"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Chewing the white flour steamed buns with big mouthfuls, the mouthful was filled with the aroma of wheat. Then I picked up a chopstick and stuffed the pickles into my mouth and chewed them together. After swallowing, I picked up the rice bowl and took a sip of Baisong soup sprinkled with oil and salt. Not to mention how delicious it tastes!
All the miners were eating with big mouthfuls, especially Li Goudan. While eating, he took some time out, puffed out his stuffed mouth and said to Shanzi:
"Well...Shan...Brother Shanzi! If...if I had known the prisoners' food was so good,...I...I would have rioted!
At home, I haven’t eaten this white flour steamed bun a few times even during the Chinese New Year. This steamed bun is so delicious! "
Shanzi also ate it with big mouthfuls, but it was much more popular than Li Goudan. Hearing this, he nodded and then shook his head and said:
"Why do you think all prisoners are treated like this?
Today I secretly asked the soldiers, they are giving us rations so that we can have white flour to eat. Otherwise, the court will give you white flour. Wherever I can give you white flour, it would be good to give you two Wowotou! "
"What? Soldier rations?!"
Li Goudan was shocked when he heard this. He stopped halfway through eating, looked at the white noodles in his hands, and then looked at the soldiers who were also eating with a look of disgust on their faces. Li Goudan was shocked. Goudan suddenly fell into deep thought.
"What's wrong with you?"
Shanzi asked a little strangely when he saw that he suddenly stopped talking.
Li Goudan quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, looked around, carefully approached Shan Zi and whispered: "Brother Shan Zi, look at those soldiers, before I was wondering how they could eat such good food. There was still a look of disgust on his face.
Now that I hear you say this, I'm afraid this is what people usually eat, and this is the expression after eating too much good food.
Brother Shanzi, do you think we can become soldiers? If we become soldiers, can we eat flour every day like them? "
After saying that, Li Goudan looked at Shanzi with bright eyes, his face full of expectation.
When Shanzi heard that he was actually thinking about this, his face suddenly darkened, he slapped him on the head, and said angrily: "What are you thinking about? You don't even look at what we are now, and we are still soldiers?
It would be great if you can save your life!
Besides, do you think all soldiers are treated like this?
The nephew of my third uncle's second son's third brother-in-law is stationed as a garrison in Wuxi County, next to Daxing County. The food in their garrison is not as good as ours!
That day, not only did the Shangguan have to withhold military pay and food, but sometimes they had to farm land for the Shangguan. When powerful people in the county were short of people, the Shangguan would go to them and transfer them to missions.
Not only that, you have to prepare the food yourself when you go on an errand. If you are over-cooked, they will beat you directly and you will not be able to deal with it!
Do you think being a soldier is a good thing? "
Li Goudan was stunned after hearing this. He never expected that the soldiers he imagined would be so miserable after eating white-flour steamed buns every day until they vomited.
But looking at the half-eaten white-flour steamed buns behind them, the Taira-Japanese soldiers casually put the remaining half into their arms because they couldn't eat anymore. Question marks suddenly appeared on their foreheads?
As if seeing his confusion, Shanzi curled his lips and said, "Do you know where this army comes from?"
Li Goudan was immediately curious: "Where did it come from?"
Shanzi carefully looked around and saw that no one was paying attention here before whispering: "This is not the imperial army. Although it is also an official army, I heard that this is the army of a certain vassal king!
The emperor had no troops left, so he borrowed them from the vassal king!
Think about it, even the emperor asked him to borrow troops. How powerful is this vassal king?
His soldiers must be much better fed and used than the imperial court!
I also heard those soldiers talking and saying that each of their families had at least ten acres of land in the vassal fiefdom!
Those white-flour steamed buns made me vomit after eating them!
This is also a march, otherwise when people are at the same place, they will have meat for at least two meals a day! "
"hiss!"
Li Goudan suddenly took a breath of air.
Ten acres of land! Two meals a day! I vomited after eating the white flour steamed buns!
What a magical day this is!
