When Tai Hao heard this secret, a cold edge condensed between his eyebrows, and his laughter was mixed with endless ridicule and sadness, like a sharp sword unsheathed, piercing the darkness hidden deep behind the gorgeous curtain of the Forbidden City. He knew very well that the power disputes hidden under the dragon robe and phoenix crown were as insidious and cunning as snakes and scorpions, which not only tarnished the dignity of the royal family, but also pushed the entire Eastern Empire into a precarious abyss. He looked at the majestic palace in the distance, and an irrepressible worry and determination swelled in his chest.

He slowly turned to Yu Yun, his eyes were like torches, and his tone was calm and firm: "It turns out that the court of the Eastern Empire has been like a dilapidated ship, hollowed out from the inside by a group of greedy silverfish. How can I stand idly by and watch such chaos? ”

Yu Yun answered, his expression was serious, and the awe-inspiring righteousness between his words seemed to be able to sweep away all evils: "The two brothers Hanyue Xiao and Liu Yanji, although they are not as open as Princess Qingluan, but they are like fierce beasts lurking in the night, quietly expanding their power, gradually devouring the lifeblood of the imperial court, their every move of the chess game is carefully arranged, obscure but ruthless, ambitious, and it has long been revealed. In particular, Liu Yanji, it is rumored that this person is good at poison, and once silently, he used poison to end many ministers of the humerus of the court who dared to oppose them, and his methods were vicious and ruthless, enough to make the hard-hearted people frightened. ”

When Tai Hao heard this, a wave of blood rushed to his heart, and he hated to immediately draw his sword and cut off the evil in the world. His brows tightened, and his doubts were even more serious: "As a hussar general, Shaoling is responsible for protecting his family and defending the country, and he has thousands of troops and horses in his hands, why doesn't he lead the people to resist, but instead hopes that the Turkic Khanate of another race will support him?" What twists and turns are there, or is there a deeper conspiracy brewing? ”

Yu Yun's eyes were deep, his voice was low and powerful, like an ancient bell ringing in the middle of the night, and there was incomparable helplessness and sadness between the words: "Although General Shaoling is now a hussar general and shoulders the heavy responsibility of guarding the country, he is actually like a bird in a cage, and the power to dispatch troops has long been firmly grasped by Princess Qingluan. She skillfully controlled all the soldiers and horses of the imperial court by tampering with the holy decree and buying people's hearts, so that there were few available people under the command of General Shaoling, and all she could rely on were some chivalrous heroes who were loyal and brave and walked the rivers and lakes. However, with this meager power alone, trying to subvert a deep-rooted imperial court is tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg, and it is difficult to shake it in the slightest. Therefore, General Shaoling had to find another way, with the help of the external forces of the Turkic Khanate, in order to find a possibility of turning the tables in the troubled times. ”

Tai Hao listened, his face gradually changed, his eyes flashed with wisdom and determination, he bowed slightly, hugged his fist to Yu Hao, and his words were full of gratitude and admiration: "Lord Yu Hao, what you said today is like seeing the sun through the clouds, let me see the truth of the undercurrent of the Eastern Empire, thank you." ”

Yu Yu asked cautiously, "Lord Taihao, do you want to return to the capital with us?" ”

Tai Hao did not respond immediately, as if there was a fierce battle between heaven and man in the depths of his heart, and at this moment, the voice of the groom came from outside the carriage, and he shouted into the carriage: "My lord, there is a dome not far ahead, why don't we go and rest for a while, and ask for some water by the way?" His voice fluttered in the wind, a little hoarse.

Yu Yun's eyes turned to Tai Hao, only to see Tai Hao bowing slightly, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes. Yu Yun knew in his heart, and immediately responded to the horseman: "Very good, so I stopped by the vault and rested for a while." ”

The groom replied, "Okay! The carriage came to a slow halt, and the wheels made two deep marks on the grass.

Tai Hao said to Yu Yun and Bu Han in the carriage: "You go first, inform Shaoling when you arrive at the capital, and I will arrive later." His voice was calm and firm, as if everything had already been arranged.

When Yu Yu heard this, he couldn't help but be a little surprised, and he asked, "Isn't Lord Taihao with us?" ”

Tai Hao shook his head lightly and said lightly: "I still have some personal matters to deal with." ”

At this moment, the carriage had stopped. Tai Hao flicked his fingers and unlocked the acupoints on his bodies for Yu Yu and Bu Han. The two of them got out of the carriage, only to see a dome standing alone on the grassland not far ahead, as if it was a haven in the vast world.

