Book 28 - Chapter 10 – Killing Their Way Out of Nanyang (2/2)

The buildings on both sides of the street were racing backward like a phantom Ahead, there were thick shadows of you-chased-after- desperately at close quarters; battle cries shook the heavens, dead bodies were everywhere

However, the ate ide open Apparently when the Nanyang Bang ate were under attack, they knew that soate to run for their lives Otherwise, it would be difficult for the horse to juht delay, no doubt the ene spurred the horse to weave left and right in the gaps between the fighting In the blink of an eye they entered the gate of the city watchtohich depth reached about six zhang The horse’s front legs suddenly lost its footing, duround

The three rolled out of the city gate, all the way to the edge of the drawbridge before they sprang up and ran across the suspension bridge, running away for their lives to the wilderness

Zhu Yuyan and Pi Shouxuan pursued to the head of the bridge, but their strength had already been exhausted They could only stood while staring blankly at the in the depth of the darkness outside the city

The three sat dejectedly on a hilltop outside the city, looking down at Nanyang in the distance They could still see the s bitterly, Kou Zhong said, “This ti able to hold back on our little lives is indeed the Heaven’s blessing”

Kneeling on both knees, Xu Ziling spoke heavily ooden expression, “I wonder how they are doing?”

Gasping for breath, Tuli replied, “They should be able to escape! I was half urging, half forcing Ying Yu, Lu Wuxia, and the others to take Lu Zhong out and away fro out to look for you”

Kou Zhong suddenly stood up His pair of tiger-eyes stared fiercely at the fla; he said, “There will come a day ill settle all the old hatred and the new enmity with Zhu Yuyan”

“What should we do next?” Tuli asked, “Are we going to Guanjun now?”

Kou Zhong wanted to ask for Xu Ziling’s opinion, “Ling Shao, what do you say?”

Xu Ziling looked up to the sky and said, “We’d better find a place to hide first Otherwise, by the ti back and forth overhead, it will already be too late for regrets Furthermore, with our current condition, practically we do not have any capital to fight”

When Tuli woke up, the sun was already shi+ning its noble light onto the big earth, bathing the earth with its war was still sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, but Kou Zhong was nowhere to be seen

Their hiding place was in a canyon within a , where the forest was dark and dense; it was indeed a good hiding place

A streaentleath the foul wind and bloody rain of the previous night

Tuli rose up quietly Fro’s injury was the heaviest, so he needed longer ti

When he reached theunder the shade of a thick tree, looking up to the sky When Tuli ca pointed to the sky and said, “Look!”

Following his finger, Tuli saw a black dot circling above the open country, about ten li away froet

“Whose hawk is that?” Kou Zhong asked

After careful observation, Tuli said in low voice, “Ought to be Kang Qiaoli’s sparrok Finally they caught up with us here!”

The black dot flew farther away and disappeared behind a shed and said, “In the end, Ling Shao’s heart is like clear water If we did not escape last night, ould have been chased until we are unable to breathe by now”

Tuli went down on one knee next to him and said, “We have to reconsider our escape route Now that we have oneworse”

Kou Zhong said, “Your general knowledge of geography is actually better that ours, Han people I a you It would be better if you plan the escape route”

S raphy of your ht to knohat it is without hed and said, “缸怨乓岳矗忝呛湍愕男倥嫦龋悴欢先肭趾菏浚烤 [I have no idea what it is] it’s because you are ad our Central Earth’s culture, or you fancy our wealth and wo tranquil and cale of somebody’s precarious position and maybe to expand our territory This is the real reason of invasion If I don’t attack you, you will cou pondered, “However, fro the invasionback to defend our country’s territory!”

Tuli analyzed, “This is just soraphical, and social differences, most of the time you could only be in the passive position Frankly speaking, purely froth’s perspective, you, Han people are not ourStates period’s [475-221 BC] ‘Tieqi Fei Jiang’ [areneral] Li Mu Even with Han Wudi’s [Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty (141-87 BC)] formidability, both sides only ended up neither side wins”

Kou Zhong felt his face lost its splendor in a big way; he retorted, “Since that’s the case, how come your national boundary cannot expand pass the Great Wall of Yin Mountains [in inner Mongolia]? Clearly that although perhaps we are not expert in attacking, we are expert in defending”

Tranquil and even-tempered, Tuli replied, “I hope this discussion will not undermine the friendshi+p, which surpasses life itself, between us, brothers”

Kou Zhong’s old face slightly blushed, he said, “Of course not It’s just that thea bit hot Khan, please continue”

Tuli sighed and said, “If we continue, it et more unpleasant to hear, Shao Shuai still want to listen?”

Forcing a s said, “Can’t you not say such an unpleasant thing to hear?”

Tuli reached out to put his hand on Kou Zhong’s shoulder and said, “It was because I sincerely regard you asabout relative superiority, we excel in courage and strength, but you are do, theto deal with us is division and relation-by- use as the background support As long as we appear to be divided and having internal strife, you can watch the fires burning across the river and enjoy the success in peace and safety If ere to use military force, as early as when the Northern and Southern dynasties [420-589] split apart, we could have swept across the Outer Mongolia [lit north of the (Gobi) Desert] and established for on here Not only one fine Tujue Khanate split into eastern and western, two nations, Xieli also wanted to put ether, what do you think you can use to stop us fro to this, Kou Zhong was silent

The breaking up of the Tujue was closely related to the alienation policy of the Sui Dynasty This was the weak point of the cru apparent-but-not-real Tujue power

Because under Tujue’s supreme leader, the Great Khan, there were a certain number of lesser Khans like Tuli, who, each one has his own territory, the fact was that no matter who held the power over administrative and hto different place is imper apart froers on all sides, the heart is filled with suspicions and jealousy, but outwardly showing harmony and camaraderie; it is difficult to do, yet easy to be alienated’

If one could be friendly with any of the Khans, one could create conflict between the Khans

Although the Sui Dynasty failed to use ain any territory froo like the wind, having a vast desert as their hiding place – powerful nomadic people, there were actually a few schemes that have been carried out successfully

Tuli continued, “Your people rely h the number of people is a hundred ti troops is not an easy ive rise to , hence it is difficult to centralize the defense As for military expedition, we only need to cut your provision route, you will quickly beco food supplies and weary; how could you withstand the surprise attack of our elite cavalry, ere born in the great desert? Merely the weather, which changes irregularly, and the desert’s torrid heat would guarantee your defeat and doo said, “The fact is like a ainst this accusation? Ay! But could you tellthe Central Earth into pieces like what you are doing right now, executing brilliant sche Han people to beat Han people, did Zhao Deyan have any part in engineering this?”

Tuli shook his head and said, “This policy was decided by ‘Wu Zun’ Bi Xuan’s younger brother Ao Yugu Not only this man’s martial art skill is superior, his resourcefulness surpasses others In our country, his status is second only to Bi Xuan; he is the hed and said, “He is indeed for ato join the weak If we are looking at it this way, perhaps this ti fra to regain all young Khan’s military power and establish a country with centralized power By the time even the Western Tujue is united and pacified, the Central Earth will face great catastrophe”

Tuli was shaken “I have not thought that thoroughly,” he said, “But Bi Xuan … ay! What is actually at stake, it is very difficult to say”

Thiscame over to the two men and said, “Look!”

The two men looked up at the clear sky without any clouds for ten thousand li; the haas flying back in their direction

“Where should we go?” Kou Zhong asked

Xu Ziling replied indifferently, “After dark, we are going back into Nanyang Once we are there, ill act according to circumstances”

The other tere stunned