Another day later, on May 30. The order to withdraw troops issued by Zhang Shihua could not help but be sent to Zhang Mingtong's hands.

Therefore, after a day of preparation, on the first day of the first month of June, Zhang Mingtong, who temporarily took the position of chief general, couldn't help but return from De'an Mansion with the remaining more than 10,000 soldiers and horses of the black-clothed army.

The army then walked for more than four days, and it was not until June 5 that they were able to return to their station in Xiangyang.

To be honest, when they left Xiangyang more than half a month ago, everyone was extremely looking forward to coming back as soon as possible. But on June 5th, when they really returned, they were not victorious but defeated and ordered to evacuate, but they had a different taste in their hearts.

After all, since the establishment of the Black Army, they have never suffered defeat.

So after the fierce defeat, these people can't help but feel extremely ashamed. So much so that most of them have a feeling that they can't hold their heads up in front of their comrades.

Even when they received the order to return to the Xiangyang territory, most of the black-clothed sergeants walking on the official road lowered their heads, and everyone looked like defeated roosters, eager to find a crack in the ground to drill down.

"General, what will you do with us?" On the 5th of June, they returned to their station from De'an in despair and disgrace. In Zhang Mingtong's tent, Zhang Mingtong's personal guard commander looked at Zhang Mingtong and couldn't help but ask such a thing uneasily.

After all, by the time they wait until tomorrow morning, these defeated generals will have to meet their lord Zhang Shihua.

However, after Zhang Mingtong glanced at his personal guard commander, he couldn't help but sigh silently. Then he said in a deep voice: "As a deputy general, the army was defeated, and the main general was seriously injured, this is really a shame that I can't get rid of, and the lord should punish me no matter how he punishes me." ”

"But you ......" Hearing Zhang Mingtong say this, his personal guard commander couldn't help but want to argue something for him. But when he saw Zhang Mingtong's appearance, he couldn't help but swallow back what he wanted to say.

After that, the tent became quiet and oppressive again.

However, at this time, there are still many generals like Zhang Mingtong's personal guard commander who are worried in their hearts.

After all, the army was defeated, and the lord was seriously wounded. It is reasonable to be reasonable, and it is obviously impossible to blame all the responsibilities of the commander. Moreover, in addition, the main general Zhang Shihui is the cousin of their lord Zhang Shihua. With their own lives, the deputy ten thousand households and the officials of the thousands of households in the army couldn't help but feel that in this matter, they themselves were inevitably punished.

So on this night, even the generals were already very tired from traveling for days. But tonight, these people still couldn't help tossing and turning, and none of them could sleep peacefully.

But no matter what, when a few hours passed like this, and the sun rose from the east as usual, these generals still couldn't help but follow the order given to them by Zhang Shihua before, led by Zhang Mingtong, and rode into Xiangyang City.

Because Zhang Shihua had previously set a rule, no one was allowed to gallop in the city. Therefore, after the generals entered Xiangyang City with their whining horses, they couldn't help but slow down their horses, so that the war horses under their crotch began to move forward at the speed of human strides.

However, at this time, the generals and officials who were obviously very afraid of seeing Zhang Shihua were eager to give birth to wings and fly directly to the Marshal's Mansion.

Just because on this road, the eyes of the people around them really made them feel so humiliated that they couldn't raise their heads.

"Hey, do you see, it's that they led the army to conquer De'an Mansion and were defeated, and they also suffered casualties and many soldiers......" The people around them whispered softly.

And vaguely hearing such words, even Zhang Mingtong couldn't help lowering his head and looking around without a face.

At this time, fortunately, most of the soldiers and horses under Zhang Mingtong and Zhang Shihui's tents were all children of Nanyang. Otherwise, at this time, an old man ran over, stopped the road and asked them, "Where is my son?" "They're really going to dig a crack in the ground and bury themselves.

But even so, along the way, Zhang Mingtong and others couldn't help but feel a shameless feeling of facing their hometown fathers and elders.

Even compared with this situation, some generals would rather die on the battlefield, but they are also unwilling to face such an embarrassing situation.

