"Go and get rid of those two Mongol Tatars!" The ten generals whispered a few words, and then looked at Wang Yizhou beside him, "Take advantage of this opportunity, let's hurry up, only if we can rush through this clearing, and then there are woods and Liangshanluo, even if the ice is difficult, it is better than being entangled by Mongolian tartars." Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ”

Wang Yizhou did not hesitate and nodded.

A Ming soldier had already escaped from his hiding place and ran towards the slope, while more than a dozen Mongolian cavalrymen on guard shouted and chased after him, and their sabers were raised at the same time.

"Run!" The ten generals roared, and several people jumped up at the same time and desperately moved forward.

The Mongol cavalry had already surrounded the soldier who had been used as bait, and soon the sound of thistles exploding in the wind brought with it. However, Wang Yizhou, who was running desperately, none of them turned back. If you look back, you will slow down, and you will not hesitate to exchange your life for the time you have, and you can't afford to waste the slightest.

Everyone's sacrifice must be worth it!

The Mongols also seem to have realized that they have fallen into the scheme of "diverting the tiger from the mountain", and they have turned their horses' heads around. All they saw was a few figures that had disappeared into the woods.

Rushing into the woods, the broken crossbowman immediately turned around and crouched, and aimed the crossbow in his hand at the Mongolian cavalry wandering around the periphery. And the ten generals patted Wang Yizhou on the shoulder and said in a deep voice: "Our task has been completed, and it is up to you next." ”

Wang Yi was stunned: "What do you mean?" Didn't the brigade commander ask you to return to Jeju with so-and-so? ”

The ten generals were silent for a moment, and then looked back at the small town where the fierce battle was raging: "The first brigade except for you, since the brigade commander, may all die here." There are so many people in the whole brigade, and every year during the Qingming Festival, there is one person who is worried about helping to sprinkle some wine, chant a few sentences, and put incense on the pillar, and he is already content. ”

Before the words fell, the ten generals didn't look at Wang Yizhou, whose face was pale, and directly beckoned the soldiers around him to walk outside the woods, even if the Mongolian cavalry outside was cruising back and forth unwillingly, waiting for the prey to be sent to the door by itself; Even the flames of war and the roar of soldiers will eventually turn to dust; Even if their resistance is so ridiculous in the eyes of others.

But every officer and soldier of the 1st Brigade did not have the right to retreat and stay out of the matter.

They need to enforce the military rules that they hold up as iron laws, and they need to fulfill their duties as soldiers. Stick to this side of the land and never retreat!

"It's a good place to bury bones." The ten generals suddenly said such a sentence without a beginning or an end.

The surrounding soldiers erupted in hearty laughter.

How can he say that he has no clothes, and is with his son? Life is the same, death is the same hole.

Wang Yizhou's eyes were already moist, and the ten generals left, perhaps he became the only survivor of the thousands of people up and down the entire First Brigade. In an instant, Wang Yizhou even began to resent his identity, if he was not the son of Wang Anjie, if he was not the only seedling of the old Wang family, maybe he would have died vigorously with the Mongolian Tartars who were killed.

Escaping from the battle, for a soldier, is better than dying in battle.

But he had no choice, because the entire First Brigade tried its best to resist the Mongol Tatars and the whole army was exhausted, such glory and heroism needed someone to prove it, and there was also a bloodstained roster in the package behind Wang Yizhou, which was the proof that every soldier of the First Brigade had survived, laughed, and fought bloodily, Wang Yizhou had to hand over this roster to his father no matter what, otherwise the imperial court would not have the names of the soldiers who died in battle, and there would be no way to issue military allowances to their families.

Slowly clenching his fists, just as Wang Yizhou was about to grit his teeth and leave, the ten generals in front of him suddenly stopped. Wang Yizhou was slightly stunned, and just as he wanted to ask, the voice not far away had already answered his question.

