Soon, through Zheng Zong's "efforts", Li Shun got on the personal connections of Gai Wu and Lu Shuihu people, and successfully used money to "rebel" them.
As described by Zheng Zong, these Lushui Hu people are a group of Hu Yi who "see the money with open eyes and short-sighted". They are not loyal to Hua Mulan, but they have to reluctantly follow the protection mission because they cannot defeat the Hu Ben army. The stingy Hua Mulan also "only includes rice" (original words).
In contrast, Li Shun and Li Shun's money are much more lovely, even if Gai Wu only agreed to help Li Shun when needed, under Li Shun's continuous money offensive, his attitude towards Li Shun also began to Completely different from the original.
At this point, Li Shun believes in the power of money.
"How much money does Li Shun have? I can't even afford it..." He Mulan, Yuan Fang and the others whispered in private, "If the Li family is so rich, why are they so low-key on weekdays?"
"I've only heard of the Li family's books." Yuan Fang was also very strange, "During the war in the Jin Dynasty, the Li family almost abandoned all their family wealth and took refuge with only a collection of books. I have never heard of the Li family having so much gold later on. Definitely. Someone behind the scenes is funding it.”
He Mulan suddenly froze, thinking of the large amount of missing property from Wang Jin. Although many were later found in Kumoti's private estate, some are still missing.
That is a huge wealth, could it be given to this Li Shun
However, in just a moment, He Mulan overthrew his thoughts.
What kind of minister is Li Shun? It's just a close official who was used as a living dictionary by Tuoba Tao's side at any time because of Bo Wen's strong memorization.
Rather than suspecting Wang Jin's side, it is better to doubt whether it was the funds provided by Liu Song or Bei Liang. After all, the power of the whole country and the capital of a city are bigger, and I can think of it.
Since the Lushuihu people were "insured", the relationship between the Hu Ben army and the Tiantai army has dropped to a freezing point, almost to the point where He Mulan can't even command. In order to ensure that there would be no misunderstandings between the two armies, He Mulan handed over almost all of the patrols, garrison patrols, and other tasks sent abroad to the Lushuihu people, so that the Huben army and the Lushuihu people were separated and their frictions were reduced.
This kind of strangeness was naturally seen in the eyes of Yuan Po Qiang and other Northern Wei envoys, and they all came to persuade He Mulan that it was inappropriate to bury the Lushui Hu people. , or use thunder to subdue them.
However, before He Mulan could use any means, the first large-scale conflict between the Hu Ben army and the Lushui Hu people began.
The cause is naturally because of the "line dispute".
Since He Mulan always believed that it was dangerous to travel by land, the Hu Ben Army agreed with He Mulan on this point. Only the Lushuihu people, who boasted of rich experience, believed that the waterway was more dangerous. After long-term discussions between He Mulan and the envoys, He Mulan finally succumbed to the opinions of many envoys and decided to embark on the land road from Qinhan City and enter Guzang from the edge of the Tengger Desert, which is equivalent to fulfillment. The previous statement of the Lushuihu people.
The complacent Lushuihu people laughed at the stupidity and shortsightedness of the Hu Ben army, and the Hu Ben army felt fooled by He Mulan's previous persistence and the easy compromise afterward, so the two armies fought like this.
Fighting with the army is the most taboo in the army, because the tense army life is likely to turn a small matter into the fuse of the battalion, and mutiny is even more unacceptable. Due to He Mulan's timely appearance, this fight did not end. No human life was caused, and no mutiny was caused, but the hidden dangers were all exposed.
He Mulan was attacked almost immediately. The chief envoy Li Shun and several envoys believed that the army was not well controlled and lacked the quality of leadership. She even further questioned her ability as a general, and her prestige was almost suppressed to the extreme.
He Mulan also showed an "indignant" appearance at the right time. From then on, he completely let go of the Lushui Hu people's affairs, did not interfere with the decisions of Li Shun and other envoys, and only took the Hu Ben army to prepare for the work.
Because of the Lu Shui Hu people, the relationship between Gai Wu and the people around He Mulan has also reached an unprecedented stalemate. A crisis hidden in the Hu Ben army is about to erupt at any time...
