General Qin

"How much food these tens of thousands of people have to eat a day, and we have to worry about them making trouble. It's really troublesome. It's better to cut them all down. The dead will be much more worry-free. They don't need to eat, and they can be used to scare the Qi soldiers in the city." , scare them all into the urine, and it will be convenient for us to attack the city."

The low voice of discussion reached Zhao Tuo's ears.

The skin on his face tightened.

The Qin army generally did not kill civilians indiscriminately, because the heads of civilians not only had no military merits, but were easily punished after being discovered.

But killing prisoners is a common thing in the Qin army.

Although after Lu Buwei and Wei Liao came to power, they successively reformed the Qin army with the "theory of righteous soldiers", so that the Qin people were no longer simply the first meritorious service, and the Qin people had a lot more channels to obtain meritorious service.

A series of things such as captives, capturing flags, and plundering military supplies can be converted into military merits and exchanged for titles.

However, the merit of beheading is still the most common and clearest meritorious service in the Qin army.

In many cases, when the Qin army won a battle and some teams were short of a certain number of heads to make a profit or offset the punishment, they would cut off the heads of some captives to make up for the amount.

This has become an unspoken rule in the Qin army. Even judges-at-arms turn a blind eye.

But the situation is different now. The Qin army broke through 150,000 Qi troops, and with the formation and pursuit, it is estimated that it can reach about 20,000 heads.

The number of captives captured is roughly 50,000 or more.

This number is very huge, but it is also easy to understand. After all, once the Qi people are caught up by the Qin army, they will all surrender in groups. If one person surrenders, all the people will surrender.

Capturing 50,000 Qi troops is really much easier than catching 50,000 running pigs.

The victory in this battle is huge and meaningful, and it is a huge collective achievement.

His meritorious deeds are enough to make all the soldiers of the Qin army who participated in the battle surplus, and some of the Qin soldiers who have won can even be promoted to another level by virtue of their heads.

When the meritorious service is sufficient and the basic needs of the soldiers are met, the necessity of killing prisoners is greatly reduced, and the only thing that needs to be considered is the issue of food.

Food can still be squeezed out, but if large-scale killing of prisoners...

Zhao Tuo looked forward and saw that under the light of the torches held by Qin Zu around him, the densely packed Qi people in the open space were all looking at him.

The faces were full of fear and fear, and begging.

Zhao Tuo closed his eyes, and what appeared in his mind were all the things he had heard about the Battle of Changping, where more than 400,000 Zhao troops were killed.

He was born in the country of Zhao, so he naturally knew how unforgettable Zhao people, especially the Zhao people in Handan and other places, had on that incident.

The large-scale killing was fun for a while, but it completely sowed the seeds of hatred.

The side effects of killing the prisoners can make the Qi army in Zhencheng fight to the end, and in the long run, it can make millions of people in the entire Qi region full of hatred for Qin, and the matter of surrendering to Qi will simply fall through.

Even General Zhao, who announced that those who surrender will not be killed, will lose his reputation for breaking his promise.

The matter of killing and surrendering is short-sighted.

Zhao Tuo whispered in his heart, but his thoughts did not stop. This incident gave him an inspiration.

He took a step forward, looked at those Qi people, and said loudly in elegant words: "It's great that you are willing to surrender to our Qin army. But there are too many of you, and our army does not have enough food. , this general persuaded me to kill all of you, so that you can make meritorious deeds, save food, and save a lot of trouble."

As he spoke, Zhao Tuo stretched out his hand and pointed at the bewildered black buttocks behind him.

At the same time, the translator who followed Zhao Tuo was also busy translating his words into Qi language, and loudly proclaimed to the tens of thousands of Qi people.

Wait until the voice falls.

The tens of thousands of Qi troops here immediately boiled up.

"If you don't kill the one who promised to surrender, how can you break the promise!"

"Qin people, barbarians too! It's really unbelievable!"

"Fuck your mother's dog Qin people, Naigong will fight with you!"

Someone from Qi screamed and spit in the direction of the black buttocks, trying to stand up and resist at the same time.

But these Qi captives were not only disarmed long ago, but were also tied up with ropes in series, so that a bunch of people were tied together and couldn't move at all.

Not to mention that there were still Qin soldiers with swords and crossbows around, immediately stepped forward, made a fighting posture, and stared at them.

Compared with those compatriots who roared and wanted to resist, there were still a large number of Qi people who saw that they had no ability to resist, all crying and begging.

"I beg the general to spare my life."

"I still have an old mother in my family who needs to be cared for. I also ask the general to let me live so that my mother will not have nothing to rely on."

...

At this moment, the sounds of wailing and crying, begging for life, and angry roars merged together.

Zhao Tuo's face was calm, and he raised his hand in a gesture of silence.

The surrounding Qin soldiers yelled loudly, suppressing the shouting voices of the Qi people, and the translator even shouted: "The general has something to say."

After the surroundings calmed down, Zhao Tuo said, "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have said these things to you."

"I, Zhao Tuo, have never killed surrendered people since I was in the army, as long as I promised not to kill those who surrendered. I haven't done it before, and I haven't done it since, and I won't do it now! What the general said is to kill those who surrendered." I, Zhao Tuo, will never do what I promise, so rest assured!"

Hearing this, whether it was those who were begging for mercy or those who were roaring to resist, they all seemed to have crossed the line of life and death.

"General Zhao is merciful!"

"Great kindness, General, we will never forget each other!"

After surviving, a series of flattery came straight up, and many Qi people looked at Zhao Tuo with affection.

