The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 60 Avenue
Kang Yinggan's beard trembled, and he was about to leave with a flick of his sleeve.

Liu Zhaosun didn't want to explain too much to this old man, so he said hurriedly:
"Where is Inspector Kang going? Most of the civil officials in the city have died for their country. There are so many things to do. I am busy with military affairs. Please share some of the burden."

"Share the burden? I'm not able to do it."

Kang Yingqian snorted lightly, but he was overjoyed.

After this battle, Liu Zhaosun will surely be a local lord in Liaodong. If he joins this man, it will be much better than being a prefect or county magistrate.

Thinking of this, Kang Yingqian pretended to be embarrassed and said:
"I will go to the government office now to sort out the files and check the Kaiyuan farmland and fish scale maps for you to prevent the treacherous people from taking advantage of the opportunity to claim them."

Liu Zhaosun thanked him quickly:
"The people of Kaiyuan are blessed. With General Kang here, they have a place to live and food to eat. I thank you on their behalf. As for the land, I only want the dead. I won't compete with the living for the time being."

"Lieutenant General Liu, I admire your compassion and your non-confrontational nature. However, after this war, the people of Kaiyuan have fled, leaving tens of thousands of acres of unowned land. If you don't take it, the powerful families in Liaodong will not show mercy."

Although Kang Yingqian was ruthless, he was quite organized in his work and was able to grasp the key point of land at once. Liu Zhaosun couldn't help but look up to the old man and said lightly:
"I have said that we will not rob the wealthy, but only the land of the dead. As for the land of the refugees, it should not be much, so I will give it to them as a welcome gift to Kaiyuan. Only by sharing the rain and dew can we achieve long-term success."

"Sacrificing yourself to feed a tiger! How foolish! How can you possibly feed those wealthy people?!"

Kang Yingqian's beard trembled with anger, and he felt quite disappointed. He calmed down and felt that Liu Zhaosun had other intentions. He sighed:
"Forget it. I don't know what you're up to. You can do the good work of pacifying the people and winning their hearts. I'll handle the dirty work of checking land deeds and dealing with the powerful. Lieutenant General Liu, is this what you wish for?"

Liu Zhaosun burst out laughing. This old man really judged others by his own standards.

"General Kang, the city is in chaos, with soldiers everywhere. It's very unstable. I'd better send a few trusted servants to guard you."

Kang Yingqian had already walked quite a distance. Upon hearing this, he shook his head vigorously at Liu Zhaosun and cursed:
"Just say surveillance, what about guarding? I have my own guards! I don't need yours! Wang San'er! Wang San'er! Where are all those damn servants?"

Liu Zhaosun looked at Kang Yingqian's receding figure, a faint smile on his face. After a long moment, he said meaningfully:

"General Kang, please don't betray me this time."

Jin Yuji beside her suddenly felt murderous and said angrily:

"Sir, we can't keep this old man alive. He'll cause trouble sooner or later. It's better to kill him!"

Jin Yuji has a tall and pretty figure, with the plum blossom dagger on her waist shining coldly. Her eyes are cold and scorching, and she looks particularly cool and charming standing in the bright moonlight.

Liu Zhaosun smiled warmly at the cold and beautiful girl and said calmly:
"I know you're eager for revenge and want to destroy the Jiannu as soon as possible, but your murderous intent will backfire on you. Human life is precious. We should use talents like General Kang if we can. Go back and protect Master Yang. There will be another bloodbath in Kaiyuan City tonight! Go!"

Jin Yuji's face flushed red. Since the master had spoken, she had no choice but to obey. So she rode away with a loving look on her face.

A moment later, the north gate was heard to make a sound of shaking armor and leaves, like a silver bottle breaking and mercury spurting out.

Liu Zhaosun looked back at the flames burning in the city and saw that the soldiers who were chasing the Bordered Blue Banner had returned.

Including the White Spear Soldiers and Wolf Soldiers, there were only about 5,000 people able to fight.

