Chapter 429 Some Surrender, Some Die

Chapter 429 Some Surrender, Some Die

Chapter 429 Some Surrender, Some Die

The fire on Tangchi Mountain spread more and more, and the entire rebel camp was in chaos.
The already fragile command system collapsed in an instant, and even the generals themselves were looking for a way out.

But now they are high up in the mountains,
On three of the four sides there was a blazing fire.

There is a cliff on the other side. Where can they run to?

To escape the fire, more and more rebels began to gather towards the cliffs.

As more and more people gathered, their sights passed over the vast number of camp tents.
Looking at the increasingly obvious fire in the distance, the fire flickered on their faces, reflecting the fear in their eyes.

The scene was quiet for a moment.

Everyone knew that they had lost.

At the same time, they breathed a sigh of relief as they were finally defeated.

Among the crowd, Ah Zi moved left and right, passing through the crowded crowd.

He no longer had the vigor and elegance he once had.

He changed into a set of tattered refugee clothes, half a set of armor, and a square hat with some mud on his head.

Beside him, there were several loyal guards.

They all lowered their heads, afraid of being recognized.

As he was marching, Ah Zi often saw the "rebels" standing there in a daze.
He will feel a sense of confusion in his heart.

They can stay here and wait for the imperial edict, and they will not lose their lives anyway.

But he can't, as a commander,
As long as he fails to achieve the desired value, he will be doomed.

With extremely complicated emotions,
The group passed through many rebels and finally reached the edge of a steep cliff.

"My lord, follow me."

A personal guard led the way.

Walking along the steep cliff covered with weeds and rubble, looking for the retreat route that had been prepared long ago.

Soon, behind a huge tree and weeds,
Ah Zi saw some food and water prepared in advance.
We also saw a steep but climbable "road" next to the cliff.

Seeing this scene, Ah Zi suddenly felt a little sad.
After years of wealth and glory, one rebellion ended up in such a miserable situation. Was it worth it?
Ah Zi recalled the anger he felt in Yuezhou.
I remembered the confusion I felt after seeing the court documents, and the bold words we spoke at that time.

For some reason, he felt that he was a little foolish at the time.
The desire to rebel has become his obsession, as if he is possessed.

Anger and documents were just a reason for him to rebel.

Now he knew what it felt like to rebel.

If he were allowed to choose again, perhaps he would live a peaceful and stable life in Yuezhou.

After taking a deep breath, Ah Zi's empty eyes gradually solidified, and he said in a deep voice:

"Let's go."

"Sir, I will go first, you can come later."

A guard with a determined look on his face stepped forward and was about to climb down.

"Wait." Ah Zi looked at the young face of the personal guard and called him.

The guard paused and raised his head. He was no more than twenty years old.

Although there are some dry wrinkles on his face, the clarity in his eyes still shows his youthfulness.

"Anan, are you afraid?"

The guard paused and nodded gently: "My lord, I am afraid."

"Then why do you still want to go with me? You can go back and wait for the imperial edict with those soldiers." Ah Zi's voice was hollow.

Anan's face suddenly became dazed, and after a long while he said:
"Sir, my grandfather followed the old sir,
Later, my grandfather died and my father followed the old man.

Later, my father died, and the old man also died, and I could only follow the young man.

My father once told me that our family cannot only be loyal to the adults when they are rich and powerful, but also when they are in trouble. "

Anan smiled and pointed to the steep cliff.

And the "road" that is only big enough for one foot to stand on, he said lightly:
"Sir, we will go down and explore the way first, you follow us.
If we miss a step and fall to our death,
Adults should not give up, and should not feel sad for us, but keep going. "

After saying this, before Ah Zi could react,

Anan had already stretched out his feet tentatively, and with his hands and body, he pressed against the cliff wall and disappeared little by little.
Ah Zi stared at the scene in a daze, his pupils shaking violently.

He looked back and forth at the guards around him.

I found that they looked like Anan.

As if they were fearless, they walked to the edge of the cliff, ready to follow An Nan's footsteps.

