A group of people rode out of the customs. The distance from Datong to Weining Haizi is actually not far away.
Wang Zhi only brought one person named Wei Mao, who was another cronie beside him besides Ding Rong.
Tang Fan and the others have seen this Wei Mao before. Just a few years ago, when they went to investigate the Nancheng Gang, they found a brothel. At that time, Wei Mao, as the West Factory, was in charge of thousands of households, and as soon as he took action, the prostitute of the brothel was sent to him. All the people were stunned. Later, Wang went straight to Datong and brought Wei Mao along with him.
This person is ruthless and loyal to Wang Zhi. He is used as the right and left hand by Wang Zhiyi. Of course, after Ding Rong's incident, Eunuch Wang now has some reservations towards the people around him, and he doesn't dare to show it to anyone. I have given all my trust, as the saying goes, once bitten by a snake, I am afraid of the rope for ten years.
Suizhou brought two Jinyiwei named Wei Shan and Lu Yan, as well as Tang Fan, Du Guier, Shen Gui, Meng Cun and a soldier, as well as the magic stick Izumoko.
Coincidentally, Meng Cun was one of the seven surviving soldiers at that time, and he was also the one with the highest official position.
Tang Fan was stunned for a moment when he saw Meng Cun, but Meng Cun said to him with a wry smile, "Master Tang, Master Sui, we are really destined!"
In addition to him, Wang Zhi also found an ordinary soldier, who was also one of the seven who survived at that time.
Tang Fan turned to look at Wang Zhi: "Why didn't you say it was him?"
Wang Zhi said confidently, "How do I know that you don't know it's him?"
Tang Fan glared at him speechlessly, seeing the other soldier's uneasy expression, he jokingly comforted him and said, "Don't worry, since you returned safely last time, you can do it this time. If something happens to someone of your height, you are not the only one, and you are not at a loss!"
But the soldier not only did not relax because of his comfort, but became more and more frightened: "Sir, that place is indeed very evil. We were able to return last time, and it was thanks to General Manager Meng that he ordered the retreat in time. This time, we can't guarantee it! "
Meng Cun laughed and scolded: "Okay, don't be disheartened, my wife and children haven't married yet, you have even given birth to children, don't we soldiers to obey orders, don't look like women, If you are not unlucky, you will say that you are unlucky!"
The soldier was scolded by him, scratched his head, and laughed along with him, but didn't say any more dejected words.
Meng Cun was smashed by Du Gui'er's box last time, and was diagnosed by the doctor as a bone fracture. Now that he has been raised for so many days, he can walk without crutches. .
Shen Gui doesn't need to mention it, he is still crying and grief-stricken to this day, with the expression of a dead father and mother, 110,000 reluctant.
In fact, Izumoko was not very willing to take this trip in his heart, but he had behaved like a master before. If he was not willing to come, it is estimated that staying in Datong City and facing Wang Yue would have nothing to eat, so Wang Zhiyi Said, he agreed after a little thought, and brought a lot of guys, all of which were cinnabar talismans...
And a small jar of black dog blood.
Of all the people, either forced to come or had to come, the only exception who voluntarily asked to come along was Du Guier.
Ordinary girls in the boudoir, at this age and with a wealthy family, usually stay at home and be spoiled and shy to marry, but Du Guier not only showed up to help her father run the medical center, but also personally led people out. Guan collects herbs, as far as the foot of the Man Han Mountain in the north of Haizi, Weining. Although this is in a border town, the etiquette is far looser than that in the south of the Yangtze River or even in the north, but people like her are still rare.
On the one hand, Du Gui'er had also been here, and knew the way. Together with Shen Gui, Meng Cun, and their soldiers, the direction the four of them pointed at that time could verify each other and reduce the possibility of the team getting lost.
On the other hand, Sui Zhou didn't really trust this girl in his heart. He always felt that Zhong Jingtang's role in this case was too subtle. Even if there was no evidence, Du Gui'er would be suspicious. If you can't see it, you might as well keep it by your side, or monitor it nearby.
However, in the eyes of others, this thought naturally has a different explanation.
At least people like Meng Cun, Wang Zhi and others felt that Suizhou had a lot of interest in Du Guier.
