Soldiers on the border are suffering, this is a truth known to all soldiers.
In fact, compared to the border troops guarding the northern border, the officers and soldiers guarding the narrow passage in the Qinling Mountains only felt that they were several times more miserable than them. The scope of their daily activities was near the checkpoint, and the military regulations were strict. Taoist officers and soldiers can neither drink alcohol nor approach women.
You can't drink because you're afraid of getting into trouble, but some people really can't figure out why they can't approach women.
Although the border troops stationed in the northern border were strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol, the imperial court sent convicts to the border every year. However, it was rare to see a woman at this checkpoint all year round.
The defenders in the narrow passage were rotated every six months. This six months was a torment for everyone, and no one dared to take it lightly. After all, they were at the front, and no one knew when the Chu people would suddenly appear.
The only thing that makes the guards happy is that the military salary they receive should be far more than that of the northern frontier army. For the sake of money, they can only endure it here.
Cao Ying is in a good mood today. The checkpoint is in the Qinling Mountains, surrounded by towering walls. Even if he has money in his arms, buying a jar of wine is just a dream, but Cao Ying is an alcoholic. .
Being addicted to alcohol is of course a kind of torment. Today, the Chu State envoy was very particular about leaving a jar of wine for themselves. Cao Ying wished he could open the bottle and drink it on the spot, but he held it back and waited until after dark. The three of them drank slowly together, but within an hour, the wine jar was at its bottom.
Cao Ying thought about drinking this jar of wine alone, but he also knew that if he really ate alone, someone might expose this matter. He brought several more important characters in the gate together and everyone drank together, so there was no need. Worry about getting into trouble later.
Wine is good wine, and the aroma is fragrant when you drink it, but the stamina of this wine is not small. In the past, there may not be any big reaction, but after several months of not drinking, I suddenly drank it today, and several people I felt a little drunk.
Although Cao Ying was drunk, he still did not forget his duties. He ordered his men to be on guard and not to be negligent in the slightest. He wanted to go back to the barracks to rest, but his steps were shaky and he did not want to be helped, so he had to be taken. He took the blanket and lay down on the hay bed beside the stone wall, and several other people did the same.
While Cao Ying was drunk and asleep, Qi Ning had already led people to the barracks.
After all, the security in the narrow passage of Qinling Mountains is unusual. Although it is already midnight and most people in the barracks have fallen asleep, two people are still arranged to be on duty. At night, two soldiers are wrapped in autumn clothes, one on the left and one on the right at both ends of the barracks. On duty at night.
Qining led dozens of people like ghosts in the dark night, quietly approaching the barracks. There were lanterns hanging outside the barracks, swaying in the night wind.
The two Han soldiers on duty had obviously slept during the day and were not tired.
A group of people squatted and stopped behind a pile of stones not far from the barracks. Lu Kang held a long bow in his hand and carried an arrow box on his back. He came closer and whispered: "Sir, Qin Jian and I will shoot the two watchers first. Then everyone takes action.”
Qi Ning thought that this was the best way, and whispered: "Be careful in everything."
Lu Kang smiled slightly, full of confidence, turned around, and gestured to Qin Jian, who was following him closely. Qin Jian nodded slightly, and the two of them lay on the ground and slowly approached the barracks.
Qi Ning held the knife and waited with everyone.
Lu Kang and Qin Jian were both experienced with arrows. Before shooting the arrow, they naturally had to judge the distance accurately enough. This narrow passage was very dark during the day, and even more so at night. Fortunately, there was a lantern to guide the way. It helped the two of them a lot. Qin Jian arrived at a suitable position first. Lu Kang whispered a few words to Qin Jian, and then continued to move forward to deal with the other person. Qin Jian was lying on the ground, paying attention to Lu Kang's side. There was movement, and Lu Kang was seen moving about ten steps away and stopped.
Qin Jian immediately knelt down, bent his bow and nocked an arrow. He was in the darkness and took cover. The Han soldiers did not pay attention to what was going on here, but he did not release the arrow immediately, but waited. Lu Kang's signal over there.
Two Han soldiers were on duty at night. To be absolutely foolproof, they naturally had to attack at the same time, killing both Han soldiers at the same time in an instant.
Qin Jian aimed the arrow at a Han soldier, with steady fingers. A gust of night wind blew by, and suddenly he heard a whistle that was not too loud. Qin Jian did not hesitate anymore. He loosened his fingers and the sharp arrow seemed to pierce the air. , shot straight at the Han soldier, and Lu Kang also released an arrow almost at the same time. The two Han soldiers did not react at all. Soon, there were two "Puff" sounds, and the two arrows shot at almost the same time. Each one entered the throat of a Han soldier and penetrated the neck.
The two Han soldiers fell to the ground without making a sound.
Seeing the two Han soldiers fall, Qi Ning did not hesitate, waved his hand, and rushed towards the barracks first. Behind him were a group of warriors like wolves and tigers. There were six rooms in this row of barracks. Qi Ning already knew in advance that on his side, Including his own, there were a total of thirty-nine people. Except for his own team of nine, the other five teams each had six people. Everyone knew which room they had to deal with. They quickly reached the front of the house and did not immediately break in. After entering the restricted area, they each checked the situation inside the house at the window, and then looked at Qining.
Qi Ning nodded slightly, and people from each team approached the wooden door and quietly used daggers to open the door bolt inside.
