Chapter 230

The city guards all looked at Gu Qingcheng strangely. In the wars of all ages, the best treatment for the captured soldiers was to be released back to their hometown after the war. Most of them were reduced to servitude or even slaves, just like Qianyuan City, the imperial capital of Daqian, which was built by Emperor Taizu of Daqian with millions of prisoners. If you meet a fierce enemy commander, you will be shot, pit killed and poisoned from time to time, just like the former Wu'an Hou Bai Yi who ordered all the prisoners of Tianxing and Nanli to be executed after the war of zhennanguan, leaving the name of killing God.

However, Gu Qingcheng not only gave 14000 of them the chance to join the Fengxiang army, but also gave them money and food to return home when the war between the two countries was in full swing. Such a thing almost never happened in history.

You should know that the population of Daqian is hundreds of millions, but the standing military strength of Daqian is less than 4 million. Among them, there are about 2.2 million people in the twelve main armies and 1.2 million people in the twenty-four guards. In addition to the 2.3 million soldiers in the 108 counties of Daqian, the total number is no more than 3 million.

Daqian now has a population of about 360 million. With such a population, supporting less than 4 million soldiers is almost the same as nearly 100 people supporting a soldier. This is simply too simple. Therefore, Daqian's armaments and soldiers' salaries are the best in the whole Qingmu continent. Among them, the treatment of the 24 guards was better than that of the soldiers in local counties, and the 12 main armies were better than that of the 24 guards. Among the 12 main armies, the Changqing army and Fengxiang army, which were directly controlled by the Daqian royal family, were better than the other 10 armies.

Even those who want to join the Changqing army and the Fengxiang army need to be selected at all levels. Those who have no clear family background, those who have not been in the army for more than three years, and those who have not been in the battlefield personally are not allowed. Even so, many people are still eager to join the Changqing army and the Fengxiang army, Those who did not persist in the six-month special training will still be eliminated.

But now Gu Qingcheng, the Fengxiang deputy commander in charge of the Fengxiang army, actually gave them the opportunity to enter the Fengxiang army directly. Although they had to go through the special training for half a year, it was a very rare opportunity for these recruits, and it also said that Gu Qingcheng did not intend to use them as labor or kill them directly. But also because such a thing is too strange, after these 14000 prisoners whispered to each other, none of them took the lead in making a choice.

"Deputy commander Gu, I don't know what the third way is?" Xie Daoquan stares at Gu Qingcheng and asks.

"As for the third way ~" Gu Qingcheng said with a smile, "since you don't want to join our Fengxiang army, and you don't want to return home with grain money and silk, you must want to continue to fight with me. As the saying goes, only the dead enemy is a good enemy, so the third way is dead. Why, is this the third way to choose? "

"I didn't mean that." Xie Daoquan was surprised and waved his hand, "I choose the second way. Please let me go."

"Yes." Gu Qingcheng nodded and said, "but you have to wait for a while. After my soldiers take over the defense of Xihe county city, my commander will give you food and money to let you leave. But I have a doubt. The Xihe County town was lost overnight. I don't know where I want to go after I leave? Is it the star city of the heavenly king? "

"Don't worry about it, as long as you keep what you said before."

Gu Qingcheng smiles a little and says, "Marshal Xie, I know you are born in the Xie family of Tianxing. Although you are not the direct son, you are also the main person. Otherwise, although you have some talent, you can't be the head of a county at such an age. But now you have lost your country, lost your city and lost your land. The gate of Tianxing defense is wide open because Xihe changed hands. From Xihe county to Tianxing king are all gentle hills and plains. If my Fengxiang cloud riding speed is released, you can reach Zhongxing city in a few days. The prefect really thinks that your new Tianxing king will let you go when you return to Wangdu? "

"Just as Gu Shuai said, I am a defeated man. Wen can't keep the herdsmen safe, and Wu can't defend the enemy. No matter how the king treats me, I deserve it. Even if I am beheaded in the market of Wangdu, I deserve it. But star city is where I grew up. Even if I die, I hope I can die there. Please take care of it. " With that, Xie Daoquan straightened out the messy official clothes on his body and bowed his hand slightly.

"You are a loyal minister who is not afraid of death." Gu Qingcheng looked up and down at Xie Daoquan and said.

Xie Daoquan straightened his back and said with some pride, "Xie family is a famous family in the sky. The ancestors of the past dynasties were diligent in the king's affairs, so they have the status of Xie family now. As a child of the Xie family, I dare not insult the Xie family even if I die. "

"Oh?" When Gu Qingcheng heard the words, a trace of cold light flashed through his warm eyes. He slightly picked the corner of his mouth and said, "since you are loyal to the star royal family, and you don't want to be humiliated, why don't you commit suicide when the city is broken, but you are driven here by wolves?"

Xie Daoquan's eyes flashed and said, "in this battle, you have more than ten thousand wolves to help. Although I was defeated, I am not convinced. This battle is not a crime. How can I be forced to commit suicide by these wild animals?"

