Chapter 7 Chapter 6 Dilemma

We repelled the Snakeman's two consecutive attacks, and the army somewhat gained confidence. In addition, the weakness of the Snakeman was discovered. Even though it was broad daylight, the city was full of torches. However, Shen Xiping's death is still hanging on our heads like an ominous spell. In today's city defense battle, the vanguard battalion suffered heavy losses.Although the subsequent pursuit achieved some results, according to post-war statistics, the loss of the Imperial Army was about 60% to 40% compared to the Snakeman.In other words, six imperial soldiers were exchanged for the heads of four snakemen.If it is normal, defending the city like this, it is a big defeat.But the army was filled with bursts of joy, as if we had really won a big victory. Many middle and senior generals of the right army came to ask Marquis Wu for orders to attack the snake man at night, but Marquis Wu would not allow it. However, Marquis Wu ordered Shen Xiping's coffin to be moved back to the camp, and the whole army must mourn for Shen Xiping along the way.

Shen Xiping's body was supported by several surviving officers of the Longlin Army, Luan Peng, the deputy commander of the Right Route Army, was led forward, and Marquis Wu personally led the formation, and carried it to his original camp of the Right Route Army.It is common for generals to be killed in battle, and Shen Xiping himself must have known this fate.Along the way, we silently watched Shen Xiping's coffin being carried, and mourned for this famous brave general in our hearts. Imperial funerals are not grand, especially for soldiers.But the empire believed that the soul of a person is in the head, and if the head is lost, the soul cannot return, so Shen Xiping did not bury him, and Marquis Wu did not say when he would be buried, it just stopped there.Perhaps, Marquis Wu hoped to take back Shen Xiping's head after defeating the snake man, and bring it back to the imperial capital—but, before the tide of the snake man's offensive, this hope seemed to be a delusion.

When Shen Xiping's body was carried into the west of the city's Right Route Army defense area, there was a burst of cries from the Right Route Army. Shen Xiping's army, if compared with Lu Jingyu, is almost a typical example of corrupt military discipline. Even the other armies of the imperial army felt a headache when they saw the army under Shen Xiping's command.But the strange thing is that every time Shen Xiping went to battle, Shen Xiping's army, which was like a mass of loose sand, immediately had iron-like discipline, which was not inferior to Lu Jingyu's left army in the slightest.

Perhaps, the way to govern the army is not static, I thought with some emotion.Personally, I prefer Lu Jingyu's military strategy, but this does not detract from my respect for Shen Xiping. One day, I will also become a famous player.Watching Shen Xiping's coffin go away, I secretly swear in my heart. The forward battalion played the role of the backbone in today's defense of the city.In this battle of defending the city, the loss of the Vanguard Battalion was not too great, only more than 20 people were killed in battle.In my battalion, apart from Wang Dong, two soldiers were also killed.Of course, they did not enjoy the same honor as Shen Xiping. They were carried by the brothers in our camp and buried in an open space in the city.

It has become a cemetery for the war dead. On the side, the ashes of many civilians killed by the Republican Army and the massacre were randomly buried, and among them were the fallen soldiers of the Imperial Army. At least Shen Xiping's bones can return to his hometown, but you can't even return your bones to your hometown. I poured a jug of wine on the grave, but my heart couldn't help feeling sore. In front of the tomb, there are some simple wooden boards with the names of the people in the tomb written on them.In a few years, these planks will rot away, and at that time, no one will know who is buried inside.

I put the wine jug that had been poured aside, and led the remaining fifty-four people to kneel down.Nearby, several other centurions from the vanguard battalion were also burying the dead.I don't know who it was, sang the empire's funeral song "March of the Kingdom" in a deep voice, and almost everyone joined in. On the cemetery, like a faint thunder, it was the song of "Martyrdom of the Kingdom": Since the body is dead, it will be buried in Shanyang, How lofty the mountains are, how blue the sky is, There are trees in the mountains and sorrows in the country,

The soul comes back to look after the family. This is the song composed by Na Tingtian, who was the first hero in the founding of the country, and later revered as a military saint, in front of the "National Memorial Monument" on Huabiao Mountain in the imperial capital. It has become a funeral song in the army. There are only a few simple tones, but it seems to be overwhelming. However, when I sang "The Soul Comes Back, Looking Back at the Homeland", I faintly felt that there seemed to be infinite pain in it. Behind Tingtian's victories in all battles, there are also thousands of bones, right?In the twilight years of the military saint, do you also feel guilty for those who died in battle?The color of the country has changed, and what is exchanged is only a new dynasty and new ruler, but tens of thousands of people and soldiers will die in battle.What can those people get in exchange?Even though the government was peaceful and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment at the beginning of the Great Emperor's kingdom, is it really necessary to pay such a high price for this?

