75_75600 Li Shun and several of the soldiers who stayed behind to guard the tiger were all dead. Li Shun died of hydrophobia, and the soldiers were ambushed by these horse thieves on their way to Guzang, and their weapons and armor became the trophies of these horse thieves.

After Li Shun died, the old servant was reluctant to go to Guzang, so he carried Li Shun's relics and the gold and silver on his body and went on the return journey, and finally escaped the catastrophe.

Meng Yulong used some means to interrogate them, knowing that they were a team of horse thieves called "Sand Wind Thieves", due to the large number of people and the concerted efforts, among the thousands of Sand Wind Thieves, only their team dared to "attack" so close to Guzang.

Most of the people would let their guard down when they were about to arrive in Guzang, so these people waited in ambush in the smaller oases, always succeeding repeatedly, with countless lives in their hands, and the gold, silver, jewelry, and goods they looted were usually disguised as merchants and sold to Guzang, Dunhuang, and the Western Regions, and then exchanged for the goods they needed.

Of course, few horse thieves are hard-boned, but after a night's work, they can't even wait to confide in their grandfather's name to exchange their lives, and when the mission knows the answer they want, these horse thieves are also eliminated by Meng Yulong one by one

The biggest headache for the Wei people is that the sand wind thieves all say that the wind and sand in the desert this year are weird, so they have to avoid the edge of the desert to prevent a big wind and sand.

Their lair is a ruined city in the middle of the desert that has been eroded by wind and sand, but when the storm blows, the ruined city will be covered, and this is the time for them to "rest", and the sandstorm thieves will leave their strongholds, and take the supplies they have looted for a year to various places to exchange for food, gold and silver.

It was for this reason that after eliminating the horse thieves, Hermulan seized a large amount of goods that they were going to sell in Guzang. These goods are strange, but they are all valuable things, Yuan Fang, Zheng Zong, Liu Zhen and the three of them counted most of the night just by counting things, and finally divided them according to the rules of the army, and the envoys in the mission also had a share, which was regarded as a small fortune.

"What now? Or into the desert? "Soon to the Qingtong Gorge, after the Qingtong Gorge is officially into the desert, walking in the desert for about four days can reach the edge of the city of Qin Khan, these four days is also the most dangerous part of the journey, because there are guides of the Great Crossing Post and the city of Qin Khan, and it is just in the rainy season, this journey becomes much easier.

Hearing that He Mulan had questions about this section of the road, Meng Yulong couldn't help but explain nervously: "We have more than 5,000 people, not 500 people, and it is safe to walk in the desert. There are skilled guides in Qingtongxia, and our country has prepared a lot of water, grain and grass, and we are not going straight through the desert, but just from the side, I think it is safe. ”

After discussing with the Wei envoys in the mission for a while, the rest of the people thought that the team of more than 5,000 people was not so easy to get into trouble, and that the road was very familiar, and it was best not to change the route rashly, and finally decided to continue on the desert route.

"If Master is really not at ease, I'll go find Lao Sangtou and ask." Gai Wu looked at Hemulan, "He often crosses the desert, so he was hired to be a guide on this road, and he should know the situation." ”

"Then ask him to come and ask."

After a while, the old mulberry was led into the tent by Lunaro, and he did not bow down in fear like the rest of the people, and He Mulan did not care, and asked his own questions straight to the point.

"Sandwind Bandits? That's not a big thief. ”

After hearing He Mulan's words, the old mulberry head said disapprovingly: "The largest team of horse thieves in the desert are all on the Dunhuang side, and those who wander in the Tengger Desert are all petty fights, because there is no supply and the support of the locals, once there is a wind and sand or you can't grab something, you must leave the stronghold in the desert, otherwise you will die of thirst and starvation." ”

He went on to say:

"You go in with water and food, and you have guides who know where the oasis is, so you don't have to be as careful as they are. A team of 5,000 people, even if the wind and sand are blowing, can't bury you, and they can't be blocked by horses, not to mention that you still have camels. ”

Hearing what the old mulberry head said, He Mulan and the others were relieved. Gai Wu and they are also going to go with Hemulan, and no matter how bad the old mulberry is, he will not pit his own people.

