C76

On this trip, Zhang Zhou had prepared many things as a precaution. Two carts of white lime and three carts of white pole lance had all played a significant role in the battle. Those hundred jars of He Zhou Lie were originally used as a congratulatory gift!

During the battle at the entrance of the valley, over 500 people had died in exchange for nearly 4,000 beheading achievements! In contrast, Yaksha's battle record made Zhang Zhou even more satisfied. There were less than thirty people here, and twenty two-handed crossbows occupied the advantageous position, blocking off the enemy's path down the mountain. The people on the mountain did not wait for the target at the bottom of the valley, but heard the shouts from the direction of the valley entrance. They knew that their plan had failed, so they decided to go down the mountain, but in the end, more than 130 people were shot dead. In the end, they only had to escort the leader back to the camp! The rest were tied up and abandoned in the wilderness, resigned to their fate. However, Ma Heizi was severely scolded by Zhang Zhou afterwards. The reason was — when war broke out, where did mercy come from? If he kept the captives, they could leave behind hidden dangers in the future and bring about disaster! In the vast majority of cases, this kind of mercy and not killing could not make up for the hatred of "friends and family being killed"! Leaving the enemy with a chance to live, they might have to use their own lives to make up for it in the future! "The mercy of battle is the abominable childishness!

The team needed to seize every moment to rest. After all, no one could predict what would happen in the future!

In just one day, the Forbidden Army had lost nearly half of their combat strength. The warning of the outer perimeter had now been completely handed over to the torture camp! Fortunately, after some investigation, there were no signs of enemies on the other side of the valley! Zhang Zhou did not dare to be careless. He repeatedly reminded the torture camp to make sure everything was prepared, just in case!

After listening to Huo Xiaoyun's account of the entire process, Zhao Qisheng felt more and more that Zhang Zhou was a godsend to him! And on his face, there was the feeling of 'Brother is awesome, I have glory on my face'! In the end, Huo Xiaoyun hinted to the Ping Wang subtly that it was too much of a pity that the marquis was being tortured. Besides, the marquis had never investigated any major cases. The marquis' rank was just right for him to be transferred to the military. Just based on the results of this battle at the mouth of the valley, it was enough for him to gain the recognition of the military. Once the duke entered the ranks, he would have a much more promising future than being a criminal arrest! Zhao Qishui nodded his head repeatedly. Huo Xiaoyun's words were exactly what he wanted!

Zhang Zhou, on the other hand, was completely unaware of this. He was still openly extorting Tie He: "For you, so many people have died. What do you think we should do?" I can't let these brothers be buried in a foreign land!

The original boundary, after leaving the Great Yan Mountain Pass, could not be considered the border of the Great Tang. In theory, it was under the jurisdiction of the Western Tribes. He gritted his teeth and showed his sincerity, "Since Brother Tang is willing to die for me, then I, Tie He, will not be a stingy person. As long as I can succeed the throne, then the territory of this Heaven Realm will belong to the central region of the Heaven Realm Mountain, and the territories south of this place will officially belong to the Tang Dynasty. Then, I won't count as having died in a foreign land!" What territory! Material items! My people! All yours! He even wrote a contract for Zhang Zhou so that it could take effect once the King's Seal was affixed to it!

Zhang Zhou originally wanted to extort more treasures, but he didn't expect Tie He to be so generous. Furthermore, from the leader of the captives, they found out that not only was there a large amount of precious herbs in the Heaven Realm Mountain Range, allowing some tribes to survive by relying on harvesting them, there were also abundant mineral resources such as iron ores, copper ores, sulphur, etc. Furthermore, they had previously understood that the reason why the Heaven Realm Mountain was able to obstruct the wind and sand from the north was because it was a vast and fertile natural pasture. Such a place naturally had a strong attraction for Zhang Zhou! Although he didn't know how big the territory was, he felt that it wasn't a loss, so he 'reluctantly' agreed!

The team didn't set off immediately. They rested for a day and needed to arrange the wounded and dispose of the corpses of the dead!

The body of the enemy would be burnt to ashes, leaving it to fate! The victims on their side needed to be screened, cremated and taken away. The most troublesome part was the injured! In one day of battle, the number of injured people reached nearly 400. Fortunately, the pills and disinfectant wine were brought so that the wounded people could be treated in time. If not, many of the injured people wouldn't have survived the night. For an expedition team, the injured were equivalent to a burden! Especially during wartime, when they were engaged in long-distance raids, bringing wounded and possibly even dragging down the entire army. Most of the disposal methods were to leave a few people in charge of taking care of the injured, and leave some supplies for the team to take care of. In reality, that was the same as leaving them to fate and to fend for themselves. Of course, if the logistics were assured, no one would be willing to abandon their comrades!

