Yan Zhenqing asked why, only to find out that Jiang Shuo and Li Zhuer were also going to Fan Yang, and said with a smile: "Well, why don't we go together? Although Ying Fang is a scholar, he has always admired heroes, and this time he happened to be with us. Young Master Jiang is traveling to the North with us."
Jiang Shuo really wanted to go with Yan Zhenqing, but they were not going for fun this time, but to save people and had no time to hang out. He said with embarrassment: "But we have something urgent to go to Fan Yang and we have to hurry up. I'm afraid we can't go with Yan Lang." Roaming together.”
Yan Zhenqing said: "Isn't this a coincidence? I am not going to Fanyang for a leisurely trip. I actually have an official business. The saint rewarded Shuofang's fine horses to Anlu Mountain. I happened to be temporarily idle, so he asked me to accompany Shuofang. The envoys of the army were conveying to Fan Yang, so they were working hard without stopping."
When Yan Zhenqing said this, Jiang Shuo and Li Zhuer could no longer refuse. When Jiang Shuo saw Li Zhuer nodding to him, he crossed his hands and said, "Now that you say so, we will go north with Yan Lang."
Yan Zhenqing said: "Without further delay, I was just passing by to watch the fun, but now that I have seen the three unique things, I should get on my way immediately."
So the three of them said goodbye to Zhang Xu, Wu Daozi, and Pei Min, but Pei Min held the Seven-Star Sword in both hands and handed it to Jiang Shuo, saying: "In retrospect, you should keep this Seven-Star Sword with you. You will carry it with you for more than three years. You should be able to use it easily, right?"
Jiang Shuo hurriedly asked: "How is this possible? The Seven-Star Sword is a divine weapon. How can Jiang Shuo accept such a generous gift without any merit?"
Pei Min said: "Why is it useless? If we don't help each other, how can Min's mother's last wish be fulfilled? And Pei Min just heard from this little lady Zhu'er that you broke the dam and washed away the sand in Heyin. This alone is worthy of it." You deserve this seven-star sword."
Jiang Shuo rejected Pei Min several times but refused to take it back. Jiang Shuo knew that he sincerely offered the gift, so he thanked him and put away the sword.
The three of them said goodbye and left the temple, but they saw that there were still people from Wuyang and Wuyang pouring into Tiangong Temple like crucian carp crossing the river, making it difficult to get out of the temple. Seeing this, Jiang Shuo reached out and put his hand on Yan Zhenqing's lower back, saying he was offended, and then Jumping up, Yan Zhenqing suddenly felt a lightness under his feet, flying over everyone's heads like a soaring cloud and mist, and walked out of the temple wall in just a few ups and downs.
Yan Zhenqing praised: "You are a true young hero." He also saw Li Zhuer jumping out of the wall, and his lightness skills were not inferior to Jiang Shuo's, and he was secretly surprised. The three of them mounted their horses, and Yan Zhenqing said: "Shuofang's army is a frontier army and cannot enter the city unless ordered to do so. Therefore, they are all waiting outside the Hui'an Gate in the north city. However, the leader of the army is in the city at the moment. Let's go find him first."
Yan Zhenqing led the way, and the three of them rode through Tian Street and Jianchunmen Street, only to return to Xiu Shanfang. Jiang Shuo and Li Zhuer couldn't help looking at each other and smiling bitterly. The two of them had walked on this section of Jianchunmen Street for two days today. Back and forth.
What was even more surprising was that Yan Zhenqing led the two of them straight into the Nestorian Cross Temple. The monks at the Cross Temple recognized Jiang Shuo and Li Zhuer and said, "Two Tan Yue, Yis Dade has returned to the temple. Please come inside." .”
Jiang Shuo said: "We are following Yan Lang to find someone."
The monk smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, the person Mr. Yan is looking for is with Mr. Yi Yi."
Jiang Shuo and Zhu Er couldn't help but marveled when they heard this, thinking that this must be a coincidence.