Not to mention the gossip, a few people went out of the customs and walked all the way north. The sky above was clear, the wind was sunny, and even the rolling hills became a magnificent scenery.
It's just that everyone has a concern, and they don't have much time to appreciate it. They drive their horses forward. Although they can't talk about speeding forward, they are definitely not slow.
When they were about to approach Weining Haizi, Wei Shan, who was exploring the road ahead, made a gesture, and everyone gradually slowed down.
However, Wei Shan rode his horse back and reported, "Haizi is right in front of me, and there is nothing abnormal."
Sure enough, after about a stick of incense, a lake as majestic as the sea entered everyone's sight.
In the Datong area, it is difficult to see such a large lake. Although we know that it is just a lake, at first glance, everyone still can't help sighing from the bottom of their hearts. It is no wonder that the Mongolians wanted to It is named Haizi, and for those who have never seen the sea, this is indeed the sea that they yearn for.
Under the sunlight, the lake was shimmering with sparkling waves, and several waterfowl passed by, and were startled away by the sound of Tang Fan's horses' hooves, leaving behind a series of sounds of flapping their wings.
The lakes and mountains are beautiful, the grass is full of grass, and it is quiet enough to make people's minds calm down.
However, it is also easy to confuse and paralyze vigilance.
Wang Zhi asked Meng Cun, "Where did you encounter wind and sand last time?"
Meng Cun pointed to the lake not far ahead: "It's here, we should have detoured the road and chased the Tartars, but who knew that the wind and sand would suddenly blow up, the sky would darken immediately, and there were many sounds of guns and knives. ."
In fact, everyone had heard Meng Cun and the soldier talk about this experience several times before they set off. Even if they came here and were there, it was still hard to feel the situation they were talking about at the time. It was clearly a blue sky. The sun was shining and the surroundings were empty.
Naturally, there are still mountain peaks on the north side of the lake, but it is still quite a distance from here. If someone attacks from the mountain, they have no reason to see it.
Shen Gui said tremblingly: "Li Daochang once said to me that as long as he acts in the royal court of the Tartars, he can defeat the enemy thousands of miles away, and kill the Ming army in the air without leaving a piece of armor. I didn't believe it at the time, but Later, I heard that strange things happened one after another in the army, so I believed it."
Wang Zhi frowned: "Didn't you say he might have set up a formation?"
Shen Gui was really afraid of Wang Zhi, the evil star, and he fell into his hands, and he was tossed around immediately, so that Shen Gui felt that if he continued to be tossed by Wang Zhi, he might as well recommend himself to lead the way, and he might still be able to retrieve one. Little life, take the blame and make merit - he really doesn't want to taste that life is worse than death.
In the hands of Wei Mao's Xichang, who was in charge of punishing thousands of households, Shen Gui realized that there are many punishments in this world, and he could not leave any traces on his body, but it was extremely painful, and he wished that he could be freed immediately.
In comparison, he suddenly felt that Li Zilong's so-called magical powers were not so scary anymore.
Shen Gui hurriedly said after hearing the words: "Yes, I did believe it at the time, but then I overheard someone saying that in order to prepare a formation against the Ming army, Li Daochang specially brought a few magic weapons from the foot of Manhan Mountain, and immediately The Ming army was restrained, but I don't know what the magic weapon is, but I remember the word formation, I told you last time, and there is no falsehood!"
After he finished speaking, he gave Wang Zhi a flattering smile.
"What about the magic weapon?"
It's not that Wang Zhi doesn't believe Shen Gui's words. Under the methods of Xichang, even a dumb person can speak, not to mention Shen Gui, a wealthy businessman, but Shen Gui's words are too fantastic and unbelievable.
Shen Gui looked around, and all he could see was the wide lake, where there were any tall and conspicuous stones, and he couldn't help lowering his face: "This, I don't know about it, I heard the people of the White Lotus Sect say, it means that The magic weapon is right by the lake, and as soon as it encounters sandstorms, the formation will catalyze, and thousands of troops will appear..."
He himself was very uncertain, and he glanced at Wang Zhi one after another, for fear that the other party would get angry.
Of course, he was also afraid of Wei Mao, who was sitting behind him and riding with him, because all the tortures against him before were all done by this guy himself.
