"Dezhou has a total of sixty thousand soldiers, horses, peasants, and volunteers. Of these, thirty thousand are stationed inside Dezhou, and ten thousand are stationed at the Twelve Cities along the official road ten li from the city. A bit further, at the Mulberry Garden forty li away, is the old city of the abandoned Anling County. There are also ten thousand soldiers and horses stationed there. In addition, there are also soldiers stationed at the Great Water Relay Station, Dianguan Relay Station, and other places where grain is stored. However, for safety reasons, we have already moved more than half of our rations to Dezhou. "
Luo Guangquan introduced, "These sixty thousand people are divided into the Dezhou Guards, Dezhou Left Guards, Tianjin, Baoding, and local regiments. There are also some officers and soldiers from Qihe, Linyi, and Huimin counties. Nominally, this general is in charge of all of them, but because each of them has their own subordinates, we are not familiar with each other, so it is very difficult to dispatch them."
The commander of the Dezhou Guards, Luo Guangquan, hesitated for a moment. He wanted to report the corruption of military discipline, the loss of morale, the refusal to listen to orders, the cowardice of battle, and even the sneaky kidnapping of villagers. However, the officers of these soldiers were also present. If he said this, it would create a rift between them, so after a moment of hesitation, he only emphasized the difficulty of dispatching them because each of them had their own subordinates.
Yang Ling sat on the high seat. He had already changed into a white silk Confucian gown embroidered with plum blossoms, and on his head was a Pacifying Square Headband. He looked elegant and refined, as handsome as jade, without the slightest majesty of a general commanding an army. There were also civil officials present. Other than the local government officials, there were also special envoys sent by Jinan, Tai 'an, and other places to listen to instructions on suppressing bandits. With these civil officials as his foil, Yang Ling appeared even more outstanding, like a crane among chickens.
Yang Ling listened with a smile and only nodded his head, not saying anything. In fact, before he had even arrived, his subordinates had already reported the situation in Dezhou, so he knew more about the situation here than Luo Guangquan had introduced.
He looked at the generals sitting upright and still, and asked, "I heard that General Qiao Sihai is also guarding Dezhou. Why don't I see him?"
Only now did Luo Guangquan remember that when Qiao Sihai was suppressing the Japanese invaders in Jiangnan, he had once fought under Yang Ling's command in Zhejiang. Hastily, he respectfully replied, "Your Highness, the original garrison of the Twelve Links Cities is only about three thousand people. For the sake of safety, I have sent General Qiao to reinforce the Twelve Links Cities. The Duke wants to see him, so I will immediately summon him."
Yang Ling hurriedly waved his hand and said, "There's no need. The enemy is right in front of us, how can the commander-in-chief of the army leave without permission? Let's discuss business first. Dezhou's defense is deep, its walls are thick, its soldiers are strong and its horses are strong. Everyone here is brave and skillful in battle. You have been attacked by Yang Hu three times and still stood firm. Ben Gong has also heard of you in the Capital. "
When Luo Guangquan and the other generals heard this, their faces lit up. In reality, Yang Hu had only attacked the city three times for the sake of provisions. That was because he did not have a clear strategic goal. He had no intention of taking down this strategic city that connected the north and south, and the west and east. So when he could not take it down, he turned to other places to plunder, so the battle was not very intense.
But this time was different. According to Yang Ling's understanding, Yang Hu was a man of great ambition but little talent. Although he had a reputation in the Lulin Kingdom and was skilled in martial arts, strategy and strategy were not his forte. This time, the White Uniform Army was different. They no longer wandered around aimlessly and assumed a stance that they were determined to take Dezhou and Jinan. Moreover, the Rattling Horse Bandits in Bazhou cooperated with them from a distance and attacked from both sides. Clearly, both sides had already made contact and had reached an agreement on important military operations.
