Luoshui Dongliu

At this time a few days later, everything inside and outside the city was quiet.The soldiers besieging the city stopped shouting and killing, and this bustling old capital and iron-blooded fortified city suddenly fell silent after several months of war.

Few in the army raise their tents in the evening, but at this moment, the generals of the Luocheng battalion are all gathered in the tents.Waiting for the generals to report the aftermath in a low voice, Zhao Shen nodded slightly and said, "Very good."

The defenders in this city are all members of the army who have belonged to military households and have not entered the yellow nationality.The so-called government households cannot be separated from each other forever without a royal charter.The defenders of Luocheng were under the command of the Zhao family. Over the past few generations, the whole family has been resettled in the city, which is different from ordinary households who were forced to conscript or convicted.After all, people in the world feel that military households are humbler than ordinary civilian households. Moreover, if they are captured by the Xiyan Army, the prisoners of war are punished for crimes and leave their homes. They are like slaves, and the situation will be even more miserable.Sending them away at this time is also regarded as giving back a free body.

Everyone was silent for a while, only listening to Zhao Shen said: "Everyone has a place to go..."

Li Meng stood up suddenly and said: "It is impossible for me to wait for me to abandon my armor and disguise, and flee for my life." He didn't talk much in the past, and his expression was seldom as intense as this moment.

Zhao Shen only said: "In the past, the prince of Taiyuan County surrendered after he failed to defend Yingchuan. He was not troubled, but his followers were imprisoned in the dungeons of various states. They all died within a few years. This is a lesson from the past."

Cheng Chude said: "I have never heard of this matter, and the general will never mention it again."

All the people said one after another, "the general doesn't need to mention it anymore." They also said, "before the army is dismissed, the general will go and see him."

Zhao Shen tilted his head slightly, his mouth and lips were full of blood that was bitten unconsciously, the salty blood tasted bitter when swallowed into his throat.He said in his mouth: "Since it has been settled properly, we don't need to see each other." But he said in his heart: "I used to boast that I would take care of their future, but now, how can I face each other?" Suddenly, he smiled and said, "After today, I will Nor is it the chief general of the army...Everyone, please go."

The heavy air pressure in the tent was overwhelming, and everyone retreated silently for a while.Zhao Shen sat silently for a long time, he didn't know what was going on in his head at this moment, he just felt empty, his chest, liver, lungs and heart were all hollowed out, only a body remained; but this body could still feel sorrow, anger and sorrow , every trace of tenderness is so clear.

After a long time, he stood up, looked around the tent, and only said "... let's go".Holding the helmet in his hand, he calmly stepped out of the tent, but stopped in one step.

Standing solemnly in front of the tent is a full battalion of soldiers, presumably everyone in the battalion who can walk has come here, there are still some who have injured legs and are leaning on long spears, or the two of them are supporting each other, their heads are stacked on top of each other, and it is impossible to see them. There are more than a thousand people.The remaining generals in the army stood in front of the team with solemn expressions.Only someone said loudly: "This is just a fellowship, please take care of the general when we say goodbye!" The people around also said: "Take care of the general!"

The sound spread like a tide in the formation, at one moment only a thousand voices were heard saying: "Take care!" But there was a deep echo reverberating in the empty camp, which lasted for a long time.

The world knows that the Zhao family has existed for a hundred years, and the Zhao family has guarded Luocheng for decades.When Zhao Yan built the high wall to defend the city, he may have hoped that his descendants would be able to strengthen the city forever.However, just like the city of Los Angeles, which has witnessed so many changes with cold eyes, no matter how determined the former tycoon who established the capital and became king here was once determined to live forever, the prosperity and decline of the world will never be irreversible.Luoshui always flows eastward, this is just the law of heaven.Competing for the throne in troubled times, the gains and losses of a city and a place may seem coincidental, but in fact, it is a grass snake gray line, and the game of winning the world is never completely based on the swords and guns of the warriors in front of the battle.

But at this moment, these are no longer important to Zhao Shen, to other generals, and to the hundreds of strong men standing here at this moment.Since no one can predict the future of heaven and earth, what one can do in the world is to step through the present step by step.The gains and losses in the eyes of others fall in my own heart, but it is nothing but shame and innocence.

