Chapter 398 of the main text

"That's what I'm here for." Lin Wanrong nodded, patted Du Xiuyuan on the shoulder and smiled: "Is it the idea that those Hu people want to shoot artillery." ”

Du Xiuyuan glanced at him in surprise, hugged his fists and said: "The general is clever, and his subordinates are ashamed." ”

Lin Wanrong laughed and said: "What a clever calculation, Brother Du, don't shoot me on the back, Hu Ren borrowed this 'Fake Cannon', is it to go up the mountain to hunt?" The idea that they want to hit my Dahua artillery, that's obvious. ”

Du Xiuyuan nodded: "The last general got the general's order and sent people to monitor the movements of these Hu people for twelve hours a day. When the Falk cannon was first delivered to their camp, the Hu people were all surprised, probably they had never seen such a delicate iron object, and they immediately regarded it as a treasure, and vacated a large tent to place the artillery. Although these Hu people are proficient in cavalry and archery, when they were fighting with our Dahua, they had suffered a lot from artillery, and they were naturally very interested in it. It's funny to say that the Hu people call themselves the eagles of the steppe desert, but they can't even operate this simple artillery, and they don't know how to load ammunition and adjust their bearings, let alone fire them. ”

"Oh, really?" Lin Wanrong thought for a while, and said puzzledly: "It's okay for others, that Turkic master Lu Dongzan is by no means a simple person, he has extensive knowledge and is well versed in physics, if he can't even use this simple artillery, it would be too exaggerated." ”

"This last general is not clear." Du Xiuyuan said: "The spies we sent have been monitoring around their barracks, including the Turkic national teacher Lu Dongzan and the Turkic envoy Asler, who have nothing to do with this artillery, and finally had no choice but to go to the city to find a few blacksmiths who know how to trade, and after a lot of money, they learned how to operate." This matter is well known in Beijing and has long become a joke. ”

Lu Dongzan can't really be so stupid, right? Isn't it stupid to ask a few craftsmen to make a fuss in the city? Lin Wanrong frowned: "Then what about later, after they learned, did they put a few cannons?" ”

Du Xiuyuan laughed and said: "General, this is my Dahua's long-abandoned artillery, how can it be fired." Besides, if you give that Hu man ten guts, he will not dare to fire cannons indiscriminately in our Dahua Gyeonggi Town, and we control the gunpowder loaded very strictly, and they can't get their hands on it at all. ”

Extremely tightly controlled? Lin Wanrong smiled, on the lot that came back from Shandong, Lao Tzu was almost blown up to the sky by tens of thousands of catties of gunpowder. The life and death of the fairy sister who is still involved is unknown, and you kid still dare to tell me that the control is extremely strict? If Hu Ren really colluded with King Cheng, it would be easy to get some gunpowder, and he still used it to openly buy it?

The Hu people didn't know how to operate the cannon, and they couldn't buy gunpowder, so that the people of Dahua saw all the jokes, Lu Dongzan's performance was so unbearable, it was much to Lin Wanrong's surprise, he had a faint feeling in his heart, and asked: "Hu Ren has never tried a cannon?" ”

"This cannon can't go off, and no matter how much you try, it's useless. After a few days of study. Gradually, he lost interest, covered the cannon with a cloth, and left it alone. In the past few days, they have been packing their bags and preparing to return to the Turks. ”

Cover the artillery with a cloth? Is it because they are afraid that the cannon will be covered with dust, and the Hu people pay so much attention to hygiene? You know, on the prairie, they sleep on horse manure.

"Brother Du, did the brothers see the cannon blindfolded by the Hu people?" Lin Wanrong frowned and asked.

"I haven't seen this in person, and in order to avoid startling the snake, our spies are some distance away. However, looking at the shrouded appearance of Nabri, it should be artillery. ”

This is strange, the Hu people stayed in the capital for a long time, and finally got a cannon, how could they give up like this? Lin Wanrong thought for a while and said with a smile: "Brother Du, you just said that the Hu people are about to leave the capital, how many bags did they pack?" Isn't there several big cars dragging it away? ”

Du Xiuyuan exclaimed: "How does the general know? These Hu people were afraid that they were poor, so they came to my Dahua and purchased a lot of things, including tea and cloth, and loaded seven carts. ”

"Indeed, they are poor." Lin Wanrong smiled: "Brother Du, when will these Hu people leave Beijing?" ”

Du Xiuyuan looked at the sky and said, "It's twilight today." I'm probably just starting my journey. These nonsense people said that it was strange, they couldn't go in the morning, but they had to choose to set off at night. People outside the fan really can't be edified. ”

"It's not that they can't be educated, on the contrary, they have already been educated to be extremely cunning." Lin Wanrong laughed, pulled the horse left by Xu Zhen and turned over: "Brother Du, gather the brothers and set off, let's catch the thief." ”

"Catch a thief? What General Lin meant-" Du Xiuyuan suddenly woke up and said with great regret: "Oh, why didn't I think of it." Assemble, brethren! ”

Du Xiuyuan's soldiers are all veterans of Lin Wanrong in Shandong, extremely well-trained, and they have been assembled in a moment, thousands of war horses neighed in unison, hooves burst, and rushed straight to the north of the city.

