The banners on the towers fluttered in the flickering moonlight, the undulating sand dunes were interlaced with patches of dazzling snow, and in the biting cold wind, a tall figure paced anxiously back and forth high above the city walls. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

A black horse sprang out from behind the huge sand dunes in the distance, and rushed straight towards the city gate, the tall figure leaned out, tried to make out by the moonlight, and then waved the flag in his hand frantically.

The heavy gate opened a crack in the cold wind, and the black rider did not slow down in the slightest, and the arrow sank into the darkness inside the door.

Zheke rushed down from the city in three or two steps, ignoring the frozen frost on his beard, and grabbed the knight who turned over and dismounted: "What's wrong?" ”

The knight, covered in blood and embarrassed, replied in a hoarse voice, "We have been ambushed. ”

"What! Rokuro! Isn't there Gan Ming's answer? Zheke looked up in disbelief at the closed door and raised the token in his hand.

A pair of hands that had not yet coagulated the blood grabbed his wrists, and in the moonlight, the knight's cold eyes told him that reinforcements were in vain.

"The main army of the little prince will arrive tomorrow."

Zhe Kexing's heart chuckled, the double blow of losing his habitual sixth brother and the overwhelming army of strong enemies made his mind buzz, and he couldn't help but look at the young knight: "Then what now?" ”

On the castle tower, Zhe Kexing planned all kinds of possibilities, but he never imagined that the great enemy would ask the opinion of the young man in front of him who was not yet weak. Although he is the eldest son of the Zhejia Kezi generation, Zhe Kexing is known for his generosity and in the army, but his ability to lead the army is far inferior to his sixth brother, the actual commander of the Zhejia army, Zhe Keheng. Maybe he knows in his heart that he can't match this partial general who follows his younger brother all the year round.

At least, he looked unusually calm.

The knight who was questioned decisively stated his plan. Zhe Kexing just nodded, and immediately gathered the sergeants, and rushed up and down the castle tower.

"His Royal Highness the Little Prince, as soon as Zhe Keheng dies, this Qingchuan City will be in the pocket of our Geda Ministry, hahaha."

"Su Mur, don't take it lightly, the philosopher family will not obediently hand over the city, when attacking the city for a while, you can sell more strength and take it quickly."

"Your Royal Highness the Prince, rest assured."

"Your Royal Highness," the spy in front of him galloped back with a panicked expression, and talked for a long time, and finally had to ask the prince to go to the sand dunes to take a look.

The little prince Tassa, not very impatiently, led his own soldiers to the top of the highest sand dune next to him, and in the midst of the icy wind, in the distance stood a city he had never seen before.

The Frozen City.

A city wall frozen in the dark night of the desert dripping and freezing. No one should try to climb this wall.

"Bastard." The little prince slapped his palm on the saddle fiercely, and the war horse was half erect in shock, "Follow me." ”

Looking from the frozen city, a group of iron-armored knights rushed towards the city gate with the crimson royal banner held high, and the arrogant lines were lined up a hundred feet away. The knight in the middle turned over and dismounted, slowly unhooking the ornate golden scabbard from his waist.

"Stand back," shouted Zhekexing, his voice suppressed, and the soldiers in the front row hurriedly retreated away from the city wall, except for the young black-clad knight who stood still.

Tasa had already drawn his sword, and the spell of the dawn light slashed through the blade, and in an instant, a huge golden arc of light cut through the wind, and the shattered ice and solid earth flew in all directions with the roar of the sword qi.

The lowly soldiers tensed their muscles, still staggered by the powerful aura that swept up the tower. Between the torn battle flags, the black-clothed knight steadily raised the bow in his hand.

The wind is roaring, and it is in the midst of all kinds of things.

The rain falls, and the sky is empty.

Draw the bow and destring it.

Suddenly the heavens and the earth fell silent.

The crisp screech of the feathered arrow hovered over the little prince's forehead, and the metal arrow shattered at the same time as the violent air current, a fragment that was almost invisible to the naked eye, inadvertently, brushed the prince's arrogant forehead.

Suddenly, everything was calm, leaving only the huge knife marks on the city walls and a trace of extremely thin blood lines.

The little prince turned over and got on his horse and shouted: "Based on this, he will take Qingchuan one day." ”

"Answer me, man from the castle, what's your name?"

The young knight reached out and removed his helmet, the sun slanting across the bridge of his nose and the hair hanging from his ears, his pale brown eyes fearless, and his thin lips, which had lost a little blood, and a haughty smile.

"Hanshan, Xiao Yanran."

"The power of the sword is terrifying," Zheke sighed with trepidation as he watched the billowing smoke disappear into the dunes.

"If he had the ability to use the second sword, he wouldn't have withdrawn easily," the burly man with the double swords on his back hurriedly walked up to the city tower with an expressionless face, "Yan Ran? ”

"Not again," the black knight replied softly.

Rick nodded slightly: "You still need to be cautious after dark. Then he led his own soldiers to continue to rush to defense.

The burly man looked around uncomfortably, and finally his eyes fell on the black knight's bloodied arms and trembling shoulders.

"Envoy Wu, don't worry," he always stood at the front of the tower, "I will stay until tomorrow morning." ”

Wu Ningwei took two steps back, at this distance, through the sound of the wind, he couldn't hear the almost irrepressible choking in the knight's voice, and he couldn't see the teardrops reflected by the sun in his eyes, and nodded with difficulty: "Then I'll rest assured." ”

The long winter in the desert will eventually pass, and the Qincha holding the Ming and Huang holy decrees passed through the Qingchuan city gate where the white cloth of the funeral had not been removed, and knelt in front of him and waited for the holy decree to be read.

“…… I couldn't bear the suffering of the Zhe clan for generations, so I moved into the suburbs of Beijing within three months. ”

The old woman who was prostrate on the ground raised her head calmly, and her eldest grandson helped her up, took the dragon's head cane, and quietly looked at the Qincha in front of her.

"Old lady, please take the order."

"Good...... Very good......"

"Mrs. Tai! The little prince's knife marks are still there, you go, Qingchuan City ......"

"Shut up," the crutch stomped heavily, and the old lady shouted sharply, "Holy grace, how can you allow a foreign surname to make unreasonable noise here, let me out!" ”

"The old lady is angry," the big eunuch raised his head and glanced at Xiao Yanran, who was dragged out by the military envoy, and said with a smile but not a smile, "The old lady knows the hard work of the saint." ”

"Xiao Yanran, you're crazy!" Entering the unmanned courtyard on the side, Wu Ningwei dragged Xiao Yanran's shoulder helmet and threw him to the wall.

"Liulang's bones are not cold, this Qingchuan City is going to be handed over, and the blood and sweat of this philosopher for decades will be handed over to others like this?"

"Bah, the whole world is not the king's land, you think clearly before you speak."

Xiao Yanran had a layer of cold sweat on her back, and she suddenly sobered up, her heart was cold, and she simply squatted on the ground: "Is it impossible?" Holy? Hehe, by the way, Qingchuan City should have a county order, hahaha, who? Who can stop the little prince's sword? ”

"The old lady ...... just now"

"I'm not crazy, I know that the old lady wants to protect me, if I am not a philosopher's general, I will not spend my life in the suburbs of Beijing."

"Destiny is hard to disobey," the burly man also had to bow his head.

"You are the prison sent by the imperial court, and you are sighing blindly. Qingchuan Castle ...... After all, they can't hold it, the philosopher family is gone, and there are 60,000 people in Qingchuan City, where can they go? ”

From that day on, Mrs. Zhe ordered people who were not surnamed Zhe not to enter the mansion again, and it is unknown what kind of struggles and quarrels the Zhe family had.

At the beginning of March, the ancestral hall was opened, and the old philosopher and his eldest son, fourth son, fifth son, and three nephews who died in the city were invited, and the family sent sixteen people, eight grandchildren, and the tablet of the brand-new Zhe Keheng to the carriage, and the silent and long horse team fish ran through the city gate, went to the northeast for several miles, slowly turned to the south, and walked to the capital. The solid ice on the city wall gradually melted, and wisps of water flowed one by one, like the silent tears of Qingchuan City.

