Chapter 003: Killing the Good
The chilling sound sent a shiver down Zhang Weigong's spine, as the words he had previously read suddenly materialized before his eyes. Under the command, all the Ming soldiers began to draw their swords. The sound of long blades scraping against their sheaths was intensely penetrating. No one hesitated or questioned; each person had already chosen their target like a butcher preparing to strike.
Mother
Nausea ... ...
Everything vanished without a trace, including the bodies of my father and mother
In the thicket, Wei Gong let out a cold laugh. He wiped the corner of his eye, where there was faintly a trace of blood. That glance at his mother took all his strength, causing the corner of his eye to burst.
Look at the age, like!
Everything before me seems like a tedious plot from a film or television drama, yet Wei Gong is unwilling to let go no matter what
His voice was extremely indifferent, yet also very resolute, devoid of any hint of hesitation or doubt
Only in the report submitted to the Ministry of War from Liaodong Town is there such a record: On May 17 of the second year of Wanli, the Han troops invaded Yangjiatai, and the Liaodong Tao guerrillas came to the aid. In this engagement, fifty-five enemy soldiers were beheaded, marking a victory of moderate significance.
Decapitate!
Run ... ... run, keep running!
Kill them all, kill them all!
Creak, creak...
Two young men, dressed in blue tops and gray trousers, with cloth belts around their waists, were also staring at me along with the man on the mule.
Creak!
Run, everyone, run! Wei Gong jumped into the air, exerting all his strength, and shouted at the top of his lungs
Zhang Weigong felt a tremendous roar in his mind as a door he had never seen before suddenly swung open before him. He had never imagined that human effort could achieve such a feat
The first strike was aimed at a woman in her forties. As her head flew into the air, this middle-aged woman, known as Sister Cai, had yet to comprehend the reason behind everything unfolding before her.
It was still that voice that sent chills down one's spine. Wei Gong instinctively turned around and saw a face that would be hard to forget for the rest of his life
Tao Youji was thus promoted to the position of Deputy Commander, with a hereditary title of Qianhu. After the Ministry of War reported this to the Emperor, the young Emperor personally granted General Tao fifty taels of silver.
What is your name, little child?
In recent days, the authorities have been dealing with the aftermath. My father's body has likely been decapitated, his hair shaved off, and sent to be reported as a Mongolian. As for my mother's body, it is probably buried among the victims, alongside the women and children, in a mass grave.
The powerful general, lost in thought on horseback, muttered: "Damn it, just one head, and I have galloped hundreds of miles from beyond the pass. What merit is there in this..."
Several cavalrymen, upon hearing the command from the general, spurred their horses and rode out in pursuit of Zhang Weigong and his mother.
"Guai Wei Gong, do not blame your biological father; he has his own difficulties. If possible..."
What extraordinary power this is
The woman he tightly held onto was the closest person to him in this era. If he were to let go, he would become a true rootless drifter, with no support whatsoever
At the last moment, Xu Su'e ultimately did not reveal all the information about Wei Gong's father. Instead, she exerted all her strength to shake off her son's small hand and ran in the opposite direction
Due to the lack of inhabitants in the village, the authorities did not expend effort on reconstruction. This area is vast and sparsely populated, and even the remaining land did not attract envy. A few years later, the entire village became a desolate ruin, surrounded by shrubs and wild grass. Everything that transpired during that time has become merely a story for those who are still alive
He respectfully placed the jar, along with the picture and the book, in the center of the dilapidated hall, then bowed deeply on the ground.
At this moment, what is fortunate for him is that he and his mother are at the outermost place. He is desperately pulling his mother with his small hands, fleeing towards the mountain where they sought refuge last night at the fastest speed of his life
Zhang Weigong cried out in anguish, watching his mother rush towards death. After calling out once, he turned around and ran towards the depths of the mountains
In fact, even if a mountain dweller child does not die, what difference does it make
Son, you run quickly; your mother cannot run fast
At this moment, he finally heard clearly that this force of the Ming army was under the command of General Li Chengliang from Liaodong, and the leading general was surnamed Tao
... ...
No, if we are to leave, let us leave together
Not a single one shall be let go
The discussions at that moment were naturally initiated by them
The two daughters were fleeing into the mountains, and there were many others escaping around them, but this was undoubtedly a desperate journey. Last night, the Mongols were unfamiliar with the terrain, and it was after midnight, so many people managed to escape with their lives.
After the upheaval of last night, Wei Gongniang had exhausted all her spirit and strength, and at this moment, she could no longer run. She wanted to push her son's hand away and urge Wei Gong to escape alone, but her son held onto her tightly, refusing to let go even in death.
A corpse, weighing at least a hundred pounds, was effortlessly lifted by this general with a horse spear
What the hell, is there another corpse?
