In the hot summer, the sun is high in the sky, there is not a cloud in the sky, and the vast grassland is exposed, making the heat especially unbearable.
The troops of both sides were fighting fiercely, and both were blood-thirsty.
The enemy is numerous and we are few, the soldiers gritted their teeth and held on, "Kill!"
The Northern Tribe leader sat in the rear, excitedly commanding his men, shouting in Tribe language, "Today's a rare opportunity. We must wipe them out and show them what happens if they set foot on our grasslands!"
Men roared, horses neighed, swords and spears clashed, the sound of weapons piercing flesh, the faint sound of blood splattering, the rustle of falling horses, screams of pain, the groans of the dying... Blood splattered everywhere, corpses lay scattered across the grassland. The grassland had become a battlefield, green grass trampled by horses' hooves, green leaves stained with blood, which dripped and soaked the soil.
As the reinforcements did not show up for a long time, the soldiers of Dagan could not help but feel uneasy and became more and more impatient, fighting with gritted teeth.
Seeing this, Guo Honglei looked around the battlefield several times. After careful consideration, he made a decisive move. He rode his horse closer to Tong Jing and another general and solemnly proposed, "If we continue fighting like this, our chances of victory are slim. We must find a solution."
"This group of thieves set up an ambush and surrounded us, but they're taking their time. It's clear they're sapping our energy and morale." Tong Jing frowned and gritted his teeth, saying, "We must not let them succeed!"
Another general, sweating profusely and panting, asked, "Alas, I don't know when the reinforcements will arrive. Captain, what's the best plan? Please tell us quickly. The enemy soldiers are fighting endlessly, and we, we are afraid that we will all be wiped out in this damn place."
While killing the enemy, Guo Honglei pointed the bloody tip of his knife eastward and said in a deep voice, leaving no room for argument: "I will lead 300 people to encircle them first, then go south to meet reinforcements. You will be responsible for holding the enemy back and wait for the right moment. Once we have diverted some of the enemy, break out to the north and return the way you came. Temporarily rest in the enemy territory on this grassland and then try to reunite!"
"Ah?" Tong Jing was sweating profusely. After a moment's thought, he quickly understood and frowned disapprovingly, "You only take 300 people to break out. Is that too few?" It was called a breakout, but in reality, it was almost risking their lives to lure the enemy away.
Another low-ranking general gritted his teeth and volunteered, "My Lords, I am willing to take charge of the breakout! Please assign this mission to me—"
"No, that's not right!" Guo Honglei interrupted, saying, "You've only been on the grassland for a few days and aren't familiar with the terrain. You might be caught off guard and prone to making mistakes. I'm familiar with the enemy tribes in this area, so I'm the most suitable person to lead the breakout."
"I'm also familiar with the terrain, why don't we..." Tong Jing just opened his mouth, but saw Guo Honglei turn his horse and said firmly:
"It doesn't matter who goes. The war situation is critical, so let's just call it a day! See you later, everyone."
Guo Honglei called out to his personal soldiers and capable subordinates, "Follow me!" He was resolute, drew his sword and spurred his horse, gritted his teeth, and fought his way out with difficulty, desperately surrounding the enemy and trying his best to disrupt the enemy's formation. On the one hand, he covered the main force's retreat, and on the other hand, he put himself in a desperate situation and then survive, thus inspiring the fighting spirit of the entire army.
“Go!”
"kill!"
Veterans who have been through many battles know that when facing a life-and-death situation, being timid or falling behind will surely lead to death. Therefore, they follow their generals closely, break through at all costs, roaring at the top of their lungs and with great momentum.
Tong Jing was unable to stop them and watched Guo Honglei lead the three hundred warriors away. He sighed heavily, his heart filled with mixed emotions, and muttered, "Tsk, really, he wants to snatch everything from me. Usually he snatches me from battle opportunities, promotion opportunities, the title of 'Number One in Martial Arts', etc., but today he even wants to snatch the chance to die? That dandy, is he actually a fool?" After speaking, he cheered up and shouted in a loud and loud voice:
"Okay, see you later!"
"Guo Honglei, don't forget, you still owe me a drink!"
On the battlefield, once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. Amidst the clashing troops, Guo Honglei and the others had no choice but to face death head-on. They answered loudly, "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. I'll definitely get you drunk when I get the chance!"
