Ling Hu Yong's background is unusual, what did he do in the military camp more than thirty years ago? What is the position? No one knows. When he returned to Huating, he only said that he had been in the army for a long time, and he was reluctant to give up his parents, so he was bent on disbanding his armor and returning to the east. The crowd was convinced.

Since leaving Luoyang, along the Cuihan Post Road all the way to the west, so that Hu Yong is more and more uneasy, when he passed this road more than 30 years ago, people and vehicles can be described as an endless stream, the post road is also very smooth, there are post soldiers who specialize in repairing. When Emperor Wu was in power, he liked to be in the eastern capital of Luoyang, and the provincial envoys of the imperial court secretary were often tired of running between Chang'an and Luoyang. Seeing such a deserted scene today, Hu Yong felt a hint of foreboding.

Although Ah Yan said that it was too far to go, it was better to light a fire on the side of the road to rest, eat something, rest for one night, and set off again the next day, but Ling Huyong refused to stop, only said to walk again, find a family closer to the pass and camp again.

"Father, take a break, the horses are so tired. Or you can rest in the car tonight, and the children will keep vigil by the fire."

"Ah Yan, let's go further."

Ah Yan felt that Ya's father was determined to move forward, he must be trying to find a good place to sleep and rest, Ya's father was really old, and he couldn't stand the pain of sleeping in the open, so why not rush so much.

Along the way, the two of them have also experienced a lot of places where they can't find a village or a store. As long as it is camping, Ling Hu Yong will put the car in a place with a backer, so that no one will sneak attack from behind, he let Ah Yan rest in the car, and he will raise a fire in front of the car, back to the car, facing the fire to protect Ah Yan for the night. At night, Ling Huyong held a polished Qi Mei stick in his hand, and one end of the Qi Mei stick was still wrapped in stainless steel.

Ah Yan and her brother have peeked at Ya's father's practice since they were children. Few people in Huating knew about Yafu's practice, he would only practice in the backyard where no one disturbed, and the Qi Mei stick danced so loudly that the leaves on the trees fell. Once, when Yafu practiced, the more he practiced, the more angry he became, his eyes widened in anger, he jumped up, and shouted, "...... Lord, I will avenge you......". The Qi Mei stick split on a stone in the corner of the courtyard, and the granite suddenly cracked, and the place where it came into contact with the stick was beaten into powder. When Ah Yan and her brother saw it, they screamed in shock, and when Ya Father heard the shout, he came over very vigilantly, so frightened that they didn't dare to come out. Seeing that it was them, Yafu hugged them and comforted them: "Yafu's practice is just to protect our family's business, and the wicked don't dare to make mistakes, they know it." The two of them nodded quickly. Seeing that the two of them nodded as if they understood, Yafu went out to buy a piece of caramel for each brother and sister, and continued to advise, "You know, don't talk to outsiders, you know?" They nodded hurriedly again.

Although Ah Yan is small, she is very smart, and at first she felt that Ya Father had such a high martial arts, and no one in the family was his opponent, so she was very worried. Until one time, the elder brother inadvertently mentioned to his father that Yafu practiced martial arts in the backyard, and before he finished speaking, his father interrupted him and reprimanded, "Don't talk to others about Yafu's martial arts practice in the future." Ya's father's martial arts training is also to protect the family's business, you know! When Ah Yan heard her father say this, her little heart was put down, and her father knew her father. The two of them are "brothers".

Thinking of these past events, Ah Yan felt a trace of self-blame in her heart, her father had done his best for the family's business for more than 30 years, and he also loved the brothers and sisters, and regarded them as his own, but it was really a bit of a sin to slander his father at this time.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Yafu say in front: "Ah Yan, Hangu Pass has arrived." Ling Hu Yan hurriedly lifted the curtain to see, at this time the carriage had walked to the valley, with high mountains on both sides, and it looked like a big bear and a vicious tiger in the night, which made Hu Yan shiver a little. Looking ahead, about seven or eight hundred paces, there was a wall built in the canyon, on which hung a few lanterns, emitting a halo of light.

