King Jiang Mingwu of Dongpei fled, and the eldest king Ji Jiang Yiqiong, who died for his country, was beheaded in his place and the flag was sacrificed. The flag of King Zi was hung on the tower of Jingsu, the capital, to shock both the inside and outside.
After the great victory in this battle, King Lingzi sent two more military orders, asking Zhan Luzhen to escort the prisoners back to the country first, and Zhan Lubo to command the rear army's baggage. He then stated that the prisoners would be escorted in two batches. The implication is self-evident. Metaphor.
Zhan Lu really hated his cowardice, but he was forced by the king's order and on the third day after the Qingming Festival, he ordered the prisoners to be loaded into cars and ready to go.
In addition to Jiang Yixue and other royal princes, Queen Ning Zongmin and several royal ladies were the first to be escorted on the road, each in a prison car, all the way to Lingzi.
…
The prison cars started from Dongpei Palace and headed outside the city. There were about a dozen of them. Except for Jiang Yihu, who was only seven years old, and her mother, they were all alone. They all looked miserable and miserable.
Jiang Yixue was wearing thin clothes and was sitting in the prison car with a dull look in her eyes.
The city is already a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
The level of tragedy was even more serious than what he and Yin Shang saw when they left Dingzhou. There were massacred people and soldiers everywhere, broken corpses were piled randomly on the side, and there were layers of hair on the ground. The black blood stains were washed away by the rain and spilled out from nowhere.
Jiang Yiqiong's head hung on the tower. Her mother, one of Jiang Mingwu's wives, was also in the prison car. As soon as she saw her daughter's pale and defeated face, she let out an extremely painful cry. Screamed and fainted instantly.
Jiang Yixue was startled by the scream, her eyebrows trembled, and she subconsciously looked away, focusing only on the prison car. The numbness spread from her heart to her fingertips.
I don't know how long it took before he moved his hand, carefully reached into his arms, and touched a slightly hard paper package - it was the letter written by Yin Shang to him, the only thing he had left of her in these years. He folded it carefully, wrapped it bit by bit in oil paper, and put it on his body properly and carefully.
He placed his palms on it, breathed out a breath, and finally felt a sense of peace that he had not seen for a long time.
…
After leaving the capital, they were surrounded by a strange scene. Zhan Luzhen seemed to be very dissatisfied with the task of escorting prisoners, and also criticized King Lingzi, so he was not sad, and he never appeared in front of them. However, most of them asked some soldiers to guard them.
After marching for about two or three days, they were not given food, and the chains that locked them were only checked morning and evening every day, and they were left to perish on their own.
By the fourth day, Jiang Yihu, who was still young, was already dizzy from hunger. Coupled with the continuous rain, she inevitably developed a fever. Her mother could only cry to the soldiers around her, hoping that they could see. Give your children a way to survive while they are still young.
Several soldiers saw that Jiang Yihu's face was pale and they were afraid that she was really dead, so they immediately went to report to their superiors and then brought some food.
Most of the food is food stored in the army, that is, naan cakes, wheat rice and other items. In order to be easy to store and transport, almost all of them are dry and hard to swallow. Jiang Yiyu and others eat gold and drink jade from scratch, but they have never eaten such things. , and saw the soldiers throwing food into the prison car like feeding dogs, they were so angry that they threw the food at the other party, claiming that they would rather starve to death than accept such bad food.
The soldiers guarding them were furious, yelling and swearing, and the soldiers couldn't bear to hear the words. The man who was hit stepped forward, put his hand into the prison car, grabbed Jiang Yiyu's hair, and slammed his head against the wood. The pile was smashed, and blood immediately flowed down his face.
The soldier made an evil sound and raised his voice: "You have already become a prisoner, why are you showing off like the prince Wang Qing! I give you food because I think highly of you, so it would be shameless to give you less! If I hadn't brought you to Yoshihao, I would Xing Lun Chu, do you think you can still be alive today? I'm afraid it would have been long ago..."
The man stopped talking, but he meant something. He touched his rough hands from his hair to his face, kneaded him roughly a few times, and then threw him away like garbage.
The soldiers, both male and female, laughed loudly when they heard this. Before leaving, they looked at everyone with sticky eyes. For a while, no one complained anymore, and they all huddled in the wooden cage.
Compared to them, Jiang Yixue was almost calm and composed. No matter how hard it was to swallow, he could still pick it up and eat it in bites. He could also turn a deaf ear to the rage of Jiang Yiyu and others with an indifferent expression.
Jiang Yiyu's prison car was right in front of him. Seeing his attitude, he gnashed his teeth and cursed: "Shameless and no dignity! You also eat the enemy's food, how can you be worthy of being a human being?!"
Jiang Yixue did not argue with him, and even looked at him with some sympathy.
Unexpectedly, this sight made him furious. He supported his scarred body and clung to the wooden cage. He leaned forward and cursed at him: "You don't think someone is coming to save you! Bitch! Bitch! Stop having such wishful thinking." It's gone! No one will come to save you! No one!"
Jiang Yixue stuffed the last bite of food into her mouth, turned slightly sideways, and remained speechless.
