At dusk, the setting sun hangs over the Western Mountains, and the autumn west wind blows over the Qingluo Plains battlefield. The thick smell of blood dances together with the rolling yellow sand. An orange-red gauze seemed to have been drawn between heaven and earth, and there was a hint of chilling and sadness in the hazy atmosphere.
Seen from a distance, the Qingluoyuan grassland with blue sky, green grass, cattle and sheep at dusk looks like a ghostly Shura monastery on earth. Broken limbs and broken bones can be seen everywhere, many swords, guns, swords and halberds are stuck here and there, broken flags and lost horses are floating around alone, and there is a dead silence...
A large cart pulled by eighteen yaks slowly drove into the center of the battlefield and stopped. Gar Qinling came out, and dozens of riders quickly rushed from all directions, reporting to him one after another -
"Reporting to the marshal, the silence in the Tang Army's camp is the same as before. However, there are at least twice as many crossbowmen in the bow compartment of the military camp to strengthen the alert! The flags in the camp are not down, and the horses are crossing fiercely. There are no It’s half a sign of defeat or withdrawal!”
Gal Qinling nodded slightly and said to the lieutenants beside him: "It was expected. If Qin Mubai was really a vulnerable loser, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty would not have ordered him to come. Today, although he He was defeated, but he didn't look like a defeated army, which shows that this man does have some air of a general."
"Reporting to the marshal, we tried our best to search for the weapons used by the red Tang army in the battlefield, but found nothing. However, we found these strange iron beads. Such iron beads were also found on some fallen soldiers. "After saying that, the pawn held it up with both hands.
Gal Qinling took a few fire bombs fired from the musket and looked at them carefully, then smelled them on the tip of his nose, frowned and said: "This is similar to the smell in the pits bombed by cannons in the past. It can be seen from this that, It's indeed the same kind of thing. However, that kind of cannon is extremely heavy and difficult to carry, and can only be used to defend the city or break out the stronghold. Now, Qin Mubai actually has this kind of small artillery that can be equipped with infantry cavalry... It should be. More powerful than bows and arrows! Tsk, you must be careful when you encounter them in the future!”
"Report! - Marshal -" At this time, a horseman came from afar, jumped off the horse and said hurriedly, "Report, Marshal, Zamp is here!!"
Gal Qinling raised his eyebrows in shock - "What?"
"... Zamp, here we come!"
"Teacher, return to camp!"
At this time, the Tang army was in the commander's tent.
An old military doctor asked Qin Mubai to stretch his neck and raise his face, and after checking carefully for a while, he breathed out and said: "Fortunately, fortunately. The arrow is not poisonous and does not damage the bones. If it goes up further, If you pull it even an inch, the young marshal's left eye may be gone."
Qin Mubai wanted to laugh, but his face trembled, and his left cheek felt a burst of pain. He said, "I use arrows. Maybe I can be more accurate if I have one blind eye. It's strange, I don't know when I will lose." The injury may have been scratched on the cheek by a streamer on the battlefield. If you hadn’t told me when I came back, I wouldn’t have known about it.”
"The battlefield is too tense and exciting, so you really won't care about minor injuries like this." The old military doctor continued to apply medicine to Qin Mubai, "Young Marshal, don't move or talk, I'm going to apply medicine to you."
…
Li Xueyan stood aside, looking at Qin Mubai with a pale face and frightened eyes, feeling that his heart was about to jump out. Look at him like that. He is now shirtless, with bloody locks in his hair. He has a wound on his face and is covered in blood. He was also stabbed in the thigh. The bleeding was stopped just now and is now tightly bandaged. .
"Young Marshal! How are you, Marshal! - Don't block me, let me in!!" At this time, there was a roar of thunder outside the tent.
Qin Mubai stretched out his hand to gently block the old military doctor, and said, "Let him come in, don't suffocate him to death outside."
Yuwen Hongtai rushed in like a hungry lion, ran to Qin Mubai, squatted down, looked him up and down with eyes as wide as bells, and asked, "Are you okay?"
"What do you think?" Qin Mubai smiled reluctantly, patted Yuwen Hongtai's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I won't die that easily because of the scourge that will last for thousands of years. By the way, how are the casualties of Modao Team? Are you injured? ?”
"I'm fine, not even a hair is missing!" Yuwen Hongtai patted his chest hard several times, sighed and shook his head, "It's just a pity, more than a thousand Mo Dao were killed in the battle!... It's all due to force. It’s a pity that Da Infinity makes an elite veteran with good swords!”
"Forget it, brother, if there are no casualties, it wouldn't be called a war." Qin Mubai comforted him with a smile, "I'm fine now, you fight for a while, go back and eat and drink enough to have a good rest. Maybe We have to fight again tomorrow.”
