In the third month of spring, the new trees in the courtyard had already sprouted. The rain had just stopped, and the greenery on the branches was so thick that it looked like it was about to turn into water droplets and drip down.
"… My grandfather, I remember he was an old-fashioned old man."
"… He was born in a scholarly family, and there was nothing extraordinary in his life. He was studious at a young age, and passed the imperial examination to fill the vacancy. He entered the imperial court, and then came down from the imperial court to return to his hometown to teach and educate people. What he treasured the most were the books stored in the few rooms there. Now that I think about it, he was like a painting that everyone hung in front of the hall, with a serious face all year round. I was still young at that time, and I didn't dare to get close to this grandfather … "
"… When the Liao people attacked, the army couldn't stop them. Those who could escape had already escaped. I wasn't afraid. I was still young at that time, and I didn't know what was going on. My family had already gathered, and I was still running around in front of the hall. The old man was in the hall, lecturing a bunch of stiff uncles about learning, and everyone … was sitting upright and still, neatly dressed. It was so scary … "
"… I cried loudly, and he pointed at me, saying that it was enough to have one descendant in the family. Damn it … I lived with a bunch of women. Before he left, my grandfather held my hand … I don't know if he was holding me or hugging me. He took a torch and set fire to the row of houses that he treasured so much … In the end, he was skinned and hung on the flagpole … "
In the courtyard, in front of the hall, the feminine scholar was holding a teacup, pouring the tea in the cup under the eaves. In the hall, under the eaves, the generals and soldiers were all listening to him.
"… He didn't drink, so I offered him tea … I later heard about these things from my grandmother. A bunch of weak fellows, before they died, the most serious thing they did was not sharpening their weapons, but tidying up their clothes. Some of them were even scolded for not dressing properly, and they were crazy … "
"… I didn't care about anything since I was young, and I did everything. I killed people, and I ate people raw. I didn't care about my clothes being untidy, I just wanted people to be afraid of me. The Heavens had given me this kind of face. My family was full of women. When I was studying in Beijing, I was teased and beaten up. It didn't matter if I was beaten up, but what if there were only women in my family? Whoever laughs at me, I'll bite them, tear their flesh, and swallow them alive … "
"… Then one day, when I was thirteen, an official in the capital bullied my family for not having a man. He took liberties with my weak aunt. I pounced on him and tore off half of his face, gouged out one of his eyes, and chewed it. The people around me were terrified and captured me. I pointed at those people and told them that as long as I wasn't dead, I would go to their house one day and eat them alive … After that, I was sent to the north … I don't know where that guy is now … "
He poured the second cup of tea into the dirt.
"… When I was in the North, what I cared about the most were the women at home. Grandma, Mom, Aunty, Aunty, Big Sister, Little Sister … A whole bunch of people. How could they live without me? But later on, I realized that even in the most difficult times, they didn't lose to … Haha, they lost to you guys …
"… With my personality, I should have followed that Demon King Ning to do things, but I didn't follow him. It wasn't because of my family … Come to think of it, it's strange. When Demon King Ning rebelled, I was on good terms with him, but he didn't inform me. He didn't leave a single clue …"
"… My Wang Family has been scholars for generations, but I don't think I've read much since I was young. I wanted to be a hero, and it would be best if I could be a great demon. Everyone would be afraid of me, and I could protect my family. What's the point of being a scholar? To wear a scholar's robe and dress beautifully to kill the enemy? But, I don't know why, that pedantic … that bunch of pedantic old things … "
He poured the third cup of tea on the ground. What flashed across his eyes didn't seem to be just the image of that old man from back then. The sound of shouting and killing was faintly coming from a place far away. Wang Shanyue, who was dressed in a long robe, paused in his memories for a moment. He raised his head and walked into the hall.
"… That bunch of old things, I have to respect them …"
He walked to the table at the other end of the hall and picked up the tall hat.
"… Everyone here is a true hero. In the past few days, Wang Shanyue felt guilty for making everyone listen to my orders. I've done something wrong. Today, I won't apologize to everyone here one by one. Female Zhenren has come to the South for ten years, and the blood debts she has incurred are too numerous to be written down. My husband and I are here to fight side by side with you. Not to mention anything else, I'm very honored … very honored. "
He put on the tall hat, slowly and steadily fastened the lace, and fastened it with a long hairpin. Then, Wang Shanyue reached out and picked up the long saber on the table.
