The first snow leaves Chang'an, and thousands of families build jade bricks.
In the afternoon when the plum blossoms melted and the snow melted, Li Jinglong and Hong Jun came to the garden of the Ministry of War. Amidst the fragrance of plum blossoms, several ministers were sitting around drinking tea. The attendees were Shangshu Wen You of the Ministry of Justice, a third-rank purple-robed official, and Prince Li Heng. On the main seat, when he saw Li Jinglong, he nodded slightly and said, "Jinglong, Hongjun, sit down."
"... This is the fourth military report received this month."
The green tea was poured into the bowl, Wen You, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, handed the tea bowl to Li Jinglong, and Li Jinglong passed it to Hong Jun. Hong Jun was still reading what Qingxiong had said, feeling a little gloomy with Chongming's departure last night.
The person sitting under the crown prince was a senior official wearing a purple robe and gold ribbon, but Li Jinglong knew it. When his boss Hu Sheng saw him, he couldn't help but bowed his head and bowed respectfully. It was Fan Shen, Minister of the Ministry of War.
"Ganzhou, Yizhou, and Shazhou were raided every time at night, and the land they passed was left in ruins." Fan Shen also said, "Whether old or young, women or children, they will be killed. There are more than 100,000 dead. What the scouts in the Hexi army saw is hell on earth!"
Li Jinglong was shocked when he heard the words, and Hong Jun couldn't help being attracted. The scenery in the garden of the Ministry of War was beautiful in early winter, but the officials were discussing such a thrilling issue.
Li Jinglong frowned, and Wen You asked again: "Did General Ge Shuhan send troops to investigate?"
"Soldiers have been sent outside the Great Wall three times." Fan Shen replied, "I don't know whether it is the Huihe or the Turkic people who made the rebellion. Within a month, they slaughtered four cities in a row, and they came and went without a trace. General Ge Shuhan's investigation has been going on for a long time. It was freezing outside, and there was no clue at all."
"What does Jing Long think?" Li Heng said suddenly.
All the ministers looked towards Li Jinglong.
Li Jinglong knew that the prince summoned him, no matter what happened, he would definitely suspect that it had something to do with monsters. After hearing a few words, he roughly knew what he was saying, and said, "I take the liberty to ask you three questions."
No one present had a higher official rank than Li Jinglong, and everyone didn't believe in the supernatural powers and chaos, but the prince believed it, so he didn't say anything, but motioned for Li Jinglong to ask.
"One: What kind of weapons attacked the slaughtered soldiers in the city
"Second: What is the main direction of looting in the city? No one escaped from such a big city?!
"Third: What does the imperial court say about this matter?"
After Li Jinglong asked, the prince smiled and looked at everyone.
"This is exactly what we are worried about." Fan Shen said, "It is really impossible to explain... All the old and young women and children were killed, and the young and middle-aged soldiers in the city disappeared overnight without a trace."
Hong Jun: "???"
Hong Jun put down his teacup and began to think, this is not like what people do.
"The wealth and food in the city, all in Yingqiu, are innocent." Wen You said, "Dali Temple is completely puzzled by this, as for the imperial court..."
Wen You looked at Li Heng as if asking for help, Li Heng breathed slowly, but didn't answer.
"Other than that, is there any clue?" Li Jinglong asked.
"Other than that, there is no clue." Li Heng replied.
After an hour of incense sticks, Li Heng, Li Jinglong, and Hong Jun left the gate of the Ministry of War.
"Yang Xiangqin's army has returned to the court." Li Heng explained, "At present, the military newspaper is in his hands. One hundred thousand soldiers and civilians, say more or less, four cities have been destroyed, and it is still a big event at the border. There are many strange things about this matter, and they all think it is a case of looting by the Huihe army before the winter."
Li Jinglong took a deep breath, frowned and said: "It can't be the Huihe army. If it is the Huihe army, how can it be possible to not move the property in the city?"
"Do you think it has something to do with the demon?" Li Heng asked.
Hong Jun said: "I have to go to the local area to see it. It's hard to judge now."
Li Heng said: "We only have two and a half months, and the Huihe envoys will arrive in Chang'an in the spring. If the evidence is not obtained by then, I am afraid that the right minister will consider it and find an excuse to use troops against Huihe."
