The earth was burning under the scorching summer heat. Magistrate Hu wore a straw hat on his head and held a kettle in his hand, but he still couldn't stop his lips from getting chapped.
He has never experienced the hardship of traveling in his life, nor has he experienced the hardship of studying hard for ten years, let alone after becoming an official.
As a civil servant, traveling is a kind of enjoyment, seeing the scenery of the four seasons and understanding the joys and sorrows of life.
It's not like now when soldiers and horses are lingering around, day and night, sleeping in the open air, and seeing nothing but joy and sorrow.
After experiencing the life and death of defending the city, Magistrate Hu saw that the world was no longer sad or joyful.
Along the way, whether he saw dilapidated cities, burned villages, dead bodies and bones on the roadside, people leaving their homes and traveling with their families, or the officials and people who greeted them, and the squires holding various thank-you gifts, they did not make him sad.
Not excited either.
Now is not the time to be sad and excited, everything has just begun.
There was a thin figure standing next to me.
"Miss Minghua." Magistrate Hu pressed his hat that was blown by the wind and looked at the girl in military robes. She also looked very tired. "Are you okay?" he persuaded again, "There is a city ahead.
Everything is safe, you should rest there, I will send you any news as soon as possible, it is too hot today."
Li Minghua shook his head and said: "If we stopped now, we wouldn't have started in the first place."
In the past, I only knew that there was an eldest lady in the Li family who was extremely willful. Other ladies might choose a bed and bring their own bedding, but she moved the entire house brick by brick.
It seems that although not all ladies named Li can move houses, they still have the same willfulness.
What else did Magistrate Hu want to say? A group of soldiers and horses ran past him in a flurry. The dust and smoke caused Magistrate Hu to cover his mouth and nose and cough, blurring his vision. Li Minghua's voice suddenly rose in his ears.
"Stop, what are you doing?"
The rising smoke exploded into a mushroom on the spot, and the locust emerged from the mushroom: "There is a city ahead, let's go explore it."
They went to inquire? Who knows whether it was to inquire or to rob. When passing by a city, they slipped away without checking for a moment. The officials and people of the troubled city sent several carts of food and supplies. They only asked them not to enter the city. They clearly regarded them as robbers.
Already.
Li Minghua said in a deep voice: "There are scouts on Jiannan Road, you don't need to go."
The locust shouted unhappily: "We should be allowed to contribute. We all come out together. It's ugly for us to be idle all the time."
Li Minghua said: "Who left you idle? Isn't there a warning all around?"
Tu Locust said angrily: "Not to mention the rebels around here, we can't even see a guard bandit. What's there to be wary of?"
Li Minghua said: "This is military regulation. If there are no enemies, can the military formation be loosened?"
In just a short period of time, Li Minghua, a young lady, could speak a word or two about military rules.
She was followed by the soldiers and horses of Jiannan Dao, and she was the Li family of Jiannan Dao. The Li family was the chief governor who led the army. She didn't know what the military regulations were, but she didn't have enough confidence. She opened her mouth but didn't dare to refute in case of refutation.
Getting it wrong would be disgraceful.
He cursed and turned the horse's head.
The horse's hooves splashed mushrooms all around, but they did not go far ahead. Magistrate Hu emerged from the mushrooms and said twice: "The soldiers and horses of Mrs. Chu Guo must listen to Miss Minghua's words.
"
It looks like Miss Minghua's soldiers and horses, even more similar than the soldiers and horses of Jiannan Road.
Although she hated these bandit soldiers, if she didn't protect them, who could protect them? If their identities were revealed, they would really lose their dignity in front of others. Li Minghua hurriedly stopped Magistrate Hu from thinking, "Yes
Listening to Mrs. Chu's words, they will remember Mrs. Chu's orders and dare not make mistakes."
That's true. Magistrate Hu nodded. This group of Chu troops were running back and forth during the march. Five hundred people just ran out of the noise of fifteen hundred people, but other than being noisy, they didn't make any mistakes.
After walking for a while, we entered Jizhou.
Although the soldiers and horses of Jizhou turned back halfway to support Jiangling Mansion, they were still very vigilant in the territory. The scouts from Jiannan Road did not hide their identities and were discovered as soon as they entered.
He took out a flag, announced his identity and explained his purpose of coming, but for General Jiwei, nothing in this world can be trusted unless he sees Magistrate Hu with his own eyes.
Aristocratic guard Malay
We were greeted or escorted on guard, and when we arrived at Jizhou City, the city gate was still closed.
Magistrate Hu doesn't mind either. In this kind of world, there is no need to talk about superiors, subordinates and colleagues. No one can talk to anyone except father, son and brothers.
He wiped his face with the remaining water in the kettle, and just as he was about to ask his attendants to take out the new official robes from the bag, the horse's hooves cluttered and a burst of smoke exploded.
Magistrate Hu covered his mouth and nose and coughed. Looking at the dust and smoke rolling away, the Chu army began to run around again.
This time they didn't have to run very far and quickly rushed to the city.
