The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 192 Only the fragrance remains

"The wife of the proofreader Yin Baohui was surnamed Feng, given the name Xuan, with the courtesy name Jingwen. She was good at writing cursive and official scripts. They entered Chang'an and hid together in Lanlingli. The next day, the bandits searched the house and Baohui escaped. The bandits were pleased with Feng's beauty and wanted to have sex with her. They tempted and coerced her in many ways, but she refused. The bandits were angry and said, "If you give in, you will live!" Feng cursed, "I am the daughter of a nobleman. I died for my integrity. I am still alive. How can I humiliate myself at the hands of the bandits!" Then she was killed. When Baohui returned, his attendants said, "My wife is dead!" Baohui cried and died over the corpse. - Biographies of Women.

"Liu Kangyi and Wang Tan conquered Pingyin, and Jeju and Licheng lost contact."

"Zhu thief sent another letter of surrender, offering the title of Grand Marshal and King of Jibei. He said that he would obey the imperial edict and withdraw his troops immediately."

"It is better to follow the example of Heshuo and depose Zhu Xuan from his position as commander, imprison, exile or execute him, and surrender. This is the only way to save the three armies and his family."

"You believe what Zhu Ze said?"

"Have you forgotten your brothers who died in vain? Have you forgotten the people of Yun who were raped, killed and looted by the Bian bandits? Surrender to your mother! Zhu Xuan can be the governor, then take the position. If not, replace him with someone else and continue fighting!"

"The army of Yanzhou was in chaos. Zhu Yongzhen, the son of Zhu Jin, rebelled with Xin Wan and Yan Bao, the generals of the yamen, and tried to kidnap Zhu Jin and surrender the city. When the plot failed, Xin and Yan escaped through the ditch and fled to Bian. Zhu Yongzhen exterminated his family for his father. Hey, in front of his life and property, even his wife and children couldn't trust him."

One piece of bad news after another spread in Yuncheng, making all the soldiers feel as if they were struck by thunder and lightning.

Shouzhang, Yanggu, Dong'e, and Pingyin fell. Jizhou was besieged. Zhu Wei, the governor of Licheng, did not respond to the order of the military government and refused to reinforce Yuncheng. The reinforcements of Wei Bo were defeated at Baimayi and retreated to Yecheng and never came out again. The soldiers of Qingzhou were blocked at Mount Tai...

After being besieged for half a year, Yuncheng only had enough food for ten days. People were starving everywhere. The slaughter and salting of corpses were in full swing. Stone, wood, kerosene, arrows, gold juice, gunpowder and other weapons for defending the city were all gone. There were less than ten thousand warriors. Li Keyong was still on his way on horseback, looking anxious. Zhu Xuan was in a desperate situation.

The brother next door is not much better.

On the seventh day of May, Ge Congzhou captured Sishui County. The governor of neighboring Yizhou, Yin Chubin, did not come to the rescue, but sent a letter to bargain, wanting to become a vassal of Liang.

At midnight on May 19, Pang Shigu took advantage of the heavy rain to capture Rencheng. The fierce battle lasted until dawn, and the Yanjun commander Zhang Yue died in the chaos. On the way back, Li Hushu, the commander of the stockade, and Qi Xuanzhen, the commander, encountered the troops of Shi Shucong who had been waiting for a long time. They fought back but failed. They broke through and returned to the outskirts of Yanzhou. Li Hushu died and Qi Xuanzhen was seriously injured.

On the 21st, Pang Shigu gave 20,000 more soldiers to Feng Xingxi and Zhao Wu stationed in the southeast of Yanzhou and ordered them to attack Zoucheng fiercely.

23. After clearing out the stronghold of Rencheng, Pang Shigu stepped up his siege of Yanzhou.

On the 28th, Zhu Jin's eldest son Zhu Yongzhen and generals Xin Wan, Yan Bao and others launched a military remonstration. It was unsuccessful. Zhu Jin executed Zhu Yongzhen and Zhu Yongneng, their biological mother Qian, and the families of their daughters-in-law. Yan Bao and his people were buried alive because they did not care about their parents, wives and children.

It was also on this day that Zhu Wen arrived at Yun. He dismembered more than 5,000 captured Yun soldiers and built a Jingguan and a pile of skulls. He then personally organized the siege and sent his nephew Zhu Youning to lead more than 100,000 captured civilians to fill trenches and pile up earth. That night, flames shot up from all directions in Yuncheng, illuminating half of the dome. The screams and cries could be heard even from those sleeping in Luocheng.

