"What, uncle? Let us stop the escaping Xilu?" Liu Shu looked at his uncle Liu Yi in disbelief. Not only him, but everyone else in their hundreds of households, including the heads of the hundred households, stared at Liu Yi.
Today, Liu Shu and his second brother Liu Jiao were sitting in the tent wiping the firecrackers in their hands when they heard Baihu asking them to gather and saying that Qianhu had something to say. They immediately left the tent and walked to where their soldiers from Baihu lived.
In a small school field surrounded by tents, they heard Liu Yi tell them: "Get ready to go out and seize Urumqi to block the retreat of the Xilu."
Before their expedition, the Shangzhiwei had studied the terrain of the Western Regions and made preparations to fight the Xilu in the Urumqi area, so they immediately thought of how dangerous this job would be, and Liu Shu immediately asked in surprise.
"This is the command from the commander." Liu Yi said with tears in his eyes.
"No! This,..." Liu Shu still wanted to speak, but was immediately interrupted by Liu Yi. "Do you think I am willing to pass on this order from the commander? Do you think I am willing to go to Urumqi to die? I just want to die.
That's all. I'm already over fifty this year, and I don't have a few more years to live. But Liu Jiao, Liu Shu, you two are my nephews. I don't have a son, so I always use you as my son. I will cut myself into pieces with a thousand cuts.
I don’t want you to die!”
As Liu Yi spoke, he squatted on the ground and started to cry. While crying, he continued: "But I can't help it! If it's just an ordinary guard post, that's it. We are the direct guards! This matter is the decree of His Majesty himself.
, can we still disobey His Majesty’s will?”
Hearing him say, "This matter is His Majesty's personal order," all the soldiers of this hundred households fell silent. Other guards could not carry out or even mutiny after receiving such an order, but they could not. They were the superiors.
The guards are the superior guards directly under the jurisdiction of His Majesty. They are the superior guards with the highest pay in the country. They are the superior guards with the easiest promotion in the country. They are the superior guards with the best food in the country. They are the superior guards with the strictest discipline in the country.
The guards are the best in the education of loyalty and patriotism. How can they not obey His Majesty's will?
If that's all, that's it. During the Republic of China, although most soldiers had poor discipline, little military pay, and low morale, they were not without strict discipline, generous military pay, and high morale. Such an army would fight in Changsha.
At that time, there were also Xue Yue's men, so why couldn't they be sent out to do the same thing as what Yun He ordered the left and right guards of the government army to do now - to steal the Japanese army's retreat? Is it because they were reluctant? Maybe there is such a factor, but there is a more important reason.
, it was during the Republic of China that soldiers with disabilities had no protection even after they died in battle.
During the Republic of China, the Kuomintang treated soldiers just like the master in the Jia family treated his servants in "A Dream of Red Mansions". In the Jia family, if you served the master and were later released to get married, the master would always think about you and arrange errands for you. In the future, your children will be born.
You can also choose to work in a good place, and even be allowed to leave your country to take the imperial examination. In your own family, you are also the master and the wife. If you have never served the master, you can still make a living when you are good. If you are disabled, you will basically wait to die.
There will be no one to look after my family.
The same was true for the Kuomintang during the Republic of China. If there was someone at the top, if you were disabled or died in battle, someone would always remember you and send money to your family to take care of you; if there was no one at the top, who would care about you?
Therefore, during the Republic of China, even the most elite troops could not be sent out to carry out such a life-or-death mission. Every time the Japanese army broke through the front line, the entire army was defeated, because they knew that the whole family was counting on their military pay and
Reward, if you die in battle, no one will care about your family.
But the Ming army under Yunxi was different. The Ming Dynasty now implements a hereditary military system. When I die, my disabled son will take over. Even if he is too young to fight, he will still have a quota. What are the other soldiers in the Wei?
There is nothing. Even if life is harder because there is one less strong laborer in the family, we can still survive including the pension from the court. What's more, last year Yunxi awarded first-class medals to all soldiers who died in battle, and second-class medals to disabled soldiers.
