In the west of Wancheng, the second battle between the Yulin army and the Chu Xiang army ended in a defeat for Ge Cifeng. Ge Cifeng had 80,000 soldiers and horses left, and 50,000 were killed, captured and scattered, but Ge Cifeng himself only took 30,000 soldiers and horses and fled westward in a hurry. If it weren't for the pressure on the 30,000 Chuxiang army on the North Road led by Liangyu, forcing Tang Xingchang to lead his troops to the north to help, and there was no time to catch up, Ge Cifeng could only be even worse.

On Xiang Liangyu's side, the Northern Route Army had previously killed Zhang Yu, the general of the Yulin Army, although it did not completely defeat the soldiers and horses of the Yulin Army's North Road, but the morale was high. 30,000 soldiers and horses against Tang Xingchang's 50,000 soldiers and horses, did not fall behind at all. But Xiang Liangyu didn't understand why the 80,000 soldiers and horses on Ge Cifeng's side collapsed in an instant, showing a trend of defeat like a mountain. But in the end, it was a good general, Ge Cifeng was defeated and fled, and launched a fierce attack on Liangyu as soon as possible, forcing Tang Xingchang to lead troops to rescue.

Tang Xingchang rushed over, and the pressure on Liangyu suddenly increased, and the 30,000 soldiers and horses did not dare to resist the hundreds of thousands of Yulin troops, and immediately decided to lead the troops to flee north, and their speed was still better than when they came.

The battlefield filled with gunsmoke gradually settled, not only Chen Congwei and his party were injured, but the Yulin soldiers were not much better. Eight or nine out of ten of the soldiers led by Ge Cifeng were wounded in this battle, and Tang Xingchang's hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses were still intact, and their combat strength still existed.

"What is this? This..."A Yulin sergeant found the head of Ge Wangong, the king of Chuxiang, when he was cleaning the battlefield, and he was shocked and inexplicable.

"Quick, send it to Zhou Xiang to see." The rest of the soldiers came over, and they all found that this human head was unusual, and they all proposed to submit it to Zhou Xiang for decision.

The soldiers who found it didn't dare to slack off, and together with the boxes scattered next to him, they packed it up and sent it to Zhou Ziru: "Zhou Xiang, cleaning the battlefield and finding a first-class one, it seems to be unusual, please ask Zhou Xiang to decide." ”

Zhou Ziru had not yet recovered from the joy of victory at this time, although he had already expected it in his heart, but he really saw Ge Cifeng fleeing in embarrassment, which was really happy. The call of the soldier called Zhou Ziru back from his rambling thoughts, and then he began to focus on the affairs of the battlefield.

"The head? What head? Open me to see. Zhou Ziru was a little interested, the ordinary head would definitely not be sent to him, and this box was the size of a skull, so it was prepared at first glance.

The soldier opened the box and handed it to Zhou Ziru, Zhou Ziru stepped forward to take a look, and was shocked: "King Chuxiang is dead!" "King Chu Xiang also came to the capital a few years ago, and Zhou Ziru had seen this unruly and arrogant prince at that time.

"This head is smooth and flat at the incision of the neck, and the blood stains in the cavity have been dried up for a long time, unlike other heads on the battlefield. Zhou Xiang, how to dispose of this thing? The soldier asked.

Zhou Ziru calmed slightly, looked at the slightly immature soldier in front of him, suddenly laughed, and said: "You are also a person of luck, and the head of the dignified King of Chuxiang can be picked up by you." Write it down left and right, this person's official position has been promoted three levels in a row, and he will be rewarded with a thousand taels, so go. ”

The soldier was immediately blindsided, a little at a loss, until Zhou Ziru's left and right guards limped and pulled him to receive the reward, he believed it was true, and happily turned around with the box and ran.

"Hey, head down!" Zhou Ziru shouted repeatedly.

Tang Xingchang rushed to Zhou Ziru's side, looked Zhou Ziru up and down carefully, and saw that he was unscathed, so he put his mind at ease: "Zhou Xiang, it's okay if you're okay, it's okay if you're okay!" ”

"I'm fine, Tang Shuai, you can come and see this." Zhou Ziru pulled Tang Xingchang over to inspect the head of King Chu Xiang.

"King Chu Xiang! This... It's not a new injury, it's been dozens of days... In such a hot weather, it is so lifelike that you need spices, lime, air drying and other special means to plan in advance... This is... Ge Ci is dry? Tang Xingchang not only recognized King Chu Xiang at a glance, but even speculated that the person who did it had already made arrangements. Those who have such ability, except for Ge Cifeng, there is no one else.

Zhou Ziru nodded: "Yes, I just reacted." If someone else did it, no matter whether the murderer was caught or not, Ge Cifeng would have to go back to mourn. But he fought with us on this front line for several days, and he never stayed away. Unless you do it yourself, you already know it, so you won't leave. ”

"Tiger poison doesn't eat children, and people are poisonous... This Ge Cifeng is so rebellious that he dares to kill his father..."Tang Xingchang was shocked by Ge Cifeng's ruthlessness.

"Dozens of days ago, before we were fighting, and counting the time to return to Jingcheng, I am afraid that this Ge Cifeng would have arranged this matter a long time ago. It's just that... Why did you kill the king of Chu Xiang? Could it be that he can't wait and wants to ascend to the throne as the king of Chuxiang as soon as possible? But why do you want to deal with the leader like this and bring it to the battlefield? Zhou Ziru analyzed it carefully.

Tang Xingchang didn't speak on the side, he knew that Zhou Ziru was starting to think, just waiting quietly.

