Although those days were quite hard, they were thrilling and exciting, and made both of them truly feel how important each other's status was in each other's hearts.
Therefore, the sudden opportunity to relive it made Han Qing and Dou Rong full of expectations.
Of course, it would be better if the eight guards dressed as servants not always following him like tails a few feet behind him.
However, both Han Qing and Dou Rong knew that this request was impossible to achieve.
No matter how weak the Liao Kingdom's control over various parts of Hebei was, the particularly important land checkpoints and bridges would be guarded by dozens of signing troops to spot-check passers-by to prevent the messengers under Yang Si and Yang Yanzhao from mingling among the people to send messages to Bian.
Liang delivers the message.
If one of them is troublesome, stopping the couple and questioning them strictly may not reveal any flaws.
In addition, the worse the Liao's control over various parts of Hebei, the more arrogant the bandits and grassroots bandits became. These bandits did not have the courage to resist the Liao army and brutalized the people, but they would never show mercy.
If Han Qing, who was so hated by the Liao monarchs and ministers but had no choice but to do anything, was accidentally injured by bandits, he would be in big trouble.
It is hard to say whether the bandits who caused the incident would be heavily rewarded by the Emperor of Liao. Wang Wu, Zhang Fan and others who failed to protect Han Qing personally will definitely become scapegoats.
Therefore, when they led their horses to disembark in the morning, neither Han Qing nor Dou Rong refused the guards to follow them. They just asked politely that the guards should not follow too closely, which might arouse the suspicion of interested people along the way.
The guards were all veterans of the Zhenrong Army. They had seen with their own eyes how Han Qing and Dou Rong escaped into the military camp, and how they had walked hand in hand until now.
Therefore, everyone looks at Han Qing and Dou Rong as they look at promising juniors and their wives in their respective families. As long as they are happy, everyone will be happy with them. Unless it is very necessary, they will not
He forced himself in front of the two of them to make candles.
As a result, Han Qing and Dou Rong walked side by side, taking their time and looking at the scenery along the way.
Even if the spy sent by the bandit he met occasionally saw the eight "housekeepers" following "the young master and his wife" far behind him, he quickly weighed the possibility that robbing the young master and his wife might not be worth the loss for his village.
He let the two of them go without making a sound.
No matter how slow Han Qing and Dou Rong rode on the fifty-mile road, three hours would be enough.
At the end of the afternoon, Mijia Ferry was already in sight. Han Qing reined in his mount and was about to find a mound to climb up to see if there were any fishing boats with special markings on the river. Suddenly, he heard an announcement from the official road directly opposite.
There was a sound of people shouting, and soon after, they saw a middle-aged man riding a black horse, being chased by seven or eight Khitan cavalry, rushing towards him.
"Stop him and you will be rewarded!"
"Get away quickly, the Khitans want to kill good people and take credit for their merits!"
Before he could look more carefully, two different voices reached his ears one after another.
They all spoke Chinese with a Northern accent, and even the latter sentence was more proficient than the previous sentence. Immediately, Han Qing did not dare to interfere in the matter easily, decisively turned his mount, and led Dou Rong and others towards the official road.
In the farmland covered with weeds.
"Thank you!" The escapee riding the black horse saw that Han Qing did not obey the Liao soldiers' orders, but took the initiative to get out of the way for him. He immediately shouted and clasped his fists. Then, shaking the reins, he rode away as fast as lightning under his gaze.
The Khitan cavalry who were chasing after him yelled at Han Qing, but they didn't have the time to stop and punish him, and quickly rushed past him on the official road twenty feet away.
"Mr. Han, what should we do?" Jin Xiaochen, the captain of the bodyguard and a veteran of the Zhenrong Army, changed his face with fright. He rode his horse and rushed to Han Qing's side, asking for instructions in a low voice.
"Don't worry about them. You go to the ferry first and see if there are any Liao troops blocking passers-by." Han Qing looked away from the fleeing people who were getting further and further away and ordered calmly.
Even though it was just a few quick glances, he had already clearly seen the face of the fleeing man.
Thick eyebrows, big eyes, broad forehead, bronze face with a blush unique to alpine regions. (Note: Cold blush, during the period of lack of cosmetics, is very obvious on the faces of people who have lived in Inner Mongolia for a long time.)
It is extremely unlikely that a person with this kind of appearance is a masterpiece of the Song Dynasty. Therefore, Han Qing does not think that he has the need to rescue this person.
However, the Khitan cavalry chasing the escapees came from the direction of Mijiadu. He could not help but suspect that there was a temporary checkpoint set up by the Liao people over there.
