The thieves' offensive intensified day by day. After four days of desperate attacks. Whether it is the Lingju County soldiers guarding the city, or the Zhao soldiers who are besieging outside the city all the time, they are all extremely tired.

Li Yanzhi, Cao Jian, Zhou Xing and other senior generals in Lingju County have already used all their strength. After exhausting everything that could be used to defend the city, it was only able to hold the city in the four days of continuous offensive. The thieves have even made it to the city several times. And in the city with the garrison soldiers melee and gradually began to gain the upper hand. However, he was supported by Li Yanzhi and other Lingju county soldiers, and he was forced to go back.

The corpses of Zhao Jun piled up under the city were several feet high. It's early spring, and it won't rot and stink so quickly. But the city could smell the heavy smell of blood at any time. At first, the newly recruited auxiliaries were not yet adaptable. However, as the city has been defending these days, there has been a lot of bloody life-and-death struggles. These recruits are also gradually growing into brave soldiers who are incomparable in life and death.

As the fighting progressed, there were many casualties on both sides. Although the Lingju county soldiers were fortified with the fortified city, the number of casualties still increased with the fierce battle, reaching nearly 1,000. Hundreds of wounded soldiers left the workshop unaccommodated. In desperation, he had to find a few larger barracks in the camp to house the wounded. The dozen or so doctors who stayed in the city were busy day and night, and their eyes were red and bloodshot, but they still meticulously performed their duties to care for the wounded soldiers.

Although the doctors did their best to care for the wounded, they were unable to prevent the condition of some of the seriously injured from deteriorating. Many of the wounded were not saved due to lack of medical treatment and medicine. After Li Yanzhi learned of this situation, he couldn't bear to be too harsh on those conscientious doctors.

Every day is faced with a bloody battle of life and death, and every day in his eyes is either the corpses of both the enemy and the enemy, or the purple-black plasma condensed on the city wall. What I heard was not the sound of fighting, but the casualty report of how many soldiers had been lost today. In such a situation, even the most optimistic person in the past will be driven crazy. In addition, Cao Jian and Zhou Xing were both supervising the battle in the city, and they were both injured in the life-and-death struggle. Cao Jian's left arm and right shoulder were opened with two long openings. Because of the urgency of the war, he didn't dare to go down the battle line without permission, and still insisted on the tower of the east city. Zhou Xing, on the other hand, is far less optimistic.

Just yesterday, when Zhou Xing commanded the ironclad infantry of Nancheng to counterattack the Zhao army infantry in Shangcheng, he was hit in the chest by a hammer-wielding warrior in the Zhao army, and he fell to the ground when he landed. After the battle, he was carried down the city wall by his subordinates, and when he saw Li Yanzhi with an eager face, Zhou Xing couldn't say anything. He just raised his hand and pointed to the tower, and fainted.

Even a person with strong nerves like Li Yanzhi almost collapsed under this huge pressure that he faced every day. He himself didn't understand what kind of strength had made him so strong. The offensive and defensive battle now in Lingju is not far worse than the offensive and defensive battle in Jincheng in eleven years. At that time, Li Yanzhi looked at the mountains of thieves' corpses under Jincheng County across the river, and he was secretly frightened. But I never imagined that I would have such a day, standing on the city tower to witness the passing of thousands of living beings.

Many of the soldiers in the Zhao army are yellow-skinned and black-haired, typical Han family children. But it was uselessly consumed in the offensive and defensive battle of Lingju, which was like a mill of flesh and blood. Looking at the corpses piled up under the city, Li Yanzhi was undoubtedly even more distressed. If there were no troubled times, these corpses might all be honest and responsible households. Most of them silently farm or graze cattle to earn food and clothing for their families.

However, in the face of this endless war, these young and strong laborers are meaninglessly confronted here. The corpses piled up under the city are the pillars of many families. In the eyes of careerists and conspirators, this war is nothing more than something that can be carried lightly and is not worth mentioning. For those who have lost loved ones, they have lost almost everything.

Before nightfall, Li Yanzhi, who led the team to repel a thief attack, looked at the Zhao soldiers who retreated like a tide under the city, and his heart began to feel endlessly tired. He beckoned and summoned Qin Dayong, who was leading his troops to help those auxiliaries carry the corpses and wounded, and asked him to lead his troops to clean up the aftermath. Then he went back to the city tower to find a corner and lie down for a while.

However, after turning around and leaving, he was looking for a place to curl up and prepare to take a nap, but Qin Dayong followed again, shook Li Yanzhi, who was about to fall asleep, and said, "Sima, the camp doctor sent someone to deliver the message, and Lu Yi woke up." ”

Li Yanzhi turned over and sat up, looked at Cao Jian, and said, "I'll take a look." Then he got up like a gust of wind, and took three steps and two steps down into the city.

