Chapter 661 Signs of Plague
The sky is about to dawn, and the city of Nongma, which has been restless all night, has no intention of calming down. The two legions of Holy Light and Thunder stationed outside the city, as early as two hours ago, They had already sent a team of soldiers into the city, and then rushed to the western plains to help put out the fire.
The sky in Qingming is bright and bright, and the military camps located on both sides of the eastern city wall of Nongma are quiet. The soldiers are not much sleepy. More or less, they have heard about the things in the western plains.
In addition, there has been no movement from the Selis army recently, which made them feel uneasy, so they simply gathered around the campfire and talked.
In the distant air, there was a banging sound coming through the night and coming this way.
The archers on duty in the archery tower subconsciously looked out at the sky and vaguely saw something flying over from the direction directly opposite Nongma City.
“What?”
The soldiers on the archery tower murmured doubtfully, and then saw the vague black shadow flying across the sky towards the city wall.
Enemy attack?
As soon as this thought flashed through his mind, several black shadows quickly flew towards him in his field of vision. The soldier instinctively squatted down to avoid it. The flying shadows brushed against the top of the archery tower and flew directly into In the camp.
Immediately, a rotten stench was smelled in his mouth and nose.
Before he could recover, there was a sudden uproar in the camp, and several soldiers who had been warming themselves up over the fire covered their mouths and noses and fled from the fire.
Following other places, many soldiers came out covering their mouths and noses.
Holy Light Knight Percival came after hearing the news. He was not wearing armor at this time. When he asked the soldiers who were fleeing nearby what happened, he also walked to the place where the accident happened.
A stench instantly hit my sense of smell, and my stomach suddenly turned.
He looked at the collapsed tent. The soldiers inside had already ran out, and what was pressed against the tent was a swollen, black corpse that was leaking thick liquid.
The body was swollen and ulcerated, the hair was soaked with body fluids, the face was swollen as if it were inflated, the tongue was stuck to the lips, the eyes were white and almost bulging, and there were dense maggots in the mouth. There are small lumps that go in and out of the nose, eye sockets, and ears, and can even squirm under the bulging flesh.
It can be seen from the close-fitting clothing that these are the Guards Cavalry who previously rode out of the city to attack the Salis siege tower.
“Drag the corpses away!”
Percival tried his best to suppress the huge feeling of nausea. He didn’t know what the Salis people meant by throwing these corpses over with catapults. But what he could think of was that the other party might have the idea of humiliating them.
"Damn Salis!"
He gritted his teeth and punched his palm, and then called the soldiers on duty to ask. After learning that there were such corpses thrown into the city, Percival frowned. Eyebrow, a feeling of uneasiness gradually emerged in my heart.
But he couldn't tell where the uneasiness came from.
“Send someone to ask the Thunder Legion about the situation and whether this has happened to them.”
The corner on the far right of the city wall, in the camp where the Thunder Legion is stationed, Bedivere With a gloomy expression, he looked at the three rotting corpses that were dragged over on the ground and placed a few steps away from him.
The stench from the corpses filled the empty camp and made people feel suffocated. Many soldiers could not bear the nauseating rotten smell and ran to the corner of the camp, leaning on the fence and bending down to vomit.
They are used to the smell of blood, but this rotten stench is different. Especially when they see the rotten and swollen scene, it is not something normal people can bear.
"What do the Selis people want to do?"
Bedwell endured his nausea, waved his hand and gave the same order as Percival, sending men to ask the Holy Light Legion on the other side.
While the scouts on both sides were running in the darkness of the early morning, cold water stains fell from the night sky.
The running cavalry subconsciously touched their hair and the back of their necks, raised their heads and looked at the night sky. More than a dozen black shadows flew over their heads, and then landed on the city wall dozens of feet away. There was a sudden panic there. Shout.
Torches were in the hands of the galloping soldiers, illuminating the surroundings of the city wall.
The soldiers who gathered around looked at the corpses that were thrown and smashed, and they all looked at each other. From other sections of the city, corpses flew in from time to time, and had close contact with the soldiers who were shouting in panic; some went straight over this section of the city wall. , flew into the city, landed on the top of a certain house or hit the street or alley...
The moment the corpse landed heavily on the ground, dark red blood and grease mixed with liquid formed a spray shape and splashed everywhere. .
The civilians who heard the noise or the soldiers who came over on patrol saw this scene and retched.
These once majestic and majestic Guards Cavalry were now turned into miserable corpses, which was unbearable to look at.
"Take these corpses immediately to the city and find an open space to bury them."
