On the school field behind the Youxiao Wei Yamen Office, two brothers, Tian Shengong and Tian Shenyu, were sitting under the eaves, looking at the snow in a daze.
This is a break for them to practice archery.
"Why do I feel like we can't stand out among the sixteen guards?" Tian Shenyu said, "This Chang'an City is a place where seniority is the key. How can we country people stand a chance to stand out?"
Tian Shengong said: "Then what do you think we should do?"
"Go to the frontier army!" Tian Shenyu's eyes were full of yearning, and his voice was much louder, and he said: "The frontier army is the place to get ahead. I heard that the military pay in the feudal town was more than three times higher, and it cost tens of thousands to fight the Khitans at a time. The soldiers sold the captives themselves for money, how happy are they?!"
Tian Shengong shook his head and said: "There is nothing good about having your head pinned to your belt."
"elder brother."
"Erlang, mother asked me to take good care of you before she left." Tian Shengong said: "Go to the frontier army and take your life in exchange for a future. You have to be good or bad. I met mother down below. What do you say?"
Tian Shenyu said carelessly: "With the abilities of our two brothers, what good or bad can we do?"
Tian Shengong didn't respond and kept muttering.
Tian Shenyu poked him again and said: "That day, those two from Western Suburbs, Longyou veterans, right? You see, they each married two wives and had maids, and lived in such a big house. But in terms of ability, , can they compare to our brothers?"
"No matter how great you are, you still have to give up?"
"I mean, we can only do great things if we go to the frontier army." Tian Shenyu said: "I always dream of going to the frontier army. They say that the frontier army is the best in the Long March, and the Chang'an imperial guards are all scumbags."
Tian Shengong slapped his younger brother on the forehead with his backhand and said, "I just want to save my salary to marry you. I don't care whether he is athletic or not."
"Brother, look at your potential."
While they were talking, someone shouted over here: "Tian Shengong, someone is looking for him!"
Tian Shengong turned around, scratched his head in confusion and said to himself: "Who can find me? I don't know anyone in Chang'an."
The two brothers picked up their bows and arrows and walked to the school grounds. They saw a young man standing at the camp gate with his maid.
"Why do I think he looks strangely familiar?" Tian Shenyu muttered.
"People from the Prime Minister's Mansion." Tian Shengong whispered, "Could it be the young master from the Prime Minister's Mansion?"
"Oh, I remembered it."
When the two brothers approached, Xue Bai took out the token of Youxiang's Mansion and asked with a smile: "Do you still remember me, strong man?"
"Remember, remember." Tian Shengong smiled quickly and said, "You should not call a husband a strong man."
"Do you still remember me, Sir?" Tian Shenyu said: "I almost caught up with the carriage when I was riding my horse. Oh, I am my brother's younger brother, Shenyu, Tian Shenyu. Sir, just call me Tian Er."
Xue Bai remembered this and said, "So, if it weren't for your brothers who captured the thief that day, we really wouldn't have been able to capture the thief. Did you get a reward?"
"How can there be any reward?" Tian Shenyu spoke quickly and complained.
Tian Shengong quickly smiled and said: "They are all doing things for the imperial court. It's what they deserve."
Xue Bai knew that this was how Li Linfu did things. At least he had never seen Li Linfu reward anyone in the past few days, whether it was Ji Wen or Yang Zhao. If he did not do well, he would be scolded frequently, and if he did well, there would be little benefit. .
He was determined to ask for a reward from the Youxiang Mansion for the Tian brothers, but at this time he was patient and did not say anything more, lest he would disappoint others if something went wrong.
At this time, Xue Bai just said that he would second the Tian brothers to do some things. The Tian brothers were very enthusiastic and happily agreed.
"Okay, what if I can follow my husband to do things? What if this is an opportunity?"
"It doesn't matter if it's a chance." Tian Shengong quickly smoothed things over and said, "It's good to gain some experience."
