Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3594: The Brocade Arouses Suspicion

"When was this picture obtained?"

Zhang Liao asked the scout.

In Zhang Liao's hand was the defense map of Luoyang City.

Although many places were missing and stained, making them blurry, Zhang Liao could still see the key points of the painting on the silk cloth at a glance.

"We found it just outside the city within an arrow's reach during our early morning patrol. Someone must have shot it out of the city in the middle of the night," the scout leader replied, "but we don't know who shot it... General, do we still have spies in the city? Are there any reserved marks? I'll ask the brothers to keep an eye out for it."

The scout presented the arrows tied with the city defense map.

Zhang Liao carefully examined the arrow and found no obvious marks, no interlayers or mechanisms. Even after pulling out the damaged arrowhead, he did not find anything special.

It was just an ordinary wolf-tooth arrow of Cao's army.

Staring at the items in front of him, Zhang Liao was silent for a while, then shook his head slightly, "It's hard to say, it's hard to say..."

"Then..." the scout leader asked, "What should we do? What should we do in response?"

Zhang Liao thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait and see. Be careful and don't do anything out of the ordinary."

The scout leader responded and retreated.

Zhang Liao placed the scribbled and dirty defense map on the table and compared it with the original map of Luoyang City.

This is a torn and dirty silk cloth.

Blood and fire are intertwined.

The old blood mixed with the soil had a purple-black, fishy smell.

The torn edges and the burnt holes seemed to show Zhang Liao the rich experience of this silk cloth.

but……

Zhang Liao turned the silk cloth over and over and sighed slightly.

This is icing on the cake, not a life-saving measure.

Although adding flowers is beautiful, they are not the most important.

If Zhang Liao was helpless in attacking Luoyang City, then getting such a city defense map would undoubtedly be like finding a treasure. But now...

Of course, it is impossible to ignore this city defense map. After all, this represents a new change in Luoyang City. If Zhang Liao completely ignores it and does not respond, it is possible that the Cao army soldiers who may have turned to the cavalry and surrendered may be pushed back.

Therefore, Zhang Liao must be cautious and pay special attention.

And one more important point...

true and false.

What if it was a bait set by Man Chong?

Zhang Liao carefully examined the silk cloth again, and suddenly remembered that the scout team leader had said that the city defense map shot down from the top of the city wall was of the east side of the city!

But the problem is that the direction Zhang Liao sent his men to attack in the past few days was not in the east of the city!

So why did the Cao army soldier shoot the defense map to the east of the city?

Zhang Liao's gaze fell on the crude defense map again, and a purple-black mark caught Zhang Liao's attention.

Zhang Liao originally thought that this mark was a blood stain that had been stuck on the silk cloth when it was curled, but now it looked like...

"Come here! Go to the wounded camp and tell Tangshan to come!" Zhang Liao shouted, then paused, "Bring a car and have him come in."

……

……

Tang Shan broke an arm and a leg. Logically, he should be in great pain, but now he feels very happy.

Happiness is generated in the mind, while physical pain is real, so this sense of separation reminds him from time to time...

In a sense, he was a surrendered soldier who was afraid of death and loved life.

But the problem is that in the wounded camp of the cavalry, he once again felt the preciousness of life and the reality of life...

This gave him an extremely contradictory feeling, as if his body and soul were being torn apart at all times.

As the morning mist drifted over the straw curtains of the tents in the wounded soldiers' camp, Tang Shan was staring at the sackcloth on his left arm in a daze.

The white cloth used for the wrapping was much softer than the coarse linen distributed in Cao’s army camp. What was even more strange was that there was not a single mark on it. It was the same white cloth used by the hussar soldier in the bed next to him!

If it was in Cao's camp, they would probably use...

No, don't even think about it.

What will be inside Cao’s army camp?

Letting people fend for themselves is considered a mercy.

He remembered that there was nothing to do with those Yuan soldiers back then...

Even the Qingzhou soldiers had to leave tattoo marks on their faces.

But in the cavalry camp for wounded soldiers, no one came to tattoo his face.

Perhaps he had been marked while he was unconscious?

