Judging from the momentum of these cavalrymen, there were at least tens of thousands of them. Each of them had a strong physique and could move their horses as if they were flying. The sabers in their hands glinted with light, and it was obvious that they were veterans of the battlefield.
"Have the Hu discovered us?!" Hu Bugui was shocked and hurriedly stood in front of Lin Wanrong to protect him.
Lin Wanrong chuckled. "Brother Hu, don't be nervous. It won't be that easy to discover us. These should be the ten thousand cavalrymen that Lu Dongzan left behind. Let's take a look first. "
As he spoke, the surrounding Hu tribes who were practicing their goat-catching practice also stopped and looked forward in confusion.
The Turkic horsemen gradually began to slow down. A tall and muscular man with thick eyebrows and deep eyes stepped out, his eyes bright and spirited.
"Tusozo?!" Lin Wanrong was taken aback. The leader of the Hu was the young and handsome Turkic Right Prince. Tusozo was dressed in a luxurious Hu robe, and his eyes shone with a cold light. He had a dignified expression, and the precious horse he was riding was as red as blood. It stood in the middle of the herd, and the Hu's mounts followed obediently behind it, like stars surrounding the moon. This was the legendary Turkic national treasure, the Ferghana horse.
"What a good horse!" Hu Bugui lowered his voice and sighed enviously. Back when Lu Dongzan and the others were on a diplomatic mission to China, they had also gifted Lin Wanrong two Ferghana horses. Hu Bugui had not only seen them, but had also personally trained them. However, the horse that Tusozo was riding was much stronger than the other two horses, be it in terms of physique or age. It seemed that the Ferghana horse was also divided into different grades, and the horse that the Turks had gifted to General Lin was only of inferior quality.
Lin Wanrong had been with horses for a long time, and he had developed a keen eye for them. He could tell what was going on just by looking at Tusozo's carriage. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of saliva and said angrily, "The Turks are really unkind, using shoddy horses to bully me. If I don't teach them a lesson, they won't know that Brother Lin San has three eyes! "
Hu Bugui suppressed his laughter. He had taken a treasure from the Turks, given them a tattered Falk cannon to use as a decoration, and even had Lu Dongzan locked up in a black room for several days. In terms of prowess, General Lin is much more ruthless than the Turks.
More than ten thousand cavalrymen stood still in the middle of the plains, giving off an aura of disdain. Tu Suozuo was calm and composed, but the Hu strategist beside him was loudly muttering something. This fellow's voice was deep and resounding. Even though they were separated by a few thousand feet, they could still hear his loud voice.
Lin Wanrong pricked up his ears and listened for a while, then shook his head in annoyance. "This fellow's Turkic language has a suburban accent. It's too inauthentic. I can't understand it. Brother Hu, why don't you translate? "
"Indeed, it's not very authentic." Old Hu laughed. According to the Right Prince's orders, in order to prevent conflicts between the various tribes during the Sheep Hunting Conference, from today until the end of the conference, the imperial court will send troops to guard the area within ten miles of Kyzil. The tribes were not allowed to fight. Violators would lose their right to participate in the conference. Only after the Sheep Hunting Conference is over can the tribes enter the imperial court to pay their respects to the Great Khan — "
Lin Wanrong nodded. Before the competition, the smell of gunpowder between the various tribes was getting stronger. Tu Suozuo wanted to enforce martial law to prevent conflicts between the various tribes. The Right Prince of the Turks was indeed worthy of his reputation. He was young, but he was very experienced in handling matters.
"— And in the Sheep Hunting Conference, the final victor will be personally unveiled by the Great Khan at the start of the banquet in the imperial court and be rewarded," Old Hu continued to translate.
This was quite interesting. Having the Turkic Khan personally unveil the warriors of the grasslands was mysterious and exciting. It was also a wonderful reward. It could fully arouse the Turks' wild nature and courage, allowing them to fight for the first place. This way, the difficulty of the Sheep Hunting Conference would be even greater. The Turks were also experts in inspiring people.