It would be so cool to serve as a soldier for this feudal king!
Seeing his shocked look, Shanzi hummed twice and then whispered: "Do you think this is over?
Do you know how much their monthly military pay is? "
Li Goudan immediately asked: "How much?"
Shan Zi raised three fingers and said solemnly: "A full three taels of silver! This is just the basic silver of the most common big-headed soldier!
They had subsidies during the war. They had rice, flour, food, and meat during the New Year and festivals. They even gave out some annual money before the Chinese New Year. The most ordinary soldier could receive nine taels of silver at a time, which is equivalent to three months. Military pay!
The higher the level, the more you get! "
Li Goudan was stunned for a moment, all he could think about was, three taels a month! Three taels a month! There is still new year money during the New Year, and rice, flour, grain and oil are usually given during the holidays!
Before Shanzi finished speaking, he continued: "More than that, although training in the military camp is hard, the food, drink, and clothing are all provided by the military. You don't have to spend a penny, which is just three taels of military pay. You can All for the family.
And if there are children at home, it is said that they also have an allowance for military dependents, and each child gets five coins per month!
He also said that a school has begun to be built on the fiefdom of a certain prince. As long as the children of soldiers enter, they should not be restrained in the construction. The prince will allocate funds for your children to study.
There is also a monthly rationed supply of pens, ink, paper and inkstones.
It can be said that as long as you become the prince's soldier, not only you, but also your family and children will be taken care of by the prince!
You think these soldiers can't be great if they don't work for the prince? "
Li Goudan was completely stunned. Hearing this, he couldn't help but murmured:
"I would be willing to change it for me! Why didn't that prince join us? If he were here, I would be the first to serve as a soldier for him!"
"Please save it, we are their captives now. It's difficult to be their soldiers!"
Brother Shan Zi's words made Li Goudan wake up from his fantasy. Looking at his situation, he felt helpless.
But a small seed has been buried quietly in his heart.
At the same time, similar conversations were heard among other miners.
There were always people who could overhear the "accidental chatter" conversations of the Japanese and Japanese soldiers.
And after these people told the conversations they heard, they gradually planted seeds in everyone's hearts.
This laid some foundation for their future choices...
…
The Chinese military tent.
"How about it?"
Li Dingguo asked a sergeant below who was kneeling on one knee while handling military affairs.
This is a relatively easy-to-use military commander under his command.
"Back to General, the news has been revealed. It should have spread among all the prisoners by now!"
The military commander replied respectfully.
Li Dingguo nodded, then put down the pencil in his hand and raised his head and asked:
"What are the reactions?"
The army commander recalled it and then affirmed: "It's all a longing!"
"Are you envious?" Li Dingguo murmured.
The commander of the army nodded affirmatively and replied: "Almost everyone was envious after hearing about the treatment of our Japanese troops, and most of them wanted to join our Japanese troops as soldiers. This shows that they are very satisfied with our conditions! "
Li Dingguo smiled slightly: "Can you be dissatisfied?
As far as our conditions are concerned, among all the surrounding forces, no matter whether it is the Tatar Huns, the imperial army or even the imperial army, none of them can be better than the conditions given by the prince!
You guys are so picky that you don’t even want to eat the good white steamed buns. Have you forgotten the days when you didn’t even have to eat tree bark? "
The military commander suddenly scratched the back of his head in embarrassment:
"Hehe, General, isn't it true that our brothers' appetites have been spoiled? When we were in the county, we ate meat every day. Now we have no meat to eat. The big guys are a little uncomfortable chewing those steamed buns."
Li Dingguo snorted coldly and said, "Humph, not getting used to it?
Ask those captive miners if they can adapt?
You still don’t cherish the things that others dream of. If our prince hadn’t been so kind to the soldiers, you guys would have starved to death long ago, and you still have your turn to be picky! "
In response to this, the army commander could only scratch his head and laugh dryly, not daring to reply, because he knew that the general was right, and everyone was indeed a bit pampered recently.
After only two days of eating without meat, someone started to think that the general was beating himself up.
