"Sneak attack?" Old Wo touched his cheek, shaking his head with a serious expression. "This behavior is very bad, next time you can't do this. Otherwise, I will take revenge for the smallest grievance. "
Yu Jia glanced at him a few times, sighing. "With our statuses — do you think there will be a next time?!"
Her expression was calm, with a smile on her face. Her eyes were as deep as water, calm and tranquil, like a tranquil lake. At this moment, compared to the beautiful and affectionate Crescent Moon, she was a completely different person. Perhaps, the one standing in front of him right now was the real Yu Jia.
"No next time? That would be for the best! " Lin Wanrong giggled and nodded. "You know that I'm easily moved. I'm really afraid that one day I'll accidentally fall into your trap. Hearing you say this, I am much more relieved. "
Yu Jia lightly grunted. "I am more relieved than you, because, you will never lie to me again!"
Look at what you're saying, am I such a bad person?! He laughed awkwardly, waved his hand at Yu Jia, patted his butt, and left.
In the distance, Hu Bugui poked his head out from the grass, cautiously glancing over. "Why did General Lin leave like this? Did he succeed in persuading her?! "
"When has Brother Lin ever failed?" Old Gao glared at him discontentedly. "Didn't you see, when he went to comfort her, Crescent Moon was moved to tears!"
Moved to tears?! Hu Bugui hurriedly widened his eyes.
Looking from afar, Yu Jia was sitting on the ground, quiet and elegant, the smile on her face unusually moving. Her eyes occasionally became misty, like colorful soap bubbles under the setting sun, sad and beautiful.
"Sister, why do people have hearts?!" The bright red setting sun shone on the grassland. The ground was sprinkled with golden afterglow. He sat on the slope with the fairy. Gazing at the setting sun in the distance, Lin Wanrong suddenly let out a long breath and asked with a smile.
The little thief's questions were always strange, as if there was no answer, but also as if there was an answer. Even though the fairy was exceptionally intelligent, she didn't know how to answer him. She gently brushed her hair that was fluttering in the wind and shook her head with a smile. "Trees have roots and people have hearts. This is a gift from the heavens for you to be grateful for. How can there be so many whys?"
"Something's not right." Lin Wanrong shook his head. "If you ask me, God gave us souls to endure torment."
The fairy angrily said, "How did you suffer? Tell me."
Lin Wanrong sighed, "Only when there is a heart can there be joy, and then there is sorrow. A person's life is spent amidst joy and sorrow. Sometimes they cry, sometimes they laugh, and sometimes they cry. If this isn't torment, then what is? No matter how I think about it, adding up all the people's hearts in this world, I don't know which one is more joyful or more sorrowful? "
The little thief's words were so profound! Ning Yuxi was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, "How can human hearts be added together?! I think you're purposely digging your own grave. You're happy and sad at the same time. Do you think others can't tell? Round and round. Isn't it because of Yujia?! "
"No, it has absolutely nothing to do with her. I swear on my noble character. "Lin Wanrong hurriedly waved his hand and swore righteously.
The fairy shook her head helplessly. She gently pulled out her sword and waved the bright blade in front of him a few times. She said in annoyance, "Wipe off the mess on your face first. This isn't something that can come out just by biting."
The blade of the sword clearly reflected his shadow. There was a light lipstick mark on his dark face, like a crescent moon in the sky. It was clearly visible and attractive.
"Eh." Lin Wanrong hurriedly covered his face and exclaimed, "Where did this come from? Why didn't I notice it at all? Old Hu and the rest are too unjust. I was ambushed and they didn't even come to save me. Ah, ah, sister, don't stab me — I know, it must be Yujia's doing. I hate my carelessness. Why didn't I notice it? "
Swoosh. The silver needle in Ning Yuxi's hand shot out like lightning and sank into the tree trunk in front of her. The fairy smiled and said, "Why would I stab you? Junior Martial Sister An said that the silver needle will grow moldy if it is placed in my pocket. I have to take it out to dry frequently so that it can maintain its sharpness! I don't know if what she said is right. "
"Yes, yes, it makes sense." The little thief hurriedly wiped off the sweat on his forehead.
"You," the fairy angrily poked his forehead, "So dishonest! If Junior Martial Sister An was here, you don't know how much suffering she would have caused you. She does whatever she says. You will suffer if she makes a move. "
Hearing the fairy mention An Biru, that foxy face that was both happy and angry at the same time appeared in front of him. The little thief smiled happily and said, "Sister, don't worry about me. If she makes a move, I will make a move too. I recently learned a special skill called Dragon Claw. It's a technique that specializes in breaking underwear. Oh, no, it's an internal technique. It can be said to be indestructible and fast. When you are free, I will also spar with sister. Let's improve together. "
Hearing him say underwear technique, she knew what kind of technique it was. Ning Yuxi hurriedly spat, her face blushing. After being interrupted by him, she was so embarrassed that she couldn't even say anything to scold him. After a long silence, she sighed, "When you were talking just now, I was listening at the side. That Yujia, I'm afraid she really has feelings for you. "
"I don't think so," Lin Wanrong said cautiously. "This young lady isn't easy to deal with. She's so honest all of a sudden. Who knows if she's just playing tricks or putting on an act within a play?! I won't hide it from sister, I am really a little afraid of her. "
"This is what they mean by once bitten, twice shy." Fairy Ning smiled and said, "You don't have to worry. In another two days, when the Sheep Snatching Meet starts and the Barbarians' royal court is taken down, you can never see her again."
