Xianglige lied. There were not thirty, not even ten, Mohists in Ruyin City. Apart from him, there were only three.
"Xianglige will not come back."
At the top of Ruyin City, looking up at the sun above his head, Deng Fuzi, the only and final leader of Southern Mo in the Chu Kingdom, sighed, with a somewhat sad expression on his face.
Except for the old Mr. Deng, Ku Li, a strong man who was nine feet tall and as tall as a high wall, and Qi Qia, who was thin and had rotten teeth due to difficult life since childhood, looked at each other with some sadness.
Xianglige was different from those who were half-way into Mohism. He had been a Mohist for generations. Xianglige was Mr. Deng’s most proud disciple and the only one among them who could lobby.
It's a pity that this man is too stubborn and idealistic. Qi Chi can tell even if he closes his eyes that the Qin army outside cannot give up the attack on the city, but Xianglige insists on trying.
"It seems that people will become stupid if they read too many books." Qi Qia, who had only joined Mo Zhe less than two years ago, thought to himself.
Now, Xianglige has been gone for a long time and has not returned. The three people speculate that he may have angered the Qin general because of his rude words, and his head was cut off to sacrifice to the flag.
But no one doubted that he would be ashamed to return because his lobbying failed, or that he would surrender directly.
"Those who are so fragile among Mohists have already disappeared one after another in the past twenty years, and it is impossible for them to remain until now." Mr. Deng said.
Mr. Deng is already a shaky old man. He is the "teacher" of Xianglige, Kuli and Qiqi, and the one who taught them the morality of Mohism. He was the only one who was lucky enough to see the Southern Mohism forty years ago.
Dozens of people gathered together, responded to Lord Pingyuan's request, rushed to Handan, and together with people with lofty ideals from all over the world, assisted the old, weak, women and children of Zhao State to resist the violent Qin army.
At that time, Master Deng was only eighteen or nineteen years old, and the southern ink painting at that time was still very prosperous.
But that was their last glory. After that, the Wei State attacked and defended, and Mo Zhe helped defend the city. Most of them were killed or wounded, and only Mr. Deng and a few others who stayed in the south remained.
These people have passed away, and while the living people congratulate them on a well-deserved death and travel with ghosts and gods, they must also start recruiting new Mohists to replenish their manpower.
However, in this world, ambitious scholars are all pursuing fame and wealth. The Mohist school is no longer a prominent scholar and is not favored by the princes. Who is still willing to be a Mohist?
It is better for the warriors to be knight-errants and enjoy grudges than to impose strict rules on disciples and prohibit private fights.
It is better for the scribes to be Confucian scholars, with wide sleeves and broad belts, to talk eloquently, and to be in the role of a king, than to be a Confucian scholar wearing brown fur, squatting in clothes, and burying his head in dealing with wood and stones.
Southern Mo is strict about self-discipline, endures hardships and stands hard work, and goes against social customs. He advocates frugal burials, and dreams that people in the world will be as frugal and restrained as they are, and love the world like brothers. All of this is daunting. So.
Even the common people in the head of Guizhou would rather continue to work as workers, merchants, farmers, and even perform singing, dancing, medicine, and divination than those who work in ink.
The Mohist preaches the will of Heaven, advocating that the big should not attack the small, the strong should not bully the weak, the strong should not rob the few, the deceitful should not deceive the foolish, the noble should not be arrogant and the humble, the rich should not be arrogant on the poor, the strong should not take away their old age...
However, everyone in the world likes to rely on the strong and bully the weak. Who is willing to help them fight against the strong and uphold morality?
So in the end, there were fewer and fewer Mohists, and the only ones who occasionally joined them were the vulnerable groups who were grateful for the Mohists' help, and they also died one after another...
Although Kuli was nine feet tall, he was ignorant and was teased in the street. After being rescued by Mr. Deng, he followed him stupidly, never leaving.
Qi Chi was a poor craftsman in Huaibei. He lived under the rule of the feudal lord, and his life was not bad. But when the war between Qin and Chu broke out, his family was also affected, and everyone in his family died. He was killed by Master Deng and Ku Li.
