the enlightener says

Of course Qin Ke knew that he was going to grab the reins, but in this situation, he couldn't move his hands for a while, and when the brown horse rose up with manpower, he felt that his body was slightly suspended, and he hurriedly exerted his legs to lock the horse. belly.

And at the moment when the brown horse's front hooves hit the ground, Qin Ke suddenly grabbed the reins and pulled hard, the brown horse's movements were immediately restricted. Although it still refused to give up struggling, Qin Ke finally took the initiative .

After about tens of breaths, the brown horse finally gradually calmed down. Although it still struggled a few times restlessly, Qin Ke controlled the reins and dragged his movements. The sergeant from the Great Wall also leaned forward and punched The heavy blow on the brown horse's face immediately made the brown horse quiet a lot.

When Qin Ke got off the horse and looked at the calm brown horse, although he didn't say he was terrified, he still felt a thrill.

"What's wrong with it?" Qin Ke looked at the brown horse, "Did I do something wrong?"

He asked this, of course, because he thought his equestrian skills were not very good. Although he had studied in the Imperial Academy for a period of time, he still hadn't been able to achieve perfect shooting at a distance of thirty paces. This is really a bit embarrassing.

But the sergeant's answer made him feel relieved: "It's not your problem, the horse is probably startled." But he stroked the horse, felt its beating heart, and said strangely: "It shouldn't be. You look like you've been frightened by something. Could it be that you're carrying some beast's excrement on you?"

"Dung?" Qin Ke has never raised a horse, but he also knows that there is absolutely no such thing on him, so he shook his head.

But when he lowered his head, a strange light flashed in his eyes—what frightened him?When he got on the horse just now, he seemed to feel that Xiao Hei, who had been sleeping on his chest, wriggled restlessly.

Could it be... is it?

The wind blew over Qin Ke's cheek, and he smelled a salty smell.He had read a book, which said that the source of the wind lies in the sea.And the south is close to the sea of ​​vaults, and the wind blowing from it also has a fresh taste, which is completely different from the dry, choking dust-filled wind in the Mohist territory.

Qin Ke rode a horse, followed Gao Changgong and Mulan along the road, beside him was Abu, who was a little excited because he was riding the Great Wall's tall horse, and his own horse was no longer the brown horse just now, but a different one. A much tamer, but also much thinner southern army horse.

Thinking of how hard it was for him to ride the fat brown horse with thunderous hooves on the Great Wall, but because of the crazy struggle of the brown horse, he finally lost the opportunity to continue riding him. He was a little helpless, but also There is no better way.

His chest twitched slightly, and Xiao Hei emerged from between his clothes, looking at the crowd around him curiously.

Qin Ke looked down at him with strange eyes.

"It can't really be you." Qin Ke whispered, but quickly laughed at himself, feeling that he was a little too nervous, and the feces of tigers and leopards can scare horses, because the horses smell it. The smell will mistakenly think that the tiger and leopard are haunting nearby, waiting for the opportunity to hunt it.And Xiao Hei is just a small black lizard that is not good-looking. It can scare a war horse from the Great Wall, and even smash the skull of a wild wolf with one hoof?

Xiao Hei opened his mouth wide, and spit out a mouthful of black smoke inexplicably, which made Qin Ke jump.

Behind him, Su Dingfang, who was riding a war horse with a saber on his back, smiled and said: "Relax, there is no other reason for changing to this horse, it's just that the other horses were washing, and the brown horse was wasted in the struggle just now." It took a lot of effort to exchange a southern horse for you."

Qin Ke curled his lips, although he knew that Su Dingfang was not lying to him, but on the contrary, he always felt uncomfortable in his heart that he was accepting a kind of comfort.

117 chapter gambling

A group of people crossed several avenues, and the galloping horses stepped on the wide streets of Jianye City with a clear and crisp sound. Passing by like the wind.

And when the horses passed by them, they turned their eyes on this group of people in surprise. The tall horses on the Great Wall are very eye-catching. On it is the heroic General Mulan, with a simple ponytail that is proud of the wind. Fly up and down the ground.