"Can Your Majesty agree?" Li Jinglong suddenly became nervous.
Li Heng just looked at Li Jinglong quietly, and Hong Jun felt a hint of danger.
Immediately, Li Heng nodded lightly, and said: "I thought it would be a great success, but I didn't expect... this time it's all dependent on you. By the way, how many subordinates do you have?"
Li Jinglong smiled wryly and said: "The demon king has been eliminated, they all have important responsibilities, and they have gone far away, leaving Hongjun to accompany them."
As Li Jinglong put his hand on Hongjun's shoulder, Li Heng was not surprised, but thoughtfully said: "It's the same."
"Someone will help you." Li Jinglong replied, "When the mountain is at the end of the river, the turning point is not far away."
"Isn't it you?" Li Heng smiled, "Here is a letter from me. When you arrive in Hexi, go to General Ge Shuhan first. Go and wait for your good news."
Hong Jun was baffled, and he was watching the two fight, and finally Li Heng got on his horse and left.
"What's the same?"
"His Royal Highness means that his situation is very similar to mine at the beginning. After many years of fighting abroad, Li Linfu finally fell and was able to return to Chang'an. Unexpectedly, there is now another opponent, Yang Guozhong."
Li Jinglong was packing his luggage in the room, while Hong Jun changed into a slim military uniform, carrying a burden on his back, squatting on the railing in the corridor to watch him.
"Datang and Huihe, once this knot cannot be untied." Li Jinglong took out his clothes, came out in a gust of wind, passed in front of Hong Jun, and said, "Yang Guozhong will try again to send His Royal Highness out."
It was the first time for Hong Junshang to hear Li Jinglong explain political struggle in this way, and he gradually understood the friction and contradictions between people, and in the end it was still about "power". Since ancient times, people's desires have been endless.
"So will they fight?" Hong Jun asked in surprise, "Then Yang Guozhong is rebelling?"
"He didn't dare." Li Jinglong couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry, "The Yang family just wants to survive."
Yang Guozhong is powerful now, but relying on his sister to be favored, he is domineering and has made many enemies in the court. After the fox demon case comes out, it will definitely have an impact on the Yang family. In the future, when Li Longji dies and Li Heng ascends the throne, the first thing he will do is to liquidate the Yang family.
So Yang Guozhong had to try to preserve the whole clan, and fell into a circle with the prince.
"So there may not be a fight with Huihe." Hong Jun said.
"Well." Li Jinglong took Panchuan, passed in front of Hongjun again, and said, "It may not be necessary to fight Huihe, but he can send the prince out again to guard Liangzhou. In this way, he can pull out his hand, Make arrangements in court."
Hong Jun learned a lot, and asked: "So if they fight, who are we helping?"
Li Jinglong: "..."
"Who else can you help besides the prince?" The carp demon couldn't stand it anymore, and said, "You are stupid, the world has changed, and if you don't help the real man, why are you helping the traitor? The Tang Dynasty is still alive! "
Hong Jun said: "But Concubine Yang Gui also gave me snacks..."
Li Jinglong supported his forehead, thinking that if one day Hongjun was coaxed by Concubine Yang to stab the prince with a throwing knife, the reason would be snacks, I don't know what the people in the world would think.
"The prince gave you Hetian Yuzhu back, why don't you say it?" Li Jinglong packed up his burden and said angrily.
The carp demon picked up a burden, jumped up the corridor, and said, "Both of you, I will bid farewell to you too..."
"No!" Li Jinglong said angrily without listening.
"Where are you going?" Hong Jun asked in surprise.
The carp demon was instructed by God Kun, and was very depressed for an hour and a quarter of an hour. Yusheng couldn't live like this every day, so he decided to save ninety-nine and eighty-one people.
"Now I have saved Concubine Yang Gui." The carp demon said, "I don't know if it counts, but let's start from the beginning with the next one."
Hong Jun said: "Just go on the road like this, and be careful to be caught cooking braised fish again."
The carp demon thought about it for a long time. When he went down the mountain with Hong Jun, he went to dig earthworms to eat, and was almost caught. Later, Hong Jun went to save him and brought him back. Acting alone was really too dangerous after much deliberation, so he had to give up.
"Then we can have three chapters of the agreement..."