When Li Yanzhi walked outside his house in the camp, he heard a voice full of resentment and dissatisfaction inside the house: "Let go of me, I will kill the thief!" I want revenge! Li Yanzhi stepped forward and pushed the door open, and the three or four doctors in front of him worked together to press Lu Yi against the wall. The leading healer had a frightened tone in his voice: "Master Lu must not!" Li Sima has instructed me to take good care of you. If you have three long and two short, I am equal to Li Sima who can't explain it......"

"Lu Yi!" Li Yanzhi walked into the house and scolded sharply. As soon as Lu Yi looked up and saw Li Yanzhi, his momentum suddenly shrank.

Li ...... Li Sima ......, "Lu Yi has already brought a crying voice. Several of the healers around him also let go of their hands and saluted. Lu Yi choked in his throat, and fell to his knees in despair.

"Lu Yi, if you have anything unspeakable, you might as well say it clearly." Li Yanzhi stepped forward to look at Lu Yi, and his tone was calm. And there is a trace of sadness in his eyes that cannot be concealed.

Li Sima ...... My family...... Mother...... Wife is young. It's all been killed by the thieves,......" Lu Yi sobbed, and in the end, he turned into a howl.

"Get up and speak!" Li Yanzhi stepped forward and dragged Lu Yi up: "You are a craftsman, crying like this, what kind of system has you become!" ”

"Now you are like this, your wounds have not healed, and you have never gone into battle with the sergeants and soldiers. The thieves are attacking the city day by day. If you force yourself into battle, don't say that you can't kill the thief. I don't know how many Tongze will be killed because of your ignorance! ”

Li Yanzhi reprimanded him like this, and he was like a slap in the face to Lu Yi. He gradually stopped sobbing and looked up at Li Yanzhi with a solemn face.

"You only say that you will kill the thief and avenge your relatives. Why did you never say anything about joining the army? Don't you know how important the weapons and ordnance you have built are to the soldiers? Lu Yi, Lu Yi. When I was in the county town that year, I asked you if you would like to join the army. How did you answer me then? Over the years, the family has suffered such a change, and you have long been a leader in the workshop. This time, the craftsmen in our county have lost so much, if you come forward to fight with the thieves with knives, who will build the ordnance? ”

"Think about it!" Li Yanzhi turned around and wanted to walk out. But he suddenly thought of something, turned around and pointed to a group of healers who were standing a little awkwardly on the side: "Something to tell me, don't embarrass these healers again!" ”

Lu Yi stood on the spot, and it took a while to react. He ran a few steps, stepped forward and grabbed the belt used by Li Yanzhi, who was about to walk out of the house, and said in a hurried tone: "Li Sima, villain...... The villain is willing to join the army and be driven by Sima! ”

"Now that you have gone to the army, who will make weapons and ordnance? Have you ever wondered? Li Yanzhi looked sideways at Lu Yi and asked slowly.

"Villain......" Lu Yi hesitated for a moment, and then said in a firm tone: "My father is also in the workshop, and he has already retreated north with Craftsman Li and others to avoid trouble. In the villain's house, it is enough to have a father in the workshop...... Now my mother and wife are dead. If I join the army, my father will not object......"

When Li Yanzhi heard Lu Yi's words, he immediately turned around and scolded angrily: "! Now that your mother and wife are dead, how many brothers do you have? If you go again, will Ling Zun be able to suffer such a blow? Lu Yi, Lu Yi! Hello stayed in the workshop and crafted weapons and ordnance for the army. Isn't it the same for the soldiers to take the weapons and ordnance you have built to kill the thieves? ”

Lu Yi let go of Li Yanzhi's belt, knelt on the ground and kowtowed suddenly: "The villain kneels to invite Sima, and the villain is invited to join the army......" Before the words fell, Lu Yi choked up again: "Even if it is a pawn under Sima's account, the villain is also willing!" ”

Li Yanzhi stopped and turned around. saw that Lu Yi's forehead was already blood-red. He sighed and said, "Since you have made up your mind, I will not force it anymore." It's just that if you join the army in the future, you will first go to the camp to be a pawn. When I think that your talent is worthy of use, I will promote you again! ”

"Xie Sima...... Fulfill! Lu Yi couldn't cry, knelt on the ground and kowtowed again and again.

Li Yanzhi walked out of the house with a heavy heart. Over the years, he has witnessed a lot of life and death, joys and sorrows. Lu Yi's experience is by no means an exception in this world. However, letting this young man in his early twenties bear the life and death blood feud of his family is by no means what Li Yanzhi is happy to see.