Waiting for medals, being respected and enjoying a few privileges. Therefore, at this time, the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty did not have to worry too much about the lack of protection for their families after their death and the destruction of their families.
Among them, the Shangzhiwei were the ones who took the most care of Yunxi. Not only were they given the most generous rewards, but the disabled people were also given errands, so they had no worries. In addition, the discipline of the Shangzhiwei was very strict at this time, so how could they dare to disobey Yunxi?
An imperial edict?
The chief of the hundred households died in the previous battle, and now the original trial hundred households are acting as the deputy head of the hundred households. He originally had a dissatisfied expression on his face, but when he heard Liu Yi's words
He suddenly froze, and the expression on his face slowly changed. Although he was still unwilling, he remained silent for a while and said, "Go back and write letters to your family." Then he turned around and left, returning to his tent. Listen.
After hearing his words, most of the other soldiers of this hundred households also turned their heads and said to Cao Jia, the governor of this hundred households: "I can't write, please ask Governor Cao to write a letter home for me."
"Okay." Cao Jia agreed while choking.
Liu Jiao and Liu Shu returned to their tents with sad expressions on their faces. They were speechless for a while. Liu Shu said: "Second brother, you have gone to school and know how to read. You have finished writing your home book. Come and give it to me."
I'll write a letter."
Liu Jiao nodded with red eyes, picked up the pen and wrote a letter home. While writing, he shed tears. After a while, he wiped the tears on his face and said to Liu Shu: "I've finished writing, it's your turn."
."
"I don't have any children now. If you want to write to me, just add a sentence in your letter home: 'I will wait until my son comes to be filial to you in his next life!' That's it. You take out a separate piece of paper and I will write a letter to Erni.
"
"Sister Da'an:
Today, His Majesty issued an imperial edict and asked us to attack the Xilu and block their retreat so that we can completely annihilate them.
This is a job with a narrow chance of death. There is a high possibility of dying on the battlefield. Baihu asked us to write letters to our families and tell them all the important words and things. After thinking about it, besides my mother, there is no one else who can write.
It's just you.
Nimei, we are cousins. We grew up together, eating and playing together. Do you still remember that when we were young,...many such happy things happened.
You also have two sisters, and I also have three brothers, but we are the only two who have the best relationship. My parents, aunt and uncle also think that we are a good match, and they planned to get married within the next two years.
But I didn't expect that the emperor would suddenly send troops to conquer the northwest, and sent the left guard of the government army to the battlefield. During the battle, I was always worried, for fear of being injured or disabled. Fortunately, I survived the past few days and was not injured or disabled. I thought it would be a battle.
The fight is about to be over and everything is fine, but I don't want to be sent to fight again, the same errand.
Erni, if I can go back alive this time, I will let my family hold the wedding. You know who I am. I am stupid and I don’t know how to be smart, so I probably don’t have much future. But I don’t have bad intentions and I am a responsible person.
I will never bully you, nor will I mess around with women outside. If I can continue to work in the guard, the salary will be enough for me to support my family; if I get injured and cannot fight as a soldier, I will have an uncle to take care of me.
It's easy to find a job in Tianfu, no matter how bad you are, you're still a patrolman.
If I can't go back, don't be too sad. People always die in wars, and the commander always says that everyone will die. Besides, the court and the emperor have been good to our family over the years. My father died that year.
The four of us were too young to fight, but we all took up positions in the army and received a share of rations. I had a serious illness when I was a child. If the late emperor hadn't graciously given me a sum of money, I would have died at that time.
Living till now is already a profit. For this reason, it is worth using my life to repay His Majesty.
In case I can't come back, I have already written a suicide note. I left all the military pay and several military uniforms I saved to my eldest brother, your eldest cousin's son. He will also be a soldier in the future, even if the clothes are a little old.
, but they are all made of good materials and can be worn.
But I still have half a piece of silk in my hand for you. This was given to our family four years ago when His Majesty rewarded Naoeei. My mother said that she would not wear clothes made of silk for fear of shortening her life. I decided to follow my eldest brother.
