Erlang didn't ask Ruyi about her family's condition - in troubled times, it was a blessing that she was able to escape safely. He didn't expect his parents to be lucky.

What's more, in the final analysis, their escape was originally a choice made on the premise that they knew that their parents' lives might not be guaranteed. At the moment of their escape, they had already abandoned their families in a certain way, and betrayed the morality of loyalty, filial piety, and martyrdom. But there is no future without the living. Someone must survive to calm the troubled times and kill the traitors.

Ruyi roughly told Sù Erlang about the turmoil in the city, and took the edict to him.

Jiro took the edict and was so sad that he wanted to cry. But he didn't say anything, just put the love aside and quietly put away the edict.

-- The edict can grant him nothing more than name and power. As for the title, Vimo has been the crown prince for many years, and has been assisting the Son of Heaven in handling state affairs, and the whole world regards him as orthodox. It is not impossible to abolish him and set up another Erlang, but weighing the pros and cons, it is actually a matter of adding to the snake. As for power, if Erlang was given a promotion and given him the real power to supervise the military affairs of the states, in the current situation, it would be tantamount to usurping the power of the princes, and it would be easy to be self-defeating.

Therefore, the most likely thing in the edict is to give Erlang a legitimate power to convene the princes and crusade against the rebels. So he was in no hurry to see.

But in fact, this edict is also dispensable. The heroes of the world will definitely not sit back and watch Li Hu a traitor dictatorship, and it is a foregone conclusion that the group will rise up and crusade against it. And with the identity of Erlang and the status of Yangzhou Assassin History, once he raises things, the heroes will inevitably regard him as the leader of the alliance. As for what happened after the attack on Jiankang and the killing of Li Hu, it was not something that could be determined by a holy decree of the Son of Heaven.

Despite this, the Son of Heaven still handed over the edict to Ruyi and ordered her to be sent to Erlang. Maybe it's to alleviate the guilt of Ruyi abandoning the city and running away, or maybe it's just to send Ruyi to his side - either way, it's just a father's last complicated and contradictory tenderness.

Ruyi didn't ask what was written in Erlang's edict. She only said, "Without further ado, it's better to leave Jiankang as soon as possible and gather soldiers and horses." ”

Erlang said, "Not yet." Before leaving, I want to kill someone - it is Xiao Maode who patrols Niushou Mountain. ”

-- The capture of Xiao Maode is a very risky operation. What they should do now is indeed to escape from Jinling and get out of danger. But there is a kind of hatred in this world that makes it impossible for you to break free from the demons and move on without slaying the enemy. For Erlang, Xiao Maode is such a demon. He had the opportunity to get rid of this person, but a thought caused him to let this person go, and finally led to irreparable consequences. When Taicheng was besieged, he saw this traitor and traitor show off his might in front of him countless times, but he couldn't kill him. How hateful.

Now that the opportunity is in front of him, even if he knows that this move is dangerous, he is determined to take the risk.

So when he heard this name, Ruyi was only stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "...... Good. ”

She worked with Erlang to design how to lure out Xiao Maode without alarming the defenders of Niushou Mountain.

-- The rebels garrisoned no more than 1,000 troops in Niushou Mountain, but they were several times the number of troops in Erlang's hands. They really had to plan carefully.

When Xiao Maode got up from the woman, it was almost time. The sky was dark, the bedding was damp, and his heart was dazed. After getting out of bed, he raised his hand to pick up the wine jug on the table, and when he saw that there was no wine in it, he threw it out in disgust, and said angrily, "Someone! ”

It was not the handmaidens he was accustomed to who came in to serve, but the stinking and hard armorers. Reminds him that he's currently stationed outside. He opened his mouth and scolded, "What about breakfast, you want to starve your master to death?" ”

The soldier presented the meal, but he overturned the cup and plate on the table, "Where's the meat!" What about wine! You give this kind of pig food to Lonely! The soldier argued that there was a shortage of rice in the city now, and he said angrily, "You won't fight? Go get me a suckling deer! If you can't call after Lone washes up, Lone will chop you up and eat human flesh! ”

The soldier withdrew in silence. He turned around and saw the woman who had slept the night before huddled in the corner with her clothes huddled, looking like she couldn't get on the stage, and couldn't help kicking her with hatred, and said, "Get out!" ”

This woman had been taken captive the night before. Yamano Village Aunt is only slightly stronger than unkempt. Needless to say, Miaoyin's grace and beauty are not as good as the fire girl in his house back then. That's all a rare commodity.

