The fire on the grassland was not too big, but it was more difficult to extinguish, and the protective belt dug by Zhao Jun successfully stopped the line of fire, and the damage to the chariots and horses of the army was not serious. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoBut the idyllic pastures of the past have been changed beyond recognition, and the surrounding area is full of charred charcoal, and smoke is still emitting in many places, and the glowing embers rise from the smoke screen and float towards the sky, like thousands of newborn fireflies......

When the flames were finally extinguished and the ground cooled a little, it was almost evening, and the remnants of the sun were like blood, and the water was full of bloody corpses.

Zhao Wuxian's car remained in ashes, and he was listening to Qi Wan and Tian Ben report on the battle and casualties on both sides.

"The ironclad army suffered more than 200 casualties, more than 500 casualties, almost all of the 3,000 Wu people were killed in battle, and only more than 100 people were ......captured due to injuries."

Zhao Wuxian was a little helpless, this rhino armor guard is really the elite of the Wu army, in the case of unfavorable armor and inferior numbers, it can still cause such huge damage to the two aces of the Zhao army, if the two armies are facing each other on the plain, I don't know how much loss it will cause to the Zhao army.

No wonder Sun Tzu said that the soldiers who surrender without a fight are also good to the good. In this wrestling between Zhao and Wu, except for the battle of Tang and the battle of Fuli, there were not many collisions at the tactical level. Zhao Wuxian is more strategically involved in the battle line of Wu State, coupled with the changes in its rear, the Wu people are like arrows, and the husband has no fighting spirit, so the Zhao army can chase all the way to the north and fight a smooth battle.

Looking back now, his choice was right, the courage of the Wu people should not be underestimated.

Zhao Wuxian asked the second general to go down to count the captures, collect the dead, comfort the wounded, and at the same time ask someone to bring the captured Wu Jiangzhuan carp up.

When the bloodied carp was brought in, Zhao Wuxian got out of the carriage and looked at it, only to see that the carp's face was covered with blood, mud, and ashes, and his eyes were completely blurred, and he could barely distinguish his appearance. Zhao Wuxian summoned the Lingque healer and asked them to wash off the dirt on the face of the carp with clean water, so that he could see the light of day again.

"Zhao Wuxian?" Raising his head, Zhuan Carp recognized the middle-aged man dressed as a prince in front of him.

Wu Lin, the Yulin guard next to him, scolded him for being bold, but Zhao Wuxian didn't think it was angry, and said with emotion: "Boyu, we haven't seen each other for more than ten years, right?" ”

The first time the two met was at the banquet of Cao State, when Zhuan Kun was a member of the honor guard of the envoys of Wu State, and the Fan family sent people to assassinate Zhao Wuxian, or Zhuan Kun helped him repel the assassins. The two of them drank and talked happily that night, although there was a language barrier, but Zhao Wuxian had no ill feelings towards this son of Zhuzhu. Later, in the Song Kingdom, Zhao Wuxian met him again, but at that time, Zhuan Carp was already his husband's personal guard, and he could no longer exchange cups with him.

Now that twelve years have passed, the third time they met, but the two have become a king, a minister, one for hegemony, one for loyalty, and the other is for loyalty.

This is not a good time and place to catch up, Zhao Wuxian is not verbose, and asks straightforwardly: "Where is the husband?" ”

"The king has crossed the river and escaped, and Zhao Hou is not worried about it......"

Because of the excessive blood loss, the carp drooped his head, and lost the bravery of the battle, but the thought that his king had escaped smoothly made him very happy, and he opened his mouth and smiled.

"It's good for Zhao Hou to return to the north, you have also seen today's events, there are still tens of thousands of people in Wu who are as fierce as we are, if Zhao Jun insists on making things difficult for Wu Guo, I am afraid that the losses will be ten times more than today!"