Eventually, only two people were left on the castle tower.

"You can be transferred back to the capital."

Wu Ningwei smiled: "Beijing? The heat is dead. The frontier is so vast, and there is always a place to go without Qingchuan. ”

In October of that year, the little prince attacked, Qingchuan City was broken, the county order was dead, tens of thousands of people were taken to Ningchuan, and the once prosperous commercial and trade place was finally burned.

…………

Two years later

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" The bronze hand stove inlaid with silver wire fell heavily to the ground, and the lid decorated with the three-clawed Jiao pattern rolled all the way to the mouth of the tent, drawing a gray mark.

A middle-aged man who was opening the door of the tent bent down to pick up the lid of the stove, and looked left and right at the servant kneeling on the ground: "Why is Your Highness angry?" ”

The young man wrapped in a thick silver mink cloak stood up from the soft fur horse, pointed at the middle-aged man and said angrily: "It's all you, it's all the damn Jingbian envoy who you persuaded me to do, what do you say to promote the marriage between the north and the south is a great achievement, you look at the present, the marriage has not been negotiated, the little prince's army has approached Tianmen Mountain, and it is about to hit Baihezi, what do you say I should do!" ”

The middle-aged man caged his sleeves, I don't know if it was respect, or a habit he had developed over the years, his waist was always slightly rickety: "Old servant congratulations to Your Highness, if you can resist the little prince, you can make up for the great regret of Your Highness's lack of success in front of the army." ”

King Duan laughed angrily: "Haha, you still congratulate me?" Trick me into this hellish place where I'm frozen, and mingle with these dirty, smelly soldiers, cows, horses, and livestock, and look at what I've been doing this month! This king has never suffered such a sin in his life! You don't have long eyes, don't bring me the hand stove! ”

"Your Highness, please be patient for the sake of the great plan."

"I can endure the negotiation, I can endure the pile of angry tents and the fat man of the Northern Dynasty, tell me to go to war, there is no door, what are you kidding, that's a tyrant Tassa, just find a side general to send to death! Didn't the imperial court spend so much money to support them? How can this dignified prince do such a vulgar deed. ”

"Your Highness," looking at King Duan, who had a grudge erupting in front of him and had lost his identity in his actions, the middle-aged man had no choice but to convince him, "Your Highness is angry, how can you let Your Highness come to the battlefield in person, but you can command it from behind." ”

"Commanding what," King Duan took the hand stove with charcoal and incense tablets from the servant, and felt a little out of shape, and sat down on the mazah.

"Now that His Royal Highness is in charge, the Guangwu garrison dares not to resist desperately, and at the same time deploy Yongding, and the garrisons of Tian'an and Tian'an are encircled, according to the views of his subordinates, at least half a month, more than a month, Tasa will inevitably retreat."

"I see," the corners of Duanwang's mouth twitched, "you are using me as bait to attract Tasa's attention, in case the two armies are one step late, hehe, I can enter the Martyrs' Shrine." Uncle Zhang, in the past, I obeyed your words, but let me tell you about this matter, don't talk about half a month, I don't stay for half a day, do you think the official family really cares about this military merit in their hearts? ”

The middle-aged man known as Uncle Zhang glanced at Duanwang, as if he wanted to say something, and finally said in a low voice: "The old servant knows." Slowly, he lifted the curtain and withdrew.

The cold air of late autumn swept the inexhaustible dead leaves, the ribbons decorated on both sides of Suzaku Street fluttered listlessly in the wind, the major event of the marriage between the north and the south was not completed, the little prince of the northwest stepped in and broke through Tianmen Mountain, and now it still occupies the Baishui River area to prepare for the winter, and the two princes of Jingbian who were beautiful before were hastily resisted in Guangwu City, and then fled back to the capital in a panic due to the wind and cold, and have been hiding in the palace to recuperate and avoid guests.

However, the wedding is getting closer, but the illness of the second prince has not been improved for a long time, and after several discussions, in desperation, the emperor had to choose the five princes who were not powerful to serve as the Jingbian envoy to escort the princess. There are also rumors in the palace that His Royal Highness King Qing took the initiative to ask for Ying, and His Majesty had this arrangement.

On September 15, the fourth daughter of today, who had worshiped her ancestors and ancestors and was canonized as the princess of Shunde, boarded the carriage to the west, and left the capital in the bleak autumn wind.

Du Shuyan sneezed.

Yunmo hurriedly put down the cotton curtain on the window, gathered the charcoal fire in the furnace again, and replaced it with an incense piece.

"It's not good, it's not good," Du Shuyan shook his head again and again.

"What's wrong?"

"If these things are done by two or eight beautiful women, it will be a beautiful scenery, but unfortunately you are the only one here, hey......"

Yunmo sneered and poured hot tea, "Doesn't Gongzi have to go to Duanwangfu today?" ”

"Your Highness is busy pretending to be sick, and those of us who are subordinates must actively cooperate. Later, you go to Longqiao, and the boat of Jiaguo and fresh lotus root in the house should arrive. ”

"Let's go," Yunmo took a thick cotton robe from the shelf, stepped out of the door with one foot, and turned back again, "I'll go and invite the twenty-eight beauties to serve the son." ”

Longqiao Wharf is crowded, and merchants want to prepare their wintering stocks before the canal freezes, and the price of frozen land transportation will rise by two or three times. Across a path that can only pass one carriage, more than a dozen teahouses are lined up along the wharf, the protruding entrance hall of the September Hall is obliquely crowded at the intersection of this path and Banqiao Avenue, through the blue cloth cotton curtain, the second floor is crowded, the spacious courtyard in the backyard is crowded with goods and carriages, and the name of Linglang flows through the running water book in front of the row of accounts under the eaves, and every penny of silver is clean.

An inconspicuous carriage stopped at the backyard door,

"We're doing serious business," the middle-aged man with a two-handful mustache pulled out of his black cotton robe and stuffed the account book he had finished reading in front of him into the bookshelf, "The goods that the guest officer wants seem to be a little difficult." ”

The young man in Chinese clothes sitting opposite him looked a little cramped, and his fingers unconsciously twisted the mink fur turned out on the cuffs: "Don't laugh at the shopkeeper, Yu Guanyin has done a good job, is there anything you don't worry about?" ”

"Guest officer, don't blame you for being clumsy, you don't look like a person who can afford to put away this goods."

The young man in Chinese clothes pointed his fingers and snorted: "The shopkeeper has high eyes, and doing business is about both money and goods, and it doesn't matter who draws this." ”

The shopkeeper took a copy from a stack of account books on the table, opened the leather surface, and said without raising his head: "The two families of Hundred Flowers Valley and the Scarlet Alliance, do you think it doesn't matter?" ”

The young man in Chinese clothes blushed, and quickly calmed down again: "Don't mention those two families, what I want to find is the best." ”

The shopkeeper stared at the account book, nodded and said, "Yes, you need the best." You look at this, the first prince died suddenly, King Qing was hunted and killed by gangsters in Xishan, and a lot of rumors have been attracted to the palace, Liu Xiumu fell off the horse, Feng Ruici was the commander of the Wumen Division, don't look at this official position is not high, if you need to act but play a decisive role, although the punishment of the family is unknown, in the end the people's hearts are unpredictable. However, the marriage between this dynasty and the Heze department of the Northern Dynasty, shouldn't the most suitable candidate be Mutasa? It is reasonable, and it will never involve a nobleman. ”

Although the young man in Huafu became more and more nervous, he was finally able to calm down: "It seems that the shopkeeper has checked my identity." ”

The shopkeeper smiled: "Of course I want to know who I'm doing business with." ”

"The shopkeeper just answers, do you want to do this business?"

The shopkeeper sighed, "Of course you can do it, it's just that I have to meet with someone who can make a decision, you can choose the place, I am a place to do business, a serious business." ”

There was a knock outside the door at the right time, and a small servant bowed in and whispered in the shopkeeper's ear: "The cloud manager of the Du Mansion is here, waiting for you downstairs." ”

The shopkeeper got up and said with a smile: "Look, serious business is coming, please do it." ”

"Yun Gongzi, it's been a long time," the shopkeeper walked in with a dozen cotton curtains and a smile on his face.

