It turned out that the person who came was Nalan, he wanted to meet Shangguan Yun, a member of the military department, alone, and when he entered the inn, he learned that Lord Thorn Shi was drinking with Wailang, and when he hesitated, Mo Si had already informed Sima Cuo, Sima Cuo hurriedly reported to the two adults present, and Xuanyuan Le hurriedly said: "Please come in."

Nalan entered the back garden, but saw that the delicacies on the table were staggered. Seeing this, Lord Thorn Shi was very enthusiastic, and personally got up to sit down, which made him very uneasy, and his own little lieutenant could be so courteous to Lord Thorn Shi, so he saluted and sat down.

Xuanyuan Ledao said: "Hangu Pass has been the throat road leading to the Central Plains since the pre-Qin period. Although since the Han Dynasty, Tongguan is the most important, mainly for the defense, but if you want to attack, it is still important to Hangu. The person guarding the pass in the town today is such a handsome junior lieutenant, which makes this official deeply feel that the Tang Dynasty is full of talents and powerful under the rule of today's son!"

Nalan immediately got up and poured a full glass of wine, raised his glass to Xuanyuan and said: "Thanks to Lord Thorn Shi, the four generations of Nalan ancestors have been deeply favored by the emperor, and defending the land and defending the country is a lowly matter. ”

"Four generations of grandparents? Is there any reason for this? Xuanyuan asked.

After pondering for a while, Nalan said: "As Lord Assassin Shi said, there is a reason, when Emperor Taizong conquered Goguryeo three times, my great-grandfather clan was the Nalan tribe of the Yan Dynasty, and was coerced by Goguryeo to fight against the Tang army, and most of the people of the clan died in battle, and after the great-ancestor was captured by the Tang army, he wanted to be killed. coincided with Master Xuanzang's return from Tianzhu and advised Emperor Taizong to 'stop killing Anmin'. After escaping and dying, he was sent to Khotan, Anxi, to serve as the defender there. Until my father was fortunate enough to enter Chang'an, he had to enter the right feather forest guard. Until four generations of my generation have been in the army. ”

"Captain Nalan's family background is really not easy, from Liaodong to Anxi for thousands of miles, it can be said that it is also a hometown." Xuanyuan ledao stroked his beard and sighed.

"My great-grandmother and grandmother were Uighurs, and when my father returned to Chang'an, he married my mother, who was Han. I have not returned to the Nalan tribe for four generations, and I don't know what happened to my people. The great-grandfather knew that there was no hope of returning to his hometown, and his family took Nalan as his surname and left a thought in his heart. ”

"Now my Tang Dynasty is unprecedentedly strong, and the four provinces are subdued, no matter which clan or tribe, they are all the people of the Tang Dynasty. Captain Nalan does not have to stick to the views of the nation, he is loyal to the monarch and patriotic, and he will have great plans in the future. After Xuanyuan Ledao finished speaking, Duguyue and Sima Cuo also echoed and praised.

Nalan immediately felt that what he had just said was inappropriate, and hurriedly got up and saluted: "Humble duty and follow the teachings of the adults." ”

At this time, Shangguan Yun, who had always been silent, asked, "Captain Nalan is here at this time, is there something important?" ”

Nalan hurriedly replied as if he was relieved: "There are some things that I have to report to the adults separately. ”

Shangguan Yun said: "Then let's go to the inn to talk." ”

Shangguan Yun got up and said goodbye.

"Lord Assassin Shi and all of you, I will forgive you for retiring first." Nalan got up and finished speaking, and walked out of the back garden with Shangguan Yun to the inn room.

Xuanyuan Ledao was a little lonely and watched the two of them go out of the garden, Duguyue hurriedly poured wine and got up to salute each other, "Today I borrow flowers to offer Buddha, and I salute Lord Shi", and drank it all after speaking.

"This official has heard of Dugu for a long time, and I can see it today, and I really have a woman's demeanor."

