My years as a soldier

After hearing He Yingtian's narration, the two of them were unable to take up the conversation for a while.Hu Jiuzhang frowned slightly, he couldn't bear to look at He Yingtian, so he looked up at the moon in the sky.He looked up as if seeing something, and seemed to be lost in thought.

Originally, the battle had nothing to do with him at all, but after hearing such a tragic and shameful narrative, Hu Jiuzhang also began to feel at a loss.At this time, for the first time, he felt at a loss about his identity as Tang Bing.

This was no longer the Tang Jun in his impression who was able to win more with less and one with ten.He thought, if it was in the Western Regions, would Tang soldiers be able to fight in the face of repeated tactical defeats and the sea of ​​corpses and blood on the battlefield after the failures?

Hu Jiuzhang thought for a long time, and he always felt that the answer should be yes.

Must be able to fight.

Whether it was his uninjured self or his brothers who had fought with him for five years in Beiting, they could fight.No matter how far the front line is drawn and how unfavorable the situation is.It's just because they know that standing behind them is the Great Tang who stands on the earth, overlooks all nations, and rules the world.Even if they are all dead in battle at this moment, Datang will remember their exploits, as long as Datang does not fall, their hearts will be at ease.

And now?Now, this is a battle between Tang people and Tang people.Not to mention what rewards the imperial court will give them after winning the battle, just think about the fact that once the battle is defeated and the soldiers die on the battlefield, not only will they not receive any compensation, but it is very likely that their relatives who stay behind will also lose relief. The military pay has never been taken care of.

The Tang Dynasty in the hearts of the soldiers fell, and their determination also fell.

Hu Jiuzhang couldn't help sighing.He felt sad, but he still had a trace of joy.

He was glad that he was able to meet Li Muyun in this troubled time when the country was ruined and his family was ruined, as if as long as Li Muyun was around, this cruel defeat and the painful present had nothing to do with him.

Even though there was one more person, this long cold night would still have to survive.The three of them huddled together in the small cave, the warmth was a lot warmer, but the posture was not very comfortable.But anyway, with the warmth, the three extremely tired people were finally able to fall asleep.They slept for less than two hours, and the three of them woke up at dawn in the morning.

"Hey... do you have rations with you?" He Yingtian asked while yawning.

The rising sun radiated warm light, illuminating the river bank clearly, and only then did the two of them see He Yingtian's appearance clearly.

From the looks of it, He Yingtian is in his late thirties, with a square face, small eyes, but a high bridge of nose.All in all, this person lived an ordinary life, the kind who would disappear in an instant when standing in a crowd.It's just that such an ordinary-looking person, coupled with the military uniform that was almost stained with black blood, was really shocking.I don't know how much blood was shed on the battlefield yesterday, half of He Yingtian's body seemed to have been soaked in a pool of blood.Now the blood has dried up, coagulated on his clothes, and directly dyed his clothes bloody.

Seeing him like this, the two unconsciously showed a little bit of surprise, but no one said anything more.

"No more, we ran out of rations yesterday."

Zhao Xiaoyang spread his hands.

"That's difficult. Let's walk back to Tongguan from here, at least two days. It would be great if we could catch some pheasants and hares on the way, otherwise we will have to suffer."

"Hey, when it comes to hunting, our brother Xiaoyang is an expert. Before he joined the army, he was a hunter in Tongguan, so he is familiar with this area." Hu Jiuzhang looked at Zhao Xiaoyang with a smile.

"If there is prey to hunt, that's easy to say. I'm afraid that we won't find prey on the way back to Tongguan. Unless we take a detour and walk into the deep mountains and old forests."

"That's fine." Unexpectedly, He Yingtian, who was so focused on joining the army, would be very forthright about it.

"I can't go on the road hungry, let alone fight. Brother Zhao, if you can guarantee that you can catch the prey, let's take this trip. During this day, let's replenish our strength and go back for a few more hours, why? They can all be recovered. It’s just that Brother Hu’s legs and feet are not convenient, I don’t know..."

"Brother He, if you trust me, let's arrange it like this." Zhao Xiaoyang said, glanced at Hu Jiuzhang, and then turned his gaze back to He Yingtian's face.

"From here to the west, ten miles away, there is a path into the mountain. Let's go there first to find a safe place to settle down, and then I will go hunting alone in the mountain. I promise to bring back enough for the three of us before nightfall. They eat meat, but along the way, you have to carry Brother Hu on your back, and you are also responsible for Brother Hu's safety when I am away."

