Zhang Sheng looked at Murong Nong, who was speechless for a moment, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the matter has become obvious. This time the sacred tree is in trouble, His Majesty will definitely use this matter to kill you to sacrifice to heaven. If you want to survive, there is only one The way is to go to the holy tree and listen to the instructions of the ancestors. If the ancestors send down the oracle and ask you to take over the throne, then do your part. If they want you to continue to assist His Majesty, then you will come back. Anyway, we need to contact you now. The Lan tribe soldiers and horses outside the city are cooperating inside and outside, so it makes perfect sense for you to leave the city now!"
Murong Nong opened his mouth with difficulty: "But, at this time, I am the general guarding the city. Even if I want to leave the city, I have to tell His Majesty. Otherwise, he will think that I am defecting."
Zhang Sheng stamped his feet anxiously: "Your Majesty, you are usually very smart, but why are you so confused about this matter? Murong Bao has long been suspicious of you. If you challenge him now, he will definitely flee. He will kill you for the crime. Even if he doesn't kill you for a while, if you mention to him that you want to go to the Holy Tree to find people from the Lan tribe to come back for help, he will only think that you want to take the opportunity to stand on your own, or that you are sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight. The rebels and his Dragon City soldiers and horses will decide the outcome, and they are even less likely to agree to you."
Murong Nong gritted his teeth: "But is the Lan tribe so trustworthy? In this critical time, it doesn't come to rescue, and even the five thousand soldiers and horses accompanying the army don't return to the city, but go to sacrifice some sacred tree. I always feel suspicious. Also, Duan Sugu, Song Chimei and the others are marrying women from Lanbe, why would these people rebel, and does it have anything to do with Lanbe?"
Zhang Sheng shook his head: "The Lan tribe has been in charge of worshiping the holy tree for many years, and they will never dare to go against the king in front of the holy tree, otherwise their own tribe will rebel. As for Duan Sugu and the others, their goal is to face Murong Bao. If the king leaves the city, they will get what they want. The king can indeed accept the oracle from the holy tree first, and then decide what to do next. When the late emperor was framed by traitors, he also secretly sneaked back to Dragon City and accepted the oracle from the holy tree. Those who fled to the former Qin Dynasty."
Murong Nong's expression changed: "This is a top-secret matter. The late emperor never mentioned it to others when he was alive. He only mentioned it when he sent me to Longcheng Town to guard it. How did you know about it?"
Zhang Sheng smiled slightly: "Your Majesty, don't forget where you found me. I, Zhang Sheng, was originally a young boy shepherding sheep in Lanbu. I had the honor to serve the late emperor in that sacrifice. Therefore, I too The late emperor told me that I must assist the king."
Murong Nong sighed: "No wonder when I came to Dragon City when I was new, I got lost while hunting in the middle of the night, but I met you. It turns out that this was not a coincidence, but an arrangement by the late emperor."
Zhang Sheng nodded: "Yes, the late emperor said that if one day the foundation of the Central Plains is lost and he returns to his hometown of Longcheng, then the villain must assist the king no matter what and ascend the throne to save the country, because although the late emperor has maintained this legitimate son all his life The system of inheritance, but if Dayan is in trouble and returns to Dragon City, it will be a time of life and death, and the most capable person must be needed to save everyone. Therefore, whether the king is destined to save Dayan, only the Holy Tree can decide .”
Murong Nong gritted his teeth, turned around and walked towards the city. His voice followed the wind: "Give me a set of soldier's clothes. I'm leaving the city now."
Two hours later, fifty miles north of Longcheng, there was White Wolf Mountain and Holy Tree Valley.
This is a silent valley, different from ordinary valleys with dense forests. In the several-mile-long valley, there are only two solitary trees standing in it. The one in the south has leafy branches, and the one in the north The leaves of the tree are withered and yellow, and the bark is constantly falling off the tree, just like the bald patches on the human body, with a bare patch here and a bald patch there. When the wind blows, a few branches will break and fall all over the ground. If the pine tree in the south is like a healthy adult, then the pine tree in the north is like a seriously ill teenager who may die at any time.
There was a sound of horse hoofbeats, and a horse galloped in from outside the valley, dressed in a soldier's armor, heading straight for the holy tree. Suddenly, a burst of gongs and drums sounded in the grass on both sides. Hundreds of men from the Lan tribe, holding weapons and holsters, Ma Suo jumped out of the grass, and in the blink of an eye, the rider was surrounded, and dozens of voices shouted sternly: "Who is coming? You have offended my Great Yan Sacred Tree, please sign up to die!"
Lai Qi took off his helmet, and there was a burst of exclamation from the crowd: "It's the King of Liaoxi, it's the King of Liaoxi."
Murong Nong said loudly to Lan Han, who was standing under the sacred tree and surrounded by more than ten strong men: "Lan Shangshu, I never thought that you and I would meet again on such an occasion."
Lan Han was still wearing the sheepskin jacket and said expressionlessly: "Yes, I accompanied the king to see the holy tree last time, but that happened ten years ago. Ten years have passed, and the holy tree remains the same. But it’s completely different!”
Murong Nong gritted his teeth: "Ten years ago, it was the time when the late emperor started the great cause and revived Great Yan. At that time, Great Yan had strong soldiers and horses, and was full of vitality, just like this tree in the south. And thirty years ago, the late emperor was also like this As I am today, I came here to seek the oracle from the sacred tree. At that time, it must have been a ceremony hosted by Lan Shangshu. Today, I ask Lan Shangshu to host it for me too!"
Lan Han raised his eyebrows: "King of Liaoxi, His Majesty is still here, but you come here to seek the oracle. Could it be that you have the intention to replace him?"
Murong Nong said solemnly: "Leave these decisions to the gods. As a descendant of the Murong family, I, Murong Nong, accept God's instructions without any regrets. Lan Shangshu, you have always been responsible for guarding the sacred tree and presiding over the sacrificial ceremony. Today , can you help me host it once?"
Duan Sugu's voice was filled with ridicule and disdain, and sounded from the grass on the other side: "King of Liaoxi, we don't need to pursue any oracles anymore. Our brothers all support you as the new emperor of Yan. How about it?"
Murong Nong was so frightened that he almost fell off his horse. Suddenly, the grass on the other side was brightly lit, hundreds of torches were set up, and Duan Sugu was holding a mace and a pair of sledgehammers. Song Chimei stood up, with proud smiles on their faces: "Your Majesty, we meet again!"
Murong Nong was shocked and angry, and shouted at Lan Han: "Old thief, you, you actually colluded with the rebels to cause rebellion!"
Lan Han smiled slightly: "Your Majesty, if you come to the Holy Tree to pursue the oracle at this time, aren't you also betraying Murong Bao? Everyone has abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side, so why should we say that someone is a traitor? General Duan, why don't you take action?!"
Just a "whoop" sound was heard, accompanied by the mournful neighing of Murong Nong's war horse. The mace hit the horse's head heavily, causing the horse's brains to burst out. Murong Nong was about to pull out his sword to fight back. , even the man and his horse fell to the ground. Dozens of sergeants gathered around him, and the ropes came down, and they tied him up in the blink of an eye.
Duan Sugu laughed: "Tomorrow, we will take our King of Liaoxi to patrol the city. Dragon City will definitely be within easy reach!"
