Five years later.

On the vast grassland outside Danyang City, there are three children playing freely. Among them, the little girl in the red dress, who is almost five years old, is leading her younger brothers to play. The other two little boys, only about two years old, had just learned to walk and stumbled across the prairie.

The little girl's name was Tuoba Lin, and she was the eldest daughter of Tuoba Yan and Ye Letian. The other older boy is the child of Alemu and Jimmy, whose nickname is Ah Ping, who is just two years old.

The youngest boy is the eldest son of Tuoba Yan, named Tuoba Hua. When Yeletian had just given birth to Hua'er, Tuoba was so happy that he made him his son after the full moon. There are successors to the Tuoba clan, and the Tuoba clan is also relieved.

"Hua'er and Ah Ping had such a good time." Jimmy and Yeleyi sat on the grassland, looking at the three children, and she smiled, "Just like his father and Khan's relationship, when Ah Ping grows up, he will be the companion of the son." ”

Yele listened, smiling silently. She was lucky enough to meet Jimmy and Alem here, and the two families were like family. She and Jimmy often get together and take the kids out to play. And Alam and Tuoba Yan, like when they were children, went to the wild valley from time to time to ride and hunt.

In the past five years, everything in Danyang City has been peaceful, and the grassland has been calm. The Chishui tribe retreated to the foot of the Abu Shenglan Mountain in the extreme north, no longer intruding on the Qingyun Tribe, and gradually withdrew from people's field of vision, as if Xiang Qiang had never had such a big tribe.

On the contrary, it was the Baisha Ministry, because of his support for the Qingyun Ministry's recovery of Danyang City, Tuoba Yan gave it special favor, and assigned the Parjia Xitang of the Black Rock Department to the Baisha Ministry. Qin Luo once reminded Tuoba Yan not to forget that when the Chishui Department occupied Parjia Xitang, he stabbed him in the back. But Tuoba Yan didn't care, he wouldn't let Danyang City become an empty city again, so that anyone could take advantage of it.

The Qingyun Department experienced great changes, and it took five years to recover, which bought another five years for the Central Plains Chu State. However, in the past five years, although Xiang Qiang did not invade the Central Plains, there were many contradictions and crises within the Chu State.

Nanchu has been weak for many years, and there are countless aspiring young people who want to change the law and try to save Dachu. The young people, led by Yang Jue, persuaded the emperor to change the law. Mrs. Xu, on the other hand, opposed the change of the law and tried her best to suppress the New Party. Emperor Zhao Ruize was an adult, and after marrying a wife and having children, he became more and more dissatisfied with the old lady Xu Liqing's control of the government, so he supported the newcomers in the court to change the law.

It didn't take long for the news of the change to reach the grassland, and Qin Luo was not happy when he heard it, but worried. Blacksmith Sun was puzzled, "Shouldn't changing the law be a good thing?" ”

Qin Luo frowned and said: "Whether it's good or bad, changing the law will cause party division, and party division will inevitably lead to party strife, and party strife will provoke infighting." Da Chu now has strong enemies outside and traitors inside, and it is difficult to say what situation the law change will develop into at this moment. ”

The New Party, with the support of the emperor, made great efforts to implement the reforms. However, the development of things was just as Qin Luo expected, and it was only a year before the change of law led to constant party disputes in the court. At first, the two sides were nothing more than a war of words, but later the two parties became more and more violent, and both sides did whatever it took to suppress their political opponents. The debasement and killing of officials in the DPRK and China have caused panic among the people.

Later, Mrs. Xu was assassinated on the way to the court and died on the spot. The assassination of an important minister of the imperial court shocked the whole country. The emperor was young, and when he saw that Mrs. Xu was stabbed to death by an assassin, he panicked all of a sudden. He not only has a gentleman's affection for Mrs. Xu, but also grew up with Mrs. Xu's single-handedly support and teaching, and he has a teacher-student relationship. So Emperor Zhao Ruize began to favor the Conservative Party, abolished the previous new law, and imprisoned Yang Qi and others.

