In the third year of Yonghui (652 AD), the fifteenth day of the lunar month, at dusk.

The dart team was chased by Tong Wenbao and the Seven Fairies, and was forced to go up the mountain to the cableway, Jiuniang successfully escaped to the opposite side of the cliff, and Erniu killed the thief at Wu Kang's feet, woke up the distracted Wu Kang, and pushed him to cross the bridge. Wu Kang no longer hesitated, stepped on the ropeway with his horizontal knife back to his sheath, and shouted: "Erniu will go with me!" ”

Holding the smooth wooden rattan with both hands, stepping on the single vine carefully, walking more than three meters away, it felt wrong. Stopped, didn't notice the vine shaking, and then turned his head to look behind him. The battle situation was in full swing, but Erniu stood at the head of the bridge in a daze, and Wu Kang anxiously scolded: "What are you doing in a daze, waiting for death?" Hurry up to the bridge! ”

Erniu didn't move, turned his head to look behind him, and there were more than a dozen bodyguards, forming a fan to protect the bridge, waving knives to meet countless bamboo guns. In front of them, dozens of corpses lay with their own people and enemies. Looking at the blood stains on the black-clothed corpse, Er Niu slowly turned his head, looked directly at Wu Kang and asked, "Is Wu Shuai real, why are they desperately protecting you?" ”

All the eyebrows were burned, how could he be in the mood to think about this, Wu Kang scolded sharply: "What nerves do you have, do you want the brothers to die in vain?" Give me the bridge right away, it's an order ... Erniu, what are you doing, put down the knife for me, and go to the bridge immediately! I repeat, this is an order! ”

Jiang Erniu put his knife on his neck, grinned bitterly and said: "Wu Shuai once said that it is easy to punish ruffians, but the difficult thing is not to despise them. You call them brothers and sisters, you don't look down on them, let them eat chickens, let them earn money to support their families, so they listen to your orders. ”

A black-clothed bodyguard fell to the bridge, with several bamboo guns stuck in his body, and his whole body convulsed violently. Erniu looked directly at Wu Kang again and continued: "Wen Ruo's family all work in Wu Shuai's shop, and you give the Wen family three times a year, they are doing well!" The brothers know that if you die, you will also be treated by the Wen family, so they will give you their lives..."

"Let's not talk about this", Wu Kang interrupted him, and said with a pleasant face: "No matter who follows me, I will not be disadvantaged." Erniu, you listen to me, put down the knife, and leave with me. I assure you that your family will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of your life! ”

Jiang Erniu shook his head and said, "If something happens to the ninth lady, we all have to be buried together; If something happens to Wu Shuai, we can't get the treatment of the Wen family. Wu Shuai was worried that the bridge was unstable and did not walk with Jiu Niangzi, and Erniu was also worried about the instability of the bridge. Erniu, please... Let's go! ”

With a wail, another bodyguard died tragically, Jiang Erniu raised his voice, and blushed with emotion. Wu Kang didn't dare to delay, turned his head and held Mu Rattan in his hands, and sped up as much as possible to ensure safety. I already knew in my heart that if I didn't get out of danger, Erniu would not go to the bridge.

Every step will shake, more difficult than walking a tightrope, constantly taking deep breaths, not daring to look below, and moving mechanically by feeling. The farther and farther she went, she could gradually see Jiu Niang's face clearly, she put her hands in fists on her chest, her face flushed with nervousness.

The little girl's psychological quality is too strong, I really can't imagine that she can cross the bridge, Wu Kang is convinced... The moment his feet stepped on the cliff, his heart was finally put in his belly, and he fluttered like a drum. The excitement of the rest of his life after the catastrophe, his face was feverish, and he was panting heavily.

patted the shoulder of the person in his arms, hugged her in a circle, turned his hands into a trumpet shape, and shouted loudly towards the cliff: "We have reached the other side, Erniu goes to the bridge... It has reached the other side, and the two cows are on the bridge..."