There were more than 800 soldiers who were injured but not killed, and fortunately there were more than 5,000 Liao people who followed them.

Liu Zhaosun ordered the wounded to be placed in the homes of nearby civilians. Many civilians in the city had been slaughtered by the fleeing soldiers and rioters. It was extremely tragic.

At Guiyuan Temple near the north gate, the abbot Xukongzi witnessed the bloody battle between the Ming army and the Jiannu. Moved by the loyalty and bravery of Brigadier General Liu, he took the initiative to vacate the temple's side rooms for the wounded to live in.

Liu Zhaosun was deeply moved. He chatted with the host and had a vague idea of becoming a monk, expressing his willingness to be a lay monk.

The injured need to rest, but those who can fight must continue to fight.

Liu Zhaosun ordered that 800 men be stationed at each of the four gates, and that they set up camp outside the city gates for rest and recuperation. The general flag was to be on duty for night patrols. No one was allowed to enter or leave the city gates before dawn, otherwise they would be beheaded immediately.

Liu Zhaosun prepared to select 300 soldiers to kill the defeated soldiers and civilians.

After a day of fierce fighting, the soldiers were extremely tired. Liu Zhaosun knew this, but despite this, he had to persevere.

Tonight is crucial, as it is the final battle to occupy Kaiyuan.

As a time traveler, Liu Zhaosun believes in human nature, but is unwilling to test it.

The Wolf Soldiers, White Spear Soldiers, Xuanda Soldiers and Jizhen Soldiers were mixed together, and their military discipline was worrying.

If the soldiers were allowed to enter the city now, under the cover of night, faced with gold, silver, jewelry and disheveled women, no one could guarantee what they would do.

Liu Zhaosun didn't want to lose another 3,000 defeated soldiers.

He didn't want all his previous efforts to go to waste.

With the assistance of the captains of each battalion, three hundred southern soldiers were quickly transferred out. Many of them were Yiwu soldiers trained by Qi Jin in the south. Liu Zhaosun saw that these people's temperament was obviously different from that of other soldiers.

"It is the duty of the pacification troops to capture and kill the fleeing soldiers, but in this emergency, we have to make an exception. There are too many fleeing soldiers and rioters, and the pacification troops are short of manpower. Therefore, I want you to follow me and kill them!"

"After entering the city, anyone holding swords, guns, sticks, or clubs and refusing to surrender will be treated as a Jiannu spy and executed on the spot!"

After nightfall, flames shot up into the sky in Kaiyuan City, and a woman's shrill screams were heard in the darkness.

Liu Zhaosun raised his lance, looked coldly at the burning city, and rode his horse towards the brightest part of the fire.

Several servants hurriedly followed, and the southern soldiers lined up in neat rows behind the lieutenant general, each holding a torch and a long spear and a heavy sword.

These soldiers had just returned from chasing the Tartars. Their faces were stained with blood and they looked murderous.

They obeyed Liu Zhaosun's orders and would attack wherever the lieutenant general directed.

East Gate Street.

Under the dim moonlight, a woman holding a baby was staggering and running while crying.

Most of her cotton robe was torn off, revealing her white arms.

Suddenly, the woman lost her balance and fell to the ground, with the baby in her arms crying loudly.

Not far behind her, two defeated soldiers from Shaanxi Town, with gold and silver jewelry in their arms, crawled towards the woman with lewd smiles on their faces.

"Young lady, where are you running to? All the men in your family have been killed by them. Where else are you going?"

"Don't come over here, don't."

The woman opened her eyes wide and looked around in horror, then at the baby in her arms, and finally at the stone sign on the street and ran into it.

Just a second before she rushed forward, the sound of horse hooves came from the corner of the street.

The defeated soldiers looked back at the corner of the street, only to see a cavalryman appear over there. There was a man on the horse, holding a lance, rushing towards them.

The two men looked at each other, drew their swords, pointed them at the man, and a defeated soldier stepped forward and said:

"Brother, there are still silver and women on South Street. Go over there and rob them. We don't take them at night. Don't try to target us..."

