In a dark, damp dungeon, the dim oil lamps flickered on and on, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night outside.

Zhang Ren sat alone on the cold ground, expressionless, since he was captured in Deyang, he had been run over and imprisoned in several places, every time he was transferred to prison at night, and he was not in an ordinary car, but a stuffy tanker with a thick wooden plank, and now Zhang Ren couldn't figure out where he was.

However, this doesn't seem to be too important, he has already reported his determination to die, he doesn't care about the torture that Liu Ze is going to give him, even if he sits through the prison, Zhang Ren will never give in.

At the beginning, hundreds of Sichuan soldiers who were unwilling to surrender were also imprisoned in the prisoner of war camp, most of them were Zhang Ren's personal soldiers, but as time went by, these prisoners of war left one after another, because the Jing army put forward a condition that they could not refuse, no need to surrender, no need to join the army again, only need to leave a handprint on the paperwork, promise to go home to work in agriculture from now on, no longer participate in hostile military forces, you can leave the prison, and you can also get the money to go home.

Such conditions all made the prisoners of war feel excited, who have no parents, family, wives and children, no longer need to be soldiers, no longer have to fight, can return to their relatives, this temptation can hardly be refused. Therefore, most of the prisoners of war chose to press their handprints at the first time and left the prison happily.

Even the henchmen who were loyal to Zhang Ren watched their companions leave one by one, they couldn't help but feel itchy, maybe they didn't frown when they died on the battlefield, but they had the opportunity to return to their relatives, but this kind of torment made them unbearable, but Zhang Ren didn't leave the prison one day, and they couldn't open their mouths.

Zhang Ren scoffed at Liu Ze's little trick and pressed his handprint on the document. is also a disguised means to ask him to surrender, Zhang Ren refused without even thinking about it. But he had to admit that Liu Ze's methods were indeed very high, especially the lethal effect on ordinary soldiers, anyone has parents and relatives, Zhang He didn't miss his old mother and wife, he could fully understand the return of these soldiers.

Ultimately. In the cell of Nuoda, only Zhang Ren is left alone, since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety can not be both, life and death are small, and failure is big, since he has chosen this path, he must go on without hesitation.

"Squeak-" There was a screeching grinding sound from the cell door, and a jailer walked in and glanced at Zhang Ren. said flatly: "Zhang Ren, you can get out of prison!" ”

Zhang Ren sat there, not moving, in his opinion, this is probably Liu Ze's trick again, he said coldly: "You will die of this heart, I will never sign the letter and press the handprint." ”

The jailer said: "There is no need for you to press your handprints anymore, there is an order from the peak." All prisoners of war are to be released without any conditions! How. You still don't want to leave? Whatever you want, but I would like to inform you that from this day onwards, no food will be provided in the prisoner-of-war camps. The jailer didn't seem to bother to answer him, and when he finished his routine explanation, he turned around and was about to go out.

"Wait. What you just said, but is it true? Zhang Ren was puzzled, Liu Ze would be so kind and unconditionally release him?

A smile appeared on the jailer's dull countenance. "Believe it or not. To tell you the truth, King Jing has captured Chengdu. Liu Zhang raised the state and surrendered, as it was said, the battle is over, this Yizhou is too peaceful, and there will be no prisoners of war, if you are not willing to surrender to the army, go home and serve the people, anyway, they are all the people under the rule of King Jing. ”

Zhang Renru was hit by five thunders, Liu Zhang fell, Yizhou was gone, he seemed to have lost his backbone all of a sudden, and sat there speechless for a long time, he muttered to himself: "Impossible, impossible, Chengdu can't lose ......"

The jailer sneered and said, "You are still from Shu County, and you don't know that this cell is the cell in Chengdu, if Chengdu has not been conquered, how can you appear in the cell in Chengdu?" ”

Zhang Ren was completely stupid, it turned out that he had arrived in Chengdu but was ignorant, of course, this also blamed Zhang Ren, several times he was transferred to prison in the dark night, and he sat in an airtight stuffy tank car, staying in this dark cell, the ghost knew that he had returned to Chengdu. Although he had expected that this moment would come, he just didn't expect it to come so quickly, and since he was captured, it was only a dozen days later, and Chengdu had already fallen.

