He felt dizzy and disoriented, and it was noisy. The person who rushed out from the side and punched He Wen was Lin Nian's former disciple, Wei Shihong, who was also Lin Jingmei's senior. When He Wen was exposed and captured, he had not come to make things difficult for He Wen, perhaps because he had been warned by everyone. But now, he could not hold it in any longer.
As Wei Shihong cursed, some people came over to hold him back, while others wanted to follow and hit He Wen. These were all veterans of the Huaxia army. Even though many of them were still rational, they looked murderous. Then, a figure rushed out from the side. It was Lin Jingmei. She opened her arms and stood in front of this group of people. He Wen crawled up from the ground and spat out his broken teeth and blood. He was highly skilled in martial arts and had also experienced battle. He was not afraid of anyone in a one-on-one fight, but against these people in front of him, he had no fighting spirit. He looked at them, looked at Lin Jingmei, and silently turned to leave.
He Wen officially left Mount Ji two days later. In the early evening, he had a detailed talk with Lin Jingmei and said goodbye. He told her, "Find someone you like and marry him. The Chinese army is full of good men." Lin Jingmei did not answer him. He Wen also said something about the age difference between the two of them. He then went to find Ning Yi. Ning Yi only said, "I will let her find a good man to marry. You should get lost. It would be best if you died." Ning Liheng looked calm, but in fact, he had been valiant all his life. When facing He Wen, he personally asked him to stay twice. It was obvious that he was taking care of Lin Jingmei's paternal attitude.
He Wen did not bring up his ideals again.
Alone with only his sword, he rode an old horse all the way east. After leaving Ji Shan, it was a rugged and desolate mountain road. There were Yi villages in the mountains, which he could occasionally see from afar. When he left the mountains, it was once again the villages and towns of the Wu dynasty. The refugees heading south were on the road. The road from west to east was winding and long. The Wu dynasty showed a flourishing aura in many of the major cities. However, he did not see an aura similar to that of the towns where the Huaxia army was. He Dengshan and Jishan were like a strange and estranged dream, falling into the mountains of the southwest.
On this day, he returned to his home in Suzhou. His father, wife, and son welcomed him back. He washed off the dust on his body, and his family prepared several tables of lively food to welcome him. He smiled and chatted with his family in this lively atmosphere, fulfilling his responsibility as the eldest son. Thinking back to his experiences in the past few years, the Huaxia Army was really like a different world. However, halfway through the meal, reality finally returned.
The soldiers who rushed over slowly surrounded the He Residence.
"It's okay. Speak clearly." After comforting his father, wife, and son, he tidied up his clothes and walked out of the door …
The matter of He Wen gradually disappeared after he left Mount Ji alone. Slowly, not many people mentioned him anymore. For Lin Jingmei, Ning Yi and the others arranged a few blind dates for her. Lin Jingmei didn't accept them, but not long later, at least emotionally, she walked out of her sadness. Ning Yi said shamelessly, "Who doesn't experience a few heartbreaks when they are young? Only then will they grow up." He secretly told Seven to look after her.
Life returned to life. In this spring, everything in the Hua Xia Army seemed normal. The young people talked about nonsensical "ideals" while training and learning, but what truly supported the entire Hua Xia Army was the strict military rules and past achievements.
In April, a huge storm was brewing in the Great Harmony of the North …
*****
Bang –
Dull thunder rumbled across the horizon. The clouds were dark and heavy, as if rain was coming.
The eastern market of Datong Plum Blossom Storehouse was packed with people. The passersby looked at the huge platform not far away. Cries could be heard coming from it. There was also a yamen bailiff reading out a notice loudly. A little further away, the officials of the Jin Kingdom, dressed in luxurious felt clothes, looked down on all this and occasionally whispered to each other. A group of sorcerers who were chanting scriptures waited at the side.
This was the scene of an execution.
On the wooden platform, other than the surrounding Jin soldiers, a large group of men, women, and children dressed in Han clothing could be seen. Most of them were thin and weak, and their eyes were listless. Many of them stood there with glazed eyes, and some of them were crying in fear. According to the official notice, there were a total of a hundred Han people here, and they would be executed after this.
