Tang Dynasty

Li Yuan stood inside the tent, raised a corner of the tent door with his hand, and stared out for a long time.People outside the account are gathering in an orderly manner, and they are about to set off.

Pei Ji sat in the tent, stood up after pondering for a long time, walked behind him, and said softly: "Duke, please rest assured, the two gentlemen have their own fortune, and they will surely turn danger into good luck."

Li Yuan turned his head to look at him, then sighed with a smile: "When did Supervisor Pei start using such false words to comfort me?"

Pei Ji bowed his head and said: "If you talk about reasoning, you have just made it clear just now. I think the Duke understands it very well in his heart. If you repeat it again, it will only be useless to say more. It is better to change the way."

"Jian Pei's exquisite heart is really different from ordinary people," Li Yuan laughed, then shook his head and sighed again, "I hope this time...the two of them can really trust Pei Jian with auspicious words."

Just at this time, one was about to walk to the road in front of the tent, and all the people and horses of the road had been dispatched, waiting for Li Yuan's order.

Pei Ji saw that Li Yuan raised his eyes to look at the end of the bridge, and his expression was still a little hesitant, so he persuaded again: "Duke, the army has already crossed the Yellow River at this time, and it's raining, if you don't Make a decision as soon as possible, and when the heavy rain blocks the road, it will be inconvenient to march." After a pause, he said again, "According to what the son said in the letter the day before yesterday, the people and officials in Guanzhong are looking forward to the arrival of the principality, so this trip There should be no obstacles. I believe that the current strategy should be to quickly enter the Guanzhong overnight and settle down. After the army stabilizes, I will send people to rescue as soon as possible."

Li Yuan was speechless for a while, finally nodded, gritted his teeth and gave the marching order.Pei Ji calmed down, knowing in his heart that once this order came out, Tang Guogong could be said to have placed a huge bet with his two eldest sons.

He sighed silently, and silently hoped in his heart that the two of them would really do what he said, and turn the bad luck into good luck.

Soon, Li Yuan put on his armor in a hurry, walked out of the tent, looked at the army that was already advancing, and got on his horse too.However, at this moment, a small school came rushing over and said: "General, the tent in Zhu Kingdom is empty, no one knows where he has gone!"

Li Yuan frowned when he heard the words, and hurriedly said: "Then the people he brought are still there?"

The little school said: "The 500 troops brought by Zhu Kingdom from the Turks are also missing."

Knowing that although the 500 troops came to aid the uprising army, they were actually obeying Kang Shili's orders, Li Yuan pondered for a moment, then said to the little school: "Let's face it, please don't say anything about it to the outside world. "

After the little school left, Li Yuan rode his horse and approached the team, he pondered for a long time but couldn't understand the reason why Kang Jiaoli left.His intention of coming was to consolidate the covenant or to monitor the movement, but at this moment, his army of the Li family was invincible, all the way into Guanzhong, although it was not completely unimpeded, but there was no major setback.

Even if you want to break the covenant, it would be too strange to choose this moment.

Li Yuan thought for a long time, then suddenly, he turned his head and looked towards the bridge.The night was dark, the rain was falling, and when I looked at it, there was nothing but the boundless darkness.

A thought popped into Li Yuan's mind: Could it be that...he, like Shimin...had brought people to rescue Jiancheng?

----

Li Jiancheng held the reins of the horse and walked slowly on the mountain road, his body shaking slightly with the bumps of the horse.

The sound of rain falling that was sparse in my ears had now been replaced by a downpour.The cold raindrops fell on the shoulders, like a heavy blow, and the breath of the teacher became disordered.

"His Royal Highness," said a general trotting from behind to the front at this time, "I have sent people to investigate just now. The Sui army did not catch up to the mountain, but wandered down the mountain."

Li Jiancheng nodded, lowered his face, and let out a breath slowly.

Seeing this, Sun Hua on the side drew his horse closer and said, "The heavy rain has closed the mountain. Perhaps the Sui army was afraid of the impact of the sand and did not dare to go up the mountain. In that case, we should quickly find a place to rest. The heavy rain It's okay for me to wait." Looking sideways at the long arrow shaft stuck on Li Jiancheng's shoulder blade, he frowned and said, "It's just...the prince is injured, so how can he be drenched in the rain like this?"