After the strategist finished announcing the martial law, the various tribes blew their horns, and the sound of the horns spread across the plains. This was the signal of the Turks obeying the military order.
"Eh, a woman!" Gao Qiu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly opened his eyes, and a few rays of light shot out from them as he exclaimed in surprise.
All of a sudden, crisp laughter came from the tents of the tribes. The curtain of the tent was lifted, revealing the faces of some Turkic girls. They were indeed women. Old Gao, that pervert, had sharp ears.
These Hu girls were mostly seventeen or eighteen years old. Although their looks could not compare to Yu Jia, it was still a rare sight among the Turks. They were dressed in the most beautiful festive attire that accentuated their graceful figures, and they were giggling as they looked out of the tent.
Needless to say, it was obvious who they were looking at. The young and valiant Turkic Right Prince had long since become a great hero of the grasslands, and he was the prince charming in the hearts of countless Turkic girls. Half of the young girls from the various tribes who had come to participate in the Sheep Snatching Competition were probably here for him, and that was a conservative estimate.
A few of the more daring Turkic girls had already ridden out of the tent and galloped to the Right Prince's side. But when they got close to Tusozzo, they became shy and jumped off their horses. Lightly tapping the beat of the beat, they began to dance around the steed. Occasionally, their gazes would wander over the young Prince of the Right as their melodious singing soared into the sky.
Tusozzo smiled as he dismounted from his Ferghana steed. Hand in hand with the girls, they formed a circle and began to happily dance. The natural ability of the Turks to sing and dance was quickly revealed, and the warriors and maidens of the various tribes began to join in, singing and dancing. In an instant, the steppe had become a sea of joy, and even the ten-thousand-some people were whistling and applauding, their laughter rising and falling.
If these ordinary-looking Turkic girls were so charming when they danced, what would it be like if it were Yu Jia? This sudden thought alarmed Lin Wanrong, and he hastily shook his head, erasing this unrealistic thought from his mind.
"So Turkic women also like pretty boys, and they even want to throw themselves into his arms. How shameless." Seeing the girls dancing around the Right Prince, Old Gao felt indignant.
This fellow had probably been repressed in the army for too long, and he was so hungry that he could not be choosy. He was even jealous of Turkic women. Lin Wanrong shook his head with a smile. "Brother Gao, you're wrong about them. The Hu have different personalities from us, so their way of marriage is naturally different. If they like someone, they have to say it. In this aspect, the Hu are much more straightforward than us. "
"General Lin is right. If you're really jealous, Old Gao, it's simple. Once we're done with Kizil, I'll go catch two Turkic women for you and let you enjoy the joy of throwing yourself into your arms," Hu Bugui joked.
Gao Qiu disdainfully shook his head. "If I really want these Turkic women to throw themselves into my arms, isn't that simple? If I win first place in the Sheep Hunting Conference, won't any Turkic woman have to lie down?! "
So that was what this fellow was planning. Lin Wanrong and Hu Bugui looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Old Gao's wish was just a joke. Their first task in participating in the Sheep Hunting Conference was to sneak into the Turkic royal court. As for whether they could win first place or even get close to the Turkic Khan, that would depend on the will of the heavens.
As they spoke, a burst of cheers came from the other side. The Hu had stopped singing and dancing at some point and had scattered in all directions, leaving behind an extremely wide space.
In the center stood the calm and composed Tusozzo. Opposite him were twenty or so Turkic warriors with thick waists and round arms. The gathered Hu girls stood behind Tusozzo, their faces filled with excitement. They waved their arms and cheered, gazing at the Right Prince with adoration. The surrounding tribes and the Cavalrymen brought by Tusozzo naturally formed a big circle around them.