"Now it's not the wolves who forced you. Would you like to pour your blood into Xihe County in the name of Xie family?" Gu Qingcheng said. When she touched it behind her, there was a wolf head swallowing at the edge of a knife. A dagger with snow wolf pattern appeared in her hand. Then her right hand moved slightly and a white drill flashed by. The dagger automatically came out of its sheath and inserted into the land in front of Xie Daoquan's boots.

Xie Daoquan looked at the cold light overflowing dagger, his hands shrunk in the sleeve of the official robe trembled slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. He said, "I've been afraid of pain since childhood, but I can't do it myself. If Gu Shuai really wants me to die, please do it yourself."

"You have chosen the second way. How can Ben Shuai break his promise and kill you here? Since you are afraid of pain and don't want to do it yourself, that's OK." Gu Qingcheng shook his head with emotion. With a wave of his right hand, he only heard a clear sound. The dagger inserted on the ground had automatically returned to its sheath.

Xie Daoquan looked at Gu Qingcheng's actions and was slightly stunned. At the corner of his eyes, he saw that all the captured soldiers were looking at him with a strange look. His cheeks turned red and he said, "are you insulting me?"

"No Gu Qingcheng shook his head and said, "I don't mean it or have leisure. I just want to see what you will do. But this is good, at least it can make you face your heart better. I might as well tell you that when I stabilize Xihe County, I will send troops to attack Heyan County, and then you Tianxing capital. Since you want to leave, you can go. But you have to think well, when my army comes to Zhongxing City, you won't have such good luck to meet me again, You are so afraid of pain. If you don't kill the king, don't be an official any more and stay at home honestly, so as not to lose your head in the future. "

Speaking of this, Gu Qingcheng said to Fengxiang yunqi who followed him, "give him a bag of dry food and ten Liang silver."

"Thank you very much." Xie Daoquan hesitated a little, took the dry food and money, said thanks, and turned to leave.

"Gu Shuai just let him go?" A person who has been standing behind Gu Qingcheng and wearing the armor of the school captain whispered.

"It's no use for us to keep him here. On the contrary, it may be a surprise for us to let him go, even if it doesn't hurt us."

The captain nodded and stopped talking. Gu Qingcheng is the deputy commander of Fengxiang army and the commander of this army. As a subordinate, she can give her some reminders. But since it's something she has decided, they have to act according to her orders. This is also the rule of Daqian's army. That is to consult the generals, but the decision must belong to one person.

Looking at Xie Daoquan's back, Gu Qingcheng murmured, "I've heard that the three big families of Tianxing, Qiu's family is loyal and Chai's family is diligent. Only Xie's family is selfish and hypocritical. Now it seems that this rumor is right. Although I haven't seen anyone else in Xie's family yet, only from Xie Daoquan's point of view, this person can bear and give up. Although he is not resolute, he is decisive. Such a person is not a villain. He is a hero. The former should be used, and the latter should be killed. "

"Is Gu Shuai going to pursue this man in a humble position? I promise to do it cleanly, and I will never leave anything behind. " The captain heard Gu Qingcheng's murmur, his eyes shining, and asked.

"No more." Gu Qingcheng shook his head. "I want to see what way he can save his life when he returns to Wangdu alone. I also want to see what Tianxing's aristocratic family will do and how to choose when the country is broken."

Gu Qingcheng glanced at those demobilized soldiers who were ready to move because Xie Daoquan left, and then said, "these people will be handed over to you. As I said before, all those who want to stay will be gathered. I have my own arrangements. Those who want to leave will be given money and food to let them leave. Don't embarrass them. You don't have to worry about the money. I'll have it delivered in a minute

"No. Please rest assured that Gu Shuai will do a good job. " Xiaowei's face showed a trace of joy, and he quickly bowed himself to promise. He didn't expect that Gu Qingcheng would give such a big thing to him. As long as he did it well, he would surely come into Gu Qingcheng's sight. Such an opportunity is too rare for such a low-level military officer as them.

Gu Qingcheng nodded and said to the white wolf king, "Bai Xia, work hard for you. Control the wolves here and let them not hurt these people."

"Wu ~" the white wolf king nodded and let out a low roar in his throat. When the wolves around the camp heard the low roar, they all stepped back a few meters and let out the gate.

Gu Qingcheng rode on the thread horned horse and only took more than ten people to the Xihe Prefecture.

On the one hand, Gu Qingcheng decided to do so because of the influence of Lu que. After the war of Danshui, Lu que released Qiu Ao, and after the war of hexingyuan, he released all the former soldiers of the crazy lion army led by Zhai Ning. Facts have proved that Lu que did not do wrong. Qiu Ao, who was released, delayed the crazy lion army for nearly a day, And with Qiu Ao's eagerness to save face, he used a woman's dress to divide the former army of the mad lion army who should have gone to Huangyan river.

The release of Zhai Ning and his subordinates played an important role in the recent battle of Guangji county. As an important place in the south of Tianxing, Guangji warehouse almost went to Daqian without any effort. At this time, Zhai Ning led the people who had been released to attack other counties in Xihe county.

