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Bianliang.

A city gathering millions of people, it has lost its past bustle in this winter. Separated by a wall, under the northern city wall, the moat quietly forms thick ice, blood, corpses, and objects thrown down from the city wall, half of which sink to the bottom of the river, and half of which protrude from the ice. In the process of cooling and melting, melting and cooling again, they gradually mix into hideous ice sculptures. At this time, along with the Jurchen camp in the distance, they also become quiet.

Inside the thick and towering city walls, shades of gray and white render everything, and the occasional red of flames does not appear bright. The city is immersed in the grief of death and cannot yet recover. The bodies of most of the dead have been burned at one end of the city. The families of the sacrificed take back a handful of ashes, put them in coffins, and set up spiritual tablets. Because the city gates are tightly closed, more ordinary families cannot even prepare coffins. Suona sounds, suona sounds stop, every household, mostly crying, and sadness to the depths, even crying can not be issued. Some old people, women, after hearing the news of the death of their children and husbands at home, either freeze or starve, or are too sad, and quietly die.

Such grief and desolation are unprecedented scenes in the entire city. And although the great battle of attack and defense has stopped, the tension shrouded inside and outside the city has not yet subsided. Since Zhong Shizhong of the Western Army was completely defeated in the confrontation with Zong Wang, the peace talks outside the city have been going on day by day. While the peace talks have not ceased, no one knows whether the Jurchens will attack the city again.

The spirit of everyone to coexist and die with the city has passed. After a slight relief, the pain has surged up, and few people have that kind of vigor anymore. The people in the city are uneasy, paying attention to the news from the north of the city. Sometimes even the sound of footsteps can't help but slow down, for fear of disturbing the Jurchen beasts over there. In this long winter of siege, the entire city is gradually freezing into a giant piece of ice.

Undercurrents are surging quietly.

Wintersweet flowers bloom, setting off a delicate red in the corner of the yard. Servants walk through the porch as carefully as possible. In the main hall in the courtyard, the masters are talking. The leader is Tang Ke, Tang Qinshou, and the guest next to him is Yan Zheng, Yan Daozhang.

Charcoal burns in the bronze animal-patterned incense burner. The two speak in low voices, but there are not many waves.

"...The battle of Bianliang has reached this point, and the number of dead and wounded is countless. These dead cannot be meaningless... Although Tang once advocated peace with all his might, many of his ideas are consistent with those of Chancellor Li and Chancellor Qin. The Jurchens are as fierce as tigers and wolves. Since the war has begun, and peace can be forced, the peace talks should not retreat again. Otherwise, the Jurchens will surely make a comeback... I often discuss with my virtuous brother Xidao these days..."

"...Lord Tang and Lord Geng have this idea, and Yan naturally understands it. Peace talks should not be hasty, but... Lord Li Tui, Li, is too cautious, fearing that he only wants to handle affairs and will not be able to respond properly. And this matter cannot be too slow. If it is delayed, the Jurchens will run out of food and will have to plunder hundreds of miles away. At that time, the peace talks will definitely fail... It is not easy to handle..."

"...Grand Tutor Cai is wise, but, according to what Tang thinks... There is the Wu Rui Army outside the city, and the Jurchens may not dare to act rashly. Now we are also gathering the remnants of the Western Army. I believe Wanyan Zongwang does not want to stay here for too long. The core of the peace talks is that the others are secondary. One is elite soldiers, and the other is Taiyuan... If I have elite soldiers, I can deal with the Jurchens' next southward invasion. If I have Taiyuan, this great battle will not have a bone-deep loss. As for money and annual tributes, it may as well follow the precedent of the Wu Liao..."

"It's a pity that this matter is not up to us to decide..."

"...Yes. In this great battle, the greatest contributors are the left and right chancellors, the Western Army, and Lord Zhong... We, the peace faction, really have nothing to do. However, at this time, the court up and down must work together. Tang discussed with Chancellor Qin yesterday. In this great battle, the Right Chancellor's mansion contributed the most. His two sons, Shaohe, defended against Zonghan in Taiyuan, and Shaoqian retreated from the Resentful Army in Xiacun. These were unparalleled achievements. But in order to avoid suspicion, the Right Chancellor seems to have the intention of retiring..."

"...Chancellor Qin is a hero of his generation. If he can retire completely at this time, it would not be a bad story..."