"Yes!" Veteran Jin Xiaochen saw Han Qing acting calm and composed, and the tension in his heart immediately disappeared. He agreed decisively and rode towards Mijiadu.
If you continue to stop near the official road and wait for news, you will be too vulnerable to disaster. Therefore, Han Qing took Dou Rong and seven other guards and walked more than a hundred steps away, found a row of boundary trees, and hid first.
Immediately, he jumped off the saddle and fed salt and black beans with his hands to replenish the horse's strength.
Not long after, veteran Jin Xiaochen also hurriedly followed the marks left by everyone. As soon as he jumped off his mount, he panted and reported to Han Qing, "Sir, it's not good, the Liao soldiers have sent Mijia Ferry
It’s blocked, no boats are allowed to dock, and no one is allowed to cross the river. They say they want to catch the murderer of Zhao Weicheng, deputy envoy to the Privy Council of Nanyuan.”
"Who is so bold? Then where did Zhao Weicheng, the privy envoy of the South Courtyard, encounter the assassination?" Unexpectedly, besides himself, there were other people sneaking behind the Liao army to assassinate the important ministers of the Liao Kingdom. Han Qing immediately thought about this person in his heart.
I became somewhat interested.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Han, but I only got a rough idea!" Since he was pretending to be a servant, Jin Xiaochen could no longer call Han Qing by his official title. He added with a grimace in a low voice, "The people who can't hear the river murmured in private.
The assassin was probably ordered by the Prince Consort Liu Sanxia. Zhao Weicheng, the deputy privy envoy of the Southern Courtyard who was assassinated, was probably related to Princess Bage of the Liao Kingdom. The fathers of Liu and Zhao were both Han from the Liao Kingdom.
Officer, we have disliked each other since childhood..."
He was shrewd and capable. Although he modestly said that he only got a rough idea, in just a dozen sentences, he presented the entire outline of the matter in front of Han Qing.
It turned out that the Prince Consort Liu Sangu and the assassinated Nanyuan Privy Envoy Zhao Weicheng both came from famous traitor families in the Liao Kingdom.
The father of the former, Liu Shenxing, was the Minister of Rites of the Liao Dynasty and the prime minister of the Northern Prefecture. The great-grandfather of the latter was Zhao Siwen, a capable general under Yelu Abaoji, the founding emperor of the Liao Dynasty.
The Zhao family was older than the Liu family in the Liao Kingdom, so the Zhao family's nephews were very dissatisfied with the Liu family's rapid rise in recent years. They often suppressed the latter for no reason.
However, the current emperor of the Liao Kingdom, Yelu Longxu, likes to write poems. When he became popular, he could write more than ten poems in a row. The children and grandchildren of the Zhao family are all good at riding and shooting, and no one can sing with Yelu Longxu. The children and grandchildren of the Liu family are not only good at poetry and songs.
, better at "picking gold out of shit"!
Therefore, Yelu Longxu became more and more fond of the children and grandchildren of the Liu family, so he married his third daughter, Yelu Xia, to Liu Sanxia, who had written poems many times to harmonize with him.
Liu Sanxia is good-looking and bookish. If she were placed in the Central Plains, she would definitely be favored by most women.
However, Princess Yelvba of Daliao only likes charismatic warriors with unshaven beards who are skilled in bows and horses.
It happened that Emperor Yelu Longxu of the Liao Dynasty was going on a personal expedition and needed someone to flatter him, so he transferred Liu Sanxia to his side as a bachelor's student.
As a result, Zhao Weicheng took advantage of the opportunity and entered.
Originally, this matter was not considered a deadly feud in the Liao Kingdom. Liu Sanxia reconciled with the princess, and then both parties got married, and it was over.
However, Zhao Gancheng liked to show off, and before "harmony" could get the approval of Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu, he spread the news that he was about to marry the princess.
Liu Sanxia was ordered to return to Nanjing (Beijing) for business half a month ago. When he learned that the princess was having an affair with Zhao Weicheng, he was furious and took his servants to catch the adulterer. However, due to lack of preparation, he was surrounded by Zhao Weicheng's servants and got a black nose and a swollen face.
The princess felt that he was embarrassed, so she also moved out of the Prince Consort's Mansion overnight.
So, late at night four days ago, outside Nanjing, a tragedy occurred in which assassins beheaded Zhao Gancheng, deputy envoy to the Privy Council of Nanjing, and more than 50 of his bodyguards who were out camping, and slashed the face of Princess Yeluba.
