Chapter 42 "The road ahead may still be difficult, but when I think of you, I'm not afraid at all."
Xie Ci thought of his childhood friend Zhang Ningyuan, who was the good friend who secretly passed messages to him in secret codes on yellow notice paper after Xie Ci escaped from prison and went on a hunger strike to beg his uncle Zhang Shangshu to mediate for the women of the Xie family.
Zhang Ningyuan is a good person and has nothing to say to his friends, but he did something wrong when he was young and ignorant.
Zhang Ningyuan was a handsome man who loved to deal with all kinds of pretty girls. He was served by his sisters and other noble ladies as gentlemen, and was pursued by the big and small courtesans in the Eight Great Hutongs. He also met the daughters of wealthy families and beautiful girls from ordinary families. As long as the other party was willing, he would be happy to fall in love with them.
He often walked by the river and finally got his shoes wet. In the early winter of his sixteenth year, he really fell in love with a girl.
The girl's background wasn't auspicious; she was merely a daughter of a branch of a fifth-rank official family. Yet, she was brave and passionate, burning with all she had. At the height of their passion, Zhang Ningyuan personally informed his parents about her, kneeling in the ancestral hall for three days and nights, earning a body covered in wounds.
But he was the nephew of the Shangshu and the son of the Marquis of Xiangcheng. How could he marry the daughter of a small merchant who sold incense and paper?
Zhang Ningyuan's father was frail and bedridden all year round, and his mother was strong and supported the family. But after his father lost his temper that time, his condition took a turn for the worse and he was almost dead. His mother, who was so strong, fell ill and burst into tears.
As expected, Zhang Ningyuan finally couldn't hold on. He knelt in front of his parents' sickbed and compromised, vowing never to be with her again. From then on, marriage was only arranged by his parents and matchmaker.
He got engaged half a month later. The girl he was engaged to was well-known for her virtue and was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Ping.
Everyone thought that this incident was over, and Zhang Ningyuan had put it behind him. Whether it was Zhang Ningyuan in private or the Zhang family in public, they compensated the girl and her family a lot. In the end, everyone was happy. The family persuaded her earnestly and quickly arranged a marriage for the girl.
The marriage was good, the family was harmonious and the husband was ambitious, but the girl rushed out of the sedan chair on the way to her wedding, stood on the high railing of Tongji Bridge, turned over and jumped down.
She sacrificed her life for this unforgettable relationship.
Xie Ci suddenly panicked when he remembered Zhang Ningyuan's cheerful face, fanning himself and chatting. At that time, they were all like, "No, no, I didn't know. I didn't know it would be like this?"
I originally thought it was just a passing period of my youth, but who knew it would leave a mark on my life.
Xie Ci walked forward quickly.
He compared himself to Zhang Ningyuan and suddenly saw the light.
He finally figured it out, he loved her.
Unconsciously, it penetrates the soul.
I don’t know when I fell in love with it, maybe very early on.
Even the touching moment when the prison looked up left a memory that will never fade.
I just wasn't in the mood at the time.
"I find that every day is very clear." Every day and night I spent with her, the memories rotate, the world changes, whether it is sadness, sadness or moving, the heartbeat, they are all so vivid, "I have not forgotten them."
He is almost eighteen years old, and sixteen is the age of an adult. His eldest brother met his eldest sister-in-law at this age, his second brother met his eldest sister-in-law two years later, and even his father saved his mother and got engaged at this age.
The morning light gradually emerged, and a ray of morning sun pierced through the billowing smoke, casting a shadow on his hands and body. Xie Ci stopped in his tracks, tilted his head, and whispered, "I think I love her."
I want to live and die with her, and be together forever, no matter where we go.
Xie Ci finally figured it out. He chuckled softly, "The road ahead may still be difficult, but when I think of you, I'm not afraid at all."
Qin Ying couldn't help but laugh, "That's right."
Xie Ci's eyes were bright. He took a step back, bowed deeply to his second sister-in-law, then quickly stood up, walked quickly forward, and jumped onto the horse.
The stout black horse neighed and paced a few steps. He pulled the reins, sat on the horse with his tall and strong body straight. Xie Ci looked up at the neighing of horses and the scales of armor. The black mass extended to the end of the mountainside, and the golden swords and iron horses were endless.
Xie Ci held the reins tightly.
He thought that what he had to do now was to become stronger.
Only by becoming stronger can you protect the people you want to protect.
He had experienced the suffocating fear like last night twice, and he didn't want to experience it a third time in his life!
From a distance, Qin Guan nodded slightly at him.
Xie Ci nodded.
Several people communicated quickly, and the command flag was quickly waved, pointing to the northeast!
