The night was getting darker. Standing alone outside the tent, Zhao Kuo's eyes were already drifting towards the Qin Army's barrier on the west bank of Danshui.
Under the dim yellow moon, the Qin army's barrier on the west bank of Danshui was like a winding black snake, twisting and turning, trying to extinguish the flames on its body.
However, the red flames, like maggots on the tarsus, clung to the barrier. No matter how hard the Qin army tried, they could not break free.
A little spark gradually turns into a prairie fire!
The generals around Zhao Kuo have rushed to the front line, ready to give the Qin army the final blow at Zhao Kuo's order and end the three years of hesitation.
At this point, everyone can see that Zhao Jun has won. At least in the battle for the barrier, Zhao Jun has an absolute advantage. Even if Bai Qi wants to change his mind and re-invest all his troops, It may not be the kind of victory that can turn the tide.
Because most of the nodes supporting the barrier defense line have fallen into the hands of Zhao Jun.
Of course, Zhao Jun's victory was limited to this barrier. Behind that barrier, there is still the Qin army, and there is still boundless darkness.
Overcoming barriers is just a small step in a thousand-mile journey. Even the reason why Zhao Jun was able to take this small step was the result of Qin Jun's patience.
However, it is a pity that there are almost no people among the Zhao army who can clearly realize that the victory of the barrier does not mean the overall victory, and it is even rarer for anyone to question that the victory of the Zhao army will be the result of the Qin army's letting go.
Even the emergence of such an idea is already an unforgivable mistake.
Fortunately, Zhao Kuo obviously knew it clearly, but for the sake of the follow-up plan, he could only pretend not to know, and did not even dare to reveal even a little bit of what might happen next to anyone except Xu Li. .
Perhaps, this is the loneliness that a general must experience.
The only good news is that after the Battle of the Barrier, the soldiers' admiration for Zhao Kuo has reached a new level, which can be seen from the bows made by the generals when they left to prepare for the battle.
Looking at the departing figures one by one, Zhao Kuo was both relieved and a little uncomfortable.
What a good soldier!
After this battle, I don’t know how many people will be able to see each other again.
Just as Zhao Kuo was carefully watching the battle on the front line, something happened again on the west bank barrier.
As General Bai Qi issued the order, dense rain of arrows suddenly appeared in the rear formation of the Qin army. Immediately afterwards, groups of elite Qin troops with bright armor marched in neat steps along the Manchuria. It was a corridor with bloody stumps. It withstood the dense rain of arrows from the Zhao army and took over the dilapidated barrier position.
Correspondingly, on top of the barrier, the exhausted Qin soldiers who had not been rotated for a long time were staggeringly withdrawn to the camp, and rows of wounded soldiers were sent to the wounded camp on stretchers.
At this time, the wounded barracks was wailing all over the place. Countless grains of cloth were brought in, soaked in blood and then sent away for washing. Bottle after bottle of golden sore medicine was poured out for free, mixed with blood, and scattered all over the floor. .
"ah!"
A wailing sound came, accompanied by the crisp sound of the wooden stick placed in the mouth to prevent biting the tongue from being bitten off.
A red-hot iron was pressed hard on the broken wrist of the wounded soldier. In an instant, the aroma of barbecue filled the air, and then the aroma of meat turned into the smell of charcoal.
That's right, this is not about inflicting punishment, but treating the wounded's wounds.
Several people severely pressed the branded wounded man's limbs and torso on the bed board, preventing him from moving even a little bit.
The wounded man who struggled to no avail could only use all his strength in his mouth and on his teeth! The wooden stick as thick as a thumb broke unexpectedly.
Fortunately, the torture also stopped.
"Next!" Ignoring the wounded who were still moaning and wailing, the doctor threw the soldering iron in his hand into the red-hot stove, then took out another red soldering iron and ordered the people behind him.
Several soldiers then carried the wounded who had been "treated" (perhaps more appropriately called treatment) to the camp.
There, he will spend the most dangerous night alone.
There is no more care, no more medicine, a bag of millet is all he has.
Throughout the long night, wailing and moaning would continue to echo in his ears. After this night, there will be soup to help him recover as soon as possible. After all, he only lost his left hand, and he may still be able to continue to serve in the army.
As for those around me who have lost their right hands, I am afraid they will have to go home and work in the fields, and naturally they will not receive such good treatment. As for the lost sibling soldiers, there is no need to rescue them.
The premise of all this is that you can survive this long night. If you can't survive...
Even so, he was still considered lucky, at least he got the so-called "rescue". More wounded soldiers, who have not yet waited for the reinforcements from the rear, are waiting to either die with the Zhao army, or end up bleeding for a long time...
Of course, no matter what, the meritorious service he has made will be remembered by the State of Qin, and his family in the State of Qin will also be taken care of by the state. This may be the greatest belief of the Qin soldiers to sacrifice their lives.
Because of this, the Qin soldiers who returned to camp without any injuries or minor injuries did not feel any sadness at all, let alone complained about the delay in the arrival of reinforcements. Because they know that the harder it is, the greater the achievement! As for life and danger? Compared to merit, what is it?
A ragged Qin soldier didn't even have time to change his armor, so he arranged himself in groups and went to the military judge one by one to hand over and check his merits. Of course, this merit is only personal, and the collective merit needs to be unified and divided after the battle is over.
Looking at the few additions to the military merit book, every Qin soldier was very satisfied. It was like a shot of stimulant, taking away all the fatigue, and the smile gradually climbed onto the face of every Qin soldier.
Immediately, they went to the munitions office to get a bowl of cooked millet. They gathered around the campfire in twos and threes, grabbing a handful of millet and putting it into their mouths. They chewed it sweetly, and then drank a cold well. Water, cool air comes in from the mouth, and rises from the abdomen, and the original hotness is no longer there.
Surviving a battle, returning home victorious, safe and sound, with a full stomach and cool drinks, is there anything more joyful than this?
The Qin soldiers in twos and threes, while eating and relaxing their tense nerves, did not forget to brag to everyone about their prowess on the barrier, killing the Zhao army so much that they did not dare to take a step forward.
"Hey, you let us down so quickly, and we haven't accumulated enough merits!" One person pretended to sigh.
"Hehe." One person took out the polished rice he had just received and said: "Beheading two soldiers, plus the previous meritorious service, it is enough to give me a hairpin. Look, the captain rewarded me."
Everyone looked at him with envy and made a fuss about donating the polished rice. That man naturally refused, and he was still greedy for it!
"Hey, I knew I would come down later..." Another person complained a little
"You should be old soon! The whole family is prospering now. When I go back, the matchmaker won't break the threshold of your family!" An old soldier teased a young and muscular boy.
"Uncle, no, it was almost close!"
The strong young man blushed with embarrassment, and the long scar on his face looked even more ferocious under his shy expression, and everyone made a fuss again.
Scars are always the best seal of a man...
