A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 642
Seeing the tragic death of Zhao Zhizhou, Liu Niang was a little at a loss. Sun Shoubei, who was domineering in the city, became a rebel army in an instant. What to do, what to do with the eldest daughter and the second daughter?
Just like this young couple, seeing Zhao Zhizhou and a group of gentry being executed by the soldiers, the dense crowd of people in the audience were either terrified or numb, or some people applauded loudly, but everyone felt that the future was unpredictable and full of endless loss .

A few days later, Li Zicheng led his army to leave Yuzhou City, which had been demolished. When he left, his army had tens of thousands more "soldiers and horses". Nanny, follow the army.

……

A few days later, after easily capturing Nanzhao City, Li Zicheng's army, which was even stronger, marched mightily towards Nanyang Fucheng.

On this day, the army camped by Yushui. In a dilapidated mountain temple that was used as one of the camps, Yang Yuanfa, Li Liuniang, and a few neighbors gathered around a small bonfire to keep warm and rest. Everyone was unkempt and ragged. , They wrapped the bedding tightly and curled up, hoping that this would make them warmer.

Liu Niang, clinging to her husband tightly, and in her arms, the eldest daughter and the second daughter slept soundly, but their small faces were getting paler and thinner, and they often trekked and suffered from hunger and hunger. Xiaowa can bear it?The body is so bad.

At this time, Liu Niang's hair was like a hen's coop, and it was turning yellow with time. She hugged her two daughters, her eyes were full of worry and despair. If she continued to starve like this, what would happen to the eldest and second daughter?
"hiss……"

Yang Yuanfa, who was next to him, groaned again, and saw pus and blood oozing from his left arm. In just a short time, his hair was disheveled like hemp, and his temples were much grayer, and the padded jacket on his body was riddled with holes. .

Seeing her husband frowning and gritted his teeth to endure, Liu Niang was even more worried. After suffering the knife wound that day, because there was no medical treatment, the wound on Yang Yuanfa's left arm became severe and festered.

Regardless of the Yuzhou City at that time or the Nanzhao City later, all the doctors and doctors were taken away. In this Chuangwang army, human lives are worthless, and no one will pay attention to the hungry people who are coerced. If things go on like this, not only the husband The left arm is hard to protect, and it is possible that he will lose his life because of it.

"If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have followed."

Liu Niang cried.

At that time in Yuzhou City, the Chuangjun publicity was very good, and the grain and rice were robbed, and they didn't know how to survive. They were confused and became a member of the coercion.

It's just that when I went to the camp, I realized that it wasn't the case. I had to do a lot of work, and I only drank some gruel every day, and I often drank it once a day, and I had to run day and night to attack the city. ah.

"Be careful."

An old man on the opposite side said, and carefully listened to the surrounding movement.

He is also disheveled, his hair is all white, and his face is wrinkled like an ax chisel. This old man is called Uncle Qian. His old wife died early. He set up a small shop in front of the door. Yuzhou City is empty, so naturally he can't do business. , had no choice but to go with the army.

He was only fifty years old, but at this moment, he looked like he was seventy, and his empty eyes conveyed the despair of life.

He said: "Don't be heard by others, lest someone secretly report."

He sighed: "Don't even think about running away. A few days ago, a few people who fell into the grass, that is, people who ran away, were cut alive. In the rebel army, it is strictly forbidden for anyone to run away."

Liu Niang didn't dare to speak anymore, and everyone was also afraid. People say that people who kill a thousand people often refer to people who have committed the most heinous crimes. But the few people who were cut to death a few days ago were just ordinary Yuzhou people, who didn't do anything. What a bad thing happened.

Uncle Qian knew that they were neighbors, and they met and greeted each other on weekdays.

Everyone dared not talk about this matter, and turned to other things.

At this time, there were two men sitting next to Uncle Qian, one was in his 40s, he was simple and honest, he was a tenant farmer, and he was called Uncle Wen.

The other one, in his 20s, looked smarter, but he was a waiter in a teahouse. He was usually called Liuzi, and his aunts and children sat next to them. Both male and female, they were all covered in dust and dirt, and all of them looked disheveled.

"Soon, Nanyang Mansion will be attacked. I don't know if it will be a good idea to fight against the city."

Uncle Wen said it stupidly.

"It should be easy to fight, right?"

The six sons said: "Didn't everyone say that it is easy to attack the city now, and there are often hungry people and Neiying who open the door? Xuzhou, Tongxu, Weishi, and Nanzhao a few days ago, etc., almost all went down with one drum, presumably Fucheng is also the same. Same."

In the past, everyone in the temple hated those who secretly opened the city, but now they have changed their positions, and hope that every time there is a city, someone will open the door.

In this way, they, who are often regarded as the hungry people who are fighting in the front line, will not collapse meaninglessly under the city. Similarly, they also want to live.

"Fucheng is not like a small county town. There are magistrates, county magistrates, councilors and other masters here, not to mention, I heard that there are guards as fierce as tigers in the city."

Uncle Qian sighed heavily, making everyone's complexions heavy.

As fierce as a tiger, he is an outstanding veteran of the Ming Dynasty. Even many ordinary people have heard of his name. When they think about confronting him, they all feel a sense of fear, fearing that many lives will be lost in the capital city.

Uncle Qian lamented: "In troubled times, human lives are worse than dogs. I would rather be a dog of peace than be a person in troubled times."

