The fort was built on a hill that stretched north into a lower hill, and the north wind blew through the bell-ringing forest and headed straight for the city walls. The open city beneath it, the winds are strong when the snow season arrives, and the mountains and hills on both sides make the area look like a valley – a valley that is extremely difficult to break through. The city wall is partly made of mud and tamped, and partly supplemented by huge stone barriers, which are as thick as four zhang, fifteen zhang above the ground, and twenty-five zhang at the highest point. The broad blue-gray walls were dotted with moats and watchtowers, with torches at intervals, and the soldiers peered out between the gaps and behind the arrow holes, and the halberds held high followed their movements like the masts of ships passing through the river, the tips reflecting the orange glow of flames. Under the city was a wide moat six or seven feet, which was dug very deep, and the heavy snow was under it for several days, but it was still far from the ground.

The panther's skin was oily and slippery, reflecting starlight even at night, and his white daft was even more dazzling, and the city immediately lowered the drawbridge to let the young master pass. The panther stepped across the wooden suspension bridge, the sound of hooves was dull, just as its owner was in the mood.

In addition to the guard general Lin Fa, most of the people who stayed in this fortress were some small princes with fewer troops, and the last bloodline of Palm Forest City. After the fall of Brown Forest City, the city lord Sheng Yue's family was beheaded, and their heads hung on the barbarians' spears, and only the youngest son, Sheng Xiang, survived, who escaped by serving as an attendant to Lin Fa in the Valley of the Wind, leaving the last bloodline for the Sheng family. One of the most powerful of the remaining princes was Duan Kaicheng, the owner of Sunset Fort, who this time led 5,000 soldiers to the front line in response to the call. However, due to the small number of people in his headquarters, Qin Wei left him in the Wind Valley to assist Qin Ming in the supply work. The rest of the great princes also include Gao Jin of Tiebi City, Ji Lang of Tai'an City, and Ding Jun of Ship City. Except for Duan Kaicheng, none of the remaining princes seemed to be in trouble. Gao Jin is even more of his father's close partner, in fact, Tiebi City is far away in the south of Jinju, and Gao Jin doesn't need to be called to come. Qin Ming couldn't help but be grateful to his father for his good intentions.

Qin Ming walked through the inner wall, the training ground, and entered the hall of the castle.

The hall is large enough to be used as both a meeting room and a dining room, but in many cases both are held at the same time. A long table was placed in the middle, and on both sides were densely packed with high-backed wooden chairs, the materials were not very well made, all of them were timber taken from the vicinity, and the Valley of the Wind was originally just a military fortress, not a bustling and lively town, and it has never been so exquisite. Eight oval* stone pillars separate all corners of the hall, and the original milky white stone surface has now been mottled off in many places, revealing a cyan and brown underside. Racks of weapons and armor, charcoal, round wine barrels, large grills with iron rods, and charcoal stoves were piled up on the walls, and the hall was much warmer than outside, and the smell of wine was still in the air, and the smell of meat from the previous dinner was still in the air.

Scattered around the long table sat a few small princes and their attendants, whispering something, and some leaning against the foot of the wall, huddled around the charcoal stove to keep warm. When they saw the young master come in, some of them stood up and saluted, and some sat on high-backed chairs to make a gesture. Qin Ming nodded to them and walked straight to the staircase near the left wall. His bedroom was on the third floor, and now he just wanted to get a good night's sleep.

When he ascended the crooked hallway on the third floor, he spotted a tall figure standing in front of a hole in the stone wall, peering down. The man was cloaked in a gray fox cloak, with a muscular build, black hair with silver threads that was extremely short, a beard as well, and dark eyes as bright as the morning star. He recognized it at a glance.

"Master Gao, haven't you rested yet?" Gao Jin was a northern man over fifty years old, with a sturdy figure covered with a light gray scale armor, and a city pattern on the heart armor. At first glance, I don't think he's any different from the others, but if you look closely, you'll see that he's special. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were so deep that he looked older than his age, but his eyes were as bright and cheerful as a young man. Once you are familiar with this trait, you will easily find him among a group of people.

"Young master, you came back later than I expected. Gao Jin grinned at him.

He's waiting for me. "Fine ale wine, have a drink?" Qin Ming walked to the bedroom, and his attendant heard the footsteps in the corridor open the door, "Young master, tall man, villain go to prepare wine and food." ”

There was a small fireplace in the room, and the charcoal was burning red, and it seemed to have been lit for a long time. Yes, there was a lot of delay on the way back, later than expected.

Gao Jin followed him into the room, he walked to the fireplace, fell into the chair with mink cushions, took off the rhino skin gauntlets and the woolen gloves inside, "Please be seated." ”

Gao Jin sat down. "Lord Gao, it's too cold outside, just leave a message for Zhao Sui, why stand in the cold wind. ”

"The cold wind kept me awake and knew what I was going to say. Gao Jin removed his gloves and rested them on the fireplace. "You know I can't speak, I can't speak, I'm forgetful, and I tend to forget what I'm going to say. ”

You are too modest, Qin Ming smiled. In front of the city lord of Iron Wall City, he felt at ease. Gao Jin didn't have to travel all the way to the Wind Valley, the new king ascended the throne, and Iron Wall City was the big city closest to the dragon, and he was needed at this moment. This must be what Daddy has arranged, including this meeting now.