"Okay!" Yuwen Hongtai stood up and responded. Suddenly he turned his head and glared at Li Xueyan fiercely, and shouted, "If you keep making noises and making noises, why don't you stop making noises? Are you not going to marry a Tubo man?" Are you a barbarian? Get married! Are you happy to see us dead and injured? It’s all your fault!”
Li Xueyan received an unexpected scolding, like a little sparrow with nowhere to shelter in the storm. She looked at Yu Wen Hongtai with fear and trembling, almost dumbfounded.
"Heizi, don't be rude! - Don't go out yet!" Qin Mubai scolded.
"Hmph! I just can't bear to see you, the children of princes who are born with rich clothes and fine food, but still live in ignorance and shamelessness all day long!" Yu Wen Hongtai got out of control, and scolded even more vigorously, saying loudly, "I saw it Well, you have seen it today! Are we not just sons and daughters? Are we really going to die? We are here to fight with our heads, and you will be fine after eating and drinking. Looking for trouble? A marriage, a marriage, what's the difference between marrying a thief and being your father?! People who deserve to be killed will still be killed, and those who deserve to be grabbed will still be grabbed. It would be embarrassing for a woman to give a dowry! If only there were more people like you in the Tang Dynasty, we would just recognize the Tubo people as our ancestors, why would we call them the great dynasty?"
Li Xueyan was dumbfounded and at a loss. Yuwen Hongtai's finger, which was as thick as an iron pestle, was about to reach the tip of her nose and he forgot to step back.
The strange thing is that Qin Mubai remained silent and sat quietly, looking at Yuwen Hongtai quietly.
What's even stranger is that Yuwen Hongtai suddenly stopped scolding. Although he wanted to vent out his anger and unpleasant words, when he saw Qin Mubai looking at him coldly next to him, he had to swallow them all, gritted his teeth and clasped his fists and said: "Third brother, today we are still It's the following offense. It's up to the military law. I have nothing to say! - But if you don't scold me, I'll have to choke you to death! Take it from me!”
After that, Yuwen Hongtai strode away vigorously, still cursing along the way.
Qin Mubai still sat quietly, his expression as silent as an ancient well in late autumn. The old military doctor stood aside holding the ointment, not daring to express his anger. Li Xueyan closed her eyes, as if taking a deep breath, and tried to control her emotions.
After a while...
"Mu Bai, can you do me a favor?" Li Xueyan spoke in a calm voice.
"Well, tell me." Qin Mubai said softly.
"Please show mercy and don't blame Yuwen Hongtai." Li Xueyan said.
Qin Mubai raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Why?"
"Because what he said was right and he scolded me well! ... No one has ever scolded me as straightforwardly and without reservation as he did. It was like a wake-up call and made me wake up." Li Xueyan was smiling, but there was a hint of bitterness and helplessness in her smile. , said softly, "As he said, people like me have been living in fine clothes and fine food since I was a child, and I don't know the sufferings of the people. Even if I read a few poems and books, it is just overcorrecting and overcorrecting, living in the dreams I weave and forgetting the preciousness of reality. . I was wrong, Mu Bai, I was really wrong! … Not only do I ask you not to blame Yuwen Hongtai, I also want to thank him, sincerely!”
"No." Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "He is just a fiery and rough man, who never takes issue with people. What he dislikes is only the marriage, not you. It's better to do less than to do more. "If I don't punish him, don't provoke him again."
"Thank you..." Li Xueyan bit her lip and nodded gently.
Qin Mubai waved his hand, and the old military doctor came to his senses and continued to give Qin Mubai medicine.
"Why don't I do it?" Li Xueyan took two steps forward and said, "Although I don't know medical skills, I have kind eyes and careful hands."
"It's just a simple medicine. Let the princess do it! My eyes are indeed not very good, and the oil lamp won't help." The old military doctor handed the medicine bottle and other items to Li Xueyan.
"From now on, I will change all the young marshal's medicine. Mr., you can take care of more injured soldiers." Li Xueyan said, "Up until I came here, I have made trouble and never done anything serious. From now on, I will follow Mr. The husband can always learn some simple medical skills, such as bandaging and applying medicine. At least I can do something..."
"This..." The old military doctor hesitated and looked at Qin Mubai.
Qin Mubai was looking up with his eyes closed. He was silent for a long time and said, "Okay."
Li Xueyan felt relieved and finally showed a faint smile of relief. She invited the old military doctor out first, then knelt down in front of Qin Mubai and whispered: "Thank you, Mubai..."