I grabbed half of it in my hand. This is royal silk and satin. There is no place to buy it. You will need it when you get married in the future.
I also secretly bought some jewelry with my military salary, planning to give it to you after I get married. If I can't go back, I will give it to you. These jewelry are all hidden in a small box I put under the bed.
In fact, my mother should already know that I secretly bought jewelry, but she just pretended not to know. After you receive the letter, take away the jewelry quickly, so that my mother will not cry again when she sees it.
That’s it for now, I wish you a happy life.”
Liu Jiao finished writing the letter and was about to fold it and put it into the envelope when Liu Shu suddenly said: "That's it, I'm going to die. She will always marry someone else in the future. It won't be safe if her future husband-in-law sees this letter."
OK." He snatched the letter from Liu Jiao's hand and tore it in half.
Seeing this scene, Liu Jiao couldn't bear it anymore, hugged Liu Shu and started crying. Liu Shu also hugged him and cried together.
At this time, the whole army's left and right guards were crying everywhere, and the sound spread for several miles. Even Yunxi heard it. Yunxi sighed and said nothing.
It took a long time for the two of them to stop crying. Liu Jiao was wiping his face and saying something. Suddenly, a voice came from outside: "Second brother, third brother!" and was accompanied by crying.
The two of them turned to look at the door, and saw a young man in his early twenties running in, hugging them both, and kneeling on the ground sobbing.
"Fourth brother, don't cry anymore. We may not necessarily die in the battle, but we may come back. If you cry like this, don't you curse us to death?" Liu Shu advised.
"Third brother!" Liu Mao shouted.
"Stop crying!" Liu Fa stood up and said loudly: "You are now the backbone of the family. You have to be strong in the future. How can you cry like this?"
"Second brother!" Liu Mao sobbed a few times and shouted: "Let me go to fight for the third brother!"
"How can this work? You are a civilian now, how can you go to war? Besides, you have always been studying, and you have only practiced some physical fitness and have never fought. If I go to fight, there is a chance that I can come back alive. You
If you go to war, you will definitely die! Give up this idea!" Liu Shu said.
"Isn't there an order from the imperial court? People who have no heirs don't have to fight such a war! Third brother, like my younger brother, you haven't married yet, so you don't have a son, so you have to fight anyway!" He added.
"Our family has not been divided yet. Eldest brother, second brother, you and I are considered one family. The eldest brother already has a son, the second sister-in-law is also pregnant, and as a civil servant, you don't have to fight, so you are not considered childless."
Liu Shu forced a smile on his face at this time and said: "I just happened to go to avenge my elder brother. Although I have killed several Xilu before, the culprit who killed my elder brother is not dead yet. I will kill him this time.
Revenge for my elder brother."
"As for future generations, when you give birth to a son, one can be adopted into my name, inherit my incense and enshrine my tablet."
Liu Mao was speechless and just hugged the two of them and cried.
Suddenly Liu Yi ordered hundreds of other households to come here at this time. When he saw the three brothers crying each other, they also started crying. While crying, he shouted: "It's me who has caused you trouble. I did it for the sake of having more for the family."
With money and food, all four of you brothers were given positions in the army. Liu Mao, you were assigned to civilian positions, and Liu Jiao and the three of you were assigned to a hundred households for convenience. But I didn’t expect that Liu Yuan died in battle the day before yesterday, and today Liu Jiao, Liu Shu
You two also want to..."
The fathers of Liu Yi, Liu Yuan, Liu Jiao, Liu Shu, and Liu Mao were brothers, and he was the eldest. When Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in their hometown when he launched his army on the Northern Expedition, the two brothers joined the army and gradually gained promotion.
They were Qianhu and Baihu. Later, their father died in the war, and the four brothers were raised by him when they were still young. Liu Yi had no sons, so he treated the four of them as his own sons.
It was already late when their brothers joined the Ming army, and they were assigned to the Shangzhiwei. The fertile land near the capital was not available. Even if they became officers and soldiers, their pay was not high. It was not easy to feed four boys, so he took advantage of the opportunity.