There are great differences between the Cross Temple and the Buddhist and Taoist temples. Generally, the temple is surrounded by several courtyards, surrounded by a central hall and east and west side halls, with built-in statues of gods and Buddhas. This Nestorian Cross Temple has only one main hall in the center and no other side halls. The main hall is very tall, with double eaves hanging from the top of the mountain. Strangely, unlike the main halls of other temples, the main hall of the Cross Temple has no doors on the north and south sides, but opens the door from the side gable, with brick carvings on the door. There was a big lotus cross on it, which looked quite weird.
Everyone walked into the main hall and saw that there were only narrow windows on both sides where the doors should have been opened. The windows were all closed, but the hall was not very dark. It turned out that there were high windows between the roofs and the towers. It was almost noon at this time. Sunlight streams in from the high windows, and the diffused light creates a mysterious and peaceful atmosphere.
Rows of worship mats were arranged in the main hall. The monks led them through the main hall to the end, but they saw that there was no clay-embodied sacred image, only a large stone lotus cross sculpture in the hall.
Jiang Shuo asked Li Zhuer quietly: "Sister Zhuer, why is this temple so weird? There isn't even a statue of a god?"
Li Zhuer rolled her eyes at him and said: "The Sanyi Sect does not have idols. Jing Tu believes that mortals cannot imitate Jing Zun. They can only pay homage in silence, but cannot kneel down to worship idols."
But I heard someone laughing loudly: "Young lady, you know a lot, but am I a Nestorian sister?"
The person who spoke was none other than Yi Yi. Nestorian people address each other as brothers and sisters, so they called Li Zhuer sister. Li Zhuer shook her head and said, "I am not a Jing disciple. Khitan people worship heaven but not gods. They just walk around the world." I have more experience, so I know more. I don’t believe that Jing Zun saved the world. The only one who can save people is myself." Li Zhuer is a few years older than Jiang Shuo. Everyone sees that she is young and beautiful, but her conversation is as if she has been for a long time. The elders in this world couldn't help but be surprised and amused.
Yi Yi was an open-minded person by nature. Even though Li Zhuer's words were disrespectful to Nestorianism, he didn't take it seriously. Instead, he said to Jiang Shuo, "Brother Jiang, how come you have time to come to my Cross Temple today? Do you have any advice?"
Jiang Shuo hurriedly crossed his hands and said: "I don't dare to say the word "meeting and teaching", but this sister Zhu'er and I are leaving Luoyang to go north to Fanyang. We passed by the Cross Temple early this morning and wanted to come and say goodbye to Isdade. I didn't want you to go out of the city. Well, this time, he accompanied Yan Lang to find his colleagues."
Yishuo said: "Praise Jingzun, all the fateful events in the world have led to your encounter with Brother Jiang. I left the city early in the morning to pick up Yan Zi's fellow officer, who is also my brother in the religion."
While he was talking, he saw a middle-aged general wearing a turban uniform and a red forehead wipe coming over. He crossed his hands to Yan Zhenqing and said, "Has Lieutenant Mei settled everything in Luoyang City so quickly?" Lieutenant Mei said. The reputation of the county lieutenant. Meifu was once the Nanchang Wei in the Western Han Dynasty. Because of his reputation as a great sage, folk legends say that he became an immortal through Taoism. Therefore, later generations called the county lieutenant "Mei Wei" or "Xian Wei". Yan Zhenqing was also appointed as Liquan. County Lieutenant, so the officer also called him "Mei Lieutenant".
Yan Zhenqing said: "I originally wanted to visit some old friends in Luoyang, but I didn't expect to see them all at Tiangong Temple, so I came back quickly." He then introduced to Jiang Shuo: "This is General Guo Ziyi, the envoy of the Zhenwu Army in Shuofang Town. Then he said to Guo Ziyi: "This is Jiang Shuo Jiang Suzhi, you must not underestimate him. Although Suzhi is young, he is the leader of the Cao Gang in the world. His character and martial arts skills are unparalleled."
Guo Ziyi is over forty years old. He is seven feet tall and very tall. He has a square face with neat beard and beard, which makes him look very majestic. His facial features include sword-shaped eyebrows, phoenix eyes, lion nose and wide mouth, although he cannot be called handsome. , but also appeared to be extraordinary in appearance and quite heroic.