Although Lin Wanrong did not understand what they were shouting, he could tell from their expressions that they were cheering for the Right Prince. Tusozzo slowly took off his long robe, revealing a short, well-made suit. His body was firm and well-proportioned, and he immediately attracted a burst of cheers from the young girls. He took something out of his bosom and handed it to one of his attendants. Lin Wanrong had excellent eyesight, and the moment he saw the object, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"What's that?!" Old Hu had clearly noticed the abnormality and hastily asked.
Gao Qiu's eyes widened. He said in confusion, "It looks like a small knife, silver in color. Ah, I remember now, Yujia also has a knife like that. "
Tusozzo held a scimitar in his hand. Its style, size, and even intricacy were identical to Yujia's golden saber. The only difference was that Tusozzo's was made of pure silver, making it slightly inferior to Yujia's golden saber.
A golden saber and a silver saber should have been a match made in heaven. Could it be that Tusozzo and Yujia were betrothed when they were children? When he saw the silver saber in the Right Prince's hand, Lin Wanrong's shock was indescribable.
Tusozzo handed the scimitar in his hand to his attendant and then vigorously patted his sleeves and ankles, indicating that he did not have any weapons on him. Then, with a wave of his hand, his attendant handed over ten black masks to the Turkic warriors.
The mask was made of pure black cloth, and when it was put on, only two eyes could be seen. Hu Bugui hurriedly said, "General, Brother Gao, look carefully, these are the masks used in the Sheep Snatching Contest."
This was no different from robbing a bank with a mask. Lin Wanrong said with a smile, "What are they doing? They're not going to snatch sheep today, why are they wearing masks? "
"It seems that the Right Prince is going to compete with some tribe." Hu Bugui took a closer look. "They're wearing masks so that the Right Prince can't see their faces clearly and doesn't have to worry about revenge. This way, they can let their opponents go all out. It's no different from snatching sheep."
As soon as he finished speaking, a bugle horn sounded, and the hoarse shouts of young girls and the howls of warriors resounded throughout the grassland. The crowd in front of them grew and blocked their line of sight. Lin Wanrong and the others hurriedly found a high hill and looked down.
A thick wooden stake was hammered in the middle of the field. Tu Suozo had changed to an ordinary horse and was more than four hundred feet away from the stake. Opposite him were the warriors carefully selected by the Hu. There were more than twenty of them and they were the same distance away from the stake as Tu Suozo.
With a single glance, Lin Wanrong understood that the Hu were playing a stake-grabbing game. Tu Suozo was fighting against twenty people by himself. Instead of riding his Ferghana horse, he had purposely switched to an ordinary Turkic horse to establish his might. If he could win like this, who would dare to compete with him in the Sheep Snatching Contest?
"Woo!" A loud and urgent bugle horn sounded, signaling the start of the fight for the stake.
"Awooo —" Tu Suozo's reaction was the fastest. He whipped his horse's rump and the Turkic horse galloped away like an arrow. The riders on the other side were not slow either. Twenty horses galloped past them like a tornado, and both sides rode toward the center of the stake at an extremely fast speed.
The screams of the Turkic girls pierced through the night sky, and the cheers of the spectators did not cease. Some were cheering for the Right King, while others were cheering for the opponent. As the two sides got closer and closer to the stake, the dust they kicked up shrouded Tu Suozo's handsome face. In a flash, the Right King, who was on the horse, suddenly stomped his feet and stretched his arms forward. As the steed swerved, he had already combined his two hands. He tightly hugged the stake.
The twenty-some riders on the other side were only several zhang away. The moment they saw the Right King stretch out his hand, dozens of horses madly charged at him. The few iron fists at the front mercilessly smashed at Tusozzo with loud gusts of wind.
"Ah!" Tu Suozo's face turned red as he fiercely shouted. The thick wooden stake, which had been wedged more than a foot into the ground, actually rose in response to this shout. Soil fell with a clatter as the Right King held it horizontally in his arms.
This ferocious strength left the spectating Hu dumbfounded. A few moments later, they erupted into thunderous cheers and applause.
