"Journey to the West"

Author: Scarlet Polyp

Chapter 20 Hu Ji Eighteen Beats

When the north gate opened, a Pegasus immediately reported to Guan Ping. Simon was forced to temporarily find a hammer to smash the lock, so it was a quarter of an hour's delay in opening the gates because the officer in charge of the key had fled. At this time, Zhao Guang stayed at the West Gate and a cavalry had already gone around the North Gate to enter the city, so only Guan Ping and Zhang Bao's cavalry entered the city from the West Gate and defended the streets and alleys in the city. According to the prior agreement, only some of Guan Ping and Zhang Bao's men and horses assisted Liao Hua Zhao Neng in defending the four gates of Chigu and patrolling the city, and most of them entered the city. After Guan Ping and several cavalry entered the city, he brought a large group of personal soldiers into the city.

After gathering the cavalry of Guan, Zhang, and Luo, Guan Ping led a large group of men and horses to the palace, and after walking not far, he met He Chong at the intersection and led a small group of cavalry, and hurriedly turned to the right. Guan Ping stopped him and asked:

"Zai Qian, the south gate has been opened?"

He Chong replied, "The south gate and the east gate are open. As soon as the Wusun people in the city saw the fire at the north gate, they immediately dispersed the soldiers loyal to Le Guangmi, tied up the prime minister, and opened the south gate. The east gate was also opened by the mutinous soldiers, and General Zuo was also caught by them. ”

Guan Ping asked again: "How many people have come in your team?" ”

"I have brought in a hundred cavalry, and now I am guarding the front and back doors of the residences of the civil and military officials in the whole city, and according to the general's order, no one is allowed to enter or leave, and the search will begin after dawn."

Guan Ping waved his hand and let He Chong's men and horses pass. Immediately, he came to the west gate of the palace and saw that there were already Zhao Guang's cavalry guards, and there were several corpses of the Wusun rebels who had entered the palace and robbed them lying on the street. They dismounted, and were about to enter the palace, when they saw Tuoba Feng coming out of it. Luo An anxiously asked, "Crazy, has the dog king been caught?" ”

Tuoba Feng said: "This dog king is too cunning, and he ran away again!" ”

Guan Ping asked urgently: "Where is Ziyuan now?" ”

Tuoba Feng replied: "Lord Zhao continued to search all over the palace, and at the same time arrested some chamberlains for interrogation. ”

Several people were relatively speechless for a while, and they all silently thought about how Le Guangmi could escape and where he would flee. At this moment, a group of cavalry mixed with the Han army and the Wusun people passed by outside the palace gate, and at the end was a Dubo, holding Guan Ping's Ling Arrow, and at the front was the talkative Feng Xun. He struck the gong and shouted Guan Ping's An Min Xiaoxiao.

After this group of cavalry passed, Tuoba Feng hurriedly went to the north gate to deploy the soldiers to search for Le Guangmi, and quickly got on his horse and left. Luo An thought about it, and also got on his horse and ran to Ximen. Guan Ping walked into the palace gate and wanted to find Zhao Guang to clarify the situation. But once you arrive in the palace, there are palaces and pavilions everywhere, curved corridors, and there are soldiers under Zhao Guang guarding the palace gates, and some people are walking around in a hurry. Guan Ping didn't have time to look at the majestic buildings and luxurious furnishings in the Wusun Palace, which were modeled after the Weiyang Palace of the Han Dynasty, and drank a Wu Chang who was searching, and asked angrily:

"Where are you Zhao Duwei?"

Seeing that the main general Guan Ping was so angry, this Wu commander was so frightened that he turned pale, and quickly lowered his hands and stood solemnly, and replied that Lord Zhao was interrogating the inner servants at the Nafu Gate. Guan Ping asked sharply again:

"What Nafmon? Where is it? ”

"It's the back door of the palace."

