Ding Yuluo stood blankly by the stinking ditch full of filth and garbage, watching the half-sunk and half-floating body in the turbid water slowly float into the distance. The water was full of filth and garbage, carrying with it
The beige-yellow stinky foam, if you don't look closely, it is difficult to tell that it is a corpse. Ding Chengye fled to the ditch, struggled hard and was hit by a sword in his vest, and fell into the dirty and smelly ditch.
Mixed with garbage.
After standing stunned for a long time, Ding Yuluo gently wiped away her tears and turned back to the small courtyard. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw that the courtyard was empty and Yang Hao had disappeared. Ding Yuluo was shocked and searched inside and outside.
After a while, not only Yang Hao disappeared, but also the crutch root. Ding Yuluo couldn't help but burst into tears: "You... you want me to give you a stick, it turns out you are just to get rid of me..."
She turned her knees, collapsed on the ground, and cried sadly: "Second brother, what are you going to do to forgive me? My father is dead, my eldest brother is disabled, and my younger brother is so heartless. Second brother, please leave cruelly."
Are you going to make me and my eldest brother feel guilty for the rest of our lives? Second brother, Yuluo has been traveling in the north and south of the Great Wall in the past two years, traveling thousands of miles, eating and sleeping in the open air, no matter how much hardship we suffer, we don’t feel sad, no matter how tired we are, we don’t feel sad, but
You left, but it really broke my sister's heart. The whole Ding family was indeed guilty of Aunt Yang's death, and my sister wanted to atone for the Ding family's sins, but Aunt Yang was dead, and Yuluo, even with all his abilities, could not do anything about it.
, Second brother, do you need the girl to die before you can ease the hatred in your heart?"
Ding Yuluo cried and told her the pain and sorrow of the past two years, her guilt and thoughts about him. She was really heartbroken. She was crying on the ground, and suddenly a faint sigh came from behind her.
: "Alas! There is one weapon in this world that I will probably never be able to resist, and that is women's tears..."
Ding Yuluo jumped up in surprise, and saw Yang Hao with his eyebrows and beard glued back, slightly stooped and standing at the entrance of the courtyard. Ding Yuluo cried out: "Second brother..." and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
She hugged his body tightly, fearing that in the blink of an eye he would fly away again.
Yang Hao froze for a moment, gently stroked her hair, and said with a wry smile: "That stick you just struck was really beneficial."
Ding Yuluo blushed, raised his head and said: "Second brother, you...are you still in pain?"
Yang Hao saw her crying like a pear blossom with rain, and gently shook his head: "It's really difficult for you. I chased him from Bazhou to Khitan, and from Khitan to Tang Dynasty. My second brother is busy with worldly affairs, although he has good intentions.
I am ashamed to take revenge on my mother, but I am very ashamed compared to you. The beast was killed in front of me today because of your fault. How can I still feel resentful towards you? It’s just... Alas! What are your plans now?
,When are you going back to Bazhou?"
Ding Yuluo hesitated for a moment and said: "The beast who killed his father is already dead. I...I will rush back as soon as possible. Second brother, I heard that you were assassinated by the Khitans and burned to death on the boat. How...
But you...?"
Yang Hao smiled bitterly and said: "I have a shady background and have always been an anomaly in the Song Dynasty court. The officials both used me and guarded me. Even if they no longer wanted to kill me, they still mostly meant to monitor me. In such an embarrassing situation, why bother?
Don't you want to leave? This time, I just used a trick and took the opportunity to fake my death and escape. Living in seclusion and being free from the world is better than being a rat in the bellows and suffering from both sides."
Ding Yu calmly left his arms, wiped her tears, and said excitedly: "Then...where is the second brother going to live in seclusion? Why not go back to Luzhou?"
"Go back to Luzhou?" Yang Hao was surprised: "Why do you think of Luzhou?"
Ding Yuluo hesitated for a moment, not wanting to hide anything from him anymore, and then said: "The Ding family's foundation in Bazhou has long been ruined by that unscrupulous son. The eldest brother is disheartened and no longer wants to establish a foothold in Bazhou. That day
After the second brother left, he took all the family property and moved to Luzhou. According to the eldest brother...sooner or later, the business will have to be handed over to the second brother to take care of."
Yang Hao was silent for a moment and shook his head: "Let's go, go to my residence first. You will go back to Luzhou in two days. He... both legs are broken. It will be a lot of inconvenience to support such a large family business alone. Although you are
For a woman who is not as talented as a man, it will not be difficult for her to revive her family with your help. As for me..."