Xie Ci said loudly, "Fei Di Battalion and Bai Ling Battalion, listen to the order, target Ma Lian Road Crossing, advance at full speed!"
He turned the horse's head and galloped away.
The scaly-scaled flying cavalry and infantry armor quickly caught up in an instant.
With billowing smoke and dust, the earth shook and swept all the way to the northeast.
…
At this time, Gu Guan and Xun Xiao had already left the army and were galloping towards Guzang Mountain.
In the army, Qin Wenxuan followed her all the way, but her husband was as hard-hearted as iron. She followed Xun Xiao and never showed up. Gu Wan had no choice but to persuade her to go back. Gu Wan rode away, and when he looked back for the last time, the girl was still standing there with her horse's eyes wide open.
But now is not the time to discuss these issues.
Gu Guan pressed her helmet, circled left and right, and followed the cavalry all the way to a bend. Taking advantage of the sky, she rushed into the lush short woods and long grass, walked for a while, and quietly left the army.
After walking a little further, they finally saw Xun Xiao's back. He stopped his horse and stood on the grass under a big tree on a gentle slope. He had changed back into a gray cotton hooded cloak. When he heard the sound of horse hooves, he didn't turn back and threw a bundle on Gu Wan's head.
Gu Wan took it and opened it. It was a set of women's coat and trousers. He didn't know where he got it from. It was a bit damp and half-old. It was a dark red top with duck shit green trousers. What the hell is this combination?
Gu Guan crawled into the bushes and quickly changed her clothes. She packed her helmet, armor and other items into a big bag and hung it on the saddle. Then she kicked the horse's belly and spurred it forward. She found that Xun Xiao was looking down at a light indigo silk undergarment in his hand.
Gu Guan recognized it immediately; it was the one he'd used to provoke Xun Xiao. After he'd dealt with Huang Shiwei's guards, he'd wandered around looking for the skull and the undergarment. Fortunately, Gu Guan's identification confirmed the skull wasn't from a middle-aged woman, and he finally found the undergarment with the coiled-branch pattern embroidered around the collar and took it back.
The dirt and dust on the undergarment had been wiped off as much as possible, and the creases and damaged areas had been carefully smoothed out one by one. Gu Guan said "Let's go" and drove his horse forward. Xun Xiao lowered his head and carefully folded the undergarment, wrapped it in a piece of clean cotton cloth, and hung it in the bag behind the saddle.
Gu Wan asked cautiously: "Is that your mother's?"
Xun Xiao glanced at her and nodded.
The relationship between the two was indeed a little better than before. In the past, Xun Xiao would never have looked at this undergarment while waiting for her, and he didn't deliberately cover his hands and face now.
Gu Wan asked, "Is Luo Qian okay?"
"I got hurt a little, nothing serious."
After a brief conversation, the two of them rode their horses eastward and finally arrived at Guzang Mountain in the afternoon. They drove their horses up the winding and rugged mountains. When they reached the top of the mountain, they could see the undulating mountains of Guiyichuan in the distance.
March is coming to an end. The mountains and fields are covered with gray, and dark clouds are rolling in the sky. The late rain this spring is finally coming.
Looking north, beyond the towering mountain barrier, there lay the boundless grasslands, the home of the Northern Rong people. To the south, however, lay the winding, undulating mountain range. Standing here, they gazed down upon a winding mountain path that didn't lead to Guanzhong, but connected Longzhou with Xiangzhou and Suzhou in the rear.
On the mountaintop, their clothes fluttered in the wind. Xun Xiao finally said, "My mother was abducted and died on her way back to Suzhou."
This is where the accident happened.
Xun Xun was still to serve as the governor of Suzhou. His dynasty ruled the country with filial piety, a practice he had never repeated. Madam Pei's accident wasn't in Suzhou. Her natal family was in Longzhou. On her way back from visiting her parents, she was abducted and killed by bandits. To this day, Xun Xiao has not been able to find her body.
But she must have really died. Xun Xun didn't know that Xun Xiao was still alive, so he would definitely not set a trap for himself.
The reason why this matter was brought up today is because in addition to Luo Qian, there are some other people under Xun Xiao. After tracing the matter so far, they found out that the route those "bandits" took when they intercepted the convoy and abducted Madam Pei should have passed through Guiyizhou.
Xun Xiao stared at the rolling hills, the wind blowing off his gray hood. His voice was hoarse, revealing a deep hatred: "The person behind this must have had help from Beirong to make it so seamless."
The Governor of Longzhou and the Xun family had been at odds since before Xun Xiao and Xun Xun were born, and due to factional reasons, the Governor of Longzhou was closer to Lu Xinyi and Zheng Shoufang.