Over and over again, like a repeater, under the afterglow of the sunset, Erniu finally got on the rope bridge. However, in less than two minutes, the accident happened again, and the bodyguards were all wiped out. The wooden vine shook violently, and more than a dozen pursuers also went up the ropeway.

The thief threw away the bamboo gun, carried the horizontal knife of the bodyguard in his waist, and the leader was only a few feet away from Erniu, and kept reducing the distance. They are all locals, and their ability to control the ropeway is far stronger than Jiang Erniu. Wu Kang's heart went up and down, and he was worried and secretly pinched his cold sweat,

A voice came from his arms: "If I were you, I would cut the vine bridge, without hesitation." The bodyguards are all dead, no one believes the thief's words, and the truth is covered up forever... Erlang, don't look at me like this, I'm a woman, not a gentleman. I can sacrifice anyone's life for you! ”

Is this being teased by a girl? Wu Kang was a little stunned, looked at his immature and firm face, and after a few breaths, he shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Is this just a river and a bridge to tear down?" Don't talk to me about Liu Bang, and don't say Liu Bei, I'm not so ruthless. As a last resort, I won't give up Erniu, after all, I've been with me for so long. ”

"You are good at everything, but your heart is too soft", Jiuniang left her arms and taught with a straight face: "When you were in Wuzhou, you should have killed the demon woman, but you were too soft-hearted and caused today's disaster." Erlang, more than 20 powerful subordinates who died, which is more important than the death of a stranger hostage? ”

Wu Kang was slightly stunned, looked directly at the high-altitude cableway, and did not answer Jiuniang's words. Maybe she's right, but my code of conduct is worthy of my conscience. There was a shout from the quiet valley, and following the sound, the two oxen danced and the three wooden vines swayed back and forth.

When they reached the middle of the bridge, the pursuers did not dare to move, and the distance between the two sides was less than one meter, and the two bulls shouted: "The thief is faster than me, and I can't escape." I dragged them back, and Wu Shuai cut down the wooden vines to help the brothers take revenge..."

Wu Kang's pupils constricted, his head buzzed, and he opened his mouth to scold, but he couldn't say half a word. Once the rattan bridge is cut, including Erniu, they will fall off the cliff and fall to pieces. Killing a brother with his own hands is impossible! What should I do if my brow is twisted into a pimple?

The wild laughter sounded again, Erniu shook the wooden vine vigorously, his body was shaky, and the heroic cry came again: "Wu Shuai, I wanted to jump down by myself, but I was a wreck, and I didn't have the courage to commit suicide." Wu Shuai help me, please! ”

A long scream sounded in the mountain stream, and a thief fell off the cliff with a knife, and he picked up the knife behind his back to cut two oxen, and one fell unsteadily. The others didn't dare to act rashly, and grabbed the swinging wooden vine, and Erniu's laughter was even more presumptuous: "Wait for Tian Shenu, continue to cut Naiweng, continue to chop, a group of scum without eggs..."

The high-altitude cableway is like a three-line staff, the people on the bridge are like musical notes, the height is different and constantly beating, playing the wild laughter of the two cows, and the foul words of the thieves... The music played by life is so filthy and so round and beautiful.

Wu Kang's brain was blank, and there was only Erniu's presumptuous smiling face in his pupils. Suddenly, I felt something strange around my waist, and subconsciously reached out to grab it, grabbing the soft and boneless hand on the horizontal knife handle. Staring at the discoloration of the flower, he subconsciously shook his head, and the sudden change was like the collapse of the mountain, and he didn't have time to adapt.

