Hanhou

On the day of departure, the farm was extremely lively.

More than a dozen large carts lined up, and several of them were high-wheeled carts commonly used by grassland merchants, carrying a large amount of goods.The two cars in the middle are special in style, slightly taller, with a canopy on the roof, surrounded by wooden walls, windows on the left and right, and doors on the front and back. Western Han version of the RV".

The horses that pull the carts were provided by Wuhuan merchants. They are nearly 1.5 meters high at the shoulder and have a thick neck, which is stronger than ordinary war horses.It's a pity that they are all geldings and cannot be used as stallions.According to the Wuhuan people, it is difficult to buy high-quality stallions unless they encounter vendettas from grassland tribes.

With Wei Taishou's permission, besides silk, there were also a small amount of millet and salt on the cart.

The millet has been shelled and can only be eaten and cannot be used as seeds.Salt is unprocessed, varies in particle size, dark in color, and has a bitter taste.However, the coarse salt eaten by the frontier residents was not much different, and the tribes on the grasslands didn't care too much. As long as the caravans were willing to buy salt, even if there were stones in it, they would still pay a high price.

The Wuhuan businessman explained the situation in the grassland in detail, Wei Taishou personally gave the order, and even told Zhao Jia to be careful and follow the plan.

"I'm here to explore the way, don't go too deep. Don't hesitate when you come back in the snow."

Zhao Jia sternly agreed.

Over the past few days, bad things happened one after another, Zhao Jia's life goals changed, and the plans he made earlier naturally changed accordingly.Going north out of the fortress is only the first ring.

Determined to step on the Huns, the understanding of the grassland is very important.

You have to go north sooner or later, it is better to go early than to go late.What's more, there are Wuhuan merchants as guides, who are familiar with the other tribes of the Xiongnu. Not to mention completing the map, it will be much easier to obtain information.

Before the team left the farm, Wei Qing'e came to see Zhao Jia off and handed him two wooden bottles face to face.The body of the bottle is slender, and the mouth of the bottle is sealed extremely tightly, and it is wrapped with cloth strips to ensure that there is no leakage.

"Sister, what is this?"

Zhao Jia picked up the wooden bottle and habitually threw it twice, but Wei Qingmo grabbed the wooden bottle by his wrist and snatched it back.

After making sure that the seal was safe, the girl said with a serious face: "This is a wound medicine. I asked a doctor to prepare it. It is very rare. You and I grew up in the clouds and never went deep into the grassland. Everything is unpredictable. It should be prepared.”

"Thank you sister."

"No need." Wei Qingmo took out another cloth bag, which contained a piece of gold cake and five or six gold beads, and stuffed them together with the wooden bottle into Zhao Jia's arms.

"Sister?"

"I exchanged it with Qin money and grain." Raising his hand to stop Zhao Jia, Wei Qingmo said in a deep voice, "Take it, don't refuse. It may not be useful, but I can rest assured."

It is the first time to enter the grassland and contact other tribes of the Xiongnu. The gold may be of great use.

"According to what Wei Shijun said, don't go too far on this trip, go early and return early." Wei Qing'e warned.

Zhao Jia nodded.

"The bow and dagger must be prepared, and the quiver must be filled. How many daggers do you have?" Wei Qingmo asked concerned.

"Don't worry, sister, everything is ready."

Zhao Jia pointed to the oxhorn bow and quiver on the horse's back, patted the short knife hanging on his waist, drew out the dagger hidden in his boot, and even handed his arm to Wei Qing'er, revealing the sword hidden in his sleeve. A ray of cold light.

Having personally confirmed it, the girl finally nodded in satisfaction.

"Be careful all the way here!"

"Sister, don't worry!"

The Wuhuan merchant personally came to remind him that it was getting late and he had to leave as soon as possible.

Zhao Jia bid farewell to Wei Qing'e, and asked Sun Yu and the women to take the child back.He rode his horse for a few steps, pulled the reins again, waved to the people behind him, and said loudly: "Go back, I will definitely return safely, and I will even bring back the fat sheep and bulls!"

