Daming prepares the emperor

Zhang Ziming was walking stumblingly.

He was wearing tattered clothes, dragging straw sandals, and had nothing to eat except a pot of water.

When he was extremely hungry, he gnawed on the turf on the side of the road.

This piece of grass is even hard to find, because many plants on the ground have been devoured by refugees like locusts crossing the border, and these sporadic grasses are probably newly grown not long ago.

When people are hungry, they are no different from wild dogs, even more cruel and crazy than dogs.

He was a messenger sent by Hongdu. Zhu Wenzheng sent more than 30 people like him. Only Zhang Ziming survived to see Zhu Yuanzhang.The rest were either killed by Chen Youliang's spies, or died suddenly due to various reasons, and some of them didn't even come out of the battlefield of the city defense battle.

This is not a good job.

At this moment, the bright moon hangs high, shining coldly on the earth, paving a layer of silver light for Zhang Ziming's road ahead.

For the sake of concealment and safety, he chose to travel at night and rest during the day, so that he could not only avoid enemy troops, but also avoid bandits and refugees.Although there is nothing to snatch from him, but in troubled times, it is hard to say anything. It is not easy to arrest people and sell them, and it is possible to eat human flesh.

Zhang Ziming didn't know if this method was very useful, but he did rely on it to live until now.

As he walked, his feet hurt more and more, and his nerves seemed to be throbbing. In order to distract his attention, he thought of how he looked when he saw the handsome man...

Zhu Yuanzhang turned his back to the door and looked at the topographic map on the wall.

The soldiers leading the way did not dare to delay, and brought Zhang Ziming to Zhu Yuanzhang all the way.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's back, Zhang Ziming bowed his head and shouted: "Commander, Commander, Hong Du really can't hold on anymore, please send troops as soon as possible, Commander."

Zhu Yuanzhang moved slowly, tapped the map, and said slowly: "Look here, and then look here."

"Xu Da, he is here." Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Zhu Yuanzhang said again: "Chang Yuchun, he is there."

Zhang Ziming slightly raised his head and glanced at the wall, then immediately lowered his head to show his respect. Although the glance just now was short, he did see clearly that the two generals, Chang Yuchun and Xu Da, were in the distance.

"We also want to go there sooner, you know? We also want to." Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath, stepped down from the high platform, walked to Zhang Ziming's side, held his arm and helped him up.

Zhang Ziming stood up with strength, and was pulled to the table by Zhu Yuanzhang.

There was white paper on the table, Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a brush, wrote a few lines on the paper, picked up the handsome seal on the side, pressed it with mud, and covered it on the paper.

"You go back with the letter we wrote, and tell Wenzheng and the others to persevere." Zhu Yuanzhang said, "We know it's difficult! How can it be easy to fight the world? Hongdu is guarded, so we can fight with Chen Youliang with real swords and guns." , what does defeat look like here!"

Zhang Ziming bowed and said, "Yes."

"Don't be afraid! If you are afraid, you will lose first!" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him carefully, and comforted him, "You go to someone to get dry food, change your clothes, set off immediately, and report back to Hongdu immediately! Tell them that our army is coming soon! arrive!"

Zhang Ziming was ecstatic for this promise, but he didn't lose his mind. He shook his head and said, "Marshal, there are many refugees on the road. It's better for the subordinates to wear this suit, otherwise they will attract attention."

"Okay. If you die, your family's wife, children, and children, we promise to take them all to Yingtian, and let Madam take care of you personally!"

Zhu Yuanzhang never shy away from talking about their deaths in front of his subordinates. He knew that arranging their funerals was far more useful than writing a bunch of empty checks.

Zhang Ziming really enjoyed it, knelt down excitedly, and kowtowed hard.

"Go!"

He wiped the sweat off his brow, lifted the corner of his robe, took a few steps back, turned around and walked outside.

"Wait—" Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a long time, but decided to ask, "Master, is our son, has he been to Hongdu?"

Zhang Ziming turned around and asked in surprise, "Young Master of the Marshal? Who are you talking about?"

"It's the biggest one..." Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he hadn't seen it, but he was right. It's only been a few days, and he was in a hurry. Liu Bowen should know it, so he waved his hand, "Forget it, if you want to come, that kid will It's okay, there are people around, you go, be careful on the road!"

