Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The flag representing the word Wanyan was fluttering in the wind and snow.

Wanyan Shitumen sat quietly in the big tent and listened to the information coming from all directions. Wanyan Gao and his son led the army personally but did not find the enemy. Therefore, he, Du Bojin of the Yelanlu Wanyan tribe, had to lead the troops personally to go out in this cold weather.

The middle-aged man, who was already over 50 years old, brought the most skilled hunters from his tribe to search for the murderer in the snowy area. Unfortunately, the wind and snow never stopped, and all traces were covered by the white snow.

call--

A gust of cold wind blew into the tent along with the figure. The closed curtain immediately blocked the subsequent cold air outside the tent. A sturdy young man walked in, shook off the snow and water marks on his body, took off his thick fur hat, revealing his bald scalp and two braids tied with gold and silver threads behind his head: "Father, we can't find any traces. The snow is too thick, and the other party cunningly sprinkled fox urine, and the hounds also lost the other party's whereabouts."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Shitumen glanced at his son and said softly, "Xishi, don't be anxious. No matter how cunning a fox is, it can't escape the clutches of an experienced hunter."

"Father Khan, has anyone found the other party's trace?" Wanyan Xishi showed a smile on his face.

"No." Wanyan Shitumen shook his head, beckoned him to come over and sit down, picked up the earthenware pot in the brazier beside him, poured out the boiling hot mare's milk and handed it to him: "Drink some to warm your body."

The burly young man took it and drank it in small sips. The heat and alcohol dispelled the coldness in his body, allowing him to breathe out comfortably. He then spoke impatiently, "Father Khan, where should we go to search for these desperadoes?"

"Desperado?" Wanyan Shitumen was looking down at the geomancy map, marking it with charcoal. Hearing this, he looked up at him in surprise: "How do you know he is a desperado?"

"How dare you come to my Wanyan tribe and act so rudely? You must be a man who doesn't care about your life. How dare you do that?" Wanyan Xishi slapped his thigh hard.

"There are many people who dare to come and act so presumptuously." General Wanyan Shitu lowered his head and continued to mark something with charcoal: "Do you think we are still the same as before? Apart from anything else, if the Tieli tribe was not related to us by marriage, they would have sent troops to attack us long ago."

Wanyan Xishi opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute.

"Besides, these people's purpose is too obvious." He put down the charcoal, wiped the black ash on his hands on his body, waved for his son to come over, and pointed to the black marks: "These are the attacked villages. One leads west from here, and one leads north from here. Can you tell anything?"

Wanyan Xishi was stunned: "Father Han means that they are leaving the rich places alone and just moving in the predetermined direction?"

"Hmph..." Wanyan Shitumen supported his knees with his hands. "That's right. If they were really bandits, they would definitely go after money and goods. This group of people could obviously go and attack the richer villages and tribes, but they acted like blind people and walked along both sides. This is not robbery, this is purposeful killing."

"The army?!" Wanyan Xishi shouted, then leaned forward and said, "From Huanglongfu?"

"I don't know..." The father shook his head, and then added: "According to the survivors' oral statements, they were indeed wearing the military uniform style of Huanglongfu."

"Wanyan Sheng, that bastard!" The young son punched his leg and gritted his teeth, "He even slaughtered his own people. He is really crazy!"

"It has already happened. There is no point in complaining." The middle-aged man with black and white braids waved his hand and said, "Since we know that the other party is Wanyan Sheng's men, it will be much easier to deal with them. They will not stay here for too long. They must go back to the south." He pointed at the geomancy map and said, "Set up more sentries at Ci Li Shui to wait for them."

"Yes."

……

A bigger snow was brewing. Under the gray sky, the bonfire was burning, and the soldiers on duty stood outside, wrapped in fur coats and wearing leather boots on their feet. The fur was swaying in the wind, scratching their cheeks that were red from the wind and snow. Some broken ice hung on their beards, melted by the white air they exhaled and flowed down, condensing into a crystal again.

"It's almost time." Du Fu rubbed his red hands, wrapped his white cloak tighter, and added a dry branch to the fire: "It's time to go back."

He turned around to look at the soldiers behind him wearing various leather clothes and white robes with frostbitten faces, and ordered Feng Tai and Niu Gao: "Order the entire army to march 20 miles northwest, then turn south and return."

The two sturdy men nodded and quickly mounted their horses. Soon, the monotonous sound of horns was heard under the sky. The burning bonfire was covered by ice and snow, and the experienced soldiers covered up the traces.

The fifteen hundred soldiers began to withdraw. Many of them felt relieved and were filled with a longing to return home. Although it was fun to go out to plunder, the weather was freezing. Some soldiers who had never experienced the cold had cracked sores on their hands. They managed to keep their sores from getting worse by applying animal fats and stolen furs, but the pain and itchiness were unbearable.

The horses' hooves galloped wildly, stirring up thousands of piles of snow.

……

at the same time.

Yuan Lang took a sip of the wine in the water bag and shuddered. Then he felt a warmth spreading in his stomach. This unknown wine was stolen from a village. It was unexpectedly spicy and suitable for keeping warm in such cold weather.

"Go back." The same order came out of the red-faced tiger's mouth, and then he pointed to the distance and said, "The river is frozen now, cross the river first, and then go to the confluence to meet Du Pingbei."

The horns sounded, the war horses rolled up the white mist, and stepped on the snow in the whistling wind.

Soon, thumb-sized snowflakes fell, adding a layer of ice crystal coat to the white world.

……

Since Du Fu and Yuan Lang broke into the Wanyan tribe, the news of the village being massacred also reached the ears of Wanyan Loushi in Ningjiang Prefecture. The man who had become more and more silent after Wanyan Aguda's death listened to the words of the messenger, the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched violently twice, and then he waved his hand to let the person who had finished speaking leave.

"waste……"

After a long time, inaudible words were heard in the house. A figure stood up and walked to the door. He put on a thick fur coat, picked up a furry hat and put it on his bald head. The moment he opened the door, the whistling cold wind blew snowflakes on his face.

"Lou Shi Meng An."

The guards outside turned around and lowered their heads.

"Send out orders, send out cavalry to patrol the riverside, and once there is any news, send out arrows to inform the rest of the troops. From today on, the cavalry must not take off their armor or weapons, and must be ready to attack at any time."

"Yes!"

The person who received the order turned around and ran away. His figure walked into the wind and snow. The gray hat was soon covered with white. With a creaking sound, it quickly disappeared from sight. (End of this chapter)