Luoshui Dongliu

The continuous offensive outside the city, and the support of the city for several days, finally made it difficult for the Xiyan army to advance further.Although the soldiers changed their defenses, they were physically and mentally exhausted after days of fierce fighting. Some soldiers fell asleep in a daze after leaning against the mound of soil to avoid the enemy's stone throwing.

After Gu Yanbin died in battle, Zhao Shen was stationed at the top of Ximen City, and he had seen the pre-war situation in the past few days.Although the long ditch in front blocked the way for the enemy to fight close to the city, but if the sawing continued like this, the defense line would end up with more or less bad luck.It is really difficult to be so determined, to break through the first line before giving up.

At night, a guard came to the city and said in a low voice: "General, everything is ready."

Zhao Shen heard this, nodded and said in a deep voice, "Go down to the city."

A few generals came over and said, "General, be careful."

Zhao Shendao: "You all guard your respective positions, and when the time comes, light the cannon."

Everyone nodded in agreement and watched Zhao Shen go down the city.I saw that the last ray of light in the sky was also swallowed up by the dark night, like the streamer of giant eyes of a candle dragon and strange beast hidden behind the eyelids.

Seeing Zhao Shen going down the city, the soldiers gathered around one after another. Zhao Shen asked, "Have the scouts been dispatched?"

The gate guard said: "Yes."

Zhao Shen turned to ask again: "Is everything ready?"

A small school beside him said: "It's all ready."

Zhao Shen nodded and said, "Leave the city."

It was already the end of the month, and the waning moon was as thin as a hook line, like a cold and hard incision nailed on the stone wall in a Buddhist cave.The guard led Qing Zai, Zhao Shen waved his hand lightly and said: "No need." After saying that, following behind the soldiers leaving the city, the guards were slightly taken aback, and hurriedly followed out.

Seeing Zhao Shen coming, the general in charge in the long ditch was also a little startled, and said: "Why did the general come in person?"

Zhao Shen didn't answer, but said: "They will still come tonight."

The general said: "I will come, they will wait for an opportunity to attack every night, and there will always be one in this night."

Zhao Shen looked up at the dim stars and moon in the night sky, and said, "Okay, then wait."

For a long time, I heard the bang of the second watch knocking in the city, but there was still no movement outside, and everyone was a little impatient.Zhao Shen paced back and forth ten steps in the long ditch silently, stroking the hilt of his sword with his fingers.A soldier said: "If the Xiyan army doesn't come to harass you tonight?"

The general shouted in a low voice: "Don't be lazy."

Zhao Shen stopped walking and said: "If there is still no movement after the third watch, the city will send the letter cannon."

The voice fell, but the soldier who was listening to the sound stood up and called softly: "There is movement."

But he said that it was the Xiyan army who came up from the opposite side. Because it was a night attack, they didn't light a torch, so they could only hear the rustling of footsteps in the trench.Afterwards, the officers of the two supervisory teams looked at the situation and talked in a low voice. One said: "It's like this every day, but I always return without success. It's really annoying. I don't know how long this will last?" The other laughed. : "You're so restless. They defend with a hundred secrets and one omission, and they lose. We fail a hundred times, but once we succeed, we're done. What are you in a hurry for?"

While talking, they all looked forward, and saw that there was no movement in the long ditch below the city, the officer smiled and said: "I saw it as a good omen, the front team is so close, it seems that no one inside has noticed. That's why it is said that the bowstring is pulled to a tight place every day, and it will break one day. They are exhausted, and they will inevitably be negligent and slack."

At this time, the soldiers of the Xiyan Army had climbed out of the ditch one after another. Hearing the leader's whistle, they were about to take action, but suddenly saw that the long ditch in front of them was brightly lit.Everyone was blinded by the bright fire, and saw grass balls the size of a person's arms on the high place in front of the long ditch, and there was also the smell of pine oil in the air.The soldiers in the ditch stabbed the torch into the goal, and swung their knives to cut off the rope fixed on the grass ball.The flame ignited the whole grass ball from the inside to the outside in a blink of an eye. The rope was broken and lost its restraint. It rolled forward along the terrain, bringing the whistling of the wind, which made the fire more intense, just like a monster with its teeth and claws coming from it. Up and down.It was completely unexpected for the Xiyan soldiers to see such a situation.Seeing the fireball rushing in front of him, he was startled by the thick black smoke and dust of the blazing flames and fled in all directions.Some people's robes were scorched by the fire, struggling and jumping in the fire, screaming and screaming.The generals staying at the head of Luocheng City were overjoyed to see the situation, and hurriedly ordered: "Sign up the cannons, hurry up and trust the cannons."

