Han counter current

You must know that at that time, many small countries in the Western Regions were conquered by the army led by Lu and Wen, but they turned their backs at the most critical juncture of the war, resulting in the unjust death of many Zhao soldiers.

For that retreat, they retreated without gathering all their subordinates. Two thousand wounded soldiers took the initiative to stay behind.

After that battle, before leaving the Western Regions, Lu Xiao and Wen Meng once left a sentence: The shame of this war will be repaid by destroying the country in the future.This is the price to be paid for angering the Eastern Empire.

Two years is not a long time, but it is enough for Lu Xiao, Wen Meng and others to reflect and improve themselves.That time, they were the leading generals. Due to the complicated situation, there was no time to plan many things.

But this time, with the experienced general Zhang Liao as the commander, the stable domestic logistics as the guarantee, and nearly [-] elite troops to conquer, the rebels back then really should pay the price.

"The reason for sending two groups of soldiers and horses this time is to divert some domestic conflicts. In addition, the aristocratic families from all over the world are now tied to our interests in business and trade. If they cannot completely control the Silk Road, they will also Keep on messing around."

In the imperial palace, in the emperor's study, Chen Feng was playing chess with Grand Tutor Jia Xu. It had been a month since the army set out for the war, and there was no news of victory yet. They inevitably had to discuss the war in their spare time.

To be honest, Chen Feng didn't want to send two armies to the expedition not long after the country was established, but he couldn't help it. Although the new dynasty had been established, the strength of the aristocratic families in various places should not be underestimated.

They were able to support Chen Feng's ascension to the throne not because Chen Feng could bring a stable life to the common people all over the world, but most importantly, it was not because Chen Feng could guarantee their interests.

How much benefit the Silk Road can bring to Zhao's caravans, I'm afraid I don't need to think about it carefully. It can be said that the first batch of aristocratic families who followed Chen Feng have already made a lot of money on the Silk Road.

Even those later aristocratic families, even though they only got some benefits on the Silk Road, were much higher than the benefits they earned on the land.

There is no way, the aristocratic families who have tasted the sweetness no longer want to spend money on the land, and in addition to the fact that the imperial court strictly controls the price of food, it is impossible for them to earn much.

Moreover, although there have been many natural disasters in the past two years, with the development of military and civilian settlements in various places, the grain production will increase every season, and the common people no longer worry about food. Don't let go of food.

They can use their family's strength to form a caravan, buy tea from Jiangdong, porcelain from Jiangnan, silk from Yizhou, etc., and then go to the Western Regions together.

After one trip, they can bring back exotic flowers and fruits from the Western Regions, as well as commodities such as agate and gemstones. This time, they can earn at least five or six times or even ten times the profit.

"The aristocratic families are all staring at the army going to the west now, but the army going to the south of Yizhou is not paying attention. Hehe, Your Majesty, if you let them know your real purpose, I am afraid that many people will scold you behind your back. You."

"Well, I can only keep it a secret for the time being. A Silk Road is enough. The time has not come. The situation at sea is not suitable for disclosure..."

Chapter 864 Iron Blood Loyal Heart 1

In the Western Regions, in the ancient city of Shule, a group of men in ragged clothes were cooking food together. Several cauldrons were steaming, and the tumbling boiling water brought the ingredients at the bottom of the pot to the surface from time to time.

On the clear water, there is not a single speck of oil. The ingredients in the iron pot are actually strip-shaped things, and there are also fungi, grass roots and bark. It seems that this group of people has been forced to There is no way out.

"There is no food in the city. We have stood firm for two years and solved countless difficulties. Whether it is the enemy's siege or the shortage of water sources, we have overcome them all. But now, the food shortage is something we cannot overcome.

The enemy has been waiting for us to leave the city and surrender. They blocked a radius of [-] miles and prevented us from getting any supplements. If General Lu and the others insisted on building Shule City into a fortress and hoarded enough supplies here, I am afraid we Already starved to death. "

The one who spoke was a young man with a messy beard and a haggard complexion. The reason why he was called young was because his voice revealed vigor and vitality, and his eyes also shone with hope.

It's really hard to tell their ages just by looking at their faces and figures. These people's faces are covered with dirt, and it seems that they haven't bathed for several years. Fortunately, they are used to smelling each other's body. Otherwise, the smell alone would be enough for them.

"Cao Zidan, can you tell me something practical? After eating this belt and leather, we have to do something. We can still resist hunger, but there are more than 100 injured and sick brothers. They don't eat for a day. I can't take it anymore.

I, Wang Shuang, absolutely don’t want to see another brother fall. Let’s think of a way. The winter has just passed, and spring is here. It’s really impossible. Let’s go out of the city to dig holes for mice, go hunting in the mountains, or grab the enemy’s sheep group. "

This time it was a burly man who spoke. Although everyone had been hungry for a long time, this guy was still so strong and fierce. He was Wang Shuang, the assassin who attacked Chen Feng back then.

The one who spoke just now was Cao Zhen, an outstanding son of the Cao family. After being captured by Chen Feng in Jincheng, he was dispatched to the frontier for defense. By chance, they also participated in the battle against the enemy in the Western Regions two years ago In the end, they were forced to stay in the Western Regions.

