Chapter 666: The Waking of Insects (1)
Dark clouds, desert snow, and city walls.
Bianliang.
In this winter day, the city where millions of people gather is no longer as noisy as before. Separated by a wall, under the city wall to the north, thick ice formed quietly in the moat. Half of the blood, corpses, and objects thrown from the city wall sank to the bottom of the river, while the other half protruded from the ice. They cooled, melted, and melted again. As they cooled down, they gradually turned into ferocious ice sculptures. At this time, together with the Jurchen camp in the distance, they also became quiet.
In the thick and towering city walls, gray and white colors accentuate everything. The occasional red of flames does not appear bright. The city is immersed in the sorrow of death and has not yet recovered. Most of the corpses of the deceased have been burned at one end of the city. The families of the victims took a handful of ashes back, put them in the coffin, and set up their memorial tablets. Since the city gates were closed, there were more small doors and small households, and even coffins could not be prepared. The sound of the suona sounds and the sound of the suona stops. Most of the houses are crying, but when the sadness is so deep, even the crying can't be uttered. Some elderly people and women died quietly due to cold, hunger, or excessive grief after hearing the news of the death of their children or husbands at home.
Such grief and desolation are a sight that has never been seen in the entire city. Although the offensive and defensive battles have stopped, the tension that enveloped both inside and outside the city has not faded. Ever since the Western Military Division faced Zong Wang and the entire army was annihilated, peace talks outside the city are still going on day by day. The peace talks have not stopped, and no one knows whether the Jurchens will come to attack the city.
Everyone's initial anger of dying with the city has passed. After a slight relief, the pain has surged back, and not many people have that kind of energy anymore. The people in the city were anxious, paying attention to the news in the north of the city. Sometimes they couldn't help but slow down their footsteps, for fear of alarming the Jurchen beasts over there. In this winter when the city has been besieged for a long time, the entire city is gradually turning into giant ice.
The undercurrent is quietly surging.
The wintersweet flowers bloomed, creating a delicate red color in the corner of the courtyard. The servant walked through the porch as carefully as possible. In the main hall of the courtyard, the gentlemen were talking. The leader is Tang Ke and Tang Qinsou, and the guest next to him is Yan Zheng and Yan Daozhang.
The charcoal fire was burning in the beast-patterned copper furnace, and the two of them talked in low voices, but there was not much excitement.
"...Since the Battle of Bianliang, countless people have been killed and injured. These dead cannot be worthless...Although Tang had previously advocated peace, many of his ideas were consistent with those of Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Qin. . Jin people are as fierce as tigers and wolves. If we can start a war and force peace, we should not withdraw from the peace talks. Otherwise, the Jin people will come back... Brother Xidao and I have been talking about it these days..."
"...Master Geng of the Tang Dynasty is here. Nian, Yan naturally understands, and Don't talk hastily, it's just that... Mr. Li Chao is too cautious. What's afraid is that he just wants to do errands and deal with the loss of authority, but he shouldn't be too slow. If it drags on, the Jurchens will have no food and grass, and they will have to rush hundreds of miles. Looting outside, By then, the peace talks will definitely fail... It's not easy to control..."
"...Tai Shi Cai clearly knows that, but according to what Tang thinks...there are Wu Rui troops outside the city, and the Jurchens may not dare to act rashly. Now we are waiting for another gathering The Western Army collapsed, and I believe that Wanyan Zongwang does not want to stay here for a long time. The core of the peace talks is others, one is elite soldiers, and the other is Taiyuan... I have elite soldiers, so I can deal with the Jurchens coming south next time. Taiyuan, this war will not As for the money and coins, we might as well follow the Wuliao precedent..."
"It's a pity that we don't have the final say on this matter..."
"...Yes. This war, The ones who contribute the most are the left and right prime ministers, Xijun and Zhong Xianggong... We, the master and the first line, really have nothing to do. However, at this time, everyone in the court must use their strength together. Yesterday, Tang asked Qin for discussion. In theory, the Youxiang Mansion contributed the most to this battle. His two sons, Shaohe and Zonghan, fought in Taiyuan and Shaoqian retreated from the resentful army in Xiacun. However, the Youxiang Mansion seemed to have done so in order to avoid suspicion. The thought of retreat..."