Zhao Sui knocked on the door, and after getting permission, he brought in the wine and food, he spread out a small folding square table in front of the fireplace, and after putting the wine and food and chopsticks away, he withdrew.

"Is this Zhao Liancheng's fourth child?" or the fifth?" Gao Jin uncorked the bottle and filled his wine glass.

"The fifth. He was thirteen years old, very smart and well-behaved, and never talked much. ”

"Don't eavesdrop on it?" Gao Jin suddenly asked in a deep voice.

Qin Ming took the cup handed by Gao Jin, feeling a little strange, but realized that what he had just said was inappropriate, and said: "Lord Gao, I am in need of valuable advice at this moment, I know that you are not here to fight, it was my father who recruited you to go north, right?"

"That's true. Gao Jin and he held a cup and drank each other, "The letter from the dragon, your father showed me at noon, you must have known by now, this is a level that a man must go through, you all understand." So I'm not going to say anything more, what your dad wants me to tell you is something else. ”

"Listen up. ”

"Clover Rong Lifeng, in the past few months, I have collected some very useful information about the barbarians. Gao Jin's sparkling eyes looked at him, as if observing the change in his expression. "Rong Lifeng's information tells us that the barbarians are not fully prepared to launch a nomadic wave at all, and their reserves of green acid are insufficient. Rong Lifeng sent scouts in the wasteland and found traces of the Blood Drinking Camp, the Talon Camp, and the Vulture Camp, which proved that the men and horses of the three battalions were still left in the Great Wasteland. ”

Qin Ming looked at Gao Jin in surprise, and couldn't help but scrape the hard stubble on his chin with his palm, which gave him a sense of realism. Camp Talon and Vulture Camp are powerful tribes in the wasteland, if they don't participate in the nomadic tide......

"This shows that Ilad is far from enough, and the information our scouts have received is likely to be wrong. It is unlikely that the barbarians will have 100,000 people, or even 80,000 people, and Rong Lifeng estimates that they may only have 60,000 people, or even less. ”

That's why they stuck to Brown Grove City, and Jiudaogou and Mabao were unharmed?" "Why didn't my dad make this information public, and he didn't tell me directly?"

"It's not open because of two things. First, Rong Lifeng's inferences and information are not necessarily correct. Second, your father hopes that there will really be 100,000 barbarians, or even more. Gao Jin swallowed a sip of ale, his throat rolling, "so that he can issue a provincial recruitment order, asking the vassals from all over the country to send troops." He asked me to be the mouthpiece, because I would only come to you when he led the attack. If the barbarians really had so many people invading our territory, we wouldn't have the opportunity to sit here and talk. ”

Qin Ming took the ale in his mouth and didn't swallow it, he wanted to taste the meaning of these words.

"Your father has already made a judgment based on the recent movements of the barbarians, the barbarians are not enough to supply, the troops are insufficient, the combat ** is insufficient, and the green acid is also insufficient. This is a failed nomadic wave, and he is bound to win a big victory. ”

Not only will Daddy win the war, but he will also sort out the situation through this recruitment......

Gao Jin continued: "Your father predicted that the first king would fall into a huge crisis more than three months ago, when Yu Jian entered the wasteland alone, but the nomadic tide broke out, and he had no time to take care of it, but he gave too strong a hint. What I didn't expect to happen, it happened, it all happened so crazy, and it came so fast. ”

Qin Ming listened quietly, and suddenly felt a cheerful scene in front of him, "Because everything has to be rushed before the day of Longyan." ”

"Yes. So in just a few days, so much happened. Gao Jin looked at him appreciatively and agreed, "It's just that your father didn't expect that Long Chengtian would dare to take the great crime of rebellion and go to the viewing platform to accept the judgment of the dragon god." ”

Daddy didn't expect Long Chengtian to be so crazy, and he didn't expect that the dragon god was actually absent.

"Your father left you here because he wanted you to see it carefully, and what kind of people you need to face in the future. Jin Ju is not as calm as it seems on the surface, and Long Chengtian is ambitious and will not fail to consider taking certain actions against Jin Ju. ”

He stood up and retrieved his gloves, "I've been here for a lot of attention, and the longer I stay, the more troublesome it may be." Young master, think carefully about what I said today. Tomorrow, there are things to face tomorrow. ”

He grinned, his eyes as bright as the morning star reflecting the warmth of the firelight.

Qin Ming added charcoal to the fireplace and sat for a long time, I don't know how long it took, before drowsiness hit, and then he lay down on the bed.

