On November 2, Ao Ye sat alone in a military tent and blew a horn. Outside the military tent, heavy snow fell. Han Zhao, who was dressed in the armor of the ghost tiger, stared at the southern canopy with a solemn expression.

At this moment, the fire in Dian Star City is still raging. There is not the slightest sign of decay. Maybe it's a sleepless night, or maybe it's something in mind. As the eldest brother, Ao Xian slowly walked out of his military tent, walked through the wind and snow, and went to Ao Ye's military tent to discuss matters.

As a result, it's in the process. Ao Xin bumped into Han Zhao, who was contemplating in the wind and snow. Ao Xian didn't say anything, just patted Han Zhao's shoulder, and then said lightly: "Don't think about the past." ”

Han Zhao glanced at Ao Xian and did not speak.

At this time, the evil bones who walked out of the military tent with the smell of wine happened to see this scene. The soldier who kept vigil asked the evil bone curiously: "What is the relationship between that general and His Royal Highness the Prince, and how dare he treat His Royal Highness the Prince with such an attitude?"

Evil Bone shook his head: "I don't know. However, looking at his outfit, he must be a very important general of the Ghost Tiger Ride. The Ghost Tiger Rider is the most mysterious army in our Xia Kingdom. Over the years, I have also seen it when I met in Jingweiguan. I just kept hearing legends about them, and I couldn't see them walking around outside. This time, the lord of the country sent His Royal Highness the Prince to personally lead the ghost tiger cavalry to come, and there must be a fierce battle waiting for us next. ”

As he spoke, Evil Bone patted the night watchman on the shoulder who asked him questions, and sighed: "The war is about to start, when you have time, sharpen the gun in your hand more, don't wait until the time is time to go to the battlefield to sharpen the gun, understand? There is not much time left for us." ”

The night watchman bowed and waved his hands and said, "No." ”

Evil Bone smiled, and his gaze fell on Han Zhao in the wind and snow again. At this time, Ao Xian had turned around and went to Ao Ye's military tent. Evil Bone didn't think much of it, and looked at the night watchman who had just spoken to him: "Hey, do you have any wine on you? Why do I smell alcohol?"

The soldier was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly explained: "General, I am on duty now, how can I drink! This will violate military rules!"

The evil bones followed the smell of wine on his body, and found half a pot of wine from behind the soldier, and the soldier suddenly didn't know what to say. In fact, this soldier did not drink, and the evil bones knew. I only heard the evil bone say solemnly: "Drink alcohol during duty, twenty rods!"

When the soldiers heard this, they quickly knelt down on the ground and begged for mercy again and again: "General!

But he saw that the evil bone slowly lifted him up, and motioned him to be quiet, so as not to disturb the other soldiers on duty or rest. Then, he said lightly in his ear: "This pot of wine has been confiscated, don't bring wine with you next time you are on duty, understand? If I catch it again, this time a piece will be counted with you." ”

After hearing this, the soldier said gratefully: "Thank you for the general's kindness, thank you for the general's kindness!"

Evil Bone patted him on the shoulder, then picked up the captured pot of old wine, and turned back to the tent. The soldier who left the night vigil in terror in the wind and snow. However, when the soldier came back to his senses, Han Zhao, who had been isolated in the wind and snow, did not know where he had gone.

Ao Xian is looking for Xun Sheng and finds Ao Ye's residence.

For the arrival of his brother, Ao Ye seems to have a premonition.

At present, in the military tent, two pairs of bowls and chopsticks, wine and food have been prepared.

Seeing this scene, Ao Xian enjoyed this delicious meal with great interest. He didn't ask Ao Ye a question, because he wanted to hear Ao Ye finish blowing this song. Speaking of which, Ao Xian hasn't listened to Ao Ye's blowing for a long time.

When he was in the Xia Kingdom, Ao Chun did not allow Ao Ye to play this instrument in the palace of Yuanzhi. Ao Chun thought that Xun's voice might attract something unclean, and let the word out, and if Ao Ye blew Xun in the palace again, he would be kicked out of the palace.

Actually, Ao Ye knows. The reason why Ao Chun didn't want to hear Xun's voice was just that he was afraid to think of his mother, Sixteen Nights Red Lotus. As the elder brother, Ao Xian likes to listen to his younger brother blowing Xun. For some reason, whenever I get upset. As long as you can hear Ao Ye blowing, Ao Xin can always calm down.

