Behind the famous First-grade Restaurant in the Western City of Chang 'an, there was an inconspicuous tea shop.
Two people were sitting behind a bamboo mat in the depths of the tea shop. The short and fat middle-aged man kept wiping the sweat off his forehead. It seemed that the stuffy heat of the end of summer had greatly affected him. Even his Hebei accent sounded a little dry.
"You are a Secret Guard. You have to do what you have to do. What's wrong with helping out with the mission in the Wilderness this time? I just want you to take a look, not investigate a case. "
The short and fat middle-aged man was the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, Xu Chongshan. He had specially left the palace today to meet Ning Que. Ning Que, who was sitting opposite him, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and began to wipe his sweat like him. However, it was obvious that his sweat was not because of the hot and sultry weather, but because of what the other party had said.
"General Xiahou … What kind of person is he? How do you want me to look at him? To see how many strands of beard he has or how many times he goes to the toilet every day? Mr. Xu, I know this is His Majesty's intention. But you have to think about it. With General Xiahou's temper, if he finds out that I am secretly spying on him, he will definitely get angry and find a place where no one is around to smash me into meat paste. Then, he will wrap me into a bun and feed me to the horses. Who will stand up for me then? "
"If General Xiahou really can't leave any evidence, neither the palace nor the Academy can stand up for you according to the law of the Tang Empire. If you can leave some evidence before you die, then it's okay … "
"Haha, you know I am joking."
Ning Que put down the handkerchief and looked at Commander Luo, who was smiling awkwardly. He thought that this joke was not funny.
It was very likely that he would meet Xiahou in the Wilderness. If there was a chance, he would certainly want to investigate him. However, this matter was too dangerous. He did not expect to receive this request at this time. It seemed that His Majesty was still worried about Xiahou. So what role could he play in this process?
Seeing his silence, Commander Xu thought that he was still conflicted. He comfortingly said, "Don't worry too much. The Emperor's meaning is very simple. You only need to watch General Xiahou's actions and reactions. After you return to the capital, tell the Emperor the details you see. There is no need to take any risks."
"His Majesty likes you, and you are a student of the Headmaster of the Academy. Although General Xiahou is ruthless and cruel, he is not like those wild boars in the mountains. He is not stupid and will not offend you for no reason."
Ning Que wondered what he would do if he offended Xia Hou.
"Is there a problem?" Xu Chongshan picked up his handkerchief and wiped his sweat again. He looked at Ning Que with hope and said, "If there is no problem, I will go to the palace now. If there is anything in Chang 'an that you are worried about, tell me and I will handle it."
Ning Que said, "You know I have a shop on Lin 47th Street …"
Xu Chongshan patted his chest hard and said in a heroic manner, "I'll watch over you!"
Ning Que shook his head and said with a smile, "I have a little handmaiden, and I want to ask the bodyguard office to take care of her for me."
…
…
If the Emperor of Tang sent a bodyguard to watch over the general's words and actions, it would definitely cause a political turmoil. Therefore, in order to keep it a secret, His Majesty did not summon Ning Que to the palace. Instead, he asked Xu Chongshan to find a secret place outside the palace and secretly pass on the secret edict.
After receiving the secret edict, Ning Que should have sealed it in the deepest part of his heart and not tell anyone. However, there had never been any secrets between him and Sangsang. Therefore, when he returned to Lin 47th Street, Sangsang, who was preparing to cook, immediately knew the specific content of the secret edict.
She looked at Ning Que who was standing by the window and asked, "Will it be dangerous?"
Ning Que picked up his brush and looked at her through the window. He said, "The main thing is to observe his expression and then ask around. Xu Chongshan is right. There is no danger at all. If there is, I will not do it."
Sangsang lowered her head and continued to wash the rice. She asked, "So you agreed?"
Ning Que lowered his head and continued to draw talismans. He said, "As the golden secret agent of His Majesty and the focus of the younger generation of the Tang Empire, if the empire uses me, I will definitely win … Well, not necessarily win. I have to admit that my life can never be smooth for too long. You should know the reason why I did not refuse."
There was a chance to get close to Xia Hou and observe him with the secret edict of His Majesty. He might even find a chance to take revenge. For Ning Que, who had waited for 14 years, it was a chance that he could not miss.
