Great Han Empire

Chapter 185

At dusk, a setting sun slowly sinks below the horizon, leaving behind a few pieces of glowing red clouds, still lingering in the boundless twilight.

On the open space outside the big tent, Han Sui stood with his hands behind his back, silently looking at the dark sky, with many thoughts in his heart.

He doesn't want to rebel, that's a fact.If he rebelled, he was a rebel of the Han Dynasty, a sinner of the Han Dynasty, and even if he died, he would never be able to recover.Because of his rebellion, he brought death to his family and relatives, made his famous teacher scolded by the world, and put his friends in a painful and dangerous situation.Why did you do this yourself?For the lives of the family?This reason is a joke.If you rebel, not only your family members, but even your own relatives, relatives within the nine clans will be killed.

But he did have a reason, a reason he was willing to rebel.He wanted to let the people of Xiliang live a better life, no longer be oppressed and humiliated by the government like ants, no longer cry from hunger and cold in dire straits, and no longer die miserable and helpless in the bitter wind and rain.He wants to fight against this dark sky.

He still has another wish, as long as he is still alive and with the Xiliang army, any official in the Han Dynasty will never want to step into Xiliang, never want to smash the bones and suck the marrow, and poison the living.

After the rebellion, their troops swept through most of the prefectures and counties in Xiliang, captured the cities and villages, and were invincible, but the next problem was that the court's assistance was gone.Xiliang has not received consistent money from the imperial court for two years. In addition, Xiliang has been fighting in various places in the past two years, so the world is barren and the livestock have decreased drastically, which eventually led to the complete collapse of Xiliang's economy.The people of Xiliang suddenly became poorer and had no way out.

Xiliang is poor and barren. Whether it is animal husbandry or farming, it cannot meet the most basic needs of 10,000+ troops and hundreds of thousands of people.

For many years, Xiliang has been invaded by Hu people of various ethnic groups, and the wars have continued. In addition, officials from all over the country have perversely imposed and extorted money.Ordinary people rely on the government's appropriations for relief every year in order to survive.But it is precisely because of Xiliang's poverty, continuous wars and relief that the government in Xiliang is the darkest and most corrupt place in the entire Han Dynasty.

In the first half of last year, thanks to Huangfusong's assistance in Xiliang, the people in all parts of Xiliang were still able to make ends meet.But since Zhang Wen arrived in Xiliang last fall, the situation has deteriorated sharply.

When Zhang Wen arrived in Xiliang, he ignored the life and death of the people in Xiliang, and blindly urged the government and army to suppress the bandits and put down the rebellion.Although Bian Zhang and others led an army to defeat Zhang Wen and drive him out of Xiliang, the survival problems of Xiliang people became more and more serious.They also thought about occupying Sanfu, conquering Chang'an, and looting wantonly to solve the food and clothing of the people of Xiliang, but because of the snow, they fell short in the end.

This winter, many people died in various places in Xiliang, and cannibalism happened in many places.

This is not the result they want for their rebellion, and it is too far from the purpose of their rebellion.They rebelled in order to let the people no longer be oppressed by the government and live a better life.They had no idea that things would turn out like this.In the past, despite the corruption of those bureaucrats, aid from the court continued to be transported to Xiliang every year. In the most difficult time, everyone could barely make ends meet. Xiliang has never been as large as last winter. Things that starve people to death and freeze people to death.Could it be that rebellion is wrong?
This year it will be even worse.This year, if the army fails to break into Chang'an and loot a large amount of property and food to bring back to Xiliang, the people of Xiliang will die even more.If the situation does not improve and continues like this, the people in Xiliang will die in a few years.The people of Xiliang are gone, how can they survive?At that time, the rebels in Xiliang will disappear without the government and army suppressing the rebellion.

Bian Zhang cried bitterly for this.He wants to surrender, he wants to lead everyone to surrender.The truth is too cruel.He would rather die by himself and his family and clan be executed than to see the hundreds of thousands of people in Xiliang die because of their rebellion.

We sit together and discuss.This year, if the troops can defeat Sanfu and occupy Chang'an, there will be a lot of money and food, Xiliang will have a chance to breathe, and everyone will still have a way to survive.If not, I am afraid there is only surrender.

In the army of the official army, except for Zhou Shen's [-] Northern Army who came from Luoyang, the rest are all from Xiliang.Many of these Xiliang people are their friends. Everyone knows why they rebelled and the current situation in Xiliang, so no one will fight them with real swords and guns.Some of these friends even hoped that they would take the troops to Chang'an immediately.For the future of Xiliang, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Xiliang are more important than anything else, even surpassing their loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor.So Han Sui is confident.

