choke element

Chapter 651 The Covenant

Guo Ning and Tuo Lei came to Jinshan one after another. It is of course a big event in the context of Jinmeng and Mongolia fighting for many years.But the Han'er slaves who were being resettled in Jinshan City didn't notice.

The numbness caused by years of torture has left many of them almost deprived of the ability to focus on the outside world.

A moment ago, someone muttered: "The Mongols behind all knelt down, it seems that there is another big man..."

But no one responded, no one cared about the situation.After all, the slaves are already the lowest class on the grassland, compared to them, everyone is a big shot.No matter Marshal Guo or what kind of marshal, what kind of Yan came here, everyone just kneeled and kowtowed, what else?

They still moved slowly towards the predetermined camp in the city, walking fifteen miles for nearly an hour.Until the afternoon, they were split into groups of 30 people and led to a new shack somewhere.

The huts are very rough, just a few big logs scattered one by one, and then covered with withered grass.There is a common pit behind several shacks, which should be a place for defecation.

It can be seen that when assigning personnel to the shacks, Dinghai is a bit particular. There are more old and weak women and children in the east of the camp; most of the strong men are in the west of the camp.After being plundered to the grassland, the old and the weak, women and children could not survive for long, and most of those who could return from the grassland were strong men.Occasionally, women and children would cry, saying that they were separated from their families. After a while, soldiers would take them out to look for them, but no one cared about whether they were found or not.

Lu Wusi felt that his legs were about to break, his ankles and knees hurt, and his chest and head also hurt where the Mongolian master had beaten him.The other people who gathered in the same shack with him were also exhausted, including the man with dark circles, everyone was paralyzed.

It seems that Ding Haijun treats people more generously.On the prairie, if the slaves dared to rest, they would have been beaten down with big sticks or horse whips, and now everyone rested until the sun went down, and no one came to control them.

On the contrary, the slaves of Han'er slowly crawled out of the shack, moving their stiff limbs, trying to embed the flesh on their feet, and were torn apart by the straw sandals or foot wraps where the dirty blood had clotted in one place.

Everyone was busy for a while, and suddenly sniffed and smelled the aroma of food.

It's not quite the same as the food aroma that everyone often smells, but it's enough to make people salivate.Someone whispered, "It's rice balls."

After a while, a soldier of the Ding Navy passed between the huts, and threw rice balls and leather bags for everyone: "Marshal Guo has an order, each person will be rewarded with one more! After eating, choose someone to come out, take the leather bags and go outside the city to collect food." water!"

The rice balls were packed in bamboo baskets, and the moment they fell into the shack, there was looting.Lu Wusi was thin and had no guts. When he rushed up, he saw everyone in the front row, and when the crowd dispersed, there was nothing in the bamboo basket.There were a few scattered rice grains left on the ground, and Lu Wusi hesitated to squeeze two mouthfuls to fill his stomach, but a yellow-faced boy next to him rushed over and swept them away with both hands.

In the shack, everyone was chewing, and around Lu Wusi, there was a sound of smacking.

The rice ball is not big, at most half a fist.The rice used was not good, but even if the slaves were on the grassland, they couldn't eat mutton. The wild wheat was not as good as rice balls.So everyone grinned their teeth after eating, even if the rice bran choked their throats, they tried their best to swallow it.

They finish their own rice balls in three or five mouthfuls, and then they look at others, hoping that there will be leftovers.

Lu Wusi covered his face and began to cry.

Although the captives were numb, they were forced to travel long distances in the past few days, with hard work, doubts, and worries about how to continue their future life after the accustomed environment was changed.His crying immediately caused several shacks to become restless.

The Khitan patrolling not far away, and the "Master Mongolian" who was waiting for the Khitan's order, noticed the restlessness.Several people came to the shack where Lu Wusi was.

"Damn! Why are you crying, you coward!"

The man with dark circles cursed impatiently.Although his mouth was stiff, he was actually a little scared when he saw the Mongols approaching ferociously, so he fumbled into his bosom twice and took out a rice ball.

He looked at it distressedly, broke the rice ball in half, and threw half to Lu Wusi: "Eat, eat, shut up after eating!"

Lu Wusi thought to himself, it was you who stole my rice balls, but he didn't dare to argue with him.He swallowed the crying into his stomach and began to gobble it up.The rice balls are very fragrant, but also salty and bitter. It doesn't taste like Lu Wusi's tears, but like they have been soaked in brine.

The Khitans and the Mongolian guards didn't go any further. Lu Wusi finished eating in two or three bites, and his stomach just sat down.

"Send someone from every shack to fetch water! Hurry up!" A cavalry officer shouted back and forth on horseback.

The man with dark circles stuffed the skin bag into Lu Wusi's hand: "It's you, hurry up!"

Lu Wusi came out in a daze, and stood in front of the shack, his hair dazed.When he finally joined the queue to fetch water from the city, the Mongolian guards beat him twice on the head with a stick.

