Gao Qiu caught up from behind and was overjoyed to see Xu Zhen. They hugged each other and laughed, their eyes brimming with tears.
Looking at Xu Zhen's appearance, his face was dark and covered in dust, and the clothes on his body were torn and tattered. Obviously, he'd suffered quite a bit along the way. Lin Wanrong was silent for a long time, then sighed and pulled him back. "Little Xu, how did you enter the grasslands, and how did you find us?!"
"It's a long story." Xu Zhen's eyes were slightly red. "On the third day after General Lin, General Hu, and Big Brother Gao entered the valley, hundreds of thousands of Hu launched a frenzied attack on the Helan Mountain Valley. The Turks were strong and fierce, and every wave of attack had more than ten thousand people. They attacked the two paths to Xingqing Prefecture at the same time. Over the past three days, the ten thousand soldiers of the Hu have charged back and forth at least forty times. "
"Military Advisor Xu gave a death order. Under her command, the entire army was only allowed to advance, and not retreat. If the pass was broken, the people would die. They swore to defend the Helan Mountains with their lives! The military advisor personally guarded the western path, and did not sleep for three days and three nights. More than two hundred thousand brothers fought against the Hu at the Helan Mountains, and not a single one of them retreated. The two sides of the valley were filled with saber light, and blood flowed like rivers. The cannons of the Godly Arms Battalion were red from the continuous firing, and could no longer fire. Even these brothers raised their sabers and charged. In just three days, more than forty thousand brothers died at the foot of the Helan Mountains! "
As Xu Zhen spoke, his eyes turned red. Lin Wanrong, Hu Bugui, and Gao Qiu gritted their teeth and did not make a sound, their fists unconsciously clenched tightly.
Even though they weren't present at the scene, they could still imagine the tragic scene of flesh and blood flying everywhere in a bloody battle involving hundreds of thousands of people. The Helan Mountains were like the backbone of China. Heads could be broken, blood could flow, but the backbone would never collapse!
"The two valleys of the Helan Mountains fell several times, and were recaptured several times. Of the tens of thousands of brothers who died, only eight hundred survived. Big Brother Du's left arm was wounded, General Zuoqiu's right rib was injured, and even Military Advisor Xu — "
"What's wrong with Military Advisor Xu?!" Lin Wanrong pulled Xu Zhen. He said in shock.
Xu Zhen knew that he had misspoken. He quickly wiped the corners of his eyes. Lowering his head, he said in a low voice, "General, please don't ask. The military counselor didn't let me tell you! "
Lin Wanrong glared at him and said angrily, "What are you not telling me? Listen to her or me? You brat, are you trying to kill me?! "
Xu Zhen was brought by Lin Wanrong from Shandong. Seeing Lin Wanrong's intimidating bull-like glare, how could he dare to disobey? With reddened eyes he said in a low voice, "When Xu Junshi was guarding the pass, he was seriously injured by a barbarian arrow and has been bedridden for many days. Before I left, she instructed me not to report this matter to the general. Otherwise, you will be punished according to military law. "
Xu Zhen did not speak in detail, but Lin Wanrong's heart ached. Xu Zhiqing herself was a national expert in Xing Lin. She was injured by a stray arrow and had to be bedridden for many days. Her injury was definitely not light.
"General. Please don't worry. " Seeing Lin Wanrong's dark and frightening expression, Xu Zhen hurriedly said, "Before I left, Xu Junshi's complexion had improved. She even personally sent me off and told me to tell the general that everything is fine in the army and that you do not need to worry. "
This was called fine? She was already so seriously injured! Lin Wanrong sighed helplessly. Miss Xu's personality was still so stubborn! In the past, he was quite annoyed by her stubborn and stubborn personality. Now, it seems that this was also where Xu Zhiqing stood out from the rest. Thinking of how Miss Xu had silently sent him off before he left, his nose felt a little sour.
