has become a demon

Han Chuanjun led the troops to attack thousands of miles away, and it was ten days after they arrived at the foot of Yinshan Mountain from Kaiping.

Zhao Yuan's camp has long been "empty".

I caught a nearby herdsman and asked, and they said that they left ten days ago, and they didn't know where they were going or where they ended up.Those herdsmen seemed to be Han Chinese, but they had been assimilated by the local Tatars. They could speak Mongolian fluently, but they couldn't understand Chinese.

The lieutenant general below tied several people in the center of the camp, and used military sticks until they were covered in blood. Only then did some people tremble and say that they fled to the south, but they couldn't find out any more.

Tian Yunen, the left officer next to Han Chuanjun, was extremely impatient. After waiting for a while and no more information, he beheaded all the captured herdsmen.

The weather in the prairie is unpredictable.

When the herdsmen were dragged to the mountain to be beheaded, clouds piled up in the sky, and then a drizzle began to fall. There was no sunlight, and the wet and cold rain was blown by the wind and scattered on the grassland, spreading like fog.

Accompanied by cries, begging for mercy, and screams.

The coldness seems to have penetrated from the chest into the eyes of the heart, making people feel cold from the inside out.

The blood of the nomads turned into a puddle, and the surrounding land became mud.

Tian Yunen's foot fell into the mud by mistake, and blood-colored mud spots were splashed on his boots.

"It's really fucking unlucky." He spat and cursed, "I can't stay in this place anymore, the grass is full of fucking horse dung, sheep dung, and barbarian blood... also worthy of dirty me boots."

He stepped on the corpse, wiped off the mud under his feet, and said again: "Speaking of which, this place is not far from Guihua City, why don't you turn around and tell the governor that we can go to Guihua City to play, barbarians and women Have you passed... Yushu, why don't you leave? You still need to report to the governor."

Duan Baozhai, who was standing silently beside the puddle of blood, heard his words and looked back at him.

Compared with when he was in the capital, he was much thinner, his cheeks were sunken, and his cheekbones were more pronounced, which made his eye sockets look deep.The glitz in his eyes faded away and became dark and silent, like a wolf that was wounded in the dark and had never fully healed.

"These people are just ordinary local herdsmen. They are not soldiers and they don't have weapons. Why should their lives be taken?" Duan Baozhai asked.

"Why?" Tian Yun'en sneered, "Just because they are barbarians, foreigners are naturally enemies. You, the son of an official secretary, don't understand this truth."

Duan Baozhai didn't have much reaction to his ridicule: "Although Yexing invaded Ningxia before. But I sent a letter of apology to Shuntian Mansion to plead guilty, and killed Jimmer. I paid tribute, and the world has been peaceful for more than 20 years. There are no enemies. What's more, among the people you killed, there were many Han Chinese."

Tian Yunen didn't expect Duan Baozhai to chase after him, so he squinted his eyes and turned back to stare at him impolitely: "Duan Baozhai, you are the general on the right, and I am the general on the left. Our Daduan respects the left, but I treat you with respect." Treat each other with courtesy, don't be ignorant."

"Killing innocent people indiscriminately, bullying civilians... Those who don't know what is good or bad are not here."

"you!"

Tian Yunen became furious, drew his knife and stepped forward, touching his neck.

A group of generals around were terrified, and hurried over to try to persuade them to fight.

"Brother Tian, ​​Brother Tian, ​​it's not impossible..." You cleverly pulled Tian Yunen's wrist and whispered to him, "Think about Yu Shu's father, think about it... we can't afford to offend you."

It took a long time for Tian Yunen to hold back his anger and take back the knife. Looking at the cold and fearless Duan Baozhai, he took a sip: "Duan Baozhai, don't think I'm afraid of you. I see that your father is a court minister. For the sake of the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, I have never felt sorry for you since you joined the army."

Duan Baozhai looked at him sullenly.

Tian Yunen sneered: "Why, you shouldn't be so stupid as to really think that since you joined our Han family army, the reason you have been kind to everyone is because you are capable of writing and martial arts, right?"

