"Since the news came from Yaoshan Pass last time, it has been more than half a year since Pei Xia went to Yasuor to spy on intelligence, right?" Nangong Shouyi leaned back on the back of the wheelchair, folded and put away the letter in his hand and asked Shao Jun.

"Yes, Ruler." Shao Jun glanced at the letter folded into a square in his hand, and said slowly, "Pei Xia, he has been going to the Western Regions for nearly nine months. ”

"You're worried about him, aren't you?" Nangong Shouyi asked.

"For so long, disciple... Disciple, I am naturally a little worried about him. Shao Jun said softly.

"You agreed that you would get married after he came back this time, right?" Nangong Shouyi looked at Shao Jun and said, "The giant also said before that he would personally officiate the wedding ceremony for you. ”

Shao Jun's face turned slightly red and nodded slightly.

In fact, after the old man learned about this, he was also looking forward to Pei Xia coming back as soon as possible. The old man still wants to ask for a cup of wine at your wedding banquet as soon as possible. Nangong Shouyi said.

Shao Jun smiled lightly, "At that time, the disciple should respect you with a few glasses of wine." ”

Nangong Shouyi nodded slightly, and then he gradually put away his smile and said instead, "Shao Jun, although everyone has been looking forward to your happy event. But now some family and national affairs have inevitably become a little worrying. ”

"Ruler, what are you talking about..."

Nangong Shouyi hesitated for a moment and said, "You also know that the war in the Western Regions is about to start right now. Azor and the tribes of Caldo continue to harass our territory, and a major war seems inevitable. Old man, old man thinks..."

"Ruler, disciple understands what you mean." Shao Jun said, "You want to send my disciple to Yaoshan Pass, right?" ”

"Hmm." Nangong Shouyi nodded helplessly.

"Ruler, just give your command. The disciple listened to the order. ”

"Shao Jun, now I am meditating although there are still more than 200 disciples in Linglong Mountain. But as you know, they are all craftsmen who are ordinary people, not people in the imperial court. Therefore, at present, you are the only one who can be sent to Yaoshan Pass by the imperial court to assist me in defending against the silent disciples of Asol. ”

Shao Jun nodded lightly and said, "Disciple understands. ”

Nangong Shouyi looked at Shao Jun and continued, "Shao Jun, although your official position in the imperial court is not big, you are still qualified to get the token of the imperial court. The old man plans to write another letter to Yang Shangshu, and ask him to give you a token. You take your token and travel to Yaoshan Pass as an envoy of the Imperial Court, hoping that you will contribute to the fortifications there. ”

Shao Jun nodded, and then asked, "Disciple understands." Zhangqi, when do you want your disciples to set off? ”

"Don't be in a hurry, wait for the token to go down in two days. In the next few days, I will select some capable disciples and let them go with you and fight together. Nangong Shouyi paused, and then said, "Go this time, the old man hopes that you will be careful." Try to stick to the remote mountains and Tianguan, and don't venture into the Cardo desert action. ”

"Disciple understood."

"Come with me, Shao Jun." Nangong Shouyi turned the wheelchair vigorously, he turned behind him and said, "I repaired a crossbow a few days ago, and I will give it to you now as a farewell gift for your outing." ”

"The ruler wants to give a gift to his disciple?" Shao Jun asked.

Nangong Shou nodded.

Shao Jun got up and pushed Nangong Shouyi's wheelchair handle. While helping Nangong Shouyi push the wheelchair, she asked, "Since it is the crossbow that you personally repaired, presumably the crossbow must be very precious, which predecessor passed it down, right?" ”

"Yes." Nangong Shouyi said, "This crossbow and the "Cloud Rain" used by Pei Xia are a pair. However, like Pei Xia's "Cloud and Rain", this crossbow also requires a lot of strength to open the line. Therefore, in order to make it convenient for people with little strength, the old man deliberately transformed it. Now it seems that this is simply a makeover for you. ”

Shao Jun smiled slightly, she pushed Nangong Shouyi along the stone path, and after passing through the bamboo forest path in the mountains, they came to a hut deep in the bamboo forest.

After Nangong Shouyi pushed open the door of the house, he turned the chair and turned into the house. After that, he leaned over and opened a large purple wood box placed in the room, and from the box, he carefully took out the crossbow he said.

"Water and smoke." Nangong Shouyi held the crossbow with both hands and handed it to Shao Jun, he repeated, "It is a pair of crossbows with Yun Xiyu, and the water is full of smoke." ”

"Water and smoke." Shao Jun took the crossbow with both hands, she looked at the dark gold wood grain all over the crossbow and whispered, "It's very similar to Pei Xia's crossbow, his name is Yun Xiyu, and my one is called Shui Xiyan." Even the names of these two crossbows..."