Wei Qing and the three men lay on the railing, waved like Zhao Jia, and shouted: "Mr. return early!"

Xin Zhao and Zhao Po Nu stood aside, feeling a little depressed.

They grew up in the grasslands and are very familiar with the environment. If they lead the way, they may not be inferior to Wuhuan merchants.It's a pity that the conditions are limited, a few people are wandering in the grassland, and have no contact with the various ministries, and it is too late to run, so how dare they get close.In this way, it is naturally impossible to be a guide.

However, the teenagers made up their minds, worked hard to strengthen their bodies, and practiced bow and arrow every day. Sooner or later, they would go north with Lang Jun.

Gongsun Ao stood beside Wei Qing, watching the team drift away, turned his head to look at Zhao Xin and Zhao Ponu, raised his voice and shouted: "After finishing the work today, let's compete with bows and arrows!"

"Compare!" Zhao Ponu raised his chin.

The food in the livestock farm is good, and the teenagers are as tall as poplars.Along with the growth in stature, there is also the strength of the teenagers.

Zhao Puonu's archery skills were better than others, and as his strength increased day by day, he was able to try to draw Xiong Bo's ox horn bow.Although it is still very reluctant, it is definitely the only one among teenagers.

Thinking of Zhao Puonu's strength, Gongsun Ao waved his fist in disbelief, then turned to Wei Qing, seeing that the latter looked like he had nothing to do with himself, he said dissatisfiedly: "Ah Qing, why don't you help me?"

Wei Qing raised his head, and said something that made Gongsun Ao's liver ache: "The power to break slaves is the greatest, even Ah Zhi knows it."

"Ah Qing, we are together!"

"They're all in Langjun's livestock farm, so why should they be so clearly distinguished?" Wei Qing jumped off the fence and clapped his hands, "Uncle Wei said that you can't rely on bravery alone to lead an army in battle. Ao should practice calligraphy more and learn the art of war with me." .”

Gongsun Ao looked at Wei Qing, seemingly unable to understand.

In his understanding, if you want to be a general, you must be brave. How can you lead an army to kill the enemy if you are not brave?

"I'm not saying that bravery is useless." Wei Qing frowned.After all, he is too young, the truth exists in his mind, but it is not so easy to express it accurately in words.

Ah Mai turned his head and said, "Ao, which one is stronger, the Yi bow or the ox horn bow?"

"It's an ox horn bow."

"We and Ah Qing shot eagles with the bow and protected the chickens and ducks. Can you do it with the horn bow alone?"

Gongsun Ao wanted to say yes, but he couldn't get the words out, so he shook his head discouragedly.

"That's it." Wei Qing clapped his hands vigorously, "We used the Yi bow to shoot arrows in turn, and we worked together to force the two black eagles back. A Ao used the horn bow, even if he shot one, before he drew the bow again, the other black eagle will fly down."

Xin Zhao and the others came over one after another, and when they heard Wei Qing's words, their faces were both enlightened and puzzled, and a little bit disapproving.

"If you can draw the ox horn bow, you don't need to wait until you arrive to kill the eagle." Zhao Puonu said.

"Yes!" Gongsun Ao's eyes lit up.Realizing who he was agreeing with, he immediately lowered his expression, turned his head and shut his mouth without speaking.

"I didn't say that individual bravery is useless." Wei Qing said seriously, "I just persuaded Ao to practice calligraphy and learn the art of war, so that he could kill more enemies. There are so many Huns on the grassland, no matter how brave they are, can one person kill them all?"

The boys gathered around Wei Qing, loudly expressing that Ah Qing was right.

Boys, you look at me, I look at you, and finally scratch your head together.It seems that they didn't turn the corner, thinking less far-reaching than these children?

The women moved out the wooden basins and prepared to tan the sheepskins.

Xiong Bo took Qing Zhuang out of the warehouse to take out tools, ready to build a new circle.

Wei Tong went north with Zhao Jia, Wei Shan stayed in the livestock farm, and when he heard the quarrel between the boys and the teenagers, he smiled knowingly, and decided to tell Wei Qing about the fierce battle of the prefect Wei against the Xubu family and the slaughter of other tribes under his command.If he remembers correctly, Zhao Gongcao made meritorious service in that battle, beheading the long head of the Huns with one knife.