Guan Ping scolded: "Damn, just a barbarian is so particular, the back door is the back door, what a blessing door!" Far from it? How to go? ”

Wu Chang replied: "There is nearly a mile away. The road in the palace courtyard is tortuous, and there are many portals. I sent someone to show General Guan the way, and I went closer from this Xiyong Road. ”

Guan Ping turned back to his soldiers and said, "Go to the palace gate and bring all the horses!" ”

Wu Chang hurriedly said: "The horses rode outside the palace and detoured to the back door, but it was faster. Lord Zhao has an order that no one is allowed to gallop in the palace on horseback. ”

Guan Ping was stunned for a moment when he saw that this Wu Chang dared to say Zhao Guang's order to stop him from leading the horse into the palace in front of him, but he smiled in his heart in an instant, and secretly praised him: "What a long time, this future life, okay." He gestured to his soldiers behind him and said:

"Don't go into the palace with horses, go and go around to the back door with a few brothers." He said to the captain again, "Quickly ask someone to show me the way!" ”

Guan Ping followed the leading soldiers, led a group of personal soldiers, passed through a long alley, turned two corners, passed two or three gates, and saw a tall house, the door was locked with a large lock, and there were five or six brothers guarding the door. He inquired, and learned that this was the palace treasury, which was full of fine silk, all kinds of precious jade, jade, gold, silver, copper, lacquerware, and all kinds of luxurious furnishings. There were three corpses dressed as Usun Janissaries lying nearby. He continued to hurry on, bypassing the side of the back garden, and saw some brothers with lanterns and torches up and down the rockery and in the stables, looking everywhere. The door of the stables was once opened, and several horses came out of the stables on their own to graze on the grass. As soon as I passed through the garden, I passed through a white jade gatehouse, and I arrived at the back gate of Miyagi. Dubo, who was in charge of guarding the back gate of Miyagi, heard that Sekihei was coming, so he hurried to meet him. Guan Ping had seen this person before, and asked with a stern expression:

"Where are you Zhao Duwei?"

The Dubo replied, "Lord Zhao has gone out of the city with a cavalry. ”

Guan Ping asked: "Did you find any traces?" ”

"Just now, Lord Zhao interrogated a group of chamberlains, only to know that when the city was broken, Le Guangmi ignored his wife and children, secretly changed his clothes, and was escorted by a few personal followers and personal guards from this harem gate to the south city. It's just that the servants left behind are not considerate people, and they are not allowed to follow, so they don't know their traces after leaving the palace. Lord Zhao had already sent several groups of soldiers to search the city and under the city by the moonlight, and he himself escorted a few chamberlains out of the city. ”

Guan Pingqi said: "The princess and prince of the Dog King didn't run away? ”

"Yes. The dog king only cared about his own life and threw his wife and children behind. ”

"It's not a thing!" Guan Ping was in a hurry, and scolded: "Bastard! What do you guys do? Is this looking for death? Why did you let that dog king escape through the back door? You said! Don't think I won't kill you first! ”

Guan Xing followed up all the way, and was very shocked when he saw that his eldest brother was so angry, but he tried his best to stay calm and persuaded: "Big brother, please calm your anger, I am afraid that the crime in this matter is not on Brother Zhao." During the siege, I didn't expect the west gate to open late, so at first, only the cavalry led by Brother Zhao rushed in from the north gate. After entering the north gate, the soldiers and horses were divided into several groups, some went to occupy important street entrances, some went to important government offices, and some went to occupy warehouses. Ziyuan was afraid that the guards of Miyagi would resist desperately, so he led three hundred cavalry straight to the palace gate - these are all things I just heard Luo An say. The street is so chaotic, Brother Zhao has to deal with the guards, divide troops to guard the palace gate, protect the main members of the princess, and enter the palace to search, there is really not enough manpower! ”

Guan Ping thought about it, his anger subsided for a while, and said to Guan Xing: "An Guo, you immediately bring more cavalry to help Ziyuan find it." You pass on my words to Ziyuan: Others can ignore it, this dog king will be found. Escaped Le Guangmi, our trip will be in vain! ”

Wait for Guan Xing to promise to "obey the order"! Turning around to leave, Guan Ping stopped him again, took a step closer and whispered: "You tell Ziyuan for me that I don't treat him as a little brother now, but as a powerful general of the big man." You ask him, why did we break the red valley for? I will hand over the burden of capturing the monarch of the enemy country alive to you, a young general like Zhao Guang, if you escape the dog king, how can you explain to the two marshals? How to explain to the officers and men of the Western Army? Although you Zhao Guang are my good brothers who take care of each other with all sincerity, and they have worked hard together in the Green Ridge River, but if you escape tonight, it will not be a trivial matter. The Han military law has always been selfless, and Pang Shuai enforces the law like a mountain, you must not forget! ”