Ah Zi suddenly felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

He was deeply sorry, not for the rebellion,

What he regretted was why he didn't see these people and treat them better in the earlier years.

Ah Zi felt that he couldn't go on like this.

He ran over quickly, stuck his head out, and looked towards the cliff.

Dark and deep, a cold wind suddenly hits,
Blowing up Ah Zi's messy hair also made his burning cheeks cool down a little.

"Anan, come up."

The fire on Tangchi Mountain is still burning, and the air is filled with a pungent smell and billowing black smoke.

as time flows,
The few remaining wood piles were all burned, and the weeds and fallen leaves turned into ashes.

In the late night, when all the kerosene was burned out,
The fire that was rising into the sky was finally contained a little, and then it subsided.

Under military orders, many soldiers of the Southern Expedition Army began to grope forward and came to the edge of the "moat".

Under the dim moonlight, the front is full of dense and fine grass ash.
At this moment, it is like fine salt spread on the ground, with a few sparks occasionally bursting out.

Across the "moat", there were already sparse human figures swaying and slowly gathering.
As the moonlight shone down, the rebels' exposed skin turned black, their hair became wrinkled and dry, and they looked extremely miserable.

"We surrendered, we surrendered!!"

Sporadic shouts echoed from above, and many generals of the Southern Expedition Army couldn't help but smile when they heard this.

With their many years of experience in suppressing rebellions.

These rebels may not be afraid of death, but they are afraid of what awaits them before death.
This kind of pressure can easily crush a person!

The fire was gradually brought under control. A group of more than a thousand soldiers, holding bags filled with sand and soil,
Take off your armor and start clearing a path through the unburned fire.

Sand and soil were spread down, pressing heavily on the ash, burying all the black!

Soon, a not-so-wide road appeared that could accommodate a large army.
A line of soldiers retreated, and instead, soldiers wearing armor and holding bows, crossbows, and muskets slowly moved forward.

The loud voices of the messengers were mixed in with the shouting.
"Those who abandon their weapons and kneel on the ground will not be killed!"

On the other side of the "moat", in the rebel camp,
The originally tall figure became shorter like wheat being cut.
The clanging sounds continued, and everywhere was filled with the sounds of people wagging their tails and begging for surrender.

The soldiers were no longer surprised by such scenes.
They arranged and classified them with ease and assigned people to look after them.

An hour later, Chen Huan, Marquis of Puding, stood in the center of the camp.

Looking at the messy scene around him, he sneered and casually flicked the precious jade cup in his hand.
"If I had known this, I would have done it in the first place."

He walked into Ah Zi's tent, which was already in chaos.
But one could still see his previous extravagance, and the sarcasm on his face became even stronger.

Before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he clearly remembered,

The tents of the generals were as simple as they could be.
There was even only a bed and a table, and he knew from that time on,

If you want to accomplish something, you cannot enjoy it before it is accomplished.

At this time, hurried footsteps came from outside the military tent.

A soldier rushed in and said hurriedly:
"Sir, we found Ah Zi. He is on the northern cliff."

Chen Huan's expression couldn't help but look a little strange:

"Oh? He didn't escape from the cliff?"

The guard also looked a little strange and shook his head: "No."

"Hahaha."

Chen Huan laughed loudly and said as he walked:

"It seems that the credit this time should belong to me. Ye Sheng has been busy for two days and got nothing."

As night fell, the steep cliffs on the north side were swallowed by the dark sky.
Only a vague outline remains, looming on the edge of the moonlight.

The mountain wind howled, bringing with it a bone-chilling chill.
It shuttled through the cracks in the rocks, making a whimpering sound.

The cool mountain breeze blew on Chen Huan's robe, making it rustle.

He stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at Azi not far away.

Ah Zi looked haggard, his clothes were disheveled, and he stared into the deep valley with empty eyes.

The domineering aura of the past is now gone, leaving only deep loneliness.

It was so quiet all around that the only sound one could hear was the mountain wind whistling through the valley and the occasional cry of night birds in the distance.