Jiang Yiyu had completely lost his appearance as a heir apparent, and was chattering angrily behind him. It was not until the soldiers who had not gone far turned around to shout, that he gradually stopped talking.
Towards night, the army selected a place to camp, and drove wooden stakes in the middle of the camp to tie up the prisoners' carriages and horses. Finally, they checked the chains on their feet or hands one by one.
Perhaps influenced by Zhan Luzhen's attitude towards this matter, the soldiers under his command were extremely perfunctory. They only looked at it briefly and then returned to the camp together.
But no matter how perfunctory they were, the strong wooden cage and chains were not something they, the pampered palace dwellers, could break free of. Even if they broke free, they would not be able to escape from the heavily guarded camp alone.
No matter how you look at it, they are all destined to die.
…
On about the seventh day of the march, there was a lady Wang who refused to eat and fainted from hunger. She was woken up by the soldiers impatiently and she was in a daze. While crying, she stuffed her mouth with food that she had previously disliked.
Not just her, but everyone else too. In such a situation, no one can maintain true peace.
In about five or six days, they will enter the border of Lingzi. The further away from the capital, the more desperate they become. The sword on their heads and the death date that they don't know when will come are all tightly grasped. It tightened their nerves and gave them almost no moment of peace of mind.
Jiang Yixue rubbed the paper bag in her arms, pursed her lips and listened to the crying of collapse not far away.
He didn't know Yin Shang's plan, and he became a little uneasy in this environment for a long time.
Will she come?
She will come...
Maybe it’s Jiang Yiyu’s daily abuse, maybe it’s the increasingly sticky eyes of the soldiers around him, maybe it’s the completely unfamiliar sight around him…
What I believed unswervingly at first is now somewhat shaken.
Zhan Lubo said that he sent people to Qi Hui to negotiate with Yin Shang. What conditions were negotiated that made him so sure that Yin Shang would not come to rescue him?
It was as if there were two voices inside, arguing endlessly in his ears.
——What if Lingzi takes the initiative to form an alliance with her? She will definitely agree.
——But Yin Shang doesn't like Zhan Lubo, nor Lingzi, so she won't nod easily.
——Like it or not, it is a huge help, and it is always worth more than you no matter what.
——But Yin Shang promised me that she would come.
——Your mother also promised you that she would never leave you. How valuable do you think you are, worthy of Yin Shang going against Lingzi to save you?
…
He hugged his knees, his heart heavy, and a trace of despair finally spread, permeating his limbs and bones in an instant.
…
When the last twilight faded from the sky, the army set up camp again and came to check on them one by one.
Jiang Yixue's appearance was too eye-catching, and he was teased several times. When he saw several soldiers approaching, he hugged his knees silently and buried his face in his knees, trying to hide himself.
Those people first walked to Jiang Yiyu's prison car and pulled his legs like pieces of meat to ensure that the chains were firmly locked on his feet. They also teased and touched him a few times with the people around him for a long time. Then he stopped and walked this way.
This kind of thing has happened too many times in the past few days. At first, Jiang Yiyu would struggle violently, but now he was numb and just lying there without any resistance.
A total of four or five people, both men and women, dressed in black armor, walked with chaotic steps to Jiang Yixue's prison car.
Several voices sounded vaguely.
"..."
"This is the man the king named."
"I saw it yesterday, and it looks like a god."
"It's not that exaggerated. You're just bragging."
"If you don't believe it, go ahead and see for yourself."
"The general won't let us get close to him. If you dare, go ahead."
"If you're not tired enough, check it out quickly and leave."
"Isn't this just for a look..."
"..."
Several vague complaints sounded, and a footstep approached his cage. Even though his locked ankles were right in front of him, he still reached in and pulled the chain.
Jiang Yixue flinched and clenched her fists instantly.
Fortunately, the man made no further move. He threw away the chain, looked at his face buried in his knees inquiringly, and then waved the remaining people away.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why don't you say your life is good?"
On the other side, Jiang Yiyu's resentful voice sounded again. He was lying in the prison car, his clothes were messy, his eyes were staring at him, and his mouth was full of hateful words.
Jiang Yixue just pretended not to hear and kept her head buried in her knees, waiting for the soldiers to leave completely.
It wasn't until the sky completely darkened that Jiang Yixue reluctantly relaxed a little. She reached out to touch the paper bag in her arms to confirm its existence, but her heart still couldn't help but sink.
Xu Zhanluzhen's attitude towards them was too casual, and as a result, the soldiers did not pay attention to King Lingzi's orders, and their words and deeds became more and more frivolous and bold. From the beginning, they did not dare to approach his prison car, but now they dare to attack him. If this continues, I don’t know how many more days I can last.
...What should he do if Yin Shang never comes?
He believed in Yin Shang, but things were not absolute. If she didn't arrive in time or was blocked by others, he couldn't let himself be sent to King Lingzi by them.
He has to choose an ending for himself.
A clean ending.
…
Around the time of Guyu, the convoy completely left the Dongpei border town. The moment they left the city, the people who had been gradually numb along the way became excited. They all clutched the wooden cages with gray faces and looked at the city towers farther and farther away.
