The first day of August.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. As usual, the morning breeze blew across the wilderness.
Wanyan Qingjue was restless and woke up early. He sat in the dark and listened to the movements outside. The Huaxia Army camp had already begun to wake up. There were faint sounds of people and sometimes a shout. A faint light shone through the gaps between the fence of the captives' camp and the wooden huts.
The footsteps of the people on the ground were so soft that it sounded like ants were crawling. The dark barracks also had the sound of people turning over. Most of the companions had woken up, but they did not make a sound. Even the sound of the shackles when they turned over at night was much less.
Wanyan Qingjue recalled the scene when he was young when he learned to listen to the ground in the old forest in the north. The old hunters all had this ability, so did the soldiers. People camped at night, slept on the ground, and were ready for battle. Any sound within a few miles would wake them up. Those who were locked up here today were also the elite generals of the Jurchen army. Although the sky was not bright, the movements in the military camp not far away were like happening right beside them.
The soldiers of the Huaxia Army woke up one after another. They tidied up their housework, washed up, and had breakfast. Among the messy footsteps, there were also neat lines and uniform shouts. Such movements were immersed in the chaos, but slowly, those messy footsteps would become neat sounds.
They had been placed next to the Huaxia Army camp for nearly two months. Such sounds were the first thing they witnessed every day. Such things were common and monotonous. But gradually, they began to understand the horror. To them, such footsteps were depressing and gloomy.
But they happened day after day, and today was no exception.
Wanyan Qingjue's mind went back to the memory of when his father taught him to listen to the ground. There was also the first time he saw a battle and the scene of the army. At his age, the Jurchen was no longer a hunter. It was an era where heroes were born and there were endless battles and victories. He grew up with the Goddess of Grains and fought until now.
If he could do it again, how would he deal with such footsteps?
The morning breeze caressed him, and the shackles on his feet were heavy. Perhaps many people in the room had the same thought: they had made the most ferocious enemy tremble under their feet and the weak Han people kneel on the ground to be slaughtered. They lost, but they could not win again. If he could do it again …
The sound of wheels came from outside the captive camp. The Huaxia army's kitchen team had brought in breakfast. Then, footsteps came from outside and ordered them to get up.
The sky in the east began to brighten. They lined up and walked towards the central square where they had their meals. In the barracks not far away, the lights were gradually being extinguished as the sun rose. The sound of footsteps gradually became orderly.
The breakfast tasted good, but it was not sumptuous. There was no meat. Many people heaved a sigh of relief. They secretly looked at the soldiers around them. Some of them knew Chinese and were good at socializing. They even asked one or two questions in private, but they didn't find any ominous signs.
In the military camp not far away, there were already many people lined up.
…
The face with the burn mark was reflected in the mirror, and it looked fierce. He wiped some powder with a brush and smeared it on the top.
His fiendish face revealed an embarrassed expression, and he turned his head back to avoid her.
"Sigh, I think a grown man shouldn't do this …"
"Don't move, don't move. You're the one who said to think of a solution. You're also the one who is so wishy-washy. Mao Yishan, can't you be more straightforward!" Qu Qing grabbed his big head and twisted it.
"I mean … the scar on my face is ugly, and I'm afraid it will scare the children. After all, I'm at the front of our regiment. But you … I'm a grown man, and it's not right to put on powder …"
"What do you mean by putting on powder? This is called disguise. Do you understand disguise? When we were fighting Li Toouhe, one of us had disguised himself as a Jurchen Young Prince. Without much effort, he defeated the enemy's army of a hundred thousand … Therefore, this disguise is an advanced technique that was passed down from Yan Qingyan. Although we're not that proficient in it, it shouldn't be a problem to test it on your face to make your scar less scary. "
"I always feel that you're trying to trick me …"
"We've been brothers for so many years, when did I trick you? Sigh, don't move, apply it evenly, and you won't be able to see it … Look, it's the same color as your face … It's not that we don't want others to see your scar, but the burn scar is really ugly, so we make it less conspicuous. This technique is very advanced, and I've only learned it recently …"
"Recently … Sigh, you haven't seen that Yan Qingyan recently, who did you learn it from … You learned it from Yong Jinrou, right? Isn't that the same as learning from a woman … Forget it, I'm not going to apply it …"
"Don't move, it's going to be better soon … This is the proverb 'different routes lead to the same destination'. What do you know, a country bumpkin … It's going to be better soon. Sigh, look again, isn't it a lot lighter? Won't it scare the children?"
