A few days later, the weather was fine. In the autumn and winter of Hedong, it is rare to have such a sunny day, the sky is blue, and the river surrounds the ancient city of Taiyuan like a jade belt.

After several days of negotiations, the envoys prepared to return.

The result of the negotiations is that there is no result. In fact, the two sides have long known this result, but it has been routine for so many days.

After all, Zhang Xiaochun still invited a letter from Tokyo to reply to Shi Liai. The meaning of the Great Song Dynasty was very simple - "let it be discussed again".

Neither refuse nor promise. The standard diplomatic rhetoric is also a typical Great Song Dynasty style diplomacy -- it can be delayed, and it can be fooled.

Shi Liai didn't drop any cruel words, smiled indifferently and didn't refute, and left with his mission.

As for the woman who had gone missing, he did not ask any further questions. The "General Song" who entrusted the search for him did not appear in front of him again.

According to the usual practice, Zhang Xiaochun sent 500 iron armor to escort the delegation to the border.

After leaving Taiyuan City, Shi Liai was a little uneasy. Because the further you go, the quieter it becomes, and it's a little unusually quiet. The person he wanted to see most never appeared again.

It is difficult to avoid hidden arrows with open guns, and the hidden danger is the real danger. In Shi Liai's heart, Chu Tianya became more and more mysterious. Originally, he thought that he had a general understanding of Chu Tianya. Now he felt that he still didn't know anything about him. Not only that, after seeing Chu Tianya with his own eyes, he felt that it was better not to see. Because Chu Tianya made him unpredictable, it made him hesitate more in his heart.

For a decision-maker with ideas, there is nothing more fatal than hesitation.

On the way back to his hometown, Shi Liai had been very silent, and the image of Chu Tianya was clear in his mind for a while and blurred for a while. He was a little mocking of himself, there had never been a woman in decades who had made him think about it day and night, and now, there was a man who was circling in his mind all day.

The chariots and horses of the mission walked to the vicinity of Xiaocang Mountain, where Chu Tianya ambushed Yao Gu and others and rescued Jiao Wentong.

Suddenly, there was a golden drum in front of him, and countless cavalry flashed out on both sides of the mountain road. The flags were unfurled, the horses neighed, and the swords and guns swayed white and dazzling under the bright sun.

The Jurchens and the accompanying officers and soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty were taken aback, and hurriedly pulled out their horses and unsheathed them and put on a defensive posture.

The oncoming cavalry did not attack, but formed a formation beside the wide official road. One of the fierce men with a huge body rode a big black horse with an equally mighty body, like a demon god descending from the earth, and shouted like thunder: "I am the general of the Seven Star Zhai Broken Army, Tang Ang is also!" On the orders of my lord, I have come to welcome the envoys of the Jin Kingdom to rest their horses here! The Lord will do a good job for the messenger! ”

Tang An's voice has always been to yell at the dead. In addition, the momentum of the soldiers and horses on both sides was supplemented, and the people of the Jurchen envoys and the officers and soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty gasped on the spot!

At this time, Shi Liai was still sitting in the car, and couldn't help but lift the curtain to look out, and praised loudly: "What a tiger general!" ”

One of the members of the mission by the carriage hurriedly asked the leader of the Song soldiers for help, saying that there were bandits coming to rob the mission, and you should provide us with protection!

The leader of the Song soldiers rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Let go of your mother's fart, this is our general's horse!" Didn't you hear clearly, the general is going to give the messenger a feast! ”

The messenger touched his nose with ash, so that he was not annoyed, but he did not dare to attack.

On the other side, Tang Ang was impatient to wait, and reined the horse and roared angrily: "My lord has been waiting for a long time, why hasn't the messenger gotten out of the car?" You're just waiting for Ben to take you out of the car!! ”

As soon as the voice roared, the officers and soldiers of the Jurchens and the Great Song Dynasty felt their legs weak for a while, and even the horses pulling the cart were upside down.

Shi Liai took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.

"I am Shi Liai, the envoy of the Kingdom of Jin. Where is the lord of your house, lead me there!" ”

"Okay, please!" Tang Ang didn't talk nonsense, asked someone to bring a horse, and let Shi Liai ride it.

The tiger cavalry quickly surrounded Shi Liai at the core, Tang Ang turned the horse's head and waved his hand, and a group of cavalry floated away like smoke and dust.

"This, this—the mastermind was robbed like this?" The members of the Jin delegation panicked and shouted loudly.

The officers and soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty were all rejoicing in calamity, so they were not comfortable.

"You have colluded to kidnap the emissary of our Dajin Kingdom! You'll regret it! ”

"What are you yelling about!" The officers and soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty scolded impatiently, "Aren't you known to be able to fight and are all good at horseback?" You have the ability to snatch the messenger back yourself! We don't have the ability, we are still greedy for life and afraid of death! It was the general's general of the Guards and the commander of the Tiger Cavalry, Tang An. Do you know how one of your generals named Wu Lihai died in the last battle of Huanglong Valley? -- He was torn in two! ”

As soon as these words were said, all the Jurchens present were stunned on the spot and lost their temper.

Wu Lihai was once a fierce general of the three armies under Wanyan Zonghan. was torn apart by Tang Ansheng...... This is undoubtedly the greatest stimulation for the Jurchens, who have always been in awe of warriors.

