Li Xiao sat on the half-built earthen wall, holding a withered grass in his mouth, holding a waist knife in his arms, and his hanging legs swinging, looking particularly carefree. It's already spring, and the earth is slowly beginning to show its cyan, and yesterday in the corner, I even saw an unknown small flower. As an ordinary soldier, Li Xiao entered the camp a few years ago, and was selected into the Xiang Army, and followed Du Zhongxiao all the way here.

It's a pity that he was not born to fight, and he didn't have the brain and interest in learning, until now Li Xiao is still an ordinary soldier. With the army making many military achievements, he couldn't become an officer even after taking the exam a few times, so Li Xiao didn't have that mind. In Du Zhongxiao's words, people like Li Xiao, who are really not suitable for development in the army, will be discharged from the army and return to the camp to work in the fields when they have new recruits, and live their own small lives. All the military exploits they have made will be discounted at that time, and they will be counted as money and taken home, and they will not come in vain.

Li Xiao greeted the spring breeze and thought about the day when he returned to his hometown. The camp has a house and land, and he has an extra amount of money, so he can choose a good family to ask for a daughter-in-law. The life of fighting and killing is not suitable for you, it is better to cultivate the fields and cultivate the land, and drink for a long time in your spare time is suitable for you.

At this moment, there was a sudden sound of beating and scolding, which woke up Li Xiao's sweet dream.

Turning his head to look over, it turned out to be a prisoner of war under his care, and I don't know what kind of nerves I had, and the two of them started scolding.

Jumping down from the wall, Li Xiao strode over, pressed the knife on his waist, and shouted: "Don't eat well, why are you two arguing?" ”

A stout party prisoner of war pointed at the thin prisoner of war on the ground and said loudly: "This guy insists on sharing my food, can you do it if you don't fight?!" ”

Li Xiao glanced at the person on the ground, his body was thin, his eyes were sharp, and he was staring at the person in front of him with a stubborn expression.

Ignoring the stout man, Li Xiao pointed to the man on the ground: "What's your name?" Get up and speak! ”

The thin man got up from the ground, saluted Li Xiao, and said: "The little Ding is loyal, originally a Han from Lingzhou, the party rebelled against the Song Dynasty, was plundered as a domestic slave, sold into the Fanbu, enslaved with others, and was ordered as an auxiliary soldier. Defeated a few days ago, made a prisoner of war. The person who beat me is named Lai Youliang, and he is a regular soldier of the Lai Division. Today, the court brought grain and grass and sent us some corn to eat. People who don't want to cook cook cook corn and only give it to these regular soldiers, not to our auxiliaries! In the past, they were oppressed by them in the party and army, but now everyone is a prisoner of war, why is it still like this! I'm Han, and I don't eat as well as these dogs, but I don't accept it! I fought with him just now, but I couldn't beat him, and no one helped me. ”

Li Xiao has been in the army for many years, and for the first time he was called a captain, although he didn't say it, he still had some joy in his heart, and asked Yu Laiyou: "Are you just arguing about something?" Which cooks, stand out! ”

"We have always had this kind of rule, even if we lose the war, the rules can't be changed!" ”

Li Xiao didn't bother to pay attention to him, and said loudly: "Which cooked rice, stand up quickly!" ”

A thin middle-aged man next to him walked out of the crowd and bowed his hand to Li Xiao: "Tai Wei, today is a small cooking rice." ”

Li Xiao said: "When the rice is distributed, it is clear that the corn is cooked with barley, why don't you listen?" ”

The middle-aged man said: "Lord Xialai ordered, corn should be boiled separately, and the regular soldiers would share it-"

Li Xiao looked the middle-aged man up and down, and said in his mouth: "You are a prisoner of war today, and you don't listen to the orders of the people who take care of you, but listen to what the adults come to, it's really begging!" Stand aside, clean up the others and I'll look for you again! ”

After speaking, he said to Yu Laiyou: "When the rice was distributed just now, the grain and grass officer made it clear that this rice was mixed into the barley, and everyone shared it. How dare you take it upon yourself to cook you alone? Why not cherish your life on the battlefield? ”

He said, "Captain, all of us are like this, and I'm not the only one here. As elsewhere, the corn was boiled separately and eaten by the soldiers. We have such a rule, corn is expensive, these pigs and dogs are not afraid of eating bad stomachs? Should I be killed, should everyone else be killed? ”

The middle-aged man who was standing on the side cooking rice whispered: "Tai Lieutenant, what Lord Lai said is right, we are like this everywhere, and the little one did it after asking." ”

Li Xiao felt strange and didn't believe it in his heart, but what they said was conclusive, and it didn't look like a fake. Turning to the other side, he said loudly: "Brother Shi, if you have a free time, I will ask you something!" ”

Shi Goro, who was guarding the prisoners of war over there, said yes and walked over quickly.

