sparse rain chrysanthemum

The river meanders, and the banks are covered with hoarfrost-covered frozen soil, and camps stretch out one after another, with a distance of several miles from the beginning to the end.

Beside the camp, countless soldiers dressed in heavy armor leaned against their beloved horses, holding their weapons and resting there.

There was smoke from the kitchen, countless improvised stoves, and countless large pots were gurgling.

Finally, the soldiers sitting on the ground got up, took out their respective bowls, and formed countless long lines beside the stove.

While it was steaming hot, spoonful after spoonful of porridge was scooped into the bowls held by the soldiers.It is said to be porridge, but it is actually just a few grains of rice floating in a large bowl of clear water. A few lucky ones will get one or two rare wild vegetable leaves.

No wolfing down as usual.The expressions on the faces of the soldiers all changed as they held the "porridge" in their hands.

With a bang, the young soldier threw the bowl in his hand to the ground, and said angrily, "I'm not a bird, even if I feed a stinky bird with these few grains of rice, it won't be enough!"

Before the generals by the stove could yell and curse, there was an endless bang bang sound, and one after another large bowls were thrown to the ground.One after another, the soldiers yelled and cursed.

There are too many people yelling, and the accent is different.Most of the soldiers were illiterate, so when they started cursing, they literally uttered all kinds of dirty words.

There are still a few orders to be an official in time, but there are too many people who start scolding.The voices of the soldiers completely drowned out the voices of the officers.The generals and officers also gradually shut up. After all, they have been hungry for several days, and today they have a few grains of rice with such a clear soup and little water. scold?

The scolding became louder and louder. After being hungry for many days, the long-standing grievances in the army finally broke out until today.

The [-] troops were outraged, and the whole army cursed.The more he scolded, the more his hunger raged, and someone finally said, "Are we going to fight in Yuezi Country or just starve to death in another country? Let's go to Marshal Zhao and ask him for an explanation!"

Having said that, even if I really want to ask the general for an explanation, it still makes the hundred thousand soldiers shrink back a little.After all, Marshal Zhao's majesty...how can he be easily offended?

But we still launched a few leaders, discussed it, and marched to the commander's tent.

But when the soldiers were agitated, someone rushed to report to the commander in chief.

Zhao Jun just nodded, said "Understood", and drank away the left and right people, leaving only his cronies, Leopard Slaves, alone.

Zhao Jun: "There is no news from the person sent to inquire about the news?"

Leopard Slave bowed his head: "I have reported to the Marshal, but there is no reply yet."

Zhao Jun stood up, frowning tightly: "The food and grass escort of the [-] troops behind is such a big event, logically there shouldn't be any mistakes..."

Leopard slave bowed his head and was speechless.

Zhao Jun: "I haven't arrived until now...I'm afraid I can't wait."

"The hearts of the [-] soldiers must be appeased."

Zhao Jun paced back and forth a few steps, and said, "Chuan Cang Officer Zheng Ren."

Zheng Ren, the warehouse officer in charge of grain and grass, rushed to hear the commander calling.

In the huge camp, there were only Zhao Jun and his close friend, Leopard slave.

Zheng Ren knelt down on one leg and saluted: "Your Majesty, Zheng Ren, see the Commander."

Zhao Jun didn't say a word, nor did he make him stand up.

Zheng Ren raised his head: "I don't know if the commander-in-chief summoned his subordinates, what orders do you have?"

Zhao Jun: "Today's grain and grass were distributed by you?"

Zheng Ren was startled, and hurriedly said, "It's true that there is only food and grass left in the army..."

Looking up and meeting the handsome man's gaze, he couldn't help but tremble, and kowtowed: "This subordinate is incompetent!"

Zhao Jun: "You stole the army rations and pocketed the money earned from the rations, which has caused the army's morale to be unstable. What should you do?"

Zheng Ren suddenly raised his head, facing the general, his face was pale: "I beg the general to spare my life. Stealing military rations into private pockets is such a serious crime, even if I have 1 heads, I would not dare to commit such a serious crime."

Zhao Jun finally got up from the large chair covered with tiger skin, walked up to him, and said, "This kind of serious crime, you only need one head."

Zheng Ren immediately understood everything, his voice trembled a little, and he called out "Marshal", but he couldn't continue.

The commander-in-chief understood that he wanted to use his head to appease the army's anger.

The Marshal has this intention, so what can he do as a small warehouse official?

Zhao Jun sighed: "You are a smart person, you should know how to do it. Don't worry, after you die, your parents, wife and children will naturally take care of you when I return to the imperial capital."

Zheng Ren bowed his head solemnly: "Thank you, Commander, for your kindness."

When the selected generals arrived in front of the marshal's camp, it happened that Zheng Ren, the warehouse officer in charge of grain and grass, was pushed out of the camp by the marshal's personal guard, the leopard slave.

Zheng Ren's face was pale, and he fell to the ground without saying a word.

The Leopard Slave said loudly: "The warehouse officer Zheng Ren stole military rations privately and filled his pockets. The commander ordered that according to the military law, take his head!"

After finishing speaking, he raised the knife and fell, and chopped off the sinner's head.