"...Qin Xiang is a hero, if he can escape unharmed at this time, it will be a good story..."
"...For the country and the people, even though tens of thousands of people are leaving, how can it be that the national crisis is at the forefront? Let him be one I retreated lightly because of the reputation. Tang Xuan understood what the right minister was thinking. He and I had many disputes for the sake of peace, but the disputes were only about family and country, not personal grudges. However, Qin Siyuan avoided suspicion this time. This is not a blessing to our country. Brother Zhang Xian, Wurui camp cannot change generals easily, and Taiyuan cannot be lost. These things all fall on the right prime minister..."
"...Since Brother Tang said so, Yan and Brother Tang will advance together. Get back..."
While the charcoal fire was burning, the low voices gradually came to an end. Yan Zheng stood up to say goodbye, and Tang Ke sent him out. In the courtyard outside, wintersweet lined with white snow, the scenery was beautiful and pleasant. After saying goodbye to each other, Yan Zheng smiled and said: "There is heavy snow this year and there are many things. I hope the coming year will be peaceful and the auspicious snow will herald a good year."
"The auspicious snow will herald a good year, I hope so." Tang Ke also said He cupped his hands and smiled.
He sent Yan Zheng out and then came back. Under the eaves outside the hall, there was already another old man looking at the snow with a tea cup. This was Xu Xiangxuan, an aide in his palace, a great scholar.
"To advance together and retreat together, it is generous to say that Yan Daozhang is a boneless person."
"May he bring these words to Master Cai..."< br>
In the court, Yan Zhengfeng has a good reputation. On the one hand, he has an upright personality, and on the other hand, he has always interacted with people with both talents and virtues such as Tang Ke. But in fact, he is Cai Jing's pawn. On weekdays, he tends to be a peacemaker, but at critical moments, he is nothing more than a messenger.
"Just now, Mr. Geng and the others sent someone to send a message. The Duke of Guo was also hesitant. It seems that he is unwilling to come forward in this matter..."
"Recapture Yanyun and retire after success. The Duke of Chu has a reputation before and after, so it is right not to show up."
The two chatted for a few words, and then there was silence for a while, and a charcoal fire broke out in the room. When Mars comes, the snow outside is freezing cold. Tang Ke looked at the snow scene for a moment and sighed.
"Winter is not over yet..." He closed his eyes and exhaled a white breath.
"Jingzhe is here..."
****************
Xue Changgong was wrapped in a bandage and was sitting on a chair. The people who came up to him were two superiors from the army who came to visit him. One was Hu Tang and the other was Shen Jue. They were both high-ranking officials in the Japanese army. Have been talking for a while.
"...Now that the Jurchen front has retreated, we can take a break from the defense work in the city. Although Brother Xue's position is critical, he can rest assured to cultivate at this time without causing any problems."
“…As long as the peace talks are over, everyone can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Brother Xue will definitely take the lead this time, but the situation is so chaotic. At that time, Brother Xue’s family will have to exchange all these things.” I haven't figured it out yet. It was a big battle, and the brothers' bodies were still cold. Thinking of this, Xue felt very sorry." Xue Changgong smiled weakly.
Hu Tang waved his hand: "Hey, that's not what you said. We, martial artists, get our fame from our swords and wear human heads on our belts. The brothers in the underground are not blessed. Those who are lucky enough to be alive deserve to eat. The drinks that should be drunk and the fun that should be enjoyed must be He enjoyed it. The scholars scolded me after hearing this, but this is how it is in the army. It is a good thing for Brother Xue to care about his brothers, but you should not lose a cent when you should enjoy it. This is how it is for brothers. I’ll risk my life with you.”
Shen Jue smiled and said: "If I can survive this time, I will be promoted and make a fortune. When the time comes, brother Xue, you have to invite me to Fanlou, and my brother will definitely be there, haha..."
They said it naturally. That’s right. Xue Changgong smiled and nodded: “… ...But, what is the situation outside the city now? I have been in bed for a few days, and I have heard bits and pieces of what people say... After all, the peace talks cannot be fully believed. If our morale weakens, and the Jurchens come again, it will be a disaster. ...In addition, I heard that something happened to Mr. Xiao Zhong, and I also I don’t know what the details are..."
