In the fourteenth year of the Tang Dynasty's Apocalypse, the desolate tribe who had been living in the cold region of the extreme north for thousands of years returned to the south, seized a large area of grassland in the Zuo Tent Royal Court, and directly led the royal court cavalry to harass and invade the Central Plains further south. In order to deal with a dangerous situation that had not been encountered for ten years, the Xiling Temple issued an edict, calling on Haotian Dao believers and righteous path colleagues to assist Yan Guo in reaching the barbarian invasion.

At the same time, the Tang Empire sent troops from the west side of the road to aid Yan and called for reinforcements from the Yan army.

Because of the arrival of reinforcements, the cavalry of the Left Tent Wangting tribe seemed to be much more restrained, especially when the vanguard of the Tang Dynasty to aid the Yan Army came to the Yanbei Wasteland along the eastern edge of the Gangshan Mountain, the Zuo Tent Wangting Shan increased the constraints on the tribes, and it was difficult to find the trace of the barbarian rangers in the cold wind howling wilderness.

The reason why the barbarian cavalry was difficult to cope with was because they had a large expanse of grassland behind them...... Seeing that the momentum was not right, he escaped into the long grass, and could not pursue it at all. Unless the kings of the world had the ambition and ambition of Emperor Taizu of the Tang Dynasty, there was no way to completely eliminate this threat.

Therefore, when the intrusion of the barbarian cavalry into the Yan Realm became less strict, and after the Zuo Tent Wang Court sent peace envoys, the Central Plains troops gathered in the north of the Yan Realm did not go north strongly, but chose to camp on the spot, focusing on the defense of the border fortresses everywhere, and the situation in the border fortresses became much calmer.

The more than 100,000 troops stationed outside the Yan border are known as the coalition forces of the Central Plains, but in fact, except for the young cultivators from the Southern Jin Dynasty and the Yuelun Kingdoms, they are basically the local army of the Yan State and the reinforcement army sent by the Tang Empire.

The so-called aid Yan army is the elite of the western border army of the empire under the command of General Xiahou. This army, known for its iron-blooded ruthlessness, in the war ten years ago, even conquered the eleven cities of Yan Kingdom, leaving an extremely painful memory for the Yan people, in the eyes of the Yan people, these Tang ** people who claimed to come to aid were more hateful and more terrible than the barbarian cavalry on the grassland.

Based on such a simple emotion and power contrast, the Yan State, from the monarch to the ordinary soldiers, all showed considerable vigilance to the Tang Dynasty aid Yan army in the west, although on the surface they still sent pigs and cattle grain as condolences, but in reality the Yan troops and the Tang army maintained a considerable distance, and the two sides divided the east and west fronts of the Yanbei border, looked at each other from afar, ignored each other, and even took out a lot of spirit to pay attention to each other's movements.

The young cultivators from all over the world who came to receive the edict of the Xiling Temple naturally stayed with the Yan ** team, while the practical students from the Chengnan Academy of Chang'an naturally stayed in the barracks of the Tang Dynasty to aid the Yan army.

It was the end of autumn, and the north of the wasteland was cold first, and the grass was early yellow.

There is a meadow outside the border Saijun Zun somewhere in Yanbei, and the few trees on the meadow have already fallen their leaves, standing here, his eyes can lightly penetrate the clear sky and fall farther away. Like the black smoke from the burning of something in the distant wasteland, and the wounded soldiers lying on the creaking carriage. Now that the situation in the border area is calm, peace talks may be held immediately, but in the depths of the wasteland, skirmishes between the Tang cavalry and the steppe cavalry still occur occasionally, and the bodies and wounded will be transported back every few days.

Ning Que sat on the meadow and looked northwest, his hand resting on his lap slowly rubbing a small sign. The material of this brand is a little weird, not gold, not jade, not stone, not wood, very hard, it was stuffed to him by Senior Sister Yu Curtain before leaving the academy, he didn't pay attention to it at the time, and then remembered it during the trip, and held it in his hand from time to time to play, some curious about the use of this brand, and also took this opportunity to reduce the nostalgia for Chang'an City.

There is a vague black line under the high sky in the northwest direction, which is inconspicuous when it looks at it. But he had been there, and he knew how tall and majestic the rolling hills were, and he felt more and more that the sky and the wasteland were indescribably vast.

The vague black line is the Xiongxiong Oh Mountain, which divides the northern part of the continent into two pieces, he and Sang Sang mainly lived in the eastern foothills of Oh Mountain when they were young, and when they came out of the cliff on the west side ten years ago, they met Zhuo Er, whose home was destroyed, and that memory is long gone, but it is still clear.

Because you have walked through, remember that some places further north, there will be a naturally formed gap in the middle of the mountain. The Yushan Mountain Range, which stretches for thousands of miles from south to north, divides the southern part of the wasteland into two halves, and also separates the Tang Dynasty and the Yan Kingdom.