Changing from wandering to trying to occupy Shandong and Shanxi, using them as a base, and then moving to Henan, turning Hebei, where the capital was located, into an isolated land. Yang Hu could not think of such a grand plan, and the Rattling Horse Bandits did not have such knowledge. It was probably Madman Zhao's idea. But now that the White Uniform Army was more powerful than the Rattling Horse Bandits, they could easily follow his advice. It seemed that Yang Hu also had capable subordinates who not only agreed with Madman Zhao's military deployment, but also influenced Yang Hu.
On the one hand, this was a strategy planned by the clever subordinates of the rebels. On the other hand, it was also an objective need as the army grew stronger. They needed to build a stronghold and a base. Even if no one planned it, Yang Hu did not think of it now. As his army grew stronger, he would realize this problem sooner or later.
Yang Ling knew that these two groups of rebels had become a serious problem for the imperial court. However, it was currently impossible for Ming Destiny to mobilize a large number of troops from the empire to suppress the enemy in a corner of Shandong, be it in terms of financial resources or military strength, or according to the marching characteristics of the White Uniform Army.
The strategy of the imperial court also changed according to time and place. When the White Robe Bandits were weak, Yang Ling and the cabinet had the same opinion. They both wanted to block off the White Robe Bandits' escape route. They wanted to destroy all of them in Shandong even if they had to suffer heavy losses in Shandong.
However, as the White Uniform Army grew stronger, the wolves had become tigers. The imperial court could not, could not, and did not have the time to gather the nation's elite troops and the nation's financial resources to use in Shandong. Even as the imperial court's rule in Shandong was completely paralyzed, this place would become a mountain forest where tigers roared. Then the only way was to force the tigers out of the mountain and not give them the possibility of building a base.
No matter how great the scourge of the roving bandits was, they were still roving bandits. They could not shake the nation's rule. With their own base, then they would establish rule, establish political systems and laws, establish logistics, and transform complete destruction into purposeful construction. That was the most terrifying thing.
The imperial court had formulated a strategy to suppress the bandits by dividing the land into different areas, strengthening the walls and clearing the fields, and each government and department would perform their own duties to drive the tigers out of the mountain. Although the White Uniform Army galloped across the Central Plains and harmed more places, the first thing was to drive them away from the capital and prevent the capital and the Emperor's residence from being constantly in danger. Secondly, it was to prevent the four provinces around the capital, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, and Shanxi from being completely ruined by them. The productivity would not be restored for decades, and then the military disaster would appear again.
Driving the wolves away could not only weaken their soldiers, but also spread out the damage. It was easier to restore the economy after suppressing the bandits. It could also make full use of the local financial resources, material resources, and military strength that would consume a lot if they were used together and were difficult to exert.
This was only known to the central officials of the imperial court. Such a cruel decision could not be told to the local authorities. If the local authorities knew that the central authorities, in order to prevent the country's foundation from being shaken and to make full use of the nation's strength to suppress the bandits, it was inevitable that the affected areas would resent them and even the hearts of the people would change.
However, this was also a method that could not be helped. Sometimes, the local authorities might not be able to understand the painstaking efforts of looking at the overall situation and making a decision. Furthermore, out of the local authorities' interests, they were also unwilling to carry it out. Even if Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, and Hebei were to become hell on earth, the officials and gentry of the other prefectures would not feel the pain and would not provide financial and material resources without complaint.
If the local authorities responded passively and waited for the rebels in the north to take advantage of the situation, then the damage to the world would be even more difficult to estimate. If they did not do this, how many people would have such a long-term vision?
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the city of Beijing was on the verge of falling, the imperial court did not even have the funds to send reinforcements. Furthermore, the families of the educated and experienced high-ranking officials and gentry had mountains of wealth, yet they were still unwilling to take out a single copper coin, waiting for the city to fall and their properties to be confiscated. From this, one could see how short-sighted they were.
Naturally, Yang Ling would not explain these macro strategies to these generals. He first praised the defending troops for their bravery and then said, "At present, Madman Zhao has raised the slogan of 'building a country and supporting the virtuous'. He also says that he will oppose corrupt officials and not the emperor. In fact, he is only bewitching the hearts of the people.