"… Everyone, it seems that the Daimyo Residence can no longer be defended. We've stalled these guys here for half a year, and we've done what we should. I don't dare to say whether we can go out or not. Right now, my heart only wants to personally … collect the blood debt of the past ten years from the Female Zhenren – "
The cold glint of the saber's edge flashed through the hall. At this moment, Wang Shanyue was dressed in a snow-white robe and crown. His seemingly refined face revealed a generous and heroic smile.
"Brothers, the Female Zhenren is powerful. The road has already been taken. I don't know where we can go. I don't know if we can still leave alive. Even if we can leave alive, I don't know how many years it will take for us to collect this blood debt from the hands of the Female Zhenren. But I know, and I'm sure, that one day there will be people like you and me who can restore China and make it right … If there's someone here who can live, help us see. "
He laughed, "… Now, let's go collect the debt."
There were echoes of agreement between the people's footsteps.
On the 23rd day of the third month of the tenth year of Wu Jianshuo, the outer wall of the Daimyo Residence was breached, and the whole city fell into fierce street fighting. After half a year of attack and defense, the soldiers who finally entered the city found that at this time, the Daimyo Residence had been densely built with many fortifications, combined with explosives, traps, and tunnels that extended in all directions. After entering the city, the slightly relaxed army was the first to suffer a head-on blow.
However, after losing the city wall, the defense had been weakened too much. The Female Zhenren General Wanyan Chang, who was in charge of the Daimyo Residence, was good at internal affairs and logistics. He was known for his conservative military tactics. He commanded more than 200,000 Han soldiers to enter the city to clean up. They dug three feet into the ground and set up camp step by step. At the same time, he wantonly called for the soldiers who were willing to surrender and who were in a desperate situation to defend the city. Thus, on the third day after the city was breached, small groups of troops and individuals began to surrender. They cooperated with the Female Zhenren's offensive to break the defense line in the city.
There were also troops who tried to break out of the city. However, more than 30,000 Female Zhenren troops led by Wanyan Chang took on the task of breaking out of the siege. The superior cavalry and falcons worked together to sweep and chase. Almost no one could leave the Daimyo Residence alive under such circumstances.
After being ambushed by Wang Shanyue's army, the Daimyo Residence was held back by 30,000 Female Zhenren elites for half a year. For the Jin army, Wang Shanyue's group must be killed.
While attacking the city step by step, Wanyan Chang kept a close eye on his rear. In the past month, the Huaxia army, which had won the battle in Linzhou, took a short rest and then rushed from the northwest. Their purpose was self-evident.
With the power of defeating Shu Liesu, the army's whereabouts scared the courage of many city guards along the way. The Huaxia army's whereabouts appeared several times near several grain storage towns in the north of the Daimyo Residence. A few days ago, they even found a gap and raided Sufang, the granary in the north. Under the circumstances that most of the troops under Li Xizhi's command were transferred to the Daimyo Residence, urgent letters from various places were sent to Wanyan Chang.
But Wanyan Chang turned a blind eye to them.
As for the 28th of March, half of the Daimyo Residence had been cleaned up. At this time, the Female Zhenren army no longer accepted surrender. The army in the city was aroused by the morale of the soldiers and fought tenaciously and fiercely. But Wanyan Chang didn't care about this situation. More than 200,000 Han troops entered the city from all directions and launched the fiercest attack on the more than 10,000 remaining soldiers in the city. And the 30,000 Female Zhenren soldiers were stationed outside the city. No matter how many people died in the city, he didn't move.
He was waiting for the Huaxia army to come over, although it was also possible that the army would not come again.
Thirteen thousand against thirty-five thousand people of tactical formation, no one could not be injured in such a situation. If this army did not come over, he would first eat all the people of the Daimyo Mansion, and then turn around to drown this Black Flag Army with his superior military strength. If they came over recklessly, Wanyan Chang would also swallow them up and settle the war in Jiangbei.
…
Two days later, in the small town of Sufang, north of the Daimyo Residence.
After seizing the warehouse here, the Huaxia army team that came from the bloody battle in Linzhou got a certain rest and had a few days to eat.