Li Jinglong complained incessantly: "No one will restrict your freedom—go and get Lihun pollen!"
Hong Jun asked again: "Is Hexi fun? What's delicious?"
"Promise to take you there?" Li Jinglong said.
Hongjun: "!!!"
"Chang Shi!" Hong Jun shouted immediately, "I have packed all my bags, so you have the heart to leave me here alone?!"
Li Jinglong buried his head in folding his robe, and said, "You left home to Chang'an, didn't you come here alone?"
Hong Jun: "That's different!"
"Why is it different?" Li Jinglong's mouth curled up slightly, and he passed Hong Jun to find the document.
"I know you now, of course it's different." Hong Jun said, "How could you leave me behind? Look, I've packed everything!"
Hong Jun said, patting the burden.
Li Jinglong really thought about leaving him to watch the house in Chang'an. After all, no one knows if there will be monsters coming again. But leaving Hong Jun in the Exorcist Division, he was really worried. There is no one to take care of me on the way, the journey is far away, and we are very lonely.
"Then the two of us will have three chapters of agreement." Li Jinglong said, "First: You have to listen to me in everything outside."
"I've always listened to you." Hong Jun said blankly, "When didn't I listen to you?"
Li Jinglong pointed at Hongjun and said, "That's not necessarily...for example..."
Li Jinglong thought about it, but couldn't give an example. Now that I think about it, I find that Hong Jun is indeed the most obedient one. I have to say: "Second..."
Hong Jun jumped off the railing, reached out to pull Li Jinglong, and hurriedly said: "Chang Shi, tell me, I will do everything, take me with you!"
Li Jinglong looked at Hongjun and suddenly laughed. At that moment, he really wanted to hold him in his arms and rub him a few times.
He raised his hand subconsciously, but realized something, and stopped immediately.
"Don't talk about it." Li Jinglong said, "I will take you and pack your clothes. Hexi is very cold."
Hong Jun was not afraid of the cold, so he brought two more at Li Jinglong's insistence, so he was overjoyed, and stuffed the carp monster into his bag without any explanation, and got on his horse and set off.
Li Jinglong said: "Don't be too happy, this is a business trip, not to play."
Li Jinglong went to the West Market and bought some Jiangnan tea cakes, salt, rouge, etc., and went to the gold shop to buy a pearl hairpin and a piece of real silk, rolled into a palm size, and put it in the bag. Hongjun saw it Strange, asked: "Chang Shi, do you want to disguise yourself as a woman and go on the road? What do you do with rouge?"
"Changshi has been thinking about this for a long time." The carp demon said behind Hongjun, "No one will recognize you when you leave Chang'an, so you can feel at ease enchanting, am I right?"
The people in the market laughed wildly, Li Jinglong gritted his teeth and said: "Hongjun! If you hurt me again, I will go back to the Exorcist Division!"
Hong Jun hurriedly begged for forgiveness, Li Jinglong rode his horse and turned into an alley again, Hong Jun saw that this place looked very familiar, but it was the Chen family!
Hong Jun got off his horse in a hurry, Li Jinglong knocked on the door and went in to visit. The woman still came in with the baby in her arms and said, "Lieutenant Li? Are you here again?"
Li Jinglong replied: "I will send you some flowers."
The woman hurriedly declined, but Li Jinglong only insisted on handing her five gold ingots, a total of twelve taels, but the woman couldn't refuse, so she had to accept it gratefully.
"You've grown up." Hong Jun pinched the baby's hand. The baby was nearly ten months old and had teeth. He grabbed Hong Jun's finger and stuffed it into his mouth, biting it. Hong Jun hurriedly Said, "Let go... let go! It hurts!"
Li Jinglong talked and coaxed the baby to open his mouth, and said to the woman: "I'm on a business trip, and I'll come back to see you. Hongjun, let's go."
Hong Jun knew that he couldn't let go of the descendants of the Chen family because of his heart lamp, so he couldn't help being moved.
The two of them left Chang'an and headed north along the official road. Hong Jun had a great time riding a horse, and looked for a road that was not easy to run around.
Li Jinglong has been thinking since he left the Ministry of War, and turned to Hongjun and said: "Save your energy, you will be tired in a few hours!"
Hong Jun smiled and said: "You haven't told me what Liangzhou is like!"
