The strong man yelled, and the blade stopped short of his head. The young master smiled and said, "What, are you scared?"

Cold sweat broke out on the forehead of the strong man, his face was pale, and he said in a trembling voice: "We are passing by here, and we are not here to offend."

"Passing by here?" said the young auntie: "Tiege tribe is far away from here, and it's snowing heavily. You are passing by here at this time, where are you going?"

"Go...to Zhuma Lake!" The strong man was sweating like rain.

Qin Xiao naturally knew where Zhuma Lake was. After leaving Kunlun Pass, it only took three days to reach Zhuma Lake. That was where the caravans rested and camped. He frowned and asked, "What are you doing at Zhuma Lake?"

The strong man's lips moved slightly, but he didn't speak. The little aunt chuckled softly, and the laughter was sweet. However, when the strong man heard the sound, he trembled all over and said hurriedly: "We followed the order of King Khan to go to Zhuma Lake and other places."

People gather.”

"Meeting?" Qin Xiao was even more surprised: "Meeting with whom?"

"They are all warriors of the clan." The strong man hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "The eight hundred warriors of the Tiege tribe dispersed on the order of King Khan, dressed as ordinary people, and the destination was Zhuma Lake. The eight of us

Divide into one team and let the others go their separate ways."

"Eight hundred people?" Qin Xiao felt something was wrong and asked, "You mean there are 800 cavalry from the Tiege tribe going to Zhuma Lake?"

The strong man nodded. Qin Xiao looked at the person he was stepping on. The person also understood what Qin Xiao meant and immediately said: "Yes, we...we are going to Zhuma Lake."

"Why did eight hundred cavalry go to Zhuma Lake?" Qin Xiao asked, "What are you going to do?"

The man at his feet shook his head, and the strong man also shook his head and said: "Why we went to Zhuma Lake, we really don't know. When we set off, we put away all the leather armor. King Khan ordered us not to show our leather armor on the way. What's more,

We cannot be seen as cavalry. When we arrive at Zhuma Lake, someone will tell us what to do."

Qin Xiao was thoughtful, and the young aunt stood up, threw away the knife in her hand, stretched out and said: "I'm full and I'm going to take a rest. Young nephew, I'll leave these two guys to you."

But he went straight to the backyard.

There was a group of people fighting just now, but the old madman didn't care at all. At this time, he finally had a full stomach and said to Qin Xiao: "Little apprentice, hurry up and practice sword practice."

Two days ago, he had taught Qin Xiao a new set of sword skills, urging Qin Xiao to master them every day, but he would find a place to sleep after he was full.

Without even looking at the body on the ground, he left.

Qin Xiao knew that these two Wutuo soldiers had become turtles in the urn. He took back his sword and sat on a chair. He suddenly thought of something and asked: "Are you the only one from the Tiege tribe who went to Zhuma Lake?"

The strong man hesitated for a moment, and Qin Xiao sneered: "If you want to keep it a secret, I won't force you to do it. I'm just going to let two more corpses here."

"Except for the Tiege tribe, it seems...it seems that other tribes have also sent people." Qin Xiao just killed several people easily, and the strong man was still frightened: "But which tribes sent people, and how many people were sent,

I...I really don't know."

"Your Tiege tribe has sent 800 people, and other tribes will naturally have no less." Qin Xiao said: "With the eight Wutu tribes, if each tribe sends 800 people, there are still 6,000 or 7,000 people. So many cavalry are gathered in the garrison.

Ma Hu, what do you want to do?"

The strong man shook his head. Qin Xiao stood up and walked to the strong man, squatting down and looking like a knife: "Are you going to attack Kunlun Pass?"

"No." The strong man said immediately: "King Khan did not ask us to attack Kunlun Pass."

"You just said you didn't know why you gathered troops at Zhuma Lake, so how can you be sure you won't attack Kunlun Pass?"