Jiuniang broke her fingers vigorously and begged with a crying voice: "Erlang let go, don't be indecisive, Erniu did the right thing." Once the thief comes ashore, he will definitely die, and we will not be able to escape. You take your hands away... Take it away! ”

When the sword came out of its sheath, it fell heavily to the ground. This knife is specially custom-made, it is 30 catties, and one knife can cut a pig in two sections. Jiuniang gritted her teeth, held the handle of the knife with both hands and pulled hard, staggered to the side of the bridge, and couldn't lift the knife at all. squatted on the ground, crying wow, and shouting "Erlang" with teary eyes.

dilated his pupils and focused his light, looked at Jiuniang who was crying, looked at Tong Wenbao and the Seven Fairies on the other side, and looked at the dense thieves. His eyes fell on Erniu, and he was still desperately shaking the wooden vines, pulling his throat and shouting and chopping. The corners of Wu Kang's mouth pulled out a wry smile, and he came to the bridge in two steps, raised his knife and rounded his arm, and a wooden vine broke in response.

Another thief fell off the cliff, and his figure became smaller and smaller. The three strings become erhu, and the people on the bridge grasp the strings with their hands and step on the strings, crumbling. Unbridled laughter, Er Niu screamed: "Their screams are too scary, I don't dare to jump when I'm scared, Wu Shuai is a little tormented, continue to cut!" ”

Wu Kang smiled slightly, and shouted in his voice: "There is a routine, jump off a cliff and hang a tree branch, get peerless martial arts, and walk to the peak of life." When I was a child, I had a dream and wanted to become a peerless master, so I climbed the mountain, but I didn't have the courage to jump. Erniu helped me complete it, Duan Yu, Yang Guo, and Zhang Wuji all succeeded, and you will succeed too. ”

Two flashes of sword light, several long shouts... The screams disappeared for a long time, Wu Kang slowly opened his eyes, and three wooden vines hung down on the mountain wall, and there was no one in sight. This is normal, the strength of a person holding a rope can't do the power acceleration, and it's impossible to get stuck in a tree.

There is no thief on the other side, it should be down the mountain, and it will be up the mountain soon. It will soon be dark, it is impossible to go down the mountain by themselves, it is impossible for them to go up the mountain, it is safe tonight. Wu Kang made up his mind to spend the night on the mountain tonight.

The horizontal knife was returned to the sheath, came to Jiuniang and squatted down, and carried her towards the dense forest. As the sky grew dark, Wu Kang stopped, put Jiu Niang down, and rested under a big tree. Jiuniang knew that he was uncomfortable, so she snuggled in his arms obediently.

In about half an hour, the full moon rises in the sky and shines through the sparse branches. Wu Kang looked around, found vines on a big tree, walked over and pulled hard, and it was quite strong. Draw a knife and cut a few knots and tie them together into a long rope. Swinging the knife again, he cut all the vines and dragged them down around the trunk.

Pick those thin ones and wrap them around the shoes and wrists to increase friction. Take a deep breath and slowly climb the tree, standing on a sturdy branch, and visually measuring eight or nine meters high. The rattan rope is tied to the waist, and the other end is tied to the branch above, and the horizontal knife is pulled out and squatted, holding the handle of the knife in one hand and pinching the back of the knife with the other, and sharpening the trunk of the tree.

On the trunk and branches of the main tree, cut out a plane of more than ten centimeters, remove the sheepskin wine bag around the waist, and sprinkle it with realgar wine. Untie the rattan rope around your waist and throw it down, and shout to Jiuniang under the tree: "Tie the rope around your waist, I'll pull you up, and spend the night on the tree tonight." ”

Pull her up the tree so hard that she leans her back against the trunk and rides on the branch with her legs crossed. Cautiously approached, tying her to the trunk with rattan rope. Jiu Niang was inexplicable, and asked softly: "What are you doing with me, why are you sleeping on the tree, why are you sprinkling realgar wine?" ”

Wu Kang was silent for a moment and replied, "There are many poisonous insects and beasts, and it is not safe to sleep underneath. Except for cats such as tigers and leopards, wild boars, bears, etc., do not climb trees. When sleeping on a tree, it is natural to tie it up to prevent it from falling. As for realgar wine, it is used to repel poisonous snakes and mosquitoes, and snakes don't have to worry, they are all hibernating. ”

