Duan Ling and Fei Hongde agreed to take turns to watch the night, with Fei Hongde on duty first. Duan Ling returned to his room, feeling that these seven days were the longest seven days in his life.
Wu Du was on the couch watching the secret book that Lang Junxia had returned to them. Duan Ling lay beside him and fell asleep in a short while. The dream was full of fighting and melee. One year ago today, he was in Shangjing, waiting for him. Last hope. Gold and iron horses, mountains of swords and seas of fire, everything seems to be playing back slowly in my ears.
At the fifth watch, Duan Ling woke up, the night was silent, and the galaxy was brilliant.
"Wu Du?" When Duan Ling turned over, there was no one around.
Duan Ling got up and got out of bed and walked out lightly.
Wu Du is playing the mountain and river palm technique in the courtyard, throwing punches, turning palms, pressing with right palms, heels with left palms, swaying freely, raising steps, and stepping.
Duan Ling couldn't help but think of the figure that Li Jianhong taught himself. Under the starlight, Li Jianhong formed a phantom in the light, and his movements followed him like a shadow.
At that moment, Wu Du's figure actually got seven or eight points of Li Jianhong's aura, vaguely revealing the majesty of the king over the world.
"The swordsmanship of mountains and rivers can be transformed into fists, palms, and feet." Wu Du turned around, pressed his palms down, divided his left hand, lifted his right hand, stepped forward, pushed forward, and said earnestly, "Practice stillness with movement, and the meridians in the whole body will breathe in and out. The fist and palm are going backwards."
Duan Ling watched for a while, and went up to fight with Wu Du once. Previously, he swallowed the dates wholeheartedly and did not ask for a deep understanding. This time, he followed Wu Du and gradually understood a little bit. After the fight, both of them were sweating, but Duan Ling was very energetic.
The sky was bright, and the dark clouds covered it. The early morning was very hot, the air was sticky, and the fog in Tongguan was heavy. Everyone here was sweating. Duan Ling put on his clothes and said to Wu Du: " I'm going to send Yao Jing to marry, so come with me."
Wu Du nodded, the two put on their formal clothes, and came to the side room of the Bianfu. Yao Jing was guarding in front of the white couch and talking to Fei Hongde. Duan Ling nodded to Fei Hongde, and then said to Bian Lingbai: " Uncle, Jing'er, I'm marrying her."
Bian Lingbai was lying like a corpse, and Duan Ling brought Yao Jing out. The housekeeper had already arranged the dowry, followed the etiquette and waited in the hall. The entertainment officer first came in to ask for marriage, Bian Lingbai had no children, and was bedridden, and the only "nephew" presided over the marriage, Duan Ling first insisted, but said: "Music officer, you are not in line with the rules, how can there be a bridegroom? Did you invite yourself?"
Everyone thought it was funny, Yao Jing secretly took a look, and couldn't help laughing behind the screen.
The music appreciation officer was tall and handsome, didn't care if he was teased, smiled slightly, and backed out.
After a while, the music appreciation officer re-entered, invited again, and Duan Ling resigned.
"This is the third invitation." Wu Du said to Yao Jing, "You are going to marry in Xiliang."
Apart from Duan Ling, Wu Du seldom talked to anyone. In the eyes of outsiders, this man was a dangerous assassin who was mysterious and unpredictable. But to Yao Jing, Wu Du saved her life, and he was Yao Zheng's hall. Sister, more or less, the relationship between the two is closer.
"Thank you General Wu for saving your life." Yao Jing whispered behind the screen.
Wu Du added: "When you go out, you have to take care of yourself. Xiliang is no bigger than us. Slowly, you will get used to it."
"Yes." Yao Jing said in a low voice.
When Duan Ling heard Wu Du's words, he had an inexplicable emotion, remembering that he had nothing, and he was generally at a loss when he came to Xichuan.
But he believed that Helianbo would take good care of her.
The third request, Helianbo came in person, he didn't say anything, and walked towards Duan Ling with a special etiquette, and Duan Ling returned the salute with the same etiquette.
The third invitation is for the fiancé to greet him in person. Everyone in the hall was very surprised, but Duan Ling already knew about it.
"You have to take good care of my sister." Duan Ling said in Dangxiang language, and repeated it to everyone in Chinese.
