Chapter 373: Chaos in Chang'an
With the war going like this, there is nothing left to say.
In addition to negotiating and getting the captured brothers back first, what else can we do?
If you really don’t care about their life or death, are you afraid that if your troops don’t say anything, they will become alienated from their general?
Fortunately, everyone has chips in their hands,
Then we can talk about it.
So Luo Liang and Linghu Shili stood in the center of the battlefield.
"Five hundred for three hundred, I am at a disadvantage, so I have to keep the armor and weapons of your five hundred men!"
"Those three hundred of yours are cavalry. Do you still want it? Don’t give up the horse, I will suffer a loss and leave all the armor and weapons to you!”
For the cavalry, the horse is not a weapon, it is a companion, so it is natural to have a horse.
"Three hundred men and three hundred horses must all come back together."
"That can't be done. Many people died that night! How many of my five hundred brothers are there?"< br>
“There’s less!”
“That’s nonsense!”
“We can’t survive even if we die. There are too few horses, so I have to make up for them.”< br>
"The remains of the dead brothers must be returned to me."
The two generals were talking arrogantly in the center of the battlefield, while the armies of both sides at the top of the city and in the distance were tensely confronting each other. , once the negotiations break down, it will start again immediately.
In fact, even if the two parties reach an agreement, everyone still has to get started when the exchange is completed.
At noon, the deal was reached and the two sides began to exchange prisoners.
The prisoners in the city were in groups of ten. Their armor was not removed, but of course they had no other weapons. Everyone's left hand was tied up with a rope. In groups of ten, they filed out of the city and arrived at the center line of the battlefield. Then he stopped.
Outside, in the Linghu clan's camp, there was a group of six people and six horses. However, what was a bit funny was that although the people were riding horses, the horses' legs were tied with ropes and they could only move forward in small steps. If you try to run, you will fall over immediately.
Both sides are very careful.
In the center of the battlefield, the prisoners on both sides passed each other. While they were looking at each other coldly, they were all disgraced and could only walk towards their companions with scornful looks.
Being a prisoner is not a glorious thing.
Zhou Mi came back in the last group. He was the only one in this group. The other four horses were carrying the remains of soldiers who died in the battle. When they returned to the city, Zhou Mi knelt down with a thud. , ashamed and unable to suppress: "General Luo, the last general should die in battle, and should not live in an ignoble existence. It's just that they threw a big net to cover him, and the last general didn't even have time to commit suicide."
Luo Liang pulled Zhou Mi up and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? It's best to come back alive. Next, the right way is for us to kill more enemies side by side. How can we die worthless?" If you really want to be held responsible, it was me, the general, who made a mistake in planning and put my brothers in danger. If you really want to be held accountable, I am the first to blame!”
Zhou Mi wanted to say something else, but something came from his ears! The rumble of war drums.
Linghu Shili couldn't wait a moment. As soon as the prisoner exchange was completed, he immediately launched an offensive.
Zhou Mi turned around and ran towards the top of the city. At this moment, a thousand words can't be compared to actual actions.
Stepping onto the city wall, densely packed enemies in the distance carried ladders, pushed siege engines, rammed city engines, and rushed toward the tea shop city with shouts.
"Drum beat! Crossbowmen prepare!" the officers roared at the top of their lungs.
The war started again immediately.
Outside Chang'an City, there are densely packed thatched shacks as far as the eye can see. As the fighting continues in the periphery, the scope of influence is getting wider and wider, and more and more people are fleeing to Chang'an.
Chang'an is heavily guarded, and heavy troops are stationed at each city gate to prevent these refugees from having any intention of attacking the city gate.
Zhang Qingyun stood in front of a large pot, holding a long-handled spoon in his hand and slowly stirring the pot.
"This is too thin!" He picked up the spoon and looked at the sparse rice grains. Zhang Qingyun couldn't help but frown.
Luo Ying said: "Miss Qingyun, you are saving their lives now, not letting them eat enough! In this season, there is no place to dig wild vegetables. To have such a bowl of rice soup is already It’s so valuable!”
“How many relief sheds are there besides us?”
“There are dozens of sheds set up by the government, and they are not as good as yours. There are also many people in the terraces and gardens giving alms, and of course, there are also some wealthy people doing these things." Luo Ying said. "But the fighting outside is getting more and more intense, and more and more people will flee here." Zhang Qingyun nodded, walked into the shed, and sat down.
There was the sound of banging clappers outside, and the refugees, who were sitting in the snow like living dead with disheveled faces, suddenly became alive. They got up from the ground and rushed to the relief shacks one by one, looking at Luo Ying couldn't help but change his face due to the huge crowd. With a wave of his hand, more than a dozen guards immediately stood in front of the shed. Their steel knives were unsheathed and they stared at the incoming victims.
"Line up, line up!" The steward who gave out the porridge shouted at the top of his lungs.
