Chapter 3: Glitz (Part 6)

As expected by Pei Lian, the right servant, he had just been ordered to gather his soldiers and horses and return to Luoyang City, Cheng Mingzhen immediately went to meet Li Shimin to find a way out for his old friend under the Dou family's army that day.

But he did it not entirely because of nostalgia. Instead, I have been harboring some indescribable guilt in my heart, hoping that I can do something to make up for it.

He and Dou Jiande have already settled their grievances, so he does not sympathize with the destruction of the Dou family's army. However, he didn't expect Shi Zan to die, let alone Shi Zan to die so miserably. According to Luo Shixin's statement after the war, Shi Zhan "committed suicide" at that time. Knowing that the general trend had gone, with more than a dozen cronies, he rushed back to the Tang army like a moth to a flame. It wasn't until the last drop of blood in his body was drained that he fell down with his eyes open.

"It's a man!" Privately, Luo Shixin commented. With a little admiration, but also a little confused.

Clear-eyed people actually know that it is only a matter of time before Datang dominates the four seas. Like Shi Zhan, who is neither a descendant of Dou Jiande nor has a grudge against Datang, there is no need to be martyred for Dou Jiande. As long as they are willing to surrender, even after the defeat of the army, they will be awarded an official and a half-post according to the practice of Datang. With the official title in their hands, it is not difficult for them to become rich when they return to the countryside. If you still want to make a name for yourself immediately, as long as you are willing to contribute to the imperial court, after a few years, it is not uncommon to become a party manager.

is also a leading general, under Li Yuan, he is much more comfortable than under Dou Jiande. First of all, there was no shortage of ordnance, baggage, grain, grass, and supplies. Secondly, there was absolutely no arrears in the salaries and salaries of the soldiers. If you can mix it better, like Wang Junkuo, you can mix into the prince's lineage, and even treasures like Mingguang armor and chain crossbows can be pulled into a car and a car to the barracks. The whole army is armed to the teeth, and there will no longer be the brothers who carry a sickle and fight for their lives as they did in the past.

However, Shi Chan chose a dead end. He would rather die in battle, and would rather give the opportunity to exchange the remnants of the soldiers in his hands for an official position to Zhang Shuo, a prison soldier sent by Dou Jiande, rather than bow his proud head.

He died, died violently, and he was a hundred. But he left the endless guilt and confusion to the companion who once fought side by side with him, and to an old friend whose mind was by no means tenacious.

Cheng Mingzhen didn't know why Shi Zan made such a choice. After hearing the news that it was Yin Qiu and Shi Zan who were stationed in the Tiger Prison, he also privately thought that Li Shimin, the king of Qin, could not attack the Tiger Prison for a long time, so he came forward to make friends with Shi Zan and persuaded the other party to surrender, for Shi Zan himself, and also for his subordinates to change a relatively stable home. Who would have thought that before he could write the letter of invitation to Li Shimin, the good news that the Tiger Prison Pass had been breached. Immediately followed by the good news, Shi Zhan's tragic ending.

It's him who is sorry for Shi Zhan. If he hadn't suggested to Li Shimin to concentrate his forces against Dou Jiande first, Shi Zan might not have died so miserably. Although, when he was timing Li Shimin, Cheng Mingzhen didn't know that Dou Jiande would send Shi Zan and Yin Qiu to fight.

I did not kill Beren, but he died because of it. With a feeling of guilt, Cheng Mingzhen immediately sent a letter to Li Shimin after the Battle of Luoyang, hoping that the other party could read that none of the generals under Dou Jiande had committed any major evils, open the net, and give everyone a way to live. For this, he is willing to pay any price, and can even exchange his fame for it. As long as His Royal Highness King Qin is willing to nod, he will be grateful for the rest of his life.

Li Shimin accepted this request very generously. did not let Cheng Mingzhen exchange credit, nor did he take the opportunity to coerce, so that the banner of the Zhaozhou battalion fell to himself clearly. Instead, Cheng Mingzhen was assigned a task to persuade those who were captured that as long as they were willing to swear to be good citizens of the Tang Dynasty forever in the future, they could not blame the past.

This condition is really relaxed, which makes Cheng Mingzhen overjoyed. Who would have thought that when he brought the good news to the prison in Luoyang City, he would change back a bunch of disdainful eyes.

Those who have already surrendered to the Tang Dynasty have long been soft. In addition to Shan Xiongxin, who almost killed himself, Li Shimin spared a large number of enemy civil and military forces who were willing to change their courts. Strange to say, all the officials under Wang Shichong's command read poems, but no one remembered the word "loyalty". Hearing that he could escape death, he immediately knelt on the ground and thanked the Tang Emperor for his grace. It's just that most of the hillbillies under Dou Jiande's command who don't know a few big characters have a stinky temper. would rather accompany Dou Jiande to die than accept the alms of His Royal Highness King Qin.