Tang Shan subconsciously touched his face with his other uninjured hand, and there was nothing abnormal. Apart from the injuries on his hands and feet, he did not feel any pain or swelling anywhere else...

"It's time to change the medicine."

A military doctor opened the curtain and walked in, holding a clay pot in his hand with a bitter taste that was familiar to Tangshan.

Tang Shan instinctively huddled up because he remembered that in Cao's camp, even if there were doctors to treat them, they would definitely treat the children of the noble families first, using the best herbs, and by the time they came, there would often only be some inferior medicine mixed with wood ash left.

But the gray-haired doctor in front of him actually applied the same dark blue ointment on his wound, and even the amount was exactly the same as that of the old cavalry soldier in the next bed...

"It looks good." The doctor removed Tangshan's splint and gently pressed the swollen area. "Wait for three or two months, the bone will heal and the swelling will go away."

The doctor quickly added new medicine, put on a splint, then held the pottery jar, opened the tent curtain, and went out.

The smell of corn wafted in from outside the tent, and Tangshan's Adam's apple moved.

In Cao's army, although a military officer like him received half a spoonful of salt and soy sauce more than a soldier, he had to deduct some of his military pay to honor the grain supervisor. It was not that he was cruel to his subordinates, nor was he willing to deduct the soldiers' pay, but if he did not do so, he might not even be able to get the ordinary food and grass!

The meals in the wounded soldiers’ camp are distributed uniformly.

Wooden bowl, wooden spoon.

Millet porridge and cooked cakes.

Tang Shan stared at the trembling millet porridge in the wooden spoon, and suddenly remembered the time when he was attacked by Zhang Liao. When he was knocked away by the warhorse, he actually felt a sense of relief...

If he died on the battlefield, perhaps he could earn the title of "loyal hero" and be buried in the clan's public cemetery, instead of having the word "bastard" carved on a wooden plaque and inserted into his deceased father's grave.

"Eat it."

The wounded cavalry soldier in the same tent pushed over a clay bowl with two pieces of pickled peaches at the bottom.

"this……"

Tang Shan's fingertips trembled, somewhat in disbelief.

This is a rare thing.

Pickled foods, which are now all over the streets and even listed as unhealthy foods, were rare items in the Han Dynasty. Ordinary people could not afford them at all. Whether it was salt or sugar, the price was not cheap, which was not enough to meet daily needs, let alone for pickling.

Tang Shan recalled that a few years ago, he was punished to stand outside the gate for six hours, from dawn to dusk, because he did not deliver preserved peaches to the Captain's Mansion as required. Of course, it was because the Captain was busy with his official duties, and it was not that the Captain targeted him intentionally. After all, the Captain was a child of Yingchuan, so how could he be angry and care about ordering preserved peaches?

And now, this hussar soldier in the same tent actually gave him half of the dried peaches...

"Thank you very much..."

Tangshan picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

A little sour, but sweet aftertaste.

"You...you guys..." Tang Shan seemed to be choked by the bitterness and sweetness, and asked vaguely, "Don't you mind that I'm a surrendered soldier of Cao's army?"

The hussar soldier in the same tent smiled, revealing a few missing teeth, "What's wrong with surrendering? I was also a Baibo bandit soldier back then!"

The hussar soldier's eyes suddenly became distant. "The hussar general said... people like us didn't have many options in the early years... when we can choose, we just need to make sure we don't make the wrong choice."

"..." Tang Shan was slightly stunned.

Suddenly, a shout came from outside the tent, "Who is Tang Shan?"

……

... Zhang Liao had been in Luoyang, but at that time he never thought that one day he would lead troops to attack Luoyang City.

For the people of the Han Dynasty, Luoyang City is the capital. How many people would think about how to attack the capital of the Han Dynasty before the war spreads?

So Zhang Liao had an impression of Luoyang City, but it was not a deep one.

After seeing Tang Shan coming, Zhang Liao first asked about Tang Shan's physical condition and what he needed in the wounded camp, then he took out the silk cloth with the Luoyang City defense painted on it, pointed at the unusual marks he had discovered before and asked, "What does this correspond to?"

