Shuofang County, on the north bank of the Yellow River.

Although it is not yet the height of summer, the pastures on the shore are so abundant that there is no edge in sight, and the grass grows stirrups in the depths, and when it is blown by the wind, it is like a rolling wave, tirelessly churning.

To the northeast of this meadow is a birch forest, with streams intertwined.

A doe is drinking water by the stream.

Not far from the deer, behind the pile of rocks, a human head was exposed.

This man had a small pigtail, and he was obviously a Hu man from the Northland, and he was not very old, about twenty-three or four.

He stared at the deer intently, his eyes shining with joy, and he gently put the arrow on the bow, slowly raised it, put his arm on the stone, and aimed the arrow at the unsuspecting doe, who was still licking and drinking.

A large, rough hand suddenly reached out from behind the man, and pressed the bow and arrow in his hand.

The man turned his head and said in amazement, "What are you doing, sir?" ”

The man who held the man's bow and arrow was also pigtailed, but much older, in his thirties and forties, with a face as black as iron, a beard under his chin, and a scar between his left eyebrows, as if left by a knife. This person is none other than Rouran's general, Wen Shilan.

Wen Shilan asked him rhetorically and said, "What are you doing here?" ”

"I'd like to beat that deer and bring it back for the adults to taste."

"Which deer are you going to fight?"

"Of course it's the one who drinks by the stream."

"Look at its belly."

When the man with the bow and arrow saw that the doe's belly was round, he said, "Like pregnant?" ”

"Isn't that it! You hit it, what about the deer cub in its belly? ”

“…… My lord. ”

This Hu man, who planned to shoot the doe to death and give Wen Shilan a taste, was a squire that Wen Shilan had always loved, seeing that he was speechless, Wen Shilan laughed and said: "Don't beat pregnant female animals, this is the teaching of our ancestors, you can't forget it!" ”

The attendant put away his bow and arrows, and replied respectfully, "Yes." couldn't help but praise Wen Shilan, and said admiringly: "My lord, you are really kind! ”

"It's not mercy."

Hearing Wen Shilan's words, the attendant was puzzled and asked blankly, "Isn't it kindness?" My lord, what is this? ”

Wen Shilan raised her eyes to look at the boundless grassland, and then turned her head to look at the other side of the Yellow River in the south for a while, and then said with a little meaning, with a smile: "This is so that we can live!" ”

"To be alive."

The young attendant tasted the meaning of Wen Shilan's words, although this sentence was simple, but the more he tasted it, the more he felt the meaning was long.

Just as the Tang people were based on land and cattle, the Hu people took the grassland and the wild animals on the grassland as the foundation of survival, and caring for the pregnant wild animals was actually caring for their own living environment.

The doe didn't know that a danger that threatened its life was defused by Wen Shilan, and Wen Shilan would not have any gratitude to her, so she was alarmed by the sound of Wen Shilan's conversation with the attendant, and glanced over this side in a panic, opened her hooves and ran away.

Wen Shilan saw it go, came out from behind the pile of rocks, went to the clear stream, took off the sheepskin bladder from the belt, bent down and filled a bag of water, hung it back on her waist, and then looked at the distance and near again for a moment, and said to the attendant, "Go back!" ”

The mounts of the two, bolted to the outside of the forest.

The attendant galloped out of the forest and untied the reins of his horse.

When Wen Shilan came out, the two turned over and galloped north.

Passing through a meadow with a windswept wind, and passing through two small forests.

After about four or five miles, a makeshift barracks appeared in front of the two of them.

It is said to be a barracks, but it is not much different from the settlement area of the Hu tribe.

There was no camp wall outside the camp, but there were a few guarded knights around it, and on the huge garrison ground, in the grass, dotted with more than a thousand tents, each with three or five horses on the outside, and in an area in the northwest corner, three or two hundred carts with particularly tall wheels were parked, surrounded by flocks of sheep.

This is the troops that Wen Shilan brought to the vicinity of Shuofang this time.

Five thousand fighters in total. - Wen Shilan was a man of the Gul, that is, the chariot people, and many of his subordinates were of the same clan as him, and the chariots in his camp were the characteristics of their own people, and the sheep were used to milk the cows to provide the soldiers with daily food.

Wen Shilan ruled the army and attached great importance to military discipline, and when he came back, the knights on guard around him did not leave their posts, but just took off their hats, raised their swords, or whistled their cheeks, and whistled loudly, using these movements and sounds to show their heartfelt support and respect for him.

Wen Shilan nodded at them in return.

Entering the camp, Wen Shilan instructed the attendant: "Go and invite Mr. Gong and the Long Junjun." ”

The squire promised.

Wen Shilan went to the tent, took off the saber on her waist, untied the strap, hung them on the tent wall, washed her hands casually, and sat down for a long time, a Tang man and a blue-eyed bearded man from the Western Regions followed the attendant to the outside of the tent.

These two people are "Mr. Gong" and "General Long" in Wen Shilan's mouth.

Mr. Gong is the Tang man, his full name is Gong Fengjing; General Long is the man from the Western Regions, and his full name is Long Wuju.