"It's a good match." Nangong Shouichi said, "Just like the two of you. ”

Shao Jun looked down at the "water smoke" with some shyness, her fingertips gently swiped the crossbow body, looking at the delicate wood wax lacquer surface of the crossbow body and the rippling wood grain, she remembered the night Pei Xia said goodbye to her before leaving for the Western Regions.

"Is this a booster lead-in rod?" Shao Jun turned around and pointed to a handle in the crossbow and asked Nangong Shouyi.

"Yes, it's a power-assisted guide rod that allows you to quickly open your crossbow and place arrows." Nangong Shouyi said, "The old man not only lengthened it, but also deliberately transformed it under the crossbow arrow, so that you can make it more convenient and faster to open the crossbow twice." The only bad thing is that it is still not suitable for horse shooting, only for vertical shooting. ”

Shao Jun tried the power lever, and she easily pulled the crossbow bow string through the power lever, and she said happily, "It really saves a lot of effort." That way, you won't feel tired even if you continue to launch all day. ”

"But this one is different from Pei Xia's crossbow in that it can't be folded. Moreover, the crossbow's maximum range is also closer, and the storage box is smaller, it can only store a maximum of twelve crossbow arrows. Nangong Shouyi said, "The same thing is that it can also carry out multiple scattering. ”

Shao Jun nodded, "Thank you, Zhangqi." Give me such a good crossbow to my disciple. ”

"Don't say kind words." Nangong Shouyi said, "I only hope that you can help me Yiluo defend the Yaoshan Pass this time and win in Caldo." As you know, the sea east of Iroku is raging now, and there are constantly Sakurashu people crossing the sea to attack. In the north, Huda, a powerful enemy, is waiting for an opportunity, and the small vassal states in the south are now in rebellion, and if Azor is allowed to take advantage of it in the west, then we may fall into an embattled situation. ”

"Zhangqi, don't worry, for the safety of our people in Yiluo, disciple, I will do my best to help the soldiers of Yaoshan Pass defeat Asuor."

"Hmm." Nangong Shou nodded, and after a little contemplation, he asked Shao Jun, "Shao Jun, I heard that your grandmother is from Asuor. And you also know some Asorian language, I think you know a little bit about Asor's culture, right? ”

Shao Jun nodded, "The disciple heard some things from his grandmother when he was young, but he only knew a little about it. Ruler, I don't know why you suddenly asked about this? ”

"There's something the old man wants to ask you." Nangong Shouyi said.

"Ruler, please." Shao Jun said, "Whatever the disciple knows, he will tell the truth. ”

"The old man wants to ask you, in the culture of Asol, is there a legend or record about witchcraft?"

"Witchcraft?" Shao Jun said with some doubts, "Of course, there are some legends and stories about witchcraft in Yasor, and there are many more. ”

"Then the old man asked you, is there any witchcraft legend about the sea?" Nangong Shouyi asked.

"Legends of witchcraft about the sea... The disciple really hadn't heard of Azore's sorcery about the sea, but there was a lot about the desert. Shao Jun said.

"Then think about it, is there anything else that sounds very different, or something about a huge building?" Nangong Shouyi asked.

Shao Jun thought for a while, shook his head and said, "The disciples about architecture have never heard of grandma. However, when it comes to the stories about witchcraft in Athore, the disciples feel that they are not significantly different from the folklore stories of Iro. It's nothing more than a story about demons harming people, wizards casting spells to get rid of demons, and so on. ”

Seeing that Nangong Shouyi was thoughtful, Shao Jun asked him, "Zhangqi, why did you suddenly ask about this?" ”

Nangong Shouyi thought for a while, and then said slowly, "A few days ago, Qing Xuzi of the Heavenly Dao Mixed Yuan Sect sent someone to send a letter to Linglong Mountain. In the letter, he told the old man an extremely important thing. ”

"The Qingxu Dao Master of the Mixed Yuan Sect?" Shao Jun said, "Zhangqi, hasn't he been here to develop weapons with you before?" How..."