***
half a month later.
"General, Qinhan City is in front." Na Luohun looked at He Mulan, who seemed to have no problem, and asked with a worried expression: "What's wrong with your body?"
"No, every time I have a fever, I feel that my strength is a little stronger." He Mulan clenched her fists and released them, shook her head and muttered in a very low voice.
"Probably back to the light."
The group of people behind her were silent, including Zheng Zong, who didn't know anything about the situation, and they all sensed that something was wrong with He Mulan.
Just yesterday, He Mulan's "disease" attacked again.
Although everyone's disguise did not let outsiders know that she had been in a coma all night, the hurried arrival of Master Ci Xin still made others realize that something was wrong.
Fortunately, every time He Mulan fell ill, the sun would rise the next day, and her spirit and strength had to be better than before. Otherwise, the Lord would suddenly become seriously ill. She cannot be allowed to continue her role as a guardian.
Cixin was only a monk after all, and although he could see what was wrong with He Mulan, there was no way to save her. He only told her cautiously that if the yang qi continued to fill like this, her life would not be more than a year.
However, when He Mulan heard that she still had about a year to live, she couldn't help laughing: "How long? That's enough..."
As for what is enough, no one knows.
"Qinhan City..." Yuan Fang showed a longing look. "Your Majesty Ron, we can rest in Lizi Garden, and prepare supplies and people to cool off. Since it is called the 'Pearl of the Prairie', it must be a beautiful place, right?"
Qinhan City is called "Yinchuan" by later generations. Decades ago, it was acquired by Helian Bobo, because the terrain is flat and open, and the Yellow River runs through the north and south, so the land is fertile and suitable for living, so it has received the attention of the Xia Kingdom and rebuilt the city here.
"Fairy Wood"
Helian Bobo likes to hunt, so he built the huge royal garden "Lizi Garden" here to attract beautiful women and satisfy his extravagant life.
The predecessor of Qinhan City was the "Diannong City" that "relocated the poor to the west of Guan and south of Chongshuo to Xinqin" in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Important rear granary. After the Northern Wei Dynasty conquered the Xia Kingdom, Qinhan City also belonged to the Wei Kingdom, and even Lizi Garden became Tuoba Tao's palace.
After Liziyuan was obtained, the ministers in the DPRK and China wanted to please Tuoba Tao, hoping that he could visit Qinhan City in the west and play and live in Liziyuan, but he finally refused.
The reason for being rejected by him is very simple - "Helian Bobo was profligate in his life and had a tyrannical character, so he lost his summer. I don't want to repeat his mistakes, and I indulge in pleasure before the Central Plains have been pacified."
But later, according to Kumoti, Tuoba Tao simply felt that it was meaningless to run to scare the people of all ethnic groups in Qinhan City, and Lizi Garden was said to be very beautiful. not going.
He Mulan believed that the latter was the real reason.
It is for this reason that the once beautiful and magnificent "Lizi Garden" has become an ominous place. Those court ladies and old concubines who tried to capture a king with their beauty once again learned that the young, handsome and valiant The extraordinary emperor did not come here to have fun, and he fell into a desperate situation.
To make matters worse, Tuoba Tao did not want to waste manpower, so a large number of hunting grounds in Lizi Garden became pastures, and Helianchang's concubines and maids in the palace also weaved cloth and raised hemp, and Lizi Garden completely went down. The altar of "Xinggong and other courtyards" has become another "reemployment base for laid-off women" in Wei State.
This time, the last stop of the Northern Wei embassy in Liangjing was Qinhan City, and further on, the envoys of Liang Kingdom greeted and arranged. Because there is no guarantee that Liang Kingdom can continuously provide supplies, anything can happen on the road, and the last supply of Qinhan City becomes very important.
Before leaving the capital, Tuoba Tao specially allowed them to enter the Lizi Garden to be stationed, and the "Diannong Duwei" here would be responsible for providing all the food and grass for the mission and the Hu Ben army before entering the cool land.
He Mulan and his group, who were allowed to live in Lizi Garden, were the first people in the Wei Kingdom to come into contact with it, and even entered Lizi Garden earlier than Tuoba Tao.
