The big drum in front of Qingyun Hall is beating, and the rapid and unique drum beat is telling everyone that the lord has arrived!

The one or two hundred men who had been waiting all day in Qingyun Hall stood up straight, and even their voices were almost uniform.

Chu Tianya took the lead, followed by Bai Xu, Wang Xun, Tang Ang and dozens of other leaders of the Seven Star Village.

Xiao Linglong deliberately walked behind Tang An. Because there was such a huge figure in front of her as cover, and most people were already standing with their fists clenched at this time, there were really many people who didn't notice her for a while.

"Lord!" Neat shouts.

Chu Tianya strode to the wide tiger skin chair and stood still, hugged his fists and said, "Let the brothers wait for a long time!" ”

Only then did everyone put down their fists.

Chu Tianya glanced around the hall and was very satisfied. Because he clearly saw the abundant spirit from everyone. Although they have been waiting here for a day, they have not wilted or messed up.

"Chu came late and violated military law. After the meeting, ask the military advisor to punish according to the law. Chu Tianya said and then hugged his fist at everyone in the hall, "Brothers, please take a seat!" ”

Everyone sat down and looked at Chu Tianya in unison, no one looked around, and no one expressed any objection to Chu Tianya's words just now. Because Chu Tianya has always emphasized "discipline". Whether it is a lord or a big chief, as long as he makes a mistake, he will be punished, such a thing is not new. If it weren't for this, today's Qingyun Hall would not be such a strict scene.

Although Chu Tianya was strict on the surface, his heart was actually full of joy for a while.

Only half a year ago, when the meeting in Qingyuntang was held, it was still a black miasma and noisy, and people who scolded their mothers abounded, and it was not uncommon to take out stinky feet from their shoes and buckle their toes in public. The last time Chu Tianya took office as the big leader, on the eve of Zhang Xiaochun's visit with a group of officials, didn't he quarrel and scold, and some people were about to kill people with knives in front of them?

In just a few months, the current Qingyun Hall is silent, neat and orderly. Even Xiao Linglong's sudden appearance didn't cause any sensation, although Chu Tianya knew that many people had already noticed her, including Jiao Wentong.

Because in many meetings in the past, Xiao Linglong's seat, which was at the front of the line and one of the twelve leaders, was empty. Today, a big beauty swaggered there, how could a group of men not see it?

But they were able to turn a blind eye.

This is clearly the effect of "discipline".

"Before the meeting began, I had a small thing to announce." Chu Tianya didn't sit down, stood in front of the big chair and called, "Xiao Linglong." ”

"The subordinates are here!" Xiao Linglong stood up and responded with her fists clenched and stood in the hall.

"One of the little things I want to announce is that Xiao Linglong, one of the big leaders we have been away from for many days, is back today." Chu Tianya said, "This is a happy event. ”

The people in the hall stood up at this time and hugged their fists at Xiao Linglong sideways, but there was no chatter.

Jiao Wentong's seat was opposite Xiao Linglong, very close to each other, and at this time, looking at Xiao Linglong's eyes was very hot and complicated, like an old father who finally looked forward to returning to the wanderer who had wandered the world and had no news, love and annoyance were written on his face and revealed in his eyes at the same time.

But he didn't say a word, just held his fist at Xiao Linglong like this.

"You may be seated!" Chu Tianya shouted, and everyone came back to their senses. Xiao Linglong returned to her seat and sat down.

"The meeting begins." Chu Tianya also sat down, "Strategist, please speak first." ”

"Yes, my lord." Bai Xu left his seat and walked into the hall, opened a thick codex, and began to tell the leaders about the "military exercises".

This is a very new thing for everyone. The one or two hundred or so people who can sit on this Qingyun Hall today, except for the military advisor Bai Xu, the rest are all on the battlefield, have cut off their heads and seen blood. They would not be surprised which fort they were told, which city they attacked, or even which mountain they had bulldozed. Only this "military exercise" that simulates a war is like a book from heaven.