Zheng Ren's head was hung high on the pole.His crime of "stealing military rations" also spread throughout the army.

After the marshal gave such an explanation, the public anger subsided for the time being.

However, the food and grass in the army has already run out.

This news cannot be concealed at all.

Without food, this [-] army will change sooner or later.

Hungry bellies can't wait for long, and life in the army will change, and the consequences will be disastrous.

Inside the camp, Zhao Jun suddenly asked, "Does Zheng Ren only have one son?"

Leopard slave: "Reporting to the commander, the only son of the Zheng family is named Yuhe, and he is extremely incompetent. He only loves whoring and gambling."

Zhao Jun: "Whether it's a success or not, I'll find out after I go back. It's best if I can learn well, but if I can't, we must ensure that Zheng Ren's only son has no worries about food and clothing in this life."

Leopard slave: "The commander is thoughtful, and Zheng Ren knows the truth, and he should be grateful."

Zhao Jun snorted: "How can there be so much gratitude. Why should you force others to be grateful when you are alive?"

Leopard slave bowed his head and said nothing.

Zhao Jun: "Using the method learned in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" to calm the anger in the army is only temporary. In the end, we still have to find a way to find something to feed the stomachs of the [-] troops."

"The food is gone, and the grass is gone. Those thousands of war horses can't eat grass, aren't they also starving like their masters?"

Leopard slave: "Don't worry, commander, it's definitely not the turn of the white-hoofed crow to starve."

Zhao Jun snorted, and the leopard slave fell silent.

Zhao Jun seemed to be talking to himself: "At this point, maybe this is the only way out."

Weeds are scarce here, and the follow-up food and grass can't keep up. Thousands of horses have been hungry for many days like their masters, and they can't stop whining.

The head of Zheng Ren, the warehouse official, was still hanging on the top of the high pole, his eyes were closed tightly, and it was covered with blood.

Even if it can quell public anger, it is only temporary.

If we can't solve the problem of feeding the [-] troops, how can we stabilize the morale of the troops and move forward?

All the soldiers were hungry, but they just sat there weakly, as if they didn't even have the energy to curse.Gradually, some people began to sing the songs of their hometown, and more and more people sang, either crooning or singing loudly.It seems that in the hunger, the future is uncertain, life and death are unpredictable, but there is a lot of desolation and sadness in the singing.All of a sudden, the entire camp burst into mourning.

Zhao Jun heard the singing outside the tent, stood up, and walked outside the tent.Timely night has come, the torches are dotted, the faces of countless soldiers are hidden in the darkness, and the singing is infinitely bleak.

Zhao Jun stood with his hands behind his back, and in the desolate night, he finally issued an order: "Kill the horses, use them as rations for the army!"

The commander-in-chief's order came out, and the singing finally stopped.Everyone couldn't believe their ears. Most of these soldiers loved horses like their lives. Even though they were starving, they were determined not to kill their beloved horses to satisfy their hunger.

Many marshals have already followed to pull the horse, but the owner of the horse desperately stopped him.

For a while, horses neighed and people roared, and it was a mess.

Zhao Jun made a gesture, and the leopard slave beside him roared: "All generals obey orders!"

There was a sudden silence, and all eyes were on the commander-in-chief.

Zhao Jun's armor was clattering, and he stepped up to the high platform. Looking at the countless soldiers and soldiers in front of him, he said loudly: "You all have your own parents, wives and children in your hometown, and your parents, wives and children are thinking about it day and night. , looking forward to your return to your hometown in good health."

"Of course, none of the soldiers in Daheng would be willing to be deserters who were cast aside by the villagers. A hundred thousand hot-blooded men, who came all the way here, naturally wanted to win a beautiful battle! Naturally, they had to return in a glorious manner. home!"

"Killing horses for food is Zhao Jun's last resort. No one is willing to travel thousands of miles to go to war hungry, and no one is willing to starve to death in another country before going to the battlefield!"

"I, Zhao Jun, have been in the army all my life, so I naturally know the significance of war horses to the soldiers. I naturally know that these horses that have been with the soldiers for a long time are the heart and soul of the soldiers."

"I know that everyone can't kill their beloved horse, but there is always one person who takes the lead. As the commander, I, Zhao Jun, should set an example."

Having said that, pause.Finally, he spoke: "Leopard slave, bring the white-hoofed crow here."

Leopard Slave called out, "Marshal." But he couldn't continue.

What kind of war horse is the white-hoofed crow, how can it be compared with those ordinary horses?

But in front of the army, how can the commander break his promise?

Leopard slave didn't say much, and soon brought the world-famous white-hoofed crow over.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers held their breaths, all of them staring at the magnificent white-hoofed crow and the owner of the horse, Marshal Zhao, without blinking.

The head and tail of the white-hoofed crow are more than eight feet long. The fur of the whole body is like black satin, but the four hooves are snow-white. It is known as the "dragon among horses" and even "the number one BMW in the world".

When ordinary soldiers see this "BMW", they can only envy them in private.But now...

Such a truly rare horse is really going to be killed and boiled in a pot?

Everyone, for a while, did not dare to breathe.

Even if he was violent, he was forced by the situation and there was nothing he could do.