There was a burst of joy in the long ditch, everyone felt that after a few days of hard fighting, seeing the situation at this time was a joy.

A guard said to Zhao Shen with a smile: "The general is too calm, so there is no joy in this scene?"

Zhao Shen smiled slightly: "Happiness doesn't mean smiling. You guys are so happy this time. I'm still waiting to see what happens next."

Everyone heard that there was "behind", but they didn't know why. A general asked, "Does the general want to pursue?"

Zhao Shen raised his eyes and saw the three bright letter cannons that had risen into the air, he couldn't help but clenched the hilt of the sword tightly, and said in a serious tone: "No."

Everyone didn't know what he was waiting for, but they saw that the fireball had gone far behind the Xiyan army, and some of them rolled and stopped at the present moment, especially the forage had not been burned out, and they were still raging unceasingly.Everyone was puzzled, but seeing Zhao Shen staring straight into the distance, he didn't dare to ask for a moment.

After a while, a sharp-eyed soldier suddenly asked suspiciously: "How could this fireball travel so far? Where did it catch fire?"

A few miles away, there is indeed a cluster of flames flickering, as if they are in the Xiyan military camp.Zhao Shen also saw that the stone-like cold lines on his face gradually softened, and the orange fire reflected in his eyes a little warmth, he smiled slightly and said, "Go back to the city."

When the people in the city saw Zhao Shen came back, they stepped forward and said, "I see that the enemy's camp is on fire."

Zhao Shendao: "I saw it. I'm waiting for the report on how the situation is."

Now that Luo City has been besieged for more than four months, the two sides have resorted to many tricks, going around and returning to this city.If it was two months ago, Zhao Shen would not be afraid to fight slowly, but now that the city has been besieged for a long time and there is no foreign aid, it is not easy to make the enemy retreat with a passive defense.The new wheat harvested in May in the Guanlong area should have been transported to the frontline army by this time.The Xiyan army has backup support, but there is no new food in the city, and they can't consume it endlessly.The only way out is to drag the enemy army into the predicament of insufficient food and grass, and shake their permanent heart.

It turned out that two days ago, Zhao Shen sent a team of capable scouts to infiltrate the Xiyan army camp, looking for a place to stockpile food and grass.It was also agreed that tonight, under the name of Xinpao, the enemy's supplies would be set on fire.This is indeed extremely difficult, and no one can tell whether it can be done, but it's just that when it comes to this, you have to try it.

Just now, Zhao Shen created a chaotic momentum in front of the formation, also in order to transfer the attention of the scouts to the Xiyan Army.Seeing the fire in the enemy's barracks at this moment, I feel that the cold air in my heart has been simmered and warmed up for several days. If this can be done, the city will have hope of survival.

He was secretly relieved when he saw a scout rushing over, his face covered in smoke and dust, he almost staggered and fell to the ground, raised his head and shouted: "It's caught!"

Zhao Shen asked anxiously, "How many grain stores were burned?"

The scout said: "It's just burning, but it's not a grain store. It looks like the outside, but there is no grain in the inside."

As soon as these words came out, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.Zhao Shen seemed to be walking in the mountains and stepped on the ground, his heart was broken and rolled several times, and he sank to the bottom.Such a risky move to go deep into the enemy's rear can be a lucky success if it is caught by surprise for the first time, but if it misses this time, it will be difficult to have another chance in the future.Unwilling and disappointed in his heart, he secretly clenched his fists and said coldly for a while, "Cunning."

The general at the side persuaded in a low voice: "General, don't be too upset. Even if they didn't cut off their food supply, the urgent need for the city has been solved. Everything can be discussed in the long run."

Zhao Shen stared at the flames dancing under the night, the soldiers of the enemy camp were already going back and forth to put out the fire, but the fire was raging, and it was still burning for a while.He almost gritted his teeth in secret, after all he couldn't stop his silent long sigh, and because he had lowered everyone's morale, he forced himself to smile, "Why did I ever get annoyed?"