Ah Zi's shoulders trembled slightly, not because of the cold, but because of the inner tremor and unrest.

His legs hung limply in the air, occasionally swaying slightly due to the strong wind.

Chen Huan approached slowly, and the sound of his footsteps was clear at this time.

Azi did not look back, but continued to maintain that posture, like a sculpture, frozen there.

"Azi, what can rebellion change?"

Chen Huan's voice echoed in the valley, with a hint of sarcasm.

"It will only increase casualties and harm others and ourselves."

Ah Zi finally moved, he slowly turned his head,

Looking at Puding Hou Chen Huan, a complex look flashed in his eyes.

"The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit, whatever you say."

His voice was low and hoarse, as if he didn't care.

Chen Huan chuckled, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
“But everyone is responsible for their own choices.

The winner is the king, which is the right path.

As for the loser being a bandit, that is nonsense. Whether you lose or not, you are still a bandit. "

Ah Zi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, there was determination in them.

"Maybe. At least, I tried."

He stood up, looked at the bottomless valley, and said calmly:

"Even if I lose, it doesn't matter."

After saying this, Ah Zi no longer hesitated.
He stood up, faced the endless abyss, took a deep breath, and jumped.
It turned into a black shadow and disappeared into the abyss.

Only the sound echoing in the valley remains.
And Chen Huan's complicated gaze lingered for a long time in the night.

Three days later, the Azi rebellion was completely quelled.

A group of rebels were detained and sent to various places.
The army that was sent to the south was going to rest in Yunnan and stay in Yuezhou City temporarily.
The Beijing troops also waited for the arrival of subsequent food, fodder, supplies and laborers, and prepared to set off again.

At this moment, outside the west gate of Yuezhou City,
The rebels were organized in good order;

A series of heavy iron chains connected their ankles, making low, rhythmic clanking sounds as they moved.

The sun shines obliquely, casting a faint golden glow on these former "rebels".
But it is difficult to conceal the loneliness and regret in their eyes.

The escorting soldiers held spears and swords, with serious and alert expressions, urging them to hurry up from time to time.

The entire West City Gate was filled with deathly silence and despair.

But at the East Gate, the scene is quite different.

The troops of the capital were ready to go, their armors gleaming coldly in the sun.

The war horses snorted from time to time, as if they were excited about the upcoming return journey.

The soldiers' faces were filled with eagerness to return home and joy after victory.

As always, after a victory in battle, the army would first distribute silver.

All soldiers who participated in the war received a reward.
Some people get 40-50 taels, some get 30-40 taels.

Even the soldiers and civilians who transported the baggage were rewarded with one or two taels of silver.
The whole team was filled with joy.

In the team, the quartermaster and the military discipline officer were busy checking the food and supplies.

The laborers carried heavy loads on their shoulders and in their hands, their clothes soaked with sweat, but they still walked steadily.

The horn of returning home suddenly sounded in this quiet afternoon, long and affectionate.
Penetrating the mottled walls of Yuezhou City,

Echoing in every inch of land baptized by war.

Following the sound of the horn, the Beijing troops began to move slowly.
Like a long dragon made of steel, it slowly poured out from the East City Gate in an orderly manner, yet it could not hide the eagerness to return home.

The few people in Yuezhou City came to the East Gate.

Standing on both sides of the street, bidding farewell to the Beijing troops with their eyes,

They smile on their faces, but their eyes are filled with sadness.
The ruins that can be seen everywhere remind them all the time.

The army is gone, and we have to rely on ourselves for the rest of our lives.

In the rear camp of the Beijing Army, Lu Yunyi and other generals had not yet left.

At the camp gate, I met the generals of the Southern Expedition Army who came to see me off.
There were also officials from the three divisions of Yunnan.

Yingguogong Fu Youde stood in front of everyone, looked them up and down for a moment, and nodded with satisfaction:

"Not bad, you are full of energy and spirit. When you return to Beijing this time, you will be famous all over the world again, hahahaha."