The official who governed Qinhan City was a Xiongnu, called Liu Yuanzong.
The Diannong Duwei, who is in charge of farming here, is a very capable black and thin middle-aged Han man, surnamed Feng Mingheng. He has been in charge of farming here for 20 years. After several changes of dynasties, he has a calm demeanor.
The process of entering Qinhan City was very smooth. Liu Yuanzong and Feng Heng were able to stay in the Helian and Northern Wei dynasties to continue to govern Qinhan City, which must have been recognized by everyone in terms of qualifications, emotional intelligence, IQ and ability. Therefore, before the mission reached Qinhan City, officials from Qinhan City were already there to greet them along the way. In addition, there was a Pingchuan near Yinchuan, which was the most suitable for marching, and soon entered the city.
Lizi Garden is located in the north of Qinhan City, covering a vast area. Because it is a garden, except for a few palaces, there are large hunting grounds and forests, which are the most suitable for stationing.
As the deputy envoy, He Mulan was also the head coach of the Hu Ben Army, and Wei Guo's famous general who made a big splash recently. Of course, he was warmly received by Liu Yuanzong and others, but these people were not stupid. He could see from the clues of the mission. Mulan's attitude towards the others in the mission was a little weird, but he didn't want to talk about it.
"Our Qinhan City is not comparable to Pingcheng and Shangtongwan. It is just an ordinary town in the western border. It is only because the western border is desolate that it is called the 'Pearl'..."
Liu Yuanzong led the envoys into the city. The envoys of Beiliang, Li Shun and others used to turn around here when they traveled between Wei and Liang. , looked at each one with curious eyes.
The so-called "Fortress on the South of the Yangtze River" is just because the vegetation here is more lush than other places. This city is indeed not as tall and broad as other cities, but because of Helian Bobo's tyrannical character, his city is built more than other cities. Be sturdy, not war-torn, and not looking broken.
Compared with the envoys of Wei State, the people of Qinhan City were really curious about the group of envoys who entered the city. They all pointed and pointed from a distance. He Mulan also found that there were many people crawling on the likenesses. Look here from such tall places as eaves and trees.
He Mulan has never seen such audacity before, and the people along the road are of all ethnic groups. At least He Mulan saw Han, Qiang, Xiongnu, Xianbei and Xiyu Hu along the way. People are shuttled, and there are many girls who are holding the arms of their interracial lovers and swaggering through the market, and many of them are Han girls.
He Mulan liked the atmosphere here very much, and his eyebrows became much gentler: "Liu Zhenshou and Feng Diannong have made great achievements in governance! Everyone here has a peaceful expression and does not shy away from outsiders, which shows the simplicity of the folk customs and the satisfaction of the common people. There are many towns in Shengxiajing."
Liu Yuanzong and Feng Heng have been friends for many years, and they have supported each other to get to where they are today. The greatest pride in this life is to turn this place into a town everyone yearns for in the Western Frontier. Now hearing He Mulan's praise, the two can't help but humble themselves. While laughing complacently, his heart was filled with joy like a pot of honey, and he treated He Mulan more warmly than other envoys.
Xia State and Wei State were originally the most important military exploits, and those with military power were the emperor's biggest trustees. They knew that they wanted to please He Mulan, not all because of her compliments.
But in the eyes of the rest of the mission, they could not help but have some opinions on He Mulan, thinking that she was interested in making good friends with the two chief officials of Qinhan City, so as to give herself some benefits.
I don't know if it was intentional or not, but after entering Lizi Garden, He Mulan really got the most preferential treatment. Not to mention that the Hu Ben army was stationed in a hunting ground with lush water plants and numerous prey, He Mulan was able to live in the palace next to the hunting ground.
It is summer now, this palace is very shady, and there is a living spring flowing through it, which is very convenient for washing and drinking.
There are many palace maids from the previous dynasty in the palace. These palace maids were collected by Helianchang in various ways. They are all beautiful and affectionate, and they are in their most beautiful twenties. They cannot move the concubines in the palace, but these palace maids are okay. Yes, as long as there is no unsightly farce, no one will care if you love Yan better.