But there was no way. Wang Zhi didn't trust Shen Gui, so he specially asked Wei Mao to monitor him nearby. It was absolutely impossible for Shen Gui to ride a horse alone.
Just as they were talking, Tang Fan and Izumoko rode their horses forward, and ran a dozen meters forward according to the direction Meng Cun said. Turn back.
Izumoko said, "Combining with what President Meng Pao and Mr. Shen said, Pindao and Master Tang have already made a preliminary inference, but they still can't be sure. We have to wait until we go around the lake and go to the bottom of Manhan Mountain to have a look."
Tang Fan said, "It's okay for everyone to listen to it now."
Izumoko said: "Pindao has never been here before, I heard that there is often sandstorm near Weining Haizi?"
It was Du Gui'er who answered him. She grew up in a border town and naturally has more say than anyone else: "It is very common, usually only in the beginning of spring and autumn. I have never met, but I heard from the elders in the family It is said that there are very strong blowing, which can indeed change the color of the sky and the earth, but such large sandstorms are rare, and they are generally ordinary sandstorms.”
Izumoko nodded: "I don't know if you have ever heard of the shadow soldiers crossing the road?"
As soon as this strange word came out, everyone looked at each other in dismay.
Naturally, Yin soldiers have heard of it. As the name suggests, it refers to the soldiers in the underworld who come to escort people's souls to the underworld when their yang lifespan has expired.
However, this Yin soldier passing by, it sounds completely strange.
"What is a ghost soldier crossing the road?" Wang Zhi asked.
Seeing that everyone was puzzled, Izumo didn't mean to betray him, and immediately said: "Pin Dao once traveled in the mountains and rivers in his early years, traveling all over the world, passing by the outskirts of Bao'an Prefecture, the capital, and saw a valley there, which was obviously desolate and uninhabited, but There is always the sound of thousands of troops galloping, and the locals say that there was a fierce battle between Huangdi and Chiyou many years ago. People who are born must go and return, die but not live.”
This world is really full of wonders. Where have everyone heard of such a thing, Suizhou Wang Zhi and others, like Meng Cun and Du Guier, all of them are shocked.
Izumoko said again: "Since I came to Datong and heard about the disappearance of the soldiers, Pindao had some guesses in his heart. It's just that the situation of the Ming army is different from what Pindao encountered in Luliangzhou. There are no valleys here, and There is no ancient battlefield, so I haven't expressed my speculation until I heard Master Tang say that Manhan Mountain was once the territory of the Jin Kingdom..."
He glanced at Tang Fan, and the latter took the initiative to continue: "When Mongolia went south, it annexed the Jin Kingdom. There was a battle between the two in Fengzhou at that time. There were many casualties, and the Jin Kingdom was defeated. , the battlefield should be in the vicinity of today's Man Han Mountain."
Izumoko continued, "If that's the case, it makes sense."
Wang Zhi didn't believe it after listening to it: "What kind of mess is there, where can the grievances not be scattered, the sky is bright and the sky is bright, how can the grievances come out to make trouble, and besides, the grievances have their heads and the debts have their owners, if there are really grievances from the golden soldiers, you should go to those Tatars. You are right, their ancestors were Mongolians!"
Tang Fan saw that Shen Gui, Du Gui'er and the others were all scared, so he couldn't help laughing: "Don't worry, that's not what I'm saying. Li Zilong is only a demon, how can he be able to attract ghosts and spirits? Gui also said that he personally heard the people of the White Lotus Sect mention the formation method, so it can be seen that the shadow soldiers passing by must have something to do with the formation method, and Daoist Izumo’s words just happened to combine the two to confirm each other.”
"First of all, the common point between the two is that there has been a tragic battle here. Second, there are mountains and rocks standing nearby, which must be related to the formation created by Li Zilong."
"We say these speculations not to make everyone more panic, but to hope that you can understand. The more we know, the more favorable the outcome of this trip will be."
His expression was soft and earnest and enticing: "Actually, when I and Izumo grew up, I could call Eunuch Wang and the others aside and talk about it separately. But since we are standing here now, we will live and die together. My partner, I don’t want any concealment to cause casualties among you, so I am frankly telling these speculations. There are not a few White Lotus believers, and there are many apprentices who have learned a few skills from Li Zilong, but those people are still passing by now, and this time will be no exception."