Is there a chance? Well, what if there's no chance? Should we just default on our debt?
Tong Jing's eyes widened in anger as he slashed with his long sword. An enemy soldier's head fell to the ground, blood spurting out of his chest. The headless corpse fell off his horse with a "thump". He roared, "Oh, stop bragging. Your alcohol tolerance may not be my match. Who will get drunk first? Let's fight to see who is the winner!"
"It's a deal!"
Tong Jing, with his usual furious momentum, used all his skills to flexibly command the main force, launching feint attacks, counter-encirclements, or contemptuously provoking the enemy leaders, trying to confuse the enemy and find opportunities to retreat.
Afternoon · Oriental
Gradually, Guo Honglei's face was covered in sweat and blood, and there was only one thought in his mind: to break out of the siege and return home alive.
He was sweating profusely, and his clothes were soaked by sweat or blood, and he didn't know whether it was sweat or blood. His palms felt wet, but fortunately the reins were rough and he held them firmly. Fortunately, the handles of the military swords were all wrapped in coarse cloth, so he held them firmly.
"Break out of the encirclement and return home alive!" Guo Honglei's jaw tightened, sweat streaming into his eyes, but he couldn't free his hands to wipe it away. He could only blink hard and fight with all his might. "Follow me!"
The soldiers fought bloody battles, either silently or loudly chanting: "Break out of the siege and return home alive!"
As the shouting became more and more, it became "Break out of the siege and return home alive", which was deeply inspiring - this was also Guo Honglei's wish.
The morale of the Dagan border troops was high. They fought hard and broke through the encirclement. They fought and retreated at the same time. The fierce battle lasted from noon to dusk, and they finally shook off the pursuers.
The soldiers were exhausted, and the horses were so tired that they foamed at the corners of their mouths. Not to mention running, they couldn't even walk, and stopped with a whimper.
"stop!"
At the general's command, the soldiers reined in their horses.
After much difficulty in shaking off the pursuers, Guo Honglei finally had time to look back, observe the casualties, and whispered, "How many people are left?"
The general's personal guards gathered around him and replied in a low voice, "There are only about seventy brothers left."
Guo Honglei closed his eyes in silence, his face pale beneath the blood. A moment later, he regained his composure when he opened his eyes and encouraged, "Those who died in battle are martyrs, those who sacrificed their lives for their country. The imperial court and local authorities will provide relief to the martyrs' families. The living are warriors, and the army will never treat warriors unfairly. When we return to camp, I will strive for commendations and rewards for each of you!"
The warriors nodded one after another. At this point in the battle, they were completely numb and didn't know what fear was.
Guo Honglei gazed at his brave and fearless men, nodded with satisfaction, looked around vigilantly, dismounted first, arranged the sentries, and led the others slowly toward a stream to water their horses and rest.
"Pursuers or new enemies could attack us at any time." He kept a straight face, never showing any signs of anxiety or panic. He instructed, "Bandage your wounds quickly. Rest for an hour and then leave. It's safer to reunite with reinforcements as soon as possible."
"yes!"
Guo Honglei was extremely tired, his head a little numb. He drank some water to quench his thirst, then scooped up some stream water with both hands to wash the blood off his face. He blinked hard, but still felt his left eyelid and eyelashes sticky. Puzzled, he raised his hand and touched it, his fingers stained with blood.
"Hmm?" He didn't feel any pain at all. He frowned and stared at his fingers, motionless, his head numb for a moment.
Several guards nearby quickly approached, "You are injured!"
"I'll show you."
"Hurry up and stop moving! The wound is on your forehead and it's quite long. You can't see it yourself. Let me bandage it for you."
Guo Honglei nodded in realization, then lay on his back on the grass, closed his eyes, and calmly asked, "Is the wound deep? Will it leave a scar? If it does, it will be disfiguring."
The elite soldiers who had broken through the siege were delighted when they heard this. They came closer, looked at it carefully, and replied in unison: "Don't worry, it's not deep. But the wound is quite long."
"Your scars speak volumes about your bravery. You've been through countless battles, so it's normal to have a few scars."
"I think I got poked by the tip of the knife. It was a close call! I almost poked my eye."
"Come, apply the medicine on the wound quickly."
