Chang'an City, the night completely shrouded this big city that has been in the Guanzhong for hundreds of years.
There is only a faint light left in the palace complex on Longshou Plain, and there is almost no light in the entire Chang'an City. Only the outline of the city outlined by the city wall can be seen in the distant moonlight.
Since the war broke out in Guanzhong, a stricter martial law system has been implemented in Chang'an City. It is difficult to see any pedestrians on the streets even during the day, let alone at night. In fact, as early as when the war started, people who heard the news
They had already started running away.
Yang Jian didn't do much to stop him. After all, these people who ran away were just old, weak, women and children. The young and middle-aged people in the city, whether they were children of aristocratic families or cart drivers, had all been taken away and sent to the army. Years of wars had resulted in so many soldiers.
Attrition, if Yang Jian wants to maintain such a large army base, of course he must recruit strong men.
It's just that these strong men who have hardly experienced any training are actually more likely to serve as cannon fodder. Their combat power is not even as good as those of the rural soldiers who were originally stationed in the place. At least the rural soldiers may be worried that their homes will be attacked.
The erosion of the war forced them to fight against the invading enemies.
As for those women, children, old and weak, Yang Jian is not very interested. If they really stay in the city, they will just create chaos and trouble. After all, the food storage in the city is also limited. Once the most brutal siege begins, these people will
To consume food.
There was almost no light at the residence of General Li Mu at this time.
The imperial court has imposed restrictions on the candles or grease used for lighting lamps. After all, these things can also be used to light fires. Once they fall into the hands of enemy spies, they are likely to be used to create chaos.
However, a little light still stubbornly illuminated the darkness ahead.
Li Mu's youngest son, General Li Hun of the Military Guard, held a lantern to provide the only light for the two-story observation deck in the courtyard.
There is a long silhouette in the light.
Li Mu just stood there leaning on the railing, the summer night wind blowing his clothes.
The old man looked quietly in the direction of the Weiyang Palace in the distance. It once symbolized the supreme imperial power and the Han Empire that dominated the Nine Provinces. But now it is just a cage, imprisoning the emperor of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
The Sui Prince's Mansion, which was entrenched outside the Weiyang Palace, was a dark mass, looking like a vicious dog guarding a cage. Everyone must respect the cage and the vicious dog with respect.
Otherwise, who knows when this vicious dog will get angry and swallow the cage in one gulp, and no one in the cage will survive.
Li Mu's eyes slowly moved again, looking at the surrounding mansions and the houses further away, all the way to the city wall in the distance.
There are high-ranking officials, down-and-out families, and poor people here.
This Chang'an City is not just a huge prison.
At least now people in the city can't go out, but they want to go out. People outside the city can't come in, but they don't want to come in either.
"Are daddy worried about how we should leave in the future?" Li Hun finally couldn't help but ask, breaking the silence in the small building.
Li Mu nodded slightly: "I have taken a step, but I don't know whether this step is right or wrong."
Li Hun participated in the Li family's actions on the night of the Chang'an Rebellion. Of course he knew what Li Mu meant by these words. He said helplessly: "Dad, everyone can see clearly now that a disaster is approaching. His Highness the King of Sui is already powerless.
After all, who among the people in Chang'an City can find a way and is not holding on tight? Under the overthrow of the nest, everyone is still thinking of being lucky and hoping to become the perfect egg."
Li Mu glanced at Li Hun.
Li Hun, the general of the armed guards, was originally a false title, thanks to Li Mu's achievements. In fact, what he could command was a group of personal guards. After Yang Jian took over the Lantian camp, Li Hun had nothing to do.
He went home. After all, his identity could not be considered insensitive. Among the younger members of the Li family who had a close relationship with Li Xun, Li Hun was definitely ranked number one.
Yang Jian can trust Li Mu, but there is absolutely no way to trust Li Hun.
Li Mu also knew very well what his frustrated son was thinking.
Li Mu just turned a blind eye to the letters he exchanged with Li Xun.
Otherwise, Li Mu would not have asked Li Hun to complete the task of covering the retreat of the Han people.
Seeing that his father seemed a little hesitant, Li Hun stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"My father is loyal to the Zhou Dynasty and the Yuwen royal family, but is there anyone in Chang'an City who can be said to represent the royal family and the Yuwen family? King Qi went to establish another family, but King Yue ran away. Duke Qi Guo
After surrendering, what will happen to Yuwen Shenju, Yuwen Xiaobo and others? Dad also knows that even His Majesty is just a puppet of Yang Jian. The word 'usurpation' has not been said yet. Now in this great Zhou Dynasty
, it has actually existed in name only, so why does dad have to suffer so much?"
Li Hun had obviously been holding these words in his heart for a long time, and now he vomited them out quickly.
And Li Mu looked at him in surprise. He never thought that his youngest son's thoughts had changed so quickly. He originally thought that Li Hun simply yearned for the strength of the Han Dynasty and the opportunity to conquer, but he did not expect that Li Hun
Early in the morning, I had already focused my attention on studying his father's mentality.
But Li Mu had no way to refute, because he knew what Li Hun said was correct.
Indeed, even if he wanted to repay the late emperor, but now that the great Zhou Dynasty was in pieces and was in name only, what could he not let go of?
Li Mu sighed.
The tide is rolling and people's minds are changing.
I am an old man, I wonder if I can still withstand the erosion of the tide?
His eyes were staring into the distance.
This Chang'an City is a huge prison.
And he still held the key in his hand. If he didn't open the cage, he was afraid that someone would run in front of him again.
After all, Li Mu is not only responsible for the emperor and his own heart and loyalty, but also for the hundreds of people in this family.
Sometimes Li Mu was actually very envious of another boy from the Li family from the Longxi branch. That boy had no official position and was light-weight, but he had a great time following Yang Su.
If I were fifty or sixty years younger, I might have followed that path.
But now that I am getting older, I am really a murderous thing.
Li Hun was very smart and didn't say anything.
He knew that with his father's character, sometimes not answering would be acquiescence.
Li Hun took a respectful step back.
Under the moonlight, the lantern swayed in the wind, and Li Mu's shadow was once again lengthened.
In Chang'an City, a few lights can be faintly seen.
I just wonder how many people with the same tangled thoughts as Li Mu are sighing at the moonlight and palace walls under these lights?