Through Zhao Ju's relationship, the caravan was speechless on the way and headed south. Half a month later, it successfully arrived at Ba Pass at the junction of Feng and Mo.
Because of the instructions from Baguan guard Yingbu, the soldiers guarding the city did not even check Zhao Ju's caravan and directly let it enter the city.
After entering Ba Pass, Tang Yin and others and Zhao Ju went straight to the general's mansion to see Yingbu.
Tang Yin came to Ba Pass once. Now more than a year later, Ba Pass is still the same, unchanged, still in tatters and in a state of desolation. When he arrived at the General's Mansion, Zhao Ju took two steps forward and bowed to the soldiers guarding the gate.
He saluted and said with a smile: "I want to see General Yingbu, brothers, please go inside and let me know!"
This was not the first time that Zhao Ju came to visit Yingbu, and the guards all knew him. They smiled politely and said, "It's Mr. Zhao Ju, please wait a moment!" As he spoke, a guard turned and walked into the house.
It's the General's Mansion, which is actually just a relatively large mansion. It's very different from the General's Mansion in Tongmen.
After a short time, the guard who came inside to report the news came out, smiled at Zhao Ju and said: "Mr. Zhao Ju, the general invites you!"
"Thank you, brother!" No matter when or who he was talking to, Zhao Ju always smiled and looked polite. He bowed to the guard again and then led Tang Yin and others inside.
go.
Every time he came to visit, he was alone. Now when he wanted to let Tang Yin and his group in, the guards immediately stopped him and asked, "Mr. Zhao Ju, they are..." As he spoke, everyone looked up and down at Tang Yin and others.
.
These people had actually seen Tang Yin before, but it was too long ago. Moreover, last time Tang Yin was the commander of a regiment, wearing a general's armor, but now he was dressed as an ordinary citizen, so naturally they couldn't recognize him.
Zhao Ju smiled and said: "They are... my friends. I want to recommend them to General Yingbu..."
At this time, Tang Yin whispered to the Shangguan brothers on the left and right, Cheng Jin, Jiang Mo and others: "You stay outside, just Mr. Zongyuan and follow me in!"
"Sir..." Everyone wanted to speak worriedly, but Tang Yin waved his hands and said easily: "It's okay!"
Zhao Ju said that Tang Yin and others were his friends, and Shangguan brothers and others were staying outside, so the guards let the three of them in.
After passing through the small courtyard and entering the lobby, Tang Yin and others saw Yingbu sitting in the middle. Yingbu still looked that sloppy and listless, wearing shabby casual clothes, disheveled and unbuttoned.
He didn't look like a general at all, more like a homeless vagabond.
"Mr. Zhao Ju!"
Seeing Zhao Ju approaching from outside, Yingbu just bowed slightly and didn't even look at Tang Yin and Zong Yuan who came with Zhao Ju. He just regarded them as Zhao Ju's servants.
Tang Yin secretly laughed in his heart. He was like this when he first met Ying Bu. At that time, his first impression of this person was also extremely bad.
"Mr. Zhao Ju must have gained a lot this time!" Yingbu asked casually absentmindedly.
"Haha! Thanks to the general, I barely managed to avoid losing money." Zhao Ju kept true to his nature as a businessman. No matter how much money he made, he would not say it out loud. He paused and then continued: "This time, the villain can
I brought two friends to the general!"
"Oh?" Only then did Yingbu look at Tang Yin and Zongyuan. Seeing Zongyuan, Yingbu didn't feel anything and glanced directly at him. But after seeing Tang Yin clearly, his eyes suddenly
Staring round, he poked his head, looked at him carefully, and then asked suspiciously: "You... you are..."
"Tang Yin!" Tang Yin raised his head, met Yingbu's eyes, and asked him with a smile, "What? Did General Yingbu forget about me so quickly?"
"Ah?" Ying Bu couldn't react for a while. He sat on the chair and looked at Tang Yin dumbfounded. He was speechless for a long time. Tang Yin actually came to Ba Pass. This is incredible. The Tianyuan Army is now
Aren't you in Lehu County? Why did Tang Yin suddenly come to you? After being stunned for a while, Ying But jumped up from the chair, walked quickly to Tang Yin, looked up and down, and said with surprise and joy
: "Master Tang? You... why did you come to Ba Pass?"
Tang Yin smiled and said bluntly: "General Yingbu, I'm here for you!"
"Ah..." Yingbu took a breath and looked at him blankly.
Tang Yin did not immediately explain his purpose of coming. He changed the subject and looked around with a smile: "It's still the same here, no different from when I left last time."
Yingbu also wondered what Tang Yin meant by what he just said, and casually responded: "In another hundred years, Baguan will still be like this."
Tang Yin asked: "Is General Yingbu really planning to stay in this ghost place for the rest of his life?"
Yingbu trembled, met Tang Yin's eyes, and murmured: "Master Tang, what do you mean..."
"Join me and work together to eradicate the traitor Zhong Tian!" Tang Yin said: "When the overall situation is decided, General Yingbu can choose any official position in the capital!"