The young man with a fair and delicate face hurriedly put down the teacup, got up and saluted, and the two sat down separately. "I heard that the shopkeeper arrived yesterday and asked if the fruits and vegetables I ordered had arrived."

"Yun Gongzi is well-informed, he arrived last evening, this has just been unloaded, and he is about to be sent to the house, and he is bothered that Yun Gongzi will run in person."

"I'm here today to trouble the shopkeeper and help me add ten more baskets of lingonberries."

"Yun Gongzi, this is embarrassing for me, seeing that the shipping schedule is tight, I am afraid that I will be able to go for another ten days of goods, everyone in this capital has orders for fresh fruits......"

"Since I came, the shopkeeper naturally has a way, the price can be recorded according to the price, and someone will give you a list at the west corner door."

"Hey, got it, let's arrange it."

Yunmo got up and bowed down and thanked: "I'm tired of the shopkeeper, I'll bother you in a few days." ”

"Yun Gongzi is polite, Zhang San, send Gongzi."

"Childe ......" Yunmo lifted the curtain and saw that Du Shuyan was motionless on the couch, but there was a pile of neatly peeled melon seed shells on the desk, so he couldn't help but be stunned and coughed lightly, "I'm back." ”

Du Shuyan hurriedly pointed to Rui Zhu, who was holding a plate of melon seeds, and said, "She ate it." ”

Ruizhu looked up and saw Yunmo coming in, just like a mouse saw a cat, he slipped to the ground and stood, bowed his head and saluted, and immediately slipped out against the wall.

"There are no rules."

"Who are you talking about?"

“…… I said Ruijoo. Yunmo said while packing up the melon seed shells, "The shopkeeper does have a business." ”

"Any details?"

"I haven't seen that man, he's a freshman. The shopkeeper won't talk to the new hand in detail, I'll go back in a few days. ”

Du Shuyan put down the book in his hand: "Prepare the carriage, I want to go to Liuxiufang." ”

The eaves of the restaurant in Liuxiufang are facing a small lake that is as flat as a mirror, and the autumn leaves on the lakeside are shining, and the colorful ones are very good-looking. Therefore, although the autumn wind is blowing, the boys in brocade clothes upstairs are reluctant to set up screens, and the wine stove and incense burner on the banquet are pen and ink, which is quite lively. Seeing Du Shuyan coming up the stairs, the sons gave up a warm position and bowed: "The champion has arrived, it's rude." ”

"You're welcome, although I was seriously ill, I am all well now, no different from ordinary people, but unfortunately I ended up idle."

A few sons who have been friends for a long time hurriedly comforted: "It's just to miss this year's grace, as long as the body is well, the court must reuse it, and Xian Yan doesn't have to worry." ”

Zhang Yu, the young secretary of Honglu Temple, sneered: "Don't worry about him, just want to escape the punishment of being late. ”

Du Shuyan stroked his palms and laughed, and drank the wine down: "Don't be in a hurry, wait for me to twist a good rhyme." ”

After a few rounds of wine orders, everyone sat down to enjoy the scenery, Du Shuyan stroked his hand, looked at the sunset, and said softly: "The sun is falling, Guan Lang is not on duty in the palace, and he still has the heart to play, not afraid that General Zuo will know the punishment?" ”

"It hasn't fallen for a while, otherwise how can His Royal Highness King Duan recuperate in the mansion with peace of mind, Du Gongzi is such a smart person, but he came to ask me?"

"If only I could recuperate with peace of mind......

"That's not what I'm supposed to care about."

"That's right, with such a beautiful view, why bother with useless things, why don't you go in and have another drink?"

The square-faced young man smiled and bowed to his hand: "I can't stand the set of poetry, I will leave after a while, and I will have to enter the palace tomorrow on duty." ”

Du Shuyan arched his hand and turned into the banquet.

"Since Gongzi walks around the palace of His Royal Highness King Duan from time to time, why bother to inquire about the affairs of the palace," In the heavy shadows painted by the dusk, the carriage slowly ran over the empty bluestone road, Yunmo gently shook the reins, and asked puzzledly.

"His Royal Highness King Duan is very suspicious, he befriended me, an idler, for the prestige of his father, but with his father's reputation for being upright and strict, he did not dare to ask the party to attach himself to him, so he interacted with me just to make a show and put on a posture of a virtuous king. The leaders of the soldiers of each prefecture are all out of the thirteen guards, and they are well-informed, but it is a pity that it is the outer courtyard after all. ”

"Your Highness's departure from Beijing, it is impossible for the Duanwang Mansion to have no action, and if you want to move anything, you can't leave the outer courtyard."

Du Shuyan nodded and shook his head again: "That's not necessarily." ”

"The first prince has always been frail, but he never thought that he was really in front, this prince has been hanging empty, and the courtiers have no reason to have any thoughts."

"Your Majesty's family affairs, who dares to put their beaks in it, and besides, Your Majesty's body, it is difficult for the foreign ministers to see each other. On the dock, you should pay close attention, at this time, anything happens is a big deal. ”

"Yes, Childe."

Du Shuyan opened the curtain and said with a smile: "Since I have let you out, you don't have to come to me to be this errand, although the title of the leader of the Caoyun Division is not a big official, but when my little Hanlin sees you, I should also call my lord." ”

Yunmo said with a smile: "I have been paying the salary of the housekeeper for a whole year, you want to drive me out, but I won't be refunded." ”

"Money junkies."

"Xie Gongzi's teachings."

Five days later, in the evening, the last cargo ship docked at the dock, the yard that had been busy for a day gradually quieted down, the handymen piled up the empty wooden boxes left over after moving the goods against the wall, ready to close the wooden fence courtyard door, a middle-aged man wearing a plain black cotton robe, medium stature, and seemingly featureless, slowly walked in holding a small red sandalwood box, the handyman didn't bother to look at him, still bowed his head and pushed the heavy wooden door. The middle-aged man walked slowly through the empty courtyard, through the narrow alleyways under the eaves, and disappeared into the cascading gray roofs.

A small courtyard, in the middle of the courtyard is a huge water tank and a long case, a man in a gray robe has a straight posture, stroke by stroke, slowly writing on the paper with a fly's head, when the shopkeeper came in, how he came in, he didn't seem to care. The shopkeeper held the red sandalwood box and looked at it for a while, gently put the box on the side of the long case, turned his head and walked away, the man in gray didn't seem to see it, the precise and even strokes did not stop at all, the late autumn wind swept the dead leaves in the courtyard, and the rice paper on the table, even the corners of the paper did not tremble.

Waiting for him to write all over the paper, gently dry the last few words, hold it in his hand and look at it with satisfaction, carefully fold it into four folds, walk to the copper brazier in the hall and burn the paper, then fold it back and pick up the box, and then take the food box that was warm on the charcoal stove in front of the house, spread the thick stack of documents in the box on several cases, pick up the food box, and slowly read while eating.

After a stick of incense, the guy who was eating dinner around the counter heard the curtain ring, and saw the man in the gray cotton robe coming out from behind with a food box in one hand, and hurriedly put down the bowl and trotted forward to take the food box: "Ye Ye, why are you here." ”

"How much stock do you have in the cabinet?"

"The big shopkeeper has ordered, it will not be shipped for the second half of the month, and you will use it for Ye Ye."

"Show it to me."

The guy hurriedly took out an account book from under the cabinet, Ye Fei moved the oil lamp on the counter to move forward, spread out the account book page by page and looked carefully, and when he saw that he was satisfied, he took cinnabar and lit a red dot on the footer, and was watching, there was a knock on the stairs, and a girl with very white skin, with her hair scattered, holding a wooden bucket melon towel in her arms, and a linen towel on her shoulder, rushed down from upstairs, and saw that the guys downstairs were pitifully crowded at one end of the big elm counter, and there was a gray-clothed man sitting alone at the other end, and she was surprised to hey, the feet did not stop, and the hula rushed into the back of the curtain.

The man in gray shook his head and muttered, "Mess." Then he turned the page in his hand.

