When Chen Yu came to this Chinese army tent again, the tent had moved forward more than 300 miles and camped outside Jiuquan City.
Zhang Wuwei knew that Chen Shan was coming, so he deliberately tied the bandage on his shoulder where he had been wounded by an arrow to make it more conspicuous. More than ten days ago, he was assassinated by Li Yongrong, not only injuring himself, but also losing his confidant and deputy general Du Xun, and was injured by Li Xiaomei's repeated arrows, which was secretly a great shame and humiliation in his life, and the assassin later fled among his tens of thousands of troops, which he couldn't help but hate.
There was another person in the tent, a middle-aged man with a diluted temperament. He and Zhang Wuwei sat in court, thinking that their position was not low. As soon as Chen Xi was introduced, the two of them stood up together. Zhang Wuwei smiled and said, "Brother Chen, I haven't seen you for a few days, can your body be healthy?" "
Chen Sheng smiled slightly, replied "I am worried about my work", and looked at the middle-aged man, unable to help but be stunned. Chen Shan recognized him as Xu Ji, the general of the Tiger Ben in the DPRK. Although Chen Cheng is not a person in the imperial court, he has also had several connections with this Xu Ji, although they do not have much contact, and the two secretly agree with each other in terms of each other's capacity and temperament. What surprised Chen Shan was not to see his old friend, but that although Xu Ji was temperamental, he had a strategy, and the most important thing was that he was a confidant of Li Shimin, the King of Qin in the court. Chen Cheng knew the pattern of the court and China, and suddenly saw the King of Qin's confidant and the prince's protégé, a pair of enemies, sitting together in a large tent of the Chinese army, and couldn't help but be shocked.
Zhang Wuwei had a smile on his face and introduced the two of them. The three of them took their seats again, and Zhang Wuwei smiled first: "When I met Brother Chen that day, more than ten days passed in the blink of an eye." The world is turned upside down, and the military aircraft has changed, Brother Chen probably didn't expect to meet me here again, right? "
His words were very colorful. Chen Cheng's face was straight, and he was about to ask a question, but Zhang Wuwei had already smiled again: "I didn't expect that Brother Chen had only been gone for three days, and this Xu Zhong came by the will of the court." Brother Xu, tell Brother Chen what the emperor has been doing recently. They are not outsiders, speaking of which, Brother Chen is still the emperor's special envoy who awarded the gold medal of 'Ru Zhen in person'. "
Chen Cheng also heard his sarcasm, and secretly it seemed that the attitude of the DPRK and China had changed again in just a few days. The Xu Ji smiled and said, "That's right, this time, the emperor also explained, if I see Brother Chen, I will ask for more advice." "
As he said, he also straightened his face: "The emperor has received a secret report from Brother Chen, and learned that the Ganliang horse thief Li really robbed the 150,000 loads of grain and grass supplied by the imperial court to the Northwest Army, and the holy will was furious." What is tolerable, and what is not? Therefore, as in the imperial meeting, I discussed with the crown prince and the King of Qin for many days and reached a consensus. When encountering such a major event that has the majesty of the imperial court, if it is not conquered, how to maintain its power and how to convince people, so the special brothers came to inform Brother Zhang, the general of Ganliang, to quickly attack the rebels, to capture the bandit leader, to declare his might, and to set an example. Brother Chen, this is the emperor's will. Before the younger brother left, the emperor had another secret conversation with the younger brother, saying that if he met Brother Chen on this trip, he hoped that Brother Chen would understand my intentions carefully and put the overall situation first. It is said that this battle is mainly led by General Zhang, and you and I discuss it together. We must work together to achieve success in one fell swoop, showing the world that the royal army cannot be insulted and the imperial authority cannot be violated.
Brother Chen came just in time, and Brother Zhang and I were discussing how to march. "
They are all discerning people, Chen Xi did not answer for a while, but he was begging in his heart. Seeing that Xu Ji's words deliberately omitted the 100,000 loads of grain and grass robbed by Zhang Wuwei, and even more so his intention to frame the blame and have other intentions, it was known that the emperor had adopted a consistent attitude of combining mud in the fight between the two sons. Deliberately omitted the faults of the prince's protégés in an attempt to calm the situation in the DPRK and China. As for not sending anyone else, he specially sent Xu Ji, a confidant of the King of Qin, to come, and this move was probably of great significance. Obviously, Xu Ji was originally a confidant around the King of Qin, and the emperor sent him here to stabilize the heart of the King of Qin.