The reason why Chu Tianya wanted Bai Xu to talk about it was because Bai Xu knew the habits of the people present better than him, including language habits and thinking habits. To accept something unfamiliar, it is best to describe and describe it in familiar language or analogy. Obviously, Bai Xu is more suitable for doing this than Chu Tianya.

Because of the novelty and importance, everyone in the hall listened carefully and curiously, paying attention to the first word and every sentence of Bai Xu. From time to time, there are people who ask questions in a very orderly and serious manner, and Bai Xu answers patiently. Fortunately, today's Qingyun Hall is not the Qingyun Hall of the past, otherwise everyone would be chattering, and such a "fresh meeting" would not be able to go on at all.

Chu Tianya also listened carefully, and added two sentences from time to time. Bai Xu is indeed a smart person, the language is well organized, the examples he gives are also vivid, and from time to time he also makes witty remarks and plays a little humor, so that everyone will not listen to it too boring.

Chu Tianya was secretly relieved, if there was no such a dog-headed military advisor as Bai Xu, he really didn't know what kind of anxiety he would toss.

Involuntarily, Chu Tianya looked at Xiao Linglong, who was sitting below. She gave Chu Tianya a look, motioned for him to come out, and had something to say.

Chu Tianya got up and made a gesture to change his clothes. A moment later, Xiao Linglong also retreated from the side door of the lobby, and the two met in the backyard of Qingyun Hall.

"What's the matter?" Chu Tianya asked her.

"What should I tell my second brother later?" Xiao Linglong's expression was a little embarrassed, "You also saw it just now, he looks like that...... It really makes me feel guilty. I had a feeling that I had deceived my father and made him sad. My heart is going to break. ”

"Just say it." Chu Tianya replied.

Xiao Linglong's brows tightened, "Do you want me to sue him, I don't want to see the two of you fight openly and secretly to hide?" I'm leaving to make time and space for you, and to give it a go and sit in the position of this lord? Although I didn't want to hurt him, ...... He was really hurt by me! He has lost his former prestige and power, he has been deceived by me, worried about me, and hurt his feelings by me! ”

"If Second Brother Jiao really regards you as a daughter and sister, he won't ask, and he won't care." Chu Tianya said, "For my father and brother, the most important thing is that you came back safe and sound. Nothing else, it's important, and it's not worth chasing. ”

"That's why I feel more and more guilty!" Xiao Linglong's expression was already a little painful, "When I left, I knew that you would win; I've thought of a thousand, ten thousand ways to face my second brother in the future, and I thought I was mentally prepared - but when I saw him, my heart broke, really! He really cares about me, that kind of look can't deceive people, my father looked at me like that back then, especially after I was naughty and caused trouble! ”

"Flying fox, you've grown up." Jiao Wentong's voice suddenly came from behind Xiao Linglong.

"Ahh Xiao Linglong was really startled, and really exclaimed, her face turned white!

"You! …… Second brother, when did you come? Xiao Linglong was caught off guard and was shocked and angry, "Tianya, why don't you sue me?!" ”

"I came out with my lord." Jiao Wentong stroked his long hair and smiled, "The lord gave him a look, and his subordinates followed." The subordinates know that there will definitely be fun things today. Really! ”

"Fun? You think -- it's fun? Xiao Linglong's expression was extremely embarrassed, both ashamed and annoyed, and she wanted to dig a hole in the ground.

"Haha!" Chu Tianya smiled, "My own family, how can there be so much embarrassment? Second brother, what do you say? ”

"Yes! Flying fox, do you still need any concerns in front of the second brother? Jiao Wentong laughed heartily, "Actually, even if you didn't leave, the second brother would find a way to drive you away or hide you for a while." The battle between me and the lord is a gentleman's dispute, and it is all for the sake of the righteous army, and there is nothing unpleasant. But it's too painful for you to be caught between us. You are very smart and wise, and you chose to leave quietly. Then, I gave it a go with my lord - and you saw it. Jiao Wentong was convinced, and from now on, only the lord and the horse will be the first to look forward, and sincerely assist the lord to achieve great causes. Now that you're back safe and sound, I don't know how happy I am, so how can I blame you? ”

"Second brother...... Do you really think so? Xiao Linglong looked at Jiao Wentong in a daze, as if she had never known him.