Tai Hao leaped forward, jumped lightly from the carriage, and then turned to leave, and soon his figure melted into the grassland in the distance. Yu Yun and Bu Han looked at each other, and an inexplicable feeling surged in their hearts. When they returned to the carriage again, Taihao was gone.

Tai Hao was reluctant to go with Yu Yu and decided to go alone, on the one hand, to avoid possible traps, and on the other hand, to better protect himself and ensure that he could complete the plan in his heart.

He walked alone for some time, stopping in front of a lonely dome on the prairie, a simple tent that served as a lighthouse on the prairie, guiding the weary traveler in the direction. As he walked to the vault, he saw an old man with a beard with a face full of vicissitudes sitting in front of the door, with a fierce steed tied to him, with pure black fur and strong tendons, evidently a good horse after a long journey.

Tai Hao stepped forward and bowed his hand, his words humble but solemn: "Old man, passing through here on the way down, I want to borrow a precious place to rest for a while, and I beg to borrow a mount so that I can set off as soon as possible." There will be a good reward in the next place. ”

The old man raised his eyes and looked at Tai Hao, a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes, obviously the other party saw that Tai Hao was not an ordinary person. He smiled and readily agreed: "Childe, seeing that you are chivalrous, you must be a heroic man who walks the rivers and lakes." This dark horse has followed me for many years, with a fierce temperament, but it is very human, and I think it is also fate with you. You can ride it, and if you have a place for me, come to me in the future. ”

Tai Hao took the reins of the horse, bowed deeply to express his gratitude, and then gently stroked the mane of the black horse, which seemed to feel his sincerity and rubbed his hand affectionately. A loud neighing of horses pierced the silent grassland, Taihao stepped on the horse's back, with firm determination and unknown adventure, rode his horse and whipped away, galloping away, and his figure gradually disappeared into the sky, leaving only a string of deep hoof prints, telling the knight's resolute and resolute solitary road.

After countless days and nights of traveling, Taihao rode his horse independently, wearing the stars and the moon, and finally crossed the vast grassland, and the emerald green fields were gradually replaced by the vast scenery of the Loess Plateau. All the way, when he saw the city in front of him that stood between the mountains and mountains, he couldn't help but feel an inexplicable emotion in his heart. It was the first castle located on the top of the towering North Peak, the North Peak Castle.

Beifeng City is like a pearl embedded in heaven and earth, surrounded by mountains and mountains, steep mountains, reaching into the sky, bare loess has witnessed the merciless baptism of time, but it is tenacious and unyielding to guard this land. The walls are made of solid rock, clinging to mottled moss, as if telling a story of ancient and heavy history.

In the city, rows of houses are scattered, all of which are made of rammed loess, although they look simple, but they reveal a natural simplicity and tenacity. Whenever night falls, thousands of lights are lit up, like stars sprinkled on the world, reflecting the people's will to survive tenaciously in a difficult environment.

The inhabitants of the city have dark faces and rough hands, which are the unique marks given to them by the Loess Plateau. They toiled every day, digging for sparse crops or digging up underground deposits, and lived a hard but fulfilling life. Despite the difficulties of life, their eyes still flashed with love for life and expectations for the future, and that indomitable spirit deeply touched Taihao's heartstrings.

Tai Hao walked slowly in the North Peak City, and every time he stepped on an uneven stone road, he seemed to be able to hear the deep breathing of this city. Originally, I planned to find a quiet place to find an antique teahouse in the middle of the city to rest, drink a cup of fragrant hot tea, and wash away the dust. However, after walking around the city and alleys, there was no trace of half of the teahouses or wine shops, and this strange phenomenon made him secretly puzzled, as if there was a secret hidden in the rivers and lakes.

Just as he stopped to ponder on the street corner, an old woman with a vicissitudes of life and a silver hair came into view. Holding a broken blue and white porcelain bowl, she leaned on a polished bamboo crutch and staggered past him. The porcelain bowl trembled slightly on her thin hands, as if carrying the bitterness and vicissitudes of a lifetime.

The old woman stopped in front of him, stretched out the porcelain bowl tremblingly, and her eyes flashed with begging: "Uncle, can you give a little food to the old man?" Her voice was low and hoarse, like an autumn wind blowing through an empty valley, echoing with sadness.

