"If that's the case, then it's best for Wang Canjun to rush to Zhouliu City!" Du Shuang said solemnly: "In terms of building various equipment and attacking the city and building forts, no one can match Wang Canjun. Since Ren Cun's fortress has been set up, , it would be a waste to let him stay under Rencun City!"
"Liu Shijun!" Liu Rengui said: "I think it is best for Wang Canjun to decide on this matter!"
"up to you?"
"Yes, Wang Shenjun himself knows the situation best at Ren Cun's side! Instead of giving orders, it is better to inform us of the results of our deliberations and let him choose his own interests!"
"Okay, that's very good!" Liu Renhou said with a smile: "If you don't bother the two masters with one thing, then I will bother Brother Zhengze with the book repairing thing!"
"The Governor has said that you should obey his orders?"
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Rencun Tangying.
Early morning hours. The eastern sky is pink at the horizon, fading to light gray above. The Big Dipper constellation still hangs in the north, and the bright white star on the handle of the Dipper shines like a diamond at dawn. The black and gray forest on the hillside in the distance slowly takes on various colors such as green, golden, red, and brown. Above the red pine, oak, chestnut, ginkgo and cedar trees, stands the mountain city of Rencun, its white rock walls shining with holy light in the sun.
Wang Peng looked at the scenery in front of him in fascination. When he was a child, he heard merchants passing by the village mention this "city on the top of the mountain". He didn't expect that he could actually see it with his own eyes, as a besieger. .
Toot toot!
A sharp whistle came from the top of the watchtower, which was sent by the lookout, which meant that there were no hidden enemies in the bushes and woods of the camp, and it was safe to leave the camp. Wang Peng turned around and raised his arms, and said loudly to the more than two hundred Baekje civilians who were preparing to leave the camp: "Everyone, please check that your water bottles, dry food bags, and tools are all in order? Our task today is to cut wood, everyone. You must obey the command of the team leader, be careful, and don’t get hit by the falling tree!”
"It's all set!" The crowd responded in twos and threes. Most people's faces were nervous, but they were no longer the pale-faced ones with fear. After completing the defense system of three outer trenches + one barrier + parapet + one watchtower every 100 steps, the rebels' attack on the camp basically stopped - both the Japanese and the Baekje people understood the truth. The carefully laid out fortifications in front of you and the various machines hidden behind the fortifications are life-devouring devils that cannot be defeated by simply piling up human lives.
Wang Wenzuo did not let his men sit idle. He began to ask the civilians and soldiers to dig soil and ram bricks, cut down trees to transport wood, build houses to replace tents, and build waterwheels to pump water from the river. This would allow soldiers and civilians to live more comfortably and less easily get sick, while also preventing them from being idle. Labor is also a good way to exercise the body. He can select young and middle-aged men who are strong, obedient to orders, willing to endure hardship, and good at learning. These are good potential soldiers. When the war is over, he can place retired soldiers here, with ready-made houses, forts, markets, fields, and grant them tax exemptions and the privilege of being exempted from labor. This place will develop into a good market town, and its residents Naturally, he will become a loyal supporter of the empire.
Of course, Wang Peng didn't know Wang Wenzuo's grand blueprint at this time, but he had gradually come to like these tasks, and he could watch this wasteland with his own eyes as barriers and neat rows of second-story buildings were raised under the water of his own sweat. There are buildings, roads, cisterns, warehouses, squares, and a market where soldiers and civilians exchange trophies and various trinkets. An army officer serves as a judge in this market to ensure fair transactions and prohibits forced selling and robbery.
Even on the last day of every tenth day, a kind of comedy is performed in the market, which is performed by several actors wearing masks. The content of the play is also very simple and there are not many lines. The actors usually use exaggerated movements and extreme expressions. There are few lines to please the audience, and the content is more vulgar and explicit than humorous.
However, these burlesques were enthusiastically loved by everyone in the camp. Whether they were Tang people or Baekje people, they forgot the differences between them when watching the burlesques. They would laugh, cry, and shout at every move of the actors. , and even hugged each other. Unknowingly, the depression caused by the boring and dangerous life in the military camp dissipated in this short hour. Everyone who walked out of the market had eyes shining brightly. They talked with gusto about every line and gesture of the actors, looking forward to the next drama ten days later. The soldiers who were on duty that day were in mourning and beating their chests.
After leaving the camp, the civilians began to move upstream along the river. In front and on their flanks were fifty Tang Army knights, two hundred infantry, and twenty carts. These carts are not used to carry wood, but to transport "scorpions" and baggage. These carts can also be used as a barrier for the circle formation when encountering enemies.
At Chen time, Wang Peng arrived at his destination, which was a pine forest by the river. He began to divide the working areas of each team among the peasants. Each team was composed of a captain, three axemen and several masters. The captain was usually a middle-aged and elderly man with rich logging experience. His tasks He directed the three axemen to stop chopping the tree when it had reached a deep enough depth, and asked the masters to tie the rope to the trunk and pull hard, while the axemen chopped hard on the other side of the trunk, so that it fell. The tree will only fall to the other side of the axe, and will not crush anyone. The felled trees were pulled to the river by the workers, then tied into rows, pushed into the water, and carried down the river. The workers at the riverside camp in the downstream would hook the rafts and drag them ashore. The soldiers of the Tang Army did not participate in the labor. They just occupied a hill near the woods and calmly observed the surroundings to prepare for possible attacks.
Wang Peng was very lucky. Until the afternoon, the expected enemies did not appear, and no one was killed or injured by the falling trees. After completing the planned work, he ordered each team to reorganize and return to the camp. On the way back to the camp, a brave civilian husband suddenly started singing. Although the words and sentences are not clear, you can still hear that it is the "Fifth Watch Song" which was very popular among the Tang army at that time. It must have been sung by someone during the opera and it was written down. The escorting Tang troops listened for a moment and began to sing in harmony. For a while, the chorus of soldiers and civilians shook the river and echoed in the forest.
At the first watch, Diao Dou screams, and the school captain Qian Liancheng hears the Condor Cavalry in the distance, and is worried about the name of the general.
The second watch is late, the cold night is long in the high city, I will try to imitate the moon with my bow, and talk about holding a sword to compare with the frost.
In the third watch of the night, I am frightened by the new things. I sing the sound of spring alone while listening to the falling plum blossoms. I mistakenly remember the people in Liuyuan.
At the fourth watch, the stars are low, the setting moon is in line with the clouds, and in the north wind, there are various birds singing.
At the fifth watch, the chips are sent out, the dawn reflects on the mountain tops, the crows begin to rise on the city walls, and the watchmen quietly go downstairs.