Liu Zhang's regime in Yizhou was wiped out, Zhang Ren was like losing his spiritual support, the whole person collapsed in an instant, the object of his allegiance, the goal he insisted on was gone, Zhang Ren seemed to have lost everything all at once, and his life dimmed in an instant.

He sat there in a daze, the jailer long gone, except for the half-hidden door swaying and creaking in the wind.

Walking out of the prison door, the sun was shining blindly, and Zhang Ren had to use his hands to shield it. The streets and alleys of Chengdu are still the same as before, but Zhang Ren has a strange feeling, things look like people, things look like people.

"Brother Zhang, you're finally out!" A happy voice sounded behind Zhang Ren.

Zhang Ren turned his head and saw two familiar faces, it was Leng Bao and Deng Xian, who had brotherly friends with him, both of them changed into brand-new Jingjun armor, the rank badge of the silver blue star on his chest was shining, and the cloak behind him was the finest Shu brocade material at a glance.

"Congratulations to the two virtuous brothers, who have been promoted to knighthood." Zhang Ren said quietly.

Deng Xian was already very arrogant, he didn't hear Zhang Ren's words at all, and said with a smile: "Big brother, to be honest, it's really good to be under the command of King Jing, two days ago, I made up the arrears of more than a year's food and salary, and the salary is double than before, big brother, your position is higher than ours, and you will definitely get more in the future......

Leng Bao noticed that Zhang Ren's face was not good, and secretly pulled Deng Xian's sleeve, and said to Zhang Ren with a smile: "Big brother, don't blame your brother for not being righteous, people are poor and short-lived, but the two of us have a family waiting to be fed." ”

Zhang Ren said lightly: "Everyone has their own ambitions, how can I force you." ”

Leng Bud took a step forward and said cautiously: "Big brother, actually...... In fact, you don't have to be too stubborn, Liu Yizhou has also been surrendered, all the generals in Shuzhong have surrendered, even Huang Quan Liu Ba has willingly surrendered to King Jing, with your eldest brother, you will definitely be able to fight for a good future under the command of King Jing. ”

Zhang Ren's eyes were cold, and he said: "I said, everyone has their own ambitions, I don't care what you do, I have my own principles for being a man." Leave! With that, Zhang Ren turned around and left.

"Big brother, let's send you." Cold bud catches up.

Zhang Ren stopped a step, but did not look back, and said coldly: "The two generals stay, Zhang is just a civilian, how dare the two generals send each other?" What's more, Zhang still knows the way home! With that, Zhang Ren went straight away, leaving Leng Bao Deng Xian standing in place, looking at each other.

Zhang Ren's home, located in the west of the city Jinsi Hutong, compared with those dignitaries and nobles, Zhang Ren's home is much shabby, only three thatched houses, the courtyard wall is made of bamboo fences, the yard is clear at a glance, a few ridges of melons and vegetables, more than ten firewood chickens, a qiē is unharmed.

After many years of fighting, Zhang Ren has not been home for a long time, his hand is on the chaimen, a sad feeling suddenly hits his heart, his mother is old and sick, his eyes are almost blind, it should be the time for him to do his filial piety before his knees, but he can't serve at home, loyalty and filial piety can not be both since ancient times, Zhang Ren chose to serve the country, so he had to abandon the family, but in the end it was a mirror and a moon, and the people of Yizhou were all down, but he was the only one left, making meaningless insistence.

Empty-handed, surrounded by walls, this is what Zhang Ren has gotten over the years, as a manly husband, he should have allowed his old mother, wife and children to live a well-to-do life, but the reality is extremely cruel, and it is difficult for the dilapidated grass house to even shelter from the wind and rain. In an instant, Zhang Ren's heart swelled with infinite sadness, as if he felt that his life was a failure. (To be continued......)