nashuaworldcup Chapter 468: Play with fire and burn yourself
Chapter 468: Play with fire and burn yourself
"You are a costly thing, you have lost your life this time. Forget it, forget it, I have something urgent to do. If you want to go, just follow me. Don't blame others if you lose your life." When Cong Tong heard this, he was delighted and quickly mounted his horse to follow An Hou.
He met the emperor in a dusty manner, arranged many matters, selected a time, and took a small force to attack first.
There were also 2,000 small groups of people who set out at dusk, following the rivers and ridges of the fields. A month later, they arrived at the place where the battle report was received, dismounted and set up camp. They moved together, all in secret, and dared not make a sound. They sent out spies, waiting for the report, and then launched an assault.
In the capital, the embroiderer also left Zuihualou and used the money she had saved for many years to redeem herself. She bought a house in the yard behind Junsheng's fermented glutinous rice stall. She used the remaining money to buy some things for the old ladies, took off her gorgeous clothes and gold hairpins, put on plain clothes and cloth shoes, and went home. Although the embroiderer had become a good woman, she was still a beauty after all. There were always people harassing her around her. She had to stay at home all day, and she could hardly afford the rice, flour and diesel. Fortunately, Junsheng, who worked at the fermented glutinous rice stall, knew her. Seeing her current situation, he felt sorry for her. The beautiful woman in the past has now become this yellow-faced woman. On weekdays, she sent some rice and flour and chopped some firewood for him. At first, she refused and did not let Junsheng in, but life was difficult after all, so she had no choice but to accept Junsheng's kindness. After a few months of coming and going, Junsheng brought some meat when he came, and the embroiderer cooked for him. Occasionally, the embroiderer would come to Junsheng's stall to help him wash dishes. Junsheng begged her to just help him with the customers, not to wash dishes, as it would hurt her fingers. The embroiderer gradually got used to his presence, and this lasted for about a year.
This year, the army had fought against Xia Liang in more than a hundred battles, big and small. Although they won more than they lost, casualties were still a headache. This day was New Year's Eve, and the army was very lively, but anyone with a discerning eye knew that there was no festival in the army, and they were just pretending to wait for Xia Liang to be caught. Cong Tong was also drinking with An Hou, but the wine was actually mixed with water, so he couldn't get drunk. Cong Tong had been with An Hou for a year, and although he had never fought in a battle, he had also been tempered with a bit of military temperament, and with the obvious scar on his face, his handsomeness had gone, leaving behind a bit of fortitude.
After three rounds of drinking, An Hou and the others fell asleep. After a while, they heard a commotion. An Hou thought, here they come. They still did not move, but they held their hidden swords tighter. They heard someone enter the tent. They squinted and saw that it was indeed them. One of them stood up, drew his sword and started fighting. Everyone took up their swords and followed. When all the people were killed, the soldiers stationed at the door picked up their spears and went around behind An Hou. This action caught Cong Tong's eyes. He saw that the young general picked up the spear and stabbed An Hou. Cong Tong shouted, "Be careful of your back," and ran over. An Hou turned his head, and the spear stabbed Cong Tong's heart. An Hou was furious when he saw this. He turned over and drew his sword, stabbing the young general with his sword. Everyone was shocked and angry, and took down the black-clothed assassin instantly.
An Hou looked at Cong Tong who had fallen down, and was panicked. Cong Tong said in a trembling voice: "Box...box." An Hou then screamed like crazy: "Bring the box." The general who slept with Cong Tong ran to their tent, picked up the box and ran over. An Hou quickly opened the box, and found a bloodstained cloth strip. He gave it to Cong Tong, and Cong Tong took it and said: "An... Hou..., thank you... you, my... family..., An... Hou..., take care..." After that, Cong Tong let go and left. An Hou watched Cong Tong leave, and was very sad. Although he had no relatives or friends, he was also the one who saved him. He felt uncomfortable and cried. He ordered people to cremate Cong Tong and bury him in a clean place, which was also the final reward for him. However, when he looked at the cloth strip in the box, it looked familiar, but he just couldn't remember it. He ordered people to cremate the cloth strip in the box with Cong Tong.
After doing all this, An Hou collected his feelings and went to the place where the assassins from last night were imprisoned. After a confession, he found out that the young general was his spy. They were sent by Xia Liang to assassinate An Hou, and then they confessed the location and personnel. An Hou was afraid that he would believe it, so he sent people to investigate. A day later, the spy came back and reported, saying, "The evidence is conclusive." An Hou was overjoyed and immediately led his soldiers to encircle and suppress them. For more than a year, he had been conducting guerrilla warfare and assassination everywhere. Today, he found their base camp, so why not kill them without hesitation? What are you waiting for?
An Hou led his troops and attacked them quietly. When they reached them, they started to fight. An Hou and his men were crazy. Thinking about the death of Cong Tong yesterday and the assassination by the spy, they could not help but burn with anger. They did not care whether there were any survivors or not, and they started to kill crazily. In less than half a day, no one was left alive. Xia Liang's entire army was wiped out. An Hou was chopped with a knife. Looking at his bleeding arm, he tore off a piece of cloth and wrapped it around his arm. After tying the knot, he suddenly stopped and remembered that the cloth that Cong Tong had saved his life with was the cloth that he had used to bandage his frostbite that night. Thinking of Cong Tong's words, he realized that his action had made Cong Tong's wandering heart feel settled, and made him feel that he had a home and relatives. Thinking of this, An Hou burst into tears. Seeing him like this, everyone thought that he was crying because of the victory in the war, and everyone became sad.
The Xialiang War, which had been fought for a year and a half, came to an end. Sitting on his horse, Marquis An looked at the beautiful mountains and rivers of this border and felt relieved. Looking at the few men behind him, he prayed in his heart that there would not be any more battles, as he could not bear it anymore.
Marquis An returned to the capital, pleaded guilty to the emperor, and returned home. This was originally a battle to remove guilt, so naturally there was no reward. After returning, he no longer had the same spirit as before. Looking at his wife and children, he thought to himself, this is it, the rest of my life will be fine. He told his wife that Congtong lost his life to save him, and his wife was heartbroken. Marquis An said: "I saved him that day, and he really looked like my brother who had passed away. I didn't expect that I still couldn't keep him. I treated Congtong badly. Let's write a tablet for him, and he can be considered a member of our family." The tablet reads: The spirit tablet of my brother Ji Congtong.
The embroiderer waited for Marquis An for a year and a half, and suffered for a year and a half. She was sick and had a fever. Once she almost died. Fortunately, Junsheng spent all his family wealth to take care of the embroiderer, and she recovered. During those days, Junsheng took good care of her, and the embroiderer's heart calmed down. Later, the embroiderer went to Junsheng's fermented glutinous rice stall to greet customers and count the sales. Customers joked that Junsheng really married a good wife. Junsheng wanted to explain quickly, but seeing the embroiderer's smiling face, he let them say what they said.