According to Wang Zhi, he wouldn't agree to tell everyone about such an important matter, but Tang Fan said it all, and it's too late for him to stop it.
However, after Tang Fan's reassuring words, everyone's expressions gradually relaxed, and they were not as panicked as before.
Wang Zhida looked down on Du Guier and the others from the bottom of his heart, thinking that they had no role other than leading the way, and important things should never be known to them, but Tang Fan didn't see it that way.
Sometimes concealment will not relieve panic, but will only spread panic. Since everyone is destined to share weal and woe, it is better to spread everything out. This can reduce their doubts more than covering up.
A Li Zilong who uses the ancient battlefield terrain to use the formation to stop the Ming army will definitely be much better than a Li Zilong who can call the wind and call the rain and invite ghosts.
Tang Fan's words were indeed effective, at least everyone started to think about the direction of breaking the formation, and even the soldier who followed Meng Cun no longer looked frightened.
How long the effect of these words can last depends on how long they can find the formation.
But what's disappointing is that the so-called shadow soldiers have not reappeared, and the formation is not at all. If it wasn't for the words of Izumoko and Tang Fan, Wang Zhi would almost think that Shen Gui was playing with them. Have fun.
There is a string in everyone's heart, they have long been prepared to see all the terrifying scenes, but everything is unexpectedly calm, nothing happened, Weining Haizi is like the thousands it has stood. Day and night, it didn't change because of Tang Fan's arrival.
From Weining Haizi to the north, the terrain gradually narrows. If you go further, you need to pass through a valley, and the endless mountains on the left are Manhan Mountain.
When everyone arrived at the foot of the Man Han Mountain, the sky was completely dark, and the road ahead was completely obscured by darkness. It would undoubtedly be an unwise choice to move forward. Tang Fan and the others stationed at the north side of the lake, ready to rest for the night. I will go to the foothills area tomorrow morning to have a look.
Meng Cun, Wei Shan and others built a fire and camped by the lake. Even Du Gui'er was helping. Tang Fan didn't have the air of a civil servant, but after he flipped a pot of water, he consciously touched his nose Stand on one side, so as not to cause confusion to others.
When he had nothing to do, he walked around and saw Sui Zhou and Wang Zhi sitting by the lake wiping the knives in their hands, so he walked over and looked curiously at the embroidered spring knives in Wang Zhi's hands.
"You're not Jin Yiwei, why do you also use an embroidered spring knife?"
"Have you heard the origin of the embroidered spring knife?" Wang Zhi asked without answering.
Tang Fan smiled and said, "Is this a test of me? It is said that the word "Xiuchun" was appointed by Emperor Taizu, and it came from Xiuyi Spring when Xiao Han stood. It's too old to be tested."
In fact, Emperor Taizu was semi-illiterate. He didn't even read the Four Books and Five Classics. Where would he use the allusions to name them? Eighty percent of them were made by later generations. It is unlikely that Emperor Taizu had such a character in his life. style name.
From Tang Fan's point of view, this name may have been named by Liu Bowen or Song Lian.
Wang Zhi shook his head: "I'm not asking about the origin of the name, I'm asking about the origin of the knife."
Tang Fan said, "This is stumbling for me. Eunuch Wang please enlighten me."
Wang Zhi glanced at Sui Zhou: "He doesn't know, you should know?"
Suizhou slowly spit out two words: "Tang Dao."
Wang Zhi said proudly: "You have some knowledge."
Suizhou didn't bother to bother with him, so he lowered his head and continued to wipe the blade.
Wang Zhidao said: "The embroidered spring knife was changed from the Tang knife, and it is much lighter than the Tang knife. The point is that it can split, chop, and stab, and it can be used with one hand or both hands. There is an embroidered spring knife in hand. , enough to do it calmly.”
Seeing that he regarded Xiuchun Dao so highly, Tang Fan smiled and said, "I thought you were using a sword, or a soft sword, but I didn't expect it to be a sword."
