fluttering night wind

A dozen miles to the north of Pengcheng is an ancient river channel. The river has dried up for thousands of years, leaving behind pebble-strewn tidal flats.Xu Kuang's camp is here.In the past few days, a rare guest has come to the camp.

In the leather tent that can accommodate 20 people, there are tallow butter candles burning. Although it is early winter, the tent is as warm as spring. In the middle of the night, Xu Kuang is sitting on a rattan chair in full armor Rin, it reminds people of the sadness and vicissitudes of the phrase "the general never takes off his golden armor at night, but the iron clothes of the general guard are cold".A thick wolf fur mattress was spread in the depths of the tent, and on the mattress lay a barbarian boy, wearing a silk robe with a coiled collar on the left lapel, and a three-inch-long white fox fur on the cuff of the narrow sleeve, revealing a section of creamy white hair. Wrist, playing marbles on the mattress.

He closed one eye and opened the other, and the open eye was the color of the blue sky, he concentrated on aiming at a glass marble not far in front of him, and with a flick in his hand, the marble rolled straight down After getting off the mattress, Didiyo rolled on the frozen loess ground, and finally stopped under Xu Kuang's chair.

The boy sat up cross-legged with an ouch.Xu Kuang was expressionless, coughed and said, "Young Master, the last general..."

Xiao Yu, Marquis of Annan, and Xiao Yuanyu got up and sat cross-legged, and said with a smile, "General Xu, why don't you withdraw your troops, I have already shown you the military talisman of this Marquis."

Xu Kuang looked troubled, pondered for a long time and said, "Marquis Annan, is this what His Majesty meant?"

Xiao Yu waved his hands again and again and said impatiently: "The general's orders abroad are not acceptable. How many times do you want me to tell you?"

Xu Kuang clenched his teeth, and said a sentence: "Then Shumo will not be able to accept orders."

Xiao Yu stood up from the mattress quickly when she heard the words, her feet were bare under the robe, her insteps were as white as jade, and her toes were pink like petals. She sneered and said, "Is my tiger talisman fake? Or do you want to resist?" Comply?"

Xu Kuang shook his head, "Neither of them. The man who lost his way at the end of the road, the lonely minister of thousands of miles, was rescued by the emperor. Fortunately, he spared his life and entrusted him with a heavy responsibility. He really has the grace of rebirth. He will never dare to disobey the emperor's order. Marquis Annan knows why the minister is desperate. Want to capture Xuzhou City? If the front line of Xuzhou cannot be opened, General Zhu Guo will have no way to return to the army, and 10,000+ Dayan soldiers will be stranded in the south of the Yangtze River. What should we do if there is a change?"

The General Zhu Guo he was talking about was Xiao Yuanzao, Xiao Yu's father.Hearing what he said, Xiao Yu slowly got off the mattress and said, "Since you came from Xiangyang, you should also go back from Xiangyang when you go back. As long as the conditions are negotiated, there is nothing wrong with that old fox Mencius You. If If there is really no agreement, just go back by sea. General Zhu Guo has the ability to lead the troops out, so he will have the ability to lead the troops back." He spoke fluent Southern Dynasty dialect, and his tone was completely matter-of-fact, without any intention of favoritism. The sternness was beyond his appearance and age, even Xu Kuang's teeth felt cold when he heard it.

He walked to the middle of the tent, and the unique and strange blood showed the extraordinary origin of this barbarian boy. By the candlelight, his face became whiter than jade, his eyes were as deep as the sea, and he was really young and charming. Xu Kuang looked I was startled, and unconsciously thought of a sentence: People who are not of my race must have different hearts.

Xiao Yu then changed his tone and said with a smile: "General Xu, I know that this expedition to Xuzhou was definitely not your intention, but someone behind your back. You are new to our dynasty and eager to make contributions. Sage and benevolent, with insight into the fire, even more of the style of the ancient gentleman, enter people with courtesy, retreat with courtesy, everything will come naturally, don't worry too much."