It was getting dark, and there were very few pedestrians on the road, which was just the right time to let the horses gallop. walked for a while, but there was no trace of Hu Ren. Du Xiuyuan was anxious, if it wasn't for General Lin's words to wake up today, he would almost fall for the Hu people. If you can't get that thing back, there's really no place to put this face.

Lin Wanrong walked side by side with him, and when she saw his anxious appearance, she said with a smile: "Don't worry, Hu people carry things, even if they are sweaty and bloody, they can't go far." Alas, look ahead—"

Du Xiuyuan looked in the direction of his finger, not far in front of him, the dust was billowing not far ahead, dozens of fast horses were pulling four or five carts forward, and the knights on the horses were sturdy and tall, and they looked like Turks.

"Driving-" Du Xiuyuan shouted excitedly, and the car under him rushed forward like an arrow from a string, and thousands of cavalry followed, and a thick cloud of dust and smoke was lifted on the official road.

A few zhang away, Du Xiuyuan could see clearly that those with high noses and sunken eyes were Turks. These Hu people didn't seem to know that there were pursuers behind them, and the formation of the five large convoys was kept tight, unhurried, just blocking the way of Lin Wanrong and others.

Lin Wanrong frowned, and pulled Xu Zhen, who was following behind: "Xiao Xu, you take five hundred brothers, take a shortcut, and then search fifty miles forward." When I saw Hu Ren, no matter what I was, I was detained. ”

"Stop! Stop it! Du Xiuyuan quickly whipped his horse and rushed forward with dozens of sergeants to reach the front of the horse team. Dozens of knights reined in their horses together, and as soon as the reins were pulled, the tall horses shook their heads and swung around, letting out a long neigh, their front hooves jumped, their heads rotated, and their manes fluttered in the wind, just facing the Hu people and horses. The action is clean and beautiful, and it is done in one go. Even Lin Wanrong couldn't help but applaud in her heart.

The Hu centaur team slowly stopped, jumped out of the middle of the team, and ran forward a few steps, and the other Turks led the horses back, Lin Wanrong took a look, it turned out that the leader of the team was the Turkic national teacher Lu Dongzan.

Lu Dongzan placed his right hand on his chest and saluted, and said in a stiff Dahua language: "Your Excellency, the contemptible Lu Dongzan is the national teacher of the Turkic Khanate, and this time I am visiting Dahua at the behest of my Viga Khan to build a long-standing friendship between the two countries. At present, the mission has been successfully completed, and with the grace of His Majesty the Emperor, he is about to turn back to the Turks. But the adults suddenly led their troops to stop us, I don't know what the purpose was? ”

The Hu people were treacherous, Du Xiuyuan was almost fooled, and he was extremely annoyed in his heart, regardless of whether he was a national teacher or not. Snorted coldly and said, "Want to go back to Turkic? Leave something that belongs to me and go!! ”

The adult laughed. Lu Dongzan glanced at Du Xiuyuan with a smile and pointed to the carriage lane behind him: "These things did belong to Dahua originally, but we have bartered horses and scimitars. These items are all my Turkic now. If you want to retrieve what belongs to Dahua, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. ”

The cavalry had already surrounded the horse team, Du Xiuyuan was too lazy to talk nonsense with him, and waved his hand: "Search for me!" Hundreds of soldiers turned over and dismounted, surrounded the carriage and went forward to search.

There was a soft sound, the scimitar in the hands of the Turks suddenly came out of its sheath, the Turkic horses neighed in unison, and the knights on horseback stood with their swords, with a mighty and murderous momentum.

Du Xiuyuan's brothers were unequivocal, and the spears and knives rushed up, and they were in front of the Turks, Du Xiuyuan snorted: "What, do you want to start a war with my Dahua?" ”

A hint of arrogance appeared on Lu Dongzan's face: "The matter of starting a war is beyond your reach. This general, you are standing in front of my Turkic mission for no reason, are you trying to provoke my Turkic Khanate? If you don't retreat, I will protest to Your Majesty the Emperor, and you will bear the consequences of damaging the diplomatic relations between the two countries? ”

In terms of eloquence, how can Du Xiuyuan be the opponent of such a talent in governing the country as Lu Dongzan, although Dahua and the Turks must have a battle of life and death, but these visiting Turkic missions must not move. Du Xiuyuan hesitated, not knowing how to deal with it.