Although Eunuch Wang is feminine on the outside, he is extremely arrogant on the inside. Many eunuchs would rather stay in a corner of the palace to fight for power and profit, but he would rather go far away from the fortress. This kind of vision alone is a lot higher, and it is no wonder that he likes murderous people. Embroidered spring knife.
Wang Zhi chuckled: "The sword is for a gentleman, and this gentleman is a villain, so naturally he uses a knife!"
He claimed that he was a villain, but he also dragged Suizhou into the water. When he said this, wouldn't he be saying that all the people who use knives in the world are villains
Tang Fan laughed and laughed.
Fortunately, Suizhou is not the kind of person who likes to play tricks. Otherwise, the two people are not compatible, and they would have fought long ago. Where can there be a moment of peace
At this moment, when Uncle Sui heard Wang Zhi's words, he just gave him a cold look and continued to remain silent.
This "too lazy to talk to you, disdain to quarrel with you" attitude made Wang Zhida bored, pouted, got up and patted the dust on his body, and said "how did you endure this guy" to Tang Fan and walked away Talk to Wei Mao about something.
After Wang Zhi left, Sui Zhou raised his head with a solemn expression.
Tang Fan thought he was going to talk about Wang Zhi, but who knew that the other party said, "It's been too calm along the way, there will be monsters when things go wrong."
"Actually, I've always wondered, if there really is a formation at the foot of the mountain, under what conditions will this formation be activated? According to Shen Gui's description and Meng Cun's description, whenever the formation is activated, the sky and the earth will change color. , flying sand and stone, but I don't believe that Li Zilong really has such ability, if there is, he doesn't have to pretend to be a ghost to hide and run to the desert to defect to the Tartars."
In the case of two people getting along alone, Tang Fan can freely say some of his own guesses without being suspected of shaking the military's heart.
Sui Zhou nodded: "I'm also surprised, Shen Gui only said it was a formation, and he didn't know what the formation looked like, and Meng Cun's descriptions were too vague, so it's hard to combine the two."
Tang Fan smiled, then got closer to Suizhou, and said in a voice that only two people could hear: "I have a feeling that among us, there is probably an inner response from the White Lotus Sect."
The other party's warm breath sprayed on the auricle, causing Sui Zhou's ears to itch slightly.
This subtle feeling even penetrated through the skin and spread to the bottom of my heart.
From the perspective of others, the backs of the two were so close together that they almost touched their heads.
Tang Fan looked at his rare shaking, and said worriedly, "What's wrong?"
Suizhou: "Nothing, who do you think it is?"
Tang Fan: "If I said it was Miss Du, would you believe it?"
Suizhou: "I believe it."
Tang Fan chuckled lightly and said, "I thought you would at least hesitate for a while because of the affection for you."
Sui Zhou said lightly: "My affection has already been given to others, and there is no extra to give to the second one."
It was the first time that Tang Fan heard him admit that he had someone in his heart, and he couldn't help being surprised: "Do you have a crush? Which girl is it, have I seen it before?"
Sui Zhou gave him a meaningful look: "You have seen it too."
Tang Fan never admitted that he heard the news, his first reaction was not happiness, but mixed feelings.
However, he didn't show any signs on his face, he only joked: "Does he look good?"
Suizhou: "It looks good."
Such an unhesitating tone...
Tang Fan twitched the corners of his mouth, but he really didn't see it, Uncle Sui, who usually had a cold face, was actually still a lover.
"Better than Miss Du and Qiao's cousin?" Tang Fan was curious.
"Well, they are prettier than them."
Tang Fan looked confused: "Have I really seen it before? If it is such an outstanding beauty, it makes no sense that I won't remember it!"
Sui Zhou hooked his lips: "He actually knows my affection for him in his heart, but he just refuses to face it and admit it."
Tang Fan concealed the strange feeling in his heart and teased, "Ganqing is still a shy beauty?"
Suizhou: "Well, shy. Like you, I love to eat."
Tang Fan: "..."
Suizhou: "What's wrong?"
Tang Fan: "Could it be that you're... having a crush on A-Dong?"
Suizhou: "...What makes you think so?"
Tang Fan: "I love to eat, and she's a woman. I've seen it before, but it seems that A-Dong is the only one."
Rao was as calm as Suizhou, and his face couldn't help twitching slightly.
After a long while, he could only say one sentence: "It's not A-Dong."
