(Many thanks to two old readers, "Luan X Xing Chen" and "Mudi Lang Yan" for their generous support and monthly support.)
Looking at the prosperous scene in front of him, Wang Junlin secretly sighed: "Who would have thought that in just a few years, a powerful Sui Empire would collapse?"
Because the Sui Emperor did not limit the time, the motorcade moved neither too fast nor too slowly, and it did not leave Jincheng County in one day.
It's just that the weather was originally good, but in the afternoon, dense dark clouds began to appear in the sky, rolling in from the sky. The sun disappeared, and there was a faint sound of thunder in the dark clouds.
The leader of the guard was another general in Wang Junlin's house, named Zhan Peng. Like Yu Bao, he was also a centurion leader who was injured and waiting to die in the battle last year. He was later rescued by Wang Junlin.
At this time, Zhan Peng urged his horse to Wang Junlin's side and said: "Sir, look at this, there may be a thunderstorm coming. Should we find a shelter from the rain in front?" According to Wang Junlin's request, everyone on the road
Call him son.
Wang Junlin raised his head and looked at the sky.
"Where can I find shelter from the rain in this place with no village in front and no store in the back?"
"After passing the valley in front, it belongs to the boundary of Lanping County, Jincheng County. I passed by there before. I remember there is an ancient temple. Although it is dilapidated, it can protect against wind and rain."
"In that case, let's go to the ancient temple to take shelter from the rain."
Wang Junlin knew that in the northwest, thunderstorms in this season of spring are very shocking. In addition, the road condition of this official road is not very good. It would be bad if there is a flash flood during heavy rain. Therefore, it is best to find a place to take shelter.
one time.
Therefore, Wang Junlin asked Zhan Peng to lead three people to explore the road ahead, and at the same time ordered the team to speed up their march.
At this time, two knights came galloping from the opposite side. The knights were wearing raincoats and could not see their faces clearly. They passed by the convoy without any interaction.
Wang Junlin didn't pay attention. When the convoy passed through a valley, Zhan Peng sent someone to report that the ancient temple was still there and empty, so it could take shelter from the wind and rain.
"Everyone, if you hurry up, it looks like the thunderstorm will come soon."
Wang Junlin kept urging the carriage and horses to speed up, and the sound of thunder in the dark clouds became clearer and clearer. The clouds were thick and getting lower and lower, and you could vaguely see the silver light flowing continuously in the clouds, and the breath of thunderstorm also followed.
Rich.
As the road turned, two more knights in raincoats passed by the convoy.
There was a crack and thunder, followed by heavy rain. At first, the rainwater was as big as a grain of rice, but then it became bigger and bigger. The cold rain hit my face and it hurt.
After a while, I looked around and saw a vast curtain of rain in front, back, left and right, and I couldn't see the road clearly.
"Speed up and take shelter from the rain in the ancient temple."
Such heavy rain made it difficult to travel, not to mention rushing.
"What the hell is the weather like this? It was fine in the morning, why did it suddenly change its face?" Yu Zimo cursed carelessly.
The convoy hurriedly arrived at the ancient temple Zhan Peng mentioned. This is a Buddhist temple that was built in an unknown year. It has long been abandoned and dilapidated. Two or three courtyard walls have collapsed, and there is a main hall in the temple.
, and more than a dozen dilapidated side rooms. The statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva is enshrined. However, due to disrepair over time, the gold paint on the statue has fallen off and become mottled.
Zhan Peng had ordered people to clean the main hall and lit a bonfire from the hall to sweep away the gloom in the hall.
Wang Junlin and Li Chun went in by themselves. The guards stopped to unload the goods and gathered the horses together. Yu Zimo went to help without saying a word, but Wang Junlin did not stop him.
The original scale of the ancient temple should not have been too small, because a stable was found.
Of course, the blood-maned horse would not stay with the other horses, and Wang Junlin did not tie him up, but led him directly outside the porch of the Main Hall.
At this time, the rain was getting heavier and heavier.
The main hall of the ancient temple has begun to leak rainwater.
The rainwater flowed down the walls and beams, and gathered into puddles on the uneven ground. Fortunately, there was no wind leakage, and no one felt much coldness.
Wang Junlin personally walked around the ancient temple and found a well in the back hall of the Main Hall. However, the water in the well had already dried up. In addition, several parts of the gable wall had collapsed. Wang Junlin thought for a while,
Someone pushed the vehicle over and blocked the gap in the gable wall.
"Brother Wang, although this place is a bit desolate, I have never heard of any bandits. Are you being too careful?" Li Chun couldn't help but ask.
Wang Junlin said: "Be careful when sailing. Just now on the road, two waves of people passed by us in the heavy rain. They seemed to be what the thieves on the Green Forest Road called flag-pulling. Everything in my truck, every item
They are all worth thousands of gold. Maybe the experienced thieves on the green forest road will find out and target us. Although this may not be the case, it is always right to be more careful when going out. "
Pulling the flag is a slang term on the green forest roads in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, which means spies, ears and eyes, and eyeliners.
Although Li Chun felt that Wang Junlin was being too cautious, when Wang Junlin said this, he felt that there was no harm in being cautious.
