In the first year of Xuande, the fifth day of the seventh month.

Blue Eagle Division.

The Khan of the Red River Department angrily lifted the curtain of the golden tent, and the guards in the golden tent became alert, drawing their swords and staring at him. Not to be outdone, the guards behind Duoshu also showed their blades. Erdan sat across from a man covered in a gray cloak, looking up at Duoshu with a mild expression.

"What's the matter?" Erdan said calmly, "I'm entertaining. ”

"The night before, an army attacked the Chihe Department."

Duo Shu said coldly, "Because the Great Khan, you are going to send troops to support the Snow Pass, so the main elite of the thirteen divisions are concentrated near the Blue Eagle Department. The large and small stockades of the Chihe Department were killed and wounded, and the other party burned all the felt tents and nailed our generals to death on wooden stakes. ”

Erdan's expression became serious.

"On the forehead of General Danmu, a letter was nailed to it." Tatsu threw the letter on the ground.

Erdan was not angry, and Hongji, who was waiting on the side, walked down the steps, picked up the letter and handed it to Erdan.

"My translator told me that the letter was written by the eldest lady of the Chu clan in the clouds." Duo Shu stared at the gray-clothed man beside Erdan, rubbing the knife in the sheath, and his tone was not good, "The reason why Yunzhong provoked this battle was because Bai Yu, the royal family of the Great Zhou, murdered the king of Zhenbei. And this traitorous prince is sitting next to the Great Khan admired by our thirteen tribes at this moment. Blood debts are paid in blood, so Yunzhong and Beidi are endless. ”

Erdan is very familiar with the Central Plains, and can even read Central Plains books fluently. He read it all and confirmed that the content was exactly the same as what Duo Shu said.

"Great Khan, don't you want to say anything?" Duo Shu endured his anger and asked, "The thirteen tribes of Beidi grovel just in exchange for the opportunity to recuperate. This Central Plains man stepped in and killed the king of Zhenbei, and our efforts were in vain. ”

"You suspect he's a spy?" Erdan was still calm, and said, "He may not really help us Beidi people, but he hates Yunzhong, the enemy of his enemy, is his friend." ”

"The Great Khan is trying to use him to understand Yunzhong, right?" Duo Shu took a step closer, stared directly at the man in gray and said, "He has been here for so long, the Great Khan should have known about it." It is better to hand him over to me, and exchange him for the safety of the people of the Red River Tribe. ”

"Chu Shixia will not return your people to you."

The emaciated gray figure stood up, his voice hoarse. Duo Shu was a little stunned the moment he saw that face, this person was not at all the same as the pampered prince of the Great Zhou in his imagination, he was even more skinny and hideous than the lowliest slave in the Chihe Tribe.

"She specially told you about this because she wanted you to start a conflict with Erdan Khan, so as to delay the progress of Beidi's attack on Yongxue Pass." Bai Yu said, "It doesn't matter if you kill me or not, even if I die, your anger will be difficult to quell, and you will still blame Erdan Khan for starting a war and setting the Chihe Department on fire." Chu Zhixia just had an opportunity. ”

"You are a native of the Central Plains, what qualifications do you have to meddle in the dialogue between the Beidi Khans?" Duo Shu said proudly, "There is no place for you to open your mouth here, a lost dog." ”

Bai Yu's fierce eyes swept across his face.

"Alright." Erdan intervened between the two men and interrupted their argument.

"Since Chu Shixia wants to delay our progress, we can't let her get her wish. The expedition is as usual, Duo Shu, your losses, I will compensate you in the future. Erdan promised, "You are a warrior who has sacrificed for the great cause of Beidi, and I will not treat you badly." ”

Duo Shu didn't give in, and said: "What does the Great Khan mean is that he refuses to hand over this prince of the Central Plains to me?" ”

"Not now, we're still allies." Erdan said in a tone that could not be refused, "The dead will never come back, and people must look forward." In the battle of Yongxue Pass, I will give you the opportunity to cut off the enemy's head with my own hands. ”

"What's more, do you really think that Chu Shixia is avenging us for her brother's death? Don't forget how the white sand department didn't have it. Erdan's cold but sharp eyes almost pushed Doshu back.

