Chapter 119 Chapter 8 Amazing Conspiracy

After more than 20 days of continuous driving, Henglong Ridge, which straddles the junction of Qi and Zhao, finally stood tall on the edge of the horizon, and the undulating peaks were covered with white snow. Along the way, everyone was full of worries, and it was difficult to show joy, and there was no warm atmosphere when we first set off from Xianyang.Occasionally, there were conversations about how to conceal one's whereabouts, or launch counter-reconnaissance operations against pursuers.Halfway through the journey, the enemy's chasing cavalry had been thrown off. Xiao Yuetan was surprisingly silent and full of thoughts. Ever since Xiang Shaolong talked with him that night, he felt that he had something hidden in his heart that was hard to tell.

I don't know if it's sensitive, but the closer he gets to Henglong Ridge, the more ominous Xiang Shaolong feels. He also had a dream last night. He dreamed that Zhao Qian and Chunying's four servant girls were all dressed up and smiling like flowers. They insisted on dragging him back to Xianyang. When he woke up, his face was full of tears and his heart was like a knife. cut. So although Teng Yi wanted to hurry up, Xiang Shaolong insisted on finding a hill with the back of the mountain and facing the plain to camp, in order to gain time to rest and think. Before dusk, Jing Jun, his Jing family army and the Meng brothers came back from hunting wild game and set up a firewood for barbecue. In order to avoid exposing their possessions, they did not light lamps or build bonfires after dark. How difficult it is in this deep winter One thing to endure.

With the destination in sight, Jing Jun and other young people got excited and chatted in twos and threes. Ji Yanran and Wu Tingfang hid in the tent and whispered. Xiao Yuetan dragged Li Si to talk next to a small waterfall on the back of the mountain, with a serious expression on his face. Teng Yi and Xiang Shaolong sat on a pile of rocks next to the camp, watching the sun slowly sinking to the west. Suddenly Li Si walked back and asked the two of them to go over. After Xiang Teng and his wife glanced at each other, their hearts skipped a beat, and they followed Li Si to Xiao Yuetan, where the latter was staring at the clear spring pouring down from the mountain wall, with tears in his eyes.

Li Si shook his head and sighed. Even Teng Yi, who is so patient, couldn't help saying: "It's all from my family, what's on your mind, brother Xiao, why don't you just say it?" Xiao Yuetan let out a deep breath, looked at Xiang Teng and the two, and said with full of emotion: "Didn't I tell Shaolong that night that I love wild thoughts the most, but the more I think about it, the more I feel that I am not crazy, and The 'yes or no' answer is there." He stretched out his hand abruptly, pointing at Henglong Ridge in the distance. Xiang Shaolong and Teng Yi's whole body trembled violently, their hands and feet were icy cold.

Li Si said with a sigh: "Just now, Mr. Xiao has repeatedly pushed forward the research on the attack on the red pine forest, found many doubts, and finally came to a very shocking conclusion. I am afraid that we have all become victims of Lu Xiangguo. " Xiang Teng and Xiang Teng looked at each other, and they both saw the horror in each other's eyes. Xiao Yuetan said: "Actually, today's mission should be a good job. The six countries have been fighting against each other, and even more recently, Qi and Chu conspired against Zhao. It is difficult to unite as one, so the mission is just superfluous, let alone Lord Lu I am trying my best to train my clansmen, let alone let this great opportunity for clansmen to make meritorious deeds be given to Shaolong. Alas! There are many things that should not be taken to heart at first, but something went wrong now, let’s think about it , and found many unusual places."

Teng Yi's face became extremely pale, and he said in a deep voice: "I have never understood why the enemy's surprise attack on us was so impeccably controlled in terms of timing and situation. The moment our guard was relaxed, even though they kept spying on us, how could they know so clearly that we would be hiding in the forest on those snowy nights? So there must be a traitor." Xiang Shaolong only felt numbness in his scalp and chills in his spine, took a deep breath, and then suppressed his fluctuating emotions and said, "What good will this do for Lu Xiang? We are all his people, and there are three hundred If Meng Tian and Meng Wu are both killed, wouldn't Meng Ao be devastated?"

