Three full days have passed since Yang Xuangan died on the Tuojiang River. During these three days, Meng Xinghe and others stayed in the Miao village where Ai Mei was. Although the surface of the Tuojiang River seemed gentle, the rapids at the bottom of the river were undercurrents. , so Meng Xinghe sent people to search for Yang Xuangan's body but found nothing. I'm afraid no one could have imagined that such a dignified generation of heroes would end up like this.
During these three days, Meng Xinghe also received news that Yang Xuangan's troops who had withdrawn from the border heard about Yang Xuangan's fall in Tuojiang. They surrendered under the pursuit of General Zhang. This undoubtedly made the entire Lingnan area finally want to fight. Bowed to the Tang Dynasty.
Of course, the happiest people are the local Miao family in Lingnan, because from now on, they will no longer worry about being attacked by people from the Central Plains under the rule of Yang Xuangan, because just the day before, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty representing the Central Plains General Meng has issued a notice saying that he respects the special environment of Lingnan. From now on, the people sent by the Tang Dynasty to rule here must be the local Miao family in Lingnan. In this way, all the Miao family will not be afraid of being enslaved and Driven by this, Lingnan has truly entered an era of peace.
After settling the matter in Lingnan, is it time to prepare to return to Jiangdu? Maybe we will be ordered to return to Chang'an by an imperial edict.
A man stood alone by the Tuojiang River. General Zhang's army was stationed on the other side of the river without crossing the river. At this moment, Chai Shao, who had completed the task assigned by Meng Xinghe, appeared next to him. Ever since he followed Meng Xinghe out to explore in Taoyuan County, Chai Shao The young master has always played the role of his logistics officer. With him in Meng Xinghe, at least he will not be distracted from taking care of the Dragon Gang and laundering business.
"Third brother, everyone has packed up. When are you ready to set off?" Looking at the Tuojiang River in front of him, which was not as ferocious as the rivers in the Central Plains, Chai Shao suddenly understood why Meng Xinghe had been standing here and refused to leave. It turned out that the river in Lingnan The scenery is indeed much more beautiful than that of the Central Plains. This place is like a paradise, while the Central Plains is just a busy city full of intrigues.
Meng Xinghe paused, then suddenly turned around and looked at Mr. Chai, who was covered in dust. He recalled that at this time last year, Mr. Chai told his family that he was going north to serve as a soldier, but in the end he went to Jiangdu with him and has been busy with him ever since. Lu Lu, and Luo Feng, for whom loyalty and justice cannot be compromised, thinking of this, Meng Xinghe secretly felt that he would be satisfied if he could find a stable life for these brothers.
"I'll leave for Jiangdu early tomorrow morning." I'm finally going back. I've been in Lingnan for a few months and I don't know what my family is like.
Mr. Chai nodded and said: "Miss Du has already ordered us to go back to Jiangdu with all the troops from Lingnan. With General Zhang guarding outside Tuojiang River, Yang Xuangan will not be able to ignite the ashes of his old army."
Fortunately, he had this encyclopedia military advisor following him all the way, otherwise it would have been much more difficult for Meng Xinghe to capture Lingnan by himself.
"Let's go back to the Central Plains, Mr. Yang. The tens of thousands of elite soldiers you left behind back then are now brought back to Jiangdu with you," Meng Xinghe sighed in his heart and returned to the Miao village with Master Chai.
In the early morning of the next day, under the watch of Father Mai and many fellow villagers from the Miao village, Meng Xinghe and others boarded the raft to cross the Tuojiang River. Since there were many of them, the group that left first was about forty people, and the Miao village almost Take out all the ships.
All the way down the river, the Miao Village disappeared from sight in a short time.
"I will come again," Meng Xinghe murmured in a low voice as he looked at the receding scenery on both sides of the river.
"Hey, Han family, when are you going to come back this time?"
Meng Xinghe glanced forward and saw Ayi who was speaking. Originally, he had some relationship with this Miao woman, but since he shot Yang Xuangan and saved all the Lingnan Miao family, her attitude towards him was actually good. Maybe it’s because her tribe will no longer be threatened by war, so she doesn’t have so many prejudices against the Han family.
Hearing his questioning, Meng Xinghe asked himself in his heart whether he would come back or not, and whether he would come again. Thinking about it, he nodded and said: "I will come again."
"Well, next time you come, I'll be waiting for you by the Tuojiang River," Ayi didn't mind at all that there were two women standing next to Meng Xinghe, and she spoke straightforwardly.
Meng Xinghe smiled awkwardly and said nothing. At the same time, he thought to himself that if Ayi got married, he might not see her by the Tuojiang River next time.
As if those eyes were born to understand people's hearts, Ayi quickly said: "I know you will come soon,"
Well, Meng Xinghe didn't know what to say. When he saw the two women around him turning their eyes to the scenery on both sides of the bank, Meng Xinghe knew that he couldn't even think of sleeping in Aunt Yun's bed tonight.