Back on the city tower, Li Yanzhi was no longer sleepy. He looked up at the moonlit and starry sky, and looked around at the soldiers who were lying in the city in their clothes, sleeping soundly. The mood was unspeakable for a while.

He took off his helmet and was about to take a nap, when he suddenly saw several dark shadows walking towards him on the steps of the castle tower.

The shadows lit the torches, searching for something among the lying soldiers. Li Yanzhi stood up, looked in the direction of the torch and asked, "Who?" Didn't I say that you are not allowed to light torches at night? ”

Hearing this, the black shadow quickly placed the torch on the ground, and then stepped on it. Then he raised his head and said to Li Yanzhi across the zhang Xu Yuan: "Li Sima, I just came from the workshop." Zhang Xing and Han Wencan can't do it......"

"What?" Li Yanzhi was startled, and hurriedly stepped forward to report that the person was a scribe from the county government.

These scribes had worked with Li Yanzhi and a dozen of his former subordinates. I have heard of the deep friendship between them. In the past three days, as the number of wounded increased, most of the officials and clerks left behind in the county government also went to the workshops or barracks to assist the doctors in caring for the wounded.

Li Yanzhi grabbed the sleeve of the scribe, and his tone trembled uncontrollably: "You say...... Who can't? ”

The scribe hung his head and said gloomily: "Back to Sima, Zhang Xing and Han Wencan, it's not okay......"

Li Yanzhi only felt dizzy. He almost fell on the city wall. He took a few steps backwards to stabilize his figure, and then immediately said to the scribe, "Quick, lead me forward......

When I came to the workshop again, there were still one or two places to stay. It's overcrowded now. The wounded still howled from time to time. Moments of pain tormented the wounded soldiers, keeping them awake at night. From time to time, a dozen or so guards carried one or two out of the crowd under the guidance of the doctors—the wounded who were dying.

The scribe took Li Yanzhi to walk among the wounded in one place for a long time, and finally saw Zhang Xing and Han Wencan, who were placed with more than a dozen wounded under the shack of the workshop.

Li Yanzhi squatted down, Zhang Xingshang opened his eyes, and his mouth was ho-ho from time to time. And Han Wencan, who has already closed his eyes and turned his head sideways, probably won't be able to support it for long. Zhang Xingyuan's eyes opened and saw Li Yanzhi, as if his peers had grabbed the last straw for a drowning person. He stretched out his hand, and Li Yanzhi hurriedly held his hand, with a sad look on his face: "Zhang Shichang, if there is any wish that has not been fulfilled, Li must do his best to ......"

Zhang Xing was injured in the left side of the abdomen. There was also a long, deep wound on the right leg, which had been bandaged by this time. However, the white cloth that wrapped the wound had been stained a shocking purple-black with the blood that was constantly oozing out. Li Yanzhi only felt that Zhang Xing's hands were cold. And the ho-ho sound in his mouth basically can't form a complete sentence.

Zhang Xing paused, and then shouted Li Sima with all his strength. When Li Yanzhi looked at him again, he had already taken out a cloth bag from his arms with his left hand and handed it to Li Yanzhi's hand. He gasped for air, and there was another ho-ho sound in his mouth. When Li Yanzhi looked at him again, he saw his left hand trembling and pointing in the direction of the county seat.

Li Yanzhi's nose suddenly became sore, and his tears were a little uncontrollable. He asked in a trembling voice, "Are you giving these to your relatives at home?" I saw Zhang Xing nodding effortlessly. Then he gasped for breath and closed his eyes slightly. just held Li Yanzhi's hand, and it tightened a little tighter.

Li Yanzhi choked up and said, "Don't worry, I will immediately send someone to the county seat to send these things to ......."

Zhang Xing shook Li Yanzhi's hand vigorously, and then seemed to relax his whole body, and slumped on the straw mat under him. Because of the sharp pain coming from the wound, there was still a ho-ho sound in his mouth. Li Yanzhi waited beside him for a moment, listening to Zhang Xing's moans gradually weaken, and finally fade away.

Li Yanzhi reached out to pinch Zhang Xing's pulse, feeling that the pulse was gradually flattening. In the end, it finally didn't move. For a while, an indescribable sense of sadness quickly surged into his heart. The brothers who shared weal and woe with him at the beginning, and who came out of the stable of the Guangwu Army, are now only seven people left.

Seeing the soldiers on duty in the workshop coming and carrying Zhang Xing and Han Wencan away one after another, Li Yanzhi could no longer control his emotions. He looked up to the sky and roared: "I and the thief, I will not die!" ”