Hongyoshi stabbed the knife, his whole body tense like a bow, and as long as there was a stir, he could take people down immediately.

Duo Shu sneered and turned to leave.

Erdan turned to look at Bai Yu and asked, "Is there really nothing wrong with your body?" ”

Bai Yu fell off a cliff at that time, hurting his face and throat, and later wandered to the north, waiting for the arrival of the Beidi mission, and the old injuries were not healed and new injuries were added. Half a year ago, Bai Yu fled from the clouds in a hurry, and was chased all the way into Qianfeng Peak by the secret agents and assassins in the clouds, and his vitality was greatly damaged, and he has not healed yet.

"It's just death." Bai Yu smiled and said, "I'm not afraid for a long time." ”

Erdan patted him on the shoulder, but did not speak.

——

"I think Erdan is crazy!"

Duo Shu poured down a sip of spirits and smashed the jar to the ground in anger, and the crisp sound was particularly loud in the night.

Sukhbaru, the Khan of Mosube, squeezed a strange laugh out of his throat, which meant "I expected it a long time ago". Sukhbaru is the second son, according to the rules of the Beidi people, the youngest son inherits the position of Khan and family property, and there is no Sukhbaru affair. However, after a battle between the Green Eagle and the Mosu Division, Sukhbaru's brothers were killed, and he took over the throne of Khan and submitted to the Green Eagle Division.

Sukhbaru did not have a good relationship with his brothers, but it was often privately ridiculed that Sukhbaru had earned his position as a slave to Erdan.

"The so-called 'Duo Toth' of the Blue Eagle Department is a joke, I'm afraid that next time I will have to put my hand on the heads of our slaves."

The Khan of the Hadabe Khan Batel had gloomy eyes and said, "Erdan, a slave cub, is still a slave when he becomes a khan, and he still smells of slave horse manure. ”

Batel was the youngest son of the first Khan, and rightfully inherited his father's fortune and throne. The Hada Ministry was also subdued by the Blue Eagle Ministry, and Battle was forced to be a vassal, and he has always regarded this as a lifelong humiliation.

Duo Shu said viciously: "The prince of the Central Plains and the general of the Central Plains are fighting among themselves, but it is the Beidi people who die. Changshengtian will laugh when he hears it! ”

Not to be angry, his newly married Yanshi, his sons, daughters, tents, cattle and sheep, and slaves were all buried in the fire in the grasslands of the Chihe Tribe. If it weren't for Duoshu and his most beloved young son, I'm afraid he would have been a loner a long time ago.

Sukhbaru spread out his hands and said, "But what can be done?" Now we can't beat him, and we have to give him our lives. ”

"Who said I was going to give him my life?" The muscles on Duo Shu's face spasmed, pulled out a cruel smile, and said, "Whoever likes to fight in this snow pass, my Chihe Department will not send a single soldier to the front line." Isn't Erdan known as the sun of the steppe? Let me see if he is the son of Immortal Heaven or not! ”

——

The first year of Xuande, September.

Embrace the snow pass.

"You left Chu Zhixia alone on the grassland?"

Chu Ni was shocked, and almost jumped up on the table. Chu Jin, who had always been indifferent, couldn't help but shake his head, and reached out to touch Xin Jian to see if he had a fever. Xin Jian opened Chu Jin's hand, poured out a sip of tea from the kettle, which was as light as white water, and took two sips.

As soon as Xin Jian returned to Yongxue Pass, he blocked the news, causing the generals of the Seven Battalions stationed at Yongxue Pass to know about it now. The descendants of the Chu family's generation are not married, Chu Mingyan takes his two younger siblings as children, and now that Chu Mingyan is gone, there is no doubt that Chu Zhixia has the weight of Chu Mingxiu's heart.

Chu Ni expected that Xin Jian blocked the news in order to protect Chu Zhixia. If Chu Zhixia was still alive and wandering the Beidi grassland for some reason, the Beidi people would definitely do their best to hunt her down. But Chu Ni still couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration for Xin Qian's dog guts.

