In the forest that was supposed to be peaceful, there was a chaotic sound of horse hooves, followed by the neighing of war horses and the exclamations of people. It took a while before calm returned to the forest.

Several soldiers leaned over a pile of corpses to check something. Soon, Ying Liang sighed. These people should be the scouts that Gui Yinghao brought into the mountains.

The death of these people was so tragic that they were all shot by random arrows. However, Gui Yinghao's body was not found among them. It is estimated that he was not killed yet, but there were dozens of people here, and there should be no one around Gui Yinghao at this time. How many people are left?

Ying Liang checked again, then stood up and looked at the soldiers on the side, asking: "Did you find anything else?"

"There are obvious horse hoof prints nearby, and there are also marks of knife cuts on the tree trunks. There should have been a fierce fight," a soldier reported with his hands in hand, Ying Ying nodded, and wanted to check. At this time, there was a rush from not far away. The sound of horse hoofbeats sounded. Ying Liang followed the sound and saw that this was Xiang Zhuang leading his army.

"General, these are all our people," Ying Liang stepped forward and handed over his hand. Xiang Zhuang's face became gloomy to the extreme. He nodded, dismounted and walked towards the pile of corpses. After a careful inspection, he asked in a deep voice, "Have you found anything? Anything else, similar to the traces of an assassin?"

"Except for some traces of fighting, there was nothing else. In addition, there were some horse hoof prints,"

When Xiang Zhuang heard the horse's hoof prints, he immediately ordered: "Take me to see quickly."

Following them, Xiang Zhuang came to a nearby muddy area. There was a lot of moisture in the mountains and there was a lot of mud. Xiangzhuang discovered the clues. These horseshoe prints were unusual. If you look carefully, you can find that these horseshoe prints have very deep marks. Iron hoof marks, that is to say, these war horses are equipped with horseshoes,

During this period, not many people knew about horseshoes. Except for the batch built by Xiang Zhuang in Kuaiji, Xiang Yu's army and his own army had many of them. Later, when the army went north, they were no longer used. At that time, most of the troops were from Hebei. In other words, this incident was indeed related to Xiang Yu.

A kind of loss that he had never experienced before hit his heart. Xiang Zhuang felt very painful in his heart. He never thought that Xiang Yu would use such despicable means to take him away, and he suddenly took him away. What was his purpose?

There were too many mysteries waiting to be revealed. Xiang Zhuang let out a long sigh. He didn't know where Gui Yinghao was at this time. Thinking of Gui Yinghao, Xiang Zhuang turned around and asked: "I just saw that there is no trace of Gui Yinghao there. Do you know?" Where is he?"

"I don't know yet, I think I went into the mountains,"

"Then let's continue looking." Xiang Zhuang turned around and led the war horse, preparing to mount. On the side, Ying Xueyue pulled Xiang Zhuang back. She hurriedly warned him: "It's already noon. If we are entering the mountain, we have to go there at night. Spent the night in the mountains and fields,”

After a pause, Ying Xueyue said again: "We could encounter a village last night, but as we walk in, other than encountering a cottage, I'm afraid I won't have the chance to find a place to stay."

After listening to Ying Xueyue's words, Xiang Zhuang hesitated, but after all, he could not give up any of his brothers. Thinking of this, Xiang Zhuang took out the token in his arms and said to Ying Xueyue: "Hurry back and get the token for me. Leave it to Kong Ji and tell him not to obey orders from the Chinese army no matter what. No one is allowed to leave the military camp until I go back."

"What do you mean?" Ying Xueyue heard that Xiang Zhuang intended to send her away. She said displeasedly: "If you want to go, you let others go, I won't leave."

Seeing that Ying Xueyue was very stubborn, Xiang Zhuang said angrily: "This is an order."

"Order, I'm not your soldier, why should I obey your order," Ying Xueyue roared,

"If you don't listen, I will leave you here alone." Seeing her like this, Xiang Zhuang increased his tone and said angrily: "I have never begged anyone, but this time I am begging you. The matter is very serious and you must do it for me." I'll take a trip,"

"Unless you tell me why," Ying Xueyue remained unyielding. This time, Xiang Zhuang did not force her, but took her hand and walked to the woods nearby.

The two walked for a while, getting further and further away from the team. Xiang Zhuang sighed: "Originally, I shouldn't have told you, but you help me and care about me so much. At this moment, I only trust you."

When Xiang Zhuang said this, he looked at Ying Xueyue with bright eyes, but Ying Xueyue cursed in her heart: "You kissed me, do you still want to cheat? But the matter was urgent, Ying Xueyue had to ask anxiously : "What's the matter, tell me,"

"Well..." Xiang Zhuang hesitated for a moment and said frankly: "I suspect that the appearance of assassins in the Chinese army this time is a conspiracy. This conspiracy may be against me, or it may be to get rid of me, but no matter which one it is, , I must stabilize the army first and not allow the army to enter Xianyang. Moreover, 70% of my army is from the Poyang army. I am very worried about the military coup. Do you understand?"

Ying Xueyue looked at Xiang Zhuang blankly. She didn't understand what Xiang Zhuang was talking about. At this time, Xiang Zhuang hurriedly gave her the token and said in a commanding tone: "Remember, give this to me anyway." Kong Ji, just ask him to do as I say,”

After saying that, Xiang Zhuang ignored Ying Xueyue. He also wanted to find Gui Yinghao as soon as possible, and then rushed back to the theater. When he pulled Ying Xueyue back, Xiang Zhuang called Ying Liang and ordered: "You Escort Xue Yue and return to the theater quickly, without delay,"

Ying Liang was still hesitating, but Xiang Zhuang had already pulled his horse, stood up, looked at Letian again, and ordered: "Give them three hundred sergeants and let them set off quickly."

