Leaving the barracks, Qin Mubai returned to Princess Gaoyang's residence in Xiangcheng and saw that she was still asleep. So, he left a letter, and immediately left Xiangcheng with Yin Yang and others, and went to Xiangyang to take care of military and political affairs.

Pang Fei took the men and horses of the Xiangzhou Military Government and was still stationed in Xinye Military Port. Without orders, they have not retreated, even after knowing that Xiangcheng was broken, they have been stationed here, even if they know that there are tens of thousands of troops of Li Tao in front, they have not retreated without authorization.

For now, this army has become a die-hard loyalist.

Qin Mubai ordered the whole army to withdraw to the Xiangyang military garrison. When he was on the ship, Qin Mubai temporarily handed over military affairs to Pang Fei and asked him to temporarily act as the lieutenant of Zhichong. If there is an accident after returning to the court, Chang'an will issue a letter of order.

At this time, Qin Mubai still didn't know if he would really go to the border to fight; If you can go, then the position of Xiangzhou Zhichong Lieutenant cannot be left behind. After all, Xiangzhou is also a small "base area". At least, there is Wu Meiniang doing business here, and someone has to take care of it. Leaving Pang Fei for the time being is a good foreshadowing.

When the army arrived at Juntun, Qin Mubai and Pang Fei cooked in the military camp for a while, then left here and went to Xiangyang County. went to the Assassin's Mansion first, and stayed behind with Zhifu to guard the Assassin's History.

Li Ke really left a letter. Qin Mubai looked at it with faith and couldn't help but smile.

It's really the same thing that heroes see, and Li Ke also thought of this layer - to draw a clear line and temporarily cut off contact.

Qin Mubai has always believed that Li Ke, the prince, is more mature and wise than himself in many aspects. Right now, Fang is the best proof of this. He only woke up through Li Tao's order, and Li Ke may have thought of this layer a long time ago. It's just that because of the situation, I haven't said it explicitly. Now it is a good thing to take the opportunity of Li Ke's matter to talk about it clearly.

It also saved Qin Mubai from some twists and turns. In this case, it is indeed inconvenient to say that it is inconvenient to face to face. Leaving a letter to briefly state that the two have been confidants for a long time will naturally be able to keep it unannounced, and will not have other unhappiness and misunderstandings.

After leaving the Assassin's Mansion, Qin Mubai went to the suburbs, where he also had a set of his own "secret private property" - the "Scientific Research" Institute.

Last time, when the prince left, he ordered Tu Youhai Tu, who was the superintendent of the left school office, to stay in the sick under Qin Mubai's "help", and continued to ponder Fan Zhu of the red-clothed cannon. For several months, this master of exquisite craftsmanship and sincerity and pragmatism, finally succeeded in casting this cannon that had never been touched by his predecessors with just a piece of Qin Mubai's pictures and texts!

Niu Wuzhi's three old apprentices did not fail in their mission, and cooperated with Tu Youhai to study and process and improve the "Five-Fingered Divine Thunder" to make it more suitable for use in cannons. Now, the probability of exploding has been reduced to a very low level, and the front sight of the cannon is gradually being controlled by humans. Although it is not yet possible to point where to hit like the current high-level military artillery, the error rate has gradually narrowed.

The situation is encouraging.

Qin Mubai arrived here, and the four of them went out to greet him. Everyone chatted about the technological progress of the cannon for a while, and also sent two cannons to Qin Mubai to see.

The results are really good.

The target of the test launch was a few trees growing in a wild tidal flat 200 paces away. The first shot deviated by seven or eight paces, and the second gun, which had been debugged, successfully destroyed it.

"General, this cannon has probably been successfully made. It's just that the person who operates the cannon may have to go through many times of proficiency and practice before he can successfully master the method of shooting. Otherwise, it is easy to be injured by mistake. Tu Youhai said, "Also, this cannon will definitely not be able to be cast in large quantities now." Because, just the polishing of the gun chamber is an extremely fine work. It takes an experienced craftsman like me to work day and night for thirty or forty days to do this. ”

"Well, it's really hard for you." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, and said, "Now, King Wu and I are going to leave Xiangyang and rush to the capital. However, before that, I counted as much as you promised. If you are willing to stay in Xiangyang and be a subordinate of the army, I will move immediately after returning to the court, and I will ensure that you will be fulfilled. Of course, you can also choose to come to Beijing with us. At that time, it will not be difficult to promote you to be a Beijing official. ”

"Oh, the general and the king of Wu...... Won't you go back to Xiangzhou in the future? Tu Youhai said with both surprise and disappointment.

"It's hard to say." Qin Mubai said, "Maybe go back, maybe not." Even if you go back, you will have to wait for a while. What do you think? ”

Tu Youhai pondered it. If King Wu and Qin Mubai are here together, he is "promoted" by Qin Mubai, and there are people above him who are good officials, which is of course a great thing. But these two are gone, leaving themselves alone here to "struggle", it's hard to say what the future is, it's better to go back to Chang'an and continue to be my left school administrator!

"Humble duty, I am willing to go to Beijing with the general!" Tu Youhai said decisively.

"Okay, then you get ready, and we'll leave in two days." After Qin Mubai finished speaking, he said to the three old men, "Three masters, I promised to provide for you in old age. Now I'm leaving Xiangyang, and my return date is uncertain. Come with me to Chang'an! ”

The three old men were very hesitant and discussed for a long time, saying that they were old and returned to their hometowns, and they were too old to leave Xiangyang, where they were born and raised, and they wanted to stay here and keep filial piety for the childless cow. If you want to prepare gunpowder, the three of them have already passed on the true lineage and can do it for them. If you say that you can give some money to the end of your life, you don't have to go through a lot of trouble.