Fortunately, these people have not been overwhelmed by hunger. Under the roar of the steward and the aimless attack of the pole in their hands, they finally lined up, and a bowl can be seen. Their porridge is their food for the day.
“How much food do we have?”
“There is still some food shipped from Yongfengcang, but now the war there is getting more and more intense, and we want to get more food there. It has become increasingly difficult to transport food to Chang'an. Not only Linghuye's army, but also bandits and even refugees along the way will come to steal food. Therefore, since three days ago, there has been no food entering Chang'an. ." Luo Ying said.
"Wei Zhengdao will definitely not allow Changpingcang in Chang'an to be touched!"
"Of course, that is his lifeline. Without food, how can he control the army?" Luo Ying shook his head and said: "Now in Under the government's deliberate control or even connivance, the price of food in Chang'an is soaring. Wei Zhengdao is trying to force those who are useless to him in Chang'an City to flee the city. "
The soldiers have distribution from above! Food does not require money. Although everyone has a daily quota, if you save a little and the family is not large, you will not starve to death. This alone is enough for the Wei family to firmly control all the armies. .
Until despair, as long as there is still a little bit of hope, soldiers will desperately protect the little interests they can get.
Because this little food can prevent his family from starving to death.
Some other people need to buy food. Let’s not talk about whether they can buy it. Even if they can buy it, the price of food is enough to make everyone despair.
It is becoming a fact that every family has no food for the night.
But it’s hard to say whether the money earned through hard work tomorrow will be enough to buy tomorrow’s food.
No matter how tightly the city gates are guarded, there are always some underworld ways to get people into the city. People who enter the city want to eat and stay alive, or they must commit crimes or go to jail. Work hard. Their entry immediately caused the labor prices in the city to fall again and again, almost to the floor price.
In the past, people in the city worked to feed their families, but now these people who have fled into the city are alone. One person is full, but the whole family is not hungry. Naturally, the price cannot be afforded.
Of course, the security in the city is getting worse day by day.
People with connections in the city are already fleeing.
Under the organization of Heibingtai and Zhiqiuyuan, batches of people are evacuating to Shu, but those who can leave are basically young and strong, they are technicians, and they are loyal to Shu. Even if Zhang Qingyun wants to save more people, he must always have priorities when doing things.
"The imperial court is recruiting troops." Luo Ying continued: "As time goes by, those who cannot survive will only have the option of joining the army, but the number of people who can join the army is also limited. . Most of those who still have the strength to join the army after a period of starvation are definitely not good people. There are extremely vicious people in the army. There will be more and more evil people. There are indeed more people, but the combat effectiveness will not necessarily increase. Even if it increases, I am afraid that military discipline cannot be guaranteed."
"Chang'an actually has food. Yes, it can guarantee food for at least a year, but now Wei Zhengdao is using food as a weapon to achieve his goal!" Zhang Qingyun said.
Luo Ying glanced at Zhang Qingyun and said: "Wei Zhengdao will only keep people who are useful to him in Chang'an. He will force those who are useless to leave voluntarily. But I am worried that if it causes civil unrest..."
Looking at the densely packed tents outside, Luo Ying was a little worried.
Zhang Qingyun pointed behind him. He saw the towering city wall, the swords and guns radiating with cold light, the densely packed crossbows, and the towering trebuchets. Not to mention some refugees, it was Linghuye’s army. Well, for such a tightly defended city, there was nothing that could be done for a while.
If there is really chaos, I'm afraid it will be a river of blood.
"Someone reported two days ago that refugees have begun to sell their children and daughters, and the people buying these children, in addition to some powerful families and businessmen, there are also some underworld figures." Zhang Qingyun Said: "If these children fall into their hands, I'm afraid they will end up in trouble!"
"What does the dean mean?"
"Everyone on the left and right will be bought. Let's send people to buy some too! Especially those that fall into the hands of underworld figures, don't be polite and grab them!"
"Why do we need so many children? It's a complete burden now!" Luo Ying was surprised.
"The current predicament in Chang'an is probably due to us. Whether we can do our part, whether these children are sent to Shuzhong or sent to foreign countries in the future is in our hands. , there is always a way to survive! If you can cultivate a few useful ones in the future, it will be a profit.”
“I understand.”
While the two were talking, there was sudden noise outside. They got up and walked outside the shed, only to see a blazing flame burning in the northwest, and thick smoke rising straight into the sky.
After a while, news came that the refugees there started fighting for a bite of food. Because there was no army to suppress them, the victims were everywhere.
“Several stewards of the Zhuo family who were serving porridge there have died. I heard that a manager named Zhuo also died. Now I’m afraid there will be fewer people in the city who are willing to come out to serve porridge!”
"Outside the city, it will become more and more chaotic!" Zhang Qingyun sighed softly.
(End of this chapter)