At the same time, Zhao Jia and his party left the livestock farm and headed north along the road guided by the Wuhuan people.

When leaving the border, the team passed a beacon tower.

It just so happened that Wei Shi was patrolling here, and stopped the team together with the waiter, and carefully checked the identity documents, the goods on the cart, and the deeds for carrying the goods.When he found millet and salt in the car, Wei Shi's expression became serious, and he was about to call the army.

The team leader took two steps forward and handed a wooden tablet to Wei Shi.

Wei Shi looked carefully, and his expression changed again. Following the leader's pointing, he recognized a familiar face among the guards.After whispering a few times with the team leader, he immediately let the army disperse and let the group leave.

From the beginning to the end, Zhao Jia did not make a sound.

He knew that the people sent by Wei Taishou would not be a display, and everything along the way would be taken care of.At least until the edge, there will be no problems.

The team left Border County, followed the road chosen by the Wuhuan merchants, and entered the vast grassland.

The weather was clear, with a cool breeze blowing through the tall grass from the north.

Zhao Jia rode on the horse, paying attention to the landscape along the way, spreading the sheepskin on the horse's neck, holding a stick of charcoal, and dropping a few strokes from time to time.The bay red horse snorted and shook its neck from time to time, obviously dissatisfied with the extra piece on its neck.

During the break, Zhao Jia took out caramel from the cloth bag and handed it to the bay red horse.The bay red horse swept away the caramel, put its big head on Zhao Jia's chest, and gently pushed it twice, causing the young man to chuckle.

Seeing Zhao Jia feeding the horses with caramel, the Wuhuan merchant immediately reminded him: "Mr. Lang, don't do this again when you see the tribe's herdsmen."

Knowing that the other party would not say this for no reason, Zhao Jia nodded, patted the horse's neck, and put the sugar bag back away.

After resting for less than a quarter of an hour, the team continued on their way.

As we gradually deepened into the grassland, we saw fewer and fewer trees along the way.There were still stretches of elm forests when we came out of the fortress, but even if there are now, there are only a few trees.

As far as the eye can see, there are blue sky and wild grass everywhere.Occasionally, a small beast would be startled out from the grass, gallop forward at a fast speed, and soon disappear without a trace.

The further you go, the more monotonous the scenery becomes.

Zhao Jia remembered the ancient city that He Lao said, and asked the Wuhuan merchant who led the way.The latter thought for a long time, but still couldn't figure out where the ruins Zhao Jia described were.

"If it's wild millet, I know something about it." The Wuhuan merchant rode his horse and walked beside Zhao Jia, pointing forward, and said, "There are two mounds there, and there are large fields of wild millet. Come flocks of wild birds. It's a pity that the season has passed, and we can't see them now."

Zhao Jia raised his head and looked in the direction he was pointing. He could vaguely see two mounds.

"Is there a stream there?"

"It was there in the early years, but I haven't seen it in recent years. To find water, you have to go five miles forward."

The Wuhuan merchant explained it in great detail, and Zhao Jia took out the sheepskin and recorded it on the spot.It's just a jolt right away, and the handwriting looks like chicken feet have been grilled.

The Wuhuan merchants could speak Chinese, but they knew only limited Chinese characters, let alone writing.Seeing Zhao Jia writing, he kept complimenting him.Zhao Jia folded the sheepskin and heard the Wuhuan businessman say "the writing is very good", his ears felt hot.

The road to the mound seems to be very long, and the horses and chariots can move in the blink of an eye.

The guards who explored the road arrived first and searched around the mound, but found no prairie savages that the Wuhuan businessman was worried about, and no signs of beasts.

The leader took a look at the sky and asked the Wuhuan merchants where the water source was.After knowing the distance, he turned his head to discuss with Zhao Jia, and went a little further before it was dark, and then set up camp to rest.

"The elders can decide."

The two reached an agreement, and the team speeded up and drove across the grassland without stopping.