The strong man said: "To attack Kunlun Pass, we must attack Xiling. Even if all eight tribes send cavalry warriors with less than 10,000 soldiers and horses, how can we attack Xiling? The food we carry with us cannot last long, King Khan

We did not send troops with heavy supplies and supplies to the rear. Even if we entered Kunlun Pass, we would not have enough troops and supplies, and we would not be able to fight at all."

Qin Xiao thought to himself that this man had a point.

General Black Feather has judged that even if King Wutuo Khan really has the ambition to invade Xiling again, the preparation time will take at least two years. In addition to getting the eight tribes of Wutuo to unanimously agree to march eastward, preparations for food, soldiers and horses will also need to be made.

None of it can be completed in a short period of time.

Qin Xiao believed that General Heiyu's judgment would be correct.

And if we really wanted to invade Xiling, it would be impossible for just a few thousand people to do it.

These Wutuo cavalrymen were disguised and did not want others to identify themselves as cavalrymen. This was also against common sense.

If the Wutuo people want to enter Xiling, they must pass through the Kunlun Pass. Naturally, they will never be allowed to enter the pass with a knife. If they really want to get through the pass, not only can they not carry weapons, but they can't wrap their armor in a bag. They will be investigated by the Tang army.

If you come out, you will be detained immediately.

If you really want to attack Kunlun Pass, there will be no need to disguise yourself, and there is no need to break up into pieces and disperse to Zhuma Lake to assemble.

Could it be that the gathering of these soldiers and horses was not an attempt to attack Xiling?

However, there are no other forces to the east of Zhuma Lake. The Gobi is desolate. Who is the purpose of gathering troops and horses to deal with? Although there are horse bandits, it seems that there is no need to mobilize so many people to suppress the bandits. According to Qin Xiao's understanding, from Zhuma

In the area from the lake to Kunlun Pass, there really were no horse bandits who forced the Wutuo people to mobilize thousands of cavalry.

Suddenly, the shadow of Death Wing in Huangxi flashed across Qin Xiao's mind.

Could that group of brave cavalry wearing masks and black cloaks be the target of the Wutuo people's operation?

Is the desert wing's lair near Zhuma Lake?

Last time when the caravan left the customs, although it was indeed attacked by the Wild West Death Wing in Zhuma Lake, if the lair of the Wild West Death Wing was really in that area, the Xiling Family and the Wutuo Khanate would never be completely wiped out.

Known.

But Qin Xiao knew that no matter what the Wutuo people's purpose was in gathering troops, the matter must be reported to General Heiyu quickly.

"Your King Khan has ordered you to go to Zhuma Lake to join the others. Is there a confirmed arrival time?" Qin Xiaowei pondered and finally asked.

The strong man hesitated for a moment and finally said: "We must arrive at Zhuma Lake by the 25th of this month at the latest."

It was the twelfth lunar month, and the Spring Festival was only a few days away on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month, but the Wutuo people did not have Spring Festival customs.

Zhuma Lake is three days' journey from Kunlun Pass. With fast horses, it can even be reached in two days. Before the Tang Dynasty's New Year's Eve, they went to Zhuma Lake to gather. Qin Xiao increasingly felt that there was something fishy about it.

He asked a few more questions to make sure that the strong man really didn't know any more and was not polite. He raised his knife and cut his throat before the strong man could react. Another Wutuo soldier was shocked.

He stood up and ran away. Qin Xiao chased him and killed him with a knife from behind.

Qin Xiao threw down the big knife, went to the backyard, opened the door and entered the little aunt's house. The little aunt turned around and took a look. This time she didn't blame Qin Xiao for coming in without knocking on the door and asked: "You asked me

Clear?"

Qin Xiao knew that Little Senior Aunt Bingxue was smart and had no interest in these things so she left. He briefly explained what the strong man said and said solemnly: "Little Senior Aunt, the Wutuo people dressed up in disguise and went to the garrison before New Year's Eve.

