After the purge was completed, the army set off.

The desert is desolate and cold, but fortunately, the daylight is just right, and although it is a snowy march, it is not too cold.

Bai Tan and Kublai Khan rode side by side, and only then did they realize that they remembered to ask where the army was going to send troops.

"Xiangyang." Kublai Khan said: "The battle of Xiangyang has taken several years, and the people have lost money, and if we don't fight quickly, the consequences will be unimaginable." ”

Bai Tan said: "Although I have not been in Mongolia for a long time, I know that Mongolian men are the most brave and good at fighting, why haven't they captured the city for several years?" ”

Kublai Khan said: "Although the emperor of the Song Dynasty is mediocre and the officials are incompetent, there are many sons and daughters of the rivers and lakes who are chivalrous and courageous, cherish their family and country, and take the chivalrous Guo Jing as the leader to guard Xiangyang City for many years, so they will not be able to attack it for a long time." If it weren't for the enemy and me, I would be very willing to get acquainted with Guo Jing, and it would be very gratifying to associate with such a chivalrous man. ”

Bai Tan hummed in a low voice and did not reply again.

Kublai Khan saw that his expression was a little gloomy, and he said with concern: "Tan'er, what are you thinking?" ”

Bai Tan was silent for a moment and said, "I'm wondering, where are my roots." ”

Kublai Khan stretched out his hand, held Bai Tan's hand in his palm, and said softly: "You have been reborn because of me, and I am your root." Now that you have forgotten the past, don't think about it again, it's just sad. ”

Bai Tan smiled slightly and said, "What Brother Lie said is that from now on, I will just follow you, and I will go wherever you go." ”

When he said this, Kublai Khan's heart was in the heart, and his heart suddenly burst into laughter.

After a month's rapid march, Kublai Khan and his party joined up with the Mongol army stationed in Nanyang.

Nanyang is about 100 miles away from Xiangyang, and when the two armies were truce, the Mongol army was stationed here.

Kublai Khan was busy with military affairs, but Bai Tan did not participate, and he often went around the camp to play.

Kublai Khan did not restrain him, but he was only allowed to move near the camp and not to go far.

Within a few days, Bai Tan had already trampled all over the surrounding land.

There is a high mountain twenty miles to the east of the camp, on which the pines and cypresses are planted all over, although it is the middle of winter, but the distant view is still a green color, it is very gratifying, the white sandalwood has long been thinking about going to the mountain.

Therefore, after Kublai Khan led his troops to Xiangyang early this morning, Bai Tan sneaked out of the camp and walked to the green mountain.

Before noon, Bai Tan came to the foot of the mountain.

Looking up at the green hills, standing majestically, the trees are verdant, and the strange stones are numerous, which is quite interesting.

Bai Tan took a deep breath of fresh air and walked up the mountain, with beautiful scenery along the way, and he didn't feel tired at all.

When he was halfway up the mountain, he suddenly heard a scream, like a bird but not a bird, and Bai Tan was startled and almost tripped over the rocks.

The sound of screaming was endless, Bai Tan's curiosity rose, followed the sound to find it, brushed aside a clump of branches and leaves, and was shocked by what he saw in front of him.

In the open space not far away, a giant eagle more than two people tall was fighting with a white python, and the scene was very intense. The giant eagle was very brave, and the white python was finally invincible and died under the sharp claws and sharp beak. The giant eagle tore the snake's skin, took out the snake's gall, raised its head and swallowed it, and let out a satisfied chirp.

Bai Tan had never seen such a scene, he was almost stunned, and he didn't even hold his breath, until his face was flushed, and he took a long breath.

Unexpectedly, the giant eagle's sense of hearing was very sensitive, and he immediately looked at the bushes where Bai Tan was hiding.

Bai Tan was shocked, let go of the branches and leaves, turned around and fled.

After a scream, there was the sound of flapping wings behind him, as well as the sound of hunting wind.

Bai Tan knew in his heart that there were many trees in the mountains, and the giant eagles were huge, and they would be hindered from moving or flying. Therefore, the more you run in the direction of dense forests, the safer it is.