Zhao Jiaxing was in the team, feeling the wind getting colder a little bit, and his clothes looked thin.But everyone was rushing on their way, it was not good to speak at this time, Zhao Jia gritted his teeth, and was about to push through, when Uncle Hu suddenly turned his horse's head and handed Zhao Jia a leather jacket.

"Lang Jun put it on, the grassland is cool."

Putting on the leather jacket, the coolness was driven away, and Zhao Jia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.Uncle Hu untied another leather pouch from the horse's back, handed it to Zhao Jia, and said, "Your Majesty, take a sip before going on your way."

After removing the plug from the leather pouch, a faint smell of wine floated into his nostrils.Zhao Jia turned to look at Uncle Hu, who smiled and said, "Third Young Master sent it. There are too many things. I forgot it for a while, and I didn't have time to inform you."

The wine at this time is mostly brewed with grain, the alcohol content is not high, and it is mixed with many impurities, and some even have a sour taste, which is more like vinegar than wine.

Zhao Jia was curious when he was young, and wanted to taste what the wine of the Western Han Dynasty tasted like. He took only a sip, and his face turned blue in an instant.

It just so happened that Wei Yue came to look for him, and all the way to find him, seeing Zhao Jia's appearance, couldn't stop laughing.In the end, he picked up Zhao Jia and threw him up twice.

No matter how strong Wei Yue is, she is still in her early ten years old.No matter how tall Zhao Jia is with three heads, he still has a certain weight.As a result, the toss was not fixed, and the two fell to the ground together.

Seeing this scene, the healthy servant and the servant woman dropped their jaws to the ground and couldn't pick them up for a long time.

Wei Shang patted the table and laughed for a while after hearing the loyal servant's report.For the dinner that day, people even served dirty wine, which was deliberately placed in front of Zhao Jia.Seeing Zhao Jia's facial features wrinkled together, he laughed out loud on the spot.

The true past is unbearable...

Zhao Jia grabbed the skin bag and didn't take a sip for a while.

Uncle Hu looked at it strangely, and asked, "Lang Jun, what's wrong?"

Really unable to pass the test in his heart, Zhao Jia shook his head, stuffed the skin bag again, handed it back to Uncle Hu, and said: "Uncle Hu can drink himself, I have a fur coat."

Hu Bo didn't insist, and tied the leather bag back to the horse.

Ji Bao rode over, and before he could speak, Hu Bo stared back, "We have to keep watch after setting up camp!"

Ji Bao shrank his neck from being scolded, and the guards who were attracted by the smell of wine turned their heads in embarrassment, some even coughed, and purposely pushed his horse forward two steps to show that he was not staring at the wine bag.

At sunset, the group finally arrived at the campsite.

The team leader organized manpower, surrounded the carts in a circle, lit a bonfire as quickly as possible, roasted dry food, ate it with jerky, and then took turns to guard the night.

Zhao Jia sat by the fire, eating scones with the Wuhuan businessman, and asked about the customs of the grassland tribes.

The Wuhuan merchants knew everything they wanted to say, and they didn't even lose the tribe's custom of robbing relatives. They even boasted of their bravery and snatched the most beautiful girl in the tribe.Although he was whipped by the girl on the spot, and then served two years of "hard labor" at the husband's house, after all, he won the beauty and attracted the envy of many sons and daughters.

Zhao Jia heard it interesting, and wanted to ask more questions, but seeing the other party's intoxicated memory, coughed, and swallowed the words back.

After eating the scones and putting away the recorded sheepskin, Zhao Jia got up and went back to the cart to rest.

There was a faint howl in the wind, and the expressions of the leader and guards changed at the same time, and they immediately waved torches to illuminate the surroundings of the cart.Hu Bo and Ji Bao picked up their bows and arrows, and even the Wuhuan merchants grabbed their torches with one hand and drew their short knives with the other.

In the night, dots of green light lit up one after another, flickering erratically.

Zhao Jia climbed onto the cart, the hands holding the bow and arrow were sweating faintly.

On the grassland, those green lights represent only one possibility, wolves!