Chapter 84: Chinese New Year's Eve

The snowflakes are still falling, accompanied by a few dog barks in the streets and alleys, and Jinling City on New Year's Eve looks extremely empty.

Zhao Xian's teeth kept fighting up and down, and he returned to his small courtyard trembling, and he felt a lot more comfortable after a few clothes, an assassination and winter swimming, and Yijun starved and froze for a long time, and was already physically and mentally exhausted, but the two killers were still alive, who knows if they would come over and kill themselves in the middle of the night, Zhao Xian could only touch the black tiger camp, and Hu Yidao squeezed on the chase bunk and slept for one night.

The next day, that is, the Chinese New Year's Eve, Jinling City was filled with the sound of gongs, drums and firecrackers, revealing a festive atmosphere. The army also had a holiday, only a few soldiers standing guard on the city wall, most of them went to the city to visit the lantern festival, and even Yue Jiheng, who was looking for trouble with Zhao Xian if he had nothing to do, was also quite generous today to distribute some wine and meat to the Black Tiger Battalion.

Zhao Xian hurriedly found medicine early in the morning to treat his injuries, and by the way ran to the army to report the assassination, although he was only the head of the Huotou Army, he was also an official, and the assassination of court officials during the New Year was a major event, and the Jinling Yamen immediately investigated, but since they were prepared, how could they simply find the murderer.

Zhao Xian had to re-prepare his firecracker, and then informed Huang Tiantian that she should not run around if she was fine, but Huang Tiantian saw that Zhao Xian was injured, but he was even more nervous, so he had to follow Zhao Xian and refused to leave, Zhao Xian refused to listen for a long time, so he could only forcibly send her back.

When Zhao Xian and Huang Tian walked out of the barracks, it was already the beginning of the lanterns, and although there was still light snow in the sky, it did not disturb the excitement of Chinese New Year's Eve. Zhao Xian saw that there were not too many people paying attention on the street, and Huang Tiantian was wearing men's clothes, so he took advantage of her unpreparedness and grabbed her hand.

Huang Tiantian was taken aback, his face turned red, he didn't break away after two struggles, and couldn't help blushing and whispering: "Zhao Xian, what are you doing, there are so many people on the street." ”

Zhao Xian smiled and said softly: "Today is the New Year, let's go to the tavern to eat some good food, and it will be a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner." As he spoke, he pulled Huang Tiantian around the street.

The street was full of people, and Zhao Xian was still wearing armor and a long knife, even if he encountered those two killers, he had the strength to fight, and Zhao Xian was not very worried.

Although Huang Tiantian was a little shy, it was already dark, and others couldn't see his face, so he let his little hands hold it and follow him meekly.

When Zhao Xianhe stepped out of the restaurant, the night was darker, and the fine snow foam slowly fell, making his face slightly swollen and hot because of the wine very refreshing.

On the battlement of the city wall, Zhao Xian grabbed a handful of snow, formed a snowball, made enough strength, and threw it into the vast night outside the city, but unfortunately the force was too great, and the road surface that was frozen by the patrol soldiers under his feet was also very slippery, almost knocking him down, holding on to the city wall to stabilize his body.

Huang Tiantian saw Zhao Xian's embarrassed appearance, and said angrily and funny: "What are you crazy about, no one will save you if you fall." ”

Zhao Xian turned around, gently pinched her sturdy and smooth face, and said with a wicked smile: "Distressed? ”

"Think beautifully." Huang Tiantian pouted, but she couldn't escape Zhao Xian's shining eyes, as Zhao Xian's face got closer and closer, her face suddenly became hotter and hotter, especially Zhao Xian's mouth still had a faint smell of wine.

He, isn't he going to kiss me? Huang Tiantian obviously misunderstood what he meant, and he was both scared and happy in his heart, and his body trembled a little in a panic.

At this moment, Zhao Xian suddenly saw a beam of flames flickering from her two dark and bright eyes, but Huang Tiantian was slightly stunned, his expression slowly turned to horror, his eyes widened, he looked straight over from Zhao Xian's shoulder, and stared into the distance in a daze.

Zhao Xian felt that something was wrong, Huo Ran turned around, there was a beacon tower at the east and west ends of the city wall, at this time, the beacon tower on the east side had been lit, the fire was raging, and in the distance, there were still a few sparks shining in the winding city wall.

He looked to the west again, and at this moment the beacon tower on the western wall also burst into flames, and the fire was fierce, and then the beacon tower on the ridge farther west was also lit, and passed farther away.

"Enemy attack!" A shrill roar rang out in the silent night sky.

Holy! No way! Zhao Xian was shocked, you are not good at home for the New Year, your wife and children are hot on the kang, and you actually came to fight at this time, isn't this a life.

Huang Tiantian had never seen a beacon fire, but he had heard of it countless times, so he naturally knew what it meant to light the beacon tower, and his little face suddenly turned pale, and he didn't know what to do if he stayed in place.

Zhao Xian was more surprised than shocked, influenced by later generations, in his mind, Northern Qi is the lord of several provinces north of the Yangtze River, hospitable and bold, maybe very brave in battle, but how to say that it is also a family, and his heart is not so nervous.

But after all, it is still a hostile two dynasties, Zhao Xian will not naively think that if someone attacks the city, he will show mercy to his subordinates, so he hurriedly took Huang Tiantian's hand and rushed towards the city wall.