Just as Lotte sang his promise, Xiangzhuang has reined in his horse and continues to head west.

After walking for some distance, Xiang Zhuang looked back and saw that Ying Liang and Ying Xueyue had left with the crowd. With blessings, Xiang Zhuang set foot on the road to the west again.

After traveling for more than ten miles along the way, Lotian Shuairen found blood stains nearby. The blood stains were very obvious. It could be seen that Gui Yinghao and others were being chased all the way. This made Xiang Zhuang wonder why they wanted to kill them all.

If it was Xiang Yu who did it, given Xiang Zhuang's understanding of Xiang Yu, he wouldn't be so decisive, but everything pointed directly at Xiang Yu, which made it difficult for Xiang Zhuang to be distracted.

Following the bloodstain, everyone walked for some distance. Finally, the bloodstain began to turn along the winding path to the mountain road aside. Xiangzhuang's heart began to become nervous. He didn't know if he would see it if he walked along the bloodstain. to the bodies of Gui Yinghao and others,

But no matter what, Xiang Zhuang has to go find out.

Leaving more than a hundred people to watch the horses, Xiang Zhuang led more than 500 people and hurried to the mountain road.

After walking for some distance, there were artificially repaired steps on the originally winding mountain road. The steps were made of rammed earth. Although the blood stains could still be seen faintly, the blood stains had faded. It could be seen that the injured person had stopped bleeding on his own. ,

After walking for some distance, a small earth temple finally appeared on the top of the mountain. Xiang Zhuang turned around and looked at one of his followers and asked, "Where is this place?"

Qinsui shook his head, and Lotte said from the side: "I know, this seems to be Zhongnan Mountain,"

"Zhongnan Mountain," Xiang Zhuang muttered silently. Letian once served as an official in the Qin State. If he is sure that this is Zhongnan Mountain, then everything will be correct.

Moreover, the bloodstains extended to the Tu Temple not far away. Perhaps Gui Yinghao and others escaped into the Tu Temple. Thinking of this, Xiang Zhuang ignited a hope in his heart, and he immediately walked towards the Tu Temple. On the side, a personal attendant He quickened his pace and arrived at the earth temple before Xiangzhuang. He knocked on the door and shouted, "Is there anyone there?"

"Is anyone there?"

After a few more knocks, the temple door slowly opened: "Creak,"

A young man wearing a silk scarf and a green robe poked his head out, looked at the crowd, and said in surprise: "Who are you...looking for?"

"We..." Just as the attendant was about to speak, Xiang Zhuang stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Taoist, I would like to ask if you have ever rescued a group of soldiers in the past few days."

"We... don't," Tao Tong hesitated and rejected, but Xiang Zhuang saw in his eyes that he was lying. Xiang Zhuang asked again: "I am the general of this group of soldiers, and I am here to save them." theirs,”

"But...but, I really haven't seen them," Tao Tong still didn't dare to admit it. Xiang Zhuang was a little angry. He couldn't help lowering his voice and said coldly: "What evidence do you need before you are willing to let me in? Besides, , this mere earth temple, can you stop me?"

"This... okay, I will take you to see Master. Master nods and I will take you there,"

With a helpless look on his face, the Taoist boy opened the temple door and put it into Xiangzhuang. Letian and others were about to enter, but the Taoist boy stopped them: "Donor, this is a place of Qingxiu. You are too violent. If there are too many people, it will affect Master's cultivation, or..."

"Okay, I'll only bring two people in," Xiang Zhuang nodded. He gave Letian a wink, and Letian picked two of his followers and walked to the temple with Xiang Zhuang.

This earthen temple may not seem big, but in fact, you can only find out after entering the temple gate that this mountain peak has many twists and turns, and the winding mountain road extends to the top of the small peak, which has a unique charm.

After everyone walked for a while, when they came to the front yard, the Taoist boy pointed to the top of the mountain and said with a smile: "Master is at the top of the mountain. If the donor wants to see Master, he has to endure some hardships."

A hut was vaguely visible on the top of the mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist, and it felt like going deep into a fairyland. Xiang Zhuang looked at the Taoist boy and said with a smile: "Isn't it just a mountain? What's the problem? I don't know that my subordinate is on the top of the mountain. ,"

"Master once ordered that as long as Donor Xiang comes to the top of the mountain, everything will be known to him,"

"Xiang..." Xiang Zhuang suddenly held the hilt of the sword with vigilance and said in surprise: "How do you know who I am?"

Seeing Xiang Zhuang's misunderstanding, the Taoist boy was not afraid. He only smiled and said: "Master is a hermit in Zhongnan Mountain. He knows everything about astronomy and geography. He knows everything about ancient and modern things. He knows everything. He can predict yin and yang. I can know the past and the future. Today, donor Xiang is visiting. My master also knows about it. He deliberately asked me to obstruct the donor and then let him in. He also prohibited the soldiers from entering the mountain. I also ask donor Xiang to forgive me."

The Taoist boy's words became more and more outrageous. Although Xiang Zhuang lowered his guard, he still looked at the Taoist boy in disbelief and asked doubtfully: "Is your master really so great?"

"If you don't believe it, the general can lead his army to break through the mountain gate immediately. I'm afraid that the general will offend the master and he will regret it in the future."

"Hahaha, I, Xiang Zhuang, am not afraid of galloping on the battlefield, so why should I be afraid of a hermit?" Xiang Zhuang smiled, led Lotte, and followed the Taoist boy towards the top of the mountain.

...
Chapter completed!