Nowadays, traveling safely and smoothly has become the greatest hope and the greatest luxury.
Han Xu stood on the side of the road, looking solemnly at the mountains ahead, while two carriages and a dozen corpses were scattered not far away.
The followers were inspecting and simply burying the bodies.
"They are ordinary people. The car was overturned. Most of the dead were young guards, as well as older men, women and children." Zhongli came over and said to Han Xu.
Han Xu said: "To be able to use a carriage and have so many guards, it must be a wealthy family. In addition to the guards, the dead were older men, women and children. Young men and women were all robbed."
He shouted loudly to a follower who was busy over there, and the follower came quickly.
"Didn't you say that there are no rebels here? So I deliberately didn't go through Jiangnan Road, but took a detour to Henan Road and then to Shannanxi."
The attendant smiled bitterly and said: "Sir, there are no rebels here, but there are bandits."
Since the Ankang Mountain Rebellion, Daxia has fallen into chaos. The government and soldiers were in panic, and the people were displaced. At this time, mountain bandits and horse thieves also took the opportunity to cause chaos.
There was the sound of horse hooves ahead, and the followers were immediately on guard until they saw one of their own returning.
"Sir, there are bandits on the mountain, about hundreds of them." The general of Fengwei Army jumped down and said with an uneasy look on his face.
The uneasiness is not that they are afraid of these bandits. These soldiers who survived several battles with Fan Yangjun in Xuanwu Dao are no longer as helpless as they were at the beginning of the troubled times.
There were more than a hundred Fengwei troops escorting Han Xu, and more than twenty followers given by Mrs. Wu. Bandits passing by here could not harm them, but it would not be that easy to wipe out these bandits.
Han Xu looked ahead, seeing high mountains, deep forests and dense trees...
"Sir, this is the territory of the Zhongwu Army." The previous entourage said, "They may be busy guarding the rebels and neglecting internal governance. The bandits took the opportunity to cause chaos. There are cities and soldiers guarding the front. Let's go tell them and let the local troops be used.
Suppressing bandits will not only solve the problem for the people, but also not delay your schedule."
"Because the news of His Majesty's death has spread, more troops from the southwest and southeast have descended on Ankang Mountain. The young governor of Jiannan Road is still out of town. His uncle is in charge of Jiannan Road. I am afraid that people will be in chaos." Another follower said.
He added, "Sir, our journey must be accelerated."
If he wanted to save more people, he had to think about the overall situation. Han Xu suppressed his anger towards the bandits. He didn't have to kill the bandits himself. He looked further away: "Go to the city ahead and tell the government to let them suppress the bandits."
I just didn't expect that this time, let alone seeing the government, he would be locked out of the city gate.
"We only let people in and out of the city every morning. It's past time now." The guard at the city gate said, with a vigilant expression. "And we only accept ordinary people into the city. Where are you from?"
"We are Fengwei Army, escorting Mr. Han, the admonishing doctor, to Jiannan Road." The general of Fengwei Army introduced himself.
From the time he left the capital, Han Xu had been traveling incognito, and was never blocked when entering and leaving various places. He also entered Yingchen City as a refugee, and stood up to stabilize the overall situation when the government and soldiers were in panic.
But now that I have reported my identity directly, the guards at the city wall still have no intention of opening the door.
"Fengwei Army? Why are you here?" they shouted more vigilantly.
Han Xu was a little speechless. Did he not hear the last sentence? Or does the identity and official position of the latter sentence not matter?
The entourage stepped forward and spoke again, introducing Han Xu's identity. The ignorant guards at the city gate asked them to wait for instructions, but the officials invited also acted as if they didn't know anything. After thinking about it carefully, the entourage continued.
I have to talk about it in detail...
Han Xu stood in front of the city gate feeling a little sad. Did what happened a year ago seem like a world away? Have people forgotten it?
The officials on the city wall finally remembered, but still had no intention of opening the door: "Our city is small and remote. I don't recognize Mr. Han, and I don't know whether he is true or not, so I can only offend you. You are bringing soldiers and horses, so I can't let you in."
of the city.”
What he said made sense. Han Xu stopped the follower who wanted to question him.
"We are not going into the city, but bandits are causing harm outside the city. Many passers-by have been robbed and killed." He said, "You soldiers and horses go to suppress the bandits. These bandits are really causing great harm to the people."
The official said on the city wall: "I understand, thank you for reminding me."
This answer was very perfunctory. Either he knew it a long time ago and didn't take it seriously, or he knew it now and didn't take it seriously. No matter which one, it was not the result Han Xu wanted to get.
"Where is your prefect?" He raised his thick eyebrows and took a step forward, "Let him come to see me. If you don't recognize me, let him see the seals of the court documents and see if he recognizes me."
The impatience of the admonishing doctor did not alarm the officials at the city gate. Instead, he did not hide his perfunctory words: "Master Han, our prefect is busy. Besides, His Majesty is no longer here. The imperial court has also left the capital. All the six government offices are empty. The capital is empty."
Everyone can enter, but who knows whether the imperial documents and seals are genuine or fake."
