A thousand years ago, the Desolate Man was the master of the northern prairie of the mainland. So even today, the prairie was still called the Wilderness. There were eagles on the prairie, so the Desolate Man was good at breeding eagles. Even though they were defeated by the Tang Empire and were forced to move north to the cold region in the far north, the Desolate Man still did not give up breeding eagles.
Xia Hou was a Desolate Man, so was Tang, so they were familiar with breeding eagles.
Looking at Tang, who was dressed in rags and dirty like a beggar, on the meadow by the mountain forest in the distance, Xia Hou suddenly remembered his experience of training an eagle when he was a child. He remembered the scene of the young and tender eagle teetering on the iron frame but refusing to lower its head stubbornly.
From the depths of the Wilderness to the south, he had been fighting for thousands of miles. He had always been very confident, thinking that he was torturing Tang like an eagle. He used Tang's anger and hatred to make Tang unable to close his eyes and use all of his energy to fight day after day.
Xia Hou had thought that he was about to succeed. He saw with his own eyes that Tang's Genuine Qi was draining and his energy was getting tired. His rock-hard body became ordinary and could be injured. He thought that Tang's blood would be drained during the long journey and he would finally fall down like the young eagle.
However, he did not expect that Tang did not fall down. Instead, he felt an unprecedented fatigue, weakness, and even a trace of tiredness in the deepest part of his body.
Could it be that he was the eagle that was being tormented?
Xia Hou kept coughing and blood kept spilling from his fist that was stuck to his lips. But his expression was still indifferent and calm, and his deep-set eyes were as cold as ice.
Being old was not scary.
No matter on the prairie or on the cliff by the Hot Sea, only an old eagle was a real eagle.
He put down his fist and took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood stains at the corner of his mouth. He looked at Tang in the distance expressionlessly and said, "Your perseverance surprised me, but it was just a surprise. After all, you are not your teacher. Before you cross that threshold, you will never be a threat to me."
Tang looked down at the long grass at his feet that had been set on fire by his blood.
The continuous battles had seriously injured him. The seemingly inconspicuous Tang cavalrymen, with their strong military discipline and tactical organization, had caused him a lot of trouble. As the Genuine Qi in his body was gradually exhausted, his seemingly indestructible body finally bled under those sabers and arrows.
The Devil's Doctrine had withered. As a World Wayfarer of the Devil's Doctrine, he was more like a loner. Not to mention compared to the countless Taoist priests of the West-Hill Divine Palace, even compared to the traitor Xiahou, he seemed so weak.
In a sense, the current Devil's Doctrine was him.
He was the Devil Sect.
He was the last spirit and pride of the Devil Sect, so he could not fall.
Therefore, even though he was seriously injured and could not see any hope, he still silently fought with Xia Hou and the thousands of Tang cavalrymen until they reached Tuyang City.
Tang raised his head and looked at Xia Hou, who was surrounded and protected by countless cavalrymen. He said, "Look at your body that seems strong but is actually like rotten wood. Ask your heart that seems strong but is actually like mud. If I really can't threaten you, why would you turn around and say these words to me at this time?"
Xiahou was silent for a long time and then said, "You can't follow me back to Chang 'an. The Central Plains is the human world shrouded by Haotian's Divine Light. Even Heaven can't tolerate you. What can you do?"
As the last and strongest survivor of the Devil's Doctrine, Tang could live freely in the Wilderness and face Ye Su. But he was very clear that if he really went to the Central Plains, he would inevitably face the endless pursuit of the powerhouses of the West-Hill Divine Palace. In the end, he would die.
"I really can't enter the Central Plains."
Tang looked at Tuyang City not far away and said, "I don't even dare to enter that city. But I have already hurt you. I have made you weak and nervous, so I know you are destined to die."
Xiahou said, "Why do you say these meaningless words?"
"I won't do meaningless things, and I won't say meaningless things. I am definitely not the only one in the world who wants to kill you. When you leave the military camp and return to Chang 'an, or when you retire, the ghosts in the steamer and the little ghosts who died on the road will come to your back and demand your life. Those ghosts will thank me for chasing you all the way, and I will also thank them for chasing you to death. "
Tang finally nodded to Xiahou and said, "I wish you a happy retirement and a wonderful death."
After saying this, he turned and left the meadow, disappearing into the forest.
Xiahou silently looked at the deserted meadow and the forest gently blown by the summer wind. Without saying anything more, he gently lifted the reins and rode toward Tuyang City.
The wind blowing from the Wilderness stirred the forest, the deep grass, the military flag on top of Tuyang City, and the white hair that peeked out from the edge of his helmet.
Since ancient times, famous generals were like beauties. They were not allowed to see their white hair, but his hair had already turned white.
…
…
The newly renovated house by Yanming Lake welcomed the first group of guests.
Princess Li Yu, her stepson, and Situ Yilan.
Ning Que welcomed Situ Yilan's arrival very much. He had no problem with the poor Savage Prince, but he inevitably felt that the visit of Princess Li Yu was a little troublesome.
He had a good relationship with Li Yu, but he was very clear that she would definitely bring him trouble.
Sure enough, when only he and Li Yu were left in the quiet study, trouble came.
Outside the carved window of the study, there were several old trees, shading the summer. The breeze was pleasant, and even the sound of cicadas in the forest was not annoying.
