In October of the first year of the Qianyuan Dynasty, on both sides of the avenue from Weizhou to Yecheng, there were broken walls of dwellings everywhere, and thick smoke and fire tongues and yellow dust could be seen flying from time to time. The originally endless farmland should have been cut and the rice was fragrant in this season, but now there is only a trace of trampling and the traces of wheels.

At this time, it has been nearly half a year since the prince of Chu was established as the crown prince and renamed Yu, the princess of Ningguo descended back to the Khan of Gol, and Shi Siming descended and reversed several major events. After the restoration of the two capitals, the people of the world thought that the rebellion would be put down immediately, but it was inevitable that the smoke would be rekindled and the lives would be ruined.

On September 21, Suzong ordered Shuofang Jiedu to make Guo Ziyi, Huaixi Jiedu to make Lu Jiong, Zhenxi and Beiting Jiedu to make Li Siye, Henan Jiedu to make Cui Guangyuan and other nine Jiedu envoys, led 200,000 troops to conquer Anqingxu, this expedition did not set up a marshal, only ordered the eunuch Yu Chaoen to console the army for Guan Junrong to deal with the supervising army. The conquest was very smooth, on October 14, Guo Ziyi and others defeated An Qingxu, recovered Weizhou, and An Qingxu's troops burned and plundered all the way to Yecheng, and then pursued.

Zhang Hanruo was dressed in a purple brocade robe, lifted his sword to wipe away the blood stains on the sword body, and the sound of "bell" recycled the long sword to the belt of the whole waist. In this expedition, she led more than 5,000 soldiers from her family to belong to Guo Ziyi's command, and invited herself to be a team in the former army. Half an hour ago, she had just encountered a battle with a small group of rebels, and when she attacked Weizhou, Guo Ziyi did not allow her to go into battle to kill the enemy. The sky was already dark, she looked far away, raised the reins and urged the horse, and couldn't wait to catch up with An Qingxu with an arrow to avenge her father and brother.

The soldiers and horses led by Zhang Hanruo were originally in the middle of the front army, so they urged the horses to move forward in great strides, and soon overtook them, leaving the other soldiers and horses behind. There was no marshal in the three armies, Guo Ziyi led the main force of Guo's army in the position of the Chinese army, and the other sections made the soldiers and horses in their own formations, so Zhang Hanruo marched without permission and no one stopped him.

After two or three hours, the twilight gradually closed, the fog was blurred, and only the battle flag in the army was still clearly distinguishable in the chaos. But seeing the dense pine forest on the rare hill ahead, he asked the people around: "Where has this been?" ”

He asked three times in a row, but no one answered. Most of the soldiers she led were people from the Youzhou area, and no one was familiar with the Yecheng area.

Zhang Hanruo was not a reckless person, seeing that he was far away from the rear army and horses, and it was very dangerous if there was an ambush in front of him, he ordered him to come to the map, light a torch and look at the terrain with the deputy general Lin Hong. frowned and said: "It turns out that the name of this place is Chou Sigang." This shape is very complicated, and if no one leads the way, it is easy to get lost. ”

Lin Hong said: "Then it's better for me to rest first, and then make plans after the rear team of soldiers and horses arrive." ”

Zhang Hanruo thought about it for a while, she was originally a competitive person, and this time she was able to go to An Qingxu because Li Yu spoke for her in front of Suzong, if she didn't make a little war exploits and retreated and dodged here, she was really unwilling in her heart, and put the map in the middle and ordered her to say left and right: "Go and search around, or there are neighboring people who know the terrain." ”

Sure enough, in less than half a burnt incense effort, two soldiers came with a young man. The man was only wearing an ordinary cloth shirt, wrapped in a green cloth turban, and arched towards Zhang Hanruo from a distance, thinking that he was a little scared, and his voice was hoarse: "See the general." ”

Zhang Hanruo smiled and said, "You don't have to be afraid. We are the officers and soldiers who are ordered to fight against the An's rebels, you live near this sorrowful Gang, do you know the terrain within a radius of tens of miles? ”

The man said, "I know a little." ”

