Great Han Empire

Chapter 165

Li Hong lightly punched Wen Chou, and said to them, "Everyone go to the big tent, Zilong has prepared dinner."

Wen Chou exclaimed: "Forget it, that's also called dinner? A large pancake plus a bowl of rice soup, that's also called dinner. When I was in Xiangguo City, there were six or seven side dishes every night. craft……"

Before he could finish his sentence, Li Hong kicked him, "Your mouth is full of gas. Have you paid off the debt owed by Hutou?"

Wen Chou dodged with a playful smile, and waved his hands again and again: "My lord, don't move your feet, your feet are too powerful. Hey, my lord, how do you know that Hutou didn't pay back the money?"

"He eats so extravagantly at night, but he can't think of the other two meals. His little salary is definitely not enough." Li Hong said with a smile, "Don't expect the tiger's head to pay you back, you should eat."

Wen Chou suddenly said bitterly: "That's my salary for a few months, if he doesn't pay me back, I'm at a big loss."

The crowd laughed wildly.

"Has Lao Guai come?" Li Hong asked Gao Lan.

"Come on, he went to find old man Tian." Gao Lan replied.

"Go for it, I'll talk to an old friend about something." Li Hongfei jumped on Zhang Xi's horse and ran towards Tian Zhong's tent.

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Seeing Laoguai, Li Hong was so happy that he held Laoguai's hand tightly and said, "Did the old man tell you everything?"

Old Guai nodded and said gratefully: "Thank you for your concern. But the brothers must have the same thoughts as me. No one wants to leave Fengyun Cavalry, and no one wants to leave Sir."

Li Hong said slowly: "Old Guai, don't be arrogant. You have to think about it. It's hard work to travel thousands of miles to Xiliang. When you arrive in Xiliang, the battle must be fierce. Take Qianghu and Xiliang people It is very difficult for us to take advantage of the bravery. Is it necessary for you to suffer like this with us? You can take the money and return to Lulongsai or Xuwushan, cultivate your own food, barely make a living, and you can still live. "

Laoguai remained silent.

"We are all brothers in life and death, and I will not hide some things from you. We have won too many battles, and we are too sharp. We have become a thorn in the side of some powerful people in Kyoto, and we must get rid of them quickly. Even if we arrive in Xiliang, I have no way of predicting what will happen. Once we have an accident in Xiliang, we will be defeated or framed by powerful officials in the court, it will be a disaster." Li Hong persuaded earnestly.

Laoguai's eyes were a little moist, and he kept silent.

"How many veterans are there in Lulongsai now?" Li Hong asked.

"After the Yingtao War, there are only more than 70 people left." Laoguai said.

Li Hong let go of Laoguai's hands and sat next to him, silent for a while.

"You go back, at least you have to leave a few people for Mr. Tian, ​​and for Lu Longsai's brothers to look at the grave and sweep the grave. Mr. Zhao Wen's tomb is at Changqing Lake in Yuyang County. Mr. Li Songli, Mr. Wu Zhao Lord Wu’s tomb is in Hengling, Shanggu County. Remember to move them back when you have time. Go back, I’m no longer able to protect you.” Li Hong sighed and said in a low voice, “I came back from Xianbei, I just want to find my family, my parents, and I didn’t expect to lead you to endless killings. Too many brothers died, too many..."

"My lord..." Laoguai wiped away the tears from his eyes and said loudly, "You promised us back then that you would be with us forever. We have no home, no relatives, only Fengyun Cavalry, Fengyun Cavalry is our home, Our relatives, but you want to drive us away now, why? Why don't you keep your promise?"

Li Hong couldn't bear it anymore, tears rolled down his face.

"We are in Lulongsai, Yuyang, Shanggu, and Zhuojun. The conditions are so harsh and dangerous. Your lord led us, didn't we all persevere? Why can't we go to Xiliang? Why?" Laoguai cried , "What are we lame people doing back in Luronse? If we live pitifully, we might as well fight to the death with the adults."

Laoguai stood up suddenly, and shouted at Li Hong: "We will never leave, and we will die with you." After speaking, he turned around and rushed out of the big tent, got on his horse and drove away.

Li Hong held his head and sat on the ground in a daze.

"The people..." Tian Zhong shouted softly.

Li Hong slowly raised his head and looked at him.

"Back then, when you came back from Xianbei with a saber in your hand, you were invincible and full of pride. At that time, everyone thought you were an upright man, so everyone trusted you, and they were willing to fight the world with you, and they were willing to give their lives to you. Where is your arrogance to roam the world now? Why did you go back on the promise you made to Laoguai? What are you worried about?" Tian Zhong asked puzzled.

