Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

It is rare that there is no war, and it is a sunny day, looking up at the boundless blue sky, as wide as a dome, bathed in the slight spring breeze, a rare joy fills the whole body.Wang Jian took a deep breath of the air that was temporarily free of gunpowder smoke, and said to himself: If there is no war, lying on the ground and looking at the blue sky will be another kind of happiness!But he immediately laughed at his unrealistic thoughts. After all, this was just a moment of relaxation before the war. He had a hunch that in a few days, he would probably have a real fight with Huang Chao's main force.

Qin Zongquan handed over an elite team to his confidant Wang Shu. The deputy generals of this elite team happened to be Han Jian and Li Jian who had rescued him in Xuzhou Prison.Originally, Wang Jian could also have a prominent position in the army, but he must return to the old Zhongwu Department and serve under Yang Fuguang's command.Seeing Wang Jian's insistence on this, Jin Hui and Zhou Dequan naturally followed him.Yang Fuguang may have been moved by the persistence of these old generals, so Wang Jian and Jin Hui still led their old troops. Ever since Wang Jian came back, Zhang Jie was as excited as a child, and kept following mynah all the time, for fear that they would be separated again.Zhang Jie used to live in the neighboring village of Wangjian. When he was a child, he didn't have a regular job. He did everything from robbing houses.Once, he was hanged from a tree and beaten to death for stealing from a big family.Just happened to be met by Wang Jian, so he exchanged the spare money he brought for Zhang Jie's life.Later, when Zhang Jie's father passed away, it was Wang Jian who borrowed money to help him bury his father.From then on, Zhang Jie was grateful to Wang Jian, and followed the starling to the rivers and lakes with all his heart.

At this time, Yang Fuguang stationed a group of elite Zhongwu army and Caizhou army led by Wang Shu in the southwest of Xuzhou, waiting for a fierce battle with the Nanyang defenders.In the army, there are neat military tents everywhere, and soldiers gather in twos and threes to repair weapons or exercise their bodies.Wang Jian led Zhang Jie to shuttle among them, and from time to time, he met the familiar old department to say hello to him.Not far away, a very young soldier was sitting with his back against the wooden village, wiping his saber.Wang Jian stopped in front of him and asked, "Is the weapon still sharp?"

The soldier hurriedly stood up: "Mr. Hui, it is enough to kill a handful of thieves!" "What weapon do you use well?" "Knife!" The soldier handed the saber to Wang Jian with both hands.The moment he shot, Wang Jian saw a deep cut on his right arm.Then he reached out and touched his healed wound, and asked, "Does it still hurt?" The soldier grinned: "What is this? There is no harm in war!" Wang Jian suddenly noticed something, and said to the soldier, "Untie your clothes." It's hot!" Wang Jian took a step forward and yanked open the soldier's skirt—suddenly, dozens of scars came into view.Wang Jian was shocked: This person in front of him is absolutely a master of life!There are not a few soldiers with scars on their bodies, but this man has a knife wound on his chest, which shows that he always faces him in hand-to-hand combat.After all, this is his soldier, his brother!Wang Jian asked with some distress: "Don't you use a shield?"

The soldier shook his head: "Going into battle is to kill the enemy, and those things get in the way." Zhang Jie on the side laughed: "Okay! He's a man with the same temperament as my old Zhang!" Wang Jian patted the soldier on the shoulder, turned around and walked away.After walking a few steps, he turned around again and saw the soldier standing there watching him, he couldn't help but ask, "What's your name?" "Hua Hong." "Hua Hong..." Wang Jian nodded while repeating, "I remember you! Work hard!" Wang Jian and Zhang Jie continued to move forward.Passing around a group of military strongholds, I saw a group of soldiers surrounded inside and outside, and the sound of applause came from inside and outside.Wang Jian pushed aside the crowd on the outer layer, and saw two pawns in the innermost layer holding their arms.It was already spring, and it was warm and cold, and the two of them undressed and tied their waists, sweating barebacked.On one of the stone slabs, the two knelt down facing north and south, holding each other's wrists.The men on the north side were more powerful, and after a stalemate, they won.Seeing this, Wang Jian cheered and shouted: "What strength!" The victorious man stood up and tightened his clothes around his waist, but he was not afraid of Wang Jian: "Don't stand and talk, Wang Junhou, how dare you compete with me? "Wang Jian looked at the man, and saw that he was tall and tall, with sparse hair on his chest and two sides. Looking up, there was a slight beard on his lips, and his face looked immature, no more than a child of twenty years old.Wang Jian asked, "What's your name and how old are you?"