This alone is enough to make many people envy crazy.
Of course, Li Shun and other envoys also lived in another palace, but considering that most of them were Han Chinese and did not need to be in charge of military training, Liu Yuanzong and the others arranged for these officials to be in a garden carved like Jiangnan in the east. palace.
Beauty is beauty, but unfortunately Li Shun and others are used to seeing all kinds of gardens, so how can they look at this copycat made by the Huns
In contrast, the shady hunting grounds and other courtyards made them even more jealous.
He Mulan and the others didn't know that even these things could cause conflicts, and they were all so happy that they were going crazy.
Here is the hunting ground!
And now is the prey's fattest July!
The garrison of the army made the birds and beasts on the periphery of the hunting ground flee, and all ran into the depths of the hunting ground. The number of prey here has surged since the destruction of the Xia Kingdom and the delay of Tuoba Tao's arrival. Entering, the number of these birds and beasts is even more, making Liu Yuanzong miserable.
He knew that Tuoba Tao arranged for the envoys to enter Lizi Garden, so they could use it, so he specially arranged a hunting ground with the largest number of birds and beasts to be stationed for them, hoping that they could use the "hunting" ability of the Xianbei people. , to solve a little animal problem.
When Liu Yuanzong revealed this to He Mulan, all the generals in the Hu Ben Army were very excited. Kang Chang's marching process was extremely boring. This was not a war. The long-term depression and no outbreak made everyone feel a fire in their hearts, and hunting was the best way to vent.
When they were in Montenegro, these men would invite each other to go hunting when they didn't see any meat or fish, and digging rabbit dens, baiting foxes and deer haunting was almost everyone's forte.
"Look at your success!"
He Mulan looked at Na Luohun and the others with eager expressions, laughed and scolded: "Don't delay the business! First, we will be stationed to wash up, arrange the war horses and luggage, and when we have free time tomorrow, we will go to the hunting ground to hunt and fight tooth sacrifices. !"
She winked mischievously.
"Don't talk about you, I eat hu pie and jerky every day, and a bird fades out of my mouth!"
Everyone laughed when they heard the words, and the whistles cheered incessantly, almost shaking the entire northern hunting ground, and the birds were so frightened that they flew around, and the crows made loud noises.
Liu Wenji, the son of Liu Yuanzong who was sent to accompany He Mulan, was also a cheerful man. Hearing He Mulan's intention to hunt, he showed a grateful expression: "Fortunately, you are here. Even the grass will be eaten up. A few days ago, I heard from the guards that they found a leopard!"
"Leopard?" He Mulan was taken aback, "Didn't you say that Hu Xia's royal hunting ground doesn't allow wild beasts?"
"It really didn't exist before." Liu Wenji showed a bitter face, "It has always been properly controlled by people before, where can such a beast enter, if no one has come to hunt for many years and the number of prey here has increased sharply, how can leopards be attracted. Come. Not only leopards, but also golden eagles and falcons are now infested here. Some daring herdsmen often sneak into Lizi Garden to hunt in order to sell some money. Our soldiers have captured batches after batches. The grandfather does not punish the chest, but goes on and on."
"Why not punished?" Na Luohun was curious, "This kind of thing is considered to be a crime of deceiving the king, and it is a serious crime to go to the palace privately."
Liu Wenji seemed to be used to it, and only then did he realize that he had said things he shouldn't have said, and that his father would be accused of "bending the law for one's own sake", and his crying face almost turned into a crying face.
"This... this... "
He Mulan saw that this young man's name was "Wen Ji", but he was a rude and arrogant person. He just didn't know why his father, who was so strict, sent this unscrupulous son to accompany him, and immediately comforted him sympathetically. .
"Don't worry, my left-back rate is just asking this casually, and I don't mean to blame."
Only then did Liu Wenji breathe a sigh of relief, "It scared me to death. My grandfather often said that I was the brain of Yumu, and I thought I was in trouble again."
"You haven't said why..."
Narohun continued to ask.