Halfway up the mountainside of Xiaocang Mountain, a big marching tent was set up, and a plain white canopy was pulled up in front of the tent. Chu Tianya, Bai Xu, and Jiao Wentong sat in the white tent drinking tea and chatting, looking quite relaxed. Scattered around, horses were grazing on the remaining grass roots of the mountains, bows and arrows and prey hung from the saddles, and a few fierce dogs lay next to the tents, spitting out their scarlet tongues and panting.

At a glance, it can be seen that this group of people is out hunting.

But within a radius of 100 paces, there were no less than a thousand ironclad guards who were tightly guarded, guarding this place like an iron bucket. There are more flags fluttering around, showing a majestic military scene.

"Second brother, it seems that the injuries on your body are no longer serious, and your demeanor is better than before!" Chu Tianya smiled lightly, "It's still like that, it's breathtaking!" ”

"Haha, the lord has won the prize." Jiao Wentong stroked his beard heartily and smiled, "I can have the opportunity to accompany the lord to go out hunting, Jiao is grateful." It's just that I don't know how to greet the Jurchen messenger when I see it later? The lord asked him to shoot his left eye, but Jiao would never shoot him in his right eye! ”

"No, no." Chu Tianya waved his hand and said with a smile, "I really came to give him a meal." Shi Liai is a wonderful person, he can't die now. ”

"The lord has orders, and his subordinates obey them." Jiao Wentong hugged his fist.

Bai Xu sat on the side shaking his fan, also with a relaxed smile, and then interjected: "Lord, second brother, it seems that today has a lot of harvest, and there is no shortage of treasures such as bear paws among the prey. Why don't we just roast them now and use them for Shili Aiyu? ”

"Okay!" Chu Tianya said with a smile, "Shi Liai was born in a northern nomadic country, so he definitely likes this kind of taste!" ”

Bai Xu immediately beckoned his subordinates and went to prepare to roast the prey.

Jiao Wentong took a big sip of tea, wiped away the water droplets that fell on his long beard, and sighed, "It's a pity that the brother who followed me on the mission to Western Xia died tragically in a foreign land, but he can't avenge it!" ”

"Second brother, if you can't bear it, you will make a big plan. Revenge is definitely going to be avenged, but not now. Chu Tianya said with a smile, "No matter who it is, they are not qualified to harm the people of our Great Song Dynasty, let alone the people of the Hedong Righteous Army." I will give this account to Shi Liai first, and I will ask him to pay it back. ”

"Yes. Jiao listened to the lord. Jiao Wentong hugged his fists and bowed, showing a hint of shame on his face, "Jiao is ashamed that this mission to Xixia failed to fully take charge of the task. Neither found the Lord of Xiao County, nor did he reach an alliance with Western Xia. Now, the shops along the Yellow River could not be built for a while, and even the salt barons of the smuggling gang did not dare to go to Western Xia lightly, and there was a shortage of salt in the east of the river. These are all the faults of subordinates, please punish the Lord. ”

"I don't blame you. There are gold people who are obstructing it, and we can't carry out these things smoothly. Chu Tianya said with a smile on his face, "Before, we were too anxious and wishful thinking, so we ignored the countermeasures that Jin Guo might take. Wait, there will soon be a big battle between Song and Jin. After this battle, we will go back and discuss the construction of transportation business with the Western Xia Kingdom. The Hedong Righteous Army must be economically independent, this is inevitable! ”

"Yes, my lord." Jiao Wentong said goodbye convincingly, and couldn't help sighing in his heart: his courage and determination are indeed far superior to ordinary people--it is really terrifying!

"The second brother doesn't have to be born. I invite you to shoot today, just to see how your injuries are healing. Chu Tianya smiled, "It seems that you are in good health, so I can rest assured." Seeing that the war is imminent, how can there be no second brother to lead the three armies? ”

When Jiao Wentong heard this, his spirit grew and he hugged his fists and bowed: "Jiao Wentong is willing to listen to the lord's drive and never give up!" ”

"Haha, second brother, please take a seat!" Chu Tianya laughed, "With your words, I have the bottom in my heart." The three thousand howling horses are a sharp knife of our Hedong Righteous Army; Second Brother Jiao is a banner in Hedong. No matter how tense and difficult the danger is in the future, as long as there is Second Brother Jiao and Xiao Qi, I will always be confident! ”

Jiao Wentong did not sit down, but took a deep breath with a stricter expression, and clenched his fists again, "Sword Mountain and Sea of Fire, as long as the lord gives an order, Jiao Wentong and his three thousand roaring horses will go to the soup and fire, and the liver and brain will be smeared!" ”

"Hehe, the second brother doesn't have to be so serious, please take a seat." Chu Tianya was still smiling, and his words were relaxed.

Bai Xu, who was instructing his subordinates not far away, saw it, and a smile full of fox intent appeared on his face, and he said secretly: "The lord's skill of controlling people is becoming more and more exquisite. Jiao Wentong obviously came back from a mess, but instead of punishing him, the lord had high hopes for him. This reminded Xiao Sheng of Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty in the former Tang Dynasty, and he also controlled Wei Gong Li Yaoshi - it is better to make a pass. Jiao Wentong is guilty and unpunished, and he has been entrusted with a heavy responsibility, if he goes to the battlefield in the future, he will definitely do his best without reservation...... Clever! ”

The cooks who accompanied him had already lit the bonfire with their hands and feet and began to roast their game. The autumn breeze is blowing, and the smell of barbecue wafts on the mountainside.

It was a relaxing afternoon. Jiao Wentong's heart has never been turbulent and unstable.