I couldn't help but feel a pain in my heart. Looking from a distance, the twilight is hazy, and another day is coming to an end. Back to his tent, ready to change the gauze around his waist.As soon as he reached the gate of the camp, he heard someone say: "General Chu!" That is Zhang Longyou. I turned my head and saw that he was wearing a long gown for joining the army, and suddenly he looked like a middle-ranking officer.He joined the army with a higher rank than me, and within a day he went from being a soldier in my battalion to being my commander. No matter how good-tempered I am, I am a little jealous.I wanted to pretend I didn't hear it, but Zhang Longyou had already come over, came to me and gave a big gift, saying: "General Chu, Zhang Longyou pays my respects."

His salute was too big, it was done by a subordinate to a superior, I was taken aback and said: "Mr. Zhang, you are welcome, now you have a higher rank than me, I should salute to you." Zhang Longyou said: "Long You dare not forget General Chu's great kindness. If there was no General, I would have been beheaded by De Yang yesterday. How would I be today?" I was startled again.His rank in the army is equal to that of Tokuyo, but he is already a member of the shogunate, so it is not difficult to make trouble with Tokuyo.I said, "Don't blame Lord Deyang..."

He laughed and said, "Of course I won't blame Mr. Deyang, General Chu, please rest assured." Although he reassured me, I didn't dare to really feel relieved.I said, "Mr. Zhang, are you coming back to pack your things?" I asked him to move his things to my camp, but he hasn't moved here yet, and he's going to Marquis Wu's place soon. Zhang Longyou said: "I have some alchemy furnaces and medicines that need to be moved there." "Has the lord not given you guards yet?" He said: "Not yet, but the prince said that he will send a guard to me tomorrow."

I said, "I'll accompany you to get things." He couldn't help but turn his head and said to Qi Lie, "Xiao Lie, you can boil some water for me when you go back to the camp, and I'll go with Mr. Zhang and come back." Zhang Longyou said: "General Chu, you should not call me Mr. Zhang, just call me Zhang Longyou." I laughed and said, "How dare you dare." Deyang's supply battalion and vanguard battalion were originally in one big battalion.Walking into the baggage camp, one could hear the cries of women. They were kidnapped women who were temporarily detained here.Those women were all locked in big wooden cages, and they all looked unkempt and dull.In fact, these women are all beauties selected in a hundred, and only beauties can live to this day. When I walked past those women, I couldn't bear it, so I could only pretend that I didn't hear anything, and just walked by.Zhang Longyou also seemed a little unbearable, and murmured: "When the two armies are fighting, the most miserable people are ordinary people." I was almost taken aback when the words came out of his mouth.Just as he was about to reply, he hurried over. His original camp was already burned and full of holes.As soon as Zhang Longyou walked to the tent, a soldier from the supply battalion asked, "Zhang Dai, why are you back?" Seeing me following him, he couldn't help being startled.Zhang Longyou just smiled and said: "Take something." Another soldier beside him said in a low voice: "Don't talk nonsense, he joined the army in front of the Junhou, and is on the same level as our Lord Deyang." The two soldiers watched with awe as I followed Zhang Longyou into the dilapidated tent.They probably thought that my military rank was lower than that of Zhang Longyou, maybe I was used by Zhang Longyou to handle affairs.In fact, a centurion is one rank lower than joining the army, but the vanguard battalion is special, and no one can command it except Marquis Wu himself. As soon as he entered Zhang Longyou's original camp, a soldier who was half lying on the bed turned over and said, "Master Zhang..." In his busy schedule, he must have heard the conversation outside.Zhang Longyou said: "Xiao Zhu, it's nothing, I'll get something, you go to sleep." Where did that little Zhu dare to sleep, she was already standing aside.The fate of life is also really wonderful, two days ago, Zhang Longyou was still in this camp, maybe he was shouted and shouted by their idiots, but once he was appreciated by Marquis Wu, it seemed that he suddenly became dignified. Zhang Longyou doesn't have many things, just a few oddly shaped stoves and pots, and two bags of sand.I picked up a stove, only to see that the bottom of the stove was also burnt black, and there was a broken pot beside it that had exploded.I tidied it up, carried it in one hand, and said, "Are you ready?" Zhang Longyou was carrying the two bags of things on his back, and said: "Okay, okay, there is nothing else." In the baggage camp, there are quite a few small carts.After borrowing a car and putting the things on it, I helped him pull the car and walked out of the baggage camp side by side.I suddenly felt a little silly.It seems that Zhang Longyou is not the kind of person who