Another year on the Bran Gregorian calendar was coming to an end, and it had been an eventful year and the situation was complicated, but at the end of winter it was suddenly eerily quiet.

The most powerful barbarian army did not take advantage of the victory to pursue and attack the northern hinterland of Bran in one fell swoop, but after occupying the Bran border, it gathered its strength and built a large number of buildings to consolidate its territory, which was quite a bit unenterprising.

The retreating Bran army took advantage of this to stabilize the decline, but because of the loss of the border defense line, there is almost no danger to defend, and it is not known whether to advance or retreat for a while. In the end, most of them gathered their forces and retreated into the outlying towns of the border, and urgently repaired the city walls like the barbarian army on the opposite side, and confronted the north and south.

After a few days of bloody battles with the advancing barbarians, the gray-clothed army in the rear did not suffer fundamental damage, but they were also not lightly damaged. Under the watchful eye of the Bran army on the periphery, it seemed that there was a plan to recuperate, and they also gathered their forces and gathered them.

In addition to the tripartite forces on this battlefield, it is naturally the Temple of Light that can also be put on the table. In fact, the temple also participated in this war, such as joining the shamans who treated the wounded soldiers in the Bran army, and the elite squad that hunted down the barbarian cult heretics on the battlefield with their own system, and so on, and has been advancing and retreating with the Bran army.

However, this is talking about the temple forces that did not participate in the war, among them, the Southern Temple will naturally have nothing to say, and the turmoil here has not yet touched on that side. As for the Northern Temple forces, that's not good. Because of Donn's scourge and the disgrace of the Grey Army, the Temple's influence in the north has long been so great that they are now unable to suppress the opposing Protestantism established by a group of clergy who have defected from the Temple. The two sides went round and round in the huge northern territory, but instead of separating the winner and defeat, it was because of the trouble. Let the prestige of the temple fall to the bottom again......

Of course. The latter is now just a small fight. Influence spreads only over a small area. So on the whole, after the chaos of the war, Bran enjoyed a rare temporary peace before the New Year.

However, everyone knows that such peaceful days will not last long, just like the calm sea before the arrival of a storm and wind, which only needs a flashpoint to immediately set off thousands of huge waves. Break this delicate balance and stir up the world once again.

As for who exactly this flashpoint will fall on, and where it will be detonated? No one knows. But what is certain is that at present, this pair of young men and women who have traveled more than 1,000 miles for several days in a row definitely have the potential to become the fuse......

"The day before yesterday I said I could arrive yesterday, and yesterday I said I could arrive today...... In the morning, you said that you could catch up with dinner at noon, but now, you want to talk about picnics -- Tang, En! Are you from the Gray Army? Do you know where the Gray Army is located?"

"Uh, I don't know. ”

"I don't know if you're still ...... I don't know, I'll scratch you to death......."

"Calm down, calm down! Look ahead, there's a farmstead. If you really don't want to have a picnic, we can borrow a meal......"

"Where did you get the farm...... This, no, yes, heavy, point......"

"I know, I know. But the point is that I've been away from the station for a long time, and I really don't know where the Gray Coats are fighting now...... Besides, you didn't say you wanted to go slowly, you wanted to see what Bran was like, or we would have arrived by now......"

"Whew...... So, am I wrong?"

"How can you...... Although it is indeed true, it is true. ”

“...... I think it's time to call Grandpa Bamutu down for judging. ”

"Ahem...... Although it is true, but when I think about it, the main responsibility is still on me, and I am wrong. ”

......

This is especially better than people!

On the mountain road, Tang En, who was full of sincere and continuous apologies, sighed in his heart, and couldn't help but be depressed.

He is not to blame for this, when Don left the garrison and went to the capital, the Grey Army was still wandering around the 100,000 mountains, and now that a few months have passed, who knows where Frey and the others have hit...... Tang En only knew that their general direction was correct now, and if they went on like this, they would definitely be able to reach the Gray Clothes Army station, but if they wanted to ask the exact location, they would be sorry, and they could basically only rely on Meng.

