"Can aliens really occupy the Central Plains?"
Yaoniang's face looked worried.
Pei Liang shook his head.
Yaoniang looked surprised: "They can't?"
"It's not that I can't, it's just that it's hard to say!"
Pei Liang added.
"Are the foreign races very powerful?" Yaoniang asked again.
Pei Liang said seriously this time: "They have lived in a bitter cold land all year round, and their riding and shooting skills are very good. After several generations of hard work, their current strength is only stronger than that of the Dawu Dynasty."
Yaoniang sighed after hearing this. She was also a citizen of Dawu. Since the former emperor Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteenth State of Yanyun to the foreign tribes, these bloodthirsty barbaric tribes have become the biggest threat to the Central Plains Dynasty, frequently raiding the borders and looting. The common people, even the talented and powerful founder of the country, Dawu, could not completely wipe them out three times. In the end, they had to build a border defense line stretching for hundreds of miles at the foot of the Qilian Mountains bordering it. This is the origin of Guyuguan, which is known as the first pass in the world.
After continuous repairs by successive kings of Dawu, the ancient Yuguan is now impregnable, preventing the foreign armies from crossing the barrier for hundreds of years.
Unexpectedly, two years ago, a foreign army suddenly appeared in Dawu territory and attacked the city all the way. It was invincible. In a very short period of time, the army had swept through nearly half of the territory of Dawu Dynasty.
How this alien army with strange origins bypassed the ancient Yuguan Pass is still a puzzling mystery.
Today's Dawu Dynasty had no choice but to shrink its troops and fortify heavily along the capital Yujing to resist the aliens from going south.
The imperial court could only look across the river at the vast swaths of land and people who had lost their lives to Hu Chen, and was helpless.
Fortunately, this land of Sichuan and Sichuan has always been steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack. There was also the famous military general "Su Huaiyi" guarding Chengdu, so it could withstand the successive attacks of the foreign armies. It was like a nail embedded in the throat of the foreign army that has never been removed.
But the situation suddenly deteriorated. A month ago, General Su Huaiyi was assassinated in the General's Mansion in Chengdu. For a time, all the soldiers were leaderless. The foreign army that had been entrenched here for several months was able to take advantage of the chaos and invade Sichuan and Shu. Their troops now reached the Lin'an border.
Pei Liang and his party rode westward and could reach Chengdu within a few days.
After leaving Jianzhou City, we encountered many high-ranking officials and dignitaries who were fleeing along the way. Judging from their gorgeous clothes and the carriages and horses they rode in, we knew that these people must have gotten the news in advance and ran out in advance.
Otherwise, the people in Jianzhou City would not be so calm, and the news was obviously blocked.
After the rain gradually stopped, Pei Liang saw that the speed of the white horse under his hip had also slowed down, so he simply dismounted, took up the reins, and walked on the mountain road.
Yaoniang is sitting alone on the horseback, which is quite leisurely.
Ahead is a lush valley, with vast hectares of bamboo forest swaying in the wind and undulating like the sea, which is very spectacular.
Smelling the refreshing sweet bamboo fragrance in the air, Yaoniang felt relaxed and happy.
“It’s so beautiful here!”
Immediately the beauty exclaimed, then asked with a smile:
"You think it would be great if anyone could live in seclusion here for the rest of their lives!"
Pei Liang turned his head and glanced at Yaoniang, his eyebrows raised slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his handsome side face:
"Don't blame me for not reminding you. There are the most venomous snakes here. The most venomous snake is called Zhuyeqing. It can't be seen lying on the bamboo. People will be bitten if they get close."
"Ah" Yaoniang's face turned slightly pale, and she quickly raised her head and looked around, as if she was afraid that a snake would suddenly appear around her.
Every girl has a deep fear in her bones for this invertebrate, cold-blooded reptile.
However, although Yaoniang is simple-minded, she is also a smart person. After thinking about it for a moment, she immediately sneered:
"You stinky Pei Liang, you made up these lies just to scare me. You don't think my mother-in-law is a three-year-old child!"
Pei Liang sighed and said slowly: "If you don't believe it, just pay attention for a while!"
Yaoniang snorted, and after entering the bamboo forest, she deliberately acted like she was carefree and enjoying the sights. She just kept looking around with the corner of her eye.
The bamboos in southern Shu grow tall and tall. When the breeze blows, the green bamboo leaves rustle and fall.
This extremely beautiful scenery is all due to Pei Liang's broken mouth. Once some broken branches fall, Yaoniang will be frightened and she will not be in the mood to watch it.
"Hey, I'm tired."
