The cold wind of late autumn blew harder in the night. In the darkness, the outline of the mountains was dim. Around them, a rustling sound arose from footsteps, accompanied by moans that were half pain and half sobbing. The faint scent of blood diffused through the air, and someone fell. Search: \(?Complete? God? Station) Free to read high-quality literature

"...Get up, get up and walk..."

The voice was weak as well. In the darkness, the figure stirred a few times, and someone else went to help. However, the movement soon turned into short cries. Because the cries belonged to a man, they were not long. A man does not easily shed tears, especially a soldier. But for that reason, the brief, stifled sobs seemed all the more tragic and mournful.

In these dark mountains, there were many people walking. Many could sense this scene, but there was nothing they could do. Everyone was moving forward, either alone or supporting each other.

Soon after, a small river blocked their path. Some waded across, while others stopped. They were not far from Qi County. Ning Yi raised his hand. "Let's rest for a bit." Around the formation, many people were clearly too injured to continue.

The right side of Ning Yi's body was also injured. His shoulder and arm had knife wounds, wrapped in bandages. Among the Zhu Ji members around him, some had minor injuries, while others were seriously wounded. Yuwen Feidu was being supported, his body swaying. He had almost fainted a moment ago. He had wounds on his legs, ribs, and back. When he fell during the escape, half of his face was scraped against the ground until it was raw – but that was a minor matter. Physical exhaustion, excessive blood loss, and the subsequent running and trekking meant he could only endure because the masters of Zhu Ji had given him a good physical foundation.

Compared to Yuwen Feidu, some of the Zhu Ji experts knew better how to tap into their own potential and endure injuries. Several people had collapsed suddenly on the way, dying silently from their severe wounds. Before that, nearly a hundred more had been lost in battle. The large carts they had brought were all gone without a trace.

After such a defeat, slaughter, and escape, besides the members of Zhu Ji, Yue Fei, and the remnants of his command, there were also many scattered, fleeing soldiers. Some were wading across the river, while others stopped nearby, subconsciously, seeing Ning Yi and the others stop. Presumably, they had witnessed the bravery of the Zhu Ji members on the battlefield. After the great battle, people scattered across the mountains and fields. Few could maintain their organization by the time they arrived here.

Some things were hard to think about. After spending so long in Qi County, adjusting the Wooden Cannons, they had originally hoped to put them to use. But they were burned in a fire, and nearly half of Zhu Ji had been lost. The remaining members were all wounded and exhausted. It was hard to summarize what they were doing, but if one thought on a grander scale, the strength of one or two hundred thousand men had been lost. Perhaps this would sound better to some.

In the past – at least in the days when Ning Yi had not yet lost heart – he was accustomed to being a decision-maker. But because of this, he understood more and more that if everyone were to be a decision-maker, nothing could be accomplished. He had come to help with only three to five hundred men. Even if he mobilized all the subordinates he could, it would be no more than a thousand in the battlefield area of Bianliang. Despite his disappointment in the quality of the Wu Dynasty's army and his frustration with the whimsical, ever-changing decisions of the court, he was in this position and could only do his job cautiously, pushing forward the policy of clearing the fields step by step. Until the night they deployed their troops, saying they were to cooperate with Yao Pingzhong of the Western Army to raid the camp and launch a major encirclement and annihilation campaign, he had simply followed along. Even if the quality of the Wu Dynasty's army was poor, in the end – they had to fight anyway.

But having suffered such a crushing defeat and being someone who knew many of the capital's secrets, it was impossible to say that he felt no anger in his heart.

After sitting for a while among the short trees, on the withered grass by the small river, he went to check on the wounded around him. Many members of Zhu Ji were martial artists. Even on the battlefield, they carried wound medicine with them, and most had experience with injuries. Many had died of injuries and exhaustion during the pursuit by the Jurchens. Now that they could rest for a while, most of the seriously wounded – as long as they were not yet dead – could be saved.

But naturally, there were exceptions. As Ning Yi passed through the crowd in the dim light, he heard a martial arts instructor named Lin Nian quietly sharing his experiences on how to survive and kill enemies on the battlefield with his disciple. Among the outstanding martial artists of Zhu Ji were people he had previously interacted with, such as Zhu Biao and the Qi brothers, who had been recruited into his command; some of the original leaders from Liangshan, such as the scarred man Nie Shan, who had followed Ning Yi to Mount Lüliang; and some who were green forest men who had come to join them, such as Tian Donghan, the monk Hou Lietang who used a mixed copper staff, and Lin Nian, who used the Five Phoenix Knives.

