"There is no distinction between high and low, and there is no unevenness in the widowhood?" Li Sihai playfully repeated Zhao De's words, "This sounds good, but it is really inappropriate to do." If you don't distinguish between the virtuous and the foolish, the noble and the low, and only seek equality, then why recruit talents, and who is willing to contribute to the public? The system of promoting thirteen military merits to the rank of knight in our dynasty is precisely to clarify the difference between the noble and the low, so that the people will work hard and will not confuse the virtuous and foolish. It's all bloody battles, and the sergeant's annual rank is only 50, the centurion is 100, and the lieutenant is 400, where is the 'uneven'? Brother Zhao, in my opinion, to do things for the above, when 'not suffering from widowhood but suffering from injustice' is. During the siege of the city, it is natural to reward the soldiers, as long as the punishment is fair, it will never cause the upper and lower centrifugation, but can reap the effect of incentives. ”

Seeing Zhao Xingde's gloomy face and not answering, he turned his head and said in a deep voice to the soldiers around him: "The system of our dynasty is to enable the virtuous to promote good and suppress evil. In this world, the weak eat the strong, don't say it's a rich woman, a vast mansion and a good land, even if it is a marquis of ten thousand households, what a good way! The tone of his speech is not like the prince of Houmen, but like a cold-door officer who fought with a knife and a gun, and all the soldiers don't understand the details, and they all feel the same way in their hearts. Some people even thought, "Although General Zhao is a good person, he is not as cheerful as Captain Li!" ”

Some of the soldiers showed envy on their faces, some peeked at the women outside the city, and some threw pleading glances at Zhao Xingde, but no one dared to echo it, Li Sihai saw this and smiled: "Brother Zhao really manages the army well." ”

At the head of the city, the wind was blowing, Zhao Xingde was silent for a moment, and said in a deep voice: "Captain Li also said 'promote good and suppress evil', as long as Zhao is in Nanshan City for a day, he will never tolerate camp prostitutes." His face was colder than the north wind, and he refused twice, if he persuaded him again, it would be a violation of his authority in Nanshan City.

"With this kindness, Brother Zhao is merciless, so forget it." Li Sihai didn't feel embarrassed at all, but smiled and said, "These are all private prostitutes, and there are any prostitutes where I go." He pointed to the soldiers who were staring at the woman, lowered his voice, and said to Zhao Xingde: "Brother Zhao, some of the brothers under you who are guarding the city have probably never touched a woman in their lives." It's better to let the girl from Linhailou stay in the city for one night. Li Sihai touched his chin and said slowly, "After a hundred days, I don't know how many people will survive?" ”

Zhao Xingde's face changed several times, and finally nodded, Li Sihai smiled: "Okay!" Tomorrow morning, I will send someone to pick them up. The soldiers around him were also overjoyed. That night, the deputy general who guarded the city presided over and arranged for thirty rooms to come out, and other matters were arranged by the people of Linhailou. These prostitutes didn't have to stay in the lonely city, they were all as grateful as if they had been amnestied, and even secretly discussed that they would set up an immortal tablet for General Zhao in Nanshan City after they returned.

Nanshan City is a pure military fortress, not only there are no people, not even family members and traders, usually as soon as you step into this city, you feel a cold and murderous atmosphere. On this cold winter night, the city was filled with a sense of spring. When the guards of the city learned the news, they flocked to it like flies chasing the smell, and a long queue formed outside the room where the guests were picked.

Zhao Xingde personally took the other soldiers to inspect the city defense, so that he had no other thoughts, just out of sight and out of mind. Of the 3,000 soldiers defending the city, he picked them out almost one by one. There were only a few lookout posts at the head of the city, and most of the important gun emplacements were built in enemy platforms and attached forts, and tight guards were arranged outside the ammunition and water warehouses. After inspecting the city three times, he returned to his lodgings at midnight, took off his cold and heavy iron armor, and went to bed after preparing for a fist fight.

At this time, there was a noise next door, mixed with the faint sound of men and women. Zhao Xingde was slightly stunned, and then he remembered that because there were no extra rooms in Nanshan City, the deputy general made up for it and requisitioned a guest room next to it. When the city was first built, only the outer walls and the rammed earth overhead were considered to be strong, and the partition walls of the barracks were not so thick.

"Zi said, don't look at incivility, don't listen to incivility," Zhao Xingde can't do anything, as a general, he can't beat the wall and shout: ", you give me a little quiet!" He could only blow out the oil lamp, lie on the bed, concentrate and meditate, "Don't say anything if you're incivil, don't move if you're incivil,...... is also good at what he is doing, although he still has no regrets after nine deaths,...... "However, the sound next door is getting louder and louder, and the master said, eating and lust. Zhao Xingde is not ignorant of men and women, so he is naturally a little confused, he frowned, turned over and sat cross-legged on the couch, reached out and touched the saber in the dark, and pulled it out with a "bang". This sword has followed him for a long time, like a part of his body, and has killed dozens or hundreds of enemies. The unsheathed steel knife was placed horizontally on his knees, and the hands on his knees touched the cold blade, and a cold murderous aura was born in his body, and he adjusted his breathing, and the rising desire was temporarily calmed down.