This barracks is very simple, and the door cracks are quite large. It is really easy to open the door bolts, and there are two rooms that are not even bolted. When the door bolts are opened, each team makes a gesture to Qining. Ning raised his hand and made a cutting motion. Without hesitation, everyone gently opened the door and entered the house like a ghost.
Qi Ning's face was grim. After a while, he heard a strange scream coming from one of the rooms, but the scream stopped abruptly in an instant. After a while, each team of men came out of the house one after another and reported to Qi Ning. .
It was already midnight, and the weather was cold, so the Han soldiers in the barracks had already fallen asleep. Everyone got in and solved the problem while the Han soldiers were sleeping.
There was just a small situation in one of the rooms. A Han soldier was half asleep and half awake. He noticed that someone had come in and wanted to scream, but his throat was cut in an instant. That was the sound that Qining heard just now. Weird scream.
There are a total of sixteen people in the barracks, but they actually sleep in four rooms, but two rooms are empty.
Almost instantly, all the Han soldiers in the barracks were eliminated. Just in case, Qin Ning ordered everyone to check around the barracks again to make sure there were no more survivors before reorganizing the team.
This barracks is only a few miles away from the checkpoint, so it's within easy reach.
Qi Ning summoned everyone to gather together and whispered: "Brothers all know that the emperor is worried about the world and wants to unify the country. Only when the world is unified can the people live and work in peace and contentment without suffering from the pain of swordsmanship. If Xianyang is captured, I, the great Chu, will unify the world. It's just around the corner. To capture Xianyang, we must capture this checkpoint tonight." He suddenly stopped and said with a smile, "That's all, let's not talk about these big principles. Listen, let's open up Ziwu Road and capture Xianyang. From now on, you will be able to enjoy endless glory and wealth. Whether it is a golden beauty or a glorious ancestor, I can guarantee that you will get it. The more military exploits you have made, the more you will get in the future. Do you understand this?"
Everyone looked at each other and smiled. A soldier smiled and said: "Sir, I am from Tuhaha. If you make great achievements, can you marry a lady from an official family? This will really bring glory to your family!"
"Miss Guanjia?" Qi Ning chuckled: "How many do you want? You have achieved military exploits, and I will ask the court for you. When the time comes, you will be a general first. When you become a general, which official family will you choose? Miss, if you can’t handle it yourself, just tell me and I’ll help you handle it.”
Everyone even smiled.
"Kill the enemy bravely, and we will be rich together in the future." Qining held the knife in his hand, "Let's go!"
Qi Ning's most direct encouragement made everyone even more enthusiastic. They thought that this time they were following the Imperial Duke. As long as they fought bravely to kill the enemy, the Imperial Duke could see clearly from the side. The first to get closer to the water and the tower would win the moon. There are small countries. Are you worried that you won't be able to get promoted to a higher position? Now each one is like a tiger or a wolf.
There was dead silence here at the checkpoint.
There were four or five soldiers on duty on the stone wall, lighting a few torches and paying attention to the movements on the south side of the narrow passage as they had done for many years.
The soldiers stationed here are paid a lot of money, and their responsibilities are naturally very heavy. Moreover, everyone has been told almost countless times that there may not be an enemy attack from the south for ten or eight years, but there must be no danger because of this. The slightest carelessness means that the soldiers at the checkpoint are indeed very vigilant. However, since Chu and Han established separate countries, the narrow roads in the Qinling Mountains have almost become a barbaric land where birds can't poop. Even in the last days of Chu and Han, During the fierce three-year Qinhuai War, not a single soldier of the Chu State appeared on the narrow road of the Qinling Mountains.
Although the guards worked hard day after day to perform repetitive tasks, they were still a lot more relaxed in their bones. No one thought that the Chu people would really appear in front of them.
The two soldiers on the watchtower were wearing thick cotton clothes. They stood high, so they naturally became the focus of the night wind. Although there were still some days left before the cold winter, the night wind still felt like blowing on the face. There was a chill.
A soldier leaned on the wooden pole in the corner of the watchtower and glanced at the horn. He was a little confused. The horn had been here for many years, but it had never been blown. He even doubted whether the horn could still be blown. Blow.
When on duty at night, you can be assigned some dry food as a midnight snack. Another soldier took a handful of fried beans from a small bag and put it in his mouth. He stretched himself. It was already midnight and it would take several hours before he could be rotated. If Unless military orders were transferred like a mountain, and the pay was huge, who the hell would be willing to come to guard this damn place? He was thinking about whether to find connections after a few months of rotation and leave here, so as not to come here again. Come to a hellish place.
The fried beans in his mouth became more and more fragrant as he chewed them. The soldier couldn't help but reached out and grabbed a small handful. He was about to put it into his mouth when he was patted on the shoulder. He turned around and saw his companion frowning and pointing his finger. Pointing down: "Who is that?"
The soldier couldn't help but look at his finger, but before he saw anything, he felt a lump in his throat, as if something was piercing his throat. He didn't even feel pain for a moment, he only felt that his whole body was numb at this moment. It was like falling into an ice cellar, unspeakably uncomfortable. From the corner of his eye, he saw an arrow piercing the neck of his classmate. The soldier's pupils shrank, and he grabbed the guardrail of the watchtower with all his strength, trying to shout out, but nothing happened. Unable to scream, he lay limply on the fence.