The intrigues and strategies in between, I am afraid of countless things, and I have exhausted the scheming of the father and son. Thinking of this, and then thinking of the days when he and Li Yongrong forgot about the machine on the grassland for more than ten days, Chen Cheng suddenly felt tired and tired, and felt deeply tired of these personnel disputes and power plots. So, in this food robbery crisis, as it stands now, his father and son have reached a consensus on the surface, in order to maintain the balance between his father and son and each other's face, they have decided to fight at all costs, take Li Bo to open a knife, kill people to establish their power, cover their ears and steal bells, and then cover up this matter?
Chen Cheng looked at Zhang Wuwei, and his face was clearly proud. This person, this so-called general, Chen Cheng can see his heart at a glance, his instinct in his heart is bloodthirsty, and he likes to build his own authority with innocent lives.
And the so-called "detailed understanding of my intentions, the overall situation is important" is just to ask yourself to represent the emperor and help the tyranny.
Chen Cheng smiled coldly in his heart. The three of them did not speak for a while, and these three almost represented the three most important forces in the imperial court, one represented Li Yuan, one represented Prince Jiancheng, and one represented King Shimin of Qin. Chen Cheng raised his head and thought disdainfully in his heart that when the true emperor took the world as his home, in order to quell the dispute between his family, he did not hesitate to give up a food robbery crisis that could have been resolved peacefully, and did not hesitate to fight. But do they know how many corpses will be lying in the wild and innocent displaced in this battle? He looked down at his fingers, with a deep disappointment in his heart - they called it politics.
Zhang Weiwu suddenly clapped his hands and shouted: "Prepare the banquet, pass on the song and dance, I want to celebrate the success with Brother Chen and Brother Xu and get drunk." "
Chen Xi spoke: "General Zhang, don't you discuss military aircraft?" How to go, how to stop, this is a war, everything is decided and moved. "
Zhang Wuwei had already smiled and said: "The legend of Li Bo is magical, but the common people are ignorant, how can he fight against our tens of thousands of troops as a bandit in the grasslands?" At that time, Xue Ju and his son couldn't clean him up, so they were useless. With my Zhang here, plus Brother Chen and Brother Xu, all the heroes gathered, and there was a little ringworm, so what was the problem? If you don't believe it, my army has only been here for a few days, and it has already captured and suppressed countless of their horses, as if entering a no-man's land. Then the Li Bo brothers and sisters and what mirror iron mountain five righteousness are afraid that they are shaking their clothes and trembling now. "
As he spoke, he intentionally or unintentionally put away the marching map with many markings spread out in front of him.
Chen Cheng also knew that he didn't trust him. sneered slightly, and no longer spoke, thinking that the arrogant soldiers would be lost, and Li Bo was clearly showing weakness. His thoughts turned darkly, and the food and wine were already served below, and two more rows of mermaids came in. When it is really 'the first half of the soldiers' army is alive and dead, and the beauties are still singing and dancing', Chen Cheng smiled coldly in his heart, but he couldn't help but be anxious, in such a situation, how should he save this imminent battle? How to eliminate great calamities from the invisible? He secretly looked at the flute on the side of his collar, his eyes coldly looked at the dancers who had opened their dancing fans, and at the same time noticed the faint disapproval on Xu Ji's smiling face.
The night was very quiet, compared to the orders of the Diao Dou in the camp not far away. After the singing and dancing banquet, Chen Cheng was tired and rested, and walked to the grass a mile or two outside the camp to ponder. He looked at the lights in the camp, and the darkness and silence of the fields around him became more and more visible. He thought about the soldiers in the camp, their young lives, their years of fighting, and their fathers and wives in their families. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, there will be another bloody battle, at this time, what are they thinking?
Life is good and precious, if you want to sprinkle, if you want to be reckless, at least you should sprinkle it in a useful place.
They know that tomorrow they may be shot and killed, and their bodies lie on the ground, right? Knowing that maybe from now on will be broken, and my hometown will be gone forever, right? But do they know that this battle is not necessary? Do you know that their life and death turned out to be just to quell the brotherly dispute between the golden and purple in the DPRK and China? Siye was silent, Chen Shan thought, feeling betrayed for them. There have been many battles in life since ancient times, and Chen Li is not a person who blindly retreats and seeks harmony, but is this death worth it?
He was actually waiting for someone, and he didn't know if that person would come, but he was waiting for an opportunity. As long as that person comes, he will quell the scourge of the war, and there will be a glimmer of chance.
