Yanshan is a natural dividing line between the two major ethnic groups of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Shidai, the north of the mountain is the grassland of the nomads, and the south of the mountain is the field of the farming people, so Yanshan has become the natural defense line of the farming people against the invasion of the nomads.

Some of the passes on the Great Wall are very famous, such as Juyong Pass, Gubeikou, Lulongsai ......" and some are not well-known, such as Liujiakou. Liujiakou is a mountain channel across Yanshan, there is a river passing through here, so when the Great Wall passes here, a water pass is built here to facilitate the river water to pass.

The water pass is a brick and stone arch mén, which can be used by pedestrians, but because the main reason for the construction of this place is to facilitate the passage of the river, the roads on both sides are narrow and rugged, and it is not used as a common passage for people and horses to enter and exit, so it is not famous, and not many people know about it.

Xia Xun and Sai Hazhi crossed Yanshan from the mouth of Xifeng, and after hearing from the jujube dealers who were accustomed to stuffing and entering the fortress that there was a pass here that was not much for military purposes, they did not rush directly to Daning, but first detoured to Liujiakou, the sign of Liujiakou Pass was hung on the side of the pass, and the two of them could not see it when they stood on the slope outside the pass, but the entire pass building could be seen very clearly.

This water-crossing building is not too big, the brick-built enemy building is three zhang long, three zhang wide, about four zhang high, the enemy tower is equipped with two zhang high water crossing dòng, there are six arrow windows on the north side of the city wall on the enemy platform, there are several longing shops on the city wall on both sides, Sai Hazhi has been in the army for more than 20 years, he has rich experience, he only glanced at it in a hurry, and accurately told Xia Xun that the garrison here will not exceed 120 people at most.

Xia Xun said happily: "Brother Ha, what do you think about here?"

Saihazhi squinted his eyes and looked at it, nodded and said: "The inner slope here is not steep, and the garrison of Shuiguan is no more than a hundred, although the road is difficult to walk, but it is easy to fight from the inside out, but it is difficult to fight from the outside in, one is that the mountain road is rugged and steep, and the rock walls are lined with trees, and the other is that the river is rushing down, whether it is a person or a horse, it is not very many." ”

Xia Xun nodded and said with a smile: "Yes, but you can still be pedestrians, you look at the path in the grass." ”

Saihazhi said: "Well, it should be that the soldiers stationed in the customs often go down the mountain, and the local mountain people should also often clear the customs here." Look, my lord, isn't there a town not far down this slope? ”

Xia Xun said: "Yes, Liujiakou, hahaha, I can't think of a dòng day here, the road has been figured out, let's go down the mountain first, it's late today, let's go to the town under the mountain to live temporarily, and then go on the road tomorrow." ”

Not far from Liujiakoushui Pass, there is a town, which is surrounded by mountains and rivers, so there are some people who maintain the Great Wall and the families of the soldiers who have settled here one after another, and the town is not big. Hundreds of households, and at this moment, some of them already have curling smoke rising from the roofs of their houses. Saihazhi is a big-bellied man, he has long felt hungry, and when he heard Xia Xun say this, he quickly nodded and said, "Cheng, let's hurry down the mountain!" ”

He touched his belly as he walked and said, "It's okay if you don't say it, you really feel hungry when you say this, I feel that now it's just a cow for me, and I can swallow it." ”

As soon as the words fell, I heard a few coquettish laughter from Gege, and a crisp NV child's voice laughed: "Brother Kui, if you can catch up with someone, I'll kiss you, come on, I'm here... Ah! ”

An NV child ran out from behind a bush, thinking that she didn't expect someone on this hillside, as soon as she saw Xia Xun and Saihazhi, she turned around with a sigh of surprise, Xia Xun and the two of them only felt that their eyes were bright, and they were black and beautiful eyebrows like swords into their temples, a pair of autumn clear eyes, a high nose bridge, and ruddy lips.

At this time, a person ran out from behind the bushes, majestic, tiger-eyed, young and fierce, born quite handsome, he was holding a red fruit in his hand, originally full of smiles, at a glance saw someone on the mountain, couldn't help but change, vigilantly looked at Xia Xun and the two, and saw that the two were dressed very ordinary, and there were blankets on their shoulders, like two small merchants, the god sè eased down, this person did not talk to Xia Xun and them, but walked over and wrapped around the slender waist of the nv child, and said softly: "It's not too early, Let's go down the mountain. ”

The nv child nodded, and combed the hair on the sideburns, Xia Xun stared at her, and noticed that she was wearing a ring on her hand, the ring was green and clear like water, it should be cui yù, cui yù, priceless, but it is the best in yù.

Xia Xun's eyes fell on the clothes of the nv child again, a collar of onion and white Shu brocade, a blue skirt, two pieces of clothes, with some hufu style, small lapels, a brute waist tied, a pair of deerskin boots on his feet, just looking at the back is also a noble bī person, Xia Xun's eyes couldn't help narrowing, and whispered: "This NV son is likely to be a Mongolian tribal nobleman, and he is a married woman." ”

At that time, there was not much habit of wearing rings in the Central Plains, and only married people wore rings, but there were many people who wore rings among the Hu people, because it also had the function of a wrench, which was used to buckle strings and arrows. Xia Xun made such a guess from the preciousness of the ring and the habit of wearing the ring, as well as the style of her clothing.

Seha Zhi said: "I didn't pay attention to that little girl, I look at this man, his posture and gait are quite military, if I am not mistaken, he should be a person in the army, at least he was a person in the army." ”

Xia Xun smiled: "It's none of my business, hang high." Let's go, let's go down the mountain, find a place to rest, and go to Daning tomorrow.

