At this time, the three northern cities were engulfed in flames of war.
When the enemy ran out of arrows, they had already approached the city gate and were carrying huge wooden stakes to ram the gate.
The residents of the three northern cities have already been relocated, and the streets are now desolate and filled with a chilling atmosphere.
Yu Tang rode on his horse, clad in armor, holding a long sword, with the garrison of the three northern cities behind him.
He channeled his inner strength into his voice and shouted, "Open the city gates!"
At his command, the iron-clad wooden door, several meters high, suddenly opened, catching the foreign soldiers outside who were banging on the door off guard and nearly causing them to fall.
"Hear my command!" The young general, his body radiating killing intent, shouted, "Charge out! Let these barbarians who dare to invade my northern border never return tonight!"
"yes!"
The voices of thousands of people merged together, echoing through the night sky.
The long sword slid mercilessly across the enemy's neck. Yu Tang numbly reaped lives. In the end, he could hardly distinguish friend from foe. He would swing his sword at anyone wearing foreign clothing, unaware that blood was splattered all over him.
Later, he heard the aliens shouting for retreat. Although it was their language, the original owner had lived in the North City for so many years and had already learned it, so he could understand it.
The enemy retreated like a tide. Yu Tang, panting, used his knife to support himself so that he wouldn't fall over.
Looking around, one sees soldiers lying haphazardly, including enemies and the garrison of the northern city.
Some were still alive, groaning while clutching their wounds; others were not even killed by being hacked to death, but by being trampled to death by the crowd or crushed by wooden stakes.
Yu Tang closed his eyes, his nose filled with the smell of blood and dust.
This is the real battlefield.
On the battlefield, human life is worthless.
He wondered how many of the soldiers who had greeted him so warmly were still alive.
"General!" Yu Tang only came back to his senses when he heard the voice of his deputy, Zhao Lin.
"The enemy has retreated! We've won!"
"Hmm..." Yu Tang wasn't in a particularly excited mood. He said in a deep voice, "Treat the wounded, clean up the battlefield, and take stock of how many troops are left in the three city garrisons."
"yes!"
Zhao Lin left.
The system's voice sounded in my mind: [Host, I just activated the pain relief for you. But remember to treat the cut on your shoulder.]
Yu Tang: Yes, I know.
Noticing Yu Tang's somewhat downcast mood, the system cautiously asked: "Host, do you really hate war?"
Yu Tang: Hmm.
Yu Tang: I've acted in period dramas before, but only now, experiencing it firsthand, have I truly felt the cruelty of war.
Yu Tang: Indeed, it's better to live in a peaceful era.
The military doctor bandaged Yu Tang's wound and gave him a few instructions, which Yu Tang nodded to indicate that he understood.
After getting dressed, Yu Tang, still worried about the defenses of the three northern cities, went out for another walk to make sure there were no major problems before returning to his room to sleep.
It was probably the first time in his life that Yu Tang had witnessed so much bloodshed, and he had a dream about it that night.
I dreamt of a man dressed in a moon-white robe, holding a long sword, standing on the ground stained with blood.
He looked up at the young man in black sitting on the pile of corpses and asked, "Did you do all this?"
Although the young man's face was blurry, one could still sense a soaring murderous and evil aura: "Yes, Master."
He said, "I did it all."
He tapped the corpse's head, its eyes wide open in death, with his foot: "You forbid me from killing, but I am a demon. Have you ever seen a demon that doesn't kill?"
"Besides, didn't you say you didn't want me anymore? Why are you still bothering me now?"
Why do you still want to interfere with me?
Master, why do you still want to interfere with me?
"Ha, ha..." Yu Tang suddenly woke up.
My heart was hurting terribly, and I was breathing rapidly, as if I was about to suffocate.
Squeak—
The door was suddenly pushed open, the wooden wheels of the wheelchair rolled across the floor, and the morning light shone into the room.
Xiao Lin looked at the man sitting on the bed with concern in his eyes and asked him, "General Yu, what's wrong?"
Chapter 7
He died for the villain for the fourth time (07)
Yu Tang was only wearing a thin white undergarment, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his hair was disheveled.
They looked toward the person who came from the sound.
The young man in black in the dream seemed to suddenly have facial features, overlapping with the handsome boy in front of the door.
“Wei…”
A name was about to come to mind, but the memory was interrupted after only the surname was uttered.
Xiao Lin wheeled himself to Yu Tang's bedside and asked, "What did you say?"
Yu Tang finally came to his senses. He patted his dizzy head and shook his head: "It's nothing..."