"...For the country and the people, I will go even if there are thousands of people. When the country is in trouble, how can he lightly retreat for his own reputation? Tang understands what the Right Chancellor is thinking. In the beginning, for the sake of war and peace, I had many disputes with him, but the disputes were only for the sake of the country, not personal grievances. Qin Siyuan's avoidance of suspicion this time is not a good thing for the country. Brother Daozhang, the Wu Rui Camp cannot be easily replaced, and Taiyuan cannot be lost. All these things fall on the Right Chancellor..."

"...Since Brother Tang says so, Yan will advance and retreat with Brother Tang..."

In the burning charcoal fire, the low-voiced conversation gradually came to an end. Yan Zheng got up to say goodbye, and Tang Ke sent him out. In the outer courtyard, wintersweet set off against the white snow, making the scenery beautiful and pleasant. After saying goodbye to each other, Yan Zheng smiled and said, "This year's snow is heavy, and there are many things to do. I only hope that next year will be peaceful, which can be regarded as a good omen for a prosperous year."

"A good omen for a prosperous year, I hope so." Tang Ke also cupped his hands and smiled.

He sent Yan Zheng out, then turned back. Under the eaves outside the hall, another old man was watching the snow with a teacup in his hand. This was Xu Xiangxuan, a great Confucian and his staff member in the mansion.

"Advancing and retreating together, saying it generously, Yan Daozhang is a spineless person."

"May he bring these words to Grand Tutor Cai..."

In the court, Yan Zheng has a very good reputation. On the one hand, he has a straightforward personality, and on the other hand, he has always associated with talented and virtuous people like Tang Ke. But in reality, he is Cai Jing's chess piece. He usually leans towards the peace faction, but at critical moments, he is just a messenger.

"Just now, Lord Geng and the others sent someone to send a message. The Duke of Chu's side is also a little hesitant. It seems that he is unwilling to come forward this time..."

"Recovering Yanyun, succeeding and retreating, the Duke of Chu already has a good reputation before and after his death. It is reasonable for him not to come forward."

The two chatted for a few words, and then there was a moment of silence. A spark burst out from the charcoal fire in the room, and the snow outside was so cold that it seeped into people's bones. Tang Ke looked at the snowy scenery for a moment and sighed.

"Winter is not over yet..." He closed his eyes and exhaled a puff of white air.

"The Awakening of Insects is coming..."

****************

Xue Changgong was sitting in a chair wrapped in bandages. The two superiors who came to visit him from the army were Hu Tang and Shen Jue, both high-ranking members of the Pengri Army. They had been talking for a while.

"...Now that the Jurchen front line has retreated, the defense of the city can be relaxed a little. Although Brother Xue's position is important, he can rest assured to recuperate at this time without delaying matters."

"...As long as the peace talks are over, everyone can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Brother Xue will definitely be the first to be credited this time. It's a huge fortune. By then, Brother Xue's family will have to change."

"I'm from a poor family, and I all rely on the love of you superiors and brothers. The things sent are not yet counted clearly. In a great battle, the brothers' bones are not cold, and I feel sorry for this." Xue Changgong smiled weakly.

Hu Tang waved his hand: "Hey, you can't say that. We martial artists take our fame from the blade and tie our heads to our belts. The brothers underground have no luck. Those who are lucky enough to survive should eat, drink, and enjoy all the fun. The intellectuals will scold me for saying this, but that's how it is in the army. It's a good thing that Brother Xue cares about his subordinates, but you can't miss out on what you should enjoy. That way, the brothers will be willing to risk their lives with you."

Shen Jue smiled and said, "If we can survive this time, promotion and wealth are not a problem. By then, Brother Xue, you have to treat us to Fanlou, and the brothers will definitely come, haha..."

What they said was reasonable. Xue Changgong smiled and nodded in agreement: "...But, what is the situation outside the city now? I have been in bed for a few days, and I have heard some bits and pieces from others... Peace talks cannot be fully trusted after all. If our morale is weak and the Jurchens come again, it will be a great disaster... Also, I heard that something happened to Young Lord Zhong, but I don't know the specifics..."