Unfastened the cloak behind her back, put it over her, and sat down in front of her with a rattan rope around the branches above her head, tied around her waist. Seeing that he was depressed, Jiu Niang comforted him softly: "Erlang, don't be sad, in that case, Erniu's choice is right." If he comes, the thieves will come, and they will all die. ”

Wu Kang was silent for a long time, and said with a forced smile: "Don't worry about me, in fact, Erniu is not dead, he was blocked by a branch, picked up a life, and found at the bottom of the cliff... Jiuyang Shengong, enter the world of martial arts. With peerless martial arts, he played a piece of the world, became the leader of the martial arts alliance, and walked to the pinnacle of life. ”

Jiuniang listened to the clouds, smiled and changed the topic: "When I first arrived in Muzhou this morning, in that village, I met evil officials who killed pigs. You enlightened me at the time, saying that this was the Datang version... Gods may do what cattle may not. Is there an allusion, can you tell me about it? ”

Trying to recall for a moment, Wu Kang began to popularize science: "In the Song Dynasty, there was a state official named Tian Deng, who climbed high and looked far away. The history of the Harmony Prefecture is a virtue, and the people are not allowed to carry 'lamps', and they are not even allowed to light lamps. Whoever commits a taboo will be punished with a board at the least, and sentenced to prison at the worst, and the crime of 'insulting the local governor' will not be spared even by his subordinates. ”

"This is ridiculous", Jiu Niang was stunned and said in disbelief: "Jianggou has 'Zhu' in his official name, so he will kill the people's pigs." Tian Dog Official is even more domineering, he doesn't even let the lights be lit, and the court doesn't care? ”

"The mountain is high and the emperor is far away, and the magistrate is the emperor of the soil", Wu Kang sighed lightly and continued: "When it comes to the Shangyuan Festival, according to the custom, the lanterns are put on for three days to celebrate, and the yamen posts notices for the people to watch the lanterns. It's hard to write a notice to the officials, you can't write 'lamp', you can't write homonyms, and you have to let the people understand the meaning... Jiu Niang, if you were a notice officer, what would you do? ”

Jiu Niang blinked her fawn eyes and grinned: "Is it that official who wrote setting the lamp as setting fire, and setting fire for three days to celebrate Shangyuan?" The people mistakenly thought that the government had set fire, and they packed up and fled for their lives... Erlang, you say, am I guessing right? ”

Seeing her cute appearance, Wu Kang couldn't help but smile, nodded and praised: "Jiuniang is smart, and her guess is not bad at all." Later generations used this allusion and used this sentence to satirize the domineering corrupt officials. But don't change the subject, if you were a notice officer, would you also write about arson for three days? ”

"Of course it can't be", Jiu Niang saw him smile, her spirit was even stronger, and she thought for a moment and said: "If I were to change it, I would draw a lamp on the notice, and the people would understand the meaning, and the dog official would not be able to find fault, the best of both worlds!" It's a pity that there is no chance, women can't be officials..."

Wu Kang smiled: "This is not necessarily, maybe in a few decades, a woman can not only be an official, but also an emperor." Painting is also a bad idea, and if you want to add to the sin, there is no excuse. When you encounter this kind of official, you think you are unlucky, don't forget that there is a crime, which is called unwarranted. ”

Jiu Niang's eyebrows frowned slightly, and Wu Kang quickly reacted and told her unwarranted allusions. I don't know that it was out of control, from talking about Yue Fei unnecessaryly, to Teacher Shan Tianfang's book version of "The Biography of Yue Fei". The bright moonlight is shrouded, one is gushing, the other is relishing, and the artistic conception is warm and abnormal.