After a while, the guy beckoned behind the curtain: "Come out, Boss Ye is leaving." ”

The white-faced girl breathed a sigh of relief, and came out from behind the curtain, seeing that her freshly washed wet hair had long since lost its heat, and she didn't know how long she had been hiding behind it.

"Didn't Ye Fei go to bed on time? Why are you here, it scares me to death. ”

"Who isn't. Jin Huang, speaking of which, didn't you and Ye Ye come out of the courtyard in one phase? How did it get mixed up like this? ”

"What does it mean to be mixed up like this? I'm also the head of the Jade Courtyard," Jin Huang leaned against the cabinet and slurped through the melon seed plate in front of the guy.

"Jade Courtyard, tsk, Heavenly Courtyard, tsk."

"What's the matter, business is not the same, and it seems that whoever loses the goods is lost."

The guy smiled: "There are only a few people in the Jade Courtyard, do you see Ye Ye's business," the guy slapped twice on the door of the cabinet with the thick ledger locked with the black shark skin.

"Cut, let me pick the goods casually, I can't make any money."

The guy Yile: "Don't say it, Ma Yuheng, Lang Rige, Yelu Dada or something for you, do you dare to give it to you?" Go, don't gossip here, I can't stand it when I see it from above. ”

Jin Huang rolled his eyes, poured a plate of melon seeds into his sleeve, held the wooden barrel, and pedaled upstairs. Crossing the wooden bridge, following the steep wooden ladder down the small alley that twists into the labyrinth, a few twists and turns, jumping over the wall into a doorless courtyard.

Two women in green clothes came out, took the wooden bucket bath towel in Jin Huang's hand and stepped back, leaving Jin Huang to walk into the house while taking melon seeds from his sleeve.

"The girl is late."

"Queue up in the bathhouse," Jin Huang closed the door with his backhand, and in the middle of the huge room stood a black jade screen, in front of which there was a lone candle lit on the round table inlaid with mahogany inlay, and there was a stack of roses and melon seeds on the side.

Jin Huang unceremoniously sat down and peeled it.

A young man in a cyan muslin robe stood beside the screen with his hands in his hands and said, "What did the boss go?" ”

"I don't know who the owner of the money is, but if you invite Ye, it's just a few people, it's not just about money."

The girl said this, and she knew it in her heart. My master has another inquiry. ”

Jin Huang peeled the golden pure golden melon seeds and put them in his sleeve, and muttered, "Hurry up and ask, otherwise you won't be able to catch up with supper." ”

"Among Ye Xuan's people, are there Hu people?"

"I really doubt that your master is a human or a ghost."

"It's a compliment to be a girl in the lower power."

"There aren't many people in the store who have to use it, so they all pick it up."

"Northwest side business, who else does the girl know?"

"We have big rules in this industry, where can we know people outside, but we don't want to die," sneered, clutched his heavy sleeves, pushed the door and left.

Du Shuyan took the list of fresh vegetables handed over by Yunmo, circled a few columns of names with a pen, and handed it to the old family who was waiting for him: "Present it to the master." ”

Seeing the old family withdraw from the courtyard gate, Du Shuyan frowned: "It's all picked, this is going to do a big thing." ”

"Childe, do you want to inform Your Highness first? In case it's not ......"

"Your Highness is alone, and it is not too cautious to be careful, you have ordered someone to tell your Highness; On the side of the Moon Black Gate, you go and order a lonely job on the northwest border, tell Jin, and tell her to be next. ”

"I'll arrange it."

"Also, if Guan Cheng is on duty, please ask him to wait for me on the second floor of Pan's house."

The frontier is barren, and the Yongding River, which flows slowly under the ice floe, is like a fragmented stroke on the wilderness, and then goes to the mountains continuously, like a silver dragon, and a Kunpeng is rolling. The vaguely visible vicissitudes of the stone fortress of Yongding City, a dazzling red flag on the head of the city flew in the wind and snow.

A young and powerful hand gently rolled up the scroll in the wind and snow, and sighed almost inaudibly: "What a magnificent country." ”

"Lord Wang," the middle-aged man beside him persuaded worriedly, "It's getting late." "Although he is tall, he habitually hunched his back, his face is white and loose, and he is actually a member of Ouchi's palace.

On the most ornately decorated carriage, a hand as pure as jade lifted the heavy jujube red curtain, and a gentle and gentle voice said: "The mountains and rivers are always there, why should my brother covet the beautiful scenery." ”

"What my sister said is very true," the richly dressed young man nodded with a wry smile and turned to get into the carriage in front of him. A group of honorable chariots and horses walked slowly towards Yongding City in the snow, and the wind and snow couldn't wait to bury the footprints of the broken rope behind them.

The carriage and horse arrived at the city, it was already dark, looking up at the thick and mottled city wall of Yongding, the vicissitudes of history accompanied by the cold wind, the rusty cast iron frame in the long barren grass burned a blazing bonfire, in the thick shadow, the civil and military officials of Yongding City lined up on both sides, and the middle-aged officials wrapped in mopping long cotton robes shrank in front of the horse, and bowed: "The king of the army will pay a visit to King Qing Chitose." ”

The tall and calm young man who stepped out of the first carriage, Song Shu, the king of Yanxi Qing, is the fifth son today. Among the many well-written and handsome adult princes, King Qing is known for his courage and martial arts, and treats him as a good auxiliary to him today, as well as his brothers. In the turbid whirlpool of power, people have speculated that King Qing, whose mother died early, wanted to save his life by relying on the road of martial arts.

It is well known to the world that this dynasty emphasizes literature over martial arts, and after General Qilin went more than ten years ago, there is not even a second martial artist who has stepped on the jade steps in front of His Majesty in the Golden Palace. Now the little prince of the Western Dynasty is rampant, although there is internal friction in the Northern Dynasty, he is still like a tiger **** peeping at the border, and the Southern Dynasty has lips and tongues flying in vain, after all, there is no plan to level Rong, and even today's princess knocks on the golden level, please marry in the north in exchange for peace.

King Qing stood in front of the carriage, and he didn't know what kind of mood he was in when he heard that King Zhijun had read the edict of Heqin, and said sarcastically: "The king understands the king's intention." ”

Wang Jia hurriedly knocked down: "The lower official has been waiting for the princess and His Royal Highness for a long time, but he is just ......" He shrank and turned his head to look at the guard Xu Wenlong behind him.

"What does General Xu have to say, please speak."

Xu Wenlong took two steps forward, hugged his fists steadily, and said: "The battle in Tianmen Mountain ahead is tight, the soldiers in the city are noisy back and forth, and the sword soldiers are arrayed, please forgive the inconvenience of inviting His Highness into the city." ”

The young man in military uniform who stood beside King Qing with his sword said angrily: "Heavenly Mission, how can you have the final say, and you won't enter the city?" If there is a slight difference, you can't afford it. ”

"Ming Zhao," King Qing waved his hand, "If General Xu dares not to let the mission enter the city, he will naturally have a plan." ”

"Your Highness! His contempt for angels is an unforgivable sin. ”

"This is wartime, this place is a war zone, others don't understand, don't you understand?"

Xu Wenlong touched the ground on one knee, lowered his head and said: "Xiaguan has prepared a camp for the mission three miles outside the city, thank Your Highness for your magnanimity." ”

King Qing nodded, turned around to board the carriage, and when he looked back, the snow was gone, there were few stars in the dark night sky, and the only bright star hung proudly.

"Beiluo Shimen ......"

"Your Highness?"

"Nothing, go ahead."

The specially prepared camp had already been burned with bonfires, prepared mutton and thick wine, and the soldiers on patrol were also carefully selected, neatly dressed, and in good spirits waiting to greet King Qing. When the group arrived at the camp, the princess and other ladies had their own capable maids and mothers-in-law to arrange properly, and Xu Wenlong invited King Qing and others into the warm tent, sat down with the guests and hosts, and diligently persuaded the wine and meat, and the atmosphere became lively for a while, as if the guests and hosts were happy.