He was alone in the dark field for a long time, and it was already two o'clock at night when he heard the sound of footsteps in the grass behind him. He said softly in his heart:
"It's coming."
Sure enough, Chen Sheng only heard a diluted voice behind him and said, "Brother Chen, I haven't slept yet." "
Chen Cheng slowly turned around, and it was Xu Ji who came.
The two of them couldn't help but talk at the beginning, seemingly aimlessly. I only heard Chen Sheng smile and said, "Brother Xu didn't drink in the tent either?" What is General Zhang doing now? The brothers were here to check the ruins of the Han Great Wall, and somehow remembered an ancient poem by Tao Lin, "Drinking Horses in the Great Wall Cave", only remembering the first few sentences, but not the following. "
Xu Ji said: "I was also overwhelmed by alcohol, so I went out for a walk and ran into Brother Chen without thinking." General Zhang was discussing the strategy with his strategists in the tent at this time. Although I was ordered to participate in military affairs, I must be an outsider, and many things are not easy to talk about. Brother Chen has Yaxing, yes, there should be ruins of the ancient Great Wall in this area. Alas, I think back then, many people died when building this Great Wall. "
His words were leisurely, as if they came out of his mouth. Chen Xi smiled slightly and said secretly: You are a confidant of the King of Qin, and it is inconvenient for you to participate in the military plans of the prince's disciples. Both of them looked at the camp with their hands on their backs, and were speechless for a long time, and finally Chen Cheng broke the silence: "The world is tired, speaking of which, these sergeants have really worked hard over the years." Alas, seeing the peace, who knew that there would be another catastrophe. He sighed as he spoke, as if he was overwhelmed.
Xu Ji was speechless for a while, and said for a while: "Brother Chen said that Tao Lin's poem brothers seem to remember, as if there are a few sentences: 'Don't give birth to a boy, give birth to a daughter to raise meat.'" Have you not seen the bones of the dead supporting each other beneath the Great Wall? '"
These sentences are indeed the sentences in Tao Lin's "Drinking Horse Great Wall Cave Walk". Tao Lin was born in the troubled times at the end of the Han Dynasty, suffered from turmoil for a long time, and was one of the seven sons of Jian'an, and there are many sentences lamenting the suffering of the people in troubled times in the poem. The meaning of these sentences is that the folk folk song at that time: Don't be happy when you give birth to a son, just don't raise it, but when you give birth to a daughter, you should feed it well with jerky, haven't you seen the bones of men piled up under the Great Wall since ancient times, supporting each other? This is clearly a few ironies, it is the people's lament about the chaos and endless conquest of the world, and there is already a lot of anti-war meaning in the words. Also, a war, in addition to the need to protect oneself, is just to achieve the desire for fame and fame of a few people, what does it have to do with the people of the world? And how many wars are there in this world?
Chen Shi muttered those few lines of poetry in his mouth several times, and when he saw that the conversation had gradually entered the alley, he said unhurriedly: "I don't know what the King of Qin thinks about this war?" "
He knew that Li Shimin, the king of Qin, was heroic and often had a great insight into the general trend of the world, but he was not a person who ignored the chaos of the world and did not care about the people's misery. He generally did not participate in the rise and fall of the power of the DPRK and China, but if the King of Qin agreed with him this time, he would have to help him regardless of his attitude of not participating in the dispute over the succession.
Xu Ji glanced at Chen Cheng, as if he was also guessing what he meant. After planning for a while, he seemed to say unintentionally:
"The King of Qin is benevolent, and although he has made meritorious contributions over the years, he is not a murderous person. Pacifying the world is also to suspense the people and fight for the country. The brother doesn't know about this opinion, but based on his usual personality, he still expects harmony to be precious. Before the younger brother went forward this time, he also said goodbye to the King of Qin, who once said to his brother that Brother Chen was in the world and had great insights, and he could consult with each other. At the farewell banquet, he also sighed repeatedly, 'Soldiers are murderous weapons, and saints have no choice but to use them'. And in my younger brother's opinion, Li Bo has been fighting in troubled times for so many years, and he can also lead a prosperous and unique frontier, and he must have his own excellence. General Zhang took this battle too lightly, I am afraid that this battle will not be as he thought, and wherever the army arrives, the triumphant song will be played, but I am afraid that it will implicate for years. Although the royal army will win, I am afraid that there will still be small losses.