"The Western Army is a man, different from those of us outside the city." Hu Tang shook his head, "Xiangong Xiaozhong was seriously injured in the last battle at Wuzhangling, and he personally led it. The soldiers attacked Zongwang, and finally the leader was killed. He had many cavalry guards who could have fled. However, in order to save the body of Mr. Xiao Zhong, they rushed into the formation five times in a row. In the last time, there were only more than 30 people left, all of them were seriously injured, and everyone was red. In the end, the entire army was wiped out. ... Mr. Zhong is also tough-minded. According to reports in the army, Xiao Mr. Zhong came with an army. He sent people to ask the capital to send troops to harass. Later, he was defeated. He also asked his own soldiers to ask for help. When the soldiers entered the city, Mr. Zhong detained them... Now over there at the Jurchen camp , Mr. Xiao Zhong and the heads of hundreds of people who rushed into the battle were all hung. This matter is one of the peace talks outside the tent and outside the city..."
"I heard someone say that Xianggong Xiaozhong fought hard until he died in the battle, but he still believed that Xianggong Laozhong would lead his troops to rescue him. I used this to boost morale several times, but until the end, Kyouchi. The five armies have not moved." Shen Jue whispered, "There is also a saying that Mr. Xiao Zhong already knew the outcome of the incident before he could escape after confronting Zong Wang. He just told lies to deceive everyone..."
< br>Shen Jue paused: "After Mr. Xiao Zhong died, Wu Ruiying came with his army, and then several armies including Wu Sheng and Wuwei came over. Chen Yanshu, Fang Lian, Lin Hetang and others advanced with more than 100,000 men... In fact, without a blow from the Western Army, the peace talks would have been , I’m afraid it won’t happen so quickly..."
After guarding the city for nearly a month, I have seen many tragic and tragic things, but when I talk about it now, there is still some silence in the room. After a while, Xue Changgong coughed a few times because of his injury. Hu Tang smiled.
“Speaking of military merits, the people in Xiacun defeated Medicine Master Guo, and now they are confronting the Jurchens outside the city. If we were to reward them based on their merits, maybe they deserve the most credit.”
< br> Shen Jue lowered his voice: "The country's military has always been led by civil servants. I waited in the army and suffered countless constraints. In the end, everyone couldn't defeat them. It was said that the generals were incompetent. We, the generals, had There is no need to argue. Qin Shaoqian... He is the son of the right prime minister, so he is naturally unfettered in his actions, so he can defeat the resentful army. This is a good thing, but... Well, in short, it is always a good thing to win..."
"It's not easy for them outside the city." Hu Tang said with a smile, "The Xiacun army is said to be led by Wuruiying. In fact, the army outside the city has been dispersed long ago. Now they are confronting the Jurchens and wrangling at the same time. Those few command The envoys, Chen Yanshu, Fang Lian, and Lin Hetang, are the most economical. I heard that outside Chen Bing City, they went to Wurui Camp every day to ask for people, both from above and from below, and sent their brothers out to lobby. This group of people in the village have more or less made some bones. With them making bones, it won’t look ugly when beaten. Everyone has no one, and they all want to borrow chickens to lay eggs..."
"I We have not yet made contact with the outside of the city, but when the Jurchens leave, I am afraid there will be some friction. The people led by Brother Xue are the best in the Japanese army. What we are facing is the Jurchens, who are circling outside the city. It was Pharmacist Guo who was beaten. It’s really hard to say who is more difficult. At that time, if our team in Beijing does not bully others, it will be fine with military merit, but it cannot lose its prestige..."
"Don't worry too much. Their troubles outside the city are not over yet. Sometimes, it's not a good thing to show off to the forest. The ones who benefit are the ones who make a fortune silently..."
< br>A few people were talking about things outside the city, and it was not a matter of gloating. It was just that friction was common among the military in order to compete for credit, and each other was prepared in their hearts.