Zhang Ziming was confused and couldn't figure out what he was talking about, so he finally saluted and hurried out the door.

When it comes to the tragic battle of Hongdu's defense, no one knows better than the soldiers at the bottom. They are the most intuitive experiencers.

Zhang Ziming was also a member of them before he was selected as a messenger. Now that he has undertaken a difficult task, he feels very guilty, feeling that he escaped the battle and death by cheating, secretly coveting comfort.

He understands that he does not need to be responsible for this war, and he also understands that he is not a coward, but the fact that he is not on the battlefield is tormenting his heart after all.

go back quickly...

They are still waiting for me...

To die, but also to die together!The commander-in-chief said that the army is coming, everyone just bear with it...

With a splash, Zhang Ziming rolled several times on the ground and hit a tree by the side of the road.

The impact made him dizzy, staring at his eyes, he couldn't even see the light of the moon clearly, and it took him a long time to recover.

He sat up with his hands on his forehead, and stretched his neck to look at those things. Even though his head was still hurting and his eyes were blurred, it was enough for him to recognize what it was by its shape.

"Straw sandals?"

On the dirt road were just a few pairs of straw sandals lying in a mess.

Maybe someone dropped it there.

It's very unlucky to be mixed like this. Zhang Ziming felt that this happened because he didn't pay attention to the road seriously, so he didn't complain too much, and told himself to keep his focus and continue to go down.

Not long after walking, the moon was covered by clouds, and it was dark all around.

In order to be cautious, Zhang Ziming didn't make a torch, so he walked a little slower. As a result, when the moon was coming out, for some reason, he subconsciously lowered his head and saw a pair of straw sandals next to his toes.

Hairy sweat flowed down Zhang Ziming's back, soaking his clothes.

He immediately looked forward, and sure enough, he saw more straw sandals lying in the middle of the road.

Where did the straw sandals come from?

They're just... those pairs?

Zhang Ziming's face was livid, and his nerves were almost broken due to exhaustion and pain. He looked around and his eyes widened.

There are many graves standing here!

This is a cemetery!

He took a few steps back slowly, his legs were so weak that he didn't wake up until the jackdaw on the side of the road croaked, and rushed forward like crazy.

Zhang Ziming ran wildly on the road, gasping for breath, only felt that the moonlight was scattered on a little bit of land in the distance, but did not shine on him, as if passing by alone, the trees and everything beside the road , no matter what kind of weeds or dry bones, they were all coming in between, forcing him, driving him, trying to catch him.

In the thought of being forced by fear, Zhang Ziming squeezed out a little bit of calm thinking-what is in the cemetery?Who is hurting me?

Is it a ghost or a monster?

What should I do, how can I escape!

Wait, is it Chen Youliang's spy?No, they don't mean to torture me.

boom.

Zhang Ziming's leg went limp, and when his foot hit something, he immediately knelt on the ground firmly and attacked his own knee.

Straw sandals again.

This time he counted them one by one, there were no more than five pairs of broken straw sandals, the straps were broken and the soles were worn out, and they were just placed under the moon, leaving Zhang Ziming out of breath.

He's not afraid of death, but he's afraid that he won't be able to speak, what to do, what to do!

Sweat dripped to the ground, Zhang Ziming's pupils gradually dilated, his hands trembling in his sleeves, and he slowly grasped the handle of a short knife.

The cold touch refreshed him a little—

The five pairs of shoes stood up, jumped towards Zhang Ziming, and surrounded him.

Zhang Ziming clenched the knife in his hand, ready to strike at any time, even if it was a desperate fight?Everyone is mortal, and today I will...

I saw the straw sandals jumped up and hit the air, and when they fell again, they turned into an old man in his seventies and eighties. The old man fell on the ground, leaning on a crutch, and leaned over to look at Zhang Ziming who was kneeling on the ground.

"..." Zhang Ziming looked up at him, opened his mouth, opened and closed his lips several times, unable to speak.

The old man lowered his head, his white beard fell to his feet, his face was full of wrinkles, his eyes were narrowed, and the pure white eyes could be faintly seen.He was wearing the linen clothes most often worn by poor people, without any silk, and no shoes on his feet. His two cracked, yellow, old feet stepped on the ground, and they were covered with mud.