Xiao Maode couldn't help but kick the table again.

- At the beginning, he made an appointment with Li Hu, and after the matter was completed, Li Hu supported him to ascend to the throne.

In fact, when he attacked Taicheng after Li Hu crossed the river, he was indeed made emperor for a time. But once he broke through Taicheng and captured orthodoxy, he was demoted to the king of Wuling. He was succeeded by Vimo.

Xiao Maode was full of resentment in his heart, but he couldn't call the shots at this moment.

Now that Taicheng is withering, and the government decree does not come out of Gyeonggi, he, the king of Wuling, is not as good as a county order. Now he has been sent to Niushou Mountain, and his subordinates are only more than 1,000 soldiers and horses, and his life is extremely aggrieved. But even if he betrays Li Hu at this moment, I am afraid that there is no other way out.

Not long after, a messenger arrived in the capital, saying, "There was a fire in the city the night before, and someone took the opportunity to make trouble and robbed many nobles in the palace. An urgent search is underway in the city, and the general is also requested to be careful on his side. ”

Xiao Maode's heart moved.

After sending off the messenger, he summoned his cronies and asked, "What is the matter, who has been robbed?" ”

The cronies said, "I heard that they are the two princesses of Shuyang and Wuyang." Then he lowered his voice again and said, "Listening to the rumors, it's not a fire or chaos at all-Princess Wuyang has dealings with several famous people in the rivers and lakes, Your Highness, have you heard about it?" ”

Xiao Maode nodded--he had made many outlaws, and he was indeed better informed than others. I have heard that there are several famous characters under Ruyi. His eyes were clear, "Could it be ......"

"It's not bad. I heard that Li Hu not only wanted to marry Princess Shuyang himself, but also planned to marry Princess Wuyang to the Western Wei Dynasty to marry. Your Royal Highness, you think, the two princesses are beautiful like flowers and bones, and they have the opportunity to fight hard, how can they be at the mercy of this old horseman? It is estimated that Princess Wuyang ordered people to set fire to everywhere so that she could take advantage of the opportunity to escape - it seems that she may have really escaped. ”

Xiao Maode bit a piece of deer breast, turned his eyes and thought about it, raised his eyes and said, "If she escapes...... Do you think she's going that way? ”

The cronie said, "I can't guess it, but," his eyes moved, and he said, "The other three sides are heavily guarded by Li Hu's cronies......

Xiao Maode squinted at him, and after a moment he raised the corners of his mouth and smiled, patted his chest with the back of his hand, and said, "-Send someone to watch carefully." ”

Before noon, a spy hurriedly returned with a message that a group of four people was riding south from the Niushou Valley. One of them looks good, and he is indeed a beautiful girl.

Xiao Maode's heart was itching, and when he heard the news and entered the camp tent, he grabbed his armor, and ordered him to bring enough people to personally investigate the enemy's situation. ”

Xiao Maode led people to chase them to the valley between Niushou Mountain and Jiangjun Mountain, and sure enough, he saw horseshoe prints on the muddy road. The trail is still new, and it is going into the valley.

Towards noon, there was some light rain in the mountains. The fog is not heavy, but it is only intertwined, and when you look at it from the outside, you only feel that the smoke is foggy, and it is very deep. The mountain-like road was muddy and winding, and the end was hidden in the fog.

Xiao Maode had heard that there had been scattered bandit activities on Niushou Mountain recently, and at this moment he was a little up and down in his heart, and he stopped holding the horse's head for a while and hesitated. The person next to him asked, "Are you still chasing after you?" ”

Xiao Maode looked into the depths of the mountains and forests—but he was very reluctant to see the beauty he wanted to get.