Because of this execution, there were mostly whispers among the crowd. In recent years, it was rare for a person to be executed by a hundred people for a crime, because …
"… In less than a month, he assassinated General Ni Han twice. That person is really …"
"… He killed fiercely. That day, he killed all the way from Changshun Street to near the east gate. That person is a Han evil ghost. He jumped onto roofs and vaulted over many streets …"
"… We couldn't stop him. Dozens of people died … He was really merciless. That thief was covered in blood. I saw him running past my house. Da Gan, who used to be a soldier, came out to stop him. His wife was right beside him … In front of his wife, he smashed that thief's face with a stick …"
"… We couldn't stop him. The city was in an uproar, and we searched for him for half a month. But two days ago … it was Changshun Street again, and he rushed out to kill the General. How lucky …"
"… He's a Han evil ghost. We can't kill him. We can only ask a few masters to collect his soul. Look over there …"
"… These Han dogs, we should really kill them all … Kill them all to the south …"
From the fragmented words of the people, it was possible to piece together the cause and effect of the matter. In fact, there were very few people in Datong who did not know about it. On the 23rd of the third month, an assassin attempted to assassinate General Ni Han alone. He cut a sorry figure as he fought his way through the bustling city and residential areas, alarming almost half of the city. In the end, the assassin actually managed to escape. Since then, Datong had always been heavily guarded. They had secretly searched for Han people, and had already taken hundreds of lives in vain. Datong's officials had not yet figured out how to deal with this matter. They were waiting for the Jurchen constables to catch the assassin. Who knew that on the 20th of the fourth month, the assassin would suddenly appear again and try to assassinate General Ni Han again.
This kind of unyielding spirit was not enough to scare people. However, the assassin had been injured all over after the two assassination attempts. In the end, he had made use of the complicated terrain of Datong City to escape, and had managed to escape by a hair's breadth. Other than the protection of ghosts and gods, there was no other explanation. The influence of this matter was somewhat terrible. After spending two days, the Jurchen soldiers had captured a hundred Han slaves in the city and were going to execute them first.
This was to punish the first batch of assassins. Not long after, another two hundred people would be killed for the second assassination attempt.
Naturally, there was no resistance. In the ten years of the Humiliation of Jingping, the Jurchen had captured Han slaves in batches and sent them north. In total, there were about a million of them. It wasn't that they hadn't resisted before, but they were basically all dead. The most inhumane treatment had also been experienced by the slaves. Most of those who could live until now had no ability or thought of resisting. The first batch of ten people was pushed to the front and knelt in front of the crowd. The executioner raised his steel knife and chopped off their heads.
The smell of blood filled the air. A woman in the crowd covered her eyes and said, "Aiyo." She turned around and squeezed out. Some people watched quietly, while others laughed and applauded, cursing the Han for not knowing what was good for them. This was the territory of the Jurchen. In recent years, they had relaxed the treatment of the slaves, and even forbade the killing of slaves for no reason. What else did these Han people want?
The second batch of ten people was pushed forward and their heads were chopped off. When the eighth batch was pushed forward, a middle-aged woman in the crowd cried and walked forward. She was of average looks, or perhaps she had become a prostitute in Datong City. Her clothes were old, but one could still see some charm in her. Although she was crying, she did not cry like a normal person. She was a mute without a tongue.
Above her was her son.
During the ten years of the Jin Kingdom's southern expedition, millions of people went north. There were countless tragedies. When people came here, they no longer had freedom. Even mother and son could not be together anymore. It was only later that the Jurchen's policy towards the slaves was relatively relaxed. Only a few people managed to find their relatives in the midst of their feeble existence. The woman without a tongue cried and walked forward. A Jin soldier raised his spear and stabbed it into the woman's stomach. Above, a young man with a blank expression and a missing ear cried out, "Mother!" The executioner's blade fell.
The chief constable of the Datong government office, Mandudaru, stood on a wooden building not far away. He quietly watched the strange movements in the crowd. His eagle-like eyes stared at everyone who was saddened by the scene to determine whether they were suspicious or not.
Mandudaru's father was one of the first batch of military elites who followed Aguda. He was once the best hunter in the northeastern forest and snowfield. He followed his father to join the army when he was young and later became the most elite scout of the Jin army. Whether it was during the northern expedition or the southern expedition against the Wu dynasty, he had made great contributions. He even participated in the siege of Little Canghe for three years. He was wounded and killed many enemies. Later, Shi Liai and others valued his ability and transferred him to Datong, which was the political center of the Jin Kingdom's western side. He was cold and resolute. His eyesight and intuition were extremely sharp. He had killed and captured many difficult enemies.
This time, he was supervising other matters outside the city. After returning to the city, he participated in the assassination and took on the heavy responsibility of arresting the assassins. The first time they killed a hundred people, it only proves that they have the determination to kill. That Han swordsman from the Central Plains tried to assassinate the Marshal twice on the streets, no doubt out of righteous indignation. Then the second time they kill another two hundred people, he will probably show up. Even if this person was extremely patient, it did not matter. Anyway, the news had already been released. If there was a third assassination, as long as they saw the assassin, they would kill all the Han slaves. At that time, that person would not have much luck to speak of.