Yaoniang said dissatisfied
"Then take a rest."
Pei Liang stopped his horse and was about to carry her down.
Yaoniang pushed his hand away, stepped on the stirrups, and was about to jump down. Unexpectedly, after the rain, both the soles of her feet and the stirrups were slippery. Yaoniang screamed and fell to the ground.
Fortunately, the ground was soft and the height was not high. Apart from making a fool of himself, no one was hurt.
After getting up, Yaoniang, who was covered in mud, stared at the embarrassed Pei Liang angrily.
"are you a pig?"
Yaoniang cursed coldly, and when she saw Pei Liang coming to help her again, she stamped her feet, turned around and ran into the bamboo forest.
Pei Liang shook his head and followed.
Yaoniang angrily ran hundreds of steps deep into the bamboo forest before she stopped. When she turned around, she saw Pei Liang following leisurely behind her without calling her out, and she couldn't help but feel even more angry.
"Don't follow me"
"Beware of snakes"
"It has nothing to do with you if you bite me to death."
As soon as Yaoniang finished her harsh words, her eyes became wet.
Unexpectedly, the next words of the man behind her made Yaoniang's tears fall instantly.
"Then I'll go first. There is a pavilion one mile ahead. I'll wait for you there."
After Pei Liang said this, he turned and left.
Yaoniang clenched her fists tightly, suppressing her cries, and stood silently.
———
Next to this pavilion called "Guanchao", Pei Liang tied up his white horse, sat on a bench, and leaned on the railing, feeling very comfortable.
The terrain here is higher and surrounded by greenery. It is indeed a good place to enjoy the scenery.
The mountain breeze blew against his face, and Pei Liang narrowed his eyes in comfort.
The journey was less than a mile, and Yaoniang walked for a full hour, stopping and walking, and walking and stopping.
After finally arriving in front of the pavilion, when she saw this man lying on his back and asleep, the anger in Yaoniang's eyes was instantly ignited.
Pei Liang suddenly opened his eyes. This frosty beauty suddenly appeared in front of him, making him tremble all over. He couldn't help but touch his neck.
Even if Yaoniang was angry again, she was still amused by this action.
"Do you think I will be the one to repay kindness with hatred?"
"No, no."
Pei Liang shook his head like a rattle.
"Then what are you afraid of?"
Yaoniang's tone turned cold, and her pretty face suddenly changed.
"It's all a misunderstanding. Please sit down quickly."
Pei Liang smiled flatteringly and pulled Yaoniang to sit down.
As soon as she sat down, Yaoniang punched the man in the chest, "You just want to see me make a fool of yourself, right?"
Pei Liang looked innocent: "It happened suddenly and there was no time."
"You're a liar! With your skills, why can't you hug me?" Yaoniang refused.
Pei Liang knew that he could never compete with her, so he simply kept silent.
"Are you mute?"
Yaoniang waited and waited, but didn't get an apology from the man, so she couldn't help but become anxious.
Pei Liang had an idea and put his hands around Yaoniang's waist, crossed one of her white thighs and placed it in front of her knees.
"Did the beauty feel any pain from the fall?"
"Go away, don't give me that playful smile"
"I'll rub it for you"
"Are you trying to take advantage of me again?"
"Conscience of Heaven and Earth"
"Then rub it"
"Um"
"Where are you looking so lustfully?"
"You can't rub it with your eyes closed."
"I'm going to force you to close your eyes... be gentle, why are your hands so strong?"
There is a pool below the pavilion, which is living water and is crystal clear.
Yaoniang sat by the pool, scooped up water, and washed the dirt on her skirt. At this moment, Yaoniang regretted not buying a set of clothes in Jianzhou City, and she didn't even have to change them now.
Yaoniang noticed something was wrong, raised her head suddenly, and saw that the man in the pavilion was staring at her. She looked down again, and sure enough, they were having a romantic affair.
"Shameless, turn back!"
Pei Liang pinched his nose after being scolded and turned away.
Yaoniang comfortably soaked both legs in the spring water, kicking back and forth and splashing water, as if she had returned to her childhood.
"Don't take off your clothes and take a shower."
Pei Liang's voice came slowly.
"You have a beautiful idea!" Yaoniang laughed like a bell.
Pei Liang smiled slightly, crossed his arms over his shoulders, looked into the distance, and felt the breeze blowing on his face.
———
Passing through this bamboo forest, it is getting late, and there are still mountains in front of us.
Pei Liang rode forward, and on a fork in the road going down the mountain, a two-story bamboo building appeared, with yellow wine flags fluttering in the wind.