Mao Yishan looked at himself in the mirror, "It seems … about the same …"
"At first glance, it looks much better. After all, your face was burned. If you don't want to be able to see it, you can only apply a piece of skin." Qu Qing finished his own business and patted his shoulder, "Alright, I can only help you so much. Look at how evenly the powder is applied. If you pay attention, I can guarantee that you won't be exposed for a long time. Of course, if you really feel uncomfortable, you can also wipe it off …"
Mao Yishan stared at the mirror and nagged, "Why don't I just wipe it off and be done with it? What's the matter with me … "
"You're the one who said that it would scare the stone when you go back, so I thought of a way to help you. After thinking of a way, why are you like this? It's not a big deal, it's just a little something on your face! You're guilty! "
"The main thing is that I don't want to show my face in public. To be honest, I don't want to be in the front. You said that my comrade died, why should I be in the front to praise him? I'm not Zhuo Yongqing, he's pretty and people like to see him …"
"Alright, alright, country bumpkin, I've never seen you nervous on the battlefield. Anyway, I've helped you wipe the powder. I still have things to do, so I have to go to the assembly point first. Oh right, there's something I want to show you." Qu Qing scoffed at Mao Yishan's performance today. Then, he took out a booklet and handed it to him. "Take a look. It was just printed two days ago. It will be distributed this afternoon. The contributions and touching deeds of the various divisions and divisions in this war are all written inside. Your regiment has it too. Your name is inside too. This time, your name will be remembered for eternity." Mao Yishan looked at Qu Qing.
"Really? My, my name … what's there to write … "
Mao Yishan's eyes widened as he received the booklet titled "Huaxia Army Southwest Campaign Merit List". He opened it and flipped through two pages. Qu Qing waved his hand and left without saying anything. Mao Yishan had not flipped through his regiment yet. He wanted to say a few more words to Qu Qing, but after thinking that the other party had something to do, he gave up. After Qu Qing left, he flipped through two pages of the booklet and could not help but look at himself in the mirror.
He had probably never cared much about his appearance in this life, but he was more or less resistant to showing his face in front of the people. In addition, the scar on his face from attacking Sword Gate Pass was still rather conspicuous, so he could not help but complain a few times. He was just grumbling casually, and Qu Qing also helped him solve it. At this time, the makeup was already done, and he was really conflicted. On one hand, he felt that a man should not care about such things, on the other hand …
"… It seems to be alright …"
He looked at the mirror a few more times. The originally obvious burn scar did indeed look a lot lighter.
After being conflicted for a while, he saw the powder box and brush that Qu Qing had left behind.
Qu Qing's martial arts were not up to par, and he had probably only learned half of it from Little Brother Yan. This scar still looked very conspicuous, why not I apply more … Since we've already done it, in for a penny, in for a pound …
He picked up the brush and added more powder on the scar on the left side of his face.
It looked … much better.
Mao Yishan scratched his head and went out of the room.
At the break of dawn, groups of soldiers were lining up in the huge square of the military camp. Mao Yishan gestured to the deputy commander, and nearly a hundred people in his regiment quickly gathered and began to line up nearby.
There was no need for everyone to participate in the military parade. The regiment led by Mao Yishan had a total of more than ninety people, and one-third of them were the reserves. Among them, some of the soldiers were wounded with broken arms and legs — the three who had broken legs were sitting in wheelchairs. Most of them had made meritorious contributions in this battle. This was the first military parade after defeating the Jurchens, and there might be many battles in the future, but for these wounded soldiers, this might be their only chance to participate.
Mao Yishan walked to the front of the formation and counted the number of people. The sun was rising from the eastern sky, and the city was waking up in the distance.