Moreover, today the general specifically asked himself to reveal the treatment of the Yunzhou Army. I am afraid that in addition to planting the seeds of longing for the Yunzhou Army in the hearts of those prisoners, I am afraid that more will be shown to the brothers.
There are many people who want to get the best treatment for you, so don’t be dissatisfied, otherwise your current treatment will be taken away immediately!
Although General Li didn't say it explicitly, the army commander could feel it clearly, and he also understood that he really had to beat his men.
If you go too far and anger your superiors, life may be really difficult in the future.
After reporting the news, the army commander quickly exited the camp, while Li Dingguo waited for him to go out and took out half a bun stained with soil from his arms. He looked at it blankly for a long time, and then ate it with big mouthfuls. got up.
He picked this up at noon. It was absolutely impossible for those prisoners to throw the steamed buns away, so it was obvious who threw them.
Today's soldiers are indeed living a good life, but their hearts are not as simple as before.
This is white flour food. In the past, even if you wanted to eat it, you couldn't eat it.
Li Dingguo still remembers the scene when when he was a child, his father happily brought back a white-flour steamed bun during the Chinese New Year, saying that it was a reward from the landlord who worked for him, and then the three members of the family shared it.
Although a white flour steamed bun is very small, and even less when divided into three portions, Li Dingguo decided at that time that it was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten.
Tears slipped quietly from his eyes, falling drop by drop on the white flour steamed buns stained with dirt, and were eaten by Li Dingguo in big gulps.
father! mother!
Now I eat white flour steamed buns every day, but... you are all gone...
…
"You bastards! What happened to the white-flour steamed buns? Who doesn't want to eat them? Stand up! And! Whoever threw the steamed buns at noon, stand up!"
Cao Yi was the military commander of the First Army under Li Dingguo. After walking out of Li Dingguo's tent, he immediately came to the army and mobilized all the soldiers stationed in the area that Li Dingguo had visited in the afternoon. Start scolding!
Everyone lowered their heads and no one spoke.
Seeing this, Cao Yi was furious and swung the riding whip in his hand!
Crack!
The horse whip whipped, and a burst of whipping sounded in the air.
Cao Yi said coldly:
"Do you think this is just a small thing?
Do you think what you lost today is just a white-flour steamed bun?
No! That's not just a steamed bun! That's a life!
It is a living hope!
Waste food? Thank you for doing it!
Have you forgotten your origins? Do you want me to accompany you to remind you? !
Wang Datou! Get out of the queue! "
Cao Yi shouted loudly, and the Ping-Japanese soldier standing first in the first row quickly stepped forward and responded loudly:
"arrive!"
Cao Yi glanced at him coldly, and then said calmly: "Do you still remember where you came from before joining the Yunzhou Army, and what your family background was like? Louder, tell me and the whole army!"
Wang Datou was stunned at first, and then his eyes fell into memories. After a while, he seemed to understand something. Just when he was about to lower his head, he heard Cao Yi shout loudly:
"Wang Datou! Answer the general's question!"
Wang Datou immediately stood at attention, his eyes gradually turning red. But he still replied loudly:
"Returning to the commander, I came from Yunzhou County, where I fled from Hejiagou in Liaobei County. My family used to be poor and I couldn't afford a full meal all year round.
There was a severe drought in the year of the escape, and all the wheat seedlings in the fields died. My parents also starved to death. I couldn't chew tree bark all the way to Yunzhou County with the crowd! "
Cao Yi nodded: "Very good, then let me ask you! Is the bark delicious?"
Wang Datou said with red eyes: "It's not delicious!"
"How does it compare to white flour steamed buns?" Cao Yi continued to ask.
“White flour steamed buns are a thousand times more delicious!”
Wang Datou said.
Cao Yi nodded, and then shouted loudly:
"Then tell me, back then you were able to eat the unpalatable tree bark. Why can't you eat the white flour steamed buns now?
Is it that the prince is too kind to you, or does Wang Datou feel that he is drifting, and even white-flour steamed buns can't satisfy your appetite?