Sangsang did not say anything. She rubbed the rice hard in the basin with her little hands. The clear water gradually turned into something like rice milk. No one knew how many layers of rice had been rubbed off by her. Her figure became thinner and dimmer.
"If you wash the rice a few more times, will you still be able to steam it?"
Ning Que put the brush pen on the inkstone and looked at the scene outside the window. After a moment of silence, he said, "Don't worry. My current level is not even comparable to Xia Hou's finger. Naturally, I won't be so idiotic as to take revenge immediately."
Sangsang stood up and wiped her hands on her apron. She looked back at him behind the window and said, "Young master, since you can't take me there, you must hold back when you see Xia Hou."
"Did I hold back when I saw Prince Li Peiyan during the Academy entrance exam last year?" Ning Que shook his head and said, "We are hunters who grew up in Min Mountain. Our patience when dealing with prey is our most powerful weapon."
"What kind of luggage do I need to prepare?"
"The same three things."
Ning Que was about to take the students of the Academy to the frontier fortress Wilderness. He might see Xia Hou. Ning Que was a little excited, but he was more nervous. Thinking of the possible dangers, he was more anxious to develop the Talisman Arrow.
After dinner that day, Sangsang rolled up her trouser legs and sat by the well to cut feathers and polish the tuft for him. Meanwhile, he concentrated on the white paper on the desk and kept drawing complicated Talisman lines.
…
…
Not all parts of the Wilderness were desolate. Before the fierce winter wind arrived, most of the ground was covered with carpet-like grass. But when it was the end of summer in the Central Plains, the Wilderness would feel the slight chill of autumn in advance. The grass would begin to be stained with frost, turning yellow and white, giving off a somewhat somber feeling.
The horse's hooves trampled a frost grass that was taller than its companion into the mud. Accompanied by a slight neigh and heavy breathing, more and more war-horses appeared on the meadow. The elite cavalry of the Left King's Palace escorted the tribe southward.
In a place further south, more than a thousand grassland cavalrymen waved their machetes and shouted in a strange voice. They broke through the frontier fortress of northern Yan Kingdom and instantly occupied a traveling village, surrounding a caravan.
Blood began to spray along the gaps made by the machetes. The summer grain harvested by the village began to flow along the gaps made by the machetes. Precious tea leaves and salt bags began to fall along the gaps made by the machetes.
The villagers and caravan guards of the Yan Kingdom screamed and fell into a pool of blood. Their bodies fell heavily to the ground, just like those heavy bags of grain and caravan goods. They instantly lost their lives.
The grassland cavalrymen shouted excitedly. After killing everyone, they began to clumsily re-harness the carts. They moved all the grain and goods they could find onto the carts and then returned to the north.
Summer had ended and autumn had arrived. Winter was not far away. The Left King's Palace tribe, which had lost the fertile grassland in the north, could not raise too many cattle and sheep. If they did not seize the time to grab enough grain before the arrival of the first snow, the tribe was very likely to face a disaster.
As for the villages they had massacred and the caravans, it was not a problem that the grassland barbarians needed to consider.
In fact, the people in the Wilderness were very clear about the importance of the caravan. However, now they were facing the panic in front of them. Even the wisest military counselor of the palace would not force them to think about long-term problems.
The frontier fortresses in the north of Yan Kingdom were broken through by the grassland barbarian cavalrymen. Countless caravans were plundered and countless villages' grain was stolen. The news was quickly spread by the wind in the Wilderness to all parts of the Yan Kingdom and then gathered in the palace.
Crown Prince Chong Ming, who had just returned to the country, calmly put on his armor under the indifferent gaze of his father who was lying on the sickbed. He led three thousand guards to the northern border.
The city gate was opened and the ceremonial music was played. However, the people of the Yan Kingdom who were watching the show did not show much excitement on their faces. They looked at the Crown Prince's carriage with extremely cold eyes.
The Left King's Palace in the Wilderness was unable to restrain all the tribes. The barbarian cavalrymen had gone crazy. The frontier fortress troops of the Yan Kingdom and the thousands of guards who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun could not stop the grassland cavalrymen who rode like the wind and shot like gods.
Fortunately, the West-Hill Divine Palace had issued an edict. All the countries in the Central Plains would come to support them. The abominable and terrible Tang Empire would also send their cavalry. For the Yan Kingdom's emperor and people, this was a humiliating and helpless choice.