Xiao Yuetan raised his sleeve to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes, sighed and said, "I, Xiao Yuetan, have been with Lord Lu for twenty years, and I understand his character of using unscrupulous means to achieve his goals. " Paused and asked back: "Suppose Lord Yangquan sent someone to do it, what good will it do him?" This originally straightforward and simple question, but now that he said it, no one could answer him. King Zhuang Xiang always thought of Yangquan Lord's kindness to him, so when he appointed Lu Buwei as the right prime minister, he also left him the position of left prime minister, and prevented Lu Buwei from dealing with Yangquan Lord.

If Xiang Shaolong and the others were attacked and killed, since there had been rumors that Lord Yangquan was going to deal with them, and all those who died were Lu Buwei's cronies and family generals, no one would suspect that it was Lu Buwei's own plan. Both King Zhuang Xiang and Zhu Ji loved Xiang Shaolong very much, if they believed that Lord Yangquan sent people to kill Xiang Shaolong, Lord Yangquan would not be spared from disaster, even Madam Huayang might not be able to keep this brother. At that time, Lu Buwei will be able to get rid of this serious trouble in one fell swoop, and take charge of the government alone.Who has a closer relationship with King Zhuang Xiang and Zhu Ji than him?

Xiao Yuetan looked at Xiang Shaolong whose face was completely pale, and said in a deep voice: "Among the people I know, there is no one who knows how to play tricks better than Master Lu. If this plan is successful, it will kill birds with one stone." Then he said excitedly: "First of all, he can get rid of you, Xiang Shaolong. You are so sharp, not only the queen concubine obeys you, but even the political prince is very attached to you, and behind you there is the huge Wu family as your backing. In time, you might even overshadow Lu Buwei's brilliance. The people of Qin respect heroes the most and value military exploits. What they need is someone as wise and brave as you, how can Lu Buwei have no worries."

He no longer referred to Lu Buwei as Lord Lu, but directly referred to him by his name. All three of them felt the change in his mood, and understood the grief and indignation he felt being betrayed by his master. Li Si interjected: "He can also force General Meng to stand on the same front as him against Lord Yangquan and his accomplices because of the tragic death of his beloved son, and he can also take the elite and invincible Wu family children for his own use to strengthen his strength What kind of thing is it to sacrifice some family members and cronies? The three hundred family members who came together this time are all people who have had relationships with Tu Guanjia and Mr. Xiao for many years. They can be regarded as the system of the older generation of family members. The death of Songlin in battle will make the power of the Lu clan in the prime minister's mansion go from strength to strength."