Hearing Xu Zhen speak halfway, Gao Qiu's heart became anxious like a cat scratching at him. He hurriedly pulled Xu Zhen's arm and said, "What happened after that? What happened to Mount Helan? Did the barbarians attack again? How did you get to the plains and how did you find us?! Little Xu. It's up to you whether you can finish your sentence at once. I am about to die of anxiety! "
Xu Zhen wiped the corners of his eyes and smiled embarrassedly. He continued, "After the barbarians attacked for three days, the plains were littered with corpses. We suffered heavy losses. In the next few days, they changed their tactics. They used a distraction tactic, feinting for a while before retreating and then feinting again. This cycle repeated and no one knew when they would attack for real. After holding on for a few days, our army was exhausted. Suddenly, on that night, the barbarians seemed to have gone mad and mobilized all their troops to attack the western passage. Hundreds of thousands of barbarians covered the foot of the mountain and were led by Left Prince Badlu. This battle lasted for a day and two nights. We entered and exited the western passage several times and finally took back the valley. Xu Junshi was also heavily injured in this battle. The barbarians attacked for a long time without success and on the morning of the third day, they suddenly retreated a hundred li. At night, we received news that the barbarian granary, Bayanhaote, had been breached by General Lin and the rations of the three hundred thousand Turks were burnt to the ground. This was the last counterattack of the Turks! When the news came, the entire army was excited and everyone cheered. Even the heavily injured Miss Xu cried in joy! "
"Miss Xu cried?!" Lin Wanrong muttered to himself. At that moment, no one in the world could understand Xu Zhiqing's complicated feelings better than him.
Xu Zhen nodded, "The Turks retreated a hundred li. A few days later, we heard that there was a group of Chinese bandits on the grasslands, robbing the barbarian caravans and tribes. We also heard a strange Turk name. Miss Xu said that it was you, General. She knew what you wanted to do, but she had no way of contacting you. "
"Then how did you enter the grasslands?!" Lin Wanrong asked gravely.
Xu Zhen's face lit up with excitement, "Just as we were at our wits' end, a mysterious expert sent a letter to Miss Xu. There were only four words on it – Through the valley, into the grasslands. This reminded Xu Junshi that since General can pass through the Helan Mountains and enter the Alxa grasslands, we can do the same. The next day, Xu Junshi ordered me to lead a dozen of my men and follow the path that General opened. Strangely enough, as soon as we entered the valley, there were road signs guiding us. Although the journey was bumpy, we really entered the grasslands. When we looked back. The road signs had all disappeared. "
"Expert? Road signs?! "Lin Wanrong was dumbfounded. Was it Sister An's doing?! But when I killed Labri in Bayanhaote, it was Sister An's doing. According to the schedule, she was always by my side. Even if Sister Fox could split herself, it was impossible for her to appear in the Helan Mountains and the grasslands at the same time. This was too amazing.
"It's a pity that the heavy rain a few days ago destroyed the road in the valley. I'm afraid it's impossible to cross the Helan Mountains and enter the grasslands again. "Xu Zhen said regretfully.
Bayanhaote had been destroyed. Once the barbarians returned to the grasslands, this magical passage would lose its original strategic significance. Lin Wanrong did not feel it was a pity. It was just that how Xu Zhen had found their current location surprised him.
"After we entered the grasslands, we first went to Bayanhaote and then to Dalanza. We almost encountered the barbarian cavalry several times. Every time we reached a critical moment, someone would point us in the right direction! "Xu Zhen said, taking out a small paper ball from his sleeve. He handed it to Lin Wanrong.
The paper ball was a simple map. There was not a word written on it, only a detailed outline of the location of a few tribes. The thicker and heavier lines were the route that Lin Wanrong's army had taken. The nearest tribe was Chita, which was more than four hundred kilometers away from them.
The lines were clear and the handwriting was graceful. It seemed to be the handwriting of a woman. But from this simple line, it was clear that He could not tell who wrote it.
"We followed this map all the way here. We were discovered by a few scouts ahead, and then we found General." Xu Zhen finally explained the journey clearly. He let out a long sigh, took the water bag that Hu Bugui handed over, and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water thirstily.
The raindrops fell on the paper ball, making a rustling sound. Lin Wanrong stared at the paper ball, his heart full of doubts. To be able to draw such a clear map of the route, it should be someone who knows the whereabouts of these five thousand people very well. The biggest suspect is Sister An. But Sister Fox just left this morning and did not mention this matter. She should not know. Moreover, from the time, Sister An has been with me for the past few days. She did not have the time to guide Xu Zhen.