It seems that only my own breath is audible, and it is coming too quickly; my chest feels as if it is about to ignite, and my legs no longer seem to belong to me, merely functioning as tools propelling me forward
The sound of hooves grew closer, and it seemed that the heavy breathing of a person could also be heard. It was the excited panting of a bloodthirsty beast before it killed. In the presence of such a creature, pleading for mercy is utterly futile
In later generations, he was an orphan, only coming to understand the love of his parents in this life; unfortunately, everything has already ceased to exist
This fellow was left behind, his round face turned skyward, his eyes wide open, and his corpse appeared particularly hideous
This group of Ming soldiers had long surrounded everyone, and with it being broad daylight, visibility was excellent. It was exceedingly difficult for those on foot to escape. However, driven by the instinct to survive, the villagers scattered in all directions, resembling a herd of startled deer
His personal experience of soldiers killing the innocent and taking credit for their deeds has led him to lose trust in the Ming court and its officials. Who would believe the words of a child, and which local official would offend a general wielding significant military power based on the words of a mere child
His feet quickly became worn out because his cloth shoes were lost. By the time he dashed into the thorns and was pulled by the needles until his body was covered in blood, he was already completely stiff and rigid.
"Wonderful, truly wonderful." The man with the flat face was very pleased; he jumped down from the mule, and his entire face radiated with joy. After sizing up Zhang Weigong for a moment, he nodded and said, "The name is right, the appearance is right, indeed, this time it is truly right!"
After a long time, he finally felt his heartbeat and realized that his whole body was in pain
The border troubles in the spring of the second year of the Wanli era were merely minor issues, hardly deserving of being recorded in history. It was only a few years later, when the Han troops launched a large-scale invasion involving thousands, that these events were diligently documented by the meticulous historians.
The general's contemplation was brief, merely a matter of a gesture, and without much hesitation, he issued the order directly
The villagers knelt obediently on the ground, not daring to move. However, Zhang Weigong, though small in stature, was sharp-witted. He faintly heard the general's whispers, and his hair stood on end. He secretly tugged at his mother's robe sleeve, pulling her towards the outskirts of the crowd.
However, Zhang Weigong's attention was not on the corpse, but rather fixated on the spearhead of the general who was about to arrive
The slaughter by this elite Ming army is more efficient and ferocious than that of the Mongols. Every strike is aimed at the neck, and each blow claims a head, a life.
The villagers had never witnessed such a scene; many felt a wave of nausea in their chests and stomachs, and vomited bile.
He can command hundreds of iron cavalry, at least holding the rank of a guerrilla general or higher. His subordinates are also exceptionally strong and valiant. If they had encountered those poorly equipped Mongolians from yesterday, they would certainly have made them flee in panic. Unfortunately, they arrived a bit too late; the Mongolians have already been gone for half a day, and with their light cavalry and swift horses, it is impossible to catch up now
The sound of hooves echoed around for a long time. He heard the pursuing cavalry discussing among themselves, planning to shirk responsibility by reporting back that he had fallen off a cliff and died.
Only two thin lips, the command to kill emanates from this mouth
The brief announcement hardly attracted any attention; no one knew that behind the few dozen characters of the document lay the blood of ordinary people in the mountain village. The fate of the small village, as reported by General Tao, was that it had been razed by the Mongols. Women and children were either captured or killed, and the village was set ablaze. As for the aftermath, the local military leaders found it inappropriate to intervene and left the matter to the local authorities to handle
Zhang Weigong hid in the mountains for five or six days, while General Tao and the local officials engaged in a protracted dispute over legal matters. When the county officials came to investigate the village's losses and tally the number of casualties, he did not show himself at all, merely observing everything before him with a cold gaze
This time, Zhang Weigong did not cry; he rummaged through the room and found a clay jar, scooping up a few handfuls of black soil from the courtyard and placing them into the jar
There is still someone... www.hetushu.com is a child
Mother, run, run!
He paid no attention to the blood that continued to flow from the corner of his eye; instead, he gazed in the direction of the village and softly declared: "In this life, I vow to kill you"
After the villagers knelt down, the general casually extended his hand, and with a flick of his spear, the body of the Mongolian strongman who had been shot dead the previous night was surprisingly discarded, remaining at the same spot. It seemed that his companions were unwilling to waste their horse power dragging a corpse and instead took away all the plundered goods.
The five thatched cottages were once his home, but now they have been largely burned down, with only the beams and framework still standing. The charred courtyard walls and roof resemble a shocked face, exuding an indescribable sense of desolation and eeriness
With leopard-like eyes and a round face, a full beard extending from the chin to the temples, a prominently high nose bridge, and complemented by large eyes and a round face, he presents a striking resemblance to a fierce general.
Such rudeness, Wei Gong is in a time of deep sorrow and pain, and I did not intend to respond to him. However, recalling the words of the three individuals just now, I felt a stir in my heart and replied: "My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Wei Gong"
Could it be that person?
Hearing his call, the general laughed heartily on horseback, casting a sidelong glance at Weigong in the distance, his laughter filled with mockery.
Suddenly, voices were heard from outside the courtyard. Weigong turned around to see a man wearing a corrugated hat and a blue long robe, riding a strong mule. He had a square face, triangular eyes, and a goatee, and was gazing intently at him from head to toe.
Only after the officials and soldiers had retreated, leaving the entire village devoid of any presence, did Zhang Weigong stealthily return to the village like a small cat
After taking a look, the general shook the spear tip, causing the corpse to fall to the ground like a piece of paper. After giving a command, a soldier from the Ming army stepped forward, wielding a short knife. The blade was extremely sharp, and in a swift motion, a head was already severed.