Episode 174 Death List

That night, although it was not explicitly said to be under house arrest, it was almost the same as house arrest.

In a dormitory for senior officers in the prisoner of war camp, they were placed in two rooms, each with double posts at the entrance of each of them, and they were not allowed to go out, saying that they wanted to "protect" their safety. This officer's dormitory was a duty dormitory, which was only for Qing officers to stay on duty in the prisoner of war camp or when superior officers came to inspect. The high-ranking officers of the Qing army who were stationed here all had residences in Chifeng County, and there were villas around, and they generally did not live here.

Despite being a duty dormitory, the interior is quite luxurious. This "duty dormitory" has no separate rooms, all en-suite rooms with bathrooms, each room has a marble-encrusted fireplace, a telephone, and a separate Western-style shower in each bathroom in this water-scarce Inner Mongolia region. So now they don't even have an excuse to get out.

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yuxuan were eating dinner in their respective rooms, and their hearts were extremely angry. Although they couldn't see each other, they both asked the same question: what if the other party kept them under house arrest for the next two days.

Especially Xiang Xiaoqiang, pushing open the window, looking at the boundless dark night in the distance, breathing the dry summer night breeze on the Inner Mongolian prairie, but there was a very ominous premonition in his heart.

…… At dusk, with a spirit in his chest and a fearless confidence, he is a hero, which is indeed very cool. After suffering the resentment of the Northern Qing Dynasty one after another, he finally grabbed a gun, forced the Northern Qing officials in front of him to dare not move, and saved Zhang Liansheng, who shouted the truth. What he did at that time was really incommensurate with his identity as a representative of Nanming. And at that time, the other party also had a video camera and a camera. If those two reporters from the Northern Qing Dynasty had a little bit of professionalism, then their "barbaric actions" would go down in history and become one of the most shocking shots of the 20th century. There is no doubt that it will also allow Beiqing to seize the handle and gain the upper hand in the next competition.

However, if he didn't do that, Zhang Liansheng, the only one who risked his life to shout out the truth, the person with the hardest backbone and the most noble spirit among the thousands of Ming prisoners of war, would have been poisoned at that time. Zhang Liansheng can risk his life to make the most heroic choice, so he must protect him.

Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't know if his last few cruel words at that time could scare those Northern Qing officials and stop torturing Zhang Liansheng to retaliate. But he knew that they would never dare to hurt his life again.

Really, though?

Xiang Xiaoqiang was a little worried. The premise of all this is that he is here, and it must be two days later, Zhang Liansheng can leave with him in the first batch of repatriated prisoners of war. If not, then if he leaves, it is difficult to say whether Zhang Liansheng's life can be guaranteed. And the only thing he can threaten is that if Zhang Liansheng is not in the first batch of repatriated prisoners of war, then he and Zheng Yuxuan will not go back. Because in this case, Emperor Guangwu's younger brother will not be able to come back, and the officials here will not be able to stand this pressure.

Now it seems that the officials of the Northern Qing Dynasty here are tougher than they think. Although they didn't dare to do anything to themselves, they "protected" themselves and Zheng Yuxuan. This degree of toughness is beyond Xiang Xiaoqiang's imagination. In this case, I am afraid that if I can't leave in two days, I can't help myself.

……

Sure enough, in the next two days, Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yuxuan were "protected" in their respective rooms, and they couldn't go out to eat, sleep, or go to the toilet. The fire in Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart burned more and more, walking back and forth in the room, like a lion in a cage. Moreover, he also heard a faint voice from another suite on the same floor - Zheng Yuxuan was yelling, losing his temper, and there seemed to be the sound of falling things.

…… Alas, Zheng Yuxuan's temperament was locked in the room for two days and was not allowed to go out, and she couldn't stand it!

This building is not high, and Xiang Xiaoqiang wanted to climb down from the back window several times, but every time he stood at the window, he saw two Qing soldiers standing below. It doesn't matter if the Qing soldiers are still clear, what matters is that they are still carrying cameras, and the meaning is very clear: as long as you are not afraid of embarrassment to the general, and climb out of the window, we will take pictures of you.