"Brother Lu, I haven't seen you for a few days, but you speak Dahua so well, which really makes me admire my little brother." Lord Lin rode a white horse, smiling and smiling from the army, looking very chic.

Seeing that it was Lin Wanrong who arrived, Lu Dongzan's face changed, and he immediately returned to normal, hugged his chest and saluted: "It turned out that Master Lin came in person, and Lu Dongzan was disappointed." ”

"Haha, Brother Lu, your Dahua is more authentic than mine, it seems that this trip to Dahua has not come in vain!" Lord Lin smiled hippiely, his eyes fell on Du Xiuyuan, he was stunned for a moment, and then shouted loudly: "Du Xiuyuan, tell you to look for the Persian cat, what are you still doing here?" ”

"Persian cat?" Lu Dongzan glanced at him curiously, and said with a serious face: "Lord Lin, you came just in time, this general suddenly blocked the way of my Turkic mission for some reason, and also searched for my carriage, my lord, is this Dahua's hospitality?" ”

"Oh, is there such a thing?" Lin Wanrong was full of surprise and said with a smile: "Brother Lu, this is actually a misunderstanding. Here's what happened, a few days ago, His Majesty the Emperor rewarded me with a Persian cat that the Persian kingdom paid tribute to. It just so happened that my seventh aunt's wife in the house was very fond of this little beast, and she couldn't sleep without looking at it a few times a day. Yesterday she took the little beast out for a ride, but when she got to this neighborhood, the little beast disappeared inexplicably. Alas, don't hide it from Brother Lu, brother, what I hurt the most is this aunt's wife, for this Persian cat, my younger brother I sent soldiers and horses, and I have been searching around here for two days and two nights, and I haven't even drunk saliva. I have to serve the emperor and my wife, it's not easy for me to be a man, how can I compare to you, Brother Lu, hugging those orchids every night, drinking and having fun, extremely happy. Brother Lu, for the sake of us as men, don't worry about it. ”

"This-" Lord Lin "moved people with emotion", Lu Dongzan was embarrassed for a while, and said bitterly: "Your lady is the Persian cat that was lost yesterday, but we only arrived today, how could the Persian cat hide in our car?" ”

"I can't say for sure, the little beast has legs, and it runs faster than a donkey, and before I can find it, it will slip away." Lin Wanrong grinned: "Don't say that this has legs, even those who don't have legs can run by themselves." Brother Lu, do you believe it or not? ”

Lu Dongzan pretended not to hear his words, shook his head and said, "Lord Lin, if it's my own thing, don't say search, even if you want it, I will definitely give it away for free." But these things are all gifts for Viga Khan, and if people search them, I am afraid it will be very disrespectful. ”

"It's so serious, just looking for a Persian cat, it can't hurt anything. If you are to blame that arsenic khan, tell him to come to me directly, I have always been very hospitable, Brother Lu, you know. In this way, give you time, you think about it, and when I count to five, if you don't object, I'll take it as a promise. ”

Lu Dongzan hesitated for a while, and was waiting for him to shout one, two, three, four, when he heard Lord Lin shout directly: "Five!" - Oh, Brother Lu, I knew you would agree, you are so refreshing. Du Xiuyuan, what are you still doing in a daze? ”

It is said that Dahua is a state of etiquette, how did Lin San come out of such a freak? In addition to admiration, Lu Dongzan still admires.

Seeing Du Xiuyuan leading people and horses to the cart to search, Lu Dongzan's face was as usual, and he didn't see the slightest nervousness. Lin Wanrong didn't care either, and said with a smile: "Brother Lu, do you still have that spicy nose grass, get a few more taels for the younger brother, the younger brother is very greedy." ”

"I don't have it either." Lu Dongzan shook his head and said: "This thing is extremely precious, even the Khan of Biga doesn't need a few catties a year, and what we have on us was given to you some time ago." ”

"Really?" Master Lin smiled mysteriously: "A few days ago, there was a big man who also invited me to taste this spicy nose grass, Brother Lu, do you know who he is?" ”

Lu Dongzan's face changed, and he snorted a few times, and said reluctantly: "Yes, I don't know." Oh, my lord, how are your men searching? We're going to have to get there as soon as possible. ”

Hundreds of soldiers turned the cart upside down, but found nothing, Du Xiuyuan came over dejectedly: "My lord, I didn't find my aunt's Persian cat."