Li Xiao pointed to a few people nearby: "I heard them say that the corn was distributed today, and the party members did not listen to the orders, so they cooked it separately and gave them these regular soldiers to eat, not to the auxiliary soldiers." Is that the same true for you? ”

Shi Wulang said: "Who cares how they eat?" I'll go and see, and I'll come back and tell you. ”

turned around and ran back, came back after a while, and said to Li Xiao: "It's the same over there, but no one makes trouble." ”

Li Xiao said: "This matter is not appropriate! Since these people have become prisoners of war, they should naturally listen to our orders, and they can still keep the previous rules? My brother helped me take a look, and I went to report to the commander and listen to the instructions from above. ”

After drinking a few glasses of wine, the man sent by Bao Zheng to fetch fresh fruits came back and brought some mulberries and citrus and put them on the table. Bao Zheng said: "Although there are some vegetables in early spring, it is inconvenient to carry them on the road. Citrus is already in Dongshengzhou, and mulberries are transported by train from the mainland, so everyone can try it. ”

Thirteen Lang looked at the red and glamorous mulberry, and said in his mouth: "Okay, this is good!" I don't think it is delicious in Suizhou, but now I know that it is a delicacy in the world! ”

At this moment, the commander of Yang Wenguang's army made Tian Hai come in quickly, and said with his hands crossed: "After a while, something happened to the prisoners of war, and the last general doesn't know how to deal with it, so I'm here to report!" ”

Du Zhongxiao put down the wine glass in his hand and asked, "What's the matter?" I specially sent them corn today, and I want to look at Shu? ”

Tian Haidao: "It was because of the trapped corn that they had a dispute. When the rice was distributed, the grain and grass officer made it clear, mixed it into the barley, and boiled it together, and everyone shared it. But they made their own decisions, and the corn was boiled separately and only eaten by the regular soldiers. Some of the auxiliaries were angry and quarreled. By the way, the auxiliary soldier who fought for said that his name was Ding Xiaozhong, who was originally a Han Chinese, and was plundered as a slave by the party before he was named an auxiliary soldier. ”

Du Zhongxiao stood up after hearing this, thought about it and sneered: "There are really clear classes in the party and army, and you can't change it even if you are a prisoner!" That's it, after going back, all the regular soldiers will be organized separately, and there will be any heavy work for them to do. Go back and tell the officers and soldiers and prisoners of war who are guarding the guards that now only the people we sent over can do the work in charge, and which prisoners of war dare to trespass, and military law will be involved! ”

Tian Hai said yes, and then asked: "Jinglu, there are indeed some Han Chinese among the prisoners of war, what should I do?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Now that I know that I am Han, have you ever thought about it when you helped the party members fight!" The Han slaves and maids of the commoners are the court who are sorry for them and should be compensated. Regardless of the regular army and auxiliaries, the Han people in the party army are not like this! If you want to say that they should be killed, they deserve to be killed even more than the party prisoners of war! Go back and instruct the officers and soldiers, the prisoners of war regardless of the party or the Han people, treat them as one! It is a great favor not to pursue them for treason! ”

Tian Hai said yes, turned around and hurriedly walked out.

Du Zhongxiao must be consulted on this matter, and there are two difficulties Tian Hai did not dare to make a decision. The first is the practice of the imperial court, which involves the use of Song law by the Han people, but the contradictions between the Fan people are in accordance with the Fan law, and the officials mediate between them. Another prisoner of war did include Han Chinese, not only in the auxiliaries, but also in the regular soldiers. Since entering the Hequ Road, Du Zhongxiao has always compensated the Han people, all kinds of preferential treatments, whether the prisoners of war should do the same.

Knowing Du Zhongxiao's attitude, things are simple. A big victory on the battlefield can't deal with these prisoners of war.

Sitting back in his seat, Bao Zheng said to Du Zhongxiao: "Jinglu, what is the benefit of detaining the regular soldiers alone?" It is better to follow the party's practice and let those auxiliary soldiers be small leaders to guard the prisoners of war for us, saving a lot of effort. There is not much dissatisfaction among the party members, so why should we bother? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "If Yilongtu said, there are two difficulties. In front of us, prisoners of war are prone to accidents. Where does the combat power of the army come from? The first is organization. Let the regular soldiers be the small leaders, just like in the previous party army, if there is a slight accident, all the prisoners of war can be organized. It saves us the money we take care of, and we can't save the money to prevent them from making trouble. The second difficulty is that we can't keep prisoners of war for life. After a few years of work, I have washed away my sins and know how to abide by the rules of the court, and I will eventually be released to the people. It's always been in charge, so should they be released and made a new tribe at that time? Even the existing ones have to be dismantled, how can it be possible to create new ones in the army. ”

Bao Zheng nodded slowly: "Jingluo makes sense, but I didn't think it through." ”

With this big victory, Du Zhongxiao's status is completely different from that of more than a month ago. At that time, although Du Zhongxiao was a strategic envoy and Bao Zheng was a transfer envoy, the two did not have a clear distinction between superiors and subordinates. This great victory was unprecedented for the nomadic regime in the north since the Song Dynasty, and it was of great significance. Although the imperial court has not yet made a will, Bao Zheng consciously put himself in the position of Du Zhongxiao's subordinate.

Prisoners of war are different from civilians in that they are captured on the battlefield by the enemy, and they are the accomplices of the minions of the enemy country. Without punishment, these nomadic tribes could not feel the majesty of the imperial court. As soon as there is an opportunity, they gather and loot everywhere, and they will not be severely punished by the court in the end anyway. The mainland is full of murder and arson, let alone here.

In the past, the Song army was mostly a scoundrel and entered the army to tattoo characters. On the one hand, the court buys the arrogant and acts as the court's eagle and dog minions. On the other hand, they are regarded as prisoners, believing that soldiers who do not wear military uniforms are born with the seeds of crime. This is not the case with the Yingtianxiang army, and he chose a good family to join the army, of course, he had a different attitude towards prisoners of war.

As for the Han Chinese among the prisoners of war, it was too late to say that they were Han at this time. Of course, there are those who have been forced to be wronged, but there are also many who are accomplices. How is it possible to give them preferential treatment. Those who have been wronged can only prove themselves when they are prisoners of war.