It was a matter of princess, Yousi didn't dare to deal with it, and immediately launched a search all over Youzhou. As a result, after searching again and again, they found Liu's consort's house again.
However, the Prince Consort Liu Sanxia had already fled Nanjing. He also left a letter enumerating all the privacy of the Liao royal family, announcing that he would leave this country of beasts forever, abandon Liao and join the Song Dynasty.
The Empress Dowager Yeluchuo of the Liao Dynasty was furious and ordered all checkpoints and ferries to be blocked. The assassins who assassinated Zhao Gancheng, regardless of whether they were principal or accomplices, would not be escorted back to Nanjing after being caught, and their bodies would be cut into pieces on the spot!
"How come Liu Sanxia doesn't think the princess is embarrassed, but the princess dislikes Liu Sanxia instead?"
"I can't wait to sleep out with the wild man before we reconcile. This princess is so shameless!"
"No one would be able to bear this matter. Although Liu Sanxia is a flatterer, he behaves like a man!"
"Liu Sanxia actually only killed Zhao Gancheng. He must still have lingering feelings for the princess!"
…
The guards had been in the army for a long time and had never heard of such a bizarre thing. They all started talking about it.
In Han Qing's heart, although she didn't think this matter was very absurd, she felt familiar with helping people in divorce cases in her previous life. She pondered for a long time before interrupting in a dumbfounding voice, "Liu Sanxia did it at the wrong time. The assassination should be carried out sooner or later, but it happens to be just in time when we come to Hebei."
Before they finished speaking, the guards had realized that everyone was focusing on something wrong. They all frowned and whispered:
"Yes, what happened now is that the Liao people can't find Liu Sanxia, so they will definitely not let the people cross the river easily."
"Go back? No! Wang Dujia and the others have already left. If we go back to the canal, we will definitely not be able to make it in time!"
"I guess the order has just been sent. Let's go a little further east. Even if we can't find the ferry, we can find a river beach that is convenient for docking the ship and board the ship."
"The agreement with Zhang Shouzhong was here. If the place has been changed, how can I contact him?"
…
Han Qing knew that no one had received special training in fine craftsmanship, so he didn't care about the amateurishness of the guards. After thinking for a moment, he asked Jin Xiaochen in a low voice, "Have you seen clearly how many Liao soldiers are at the ferry? How is the military discipline?"
"Probably all of them, but they are all serious cavalry, not forcibly recruited soldiers." Jin Xiaochen thought for a while and quickly gave the answer, "The military discipline is okay, I don't dare to get too close, but it is true at the moment I haven’t seen them killing innocent people indiscriminately. Of course, they will inevitably search through their luggage and ask for bribes.”
"What about the other people who couldn't cross the river? Did they all turn around and go back, or do they still live nearby?" Han Qing nodded and continued to ask.
Jin Xiaochen thought for a moment and added uncertainly, "There are some who turn back, but most of them are waiting at the ferry. I just heard someone talking about the village being called Mijiaji. Mijia Ferry is because of Mijiaji The village is named after it. There are many chicken-feather shops for people to rest in the village. Waiting there, you won’t have to worry about food and accommodation. But I don’t know how long it will take for the Liao army to let people pass!"
"Then go to Mijiaji first, and then act according to the situation!" Han Qingzhi thought for a moment and waved decisively, "Since Liu Sanxia is the Prince Consort, the officers and soldiers of the Liao Kingdom who captured him must have his portrait in their hands. We are not in a hurry to pass. Checkpoint, wait patiently at Mijiaji. Once you find Zhang Shouzhong approaching in his boat, immediately send a signal, follow him in front and behind to kill the Sanliao army, and seize the ferry!"
"Yes!" Jin Xiaochen took the lead, and the other guards decisively accepted the order.
The method proposed by Han Qing is a little risky, but it is the most reliable method at the moment.
In this era, communication relies entirely on shouting. If you miss the agreed place with Zhang Shouzhong, it will be difficult for the two parties to meet again.
Everyone has fought against the Liao army more than once, and they are well aware of the opponent's capabilities. Although the fifty Liao cavalry have considerable combat effectiveness, they do not have the ability to quickly annihilate everyone.
As long as there is a ship on the river to meet them, and the guards are protecting Han Qing and Dou Rong, they have a good chance of getting through.
"Then get on the horse now and follow my gestures." Han Qing never liked procrastination in doing things. Seeing that the guards did not object to his arrangement, he immediately turned over and jumped on the mount.
Dou Rong quickly followed, and Jin Xiaochen and the other guards silently followed the couple again. The group returned to the official road and walked slowly towards the ferry. Soon, they entered Mijiaji, which is adjacent to the ferry.
