Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Qu Tucheng was originally frightened by Princess Taiping's beating, but suddenly he heard Princess Taiping mention the sweet date that asked him to go to Lianghuai to be the governor, and he was overjoyed: "Your Highness, are you serious?"

"Of course it's true!" Princess Taiping sneered: "What? Do you need me to write an oath to you before you believe it?"

"I don't dare!" Qu Tucheng was frightened to death and hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. Princess Taiping snorted coldly: "Remember, don't say anything more in the future, and don't come to my place again. Just act cautiously, and it will be of benefit to you when the time comes. Otherwise, I can let you go to Lianghuai to become the governor, and I can wipe out your whole family!"

Qu Tucheng was so frightened that he trembled all over and even claimed that he had gone out. He secretly resented in his heart: "This woman is so vicious. She uses people first. After she uses them, she turns her back and refuses to admit it. She said she wants me to go to Lianghuai to be the governor." , Who knows if this is a lie to trick me? How about I tell the Queen about how she secretly caused me to cause trouble and harmed Yang Sijian? Let her know how powerful I am?" But after thinking about it, Qu Tucheng thought about it as Princess Taiping. Even if he succeeds in reporting, he probably won't be able to hurt the other party even a hair. At most, he will be reprimanded a few words. If Princess Taiping takes revenge, she will definitely kill her entire family.

"Damn, it seems I have to endure it this time!" Qu Tucheng thought to himself: "Hu Liang has a kind-hearted personality, why did he marry such a shrew and go home? It's really bad luck for eight lifetimes!"

Since the queen got angry in front of Wang Wenzuo and the others, no matter what she thought in her heart, Wang Wenzuo and the others would have to deal with it. After Wang Wenzuo returned, he immediately sent Murong Miao to conduct a detailed investigation. The results were obtained two days later. All the soldiers who made trouble in the yard that day were given military sticks. Among them, the twenty who caused the most trouble were dismissed from the army and punished in accordance with military law. Head. This minor commotion was suppressed, but those who are interested will find that the investigators have not concluded whether the reward issued is sufficient.

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Ganlu Temple.

"So, this is the end of the matter?" The Queen put down the memorial in her hand and asked Young Supervisor Wang.

"Exactly!" Wang Shaojian said with a smile: "The Murong Parrot sent by General Wang is an old man from the North Gate Forbidden Army. If it weren't for him, no one else would be able to suppress the matter so quickly!"

"I know who Murong Mu is!" The Queen snorted coldly: "Is there really no one else behind this matter? Does this guy want to kill someone and silence him?"

Wang Shaojian coughed and did not answer. The queen glanced at the old slave and sneered: "What's wrong? Is there anything else you can't say in front of me?"

"Empress?" Wang Shaojian knelt down and kowtowed: "This old slave has little knowledge and is risking his life to talk nonsense in front of you: According to this old slave, even if there is really someone behind this matter, at least on the surface, it should not be done at this time. The investigation was too deep!”

After Wang Shaojian's reminder, the queen also understood: Those who can cause trouble in the North Gate Forbidden Army are definitely not ordinary people. If she really finds out something like this, should she deal with it or not? Instead of breaking out, it’s better to pretend not to know and wait until the future to talk about it!
"I understand, and what you said makes sense! So be it!" The Queen glanced at Young Supervisor Wang and said, "Young Supervisor Wang, you have to inquire more about the affairs in the court from now on and report them to me when you come back. Do you understand?"

When Wang Shaojian heard this, his body trembled, his face pressed to the ground, and he said: "Old slave, I obey the order!"

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Qinzhou.

After the vanguard led by Gao Yannian and Chang Wulang passed Qizhou, the road became increasingly rugged and the population became sparse. The weather is getting colder, the rivers are frozen, the mountains in Longyuan in the distance are covered with snow, and the canyons in the mountains are white. Occasionally, a foraging fox and wolf shivers from the frozen river ice. ran through. When Changgoro reached a high place and looked back, the hundreds of riders behind him were like a zigzag black line running through the desolate white-yellow sky and earth, making people feel even more lonely and desolate.

In order to prevent the mount's hooves from being frostbitten, Gao Yannian asked everyone to wrap the mount's hooves with cowhide, climb the deserted mountains, pass through knee-deep snow-covered valleys, pass through Pingliang, go to Luocheng, and pass through the rugged Qinzhou On the mountain road, we climbed over the snow-covered mountains of Weiyuan and arrived at Didao City on the bank of Taoshui River. Gao Yannian took out the military talisman on his body and handed it to the local guard who came after hearing the news: "We are the vanguard of the army. We will only stay one night and leave early tomorrow morning. The headquarters led by General Hu Liang will be four or five days behind. Please be prepared. Their fodder, provisions, and quarters!”