~~
"The Longyou veteran we got that day was named Jiang Mao. He also had a brother named Jiang Hai, who must have been the one who fled in the car. Both brothers were recruited from Longyou in the 26th year of Kaiyuan and returned in the first year of Tianbao. Chang'an. I checked their military registers and found several Longyou veterans who returned to Chang'an in the same year as them. Please come with me to visit."
"Okay."
In the next two days, Xue Bai took the Tian brothers to visit some Longyou veterans in Chang'an City, but found nothing.
The only gain was that he took credit for the Tian brothers in front of Li Linfu, and gave them the title of captain and deputy captain in Youxiao Guard and some rewards.
The reason is that if Jiang Hai or the Longyou soldiers raised by the prince are really found, someone with such real ability will be needed to capture him.
However, Xue Bai used a stupid method. Every day he went through all the files registered by Jiang Mao and Jiang Hai in the Longyou Army.
Ji Wen dismissed this method, but Xue Bai believed that the information obtained through torture might be false news, but the clues between the files could not be erased.
"..."
"The name of the man we worship today is Guo Boda, known as Guo Da. He is a sword and shield hand in the Tao Army on the right side of Longyou. It seems that he has no contact with Jiang Mao, but in the 26th, 27th, and 29th years of Kaiyuan They all participated in the same war as brothers Jiang Mao and Jiang Hai, and returned home in the same year, so they may know each other."
The horses' hooves clattered as they walked through the streets of Chang'an City, finally stopping at Feng'anfang in the south of Chang'an County.
Xue Bai asked someone according to the address in the military register, and knocked on the door knocker of Guo Boda's house.
After a while, the door was opened, but there was a seven- or eight-year-old girl standing there with a five- or six-year-old boy. She raised her head and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"Is Guo Da here?"
"Grandma!" the little girl turned around and shouted.
After waiting for a while, a middle-aged man limped out of the backyard with a cane. He looked at Xue Bai and asked, "What's the matter, sir?"
Xue Bai immediately showed a smile and said: "My name is Xue Bai. I would like to inquire about some old things in Longyou Army. Is it convenient?"
Guo Boda was stunned for a moment, pointed to the lobby, and said: "Sit inside...you guys, go get a glass of water for the guests."
"You are Welcome."
Xue Bai took out a wine bag and handed it to Guo Boda.
Guo Boda sniffed it, made a sound, and said with a smile: "Wine, your husband is interested."
A pair of his sons and daughters had already come out with bowls in their hands. They placed the bowls on the table and poured wine.
Brother Tian Shengong grinned and drank without being polite.
Xue Bai didn't drink because he didn't drink well. Jiao Nu didn't even know how to drink such common people's food, so he stood behind him with a cold face.
"What do you want to know, Mr. Young? Just ask." Guo Boda finished a bowl of wine, patted his knees, and said, "Longyou only has that little business of beating and killing."
"I wonder if you know brothers Jiang Mao and Jiang Hai?"
"I don't recognize it." Guo Boda shook his head.
Xue Bai said: "They are the Heyuan Army, stationed one hundred and twenty miles west of Shanzhou City."
Guo Boda said: "I am the Lintao Army, stationed in Shanzhou City."
"I checked your resume. In the 26th year of Kaiyuan, you encountered the enemy in the west of Qinghai."
"The twenty-sixth year of Kaiyuan." Guo Boda muttered softly, nodded, and said proudly: "In that year, Tubo invaded in large numbers. We followed Commander Cui Jie from the south of Liangzhou and penetrated into the Tubo territory for more than 2,000 miles. We met the thieves and defeated them. , beheaded more than 2,000 people! That was my first battle in the army, two heads... I got two thieves' heads."
"Good man!"
Tian Shenyu couldn't help but raise the bowl and toast Guo Boda.
Xue Bai said: "In March of the same year, brothers Jiang Mao and Jiang Hai, under the command of Du Hope, the governor of Shanzhou, followed Du Hope through the Qilian Mountain tunnel and captured the Tubo New City in the south of the Qilian Mountain."
"I also went to this battle. At that time, I accompanied General Wang around the Qilian Mountains to support Governor Du!" Guo Boda patted his chest and said, "In this case, it is very likely that I have met the Jiang brothers you mentioned."
