Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3554: All Things Compete

February of the tenth year of Taixing.

In spring, all things are blooming, but in Danjiangkou, Cao Ren's heart is filled with endless worries.

Yesterday, when Cao Ren received the secret letter from Xu County, he couldn't help but sweat profusely.

The wax on the secret letter was a little crooked, as if it was unintentional, and it also seemed to reflect Cao Cao's inner uneasiness.

"A filial son to his parents..."

"The battle of Jingzhou is related to the overall situation. If Xiangyang is lost, Xu County will be in turmoil..."

These things, which originally did not need to be emphasized, were now solemnly written in the secret letter.

"Wait..." Cao Ren suddenly woke up, "Someone, go and get some of those broken wood!"

The soldiers quickly took a boat to the river, scooped up some wood chips floating on the surface of the river, and placed them in front of Cao Ren.

Cao Ren took two or three pieces, looked at the cuts on the wood, and frowned.

These cuts are all new...

"What is Li Mancheng doing?"

Cao Ren immediately realized that these were pieces of wood that had fallen into the river after Li Dian had cut down trees upstream and built some equipment.

Cao Ren looked up and saw the undulating mountains in the distance, like a group of dormant giant beasts in the twilight.

"No. This won't work." Cao Ren's cheeks twitched. "I can't let Li Man become such an easy construction tool!"

Cao Ren held the wood in his hand. The fresh axe marks and wood thorns on the cross section of the wood pricked the thick calluses on his hands and also pierced his heart. "Pass the order! Select a hundred death warriors! Defeat Li Mancheng tonight!"

Cao Ren turned around and looked around, then looked at one of the imperial guards, "Cao Zhiheng, are you willing to lead this team?"

Cao Jian, courtesy name Zhiheng, is related to Cao Ren in some indirect way.

Cao Ren originally did not have many generals under his command. Wen Pin escaped and Niu Jin died. Cao Zhen had to defend Jiangling and Han Hao had to keep an eye on Wancheng. So he could only pick generals from among these short men under his command to see if he could find one or two people who could hold a broken wheel.

Cao Jian was obviously a little stunned, but looking at Cao Ren's eyes, he knew that this kind of thing was not something that a small military academy student like him could argue about, so he could only agree.

"Do a good job!" Cao Ren asked someone to fetch a new set of armor and put it on Cao Jian himself. "If we win this battle, you will be the first to achieve the credit!"

…

…

When Cao Jian arrived at the Death Battalion, he was still looking at his newly acquired armor.

New armor.

From a certain perspective, a good suit of armor is almost like having an extra life!

But what the Death Squad did was to ensure a 100% chance of survival, so one more life...

Can it be used?

Cao Jian felt a little uneasy.

Could it be that I was too close to Cao Ren just now?

But aren't all places in Shandong required to follow the leadership closely?

Although Cao Jian knew in his heart that if he could complete this mission, he would naturally be one level higher than other military academies, and might even be promoted to captain!

but……

Why would you risk your life for a job that you can get by relying on connections?

Isn't it normal in Shandong to make dumplings for two or three dishes of vinegar? Why did he have to risk his life in the process?

Cao Jian felt as if he had drunk a large bowl of vinegar in one gulp. His chest and abdomen felt sour and uncomfortable. Therefore, when he arrived at the death camp and saw the lazy soldiers in the camp, he immediately became very angry.

Especially when he saw that some death-defying soldiers were squatting on the side boiling medicine and ignoring him completely, a nameless rage suddenly rushed straight to the top of Cao Jian's head!

If there is a place in the military camp that emphasizes first come first served the most, it is probably the Death Squad.

The longer one can stay in the Death Battalion, the more unique he or she will naturally become. New recruits who have just joined the Death Battalion often need to fight in one or two major battles before they are accepted by other veterans.

In addition, most of the soldiers in the Death Squad are unruly. Some of them may have violated military laws in other camps and then been sent to the Death Squad to atone for their crimes. Therefore, most of these people do not care much about the military academy level of Cao Jian. If Cao Ren comes in person, they will give him some face. What kind of person is Cao Jian?

Cao Jian was also young and hot-tempered. He wondered why these disabled and blind guys dared to ignore him. In a rage, he couldn't help but step forward and kick over the clay pot that the old soldier used to boil medicine.

"It's fucking enough that I'm about to die, and I'm still making this bullshit medicine!"