If the superiors let their guard down, they would allow bandits to kidnap people. During their escape, they would encounter the Northern Rong people who were raiding the valley, and then the situation would change again. It was not uncommon for people to feel regretful.
That's why Xun Xiao hates the person behind the scenes so much, and his hatred is no less than Xun Xun!
However, Xun Xiaoyi was only stating the situation regarding his return to Yizhou, and showed no intention of revealing any emotion. Xun Xiao turned around abruptly, and Gu Wan couldn't see his face. After a short while, his heavy breathing subsided, and he turned around again. Xun Xiao's profile was cold and icy: "Let's go."
The emotion he revealed in an instant quickly disappeared without a trace, and he returned to his cold, hard, and somewhat sarcastic and unpleasant appearance.
Gu Guan scratched her head, but since the other person had no intention of discussing with her, she certainly would not intrude on other people's privacy. So, she had no choice but to continue pulling the horse down the mountain.
She should hurry up and see what’s going on in Guiyizhou.
Their schedule was not as tight as Xie Ci's, but they didn't know what was going on in Guiyizhou, so it was better for them to hurry up.
The two men pulled the reins and passed through the densely wooded area. When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, they got back on their horses. Without any further ado, they headed straight for Guiyizhou.
Guiyi Prefecture is a mountainous area, located in an area extending from the southwestern foot of the Guzang Mountains. It is full of hills and ridges. It is mainly inhabited by the migrating Hu people of the Qiang, Di and Lite tribes and their descendants. They have been multiplying for so many years, and there have been two or three generations. I don’t know why they suddenly rebelled.
Before leaving, Zheng Ying came to look for her privately. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, "Miss Gu, I don't know why this happened. You, you..."
He is of mixed Di descent, and although he is not from the Guiyi Mountain area, it is clear that after General Xie, the surrendered people of all ethnic groups have returned to their country in an unprecedented way.
He was also caught off guard and puzzled.
Gu Wan patted his shoulder: "I will look carefully."
Zheng Ying nodded gratefully.
She and Xun Xiao crossed mountains and ridges, hurrying all the way, and finally arrived at Guiyi Prefecture. It was raining heavily during the journey, so they put on their hats and raincoats. After arriving, they abandoned their horses, crossed the ridge, and quietly entered the mountain from a position far away from the village gate.
Although Guiyi Prefecture is called a prefecture, it is actually about the size of a county. Amid the sound of the pouring rain, it is very quiet inside, with hardly any people around.
Gu Guan and Xun Xiao looked at each other, and she suddenly became anxious. They wouldn’t set off, could they? It’s impossible for them to set off so early!
The two men ran as fast as they could, braving the heavy rain as they walked along the tall and short thatched brick houses. When they reached the central clan land and the large cellar warehouse, they suddenly saw several Beirong men dressed in Han Chinese clothes. Xun Xiao quickly knocked them down.
Gu Wan rushed to the warehouse and took some time to open the lock. She saw that it was full of grain that had just been transported from Beirong.
Why was it so obvious it was from the Northern Rong? Besides the style, it was mostly filled with air-dried beef and mutton, a type unique to the grasslands, along with plenty of fur. At the very edge lay many young animals, freshly released into the makeshift pen, huddled together in piles, squeaking in the rain. Next to them was freshly added fodder and some dried-out grain.
Gu Guan was stunned. She squatted down, picked up some old grains and rubbed them. Although these corns were shriveled and small and did not grow well, they were well preserved. The amount was just enough for the livestock cubs to survive, not more at all. It can be seen how much the people who stored the grains cherished these old grains.
These young livestock in front of me are all several females paired with one male. It is obvious that they have been carefully calculated and are raised seriously and sustainably as livestock.
Gu Guan seemed to understand something vaguely.
——The weather has not been good in recent years. In spring, there are either heavy floods or no rain, and in summer, there are heavy rains for months.
Gu Guan looked out the door and saw sparse chestnut and wheat seedlings growing on the terraces. They were blown all over the place by the heavy rain, and many of them were already sticking to the ground.
Gu Wan came out of the warehouse and walked into a private house. He lifted the lid of a pot and found it was fake. Inside the newly hollowed-out stove was a nest of seven or eight children, cared for by a woman. There was only a small amount of dry food and a water jar. All of them were pale and thin, with eyes that looked unusually large. Suddenly seeing the light, they looked up with panic.
"The northwest has been experiencing bad times for several years now. Relief grain shipped from the south to the north is readily available, but Guiyi Prefecture has never received a single cent. There has been no harvest for the past two years, and they've been starving to death, allowing the Northern Rong to take advantage of the situation."