After investigating the matter, the general guarding the city issued an order to dispose of the corpses and asked people to go there immediately Palace announcement.
Ling Qi flew through the streets lit up with countless lights, passed through the streets where civilians and soldiers gathered, and rushed towards the palace, but he missed it.
The emperor was not in the palace.
At this time, Arthur and a group of important ministers were on the western wall, focusing on putting out the fire. For now, putting out the fire and preserving the wheat fields outside the city were the most important things at the moment.
"My king, Galahad has been away with the two legions for a long time, and no news has been sent back along the way."
The wise knight Gawain looked at him and had been standing still for a long time. The emperor reminded me softly.
Over there, King Arthur was not in a hurry to answer. He looked at the fire to the west and the figures of soldiers and civilians coming and going in the fire to put out the fire.
It took a while before he spoke.
"Galahad has made progress. Moreover, his father Lancelot was injured while guarding the city. In order not to let Lancelot feel that I have given up on him, it is necessary to let him know that his son will continue to be reused, and at the same time, Let him understand that my grace for their father and son has not diminished."
King Arthur breathed a sigh of relief, "A cavalry crossing the mountains will not be large in number. Galahad will lead two. A legion of 17,000 people should be enough."
"My king, are you not worried?"
Arthur raised his face slightly, with a solemn expression: "I choose to believe him! ”
Outside the city, there was a sea of flames spreading, noisy voices, and running figures. A scout on horseback shuttled through the intertwined crowds, like a small boat traveling against the current.
Halfway through the conversation, the scout who came on horseback dismounted at the gate of the city, then quickly climbed up the city wall to deliver the news he had learned from outside the city.
The sky has not yet lighted up, and the bad news is in front of King Arthur.
Gaharad was defeated and was retreating eastward.
King Arthur's solemn words just now turned into a slap, hitting him firmly in the face.
His entire body was stunned. Gawain and Merlin were also stunned, unable to react for a while.
Merlin leaned on his cane and stepped forward to question the scout.
"Seventeen thousand people, how could he be defeated by the opponent's small number of cavalry?"
The old man did not dare to ask whether Gaharad had made progress and how he could lose the battle. A scout who can ask for reports.
The latter was just checking for information and had no idea of the specific situation on the battlefield.
“Don’t make it difficult for him.”
Arthur interrupted Merlin's words, and then waved his hand towards the scout: "Stand back."
After the scout saluted and left, the legion commanders following on the city wall talked about Galaha. Germany's defeat.
“I heard that the Seris cavalry numbered two thousand.”
“Crossing the mountains and running for several days, it was impossible to defeat the knight of Halagad due to fatigue. of 17,000 soldiers ” “could be caused by other factors ”
It can be seen that the nerves of these legion commanders have been in a state of tension, and the harvested food has been burned. In the eastern battlefield, the Salis people have strong troops, but they have not moved. Everyone is worried.
Just as you were speculating on how Galahad was defeated, another scout from the western plains rushed back from the distance.
Brought news that Galahad will soon return to the city.
Everyone on the city wall was silent, facing King Arthur outside. He stood there motionless. After a moment of silence, he whispered: "When he comes back, let him come up to the city wall to see me."
For a while, the surroundings were extremely quiet.
Everyone knew that this tall emperor was on the verge of breaking out.
Soon, the embarrassed Galahad led only more than 4,000 people back to the city of Numasi. The more than 4,000 people were still the defeated troops he had assembled while fleeing, and those who were not found were probably buried. Under the butcher's knife of the Seles.
As soon as he entered the city gate, there were soldiers waiting for him. Knowing that King Arthur was at the city wall to see him, Galahad couldn't help but shudder.
At this time, he had no face to see the emperor.
He swayed, and with the sound of heavy armor rubbing against metal, he walked up the stone steps step by step, and saw a dozen legion commanders standing over there. Halagad looked at this group of people. In his sight, he walked to the front and stood behind the wall, half-kneeling and performing the knight's salute.
Halagad lowered his face: "Greetings, my king."
"Tell me how you were defeated by the Selis people."
Halagad's face was heavy and hesitant. After a while, he began to talk about his encounter with the opponent and how he counterattacked. Seeing that he was about to surround and kill the Selis cavalry general, suddenly another group of Selis people came to reinforce him from the west.
"Gahalad, you have to learn from your father. He is a fair and equitable person and will never put the blame on others..."
Arthur slowly turned around He turned around and looked at the figure half-kneeling on the ground. Just as he was about to continue speaking, an official from the city came to the city and hurriedly went upstairs to report that the Selis people had thrown the body into the city not long ago.
