Shangjing was divided into the inner city and the outer city.
Although they were both in Shangjing, the difference between inside and outside was like heaven and earth.
Most of the people in the inner city were high-ranking officials and nobles, while the people in the outer city were poor people. Some of them were even refugees.
Duan Hu led his ten soldiers to Chongbei Lane.
"Qian Hu, Da Niu's house is just ahead.”
Zhao Podi, who was following behind Duan Hu, pointed at the rows of low houses not far away.
Thick snow covered the roofs, and the alleys and streets were empty.
Now, the charcoal used for heating in Shangjing had risen to 30 to 40 coins per catty. Ordinary people could not afford to burn it.
In such weather, basically every household huddled in their houses to keep warm.
Duan Hu frowned.
Although he was prepared, he still felt a little touched when he saw the environment.
"Xiao Gui, take out everyone's identity tags.”Duan Hu said.
Xiao Gui nodded his head with a heavy expression. Then, he took down the two large packages that were dragged by the horse.
There was a series of clattering sounds in the package.
Bamboo slips with names written on them were taken out.
Most of the bamboo slips were stained with blood.
It was the blood of the original owner of the bamboo slips.
At this moment, the owners of these bamboo slips and nameplates were all buried at the border of Liaodong.
Xiao Gui's eyes were red and swollen as he held the nameplate made of bamboo slips in his hand.
Inside were his brothers who had fought alongside him.
"Qianhu, when Da Niu died, he said that he still has an old mother and a little nephew.”Xiao Gui said with red and swollen eyes.
" Alright." Duan Hu nodded." Go from house to house. Gather the families of all the fallen brothers here."”
Duan Hu said.
Then, everyone began to knock on the door one by one.
Not long after, the small square where Duan Hu was hiding had gathered hundreds of people.
Most of them were old, weak, women and children.
Most of the people who were called out were mentally prepared.
Back when he was conscripted, his family knew very well that he would be separated from them forever.
Therefore, when they saw the border guards return, many of the old, weak, women, and children gathered in the square shed sad tears.
Duan Hu held a blood-stained identity token in his hand.
Killing intent surged from his body.
If only the Guangning Guards had listened to him.
If Commander Ma Shilong had dispatched his troops earlier, they would not have lost so many people.
Out of the 2,300 people, less than 500 survived.
Moreover, there were thousands of civilians who were helping to defend the city!
"Li Xiaohu!"
"Chen Jinnan!"
"Open up!"
"Zhang Fengchun!"
"Li Jinzhi!"
"Yang Zhongsi!"
Every time Duan Hu read out a person's name, another family would come up and take away the identity token made of bamboo slips.
"Zhang Erniu!"
Duan Hu read out another name.
A hunchbacked old woman in her sixties wearing a tattered cotton-padded jacket walked out.
The old woman reached out and took Zhang Erniu's identity token from Duan Hu's hand. She gently rubbed it with her wrinkled and dry palm.
Tears welled up in his turbid eyes.
"Er Niu, my dear son, how could you be so cruel? You abandoned your mother. How can your mother live in the future?"
She looked at the old woman in her sixties or seventies crying in front of her.
Duan Hu's heart felt as if it had been ruthlessly pinched by someone.
If history developed according to its original course.
If no one could reverse this situation.
In the next few decades, such things would happen every day!
The blood of countless Han family members would be spilled on the ground.
"Aunty!"
Duan Hu glanced at the old woman in front of him.
"I'm sorry for not bringing your son back alive!”
"Zhenyuan!"
Duan Hu drank a lot.
"Yes!"
The ten soldiers behind Duan Hu stood at attention.
"Kneel!"
Duan Hu was the first to kneel.
"Everyone, I, Duan Hu, am incompetent. I didn't bring your fathers, sons, husbands, and brothers back.”
Behind Duan Hu, the ten soldiers of the Stronghold of Tranquil also knelt on the ground.
"I can't, I can't!”
Zhang Erniu's mother took a step forward and quickly extended her withered hand to support Duan Hu.
"You can't. Ah, this isn't your fault, it's not your fault. Er Niu sacrificed his life for the country.”
"I heard that if not for you, tens of thousands of people in Liaodong would have died and the people of Liaodong would have suffered!”
Hearing the old woman's words, the surrounding commoners nodded.
"Big brother, get up quickly. The ground is cold!”
A young man in his teens beside the old woman also reached out to pull Duan Hu.
"When Second Uncle left, he told me that he was going to protect the country. When I grow up, I want to protect the country like Second Uncle!”
Perhaps protecting the family was not wrong.
But Wei Guo.
That would depend on whether the country was worth their protection.
"What's your name?" Duan Hu stood up from the ground and asked the young man in front of him.
"Zhang Yunlong!" The young man looked up at Duan Hu and said,"I heard at home that big brother killed hundreds of people in Liaodong. When I grow up, I want to kill enemies and make contributions with big brother in Liaodong!”
"Alright!" Duan Hu smiled.
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