"Now all the things in Chu Xiang are better than war, even if Ge Cifeng kills the king of Chu Xiang, he can't ascend to the throne immediately. Could it be that there is still a feud between their father and son? It's not so urgent... It can only be for the sake of war... The teacher is famous?! Zhou Ziru had a flash of inspiration and suddenly thought.

Thinking of the defeat of Chu Xiangjun's army just now, Zhou Ziru became more and more sure of his conjecture: "Ge Cifeng killed his father King Chu Xiang in order to make his division famous, and then framed it to the imperial court, so that Chu Xiang's division could be famous!" ”

"If you want to add sin, why not? How can he kill his own father for the sake of a famous teacher? Tang Xingchang was a little unconvinced.

"What if the father and son have a grudge? However, I heard that Ge Wangong, the king of Chuxiang, is very concerned about his only son, so where does the grudge come from? ”

Tang Xingchang dissuaded: "Forget it, Zhou Xiang, don't think about it, how is this head good now?" Send it to the capital and hand it over to His Majesty? ”

Zhou Ziru nodded: "Well, in the end, it is the king of Chu Xiang, and we can't make decisions without permission." ”

After the head was sent away, Guanchenzi came over and asked; "Could it be that Zhou Xiang already knew about this?"

Zhou Ziru shook his head: "No, our army previously sent a light cavalry of 3,000 people, which has made a detour from the North Road and arrived in Chuxiang. I thought that the cavalry had been discovered by Ge Cifeng, and they were in a hurry to come back to help, but the speed of defeat should not have been so fast. ”

"If you can't figure it out, don't think about it, Ge Cifeng is about to escape, should we chase after it?" Guan Chenzi interrupted Zhou Ziru's thoughts and asked impatiently.

"Chase! Although I don't understand why, but such a God-given opportunity, if you don't take it, it will be against the sky! Zhou Ziru also really put the matter aside, no longer looked into it, and ordered a pursuit.

Tang Xingchang clenched his fists and received his orders, and soon led 50,000 soldiers and horses to chase westward.

"Everyone, this battle is all the strength of Lai Er and others, please return to the capital for the time being, so that you can recuperate from your injuries. If you overwrite Your Majesty again, in time, the battle of Chuxiang will be completely won, and please wait patiently. Zhou Ziru hugged his fists and saluted Qingtian and the others, and bowed slightly to show his gratitude.

"Zhou Xiang, Your Majesty has an order, ordering us to bring you back to the capital, and please Zhou move." Jia Hai was covered with a white cloth in front of his eyes, and after everyone helped him to correct his position, he gave up his hands accordingly.

Zhou Ziru said with a smile: "I know, don't worry, I won't let you wait for it." When I write a letter to Your Majesty, please bring it back, and Your Majesty will not take the blame to you when he sees this letter. ”

"It's so hard-working." Chen Congwei and everyone thanked him.

……

In the broken temple, Yi Xiaodao supported Li Dingxing and walked outside the temple.

"You've been resting for so long, why do you still look so weak? You didn't pretend on purpose, you wanted to take advantage of me, did you? The more Yi Xiaodao thought about it, the more wrong it became, and he asked Li Dingxing.

"Catch Ming'er, you come and try this bow!" Li Dingxing retorted.

"Okay, okay, it's me who is wrong, it's me who is wrong." Yi Xiaodao hurriedly stopped. Li Dingxing's archery skills are outstanding, if it weren't for that arrow in Donglu, I'm afraid Yi Xiaodao would have been slaughtered by Dongfang Zhong long ago.

Before the two of them left the temple, the young man with a high ponytail returned to the temple with two grilled fish, and when he saw that the two were supporting each other and wanted to leave, he said expressionlessly: "The injury has not healed yet, let's rest for a few more days." ”

Yi Xiaodao saw that the young man was back, frowned and asked, "Who are you?" How do you know me? If we don't say it, we won't be at ease eating this fish. Please take it away. ”

Li Dingxing glanced at Yi Xiaodao, and muttered to himself in his heart: "You don't eat less every time." ”

The young man threw out the two grilled fish, and regardless of whether the two of them could catch them, he turned around and left.

"Hey, I'm not eating, I'm really not eating?" Yi Xiaodao's voice came from behind, but the young man didn't look back.

The two of them gobbled up the two grilled fish, and were about to speak, when the young man rushed into the temple: "Shhh, don't make a sound, there are soldiers and horses coming outside." ”

"What kind of soldiers?" Yi Xiaodao was extremely concerned.

"Chu Xiangjun." The young man's answer has always been concise.

Yi Xiaodao and Li Dingxing glanced at each other, and their eyebrows were a little happy. "The Yulin army of the imperial court must have won a complete victory, otherwise how could the Chu Xiang army go and return?" ”

"No matter what, don't go out." The young man admonished.

Yi Xiaodao nodded again and again, and involuntarily lowered his voice: "I know... Don't go out..."

Soon, on the official road not far from outside, a large group of people passed by. Many soldiers still held guns and wore armor, but more Chu Xiang soldiers lost all their armor and weapons in order to reduce their burdens.

The two of them lay in the broken temple and watched for a while, but fortunately, the Chuxiang soldiers only cared about fleeing for their lives, and no one came to the broken temple to be unfavorable to a few people.

After a while, this large wave of people had already gone away, and the outside of the ruined temple returned to the hustle and bustle.

"Alright, everyone is gone, we can go out, right?" Yi Xiaodao looked at his "life-saving benefactor" and asked out loud.

The young man was about to nod, when suddenly the rotten wooden door of the broken temple was smashed, and a figure crashed into the temple and collided with the three of them.

"Zhou Linglong!" Yi Xiaodao and Li Dingxing recognized the person.