"Thank me for what?" Qin Mubai opened his eyes and smiled.
"Nothing is more convincing than facts; only you can truly understand where my heart is... If you hadn't awakened me, I would have become an unfilial daughter who betrayed my ancestors and was cast aside by others." Li Xueyan said, "After being scolded by Yuwen Hongtai just now, I should have been angry and sad, but strangely, I suddenly felt a very relaxed feeling of relief, as if a huge stone had been pressing on my heart for a long time. The sheep were moved away... I know that my heart has been opened. "
"Haha!" Qin Mubai just laughed.
"Why are you laughing? Don't laugh!" Li Xueyan was a little annoyed and whispered urgently, "The words Yu Wen Hongtai cursed are ugly enough, and they are probably what many people want to curse, and you should be included among them. Only However, you only care about my face and can’t curse me!”
"Why are you so happy after being scolded?" Qin Mubai's expression became a little weird and he smiled, "Then do you want me to whip you a few times to make you feel more relaxed and relieved?"
"Okay, you can try it!" Li Xueyan replied without changing her expression and her heart not beating, but her hand that applied the medicine to Qin Mubai was slightly heavier. Qin Mubai grinned in pain and shouted, "Hey! Don't be so petty and take revenge on the spot!"
"Women are all petty, did you just hear that?" Li Xueyan smiled gracefully, feeling really relaxed. This smile also showed the long-lost beauty and charm.
Qin Mubai sighed secretly. He thought to himself: "Okay, it's time to untie the knot in the heart of this problem child!"
"Why do people often have to go through great right and wrong or great sorrow and pain before they can understand many simple and easy-to-understand truths?"
…
Li Xueyan had just given Qin Mubai good medicine when two military doctors rushed over to report that Tantai was both seriously injured and might not be able to wake up for a while. If it weren't for her outstanding martial arts skills and good physical condition, she might have died by now. Now, she was half-stepping on the gate of hell. When she would come back or when she would completely fall in, it would be entirely up to her.
Qin Mubai's heart was blocked and he got up to see Tantai Shuangshuang. However, there was a cut on the thigh. Although the injury was not deep, after relaxing on the battlefield, it was still painful to the bone. As soon as he stood up, he almost fell down. Li Xueyan was so frightened that he screamed and rushed to help him.
Just then, Hou Junji arrived. After he stood still, he glanced coldly at Qin Mubai and Li Xueyan who were hugging each other, and said calmly: "Young Marshal, should you enjoy the beauty first, or should you listen to your subordinates' military reports first?"
Li Xueyan's face turned red to the base of her neck, and she hurriedly stepped aside.
Everyone was used to Hou Junji's temperament. Qin Mubai didn't pay attention and said, "Princess, please go and visit Shuangshuang first. Everyone, step aside - Hou Junji, come sit down and talk."
After everyone left, Hou Junji sat down in front of Qin Mubai without any courtesy, picked up a pot of tea on the table and drank half of it, then sighed and shook his head repeatedly without saying a word.
"What's wrong? Just lost for a while and turned into a drowned rat?" Qin Mubai said.
Hou Junji still shook his head, treating tea as wine and drinking it all.
Qin Mubai was also anxious and looked at him quietly.
After a while, as if he had calmed down, Hou Junji said: "Qin Mubai, you and I really have done something unnecessary."
"how you said that?"
"Didn't you give me a plan before and let me pretend to be defeated?" Hou Junji shook his head and smiled bitterly, and said, "It turns out that there is no need to pretend to be defeated at all."
"You want to say that you are indeed no match for Gar Qinling, right?" Qin Mubai said with a relaxed smile.
"I have tried my best in today's battle." Hou Junji raised his head and looked at Qin Mubai with sweat on his face and frightened eyes, as if he had infinite fear and fear, and said in a trembling voice, "Gar Qinling, The Kunlun Iron Cavalry is so terrifying! I have fought countless battles in my entire life and have been invincible. I have encountered many elite troops and fought many difficult battles. I have never felt so helpless and hopeless as I do today. !”
"Is it as exaggerated as you said?" Qin Mubai said still calmly, "The Eight Formations formed by the Kunlun Iron Cavalry are indeed very powerful. Didn't we also defeat his formation twice and then evacuate safely?"
"Evacuate safely? Thank you for your ability to speak out!" Hou Junji spat fiercely and said, "If Gar Qinling is willing, he can completely defeat us in one blow, just in Qingluo Yuan, right here. today!"
Qin Mubai smiled and said nothing.
"Why are you laughing?!" Hou Junji was a little angry.