There are only a few women who can help me like this and hide by my side without me noticing. Xian 'er, Qing Xuan, Sister An, Ning Yuxi, they all have this ability. But the first two are far away in the capital, and the last one has just left, then — —
"It's Fairy Ning!!" Lin Wanrong screamed, jumped up in shock, and hurriedly looked around.
In the vast wind and rain, the sky was dark, the soldiers were galloping forward, without the slightest slack, how could he see Fairy Ning's figure. His mind suddenly opened up, and carefully studied the lines on the paper. The more he looked, the more it looked like Ning Yuxi's eyebrows. With Fairy Ning's personality, if she really followed in secret, she would only be quieter and more undetectable than An Biru.
So Sister An and Fairy Ning have been accompanying me all this time. Lin Wanrong was indescribably sad and happy, his eyes could not help but moisten. With these two peerless beauties, one evil and one good, accompanying me for thousands of miles, who else but me would be the happiest person in the world?!
As his heart and mind were shaken, he looked around at the wind and rain, which instantly turned into Ning Yuxi's moving figure.
Seeing him in a daze, seemingly happy and sad, Gao Qiu hurriedly patted him on the shoulder. "Brother Lin, what's wrong?!"
Lin Wanrong, as though awakened from a dream, shook his head and laughed. "Nothing, I'm just too happy, with news of Mount Helan and Miss Xu, and seeing Xu Zhen, how can I not be happy?! Brother Gao, Brother Hu, we will definitely come back alive, I have no doubt!! "
Knowing the news of Mount Helan was certainly exciting, but there was no need to be so excited. Gao Qiu and Old Hu looked at each other, feeling that General Lin seemed to be hiding some other good news.
"General, there's one more thing." Hu Bugui's voice paused, his brows knitted together. "The scouts at the front have returned. As you expected, the allied forces of Ejin and Haer Helin did not discover our whereabouts after arriving at D 'Lanza, and quickly turned back. Accompanying them were the twenty thousand Turkic cavalry that we had previously used a trick to move to Wuyuan. "
Lin Wanrong made a faint 'oh' sound, and said with a smile, "They've joined forces? Doesn't this mean that the number of Hu people who returned is thirty thousand?! "
Hu Bugui grunted, and said worriedly, "Adding up to more than thirty thousand people! And their speed is extremely fast, and the weather is fine. With their speed, they are only two hundred miles away from Haer Helin. "
Lin Wanrong laughed, a confident smile on his face. "Thirty thousand people it is, we don't need to fight them head-on, thirty thousand is no different to three thousand. Then let us compete with the Hu in terms of stamina. Little Xu, you and your dozen brothers came at the right time, we're going to do something big this time. Pass down the order, the target is Haer Helin, advance at full speed. "
The news of Xu Zhen's arrival quickly spread throughout the army. The vow that Mount Helan would never fall. Like the wind, it resounded in everyone's ears, causing these lone warriors who had ventured deep into the steppe to immediately burst into tears of excitement. This was a long-lost feeling of being connected by blood.
The torrential rain continued to pour, but it could not extinguish the fiery passion of the army of China. They were bursting with all their potential, running as fast as they could, their faces brimming with smiles. This torrential rain seemed to be the best baptism for them.
The Turks seemed to have realized something, and they continued to run back, the competition between the two sides becoming a competition of speed and endurance.
When the news of the Hu's arrival came from two hundred li away, the five thousand Chinese cavalry had already silently appeared on the outskirts of Haer Helin, seething with killing intent.
Under the blue sky, the massive Turkic tribe was like a giant umbrella, its countless tents pale and powerless in the storm. What awaited them was the fiery hooves of the soldiers of China.
"General, let's begin," Xu Zhen, who had just met up with Lin Wanrong, said. His young face was brimming with killing intent. To him, the burning of Bayanhaote and the surprise attack on D 'Lanza were just legends created by General Lin. This was his first time fighting with the Hu on the steppe, in the lair of the Turks. The bloody battle at Mount Helan was still vivid in his mind, and his eyes blazed with fury. The veins on his face bulged as he asked Lin Wanrong for permission to fight.