The man patted his chest: "My father's surname is Li, and my parents died early, so they have surnames and names! It will be twenty years old." Another short man on one side rushed to talk: "We all call him Li Zhazha." Wang Jian couldn't help smiling, and asked, "Then what's your name?" The short man continued: "My brothers all call me Luo Manzi." Li Zhazha yelled at Luo Manzi: "It's very useful for the military marquis to care about your name and my name. It's useless to pick and choose." Then he turned to Wang Jian, "Do you dare to compare your strength with me, the military marquis?"

"Okay!" Wang Jian agreed, and then took off his coat. "Jun Hou, be careful to catch a cold!" A veteran on the side said with concern. Wang Jiansui rolled up his sleeves and said, "What are you afraid of? I remember sleeping in the ice when I was in Wudang for arts. It's not a problem in this cold weather!" Wang Jian and Li Zhazha knelt down facing each other and clasped their wrists together. Luo Manzi shouted "Go!"The two stalemate for a while, and Wang Jian exerted his strength to press Li Zhazha's right hand on the stone slab. Wang Jian's bravery won the applause of the soldiers, and a burst of ridicule was thrown at Li Zhazha.Luo Manzi jokingly said: "Zhazha, look at your usual arrogance, and my brothers can't cure you. This time Wang Junhou will teach you a lesson for everyone!" Li Zhazha spit on the ground, took off the clothes around his waist, and put them on his body : "Your ass strength is nothing, it's not you who won, what are you talking about!" Seeing the onlookers, the brothers were all happy, and they clasped their fists for Wang Jian: "On weekdays, when you see military marquises killing battles, you rush to Before, I thought it was just a beautiful knife dancer, but today I know it, the master has real strength!" After saying that, he slapped his chest, "I, Li Zha, is convinced!" Wang Jian saw that he was a hearty person, and saw his shoulders. , There are also two knife marks on his ribs. Knowing that this is also a desperate Saburo, he asked: "What job do you have in the army now?"

"One is long, and all of them are his former brothers." He said, covering his body with the torn shirt. Seeing this scene, Wang Jian felt a little sad when he thought that they, like himself, were born in poverty.So, he took off his fur waistcoat, and regardless of Li Zhazha's resistance, he put it on the pawn, and said earnestly: "In a short while, we will have a bad fight with that Zhu Wen," and looked around again. Seeing that there are already more than a hundred soldiers gathered here, they all listened intently, "Brothers, you must train diligently, and you must also take care of your own warmth. When Jingxiang is recovered and Chang'an is taken back, the emperor will not be able to do us any favors." "

Li Zhazha's blood boiled when he heard it: "Don't worry, sir, we are not afraid of death, and we will not embarrass you when we go to the battlefield!" Everyone echoed.Only then did Wang Jian take Zhang Jie to continue the inspection. After walking another hundred steps, Wang Jian suddenly saw a man who looked like a schoolboy walking towards him.The man stopped about thirty steps away from him, and when he saw Wang Jian, he was startled at first, then walked two steps forward and fell to his knees with a plop, shouting excitedly, "Father—" Wang Jian was stunned, and stepped forward to help the school official: "Please get up!" The man was still kneeling, and he hugged Wang Jian's legs and cried, "I really don't recognize you, I'm Gan San'er Ah! Gan Saner!" After saying that, she raised her head, tears streaming down her face.