He took a long breath and said: "I came from Luzhou, where there are too many people who know me. If I go back there, my whereabouts will inevitably be leaked, and it will not be good if it is detected by the imperial court. Do you recognize me?
Second brother, I also recognize you as a girl, but we don’t have to live together. Just let second brother take the path you want to take."
Ding Yuluo heard what he said solemnly, knowing that he had many fears. Although he accepted him now, he still had a grudge against the Ding family. He couldn't persuade him at the moment, so he could only nod silently and walk beside him.
Yang Hao's residence is in this slum, where criminals who have committed crimes often come and hide, renting houses to them, selling food, sheltering the prisoners, and informing them. It is these local poor people who have no livelihood.
An important source of livelihood, so it is very easy for Yang Hao and others to hide in this chaotic area.
Several of his men rented the houses on the left and right respectively, surrounding the residences of Yang Hao and the two ladies in the middle. Therefore, although Wuni Lane is a very chaotic place, the area near his residence is very quiet, free from rogues and miscellaneous people.
No one can get close to his residence.
Yang Hao's residence is just a relatively decent place among these houses. It has the same narrow courtyard, low walls, and dilapidated buildings. It is just that the residence is cleaner, but it is still simple. In such a place, the servants
Yang Hao, who was born in the family, could take it calmly, and it was commendable that Tang Yanyan and Wu Wa'er, two beauties who were used to living a life where the prime minister had a daughter, could also be content with it.
Tang Yanyan and Wu Wawa were very surprised to see Yang Hao bringing back a ginger-faced man. After hearing Yang Hao introduce her identity, they learned that this girl was Yang Hao's half-sister, and the two girls suddenly realized. See you soon.
She washed off her makeup and returned to her original appearance. She turned out to be a beautiful young girl with autumn eyes and heroic spirit. The two girls became fond of her. They all knew Yang Hao's past in detail, and they also knew that this young girl had a crush on Yang.
Hao was very good, and immediately the sister-in-law recognized each other. Tang Yanyan was straightforward and Wu Wa'er was sweet. The three women quickly got along well with each other.
It was night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Tang Yanyan, Wu Wa'er and Ding Yuluo talked for a long time, and then left the room to say goodbye. As soon as they arrived in the courtyard, they saw Yang Hao standing in another courtyard separated by a low wall.
Alone looking up at the bright moon standing in the sky, the two of them quietly walked around the low wall.
When his nose smelled the aroma of fresh grass, two soft-bodied beauties were already nestling beside him, and the lights in Ding Yu's room were quietly turned off.
"Guanren..." Wa'er called out in a low voice.
"Have you...all heard what Yu Luo said?"
"Um."
Yang Hao sighed, held their catkins in his hands, and said softly: "Come here."
There was a bench across the courtyard. Yang Hao pulled them to sit down on the bench, and told them the past events between himself and Luo Donger in detail, and then said: "At that time, I thought she had been killed.
But I didn’t know until today that she… is actually still alive.”
The two girls held his hands tightly. Yang Hao added: "If Yuluo hadn't tracked that beast from Bazhou to Shangjing, and from Shangjing to Jinling, so that I discovered her traces today, I would still be there.
Always kept in the dark
, if I just hide in the world, even if Dong'er escapes back to the Central Plains one day, she...she will definitely think that I am really dead and never see each other again. When I think about that heartbreaking situation, I will...
shudder.
I have a lot of grudges with the Ding family. Now the people I hate are all dead. Even if there is something wrong with Master Ding and Yu Luo, based on this, I have no grudges against them. It’s just... Ding Chengzong
As the son of Ding's eldest son, he has been influenced by what he has heard and seen since childhood, and all he has in his heart is
One mission: to prosper the Ding family, but I am not that interested in passing on the legacy to the next generation. Isn’t it better to live a free life and do happy things with lovers than to run around all my life, just to leave a name for the legacy? What’s more, I
I don’t want to change my surname back to Ding, and I don’t want to inherit the Ding family business…”
Tang Yanyan sighed softly: "Do happy things with your lover. Brother Hao, Sister Dong'er is the lover you can never let go of. Now that you know she is still alive, you will definitely go to Khitan to pick her back, right?
?”
Yang Hao stared at her, and Yanyan smiled solemnly: "Going to Khitan here must be full of risks and dangers. Sister Dong'er is not in an ordinary family, she is now in the palace. The Houmen is as deep as the sea.