"Of course I have no problem with that, but you have to make sure you can bring back the meat, otherwise our time will be really delayed."

"I promise."

Zhao Xiaoyang said firmly.

Regarding this decision, Hu Jiuzhang never interrupted.

To be honest, he wasn't used to being the one to be protected.But he also had to accept the arrangement of Zhao Xiaoyang and He Yingtian, because on the way home this time, he himself could not provide any help for the team, so he was not qualified to ask for anything.This is a very normal thing, and Hu Jiuzhang can completely accept it.

On the way to the mountain pass that Zhao Xiaoyang mentioned, He Yingtian, who is also strong, carried Hu Jiuzhang on his back all the way.

This was brought up by He Yingtian himself. He said that Zhao Xiaoyang was too thin, and if he walked alone, his speed would definitely be slowed down.Why not let him recite it, so that the three of them can spare some time.

From this point of view, He Yingtian is actually a very reliable comrade in arms.It's no wonder that he was chosen to go to the former army and be an elite soldier in the Tang army's charge.He is indeed a very rational and determined person, he is willing to contribute to the team, but he will never give in to what he deserves.

Under Zhao Xiaoyang's guidance, the ten-mile road to the east went very smoothly. Although the three of them heard the sound of horseshoes and even the shouts of a large number of people on the way, none of them wanted to get involved with it. Any trace of relationship.

At a time like this, and in a place like this, the only ones who could deploy troops so unscrupulously were the rebels.And the closer it is to Tongguan, the more rebels there will be.

The tension of being surrounded by enemies always lingers in the minds of the three of them.Even though the mountains and forests are full of vitality in spring, colorful flowers bloom in the fields between rivers and hills.But the scenery in spring still cannot break the depression that has always lingered in my heart.

"Brother He, it would be great if you could always bring Big Brother Hu back to Tongguan in such a safe and secure manner." Zhao Xiaoyang said casually.

"As long as we can avoid confrontation with the enemy along the way, there is nothing we can't do." He Yingtian said lightly.

"Who can guarantee this?" Zhao Xiaoyang couldn't help turning his head to look at He Yingtian. He noticed that Hu Jiuzhang had fallen asleep on He Yingtian's back, and the blood oozing from under his skirt was even wider than last night.

"It depends on fate, but when you get to the place later, you have to fight for it. The lives of the three of us are tied to this meal. It's nothing if I go hungry again, but I think Brother Hu may not be able to hold on anymore. It's strange to say, you said he was injured like this, why come to the front line? His life is not as bad as his."

"Why Brother Hu came, I don't know." Zhao Xiaoyang frowned and turned his head, focusing on exploring the road again, "But I know he has to go back to Tongguan. To tell you the truth...I actually wanted to run."

Zhao Xiaoyang looked at the gravel-strewn path in front of him, and his eyes seemed to drift into the distance.

"You want to be a deserter?"

He Yingtian couldn't help squinting his eyes.

"think."

"Then what do you do for a living after you run away? Judging from your accent, it sounds like a local, but as far as I know, the locals in this area have already fled to the west, right?"

"That's right." Zhao Xiaoyang didn't care about this, "Last winter, my father took my younger brother and fled to the west. Last month, I received news from my fellow villager that the two of them felled weeds in the Xingyuan area and became bandits. You Saying this is not annoying, I was fighting the rebels here desperately, but the two of them ran to the rear and bullied their own people."

Zhao Xiaoyang frowned tightly, as if he was competing with something, his eyes were fixed on the front.

"This is so embarrassing. I didn't dare to tell anyone before, even Big Brother Hu didn't know about it." He said in a deep voice.

"Then why do you dare to say it now?"

"Hey... I don't care now." Zhao Xiaoyang sighed, "I just find it boring..." His voice was very low, as if he was biting an accent, but he seemed to be crying.

"There's no point in fighting...the fights are all between Tang people fighting each other, and they can't make a name for themselves. But without fighting, life can't go on. I'm exhausted every day for a bite of food, and I don't know when I will die. Thinking about it, it doesn't make any sense."

"Then what do you want to do?" He Yingtian couldn't help asking.He frowned, obviously, he didn't agree with Zhao Xiaoyang's words, but he wasn't going to persuade Zhao Xiaoyang what to do.