"San'er?" Wang Jian was pleasantly surprised, picked up the man's face, looked at it again and again, "It's really my son Zongji! I haven't seen you for more than two years, and he has grown so tall!" Wang Zongji wept with joy: "For more than two years... I miss my father... I think so hard!" Seeing this scene, Zhang Jie laughed loudly: "Brother, the Wang Military Academy is your adoptive son! As soon as you left, he led our team. Speaking of which, he is still in charge of my old Zhang. Woolen cloth!" "My boy, I didn't expect you to take care of your uncle! Come on, follow me back to see your mother." Saying that, he dragged Zongji to his military tent.Zhang Jie stood there, seeing the scene of the reunion of father and son, he was so happy that he couldn't keep his mouth shut for a long time before he trotted away to chase Wang Jian and his son.

Wang Jian lifted the curtain and entered the inner tent, pulled Zongji and led him to his wife Zhou: "Zongji, this is your mother." Without saying a word, Zongji knelt down and kowtowed three times to Mrs. Zhou. a bang.Zhou was puzzled: "This..." "Ma'am, this is what I have mentioned many times, my adopted son Wang Zongji in Jiangxi." Then he called Wang Zongfan, "Zongfan, come and meet your brother!" A happy smile appeared on Zhou's face: "I heard your father mentioned you many times, but we only met today. From now on, we will be a family, and we don't need to see outsiders. What if the clothes are dirty and torn? Yes, I will give it to my mother to sew..." Zongji's heart was sour when he said such a plain sentence.Since I was begging along the way, it was the first time I heard such caring words, and it was the first time I felt the warmth of home. "Mynah—" a hurried call from outside the tent pulled Wang Jian back from the moment of warmth to the urgent reality.As soon as the curtain was opened, Jin Hui stepped in, "The supervising army came to us and said that we have something important to discuss." "Let's go!" Wang Jian took a windbreaker to keep out the cold from his wife, and followed Jin Hui to quickly walk towards Yang Fuguang's big tent. "What did the supervisor say?" "No. But I guess it has something to do with attacking Nanyang." "Wang Shu suppressed the Caizhou Army and did not send troops for ten days. If only half of our remnant army went to Nanyang, we would die!" "So I think the supervisor is probably worried about the situation of the Caizhou army." As they talked, they came to Yang Fuguang's Chinese military camp. "See the supervisor!" "Guangyuan, Guangtu, please sit down quickly." Yang Fuguang seemed very enthusiastic. Yang Fuguang stood up, waved his hands to the left and right, several followers retreated out of the tent, leaving only three people behind in the big tent.Yang Fuguang also sat down, pretending to sigh, frowning without saying a word. Jin Hui and Wang Jian exchanged glances, and Jin Hui said: "If the supervisor has anything to say, just tell him, and we will be smashed to pieces." Fu Guang lowered his eyebrows and nodded, recalling: "After General Zhou's mutiny in Xuzhou, I didn't want to go back. But on March 3, Huang Chao sent General Zhu Wen to attack Dengzhou, and Zhao Jie was captured alive. I Leading the remnants of the defeated generals to escape from death, they had no choice but to rely on Xuzhou. Two months later, the defeat of Dengzhou is still vivid in my mind. If Dengzhou does not fall, Changan cannot enter, and old revenge cannot be avenged. How can I, Yang Fuguang, have any face? Recently, thanks to the assistance of Caizhou’s elite soldiers, they have fought countless battles, and there are still nearly 10,000 soldiers. Wang Jian heard that Yang Fuguang was indeed complaining about Wang Shu's inaction, but he deliberately said: "The supervising army only needs to give an order, and I, Wang Jian, is willing to be the vanguard with a Helei sword in my hand. How can we say that it is a failure?" "If we want to attack Nanyang, we can't do without Caizhou's elite! Caizhou's chief general is Wang Shu. If he doesn't issue orders, how can I give orders to the three armies?" "Why didn't he issue an order?" Jin Hui asked. "It's not all about it!" Jin Hui sneered: "Wang Shu is a rat. Qin Gong has always been ambitious and wants to help Xuzhou's elite soldiers. I'm afraid he is thinking about letting Wang Shu pull this team back to