While he was hesitating, he suddenly saw smoke rising from the depths. He raised his whip and commanded, "Go and see." ”

The soldier stepped forward to watch, and soon returned, "It seems that there are three or four people in front of them making fires." ”

Xiao Maode was overjoyed in his heart, thinking to himself, even if some thieves are just wanderers, they will not become a climate. If the one in front of him is really Xiao Ruyi, how can there be any reason to miss it? Even if it's not her, it's not a loss to be able to capture a beautiful girl. Then he whipped and said, "Chase." ”

Who knows that there is still no one in the depths.

The road went deeper and deeper, and the more difficult it became. Xiao Maode looked up and saw that the mountains and rocks on both sides were steep, the ancient trees were forested, and the north and south twin peaks on the top were towering and confrontational, and he couldn't help but be shocked. Then there was a sense of retreat.

Just as he was about to order someone to retreat, he suddenly saw a figure looming in the thick fog ahead. He couldn't help but stare at it.

The man sat on a horse, and his figure was graceful with a hint of coldness—the silhouette was so picturesque that even if it was hidden in the fog, it was known to be very beautiful. But not a woman.

He stood in the middle of the road, facing him. He saw him clearly!

Xiao Maode somehow held his breath, like a prey targeted by a tiger, his whole body was frozen. Tense, unable to make a sound, and unable to move.

Suddenly, the fog seemed to lift. He was confronted by the man's dark, ice-cold yet strangely mocking gaze. The man raised his hand and waved it violently.

- That's Xiao Huaishuo! He's here to kill him, he's been tricked!

Xiao Maode turned his horse violently to escape. However, at that moment, there was a loud noise on the mountain, and the earth and boulders, grass and trees slid down like a torrent, and it only engulfed the retreat behind him in an instant. Most of the more than 100 people he brought with him were lost in a moment, and the rest of the men and horses pushed and trampled on each other, wailing and screaming.

This sudden landslide was obviously beyond Xiao Huaishuo's expectations, but fortunately, his men and horses were all ambushed on both sides of the collapsed hillside and were not affected.

After a short period of stunned, the ambushes on both sides finally came out of their lives and quickly harvested the battlefield. The battle ended in just a few moments.

Xiao Maode was escorted to Erlang with his head still holding his head and shrinking, and suddenly saw Ruyi standing next to Erlang, and he hurriedly shouted, "Spare your life-".

He Manduo kicked him in the back, forcing him to kneel again.

He urged Ruyi and Erlang in a low voice, "What should I do with him?" And he said, "Hurry up and decide." There has already been a landslide, and I don't know if there will be a follow-up. We need to get out of here. ”

Ruyi only looked at Erlang.

Jiro said, "-Kill him!" ”

Until he came out of the valley, Erlang still didn't say a word. His eyes were hollow, as if all his feelings had been buried.

It was drizzling and smoky. They are covered in dust and mud, and the wolves are down.

Ruyi is in the valley and looks back at Niushou Mountain. This mountain is the southern gateway of Jinling, and the capital is often called "Tianque Mountain" - it is said that after the Eastern Jin Dynasty set the capital Jiankang, it had wanted to build a city outside the south gate to show its majesty. One day, the monarch and the minister went out of the city to look south, and saw the confrontation between the north and south peaks of Niushou Mountain, which was very majestic, and the prime minister said, "This Tianque is also, why bother to change it?" 1 So Jinling City no longer built another city, but took Niushou Mountain as the south.

Therefore, although this mountain is far away from Taicheng, it is not really out of Niushou Mountain, it is not really out of Jinling.

Now, they have finally walked out of Niushou Mountain.

But their parents and siblings are still trapped in the city, their lives in the hands of the enemy, and they can be killed at any time.

And they left behind their parents, brothers and sisters, and the morality of living and dying together, and escaped alone.

Ruyi can understand Erlang's feelings at the moment, and can understand why he has to kill Xiao Maode to really leave Jiankang. They killed traitors, traitors, sinners who had brought the world and their families to such a state - but their hatred of Xiao Maode was not their hatred of themselves who had abandoned their families and lived alone. Only by angering and blaming this person, only by killing Xiao Maode, can they bury the sin in their hearts and move on.

Erlang said, "Sister ......"

Ruyi only pressed his head into his arms, hugged him tightly, and said in a dumb voice, "...... I'm here. ”