The words of Wang Fang and Yang Jin left Huang Zhong speechless. It took more than ten generations of Wang family's efforts to obtain this family business today. In the final analysis, Liu Cong's policy really cut off the foundation of the family.
"Drag them out!" Deng Zhi broke the silence and ordered the soldiers.
Huang Zhong couldn't bear to say, "Bo Miao, can you ask the master for a favor and leave a trace of blood for each of their families?"
Although Deng Zhi also couldn't bear it, he thought more about it than Huang Zhong, "Old General Huang, although I have taken refuge with the lord not long ago, I have sat down and discussed with him many times. There are some things that even if I tell you, you won't be able to bear it."
You may not be able to hear it.”
"Alas..." Although Deng Zhi did not refuse directly, his meaning was already obvious.
"General, all three clan members of the Wang family and the Yang family have been captured!"
Two families and three clans, totaling more than 5,000 people, were all killed.
Afterwards, Huang Zhong couldn't sleep all night. After all, Huang Zhong had been fighting on the battlefield for most of his life. Thinking about what those two people said today, and thinking about those people who died tragically under the butcher's knife during the day, Huang Zhong couldn't help but feel inexplicably blocked.
"Bang!" Huang Zhong's hand on his knees slipped, and the armor on his body hit the ground, making a collision sound. Huang Zhong sat on the bed like this all night.
"Old General Huang." Chen Dao and Wei Yan entered the military tent and stepped forward to help Huang Zhong up from lying on the ground.
Huang Zhong shook his dizzy head, "Why are you here?"
After helping Huang Zhong sit down by the bed, Wei Yan said, "Mr. Deng Zhi asked us to call General Huang. He said that the winter snow has not yet melted, so we should go out to walk in the snow together."
"Old General, have you been up all night?" Chen Dao asked.
Huang Zhong straightened his back, and the bones all over his body crackled, "Oh, I'm still thinking about what happened yesterday. Is what my lord did really right?"
"Shh!" Wei Yan's expression changed, "Old general, be careful what you say."
Chen Dao said in a low voice, "Deng Bomiao asked us to call the old general just now. It seems that he has something to say to the old general. Why don't the old general meet Deng Bomiao?"
"Then let's go and see what Deng Bomiao has to say!" Huang Zhong was over fifty and had not slept all night. He was not sleepy at all and was in good spirits. He shook off the hands of Wei Yan and Chen Dao, stood up and walked outside the tent on his own.
Go, don't look old at all.
"Hey, old general, wait for us." Wei Yan and Chen Dao hurriedly followed.
At the beginning of late spring, last year's ice and snow were left on the ground and were only slowly beginning to melt.
Deng Zhi and Huang Zhong changed into casual clothes and walked on the country road. There was cleared snow on both sides of the road.
"Bo Miao, what are you doing in this village?" Huang Zhong walked in front and yawned.
Deng Zhi smiled and said, "General Huang will understand when he enters the village."
"You scholars just like to play tricks." Because he was in a bad mood, Huang Zhong spoke a little irritably. Deng Zhi didn't care, and they continued walking towards the village.
The village is relatively large. Judging from its size, it has about three hundred households. But the strange thing is that even though several people entered the village, they didn't see many people. It wasn't until they walked to the square in the center of the village that they saw how big it was.
A group of people are gathered here.
It is said to be a square, but in fact it is just a larger open space. Huang Zhong grabbed a commoner and asked curiously, "What happened here?"
"Oh, the three elders in the village are burning down the martial arts gym." The young man replied.
"Burn the martial arts hall on fire?" Huang Zhong was a little confused.
Liu Cong set up martial arts halls in various places. Each martial arts hall was equipped with a director and four managers. The memorial tablets of fallen soldiers were enshrined in each martial arts hall. The director would also serve as the village leader of the village! Basically, they were soldiers who retired due to injuries.
"A few days ago, the head of the Wang family raised an army, and the retired officers and soldiers of the martial arts hall were killed. The three elders said that it was unlucky for the martial arts hall to be located in the village, so they burned it. In fact, it was not to get back the people who were in charge of the village.
Qualifications." The young man complained with some disdain after explaining.
"Just watch, the three elders will take over the land from Widow Gao's house soon!"
"Why do you want to raise the widow's land?" Huang Zhong's curiosity has been completely aroused.
"Widow Gao married into the Gao family five years ago. Her husband was a soldier for the Marquis of Chu. Last year, her husband died in a war with Cao Jun. The three elders helped her with the funeral and collected the few acres of land left by her husband.
Let her be a tenant of the Wang family. It is said to be for her own good, but in fact it is just to share other people's land with the Wang family."
The young man said with some disdain, "When those soldiers came, they checked the population and land according to the policy of the Marquis of Chu. Those who came from shady backgrounds were taken back to the government. Then they released the tenants."
, allocate land.”
"The Gao Widow got fifteen acres of land. Not only her, but all the former tenants in the village were also given it. No, the three elders have to find a way to get it back again, but this time they don't have to share it with the Wang family."
Tenants become tenants either because of natural disasters, because there are no men in the family, or because of other various reasons. In the village, these groups are vulnerable groups.
The requirements of the three elders are respected elders. However, in this era of recommendation based on reputation, most of these people are unworthy of their virtue. People are selfish, greedy, and dark in nature. How can they control the say in the village?
Why not seek some benefits for your own family?
The three elders are not fools. Those who have young men at home will not scold them and just catch those who live in a shabby household! Other villagers will not offend those who are in front of the strength of the village because these are none of their business.
Big, backed by three elders from aristocratic families.
It doesn't matter who you are, who wouldn't run for a living? At most, just join in the fun.
After Huang Zhong listened to the young man's explanation, he stepped forward, pushed away the people who were blocking him, and pushed forward. Several people behind him quickly took the time to squeeze in. The people who were pushed saw that
Several people were dressed gorgeously. Although they looked dissatisfied, they did not dare to criticize.
On the high platform surrounded by the crowd, the martial arts gym had been burned to pieces. Huang Zhong and the others could even smell the fragrant wood gas. The gymnasium was not built for a long time. Under the ruins, dozens of animals in the gymnasium were
The tablets are still vaguely visible, some were burned and only the wooden foundations were left.
Huang Zhong's eyes turned red. These were all soldiers who died in battle! Liu Cong built cemeteries and martial arts halls for them. Huang Zhong lived for most of his life, but he only saw Liu Cong, a monarch who was so kind to his soldiers.
Whenever he thinks of his men who died in battle, Huang Zhong would go to the martial arts hall or cemetery to pay homage and observe silence to remember his past glory. Especially in the martial arts hall, under the candlelight at night, Huang Zhong kneeling in the gym seemed like a real person.
can communicate with the souls of dead soldiers.
Sitting in the martial arts hall under the candlelight late at night, Huang Zhong could feel unprecedented peace! He even felt that it was a great honor and luck for a soldier to die on the battlefield and end up here after death!
The scene in front of him made Huang Zhong feel angry. He seemed to hear his former Pao Ze crying in his ear.
Why can’t we find peace after death? Why can’t we even have a home when we die on the battlefield? Why can’t we see the land we love so much again?
The anger only lasted for a moment, and then became extremely cold. What kind of people were the soldiers trying their best to protect? Is it worth it?