"Whew!" When they lowered their heads and rode to the front of the Marshal's Mansion, Zhang Mingtong and the others couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. After all, compared to the feeling just now, it was a pleasure to give them a knife.

So after turning over and dismounting, Zhang Mingtong and the others couldn't help but walk quickly into the marshal's mansion.

At this time, because of the defeat of the Black Army in De'an. Therefore, in the front hall of the Marshal's Mansion at this time, a large number of civil and military officials could not help but gather.

But even so, when Zhang Mingtong and the others walked into the front hall of the Marshal's Mansion, they, the generals of the defeated army, couldn't help but become the focus of everyone at the first time.

So for a while, the front hall that was still whispering constantly couldn't help but be quiet in an instant. The many civil and military officials standing in this hall couldn't help but look at the expressions of Zhang Mingtong and the others.

Among them, there are worried, expressionless, seemingly indifferent, and a few with schadenfreude in their eyes.

However, Zhang Mingtong was in no mood to pay attention to this at this time. Because when they walked into the hall, they couldn't help but become nervous and even frightened when they fought on the battlefield to fight against Zhang Mingtong and others. No way, who made them the first defeated generals in the Black Army.

In the absence of any precedent, it is unknown what punishment they will bear next. So at this time, it is really impossible for them not to be nervous and panicked.

Therefore, after stepping into the hall, Zhang Mingtong and the others couldn't help but stand in their previous position without thinking. lowered his head and didn't talk, just silently waiting for Zhang Shihua's arrival.

Therefore, such an atmosphere is undoubtedly somewhat depressing, and even other civil and military officials who have nothing to do with this matter can't help but feel uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the oppressive atmosphere did not last long. That is, more than a quarter of an hour later, with the shouts of a burly soldier in the hall, the tall and burly and heroic Zhang Shihua couldn't help but walk out of the back of the hall.

"Your Majesty, please meet the lord!" The generals standing under the hall saw Zhang Shihua walking out, and they couldn't help but bow down to Zhang Shihua in unison.

Seeing this, Zhang Shihua sat down with a calm face, and then couldn't help waving his hand to the generals in the hall and said, "Gentlemen, don't be polite." ”

"Thank you, lord!" When the generals heard this, they first thanked them in unison as usual, and then they couldn't help but stand up from the ground one after another. However, at this time, Zhang Mingtong and others, who were panicked in their hearts, couldn't help but stand up last of them.

But for this, Zhang Shihua, who was sitting in the hall, didn't seem to care. At this time, I saw his eyes scan the many generals under the hall, and he couldn't help but listen to him: "Where are the people who received the order that day and led the army to attack De'an?" ”

"Sin will be!" Suddenly, when he heard Zhang Shihua's words, even though he had secretly cheered himself several times before. But really at this time, Zhang Mingtong and others still couldn't help but make a swing. Standing out of the crowd in fear, he couldn't help but fall to his knees at the first time.

"I asked you how you assured me when you led the troops out that day. Wait, do anyone remember? After Zhang Mingtong and the others stood up from the crowd and knelt on the ground. Zhang Shihua sat in his seat and looked down at them, and couldn't help but ask such words.

And when they heard Zhang Shihua's words, Zhang Mingtong and the others' faces couldn't help but become a little paler. Some generals even trembled unconsciously, and the cold sweat that appeared because of fear covered their faces for the first time.

Just because at the beginning, they made an almost military warrant-like guarantee to Zhang Shihua in front of everyone. So for that alone, they're already guilty of a capital offense.

However, since Zhang Shihua asked, even if they were scared in their hearts, Zhang Mingtong and the others, who were kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but bow their heads deeply, and then replied in a slightly trembling tone: "The sin will be remembered." ”

"Good." Hearing their answers, Zhang Shihua said with a calm face. originally looked calm, but at this time, it became extremely gloomy.

"Then I'll ask you again." Zhang Shihua said, his body couldn't help but lean down slightly, "Then in this battle, is your strength less than that of the Tartars, or the equipment on my black-clothed sergeants is not as good as the Tartars." Zhang Shihua said so, the problem became more and more acute, and Zhang Mingtong and others were more and more embarrassed.