"Crack!" Teng Yi forcefully chopped off a short tree beside him that was as thick as an arm. Everyone stared at each other silently, but the grief and indignation in their hearts continued unabated.They worked wholeheartedly for Lu Buwei, but in exchange for this fate and result. Xiao Yuetan said: "Whether this is the case or not, we will know soon. If Lu Buwei really sold us as goods, the one waiting for us at Henglong Ridge will definitely not be Lu Xiong or Qu Douqi, but the one who was there that night. The people who attacked us in the red pine forest. If my guess is right, it must be hosted by Zhu Meng himself, so that the news will not be leaked. As long as these people who participated in the attack are left outside Xianyang afterwards, no one is afraid that anyone will find out. " Xiang Shaolong recalled Lu Xiong's extreme reaction when he changed the route that day, and his heart sank. Li Sidao: "Zhu Meng is extremely aggressive. After he escaped from us, he deliberately disguised himself as a Han soldier to chase us, making us believe that Lord Yangquan colluded with the Koreans to deal with us. It's really chilling." Teng Yi said surprisingly calmly: "Third Brother, do you still want to go to Qi State?" Xiang Shaolong couldn't even squeeze a wry smile, and said slowly: "Now I only have one interest, which is to prove that this is indeed what Lu Buwei did, and then try to kill Zhumeng, and let Lu Buwei pay me some debts first." Shaolong." ◇◇◇◇◇◇ At dusk the next day, Xiang Shaolong, Teng Yi, and Jing Jun came back from Henglong Ridge with gloomy faces, and called Li Si and Xiao Yuetan to talk to the waterfall. Ji Yanran's two daughters also knew about this and participated in their discussion. Needless to say, everyone knew the result. Li Si asked in a deep voice, "How many of them are there?" Teng Yi said: "There are about a thousand people, all dressed in Qin army uniforms, and under the banners of Qu Douqi and Lu Xiong, Mr. Xiao guessed right, this group of people was led by Zhu Meng, and recognized by Jing Jun. out." Jing Jun nodded and said: "I also recognized a few people from the Lu clan, hmph! They usually call me brothers and sisters, but now they are turning their backs on you." Wu Tingfang let out a mournful cry, and fell into Ji Yanran's arms, who stared at her beautifully and said, "We have to settle this account with Lu Buwei." Xiao Yuetan sighed and said: "Qu Douqi and his people are probably doomed, and this matter naturally depends on the Han people, so that the king is determined to attack the Korean people. After so many years, Xiao Xiao has only woken up today." I feel that I have been working as a minion for the tiger." Li Sidao: "I have to bear with him for a while, Mr. Xiao and I can clap our hands and leave, but Taifu Xiang still has a Wu family on his shoulders, and there is no way to go. Fortunately, the King and Queen Ji support you. If you don't tear yourself apart, Lu Buwei will still have trouble with you for a while." Xiao Yuetan said: "On the surface, Shaolong, you must act as if you are convinced that Lord Yangquan colluded with the Koreans to do this, and hide it from everyone, including Lu Buwei. Then hide your strength and bide your time, so that you will be able to live in peace. When the time is right, Let's move the family business to the far side of the border, and see how this ruthless and righteous person ends up." At the end, he gritted his teeth. Concubine Yanran caressed Wu Tingfang's trembling fragrant shoulders, frowned and said: "But how should we deal with Zhu Meng's people now? If we leave like this, won't people know that we are suspicious? And Xiao Wu and Xiao Tian, ​​if we tell Meng Ao about the matter, Lu Buwei will know that we have seen through his conspiracy, and with his power that is expanding every day, if he wants to bring down the Wu family and Shaolong, it should be impossible It's a difficult thing." Teng Yi said: "I'm not worried about this. We're making arrangements first, preparing the way to escape, and then we will inform the villains of our location according to the original contact method. They will definitely attack the camp at night like last time. , we’ll kill them all and have a good time before returning to Xianyang, just like what Shaolong said, we should pre-fetch some debts from him first.” Jing Jun took out a scroll of silk pictures from his sleeve, on which the situation of Henglong Ridge was roughly drawn, and the three flags in it represented the situation of the enemy's distribution. He pointed to one of the valleys and said, "Here is a steep The highland has slopes on three sides, full of trees, and the back is against the southeast branch of Henglongling. It is only two hours away from Zhumeng's place. If we set up animal traps there, and take advantage of the abundant sunshine these days When the snow on the tree has melted away, take fat and oil and spread it on the body of the tree, and attack it with fire, and it will make Zhu Meng plant a big somersault." Teng Yi pointed to the back mountain and said: "We have observed it on the spot. As long as the climbing rope is set up in advance, you can easily climb over the mountain and leave quickly from the plain on the other side. Brother Xiao and Brother Li can join Tingfang and the Meng family brothers first. Waiting for us there is also a good way to take care of the horses' food and fodder." Xiang Shaolong stood up and said: "That's the decision, the most important thing now is to buy time, as long as we have a few days, we can make Zhumeng look good." The setting sun finally sinks under the wilderness, and the snow-white land is full of desolation. ◇◇◇◇◇◇ Reflecting the sunlight, the bronze mirror emitted a series of flashes towards Zhumeng's camp. After stopping for a while, it did the same thing again. After three times in a row, Xiang Shaolong put away the small bronze mirror. This