The local guard took the military talisman and took a look at it. He hurriedly returned it to Gao Yannian with both hands and bowed and said: "I obey my order. The local Bishamon Temple has prepared a place to stay. Why don't the two captains rest in the temple for the night and return tomorrow?" Walk?"

"Bishamon Temple?" Gao Yannian frowned. Seeing that Gao Yannian seemed to be interested, the guard smiled and said: "You two captains don't know something. This Bishamonten temple is dedicated to King Bishamonten, the god who protects military commanders. The warriors who pass through this place to go to the Western Regions and Longyou, Many people go there to worship, and it is said to be quite effective!”

"If that's the case, then I'll bother the officer!" Gao Yannian said with a smile.

"Don't dare!" The guard hurriedly sent someone to lead the way. Gao Yan, Nagagoro and the two came to the temple, dismounted their horses and came to the Buddhist hall. They saw the statue of King Bishamon in it, which was about ten feet high, wearing a flat crown and armor of seven treasures. , so majestic, the two people hurriedly knelt down to worship, and prayed: "My disciples were ordered to send troops to conquer Tibet. May God bless us to defeat the enemy with bows and arrows and win the victory. When we come back, we will make generous donations to expand the temple and rebuild our golden body."

The two knelt down and stood up. Gao Yannian asked the monk on the side about the good or bad luck of sending troops. The monk put his hands together and chanted to the Buddha and said: "If you chant the Lotus Sutra every day, you can avoid disasters, gain blessings, and get what you want."

"Thank you, Master, for your advice!" Gao Yannian thanked the monk and walked out, but heard Chang Wulang sighing beside him. Gao Yannian then asked: "Chang Wulang, why are you sighing?"

"Nothing!" Changgoro smiled: "I remember that the Tubo people also believe in Buddhism. I think the Tibetan warriors would pray to the gods and Buddhas like us before going to war to win. If we and they both chant it every day "Lotus Sutra", which side can win?"

"Haha!" Gao Yannian laughed: "The side that chants piety will probably win, right?"

Changgoro shook his head disapprovingly: "If this is really the case, then why does the general need to support us? Why not just raise a group of ascetics and chant sutras every day before long?"

"That's all!" Gao Yannian laughed: "I can't say anything about you. Ever since you became Onoya's adoptive father, you have become more and more eloquent. But it doesn't matter whether you recite the Lotus Sutra or not. We are staying in someone else's house tonight. In the house, at least you have to be careful with your mouth, right?"

"That's true!" Changgoro nodded. The two were led to a room in the side courtyard, sat down separately, and spent the night without incident. The next morning, we were on the road again. As the group of people headed west, they saw the white ice extending all the way to the northwest, all the way to the horizon. There was no sun in the sky, and the surroundings were gray and dull. By the river, a stone pagoda stands among the withered grass. According to the guide, when locals see off their friends on a long journey, they usually send them here to say goodbye. When Gao Yannian and Chang Wulang passed by, there happened to be a few people saying goodbye by the pagoda. One of them took out a bamboo slipper and played it.

"What kind of music is this man playing?" Gao Yannian asked.

"It's the song of flowing water at Longtou!" the guide replied.

"Longtou Flowing Water?" Gao Yannian remembered: "The music is good, but it is too sad. When we travel far to fight against thieves, we must compose a song for heroes to inspire people to work hard!" After hearing the words, the accompanying drummers played "Lan" "Ling Wang Breaks the Formation Song", the sound of the music is like layers of iron cavalry coming on the ground, birds start up, beasts run in terror, and people's blood will flow when they hear it. Although gusts of cold wind blew from the river, everyone could not help but puff up their chests.

Gao Yannian's army passed Didao and continued on to Long. One day, I passed a small mountain and saw that the mountain was isolated in a corner, with gentle slopes on three sides and a steep cliff on one side. There are countless caves on the cliff, and there are Buddha statues in the caves, which are quite spectacular. It happened to be snowy and sunny, and a monk went up to the cliff to clear the snow. Gao Yannian and Chang Wulang rode in front of the mountain. They could see the clear blue sky, the red wheat accumulation, the breeze blowing, and the crisp sound of the Futu wind chimes, which made people forget to hear it.

"Chang Wulang, I never thought that this place of war could be a place that makes people forget about their dust and purity!" Gao Yannian sighed: "Look at this floating dog in the clouds, fame and fortune are fleeting and fleeting, and heroes are all withered bones. Only Bodhi is as stable as Sumeru rock. , the compassionate heart shines for thousands of generations! How about you and I donate a cliff cave and sculpture Buddha statues here to seek blessings?"

