Chapter 20 first quarter

August twenty-second. Zhongzhou, north of Wangyu, at the mouth of Dangyang Valley. A temporary hut was covered with bamboo mats. A general with a black helmet and black armor sat cross-legged on the bamboo mat, with a simple straight knife in front of him. A furnace of incense rose leisurely. Straight, until it rises to a certain height, it suddenly spreads out.This is because of the silence, in the autumn morning, there is no wind, and the meditating general does not breathe, just like a sculpture. This is the season with the best weather around Dangyang Valley, the sky is clear and distant, and the sun is warm.The huts are all built with unbarked pine wood, which is extremely simple, and there are no windows, but there are many gaps between the pine wood, and the fresh air with moisture seeps in, which is refreshing.

The cigarettes scattered suddenly, and at the same moment, the general opened his eyes.His face was completely covered under the visor, only a pair of pupils were exposed. The sound of footsteps was getting closer, and then the person who was running hurriedly stopped and knelt outside the door. "It's so early, is there something special?" the general asked. "Report to General Hua, there is an urgent report before Shangyang Pass, General Bai Yibai has already made an appointment to fight His Royal Highness Li Guo, and the battle period is six days later!" "In the battle to pull out the city, one attack and one defense. Those who attack must take advantage of the unpreparedness, and those who defend must be on guard all the time. How can there be an appointment to fight? Bai Yi can really figure it out. So how does His Royal Highness Li Guogong respond? where?"

"It is said that the two met verbally last night, and His Royal Highness Li Guogong has already accepted the appointment." "It's straightforward. It's a battle between the overlord and the famous general, so it's not only the victory or defeat in the battle, but also the boldness, majesty and courage. It's a pity that I can't go to the Shangyang Pass to see this battle with my own eyes," the general seemed regretful and sighed In one breath, "Is there anything else?" "Yes, Liu Wenzhi, commander of the Li army, has another gift."

"Oh? What kind of gift?" "This time, there are some old books from Da Chao Shi. The person who sent them said that they were Liu Xiang's favorite books, so they can't be given to the general. If the general likes it, please read it and return it." "Oh," the general said calmly, "Which volumes are they?" "There are three kinds: "Shaoxi Tongyin", "Hai Cangzhi Yilu" and "Xianshan Zhiwen Notes"." "He really knows what I like. Chao Ban's ancient books are now priceless and rare treasures. Mr. Liu Wenzhi cannot be underestimated." The general said, "Take the book and order the front army to line up. When the sun is rising , we talked with Mr. Liu Wenzhi before the battle as we did a few days ago."

"yes!" "Please pass the pen and ink in for me, I want to write a form to His Majesty the Emperor." There are three poles in the sun. Ten thousand wind and tiger cavalry lined up in a long formation, facing the ochre-red defense line of the 10,000 red brigade at a distance of five hundred steps. Fences were lined up in front of the defense line. Archers stood silently behind the fence, looking at the smoke and dust between the positions of the two armies. Roll over. The front of the Fenghu cavalry army split open suddenly, and a purple horse hissed out of the formation, jogging towards the center of the position.At the same time, the red brigade infantry moved away from the fence, and a blue and white war horse also stepped out of the line of defense, approaching Zi Liu who was coming from the opposite side.

The two war horses met in the formation, standing still a foot apart.The people on horseback bowed and saluted. "General Hua Ye has received the things I sent, right?" On the back of a bluish-white war horse was an old man in a toga with gray beard and hair. Bronze and chapped skin that has been exposed to the sun all year round.He didn't wear a sword or armor, and he came calmly like an old friend. "Thank you, Mr. Liu Wenzhi. I have received all three volumes of ancient books. The gift this time is indeed too precious to be reciprocated. Please bring back a piece of incense from my collection. It is the famous dragon's breath." fragrant."

"Long Xixiang from Chun Kingdom, I have heard about it for a long time, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to see it yet. I also want to thank the general." Hua Ye, the famous general of the Chun State Fenghu, and Liu Wenzhi, the left minister of the Li State, were talking calmly in front of the battle. At this time, behind them, soldiers from both armies held their swords and guns at the same time, waiting for an order at any time, and then roaring and striding forward. all out.But the soldiers had been waiting for nine days. The dialogue between Hua Ye and Liu Wenzhi continued for nine days. Every morning they talked here, and then they each left, and they had to salute and say goodbye.