Xu Kuang was shocked, and quickly got up to worship, but was blocked by Xiao Yu's arm. The young man's bones were delicate and slender, but he was full of internal energy, so Xu Kuang couldn't make his wish.He only heard him say: "General Xu, I'm afraid that if you stay here any longer, it will be a waste of time. The so-called daggers won't accomplish anything, and your father will be in danger in Youzhou."

Xu Kuang was quite in awe of this young man at this time, he couldn't help but wonder: "There is no enemy in the north, so why is it dangerous?"

Xiao Yu stood up straight, cast his eyes outside the tent, the black pupils in the deep blue eyes became more and more bright, and there was a trace of sadness in his voice, and said: "I can't explain, there is always such worry. That person from Xuzhou, beyond I imagined. As soon as Yang Nandang arrives, Lu Zhe from Zhongzhou must be coming soon. You people have been fighting for a long time, and your soldiers are exhausted. It is difficult to resist. And Xuzhou is only a hundred miles away from Youzhou. The soldiers of Youzhou I told you to bring it out, and if you make a mistake, the consequences will be disastrous."

Xu Kuang thought it was unbelievable at the time, but after only a few days, he had to withdraw northward hastily as he said.

At the end of October in the first year of Jingning, under the leadership of Lu Zhe, 1 soldiers from Zhongzhou went north to Cangshan to help Xuzhou.A tribe in the Eastern Hu Xianbei was defeated by the Murong family and fled into the desert. At this time, they raised an army to fight for it and approached the city of Youzhou.Emperor Yan Murongde personally led the guards to defend the city, and killed the leader with an arrow. As soon as the rebels left, Xuzhou General Bai Yansheng led [-] people and appeared under the city of Youzhou overnight without anyone noticing.

In December of the first year of Jingning, General Lu Che of Zhongzhou joined Xuzhou soldiers who had withdrawn from Youzhou after letting go of the Xianbei soldiers who fled north.

In the vast sky, the mountains and rivers are thousands of miles away, once the two best friends meet again on the battlefield, they suddenly feel that life is short, and the glory is vain, and they cannot be relied on.Seeing Yang Nandang, the leader of the army, approaching, Lu Che hurriedly stopped his horse and bridles, he had a thousand words to share with him, but unexpectedly Yang Nandang didn't even look at him, and went right in front of him.

A young general who followed Yang Nandang couldn't see it, so he came to salute immediately, claiming that his name was Bai Yanfeng, and he was the younger brother of General Xuzhou.

Lu Che looked left and right, but there was no sign of General Xuzhou. The young general explained that there were other arrangements, and he would talk about it when he returned to Xuzhou City.

Lu Che waited until he had a nap at noon before he had no choice but to leave the camp. There was a figure of a man and a horse on the high hill to the east, and he was ecstatic when he saw it from a distance.When he got to the front, he saw that it was Yang Nandang, who was about to run over, but he heard the other party shout softly: "Stop!"

Lu Che was startled, and raised his eyes to see Yang Nan's gloomy expression. He couldn't help but look up and down, and even his voice trembled: "Xiao Nan, did you suffer in Yongjing Prison? Did Duan Hui and Emperor Dog make things difficult for you?"

Yang Nandang shook his head slowly, staring at his close friend with serious eyes, and asked, "A Zhe, why didn't you send troops?"

Lu Che took a step forward, looking at him hungrily, wishing to imprint his image in his heart: "I don't want to be manipulated by dogs and thieves. Besides, if I send troops, it will be bad for you. Only in this way can I blackmail Duan Hui to keep you life."

Unexpectedly, Yang Nandang yelled: "Shut up! I would rather die and be hacked into pieces than see the barbarians trample on our land!"

After he said this, the tears could no longer be restrained and rolled down.

Lu Che was silent for a while, and his feet stopped.

Yang Nandang yelled angrily: "With just one thought, how many families have lost their wives and children, and the country has been destroyed? A yellow-mouthed child is worse! You have lost your bottom line and become like Meng Ye and Meng Ziyou! Lu Che, I misjudged you!"