Before he could finish his words, he was knocked away by the oncoming warhorse. Before he landed on the ground, his neck was pierced through by a lance.

The cavalry attacked so fast that it was impossible to see with the naked eye. His companions screamed, dropped the silver, turned around and ran away.

Liu Zhaosun reined in his horse, leaned over and stroked the horse's mane. He watched the defeated soldier run a dozen steps, then suddenly spurred his horse and threw the lance in his hand.

The defeated soldier was from the Shaanxi Town Night Guards, and he was very skilled. He had just slaughtered two Liao families in South Street and robbed dozens of taels of silver. The two were about to enjoy this young lady, but they didn't expect to meet this killer.

He ran along the street, his fingers on the scabbard of his sword, waiting for the horses behind him to come forward, so that he could swing his sword and kill the horsemen.

The returning sword slash is Ye Bushou's ultimate move. At this time, the cavalrymen with lances came from behind to kill him. He quickly leaned over to avoid it, and the tip of the lance flew past his back.

"die!"

Liu Zhaosun followed closely behind, not giving his opponent any chance, and slashed his saber diagonally across the man's neck, beheading the fleeing soldier. At this time, the two servants at the back finally caught up with the lieutenant general and rode forward to help.

Liu Zhaosun rode his horse to the woman's side. The woman was trembling, obviously thinking that the lieutenant general was also a rebel.

Liu Zhaosun dismounted and saw that the woman's clothes were torn. Feeling sorry for her, he took off his cloak.

"I am the Lieutenant General of Kaiyuan. We are here to protect the people of Liao. The streets are not peaceful tonight. Take the children and go home quickly!"

The woman hesitated for a moment before putting on her cloak and mustering up her courage.
"On behalf of the Liao people of Kaiyuan, I would like to express my gratitude to the General. May I ask your name? I will inform you later."

Liu Zhaosun, surrounded by his servants, rode his horse towards the South Street where the defeated soldiers were gathered. After a few steps, he turned back and said:

"I am Liu Zhaosun, and I am here to protect the Liao people."

Liu Zhaosun walked a long way away, and the woman muttered to herself.

"The general is a really good man."

That night, the good man Liu Zhaosun led his soldiers on a killing spree that lasted until late at night. In total, they killed more than 350 defeated soldiers and civilians and captured 360 alive.

Fortunately, these defeated soldiers were a mob and had no desire to fight. The 300 soldiers suffered minor losses, with only a dozen injured.

For Kaiyuan City, this night was destined to be a sleepless night.

Not only Liu Zhaosun couldn't sleep all night, but the wealthy and powerful families in the city were all terrified, fearing that they would be robbed by the defeated soldiers.

The governor of Haiphong died for his country, the general died in battle, and most of the civil officials in Kaiyuan died. The city fell into a state of disorder. The local tyrants all closed their gates and sent more servants. Although they were local tyrants, they were also afraid of the powerful dragons outside.

Whether it is the Tartars or the defeated soldiers, they are the local tyrants who cannot be provoked.

In troubled times, if you encounter such a war, the wealth accumulated by generations of ancestors will be looted overnight, and the lives of the entire family will not be saved.

The powerful and wealthy families had complex ties with Liaozhen. They were not afraid of the Tartars, but they were afraid of the aggressive southern soldiers.

The powerful could at least talk to the Jurchens in the north, but they were still unfamiliar with Lieutenant General Liu...
The next morning, Liu Zhaosun took a nap in the big tent for half an hour, with Jin Yuji serving him. When he woke up, he immediately rushed to Guiyuan Temple.

After one night, more than one hundred of the eight hundred wounded soldiers died, and many of the remaining soldiers were seriously injured and were unlikely to survive.

There was a shortage of medicinal materials in Kaiyuan City and all the doctors had fled.

Just when Liu Zhaosun was at a loss, the monk from Guiyuan Temple came out.

