Chapter 199 Recalling the fierce battle in the city
There is indeed something beautiful about the evening in Diazhuang City. The snow-capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains in the distance stand under the blue sky, the clouds flowing in the mountains seem to be close at hand, and the uneven rammed earth city walls on the high ground are like the picture frame of the beautiful scenery. Three floors
The mottled earthen buildings and the overhanging eaves have strong lines, and the inn's long white flags are fluttering in the wind. After hanging the vigorous branches of the poplar tree, the inn's servants quickly set up a ladder to climb up and pick them.
Li Siye walked leisurely, with Tian Zhen and Fujimu following behind him. Wherever he looked, there were caravan warehouses along the street, and groups of camels lined up to unload at the entrance of the business warehouses.
This Dial City is an important transit station on the Silk Road, and the annual commercial tax will definitely collect a lot of money. However, these are matters under the jurisdiction of the city envoy, and it is not his turn to worry about it.
Tian Zhen guessed his thoughts from behind and came up to ask: "You shouldn't come to a place like this and think about how to make money, right?"
"How could it be!" Li Siye was very happy at him: "This city is located on the main transportation road between the Anxi Protectorate and the towns of Shule and Khotan. Official documents, officials taking office, and armies changing defenses and going out for inspections all have to pass through.
How dare I do such a thing under their noses here?"
"Besides, I am just a captain of the first regiment. I am not a city envoy. I have limited power and cannot do anything. At first, Congling was just a stopgap measure. The soldiers lacked armor and weapons, so I came up with a way to do business. Now the eighth regiment has armor and weapons.
There is no shortage of anything, so why should I bother with such idle thoughts?"
"You should worry about it," Tian Zhen said: "When you were in Congling, you left the training to me and focused on running business. Now that you are in the eighth regiment, there is no business to do. You must do a good job in training and leading the troops.
Things. I heard that the Dialgear City is very close to Tuqishi. The Sulu Khan ordered his troops in Suiye on the first day, and he could kill the Dialgean City the next day. Then you and I will fight in battle to kill the enemy.
It’s hard to earn a lot of merit.”
Li Siye stopped, looked up at the snowy peaks in the distance, and said without thinking: "People will die in war."
"Look at what you said, as if no one would die if there was no war."
They wandered from the east gate to the west gate of the city, and Li Siye didn't find a carpentry shop as far as he could see.
"What exactly are you looking for?"
Tian Zhen and Fujimaki also followed his gaze, seemingly unable to understand the answer.
"I'm looking for some craftsmen who can do carpentry."
Tian Zhen clapped her hands and said, "Why don't you just find a coffin shop?"
"Coffin shop?" Li Siye looked stunned, then nodded: "That makes sense."
They inquired with the local Hu people and found out that there was indeed only one coffin shop in the city, which was located in the southeast corner against the city wall.
Following the directions to the door of the coffin shop, I realized that the shop was quite large. There were two thatched houses on the left and right, and a wooden frame house in the middle. Standing on tiptoes, I looked through the adobe wall. The backyard was a place for working. It was brand new.
The coffins are neatly stacked in the yard.
The two thatched huts were lifeless, and through the open doors, one could vaguely see exposed human feet among the straw mats laid out across the floor. It seemed that this place was not only a coffin shop, but also a memorial for the dead.
Fujimaki asked in shock behind him: "What are you doing at the coffin shop? Who are you preparing for?"
Li Siye ignored him and walked straight into the shop. There was a large space in the shop, with five or six finished coffins stacked up. White flags were hung on the four corners, and the windows were covered with straw curtains. Two old craftsmen were leaning over the shop holding axes and chisels.
Tenon on the board.
They stood for a moment after entering, but no one came up to greet them. It was understandable that they were in the business of dead people, so they couldn't greet you warmly and ask, "What kind of wood do you want?"
Li Siye looked around and then asked: "Where is the owner of the store?"
One of the carpenters stopped what he was doing and came to them with his back on his back and crossed his hands: "You three military masters, do you have any errands?"
Li Siye put his hands behind his hands and said, "I want to ask you to make something."
The shop owner replied simply: "The coffin shop only makes coffins."
"I will give you more money."
"That's fine." The shopkeeper nodded and said, "As long as the military master doesn't think we are unlucky, just tell us what you want to do and we will do it."
"It won't work here. You need to come with me to check it out on the spot, and the things have to be made in the military camp."