Yang Mingzhao stood in front of the tent, and saw the faint light of the fire of the sentry on the side rock wall, the path leading to the ridge and the stone city was submerged into the night, the shadows of the trees and the grass in the distance were swaying in the wind, and the occasional lonely goose was sad, and he only felt uneasy.

Suddenly there was a sound of horses' hooves in the distance, a row of firelight next to the craggy stone wall meandered up along the narrow mountain road like a swimming dragon, and it was in front of the camp in an instant, a row of firelight was lined up left and right, lined up on both sides of the camp gate in an orderly manner, and the knight in the middle turned over and dismounted, took off his helmet and covered scarf and knelt down on one knee, bowed his head and said: "Xiao Yanran, the commander of the thirteen capitals of the Wuwei Camp of Tianmen County, visited Commander Xu. ”

After a while, Xu Wenlong came out of the tent, slowly walked to the camp gate, and said sharply: "Why are you only here now?" ”

"After receiving the order of the commander-in-chief, his subordinates rushed back from the starry night of the Gur River, and they did not dare to slack off."

Xu Wenlong looked back at the big tent and said in a deep voice: "Let's not care about your sin of negligence, Your Highness has arrived, and you will go with me to meet you quickly." ”

Xiao Yanran turned around and waved his hand to the tall knight behind him, handed the reins to the little school, and walked towards the big tent with Xu Wenlong. The sergeants outside the camp got up at the same time and set up camp on the west side of the camp in an orderly manner, during which they did not hear any words or neighing. Even Yang Mingzhao, who was accustomed to seeing the purge of the forbidden army, couldn't help but be a little surprised.

In a few moments, Nadu Tong had already withdrawn from the tent, bowed to Yang Mingzhao, and walked through the camp back to his team.

I don't know how long it took, the young general in black appeared in front of Yang Mingzhao with a thick cloak in his hand, "The general seems to be quite worried?" ”

"The border is not resting, where the duty lies," Yang Mingzhao nodded in thanks, and looked at the man in front of him while tying his cloak.

His armor is simple, the old cowhide scabbard is also gray, his posture is straight, he is heroic and resolute carved by the wind and frost, he turned his head to look at the picture Yang Mingzhao saw, and suddenly showed a smile that he didn't know whether it was contempt or self-deprecation, and sighed: "Guan Shan is reckless, when will he start over." ”

"Why did the general say that?"

"The last general is speechless," he said, clenching his fists and turning away hurriedly.

Yang Mingzhao looked at his back in a daze, and couldn't help but wonder to himself, if that sword was unsheathed, should it be dazzling in cold light, like a dazzling star?

At night to the third watch, when the soldiers cleaned up the cups and plates in the tent, King Qing got up and changed his official uniform as usual, and said to Cao De, the palace man next to him: "You go and call Mingzhao to come in and rest, and then make a basin of hot water." ”

The curtain was silent for a while, and finally it was lifted again, and Yang Mingzhao bowed in front of the curtain and said, "Your Highness Xie." ”

"Come in, there are no outsiders at this time, why do you want to be like this again," King Qing, who was dressed in regular clothes, said with a slightly relaxed tone when only Yang Mingzhao was present.

"This is the duty of subordinates, Her Royal Highness the princess ......" Although it was a rigid answer, Yang Mingzhao's expression was very relaxed.

"The royal sister has long since stopped, there is Changde, you can rest assured."

Yang Mingzhao nodded and sat down by the tent.

"You don't need to be so raw, you've been hungry for a long time," King Qing beckoned Yang Mingzhao to sit down and said with a smile, "Look, they also specially transferred people and horses." ”

"Xu Wenlong still has this thought."

"It's the military department."

"The military department? With so many layers, to tune them all? ”

"Although there is a warning in Beijing, it is calm now, and it can't be too eye-catching."

"The people of the Western Dynasty are sneaking around, with ill intentions, and there are assassins and the like, so my subordinates are really not at ease."

King Qing patted Yang Mingzhao on the shoulder: "If you want to come to Commander Xu, it's not all useless, don't worry too much." Mingzhao? ”

Yang Mingzhao suddenly came back to his senses and said with a smile: "My subordinates have thought too much. ”

"Who's talking to you outside the tent?"

Yang Mingzhao pointed to the cloak on his body: "Send something." ”

"It's a tired day, you can eat and rest early, I have enough soldiers to guard outside the tent," said King Qing, picking up a scroll of documents and flipping through it.

"Your Highness."

After two days of repairing in Yongding City, a battle report came from Tianmen Mountain, and suddenly the heavy snow covered the Kasta Lake, and the little prince's army had to withdraw to the west, and the Xihuma team operating at the southern foot also disappeared, and the road to the grassland in the north seemed much calmer. The mission decided to rush to the prairie before the cold snap crossed the Tianmen Mountains.

"This team of border soldiers is familiar with the terrain and language in this area."

King Qing looked up at the cavalry lined up not far away, their armor was neatly clean, and without making the slightest sound, he nodded, "Let them follow the mission," and stepped into the carriage with his head bowed.

The magnificent festival and the chariots and horses marched, the new armor of the royal guard glittered in the daylight, and a team of horses dressed in brown and light armor followed silently beside the mission.

The mission slowly walked north along the meandering footsteps of the Tahe River that flowed through the edge of the Hulin Gobi, and the figure of Tianmen Mountain towered in the west, as if the lines had not moved, the scenery was boring and unchanged, only a few small salt lakes, gliding through the field of vision in the distance.

Seeing that the sun was gradually setting in the west, shaking for a day, everyone was a little tired, and the waiter who led the way stared anxiously at the river beach not far away, thinking about whether he would have time to cook before sunset, the nobles did not dare to slack off on their meals, if it was late, they could only eat cold cakes today. Just as he was thinking, the shadows of the hillside and the barren grass shook violently, and the neighing of the horses and the shouts of the charge crushed the weary sunset all over the ground.

"Escort!"

The whirling horse team raised dust, and the attendant held the horse's head in panic, until a knight grabbed his horse's head and dragged the horse behind the baggage cart, and the feathered arrows were pierced into the heavy wooden box, and the knight who fell from the horse fell into the yellow sand, and the screams were swallowed up by the horse's roar in an instant.

Yang Mingzhao was busy directing people to surround King Qing and the princess into the team, and the two lieutenants who had been in the capital all the year round looked a little dizzy in the face of the sudden attack, and in a hurry, a team of gray-brown horses jumped out of the side of the mission like arrows from the string, like a long knife swing arc neatly and diagonally slashed towards the oncoming enemy. The knight who rushed to the front carried a spear, swept away his feathered arrows and jumped into the beach, and with one shot picked the Hu man in front of him under his horse. The knights behind him drew their swords one after another, and blood splattered on the riverbank. The escorts took the opportunity to form their formations, removed the plank shields, and formed a temporary but solid defensive formation. Although the battle on the river beach was fierce, the knights of the thirteen capitals kept their distance from each other in an orderly manner, like a solid chain that steadily dragged the enemy's pace.

Seeing that the sneak attack was unsuccessful, and that his own men and horses were insufficient, the masked black-clothed man whistled and retreated, and soon retreated across the shallows, turned around and disappeared into the thick mountain shadow.

Seeing that the enemy was far away, King Qing hurriedly got out of the car and went to the princess's car to comfort the princess and the female officers, while the guards bandaged the wounded and regrouped the team.

"Is it a horse thief?" Yang Mingzhao greeted the knight who was galloping back on his horse and asked with luck.

"No," Xiao Yanran turned over and dismounted, wiped the blood from his hands on his short robe, and said categorically, "There are no such well-trained horse thieves here. ”

"Then this should just be a temptation," Yang Mingzhao sighed in his heart, what he was worried about had finally happened, "That masked bearded man." ”

"Martial artist, no, at least a martial artist, he hasn't made a move yet," Xiao Yanran picked at the corner of his mouth, obviously not worried, he looked up at the envoys who had lined up all around, "You can't camp here, there is a waste hill on the mountain in front, the terrain is steep, and it should last all night." ”

Yang Mingzhao nodded, raised his hand and said, "Please lead the way." ”

The road up the mountain has been abandoned for several years, the gravel on the side of the road is overwhelmed and rolls down the cliff under the horse's hooves, fortunately, there is no danger, a group of people arrived in the middle of the mountain in the dark, the northwest is dry and rainless, the stone rammed wall is still solid, everyone hastily cleans it, barely set up a few tents, and indiscriminately uses some bread to satisfy hunger, the nobles and ladies are frightened and tired for a day can not support, and sleep.