How deep should the imperial palace be? How many layers of heaven and earth should it be? What's more... you have never been to that place. There are two lives between human and earth. If you want to save her, it is like trying to steal a fairy from the sky and come down to earth."
Yang Hao gently held her hand and whispered: "You... don't want me to go?"
Tang Yanyan lowered his head and said quietly: "I don't want my official to go to that place of near death, worrying about him and having trouble sleeping and eating; I don't want a woman as important in your heart to come back and compete with me for favor. But.
...I know you must go. Sister Dong'er loves you deeply and has sacrificed a lot for you. If you abandon her, you are not worthy of being my man."
She raised her face, and under the moonlight, her big eyes were shining brightly, like the most beautiful stars in the sky.
"Yanyan..." Yang Hao touched her hand and held her hand, not knowing what to say.
Wa'er reminded softly: "Officers, people must be saved, but the officials are here to save people, not to die. Because of this, the actions are dangerous, so the officials must not be too impatient or overstep.
He was eager to rescue her, so he had to plan carefully before setting out on the road.
Dong'er is now Shangguan, the head of the six palace female officials. She has to accompany Empress Xiao every day. If she wants to steal someone in the Khitan palace without anyone noticing, it would be more difficult than an official pretending to die and escape.
It's tens of millions of times more difficult. If you're not careful, you'll be completely
You have lost all the games. This time you lose, there will be no chance to come back again. Official, my son will not stop you. I just hope that you can take care of us who are eagerly waiting for your safe return on Shaohua Mountain.
Take care of yourself and don’t risk yourself.”
"I know."
Yang Hao hugged them tightly and said movedly: "Yang Hao can have a confidante like you to accompany me. I don't know how lucky I am to cultivate in many lifetimes. I know how difficult this journey will be. Now I have a status that cannot be seen in the light."
, there is no Song State to support me, no hundreds of tigers to protect me, no one to welcome me. In a completely unfamiliar place, once I arrive in Shangjing, I want to see her in the palace and send her a message to let her know that I am here.
It is extremely difficult, let alone bringing her back. So, although I wish I could fly to Beijing, I will never act rashly."
He paused and then said: "I will think carefully about it in the past few days and come up with a perfect plan. In a few days, when the weather in Jinling is calm, we will leave. You and I will go to Shaohua Mountain first."
Tang Yanyan hummed softly: "We can find it by ourselves, how can we go back by ourselves and accompany us back to Shaohua Mountain? You...you have grass growing in your heart now, do you still have that intention?"
Yang Hao said softly: "How dare you repay the kindness of this beauty? You gave up your wealth and washed away all your glory for me. How can Yang Hao not feel grateful in his heart? Furthermore, I have no idea how to save Dong'er back. I have to go all the way.
Go and plan slowly. When I have a plan, I will take a few guards who are familiar with the Khitan language, leave Tongguan and go north to Hedong Road, exit Yanmen Pass from Daizhou, and sneak to Khitan from there. The journey is quite convenient."
Wa'er asked: "Then...how will Yuluo arrange it?"
Yang Hao was silent for a moment and said: "She is a girl. Although she has traveled all over the country and experienced all kinds of storms, I am really worried about her traveling alone. I will send two people to escort her to Luzhou.
"
As soon as Yang Hao finished speaking, a low sobbing sound came from beside him. Turning his head to look, Yang Hao couldn't help but wonder: "Yanyan, why are you crying?"
Tang Yanyan suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing, "I can let you do whatever you want, but you have to promise me that no matter what, if you come back alive, you must come back alive."
"Silly girl, I haven't left yet, and now I'm talking about something unlucky?"
Yang Hao was angry and funny, but when he saw Tang Yanyan hugging his waist tightly and crying loudly in his arms, the smile on his face gradually faded, and he gently raised his hand, stroking Yanyan's smooth and soft skin.
He didn't say anything. What filled his heart was only deep emotion...
The three of them huddled together and returned to the room. Under the low wall, a figure quietly stood up, looking at the light in their window dreamily, without saying a word for a long time.
At dawn, although the materials were limited, the baby used his skillful skills to cook several delicious and appetizing side dishes and cooked a pot of fragrant rice porridge. Yang Hao originally wanted to wait for Yuluo to get up and have a meal together, but after waiting for a long time, he still couldn't
When she didn't get up, Wawa went to her room to call her. After a while, Wawa exclaimed: "My lord, Yuluo is gone."