The whole earth trembled, and soon a black line appeared on the horizon and gradually grew larger. Red flags appeared in the wind. South, north, west, in all directions, I don't know how many Ming soldiers are desperately attacking this side.

Reinforcements, reinforcements!

Ten generals reached out to cover their faces in disbelief, and slowly fell to their knees. The soldiers around him looked at each other, and even their hands trembled.

"Kill back, kill back!" Wang Yi pulled out his saber on Monday, pushed away the two soldiers in front of him, and was the first to rush out of the woods.

The ten generals had already reacted, and they didn't care about the brigade commander's orders at this time, and the swords and guns in their hands were raised one after another, closely catching up with the lonely figure. But in fact, that figure was not alone, because on his left and right, thousands of troops rushed to his left and right.

The Mongol cavalry outside the woods was gone, and even the Mongol cavalry in all directions of the town was desperately shrinking until it was too late. They had not yet occupied a few houses in the middle of the town, and the First Brigade, which had only a hundred men left, was still resisting stubbornly, and most of the rest of the roads in the town had been cut off in several days of fierce fighting, and the roads were full of all kinds of wood and stones, and there was no way to pass, so the Mongol cavalry, attacking from all directions, had to fight separately after trying to shrink and converge after failing to retract.

Red flags fluttering and dancing, no one knows how many Ming soldiers are desperately rushing here, can only see the dense figures all over the mountains, can only see the black dots gradually enlarged, closer and closer, and can only see the spears that rush straight to the sky in the wind and snow.

The waves of steel slapped fiercely in the panicked Mongolian cavalry, these golden eagles on the grassland have broken their wings, rushing left and right in more and more Ming troops, but it is difficult to find a suitable breakthrough, the small town seems to play a hellish role, countless Mongolian cavalry was forced by the Ming army spearmen to retreat into the town, and was forced to the corner, and finally became a victim under the spear.

"Brothers, reinforcements are coming, kill!" Xu Chen carried his terrifying mace and was the first to rush out in the wind and snow. The few remaining Ming soldiers around him all saw the opportunity to survive in a desperate situation, and even saw the opportunity to take revenge.

The entire First Brigade was pressed by the Mongol Tartars in this town for four days, and only 100 people remained in the whole brigade. Those soldiers who died in the war did not spill their blood on this northern land in vain, nor did they give their lives in vain to protect this land.

The cavalry of the Ming army was the last to join the battlefield, and they ran around the 800-mile Liangshan Mountain for four days, and finally did not miss this large-scale battle. Thousands of cavalry were like an awl, directly cutting through the thin defense line of the Mongol cavalry, and the Mongol cavalry also collapsed, dodging in all directions, and even unwilling to fight this fierce Ming cavalry.

The white tassels on the horse lance have been dyed red with blood, and the Ming cavalry galloped quickly through the streets, dispersing the remnants of a small number of Mongolian cavalry and opening up the road, while the specially organized assault team behind rushed directly into the town under the cover of a large number of firearms and crossbows used in a concentrated manner, and the red dragon flag of the Ming Dynasty once again fluttered proudly in every corner of this Hecai Town.

Wang Anjie grabbed the reins of the horse, turned over and dismounted, and the guards around him spread out in all directions, responsible for guarding.

Xu Chen stuck the mace directly into the ground, took two steps forward, and just wanted to bow down, a feeling of weakness and prostration had already spread in his heart, and before he could support it with his hands, his eyes turned black and he had already fallen to the ground. And Wang Anjie exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly stepped forward to help.

A soldier next to him said in a choked voice: "General, the brigade commander has not closed his eyes for four days, and he has asked the brothers to take turns to rest, but he has been holding on, for fear that the Mongol Tatars will attack at a critical time." ”

Wang Anjie looked around, the first brigade was able to stand in front of him, in fact, there were only twenty or thirty people, and the rest were wounded soldiers who could still breathe. Almost everyone was covered in blood, and in every corner of the town, there were corpses of friends and foes.

