To travel at night, you need to use a compass in addition to a map. Although there was Sinan as early as the Warring States Period, Sinan was bulky, inconvenient to carry, and the accuracy of guiding the direction was not enough.

The magnetic needle compass in the real sense was not invented until the Tang Dynasty, but Liu Xie had a small dictionary, so Liu Xie made the compass appear five hundred and sixty years in advance.

And in the current Han army, every general has a pocket-sized needle compass, and Ma Chao has one in his hand.

It is only four fingers wide, just enough to hold in the palm of the hand, is a small round wooden box, after opening, you can see that there is a small pointer inside, surrounded by the four characters of south, east and west, and there are scales.

During the night walk, Ma Chao took out this gadget and used the light of the torch to identify the direction.

Yang Yuan exclaimed: "Brother Meng Qi, is this the legendary miniature Sinan?" ”

Ma Chao smiled and said: "This is called a compass." ”

After that, handing her the compass, Yang Yuan fiddled with the small and delicate compass in his hand, couldn't put it down, and was full of praise.

Ma Chao said: "If you like it, when you go back, I will find a way to get one for you, but now the three of us only have this one, and we have to rely on it to recognize the road at night." ”

Yang Yuan nodded happily, returned the compass to Ma Chao, and said, "I heard that our Han generals have one for each of them." ”

Ma Chao said: "Yes, more could have been made, but considering the secrecy of the process, the imperial court only made a small number of them, and they were specially provided for the use of generals." ”

Yang Yuan smacked his tongue: "Huh? Then I don't want it, Brother Meng Qi, since it is a surgent material, if you get one for me, I will definitely be punished, I don't want to bother you. ”

Ma Chao smiled and said, "If you can become my Han army strategist, won't you be able to justifiably have this thing?" ”

"Hee-hee, that's fine, but can I do it?"

"If you can do it, you can do it."

Ma Chao introduced Yang Yuan and Pang De to how to use the compass, and after teaching, he said: "Because we have to walk at night, but in consideration of sleep, the three of us take turns sleeping on the horse, and two of them can take a nap or nap on the horse." What do you think of the other man leading the horse? ”

Both of them expressed their willingness to do so, and Ma Chao asked: "It's late spring, and there are still three hours until midnight, and the three of us are each on duty for one hour, and the night walkers on duty are walking with maps, torches, and compasses." So who comes first? ”

Pound said: "The last will come first." ”

Ma Chao handed him the tools, and handed him the reins of his and Yang Yuan's mounts. The body is then fastened to the horse with a rope, and the night walk begins.

Pang De led the horse slowly in front, Ma Chao and Yang Yuan rode behind, each lying on the horse, facing each other.

Yang Yuan looked at Ma Chao with a smile, and Ma Chao asked, "Why are you laughing?" ”

Yang Yuan said: "It's just happy, I'm a child from a poor family can actually climb to a rich and noble family, and I am also a pillar of the imperial court, do you think I can not laugh?" ”

Ma Chao shook his head with a smile and said, "Do you know that Your Majesty has a common saying? ”

"What is it?"

Ma Chao cleared his throat and said in the tone of the little emperor: "I don't care what background you have, what background you have, I just care if you have the ability or not." Yes, I will use you, no, I will not use you. ”

Liu Xie is only twelve years old, and he is still a child, Ma Chao is seventeen years old, and he is considered an adult, so if he learns from the little emperor, he needs to sharpen his voice, and he learns very similarly, which makes Yang Yuan laugh.

Against the backdrop of the torches, Yang Yuan, who was dressed in men's clothes, looked particularly charming and good-looking, and Ma Chao, who was only familiar with the world, was stupid to watch.

Yang Yuan asked again: "Then Brother Meng Qi, where do you fancy me?" ”

Ma Chao said: "Smart and beautiful. ”

"Really?"

"Really."

The two were chatting happily, but Pound suddenly stopped, "What's wrong?" Ma Chao asked.

Pound said: "There are ambushes ahead. ”

Ma Chao and Yang Yuan both sat up straight, and Ma Chao said, "Could it be Yu Fuluo's people?" Did you come to my Liangzhou boundary so soon? ”

Pound said: "It's possible, but it's also possible that it's a horse thief?" ”

"Horse thief?" Ma Chao asked.

Pang De said: "The world is in turmoil, and the horse thieves and bandits are in turmoil everywhere, and their harm is not weaker than that of the Huns and princes." ”

Ma Chao nodded and said, "I have been away from home for more than two years, and I never thought that I would meet a horse thief at this moment." ”

Liu Xie ascended the throne at the age of nine, marched west to Chang'an, pacified Li Guo's rebellion, and brought the three Ma Chao brothers and sisters back to Luoyang, which has been three years now. Because Ma Feng became an adult, Zhao Yun wanted to marry Ma Feng, and the three Ma Chao brothers and sisters returned to Liangzhou.

Yang Yuan asked, "Brother Meng Qi, what should we do now?" ”

Ma Chao sneered and said: "Just a horse thief, why worry about it, how many comes, I will let him not go back!" ”

After that, he withdrew the dragon yin zhan golden spear, shook the reins, flew in the white jade sand, and ran forward. Pang De and Yang Yuan followed closely behind, and Ma Chao said: "Brother Ling Ming, protect Miss Yang." ”

After walking for a while, sure enough, there was a sound of horses' hooves, and a team of people blocked the way, Ma Chao sneered and asked, "Why did you stop me?" ”

The first one said, "No, leave the horses, the goods, and the women, and you can go." ”

"Or else?"

"Otherwise, you will be left with a small life!"

Ma Chao held the golden gun in his hand, danced with a spear, and asked: "You horse thieves, it seems that you have killed people for money?" ”

"That's right, unfortunately you are right, are you afraid, if you are afraid, you will leave your belongings and horses, and this girl, and then you two men can get out, I will never hurt you."

Ma Chao didn't speak yet, but Yang Yuan said angrily: "Bold thief, I think you are impatient to live, so let your aunt and grandmother kill you!" ”

The bandit leader smiled lewdly: "Ah, this girl is very spicy, I like it, brothers, don't talk nonsense with them, the man killed, the woman robbed, on!" ”

Ma Chao said: "Look for death!" ”

Towards the bandit leader who came up, he stabbed with a shot, and when he heard the bandit leader say "Oh mom", he was already provoked by Ma Chao with a shot.

Don't look at Ma Chao's age, but he was born with divine power, after picking up the bandit leader, and then throwing it off, he threw it out, hit another person, and knocked him off the horse.

Ma Chao only made a move, and he had already killed and injured the horse thieves, and the horse thieves were shocked and were about to flee, Pang De had already rushed over, and his hand fell with a knife, and he cut down one with a knife.

Ma Chao said: "No one is left!" ”

The two staggered knives and guns, slashed and killed, and in a moment's effort, they cut down a large area, leaving three or five horse thieves who were so frightened that they hugged their heads and ran away, Ma Chao and Pang De opened their bows and arrows, only to hear the sound of the bowstring continuously, and the horse thieves also screamed continuously, and the rest were killed by arrows.

In just one moment, more than a dozen horse thieves were killed.