Tang Shan lowered his head and looked at the silk cloth carefully.

He had also been to Luoyang City before, so when he looked at the defense map in front of him, his heart began to beat fast...

Although the painting was very sloppily done, Tang Shan, who had been to Luoyang City, could tell what was being painted at a glance!

This is the city defense map!

Luoyang City’s defense map!

How did this come about?

Isn’t it said that screening has been carried out again and again in Luoyang City?

Moreover, there was Man Chong, who was in charge of the criminal law of assassinating rapists, as the commander, and under him were those vicious officials who were like poisonous snakes and hawks. How could anyone be able to pass on the Luoyang city defense map?

For some reason, looking at this city defense map, Tang Shan suddenly no longer had the hesitation and contradiction he had in the wounded camp, and he no longer thought about the loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness that Shandong had always promoted...

Zhang Liao seemed to notice that Tang Shan was distracted, so he pointed at the city defense map again, "What is this?"

Tang Shan coughed and decided to tell the truth. He raised his head and looked into Zhang Liao's eyes. "This is the East Gate Canal..."

"East Gate Canal?" Zhang Liao stared at Tang Shan, as if trying to see something from his eyes. Then he lowered his head to look at the mark on the city defense map, the bloodstain that seemed to be cutting through the East Gate wall. "Well... tell me in detail..."

……

……

"Knock, knock, knock..."

Whenever the bangzi sounds were heard in Luoyang City, Wang Yun felt that it was like a death warrant.

The sound of the bangzi rolled past the base of the Luoyang city wall and echoed in Wang Yun's eardrums.

Wang Yun rubbed his fingers, and it seemed that there was still blood on his fingertips that had been drawn on the silk cloth.

"Wang Junhou, are you patrolling the city?"

Someone greeted him.

Wang Yun smiled, "Yes, yes, yes..."

However, when Wang Yun was patrolling on the top of the city, his attention was not on the Cao army soldiers, but on the darkness outside the city.

Especially the open space outside the city where he shot out the city defense map in the dark.

"What are you looking at?!"

Xu Xinli's Xiezhi crown suddenly appeared in the shadow of the corner, startling Wang Yun so much that he almost jumped up.

Wang Yun forced himself to curl his lips, "Ah... this, seems to be some movement..."

Wang Yun faked a smile, trying to make the curve of his nasolabial folds exactly the same as when he tried to please Xu Xinli before. "Now I see... it doesn't seem to be anything... maybe I'm dazzled..."

He tried his best to make his voice steady, but when he actually spoke it, it seemed as if it was stuck by the rust on the city gate, and the ending sound was trembling.

Xu Xili's Xiezhi crown trembled, like a poisonous snake turning its head, and then stared at Wang Yun. After a moment, he showed a faint smile, or perhaps just pulled the corner of his mouth, "Marquis Wang, you are diligent."

Wang Yun bent down and hid his face in the darkness. "I don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. It's my duty. It's my duty... It's Xu Xianli who has worked hard. It's really hard..."

Ten years ago, when Wang Yun was first appointed as a military marquis, he thought he didn't have to bend over anymore. But when he took over the blood-stained military marquis badge of his predecessor, he found that he was no different from when he was not a military marquis: he still bent over and lowered his head.

As he grew older, his waist pain became more and more severe.

Xu Xianli looked around and said, "Marquis Wang, you must also be more careful at night... If there are people collaborating with the enemy..."

Xu Tingli's voice, mixed with the night wind, was sharp and piercing, like something blowing across the battlements of the city wall.

Wang Yun pinched his fingers into his palms, "Yes, yes... I will... pay more attention..."

Xu Xinli slowly stretched out his hand and patted Wang Yun on his lowered shoulder.

Perhaps Xu Xili originally wanted to pat Wang Yun’s lowered head…

"Work hard and be more attentive."

Xu Xili was younger than Wang Yun, but what he said sounded like an elder imparting experience to a young man.

Wang Yun responded repeatedly, and then watched Xu Xinli swaying like a poisonous snake, swimming back into the cave, and disappearing into the shadow of the corner of the city. He couldn't help but let out a long breath.

