In the middle of the night, Asahiko was woken up by the sound of the wind outside the window. It was Hu Yun from outside the plug, like a storm, and the wind and rain came suddenly. He rolled over and propped his head up on his arms to look at the brazier in the center of the room. The fine sandalwood essence is burning vigorously, and through the openwork smoke cover made of white copper, it reveals layers of pale pink soft light. In the soft light of light and darkness, everything in the room seemed very illusory, including the sleeping faces around him, and the corners of his eyes faintly with traces of water.

Xuzi knew what she was worried about. Although the other party never said it clearly. But at this age, he is no longer a young boy who is ignorant of everything. He suddenly remembered one winter night many years ago, when she prayed for the same thing, and at that time, her carcass was so sacred and beautiful in the light of the charcoal fire. At that time, his heart was full of longing and emotion. And now, he can clearly touch the despair in the other person's heart.

For a long time, Li Xu always thought that if he had been braver and made some efforts at that time, Tao Kuotuosi would not hesitate to leave with him. He hated his cowardice and regretted his youthfulness. However, now he clearly knew that the moment Tao Kuo Desi appeared in the tent, he had already made a decision about the future of the two of them.

She had no intention of going with her. She was to remain in the tribe and fulfill her obligation to the whole tribe as the daughter of the patriarch. The body that is constantly trembling in the charcoal fire is just a little compensation for the upcoming separation in the future!

Also asked him to hold himself tight was Shi Erya. Ever since the two started together, Asahiko thought that the other party must be trying to get something. But until the end of her life, Erya has been giving. She didn't take anything from Xuzi's hands, except for a deep longing and regret that can never be made up.

For a long, long time, Xuzi regretted that he didn't understand Erya a day earlier. He always thought that he pulled Erya Qiang into his arms back then, largely because of loneliness and more desire than affection. However, when Erya's body became a little cold in his arms, Xuzi finally understood that he liked Erya, not just because of her beauty.

Her stubbornness, her boldness, her cleverness that she often plays but can't fool anyone, as well as the various efforts she has made to change her situation and the disappointment after being frustrated again and again, are all deeply engraved in Xuzi's heart and can never be erased

At the moment when Erya flew away, Xuzi had grown up completely. Not only did he understand the woman around him, but he also understood himself.

They are weeds in the crevices of the rocks where they grow, and although they are rooted in barrenness, they have never given up the pursuit of sunshine, warmth and the future.

Today, at the moment when Ying'er showed her wild side, Li Xu immediately noticed that this scene was familiar. In the same way, she didn't ask herself to do anything for her, except for the fiery encirclement between her arms. However, Xuzi clearly knew that he would never make a third mistake in the same matter.

There is more to it than just a rumor about a royal marriage. At the beginning of this month, in order to promote the "friendship" between them, Dou Jiande, the chief governor of Hejian, wrote a letter solemnly suggesting that in order to live up to His Majesty's great love, Boling and Hejian should jointly send troops to expel the Wagang army forces that had infiltrated the three counties of Ji, Wei, and Wuyang. After the end of the war, Li Xu could successfully hug the beauty, and Dou Jiande could also restore order on both sides of the North Canal.

This suggestion was suppressed by Li Xu on the spot, and he has not made any response so far. Shi Defang and Zhao Ziming were very angry about this, and they asked him for a lot of theories in private. The two agreed that Boling should not turn down this good opportunity to come to the door. Now that the Great Sui has lost its deer, whoever inherits more things from the imperial court will have a better chance of winning the world in the future.

But Li Xu didn't want to accept this opportunity. He is even more reluctant to give up his commitment to Ying'er.

Of course, he knew how much benefit the identity of an emperor's son-in-law would bring to him at this juncture. That would make the bloodline problems that had been plaguing him disappear forever. Especially after the two of them have a child with "noble" blood and blood, countless "Junjie" who hold the concept of family will flock to Boling to serve his child. However, at the same time, he has to pay a huge price. Not only will it make her sad, but it will also violate the creed she has always adhered to.

Man is not a beast, and he does not need to prove his nobility through the bloodline of the breed. After fighting for so many years, even in the most embarrassing moments, he didn't believe that a poor child could not be recognized by the world through his own efforts. Now that he has a stable base, why rush to accept the "gift" of worldly prejudices.