"Ah? Who could that be?" Master Tang fell into deep thought.
"The tent is not enough to live alone, you can stay with me at night." Sui Zhou patted his waist lightly, not asking, but confirming.
"Well... OK." Tang Fan replied absentmindedly, still stuck in the previous question.
Seeing this, Sui Zhou couldn't help but sighed in his heart.
Thin water flows, moisturizing things silently, it seems to be divided into objects!
In the outskirts, everyone ate casually, and no one took the time to catch fish in the lake, but ate some dry food with boiled water.
Some people think that the dry food is too dry, so they soak it in water.
But Du Guier is not used to it. She grew up without food and clothing since she was a child. She has never eaten such simple food. Looking at the dry food in his hand, his expression was also a little tangled.
Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of her.
On the other side's palm is a handful of dried red dates.
Du Gui'er's eyes lit up.
This is her favorite snack on weekdays, but she forgot to bring it when she came out this time.
Looking at the person sitting next to him, Du Gui'er thanked him and took a few.
"Thank you, Mr. Tang."
"Take it all, I have a lot, it's okay, are you not used to eating dry food?" Tang Fan said gently.
"Yeah," Du Gui'er was a little embarrassed, "it seems that I am too squeamish."
"What's so squeamish, a woman like you is already amazing." Tang Fan laughed, and then lowered his voice: "To tell you the truth, I'm not used to this, so I brought some others."
He took out a small bag wrapped in a handkerchief from his arms like a juggler and handed it over.
Du Gui'er opened it and said in surprise, "Preserved apricots, almonds, walnuts?"
These are the little girl's favorite snacks. She didn't expect Tang Fan to carry these on her body.
Tang Fan put the small bag in her hand: "I still have it, you can take it."
"You also like to eat this?" She asked Tang Fan sideways.
"Yeah, I usually just grab a handful and stuff it in my mouth when I have nothing to do. I'm especially hungry when I'm thinking about things, so I don't have to be afraid of carrying these things around." Tang Fan laughed.
With these snacks, the distance between the two suddenly narrowed a lot.
Du Gui'er's knowledge of Tang Fan actually only stopped at the few encounters in the drugstore. After this contact, he realized that Tang Fan is also a very interesting person.
"It's no wonder that someone like Big Brother Sui attracts you as a best friend!" She pursed her lips and smiled.
"A person like that?" Tang Fan seemed to be very curious about Sui Zhou in her eyes.
"Big Brother Sui's temperament is a little colder, and he doesn't talk much. Ordinary people may be scared away quickly when he approaches, so I was very curious when I first saw that he was so nervous about you." Du Gui'er be honest.
"Actually, he's not too difficult to approach, he's just cold-faced and warm-hearted." Tang Fan laughed.
Du Gui'er stuck out her tongue, showing a playful look: "Yeah, but at first glance, it's still very inhumane, and it makes people feel down from the bottom of my heart, how dare you get in touch more?"
"That's why my friend hasn't gotten married yet. If you know a good girl in a waiting room, please help me see each other, so that he won't be left alone for the rest of his life!" Tang Fan joked.
Du Gui'er's face turned red, but she still shook her head: "You misunderstood, I'm afraid Big Brother Sui already has his heart."
Tang Fan felt depressed when he heard it, why does it seem like everyone in the world knows that Suizhou has a heart, but he alone doesn't
"Really, which girl did he see?"
"I don't know, it's just the feeling of being a woman, but you have such a good relationship with Big Brother Sui, why don't you ask him directly?" Du Gui'er smiled.
In fact, when she knew that Suizhou might already have an interest in someone, she was not disappointed. That feeling was equivalent to "I have finally found someone I liked after all these years, but they already have the master." However, Du Gui It's just a good impression of Suizhou, it's not about how deep the affection is, the loss is the loss, and it's not to the point of being at a loss.
Tang Fan shook his head: "His boring gourd, if only he would say it."
Du Gui'er thought for a while: "Then he must have something to hide, maybe it's not good to tell you directly?"
Unspeakable
It's not good to say it directly
Tang Fan pondered Du Gui'er's words, and was shocked.
Is it...
Could it be that Guangchuan was interested in his sister Tang Yu