Chapter 16 No food

Why didn’t the envoy send troops to rescue Shancheng? It’s been more than two months since there was no news there… A woman cried.

In the state yamen, everything seems to be full of energy, and these houses may have been around for a few years.

The mottled brown paint on the column should be red paint, but it has long lost its true colors; the carved windows seem to be covered with a layer of black gray, but there was no dust on them, which was a dirt that could not be wiped clean.

It is winter, and the trees in the yard are bare and have no trace of green. The huge trunks seem to show the traces of time.

In this old-fashioned environment, the crying woman decorated it vividly and brightly. She had a melon-shaped face that looked very delicate. It looked like the face of a southerner, with a pointed chin, thin and curved distant black eyebrows, and a slim body that seemed to be weak.

This strange woman is beautiful, with tears on her face. She is so beautiful that she is so beautiful.

Standing in front of her was Cheng Ting.It was the first time Cheng Ting saw this little girl, but she already knew that she was Zhang Wulang's favorite Cai, so she met her.

Cai is from Lingnan, half a head shorter than Cheng Ting. Her shoulders were trembling slightly, looking helpless.

Cheng Ting felt sympathy and comforted her: Wulang has military affairs, so he doesn't care about private affairs. Don't be too sad.My husband regards Wulang as more close than his brothers, so he will definitely not let go. Please relax.

Cai cried: I dreamed of Goro last night, he...he came to say goodbye to me, or never meet again...Woooooo, what should I do?

Cheng Ting frowned and said: Mr. Zhang Wulang is no less affection than you.

I... Cai's face, full of tears, showed an extremely complicated expression, and he whispered with his eyes down, "I have Goro's flesh and blood in my stomach..."

Ah?Cheng Ting widened her eyes and complained, "You are not married yet, how can you do such a thing without hiding it?"

Cai just cried and didn't know what to do.

Cheng Ting sighed and said: Come with me, let’s go to the signing room in front to meet the Langjun and ask him what’s going on.

When the two women walked into the second hall to sign the house, Xue Chongxun and Wang Changling were indeed sitting there handling official duties, with some clerks and servants around.

When Xue Chongxun saw two women and a strange and beautiful little girl crying, she couldn't help but ask: Ting'er, what's wrong?

Cheng Ting said softly: She is Goro's person.

Oh... Xue Chongxun already understood the reason why they came here, and his expression was a little sad.

The officials stood up tactfully and told the courtesy: Hu Jue and his family will leave first.Seeing Xue Chongxun nodding, everyone avoided it.

Cai said with great confidence: It has been more than two months since Goro went to the war. I, a woman, shouldn't have come to bother the governor, but I have been restless these days. I dreamed of Goro yesterday... I saw him covered in blood... Cai cried again after he said that, and finally stopped. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "I heard that Shancheng has been surrounded by enemy soldiers for a long time. Do Goro and the others have no food?"

Xue Chongxun understood in his heart: Zhang Wulang must have nothing to eat.

The state government has detailed entries for how much food and grass there are in Shancheng. More than 4,000 soldiers, more than 600 horses, and 1,800 mules and horses carrying things must eat, and military rations can last up to one month.

It's been more than two months now, and I'm afraid the horses have been eaten.

People in the village may store the grain they harvested for a year and a half, but not many people in the city will save so much. After all, funds need to be turned over. What is the purpose of saving so much grain for every day?

Xue Chongxun found it difficult to maintain the Shanzhou army until now.

He told the truth: It is difficult to replenish, and I am afraid there is no food.

Cai asked: Why didn’t the governor send troops to rescue the siege?

I have no soldiers.

Xue Chongxun said dejectedly, the Eight Thousand Jiansan Army stationed in Shanzhou directly obeyed the orders of the governor Cheng and was responsible for the defense of the provincial government headquarters, and I had no right to mobilize them.The main force of Longyou Jianer is confronting Tubo in Jishishan, and now he cannot send troops to Shancheng.