"To be exact, it was the army left behind by the Chihe Department that reacted too quickly, and our two teams were scattered." Xin Jian said unhappily, "What do you mean for me to leave her alone on the grassland?" She had a thousand men under her command, and she also carried the mysterious assassins of the King of Jin. ”

"But it's been two months, and she still hasn't come back." Chu Ni said, "If it weren't for Chu Zhixia's hot head and couldn't find a way back to Yongxue Pass, then she was dead." A thousand people are enough for something, and the royal court of the Green Eagle Department has stationed at least 100,000 troops. ”

Chu Jin looked at Xin Jian with pity with a "you're finished" look.

Li Jiao said hesitantly: "The prince should not be a person who has a personal vendetta...... Right? ”

"Why do you look down on people so much?" Xin Jian said bitterly, "What if it is Chu Zhixia's plan?" What if she was going to take that group of assassins to the royal court and take Erdan's head? ”

"Why don't you say that she wants to visit Erdan in person, know that she is moved by emotion and reason, and surrender without a fight?"

Xin Jian said embarrassedly: "This cow is a bit too much to brag." ”

Chu Ni, Chu Jin, and Li Jiao suddenly sat upright, and saluted with fists in front of the people who pushed the door in behind Xin Jian in an orderly manner. Xin Jian bounced up from his chair and turned to look at the person by the door. Ye Qian opened the door for the man, although he bent over, he seemed to have found the backbone of the heart, and the bitterness on his face was swept away.

Chu Mingxiu unveiled his hood and glanced at his familiar subordinates.

"It's been a long time." Chu Mingxiu said.

Xin Jian asked a little nervously: "General, you won't declare a personal vendetta, right?" ”

Chu Mingxiu smiled and showed a mouthful of white teeth, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Guess." ”

——

Chu Mingxiu spent half a year improving the staff team left by Chu Mingyan, so that others could still operate normally when others were not in the Zhenbei Palace. Fortunately, Chu Mingyan seemed to have expected this day a long time ago, and the people who stayed behind were loyal, alert, and upright, and Chu Mingxiu didn't put much effort into it.

When he was free, Chu Mingxiu would read the military newspaper of the Snow Pass.

The Chu Ming Cultivator took the trouble to read it twice, the first time so that he could grasp the movements of the Beidi people and analyze the next move of the Beidi people; The second time, he was just looking for Chu Zhixia's name, but fortunately, Chu Zhixia was very competitive and didn't let him look for too long.

Chu Zhixia led people to intercept the spies sent by Beidi to Sanquan Fort, Chu Zhixia created chaos among the enemy army when defending Xiaofeng Fort, and Chu Zhixia planned and participated in the raid on the Chihe Department.

Chu Mingxiu finally understood why Chu Mingyan was always his mother-in-law before.

When Chu Mingxiu sat alone in the study, listening to the sound of the bamboo forest, the person who was worried was thousands of miles away, and he could only know from the pale and concise words that the person was still alive - but he didn't know if she was still alive the next time the military report was delivered. Perhaps at some point he had read the line, she was already dead in the shadow of the sword, but the news would not reach him until seven days later.

Chu Mingyan hasn't gone crazy for so many years, it's really a miracle.

"Actually, the eldest lady doesn't need to be taken care of by others at all, especially mine. She is very familiar with the battlefield, is both benevolent and decisive, and does not abuse kindness. The soldiers in the army knew her and admired her. Xin Jian walked relaxed on the city wall with the snow pass, and there was an unsubsided dryness in the wind.

"Really?"

Chu Mingxiu and Xin Jian walked side by side, with a faint smile on their lips.

"yes." Xin Jian nodded and said, "When she was fighting, she was able to save countless comrades from the Beidi people. When the enemy retreated, she was able to bandage the wounds of the wounded soldiers, regardless of whether they were high or low. Yongxueguan was short of supplies, and she ate dry food and gruel like the soldiers. Even like you, you can't do it better than her. ”

Chu Mingxiu didn't know whether to be relieved or melancholy and said, "Then she really did a good job." ”

"The general doesn't seem to be very happy." Xin Jian speculated to himself.