If he headed back, he would need more time to talk about it, and he wasn't sure what Sima Guangye would do! Thus, the captured leader of the tribe became useful. The next morning, Zhang Zhou led Chen Chaoyin, the hundred strong men, and the more than a hundred torturers to the tribe that was more than twenty miles away while enduring the soreness and soreness all over his body. This mid-sized tribe didn't get much wealth, but instead, it got a group of fiendish demons. The young and robust men of the tribe had all set out to do business. In the end, not only had no one returned, their leader had even been captured. How could they even have the ability to resist? It was like the sky had collapsed in despair and panic!

The ferocious looking Zhang Zhou did not kill anyone, nor did he burn down their houses. He only gave a brief summary of the situation, saying: "You attacked the Tang Dynasty's escort team, you have committed a heinous crime and should be exterminated!" But due to the benevolence of the Tang Dynasty, you will be given a chance to be reborn. Firstly, to help take good care of the wounded, and secondly, to take the leader and all the children between the ages of eight and fifteen as hostages. When the army returns, they will bring back the injured and give back the young and strong. If they perform well, they will give them a chance to make a comeback and restore the glory of the tribe! If you're not satisfied with their performance, think about it yourself...

How could the tribe dare to refuse? After the incident, Zhang Zhou left fifty strong men to take care of the wounded! As for those captives, they had already sent men to capture them and bring them into the camp for labour!

In this war, according to Zhang Zhou's order, very few prisoners were left on the battlefield, only a few scouts captured by Chen Chaoying. After interrogation, he got a general idea of the situation! Those tribes had been threatened by the West King's Knight of the Great Sea Prairie. If they were to gather together, they would take on the first attack! If they were defeated, only half of the survivors would be considered as not doing their best, and their entire clan would be exterminated! If they won, then the tribes participating in the operation would receive half of the fortune from the wedding procession! That was why he had fought so desperately and refused to retreat! That colorful fox fur coat was from a noble family in the Great Prairie. It had brought along 4,000 people. It had been rushing for a thousand miles and had already been here for five days! How he knew the news, and why he had the guts to provoke the Tang Dynasty, was unknown! It also let Zhang Zhou know that they had wrongly accused Sima Guangye, and the main force of the grassland had yet to enter this place!

He had already sent Urwati back to Chiron to inform his father that he would send troops to meet the Prince and the Princess. He did not show himself during the battle at the entrance of the valley, and did not show himself until he had cleaned up the battlefield. He did not show himself during the war at the entrance of the valley, and did not show himself until he had cleaned up the battlefield. This Tang Dynasty's army was way too valiant! This also gave him a lot of confidence! As for the specific details of the battlefield, no one would tell him about it under Zhang Zhou's instructions!

The procession finally settled down and set out for the West. The northern part of the Heaven Realm Mountain was clearly more desolate, with most of the areas having already been desertified. God gave him face for not playing tricks on the weather. After five days of travel, he finally saw the Walta River, which the people of the Western Tribes called "flowing with gold." On the other side of the river, they met the returning Ulwati and a thousand royal guards!

However, Tie He's expression was extremely ugly. This was because the one leading the troops wasn't his father, but his elder brother, the prince of the Western Triumph Kingdom! Yet the rich man, facing Tie He, displayed an extremely sincere and passionate attitude!

"Oh, my dear little brother, you have received the esteemed guest of Great Tang for us from thousands of miles away. You will definitely receive a heavy reward for this contribution! Oh, my Metal River, why do you look so pale? Is he sick? It doesn't matter, since you have already returned home, I will get the best genius doctor in the palace to treat you! "

The rich guy didn't care about Tie He's cold face at all, he respectfully walked in front of the Ping Wang sitting straight on his horse, bowed deeply, and said politely: "This, should be the honorable Big Brother Tang Ping Wang, I am Tie He, the main prince of the Western Tribes. I thank you for your care of Tie He along the way, although Xirong is not as prosperous as Tang Dynasty, but I will definitely let His Royal Highness receive the most noble treatment and enjoyment! "I assure you, this trip will be worthwhile for you!"

