Chapter 4 In the Clouds

Men were dizzy, staggered off the raft, and sat staggered on the dock unable to get up. Su Wu was also as uncomfortable as everyone else, remembering his duties, he asked Zhang Sheng to take care of the team, and walked into the shore barracks with the regular meeting, and brought a large bucket of boiling water and simple food.

After they beckoned everyone to have a bite to eat, they took a break and moved on.

After crossing the Yellow River, the post stations gradually became fewer, and the traffic was gone. Some of the older Hun envoys rode only on horseback, while the younger ones marched on foot like the soldiers. After walking for two days, the team came to Yunzhong County.

The fathers drove the Xiongnu away, recovered a place, set up a pass to guard the town, stationed soldiers, immigrants, built roads and built border fortresses, and there were roads and post stations leading to Chang'an.

The distance between the post stations ranged from thirty to fifty miles. The main thing is to escort and pass on information, and to receive patrol officials and teams.

In the evening, Su Wu arranged for everyone to rest after dinner, and while the sunset had not yet set, he and the deputy general Zhang Sheng took the regular meeting to climb the Yunzhong County Tower.

He looked around and said to them, "This place is close to mountains and waters, so it's easy to hide." Twenty years ago, General Wei Qing led our Han army to punish the Xiongnu. ”

Su Wu said: "In that year, General Wei Qing suddenly sent troops from here, and General Li Xi sent troops from the east to the county and the west of the army guarding Yangguan at the same time, encircling and suppressing the Xiongnu Loufu King and the Aries King, recovering the lost territory south of the Yellow River in one fell swoop, and setting up Shuofang County north of the river. ”

Zhang Sheng sighed with emotion: "General Wei Qing is really a hero!"

"With the encirclement and suppression of the Xiongnu by our fathers in the past, we have today's social prosperity and stable life. We must live up to our mission this time!" Su Wu said seriously.

"Yes, it's not up to the mission!" the three of them clasped their hands together.

"Hey, Master Su, look at the city wall in the clouds, how is it different from our mainland, twists and turns?"

Zhang Sheng also said: "When everyone came to see it, they also felt incredible. ”

"Really, we will reveal the mystery before we leave tomorrow!" Su Wu smiled.

After passing through the clouds, the road is basically hills and desert areas. Although there is no royal court in Mobei, it will be harassed by some Xiongnu tribes.

In order to ensure the safety of the escorted people along the way, the members of the escort team are all civil and military all-rounders drawn from the imperial city guards.

After breakfast the next day, the team lined up and prepared to go.

The regular meeting will come out and announce: "General Su, please give a lecture!"

Su Wu was fully armed, with a sword at his waist, holding a scepter and standing majestically in front of the queue, majestically: "Soldiers, brothers who are about to go home: as soon as we cross the clouds, there is a lack of post stations along the way, and we have to cross mountains and mountains, and we also have to cross the desert. ”

He glanced at the neat team: "This requires us to work together to overcome difficulties!

"Yes!" all the voices in unison reverberated in the air.

"Okay!" he softened, "Everyone must be very curious why this place is called Yunzhong, and why the city wall is different from the mainland? Actually, this Yunzhong City is a treasure attracted by swans, and it is a pearl of my great man!"

When everyone heard this, they looked at each other in surprise.

Su Wu continued: "As early as more than 280 years ago, Zhao Wuhou, the monarch of Zhao State, in order to defend the territory, led the army and the people to build the Great Wall in the Wuyuan River Meander. ”

A nearly 60-year-old Hu envoy interjected in the building: "There is a section of quicksand in the West Mountain, and the city cannot be built at all." ”

"This dude is right. So they came here and sat on the ground tired to rest. Suddenly, under the scorching sun, a flock of swans hovered in the sky for a long time in the clouds. In the sunlight, the striking light casts on the empty field, resembling the outline of a city. ”

He saw that everyone was engrossed in it, and raised his voice: "So, Wuhou immediately ordered everyone to build the city hand in hand according to the outline. The walls of this cloud city are irregular multilateral, like a constellation line, and it is also known as the Celestial Phase. ”

At this time, Yi Cheng came over with two Hun men and said to Su Wu: "General Su, the guide who led the way for you has arrived!"

A sturdy and neat man in his forties performed the Hun etiquette: "I, guide Hu Tuli!"

Around twenty years old, a handsome and fit young man saluted and introduced himself: "Rrangel, come and report!"

"There's a guide. That is to say, once the clouds pass, there is no post station at all, don't be afraid, don't panic!"

Su Wu also ordered the army: "Soldiers, our task is to escort our friends, protect them, and arrive at our destination safely! We must each fulfill our responsibilities! If we encounter an enemy, obey the order and act at the opportunity, and defeat the enemy! The guide will lead the way and set off!"

In fact, these two guides were the people sent by the Xiongnu Shan Yu to greet them, the older one was Shan Yu's younger brother Yu Jing Wang, and the young man was his daughter Yu Weilan. She learned that her father was going to the clouds to do business, and asked Uncle Shan Yu to come with her father.

And Marquis Shan Yu remembered that although his niece could ride a horse and shoot arrows, and her martial arts were extraordinary, as the daughter of the Xiongnu royal family, she had not participated in the war training, and this was a good opportunity for training, so she agreed. told her that she had to change her name and surname, and disguise herself as a man.

This group of nearly 200 people set off from the clouds, without the Handao Post Station, and the road was far away. The post station prepared more than a dozen camels to carry rest, eat and drink along the way, as well as many horses for those who could not walk on the road.

They walked along the river valley river road in the western mountains north of the Yellow River. The soil is fertile here. The wheat is just ripe, and the farmers are busy harvesting.

The further north you go, the summer is beautiful and cool. The fragrance of wildflowers wafts among the green trees on both sides of the valley. There are small villages along the way from time to time, and it is more convenient for the team to eat and live, and everyone is in a good mood and walks faster.

Three days later, the team entered the hinterland of the West Mountain, where the roads were rugged, the pedestrians were okay, and the horses and camels were really difficult. Su Wu asked the guide, "Mr. Hu, why don't you take the east road?"

"Ten days of travel will be saved here!" replied Hutuli.

The host road is the so-called road leading from the Han Dynasty to the Xiongnu, and it is the road for both sides to fight and advance and retreat. Although along the mountain, the wind and sand invade, there is no fixed road, but it is easier to walk.

Su Wu asked people to dismount and led the horses and camels on foot. After more than two hours, the team had reached the bare summit with great difficulty, when suddenly the wind blew and the snow fell, and the sky was dark. Everyone was shivering.

Someone among the Hu people shouted: "I can't walk!"

Su Wu said sternly: "You must not rest here! For the sake of everyone's safety, you must hold on!"

Then he divided the team into three parts, one part of Zhang Sheng led the broken queen, one part was responsible for the camels and horses, and some part was mixed in with the guests to take care of them. Every dozen or so people light a torch to guide them. In the wind and snow, the team walked in a circle.