When the white-hoofed crow saw its master, its golden eyes shone brightly, and it rushed towards the master in a blink of an eye, rubbing against each other, very affectionate.

Zhao Jun stretched out his hand to stroke the erected mane, from the head to the back of the horse...Suddenly, with force, he grabbed hold of it...

The white-hoofed crow grieved in pain, and looked at its master, but its eyes were full of confusion.

Many people could see the strangeness on the handsome face.

However, the commander's strange expression also disappeared in a flash, and soon regained his majesty.

As soon as Zhao Jun closed his eyes, he raised the knife and dropped it——

The general's saber technique was so fast that the white-hoofed crow was decapitated before it could hiss.

The black horse's head rolled to the ground in an instant, and blood sprayed all over the owner's body at the horse's neck.

Covered in horse blood, Zhao Jun ordered in a deep voice: "Kill a hundred war horses to use as rations for the army."

This time, no one really spoke.Immediately, almost a hundred war horses were pulled out, and they were killed by the sword one after another.

For a while, the horse's wail was endless, and it was extremely miserable in the vast night.

What the owner of the horse heard in his ears and what he saw in his eyes couldn't stand the misery, and couldn't help crying bitterly.

Gradually, more and more people cried.

Only a hundred horses died, but hundreds of soldiers cried.

Amidst the crying, Zhao Jun was covered in blood. Looking at the soldiers who were crying bitterly, he suddenly raised his sword and said loudly: "A good man should take it as his duty to protect his family and the country, cry for the country, cry for the king, and cry for his parents and wives." How can you cry for mere horses!"

The crying stopped.

Facing countless subordinates, Zhao Jun said: "If you are full and have strength, you can fight a beautiful and big victory. On the day of triumph, there will be countless good horses for me to gallop. It’s not just these mere horses. On the day of triumph, every man present, who returns to his homeland, will be a hero who can glorify his ancestors!”

All the soldiers said nothing.

Zhao Jun shouted loudly: "Do you have the determination to honor your ancestors?"

The one who answered him was the one hundred thousand troops shouting in unison: "Yes!"

This "Yes!" was really a loud roar.

Zhao Jun put down his sword and sent an order: "Bury the pot and make rice!"

Countless fires were rekindled, and the horses that had just died, still warm, were cut into pieces, with hair and blood, and thrown into the boiling pot.

Not many seasons, the smell of cooked meat and the smell of raw blood are intertwined, permeating, permeating the sky over the entire camp.

The leopard slave entered the marshal's tent with a large bowl of overcooked horse meat, but saw the marshal sitting on a tiger leather chair, staring at the horsewhip in his hand that had been used for many years, in a daze.

The commander-in-chief never seemed to be in a daze like this.Leopard slave sighed, not daring to say more.He just put the bowl of horse meat gently in front of the Marshal, and whispered: "Marshal, it's time for dinner."

Zhao Jun finally shifted his gaze from the whip to the bowl of horse meat, and said blankly, "This bowl... is white-hoofed black?"

Leopard Slave quickly replied: "Of course not, it's another war horse..."

He didn't go on talking, but saw the commander move his arm and slam his whip——

There was a loud bang, and the whole big case was split in two by the whip.

The steaming bowl of horse meat also rolled to the ground and scattered all over the floor.

The author has something to say: Note:

However, it is said that Cao Bing has 17 soldiers, who spend a lot of food every day, and the counties are desolate and droughty, and the relief is insufficient.Cao urged the army to fight quickly, and Li Feng and others stayed behind closed doors.Cao Jun refused for more than a month, and the food was about to run out. He wrote to Sun Ce and borrowed [-] hu of grain and rice, which was not enough for distribution.The grain officer, Ren Jun's subordinate warehouse officer, Wang Hou, reported to Cao Cao, "There are too many soldiers and little food, so what should I do?" How?" Cao Cao said, "I have my own plan." Gou obeyed his order and scattered them with small dendrobiums.Cao secretly asked people to inquire in different villages, and they all complained that the prime minister was deceiving everyone.Cao Naimi called Wang Ge in and said: "I want to ask you to borrow something to suppress the hearts of the people, so you must not be stingy." Ge said: "What do you want the prime minister to use?" Cao Cao said: "I want to borrow your head to show everyone's ears. ’” Hou was shocked and said, “I’m not guilty!” Cao Cao said, “I know you’re not guilty, but if you don’t kill you, the army will change. After you die, I’ll take care of your wife, so don’t worry about it.” When Hou was about to speak again, Cao Zao called out his sword and axe and pushed out the door, cut it with a knife, hung his head high, and posted a notice saying: "Wang Hou is a small dendrobium, stealing official food, and I follow the military law." So the grievances began to be resolved.

－－－No.17 Returning to Yuan Gonglu, the Seventh Army, Cao Mengde and the Three Generals

Killing Zheng Ren is exactly the plot of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

I am usually least interested in the military and the like. This chapter always feels like I can’t write that kind of taste.Originally, I wanted to shape Zhao Jun's "general demeanor", but it didn't seem to work...

I feel that this chapter is a bit "hasty".

Crawl away in sweat.