After a long time, the wind and tiger cavalry who marched in a hurry had the illusion that this battle would take ten or twenty years to finish, until the old man who led the enemy army on the opposite side died of old age. "Mr. Liu should know the news about General Bai Yi's war with Li Guo, right?" Hua Ye asked suddenly. "The news was delivered early this morning, but it's a pity that I couldn't be there in person, so I couldn't see the peerless battle." Liu Wenzhi replied indifferently. "I'm sorry too." "General Bai Yi and our Lord are in this battle. General Bai has an army of 70,000, which can destroy the city, but our country has 30,000 Red Brigade and 5,000 Thunder Riders. Relying on the steepness of Shangyang Pass, it can be said that the chances of victory and defeat are different. Half. If our lord wins, he can take advantage of the situation to break through. If General Bai wins, the lord may choose to retreat towards Tianqi City. For General Hua Ye, if he can defeat our troops at this time, he can cross the king's domain and press against Shang Behind the Yang Pass, one can threaten the main force of our army, and the other is that if we attack from both sides, our lord will have nowhere to go, and may die at Shangyang Pass." Liu Wenzhi said, "I think the general has received the news. , the first action must be to enter the Biao Emperor and ask the army of the Chun Kingdom to pass through the Wangyu, right?"

"As Mr. Liu said, my letter has been sent out this morning." Hua Ye did not hide anything. "Then until the army of General Enzhun of the Emperor passes through Wangyu, the two of us don't have to fight?" "At this time, the two of us are fighting, but we will kill too much and cause the soldiers to bleed. Hua Ye can't see any use for it." "The general has the title of 'Tiger God', and he is indeed a military god who protects the general. I admire him." Liu Wenzhi praised. "I've heard that Mr. Liu and Mr. Li Tongli are both called the left and right ministers of Liguo. They are both ministers who inherit the country, not generals who attack and kill. I didn't expect that Mr. Liu would lead the army in this confrontation and form an army. The orders are orderly and majestic. If it weren't for this, Hua Ye would have sent troops to fight a long time ago."

Liu Wenzhi smiled: "I am indeed a literati, and I am old. With the general's sword skills, we are now separated by ten feet, and the general wants to take the head on my neck. It is simply a breeze. But the general did not kill me because even It's useless to kill me, I'm dead, and my generals and sergeants will still follow the strategy I left behind to defend until my lord gets out of Shangyang Pass and returns to the country." "Then where will this red brigade go? Will it surrender to our army?" Liu Wenzhi shook his head: "With an army of 20,000 people, how can there be any reason to surrender? The strategy set at that time was that once defeated, the whole army would disperse, bypass the western foot of Leiyan Mountain, and travel long distances to return to the homeland. Many people may die people, but some will go home.”