"This defeat is due to the fact that the strength of the Great Xia Kingdom is not as good as others, not because your luck is too bad!" Looking at those eyes full of ridicule, Cheng Mingzhen suddenly felt a little weak in his heart, swallowed and foamed, and persuaded with difficulty.

"Phew!" A few unkempt captives let out a sneer from their nostrils, turned their faces away, and looked at the cobwebs in the corner in silence.

"Back then, we rebelled, just to live a few days of peace. Now that the troubled times are finally coming to an end, isn't it good to go home and guard your family, serve a few acres of thin fields, and pack up your livestock? Knowing that his words would not be accepted by the other party, Cheng Mingzhenwu was unwilling and continued to whisper. Brother Yin, I remember you told me that you were tired of fighting. And General Wang, don't you still have two underage sons at home? Guys, think about it, think about it again. It's better to keep a useful body than to go on the road in a daze! ”

"Phew!" Wang Kuan, the young general who was named by Cheng Mingzhen, spat at at the ground, dragging the shackles and hiding far away.

"Hehe, don't bother. We, the elm pimple heads, went to the dark in one breath when we identified the road. Of course, it's not as good as your nine-headed Jiao, and you found a good master early! Yin Qiu shrugged his shoulders and sneered and mocked.

"Brother Yin, it was Prince Dou who made the first move back then!" Cheng Mingzhen's face turned red and retorted loudly. After saying that, I felt quite bored again. sighed, and said faintly: "Lord Dou imprisoned Brother Wang, and deceived me under the pretext of convening everyone to discuss the matter, and prepared to annex it with people and territory. You should be clear about this. Although I and Dou Jiande belong to the monarch and minister, I can't stretch my neck and wait for him to go under the knife! ”

"How many times have you missed it?" Yin Qiu glanced at him and continued to sneer. "Lord Dou couldn't tolerate you at the beginning, and we were all indignant for you. You went out of the city instead, set fire to most of Lord Dou's savings, and no one thought you had done too much. After that, whether you occupy the mountain as the king, or cut the land for self-respect, in the eyes of everyone, you are all a man. But you just took refuge in Mrs. Li! It's not a family, it's not a door. Master Cheng, take a few steps back for you, those of us who were born in farming and firewood, be careful that you are poor! ”

"What do you mean by this, Brother Yin?" Cheng Ming shook for a moment, lowered his voice and asked rhetorically. Since the other party is willing to open his mouth to take his words, he may have a chance to persuade him. Even if you are wronged, it is better than watching them be killed. "When I fought side by side with Brother Yin, I didn't be a bad seed. With the mind of today's Tang Emperor, he will not look down on him because of his bad background! ”

"Really?" Yin Qiu shrugged his shoulders again, and the shackles on his body rattled.

Cheng Mingzhen was frustrated by the question, swallowed and spit, and said with difficulty: "At least what I see is like this." I'm also a general, and now it's not reused? There are also Wang Junkuo, Qin Shubao and others, who did not defect to the Tang Dynasty later. Even if it was Wang Deren, if he hadn't rebelled later, Datang would not treat him badly! ”

Yin Qiu raised his head suddenly, and his gaze stabbed like a knife. "The farmer is the same as the official? The one who wears kudzu cloth is the same as the one who wears ayara? I have no money to watch it in my life, and I have the same as the one that landed with a golden spoon in my mouth? You and my brother, give me a word of truth, don't think about me? ”

Cheng Mingzhen was a flurry again, slowly retreating half a step, and responded in a low voice, "Brother Yin asked too harshly. There are definitely differences. But compared to the previous dynasty......"

"Phew!" Yin Qiu's nostrils spewed out a breath of cold air again, "How much worse?" If your brother Cheng hadn't been a military attache of the Great Sui, would Lady Li value you so much? ”

Hearing him speak insulting to the current emperor, the military general who led Cheng Mingzhen to visit the prison was immediately unhappy, raised his horsewhip, and pulled his head and face, "Shut up, you are a death row prisoner who doesn't know what to do." General Cheng tried his best to save you, but you ......"

"Brother Gongsun, give me face!" Cheng Mingzhen hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed the general's wrist. The other party was Li Shimin's confidant, and he didn't dare to say it too seriously, "Brother Yin and I are old friends." That's what happened to him, and he couldn't hold back when he spoke. I'll persuade him again, for my sake, you can spare him for the time being! ”

"I don't know what to do!" General Gongsun let go of his horsewhip and spit at Yin Qiu with a mouthful of thick phlegm. "His Royal Highness King Qin has the virtue of a good life, so he is unwilling to chop you up immediately. You think it's still useful to keep your goods, but you can't write it, and you can't do it. led the troops to fight, and before they could do it, the soldiers had already run out! ”

"General Gongsun, give me some face!" Cheng Mingzhen pushed and pushed, and finally pushed the other party out of the cell. Turning around, he discussed with Yin Qiu very apologetically, "Brother Yin, you are now under the low eaves, what can you do if you keep your head down for the time being?" You weren't with Prince Dou back then, didn't you fight for him later? ’

"Of course it's different!" For the sake of Cheng Mingzhen, who did not hesitate to offend his colleagues, Yin Qiu finally put away his cynicism. "There is no difference between the tall master and Prince Dou, but the difference between Lord Dou and Old Lady Li is huge!"

