Seven or eight fast horses were galloping on the official road, led by a stout man named Du Xiao. He looked helplessly at the very familiar scene on the roadside, feeling really dumbfounded.
Du Xiao was a domestic servant of the Duke of Tang Dynasty in his early years. Princess Pingyang married into the Chai family, and Du Xiao went with her. Later, he raised troops in Guanzhong and made meritorious service for a time. Although he could not compare with Ma Sanbao, he was also slightly famous. Later, he was stationed with Princess Pingyang.
Jinyang made many military exploits.
Although he did not serve as an official, Du Xiao's name was not unknown. He was sent to Li Shan by Princess Pingyang. He thought he had a chance to display his ambition...unexpectedly, he became a special messenger.
It has only been three months since Li Shan took office in Dai County, and Du Xiao has already traveled back and forth more than ten times on the road from Dai County to Chang'an... Counting the time, there are only a few days where he can live in peace.
However, Du Xiao could also understand that Li Shanyuan was at the frontier and the court was backed by Princess Pingyang. As Princess Pingyang's bodyguard, he was the most suitable messenger.
We set off early in the morning and drove quickly, arriving in Xinzhou.
There were ten people in total who went to Chang'an this time, but they brought nearly twenty horses with them. Du Xiao looked back and saw that Li Sanlang was chasing the horse on the left. Did he lean out and turn back the empty horse without one?
When it comes to riding skills, Du Xiao feels that he is far inferior.
This time, Li Sanlang was recommended by Li Shan to join the imperial court. He had already decided to join the Twelve Guards, and he was appointed as a halberd holder under Su Dingfang and was promoted to the ninth rank.
His uncle was beheaded by Wang Junhao, and Li Shan used this to calm the hearts of the people. Regarding this, Li Sanlang felt complicated and unspeakable. He was resentful, maybe a bit heavy, but he didn't care. After all, he was his biological uncle.
Li Sanlang was worried a lot when he went to Beijing this time. His father even forced him out. According to his original intention, he still wanted to stay with Li Shan as a personal guard... But he finally got an official position. How could his family tolerate him?
He gives up easily.
"Lao Du, take a rest for a while." Zhu Ba's roar came from behind.
Du Xiao looked at the sun, shouted loudly, raised his right hand, and slowed down his horse, "Rest for a quarter of an hour."
Zhu Ba got off his horse, took off his water bag, drank a few sips, and glanced at Yuan Xiaozheng, thinking that this woman was like a girl, but he didn't expect that his riding skills were not bad... at least he was better than Lang Jun.
Well, in fact, Li Shan's riding skills are not too bad now. Even if he gallops wildly, he will not fall off the horse, and he can even hold a horse stick for several rounds.
Yuan Xiaozheng went to Beijing. This was a secret matter. Li Shan definitely wanted to communicate with Su Dingfang and Ling Jing... In the final analysis, he wanted to communicate with Li Shimin.
Such matters must be handled by the most trusted people. Zhu Ba was the first Zhu clan member Li Shan got to know. He had been by Li Shan's side during the Shandong war last year, so he was extremely trustworthy.
"I heard that Master Li's ancestral home is Chengji, Longxi, and he is on good terms with the descendants of the Li family in Longxi?" Yuan Xiaozheng asked cautiously.
"That's right." Zhu Ba grinned and said, "The one with the best relationship is the Danyang Fang of the Li Family in Longxi, and the Guzang Fang also has a lot of contacts."
"Li Jing of Danyang Fang attacked Xiao Liang and pacified Lingnan. He became a famous general at that time. His younger brother Li Keshi regarded Langjun as his nephew. Li Yiyan of Guzangfang and Langjun were Jinshi in the same discipline and had a close friendship."
Guzangfang Li Yiyan went to take the exam at the beginning of the year and also chose the Jinshi subject. He was good at poetry and admired Li Shan's poems. In addition, he was born in Weizhou and grew up in Guantao, so he came to Sun Moon Lake many times.
Door-to-door visits... Even when Li Shan was appointed to Dai County, Li Yiyan often wrote letters asking Li Shan to comment on poems and essays, which gave Li Shan a headache for a while.
While chatting, the sound of horse hoofbeats came. Zhu Ba turned his head and glanced, his face changed slightly, and he shouted in a low voice: "Lower your head."
Yuan Xiaozheng quickly lowered his head, "That's..."
"It seems to be Jiangxia County Duke."