Many people have seen the scene of the Great Wall and the Canghai Mission entering the city, and the current Patriarch of the Mu family, a general who responded to every call from the Great Wall army, was naturally impressive.Who is qualified to keep pace with her?

Gao Changgong's handsome face that is not like ordinary people naturally answered the questions in many people's minds, and also gave them a wave of waves in their originally peaceful hearts.

The gate of the city kept zooming in, and Qin Ke became increasingly unclear about what Gao Changgong wanted to do.It's no problem for him to go to the Great Wall Mission to find Mulan to talk about the old days, and now it's no problem for Zong Ma and Mulan to go out for an outing together.

But what happened to him and Abu?And now there is Su Dingfang who is also riding a horse behind him, which makes him a little confused.

"Where are we going?" Qin Ke asked.

"You're not a parrot, are you?" Gao Changgong said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Qin Ke was puzzled.

Approaching the city cave, Gao Changgong slowed down the speed of the horse, and the hoofs of the horseshoes rattled on the ground. He squinted his eyes and imitated the voice of birds in a shrill voice: "Where are we going? Where are we going? Where are we going?"

Qin Ke finally understood the meaning of Gao Changgong's words, and became angry from embarrassment: "Obviously you have to take us running around and call me a parrot."

"Little kid doesn't know where to go, so follow the adults first." Gao Changgong said with a faint smile, "Don't worry, I've already asked for leave for both of you at the Taixuetang, at least before returning to the city. You don’t need to go back and read those ‘Zhihuzheye’.”

Qin Ke felt that there was something in Gao Changgong's words, and looked at him suspiciously: "Go back to the city? Are we going to go out for a long time? How many hours?"

"How many hours?" Gao Changgong laughed loudly, "Ten days and half a month."

Abu said in a daze: "Ten days and a half months? What are you going to do?" He knew Gao Changgong was busy. As a general of Jing and Wu, military training was of great significance, and he could be said to do everything by himself.

But what happened today?

"Where he said to go, you said what to do." Gao Changgong pursed his lips and smiled, "You really are a pair of brothers. But can I be so like a human trafficker?"

Mulan said softly: "Your tall general invited me to enjoy the scenery of Jingwu. I made a bet with him. If he wins, I will walk with him. If I win, you two will go with him." I will go to the Great Wall to guard the border together."

"What? Go to the Great Wall?" Qin Ke was frightened. Although he yearned for the grasslands in the north, he never thought of going to the place where the birds don't shit on the Great Wall—oh, it's not that the birds don't shit. , where are there things that are more troublesome than birds, such as the legendary beast Gorefiend whose blood is highly poisonous, and the legendary beast that hides at night and has a body as soft as water but can entangle people to death like a boa constrictor? Fierce beast night demon.

He glared at Gao Changgong: "If you bet with him, just bet, what will we do?"

Gao Changgong looked at Mulan, and said helplessly: "Hey, hey. There is no such thing in the bet. You put it that way, I really look like a bad person."

"You are not a good person." Qin Ke muttered, but knowing that Mulan was just making a joke, he felt relieved, "So, what bet did you make?" Qin Ke squinted at Mulan, thinking that you If a couple wanted to go out to play, what would they do with themselves if they had to make such a hassle?

"You'll know in a while. Why, you don't want to go together?" Gao Changgong said.

"Well...it's not impossible." Qin Ke didn't dislike seeing the scenery of Jingwu, not to mention studying and studying in the Imperial Academy these days is indeed a bit boring.

"It's not impossible, it's okay." Gao Changgong smiled, anyway, he didn't plan to ask Qin Ke's opinion, it's really impossible, just grab this kid and spank his ass, and keep him obedient .

As for taking care of children, because there are so many younger brothers in his family, he has a lot of experience.

The city gates are still strict these days, which shows that the assassination of Zhuge Wanling still has far-reaching effects today.But when Gao Changgong and Mulan approached, the guards at the city gate knelt down in an instant.

