Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 521

"what!"

Zhang Jiurong 'rubbed' his eyes in disbelief as he opened his mouth wide enough to hold a pear.Looking up, there are dead men and horses everywhere around the cannon barracks on the small hill, there are large bloodstains beside the corpses, a broken flag is still "inserted" not far away, a few war horses are still lingering beside the dead, the westerly wind blows, and a lifetime Share bleak meaning.The closer to the fortress, the denser the corpses of the Liao soldiers and horses. On the southeast side where the fighting was fierce, and on the outside of the northwestern side of the fortress, a thick layer had accumulated, and the ground was painted with a strange dark red layer.Among the Song army camps on the hill, corpses can be seen everywhere, which is unbearable.

"A big victory, a big victory!" Zhang Jiurong couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement, and was about to tell others to come and see, to find that all the soldiers were like geese stretching their necks, watching this breathtaking scene intently .

"Damn it, Liao thieves are really ruthless." Lu Mingyu wore only a single shirt, his left and right arms were hung with gauze, and he still insisted on accompanying Zhao Xingde to patrol the camp, "How many people died this night." With blood Repay the blood, the heartache caused by the heavy loss of the left army in the fierce battle last night also calmed down a little.

"The commander-in-chief is determined." Someone laughed and said, "The Liao thief is a clown, it's up to you." There was a different meaning in his eyes, and he followed behind Zhao Xingde.As the sky was twilight, Zhao Xingde inspected the battalions to check the casualties and the conditions of the camps.Luo Xianshi's words fell into his ears, Zhao Xingde frowned slightly, and immediately strode forward.Hearing that the general was patrolling the battalion, all the nearby battalions gathered their soldiers and horses to receive the review, and the wounded soldiers followed along barely able to move.In this bitter battle, every part of the Baoyi Army was injured.A commander defended the camp with all his might last night. Of the more than 500 people, only less than 100 remained, and all the rest were wounded.After the big victory, everyone's faces were full of excitement, after recognizing Zhao Xingde, the soldiers were in a commotion again, only afraid of military discipline, they did not dare to speak loudly.

I don't know who yelled "Marshal Wansheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

"Wan Sheng!"

"Protect the environment and the people! Swear to kill the Liao thieves!"

Suddenly, cheers erupted like a tsunami. For some reason, the soldiers were ten thousand times more excited than usual. If they didn't shout out loudly, their chests would burst.Everyone shouted with all their strength: "Protect the environment and the people!" "Swear to kill the Liao thieves!" Going to another camp, from the headquarters of the Baoyi Army to the volunteer soldiers in the prefectures and counties, the voices of countless people condensed into a violent hurricane, howling in the sky, echoing, and spreading far away.

The army was in a bit of misery, and the gloom dissipated a lot, and there were flattery words like "chao". Zhao Xingde's expression was calm, and he didn't say a word until the cheers gradually died down. Then he said loudly: "Last night's battle , all thanks to the generals, all the armies fought to the death, and just expelled the Liao thieves. If you want to say credit, everyone will have a share!" As soon as the voice fell, there was another burst of cheers from the soldiers, and Lu Mingyu laughed: "If it weren't for General Zhao Be calm and calm, and coordinate the battalions to face the enemy heavily, how could the Liao bandits throw away their armor and go away!" His words aroused a large crowd of people echoing, from the time the Baoyi Army was formed to the present, after several battles, Zhao Xingde was in the army The prestige is also getting higher and higher.In the battle last night, people like Lu Mingyu and Luo Xianshi fought to the death without retreating, so it may be that they did not have confidence in the commander.

"Where is there?" Zhao Xingde seemed to be ordinary and humble, but there was no smile on his face. "Zhao is in the middle army. Can you think about it? Last night's countermeasures were nothing more than 'quietness'. Most of the Liao soldiers relied on the strength of the soldiers of each battalion!" He straightened his face, and said to the generals, "The Liao thieves attacked at night, using deceitful methods to dazzle people's eyes and ears, in an attempt to confuse our army. It all depends on you, guarding the side of the heart is ignorant, everyone can guard their own positions, risking their lives and forgetting to die, every battalion can guard the camp, only then can my small mountain fortification be as stable as Mount Tai." These words are impassioned, The generals seemed to understand but didn't understand, but the officers and soldiers knew that this was the words to motivate them, and they all responded loudly.

Zhao Xingde looked around at the generals, and said loudly again: "The enemy's schemes and tricks can only deal with those mobs. Our Baoyi Army upholds righteousness, and is most afraid of ghosts and ghosts. Let other thieves practice deceitful techniques. There are winds coming from all directions, but I stand still and use an invincible way to treat the enemy invincible, and only then can I win a hundred battles! Do you understand! If one man defends himself, the will of one man is a city, and the rebel army should keep peace for the people of the Great Song Dynasty!"

"Obey!" Thousands of soldiers agreed loudly, "Keep peace for the people of the Song Dynasty!" There was another wave of mountains and tsunami, and soon, the soldiers shouted loudly again, "Marshal, Wansheng! "" Marshal wins! "The morale was soaring to the extreme. Luo Xianshi whispered in Zhao Xingde's ear: "Congratulations, general. Since then, the army has returned to its heart, and it will go through fire and water without hesitation. "

Zhao Xingde sighed inaudibly, and didn't speak any more. His eyes were fixed slightly, looking down the mountain, and he galloped to the front at a fast speed. Bingdao: "The Liao thieves withdrew overnight. Privy Councilor Yue asked General Zhao to go and discuss the pursuit of the enemy."