Lin Wanrong gave a slight nod. His eyes widened. His gaze swept across the neat row of five thousand warriors in front of him. "Brothers, are you ready?!"
Roar — Roar — The roars of the soldiers pierced through the gradually fading storm. They soared into the sky.
Lin Wanrong waved his hands. The orderly roars stopped.
"A small tribe like Haer Helin is not our final goal. But it is a path we must take. I only have one request. I hope that your sabers are fast, accurate, and vicious. Use your invincible hooves to trample over the tents of the Turks. We will not stop. But, the pain will forever remain in the hearts of the Hu! "
His clear and melodious voice floated far away, reverberating in the ears of the soldiers.
"Light the torches!" Hu Bugui's shout pierced through the clouds. With a 'bang', countless torches lit up at the same time. The blazing torches instantly lit up half the sky. The soldiers were so excited that their cheeks were dyed red.
This sudden burst of light was like a bolt of lightning flashing across the sky, quickly rousing the sleeping Turks in their tents. They drowsily rushed out of their yurts, and saw a scene that they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
The torches lit up the sky, and countless cold and cruel faces were right in front of them. There was not a shred of emotion on their faces. The only thing that was boiling was the blazing fire in their eyes.
"The Chinese are here!" A mournful cry sounded out from somewhere, instantly startling the Turks. They madly turned around and ran back to the stables.
"For the brothers that died in Mount Helan, kill!" Xu Zhen's fiery roar pierced through the sky. Countless galloping horses were like dark clouds that moved in an instant, charging toward Har Helin. The Turks who had stood up in a panic to face the enemy, their muscular upper bodies bare. They did not even have the time to equip their bows and arrows, but brandished their broadswords as they charged toward the dark clouds of Chinese elites.
Xu Zhen's blade fell, and a bloody head spun into the air, smashing into the face of a Hu beside him. His invincible aura. Even the Turks, who were used to seeing slaughter, shuddered. Before they could react, the cold swords and spears of the Chinese had already pierced into their bodies.
This was a battle without any suspense. The strength of the two sides was not even on the same level. The hooves of the horses galloped across the snow-white tents, and countless flowers of blood bloomed on the white gauze. The soldiers knew that time was limited, so they used the three words' fast, accurate and ruthless' to the extreme. The entire Hu camp was shrouded in flames.
"Reporting to General, the Hu have suddenly sped up. Their vanguard is still one hundred and seventy kilometers away from us!" Har Helin had already become a sea of flames, and the report of the scouts at the front echoed in their ears. Lin Wanrong nodded and made a gesture to Hu Bugui.
Old Hu leapt off his horse and brandished his broadsword. "All soldiers, listen to my orders. Our target is the Ejin Tribe. Move out! "
Yu Jia's evaluation was very accurate. At this time, the cavalry of China was like a band of roving bandits on the grasslands. After plundering a tribe, they would move on to the next target. No one could stop them from moving as fast as the wind.
The Ejin Tribe was close to Yiwu, and it was the only way to the Sea of Death, Luo Bu Nor. They were less than one hundred kilometers away from Har Helin. The infuriated Turks were moving at an unbelievable speed. Two hundred kilometers away, they automatically split into two groups. One group headed for Har Helin, while the other rushed to the Ejin Tribe, which had not yet been attacked.
When the five thousand soldiers stood in front of the Ejin Tribe, Hu Bugui reported the latest news of the Turks. "General, the Hu are only sixty kilometers away from us."
A hundred kilometers away, the Har Helin was raging with wind and rain, but the Ejin Tribe was clean and refreshing. The bright moon hung high in the sky, and one could even feel a slight warmth. The roar of the desert sand could be faintly heard in the distance.
As far as the eye could see, one side of Yiwu, which was connected to the Ejin Tribe, was a green grassland, while the other side was an endless expanse of silver sand. The two colors, green and white, glowed with a cold radiance in the bright moonlight. The Ejin Tribe and Yiwu were connected to the Sea of Death, Luo Bu Nor. For thousands of years, it was said that no one had ever walked out of the Sea of Death alive. Even the vicious and cruel Turks did not dare to enter this famous Sea of Death. The Ejin Tribe was the tribe closest to the desert, and it was also the boundary between the grasslands and Luo Bu Nor.
