After the shocking event of someone being released, the enthusiasm of the prisoners of war for work suddenly rose when they went to work in the afternoon.

Zhang Hong's threat is still real, if there is a possibility of release, he is caught by this guy who seems to be smiling and doesn't enforce the rules at all, and he can't go, wouldn't it be too much loss.

Freedom is precious for everyone.

The sound of a trumpet was heard on the construction site.

In the past, it was impossible not to say that these people did not work hard, but it is difficult to have such enthusiasm today. In the past, this kind of work was seen as something that had to be done, but now, hard work is used as a bargaining chip to be released.

Liu Santong's hunch was confirmed.

Soon after the afternoon work began, people were called away. And these people, without exception, are former officers. But the rank is generally not high, and the highest grade is just a Xuanjie captain.

After they were called away, they brought in the tent where the former civil servant was located.

"Liu Xiangchu, Pan Lang, Lan Yongchuan, Li Yawen, Chen Jie, Li Hanjin, Tan Minghua!" Where the civil official sits, turning over the stack of files in his hand, calling out his names one by one, these officers who were called by name all took a step forward and lined up in front of the civil official.

On both sides of the big tent, there were not only a few guards dressed in black at this time, but also two rows of heavily armed soldiers, looking at them fiercely, making these officers tremble a little.

"The official's name is Chen Tiansong, he is from Wuyi, and he joined the army in the internal security record." The civil servant closed the file and introduced himself.

"Chen joins the army, I don't know what to call us to?" In a group of people, Liu Xiangchu, the former captain of Xuanjie, bowed down and asked.

Chen Tiansong glanced at Liu Xiangchu and said: "According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, rebels, ordinary sergeants, three years of hard labor, depending on the situation of the reform, whether to be released or not, depending on the rank, the minimum of five years, also depends on the situation of the reform. The higher the rank, the longer the period of hard labor, in general. ”

Liu Xiangchu's face changed slightly, for the Tang Dynasty, these Pinglu troops can indeed be called anti-thieves, because their marshal Hou Xiyi defected to Zhu Wen, the Liang who abolished the Tang Dynasty and became self-reliant, and these people naturally had no choice and became the soldiers of the Liang State.

But are there any options for them?

The so-called success and defeat of the king, now that he has lost, he is naturally slaughtered by others.

He took a deep breath: "Many ordinary soldiers have been released today, which shows that outside the rules, there is still the possibility of extrajudicial mercy. ”

Chen Tiansong laughed: "It's worthy of being an officer, and his mind is very smart." Yes, the official summoned you, and there is indeed the possibility of extrajudicial favors, depending on whether you want to do it or not. ”

"Who doesn't want to be free and return to their hometown?" Liu Xiangchu said with a long sigh.

"Freedom is possible, but when you return home, don't think about it for the time being." Chen Tiansong's face sank: "Since you are military officers, you should know the military law and national law of the Tang Dynasty, what is the crime of rebellion, and what punishment to use, I don't need to say, right?" If you really want to investigate it, your relatives will not be able to escape justice. ”

Liu Xiangchu's body trembled slightly, lowered his head, and didn't dare to speak anymore.

Rebels, even if they have a lowly position and will not chase the three clans and nine clans, but their own family will not escape the responsibility no matter what.

"Now there is a way for you, depending on whether you want it or not." Chen Tiansong said lightly: "If you don't want it, then you need to serve five years of hard labor, and your family's direct family will be held accountable, destroyed, seized, and confiscated." ”

The so-called destruction of nationality means that these people will be expelled from the local register, and thus become displaced people without a place of origin, and seizing land is of course taking away land and property, confiscating it, and confiscating all property in the family, although Chen Tiansong did not talk about killing, but if it really comes to this point, how can their families live?

"I want it!" Liu Xiangchu raised his head and shouted. "As long as you don't offend your family, no matter what you want me to do, I'm willing to go."

"We want it too!" The others also shouted, although they knew that the path they wanted now must be difficult to follow, but it was not easy to walk, and it was limited to themselves, and they would not offend their families. Originally, when I ate food and went to the battlefield, a head was already tied to the waistband of my trousers, and if I could use this head to exchange for the safety of the whole family, it would be worth it.

"Good, it doesn't look like some soft eggs!" Chen Tiansong nodded with satisfaction. "Li Xiang has the virtue of a good life, and he is willing to give you a chance to atone for your sins. Do you know where the Western Regions are? ”

Liu Xiangchu's face turned pale, and sure enough, this is a point of no return.

"Yes."

"You don't need to look like you're going to die." Chen Tiansong said coldly: "As early as last year, my Datang had an army that entered the Western Regions, and it has already laid a large territory there. However, my Datang has been away from the Western Regions for a long time, even though I now have a base, but those alien races around me are still eyeing each other and ready to fight back at any time, so we need more people to go there to recover the territory for Datang and rebuild the Western Regions Protectorate and the Beiting Protectorate. ”

"Is the imperial court going to exile us to the Western Regions Army?" Liu Xiangchu calmed down a little.