…
Guo Honglei closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling gently. A scratch ran down his left forehead, from the corner of his forehead to his eyebrow, gradually shallower and deeper. The skin had been slightly peeled back, revealing a bloody mess. His face was pale, and he sighed, "So it's my forehead! No wonder my eyelids always felt sticky. I thought it was just sweat."
"Forehead injury?" He suddenly recalled the past, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. "It's better not to disfigure yourself."
The wound was quite deep, and no one dared to promise that it would not disfigure him. They only said comfortingly: "Bandage it and stop the bleeding immediately! Don't touch it with cold water or scratch it until it heals. It shouldn't leave a scar."
"It's okay even if you keep it. It's common in the military."
Guo Honglei smiled and closed his eyes and said, "If I get disfigured, I'm afraid my wife will dislike me."
"Ah? This..."
A young general of steel, valiant and skilled in battle, ready to face death, yet afraid of disfigurement? Afraid of being rejected by his wife? Everyone couldn't help but laugh at this, and the atmosphere suddenly lightened. A close confidant suppressed a smile and comforted, "Ah, you're worrying too much. Madam is definitely not the kind of superficial woman who judges people by appearances!"
"That's right! Madam can't possibly dislike you."
Guo Honglei smiled, his numb head slowly pondering, recalling the past. He spoke slowly, "Back when I was in Heqinwei, she accidentally scratched her cheek with some reeds while working in the fields. She was terribly worried, looking in the mirror at least ten times a day, fearing a scar would disfigure her. Women in that situation seem particularly timid, and particularly... interesting."
As time went by, the couple had long been able to face various hardships such as being stripped of their titles and property confiscated, being exiled to the frontier, and being forced to work in the army to cultivate land in a calm and open manner, and never regarded them as taboos.
"Oh?" Everyone suddenly realized and thought to themselves: It turns out that the captain was not really afraid of "being scarred and disfigured", but he missed his wife again.
They lay in all directions around the general, and they were moved by their thoughts. They missed their families very much and discussed:
"Women are all the same, they love beauty."
"Oh, my wife is so cute! She gets up early every day and spends half an hour combing her hair. When she goes out, she specially brings a palm-sized mirror with her."
"Hey, what a coincidence! I have a palm-sized mirror at home, and I always bring it with me when I go out." A burly man clapped his hands in agreement. "I'm tired of looking at her face, but she never tires of it."
"Tired of it? Go home and tell your wife these words face to face."
The men teased knowingly, "Hahaha, let's see if your sister-in-law dares to scratch your face!"
"You like looking for trouble, go ahead and try."
The group of people were exhausted. They helped each other bandage their wounds and shared the meager dry food. Although they were isolated and helpless, the backbone of the team remained calm, and the subordinates did not panic, chatting with each other in a cheerful manner.
Guo Honglei looked calm, letting his men chat and talk, closing his eyes to rest, repeatedly pondering battle strategies, and silently chewing dry food. The food was not enough, so he barely ate half full and took a nap.
In a blink of an eye, an hour passed.
Guo Honglei was still young, and after a short rest, he regained much of his energy and spirit. He gathered his energy, mounted his horse, and said sternly, "Let's go! Hurry! We're in enemy territory, and we shouldn't stay anywhere for long. We must remain vigilant."
"yes!"
Everyone knew that they were isolated and helpless, surrounded by dangers. If another group of enemy soldiers came, there was a high probability that the whole army would be wiped out.
So, they endured hunger and fatigue, and walked in fear all the way, quietly heading south to the designated location to look for reinforcements.
As a result, they did not meet up with the reinforcements until the moon rose overhead.
The leader of the reinforcements was also covered in blood. When he discovered that Guo Honglei was only followed by a few dozen soldiers, he was shocked and apologized. He immediately explained, "Captain Guo, I'm so sorry. We encountered a group of enemy soldiers on the road. We couldn't get around them or get rid of them, so we had to fight. That's why we arrived late. You, you...are all these people left?"
Guo Honglei did not answer but asked: "Did you win or lose?"
"We won!" The other party raised his head and wiped the sweat off his face. "A great victory!"