"It was a late arrival, and the wind and snow on the road were so severe that the trip was delayed, and the First Brigade was almost completely annihilated." Wang Anjie hugged Xu Chen and muttered, "If it is an hour late, I am afraid that the Mongolian Tartars have already passed through this southward choke point and penetrated into Jeju Mansion." ”

The surrounding Ming cavalry were silent, just bowing their heads slightly, expressing their sorrow and respect to the robes who died here.

"Daddy!" Wang Yi rushed forward in three steps and two steps, a bloody knife in one hand and the head of a Mongolian Tartar in the other.

Wang Anjie looked at his son who seemed to have emerged from the ground, with an incredible look on his face, but he was immediately replaced by joy, and stepped forward to hug Wang Yizhou: "It's good to be alive, it's good to be alive!" ”

Wang Yizhou casually threw away the head and knife, pushed Wang Anjie away, and then took out the roster in the package behind him in Wang Anjie's surprised gaze, knelt down on one knee and solemnly held the roster in front of Wang Anjie: "Daddy, this is the roster of all the soldiers of the First Brigade of the Two Huai Army, and I hope that Dad can compensate the soldiers who died in the war according to the roster and ask for credit for the remaining brothers!" ”

With a long sigh, Wang Anjie stretched out his hand and took the roster, in fact, this booklet is very thin in order to be easy to carry, so it is not heavy, but Wang Anjie held it in his hand, and suddenly felt like a thousand pounds.

Because on this thin roster, every name was once alive, and every name can symbolize a figure that has fallen here. They may have shed their blood and collapsed in a corner; They may have detonated the thistle terrestris and the Mongol tartar to the death, so that they could not find half of their clothes. But their souls never seem to have died, and they have always been attached to this roster.

Wang Anjie's voice was a little hoarse, but he still said aloud: "A certain Wang Anjie, hereby make an oath that every soldier who dies in battle will not die in vain, your blood will not be shed in vain, and the price paid by the Ming Dynasty will be repaid by the Mongolian Tartars!" ”

――――――――――――――――――――――

In the second year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, the sixth day of the first month.

The wind and snow that had lasted for many days had just subsided, and the entire city of Nanjing was sleeping in the cold wind. The ancients took the fifteenth day of the first month as the end of the entire New Year, so before the fifteenth day of the first month, unless there was an urgent matter, the officials were always resting, and the Ming Dynasty inherited the previous dynasty system, and the same is true. Officials don't go out, and the mansions are actually in a state of closed doors, without these dignitaries and nobles to pull business, there are not many shops on the whole street, and there are not many people, adding a bit of bleakness and loneliness, which is in stark contrast to the firecracker debris all over the ground.

In this day, there are still many days before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, most people choose to huddle in the warm quilt and enjoy a rare long vacation throughout the year.

However, the holy decree sent from the palace yesterday shook the whole of Nanjing. His Majesty ordered the first court meeting after the year to be held in advance, although it was not a grand court meeting, and the officials of the entire Gyeonggi were required to wait under the main hall, but as the middle and high-level leaders of the entire Ming Dynasty, the three ministers of the political affairs hall, the six Shangshu Shilang, the scholars of the Hanlin Academy and the Academy of Sciences, the imperial history of the Imperial History Observatory and the imperial history of the capital, and even the staff of the Imperial Palace, must all be present, which can be described as a full gathering.

The cold winter is a kind of torment for anyone, Liu Chenweng, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, rubbed his hands and looked at Zhang Shijie, the secretary of the military department next to him: "Zhang Xianggong, dare to ask what kind of big thing is it, and let His Majesty hold a court meeting on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year?" ”

Zhang Shijie said with a smile: "Why does Liu Xianggong insist that he knows? ”

Deng Guangjian, a scholar of the Academy next to him, who had always advanced and retreated with Liu Chenweng, couldn't help but chuckle: "The major affairs of the country are in worship and Rong." There is a fixed time for such a major event as a sacrifice, and the Hanlin Academy and the Academy will also participate in it, so it is naturally impossible not to know that since it is not a matter of worshipping here, it is where a war broke out. ”