Caizhou!" Wang Jian clenched his fists and said, "The supervising army is all about taking back Nanyang and Dengzhou. It's not difficult. I also see that Wang Shu and us are not on the same page. This person will be eliminated sooner or later." Jin Hui said: "The superintendent simply said, I cut off his head with a knife and offered it to my subordinates!" Fu Guang said: "If it can make him send troops, it is the best policy. As for capturing and killing, that is not necessarily the case. What's more, the two generals Han and Li beside him, I don't think they are idle people, they are all entrusted with important tasks by Wang Shu. How can they do it?" Do as I please." "Han Zuoshi and Li Dalang were benefactors who saved me. I don't think they will be completely united with Wang Shu." Wang Jian thought for a while, then lowered his voice and said to Fu Guang, "I don't think it's better to cut the mess quickly, so... …After doing it cleanly, the two of them naturally have nothing to say." "Okay!" Yang Fuguang was refreshed, "According to Guangtu's words, the drums will be played at Maoshi tomorrow morning, and the tent will be raised at Chenshi, and everything will be done according to the plan." Then, he told Wang Jian, "Remember to be careful!" "Don't worry, the supervising army, Wang Jian has humiliated his mission, so come and see him!" The rapid sound of military drums pierced the quiet night.Accompanied by rhythmic drums, the soldiers in the military tent skillfully dressed and assembled in the dark night.The sound of drums awakened the sleeping crows and the returning night owls, and also made people nervous.The voice spread in all directions in the vast mountains and fields, reaching the distant horizon in the east—— It wasn't until the soldiers of the three armies were assembled that the eastern sky showed a weak cyan light. Wang Shu anxiously rushed to the main tent of the Chinese army.In fact, he was a little afraid of Zhu Wen's sharpness, and on the way, although he passed through countless barriers, his generals were also lost by more than a thousand. Thinking of Qin Zongquan's entrustment before he left, he had no choice but to stand still.Yang Fuguang beat drums to gather generals early in the morning, which made him very uneasy, his heart was pounding, he didn't know what was waiting for him. As soon as he entered the big tent, he saw Yang Fuguang's armor standing neatly in the middle, flanked by Wang Jian, Jin Hui, Li Shitai and more than 20 middle and senior generals of the Zhongwu Army. "General Wang, please take your seat!" Yang Fuguang saluted Wang Shu with his hands clasped. "Supervisor Yang, please!" Wang Shu's voice trembled, and she sat side by side with Yang Fuguang in the big tent. "I don't know why Supervisor Yang is sweeping the drums in the early morning?" "To tell the truth, it was only deployed for the First Battle of Nanyang." Yang Fuguang cut to the chase, "General Wang and Yang have been stationed in the east of Nanyang City for more than ten days. State." Wang Shu thought, Yang Fuguang really urged her to send troops.He bit his lip and forced a smile: "Jun Yang, there is no need to worry, but wait for a while and make plans..." Before he could finish, Wang Zongji suddenly interjected: "If you continue to wait like this What's the difference between waiting to die?" Seeing that Zongji was standing at the bottom of the table, Wang Shu felt contemptuous and scolded: "Who are you? How can you speak in the big tent?" Wang Jian hurriedly said: "This is my dog. Forgive me for being lax in discipline and offending the general." He turned around and scolded Zong Ji, "Where do you have the right to speak? Don't stop talking!" Zong Ji glared at Wang Jian, and went straight to Wang Shu: "The soldiers of the tenth army are ready to go. As the chief general, you stand still and delay the military opportunity. How can you be worthy of commanding the three armies?" After finishing speaking, he raised his fist to Wang Shu. Seeing that the time had come, Wang Jian winked at Zhang Jie. Zhang Jie angrily reprimanded Zong Ji for being rude, and at the same time rushed to the two of them. Take this man." Without making a sound, Zhang Jie stepped forward and grabbed Wang Shu's hands, and pressed the general's head on the table.Wang Shu's entourage in the tent did not expect the accident to happen so quickly, and