Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 394

Chapter 394 Lighting a Lamp and Drinking Wine, Going to the Underworld Together

The sun was blazing in the sky and the world was boiling. The mountain of flames that was barren was like a pill furnace that Sun Wukong had kicked down from the Heavenly Court. It emitted layers of heat waves that were almost visible to the naked eye.

Gaochang Imperial City was located in the embrace of Flame Mountain, just like a steamer.

Qin Shubao sat upright in the Governor’s Mansion, his left hand holding the seal and his right hand brandishing the slightest bit, constantly busy with the folding of the books.

A peak weathered martial artist like him had a heart that was as calm as ice, and his face didn’t change even when his saber and axe turned around. At this moment, even though his back was drenched in sweat, his expression was still as calm as ever.

It had been more than half a month since they entered the Governor’s Mansion, and everything was normal. The subjects of Gao Changguo, even below King Qu Zhisheng, did not show too much hostility or abnormality. The initial worry and gloom gradually dissipated, and the various tasks of the Governor-General’s Mansion gradually stepped onto the right track.

Normally, Dadu Huqin Shubao would deal with military, government, and civil affairs after morning discussions like this. In the afternoon, he would leave the city to inspect the Tang army camp and parade. At night, he would stay in the Governor’s Mansion of Gaochang Imperial City.

The two civil servants who waited on Mo were sweating profusely. However, no matter how much sweat poured down his face, he didn’t care about it. Old Marshal Qin Shubao had always been stern and fierce in Congo, and when he did a proper job, he would devote himself wholeheartedly to it. The generals who followed him had no choice but to be meticulous.

However, today, the civil servants on both sides discovered that Qin Shubao, who had always been a carefree and capable old marshal, was moving half a beat slower than before, as if he had more than enough strength left in his heart. Moreover, when he was reviewing the folders, he put aside his pen and rested a few times, and his face lost its usual rosy luster.

“Has Marshal ever been tired? Ill?” Asked the left and right.

“It doesn’t matter. Perhaps I’m a little unconvinced.” Qin Shubao drank a cup of tea and said, “Take care of these folds as soon as possible and leave the city in the afternoon to deliver food to Xue Rengui. Our soldiers are stationed outside the city too bitterly. I’ll think of a way to get some medicine soup to relieve the heat in the past two days and hurry up and deliver it.”

“Yes, Marshal.” The left and right sighed in their hearts. This time, the troops that had followed Qin Shubao to Gaochang had suffered a lot. It was needless to say that he had successfully conquered Gao Chang in the end, but he still had to stay outside the city to endure the bitterness. It was certain that the scorching heat of the heavens and earth would cause illness, and even the herbs and ingredients were inadequate.

It was not so much the impeachment of Zhubing Town that showed the unparalleled benevolence and domineeringness of the Tang Empire, but rather … these soldiers were simply exiled!

Half an incense stick had just passed when the pen in Qin Shubao’s hand suddenly trembled and almost fell onto the paper.

“Marshal, what’s wrong with you?” Exclaimed the left and right. They saw that Qin Shubao’s complexion was already extremely bad, as if a seriously ill person had revealed a grey color. His body was also trembling slightly, and beans of cold sweat were dripping down his forehead.

“No … no harm! Perhaps I ate something dirty, causing trouble in my stomach.” Qin Shubao forcefully grasped the pen rod and said, “Quickly finish the batch of folded books. I, Xiao Zhuang, will send the folded books to Qu Zhisheng as soon as possible and have him distribute them for execution.”

“Yes, Marshal. Why don’t you let this lowly one deliver rations this afternoon? There’s no need for the marshal to personally do such a trivial thing. The marshal is in bad health and needs to rest well. This lowly one will call in a military doctor later.”

Qin Shubao frowned and unconsciously reached out to cover his stomach. He nodded his head gently, “Alright, you must personally hand over the herbs to Rengui and sign the report. There is no need for a military doctor. There is no need for a minor illness. There is no need for a mediocre person to bother about it.”