Zhang Hanruo was overjoyed: "Then you are willing to lead the way for us, after the deed is completed, I will promise you 5,000 yuan." This was a great reward, and the man did not hesitate to hear it: "I am willing to serve the general." ”

The man agreed so simply, Zhang Hanruo was more suspicious under joy, looked from a distance, and saw that the man was thin and small, although his voice was hoarse, it was not unpleasant, but he never dared to raise his head, so he asked, "Why is your voice so hoarse?" ”

The man replied, "This is because I had a serious illness when I was young, and the fever did not go away for several days, and when I was well, my throat was burned out." ”

Zhang Hanruo asked again: "Listening to you, it seems that you have read the book of sages, who else is in the family?" ”

The man said: "General Huiyan, a certain person has studied in a private school for a few years, and there are only old fathers and mothers in the family." When he replied, the two soldiers who brought him here secretly nodded to Zhang Hanruo to prove that what he said was true. Zhang Hanruo only blamed himself for being suspicious, even if there was an ambush in front of him, he would never have time to place such a meticulous work to lead himself to be fooled, and said with relief: "Okay, then please lead the way." ”

The man should "yes" and walk slowly towards the cavalry at the front.

When he answered "yes", he raised his head slightly, and Zhang Hanruo also happened to glance at him, and he was seeing his face clearly at this moment. At this look, Zhang Hanruo was so shocked that his heart seemed to jump out of his chest, and his blood veins were running around.

"Stop!" She screamed, jumped on her horse, stretched out her arms, and when someone arrived, she tore off the man's headscarf.

The "man" was frightened and raised his hand to cover his sideburns, but it was too late, and his hair was like ink and green silk, and it turned out to be a woman.

"Sister Shen, you're actually here!" Zhang Hanruo trembled, and his hands tightly clasped the arms of the person in front of him. The woman in front of her, her eyes are shining and her skin is like jade, is it Shen Pearl who has been missing for half a year?

"You, what do you do!" The woman struggled to break free of Zhang Hanruo's arm, took two steps back, and her face was full of astonishment.

"Shen Zhu, I'm Hanruo, you see-" Zhang Hanruo raised his head, took off his hat and helmet, revealing his black hair that was knotted in a bun, full of expectations, "You should recognize me." ”

The woman let out a long breath and said, "So you are also a woman." His expression was greatly relieved, and he said, "You think you have recognized the wrong person, I am not what you call Sister Shen." ”

Zhang Hanruo was taken aback, and couldn't help but take a closer look at the posture and appearance of the woman in front of her, which seemed to be no different from Shen Zhuzhu, except for the accent. Shen Zhuzhu's voice was either gentle as jade, or clear and decisive, which was very different from the voice of the woman in front of her. Zhang Hanruo has martial arts, and if he listens carefully, he can see that the hoarse accent of the woman in front of him is not pretending, and her official speech is mixed with a local accent, and he said abruptly: "How can there be such a similar person in the world." Sister Shen, I know you don't want to recognize me, you must have suffered a lot when you came here from Luoyang-"

The woman smiled lightly and said, "General, you really recognize the wrong person, I live in the suburbs of Yecheng, and I have always admired the prosperity of Xijing and Dongdu, but unfortunately I have never been able to set foot in Luoyang." ”

Zhang Hanruo sighed secretly in his heart and said, "I see, I think I admit my mistake." I don't know who your name is, since you are a woman, the thing leading the way on this trip is very dangerous, and I can't force you, are you still willing to go? ”

The woman said, "My surname is Gao, and my name is Yueming." Since I have agreed to lead the way, I will do it. ”

After a delay of some time, a spy has come to report: the rear ** is less than five miles away from here, and it is about to arrive.

Zhang Hanruo was confident, so he and Gao Yueming each rode a horse, and personally led the army to lead the way to Chou Sigang. Gao Yueming can't ride a horse, but she is very smart, if Zhang Hanruo gives a little point, she can ride on the horse like a decent person, and ride the horse slowly forward. Along the way, Zhang Hanruo secretly observed Gao Yueming's behavior, and he was really like a pearl everywhere.

Isn't she really Shen Zhu? Zhang Hanruo really has the feeling of a dream.