Many people and traders have gathered in Mijiaji.
Although there is a war and chaos at the moment, the vendors have to do business, and the people have to take advantage of the leisure time to go out and work part-time to earn hard money. Therefore, the faces of those waiting at Mijiaji are full of anxiety and uneasiness.
Seeing that Han Qing and others were neatly dressed and had horses riding around, the people's eyes immediately filled with hope.
Everyone expected that this young master could come forward to persuade the Liao soldiers guarding the ferry to help the group cross the river. Or he could come forward to discuss a charter with the Liao soldiers and let everyone spend money to "self-certify" their identities.
However, the people soon became disappointed.
"Brother Gongzi" Han Qing did not approach the Liao army at all. Instead, he jumped off his mount more than 200 steps away from the ferry, went to a nearby chicken-feather shop and ordered wine, food, tables and chairs. While eating and drinking, he patiently watched lively.
"But he only has clothes but no courage!" The common people were not too disappointed. They muttered and quickly looked away.
People like "Brother Gongzi" who usually show off their power but don't even dare to show off when meeting the soldiers of Liao Kingdom, the common people have seen many times, not least this one today.
While I was feeling depressed, I heard two screams of "Ah, ah -" coming from the ferry. Immediately afterwards, several Liao cavalrymen picked up a man dressed as a merchant and walked towards the river beach.
At the feet of the rest of the Liao soldiers, there were still two corpses lying vaguely. Judging from their clothing, they should be the merchant's clerks or followers.
"It's unfair, it's unfair! I came from Shenzhou, and I carry a public document with me. I have never been to Youzhou!" The vendor was so frightened that he dragged his feet on the ground and shouted loudly.
Crying about injustice. (Note: Gongzhi, Lu Yin from the Song Dynasty)
However, how could the Liao soldiers listen? After holding him for more than ten steps, he chopped off his head with a single blow.
"No, Liao soldiers are motivated by wealth and want to kill innocent people!" Jin Xiaochen was shocked and exclaimed in a low voice with a red face.
If he had not reported to Han Qing just now that the military discipline of this group of Liao troops was acceptable, Han Qing would not have led them near Mijiaji.
But now, the soldiers of the Liao Kingdom saw more and more people waiting for them, and many of them were carrying large and small packages. They suddenly became interested in wealth. If everyone evades, they will immediately become the first target of attack.
"Stand still, accept the search!" Before Jin Xiaochen could figure out what to do, the Liao army leading the team all shook their heads, kicked away the corpses at their feet, pointed their knives at a few civilians who were turning around and wanted to leave, and shouted loudly.
, "If you are sure that it has nothing to do with the assassins, I will let you go. If you are related to the assassins, or your origins are unknown, and you recruited them yourself, I can spare your life!"
As soon as the words fell, all the Liao cavalry turned over and jumped on their horses. Holding steel swords and riding bows in hand, they quickly formed two snake-shaped formations.
"Master, spare your life!" The people waiting to cross the river had never seen such a brutal battle. Immediately, a large number of people fell to their knees.
"Run, they want to make money and kill people!" Near the ferry, there were also a few experienced traders who often traveled around. They shouted, turned around and jumped on the horse.
Immediately some Liao soldiers pulled away the cavalry and shot at those who tried to escape. In a blink of an eye, they all were shot off their horses.
Another team of cavalrymen with swords rode their horses and stepped over the bodies of the kneeling beggars. They raised their swords and chopped all the traders who had just been shot off their horses into two pieces.
Immediately, the gangsters raised their knives and bows, and rushed towards the north entrance of Mijiaji. It was obvious that they wanted to block the entire market town and kill all the people who were preparing to cross the river.
"Copycats, kill them for me!" Han Qing was furious. He immediately stopped thinking about whether his identity was exposed or not. He pulled the reins and jumped onto his mount.
The incident happened suddenly. He had deliberately chosen a location far away from the ferry. He realized that the Liao cavalry was killing people and robbing money, and he had no time to stop him.
However, he could not continue to watch those beasts do whatever they wanted. So, after jumping on the mount, he took advantage of the situation and took out the steel knife hidden in the luggage roll on the horse.
Before he could speed up his mount and start a hedge against the approaching Liao cavalry, from a chicken feather shop fifty steps ahead of him to his left, a familiar figure suddenly flashed out, stood on the table and opened his horned bow.
Aim at the oncoming Liao army, draw the string and shoot.
"Swish, swish, swish -" It was actually three arrows in a row, knocking down the two Liao generals and an archer who were rushing to the front.
