Looking at the majestic and upright Xiongguan in the distance, Li Hong couldn't help but feel excited, looking up to the sky and howling. He finally got home. He finally returned to his homeland.

Lisong was the commander of the Lulongsai border army. He was in charge of the entire scout force of Lu Longsai, and was a subordinate of Tian Jing, the commander of Lu Longsai's guard. At the beginning of this month, because he heard that the king of Khanlu might raise an army to rebel, he deliberately asked him to go to the tribe of King Uyan of Khanlu through an intermediary to be a slave and spy on the military situation.

The information that Li Song brought back shocked Tian Jing very much. Uyan, the king of Khanlu, had met several times at the border with Miga, the lord of Xianbei in the east, and had made a verbal agreement to capture Lulongsai before the heavy snow came. Now Xianbei's 5,000-strong army has secretly entered the border of the Great Han Kingdom and is hidden in the Bailing Ranch of the Karasuma Tribe. Uyan's 3,000 men were assembled in the Red Flower Valley, a hundred miles away from Lulongse. At present, they still lack siege tools, and they are being urgently transported from Baitan City by Murong Feng, the Xianbei Lord in the central region. It is estimated that the attack will be at the beginning of next month at the latest.

With only two men and 1,600 men, it was very difficult for Luronse's border army to deal with the attack of 8,000 troops. But it is too early to send someone to ask for support from Liu Zheng, the Taishou of Beiping County. Lord Liu may not rush to send troops without a solid basis. Tian Jing sat in the study, meditating on a strategy to retreat from the enemy.

One of his guards walked softly to the door and knocked on it.

Tian Jing raised her head and asked, "Is there something wrong?" ”

"Tell your lordship, the strong man who escorted the captain back of Litun is still at the pass, should you send him away or ......?"

Tian Jing suddenly remembered the person Li Song told him, he was concerned about the military situation for a while, but he forgot about it. He hurriedly said, "Go and invite him, I want to talk to him." ”

Before entering the customs, Li Hong said to Li Song not to say that he was a leopard who was chased and killed by Xianbei, so as not to cause some unnecessary things to happen. The implication is that he is afraid of being secretly killed, so he will take the head to receive a reward. Li Song didn't hide anything from Tian Jing, it was a major national matter, and he must not lose a big one because of a small one.

Li Song told Tian Jing that this man was very brave, and with his skill in killing six pursuers in front of him on the grassland at that time, the rumors about him were true. It is impossible for an ordinary person to kill Tuoba Kui and more than twenty soldiers of the Tuoba tribe alone, but Li Hong can. He thought that this person could stay and definitely help in the upcoming big war. In particular, he participated in the Battle of Jutun and was familiar with the combat methods of the Xianbei people. But Tian Jing forgot about him.

Li Hong sat in the hut at the pass, and a few soldiers were in Shenkan. The soldiers immediately became acquainted with him. From noon to afternoon, from afternoon to dark, no one came to greet him. After that Lisong was sent in, it was like a mud cow entering the sea, and there was no news. Li Hong wondered. Even if you don't give me a reward, you should let me pass. The soldiers comforted him and said that Tian Daren was good and loved soldiers like children. If you save Lord Li, there will definitely be a reward.

The soldiers entertained Li Hong for a meal. Li Hong hadn't seen this thing since he could remember. Li Hong thought it was very delicious, and a bowl was gone in a blink of an eye. The soldiers knew that the Hu people didn't have this thing, and seeing that Li Hong liked to eat it, everyone brought out a bowl again. Li Hong thanked him repeatedly, and while the wind was whirlwind, he ate another clean one in a blink of an eye.

After eating, everyone sat together again and talked nonsense. It wasn't until the lights were turned on that the sharp-eyed soldiers saw Tian Jing's guards coming over, and hurriedly said to Li Hong: "Okay, Lord Tian's guards are here." ”

The guard led Li Hong to the door of Tian Jing's study. Tian Jing was already standing by the door.

Tian Jing is in her forties, burly, with a short beard and a pair of bright eyes. Li Hong was looking at him, and he was also looking at Li Hong. Li Hong was tall and mighty, exuding a fierce aura all over his body, and he looked like a horse bandit rampaging across the grassland. That's what Tian Jing thought. No wonder he was able to kill people like hemp, coming and going like flying, and thousands of people caught him in Baitan City, but he simply escaped with a bloody way. This kind of person is easy to tame, but if it is not tamed well, it is a trouble. Murong Feng is an example. What kind of person is Murong Feng. Murong Feng can't handle him, how many people in the world can handle him. Tian Jing was thinking about it, and Li Hong had already given him a salute.

Tian Jing is very clear about the various legends about the leopard, and with the confirmation of Li Song, he knows that this kid probably broke his brain after being caught by the Xianbei people. So I don't care if he doesn't understand all kinds of etiquette.