In the long snowy night, except for the wind in the entire barracks, only the music played by Ao Ye with Xun was echoing. Whether it's the Blood Tigers who are resting, or those mysterious Ghost Tigers. No matter what they were doing a moment ago, as long as Xun's voice sounded, these seemingly ferocious beasts would be quiet for the first time, and quietly enjoy this beautiful sound, just like Ao Xian who was now sitting in the military tent.

In Ao Xin's eyes, Ao Ye at the time of blowing Xun was like two people compared to usual. He didn't know what his younger brother had been through all these years. The sound of Xun echoing in his ears inadvertently evoked Ao Xin's memories of the past.

As a result, just as Ao Xian had just fallen into the whirlpool of memories, Ao Ye's Xun sound came to an abrupt end. So at that moment, the distant thoughts suddenly crossed the long corridor of time and returned to this slightly simple military tent.

When he raised his eyes, Ao Ye, who was the younger brother, filled the cup of wine for the eldest brother. Then Ao Ye put away the Xun and said respectfully to Ao Xin: "This glass of wine, I respect my brother." ”

Ao Xian smiled slightly, and then drank the wine in the cup. After a moment of silence, Ao Xian first asked, "Why don't you blow it, it's very good." ”

Ao Ye lowered his eyebrows and avoided his brother's gaze, as if he had something on his mind. However, when he opened his mouth to tell his brother why he didn't continue playing, Ao Xian thought that his brother was not telling the truth.

Ao Ye said: "It's late at night, and if it blows any longer, it will disturb the rest of the soldiers." Just blow it a little bit every day. Not too early, not too late. ”

Ao Xin looked at his younger brother in confusion: "However, you didn't finish the song just now." I remember my father always taught us that everything has a beginning and an end. ”

After listening to it, Ao Ye asked the eldest brother Ao Xian, who he hadn't seen for many years, suspiciously: "Brother has heard this song?"

Between the words, His Royal Highness, the prince of the Xia Kingdom, silently filled the wine glass for his younger brother, and then looked at it deeply: "A long time ago, I had the privilege of listening to your mother play. At that time, I was very young. Although I can't remember some of the past and your mother's appearance in retrospect, the melody of this piece is forever imprinted in my mind. Whenever my cultivation reached a bottleneck, it was these melodies that accompanied me through the most difficult moments. So, when I just listened to you play this tune, I was particularly impressed. ”

"Brother has seen my mother......" Ao Ye looked at the brother in front of him incredulously, who had not actually been in contact with him a few times, and said curiously.

For most of the past time, Ao Xian hid his name and followed his master, a cultivator who had explored the heavens, and retreated to the ethereal mountains in the Xia Kingdom, practicing painstakingly and not asking about the world.

So Ao Ye doesn't know much about his brother. It's just that I met a few times when I was very young.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this that he has been in contact with Ao Xin. As a younger brother, Ao Ye experienced what it was like to be regarded as a family by others. So in the years that followed, whenever he met his brother Ao Xian again, Ao Ye's heart always had an indescribable cordiality.

For Ao Xin's sudden visit tonight. Ao Ye had expected it, but if it was about the reason for Ao Xian's visit, Ao Ye couldn't guess it for the time being, but one thing is for sure, Ao Xian's late-night visit was definitely not for "visiting the sick".

When he heard Ao Ye ask about the Sixteen Nights Red Lotus, Ao Xin was silent for a moment. Then, he turned around and avoided the topic, which inadvertently increased Ao Ye's speculation and curiosity about his mother's past.

Ao Xin asked his younger brother with concern: "During this time, have you been better? On the way here, I heard that you are sick." Father is very concerned about your physical condition, and specially sent a few imperial doctors in the palace to follow General Zhai Wenli and the three thousand wind tiger horsemen to pick you up. ”

"Father sent General Zhai Wenli to take me back?" Hearing this, Ao Ye suddenly frowned, "Brother isn't joking?"

"Only General Zhai Wenli can mobilize the Wind Tiger Cavalry. Looking at Ao Ye's nervous appearance, Ao Xian smiled, "I guess he should arrive here in the next two days." I set out early and in a bit of a hurry. Otherwise, I'll bring those imperial doctors to you this time. ”

"Thank you, brother, for your concern. ”

Ao Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

Roughly he had determined what the brother, whom he hadn't seen for many years, had come to visit him tonight. Ao Xian smiled, and almost guessed that Ao Ye was not sick, so he asked Ao Ye directly: "What, don't you want to go back to Xia Kingdom?"

