xiong Tuo's army, as long as they are slightly attacked, If they receive some unfavorable treatment to them, they will think of our army... think of our army's kindness to them, and then become even more resentful of the unfair treatment they have received. Do you believe this?"
"..." Shen Yu shook his head hesitantly.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun smiled slightly, looked at the south under the night sky, and said lightly: "I remember when we released the prisoners, someone reminded me that the 30,000 prisoners of war would become a burden on Xiong Tuo's army. This strategy is good, but in order to prevent Those prisoners of war who continue to be enemies of our army should make some guarantees in advance, such as cutting off the prisoners' hand tendons, or cutting them... This kind of guarantee is indeed good, but it ignores the people's hearts. If this king really orders this If you do, those 30,000 prisoners of war will hold a grudge against our army, which is not in line with my original intention of releasing them..."
"Original intention?"
"Ah." Zhao Hongrun nodded and chuckled: "I will make Xiong Tuo have to bear the rations of the 30,000 prisoners of war, and I will also make the 30,000 prisoners of war of the Chu State praise my Wei army... "
"This... I'm afraid it's not possible." Shen Yu looked incomprehensible.
"Impossible? Just wait and see." Glancing at the night sky, Zhao Hongrun said as if he was confident: "As long as there is an opportunity... an opportunity that will most likely appear!"
"..." Shen Yu opened his mouth and nodded without knowing why.
At the same time, Chu general Qu Cheng, who had secretly surrendered to Zhao Hongrun, was witnessing with his own eyes the opportunity mentioned by the former.
"Not even those Wei soldiers would treat us like this!"
When he heard this sentence, even Qu Cheng was stunned.
Even he didn't expect that the 30,000 former Xiong Hu soldiers who had been released by the Wei army would say such words.
What's even more incredible is that this sentence was generally recognized by the former Xiong Hu soldiers nearby.
Of course, this sentence actually contains a lot of exaggeration, and it is just an angry remark at best.
But somehow, the soldiers of the former Xiong Hu Army generally agreed with this sentence.
Because in their opinion, when they were working as coolies in the Wei camp, His Highness King Su of the Wei State was the first to give them food. Although each person could only grab a handful of rice, at least it was treated as a meal for them.
When they were loading, the Wei soldiers guarding them were still hungry. Moreover, the Wei soldiers did not rush forward to rob them.
But now, in front of them, these friendly forces of Xiong Hu's army seemed to want to squeeze them into a corner and let them starve to death.
According to common sense, shouldn't the other side show some kindness among the friendly forces and let them get food to fill their stomachs first?
Why are these friendly troops even worse than the Wei troops who are clearly enemies?!
With this idea in mind, the soldiers of the original Xiong Hu Army were angry at the unfair treatment they received, and they all spoke out to support the soldier who first thought of Wei Bing.
"That's right! ... We are all soldiers of our own country, and those Wei soldiers will not be so arrogant!"
No, for a time, similar arguments abounded.
Listening to such arguments, the soldiers of Xiong Hu's army did not feel that the people in their own team had gone too far. Instead, they felt that the other party was unreasonable.
No. One of the soldiers of Xiong Tuo Army curled his lips and sneered: "Since Wei Army treats you so well, why do you come back? Isn't it good to stay in Wei camp as a prisoner?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a soldier from the Xiong Tuo Army nearby took over and mocked: "I think these people were frightened by the Wei army, and they actually said good things for the enemy..."
At first there were mutual accusations, and then there were mutual insults.
Sergeant Xiong Tuo scolded those former Soldiers Xiong Hu who had been captured by the Wei army and lost their weapons and armor, but they still had the nerve to come back and beg for food, while Sergeant Xiong Hu scolded us for fighting the Wei army head-on, and you guys, you know what?
They took advantage of the rear and massacred the Wei civilians who had no power to resist.
"You are a bunch of defeated soldiers, why didn't the Wei army kill you all?"
"Because Wei Bing is much better than you guys!"
"What? What the hell are you? Sixty thousand people were defeated by Wei soldiers who were far less powerful than you... a bunch of losers!"
"Hahaha... I only know how to plunder the unarmed civilians in the rear. If you dare, go fight those Wei soldiers... Don't be so scared that you wet your pants!"
"Keep your mouth clean!"
"What are you going to do?...let it go!"
"Let go? Fuck you..."
"You dare to take action?"
"What happened to the move?"
"Brothers, fight with them!"