After he finished speaking, he took his sleeves and wiped his tears fiercely, while leading the horse and walking quickly back. When he got to the bottom of the high hill, he heard a faint sentence from the north wind:

"Xiao Nan, my bottom line is you!"

===========

Youzhou was called Yuyang in ancient times. Since the founding of the Xia Dynasty, it has been an important military town, transportation hub and commercial city in the north.Chongming was besieged by the Xianbei army in the 13th year. In the 14th year, the prefect Xu Kuang surrendered the city and entered the territory of Dayan.

In the twelfth lunar month of the first year of Jingning, Xu Kuang failed to conquer Pengcheng, and led the remnants of 4 troops back to Youzhou.Different from Pengcheng's city walls rammed with loess bricks, Youzhou's city walls are mostly made of stone, with different sizes, protruding edges and corners, and weeds growing in some places. Foreign soldiers in leather armor and hats walk back and forth on the top of the city. , From a distance, I could smell the smell of cattle and sheep in the air.

"Hmph, a barbarian is a barbarian."

Meng Ziying looked up.He changed his face, his face was yellow and black, and he was wearing a rough jacket. He followed a leather goods car into Youzhou City, bid farewell to the driver in the outer city, and went straight into this city known as the North Gate Lock and Key. city.

The streets in Youzhou are all wide and long, shaped like a chessboard, but the houses on both sides are very low, and two-story buildings are rarely seen. Although it has been captured by Xianbei for more than a year, there are not many Hu people in the city. Looking east and west, I walked into an alley unknowingly.Although it was not long after noon at this time, the sky was dark, indicating that a snowstorm was coming.In the alley, there are several large poplar trees that are common in the north. Under the tree, there is a noodle stall, emitting white steam. The stall owner is a Han Chinese in his 50s and [-]s. He wears brown cloth boots and a straw rope around his waist. How tall the wall is, smoking a dry pipe boredly, seeing him yelling repeatedly: "Brother, brother, come and eat a bowl of noodles."

Mencius Ying happily went. He hadn't touched his teeth since he secretly left the Xuzhou army for a day and a night.

The man has a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, his face is full of wind and frost, his hair is slightly brown, and he wears a broken felt hat. He quickly rolls out the noodles and cuts them. He opens the large pot next to him, shakes the noodles in, and waits for the noodles to float. , while messing with Mencius Ying.Meng Ziying learned from his words that when Xu Kuang came back a few days ago, the curfew was lifted in the city yesterday, and the emperor also issued an order, and the Hu Zheng who invaded the south returned to their teachers one after another.

When Meng Ziying heard him talking about the emperor, she was taken aback for a moment before realizing that he was talking about the emperor of the Xianbei people.He looked at the emerald green scallions in Chu Hua's pottery bowl, held his chopsticks and thought about what he had seen and heard in the past half a day. Not a bad reputation.

He was lowering his head to eat noodles, when he heard a "squeak" sound from the door, a white door opened on the wall against which the big man was leaning, and a middle-aged nun in a monk's robe came out, holding a blue flower bowl in her hand, and rushed to the big man. Said: "Boss, put less onion and garlic in a bowl of plain noodles."

"Here we come." Seeing that there was another business, the big man immediately became full of energy and got busy.While the female nun was standing by the door waiting for noodles, Mencius raised her head and slipped a glance. It turned out to be the back door of the nunnery, where the flowers and trees were scattered, and the sound of wooden fish and singing scriptures could be vaguely heard.The nun said: "Boss, there was a curfew a few days ago. Our master hasn't eaten your noodles for a long time. He always said that your noodles are still strong."

There was a smile in the eyes of the big man in an instant, he rubbed the dough in his hand vigorously and grinned: "Thank you, Mrs. Tai, for taking care of the business, as long as you like it."

After a while, the steaming bowl of noodles was ready, and the nun closed the back door again with the bowl in her hand.Meng Ziying also finished eating at this time, threw a few copper coins, asked the direction of Qinghua Street, and went there pretending to have fun and gain knowledge.