"Shao Jun, it's been a long time since you've been to Linglong Mountain. He had actually left this place a long time ago. When the sea swallowed the phantom sun, he was gone. Nangong Shouyi said, "It seems that he continues to look for the legendary Jindan." ”

"I see. What information did the Qingxu Daoist tell the ruler in his letter? Shao Jun asked Nangong Shouyi, "Could it be that you also mention the legend of Yasor's witchcraft?" ”

"More than just mentioning." Nangong Shouyi said, "Qingxuzi said in his letter that the rise of the sea in the two states of Shaoguang and Yuheng was caused by the use of witchcraft by Yasuor. It was Azor who wanted to destroy Iroh through this move. ”

"This lie, this lie is too marginal, alarmist." Shao Jun said, "Before, the feather warriors of the other sects of the Heavenly Dao Sect were still saying that the rise of the sea was caused by the difference in the Heavenly Dao, but now they have blamed this matter on the witchcraft of Atholl. Their contradictory statements are really embarrassing and ridiculous. ”

Nangong Shouyi was silent, just looked at Shao Jun and nodded slightly.

The disciple thought that this might be because the national teacher of the Heavenly Dao Sect failed to do so in Qingfu some time ago, which caused their Heavenly Dao Sect to have no face for the majority of believers, so they made up a statement to cover it up. But the argument that Azor used sorcery to destroy my Iroh with the sea is really substandard. This kind of words, even if those Heavenly Taoist Yushi told them to the three-year-old children on the street, they might not be able to believe it. ”

"Shao Jun. That's all right, but..."

"Ruler, what do you want to say?" Shao Jun looked at the voice curiously, and Nangong Shouyi, who was a little speechless, asked.

"But one man believed." Nangong Shouyi then raised his eyes and looked at Shao Jun and said.

"Who will believe it?" Shao Jun shook his head lightly and said, "This kind of thing, maybe even the people who made it up themselves won't believe it." ”

"One man believed. It's just that I don't know if he's a true believer or a false believer. Nangong Shouyi continued thoughtfully.

Shao Jun saw Nangong Shouyi's serious expression, and she suddenly knew in her heart that this matter was not so simple, so she hurriedly asked, "Zhangqi, who is the person you said who believed in the theory of Yasuor's witchcraft?" ”

"Son of Heaven."

"Huh?!" Shao Jun was taken aback, "Son of Heaven, Son of Heaven, he actually believes in this... Such a ridiculous statement...? ”

Nangong Shou nodded, "Yes." The Son of Heaven believed. Now Ilo's Son of Heaven is the greatest believer in this statement. The Son of Heaven determined that this unprecedented flood was caused by Azore's witchcraft. ”

"This..."Shao Jun still asked in surprise, "How can it be, the Son of Heaven has always been wise and martial, and he is complemented by wise ministers, although the Son of Heaven is now old, but he is not confused." Ruler, this... What the hell is going on..."

"The old man was also puzzled at first." Nangong Shouyi said, "But after thinking about it for a long time, the old man still vaguely guessed a trace of the holy will behind this matter. ”

"Ruler, what did you guess?" Shao Jun asked.

"Before I say this, the old man wants to ask you first, do you know why the giant sent Yi Kong to the Netherworld?"

Shao Jun hesitated for a moment and then said, "Didn't the giant send Yi Kong to the Netherworld to investigate the movements of the Huda people?" ”

Nangong Shouyi shook his head, "Not exactly. According to the news reported to the Imperial Court and Cabinet from all over the world, the giant learned that this great flood was not just in Shaoguang and Yuheng, but in all parts of the world. ”

"The world?"

"Yes, at least for now. Cangmin and Yingju in the east, Chanla and Mandan in the south, and some small countries in the southeast were also affected by the floods. ”

"Even so far away?" Shao Jun asked in surprise.

Nangong Shou nodded.

"It's so strange," Shao Jun said in a low voice, "but if the news from the giants comes in, there must be no mistake." I can't believe that this flood will affect so many places. Ruler, what the hell is going on with this flood..."

"Now let me tell you why the giant sent Yi Kong to the Netherworld as an imperial envoy." Nangong Shouyi said, "Do you know that to the north of the perennial ice-covered Netherland, there is also the Endless Ice Sea Netherworld. And above the sea of ice, there are thousands of miles of glaciers? ”

"Zhangqi, I have naturally heard of these legendary disciples. I've heard that the Netherland is so cold that even the Huda people don't go there. Shao Jun turned to ask, "But, but these giants let Yi Kong go there?" Does it have anything to do with this great flood? ”

"Ten thousand glaciers." Nangong Shouyi looked at Shao Jun and slowly emphasized, "Thousands of miles, ten thousand miles, the glacier." One mile is six hundred single steps, one thousand miles is one person high, how many thousands of miles is it, the old man doesn't say that you know how big it is. ”