"From here, the hillside goes up and down first, and after passing a narrow and extremely long official road, you can enter the hinterland of Sorrow and Valley." Walking to the slope of nearly three zhang high, Gao Yueming stopped at the horse and said.

Zhang Hanruo raised his head and frowned at this slope, and it was hard to imagine how the people who came and returned to Yecheng in the past passed.

Gao Yueming thought that she knew Zhang Hanruo's thoughts, and said, "The general must be strange about how the carriages and horses pass here, right?" In the past, business travelers passed through this, and they all got off the horse and pushed the cart by themselves, and they tried their best to defend outside the city. Generals must proceed with caution. ”

Zhang Hanruo raised his whip violently, rode his horse and jumped up the hill, looked at it for a moment, and then returned to the horse to Gao Yueming's horse, and said: "What you said is very true, I can't take the lives of these men in my family in vain." You know the terrain, what do you think you should do? ”

Gao Yueming thought for a moment and said, "In order to prevent fraud, why don't we send a team of soldiers and horses to explore the road before we walk every time." If there is nothing wrong, use the torch as a signal. ”

Zhang Hanruo thought about it, this team of pathfinders is different from the scouts who are pathfinders, if there are really An's ambushes in the Gang, if the number of pathfinders is too small, the ambushes will only stand still and invite you into the urn, this kind of pathfinder is useless, it seems that he is going to lose his blood! She rode her horse and looked at the dense soldiers behind her, all of whom were born and died by Youzhou, in order to avenge her father and brother, for the sake of this size, did she really bear to let them move forward?

"Miss, the last general is willing to lead a thousand soldiers to explore the way." Lin Hong asked for his life in a deep voice.

Zhang Hanruo glared at him and bit his lower lip fiercely: "Okay, you have to be careful!" ”

Lin Hong smiled, hugged his fists and said: "Don't worry, the eldest lady will not retreat in the face of danger, this is the wind of the Zhang family in Youzhou, we will never be greedy for life and afraid of death, and will insult the prestige of the Zhang family in Youzhou." In Zhang Hanruo's nod, he had already ordered his troops and marched towards Chou Sigang without looking back.

Zhang Hanruo rode his horse on the slope, staring at the narrow official road in the thick fog with his eyes, and his body remained motionless. She felt that time was so difficult, as if every breath dragged on for a long time.

"Miss, there is, fire! Fire! There's a fire......" a nearby soldier shouted in a low voice.

Zhang Hanruo subconsciously rubbed her eyes, and sure enough, she clearly saw a beam of fire lit, followed by two and three beams...... She smiled slightly, looked back and ordered, "Hurry up and get to the location of the fire!" ”

"No, no! Don't move yet! I don't know when, Gao Yueming has already ridden a horse and stood beside her, she hurriedly pointed to the firelight and said, "Look, the firelight is not right, it's a little chaotic!" "If you look closely, the beams of fire seem to be leaping at this time. Zhang Hanruo disagreed: "More than 1,000 soldiers have crossed the narrow official road, and the fire is inevitable and chaotic. The rear team is moving forward quickly! ”

Gao Yueming hurriedly stopped Zhang Hanruo's war horse, who was just about to start: "Wait, general, ah, look!" ——”

Zhang Hanruo was startled, only this momentary effort, and then looked at the firelight and changed, scattered and jumping, and then listened carefully, there was a faint sound of killing in the distance. She knew that there was a change, and she was about to recall the soldiers of the rear team who had just left the official road, when she suddenly heard the sound of war drums and the sound of fighting.

"Retreat, retreat, we're in ambush!"

"There are crossbowmen, be careful! ——”

Her soldiers screamed and retreated like a tidal wave. "Hurry up and escort Miss Gao away!" She ordered two guards beside her, and the two guards hurriedly grabbed Gao Yueming's horse reins one left and one right, and led her back to the rear.

"General, you should retreat quickly!" Gao Yueming shouted on his horse.

Zhang Hanruo frowned, she couldn't help but retreat, she pulled up the reins of the horse, and another team of soldiers retreated in the direction where she was, her horse neighed back a few steps back, and at that moment, the horse's hind hooves kicked down the loose soil on the slope, and she, together with the horse, slipped down at once.