Forty kilometers away from the northern foot of Flame Mountain, there was a rare green forest and grassland, the Green Continent. It was a small famous Green Continent tribe with a radius of more than forty kilometers. Traders traveling along the Silk Road often stayed here. After a long time, there was more prosperity and vitality in this place. However, due to the recent chaos of war, the merchants and customers were cut off from the chaos of war and gradually turned into a dead zone.

Last night, the winds were high and night was dark. A large number of people quietly poured into the oasis and settled down. They did not cook or hunt, whispered horseshoe-wrapped cloth in a low voice, and behaved like ghosts.

The few remaining houses and inns in the oasis were forcefully occupied by them. Anyone who encounters strangers will be silenced without asking for any reason.

Many innocent travelers had their bloody scimitars and a shocking wolf-head flag in their eyes before they died.

Wolves, Turkic totem!

In the inn of the Han people in the center of the oasis, Hu Bing was surrounded by scimitars. The tables and chairs in the middle of the hall were swept clean, replaced by a thick carpet of sheepskin. A few people were sitting on it, drinking thick white goat milk wine.

One of them sat at the core, while the others lined up in a fan-shaped pattern. The head of the sheep that had just been roasted was facing his direction. It could be seen that this person was the leader of the crowd.

This person had a tiger’s back and a bear’s waist, his beard running towards Zhang Wanru’s lion-like, hawk-hooked, large-nosed, deep blue eyes, and his cheekbones were even more prominent than those of an ordinary Hu. When he opened his mouth to drink, he revealed a large bloody mouth.

Seeing this person, everyone thought of an animal-a bear!

“General Nishu, I just received a secret letter from Gao Changguo saying that everything is ready. Our army can set off in the evening and enter the city at night!” Said the left-headed man.

“Mud cooked” is the name of the Western Turkic tribe, is also a surname, and is the major family name. The bear-like man was currently the highest military commander of the Norland of the Western Turkic Empire. He had once swept across the desert and won all battles. He was the number one general in the Norland, Ni Shuchuo, by himself.

Ni Shuchuo glanced at the man, his gaze as cold as a carnivore. Even though it was his trusted aide, the person who had just spoken couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

“I have no interest or trust in Qu Zhicheng.” Ni Shuchuo spoke, but his voice was not as rude as he had imagined. Instead, it was very calm, but his voice was full of energy. “Who sent the secret letter?”

“It’s our own people. Previously, the Khan sent them to Tutun and Bile in Gaochang.”

“That’s more like it. Looks like the time is ripe.” He sipped a glass of milk wine and sighed, “It’s a pity that Qin Shubao, the unparalleled tiger general, died of such a despicable trick! It’s a pity that I can’t fight against him fairly and justly in this life!”

“General, since Great Khan has personally sent a general here, it can be seen that this battle is very important.” Close to the waiter said, “the han people do not have a common saying, called never weary of war. That Qin Shubao is valiant and invincible, and he also has Pu Changhai and Xue Wanche as backup. If we want to fight head-on, even if our army wins, we will still have to suffer countless casualties. If we kill Qin Shubao and defeat the Tang army in this battle, then only our Norland will be left in the Western Regions. Who would dare to refuse? In the end, this debt will only be on Qu Zhisheng and Gao Changren, and it has nothing to do with me. “This is a net profit and no loss business!”

“You only know how to hear rumors. How can you have insights?” The mud sipped and snorted coldly, “Great Khan only decided to make an enemy of Tang after listening to the instigation of the Tibetan brat Garqin Mausoleum.” I don’t have a good impression of this kid from Garqin Mausoleum. During the ten-odd battles that lured Qin Shubao far away from Lanzhou and into the Western Regions, he scourged the old, weak, and disabled soldiers and only faked battles, causing us and Gao Chang’s horses to lose countless lives. In the end, he still wants to use us to deal with Qin Shubao, but he just sits on the sidelines and waits for the benefit of the fisherman. “Whether this battle succeeds or fails, there is no loss to him at all. That is the real net profit business!”

“But … this is indeed beneficial to us!” The waiter said timidly, “Tang Ting took down Gaochang and stationed troops to impeach him. He recruited people and set up the Governor-General’s Mansion. He is willing to lower the Western Regions’ power one by one. His ambition is not small! When they gradually take root here, they will sooner or later unite with Nanting to attack me. At that time, it will be really too late!”

