Heaven's Formula

puff.

The three combos accurately pierced the target's chest and abdomen.

The second half of the sentence was stuck in his throat, Gen Jushi covered his wound, stared at Xu Wa with an extremely complicated expression, and fell down slowly.

There was both unwillingness and fear of dying in those eyes, but more of a kind of confusion.

He probably never really thought that one day he would be killed by ordinary soldiers.

This era no longer belongs to them.

Without the support of the alchemists, the enemies in the house suddenly became a handful of loose sand, and were quickly wiped out by the Jinxia army.After handing over the prisoner to the care of the brothers who followed behind, Xu Wa threw himself into the storming of another house.

The defense force in the south is more stringent than that in the north. Even in the event of a sudden shower, they did not withdraw the soldiers from the sentry towers, but put on hats and coir raincoats and continued to watch, but their collapse speed was much faster than that in the north.

It's just because the main offensive force here is Princess Jinxiacheng.

It took only half a moment from discovery to encountering the enemy, and the mechanism beast almost smashed through the defense line at the south gate.

The soldiers facing the street also thought about entering the house to resist, but Xuanwu went straight to demolishing the house.A house built of wood can't stand the rampage of the mechanism beast at all. The manipulator only needs to hit the wall and beams back and forth twice, and the whole house will completely disintegrate, and the fate of the people hiding in it can be imagined.

It's not easy at Daying either.

Although they have a large number of people, they have no way to support the front line—they found out in despair that Thunder Messenger of Nine Heavens had blocked everyone in the camp by himself.

It doesn't matter if there is a bundle of immortals, Xia Fan and Chi didn't plan to land at all.

The two of them remained in the air about a hundred feet away, and from time to time a bolt of lightning fell to the ground.This thunder light has little effect on alchemists above the Hundred Blades level, but it is an untouchable barrier to ordinary soldiers.The generals couldn't afford to organize large-scale support at all. Once the team assembled, they would immediately be targeted by the Thunder of the Shock Technique.

Let the men disperse and go to the battle point by themselves?What's the difference between that and watching them desert?When the situation between the enemy and the enemy is unknown, and it is rainy night, no general dares to sprinkle his troops like wheat, because once he does so, it means that the troops will no longer belong to them.

Chi also saw such a battle situation for the first time.

She looked calm on the surface, but she was shocked in her heart. If Xia Fan wasn't still on her head, she would have wanted to howl a long time ago.

Even in the ancient books of Penglai Island, there is no such exaggerated description——

One person and one dragon can suppress 3 or [-] opponents. This is the power of human beings fighting side by side with real dragons!

The satisfaction and pride of recasting the glory of Penglai, along with the resistance to Xia Fan's request to sit on his head, also dissipated a lot.

She knew this battle would go down in the history books.

When the sky dawned, the annihilation battle against the enemy in Wangjiang Town finally came to an end. This battle was also the battle with the least direct casualties on the side of the Privy Council. Only more than 1000 people died in the battle, and the remaining [-] people all became the Jinxia Army. captive.

Chapter 488 How to Treat Captives

In the afternoon of the same day, the Right Route Army also received good news.

Xu Sanzhong's troops cut off a Yazhou army that wanted to join the main Chinese army at a place more than 120 miles northwest of Anshen.

Xu Guerzilla ordered a thousand-man army to drive straight into the side of the army in a fast boat, forming a pincer attack with the frontal attacking troops.Seeing that the flanks were surrounded and there was no camp fortifications to rely on, the Yazhou Army hardly lasted long before turning into a rout.Commander Xu immediately led his army to conceal and kill them, and pursued them for fifty miles, annihilating more than [-] enemies and taking [-] prisoners, before closing the team and returning to Anshen City.

Because it was a mobile operation, although it failed to achieve the effect of fixed-point annihilation like Ning Wanjun, the Yazhou Army lost more than half of it, and was killed all the way like ducks. It can basically be regarded as the elimination of the establishment, and it is unlikely to threaten any more We have arrived in the town of Shenzhou.

……

On the way back to Jinxia, ​​Qian saw a large number of flat ice boats transporting people, and they were connected first, with almost no end in sight.

And the people on the boat sat on the straw mat with numb faces, shivering from the cold, obviously not like ordinary passengers.