Taihao felt pity, so without thinking, he reached into his arms, took out a shining copper coin and handed it to the old woman. Unexpectedly, the old woman did not take it, but shook her head, and muttered, "What the old woman wants now is food to fill her stomach, and what good is the gold, silver, and money to me?" ”

When Tai Hao heard this, he was slightly stunned, and then asked: "If you have money, you can naturally go to the market to buy food, why don't you want to accept it?" ”

The old woman raised her eyes and stared at him, a flash of helplessness and sorrow in her eyes, then sighed heavily, turned away, and gradually disappeared at the end of the narrow alley. At the time of parting, she still muttered in her mouth: "Alas, in this troubled world, famine is frequent, even if you have money, where can you buy things to eat?" This sentence echoed for a long time on the streets of Beifeng City, making Taihao fall into deeper contemplation.

Taihao's heart fluctuated, and seeing the hardships of the old woman, he couldn't help but whisper to himself: "It's really distressing that the people's lives are in a state of reality!" The chivalrous feeling in his heart was stirred, and he was determined to go deep into the people and explore it for himself.

So he walked into a narrow alley and knocked on a dilapidated wooden door. The door creaked open, revealing a young face, a boy of about five or six years old, with bright eyes looking at him curiously. The little boy asked in a crisp voice, "Who are you looking for?" ”

Tai Hao smiled gently, leaned over, and tried his best to make himself seem close and harmless: "Child, I'm from far away, can you give me a bowl of water to drink?" ”

Suddenly there was a voice of inquiry in the house: "Who is outside?" Immediately after, a middle-aged woman with a haggard face and ragged clothes appeared at the door, her vigilant and tired gaze swept towards Tai Hao. Tai Hao explained his intention again, and this time his voice was full of respect and earnestness: "Sister, I am a passing traveler, just wanting to beg for a bowl of water to quench my thirst." ”

When the woman heard this, the vigilance on her face did not completely subside, but after all, her kindness prevailed, and after hesitating for a moment, she barely squeezed out a smile and invited, "Since this is the case, then please come in." ”

Taihao walked into the house, and the scene in front of him made him feel mixed feelings. This home is extremely simple, with shabby walls and dilapidated furniture, and traces of life can be seen everywhere. Next to the stove, there was only some poor food such as grain bran and wild vegetables, and in the corner, in a half-full clay pot, there was only a pitiful little clear water left. All this, silently telling the hardships and hardships that this family is suffering, Taihao looked at everything in front of him, and his heart became more and more determined to help the poor.

The woman clutched the slightly cracked scoop in her hand, which was engraved with the traces of time, she raised it to her chest, carefully scooped half a scoop from the half jar of clear well water, and respectfully handed it to Tai Hao, her slightly hoarse and tired voice echoing in the small space: "This is the last bit of water left in my house, please use it slowly." ”

Tai Hao took the water scoop with both hands, and the clear water surface reflected the ravines on the woman's face, and he suddenly felt a deep sympathy and compassion in his heart, and he said softly: "Sister, is there really only such a little water at home?" ”

The woman's eyes were gloomy, her head bowed slightly, and her tired smile was full of desolation: "This is the border of the Loess Plateau, and water is as precious as gold, and every time we get water, we have to climb over the rugged mountain road and walk to the spring twenty miles away. But don't worry, tomorrow dawn will be the hard way to get water. ”

Tai Hao was silent, and drank the sweet well water in the scoop in one gulp, and the coolness instantly moistened his throat, as if even the anxiety in his heart was calmed down. He put down the water scoop, his eyes fell on the woman and the immature child behind her again, and asked with concern, "Are there any other relatives in the house besides you and Ling Lang?" ”

When the woman heard this, her eyes were covered with a layer of sadness, she shook her head helplessly, and sighed faintly: "Those men have already been conscripted into the army, the battlefield is ruthless, and life and death are uncertain. Now only me and my children are left in the family, and the mother and son depend on each other for their lives and live a difficult life. ”

Tai Hao's heart tightened, he straightened his waist, and asked with blazing eyes: "But the people of the entire Beifeng City are so humiliated and burdened, and no one dares to resist the tyranny?" ”

The woman smiled bitterly, and endless bitterness condensed between her eyebrows: "Now there are fires in the sky, disasters are continuous, the court is corrupt, and power is rampant. The rich and wealthy families in the city have long fled with their families, and we, the poor people, have neither the strength nor the power to change the status quo, so we can only endure the suffering, looking forward to the day when we can usher in the dawn of dawn and get rid of this miserable life. ”