"What do you all know? We are different from other places. Due to the long-term cultivation of fields, the land is vast, but the population is not large. As long as it is not lacking hands and feet, life can go on. The prey outside Qinhan City is even more abundant, and every By the spring and summer, the hunters in the city have plenty of furs to sell."
"Those who will take risks to poach in Lizi Garden are either local elderly people who can't go out of town to hunt, or orphaned children who have lost their parents and have to take the risk. Because there are many prey here, any trap will be rewarded, so you don't have to risk it. Life is dangerous to go hunting, many children and old people have little strength, but as long as someone points out the trap, they can also fill their stomachs…”
He scratched his head.
"Uncle Feng said that it was the fault of the Dian Nong captain that he couldn't let them live an upright life. They had to do this because they were hungry. If they wanted to punish him, they should punish him first. My grandpa felt that he was also at fault, so in the end this Things are just locked up for a few days, and released after a few days of prison food. And the local people are afraid of causing trouble for my grandfather and uncle Feng, so they don't do it too much. Come, I won't come to poach every day."
He Mulan heard that there was such an inside story, and couldn't help sighing with emotion, but Na Luo Hun, Yuan Fang and the others didn't expect that the two chief officials here were officials who loved the people like children, and they were a little surprised.
Although perhaps this Liu Wenji was acting, he only said it on purpose to put gold on the faces of the two chief officials, but with the simple and honest expression of Liu Wenji as a savvy businessman like Yuan Fang, he couldn't see anything wrong unless he was a A real cunning person, otherwise the possibility of acting is very small.
Then, when He Mulan entered the city, seeing everyone's curious and satisfied expressions was not a fake. The people here were not afraid or worried, so they could have simple smiles on their faces.
Perhaps it is precisely because of this position in the western frontier that it is possible to maintain this happy land. Changed to cities like Chang'an and Luoyang, I am afraid that the battle for fame and fortune would have become a mess.
Moreover, there are many ethnic groups here, but they can get along harmoniously and harmoniously. From this point of view, Liu Yuanzong and Feng Heng are both worthy of the name of "capable officials".
He Mulan listened to Liu Wenji's words and couldn't help but patted him on the shoulder.
"Your father and Feng Diannong are both good officials. Don't worry, we will do our best tomorrow to help you lighten the burden..."
She thought about it for a while and continued: "We rely on the states and counties to provide food and grass along the way, which has caused a lot of trouble for the local area, but we have never thought about giving back to the local area. This time we should set an example."
Liu Wenji grinned when he heard the words.
"That's great!"
"We can't eat all the prey. It is very perishable in this season. We will give the extra prey tomorrow to the people here, especially those old and weak women and children."
He Mulan smiled and asked the tigers behind him.
"I have to make you eat less meat, do you want to!"
"Everything is at the command of the general!"
"What's the point of eating meat every day, this season, always eating meat makes smoke in my throat!"
"You can't beat it to make jerky again. God, I'm going to get sick from eating jerky!"
A group of people burst into laughter, all gearing up for the hunt tomorrow.
Liu Wenji also obviously likes hunting, and there are very few men who don't like this, even Zheng Zong has expressed a certain interest.
That night, everyone was talking about tomorrow's hunting, and there was a certain sense of dissatisfaction in the words that the hunting grounds were not empty, and there was even a private bet between each fire, adding a lottery bet on which side caught more prey.
Many of Wei's envoys sent this time were martial-minded Han Chinese, and some were Hu people. I heard that they were going to hunt the next day, so they couldn't help but secretly send entourages or guards to discuss with He Mulan, and wanted to join in. a handful. Although He Mulan was in the acting period, he had no opinion on them. He just wanted to be wary of Li Shun. Of course, he agreed one by one and made an appointment.
He Mulan, Yuan Fang and the others had been busy all afternoon, and they returned to the residence of the palace only after the sky began to get dark. Just from the moment they entered the other courtyard, everyone felt that something was wrong.
"Do you think these women look at us like they are looking at a piece of meat..." Chen Jie carefully pushed Man Gu beside him.
"Why so strange?"
Chen Jie and Na Luohun are relatively neat-looking, so they get more "eyes".