For ordinary people, once the battle is over and they win, that's it. For them, after the war is over, many things after that are also foreseeable. They were curious about the team that defeated Medicine Master Guo, but after all, they had never seen it before and didn't know what it looked like. Now that I think about it, when they confronted the Jurchens, they still took advantage of the Western Army's desperate blow. If they really fought, they would definitely be defeated. But facing hundreds of thousands of people outside the city, Pharmacist Guo left again. Even if the Jurchens could win, it would not mean much after seeing Bianliang's resistance. When they discussed these things, they felt more relaxed.
After all, the real wrangling and insider information are still in the hands of those big shots. What they care about is just the few benefits they can get.
After talking like this for a long time, Xue Changgong was injured after all, so the two of them said goodbye and refused Xue Changgong's farewell. Looking out from the courtyard outside the door, it is a cold winter shrouded in dark clouds, which seems to confirm the fact that the dust has not yet settled.
When he returned to the backyard, the maid told him that Miss Shishi was here.
In the bedroom room, Shishi took some precious medicinal materials and came to see He Leer who was still lying on the bed unable to move. The two of them talked in a low voice. This is her second visit after a few days of truce.
The war ceased and peace talks began. The teacher's help in the wounded camp has come to an end. As a courtesan in the capital who has just begun to fade away, after working in the army for a period of time, her figure has become thinner, but the experience during that period has also accumulated a lot of experience for her. As she became more famous, her past few days must have been not leisurely, so that her face still showed a little tiredness.
Even though he has passed away, there is still a world of difference between Shishi's status in Fan Tower and He Leer. Xue Changgong is not clear about the reason why she came to see He Leer. This is still the time when warriors are popular, but even so, Xue Changgong is not worthy of such an oiran, so he doesn't think too much about it. When Shishi came out, the two greeted each other and exchanged a few words.
Xue Changgong remembered the reputation of Fanlou and couldn't help but ask his teacher a few questions about the peace talks - it was impossible to understand the private discussions of several generals and deputy generals. Bureau, but in the Fan Building, they will know more when they receive various high-ranking officials.
"... Listening to the voices of several adults in the court, there are no major issues in the peace negotiation. General Xue can rest assured." After a moment of silence, the master said, "I praise the Japanese army for their military achievements this time, and I hope General After you become successful, don’t let this sister down.”
Master Li didn’t have much time, so after saying that, he left here. As the carriage drove through the long snow-covered street, noises from the surrounding cities came in from time to time. When the curtains were lifted, most of these noises were crying, people meeting on the road saying a few words, sighing uncontrollably, and faint lamentations. A small piece of white cloth was hung on the door of a house where someone had passed away. A child ran across the street in despair. In the half-open door of the blacksmith shop, a child swung a hammer, making a monotonous sound. They didn't even show any anger.
In the past few days, time seems to be flowing in a thick paste.
The news I told Xue Changgong was monotonous and optimistic, but the facts are naturally not that simple. In a battle, hundreds of thousands of people died. Sometimes, pure victory or defeat is almost unimportant. What is really confusing is that among these victories and defeats, people cannot distinguish between some simple tragic or tragic events. When joy comes, almost all emotions cannot simply find sustenance.
The war is not over yet, all kinds of messy things have already started.
In the court, every official is working secretly, communicating and scheming in private. Fanlou naturally cannot see these clearly, but the clues in private can be easily found. The will of Taishi Cai, the will of His Majesty, the will of Duke Chu, the will of the left and right ministers, the will of the Lord and the factions... In the flowing underground river, these things have become the main body vaguely. As for those who died, their Will is not important, and it seems that it has never been important.
Shishi is also someone who knows all kinds of inside stories, but only this time, she hopes that there are some simple things in front of her, but when she thinks about everything deeply, those things are gone. exists again.
The impassioned Western Army, whose head is still hanging in the Jurchen camp, and the peace talks between the DPRK and China are still unable to welcome him back. The negotiation between Mr. Li Chu and Zong Wang is even more complicated. Any situation can arise, but behind the scenes, there is a mixture of various wills, making it difficult to see anything exciting. During the battle to defend the city, the Right Prime Minister's Mansion was responsible for the logistics deployment and concentrated a large number of manpower to defend the city. But now it has begun to fall silent, because there are some ominous signs in the air.