He was pulled out of a pile of dead people. After that, he also joined the ranks of Mohists.
Xiangli Ge, on the other hand, has been a scholar for generations, and has a branch of his own that has inherited two hundred years of persistence and perseverance.
It is these four people who constitute the last Southern Mo...
"Now, only the three of us are left to guard this city."
The corners of Qi Qia's mouth were bitter: "The old man, the fool, and me, the widow."
This scene is really ironic. When Ruyin was in danger, it was not its lord Dou Ran or Xiang Yan who protected it, but these three people.
Qi Chi was a little pessimistic. He didn't think that Ruyin, with its low walls, could resist the Qin army's attack by relying on just three Mohists.
He asked Master Deng: "Master once told me that in ancient times there were people who knew how to defend a city, but they did not touch the people at home and did not make peace with others. They had few troops but alienated countries with more troops.
A person who is weak but despises a strong country will end up losing his country and be ridiculed by the world... Therefore, you must be careful when helping others. Otherwise, if you don't know how to defend the city, you will be burdened. "
"Now, are we also tired of our own city defense skills?"
"It's a contract."
Although Mr. Deng is old, he is just like them, wearing a short brown coat and working at the top of the city. He said: "The great men of all ages have a last word. If a strong one bullies a weak one, and a big country invades a small one in an unjust war, the weak one will fight against the small one."
If the Mohist family asks for help, the Mohists must not refuse!"
Because of this contract, countless Mohists have died in the battle to defend the city over the past two hundred years, but they still continue to fight, as if their sacrifices can be turned into firewood, so that the fire of ideals will never be extinguished...
Master Deng turned around and pointed to the local residents below the city who had come to the city wall to help defend the city under the arrangement of the Chu lord and the Mohists: "Qin and Chu fought three wars in two years, and the people were desperate. And now the Qin army has entered Chu territory.
, plowed (shānyi) its crops and killed its children, the people were frightened and regarded Qin as a tiger and wolf. Compared with Qin, they were of course weak. At this moment, what they looked forward to most was to help them conquer the Qin Dynasty.
Keep tigers and wolves out of the city, and do not let them bite those who want to kill you.”
He then pointed at those officials who, when the disaster was approaching, finally put aside their noble status as feudal officials and enlisted their wives and concubines in the army to help boil water in the city: "These ordinary rich and noble people
However, the Qin army defeated Chu, cut down its trees, felled its walls, filled its ravines, seized and killed its livestock, burned its ancestral temples, and moved its important weapons. At the moment, they are also helpless, weak and widowed. If they don't work hard to save themselves,
It can only be reduced to fish meat."
The Mohists did not join every war without choice, but when the weak made their voices heard and wanted help, they would get involved in the war and always stand on the side of the weak.
It is never allowed for a strong person to unilaterally kill a weak person!
This reminded Qakichi of himself. When he was helpless in the chaos and danger of the city, it was Mo Zhe who saved him.
"Moreover."
Mr. Deng said with a smile: "This city may not be undefendable. Although the city of Ruyin is not high, it is very strong. It has the tools to defend the city and plenty of firewood and grain. This is why I asked people to abandon Hu City and concentrate on defense here."
s reason."
"Disciple understands."
Qi Qia nodded, and his slightly shaken heart settled down. He began to walk among the soldiers and civilians again and issued orders to them.
A large number of people gathered at the top of the city to add bricks to the battlements, and the progress was good. But on the other hand, the pile of crumbling buildings growing under the city wall was very annoying. They clung to the city wall like barnacles attached to the hull of a ship.
, there are shops, wine shops and houses, as well as the nuptials of cheap prostitutes.
According to the rules of the Mohists guarding the city, all buildings within ten steps of the city must be cleared and no trace left behind, otherwise they will easily be ignited by the smoke arrows thrown by the enemy and cause chaos.
After arranging for people to demolish these buildings, Qi Chi added to a Chu army official: "Inside the city, wherever arrows can reach outside the city, all firewood piles and houses must be covered with a layer of mud."
He was responsible for commanding the people to prepare for the defense of the city, while Ku Li was a stupid man who didn't speak much. He only hung his sword to help the people carry heavy earth bags.