The tents of the Ejin Tribe were filled with terrified Turks. Faced with the China people descending from the sky, many of them could not believe their eyes. After confirming countless times, they finally believed that the China people had really come. On one side was the Sea of Death, and on the other side was the armored cavalry of China. This was a dead knot that could never be untied. Their eyes were filled with fear and despair.
Having lived in the desert for a long time, the Turks were well aware of the dangers of the desert. Compared to the threat of the Sea of Death, they would rather face the hatred of the China people.
"What a good 'Great Desert Sand Like Snow, Swallow Mountain Moon Like Hook'!" Gazing at the boundless desert, Lin Wanrong softly recited. He seemed to turn a blind eye to the Ejin Tribe in front of him.
Hu Bugui was a little anxious, and he cautiously said, "General. The Hu people are only sixty kilometers away from us! "
Sixty kilometers, even if the Hu people flew, they would not be able to reach in less than an hour. But an hour should be enough to do a lot of things! With a smile, Lin Wanrong raised a few fingers. "Brother Hu, I'll give you ten minutes, is that enough?!"
The time it took to brew a cup of tea was indeed short. But in the face of this completely one-sided battlefield, Hu Bugui could not find a reason to refuse. He let out a hearty laugh and galloped forward on his horse. The soldiers behind him followed closely behind, charging into the Ejin Tribe like a whirlwind.
Like Har Helin. The able-bodied men of the Ejin Tribe had long been mobilized. The remaining few hundred strong men were not even enough to fill the gaps between the teeth of the China cavalry.
It was just as Lin Wanrong had said, only the time it took to brew a cup of tea had passed. The Turkic wolf flag slowly landed at their feet.
The Ejin Tribe and Har Helin were two of the largest Turkic tribes, and were extremely well-supplied. There was no need for Lin Wanrong to instruct them. The soldiers replenished their water and rations, changed their horses, and made their final preparations to enter the desert.
Hu Bugui, his body full of rations and water, walked over valiantly and said with a smile, "General Lin, we're all ready, when will the army enter the desert?!"
Old Hu was an impatient person. They were entering the desert, not going to the wedding ceremony, so what was the hurry? Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "Don't worry, the Hu people have not yet enjoyed their last supper."
"What last supper?!" Hu Bugui looked at him in puzzlement.
Lin Wanrong gave a mysterious smile and shook his head, "Brother Hu, I told you to gather all the remaining tung oil in the Ejin Tribe, how is it going?!"
"Besides taking some for our spares, the rest have all been gathered." Hu Bugui nodded, then gave him a strange look, "General Lin, you didn't let us burn the tents, and took so much tung oil, are you going to warm the tents?!"
"We do need to warm the tents, but it's for the Hu people." Lin Wanrong grinned, "Brother Hu, go find a few hundred brothers and pour the tung oil on the tents of the Hu people. Remember, every tent must be sprinkled with some, and the tents should be lined with hay, then sprinkle the tung oil. We'll set the camps on fire for the Hu people! "
So that was how it was. Hu Bugui suddenly understood. Even before entering the desert, he still did not forget to teach the Hu people a lesson. Brother Lin was indeed a person of God.
The cold moonlight sprinkled over the grassland and desert. In the distant horizon, there was suddenly a surge of smoke. Rumble, rumble, rumble, the thunder-like sound of horse hooves entered the eardrums, and the earth suddenly trembled. Dozens of miles away, there was such a scale and momentum. The iron hooves of the Hu people really lived up to their reputation.
Hu Bugui listened attentively for a moment, then said seriously, "The Hu people really think highly of us. From the momentum, there are most likely more than twenty thousand cavalry."
Lin Wanrong smiled and sighed, "It's not that they think highly of us, but after the fall of Har Helin, they had already determined that our next stop would be the neighboring Ejin Tribe, so they mobilized a large number of troops to chase after us. There really are experts among the Turks. "
He suddenly waved his hand, and the five thousand soldiers mounted their horses, tidied up their luggage and rations, and neatly stepped toward the boundary line between the grassland and the desert.