That Li Bo was originally a nomad, although I have a lot of troops and horses, how can he ride and charge, live in no fixed place, fight when it is beneficial, and retreat when it is bad. After this battle, I am afraid that the imperial court will also be involved, not just General Zhang's business. "
sighed lightly, "At that time, General Zhang had a higher status, and the imperial court had to rely on him, but this rare opportunity for peace and rest with the people was afraid that it would be ruined." "
Chen Shi's eyes lit up and he looked at Xu Ji, knowing that although he had the intention of not wanting the prince Zhang Wuwei to sit on the big seat, he also had the thoughts of national safety and the joys and sorrows of the people in his heart. He had seen Li Bo's character and knew that the disaster of war would be together, but he was afraid of endless troubles. Clap your hands gently," Brother Xu said, which was exactly what his brother wanted. It would be nice if there was a way to do it without fighting. "
Xu Ji's eyes trembled slightly, "Yes, it would be nice if there was a feasible way without fighting." But the army has been dispatched, and it is difficult to retreat easily, not to mention that General Zhang has made up his mind, and we are afraid that we will not be able to do anything. "
Chen Cheng gently rubbed his fingers and stopped looking at Xu Ji: "But things are man-made, as long as you and I do our best, maybe there is still a way?" Even if it fails, on that day, at least it will not blame itself for being constantly interrupted, leaving the people in vain. "
Xu Ji looked at his hands, those knuckles were slightly white, they were a pair of powerful hands, and Xu Ji had also heard of them for a long time.
Although he is at odds with each other, he is the one who breaks the big thing, otherwise Li Shimin, the King of Qin, would not have sent him to come on his behalf. He seemed to know what Chen Cheng meant, and said lightly: "If Brother Chen has a way, the younger brother will help you." "
The two looked at each other, and there was a confrontation and handshake between two men in that pair, hesitation and expectation. None of them are weak people, they have done something or not done about the major affairs of the world, and under this look, they know that they are people who can be expected from each other.
Chen Shi gently stroked his concern, "I just hope that Brother Xu will not forget his words at this moment." "
Xu Ji suddenly laughed loudly: "A husband is not as good as a woman, and he is not a woman, and he is careless." What Xu has always admired most is the person who dares to make difficulties alone, turn the tide and help the building to collapse. Brother Chen's words underestimated Xu. "
Chen Cheng looked at Xu Ji seriously and nodded slightly: "I know how to do it." Everything, let's talk about it tomorrow. "
Xu Ji also smiled and said, "Okay, everything, let's talk about it tomorrow." Brother Chen will carry forward his great encouragement, and Xu will treat you warmly.
If there are other trivial matters, you and I will share them. "
Chen Xi also seemed to feel very happy in his heart, and smiled slightly: "How can a scholar forget to worry about the country, and be a million soldiers."
Brother Xu, please go back first. "
Xu Ji smiled and said, "Okay, I'm going to rest, and if I don't come back, it will arouse suspicion." Although the two were calm and smiling in their eyes, the loneliness in the depths of the smile was difficult, and the adventurous and brave were afraid that only each other would know and understand.
Xu Ji is now back in camp. Soon after he entered the camp, he was in his tent, but he heard a flute not far away.
The sound of the flute was low but not weak, soft but not restrained, although it was as thin as a thread, but it hovered low in the tent of tens of thousands of troops, and everyone heard it. The sound of the flute was silent, and I heard someone singing loudly in the distance:
The flowing water at the foot of the mountain is like a stream flowing down the mountain. Thinking of me, floating in the wilderness; In the morning, I set off from Xincheng and stayed overnight at Longtou. The cold can't speak, and the tongue curls into the throat; The flowing water on the ridge is sobbing. Gazing at the Qin River from afar, my heart is broken.
This song was a song that was very popular in the Longyou area at that time. I only heard the singing voice sad and heroic, with other thoughts, sadness and choking. Most of the people in the army were from Longtou, and when they heard Chu Ge, they couldn't help but weep sadly with the song. When people really look back for their hometown overnight, will there be many people who will think of their parents, wives and children, will there be many people who will doubt the uselessness of the battle they will face tomorrow, and whether they will also wonder how much the meaning of the battle they fought for their lives to achieve is the bottom.
The song began three times, and the aftermath did not stop. When the song stopped, its echo in the hearts of the soldiers was afraid that it would still not stop, and it sounded all night. And the singer sang out of intention, was it really out of intention?