Han Xu was furious: "You!"
"Also, Mr. Han." The official at the city gate raised his voice and interrupted Han Xu, "Now that the rebels are in chaos, our Henan Province is under martial law and other guards are not allowed to pass. Mr. Han, please come back."
What? Han Xu looked at the official angrily, but the official threw up his sleeves and left without giving him a chance to curse.
Han Xu looked at his entourage: "Without the rebels, the road here will be difficult."
His voice sounded angry and tired.
Compared to the cowardly officials in the Yingchen Mansion, who even colluded with Fan Yangjun to rebel, the officials here made him even more angry, although he was sure that this official had no intention of rebelling.
By denying access to other guardsmen, this official is declaring himself king!
Han Xu knew that Yu Fei was trying to build up strength, so he didn't take the initiative to attack the rebels, but at least he could save his face, and now this official from Henan Province was naked and unabashed.
When the emperor dies, the hearts of the people in the world will be scattered, but I didn't expect it to be scattered so quickly.
The attendant sighed softly: "Sir, the rebels have no conscience at all, but at least we are our own people here, and there will always be some of our own people who have conscience..."
Before he finished speaking, a voice sounded from the already quiet city wall: "Where are you from? Are you Fengwei Army? Why are there two kinds of military flags on the car? Hey, are those the flags of Zhenwu Army?"
The attendant straightened his back: "Sir, you see, conscience is here."
Conscience? Han Xu didn't quite understand and looked up at the city wall. There were several officers and soldiers on the wall looking out.
"This is the military flag of the Zhenwu Army. Mr. Han passed by Xuanwu Road and met the wife of General Wu of the Zhenwu Army. Mrs. Wu personally gave the chariot and horses to the entourage." The attendant said loudly.
What's the use of saying this? I've already said it before... It might be of some use if the Zhenwu Army comes, the general of Fengwei Army muttered in his heart, but after hearing this, there was a commotion on the city wall.
"Ah, it's Zhenwu Army."
"I have admired you for a long time."
"Open the city gate! Open the city gate quickly!"
The heavy city gate creaked open with the sound of footsteps. The generals of the Fengwei Army murmured in their throats. They were a little surprised and a little jealous. Is a flag of the Zhenwu Army so useful?
...
...
"My lord, my lord, something is not right." A petty official rushed in, "The city gate has opened, and that Han Xu has come in."
Four people were sitting in the study room behind the government office, talking and joking. Three of them were wearing official robes, and the other was wearing a green shirt. He was a scribe. When they heard this, they stopped laughing and looked surprised.
One official put down the tea in his hand: "No way, I already told them to leave."
This is the official who was on the city wall just now.
"Then who opened the city gate?" asked the prefect sitting in the middle, with a solemn expression.
The clerk who came in looked hesitant and uneasy: "It's..."
Before he finished speaking, someone walked in with a clear and loud voice: "Sir, it's me."
A young general in his twenties walked in. He had a handsome face and two dimples on his face. He seemed to be smiling when he spoke.
Seeing this young man, the prefect's expression softened slightly: "Zhongqi, what's going on?"
The young man who was called Zhong Qi looked a little shocked: "Sir, Han Xu was actually escorted by the Zhenwu Army."
The previous official frowned: "No, they are soldiers and horses from Xuanwu Dao. I asked about it."
Zhong Qi gestured with his hands and said this, and the officials in the room looked at each other, Zhenwu Army, indeed, it is a bit scary...
"Sir, you don't know, it's very scary." Zhong Qi continued, he moved every time he spoke and seemed to be easily frightened, "A group of Zhenwu troops just passed by Xuzhou, about one or two thousand people.
Xuzhou followed the general's request and said not to pass, but they almost burned the city..."
"Too bold..." The prefect was startled.
"The Zhenwu Army does not feel bold. They have even broken through the gates of the imperial city in the capital." Zhong Qi patted his chest with lingering fear, "and they said that under the emperor's order, anyone who dared to stop them would be killed without mercy."
Under the emperor's order, it is true that Zhenwu Army Wu Ya'er protected the court and went to rescue King Lu. King Zhao was dead, and King Lu was the new emperor. Anyone who dared to stop them would be killed without mercy.
Several officials in the room fell silent.
Although they were determined not to let other guards set foot, they could not stop the emperor's order.
"So I asked someone to invite Han Xu in. If Han Xu invites the Zhenwu Army, we will be in big trouble." Zhong Qi's dimples were filled with uneasiness, "This Han Xu is passing by, so just follow him."
, give me a few compliments, and I’ll just have someone escort you away from our Henan Road."
The prefect nodded: "That's it."
Zhong Qi responded and exited. The scribe sitting aside looked at Zhong Qi's leaving figure and asked in a low voice: "Is this from Jiannan Road?"
.....
.....
Han Xu was invited into the room, and the rest of the people in the room withdrew. Zhong Qi stood in the courtyard and looked at the scribe who was led to the back house by a small official.
"Go and find out who he is." He whispered to a clerk beside him.