Ao Xian's question suddenly made Ao Ye not know how to answer. He hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "After I go back, I can't play freely like tonight." ”

After hearing this, Ao Xian sighed: "So, you came up with the trick of pretending to be sick, and you plan to delay it for a day?"

Ao Ye was stunned for a moment, and raised his eyes to meet Ao Xin's gaze. Seeing that his brother had already seen through his thoughts, he had no choice but to say, "There is no other way." ”

As he spoke, Ao Xian filled the glass of wine for his younger brother, and said slowly in the process: "There will be a war soon, and it is too dangerous for you to stay here." ”

Ao Ye: "I'm staying in Xia Kingdom, isn't it dangerous?" ”

Ao frowned: "What, is it possible that someone in the country wants to harm you? ”

Ao Ye smiled faintly, avoided Ao Xin's question, and turned around: "Don't mention the past." ”

Ao Xian looked at Ao Ye curiously: "Who?"

Ao Ye smiled: "Who else could there be?"

Ao Xian frowned and pondered, and guessed: "Are you talking about Liji, or the national teacher, or ......?"

Ao Ye smiled without saying a word, and did not forget to salute Ao Ye with a glass of wine at this time: "It doesn't matter who it is, it must be a celebrity next to my father anyway." Compared to die suddenly in the palace one day for unknown reasons, I would rather bury my bones in this snowy homeland. ”

Ao Xin said lightly: "War is not child's play. ”

Ao Ye asked rhetorically: "Then marriage can be a child's play?"

Ao Xin listened and fell silent.

He knew that what Ao Ye's words were alluding to was the "marriage strategy" that had now been blown up, so he didn't continue Ao Ye's words, and turned to say: "Born in the emperor's family, there are a few loves and hates. ”

"Growing up, I didn't even see my own mother. Ao Ye sneered, his words were a little desolate, "Since I was born in the emperor's family, I have to first experience what it feels like to be at home, what is it like, and then will I end up with love and hatred next?"

Ao Xian was silent for a moment and asked, "So, you plan to drag it out like this forever and stay here like this forever?"

"Let's talk about it when General Zhai Wenli comes. At present, the snow in Jibei is so heavy that I am worried that he will not be able to find his way on the way here. Ao Ye smiled and continued, "I've heard people say that during the 'Red Yan Rebellion', my father was surrounded by Red Yan warriors during a rescue operation. Then my father immediately sent a distress call to General Zhai Wenli, who was stationed nearby, but the general got lost in the process. If his father's life is great, he will fight his way out of the siege under the desperate protection of the Evil Bone General. Maybe whether our Xia Kingdom still exists or not is another matter. ”

Hearing this, Ao Xian couldn't help but smile and said, "So, do you think that my father actually sent him to take you back with ulterior motives?"

Ao Ye sneered: "How does my brother know that my father sent this general to pick me up, or did someone else give my father a seemingly suitable advice?"

Ao Xian: "Are you worried that something will go wrong along the way?"

Ao Ye didn't answer Ao Xin's question, but just said: "I don't want to go back like this, I want to triumph with my brother." ”

After hearing this, Ao Xian asked lightly, "Have you ever fought?" ”

Ao Ye shook his head: "No." ”

Ao Xin: "Have you ever killed someone?"

Ao Ye: "No. ”

Between the words, Ao Xian took out a knife from the scabbard on his waist with one hand at a speed that was difficult to catch with the naked eye, and then slowly handed it to Ao Ye: "Swing the knife and show me." ”

Ao Ye hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his hands to take the knife. As a result, he heard Ao Xin say coldly: "With one hand." ”

After listening to this, Ao Ye tried to pick it up with one hand, but he didn't expect the knife to be too heavy, so he couldn't hold it. In the end, Ao Ye tried again, but failed.

After a moment of silence, Ao Xian put the knife into the scabbard with one hand, but said slowly with Ao Ye: "You can't even hold this knife, how to protect yourself when the war is ignited." Let General Evil Bone accompany you? Or follow General Zhai Wenli back. ”

Ao Ye was silent and didn't say much.

