Chapter 27 Always Doing This

  The sky will darken and then naturally brighten up.

  This is Li Xian's original words to comfort Da Xi Chang Ru, he didn't say anything inconvenient, although he clearly knew that this time the darkness wouldn't last long, the Yang family's darkness had passed, and the Li family's dawn was approaching soon. Compared to the long period of chaos after the two Jin dynasties, the Sui dynasty's chaos really wasn't that long.

  When darkness fades away, daylight will break through.

  Sometimes Li Xian couldn't help but think that if he hadn't been abandoned in the snow, but had a pair of loving parents instead, what would his life trajectory be like?

  Plowing in the fields or reading by the window?

  In any case, neither of these can be considered a magnificent or glorious life.

  Scholars, farmers, workers and merchants. Although the status of farmers is not low in this era, if the world is in chaos, they may end up with a tragic fate of being left to die in the wilderness. Li Xian knows things that others do not know, so he does not think that living under the east fence picking chrysanthemums will be enjoyable in the coming chaotic times. When bandits break into the house, let alone chrysanthemums, even the fences will not be left behind, and even if the chrysanthemums are left, they will end up being trampled to death.

  As for studying hard, Li Xian was a child who had gone through many years of compulsory education. Although he wasn't a goody-goody, he also wasn't a big bad egg, his grades were very good, from graduating from kindergarten to getting into Peking University, his grades were always among the top. However, when he was in the senior class of kindergarten, he got the least number of little red flowers. He didn't get little red flowers because he was mischievous and naughty, which made Li Xian hate the kindergarten teacher all the way until he went to college.

  It is obvious that the Sui Dynasty was not an era suitable for diligent study.

  Although Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty started the imperial examination system, it is without a doubt that in the Sui Dynasty, from local to central government officials above the sixth rank, very few were from humble origins through the imperial examination. Above the fifth rank, there was not even one. Whether in the court or the military, all power was held in the hands of aristocratic families. However, scholars were still respected and could use their status as an excuse to avoid participating in physical labor.

  So Li Xian felt that his current life was still pretty good, and let the couple who had lost him regret it.

  In the future...

  Li Xian fiercely shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's just live a good life for now."

  The Xianbei cavalry had been circling in the mountains for a whole day, and it was unclear what method And Lang Changhong used to shake off the Xianbei people. A few guards escorted Ousiqing away from this unnamed mountain and rushed to the Weak Luo River bank to wait for Mo Hui's return. Even if And Lang were arrogant again, he wouldn't dare bring his less-than-a-thousand-strong army to provoke the Xi people by the Weak Luo River. Su Sheng Xin Mi had just subdued several other Xi tribes with force and was in high spirits at the time. And Lang didn't want to provoke a madman who thought he could become the Great Khan.

  Su Zhenxin is a warlike person, who launched thirteen wars in two years and established his supreme position among the Xianbei people.

  It is said that the envoy of the Turkic royal court has arrived at the Su Shi department, acknowledging the position of Su Shi's new emperor, Xi Mi Nu Ke Han.

  Since they didn't dare approach the Xilamu River, Antei had to slink away and go back to find Ha'erbin E'li Furemeng.

  On the last day of February in the seventh year of Dà Yè, Li Xián gathered all his equipment, mounted the majestic black horse, and followed behind Da Xī Cháng Rú and Zhāo Qiú Gē on the journey to Qīng Niú Hú.

  Qingniu Lake, the name comes from a beautiful legend. According to the oral tradition of the Khitan people, in a time when even the oldest Khitan elders had lost their teeth, a fairy maiden riding a green cow cart came from the Xilamulun River and met a fairy man riding a white horse from the Tu River at the confluence of the two rivers. They fell in love at first sight and became husband and wife, giving birth to eight children who later multiplied into the eight tribes of Khitan.

  Qingniu Lake is located near the confluence of the Xilamulun River and the Tuhe River, and it's not a very large lake. It's said that the White Horse Fairy and the Qingniu Fairy were married here, and the thousand-year-old ice on the shore of Qingniu Lake is a witness to their love.

  Li Xian had heard this story a long time ago, and the conclusion he drew from it was that these two romantic immortals must not be of the same sect as the Jade Emperor, otherwise they would have been caught by the heavenly soldiers and brought to justice. The Heavenly Court is a very serious place, and unauthorized dating without reporting or approval is a serious undisciplined behavior. Once discovered, the lighter punishment is imprisonment, and the heavier one is being thrown into the cycle of reincarnation as a pig.