Ah Yan asked: "Hangu Pass in front?" ”

"That's right, I was here a few times thirty years ago. There are still some impressions. ”

"Father, what did you do in the army thirty years ago?"

"The Huotou Army is the one who buries the pot to make food."

"I don't believe that the Huotou Army can have such martial arts as Ya Father?"

"Don't say it, it's going to be in front of the gate soon."

Ah Yan lowered the curtain and held her breath, and the white horse walked forward with neither humble nor arrogant steps, and in the silent night, the sound of "crow, clap" was particularly crisp.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the battlements at the gate, "Stop the people and cars ahead." Ling Huyong hurriedly tightened the reins, "......", and the carriage stopped. I only heard another shout on the battlement: "It's time now, everyone can't pass the level, please return quickly." If you don't go back, you will have to release the arrows. ”

Hearing that the arrow was going to be released, Ling Hu Yanxin raised her throat and eyes, thinking that Ya Father just didn't listen, and he had to come to the pass, and now he couldn't enter or retreat, how could he be good now?

I only heard Linghu Yong go down to the ground unhurriedly, and shouted at the battlement: "Lord Defender, the villain has an errand to do, and he must pass the test tonight, if he delays the matter, the villain can't afford to bear the guilt." ”

"What else is there to do at such a late hour, the people and cars from Luoyang can't pass when they pass the unitary, return quickly, find an inn to rest, and then pass the customs after checking tomorrow."

"My lord, I am on this errand, and I ask you to be accommodating."

"It doesn't matter what matters, the general has an order, and when the unitary time passes, all the customs will be sealed."

"This is exactly what is going on in the palace, it is inconvenient to explain, please guard the city to make it convenient."

Ling Hu Yan listened to her father's words, and she didn't understand the reason, bullying the king was a capital crime, and her father dared to be so reckless. If we can't get by, we'll just have to go back tomorrow, and it's not the first time to sleep in the open. She cried out in her heart, "O Father! Father! What are you going to do! ”

When the garrison heard that it was the matter of the palace, he said in a gentle tone, "There is evidence." ”

"The voucher is here, please check it."

When Ling Huyan heard this, she couldn't sit still anymore, opened the curtain, and suppressed her voice: "Father! Apaternity. ”

Ling Hu Yong lowered his voice and said in a reprimanding voice: "Yan'er, don't make a noise. ”

Ling Hu Yan saw Ling Hu Yong take out something from his arms and raised it high. Listening to the sergeant on the battlement, a few torches suddenly lit up in the darkness on the hill on the right, and several heavily armed sergeants trotted down with their knives, and the knives shone brightly in the firelight.

Where has Ling Hu Yan seen this formation, although she has been naughty since she was a child, she has never seen this heavily armed sergeant, especially the cold and shining Mo knife, she is the first time to see this blade, and she is so frightened that her whole body trembles, worried that the sergeant approaching will be unfavorable to Ya Father. She trembled and lowered her voice: "Father! Father! I'm so scared."

Ling Huyong reprimanded again: "Yan'er hide in the car, don't make a noise, otherwise our lives will be lost tonight." ”

Ling Huyan hurriedly lowered the curtain of the car, curled up in the car, and listened to the conversation outside.

The light of the fire drew closer and closer, and there were about four or five sergeants coming down, and it was a young officer who could hear it first asking, "Sir, please take the voucher and show me."

Ling Hu Yan's heart rose to her throat. But the next words surprised her.

After the sergeant saw the token, he shouted into the battlement: "It's the Daming Palace to General Delang." Quickly open and close the door and let the general pass. ”

Then, the door closed and let out a heavy pant "squeak-squeak", which was slowly pushed open.

Ling Hu Yan was a little stunned when she heard this, so she couldn't understand how her father actually used a broken brand to open the closed door, and he also became a general...... It's incredible.

I only heard the father salute the sergeant and say, "Thanks to the captain today, the old man still has official duties, so don't do it here."