On the way down the mountain, the two saw that the pair of male NVs had arrived at the bottom of the mountain, and there was a car waiting for them under the mountain.

Xia Xun and the two followed the car from a distance, and when they arrived in the town, they wanted to go to the inn to stay, only to find that this town was a little remote and there were not many merchants and travelers, so there was no inn in the town. The two of them went to town for a drink

The shopkeeper inquired and learned that there were families here because the owner did not often live in the local area, so the family members who stayed behind often rented out the courtyard to earn some extra money, so they inquired all the way.

The courtyard of the house of that family is quite large in the local area, but it is still much rougher than the big families in many places in the Sekin, and when the two of them arrived in front of Mén, they saw a carriage going around the side Mén, thinking that the owner of the horse got out of the car and entered the courtyard in Zhengmén, because there were stone steps in Zhengmén, so the carriage had to be driven into the courtyard from the side.

The small villages and towns outside this pass are mostly ox carts and donkey carts, even if there are carriages, there are few such long carriages carrying passengers that can be used for long distances, this long carriage is exactly the same as the carriage that Xia Xun saw when he was halfway up the mountainside, Xia Xun couldn't help but think: "It can't be so coincidental, could it be that the couple also borrowed it to live here?" ”

The two of them stood in front of the mén, and an old man who was about to close the big mén saw it, so he waved his hand unhappily: "Go, go, what are you doing in front of my mén?" ”

Xia Xun retracted his gaze, crossed his hands and smiled: "Uncle, the two of us brothers are passing by here, and seeing that it is too late, we want to find a family to spend the night, and ask the uncle to make it convenient."

When the old man heard this, he softened down and waved his hand, "Go to someone else's house, my house does not live with outsiders." ”

Saihazhi was a little puzzled when he heard this, and said loudly: "How can this be, I heard the old man who sells wine at the entrance of the town say that your house is often rented to guests, why do you suddenly stop doing business, and we don't pay you money." ”

The old man's face tightened, he looked back, and then hurried down the steps, and said hurriedly: "Be quiet!" You two out-of-town guests don't understand the reason, the old man is here to help the host take care of the house, and occasionally make extra money, these days

It just so happens that the host comes to stay, how can the old man recruit foreign guests again? Go and go, do you see the old locust tree, the people under the tree also have vacant rooms to rent, go quickly, don't cause trouble with the old man. ”

Xia Xun and the others heard that the master was coming, and they didn't do business, so they had to turn around and walk away, but Xia Xun opened his eyes and suddenly saw a family member in the courtyard leading a horse with a saddle sheath off, and was lazily pulling across the courtyard, the horse was very wonderful.

The whole body is snow-white, there is not a single miscellaneous horse, and it is a good horse, Xia Xun's heart moved, and he asked casually: "Uncle, your master has built a house here, why doesn't he live here, could it be that he is doing business all year round?" ”

The old man glared at him contemptuously and reprimanded: "Tubaozi, you are in business, so my master is also in business?" Tell you, my master is an official, that is, Liu Kui, the chief flag officer of Liujiakou Pass on the mountain, who guards the military camp on weekdays, naturally has no time to live, you go quickly, don't let my master know! ”

Xia Xun couldn't help but shake his head secretly when he heard this: "This general banner is up and down this mountain, almost equivalent to the emperor here, and it is certain that he has power." But it is easy for a general flag to buy such a yard, but I want to

It's difficult to buy such a suit for his NV people, and I don't know how much soldier blood he drank and how much empty pay he ate to make so much money. ”

Xia Xun sighed and thanked the old man, and then went to the old locust tree under the old locust tree he pointed out, that family really has a house to rent, but unfortunately there is only one, Xia Xun knows that the power of Sehazhi's snoring is amazing, and it is usually divided

The two of them asked the man for some food, ate and drank enough to sleep, Saihazhi's head snorted as soon as he touched the pillow, Xia Xun pulled two strips of cloth to plug his ears, and tossed over and over again

For a long time, he fell asleep.

Early the next morning, the two left here to rush to Daning, leaving the town only half a day's journey to meet a small Shanluo, Saihazhi from the sole of the boot chōu out of two gold leaves, with the tribal leader Jiāo for half a day, changed two horses back, this trip is much faster, Xia Xun calculated the horse's journey, only one day and one night of effort, you can rush from Liujiakou to Daning City.

Although Daning City is the residence of the vassal king, it is far less than the several cities that Xia Xun has been to because it is located outside the fortress, compared to Qingzhou City, it is too short, and the city wall has few bricks and stones, most of them are loess barriers, and only the city tower and méndòng are used

The masonry structure, there are also soldiers guarding the entrance of the city, inspecting the herdsmen, the people, and the taxes collected into the city, Xia Xun and Saihazhi dismounted, and as the crowd was patiently waiting to enter the city, suddenly a carriage galloped by, rolling up dust all the way.

Xia Xun covered his mouth and nose, turned his head to look to the side, and saw a few knights guarding a long carriage, straight to the city, at a glance, only to feel that the carriage and horses and entourage were a little familiar, Xia Xun couldn't help but move in his heart: "It can't be so coincidental, right?" ”

PS: I had a cold, struggled for a long time to get up, was slightly injured and couldn't get out of the line of fire, and resolutely completed the task. Hmm...... "I'll go lie down for a while, and then code the next chapter ~ to be continued."