The days and nights on the grassland are so hot that one can't breathe, and the other are so cold that one can't breathe.

Hu Gao didn't bother to take off his sheepskin waistcoat and fur hat, and sat beside an extinguished bonfire watching a group of children playing.

Sweat flowed so much that the purple robe given by the emperor was covered with white frost. The children looked at this strange old man with great curiosity and gathered around him one after another.

"Old man, are you sick because you wear so many clothes?"

"This old man must be stupid, how pitiful!"

"Let's go find him some water and food. This old man has sweated so much and will die if he doesn't drink water!" said a little girl.

Hu Gao was about to refuse, but then he smiled and said: "Thank you, thank you."

He didn't want to drink the water, but he didn't want the children to lose an opportunity to do good deeds. If a child has the opportunity to do good deeds and does it, he will have a sense of accomplishment. On the contrary, if he simply refuses the child, they will be disappointed.

Hu Gao has been living in exile for most of his life and has thought about these things very thoroughly.

Now that he is about to die, looking back on his life, there are not many things to be happy about, so he wants to try his best to do something that makes him happy before he dies.

A group of people came from a distance, including thirty tough warriors and about a dozen women. Judging from the banners they were flying, they came from the palace in Heren City.

"Sir Taiwei, I finally found you!"

"Captain Hu, on such a hot day, it's better to go into the tent and rest."

The maids wanted to help Hu Gao up, but Hu Gao waved his hand: "No, no, I want to see more of the sun!"

The leader of the warriors knelt in front of Hu Gao: "Lieutenant! We are the soldiers you brought out personally! We are here to see you today!"

Hu Gao opened his eyes and looked: "Thank you, get up! Let's talk about the situation with Rencheng now!"

The leader shed a few tears when he saw that Hu Gao could hardly stand up and was still concerned about He Rencheng's situation.

"Why are you crying? Could it be that something happened to Rencheng?" Hu Gao asked

"No, no, no, Heren City is doing very well, and the city is more prosperous now! We came out to take you back!"

"Oh, has the Ghost Country come to the border to harass you again?"

"A month ago, many people were robbed outside Fanyang City, but we drove them away!"

"Sure enough, there is another serious problem!" After saying this, Hu Gao started coughing violently.

The maids hurriedly beat Hu Gao's back and chest. The leader supported Hu Gao and said, "Go and find a carriage for the Taiwei. Go quickly!"

By the time Hu Gao's cough subsided, the carriage had arrived.

Hu Gao no longer refused, and was carried into the carriage by everyone and headed east.

Hu Gao fell into a drowsy state and fell asleep along the way.

In his sleep, he was still at home in Luoyang, holding a book and telling stories to his wife, while the baby in the cradle was babbling.

As the scene changed, Hu Gao was whipped, his wife and children were living on the streets, and the house fell into the hands of others.

Later, Luoyang fell, and Hu Gao was rescued by the rebels who captured Luoyang. The rebel leader gave him a horse.

Hu Gao rode his horse to his former house, but what he saw were ruins. His wife and children had long since disappeared.

Hu Gao, who was riding around on horseback, saw his wife's back in front of him and chased after her.

Just when he was about to catch up, the carriage bumped and Hu Gao woke up and coughed a few more times.

Hu Gao struggled to get up and wanted to look at the scenery outside the window. The maid beside him slowly helped him up.

A maid opened the curtains for him, and Hu Gao looked over at the boundless grassland, with a large herd of cattle and sheep running eastward on it.

"You brought wine

?”

The maids shook their heads, Hu Gao was a little disappointed

"I didn't expect that I wouldn't even be able to drink before I die, that's all! Can you sing?"

The maids nodded, not daring to look up at Hu Gao

"Then you sing a song. I'm going to die soon, so I can't fail to realize even one of my wishes."

The maids knew that this was a well-established figure, so they started singing tremblingly.

The maids sang a folk song from Mobei, with the following lyrics:

"Thousands of Aries, chasing the white clouds"

"The boundless blue sky can be seen from the river"

"People going home, which way is better?"

