A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 641 Pity our country and people

In February of the 15th year of Chongzhen, Nanyang Prefecture, Yuzhou.

Once the ancient wind blows, the northeastern edge of the Nanyang Basin splits into a pass, and the city of Yuzhou is located here. This place was once envoyed to the Western Regions by the great Han Bowang Hou Zhangqian.

However, at noon, this ancient city first spread from the east of the city, and then the terrified screams and cries spread throughout the city.

"The city is broken..."

"The thief has entered the city."

In a dilapidated house near Yuzhou Town God's Temple, a young couple, a pair of five or six-year-old twin girls, heard the movement outside, the woman trembled, and said to the man beside her, "Brother Yuanfa, what should we do?"

The man looked around the room with a pale face, and took a stick in his hand. Seeing this, the woman also hurriedly found a kitchen knife, thought for a while, and then grabbed a handful of stove ashes and wiped it on her face. superior.

The man gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Liu Niang, take care of the eldest daughter and the second daughter."

The woman known as Liu Niang hummed, and said to the two female dolls holding hands: "The eldest daughter and the second daughter are good, come to mother's side."

The two girl dolls called out "Mother", and cuddled up to their mother obediently, and hid behind their father tightly.

The whole family huddled together, listening to the chaos and crying outside, as well as disordered footsteps, rumbling horseshoes, passing by the streets and alleys, and finally, the sound of breaking doors from house to house, they were all terrified, Liu Niang Wept even more quietly.

Her eyes turned to a loom in the room. At home, the man was outside, plowing a few acres of Susukida, sometimes doing some part-time work, and she was helping at home. She worked hard to raise the eldest daughter and the second daughter, although life was difficult. , always looking forward to the past.

Last month, he gritted his teeth and bought a loom, but now, what he is facing is an uncertain future.

Amidst the anxiety, suddenly the dilapidated door was kicked open with a "boom", and the whole family screamed, the eldest daughter and the second daughter were so frightened that they cried.

There were about six or seven intruders who came in. The two leaders were wearing felt hats and short body armor. Their demeanor was full of fierceness and toughness. Several others were wrapped in turbans, and some were holding waist knives. , someone took a spear, and the status was slightly lower.

After a few intruders came in, the two leaders took a cold look at the terrified young couple who huddled together, and didn't care about the sticks and kitchen knives in their hands. Nan Ernan, after all, twins are not often seen.

Then they dispersed in all directions, and the leader waved his hand and said: "Look around, if there are any rice noodles hidden, take them all away and use them as army rations."

He spoke with a strong Shaanxi accent, obviously he was from the cavalry team of the old battalion in the Chuangbing army.

"Rice noodles?"

Liu Niang panicked, she watched helplessly, a few soldiers wearing headscarves ransacked the box, and finally took out a small bag of rice from the rice vat.

She hurriedly said: "No, no..."

She threw the kitchen knife, fumbled all over her body, and took out a few copper plates and a small piece of broken silver. After thinking for a while, she ran to the wall, lifted a brick, and took out some dowry jewelry from inside.

A few intruders watched her busy with interest, and whispered: "People nowadays are better at hiding money."

"In my experience, many people hide money on the beams of the house."

"I heard that in Shanxi, the rich and powerful gentry, the silver is cast into wax gourds."

Liu Niang came to the Chuang Bing who was giving orders, and stammered: "Jun...Jun Ye..."

A turbaned man next to him corrected: "It's the rebels."

"Yes, Yi... Master Yijun, I'll give you the silver and jewelry, and leave the rice noodles?"

The intruder glanced at her, took a look at the money and jewelry, threw it to a man in a turban beside him, put it in a bag he carried, and found that the most important thing in the intruder army was food, rice, horse mules, and Gong Yao. Lead guns are also important. As for gold, silver, pearls and jade, sometimes they don't even need to be handed over.

So these intruders didn't take it seriously.

"Walk."

The leading intruder waved his hand, and several of them were about to leave the house with rice bags in their hands.

Liu Niang stared dumbfounded, and she screamed, "No..."

"Liu Niang."

Her man didn't hold her for a while.

"don't want……"

Liu Niang rushed to the feet of the leader of the intruder, hugged his calf, and cried loudly: "Please, this is the last ration left at home, take it all, our family will not be able to survive."

"Donkey ball."

The intruder frowned, kicked his feet, Liu Niang yelled, and rolled backwards several times.

"Ah, Liu Niang, I will fight with you."

Li Liuniang's man, Yang Yuanfa, rushed up with a stick in his hand. The intruder gave him a contemptuous look, and punched him in the face, causing Yang Yuanfa's mouth and nose to bleed, and the stick fell to the ground. Then several intruders stepped forward and punched him. The beating and kicking made Yang Yuanfa roll all over the ground.

Suddenly he let out a miserable howl, but he was slashed on his left arm by a turbaned man, dripping with blood.

Liu Niang screamed, knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately, begging: "Please, don't beat my husband-in-law. If you want food... just take it all."

The twin girls, the eldest daughter and the second daughter, cried loudly beside her, "Daddy, don't hit my daddy."

Another intruder wearing a felt hat had several scars on his face. Looking at the young couple, he cursed angrily, "Your mother's hair, how dare you resist the rebels?"

The saber at his waist was pulled out bit by bit, the cold light in his eyes gleamed, and the scar on his face trembled slightly, showing a murderous intent.

"Walk."

The other led the intruders and held him down. With a wave of his hand, several intruders rushed out, leaving a family still crying.

"Brother Yuanfa, I killed you."