"A good-for-nothing who relies on me is also worthy of talking about military law and the current situation with me."

Duan Baozhai remained silent.

Tian Yunen knew that he was in pain, so he laughed and led everyone away.

Duan Baozhai stood on the hillside for a while, until the blood of the herdsmen was solidified, and then he raised his almost frozen feet and walked across the muddy grass.

When he reached the big banner in the army, the rain became more urgent.

Tian Yunen and the others were chatting next to him, and when they saw him coming, they smiled maliciously: "The governor is looking for you."

Someone held up an umbrella, and Han Chuanjun was standing in the place where the main tent of the camp used to be, meditating.

"Master Han." Duan Baozhai stepped forward and cupped his fists, "The end is coming."

"How much do you know about Xie Taichu?" Han Chuanjun asked.

"Thank you Taichu?"

"Correct."

"...not much." Duan Baozhai recalled carefully, "At first, I was just like everyone else. I heard that there was a cultivator from the Qingxing Pavilion who met the saint, and was later assigned to the prince as an attendant lecturer. Later, Zhao Yuan wanted to talk to the prince. His marriage frightened me. I have never had any contact with Xie Taichu, and I don’t know anything else."

"Where's Zhao Yuan? You must be familiar with him." Han Chuanjun asked again.

"Kaiji?" When Zhao Yuan was mentioned, he felt soft for a moment, and a smile seemed to flash in his eyes, but soon, these things disappeared without a trace.

"He is cautious and soft-tempered. He has made up his mind but is as stubborn as a donkey. He can't be persuaded. I can only watch him get married with Xie Taichu. He said that it is a marriage regardless of husband and wife. In fact, he has always been low-key. Small, it is... Xie Taichu is in charge of all kinds of matters, and everything follows Xie Taichu. A man of heaven and earth, he has great expectations for doing this, but he is unhappy when he doesn't get a response. Gradually disappointed in Xie Taichu."

He remembered that Zhao Yuan came to him with wine.

The two were very drunk on the Yuheng Tower.

Zhao Yuan wept.

"Yushu, he never loved me, so it turns out that I have always been self-indulgent."

Duan Baozhai threw his glass angrily: "Did that Niubi bully you? I'll beat him up."

"You don't want to go." Zhao Yuan said, "He said that he cultivated the way of ruthlessness and could not love others. But I didn't believe it. I deserve it."

"...Then what are you going to do?" Duan Baozhai asked.

Zhao Yuan's eyes were rosy, and he smiled sadly: "I want to make peace with him."

Han Chuanjun sneered when he heard this.

"As a man, I am as short-sighted as a woman." He said, "It's a pity that what is left of King Su's lineage is such a weak bloodline."

Duan Baozhai couldn't help but retort: ​​"When your lord killed Prince Su and his son, you didn't sigh for the blood of King Su."

His words were extremely ugly.

What he said was the most embarrassing thing about Han Chuanjun during the Yiling Rebellion.

Few people dare to mention it in front of the governor today.

But Han Chuanjun was not angry when he heard this.

"You young people have all grown up in care, and you don't understand the sufferings of the world, and you have forgotten the purpose of serving in the army."

"Why join the army?"

"Everything is illusory. It's just for fame and fortune."

Han Chuanjun turned around to look at his expression and couldn't help laughing: "Why, do you think it's vulgar? What do you think it is? For the country and for the family? Or the so-called destiny?"

"Is not it?"

"Naive." Han Chuanjun said, "Not everyone is like you. He is the son of Shangshu, and he will be a general when he comes. Ask the soldiers below, which one of the soldiers who kills the enemy is not to climb up. As long as he becomes a small flag , can control ten people, a big soldier is 18 taels of silver a year. A small flag is 32 taels a year. Climb up to a general flag, a general, a thousand general... and earn more. If you can really set up a It is not difficult even to worship a general and become a marquis. For those who cannot study or test their fame, what else can they do?"