After listening to Guan Ping's words, Guan Xingshen felt that his feelings were indeed very serious, and replied loudly: "Please rest assured, eldest brother!" No matter whether this dog king goes to heaven or earth, we must arrest him and bring him to justice. The eldest brother's instructions will be passed on to Brother Zhao every word. The military orders of the Han Dynasty are strict, the rewards and punishments are selfless, and Pang Shuai enforces the law like a mountain, I dare not forget! ”

He turned and strode out of the Nafu Gate, and gave the matter of guarding the gate to a Dub, leaving fifty horsemen, and took with him the cavalry he had led and the cavalry that had joined later, four hundred horsemen, and flew out of the city. Guan Ping then also walked out of the palace gate, and saw that several of his own soldiers had brought the horses from the front door of the palace. He looked at some dead bodies lying on the ground nearby, and the soldiers who had been severely wounded moaning in the corner, and saw that there were already soldiers patrolling the southern city not far away. He turned back to look at the soldiers gathered behind him, and said in a deep and majestic voice:

"Get on the horse! Go and meet the Wusun adults who surrendered to Cheng. ”

As soon as Guan Xing came out of the South City Gate, he met Zhao Guang who came back with the team. Guan Xing hurriedly relayed Guan Ping's words, Zhao Guang listened, his face flushed with shame, and a middle-aged man tied like a dumpling on the horse behind him pointed out: "Finally, I have fulfilled my mission." After chasing for a few miles, I finally caught this guy. It turned out that after Le Guangmi escaped from the city with a few henchmen and guards, he fled to a secret camp in the southern suburbs of Chigu, wanting to transfer to Shule from there. Unexpectedly, the mechanism was exhausted, but was seen by the Wusun counter-soldiers in the city, shot and wounded his war horse, and reported that he then arrived at Zhao Guang, Zhao Guang ordered the cavalry to throw away the excess equipment, light swords and fast horses, and finally caught up a few miles away. Le Guangmi's wounded horse weakened his front legs as he rushed down the steep slope, fell down, and threw him to the ground. Left and right hurriedly picked him up from the ground, and just after running a few steps, Han Qi had already slapped his horse and killed, hacked to death with his personal guards, and captured him.

After carefully taking Le Guangmi into custody, Zhao Guang and Guan Ping met with the Wusun generals at the south gate, agreed on the charter of jointly defending the city, and then led the crowd to post notices in the city, maintain law and order, and arrest the remaining party, and were busy until the next morning, before it came to an end.

"I'm going to see Haiya!" On the way back to the camp, Zhao Guang kept looking around on the horse. The scale of Akaya Castle is small, and the buildings are not as tall and majestic as those of Kamezi, nor are they crowded and crowded like Shule, but they exude a strong natural atmosphere. I saw that most of the roadside houses were low-rise wooden buildings, and the houses were spaced apart from each other, and there were big trees, grass, and flowers scattered everywhere. He was full of joy and couldn't help but think that Haiya's shadow was always on his side. Along the way, he reveled in the scenery on the side of the road, or more precisely, in the love that was frenzied, sweet, full of freshness, excitement, anticipation, hope and distress.

The most memorable scene is that on the way west, the baggage team camped by a small river, and he and Haiya sat by the river together. The breeze is so soft, the evening sun is so warm, and the lush weeds on the roadside and riverbank are intoxicating after a day of sunshine. He couldn't guess what Haiya was thinking, but he felt that her face was more beautiful and moving than usual, and her eyes were more radiant than usual, so that he couldn't help but pound when he looked at her, and he didn't dare to look at her face more. On her sideburns was a twig that Yang Zhao Guang had plucked for her, with a few small half-blooming wildflowers on it, and a bee flew around her hair, refusing to leave. A few pieces of defeated Luoying fell on her knees and body, and she didn't seem to pay attention, gently blowing a pint of mustache. A small butterfly flew and frolicked around Haiya with the melodious sound of the flute, and Haiya flicked her hair, but it didn't care, and continued to fly close to her.

