Section XVI

The attack and defense of the east gate are extremely miserable, although Yang Xiong occupies the lead, but Li Yuan is also a good commander, and the soldiers killed and wounded on both sides are probably half lost here. The stone steps were full of congealed blood, and the stone face was also scarred. Wu Ming sighed a little, and Hei Qi finally said that Li Yuan was wrapped in the injured Xiahou father and son and disappeared, and he didn't know where he was now. Did he really escape the pursuit of the Southern Han Dynasty?

Walking up to the city, he saw Yang Xiong standing on an arrow tower, watching the soldiers shuttle non-stop, while Lei Fei'er accompanied him. Lang Shou stepped forward and said loudly: "General Yang, Dingguo Gong is here, I have something to look for you." ”

Yang Xiong was stunned, and hurriedly jumped down from the arrow tower with Lei Fei'er, and said: "The Duke of the Kingdom has returned triumphantly, and he should have gone to greet him, why did you come first, and it was rude to be in charge, and I hope that the Duke of the Kingdom will not be blamed." ”

Wu Ming stepped forward: "Brother Yang, are the two of us still interested in these false courtesies?" If I really want to say, I should congratulate you on your ascension. ”

Yang Xiong shook his head and said, "What is high or not high, it's just picking up a landed peach from Guogong." The city of Han Water was exhausted, which should have been easily taken, but it suffered heavy casualties. If you really want to calculate it like this, the lower officials are sinners, so how can they say that they have merit. If you were to command this siege, you would be able to reduce many casualties, and you would be ashamed. ”

He is a sincere person, and bluntly said that he picked up Wu Ming a big bargain. If you want to take Hanshui City, the best way is nothing more than to annihilate the water army of the organ city, and take advantage of the demoralization of the other party to join forces with the Storm Army to take Hanshui. The Queen Mother ordered a strong attack when she was completely unprepared, which was the main reason for the heavy casualties this time. However, it is not easy to take this out and say it to Yang Xiongming, Wu Ming said: "This siege battle is very impressive, even if I come, it may not be better than you, Brother Yang is polite." ”

Yang Xiong sighed, but didn't continue to entangle, just said: "It's so late, Grandpa still came to find the lower official, I don't know what's going on?" ”

Wu Ming said: "That's the case, now that the Hanshui refugees are surging, I don't know if General Yang can temporarily transfer military rations to help the victims, and also solve the urgent need......

Yang Xiong looked around, wanted to speak and stopped, and finally said: "At the beginning of the Han River, can the grandfather appreciate his face, accompany the officials to walk around the city wall, talk about the family routine, see the night view of Hanning on the way, and remember the heroic wind of the year." ”

He must have something to say in private, but think about it, the private transfer of military rations is a major matter, and strictly speaking, it is a violation of military discipline. Yang Xiong is the commander again, but this place is only a river away from Nanning, and he must still be constrained by the Queen Mother, so no matter what, it is not good to talk in front of people. Thinking of this, Wu Ming nodded and said, "Very good, then I will accompany Brother Yang for a walk." ”

The two of them explained to their subordinates, and then walked along the runway all the way to the depths of the night.

It was already dark, but there were torches everywhere under the city, and when you looked down from the top of the city, there were ruins, and in some corners outside the city, the corpses were being burned on fire. Because there were too many war dead, Nanning could still be restrained, but the Northern Han soldiers were not so lucky, so they could only gather together hastily and cremate the matter. In many parts of the city, sporadic cries were still heard, and in the twilight, they were like sharp blades, scraping on the heart.

Wu Ming watched silently, his heart was even heavier, Hanshui had a catastrophe in the first year of revival. At that time, the northern army went south, and the people of the whole city moved south, but fortunately, Sun Yunlong, the governor of Qingyang Province at that time, was in charge, so there was no big chaos. After the occupation of Hanshui, in order to restore the vitality, the Northern Han moved many people from other places. But just now, and after this great difficulty, it seems that Hanshui is going to restore the so-called Hanning majesty, and I don't know when. Thinking of Yang Xiong's words, saying that he remembered the heroic style of Hanning, this situation and this scene seems to be ironic.

Looking at the scenery below, Wu Ming couldn't help but whisper: "The peaks and mountains are like gathering, the waves are like anger, and the mountains and rivers are like Tongguan Road." Looking at the western capital, he hesitated. Sad, the Qin and Han dynasties, the palace and thousands of rooms have been made of soil. Xing, the people suffer; Death, the people suffer. ”

When he went south with Lei Fei'er, it was also in this city, Wu Ming was sentimental, and felt that this song "Mountainside Yangtong Caring for the Ancients" was simply a swan song for the ages, and now again, the person who traveled with him became his husband Yang Xiong. Although the words are the same, the artistic conception is more appropriate. Yang Xiong said: "Grandpa, this word is really good, but Grandpa made a mistake." It should be 'sad Jin and Han meridians, and the palace has been made of soil. In this way, it is more appropriate. ”

In the previous dynasty, as a gateway to the Great River, it was also a frequent sword soldier. At the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Gaozu had intended to establish the capital here, but some people took the Han River as the base and tried in vain to revive the Great Jin Dynasty. In a fit of rage, Gaozu opened a killing spree in Hanshui and slaughtered the city for five days. It is rumored that every cloudy day later, the wind roars angrily over the Han River, like the sound of ghosts, Lu Gongzi built the Ten Thousand Saints Pagoda here afterwards, it is said that it is used to suppress evil spirits.