The journey along the river was fast, and we arrived at the other side of the Tuojiang River in a short time. General Zhang, who was waiting there, had been waiting by the river for a long time. When he saw a dozen small boats approaching from the distance, he immediately cheered up to greet him. After all, Meng Xinghe He was sent by the Ministry of War, and now that he has defeated Yang Xuangan, he is the real leader of the clan in Lingnan.
"Sir," General Zhang called politely: "The carriage and horses have been prepared. Please take a seat, sir."
Meng Xinghe took a look at General Zhang. He was in his forties and had a rough beard. He had a bit of the gangster spirit of a mountain king. It is no wonder that there have been many mountain bandits in Sichuan and Sichuan since ancient times. A general who leads troops to fight. It is inevitable to see him like a Rakshasa.
There was no delay on the way. In a few days, Meng Xinghe and others arrived at the capital of Bashu. It was a larger provincial capital on Jiannan Road. General Zhang's residence was there. Here, Meng Xinghe and others could take a short break. Organize and replenish some supplies and then rush to Jiangdu.
"Mr. Meng, please remember to say a few kind words in front of the Holy Lord for your subordinates when you arrive in Chang'an." After respectfully seeing Meng Xinghe and others off in front of the mansion, General Zhang breathed a sigh of relief. He really wasn't the only one who had to wait on others. Things that people who fight do.
"Easy to say, General Zhang will see you later. You still need to take care of the Lingnan side. Once the Holy Emperor's decree is issued, General Zhang will wait for his promotion."
Meng Xinghe bowed his hands and said goodbye.
"Farewell," as he spoke, he had already ridden far away on horseback.
The journey was planned. Although running around for days was tiring, Meng Xinghe felt indescribably excited at the thought of returning to Jiangdu to see his family soon.
Regarding Jiangdu, Meng Xinghe could probably recall its appearance with his eyes closed. He could see the tall city walls from a distance, as well as the merchants coming in and out of the city gates. This is Jiangdu City. Everything is familiar, and the air is full of familiarity. It feels like home. I wonder if Ning'er is watching my return from the city wall.
With a sigh, Meng Xinghe immediately galloped towards the city gate. Behind him, dozens of people gradually followed, and the scale was as grand as a noble outing.
Staring at the high city wall, Meng Xinghe couldn't help but want to enter the city.
However, just as he stepped into the city gate, a cold voice sounded from a place only a few feet away from him.
Following the sound, I could only see a woman wearing a gray cloak and a golden felt hat standing there beside the city wall. The felt hat was pressed low to cover the face of the person who spoke, although she could not see it. The face is clear, but the voice sounds like it is a woman.
"The girl is calling me," Meng Xinghe jumped off the horse and stared at the woman in the distance. He saw that her dress was different from that of the Central Plains woman, and she had a bit of a barbarian man's style. "Look at the girl, she doesn't look like that." I don’t know if we have ever seen people from the south of the Yangtze River. I’m in a hurry to go home. If there’s nothing important, I’ll leave first.”
"Humph," the woman snorted coldly, and the cold light from her felt hat flashed away, and then she led the tall and strong horse beside her to the city of Jiangdu and said, "I have been waiting for you here for three days. , if you don’t come in three days, then I will go back to the outside of the Great Wall alone,”
Good guy, it turned out to be a sweaty horse. Seeing that the woman's horse was the same as the sweaty horse at home, Meng Xinghe was shocked: "I don't know the girl, and I don't know what you are waiting for me to do."
The woman did not answer Meng Xinghe's question, but left a few words and jumped onto the horse's back lightly.
"Three days later, we will meet at the pavilion outside Jiangdu City,"
Unable to tolerate Meng Xinghe's rejection, the woman disappeared without a trace. From the moment they met until now, she left Meng Xinghe with only mystery, but his intuition told him that this woman was not simple.
At this time, the team behind also caught up.
"Who is she?" Miss Du seemed to see the departing shadow. "How do you know the Hu woman?"
"Look at what I'm doing, how do I know who she is," Meng Xinghe defended himself. He had never even been to the border, and he didn't know any foreign women there.
"It's okay if you don't know me," Miss Du kindly warned me, "My intuition tells me that she is a very dangerous woman. Although Hu women have the habit of carrying swords, the knife on her waist seems to be owned only by the royal family of the Hu people. "
"Well, the royal family," a flash of judgment flashed through Meng Xinghe's mind: Maybe it was sent by the wretched old man. I heard that the war at the border was not going so smoothly, and was not even progressing. At this time, what on earth did the wretched old man mean by sending his cronies to the Tang Dynasty? .
No matter what, go home and see the ladies first. With this thought flashing through his mind, Meng Xinghe stopped thinking about those troublesome things. Now he wanted to lie on the bed at home and make up for the fatigue from the journey.
PS: After procrastinating for so long, this volume of the Southern and Northern War has finally been written. Next, is the last volume. The Southern Expedition ends and the Northern War reaches a stalemate. Will we see a picturesque landscape? With the end of 2011, The Scholar will also come to an end. I would like to sincerely thank those book friends who have always supported Papaya. Thank you for your support all the way. The Scholar will finally reach his end.