How dare you secretly throw it away!
Do you know how many people want to take a bite but can't?
What's the difference between you and those landlords and wealthy people in your previous hometown!
Are you a wealthy landlord? ! "
That's right! It was Wang Datou who threw away the steamed bun. After seeing Li Dingguo pick up the steamed bun, Cao Yi immediately started to investigate secretly, and soon found out that it was Wang Datou who was on duty here before that.
Moreover, there were witnesses who saw Wang Datou throw the bun on the ground reluctantly.
Cao Yi's scolding immediately made Wang Datou's eyes turn red, and he knelt down with a plop!
"General! I was wrong! My king, Datou, is not a human being. I forgot my origin! I actually wasted food. I accept whatever you want to do with me!"
Cao Yi snorted coldly, walked slowly to Wang Datou, knelt down and said coldly: "Do you know who picked up that steamed bun?"
Wang Datou raised his head, showing a searching look.
Cao Yi said in a deep voice:
"He was picked up by the general. I have never seen such a general. When he was fighting the Tatars head-on, the general's hands didn't even shake!
But when the general picked up the steamed bun you threw at noon today, I saw with my own eyes that his hands were shaking so much that they were almost out of shape!
How many people in our army have fled and how many of their families have starved to death. Your behavior is not only harmful to you, but also to those brothers whose families have starved to death. A huge harm! "
Wang Datou collapsed to the ground with a plop, tears flowed out uncontrollably, and he began to sob silently.
Cao Yi stood up, raised the riding whip in his hand, and said coldly: "In view of the severity of your behavior, I will give you twenty lashes! Do you have any opinions?"
Wang Datou shook his head silently and buried his head in the ground, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to get in.
The guilt in his heart simply made him feel ashamed.
Cao Yi snorted coldly, raised the riding whip in his hand, and whipped it hard without mercy!
Crack!
There was a loud bang, and the riding crop hit Wang Datou's back hard. A muffled groan came from Wang Datou's mouth. The severe pain made him almost scream, but he gritted his teeth and did not make a sound. .
This is all what you deserve. You have to bear the consequences of the bastard things you did!
In this regard, Wang Datou has a very clear understanding and sense of responsibility.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The crackling sound of the riding crop kept ringing, hitting Wang Datou's body one after another. Wang Datou groaned, but he gritted his teeth and did not make any sound.
But all this made the many Japanese and Japanese soldiers watching on the side feel as if they were being slapped on themselves. Thinking of their own performance in the past two days, they all lowered their heads in shame.
It's not just Wang Datou who has forgotten his true intentions. They just didn't throw away food like Wang Datou, but it doesn't mean that they haven't forgotten the moment they had.
But today's scene showed the past in front of everyone, reminding them of their past and understanding their mistakes in these days.
The twenty lashes ended quickly. After the last lash, Cao Yi snorted coldly and put the riding whip back behind his back, then turned and left.
When his figure disappeared, everyone who had been afraid to move hurriedly swarmed up and helped Wang Datou up.
"Butou, are you okay?"
"Butou, don't worry, I'll find a military doctor for you right away!"
"Big head..."
Wang Datou waved his hand with difficulty, pushed everyone away from him, and then bowed his hands to everyone and said: "I deserve this. I just hope that you can take me as a warning in the future and not make the same mistake again. "
After saying that, he didn't let anyone help him, and endured the pain all over his body and walked towards his tent with difficulty.
Everyone watched his leaving figure in silence, and no one spoke for a while.
It took a while before someone said, "Are we wrong?"
"Wrong, really wrong!"
someone replied.
There was silence again, and the soldiers who were summoned this time silently returned to their posts and continued to stand guard, but now they seemed different from before.
In the afternoon, the official ship transporting grain finally arrived. Dozens of large ships with more than 3,000 materials loaded with supplies finally arrived in Bian'an County from Bianjing.
The captive miners who had rested all morning finally had work to do!
…
A five thousand word chapter
(End of chapter)