"Brother Yin!" Cheng Mingzhen quickly turned around and saw that General Gongsun had no intention of rushing over again to teach people, so he finally put his mind at ease.

"You're scared, aren't you? I'm afraid that your emperor will hear about it and condemn you, right? Yin Qiu smiled and mocked in a low voice, "When you were with us back then, you weren't so timid. Calling Lao Dou's name and surname, we have never done less! ”

"When we were under Lao Dou, we didn't pay attention to the rules. Therefore, Lao Dou can't succeed in the end! Cheng Mingzhen sighed and said abruptly.

"Lao Dou can't do anything, I have already seen it. Not only me, but the old stone with whom you have the deepest friendship has long been seen! Yin Qiu also sighed and asked faintly. But we can only follow the old Dou Gan. Do you know why? ”

Cheng Mingzhen was asked for a moment, and in a short period of time, he couldn't give an answer at all. Seeing his frowning appearance, Yin Qiu smiled dumbly, "Because we are the same people as Lao Dou." They are all poor men who don't know much about big characters. And you Cheng Xiaojiu is different, although your family has fallen into the middle of the road, you have also had a lot of fish and meat when you were a child. So you can take refuge in Mrs. Li. We can't. Although Lao Dou is a little uncompetitive, he sits in the world, it is the world of us poor men, and I know what we poor men think in our hearts. What about your old lady Li, has he ever been poor? He and Yang Guang's cousins, what is the difference between who is the emperor? What is the difference between the Tang Dynasty that you are loyal to by the Nine Heads Jiao and the Great Sui that has been smashed by us? ”

"You don't know what to do!" Without waiting for Cheng Mingzhen to speak, General Gongsun rushed up again, waving his fist. Cheng Mingzhen hurriedly hugged him, imploring the other party to look at his face and not to be like Yin Qiu. The general surnamed Gongsun struggled a few times, but he didn't have as much strength as Cheng Mingzhen, so he had to put down his hand and said loudly: "This person is not worthy of Brother Cheng at all for you to intercede for him." Yesterday, Li Shiji exchanged his fame for Shan Xiongxin's life, and His Royal Highness the King of Qin did not agree. only gave Brother Cheng this face to you, who expected them to give face back. I convince him today for his own good. If you let him blindly harden his mouth, Brother Cheng, no matter how deep your friendship with His Royal Highness King Qin is, I'm afraid you won't be able to save him! ”

"Yin missed Lord Dou's major event, and he should have died a long time ago." Yin Qiu sneered and gave Cheng Mingzhen a clear answer. "Today, these brothers in prison have long lost the idea of living. Brother Cheng, your kindness, we all understand it. But if you want me to wait for Datang to be soft, it's a pipe dream! ”

When General Gongsun saw that his death was imminent, he still had a hard mouth, and he was so angry that he raised his feet and wanted to kick it. Cheng Mingzhen dragged the other party back a few steps, sighed, and said gloomily: "That's it, everyone has their own ambitions, and no one can force it." Brother Gongsun, don't be embarrassed for them, I have a colleague with them after all. Set up a good banquet and give them practice! ”

"It's long overdue to bother with them!" Gongsun Wuda spat on the ground, turned and walked away.

Cheng Mingzhen knew that no matter what he said, it would be impossible for Yin Qiu and the others to change their desire for death. had to take out the money and beg the jailer to take more care of Yin Qiu and the others. The little colonel who temporarily served as a jailer was also Li Shimin's confidant, knowing that His Royal Highness King Qin had always valued Cheng Mingzhen very much, he pushed the money bag sent by Cheng Mingzhen outward, and said with a smile: "Although these people have a tendon, they can be regarded as tough guys." Even if Master Hou doesn't say it, we won't be embarrassed. Although Master Hou has sent people to deliver wine and food these days, with my old Zhang here, I guarantee that they will be full of food and drink! ”

Cheng Mingzhen even claimed to thank him, and was released from prison to arrange for people to buy wine and food. After a while, the soldiers delivered the dishes from the restaurant that had just resumed business in Luoyang City, and Cheng Mingzhen stood at the door of the cell, but he didn't know whether he should go in and toast everyone with a glass of send-off wine. The people in the cell are all tough guys who go all the way to the black, and when they go in, the nine-headed Jiao, they are so incompatible with the people inside.

A few days later, Li Shimin ordered that Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande's heinous and obsessive people be beheaded on the bank of Luoshui. Among them, Dou Jiande has 31 generals. Including Yang Gongqing and Yin Qiu, who are familiar to Cheng Mingzhen.

Luoshui is red again.