Xun Xiao walked in with a knife in hand. The blood on the knife had been washed clean by the rain. "It has rained heavily these past two days. A few Beirong people have led them over the mountains to the river to dig the embankment."
Transporting water through the mountains was difficult, but beyond the mountains, there was the Liangshui River, a tributary of the Wushui River. Guiyi Prefecture had a total of 79,000 men and women over the age of twelve, and they had already received weapons from the Northern Rong people.
And because of the heavy rain in the past two days, the Beirong people took them to dig the dike. Guiyizhou has a unique geographical location, and this is the move that is truly the most lethal.
The Northern Army commander had the power to temporarily recruit these inward-migrating Hu people to fight if the battle was unsuccessful. However, with just the order to mobilize, no one could have foreseen that Guiyi Prefecture would turn its guns against them.
"So that's how it is."
Gu Wan finally figured out the reasons for this crushing defeat. "So what should we do? Is there any way to resolve this? Should we rush over and stop them from digging the dike?"
She should have been very anxious, but as soon as Xun Xiao came in, she found that there was a hint of ambiguous mockery in his expression.
This was the familiar expression on his face when he and Xie Ci were at loggerheads.
Gu Wan: “…”
Xun Xiao said, "It's too late."
With so many people, each with a hoe, they could easily dig through the embankment. If nothing unexpected happened, these people would have stopped and were waiting for an opportunity to attack.
And what a coincidence, if Xie Ci, Qin Guan and others escape successfully, they will be heading in this direction.
If a group of unplanned Wei troops suddenly appeared, the Beirong people would surely order the Yi and Hu tribes to meet them.
Xun Xiao curled his lips lightly: "There is only one person who can successfully resolve this rebellion in Guiyi Prefecture."
Gu Wan understood immediately, it was a thank you!
In the past, Xie Xinzhong treated all the people equally and submitted a memorial to the court to revise the policy to pacify the Hu people. He also gave them the opportunity to advance and make achievements. This was an unprecedented favor. These northern Hu people were moved to tears and were willing to submit to him. We can get a glimpse of this by looking at Zheng Ying.
After Xie Xinzhong passed away, their treatment took a sharp turn for the worse.
Xie Ci is Xie Xinzhong's biological son. In the event that Xie Xinzhong dies unjustly, he will perfectly inherit their gratitude towards the latter.
But the problem is! Now, Xie Ci knows that Guiyizhou is in rebellion and is about to stab the Northern Army in the back.
If the two sides meet face to face, what will Xie Ci do?
If he were to take action against the Guiyi and Hu people, it would become a dead end.
"It's too late to send the letter now."
Xun Xiao wiped the blade of his sword on a chestnut stick and sheathed it. He said, "Guess what he'll do?"
He chuckled, "However, whether he can lead his troops here in time is still unknown."
Gu Wan: “…”
You are cousins after all, why do you have to hurt each other like this? If he gets into trouble, you will also suffer a great loss.
Gu Wan rolled her eyes and carefully closed the lid of the pot so as not to scare the children again.
She walked out quickly, "He will definitely be able to lead the troops here."
If that were all, Gu Wan would have put her heart at ease. She adjusted the locks on the warehouse's large locks and locked the doors and windows from the outside. If the kids saw her, she would not come out for the next day or two.
The heavy rain poured down from the eaves. Gu Wan stepped into the rain. A confident smile appeared on her fair and beautiful face under her bamboo hat. "I don't need to guess. Xie Ci will definitely find the clues and recapture Yizhou!"
"Do you believe it?"
She led the Beirong man's horse over and climbed on. The heavy rain pattered on her bamboo hat. Gu Wan pushed it up with her hand and said, "If that's the case, then we should go and join him."
There was even a hint of pride in the corners of Gu Guan's confident eyebrows and eyes.
Xun Xiao raised his eyebrows coldly and chuckled, "Then I'll wait and see."
"Then you wait and see!"
Gu Guan sighed, and casually put on the Beirong man's coat that Xun Xiao threw to him. He whipped the horse's hooves, kicked up the mud and water, and galloped towards the village gate.
The author has something to say:
Gu Wan: I’m raising this kid, don’t I know about it?
Xie Ci: I will work hard, I want revenge and get married!
Xun Xiao: Poor, miserable, no wife~
In bad years, there was no need for disaster relief at first. It was only in the past two years that the harvest failed, which was the year Xie Xinzhong died.
Ah Xiu will come catch bugs later, give you guys a huge kiss!! See you tomorrow, haha, love you guys~ (づ￣3￣)づ
Finally, I would like to thank the babies who voted for mine~ Pen refills!!
Chua Guagua threw a mine
sasa threw a mine
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And, all the big babies that have been irrigated with nutrient solution!
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