Li Hong's war knife slashed hard at Xian Yufu's iron halberd, making a huge sound of gold and iron.

Xian Yufu took Li Hongshi's powerful sword, without fear. Uyan was deaf in both ears and his eyes were filled with gold from the loud noise.

"My lord, he is the leader of nearly a thousand tribes of the Karasuma clan in Youbeiping County, we can't kill him, so let's ask Lord Assassin Shi and Lord Taishou to decide."

Li Hong was furious, and the war knife was raised again, roared wildly, and chopped on the dead horse.

"You have settled and grazed in the land of my Han Dynasty, and you have lived and multiplied on the grasslands of my Han Dynasty, when has my Han treated you badly? You, a heinous villain, dare to invade my Han land, attack my Han fortress, kill my Han people, and destroy my Han homeland, you should be divided by five horses. ”

Wu Yan didn't seem to hear Li Hong's scolding, and stared at Li Hong viciously with a pair of provocative eyes. Li Hongyu was still angry, flew up and kicked Wu Yan in the face, and shouted at Yan Wuxing and the soldiers around him:

"Hit, hit me."

Yan Wudaunt and the others swarmed up, punching and kicking the four captives. Li Hong was also caught in the middle, kicking in the east and punching in the west. Xian Yufu is both angry and funny, where is this the military lord who commanded Ruoding just now, this is a bandit.

The next day, after Liu Yu and Liu Zheng received Li Hong's report, the follow-up troops sent arrived at the scene. They took all the horses, baggage, forage, and captives from the Bailing Ranch back to Luronse. Li Hong and his soldiers were greeted like heroes in Lulongse.

Lu Longsai's victory was like a thunderclap, which stirred up thousands of waves in the land of Yanzhao, injected a dose of fresh blood into the terminally ill Han Kingdom, and made the crumbling giant vaguely see the hope of rebuilding its glory.

Liu Zheng did not fulfill his promise to Liu Yu.

After Liu Yu excitedly took away a large number of war horses and returned to Jicheng, Liu Zheng asked Li Hong, at this time, how many people does Lu Longsai need to guard? He hoped that the fewer people the better, so that the huge expenses of the county government could be alleviated. After the war, the reconstruction of the Lulongse army needed money, the replenishment of materials and equipment for the border army needed money, and the county government needed money for the aftermath of the bereavement of the dead soldiers.

Li Hong understood what Liu Zheng meant. The reason why he tried his best to pursue the Hu people was that after plundering a large amount of the Hu people's property, the Hu people were so demoralized that they could not organize an army to harass and plunder Lulongsai and other parts of the Han border.

Li Hong said that 800 people would be fine.

Liu Zheng was not satisfied, he explained his difficulties to Li Hong in detail, hoping that he could cut some more people in the short term and reduce unnecessary expenses, because the long winter was coming soon.

Li Hong said that there were 600 people, and they could not be reduced any more. But next spring it must be restored to 1,600 men, which is the minimum limit for garrisoning a huge fortress.

After Liu Zheng sent Li Hong away, he summoned several of his own and several military Sima-level officers in the army to discuss Lu Longsai's matter. In view of the fact that the enemy army has been completely annihilated at present, the strength of the Karasuma tribe in Youbeiping County has been dealt a heavy blow, and the leaders of the two large tribes in Xianbei in the east have been captured, and it is impossible for the Hu people to invade again in the short term, so in the coming harsh winter, it is indeed unnecessary to garrison Lu Longsai in large numbers. This can save the county a lot of money.

Liu Zheng did not promote Li Hong's military position, but still let him lead 600 men and horses from Santun to be stationed in Lulongsai as a military candidate, including the soldiers of Yitun where Yan Wuxing was. More than 200 of Luronse's original wounded soldiers remained in the fortress to recuperate. Wu Yan Que Ji Su Li and other Hu nobles and captives were also imprisoned in the fortress, waiting for the assassin Liu Yu to negotiate with the Karasuma people and the Xianbei people before dealing with them.

Before Liu Zheng left, in order to comfort Li Hong, he gave him a privilege. He could recruit troops in the name of the county government and use them to expand the lack of the Lulongse border army. As for the salaries and equipment of the newly recruited soldiers, Li Hong could report to the county government when spring came. If you can support yourself, then you can do it best. As for how to support himself, that is Li Hong's own business.

Lu Longsai was empty for a while, and immediately quieted down.

Li Hong left Tian Zhong and asked him to gather the soldiers of Lu Longsai and the soldiers who had returned from their injuries to form a patrol team to be responsible for guarding the gates of the Crescent Tower. After Zheng Xin returned to the team, Li Hong put him in charge of the rebuilding of the scout team. The little lazy man was very lazy, and after Mei Lou was seriously injured, he survived. Yan Wudaunt and his fourteen brothers were taken out by Li Hong to be guards.