will be unfavorable to De Yang. Even if he has the intention of revenge, he may not do anything. I am also paranoid.But since I said I want to help Zhang Longyou get things, I can't escape halfway.I said, "Mr. Zhang..." Zhang Longyou said: "Come again, General Chu, don't call me Mr." I said: "Okay, Zhang Longyou, what do you want those stoves for?" Zhang Longyou said: "That's the pill furnace. I'm a disciple of the Shangqing Danding Sect." The Shangqing Danding School is the school that Zhen Guizi, one of the two great national teachers, belongs to.In the past, Master Tianji's sect didn't believe in this kind of smelting, and believed that the alchemy should be made from the human body, and the alchemy formula was the right way, so they were called the "Qingxu Tuna School".Zhenguizi happened to be the complete opposite of Master Tianji. His school thought that he could make elixir by burning it, and after taking it, he could ascend in the daytime.Over the years, although the two factions of national teachers did not fight like a villain in the street, they could not stop fighting in secret.But in the past hundred years, although the mages of the Qingxu Tuna Sect have not risen in daylight, the great mages of generations have lived to their senior years, and they can all be regarded as adults.However, there are very few mages of the Danding School of the Shangqing who have lived past the age of forty, and now few people believe in it.Since Master Tianji was crowned Prince Shaobao, the Danding School of the Shangqing Dynasty has gradually declined, and the Qingxu Tuna School has become unified in the court.If it wasn't for the fact that today's emperor wants to let Zhen Guizi enter the elixir from time to time to strengthen essence and cultivate vitality, this Shangqing alchemy and cauldron sect might have perished. I said: "I'm sorry, you are a member of the legal system. Then why did you join the army?" Zhang Longyou said: "The elixir I make is cinnabar, which is rare in the north and east, and it comes from the southern border. I heard that you are going to go south, so I came here." I smiled and said, "Alchemy? Do you want to become a fairy?" Zhang Longyou shook his head and said: "I don't believe that. My master once wanted me to be the next generation of mages, but I don't want to." I said: "If you don't believe me, why would you join the Danding School of the Qing Dynasty?" Zhang Longyou said: "I like the tripod vessel of the Danding School very much. I think there must be some mysteries passed down from ancient times in it, but we know it but don't know why. I want to study this way, maybe." Speaking of this, his face was a little bright, as if he was a little excited, and said: "Maybe, in the future, I, Zhang Longyou, will make a name for this in history." Although it is impolite to laugh out loud now, I still couldn't hold back and laughed out loud with a "puchi".He didn't care. I felt a little bit sorry for myself, so I changed the subject and said, "What were you doing yesterday to make such a loud noise?" Zhang Longyou said: "What happened yesterday, yesterday I wanted to smelt the Wucai Pill, but I accidentally let the open flame enter the Weiji Furnace and it caught fire all at once." I frowned and said, "Is it that loud?" Zhang Longyou said: "The Wucai Pill is to be kept in the furnace. I didn't seal it properly, and an open flame went in, so the furnace exploded. Fortunately, I only made 20 Wucai Pills, and the furnace just burst, and nothing happened. Blow it up, otherwise you don’t need Lord Deyang to kill me, I myself would have been blown to death long ago.” "Can the five talents pill kill people?" Zhang Longyou said: "Yes. I have an uncle who was killed by Wucai Pill at the beginning. He made five hundred pills in one furnace, and in the end half the room was blown up." I stopped, and said, "Is this Wucai pill so powerful? How did you make it? Is it easy to make?" Zhang Longyou saw that I stopped, there was a "clang clang" in the car, and he said anxiously: "Be careful, be careful of my pill furnace." I said, "Quickly tell me, what is it made of?" Zhang Longyou was a little puzzled and said: "It is a kind of pill made by adding sulfur, nitrate and honey with plant ash, and several kinds of herbs. It can cure food accumulation. What's wrong?" I said, "How long will it take to refine that thing?" Zhang Longyou supported the car, looked at me with some doubts, and said, "General Chu, do you want to make alchemy?" I'm in a hurry.This piece of Longyou belongs to mother-in-law at this time, I said: "I don't want to make alchemy. Tell me quickly, how long will it take to make the five-talent pill?" "Seven days." I almost fell to the ground.It takes seven days to practice such a little thing?After seven days, I'm afraid that the snake man has broken through the city and entered.I was a little dejected, and said, "That's too late." Zhang Longyou said: "Do you want to use it in battle?" Zhang Longyou was called "idiot" and "idiot" by them, but I found him very sensitive.I said: "Yes, you said that twenty pills have