The streets of Shouchun City in the Wei Dynasty are now deserted.
Because Emperor Cao Rui reviewed his troops today in the western suburbs of Shouchun, and feasted on the Sixth Army here, he also distributed a lot of money, silk, beef, and fine wine to reward the soldiers of the Yangzhou army.
The army of one hundred thousand, under the attention of the emperor and the accompanying officials, was displaying their bravery to the fullest. The whole western suburb of Shouchun, at this moment, the shouts were like the thunder of nine days, resounding through the sky, the shocking shouts, just like this It echoed over the Jianghuai Plain for a long time.
Under the high tower of the city tower, there is a dense Wei military formation with yellow jingxuanjia, swords, halberds, spears, swords, spears, armor and other brand-new weapons and armory, shining like stars in the autumn sun. Cold light dotted the military formation that looked like dark clouds.
Cao Rui, who has defeated the two powerful enemies of Wu and Shu in succession and defeated many famous ministers and generals, is now wearing the emperor's dragon scale collar basin armor and standing proudly on the high tower. At this moment, the emperor is holding a five-foot long sword in his hand. , looking at the endless rolling dust in the distance, and looking at the beautiful mountains and rivers in the palm of his hand.
"Guangguang my imperial ancestor. Xuanyao is as glorious as him.
The legacy spreads all over the world. Eight tables are used to clear it.
Although there are Wu and Shu bandits. The Spring and Autumn Period is full of glory. "
This is what the emperor said as he stood near the end of his life, full of ambition, and standing on the tower.
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After receiving replies from Changchuan Tuoba tribe and Monan royal court supporters, the governor Wang Xiong finally decided to send an envoy composed of Xiahou Xuan, Cao Xi, Yu Huan, Han Long, and a group of warriors to go north to the royal court.
The farewell banquet was held on the bank of Yishui.
The winter wind is biting and the water is cold.
Xia Houxuan recalled for no reason many years ago, the warrior Jing Ke who also sang from the banks of the Yishui River and then entered the Qin Dynasty with his sword.
It's just that although Jing Ke's name remains in history, he failed to assassinate the King of Qin, which will inevitably make future generations feel regretful. But Xia Houxuan did not feel timid because of this. He believed that everything was ready and their trip would be successful.
"The stability of the northern border depends on you all." Wang Xiong, the governor of Youzhou, raised the bronze lord as a farewell farewell to the delegation: "Please drink to your heart's content and hope to return soon!"
"Your Majesty, please!" Xia Houxuan, Han Long, Cao Xi, Yu Huan, and a group of warriors raised the bronze barons and drank them all in one gulp.
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In this way, Xia Houxuan, Cao Xi, Han Long, Yu Huan and other members of the mission, carrying a small number of extremely precious ten jars of Western Regions wine, as well as many money and silk belongings, embarked on the journey to the desert in the name of the mission. The road to the South Royal Court.
At the same time, Tuoba Liwei, the Xianbei leader in Suotou who was far away in Changchuan, also sent his eldest son Tuoba Desert Khan to carry the treasures of his headquarters and lead his headquarters' mission to Ke in Monan. Bineng Wangting specially assisted Xia Houxuan and others.
The Monan Xianbei adults who were lurking within the royal court and had been bribed by the envoys sent by Xia Houxuan and others were also making sophisticated and detailed plans. They decided to launch a coup on New Year's Eve to control Kebineng in order to support them. The suitable new king in my heart.
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In the northern border in winter, the cold wind is biting, which is even more difficult to adapt to than the Youyan land in Liaodong with Yanshan Mountain as a barrier.
Even though Xia Houxuan was wearing a white fur and a white fox cloak, he still couldn't stop the raging cold wind and biting frost and snow.
Xia Houxuan thought to himself that the people in the northern border could survive in such an environment, establish a country, and even compete with the Central Plains for supremacy. The ambition of their people cannot be underestimated. No wonder there were many tragic and generous heroes in the Yan Dynasty since ancient times.
After traveling for more than a month, the delegation finally arrived at the Monan Palace.
This is the first time Xia Houxuan, Cao Xi, Yu Huan, and Han Long have come to this strange place.
The unparalleled 'White Bird' is stepping on the cold frost and snow, and is currently carrying its owner towards the majestic King's tent in the snow from a distance.
"Ding bell, jingle bell..." The silver bell hanging around Bai Que's neck, which was a gift from Guanqiu Jian many years ago, kept jingling in the snow, and its sound was very clear.
And just as Xia Houxuan continued to approach the tents of the Xianbei royal court, he seemed to hear another sound that seemed familiar to him besides the sound of silver bells.
That voice was melodious and vast, mixed with the sound of wind and snow in the north, making it even more tragic and desolate.
Xia Houxuan could tell that it was the sound of Hujia.
He remembered that the last time he heard this music was on the battlefield years ago.
I still remember that on the night before the battle with the Monan Wolf Cavalry led by the Xianbei vassal king Kebineng when he followed the general Qin Lang north to the desert, he was alone in the desert, reined in his horse and looked at the moon, and then he was able to hear This is the joy of Hujia.
And after a year, hearing this music again today near Monan King's tent in the stormy weather was a different experience for Xia Houxuan.