Leaving this city means completely leaving your homeland.
What’s the road ahead? What’s the road ahead?
How should people who don’t want to die live?
How can a person die if he doesn’t want to live?
…
Heading towards Heliang, looking back thousands of miles, my homeland will never be seen again.
————————————————
"you sure?"
In Shaotianzang Mansion, Yin Shang looked worried and asked with a cold voice.
Lin Boyu, who came to deliver the news, nodded and said, "OK, King Lingzi has sent his trusted guards to pick him up. They have already set off and will meet up with Zhan Luzhen's team in less than three days."
Yin Shang gritted his teeth and said: "The color is like a bone scraper. The Hua Mo has been suffering from alcoholism for decades, but he still can't wake up at all."
Lin Boyu said: "I'm afraid your original plan will not work. If King Lingzi receives the person, it will be even more difficult for us to hijack the car."
Yin Shang originally wanted to wait until Zhan Luzhen entered the border town of Lingzi and relax his vigilance before taking action, but he did not expect that King Lingzi could not wait for several days and hurriedly sent out his guards to get Jiang Yixue.
Yin Shang felt like there was a fire burning in his heart, and he wished he could kill him immediately to vent his anger.
After a long while, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's too late. Let's set off now. I'll let Chengyi and I go over this matter. You'll be in charge of Shaotianzang Mansion."
Lin Boyu responded and asked: "Do you want Qi Huiwei to be dispatched?"
Yin Shang thought for a few moments and then made a decision immediately: "Deploy the Qi Hui Guards from the border city of the Three Kingdoms. The Hui Guards will act and the Qi Guards will stay behind. Do your best. The first thing is to hide your identity and whereabouts. If there is an accident, retreat directly and don't stay. "
"Yes." Lin Boyu saluted, confirmed the order, and walked out the door without stopping.
After giving the instructions, Yin Shang immediately packed up his gear and sent someone to notify Jin Chengyi. The two of them packed lightly and headed for the border of the Three Kingdoms.
…
As if in response to my mood, when I first arrived at the border of the Three Kingdoms, the weather suddenly changed. The originally brilliant sunset faded and turned into layers of clouds, weighing down so heavily that it was almost hard to breathe.
Yin Shang and Jin Chengyi hid in the mountains and forests, walking side by side with the troops escorting the prisoners.
She had already seen Jiang Yixue. His already delicate body seemed to have lost weight. He was leaning numbly on the corner of the cage. Although she couldn't see his face clearly, she knew that he would not be much better.
She gritted her teeth secretly, remembering his porcelain-white appearance the last time they met, and a trace of anger surged in her heart.
In less than half an hour, the sky turned completely dark, and the strong wind roared through the forest, emitting an eerie howl.
In just a few breaths, heavy raindrops fell down, drenching the two of them in an instant. However, Yin and Jin did not react and continued to stare closely at the team at the foot of the hillside.
The heavy rain came so suddenly, and the marching team was a little confused. They had all stopped and were setting up camp in the rain. The prisoners were left aside and unattended for the time being.
Jin Chengyi saw this and said softly: "Why don't you go now?"
Yin Shang shook his head and said, "There are still people around him." The prisoners' prison van was crowded into a pile. If she went down and rescued Jiang Yixue like this, there was no guarantee that his brothers and sisters wouldn't stab him.
Hearing this, Jin Chengyi also felt that it was reasonable and continued to stare at the movements down the slope with her.
About half a quarter of an hour later, several soldiers ran over with something in their hands. Two in a team, they ran to the prison cars one by one and unfolded the things in their hands.
It's oilcloth.
Several prison cars were quickly and tightly wrapped, and the rain became heavier. After the soldiers finished their work, they hurried back to the camp. Only Jiang Yixue lingered and never left.
Yin Shang looked intently and saw a soldier walking behind the prison car. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Jiang Yixue's hair, forcing him to raise his face. Then there was a huge thunder and lightning, and his face was instantly illuminated.
Yin Shang's weapon-holding hand suddenly tightened, using all his strength to restrain himself.
The sky became dark again, and there was only the sound of the heavy rain hitting the ground. The soldier withdrew his hands and seemed to be talking to his comrades on the other side of the prison car. Jiang Yixue broke free from the restraints and shrank into a corner.
Soon, the two of them seemed to have reached some consensus. One by one, they stretched out their hands to pull the oilcloth, tightly covering it on the prison car, and wrapping their own bodies in it.
Yin Shang's heart beat like thunder. He immediately realized what the two men were going to do, and hurriedly lowered his voice and shouted: "Let's go!"
Jin Chengyi rushed down and landed not far from the prison car in an instant.
"The oilcloth hasn't been covered yet?!"
This sound was like thunder, suddenly interrupting the movement inside the oilcloth. Two figures hurriedly lifted the cloth, glanced at him randomly, and immediately lowered their heads with guilt.
Jin Chengyi looked calm and spoke sternly as he continued: "What do you two want to do?! Are you too brave? This is the person the king wants! Come back and receive your punishment!"
"Yes, yes!" Two voices echoed in the darkness. The two nodded randomly and immediately ran past Jin Chengyi towards the camp.