"I think so too — never see her again." Lin Wanrong snorted and nodded solemnly. Gazing at the setting sun, the feeling in his heart was indescribable.
As if I'd believe you! Fairy Ning pouted. But seeing the fatigue on his face, her heart softened and she didn't want to talk about other people's matters anymore. The two of them snuggled together tightly, forming a pair of shadows in the huge setting sun that would never separate.
…
"Hyah —"
"Hyah —"
The sound of hoofbeats rose and fell on the wide grassy plains. Groups of riders galloped on the grassy plains, their momentum extraordinary. Looking at their numbers, there were at least thousands of them.
But strangely, these thousands of Hu were divided into teams of different sizes. The big ones had seventy to eighty people, while the small ones only had a dozen people. The teams were far apart, at least two miles apart. They each did their own thing, forming teams to charge and kill. Sometimes they would gather, sometimes they would disperse, as if they were practicing some formation. Countless white tents, big and small, were like clouds in the sky, slowly spreading out on the dark green grassy plains.
Another wave of hoofbeats sounded. Dozens of black dots galloped over like the wind.
The distance was extremely far, and the night was falling. The teams of Hu were busy practicing. No one even raised their heads to look at them.
In the twilight, more than ten sturdy Turkic horses galloped over. The riders were dressed in loose robes and galloped as fast as lightning. Their bodies were tightly pressed against the back of their horses, like arrows ready to be unsheathed at any moment. Occasionally, they would reveal their bearded faces, exuding a chilling killing intent.
Night was approaching, and the grassy plains were filled with such fast horses. The tribes all had their own way of doing things, so no one would pay attention to these ten-some people.
"Neigh —" The leader of the group pulled on the reins with practiced ease. The pace of the Turkic horse slowly began to slow. He led his horse forward a few steps. Turning his head, he said, "General, be careful! We are only twenty li from Kizil. "
"Twenty li?" Lin Wanrong pulled down his Turkic robe, revealing his face. His eyes darted around as he warily examined the surroundings. "Where did these Hu come from? Tuo after tuo, there are several hundred of them! They are only twenty li from Kizil, why aren't they entering the city? "
From the first report sent by Xu Zhen yesterday to the second report this afternoon, Lu Dongzan's army of one hundred thousand had already traveled three hundred li. General Lin, who had already gathered his strength, waved his banner, and the entire army swiftly advanced. The cavalry of China had already reached the outskirts of Kizil. They were only a hundred and thirty li away from the court of the Hu. They could even feel the breathing of the Hu.
At this crucial moment where even the smallest spark could ignite a war, Lin Wanrong was no longer satisfied with just relying on the reports of the scouts. He could not rest easy until he personally saw Kizil's situation. That was why he and Hu Bugui had personally come to investigate at dusk.
There really were several hundred of them! Hu Bugui suppressed a smile. "General, these are the elites of the various tribes who have come to participate in the Sheep Hunting Conference. The conference will be held the day after tomorrow. Why are they not using this time to train, but instead running into the city?"
"They are all here to participate in the Sheep Hunting Conference?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed. Among the troops galloping on the grassland, the horses were as fast as lightning, and the riders were twisting and turning, jumping, and performing all kinds of difficult movements. It was as if they were performing acrobatics, and their bodies seemed to be attached to the backs of the horses.
Hu Bugui nodded. "Yes. Every group is made up of the elites of a Hu tribe. Look, they even have their own flags. "
As expected, among the tents and barracks, there were different flags fluttering in the wind. There were eagle flags, fox flags, rabbit flags, and every tribe's symbol was different. Lin Wanrong made a 'heh' sound, then pointed to a barracks in the distance with a smile. "There's even a sparrow flag? These Hu people are really unconventional! "
Hu Bugui swept a few glances at the flag, only to see a lively little bird proudly flying high in the sky. Old Hu could not help but say, "General, that, that is not a sparrow!"
"Not a sparrow?" Lin Wanrong furrowed his brows. "Could it be a turtledove?! In the grassland, their genes mutated, and even a turtledove became like this — — they are even worse than a sparrow! "
Old Hu's face flushed red. "General, this, is not a sparrow, nor is it a turtledove, it's called a lark, cough, cough, the lark that can sing. Using a lark as a flag means that the tribe is light and agile, and can sing and dance well. "
"So it's a lark." Lin Wanrong exclaimed twice, then said angrily, "The Hu's drawing skills are too bad, I'm already letting them off easy by not mistaking it for a fly!"
"Hu you (hao) — —" Before he could finish, excited shouts could be heard from the 'fly' tribe. Everyone hurriedly looked over.