Because Yuan Fang looked kind, some of the maids who served back and forth were older, and they all gave him a few winks, intentionally or unintentionally.
In contrast, the tall and black He Mulan didn't seem to be very popular. The maids here probably didn't "choose a mate" based on their status.
Barbarian's physique is majestic, so he was seen sweating profusely, almost avoiding these ubiquitous palace maids and walking forward behind He Mulan.
"You still say this, I'm still wondering why so many women suddenly appeared!"
"Liu Shijun treats us kindly..." Yuan Fang touched his chin with great interest, "I deliberately brought all the beautiful palace maids over here."
He Mulan almost forgot, but then suddenly remembered Yuan Fang's special hobby.
He is so "Hu Ji".
And here are almost all "Hu Ji".
"If you like it, it's okay if you like it." He Mulan glanced at him sideways, and said with some warning: "But be careful not to play too hard, you will be hunting tomorrow morning. You don't want to be hanged. A 'soft-footed shrimp' name?"
Yuan Fang didn't understand what "don't play too hard" at first, but when he realized he couldn't help jumping his feet, he shouted angrily: "What and what! I just love beauty, everyone has it, just take a look!"
"I know..." He Mulan waved her hand indifferently, "I'm very reasonable. I'm not the kind of person who makes his subordinates become ascetic monks if he can't do it himself. They love a beautiful man, and you like beautiful women, as long as the two of you If you are willing, this is a good thing, and I will not stop you."
Before they knew that He Mulan was a woman, if these people heard this, they would be very happy. Chen Jie, Na Luohun, and Yuan Fang were all men who were not married. Except for Gai Wu, who had settled on the side of the Lushui Hu people, everyone present was full of vigor. If they met such a good thing, they would go away as soon as they took off their pants. Pick up a conversation to find "Aventure".
But because He Mulan was a woman, she said so "openly", each of them showed embarrassed and awkward expressions, and even Luo Hun's neck was red.
He Mulan looked at the appearance of the "first brothers", and then recalled the youthful and curious time when they went to the "Youzhai" with the fire in a group, she couldn't help laughing with a nostalgic expression: "Back then We all went to Youzhai together, and we are still so awkward now. Am I not comfortable? Then I will go to Gaiwu for a walk…”
She glanced at Zheng Zong who was swaying uncomfortably, then remembered his special sexuality, and waved to him with some sympathy.
"Come, you go with me."
"Why is this kid following the general!"
"What's wrong! General, don't think about it!"
"Then what... What happened to Youzhai?"
A group of people were either startled, angry or curious, and stared at He Mulan with wide eyes.
Only Zheng Zong was overjoyed and ran over very quickly with his short legs.
"The general is going out?!"
"Don't talk!"
"Don't interrupt us!"
Zheng Zong has been accustomed to being scolded, and his personality is not strong and self-respecting. He just curled his lips. In his heart, in addition to being happy that Mulan really dismissed women, he was also a little worried about what Master Cixin said.
'The general said just now that I won't stop you if I can't do it, probably because he likes men so he can't touch women. But it's about the body, is it really good to persist like this? '
Zheng Zong didn't know that He Mulan's anger was to the point of death, he just thought that he would have a fever for no reason. Rao is so, he is also worried.
Thinking of this, his overjoyed feeling just now suddenly fell, and his expression became hesitant.
Just when He Mulan was teasing a group of innocent men with a wicked smile, Zheng Zongyi gritted his teeth and said:
"Isn't the general too strong? I'm afraid it won't be easy to find a woman after passing Qinhan City. Otherwise, I will help the general find a beautiful palace maid to relieve him?"
As soon as Zheng Zong opened his mouth, everyone showed the expression of stepping on the dog's poop. Chen Jie jumped over and grabbed Zheng Zong's neck with his arms from behind, dragging him far away.
"Don't make your own decisions!"
"This is nonsense!"
"are you crazy!"
A group of people stared at Zheng Zong, wishing to drag him out for a while, until they saw the cold sweat dripping from Zheng Zong's back.
Hey, people are struggling so hard to put forward suggestions, do you want to object so thoroughly!
I knew you wanted to fight with me for generals too!