After setting off from Longzang Puwu Port in the south of Jiangning City, the Qin family's fleet sailed all the way northward. It did not stop even after nightfall. The sides of the ship were covered with lanterns, which illuminated both sides of the Shiliang River as brightly as day. When the wind was weak, the ships swayed. In addition to rowing, the Qin family also paid to hire young refugees from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to stretch their fibers, and arrived at Shanglinli at dusk the next day.
The ferry was on high alert, and all irrelevant ships were cleared out of the ferry, or rushed to the shallow water dock upstream of Shanglin River. Lin Fu changed into a blue official robe, stood on the ferry and stared at the direction of the Qin family's fleet. The sky turned brighter. In the evening, the setting sun hangs over the northwest mountain top of Iron Curtain Mountain, reflecting the ripples of light at the mouth of the river branch and the glittering golden scales.
In addition to Lin Fu, officials such as Shen Rong, the prefect of Dongyang, Lin Tingli, the magistrate of Shiliang County, and Liang Zuoren, the magistrate of Shiliang County, all wore official robes and greeted Uncle Qin Cheng at the ferry. They planned to bid farewell to Uncle Qin Cheng at Shanglin Ferry.
Shen Rong arrived at Shanglindu at noon to see Uncle Qin Cheng off. This was the first time Lin Fu saw him. Shen Rong was wearing a crimson official robe, less than five feet tall, with a thick waist and round neck, a dark face, a neatly trimmed beard, and a There is a large mole on the tip of his eyebrow that is very conspicuous. It is said that Shen Rong ranked second when he participated in the Yanjing Examination. Because of his poor appearance, he fell into the second place in the palace examination. However, his talents, learning and political administration made him very famous in both the government and the public. . Seeing that after Shen Rong arrived at Shanglindu, he inquired and gave instructions in detail to all the details of the farewell ceremony for Uncle Qin Cheng. No one else would have imagined that at this time, he was coldly watching Uncle Qin Cheng step by step into the depths of the death trap. Let's go. Shen Rong is also quite enthusiastic about Lin Fu, but Lin Fu knows to be more careful with this kind of cannibal with a smile on his face.
The Qin family's fleet meandered over. The building ship at the head was extremely powerful and even bigger than the Dongyang. It was thirteen to fourteen feet long and had three-story buildings on the deck. When approaching the ferry, there were nearly three-story cabins above the deck alone. It is 10 feet high, with two masts at the stern, and five or six feet high from the top of the cabin. Each cabin is surrounded by a parapet as high as half a person. When approaching the shore, it looks like a moving fortress, very majestic and spectacular. The cabin on the top floor of the building is It is the watch post, and you can see Qin City's warriors all standing guard inside, wearing armor and sharp swords, their weapons shining with cold light.
"The prefect of Dongyang, Shen Rong, led the officials and gentry of Dongyang to welcome General Fuguo as he passed through Dongyang. I wish General Fuguo a safe journey..." Shen Rong led the officials and gentry of Dongyang to salute the boat at the ferry and sing a promise. They also sent the list of people to pay homage and the farewell gift list. Go by boat.
After a while, a middle-aged scribe dressed as a staff member got off the boat. He bowed to the Dongyang officials and gentry who were waiting eagerly at the ferry and said: "My general would like to thank the Dongyang elders for their kindness. It's just that the cabin on the boat is small, so it's inconvenient to ask you all to come on board to express my thanks one by one. I specially allow you to come on board." I got off the boat to apologize to everyone..."
Others cursed in their hearts: The gangsters had prepared a large farewell gift, but not even half of Uncle Qin Cheng could be seen. How could they be so happy?
"Sir Shen, my general invites you to get together with Lin Tongpan and others on the boat..." The staff of the Qin Mansion took out a list and read it. In addition to Shen Rong and Lin Tingli, Liang Zuoren and other major officials of Dongyang Mansion and Shiliang County A total of more than ten people, including well-known squires, were invited to board the boat, but Lin Fu's name was not among them.
Although Lin Fu was prospering in Jiangning with the help of Gu Wuchen's power, he was only a ninth-grade scholar after all. It was reasonable for Uncle Qin Cheng to invite him on board or not, but this Qin government aide was reporting When he was invited to board the ship, he glanced at Lin Fu deliberately, and his expression could not be more obvious: You are not qualified. Others looked at Lin Fu with ridicule before turning away. Some people She even showed a disdainful smile without concealing it. Shen Rong smiled inadvertently in the dusk and glanced back at Lin Fu, hoping to see a look of frustration and humiliation on his face.
The staff member of the Qin Mansion, whose surname is Wang, is a civil servant. He has never been able to pass the imperial examination, so he has never been an official. He has been working as a staff member for Uncle Qin Cheng for many years. He is known as the "Second General" in Jiangning. Uncle Qin Cheng has great trust in him. , many military orders and political systems in Jiangning garrison were mostly produced by him. When Dongcheng Jing'er attacked the river mouth, he appeared with Uncle Qin Cheng, and Lin Fu recognized him. They should maintain harmony in Jiangning and not offend Lin Fu excessively. But after leaving Jiang Ning, they didn't pay attention to a small character like Lin Fu at all, and deliberately tried to tease him.