such great power. If you refine more and throw them out during the battle, wouldn't it be extremely powerful? It's just that you said it would take seven days to refine, I'm afraid it's too difficult." Zhang Longyou said: "You only want the kind of medicine that will burn when touched by fire? The one that doesn't need to be refined is suitable." What he said made me both surprised and happy. I put the car on the ground and said, "How is it matched? Tell me quickly." Zhang Longyou shouted: "Be careful with my alchemy stove!" He supported the cart and said, "I made it myself. You only need to grind sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal powder to very fine, and then use one portion of charcoal powder, one portion of sulfur Six parts each of nitrate and nitrate, just mix them together. But you have to be careful when you grind it, don't get it on the iron utensils." I said: "Great, you can make a copy for me right away." Zhang Longyou's camp is still very simple.He didn't dare to grind it in the camp, so he just gave me a catty of sulfur powder and nitrate powder, and said, "You can grind the charcoal powder yourself. Be careful, this kind of medicine is very powerful. It will burn." I took the two packs of heavy medicine powder and said, "Zhang Longyou, Mr. Zhang, if this medicine is really effective, you will make another first achievement." He said: "Don't think too easily, those are powders, they will be blown away by the wind, they are of no great use." I smiled and said, "I have my own uses." When I walked out of his tent, I turned my head and said to him, "Have you ever named this medicine?" Zhang Longyou was holding the alchemy furnace, he raised his head and said: "This kind of medicine will cause fire, I call it gunpowder." Back at the Qianfeng camp tent, I had just entered when Qi Lie said, "General Chu, you are back, General Lu is looking for you." I put the two packs of medicine powder aside and said, "What's the matter?" Qi Lie said: "It seems that there is something important to discuss. He confessed that you will go to his camp as soon as you come back." Is there something urgent?I was a little worried, so I turned around and left the tent.When going out, he turned around and said to Qi Lie: "Xiao Lie, find charcoal for me, grind it into powder, the finer the better. Get about a catty." Qi Lie was a little baffled, and said, "What do you want that for?" I didn't explain, so I walked towards Lu Gongxing's tent. Lu Gongxing summoned us at this time, what will happen? The snake people don't know when they will attack again, and the vanguard battalion is responsible for the defense of Marquis Wu of the Chinese army.Perhaps, Lu Gongxing was preparing for the next step. As soon as they arrived at Lu Gongxing's tent, they were still at the door, and Pu Anli shouted: "No way! Our vanguard battalion would rather die in battle than retreat!" His voice was loud, but a little out of breath.I was a little surprised, opened the curtain and went in. Lu Gongxing's camp was as big as ours, and there were already sixteen centurions sitting in it including Lu Gongxing, which was a bit crowded. Pu Anli was standing, his face flushed. Lu Gongxing nodded when he saw me coming in, but he still said to Pu Anli: "General Pu, act according to circumstances, not to show weakness to the enemy. Our army does not have enough food and grass to send troops this time. If we are now trapped in an isolated city, we can only Sit and wait. I think the most urgent thing is to retreat for the time being and give the empty city of Gaojiu to the Snakeman, and then we will regroup and fight the Snakeman again." I whispered to the centurion of the Seventh Battalion, Qian Wenyi, who was also a commoner, said, "What's wrong?" Qian Wenyi said in a low voice: "Lu Tongzhi wants to report to Marquis Wu and asks to withdraw troops, and wants to ask all the centurions of the Qianfeng Battalion for their opinions." Although I don't have much say in military affairs, I feel that in this situation, I really can't fight with the Snake Man, and I am in favor of withdrawing troops. Pu Anli said: "Although food and grass are not a trivial matter, we can send people out to guard food. Now that the snake men are approaching the city, we can still defend in the city. If we don't defeat them, we will retreat. If they follow up, won't the whole army be wiped out?" " Although Pu Anli was rude and illiterate, he was right.If we leave Gaojiu City, if the Snake Man chases us up, we may have little chance of winning. Lu Gongxing said: "Although General Pu's words are not unreasonable, but I have already thought about it. Snake people are afraid of fire. If the rear army sets up fire barriers along the way, snake people will not dare to approach. Alright, generals, let's go up Let's vote by hand, how many people agree to a decisive battle with the snake man in the city?" Pu Anli raised his hand and said: "Brothers, if we retreat at this time, the reputation of the Qianfeng Battalion's invincibility will be ruined in our hands. When we go back, how can we face the