"There is a place to rest tonight." Yaoniang pointed to the bamboo building excitedly.
Pei Liang suddenly shook his head, with a heavy look on his face.
"Do you smell it? It smells like blood!"
Pei Liang's words immediately startled Yaoniang, and she subconsciously grabbed the man's sleeves.
"When did you become so timid?" Pei Liang said with a smile.
Yaoniang knew that he was making fun of her for daring to cut off the head of her enemy, and now she was so nervous when she heard the smell of blood.
"How can this be the same!" Yaoniang pouted. For the murderer of her family, everyone wanted to cut him into pieces, no matter whether they were afraid or not.
Seeing Pei Liang slowly dismounting, Yaoniang became anxious: "Let's go..."
"Wait for me right away."
Pei Liang walked towards the bamboo building without looking back. Yaoniang also wanted to follow, but she was afraid that the scene would be too bloody, so she had to shout, "Come out quickly."
Pei Liang pushed open the closed door, and a strong smell of blood hit his face. The doors and windows in the house were closed, and the light was dim, with only a little light coming from the second floor.
Pei Liang's eyesight was astonishing, and he saw the body lying five meters in front of him at a glance. He must have been dressed as a waiter, lying on his side with his face inward, and a large amount of blood lying underneath him.
There were a total of eight tables and chairs on the first floor. Except for the messy place where the waiter died, the rest were arranged neatly. Pei Liang walked a few steps in and saw the shopkeeper's counter on the right. The thick smell of blood came, which seemed to be a sign of danger.
The accounts on the counter were opened, and there were signs of turning around everywhere inside. The old shopkeeper collapsed on his back under the table, with a bloody hole on his forehead.
If it was a robbery, the robber's martial arts were also quite impressive. Judging from the blood hole on the old shopkeeper's forehead, he must have been killed by a finger-snapping internal martial art. The wound was a regular circle with no cutting marks. It was definitely not penetrated by a weapon or a hidden weapon. Caused by.
There are only two corpses on this floor, and they were not dead for a long time. It should be a murder that happened when Pei Liang and Yaoniang first entered the bamboo forest.
Pei Liang went up to the second floor and found three rooms side by side. The doors were closed. After the first two were pushed open, the room was empty. The mattresses were neat and intact, as if no one had ever lived there. When the third east door opened, Pei Liang's pupils shrank sharply.
A woman in red sat upright on a stool facing the door, her hair disheveled and her face pale.
The most horrifying thing was that the corner of her mouth seemed to have been cut with a sharp knife, from the base of her left ear to the base of her right ear, revealing a bloody and terrifying smile.
If it weren't for Pei Liang's extraordinary concentration, a normal person would most likely faint from shock when they suddenly saw such a scene.
The woman was not breathing, and the body was so badly mutilated. It was obvious that the murderer was doing it out of spite or for demonstration purposes.
Pei Liang frowned, feeling that this murder case was not simple.
In troubled times, bandits are rampant. This tavern is opened in such a secluded place. It is normal for the owner of the tavern to be murdered for money, but generally bandits will not do such boring and scary things after killing people.
Pei Liang was about to walk in to investigate.
Suddenly I heard Yaoniang screaming outside the building.
Pei Liang rushed into the room instantly and broke out the window.
Yaoniang lay trembling on the horse's back. When she saw Pei Liang, she struggled to get off the horse.
Pei Liang ran over quickly and lifted Yaoniang off the horse.
"What happened?"
Yaoniang hugged Pei Liang tightly, unable to speak.
"It's okay, I'm here!" Pei Liang comforted Yaoniang, stroking her hair.
"I...cough." Yaoniang's breath was messed up. As soon as she said a word, she started coughing violently.
"What did you see?" Pei Liang asked following her words.
Yaoniang waited until her breathing became more stable, then she sobbed:
"Not long after you entered, I suddenly felt like I was being stared at by a pair of eyes behind me. I turned my head suddenly... and saw... I saw a woman in red with disheveled hair... No! It's a female ghost!"
At the mention of the word "female ghost", the body of the woman in her arms trembled even more.
Pei Liang frowned, but a sharp light flashed in his eyes.
He patted Yaoniang's shoulder, then turned around and jumped into the air, landing on the eaves of the bamboo building.
Looking through the broken window, the body of the woman in red in the room was nowhere to be seen.
Pei Liang clearly remembered that Yaoniang was still sitting there when she called for help.
Under Yaoniang's constant urging, Pei Liang landed on the ground, got on his horse, and quickly left the place with her.
He never believed in any ghosts or gods, so it was obvious that someone was causing trouble!
