In the Tang army camp at night, the lights of each tent have been extinguished, only the blazing torch at the guard post is accompanied by the sound of fighting, scorching hot.

Wearing heavy armor, a long knife at his waist, and holding a carved bow, Ma Xuan led several tooth soldiers to patrol the camp. Although Ma Lan is only 23 years old this year, he has been working in the Anxi Metropolitan Protectorate for three years and knows the geography of the Western Regions well. Although the north and south of the sea are short, the east and west are narrow and long, stretching for more than 1,000 miles. The water quality in the western part of the sea is sweet, while the water in the eastern part is bitter and salty. Although the saltwater can not be drunk by people and animals, but the small lakes by the lake are dotted around, the water and grass are abundant and beautiful, and there are many wild things.

The Tang army camped on the high ground by the lake, close to a lake of more than 20 acres, which can be described as having a broad vision, abundant water sources, and easy to defend and difficult to attack. Although the Tang soldiers in Beiting were victorious class divisions, they were still very rigorous in camping along the way, and they were all available to trap and reject horses. Ma Ling inspected several sentry posts, and the sergeants on duty were full of spirit and had no intention of slacking off.

"Sure enough, it is the elite of Yum, and the soldiers and horses of Beiting are not weaker than Anxi." Ma Ling secretly thought, his admiration for Wang Zhengjian has reached a higher level, and he is also more confident in his future.

Ma Lan was born in the side branch of the Longyou Ma family, and his ancestors are said to be the descendants of Ma Yuan, the general of the Han Dynasty. Although the genealogical records are vague, the Ma family has always attached importance to the cultivation of the art of war and martial arts, hoping to cultivate a famous general like Ma Yuan. Ma Lan's grandfather, Ma Zhenghui, was a general of the Right Weiwei; His father, Ma Sheng, led the soldiers of the palace to join the army for the right division, but Ma Ling became an orphan very early. Fortunately, Ma Xuan was born with divine power, especially good at riding and shooting, and everyone in the Ma family knew it. Longyou Hu and Han are mixed, the folk customs are fierce, Ma Lan has also made a great name by relying on his own strong bow, even the Hui people who are known as skilled in riding and archery, are also amazed by Ma Lu's arrows.

Ma Lan admires his ancestor Ma Yuan very much, and often reads "Ma Yuan Biography" without releasing the volume. He was very confident in his skills, but unexpectedly he was framed by others, accidentally injured others, and followed the law. Thanks to the head of the Ma family, the county commander also took pity on his talent and allowed him to be a "Long March athlete" and go to Anxi to serve as a recruit.

Soon, Ma Lan stood out in Anxi, was promoted to the captain of the fire in just one year, and became the captain of the team after more than a year, and was the most elite scout camp in the Anxi Metropolitan Protectorate. But the Jin Brigade Marshal of the Scout Brigade where Ma Lan was located, relying on himself to be a fellow Goguryeo villager of Gao Xianzhi, was fighting against each other with his hands and the party. Ma Lan is handsome, but his temper is like hot coals, he grabbed the evidence of Jin Lushuai, and sued him all the way to Judge Feng Changqing. Feng Changqing encouraged Ma Lan a few words and promised to punish the marshal of the Golden Brigade. Soon, the brigade commander was transferred from the scout camp to the Green Ridge to guard and capture.

Ma Lan was originally very proud, but soon heard the news from his brothers in the army that Jin Lushuai had been promoted to the town general who was captured in the Green Ridge, and Ma Lan had been recorded on the blacklist by the judge and was not ready to be promoted again.

Ma Ling was depressed and received the task of going to Broken Leaf to deliver a letter to the Beiting Army. Unexpectedly, by mistake, he and Wang Yong rescued Xiao Langjun, the envoy of the Beiting Festival, and captured the little county lord of Tuqishi. The most important thing is that because Xiao Langjun values it, Ma Lu was left by Wang Zhengjian in the north court to serve as the head of the tooth army, and at the same time taught Xiao Langjun archery.

Although it is still a positive team, the tooth soldiers around him are superior to others, and they also have a relationship with Xiao Langjun, and the future is naturally limitless. For Wang Zhengjian's trust, Ma Luming felt in his heart.

Thinking of Xiao Langjun, Ma Lan looked up and saw that he had already walked to Xiao Langjun's tent. As soon as Ma Lan approached, the curtain of the camp tent was lifted, and Wang Yong, who had a dark face, walked out, "Thirteen Lang, what about the night patrol?" ”

Ranked thirteenth among the Ma Ling clan, they have been very familiar with Wang Yong recently, and they have become affectionate with each other. "Erlang, I still can't undress."

"What happened outside the Broken Leaf City has already scared someone's liver and gallbladder, and if there is another accident, there will be no shame to face Ah Lang and the lady."

"Those black-clothed people are all the top assassins of the Great Food Country, and no one can stop the sneak attack of five top assassins, you can kill an assassin in an instant, and your martial arts are already very good."

"Thirteen Lang, your archery skills are even more one-in-a-million."

"Let's stop bragging to each other, Xiao Langjun has fallen asleep, right?" Ma Lan changed the subject.

"Not yet, the black light is blinding, and I'm still pestering the little lady of Yiyue, asking about arithmetic and Zhaowu Jiuguo."

"Xiao Langjun is really studious. A certain is a rough man, although he knows a little about words, but he loves swords more. However, I also know that this arithmetic is a practical thing, and there is no harm in learning it. ”

"That's natural, just talking about marching and fighting, the daily consumption of grain and grass, and the increase and decrease of personnel, don't they all have to rely on arithmetic. It's just that Xiao Langjun has the posture of a dragon and a phoenix, and he will do big things in the future, so it doesn't matter if he doesn't learn arithmetic. But Xiao Langjun loves to learn, so it is naturally better. ”

The two were chatting with each other, when they suddenly heard the neighing of horses in the distance, and then they felt the sound of horses' hooves crushing the heavens and the earth, and they were getting closer and closer to the high ground.