senior generals?" His words were a little bewitching, and five or six hands were raised.But there are seventeen people in total, which is a minority.Lu Gongxing said: "Since this is the case, the majority are in favor of retreating. I will report to Marquis Wu, and the Qianfeng Battalion agrees to withdraw." Pu Anli sat down resentfully.At this time, Lao Guoji, the centurion of the Thirteenth Battalion, said: "Lu Tuanzhi, I don't agree to fight with the Snake Man in the city, but I also don't agree to withdraw immediately." Lu Gongxing frowned and said, "General Lao, what's your opinion?" Lao Guoji was my senior brother in the first five military schools.Among his graduates, he was one of the four outstanding students known as "Earth Fire Water Wind".Among them, "Huo", "Shui", and "Feng" are all descendants of aristocratic families. After graduation, they all started as small military officers in the court. Now they are all middle-level generals in the Marquis Wen army. , because of his low birth, although he is old and prudent, he is a bit too prudent, and he joined Wuhou's army, and now he has only been promoted to a centurion.However, Feng Feng commented in the Qianfeng Battalion that among the twenty centurions, only those who are wise and brave are worthy of great use. Except for Lu Gongxing, there is Lao Guoji. Like Pu Anli and me, there is only one brave and foolish Feng. review.Lu Gongxing also listened to what Lao Guoji said. Lao Guoji said: "Lu Tongzhi, I also feel that it is unnecessary and unwise to compete with the snake people for the gains and losses of this city. But at this time, as I told General Pu, we can't retreat. It is not good to retreat. In addition to explaining to the people of the country, if those snake people follow and chase, it is really a very annoying thing. This matter really needs to be discussed in the long run." I'm kind of amused.His "planning in the long run" is really ambiguous, how can he think in the long run now?Lu Gongxing said: "In that case, let's see again, how many people agree to retreat now?" "Hula la" for a while, ten hands were raised, and I raised my hand too.Lu Gongxing said: "Okay, ten people agree to retreat, six people oppose, and one person makes a long-term plan. Since this is the case, from today onwards, the Qianfeng Battalion agrees to withdraw troops, and I will report to the princes, and everyone will go back to rest and be ready to face the snake man's attack at any time. .” Pu Anli stood up and walked out of the camp with his group.At the door, he turned his head and spat at us, saying: "Coward! Pu Anli is such a good man, I am ashamed to be with you!" Although his official position is under Lu Gongxing, his father is also a famous general, so Lu Gongxing can't say much.Everyone walked out, and I was about to leave, Lu Gongxing said: "General Chu, please stay." After everyone dispersed, Lu Gongxing said to me: "General Chu, you can accompany me to see Marquis Wu." I was a little worried, and said: "General Lu, I am only a centurion, and I have no right to ask to see the prince." Lu Gongxing said: "It's okay, just walk with me." We took two horses, and the two of us marched side by side to the camp of the Chinese army of Marquis Wu.Lu Gongxing said suddenly: "General Chu, thank you for supporting me, I thought you would oppose the retreat." I said: "If there is a chance of winning, I also think that we should defeat them before withdrawing our troops, but now it seems that even if the snake people are afraid of fire, it is too difficult for us to attack them with fire." In my mind, I was still thinking about Zhang Longyou's gunpowder.Snake people are afraid of fire, and gunpowder may be their nemesis.But I haven't tried it. With my humble official position, I really dare not talk about major military affairs. Lu Gongxing looked up at the sky, and said, "Pu Anli's thinking is too simple. It seems that once he finds out that snake people are afraid of fire, he will surely win. In fact, the rainy season in southern Xinjiang is coming soon." rainy season! These two words hit my heart like a hammer.Indeed, southern Xinjiang is not like an imperial capital, and there is a lot of rain after the beginning of spring.When we sent troops in winter, there was not much rain along the way. We besieged Gaojiu City for two months, and it didn't rain a lot. In the past few days when the Snakemen attacked, there wasn't a single drop of rain.But once it enters the rainy season, there will be continuous rain in southern Xinjiang. It is said that there will be two or three months in a row. At that time, how can we use fire to attack?I'm afraid they can't even set up a fire barrier when they retreat.No wonder Lu Gongxing was thinking of retreating, now is really the last chance for the whole division to retreat. I said, "Then why didn't you tell them clearly?" He smiled wryly, and said: "With the current morale, how can we talk about this matter again? Marquis Wu must have noticed it, I have seen it in his expression, he has the intention to retreat. But, I don't know if he is willing