Chapter 704: Buried Alive |
Naturally, the Imperial Court had not abandoned all hope. They still held onto the expectation that the three great sects would exert their influence on Meng Shan Ming and Shang Chao Zong.
At this moment, they were willing to fulfill any request. They hinted to Shang Chao Zong, inviting him to state his demands, and they would immediately begin negotiations.
It was simple: whatever demands Shang Chao Zong might put forth now were secondary. The priority was to survive the current crisis. Only then could they concern themselves with Shang Chao Zong. If they couldn't even weather the present storm, what would there be left to discuss?
The immense army finally emerged from the swampy terrain. Zhang Hu rode his horse, looking like a rustic countryman, covered head to toe in mud. He rode onto the dry ground and, turning his head, waited for Meng Shan Ming's carriage.
The soldiers ascended onto the dry ground in turn, all muddy and reeking. Their boots hung over their shoulders, every one of them utterly exhausted.
But the prisoners, burdened with carrying supplies, suffered even more. While the Yan Kingdom Army at least had enough to eat, the prisoners, wounded and exhausted after the flood, collapsed from their last reserves of strength under the heavy load. Some of them, as they climbed onto the dry ground, simply fell backward.
This was one of the reasons Meng Shan Ming had kept the prisoners alive. It was inconvenient to transport goods through the wet terrain, so he needed their labor!
One of the Yan Kingdom Army escorts immediately approached the fallen prisoners and began kicking them, forcing them to stand.
Regarding this scene, Zhang Hu feigned ignorance. He merely awaited Meng Shan Ming's carriage.
Meng Shan Ming replied with a stony expression: "Inform all units. Once they reach dry land, bury the prisoners alive!"
"Bury them alive in the ground?" Zhang Hu was startled.
Meng Shan Ming merely closed his eyes and offered no reply. Zhang Hu understood that he had not misheard. He went to carry out the order.
Why alive? To bury alive!
To Zhang Hu, if one had to kill, it was better to shoot or stab immediately. He did not understand why Meng Shan Ming had chosen such a horrifying method. Yet, Meng Shan Ming's order he must obey!
As soon as they emerged from the Luoshan mountains, all units began to execute Meng Shan Ming's order. They gathered the prisoners, commanded them to dig pits, and then forced them to jump into the pits.
It was unknown how many prisoners wailed and begged for mercy.
After all their hardships, the hungry, weary, and wounded captives could do nothing. They had no energy to resist. Even though there were 600,000 of them, even if they were gathered together, they would have no means to fight back.
The Yan Kingdom Army soldiers pushed the prisoners into the pits. It was easy to fall in, but difficult to climb out. And the prisoners no longer had the strength to escape.
The Yan Kingdom Army soldiers surrounded the pits and filled them back in. They shoveled earth onto the weeping captives. And those who tried to climb out of the pits were shot down by archers.
The clear, bright sun indifferently illuminated the entire land. And it seemed that nothing affected it.
After all the pits were filled, silence reigned all around. The cries and sobs of the prisoners in the pits could no longer be heard. And the soldiers who had buried the pits seemed disinclined to speak.
Such a brutal massacre, they would never forget!
Of course, Meng Shan Ming did not kill everyone. He ordered some prisoners to be spared as witnesses. He even fed them their fill and released them, so that they might report this tragedy to everyone!
Those few freed individuals fled without looking back. And they would certainly never forget what they had witnessed there!
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace of the Song Kingdom, heated arguments raged. Some maintained neutrality, while others cursed loudly, their faces turning red like lobsters. This was because Meng Shan Ming had demanded provisions, which was not part of their original plan.
Initially, due to the threat of the Yan Kingdom Army invading the Song Kingdom, the Song Kingdom had intended to propose peace talks. However, the Yan Kingdom was the first to initiate negotiations. It later became clear that Luo Zhao's siege of the Yan Kingdom's capital was the reason. Thus, the two kingdoms sat down to negotiate. The Song Kingdom raised the price for peace. Besides withdrawing troops, they also demanded that the Yan Kingdom punish Meng Shan Ming and Shang Chao Zong.
They knew the Yan Kingdom would not agree to this. For at present, Shang Chao Zong and Meng Shan Ming certainly did not obey the Yan Imperial Court. This was how the negotiations proceeded – or rather, the haggling.
Each side initially inflated their price, while the other tried to drive it down. Here, it was simply a matter of who would concede to what.
Who could have known that Meng Shan Ming would later add another condition? He wanted to exchange the prisoners for a shipment of provisions.
Meng Shan Ming was already threatening the Song Kingdom. And if they were to provide him with provisions and he then broke his word, the consequences could only be imagined.
Now, the Song Kingdom's Imperial Court was racking its brains, wondering how to proceed. They could neither agree nor refuse.
Both options were difficult. So now they argued fiercely, each believing themselves right, each attempting to prove their viewpoint. They debated for two days.
At that very moment, a cry rang out from outside: "Report!"
A palace eunuch rushed in, weeping in haste. Before everyone's eyes, he flopped onto the floor, holding the report with trembling hands, and sobbed, "Your Majesty, an urgent report! Meng Shan Ming, that brigand, acted cruelly. He released 100 of our Song Kingdom soldiers, but buried the remaining 600,000 soldiers alive!"