"Yes! The post chief's name is Zhenkun Han, and the women do not let the eyebrows be shaved. Sima mistakenly replied.

……

Nalan and Shangguan Yun went to the inn room and had a secret conversation about the hijacking of the mail car. It stands to reason that Shangguan Yun is a member of the driving department of the military department, and the head of the driving department is in charge of public opinion, chariots, postings, stables, horses, cattle and miscellaneous animals; The map, the city god, the town of Rong, the beacon, the distance of the road to defend against people, and the naturalization of the four yi belong to the staff of the Ministry of War. Nalan did not report directly to Wailang, an official of the Ministry of War, but went to Shangguan Yun of the driving department because they all followed the crown prince of the current dynasty. Nalan's father was the prince's personal bodyguard.

The mail truck was hijacked, and the prince was very passive. The scouts who were sent to spy on the news before secretly demonstrated that the Yang Jiedu envoy had the intention of rebellion, but the Son of Heaven turned a deaf ear to these. The emperor was not in a hurry for the prince, so the prince secretly deployed to secretly transport the confidential information of the eastern capital Luoyang back to Chang'an, so as not to fall into the hands of the enemy. I didn't know that I was robbed halfway and it was self-defeating. His father reigned for more than 40 years, and under his strategy, Datang achieved unprecedented achievements and glory, and was respected as the Khan of the world, with infinite glory. These small actions of oneself will definitely be mistaken for covetousness. Therefore, he hurriedly sent his henchman Shangguan Yun to find out the situation.

Shangguan Yun also heard Nalan say that Nangong Langzhong has eight or nine points to determine that this "Huaihua Lang General" must be a chess piece planted by the Son of Heaven in Qinglong Town, and now he must not only defend against the outside world, but also appease the Son of Heaven, ensure the stability of the crown prince's position, and his subordinates cannot fail to serve his strength. Duguyue followed the masked man, although it was discovered, but at least it can show that the mail truck should still be in Nanshan, one enemy agent was injured, and one person should still be hidden in Qinglong Town, unable to transfer the mail truck out. He has loosened the postal route and lured the robber to take the bait again, waiting for an opportunity to capture him. He will return to Chang'an tomorrow to meet the prince in person, and hand over the pursuit to Duguyue.

Duguyue's surname is Guo, and it is rumored that after the ranger Guo Jie, the family is quite martial arts, and there is a heroic spirit, and there is quite a lot of power between Cuihan. When Duguyue was young, she loved to read, liked articles, and was still martial arts. Since childhood, I have been interested in being an official, but after I became an adult, I know that there is no way for a woman to be an official, so she either enters the palace as a palace maid, or marries a husband and godson. Miss Guo's mind is not as good as ordinary people, and she is unwilling to teach her husband and children a dull life. When I got up early one morning, I said two requests to my parents: one was to change my name to Duguyue; The second is to go to be a ranger walking and reading the famous mountains and rivers. The parents were shocked, and it was okay to change the name, but to be a ranger was never to be endured, so as to persuade her, she was given the position of post chief in Tongguan, although she often shuttled on the post road, it can still be common.

At the end of the unitary time, Nalan got up and said goodbye to Shangguan Yun and returned to the pass. After going out, he suddenly saw Ling Huyong in the corridor, Nalan Yi was happy and blurted out: "Old ......", "General" The words "General" have not yet been exported, and Ling Huyong takes the lead: "Captain Nalan, why are you here so late." ”

Nalan was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "I just came here to do some things." Old man, aren't you going to Chang'an? How come it's been all these days and you're still here? ”

Ling Hu Yong hurriedly explained: "The female dependent got typhoid fever the next day after arriving in the town, but fortunately, Nangong Langzhong rescued her, and there was no major problem, and she still needed to recuperate for a few days before going to Chang'an." ”

"I see."

While chatting, Ling Huyan, who was in the room, asked, "Father, who are you talking to?" ”

"It's Captain Captain Nalan."

"Then why don't you come in and sit down and have a cup of tea."