Mulan had no expression on her face, she naturally knew that the guards of Jing Wu would not be kneeling down on her.But Gao Changgong just said softly: "Why kneel? Stand up. I don't wear armor, let alone court clothes, so I'm different from ordinary people? You shoulder heavy burdens and fulfill your duties. Is it possible that I will punish you for not kneeling?"

"Yes!" The guards raised their heads one after another, holding their heads high and their chests high, eager to shout, with excitement in their eyes.

Qin Ke saw that the first person was the soldier corporal leader who checked his belongings when he entered Jianye City for the first time, and when his eyes stayed on him for a long time, the soldier also moved his eyes and looked at Qin Ke. The not tall figure had wide-eyed eyes.

He was obviously just a scholar traveling from a foreign country, and it's only been more than a month, but he was already a rider behind Gao Changgong?But when he saw the Taixuetang costumes Qin Ke was wearing, he immediately understood.There is no discrimination in the Taixuetang, even if they are new nationals who migrated from other countries, as long as they are selected, they can sit in the school and study their homework.

Even though the students in the Imperial Academy had no fame, who in Jianye City didn't know that these people would be the mainstay of the Jingwu Temple in the future?

This made him feel a little embarrassed. People in this world are different after all. Back then, when he was secretly listening to a class outside the window of a private school, he was discovered by his father who sells meat, and he went home with his ears in his hands. "You want to study? What's the use of reading? In the whole world, the officials are the sons of the gentry. No matter how much you read, you can snatch them from them? Why don't you just sell your meat at home with me? You don't have to be an official. , but you have to eat, even if selling meat is vulgar, it is a way of life, understand?"

But he refused to stop there, and still insisted on attending classes secretly. He was able to work at the gate of the city and serve as the corps leader. In fact, it was because he eavesdropped on the private school lectures and knew a few words to review customs clearance documents.

Later, under the New Deal implemented by Prime Minister Zhuge, Jing Wu also had so many children from poor families enter the temple, and his father gradually regretted that he should have sent himself to study more at the beginning, maybe he should be more promising now.

But he doesn't care much now, even if he is a gatekeeper, we can still see the gate of Jianye City!What's wrong with being able to protect one side's peace in a peaceful world like Jingwu?

After leaving the city, Qin Ke and his party did not set foot on the official road, but headed for the uneven path. In the distance of them were the rolling hills and the endless forest.

Qin Ke heard the sound of horseshoes coming from behind, he turned his head, a cavalry army composed of nearly a hundred people followed Gao Changgong out of the city at some time, their formation was neat, and even the footsteps of the horses did not move between the raids. There was an astonishing unanimity.They were all wearing buffalo leather armor, and their black cloaks fluttered in the wind.

The most surprising thing is that their faces are covered with a pair of blue-faced and fang masks. When they rise and fall with the leaping horseback, against the black cloak, they are like a group of terrifying ghosts thinking that everyone is approaching.

Qingzhou Ghost Rider.

Chapter 118 The old man, the old house

Qin Ke couldn't help shivering, and couldn't imagine that if he met this cavalry in the middle of the night, would he really regard them as nocturnal wandering gods...

The corners of Gao Changgong's mouth turned up slightly, and he raised one arm above his head. The Qingzhou Ghost Rider then transformed into two strands like a tide, protecting the two wings of the crowd respectively. The speed and uniformity of his movements was amazing.

Mulan looked at the Qingzhou Ghost Rider, which represented the highest military force in Jingwu, and thought of the battle that Gao Changgong commanded at the Great Wall: "It seems that you have not been idle all these years."

"Of course." Gao Changgong said a little proudly, "Occasionally I am not lazy."

As the sky darkened, the usual hustle and bustle of Jianye City also calmed down a lot. Although the bustling streets were still brightly lit, the residential areas were gradually shrouded in shadows.

The old house of the Sun family has always been very quiet, but these days, it has become more and more noisy.

"I said that we shouldn't have supported Zhuge Wanling in the prime minister's position back then. Look, Jing Wu has only been around for a few years, and he couldn't help but want to attack us."