Li Yu held a bowl of herbal tea and looked at the faintly visible lake view outside the window. She smiled and said, "The cicadas make the forest quieter. This house is really good. No wonder a miser like you is willing to spend so much money."
Ning Que sighed and thought, "Is this really the place to start talking?"
He walked to Li Yu's side and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for sending these big trees."
The old trees in the house by Yanming Lake were all from Li Yu's royal fief. These trees were very valuable. The cost of transporting them out of the mountain and back to Chang 'an City was a terrifying figure. The most important thing was that there were many rare ancient trees that could not be bought even with money.
Ning Que was indeed a person of high status, but Li Yu was the dignified Princess of the Tang Empire. She did not need to carefully please him, and such a heavy gift naturally had to be returned.
"After all, they are just wild things and not worth much."
Li Yu walked to the display shelf in the study and looked at the antiques on the shelf. Her expression changed slightly and she said with a chuckle, "When I was a child, I asked my father for this brush washer, but he said he gave it to her, so it was not good to get it back. I did not expect to see it in your study today."
Ning Que looked at the stone brush washer and said, "If you like it, you can take it."
Li Yu said with slight mockery, "Why should I take what she gave you?"
In Chang 'an City, only Li Yu and her brother dared to call the Empress' her '.
Of course, this could only be a private address.
Obviously, Li Yu did not care about letting Ning Que see her true attitude towards the Empress.
Ning Que did not reply.
Li Yu looked at him and said with a smile, "I heard that you have been to the palace often recently. You must be very familiar with her?"
Ning Que said, "Indeed, I am much more familiar with her than before."
Li Yu asked, "What kind of person do you think she is?"
Ning Que answered directly, "I don't know."
After a moment of silence, Li Yu said with a self-mocking smile, "I have been opposing her for so many years, but I have never been able to see what she is thinking, let alone you."
Ning Que shook his head and said, "Why think so much?"
Li Yu took a sip of the herbal tea in the cup and frowned slightly. Then she smiled and said, "It's delicious. Is this the mulberry tea made by Sangsang? I have heard her mention it several times, but this is the first time I have tasted it. "
Listening to Her Highness talking about family matters, Ning Que suddenly felt much more relaxed. He was prepared to explain how to make mulberry tea and emphasize that it was his own invention.
However, he did not expect that Li Yu's next sentence would come so quickly.
The atmosphere took a sudden turn for the worse.
"My thoughts are very simple, you know."
Li Yu looked into Ning Que's eyes calmly and persistently.
Ning Que did not avoid her gaze and said, "I have also told you my thoughts."
Li Yu said, "I know that you have some problems with the imperial military."
Ning Que said, "I admit it, but the problems can always be solved, and I don't need to care about them."
"I don't think that after you killed Huang Xing and Yu Shuizhu, you can still have a good talk with Xia Hou and let those old generals in the military think that you are kind and harmless."
Li Yu said, "These problems cannot be solved. Maybe you really don't need to care about them, but if you want to continue doing something, you have to care about them."
Ning Que said, "Of course I will not admit what Her Highness said. As for the little friction between me and General Xia Hou, I believe it will not last for too long."
"Everyone knows that Xia Hou is on the Empress's side."
Li Yu said, "The Empress is trying to win you over because she does not want the dispute between Xia Hou and the Academy to continue to expand. But are you willing?"
Ning Que thought to himself, I also know that the Empress is Xia Hou's sister.
Eldest Brother had already told him, so he would not reveal this big secret in front of Li Yu.
Li Yu said, "If the hatred between you and Xia Hou is only the conflict in the Wilderness, since Mr. First has already set the tone, I hope you are willing."
Ning Que frowned slightly and did not understand why she would choose to stand on the same side as the Empress.
Li Yu said in a low voice, "Only some young generals in the army are willing to be loyal to me. Hua Shanyue leads the Hebei Prefecture Army, and it is too difficult for him to accumulate military merits. With his current qualifications, it is impossible for him to take over Xia Hou's position in the Northeast Border Military. But since Xia Hou is willing to retire, it is a good thing for me. So I do not want other things to interfere with this process."
This explanation was very naked and sincere. Even Ning Que could not help but be slightly stunned.
After a moment, he sighed and said, "This kind of thing is really boring."
Li Yu said with slight mockery, "You are indeed a student of the Headmaster of the Academy. You even feel that the throne of the Tang Empire is boring."
Ning Que said, "I have told you before, don't pay too much attention to the attitude of the person who entered the human realm from the Academy. I have teachers, Senior Brothers and Sisters, His Majesty in the palace, the Nation Master in the temple, Huang Yang in the temple, and Xu Shi and the other old generals in the army. Whether the throne should be passed to your brother or the prince born by the Empress is ultimately these people's opinion."
Li Yu looked at him quietly and suddenly said, "But have you ever thought that whether it is father, the Headmaster of the Academy, or the old generals in the army, they will all leave one day?"
"Why does the Academy want you to enter the human realm? Why does father think so highly of you? Why is Xu Shi so vigilant against you? Actually, it is all because of the same reason. "
"No one can resist the fate of Haotian. As time passes, the Tang Empire will eventually lose them. Some people are worried that you will become an evil eagle without the suppression of the hunter and harm the world after they pass away. But the Headmaster of the Academy and father are silent. They want to protect you, torture you, and polish you. They want you to turn from a young eagle into an eagle and protect the Tang Empire without them. "
…
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(After struggling and thinking … there is still one more chapter.) (To be continued.) If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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