So he had nothing to do, so he walked around with King Zheng Junlin, and Wang Junlin made arrangements for everything that should be paid attention to.
Then the two returned to the Guanyin Hall and saw that Zhan Peng had led people to set up another bonfire and began to cook food.
"Uncle Master, will there be thieves coming?" Yu Zimo ran over, holding his two hammers, with an excited face. Ever since Wang Junlin worshiped Yu Juluo as his teacher, Yu Zimo has called Wang Junlin his teacher.
uncle.
Wang Junlin and Li Chun walked over and sat next to the bonfire. The little lynx immediately rushed forward and started playing with him. While Wang Junlin was playing with the little lynx, he said with a smile: "Zimo, some thieves may come.
Steal our things, and if there are few people there, use your hammer to kill them all."
"Okay, Uncle Master, you have to keep your word." Yu Zimo said happily.
Wang Junlin pulled Yu Zimo to do it next to him and said: "But you must listen to me later. Whenever I ask you to do it, you do it. You can hit whoever I ask you to, otherwise you are not allowed to do it."
"Uncle, don't worry. When I came here, my grandfather and father told me to listen to you." Yu Zimo scratched his head and said with a simple face.
After adding some firewood to the bonfire, it began to smoke. Wang Junlin and Li Chun walked to the door of the Guanyin Hall and looked out. The rainwater flowed down the corrugations of the hall and turned into strings of beads.
"This damn rain, I don't know when it will stop."
Li Chun cursed in a low voice, stepped out of the hall threshold, stood on the porch steps and looked into the distance. One of the mountain doors was missing, and the other one was leaning crookedly, crumbling in the wind.
Wang Junlin looked up at the rain and said, "Brother Li, maybe we will have to stay here today."
Li Chun sighed and said, "If it doesn't stop raining after nightfall, that's the only way it can be."
At this moment, the little lynx that was lying down suddenly turned over and barked at the rain outside. Almost at the same time, the blood-maned horse on the porch began to move uneasily.
Wang Junlin and Zhan Peng looked at each other, walked out of the hall, and stood on the porch, squinting and looking into the distance while comforting the blood-maned horse.
In the darkness, I saw vague knights jumping, and faintly, there were people shouting and neighing.
"Prepare for war."
Wang Junlin gave an order, Zhan Peng and twenty guards immediately set up their bows and arrows, occupied the favorable terrain, and aimed outside.
"Ah! Junlin, these are really thieves. How many people are there? How about we escape as soon as possible!" Li Chun looked worried, rushed out of the wing, and asked Wang Junlin.
"I'm afraid there are hundreds of people coming, and there is only one exit in this temple. Escape will only be blocked by them on the road, which is even more disadvantageous. It is better to wait here for work." Wang Junlin said lightly. He had never seen any battles. Although there were
Worried, but not at all panicked. In fact, from Zhanpeng down, the twenty guards, although their expressions were dignified, were not panicked, but had murderous intent on their faces.
As for Yu Zimo, he laughed wildly, holding two big hammers with a fighting spirit on his face. If Wang Junlin hadn't stopped him, everyone would have rushed out.
"What should I do?" Li Chun was anxiously making a fuss in the temple, while Zhan Peng and others looked contemptuous. When Wang Junlin saw this, he thought that Li Chun was a technical talent, but he was too courageous and mentally ill.
No wonder Yu Juluo doesn't like it very much.
Wang Junlin had no time to pay attention to Li Chun. He squinted his eyes and kept looking into the distance. In the dark night, the beating firelight was getting closer and closer, and the sound of people shouting and horses neighing became clearer. It seemed that there were no less than
Four hundred, all cavalry.
It is normal for such a group of horse thieves to appear in the Western Regions, but it is unnatural for such a group of horse thieves to appear in Jincheng County. Although there are bandits in the nearby mountains, some of which are hundreds of people, these people cannot get together.
There are so many war horses.
"Sir, there is a steep hillside leading out from the side door of the backyard. The blood-maned horse can definitely climb it. Why don't we stop the thieves and you retreat first..." Zhan Peng came to Wang Junlin and whispered. But before he could finish,
Wang Junlin glanced at him and snorted coldly, and he did not dare to say any more.
"Pile all the chariots and chariots at the gap in the gable wall. Zhan Yong, take everyone to prepare bows and arrows, divide your manpower, and guard the gap. Zi Mo, you guard the main gate. Don't let the thieves rush in, but you must pay attention to your own safety.
I climbed over the mountain wall, went around behind them, and killed them by surprise." Wang Junlin suddenly said.
As the thieves continued to approach, Li Chun couldn't help but take a breath: "Junlin, there are a lot of people coming. I'm afraid we can't hold on, so why don't we escape!"
Wang Junlin ignored Li Chun. He led the blood-maned horse through the temple and came to the backyard. There was a side door leading to an extremely steep hillside. It was difficult for ordinary war horses to go up, but for the blood-maned horse, it was nothing.
Difficult matter.
After descending the hillside and detouring for four or five miles, you can reach the main road facing the entrance of the ancient temple. Wang Junlin prepared to take advantage of the heavy rain to cover up and kill the enemy from behind.
PS: One update will be sent out late at night, and the other update will be sent out after getting up.