"Come on," Li Jiancheng said in a low voice, "Let's send someone to find a place to shelter from the rain, so that everyone can rest for a while."

He understood that everyone was exhausted after the battle that he escaped from death just now.After the fierce battle in the middle of the night, he saw that his men and horses were dwindling, and Li Yuan's army should have already crossed the river, so he didn't want to stay for a long time.However, when leading the army to retreat, Qu Tutong unexpectedly ordered to release the arrows. Even though the heavy rain weakened the momentum of the arrows, many people died under the arrows due to lack of precautions. Even himself was hit by an arrow. ...

Li Jiancheng turned his head slowly and looked at the defeated soldiers standing behind him in the rain.However, the heavy rain blinded the sight, making it almost impossible to keep your eyes open.Sighing, he knew that at this moment, even if everyone had a chance to relax temporarily, Li Jiancheng was the only one who couldn't.Not only because he is the coach, but also because he doesn't know if he can hold on if he let go of the breath he has been holding...

"My lord," after a few soldiers helped him off the horse, one of them stepped into the rain to report, "There is a big tree ahead, your Highness, why don't you take shelter there!"

Li Jiancheng nodded, and he didn't care about the saying that under the big tree is easy to be struck by lightning, he just let them help him under the tree.However, because of the arrow shaft on his back, he couldn't rely on the branches.

Sun Hua said: "My son, this arrow must be pulled out as soon as possible."

"What General Sun said is true," Li Jiancheng said in a hoarse voice, arching his body slightly upon hearing this, "please trouble General to pull out the arrow for me."

His voice was extremely low, but as soon as he spoke, a bolt of lightning happened to light up in the sky.With this light, Sun Hua saw that Li Jiancheng's clothes and hair were completely wet, and his whole body was covered with blood after fighting, but his face was extremely pale.He was stunned unconsciously, not knowing whether the person in front of him would really be able to hold the arrow if he pulled out the arrow.

"I will trouble the general..."

Li Jiancheng's voice brought him back to his senses, Sun Hua stretched out his hand, and slowly grasped the arrow shaft, only to see that the point of the arrow submerged in the skin and flesh of the armor had already been soaked in blood, and was washed by the rain, slowly flowing along the silver armor , leaving a shocking pale red mark.

He didn't dare to look at Li Jiancheng again, but gradually increased the strength between his five fingers, and said word by word: "Then please be patient for a while."

Li Jiancheng nodded silently, and the next moment, he felt a piercing pain that almost tore his whole body apart unexpectedly.With a muffled grunt, he fell forward.Fortunately, there was a soldier squatting in front of him, and he hurriedly reached out to support him.

Sun Hua saw that the arrow had barbs, and a piece of flesh came out when he pulled it out, so his hands trembled.He hastily put down the arrow, leaned Li Jiancheng on his shoulder, and ordered his left and right to take off his drenched armor.

He lowered his head and groped around his body for a while, finally he touched a dry spot of his inner garment on his almost drenched body.Immediately tore that part off, pulled it into strips, and tied it tightly to the bloody wound on Li Jiancheng's shoulder and back.

Li Jiancheng leaned silently on his left shoulder. I don't know if it was because of the heavy rain, but even his breathing was so weak that he couldn't hear it. Only the hand firmly clasped on Sun Hua's right shoulder proved how much he still had. Sanity.

Sun Hua and the others supported Li Jiancheng, avoiding the wound on his left shoulder and leaning against the tree.After repeatedly wringing out the water from his soaked robe, he shook it and covered Li Jiancheng again.It's just that although the branches and leaves above the head are dense, there are still cracks for raindrops to fall from. Sun Hua hated the rain secretly, so he couldn't even find a piece of dry cloth at this moment.

At this moment, Xiao Zao, who had been scouting ahead, returned.He wiped the rain off his face, raised his eyes and saw Li Jiancheng who was leaning against a branch with his eyes closed, turned his head and looked at Sun Hua, but didn't know whether to speak or not.Just as he was hesitating, the other party had already opened his mouth: "General Xiao... How about it?"