He has only ten thousand men in his westward march to Shanxi. However, in my opinion, this is the real danger. It is far from comparable to Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and Yang Hu's group of ruffians. Therefore, even though Dezhou is in imminent danger, Xu Tai's army was still sent by the imperial court to pursue and suppress him. This is to prevent him from establishing a foothold in Shanxi and igniting a prairie fire. Therefore, this time, I have only brought several thousand elite cavalry and bodyguards. Apart from these, I do not have a single soldier. "
His gaze sharpened and he said solemnly, "In other words, in the siege of Dezhou and the difficulty of Shandong, you have no external help to rely on. You will have to rely entirely on yourselves. What I have brought is only a head, to advance and retreat together with you! "
These words were spoken in a stern voice and expression. Not only were they spoken to the generals present, they were also spoken to the officials in the various provinces who were waiting anxiously for reinforcements. When their special envoys heard this, they could not help but feel apprehensive.
The generals were startled at first, but then they all stood up and passionately expressed their loyalty. Yang Ling smiled faintly and raised his hand to pacify them. "Generals, please sit down. Actually, although the White Uniform Army and the Ringing Horse Bandits are in the limelight, they are not necessarily unbeatable. When I came from the imperial court, the central command also had various discussions regarding the White Uniform Army and the Ringing Horse Bandits.
There were those who wanted to negotiate peace, believing that appeasement was the best option. I have tried to appease them twice. The first time was in Jiangnan and I succeeded. The second time was in Bazhou and I failed. Right now, however, I am not in favor of appeasement. The bandits' morale is high and they have not tasted defeat. Without a strong deterrent, how can we force them to sign an alliance under the city walls? Appeasement will only fuel their arrogance. They will not be sincere at all.
Besides, soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single day. The roving bandits of Gyeonggi go against reason and violate the law, tormenting millions. As soon as the imperial court leaves the army, they will discuss appeasement. Anyone with courage will feel bitter and hateful. From now on, there will be many ambitious people, and the imperial court's officers and soldiers will no longer have any face left. Therefore, the imperial court has decided to fight to the death. The law is merciless! "
Yang Ling knew that the officials in the various provinces and prefectures, and even many generals, were afraid of the White Uniform Army and the Ringing Horse Bandits. At the same time, because Yang Ling had once appeased the Ringing Horse Bandits, they all had a glimmer of hope that the imperial court would appease the rebels and solve their difficulties. As a result, some local generals and officials guarding the city had a wait-and-see attitude. They did not fight well and were hesitant. Therefore, he first said these resolute words to express the imperial court's determination and dispel their fantasies.
Afterwards, Yang Ling stood up and said, "Let me first talk about the current situation, and then I will announce the imperial court's plan to suppress the bandits and pacify the people."
Yang Ling slowly walked to the center of the main hall. Dezhou was a major transportation route that ran through the north, south, west, and east. It had developed commerce and abundant taxes, so there was a local government office. However, it was also an important city for soldiers to train. This place had always been under military control. This government office was the office of the Dezhou Guard Commander. The main hall was very spacious.
As soon as Yang Ling moved, the civil and military officials all stood up and listened with bated breath.
Yang Ling said, "The Rustling Horse Bandits and the White Uniform Army have always had one thing in common, and that is that they are fierce and cunning in battle. Their troops sometimes move together, their whereabouts are erratic, and they don't have a fixed residence. If they can fight, they fight; if they can't, they hide. As a result, the imperial court's officers and soldiers have no way of hitting their vital points.
They have to deal with bandits that come and go as fast as lightning. The imperial court's army has always had one thing in common, and that is that they are fierce and cunning in battle. We have to find the main force of the Rustling Horse Bandits, and we have to guard every important city and transportation route. We need time and energy to plan and coordinate, and we also have to spend a great deal of energy to deal with the aftermath and pacify the refugees.