Wu Ming was not in the mood to explain the true origin of this poem to Yang Xiong, so he just said: "Yes, Brother Yang is very right, in fact, we are fighting back and forth, and it is the people who suffer after all." ”

Yang Xiong didn't say anything, just stared at the scenery under the city, and the two walked silently for a while, and he finally spoke: "Grandpa is here to ask me for military rations." ”

He was so straight to the point, which surprised Wu Ming, and he couldn't help but say, "How did Brother Yang know?" ”

After deciding to borrow grain, he rushed to the east gate non-stop, even if Yang Xiong was the commander of the army, and now the whole city was his eyes and ears, it was impossible to get the news in such a short time.

Yang Xiong said: "I'm not blind, what the second lady did in the city, I saw it in my eyes, with your temperament, you must not be hungry everywhere, and you came to find the lower officials so late, it must be borrowing food." ”

He sighed, and then said: "The move of using military rations to help refugees, in fact, this morning, I have asked Niangniang, but Niangniang not only did not agree to this move, but also sent the minister to monitor, and now the entire baggage camp is under his surveillance, even if I really want to transfer food, I am afraid it will not be possible." ”

Wu Ming was stunned: "Minister Quan? Who is the prime minister? ”

Yang Xiong withdrew his gaze from the city and said: "I forgot, the grandfather doesn't know yet, it's like this, after the Hanshui city was down, Niangniang Yinuo rewarded him lavishly, and Zuo Ying, the former prime minister, has been promoted to the prime minister, acting as the prime minister, and taking care of government affairs for Niangniang." ”

The so-called minister of power is the temporary prime minister, which is similar to the previous position of governor of China and the West before Wu Ming. The Queen Mother was able to bring down the Lord Huai, Zuo Ying contributed a lot, and he was really familiar with government affairs, so it was reasonable for him to be promoted to the prime minister, if it wasn't for his age. I'm afraid that the Queen Mother would have promoted him to prime minister a long time ago.

However, Zuo Ying is younger than Wu Ming, and he is in such a high position at such a young age, even if he is only a minister of power, it is unprecedented. It seems that after the Queen Mother came to power, she was a little impatient to promote her cronies.

Wu Ming said: "Now that Hanshui has been crowded with refugees, if the imperial court doesn't think of a way, how many people will have to starve to death?" Didn't Brother Yang explain these truths to his mother? ”

Yang Xiong smiled bitterly: "Naturally, I said it, but Niangniang once said." Last year, a big flood washed away most of Nanyang's grain reserves, and now Tang Shilang has just been transferred here, and it will take time to recover his vitality. There is really no surplus grain in the treasury to adjust, and the major affairs of the grain and grass army must not be used unless it is absolutely necessary. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Ming couldn't bear it anymore, and scolded: "Fart, I'm going to starve to death now, isn't it a last resort?" Brother Yang, you are the commander of the first army, and you should know the details of the military rations, tell me, is there any surplus grain to adjust? ”

Seeing Wu Mingdong asking, Brother Yang was also a little hesitant, but after thinking about it, he still said: "There is still some surplus grain, but Niangniang said that it is reserved for the Northern Expedition in the future, and it must not be used." ”

People are going to starve to death, and they can't use this, and they can't use that. Seven years ago, when the southern expedition was carried out, the queen mother was only a crown princess, and she had to take care of the sergeant without wound medicine. Now it has become extremely cold-blooded, is this still the Tao Yu from before, the crown princess Tao Yu?

Wu Ming's heart was full of anger, and he was about to argue a few more words, when Lang Shou ran over from behind, and said breathlessly: "Report, the scouts found traces of the enemy at the foot of Fenglin Mountain, and it is suspected that it is the missing Xiahou Ba father and son, although the number of enemies is small, but it is very elite, our army scouts have lost Yan zhòng, and now ask General Yang for support." ”

Yang Xiong perked up and said: "Quick, lead the way in front of the head, and I will meet them in person." As soon as he finished speaking, he hugged his fists to Wu Ming and said, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, the military situation is urgent, and I can't delay, and the next official is going to get someone." ”

Wu Ming's heart moved, if it was really Xiahou Ba's father and son, Li Yuan might also be with them, although Yang Xiong and he knew each other, but only because they were both remnants of the Southern Expeditionary Army, the friendship was not deep, if Yang Xiong led the troops to arrest Li Yuan. It's nothing to kill Xiahou's father and son, but it's not good if he hurts Li Yuan. Wu Ming hurriedly said: "Count me in, I'll go too." ”

As soon as he heard that Wu Ming was also going, Yang Xiong's spirits perked up: "Don't say that Xiahou Ba has been injured, even if he is safe and sound, he will definitely not be the opponent of his grandfather." With your help, I'm relieved. ”

It's getting dark, and it's not the right time to search for people. However, Yang Xiong is also the commander of the Guards Battalion, and it is much more convenient to mobilize elite squads. He ordered, and after only a short while, Chen Haoyu of the White Tiger Team hurried over with a group of soldiers, and when he saw that Wu Ming was also there, he hurriedly saluted first: "I've seen Grandpa." ”

Wu Ming waved his hand, signaling that there was no need to be polite. Chen Haoyu couldn't wait to turn his head to Yang Xiong and said, "The commander is looking for subordinates, I don't know what's going on?" ”

Yang Xiong said: "Follow me to arrest a few people, don't ask anything else, and I don't have time to explain." ”

Chen Haoyu brought more than 30 people, and now the whole city is in chaos, and it is estimated that Chen Haoran is at the limit of being able to gather such a group of people in a short time. These thirty or so people are all soldiers of the Guards Battalion, and their horsemanship is quite strong, and under the whip of the fast horse, the speed is even faster, and they will go out of the West City Gate in a short time. After running for another ride, Yang Xiong said: "Grandpa, look, there are lights ahead." It is estimated that it is our search personnel. ”