snowstorm

And state.

Stormy weather.

Xie Qiao was processing news from various dams along the Yellow River in Bingzhou in a leaky tent.This place is not far from the most severely collapsed part of the dam, and here he can be the first to know about the restoration of the dam.At this time, Li Mingbei was urging the distribution of relief money and food in the most severely disaster-stricken place.

Xie Qiao had been up for several nights, and now his eyes were bloodshot, and stubble appeared on his chin, and he looked in a panic.

Yi Huan, who was ordered by the emperor to follow Xie Qiao, couldn't bear to see Xie Qiao's appearance at this time, so he stepped forward and put the cloak on Xie Qiao's shoulders, and said: "Your Highness, take a rest. You have stayed up for several nights. The body can't hold it anymore."

Xie Qiao frowned slightly and stretched out her hands to pinch the center of her brows, then shook her head, and continued to read the news in her hand.The rain dripped on the corner of the tent, and then splashed on Xie Qiao's clothes, echoing the sound of rain pouring outside the tent.

"Your Highness!" The person in charge of repairing the embankment opened the curtain to enter the tent. His face was covered with muddy water, and the rainwater flowed down his coir raincoat.

Xie Qiao's pupils shrank, and he stood up abruptly, his eyes darkened, he pinched his palms hard, and forced himself to wake up.He looked at the man with a solemn expression, and said, "What's the matter?"

There was a simple and honest smile on the man's face, his eyes were a little red, and he said in a trembling voice: "Your Highness, the dam is blocked! After that, as long as you take the time to strengthen it, the water will be barely contained!" If you want to Complete control, can only wait for the rain to stop.However, as long as they repair the collapsed part of the dam, continue to strengthen it, and barely control the water in the river before the rain stops, they will win the natural disaster this time.

Hearing this, Xie Qiao finally calmed down a little. He walked a few steps to the curtain, then opened it abruptly, and the wind and rain mixed with the smell of soil broke into all his facial features.The long flooded river is hidden in the darkness, but the sound of the river rushing away is forcefully forced into people's ears, making people have to fear its power.

There are faint lights by the river, that is, the oil lamps in the hands of the people who are responsible for repairing the embankment.The lights are so small and insignificant in the boundless darkness.Xie Qiao stepped on the muddy ground and walked towards the river, with Yi Huan following him fearfully.

Soon they came to the edge of the embankment, and the moisture and cold of the river rushed in. When the man who repaired the embankment saw Xie Qiao, he patted Xie Qiao on the shoulder and said loudly, "Master, go back quickly! The wind here is tight, you Can't stand!"

Although they ate and lived with Xie Qiao these days, they didn't know Xie Qiao's identity. They just looked at Xie Qiao's delicate skin and tender flesh, fearing that something would happen to him, so they said this with kindness.Xie Qiao smiled and didn't answer. He just looked at the man whose face was full of sand and wrinkles, with gentleness and admiration in his eyes, and said, "Have you guys finished your dinner?"

Hearing Xie Qiao's question, the man's heart warmed up, and the smile on his face became more sincere. He said: "Eat well, someone specially delivers food to us these days. There is rice and meat, and it's very delicious!" Weighing Xie Qiao's arm, he said: "Master, his body is too thin, and he will have to eat more like us in the future! ——If you stay in Bingzhou for a long time, you must try it when the rain stops. Try our Bingzhou rice, it's delicious!"

Under the warm light in the wind and rain, Xie Qiao smiled even more. He patted the man on the shoulder and said, "Okay, eat more in the future. You must try Bingzhou's food."

When they heard what Xie Qiao said, they crowded around and recommended to Xie Qiao where to eat delicious food in Bingzhou. Their warm and true voices and laughter echoed in the night, as if to dispel the wind in the rain. chill.

……

ten days later.

The rain finally stopped.When the first ray of sunlight peeked through the cracks in the dark clouds, the people of Bingzhou finally wept with joy as they watched the slightly thin but hopeful light with red eyes.

At this time, the dykes and dams in Bingzhou have been repaired and reinforced, the flooding of the river has gradually subsided, the disaster relief funds are being distributed in an orderly manner, and people's lives are gradually returning to normal.

The situation in Bingzhou is finally getting better.

Xie Zheng came to the edge of the embankment this day, just quietly looking at his brother's pale and embarrassed face, speechless for a long time.

Yi Huan half-kneeled on the ground: "The minister failed to protect His Highness, please forgive me!"

Xie Zheng gave a rare sigh, waved Yi Huan to get him up, and said, "I don't blame you. Go down."

"Yes." Although Yi Huan felt ashamed, he still obeyed the order.

Xie Zheng saw that the person retreated, so he stepped forward and rubbed Xie Qiao's hair vigorously, and said, "Qiao Er, there is basically nothing wrong here. Let's go find him."

Xie Qiao's pupils shrank, and his eyes turned red: "Brother..."

Xie Zheng smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Go."

Xie Qiao nodded with red eyes, and turned around conveniently. Just as he was about to leave, he paused, turned around, and said, "Brother, don't worry about the jade plaque. We will make a decision after the Bingzhou and Jizhou affairs are settled."

Xie Zheng smiled and said: "I know, Qiaoer, don't worry."

Xie Qiao nodded, turned around and strode towards where the horses were.

Xie Qiao found a fast horse and rushed to Jizhou night and day.He hardly stopped or rested all the way, and his heart felt hot and numb throughout the journey.

Finally arrived at the junction of Jizhou and Yanzhou, his heart beat violently uncontrollably: he knew some news about Jizhou in Bingzhou, he knew that Lu Jue had beheaded the God of War in Beiliang in only three rounds, he knew Beiliang's army now fears Lu Jue like a tiger. He knows that Lu Jue really did it with 2000 troops against Beiliang's [-] troops...