“Hmph” Ni Shuchuo snorted in anger and helplessness, “I don’t know that? … If it wasn’t for this, how could I personally lead the troops here? One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. There will be no two overlords in the Western Regions. Just as we were about to take down Nantian and dominate the Western Regions, Tang Ting extended his hand in. Although I am quite disdainful of such a treacherous person as Gaer Qinling, I know very well that it would be extremely difficult to win without this scheme. It’s a pity that Qin Shubao, the hero of my generation, has been admired by all of us! ”

After noon, a large number of Liangmo convoys were escorted to the Tang army camp in Flame Mountain. Xue Rengui personally went out in full clothes and carefully counted them into the warehouse. After finishing, Xue Rengui asked the escort officer why the marshal had not personally come to the military parade today.

The extraction officer truthfully reported that the marshal was in bad health, so he could not personally come.

Xue Rengui frowned and said, “You and I both know Marshal’s temperament. Even if the heavens collapsed and the earth fell, he did not change his stance. This general saw that he was still intact yesterday. Why is his illness so heavy that he is unable to travel today? Is there anything strange about it?”

The escort officer was stunned for a moment and said, “The marshal only said that the food is not clean and the soil is not suited. In addition, there is nothing unusual about it!”

“Really?” Xue Rengui stared at him.

“Indeed … so it is! The marshal also instructed the general to distribute these soups as soon as possible to relieve the soldiers’ sufferings.”

Xue Rengui pondered for a moment and nodded. “Please report to the commander-in-chief. Tell him that he will execute the military order at the end of the day. After that, Gao Changkai will visit the commander-in-chief in person tomorrow morning. He will immediately return to the military affairs department!”

“Yes, this lowly position will definitely be brought to you. General Xue, then this lowly position will take my leave!”

“Wait!” Xue Rengui suddenly shouted, shocking the escort officer.

“This general is still a little worried. I will follow you to the city to visit the Marshal now.” Xue Rengui said.

“That’s good. I’m afraid the general will blame the general for abandoning his post because of his personal dereliction of duty!” The escort warned cautiously, “Wait for this humble position to report first. The general will visit again tomorrow. It won’t be too late for this night.”

Xue Rengui frowned and pondered for a moment before nodding, “Alright, I will carry out the military order first. You can go and greet the marshal on my behalf.”

“Yes.”

Late at night, the moon was like a mirror, and the wind howled.

The surroundings were completely silent. In the backyard of the Governor-General’s Mansion in Gaochang Imperial City, there were suddenly two fierce roars!

“Ah!–Ah!!”

“Marshal, what’s wrong?”

Several people rushed into the door and found Qin Shubao tumbling down from the bed with a pool of blood on the ground. Qin Shubao’s entire body twitched into a ball, and black blood kept spitting out from his mouth.

“Marshal!!!”

A moment later, a medical officer arrived in a panic. He was not even able to check his pulse and was immediately frightened. He whispered, “This … this! The Marshal was clearly poisoned!”

“What?!” The surrounding people cried out in alarm.

“What’s going on? What’s going on? What’s wrong with Enshuai?” A thunderous roar came from outside the door. Immediately after, a huge man covered in a shiny iron tower burst into the room. He was naked and wore only one pair of underpants, Yuwen Hongtai.

“Hong Tai, don’t be noisy!” Qi Bi stepped forward to block him and said in a deep voice, “Great Marshal has been poisoned!”

“What?!” Yuwen Hongtai was stunned. He stared at Qin Shubao with his bell-like eyes wide open and shook his head blankly, “This is impossible, how is this possible! Enshuai eats with us every day. How could he be poisoned so badly, while we are fine?”

The doctor whispered timidly, “Perhaps the thief poisoned the general’s bowl or tea alone-this is clearly arsenic poison. The poison has already entered his bones and is incurable!”

“Ah!–Ah!” Yuwen Hongtai roared like a tiger. He desperately pushed aside the surrounding people and knelt down on the bed. He immediately cried like a child, “Benefactor, you can’t be alright! If anything happens to you, how can I explain it to Third Brother?”

