On both sides of the Sheep River, a plain. Between the ridges, people and horses, mule carts, and wheelbarrows are lined up in a long line, and the crowd is full of knives and guns, and the flags are waving in the wind.

Parallel formations from the north and south are marching westward. As long as people look ahead, they can see many long dragons in the sun, as if they are wriggling. There were also horses running back and forth between the ranks, kicking up puffs of smoke.

The virtuous lord Li, who was sitting in a carriage, picked up the corner of the curtain on the left. What caught my eye was the shadow of the mountains in the distance to the south, like dark clouds pressing down on the horizon. Then she saw some cattle and sheep moving along the riverside meadow.

The eunuch Cao Fu was riding a horse beside him, and the virtuous lord asked in Chinese: "Gonggong Cao, have we arrived at the Mongolian Ancient Grassland?" ”

"Morning!" Cao Fu turned his head and replied, "Do you see those wheat stakes?" The Mongolian tribes did not farm land. There are no villages over there, and there are no people in sight. ”

The virtuous lord nodded in thanks, and then asked, "Where is the saint?" ”

Cao Fu said: "Tonight, we will be able to see the saint." ”

The army, which could not be seen in front and behind, continued to march for a long time. When the sun was about to reach the horizon, the military camp in front of me finally appeared in people's sight.

There was a lake over there, and the surface of the water shimmered brightly in the fading light. On the east side of the lake, tents are everywhere, and smoke wafts in the wind. The sparse trees on the shore of the lake are no longer visible, and the shadows are reflected in the sky like charcoal.

This situation and scene are like those legendary tribes wandering around on the grassland.

The virtuous lord did not live in a tent, and she was taken straight to a village. When she arrived in the village, she felt that this was indeed the Ming Dynasty; Some of the houses on the top of the hill in the village are no different from the houses of the Han people in Guancheng.

After dark, the eunuch Cao Fu came to the house where the virtuous lord lived, and wanted to take the virtuous lord to face the saint. The hands and feet of the virtuous lord became quick, and he was busy retouching his makeup before following Cao Fu out.

They walked into a small courtyard surrounded by guard posts. Then the virtuous lord and the others walked into a door on the north side, and immediately saw Zhu Gaoxu, only to see him sitting at a square table, and he was writing something there.

Zhu Gaoxu did not wear armor or dragon robes, and his dark gray military uniform did not have any patterns; He didn't wear a hat, and the bun he wore on his head was tied with a silk scarf.

Zhu Gaoxu glanced up and put down the brush.

The virtuous lord said: "The concubine pays homage to the saint. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "When I left Kaiping City, I forgot to explain Cao Fu. Unexpectedly, he took you all the way to the pass pass (Zhangjiakou). But it's okay for Lord Weng to take a trip, and I suddenly remembered that there was one more thing that I promised you. ”

When he had said that, he shouted, "Come, bring it!" ”

The virtuous lord turned around for unknown reasons, and soon saw two armor soldiers and a big man entering the door. The big man's dejected look; However, when the virtuous lord saw his dress, he was taken aback.

The big man wore a black veil on his head and a red dragon robe on his body. The virtuous lord understood after a moment that this man was a prince! Because the clothes worn by the monarch of the Xian Kingdom are very similar to the clothes of the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty, the virtuous lord is very familiar.

The clothes of the king of the Xian Kingdom are also five-clawed dragon robes, and the king is the monarch in the Chaoxian Dynasty, and belongs to the prince level in the Ming Dynasty.

The virtuous lord was unexpected, but before he could react, he was hesitating whether to salute the prince. The prince was the first to kneel on the ground and said, "The sinners knock before the saints!" ”

"Flat." Zhu Gaoxu said. He turned his head to look at the virtuous Lord Weng, and said directly, "Lord Weng and his party were attacked in the east of Lulong County, and the mastermind behind the scenes is this acting king, my thirteenth uncle......

The virtuous lord was a little at a loss, but he calmed down and listened to Zhu Gaoxu for the time being.

Zhu Gaoxu continued: "Now that the facts have almost been ascertained, the subordinates of the acting king want to kill your group, and then use assassins to disguise themselves as envoys and lords, and want to do wrong!" I went to Datong Mansion a few days ago, and I have already captured the king and the others. ”

He paused for a moment, then turned to the acting king and said, "The virtuous lord has no grievances with you, but he is in danger of being poisoned. Should the acting king make amends and admit his mistakes to the virtuous lord? ”

As soon as the words fell, the room was suddenly unusually quiet, and the virtuous lord and the acting king were stunned. At this time, the king suddenly turned around, bowed to the virtuous lord, and said, "I know my mistake and make a big mistake!" I am bold enough to regret that I should not have done anything to the holy woman, and I ask for forgiveness! ”

The virtuous lord seemed to hear a "buzz", and felt a little dizzy in his head, and he didn't speak for a while.

And the acting king in front of him was still bent over, standing there with his fists clenched and bowing, with a sincere expression.