"Ruler, what do you mean..."Shao Jun looked at Nangong Shouyi's gaze, she thought for a moment, and then couldn't help but feel frightened and said, "Ruler, you mean to say, thousands of miles, this may not be an exaggeration, but... True? ”

"It's really unreal, and it's hard for the old man to tell right now. After all, it's all legend, and no one has ever actually gone there to measure it. Nangong Shouyi said, "Shao Jun, let me ask you, if the glaciers there are really thousands of miles, have you ever thought that even if it is only 1,000 miles and 10,000 miles, when they all melt, have you ever thought about the consequences?" ”

Shao Jun stood there, speechless for a long time. As an official of the Ministry of Industry and Construction, she naturally knows that every time the warm ice melts when the season comes, only a little melting of the snow on some snow-capped mountains can lead to the flooding of some rivers and disasters. But what she heard at the moment was a glacier thousands of miles away. She couldn't imagine what a glacier thousands of miles away would look like. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like if the glaciers melted.

"Shao Jun, now you know the purpose of the giant sending Yi Kong to the Netherworld, right?" Nangong Shouyi asked.

Shao Jun nodded stupidly, she sorted out her thoughts for a moment and then said slowly, "North of the Netherworld, above the endless ice sea. Palm ruler, Yi Kong's departure is not only to go to the Netherworld, he also has to cross there, to reach the endless sea of ice. Giant, this is going to... I want him to see the glacier with his own eyes. ”

Nangong Shou nodded.

Shao Jun said with some concern, "Don't say that you go to the Endless Ice Sea, just say that you go through the northern desert to the Netherworld, it will also kill you." Yi Konghe...."

"Don't say this, Yi Kong has his own extraordinary skills, I think he will be able to return safely." Nangong Shouyi turned around and said, "Shao Jun, since you also know this, then you should also be able to think about why our wise and martial emperor would choose to believe that Azor used witchcraft as an unreliable lie, right?" ”

"Ahh Shao Jun was taken aback, then thought for a while and said, "Could it be that the Son of Heaven also considered the possibility of the melting of the Ten Thousand Glaciers?" ”

"When it is." Nangong Shouyi said slowly, "Everyone knows that the Western Regions and even the side of Yasuor are farther away from the raging sea."

Shao Jun said in shock, "So, the Son of Heaven, he actually wants to use this rumor to divert the people's emotions and attention." And it is also a preparation for the next step, so that Ilo can make up for the land that was swallowed up by the sea, and expand the living space to the Western Regions, which is far away from the sea, right? ”

Nangong Shou nodded, "Shao Jun, you are very smart. ”

Shao Jun shook his head lightly in shock, and then sighed. She slowly walked to the foot of the bamboo forest and spoke, "It turns out that our Son of Heaven has already made a bold decision for the sake of Yiluo Cangsheng to prosper and reproduce for all generations, and to obtain enough land to survive. ”

"Heaven desires righteousness and evil injustice. Although the actions of the Son of Heaven are for the sake of the future of the people of Iro, it seems to be contrary to Heaven's love for the general public, and also against the idea of non-aggression that our faction has always adhered to. Nangong Shouyi said slowly.

"Ruler, the disciple doesn't think so." Shao Jun thought for a while and said, "I have a saying, if I don't do what the heavens want, but what the heavens don't want, then I will lead the people of the world to engage in calamity." The disciple thought that if the Son of Heaven led the people of the world to fall into calamity, then it was truly against the love of heaven for all sentient beings. The Son of Heaven is following the will of Heaven and saving all sentient beings. ”

Nangong Shouyi couldn't help but be stunned when he looked at Shao Jun, and after a while, he nodded and smiled, and then exclaimed, "Silent recitation, with a junior like you, the old man is very relieved." ”

"The ruler has won the prize." Shao Jun said, "The other disciples are the same. We have all been taught by you and the giants for a long time to learn what we have learned today. ”

"Shao Jun, then again. In fact, the princess named Asana who found you before can be regarded as a great contribution to our Iro. Nangong Shouyi turned the wheel, looked at Shao Jun and said.

Shao Jun thought for a moment and said softly, "Her journey from Caldo has really contributed a lot to us. But it is not selfless. ”

"How?"

"She dictated to me the topographical map of the entire eastern part of Azor, and asked me to draw it, in fact, it was only to borrow the hand of my Iroh, in order to defeat the king of the West in Azor and avenge her."

"This bit of selfishness can be regarded as human reason." Nangong Shouyi said, "If the sea continues to rise, I think the princess's help to my Yiluo will only get bigger and bigger." ”