"Hu Se." Helianbo replied, meaning "a word is settled".
Duan Ling took Yao Jing's hand, took her out from behind the screen, and handed her hand to Helianbo. Yao Jing thought that she was going to marry a music official, but unexpectedly, her fiance was "Hemo"! Immediately in shock, the middle-aged butler said, "Mr. Bian, this... Is this something wrong?"
"That's right." Duan Ling explained to them, "This is the prince of Xiliang, His Highness Helianbo."
Yao Jing finally came to her senses and knew that the place waiting for her would be the princess!
Wu Du's expression also became very strange. Looking at Duan Ling, Duan Ling nodded at him and said, "No problem."
"Let's go." Wu Du said.
Helianbo took Yao Jing into the carriage, and the dowry was carried to the carriage in turn. The rest of the people rode on horses and sent Xiliang's welcome team to the front of the Tongguan City Tower. Duan Ling and Helianbo parted, feeling ashamed in their hearts, remembering the phrase "unkindness" that Wu Du said, and suddenly felt that he seemed rather unkind.
"Treasure, Helian." Duan Ling whispered in his ear, "I will visit you."
Helianbo patted Duan Ling's arm and said, "Letter, come soon."
Duan Ling nodded, Helianbo wanted to say something else, Duan Ling made a letter writing gesture to signal something to communicate.
"Let's go." Duan Ling has not let go of his heart until now. After all, Helianbo has not yet escaped the danger, and it is only safe when he returns to Xiliang.
Helian Bo was reluctant and looked at Duan Ling from a distance. Duan Ling waved at him. Seeing Helian Bo stationed in the horse wasteland, he seemed to want to say something to him. Duan Ling had no choice but to turn around and turn his back to Helian Bo. , pretend to leave.
Wu Du suddenly felt amused, and said mockingly: "A barbarian of the party, and stuttering again, I have only known you for a few days, but I am very affectionate to you."
Sometimes Wu Du's words are too short and leave no room, and Duan Ling really wants to beat him.
"Is he gone?" Duan Ling asked.
"No." Wu Du casually said.
Duan Ling waited for a while, and Wu Du said, "Let's go."
Duan Ling turned around and looked at the direction Helianbo was leaving from afar. The welcoming team had become a small black spot.
The peaks and mountains are like gatherings, the waves are like fury, the mountains and rivers are like Tongguan Road, Helianbo disappeared into the vast wasteland outside Tongguan, the dark clouds are rolling in, and lightning flashes in the clouds.
"Forgot to bring umbrellas for them," Duan Ling said.
Wu Du laughed, and Fei Hongde's voice suddenly came from under the tower.
"Master!" Fei Hongde climbed the stone steps in person, while Duan Ling hurried down to help him. Fei Hongde was out of breath. As soon as they met, Duan Ling knew bad news, most likely there was bad news.
"Report." Fei Hongde said hastily, "According to their surveillance, all the horse thieves in the Qinling Mountains have been evacuated."
"What's the report?" Duan Ling said in surprise, not remembering the order.
"I asked them to monitor." Wu Du explained, "Where is the retreat direction?"
"The horse thieves are gathering at the easternmost edge of the Qinling Mountains." Fei Hongde said earnestly, "I'm afraid that I have already received the news that General Bian is unable to act, and plan to attack Tongguan!"
This news didn't come suddenly. Duan Ling had calculated thousands of times before, just to prevent the other side from suddenly starting a war, but what should have come came after all. Fortunately, the governor sent by the imperial court was already on the way. Although Tongguan was unstable, he still had the strength to fight.
Duan Ling and Wu Du looked at each other, Wu Du said, "How long do you think you can hold it?"
Duan Ling replied: "Your mission is to kill people. Next, it's my responsibility, don't worry. But you have to listen to me."
Wu Du seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world and said, "What can you do?"
Duan Ling looked at Wu Du and asked, "Do you believe me?"
Wu Du frowned and looked at Duan Ling, as if he didn't recognize him.
"I'll make arrangements now." Duan Ling said, "As long as there are no accidents, I will be able to hold out until the Inspector arrives here. But the Inspector won't bring too many people. Even if he comes, we still have to rely on us."