At this time, the city gates were closed, and the residents of the city had already poured out of their homes because of the beacon fire. It is not the first time that the Northern Qi led their troops to cross the river to attack the border, but most of the time they came back in the spring, for a higher city like Jinling, they could not carry too many siege equipment by boat, just to knock on the girders, and under normal circumstances, they would not risk huge casualties to attack the city.

But usually in small-scale battles, the beacon tower is not used to transmit information, and tonight this situation seems a little special, and the unusual time seems to have come with some purpose, how can these people not be alarmed.

Although the officers and men in the army were not prepared, after all, they were all soldiers, and as soon as they heard the news of the Northern Qi attack, whether they were drinking or visiting the kiln, they hurried to the barracks before they even had time to put on their clothes.

There are 30,000 Jinling garrisons, led by Chen Qinghe's two deputy generals, the two deputy generals are in charge of the east and west at this time, and the north is in charge of Chen Qing, but unfortunately Chen Qing was invited to drink by the elders of Jinling officialdom today, and by the way, most of the soldiers took a holiday.

In the distance, a little torch lit up in the dark night, and then more and more, slowly pressing over with the momentum of sparks.

Chen Qing hadn't rushed back yet, the superintendent Ning Mo came to the city wall first, he did this is an old job, the next time he sent a horse to get in touch with the nearest few post stations, to inquire about further news, while sending people to hurry up to the surrounding cities to ask for help, and Zhou Shi also notified Yue Jiheng, requiring all personnel to wear knives and guns, ready to go out of the city at any time to face the battle.

Zhao Xian was stunned from the sidelines, and went out of the city to fight? Got too much wine, right? People are coming over densely, and now there are only a few people on the city wall?

But because his status was too low, Zhao Xian didn't make a sound, standing aside and frowning at the Xinghuo at the city gate.

Yue Jiheng didn't lose his identity as a gatekeeper, and the person who conveyed the order hadn't even gone down the city wall, so he hurriedly ran up and shouted behind him: "What about the general's armor and cracked horse lance, hurry up and bring it!" ”

After that, he turned his head and glanced at Zhao Xian, and said angrily: "What are you still doing standing here, hurry up and go to the fire to cook and feed the horses with saddles, and go and catch some doctors to come back and prepare." ”

At this time, the two pro-soldiers and Ah Man walked out with scale armor and a horse lance. Yue Jiheng still had lipstick marks on his face, and he didn't shy away from it, so he took off his robe on the city wall and began to change his clothes, put the armor neatly, and let Ah Man hold the horse lance and hurriedly run under the city wall.

There is a lot of attention to the manufacture of horse lance, using the wood as the material, and soaking the fine scorn in oil repeatedly, so that it is no longer deformed and no longer cracked, and the first step is completed. This process takes almost a year, after which the strips are removed and dried in the shade for several months. Then use the best glue paint glue to glue into a thick, four-meter-long pole, and then wrap the outer layer of hemp rope, coated with raw lacquer, wrapped in arrowroot cloth, until the knife is cut up, the rod makes a metallic sound, but it does not crack, so it is qualified. It takes three years to complete the lance, and the success rate is only 40%, the cost is amazingly high, since the Han Dynasty, the horse lance has been the symbol of the family of generals.

Yue Jiheng's pole must have been carefully prepared, the horse lance is quite beautiful, nearly four meters long, the front is equipped with a stainless steel lance, and the back is a red copper lance. Although he is held horizontally in mid-air, the ends of the scale rod do not fall or fall, and the black armor is quite majestic, but it is a pity that his height is lower, and he always feels a little left when he does not ride a horse.

Ning Mo's face was solemn, looking at the silent Xinghuo, his eyes flashed slightly, glanced at Zhao Xian, who was about to leave, and suddenly said, "Zhao Dutong, you wait." "Yesterday, the two so-called masters of Fuguotang didn't even hurt Zhao Xian but instead lame a leg, Ning Mo was angry enough, and now that Northern Qi is just coming to attack, he suddenly has an idea.

Zhao Xian was stunned when he heard this, and hurriedly turned around and said, "What instructions do you have?" ”

Yue Jiheng also stopped, and glanced at Ning Mo strangely, if he wasn't ready to fight at this time, what else did he want to do?

Ning Mo looked at the sergeants in the military camp who were hurriedly assembled with a solemn face, the number was not even at all, it was estimated that there were only more than three thousand, and he said: "Zhao Dutong, now that the battle situation is urgent, I am afraid that there is no room for delay, you immediately transfer the sergeants of the Black Tiger Battalion out and follow General Yue out of the city to face the battle." ”

What the? You're not in the right mind, are you? Zhao Xian was shocked, the people in his Black Tiger Camp were all waiting for sin, even if they were on vacation, they couldn't go out casually, so now four or five hundred people stayed in the camp to eat Chinese New Year's Eve.

These people are usually starving, cold, untrained, uneven in age, and have never done anything but cooking on the fire, so what is the difference between letting them go out of the city and sending them to death?

Zhao Xian was angry in his heart, but his face could not show dissatisfaction, but hugged his fists and said: "My lord, the thief chief violated my border, and he must be prepared. ”

Ning Mo snorted coldly, pointed to the fire light outside the city that was getting closer and closer, and said angrily: "The thieves of the Northern Qi Dynasty are bound to capture the people to take the lead and let the people set up a ladder to attack the city, how can we defend it?" Those are all the people of Daliang, do you want me to bear the charge of slaughtering the villagers? ”

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