Guo Honglei nodded. "Good, very good. We've won another battle. It's worth the risk of going deep into Beiqi." Without even taking a moment to rest, he said, "We've broken through the encirclement to meet reinforcements. We don't know what's happening with the main force right now. Come, follow us to investigate."
"Okay! You lead the way." At the command of the reinforcement leader, a large group of soldiers marched forward in a mighty manner under the bright moonlight, rushing to support Tong Jing's team whose situation was unclear.
A few days later, at noon
In the back court, Jiang Yushu had lunch early, dressed neatly, and led a group of followers out.
"Madam!" Cuimei, about to give birth, ordered with her big belly: "The scorching sun, hurry up and give the veil to Madam."
"Hey!" The maid obeyed the order and ran to hand over the white gauze veil hat.
Jiang Yushu took it casually, and continued walking. "The execution ground is bloody, there's no need for you to follow. Stay home."
"yes."
After walking a few steps, someone called out from behind: "Second sister-in-law!"
Jiang Yushu turned around and saw Guo Hongxuan catching up with her. He asked directly, "Are you going to the execution ground to supervise the execution?"
"Yeah. Why? You want to go too?"
Guo Hongxuan, dressed for going out, nodded and replied, "It's hot, and the study is too stuffy. I want to go out for some fresh air."
"Going to the execution ground to get some fresh air? Seven prisoners are being executed today. It's going to be very bloody. If you want to relax, why not go to the county school and discuss academic matters with the teachers?"
Guo Hongxuan was born to love being lively. He did not respond, but his eyes showed a pleading look.
Jiang Yushu was busy with official duties and had no time to persuade her brother-in-law to study. She waved her hand and compromised, "Okay, there will be a public execution. You can go and watch it if you want, but you are not allowed to wander around. Be careful."
"Know!"
So Guo Hongxuan followed his sister-in-law all the way to the execution ground. Since outsiders were not allowed to go up to the execution platform, he squeezed into the crowd and watched the execution.
It was a scorching hot day. Many people came to watch the execution in the hot sun. Together with Jing Yuanshan's relatives and friends and the prisoner's relatives and friends, they surrounded the execution ground in three layers inside and outside, making it impossible to get in or out.
Three officials sat on the execution platform.
Because there were many prisoners to be executed, although the prefect approved severe punishment, he did not show up. He only sent Pei Wenfeng as the chief executioner, and the county magistrate and the county magistrate assisted in the execution.
Pei Wenfeng took a sip of tea and scanned the room. Accustomed to the clamor of the execution ground, he said calmly, "As expected, 'a falling wall is pushed by all, a broken drum is beaten by all.' Once the principal offender is brought down, there's no need for a rigorous interrogation; simply reporting on the accomplices will allow us to apprehend them all."
Jiang Yushu lamented, "But before the wall falls and the drum cracks, most people turn a deaf ear and swallow their anger, either praying for 'God to open his eyes and send thunder and lightning' or hoping 'someone will eventually deal with the bully'—alas, some people, after being bullied so many times, actually get used to it, and even help the bully."
"Well, yes, you are the 'someone' that the common people have been waiting for."
"Human life is at stake, and this is an imperial official being murdered. As the county magistrate, how can I sit back and do nothing? Some things have to be done."
Pei Wenfeng glanced at his cousin, feeling both headache and worry. He warned her again, "It's dangerous after all. It's best to do it less in the future."
Jiang Yushu readily agreed, "Thank you for the reminder, cousin. I will be careful."
Pei Wenfeng was completely baffled and asked, "Why do you, a delicate woman, want to be a savior? Is it because you've read too many martial arts novels? I warned Guo Honglei a long time ago to keep an eye on you and tell him not to read such random books, but he probably ignored me."
In fact, because the two grew up in completely different worlds, Guo Honglei found many of her ideas difficult to understand, but he rarely tried to stop them forcefully. He would often frown, sigh, and act as if he was saying, "There's nothing I can do about you." In the end, he would usually compromise and quietly help his wife achieve her wishes.
Out of love, Guo Honglei always tolerates his wife's whims and even indulges them.
"I just read occasionally to relieve my boredom. As long as I'm not obsessed with it, why should I care?" Jiang Yushu was stunned for a moment and said softly, "Besides, he is my husband, not my parents. He, he can't control me."
"You don't listen to him, do you?"
