Hua Bushi said: "Do you want that 'snake wing sword'? That sword is heavy and long, it's really not very easy to use, why don't I let someone cast a sword suitable for the princess to wear, it is sharper and more beautiful than the sword of the tiger, how about giving it to the princess Chitose?"

Zhu Huichan asked Li Hu for a sword before, it was also a whim, and it was a little angry, and she already knew that the "Snake Wing Sword" was heavy and long, Hua Bushi's words were very appealing to her appetite, and she said at the moment: "Are you serious? The sword you cast must be better than the sword of the Bull Demon King!"

Hua Bushi said: "There is no lie in the bottom, if the princess doesn't believe it, we can high-five and swear."

Zhu Huichan really stretched out her palm and struck Hua Bushi three times, which can be regarded as a fulfillment.

Zhu Huichan's pretty face finally showed a look of satisfaction, and said to Li Hu: "This princess will soon have a sword better than you, hmph, look at what else you are so great!"

She turned her head and smiled at Hua Bushi again, and said, "Others say that the 'Evil Dog Boy' is a big villain, in my opinion, your personality is not bad!"

Hua Bushi said: "Princess Chitose Mingjian, the rumors on the rivers and lakes are all rumors made by others, and I can't believe it at all, I am a good person in the future." ”

The prince and the princess escaped by boat from the Luan River, Shi Qingzhu and all parties in Hu Manzhai must have found out, and several officials, soldiers, and horses outside the city may have also gotten the news, and they may have gathered people and horses to track them at this time, so Xifengkou is not a place to stay for a long time.

Hua Bushi, Yang Sichang met with Zhong Bailong and his wife, who came with him, and after a brief conversation, the people and horses only rested for an hour in Lulongsen, and then set off.

Hearing that the crown prince and princess were going to be sent back to Beijing from outside the customs, Zhong Bailong was quite surprised, but he did not raise any objections. Businessmen like Zhong Bailong are not clear about the inside story of the party struggle in the imperial court, and now that the passage to the south is blocked by the people of the "Black Wind Banner" and the "Huhan Rabbit Department", it is also expected, and there seems to be no choice to get out of the customs.

The disciples of "Blum Xing" traveled from Humanzhai by boat and did not have mounts, but Hua Bushi had already prepared hundreds of horses, which were enough for them to ride.

This time, in addition to Hua Bushi's 200 major divisions, more than 300 disciples of the "Bailong Xing" group, Yu Jue will also lead 300 cavalry under his command to accompany them, these horses are not small, as long as they do not encounter the Manchu army, escorting the prince and princess through the 300 miles outside the pass, it should be more than enough.

Xifengkou connects the remnants of the "Seven Old Tu Mountain" that runs through eastern Liaodong, and outside the pass is a lofty mountain range, and the road is very narrow and difficult to walk. Fortunately, it was early summer and the climate was pleasant, and if the mountains were covered by heavy snow in the cold winter, even horses would not be able to ride on this rugged mountain road.

Everyone was cautious on this march, and Yu Jue sent cavalry scouts to open the way in front of them to probe the surrounding conditions in case they were ambushed and raided.

By dusk, the team had traveled more than 100 miles, and there were no accidents, and the originally nervous mood of Zhong Bailong and the others was also slightly relaxed. When it was dark, Yang Sichang ordered to find a good slope and camp to rest.

After a night of silence, the men and horses set out early the next morning and continued westward.

By noon, I had walked another seventy or eighty miles, and I had already traveled most of the way yesterday, and if it went well, I would have been able to reach Baima Pass this evening.

But at this moment, an officer scout rode over from the front and reported to Yu Jue: "Tell the general, the flood ahead is spreading and the road is flooded!"

Yu Jue frowned and said, "Where did the flood come from?"

The scout said, "It must have been a great flood from the Black River, and the road ahead was low-lying, and the road was flooded for several miles, and the deepest part was about five or six feet. ”

The water was five or six feet deep, and even if the mounts and people could barely swim through, the chariot in which the prince and princess rode would certainly be difficult to pass.

Yu Jue turned to Yang Sichang and said, "Sir, we didn't carry the tools to build the bridge with the army, but I'm afraid we have to take a detour." ”

Yang Sichang had been stationed in the north for many years, and he was quite familiar with the terrain outside the pass, and the path he took to get out of the pass this time was chosen by him in advance, but at this time he bowed his head and groaned, and did not speak for a while.

Hua Bushi on the side asked, "Brother Sichang, do you have any difficulties?"

Yang Sichang said: "I originally chose the safest road, and there were no large-scale Hu tribes along the way, nor was there a dangerous terrain conducive to ambushes. Now the road ahead is blocked, and you have to pass through Hushi Mountain to detour, there are two roads on the left and right of the mountain, but you still have to consider which one to take. ”

Hua Bushi said: "Oh, I don't know what is the difference between these two paths?"