"The lower officials are busy with official business, and they have offended a strong man by neglecting him." Tian Jing said politely.

When Li Hong first saw the officials of the Han Dynasty, he was nervous and didn't dare to speak. Tian Jing invited him into the house and sat down.

Seeing that he was very cramped, Tian Jing smiled and said, "I have already arranged for Master Li to go to Xu Wucheng to heal his injuries." Before leaving, Mistress repeatedly told me to take care of you. I don't know if you have any requirements? ”

Li Hong hurriedly shook his head.

Tian Jing laughed, "Then you traveled thousands of miles to kill back to the Great Han Kingdom, is there really no reason at all?" ”

Li Hong was taken aback, and blurted out a sentence, "How do you know?" Then he thought that Li Song must have betrayed him, and his face immediately turned unsightly.

Tian Jing saw it in his eyes, and hurriedly gave his subordinates a round: "In order to repay you for saving your life, he specially entrusted me to take care of you, of course he has to tell me the reason." Everyone else wants to be famous and make themselves famous all over the world. Why are you not only unwilling, but also hiding? ”

Li Hong smiled bitterly and said something that made Tian Jing look at him.

"What is there to brag about having to kill someone. I've killed so many people, how many should I really kill? Many people are like me, just to make ends meet, to have three meals to eat. Fame is just a name for killing, not a name. ”

Tian Jing looked at the big man sitting in front of him, and suddenly felt very strange. He wasn't the reckless man he thought he was at all.

"Would you like to stay and be a soldier?"

"Of course I do. When I was in Xianbei, I found that Murong Feng was making a plan to attack Lu Longsai, and if he really wanted to attack, he should start the operation before the heavy snow this year. I wanted to talk about it, but I don't think anyone will pay attention to me. So I wanted to walk around Lulongse to see if there was an opportunity to serve the country. ”

Tian Jing was greatly appreciative and praised repeatedly: "Good, good." Then he asked, "Have you heard about the attack around Murong Feng?" ”

"I haven't heard of it. However, I can see that he has already sketched a complete attack on the map, and it should be within this time. ”

Tian Jing became more and more interested in his words, and he found that this young man was very not simple. He immediately asked, "On what basis are you so sure?" ”

"Some time ago, the Xianbei country was in turmoil, and the competition for royal power was fierce, and the marshal turned the tide and successfully stabilized the situation at the most critical time. However, the Xianbei Kingdom has been severely damaged, and more tribes have turned a blind eye to the royal power of Danhan Mountain. They are all vigorously developing their own tribal forces, and the annexation between tribes has intensified, and in the long run, it is a matter of time before the Xianbei country falls apart. ”

"The sudden attack on the Great Khanate at this time by the Great Marshal is nothing more than for the stability and unity of the Xianbei State. His purpose is very clear, to consume the strength of some big tribes through war, and at the same time to tell those tribal adults who are ready to move that the Xianbei country is still a whole now, and whoever wants to rebel will not have any results. The war was won, and the plundered spoils were abundant, which was beneficial to the unity and prosperity of the Xianbei tribes. If the battle is lost, the strength of the big tribe will be damaged, but it will not affect the overall interests of the Xianbei country, but will be of great benefit to the stability of the Xianbei country. Therefore, it is imperative to attack the Great Han Kingdom, and it is better to fight early than later. ”

"What's more, the situation in our Great Han Kingdom is very bad now. This spring, the Yellow Turban riots that broke out in various parts of the Central Plains have seriously shaken the foundation of the Han Dynasty. Dashuai said that our emperor of the Great Han Kingdom is incompetent, absurd and arrogant, and the officials are corrupt and pervert the law, exploiting the people, and the Great Han Kingdom is already terminally ill and about to die, which is a great opportunity to seize the four counties in the frontier. He has been thinking about it for many years, waiting for this day, how could he let go of such a good opportunity. ”

"If we can lay down and control Luronse before the snow falls, it will have a decisive impact on the success of the attack next year. Lulongsai is the barrier of the eastern frontier of the Great Han Kingdom, once captured, the northeast of Youzhou will become the racecourse of the Xianbei Iron Cavalry, and there will be no defense line against invasion. If the marshal captures Luronse before the first snowfall, he will be firmly in his hands until next spring. ”

"Once the heavy snow comes, the Han army will not be able to support it at all. Even if reinforcements arrive, how will they attack in the face of the impregnable Luronsei in the ice and snow? When the heavy snow closes the mountain, how will the grain and grass of the Han reinforcements be solved? The marshal had a winter in Luronse to rearrange the defence and accumulate strength. When spring came, his troops were divided into two routes, one route from Baitancheng to attack Yuyang, and the other way out of Lulongsai to attack Youbeiping, and the two armies met in Jicheng. If this is the case, then a large part of the land of Youzhou will be ravaged by its iron horses, and the people will suffer and their lives will be ruined. ”

"Lord Tian, do you think what I said is right?"