"Not bad." Chen Tiansong said: "If you are willing to go anywhere, then all your previous sins will be forgiven, and you will be used in front of the Western Regions Army as an ordinary soldier." If you make meritorious contributions somewhere, you will be rewarded and promoted to make a fortune like other Tang soldiers, and you will not be less. ”

Liu Xiangchu lowered his head, this is indeed a road full of thorns, but at least, it will not be a dead end, since there is a base area, there is a possibility of survival. If it is really as Chen Tiansong said, if he can make meritorious contributions, maybe he can earn some wealth and come back.

"I'm willing to give it a go!" Liu Xiangchu raised his head and said loudly: "I only hope that what Chen Senjun said is true, if I make meritorious contributions, I can get the reward I deserve." ”

"Of course, this is not my Chen Tiansong's promise, but Li Xiang's promise!" Chen Tiansong stood up and hugged his fists in the direction of Wuyi, and then turned to the group of people. "Li Xiang said that when he arrived in the Western Regions, there were no Pinglu prisoners of war, some just had the same name, called Tang Ren."

"Will you give us the best gear?" Liu Xiangchu asked.

Chen Tiansong laughed: "You are fine, even if you think of this, you might as well tell you that the army in the Western Regions is equipped with the best weapons of our Datang, many weapons and equipment, even our guards are not equipped, if you are willing, when you arrive at Yangguan, you will be armed to the teeth, and then enter the Western Regions to recover the territory for the Tang Dynasty and raise the prestige of the Tang Dynasty." ”

"If we die in battle there, will our family be compensated by the imperial court?" Liu Xiangchu asked again.

"If you die in battle, then, your family will be treated the same as the soldiers who died in the Tang Dynasty, because at that time, you died in battle as part of the Tang Army, as for the treatment of the Tang soldiers after they were killed or disabled in battle, after going down, you can ask a random Tang Army? Or go to the Western Regions and ask your companions there. ”

"When are you leaving?" Liu Xiangchu didn't say anything more, and asked directly.

"Right now!" Liu Tiansong smiled, but he somewhat admired this Xuanjie captain. "If you are willing to go, you can go with me today."

"Can I write a letter to my family?"

"Of course, our people will take care of delivering the letter to your family." Chen Tiansong said. "How many of you?"

"We're willing to go, too." The few people left, and where are there any other options, they all speak in unison.

"Good! When I went to the Western Regions, I am a good son of the Tang Dynasty! Chen Tiansong waved his hand: "Prepare pen, ink, paper and inkstone for them, those who can write can write by themselves, and those who can't write, the official can write for you." ”

When the sun was setting in the west, Liu Santong saw seven or eight junior officers who had been called away, got into a carriage, and left the construction site with the civilian official.

Looking at the backs of those people who were far away, for some reason, Liu Santong had a very bad feeling in his heart.

In fact, at this time, on the entire land of Pinglu, at the construction sites where prisoners of war worked, the same thing was happening. Groups of ordinary soldiers, holding the pardon papers, carrying the usual money issued by the Tang Army in their arms, were hurrying in the direction of their hometowns, while one by one, the low-ranking officers, along different roads, marched in the direction of the Western Regions.

Because the Tibetan nobleman Delhi Chinan, who controlled the Hexi Corridor, gave up the Hexi Corridor in order to get Li Ze's assistance, so that the road to the Western Regions for these people would no longer be hindered, and they would go directly through the Hexi Corridor to the Western Regions. At the beginning of spring next year, they will appear in the Western Regions, where the war is now raging, and they will fight bloodily for their own future and the glory of their families.

At this time, in Wuyi, Xiang Zhen was a little restless. It has been more than half a month since he arrived in Wuyi, and when they first met, Li Ze, who said that he would meet him in a few days, did not react at all, and seemed to have forgotten him. Instead, he left Wuyi straight and went to Pinglu to inspect and comfort the army.

"What does Li Xiang mean by this?" In front of Xue Ping and Han Qi, Xiang Zhen was furious, "If Li Xiang has no intention of this, then just give me a straightforward answer, and I will go back to Lingnan immediately, what is the purpose of hanging me like this?" Could it be that if I am my Lingnan daughter, I have to rush to end this family business? ”

"Why do you say these words to the general?" Xue Ping said: "Today, we can't afford to take half a step back, and Li Xiang doesn't refuse, which shows that this matter can definitely be done." ”

Han Qi pondered for a long time and said, "Xue Shangshu, let's go to Wuwei Academy when we go back, meet Zhang Gong, and ask, what does Li Xiang think?" Gongsun Changming's old man is yin and yang, and it is rare to have a true sentence in ten sentences, but Zhang Shangshu is a fair and upright person, and he will definitely not lie to us. ”