This was Capital Cheng, the capital of a weak country.
…
…
At the back of the mountain of the Academy, the morning light was shining and the mountain fog was gradually dispersing.
Fourth Brother and Sixth Brother sat cross-legged beside the waterwheel. After meditating and regulating their Qi-circulation, they looked at each other and began to repeat the discussion process that they had repeated for several days. There was a magical sand table between the two of them. The complicated lines of Fu characters on the sand table moved forward slowly and then formed various possibilities.
In the blacksmith's room, which was very close to the stream, the steam was getting thicker as the waterwheel was pouring water into it. In the burning furnace, some silver-iron-like metals were slowly softening and melting.
Seventh Sister, who had just woken up, stood at the upstream of the stream and looked at the silent and worried expressions on their faces. After a moment of silence, she threw the wet towel in her hand on a stone and turned to walk to the waterfall in the distance.
…
…
There was a mountain about seventy miles away from the capital of the South Jin Kingdom.
This mountain was not as majestic and towering as the mountain behind the Academy in the southern suburbs of Chang 'an. Most of its body was covered by clouds and mist all day long. Instead, it was calmly exposed under the clear sunlight. Every crack in the cliff and every rock was so clear.
The overall shape of the mountain was also very clear. The cliffs on three sides were relatively smooth and reflected the light from the sky. They shone brightly and then gathered at the peak, looking like a sword.
The sect of Liu Bai, the Sage of Sword, the strongest in the world, was at the foot of the mountain. It was an old-style ancient pavilion with distinct black and white colors.
Dozens of young cultivators knelt on the ground and bowed respectfully to the ancient pavilion.
Behind them was a sword tightly bound by straw ropes. Different from the Flying Swords of ordinary Sword Masters, these swords were relatively longer and larger, more like the swords used by warriors. Moreover, they were hidden quietly in their sheaths.
The young swordsmen respectfully knelt on the ground. The ancient pavilion was silent. After an unknown period of time, a calm yet sharp voice like a sword rang out. This voice was so sharp that it seemed to be able to pierce through the firm cliffs behind the Sword Pavilion. It seemed to be able to pierce through any tangible things in the world.
"Disgraced people, don't come back."
Hearing this voice, the dozens of young swordsmen who knelt on the ground looked slightly stiff. They seemed extremely nervous and excited. After responding loudly, they got up and walked out.
Dozens of fine horses were waiting, neighing slightly.
The young people rode their horses and left the sect, heading north.
This was the Sword Pavilion, a place under the care of the strong.
…
…
The turbid waves of the surging Yellow River rolled. For a moment, no one knew how many waves were produced. The ferrymen on the riverbank held bamboo poles and knelt respectfully on both sides of the wooden road.
Back then, Liu Bai, the Sage of Sword, had comprehended the surging sword will beside this Yellow River.
Today, the young cultivators of the Great River Kingdom would cross this Yellow River and head north.
…
…
Under the White Tower by the sea.
A woman with a face full of wrinkles, wearing a strange dress made of countless pieces of cloth, looked indifferently at the juniors in front of her. She said in a hoarse and strange voice, "If you want to go to the North of Yan Kingdom, you need to pass through the Tang Empire. The imperial court has already issued a document. You can go now. I believe the Tangs will not make things difficult for you."
A young sadhu looked at the woman in surprise and asked, "Master Quni, won't you go with us?"
A vicious and hateful look flashed in the old woman's eyes. She snapped, "The Tang Empire is a sinful place where etiquette is corrupt and there is no faith. Even a speck of dust from it will make me feel disgusted."
This sister of the Yuelun Kingdom had been cultivating Buddhism since she was a child. She had a profound cultivation state and a high status in the Buddhism Sect. These young cultivators who were going to the North of Yan Kingdom under the West-Hill's edict could be said to be her disciples and grand-disciples.
She looked at the juniors who were waiting for her orders and said coldly and proudly, "I will go from the north and directly pass through Min Mountain. I want to see if anyone in the Tang Empire will stop me."
This was the Yuelun Kingdom, a place where the Light of Buddha shone.
…
…
The horses' hooves trampled on the fertile land, as if oil could be squeezed out.