Let's say they are criminals... There are hundreds of people on each ship, and it is estimated that there are as many as tens of thousands. Unless it is a severe torture method, how can there be so many prisoners in Shenzhou?

He couldn't bear to look for thousands of words, and asked these people what they had committed, but the answers he got left him dumbfounded.

"Ask them... they are all captives sent back from the front line." Qian Yan spread his hands.

"Captive? From the Privy Council army?"

"Otherwise? No one else invaded Shenzhou, right?" Qian Yan shrugged - others might care about Yu Yi's identity, but she didn't care at all.Over the past century, she has seen many people at this level, some of whom are her friends and some are her enemies.

But now, only she is alive.

"The moment you failed to dissuade the Privy Council, Jinxia City launched a counterattack against the enemy. With the temperament of the third princess, it is not easy to endure until the other party crosses the border." She looked at the flat boat on the river. Said, "By the way, these ships were originally used to transport seafood and food, and transporting people is not the main business of the Fang family. But I heard that the Privy Council on the front line was defeated too quickly, and there were so many prisoners that they could not be resettled normally, so We can only urgently call the ice ship to transport them back to Jinxia."

The battle has begun.

Lost too quickly.

All captives.

The three pieces of information swirled in Gan's mind in turn, making him wonder whether to be happy or sad for a while.

Or both.

Sadly, his last attempt was unsuccessful, and many lives must have been lost in a war that did not need to be fought.The happy part is that there are so many captives, which means that the number of war dead will be reduced accordingly, and the overall loss will not be so heavy.

It's just that he has fought for the Privy Council for half his life, but now he wants to be happy because the Privy Council's army was defeated so quickly. This extremely contradictory feeling made it difficult for Qian Ye to adapt for a while.It was under the impact of this complex emotion in turn that he couldn't help but have a new kind of confusion.

Is everything you see real?

When did the Privy Council become so vulnerable?

And it was the same before... The little girl in front of her, who seemed to be underage, was holding a square magical weapon, and shot down the alchemists who were chasing her one by one.One of them was a gen artist, and his body was wrapped in rock and soil before his death, but his end was no different from the others.Ask yourself, even if you are the pursuer, it is impossible to avoid this kind of attack that cannot be detected by the naked eye.Even if it wasn't fatal in one hit, it was impossible to counter it.

As for what the magic weapon was, he never asked along the way.

Because it is not just a question of a magic weapon.

——Behind it involves a more profound technique principle.

If he can't think of any kind of alchemy that can achieve such an effect, it proves that the lack of relevant knowledge in the Privy Council is not just a star and a half, it may be a whole large branch.

This conclusion makes dry bitter.

After all, just half a year ago, the core members of the Privy Council believed that the Gyeonggi General Mansion was the most powerful and advanced force in Qiguo.Compared with the government, they are more flexible in recruiting talents. Compared with the aristocratic family, their ideas are more touching, and the results of the struggle with the two have also proved this point.Since the first battle at Wanjinglou, the imperial court has no power to resist, and the angry members of the aristocratic family have defected one after another, becoming the backbone of the Privy Council.

At that time, everyone was full of ambition, thinking that they could establish a new dynasty that surpassed Yongchao, but they didn't expect that half a year later, they would become the one behind.

Everything that the Privy Council has done to the imperial court and the aristocratic family now seems to be re-enacted on the Privy Council itself.

It is impossible to say that there is no slight loss in such a huge gap.

After being silent for a long time, Gancai asked again, "How will Jinxia City treat these prisoners?"

"According to the previous practice of the Bureau, it is estimated that it depends on how they choose."

"What are the options in general?"

"If there are no special crimes, you can settle down, work, join the army, or go home. These are the basic types."

This answer stunned Gan again.

Wait...he didn't ask the wrong question, did he?What happens when you choose to go home?Could it be that as long as these people said they wanted to leave, Jin Xia would let them go?

With an unbelievable thought, Qian asked this sentence cautiously - no matter what, this way of handling it was too abstract, he really couldn't imagine it.

As a result, the other party's answer was not ambiguous at all, "Yes, it's literally. The Bureau will also issue severance pay, usually two or three taels of silver."

