This last stretch of the road from Tongguan is particularly difficult.

It was still a rapid march and there was no rest.

The king even shouted the slogan that there was a peach forest in front of him viciously, and deliberately used the non-existent peaches to hang people's appetites.

The officers and men of the three armies don't know if there is a peach forest, and if there is, they are afraid that they will not be able to eat it, and they know that there is no water to drink except for heat stroke.

No matter how big their hearts are, many people can't help but wonder if the King is really the same holy king who gave them hope for survival and saved them from the dark slave life.

How could such a Ming Jun do such an unbelievable thing?

What is the difference between this and the aristocracy who oppressed slaves?

It's just that the enslaved people have changed their status from slaves to marching sergeants, but the treatment they receive is not much different.

Those aristocratic slave owners also drove them to do things in this way, and blamed them harshly, and if they couldn't finish their work, they couldn't eat or drink water.

Contrary to the ideas of the little soldiers, the generals who accompanied the army all carried out the orders of the king of the army with great tacit understanding.

At first, they would also advise, and they would also find a way to let the soldiers rest and rest and get their water out.

But with the passage of time, no matter how distressed these generals were, no matter how unbearable they were, when they saw a soldier falling, they would not help each other, but just let them wait for the people.

Either you fall down on the way to the hurried march and wait for the people behind to answer, or you will march all the way until Tongguan to rest.

The soldiers were also stunned, and the generals who loved soldiers like sons in the past have all become cold-blooded as iron.

In fact, it's not that these generals can't resist the king's orders, and they are helpless to obey under tyranny, they are all backbone people, if they really hurt the soldiers, they will definitely resist to the end.

The reason for this is because battlefield generals like Lu Xiong gradually understood the intentions of the king.

No one knows better than these veterans what the real battlefield environment is like beyond imagination.

The environment of war is much worse than a mere march.

If they shouted tired and bitter even on the way to the rapid march, and were cut by the blades on the battlefield, didn't they have to shout out?

What's more, there are immortals who don't know how to act, as well as all kinds of fierce generals.

When resting before, Lu Xiong and other generals also saw it with their own eyes, and looked at what this group of soldiers looked like?

Lay on the spot, take off his armor, whether he has a spear or a short knife, and throw the blade aside.

Is this something that elite soldiers can do?

They did have long-term training and experience in long-distance marching, and barely reached the standard of going into battle to kill the enemy, but their quality was still too poor, and they were not comparable to the main force of the Southern Expedition in Wen Zhong's hands.

Only with this rapid march to force them to tell them that the only thing they can rely on and rely on is the blade in their hands and the armor on their bodies, which is also the last chance before the two armies of Shang and Zhou clash.

After all, what they have to face is a battlefield that is even more brutal than this cruel truth.

Even if the soldiers will complain, even if there is a danger of mutiny, they will not hesitate.

Troops that complain or even mutiny because of a rapid march should not go to the battlefield at all, and they will definitely mutiny when they arrive on the frontal battlefield, and it is not surprising that they will directly surrender to the enemy.

Lu Xiong also had to admire the decisiveness of the king of Xu, a rapid march, not only trained the soldiers, but also used the peach forest as bait to consume the soldiers' goodwill towards themselves.

That's right, this is another layer of intention of the king of Xu, who falsely called the peach forest and urged the march, but did not give the peaches or water.

The false claim of the peach forest, the forced rapid march, and even the previous words of reparation were all aimed at consuming this group of slave-born soldiers, and the gratitude in their hearts for the official status given to them by the king of Xu.

It can be seen from all sides that this army, which is mainly composed of slaves, is grateful to the king.

They are grateful that the King has changed their identity, changed their fate, and allowed them to truly stand up and be upright individuals.

Can....

No, you don't.

This gratitude is superfluous in war.

These people are willing to go to the battlefield for the kindness of the king, fight the enemy, and die soundly, just like the people who rose up in the Lou Yunqu rebellion and killed countless enemies before to become an army.