Regardless of north, south, east, west, where there are people, there is sensual entertainment.Mencius Ying went to the place called West City by the population of Youzhou, but saw that there were rows of bungalows living next to each other in a very vast place, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves of every house, there were mixed Chinese and barbarians, and most of the girls and boys were dressed in silk and satin. Clothes are not bad at all.He found a big and lively family, trampled on the beams of the house, and searched everywhere.

The house is a typical quadrangle courtyard in the north. In the courtyard, there are two chapters of osmanthus trees, embracing the sky, blooming with the wind, and the porch eaves are all red windows. The main house is just north, and the lights and candles in the house are shining like heaps of brocades.The two Han people on the seat seemed to be one man and one martial artist, with Wu as the leader, each holding a demon concubine, playing and singing softly, talking drunkenly, but smiling.From time to time, there are three or five beautiful maidservants who drink and cook tea, and the mountains and seas are precious.After drinking for three rounds, the scholar waved his hand, Qunfang closed the door and left, leaving only two people in the room.The two of them changed their drunkenness and leaned closer to whispering.One person said: "If it wasn't for the remnants of Donghu making trouble this time, the emperor's success is on the verge of failure, otherwise we really want to take down the Southern Dynasty to see."

One person said with a frown: "General Xiao is still in Xiangyang, General Xu has not taken Pengcheng, and he came back in defeat. I'm afraid the emperor will blame him." "Don't worry, brother, Marquis Annan has already tried his best to protect General Xu in front of the emperor."

The warrior seemed to have concerns, he hesitated and said: "I don't know, this is the first time I know Marquis Annan, are those rumors true or false? Said that he is the emperor's illegitimate son."

The scribe smiled knowingly and said: "Ninety-nine are inseparable. Can't you hear him? He keeps calling his father and father affectionately. He was away a few years ago because he committed a heinous crime. The emperor asked him to go out to hide from the disaster." went."

"What heinous crime?"

The man had known about this questioning, so he lowered his voice and said: "The old emperor was when the previous Khan was still around. The crown prince was a dog and a pig. Anyone in the tribe who was good-looking would have his fingers and bullied General Xiao." He was only about ten years old at the time, and he chopped off the prince's dog's head with a knife, which made the old emperor so angry that he wanted to kill General Xiao's family. He was still the prince of Zhongshan at that time, and he tried his best to protect the prince. Xiao Yuanzao sent him overseas and got a surrogate to die, the old emperor still couldn't calm down, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and turn the world upside down today, and he became the Ninth Five-Year Supreme to end this disaster."

The warrior was dumbfounded: "So, it is thanks to him that I am enthroned today."

The scribe nodded with a half-smile, and was about to say something, when someone behind him asked, "What do you think Marquis Annan looks like?"

Both of them turned their heads together to see that there was a third person in the room at some point, and when he was about to shout out, he was hit by something suddenly, his whole body was shaken, and he couldn't move a single bit.

Meng Ziying jumped forward, picked up a meat-cutting knife on the table and forced it on the warrior's neck, shook out a piece of oiled paper from his arms, and said to the scribe, "Is that what Marquis Annan is like?"

The scribe shivered, looked for a long time before focusing his eyes on the oiled paper, and looked at it for a while before saying: "Yes, yes."

Meng Ziying then asked about the mansion of Marquis Annan, put away the knife, and smiled at the two of them, "I'm sorry to disturb Yaxing. After half an hour, the acupoints will heal themselves, and you two can continue."

He left the West Market, turned northward, and found a large mansion in a short time. The wall enclosed half the street, tall trees and deep alleys, and two big stone lions at the entrance. It was unknown which rich man's mansion was requisitioned.In the middle of the night, a group of people and horses came from the entrance of the alley, and when they reached the screen wall, all the horsemen got off the ground one after another, only one person rode to the door, threw his whip, and walked leisurely into Annanhou's mansion with his hands behind his back.