Just as they neared the desert, there was a whistling sound of the wind with a strange shrill flickering in their ears. Everyone unconsciously shrank their necks, burying their faces in their clothes.
A few gusts of cold sand blew over, hitting Lin Wanrong in the face. He hurriedly spat twice and said angrily, "This old woman in the desert hasn't even rinsed her mouth, how dare she be intimate with me! There's no justice in this world!! "Everyone burst into laughter, and as they neared the sea of death, the oppressive atmosphere immediately eased.
Standing at the edge of the desert, Lin Wanrong waved his hand at Old Gao, "Xu Zhen, brother Gao, you two lead the brothers into the desert immediately — —"
Xu Zhen and Old Gao were both shocked, "What about you?!"
Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "Brother Hu and I will bring up the rear, with these Hu people, we will play a game of burning the camps."
Burning the camps? Although the two of them did not know what Lin Wanrong was talking about, but after going through life and death together for so long, they had already established a deep trust between them.
Xu Zhen resolutely grunted, cupped his fists, and said, "As you command!" He turned his horse around, and with a slight wave of his hand, the five thousand soldiers filed in, stepping into the vast sandstorm.
The trust between life and death was the most touching. Seeing that the five thousand soldiers trusted him so much, Lin Wanrong clenched his fists with all his might, and with a low roar, he encouraged himself.
"General, the Hu people are here!!!" Hu Buhui waved his hand, and in the midst of the flying dust, dozens of wolf flags fluttered high. The dense mass of Hu cavalry was like a whirlwind, stirring up endless dust and sand, passing through the tents of the Ejina tribe, and charging straight to the edge of the desert.
Just as Hu Buhui had said, there were more than twenty thousand Hu people in front of them. Their vanguard had passed through the tents of the Ejina tribe, but the cavalry behind them were still waiting outside the tents. The long line stretched as far as the eye could see.
When the leader of the Hu people was still several hundred feet away from the edge of the desert, he suddenly waved his hand, and the Hu people behind him stopped in unison. Apart from the snorts of the war horses, the entire battlefield was completely silent, extremely quiet.
In the distance, at the border between the grassland and the desert, two war horses stood quietly. Two Chinese men sat on the back of the horses, one holding a saber, the other a bow. Both had dark faces and yellow skin, and looked solemn and murderous.
"Neigh —" The war horse of the Chinese man suddenly raised its head to the sky, and jumped up. The man grabbed the reins, and his body rose and fell with the horse. The moon was low, as if it was right behind him. The desert wind filled the sky, lifting up his long robe and hair, and the rolling sand hit his back and face, desolate and bleak, but with an indescribable murderous aura.
"Lin San of China is here, who dares to fight me?!" The dark-faced and black-chested Chinese man roared, his voice piercing through the grassland and desert. His cold eyes and face were like a black god of death reflected in the crystalline moonlight, striking fear into the hearts of all.
His voice traveled far, and the Hu people behind him were still desperately rushing toward the Ejina tribe's tent, but the two sides facing each other were silent.
The leader of the Hu people slowly took off his helmet, revealing deep sunken eyes, prominent cheekbones, and azure eyes that flickered faintly. He cupped his fists toward Lin Wanrong from afar, and shouted in slightly stiff Chinese, "Lord Lin, long time no see! I, Lu Dongzan, respectfully welcome Lord to the grassland! "
It really was the Turkic Imperial Advisor, Lu Dongzan! He had actually rushed back from the Five Plains to the grassland. No wonder he was so intelligent!
Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, cupped his fists, and said, "What virtue or ability do I have to trouble Imperial Advisor to personally welcome me? I am ashamed, ashamed! After not seeing you for several months, Brother Lu is even more spirited than before. This is truly worthy of celebration! "
Lu Dongzan urged his horse forward, looked at Lin Wanrong, and gave him a thumbs up, and said sincerely, "Lord Lin, you entered the grassland alone, cut off the life supply of the Turks, and saved Mount Helan from danger. From the perspective of an enemy, I should hate you. But from the perspective of strategy and courage, you are the smartest person in China, and also the person I, Lu Dongzan, admire the most!
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