Now this impression is alive in front of Zhang Nai's eyes. His heart was close to the two letters on his chest, and he flew back to the riverbank, unconsciously distracted from the saddle, and thought of what was wrong; Whip the reins, and the horse marches forward. He thought that if he could be the bee, flying forever around her temples, very close to her but not daring to touch her ears and cheeks; Or become that butterfly, forever fluttering around her ponytail; Turned into the petals she had just seen, falling on her body, letting her unnoticed crush under her legs, or fall on the damp green grass, let her trample on, turn into dirt, stick to the soles of her shoes, and gallop away with her pleasure

When he arrived outside the big tent of the Han army, he woke up from the drunken lovesickness, regained the heroic spirit of a young general, turned over and dismounted, handed over the war horse to a personal soldier, and strode into the tent. Many generals came out. Zhao Guang bowed his hand to everyone, and before he had time to speak, he walked in quickly to see Guan Ping. Guan Ping was busy reviewing documents and account books, looking at Zhao Guang, and felt that this little brother was full of red light at this moment, with natural sword eyebrows and mighty spirit, he was really handsome and extraordinary. He smiled and commanded softly:

"You're back just in time, go freshen up and rest first. In the afternoon, come with me to Atami Haenggu (Atami, today's Issyk-Kul Lake, with an area of 6,300 square kilometers, the second largest mountain lake in the world) to meet Princess Haiya and the Lords of Wusun! ”

"Yes!" Zhao Guang intervened, turned around and withdrew.

Thirty miles northwest of Akiti Castle, Atami Imperial Palace.

Atami Palace, said to be the Imperial Palace, is actually a large group of yellow-roofed tents with Wusun characteristics, located in an extremely magnificent lake and mountain scenery. Since migrating here, the Wusun people have gradually settled around the lake, and they also regard this beautiful and rich lake as the mother lake and the holy sea. Whenever there is a major festival celebration, it will always gather by the lake to celebrate, sing and dance, and put on a banquet, often for more than ten days. Gradually, the shores of Lake Wusun also became a trading market for various nomadic tribes, and for a time it became a seasonal town. It wasn't until the completion of Akatani Castle that the shores of Lake Usun returned to its original appearance, and the tents of the royal family and various ministries were created.

Haiya received the Han generals in a huge domed tent that could accommodate hundreds of people for a banquet. Today, in order to receive the athletes of her mother country, she specially wore a Han palace dress, with her exquisite posture, which showed her grace. Although his face was slightly tired, he exuded a sense of relaxation and pleasure from the heart.

"My Wusun is unlucky, there is happiness and glory in the troubled country, fortunately with the help of the Han Heavenly Soldiers, this disaster can be eliminated. Haiya is grateful, and she has nothing to repay, but she can only offer an ugly song and talk about her heart. ”

After Haiya finished speaking, she bowed slightly to everyone, raised the beard to her mouth, and took advantage of everyone's inattention, and secretly glanced at Zhao Guang.

She... She's looking at me, she's still so beautiful. Is she as happy to see me as she says in the letter? When Zhao Guang was thinking nonsense, Haiya's beard sounded.

The sound of the song is full of emotion. The flute bearer expresses the magnificent landscape scenery in front of him through the sound of the flute; The joy of victory in battle, and the expectation of happiness, are also melted into the melodious sound of the beard. The sound of the hoops is sometimes like a spring breeze blowing through the green and fluffy meadows, and the bleating sound of the scattered sheep walking and grazing; Sometimes the sound of the beard is cheerful and lively, like a few thrushes singing in the branches; Sometimes the passion is surging, like a storm, lightning and thunder, which reminds Zhao Guang of the deafening sound of killing on the battlefield, and the galloping of thousands of horses. After this rapid, majestic, and passionate sound, the rhyme gradually calmed down, as if the tide had fallen, the moon was bright and the wind was clear, and the sandbar was quiet. After another moment, the sound of the beard in Zhao Guang's ears was intermittent, as thin as a gossamer. He suddenly remembered that there was a moonlit night march, the wilderness was quiet, and the dogs were silent, but he saw the lonely goose flying slowly over the cold forest and lost its trace in the vast expanse. Zhao Guangwang looked at Haiya, and saw that she was quiet, still blowing the beard, and the aftermath was lingering, as if there was nothing. Finally, Yokotsu left her lips, and she smiled at the crowd to end the song.