  The story of Zhu Bajie tells us that even if it's a one-sided love, it won't work.

  Not to mention being in love with each other.

  Starting from the unnamed mountain camp, walking on the vast grassland with almost a single color is easy to get lost. I don't know how Daxi Changru distinguishes directions, he leads the way in front and walks calmly and steadily. Several times Li Xian almost couldn't help but want to catch up and lift Daxi Changru's clothes to see where he hid his GPS, looking at his carefree and calm demeanor is even more confident than having a navigator.

  Three people rarely talked on the way, Da Xi Chang Ru was no longer a cold and hard stone under Li Xian's influence, but it was also very difficult to get him to accompany Li Xian in idle chatter. Li Xian always felt that he still had a long way to go. And Chao Qi Ge was also a typical introvert, Li Xian would say ten sentences to him but he might not respond with even one sentence.

  But Li Xian was not bored. From the start of his journey from Youzhou to the Xilamulun River, he had already become accustomed to the silence of the Blood Riders.

  No one talks to him, he talks to the big black horse.

  "Hei Ma Hei Ma, I am Dong Yao, hearing is believing."

  The big black horse let out a loud snort, it was unclear whether it really understood Li Xian's words.

  "It's nothing much, you're also quite old now, it's time for me to give you a name."

  Li Xian twisted his body, making his somewhat stiff buttocks a bit more comfortable.

  "It's actually not difficult to give you a name, but it must start from black."

  "Black Pearl? Captain Jack's ride."

  The big black horse snorted hot air and neighed twice, clearly very dissatisfied.

  "Oh, I see, you're a male, and the name Black Pearl is indeed more feminine and doesn't suit you."

  Li Xian suddenly thought of a question and urged the big black horse to catch up with Da Xi Chang Ru, asking: "Master, I have a question to ask."

  "Let it rip!"

  Daxi Changru's response remained concise and clear as always.

  Li Xian didn't mind, he patted the neck of the big black horse and asked: "Do all male horses have to be castrated to become warhorses?"

  Da Xi Changru nodded: "Intact male horses are too fierce and not suitable for warhorses."

  Li Xian chuckled and asked, "So my big black horse is an anomaly? No wonder its mane is so long and its hooves are bigger than a bowl, it looks more majestic than your war horses."

  Daxi Changru didn't understand Li Xian's words at first, and it wasn't until a few seconds after he finished speaking that he reacted. He carefully looked at the appearance of the big black horse and suddenly had an epiphany. He finally understood why he always felt that the big black horse was somewhat different from others, and also understood why the Blood Rider's warhorse would always appear constrained, even fearful, when facing the big black horse.

  This guy is a slippery fish!

  Oh no, it's a leaky horse.

  "Why is the big black horse not fierce at all?"

  Li Xian asked again.

  "Perhaps it's because they've been domesticated since young, the wildness in their bones has become diluted. However, you should still be careful, uncastrated male horses are difficult to control and can be quite ferocious. The grassland people call this kind of uncastrated male horse 'ermaizi', almost every horse group will leave one of the most robust male horses uncastrated."

  Perhaps the curiosity about the big black horse finally found an answer, and Da Xi Chang Ru's words increased: "The son of the horse is just the head horse. After being castrated, the horse may have become like the eunuchs in the palace, with a sense of inferiority, so it completely obeys the majestic son of the horse. The son of the horse is very fierce and dares to attack wolf packs. Even if it's a big wolf as tall as half a person, it doesn't dare get close to the son of the horse, or it will be kicked in the belly."

  Daxi Changru's words made Li Xian feel a few more points of pride and arrogance.

  He stroked the mane of the big black horse: "No wonder you look so stinky, it turns out to be a pure dude."

  "Then you'd better think of a good name for it, how about 'Radish'?"

  The big black horse raised a cloud of snow dust all the way, snorting loudly in protest.

  "Call it Wulongma."

  Chao Xiang Ge rarely takes the initiative to speak.

  Li Xian curled his lip: "The horse of the King of Chu is called Wushuang, but it's also a castrated eunuch. How can it compare to my little black horse? No, no, let's change to another one."

  "Calling Black Wind?"