"People who have left home, which way is better?"

"Hurry up and get on your horse, go to the east where the sun will shine."

"Hurry up and take the calf with you. There is still young grass to the north."

"Put up the tent quickly, go to the west and the moon will be higher."

"Hurry up and pick up the scimitar. Go to the south to find the treasure."

Hu Gao has been in Mobei for many years, and he also knows the meaning of this song.

Before the song was finished, Hu Gao shed tears, recalling that in his life, he could never return to his hometown, never find his wife and children, and now that he was dying, he could not return to his roots.

"Good song, good song! Sing it again!"

The maids did not dare to disobey, so they sang it again

This time the singing was no longer as shaky as the first time, and the singing was relatively cheerful.

Hu Gao also started humming along, just like an old child.

The leader who was leading the way looked back at Hu Gao, and saw that Hu Gao was radiant, had strength to sing, and no longer coughed.

The leader quickly stopped, dismounted and waited next to the carriage.

The others also stopped, waiting for Hu Gao and the maid to finish singing.

After singing, Hu Gao looked at everyone, and everyone also looked at him.

Hu Gao laughed: "The deadline is here, get out of the car, so as not to scare you! This is my return to life!"

The leader was already bursting into tears: "You will get better, and we will take you back to Heren City! You still need to drink strong fire wine!"

Hu Gao remembered something: "Bring the pen, ink and cloth quickly!"

The group of people looked at each other in confusion. When they came to pick up Hu Gao, they never thought of bringing pen and ink.

Hu Gao shook his head: "Give me a short knife!"

The soldier handed over a short knife. Hu Gao picked up the knife and quickly cut his own finger and wrote on the robe he took off.

It was written in a short while: "Put away this robe, my last words are all on it! I have told your majesty that it is my time that has come, and it has nothing to do with you. I ask your majesty not to punish you!"

"Thank you, Taiwei! Taiwei has been so kind and kind. We will repay you by being like cows and horses in the next life!"

It turns out that according to Mobei custom, if a figure like Hu Gao dies on the way, those who pick him up will be buried.

Hu Gao's last words were all pleas for these people.

Hu Gao waved his hand: "Get up, get up, women, turn your back, take me out of the car, let me die on the ground, so that my soul can return to the earth!"

With tears in their eyes, the soldiers followed Hu Gao's instructions and gently laid him down on the grass.

Hu Gao closed his eyes and began to regret again.

He regretted not being able to hold on longer, he still had many things to do.

Defend the Drifting Ghost Kingdom farther north, change the military system, abolish the burial system, suppress the wealthy families, etc.

What I regret even more is that I could not find a wife and children in my lifetime.

Hu Gao finally ended with a sigh, unwilling to give in, too much to give in to

!

Hu Gao's body was carried back to Heren City by everyone. Pajaqili stayed away from the court for three days, while Hu Lu burst into tears beside Hu Gao's coffin.

For others, the old man who threatened them is finally gone.

News of Hu Gao's death soon spread to surrounding countries.

Tubili, the Great Khan of the Green Banner Khanate, shook his head: "The last one of them who understood is gone. It seems that the Eagle God wants us to come and unify the grassland!"

The Green Banner Khanate has endured this for several years since it lost its vassal state of Gaochang and was driven out of Guanzhong.

Because he had been attacked several times, he never dared to act rashly. Now that the most terrifying opponent of the Yu Kingdom in the east was no longer around, Tubili had new ideas in his mind.

Gaochang must be taken back! Only by opening up trade routes to the west can we gain more wealth.

The Shuofang area and the Hexi Corridor must also be captured, so that we can spy on the Central Plains.

Zhu Yaoshi in the south learned of the news of Hu Gao's death and held a banquet to celebrate with all the ministers.

In Zhu Yaoshi's mind, this old man was too cunning. If the Yu State had completely trusted Hu Gao, Zhu Yaoshi might not be in the situation of separatizing the Central Plains today.
To be continued...