When Zhang Zhou, who was standing beside the Ping Wang, saw this, he could not help but narrow his eyes. He realized that this crude, barbaric and greedy big brother was definitely a powerful figure in the Iron Estuary.

He took the initiative to welcome them and took the initiative to welcome them; he even frankly told the Prince of Ping that he was the most powerful person in the Western Tribes, and was the first-in-line successor to the throne. In the end, he used his supposed equal status to salute and honor the Prince of Pingyang and tell the King of Pingping that even though he was a guest of Xilong! But, remember, even the noblest guest is only a guest! In comparison, other than his handsome face, Tie He was not the least bit inferior in all other aspects!

The Ping Wang dismounted from his horse and said a few polite words to the man with the big words, then arranged for guards to escort the wedding procession on its way!

On the other hand, Ulwarty had a dejected look on his face as he was called into the car by the furious Tie He. He didn't know what to say! Zhang Zhou stood behind the Ping Wang, watching the Peace King walk by the side, talking and laughing. He was calculating in his heart whether or not he needed to participate in this internal conflict between the royal family of the Western Tribes! To help Tie He ascend to the throne wasn't a simple matter. The key was that the chances of him reaping any benefits were too small! He actually dared to lie to me, no, I can't take this loss!

Soon, they arrived at the dock. There were more than a dozen wide and long boats that were shaped like lentils waiting for them. After a short division of labor, the main crew followed the first ships to the West Gate of Varta!

Soon, the group was on the other side of the river. They had witnessed the exotic charm of the Western Tribes. Those round steeple houses were completely different from the Tang Dynasty. Some were big and some were small. Zhang Zhou really wanted to ask if the Blue Elves lived inside. Is there a donkey riding Afanti here? As the buildings became more and more crowded, a large city gradually appeared in front of everyone's eyes. It might not be as majestic as the capital, but the countless golden roofs under the setting sun shone brilliantly, causing these proud people of the Tang Dynasty to have a strange feeling in their hearts.

However, Zhang Zhou's eyes were fixed on a certain place. It was a square building with a sharp roof, standing out from the rest of the crowd. What drew Zhang Zhou's attention wasn't the building itself, but the conspicuous mark on the peak — — the cross!

Within the capital's Princess Mansion.

Zhao Qixuan expressionlessly looked out of the window, listening to Shi Yan's report.

"There was an argument between Prince Ning and Cai, and it was very unpleasant. When Cai Gui returned home, he declared himself to be ill and refused to see anyone!"

"A few days ago, Ning Wang executed a servant girl for stealing money from the house. That girl is ours! Right now, I'm not sure if Ning Wang knows her identity! "

"The empress doesn't make any moves. On the other hand, Lu Daiwen joined our officials in Qing Province a few days ago. The reason was to extort the merchants and accept bribes!" Now that the Ministry of Law is investigating, Cao Yi from the Ministry of Law seems to be unwilling to show mercy! "

"Sima Ming Zhu of the Sima family has a lot of activities. She had sent several groups of people to the Southlevel Prefecture. As for what exactly she was doing, no one knows!"

"..."

Zhao Qixuan interrupted his report and asked, "Do you have any of our men in Hezhou?"

"Yes, but …"

"But what?"

"We have set up a total of three spies in Hezhou, but we were unable to contact them a month ago!"

Zhao Qixuan turned around and looked at Shi Xiong with cold eyes. Shi Yan couldn't help but be shocked, he had never been stared at this way by a princess before.

"I remember that you used words like 'not sure', 'not clear', 'not clear', and so on. Now, you can't even contact me with such an explanation! How do you do it? Was it because you did not put your heart into it? Furthermore, the people from the Princess Mansion are all trash! "

Shi Yan quickly kneeled down and said: "Your Highness, please calm your anger. It was your subordinate who did the wrong thing." "May I request for Your Highness to punish me?"

"Punishment?" Great! How do you think we should punish them? "

The rhetorical question made Shi Yan speechless! Zhao Qixuan calmed down a little and snorted coldly, "Hmph, it's time for the people below to take care of this. You may leave!"

Shi Yan felt his heart clogged up, but he couldn't vent it out. He stood up, hesitated, and then left the room! At this moment, Ye Baimei walked out from behind the screen and said softly, "Your Highness, if you treat Shi Yan like this, will …"

Zhao Qixuan sighed and said, "Aunt, I know that he must be feeling uncomfortable in his heart, but I have indeed been a little soft-hearted all these years, causing some people to forget their responsibilities!"