The abbot generously donated medicine to the wounded soldiers for their treatment free of charge.

"Monks are pretty good, they have money,"

Liu Zhaosun muttered to himself.

The monk knew medicine and was willing to treat the wounded for free. Liu Zhaosun was deeply moved and said that he would donate a golden body to the Buddha in the future.

He suddenly remembered that he still owed the Taoist temple in Shenyang a golden statue.

These wounded soldiers are all the direct subordinates of the Lieutenant General, so none of them can be abandoned. If you can save as many as possible, then save them all.

Inside the meditation room of Guiyuan Temple.

The white-bearded abbot Xukongzi invited Liu Zhaosun to have a vegetarian meal together.

The ancient temple, shrouded in the hazy morning mist, looks exceptionally quiet and solemn, like a silhouette floating above the clouds.

Last night, Liu Zhaosun killed countless people. Today, he is going to kill again and execute the captured defeated soldiers at noon.

The vast Guiyuan Temple, the distant sounds of bells and chimes.

The melodious and ethereal sound of the bell makes people feel like they are out of the world, but unfortunately, vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures are not the right path, nor can they save the people of the world.

The old monk looked at the warrior carefully. On the cushion, Liu Zhaosun's face was covered in blood, his hair was disheveled, his eyes were closed, his breathing was even, and he seemed to be thinking about something, like a monk in meditation.

In fact, he was asleep.

"Good, good, my Buddha is merciful, and I was able to influence this warrior, which is also a merit of mine."

Xukongzi was quite pleased with himself. He knew that Liu Zhaosun had killed too many people and was going to kill people in the city again today. If he could get this butcher to convert to Buddhism, his merits would naturally be immeasurable.

"Donor Liu, as the saying goes, if you kill him in this life, he will kill you in the next life, and then in the life after that, he will kill you again. You can't stop practicing abstinence! In this endless cycle of you killing him, he killing you, if one party stops killing, then naturally the cycle of killing will also stop, and then one will be freed from the karmic consequences of killing."

Liu Zhaosun stopped snoring and suddenly opened his eyes.

"Amitabha."

The abbot smiled, thinking that the butcher had suddenly realized something.

"Abbot, please be merciful and lend me some more food..."

Abbot:......

Half an hour later, ten carriages loaded with grain slowly drove out of the temple.

The old monk was suffocated by the lieutenant general's reverse begging. Although Xukongzi was very reluctant, he still lent him 250 stones of wheat.

In this way, the army's urgent needs were barely resolved.

Despite this, the army only had enough food for five days.

If he couldn't get food and supplies, Liu Zhaosun would not care about the main road and could only rob the rich.

The most urgent issue at the moment is to restore normal order in Kaiyuan City as soon as possible.

This was also one of the reasons why he rejected Kang Yingqian last night.

No one is a fool. Simple robbery will only speed up the Liao people's efforts to defect to the Later Jin.

Kaiyuan is a place where wars have been fought on four sides.

To the north is the Later Jin, to the west is Mongolia and Haixi, and to the south is Liaoyang and Shenyang.

Except for the Haixi Jurchens, who were on and off with him, he had offended all the surrounding forces.

If we still want to carry out a major internal purge now, we will be saying that we have lived too long.

When strength does not allow, we must make the number of enemies smaller and the number of friends larger.

This is the avenue.

"Monks are really rich."

Liu Zhaosun sat in the carriage, humming a little tune and sighing from the bottom of his heart.

Before leaving, the old monk sent Liu Zhaosun far away, thinking that there would be a response after he kept thinking about it. He said that the general was quite intelligent and might become a Buddha in the future, so he gave Liu Zhaosun the Dharma name Yanshe.

Liu Zhaosun clasped his hands together with a pious attitude.

"Amitabha, thank you Master Xukong for bestowing upon me the Dharma name. However, I still need to perform a physical rite of salvation for many souls today. I will come back another day to listen to your teachings! See you later!"

(End of this chapter)