Hundreds of knights solemnly advanced under the warm sunlight. They wore pure black armors that were painted with complicated golden patterns. The surface of the black armors and the golden patterns flickered under the bright sunlight, giving off a solemn sense of beauty and pressure.
Thousands of devout believers of the Haotian Sect were about to kneel down to worship the mountain. When they heard the thundering hooves, they were so shocked that they hid under the trees by the roadside. When they saw the faces of the knights, they hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, full of surprise and awe.
The West-Hill Papal Sacred Cavalry was known as the most elite cavalry in the world. The devout believers who kowtowed by the roadside felt that it was a blessing from their ancestors when they saw one of them. Today, they saw hundreds of Sacred Cavalrymen. They could not help but be overjoyed. Some women even fainted from excitement when they saw the solemn expressions of the Sacred Cavalrymen.
Some well-informed believers could roughly guess the reason why the Papal Divine Army was dispatched. But they still did not understand why the Divine Hall would pay so much attention to the chaos caused by the grassland barbarians.
Among the hundreds of Papal Sacred Cavalrymen, there were several priests of Haotian Taoism in red robes. The young general of the Papal Sacred Cavalrymen was so handsome that he seemed extraordinary. He walked under the sun, and his armor seemed to be plated with a layer of Haotian Divine Light. He was perfect and inviolable like the son of God.
This was the West-Hill, a place favored by Haotian.
…
…
The Back Hill of the Academy was shrouded in the deep night.
Ning Que put the talisman drawing on the table and sat down tiredly in the corner. He watched the flickering fire for a while and fell asleep unknowingly. He was really exhausted these days, and his brain was also exhausted to the extreme.
"He actually came up with a solution in such a short time. That day I praised Youngest Brother as a genius in Talisman Taoism. He really did not let me down." Fourth Brother looked at the lines on the paper and then glanced at Ning Que who was sleeping in the corner. He said, "I don't know what gave him such a strong motivation."
Sixth Brother said in a low voice while calculating the metal ratio needed for the Talisman Arrow, "I can feel that Youngest Brother is very anxious … as if he is worried about something. I don't know if it is about going to the Wilderness."
Fourth Brother said, "The Wilderness … The West-Hill Divine Palace is worried about the revival of the Devil's Doctrine. Youngest Brother is after all a member of the Academy. What is there to worry about? Didn't Youngest Uncle kill the remnants of the Devil's Doctrine badly enough? "
Sixth Senior Brother asked honestly, "Senior Brother, I don't quite understand the logic of this sentence. Youngest Martial Uncle killed the people of Devil's Doctrine in the past. If Youngest Brother meets people of Devil's Doctrine again, shouldn't he be more worried?"
Fourth Brother looked at him and asked, "Do you think the minister of the Ministry of Rites of the Empire will not worry about being killed by the Yans when he goes to the Kingdom of Yan?"
Sixth Brother raised his head and thought for a moment. He said, "Of course not. If the minister of the Ministry of Rites visits Capital Cheng, I'm afraid that the Kingdom of Yan will be destroyed."
"It's the same simple logic."
Fourth Brother said calmly, "If the people of the Devil's Doctrine dare to hurt Youngest Brother, won't the Devil's Doctrine be afraid of being destroyed? Won't they be afraid of being slaughtered by Youngest Uncle again? "
"But Youngest Uncle is dead."
"Youngest Uncle is dead, but Master is not. Moreover, Second Brother has always wanted to learn from Youngest Uncle."
"Then what is Youngest Brother worried about?"
Fourth Brother looked at Ning Que who was still frowning in sleep. After a moment of silence, he said, "I don't know. But he is Youngest Brother. As his Senior Brothers, of course we have to find a way to make him not afraid."
"What way?"
"First, fix the Talisman Arrow for him."
"Oh."
At the end of the conversation, the heavy sound of hammering iron rang in the room. Sixth Brother's movement was so fast that it was like a residual shadow. The sound of hammering iron stretched out, like a never-ending thunder. However, even such a loud sound could not wake up Ning Que, who was extremely tired.
The Fourth Brother held the sand table and kept simulating the talismans designed by Ning Que. He referred to the marginal notes written by Ning Que on the paper and tried to match all kinds of talisman lines. He even tried to recombine these lines with tactical arrays.