In the house, Liu Niang was weeping while bandaging the man's wound. Fortunately, the arm was still there, but the bone was already broken. I was afraid that this hand would...

Yang Yuanfa caressed his wife's hair, and said softly: "I don't blame you, it's because I'm incompetent and can't protect the three of you."

Looking at his wife, she hasn't had a good day since she married him. Liu Niang is only in her 20s, but there are already a few strands of white hair between her temples. All the food and rice have been robbed, what should we do in the future?
The whole family wept silently, listening to the noise of crying and shouting that filled the streets and alleys outside, slowly subsided, and there was a sound, but it was Yi Chuang riding back and forth in the streets and alleys to preach.

"Fengtian advocates righteousness, civil and military general Li said: the government has no way, the common people are screaming, princes and nobles exploit the poor, and refuse to help the common people. , not working as a errand, not paying food, exiled, dealing with merchants..."

"The discipline of the righteous army is strict, and the army has passed through without any crime. The civil and military general said: Killing a person is like killing my father, and whoever rapes a woman is like murdering my mother..."

Then countless people entered the city, and the earth-shattering ballad rang out: "Kill the cattle and sheep, prepare wine and oars, open the city gate to welcome the King Chuang, and when the King Chuang comes, he will not pay the food."

The young couple listened blankly, listening to the neighbors around, who seemed courageous, and had already opened the door, Liuniang said in tears, "Brother Yuanfa, what should I do?"

Yang Yuanfa said: "Go out and have a look, let's take one step at a time."

The young couple took the twin girls and walked out of the room cautiously. They saw more and more people on the street, and neighbors came out, asking each other.

These poor farmers and small people, a little bit of copper coins and broken silver, are not looked down upon by the raiders who searched the house, but all the food, rice, noodles, and food in the house were taken away.

Seeing that Yang Yuanfa's left arm was tightly bandaged and bloodstains were still visible, when everyone asked, they all sighed: "Why bother, saving your life is the most important thing."

Liu Niang shed tears again: "But, if there is no grain and rice, what will we do in the future?"

After some words, the neighbors are also at a loss, yes, depending on the situation, the whole city has been searched and empty, and there is no grain of rice. Even if there is a little money, where can I buy food? ?
At this time someone shouted: "King Chuang is going to give porridge at the Dragon King Temple outside the city, and he will execute Zhao Zhizhou and a group of squires in public."

Everyone became commotion and went out of the city, the young couple brought their eldest daughter and second daughter along, and followed them involuntarily.

When we arrived outside the east of the city, there were already crowds of people, especially in front of the Dragon King Temple, which was even more crowded. Young couples and neighbors also crowded forward, and saw a pole several feet high stuck in the front steps of the Dragon King Temple. The large flag was embroidered with the word "Chuang" in black satin, and the flagpole was silver-white, which was actually made of silver.

The left and right in front of the temple are full of soldiers like the two very fierce soldiers who broke into the house before. Then the surrounding area of ​​the temple is not far away, and there are many camps and nests behind the temple, which are connected to the nearby mountains and rivers. Sides, countless different flags, too many sides to count,

On the several roads beside the temple, there are many vehicles that file into the camps, and the loads on them are full of food, rice and wealth.

The young couple also saw a middle-aged man wearing a white felt hat and an arrow jacket standing on the top step. From a distance, this man was wearing a sword, with a high nose and deep eyes, and a bearded face. Like the Han people.

Beside him, surrounded by generals wearing cotton armor or iron armor and leather armor, and a few people who looked like literati.

"That is King Chuang?"

The young couple didn't dare to look too much, they all lowered their heads hastily.

There was a commotion in the crowd, but Zhao Zhizhou, who was covered in blood, was tied up and escorted by some intruders, followed by some officials and gentry.

In addition, there were some people dressed as military officers. Liu Niang saw that the obese Sun Shoubei, who was domineering in the city on weekdays, had disheveled hair and was tied up like rice dumplings.

Liu Niang saw it, and couldn't help but relieve her hatred for a while, this thief will also have such a day.

Zhao Zhizhou and others were brought to the steps, and the soldiers ordered them to kneel down. Sun Shoubei and other generals hurriedly knelt down obediently, while Zhao Zhizhou and others stood proudly.

"Those who surrender live, those who rebel die! Which of you is willing to surrender?"

I don't know who is talking on the steps.

Sun Shoubei and the others were terrified. Hearing this, he hurriedly kowtowed, with a fawning smile on his face: "The villain is willing to surrender, abandon the darkness and turn to the light, and serve the rebel army."

Zhao Zhizhou glanced contemptuously at Sun Shoubei and others, glared angrily at Li Zicheng and everyone on the stage, and shouted: "I am an official of the imperial court, how can I be used by bandits? Bandit, if you want to kill, kill!"

His words have a strong Jiangnan accent. Liu Niang once heard that Zhao Zhizhou is from Yangzhou, or from the Donglin Party, and he treats others with elegance and kindness. Seeing him now, she secretly applauded and felt sorry for him. .

As soon as Zhao Zhizhou said this, the generals were furious. One soldier pulled out his blade and cut off his right arm. Zhao Zhizhou screamed and continued to curse, and cut off his left arm. , and cut off his legs, Zhao Zhizhou fainted and woke up again, still yelling and unyielding.

In the end, the intruders hung Zhao Zhizhou on the flagpole and shot him with arrows. Zhao Zhizhou was hit by many arrows, and his limbs were severed. He was already dying. He struggled, looked at the countless people in front of him, this city, mountains and rivers, and finally sighed: "Poor my country and my people."

(End of this chapter)