Since he said that the problem is not big, it is worth taking the risk of walking, otherwise it will take a detour and delay at least another month.

"Uncle Sang, let's go back to Xingcheng with us. Now the Great Khan of Wei is dividing the fields among our Lushuihu people in Xingcheng, both men and women, old and young, and many of the clansmen have returned. We now have official fiefdoms as well......"

Gai Wu raised a glimmer of hope and persuaded him: "Lu Naluo and I have just heard that the leader of the caravan that hired you died at the hands of the sand thieves, and his work will be returned to Guzang, and your business is also ruined, and you can only get one-fifth of the money. Anyway, you're homeless here, so it's best to go back with us. ”

Lu Naluo also followed: "Yes, the young master is going to rebuild the Tiantai Army, those young men in Xingcheng need to be taught by an experienced night owl like you, otherwise the Tiantai Army will be like missing eyes and ears." ”

Lao Sang Tou was originally intended, but when he heard that Gai Wu wanted to rebuild the Tiantai Army, he was shocked, and turned his head to look at He Mulan before asking, "You want to build the Tiantai Army?" Did Wei rebuild the Tiantai Army for you? ”

His words were full of disbelief, as if he felt that Wei was a group of violent villains, and he would never allow the Lu Shuihu people to have any chance to grow.

"Hahaha, we have all been hired by the Wei State Mission as a protector, so what's wrong with the Tiantai Army? You probably don't know that the young master of Gai Wu has worshiped this general Huwei as a teacher, he is a great hero, and he has the trust of the Great Khan of Wei, as his disciple, it is not so difficult for the Tiantai army to rebuild. ”

Lu Naro smiled heartily, and did not forget to pull He Mulan out and pull the flag.

He Mulan was still listening with a smile, but when he saw Lao Sang Tou turning his head to look at her, he couldn't help but nodded: "If the Tiantai Army does not rebel and make trouble, His Majesty will not interfere with the choice of the Lu Shuihu people." The Lu Shuihu people helped us quell the rebellion of the Hutu and Qiang people, and His Majesty admired the Lu Shuihu people very much, so he gave us land in Xingcheng. ”

Lao Sang thought for a while, and then replied to them in a tone that was not very sure: "I don't know what Xingcheng looks like now, and I can't promise you now, I'll go with you, go back to Qinzhou first, and if the situation is really as good as you say, I'll stay." ”

Gai Wu and Lu Naro laughed when they heard this.

"Then you won't be able to make it."

"Those old guys in the Tiantai Army think you want to die!"

Lao Sang Tou also showed a rare smile, his expression had been gloomy before, and he was only a little "human" until this time.

Seeing that these people had been reunited after a long absence, He Mulan expected that he had a lot to say, so he gave them his place to reminisce about the past, and left the tent under the pretense of going out to check the safety of the camp.

She has no secrets, and she doesn't have anything of value around her (everything valuable is where Yuan Fang is), so she is not afraid of Lao Sang and others delaying in her tent.

As soon as He Mulan came out of the camp, he saw the fire on the lake not far away, and He Mullan thought it was on fire at first, until he walked a few steps and heard the high-pitched singing of the Xianbei people, and then stopped his hurried steps.

It is "burning".

Li Shun's death is unjustly dead, it is considered the soul of unjust death, there are many people in the Wei delegation who have a good relationship with Li Shun, seeing that he died in a foreign country, and he can't even bring back the body, so he sacrificed by this lake, and invited the mercy master of the Pure Land Sect to go all the way, hoping that Li Shun can go all the way.