Mahu is gathering, something is unusual, I must rush back to Xiling immediately, not only to notify the Kunlun Pass defenders to be on guard, but also to quickly report the movements of the Wutuo people to General Black Feather."

"Do you suspect that the Wutuo people are planning to attack Xiling?" The smile on the young aunt's face disappeared.

Qin Xiao shook his head and said: "I can't be sure. This matter is very strange. Logically speaking, the Wutuo people have not settled their own affairs, so there is absolutely no way they can march eastward so quickly, but this time they are heading towards Zhuma Lake."

Assembling troops and horses, there are no other forces there. After thinking about it, the only possible target is Kunlun Pass. It has been snowing heavily these days, and the cold inside and outside Kunlun Pass is unstoppable. Because of the civil strife of the White Wolf tribe, the people on both sides

The trade has not been smooth yet, and in this weather, caravans will not enter or leave the pass, so if they gather at Zhuma Lake at this time, there must be no clue inside the pass."

"It is not impossible to send thousands of soldiers and horses to launch a surprise attack on Kunlun Pass while the Tang army is celebrating New Year's Eve." The young master's wife said thoughtfully: "On New Year's Eve, the defenders of Kunlun Pass will definitely relax their vigilance, and in the

In this kind of weather, they would not have thought that the Wutuo people would suddenly launch an offensive on the pass, and they would probably capture the Kunlun Pass in one fell swoop."

Qin Xiaodao: "I have just thought about this possibility, but after thinking about it carefully, I think it is impossible. After the Wutuo Rebellion, although the Kunlun Pass was re-reinforced, it could not be turned into a natural chasm due to the terrain. Several officers were sent

Thousands of troops captured the Kunlun Pass. If there was a large army following them and they were ready to march eastward, it would be natural. However, the Wutuo soldiers showed no sign of the army marching eastwards for a while. What is the significance of these people capturing the Kunlun Pass?

So where is it? Even if it is captured without the support of a large army, General Black Feather will definitely quickly mobilize his troops to recapture Kunlun Pass, so the purpose of these people should not be to attack Kunlun Pass."

The young master aunt yawned, patted her lips, and said, "If it's not to seize the pass, then what's the purpose? The Wutuo people will never have nothing to do, so they mobilize thousands of soldiers and horses to go fishing in Zhuma Lake, right?

"

"I don't understand either." Qin Xiao looked solemn: "Little aunt, no matter what the purpose of the Wutuo people is, I must rush back as soon as possible. I can't stay here anymore."

The young aunt thought for a while and then said: "What should I do with the Heavenly Fire Sword that day? It won't take long for you to learn the Heavenly Fire Sword from the old madman. Wouldn't it be a pity to give up now?"

"I also want to learn, but the situation is forcing me. The safety of Xiling is more important than the Heavenly Fire Sword." Qin Xiao said: "Report to the general, and the general will quickly take precautions. Everyone, including the general, will not

We thought that the Wutuo people would invade Xiling at this time. If the Wutuo people exceed our expectations and really start to march eastward, and there is no defense in the pass, the consequences will be disastrous." He said solemnly: "Little aunt, you should still remember

, when the Wutuo people invaded Xiling, how many innocent people died tragically under the butcher's knife, that scene must never be repeated."

The young master aunt pondered for a moment, and finally said: "Three days, you stay for another three days. This is a rare opportunity. Within three days, I will definitely let the old madman teach you the Heavenly Fire Sword." She said softly: "Little junior nephew.

, I know you care about the people of Xiling, and I won't delay you for too long. Your sister-in-law has spent so much effort and finally succeeded, you can't let our previous efforts go to waste, right?"

Qin Xiaoxun thought that there were still six days until the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month. If he could really learn the Heavenly Fire Sword within three days, there would indeed be time to rush back to Xiling as soon as possible. Moreover, what the young aunt said was indeed true. She had spent a lot of money.
Chapter completed!