"There are no ifs in war. Whatever the facts are, that is what they are." Qin Mubai said, "Hou Junji, don't let me look down on you. Victory and defeat are common for military strategists. They just lost for a while. It's not what you imagined." so serious."
"Yes." Hou Junji said categorically, "Today's battle, the outcome lies entirely in the hands of Gar Qinling. If he wants to win, then he can win; if he wants to let us live, then we can Evacuate safely. What is this called? … This is a cat playing with a mouse!”
At this time, Qin Mubai frowned.
"Why, did I stab the weak spot in your heart?"
"Hou Junji, if even you have such an idea, then the Garqin Mausoleum will really be a success." Qin Mubai said, "He is playing hard to get, subduing the enemy without fighting. This move is indeed cruel. , obviously he could carry out a massacre or even a battle, but he didn't. He just let us come back, making us fearful and defeated, and our military morale was shattered. "
"I understand this truth; anyone can say it." Hou Junji eagerly said, "But who can control his mind and not think about this?"
"I can. You must also be able." Qin Mubai said straightforwardly, "The soul of the general's army. If the general loses control, it is like a man who has lost his soul. Then there is really no need to fight this battle."
Hou Junji was silent, staring straight at the teapot, as if in a daze.
"What are you thinking about?" Qin Mubai asked.
"I was thinking about a question you didn't think of." Hou Junji said lifelessly.
"Speak out and listen."
"Okay, I'll tell you. I want to see if you are as calm as you said, or if you can only talk nonsense." Hou Junji sneered and said, "Galqin Ling's strength lies not only in the Kunlun Iron Cavalry and military strategy, but also in his profound city management and mental skills. In this first battle, he sent out his own elite Kunlun Iron Cavalry, vowing to win for the first time. To break our confidence, we need to show it to some people.”
Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said: "According to what you said, Garqinling is in urgent need of a victory to stabilize their Zanpu, and at the same time put pressure on me, and at the same time let His Majesty and the court disappoint me. Or suspicion, right?"
Hou Junji raised his head in surprise, "You are indeed not stupid!"
"It's just occasionally." Qin Mubai smiled habitually, but his face twitched in pain and said, "The Hu people have always liked to play this game when fighting with us. They know that we generals from the Central Plains are leading troops outside. Not only do we have to face the threat from the enemy, but we also have to bear the pressure from behind, especially this time, especially me. Now that I have lost the first battle, Gal Qinling has to send countless spies to Chang'an, desperately fanning the flames. On the other hand, I can’t use this trick on him.”
"In our Tang Dynasty, there are many big shots who are well-educated in poetry but not educated. Instead, they are evil and petty." Hou Junji curled his lips and smiled coldly, "In their eyes, we These soldiers are the ones whose fathers and mothers don’t deserve to die. We hold our heads high and drink stinky blood while fighting for our lives. If we win the battle, that’s what we should do. If we lose the battle, we should give them half of the credit. , we are all responsible for taking the blame. Qin Mubai, the whole world is watching with wide eyes in Da Feichuan's first battle... Think about it, what should we do? I can’t stop those bad mouths and petty people!”
"I know it well." Qin Mubai said calmly, "Since I came here, I have already been prepared to face any changes, including victory or defeat. The court has to deal with it carefully, but I don't worry too much . Because I have confidence in His Majesty the Emperor. He was very determined when he made this decision. It is impossible for his character to be shaken by temporary gains and losses. On the contrary, this Galqin. Ling, I feel more and more difficult to deal with. Military tactics and strong generals are one thing. When we retreated just now, he did not lead the army to cover us up, which made me clearly realize that he is not only A good general is also a strategic master who coordinates the military and the country. What he wants is to win or lose in one battle from time to time. His vision is far-reaching and his calculations are very deep. "
"Now you understand why he is one person below ten thousand people in Tubo? Although his father made a big statement, in fact, the main pillar supporting the entire Tubo is this young Garqinling. "Hou Junji said, "He is far better than you in terms of civility, military prowess, and peace and prosperity. If I don't let others' ambition destroy my own prestige, we in the Tang Dynasty still can't find such a person."
"I agree." Qin Mubai nodded lightly and said to himself: Wu Lue, he is definitely not as good as Li Yaoshi and Wen Tao, and he is naturally not as good as Fang Xuanling... But when it comes to overall strength, this Gar Qinling, It is indeed incredibly strong!
"Come up and attack the other side with your spear, attack the other side's shield, and make them fall into chaos. Garqin Ling is thinking about how to defeat the enemy's army without fighting!" Hou Junji stood up and stared at Qin Mubai said in a serious tone, "Qin Mubai, Gar Qinling is more powerful than you. You'd better put away your past pride and be careful. The war is really starting now!"