"What's your name?" asked the old man.

Zhang Ziming hesitated and said, "I'm Zhang Ziming, your Excellency is..."

Could this be the land father?The land master found himself in trouble, so he came here to help...

The old man suddenly pulled him up from the ground, and Zhang Ziming noticed that his hands were full of signs of time, cracks, frostbite, and incomplete nails. If he hadn't seen the scene where he appeared, he might have thought it was an ordinary man. old farmer.

"I'm a defeated demon."

"hemp sandals?"

Only then did Zhang Ziming discover something. Although the old man's hands and feet were normal, his arms, legs, and body under his clothes were all made of straw, strands fluttering with the wind, and there were many holes. , like a poorly made scarecrow!

These abnormal organs, together with the normal ones, terrified Zhang Ziming even more, and he almost knelt down before his legs gave way.

But the old man obviously expected it long ago, a straw arm passed through Zhang Ziming's armpit, lightly supported him, held him up, and helped him walk forward.

It's ridiculous that the appearance of the two of them, one young and vigorous, and the other old like a rotten wood, are now reversed.

"Grandpa, you—"

"Do you know what a defeated demon is?"

Zhang Ziming shook his head.

The old man smiled: "I don't know. It seems that there was no famine, no officers and soldiers, no cruel officials in your place, right?"

"It's really okay for those who lived here. It can be considered food and clothing." Zhang Ziming said slowly, "There are several acres of Susukida at home, and I have read some books and can read a few words."

"Oh." The old man nodded, "I'll show you."

A lot of branches suddenly appeared on his fingertips. The dead branches and leaves were entangled with each other, and in the blink of an eye, five pairs of tattered straw sandals were woven and fell to the ground.

Zhang Ziming could see clearly, it was clearly those straw sandals just now.

The old man said: "This is my body, five double defeats, do you know what a body is?"

Zhang Ziming said he knew.

"This is a family of five." The old man said slowly, "Grandpa starved to death, grandma cried to death, son died after eating Guanyin soil, daughter-in-law was ruined, and there is only one little girl left. My child was eaten by someone."

"The straw sandals they wore fell on the ground and became me."

Bai Xiyao dragged Zhang Ziming forward slowly, his crutches knocking on the ground bit by bit.

Benedict.Benedict.Benedict.

The night wind was desolate.

The spirited ghosts on the side of the road listened to the sound quietly, and all backed away, shrinking back to their graveyard.

Zhang Ziming didn't know what was going on, he didn't understand Bai Xiyao's kindness, so he followed him in a daze.

"Defeat the demon. Xie are straw sandals, poor people wear straw sandals. Broken straw sandals are ordinary people who are too miserable to survive."

Zhang Ziming couldn't help asking: "How long has your old man lived?"

The old man didn't answer his question, and pointed to the front with his crutch: "The gathering of the defeated monsters on the road means that we are in troubled times again. The exit is just ahead—you can go."

The messenger was no longer afraid, and tugged on the old man's sleeve, asking like a stalker, "Why do the defeated monsters gather on the road?"

"Hey, what's the use of knowing this? Because we hope that the emperor's corrupt orders won't pass through the road." Bai Xiyao sighed and told him the answer.

Zhang Ziming's eyes lit up, his body was warmed up by the night wind, his tired eyes were wide open, his hands trembled when he was exhausted, he held the old man's rope-like arm, and shouted: "Yes, that's right, That's right, Grandpa!"

He couldn't wait to share his beliefs.

"I am the messenger who delivered the letter." Zhang Ziming explained, "Our marshal Zhu Yuanzhang is surnamed Zhu, and he is fighting Chen Youliang. The two armies have been in a stalemate in Hongdu for more than two months."

Bai Xiyao didn't understand military affairs, so he asked, "What's the meaning of this?"

"As long as the letter on my body is delivered, Hongdu will be able to hold on for a while longer. This time, it will change the fate of the world!"

"The previous emperor was not good, we need a new emperor!" Zhang Ziming took out a letter tremblingly from his arms, "Let's change the surname to Zhu!"