The Talisman Arrows were made of special materials. Although the Sixth Brother's ingenious hollow tube design reduced a lot of weight, it was still much heavier than ordinary arrows. Therefore, ordinary hardwood bows could not be used. Before making the Talisman Arrows, the first thing they had to do was to make the special bows.
As the sound of hammering iron continued and the sizzling sound of molten iron pouring into the clay mold continued, the strange hard bow composed of mixed fine steel strips gradually took shape. Under Sixth Brother's careful consideration, the most important part began to glow with a faint luster.
Fourth Brother had completely mastered the design of Ning Que's talisman lines. He walked over to guide the design of that part. Seeing Sixth Brother's seemingly clumsy fingers holding the silver tray like embroidery, he frowned slightly and asked, "What carving knife are you going to use? The material of the Talisman Arrow is extremely hard, and it needs to be very precise. Ordinary carving knives are completely useless. "
Sixth Brother chuckled and took out a small box from his arms. From the box, he took out a transparent stone grain which was two-thirds wrapped by a secret metal sheet. He said, "Use extremely hard mixed silver as the tray, and use diamond as the carving knife."
"The diamond's resistance is not good."
"So I wrapped it with a layer of iron sheet. Of course, it's not an ordinary iron sheet. It's a special kind of steel left when we made the armor for General Xiahou with Professor Huang last time."
"How's the sharpness?"
"I've sharpened it for three days. The cutting surface is excellent. Look."
Sixth Brother raised the diamond and pointed it at the blazing fire. The bright yellow flame spread through the complex surface and turned into countless beautiful lights, just like the stars in the night sky.
Next, the two men, who were used to silence and decided not to make Youngest Brother afraid, began the most difficult part of the work, which was to build the body of the Talisman Arrow. It was also in this part that they encountered an unsolvable problem.
"The proportion of four metals is not a problem. The key is that there are too many impurities in it. I've chosen the best material from the Military Ministry, but the material itself has impurities. It's difficult to purify them with the current temperature of the fire. "
Looking at the burning molten iron, Sixth Brother scratched his head and said helplessly, "I've never tried this method before. The temperature needed to forcibly fuse these four metals is too high. I don't know how to do it."
Just then, the door of the smithing room was pushed open.
Seventh Sister walked in and looked at Ning Que who was sleeping in the corner with a smile. She turned to them and said, "I've brought two helpers. I don't know if you need them."
Fourth Brother looked at the two people behind her and slightly bowed with hands folded in front. Then he seemed to think of something and smiled at Ning Que who was sleeping soundly. He said, "I finally understand why those Talisman Masters failed to make the Talisman Arrow. Two Grand Cultivators in the Knowing Destiny State are blacksmiths. Who else can have such treatment except Youngest Brother? "
Second Brother walked over expressionlessly and grabbed the heavy iron hammer.
Chen Pipi walked over with a smile. He stood in front of the fire and slowly closed his eyes.
The fire in the furnace suddenly became extremely bright, and then quickly turned into a faint blue.
Second Brother held the ancient crown on his head and smashed the burning red metal with one hand with the hammer.
A loud bang resounded!
The hammer fell on the anvil and the strong Qi shot out like electricity.
Except for Chen Pipi, the rest of the people in the room were all shaken and fell to the ground.
The huge crash was like a muffled thunder, resounding through the whole valley of the Back Mountain of the Academy.
Ripples appeared in the clear stream.
The fish swam restlessly.
The girl copying the Hairpin-style Small Regular Script in the old library looked up at the east window and remained silent.
Two Chess Addicts hugged a pine tree.
Two Tone Addicts held the flute and zither tightly in their arms.
The Flower Addict protected the flowers in front of her.
The Calligraphy Addict was still copying books with her head down.
This was the Academy, the unique Academy in the world.
…
…
(Still asking for all kinds of tickets enthusiastically, just like the brothers in the Academy.
I would like to report to everyone that our Deputy Moderator, HERO, will not be able to leave for a period of time due to academic reasons and changes in his life. I salute him and thank him for the help he has given me and the book review section in the past few months. The first Back Mountain Cup Book Review Competition is about to begin. Please go to the book review section for details. I will write a single chapter in a few days. Also, tomorrow is the end of the first volume of Back Night. No matter how many words I write, I will write until the end …)
。 (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for it. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
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