to let go of the victorious battle. With the false name, retreat as soon as possible, otherwise, I am afraid that I will not be able to retreat even if I want to." I am silent.Indeed, the situation is also like a rainstorm, and I really don't know how to take the next step.I don't know where to throw the little confidence in gunpowder just now. When I arrived at the tent of the Chinese army, I waited outside, and Lu Gong went in to report to Marquis Wu.When he came out, he was dejected.I said, "What did you say?" He sighed and said, "Your Majesty does not agree to withdraw the troops." I said: "Yes. For Junhou, General Shen Xiping's head is still under the orders of the enemy. How do you ask him to explain to the people of the country when he goes back?" Lu Gongxing sighed deeply, and said: "This is probably the reason. But if we don't retreat early, I'm afraid more people will die in battle. Those soldiers who died on the battlefield can't even leave a name. Who do their families ask for an explanation?" He jumped on his horse and walked forward in silence.The setting sun is in the sky, but the clouds are densely arranged in the sky. The soft armor is attached to the body, and the early spring is still a bit cold, and the leather is also a bit hard, but it does not hinder the movement of the hands and feet. I wound the long rope around the battlements, put down one end, and said, "Look at it." Qi Lie whispered: "General Chu, are you really going? Does your injury get in the way?" I pressed my waist and said, "It's okay." I also used some Wangyou fruit powder from the medical officer on my waist.The doctor said that Wangyou fruit powder should not be used too much, but it has a miraculous effect on pain relief. Except for a little stiffness in the waist, there is no other discomfort. If Shen Xiping's head cannot be brought back, Marquis Wu would rather have his entire army wiped out than retreat.Although I'm not reconciled, I also know that at most we'll be trapped in the isolated city, and if we want to fight back against the Snake Man and defeat it, the hope is too slim.Now, I'm afraid there is only this way, so that Marquis Wu can have a step down. Only in this way can the nearly 100,000 imperial troops return to the imperial capital. Qi Lie said: "I will go too." I lowered my face and said: "Nonsense, that's a matter of narrow escape, you will only get in the way if you go." Since I was traveling lightly, I only brought a Baipi knife and a pack of freshly made gunpowder.I didn't have time to try it after it was prepared, so I don't know if it will work or not.I pulled the rope, tested the strength, grasped the rope with both hands, and hung on the city wall. It was the waning moon, and the sky was too dark to see anything clearly.On the top of the city, there are a few torch lights, which are soldiers patrolling at night.Although the snake man never attacked at night, Marquis Wu did not dare to take it lightly.This area is the defense area of ​​the forward battalion, and it happens to be the night patrol of the fifth battalion tonight. When I went down to the city, I suddenly felt confused.I looked at Qi Lie, he seemed to think that I would die, with a mournful face.I scolded: "Xiao Lie, don't put on that face, as if I'm doomed." Qi Lie smiled wryly and said, "General, be careful." There is a land three feet wide between the moat and the city wall.During the day, an attack by the Snakeman caused pits and pits everywhere at the base of the city wall, and a lot of stones were piled up.I put the rope to the bottom, stepped on the soil with my foot, kicked hard, and the person was thrown out like a pebble tied to a long rope, while putting the rope out in my hand.Seeing that I had crossed the moat, I let go of the rope in my hand and fell to the ground without a sound. If it weren't for this kind of time, I would be a little proud of my ability to be as light as a swallow, but of course it's not easy to praise myself now.I looked back, and the rope was being pulled back, and Qi Lie must have known that I had crossed the moat.It just looked like the long rope was swimming up the city wall like a snake. I told him that before dawn, regardless of the success or failure of the matter, I will definitely come back. At that time, he will shoot the rope with an arrow so that I can grab it and climb up to the city.I didn't tell him what to do if he couldn't come back. Wish me luck.I looked up at the sky, and the waning moon had reached the horizon, and the night was getting dark.This kind of weather is the most suitable for stealing the camp, but the imperial army probably no one dares to steal the snake man's camp now. The snake man's camp is two miles away.When attacking during the day, they set up a temporary camp seven or eight hundred steps away from the city. When I walked past that camp, I only saw a mess everywhere. Shen Xiping's right army was not strict in military discipline, but it was not chaotic. Like this. Erli is not very long.After this land, there is a large forest.It is rare in southern Xinjiang to have such a large