"Although it is nothing compared with the battle with the Jurchens, today is still a big day. You all know the specific itinerary. Set off later, gather at the predetermined point, enter the city at a quarter past seven in the morning, meet up with the Seventh Army, and accept the inspection. "
Mao Yishan walked in front of the formation, tidied up the clothes of some soldiers, and said casually, "For today's military parade, what should be said has been said during the drill. Our regiment sent out dozens of people to walk in front of everyone to gain face. This is what you deserve, but in my opinion, it is also your blessing! Why? You are lucky to be alive. "
"… Today is the first time that we have defeated the Jurchens, so it is not the time to enjoy it. Today, in Chengdu, there are our relatives, friends from outside, and enemies with bad intentions, so they call this military parade as the inspection. First, it is to let our relatives and friends see how we usually practice and what we have achieved. Second, it is to let those bastards who cause trouble see what we are like. So today's military parade is no different from a war … Look at your collar, you don't have the attitude to fight. "
The soldiers in the formation laughed.
"… Just the first time that we have defeated the Jurchens, that is to say, there are many more times in the future …"
Groups of soldiers were gathering in the barracks square. Because it was not time to set off, the leaders of each regiment were lecturing or letting the soldiers stand. Mao Yishan criticized the soldier who did not tidy up his collar, and then became silent. He looked at the crowd with his hands behind his back, then looked back at the situation in the square, and lowered his head to adjust his mood.
"… Well, speaking of which, there is another good thing. Today is a good day … You will gain face in the military parade, and people will remember you in the future. I have a book here, and it has recorded the merits of our regiment. According to what they said, this is a good thing to be remembered for eternity. Here, this is the book. It's already been printed. I got it first. Let me take a look. It's about our group … "
Mao Yishan took out the book given to him by Qu Qing from the pocket of his military uniform and flipped through it. Soon, he found it.
"Here, there are a few pages written here. Although our regiment belongs to the 5th Division, we have achieved a collective first-class merit this time. Look at this, it says that we are the 5th Division's Dagger Regiment. Killing Lang Lili at Yu Yu Xi, and then leading the attack on Sword Garret, these are all great merits. It says here, Regiment Commander … Deputy Regiment Commander Li Qing, Gu Ah Liu, Li Chuan, Zhuo … Little Zhuo is called this … There are so many deputy regiment commanders … Doesn't it seem like I am too inauthentic as a regiment commander … "
He did not take a good look at the book earlier, and now that he took it out and flipped through it, the situation was a little awkward. A regiment commander had five deputy regiment commanders' names, and the reason was simple. Four of them had been sacrificed, and even the one who was used to calling Little Zhuo could not pronounce his full name because it was too unfamiliar. He mumbled to himself, and his voice gradually became softer and softer. Then, he wiped his nose. The book not only recorded the achievements of Yu Yu Xi and Sword Gate, but also the many fierce battles along the way. However, because of the continuous battles, the people who were sacrificed were replaced by new people, and there was no time to think about it. Now that everything was listed out, he realized that there had been so many battles.
"… being attacked from the front and rear … repelling the enemy 13 times … second battalion commander Xu San 'er covering the rear, heroic … When did I report his sacrifice? This bastard stole my coat, and I didn't get it back …"
"Li Qing, read it to them, there are a few words in the middle that I don't know!" Mao Yishan who was mumbling suddenly shouted, and the deputy regiment commander Li Qing, who had just arrived, walked over, took the book and started reading from the beginning. Mao Yishan stood there with a dark face, but the soldiers looked at him. After a while, some of them started whispering to each other, and some of them looked at Mao Yishan, seemingly trying to hold back their laughter.
Mao Yishan frowned and looked back, and the other party's face immediately turned solemn, but the rest of the soldiers were already looking at him, "Regiment, regiment commander …"
"What!?"
"Your, your face …"
Someone snorted.
Mao Yishan reacted, and reached out to wipe his face, and his hands were covered with powder. His burn scar was on the left side of his face, just below his eye. At this moment, the powder was still wet, and became lumps. Mao Yishan's expression did not change, and he reached out to touch it, "Damn Qu Qing!" He turned and left.
He strode to the pool beside the campsite, and used his hands to wash off all the powder on his face, and then walked back with a solemn expression. When he washed his face, his cheeks were somewhat hot, but he could not recognize it now.
The group of soldiers were still laughing, and so was the deputy regiment commander Li Qing. Some of this was also intentional, and someone said, "Regiment commander, this powder, really doesn't suit you."
"Regiment commander, you are usually quite handsome."