"Enemy attack?" Ma Ling and Wang Yong shouted in unison, and then each had a sword and bow in his hand. Ma Lan whistled, a white horse rushed like lightning, heard the sound, Ma Lan jumped on the horse, ran towards the sound of the horse's hooves, and several tooth soldiers behind him also went to find their mounts. Wang Yong quickly retreated into the camp tent and shouted in a low voice: "Little Langjun, little lady, there are warning signs, don't say anything more." ”

The white horse was very fast, and in a few steps he stepped over the fence to the west of the camp. The Tang army on duty had already reacted quickly, put the feather arrow on the bowstring, and led it towards the outside of the camp without firing. At the same time, several tooth soldiers had already gone to Judge Du's office to inform him of the unusual movement in the west.

Ma Ling took the torch handed by the tooth soldier and stood up with his stirrups on his feet. Looking from afar, the first thing I saw was a dozen small tents more than 20 zhang away from the Tang army camp. Marlin knew that this was the camp of Sogdian merchants. The Sogdian merchants' tents were full of people, and only the shouting of men, the neighing of horses, and the low snoring of camels were heard, as if many people were coming out of their tents and preparing to assemble on their horses.

"Could it be the Sogdians?" Ma Lan first thought of this, but quickly dismissed the idea. The Sogdian caravan had hundreds of people, which was usually considered a force, but compared with the tens of thousands of elite Tang troops, it was like a grasshopper. It was impossible for the Sogdians to carry out suicide attacks on the Don army. At the same time, Ma Lan could also understand some Sogdian language, and judging from the few words he heard vaguely, the Sogdians seemed to have discovered something remarkable and were very excited.

In a few moments of thought, the thunderous sound of horses' hooves got closer, and more Tang soldiers in the camp also came out one after another, and the crossbowmen had already taken the lead in dividing into four teams and standing on the fences on all sides of the camp tent.

When the Tang army began to be on guard, Ma Lan found that a team of dozens of able-bodied Sogdian merchants had left the camp and was galloping towards the west.

"What are the Sogdians going to do?" Ma Lan suddenly found that he didn't know when, Xiao Langjun had already walked to his side. Wang Yong and Yiyue Little Lady were behind Xiao Langjun.

"Erlang, let Xiao Langjun here, I'm afraid it's not safe, right?" Ma Lan was a little dissatisfied with Wang Yong's recklessness.

"It's okay, it's agreed." Wang Zhengjian's voice came from behind, and Du Liulang still stood calmly beside Wang Zhengjian.

"See the big handsome!" Ma Ling made a gesture, "I'm just afraid that Xiao Langjun will make a mistake." ”

"Ma Teamzheng, you can't underestimate me, I'm also a bloody Tang man! Besides, the edge of the sword comes from the sharpening, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold. If I don't practice, how can I be so brave as you and Uncle Wang Yong. Wang Fei's words were so blocked that Ma Lan couldn't answer. Ma Xuan is skilled in bowing horses, but he is not a man of words.

"The edge of the sword is sharpened, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold, Xiao Langjun's words are deep in my heart. The horse team is positive, with a few tooth soldiers, using a giant shield to protect Xiao Langjun and the little lady, don't worry. Du Liulang easily solved Ma Luan's worries.

Ma Lan was about to say something more, when suddenly a series of screams came from the west, and many waterfowl flew out of the reeds by the lake. The crossbowmen of the Tang Army also raised their bows and arrows one after another, pointing the black iron arrows into the boundless darkness.

Before the screams subsided, a fishy smell rushed into the Tang army camp along the northwest wind, and the rumbling sound of horses' hooves seemed to be stopped by this fishy smell and lightened. Then I heard the howling of wolves and the kicking of horses' hooves.

"Dashuai, it was the wolves attacking the wild horses, and the two sides fought." Du Liulang quickly and calmly judged the situation.

"Judge Du, I have also been in Anxi for several years, and I have seen and heard a lot of wolves attacking horses, and it is not uncommon for me to do so. But why did these Sogdians not guard the camp, but rush to get involved in the battle between the wolves and the horses? You must know that although this wild wolf is not as strong as the tiger, it is good at swarms, wolves are rampant, and tigers and leopards are easy. Judging from the sound, this wolf pack is numerous, probably in the hundreds. In the darkness of the night, dozens of Sogdian warriors could never defeat the wolves. Why were the Sogdians, who had always been calculating, willing to make such a loss-making deal? Ma Lan asked many people's doubts.

"Dashuai, Xiao Langjun is right, the Sogdians have indeed deceived us, and they already know why they are lying." Du Liulang first said a word to Wang Zhengjian, and then said to Ma Lu: "Ma Zheng, the Sogdians are the most shrewd merchants in the world, and they would rather sacrifice dozens of warriors to protect the road than rush into the wolves, which can only show that there are treasures worth a thousand gold in this horse herd......"

"Pegasus!" Before Du Liulang could finish speaking, Ma Lan roared out. "These damned Sogdians want to sneak up on us to find Pegasus, it's really a beast."

"We didn't know about it before, the Sogdians didn't say it, and we couldn't do anything about it. But now that they know their intentions, they can't help the Sogdians. Don't you know that the whole world is not the king's land, and the heavenly horses in this land are naturally saints, and these merchants can covet it. With a contemptuous smile on his face, Du Liulang mocked the Sogdian merchants for their inadequacy.