Guo Ziyi was not born into a military family, but he joined the army after passing the martial arts examination. Therefore, he can be called a versatile martial artist. Although Yan Zhenqing is a year younger than him and is only a small county captain who was ranked lower than the eighth grade, Guo Ziyi respects him quite a lot. .
Jiang Shuo said, "I didn't expect General Guo to be a Jingtu."
Guo Ziyi said: "What's so strange about this? Jingzun transformed into heaven and earth to save the world. Many in the Western Army converted to Nestorianism. We all hold righteous thoughts and take it as our duty to save the world."
Jiang Shuo seemed to understand what he heard, but he admired the personalities of Pro and Yis, and he also had some natural affection for Nestorianism. Although Li Zhuer sneered in his heart, he didn't show it on his face. Yan Zhenqing said: " General Guo, are you ready to pray? If it's convenient, let's set off northward."
Guo Ziyi nodded and said: "Seeing that the rainy season in early summer is approaching, it is indeed good to leave early." Turning to Yisi, he said: "Master Yisi, I have written down everything you just said. This matter is of great importance. It’s a major matter, please let me discuss it in the long term.”
Yisheng solemnly said: "Brother Guo, this matter was told to me by Brother Jiang, King Profa, and I praise Jingzun for letting you go all the way north. If you have any questions, you can ask Brother Jiang."
Jiang Shuo thought to himself that Yi Yiyuan also said that he wanted to take a long-term approach, but he told Guo Ziyi so quickly. Although Guo Ziyi was a Jingtu, he was also a soldier. He didn't know what his relationship was with the Yan army in Anlu Mountain. If it was leaked, he would be There are endless troubles ahead. Seeing Jiang Shuo's troubled expression, Yishuo said to Jiang Shuo: "General Guo is our brother in the religion. I have told him everything about the black ship conspiracy. Brother Jiang, don't worry. I, the Nestorian Church, Brothers are one family, and they will never hide anything from each other, but they will not leak anything to the outside world."
Seeing the sincerity of what Yis said, Jiang Shuo could only nod in agreement.
Yisi sent the four people out of the Cross Temple and said they would return to the Nestorian Temple in Yiningfang, Chang'an in a few days. The three of them left Yisi and rode their horses out of Xiushanfang. They crossed the Xinzhong Bridge pontoon via Changxiamen Street, and then Take Hui'anmen Street all the way out of Luoyang City.
After walking another ten miles out of the city, we saw the camp of Shuofang's army. The camp of Shuofang's army was very large, with no less than 2,000 horses and 2,000 sergeants inside. Shuofang's army has 64,700 men and 43,000 horses. It is divided into seven armies. Each army only has 10,000 people and more than 5,000 horses. Two thousand cavalry dispatched at one time is already quite large for Shuofang's army. of troops.
As soon as the four of them arrived at the gate of the camp, soldiers guarding the gate came up to help Guo Ziyi lead his horse, but Guo Ziyi said: "We won't stop our horses. We ordered each camp to pull out their strongholds immediately. We will cross the river at Mengjin today and set up camp to rest."
But seeing the flag officer galloping back and forth to deliver orders, the entire military camp soon responded. The sergeants extinguished the campfire, put away the tents, and packed their bags. Everything was arranged in an orderly manner. Although it was fast and not chaotic, look at the two thousand sergeants from Shuofang. They are all strong soldiers, and they all look strong, smart and capable. They are not as lazy as Jiang Shuo's Zhechong Mansion soldiers from the Central Plains had seen before. This shows that Guo Ziyi has trained well and commanded well.
Soon after the camp was packed up, the army set off. This army was all cavalry and moved very quickly. It arrived at Mengjin Ferry in less than an hour. The pontoon bridge here was wide and the army quickly crossed the river. When it passed the foothills of the Taihang Mountains in Jiyuan, Jiang Shuo was Seeing that Pangu Temple has been burned to a white ground.
However, Shuofang's cavalry did not take the Taihang Mountain Road on the Hedong Road, but took the Chi Road on the Hebei Road, passing through Weizhou, Xiangzhou, Mingzhou, Xingzhou, Zhaozhou, Hengzhou, Dingzhou, and Yizhou, and reached Fanyang City in Youzhou.