"Li Gaoqian..." Yuan Xiaozheng actually didn't know much about the situation at Yanmen Pass, but he also knew that Li Gaoqian had been defeated by the Turks before and was his father's old rival.
In fact, Li Gaoqian was not the only one who came. More than a hundred people came on horseback, slowing down their horses. The leading middle-aged general smiled and pointed at Du Xiao, who came to greet him, "Are you going back to Chang'an?"
"The little man pays homage to the king of Xiangyi and pays homage to the Duke of Jiangxia."
Li Shenfu turned over and dismounted, smiled and picked up Du Xiao, "Why are you so polite?"
Li Gaoqian also dismounted and looked at the good horse on the roadside with envy, "It's just that Huairen has repeatedly made outstanding achievements..."
"Hahaha!" Li Shenfu laughed loudly, "Gao Qian's words... are too much. Do you think I don't know?"
As he spoke, Li Shenfu pulled Du Xiao and pointed at Zhu Ba. Both he and Li Gaoqian recognized this personal guard around Li Shan.
"Gao Qian was able to share the benefits, but Huairen was generous." Li Shenfu lowered his voice, "Could it be that I..."
Zhu Badu was speechless. A county prince publicly asked for a bribe, and in such a tone... You gave Li Gaoqian benefits, and even if Li Gaoqian is in decline, you will still give them back. Am I not qualified as a prince?
Du Xiao, on the other hand, didn't take it seriously. He had known Li Shenfu since he was a child. Although he was crowned a county king, he was young and dignified and was not feared by his subordinates. He spoke and behaved quite casually.
After hesitating for a moment, Du Xiao pointed to the tall horses on the roadside, "They are all good horses sent to Chang'an. I don't know their temper yet. Please ask the King of Xiangyi to tame them."
Li Shenfu smiled, "So generous?"
Zhu Bamian has an unswerving look. Such a horse in Jingzhao costs at least thirty or forty thousand dollars. Li Shenfu doesn't think it's enough?
This is too greedy!
After a pause, Li Shenfu asked his guards to pick out two horses, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Huairen's benefits will not be in vain, and there will be rewards in the future."
Li Shenfu himself is not very ambitious. Anyway, he will only be a county king in this life, and he will never climb to the prince level. He has always been the governor of Bingzhou and is away from home. The main reason is that he does not want to be involved in the battle for the right to inherit the throne.
Li Shenfu also clearly sees the current situation in Hedong. Li Shan's weight is really not light, and from various angles, he is trying to maintain a good relationship with Li Shan.
On the one hand, Li Shan was favored by Li Yuan, and he had Princess Pingyang as his backing. On the other hand, both parties were quite dissatisfied with Liu Shirang... Of course, Li Shenfu didn't know that in Li Shan's mind, he, Li Shenfu, and Liu Shirang is not a good guy.
Moreover, Li Shenfu also considered that the battlefield was dangerous and that Li Shan, a master of medicine, might one day be needed... Princess Pingyang was seriously injured at the beginning of the year, and Li Shenfu felt that there was no way to recover.
After chatting for a few more words, Li Shenfu and Li Gaoqian rode away. Zhu Ba breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at Yuan Xiaozheng, who kept his head down.
"Wait a moment, we will set off later." Zhu Ba walked over and whispered. Seeing Yuan Xiaozheng's pale face, he couldn't help but ask: "What's wrong?"
Yuan Xiaozheng took a deep breath and replied in a low voice: "I just saw an old friend... the tall and thin man behind Li Gaoqian."
"That's..."
"Cao Chuantuo." Yuan Xiaozheng whispered: "First he was Liu Shirang's general, then he surrendered to my father, then he turned to Manzheng, and he was captured alive by the Turks on the same day that Mayi city was broken..."
Zhu Ba's expression changed drastically and he grabbed Yuan Xiaozheng, "Captured alive by the Turks?"
"There is no mistake, I saw it with my own eyes!"
Zhu Ba burped involuntarily and rolled his eyes. Although he couldn't figure out many things, he knew there must be something wrong. He thought about it again and again, and whispered: "This matter must not be leaked."
"Okay, okay." Yuan Xiaozheng was a little at a loss.
Over there, Du Xiao had already greeted him to set off, and Zhu Ba trotted over and whispered a few words.
After a while, Du Xiao, Li Sanlang, and Yuan Xiaozheng continued south to Chang'an, while Zhu Ba returned north and headed straight for Yanmen Pass.