Chapter 950 Loss and Reapations

Dongjiang

Chiyan City

This small town, which has a history of 600 years, is now beyond recognition. This small town, which was once praised by countless poets as the most suitable place for secluded living and nourishing nature, has no previous charm, but only full of devastation. The originally not-so-thick city gates were smashed, and the walls were filled with pits. The broken bricks were piled up on the ground, like a wild grave.

Grand Duke Shuluns walked into the city gate by stepping on the gravel rubble. The sound from his feet seemed to break a layer of bones. He didn't care about the sound, but what he cared about was that the gravel made his feet feel uncomfortable. He was an old man and seemed to be more and more picky about life.

There were many corpses at the city gate, so he chose to avoid them.

"Send someone to collect the bodies and find a place to bury them. Remember to erect a monument according to the customs of the Han people."

He gave an order, and then saw several soldiers chatting with Han soldiers in the distant city, and seemed particularly excited. He frowned and pointed to the other side and said, "Catch those people, no one whips thirty whips and then deported them."

A general under his command was stunned for a moment, obviously thinking that such a punishment was a bit too heavy. In the Oplu Empire, the honor of soldiers cannot be violated. For a long time, the imperial officials have been guiding the people to respect a soldier, even if they are just an ordinary soldier, and they have many privileges in the empire. The imperial officials spent nearly ten years to let all the people understand one thing, that is, there is nothing more glorious than adult men joining the army.

Because of this, the soldiers who were deported from the country faced not only the ridicule and cold eyes of others, but also the level that they would never pass in their hearts.

"They... are just too proud."

The general advised: "No one would have thought that such a small city had been in a position for so long, and we had lost no less than five hundred soldiers outside this small city. Because of this, the soldiers might be a little annoyed."

“This is not a reason.”

Shuluns shook his head: "How many places have the proud soldiers of the Empire captured since the Empire went abroad? If victory only makes people proud, then failure will come unexpectedly. Have you all forgotten the teachings of Emperor Leman? Binger, tell me what Emperor Leman said in his attitude towards the corpses of the enemy?"

The general who called Bingge immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty once said that those who step on the corpse of an enemy do not deprive the dignity of the dead, but abandon their own identity. The corpse of the dead and the victor also have the purest honor and cannot be violated. If someone abuses the corpse of the dead, whether it is the enemy or the self-employed, then such a soldier is not worthy of wearing the imperial uniform."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Shillens and knew that he had no words to continue persuading him.

"Although I've said it many times, you obviously don't understand."

Chouluns glanced at the broken city walls, the collapsed houses, the corpses on the ground and the Han people gathered together in the distance.

“The conquered… has never been land.”

...

...

"The Han people are really a strange nation."

Curence stood respectfully, with his head slightly lowered. As a duke with great achievements, there seemed to be only one person in the Oplu Empire who could put away his pride and humility. The Oplu Empire was not built by this person, but it was definitely this person who made the empire great.

When talking to Lehman, Shurence tried his best to make his voice clearer. He knew that Lehman liked to use young generals, especially those who were determined. Shurence knew that this was because the battlefield required more directness and blood, more sharpness and courage. Therefore, he always cared so much about details.

He didn't want his voice to be hoarse and old when talking to Lehman the Great. He tried his best to make his voice as penetrating as a young man.

Penetration does not mean loud noises. Of course, many young people don’t understand these.

Speaking of details, Churence cared about it incredible.

There was always a large basin of water in his study, and he maintained this habit whether during the war or in the country. Not only the study, but also the place where he lived. When Emperor Leman summoned him, no matter how anxious he was, he would immediately take a bath and use the fastest speed.

His wife once didn't understand why he was like this. Curence told his wife helplessly: "Whether you believe it or not, the older you are, the more you have a smell, I call it a decay. If you let Your Majesty smell the smell that only the elderly on me will have, it is equivalent to reminding him at all times that I am old."

When people reach old age, they actually have very little demand for meat, and they prefer lighter foods. But Seurence will not do this. Although he also began to hate eating meat, he forced himself to eat some of them at every meal. Because he firmly believes that meat can keep people strong.

Sometimes even he himself will think about what he is afraid of.

Afraid of being abandoned?

With his achievements, even if Emperor Leman no longer uses him, he will reward him with a glorious destination. When one day his youngest son Jeo finally became a general and led his troops to capture an enemy city, he heard his youngest son cheering: "This is a great era!"

Yes, this is a great era.

The rise of an empire will inevitably experience all kinds of magnificence.

He finally understood that what he was afraid of was not going home to retire, but that he was afraid of staying away from this era. There were only flowers and plants left in his life and small cards that he didn't need to care too much about when he was curled up in a chair and played the winning or losing. He wanted to connect his name with this great era. When people mentioned the great Lehmann, they would not forget what another man named Seurence had done.