Zhao Wuxian laughed and said to Zhuan Kun: "Even though there are countless warriors in Wu Kingdom, Lone only admires the two of them, and now Wu Zi has been killed by his husband, and Bo Yu has also been defeated and captured, who can stop the widow?" ”

For Wu Zixu's death, Zhuan Kun was also ashamed, his father Zhuan Zhu was introduced by Wu Zixu to Wu Wang Lu, and the two families had a good relationship, of course, this did not affect his loyalty to his husband. But Zhao Wuxian compared him to Zixu, and Zhuan Xiu seemed to hear a big joke, and immediately laughed out loud, laughing so hard that the wound hurt.

"Zhao Hou is really a northerner, he doesn't know the things in the south, he is in Wu State, he is just a small person, there is Wang Sun Luo by the king's side, invincible in water warfare, with the army counselor, and Xu Menchao, guarding the two Huai, the mainstay. This time, Wu Guo went north, and his strength was not even half of it! I advise Zhao Hou, don't go south, you will be defeated if you go south! ”

"Really? Now it's a mess. Zhao Wuxian just stared at the carp, seeing that his heart was weak, and seeing that he turned his head angrily.

Only when he reunites with someone he hasn't seen for a long time, Zhao Wuxian can deeply feel the changes of time, the world is easier, seeing that the carp is so loyal, even if he is captured, he will not forget the old master and mother state, he can't help but have a trace of solicitation, so he asked: "There is something unknown about the widow, Confucius said, if the monarch does not listen to the loyal words and kills the loyal ministers, then the ministers do not have to be loyal, they can leave on their own." Boyu is also Yiwei's husband, why is he still so loyal and brave after his husband's perverse behavior, and he does not hesitate to die for him? ”

Zhuan Xiu was stunned for a moment, and then said as a matter of course: "Jun, Zunye, as a small minister, since I am in charge, no matter what you do, this righteousness of the monarch and the minister will not change." Just like the first king asked my father to assassinate the royal staff by sacrificing fish, my father knew that he would die, but he still resolutely assassinated. After that, the first king regarded me as his own, and asked me to accompany the prince to learn from the army and go to battle, and I have been by the king's side for thirty years, and I know that the king's talent will definitely be able to achieve great things. Although he is now confused by traitors, and encounters such an opponent as Zhao Hou, the hegemony is blocked, but the king is still the king, and the king is still the king, if I can exchange one of my deaths for the king to restore his hard work, keep the business of the previous king, and die without regrets......"

Although his eyes were stained with blood and ashes, they were clear, and every word came from the bottom of his heart. After these words, not only Zhao Wuxian was silent, but the generals of Zhao Guozhong next to him also respected the prisoner under the rank of Zhuan Carp.

After half a ring, because of too much blood loss and too many words, the dizzy Zhuan Qi pleaded weakly: "That's all it takes, if Zhao Hou remembered that you and I had drunk at the same table many years ago, and killed me, why humiliate me again?" ”

Wuxian sighed: "How dare you insult a strong man? ”

Zhuan Kui was overjoyed: "Good, if Zhao Hou is willing to fulfill me, can you promise me one thing?" ”

"But it doesn't hurt to say it."

"The carp had promised to prevent Zhao Hou from tomorrow morning, but now he has broken his promise and been captured, and he has no face to live in the world, Wu Shi is prone to death, and if he can't fulfill his life, he must commit suicide to thank Bangguo. The carp is willing to die, and the remaining more than 100 Wu Jia are also willing to die, this reluctant request, I hope that Zhao Hou can be fulfilled! ”

With that, the carp bowed down heavily, and knocked his forehead on the ashes all over the ground......

Zhao Wuxian didn't answer immediately, and after a long time, he nodded heavily: "As the son wants!" ”

……

The Sui River flows to the southeast, and the deceased are like Sifu, reluctant to give up day and night.

The remnant sun is like blood, and on the north shore where corpses are strewn and there are wisps of smoke, a group of Wu people who are either lame or missing arms support each other and line up. Of the three thousand rhino armor guards, only one hundred and eighty-three remained alive after a bitter battle. At this moment, their armor had been confiscated, and everyone was wearing only single clothes, or bare-chested breasts, revealing the blue tattoos on their bodies.