"That's fine!" Changgoro didn't refute this time. He looked at the road: "We haven't reached Longyou yet, and the road is so difficult and dangerous. The Tubo area will only be more difficult to travel. I'm afraid we will go on the expedition this time. We may not be able to come back alive, so why not build the cave here first and take out a piece of personal belongings and leave them behind? If no bones are found, this will be our burial place!"

The two of them had reached an agreement, so they called the monk, gave him a sum of money, and asked him to dig a cave on the cliff. They also took a piece of personal clothing and left it as a memory, and then received it. The soldiers continued to go west.

In February of 681 AD, at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, the winter snow had already fallen, the mountains and rivers were silent, and the earth was frozen. Looking around, Longshang from Qinghai to Longyou was like a huge whetstone, with the Tang Dynasty and Tubo on both sides. They all have strong soldiers and horses, waiting for the big battle in the coming year. After conquering Hexi, the -strong army led by Qin Ling, the Prime Minister of Tubo, went down the Hexi Corridor to conquer Wuwei, crossed Wushaoling, and approached the Yellow River, causing Guanzhong to be shaken.

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By the Yellow River.

"This is the Yellow River. After crossing here, we will reach Lanzhou, right?" Qin Ling immediately stood at the ferry on the bank of the Yellow River, looking at the land in the distance. The cavalry of the Tibetan army lined up in a long line on the flat ground on the bank of the Yellow River. The water vapor emitted by the men and horses was like white smoke, shining in the sun. The silent river is at their feet. The river comes from the south, but turns eastward under their feet. The river is wide but mostly dry. Where there is water, it is covered with white river ice, like thin strips of shining light, intertwining with each other, converging or separating, stretching eastward.

Qin Ling looked at the land on the other side of the river and was entranced. There were many trees planted on the embankment on the other side of the river, but at this time the trees had all lost their leaves. He could clearly see the villages and villages behind the forest. There were mountains and mountains, and occasionally birds could be seen swaying in the woods. He frowned and asked, "Why are there so many birds in the woods in winter?"

"It should be because of the nearby villages!" the detective replied: "The local Tang villagers all fled and scattered grain when passing through the forest, so there are so many flying birds!"

Qin Ling didn't speak. After a while, he asked, "Where is the Tang army's camp?"

"Inform the Prime Minister that the Tang Army's camp is behind the opposite hillside. Several walls have been built, stretching for more than ten miles. They are very strong!"

"Abandon the Yellow River and not defend it?" Qin Ling frowned. Although he was an extreme hardliner among the Tubo people, and often verbally devalued the Tang army as worthless, he was very cautious on the battlefield when it was really hurt. Just like this This time, although the Yellow River had frozen and crossing the river was easy for the Tubo people, he still waited extremely cautiously by the river for a long time and did not dare to cross the river rashly.

"Father, you can let me lead the troops across the river first to test the strength of the Tang army!" Gong Ren said.

Qin Ling ignored his son's request to fight, but continued to check the terrain for a while. After a while, he said: "Set up camp first, and slow down the crossing of the river first!"

It was getting late, a strong wind was blowing from the northwest, and the thick shields erected outside the tent were clanking. Qin Ling sat cross-legged in the yak hide tent and recited Buddhist sutras for a while in front of the Buddha statue. Then he returned to the desk and started looking at the map again.

"Father, I have finished patrolling the camp!" Gongren came in from outside the tent, took off his armor covered with frost, and sat down.

"How is the situation?" Qin Ling asked.

"Everything is fine!" Gong Ren smiled and said: "This weather is very cold for the Tang people, but it is just right for us Tubo people. It is probably for this reason that the Tang generals avoided the battle!"

"When the Turks perished, the Tang people marched through the night in the snow and attacked the Turk Khan's tent in one fell swoop!" Qin Ling said coldly: "It's true that the Tang people are afraid of the cold, but if they rely on this and underestimate their opponents, they are not far from destruction. "

"What the father taught you, the child will remember!" Yumikoto lowered his head.

"You did a good job in Ganzhou!" Qin Ling said suddenly.

"Ah?" Yugihito didn't expect why his father's conversation suddenly changed to another direction, so he subconsciously responded.

"The population of the Tang people is a hundred times that of our Tubo people. If we cannot use the Tang people for our own purposes, even if we can win every battle, we, the Tubo people, will be the ones who perish in the end!" (End of Chapter)