When he woke up the next day, Zhao Sui told him that it was past breakfast time, and that he would prepare additional food for him, and then served him to wash up, eat some food casually, and went downstairs to the hall. Some of the princes were still sitting there drinking and chatting, and he saw Duan Kaicheng, Gao Jin, Ji Lang, and Ding Jun among them. These people were not assigned combat missions, and they were convinced of victory, and they felt that they had nothing to do when they stayed, and they inevitably had to be accompanied by wine. When Qin Ming came down, most of the princes were unaware, Gao Jin caught a glimpse of him, and glanced at him with a warning look on his face.

I only heard a shrill voice say, "The young master is here." The princes at the long table were a little quieter, and all of them looked at each other, some with kind smiles on their faces, some expressionless, and some went to drink or whisper something to the people beside them.

"There can be no doubt that the war will be won by our army. I don't think the young master is in a bad mood, it can't be because of something else, right?" The owner of Sunset Castle, Duan Kaicheng, is nearly sixty years old, tall and thin, already on the top, with thin eyes and thin lips, and a long beard dyed golden on his chin, and has always been known for his scathing words. Sunset Fort is the origin of the Worship Dragon Sect, and it is from this place that the three ancestors traveled far and wide to spread their teachings, so Sunset Fort is regarded as a holy city by the boxers, and it is as famous as Red Rock City. For thousands of years, the Duan family has also developed and prospered because of this, and it is quite prestigious, and no one in the country wants to offend the owner of Sunset Fort.

This may be one of the reasons why Duan Kaicheng is proud and mean, Qin Ming thought to himself. He didn't like Duan Kaicheng, and Duan Kaicheng didn't like him. What do you want to hint at in the morning?

Worry was written all over my face. My dad told me countless times that I couldn't see joy and anger, and I actually forgot.

He noticed that Gao Jin had a look of displeasure on his face, while Ji Lang and Ding Jun looked away. He didn't want to pay attention to it, but he didn't know what ugly words Duan Kaicheng was going to say. "Lord Duan, the nomadic tide has not receded, the national disaster has not been eliminated, and everyone's worries are the same. Of course our army will win, I just hope that the losses in Palm Grove will be as small as possible. ”

Duan Kaicheng's thin lips stretched into a curved line, "The young master cares about the people, which is admirable, Jin Ju can have a talent like the young master in the future, I am not worried, I am deeply relieved." It's just that I don't know if the young lady is in the royal capital, is she also worry-free?"

Duan Kaicheng already knew? It seems that the carrier pigeon flying north from the giant dragon is really not one, if Duan Kaicheng knows something, then everyone in the hall will know. When he came down, Gao Jin's hint to him was only because of this. "Master Duan, my wife returned to her parents' house because of the purple fire, and she left with a full stomach full of sorrow. ”

Qin Ming didn't want to say too much, maybe the other party didn't know yet, in short, there was no need for him to take the initiative to mention it.

"When the young lady had a private meeting with the first warrior of the kingdom, I am afraid that she was full of sorrow, right?" Duan Kaicheng smiled, his eyes narrowed, and he looked straight at him.

"Lord Duan, this matter has not been fully confirmed, and it is not appropriate to talk about it publicly. Gao Jin rushed ahead of Qin Ming.

"Master Gao, you are not afraid of shadows, if you dare to do it, you are afraid of what others will say? Even the personal maid Yingshu has stood up to testify, how do you think it can be confirmed?"

Gao Jin was about to speak, but Qin Ming interrupted him: "At lunch, I will explain this matter." Tall, please come with me. ”

Gao Jin left the long table and followed him out of the hall and down into the training grounds. The instructors of the princes were supervising the training in the field, and the sound of weapons clashing, the dull sound of maces striking on wooden shields, and the shouts of soldiers were endless. Qin Ming and Gao Jin walked as far as possible along the edge of the field, until they passed through the inner wall, reached the bottom of the outer wall, and then climbed the zigzag staircase to the battlements.

"It's almost dragon time, isn't it?" the two walked side by side on the city walls, the wind blowing their long hair and snowflakes in their faces. The patrolling guards saluted them one by one.

"It's coming. Your father should have launched a general offensive by now, and if nothing else, we will receive good news in the afternoon. ”

Qin Ming stopped and looked north. The Ringing Bell Forest was faintly visible in the distance, but the green canopy was no longer visible, and there was snow in all directions. The open area of the valley was also snow-white, and from the heights, the snow didn't look as thick as it actually was, like spotless cream, but Qin Ming knew that they were at least knee-high, and it was difficult for horses to travel, and even more difficult for vehicles. It won't be long before they are cleared by the sappers to make a way for them.

"I hope so. He responded absentmindedly, his attention being sucked away. A white bird appeared in the snowflakes, fluttering its wings and struggling to come to the wall. It was a carrier pigeon from the front. The news in the cold wind smelled of ice, and he felt a little uneasy.

"There's news here. Gao Jin also saw it, "Young master, let's go and have a look." ”

Qin Ming and Gao Jin walked briskly through the city wall and into a tower at the west end, where the carrier pigeon returned to the pigeon coop, and the maintenance officer was untying the letter tied to the carrier pigeon. It was a piece of parchment, small and thin, Qin Ming took it from the officer's hand, only to see two sentences written on it: "The general attack is victorious." My lord is seriously injured, come quickly!"