"The old general said seriously, this is the time of the sea, and the season of white dew has passed, the cold and damp atmosphere in the mountains is heavy, and it should be carried in this car. After the old general passed the customs, he walked along the post road for about two miles, there was a fork to the left, entered the Funiu Mountain, and then walked about three miles and there was a post station, called Qinglong Town, the young general was familiar with the pavilion chief Sima Cuo, and ran an inn in the post street. When the old general arrives, I will report my name, and he will definitely open the door to accept customers. Rest for one night, and it's not too late to rush to Tongguan tomorrow. ”

"Thank you Captain for pointing out, this way, there is no inn for dozens of miles before and after, so I am really sorry for the disturbance in the middle of the night. The old man wants to ask the captain to respect his name, so that he can repay the favor of the switch in the future. ”

"The old general, the young general does not dare to be respected, and the surname is Nalan, and the name is Yanghe. After passing the customs, there are still a few miles of black lights and blind fires, send the old general a torch, and hope that the old general can reach Qinglong Town as soon as possible. ”

"Good! Thank you very much, Captain, there will be a date later! ”

"There will be a date later."

Hearing such a conversation, Hu Yan was even more confused, the brand in Ya's father's hand had such a big effect, and he was still respected as a general. Those who went to the county government before also encountered difficulties from the soldiers defending the city, and Yafu never took out that sign. It's just a low-voiced plea with people, and a humble look. Why are you so eager to get through this today. also took out his old foundation. As she thought of this, she gently lifted the side curtain of the car, and as the carriage went forward, she saw the captain, eight feet tall, wearing armor, wearing a helmet, and a horizontal sword hanging from his waist, and said goodbye to his father with a fist. secretly sighed in his heart: "It's really heroic, Xu Chen should be like this."

When the carriage passed the gate, the door closed again, panting heavily.

Ya's father drove the carriage in front, and Ling Hu Yan was silent. When you get to the fork in the road, according to the captain's instructions, go to Qinglong Town. The frost fell in the middle of the night, making Hu Yan feel cold, and quickly found a cloak to put on the father who was driving the car. In the past, her father would be moved by her heart-warming little gestures and would talk happily with her. But today, Yafu has not spoken, and after this breakthrough, she feels more and more mysterious that Yafu is becoming more and more mysterious.

It wasn't until the car had traveled another two miles that Yafu finally spoke, "You lifted the curtain and looked at the captain?" ”

Oh, my God. It's just such a small action, Yafu doesn't need to look at it to know it.

She had no choice but to coquettishly put aside the topic, "Father, I can't understand you more and more. ”

"Yan'er, my father has already felt that something big will happen on this trip."

"Is our net worth worth worth our lives?"

"It's not. Our net worth and life are nothing? ”

"What's the big deal about that?"

"Scourge!"

"Ahh Father, how could the Tang Dynasty be so prosperous and powerful, how could it cause a military disaster? ”

"Yan'er, you are still young, and some things are still unseen. I know that you are confused about what is born tonight. You just need to remember that the father will always be the father, and the father will do his best to protect Yan'er. You don't need to know anything else, the more secrets you know, the more dangerous it is. ”

Hearing this, Ling Hu Yan was at a loss and cried "duh". Why did her parents send her to Chang'an so eagerly to get married. If you are still in Huating, carefree, how good it would be.

"Yan'er, it is a matter of course for men to marry and women to marry. Parents must not be trampled upside down. Yan'er doesn't need to be in a hurry, let's stay first, and then think about it in the long run. ”

Ling Huyan thought about her father's words in her heart, but she still didn't understand, not all the way was good. How did you get to Hangu Pass, that's it. But Ya's father has been helping his father for more than 30 years, and he is also very good to the brothers and sisters, and he doesn't look like a person who talks nonsense.

Thinking about it, seeing that there were a few more lights in front of her, she lifted the front curtain and looked ahead, and could vaguely see that there were houses in front of her, and there were two red lanterns hanging on a wooden building, and the lanterns said "inn". When the car arrives in front, there is a plaque of "Barberry Inn". There are no lights in the house, so the shop should be closed. The two of them looked left and right and didn't see other inns, thinking that it should be the one the captain said.