Such an important military place is naturally firmly in the hands of the Tang Empire, where the most elite divisions of the Imperial Northern Route Army are stationed, and the most important military mission of the Imperial Northern Route Army is not to drag the dangerous place and threaten the Left Horde Court or the Yan Kingdom in the eastern part of the grassland, what really worries the empire is the most powerful Golden Horde Court in the wasteland, which is also the place where Princess Li Yu once married.

Ning Que has lived for many years in Weicheng is one of the seven city fortresses, the seven city fortresses belong to the most inconspicuous border fortress defense line of the elite division of the Northern Route Army, at this time looking northwest, as if you can see the city on the other side of the mountain, the hometown that really belongs to him and Sangsang, and I can't help but feel some thoughts and warmth in my heart.

The old people of Weicheng don't know how they are doing now, how General Ma is doing, whether they have received the silver tickets sent by the cart and horse dealer in the spring, if they know that they have mixed up in Chang'an City, how much wine they will drink to celebrate, and when should they and Sangsang go back to see them? They have been stationed here for more than a month, and they will only send this ranger out to reconnoitre, when will they really attack? In a few days, it will be winter, and when they will enter the wasteland, the soldiers will have to pay more than now. ”

A young officer sat beside Ning Que, his light armor was polished, looking at the clear wasteland and the wounded soldiers on the carriage, his sword eyebrows frowned slightly and said in annoyance: "I really don't know what the General's Mansion is thinking, I heard that General Xiahou didn't enter Yan at all, and he is still in Tuyang City Mansion, it's really too unreasonable."

Ning Que looked at him and smiled, and said, "Where can I use a cattle slaughtering knife to kill chickens? To deal with the cavalry of the Left Tent Royal Court, where do I need General Xiahou to personally go out on horse? The imperial court sent half of the Western Route Army over, which is enough to give that Zuo a bill to save face. General Xiahou stayed in Tuyang City and didn't come to Biansai to personally command, because he knew that this battle couldn't be fought at all, and since he didn't have to go deep into the wasteland, what difference did it make in the golden autumn and cold winter?"

Young officers are often attested to by the students of the college. This military trainee with excellent results in the second department of cavalry and archery, who once served in the Yulin Army, came to the front line of the reinforcement army this time, and was assigned to the northernmost and most dangerous fortress, but he did not have any opinions, but he was eager to take the cavalry into the wasteland, and made great achievements for the empire like his predecessors, but he didn't expect that it would be more than a month to be sleepy, and the troops had no intention of going out at all.

His mood was already a little depressed these days, and when he heard Ning Que say this, he retorted: "The Central Plains countries have made such a big move, the temple has issued an edict, and the empire has sent reinforcements, how much silver does it cost to chew the grain every day, and it took so much effort to assemble the troops, how can it not be fought?"

Ning Que smiled and said, "Then do you think this looks like you're going to fight?"

Chang Cheng pointed to the carriages under the meadow and said: "Skirmishes have been happening, and I don't think it's that they won't fight, but the coalition forces are fighting on both sides, and there is no way to confirm when a large-scale offensive will begin." ”

Ning Que shook his head and said: "The skirmish will definitely continue, but that is to bargain with the Left Tent Royal Court, you have to figure out what is the ultimate goal of the two hundred thousand horses in the south of the wasteland now, if you understand this, you will know why this big war cannot be fought after all." ”

"Why?" Chang Cheng asked, frowning.

Ning Que asked, "Why is the Left Tent Royal Court disturbing the side?"

Chang proved that he didn't even want to think about it, and replied: "Because barbarians are cruel and greedy by nature." ”

Ning Que said angrily: "Nonsense...... There is no one who is not greedy. ”

Chang Zheng hesitated and said, "Is it because the desolate people moved south?"

Ning Que looked at the young officer and said: "The real enemy of Shan Yu of the Left Tent King Court is the desolate tribe behind it, and the edict issued by the Xiling Temple is also to be vigilant against the revival of the Demon Sect that may be caused by the desolate people going south, as for my Tang Empire...... The desolate people were crippled by us back then, so of course we must be wary of whether they will take revenge when they become strong. So at the end of the day, it's the desert warriors who are more distant away. ”

The desolate people have been far away from the wasteland for more than a thousand years, and it is a legend that is too old to remember for the people of the Central Plains.

"But I heard that there are only a few hundred thousand people left in the wilderness now, even if all the people are soldiers, it is impossible to pose any threat to the Central Plains, on the contrary, there are countless knights who are good at fighting under the command of the Left Tent King's Court, if they really go south like Huang worms......"

"In your eyes, the powerful Zuo Tent Royal Court was robbed of a large area of grassland by the desolate people, driven to the south, and forced to cross the line that my Datang drew for them. Now that these so-called natural warriors are only a few hundred thousand people who can do this, if you give them time to gain a foothold in the north and multiply and grow, don't you think it's terrifying?

Ning Que said with a smile: "Don't forget jì, as long as there is enough food, it is always easy to have a child." ”

After a long silence, Chang proved to be silent, and asked, "So what should we do?"

