The rainy season has arrived, and the air is damp and cold, soaking into the bones.
Yuecheng was shrouded in drizzle and haze. The large mansion with dark wooden beams, blue bricks and gray tiles was gloomy and gloomy. Water dripped from the eaves. In the deserted and dark hall, there was only a haggard man in plain clothes with disheveled hair drinking quietly. There were two new pieces of wood on the wooden table beside him. The memorial tablet for the deceased.
With a sad look on his face, Jiang Mian chatted with the two memorial tablets, as if he was reminiscing. Occasionally, he would laugh and cry while telling jokes from the past.
Wow~
The wine jar was thrown outside the door and fell to pieces, and the wine mixed with rainwater and collected in puddles.
"Good brother... I'm sorry for you, brother..."
The sound of sobs and cries echoed in the dark and tall courtyard. Jiang Mian was the only one in the courtyard. Water dripped from the eaves of the simple gray tile roof and fell into the water tank below, making a clear tinkling sound.
Yuecheng was besieged. After several days of rescue and heavy losses, no more unnecessary sacrifices were made on the north bank of the Yangtze River. At the same time, various contradictions that had long been caused by the rapid development became more and more prominent. Most of the generals expressed deep regret and advocated abandoning King Jiang and returning to Yandi. A small number of generals who had been following Jiang Mian for a long time refused to leave, and quarrels began among the generals.
The rainy season may only end in three or four months. The Chimang people on the other side of the river don't seem to care about the rain at all and are clinging to the river bank to besiege Yuecheng. What's worse is that the river has risen and the water flow is too fast. It is difficult to forcefully cross the river to establish a position, even if you cross from other places. The river will also be blocked in the mountains by the Chimang people who are better at mountain warfare.
In particular, the Chi Mang people's arrow skills are very tricky and vicious, and they are hard to guard against. They live in a place filled with miasma in the mountains, and if their arrow skills are not good enough, they cannot catch their prey and survive.
Even the monsters in the southern barren mountains do not like that land. Compared with the southern barren land in the southwest of the Central Plains, it is more like a paradise. The water and soil support the people. The environment shapes the race. Chi Mang people are not afraid of death when fighting. It can even be said to be similar. Suicide, it is difficult to resist these madmen without adequate preparation, let alone cross the river.
Speculators don't want to deal with a vassal king who may be killed at any time, so they will choose another one at worst.
The general who followed Jiang Mian to conquer the country took the risk and led his troops across the river. Jiang Mian led his troops to cooperate with his own internal and external cooperation, but he was still defeated by the Chimang people. He watched the two old brothers with their heads missing, and the Chimang people drove them away like sheep. Forced back to Yuecheng, there was no rush to attack the city.
The rushing river has added countless bodies...
The tragic death of the two old brothers continued to stimulate Jiang Mian, and in a few days he lost weight back to the muscular young general he once was.
Looking at the clamor on the other side to build a new hilltop, the head of the brother who died tragically is still hanging on the bamboo pole on the beach. I think about what I have done in the past few years that has chilled my brother and I feel regretful.
Outside the door, Pan Hongzu was leaning against the doorpost with his sword in his arms, closing his eyes and meditating. Chenjia was chanting sutras in the side room.
As footsteps approached, Pan Hongzu opened his eyes and continued to practice swordsmanship. The person who came was Qiao Jin, the daughter of Qiao Sheng, the former guard of Yuecheng. Her martial arts was banned, so she was one of the few people in this courtyard who could walk around.
Maybe it was because they came often, but the two great disciples didn't say a word.
Qiao Jin walked to the door and frowned as she passed on the other side. Her sense of martial arts was still blocked. She felt a stinging sensation when she got too close to the mysterious Taoist priest. It was as if the Taoist priest was an unsheathed sword. She instinctively avoided and walked around. …
"Hmph! Lackey!"
Chenjia, who was chanting sutras, cursed before entering the inner courtyard and looked around and found no one else.
"Fellow Daoist Pan, is she scolding us?"
Pan Hongzu raised his eyelids and looked at Chen Jia sympathetically, as if looking at a fool. Before Chen Jia stormed off, he finally said two words lazily.
"That's right."
"He is really an unreasonable person." I don't know whether he was talking about Qiao Jin or his old enemy.