The heavy snow finally came up one after another.Xiao Yu wore a mink cap on his head, a floral brocade robe with narrow sleeves, a rhinoceros jade belt around his waist, and felt shoes on his feet. When he entered the inner room, he first untied the scimitar hanging from the belt, and then spread it on the bed, surrounded by maidservants. When they entered, they were all dressed as Hu people. A young boy twisted a hot towel from a copper basin to wipe his face and hands. Unexpectedly, he held a whip with both hands to cool the horse for a long time in the snowy night, and refused to reach in. In the hot water basin, he burrowed straight into the arms of the maid instead.

The little maid knocked off his hands with a "slap", stared and said: "It's as cold as a ghost's hand, come and grab someone's arm by force."

Xiao Yu smiled at Gu Liren and said, "Good sister, let me warm your hands."

The little maid was ashamed and angry, an older one, who seemed to be the leader, came over to take her hot towel, and wiped Xiao Yu's face, only to hear Xiao Yu call her "Nurse", and dared not do anything wrong again.

After the service was done, all the people went down again, Xiao Yu turned to the corner and said, "Come out."A figure came out from behind the embroidered curtain hanging in the inner room. Although it was easy to recognize, he recognized it at a glance: "General Meng, thank you for finding this place."

Meng Ziying looked at him expressionlessly: "Should I call you A Rong, or should I call you Marquis Annan, Xiao Yu." He had seen from the beginning that this barbarian boy was extraordinary, and he didn't want him to stay by Bai Yansheng's side. I really mistake Kou Qiu as a friend.

Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows and shrugged, "As you please."

Meng Ziying threw two arrows from his sleeve at his feet, one was left by the person who attacked the county magistrate in Linxi, and the other was the arrow that shot Chen Yuanda under the city of Yongjing. The arrow was pure black with barbs At first glance, it was different from ordinary feathered arrows. Mencius asked: "In addition to the arrow shot at Xu Kuang at the top of Xuzhou City, these three arrows were all made by your people?"

Xiao Yu didn't even look at it, but changed his posture on the bed, supported his chest with one hand, nodded and said: "I shot the last two arrows. The arrow in Linxi was made by my people." Although the assassination method is despicable, it is It's a good low-cost solution.

Hearing his confession, Meng Ziying gritted her teeth with hatred, her eyes were red, and she threw a rusty arrow from her sleeve, which looked older, and said: "This is the ninth year of Chongming, shot at the head of Xiangyang city. My master's arrow, who shot it?"

Xiao Yu glanced at the ground this time, and said: "I was too young at that time, and Emperor Yan's personal guards were not under my control. You can count it on me as well."

Meng Ziying was waiting for his words, and she couldn't help but pull out the dragon-subduing whip from her arms, and yanked it towards the hu bed. After a loud noise, the boxwood hu bed was split into two.The palm wind hit, Xiao Yu did not hold back on his own territory this time, and exerted all his strength.

The two fought from the house to the courtyard, the huge movement startled the guards of the Hou Mansion, and not long after, about 200 people rushed in and surrounded them.Someone opened his bow and drew an arrow, but was quietly stopped by the person next to him, and said softly: "Master Hou said he was alive."

Mencius felt a little bit regretful when he was up and down, he was impatient and mishandled it, he was afraid that it would be difficult to be kind, so he wanted to avenge his master with all his might, but when he heard this sentence, his heart skipped a beat.

While fighting with him, Xiao Yu said with a long smile, "Meng Ziying, you have thrown yourself into a trap. My father is negotiating with Mencius You in Xiangyang. With you in hand, the chances of winning will be higher."

Meng Ziying swung his whip "overwhelming mountains and seas", a silver light flashed in front of everyone's eyes, and the people had disappeared.

Xiao Yu flicked his sleeves, glanced coldly around, the guards immediately retreated in an orderly manner, the torches flickered for a moment, and the clanging sound of the armor permeated the cold night.

The bright moon rose in the east, and the heavy snow soon accumulated more than three inches deep, covering the tracks. Xiao Yu was patrolling the street, and the snowflakes fell on his golden armor, spreading a thin layer. After the crime, he went out of the city and lived in the military camp. He returned to the city late today and did not bring Emperor Yan's personal guards. The mansion in the mansion is very contemptible, and Xu Kuang's defenders are inconvenient to be alarmed. I am afraid that Mencius Ying escape.

