After the rebirth, I was picked up by the prince

In the next few days, the tribes of Qi Zizhen and Tang Leyuan walked all the way to the undulating area closer to the border of Wumeng Kingdom. The rugged and unfamiliar terrain greatly increased the difficulty and time of their march.

At the same time, the march of the Wuhetu troops became more and more elusive. They groped in the border area for more than ten days without seeing a single figure of the enemy.

Compared with their temporary failure, Song Yaoxu and Song Xingqiu's situation is much better.

According to the letter sent by Qin Gong, when they arrived near Jiuyou County, the [-] troops sent by Wuhetu either surrendered or were killed, and Jiuyou County grew again with almost no loss.

Moreover, Song Xingqiu also captured a soldier sent by Wuhetu as a spy. It is said that the spy was going to see if Song Yaoxu really went to Jiuyou County for rescue.

So Song Xingqiu resorted to tricks, persuaded the soldier to surrender and turned him into a spy, and went to report that Song Yaoxu had not only come to help, but had also been beaten terribly, abruptly describing the impregnable Jiuyou County as being in danger.

Qi Zizhen couldn't help but want to say a good guy when he saw it.

When Song Yaoxu officially passed through Jiuyou County, Song Xingqiu also received his request to borrow troops, and without a word, he transferred [-] troops to make up the entire [-], and even secretly dispatched some supply troops to Qi Zizhen's side. The food and grass can be regarded as a temporary solution to their biggest worry when wandering around.

In addition, Qi Zizhen also received some information from the court.

According to Ning Qingwei's letter, Qi Yuan's actions in the court gradually became bolder, eliminating dissidents, and he was about to completely disrupt the originally peaceful court.

Emperor Hongchu's behavior at this time was still the same as usual, adopting a laissez-faire attitude of complete inaction, allowing them to stir up trouble.

But what surprised most people was that Song Ping didn't seem to express much about this matter, as if he didn't care about Qi Yuan's behavior of touching his power network at all.

Ning Qingwei guessed that Song Ping might want to hide his strength and bide his time, planning to make a big deal in the future.

Qi Zizhen's thoughts were similar to Ning Qingwei's, but he also considered Qi Yuan's motivation for doing so.

Although he didn't have much contact with the prime minister's father, he lived in the same mansion anyway, and knew that Qi Yuan was not such an impulsive person.

He was able to choose to avoid the edge shortly after coming into contact with Song Ping's forces before. He has almost kept his duty for more than ten years. How could he show his hostility to the surface again because of the unsatisfactory relationship with Song Ping? come up?

Qi Yuan was able to climb to the position of prime minister and has not fallen for more than ten years. There are his own reasons for it. Qi Zizhen doesn't believe that he will be such a person who doesn't cherish his feathers.

So Qi Zizhen wrote back to Ning Qingwei after thinking about it, and asked Ning Qingwei to try to start with Qi Zishan, and maybe he could use Qi Zishan's special identity to know some deeper reasons.

Ning Qingwei's reply to this letter was also quick, but the news he brought was that Qi Zishan's freedom had basically been restricted by Song Jiqi intentionally or unintentionally. Never had the chance to see him alone.

This shows that Song Ping or Song Jiqi has been aware of Qi Zishan's identity as a spy.

Qi Zizhen was a little worried about this, but he didn't worry about it for long, and he himself got into trouble.

It's October, and it's quietly the beginning of winter again.

As the weather got colder, Qi Zizhen began to cough more frequently, his lips were much paler than before the winter, and he looked fragile. The burden of marching during the day became heavier and heavier for him. But the enemy has never been seen.

They had been wandering around the border for more than half a month, and even with the supplies sent from Jiuyou County later, they couldn't afford to continue to consume like this.

Gradually, even with Tang Leyuan around, the morale of the soldiers weakened significantly.

Rugged and difficult roads, howling and biting cold wind, and always wandering aimlessly.

No matter how high the enthusiasm was when I set off, after more than half a month, it has almost been wiped out.

On the fifth day of October, the first snow fell quietly on the northwest border, and the army of the Ling Dynasty was forced to postpone its march for a day.

Qi Zizhen stood in front of the tent, stopping to watch the white snowflakes falling from the gray sky.

The first snow on the northwest border came earlier and heavier than in the capital.

He let out a breath of white air, couldn't help coughing a few more times, wrapped tightly the fox fur that Song Yaoxu specially brought for him before, and looked down at the letter paper in his hand.

——That was sent by Song Yaoxu today.

Ever since Song Yaoxu set off from the detour in Jiuyou County, they almost maintained the habit of communicating once a day.

The first snow fell at Yinshi, and around noon he received today's letter from Song Yaoxu.

The letter begins with a customary location statement.According to what Qi Zizhen said before, Song Yaoxu took a detour from Jiuyou County all the way to the northeast and changed to the southwest, while following the search for the enemy's position, and trying to join them as soon as possible.

If there hadn't been this sudden first snowfall, they would probably be able to reunite in less than five days, and now I'm afraid they will have to wait and see when they can continue marching.

After the routine location explanation, most of the following content is Song Yaoxu's advice to Qi Zizhen, from wearing more clothes during the day to resting earlier at night, it seems that he can't wait to rush to his side to take care of him.

Qi Zizhen looked at the neat and orderly writing on it, and there was a slight smile in his eyes.

