Geng Gong didn't say a word, there was no joy in his eyes, more pain. Yang Yan said again: "Brother, Mi Wu led his troops and fled to Xiqiang. ”

Geng Gong remained silent. Fan Qiang was startled, held Geng Gong's hand, and said, "Brother, what's wrong with you?" ”

Geng Gong let out a long sigh and shook his head. Fan Qiang said: "Brother, we used to kill so many Huns in the Western Regions---"

Geng Gong suddenly interrupted: "Killing and killing, when will there be an end?" Our country treats the Qiang soldiers, humiliates them in every way, and is extremely cruel! Otherwise, why would the Qiang people rebel? Although the Qiang people are driven away today, this hatred is getting deeper and deeper, and it is difficult to overcome, and the Qiang people will be strong in the future, and they will avenge today's revenge! Therefore, although our army is victorious, it is not victorious. Ban Chao's younger brother once said that the rebellion of the Western Regions is impermanent, and it is useless to use soldiers in vain, and it must be supplemented by virtue, which is a long-term thing! ”

Yang Yan felt and said: "My brother is right, but now, what should I do?" ”

Geng Gong got up slowly and said, "Our army will be very tired after fighting for a night, and we will go back to rest." Although the Qiang soldiers did not dare to compete with our army after this battle, they would not be reconciled, and they would definitely make people come to question me, and then they would make a calculation. ”

Geng Gong then led his troops back to the camp. For several days, Geng Gong sat in the camp, silent, Fan Qiang and Yang Yan both wanted to attack Xiqiang in one go, but when they saw Geng Gong like this, they were all uneasy, so they had to guard Geng Gong.

On this day, with the sound of horses' hooves, a number of horses came from the south, saying that they were messengers sent by the imperial court. Yang Yan came out to greet him, inspected the envoys, and arched his hand: "The envoy is thousands of miles away, sleeping in the open air, and coming to the Gobi, it is very hard, please go to the tent to rest for a while." ”

The first messenger glanced at Yang Yan and said proudly: "There is no need to rest, quickly summon Geng Gong over, I have a holy decree to read." ”

Yang Yan was slightly stunned, and did not move, and the rest of the entourage shouted: "What are you still standing for?" Go and call Geng Gong over! ”

The Han soldiers were so angry that they couldn't help but scold when they saw that these people were arrogant and invincible. Yang Yan didn't stop it, and looked at it coldly. The messenger and his attendants were so angry that they drew their swords and tried to cut them off. What was the fear of the Han soldiers, and they made a noise in unison.

"Stop, dare to be rude to the messenger!" Suddenly, a low roar came through the air, solemn and mighty, and the Han soldiers were shocked, and immediately lowered their heads and remained silent. The man slowly walked up to the envoy and arched his hand: "The envoy is smiling, we are all rough men, we only know how to kill the enemy on the battlefield, we don't know how to write, we don't know how to read etiquette, I hope the messenger will forgive me!" ”

The messenger tilted his head and said coldly, "Who are you?" Dare to come and see me? ”

The man said lightly: "Under Geng Gong!" ”

The envoy was startled, hurriedly turned his head, looked Geng Gong up and down, and saw that although his expression was gloomy, he was heroic and restrained, not angry and self-imposing, and he had been on the battlefield for a long time, revealing a dignified and murderous aura. The envoy didn't dare to be rude, squeezed out a smile, and said, "Okay, since you are General Geng, then come to receive the order!" ”

Geng Gong knelt down, and the rest of the Han soldiers knelt down. The messenger took out the holy decree from his bosom and raised his voice: "Fengtian carrier, the emperor summoned and said, Wen Qiang soldiers have retreated, Han Wei is far away, I am happy, return to Luoyang quickly, Qin this!" ”

Geng Gong was taken aback, and thought: "Although the Qiang soldiers are defeated, the grudges are formed, and there is no one to garrison Longxi, if the Qiang people collude with the countries of the Western Regions and invade Longxi again, won't they go forward and abandon it?" At that time, there was another war, and I don't know how many people died under the sword and gun! "Three-two

Just thinking about it, the messenger shouted: "Geng Gong, still don't come to receive the order?" ”

Geng Gong was shocked, and Mu Ran said: "Thank you, Emperor!" "When I received the decree, I had mixed feelings in my heart. Yang Yan took a step forward and said in a low voice: "Brother, if you are a tiger, how can you retreat?" ”

The envoy grinned: "General Geng, you defeated the Qiang army, recovered Longxi, and retreated this time, the emperor will naturally be rewarded, and the marquis will pay homage to the prime minister, just around the corner." In front of the emperor, he has to say a few good words for his brother! ”

Geng Gong sighed: "One general has achieved ten thousand bones, although he has defeated the Qiang soldiers, but I don't know how many soldiers have died in battle, how can I dare to ask for credit?" If there is a reward, please ask the emperor to sympathize with the dead and care for the living, so that the dead have no regrets, and the living are grateful, it is enough. ”

When the Han soldiers heard this, they were all moved. The messenger was stunned for a moment, a look of admiration flashed in his eyes, and instantly faded again. Geng Gong said: "The holy decree has been announced, please put the messenger into the account and rest." Ben will immediately give the order to pack up and retire the army on the same day! ”

"Brother......" Fan Qiang and Yang Yan shouted in unison.

The night was deep, the wind was whining, and the reeds were rolling. In the tent, a pile of anointing fire, swallowing and spitting, snapping and burning, several huge figures, cast on the tent curtain, stretching and contracting, swaying from side to side, containing huge loneliness. Silence, sea-like silence. Got, got, got...... In the distance, there was a sudden sound of horses' hooves, piercing the wind, especially harsh in the silence of the night. After a while, the sound of the horse's hooves became clearer, as if the whirring of the rider was heard.

"Brother, someone is coming, and besides, it's not our people......" Fan Qiang said in a low voice, holding the saber in his hand.

Geng Gong waved his hand, looked at the curtain, and said, "It's finally here...... Brother Qiang, send the order down, let the man come to me in the account. ”

"Who's coming?" Yang Yan and Fan Qiangqi said.

"Xiqiang envoy!" Geng Gong said word by word.

Yang Yan and Fan Qiang were startled, and said in unison: "Why did they come?" ”

Geng Gong sighed: "Although the Qiang army is defeated, it will not be reconciled, but I don't want to make the grudge deeper and deeper, so I prevent you from taking advantage of the victory to pursue." Now Miwu sent a messenger again, Brother Qiang, you are good to bring it here, don't be abrupt. ”

Fan Qiang agreed in a low voice and got up to leave the account. After a while, footsteps sounded outside the tent, and Fan Qiang really brought a person, who was thin and small, and it was the messenger who came to the Han camp last time to spy on the military situation. When he saw Geng Gong, he said with a bitter face: "General Geng, you hurt me not shallowly, I was almost beheaded by Qu Shuai without confusion!" ”

Fan Qiang glared at him and sneered: "What a big boldness, dare to come again, if I don't kill you, I want to split you into two pieces!" With that, he brushed the ground and pulled out the knife.

Unconfused but fearless, he grinned and said, "General Fan, if I'm afraid that you will kill me, I won't come." If you really want to kill me, why did you bring me into this tent? ”

Fan Qiang was speechless, and he didn't dare to really slash down, so he had to take the knife back with hatred, and said angrily: "I won't kill you today, let you live a few more days!" ”