This is exactly when the setting sun is setting in the west, and the sky and the earth are sprinkled with gold and red; everyone is facing the sunset for a long time, and they only feel that the sky is dyed with bright red blood.If you don't go to the battlefield in person, you don't know how dazzling and tragic the blood red is; but if you haven't been so dazzling and tragic, you don't know what is the glory of a soldier.

The next day, just after Mao's time, the gates on all sides of Luocheng were opened.The Xiyan army soldiers who had been waiting around the city entered the city gate to change defenses. During the whole process, the soldiers from both sides were silent.This siege of the city seems to have finally settled down at this moment.

Pei Yu was standing on a mound of earth, and a watchman came to report: "The surrendered general has left the city and is coming here."

Pei Yu nodded slightly, his face seemingly unmoved.In the hearts of the people around them, they were not as satisfied as they had imagined before, and instead they were inexplicably bored.Or the battle dragged on for too long, exhausting all the patience and energy, and now after the tragic victory, they don't feel gratified.This idea is also strange: it seems that after countless twists and turns for one thing, it is finally realized in the palm of your hand that this is nothing more than getting what you deserve. frustrated.Thinking of the guards in this city again, I can't help feeling more hostile and angry.

Pei Yu squinted his eyes, only watching the young general approaching step by step.After interacting with each other for a long time, he had never seen Zhao Shen's face so closely, until the man came to him, he just stood there silently.

Pei Yu looked at him as if he had seen a statue in the cave of Longhua Mountain——then shook his head slightly. It was not Longhua Mountain, but more like Yunzhong Mountain in Pingcheng.When he was young, he paid homage to the Yunzhong Grottoes, and saw the group of Buddhas in the cave, the clothes were spread out at the ankles, like bird wings, the outer outline was as tight as bow strings, and the folds of the clothes were as firm as sharp edges, which still resembled the remains of Han Li.And the appearance of that statue, although brave and vigorous, is rigid and dull.

Pei Yu blinked slightly, what he wanted with so much effort was not a rigid body, he also wanted this blade to reappear in the western border outside the pass.For a while, Li Ji came forward with an object in his hand.Pei Yu turned his head and took it, and presented it in front of Zhao Shen. It turned out to be a white feather.

King Wu released the white feather on the left and the yellow ax on the right. This light and fluffy white feather is the symbol of the army's dispatch.Pei Yu said: "I promised the general that I would treat each other as soldiers of the country; this item was presented to the general by the grand master of Xijing Zhong. The love in it is full of expectations, and the general should understand."

Zhao Shen narrowed his eyes slightly, and said calmly: "This thing is here, as a prisoner, I dare not bear it."

Pei Yu didn't seem to be surprised, seeing Li Ji unobtrusively picked up the white feather and retreated, and took Zhao Shen's arm in his hand.Zhao Shen didn't expect him to be like this, and was slightly surprised.However, Pei Yu's slender fingers clasped his wrist tightly, as if he was not worried that he would break away.While everyone was watching, Pei Yu suddenly held this arm in the air.This resolute gesture was suddenly like burning sparks splashing into the firewood, and a burst of flames ignited in everyone's hearts, and it suddenly dawned on them that they were the winners of this bitter struggle.The swords and soldiers have stopped, and they finally survived the calamity and can return safely.

All of a sudden there were cheers from the top and bottom of Tushan, Pei Yu saw Zhao Shen's calm face became more and more like a stone carving, the muscles in his cheeks were tense, and his expression was only calm, he couldn't help but smiled slightly: "General, please follow me."

Luo City has changed hands this time, and the defense of the city is the most urgent matter for the Xiyan Army at the moment.Early this morning, Li Ji waded through the stagnant water and approached the west gate.Some of the generals on duty recognized him, so they rushed a few steps over and said with a smile, "But what orders does the superintendent have for you?"

Li Ji saluted slightly, and said with a smile, "Sir, I ask all the generals to check carefully, and don't let the man in the portrait go."

The general said with a smile: "There are not many people leaving the city, but he can't miss it if he passes here." Then he asked, "Who is this person, the supervising army cares so much?"

Li Ji said vaguely: "It's not that a person has any ability that is difficult to subdue in person. The general will check it out and there will be no trouble."