He turned around and went back to the tent, and a little bird twittered and jumped to his side.

Perhaps because of the cooler weather, most of the birds have flown to the warmer south. During this time, the only one who can be attracted by the music to help deliver the letter is this little gray bird, and they are familiar with each other a lot.

Qi Zizhen squatted down, stretched out a hand and put it in front of the little gray bird, and the little gray bird jumped straight into his palm, flapped its wings twice, and nestled obediently.

He held the little gray bird up, stretched out the index finger of the other hand and gently stroked its head a few times, and then carried it to the table, ready to write a letter.

Qi Zizhen also routinely explained the situation on their side in his reply, and then reported his physical condition in a better way.After writing this, he thought about it, and added a sentence of regret at the end of the letter that they couldn't watch Chuxue together.

It's rare to be able to go to the northwest desert to fight together, but because the soldiers are divided into two groups, they missed the ritual feeling of watching Chuxue together. Qi Zizhen is indeed quite regretful.

He coughed a few more times, picked up the letter paper and dried it gently, carefully rolled it up, and tied it around the ankle of the little gray bird.

The little gray bird, who was used to sending letters, didn't resist. After Qi Zizhen put it on the table, he stood quietly and well-behaved, and occasionally called out twice.It wasn't until Qi Zizhen rolled up the little letter that the little gray bird flapped its wings a few times, as if wanting to tell him that he was ready to leave at any time.

There was a little more smile in Qi Zizhen's eyes, he rubbed its head carefully, and said softly: "Thank you for your hard work, I will give you overtime pay when you come back next time."

The little gray bird didn't know if it understood, it called out loudly "chirp", and then spread its wings and flew straight from the tent into the snow.

The hazy whiteness gradually covered up the small gray figure.

Qi Zizhen walked to the door of the tent and watched it leave. The scenery reflected in his black eyes gradually only remained a piece of icy white.

After a while, he looked away and coughed twice, and when he was about to turn around and go back, he heard Tang Leyuan not far away calling him.

"Aqi!"

Holding a bowl in his hand, Tang Leyuan walked over to him excitedly and asked, "Ah Qi, would you like to have a bowl of hot noodles for lunch? You are not in good health, you should eat more warm food in such a cold day."

While talking, he had already walked to the tent, and before Qi Zizhen could answer, he pulled him back and said, "It's so cold standing at the door, what should I do if I catch a cold?"

Before Qi Zizhen could react, he was dragged to the table and sat down. There was a bowl of steaming noodles in front of him. Some chopped green onions were sprinkled on the noodles as a decoration.

He froze for a moment before remembering to ask, "Where did these noodles come from?"

Tang Leyuan chuckled and said, "I specially opened a small stove to make it, and I will treat it as a way to warm your body."

"Can you also make noodles?" Qi Zizhen asked casually, before his body warmed up, his heart was already warm.

Tang Leyuan was very proud of this, and said with a smile: "Of course, people who march and fight must know some cooking skills. Besides, this noodle is already the simplest, as long as there are materials, it is not difficult to make."

Qi Zizhen remembered that he had made noodles into batter, and felt that his heart that had not been warmed for a long time was shot through again with a "poof".

He didn't make any noise, quietly finished the whole bowl of noodles, and obediently handed the bowl to Tang Leyuan who reached out his hand.

Speaking of it, he seemed to be a few months older than Tang Leyuan, but he didn't expect that he would still be the one being taken care of in the end.

Qi Zizhen felt a little emotional in his heart, but maybe he was taken care of a lot, and he didn't feel too uncomfortable, so he thanked him softly.

Tang Leyuan didn't care, and after waving his hand, he chatted with him about the business and asked how to proceed with the march.

This first snowfall is not particularly heavy, and it shouldn't last too long depending on the weather.

Qi Zizhen pondered for a moment before making a decision. The general idea was that if the snow stopped before tomorrow, he would set off immediately, join Song Yaoxu and the others as soon as possible, and then find a way to find out where the enemy army was when he strengthened his strength.

The altitude where they are now is relatively high, and the snow will not melt for a while, so it will be more difficult to cover up the whereabouts of the enemy army and them while hiding. If they really want to find it, it should not take another half a month.

Tang Leyuan had no objection to this idea. After nodding, he didn't stay any longer and left temporarily with a bowl in his hand.

Qi Zizhen, who was full of food and drink, had nothing to do, so he took out a map and some books to continue studying.

He devoted himself to this study for an entire afternoon, and it was the little gray bird that flew back that brought him back to his thoughts from the sea of ​​books.

The little gray bird chirped and landed beside Qi Zizhen's hand, shaking the snowflakes that fell on its feathers, and scattered many water stains around the table.

Qi Zizhen took out a clean handkerchief with a smile, wiped it lightly for the little gray bird, and then went to get the reply letter it sent.

This time, a small and thin bamboo tube was tied around the little gray bird's feet, and it seemed to be warm to the touch.The small bamboo tube was less than one finger wide, and inside was a small note and a small incense pill.

Qi Zizhen poured out the small note and the small ball, and when he took it, it was also soaked in warmth, mixed with a faint scent of orchids.

——It is the unique smell of Song Yaoxu.

He paused before carefully unfolding the note, and saw that there were only eight characters written on it——

"Send some incense, and chat with you."

There is also a small orchid painted on one side of the end of the eight characters, and the inscription is a neat word "Jin".