"Did the second brother say a lie in front of you?" Jiao Wentong still smiled so easily, his smile contained a hint of kindness and doting that only a loving father can have, and his voice was much softer, saying, "Seeing you and the lord going in and out together, my heart is like seeing the most beautiful scenery in the world, and I am going to be happy." Flying Fox, hurry up and marry your lord - I want to drink 3,000 cups and get drunk! ”

"Second brother, I was wrong......" Xiao Linglong's tears fell like this, her eyes were red, and her lips were trembling.

She's enduring it, forbearing. She didn't want to throw herself into her father's arms like a seven or eight-year-old child and cry loudly.

However, she really had such a strong urge.

"Second brother, you have a good chat, I'll go back first." Chu Tianya smiled slightly and walked lightly.

Jiao Wentong walked in front of Xiao Linglong, stretched out his heavy and rough hand to wipe the tears on Xiao Linglong's face, and said, "Flying fox, you have grown up, you are already the daughter of the lord, and the mother of 100,000 brothers. You can no longer cry in the future, because many times you represent the lord. Since you have enjoyed an extraordinary privilege, you have to take the corresponding responsibility and make the corresponding sacrifices. You can't be like a little girl anymore and cry your nose. Got it? ”

"I understand." Xiao Linglong smiled and burst into tears, "But second brother, I want to be the last time today!" ”

"No, you can't." Jiao Wentong's expression became very stern, "I can't let you cry in my arms like before." Because you are the Lord's woman, I am guilty of killing my head by doing so." ”

"He doesn't care, what are you afraid of?" Xiao Linglong was a little annoyed, and stomped her feet, "He knows that you are like my father and brother!" ”

"That's not going to work either! Rules are rules, I'm not your father or brother after all! ”

Xiao Linglong was speechless, and could only cry silently.

Jiao Wentong took two steps back, solemnly hugged Xiao Linglong, turned around and strode away.

Xiao Linglong took a deep breath, wiped away the tears on her face, barely squeezed out a smile, and said to herself: "Actually, I understand, I understand!" I just miss the fatherly love of my childhood, the carefree feeling of being under my father's care. But now that I am his woman, I will give up what I should give up, and I will give up what I should give up...... The second brother is right, since he has enjoyed the extraordinary honor, he must bear the corresponding responsibilities and make corresponding sacrifices. Tianya, why is he not like this? ”

This meeting lasted five or six days.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, let alone such a heavy matter as a military exercise of 100,000 people. This is an extremely new and unfamiliar thing to everyone. Even Chu Tianya himself was learning while exploring, and worked with everyone to revise and change the plan and details of the exercise.

On the third day of the meeting, Chu Tianya sent people to invite Zhang Xiaochun and several important generals guarding Taiyuan, so that they could also listen to and understand them, and then asked them to also send troops to participate in the exercise.

In the future, if there is a war in Hedong, the officers and soldiers of the imperial court will definitely participate together. This means that there will definitely be cross-coordination between the official army and the rebel army. If we don't take advantage of the fact that the war has not started to practice and familiarize ourselves, it is easy to make mistakes when it comes to fighting. Because, if there is really another war in Taiyuan this year, it may not be the pure city defense war like last year, there will definitely be a field battle, and it will be a field battle mainly in the mountains.

The location of the exercise was all selected within a radius of 40 miles with Xiaocang Mountain as the core. It can be used as an outpost of Taiyuan City, using the terrain and topography there to defend the enemy from the wilderness. In fact, this idea was not created by Chu Tianya, Wang Yu had this idea as early as last year, but he immediately dispelled it. The reason for this was that the Shengjie Army at that time did not have the strength to fight against the Jin soldiers in the field. And when time was tight, where was the time to build fortifications and adapt to the terrain?

This year is different. Chu Tianya has 100,000 horses under his command, and most of them are Qingyun Slash, who is good at mountain warfare. Moreover, he had plenty of time to use the mountains to build enough fortifications, so that the mountains near Xiaocang Mountain would become a series of walls in front of the Jin Guo Iron Cavalry, so that every time they took a step forward, they would have to pay a huge price for attacking the city!