"Your Highness, I have something to say!" I hope that Your Highness can calm down and listen! "

Faced with this aunt who brought him up, Zhao Qixuan was still very respectful! He knew that she would mention some unpleasant things, but he did not refuse!

"Aunt, just say it. Qixuan, listen!"

"Your Highness, Zhang Zhou indeed has some talent, but his relationship with the Peace King is not shallow! Even if we are to win him over, it might not be possible for us to achieve that in a short period of time! "

"Aunt, it's not that I want to do it in one fell swoop, but that I can't take this lying down …"

Ye Baimei sighed. When Zhao Qixuan was in He Zhou, she had asked to meet Zhang Zhou using a letter, but after waiting for three whole days, she had not seen Zhang Zhou appear. Zhao Qixuan had never felt this awkward in her life before!

"He might have seen the letter, or he might not have seen it. We can't say for sure in front of him, so His Highness shouldn't be in such a hurry to make a fuss about it!"

"Regardless of whether or not he has seen my letter, I will put this humiliation on his shoulders. However, Aunt, don't worry. I won't be unable to bear even the slightest bit of grievance!"

"That's good! You are someone who has done great things, you should think about it in the longer term! "

Zhao Qixuan suddenly looked at Ye Baimei and smiled. "The hotpot we ate in Hezhou was quite interesting and I really want to eat it again. Aunty, do you want to!"

Ye Baimei smiled and said, "You haven't thought about delicious food in a long time! I don't know if you're thinking about the hotpot or Hezhou! "

The doting look in his eyes was naked! Zhao Qixuan suddenly said, "Aunt, if I give you another chance, will you choose again?"

Ye Baimei smiled, but he did not deny it. However, his eyes were filled with affection and were filled with determination! When Zhao Qixuan saw this, she inexplicably felt a little jealous!

King Jing's Estate.

Zhao Qi, who had just finished practicing the sword art, handed the sword to the servant. She took the handkerchief from Yu Mancheng and wiped the sweat off her forehead, then smiled: "Practicing this sword art is more tiring than playing with a halberd for two hours!"

Yu Mancheng laughed tenderly, "Isn't it because the Imperial Advisor thought that Your Highness was too impatient? In order to let you temper your character, he gave you this sword technique? Your Highness must persevere and not disappoint the good intentions of the Imperial Advisor! "

"His temper has already sunk to the bone, it's hard to change! However, I will be grateful for your kindness. Most importantly, I will not let you down! "

The two of them chatted as they walked into the house. After they left, Zhao Qi then said, "I plan to ask Imperial Father for a release. I'll leave the capital to relax. You can come with me."

Yu Mancheng stared at him seriously and asked with a smile, "You still want me to dress up as a guard this time?"

Zhao QIng said apologetically: "No, I won't hurt you anymore. That Zhang Zhou dares to take two wives at once, so why wouldn't I dare to take one?"

Yu Mancheng suddenly pouted and pretended to be dissatisfied, "You're mentioning Zhang Zhou, I haven't seen you in contact with him for so long, you promised me that you would!"

"I remember, which one of your orders did I forget? However, if there wasn't a suitable chance, the right and proper chance would all be given to the empress and peace king! I can't possibly force my way through! "

Yu Mancheng sighed as she understood Prince Jing's personality. Asking him to take the initiative to befriend Zhang Zhou was indeed making things difficult for him. He wanted to leave the capital, but it was also because the capital's imperial court had too many schemes and plots, and the factions were too fierce. From beginning to end, he had been in a depressed state! Even he himself felt heartache just by looking at it!

"Then where does Your Highness plan to go?"

"Right now, the main forces of the Great Tang Army are all sensitive existences. I don't think I can go anywhere, but it would only attract suspicion. I want to go to Zhang Prefecture, and have established the water division for almost a year. I don't see any progress, but my father is not satisfied, I want to take a look!"

"Alright then!" However, I might have to wait a little longer before I can accompany His Highness! "

"Why? What's the matter? "

"Yes, the first batch of students has already been recruited. They invited me to attend the opening ceremony, so …"

"Haha, alright then!" "You just have to take care of your arrangements. It won't be too late for me to pick you up after I settle down!"