"Yes, it's the kind that is different from ordinary people, the very special kind …"
"Haha …"
"Enough!" Mao Yishan shook off the water on his hands, "After this place was burned, I scared the children when I first returned home, and then today, Qu Qing gave me a rotten idea … Just like what I said before, to be able to walk out of this alive is your good fortune. Today, we will walk on behalf of our regiment, and also … on behalf of everyone who is alive or dead! So, all of you, keep your spirits up, no one is allowed to lose face today! "
"Yes!" Everyone replied.
"Also, no one is allowed to tell anyone about what happened today …"
"Puchi —"
"Stand! Right — "
Mao Yishan shouted loudly.
So, the soldiers suddenly stood solemnly, and the sound of their footsteps shook the ground.
"Line up to the right —"
More than ninety people shook their heads, and the formation suddenly straightened like steel, and with the first rays of the morning sun, they began to straighten up …
Similar situations were happening in different places.
In the military camp to the north of Chengdu, Chen Hai was also tidying up a group of soldiers. In front of him was a young soldier with both arms broken at the elbow, and Chen Hai patted the dust off his clothes.
There were other disabled soldiers in the group, and after this military parade, they would leave the army. Perhaps because of this, in the previous training, many disabled soldiers were the most serious.
Chen Hai checked and tidied them one by one, and did not speak.
Liu Muxia, Niu Chengshu, and the others also gathered in the group.
The sun rose.
*****
In the city, people were gathering.
The news of the military parade of China had long been released. Although it was called a military parade, the whole process was actually the return of China's Fifth and Seventh Corps in Chengdu City. The two armies would enter the city from different gates, and after passing through some main streets, they would converge at the newly cleared "Victory Square" to the northwest of the Maha Pool. In between, there would also be a review ceremony for the Jurchen captives.
Although there was no video or live broadcast of the military parade at present, and the best viewing position on the victory square could only be entered by people of high status with tickets, the parade could still be watched on the long street along the way. Even the restaurants and teahouses on both sides of the road had already communicated with the Huaxia Army and launched services such as VIP seats. As long as they passed a round of inspection, they could go upstairs to the best position to watch the army pass by.
The team to maintain order had separated most of the street for the army to pass through, and the other half of the road was not restricted to pedestrians. However, there were also staff wearing red sleeves who loudly reminded the Jurchen captives that they were not allowed to hit them with stones, iron, or other lethal objects. Of course, even hitting people with mud, rotten eggs, and vegetable leaves was not encouraged.
Some red silk and ribbons had already been hung on both sides of the road, and a lot of red flowers tied with silk cloth were also sold at a very low price. At this time, there were still very few colors in the city, so red was always the most eye-catching color. The Chinese army's control over the hearts of the people in Chengdu was not very solid for the time being, but when the cheap red flowers were sold, many people happily joined in the carnival of supporting the army.
Yu Ho-chung, Yan Daolun, and the others had breakfast by the roadside. At this time, they did not take a car, but walked all the way, watching the scenery on the street.
The suggestion of walking was made by Yan Daolun. He was currently in a complicated mood for this trip to Chengdu. Originally, as the representative of Liu Guangshi, the general policy was to take the initiative to express goodwill to the Chinese army in order to obtain some convenience in the transaction. The current trend did not go astray, but from the details, it was not necessarily very satisfactory.
When doing business, even if you had already made the decision to take the initiative to express goodwill, you would hope that your goodwill would be of greater value to the other party. If the other parties caused great trouble for the Chinese army, he would also have grasped some of their flaws and weaknesses. At this time, by expressing goodwill, he would be able to obtain the greatest benefits. If the other party did not fall into too much trouble, the goodwill on this side would not be so important.
This was also why he was happy to see the chaos on the 20th of July. If they could kill Ning Yi, of course, it would be for the best. Even if they could not, they would at least cause some trouble for the other party, and their side's importance would greatly increase.
Up until now, even though the Hua Xia army had given him a lot of courtesy and preferential treatment, Yan Daolun understood from the bottom of his heart that the courtesy he gave them when he was restricting or threatening them was completely different from the courtesy he was giving them now.
When people interacted with each other, they did not threaten each other and were happy and harmonious. However, when interacting with each other, only a relationship that could threaten and undermine each other was the most reliable. If you did not have the ability to be a bad person, you would not be far from death.
At the moment, the threat that General Liu could pose to the Chinese army was limited, and the help he could provide was also limited. Although the other party had given him courtesy, such courtesy was empty. This was what made him feel complicated and conflicted.