On the other hand, seven of the demobilized soldiers are recruits. Most of them are from Xihe County, and the rest are from the surrounding counties. Whether they choose to join Fengxiang army or take money home, it is conducive for her to quickly stabilize the whole Xihe county. Moreover, after the first World War, as long as the wolves of the white wolf king are there, They will never take up arms and fight for the second time.

The reason why Gu Qingcheng let Xie Daoquan go first is not only to see what kind of status and inside information the Tianxing family has in this country, but also what means the Tianxing Xie family will use to exonerate Xie Daoquan. The other is to use this method to remove the last bit of vigilance in the hearts of these demobilized soldiers, so that they can follow their hearts and make choices. Whatever they choose, it's good for Daqian.

In the twinkling of an eye, three days have passed. In these three days, about half of those demobilized soldiers chose to join the Fengxiang army. To Gu Qingcheng's surprise, most of the veterans who used to serve in the Tianxing capital army chose to join the Fengxiang army, and only a small part of them went home with money and food.

Gu Qingcheng asked some veterans and found out that Zhai Ning was the reason why they chose to stay. They believed that Daqian could reuse Zhai Ning as a demoted general. They did not treat him differently, so they would be treated fairly. Moreover, they had been stationed in Tianxing capital, and they knew Tianxing's military strength very well. At this time, they naturally had to make a more favorable choice for themselves.

Gu Qingcheng knows that it has a lot to do with Tianxing's system. Tianxing is aristocratic politics. These ordinary soldiers, even elite veterans, can be cheered freely in the army. Their military achievements have become the weight of those aristocratic children's promotion, and what they can get and what they have paid are out of proportion.

But this is not the case in Daqian's army. Daqian's military contribution to the country is something that no one can deny. Although he is not from jiuxuegong, it is difficult to hold a high-level military post, but he who is promoted to the position of general by virtue of his military contribution is quite unknown, which is much better than that in Tianxing, no matter what his military contribution is, he can only hold such low-level military posts as commander and uncle.

In addition, in Daqian, some young people who have made great military contributions will be specially admitted to Yanyang Academy of nine universities. As long as they can successfully complete their studies there, their future will be no different from those who have been admitted to the Academy. Just like He Tao, Feng Yang and Cheng Yuan, who followed her and Lu que to win last year's battle in southern Xinjiang, after being transferred to the Changqing army, they got the qualification to enter the Yanyang Academy. However, they were very satisfied with their current positions and didn't want to continue to raise their official positions, so they refused on the pretext of training new recruits from the scouting camp and Fengqi camp.

At this time, Gu Qingcheng was sitting in the main hall of Xihe Prefecture, looking at Zhai Ning's military news. Zhai Ning had already won half of the eight counties in three days, and there was no bloody siege. It can be said that it was extremely rapid.

"Qing Cheng, what are you thinking?" Zhuge Ya comes in from the door and looks at Gu Qingcheng sitting behind the desk in a daze. He can't help asking curiously.

"It's nothing. This is the military newspaper that Zhai Ning just sent." Gu Qingcheng shakes the silk and gives it to Zhuge ya.

"It's so fast that we can win four counties in three days?" Zhuge Ya took a look at the military newspaper and said in surprise.

"Zhai Ning had been to Xihe county when he was young. He was very familiar with it, and maybe there were his young friends in those counties. It's reasonable to have such speed." Gu Qingcheng said with a smile.

"So it is." Zhuge Ya nodded.

"Aunt Zhuge, aren't you appeasing the people in the city? I came to the sheriff's residence at this time, but what happened? " Gu Qingcheng looks at Zhuge Ya and asks.

"I'm here to recover." Zhuge Ya said with a smile: "after you put those people who are not willing to fight in the army back home, now Xihe county has been basically calm, and the people are no longer closed. Until today, the East and West markets in the city have been restored. Although the flow of people is not as good as before, Xihe county is really in our hands."

"That's good. It seems that what Lu que said is right." Gu Qingcheng said with a smile.

"Lu que? Why did you mention him all of a sudden? Is this his arrangement? But how is that possible? " Zhuge Ya looks at Gu Qingcheng in surprise. Although Lu que is the maker of the whole southern Xinjiang strategy, how can he be regarded as Xihe County in the capital city thousands of miles away. Thinking of this, Zhuge Ya asked, "what did Lu que say?"

"He once told me that for the majority of the people in Tianxing and Nanli, they don't care who the ruler is. The precarious life makes them rush for food and clothing every day, and they have to face heavy taxes and corvee. They have no time to consider these problems."

"There's nothing wrong with what he said. According to my understanding these days, Xihe county is located on the edge of Tianxing. It's a lonely place. The people here are really much more difficult than Nanhai county and Guangji County we went to before." Zhuge Ya nodded and sighed.

"Lu que once said that the people's needs can survive. The difference between Daqian and Tianxing and Nanli is that the people in Daqian live a rich life, and they pursue a better way of life. However, many people in Tianxing and Nanli still work for a year but can't eat enough. Who can give them enough food and clothing, or who can hope like this, they will follow."