When he reined in his horse and walked forward, Xia Houxuan finally got a clear look at the man playing the Hujia. It turned out that the man was a Xianbei man wearing wolf-skin armor, luxuriously dressed, eight feet tall, with a majestic and handsome appearance.
Xia Houxuan couldn't help but feel curious and urged his horse forward. After hearing the crisp silver bell behind him, the tall foreign man couldn't help but put down his beard and turned around to look back.
Xia Houxuan raised his eyes and saw that the man was majestic and had a faint heroic spirit between his brows. At first glance, he felt that he was not an ordinary person.
He thought to himself: If this person is the leader of Ke Bi Neng, he is a powerful enemy of his group. Xia Houxuan thought in his heart while continuing to look at the person.
"Hi, are you friends from the south?" Before Xia Houxuan could reach him, the man said hello first.
His accent sounded like the elegant dialect of the Central Plains.
Xia Houxuan was surprised, but also a little more curious. This person was obviously a foreigner, and he didn't expect that he could also speak Luoyang Yayan. Although the man's accent was not very standard, Xiahou Xuan's ears were really impressed by the fact that a person living in this desert could understand elegant dialect.
"I am coming from Luoyang. It is the envoy from the Wei Dynasty who came to present wine to King Fuyi of Xianbei."
As Xia Houxuan spoke, he dismounted from his saddle and saluted the man:
"I don't know who you are, but is there a certain leader in the Monan Royal Court?"
"Nice to meet you." The man also saluted Xia Houxuan, and then said with a smile: "My surname is Tuoba, and my name is Desert Khan. I am from Tuoba Xianbei in the Changchuan tribe. You can just call me Desert Khan. "
"It turns out that your Excellency is the eldest son of Tuoba Liwei, the leader of Suotou. I have admired him for a long time. I am really lucky to meet you." Xia Houxuan saw that this man was very heroic. He was originally afraid that he was some important person in the Monan Royal Court. Later, the swords were facing each other. , it is inevitable that he is another strong enemy. When he heard that he was Tuoba Desert Khan who was cooperating with his group, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He then revealed his identity:
"My surname is Xiahou, my single name is Xuan, and my courtesy name is Taichu."
"Xiahou Xuan, mystical and mysterious, the gate of all mysteries, what a good name!" Desert Khan was born with a simple and heroic nature, and he admired the culture of the Central Plains quite a lot, so he had a good impression of the Wei man in front of him who came from the south. The two hit it off immediately and chatted happily. They both regretted seeing each other so late.
The two had similar conversations, and couldn't help but begin to talk deeply. They also discussed the ways of civil and military affairs, the art of governing the country, and the suffering of the people. They both felt that each other was a rare confidant. If there hadn't been no alcohol around, they would have long been together. Drinking began.
"Xia Houxuan, you and I feel like old friends at the first sight. How about we become brothers here in the heavy snow today and share hardships together in the future?"
Although this Desert Khan was extremely intelligent, he was very innocent in mind and heroic in character. Therefore, although it was just the first time for him to meet Xia Houxuan, he deeply believed that the other party must be a hero, which is why he made this request.
Originally, it was very rude for people in the Central Plains to call each other by their first names, but Xia Houxuan also respected and loved this Beimang man and did not regard it as a divorce. His heart was filled with enthusiasm, so he agreed without hesitation and smiled happily:
"Okay, I am twenty-five years old, but I don't know how old Desert Khan is?"
"I am twenty-eight years old this year, three years older than you. From now on, I will be your eldest brother!" Tuoba Desert Khan was quite happy. He patted Xia Houxuan on the shoulder and said with a laugh.
Xia Houxuan had made such a good brother in the land of Mobei, so he was naturally in a good mood. He strode forward and took out a jar of precious rose wine from the carriage behind his horse:
"This is the grape wine that my younger brother brought from the Central Plains and donated from the Western Regions. Today I will drink a jar with my elder brother to celebrate our sworn marriage!"
"Okay!" Desert Khan felt very happy. He took the wine jar, opened the mud seal, drank heavily, and handed the wine jar to Xia Houxuan. Xia Houxuan also drank heavily, and then threw the empty wine jar away. Got out.
The two of them actually drank a jar of grape wine in one breath, and they felt so energetic and happy. They both felt that they had never had such a pleasant meal in the past twenty years. At this moment, the two of them were in high spirits. , actually hugged each other and laughed.
"Brother comes to the royal court this time and has nothing to offer, so I will give this wolf bone beard to my worthy brother as a proof of our sworn friendship!"
Xia Houxuan took the bamboo slipper and carefully stored it in his fur bag. He also took out a copper slingshot from his saddle. This slingshot was given to him by his uncle Cao Zhen when he was six years old.
"I will give this bronze bow to my eldest brother."
"Bow?" Desert Khan looked at the small and exquisite object in front of him with a confused look on his face. At that time, the Suotou Tuoba Xianbei tribe had not had much contact with the Central Plains, so he did not know what a slingshot was.
"Brother, wait and see." Xia Houxuan said as he picked up a pebble from the snow on the ground, put on his slingshot and shot towards the sky. A sparrow that had not had time to fly back to the south fell down like this.
Desert Khan couldn't help but be very happy. He smiled and said: "I have only known about long bows and big bows in the past, but I have never heard of such a small bow. Thank you dear brother for giving me this treasure!"
The two of them felt very happy at this moment and laughed again.