Ah! Yingbu's heart was shaken, and at this moment, his head finally turned around. Tang Yin had traveled all the way from Lehu County to Baguan, and he must have come here to win over him. So, should he accept Tang Yin's invitation?
, surrender to Tang Yin? Yingbu is not stupid either. On the surface he looks like a rough man, but in fact he is very smart.
While he was weighing the pros and cons, Tang Yin asked: "Based on the current situation, does General Yingbu think Zhong Tian, the Peng King, can last for a long time?"
Hearing this, Yingbu trembled again. He only thought for a moment, and without hesitation, he immediately bowed to Tang Yin and saluted, and said seriously: "Since the last time you came to Baguan, the general has admired you very much.
, Your Excellency has come to invite me personally today, and I am willing to work hard for you, even if I am broken into pieces, I will not hesitate to do so!"
Tang Yin looked up and smiled, helped Yingbu up, and said seriously: "With General Yingbu helping me, great things can be accomplished!"
Just as Tang Yin had expected, it was easy to conquer Yingbu and it was a matter of course.
Yingbu has been a guard in this ghost place called Baguan for several years, and he has long planned to return to the capital. However, it is difficult for him to do so, and he cannot go back even if he wants to. Now that Tang Yin offers this tempting offer, Yingbu is naturally moved.
The more important point is that Zhong Tian is currently weak, while Tang Yin is strong. It is more reliable to defect to Tang Yin than to serve under Zhong Tian. Furthermore, he has had contact with Tang Yin for a long time, and he admires Tang Yin's character very much, and he also appreciates it from the bottom of his heart.
Willing to do things for him.
Although Yingbu expressed his willingness to surrender to Tang Yin, he immediately showed embarrassment and seemed hesitant to speak.
Tang Yin noticed something and asked, "Does General Yingbu have anything to hide?"
Yingbu looked bitter and said: "There are two things. First, my family is from the capital. If I submit to you, my family may be killed by the old thief Zhong Tian!"
Tang Yin nodded in understanding. For a frontier city as important as Baguan, the guard's family would usually be left in the capital. The purpose was to keep them as hostages to prevent the guard from relying on his own troops and plotting rebellion or treason. He smiled slightly,
He said: "General Yingbu, don't worry about this. Zhong Tian won't know about your submission to me. From now on, you will continue to stay in Baguan as your guard, but when Zhong Tian escapes to you,
Just seal the city and prevent him from entering! At that time, even if Zhong Tian wants to harm your family, he will be beyond his reach!"
"Oh!" After hearing this, Yingbu let out a sigh of relief. Tang Yin had no intention of taking him away and wanted to stay in Baguan. This was of course the best.
"What's the second thing?" Tang Yin asked.
"Since the old thief Zhong Tian usurped the throne, although I am still the guard general of Baguan, Zhong Tian has sent another deputy general named Zhou Shun. He said he was my deputy, but in fact he was just to supervise me. With this person here
, there are a lot of inconveniences, but we can’t solve him directly, it’s really troublesome!”
"Oh!" Tang Yin thought thoughtfully and said with a smile: "Don't make it public about what you and I discussed. It will be the same as usual, and it will be the same in the future. Zhou Shun must not be able to notice anything."
"Yes!" Yingbu nodded and said, "I listen to you, sir."
They were talking when a guard ran to the door of the lobby, looked at Ying Bu, bowed his hands and saluted, and said: "General, Lord Zhou, please see me!"
Yingbu frowned. Why did Zhou Shun come so late and come at this time? He looked at Tang Yin nervously and asked in a low voice: "Sir, look..."
Tang Yinke was much calmer than Yingbu. He waved his hand with a smile, pointed to his outfit, and said: "Now I am Brother Zhao's servant, there is no way Zhou Shun will recognize me!"
Yingbu looked at Tang Yin's linen clothes and rough trousers, and suddenly realized, he patted his head, shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm so anxious and confused!" As he spoke, he raised his head to the guard and said: "Master Zhou, please come here!"
"Yes! General!"
The guard agreed, couldn't help but glance at Tang Yin a few more times, turned around and left quickly.
Not long after, following the sound of footsteps, a middle-aged man in official uniform walked closer from outside. This man was in his early forties, with an ordinary appearance, and a pair of small eyes that moved around. Entering the lobby,
While saluting Yingbu and saying hello, he looked at Tang Yin, Zongyuan and Zhao Ju from the corner of his eye.
Just as Tang Yin said, Zhou Shun didn't recognize his identity at all, and most of his attention was on Zhao Ju.
Zhao Ju was a businessman from Mo. He knew that he often visited the border between Feng and Mo. He also knew about it, but he didn't take it seriously. After all, there were too many smuggling businessmen like Zhao Ju on the border. Ying Bu was not interested in it.
Zhao Ju took good care of him, so he thought it was Yingbu who had taken advantage of him and pretended not to see it.
Ever since Zhou Shun arrived, Yingbu's face had been cold. He asked, "What's the matter with Mr. Zhou?"
Zhou Shun chuckled and said, "I heard that there are guests at the general's residence. I was bored at home, so I stopped by to have a look."
"Humph!" Zhao Ju laughed coldly and turned his head away, not even bothering to look at him.