ghost city

The room was extremely stuffy, and the sultry heat was like a small cluster of scorching fire, spreading and burning every inch of skin, even if there was wind coming in, it would not help.But the strange thing is that there seems to be a sinister and cold evil spirit in the body, swimming around, slowly gathering into a stream, and being guided out of the body by something.

A bit of coldness gently covered the brows, slowly sucking the stale air in the body.At the same time, a clear cool air slowly penetrated into the body, wandered away, and diffused to the limbs and bones.

She was afraid of the cold, and the cool air certainly caused discomfort, but when the fresh air flowed into the pores of her body, she felt much refreshed all over her body.My brain also seemed to have been washed by a clear spring, and gradually regained my clarity.

"She's just infected with evil spirits, and there's nothing serious about it." Wei Ling said calmly, and took the Kunshan Jade that covered the girl's eyebrows by the way.

He stood up from the girl's couch, and said to Sima Shang who was beside him, "Brother, take care of her, I'll go and see those women."

The middle-aged man nodded, sat down from the edge of the bed, checked that the girl's pulse had stabilized, and felt relieved.

The day before yesterday, Meng Yao led a team of elite cavalry to rescue several women and girls from the Huns.At that time, the Xiongnu army was full of flesh and blood, and Meng Yao's team came again aggressively. They did not love to fight and withdrew their troops hastily.

Although the Xiongnu army only dispatched more than a hundred cavalry for this looting, it caused the herdsmen to lose a lot of cattle and sheep, and more than ten people died.For a while, the border residents were somewhat dissatisfied with Wei Ling.If he hadn't advised Cheng Ting to order the border people to go to the mountains to graze, how could he have provoked the Xiongnu?

Cheng Ting also had some doubts in his heart, but it was not easy to blame Wei Ling, and he was in a dilemma, so he had to try to appease the damaged border residents.Wei Ling also promised to distribute the millet to them during the autumn harvest.

For more than ten days in a row, the herdsmen did not go out of the city to graze, but only used the hay they had saved in the past to feed their cattle and sheep.

Chang Sheng is not in the army these days, but stays at home to take care of his mother and raise cattle and sheep.

After Zi You recovered, she also met Chang Sheng a few times.The young man's face lost the vigor of the past, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, as if he had grown up by several years all of a sudden.Seeing Ziyou, she just smiled shyly, very reluctantly, but she could read the meaning of gratitude.

She understands the boy's thoughts, but luckily Aunt Zhang is fine, otherwise she really doesn't know how to explain it to Chang Sheng.

During the past few days when the herdsmen were resting, Wei Ling was still training soldiers as usual.Zi You also went to his army to observe several times.The three armed forces are well-trained, uniform, and full of morale, and they have not slackened in the slightest because of the cessation of fighting.When the four thousand elite soldiers of the Wei Dynasty formed an impenetrable phalanx, she vaguely saw the magnificent scene of her father commanding thousands of troops galloping forward.With loud shouts and sharp blades, this army is indeed a division of tigers and wolves ready to fight at any time.

The sun in the distant sky dyed the sky red again, Wei Ling stepped down from the platform and walked straight to a Populus euphratica tree.

The tree is empty, and the water bag of the past is gone.He was stunned for a while, and suddenly realized that the herdsmen hadn't gone out to herd for more than ten days, and the girl had been staying in the city.In the past few days, I went to fetch water outside the city by myself, but today I forgot again.

After ordering Meng Yao to assemble the army, he went straight to the outside of the city.

The girl kept looking at him and quietly followed him out.

The sunset smeared the sky wantonly, like a few pieces of red light floating in the sky.The afterglow of the setting sun dimmed and sprinkled on the vast grassland.

After grazing some time ago, the green grass on the ground has been shortened by half, and the yellow sand is almost exposed in some places.

If there are no safety hazards, it has to be said that Wei Ling's suggestion is correct.The area around Yanmen is connected to Shuomo, and there is not much rain, so only drought-tolerant crops such as millet can be grown.The thin green grass is the only shelter of the earth. If the cattle and sheep eat it, if there is no rest, the few grasslands will be swallowed by the wind and sand.

Wei Ling strode ahead, the afterglow shone on him, the silver armor glowed softly, looking warm and harmless.

His slender body cast a long shadow on the ground, and the girl stepped on his shadow and followed.

When we got to the edge of the water, the setting sun had completely submerged the West Mountain, and the twilight was coming up little by little.

After drinking a bag of cool river water, Wei Ling felt refreshed all over, and the discomfort caused by the dry weather was dispelled a little bit.He stood by the river, his clear eyes cast towards the distant mountains, and the evening wind blew past his face, raising the white robe behind him, making him look even more handsome, without the evil spirit of the past.

