Snowflakes are falling, and the cold north wind blows on the face like a knife, making people unable to open their eyes.

Mao Dun still knelt motionless on the ground, his upright body was covered with a thick layer of snow, and his eyebrows were covered with white snowflakes, I don't know if it was frozen, but it could be seen from the few traces of heat that came out of his mouth that he was a living person.

The guards on the side really couldn't stand it, and if it went on like this, without waiting for Shan Yu's punishment, King Zuo Xian would have been frozen to death. stepped forward and persuaded him softly, but Mao Dun was still unmoved, and a veteran sighed and ordered someone to bring a bowl of hot wine to Mao Dun.

Mao Dun reached out and took the hot wine tremblingly, put it on his frozen pale lips and took a few sips before slowly recovering his breath. The kneeling lower body was already stiff and unconscious, and a slight movement was a pain in the heart.

But he didn't dare to get up, for he couldn't think of any way to appease the anger in Touman's heart.

Touman City was broken by the Qin army, the royal city of the Huns was slaughtered, and even Shan Yu's favorite Yan clan was captured by the Qin people, what a great shame. And he Maodun was first accused of poor rescue, and then returned from a great defeat in the battle with the Qin people, losing most of the 5,000 Golden Horde wolf cavalry, and even the recruited Xiongnu subordinates were killed and wounded more than 5,000, which further confirmed his charge of improper command of Maotun.

Now the Qin army has swaggered away into the Hanhai Sea and has lost its trace. This made Touman, who was already nearly fifty years old, how could he stand it, and when he heard the news, he screamed and fainted on the spot. When he woke up, he was overly sad and didn't eat, but just knelt in front of the golden statue of Immortal Heaven and wept bitterly.

Seeing this, Mao Dun dared to walk away, but honestly knelt outside the tent. It's been a whole day and a night, and if it weren't for the liquor and ginger soup sent by the guards, I'm afraid he wouldn't have been able to hold on a long time.

Maudun finished his hot wine, and after a long time he regained his breath, looked at the guard and asked; "Shan Yu, is he still in the temple?"

The guard nodded, his face showing unbearability, and said; "King Zuoxian, I think you should go back first, Shan Yu is too sad now, and no one will see him." Mao Dun usually has excellent personal guards around Touman, never puts on the stand of King Zuoxian, and often helps the families of some soldiers who died in battle and are disabled, so most of the soldiers are close to him.

Maudun shook his head and said; "You don't have to worry about me, I naturally have my arrangement."

At this time, a guard in the distance strode over, and said breathlessly in front of Mao Dun: "King Zuoxian, Shan Yu has come out." ”

"Oh?" Mao Dun's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Is something wrong?"

The guard gasped for a while before he continued: "The Yan clan is back, Shan Yu is overjoyed, and he is convening all the lords to discuss the matter, I am afraid that you will be summoned soon." ”

Sure enough, it didn't take long for someone from the palace to come and invite him to meet him. Mao Dun reluctantly stood up with the support of the guards, moved his stiff hands and feet, and limped behind the palace people.

In the tent, the Xiongnu's Shan Yu, the right Xian Wang, the left and right day kings, the right bone Li King and other Xiongnu nobles gathered together, Tou Man sat on the big chair in the middle, and on the side was actually the Yan clan who had been missing for many days. Mao Dun's heart sank, and he secretly screamed that it was not good.

Yan Shi was sitting next to Touman, leaning his face tightly against Touman's chest, and muttering and crying in his mouth. Seeing Mao Dun enter the tent, he looked up at him quickly, and then lowered his head again.

Mao Dun knelt outside the tent with a face full of fear, crawled into the tent, lowered his head and did not dare to speak. When Touman saw him enter, the raging anger that had already subsided was rekindled, and he got out of his seat and kicked him away. Mao Dun screamed, rolled to the side, and got up just kowtowing desperately.

Touman pointed at him and shouted angrily; "You waste, let my Huns be ashamed, even the holy land of the royal city was occupied by the Qin people, and the Golden Horde horse you gave me actually lost most of it, and let the Qin people retreat. Say, "What use do I want you to be a prince?" ”

"Come on, drag this waste out for me and beat it to death with a cane."

Maudun's heart contracted violently, and he trembled with fear, this time he was really scared. He sensed that his father had really moved the idea of killing him.

The surrounding Xiongnu kings all showed unbearable expressions, and the weeping Yan clan secretly showed joy.

In all fairness, the fault this time was not Maudun, he led the wolf rider to rush to Manchester City for nine days, and he had done his best. As for Touman, he blamed him for the fall of the royal city, but he just wanted to find someone to take responsibility. Of course, this person can't be him - the great plough of the Huns is alone, and Mao Dun, the prince he doesn't like, is the best sheep to blame.

Seeing that Mao Dun's face was pale from the cold, and he looked at his father with a pleading face, Touman was indifferent. Finally, someone couldn't help but stand up, it was the right general Gu Libait.

Gu Libait arched his hand; "Shan Yu, although King Zuo Xian is wrong this time, his sin will not lead to death. The descendants have made mistakes, and those of us who are elders should be reprimanded well, don't be too harsh, I think it's okay to hit fifty rods. ”

Although Gu Libai is only the right general, he is Touman's own uncle and has a very high reputation among the Huns. Moreover, as Touman's elder, he is indeed qualified to teach Touman how to discipline his children.