"When all the brothers give their lives to you, you won't talk like that." Li Hong said sadly, "I'm already too tired, you know? I'm too tired. I often can't control it now My emotions, my temper is getting bigger and bigger, and I feel like I can't hold it anymore."

Tian Zhong widened his eyes and looked at him in surprise.

"You have to be responsible for the lives of your brothers, for their present and future, for their lives, and you must also think about the country, the poor people, the situation in the world, the enemies in front of you, and the The battle that is going on, thinking about the military pay that will be paid to the soldiers soon, and thinking about who will harm us, old man, what will happen to you when you live in such a day every day? Can you hold on?"

Tian Zhong shook his head.

"When I returned to Luronse in the fall of the year before last, I was nothing. What about now? Now I am a general of Zhonglang. In just over a year, so many changes have taken place, just like a dream. Many of us even Things that I never thought about came one after another, making me overwhelmed. Do I have such a great ability?" Li Hong said with a wry smile, "It's like Zuo Feng came to Handan this time, what Zuo Feng said is good, I Who knows that the officialdom is so insidious, the black can be called white, and the dead can be said to be alive."

The two looked at each other speechlessly, both of them felt that they were not suitable for such a game at all.If you don't have this ability, you will be played to death by others sooner or later.

"You have to hold on, otherwise what will we do?" Tian Zhong patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "Take your time, survive this for a while, maybe it will be all right."

Immediately thinking of something, his face changed color and said: "Zimin, you let Yuxing go to Beijing empty-handed, did you..."

"What are you afraid of?" Li Hong said indifferently: "Anyway, they are going to trap me to death, so they don't give me a dime. Who is afraid of whom?"

"Then why did you let Yuxing go to the capital?" Tian Zhong asked strangely, "If you don't bribe the dignitaries in the capital, who will help you intercede with the emperor?"

"Of course not." Li Hong said, "To do this, just bribe Zuo Feng."

"He has been killed by you." Tian Zhong gave him a hard look and said, "I have lived for more than 60 years, and I have never seen you so bold that you dare to kill the court officials, the emperor's envoy. You are still worried about people I think it is true that people are worried about being hacked to death by you."

Li Hong smiled.This smile immediately dilutes a lot of sadness in his heart.

"Yan Wuwei is a horse thief, but he can't change his nature. When he heard that he was going to kill someone, his eyes almost popped out." Tian Zhong laughed, "Will there be any flaws?"

"No. I told him to do it in the territory of Wei County, and no one will be left behind. Zuo Feng's head will be brought back to feed the dogs. In fact, it doesn't matter who killed it. Think about it, I am a spy of the Xianbei people. Do you still care if they say I killed Zuo Feng?"

"That's different." Tian Zhong said: "We can't leave anything behind. Why did you let Yu Xing go to Beijing? Looking for Master Liu?"

"Yes, ask Mr. Liu to hand me a memorial." Li Hong said, "We have arrived in Xiliang, and we don't know when we will be back. I was in the Fanyang camp, and I promised Zhang Baiqi to take them to the border. Guarding the frontiers and farms. It can't work now. After we leave, their situation will become more and more difficult. If they are all killed or rebelled again, it is because of my breaking my promise. I deceived them, so I must Find a way out for them."

"You find a way for them?" Tian Zhong asked in surprise, "What can you do?"

"I suggest that the emperor pardon the world."

Li Hong said, "After the amnesty, they will be innocent. They will no longer stay in prisoner camps to wait for their fate, and they will no longer be sent to the frontier to guard the fields. Everyone can return to their hometowns to farm and farm. Amnesty for the world at this time is also a salvation and relief for the Yellow Turban soldiers who have reached the end of the road. Everyone can drop their weapons without any worries, walk down the Taihang Mountains, and return to their hometown. This is beneficial to the Han Dynasty and has no harm. The emperor should be able to accept this matter. If there are more people farming, the state and county will settle down, the country's taxes will also increase, and the remnants of the Yellow Turban will lose the opportunity to recruit soldiers. This method is so good, will the emperor not agree? ?”

"Your people are really geniuses!" Tian Chong praised, "I'm afraid your main target is the [-] Yellow Turban captives in Youzhou, right?"

Li Hong smiled without saying a word, stood up and said, "I'm leaving, Junyi and Zhengqing are still waiting for me in the big tent?"

"The people..." Tian Zhong wanted to say something, but he didn't say it.

Li Hong walked to the side of the curtain, seeing that Tian Zhong hadn't said anything, he stopped and asked, "Old man, what's the matter?"

"What about Xiao Yu?"

Li Hong felt a pain in his heart, and immediately stayed there.What about Xiaoyu?
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(End of this chapter)