The silent Xu Sheng was interrupted by a sudden shout. When he turned around, Captain Li, who was eager to see him, stood in front of him with a red face and dripping with sweat.
"How's it going? Are the statistics ready?" Xu Sheng said eagerly.
"Yes." Lieutenant Li nodded and said in a deep voice: "There are still 37,000 people in the city, 5,400 soldiers, and about 6,000 casualties."
"Six thousand!"
To be honest, this number is not big, and it is even better than Xu Sheng expected. However, after all, it is six thousand lives. The moment he heard it, Xu Sheng still felt like thunder in his mind.
Six thousand lives, this was the biggest loss in the "Battle of Zhiyang".
Some of these six thousand people died from Yan Shaoguang's "wrath", some died from hunger and cold, and few were killed by weapons. But no matter what, they all died in unnecessary wars.
The imperial court had left Guandong alone earlier, but it chose to adopt iron-fisted measures at this time. Why did Lei Lei go out to fight? This is the first level of unnecessary. When facing a powerful enemy, knowing full well that he is outmatched, surrendering is a rule that has been followed for thousands of years.
Yan Shaoguang refused to accept the best plan and insisted on fighting. In the end, both sides would suffer losses. Who would win? This is the second level of unnecessary necessity.
The unreasonable decision-makers and the unreasonable executors, together, caused a catastrophe, causing the tragic and violent deaths of 6,000 people in Zhiyang, and even more innocent people (80,000 were burned to death).
They can be called sinners, but they don't feel they have any fault, and they don't even have to take responsibility.
But someone has to take responsibility, just like Xu Sheng now. Chance, fate, and unpredictable fate pushed him to this position and situation.
He must be responsible, for the dead and the living.
"A total of... forty-two thousand four hundred people." Xu Sheng rubbed his raw and sore eyes and whispered softly: "They can no longer stay in Zhiyang and must leave."
"Um"
Lieutenant Li looked solemn and nodded. He had formed a natural admiration for Xu Sheng, and he supported Xu Sheng's decision unconditionally.
Yes, Xu Sheng wants to move these more than 40,000 people away without delay.
Although they won a war that was almost impossible to win, and although the Taoist men swore never to come back, the war was far from over. There were definitely more than a hundred thousand people in Jokhang, and the Taoist men were not enough to shake the decision of the highest level.
Besides, there was nothing left to eat in Zhiyang City. The green buckwheat that was expected to be eaten had already turned to ashes in the fire.
If you continue to stay here, you will starve to death without the enemy sharpening your sword.
We must go without any hesitation.
It's easy to say we're going, but how to go and where to go are issues that cannot be ignored.
There are more than 40,000 people, most of whom are old people and children. The road is mountainous and there is no food...
With so many questions, Xu Sheng just felt a headache.
"Alas -" a long sigh, full of helplessness, Xu Sheng looked deeply at Colonel Li and said softly: "You go down first, I will invite you if you have anything to do."
"yes"
Lieutenant Li bowed his head and walked away.
"And you." Xu Sheng faced the girl in green, but his words were addressed to the two soldiers holding swords.
"yes"
Although the two were puzzled, they still looked at each other, sheathed their swords, bowed and retreated.
Now.
In the huge deserted courtyard, only Xu Sheng and the girl in green were left.
Four eyes, four shining bright gazes colliding with each other without concealment.
"I want you to help me."
After a long silence, Xu Sheng finally summoned up the courage and spoke extremely seriously.
"oh?!"
The girl in green clothes smiled, her eyes gradually turned into crescent moons, she stuck out her tongue and said with great interest: "I am just a prisoner, I have more than enough ambition but not enough power."
"You are no longer." Xu Sheng whispered: "Ordinary people are no threat to you, and I am no match for you in terms of mind and means. From the beginning, you are not a prisoner, but more like a star beside me.
bomb."
"Ha ha ha ha."
The girl in green clothes was extremely happy and laughed again and again.
"You, you, how could you say such interesting things?" The girl in green couldn't stop laughing. The two pear dimples on her face were particularly conspicuous and charming.
Xu Sheng ignored her. He knew the character of the girl in green and didn't bother her. He just waited quietly.
Finally, the girl in green clothes stopped. She walked up to Xu Sheng, widened her eyes and said solemnly: "I am your prisoner, and I am bound to follow you."
"as you like."
Xu Sheng was speechless, how could such a person volunteer to be a dog-skin plaster and couldn't get rid of him?
However, he can also guess some of the thoughts of the girl in green. The main reason for following him is because of the secrets in her body and the "Jinghong Sword"!
"I swear to live and die with the people of Zhiyang. My death will not do you any good." Xu Sheng stepped back, deliberately distanced himself from the girl in green, and then continued: "You are not a villain, and we are not enemies.
You don’t want to see more than 40,000 people in Zhiyang City die from weapons or hunger. I and the people of Zhiyang need it, and I even ask you to give some help."
"Are you serious?"
The girl in green pursed her lips with interest on her face.
"I'm not going to joke about more than 40,000 lives."
"You may not have much ability, a weak tone, and not enough brains, but you have a heart of a Bodhisattva."
Although the girl in green said it with a smile, it still sounded somewhat sarcastic. Xu Sheng was naturally unhappy when he heard this. But he did not show it at all, and his tired eyes revealed sincerity and solemnity.
"good"
"Um?!"
The sudden promise made Xu Sheng unable to react in time. When he was stunned, the girl in green suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Remember, you owe me."
The girl in green clothes said this, and then, she saw a bright light blooming between her eyebrows, and the bright white light poured out and flowed like moonlight. Gradually, a white petal hung down gently and danced slowly.
"This is...!"
Xu Sheng's eyes widened. An extremely familiar, extremely warm, and extremely terrifying feeling surged into his brain crazily and uncontrollably.
"Don't talk, just be quiet."
The girl in green frowned, with a look of solemnity and pain on her face.
Xu Sheng didn't know what she was doing, but his intuition told him that all he could do was wait without doing anything.
"hiss--"
Like being hit by an electric current, or like being bitten by countless insects, the painful and itchy feeling instantly spread throughout Xu Sheng's body.
"don't want!"
Xu Sheng exclaimed, something was about to burst out uncontrollably.
"ah!"
He yelled, but the swimming heat gathered in one place, and then swirled in his body. Finally, it reached his arm, reached his palm, and condensed on his fingertips.
"What's this?"
Xu Sheng raised his hand slightly, and saw a shining bead that was as white as jade and not stained by any dust suddenly appeared on his fingertips.
"cough"
The face of the girl in green is turning pale at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the petals between her eyebrows have also dimmed a lot. It can be seen that she has paid a high price.
"I know that the biggest problem in Zhiyang is the lack of food, and the beads in your hand contain unimaginable energy. Turn it into water and distribute it to the people in the city. Only one drop per person can guarantee three months of good health. hungry."
"this...!?"
Xu Sheng looked at his fingertips in disbelief, and then it took him a long time to calm down. He glanced at the weak girl in green with mixed emotions, and then bowed deeply.
"I'll thank the people of Zhiyang."
Xu Sheng said this, his voice was not loud, his head was buried very low...