So after Zhang Shihua asked this, Zhang Mingtong and the others, who were kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but shake their heads in shame.

Seeing this, Zhang Shihua narrowed his eyes slightly, and finally couldn't help but angrily scold Zhang Mingtong and the others: "Then tell me now, why did you lose!" ”

"I'll wait...... Sin will be convicted, sin will be punished by the Lord! Finally, Zhang Mingtong and others, who were kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but bow like this.

However, seeing them like this, Zhang Shihua, who was sitting on the main seat, couldn't help but sigh. Then, the large front hall full of people couldn't help but be quiet again.

Quietness is undoubtedly the most depressing. So under such quietness, even the generals who had nothing to do with this matter couldn't help but sweat on their foreheads.

And just like that, after a long while, Zhang Shihua, who was sitting on the main seat, couldn't help but speak again.

"In the battle of De'an, you did make a great mistake. But the main responsibility for this is not entirely on your shoulders. There is a saying that 'the three armies are in ruin, and the responsibility of the general' Anyway, it is still your chief general Zhang Shihui who will bear the greatest responsibility in this battle.

However, because he was seriously injured, he could not come to church today. But that doesn't mean I won't hold him accountable. ”

When Zhang Shihua said this, he couldn't help but glance at the people in the hall again. Seeing that none of the generals in the hall had any objections because of this, he nodded slightly, and couldn't help but say again: "Zhang Shihui, as the chief general, still has to fight to the death when he is seriously injured.

This alone is quite rare. However, merit is merit and fault, Zhang Shihui is the chief general, and his arrogant and careless command mistakes are also the most fundamental reason for the defeat of our army. So this time ......"

When Zhang Shihua said this, he couldn't help but pause, and tried to look at Li Wu beside him.

And at this time, all the generals in the hall couldn't help but prick up their ears in unison, obviously they were also very concerned and curious about what kind of punishment Zhang Shihua would give his cousin.

"As the main general, Shihui has the responsibility of serving the monarch and commanding the three armies. However, as a general, he was arrogant and careless, and his command was improper, so that our army suffered a lot of losses in the battle of De'an, and it was a great crime. But remembering his loyalty, he was seriously injured and still fought to the death, and he made great meritorious contributions to the king and the country.

Therefore, this time, he will be fined for three years and his official position will be retained by three grades. Li Wu took out a silk book from his arms and read it like this.

Hearing Li Wu's words, Zhang Mingtong and the others, who were kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

After all, at this time, fools understand that committing such a mistake is only a three-year fine, demotion, and retention, which is completely lifted high and gently put down. Obviously, for the sake of sibling affection, Zhang Shihua didn't want to punish his cousin for this.

Fang Cai's attitude towards Zhang Mingtong and others is probably just putting on a show.

Otherwise, for Zhang Shihui, who committed such a mistake and caused thousands of casualties among the black-clothed army, how could it be just such a punishment. Yes...... Wrong! Strictly speaking, this is not a punishment for Zhang Shihui at all.

Take a look at the content of the punishment. 'Three years' sounds scary. But you don't want to think about it, with Zhang Shihui's identity and family background, how could he care about that little bit of money. And with their lord's attitude towards his brother, if he rewards him once, the amount will not be less than Zhang Shihui, the three-year salary of ten thousand households.

So this punishment, that's not a punishment at all.

And let's talk about what 'downgrade and retention'. Hehe, 'downgrade' and 'retention', these two words add up, and fools know what they mean.

So after understanding Zhang Shihua's thoughts, everyone will know. The defeat of De'an was about to be swept away by his lord so gently.

And then, as it was. Because they did not bear the main responsibility, Zhang Mingtong and the others only ended up with a one-year fine and a demotion to one level of retention.

However, it should be said that for such a result, there is no psychological imbalance in the hearts of the generals, but most of them are happy to see it.

After all, if Zhang Shihua can even show no mercy to his brothers, how can they, outsiders, not be cold.