Ling Huyong wanted to disperse after greeting Nalan as soon as possible, so as not to cause trouble. I didn't expect this girl. He was uneasy in his heart, but he said calmly on the surface: "Captain, please sit inside, drink a cup of tea and then leave." ”

Nalan didn't know why, and when he entered the guest room, he saw a lady with a cloud bun, silk and green clothes, slim, goose egg face, small fragrant cheeks, bright eyes and bright teeth. What a beauty.

Ling Huyan served a cup of hot tea and said softly, "Captain, please use tea." A blush flashed across his face. Ling Hu Yong hurriedly said, "You go down and rest first." ”

"May I ask who this lady is?" Nalan asked.

"It's my brother's daughter, and Lao Yu escorted her to Chang'an to marry her husband. The youngest daughter-in-law, who was in the Zuo Yulin Army, arrived home this spring, and the two families discussed that the two would get married, and my brother asked me to escort her to Chang'an. ”

"So, the old general is no longer in the palace?"

"Don't hide it from the captain, the old man has been out of the barracks for many years. I was really helpless that night, and I used the token. It's really an old sin, please forgive the captain. ”

"The old general has said that the switch is all in the past, and there is no need to remember it. Nalan is not grass and trees, and when he saw the old general driving from afar that night, he was in a state of distress, even if he didn't have a token, the pass would not be ignored. ”

"The old man also knows that he has deceived and taken advantage of the captain's benevolent heart, so he is uneasy, and when he sees the captain tonight, the old man takes this salute to thank him as a sign of reparation." After speaking, he got up and wanted to bow. Unexpectedly, Ling Huyan came out of the back room, grabbed Ling Huyong and said, "Father, let the child salute the captain." After speaking, he bowed in front of Nalan.

Nalan hurriedly returned the salute and said, "Old general, Linghu Lady, torture me." ”

"Captain, please take a seat, Yan'er retreat first." Ling Hu Yong sat down with Nalan again, and after he saw Ling Hu Yan enter the back room, he continued to whisper: "Although the old man has left the army, he has not dared to forget the country, and along the way, as well as what he has seen and heard in Qinglong Town, he is a little inexplicably worried. I wonder if the captain is aware of it? ”

Nalan was taken aback at first after hearing this, but he didn't expect the old army in front of him to have such insight, and nodded his head to Ling Huyong in admiration.

Ling Huyong continued: "The captain is responsible for guarding the pass, although the old man cleverly said to let the captain turn it on, but I hope that the captain will not be deceived by hypocrisy in the future, and let Xiao Xiao succeed." ”

Nalan understood the old general's intentions. Nalan obeyed the general's teachings. ”

Ling Huyong ignored Nalan Qian's resignation, and continued: "After Yan'er recovers from her illness, she will leave for Chang'an. Having stayed in this town these days, there is no one to be trusted, and I regard the captain as a confidant. Turning his head to look around, he continued to lower his voice and said, "The scout has entered the Guanzhong. ”

"Please make it clear to the old general."

Ling Huyong continued to lower his voice, "Please be sure to pay attention to Erniang in the inn." When he was young, he accompanied General Wang Xiaojie of Wuwei Dao to the west to Qiuzi, and knew some tricks of the Hu people. ”

Nalan exclaimed, "By the pavilion chief's side? ”

"Captain Mo is surprised, Nangong Langzhong and Dugu Yichang should see some clues in this matter. In addition, the old man has been away from the court for many years, and he doesn't know the current faction in the court, but it is certain that Nangong Han is a person sent by the imperial court. ”

"The old general is really discerning, and he is also the old general who saved the post chief."