Cao Jian felt that his reasons were very reasonable and powerful.

Isn't that the case?

For the soldiers who entered the Death Squad, they were almost waiting to die. Perhaps some of them could really gain merit in the war, escape, or even be promoted, but the vast majority of the soldiers in the Death Squad were doomed.

In that case, why bother making medicine?

The scalding medicine was splashed on veteran Zhao Shiqi's face, causing a series of blisters.

"Thieves, get out of here and line up!"

Cao Jian shouted angrily.

The old soldier didn't stand up, but just stared at the medicine jar that was kicked over. Even the blisters on his face didn't allow him to move.

"Hehehehe..."

"hehe……"

"The fool is coming."

"Let's watch the show..."

Some soldiers slowly walked out of the Death Squad, and some of them squatted, leaned, or simply sat cross-legged on the rocks, but they all stared at Cao Jian and the several soldiers Cao Jian brought with them with an expression as if they were looking at monkeys.

The few Cao army soldiers who came with Cao Jian were obviously more experienced than Cao Jian. When they saw that the situation was not right, they took two steps back, leaving Cao Jian in front, as if to say, we don't know this guy.

Cao Jian was a student in the military, so he was not qualified to have any private soldiers. The guards who followed him were also the ones who looked at people carefully. Many of them were Yellow Turbans from Qingzhou, and there were old tattoos with the word "soldier" on their foreheads. They were exactly the same as the tattoos on the heads of some soldiers in the death camp.

This old tattoo was the mark left by the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou after they surrendered to Cao Cao.

At the beginning, perhaps it was just to distinguish these people from other Yellow Turban bandits who refused to surrender, but now it seems that this marking method is somewhat like a means of dealing with criminals and humiliating them.

"You...what are you doing?!"

Cao Jian swallowed his saliva, his face full of emotions. He didn't understand why these soldiers didn't look like they were afraid of him at all. They were completely different from the other soldiers in Cao's camp!

A group of people slowly surrounded Cao Jian.

The friction of the armor sounded like some ferocious beast grinding its teeth.

Zhao Shiqi ripped open his torn jacket, revealing the old wooden symbol of "Year in Jiazi" on his waist. He roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot, like a mad dog that eats people, "Where did you come from?! When I was fighting for my life at Guandu with rockets on my head, you were still playing with bamboo horses with your bare bottom! Pay for my medicine!"

"Someone! Someone! Take him down!"

Cao Jian shouted, but no one cared.

No matter whether it was the soldiers he brought with him or other soldiers in the suicide camp, some were smiling, some had a blank expression, or some just glanced and turned away.

Military law is strict, but in the Death Squad, military law is a joke.

If you are not afraid of death, why would you be afraid of military law?

These veterans may be afraid of illness, loneliness and other chronic conditions that torment them repeatedly, but they are not afraid of death.

Even for them, death can bring them the final peace...

During the tug of war, a cloth bag in Zhao Shiqi's arms fell to the ground, and half a rusty five-zhu coin rolled out of it.

Zhao Shiqi stared at the falling five-zhu coins, his face suddenly became ferocious and crazy, he grabbed Cao Jian's armor, and punched Cao Jian on the head, "Is your surname Cao? ! You are lying! You are lying! You are lying to us, Cao, you have to lie to us!"

"Let him go!"

"Don't do it!"

"Get out of the way!"

The soldiers who followed Cao Jian saw that the situation was not right, so they had no choice but to move forward. They could watch Cao Jian being beaten and slapped in the face, but they could not let Cao Jian be beaten to death, otherwise they would also be implicated.

But Zhao Shiqi was obviously mentally stimulated. How could he recover his consciousness in a short time?

The five-zhu coin rolled to the ground, covered in mud and dust.

The riots spread like wildfire.

…

…

When Cao Ren rode his horse into the death camp, he saw more than a dozen death-defying soldiers in the center of the camp. Zhao Shiqi was pressing a notched sword against Cao Jian's throat.

The other Cao troops gathered around, with different expressions.

The rusty five-zhu coin was not only carried by Zhao Shiqi, but also by other Qingzhou soldiers.

This was the "settlement money" that Cao Cao gave when he surrendered to the Qingzhou army.

The chevaux de frise were pulled to the camp gate, blocking Cao Ren's way.

Cao Ren took a long breath, suppressed his anger, and asked in a deep voice, "What do you want to do?!"