“Hong Tai, don’t make any noise, let alone cry. What kind of manners do you have, a dignified general?” Half lying on the bed, Qin Shubao’s face was already ashen. His expression was still as cold as a knife. He forcefully raised his middle qi and said in a deep voice, “Qi Bi He Li, Yuwen Hongtai, pass on my orders. Everyone in the Governor’s Mansion, gather together and prepare for battle!”

Yuwen Hongtai burst into tears and dragged Qin Shubao out of bed, shouting, “Enshuai, get up and let me carry you! Let’s leave Gaochang for the barracks, lead the army back to Lanzhou, and meet Third Brother back in Lanzhou!”

“No nonsense!” Qin Shubao shouted loudly, then coughed violently and spat out blood.

Qi Bi He forcefully endured his grief and indignation, and called for a few lieutenants to forcefully pull Yuwen Hongtai away. He clasped his fists and loudly said, “General Mo, accept my orders!”

“Hong Tai, bring me my weapon and armor and mount my horse!”

After half an incense stick of time, Sha Zhentian was surrounded outside the Protectorate. Countless torches illuminated the night sky. As the crowd hissed, they heard someone shouting in unison, “Qin Qiong, surrender! Leave the entire corpse!”

In the courtyard, the five hundred soldiers who had accompanied Qin Shubao into the city were all present. The man’s armor was saddled on his horse, and the torches were brimming with sabers and blades.

Silence.

Qin Shubao pushed aside his left and right support and walked out of the room step by step. When he stood in front of the steps, Yuwen Hongtai handed over his tiger-headed golden spear. Qin Shubao took the spear and heavily paused on the ground, shattering the brick slab’s tiger might.

A small soldier came forward to report that the Protectorate had been surrounded by at least three thousand soldiers and horses. It was the main force of the Western Turks, the elite wolf cavalry.

“Got it. Leave.” Qin Shubao replied indifferently and said, “If you are willing to surrender, just take off your military robes and leave quietly. I will not blame you. However, don’t call yourself a Tang person from now on.”

“I’d rather die than surrender. I swear to follow the Marshal to the death!” The five hundred people replied in unison.

Qin Shubao nodded slightly and then asked Yuwen Hongtai, “Hong Tai, why do you have blood on you? Did you leave the manor to fight without obeying our orders?”

Yuwen Hongtai gritted his teeth ferociously and said hatefully, “I killed all the servants in the Governor’s Mansion! I don’t know which son of a bitch poisoned Marshal Enshuai, but it’s one of them anyway. All of them deserve to die!”

“The real murderer has long since escaped. You have indiscriminately killed innocent people.” Qin Shubao did not scold him, but a rare gentle elder. He whispered softly, “In the future, follow Saburo. You must restrain your temper and refrain from making mistakes. Bring him a message for me. Please make sure he remembers it …”

“I’m not leaving!” Yuwen Hongtai suddenly shouted, “Even if I die, I will die with Enshuai! Enshuai is Third Brother’s biological father, and he is also my biological father! My biological father is about to die, how can I leave? That’s not a beast!”

The five hundred soldiers all looked at Qin Shubao and Yuwen Hongtai with tense expressions.

Qin Shubao stared at Yuwen Hongtai for a moment. His old eyes seemed to flicker with sparkling light. His gray beard trembled a few times and he almost powerlessly moaned, “This is a military order.”

Yuwen Hongtai wanted to shout again. Qi Bi hurriedly came forward to stop him and said, “Who is afraid of death if we follow Marshal to this day? Hong Tai, don’t be impulsive. Listen to Marshal’s arrangements. There must be a reason.”

The shouts outside the courtyard grew louder and louder, and it became clearer-“Qin Qiong, you can avoid death if you surrender!” “If Qin Qiong surrenders, she will be spared death!” …

“Did you hear that? They actually want me, Qin Qiong, to surrender! Hahaha!” Qin Shubao suddenly laughed out loud, and he heavily stopped the tiger-headed golden spear in his hand on the green brick stone slab. He loudly said, “Yuwen Hongtai, listen to my orders. We will wait for five hundred people to protect you and kill you out of the city alone.” At this moment, it was easy to die in battle, but hard to survive. “You must break out of the encirclement and find Xue Rengui. He cannot enter the city to save me, let alone take revenge. Immediately lead the troops to Pu Changhai and order Xue Wanche to retreat to the Jade Gate. There must be no mistakes!”