When he was hesitating, a rider came to report, and found footprints ahead.Xiao Yu frowned and said, "Have everyone searched?"

The man was obedient and didn't dare to speak, and it took a long time before he said, "I'm going to Lan Ruo'an."

Xiao Yu's complexion changed a few times in an instant, he slammed the horse's butt, and even galloped past him.

Mencius Yingxue ran for a while without knowing the direction, and suddenly saw a fire in front of her, so she sneaked over, gently lifted the roof tiles, glanced down, and couldn't help being stunned.A middle-aged nun was kneeling in the middle of the house, holding a string of beads in her hand, and was silently reciting the Heart Sutra.Looking around, isn't this the nunnery where I ate a bowl of noodles outside its door in the afternoon.

He heard the sound of treading snow coming from the street in the distance, so he had no time to think about jumping down from the nunnery.The nun was chanting scriptures in the middle of the night and suddenly a man fell from the roof beam, which really shocked her dumbfounded.Mencius stepped forward and tapped her dumb acupoint, and said softly: "Master, I have offended you. The monks are merciful. The dog outside is catching me. I would like to ask you to take advantage of it. If it is possible, please give me some help." Head, if it is inconvenient, the teacher will shake his head, and I will leave immediately, and I will not make more troubles. Is that okay?"

The nun looked at him for a moment, but Meng Ziying felt her heart pounding. Seeing that the other party finally nodded, she couldn't help exhaling, and stretched out her fingers to release her dumb acupoint.

The nun looked at him with kindness and kindness, and looked at him with pity. She pointed to the Avalokitesvara Buddha statue behind Mencius Ying and said simply: "There is room behind the Buddha statue."

Meng Ziying glanced at her gratefully and walked over.Just as he was holding his breath, he heard heavy footsteps outside.

Xiao Yu left the guards in the courtyard, walked quickly into the Buddhist hall, and saw the nun kneeling on the futon reciting sutras with her eyes closed, at a loss, she said softly after a long time: "Mother, Ah Rong is here."

Meng Ziying almost screamed when she heard the words behind the Buddha statue.

The nun turned a blind eye to the Buddhist beads in her hand, and said: "In the middle of the night, what's Xiao Tanyue doing to enter with armor?"

Xiao Yu looked at her greedily, and there was a trace of attachment in her voice: "Mother, they say you stay up all night, so it's true."

The nun suddenly opened her eyes and shouted: "Xiao Tanyue! There is no mother here!"

Xiao Yu was so frightened that he took a small step back, bowed his head in front of his elders like a child who had done something wrong, and murmured: "Master, I've offended you, I'm chasing a Southern Dynasty man, a man in his early twenties, Wear short clothes..." Before he finished speaking, the nun cut him off and said, "I am Amitabha, this is a nunnery, where did this man come from?"

This gorgeous and enchanting barbarian boy touched his nose and flattered him: "It would be better if you didn't come. Master, it's snowing heavily outside, you'd better rest early."

The nun ignored him and just chanted scriptures.

Xiao Yu stayed for a while, feeling bored, turned around and walked out of the courtyard, first ordered the guards to retreat outside the nunnery, and when everyone had finished walking, he stood in the courtyard, not knowing whether to leave or stay, it was just such a dazed effort, A figure flew out from behind the statue of Avalokitesvara made of clay and wood, the light of the silver whip flashed, and the figure was tied up by the throat and held in his hand.

Xiao Yu turned around and drew the knife in his hand, seeing clearly in front of him, regret and resentment at the same time, his voice was colder than the ice edge hanging under the eaves: "Mother, do you still remember the story of the Zhongshan wolf that I told me when I was young?" Is it? To be kind to your enemies is to be cruel to yourself.”

The nun was pinched by Meng Ziying, unable to speak, her face was pale, but there was not much emotion in her eyes.

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