The rain has stopped and the weather has stopped, which is the best weather we haven’t seen in a long time.
Guo Xin packed up his clothes, took his bow and arrows and rode out of the house. Not long after leaving Wanshengmen in the west, we found the team that was going hunting with Liu Chengxun today at the place that Shi Dejun had agreed to yesterday.
Perhaps it was because it had been raining for too long in the past few days, but the sun seemed extremely bright, but because of the refreshing autumn weather, it didn't feel hot at all. It was indeed a good day to go out.
Guo Xin looked around and saw that most of the people who came were buddies of his own age. If they were able to go hunting with the prince, they were probably not from ordinary backgrounds. However, Guo Xin didn't know them very well. After all, he had very few friends, and the closest ones were Zheng Chen and Shi Dejun.
At this time, Liu Chengxun hadn't arrived yet, and a group of people were waiting. Shi Dejun also came after a while, found Guo Xin, and said with a narrow smile: "Even if Brother Yi is eager to show off, he won't come so early, and His Highness can't fly."
Guo Xin was too lazy to pay attention to him and just played with the yellow birch bow in his hand. In fact, the one he most took advantage of was the original hemp-backed bow, but he later gave it to Zhang Chenghua. The bow in my hand is weaker, but it is lighter and less labor-intensive, so it is perfect for hunting.
When Shi Dejun saw Guo Xin ignoring him, he snorted and approached Guo Xin and said, "Brother Yi, have you heard that the officials have decided to conquer Du Chongwei personally..."
Sure enough, Guo Xin put his bow aside and asked, "The military order hasn't come down yet. I wonder when the officials will use the troops?"
"It depends on when Wang Shixiang can get money and food..." Shi Dejun paused, "But the official family is going on an expedition, and Brother Yi will also go with him this time."
Guo Xin nodded thoughtfully. Shi Dejun's father, Shi Hongzhao, was the chief officer of the Guards Department. He was nominally the commander-in-chief of the entire Guards Army. The news about the mobilization of the Forbidden Army should not be false.
Guo Xin asked again: "Will Shi Lang have a chance to fight this time?"
Shi Dejun shook his head, with a depressed look on his face: "I'm different from your brother Rong. I don't have two pawns under my command, and I have to go to the palace every day to be on duty. That sounds good to me, the guard general of the right prison, but after all, He's just a gatekeeper, and he's already got a bird out of his crotch. Why don't I have time to use His Highness's name to go out for a walk today..."
While the two were talking, they suddenly saw a group of people riding horses from a distance. Guo Xin had never met Liu Chengxun, but looking at this battle, he knew that the leader in the middle was Liu Chengxun.
Liu Chengxun was surrounded by a large group of people. Guo Xin saw that Song Xie and Li Ye were among them. Guo Xin did not recognize some of the others. Only a young man next to Liu Chengxun looked familiar... not because he had seen him somewhere, but because He looks so much like Liu Chengxun next to him! However, Liu Chengxun should be less than thirty years old, and the young man next to him seems to be seventeen or eighteen years old. It is obvious that the two are brothers.
Guo Xin had known for a long time that Liu Zhiyuan had three sons in total. In addition to the eldest son Liu Chengxun, there were also the second son Liu Chengyou, the youngest son Liu Chengxun, and the adopted son Liu Yun who was adopted from his brother Liu Chong. However, Liu Yun was not in Kaifeng Mansion. Liu Chengxun was said to be a sick man who could not leave the house all day long. Apparently the young man following Liu Chengxun here was Liu Zhiyuan's second son Liu Chengyou.
Guo Xin has never forgotten that the person who killed his whole family in history was the second emperor of the Later Han Dynasty after Liu Zhiyuan's death. As for which of the two princes in front of him, he was not so clear...
Liu Chengxun and a group of people stopped in front of Guo Xin and others, and the waiting people also dismounted to pay tribute. Guo Xin had no good impression of the Liu family from the bottom of his heart, but he had to pretend to be respectful and dismounted and followed the others to salute Liu Chengxun on the horse.
Liu Chengxun only made a gesture of support on his horse: "You don't have to be polite. I'm going hunting today, not to show off my guard of honor, but to have a good time."
Liu Chengxun has a loud voice, a very square face, a broad nose, thick lips, and thick and long eyebrows. It can also be seen that he inherited some blood from the Shatuo people of the Liu family. According to the aesthetics of this time, he should have a good face. Liu Chengyou on the side was similar, but his lips were slightly thinner and his brows were knitted together from the beginning. He seemed to be a young man with a lot on his mind.
Seeing that Liu Chengxun had no airs, everyone responded and got on their horses and followed Liu Chengxun to the hunting ground they had chosen.
The hunting ground is in Chigang, not far from Kaifeng Mansion. During the Five Dynasties, war disasters were frequent, and many people in the Central Plains fled to Shu or south to avoid disasters. Although the Central Plains was not without roosters for thousands of miles, the size of the farmland and farmhouses in the fields was also much worse than before. In addition, this year the Khitans came from the north. The "grasping of valleys" everywhere has caused the people in several states in Henan to move away, so abandoned fields can be seen everywhere.
After the population became sparse, the original vast farmland was replaced by pastures and sparse forests, which also became a paradise for wild animals of all sizes.
Chigang is a low hill with sparse trees and dense streams. It has always been the hunting choice for the nobles of Kaifeng Prefecture.
Guo Xin followed a group of people into the mountains and forests. It had been two days since the rain, but the land in the mountains was not dry yet, and the smell of soil and vegetation was very strong. Guo Xin feels that this breath is a kind of fresh vitality, symbolizing the vitality of life, and he likes things full of life and hope.
Hunting is a custom that has been passed down since the Tang Dynasty, and most people from the north are familiar with it. When everyone gathered together, Liu Chengxun, who had the highest status at the scene, first demarcated the "hunting ground", and then divided into several groups of people to form the left and right heads, wings, and shoulders to rush around. Liu Chengxun personally led his troops to "surround the bottom" at the end.
Guo Xin heard it interesting and asked Shi Dejun: "Why do you need to divide it so finely? If you rush like this, the prey will definitely be picked up by the people surrounding you."
Shi Dejun smiled: "If Guo Lang is dissatisfied, please tell His Highness that we can bring someone to make the base?"
After hearing this, Guo Xin smiled and said nothing more. The so-called fun was just to let the two princes have fun...
After a brief discussion, the people quickly separated into teams. Guo Xin glanced at it and estimated that they were driven in order from Wai Tou to Wai Shoulder. Finally, a large circle was formed from left to right, and then slowly narrowed the area, and the prey in it could not escape - Wai Tou was the most tiring, naturally. It is composed of accompanying personal guards. What can be gained are the bottom and the shoulder apron.
Shi Dejun and Guo Xin were considered to be well-established yamen, and were assigned to the left and right teams respectively. Guo Xin also had an acquaintance in Guo Xin's team - Prince Consort Song Xie.
"Guo Erlang, we meet again!" Song Xie also saw Guo Xin and greeted him familiarly.
Guo Xinxin thought to himself: They had only met each other twice, but Song Xie was very interested in him and took the initiative to show his kindness to him every time. So he returned the favor in kind to this half of the Liu family.
The hunt started soon, and the horses started galloping, but Guo Xin deliberately fell on the edge of the cavalry - Guo Wei worked for Liu Zhiyuan, why should he work for that Liu family kid?