"Stupid! Zhuge Wanling took the position of prime minister. Did you support him, or did we support him? Didn't he fight for it himself? He has also proved that he is the most suitable person for that position over the years. Even if Jing Wu encounters a lot of difficulties, which time is it not in his hands to turn the crisis into safety?"

"Hey, look at what you said. What's the matter with turning the corner into safety? You are still not one of us, and you just speak good things for outsiders."

"How can I say good things for outsiders? To deal with Zhuge Wanling, you have to see this person clearly!"

If there are eunuchs in the palace here at this moment, I'm afraid they will be surprised and speechless.Although these noisy people in the courtyard are not wearing court uniforms, which one of those faces is not a court official who is qualified to show up in the morning court?

Since Zhuge Wanling was assassinated in Jingwu Chaotang, General Gao Changgong nailed the assassin to the plaque with a long spear, the little king probably suffered a lot of fright. Hand it directly to several ministers of governance, and then hand it over to the palace after they review it.

Naturally, whoever handed it over to the palace.They all knew very well that the little ruler was still young and his playfulness had not yet been cured, so all affairs were naturally in the hands of Zhuge Wanling.

Although they are very dissatisfied, Zhuge Wanling is the prime minister after all, and it is his bounden duty to unify the administration, unless the ministers like them take off their imperial uniforms and directly stand on the hills to rebel and force Zhuge Wanling from the one person under the ten thousand people. Otherwise, they would have to accept the fact that Zhuge Wanling was stepping on top of them.

Officials from the gentry came in twos and threes, sometimes indignant, sometimes frightened, and sometimes talking sadly. Although none of them, the high officials of the court, had really been imprisoned these days, who knew when Zhuge Wanling would hold a meeting with them? Pick up the butcher knife?

Between the government and the opposition, everyone is already in danger.

In the courtyard, in the large living room, there is an old man wearing light silk lying peacefully on a bamboo recliner. The night is a little hot. He gently shakes a cattail fan with his left hand and holds a purple sand teapot with his right, slowly Handed it to his mouth, his throat gurgled a few times, he sighed softly, and closed his eyes.

Everyone seems to be deliberately keeping a distance from him. It's not that these people are rejecting him, but facing this old man, everyone present is not qualified to sit on an equal footing with him, let alone standing beside him and looking down from a high place?

Naturally, these people can only keep some distance to show their respect for the old man.

His name is Sun Zhong, and the current head of the Sun family, Sun Ji'an, is his youngest son.When the state of Wu fell apart, the Sun family under his leadership had already occupied a large area of ​​territory in the south of the Yangtze River, and was even considered the leader of the gentry who was most likely to unify the state of Wu.

And Jingwu Liguo was also his handwriting. It can be said that without the old man's nod, Zhuge Wanling would not have been able to establish the Jingwu Kingdom in such a short period of time.A few years ago, he served as the royal doctor in Jingwu, and he could stand against Zhuge Wanling in court.And later, on the grounds of old age and frailty, he resigned from office and lived in the old house for the rest of his life.

But everyone knows that even if he stays at home, he still holds half of Jing Wu in his hands.Every word he said, the gentry had to listen carefully.

"Mr. Sun, you can't stand by like this anymore. These days, the butcher knife in Zhuge Wanling's hand is like cutting rice crop after crop, and many of our children have been coerced into it. My nephew died unjustly." , but just received some silver, why did he go to the guillotine? He died, and my sister didn't want to live. She cried in the room every day, grabbed something and was about to commit suicide. I was so worried that even a pair of scissors Let the servants put it away, for fear of accidents." At the end of the debate, in fact, everyone could only sigh, after all, no matter how many arguments there are about such things, they are just complaints.

And the old man in front of him is obviously someone who can change the situation.

"That's right. Mr. Sun, those few of my students have already been imprisoned. Life and death are just a matter of a word from Ting Wei's mansion. If I can't keep them, I won't have the face to be a good person in the future." division?"

"And me... Mr. Sun, my students are also in prison..."