Against bandits that come and go as fast as lightning, the imperial court's army is indeed strained. We have to gather provisions, transport supplies, find the main force of the Rustling Horse Bandits, and guard every important city and transportation route. We need time and energy to plan and coordinate, and we also need to spend a great deal of energy to deal with the aftermath and appease the refugees.
Destruction is always easier than construction. Having to attend to one thing and lose sight of the other, it is indeed like a dog biting a pig, and we don't know where to start. If a small group of elite cavalry pursues them, even if they manage to catch up, it will be like trying to put out a burning cart of firewood with a cup of water. The officers and soldiers have their own areas to defend, and it is difficult to mobilize them. The main thing is to make use of them on the spot. Because of the different powers of using troops, it is difficult to centralize and dispatch them.
In addition, Ming Destiny's millions of troops have to guard the borders and defend the cities. Because of the high cost of the troops, there are very few complete cavalry units. Even if there is cavalry, it is mainly a mix of infantry and cavalry, and it is very dependent on the supply of provisions. This means that guerrilla warfare is not our forte. Our forte is in building fortifications and cities to prevent substitute attacks.
Because of this, the Rustling Horse Bandits and the White Coat Army were rampant for a while and took the opportunity to expand. Now their power is growing day by day. They rely entirely on plundering and guerrilla warfare, which is no longer able to meet the needs of the growing army. Therefore, they occupy a piece of land and need a base to continue developing. Attacking Dezhou, Tai 'an, besieging Jinan, and trying to control all of Shandong is their first attempt.
This also gives us a chance to develop our forte in defense. In defense, we can exhaust the enemy's forces as much as possible, dampen their spirit, and cause their morale to fall. This must be conveyed to the various prefectures and counties, and all of them must abide by it. "
Yang Ling sighed and continued, "This is the main requirement of the war. There is another matter, more important than this, and that is the places that have been destroyed by the White Coat Army. The prefectures and officials must not just guard the cities and ignore these places that have been destroyed and are in a state of chaos.
We must restore the villages, find ways to collect grain seeds for the villagers to sow, rush to plant, and harvest every grain. With hope, the people will not be forced to follow the White Coat Army to kill and rob. We must appoint officials in time and station some troops in places where conditions permit. As for the White Coat Army, there is no need to worry too much. Their ambition is growing, and their army is also growing. They will no longer care about the villages that have been robbed and destroyed. "
"In addition!" Yang Ling's voice became stern, and the generals and civil officials in the hall were shocked. They heard Yang Ling say sternly, "A portion of our troops have low combat power and bad military discipline. They even compete with bandits and robbers to harm the people. Don't think that I don't know about this.
I now announce that regarding these matters, the past will not be corrected, but for those who violate the law again, the local officials must deal with them strictly. Those who have committed great crimes will be publicly punished, and severely punished. They will be killed on the spot! Our own troops are in a mess. They only care about profits and rape women. How can we talk about suppressing bandits? They themselves are bandits!
Also, those in the City Guards Institute who are not paid, must be quickly cleaned up while the war is ongoing. Those soldiers who are old, weak, sick, and disabled must all be eliminated. Even if these people were to enter the battlefield, they will be sending sheep into a tiger's den. They will die in vain. I have already requested for the Emperor's decree. Everywhere can act at their own discretion. Recruit some new soldiers and strong men into the army, and train them strictly. We will train them through war. Officials and generals who do not do their job well will be killed on the spot! "
Yang Ling spoke with a murderous air, his eyes glowing fiercely. The civil and military officials turned pale with fright and couldn't help but cup their hands in acknowledgment. Just now, they were deceived by Yang Ling's refined and refined appearance. They only felt that this Duke did not put on any airs, and spoke amiably. It was only now that they suddenly recalled the various deeds of this Duke from their memories.
Chopper Yang, Broom Yang, everywhere he went, there was a reign of terror. In Fuzhou, more than a thousand heads were cut off in a day. Such a killer, a sweeper, a cold-blooded devil who killed without blinking, why didn't they think of him just now?