The situation changes several times a day. The confrontation that has lasted for four or five years may suddenly come to an end one day in the near future.

The night was as dark as ink, the moon was dim and the stars were sparse. The official residence was lit by candles, people were coming and going, and the officials and officers were busy, looking like they would not be able to sleep all night.

Zhu Xuan knelt quietly on the cushion.

He was less than 40 years old, with half of his long hair draped over his shoulders gray. The skin on his face that was not completely wrapped in blood-red bandages was full of pits and pits, with large pores, and covered with acne and wounds, like the Chongyang Valley that had been trampled by cavalrymen.

"Captain Cui Yang resigned and returned to Wei Bo. He said he had failed the commander-in-chief and could not bear to see him, so he left a letter for him. Do you want to see it?"

"Everyone has his own aspirations and concerns. Let's part ways in peace and don't force it." Zhu Xuan said softly.

"The fake prime minister Jing Xiang led hundreds of Bian bandits to shoot letters to persuade them to surrender, saying that as long as they leave the city, both soldiers and civilians will be safe. Some warriors and civilians who have been bewitched have secretly escaped. Please punish them severely."

"When Han Jian invaded, General Cao died in battle, and the people of Yun pushed me, who was 20 years old at the time, to hold the throne. More than ten years have passed. I misjudged Zhu Wen and saved a hungry wolf from his bed. Because of poor governance, many people died. Now I have ended up in this situation, which is really retribution. I have caused you all suffering, and I feel ashamed to the elders of the three states. If you want to leave, go, it’s up to you to stay or go." Zhu Xuan said hoarsely, covering his bloody chin.

The isolated city is surrounded like an iron barrel. The Bian bandits pile up earth into mountains to attack the city. The arrows are exhausted and the food is about to run out. What else can I say? Even if Tian Dan, Geng Gong, and Wei Xiaokuan were resurrected, there would be no miracle. I am tired. Let's destroy it.

"Don't be discouraged, Marshal. Things will turn around." Seeing Zhu Xuan in such a state of panic, everyone looked as if they had died. General Cao Da consoled them, "As long as the sage launches an attack, or Li Keyong takes over the three cities of Heyang to save Zhao from Wei, everything will be fine."

Zhang Chun, the chief secretary of the shogunate, smiled bitterly upon hearing this: "The saint..."

"Why? The Saint twice let Zhu——"

"We were blocked inside the Great Wall by the four bandits Zhang Cunjing, Zhao Yu, He Wei and Zhu Yougong. Even Hongnong was in trouble for a year and a half." Zhang Chun sighed.

The only ones we can count on are Weizhou, Hedong, Henghai, Huainan, and Zibo.

But Wei Bo had just suffered a great defeat and had lost confidence. If the imperial court did not make any further moves, it would probably have to discuss a truce with the Zhu thieves.

Henghai has already sent Gao Xin with 3,000 soldiers to rescue, but there is no sign of the second batch of reinforcements.

Yang Xingmi, a little action, but not much. He is the typical person who won't cry until he sees the coffin. Before Zhu Ze's butcher knife cuts down on him, he always has illusions.

Teacher Wang... is a jerk! He seems to have become stupid from studying too much.

The Qingzhou soldiers were not very motivated to fight, not even as strong as the guard dogs of Wei Bo. The reinforcements were not very lively. They would help you fight, but they had no ambitions, but they would not fight to the death. They would leave after a few rounds if they could not win. If it were not for the sage's continuous edicts, they would probably sit back and watch the outcome. It's not that they didn't want to fight the enemy and planned to surrender, but how should I put it? First, they were not defending their own territory. The middle and high-level officials understood that the lips and teeth would be cold, but the pattern of the big soldiers was there, far less than that of Zhao and Wei. Second, Zibo and Qingzhou had been peaceful for 80 years, and there had been no war for generations. The rulers were also drunk and dreaming. From the Jiedushi to the Yamen soldiers, they were immersed in banquets, hunting and singing. They did not have the self-discipline of Wei Bo, and their martial virtues had fallen.

The overall appearance is exactly the same as Wang Chongrong's back then - "If a minister betrays the country, what can I do if I am unable to defeat the enemy?"