Resisting the enemy in the wilderness is the best situation for Taiyuan, which is recovering its vitality. The people, who have just lived a stable life for less than a year, do not want to abandon their farmland and livestock background again and leave their hometowns; The people who built the city did not want to climb the ten-zhang high city wall to scrub the black and stinking blood on it and eradicate the deep clusters of arrows.

The men and horses under the command of Chu Tianya, plus the army of Hedong Xuanfu Si Shengjie stationed in Taiyuan, had a total of about 150,000 people. Coupled with those people and soldiers engaged in logistics, the number of people participating in this exercise will not be less than 300,000!

In addition, if there are civilians living in the areas that may be affected by the exercise and future wars, they will have to be relocated in advance. These things cannot be handled without the participation of the government and the official army. Moreover, the power of the official army to act is in the hands of the imperial court. Zhang Xiaochun also had to ask the imperial court for instructions in advance so that the exercise could be successfully held.

This is a rehearsal for the coming war. From the emperor Lao'er who sits in the Jinluan Hall to the most inconspicuous horseman in the cottage, they all need to participate and play their due role.

While the meeting was being held in Qingyun Hall, someone had already taken people out in advance to do the work. The "supreme command post" of Xiaocangshan, where Chu Tianya will sit and command in the future, is already building a general's platform and a cloud platform to watch the battle. Banners and robes of all colors were urgently being prepared, and the frontier fortifications facing the north had been built, and countless towering trees had been cut down and dragged there to build military villages and fortresses.

Not only did the 100,000 rebels move, but the people in the vicinity also took action when they heard the news, some moved and moved, some participated in labor, and some donated food and winter clothes. Zhang Xiaochun has already written to ask for instructions, and more than 20,000 people have been requisitioned in Taiyuan Mansion to help Qingyun Fort transport grain, grass and baggage.

Because of Chu Tianya's thoughts, the entire Hedong realm was in turmoil, and hundreds of thousands of people fell into tension and busyness.

In the evening, Chu Tianya and Xiao Linglong rode horses together and came to the small hillside where the two of them were used to traveling earlier.

There is already a chill in the wind, not as sultry as the original spring breeze. There is no sunset, but the poetry is still there.

"Tianya, did you think about today a year ago?" Xiao Linglong's tone was a little ridiculous, "Because of your words, the radius of thousands of miles trembled, and the Great Song Dynasty was restless?" Even the official family sitting on the dragon chair has to sleep and eat uneasily? ”

"Didn't think about it. Even today, I don't think about these issues. Chu Tianya smiled indifferently, "I've always been just doing what I think I should do." If you think too much, you will be afraid of gains and losses. I don't want to look back, I don't want to think left or right. It's best to be what it is. ”

"Simplicity is indeed the most effective method in the world, everyone understands it, but it is indeed the most difficult to do." Xiao Linglong said with deep understanding, "I can't do it." Maybe it's because I've been too miserable in the past, or maybe it's because I'm under too much pressure in my heart. It's hard for me to be simple and free. ”

"Actually, everyone can do it, and so can you." Chu Tianya looked at her sideways, "It's just that you yourself are unwilling to let go of your past and throw away your baggage." ”

Xiao Linglong took a deep breath, "Teach me, how can I forget the hatred of the country and the family, put aside the distracting thoughts, and concentrate on being myself?" ”

"I don't need to teach. When you have this thought, you are already working on it, you are trying. Chu Tianya smiled, "Actually, I don't blame you." You've been hurt, and for a long time you've been too lonely, lacking love, lacking care, you're insecure, you're not belonging. But now it's different, you have me by your side. I'll do my best to give you what you're missing. When your heart is filled with something, you can naturally be yourself, forget about those unpleasant experiences, and live a simple, free and happy life. ”

Xiao Linglong smiled. smiled comfortably and satisfied, with a bit of banter and naughty, and some provocations that made Chu Tianya feel restless.

It's still those three words-

"Are you okay?"