Mr. Deng, who is their backbone, is at the top of the city asking the craftsmen to place the Mohist's sharp weapon: the ballista!
This kind of machine placed on the city wall makes a crossbow bed out of five-inch wood. The bed weighs one hundred and twenty kilograms. It can continuously shoot sixty large crossbow arrows ten feet long. It is extremely lethal! But it requires
Only ten people can operate it, so Mr. Deng could only temporarily teach some crossbowmen in the city, hoping that this thing would come in handy when fending off enemies.
The nervous preparations of the three Mohists, the three thousand soldiers in the city, and the five thousand people to defend themselves against the enemy were interrupted by the rapid sound of gold in the evening!
"The Qin army is coming!"
Sharp shouts resounded throughout the city, and everyone's expressions froze, and then they all went to the city to defend themselves against the enemy.
Mo Zhe's method of defending the city was to involve all the people in battle. For every fifty steps of the city wall, in addition to the sixty soldiers, ten men, twenty adult women, and ten young and old, a total of one hundred people, were arranged under the city wall.
The soldiers guarding the building must take one step at a time. Only by taking this as a standard can they be able to defend the building.
At present, the manpower in the city can barely fill the city head according to this standard.
It should have been a noisy and chaotic scene, but the Chu soldiers and civilians at the top of the city were all looking at the enemy in the distance in fear. Except for the sound of alarm drums and golden sounds, there was no sound on the city wall.
Qi Chi also climbed up to the top of the city and stood beside Master Deng and Ku Li. Now he understood why everyone was silent.
He saw, two miles away, black battle flags fluttering in the wind, bright spears, spears, swords and halberds that were eye-catching, groups of black-armored Qin soldiers lined up in neat lines, and columns of chariots and cavalry guarding the wings.
On the left and right, under the command of the strong and low drum beat, they walked in unison, pushing the siege equipment they had made in a hurry, and walked resolutely towards Ruyin.
This is the Qin Army...
On the city wall, the people of Chu tried their best to suppress the fear in their chests. Many people could not hold their spears and involuntarily stuck out their tongues and licked their lips to soothe their emotions. As they watched the enemy gradually approach the city wall, everyone's heartbeats jumped.
It was beating nervously as the Qin army advanced.
The same goes for Qi Chi, a lonely craftsman who had only joined Mo Zhe for two years. He thought of the terrible Qin army during Wang Ben's war against Chu, as well as the deaths of his wife and children.
"Qi Qia, your legs are shaking."
Mr. Deng warned lightly from the side, and then looked at Qi Qia, those old eyes seemed to be saying to him: "Go to the city now, quit Mo Zhe now, there is still time..."
Mr. Deng has lived long enough and has participated in countless wars. He has long looked down upon death. Facing the powerful Qin army in front of him, he did not have any fear in his heart. Instead, he felt an indescribable relief. If he could keep his nature
It's a good thing. If you can't keep it and die here, wouldn't it be a relief?
He was determined to die, but the three disciples did not have to be so, especially Qi Te. He could completely take off his brown clothes and continue to be his craftsman.
However, Qi Qi straightened his back and said softly: "It's the wind!"
He showed his rotten teeth and said with a smile: "It's the wind that makes my legs shake!"
Ku Li, who was stupid, opened his generous palms in confusion, but found that there was no wind at the top of the city.
But in Qi Qia's eyes, there is something. The invisible wind is gathering into a storm a mile away, rolling in dark stratus clouds, and pressing towards Ruyin City like a mountain!
However, as a Mohist, I will not bow to any power!
He mustered up his courage, took a step forward, and stood side by side with Ku Li on Master Deng's side.
…
One mile away from Ruyin City, Commander Heifu, who was ordered to act as a follow-up force to cover the first troops to seize the city, was gradually advancing forward with his thousands of men amid the clouds.
When you raise your head, you can see the short city of Ruyin. Among the Chu soldiers and civilians standing in two groups, there are three inkmen in brown clothes, standing side by side, smiling at death...
They are like three stubborn salmon in the huge waves of this great era. When everyone knows that time has changed and is learning to go with the flow, they are still swimming upstream!