Could it be that the governor wants to see Goro in a desperate situation and refuse to save him?Cai suddenly fell to the ground and kowtowed to you. I know you must have a way to save Goro.

Get up quickly.

Xue Chongxun reached out to help her, but it was hard to really help her, so he had to turn around and say to Cheng Ting, "Please help her up."

Xue Chongxun still has some principles and is unwilling to touch women of brothers and friends.

But any loyalty is completely useless to him. He is a person who ignores moral rules at all, and this is just a habit.

Cheng Ting went to help her, but she refused to get up and just cried.

Xue Chongxun was depressed, and Cheng Ting also heard it as well: "Your husband might as well beg for uncle (Cheng Qianli). He might be able to think of a solution."

Xue Chongxun thought to himself: Damn, do you think I can bear a trustworthy confidant?Isn’t all this the old thing in your Cheng family made?

He thought so in his heart, but he did not exaggerate himself to the woman's head, although Cheng Ting is also from the Cheng family.

He thought about it and shook his head and said: It's useless. Cheng Qianli was determined to rely on the 100,000 Tang troops in his hands to build a great cause that will last forever. I am afraid he will not easily change the established combat plan.

Cheng Ting said: But my uncle also has to rely on the relationship between the husband in the court, and he does not want to make a grudge with you.

One code is one code.Xue Chongxun frowned and said, he could specially set up a "Li Yi" to protect my safety in Shanzhou, but he would never care about my life or death.

Seeing Xue Chongxun's calm look, Cheng Ting was a little angry: Wulang and you are brothers and sisters, and have been besieged for more than two months. Langjun doesn't even think about any way!I don't want to see you as a ruthless person... When it comes to the last sentence, Cheng Ting felt it was a bit too much, and a kind of apology gradually appeared in her anger.

Xue Chongxun was indeed a little angry and said coldly: Why can’t I think of a way?The thousands of new recruits who were training in the heavy snow in the Chengbei school were not recruited by me to raise them from multiple sources?But can these people break through the defense line of Tuyuhun army?Now the new army is in difficulty and must impose tariffs on you merchants.

Cai grabbed Xue Chongxun's robe and said: As long as Wulang can be rescued, I will definitely find a way to persuade my father to do his best to support the official army.

Seeing that she was sincere and pityful, Xue Chongxun's tone softened again: There is no way to do this, I'm afraid it won't work.I used to be waiting for a turnaround... Both women asked anxiously: What turnaround?

Xue Chongxun turned his head to look at the snowflakes outside the door: It was just winter moon, and it was snowing so heavily in Longyou.Winter is very difficult for the Tubo people. If the Tubo army gathers for a long time, if it cannot move to the hinterland of the Tang Dynasty to raise the war, their livestock will be short of forage, and it will be very difficult to replenish the roads of Tubo, and sooner or later they will withdraw.If Zhang Wulang could hold on until then, no need for Cheng Qianli to send reinforcements to reinforce, the Tuyuhun soldiers would have automatically retreated...

He looked at the crying women and said depressedly: But the southern line has not ended yet, and I don’t know the specific situation. What are they doing?

Then when will Wulang... Cai cry.

Xue Chongxun sighed: Tangtuanxuan has gone, if Zhang Wulang makes any mistakes, who will drive me forward?He was silent for a long time, and suddenly his expression condensed, "You go down first, I'll hurry to Langzhou."

……

Before Zhang Wulang died, he was shot with an arrow as soon as he rushed out of the city. His subordinates rescued him back to the city. At first, he was still alive and insisted on leaving the city to fight to the death again. Later, the doctor pulled out the arrow and fainted after bleeding too much.

Unexpectedly, he did not wake up in this coma, and the wound seemed to be infected. The high fever did not subside. He was carried to the gear to heal his wound.

The guards could not command the army, so Chen Tuanlian naturally took over the command. He was born in a local military general family in Shanzhou and had always followed the martial arts path. He had a good connection and prestige in the Shanzhou army, so he was no surprise and was elected to take charge of the overall situation.