Many officials were frightened and couldn't help but break out in cold sweat.
Yang Ling said in a deep voice, "Also, His Majesty and the court are very concerned about the local areas. Towards bandits, the court does not just punish them severely. Now I declare that when you all return, you must put up an announcement to inform the local areas: Bandits and bandits, those who kill themselves are not guilty, those who surrender before the battle are considered to have surrendered, they are also not guilty. At the same time, although the imperial court has been using troops for many years and the finances are tight, His Majesty still issued a gracious decree to exempt Shandong's grain tax for one year.
This is the imperial court's relief to the common people. When all the special envoys return, please remember to warn the local officials, the rent is exempted, the transfer of labor must be controlled, do not arbitrarily requisition the people's wealth and labor. The bandits are causing chaos, many common people have lost their wealth and destroyed their homes, they are destitute, they can't even survive. If the government cannot appease them, instead they use the war to exploit them layer by layer, that is forcing the people to become bandits. The White Shirt Army was able to gather a hundred thousand strong army so quickly, it is not without this official's' contribution '. He is simply sending soldiers to the bandits, and these soldiers in turn want his head, extremely stupid. "
Yang Ling softened his tone and said: "This year Shaanxi has a great harvest of grain, these new grains can be used as both food and seeds, there is no need to worry about planting them later. Moreover, in the chaos of war, the common people are not in the mood to take care of it seriously, these crops are not too delicate, it is very easy to grow.
Duke has already informed the shipment of grain from Shaanxi, because the land route is not very safe, and at the same time to save money and manpower, we have decided to take the route of Jiangnan, the river to the sea, and then send it by sea to Shandong. Once the grain arrives, the people will be calm, it will greatly help the local areas to stabilize as soon as possible. Everyone, the current situation is with the enemy, not with us, everyone please help me to suppress the bandits, we are in the same boat, we will definitely be able to overcome this difficulty! "
All the officials cupped their hands and said sternly: "Yes, we will obey Duke's order, we will be in the same boat, we will overcome this difficulty together!"
Yang Ling nodded, flicked his sleeve and said: "The Ringing Horse Bandits have attacked Dezhou City for the second time, this Duke has just arrived, they are not sure of the actual situation, so they temporarily retreated. When they find out that I did not bring troops, they will definitely attack again. All the officials and generals must abide by their respective duties, and seize the opportunity to prepare for war. Early tomorrow morning, this Duke will have a military parade, all departments must prepare well! "
* * *
With a sharp screech, a white shadow swooped down from the sky like an arrow and landed on Hua Dang's broad shoulders. Its sharp claws tightly gripped the leather shoulder guard, tilted its head, and glared at its master.
Lightly waving its wide sleeves, it was like a bird coming from the east. This was a Sea Green, the size of a magpie, but it was fierce in nature, it could kill swans, small animals, and foxes. Because it was not easy to catch, there was the saying "nine out of ten, one out of ten, one out of ten". During the Jin Yuan period, there was even such a rule: any criminal who violated the law and was exiled to Liaodong, whoever could capture a Sea Green and present it to the authorities could atone for their crimes and be released.
This Sea Green was the best of the best, pure white, it was called the Jade Claw, the Autumn Yellow, the Three-Year Dragon, and other famous breeds were slightly inferior to it. Hua Dang stroked the Sea Green's feathers, fed it a piece of fresh meat, and said with a smile: "We have found the Boyan tribe's camp ahead, everyone be careful."
"Yes!" After a long and arduous journey, everyone was already a little tired, hearing this order could not help but be excited. His son, Als, loudly passed down the order to the back. Hua Dang pointed forward and said: "Their camp is in the southwest, less than ten miles from here. Bayar, lead three thousand cavalrymen to go around and block their path of retreat. The camp that we have encountered now should be the outlying tribes of the Boyan tribe. Do not let them escape and leak the news. "
"Yes!" Bayar licked his thick lips, tightly gripping the steel fork in his hand, and led the three thousand cavalrymen forward in an arc as fast as lightning. Hua Dang's troops were divided into three groups, led by Bai Yin, Als, and himself. Like a steel fork, they attacked the Boyan tribe's camp.