At this time, the Central Plains was even more chaotic, with party disputes between the DPRK and China and peasant uprisings outside. After Qin Luo heard about Xiang Qiang, he felt that the capital was treacherous and tiring. And Qin Luo and the others have not found out who is a traitor in the court, and they don't know what role this traitor has played in this struggle to change the law.

Blacksmith Sun Zeng said to Qin Luo: "We are working hard in Xiangqiang, but watching the chaos in the Central Plains, sometimes we really feel that it is not worth it. Qin Luo, you say a prophecy every time, this time, do you think there is still hope for Da Chu? ”

"No matter what Da Chu becomes, we are all Chu people." Qin Luo still had hope for Da Chu, and he persuaded the blacksmith Sun Dao, "General Feng is still there, and the front-line soldiers are still there." As long as they guard the border of Dachu for one day, we should not give up. ”

Blacksmith Sun Dao: "Tuoba Yan promised us to return the land of Dachu, but five years have passed, and he has dragged on for so long, it seems that he wants to break his promise." ”

When Qin Luo heard this, his mood was even more depressed, and he said with guilt: "I overestimated the integrity of their Xiang Qiang people, it was my mistake, I shouldn't have shown Xiang Qiang firearms, so that they were covetous." ”

Since he succeeded in creating the arrow, Tuoba Yan has become more greedy, and in recent years, he has begun to study the production of artillery. Qin Luo saw it in his eyes, but he couldn't stop it. It's just that I don't know, Tuoba Yan wants to use firearms in Baishabu, or the Central Plains Dachu?

Blacksmith Sun said: "You know what a murderous king you are assisting. How is it possible to want him to spit out the encroached land? ”

"In this case, you are unkind, and don't blame me for being unjust." Qin Luo said, "If Tuoba Yan really wants to attack Da Chu, I won't let him succeed." ”

Regarding the return of the land, Tuoba Yan had thought about returning it to Nanchu, but Tuoba Ling did not agree to return the land before his death, and Tuoba Yan also promised his second brother that he would not return the land easily. Now, whenever Qin Luo mentions this matter, he finds an excuse to delay. Seeing that Qin Luo was so interested in the Central Plains, he had also doubted Qin Luo, which side of his heart was on?

Later, Qin Luo understood what Tuoba Yan meant, and stopped mentioning it. In the past five years, Tuoba Yan has never proposed attacking the Central Plains. There is a delicate balance between the monarch and the minister. Tuoba Yan relied heavily on Qin Luo for everything, and was suspicious. Qin Luo had a glimmer of hope for Tuobaran, but he didn't dare to believe it completely.

Qin Luo knew that sooner or later this balance would be broken, but he didn't know when?

Five years later, one spring, the peace on the steppe was shattered, and the Great Khan of the White Sha Tribe, at the instigation of General Ahan, stole the recipe and secretly made firearms. It's a pity that the secrecy is not strict, and it was discovered by the spies of the Qingyun Department. Tuoba was furious and planned to send troops to destroy the Baisha Division.

Tuoba Yan called Qin Luo privately and prepared to discuss the matter of sending troops. Qin Luo and Tuoba Yan had different political views, and the two had a huge disagreement on the war for the first time.

Qin Luo said bitterly: "The Baisha Department has helped the Qingyun Department to tide over the difficulties before, how can we take revenge now?" ”

"Haven't I done them enough good?" Tuoba Yan said indignantly, "They want to stay in Danyang City, so I let them stay for half a year." They wanted Paljasitang, and I gave it to them. But they are not greedy enough to dare to use the idea of firearms, then don't blame me for turning my face. ”

"Khan, why bother with such a stiffness. The Great Khan of Weimu has always been timid, and we only need to knock them once, and the White Sands will definitely not dare to develop firearms. Such a big move hurt the harmony. ”

"I don't need anything kind." Tuoba said nonchalantly, "Qin Luo, I won't hide it from you, let's be honest, I have long seen that Baisha is not pleasing to the eye." I hope that from now on, there will be only one family on the grassland, and that is the Tuoba clan. ”