"Open the city gate quickly!"
"Where is your general? Come out quickly to greet us!"
The chaotic shouts almost lifted the city wall. Not only were they shouting, but an arrow was shot up. General Jiwei, who had just stood up to see if the person coming was the prefect of Jiangling Prefecture, almost shouted for an enemy attack.
What kind of troops are these? Aren’t all the Pengcheng guards dead?
"What are you looking at! Open the city gate quickly."
"The Governor of Jiannan Road is here!"
The Governor of Jiannan Province? General Jiwei was shocked. He was not at the level of a small prefect of Jiangling Prefecture. Although it sounds incredible, the Governor of Jiannan Province was from Jiangling Prefecture and he did impulsive things for his homeland.
It's not impossible
General Jiwei didn't look at the city gate anymore and came down directly with his people.
Seeing these bandit soldiers outside the city, they suddenly ran to call the door. Li Minghua, who was trying to avoid retreating, hurriedly chased them out. As soon as he chased them out, he heard their shouts and stamped his feet in anger.
These people really dare to say any nonsense!
She rushed over and called out to you. The city gate opened and a group of officers and generals rushed out. The leader of the general was a burly red-faced man who looked shocked and nervous.
"Where is the Grand Governor?" he shouted.
The bandit soldier pointed at Li Minghua, who was walking over.
General Jiwei blinked and looked behind Li Minghua
At this point, Li Minghua stepped forward on horseback and nodded: "General, I am Li Minghua."
What does Li's, Minghua, mean?
General Jiwei's eyes fell on this thin soldier again, and he was shocked to find that it was a woman.
The bandit soldiers were already shouting.
"This is the sister of the Governor of Jiannan Road."
"On behalf of the Grand Governor, he is here in person!"
Li Minghua got off his horse, walked up to the stunned General Jiwei, and took out the fish charm hanging next to his body: "General, Li Minghua, under the order of the Governor of Jiannan Road, assist Jiangnan Road."
Of course General Jiwei was familiar with Yu Fu. He took a closer look and was convinced that it was true. Then he looked at the girl in front of him.
Although, there are very few girls joining the army, let alone becoming generals, there is nothing impossible in these troubled times. Apart from anything else, the Lady of Chu State in Huainan Road is very famous.
The wife of Chu State can lead troops for her husband, and so can the sister of Little Governor Li.
General Jiwei raised his hand and saluted: "Thank you. I already know that the Chengqing rebels were repelled only because of the timely assistance from the soldiers and horses of Jiannan Road."
Before he finished speaking, the soldiers and horses next to him looked behind Li Minghua and shouted: "There are also the soldiers and horses of Mrs. Chu from Huainan Road."
General Jiwei was stunned for a moment and looked at the soldiers and horses. The soldiers and horses seemed to be afraid that he could not see clearly, so they poked a large flag with the word Chu over it.
Li Minghua dismissed them and said: "It is not only the reinforcements from Jiannan Road that can defeat the Chengqing rebels, but also the soldiers and horses of Mrs. Chu from Huainan Road."
General Jiwei nodded: "I've heard about it too." He glanced at the group of soldiers and horses, and the banner with the word "Chu" loomed in front of his eyes again. This banner was as scary as the reputation of the Lady of Chu State, and he quickly looked away, "
I heard that the prefect of Jiangling had arrived, but I didn’t know that you were all here too.”
Li Minghua hurriedly turned around and looked back to call Magistrate Hu.
Magistrate Hu, who was overwhelmed by soldiers and horses, was able to come out, straightened his clothes and saluted General Jiwei: "General, we had agreed to have a drink together at the Pengcheng camp, alas, I didn't expect that."
What happened at Pengcheng Camp was a sad and shameful thing. These civil servants are also the best at hiding needles in cotton wool. General Jiwei sighed hurriedly and said: "Yes, I didn't expect it." He raised his head and changed the subject and asked, "I heard that there is also the Governor of Qi in the Southeast Road.
soldiers and horses”
The locusts were carrying flags and crowded over: "Nothing."
Don’t talk about trivial matters. General, Miss Minghua, and Prefect Hu are all very tired from traveling. If you have anything to say, drink a bowl of water and continue talking.”
General Jiwei avoided being poked in the face by the big flag, turned sideways and turned inward, laughed loudly and said: "That's right, Miss Minghua, Prefect Hu, please come in quickly, we can talk in detail in the house."
Now that things have happened, it is confirmed that the Governor of Jiannan Road has sent his sister here. She cannot stay behind as she said before. Magistrate Hu looked at Li Minghua and stretched out his hand to invite her: "Miss Minghua, please."
Li Minghua said: "Master Hu, please."
Tu Locust said: "Don't be polite, we are not outsiders. We will be vigilant around the front."
Carrying the flag and leading the men and horses, they rushed in first, cheering.
Li Minghua hurriedly followed him in. General Jiwei and Prefect Hu didn't mind too much. The sister of the little governor of Jiannan Road followed behind and poured into Jizhou City.