"Now is not the time to quarrel. Wang Shuang is right. The cold winter has just passed and spring is here. The herdsmen within a hundred miles will definitely seize the time to graze. This is our opportunity.

But now, the total number of us who can move is less than two hundred, and the number of people who can really fight on foot is less than one hundred. In addition, we have to leave some people to guard the city. To put it simply, even if we dispatch, we can Just send 50 people.

I thought about it, one of me, Wang Shuang, and Cao Zhen must stay, one is to prevent accidents from happening, and the other is to take care of the brothers who are out of the city. "

The person who spoke this time was also a tall man with a face that was already covered in dirt, but because of the addition of a long beard, it looked even more ugly.

The point is, this guy doesn't know how to take care of his beard. Some parts are cut randomly, and the rest are tied into small braids, which makes his whole face look so awkward.

"Guan Ping is right, you must leave a part of the city to defend, but that's for you and Cao Zhen. I, Wang Shuang, don't have the ability. I'm best at killing people out of the city.

You two have good brains, just drink more bowls of soup and think of a way, how to get more food for the brothers, of course, you can also surrender to the enemy, but that is your choice, don't add me. "

Although everyone is a group, Wang Shuang always wants to distance himself from Cao Zhen and the others intentionally or unintentionally. It seems that these people cannot really call him brothers and sisters.

Cao Zhen and Guan Ping smiled wryly after hearing this. They knew that Wang Shuang was speaking in anger. None of these people present was a good man with strong bones. If they really wanted to surrender, why did they go two years ago.

"Guan Ping, you stay here, your injury is just right, you are not suitable to go out of the city, besides, you are good at riding and fighting, we don't have a single horse now, let me and Wang Shuang attack.

In addition, I also want to get in touch with the Iron Cavalry King as soon as possible. Before winter came, he once helped us, which showed that he can become our friend.

The Cavalry King's ranch is not too far from here, if we can find him, maybe we can last for a few more months.Let's discuss and discuss the next thing, how about it? "

Guan Ping nodded. Cao Zhen is more capable than him and has a better outlook on the overall situation. It is most appropriate to let him go out of the city to find out the situation. Wang Shuang is a guy who can do nothing but chop people with a knife. It would be a waste to keep him Besides, this guy Wang Shuang always has a way to get something to eat, so it's quite appropriate to let him go out.

In the evening, a group of people were walking through the mountains and forests. Cao Zhen led ten brothers to explore the road ahead, while the people behind kept a little distance, ready to retreat at any time.

"Hey, there's another one, you can make soup for dinner at night."

In the team, Wang Shuang laughed and pulled out a fat gopher from a certain hole. Before the gopher could react, Wang Shuang broke its neck and threw the gopher to the side. brother.

"Brother Wang, we've already caught thirty gophers, and we can eat meat tonight."

"It's not enough. There are 50 brothers, and each person can get half of it. No matter how you eat meat, keep your eyes and ears sharp and see if there is anything to eat nearby."

Wang Shuang's eyes are always scanning the surroundings from time to time, as if trying to find some edible prey from the surrounding area. I have to say that this guy looks rough, but he is really good at finding food in the wild.

Digging gophers, digging grass roots, catching birds, breaking tree buds, etc., when this guy is hungry, he can always find a way to find something to eat. Thanks to Wang Shuang's powerful ability, others can In case of shortage, you can also stutter.

"It's almost there, stop and rest, come here, quickly set up a temporary camp, and surround me with the stove, so that the holy fire can't be exposed at night."

Cao Zhen gave the order to rest. During the day, they dare not light a fire, because the smoke from the cooking will attract the nearby herdsmen and reveal their tracks.

Although the same is true of the firelight at night, as long as the cover is good, it is still impossible to see clearly from a hundred steps away.This group of people marched for most of the day, and each of them was already hungry, waiting for something warm to eat at night.

After Wang Shuang threw down the captured gophers and other ingredients, he immediately led several right-hand assistants to search for water sources, while Cao Zhen directed the people to set up camp and arrange light and dark sentries.

On such a night, they must ensure their own safety, and at the same time, they must rest and replenish their strength. No one knows how much they will walk tomorrow, so it is even more important to hurry up and rest now.

Chapter 865 Iron Blood Loyal Heart 2

Half an hour later, when the sky had darkened and everyone started to build fires and boil water, Wang Shuang's group returned. With Wang Shuang, a foodie leader, they gained a lot.

Two thin wolves, a bison, and a deer, it is really rare for them to catch these prey in such a short period of time without setting traps or digging traps.

Without Wang Shuang, these men would definitely not be able to hunt these prey. Just half an hour ago, when they came out to look for food, they encountered two hungry wolves entangled with a deer.

When the outcome was uncertain, Wang Shuang suddenly appeared, punched and kicked, two wolves were crushed to death, and the deer's skull was kicked to pieces. The whole process took only a few breaths.

Then, when they returned with their prey, they ran into a bison. When both sides were in a daze, Wang Shuang charged forward with a few strides, hugged the bull's head and twisted it. twisted off.

Wang Shuang walked in front carrying a deer. In the middle was a man carrying two wolves, and then four men were carrying a cow. The men behind were carrying firewood and collected grass roots and fungus food.