Xia Cun's army's great victory was exciting and exciting when it first came out. However, by this time, all kinds of forces were reaching out to this team. Hundreds of thousands of people outside the city are still confronting the Jurchen troops. In the camp of the Xia Cun Army, a lot of wrangling has begun every day. News came yesterday that there was even a small-scale fight. According to the adults who came to Fanlou They said that these things were clearly provoked by someone behind the scenes to prevent the soldiers and generals of Wurui Camp from being so happy.
And the thoughtful people among them are not just the top brass among the more than 100,000 people outside the city. Fanlou's news network can vaguely feel that the will of people in the city, including Taishi Cai and Tong Guan, has already extended out of the city.
Compared to the tentacles and undercurrents behind these, the more than 10,000 troops confronting the Jurchens did not fight back fiercely - nor could they. Separated by a high city wall, Fanlou cannot get much information from it. For Shishi, all the complicated undercurrents seem to be flowing around him. As for negotiations, truces, and the value and significance of all the dead, she suddenly couldn't easily find a place of refuge and refuge.
She stared at these things carefully. When she returned from her dream at midnight, she also had a small expectation. After all, the person she knew existed in the Wurui camp at this time. With his character, he would not sit still and wait for death. After the reunion, he repeatedly made many incredible achievements. This time, she also hoped that when all the information was connected, he might have launched a counterattack and gave all these messy people a sharp slap in the face - even if This hope is slim, at least for now, she can still look forward to it.
After she returned to Fanlou in the carriage, she heard a special news.
"Over at Zhuji, Mr. Su just came over and handed us some things."
Her mother Li Yun called her over and gave her a small book. The master looked through it for a while. I found that what was recorded in it was what happened to some people on the battlefield. In addition to the battle in Xiacun, there were also people in other armies including the Western Army. Most of them were simple and heroic stories suitable for publicity.
"The storytellers have actually been arranged in Bamboo Records a few days ago, but mom, let me tell you, the rumors are not right. I don't know if this treasure can be suppressed or not. You can help them talk about it, I don't care about you. "
Li Yun poured her a cup of tea to warm her hands. When Shishi raised his head to look at her, his eyes were calm and complicated, he sighed and turned to look at the window.
"It's hard for you and me to talk about these big shots." She sat down on the chair opposite, raised her head and sighed, "This time the Jin people go south, the sky will change. Who can say what will happen in the future? After all, no one can understand... In Beijing over the years, some people have experienced ups and downs, and some have enjoyed good times for decades. It never fails, but every time there is a big event, there must be someone up and someone down. My daughter, everyone you know and I know are all in this game, mom, I don’t know who is up and who is down, but the thing is. It's coming, that's for sure..."
The teacher held the book and was slightly silent.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore.” Li Yun waved his hand, then lowered his voice, “I heard that Mr. Ning secretly returned to Beijing and was meeting people secretly. These must be his handiwork. I know you If you can't sit still, I'll give you a day to find him. What does he want? What does Mr. Qin of the Right Prime Minister's Office want? If he can give you an accurate answer, I will feel more at ease..."
< br>
Shishi's eyes lit up. After a while, he stood up and gave a blessing. After thanking him, he asked where he was and went out.
The carriage drove through the streets of Bianliang, and the light snow gradually fell. Shishi asked the coachman to take her to several places, including Zhuji's branch and Su's house. While she was helping, the carriage turned around the side of Wenhui Building. Stopped at the bridge.
Shishi got off the carriage in a white trousers. On the second floor, next to a window with warm yellow light, Ning Yi was sitting there, looking quietly at a place outside the window. What. He had a beard and his expression was quiet and indifferent. He seemed to feel the gaze from below. He turned his head and saw the woman lowering her hood beside the carriage below. Snowflakes are falling slowly.
Someone seemed to have entered the room upstairs. Ning Yi looked over there and stood up, then turned to look at the teacher. He closed the window, and the blurry silhouette in the window greeted the guest, and then only a faint lights.
In the evening, Shishi crossed the road and walked into the restaurant... (End of this chapter)