After taking over the command, Chen Tuanlian did nothing and ordered the skins of the two Tuyuhun envoys to be peeled off and released from the city. The degree of cruelty was simply outrageous.

The Tuyuhun Army was angered and launched a siege on the city overnight, but it was still difficult to advance in an inch of land.

The Shanzhou army also repelled the enemy's attack while hungry, but the situation still did not improve and there was no food.

Seeing that they were about to starve to death, the generals gathered together to discuss countermeasures. Most of them suggested opening the city to fight, but some also said: If we die in battle, the Tuyuhun people must massacre the city.

Should we surrender?But we just peeled the messenger's skin and asked for peace talks. Isn't it a nonsense?

It was a mess, but now I have killed the messenger again...

When Chen Tuanlian first killed someone, he only wanted to have a good time and didn't think about it carefully...

He often does such consequences, and now he is even more helpless.

At this time, a lieutenant reminded Chen Tuanlian: The general has issued an order to take all the lives of the people in the city. If the city is slaughtered, how do you explain to the general?

Another general said in a mocking tone: Just say nothing, let’s go out of the city and beat everyone up. Let’s go on the road together, and let’s explain to you a baby?

Chen Tuanlian was full of breath and cursed: His ancestors are from the 18th generation!When did you guys have softened in front of Tuyuhun wild monkeys?If it weren't for the lack of food, I wouldn't be afraid of a million people!

Before the troops move, food and grass will go first. Isn’t war just about harvesting food?What's the solution now!The above didn’t know what they were doing. They had been besieging the city for more than two months, and they didn’t even see a chicken feather, so they just left us here and ignored it?

Chen Tuanlian sat in the upper head and said with a dark face: Sanwa is right, what else can I explain to you when everyone is dead?But I just couldn't help but feel idle. When I thought of the monkeys stepping on our corpses, I seemed to be very fucked, so I was so angry!

Is there any way?When everyone heard this, they couldn't speak.

There were more than twenty people in the watchtower, and they were silent for a moment.After a long time, Chen Tuanlian asked with a sinister face: Have you ever eaten human flesh?

After hearing this, the generals looked at each other, and then a thin man said: I'm not afraid of you being too concerned about speaking. I've eaten it when I was a child.

Everyone's eyes turned to the thin man, and he heard him say: At that time, there was no food for natural disasters, and hunger could be seen everywhere in the mountains. My father replaced my sister and my brother next door. They ate my sister, and my brother called the stone egg... The thin man wiped his face and tears were all over the place. At that time, he made me a slingshot... How could I eat it? I forgot it.

Chen Tuanlian said: There are tens of thousands of people in the city. Anyway, if the city is broken, we will be killed. Let’s eat some, and maybe we can survive.

As soon as this said, many people shivered, and the tower became silent again.

Chen Tuanlian said: Is human flesh not meat?I went to catch someone and cooked it, so I'll see if I could eat it.

His dark face showed a hint of crazy excitement, and everyone did not dare to say anything.

You go, bring your personal soldiers to capture someone.

The general who was pointed out was helpless and stood up and took the order.

At this time, a general said: Slowly!When you arrest someone, don’t make a big fuss, and don’t reveal the news. If it causes panic among the people, how can you deal with it?

Chen Tuanlian praised: This is very true, do things cleanly.

The captain took his order and walked down the city. He went to the barracks near the city gate and called four soldiers who were resuming to do their business together.

The lieutenant is a strong man with a big and thick name. He has the character Peng in his name. The soldiers around him don’t call him his surname, but they all like to call him Peng: What errands are we going to do?

Captain Peng couldn't speak out, so he had to say with a stern face: Is the bastard too full and talk too much?Do whatever you ask you to do, and say less nonsense!

The soldiers had to stop and followed the captain silently in the snow. They shrank their necks and occasionally heard the sound of teeth giggling. When they were hungry, they seemed to be frozen.

The sound of iron shoes creaking in the snow was as heavy as his mood in Captain Peng's ears.