flat land in front of Gaojiu City, so the first generation of city lords chose to build the city here, if someone attacked, they would be able to see it from a distance.There are some cities in southern Xinjiang, surrounded by dense forests on three sides. We have fought several ambushes, and we often have not felt a little bit in the city.When I got to the forest, I turned my head and took a look at Gaojiu City. Under the dim light of stars and moon, I could only see a faint outline, which seemed quiet and serene.For some reason, a sudden sadness came to my heart. Am I really going to never come back? I lowered my head and walked forward. For some reason, when I feel sad, I think not of my parents, not of my brothers in the army, but of that woman. That girl playing the pipa I met once at the Marquis Wu Banquet. In the woods, the moonlight was even darker, and it was impossible to see anything clearly.There was only a whitish trace on that road. I walked forward carefully, but I still couldn't help bumping a little.After walking for a while, suddenly there was some light ahead. The sound of early worms was buzzing in my ears like boiling.I pulled away a branch, and suddenly, I heard some soft voices behind me. someone! I jumped up and grabbed a thick branch above my head, and I turned over and squatted on the branch.The series of movements were silent, and even I was a little proud of myself. I just squatted down, someone whispered: "What is it?" As if in response to his voice, a bird of some kind flew up beside me with a "hoo".Even though the man's voice was very soft, I could tell right away that it was Qin Quan. Qin Quan, the outpost officer of the Dragonscale Army. Someone beside him said, "It's Ye Xiao." The voice of that person could not be heard, it must be someone from the Dragon Scale Army. They also want to steal Shen Xiping's head, right?I hope they succeed, it saves me the risk. Qin Quan suddenly said: "How can there be fire in the snake camp?" I suddenly remembered.I didn't think about it at all just now, I just thought that there must be torches in the camp, but snake people are afraid of fire, so how could there be the light of torches? On top of them, I just feel a little worried. The man said: "Don't worry about that, let's go." They have moved forward gently. There were five of them in total, Qin Quan and that person were the leaders, and the last three followed behind them. Should they be called? I was hesitating, Qin Quan and the others had already reached the edge of the snake camp.I was about to catch up, when suddenly, two black shadows fell behind them. That's the snake man! Qin Quan and the others immediately noticed it too. Just as the two walking behind turned their heads, two snake men who jumped from the tree had already wrapped their necks around their necks. From such a distance, I could also hear their painful sounds, but soon there was the sound of bones breaking.I can almost see that the green torso of the Snake Man was tightly wrapped around their necks like a thick rope, tightening inch by inch until the neck broke. That is the battalion patrol of the snake people.There was a chill on my back like a caterpillar crawled across it.These snake people even sent patrol soldiers, are they still domesticated beasts?That's almost human. Qin Quan walked in the front, he drew out his knife with a "choke", and rushed towards the snake man, maybe he wanted to rescue people from under the bodies of the two snake men.The two snake men were also carrying knives. When Qin Quan rushed in front of them, one of the snake man's sabers had slammed down. Qin Quan didn't seem to dare to touch the knife head-on. The man turned sideways and jumped up suddenly. The man grabbed a branch above his head, kicked backwards, and his body rolled up, and he stood on the branch. The motion was similar to what I had just done, except that the branch he was grasping was lower than mine, and therefore faster.Presumably, Qin Quan wanted to escape from those snake men. Indeed, the escape route has been blocked, so the only option is to survive. The snake man didn't expect Qin Quan to have such a trick, he looked at him a little blankly, and didn't even come forward.At this time, a few more snakemen rushed out from the camp, and the other two soldiers of the Dragon Scale Army who came with them took a step back. One of them was almost split from the shoulder to the waist by the snakeman, and let out a long, miserable cry. Call.Hearing this sound, Qin Quan's hand holding onto the branch slowed down. He was jumping backwards from the branch, but he was slow, and the snake man stood upright and slashed at Qin Quan's vest with a knife. Standing upright, the snake man was as tall as three people, and the snake man even grabbed a branch with one hand, and he was taller than Qin Quan all of a sudden.Qin Quan was slow for a while, the knife hit his back heart, he was about to use the power of the branch to jump out, but was chopped down like a stone by this knife, and fell heavily on the ground. The snake man had fallen to the ground, and