Within the 'fly' tribe, there were ten horses galloping as if they were flying. A Hu was hugging the back of a horse, half hanging below the horse's belly. The back of that majestic Turkic horse was completely bare, without a saddle or treads, it galloped like the wind. With a whoosh, that Hu spun under the horse's belly once, then flipped back up from the other side. Following that, he spun another three hundred and sixty degrees, passing under the horse's belly and flipping back, doing this three times in a row. But this rider's expression did not change, his movements were clean and beautiful, looking valiant and heroic. The spectating Hu applauded in envy.
Lin Wanrong blinked his eyes. Holy shit, spinning three times while hugging a mare, doesn't he feel dizzy? It's a pity that this fellow doesn't dance the tango!!
In terms of horsemanship, Lin Wanrong had experienced countless life and death situations on horseback, so he could be considered quite skilled. But compared to this Turkic, he was still lacking. Even though they were enemies, there was not a single person who did not admire the horsemanship of the Turkic.
"This Lark tribe, when we're catching sheep, it's best if we don't encounter them," Lin Wanrong finally said after a long while.
Hu Bugui nodded his head in agreement. Before he could say anything, he heard angry roars and shouts coming from the other side. Looking back, he saw hundreds of horses galloping across the grassland like a fierce whirlwind.
A bloody sheep's head was occasionally tossed into the air, landing on the ground far away. The hundreds of Turkic madly charged forward. The curved blades in their hands mercilessly slashed at their fellow tribesmen. The two sides split into two factions, engaging in a chaotic battle. Whoever managed to snatch the sheep's head would suffer the most.
Lin Wanrong was dumbfounded. "You can use a blade to catch sheep? Holy shit, is this sheep catching or chopping?! "
"Of course it's using a blade." Hu Bugui laughed. "General, you've never seen this sheep catching competition before, so it's normal that you don't understand. Let me explain it to you. This sheep catching is actually not for the sheep's head. Before every sheep catching competition, the Turkic people will slaughter a few fat sheep, cut off the head and hooves, then soak the sheep in water, and fill the sheep's belly with water. This way the sheep's body will be tough, so that it will not be torn apart during the competition. "
This was easy to understand. Lin Wanrong nodded. "Then what do they need a blade for? Don't tell me it's to cut sheep? "
Old Hu shook his head. "It's not to cut sheep, it's to chop people. Every time the sheep catching competition begins, the Turkic people will choose a leader, who will place the sheep's body in the middle of the plains. The teams participating in the competition will have at least dozens of people, and at most hundreds of people. Everyone will ride a tall horse, and the distance between them and the sheep's body must be the same. They only need to wait for the order. The teams will rush and snatch. Every team will have a division of labor, rush, cover and block. No matter what method you use, whether you use a blade to chop or a spear to stab, as long as you can snatch the sheep from the other side and reach the destination first, you will be the winner. "
Lin Wanrong shuddered. How is this a sheep catching competition, it's clearly a chop competition. The Hu are indeed the Hu, their barbaric nature is extraordinary. The sheep catching competition that they organize is even more entertaining than a rugby match, and it's even bloody.
"However, the Hu are not foolish enough to kill each other. Other than wearing a mask to prevent any personal grudges, the weapons that the teams bring onto the field must be unsharpened, which is what we call blunt blades. They will be inspected beforehand, and usually, they won't be able to kill anyone. At the very most, they will just lose an arm or a leg. Even though the tribe that we are seeing now is fighting fiercely, it's just a training exercise. It's far from a real sheep catching competition. "
Is a blunt blade not a blade? Hearing Old Hu's introduction, Lin Wanrong's heart turned cold. This sheep catching competition isn't that fun. If he were to lose his life in the sheep catching competition of the Hu, that would be the biggest joke in China.
"Brother Hu, I've thought about it carefully," Lin Wanrong said solemnly. "If we have to catch sheep, let's choose the Lark first. From the looks of it, compared to the big blades here, the Lark is just a fancy but impractical move. "
His words made everyone laugh. Actually, everyone knew that if they were to talk about the weakest, they were the weakest.
"Brother Hu, then how do we register?!"
Old Hu shook his head slightly. "There's no need to register. This sheep catching competition is all about fighting. As long as there are people who dare to challenge, the winner must accept the challenge unconditionally, no matter how many rounds they have fought. Of course, tribes that have already lost have no right to challenge, and those tribes that do have the right to challenge have to fight at least three rounds before they are qualified. Thus, the winner of this sheep catching competition is the true warrior of the grasslands. This is also the reason why all the tribes of the grasslands would send their elites to the sheep catching competition. "
The Turks were indeed ferocious, and the warriors that were chosen in this way were what everyone expected. Lin Wanrong nodded. "Since we have to go to this sheep catching competition, we don't have to worry about him. Brother Hu, let's go forward and take a look at Kizil. "
"No, it's too dangerous up ahead!" As Hu Bugui spoke, the ground began to tremble violently. In the distance, a cloud of dust rose into the air. The dense horde of Turkic cavalry was like a violent flood, sweeping toward them.
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