"Ah-" Zhang Hanruo exclaimed, there must be a few colors on the fallen horse, but the screams have not stopped, and they have fallen into the arms of a person steadily.

"You are so bold, it is not too much to lose this little life ten times!" The man lowered her to the ground, and there was a reproach in his tone. He was dressed in leather armor and covered with a scarlet cloak, heroic and mighty, with a faint gloom in his eyebrows.

Zhang Hanruo glanced at him, and immediately looked away, with a little shyness in his heart, but also a few wisps of joy. said: "His Royal Highness the Prince, how did you get here." ”

The person who came was the original King of Guangping and the King of Chu Li Jiao, and the current crown prince Li Yu.

Li Yu didn't answer Zhang Hanruo, and said to the left and right: "The rebels will not dare to kill Chou Sigang, have the soldiers and horses of Xu Shuji, Dong Qin, Wang Sili, and Xue Jianxun arrived?" ”

Someone replied: "Back to His Royal Highness the Prince, except for the soldiers and horses of Lord Xue Jianli who will arrive tomorrow morning, the other branches have already arrived." ”

Li Yu said: "Okay, I'll wait to retreat, and discuss the matter after the camp tent is set up and General Guo Ziyi arrives." Riding on the war horse, he looked back and saw Zhang Hanruo still standing in place, and said, "You can come here when you're done." ”

Zhang Hanruo came back to his senses, remembered Gao Yueming, looked around, and in the shadows of many cavalrymen, he finally saw a green shirt back, far away from her and Li Yu who was walking back, only one back, and never looked back. With a thought, she summoned the attendants nearby and whispered, "Good student to settle Miss Gao, and ...... Don't let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince know about Miss Gao. ”

This battle has ended, and Zhang Hanruo and Lin Hong, who fled back, counted the casualties together. It turned out that the rebels who were in ambush originally intended to let Lin Hong and his party pass through the customs to paralyze **, but the weather was cold in this season, and those rebels who had been ambushed in the pine forest for a long time were frozen and shivering, and one of the rebel soldiers was weak and couldn't stand it, so he fainted and made a sound, which happened to be heard by Lin Hong, who was passing through the official road, and then the fight occurred. Fortunately, Gao Yueming reminded that Zhang Hanruo did not send many soldiers and retreated while fighting, and the rebels in ambush did not dare to chase and fight, so the casualties were not large.

After appeasing the wounded soldiers of his subordinates one by one, several hours had passed, Zhang Hanruo cleaned up a little in his camp tent, asked for directions, and walked towards Li Yu's line.

Seeing that he was close to Li Yu's tent, a person suddenly flashed out to block the way: "General Zhang, please stay." "It turned out to be Yan Ming, the deputy of the prince's East Palace.

Zhang Hanruo said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince summoned me to discuss the matter. ”

Yan Ming glanced at her and didn't retreat an inch: "That General Zhang is late, the deliberations have been completed, and His Highness has rested." ”

For some reason, Zhang Hanruo has always felt that Yan Ming dislikes her very much, and it is not once or twice that he is not pretending to be like today. She turned around and was about to leave, but saw a guard in the East Palace clothes running in a hurry, muttering a few words in Yan Ming's ear, Yan Ming nodded and said to the guard: "Don't hurry up and go in to report." The guard sang "Woo" and bowed his head into the tent.

Zhang Hanruo sneered: "Deputy Yan leads this duty of guarding the prince, but he can keep it tightly." ”

Yan Ming glanced at her and said, "This time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was ordered by the emperor to inspect the situation ahead, and when he left the palace, it happened that the prince was sick, and His Royal Highness came all the way, and he could not rest assured for a moment; Now there is news from the East Palace that the prince has recovered, so it is natural to let His Highness know as soon as possible. ”

When Zhang Hanruo heard this, he silently turned around and walked back, full of melancholy, something, little by little, falling down.

After walking a few steps, I couldn't help it, and turned my head to look back.

I don't know when, Li Yu has walked out of the camp.

He changed into a white brocade robe, looking up at the sky with his hands in his hands, and his figure was so lonely.

On such a night, without stars and moon, what is he looking at?