his lower body was on the ground, so he was almost as tall as a person again.It swam over and grabbed Qin Quan's foot.Qin Quan was stabbed in the back, but the man was still struggling. The snake man's knife pressed on his back and cut it hard. Qin Quan let out a shrill cry.The knife was broad and big, like a meat-cutting knife in a kitchen. It cut through his soft armor and sank into his back. Qin Quan's back was opened like a bag.The snake man reached into Qin Quan's body with his left hand and felt inside. Qin Quan just kept twitching at this moment. The snake man found a round object in his body and threw it into his mouth. There was a "hum" in my head. That snake man actually ate Qin Quan's heart!Under the very faint moonlight leaking through the woods, only black liquid could be seen dripping from the corner of the snake man's mouth. In Gaojiu City, I already knew that snake people can eat people, and even the Republican Army eventually also cannibalized people, but this is the first time I have seen such bloody cannibalism.I bit my lip, trying not to howl. The snake man chewed for a while, then dragged Qin Quan's body and swam out. The five Dragon Scale Army almost didn't even have the time to fight back, and the entire army was wiped out, almost in an instant. The snake men quietly retreated back to the camp, dragging five mutilated corpses without making a sound, with only a faint smell of blood left around. At this time, there was no snake man around.Perhaps, it was Qin Quan and the others who were killed, and those snake men thought that no one would come again, and their defenses were lax. The sky is already a little bright, if I don't hurry up, then I won't have a chance.And this opportunity can be said to be bought by Qin Quan and the other five with their lives. I gritted my teeth, turned over and jumped off the branch.walk forward. I didn't dare to walk on the road like Qin Quan again. I walked close to the tree with almost every step, trying not to make a sound. The snake people's tents were messy and there were no fences, but those tents looked exactly like the imperial army's.When I got closer, I realized that the lights of those torches were actually just pine lights, very weak lights, and I don't know what to do with them. Maybe, the snake people are afraid of burning fierce fire, but in the morning when the snake people attacked, Zhang Longyou set fire to a snake person. Although the fire was very big, it was far away from other snake people. Why were they so scared? escape? Even though I couldn't figure it out, I had to let the question go. In front of the tent of the snake man, there was not even a shadow of the snake man.The whole camp seemed to be dead. After the few patrolling snake men entered, they seemed to be swallowed up, and there was no more sound. Do you want to go in? Just now, the death of Qin Quan and the others still made me palpitate, making me rush in rashly, I was really hesitant.蛇人的营帐看似平静，谁知里面是什么样子。 天已快亮了，天边已微微透出些曙色，可是月亮已西斜，头顶的天空却更黑暗了。这是黎明前最黑暗的一刻。 蛇人营帐中，死一般寂静。 按经验，如果这么安静的话，要么军纪严到无以复加，要么就是个空营了。 我当然不会相信蛇人一下逃光了，但如此寂静，不免古怪。我小心翼翼，努力不发出一点声音。 挂着沈西平头颅的旗杆在大营正中。那旗杆高得很，竖在一个很大的架子上，真不知蛇人怎么做出这些东西来。旗杆上，那面大旗正迎风招展，天太暗了，上面的图案也看不清。 我看了看四周，还是没一点声音。我在旗杆下伸手摸了摸。上面有一根很粗的绳子，那是悬着旗的绳子吧，因为旗子被风鼓足了，绳子也绷得笔直。 我小心地抽出百辟刀，压在绳子上，轻轻一挑，绳子一下断了。 可是，并不是我相象的那样，是沈西平的人头掉下来，却是那面旗子呼啦啦地带着风，直往下坠。 我呆住了，暗骂自己的愚蠢。缚住人头和旗子的，绝不会是一根绳子，我却割断了那根系着旗的绳子。我一跃而起，抓住那截正被下坠的大旗带得疾升的绳头，一把攥下来。 哪知我不抓还好，一抓住，旗竿顶上的滑轮发出刺耳的“吱呀”的声音，几乎像是一支极糟糕的鼓乐队在三更半夜吹奏。我刚把绳头胡乱在旗竿上一缚，刚才寂静如死的蛇人阵营发出了一阵喧哗，夹杂着一些生硬的帝国语，有个声音喊着：“有人来夺旗！” 我不由失笑。蛇人那面怪模怪样的旗，我要来做什么？何况那么笨重，带了也逃不出蛇人阵营的。可是我还没笑出声来，一根长枪“呼”一声飞过来，直射向我的面门。 好厉害的投枪！ 我也不由吃了一惊。沈西平的投枪，自然也有那么大的力量，但蛇人中平平常常的一个士兵，投出的枪竟然也有这种威力。 我让过枪头，一把握住枪尾，刚要用力回夺，却只觉那枪上附着一股极大的力量，我用力不是太大，那枪柄在我掌中一下脱手而出，“当”一声，正击在旗竿的石座上。石座上火星四射，那枝枪的枪尖，竟有一半没入了石中。 那些一个个营帐中，蛇人正纷纷钻出来。蛇人于人当然不会有衣冠不整之感，可看着那些蛇人从帐中游出来，我还是不禁发毛。 这时，蛇人已在旗杆着围成了一个大圈。有几个持长枪的蛇人向我扑了过来，刚才那蛇人一枪击空，也不知从哪里又取过一枝长枪，七八个蛇人同时冲向我。 走投无路了。 我第一个念头便是如此。如果落到蛇人手里，也会象秦权一样被掏出心脏来么？ 不由我胡思乱想，一枝长枪已刺向我胸口，身后，几个蛇人也向我刺来。 不论如何，坐已待毙我总不肯，就算死也要拉几个垫背。我把百辟刀交到左手，右手一边抓住那支枪枪头下，人靠着长枪踏上几步，靠近了那蛇人，那枪已被我夹在胁下，左手的刀在手中转了个圈，一刀斩落。 那个蛇人一点没料到我居然会如此做法，这已等如玩命之徒。它的双手还抓在枪上，这枝枪已被我卷住了，要是它把枪拉进怀里，那等若把我也拉过去，让我那一刀的力量更大。 蛇人大概不那么聪明，可这些一定也知道。 这时，我与那蛇人靠得很近，我甚至可以看见那蛇人嘴角淌下的一些血，也不知刚才吃过些什么。我大吼一声，一刀劈向它的头顶。 可能这是我最后一刀吧，这一刀斩死它，身后蛇人的那些长枪一定会把我刺个对穿的。但此时我已什么也不管了，就算死前，也要杀掉一个。 那蛇人的眼里，还是冷漠之极。忽然，我只觉身体一轻，整个人竟然飞了起来。 那个蛇人居然将枪抬了起来。 我挂在枪头上，人一下离地而起，手中的百辟刀已是劈了个空，身后那几枝长枪却也从我脚下刺过。 那蛇人的力量，的确是惊人之极。 我心知若只挂在枪头上，那已成了任人宰割的地步了。这时那枪已抬得举过了那蛇人的头顶，忽然一松，人便往下掉，那个蛇人看样子也力量用尽了。 如果落到地上，那定是不等我明白过来便会被斩成肉泥的。我眼角向下瞟了一眼，刚才攻击我身后的那几个蛇人的枪还没收回去，我已看准了，手一松，人跳了下来。 身后那几枝长枪正交叉在一起，我一踩在那几枝枪的交叉点上，那几个蛇人一定也吃了一惊。我只觉脚下忽然又是被抬起，也不等它们发力，猛地一跳，便跳向那旗杆。 那旗杆离我并不远，但此时我哪里能看得很准，这一跳，并没有对得很准，偏了有一两尺。眼看要从那旗杆左边掠过，我伸长了右手，拼命想抓着旗杆，忽然，指尖触到那根我刚才胡乱绑在旗杆上的绳子，我一把抓住，右手已飞快地转了两转，那绳子已在我手腕上围了几圈，此时，我的人已掠过了旗杆，但右手已抓住了绳子，人已荡了回来。 我把百辟刀咬在了嘴里，等人荡回来，左手一把扶住旗杆。这根足有我手臂那么粗的旗杆，此时只觉坚实异常。我的左手一扶住，左脚尖一下点住旗杆，右手已转了几圈，把那绳子收紧了一些。 终于攀到旗杆上了。 我手脚并用，拼命向上爬去，只听得下面发出了一阵惊呼，头顶却也“吱呀吱呀”地响，却是那杆旗，绳子松了后正往下滑。 那旗一定份量很重，我在向上爬时，也感觉那旗子正坠着我的手，倒似有人在拉着我一般，让我爬时轻易一些。 爬到一半时，那旗子已黑压压地正悬在我头顶，被风吹得直往外鼓，“哗哗”作响。我一把抓住，左手从嘴里取下刀来，正想将绳子割断，却听得下面又是一阵惊呼，扭头一看，下面黑压压的已全是蛇人，一个个抬着头，呆呆地向上看着我，也不知有多少。 白天看来，不过有点令人害怕，现在看来，却更令人觉得诡异。