"In July of the same year, Du Xiang seized the Tubo River Bridge and built Salt Spring City. Thirty thousand Tibetan troops came to attack. Wang Zhongsi led his troops to charge. They were invincible and killed hundreds of people. The Tibetan army was shaken. Du Xiang took the opportunity to launch a general attack. The Tibetan army was massive. Defeat. In this battle, they are here, and you are too."
"Last name is Jiang?"
Guo Boda's eyes were filled with memories, but he still couldn't remember it for a moment.
Xue Bai said: "In the twenty-seventh year of Kaiyuan, Tubo attacked Baishui Army and Anren Army. Lintao Army and Heyuan Army both sent troops to support and defeated Tubo."
"There were too many people in that battle. I can't remember that I have seen the Jiang brothers from the Heyuan Army."
"In the 29th year of Kaiyuan, there was a battle in Shibao City?"
Xue Bai could find very few resumes about this battle. He only knew that the coach at the time was Gai Jiayun, but the Lintao army where the Jiang brothers belonged failed to arrive in time, and Shibao City fell.
Guo Boda shook his head, his tone became a little lowered, and said: "That battle was too chaotic, I don't remember it."
He doesn't like to talk about the battle in Stone Castle.
Xue Bai did not force himself and asked: "Then in the first year of Tianbao, the Heyuan army envoy king shot down the son of Tubo Zanpu in front of the battle array."
"See you!"
When the battle was mentioned, Guo Boda was so excited that he suddenly put down the wine bowl in his hand, and the wine spilled all over his body.
"I witnessed this battle with my own eyes. The son of Tubo Zampu relied on his bravery, rode a tall horse, and marched out to call for battle. General Wang came out to fight, riding a white horse and holding a long spear. He rushed forward and knocked the enemy general off his horse with one shot. , so majestic!”
After hearing this, the Tian brothers couldn't help but be fascinated and forgot to drink wine.
Xue Bai said: "It was in that year that the Jiang brothers returned to Chang'an with General Wang to offer prisoners."
"I also injured my leg that year and returned to Chang'an... ah."
Guo Boda suddenly remembered who Jiang Mao and Jiang Hai were.
His eyes widened and he murmured: "The Jiang brothers are under the command of General Wang of the Heyuan Army?"
Xue Bai asked: "Remember?"
Guo Boda said: "As soon as I said that I would follow General Wang back to Chang'an to offer prisoners, I remembered it. I have seen those two brothers! They are both tall and strong. The elder brother is good at shooting arrows. He has pockmarks on his face and long hands. Knee. My younger brother is a sword and shield wielder. His lip was split with a knife, and he looks like he is grinning all the time, right? Let me tell you, I always thought their surname was Wang."
"It's their turn."
"I think Mr. Lang is not a mortal. He inquires about them, but he wants to recruit them?"
Xue Bai nodded.
Guo Boda was overjoyed and said: "The officialdom in Chang'an is snobbish. They don't care about ability, but only about connections. I feel honored that Mr. Lang can appreciate us Longyou soldiers."
Xue Bai said: "I've only heard of their names and their military exploits, but I don't know where to find them."
"They are fierce soldiers who are admired by everyone in the army. I can't make friends with them, but my team leader Lao Wu has a good relationship with them."
"May I ask where this old Wu is?"
"Served as a sergeant in the Jinwu Guards and served as a street patrol envoy..."
~~
Xue Bai left Guo Boda's house, raised his head and looked at the sky.
"Damn, the frontier army is the only one with talent." Tian Shenyu came out and couldn't help but sigh: "The Long March athletes are really men who can kill the enemy, tsk tsk, there are so many heads in the tent."
"yes."
Xue Bai responded, sighed, and exhaled a breath of white air.
In his search, he only found a few pawns of the Long You Army. He had already found out the battles and generals such as Du Hope, Wang Zhongsi, and Wang Nan.
If we want to continue the investigation, how many more people will be involved?
he does not know.
But the struggle for power and strife in the Tang Dynasty had already begun, and it would not change for him.
"Let's go and find Lao Wu."