Xiao Zao was stunned, and said: "The rain is too heavy, and the Sui army seems to have withdrawn."

"That's it... If the Sui army really stops chasing, we should leave quickly." Li Jiancheng pondered for a moment, then raised his voice slightly, pressed the coat covering his body, and struggled to get up, "This is the order Go down, immediately..."

However, before he finished speaking, his legs went limp and he almost fell to the ground.

Xiao Zao was standing very close, seeing this, he hurriedly stepped forward to support him, letting him lean back against the tree trunk.However, when he touched the other person's bare arm, he was startled suddenly, "My lord, why is your whole body so cold? Could it be..."

Li Jiancheng stood firm, gasped lowly, and wanted to say something, but he just felt powerless.

"Your Majesty, I'm taking the liberty." Sun Hua took a step forward, reached for his forehead, and immediately shook his hand violently.The touch on the back of the hand was... surprisingly hot.

"My lord, I'm afraid it's a sign of wind and cold. We must never march in the rain." He turned to Xiao Zao and said, "Now, we have to wait until the rain stops before we can go down the mountain."

"If the rain stops, I'm afraid the Sui army will come to surround again. It should be at this time..." Li Jiancheng shook his head, but as he spoke, his voice gradually weakened. Slip and fall.

----

The heavy rain was torrential, and there was a mist between the sky and the earth.Li Shimin stopped his horse for a while, raised his arms to wipe off the rain on his face, and looked up into the darkness in the distance.

At this moment, a general rode up to the front and said, "Second son, there is an unnamed mountain not far ahead, and His Royal Highness may be hiding in the mountain." , After Song Laosheng was defeated, he was attached to Li Yuan's account.Because he is quite familiar with this place, even when it is raining heavily, he can still tell the direction.

Followed the remnants of the fight all the way to this place, even though he was not convinced, he had no choice.Even if there was a slight possibility, Li Shimin would definitely go up the mountain to have a look.At this time, he nodded when he heard the words, then stretched out his hand to wipe his face again, raised the rein and said: "It's not too late, let's pass it quickly!"

Everyone galloped all the way, and soon, seeing the outline of a mountain in the dark night in the distance, they knew that they were approaching the foot of the nameless mountain.

However, at this moment, Li Shimin heard some strange voices ahead.

"Wait a minute!" He immediately snorted the people behind him in a low voice, holding his breath vigilantly to listen.Amidst the sound of pouring rain, the sound moved from far to near, from blurred to clear, but it was clearly...a line of people!

With a sound of "whoosh", Li Shimin drew out his sword and said, "There are people ahead!"

The people below immediately took out their weapons in their hands, followed Li Shimin to wait in the same place quietly, watching the unidentified people in the distance, and approached little by little.

"Who?" The general at the head of the opponent clearly discovered them, and drew out his sword as well, making a low heck.

However, the moment his voice sounded, Li Shimin had already rushed over.The long sword in his hand contained tremendous strength, cut through the rain that formed a line, and slashed straight at the person.

Seeing this, the general backed away, and barely caught the move with his horizontal sword.However, with one attack, Li Shimin could distinguish whether the opponent was an enemy or a friend in an instant.It's a pity...it's not the big brother's team.

He steered his horse out of the way, and raised his voice: "It's the Sui army!" As soon as the voice fell, the men and horses behind rushed out in an instant, and rushed towards the enemy army, fighting hard in the rain all over the sky.

Li Shimin has already taken the lead, fighting with the general.The general felt that every move and every move of this man was full of murderous intent, and his sword and sword were going to kill him.This downpour, to him, was like no one's land.

"Who are you?" He blocked a few moves, and when he saw that he was not the opponent, he stepped back and asked.

Li Shimin's horizontal sword was in front of him, and behind him was the sound of rain, swords, and shouts mixed together, making the night that should have been quiet, extraordinarily noisy and lively.

He looked at the general and said slowly, "Where is Li Jiancheng?"