“What’s strange?”

Leman, who was sitting on a yellow rosewood chair and enjoying breakfast, asked casually. The seemingly ordinary four-legged square table in front of him was made of wood as precious as the chair he made. Unlike some of his subordinates who did not understand the luxury of the life details of the wealthy Han people, Leman regards this as a culture that must be paid attention to.

He is now able to use chopsticks skillfully, and his research on antiques in recent months has allowed him to have a better understanding of the history of this country.

"There are less than two thousand defenders in this small town, and most of them are the Minsheng who were temporarily pieced together. They did not even have enough bows, arrows, armor, or reinforcements. When Mu Guangling had to retreat, the small town was destined to be abandoned, and the people in the city were destined to be orphans... However, none of them chose to surrender."

Shullens said.

Emperor Leman put down his chopsticks and seemed not very satisfied with the food on the plate.

"Do you know what this dish is called?"

Lehman asked the nearest dish to him.

"Fish-flavored shredded pork"

Shullens answered.

"Well, it's too sweet... I heard that the most authentic fish-flavored shredded pork has the faint sweetness of lychees, rather than this strong cane sugar sweetness."

Emperor Leman waved his hand and signaled his servants to remove the dishes: "This is a dish made by the chef brought by my Sui Jun. It looks no different from what the Han chefs made, but it tastes different. Is it strange for the Han Chinese dishes? No... it is my chef who is not good enough."

Emperor Leman said slowly: "When conquering a place, we only see the tenacious resistance of the enemy soldiers. We should respect such an enemy. But don't forget that no one surrenders sometimes not necessarily because of how proud and firm the enemy is, but because we don't do well enough ourselves."

"I understand."

Chouluns lowered his head and his eyebrows trembled involuntarily.

Emperor Leman picked up the hot dishes he had just delivered and nodded slightly: "The Han people have many places worth learning from, but except me, for any of you, the speed of learning these should be slowed down. I said at the beginning that you must first understand a place to conquer a place, not to let you learn to enjoy the most luxurious living habits of this place."

"I'm already a little worried now, Seurence, do you know what I'm worried about?"

Seurence shook his head quickly: "I don't know."

"Look at these things."

Lehman pointed to the table: "It is said that the cost of such a table is almost the same as building a table of equally large in sterling silver. When my subordinates knew this, they were surprised, and then they thought it would be great if they had such a table. Because in comparison, tables made of sterling silver seemed so vulgar. For example, this tea, when my subordinates knew that a pot of top-notch tea might cost a wealthy family for several years of living expenses, they were also surprised, and then they felt that they should try such tea."

"For example, jadeware, a small piece that looks worth a team of thousands of people or even more. I heard that the most famous jadeware in this country can even be replaced with a city. When my subordinates know that such jadeware exists, they will think that I should hang this thing on my belt."

"For example, diet, I have never seen a nation that values ​​food production methods so sincerely. They will strive for excellence to make the best dishes to satisfy the pleasure brought by their tongues. My subordinates are used to monotonous barbecue and potatoes. When they start to taste such delicacies, they will become more and more greedy, and they feel that the winner should enjoy all this... food, brocade clothes, furniture, houses, antiques."

Lehman said slowly, "But Chouluns, do you know? These things are our enemies, even more terrifying than facing the opposite enemies on the battlefield. If this continues, perhaps it will not take long for our generals to take away the roughness of their bodies by the delicate enjoyment. Some people say that their personality will not change, which is wrong. Life is enough to change a person's personality and raise a tiger for a few years. Although it cannot be turned into a cat, it will lose its former power."

"I understand."

Shurence didn't understand very well, but he didn't dare to say it.

"I will pay attention to this matter when I look back."

Emperor Leman said: "Now, let's talk about why no Han people are willing to surrender."

...

...

Lehman stood up and looked at the sky in the distance: "I once said that I would expand the empire halfway to the edge of the land. I have done this. What I have brought about after success is greed. What I want now is not just a piece of land, but all... And you are the warriors who come to fulfill this wish for me. Seurence, do you know what the real warrior is?"

Before Curence could answer, Lehman said slowly: "Warriors, it's not just as simple as daring to fight to the death, but we need to be wise. We need to reduce the enemy to reduce resistance, but the way to reduce the enemy is not just killing. Simple killing will make the enemy more and more united. You did a good job before the war started, why have you forgotten now? Because you don't think there is any need to spend money anymore, because it seems that we have set foot on this continent..."

"I know I'm wrong."

Seulens bowed his head and said, "I will send someone to do it after I go back."

"We have plundered countless treasures."

Emperor Leman smiled: "Isn't this business good with these treasures to turn enemies into friends, and they are still using their own things? When we can't use them, we will take back the treasures. What have we lost?"
Chapter completed!