The sky was dark, the wilderness was vast, the sky was dark green, the setting sun on the horizon was as red as blood. Hua Dang's army suddenly sped up under the blood-red sun, tens of thousands of horses galloping, like rolling thunder.
Sheepdogs barked as they herded the herds of cattle and horses into the pen, the yurts were already filled with smoke. After a difficult winter, there was finally hope for life. Since their daily diet was mainly beef and mutton, coupled with the need to reproduce and grow old, it was very difficult for a family to survive without more than twenty sheep.
Ba Wang was the chief of this small tribe. His family was relatively well-off, but now there were less than thirty sheep left. As a result, he did not dare to casually slaughter the cattle and sheep. Other than wild game from hunting, they also ate large amounts of wild vegetables and grains. This was to take advantage of this year's abundant water and grass situation to allow the cattle and sheep to reproduce as much as possible.
He was only forty-five years old, tall and sturdy. Even though he had been crippled by a wooden plank during the siege of Ming Destiny's border with the Boyan Khan, riding a horse did not hinder him from grazing the sheep.
He cast a glance at the boundless grasslands in the south and sighed softly. "This year, your son has followed the Khan into battle again. It has been more than twenty days since they set off. May the heavens bless them and hope that your son is safe and sound. This time, we can plunder more wealth, food, and slaves.
It turns out that when food, wealth, and slaves are in short supply, it is so easy to plunder from the Han people. The Han people are as docile as sheep that do not know how to resist. They only know how to build cities and wait in fear for our strong bows and arrows, allowing us to take whatever we want. But last year … "
He shook his head lightly. "I hope your son will not encounter that person. The invincible Boyan Khan, the direct descendant of the Gold family, the most honorable and brave warrior, was also chased away by his troops. More than ten thousand lives were lost. When have we ever suffered such a failure? If I had not injured my leg and become the first batch of captives and wealth, perhaps my name would have appeared among those who died tragically. "
He sighed and climbed down from the horse with difficulty. A thin and weak little girl timidly rushed over and took over the reins of the horse. She was a girl that had been captured from Datong last year. Her name was Little Cui 'er, and she was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was originally fair and beautiful, but after being used as a slave day and night, her face had turned black and red. However, one could still see her delicate features and delicate bones.
She was Ba Wang's female slave and also a tool for him to satisfy his lust. However, Ba Wang would not take pity on her just because she was beautiful. Last month, the rams in the flock that she was looking after were fighting with each other. She was small and weak, and she did not know how to separate them. In the end, one of the rams was knocked to death, and the enraged Ba Wang whipped her until she was on the verge of death.
Ba Wang mercilessly threw her outside the tent and did not give her any treatment. He was prepared to throw her to the grasslands to feed the wolves the moment she stopped breathing. However, the vitality of a lowly slave grew stronger. She did not eat or drink for three days, but she managed to survive. As a result, she had to continue to be Ba Wang's slave. During the day, she worked hard for him, and at night, when he needed her, she had to bear the ravages of his 100 jin body.
Ba Wang went into the tent. His wife had already prepared dinner. In the past, the food at home was very sumptuous. There were delicious hand-braised meat, roasted lamb, milk skin, milk tofu, and horse milk wine. However, now, it was mainly milk tea, fried rice, wild vegetables, and occasionally meat.
He sat cross-legged on the carpet. Just as he picked up a bowl of horse milk wine, the wine in the bowl began to ripple. The ground began to tremble, and the sound was as dense as rolling thunder. As a person who had lived on horseback since childhood, a true warrior, he immediately recognized that it was the sound of galloping horses. It was the sound of at least ten thousand warhorses galloping.