"I have my own ideas. How can I obey my husband in everything? It depends on the specific situation. I will listen to him when he makes sense." Jiang Yushu lowered her head, not daring to talk in detail, for fear that she would not be able to hold it in if the conversation went too deep. She stared at the case files, papers and pens. She was so thin that her chin became pointed. Under the scorching sun, her pale skin was almost dazzling against the green official robe. There was no rosy blood color at all, and it was obvious that she was weak.
Pei Wenfeng noticed it and immediately changed the subject and continued talking about business.
Seven prisoners knelt side by side, while seven executioners, bearing sharp swords, waited silently for orders. Li Qigong, in his anger, had been constantly insulting the magistrate, and had been gagged. He was placed at the end of the line, and no matter how he turned his head, he could not see the execution platform.
After a long while, Jiang Yushu looked at the sky and told the county magistrate: "It's almost done, check it one last time."
"Yes." Huang Yichun took the list and went down to examine the prisoners, carefully checking it one last time, and then returned to the execution platform to report.
The sun is high in the sky, scorching hot.
Several clerks had been guarding the sundial. When the time came, they immediately reported: "Sir, it's three quarters past noon!"
"Hmm." Pei Wenfeng, the chief executioner, said nothing more. He immediately drew the order stick from the stick holder, threw it on the ground, and shouted:
"Time's up, kill!"
Upon hearing this, the executioner did not hesitate. He immediately raised the big knife that was flashing with cold light, aimed it at the back of the neck of each prisoner, and with all his strength, chopped the blade diagonally!
With a few "thumps", the prisoner's head fell to the ground and rolled a few times before it came to a stop.
As the blood splattered, the relatives and friends of the former teacher, as well as those of the prisoner, burst into tears. The former mourned the distant mountains, while the latter wailed for their lost loved ones. The rest of the crowd was also excited. The people of the frontier were tough and unfazed by the spectacle of beheading, and there was a lot of discussion.
The first time Jiang Yushu oversaw an execution, her hands trembled as she threw the order, and her voice trembled slightly. But now, she sat expressionless, observing everything with a commanding presence that made those who had previously despised the female official dare not look directly at her, and now looked at her with new eyes.
"Okay, it's solved, let's go back to the yamen." Pei Wenfeng stood up first.
Jiang Yushu nodded, and the clerk quickly packed up the case files and other things. She and Huang Yichun left the execution platform one after another.
As she was about to step down from the platform, she suddenly remembered something and quickly looked up at the crowd outside the execution ground.
"Sir?" Huang Yichun stopped.
She looked intently and explained, "Hongxuan followed us. Huh? He was standing in that corner just now, how come he's gone?"
"Let me take a look." Huang Yichun looked around and helped search.
After the execution, except for the relatives and friends who came to collect the prisoner's body, the crowds left in a noisy and lively manner.
Several people stood on a high place and searched for a long time, but they couldn't find Guo Hongxuan.
"He's a strong young man, are you still worried that he'll get lost? He should go back to the government office first." Pei Wenfeng, with his hands behind his back, not knowing Guo Hongxuan well, urged him from the audience: "The weather is too hot, hurry up and leave, be careful of heatstroke."
Huang Yichun agreed, "Yes, it was crowded when the show ended just now. Mr. Guo must have gone back first."
"It's possible."
After searching in vain, Jiang Yushu returned to the county government office and asked the servants worriedly, but they all shook their heads:
"No, I didn't see it."
"Didn't the Fourth Master go to the execution ground with you?"
"No, he hasn't come back yet."
Jiang Yushu felt dizzy from the sun, so she took off her hat, washed her face, and asked with a frown, "Where is the servant following Hongxuan?"
"He hasn't come back yet."
Zou Gui guessed, "Did he go for a stroll? Well, that little errand boy is quite good at flattering people. He took the Fourth Master out for a stroll several times."
The guard who was responsible for secretly watching over her brother-in-law hadn't returned yet. Jiang Yushu kneaded her solar plexus, thought for a moment, and ordered, "Keep an eye on him. Tell me as soon as Hongxuan comes back."
"yes!"
As a result, until late at night, Guo Hongxuan and others still had not returned to the county government office, and there was no news at all.
The author has something to say: Sorry, I didn’t update yesterday, I will update more today~
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