I spent two days in a depressed and manic way. On the third day, finally, the agreed date for the first batch of prisoners of war to be repatriated from the Ming army arrived.

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yuxuan also ushered in their first meeting in two days. The two stood in the square of the prisoner of war camp, both looking at the rows of ragged people in front of them with cold expressions, and the flames and grief in their hearts burned silently.

The prisoners of war were skinny and bone-thin, their skin was dry and rough, they were so red and black that many of them were wounded, they could barely stand, and they were held by their companions on both sides so that they would not fall. They knew that they were about to leave this Beiqing Hell and would soon go home, and many people couldn't cry with excitement.

After Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yuxuan met with these prisoners of war, they began to count the number of people. The first batch was 1,500 people, and the two of them counted twice to make sure that the number was not wrong.

However, Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't see Zhang Liansheng.

"Lord Mo."

Xiang Xiaoqiang said lightly.

The top commander of the prisoner of war camp, Lieutenant Colonel Mor'e, smiled and said:

"What advice do you have for the general?"

"Where is Zhang Liansheng? I remember asking him to be in the first batch to go back to Daming with us. ”

"Zhang Liansheng?" Moore sneered, "Which Zhang Liansheng?" ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang sneered:

"Master Mo, it seems that you really plan to make trouble for you and me."

Several Beiqing officials present laughed.

Mo Er's forehead also laughed, made a sudden realization, and said with a smile:

"Oh, Zhang Liansheng, I remember, it's that ......"

Then he put away his smile, shook his head, and said with some sadness:

"General Xiang, I really remember your mention. This one...... That lad can't go with you. ”

Several other Northern Qing officials also shook their heads and bowed their heads rather sadly.

Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at them coldly, feeling a bad feeling in his heart.

"Speaking of which, this is also very unfortunate...... Moore shook his head and sighed, "Zhang Liansheng, yesterday afternoon he suddenly felt pain in his chest and fell to the ground...... Our guards rushed him to the prisoner-of-war camp clinic. After being sent to the clinic, the person was no longer good, and the military doctor immediately rescued him and gave him oxygen...... But it can't be saved. Zhang Liansheng...... It's dead. Uh, that is, unfortunately, passed away. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang felt that the blood all over his body was gathering in his head, and his limbs were already cold. He guessed that his face must have been terrible at this time.

Zheng Yuxuan was furious, and said in a trembling voice:

"You ...... How dare you ...... He ......"

Mor then sighed:

"Yes, unfortunately, we are in a prisoner of war camp, not a big city, and we don't have good rescue equipment...... But then again, he died of acute myocardial infarction, and he had a heart attack, and it was difficult to treat it in that big hospital. It's too soon, it's too late, and the hospital can't cure the disease. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang easily suppressed his anger and hissed:

"What about corpses? Pull the body and take a look. ”

Mor E says:

"Cremated."

Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at him deadly.

Moore smiled understandingly, and said with a smile:

"General Xiang, county lord, you must be able to understand this...... We are a prisoner of war camp here, and the density of people is high, and the corpses cannot be stored for a long time after death, and they must be cremated quickly, otherwise it is easy to produce plague...... Oh, General Xiang, this is a diagnosis of sudden myocardial infarction issued by a military doctor, and this is a death certificate issued by a doctor...... Do you see it? It has the signature of our military doctor, written in black and white, as well as our official seal, and the signature certificate of me, the highest commander...... Hehe, General Xiang, if you are not satisfied, you can also ask to see the qualification certificate of our military doctor. …… How is it, General Xiang, are you satisfied? ”

…… Good, good, heart attack, natural death.

Zheng Yuxuan was already in tears, she was trembling and was about to go crazy, but Xiang Xiaoqiang pulled her down and said hoarsely:

"Where's the ashes?"