Although there were many warhorses on the prairie, to the point that during the most prosperous times, a family could herd dozens of horses. However, for the sake of pasture, every tribe was divided into many smaller tribes. Usually, they would herd their horses separately. Who could gather such a large number of horses to gallop together? Only he, the great Bayan, could it be that his army had returned? This time, it was too fast.
Ba Wang jumped up in excitement. He supported his lame leg and limped out of the yurt. He saw the female slave, Cui 'er, standing in the courtyard with a bundle of firewood in her arms. Her small mouth was open as she stared blankly into the distance. Ba Wang subconsciously cursed, "Damn it, go do your work."
If he wasn't a few steps away from her, he would have jumped up and ruthlessly slapped her. But now, he only cursed and hurriedly looked in the direction of the galloping horses. Ba Wang was dumbfounded by what he saw. First, a snow-white falcon flew past the yurt like an arrow, followed by countless warhorses. They were like a huge wave that could destroy everything as they swept past him.
Ba Wang's strong and tall body was like a leaf in a huge wave. If not for the thousands of soldiers and horses deliberately making way for the yurt, he would have been trampled into a pile of mud. Cui 'er crouched on the ground and held her head in her hands. She was so scared that her face was pale.
The cries converged into a terrifying sound wave that spread far away. This sound wave caused the men in the yurts to completely lose the courage to resist. They were all old, weak, sick, and disabled people who couldn't follow the army. Even if they weren't so, they wouldn't have the ability to resist such a powerful army.
Although they were all descendants of the Meng Yuan Empire, there were still some differences in the way they dressed and the weapons they used. Ba Wang was a seasoned warrior and had once followed Bayan to attack the Three Duoyan Guards. He could recognize that they were from the Three Duoyan Guards.
"Heavens! So many people! The Three Duoyan Guards have also come out in full strength. They actually dared to attack … no, this is a complete plunder! Plunder Bayan's tribe! "Ba Wang felt despair.
The people at the back had clearly slowed down. Although they were only a small tribe, they were used to this. The vanguard only cared about charging forward and destroying everything that tried to stop them. They wouldn't let the sharp attack formation of the whole army be affected by plunder. The work of collecting the spoils of war was handled by the people at the back.
Two horses stopped in front of them. The people on the horses were wearing yellow Mongolian robes. They had a high collar, long sleeves, riding boots, and a tight belt. They looked very tall and fierce. Their blades were still on their waists, and they only held a whip in their hands. They looked calm and composed.
"From now on, you are our slave." The knight pointed his whip at the little girl, Cui Er, who was sitting on the ground in fear. Then, he pointed at Ba Wang. "And you, hand over your sword, bow, and arrows. From today onwards, you're our slave just like her! "
A few strong bows, a quiver of arrows, a Mongolian blade, and a pitchfork were taken out. All the possible weapons were taken out. His woman and his slave were also taken out. The other clansmen were also gathered. Ba Wang's yurt was the largest among the dozen or so shepherds.
All the horses were taken away and became the spare mounts for the soldiers of the Duoyan Guards. Ba Wang looked at his property with a distressed expression. The sheep that he had carefully raised were easily killed by the soldiers with a knife. They were skinned and gutted. Then, they were divided into pieces of meat that weighed a few kilograms. The meat was then stewed in a pot that was still warm under the stove.
Not a single sheep was left. They were predatory warriors and didn't bring any supplies.
The light in Ba Wang's eyes dimmed. Even if the soldiers of the Duoyan Guards let him escape, he didn't know how to survive. If he lost these cattle and sheep, his family could only starve to death, or … … become slaves.
Ba Wang subconsciously looked at Cui 'er, who he didn't see as a human. A miserable and desperate smile appeared on his face. He silently lowered his head. Then, a pair of leather boots walked in front of him. Then, he saw a young warrior greeting him with a smile, "Hey, brother. Tell me the general location of the other tents and tribes. Save me some effort. Especially … … the tents of Serimuzhuo 'er's tribe. I heard that the number one beauty of the grassland didn't accompany that old man Bayan to battle. "
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.