The shopkeeper lifted up his leather apron and wiped his hands, then agreed immediately: "Okay, Master Jun, please..."
They returned along the road. The shopkeeper was silent and kept his head down as he followed. Fujimaki stood next to him and asked, "Shopkeeper, business has been good recently."
The shopkeeper looked up at him timidly, shook his head and said, "It's hard to say."
"Why is it so hard to say?"
Li Siye did not look back and retorted to Teng Mu: "Teng Mu, don't make fun of the store!"
"Exactly!" Tian Zhen immediately opened his mouth and stabbed: "He is a dead man business, and you ask him if his business is good? How should he answer you?"
The store owner glanced at Tian Zhen gratefully and had to say: "Master Jun, I do this business to support my family. It doesn't matter if it's good or not. In this world, except for the gods in the sky, no one can escape death.
, it should be taboo, but there is no need to be taboo. Those who can buy coffins in Xiao Lao'er's shop are all wealthy families in the city. Those poor people, as well as ordinary soldiers who died on the battlefield, can they have a coffin?
It is lucky to wrap the body with a rolled straw mat and a piece of horse leather. If a strong enemy attacks the city, a war comes, and hundreds of soldiers and civilians die, there will be a shroud everywhere, why not put them all together and bury them?
I said it’s a good thing that my coffin shop is doing well, because it means that the people in our city are rich and can be buried in a grand manner.”
"That makes sense." Li Siye nodded and turned around to ask him: "Three years ago, Tuqishi invaded Diaocha City. Shopkeeper, were you in the city? Do you still remember what happened at that time?"
"Of course I remember!" Talking about the city defense battle three years ago, the old shop owner still remembered it and could use it as a lifelong conversation piece: "At that time, the Sulu cavalry invaded and concentrated their efforts on attacking the west and north gates. The north gate was stationed.
Xiao En, the captain of the Sixth Regiment, is stationed in the west city, Jiang Chengsi, the captain of the Tenth Regiment, and Zhu Renhui, the captain of the Eighth Regiment, is stationed at the beacon castle outside the city."
"It's been twenty-one days. Fortunately, there is enough food and grass in the city. The Sulu army can't move under the city. When Gai Jiayun, the deputy envoy of Beiting Festival, led his troops to rescue, there were only more than thirty people in the 10th Regiment left. The captain
Jiang Chengsi died in the battle, leaving only sixteen members of the Sixth Regiment. Colonel Xiao En died in the battle. The worst thing happened was that of the Eighth Regiment of Colonel Zhu Renhui. The entire regiment fought to the death, and only nine men were left to return."
Fujimaki shrank his eyes alertly, put his right hand on the handle of the knife, and interjected: "How do you, a coffin seller, know so clearly? Hmm!"
The old shopkeeper was startled, and argued with a trembling mouth: "The little old man not only runs a coffin shop, but is also the leader of the people's support team in the city. After several battles, I was entrusted by the city envoy to lead the people in the city to fight for the Tang army who died in the battle.
Brothers collect the corpses, how could I not know how many people died?"
Li Siye realized it later and glanced back at Teng Mu: "Teng Mu, you must not be unreasonable and scare the old shop owner."
Fujimaki crossed his hands in front of his chest and quickly apologized to the shop owner: "Don't blame me, old man, I was too worried."
"Forget it," the old shopkeeper waved his hands cheerfully and sighed: "I can still recall the scene that day in my dreams. At that time, I was holding a stretcher and hiding behind the earthen wall of the house. The two captains had died in the battle, and only
Brigadier General Lu Shui of Zhao ordered his soldiers to fight to the death on the top of the city and cut down all the Tuqishi who climbed up to the top of the city. He had not had a sound sleep for nineteen days and his eyes were already red, but his shouts were still the same.
I was full of energy. I even approached Brigadier Zhao, and after the troops and horses retreated suddenly, I was going to give him some saliva, but he fell asleep leaning against the flagpole at the top of the city. I didn't dare to wake him up, so I quietly retreated.
Already."
Li Siye's mind was wandering. The three remaining regiments that had fought to the death in the Dial City gathered under his command. Is this the reason why they lost their hearts?
Zhao Lushui was a loyal and brave man. Sixteen of his entire regiment were still standing on the city wall and fighting fiercely. Would such a man devour the wages of his subordinates?