On the other side, in recent days, Yu Ho-chung's emotions had also become increasingly agitated.
With Shishi's push and the help of the Hua Xia army, his position as the "mouthpiece" between the Hua Xia army and Liu Guangshi's forces was becoming more and more secure. However, at the same time, the initial fervor in his heart gradually calmed down. Only then did he feel that the distance between him and the other party seemed to be continuously increasing.
After the 20th of July, Shishi was rather busy, and he only went to see her once. Although Shishi still treated him warmly, throughout the entire negotiation process, he gradually felt the power that the Hua Xia army had manifested, as well as Shishi's position in it.
Some things could not be seen clearly from afar, and could only be understood in close proximity. Just like the possible deal between the Hua Xia army and General Liu, this was an operation with great implications. In reality, he could not play much of a role in the middle. However, throughout the entire negotiation process, the power that truly protected his position basically came from the Hua Xia army. Shishi spoke to the officer named Lin Qiu once, and in the subsequent negotiations, the Hua Xia army would basically bring him along to nod his head. If not, how important could he be in it?
In his dreams at night, he could also clearly think about the problems in the middle. Especially after the turmoil on the 20th of July, the power of the Hua Xia army had already lifted the lid in the city of Chengdu. He could not help but think. Compared to Bianliang City in the past, what position was Shishi at the moment? If he saw Ning Yi as the emperor …
At the beginning, he felt that if he became the link between the two forces, he might be able to interact with Shishi on equal footing in the future. However, at the moment, he increasingly felt the distance between him and Shishi. Shishi's alienation and closeness made him worry about his gains and losses.
Right now, she is such a capable and influential person … If she really likes me …
Several thoughts intertwined in his mind. He followed Yan Daolun through the crowd and walked all the way.
Similar to them, many people had already left their homes and were passing through the crowd towards the "Victory Square" in the morning breeze. Among them, some were excited, some were curious, and there were also some who had a serious look in their eyes, with reluctance and resentment. But even these people, after all, had traveled thousands of miles to Chengdu. How could they miss the "big move" of the Huaxia army?
…
In the morning, outside the city of Chengdu, Wanyan Qingjue and the others wore shackles and were escorted to the prison cart that transported the captives. During the process of this military parade, they did not even need to walk.
…
Under the protection of the servants and disciples, Yang Tiehuai walked out of the gate of the Xiangwu Guild Hall.
He was dressed in a neat blue long-sleeved robe and wore a tall hat on his head. His lips were tightly pressed together, and his gaze was serious. In his hand, he was holding the invitation letter that the Hua Xia army gave him to attend the ceremony.
…
There was the sound of birds chirping in the courtyard.
Qu Longjun opened her eyes and glimpsed the scene of a figure walking out of the room. She was shocked.
She did not know when the figure came in. It seemed that it was not the chubby sister-in-law. If she had not happened to wake up, she probably would not have seen this scene.
Long Aotian, Doctor Long …
Qu Longjun was lying on the bed. She did not understand why the other party wanted to enter her ward so early in the morning. In the past few days, although he sent her food and medicine, the two of them did not talk much. He occasionally asked her about the condition of her body, and it seemed to be a very ordinary inquiry.
Her body was lying on the quilt. It was warm, and there was no sign that her clothes had been touched. She listened for a while under the quilt, but there was no sound of footsteps coming from outside. The glimpse just now was as if it was fake.
She secretly turned her head to look around. It was sunny outside the room, but the inside of the room was still not bright. On the small cabinet beside the bed … there seemed to be something new. She reached out and touched it. Then, she took it back. It was a book.
Under the dim light, Qu Longjun, who had just woken up, looked at it several times before she could clearly see the words on the cover of the book. The title of the book was not particular. It was one of the miscellaneous books that were published after the Hua Xia army occupied the territory. Wen Shoubin had once criticized this kind of book: the language used was vulgar, there was no literary talent, and it was the scum of the book …
The name of the book was: "Women Are Equal to Half the Sky".
Qu Longjun held the book and shook it a few times. There was no mechanism in the book, and there was also no messy things mixed in it. Smelling the ink, it even seemed to be new.
Why did that little killing god put this kind of thing beside my bed?
… I am not a woman.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