Several women burst into tears, but Liu Zi's eyes sparkled, and he said: "I think there is still hope for life in the rebel army. Although life is hard now, just look at the department chiefs and sentry chiefs among the hungry people, eating and drinking. Just like us, in the elite battalion, those who are in charge, who are in charge of weapons, and who are in charge of fire are also like ordinary soldiers."

"Isn't it good for everyone to share weal and woe and work together? After fighting a few battles and becoming an elite soldier, you can eat two meals a day, or even three meals a day. It's still a job. It's not like the masters in the city. Spending time and wine, when we are hungry and cold, we are not willing to give any money to the poor."

At this time, the Chuangjun army implemented an egalitarian supply system. All the looted gold, silk, rice millet, pearl shells, etc. were all paid by the master, and all expenses were paid by the master. Even Li Zicheng, when it comes to meals, is rough and shared.

The current system is unimaginably attractive to many people in Ming Dynasty, and because the elite soldiers, that is, the old battalion and the cavalry, are the main force in the battle, they can usually eat three meals a day. Eat two meals.

Hungry people, maybe, but as long as you have fought a few battles, such as how many wall bricks you have chiseled, you can become a regular army.

Yang Yuanfa, who had been silent all this time, sneered: "People, it's all like this. We can share adversity, but we can't share wealth. Now that we are fighting for the country, we naturally want to invite people's hearts. Let's see when the time comes. After sitting in the country, what will it be?" how?"

He sneered: "Besides, the rebel army is running around like this, it's okay to plunder somewhere, but what will happen if the whole world is captured?"

Yang Yuanfa hated this rebel army deeply, but he had no choice but to be coerced into the army, so he could see many things clearly.

The six sons stared: "No way... there will be a way..."

"Be careful."

Uncle Qian coughed again, and after that, there was no voice from the dilapidated mountain temple, only groans and faint weeping.

……

On another ten days, amidst the gunpowder, the majestic Nanyang Fucheng still stood tall. The turrets and enemy towers on the top of the city were still densely packed with Ming troops to defend vigilantly. On the top of the city tower, there was a big flag with the word "Meng" flying, and a big flag with the word "Liu". flag.

After Wang Dou destroyed Zhang Xianzhong, the general army from Yang Sichang who came to Jingzhou was as fierce as a tiger, so he moved to Nanyang. Before Li Zicheng attacked Nanyang, Liu Guangzuo, the deputy general, happened to pass by.

After many days of attack and defense, the depth was two feet and two feet, and the width was four feet and four feet. The water from the Meixi River was injected into the city moat around the city. At this time, most of it was filled. , piled up like a mountain, and the blood flowing from the corpses seemed to converge into rivers.

Li Zicheng was attacking Nanyang day after day. At this time, Nanyang city was surrounded by black and siege troops, which seemed to spread to the end of the world. More and more of them were wearing dark blue military uniforms.

It seems to follow the advice of the servants under his command that Daming is the virtue of fire and needs to use water to overcome fire, so Li Zicheng's army is getting more and more blue.

At this time, Li Zicheng's army began to be divided into five battalions: middle, left, right, front, and rear. Each battalion had several teams, each team had fifty cavalry, and 100 or 150 infantry. Weak hybrid.

Each battalion has its own flag color, the left battalion flag is white, the right battalion flag is red, the front battalion flag is black, the rear battalion flag is yellow, and the uniforms and armors in the army also follow the color of the flags. In history, Li Zicheng attacked the capital. Surrounded by yellow clouds covering the field", most of them refer to the soldiers and horses of the rear battalion.

At this time, Li Zicheng's army was of course not very formal, and generally wore what they had, let alone the hungry people, but regularization was already beginning to appear.

A wave of hungry soldiers retreated, and another wave of offensive was brewing.

In the tide of hungry soldiers, in a group of hungry people, Liu Niang stood numbly, holding a wooden stick in her hand, listening to the whistle in the team always beating loudly, he spoke with a different accent, he seemed to be from Luoyang, and his expression was With a look of ferocity, there was a flag bearer beside him, carrying a blue flag with the word Chuang crookedly written on it.

"The civil and military general advocated righteousness and crusade against the unjust government. This is for the sake of our poor people, so everyone must contribute and fight with all our strength..."

"In the rebel army, they are all brothers and sisters. They eat together and wear clothes together. They are civil and military generals. They eat the same rough food and wear the same clothes. Look at those rich lords, who are arrogant and lustful, and don't care about the life and death of the people at all. In comparison, what do we have to complain about?"

"The military order of the rebel army, the order is prohibited, the former dies, and the latter continues to advance. There is no turning back before the battle. If you don't hear the sound of Mingjin, you are not allowed to return to the camp, and you are not allowed to retreat. Anyone who violates the law will be punished on the spot!"

"Everyone must remember well, don't be beheaded on the spot!"

It seems that these propaganda and agitation are all in the same tone in the camp. The chief of the whistle has followed the script and said it many times. It can be said that he is very familiar with it.

However, what he said didn't have any effect in the team. The tragic attack on Nanyang City was seen by everyone these days.

Those who went to fill the trenches and dig bricks were hit by bullets and arrows, hit by gray bottles, injured by rolling wood and stones, and even worse were hit by artillery.

Those who survived by chance returned to the camp, and most of the wounded died of pain after the incident, and the battalions wailed endlessly.

Thinking about the tragic situation, it is natural to make people feel uneasy.

(End of this chapter)