Now, unless the good news suddenly comes that Li Keyong has penetrated into the heart of Zhu's territory and Zhu is forced to flee, the situation can be out of danger again. But this is a dream.

The Tianping Army, which was established more than 70 years ago, is about to fall. Let's live one day at a time.

"Marshal..." Zhang Chun collected his thoughts and stood up with the crowd who were talking at once, looking at Zhu Xuan.

As if being controlled by an invisible hand, Zhu Xuan rubbed his bloodshot eyes and strode out of the residence with a full spirit of last breath.

Today, every corner of Yuncheng is filled with an uneasy atmosphere.

In the dark, the cold green moon above seemed to cast some ominous and strange spell.

The streets were filled with corpses that had been torn apart by insects and ants and emitted a foul stench. There were men and women, beggars, and warriors. The silver moonlight shone. Corpse fluid flowed in the cracks between the bricks, and maggots crawled everywhere. The numb-faced officials and soldiers sat on the ground, holding boning knives and daggers, cutting the rotten meat into even long strips, or chopping it into sauerkraut and kneading it into balls to put into jars and pots.

I heard faint crying sounds and a group of wild dogs tearing an abandoned baby apart.

In the darkness, the young woman was kneeling on the ground, her legs straddling her husband, her hands on his shoulders, bending down and then lifting up, lifting up and bending down again. Her face was covered with feces and mucus, veins on her neck were bulging, and her breathing was heavy, like a mad monster.

Zhu Xuan hurried past and turned into another street.

The soldiers who were still fighting dragged various supplies and rushed to their respective defense areas in groups of three or five.

At the entrance of the drum tower, a dozen soldiers holding axes surrounded an empty house and shouted at the courtyard. The door slowly opened a crack, and in the light of the torch, a warrior rustled out and kowtowed: "Let me go, or at least let my daughter go... Woo..." "You bastard, don't you know the law? Stay in the army! If you dare to escape again, don't say that we are too cruel!"

They were still trying to catch deserters, but the effect was not great. More soldiers resting along the street were whispering and making loud noises, and some even shouted that it would be better to just surrender Zhu the thief and not put him in charge.

"The commander of the cavalry and infantry, He Gui, has escaped!" There was a sudden shout, as if a detonator had exploded. Soldiers and officers all turned around, followed by a round of angry curses.

"He Gui is so crazy that he wants to beg for his life from the people of Bian."

"You have been feasting on delicious food and surrounded by beautiful women all day long, yet you are not as courageous as me. You recognize the thief as your father and will kill him."

"Where is Zhu Xuan? Where is Zhu Xuan? Look at the losers he uses. They have no moral integrity. Who is really doing good for the people of Yun? Who will be blamed for the military and political corruption?"

"He thief! He thief is here!" A warrior stood on the street and threw a spear at He Gui who was running past.

"Kill!" The excited soldiers gathered from all directions, blocking the enemy in front and chasing them from behind.

The arrows hit accurately, and He's wife screamed and fell off her horse. The swords rushed forward, and the dishevelled beauty collapsed on the ground, screaming and turning into a pool of shredded hair.

Even if it is turned into mud and ground into dust, the fragrance remains the same.

Crack! The sword slashed swiftly, and the mount, whose front legs were missing, fell to the ground whimpering. More than a dozen spears came at him, and He Guangtu, the eldest son of He Gui, was thrown high into the air.

Ding, ding, dang, dang. Suddenly, there came deafening shouts of killing from the East City. I didn't know whether it was the Bian bandits attacking the city or there was a firefight between the deserters and the defenders.

With his hand on his forehead covering half of his face, he lowered his head and bent slightly, then Zhu Xuan left the bustling urban area like a gust of wind.

When approaching the private residence, Zhu Xuan heard screams and looked at the open door. It was an old acquaintance, the backyard soldier Linghu Sheng. He was waving a long sword and shouting that he would kill the whole family, chasing the crying wives and daughters away. There were more than a dozen dead bodies lying, sitting or floating in the courtyard, flower beds, rockery, corridor columns and ponds.

As the most trusted backyard soldier of the Jiedushi who could enter and leave the private residence without restriction, Zhu Wen would not show mercy and would definitely root out the weeds and roots like he did to Shi Pu. Linghu Sheng probably thought he had no chance of survival and would kill his entire family first and then himself.