The last ten people were pushed onto the wooden platform. They knelt down and lowered their heads … Mandudaru squinted his eyes. "It's been ten years. These Han dogs have long given up resisting. It's unclear whether they will see him as a savior or a killer."
The deputy snorted disdainfully. "These Han dogs are extremely cowardly. If they were to work under me, I would not use them at all. I don't need Han slaves in my family. "
"They have established their country for a long time and have a deep foundation. There will always be some rangers who have been practicing martial arts since they were young. Don't underestimate them. If you are like that assassin, you will be at a disadvantage when the time comes."
"Leader Dudu, such a powerful person, could it be that Black Flag …"
The hundred people had been killed. The human heads were piled up in a few frames. The shaman mages went forward and started dancing. When Mandudaru's deputy mentioned Black Flag's name, his voice became slightly softer. Mandudaru raised his head. "I have also guessed his background. Black Flag does things differently and would not be so reckless. I received a letter from the south. The assassin this time might be the leader of the Central Plains' Red Peak Mountain Bandits. He is known as the Eight Arm Dragon King. He failed in his rebellion and lost his stronghold, so he came here to seek death. "
"The leader of a region?"
"The leader of the bandits, a stray dog. Just be careful of his martial arts. "
Mandudaru said calmly. He had never underestimated such a person who could fight a hundred people. However, a person who could fight a hundred people was just a brute. If they really wanted to kill him, the difficulty could not be said to be too high. It was just that the assassination of the Marshal had caused an uproar and had to be resolved. Otherwise, the case he was pursuing outside the city was related to a strange person with the nickname 'Clown'. This made him feel that it might be more troublesome.
Step by step, it would eventually be resolved.
Mandudaru was once in an invincible army. When he was a scout, he came and went like a ghost. Every time he could bring back crucial information. After conquering the Central Plains, the destruction along the way made him feel bored. Later on, in the mountains of Little Cang River, they had a confrontation with the Black Flag Army. Although the good and bad soldiers of the Da Qi army were intermingled, the force they stirred up was like a monstrous wave that reached the sky. The fierce confrontation between them and the Black Flag Army brought about an incomparably dangerous battlefield. In that mountain, Mandodaru had to flee for his life several times. There were a few times when he almost met the elites of the Black Flag Army.
He was a scout. Once he was in a group of soldiers of that level, the consequence of being discovered was death. However, he still managed to survive in that kind of crisis. By relying on his superb concealment and tracking skills, he secretly killed three Black Flag Army scouts. He took pride in this, removing the scalps of the last two enemies. This scalp was still placed in the hall of the mansion he lived in. It was regarded as proof of meritorious service.
Because he was involved in a later battle, he was wounded and fled. After his injuries healed, he could not go forward again. However, in Mandudaru's view, only this kind of fight and hunting was a battlefield that truly belonged to heroes. Later, the Black Flag Army was defeated in the northwest. It was said that Mister Ning had died. He became a constable and specialized in confronting those top and most troublesome criminals. His family had been hunters for generations. It was said that there were Black Flag Army scouts in Datong City. This would be his best hunting ground and prey.
However, after dealing with the prey at hand, he might have to wait for a period of time.
Mandudaru's gaze swept across the crowd again and again. Finally, he turned and left with his men.
There was a boom in the sky and the sound of thunder again.
In the crowd not far away, Tang Minjie was slightly excited. He smiled and watched the execution. After shouting a few times with the crowd, he left with the crowd and headed in the direction of the Great Courtyard.
Not long after, there was a torrential rain.
*****
The rain of early summer weaved a curtain of water under the eaves of the Marshal's Mansion. The courtyard was already full of rain. Wanyan Xi and Yin Xi stood in the corridor outside the hall and looked at the rain, the mountain rocks and bronze tripod in the rain. In the hall behind, some people had already arrived. These were the core members of the political center of Datong. Yin Shuke, Ba Lisu, Wanyan Saba, Gao Qingyi, Han Qixian, Shi Liai, and so on. From time to time, people would come to greet him.
Not long after, Wanyan Zonghan walked over with a majestic gait. This hero of the Jin Kingdom who was second only to one and above tens of thousands smiled and greeted Xi Yin. He patted his shoulder and said, "There is a saying in the south that the benevolent enjoy the mountains and the wise enjoy the water. The Goddess of Grains is in a good mood to look at the mountains and rivers."
Xi Yin smiled and cupped his hands, "Marshal is in a good mood too. Aren't you afraid of trouble?"
"I am frank and honest. What trouble can there be?"
Zonghan waved his hand indifferently and entered with Xi Yin.
After taking their seats, someone started to talk about serious matters.
"His Majesty is bedridden. Over at Heaven Association, Zong Fu and Zong Bi want to gather the army …"
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