"I just don't think I'm protecting her." There was a hint of bitterness in Chu Mingxiu's smile, and he said, "She is so good at taking care of others, she should have suffered a lot." ”

"People have to grow up," Xin said, "just like you and me." ”

Chu Mingxiu didn't speak again, strolling on the city wall, greeting every soldier who patrolled by. Xin Jian quietly followed him. Between the two, only the sound of the scabbard pounding on the armor echoed.

"The general is not worried at all, did the eldest lady actually have an accident on the grassland?" Xin Jian finally asked nervously.

"No, it won't." Chu Mingxiu said.

"Why is the general so sure?"

Chu Mingxiu licked his chapped lips, tasted a hint of blood, and said, "Do you know that my eldest brother once offered a string of Buddhist beads to Changle in the Huguo Temple, so that she could carry it with her and not leave her body for a moment?" And on the day of the death of the dream machine master of Huguo Temple, the body burned out the relics. ”

Xin Jian looked at him confused.

"She has the protection of the gods, and she will turn evil into good fortune."

Xin Jian couldn't cry or laugh, she just felt ridiculous.

"What's more, my eldest brother will bless her in the spirit of heaven."

——

The first year of Xuande, the end of September.

Chu Zhixia was wearing the robe of the Beidi people, with a circle of white fluff rolling at the corners of the robe, and the pattern was rough and bold. Her long hair was braided into a braid, and her hair was interspersed with thin red tassels, and her complexion was too white, and she already looked like a beautiful Beidi girl.

Chu Zhixia stood in front of the temple on the Gobi, looking at the golden statue in the temple. The immortal heaven that the Beidi people believe in is a majestic image of the head of an eagle and the body of a tiger in poetry. The Immortal Heaven bestowed courage, force, and wisdom on his people, and made them conquer everywhere. In the history of Beidi, everyone who tried to dominate the steppe claimed to be the son of immortality in order to gain the submission and trust of the herdsmen and strengthen his rule.

Erdan is no exception.

"Who are you?" The monks of the temple finally couldn't stand the rock-like girl and chased after her to ask.

Chu Zhixia knew a little bit of Beidi dialect, but he smiled and didn't answer, just folded his hands and bowed to him. The monk looked at Chu Shixia with a strange expression, as if he felt that her skin was too fair and delicate, not like a woman on the grassland who was exposed to the wind and sun.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves sounded all around.

The monk looked at the smoke and dust rising in all directions in a panic, and was about to flee to the temple. Chu Zhixia suddenly grabbed his hand, easily grabbed his neck, and grabbed him in front of him. The monk felt only a series of overwhelmed explosions in his throat, and his eyes went black, and he almost lost consciousness.

The four horse teams stopped in front of the temple in unison, and the people on horseback were dressed in the costumes of the Beidi people, but they all had the faces of the Central Plains people. In order to get closer to the appearance of the Beidi people, Cheng Yuan even ridiculously glued a dense beard on his face.

The sunken boat flipped off the horse, dragging a dying man behind the horse.

"Tail?" Chu Zhixia glanced at that person.

"The spies wandering the prairie didn't deliberately follow us. I was afraid that something would go wrong, so I arrested them. Shen Zhou explained, "Do you want to kill?" ”

"Keep it."

Chu Shixia let go of the monk, and the monk stumbled into the gate of the temple, calling out to the soldiers stationed there. Chu Zhixia untied the red robe on his body, revealing the light armor on his body. She twisted her neck, relaxed her muscles and bones, and snapped the joints on her body one by one to reach the best condition.

"I want to live and send a message to Erdan Khan." Chu Zhixia pulled out the drinking stream snow, pointed to the green eagle flag fluttering on the temple and said, "Anything else." ”

"Let me give you a timeline, if Bai Ziche did not ascend the throne, or did not change the year name after ascending the throne, then the first year of Xuande = the eleventh year of Xiangfu; Two years of Xuande = twelve years of auspiciousness; Three years of Xuande = thirteen years of auspiciousness."