These words were exactly what Qin Mubai wanted.

The three old men called their apprentices to him. A young man in his twenties, who had been an abandoned baby since childhood, was adopted by them and treated as a parent.

"General, he has no name or surname, we all call him 'Shi'er', he has been tinkering with us since he was a child, and now he is born in a dark and ugly appearance, and he is also behind our ears. He can only make gunpowder and has no other skills, and if he stays with us in the future, if we die, he will probably lose his livelihood. "He is younger and smarter than us, and he is better at crafting." People are honest, three meals a day, but just don't be hungry. If the general doesn't give up, please accept him! ”

Shi'er was born strong and honest, as they said, he was dark and ugly. As soon as he heard the three old men speak, he fell to his knees and began to cry loudly, unwilling to leave the three old men.

The three elders comforted for a while, and Shi'er finally stopped crying.

Qin Mubai felt that this person was kind and affectionate, and he had a skill, such a person was the most qualified subordinate.

"Shi'er, if you want, I'll give you a name and surname, how about calling it 'Qin Shi'?" Qin Mubai said.

The three old men were immediately overjoyed: "Shi'er, haven't you thanked the general soon?" The general has taken you! You've got a name! After the fight, you will be the general's servant! ”

Shi'er wiped a handful of tears, and bowed down in a proper manner: "Qin Shi kowtows to the general!" ”

"Okay, get up!" Qin Mubai smiled, "In the future, you will be my Qin Mubai's scholar." No one will call you but me. ”

"Qin Shi kowtows to the general!" But he only cared about tilting his head, and slammed it on the ground.

Leaving Tu Youhai and Qin Shi here for the time being, Qin Mubai returned to Xiangyang County and said goodbye to Wu Meiniang.

Dengzhou was in turmoil, and the order in Xiangyang County was slowly being restored, and Qinxian Pavilion had not yet officially opened. Wu Meiniang and a group of women are still hiding at home, and the few hundred horsemen who stayed here are still guarding and protecting here.

Wu Meiniang probably heard about the changes in Dengzhou, and when she saw Qin Mubai coming in, her eyebrows were a little twisted, and she said worriedly: "Mubai, are you okay?" ”

"Isn't that good?" Qin Mubai smiled.

"Hmm...... What about Princess Goyang? ”

"Okay." Qin Mubai let out a long breath and smiled slightly apologetically, "Mei Niang, I might be going to make you angry." ”

Wu Meiniang smiled calmly: "Why? ”

"I'm here to quit." Qin Mubai said.

Wu Meiniang's face did not change, but she slightly curled the corners of her mouth and nodded: "I know." ”

"You know?" Qin Mubai was surprised.

"Of course I guess." Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "If such a big thing happens, you will definitely have to go back to Chang'an to meet the king and explain everything." Also, King Wu had also come before, saying that he had gone to Chang'an first. At that time, I was guessing that you would definitely be called to Chang'an as well. ”

"I'm sorry, Mei Niang." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "You just came, and I haven't been with you for two days, but I'm leaving." ”

"Serious matters, rest assured." Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Men are all over the world, how can there be a reason to curl up beside women?" Didn't you tell me before, 'If the love between the two is long, how can it be in the morning and twilight?' I'll wait for you. ”

Qin Mubai nodded gratefully and gratifyingly: "Don't you go to Chang'an with me?" ”

"Nope." Wu Meiniang said very softly, but she was sure, "At the beginning of everything here in Xiangyang, big and small things must be taken care of." Didn't you give me back hundreds of thousands of stones of grain and grass? I'm going to exchange it for real money, so that we can live without worry for the rest of our lives. ”

Qin Mubai's face was embarrassed, and he said sourly: "How do I feel, I am like a little white face eating soft rice?" ”

"What?" Wu Meiniang had probably never heard these words, but she understood the meaning of Qin Mu's words, and said with a smile, "Don't think about it!" I call it a big river, and the little river is full of water. If it weren't for your ability, I would be where I am today? Leave the trivial things to our women to take care of, you can rest assured and bold to do your big things and business! ”

"Hmm." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, "Three days later, let's go." ”

Wu Meiniang also smiled, but there was a trace of reluctance in her smile, a little regret, but she smiled calmly: "Go, accompany Gao Yang." Now, she needs you more than I do. ”

For a while, Qin Mubai didn't know what to say. They held Wu Meiniang's hand, stared at her, and said word by word: "The mind of the master mother, everyone's demeanor!" ”

"Hee-hee!" Wu Meiniang was amused, "You, your mouth is the sweetest at this time." Even though I am a million unhappy, how can I resist your sweet words? Okay, all the way is simple and simple, take a quick bath and then sit down and I'll have a drink, rest for a while and then go? ”

Qin Mubai said with a smile: "If you are accompanied by Mei Niang, it doesn't hurt to rest until tomorrow." ”

"Fantasy Sky...... Lecher! ”

In the evening, Qin Mubai, who was slightly drunk, rode a horse, took Tu Youhai, Qin Shi and others, and left Xiangyang under the send-off of Pang Fei and Yin Yang.

There is still a faint body fragrance on Wu Meiniang's body, and her gentleness and mellowness seem to be felt between her lips and teeth. Qin Mubai looked back at the familiar Xiangyang City, breathing the familiar air with the smell of aquatic plants between the rivers and ports, and he said to himself: When will you revisit the old place?

Farewell, Xiangyang.