Lin Wanrong could not close his mouth as he watched. Such a thick wooden stick was nailed a few feet into the ground, but he pulled it out on his horse without even blinking. What did this fellow eat to grow up? Could it be that Tarzan of the Apes had arrived?
As Tu Suozo pulled out the stake, the riders on the other side swept forward like a gust of wind. At this critical moment, the Right King did not panic. He held the wooden stick in his hand horizontally and swept it toward his opponent's head.
"Ah!" Amidst the screams, three warriors at the front were hit in the waist and fell off their horses. This delay bought time for the rest of the riders behind them. The remaining dozen riders instantly closed in on Tu Suozo. Two or three people leaped from their horses at the same time and pounced straight at him. This was the wrestling technique of the Turks. Once the Right King was pushed to the ground and held down by dozens of people, he would not be able to exert his brute force no matter how much strength he had.
Tu Suozo clearly saw through his opponent's intentions. With a "heh", he swung his wooden stick like the wind. This blow was so powerful that the three warriors fell to the ground without even a grunt.
"Neigh —" The horse under the Right King suddenly reared up and whinnied. Its body bent and slowly fell to the ground.
Lin Wanrong saw it clearly. The three Hu who had pounced forward were only acting as cover. The moment they fell to the ground, another two Hu leaped down from their horses. Their fists were like the wind as they attacked the Right King's carriage from both sides and struck the horse's eyes. The Turkic horse whinnied in pain and fell to the ground.
Stabbing its eyes? Just as Old Hu had said, there was nothing they wouldn't do. Lin Wanrong was shocked and gained a deeper understanding of the Sheep-Snatching Contest.
No matter how powerful Tu Suozo was, he only had two hands and two feet and could not take care of everything. He was a veteran of hundreds of battles. The moment his steed fell, he shot out like the wind. As he landed, he swung his elbow and struck the back of the neck of the warrior who had ambushed him.
Even from a great distance, Lin Wanrong could clearly hear the crisp sound of bones breaking. The warrior fell limply to the ground. After a brief struggle, he fell motionless.
"How powerful, how ruthless!" Even Gao Qiu couldn't help but grimace. From the Turkic Right King's actions, it was obvious that he had crawled out from a pile of corpses. Putting aside his innate divine strength, just his ruthlessness that seemed to look down on life and death was enough to make one tremble in fear.
"Hu You (good), Hu You (good) —" None of the Turkic men and women cared about the life or death of their own kin. This intense and exciting scene made their blood boil, their cheers rising and falling.
The warriors had paid almost half the price, but to be able to force the Right King off his horse was already a success. In their ecstasy, the remaining dozen or so people galloped forward and crashed into Tusozzo in front of them.
The Turkic Right King dodged and swung his cudgel without hesitation, smashing it against the back of the horse. The rider and his horse both bent down.
Pa! Tu Suozo's back was heavily whipped, but he didn't even turn his head. He turned around and punched the horse behind him, sending it flying.
In just a few blows, he had taken care of several more people, leaving only seven or eight. These repeated defeats roused the warriors to a violent rage, and they dismounted with a shout, surrounded Tusozzo, and were about to wrestle him by the legs. But the Right King charged forward like the wind, striking his opponent's chin with his left and right shoulders. At the same time, he swung his cudgel at one of the men's legs.
With his strength, his opponents could not have fared any better. The encirclement instantly collapsed. Tu Suozo didn't even need to ride a horse. He only needed to walk to the finish line. The moment he reached the finish line, he raised the wooden stake in his hand, a proud smile on his face.
Roar! Roar! The tens of thousands of Hu screamed together with the cries of countless young girls. Their scorching cries seemed to shake the sky over the plains.
The reputation of the Turkic Right King was well-deserved. Every strike of his had been honed through years of battle, and they were all lethal.
While the Turks cheered for Tu Suozo, no one paid any attention to the warriors lying on the ground. Of the twenty-some Hu on the ground, only a few were able to roll, and no one could even hear their cries of pain.
Lin Wanrong's face was as black as charcoal, and he couldn't say a word for a long time.
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