The girl watched his back quietly not far away, and suddenly she was a little surprised: I didn't expect that he also had a high-spirited side, and he was not like the cold ghost in the past.It is even more impossible to connect him at this time with Wei Ling who killed the killer three years ago.

Such Wei Ling was the one she admired at first.It's just that she will never forget the cruel look on his face when he drew his sword.

The girl sighed softly.His eyes were a little dim, and his hands were tightly clenched, as if he wanted to crush the last illusion in his heart.

Some things happen, and you can never go back to the past.

Hearing that sigh, Wei Ling turned around slowly, and was not surprised when he saw the girl, his face was still indifferent.His thin ice-like face lost some of the transparent luster of the past, and he felt a little worn out.

With his lips pursed slightly, he looked at the girl with calm eyes and did not speak.

Zi You took a step forward: "I have something to ask you."

"Speak." His gaze returned to the mountains in the distance.

Thinking of what happened that day, the anger in her heart began to rise again, a cold light flashed in her eyes, and the girl said coldly: "Since you let the border people go to the mountains to graze, why didn't you send soldiers to protect them? Didn't you put them at the knife edge of the Huns?" down?"

"Oh?" Wei Ling sneered coldly, "Are you angry about this?" The corners of his mouth raised slightly, his face couldn't hide the sarcasm, "I can't imagine that the indifferent and heartless Miss Zi would care about the irrelevant border residents? Or You were besieged and injured by the ghost army at that time, so you resent me?"

Hearing his words, the girl's heart was on fire again.Ever since the two reunited, Wei Ling had always tolerated her sarcastic remarks, but he didn't expect to retort today.

The anger in his eyes exploded, and the light blade in his hand pierced through the silver armor in an instant, and he lifted his skirt: "Wei Ling, what is your attitude? I just ask you, why did you send troops to rescue so late that day? Do you know You know, the ghost army killed more than a dozen border residents, and Aunt Zhang almost died too. If Meng Yao was later, I'm afraid I would also die at the hands of the Huns."

Jian Mei frowned slightly, and Wei Ling was a little displeased: "Sacrificing a few border residents is inevitable. If I garrison with heavy troops, how can I lure out the ghost army of the Huns? The reason why I have not sent troops to rescue for a long time is to see if the Huns are there. What a strength."

"Heh," the girl shook her head with a sneer, and tightened the light string in her hand, "it's no big deal if a few border villagers die, right? In order to see the Huns' fighting routines, let me test it, right? Wei Ling , in your heart, human life is so contemptible?"

"Actually, you have been waiting and watching," the girl said in a serious tone, her face turned pale with anger, "Meng Yao could have sent troops to rescue him long ago. But you have not given the order to see clearly the number of ways the Huns and I used to fight against each other." ,Right?"

Wei Ling just looked at her coldly, and the indifferent expression returned to his face. He didn't speak, which was regarded as acquiescing.

"Bang—" With a sudden force in the hand, the beam of light hit Wei Ling's chest directly. The girl's strike was extremely heavy. Although Wei Ling steadied himself, his body still swayed.

"Xiaoyou!" He reprimanded softly, his face showing a thin anger.

"Ha," the girl took a few steps back, looked at him with a wry smile, and the anger on her face gradually turned into despair, "Sure enough, I still can't have any illusions about you! Wei Ling, in your heart, there is nothing more important than restoring the country." It’s important. To achieve your goal, you can use any means. Three years ago, Guo Kai used me to frame you, and you could kill me without mercy. Today, in order to find out the details of the Xiongnu army, you can also sacrifice a few border residents. Or it doesn't matter if I die because of it, does it?"

"Xiaoyou," Wei Ling's eyes softened, and his words showed a bit of helplessness. He lowered his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "You still don't understand? Since we chose the road of revenge, we are destined to be with you." Blood and death accompany each other. Along the way, there will always be innocent people sacrificed. Since we want to obtain some things, we must give up other things. This... is impossible."

The girl was still backing towards the river bank, shaking her head and smiling wryly: "Yes, people like you who are ambitious in the world, in order to achieve your goal, you can let go of everything. I forgot that you are a nobleman of Wei State who was deeply influenced by Wu Zi Ah. When Wu Qi fought against the Qi army, he could kill his wife cruelly to prevent the king of Lu from being suspicious. Le Yang could also eat the flesh of his sons in order to show his loyalty to Wei Wenhou. So for you, it doesn’t matter how many Zhao people die. Anyway, I am not a citizen of the Wei Kingdom; if I die again, it doesn't matter, I'm just a lowly Yingmei anyway. Right?"

The girl's words were like sharp knives, piercing into his heart, and his throat felt like he had swallowed a bitter medicine, unable to utter a word.

The girl still staggered back, her eyes filled with a miserable smile.

"Xiaoyou! Stop!" Wei Ling took another step forward, with panic in his eyes.