This is the most severe challenge Duan Ling has faced in his life. Now, he finally has to go to the battlefield. No matter when the new governor arrives, he must fight this battle.
"You say." Wu Du said, "I can listen to you if there is any way."
"Report—" Another soldier came up the tower and said to Duan Ling, "General Wang and General Xie are back, please come to the mansion for a chat."
Duan Ling nodded to Fei Hongde, and the three of them went back to the General's Mansion.
Two boxes of gold bars were placed in the hall.
"It's all gold."
As soon as Duan Ling entered the hall, Deputy General Wang reported, "There are fifty thousand taels of gold!"
Duan Ling knew at a glance that the two had divided up a lot, at least several thousand taels, and without revealing it, he said to Fei Hongde, "Sir, let me know and call in all the generals up to the officer level."
Taking advantage of this time, Duan Ling spread out the map, glanced at Wu Du, and asked two lieutenants to come over.
"How many people do we have?" Duan Ling asked.
"Remove the patrolling troops outside the pass." Vice-General Wang had just taken the gold bar, and he was obviously in a good mood. He said to Duan Ling, "A total of 27,000 people."
"Twenty-seven thousand..."
"What is this?" the lieutenant general surnamed Xie asked again.
"This is the place where the party's horse thieves ambushed. The force is 20,000." Duan Ling pointed at the Great Wall, moved eastward, and landed at Tongguan.
When the words fell, Duan Ling observed the faces of the two, thinking that the horse thief was operating in Tongguan, and it was impossible for the two to not know. This must be part of the deal between Helianda and Bian Lingbai. Helianda sold horses to Bian Lingbai, and Bian Lingbai turned a blind eye to the horse thief he infiltrated, otherwise he would rob Yao Jing earlier. The team, it is impossible to just forget about it.
Sure enough, the expressions of the two of them were a little unnatural, and they looked at each other, but Duan Ling didn't say anything, and said, "My uncle is in bed right now and can't act. I think the rumors have leaked, I'm afraid that the party members will soon cooperate with each other. Attack Tongguan."
What Bian Lingbai does on weekdays, even if he never tells his subordinates, there are always traces to follow, and the two of them can vaguely guess something. If Bian Lingbai died of a serious illness, Helianda could no longer recover his debts. Taking advantage of the absence of a general in Tongguan, the opponent was very likely to attack.
"Mr. Fei Hongde has sent a messenger to Xichuan on a starry night." Duan Ling said, "I have reported the movement of the imperial court here. I asked you two to come over here to ask what you mean. We will give up on this Tongguan and split it up. Money running away, or stick to it for a while and wait for the imperial court to send a prefect to come and respond?"
"Young master is joking." The lieutenant surnamed Xie was called Xie Hao. He was from Yingchuan. He used to lead the army to defend under the General's Mountain. He once followed Li Jianhong's side. deserter.
"Once Tongguan is under the control of the party members." Xie Hao said, "The Central Plains will lose its barrier. Let's not say whether we should escape or not, even if we escape, where can we escape?"
Duan Ling looked at Lieutenant General Wang again, but the other party was not as resolute as Xie Hao, and smiled: "You don't need to use this aggressive method, young master. Be loyal to the young master, just as loyal to the general. What to do, the young master will tell you."
What Duan Ling wanted was this sentence, saying: "When the horse thieves gather together, they will naturally attack the inside of the pass, and outside the pass, there must be regular troops coming. We must divide our troops into two groups, and a team will eradicate the horse thieves in the Qinling Mountains as soon as possible and attack them. One was caught off guard."
Duan Ling drew the horse thief's route on the map and said to the two: "You two, whoever wants to stop the horse thief will bring Wu Du."
Wu Du stood idly by, silently pondering.
"I'll go." Vice Admiral Wang replied.
Duan Ling took out Bian Lingbai's military talisman and handed it to Lieutenant General Wang, saying: "We must make a quick decision, not for the annihilation of the entire army, but to disrupt its position and defeat it with extraordinary troops."
Deputy General Wang took the talisman, and Duan Ling said to Xie Hao again: "Starting today, Tongguan will be closely guarded, and soldiers will be set up in ambush outside and inside the pass. The rest will be arranged by Mr. Fei."
Xie Hao nodded in response, and the person who had previously passed on Fei Hongde also came.