Xiao Lin narrowed his eyes, his gaze falling on Yu Tang's pale face, and asked, "Did you have a nightmare?"
"Yes...no..." Yu Tang didn't want to talk about that strange dream anymore, so he changed the subject: "Your Highness, why are you here?"
"The three northern cities are still not safe, and you're still injured..."
I came to see you.
Xiao Lin interrupted him, smiled at him, took out a small yellow brocade pouch from his pocket, and handed it to Yu Tang: "This is a talisman I obtained from a temple on Chenlu Mountain. Keep it, it will keep you safe."
“This…” Although he had been with Xiao Lin for more than ten days, Yu Tang felt that their relationship was not close enough to be like this: “Your Highness, this is too precious, I cannot accept it.”
"It's just a talisman, what's so valuable about it?" Xiao Lin pulled Yu Tang's hand, placed the brocade pouch in the man's palm, and closed it for him: "If you don't accept it, you're treating me like an outsider."
"Then thank you, Your Highness." Yu Tang had no choice but to put away the small brocade pouch containing the yellow talisman, and then glanced at Xiao Lin: "Your Highness, I haven't finished packing yet, could you please excuse me for a moment?"
As he spoke, he called out to the door, "Xiao Si!"
A kind-looking young man pushed open the door and entered: "General, what is it?"
"Tell the cook to prepare two more dishes to invite His Highness to dine in the front hall."
"Yes!" Xiao Si had just seen Xiao Lin come in. But Xiao Lin didn't want him to disturb Yu Tang, so he had been waiting outside. Now that he had been called over, he walked briskly to Xiao Lin and put his hands on the wheelchair: "Your Highness, I will take you to the front hall."
Xiao Lin hummed in agreement and left with Xiao Si.
After washing up and changing his clothes, Yu Tang looked at the brocade pouch in his hand.
Ask the system: System, why do I feel like Xiao Lin has changed?
Yu Tang: Before, if I got close to him, he would avoid me. When we were skipping stones, if I just held his hand, he would freeze up.
Yu Tang: But just now, he not only barged into my room, but also got very close to me, grabbed my hand, and gave me this amulet.
Although they were all normal actions, I just felt that something was off.
The system hit the nail on the head: "Could it be that his other personality has emerged?"
Yu Tang: Hmm...that's possible. But didn't you say his other personality is dangerous and extreme?
Yu Tang: I don't see anything extreme about him at all?
"Hehe." The system, recalling Cheng Luo from the beginning of the previous world, reminded Yu Tang: [Host, villains are masters of pretense. Never let your guard down when dealing with them.]
Yu Tang: Okay, I understand.
They said they would cook more dishes, but the army's rations and pay had been withheld in Beijiucheng for too long. The cooks tried their best but could only manage to prepare three or four simple dishes, and they even felt embarrassed when they served them.
Xiao Lin didn't care at all. He thanked the cook, took a coarse steamed bun, and started eating it with some vegetables.
Upon seeing Yu Tang enter, Xiao Lin waved to him, saying, "General Yu, please sit down and eat with us."
The servants around him looked at each other, somewhat incredulous that this seemingly pampered prince was so approachable.
What they didn't know was that Xiao Lin had eaten spoiled food with his mother in the cold palace when he was young, so how could he not eat this kind of food now?
Yu Tang sat down and asked him, "Is Your Highness able to eat well?"
“Hmm, I can get used to it.” Xiao Lin paused with his chopsticks, then continued, “When I came here, I saw soldiers gathered together on the streets eating flatbread and dry, hard buns. Is that what you usually eat?”
“Hmm…” Yu Tang said, “It should be said that it has been like this since three years ago.”
Yu Tang didn't elaborate, but looked intently at Xiao Lin: "So Your Highness should understand why I said those things to you, right?"
“If the ruler does not care for the people, the people will resent it. Now even the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country are starving. How can the country be at peace?”
Xiao Lin's eyes flickered slightly.
Although he knew Yu Tang, he still couldn't understand this man.
In fact, given the military strength of the nine northern cities, it wouldn't be difficult for the Yu family to cede territory and establish themselves as feudal lords.
But none of the Yu family members have ever done so.
Just as Yu Tang said before, what they are protecting is the people of Xiao Kingdom and the borders of Xiao Kingdom.
Is this what a loyal minister is like?
They valued the country more than their own lives and property.
Just like that piece of trash.
Nestled beside his mother, he listened to the woman preach those profound truths.
Even if you are bullied terribly, you should still uphold the principles of being a good person.
That's ridiculously stupid.
Xiao Lin slightly turned the steamed bun in his hand, nodded, and continued eating his food: "General Yu, I understand."