"What?" Yang Hao was shocked and hurried out of the house and rushed to Yuluo's room. Wawa came out and said hurriedly: "My lord, Yuluo has left. This is the letter left by Yuluo."
Yang Hao took it and took a look, only to see "Second Brother" written on the cover. He was not in a hurry to open the letter and hurried to Ding Yu's room to take a look. Sure enough, the bedding was neat and there was no one in the room, so he opened the letter.
He opened the letter and read it carefully: "Second brother, second sister-in-law was tricked by that beast and fled to a foreign land. His evil deeds were probably the result of the connivance of the Ding family. As a member of the Ding family, Yuluo also
It's hard to blame him. The second brother went to Beijing and put himself in danger. How could the younger sister bear to stay out of it?
In order to hunt down that beast, my sister had stayed in Shangjing for many days. She was very familiar with the place and the routes there and back. Moreover, she was a daughter, so when she went to Shangjing, it would be easier to get close to her second sister-in-law once she got any information about her.
If the younger sister goes to Beijing first and explores the route in advance, the hope of success will be increased. If Yuluo can meet the second sister-in-law first, she can make preparations in advance.
The second brother will escort the family members out of Jinling and then rush to Shangjing to meet the sister. The sister went to Shangjing before and stayed at the Fuzi Inn in Shangjing. When the second brother arrives, he can meet the sister here. Yuluo, paused.
Goodbye."
Bianliang, Imperial Palace, Jiying Hall.
There were a lot of Chinese and Korean martial arts people in the hall, and they were very noisy.
Today, the civil and military ministers gathered together to discuss a very important matter: who to fight.
The Song Dynasty sharpened its sword and prepared to expand its territory in one go, but whether to go south or north became a hotly debated topic among the courtiers.
At this time, the news of Yang Hao's death at the hands of the Khitan envoys and the violent death of the Khitan envoys had come. Along with it came the geographical map of the mountains and rivers in the south of the Yangtze River carefully compiled by the Tang Dynasty National History Museum. Along with the map, Jiao Si Cheng also attached the description of Yang Hao.
The description can be used to analyze and judge the location and strength of the garrison in various places in the south of the Yangtze River.
At the same time, news came from the Khitan side that King Qing had rebelled and surrounded the capital. More than ten important generals and officials, including Xiao Tuozhi and Han Derang, were killed in the rebellion. Brother Yelvxiu was wounded and patrolled the city to restrain the troops.
,Emperor of Khitan
Luxian went to the city early the next morning to calm the people's hearts, but he was never seen again. There were rumors in the market that the emperor had passed away. However, Yeluxian had always been sick and weak, and the queen had always been in charge of government affairs, so the government was not in ruins.
Empress Xiao has issued dozens of secret edicts to break out of the encirclement to mobilize reinforcements. Now all tribes and tribes in various places have their own attachments. King Qin's troops are coming in an endless stream, and more than ten large tribes headed by the Baigan tribe are also celebrating.
The king responded to the call to the death, raised troops and rushed to the capital. The situation was fierce and the war was about to break out.
As soon as he got the news, Zhao Kuangyin was overjoyed. The military generals Cao Bin, Dang Jin, Hu Yanzan and others in the DPRK all believed that this was a God-given opportunity. At the time of the civil strife in Khitan, they should launch an expedition to the north and attack the Khitan on the charge of killing Song envoys without permission.
In one fell swoop, we recaptured the strategic locations of Youyun Sixteen Provinces that were easy to defend and difficult to attack. As for the Tang State, we really had nothing to fear and could send troops to destroy it at any time.
The civil servants headed by Lu Duoxun, Xue Juzheng, Lu Yuqing and others all agreed that to pacify the world first from the south and then from the north was a national policy set at the beginning of the founding of the Song Dynasty. Over the years, the court made many arrangements, deployment of troops and horses, and soldier drills
, food and grass supply...we are all prepared for this, and we cannot change things in a hurry.
The two factions couldn't stop arguing. Dang Jin roared loudly: "You poor people don't know how to fight. If the Tang Dynasty wants to take it, it can do it at any time. However, the Northern Expedition to Khitan is not an easy task. The other country's military strength
, their combat prowess is not inferior to that of our country, so why not use such a good opportunity? It is only reasonable to kill him while he is sick."
Lu Duoxun said: "The words of General Dang are wrong, not to mention that the Khitan Nanyuan King Yelu Xiezhen is now turning a blind eye to the rebellion in Beijing, and is preparing to prepare for the Song Dynasty. Moreover, it is the cold season now. Winter clothes, food and grass are all needed."