was the method of communication Xiang Shaolong and Qu Dou Qi Luxiong had set up when they parted. After Qu Lu and Qu Lu saw the signal, they should send someone to find them. Of course, this kind of thing will not happen now. Xiang Shaolong and his three sworn brothers led eight Wu family disciples and thirty-eight hunters of the Jing family who were skilled in field warfare, and brought a large number of arrows, and climbed up the back mountain, under the cover of rocks and high cliffs. , hide your body, and wait for the fish to come to catch. Five or six scattered tents were set up at the foot of the mountain, hidden in the forest at the top of the slope, if the enemy watched from a high place in the distance, it would be difficult to know the truth. Seeing the sun slowly descending from the mid-heaven, Xiang Shaolong couldn't help feeling mixed feelings. Although we know that sooner or later we will be at odds with Lu Buwei, but who would have guessed that things will come so soon? Thinking that King Zhuang Xiang's life is not long, and that Lu Buwei will be in power for ten years, he feels palpitations. Can he and the Wu family survive such a long period of time? It all depends on Zhu Ji, the future Empress Dowager, as long as Lu Buwei doesn't dare to come, he will be sure to deal with the army of his Prime Minister's family. After returning to Xianyang, he will secretly train soldiers and try to introduce twentieth-century steel training techniques to improve weapons.He had never seriously thought about this aspect before, but now he has to do everything in order to protect himself. From this moment on, he will fight Lu Buwei both openly and secretly, as long as Xiaopan's position is stable.It's time for Lu Buwei to give the leadership.Although it is said in history that Lu Buwei committed suicide, how could a person like Lu Buwei commit suicide? Although he hated Zhao Mu, the two of them stood in a hostile situation from the beginning, unlike Lu Buwei who was so despicable and sinister, hiding his sword behind his smile, which made people feel heartbroken. Ji Yanran who was beside her leaned over and said in a low voice, "What are you thinking about?" Xiang Shaolong felt apologetic, and sighed: "I taught you to suffer!" Ji Yanran said softly: "What is this? A person like you will attract people's envy wherever you go. When Yanran was following you, Mr. Zou had already predicted that this would happen, and Yanran didn't even frown. One click!" Xiang Shaolong hugged her lightly, full of gratitude. The beautiful and intelligent beauty said quietly: "I heard you say that Empress Ji had talked to you alone many times, and I thought it was inappropriate. The reason why Lu Buwei has such a great influence on the king and the prince is because Empress Ji is here to help. Her unusual show of favor towards you has just prompted Lu Buwei's motive to kill you. Only in this way can Empress Ji wholeheartedly help him deal with Lord Yangquan and consolidate power. I have seen such things There are many, who is not like this?" After a pause, he continued: "When we were guests at the Prime Minister's Mansion that night, Lu Buwei looked at us with strange eyes a few times. Yan Ran is the most experienced in this area, and it was a jealous look." At this time, the sky and the earth are dark, and a bright moon rises up the mountain, shining brightly on the snow, and the snow-covered peaks of Henglongling are as transparent as jade. Looking at the dense forest below, Teng Yi on the other side warned in a low voice, "Here we come!" ◇◇◇◇◇◇ The enemy came up from the slopes on three sides like last time, but no torches were lit, and there was no sound at all, only the sound of branches and leaves breaking, which showed that the visitors were all experienced hands. Xiang Shaolong and the others held their breaths, all the arrows resting on the bowstring. In such a condescending place and covered by mountains and rocks, they are invincible, the question is just how many people they can annihilate each other! Traps were set up around the camp, and the forest trees on the slopes and hills were all coated with temporarily squeezed turpentine oil, and burned up, it was no joke. After almost an entire hour, the sound of branches and leaves snapping fell silent, only the north wind was still whistling. Teng Yi sneered and said, "Here we come!" Before the words were finished, countless torches were ignited on the slope of the hill, and then there was a sound of killing. Hundreds of people rushed towards the tents in the hill, and arrows rained through the camp, full of murderous intent. Then the screams of people could be heard endlessly. The traps around the camp were carefully laid out by Jing clan hunters. Even ferocious beasts were hard to escape, let alone humans. The torch was thrown down, and the trees were immediately ablaze.In the strong north wind, the fire spread rapidly.The enemies below are in a mess, regardless of direction. Xiang Shaolong gave an order, and more than forty rockets were fired into the sky first, and then dropped into the dense forest on the slope.The fire spread to the entire mountain, and the sound of screaming and running could be heard endlessly. How could Xiang Shaolong be polite when he waited, a new hatred surged up, and his arrows rained down like raindrops.In the light of the fire, the enemy's target was obvious, and there was no way to escape. They rushed to the top of the hill. The hundreds of people who were lucky enough not to fall into the trap could not escape the bad luck of the fire and the sharp arrows piercing their bodies. When the whole mountain was engulfed in thick smoke and flames, Xiang Shaolong and others couldn't bear it anymore, and hurriedly escaped from the back mountain by using the climbing ropes that had been arranged in advance. Finally, the deep hatred in my heart was relieved a little.