"The Western Army are men, unlike those people outside our city." Hu Tang shook his head, "In the final battle of Wuzhang Ridge, Young Lord Zhong was seriously injured and personally led his soldiers to attack Zong Wang. He was eventually beheaded. Many of his cavalry guards could have escaped, but in order to save Young Lord Zhong's body, they charged into the formation five times in a row. In the last charge, only thirty or so people remained, all of whom were seriously injured. Both men and horses were covered in blood and eventually wiped out... Old Lord Zhong is also tough. It is said in the army that Young Lord Zhong sent people to request reinforcements from the capital when he led his troops. After the great defeat, he also asked his guards for help. When the guards entered the city, Old Lord Zhong detained them... Now, the heads of Young Lord Zhong and hundreds of people who charged into the formation are all hanging outside the Jurchen camp. This matter is one of the items for the peace talks outside the city..."

"I heard someone say that Young Lord Zhong fought valiantly until his death, still believing that Old Lord Zhong would lead troops to save him, and he repeatedly used these words to boost morale on the battlefield. But until the end, the five armies in the capital did not move." Shen Jue said in a low voice, "There is also a saying that Young Lord Zhong knew the outcome when he was unable to escape after confronting Zong Wang. He was just telling lies to deceive everyone..."

Shen Jue paused: "After Young Lord Zhong died, the Wu Rui Camp led their troops, and then several troops, such as the Wusheng and Wuwei, came over. More than 100,000 people under Chen Yanshu, Fang Lian, Lin Hetang, and others advanced... In fact, without the Western Army's attack, the peace talks would not have been so fast..."

Defending the city for nearly a month, he had already seen many tragic things, but when he spoke of this matter at this time, the room was still a bit silent. After a while, Xue Changgong coughed a few times because of his injuries. Hu Tang smiled.

"Speaking of military exploits, the people in Xiacun drove back Guo Yaoshi and are now confronting the Jurchens outside the city. If we are to reward merit, maybe their contribution is the greatest."

Shen Jue lowered his voice: "The imperial court has always been headed by civil officials in governing the army. We in the army suffer countless restrictions. In the end, when everyone can't fight, they say that the soldiers are incompetent. We military generals have no way to defend ourselves. Qin Shaoqian... He is the son of the Right Chancellor. His actions are naturally unrestrained, so he can defeat the Resentful Army. This is a good thing, but... alas, in short, winning is always a good thing..."

"They are not having an easy time outside the city either." Hu Tang smiled, "The Xiacun army is said to be headed by the Wu Rui Camp, but in fact the troops outside the city have long been scattered. Now they are confronting the Jurchens on the one hand and fighting with each other on the other. None of those command envoys, Chen Yanshu, Fang Lian, and Lin Hetang, are easy to deal with. I heard that they have troops outside the city and run to the Wu Rui Camp every day to ask for people. The superiors want them, and the subordinates want them, and they send their original brothers to lobby. The people in Xiacun are more or less..."

"...formed some backbone. With them as the backbone, the fight won't be too ugly. Everyone has no one on hand and wants to use someone else's chicken to lay their eggs..."

"We have not yet contacted the outside of the city. When the Jurchens leave, I am afraid there will be some friction and exchanges. The people that Brother Xue leads are the best in our Pengri Army. We are facing the Jurchens head-on, and they are dealing with Guo Yaoshi outside the city. It is really hard to say who is more difficult. At that time, our team in the capital will not bully others. It's okay if we don't get credit, but we can't lose our prestige..."

"There is no need to worry too much. Their troubles outside the city are not over yet. Sometimes, it is not a good thing to be outstanding in the forest. On the contrary, it is those who make a fortune silently who benefit..."

The few people were talking about the affairs outside the city. It was not gloating at all. It was just that friction was common in the army for the sake of competing for merit, and everyone was prepared for it.

For ordinary people, the fight is over when they win. For them, the fight is over, and many things afterwards are predictable. They are curious about the team that defeated Guo Yaoshi, but they have not seen them after all, and they don't know what they are like. Now that they think about it, they are still taking advantage of the Western Army's desperate attack to confront the Jurchens. If they really fight, they will definitely be defeated. However, facing hundreds of thousands of people outside the city, and Guo Yaoshi is gone, even if the Jurchens can win, after seeing the resistance of Bianliang, the significance is no longer great. They feel more relaxed when they discuss these matters.