Yang Mingzhao looked around, this stone stone is indeed superior, although it is not extremely dangerous, but the road is narrow and can not be parallel, only a few people are enough to guard, but the number of guards brought up is quite large, at this time not on duty, can only squeeze in a few flat places to close their eyes and nap, I can't wait to stand and sleep with horses.

At this time, the school sent a piece of bread and half a jar of water, Yang Mingzhao walked to the edge of the cliff, tore off half of the cake and handed it to Xiao Yanran who was sitting next to the torch, Xiao Yanran stood up, saw that the wall had been cleaned up, then extinguished the torch, and the two of them silently gnawed on the white flour cake in the dark.

In the faint light of the fire at the foot of the mountain, a group of soldiers and servants were busy in the shadow of the goods, and the horsemen were wandering vigilantly in the distance.

"These goods will not be robbed, if the princess's dowry is lost......"

A young servant woman saw Hu riding around nearby, panicked, and smashed a jar of water to the ground, and the waiter who led the team rushed forward in a hurry, slapped the servant to the ground with a backhand, and didn't know what to scold in her mouth, and made up for it and drove the clumsy servant back to the back of the truck.

The Hu people looked at it for a while, and then they beat their horses and left.

"It doesn't hurt to put unnecessary items under the bar, and tomorrow these heavy trucks will still move forward as planned. Her Royal Highness the Princess's dowry is precious, but it's not what they want, you say. ”

Yang Mingzhao frowned worriedly, and said, "Tomorrow when you go down the mountain, the Hu people must be ready, and they can all think of a way out." ”

Xiao Yanran said with a smile: "I want to consult with the general." ”

Before the sky dawned, the mission took advantage of the faint light to go down the mountain around the stone beams.

"Mingzhao, where is this road going?" King Qing rode on his horse, looked at the surrounding mountains vigilantly, and asked.

"Crossing the mountain, crossing the dry Lake Bagta, there are many muddy wetlands along the way, and Huma's advantage cannot be exploited, as long as he can hold on to the Gur River, there will be a border army to meet him. I don't know ...... Her Royal Highness the Princess."

The masked and hooded princess bowed her head slightly on the horse, and whispered to the servant woman beside her, who said, "Your Highness, the princess often rode with her brothers when she was young, so there is no need to worry. ”

"No matter what happens, please do your best to move forward with the general and the princess of His Royal Highness, Zhang Lao Liu is very familiar with the terrain of the swamp and will guide the general."

As soon as he descended to the plains, Huma's smoke and dust rolled in from the north.

"It's coming so quickly," King Qing snorted, tightening his reins.

"General," Xiao Yanran turned his horse's head and glanced back at Yang Mingzhao, Yang Mingzhao nodded, a relieved smile appeared on his face that had been tight, and shouted that the personal guard horse team wrapped King Qing and the princess, and left.

Across a barren land, behind the black-clothed bearded man yesterday, followed by a tall bearded man with a beard.

Xiao Yanran, who was standing with a spear crossed, couldn't help but be a little stunned: "Why are you?" ”

"That noble man received news of the mission's departure to the south, and summoned me from the Land of Stars overnight, and he said that if I can pluck the pearl of the Southern Dynasty, he will give me the honor of fighting with the sword," said the Hu man with his right hand on his left chest, and said in a chanting tone, "Gao Xuanwu is very honored. ”

"I'll leave it to you," the black-clad bearded man whistled, and most of the horses continued to chase him north.

"Zhang Xuan, Dong Changsheng."

"Yes."

"Stop them."

A strong wind crossed the wasteland and slashed straight at the knights of the Thirteen Capitals, and the blue cold light rolled up in midair, shattering the sword wind with a thud.

"That noble man didn't give you so much head money," said the handsome knight with an unchanged face, and a chill was already rising on his spear.

"Dear true God, thank you for reminding me, my heart bleeds at the thought of the fifty gold coins (liquidated damages) I paid for you last time, and I will not make such a mistake again this time."

"With such a lot of calculations, can you really become the master of the Tyrant Sword Sect?"

The air was shaken by a tremendous force, and the sand and dust gathered into a huge and sharp torrent.

"Ask for my knife."

The frosty beach was muddy and difficult to walk, and the horse's nose was spewing heavy white steam, and it was difficult to move forward.

"The horse is already very tired and must stop and rest," Yang Mingzhao said to King Qing.

The sixth man who led the way in front nodded helplessly: "There is a rocky beach in front, and it can stand as a person." ”

King Qing frowned anxiously and looked back at the way he came, there was no trace of Huma on the plain with a thin white mist: "That's it." ”

"Is there a way around this lake?"

Seeing King Qing's inquiry, Lao Liu hurriedly bowed down and replied: "To cross Sun Moon Mountain, in addition to the main road and this road, there is also a path along the ridge, but that road is already frozen at this time, and it is even more difficult to walk. ”

"Where do these roads meet?"

"The main road is along the valley to the Taku steppe, and the other two roads will meet at the Gur River, where our horse village is located."

"How long will it take?"

"We're sixty percent gone."

The group gathered their horses to block the wind, ate some dry food, and just took a breath, when they saw two horses running in the distance, and they were all nervous.

The sixth brother looked at it and hurriedly greeted him: "Brother Xing!" ”

The person who came rushed to the front, rolled off the horse, and the sixth man hurriedly helped him and handed him the kettle. The man didn't have time to drink the water, so he hurriedly clenched his fists and knelt down in front of Yang Mingzhao: "Please go quickly, the Hu people have already passed the quicksand slope, and the two captains Zhang Dong can't delay for too long." ”

"What about Xiao Yanran?"

"The general didn't know that the Hu people sent Musa's junior brother, Gao Xuanwu of the Badaomen. Dutong sent us to stop the Hu people and resist Gao Xuanwu himself. ”

"Gao Xuanwu, the son of Brother Gao?" Yang Mingzhao asked as he got up and greeted the whole team of guards, and there seemed to be some confusion in his tone.

"Exactly."

"He's alone?" Yang Mingzhao paused for a moment, "Dealing with Gao Xuanwu who dominates the sword?" ”

Brother Yelu Xing said: "Commander Xiao saw it in Qingchuan City with one arrow back then, and General Yang has nothing to worry about. ”

Lao Liu's heart is not good, Brother Xing is a rough man, where does he know the entanglement between the imperial court and Qingchuan City, so he hurriedly and secretly pulled him: "Brother Xing is a Hu person, his words are rude, I hope the general will forgive me, and I ask His Royal Highness to hurry up, I am afraid that the Hu people will catch up soon." ”

The sound of the gurgling water was already in my ears, but the horse team of the Hu people was stopped at the junction. Yang Mingzhao used a qi shield to protect the princess and King Qing and others, and the men and horses brought by the black-robed commander were by no means mediocre, although they were entangled all the way by the border army, they still saved a lot of strength to attack the mission.

"Li Qing, Zhang Xiao."

"The subordinates are here."

"It's time to show them the momentum of the elite soldiers of the Southern Dynasty."

"Please rest assured, General."

At this time, Li and Zhang were two, one luck for the bow, one luck for the arrow, and a hundred arrows turned into an attack, instantly suppressing the holy fire array of the Hu people.

The black robe was in a hurry, and said coldly: "Your Excellency hasn't made a move yet." ”

The masked man behind him smiled, "The commander can't hold his breath? ”

The black robe snorted, "I don't care about these guards yet. At the junction of the three kingdoms here, you and my master can't explain anything wrong, so your Excellency should not put up a fight. After speaking, he pulled out his scimitar, and the sword slashed towards Yang Mingzhao.

Yang Mingzhao had been staring at the black robe commanding beside him, only to see that he suddenly drew his sword and rushed towards him, but he felt that he was in the middle of it, and he raised his sword to meet him as soon as he condensed his qi.