He took the soldiers around the streets and alleys, but he couldn't choose a good target for a long time.This kind of thing is already challenging Captain Peng's view of right and wrong, so he seems to be extra hesitant.

Everyone had no strength at all, and they were panting after walking for a long time, looking weak with their heads hanging down.

Captain Peng finally stopped and pointed to a door on the street: Knock on it.A soldier went up to shoot the door as he said. After a while, the door really opened.

Because the people knocking on the door were wearing Tang army armor, the people seemed to trust them very much.

When Zhang Wulang was in charge of the overall situation, it was strictly forbidden for soldiers to disturb the people without authorization. Those who enter the house at will have to be beheaded. Over the past few days, the military discipline has been strictly disciplined and has been recognized by the people of Shancheng.

The person who opened the door was an old woman. Seeing four or five men listless and blackened by the cold, she kindly called out: What a sinful young man. Come in quickly, there is a fire inside.

Captain Peng walked in without saying a word. Seeing that there was indeed a charcoal fire in the middle of the house, the soldiers hurriedly squatted over and reached out to roast the fire.The old woman took a piece of cloth and enthusiastically swept the snowflakes on their backs.

At this time, an old man with a cloth wrapped around his head came out from behind, with a dark face and said: Mom, go and scoop out the paste in the pot to entertain guests.

The woman was stunned and stood there without moving.The captain saw what was happening in front of him and naturally understood: the people had no food.

Don't go quickly!The old man shouted, "Our son is hungry and heals the enemy, what are you trying to do?"

After a while, the old woman brought five bowls of black stuff on a wooden plate and divided them into five portions. Each bowl was less than half a bowl, and she didn't know what was being cooked, but it was enough to make the soldiers saliva. At this time, as long as they could swallow, they were greedy when they saw it.

Seeing this, Captain Peng stood there in a daze with a sad face.

The soldiers looked back at the captain, and a young man asked with anticipation: Can we... can we eat?

After eating... after eating... the old woman said with a smile.

The captain frowned and hesitated for a long time, and said: Eat!After eating, leave!

Several soldiers came out of their homes after eating. The soldiers had something to do and were in a good mood. They even encouraged them: If you have such a good job in the future, don't forget us.

The captain looked at each other with a dark face and said nothing. Several people looked at each other and had to shut their mouths.

After walking for a while, Captain Peng in front stopped and pointed at the door: Knock on the door.The soldiers had experience and happily rushed over and knocked on the door, thinking that they could have another meal.

Unexpectedly, the door was just opened by a male owner. Captain Peng suddenly pulled out his sword without saying a word and slashed it.

The man's head was soaked with blood in his neck that he had not fallen. He was kicked in his chest and fell back into the door. He fell to the ground, covered his neck with his hands and his legs stretched and kept twitching.

The soldiers were stunned and stared at the door.A soldier couldn't help but say: If we kill the people, our superiors will want our heads!

The captain said coldly: It’s the order from the superior!You two are guarding here, covering the door, and the others follow me in.

As soon as they entered the door, they saw a little lady appearing in the yard. Perhaps the wife of this man was killed, and they came out when they heard the movement.

The young lady was wearing a rustic jacket on the upper body and a long skirt on the lower body. She looked like she was in her teens. Looking at her delicate face, she was probably someone who had not been around for a long time.

She suddenly saw the man lying in a pool of blood and immediately exclaimed.

Captain Peng ran over with a knife, grabbed the little girl's arm with one hand, and covered her mouth with the other: Why are you two standing stupidly?Goudan goes to find the rope... You look around and cut off the living person when you see it!

Yes...yes... the two soldiers responded pale and stiffly.

After a while, the three of them hurriedly tied up the little girl and their mouths were blocked.

The little girl was unable to move her limbs, and she was still whining and struggling desperately. Her big eyes stared at the corpse on the ground, tears flowing.

The captain ordered again: Call the two brothers outside in, put the bloody snow shoveling well, and burn the body and the house together!