Behind them, there were Zhao army crossbowmen with half-open bowstrings, watching everyone vigilantly, and some generals were a little worried that their monarch had allowed these Wu people, but it did not affect their respectful gaze on those Wu people.

Zhao Wuxian didn't speak, just put his hands behind his back and stood under the car with the generals quietly watching this scene.

Watching them kill themselves......

In the eyes of future generations, this is unreasonable, how precious life is, in the face of suicide, we should persuade them to give up suicide.

When he first came to the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Wuxian would also be very surprised, why did these Wu people do this kind of thing in such an extreme way? Why didn't anyone stop him? In fact, in the context of the Spring and Autumn culture, suicide was not a deviant behavior, and social norms stipulated when and how to commit suicide, and these Wu people simply followed these ancient guidelines.

The Chinese are not a competitive nation, but the humiliation of defeat is soaked in the blood of the ancestors. In the ancients, all those who died due to the defeat of cowardice should be "punished by throwing themselves into the crowd" and humiliated after death. In normal times, the generals of the defeated army are not allowed to participate in military exercises, and people are often ashamed of their failures. Court battles, ups and downs in the sea, battlefield rivalries, and conflicts in daily life made a group of people choose to commit suicide because of the humiliation of defeat......

In that year, the state of Chu ordered Yin Ziyu to return after a defeat in the battle of Chengpu, and the king of Chu Cheng was indignant in his heart, and sent someone to say to him: "If you come back alive, what face will you have to see the father and elder of Shen and Xi?" The proud Ziyu was ashamed and committed suicide in Liangu to thank the countrymen. In addition, Cui Zhu of Qi and Qingfeng fought for power, and was defeated and hanged himself. Zang Jian, a native of Lu, was captured by the Qi people, and was ashamed of the "humiliation of worshipping his life", so he committed suicide in the fierce way of "killing his wounds".

They felt that the only way to protect their reputation and restore their dignity was to commit suicide, so they chose to die without hesitation.

"Xie Zhao Jun completes us!"

When his thoughts turned, he saw the Zhuan Carp holding the fish intestine sword, and took one hundred and eighty-three Wu pawns to bow down to Zhao Wuxian first, thanking him for his fulfillment, although most of the people spoke Wu language that Zhao Wuxian did not understand, but the meaning of gratitude in it can be understood without translation, although they are enemies, they are also hot-blooded men.

Immediately, the carp and the others supported each other facing south, facing the direction of Wu State, and then bowed to the chief, and then found the short sword returned by the Zhao army......

As the saying goes: When a husband draws his sword in anger, the same is true for suicide. The sword is a gentleman's weapon, often a symbol of bravery, self-slaughter is regarded as a heroic feat, and Wu Yue scholars are especially fond of sabering. In the battle of Wu Yue and Li, Goujian, the king of Yue, made the dead soldiers "visit Wu Shi in three lines, shout, and kill themselves", which belongs to this.

And today, it is the turn of the Wu people to kill themselves......

One hundred and eighty-three people, under the leadership of the Zhuan Carp, aimed the blade of the short sword at themselves, and said loudly: "The two kings clashed, and after the ministers were broken, they were defeated and captured, and they did not dare to escape the punishment, but they dared to die!" ”

After that, all one hundred and eighty-three people died with their swords in their necks, or fell down with their swords under their necks, or died with their necks tilted up......

Blood splashed three feet, and for a while, the water was dyed red by blood, and some of the Wu people died on the spot, and some were unlucky and did not die. For example, he used a more cruel caesarean section to slaughter his intestines, and the fish intestine sword pierced deep into the abdomen, and the entire chest and abdomen were bleeding.

In this situation, tens of thousands of Zhao Jun were dumbfounded, Tian Ben and other people with strong temperaments were dumbfounded, and Qi Wan, who had fought with Wu people for life and death, was furious, and Zhao Jia and others couldn't help but sigh and feel sorry for the Wu people.