Among these green forest martial artists, Tian Donghan was honest and steadfast, and even Zhou Tong admired him quite a bit. The formation was passed to Ning Yi through Tian Donghan. Hou Lietang was violent and obsessed with martial arts, but relatively quiet. If he didn't get along with someone, he would simply strike them with his staff. Lin Nian was nearly forty years old, thin, but had a scholarly air about him. He was usually easy-going and well-respected. In the battle just now, he had repeatedly charged into the crowd with his knives, then pulled out companions who were in danger, walking away with large strides, but he had not been injured much, which showed his deep martial arts skills.

Ning Yi also liked martial arts, and he listened to him, in a low voice, telling his disciple, "...You practice these moves repeatedly in the future. On the battlefield, they will give you more chances to save your life..." He walked over, but before long, he heard Lin Nian's disciple say urgently and quietly, "Master! Master!" When he ran over, he saw the middle-aged man leaning against a tree, his head slightly to the side. No matter how the disciple shook him, he did not move.

A wounded Zhu Ji martial artist nearby struggled to come over, checked his breathing, and felt his pulse. After a moment, he shook his head. Ning Yi also squatted down to feel the other man's pulse. "What's wrong? I just heard Master Lin speaking!"

The martial artist shook his head. "Master Lin is exhausted. He practiced martial arts at a young age, and his family was poor. His body had hidden injuries and he had always had a cough. On the battlefield just now...he exhausted himself..."

Ning Yi was slightly stunned. He knew that Lin Nian's family was poor and that he occasionally coughed. After joining Zhu Ji, Ning Yi never mistreated those who risked their lives for him. He paid generous salaries and often prepared meat for those who practiced martial arts. The other man's complexion had been a little better, but in this era, people did not pay much attention to nutrition. Many wealthy people were often pale due to frugality, which was not surprising. At this moment, Ning Yi cursed, "What nonsense." He laid Lin Nian down on the ground and began performing CPR and artificial respiration. He continued for quite some time. The people around him watched in silence and with a hint of confusion. Lin Nian's disciple had already started to cry. Ning Yi finally gave up.

After this ordeal, the wound on his right arm had already started to bleed again.

He sat beside Lin Nian's body for a while, patted the disciple's shoulder, "From now on, you will take care of your master's daughter." Then he stood up and left. When Lin Nian came to join him, he had only brought a daughter who was also thin and skin and bones. He remembered that daughter was also sickly.

This was not the only tragic thing around him. Among the many wounded and dead, some might survive, but they would be half-dead for the rest of their lives, or they might lose their hands or feet. Among the three Qi brothers, Qi Xinyi's left hand had been almost completely severed at the elbow. Although the wound had been bandaged, he had lost too much blood, and his life was in danger. He was one of the wounded who could no longer walk. Qi Xinhan and others went to Qi County first to find trustworthy doctors and people to come for further treatment. Qi Xinyong, who had fought all the way and then tried his best to save his brother, was also seriously injured and unconscious. Ning Yi walked around, but there was nothing he could say. In a sense, he had brought these people to the battlefield. And he was just a tavern owner.

After resting for a while, some Zhu Ji martial artists who still had some strength were treating the wounded for the surrounding scattered soldiers. In the direction of Qi County, however, the night gradually became a little chaotic. Something had happened on the other side of the small river. Only vaguely, in the distance, a faint light appeared, turning the sky crimson. Ning Yi got up and looked a few times, and saw that Yue Fei had also come over with his steel spear. Just as he was about to speak, a figure appeared on the other side of the small river, riding a horse, and then crossed the river.

Of the riders who came, the leader was a Zhu Ji member who had returned to Qi County with Qi Xinhan to find a doctor. Behind him were two men who looked like doctors, but their hair was disheveled and they looked quite disheveled. The man went straight to Ning Yi and reported to Ning Yi anxiously.

"Two Jurchen cavalry units, each a thousand strong, are attacking the Qi County camp. The news of the defeat in front was spread, the garrison in the camp had no intention of fighting, only a few resisted. At this time, the Jurchens are burning and killing everywhere. Qi brothers went to assist the remaining Zhu Ji brothers in transferring the Ministry of Revenue’s data, and asked us to come back first..."