As soon as Gu Libai's words fell, the kings on the side also echoed. Mao Dun usually treats people modestly and is extremely respectful to these elders, and many people owe him a favor when Mo Nan was besieged by the Qin army.

Seeing so many people pleading, Tou Man had no choice but to give up, glared at Mao Dun and said fiercely; "So many people intercede for you today, and I will spare you, a son of evil. However, the death penalty can be avoided, and the living crime cannot be escaped. ”

Two wolf-like Hun soldiers rushed in, set up Mao Dun and dragged him out, Mao Dun did not dare to struggle, but honestly obeyed.

After a while, there was a scream of 'thunderbolt pulling' from outside the tent, and a moment later Maudun was dragged into the tent like a dead dog.

Maudun had been kneeling for a day and a night, and his body was already frozen. He was beaten with fifty more rods, and his skin suddenly opened and his flesh opened, and a trace of blood oozed from his buttocks and clothes, and he lay on the ground dying.

Tou Man didn't look at this eldest son, but just asked Yan Fu beside him, "How much grain do we still have?" ”

Yan Fu bowed respectfully, and said in a soft voice: "Back to Da Danyu, our grain reserves in other places, plus the remaining grain of the army going south, can only last for two months at most, I am afraid that in the spring of the next year, our people of the Great Huns will fall into famine." ”

Touman lowered his head and pondered for a while, then looked at the kings, and asked aloud; "You are all the left arm and right arm of my Huns, but what advice do you have to get through the difficulty?"

King Hugh Tu said in a rough voice; "What other ideas can we have, when we are usually hungry, we don't all go to rob them, or we don't go to Lou Fu and Aries to borrow them." When he said to borrow, he naturally robbed it.

Tou Man thought for a while, looked at Yan Fu, Yan Fu slowly shook his head and said; "Bai Yang and Lou Fu followed us to the south this time, the loss is not small, their tribe is in Monan, and they have been plundered by the Qin people, I estimate that they have also run out of food, at this time to ask them, I am afraid that they will be forced to rebel."

"As for grabbing, don't even think about it. Our Huns were newly defeated, suffered heavy losses, and were angry and sluggish. The Qin people in the south are temporarily powerless, and the Donghu people in the east and the Yue clan in the west see that we are weak, and it is inevitable that they will not harbor evil intentions against us. As for the Ding Ling people in the north, do you think those poor Ding Ling people will have any oil and water? ”

King Hutu opened his eyes and said angrily; "This doesn't work, that doesn't work, so what can we do, are we waiting to starve to death?"

It was a faint voice from the ground, but it was a sudden pause. He pushed himself to his feet and said; "Father, I have an idea, maybe I can solve my Xiongnu's food shortage crisis."

Touman looked at him with a gloomy face, "Say." ”

Mao Dun took a deep breath and said; "We can borrow grain from the Yueshi country, I have a deep friendship with the second prince of the Yueshi clan, and Mao Dun is willing to make meritorious service and say that the Yueshi country will lend me grain to the Great Huns."

A cold snort came, but it was Yan Shi, who had not spoken, she looked at Mao Dun and said coldly; "King Zuo Xian, have you also broken your brain by the board? Yueshi is the feud of my Huns, our Huns are unlucky, they are too late to be happy, how can they lend us grain. ”

Mao Dun had cold sweat on his forehead, as if he was enduring great pain, and said; "You don't know, the Yue clan is at war with the quicksand tribe, and at this time, you don't want to fight on two fronts. I went to persuade them and told them that if the Huns ran out of food, they would attack Yueshi like wolves to take the sheep and food, and that even if Yueshi won, they would be greatly damaged. Instead of this, it is better to lend me grain and grass to help my Huns tide over the difficulties, and my Huns will be grateful and will never be the enemy of the Yue clan again. ”

Yan snorted, but he couldn't find a reason to refute Mao Dun, so he had to shut up.

Tou Man squinted his eyes, his face was cloudy, and he didn't know what he was thinking, so he looked at Mao Dun for a long time and said slowly: "Mao Dun, do you want to atone for your crimes?" ”

Mao Dun endured the severe pain, propped himself up, kowtowed, and said: "My son is guilty and ashamed of my father, I hope my father will give me another chance, and I will definitely live up to my father's trust." ”

"Okay." Tou Man nodded in agreement, and then asked, "Then what do you need to send to the Yue Clan?" ”

"My son doesn't dare to ask for anything, I just hope that there will be a team of 100 guards, as for the treasure gift given to the Yue Clan, my son has been King Zuoxian for a long time, and he also has some savings in his account, so he just took it out to atone for his sins."

Tou Man nodded with satisfaction and said; "Okay, Maudun, I hope you don't live up to my expectations this time, otherwise I will never spare you."

"Yes, father, son, go and prepare." Mao Dun held back the pain, kowtowed, and limped out of the tent with the support of the two guards, but he didn't see the murderous intent flashing in Touman's eyes as he looked at his back.

In fact, when the kings interceded for Maudun, Touman firmly got rid of Maudun's thoughts, but he was helpless because of the situation.

The old king on the grassland is not yet old, but the restless new king is already full of wings. He is only less than fifty years old, and he is in good health, and the prince, who is nearly thirty years old, seems to have lost his patience for a long time.