This made Lansha also very depressed, at first she said that she wanted to see the customs of Bran, but their route basically did not pass through the city, only in the barren mountains and wilderness. In this way, how can you see any customs, it is good to find a small farm, most of the time you can only see the mountains...... And Lan Sha has been in the Northern Wilderness tribe for so many years, can he still see less mountains and rivers?

After a while, after Tang En assured that the Gray-Coated Army's garrison was not far from the vicinity, and that he could take her there immediately when he went to the farm to find out the exact news, he coaxed Lan Sha, who had no commanding temperament after leaving the army.

As for Bamutu, not long after entering the hinterland of Bran, he hid his figure again, saying that he was tired of the Bran masters who were not very bothered. However, in Done's opinion, this old guy should be afraid of provoking Wooding, and it is true that he will be beaten to the point of being beaten again and fleeing......

"If you lie to me again this time, hum ......" Pushing his glasses, he tried to squint ahead as Arashisha snorted in a self-explanatory threat.

"An, the farm is in front, it's just that your eyes are ......" paused, looking at the cold light that suddenly glimpsed on the lenses, Tang En subconsciously shuddered, and turned his eyes very clearly, "Your eyes are too normal! A pervert like me will see a little farther, hehe...... "Nima, that was killing intent just now, right?!As for it......

I have to say that Don still doesn't know women well enough. Any beauty is a combination of narcissism and discontentment, especially when it comes to her own appearance and shape. On the one hand, I feel that I am perfect enough, but on the other hand, I am also very entangled and troubled by the subtle flaws on my body, even if it is inconspicuous, I always think about how to cover up and change it.

Lansha is also a woman, and naturally she is no exception. If Lansha is not confident enough in himself, it is definitely these eyes that are born with myopia. Since it's a weakness, of course, I don't want others to mention it. Especially since this man is still Donn, especially when he is about to arrive at the Gray Army......

In fact, Don really didn't deceive Lansha this time, there was indeed a farm in front of him. It's just that ordinary people can't see it now, only a keen eye like Donn's, which has been trained. to be able to find out in advance.

A moment later. When the small farmhouse with its backdrop of mountains comes into view of Lansha. Tang En narrowed his keen eyesight, but his feet were stunned, and his brows were slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not a very good thing to see the dots. Don touched his nose and pointed to the farm, "There's a flagpole up there outside, and a ...... hangs on it." Well, head, if I'm not mistaken. "Lansha is no ordinary woman. With a wave of his hand, there are thousands of tiger and wolf soldiers willing to serve the battlefield, and a single human head can't scare the other party.

Slightly stunned, Lan Sha really didn't have any special look, but subconsciously raised his eyebrows and analyzed: "Bandits? Or deserters?"

These are undoubtedly the two most likely situations, and it is a well-known fact that there are many mountain bandits and bandits in the north. Now with the addition of the scourge of war, some scattered deserters may also come out to cause chaos.

However, Tang En squinted and observed, but shook his head slightly: "It shouldn't be, there is still cooking smoke in the farm." There were no vultures or crows hovering in the sky...... Well, it's hard to say. ”

"Then let's go and have a look. "Lansha is simple. He lifted his feet and walked towards the farmstead.

Don shrugged, naturally no opinion.

Soon, as the distance got closer and closer, first the smoke of the cooking, then the flagpole erected on the periphery of the farm, and the round things hanging on it like a pendulum swaying, clearly met the eyes of the two men. Don wasn't mistaken, it was indeed a human head. And it should have been hanging for a while, and the human head was clearly showing signs of drying.

There were a few children playing below, looking up at the heads at the top of the flagpole, as if they were arguing about something, but they didn't feel scared. However, as Don and the others approached, a few adults walked out of the farm, cursed, and quickly took the child back.

Seeing this, Lan Sha shook his head and smacked his lips and said, "Tsk, I didn't expect your Bran's customs to be so strong." "If there are children and farmers, then it is impossible for this farm to be destroyed by deserters and bandits. In this way, the human head hanging outside is more like the fierce custom that Lan Sha evaluated. Well, like a unique decoration.