After all, the real infighting and inside stories are still in the hands of those big shots. What they have to care about is only the few benefits they can get.

After discussing for a long time, Xue Changgong was injured after all, and the two said goodbye and left, also refusing Xue Changgong's farewell. Looking out from the courtyard outside the door, it was a cold winter shrouded in dark clouds, as if confirming the fact that the dust had not yet settled.

Returning to the backyard, the maid told him that Miss Shishi had come.

In the bedroom, Shishi brought some precious medicinal materials and came to see He Leier, who was still lying in bed and unable to move. The two were talking in low voices. This was her second visit a few days after the ceasefire.

The war stopped and peace talks began. Shishi's help in the wounded soldiers' camp has also come to an end. As a slightly outdated courtesan in the capital, after working hard in the army for a while, she has become more and more emaciated, but that experience has also accumulated more fame for her. These days must not have been leisurely, so that she still has some fatigue on her face.

Even if she is outdated, the status between Shishi and He Leier in Fanlou is still worlds apart. Xue Changgong does not know the reason for her coming to see He Leier. At this time, martial artists are still popular, but even so, he, Xue Changgong, is not worthy of such a courtesan, so he will not think too much. When Shishi came out, the two greeted each other and exchanged a few words.

Xue Changgong remembered the reputation of Fanlou and couldn't help asking Shishi a few questions about the peace talks - people at the level of partial generals and deputy generals could not see through the situation, but in Fanlou, which received all kinds of dignitaries, they would know more.

"...According to the tone of several adults in the court, there should be no major problems in the peace talks. General Xue, please rest assured." After a moment of silence, Shishi said, "The Pengri Army has made the most meritorious service in this battle, and I hope that after the general achieves success, he will not fail my sister."

Li Shishi did not have much time. After saying these words, she left from here. When the carriage drove through the long street covered with snow, the noises of the surrounding city occasionally came in. Lifting the curtain, most of these noises were crying. People meeting on the side of the road said a few words and couldn't help but sigh. There were faint cries, and a small piece of white cloth was hung on the door of a family where someone had passed away. Children ran across the street in a daze. In the half-closed door of the blacksmith shop, a child was waving a hammer, making monotonous banging sounds. None of them showed any vitality.

In these days, time seemed to flow in a thick paste.

The news she told Xue Changgong was monotonous and optimistic, but the truth was naturally not that simple. In a battle, hundreds of thousands or even millions of people died. Sometimes, simple victory or defeat was almost unimportant. What was really tangled was that in these victories and defeats, people could not sort out some simple tragedies or joys. Almost all emotions could not simply find a place to be entrusted.

The war was not over yet, and all kinds of messy things had already begun.

In the court, high officials were operating secretly, colluding and scheming in private. Fanlou could not see these things clearly, but it was easy to find clues in private. The will of Grand Tutor Cai, the will of the Emperor, the will of the Duke of Chu, the will of the left and right Chancellors, the will of the peace faction... In the flowing undercurrent, these things vaguely became the main body. As for the people who died, their will was not important, and it seemed that it had never been important.

Shishi was also a person who knew all kinds of inside stories, but only this time, she hoped that there could be a little bit of simple things in front of her, but when all things were thought about deeply, those things would all cease to exist.

The Western Army was full of enthusiasm, and Zhong Shizhong's head was still hanging in the Jurchen camp. The peace talks in the court could not bring him back. The negotiations between Lord Li Tui and Zong Wang were even more complicated. All kinds of situations could occur, but behind the scenes, the mixture of various wills made people see nothing exciting. In the defense of the city, the Right Chancellor's mansion was responsible for logistics and mobilized a large number of people to defend the city, but now it has begun to sink down, because there are some ominous signs in the air.

When the great victory of the Xiacun army first came, it was exciting, but now, all forces are reaching out to this team. Hundreds of thousands of people outside the city are still confronting the Jurchen troops. In the Xiacun army's camp, a lot of infighting has already begun every day. Yesterday, there was even a small-scale firefight. According to the adults who came to Fanlou, these things were clearly provoked behind the scenes by someone with ulterior motives, so that the soldiers of the Wu Rui Camp would not be so happy.

And the people with ulterior motives were not just the high-level people among the hundreds of thousands of people outside the city. The message network of Fanlou could vaguely feel that the wills of people in the city, including Cai Tais