As a result, the conflict escalated from a verbal sparring to the use of force. Thousands of Chu soldiers from both sides angrily shook their fists at their former friendly forces and struggled with them.
Rice buckets were beaten, soup was spilled on the floor, and the originally precious grain was trampled into mud.
Although the nearby Chu generals scolded him harshly, it was of no use at all.
Looking around, thousands of soldiers from the two Chu armies were actively or passively participating in this internal fight. The scene was so intense that even Qu Cheng found it unbelievable.
Because as the conflict intensified and the chaotic scene gradually escalated, more and more soldiers from the two soldiers were involved, and it seemed that it was about to turn into an internal fight between 30,000 people and 80,000 people.
How can internal fighting on this scale be easily suppressed?
Hey, hey, hey... I just returned to Chu camp and was guessed by King Su of Wei?
Qu Cheng did not participate in the chaos in the distance and silently ate rice to satisfy his hunger.
But in his heart, he had a higher opinion of His Royal Highness King Su of the Wei State. After all, Zhao Hongrun had told him with confidence that the 30,000 Chu army prisoners who were released by the Wei army, namely the former soldiers Xiong Hu, and the Jun Xiong of Yangcheng It is impossible for Tuo's 80,000 soldiers to live in peace with each other.
No, the 30,000 prisoners had just returned to the Chu camp when a conflict broke out with the soldiers of Xiong Tuo's army. The reason for their quarrel was just over such trivial matters as before and after queuing for meals.
Of course, this is only in Qu Cheng's view, and when it comes to the most fundamental reason, it is actually contempt and self-esteem: Xiong Tuojun looked down on the 30,000 Xiong Hujun who had been captured by the Wei army, and was even more angry that the latter even spoke well of the Wei army; and the 30,000 Xiong Hujun soldiers It was because they had been captured by the Wei army, which had become a thorn in their hearts. If anyone dared to move this thorn, they would have to be prepared to face the wrath of these 30,000 Xiong Hu soldiers.
That Prince Su... really caused a big trouble for Xiong Tuo.
With emotion in his heart, Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, and Wuma Jiao, two generals, also pretended to come forward to stop the stupid fighting of the soldiers.
In fact, they probably hoped that these people would fight more and more fiercely until they were inseparable. In this way, they would have the opportunity to fulfill Zhao Hongrun's instructions: wait for an opportunity to burn the Chu camp.
Although the current Chu camp actually only built a camp wall on the north side, it is undeniable that if Qu Cheng and others had the opportunity to burn down the many tents in the camp, I believe that all the 110,000 Chu soldiers here would have to Spending a night in the cold wind, no one knows how many people will be frozen to death by the cold wind at night.
But unfortunately, Qu Cheng and the others did not get the chance in the end.
After all, the soldiers of the original Xiong Hu Army, after enduring hunger for several days, were far less physically strong than the soldiers of Xiong Tuo Army, so they were pinned to the ground and beaten violently by the latter without any surprise.
All parties were defeated, and the internal fighting ended quickly.
"What a pity..." Wu Majiao muttered regretfully.
pity?
Qu Cheng snorted coldly in his heart, looking at a soldier of Xiong Tuo Army with a cold expression, stepping on a soldier of former Xiong Hu Army, and mocking proudly.
"Come on, hit me again, you bitch!"
The soldier Yuan Xionghu who was trampled on the ground had a face covered with wounds. He stared fiercely at the former friendly soldier who had insulted him. However, due to exhaustion of his strength, he was panting and unable to stand up, so he had to curse. .
But the result is obvious, this soldier was repaired by the soldiers of Xiong Tuo Army.
Qu Cheng looked around and saw similar phenomena everywhere.
Hahaha... I hope Xiong Tuo will not give weapons and armor to "our army", otherwise, when "those soldiers of our army" gradually regain their strength in the future... there will be a good show!
Qu Cheng watched this scene with cold eyes, humming secretly in his heart.
Although the soldiers of the former Xiong Hu Army lost to the soldiers of the Xiong Tuo Army today, that was only the difference in physical strength between the two soldiers. When the soldiers of the former Xiong Hu Army gradually regained their strength after eating a few full meals, will they forget today's shame?
Looking at the soldiers of Yuan Xionghu who were pushed to the ground and beaten violently, and looking at the angry expressions in their helpless eyes, Qu Cheng felt clear in his heart.
He felt more and more that it was getting more and more difficult for Yangcheng Lord Xiong Tuo to win this battle.
Of course, Qu Cheng, who had secretly surrendered to the Wei army, was happy to see this. (To be continued.)