"Many people don't understand why I want to be such a courtier." Han Chuanjun said, "The 60 private soldiers under me have to eat, and the guards of the Xuanfu, since the state treasury is empty, their salary can only be covered by naked oats. , A few catties of naked oats were sent away in a year. Shu Liang came to me with [-] taels of silver and promised me to be a marquis in the future. What would you do if it were you?"

Duan Baozhai was at a loss for words.

"I have no enmity or enmity with King Su. I entered Kaiping with a trick, and killed King Su and his son when he was out of place... This has nothing to do with enmity, but just to eat and survive." Han Chuanjun stood with his hands behind his back, "I beat you A lifetime of fighting, I don’t know anything else, I know that if the soldiers don’t have enough to eat and let people fight to defend their homes and country, it’s just a joke.”

Han Chuanjun was right, but he seemed to be completely wrong.

Who can take other people's lives and measure them on the scale like this.

The blood debt of Su Wang's lineage sounds like a deal, a sale...but it is not unreasonable.

So who is behind the scenes?

After hearing this, Duan Baozhai felt even more depressed.

Seeing his hesitation, Han Chuanjun smiled and said, "You don't have to think about it now, those in our army will eventually understand. The truth I said is the truth. Now let's talk about Zhao Yuan...We ran thousands of miles, but they Already vigilant and escaped early, leaving me in vain... Xie Taichu is not easy."

"Why Xie Taichu?"

"Zhao Yuan's legs are disabled, and his title has been revoked. How could he be reduced to Ningxia if he has this ability?" Han Chuanjun said, "Besides, I can't see the Le'an County King from the description you just made. It’s worth mentioning. It must be Xie Taichu who advised him.”

"My lord, the general feels that we should step up our pursuit and strangle the thousands of people in Monan as soon as possible, lest they really become a threat." Tian Yunen said.

"Indeed." Han Chuanjun nodded and asked Duan Baozhai, "You know Zhao Yuan best. Where do you think they will go next?"

Duan Baozhai thought for a moment.

Some memories slowly emerged and became clear.

"Go home." He said, "Kaiji has been away from home for more than ten years, and he has always wanted to go home and have a look. Before and after Frost's Fall, the first prince promised that after Yeling cut down the feudal clan, he could go home and reunite with his family."

Tian Yunen punched his fist: "We came to Yinshan, and they ran to Kaiping. This is a dying family, right?"

Han Chuanjun nodded: "He has nowhere to go."

"Come here, rectify on the spot and then pursue towards Kaiping, traveling day and night, be sure to stop them on the periphery of the side wall and suppress them."

"Yes!"

The generals of all ministries were ordered to return to the camp one after another.

The army began to gather and turned in the direction they came from.

In less than half an hour, the first wave of troops had already set off.

Duan Baozhai followed the army to ride south in silence, the sounds of wheels, horseshoes, and footsteps gathered under the Yin Mountain into a deafening noise.

Amidst the mixed noises, he vaguely heard Zhao Yuan's voice.

It was on a certain summer day, by the Shicha Lake, cicadas were chirping, and a cool breeze was blowing under the willow trees.

"Yu Shu, where do you think is my home?" Zhao Yuan asked him after drinking the green plum wine in his hand.

Duan Baozhai said with a smile, "Naturally it's Kaiping."

"Sometimes I feel that way... Sometimes I feel that I have stayed in Kaiping for more than ten years, and I have also stayed in Shuntian Prefecture for more than ten years. I am more familiar with the capital city than Kaiping... Is the capital city also my own?" s home?"

"You are confused, a place with family members is considered a home."

Zhao Yuan smiled, a little sad.

"You're right...a place with family is home. If you don't have family...what's it?"

At that time, they were still young.

I don't know how to comfort each other.

But if there is another chance, I can see Zhao Yuan again.

He will definitely say the answer that has been thought of countless times in his heart.

"Without your family, you still have brothers, and your homeland. In Daduan, inside and outside the Great Wall, where there are my Duanren, it is your hometown."