Only then did I feel cold sweat all over my back, and I couldn't help shivering twice when the night wind blew.

"Damn it! Did he find out something?"

The voice nearby frightened Wang Yun so much that he almost jumped up. He looked back and exhaled, "Damn it, are you trying to scare me to death?!"

The cook frowned and said sadly, "I've been so nervous these past two days... I almost had to use my hands to scoop out the porridge today..."

Wang Yun was silent for a while, "Just bear with it a little longer, just bear with it a little longer..."

"You say, could it be that they...didn't receive it?" The cook also looked outside the city, "It's so messy outside the city, maybe they thought it was drawn by someone..."

"..." Wang Yun didn't know what to say.

The cook is a fellow villager from the military academy and is one of the few remaining people of Wang Yun’s age in the army.

"This guy killed someone again today..." The cook stared at the direction where Xu Xili left, "He used a ruler to beat the unlucky guy's brains out... He said he would learn his lesson... Damn it, he was just a half-grown child... You said, they are not afraid of us... Huh? What is that?"

Wang Yun laughed bitterly twice, "The children in Shandong have been living like this for decades, even hundreds of years... What are they afraid of? If they were afraid, would they still be here today?"

Who has ever seen anyone afraid of a herd of cattle and sheep?

After one was killed, the other cattle and sheep would just lower their heads and dare not even cry out loudly, for fear that the next knife would hit them.

As long as they are not the ones being chopped down, and as long as there is still grass to feed them, the cattle and sheep will continue to herd.

Year after year, generation after generation.

"Ah..." the cook sighed.

Suddenly, there was some agitation on the city walls in other directions, and chaotic sounds came, causing Wang Yun and the cook to shudder...

……

……

Outside the city, Zhang Liao led the scouts and other guards, without lighting torches, to a place within an arrow's reach of the city.

"I found it right here."

The scout leader pointed to an area ahead.

Zhang Liao nodded, looked at the open space, and then looked up at the Luoyang city wall.

Above the dark city wall, the light of torches was flickering, illuminating some swaying figures.

According to Tang Shan, there is a hidden channel connecting the moat outside the city, and the location of the hidden channel is the trace drawn. However, there are several iron fences in the hidden channel, embedded in the stone slabs, and it is underwater, so it is difficult to become an effective attack channel.

Zhang Liao was not planning to follow the "instructions" on the defense map tonight and take the risk of launching a surprise attack. Instead, he wanted to contact the person who sent the letter...

Zhang Liao looked up at the sky, estimated the time, and said to the guards around him, "It's almost time, light the fires at the four gates... Oh, let's light the west gate first."

The guard took the order and rode away.

The scout leader waved his hand and asked his men to move forward and prepare to light the fire.

"General, these people want to surrender, why don't you just open the city gate?" the scout leader muttered.

Zhang Liao laughed, "Man Boning is so intelligent, how can we not be on guard? I am now worried about the person who sent the letter. If he is not careful enough... and with just one letter, we cannot be sure what it is..."

The captain understood Zhang Liao's implication, "General, are you saying that this might be a trap set for us on purpose?"

"It's a false accusation." Zhang Liao looked at the city wall, "That's why I came to take a look."

Torches in the direction of other city gates were lit, causing the Cao army soldiers on the top of Luoyang City to become restless and chaotic, and even the east gate was affected.

Zhang Liao nodded, "Okay, light the fire."

The number of torches in the direction of each city gate is inconsistent, some are more, some are less, some are in front, and some are in the back, so after the torches at the east gate are lit, it does not seem too abrupt.

Some people would focus on the number of torches, such as what three or five torches meant, but in fact Zhang Liao did not use the number of torches to convey messages. After all, he and the letter-writer in the city had no prior agreement. Therefore, using the number of torches alone, or more complex methods of shaking, light and dark, to convey secret codes was simply wishful thinking.

Therefore, under such circumstances, Zhang Liao chose the simplest and most direct way to tell the complainants in the city that he had received the information and tried to contact them...