Zhao Wuxian couldn't stand it anymore, so he asked people to give a break to the Wu people who couldn't die immediately, including the Zhuan carp.

When Tian Ben personally asked for his order and sent the sword into the heart of the carp, the eyes of the carp gradually froze, his expression was painful, but his gaze was relieved......

Wu Xian thought: Does he feel that he has atoned for his sins, forgiven his mistakes, avoided disgrace, repaid his king, and at the same time expressed his hope that he would be able to return to his lost path and rebuild the kingdom of Wu?

Looking at the corpses of the Zhuan Carp and the Wu people, Zhao Wuxian sighed, in the Spring and Autumn Period, the people of Wu Yue, for a promise, a recognition, can entrust life and death, although he dies nine times without regrets, such a person, even if he is an enemy, how can he not be solemn and respectful, and he can't fulfill it?

Although he respected the choices of these Wu people, for some reason, Zhao Wuxian felt that his mouth was very dry, and there was an indescribable anger and sadness in his heart, which was constantly expanding in his heart, trying to find an outlet for release, this feeling he had felt many times after returning to the Spring and Autumn Period.

It was when Taihang Sheep Intestines was stabbed in the snowy night, and Le Qi was seriously injured, but he regarded death as a happy journey; It was at the meeting of the valley, when Kong Qiu was like a mantis arm as a car, driving to block the battle between the two armies of Qi and Lu; It was in the Liuqing Rebellion, when Wu Jing died in the small city of Taigu in order to break off the Han army; It was when Yu Rang was disfigured and swallowed charcoal, and hibernated in Anyi to assassinate Wei Bo; It was when Qin and Zhao clashed, and even though the soldiers of Qin knew that they would be defeated, they still shouted "How can you say that you have no clothes, and you are with your son" to attack the Zhao army's formation......

These people, they practice the highest moral principle with the attitude of moths to the fire, in order to pursue spiritual immortality, this is the unique spirit of personality independence in the Spring and Autumn Period, which has transcended the country and family, and has become the unyielding sense of self-dignity of the scholars and the people.

This is the pre-Qin style, masculine and heroic, as the Analects say: "There is killing to become benevolent, and there is no survival to harm benevolence!" ”

"Strong, look up to the sky and exhale into a white rainbow!" Zhao Wuxian blurted out.

He said again: "It's a pity, the strong man is gone and will never return......"

Zhao Wuxian lamented the fate of the 3,000 soldiers and 183 martyrs of the Zhuan carp, and out of the Zhao government's promotion of loyalty and righteousness, he would publicize this matter. But deep down, he was angry that they were not worth it and that they were under circumstance!

"To let his loyal servants suffer in this way is a failure of the king. Today's three thousand Wu Jia died here, not killed by the widow, and one hundred and eighty-three people committed suicide today, not suicide, but killed by the faint king's husband! ”

Zhao Wuxian ordered: "Let the baggage camp leave the bodies of the people and bury them on the spot, with the same specifications as the martyrs of Zhao Zu." The rest of the army crossed the river overnight, and the infantry attacked the northern land of Wu Guohuai, and the cavalry pursued all night! ”

"Yui!" After witnessing the heroic death of the Wu people, the generals of the Zhao army were also bold men, and they were all angry, and they also followed Zhao Wuxian's words and transferred their anger to the husband.

What they didn't know was that there was another thing in their own prince's heart, that is, through the tragic death of these Wu people, Zhao Wuxian began to re-examine the power of Wu.

Wu Xi believes that it seems impossible to conquer the Wu State and rule the Wu people in a short period of time, and the light death of the citizens of this state is admirable and fearful. If they can kill Fucha, then Wu Guo will no longer be able to turn the sky, they can only survive, if not, they must also try to weaken their vitality!

"Even if the widow chases the Huai River, he will be killed by his husband! The widow does not want to offend the strong men and people of Jianghuai, but only asks the husband to blame! (To be continued.) )