Li Jinglong replied: "I don't know either! I have never been out of Chang'an in my life."
An hour later.
Hong Jun: "Have you arrived at the station?"
Li Jinglong replied: "It will take two hours before I leave Chang'an, and I haven't even passed Lishan."
Hong Jun started to get bored. Back then when he came down from the Taihang Mountains, everything was novel. Now that he knows a lot about the world, everything is no surprise. In the early winter season, the place as far as the eye can see is deserted. Besides rushing, you still have to hurry, and you have to shout at the top of your voice when talking to Li Jinglong, which is really boring.
Two hours later.
Li Jinglong rode a horse expressionlessly, with Hong Jun on his back. Hong Jun lay on Li Jinglong's back and fell asleep. Hong Jun carried a carp demon on his back. The carp demon's mouth remained motionless and was also sleeping.
Li Jinglong's horse carried two people and one fish, while Hong Jun's horse was completely empty and followed behind.
Li Jinglong: "..."
Three hours later.
Li Jinglong patted Hongjun behind him: "Hey, we're here!"
Hong Jun stretched with sleepy eyes, Li Jinglong got off the horse, rummaged through the documents, went to the post station to stay overnight, and made sure that he didn't go the wrong way. Hong Jun stood outside the station, looking around blankly. The official took his subordinates on a business trip, and the subordinates were supposed to take care of everything. Li Jinglong followed a handsome man, but instead he seemed to be serving a young master in fear. What kind of ostentation of shouting five, drinking six, dog legs clearing the way, it seems that there is no hope in this life.
"Young master." Li Jinglong said inside, "Come in for dinner, what are you doing standing outside?"
Hong Jun was refreshed when he heard the meal, and walked in quickly. The waiter at the post station first glanced at Li Jinglong, then at Hongjun, and said, "Master, please come inside."
"Two upper rooms." Li Jinglong said to Xiao Er.
"One is the upper room." Xiaoer said blankly.
Li Jinglong repeated: "Two for the room."
Xiao Er stretched out a finger and said, "Each post station has only one upper room, guard, do you want to live in the woodshed in the backyard?"
Hong Jun said: "It's okay, I'll sleep in the woodshed."
"Why does the young master sleep in the firewood room?" Xiaoer said, "Are there any rules in your family?"
Li Jinglong: "..."
Li Jinglong has never been out of Chang'an, so he didn't know that every inn along the official road had only one room. Even if the merchants in the past wanted to stay overnight, they would set up a screen in the hall where they drank and ate food and slept overnight. The upper house is still for wealthy businessmen holding Guan documents or officials who return to Chang'an to report on their duties.
"Forget it, let's sleep together." Li Jinglong saw that the upper room was considered clean and the couch was quite big, so he simply cleaned it up, let Hongjun sleep in it, found a basin of water, let the carp demon go in and soak, the carp On a sunny day, the whole fish was almost dry.
After busy work, after serving the young master, Li Jinglong lay down on his own, thinking that I was a young master at least in the past, why didn't I live a few days as a young master.
"Long History." Hong Jun said.
Li Jinglong replied: "Going out is different from being at home. Just deal with it and live first."
"I can not sleep."
Hong Jun was taken all the way by Li Jinglong during the day, and slept too much, so he was in high spirits at the moment. However, Li Jinglong has been highly nervous since Chongming came to ask for trouble last night, and many things happened in succession during the day, he just feels exhausted, and his eyelids feel heavy when his head hits the pillow.
"Hmm." Li Jinglong closed his eyes and said, "Then what are you going to do?"
"I think there are three possibilities for the monster in the north..."
"Say." Li Jinglong said succinctly, and his consciousness had begun to wander, Hong Jun said: "It is said that since the Shanhai era, there was a monster in the northwest called 'Hanba', which would cause severe drought for thousands of miles around, so most places in the West, It’s the desert…”
Li Jinglong remained silent, Hong Jun moved closer, and whispered: "Chang... Shi... are you asleep?"
When he was in Yaojin Palace, Hong Jun always liked to play tricks on Chongming when he was sleeping. After watching Li Jinglong for a long time, he thought of how to tease him. Li Jinglong had fallen into a deep sleep. Hong Jun observed for a while, and felt that his facial features were pretty, so he took a piece of paper and traced his face a few times.