The three tun chiefs are all from Youbeiping County, Youzhou, and they are very convinced of Li Hong, and they do their best in work and training, so they don't let Li Hong worry about it. Li Hong was very leisurely in Lulongse, except for participating in the daily training of the troops, he was sitting with the soldiers. In the evening, I looked for some books in Lord Tian Jing's study, although I didn't understand it very well, but it was better than nothing.

What kind of sad eyes are they, which make people's souls upside down and their hearts tremble.

Li Hong's heart suddenly felt as if he had been stabbed by these eyes, and the severe pain made him almost groan. All his thoughts were lost, and he never had the courage to say a word again.

Xiaoyu was haggard and vegan, and her beautiful face was engraved with endless despair and pain. She is like the light rain in autumn, lonely, sad, cold, and mournful.

The two men looked at each other silently. Xiaoyu's tall figure began to slide slowly down the door frame, and she fell to the ground, fainting.

A dim candle lamp, a little flickering candle flame, reflected Xiaoyu's pale complexion, adding to her helplessness and sadness. There was a faint fragrance in the bedroom.

Li Hong sat next to him, like a sculpture, motionless.

Xiaoyu woke up slowly, and tears flowed silently.

Li Hong seemed to sense something and looked up at her. The two men made eye contact, but neither spoke.

"I am Li Hong and Li Zimin, and I am a righteous brother."

Li Hong took out the sachet that had turned red from his arms and slowly put it on Xiaoyu's hand.

After a long silence, Xiaoyu suddenly said softly, "I want to go see him." ”

It snowed, and the first snow of the winter, a goose-feather snow, fell for several days.

Xiaoyu slowly knelt in front of Ji Ming's tomb, crying, and suddenly burst into tears. She cried for a long time, as if she wanted to vent all the sorrow and pain that had accumulated in her heart in this cold and snowy place.

Li Hong stood alone at the foot of the mountain, looking at Xiaoyu's lonely and helpless figure, and his soul was gloomy.

"Righteousness once said, "You must take me to Luronse. He wanted to take me to stand on the highest tower and see the most majestic fortress in the world. ”

Xiaoyu stretched out her hand and stroked the thick wooden stake, as if caressing Ji Ming's face, affectionate and gentle.

Li Hong stood behind her, silent.

Xiaoyu's expression calmed down a lot, and a miraculous smile appeared on her face without a trace of anger. Maybe it was because he felt that he was standing next to Ji Ming, and Xiaoyu's dead heart suddenly bloomed with a little vitality as if it had been dripping into nectar.

"I can show you around." Li Hong whispered.

Xiaoyu nodded, turned around and said to Li Hong very gratefully, "Thank you for taking care of me for so many days. ”

Li Hong shook his head and said in a low voice: "As long as you are in a better mood." ”

Because of the heavy snow blocking the mountain, the light rain was stranded in Lulongse. Li Hong gave up his bedroom and moved to live in the scout camp. Xiaoyu went to the mountain to see Ji Ming's tomb once every day, and often stood for a long time. When he returned to Lu Longsai, he hid in his room, or stayed in Tian Jing's study to read a book for a day. Li Hong went to see her once a day, chatted with her, and talked about the customs and customs outside the Seychelles. As time passed, Xiaoyu's mood seemed to gradually come out of sadness and loneliness, and a little smile often appeared on her delicate and charming face. This made Li Hong very pleased. She proposed to return to Xu Wucheng several times, but Li Hong kept her. Alone, living in Xu Wucheng, lonely, it is better to live in Lulongsai for the time being, and wait for the winter to pass.

Xiaoyu's poems and words are very good, which surprised Li Hong. Xiaoyu said that his adoptive father was a well-known Confucian scholar in Xu Wucheng, who was humble and kind. The adoptive father never married, treated her as if she were his own, and taught her to read and write since she was a child. Li Hong admired him very much, and often asked for articles he didn't understand. After a long time, he could barely understand those obscure books.

The days are like this, day after day, ordinary and quiet, and the new year is quietly coming.

February 185 A.D.

Li Hong stood on the main city wall of Lulongsai, his tall body standing still in the face of the cold wind, his long hair flying in the howling wind.

Yesterday, Liu Yu's special envoy of Youzhou Assassin History, Wei Yu and the five officials of Youbeiping County Peng Chen reached Dalu Longsai.

Liu Yu, the Lord of the Assassin History, had already reached an agreement with the Karasuma tribe in Youbeiping and the Xianbei in the east on Wuyan, Queji, Suli, and Yigan prisoners. They braved the wind and snow to come just to handle the handover with the Karasuma people and the Xianbei people. In addition, His Majesty the Emperor commended all the soldiers who participated in the defense of Luronse. However, because there were few border troops left in Lulongse after the war, these rewards naturally fell into the hands of some bureaucrats such as the county guard. Liu Zheng probably found out about his conscience, and immediately ordered Chen Da to bring the documents for Li Hong's promotion to the position of military Sima to Lu Longsai. At present, among the border armies in Youzhou, he is the youngest and most famous military horse.