When the general heard the words, he knew that the other party was Li Yuan's man, and immediately sneered: "Who am I? I came to rescue your family's heir. It's raining heavily, and even Master Qu ordered me to stop guarding the mountain." , I advise you not to waste your time.”

"What do you mean by that?" Li Shimin looked at him and asked.

The general smiled and said: "Li Jiancheng is wounded by an arrow, how long do you think he can last in this heavy rain? I'm afraid it will be soon..." Before he could finish speaking, he was already stunned.

Li Shimin didn't know when, he had already stepped forward.At this moment, the long sword in his hand had already pierced the general's chest, blood spurted from the wound and splashed on his face and body, but was quickly washed away by the pouring rain without leaving any traces.

"Brother, if something goes wrong, I will take the whole county of Hedong to pay for his life!"

These were the last words he heard before closing his eyes.Every word is chilling to the bone.

"Sui Jun, listen, your general is dead!" Li Shimin pulled out his sword, pushed him off his horse, retreated a few steps, and raised his voice, "If you don't want to die at this moment, you should leave quickly!"

Hearing the words, the two parties gradually stopped fighting.Li Shimin said again: "If you leave at this time, I, Li Shimin, will not stop me. If you are still entangled here and miss my time, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Sui Jun seemed a little hesitant when he heard the sound, and after looking at each other, someone slowly began to turn the horse's head.Li Shimin stood where he was, silently watching them leave one by one, and suddenly stretched out his hand, grabbing a Sui soldier who was passing by.

The Sui soldier was startled by his hostility, and frantically wanted to draw his sword.But Li Shimin had already laid his sword across his neck, and said coldly: "Are there still Sui troops in the mountains at this time?"

"Yes, it should be gone." Seeing that Li Shimin was only asking questions, the Sui soldier calmed down a bit, "General Qu ordered me not long ago to withdraw all the troops from Dongxishan Pass, so..."

Li Shimin interrupted him: "Which mountain pass is this?"

"Xi, Xishan Pass." The Sui soldier trembled.

At this time, the general who knew the way also rode over and said: "General, from the west mountain pass here, compared with the east mountain pass, although the detour is a bit farther, the mountain road is relatively flat. Really a great choice.”

Li Shimin nodded when he heard the words, let go and pushed the Sui soldier away, and said in a deep voice: "Follow me up the mountain immediately!" After saying that, he lifted the rein of the horse and ran towards the mountain shadow not far away.

The general rode his horse to keep up, but he didn't know what he had said when he fought the Sui general just now.I only felt that after only a short time, Li Shimin seemed to be a different person, and even his voice was inexplicably chilled.

----

Li Jiancheng heard the sound of heavy rain and thunder from time to time.

After a flash of lightning, he saw a person standing in front of him.He stood quietly in front of him, with an all-too-familiar look in his eyes.However, the next moment, the man suddenly raised the longbow in his hand and shot at him with a sword...

Li Jiancheng wanted to struggle, but his limbs were weak, and he couldn't even open his mouth.He could feel his fingertips were cold, but his face was hot; he could even tell that what he was in was a dream, but he couldn't get out no matter what.

"My son..." Seeing Li Jiancheng's slight movement, Xiao Zao walked up to him and squatted down, calling out in a low voice.

This call brought Li Jiancheng back to reality suddenly, he opened his eyes with difficulty, and then closed them slowly.

At this time, Sun Hua also came over, stretched out his hand to test it on his forehead, and sighed: "It's still scalding, but I don't know when this damn rain will stop!"

Xiao Zao took his half-wet sleeves and wiped the traces of rain or sweat on Li Jiancheng's forehead. He also sighed and said, "It's not medicine here, and there isn't even a piece of dry clothes here. Go on like this , I'm afraid...who?!"

His sudden vigilance made Sun Hua instinctively support the sword at his waist.However, at this time, one person waved away the obstruction of all the soldiers, and had already walked under the tree and stood still.

"Who are you?" Sun Hua and Xiao Zao immediately stood up and drew their swords to meet them.

However, the person walked a few steps closer, but suddenly stopped moving.A pair of eyes, just staring at the white figure half leaning against the tree in front of him.