He stood at the gate of the city and looked into the city. Except for the patrolling soldiers, there was no one there.He sighed in his heart: "This is Luocheng where the wooden clothes were embroidered and the soil was covered with red and purple in the past. It's just that the autumn wind is bleak and it changes every time."

While thinking silently, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.This is still the dawn, and the mist has completely dissipated.When Li Ji saw the man approaching in a haze, he felt that it was extremely unreal, and it was even more strange in the situation of martial law surrounded by guns and spears.

Those who are waiting to go can see it more clearly when they get closer. It is not unusual to see that person dressed in ordinary clothes and wearing a veiled hat.But the more so, the more Li Ji was puzzled why he had such an illusion in his trance.He stood aside calmly, watching the guards step forward to question him.

He heard the man's answer very calmly, without any flaws, looking at it from a distance, he felt puzzled.After a long time, he finally came to his senses—the strangeness of this person lies in his composure.Going out of the city at this time of the year must be for urgent matters that cannot be avoided, but this man did not panic.There is no such thing as a flaw, it is just a flaw.

He watched the figure of the man, and couldn't help moving his footsteps.

I only heard the interrogating soldiers say: "What are you doing with the veil?"

The man said: "You are ugly, you are ashamed to show it to others."

Li Ji was listening to the tone, hesitantly felt the similarity, but felt that it was still different.When Lu Youzhi left Xijing, they were all youngsters of the twenties; now that they haven't seen each other for four or five years, he is really not sure.

Maybe the human relationship really fades with each passing day. Among the young people in the past, he was the closest to Lu Youzhi; but after the farewell, this person disappeared like Xia Bing.At first, he often complained that Lu Youzhi didn't know how to contact him; as he got older, he seemed to understand the details of the past when he thought about it;When he heard that Lu Youzhi was defeated and killed in Los Angeles, he almost didn't even feel shocked.But in the past few months, every time Pei Yu pestered him about this matter, he couldn't help but think to himself: After such a long time, I don't know why my husband still has such a clear love and hatred for that person.

At this time, the soldier said: "Take off your hat and show your face." He urged, "Stop dawdling."

Seeing the man raise his hand, Li Ji suddenly felt that the time was being stretched.He stared at the tulle lifted, and suddenly felt uneasy, not knowing what he would see under the veil for a while.He had a hunch in his heart, but for some reason he secretly hoped that this person was not Lu Youzhi.

Hearing a few guards groaning "Hmm", Li Ji also saw that damaged face, even if there was any change in appearance, it could not be Lu Youzhi's appearance at all.Li Ji felt relieved, mixed with a little disappointment.Then he thought in his heart: Finding someone like a needle in a haystack is not an easy task, if it is such a coincidence to meet face to face, it would be a strange thing.

So he rolled up his sleeves for a while, and still stood there.

The gauze curtain of the man's hood had been put down again, when he was passing in front of him, suddenly a gust of wind passed by, revealing half of his face.Li Ji glanced at him casually, but he was looking at the person right in front of him, and the long eyebrow still remaining on half of his face raised almost imperceptibly.

Li Ji's heart moved, and he called out: "Yuanchang?"

The man's footsteps faltered slightly, as if he had just missed a step due to the uneven ground under his feet.However, this step stumbled in Li Ji's eyes, and there was a buzz in his head, and he blurted out: "Stay!"

The man hesitated for a moment, but finally stood in front of him.Li Ji stepped forward and raised his hand to lift the veil of the hat, only to see that pair of pupils drooping quietly.

With a flick of Li Ji's fingers, the hat gauze fell off—he had seen such an expression too many times in those years.And it was only in the day that he suddenly understood why such a seemingly submissive look with downcast eyes made Mr. Wang so annoyed and chilled.

Li Ji was almost sure that this person was Lu Youzhi, so he could escort him to Pei Yu as long as he called the soldiers.But when he turned to think of Pei Yu, he felt a chill run down his spine.With Pei Yu's temperament that could not tolerate sand in his eyes, Li Ji didn't dare to think deeply about how to resolve the grievances between master and apprentice.