According to Zhu Yuanzhang's decree, all four nephews were registered as soldiers and received a share of food and salary. At that time, the family's embarrassment was alleviated, but they never thought that today the three brothers would have to do this errand that would lead to a near-death life.
"Uncle, don't say that. If we hadn't joined the army and not had that share of food and salary, the four of us brothers would not have enough to eat. The four of us brothers can survive in good health thanks to the late emperor's will at that time. Now even for the emperor
It’s okay to lose this life!” Liu Jiao said.
Liu Yi didn't speak and just cried. But Liu Mao said: "In terms of enjoyment, those who are princes receive more favors from the court than we do. Why don't they go to places like Urumqi to fight? Only those of us who are soldiers and
The little official is going to die!"
"Be careful what you say!" Liu Jiao shouted. After listening to Liu Jiao's words, Liu Mao did not dare to say anything more, but he felt even more dissatisfied.
While he was crying, a head came in from the door, saw the four of them, and said, "Master Liu, you are indeed here."
"Master Tang." Liu Yi wiped his tears and stood up.
This man has the highest status among all the military doctors in the left guard of the government army. Because he is in charge of all other military doctors, he is called the chief military doctor, and his name is Tang Qin.
Yunxi continued to emphasize discipline in the Shangzhi Guards, and for this reason, he continued to strengthen the status and power of military doctors in the guards. If the guards in other places only have a vague sense of the political commissar functions of military doctors, the guards in the capital
The soldiers already know clearly that military doctors are not only responsible for the surface of the body, but also for the brain.
Therefore, even Qianhu like Liu Yi did not dare to offend Tang Tan, but because the military doctor did not have a rank at this time, he called him "sir" every time he saw him.
"Master Liu, the commander has something to do to summon all the Qianhu, Master Liu should hurry up and go." Tang Tan also called everyone who called him "sir".
"How can you trouble Mr. Tang to convey such a thing in person? Just send someone over at will."
"I happened to have something to go this way, so I sent the letter over here."
Liu Yi exchanged a few words with Tang Qin again, and suddenly noticed that his eyes were also red. After careful inspection, there were tears on his face, and he couldn't help but ask: "Master Tang, what's wrong with you?"
"Oh, I just wrote a suicide note to my family." Tang Tan said nonchalantly.
But his words were like a thunderclap in Liu Yi's ears. "What, Mr. Tang, do you want to go to Urumqi with us to stop the Xilu?"
"That's true. As a member of the left guard of the imperial army, I usually receive a salary from the imperial court. How could I run away from the battlefield at a time like this? Even if the imperial court's laws and orders are ignored, I would feel uneasy." Tang Tan replied.
"But Mr. Tang, you are not a soldier. You use medical skills to save people, and you can't kill enemies with swords. What's the use of going to Urumqi?"
"Who said doctors are useless? I will bring many herbs to bandage and treat injured soldiers on the battlefield. I will do my part to defeat the Xilu."
Hearing this, Liu Yi couldn't help but raise his head and look at Tang Tan carefully.
"Why are you looking at me like this? Although we military doctors have done other things besides treating diseases and saving lives, which in your opinion should not be done, we are also under orders from above, and we are also doing it for the good of the entire country." Tang Tan
said.
"Military Doctor Tang Qin, I'm sorry." Liu Yi suddenly bent down and said, "I have misunderstood you many times in the past, please forgive me."
"It's just a small matter, nothing to worry about." Tang Tan smiled.
Liu Yi said a few more words, and Tang Tan said: "Liu Qianhu, if you don't go to Commander Song, you will be late."
"Let me say one last thing," he said to the crying Liu Mao: "Commander Song will personally lead the troops this time when he goes to Urumqi to stop the enemy. Your Majesty has decided to make Commander Song's father a hereditary
Count. If he does not die in battle, Commander Song will at least be able to inherit the position of hereditary earl in the future, and may even advance to the next level, becoming a hereditary marquis."
"Every prince in the Ming Dynasty was a person who made great contributions to the country, and was not just a corpse."
Hearing this, Liu Mao blushed and did not dare to look at him anymore. He turned his head and continued to sob.