What he is worried about now is Dong Zhuo, and the reinforcements coming from Jizhou.

Dong Zhuo and Beigong Boyu are good friends, and he doesn't have a deep friendship with him, and he has always looked down on this person.His teacher Zhang Huan despised Dong Zhuo very much, and once threw Dong Zhuo's bribed property out of the gate.Last year when Huangfusong suppressed the rebellion in Xiliang, Dong Zhuo was still a general of Zhonglang and stationed in Guzang in Wuwei County.After he was ordered to lead the army across the Yellow River, he had a tacit understanding with Huangfusong, and stayed in Longxi without fighting.Later, when he was promoted to a general and under the control of Zhang Wen, things changed.Dong Zhuo's nature is very greedy, very greedy, whether it is power, money or women, he covets everything.This is understandable, there are many people like this in Xiliang.But besides greed, he is also cruel and bloodthirsty, extremely cruel and bloodthirsty, and he is the only one in Xiliang.

So when Dong Zhuo came to ask them for money through Beigong Boyu, they felt a crisis.On the Xiliang battlefield, in terms of strength, he was the most powerful.If he leads the counterattack, things will be troublesome.I want to give it, but Bian Zhang disagrees, firmly disagrees.

There is also Li Hong from Jizhou.He already knew about Li Hong and his Fengyun Cavalry through his friends.For such a powerful young man on the battlefield in Xiliang, is it a disaster or a blessing for Xiliang?

Facing a ferocious leopard and a stalking jackal, Han Sui felt tremendous pressure, and he couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Yang Qiu hurried over.Yang Qiu belongs to the Qiang people, a tribal leader.

"General, June Jinglei has sent someone here."

Han Sui was overjoyed and hurriedly asked, "Where is Lei Shuai?"

"We're almost at Chencang." Yang Qiu laughed, "Lei Shuai's speed is so fast this time, probably because he was afraid that we would break into Chang'an first and rob him of his money."

Han Sui smiled lightly.He looked up at the last ray of glow in the sky, and a warm feeling suddenly surged in his heart.These Qiang brothers will always be my true friends.

===

The dark night sky is full of stars, and a crescent moon hangs quietly in the distant sky.

Li Hong and Li Su stood side by side, looking at a galloping cavalry army from a distance.

The roar of galloping horses was deafening, and the dust splashed up almost covered half of the night sky.

Li Hongfei got off his horse and met Ma Teng who was galloping up.

Li Su hesitated for a moment.Isn't it a bit too much for a Zhonglang general to dismount to meet a military Sima?Although his official position is a bit higher than Ma Teng's, he is a bit lower than Li Hong's.Since the main generals dismounted to pick him up, he had no choice but to dismount too.

Ma Teng's tall and strong body is like a wall, giving people an unbreakable feeling.A square face, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, the eyes are full of vigor and sharpness, showing their sharpness.

Li Hong recognized him immediately, this kind of person is unsurpassed no matter where he is, at first glance he is the kind of hero who is utterly devoted and loyal.

Li Hong cheered secretly, and shouted loudly: "Is it Mr. Ma?"

Ma Teng was obviously surprised, he had never seen an adult with a much higher official position than himself dismount to pick him up in person.Ma Teng hurriedly got off his horse, bowed and saluted from a distance, and said loudly: "My Majesty, Ma Teng, I pay my respects to General Zhonglang."

Li Hong ran to Ma Teng's side in a few steps, and said with a smile, "Master Ma, you came so fast."

Seeing how young Li Hong was, Ma Teng felt angry for no reason, but he didn't reach out to slap the smiling face. He was so polite, no matter what, he gave himself enough face, and he couldn't be too rude.

He smiled faintly, and replied in a low voice: "The military situation is urgent, we cannot delay. Thank you, sir, for coming to pick me up."

Li Hong smiled and said: "You are a hero of Xiliang, of course you should take it." Then he turned his head and shouted at Li Su: "Master Li, come and meet Master Ma, don't you know each other?"

When Ma Teng saw Li Su, his anger erupted immediately. He smiled coldly, straightened his body, held his saber in his hand, and shouted loudly, "Mr. Ma Teng, I pay my respects to Mr. Li."

Li Hong was taken aback.This Ma Teng was indeed formidable, holding the saber in his hand, he spewed out murderous aura immediately.sharp.But looking at the posture, there is a festival between the two.

Ma Teng yelled loudly with his sword in his hand, not to mention lack of etiquette, even the most basic courtesy.

(End of this chapter)