"Duke Li is really the overlord. He decided to make a strategy, and he would not hesitate to bet the lives of 20,000 people on the game?" Hua Ye sighed. "But we will all follow this overlord, even if we have to cross mountains and mountains to catch up with his war horses. This is why we have few soldiers and major generals in our country, and our production is not as good as that of other powerful countries, but our country is able to dominate the princes. " "Yes, in terms of fighting spirit, none of us can compare to the army behind Mr. Liu." The two were silent for a while. "So that's it for today. Let's go back to the camp to rest. We are talking here, but the soldiers behind us are nervous. Now the sun is about to rise, and the heat is overwhelming. There is no need for the soldiers to accompany us to endure hardships." Hua Ye said. Liu Wenzhi nodded: "The general's proposal is also in line with my wishes. But I want to remind the general that permission to travel through the royal domain is not easy to obtain. For the royal ministers of the imperial capital, no matter whether they are from Liguo or Chunguo or Chu Weiguo is all princes. I think the general understands what I mean." "I understand that the current emperor doesn't want to see any soldiers of the princes appearing in Tianqi City. However, I have no choice but to try." "So if the general doesn't get permission, what will the general do?" "It depends on the changes in the situation, because I know that if Bai Yi wins, he will definitely enter the imperial capital. He is not only a loyal minister, but also a powerful minister. In Bai Yi's eyes, he is only guarding the Dayin Dynasty, but not The emperor in the court. If the emperor refuses, he will march as usual. If that is the case, I will cooperate with him." Hua Ye said. "The general is a loyal minister and a man of great faith. He cannot fight against the royal family. Therefore, the general's 30,000 cavalry can run across the world, but they can't fight against my 20,000 red brigade in front of Wang Yu for a long time. But for Bai Yi, the general will Is it against the emperor's will?" Liu Wenzhi asked. "Although I don't want to fight against the royal family, I know that if there is anyone in the world who can restrain Ying Wuyi, it is Bai Yi. Therefore, Bai Yi cannot die. For Bai Yi, Hua Ye can respond to his generals at any time!" Hua Ye The sound is not high, but it sounds like metal. Liu Wenzhi sighed: "This is the trust and friendship between the famous generals. Then, I will wait for the day when we start a war." "The ancient book given by Mr. is precious. Mr. said he would return it. I will try to read it before the war begins, and then send someone to return it to Mr. Hua Ye in a low voice, "I hope I still have enough time." "Okay!" Liu Wenzhi turned his horse's head and was about to leave. "Mr. Liu, I have something to ask." Hua Ye suddenly said behind him. Liu Wenzhi reined in his horse and turned around. "Why did Mr. Liu give me those three kinds of ancient books? In fact, these three are all ancient Chao edition books that Hua Ye has been looking for for many years. When I heard that, my heart skipped a few times, and I felt that Mr. Liu had seen through his thoughts. Hua Ye said in a low voice. Liu Wenzhi smiled: "I heard that the general burned incense and meditated every day when he lived in seclusion, hoping to clarify his heart and understand the true meaning of life." "yes." "I am older than the general. When I was as old as the general, I was troubled and troubled. I saw people living on the earth, as if they were suffering in a furnace of molten iron. There was a lot of pain and helplessness, but they were helpless. Later, I was lucky enough to read a The classic "Nagato Sutra" of the Nagato Sect, my thoughts were flying for a while, and I felt that another world had opened up. The people and things in front of me were no longer just one person and one thing. I asked myself what is a person, what is a thing, and what is goodness Evil, what is gain and loss. At that time, I often walked on the streets of Jiuyuan City, and the sun in Jiuyuan was sharp, and I only felt that the surroundings were white and hazy, as if all kinds of illusions were unreal. At night, I read some books under the lamp. Strange and weird books, imagining the end of the sea and the sky, thinking about things before this world and after this world. These ancient books were bought with all the money at that time, I think the general might like it too." Hua Ye saluted: "Indeed, as Mr. Liu said, the reason why Hua Ye meditates is because he feels that the world is very big and he knows very little." Liu Wenzhi smiled: "It's an old man's gift to a young man. The general can do me good by passing on what he knows and hears to someone younger than the general. A long-door monk I met was Said so to me." "If we met in another place, maybe we would become friends?" Hua Ye was silent for a moment, "Or we would be two elder monks walking together in the wilderness." Liu Wenzhi still smiled, his smile was thought-provoking: "That was in the past, now I am no longer confused." "No more confusion?" "Don't the general understand why I'm not confused?" "Because Mr. Liu met Duke Li?" "Yes," Liu Wenzhi looked into the distance, as if in a daze, "because I saw that child's eyes." "Child..." Hua Ye sighed, "Was the overlord of Donglu once a child, in Mr. Liu's eyes." "Everyone is a child. For example, the general standing in front of me now, didn't the general also say that? Suddenly I realized that the world is very big, and I know very little. Ignorant, isn't it a child?" Hua Ye hesitated for a moment: "Then, can Mr. Liu teach a child how to break through confusion?" "Everyone in this world has their own home, and they have to go back to their own home. Confusion is also like a home. Wherever you find it, you will not be confused." Liu Wenzhi smiled, "My home and The general's house is not in the same place." He rode away: "But although the general and I will not be two elder monks traveling together, we can indeed become friends, if we didn't meet here." Looking at the dust flying behind his horse, Hua Ye shook his head and looked up at the sky.