The Xiyan army was attacked in front of the formation, and the camp was on fire, and all the soldiers were a little flustered.After hearing the guard's report, Yu Chiyuan said that only a few empty stores were burned and no food was damaged, so he felt relieved.Turning his head to Pei Yu, he said, "Fortunately, when the army rations arrive, the supervising army made such an arrangement to set up a ecstasy array. Now that the old rations are running low, if the new rations are burned, what should we do? But I don't understand. How do you know that Zhao Shen is coming to cook food?"

Pei Yu said: "How could I not predict the foretelling? It's just that after a long time, I have to leave some room for everything. As the general said, this food and grass are the basis of victory or defeat, so naturally we should be more careful. But I don't know which one he will recognize. Grain stacks? This is also where God will help me."

Seeing Yu Chiyuan sighing with emotion like the rest of his life after a catastrophe, he couldn't help laughing and said: "The general can see from this incident how much chance of winning?"

Yu Chiyuan said: "Why?"

Pei Yu said: "Zhao Shen has already started to get anxious." Seeing that Yu Chiyuan was still puzzled, he said again: "The reason he did this is probably because there is already a shortage of military supplies in the city, so he is in a hurry to destroy our food supply so that we can hurry up. let's go."

Yu Chiyuan thought for a while, nodded and said: "Yes," he also smiled, "He doesn't have it but I have it, that's why I'm so jealous."

Pei Yu said: "The more anxious he is, the more stable we need to be. When he makes trouble in his busy schedule, it is our chance." After thinking for a while, he said, "Besides attacking the city now, there is one thing that we must be on guard against. It was taken advantage of by Zhao Shen."

Yu Chiyuan asked: "But what?"

Pei Yu got up and walked in the road tent, looked down at the large map laid out on the ground, took two steps before standing still, and lightly tapped a mark outside Luo City with his jaw, and said lightly: "It's time to harvest rice .”

The night was full of chaos, until the sky became pale, and then the silence subsided.The flames in the sky outside the city were gradually extinguished, and the turbulent wind passed by, the black and ash of the grass and trees drifted around, and the smell of fireworks in the air lingered for a long time.

Li Shoude came to the city and said: "The number of soldiers lost in the past few days has been reported: more than 340 dead, more than [-] seriously injured, and lightly injured are not counted."

Everyone silently estimated that since the war started after the Obon Festival, the total number of casualties in the city has reached nearly a thousand.Zhao Shen asked: "Can the body of the deceased be found?"

Li Shoude said: "Most of them were scattered in front of the battle; those who were seriously injured and died after entering the city, their bodies were placed in the tomb area in the east of the city, waiting for burial."

Cheng Chude and others said: "The soldiers in front of the battle are fighting for their lives, and the conditions of the dead and wounded are also tragic. The corpses are buried for a while, and I can't be separated from the city guards, and I can't make it in time to pay homage, so I ask the general to send us a hero."

Zhao Shen said solemnly: "This is natural."

At that moment, everyone went down to the city separately, Zhao Shenben also turned around and wanted to leave, but when he turned his head and saw Xie Rang and Li Shoude lingering, their expressions also showed hesitation, he couldn't help asking: "What is it?"

Xie Rang's complexion became more and more serious, Li Shoude saw Zhao Shen's brows furrowed, and finally said in a low tone: "General Du Rong... died last night."

Zhao Shen had already stepped forward, when he heard these words, his whole body was frozen with frost, he suddenly stopped and turned his head, the frightened light in his eyes seemed to flicker, his lips moved for a while, and he said: "What?"

After Du Rong vomited blood that day, his situation went from bad to worse, and he fell asleep for half of the day.Only yesterday evening, the spirit suddenly improved. The medical officer knew that this was a sign of returning to the light, and hurriedly sent someone to report it.At that time Zhao Shen was in the city, everyone knew that they should not disturb him with this matter.It was Li Shoude who came all of a sudden.

Li and Du had a quarrel in the camp that day.Now that Li Shoude knew Du Rong's character, he was full of admiration and regret in his heart. Naturally, he had no quarrel with the previous incident. Seeing Du Rong's behavior made him feel even more sad. He leaned forward and said, "I offended the general in the past, and today I am here to speak out." Offended." Seeing that Du Rong only smiled and shook his head, he said again, "Who else do you have to say to the general?"

After a while, I heard Du Rong's intermittent voice saying: "I have been away from home since I was young, and I have done this all my life. I don't need to confess before I die. As long as I have an upright gentleman to send me off at this moment, this journey will be easy." After panting for a long time, he closed his eyes and smiled lightly, and then remained silent.