no one had any idea for a while, while Wang Shu scolded Wang Jian and called out for someone to come outside the tent. Hearing the shouts, Li Shitai, who was ambushing outside the tent, led fifty brothers and rushed in. Before the tent could react, he put sharp steel knives on the shoulders of Wang Shu's twenty followers.Li Shitai personally stepped forward and tied Wang Shu tightly.Wang Shu yelled and reprimanded: "Yang Fuguang, you eunuch! Do you think you can seize my military power by colluding with Wang Jian? How can I let the soldiers of the Caizhou Fengguo army be slaughtered!" After finishing speaking, I saw Jinhui leading people into the Chinese army , Saluted Wang Shu: "The last general Jin Hui, on behalf of the soldiers of the national army, is willing to invite the general to send troops!" Wang Shu suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, and he suddenly understood that the guards he was accompanying had already been captured by Jin Hui. Everything in front of them was so fast that neither Han Jian nor Li Jian came back to their senses.Just as Han Jiang was about to open his mouth, Zhang Jie raised his knife and cut off Wang Shu's head.Immediately, fresh blood gushed out for several seconds, until Zhang Jie and Li Shitai were stained red all over.Wang Shu's head rolled twice on the ground and stopped at Han Jian's feet.Han Jian couldn't help but gasped, the scene in front of him made him dare not say anything. Seeing that Wang Shu was dead, Yang Fuguang breathed a sigh of relief, then stood in the center facing south, and announced loudly: "Wang Shu leads the reinforcements in Caizhou. If you are not afraid, you will delay the opportunity of the war. It is difficult to set an example for the three armies! Recently, we have discussed military opportunities, and there is actually a plan to surrender the enemy." Words, such words and deeds are really treason. I, Yang Fuguang, have the hope of the emperor and the trust of the soldiers. Today, I will punish this traitor to order the three armies! If there is anyone who says to withdraw troops and surrender to bandits in the future, I will be the same as Wang Shu!" Wang Jian and Jin Hui led all the brothers from Xuzhou to kneel down and set an example: "We are willing to listen to the command of the supervising army, and we will die!" Han Jian and Li Jian looked at each other, and they could only kneel down together: "The last general is also willing to listen to the command of the supervising army." "Okay!" Yang Fuguang held the sword in one hand and put the other in the blood that hadn't solidified on the table, "All the generals are loyal ministers and capable generals who have gone through battles! Mr. Yang is incompetent, and it is difficult to dispatch the three armies. Today, the remaining soldiers and horses The division will be handed over to the generals to lead, if you have my Tang Dynasty in your heart and care about the common people in the world, then follow me into Chang'an and be a hero who protects the king!" "Follow your orders! Make meritorious service against the enemy——obey orders! Conquer the enemy and perform meritorious deeds—" shouted in unison from inside and outside the tent. After an internal strife, Yang Fuguang finally seized the military power, and he divided the elite 8,000 soldiers and horses among the eight commanders.Former loyal military generals Lu Yanhong and Zhang Zao did their part to become one of the eight capitals; Han Jian, who started from Caizhou and was born in the general family, also took over Wang Shu's personal soldiers; in addition, Wang Jian, Jin Hui, Li Shitai and others were also promoted.The only surprise is that Li Jian, Wang Shu's lieutenant general, was not included in the Eight Capitals, but served under Wang Jian's command. After leaving Zheng Tian, ​​the emperor's imperial guards continued to march slowly in the direction of Xingyuan Mansion. "Jun Rong, I've been walking for a day and a night, I'm hungry, and even this horse is listless..." Li Yan lay on the horse's back, looking weak.From being the emperor of the Tang Empire to suddenly fleeing from his capital, Li Xuan felt somewhat resentful and even hated Tian Lingzi, the eunuch who had monopolized power in his childhood.He didn't want to continue to call this person "Father". At this moment, he suddenly missed Zheng Tian very much.