It was about to reach the city gate, and the sound of rumbling iron hooves on the ground was loud.It was still the group of knights in iron armor who led the way, ordering everyone to retreat to both sides of the road and kneel down along the way.

After kneeling down, someone shouted again: "What are you looking at! Lower your head!"

Lu Wusi and the others immediately leaned over and pressed their foreheads to the ground.

He heard dozens of knights roll out from the city gate, the dust brought up by their iron hooves choked people.

When he heard the general named Zhao Xuan rein in his horse in front of the city gate, he said with some doubts: "I thought the marshal would talk to Tuo Lei for a long time, and I even ordered two sheep to be slaughtered to put on the host's posture." !"

"If we slaughter the sheep, we will eat it ourselves! What are the cheap Mongols doing!"

The one who answered him was Marshal Guo who had arrived in Jinshan City earlier.Listening to his words, he seems to be in a good mood.Lu Wusi felt that since Marshal Guo was giving extra meals to everyone, he must be a good person.

Guo Ning was indeed in a good mood, so he laughed and made a joke.

But when everyone laughed and agreed, he fell silent again.

So the subordinates shut up again and surrounded him in awe.

Guo Ning stood in front of the city gate and looked out.It was dark late at the turn of summer and autumn, and the sun had set for a while, but the sky was still bright.Therefore, the backs of Tuo Lei and his followers can be seen clearly.

When the group of them were about to enter the back of the woodland, Tuo Lei reined in his horse and turned around, waving his hands in the direction of Jinshan City.

This is the second time Guo Ning has dealt with Tuo Lei.The last time he was in Haicang Town, Laizhou, Tuo Lei was a prisoner, but his attitude was very arrogant.Guo Ning had to serve with fists and feet to let him figure out where his family was.This time, Tuo Lei was quite different from before.

The young fourth prince became much calmer and smarter. He even learned Chinese and talked with Guo Ning without an interpreter.Moreover, he was very sincere, and indeed regarded Ding Haijun as an opponent of equal status.

This is not an easy task to do.

Since the three years of Da'an, the Mongolian army has won too many victories in the battle with the Kingdom of Jin.If every city changed hands, and even every field battle of hundreds of steps was counted, there were at least 290 battles between the two sides, and the Mongols could win [-] of them.

Too many victories made the Mongols consciously occupy a psychological advantage when facing anyone in the Kingdom of Jin, and did not take the opponent seriously.This psychological advantage has been deeply ingrained, and even a commander like Genghis Khan will make wrong choices when facing Guo Ning because of this, thinking that he can kill him with one blow.

But Torrey is really smart.

He was very polite in the meeting just now, even a little humble, he was not at all constrained by his previous victories, and he did not shy away from his own failures.

Such a person, such an attitude, made Guo Ning very vigilant.Because there is nothing more terrible than a ferocious pack of wolves, only a pack of ferocious and cunning wolves.If Guo Ning had enough troops and enough logistical support, he would rather raise his troops immediately, kill all the deep grasslands in one go, and come to a plow court to sweep the holes, so as to avoid future troubles forever.

It's a pity that Guo Ning didn't. The expansion of the Ding Navy has indeed reached its limit.The Mongolian tribes scattered in the grasslands have no capital city or central area for material distribution at all, so it is worth setting up a navy to attack.

Of course, it is impossible for the Mongols to overwhelm the Ding Navy in a field battle, but if the Ding Navy rushes deep into the grassland, under the endless harassment and hunting of the Mongolian army, the result will definitely be a disastrous failure.

Guo Ning is very clear about this.According to Tuo Lei, Genghis Khan is also very clear.

The current two families have nothing to do with each other, and both of them urgently need to enrich or restore their own strength in order to win the next war.Before the next war comes, any conflict between the two sides has no practical significance, and will slow down their progress in vain.

Therefore, a mutual tacit agreement became inevitable.

This agreement does not need to be written or pledged, because neither Guo Ning nor Genghis Khan will be limited by words or pledges.

This agreement not only represents a short-term peace, but also represents that a more tragic and terrifying decisive battle will come sooner or later.

Guo Ning continued to watch until dusk enveloped the surrounding fields.The fields and wetlands around Jinshan City are gradually becoming unclear, and the sparse forests and meadows in the distance are fluctuating in the wind.Farther away, the continuous distant mountains stand silently, blocking the pace leading to the Wanli Grassland.

"By the end of this year, you will push the controlled area back to Yehuling. The Mongolian ministries will not make any major moves, but you must be prepared for contingencies and not slack off. I will fully step up the construction of various places in the territory."

All the generals said in unison: "Yes!"

Guo Ning turned his horse back.He took two steps before he noticed that a large number of Han'er slaves had knelt down for a long time.

"Let them all get up. I don't feel comfortable watching so many people kneel down at every turn!"

All the generals hurriedly scattered and shouted.

(End of this chapter)