Ao Xian paused and asked again, "When did you hand over the talisman to the Evil Bone General?"

Ao Ye pondered: "October 16. ”

Ao Xian said lightly: "Half a month ago, was it?"

Ao Ye nodded: "Exactly." ”

After a moment of silence, Ao Xian turned to leave. The curious Ao Ye asked again, "What's the matter, brother, what's going on?" Or is there something wrong?"

"Ao Ye, you have to learn to protect yourself. Ao Xian didn't turn around, but said lightly, "If you don't want to go back with General Zhai Wenli, then before he comes here, master how to hold a knife with one hand." Our Ao clan has the blood of the Immortal Tiger in our veins, don't always think about hiding behind others, understand? When you can hold the knife with one hand, I will teach you some basic moves. ”

Ao Ye waved his hands when he heard this: "Thank you, brother, then if General Zhai Wenli comes here with three thousand wind tigers." How is my brother going to get them away?"

After hearing this, Ao Xian smiled: "Why do you want to send them away? The speed of the Wind Tiger Cavalry is the fastest among our Xia Tiger Cavalry. The battlefield of the future is changing rapidly. With such cavalry here, we will need more than one chance of victory. Ao Ye, you have to remember that the soldiers are fast. ”

Hearing this, Ao Ye roughly guessed Ao Xin's intentions, but he was not sure, so he tentatively said: "Brother plans to take the opportunity to seize General Zhai Wenli's military power?"

This is as if he were about to rebel. Ao Xian listened and smiled, "Anyway, you're not in a hurry to go back." But if you are not in a hurry to go back, then General Zhai Wenli will not be able to return empty-handed. ”

Ao Ye: "Brother is worried that he will kidnap me?"

Ao Xian: "With me here, does he dare?"

Ao Ye suddenly realized: "It seems that my brother has already planned all this. ”

Ao Xian smiled and continued: "I'm just pushing the boat down the river and seeing the moves. Right now, the affairs of the Xiji Thousand Thunder Country are the top priority. Nothing is more important than repelling them. ”

Ao Ye was stunned for a moment after hearing this: "Brother plans to take the initiative?" Or do you want to wait and see for a while. ”

Ao Xian asked Ao Ye rhetorically: "Do you think, will I wait?"

Ao Ye pondered: "Is this what my father meant?"

Ao Xian smiled and said: "Outside, the king's order is not affected." Ao Ye, you remember, don't trust others easily, even if it's a father, there may be times when you misjudge the situation. War is not a game between heroes, war is a process of game. ”

Ao Ye sighed: "But my father only looks at the results. ”

Ao Xian: "Now we are all pawns on the chessboard. No matter what our father's plan is, we must first make sure that we are alive first, and then whether we want to fulfill our father's plan. ”

Ao Ye hesitated: "Will my father be unhappy like this?"

Ao Xian asked rhetorically: "What qualifications does a chess piece have to care about the feelings of the chess player? The chess piece only needs to take every move of his hand." It's just that war is not a game after all, so what my father arranges next, just listen to it. What to do, is my business. Do you see what I mean?"

Ao Ye didn't speak, as if he was thinking about the deep meaning of Ao Xian's words. But I heard Ao Xin continue: "We brothers haven't seen each other for a long time. I wanted to talk to you about some interesting things in the past, but I didn't expect to inadvertently make the topic so heavy. But it doesn't matter, it's a long time coming. I've got a lot of things on my hands these days. You remember to practice more when you have nothing to do during this time, and don't just focus on blowing the whistle. I'll come back to you when I'm done. ”

After hearing this, Ao Ye got up and waved his hand: "Congratulations to my brother." ”

This time, Ao Xian didn't look back.

When he reached the door of the military tent, he suddenly stopped and said one last sentence: "The war has begun, and there is not much time left for us." Pick up a knife and learn to protect yourself and then others. I like to listen to you blow the whistle, but the whistle does not allow you to live like a man in this cruel world. ”

Ao Ye listened and did not answer his words.

In silence, Ao Xin opened the military tent and disappeared into the snowstorm.

After a long time, Ao Ye sat alone and poured himself a drink. In the faint candlelight, he said to himself: "Who said that Blowing Xun can't let me live like a man, it's just that because I was born in the Ao family, these always seem out of place." ”