"Thank you." Zhao Xingde nodded, "I'll go right away." According to the plan in advance, the Liao soldiers were repulsed, and there was no delay in rescuing Ezhou.The cavalry retreated rapidly, and the Song army had to divide its troops to assist Hubei, and it was difficult to catch up.Brother Tiemu, the Liao army, has done a lot of evil since it invaded the south, if it can't be wiped out, it will be really unwilling.Zhao Xingde looked at the flowing water on the river: "I don't know what's going on in Shuzhou?"

...........

In Shuzhou City, Li Cheng was fidgeting, and managed to suppress his anxiety. He took a sip of tea, spit it out again, listened attentively, and asked others, "Is there another ghost singing outside?" "No, no." Dear The soldier said tremblingly, the commander had been in a bad mood these past few days, he had already killed several soldiers, and there were rows of heads hanging everywhere in the city.

"Useless stuff," Li Cheng raised his foot and kicked him somersault, "report me again!"

"Yes, yes." The soldiers backed away in a hurry.The Commander of the Wing Guards is good at wielding two swords and has the courage to be undone, but his temper is first-rate and bad-tempered.Just yesterday, someone came to report that they were singing outside the city again to shake the morale of the army. As a result, Li Cheng was ordered to listen to ghost singing outside the city without authorization, and beheaded on suspicion of being a traitor.

Brother Tiemu and Xiao Xiangsheng had just led their troops to pursue the Ezhou army, and Han Shizhong made a comeback, engulfing tens of thousands of volunteers from the prefectures and counties to besiege Shuzhou, and the roads around Shuzhou were cut off by the Song army.Although the Wing Guards under the command of Li Cheng had more than [-] soldiers, there were only a few thousand veterans. The officers and soldiers were surrounded heavily, and the morale of the army suddenly floated.In the past two days, rumors have spread everywhere in Shuzhou City. Some say that brother Tiemu and Xiao Xiangsheng have been defeated and died, and some say that the emperor of Bianliang made an order to hunt down the thieves, but they have been killed by the Liao thieves.Some said that the Khitan people wanted to convert all the fertile land in the Song Dynasty into pastures. They thought there were too many people in the Song Dynasty and planned to slaughter the four major surnames of Zhao, Qian, Sun and Li.The rumors became more and more popular, and even Li Cheng was dubious. He was also surnamed Li. He wrote to the Northern Academy to change the clan to the Yelu family or the Xiao family, but His Majesty has not yet agreed.

At the head of Shuzhou City, the night wind blows.The cool night breeze carried the aroma of lotus leaves. In less than a month, the water chestnuts in the lake and pond should be ripe.In this chaotic time, people in the family can rely on it to feed their hunger.Rows of heads hung on the wooden posts, and the soldiers were holding long spears, hiding behind the battlements like ghosts. The night was getting darker, but everyone had a strange look on their faces.

"Listen." Liu Xiu whispered to Deng Fa beside him.Whenever the outside ghosts sing at the beginning, there is a female voice with a melodious voice, chasing the tune of Bianliang Orchestra, Liu Xiu can't help but concentrate, since he was forced to sign the army, life is worse than death, only this faint singing , let him recall the original days.

The singing in the wind is intermittent, it is really the same as the ghost singing in the wilderness, but if you listen carefully, it is very clear.

"...The crescent moon shines on Kyushu, some families are happy and some are sad. Several families are in the same tent, and some families are wandering outside..."

The voice of the female ghost sang the melancholy tune "...the confinement bends to shine on Kyushu" several times, and then more male and female voices joined in, "...several husbands The 'women' are in the same tent, and several families are wandering outside..." The pitch became louder and louder, and although the harmony of the crowd was not as well-tuned as the female ghost's at first, it was mixed with local accents from various places. It lingers in many ears, singing three sighs, straight into the hearts of the people, as if even the soul is hooked out by the singing.

"...Several couples set up tents together, and several families wandered outside..."

Liu Xiu murmured, and when he came back to his senses, tears were streaming down his face, as if a knife had been stabbed in the deepest part of his heart, cutting his heart to pieces and piercing his heart with thousands of arrows. "Shut up!" The soldier in the distance coughed loudly, Liu Xiu came to his senses, quickly raised his sleeves to wipe his tears, and stood up hunched against the battlements.Not long after, a group of soldiers patrolling the city walked by, Liu Xiu turned his back to them, not knowing that these people did not shed tears.

"...The crescent moon shines on Kyushu, some families are happy and some are sad. Several families are in the same tent, and some families are wandering outside..."

Hongyu sang this little tune dozens of times, her voice was almost hoarse, and she stopped talking just now.Reminiscing about the feelings of parting in the lyrics, Hongyu sighed and looked down. Under the high platform, thousands of soldiers and civilians in ragged clothes were singing repeatedly.Although the common people don't understand the rhythm, there is something touching in the singing. When they are born in troubled times, how many sorrows are placed in the singing.

"Thank you, lady." Han Shizhong personally handed her a glass of water to moisten her throat, and said with a smile, "Zhao Xingde really has a bit of a ghostly plan, and he picked this sour song with the trick of 'besieged on all sides'. He boiled it. The morale of the army is gone, and even the overlord can’t return to heaven. Li Cheng is even more like a chicken and a dog.” He looked at the gloomy Shuzhou City shrouded in gloom, and his eyes turned cold. State City."