Bai Tan walked quickly through the mountains and forests, and when there was no sound of the giant eagle behind him, he put his mind at ease, stood still with a pine tree beside his hand, raised his sleeves to wipe his sweat, and suddenly felt thirsty in his mouth.

Looking around, he found a low wooden house not far away, which he thought was the residence of the hunters in the mountains, so he planned to ask for a sip of water.

When he came to the wooden house, he raised his hand and knocked on the door, but no one answered, and Bai Tan said, "Is there anyone?" ”

There was silence in the room.

Bai Tan's hand was slightly forced, and the wooden door creaked open.

Sure enough, it was empty.

Bai Tan walked in, the room was very shabby, and a thin layer of ash had fallen on the wooden table in it, apparently uninhabited for a while.

Bai Tan thought to himself: The owner of this wooden house must not have been eaten by the giant eagle just now, right?

After looking around, he saw that there was not even a water tank in the wooden house, so Bai Tan had to give up, so he thought about going to the mountains to find a clear spring.

Fang turned around, but saw that Fang Cai's giant eagle was already standing in front of the door of the wooden house at some point, and two huge round eyes were looking at him, which was very scary.

Bai Tan couldn't help but take a step back, staring at the giant eagle with his eyes, and didn't dare to take a single step.

The giant eagle looked at him for a long time, and suddenly chirped a few times, not at all as sharp and piercing as when fighting with the white python, but inexplicably a little warm.

Bai Tan did not dare to move, and stayed in place to respond to all changes without change.

Seeing that the giant eagle was leaning down, it first poked its head into the wooden house, and then leaned slightly as if to squeeze in the door.

Bai Tan looked at the crumbling wooden door, very worried.

Before he could think of it, the giant eagle really squeezed in, and it straightened up, its head almost touching the roof, and looked at him condescendingly, and its mouth couldn't help but let out a low sound of unknown meaning.

Seeing that it had no intention of attacking him, Bai Tan tentatively took a small step forward, trying to bypass it and leave the cabin.

As soon as he moved, the giant eagle suddenly spread its wings, wrapped the white sandalwood in it, and then retracted its wings and pressed him to the chest and abdomen.

Bai Tan was frightened by its sudden move, and was about to struggle, when the giant eagle suddenly lowered its head and rubbed against Bai Tan's neck, very intimate.

Bai Tan was stunned.

It took him a while to realize that it was not an attack, but a hug.

Bai Tan felt a little calmer, hugged it back, and stroked its gray-black feathers a few times.

The giant eagle seemed to enjoy his soothing gesture very much, and his voice was a little tactful, completely devoid of the fierce power of the party.

escaped in a daze, and Bai Tan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After hugging him like this for a long time, the giant eagle spread its wings and let go of him, whispered twice at him, turned around and squeezed out of the wooden house with difficulty, and stood still in the open space in front of the house, staring at the white sandalwood standing in the house for a moment, as if waiting for him.

There was no way out left and right, so Bai Tan walked out of the wooden house.

The giant eagle crouched down in front of him, flapping its wings.

Bai Tan said tentatively: "Do you want to ...... Let me...... Sit on your back? ”

The giant eagle nodded.

It knows human nature?!

This surprise was not trivial, and Bai Tan said again: "Can you understand me?" ”

The giant eagle let out a low sigh and nodded again.

Bai Tan was surprised and delighted, thinking that this carving not only knew human nature, but also was so friendly to himself, he must not harm himself, so he climbed on its back as it invited.

When he sat down, the giant eagle chirped twice, flapped its wings, and went straight up to the clouds.

The gale in the ears is gusting, the clouds are ethereal in front of you, the white sandalwood looks down, the green mountains are at the feet, everything is like ants, and the chest can't help but be full of pride, indescribable.

Bai Tan shouted loudly, "Where are you going to take me?!" ”

The giant eagle roared twice in response.

However, Bai Tan didn't know the language of birds, so he had to sit down obediently and concentrate on appreciating this rare beauty.