, carriages and horses transport this
How to solve these things? The general of the Party wanted to go to the North as soon as possible. Can the Khitans be defeated so easily? Once the war reaches a stalemate and our troops are trapped in the north, it will be difficult to turn back. If the Tang State takes the opportunity to cause chaos, what will happen?
how?"
Dang Jin opened his eyes, spread his hands and said, "If you're afraid of wolves in front of you and tigers in back, there's no need to do anything."
Hu Yanzan hurriedly said: "My lords, may King Qing be of use? If we send someone to contact him and help him ascend the throne, will he cooperate with us in the Song Dynasty? Now that Empress Xiao is sitting in Beijing, there will be no chaos in Beijing. King Qin has a steady stream of troops, and I think it will be difficult for King Qing to succeed. If we can convince him to mobilize his troops to attack the Sixteenth Prefecture of Youyun, and allow you to help him, and work together to capture Youyun and fight against Shangjing, then Yelu Xiezhen will not have to worry about it. .If King Qing takes possession of Youyun and resists going to Beijing, hehe..."
Xue Juzheng retorted: "Is King Qing so easy to fool? Besides, after all this going on, when the alliance has been decided, when will it be? I'm afraid the opportunity has already been missed. I, the Song Dynasty, will fight for the victory of the Tang Dynasty. , it has been planned for a long time, and grain and grass have been stored in all the key passes of the southern expedition. Now we have the geographical map of the mountains and rivers in the south of the Yangtze River, and we know the troops stationed everywhere. We can use this to conquer the south, unify the Central Plains, and relieve our worries. At that time, careful preparations can begin. The Northern Expedition is the safest strategy, otherwise once the Tang State joins the war and the two sides start fighting, our Song State will suffer a great loss."
Zhao Kuangyin heard the two factions arguing and saw King Jin standing in the middle of the class without saying a word for a long time, so he asked: "What does King Jin think of this?"
Zhao Guangyi walked calmly out of the station and stood up, cupping his hands and saying: "Your Majesty, I think that if we decide to attack at this time, it is really speculation and there are insufficient preparations. In this severe cold season, the northern country is covered with ice and snow, and it is difficult to continue the supply of supplies. Once our army is cut off, The consequences would be disastrous for Yu. Yelv Xiezhen was a famous general. He was stationed in the South Courtyard and occupied the right time, location, and people. Without adequate preparation, this battle was too dangerous. Besides, there are people in Shu area who are causing rebellion. , Southern Fujian was newly attached, and the Tang State was not without its rebellious intentions, so I thought that it was better to go to the south... and not to the north."
Zhao Kuangyin smiled slightly: "If King Qing returns to attack Youyun, will he not consider Queen Xiao behind him? With Yelu Xiezhen in the south and Queen Xiao in the north, what can King Qing do if he is caught in the middle? His only The only choice is to capture Shangjing as soon as possible and take Emperor Xiao into our hands before we can decide the overall situation. Another thing you haven’t thought about is that if I were to go to the north, would it be possible for the northerners to reconcile with the outside world?"
He glanced at the ministers and saw them standing quietly. Some of them had expressions of astonishment on their faces. He added: "The Khitan Emperor has not shown his face for a long time and we don't know whether he is alive or dead. What if he is dead and Empress Xiao doesn't announce the funeral secretly? What should Xiao Chuowu do?" Later, if the emperor is dead and I send troops to the Northern Expedition again, and there are internal and external troubles, will she make peace with King Qing? As for contacting King Qing..."
Zhao Kuangyin smiled slightly and said disdainfully: "How can I be willing to live with a rebellious minister and traitor!"
Zhao Guangyi took a step forward and said: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Lu Duoxun and others bowed in admiration. Zhao Kuangyin looked at the party with a smile. Cao Bin and others took a look and said: "You advocate the Northern Expedition not because the clouds are easy to get, but precisely because the people from the north are not easy to get. In your heart I am afraid, so I refuse to let it go when I see an opportunity. Because of this, I will not rush forward."
He smiled coldly and said proudly: "The Northern Kingdom, when the Central Plains is unified, I will personally conquer the country with my own chariot. Although the Northerners are great, my Panlong Stick is not a vegetarian."
He leaned forward slightly from his throne and said in a deep voice: "It is my intention to capture the Tang Kingdom first and unify the Central Plains. My dear friends, who can lead the troops to march south?"