In this life, he has never been a famous general in his childhood aspirations, but he seems to have no regrets or troubles.He will pass away, and there will be no panic of not knowing where to go.At this moment, what appeared in front of his eyes were the continuous peaks of Mianshan Mountain, the winding stream at the foot of the mountain, the rustling of the lush trees beside the stream, and the children playing under the trees running all the way home. His bride and family.

The dead have been dead for a hundred years, how many heroes can be known to future generations in this noisy world?Heroes are never born in the world, but the righteous way in the world is finally stepped on by the feet of countless unknown mortals who have lived and died, and let the wind and clouds change. Their shoulders are the backbone of the world.

Now, the young man who was full of yearning for the white horse and light fur when he left home, has gone through the vicissitudes of the world, and his soul can finally return to the hometown he has dreamed of without any regrets.

Recalling the scene at that time, Li Shoude couldn't help but sigh in his heart.He said in his mouth: "General Du went peacefully and calmly, just like going to sleep." After speaking, I felt that there was no sound in my throat.After a long silence, Zhao Shen's black pupils became brighter and brighter in the twilight of the morning sun, like the crystal water drops on the stems and leaves of the grass in the cool morning.

Life is like morning dew, and the dead should weep with long songs.

At this moment, Zhao Shen's mind was filled with thousands of thoughts like thundering waves, which forced his breath to surge.He has been in the army for ten years, and he has never been afraid of blood on the white blade, because he firmly believes that the blade will eventually be held in his own hands.Today, however, all he could see was that his comrades were killed by sharp knives, and he knew that the pain of being a general was just like what he was doing now, with blunt knives cutting his flesh into his heart.

This kind of self-blame and pain is worse than entering the enemy's camp and being pierced by thousands of arrows.However, this kind of self-blame and pain is exactly the fate that he can never escape and resist.Once upon a time, there was no Zhao Shen in this world, there were only generals guarding Luo City.

As the sun rose, the frenzied heart wave finally receded silently in front of the solid embankment standing silently.However, every step of the receding waves was like stepping on a sharp knife, leaving no trace or blood, and every step of the way pierced the heart.

The young general stood upright in silence, his eyelashes were slightly moistened by the mist, but the tears of grief and indignation that had filled his eyes were only contained but not shed after all.

Outside the tomb area of ​​Dongcheng, soldiers have moved back and forth to bury the corpse in the tomb.The newly opened soil smelled like roots and roots, and the early morning dew wet everyone's boots and robes.Zhou Gan led the horse to Zhao Shen's side and said softly, "General?"

Zhao Shen turned his head and asked, "What time is it?"

Zhou Qiandao: "It's almost time, and everyone is ready to raise their accounts when they think about it."

Zhao Shen looked at Liile Xinfen, took Qing Zhui's rein and nodded, "Yes."

The cloud of the predicament of the siege lingers on, no matter how many difficulties, he can't help but linger and feel sentimental.Zhao Shen got on his horse, shouted "Let's go!", and went towards the camp of the Chinese army.

The summer heat is not over, and the autumn coolness is coming, it is the time when the sky is high and the clouds are light; suddenly the singing of geese resounds in the sky, and the long singing is long and far away, just like the ancient national style of Zheng Wei:

The sun and the moon are eliminated, and there is no worry

The sun and the moon move forward, without the shape of Laozi

The past is gone, the Nanshan is steep

The mountains are swaying, and the Hu can't see his return

Going and going, the gangsters are tired and regretful

Come home, come home, my heart is broken

Looking at the sun and the moon, leisurely I think

Looking up at the sun and the moon, walking on my own

Zhao Shen looked back suddenly, and saw a flock of geese flying overhead, like soldiers marching in formation.At that moment, he couldn't help being stunned, it turned out that they never left, they all turned into this flock of wild geese flying south.

The author has something to say:

The flaming grass ball is a reference to a scene from the movie Hector's Night Attack on Troy

The last paragraph of pseudo-poetry is based on the memorial eulogy of the fallen in World War I: They will never grow old, when we living people are old; the years cannot make them tired, and the years will not make them feel guilty.Sunrise and sunset, we remember them forever.The imitation of the Book of Songs is really not like...2000 years ago, I was also illiterate OTL