When she fell asleep, she gently tied her embroidered shoes and tied them to the branches. Looking at the bright moonlight, gradually removing the disguise, thinking of Erniu's death, I couldn't help but feel sad. When you return to Wuzhou, how to explain to the big cow? And the families of those bodyguards, how to explain?

After grief is hatred, Wen Ruo and Er Niu both died because of Chen Shuozhen, and this hatred is not shared. History records that in October next year, Chen Shuozhen rebelled and attacked Wuzhou that month.

must make all preparations, first eat Tong Wenbao's vanguard, and cut off his head to pay tribute to Erniu. Then the benefits were maximized, and after the imperial decree was issued, the other states encircled and suppressed the soldiers and horses to stop the rebellion and eat this cake alone. cut off Chen Shuozhen's head and pay tribute to Wen Ruo's soul.

The merit of counterinsurgency is greater than the sky, and in terms of meritorious deeds, at least one of the records is to participate in the military, which is the second-in-command of a state, second only to the history of assassination. Recalling history carefully, it seems that after Cui Yixuan put down the rebellion, he was appointed by the imperial court to be the imperial doctor and returned to Chang'an as a Beijing official. If so, the position of assassin is vacant, is it okay?

couldn't help but shiver, scared himself, turned his head to look at the sleeping Jiuniang, and the terrible thoughts were even stronger. quickly made up his mind, and when he returned to Wuzhou safely, he asked his nominal teacher Zhao Beijia to come to the door to propose to Lao Cui.

If Lao Cui agrees, find a way to get married next year and become Cui Yixuan's son-in-law. According to the practice of the imperial court, the assassin was promoted to a Beijing official, and the imperial court would consider the opinions of the original assassin for the promotion of the new assassin. He did his best to help him quell the rebellion, and he was his son-in-law, so he should repay the favor.

If Lao Cui recommends it, if the court agrees, is it okay... Soon showed a wry smile, it shouldn't be possible, after all, I'll only be eighteen next year. The eighteen-year-old assassin, the eighteen-year-old governor of the state, is not yet a member of the royal family, and the court must be noisy.

Shaking his head self-deprecatingly, one thought after another flashed through his mind, and he gradually fell asleep. The next day, he woke up from the cold, woke up Jiu Niang, and came down from the tree. Pick a few wild fruits to satisfy your hunger, and then pack up and prepare to go down the mountain. Careful all the way, Wu Kang had a hunch that he would not escape from Ascension so easily.

The mountain is very large, and the way down the mountain is not easy to find, and it takes about an hour to return to the same place. The two looked at each other and smiled bitterly, they were lost. Wu Kang climbed the tree again, climbed to a higher point, and looked around. Halfway up the mountain, in the dense jungle, you can vaguely see the smoke rising.

Roughly determine the direction, get down from the tree, and Jiu Niang said: "There is a village over there, it should be a hunter in the mountain, do you have a lot of money, and then hire a hunter as a guide to take us down the mountain." ”

Jiuniang grinned and said, "There are five taels of silver, which is definitely enough." But Erlang, we've lost our way, we can't get out of here at all, how can we get to the village? ”

Wu Kang wrinkled his eyebrows in contemplation, shook his head after a moment and said, "I can't help it, but I have to go." The enemy is the mountain people, and sooner or later they will find us, and we cannot sit idly by. Don't worry, Jiuniang, I promise you that I will take you back to Wuzhou safely. ”

"I'm not worried", Jiuniang smiled playfully and said: "In my heart, you are omnipotent like yes, I believe in you!" ”

Teased by a girl again? Wu Kang pursed his lips, and said in his heart that this future daughter-in-law will not have a father-lover complex, right? Although Lao Cui is knowledgeable, upright, and politically strong, he is far from being "omnipotent", right?

Hehe laughed dryly, untied the horizontal knife at his waist, the scabbard led Jiuniang, and the blade cut through thorns. In case of going around in circles again, mark the roots of the bush every short distance. According to the memory in my heart, rush to the small mountain village...