  Daxi Changru said.

  "Tacky!"

  Li Xian waved his hand in denial, but suddenly had an idea and burst out laughing: "How about calling it 'Hei Ying'?"

  "Black Shadow?"

  Da Xi Changru nodded: "This name is not bad, your big black horse is indeed very fast, and no horse in the Blood Ride can catch up with it. When running, it's like a black shadow, pretty good."

  Li Xian lazily explained his bad taste, fearing the big black horse's buttocks: "Run, Hei Gang, let them see your heroic spirit!"

  The big black horse neighed twice and galloped out with its four hooves. Li Xian sat on the big black horse, laughing and singing, just like a rascal who had just taken advantage of a young girl. The speed of the big black horse was indeed astonishing, carrying Li Xian's proud self quickly surpassing Da Xi Chang Ru and Chao Qiu Ge.

  A fart blows away all dust.

  The road of over 300 miles was not far for the three lightly loaded travelers. Although Da Xi Chang Ru and Zhao Qiu Ge's war horses were not as fast as the big black horse, they were also excellent horses that could run a hundred miles in one day. On the first day, the three of them ran out more than 180 miles, then found a suitable place to camp and rest.

  On the second day, as soon as the sun rose, the three of them continued on their journey.

  When the sun was about to set, Da Xi Chang Ru told Li Xian to slow down. They were almost at Qing Niu Lake, which was the territory of the Khitan people and they couldn't be too reckless. Qing Niu Lake was a sacred place for the Khitan people, heavily guarded, and rushing in like this would be no different from seeking death. If they couldn't see the ripples on the lake, they would be shot by the Khitan warriors like hedgehogs. Da Xi Chang Ru had come to Qing Niu Lake several times but hadn't been able to find that piece of meteorite because each time he waited until nightfall before sneaking to the lakeside to search.

  The Qingniu Lake is not very large, but it takes more than half a day to gallop around the lake. In the pitch-black night, finding the place where the iron sank that year is no easier than picking up a needle in the ocean. It's better to say that I'm relying on luck rather than memory to find it.

  Three people found a relatively secluded place to stop and rest, after eating some dry rations they planned to continue searching at night.

  Chao Xiu Ge was arranged as the rear guard, so he took the initiative to take on the task of vigilance, letting Da Xi Chang Ru and Li Xian sleep for a while wrapped in a felt blanket behind the windward slope. He lay on the slope, monitoring the movements around him. There was still a faint smell of blood in the air, and it was unclear whether it was an illusion or the battlefield between the Khitan and the Jie people was indeed not far from here. Although Qingniu Lake is located within the territory of Hedahu, because this is the sacred place of the Khitan people, it is jointly managed by the eight departments.

  The Khitan Eight Divisions dispatched 100 of the strongest and bravest warriors to guard Qingniu Lake, especially the mysterious hard ice on the lake shore that has not melted for thousands of years. It is said that only during the Ebai Festival can one approach the hard ice, otherwise anyone who approaches will be shot dead on the spot.

  "Are the Xianbei almost here?"

  After nightfall, he sneaked into a place not far from Qingniu Lake and lay down in the grass. Li Xian asked Da Xi Changru in a low voice.

  "The Xian people aren't so stupid!"

  Daxi Changru looked at Li Xian with a silly expression: "The pasture that Ashina Cheji gave to the Xi people is the one occupied by Khitan Hedahu, because it does not involve their own territory, so other Khitan tribes did not go to war with the Xi people. Qingniu Lake is the sacred place of the Khitan people, and if Elijifu dares to fight here, he will really stir up a hornet's nest!"

  "The eight Khitan tribes' elite cavalry combined are no less than those of the Xianbei!"

  Li Xian hummed and didn't feel any shame or awareness of his own ignorance.

  "The Xianbei knew this point, and the Khitan people must have also known this point."

  Under the moonlight, Li Xian's eyes shone brightly: "The more heavily guarded a place is, the safer it might actually be. I'm thinking that even if we openly surround the lake and make a circle, as long as we avoid those places with lit torches, the Khitans might not even notice!"

  Da Xi Chang Ru didn't blow up this time, instead he nodded his head in approval: "Every time... I almost always do it like this."

  PS: Recently took my mother for a physical examination, updates will be unstable, but there will be no less than two updates per day, sorry.