Someone in the crowd shouted: "Prime Minister Cao promised us 'five zhu per mu on the day we take off our armor'! Now let me ask, is there any half a ridge of land outside Xiangyang City that will be distributed to us Qingzhou people?!"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar of voices!

"lie!"

"Liar! Liar!"

"No land! We have nothing!"

Cao Ren drew out his sword and slashed at the barricades in front of him, "Shut up!"

But it was obvious that simple scolding did not achieve any effect.

Zhao Shiqi suddenly ripped open Cao Jian's armor, revealing the brocade robe underneath. "Look, look! This brocade robe that Cao's son wears is enough to buy five acres of cultivated land! And what about us? What about us? Where are the acres of land promised to us? !"

"You bastard!" Cao Ren cursed loudly, and it was unclear whether he was cursing Zhao Shiqi or Cao Jian, or both. "Aren't those military farms in Yanzhou and around Yingchuan given to you? ! And you, Zhao Shiqi, have repeatedly violated military regulations, and it's a relief that I didn't chop off your head! Now you still have the nerve to ask for land? ! "

Zhao Shiqi glared and kicked Cao Jian into the dirt, "Those are your Cao family's fields! Military farms! What the hell are these military farms? How dare you say that those military farms are not tenants of your Cao family?! What we want is our fields! Ours!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

Cao Ren fell silent.

In history, it was Cao Cao who started the military farming. However, Fei Qian, who was in the Han Dynasty, intercepted Zaozhi and started the military farming. Later, Cao Cao also promoted the military farming. Emperor Sun of Jiangdong thought it was good and followed suit. However, it was obvious that Cao Cao's military farming was for himself. Jiangdong's military farming even used the captured Shanyue as slaves...

Nowadays, although they are all called Tuntian, they are not the same. Generally speaking, the Tuntian in Guanzhong and Hedong are close to self-cultivating farmers, while the Tuntian in Shandong are tenant farmers, and the Tuntian in Jiangdong are slaves.

Can Cao Cao give these people real land?

Can Cao Ren agree to allocate land in Jingzhou to fulfill his promise?

Even if it was possible, Cao Ren didn't want to give it.

After all, in Shandong, there are some "precedents" that cannot be set...

Cao Ren fell silent. The soldiers in the Death Squad shouted for a while, but no sound could be heard even if they clapped their hands, so after a while, they gradually stopped.

Cao Ren finally felt relieved. He stared at Cao Jian who was kicked into the mud, then turned to look at Zhao Shiqi. After the noise around him died down, he raised his head and chin, "You want land? Ha! But when you massacred the people in Xuzhou, did you leave even a single inch of space for the people to be buried?!"

The crowd fell into deathly silence.

After a moment, Zhao Shiqi trembled as he untied his ragged robe, revealing the scar on his chest. The festering wound shouted hoarsely, "Prime Minister Cao once said that these scars on our bodies are to wash away our sins..."

Suddenly, Zhao Shiqi pointed at the big flag with the word "Cao" flying in the Cao army camp, "This flag is now higher than the banner that said "Heaven is Dead" back then! The acres of land we have conquered for your Cao family are more than those conquered by the Heavenly Master back then! But have we washed away our sins? !"

Cao Ren also fell silent. After a moment, he pointed in the direction of Li Dianjun, "Tonight I will personally write a memorial. After this battle, the soldiers from Qingzhou can take the "five-zhu coins" to Qiao County to claim the land... Even if the lord does not give it, I will also give you the land of my family! If you break the oath, you will be given this!"

Cao Ren pulled out the ring-handled sword on the chevaux de frise, and then cut off the support on the chevaux de frise with one stroke.

Amidst the flying wood chips, Cao Ren's sparkling eyes were revealed.

…

…

People need hope so as not to be like walking corpses.

Even if you are an ox or a horse, you still yearn for a piece of land that can shelter you from the wind and rain to rest, so that your soul can have a place to rest when it withers.

But even this most superficial and basic hope, the landlord class is still unwilling to give it to these people.

Because even the dumbest landlords know that landlords never have surplus food...

They would rather pour it out, let it rot, let it wail all day long because the cost is too high, or tear off those red seals and hide it, rather than give it away for free to the hungry people.

The night is dark.

Cao Ren looked at the death warriors who were preparing to set off.

"Bring the black armor."