Tian Jing was holding on to his short beard and thinking intently, and did not answer him. Li Hong was embarrassed to disturb him, so he had to sit aside and wait.

"So, everything that is about to happen is what Murong Feng is doing behind the scenes?" Tian Jing said slowly.

"In the Xianbei country, there are many more people who listen to Murong Feng's instructions than those who listen to King Xianbei and Lian. What Murong Feng has done for the Xianbei Kingdom is not comparable to Lian Neng. He Lian's great loss of popularity lies in the murder of Murong Feng, which caused a large number of rebels and a great reduction in the country's strength. Now that Murong Feng is back in power, it is a nightmare for the surrounding countries. ”

"yes, he's really our nightmare." Tian Jing said with a heavy heart, "In the sixth year of Xiping, that is, eight years ago, His Majesty the Emperor sent Xia Yu, the captain of the Guardian Karasuma, Tian Yan, the general of Xianbei Zhonglang, and Zang Min, the general of the Xiongnu, led an army of 50,000 with the Xiongnu Nandanyu to go out of Yanmen Pass and attack Xianbei Tanshi Huai outside the Saiwai. The army divided into three roads and marched side by head, sweeping through the grassland for more than 2,000 miles. I didn't expect all this to be deliberately arranged by Tanshi Huai. He used Murong Feng's strategy to lure the enemy deep into his ambush circle. The army was surrounded by 100,000 Xianbei troops in Sunset Plains, and suffered heavy casualties. Lord Xia Yu died on the battlefield, and Lord Tian Yan Zangmin led his troops to break through and escape, and in the end only more than 3,000 people returned to Yanmen Pass. And all of this is thanks to Murong Feng. ”

"Your Excellency is talking about the Sunset War." Li Hong asked softly.

"Yes. I was one of the soldiers who was lucky enough to get back. In that year, 50,000 soldiers were killed in a war. Their bones are now abandoned in the depths of the desert, never to be returned. My greatest wish in this life is to be able to defeat the Xianbei people and bring their bones back to their homeland for burial, so as to comfort their souls in heaven. Tian Jing's eyes were slightly red, and her voice was a little hoarse.

Li Hong felt the same way, and his heart was heavy.

Tian Jing stabilized her emotions for a while, and said slowly: "You have extraordinary knowledge and insight into the analysis of the situation, so you should not be an ordinary person. You just can't remember? ”

Li Hong shook his head in disappointment, "I can't think of it." Forget it, can't you mix it up now? When I was in Xianbei, I often ate meat, and it was already very good. ”

Tian Jing saw him waving his hand open-mindedly, looking indifferent, thinking about it, he felt that his words also made sense. What's the matter, it's not all mixed up. Aren't you too?

Tian Jing laughed, "How about you stay by my side as a guard?" ”

Li Hong shook his head, "I'll go to be a soldier." They have good food there. ”

Tian Jing was stunned: "Isn't my food here delicious?" ”

"I don't know. But their food is delicious. And I don't like being a squire. ”

"Why?" Tian Jing was surprised. As long as you are a soldier, there is no one who does not want to be a guard. The guards followed behind the adults, majestic, some people begged, the salary was high, there was no need to train, and there was no need to rush to the front in battle. It's beautiful. Most people can't even think about it.

"If you follow an adult, you can't run around on a regular basis. When you fight, you have to do your best to protect, but you don't have a good time. Boring. Li Hong said casually.

Tian Jing was surprised, "Then where do you want to go?" ”

"It's good where there are constant battles." Li Hong immediately asked.

Tian Jing glanced at him regretfully, a little reluctant, "How about you go to Lord Li's troops and be a scout?" ”

"Good. That's great. Li Hong said excitedly.

Tian Jing sent Li Hong away and immediately wrote on the desk. He felt that Li Hong's analysis was very reasonable. The Xianbei and Karasuma attack was not just a harassing attack, but a premeditated and planned military operation.

We should look at problems from a higher level, and when analyzing the situation, we should start from the overall situation. In this way, the problem will be analyzed more thoroughly and thoroughly, and the solution to the problem will be more comprehensive and more secure. Tian Jing felt that she should tell her superiors about the current situation and the upcoming battle.

He wrote two letters. One letter to Liu Yu, the assassin of Youzhou. One letter to Liu Zheng, the Taishou of Beiping County. Request reinforcements. If Murong Feng had to take Lu Longsai, it would be difficult for his more than 2,000 troops to hold it.

Tian Jing felt that Li Hong was a talent.