Several officials of the Northern Qing Dynasty were a little surprised. They thought that Xiang Xiaoqiang would definitely make a big fuss. I didn't expect such an acquaintance. In fact, even if Xiang Xiaoqiang is angry, they are not afraid. Because of this treatment, they consulted the emperor, and the emperor instructed it. The emperor's meaning is very clear, he must let Xiang Xiaoqiang know that this is the Qing Dynasty, and he must be made aware of who controls everything in this land.

After a while, the two military doctors actually brought a box of ashes.

Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at the urn on the ground and took off his hat. Zheng Yuxuan beside him couldn't cry anymore.

Xiang Xiaoqiang raised his head, looked at the more than a thousand prisoners of war in front of him who didn't know what was going on, and suddenly shouted:

"Brethren! This dead brother is one of you! Two days ago, when the other brothers were under bayonets and only dared to be forced to lie, it was this Zhang Liansheng who risked his life to shout the truth, so that the county lord and I knew what happened to you in the mine! But as you can see, just one day later, the brother ...... It became the box of ashes in front of me...... Why? Haha, sudden myocardial infarction! ”

More than 1,000 prisoners of war stared blankly at the urn on the ground in front of them, and did not react.

Xiang Xiaoqiang suddenly understood that they were already very numb. After so long here, they had become accustomed to this kind of thing, or something ten times more cruel and dark. It's no wonder.

Xiang Xiaoqiang felt very sad and a failure.

He sighed, and felt like crying, sadness and depression accumulated in his chest, unable to breathe in or exhale.

And this feeling has been suffered by thousands of Ming officers and soldiers for more than half a year. The people of the Northern Qing Dynasty have suffered for thousands of miles, and they have suffered for more than 200 years.

Xiang Xiaoqiang slowly squatted down, gently stroked the urn, then picked it up, turned around and handed it to Zheng Yuxuan.

"Among the thousands, the only one whose backbone has not been broken is now ashes and is lying inside."

Zheng Yuxuan didn't mean to be taboo at all, he reached out to hold the urn, his face was full of tears, and he nodded vigorously, as if the brave man was being held in her arms at the moment.

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang turned around, looked at the Northern Qing officials in a circle, and said in a low voice:

"Give me the medical certificate and death certificate."

Mor immediately handed him two certificates. Xiang Xiaoqiang took it and looked at it, and said coldly:

"No, only the doctor's signature and yours will not work. I don't agree. ”

Moore looked at his fire-breathing eyes, and wanted to sneer "What if you don't approve", but the words came to his lips anyway:

"And whose signature do you want?"

stretched out his hand to Xiaoqiang and stroked a circle:

"All of you officials present have to sign and testify. Otherwise, I won't leave today. ”

Morr was stunned, not knowing what he meant. But he looked at the subordinates around him, and then saw that his signature was already on it, and it was not impossible to ask his subordinates to sign it. Anyway, this matter was ordered by the emperor, and I have nothing to worry about. Xiang Xiaoqiang did this, probably to explain it after he went back, right?

He tilted his head and commanded:

"Sign y'all of you."

The supreme commander gave the order, and the officers below also took pen and paper and signed their names under the two documents one after another. Then, Xiang Xiaoqiang asked the civil officials to sign as well. The civilians hesitated, but seeing that the officers had signed, Moore couldn't control himself, but they all signed along.

Xiang Xiaoqiang took two certificates and counted them, and there were a total of sixteen signatures, which matched the number of Northern Qing officials present.

Without saying anything, he folded the two pieces of paper and put them in his pocket. Then, his gaze swept over the faces of the sixteen Northern Qing officials very slowly, gloomily, one by one.

"Let's go."

He said.

……

The first batch of 1,500 prisoners of war of the Ming army, after being captured by the Northern Qing Dynasty and experiencing eight months of hellish torment, finally embarked on the road back to their hometown.

At six o'clock in the evening, the prisoner of war train drove into the Dagukou Wharf Station in Tianjin.

At half past seven, 1,500 prisoners of war and Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zheng Yuxuan boarded a Beiqing cargo ship, pulled anchor and set sail.