"Marshal? Marshal, save me!" Seeing Zhu Xuan outside the door, Linghu's daughter stumbled and stretched out her hand, shouting at the top of her lungs with snot running down her throat. Linghu Sheng followed quickly behind her, holding a bloody long sword. His face was terribly gloomy, like a ghost who was asking for his life.

"...Wuwu...Don't kill me, just let my daughter be abducted and beaten. There will be people burning paper for you during festivals. I don't want to die..."

"My lord, my lord!"

"Ah!" He grabbed the bun and held it in his arms, thrust his arms to his waist, and the sword came out of his chest.

“Hehe…hehe…I…” Blood foam spurted out and his terrified eyes stared at Zhu Xuan.

Letting go of the girl, Linghu Sheng glanced at Zhu Xuan, dragged his youngest son back to the mansion. He kicked the door shut, and the heart-wrenching noise came from the wall again.

Before I knew it, I was near my home.

There were soldiers in the backyard who armed the servants at their own expense and explained to the pale-faced concubines, maids and servants how to kill people.

Some people were very drunk.

Some people took off their expensive clothes and armor, changed into poor linen, shaved their hair into a mess, smeared a few handfuls of horse manure and wood ash on their faces, and then hurriedly escaped into the night, seeking refuge in other people's homes.

When they saw him, they were all startled, but didn't say much. They just apologized briefly and then went their separate ways.

This night of the first day of June in the first year of Qianning must have been the longest and most painful night in Zhu Xuan's life.

He was stabbed in the back by his sworn brother whom he had rescued in Bianzhou, and was sentenced to death for a network of thieves. He had to sit back and watch everything he had been pursuing for more than a decade come to an end.

For a local lord, is there anything more tragic in the world than this?

Zhu Xuan didn’t know.

But the cruel world will soon tell him that there is.

He pushed open the half-closed door and walked into the house, to be greeted by servants crawling on the floor and people wailing in the room: "The lady is dead!"

The humble room is empty, but once the bed was covered with tablets. The withered grass and withered poplars were once a place for singing and dancing. The spider silk is all over the carved beams, and the green gauze is now pasted on the windows. You said your rouge was thick and your powder was fragrant, but why are your temples now white? Yesterday, the yellow earth buried the bones, but tonight, the red lanterns are sleeping under the tent.

When I was lamenting the short life of others, I didn't know that I would die soon.

A beautiful figure was hanging on the hemp rope on the beam of the bedroom. Perhaps because they were afraid that the body would not die, their wrists were cut open, and blood was dripping all over the floor. Rong was wearing a thin sleeveless dress. Her figure was plump and fair. The blood vessels on her snow-white arms were bulging, and it was obvious that she had just died.

Taking a step first might not be a sensible choice, at least for the beautiful Lady Rong Zhuo, who had long been coveted by Zhu Wen.

Zhu Xuan carried her down.

The beauty is gone, but her fragrance remains. The light tulip color on her body is gradually covered by a burnt smell in the blazing fire.

In the second half of the night, Zhu Xuan dismissed all his children, concubines, servants, guests, and personal soldiers who had not yet left. He took a stool and sat in the yard, holding his chin with his hand and looking up at the starry sky.

It had been many years since he had looked at the stars so intently. The refreshing blue moon was reflected in his pupils, and Zhu Xuan smiled.

"Haha."

"Hahaha."

Saint, you must avenge him!

Slowly, Zhu Xuan's head tilted and he fell down.

A strong wind suddenly blew, making the osmanthus trees in the yard rustle.

On Guanyinmen Street, there were a few sudden and unexpected screams.

The Bian bandits massacred the city.

　Leader, can I ask you for a favor? I just want to ask you, please stop suing Variable Law for being lazy, and stop saying that I’ve given up on writing, okay? I’ve been writing a book for half a year, a book that has less than 3,000 subscriptions. I’ve been writing for half a year, and my wife ran away from me, my daughter has become distant from me, and my family has been ruined by my writing. Now I finally have someone like him, but you insist on saying that he’s lazy. As writers, don’t we know whether Variable Law is lazy or not? It’s impossible. Whose family doesn’t run into a writer? Can you guarantee that you won’t write a book in your lifetime? If you sue Variable Law, I’ll have no books to read, and I’ll have to die. I don’t want to die, I want to live. Is that okay?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)