"..." Don't know what to say. Among the four choices, only joining the army is within his understanding.After all, in addition to conscription, another major expansion method for the army is to reorganize prisoners, which is often the best place for the defeated.Others such as hard labor, land reclamation, slavery, and even execution are common disposal methods.He knew that Jinxia City was different, and that Ning Wanjun's temperament was far from violent, but he still didn't expect to hear such an answer.

"Then why does Her Royal Highness spend energy transporting them back to Jinxia City?" Qian felt that his mind was a little bit overwhelmed, "Is this expenditure not necessary?"

Since there is the option of returning home, it must be the first choice of most soldiers. It costs money and manpower to bring the captives back to Jinxia, ​​but it is just a place to let them leave, and they have to pay for food and money for several days. It is really incomprehensible.If what Qian Yan said is true, then it is the most convenient way to disperse in situ.

"You don't think that going home is the best choice, do you?" Qianyan glanced at Yu Yi, showing an expression that I knew you would think so, "Actually, among the captives I met in the past, there were not many Will pick the last one."

"How is that possible?" Gan asked in surprise.

"When you arrive at Jinxia, ​​you will naturally understand." Her words were full of sighs, "I have met as many people as stars in my life, but when it comes to the ability to read people's hearts, Xia Fan is the most terrifying one among them."

Chapter 489

The outskirts of the west gate of Jinxia City is another scene.

The temporary camps previously established for refugees can naturally also be used to house captives.

But rather than washing their bodies, what they need more is a full meal to dispel the cold accumulated along the way.

The Bureau of Affairs is not stingy in this regard - the porridge uses the seasonal grain stored in the grain depot, and you can stick chopsticks in it after cooking.The porridge is mixed with salt and minced fish, which is delicious and filling, richer than the meals in the Privy Council army.

The captives had never encountered such treatment, one by one holding the bowl and gobbling it up.

Even if this is the last meal of your life, you have to be full before you go on the road.

"Master Hong, the stage in the camp has been set up and we can start anytime." Ding Pan reported to his superior.Ever since Hong Siqi abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side, formally relinquished his prefect title, and joined the Bureau of Civil Affairs as the head of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, he, who was originally a domestic servant, also got a job as a secretary.

Although the rank of this position is not high, it is also a name in the bureau. In layman's terms, it is an "officer ordered by the imperial court". Ding Pan is already overjoyed to be able to do this as his servant.For him now, the most important thing is that Jin Xia defeats the imperial court and completely replaces it, and at worst maintains his independence - only in this way can he secure his status as an official and become a master in one fell swoop.

Of course, Ding Pan also knows that the bureau's propaganda has always emphasized that officials should serve the people, so he can at most think about this kind of thinking in his heart, but this does not prevent him from working hard to move towards this goal.For example, when it comes to dealing with captives, Ding Pan is very concerned - let these people go, and they may return to the enemy army, so if you want to weaken the power of the Privy Council, it is best to keep them all .

And this is also the thought in Hong Siqi's heart.

In other words, those who have served in the Qiguo court and the Privy Council will have the same expectation-only when the original regime falls, their position can be stabilized.

Hong Siqi vaguely realized that Xia Fan had seen this point and entrusted him with the task of guiding the prisoners.

"Let's go."

The so-called stage was a three-foot-square stage. When Hong Siqi climbed on it, the prisoners below were being escorted into the arena one after another.It can be seen that after a full meal, everyone's complexion is much better than when they disembarked, and there is a gleam in their eyes.However, when they were brought here by the guards of Jinxia City, they showed obvious uneasiness and even some resistance.

Hong Siqi thought about it for a while, and suddenly realized that the stage was set up in a hurry, and the layout was rather crude. At first glance, it looked like a guillotine.

"Look at what platform you built!" Naturally, he would not admit that it was his own negligence, and Ding Pan reprimanded him, "Don't you think it looks shabby? Hurry up and buy some colored silk and decorate the surroundings. Put a few more flower pots, don't save money here!"

Seeing the latter nodding quickly to do it, Hong Siqi cleared his throat and said loudly to the captives, "Everyone, listen to me—"

Under the effect of the loudspeaker, his voice instantly spread throughout the camp in the western suburbs, and the more than 5000 people below were instantly quieted down.