"It's not easy for this kind of old-fashioned exercise to be practiced at such a level," the black robe scoffed.

"It's useful," Yang Mingzhao opened and closed all the way, which was very different from his calm style.

King Qing guarded the princess tightly, his dark eyes observed the situation on the battlefield without a trace, and he instructed Yang Mingzhao and his subordinates to attack, just to take the princess out of the encirclement when the Hu people were unstable. However, the smell of the gray-clothed masked man in the enemy army was as slippery and cold as a poisonous snake, which made him feel very uneasy.

Gap!

King Qing nodded slightly to the princess, and slammed the horse's belly, like an arrow from the string, breaking out of the battle situation that was deliberately pulled into two sections. The black robe was shocked, and the moment he turned the horse's head, the rain of ice and arrows fell against King Qing's horse's hooves, nailing several Hu people who were turning to the ground.

"Bastard!" The black robe scolded in nonsense, "The southern dog who raises horses! ”

The man with the twin swords rushed towards the shallows with a group of soldiers with bows and arrows in hand, and in an instant he protected King Qing and the princess.

"Don't waste your efforts," King Qing shouted, "I have sent scouts to the king's tent, and I think your Excellency should have heard of the speed of the steppe wolf. ”

"Just these people?" The black robe snorted, "I'm afraid you won't be able to wait for the people of the Northern Dynasty to come to save you." But I can't help but feel anxious, those two knives will seem to be not good, if it really alarms the Northern Dynasty prince's tent in the Taku grassland, I am afraid that it will lead to a big war. In desperation, he looked back at the man in gray who had been standing in place.

The gray-clothed man raised his hand, and a fine ice dust fell on the hot air in his palm, and he frowned, and suddenly like a gray harrier rose into the sky, rushing straight towards King Qing.

Seeing this change, everyone flew to the front of King Qing's horse, and the gray-clothed man waved his hand, only to see those soldiers with stiff faces, and they fell down without warning. "What kind of demon art is this," Yang Mingzhao was shocked, and blasted open the black robe with one palm, and he didn't care about his subsequent moves, and his palms turned into a huge qi shield that opened between the gray-clothed man and King Qing's horse team.

The gray-clothed man sneered and turned his hand into a sword point, and with a slash in the air, the strong and thick air shield was only like a piece of thin paper that broke into two pieces of white smoke in the void.

In the blink of an eye, the gray-clothed man had arrived in front of King Qing, and Yang Mingzhao only felt a despair that he had never felt in his heart, as if the air around him was being sucked away against his skin, and it was as cold as a knife.

Ice crystals sent a trail of blood on his face.

"It's ......"

A huge ice rock slammed down in front of the gray-clothed man's finger waving at King Qing.

The man in gray looked stunned, his fingers pointed straight on the ice rock, and after being stunned for a moment, he changed his fingers to palm and angrily smashed the ice rock alive.

Behind the ice rock, there stood a young man in a pale uniform.

"The blow has not been successful, the Xuan Qi has been broken, you should go."

The corners of the gray-clothed man's eyes twitched, because he was covered and couldn't even tell that he was laughing.

A terrible cry came from the horse team: "Princess! Your Highness the Princess! Come on! ”

The young man's face became even paler.

"There's nothing that can stop my Xuanming Needle."

Princess Shunde, who was standing behind King Qing's side, fell under the horse at this time, and there was a little black blood on her eyebrows, and she had no breath.

King Qing threw himself off his horse and clenched Shunde's hand, as if he wanted to keep the last bit of heat in her palm. The soldiers around him didn't dare to move, the gray-clothed man smiled coldly, put his well-maintained hands back into his sleeves, jumped on horseback, and walked south without looking back.

"Dutong," the Twin Blades approached the pale-faced young man who seemed to be closing his eyes and luck, and whispered, "What now?" ”

"Zhang Dong's brothers were seriously injured, and asked Wang Lu to take people to the lake," he lowered his eyes and whispered to Yang Mingzhao, who was standing beside him, "General, let's go back to the village first." ”

Yang Mingzhao nodded heavily, ordered King Qing to be lifted left and right, and let the two sturdy servants carry the princess's body, and the group slowly walked towards the horse village.

The body of the princess was placed in a barracks that had been hastily cleaned, and before the servants could pack up and change their clothes, a young woman rushed in with a sad face, it was the young servant who had been beaten and scolded by the chamberlain that night. She threw herself on the corpse and cried bitterly: "Ah Zhi! Why is this happening! I'm sorry for you! Zhi! ”

Yang Mingzhao hurriedly knelt down and whispered in her ear: "Your Highness, please mourn, there are many people here, and no one can know about it." ”

The woman wiped her tears and slowly knelt on the ground, although her clothes were rude, she could not hide the nobility and elegance that naturally flowed from her.

"You promised me that you wouldn't let Ah Zhi have an accident."

At this time, the people on both sides had retreated, and Yang Mingzhao straightened his waist and knelt on the ground with his head down, "The last general is incompetent, please punish His Highness." ”

"What's the use of chasturing you? Ah Zhi is a bait, brother, you are not a bait. The princess said dejectedly, "You go out, I want to accompany Ah Zhi for a while." ”

Yang Mingzhao had no choice but to kowtow and retreat, ordering the left and right to watch the camp gate, and no one was allowed to enter.

"How's the princess?"

"It's sad, but it's in good spirits."

King Qing nodded, and for a while, he didn't know what to do, so he said, "Have the dead and wounded soldiers settled?" ”

"It's all settled, the border army has its own military doctor, I heard that it is quite useful."

"That, Commander Xiao," King Qing paused, "don't you think he came too quickly and unreasonable?" ”

Yang Mingzhao hurriedly said: "Your Highness, don't worry, I have already noticed that his horse's hooves are full of frozen mud, and it should be the cold air that freezes the mud and can run the horse, so that he can move much faster than us." ”

"This person's realm seems to be above you?" King Qing said, looking up at Yang Mingzhao's expression carefully.

Yang Mingzhao said with a smile: "It's not just above me, just look at the move just now, although it is not a master, but I am afraid that it is already a shaking light realm." ”

King Qing pondered: "It seems that General Yang is the Shaking Light Realm." ”

"Exactly."

"What I admire most is your bearing," King Qing sighed, "and the strength of a military man in his life may only be able to shake the light." At this moment, the leader of a border herding horse can actually enter the Shaking Light Realm, and you can be without the slightest jealousy and shock, which is beyond my reach. ”

"Your Highness is serious," Yang Mingzhao hurriedly clenched his fists and bowed, he had a straightforward personality and was not good at words, so he didn't know how to answer for a while. He was amazed, envious, and appreciative in his heart, but there was never a trace of jealousy. Besides, that person's eyes are like the stars reflected in the peaceful lake, quiet and dazzling, how can people be jealous and hateful.

"I should meet him," King Qing thought for a moment, "the time is not good, so let's wait until I return from the royal court." ”

Yang Mingzhao didn't understand what it meant for a while, so it was inconvenient to ask more, so he lowered his head and retreated.

It was snowing heavily, and the horse village where soldiers came and went was also so bleak, I don't know whether it was deliberately arranged or sincere, and the faces of people who came and went were full of sadness and solemnity.

Yang Mingzhao stood in the snow for a long time, and he didn't know what to do, so he had to call a border soldier standing guard next to him and ask, "What about your commander?" ”

"It should be in the main hall."

Yang Mingzhao asked where the main hall was, bypassed a few carts that were sorting luggage, and looked for it.

It is said that it is the main hall, but in fact it is just a large shed made of wooden poles behind the open field, the front and back are ventilated, and there are two rows of chairs in it, which is probably the place where the village is discussed, and you can see a few people sitting or standing in the distance, discussing something.

"General Yang," the man sitting in the middle of the sat smiled and got up to greet him, "I was about to send someone to invite the general to discuss tomorrow's trip, but I just ......" His shirt was tied around his waist, and a hideous knife on his red shoulder dripped, purple and black blood. The emaciated man beside him was clutching a medicated bandage, so that he didn't lose his face when he suddenly stood up.