From a distance, the Master of Compassion looked like this earthly person with his hands together and his head bowed by the lake, and the Xianbei ministers who gathered around the master and sang mourning songs seemed to be the ones who were "exceeded", and everyone's faces were reflected by the firelight, which seemed very warm.

This is the power of religion, and true religion should be soothing, not busy expanding its sphere of influence and dividing the people into "those who should believe in me" and "those who do not believe in me".

It's a kidnapping, not a benevolent force.

Master Compassion continued to recite Sanskrit that He Mulan did not understand, even if He Mulan knew that Li Shun was not a good person, and his death was mostly self-inflicted, and now seeing the appearance of Master Compassion, he still couldn't help but feel a little sad.

The ministers who came all the way from Pingcheng to Wei together were also considered powerful people in Beijing, and now they are dying alone in an oasis that can become a desert at any time, and the descendants can't even find a tomb for sacrifices, which is probably the biggest irony for an envoy who wants to leave a name in history.

"Won't General Hua come over?"

A timid voice rang out behind Hermulan.

He Mulan looked back and saw that it was Beiliang's son Fuqu Bodhi.

"I'm embarrassed when I go over." He Mulan said something that Bodhi couldn't understand, "I'll watch it here, and pray for Li Yuanjun." ”

"Li Envoy Jun is a highly regarded envoy in our country. When he first went to our country, he was asked to be expelled by many ministers because he did not want to pay homage to my father, but he was so devastated that he finally made my father and the king bow to him in a pleasing manner......"

Fuchu Bodhi spoke of what he had heard from others.

"At that time, our country had not yet submitted to your country, and his tough posture was feared by many nobles, and it was also because he was too tough, and many things were not negotiated later."

He Mulan shook his head with emotion.

These are all common methods in the political family, and if you speak well at the beginning, you will face endless compromises. On the contrary, the person who came was not very easy to speak, and everyone had to start thinking about how to let him loose or soften, money, beauty, and intrigue would all come together, and for these envoys, the benefits obtained in the process of softening were the most important.

That's why Li Shun can get a huge bribe, so things that can be negotiated at one time have to come many times, and each time he can be properly received.

And because Li Shun was the person who negotiated for the first time, he would also be sent to be familiar with the situation in the second and third negotiations, so that the main envoy of the Northern Wei Dynasty to Beiliang would acquiesce that it was this person.

Even if Tuoba Tao knew that Li Shun was afraid of colluding with Tuoba Fan, for the sake of the situation between the two countries, he could only exclude himself and control him, and then order Yuan Poqiang to monitor his movements, and he could not directly push him to the end.

After all, he has a credit to Da Wei.

But he still lost to his own selfishness.

"Why does General Hua keep shaking his head?"

Bodhi had wide, round eyes.

Some people say that the Lu Shuihu people are the ancestors of the Xinjiang people in later generations, and He Mulan thinks this inference is good, because Fuqu Bodhi looks like the kind of very beautiful Xinjiang child that later generations have seen, and the curly hair like Gai Wu makes him very soft and cute, He Mulan does not like children, but he was still softened by Bodhi Meng's voice, and did not answer his words perfunctorily.

"I'm sorry that Li Yuanjun went so young."

"He's not a good guy." Bodhi wrinkled his nose childishly. "Every time he comes to Beiliang, he has to choose a lot of beautiful palace maids in the harem to accompany him. The women he touched could not continue to go back to the palace on errands, and most of them were sent to the palace or other places, so every time he came, many beautiful palace maids cried night after night, for fear that they would be chosen. ”

He Mulan's face was cold, and when he looked at the warm firelight, there was not so much emotion in his eyes.

"It's noisy here, let's go somewhere else."

When asked that most of the iron cavalry of the Wei State were at the level of the Tiger Army, the little boy stuck out his tongue with a happy face, as if he was relieved that he would not have to fight with such an army in the future.

Because of Bodhi's noble status, she tried her best to meet some of his not too excessive requirements, but some were really nonsensical......