"Mr. Wang, please stay," Lin Fu smiled kindly and said loudly, "I would like to ask Mr. Wang to send a message to General Fuguo: Hongzepu is in a dangerous situation. Lin Fu has a boat on Shanglindu. I implore General Fuguo to grant Lin a favor. Bound and escorted for a ride."
The "sincere" look on Lin Fu's face made many people look at him and think: This guy is really thick-skinned, and he insisted on sticking his face into it even if he didn't give in. The staff of the Qin Mansion were also stunned. I thought to myself: It's not for nothing that this guy is prospering in Jiangning. I don't have such a thick skin like him.
Lin Fu glanced at Shen Rong, who was about to board the boat to see Uncle Qin Cheng, his face darkened, and he sneered in his heart: He, a little scholar, had to take a boat to escort him, so naturally Shen Rong, the prefect of Dongyang Prefecture, couldn't be in Shanglin. It was perfunctory, but Shen Rong knew in his heart that there were many dangers in going north from Shanglindu to Hongzepu. His words forced Shen Rong into a corner and he couldn't turn around.
Shen Rong frowned. How could he have imagined that Lin Fu had the intention to fish in troubled waters? He thought that Lin Fu was shameless and wanted to curry favor with Uncle Qin Cheng, and said coldly: "If Lin Si Yuu insists on meeting General Fuguo, , I will say a few more words of kindness to you when I get on the ship. Whether General Fuguo wants to see you or not depends entirely on your luck. Mr. Gu may not know that you are so enthusiastic about honoring your superior."
What Shen Rong said was very rude. Lin Fu just pretended that he didn't understand. He still looked at the staff of the Qin government and said: "We said goodbye at the mouth of the river. Lin Fu also admired Mr. Wang very much, and his demeanor as a general of the auxiliary country was even more impressive." It's convincing. It's just a show of affection, but in fact, Lin Fu has to personally escort the general of the country to cross Dongyang Mansion safely before he can feel at ease. I think all the officials and gentry in Dongyang also have the same sincere feelings as me... I hope Mr. Wang can Tell the general of the auxiliary country the sincere feelings of Lin Fu and these people."
Although the others couldn't bear to hear Lin Fu's flattering words, they all nodded and said yes. They all said that they must escort the general of the country to the border of Huai'an Prefecture to feel at ease, but in their hearts they scolded Lin Fu until he was bloody.
Shen Rong didn't expect that his careful planning would be disrupted by this clown. He was also angry in his heart, but he couldn't say more. He had to get on the boat first, hoping that Uncle Qin Cheng could reprimand Lin Fu and treat him like this. The shameless request was rejected, otherwise he and the officials and squires would have to escort Qin Chengbo northward to the border of Dongyang Mansion, which would be almost to the north of Luoyang Lake.
Shen Rong knew clearly that the water village forces in Hongzepu regarded Uncle Qin Cheng as prey, so how could he dare to enter Luoyang Lake with Uncle Qin Cheng so easily? Shen Rong's original plan was to go back to Shanglindu to bid farewell to Uncle Qin Cheng and then return quickly Shiliang County is waiting to see the situation. Once the Qin Mansion fleet falls into Hongzepu and the Hongzepu fishermen raise their flags and start an uprising under the instigation of the water village forces, Shen Rong can dispatch troops in Shiliang County to deal with the crisis. Regardless of whether Qin Chengbo Whether he can escape in the end, the benefits of Shen Rong will naturally be indispensable.
Seeing Shen Rong boarding the ship to meet Uncle Qin Cheng, Lin Fu smiled coldly, turned around with Zhou Pu and walked towards the dock where the Dongyang was moored in the distance. Others looked at him with pity and contempt.
Lin Fu and Zhou Pu climbed up the Dongyang from the rope ladder. Lin Fu stood on the bow of the ship, watching the Qin family fleet in the afterglow of the setting sun. In addition to the fortress-like building ship at the head, Qin Chengbo had more than 20 people heading north on this trip. A large number of ships followed. Before the Qin fleet arrived at Shanglindu, Cao Ziang and Ge Cunxin led people disguised as fishermen from Hongzepu to sneak into Luoyang Lake.
Uncle Qin Cheng had no intention of stopping the boat and going ashore. On the one hand, the luxury boat must be extremely luxurious, and Shanglindu may not be able to provide him with the enjoyment and luxuries he should have. On the other hand, Uncle Qin Cheng probably also wanted to pass through the Hongzepu area quickly. , without giving too much reaction to the water forts and bandits along the coast, he did not know that during the time when the water forts in Hongzepu were gathering together, they had already united to weave a big net for him to fall into.
Lin Fu waited on the Dongyang for a while, and an errand boy from the Qin family came over and told him that Uncle Qin Cheng promised him to escort him. If Lin Fu wanted to escort him, the Dongyang officials and gentry would naturally not be able to escape. Liao was the only one who really knew the crisis in Hongzepu. Lin Fu stood on the bow of the Dongyang and saw Shen Rong running downstairs to arrange the arrangements. He smiled and said to Zhou Pu: "Shen Rong is going to hate me to the core..."