Yang Mingzhao hurriedly clenched his fists and said: "It's me who is abrupt, and I should be informed." ”

Xiao Yanran said with a smile: "It's so simple, how can there be a report, the general doesn't reprimand the general, and General Yang can sit at will." ”

"Is this a knife wound?"

The skin on both sides of the wound was bruised, thinking that it was caused by frostbite after being injured in order to catch up with the mission, sealing the wound with cold air, Yang Mingzhao thought about this, and couldn't help but feel frightened.

Xiao Yanran took the bandage, wrapped the wound, tidied up her clothes, and came over to see her again.

"The general doesn't need to worry, it's just a flesh wound, and he doesn't have the qi to use the knife."

"What does Commander Xiao mean?" Yang Mingzhao immediately heard that there was something in his words.

"Badao Musa is my mortal enemy, but Gao Xuanwu is not, he is my friend," the cold wind poured through the hall, and everyone else had left, only Xiao Yanran and Yang Mingzhao sat in front of the empty martial arts field.

"Then why?"

"He still loves money more than friendship, but that's not the point. The point is that he told me that it was not Moses who invited the man in gray, but some nobleman from the court. ”

"What!" Yang Mingzhao was shocked.

"Dare to ask the general, if the princess dies on the way to get married, what will happen to His Royal Highness King Qing?"

Yang Mingzhao was covered with a layer of cold sweat behind his back, "His real goal is not a princess......

"How much can the general guess the origin of that person?"

"What I can think of is far from enough," Yang Mingzhao sat down and settled down, "If it is really someone in the court who did it, I am afraid that there will be news when I reach the king's tent." ”

"Why is the general so sure?"

Yang Mingzhao waved his hand, indicating that it was inconvenient to say.

"In this way, there should still be eyeliner all around."

"I have ordered someone to buy supplies from the nearby herdsmen, and by the way, spread the news that His Royal Highness King Qing is overly ill with grief, and only need to disguise the mission to stay in the village for a few days, enough for His Highness and his party to reach the royal court."

Yang Mingzhao nodded and said, "This matter is very important, I will immediately report to His Highness." ”

In the tent, the young man who had taken off his armor took the towel handed by Wu Ningwei and wiped his face, scattered his messy hair bun, grabbed the robe and put it on, not wanting to move too much and affect the wound on his shoulder, he couldn't help frowning.

"What's going on?" The man with the double knife on his back and the big horn straddled the box snorted.

Xiao Yanran put down her hand, her handsome and handsome face was half hidden under her long hair, and she was slightly pale.

"There's a hidden killer, and I'm negligent."

"Hmph, which killer?"

"Whatever, it's Hades' family now anyway."

"Phew," Wu Ningwei chirped, "what the hell! What the hell is going on? ”

"We're going to have a big deal this time," Xiao Yanran found a comfortable position to lie down, and put her feet on the box,

"The Xuangong under the moon is willing to intervene, it must be a big deal."

"Take the heir," Xiao Yanran sighed.

Wu Ningwei said: "Is Xu Wenlong?" ”

Xiao Yanran shook her head, "Lord Xu, you just want to send us a thankless job." He didn't have the guts yet. It's just that I didn't expect that Xuan Ming Yiye would also wade into the troubled waters of the court. ”

Wu Ningwei's gaze fell on Xiao Yanran's hanging right hand, the hand that could control the strong bow to break through the yellow sand trembled uncontrollably, and he knew that Xiao Yanran had suffered a secret loss by sealing the ice and breaking the Xuan Qi.

"What are we going to do now?"

Under the cover of twilight, the group of horses turned down the steep rock wall behind the horse village, and ran north through the thick black shadow of the stone wall.

In the distance is the vast Hercynian grassland.

The horse team turned the last steep red stone cliff, and King Qing couldn't help but restrain his horse and looked up in a daze.

On the steep stone wall, the entire cold mountain post is engraved in the air.

“…… The cold rain has passed in the distant mountains, and it is facing the twilight sky. Faintly out of the clouds, the sky and the horizontal. When the ground is solid, several places reflect the lonely city. In the autumn breeze of returning guests, look back at the sadness. King Qing said, "Good pen power, good vertical and horizontal." ”

"Your Highness, it's important to hurry now," Yang Mingzhao said in a low voice.

King Qing looked back at the princess wearing a hat, nodded, and rode away.

"Dripping water through stones, drifting ice and rocks, how much hatred there is here."

"When His Highness arrives at the king's tent, they will know that they have been fooled, and they will naturally not give up. We," Xiao Yanran raised her eyebrows and smiled, "It's just a fight to the death." ”

Du Shuyan slapped the case up, and Yunmo, who was covered in wind and snow and had just returned from the dock, was frightened, looked at the secret letter in Du Gongzi's hand, and didn't dare to speak.

"Yuehei Hall," Du Shuyan gritted his teeth and said, "This group of wastes, after following Yuehei Hall for so long, they actually knew that Ye Fei of the Heavenly Temple was Xuanming Yiye, they really underestimated them." ”

"Kim is deliberately withholding the news?"

Du Shuyan sneered, "Judging from the news, the fact that the Moon Black Hall is secretly subordinate to the Xuan Palace is only known to the people of the Heavenly Palace. With such good news, I have to find a way to let His Royal Highness King Duan know. ”

"Your Highness's ......"

Du Shuyan shook his head: "It's not enough, if it's just Ye Fei, the people around His Highness are enough to protect him, but he is a Xuanming Yiye, a master who has entered the Great Nian Master Realm." The people we send will not be able to cross the river, otherwise they will be given authority, and those who are around Your Highness will ...... I don't know if I can hold on to the bank of the Yellow River. ”

Yunmo picked up a booklet on the case, opened it and said, "According to the news sent back by General Yang, there are these people available by His Highness's side. ”

Du Shuyanzai looked at it carefully again: "The realm of the teacher is long wind, Linjiang, leaning on the railing, and shaking the light." Yang Mingzhao is now relying on the railing realm, Xiao Yanran, the shaking light realm and the Great Nian Master Realm seem to be one step apart, but it is like a river and sea. But...... If you can fight to the death, you may be able to hold Ye for a while. ”

"Childe, this person has nothing to do with us, just temporarily serving as a guard......"

"That's his job!" A cold light flashed in Du Shuyan's eyes, "I don't care about his life and death, I just need time!" ”

"Give him a desperate reason."

"Yes," Yunmo said.

The vast white snow covered the grasslands, the snow-white royal tents of the Northern Dynasty were covered with colorful felt-woven flower ribbons, the golden and silver horns blew majestic music, and the high bonfires almost melted the winter. In the grand celebration, Princess Shunde, who was covered with a bright red hijab, stood quietly among the women of the Northern Dynasty who were whirling and dancing, looking particularly lonely. And her husband, Zede, the prince of the Northern Dynasty, had a bright hairband tied around his curly black hair, a bright red silk flower tied on his chest according to the customs of the Southern Dynasty, holding a glass full of goat's milk wine, laughing and saying: "We are friends, no, no, we are relatives, relatives, hahaha, very good." King Qing politely returned to the etiquette of the Northern Dynasty, looked up at the princess from a distance, and drank the goat's milk wine handed by the prince with a wry smile.

"We're leaving." According to the customs of the Northern Dynasties, the bride's family could only send the horse pillar in front of the wedding tent, and after accepting the milk wine and food offered by the man's family, they had to say goodbye to show their respect and trust in the man. However, the women of the Northern Dynasty can go back to their parents' house to participate in their own celebration ball three days later, but the princess cannot go back.

The bridal envoy gradually walked away, and King Qing still couldn't help but look back again and again, the smaller and smaller red figure stood lonely, quietly, like a needle in the sea of jubilation, until it disappeared into the snow curtain.

Helian Mountain is like waves surging through the field, the horse team zigzags up along the winding path, and the stone monuments that have been trampled by the horses' hooves are poured into the wild grass, and the magnificent scenery is in front of them, and the gentle whispering of the princess seems to be heard in the ears: "The mountains and rivers are always there, why should my brother sigh." ”

This is not the end, this is the beginning of everything. (To be continued.) )