Ning Que looked at the black smoke in the distance of the Reckless Wasteland, and after thinking for a moment, he said: "Looking at the current situation, I estimate that the Xiling Temple and the imperial court have the same idea, that is, to force the Zuo Tent Wang Shan Yu to start a war with the desolate people again, and we are responsible for giving him armaments, equipment and food, and they are responsible for fighting." ”

Chang Zheng was puzzled and asked: "If you can't win the famine, you are forced to move south, how can the Left Tent Royal Court be stupid enough to turn around and fight?"

"That's why we're here now...... The temple and the imperial court now put their posture very clearly, and wrote a multiple-choice question for Shan Yu to do, either you will fight with us, or you will fight with the desolate people with our support, the former you will definitely die, the latter you may die, there is always a difference between sure and maybe. ”

Chang Zheng was stunned, he didn't expect this matter to be so complicated, and said with emotion: "This multiple-choice question is really difficult to do." ”

Ning Que patted him on the shoulder and said, "Shan Yu also thinks so. ”

At this moment, dozens of the most elite light cavalry of the Western Route Army appeared behind the meadow side, and the capable lieutenant who led the way looked at Ning Que above the meadow with anxiety, as if he wanted to approach but didn't dare. Chang Zheng looked at the elite cavalry under the meadow as nervous as if facing a great enemy, and recognized that it should be the cavalry directly under the Great General's Mansion, and couldn't help but be slightly surprised, and subconsciously glanced at Ning Que beside him.

The Tang military captain under the meadow looked up at Ning Que and said sadly: "Mr. Thirteen, it's really not safe to be too close to the barbarian horse, let's go back to the barracks, right?"

"Mr. Thirteen?" Chang Cheng asked looking at Ning Que suspiciously.

Ning Que looked at the nervous cavalry under the meadow, Guang Ke sighed, patted his ass and stood up, and explained to Chang Zheng: "They don't know who I am, they only know that I am thirteenth. ”

Often proved to stand up

"I, the leader of the academy, am not responsible for your life and death, but I always have to care about what you are doing. ”

Ning Que looked at him and said, "I came today to see your current situation, since I was urged, I had to leave early, tomorrow I will go to Bishui Camp, but Tu Yilan and Wang Ying are over there." ”

"Thank you. Chang Zheng said seriously.

"It's just a patrol envoy who is on the stage, eating and drinking everywhere, where is the hardship?"

Ning Que laughed at himself, waved his hand to signal that he didn't need to send it, patted his ass and walked under the meadow.

Walking to the meadow, he looked at the border lieutenant who had been with him for a whole month, and the soldiers who were looking around as if they might encounter the steppe cavalry at any time, and said helplessly:

"This is still my Datang military camp, why are you so nervous? Do you really want to follow me like this every day?"

The lieutenant replied seriously: "The peak is strict, and if you belong to others, you must ensure your safety." ”

Ning Que thought about the leisurely but boring life in the border fortress for more than a month, and couldn't help but shake his head, and said: "I'm just an ordinary trainee, but now I am followed by dozens of elite cavalry every day, what is the matter? I am not General Xiahou, how can I afford such treatment." ”

The lieutenant respectfully explained: "Mr. Thirteen, although we don't know your true identity, the military order of the General's Mansion makes it clear that your safety is more important than the safety of the Great General. ”

This is a very real chalky answer.

The reason why the General's Mansion cares so much about Ning Que's safety is not because General Xiahou knows the identity of his secret guard and came with His Majesty's monitoring mission, so he wants to isolate him from the strength of the army, but for a very simple reason.

Dozens of students in the academy are practicing on the front line, and they must hone their combat exploits and abilities with real swords and guns, which is the practice of the Tang Dynasty, so from the ministers of the DPRK and the central government to the generals of the border fortress, they will only treat these young people as ordinary officers, but Ning Que is not an ordinary academy student, he is a student on the second floor of the academy.

Over the years, there has never been a student on the second floor of the academy who has enlisted in the army to participate in the practice, only Ning Que is a special case, as a personal disciple of the master, if such a person has a problem on the front line, even if even a single hair is lost, it will cause an uproar.

General Xiahou may be able to withstand His Majesty's anger, but he does not have the courage to face the disappointment of his master.

So after coming from Chang'an to the Yanbei Wasteland Frontier, Ning Que did not return to the familiar iron-blooded years of immediate conquest, but was offered by the West Road Border Army as an ancestor.

The barracks carefully guarded his safety, whether it was drinking alcohol or eating meat, and meeting any of his requests...... But never let him get even closer to some possible danger. Therefore, apart from going to the barracks to gently visit the academy students like Chang Proving along the undulating and gentle curves of the side, he has nothing to do now.

Ning Que looked at the cavalrymen who were respectfully waiting to escort him away, couldn't help but sigh, put his finger in his mouth and made a whistle, only to see a big black horse stabbing out of the back of the meadow, this big black horse was carrying heavy luggage like a hill, but it was still walking like flying, chewing things in its mouth, and it didn't know what it could eat so happily on this meadow where the leaves had fallen and the autumn grass was stained with frost.