Li Jinglong raised his hand to block Hong Jun's wrist, and Hong Jun went to look for the brush.
At night, the wilderness trees wither.
Mo Zhigen left Lishan Mountain and headed northward. After a full day of galloping, he came to the bank of the Yellow River.
This horse is as handsome as the wind, from dawn to dusk, he ran a full six hundred miles in one day.
"Do I have to go north again?" Mo Rigen sighed as his cloth clothes fluttered in the cold wind. The winter in the north was extremely cold. After leaving the Hulun Lake area, he had four choices. First, he went west to the Mobei area. Second, he went south to Suzhou and Hangzhou, and then to Nanyue. Fourth, enter Shu.
Qiu Yongsi agreed to help him inquire about the whereabouts of the white deer in the south, and Tigra paid attention to the Kurtai and Tianshan areas. The other two advised him that it is best to go north after spending the winter in Chang'an, so as to avoid the bitter cold in Mobei.
But waiting until the end of spring and beginning of summer next year is really too long, and I don't know what variables will appear in the meantime.
Mo Zhigen put away the exorcist officer's uniform carefully so as not to get dirty, and still wore the linen slim hunter's military uniform when he went south. After crossing the Yellow River, you have to buy another clothes in the town.
The Yellow River was about to freeze in the daytime, and Mo Zhigen took the horse and boarded the last ferry. When I was about to cross the river, I still reluctantly looked back at the land of the Central Plains in the south.
At night, Yulin County on the north bank was still brightly lit. Mo Zhigen couldn't help rubbing his hands and exhaling, and strode towards the fur shop. Mo Zhigen was tall, thin and handsome, leading a horse, which attracted the envy of many people on the street. line of sight. After a while, he changed into a leather jacket and came out, wearing a fox hat, and resumed his Shiwei male attire, looking more robust and handsome.
After Mo Zhigen changed into new clothes, he took out the finished leather mask from his bag and put it on his face to protect against the wind and snow. He looked at the street with bright eyes.
Tonight, he could only spend the night in Yulin. He put on his gloves and prepared to go to the city to find some wine to drink, but at this moment, a man rushed towards him along the street, with disheveled hair and yelling madly.
Mo Zhigen glanced sideways, stopped on his feet, and led the horse to the wine shop.
"Hey! Stop it!"
The lunatic fell into the snow outside the medicine hall, and another man chased after him, roaring, and snatched the scones from his hand.
The lunatic stole a scone and shook, and the man walked away cursing.
"Don't do business in the storefront!" shouted the boss, "Get out!"
The lunatic scrambled and fled to the side, muttering something, Mo Zhigen thought about it, took out some copper coins, and was about to buy him a cake, when suddenly he heard the lunatic whisper in the distance: " Ghost... ghost... ghost... where's the deer?... deer!"
Mo Zhigen's eyes behind the mask suddenly widened, and he turned and ran towards the lunatic.
The madman kept dodging, panting like a bellows.
Mo Zhigen knelt on one knee in the snow and asked in a low voice, "What did you just say?"
"This man is crazy!" The proprietress in the pharmacy poured a basin of water and went out, "He's from the northwest, he's crazy, and he was yelling that there are night ghosts on the Great Wall."
Mo Zhigen whispered: "What did you see? Don't be nervous."
The lunatic looked at Mo Zhigen in a daze, his eyes were loose, but his eyes were bright.
Mo Zhigen murmured the mantra in a low voice, crossed his palm, and slowly pressed it on the forehead of the madman, and the madman gradually calmed down from trembling.
The lunatic opened his eyes wide, and Mo Zhigen's reflection appeared in his bright eyes.
"It's okay." Mo Zhigen comforted in a low voice, "Don't be afraid."
Mo Zhigen looked through the clothes on the lunatic, and found a small iron plate in his close pocket.
The iron plate wrote: Tianshui School City Guard 273 Lu.
The proprietress of the medicine hall observed Mo Rigen, and when she saw the leather mask he was wearing, she suddenly let out a "huh".
"Hey, master, take a quick look, this is not what they said, the one outside the Great Wall..."
"Get up and follow me."
Mo Zhigen nodded to the proprietress of the pharmacy, picked up the lunatic, and led him away from the shop.