Gong Fengjing's family is the same as those Tang people in Rouran now, but he also committed an accident in his hometown, in order to avoid criminal responsibility, he absconded out of the country and ran to Rouran, because he was familiar with the situation in Shuofang, so this time he was originally the commander of the western town of Rouran, and later succeeded in seizing the throne, became the new Khan of Rouran, sent to Wen Shilan, and came here in the army.

- Speaking of Pitan's seizure of the throne, it was really a fierce battle. The scar between Wen Shilan's eyebrows was left in that battle. Wen Shilan, as the number one general under Pi Tan's tent, even he was injured like this and almost lost his life, which shows the danger at that time.

"My lord, Mr. Gong and Long Jun are coming."

"Please come in."

The attendants waited outside the tent, guarding the guards, and Gong Fengjing and Long Wuju entered the tent.

A Tang dynasty and a person from the Western Regions, since they have voted for Rouran, they will inevitably have to change their original language and habits, and "follow the customs". Gong Fengjing and Long Wuju each took off their felt hats, put them on their chests, and bowed to Wen Shilan in stiff nonsense.

Wen Shilan said affectionately: "No need to be polite, please sit down!" ”

The two sat down on the Hu Bench.

Gong Fengjing said: "When did the adults come back?" ”

Wen Shilan replied, "Just came back." ”

"I don't know what the adults have gained from going to Shuofang this time?"

However, it turned out that Meng Lang asked Wen Shilan to assist in the defense of Shuo Fang in case Dingxi came to invade, and a few days ago, he was first sent to Pi Tan, and then Pi Tan sent an order to Wen Shilan and told him to prepare for battle. After receiving Pi Tan's order, Wen Shilan personally crossed the river south and went to Shuofang, where he met with the current Pu Qin guards of Shuofang, one is to understand the specific situation of Dingxi and Shuofang, and the other is to communicate with the guards, when Dingxi really comes to invade, they will be able to better coordinate operations on both sides, and the third is also to take the opportunity to ask the Qin army of Shuofang for some ordnance and equipment.

Gong Fengjing's "harvest" refers to Wen Shilan's last intention to go to Shuofang.

Wen Shilan said: "Then General Qin is very stingy, I want to say it, he just won't let go, and he didn't give me anything!" ”

Long Wuju was greatly dissatisfied, and said: "If you want the horses to run, but you don't give the horses grazing, how can there be such a reason in the world?" While asking us to go south, we didn't pull out a dime and didn't give anything. It's excessive! ”

Taking the opportunity to ask Shuo Fang Qin Jun for armaments was Gong Fengjing's idea for Wen Shilan.

He scratched his head and said: "Now that the main force of the Qin army is in Wei, once Dingxi comes to attack, without us, Shuofang will inevitably be in danger." In order to keep Shuofang, it stands to reason that you shouldn't refuse the adult's request. ”

Long Wuju said suspiciously: "My lord, Mr. Gong is reasonable, General Qin of Shuofang should not have rejected your lordship, but he is so stingy, could it be because he has been instructed by Lord Qin and Meng Lang?" …… If that's the case, I see what Meng Lang's old guy said to the Khan, why will he help us defeat Daibei after the defeat of Wei, nine times out of ten it is not reliable, maybe he is coaxing us! My lord, why don't we just leave Shuo Fang alone! ”

Wen Shilan shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter if it doesn't work." ”

"But if Meng Lang's old guy is coaxing us and tricking us into sending troops and contributing, in the end, he won't help us fight Daibei?"

To be honest, Wen Shilan didn't believe that the Qin army would help them defeat Daibei, not only him, but also Pi Tan didn't believe it.

But this fierce battle between Qin and Wei was a rare opportunity for Rouran to expand her territory and enhance her strength.

Just before Wen Shilan sent out his troops, Pi Tan told him that he had decided that regardless of whether the Qin army would help or not, he was ready to attack Daibei in a big way after the autumn. In other words, even if the Qin army doesn't help, Daibei and Rouran will also fight. And since Daibei and Rouran must be fought, then Shuofang, which is adjacent to Daibei, must not be occupied by Dingxi, another great enemy of Rouran.

Wen Shilan thought back to Pi Tan's words, and said to Long Wuju: "Whether he helps or not, as long as Qin Jun can cripple the Murong clan, it will be good for us after all." ”

"What do you mean?"

"If Dingxi sends troops to attack, we still have to help Shuo Fang."

Gong Fengjing asked, "Can you tell you about the strategy we have set to resist the enemy, and talk to the Qin generals of Shuo Fang?" ”

Wen Shilan said: "Said. ”

"Then what did General Qin say?"

"He agrees and is willing to do so."

This "strategy to resist the enemy" also has a contribution to Gong Fengjing, he was very happy when he heard this, and said: "In this case, the rest depends on whether Dingxi will really come to invade Shuofang!" If they really dare to come and offend, wait for them, hum,...... There will be only one way for the whole army to be destroyed! Flattering Wen Shilan, he said, "Your Excellency can also make great achievements in this way." ”