"Quiet, quiet." Standing beside Sun Zhong was Sun Ji'an, the Patriarch of the Sun family is now in his forties, his temples are slightly gray, and crow's feet and forehead lines have appeared on the corners of his eyes and forehead. Forehead, but the calmness between the brows became more and more intense.

"I know that you have suffered a lot of grievances these days. Even the offshoots of my Sun's family are having a hard time, let alone you. But my father is really not in good health recently. I just asked the doctor to have a look, and I have to rest. Why don't you please go back first, I will find a time to talk with my father, and I will give you an answer when there is a result."

Naturally, Sun Ji'an's prevaricated words could not satisfy everyone, but after all, this is the old house of the Sun family, and he used the reason that Mr. Sun was not in good health to let everyone leave first, so it is not good for everyone to stay here with a shy face. don't go.

After a while, more than half of the people in the yard had left, and most of them were complaining.

"Father." Sun Ji'an bent down and whispered in Sun Zhong's ear, "Gao Changgong took a hundred Qingzhou ghost riders out of the city."

Hearing Sun Jian'an's words, Sun Zhong's closed eyes moved and slowly opened a little, but they were still half closed: "How long have you been walking?"

"It's been an hour." Sun Ji'an said.

Sun Zhong closed his eyes and heaved a long sigh: "So...is that so? Zhuge Wanling..."

Sun Jianan approached and said, "Father, what's wrong?"

"No...you call Sun Qing over." Sun Zhong waved his hand softly, and ordered: "Go and appease the families of the gentry, and don't let these people do things that they will regret when they get mad. What to do next, I have to wait."

"Wait for what?"

"Waiting for a guest. Since it's safe, ambush ten dead men, but without orders, don't show any signs."

"Yes……"

Chapter 119

The five of them walked forward against the wind, the night sky was as deep as ink, and large groups of clouds hung low above them.After entering this forest, the Qingzhou ghost riders really disappeared into the night like ghosts. They got off their horses one after another and walked on foot.

In the woods without the sound of horseshoes, only crickets chirped unceasingly, but after Qin Ke opened his eyes, he could feel the sound of birds flapping their wings and passing over his head.

The uncleared bushes were as tall as a person, and they seemed to bark their teeth and claws like wild beasts in the darkness, and the howling of wolves gradually came from a distance, Qin Ke only felt that his heart began to feel uneasy.

On his way to Jingwu, he took a caravan's carriage, and he heard from those merchants along the way that the mountains and forests here are dense, and there are many bandits hiding in them. As soon as the officers and soldiers came, they would hide in the depths of the woods and keep them blinded without finding anything.

And after waiting for the wind to pass, these bandits will come out again, killing people and stealing goods, committing all kinds of crimes.

Now that Gao Changgong is by his side, he doesn't have to worry about the bandits, but walking in such a place in the dark, he shouldn't be in a happy mood.

He didn't know where he was going, but Abu and Su Dingfang beside him seemed so comfortable and their steps were steady.

Qin Ke knew that Abu was fearless because he followed Gao Changgong, and Su Dingfang...thinking that this man on the Great Wall who had seen life and death countless times would not feel any fear in such a place.

And him, why did he come?His heart seemed to be shrouded in a layer of fog, which made him confused for a while.

Gao Changgong walked ahead, and Mulan beside him asked softly, "This is it?"

"It's here." Gao Changgong approached a tall old tree, stretched out his hand to touch it, and felt a familiar mark on the rough bark.

Then he lightly exerted force with his thumb, and the bark shattered like a piece of broken paper, and the imprint no longer existed.

Qin Ke didn't know what Gao Changgong and Mulan were talking about, but not long after the conversation between the two, he saw the depths of the forest, and gradually revealed some fires from the gaps in the bushes.

"Is there someone?" Qin Ke jumped with joy in his heart, thinking that he finally saw such a little popularity in this gloomy and gloomy barren mountains...

But he suddenly realized, where would there be a home in this kind of wilderness?I'm afraid it's not a bandit or a bandit, right?

As soon as he opened his mouth, the people on the opposite side sensed their presence and immediately became vigilant. Someone asked, "Who?"