"Is that okay? May I? They all say you're strong, and I've always wanted to know what's in it! ”

Fuqu Bodhi excitedly held up a huge walnut and stuffed it into Mullan's arms.

"I've struck it with a brass hammer, but I can't break it!"

He Mulan took this "walnut king" speechlessly, looked at this alien who was bigger than any walnut he had ever seen in his later life, and asked him curiously: "Where did you get this walnut?" ”

Is this really a walnut?

The epidermis is too smooth, right?

"When my brother was still alive, I picked it up by chance in his palace." Fuqu Bodhi scratched his head, "I often sneak into his yard to play, and the second sister-in-law is very good and never scolds me." I have an older sister who doesn't like her second sister-in-law very much, saying that she robbed her brother, so after the second brother got married, I went less. ”

When He Mullan heard that it might be a relic, he couldn't help but be cautious.

She stretched out two fingers and pinched it, thinking that it should be broken, so Zhengse asked him again: "I'm afraid it's really bad if I pinch it, this is also a souvenir, do you really want to open it?" ”

Bodhi nodded.

"This is what my brother picked up before he set out on the expedition, and I haven't been able to open it for so many years. My sister was afraid that I would be scolded by the queen mother because I was stealing my brother's yard again, and she didn't dare to find someone to help me open it, so I carried it in the sachet for several years......"

He looked at Mullan with expectant eyes.

"Crush it!"

He Mulan nodded, held the walnut in his palm, clenched his fist and pressed it down with all his strength, but he did not crush it, and was startled.

She knows her own strength, such a great strength, not to mention a walnut, even the metal has pinched her, this walnut-like thing is unharmed?

Sensing that the situation was not right, He Mulan took out the "rock" and instructed Fuqu Bodhi with a solemn face: "You stand back a little, and be careful that the walnut that flies away hits your eyes." ”

Seeing that He Mulan's face became cautious, Bodhi hurriedly took a few steps back, stood and watched from a distance.

He Mullan placed the walnuts on a cart loaded with miscellaneous items, lifted the rock with all his might, and slashed it down!

After a shock of the "bell", the walnut produced a crack, and the huge force of Hemulan even made the car almost fall apart, leaking a few points.

He Mulan put the rock back into his waist, reached out and pinched the cracked "walnut", and continued to clench his fist, only to hear the crunch of the soft teeth, the walnut finally cracked!

"Where is this walnut!"

He Mulan picked open the ball-like walnuts with his fingers and said in astonishment: "This is made of pig iron!" ”

Frustrated Bodhi stepped forward with concern, took the "iron walnut" from He Mulan's hand, and opened it with an "ah" sound.

This object is supposed to be an ingenious container, and there is another mechanism or method to open it, because the core of this pig iron is stuffed with a ball of paper, and the inner wall of the iron walnut has many holes and springs, and it is clear that the correct way to open it is definitely not to smash.

Frustrated Bodhi was shocked and took out the paper ball from the walnut, and after opening it and looking at it, the whole person trembled violently, and tears came out of his eyes!

He Mulan didn't want to know about other people's *, but he could see that the frustrated Bodhi, who had been a good baby, cried when he said he cried, or couldn't help but take a few steps forward and asked with concern, "What happened?" Why are you crying? ”

"General Hua, don't come here......" Fuqu Bodhi hurriedly put away the walnuts and pieces of paper, and took a few steps back, "There is a big secret at stake in this, I can't let you know!" ”

He Mulan frowned, and before he could open his mouth to ask, he saw the frustrated Bodhi with snot and tears on his face pinching something and running away as if he was afraid of He Mullan chasing after him!

With such a young child, it is of course extremely easy for He Mulan to catch up, but seeing that he fell and got up and continued to run, He Mullan couldn't afford to catch up. He was obviously flustered in his heart, and then looked at the direction he was running, probably to Meng Yulong, and what could comfort him at this time was probably not him, the general of the enemy country, but his own cousin.