But that's not enough.

Behind the army, it should not be the king of a country, the soldiers fighting, nor should it be for a specific person.

Even if this person is the king of a country, it is unreasonable.

Although King Su is a symbol of the Great Shang, he is always just a person, very thin, very... Impotence.

As a person in the army, he should be for the country, for the community, with the heart of serving the country with fists, and spilling blood for the people of the world, not for one person.

Compared with fighting for kindness and gratitude, there is no doubt that the goal of fighting for one's home and country is clearer, and such a battle is more motivating and meaningful.

The king's behavior is to make these slave-born soldiers completely abandon the so-called kindness, and then fight for the country wholeheartedly.

To put it more broadly, the soldiers joined the army and stepped on the battlefield to protect the country and the people.

To put it mildly, to make great achievements and be knighted, it is to fight for oneself, and it is more motivated.

In any case, it is much better than fighting for the kindness of "others".

..............

Nangong Shi had a unilateral stalemate in front of Bishui Pass for another day.

It was getting dark, and he had no choice but to withdraw his troops.

Lei Zhenzi glanced at it intently, shook his head and said: "This Dou Rong is not simple, our army has continuously called for battle, and has repeatedly attacked fiercely, he is stunned and does not take the initiative to attack." ”

"yes. Nangong Shi nodded, looked at Guan Shang and said, "In terms of martial arts, Dou Rong is either the enemy of the general, or Han Rong and other generals in the pass, I am afraid that he is not the opponent of the general, but in guarding the pass, this person is afraid that he is the best in the world!"

"Hmm. Lei Zhenzi replied in a deep voice, obviously recognizing Dou Rong's ability.

However, he didn't have much worry on his face, but said lightly: "General, even if we can't capture Bishui Pass, there is actually no problem, the army of Shiting where my brother is stationed is being transferred to this side, just wait for the prime minister to lead the army to kill, and with the joint efforts of all parties, this pass will be broken." ”

"Hmm. Nangong Shi also responded with a hum, but there was a trace of uneasiness on his face.

He is the general of Xiqi, the head of the generals, and he is praised by the Yuedan Commentary, and is rated as the first general in the world.

There is no vanity under the fame, Nangong Shi is still very confident.

How can it be blocked because of a small difficulty, and you have to wait until the army comes and others help you break the pass?

"Let's go!" Nangong Shi's eyes flickered, and he didn't say much, turned his horse's head, turned around and walked towards the camp, and said in a deep voice: "The king asked me to wait for the first time to go down to the Bishui Pass, time is short, our army is a righteous army, how can we not even attack a single Bishui Pass, this commander thinks that he should come to the night attack tonight." ”

"Night attack?" Lei Zhenzi's wings trembled slightly, and he frowned: "Dou Rong is a good guard, and the entire Bishui Pass is as well guarded as a turtle shell, how can he not guard against a night attack?"

That's not true. Nangong Shi beat the horse, while saying with a straight face: "Attacking the fortifications for days, our army is all attacking head-on, and when the sunset is not able to attack for a long time, it will be Ming Jin to collect the troops, this Dou Rong also sees this, presumably the night guard will be lax, the so-called surprise to cover up his unpreparedness, Dou Rong is also a person, can he still be strictly guarded day and night? Even if he can, can the soldiers under his command do it?"

"This...."Lei Zhenzi hesitated, turned his head and glanced at the close, he was also a little angry, he really didn't show his head, he didn't have a chance to release cold arrows, he was going to die of grievance in the past few days, so it was not bad to try it at night.

"Besides, there are already a lot of soldiers and horses that have been transferred back from the Shiting side, which must have been unexpected by Dou Rong, and the army in hand is also an opportunity. ”

Seeing that Nangong Shi was so active, Lei Zhenzi no longer obstructed it, but just nodded: "Yes." ”