“What!” Yuwen Hongtai shouted in shock, “Not sending me out to bring reinforcements, but letting me escape?-I won’t go even if I die!”

“Hong Tai … my son!” Qin Shubao whispered. Yuwen Hongtai’s face was full of tears again. He nodded repeatedly and replied, “Young Master is here! Young Master is here!”

“You are my general and close to Sanlang, so you are my son.” Qin Shubao whispered, “We can all die generously. Only you must escape.” There are only three reasons. First, you are the only one who is brave and most likely to break out of the encirclement. You have to pass on my order to Xue Rengui. This matter is much bigger than my Qin Qiong’s life and death. Second, I want you to send a message to Sanlang, so that he must remember the father’s words: the battlefield is selfless enmity, must be the national affairs first; The Qin Family has been loyal and generous to their father for generations, telling him not to disgrace the heroic spirit of his ancestors … ”

Five hundred people burst into tears and half knelt on the ground cupping their fists in salute, but they were speechless.

“Thirdly, tell my family that Qin Qiong misses them day and night … Saburo’s new father was too late for the wedding, so he only gave a small gift to his future grandson. It was an eagle flute carved from the wing bones of the Desert Eagle I shot myself …”

After saying that, Qin Shubao took out a cloth bag from his bosom and handed it to Yuwen Hongtai. He said, “When Sanlang’s child is born, if it’s a man, let Sanlang name him Qin Ying. If it’s a daughter, call him Di’er!”

Yuwen Hongtai knelt on the ground and raised a pair of big hands. He took the eagle flute and carefully put it into his arms. Then, he lay on the ground and cried bitterly, desperately smashing his fists to the ground.

“Wine!” Qin Shubao shouted loudly!

Outside the courtyard, he was still shouting, “Qin Qiong, surrender! Leave the entire corpse!”

Five hundred people, each holding a bowl of wine, stood quietly.

“Eighteen days ago, I led 502 soldiers into the imperial city. Tonight, there are 503 men from the Great Tang Empire. How delightful it is to be here and drink until you’re drunk!” Qin Shubao held the bowl in both hands and shouted, “My brothers and sons of Qin Qiong, drink this bowl and go to the Yellow Springs together. How generous of you to live and die with Qiu Shubao!”

“I swear to follow Marshal to the death! How generous of you to live and die at the same point as Qiu!”

“Fuck!”

Three bowls of wine per person, three bowls of Kangguo pulp. It was unknown how much this wine had been drunk by everyone present, but only tonight did they drink it with all their might and majesty!

“Get on the horse!”

Yuwen Hongtai and Qi Bi did not have the strength to come forward to help him. Qin Shubao pushed the two of them away, turned around, pulled out the tiger-headed golden spear embedded in the stone slab, and shouted, “General-all the soldiers, swear to escort Yuwen Hongtai out of the city!”

“Yes!”

Yuwen Hongtai wore a full set of clothes. He carried the Phoenix-winged Gold-plated Clang and mounted his horse. He took his robe and wiped the sweat and tears off his face. He shouted, “Benefactor, brothers! If I don’t die, I will come here today next year and bring the best Sanlie paste and the head of my enemy to pay my respects to you!”

“Open the manor door and follow me … rush out!”

“Ka … Ka Ka!”

The tall and heavy doors of the Governor’s Mansion slowly opened. Outside the door, cavalry surrounded by torches stood, knives and spears like a forest.

Clay ripe sipped his horse under the wolf-head general flag and squinted at the open manor door, his expression tense.

He slowly stepped out of the manor, his battle robe and gray beard flying together, his tiger-headed spear standing proudly.

“Great Tang, there are only soldiers with decapitated heads and no slaves who bend their knees … Qin Qiong is here, who dares to fight to the death?!!”