He Mulan shook his head, and then looked at the sacrifice where the burial had come to an end, and suddenly the thought of "I'm not that important" suddenly rose, and chose to continue to "patrol" in the camp.

It wasn't until she walked to Princess Xingping's tent that He Mulan stopped, but remembering that the last time she went in to show goodwill, she was driven out by Princess Xingping as "too stinky", He Mulan still paused.

No one wants to stick a cold ass with a hot face, this princess of Xingping didn't ask for help from him, she should be able to adapt to it, and she doesn't need to ask for warmth.

So she turned around and went in the other direction.

"Princess, General Hua is gone......"

Princess Xingping's personal palace maid carefully retracted her head from the crack in the tent and patted her chest at Xingping, who was iron-faced behind her.

"I'm scared to death of the servant, the servant thought he was going to come in!"

"Did he just go over, or did he stop in front of my door for a while before leaving?"

Princess Xingping asked her by biting her lip.

"I used to look like he was coming, but when I got to the door, I turned a corner." The maid knew Xingping's character, and couldn't help but have a worried expression: "The princess still don't provoke the killing god, looking at his unattractive appearance, and his personality is not much harmonious, who knows what she will do?" After all, you are now a princess who is kind, he is a general who welcomes relatives, and frequent contact with it will damage your reputation. ”

"You know what!"

All she wants is "a bad reputation"!

"You go out and invite him over, and he says I have a stomachache."

Xingping paused, his face flushed slightly.

"You bring him over quietly, don't attract the attention of others."

The palace maid was terrified in her heart, and she didn't understand how Mulan, who was not handsome and didn't seem to be very strong in that aspect, let Xingping show this nostalgic appearance!

This is the territory of the Wei State Mission, not the harem of Beiliang, and it is no joke to be caught!

I can't say that the relationship between the two countries is over!

The palace maid was reluctant to pass the word, and she just didn't leave, Princess Xingping's angry willow eyebrows were upside down, and she scolded the palace maid: "If you don't go, believe it or not, I'll go to him myself!" ”

The palace maid was frightened by her, and hurriedly turned around and went out of the tent to find Hemulan's trace, she was really afraid that Xingping, who had become more and more irritable and irritable recently, would really go to talk to Hemulan!

Fortunately, He Mulan came out to inspect the guards everywhere, and chatted with the guards while walking, and walked not too far, the palace maid fell far behind, and when she walked to a place where there was no one around, she bumped into the courage and rushed out, and made a big salute at once, and spoke very quickly as if in a blush:

"General Hua, my princess is unwell, please come over and take a look!"

He Mulan raised an eyebrow inexplicably.

"Not feeling well? Then you should go to the Imperial Doctor. ”

The palace maid hesitated: "It's just a stomachache...... That one...... You don't have to go to the imperial doctor. ”

Stomach ache?

Don't need to find a doctor?

So what to do with her? Is there something she needs help with?

After a while, He Mulan showed a look of sudden realization.

"Aren't you ready? This is strange, usually after so many months, everything should be ready! But it doesn't matter, I still have some, you come with me. ”

The poor palace maid had no idea what Hermulan was talking about, and followed her through most of the camp under the ambiguous eyes of the tiger army in a camp, and returned to Hermulan's tent, wandering around the camp with a box of things in her hands.

Half an hour later.

"What are you doing with so much gauze and muslin!"

Princess Xingping cried out almost hysterically.

"Didn't I tell you to bring Mulan over! Did you even say I wasn't well?! ”

The palace maid trembled and handed a box of clean, bandage-like gauze to Princess Xingping.

"The maid and the maid said, General Hua said that he is a man, so it is not good to help you prepare in person, say that he will look for something to replenish blood and let the imperial doctor bring it, and tell me that the road below will go slower......"

Blood?

Bandages, gauze?

Princess Xingping's eyes were dark, and she almost fainted