The girl seemed to have never heard of it, but she still said: "Fortunately, I didn't believe you again! You said you were indebted, you said compensation, it's all a lie! You saved me many times, just because of our deal. Now the assassination of Qin failed, It doesn't matter if I die, right? That's right, for a Yingmei, death is not a pity!"

"Enough!" Wei Ling took a step forward and grabbed the girl's body. His face was full of anger and pain, and his blue eyes were tumbling, gloomy and terrifying. "You misunderstood! At that time you were besieged by the Huns , I’m watching, it’s impossible to hurt you. Once you are in danger, I will save you in time. Aren’t you fine now?”

"Really?" The girl raised her face, with a vicious look on her face, "I'm fine now, but what's the point of you saying this afterwards!?"

She took a breath, broke free from Wei Ling, and squinted at him, her eyes full of disappointment: "Wei Ling, I know, you are the kind of person who can be cruel. In order to get what you want, you can give up part of it." Things. It’s just that there is no bottom line for your abandonment? In the future, if you make a greater sacrifice, will you be ruthless? What if it makes you give up on yourself? I just don’t understand, in order to get what you want, you finally give up If you have sacrificed everything, then, even if you get what you want, what is the point!? There is nothing worth sticking to in your heart. Morality, friendship, all are worthless!"

"Give up yourself? Give up everything?" Wei Ling chewed the girl's words over and over again, with a painful expression on his face as if swallowing poison.His body trembled slightly, and deep sadness surged in his eyes.The girl's words were like a sharp knife, mercilessly picking apart his scars, forcing him to look directly at the past that he most didn't want to look back, the sharp knife gouged out his heart one by one until it was dripping with blood.

Seeing the painful expression on Wei Ling's face, the girl suddenly let out a series of hearty laughter: "Don't pretend, Wei Ling! You will feel guilty and suffer too!? Only ghosts will believe it."

She just pulled her feet back and fell into the water behind her.The girl's screams were instantly drowned in the surging river.

"Xiaoyou!" Wei Ling was startled and jumped into the river.

"Ahem." He carried the girl ashore, patted her on the back, and forced her to spit out the water.

"Get out of the way!" The girl pushed him away vigorously, struggling to stand up, "Do you think I'm still the helpless Li Ziyou in the past? The river can't drown me!"

After walking a few steps, she turned her head again and gave him a glance: "At least I'm not as incompetent as you think. I won't be slaughtered like I used to be. My uncle gave me my life. You can't take it away! You——you can't!"

Wei Ling stared blankly at the girl's back as she resolutely left, and felt something inside her body shatter.Could it be that if you take one wrong step, you can never go back?

************************

A few days later, Cheng Ting drove the herdsmen to the mountain pasture again under Wei Ling's instruction.The border residents were extremely reluctant at first, and it was not until Wei Ling allocated a hundred elite cavalry as guards that the border residents were relieved.

The hundred elite cavalry were led by Meng Yao, and Wei Ling repeatedly told him: If the ghost army of the Xiongnu invaded, he would send his cavalry to guard the frontier people and withdraw to the city as soon as possible, and they must not fight with them.

In the next two months, the Huns invaded more than ten times, and the number was more than one time.At first, Meng Yao strictly obeyed Wei Ling's order: abandon the cattle and sheep, escort the border residents to withdraw quickly, and never fight.

But every time the Xiongnu attacked, when he was covering the retreat of the border people, he saw that instead of retreating, Ziyou was desperately killing the ghost army.His persuasive persuasion was ineffective, and he was afraid that she would be in danger, so he had to send a group of troops to the girl to fight against the Xiongnu.

Afterwards, Meng Yao reported the matter to Wei Ling.Wei Ling didn't say anything, but sent Sima Shang to persuade the girl.Unexpectedly, the girl didn't even give Sima Shang face, but just said: "Tell Wei Ling, I don't expect his ghost army to protect me. If he is unwilling, this ghost army doesn't have to stay and kill the enemy. You can leave with the border residents."

"Xiaoyou, don't be willful! The young master has his own arrangements, so don't miss out on important matters." Sima Shang tried to persuade him several times, but the girl turned a deaf ear.

"Whether or not the border people are his business! I don't want those cattle and sheep to fall into the hands of the Huns. I know that Wei Ling wants to follow my father's strategy, show weakness to the Huns, and annihilate them in one fell swoop. But the situation is different now. , cattle and sheep are all dead. They no longer send out large-scale looting, but only a small force to attack. It is impossible to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

In the end Sima Shang also gave up persuasion.The girl still went her own way, and every time the Huns came to invade, she would actively fight.Meng Yao also had to allocate troops to her.Wei Ling finally acquiesced.

Due to Ziyou's tough attitude, the ghost army's several raids did not yield much.Over time, the Xiongnu army began to get acquainted with this girl, and even mistook her for the general of the local ghost army, and a plan gradually formed.