The old voice couldn't help laughing, and his face was no longer as solemn as before, but instead a little more relaxed.

The strange thing is, when I have some free time,
Lu Yunyi could clearly feel his old age.

Lu Yunyi's expression was serious and solemn, and he cupped his hands:
"We were able to suppress the rebellion this time thanks to the presence of the Southern Expedition Army. Otherwise, Ah Zi's rebellion would have continued for quite some time!"

Fu Youde, the Duke of Ying, waved his hand and said, "The matter of suppressing the rebellion is not worth mentioning. Come on."

He waved his hand, and Chen Huan, the Marquis of Puding, handed him a document. He looked at Lu Yunyi with a sour look on his face and said:

"Boy, I've given you so many good things, but don't let them go to waste."

A trace of doubt flashed across Lu Yunyi's eyes.
Fu Youde took two steps forward, handed over the document, and whispered:
"These are all the war horses of the rebels, most of them are Yunnan horses.

There are also some looted items looted by the rebels, which I will give to you as well."

Lu Yunyi's eyes suddenly widened and he looked at him in disbelief!

Previously, Fu Youde had written a memorial and sent it back to the capital over a distance of 800 miles, pleading for merit for the Beijing army.

This is already a huge favor, and now there is something more?
Fu Youde patted his shoulder:

"These things are what you deserve, and they are also my thanks to you.

Again, the three-three system is a good thing.

It is an inspiration to me and the Ming Dynasty, and this little thing is not worth mentioning. "

Lu Yunyi whispered:

"Duke Ying, these military funds are too valuable.
And the spoils of war belonging to the Beijing Army have already been taken away.”

Fu Youde smiled and said, "Okay, I have already ordered someone to register this matter and submitted it to the Governor's Office yesterday.

These things originally belong to you, I am just borrowing your flowers to offer to you, hahahahaha."

Having said this, Lu Yunyi's expression changed repeatedly, and he stopped being polite and cupped his hands:

"Thank you, Duke Ying!"

“Well, these things are just extras.

The Beijing Xingdusi intends to set up several new guard posts. This guild will ask the governor's office to promote some of your subordinates.
This time when you return to Beijing, you can go and see Zhang Quan, the deputy governor of the Right Army Governor's Office.

He is an old subordinate of mine. If you have any difficult issues in Beijing, you can go to him."

Lu Yunyi's eyes widened, not knowing what to say for a moment. After a long pause, he bowed and said:
"Thank you, Duke Ying, for your support!"

"Not really, it's just to distribute your credit.

You are still young, so walk more steadily.
Being famous at a young age is not a good thing, but a shackle. I will do more practical things after I arrive in Daning."

After saying this, Fu Youde looked at him meaningfully:
"For you, it's a good thing to stay away from the capital. Don't feel unhappy.

You must be more careful with your words and actions outside, because there are so many eyes on you in the court."

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, with doubt flashing in his eyes.

Feeling that he was hinting at something, she was about to ask a question when the Duke of Ying raised his hand to stop her:
"Well, that's enough, let's say goodbye to them."

Lu Yunyi stopped talking and did not speak again.
Then he turned around and looked at the officials who were bidding him farewell, and said goodbye one by one.

Finally, he came to his elder brother-in-law Muchun.
"Brother, Yun Yi is leaving Yunnan soon.
I also ask my brother, father and mother to take care of their health and not to overwork themselves."

Mu Chun laughed, and his dry cheeks had more cracks:
"Okay, I won't say any more polite words.

Please write to us as soon as possible after arriving in Beijing. If you have any difficulties, please also write to us as soon as possible and your family will help you.

If you are determined to achieve great things, go for it. I have your support.

If you want to live a stable life, my eldest brother will support you.

In short, the road is your own, and you have to take good care of your family."

"Yun Yi, please remember this."

Lu Yunyi clasped his hands together, his face showing emotion.

"Okay, let's set off early. It's a long journey and very tiring. Rest more and don't get tired."

(End of this chapter)