Zhao Xingde just breathed a sigh of relief, and suddenly, Han Ningshuang's appearance appeared in his mind, charming and cold, just like the feeling of carrying a horizontal knife, the knife body was full of complex and cold lines, which was daunting, and he couldn't help but want to touch it. For a while, Zhao Xingde didn't feel that his face was red and his ears were red, and his heart was like a tide. During these days, when Han Ningshuang met him, the two were a little estranged. However, there is a tacit understanding beyond this alienation. When the two returned from Liaoyang, although Zhao Xingde was seriously injured, he was in a coma, sometimes with some hazy consciousness, and some feelings were deeply imprinted in his mind. He usually deliberately avoided and even suppressed these. However, there are some things, the more suppressed they are, the more profound they become, the more they can't get them, the more they want them. Ordinary people, sages and heroes, there can be no exception. At this moment, Han Ningshuang suddenly appeared in his mind, which caught him off guard.

"I can't," Zhao Xingde took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed these thoughts, "I can't, I'm sorry Ruoxue." The veins on his forehead bulged slightly, and after a few heavy breaths, after a few moments, he turned calm, and he closed his eyes like this, and his breath was long. In this battle between heaven and man, it seems that all the noises coming from next door have been deaf.

At the southernmost tip of the peninsula, Iron Mountain Fort is no longer as lively as it once was, and although the terrain is dangerous, it is still too dangerous for the Shuai Mansion to hang alone. Therefore, in the middle of winter, the Han army marshal's mansion will still be moved to Tieshan Island, which is not far from here, and will be moved back when the spring is warm and the ice melts.

"Miss, the boat has stopped at the Lion's Mouth Wharf, and General Zhang has sent someone to invite you again."

The night was very dark, except for the faint lights in the north. Han Ningshuang stood at the head of the city, looked at the faint light from afar, and asked, "Have all the retreating soldiers gotten on the boat and left?" ”

"In addition to those who stayed in Nanshan City and Tieshan Fort, the other more than 30,000 soldiers and horses have been transported to Tieshan Island one after another, and they will only wait for tomorrow dawn to dispatch ships to other outer islands and the land to the north." Wang Ji replied respectfully. Tens of thousands of troops retreated, and Han Ningshuang insisted on leaving last, so the retreat of this day and night, from the general to the pawn, was very down-to-earth, no one was worried about being abandoned, and tens of thousands of troops boarded the ship and retreated in an orderly manner.

"After tonight, there will be only him in the south of Suzhou Pass," Han Ningshuang's eyes showed a trace of complicated emotions, she was silent for a moment, and said in a low voice: "General Zhao's dependents, have they all boarded the ship?" She usually avoids things about Zhao Xingde, but until now, she can't help but ask.

Wang Ji was stunned for a moment, and then said, "Mrs. Zhao was picked up by Xia Guoying's boat, but they are still moored at the lion's mouth," he thought for a moment, and then asked, "If the eldest lady wants to meet, the last general will send someone to ask Mrs. Zhao to cross the boat?" These guards accompanied Miss Han to travel around the world, so they usually still use the title of the year, not "marshal". And a guard general like Wang Ji is more familiar with Han Ningshuang's habit of acting, knowing that she will not unintentionally mention someone, and it is likely that there will be follow-up arrangements.

"There's no need to disturb people's tranquility," Han Ningshuang frowned slightly, and said, "Let's talk about the ship when it arrives at Tieshan Island." She gathered her grip and turned away from Iron Mountain Castle. During the day, the dock was empty at the lion's mouth, which was lined with masts, and most of the sea ships had already left with the soldiers of the Han army. On the top of the mast of the Shuaifuzao ship, a string of lanterns of green unicorns is particularly conspicuous in the dark night. After dozens of guards surrounded Han Ningshuang and boarded the ship, the ship lifted anchor and hoisted its sails. In the dark night, in the narrow berth of the harbor, the helmsman turned the bow of the boat, and the water rippled in circles, and the ship left the port.

After the ship of the Shuaifu left, only the two sea ships of the Xia State Navy Division were left, and the huge pier looked particularly bleak. On one of the boats, Li Ruoxue had just lulled the two children to sleep, casually put on a white light coat, and slowly walked out of the cabin. Occasionally, there were two or three sergeants on duty on the deck, and when they saw her, they all stood up and saluted.

The north wind blows from the land, the sea is damp and cold, and the dock is even colder, as if it is about to freeze people. She slowly climbed the ship, staring at the north, the meeting was happy and short, the parting was bitter and long, if it wasn't for Zhao Xingde's insistence, she would even have to stay in Nanshan City, but...... For a long time, a crystal tear appeared in the corner of his eye, which slowly slid down his face and gradually condensed into white tears.

The noisy Guannan of Suzhou in the past has fallen silent, about dozens of miles away, on Tieshan Island, but it is a lively scene. On this inaccessible island, countless bonfires were lit at this moment, and tens of thousands of Han soldiers, together with the people evacuated in advance, set up straw tents all over the mountains. Today is the day of the general retreat of the Han army, many Han soldiers who have just disembarked have no tents, wrapped in a blanket and slept, they are really too cold to sleep, and they sit up and talk while burning the bonfire. Although the climate here is bitterly cold, most people's hearts are hot.