At the same time, many people were staring at Zhao Tuo's black buttocks with hatred, and those black buttocks looked hairy.

Zhao Tuo continued: "Since you have surrendered to me, I will not starve you. Although there is little food in the army, I will ask the soldiers to distribute some for you to eat. When the logistics arrive, we will have our own food supply. "

Hearing this, many Qi people burst into tears of gratitude.

This General Zhao, not only does not kill prisoners, but he is willing to let his soldiers distribute food to us?

Their gratitude hadn't dissipated yet, and Zhao Tuo's next words shocked them even more.

"However, there are too many of you. No matter how the food is distributed, it will be difficult to meet the needs before our army's supplies arrive. Therefore, I decided to select some of you and send them back to Zhencheng. This will not only reduce the pressure on our army, but also It's not abusing you."

Zhao Tuo's voice was very clear, and the meaning in his words shocked the Qi captives.

Behind Zhao Tuo, the Qin generals also looked at each other, and the black buttocks muttered: "Even if the general does not kill, he will not be sent back. The number of defenders in the city will increase for nothing. If this is the time to attack the city, won't our army It is even more difficult to win the city."

"Hehe, what the black-butt army marquis said is ridiculous. The general's way of doing this is the real high."

Li Shiqi's eyes lit up, and he looked at Zhao Tuo in admiration.

At the same time, there were bursts of voices in unison in the Qin army camp.

"General Zhao, please let me go back!"

"Let me go! General Zhao, let me go!"

...

After dealing with the captives, Zhao Tuo returned to his account to make the next specific arrangements.

He ordered Zhao Guang to lead his troops to besiege Zhencheng, besiege three gates and one, leave the city gate leading to Ayi, and block all other directions.

He also arranged for Shejian to guard the prisoners, and at the same time be responsible for sweeping out the routs near Zhencheng, so as to prevent those routs from reuniting and attacking the Qin army again.

Zhao Tuo also ordered Xiqigu, who was in charge of logistics, to build siege equipment. At the same time, he cleaned up the battlefield, counted the gains, and urged Puyang's supply team to quickly transport food.

When everything was over, all the generals were ordered to retreat and leave.

Only then did Zhao Tuo raise his head with a weary face, and looked out of the tent, the night was already dark.

However, there is still one person in his account who has not left.

Zhao Tuo asked, "Sir, you haven't left yet, do you have something to say?"

Li Shiqi chuckled and said, "I just see what the general has done today, and I am deeply impressed. The general will send 10,000 Qi people, old and weak, back to Zhencheng tomorrow, in order to weaken the Qi people's fighting spirit and at the same time promote the general's not to kill." Will the policy of surrendering captives be able to break through the city smoothly?"

Zhao Tuo nodded and said: "Although Da Sima is defeated, there are still tens of thousands of soldiers in the city, and there are also many auxiliary soldiers. If you defend the city to death, it will still be a bit troublesome."

"It's better to release these 10,000 people. It can not only reduce the logistical pressure on our army, but also avoid the notoriety of killing prisoners. It can also let the Qi people in the city know what it would be like to surrender to our Qin army."

"The people of Qi were defeated, so they had no heart to fight. If our army kills the prisoners, they will be afraid and fight to the death."

"And with these 10,000 people going back to publicize for us, a large part of those Qi people in the city will definitely have no intention of fighting to the death. The soldiers in the city have different hearts, each with their own ghosts, and the fighting power will be weakened. When our army attacks the city, Most of these people will surrender, so that's a big advantage."

"The general's strategy is wonderful!"

Li Shiqi praised, and then smiled: "From my point of view, the ten thousand people will be the first to surrender. The general will let them go back. This is to use the food in the city to support our prisoners." .”

Zhao Tuo smiled lightly and said, "But this is not enough. The situation in Zhencheng is different from that in Daicheng before."

"Although the Qi army was defeated, there is still a huge Qi State behind them. It has a vast territory and a large population. Even though this defeat can hurt its muscles and bones, it still has vitality, and it can continue to recruit large troops to come to support. Great Sima will also publicize this matter in the city, making the Qi people stubbornly resist, so if you want to make the Qi people in the city surrender in large numbers, you need to add something."

Li Shiqi was thoughtful and asked, "What the general said, could it be General Meng's surprise soldiers?"

"Of course!"

Zhao Tuo nodded and looked outside the tent.

"Meng Tian has already crossed the river, he will lead his army all the way south, and go straight to Ayi in Qi State, and steal the Qi army's back route."

"Once Ayi is broken, the connection between Zhencheng and Linzi will be broken, and the Qi army in Zhencheng will no longer receive support from Linzi. When the Qi people in the city know this news, what will they think?"

"I encircle three towers and one, so that Zhencheng can successfully get the news that Ayi has been breached, and spread fear throughout the city."

"After a big defeat, and the rear route is cut off, the Qi people in the city must be terrified. At this time, the Qi soldiers I put back will publicize the policy of surrendering to our army and the treatment of prisoners. I will storm Zhencheng again at that time, It will be much easier.”

"With such a three-pronged approach, how can he resist?"

Li Shiqi sighed in admiration: "What a three-pronged approach, the general's method of attacking the heart is really wonderful."

Zhao Tuo smiled slightly, his eyes staring at the night outside the tent, whispering.

"Besides, Meng Tian seized Ayi and copied the Qi people's retreat. Da Sima will have no way to retreat."

"I'm going to make a break with Da Sima in Zhencheng!"

There is another chapter tonight, it will be later