As soon as he uttered this, everyone in the hall fell silent. All were stunned. Buried alive? Meng Shan Ming had truly buried 600,000 Song Kingdom soldiers alive?
Emperor Mu Zho Zheng, seated on the throne, turned pale. He staggered to his feet and asked in a hoarse voice, "What did you say?"
Palace Manager Mo Gao rose and swiftly took the report from the eunuch.
The eunuch, prostrate on the floor and weeping, raised his head and stammered, "Your Majesty, our 600,000 brave soldiers were buried alive! Meng Shan Ming, that old brigand, said he ordered the news to be relayed. He said that we clearly don't care about him, since we are arguing here. That old brigand said that the Song Kingdom Army has approached the Yan Kingdom's capital, which clearly does not indicate sincere negotiations. He says we intend to fool him. The old brigand also said that he had genuinely wished to engage in negotiations, but since we are insincere and show no concern for our prisoners, he would not stand on ceremony. Therefore, he immediately issued the order for the prisoners' extermination!"
This was, of course, merely a pretext from Meng Shan Ming. Meng Shan Ming was following Niu You Dao's advice. However, the Song Kingdom Army's proximity to the capital had certainly spurred Meng Shan Ming's actions.
Upon learning that the Song Kingdom Army remained within Yan Kingdom territory, Meng Shan Ming became incensed. He immediately ordered his forces to increase their speed, clearly demonstrating his intent to penetrate deep into the Song Kingdom. In doing so, he made it appear that the Song Kingdom was to blame for the current situation, shifting all fault onto Luo Zhao.
Meng Shan Ming believed that the emperors of the Yan and Song Kingdoms would not shoulder responsibility, and would only be able to shift all blame onto Luo Zhao!
Luo Zhao had wanted to seize the moment and capture the capital to use it as a bargaining chip in negotiations. This was Meng Shan Ming's chance to settle scores with him. He would not give Luo Zhao such an opportunity.
Both of them led armies, and naturally understood that the most dangerous thing for an army was unstable morale!
Luo Zhao, as commander-in-chief, had given no thought to the 600,000 prisoners; now he could deal with the consequences!
Two kingdoms at war were unscrupulous in their methods. Meng Shan Ming would not stand on ceremony with them, just as Luo Zhao would not.
"Your Majesty, Luo Zhao has brought disaster upon the state! We have long ordered him to withdraw his troops, but he stubbornly refused. Relying on his military authority, he disobeyed orders and caused the death of 600,000 prisoners. Luo Zhao has brought disaster upon the kingdom! He is a great criminal!" someone lamented, crying out. This person had long advised Luo Zhao to retreat his forces. And now he found a chance to prove his foresight.
Immediately, a military official angrily retorted, "Nonsense! Meng Shan Ming merely found a pretext!"
Chaos and clamor erupted in the hall once more.
Mu Zho Zheng, standing at the very top, raised his hands. He waved them in exasperation and shouted, "Silence, all of you!"
Immediately, everyone in the hall fell silent. After a moment, Chancellor Zi Ping Xu, cupping his hands, said, "Your Majesty, whether it is a pretext or not, Meng Shan Ming is clearly disregarding the negotiations between our kingdoms. And what he intends to do is abundantly clear. We must recall Luo Zhao at once!"
Mu Zho Zheng's expression changed, and he sternly declared: "Break through the Yan capital, slaughter everyone! Avenge our warriors!"
He had spoken his final decision!
Currently, the Song Kingdom had attacked the Yan Kingdom, and in the end, had gained nothing but suffered great losses. If his troops were to return empty-handed, how would he be remembered as an emperor?
Ten carriages, escorted by the Yan Kingdom Army, traveled along the road. The Yan Kingdom Army could be identified by their banners.
As they passed by a wooded area, several Song Kingdom cultivators suddenly burst forth from the forest.
Although there was a distance to the Song Kingdom's main forces, the Song Kingdom Army could not fail to leave scouts behind.
Upon seeing the banner of the Yan Kingdom Army, the Song Kingdom cultivators blocked the path of the carriages.
The two sides ascertained each other's positions, after which the Yan Kingdom Army officer in charge of the carriages handed over a sealed letter: "This is our General Meng's reply to Grand Commander Luo Zhao's 'precious gift'! General Meng wrote this letter himself. I hope you will deliver it on our behalf."
After communication between the parties, the cultivators did not kill the Yan Kingdom Army soldiers and released them. Only the Yan Kingdom carriages were left behind.
There were many crates in the carriages. The Song Kingdom cultivators decided to inspect them. A foul stench emanated from these crates.
When one of them opened a crate, a sound like "Pffft!" echoed, and something tumbled out. Several cultivators jumped back.
They noticed there was a pile of something in the crate, emitting a truly foul odor.
And it looked like a pile of ears. Upon seeing the heap of ears, someone gagged: "Ptooey!" It was difficult to endure such a horrific sight.
Ears! It was all ears! The ears in the crates had already begun to decompose, which was the source of the stench.
The cultivators, at least, still held their composure, but the ordinary people could not endure this nauseating sight.
And of course, it was impossible to gather the ears back into the crate.
After a while, once everyone had composed themselves, the cultivators began to examine the other crates. There were over a hundred crates. Could they all be filled with ears?
The mere thought was terrifying. The idea sent shivers down the spines of several people.