But Don certainly didn't think so, at least as far as he knew, of any farm had ever heard of such strange customs. But now this scene is really weird enough, and Tang En is a little unsure, so he can only wait to see it when he enters the village.

The farmhouse was quiet, or more accurately, dead still. Houses are closed, and doors are locked. If it weren't for the smoke rising from the cooking ground and the fact that I had seen someone come out just now, it would have looked more like an abandoned dead village.

Strangely, every house is locked with four doors. But there are a few sacks of things at the door, or chickens, ducks, birds and birds that are bundled up, like discarded garbage, but also like gifts for free.

"Well, it's really a different kind of customs. "I picked up the sack at random, and most of it was filled with food like rice flour bread. Looking around at the sacks lined up on the left and right, Lan Sha couldn't help but shake his head and sighed, "It's so special, it's so hospitable to this kind of journey!"

Of course, this was a joke, clapped his hands, and turned his head to look at the thoughtful Don, "What's going on?"

"We seem to be being treated like bandits. Shaking his head, Tang En said, "I've heard of such a robbery before, but I've never seen it." Well, this farm should have been encircled by some nearby bandits, but fortunately, or unfortunately, those bandits don't want to slaughter this village and make a hammer deal. Instead, they came here on time and on time every month to collect the loot and plunder for a long time. It's like a bloodsucking locust, biting all the time. ”

Lan Sha frowned in surprise when he heard this: "Then why don't these villagers leave?"

"Where are you going? The civilians of Bran are different from you in the Northern Wilderness, you people in the Northern Wilderness live by hunting, it doesn't matter where you go, you can't starve to death if you have mountains and death. But the civilians of Bran relied on farming, and if they didn't have those few acres of land, they would have starved to death...... Besides, the human head on the flagpole outside is there, and the thieves will not let this long-term meal ticket run away. ”

Lan Sha nodded in understanding, and then spread his hands and said, "Then what now, the villagers here clearly don't like us, how can we borrow food?"

"Let's look for it again, maybe...... Yo, I found it, isn't the door open? "The farm was small, and with Donn's eyesight, he could look around and get a rough idea, and soon found a dilapidated bungalow at the end of the farm with an unlocked door.

"Don't be too happy, in their eyes we are thieves, and giving money may not give us food. Lan Sha squinted hard in the direction of Don's arm, but he still couldn't see which door was open, so he couldn't help but pout. Pour cold water.

"Ah. With my communicative skills. Properly. ”

"Heh, I'll wait and see......"

There is nothing special about it, Tang En and Lan Sha are not compassionate and good people, let alone righteous people with a strong sense of justice. With their experience, they have seen a situation that is ten times worse than this, and it is naturally difficult to have any sincere anger about this, and then immediately start to save the thought.

They are just passers-by, and they are here just for a meal. Nothing to talk about. Of course, there is also its own bottom line principle, which is not to touch the offerings that these villagers give to the bandits. Because of the move, the anger of the bandits will be vented on these villagers......

So much for.

There is a master in the dilapidated bungalow, a thin old man who is dying. Maybe he has seen through life and death at this age, or he knows that in the eyes of the bandits, food is much more valuable than his old life, so he is not afraid of the bandits coming, so he did not lock the door.

Rarely, Donn's tried and tested interpersonal skills failed to make a quick meal on this old man. But Lansha didn't gloat either. On the contrary, I was a little depressed. Because Tang En had succeeded just now, the thin old man also readily agreed to the request for a meal. And said that he did not want money. But after seeing Lan Sha, his expression suddenly changed drastically, and he changed his tone, not only did he not give them food, but he also raised his cane and drove them out very strongly......

What do you mean? Could it be that the identity of my Highness the Northern Wilderness has been exposed, and I have been reduced to the point where everyone shouts and beats me everywhere in Bran?

"Uncle, didn't we already talk about it just now?" Hiding and waving his cane, Tang En stepped back helplessly.

I said...... I didn't say anything!" The thin old man looked extremely excited, and drove Tang and the two of them towards the door with his cane, and shouted loudly, "Get out! This is my house, you can get me out now......"