"It's not. That night, I heard the movement and knew the post chief's actions, so I was worried about Yan'er's safety, so I didn't rush to follow. However, the post chief was rescued, and it can be seen that there is still a thoughtful and strong martial artist in Qinglong Town. This is not a bad thing for Qinglong Town. I just don't know where this master came from? Which faction do you belong to? The old man only knows this, and the safety of Hangu Pass and Qinglong Town depends on the captain. ”

Nalan said movingly: "I don't know the general's past, but I know that the general is loyal and brave." Acquaintance with the general is the blessing of life. Nalan said goodbye first, guarding the heavy responsibility of guarding the pass, and did not dare to stay for a long time. ”

Ling Hu Yong also got up and bowed affectionately.

When he got up, there was a sound outside the door, and both of them heard it, and Nalan wanted to get up and draw his knife. Ling Hu Yong stopped him. Then he shouted at the top of his voice: "Captain Nalan, I will not send it far." ”

Nalan also replied: "Old man, then I'll go." After saying that, I opened the door and looked around, but there was no one. I thought to myself, this person has done a good job. When he rode on the road, he heard the noise of Xuanyuan Ledao and Duguyue and Sima Cuo's drinking orders from the back garden, as well as the sound of Renyu's piano.

He rode on horseback and walked on the road, feeling emotional, making Hu Yong, an old soldier, like his father, loyal and perceptive.

He thought as he walked, after walking for about two miles, the night was getting darker and darker, and the darkness was so thick that it could not be dispersed, and the trees on both sides of the post road were towering, and from time to time there were cobwebs wet with dew falling and hanging on his face, and there was no sound in the canyon, and it was surprisingly quiet.

He tightened the reins, and the old horse, who had followed him for nearly five years, seemed to feel an abnormal breath and began to stagnate, he quickly rolled over and dismounted and landed on the ground, and took out the firecracker from his arms.

This place is a valley where it is difficult to hear the sound of Hanguguan and Qinglong Town, even if the firecrackers are lit, the two places may not be able to hear the sound and rush to the rescue. If the other party is a master, he will put people to death, and he will only collect the corpse when he comes.

He couldn't detect the other party, and he didn't know where the opponent was lurking in the canyon at this time. If you suddenly attack with flying claws and crossbow arrows, you may not escape your fate. It was too dark, and the other party should only feel his whereabouts with the help of sound, and he couldn't accurately locate it, so he didn't move.

Under the cover of the thick night, Nalan did not dare to move, once he moved to let the other party know his location, he might be fatal immediately. I am also glad that I have walked on this post road many times, and I am so familiar that I don't need to bring lights. At this life-and-death moment, there is no room for much thought, only to let this old horse save his life.

After thinking about it, he quickly dragged the horse in the direction of Qinglong Town, slapped it on the horse's buttocks, let go of the reins, and the horse neighed, "Click, Click" and ran forward, and he rolled on the spot and rolled into the puddle by the post road.

The ambush man was really fooled, someone whistled in the branches of the tree opposite, the horse ran no more than a hundred and ten steps, the sharp weapon cut through the air and made a sharp sound, maybe it was a hand arrow, three rows in a row, that is, I heard the horse in the arrow screaming loudly in pain, but still kept running in the direction of Qinglong Town. The man who was lying in ambush in the opposite tree was in a hurry, and after a sound of chains, he came down from the tree and stood on the post road and shouted in nonsense: "Throw the fire bomb, quickly throw the fire bomb." ”

Nalan thought to himself, this person really used his flying claws, glad that he didn't break in. I didn't have time to think about it, but I heard the horse running in the direction and flashed two fires. By the light of the fire, he vaguely saw the masked people standing on the post road, holding flying claws, and their figures were somewhat familiar, but they couldn't tell clearly. At the moment when the fire bullet lit up, Nalan didn't dare to move at all for fear of being discovered, and the person was only a foot away from him. After the fire bomb flashed, it fell into darkness again, and the horse was hit by a poisoned arrow, and after a blast of the fire bomb, he ran a few more steps, and fell to the ground in response, struggling and neighing. I only heard the people over there say in nonsense: "People are not right away." ”

In the darkness, Nalan felt that another person came after the masked man, and said sharply: "I can't run far, it's nearby." ”