"Eh... I don't know." After a long time, Zhao Xiaoyang spit out these words, "I don't know, I just want to be alone and be quiet."

He Yingtian couldn't help laughing at this answer.

"Where are you going quietly? In this world, is there any place where you can be alone?"

"Go up the mountain. Anyway, I'm a hunter, so I won't die of hunger even if I go into the mountain."

"Hehe... OK, go wherever you like. I don't ask for anything else, but today's meat, you have to get it back for me. Otherwise, I can't guarantee whether I can return to Tongguan smoothly."

"I will definitely bring you the prey." Zhao Xiaoyang turned his head, looked into He Yingtian's eyes, and said firmly.

"But as long as I come back with my prey, you must promise me to take Brother Hu back to Tongguan."

"……Row."

He Yingtian met Zhao Xiaoyang's gaze, he thought for a moment, then simply stopped, his expression became more serious.

"I promise that I will do my best. As for whether Brother Hu survives, it is beyond my ability."

"This is enough."

Zhao Xiaoyang answered in a deep voice, turned his head and continued to lead the way.His expression was much firmer than before.Probably for him, this is enough.

At noon, the three of them crossed the river valley on empty stomachs, and finally came to a path up the mountain.Zhao Xiaoyang fled into the mountains alone, and disappeared without a trace in a blink of an eye.And He Yingtian, with Hu Jiuzhang on his back, found a hidden corner at the foot of the mountain and sat down to rest.

When he was released from the person's back, Hu Jiuzhang was awakened by the pain of the wound.

There was a slight heat on his forehead, and his face was pale.Seeing his pitiful appearance, He Yingtian helped him untie the bandages on his body, and simply treated the bleeding wound.

"Hey...is it okay? Do you want me to light a fire for you to keep warm?"

Seeing Hu Jiuzhang's weak appearance, He Yingtian frowned.

"No need..." Hu Jiuzhang leaned on the small cushion piled up with grass leaves, and shook his head slightly.

"I'll be fine when I get back to Tongguan. I'm just a little hungry..." He sighed softly, but He Yingtian curled his lips and turned to pick up firewood.

Not long after, He Yingtian came back with a bundle of dead branches, took out the fire primer in his pouch at his waist, and lit a small bonfire between Hu Jiuzhang and himself.

"Go back to sleep, and I'll boil you some hot water."

He whispered, and took out the iron kettle on his waist, and put it on the top of the campfire to smoke.

The two sat by the bonfire and waited from noon to sunset. This day, they survived on an empty stomach. It was going to be night, but they still couldn't wait for Zhao Xiaoyang.

The moon climbed up the hill again, and He Yingtian sat by the campfire, getting more and more impatient.

"Could that kid have lied to us? He won't run away by himself, right?"

"Won't……"

Hu Jiuzhang's voice was phony.Not only was he dizzy from hunger, but the pain in his body was also devouring his little strength all the time.Fortunately, He Yingtian came over to help him check the wound within an hour.In some places, the bleeding could not be stopped, so he took the charcoal with sparks and burned it hard on the wound.Anyway, as long as the bleeding can be stopped, at least in a short period of time, there is no danger of life.

"Hey...don't hold on, just sleep for a while if you can't hold on. I'll feed you water when you're thirsty. Since that kid can't run, he should be back by now."

He Yingtian frowned, sitting opposite Hu Jiuzhang, holding a branch that was about a foot long, and poking the fire in front of him.

The night was getting darker, and I don't know how long they waited, but the two of them finally saw the staggering figure of Zhao Xiaoyang in the dark night.

A long distance away, the two heard Zhao Xiaoyang's footsteps.And it wasn't until he walked in front that the two of them saw clearly what Zhao Xiaoyang was carrying.

Zhao Xiaoyang, who is short and very thin, actually carried a strong adult goat on his back.

He Yingtian couldn't help applauding.

"Okay! How lucky you are! As expected of your name being Xiao Yang, you can even bring back a goat from this hunt—I'm convinced!"

He Yingtian graciously helped Zhao Xiaoyang put down the dead wild goat. He took out a short knife from his waist, dismembered the goat in a few strokes, picked out the good meat and put it on the fire to roast.

"Hehe, Brother Little Goat, this time we can have a good meal! If you want to go into the mountains, don't worry, this whole goat is enough for the three of us to feed our sons for a long time. With food, we Don't be afraid. Don't worry, I will definitely be able to bring Brother Hu back to Tongguan!"