Now that Luo City fell, Zhao Shen was taken prisoner, Lu Youzhi already had such a description, so what if he was pushed in front of Pei Yu?If the gap that has been created can no longer be healed, it will be like Lu Youzhi's appearance has been destroyed and cannot be restored.In the past, he only said that Pei and Lu came to this point because of disagreement in temperament, but now he understands that it is because they are both equally stubborn and decisive.

At this time, a soldier came over to salute and asked, "Sir, do you have anything else to ask?"

Li Ji came back to his senses for a while, and saw Lu Youzhi standing quietly in front of him and slightly raised his head, as if resigned to fate.He opened his mouth slowly, feeling that his soul was wandering, and he must be insane.He listened to himself and said: "It's nothing, let him go."

At nightfall, Li Ji served Pei Yu to take the elixir, and said with a smile, "Sir, it seems that he has improved a lot," and said, "This matter is finally settled, and we can rest."

Pei Yu said: "Where is the end?" Wei Wei frowned and said, "Although the city is won, the hearts of the people are not yet."

Li Ji said: "Sir, you mean Zhao Shen?"

Pei Yu only said, "General Yuchi met him in his tent today."

Seeing his hesitation, Li Ji asked, "Could it be that Zhao Shen is still talking nonsense in such a situation?"

Pei Yu sneered and said, "He just stood there without saying a word, without turning his eyes. It's ridiculous that everyone in the tent is talking to him for nothing."

Hearing this, Li Ji guessed that it must not be a good word, Dawei Chiyuan deliberately knocked down the general to establish his prestige, and he was afraid that there was something in it for Pei Yu to see.Feeling helpless for a moment, he could only smile and said: "No matter how much Zhao Shen has tortured me for a few months, I always have to vent my anger."

Pei Yu said to himself, "I'm worried..."

Li Ji said: "Zhao Shen can't escape now, sir, there is nothing to worry about."

Pei Yu shook his head slightly and said, "I was thinking of building a cavalry for Xiyan because of winning Zhao Shen, but..." He pursed his lips for a while and said, "It can only take time, or it will always make sense." After a pause , and said, "How did you go to the four city gates to check during the day?"

Li Ji knew that he always had this question.He let Lu Youzhi go during the day, and he had already made preparations in his heart, he said: "I haven't seen anything unusual yet." After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Zhao Shen dismissed many soldiers that day, I don't know if Lu Youzhi is not among them."

Pei Yu nodded and said, "Lu Youzhi came here alone. He has been in the army for many years. How can he be safe in the city? Sooner or later, as long as he is alive, he will leave the city."

Li Ji nodded silently and said, "Yes."

Pei Yu seemed to be thinking about it, and said slowly: "Now he may be of great use."

Li Ji was startled secretly, and asked, "Why do you say that, sir?"

Pei Yu only said: "Tell Zhao Shen..."

Li Ji saw that he seemed to be meditating and uttered this sentence, and he didn't know whether he wanted Lu Youzhi to persuade Zhao Shen, or threatened Zhao Shen with Lu Youzhi, so he felt chills.Instead, knowing the reason why Pei Yu valued Zhao Shen, he suddenly realized that he had missed his husband's business in order to make friends with Lu Youzhi when he was young, and his face couldn't help turning pale.

Pei Yu caught a glimpse and asked, "What's the matter?"

Li Ji's heart was pounding, his lips were almost trembling.After a long time, he didn't understand why he was so determined when he knew he was taking risks.He looked at Pei Yu's face, and forced himself to say: "I am..." Suddenly he knelt down and said, "When I catch Lu You, I beg you to forgive him, Mo, Mo..." He said later not go down.

Pei Yu suddenly smiled and said, "Are you a rabbit dead and a fox sad?"

Li Ji's whole body trembled, he paused and did not dare to speak again.

Pei Yu looked at him, and said in his heart: "I don't know how miserable he imagined Lu Youzhi's situation after he was captured, so he was so horrified..." He didn't comment for a while, and only sighed softly.

The author has something to say:

The so-called Yunzhong Grottoes are the Yungang Grottoes. The description of the statues was pieced together from Liang Sicheng's description of the Yungang Grottoes. Copyright is hereby stated

Baiyu, or Baiyan, is the tail of a yak