Yang Sichang said: "The road on the right side of the mountain is closer, but it has to pass through the two Jurchen tribes of Guangjira and Natan, and the road on the left side of the mountain is thirty miles away, and there is no one living along the road, but you have to pass through a valley called 'Malung Gorge', the terrain is quite steep. ”

Yu Jue said: "In the opinion of the students, let's take the road closer to the right of the mountain, with the strength of our horses, even those Jurchen tribes intercept it, and there is no need to be afraid." ”

Yang Sichang said: "Although those tribes are not to be feared, if someone expects in advance that we will send the prince out of the customs and arrange an ambush, they must also judge that we will take this path on the right side of the mountain." ”

Yu Jue's expression moved, and he said, "Sir, don't you suspect that the flood blocking the road ahead was deliberately caused by someone?"

Yang Sichang said: "At the beginning of May, it is the season of more rain, and it is not surprising to encounter floods, but the possibility of man-made cannot be completely ruled out. ”

He thought for a moment and said, "General Yu, you ordered the scouts to go forward fifty miles, and explore the left and right roads of Hushi Mountain in two ways. ”

Although it will take some time to explore the road, but now that it is above the enemy's territory, and the stakes are very important to send the prince back to Beijing, Yang Sichang would rather be slow than cautious.

Yu Jue immediately passed the order, and half an hour later, the two probes returned one after another. The scouts on the left side of the mountain did not find anything, but among the Jurchen tribes along the right side of the mountain, there seemed to be signs of people and horses gathering, but those tribes were guarded by bows and arrows, and the scouts could not get close, and it was impossible to see how many soldiers and horses there were.

Yu Jue listened to the report, his eyes turned twice, and said: "The terrain outside this pass is high and dense, and it is very easy to hide the soldiers and horses. I think we will take the other side by surprise. ”

Yang Sichang shook his head and said, "General Yu should have read the Three Kingdoms, but can you remember the story of Cao Cao's defeat of Huarong Dao?"

In the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Cao Cao fled back to Xuchang with the remnants of the army after the defeat in Chibi, there are two roads, one large and one small, Guan Yu followed the strategy of the military advisor Zhuge Liang, burning firewood and grass on the path to release beacon smoke, which led Cao Cao to choose the path and go, and sure enough, he intercepted Cao's army on the Huarong trail.

Yu Jue was stunned for a moment and said, "What does Mr. mean, is it that the other party's move is just to lure us to take the right road?"

Yang Sichang said: "Yes, the so-called virtual is real, the real is virtual, the other party's wisdom is not weak, I want to be Zhuge Kongming, but unfortunately I can't learn that Cao Cao! ”

As he spoke, he turned to Hua Bushi and said, "I don't know if Young Master Hua has a high opinion?"

Yang Sichang is proficient in the art of war, and his wisdom and insight are stronger than his student Yu Jue, but after the war in Yujing that year, he also knows that Hua Bushi is not weak in intelligence, so he has this question.

Hua Bushi thought about it, but smiled slightly, and said: "The truth and fiction in the art of war are inconclusive, and only intuition is relied on. ”

Seeing that Hua Bushi also agreed, Yang Sichang no longer had any doubts, and said: "Yu Jue, order the team to turn to the southwest, and we will go to the left of Hushi Mountain!"

Hushi Mountain is a tall stone mountain, and on the left side of the mountain is a stone path two zhang wide and narrow, although it is not as wide as the road they took before, the passage of the horse team is quite smooth. Half an hour later, everyone had entered a canyon, which was the "Horse Lung Gorge" that Yang Sichang had said earlier.

Yang Sichang also only knew from the map that he had never been here before, at this time hundreds of people and horses drove into the canyon, but saw that the mountains on both sides were stacked, the slope was a large forest, and the road ahead was winding and winding, and there was no end in sight.

Yu Jue said: "The mountains and forests here are so dense, if there are soldiers and horses lurking in them, it will be difficult for us to find out. ”

Yang Sichang said: "Yes, the terrain here is indeed dangerous. Order the team to speed up and pass through this gorge as soon as possible!"

The order was swiftly handed down, and the horses galloped, and the carriage that pulled the prince and princess did not care about the bumps and bumps of the mountain road, and whipped the horses at full speed.

The further you go, the narrower the gorge becomes, but after galloping for miles, the front suddenly opens up, and there is a large open area in the hinterland of the Horse Lung Valley.

On one side of the clearing is the stone wall of Hushi Mountain, and on the other side is a hillside covered with trees, and the two sides are a hundred feet apart, and the ground is full of sand and stones.

Perhaps in ancient times it was once a river beach, and it only became such a terrain after it dried up.

"Stop!" Yu Jue suddenly shouted loudly.

The reason why Yu Jue shouted to stop was because at the front of the line, there were five people blocking the middle of the road. Li Hu also rode a horse in the front team, and when he saw these five people, his heart sank.

Among the five people, he knew two, the woman wearing an emerald green cloak was Shi Qingzhu, and the ugly man wearing a short gray cloth shirt and holding a huge blade like a door panel was Ge Li.

In front of them, a man of about forty years of age, with a face like a crown of jade, dressed in a wide white silk robe, stepping on silk shoes, and holding a paper fan in his hand, stood leisurely in the moment, and he was the one who was the leader.