"That's not right!" Yue Fei stepped forward and shouted in a low voice, "The Jurchens are acting so fast, they are definitely not just trying to kill them all... You said the Jurchens are burning and killing everywhere, have they found the location of the rear logistics and supplies of the camp?"

The Zhu Ji member was slightly stunned, but Ning Yi had already reacted: "Their focus is on the grain!"

"I don't know where General Qin is at this time..." Yue Fei said in a low voice, and looked at Ning Yi. In such a defeat, if Qin Shaoqian was still alive and led the remnants back, it seemed that he could turn the tide, at least prevent the Jurchens from looting the bottom of the Qi County camp, but at this time, talking about this matter seemed like the delusion of the incompetent. After all, around here, their subordinates were already wounded and disabled. Even if they realized the Jurchens' intentions, what could they do?

The legion operations of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people cannot be participated in by hundreds of people.

The night was indifferent and restless, and the faint light penetrating the sky from afar seemed to imply something. By the small river, the desolate silence continued. People tried not to make too much noise while walking. But finally, the sound of flint arose, and a torch lit up, shaking in the air. Ning Yi held the torch and walked to a slightly higher place and stuck it on the trunk of a tree.

He was also bandaged, with blood and exhaustion, but he looked at everyone, and finally, he spoke.

"Today's matter has become like this, I may not say anything more, and I shouldn't ask for anything more, but..."

He was silent for a moment: "I still have to say it..."

The firelight illuminated the tragic wounded, and the bodies that were forever silent, but everyone was listening to these words...

****************

In the capital, Cai Jing, Tong Guan and others had caught up with the emperor's convoy. Further away, at Nanxun Gate in the south of Bianliang, the empress's convoy had arrived, and the emperor's uncle, Liang Feng, was ordering the guards to open the gate.

The guard general of Nanxun Gate was named Cao Yan, an unknown young general who was known among his colleagues for being timid, cowardly, and self-protective. However, when the empress's imperial decree arrived this time, he simply hid in the tower and desperately chanted Amitabha, and did not dare to accept the decree for a while, pretending that he was not there. This attitude made the emperor's uncle rush to the tower to scold loudly.

And in the rear, Li Gang's carriage finally caught up with Zhou Zhe's convoy. He placed the carriage across the Imperial Street and knelt on the ground, bowing: "Your sinful minister, Li Gang, requests to see Your Majesty, and begs Your Majesty not to leave the city!"

Zhou Zhe immediately summoned him.

"What crime do you have? I... I didn't really want to leave the city! It's just that the empress was instigated by Liang Feng and persuaded me to make a southern tour. I want to chase her back myself--"

"The Western Army has been defeated, and the Jin people have long premeditated it. At this time, the army will come to kill at any time. If Your Majesty leaves through the south, it will never be safe. Your Majesty, Li Gang begs Your Majesty to return to the palace..."

"I said I wasn't leaving the city!"

Li Gang knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately. In fact, at this time, the status of the literati in the Wu Dynasty was quite high. Although there were occasional kowtowing etiquettes, Li Gang's identity did not require this at all, but because of this, the old man's head was still wrapped with a blood-stained bandage and kept kowtowing. Zhou Zhe had no way to deal with him for a while. And how could Li Gang listen to him saying that he was just chasing the empress? Once he arrived at the city gate, he would probably be coerced to leave by the empress and ministers.

During this stalemate, someone came to report again: "Yan Mingzhao from the Ministry of Rites requests to see you..." This was a fellow from a Qingliu official. As soon as he saw Zhou Zhe, he said loudly: "With the national war ahead, how can Your Majesty abandon the city and flee south—"

Zhou Zhe's face immediately turned red with anger. He ordered people to drag the other person out while scolding. He also took this opportunity to have people pull Li Gang up, saying: "I will deal with this matter first, and then discuss it with the Prime Minister. Just watch!" He was about to order the convoy to move forward, but then there was a commotion: "Tang Ke, the servant of the Ministry of Revenue, requests to see you, Yu Fengzhong of the Ministry of Industry requests to see you, He Jiting requests to see you..."

In the city, streams of power were quickly blocking them.

Zhou Zhe was furious. He threw something out of the car, shouting: "What are they doing! Don't see them—what do they want to do—"

At this time, a confidant eunuch knocked on the window from the side and reported in a low voice: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Cai asked the servants to tell you that there is a curfew tonight, and it is not appropriate to disturb the people..."

He emphasized the words "curfew". After Zhou Zhe heard this, his eyes lit up...

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