Suddenly, Zhang Shijie rolled his eyes helplessly, and said in a deep voice: "Shandong Province was hit by a snow disaster, this matter must have been heard by the two of you, the Mongolian Tatars wanted to take advantage of the fire to rob during this period, but they were repelled by the two Huai armies, because this matter is a border conflict, and His Majesty did not plan to take the opportunity to launch a large-scale Northern Expedition, so it was not made public." I don't think Your Majesty will convene a court meeting because of this matter. ”

Liu Chenweng and Deng Guangjian nodded, these border conflicts have really not reached the point of convening a great court meeting for the Ming Dynasty, so Your Majesty must have other purposes this time. Just when the two of them and Zhang Shijie were whispering, a shout came from the front, and Ye Yingwu slowly walked onto the dragon chair surrounded by two maidservants, and the majesty of not seeing His Majesty for a few days seemed to be even more important.

Especially when Ye Yingwu came back from Heluo last year, it was close to the end of the year, so he just wore regular clothes to meet these main officials in turn, and did not hold a big court meeting, so everyone has not seen His Majesty the Emperor wearing court clothes and crowns for more than half a year.

At that moment, all the ministers did not dare to look directly at His Majesty, and bowed under the leadership of Wen Tianxiang.

"Everyone, love Qing Ping." Ye Yingwu replied meticulously, and then said without the slightest pause, "In the first battle of Hecai Town, the first brigade of the two Huai armies was almost wiped out, and a quarter of the two Huai armies have gone, which can be said to be a great loss of vitality. Shandong Province, as the only province of the Ming Dynasty in Hebei, is also a province directly facing the Mongolian Tartars, and there must not be such a big turmoil, so the government hall and the Ministry of Household and Ministry of Industry must fully cooperate with the disaster relief and reconstruction plan drawn up by the Ministry of Households. ”

Although the officials below are not very clear why Ye Yingwu directly issued his instructions for disaster relief in Shandong Province straight to the point, everyone is in a high position and has a broader vision than others, so they naturally understand the importance of Shandong Province, and they know very well that even if the treasury is emptied, the stability of Shandong Province must be guaranteed, otherwise it is likely to threaten the safety of the Ming Dynasty.

"I will convene you on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year this time, the disaster relief in Shandong Province is a problem, and there is a more important thing, that is, I want to know the views of all the secretaries present on the Northern Expedition." Ye Yingwu's voice was still steady, and he spit it out word by word, with the unstoppable majesty of the king, "The first court meeting in the spring every year will decide the major events of the court's sacrifices and conquests in the coming year, and for the Ming Dynasty, now that Nanyang, Dongyang, and Hexi have been pacified, Tubo has also begun to work on the matter of accepting the land, and the establishment of the Tubo Province is just around the corner, so now, the Ming Dynasty only has the last opponent left, and it is also the beginning to the end Although the Ming Dynasty has been constantly defeating, But there has never been a completely eliminated and submitted opponent. ”

When Ye Yingwu's voice slowly fell, the entire hall was silent.

When the words Northern Expedition flowed out of Ye Yingwu's mouth, everyone's hearts were shocked.

Three hundred years of north-south secession and smoke, three hundred years of triumphant progress and stumbling failures, three hundred years of great shame and dreams.

In an instant, the eyes of all the officials in the entire hall became cold.

Sitting on the dragon chair, a smile flashed across the corners of Ye Yingwu's mouth.

Each of the people below has a distinct mark on the plane they are in.

The main battle faction and the Northern Expedition faction.

Whether it's a coincidence or a deliberate act.

On this day, in front of him, a group of main battle factions who should have spent the rest of their lives straightened their waists together in the cold wind of the people's muscles and bones.

Three hundred years, too long.

It's like a big dream.

-- Volume VII: Qing Pingle, End -- (To be continued.) )