The envoys of the Karasuma and Xianbei people will also arrive in Lulongsai these days, so Li Hong always stands on the top of the city wall when he has nothing to do, looking at the white grassland hidden by the heavy snow.

"My lord, the snow is too strong, so let's go back." Yan Wuxing appeared behind Li Hong and whispered.

"Did any of the brothers you sent out come back?"

"No, probably because of the heavy snowfall. Next month, the weather will improve and it will begin to thaw, and it is estimated that there will be good news. ”

Li Hong nodded, "The horse thieves in various parts of the prairie are well-informed, and establishing a good relationship with them will be very beneficial to our future war with the Xianbei people. ”

"Your Excellency, you're so nice. Never before had the border lord been so polite to our horse thief. You are the first. ”

"Horse thieves were also forced to become horse thieves out of desperation. If there is food and drink at home, who wants to be a horse thief. ”

"Your Excellency is right. But these days, even if you are a horse thief, I am afraid you won't be able to do it for long. Yan Dan suddenly said sadly.

Li Hong laughed: "Okay, you can go to Lulongsai to be a soldier." As long as everyone can survive, it is the same wherever they beg for a living. ”

"At the request of Murong Feng, the Xianbei tribes have stepped up their efforts to eliminate horse thieves since last year, or in a year or two, there will probably be no horse thieves near this Dayan Mountain."

"You've been a soldier for a few months, and you're still angry about the Xianbei people's pursuit of your horse gang for a while. Rest assured, this revenge will be avenged. Murong Feng wanted to launch an attack on the Han people, and of course he didn't want his march route to be full of spies and eyeline. You are not only greedy, but also bold, which is a great danger to their logistical supplies and the safety of their food and grass. If it were me, I would do the same. ”

Yan Dang was stunned for a moment, and said in disbelief: "No." ”

Li Hong smiled confidently, "Look at it." The horse thieves of the prairie are about to be hunted down like a storm, and there is no time for peace and quiet. Many of your friends will soon take refuge in Luronse. ”

Yan Wuxing respected Li Hong like a god, and immediately believed it, and then immediately became worried about his friends.

Li Hong raised his legs and walked down the city wall, and finally glanced at the white grassland.

He stopped. He stared intently, his face stunned and shocked.

Li Hong suddenly hurried back to the edge of the city wall, and tried his best to raise his eyes to look at the snowfield outside the pass. Yan Wuxing didn't know what was going on, and followed Li Hong nervously.

A man with a white horse and white clothes, white clothes like snow, standing between heaven and earth.

Li Hong was ecstatic and rushed down the city tower as fast as he could. As he ran, he yelled at the soldiers guarding the gates: "Open the gates, open the gates." ”

The soldiers didn't know what was going on, and when they saw the anxious appearance of the military master, they panicked one by one and hurriedly opened the door.

Li Hong turned around and shouted to Yan Wuxing, who was following behind, "It's none of your business, don't follow me." Then he got out of the slightly open door and ran as hard as he could in the snow.

His heart was warm. For the first time, he clearly felt that his desire to see the wind and snow was so strong.

The wind and snow lifted the white veil under the hat, and looked at Li Hong, who was gradually approaching, and tears couldn't stop pouring out.

Li Hong finally saw that beautiful little face, the figure that always appeared in front of his eyes. He shouted: "Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue, why did you come, are you okay?" ”

Li Hong was panting, sweating profusely, running to the snowy horse, smiling happily, not knowing what to say.

Fengxue looked at Li Hong stupidly, a pair of blue eyes revealed a fascinating affection, and the grievances and pain on his face made Li Hong, who was smiling, gradually feel that something was wrong.

"What's wrong with you, is someone bullying you?" Li Hong gasped and said with a smile.

Fengxue still didn't make a sound, just silently shed tears, looking at Li Hong stupidly, as if he wanted to engrave him in his heart forever.

Li Hong looked at her cold red face with a painful heart, and said with concern: "Go to the fortress, it's too cold here, you will freeze." ”

Feng Xue shook her head and said softly, "I want to see you." ”

Li Hong laughed: "Okay, okay." I said goodbye that night, I'm really sorry, I won't compensate you. If someone bullies you, tell me and I'll go and you off. Let's go to the fortress. ”

Fengxue shook her head resolutely, as if she had made up her mind, she glanced at Li Hong painfully, suddenly turned the horse's head, and ran the way she came.

Li Hong was stunned. He hurriedly chased two steps and shouted, "Xiaoxue, what happened?" ”

Fengxue turned her head and looked at him one last time, a look of desolation, grief, helplessness, despair.

Li Hong's heart trembled violently, just like seeing a light rain that day, and the painful feeling swept through his body in an instant. Li Hong suddenly felt weak all over his body, and unconsciously fell to his knees on the snow.