She finally opened her mouth and said in a jerky Chinese accent: "If you make a big mistake, just listen to the Holy Lord!" ”

The virtuous lord said while looking at Zhu Gaoxu, she only felt that her face was getting hotter and hotter, and her emotions gradually became excited. Originally, when she saw the king of the Xian Kingdom, she was also very afraid, and she thought that she was a marriage tool and was at the mercy of others; Unexpectedly, when she came to the Ming Dynasty, it didn't seem to be what she thought.

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand, and the armor soldier escorted the acting king out.

The virtuous lord turned his head to look at it, then turned around and said softly: "That day, the saint mentioned the matter of acting for the king, and the concubine thought it was a joke......

"You don't joke, if I always lie to you, I'm afraid you won't believe me in the future." Zhu Gaoxu said.

The virtuous lord said in a low voice: "How dare the concubine? ”

Zhu Gaoxu said with a smile: "What the acting king did, I was sorry for you, and it is right to admit my mistakes." Are you deflated? ”

The face of the virtuous lord was very red, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.

Zhu Gaoxu waited for a while, and then said, "I also want to apologize to you for letting you go so far in vain." Early tomorrow morning, I will ask the officials of the Ministry of Rites to arrange for you to go to Beijing. I am going to lead my army north. ”

The heart of the virtuous lord was a little confused, and when she heard that she was going to separate, she suddenly felt very uncomfortable, she couldn't help but raise her head boldly, and blurted out: "The concubine wants to accompany the saint on the northern expedition...... Gonggong Cao said that there are no caring people around the saint to serve, I don't know if the concubines can do a good job? ”

Zhu Gaoxu looked up and down at the delicate and virtuous lord in a robe, and muttered: "The north is a bitter cold land, except for the barren grass, it is next door. Can you stand it? ”

The virtuous lord nodded vigorously without hesitation and said, "As long as the saint is there, the concubines are not afraid." I have other clothes, and I can do a lot of things. ”

After being silent for a while, Zhu Gaoxu patted his thigh and said, "Okay!" He turned his head to Cao Fu and said, "Let the people from the Ministry of Rites send the Korean envoy and others to Beijing first." After I have conquered the north, I will summon them to discuss state affairs. ”

Cao Fu hugged his fists and said: "The slave obeys the order." ”

After Cao Fu went out, the virtuous lord was even more unrestrained, and immediately spoke happily: "The concubine heard that Mobei is barren and rarely populated. Why did the Holy One personally lead a large army to conquer? ”

Zhu Gaoxu pointed to the stool next to the square table and said gently, "Sit down and talk." I'll tell you. ”

The virtuous lord sat down lightly on the bench, looking very interested, and his eyes were a little misty.

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at her and said patiently: "I just want those tribes on the grassland to understand a truth, robbery and killing are not right. ”

When the virtuous lord heard this, she almost couldn't hold back her laughter, she blushed and said, "Although the concubine is not very old, she is already sensible......"

Zhu Gaoxu said seriously: "But the northern tribes may really not understand this truth." They should take raiding and looting for granted! It is useless to preach, the only way is to make the opponent feel the pain of the skin, and feel that if you do something wrong, you will definitely pay the price! At that time, reasoning will become reasonable. ”

The virtuous lord nodded lightly and said yes.

He thought for a moment and said, "Originally, our Han people were also some tribes, not much different from the Mongolian ancient tribes. If the clansmen in the tribe are always bullied, bullied, killed, and killed by others, what should they do as the leader? The ancestor Yellow Emperor has already told future generations that they have to pick up stones and sticks to resist and fight back!

Now we have iron armor, sharp blades, good horses, firearms, and cannons, but the truth is still the same truth.

The former leader had to prove that he could protect his people and keep them alive. The current imperial power is more complicated, but if the emperor wants to be sincerely supported by the people of the world, he has to try to convince people that he can do those things. So even if the enemy is thousands of miles away in the barren land, I will punish them! ”

After hearing this, the virtuous lord muttered: "Our dynasty and Xianguo all say that the monarch and the minister, father and son, Confucian filial piety, say that it is to learn the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty. I don't want the Great Ming Sage to say so......"

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu said kindly: "The coming day will be long, and you will know me better if you make Concubine Zhuang in the future." By the way, De Concubine lives in the room on the left outside the door; Tonight the virtuous lord went to the right room and dwelt with one another. I still have some things to do before I leave camp tomorrow. ”

After hearing this, the virtuous lord got up and said, "The concubine retires...... Come back tomorrow morning to serve the Holy One. ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded.

The courtyard was apparently the home of the villagers, and it was very simple, but it was still more spacious than in a tent. Seeing that it was getting late, the virtuous man did not go to see the concubine for the time being, but came to the bedroom to the west to settle down. Not long after, a palace maid also came, claiming to be a person who served the virtuous lord, and her maiden name was Layue; Probably born in the middle of the moon?

In this strange place, in a humble village, the cool breeze at night is howling, and the sound is very scary.

The bed of the virtuous lord leaned against the window on the other side of the courtyard. In the middle of the night, she got up from the bed and looked through the crack in the window diagonally across from the window; When she saw the light in Zhu Gaoxu's room, she was inexplicably relieved.