"This is not an execution ground. You don't need to worry about the food for cutting off your head. On the contrary, during the time in Jinxia City, you can enjoy the same food every day until you get rid of the status of captives."

As soon as they heard that there was enough food to eat every day, everyone's uneasiness was immediately curbed. No matter what the future situation was, at least they could relax in the short term.

After the fear temporarily dissipated, it was replaced by doubt and speculation.

"His Royal Highness is really so merciful?"

"The porridge has meat in it..."

"What does it mean to be released from captivity?"

"I guess they sent us into the army."

Hong Siqi pretended not to hear the discussion, and continued to speak loudly, "Since we are full, it's time to talk about the business. But listening to me talking here alone must be boring, and it may not be very good. I really understand Jinxia’s policies, so I’d better let everyone listen to Dr. Cha’s stories first.”

After speaking, he actually walked down the stage.

Next on the stage was a tea doctor and two piano girls.

This was the first time that the prisoners had encountered such a situation, and they stayed in place one by one.And the other party didn't care about the audience's reaction. After playing a ditty, Dr. Cha told the story on the spot.

There are only a handful of entertainment projects in this era, especially for low-level soldiers. What's more, what the other party is talking about is not about the lingering relationship between the son and the eldest lady, but a new generation of vernacular novels written by the Propaganda Department at Xia Fan's request. , the easy-to-understand beginning quickly made everyone immersed in it.

The story tells the past of three representative characters respectively.

One is a soldier who was forcibly conscripted into the army.

"He" originally had a happy family, but because of the outbreak of war, he was forcibly drawn into the army by the yamen. He ate pie and porridge and received the lowest salary.Even so, he was exploited by his superiors from time to time, and he always rushed ahead of the generals in battle.His comrades from all walks of life died in battle one after another. Although he was lucky enough to survive to the end, when he was sent back to his hometown, he found that his family was in decline, his wife was prematurely aging, and his family property was sold off, leaving him only a piece of deserted land.

One is a brothel girl who has the courage to travel from Gyeonggi to Jinxia alone in the face of change.

This part is basically adapted based on Yu Shuangxue's experience, but in the story, her experience is more tortuous, and finally under the care of the policy, she has a successful career, got married smoothly, and lived a happy life in the new city.

The third is the deeds of Baisha County official Huo Ying.

From an ordinary scholar to a preparatory official of Jinxia City, to a heroic sacrifice in order to protect the mine - this matter is remembered by all Shenzhou residents. While his widow and descendants received generous pensions, they were also respected by the neighbors and the Bureau of Affairs His care is in stark contrast to the uncaring soldiers in the first story.

There are many stories like this in the Propaganda Department.However, after repeated reference and comparison, Hong Siqi finally chose these three stories as the focus of his presentation.

He was born as a prefect, and he also worked as a conscript, so he knows the living conditions of the soldiers at the bottom. In his opinion, the first story is considered euphemistic. In fact, when the main labor force of a family is conscripted, what happens next? It is far more terrifying than the separation of wives and children. How long you can last depends on how much savings you have on weekdays.This is also the most worrying thing for soldiers, that is, after finally escaping the life-and-death struggle on the battlefield and returning home alive, they find that their former home has long been changed. everywhere.

As Hong Siqi expected, the first story greatly resonated with the prisoners.Dr. Cha mentioned that when the protagonist returned to his hometown and found that his family had undergone drastic changes, there was even a low cry of crying. With the melancholy tune of Shangqinnv, the atmosphere was a little frozen for a while, so he had to interrupt the narration on stage. , so as not to lead to riots.

4 Chapter Ninety

The following two stories were undoubtedly much lighter, and gradually calmed down the low and sad mood of the prisoners.

When it came to the matter of the brothel girl defecting to Jinxia, ​​many people showed a look of sudden realization - apparently the things Xia Fan did in Shangyuan City have spread to other places.

It's just that few people can think that there is such a reason behind this matter.

When talking about Jin Xiacheng's story, Hong Siqi raised his eyebrows.

He saw a strong emotion in the captive's eyes.

That is unwillingness.

It is also a sacrifice, one party can not only get a generous pension, but the wife and daughter in the family will even be protected by the law.And if they died on the battlefield, would that little compensation be enough for the orphans to live on and continue their incense?The answer is obvious.