Zixu Sword Cultivator still closed his eyes and meditated. Being scolded would not arouse murderous intent, but if he scolded too many times and violated taboos, the consequences would be uncertain. There is a limit to everything.
Qiao Jin came to the hall with two jars of soju and sneered at Jiang Wang who was drinking in the rain.
Putting down the wine jar, his eyes were suddenly attracted to the sword that King Jiang carried beside the wooden table. His martial arts was banned, but killing people with a sword was not a big problem, not to mention that his opponent was still a drunkard. How about... taking the opportunity to kill this abominable intruder?
Sudden! Qiao Jin felt like falling into an ice cave!
Looking up at the door, she wondered if it was an illusion. She saw the sword in the arms of the mysterious Taoist priest leaning on the doorpost trembling slightly for no apparent reason. When she moved her eyes away from the sword, the feeling of light on her back disappeared. She understood in her heart. , there is no possibility of a successful assassination.
Jiang Mian looked up and saw Qiao Jin with a wry smile.
"You came……"
"This is my home, I should be the one asking you."
Qiao Jin choked coldly, not caring about his identity as a prisoner at all. Now King Jiang and the 20,000 Yan Army are no different from prisoners. They have no food and reinforcements inside, and the consequences will not be any better than Qiao Jin's father and daughter.
Hearing the word home, Jiang Mian suddenly thought of the old house in the small town. At that time, he could eat hot meals cooked by his wife when he came home every day...
Since there were many women in the backyard, I haven't eaten the food cooked by my wife. A few years ago, I neglected my wife because of several concubines and I couldn't have the New Year's Eve dinner together.
Every time she went on an expedition, she would stand in the corner and watch herself from a distance...
He shook his head and smiled bitterly. If he could go back, he would treat his wife well, if he could go back.
"The people in the city are so kind."
"It's very bad. In a few days, someone will starve to death. King Jiang, please surrender. At least consider a way out for your 20,000 loyal men."
Hearing this, Jiang Mian, who was originally depressed, burst out laughing until he shed tears.
"Hahaha...way to survive...haha! Impossible! In order to kill me, Wu State spared no effort to use Yuecheng as a bait to bury me with me! There is not a single noble in the city, only ordinary people! How many days can you live without food?"
Qiao Jin naturally didn't believe it, how could so many people in Yuecheng be treated as victims.
"You are talking nonsense. As long as you are willing to surrender, you will be given food and grass. It is because you are greedy for life and fear of death and do not want to give up your glory and wealth."
King Jiang laughed louder and even coughed.
"Haha, cough... Go and have a look! Go up to the city wall and see with your own eyes whether there are Wu troops outside the siege! Those are Chi Mang soldiers! As long as the city gate is opened and surrendered, Yuecheng will immediately turn into a hell on earth!"
"I..." Qiao Jin's face turned pale.
The Chi Mang people were cruel and bloodthirsty by nature, and there were many records of massacres of prisoners and city massacres. The Chi Mang people did not dare to go north due to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Later, they took advantage of the chaos in the Central Plains and were ready to take action in the south. They committed many crimes, especially the people of Wu State. Qiao Jin was most afraid of the Chi Mang people. She knew that there were all Chi Mang people outside, but she found reasons in her heart to ignore them. However, Jiang Wang's words ruthlessly revealed the reality.
In fact, there are really no Wu soldiers and there can be no soldiers outside. They are all Chimang people. Wu State has abandoned Yuecheng and everyone in the city. Qiao Sheng and Qiao Jin are just abandoned sons.
"I and the 20,000 Yan Army are protecting the people of Yue City. If the city is destroyed, none of us will survive."
Qiao Jin wanted to refute but was speechless. She knew in her heart that what Jiang Wang said was true, but she still couldn't accept it...
I left the hall and walked out in a daze. I walked out into the inner courtyard and looked up at the sky to see billowing dark clouds. The cold rain hit my face and felt cold in my heart. I went out in despair.
King Jiang shouted when he reached the door of the inner courtyard.
"Fellow Daoist Pan, unblock her, we need her to defend the city together."
Pan Hongzu glanced at Qiao Jin who seemed to have lost his soul, waved his hand, and the ban on Qiao Jin was lifted.
Chenjia looked up.
"Fortunately, I didn't curse."
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