In the legends that gradually spread, Lu Jue seemed to be an omnipotent god, but he clearly knew that Lu Jue was a man of flesh and blood who could suffer pain and die.Two thousand to one hundred thousand, after all, that is too big a disparity, Lu Jue can't do this without paying any price.

The military newspaper did not say that he was dead, but it also did not say that he was not in pain.If he is in pain, what should he do? Whenever Xie Qiao thinks of this, his heart feels like a knife is twisting.

……

Jizhou City Tower.

Lu Jue was still wearing battle armor, standing on the tower like a big tree that would not fall down.The faces of the other soldiers on the tower were exhausted, but their eyes were as bright as stars: their general stood guard here with them, and they seemed to never get tired, with an unquenchable fighting spirit in their chests.

Although there was no leader in the group of dragons and dragons in Beiliang in those few days, there were 10 people in the end, and their king quickly sent new generals.The new general is a conservative general. He was not sure about the situation in Jizhou City, so he only sent a small group of people to test it out.

Lu Jue led the troops to repel the opponent's attack again and again, and the general did not dare to act rashly.

But——Lu Jue narrowed his eyes, and a cold light flashed in his eyes—once that person finds out that there are less than 2000 troops in Jizhou City, a hundred thousand troops will rush forward, and it will be difficult to defend the city at that time.

Therefore, every time the opponent attacks, he must repel it.He must never leave the tower, not even for a moment.With him around, the army's morale will be strong, the morale will be strong, and the people in Beiliang will not be suspicious.

Looking at Lu Jue's firm and awe-inspiring face, the lieutenant next to him showed some worry in his eyes.The other soldiers didn't know, but he knew that the general's injury was already serious, if he wasn't treated in time... this injury couldn't be known to the soldiers, let alone the people of Beiliang, so their great general The general just scribbled some medicine every day, and didn't ask a doctor to treat him at all...

"Put away the weakness in your eyes." Lu Jue narrowed his eyes and looked down the city, but said the words to the lieutenant next to him.Word by word, extremely firm.

The deputy general's eyes turned red, but he still choked up and said: "Yes." After saying that, he concentrated on looking at the Beiliang army under the city.

The wound seemed to be numb from the pain, Lu Jue's lips turned white, his hand holding the sword was tightly tightened, and veins protruded from the back of his hand like a white wall.The flood in Bingzhou has eased, and Dasheng's internal worries are gone. The troops from Qingzhou and Xuzhou will arrive soon. As long as they endure until then, Beiliang's army will surely retreat—even if there is a war, Dasheng has a chance of winning...

Therefore, even if you die, you must endure until then.

……

"General! The soldiers, horses and food from Qingzhou and Xuzhou have arrived!" A soldier strode up the tower, half-knelt on the ground, raised his face, tears welled up in his eyes.

Lu Jue tightened his grip on the sword, and the soldier's voice seemed hallucinatory.

He helped the soldier up, felt the temperature on the soldier's body, and finally confirmed the truth.

"Okay." He said.There was no difference on his face, he just ordered: "After I hand over General Zhao, you can go back to the camp and have a good rest."

"Yes!" The surrounding soldiers were all happy.

The soldier wiped away the tears from his face, and said again: "There is one more thing, general, the little prince is waiting for you in your tent."

Hearing this, Lu Jue's pupils shrank slightly, and his body swayed suddenly, almost unable to lift the sword in his hand.Gritting his teeth, he settled down and said, "Okay. The general knows."

It's evening to deal with the handover.Lu Jue stood outside the tent that he hadn't returned to for many days, but he didn't dare to open the curtain.

……

Xie Qiao stood in the cold and dim tent with her hands behind her back, her eyes were dark and terrifyingly deep.

Suddenly, his pupils shrank, he turned around, and walked a few steps to the curtain.

His eyes were red, he took a deep breath, and suddenly opened the curtain.

The person he had been thinking about day and night finally broke into his eyes.He was dressed in battle armor, his face like a white wall was honed by the wind, sand and blood on the battlefield and became thin and resolute, but the crescent-like eyes that bent up when he saw him were filled with softness.

"Qiao Er." Xie Qiao heard him say: "Long time no see, I miss you very much."

Xie Qiao trembled, his dark eyes were as deep as the sea, he stretched out his hand, grabbed the man's wrist, and slowly pulled him into the tent.

The tent was cold and dark, but at this moment it seemed to be the safest place in the world.

"Qiao Er." Lu Jue stretched out his hand to caress Xie Qiao's face, that hand was icy cold, Xie Qiao raised his hand to cover his, and was finally sure that the person in front of him was real.

He was about to say something when he saw Lu Jue fall straight towards him, and his abnormally hot breath fell on his neck.

"Qiao Er, I'm sorry, I'm very tired and in pain." Lu Jue squinted his eyes halfway, murmured these words in Xie Qiao's arms, and finally closed his eyes completely while talking.

Xie Qiao's pupils shrank.He untied Lu Jue's armor with trembling hands, and saw a large area of ​​redness on the other side's ribs, and when he touched it, it was warm blood.

Xie Qiao felt his heart hurt like it was being burned by a raging fire, and he couldn't breathe from the pain.

"bang, bang"

The sound of Lu Jue's heartbeat was transmitted to his body through his clothes, and the pain seemed to ease slightly.

In the end, he still raised his hand to cover the back of Lu Jue's head, and put his lips on the other's black hair. Then, in the softest and gentlest voice, he said in that person's ear: "Brother Huaiyu, Qiaoer is here. You can sleep in peace."

The voice was so soft that it seemed to disturb the man's sleep.