In the battle in Linzhou, although Shu Liesu was finally defeated, the Huaxia army lost nearly half of its members after counting. Among the half of the members lost, some were dead and some were seriously injured, and the lightly injured were not counted. In the end, the members of the Huaxia army who could still participate in the battle were about 6,400 people, and the participation of the Linzhou garrison, such as Shi Guangen and the others, made the number of the army barely return to the number of 13,000. But although the new people were hot-blooded, in the actual battle, it was naturally impossible to play as tenacious as before.
There had been many discussions in the army about whether to continue to rescue the Daimyo Residence. In the original plan, the Huaxia army would help Prince Jin's territory to build a relatively solid anti-gold alliance. Then, when there was a little spare time, they would borrow troops from Prince Jin to raid the Daimyo's mansion and help Wang Shanyue break out. This was the most ideal situation. But now, it was naturally impossible.
13,000 people were already very weak against Shu Liesu. In this broken state, to raid the Daimyo Residence, which had 30,000 Jurchen troops and more than 200,000 Han troops, was no different from courting death. During this time, the Huaxia army launched many harassment in the surroundings, trying their best to get Wan Yanchang's reaction, but Wan Yanchang's response also proved that he was the kind of dignified general who was not easy to deal with without a surprise attack.
For such a general, there was even no hope of being lucky enough to behead him.
If they did not go to rescue, they would watch the people of the Daimyo Residence die, and if they went to rescue, they would be tied together and die. For such a choice, everyone made it extremely difficult.
But that night, the decision was made …
…
On March 26th, near the drill ground outside Sufang Town, there were piles of bonfires burning.
In the previous Huaxia army, there were often mobilization meetings to clean up military discipline or boost morale. After recruiting new members, such meetings became more frequent. Even the new members of the Huaxia army had become familiar with such gatherings at this time. The meeting was organized by regiments, and today's mobilization meeting didn't look any different from the previous days.
In a meeting on the east side, Staff Officer Li Nian followed Shi Guangen into the venue. After a brief exchange of greetings, he began his "lecture."
"… In the era of the Small Canghe River, all the way until today's southwest, the Huaxia army has a form of address called 'comrade.' What is' comrade '? Friends with common aspirations call each other 'comrade.' This form of address is not forced, but it is a very formal and solemn form of address. "
"… What is the aspiration of the Huaxia army? Our ancestors were born and grew up here tens of thousands of years ago, and our ancestors have done many things worthy of praise. Some people say that China has the beauty of dress, which is called 'Hua,' and the great etiquette, which is why it is called 'Xia.' We have created good things, good etiquette, and good spirit, which is why it is called 'Huaxia.' "The Huaxia army is built on these good things. Those good people, good spirits, just like you in front of us, and the other brothers of the Huaxia army. Faced with the aggressive Jurchens, we will never yield. In the Small Canghe River, we defeated them! In Linzhou, we defeated them! In Xuzhou, our brothers are still fighting! Faced with the trampling of the enemy, we will not stop resisting. This kind of spirit can be called a part of Huaxia. "
"… There are many other virtues in this world. Even in the Wu dynasty, the civil officials truly worried about national affairs, and the generals died on the battlefield. These can also be called a part of Huaxia. Usually, you work for the people, you care for the old and the weak, this is also Huaxia. But there are also dirty things. When the Jurchens first attacked the south, Prime Minister Qin did his best for the country, and Qin Shaohe defended Taiyuan to the death. In the end, countless people sacrificed their lives to save the Wu dynasty … "
"… But because of the infighting in the court, the court did not rescue Taiyuan. As a result, Taiyuan was broken after a year of bitter defense. All the people in the city were slaughtered, and the governor Qin Shaohe's body was chopped into pieces by the Jurchens. His head was hung on the city gate. In the capital, Prime Minister Qin was imprisoned and sent to exile for three thousand miles. In the end, he was killed on the way. Mister Ning killed Zhou Zhe in the golden palace! "
"… Over the years, whether it was Little Cang River or the southwest, many people said that even if they wanted to rebel, they didn't have to kill Zhou Zhe. Otherwise, the Huaxia army would have more ways to retreat. It sounded reasonable, but reality proved that those who thought they had a way out couldn't do anything big! Over the years, the Wu dynasty's path became narrower and narrower. But our Huaxia army, after killing our way out of the desperate situation at Little Cang River, we became stronger and stronger! It was us who defeated Shu Liesu! In the southwest, we conquered the entire Chengdu plain! Why — "