Moreover, even if he married Yang Jier and was recognized by some scholars, he would not be able to dream of a dream that was not commensurate with his own strength. Luo Yi will not surrender to him because he has become the son-in-law of the Yang family, and after Dou Jiande is full-fledged, he will not give up snooping on it because the six counties of Boling are the territory of the Yang family's son-in-law. As for his "clan uncle" Li Yuan, family affection will not affect his current alliance with Boling. Similarly, after achieving a clear advantage over Boling, he will not give up his ambition to unify the world because of the existence of his daughter.

Marriage with the royal family will solve some of the difficulties for Xuzi. But in the end, it's the strength that decides everything. Li Xu, who had seen the doorway clearly, decided to deal with the court's wooing with a delaying attitude. He didn't want to give the world the impression that he had turned his back on Yang Guang, but he also believed that the Wagang army had enough strength to make Wang Shichong unable to cross the Yellow River. Although he was not sure about Li Mi's military ability, Xu Zi knew that with Xu Maogong and that Zhai Rang, no matter how many defeats the Wagang army experienced, it would not be completely defeated.

At present, he no longer needs the gifts of the imperial court, nor does he need the approval of the scholars. All he needs is a little bit of time, a little bit of time to grow.

"I'll give you an explanation soon!" Looking at her sleeping face, he promised in a low voice.

Knowing that his wife couldn't hear it, a smile still appeared on his bearded face. He saw his wife's lips roasted by charcoal like a delicate red cherry, and her blown-up skin was full of temptation. And this cherry and all the temptations, along with the silence and happiness of the house, belong to him. No matter who it is, no matter which force wants to destroy it, you must first ask him if the black knife in his hand will agree.

He withdrew his arm, which had been a little chilled by the air, and prepared to continue dreaming warmly on the cold winter night. However, the sound of shredded footsteps came from behind the wind, as alert as a broken ice cube on the eaves.

"Password!" In the dark night outside the window, someone whispered and asked.

"Peace!" The voice of the reply was low, with a faint sense of anxiety and exhaustion. Then, the human voice becomes so fragmented that it can no longer be clearly distinguished. At the same time, Xiao Cui, who was sleeping in the opposite ear room, got up vigilantly and walked to the outer hall with an oil lamp.

In a moment, Li Xu had already put on his clothes and walked quickly to the door of the house. "Go to sleep!" He took the oil lamp and instructed Xiaocui. "The people who came should be Zhou Daniu and Zhao Sima, if Qian'er asks, tell him that I will go to the study in the front yard!" Before heading out the door, he explained again, and then quickly closed the door, keeping the warmth out of the cold wind's sphere.

Just as Li Xu could tell from the whispers, the people who came were Zhou Daniu and Zhao Ziming, both of whom were blown by the night wind, and their nostrils were constantly dripping with clear snot. Seeing the coach appear in front of them so quickly, they all froze for a moment, and then hurriedly clasped their fists and bowed.

"Don't be polite!" Li Xu stretched out his hand to support the arms of the two, and then shouted orders to the soldiers who rushed to serve. "Hurry up and raise the charcoal basin in the study, and get a quilt for General Zhou and Zhao Sima each! Go to the kitchen again and cook three bowls of ginger soup! ”

The guards said yes and quickly walked away. After the beeswax incense candles in the room were lit, Zhao Ziming sniffed vigorously and reported in a dumb voice: "There are two things, and the subordinates can't judge their interests, so they have to find someone to discuss." And after General Zhou heard this, he suggested that it was best to let you know about these two things as soon as possible......"

"The others weren't surprised by the two of you!" Li Xu interrupted him with a smile. He didn't blame Zhao Ziming for his misconduct, but he didn't want his behavior with Sima and the guards to cause too much trouble to others. At present, what the six counties of Boling need most is stability, and whether the behavior of several core figures is calm or not will often cause unexpected consequences among the people.

"Just the two of us. Tonight, it was Zhao Sima's turn to be on duty in the army. And the subordinate happened to be in charge of patrolling in the second half of the night. So so far, the fourth person has not been alarmed! Zhou Daniu nodded and explained very seriously.

