"It's still early, let's all sit down and have a rest and eat something!" Shen Faseng gave the order to the soldiers behind him. Most of them huddled in their cloaks and fell asleep almost immediately. Only a few Drink water and eat. Yuan Fei sat down against a rock and polished the dagger with a grindstone. Master Shen looked at the guide and said with a smile, "Aren't you tired?"
"It's okay!" Yuan Fei put down the dagger and replied respectfully: "I've been used to it for a long time. When I worked for the master before, it was much harder than this!"
"Working for the master?" Shen Faseng smiled with interest: "What kind of work do you do?"
"I do everything! Farming, logging, building cities, building embankments, and burning charcoal. I have no time to spare all year round!"
"They are almost the same as farmers in the Tang Dynasty!" Shen Faseng sat down and said, "All farmers in the world are similar!"
"Are the farmers in the Tang Dynasty so miserable?" Yuan Fei was stunned: "No way? We are slaves of the Sanhan family!"
"Why are you lying to me!" Master Shen laughed: "Yes, farmers in the Tang Dynasty have their own fields and houses, and their lives may be better than yours, but they still have no leisure all year round, and they have to rent mediocre things. There are also endless servitude and miscellaneous taxes, and they are unable to straighten their waists all year round. Otherwise, why would they come to Baekje? Not to be exempted from servitude and miscellaneous taxes!"
"Then, wouldn't it mean that he just left the wolf pack and entered the tiger's mouth again?"
"That's not necessarily the case!" Master Shen laughed: "You are from Baekje, and you don't have a name in the state or county household registration. You only have a name in the military registration. When the time comes, you will join the family of a noble man and be his shelter. Just don’t do it!”
"A nobleman's disciple? Can Captain Wang do that?"
"Are you talking about Saburo? His family background is quite good, but it's a pity that he is just a side branch, otherwise he wouldn't have been a fire chief when he first came here. Although he has achieved some military achievements now, it is still a little early for him to become a noble. In fact, you can go Being a monk can also avoid labor and taxes!"
"Monk household?"
"Yes, just invest in the name of a temple and rent the temple's land. From now on, any taxes and labor will have nothing to do with you. Of course, you still have to work for the monks in the temple, but it is better than the government's raids. That’s a lot! Okay, no more talking, just take a nap, there are still many things to do next!”
Yuan Fei knew he couldn't sleep, but he understood that Master Shen did have good intentions. He huddled next to the rocks, wrapped his cloak tightly, closed his eyes, and his father's back appeared in front of him. When his father passed away, Yuan Fei was still a child and had long forgotten his appearance. The only impression he had was of his rickety back. His father seemed to always look like that, hunched over and coughing from time to time. He didn't want to be like that. I don't want to die early and have my children lose their father at such a young age.
Baekje people camp.
"Chang Zhi has cleared the Tang army's barriers outside the city?" Sha Zha Xiangru asked.
"Yes, I just took it before dark!"
Sha Zha Xiangru snorted coldly. He was quite conflicted mentally at this time. Intellectually, of course he understood that his colleagues' smooth progress was also beneficial to him, but the unique competitiveness of warriors made him quite unhappy.
"I understand. You go back and tell your family, Dasu, that I have encountered some trouble here. It may take tomorrow to clear the barriers outside the east gate!"
"Yes!" the messenger responded and exited the tent. Sha Zha Xiangru exhaled a long breath, returned to the map and began to study it again.
Predawn darkness envelopes the land, the coldest time of the day. Yuan Feifei walked silently. The ground was full of broken branches, tree roots, and gravel. The light of fire jumping in the distance could be faintly seen among the sparse trees. The Baekje camp was not far away. He stopped, squatted down, picked up a stone, and threw it into the bushes behind him. A few minutes later, Shen Faseng led a dozen soldiers out of the bushes.
"Look!"
"Yes!" Master Shen nodded excitedly. He took out a white cloth and tied it to his right arm: "Taking the white cloth as a mark, let's move forward side by side. Fame and wealth will be yours today!"
Everyone was tied up with white cloth, and then they spread out in a straight line and walked towards the direction of the fire. In the darkness, the roars of ferocious beasts echoed in the forest, as if dozens of the same kind were echoing each other from afar.
No one knew the specific time when the battle broke out. Yuan Fei saw Shen Faseng rushing to the front. He knocked down the first enemy who tried to stop him with his shield, and then cut off the second enemy's neck. Blood spattered. Three enemies took the opportunity to rush forward and hug him, but Shen Faseng smashed his skull with a weighted lead ball on the handle of his knife and fell to the ground. Taking advantage of the gap before the enemies came forward, Master Shen pulled out a burning stick from the bonfire and threw it towards a tent not far away: "Burn them all!"
"The thief's camp is on fire!" Liu An from the watchtower turned his head excitedly: "Sanlang, the monk has entered the thief's camp!"
"It's time to beat the drums and blow the trumpets!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "We will also send troops to support!"
"Yes, quickly beat the drums and blow the trumpets!" Liu An shouted loudly: "Tell the guards in the city to send troops to respond!"
The horn sounded, as if calling for something, wandering among the mountains, and then the rumble of drums sounded, shaking the world, as if in response. Wang Wenzuo looked at Liu An and said with a smile: "Wu Lang, it seems that we won the bet this time!"
Night and fire are both friends of the raiders. The Baekje people were busy all day and night preparing various equipment for attacking the stronghold. The broken wood and shavings on the ground became the best fuel. The exhausted Baekje people were awakened from their sleep by the fierce fire. When I woke up, I heard the sound of horse hooves and the shouts of killing. Many people rushed out of the tent barefoot and naked, and were stunned by the firelight and the shouts of killing. At night, the Baekje people couldn't tell who was the enemy and who was the ally. The only way to protect themselves was to draw their swords. When dawn came and the morning light shone on everyone's heads, the Baekje talents painfully discovered that the person lying next to them was their companion. However, the enemy army was approaching the camp, with flags fluttering and murderous intent. If Heiji Changzhi hadn't sent troops to help, the Baekje army besieging the east gate would have been wiped out.
"How many enemies were there last night?" Black Teeth Changzhi asked. Everyone was covered in dirt, their armors were dented, and they looked at each other, but no one answered.
"No one knows?" Hei Te Changzhi asked, his brows furrowed, his right hand subconsciously pressed on the handle of the knife, someone whispered: "Maybe dozens of people, maybe hundreds of people, not more Got it!"
Hei Te Changzhi shook his head: "Everyone get out, everyone get out!"
The officers all walked out, leaving only Hei Te Changzhi and Sha Zha Xiangru. Hei Te Changzhi sighed and patted his companions on the shoulder: "Xiangru, victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists - —”