Linghu Yong went to knock on the door, bang! Syllable! Syllable! , "Shop, we are staying overnight". I knocked on the door a few times like this, and shouted a few times, only to see the lights in the east wing room turn on, and replied, "It's the middle of the night, what kind of sleep!" Just rest outside. ”

Ling Hu Yong thought it was true, and was about to open his mouth to beg him to open the door, but he didn't expect the store door to open with a "hoarse" sound. A middle-aged man in the room with a lamp in his hand, his face was pale, his appearance was not good, he was wearing a shirt, and he had a small belly. Ling Huyong and Ling Huyan were still stunned, but he said lukewarmly, "Two guest officers, come in." ”

After entering the house, Ling Hu Yan asked humbly, "May I ask if you are the head of the post pavilion Sima Pavilion!" We found this place only after getting the guidance of Captain Nalan at Hangu Pass. ”

"Oh! Captain Nalan. Ha! Good, good. He immediately cheered up, and his small eyes swept around Ling Huyan's body several times. Ling Huyan thought, how could Captain Nalan befriend him?

"Pavilion Chief Sima, you see that we are running all the way, there are drinks and food in the store, let's fill our stomachs first." Ling Huyong said.

"Yes, yes." As he spoke, he shouted into the west wing: Erniang, there are guests, hurry up and prepare some wine and food, and boil some hot water. There was no answer from the West Wing. After shouting, he explained to Ling Huyong: "The guy in the store is a bearded girl, and she looks good, but she is not very diligent. Hehe! ”

Ling Hu Yong took out some silver from his baggage, "Disturbing the pavilion chief in the middle of the night, there is a lot of offense, this is the house money and wine money." ”

Pavilion Chief Sima hurriedly took the money and asked again, "How many days do you want to stay?" ”

"Just stay tonight, and leave for Tongguan tomorrow."

"Then this silver tael is a bit too much, I'll cut some more tomorrow and return it to you."

Ling Hu Yong hurriedly said: "Disturbing the pavilion chief in the middle of the night, it should be, it should be." Sima Cuo was a little embarrassed and put the silver into his arms, and replied: "That pavilion chief is greedy for money today."

After a while, the second lady brought a plate of sauced beef, a plate of Biluo, and a small pot of warm wine, and said, "Two guest officers, please use it slowly." "Hu Nu is more than one foot tall, with a graceful posture, curly hair, long eyelashes, and blue eyes.

Ling Hu Yan carefully observed Hu Nu's gait, calm and powerful, her fingers and bones were fine, and she secretly took a breath of cold air in her heart.

After Hu Nu left, she asked Sima Cuo casually: "Pavilion Chief, how beautiful is your little second shop?" ”

Ling Hu Yan had never heard her father talk to people so frivolously, and she gave Ling Hu Yong a look. And Ling Hu Yong didn't see it.

Sima Cuo replied: "This guest officer, you are laughing, I am a man with a wife." This Hu girl has only been here for a few days, saying that she came to Chang'an from Fan Yang to visit relatives, and the silver was spent halfway, so she went to my shop to work in the camp and continued to Chang'an. ”

"So that's the case, the old man lost his words, please forgive the pavilion chief."

"The guest officer is serious." After a pause, he said thoughtfully, "I don't listen to the guest official's accent, I don't want to be a local, I seem to be from the land of Wuyue." ”

"The pavilion chief is so clever, I admire it!"

"Where! Where! As he spoke, he leaned in and asked softly, "Did the guest officer find anything unusual along the way?" ”

Ling Hu Yan was about to talk about the doubts in her heart when she heard this, but Ling Hu Yong hurriedly stopped: "Why don't you hurry up and eat, eat well, wash your feet, and rest." Then he said to Sima Cuo, "Along the way, the counties of the state capital, the shops are prosperous, and the people have no vegetables, which is really a good situation." ”

"Oh! If you can do what the guest officer said, it will be a good situation. Very good, very good. Sima was talking to himself. And Ling Hu Yong felt more and more that his judgment was correct. And Ling Huyan is even more confused about the north and south.