Li Nian waved his hand. "Because we did the right thing! We did the right thing! We pressed forward with indomitable will! First, we fought with our lives, then we negotiated with them. And those who negotiated first and then tried to fight with their lives after failing would be eliminated by the world! Just think about it. Mister Ning had seen so many disgusting things, he had seen so many injustices. Yet, he had swallowed it down and endured it all. Zhou Zhe had continued to be the emperor, living a good life. How could Mister Ning let others know that for the sake of those ministers who had died in vain, he was willing to give up everything!? No one would believe him! But he killed Zhou Zhe. This is a difficult path, but if we don't give up our lives, there is no path in the world — "
"… Everyone should more or less understand what we are going to do when we go south this time. In the south, Wanyan Chang is attacking the Daimyo Residence with more than 200,000 spineless soldiers. They have been attacking for half a year! There is a group of heroes who know that there are no reinforcements near the Daimyo Residence. Once they enter, they will not be able to escape unscathed. But they still sacrificed everything they had and persisted there for half a year. Wanyan Zongbi brought 300,000 soldiers and tried to attack them, but he didn't succeed … They are amazing people. "
The whistling firelight illuminated the silhouettes of the people. "… But it's not easy to save them. Many people say that we might lose our lives in the Daimyo Residence. Let me tell you, Wan Yanchang is also waiting for us to go over. He wants to eat us up in the Daimyo Residence in one bite and humiliate us with the Snow Technique! Everyone, do you want to take the safe path and watch the group of people from the Daimyo Residence die, or do you want to risk the possibility of us going into danger and try to save them … "
"… Among that group of people, many of them lost their families in the process of the Female Zhenren going south. Many of them lost their brothers and sisters, parents and relatives because of the resistance. They have nothing, so they do not hesitate. That is General Wang Shanyue. All the men in his family died in the past resistance. He is the only son of the Wang family, but he stayed in the Daimyo Residence. Last year, in the process of taking over the Daimyo Residence, this General Wang said that there is no need for the Huaxia Army to rescue them … "
"Just two days ago, the walls of the Daimyo Residence have been breached. Now there is a final street battle in the city …"
The wind swirled over the square. Li Nian's voice paused and stopped there. He looked around.
"We are going to rescue them."
He said.
"— Because this is the right thing to do. This is the spirit of the Huaxia Army. When these heroes, in order to resist the Female Zhenren, gave up everything they had, someone should save them! Even if we have to pay a lot for it, even if we have to face danger, even if we have to pay with blood and even our lives! Because to defeat the Female Zhenren, we can't rely on just us, because we need more comrades, because one day, when we fall into that kind of danger, we also need thousands of Huaxia people to rescue us — "
"This world is a very narrow road! Only by risking our lives can we pass it! If these bastards stand in our way, we will use our own knives to cut them, use our own teeth to tear them apart. Everyone … Comrades! We are going to the Daimyo Residence to rescue them! This battle is very difficult, very difficult, but no one can stop us head-on. We have already proved this in Lin Province. "
His voice had already fallen, but it was not low, but calm and firm. In the crowd, the people who had just joined the Huaxia Army wanted to shout. The veterans were calm and their eyes were cold. In the firelight, Li Nian finally said, "Get ready, we will leave in an hour."
He waved his hand and passed the speech to Shi Guangen. Shi Guangen blinked his eyes, his mouth slightly open, still in a state of excitement and shock. In the high-level meeting just now, the adviser named Li Nian mentioned a lot of unfavorable factors, and the summary of the meeting was also about the situation they would face this time. It was really a narrow escape, which made Shi Guangen quite depressed. He did not expect that as soon as he came out, Li Nian, who was responsible for cooperating with him, said such words. His heart was boiling, and he wanted to immediately kill in front of the Female Zhenren and teach them a lesson.
"Adviser Li is really amazing …" While clapping hard, Shi Guangen thought to himself that after this battle, he should learn how to speak like this from Adviser Li.
But such an opportunity never came.
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