"Corpse?"
Arthur's expression was serious and he was silent for a while, "The Selis people are just humiliating us, don't fall into their plot!"
There was speculation about this before.
Now that the other party threw the body over, it confirmed Arthur's guess, and he casually said: "Bury the body." Then he sent the knight away.
The conversation was interrupted, and Arthur lost the desire to continue talking.
After telling Gaharad to get up, they returned to the palace together.
......
The sky gradually brightens, and the morning sun peeking out of the gaps in the clouds reflects the clouds passing by, giving it a warm jade-like color.
In the eastern wilderness, the Western Expedition Army camps stretching for dozens of miles were still handling various matters in an orderly manner.
As early as the sun rose, the Mongolian Qingqi rushed out of the camp early, just like the previous days, to search and plunder rations.
After joining the Qin and Tang armies, food was temporarily suspended, but it was still not enough.
After all, no one knows how long this battle will last. In order to be sure, Su Chen gave Subotai another order, which was to send Mongolian light cavalry to attack every day, searching for everything they could. Edible food.
Shortly after the Mongolian Qingqi left, Su Chen stretched his muscles in the Chinese military camp and walked out of the camp after having breakfast.
The sun shines on my face, and in my ears I can hear the sounds of busy footsteps in the military camp. On the towering siege tower in the distance, craftsmen are climbing on it, waving mallets and banging.
Several groups of soldiers shouting slogans ran past neatly in the sunshine in front; on the school field, groups of soldiers were shirtless, following the generals on the high platform, waving spears, or swords and shields. .
Su Chen walked past a row of straw men, and the soldiers with their bows stopped and bowed.
“Keep practicing!”
Su Chen smiled at them, and with Dian Wei and Xu Chu guarding him, he returned to the ancestral hearse and gave a blessing to the ancestors on the altar table. Burn incense and bow three times.
After playing with a group of emperors for a while, a guard came outside to report: "Your Majesty, the Taiwei is waiting in the commander's tent."
"Your Majesty, I will go over first. Come on, I’ll talk to you again!”
Su Chen waved to Cao Cao, Li Shimin, Zhu Yuanzhang and other emperors, then lifted the curtain and walked out. This time Jia Xu came over, probably to talk about throwing the corpse into the barbarian city yesterday.
As soon as he entered the handsome tent, he saw the old fox talking to Han Xin there.
When the two of them saw Su Chen coming in, they stood up and bowed their hands in greeting.
"Meet your Majesty."
"Sit down and talk." Su Chen smiled and walked to the front seat. Han Xin over there also wisely gave up his seat so that the emperor could take his seat.
The three of them sat down, and Su Chen asked Jia Xu about his purpose.
"I came to see Your Majesty to report what happened last night. More than two thousand rotting corpses have all been thrown into the barbarian city."
Jia Xu's face was peaceful and his eyes were slightly narrowed. , it is difficult to see that he is using tricks to be malicious.
"...In addition, the 1,200 civilian prisoners of Sakprut were shot together at the fourth watch today, and their bones were burned and dumped in the tunnels for burial."
"None of our people took off their headscarves during the journey, right?"
Su Chen poured warm water, "If there is one, deal with it immediately. If you can't bear to kill it, exile it to another place."
"Your Majesty, there is no need to worry about your work."
As the sky changes, At dawn, the weather in October gradually warmed up, and the fires in the western wilderness of Nongma were finally extinguished. Not many wheat fields were saved, barely enough to feed the army for a few days.
The civilians outside Danonmari probably have nothing to eat.
However, just when everyone was worried, someone in the city developed symptoms of fever, nausea and vomiting, and dizziness.
Hot weather is a time when you are prone to illness, and it is normal to have some headaches and fever.
When civilians get cold, they can survive the cold if they can. Most of those who can't survive are left to die at home and then thrown into a pit to be buried.
After all, no one is immune to illness, and not many people take it to heart.
But in the next few days, civilians who got sick first, and then soldiers in the army began to show such symptoms.
By the time Arthur and Merlin noticed this change, tens of thousands of people had symptoms, and the spread was astonishingly fast.
Far away in the eastern wilderness, Jia Xu stood outside the camp and looked at Nongma City to the west. He stood in the sun for a long time, his eyes calm and steady, feeling the temperature of the sun above.
It seems that something has been planned in my heart.
"It should have already started. Tell your majesty to retreat a hundred miles."
The sky is turning, and the hot wind and waves are carrying an untouchable terror, which is beginning to brew. It spread quietly behind the towering city wall.
(End of this chapter)