"He only thinks it was an unintentional mistake on your part. Although he is angry at this moment, he shouldn't talk about it so deeply." Zhou Pu said with a smile.
Uncle Qin Cheng didn't delay long at Shanglin Ferry. The Qin Mansion's fleet dropped anchor and set sail in the dense twilight. The dense wind lanterns hanging on both sides of the fleet illuminated the Shiliang River as brightly as day. The Dongyang also sailed away. We anchored and set sail, turning into the Shiliang River and heading north.
Shen Rong, Lin Tingli and other Dongyang officials were all in a panic, but they could not reveal that they had no intention of escorting them out of the country before. Although there were eight fast paddle boats in the Shanglinli Township camp, they did not prepare for the night. In preparation for sailing, the lanterns were hung up, swayed by the waves, and extinguished by the night wind. There were only a dozen or so lanterns, two for each ship, but there were too few and they could not illuminate very far; the boatmen and oarsmen also Due to insufficient supply, hundreds of people were temporarily hired at the dock.
Shen Rong knew that the Shiliang County swordsmen and archers were useless, so he did not let them board the ship. In addition to the 300 Dongyang Prefecture horse infantry he brought with him, he also asked Lin Zonghai to lead 300 Shanglinli Xiangyong with experience in water warfare to accompany him. Shen Rong hoped to use force to deter the Hongzepu water village forces until the Qin family's fleet was separated from the escort before taking action. Shen Rong, Lin Tingli, Liang Zuoren and other major officials naturally continued to farewell to Qin Chengbo on the building boat. The number of Dongyang officials and gentry Although it was small, two ships were used, and the three hundred Dongyang Prefecture horse infantry used four ships. The remaining two ships could not carry the three hundred Shanglin Xiangyong. Lin Zonghai asked Lin Meng to come over to discuss with Lin Fu. When the Dongyang was asked to help carry the 180 Xiangyong from the Third Team, Lin Fu naturally found it difficult to refuse, and Lin Mengde was asked to stay on the Dongyang to help restrain the Xiangyong.
The entire fleet dragged for a long time, with the Lou Chuan and the Qin family fleet at the front, and the eight rural fast paddle boats in the middle. The Dongyang was at the rear, but the Lou Chuan and the Dongyang were the tallest in the Shiliang River. Fu and Lin Mengde stood on the roof of the stern cabin of the Dongyang ship. They could see that the lights were brightly lit in the second-floor cabin of the forward ship. The Qin family's privately raised singer and dancer was singing and dancing inside. Most people did not realize that the night was dark. The murderous intent lurks in the wind.
The wind was strong, and the ships arrived at the mouth of Luoyang Lake just before midnight. The fleet was very long, and the distance between the north and the south of Luoyang Lake was not very large, less than two miles of waterway. The large boat on which Uncle Qin Cheng was riding had already arrived at Luoyang Lake. Beikouzi, Dongyang is still outside Nankouzi.
After leaving Luoyang Lake, we left the territory of Dongyang Prefecture. It was inconvenient for Shen Rong and the Dongyang government to see each other off. The ship temporarily stopped at Beikouzi to let Shen Rong and other officials change ships. Naturally, the Dongyang No. 1 was at the south entrance of Luoyang Lake. Drop anchor and rest, waiting for Shen Rong and others to lead the return voyage.
Lin Mengde knew that the situation in Hongzepu was critical, but he did not know that Qin Chengbo's crossing was the key opportunity to trigger the crisis. He wondered why the Dongyang only lit four wind lanterns from top to bottom on the mainmast when it stopped. A wind lantern? At this time, I heard that there seemed to be a fast horse galloping on the river bank, but there was no light from the stars and the moon, and I could only see a very confused shadow. The heroes on the boat also drew their weapons on alert and heard several long and short whistles. When the sound came, I heard Zhou Pu in front say that he was one of his own. After a while, he saw seven or eight people coming over and climbing the rope to board the boat. Zhou Pu took a man who had just boarded the boat and had not had time to change his wet clothes to the stern cabin. On the deck, the man Lin Mengde looked familiar. I heard him say: "The back road has been blocked. There are more than ten open river boats filled with hay. They will probably use fire boats to seal the river... …”
Just as Lin Mengde was about to ask what happened, he saw a fire suddenly burning in the northwest. That was towards Qingyanggang. In order to prevent floods from the forces of Zepu Water Village, Dongyang Mansion set up a sentry post there. , Dongyang officials, gentry, and soldiers all knew about the Qingyang sentry post. Seeing the beacon fire burning there, they all started shouting: "The lake thieves are causing trouble!"
Lin Mengde still found it strange that the lake thieves in Hongzepu wanted to cause trouble late at night. Why couldn't they hide it from the Qingyang sentry station? While hesitating, he saw the dark night in front of Luoyang Lake suddenly lit up like stars in the sky. There were countless boats lurking in Luoyang Lake at night. I saw many pirate ships rowing towards this side quickly. The lights of the Qin family fleet were the brightest, so the pirate ships naturally concentrated on attacking the Qin family fleet. .