"Calm down, uncle, calm down......"

"Uncle, we've been hungry for a few days. You can do it, or can we give us more money?" Hiding behind Don En, Lan Sha decisively betrayed his cute and pitiful skills.

It's a pity that this trick that has obvious effects in Bamutu has no effect at all on this thin old man in Blangan. Oh no, it has an effect, but it's the opposite,

"It's too late...... Get out, get out of here! You are not welcome in this Zhuangzi...... "Okay, just now I just drove out of the gate, and now I want to drive out of Zhuangzi directly."

However, Tang En's heart moved when he heard this, and then his ears moved, he pulled away Lan Sha, closed the door with his backhand, and made a silent gesture: "Shh......hh Uncle, I think it's too late now. ”

When the words fell, the ground trembled slightly, and the sound of horses' hooves went from far to near, getting closer and closer, and then a long neighing sounded, mixed with rampant laughter, and the comer had already arrived outside the village.

"Alas, you, why don't you listen to persuasion!" Listening to this noisy movement, the thin old man's expression changed again, he put down his crutches in a dejected manner, shook his head and sighed, and then thought of something, and hurriedly waved his hand to Lan Sha, "Quick, girl, quickly hide in the back room." ”

Tang En and Lan Sha glanced at each other when they heard this, and they completely understood. The old man was kind-hearted, and the reason why he agreed to them before, but then kept driving them away. It was because he saw Lan Sha and was worried that her beauty would fall into the eyes of the bandits who came to collect the offerings and be persecuted.

Thinking about this, Tang En waved his hand and smiled: "Uncle, don't worry, don't look at us young, in fact, we are martial artists, and it is not a problem to clean up a dozen thieves." ”

If the bandits don't come to provoke, Don and Lan Sha basically don't think this happened. After all, there are so many tragic things in the world, how many can they manage? Besides, it may not be a good thing for these villagers who have lived here for generations to intervene. But if these thieves don't open their eyes, then of course Tang and the two don't mind serving each other in one pot......

However, the thin old man still shook his head and sighed when he heard this: "Alas, you don't understand. These aren't bandits, they're an army!"

"Army, uh, which army?" Donn was stunned, what are you kidding, which army would look down on this humble little farm?

"It's the Greys. ”

"Walter (What)?!" I have to admit that Don was really dumbfounded at this moment, he couldn't believe his ears, and even the English that he didn't know much and had a very local accent soared out.

Lan Sha on the side was also stunned when he heard this, blinked, and looked at Tang En with strange eyes: "I didn't say anything about this intelligence, well, the Gray Army still has this side job?"

Instantly came to his senses and took a slight breath, Tang En didn't care about Lan Sha's ridicule, and looked at the thin old man with a serious expression: "Are you sure it's the Gray Army?"

"Who else but them!" the thin old man's expression became excited again, and he shouted incoherently, "Pity my eldest son, who has listened to the deceptive propaganda of this gray army before, and is bent on joining them...... And the damned rebel, he deserves to go to hell...... God, what have I done wrong that you want to punish me so cruelly......"

"Calm down, uncle, you - calm down!" put his arm on the old man's shoulder, Tang En suddenly whispered, instantly woke up the thin old man who had fallen into infinite sorrow, and immediately reached out his hand, took out the simple pipe tied to the old man's waist and made of bamboo, filled it with tobacco, lit it, stuffed it into the old man's hand, and pulled him to the steps of the inner room to sit down.

Wen Sheng said, "Uncle, don't worry, take a few puffs first and speak slowly...... Well, I'm interested in this, so please elaborate on it. ”

If what happened here before had nothing to do with Tang En, then after the old man said the three words of the Gray Army, Tang En could no longer stand idly by. He had to make sure it was Bran's conspiracy, or if there were bandits impersonating him, or if someone in the Grey Army would dare to do such a bastard......

Of course, the current Don would never have thought of it, but he just intervened during the journey, but asked about the opportunity for his breakthrough......

............ (To be continued......)