Cao Ren suddenly spoke.

In the wooden box carried by the royal guards, there were hundreds of sets of fine iron armor neatly stacked, and the armor plates glowed with a faint blue light under the candlelight.

It turns out that only those at the military academy level or above, at least the village chief, are qualified to wear this kind of armor.

No one showed any joy, because everyone knew that if they wanted to wear a long gown and good armor, they had to pay a price.

Cao Ren watched these people put on their armor and then waved their arms.

The shamans rang copper bells and waved banners decorated with colorful ribbons, and their chants mixed with the sound of flowing river sounded like sobs coming from underground.

"Blood oath!"

A rooster was beheaded and its blood splattered into the wine jar.

As the ceremonial officer shouted loudly, the chicken blood spread in the wine, and bowl after bowl of blood wine was poured out. In the night, it was like water from the underworld, spreading with an enchanting scent.

A bowl of chicken blood, a bowl of chicken soup, what changes is time and space, what remains unchanged is the chicken with its head chopped off.

Zhao Shiqi stood in front of the queue, looking at the bowl of blood wine in front of him. Under the light of the fire, he saw the reflection in the bowl shaking.

Do you still want to believe it?

Can you still believe it?

Will you still believe it?

Zhao Shiqi asked himself, but the shadow of the blood wine was shaking and there was no sound.

No one said anything.

Only the shamans beside the high platform were dancing inexplicable dances and singing strange songs.

These witches and wizards claim to be able to communicate with the gods and hear directly from the heavens...

So this time, it should be credible, right?

Zhao Shiqi hesitated.

On the high platform, Cao Ren took the brocade box from the guard beside him and showed it to everyone.

In the box was Cao Cao's memorial. The ink-colored words on it seemed to be jumping and twisting under the firelight.

"Inside this box is the memorial for the land grant to you all!"

Cao Ren's voice suddenly became hoarse, he untied his crown, and his long gray hair danced wildly in the wind.

A cold light flashed, and a piece of broken hair floated into the brocade box.

"I cut my hair and swear! I will never break my promise!"

"If you return from this battle, you will be granted land! If you cannot return, your descendants will know your heroic names for generations to come!"

Cao Ren said, and waved his arm, "Quickly send this memorial to Xu County overnight! Present it to the Prime Minister!"

A guard answered loudly, took the brocade box and left.

Cao Ren waved his hand again and ordered his men to escort Cao Jian forward.

Cao Jian was no longer wearing the uniform of a military academy, but the same armor as Zhao Shiqi and the others. Even under the light of the torch, his face still looked somewhat pale.

Cao Ren didn't look at the look Cao Jian was giving him, but instead slowly glanced at Zhao Shiqi and the others, "Cao's sons and daughters, I will also fight with you! If you retreat before I do, I will retreat first. If you rush forward and I don't, I will kill me in front of the battle!"

"Gods above! Cao family will share the wealth and honor with you all, and advance and retreat together!"

"This is my oath!"

Cao Ren was the first to drink the blood wine.

Under Cao Ren's stern gaze, Cao Jian also trembled and drank a bowl of blood wine.

Everyone's eyes fell on Zhao Shiqi...

Zhao Shiqi was silent for a long time. He seemed to want to say something, but he looked at Cao Ren, the witch, and the other silent people around him. His lips moved a few times, but he didn't know what to say. All he could do was sigh, which mixed with the blood wine and was swallowed into his stomach.

"Good! Warriors! How brave!" Cao Ren shouted, and then watched the hundred brave soldiers who set out to fight and drank the blood wine one by one, "You will definitely return victorious! The world, the elders of my hometown, and my family property and fields are all in your hands!"

The suicide squads set off one after another.

Cao Jian was like a puppet, with his hands and feet stiffly trapped in it.

Cao Ren let out a long breath, and his originally excited expression collapsed...

These guys are becoming increasingly difficult to appease.

After these death-defying soldiers left, the witch stopped singing and dancing, and followed Cao Ren with his butt sticking out, bending over and showing a flattering face, "Congratulations, General, congratulations, General, this battle will definitely win, this battle will definitely win!"

Cao Ren didn't even look at the witch, he just waved his hand, "Well done! A hundred gold coins for you! Also, the remaining wine and the chickens are all yours!"

"Oh my, thank you, General!"

The witch smiled, and the wrinkles on his face bloomed like a blooming chrysanthemum.