His words were interrupted again by the sound of soft footsteps. The door to the study opened again, and several guards entered with rekindled charcoal basins. Brocade quilts, hot tea, and hand stoves were also delivered one after another. The scent of sandalwood began to permeate the room, warming the ground, making people forget the cold wind outside the house for a while.

It wasn't until the room was completely warmed by the charcoal fire that Li Xu motioned to Zhao Ziming to continue the topic just now. "Tell me, what surprised you so much?"

"There are two things! Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable! Infected by the coach's calm behavior, Zhao Ziming's heart gradually calmed down. Last month, the Great Khan of the Sul Sul died of illness, and his younger brother Sulsil took over all the rights of the Sil Khan, including his wife! ”

"Did Wang Kewang send the news back?" Li Xu frowned and asked. Wang Kewang is the shopkeeper of Li Xu's inn on the grassland, and at the same time, he also undertakes part of the task of sending the movement on the grassland to the Central Plains in a timely manner. Now that there is heavy snow on the grassland, sending a message to Boling may cost a few lives. But the replacement of the Khan position of the Xiabu is definitely not worth such a large amount of money that Wang Ke can expect. On the grassland, father and son inherit each other, and the behavior of brother and brother is commonplace. As long as it is not his biological mother, there is no moral obstacle for the later Great Khan to marry the concubine of the previous Great Khan. From the perspective of the Han Chinese, this is unethical. But judging from the living environment on the grassland, it is this inheritance relationship that ensures that those women who have lost their husbands can continue to live instead of starving to death.

Without waiting for Zhao Ziming to consider the answer, Zhou Daniu preemptively added next to him, "It was Pan Zhanyang Da Meilu who asked Wang Kewang to send the news back." He also said in the letter that when Su Si attached himself to the wolf god, Ashina Gu Tuolu, Ashina Lifu, and Ashina Dubi arrived at the same time to congratulate him. Although the Khan of Qimin was ill, he also sent his son Ashnashi Bobi to congratulate him. A few Ashina drinks and talks happily, so good that it is like flesh and blood! ”

"They're flesh and blood!" After listening to Da Niu's words, Li Xu grinned, but there was a faint bitterness between his eyebrows. It's no wonder that Zhao Ziming and Zhou Daniu are in a hurry, even he can't hold his breath after listening to the second half of the narrative. In the past two years, it was precisely because of the open and secret battles between Shibi Khan and his younger brothers that the Turks did not pose a mortal threat to the Central Plains. And a few Ashina suddenly reconciled, for Boling and Youzhou, which are closest to the grassland, it is undoubtedly a big trouble!

Zhao Ziming tugged at the corner of the quilt on his shoulder, as if he had felt the cold from outside the plug. "Ashina's tooth tent is in Wuyuan, and Ashina's tooth tent is in Krulun, which is nearly a thousand miles away from Suotou Shui. They traveled all the way to the Crescent Lake, certainly not just for a drink! ”

The gatherings of several large tribes, of course, are not just for drinking wine and eating meat. A few years ago, Xu Dayan took advantage of the winter on the grassland to integrate all the people on the shore of the Crescent Moon Lake and prepare a deadly grave for the Suotou Xi Division. Now, the same thing is repeating itself on the grassland, but the object of the joint calculation of the Ejin has changed to another goal.

That target was the entire Great Sui. In the eyes of the Turks, there is no difference between the Yang family, the Li family, the Wang family and the Yuwen family. They all have a common name called Nakahara. Whenever the Central Plains declines, it is a good opportunity for the Cypriots to fall south.

It's a pity that at this time, there are still people who want to use the hands of the Turks to avenge their own family feuds, and some people use the Turks as a strong backing for their struggle for the throne!

"They may need to prepare for the last winter! We still have time to deal with it! Zhou Daniu saw that Li Xu's face was ugly, and smiled to share the coach's worries.

"You're right, the steppe tribes have always had no concept of time!" Li Xu smiled and comforted himself. Winter was not the best time to send troops, so in two or three months, he could be sure that he would not be threatened.

But what about after the arrival of spring? Who is willing to stand side by side with them against the wolves from afar?

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