In an open area three or four miles away from where the ambush occurred, Duan Tianming asked everyone to stop.
After jumping off the horse, Duan Tianming felt very regretful when he saw that the captains were all more or less injured.
Just now, when he saw the canyon for the first time, a sense of danger came over him.
But in the blink of an eye, I thought again, this is within the Ming Dynasty, who would dare to attack Dongchang?
A moment of carelessness caused Dongchang to be attacked and a rat scurry away.
This is a disgrace, an absolute disgrace.
"Is there anyone who hasn't followed?" Duan Tianming asked in a deep voice to the captains.
"No, everyone is here."
"Where are the horses? Whose horses are not out?"
"I."
"I."
"I."
...
Seven captains in a row walked out of the team.
"Seven horses, including mine, a total of eight horses fell in the valley. This made everyone more or less disappointed." Duan Tianming's face became colder and colder.
"You, you, you..." Duan Tianming named five captains in succession, "Follow me to pick up Xiao Chen, and the others will stay where they are."
"Yes." Everyone responded in unison.
The five captains even "clacked" their sabers out of their bodies, looking ready to fight at any time.
"How many losses are there in total?" On the official road not far away, Xiao Chen walked slowly with his hands behind his back and a gloomy face.
The captain's uniform was scratched in several places by gravel, and fist-sized holes were all over his body.
There was a small wound on the left face, and the blood had dried.
"Everyone was injured, but there were no serious injuries. Eight military horses were lost in total." Duan Tianming whispered, slowly lowering his head. "It's all my fault. I sensed the danger here in advance, but because of my carelessness, I didn't
Warning to everyone."
"As long as I'm here, it's not your turn to bear this responsibility. I was careless." Xiao Chen stretched out his right hand and patted Duan Tianming's shoulder hard.
He raised his head again and looked at the captains: "Everyone, check each other to see if there are any serious injuries."
"No, we just checked it." everyone replied.
"Rest where you are and apply medicine when needed. Small wounds should also be treated."
"Yes." Everyone responded and began to treat each other's injuries.
Taking a step towards Xiao Chen, Duan Tianming asked softly: "Didn't you catch up with them?"
Xiao Chen shook his head: "The top of the mountain is covered with dense woods. When I went up, they all ran away. I originally thought of continuing the pursuit, but considering everyone's safety, I had to give up in the end."
"Did you find anything?"
Xiao Chen raised his right hand and slowly stretched it out.
In the palm of his hand, there was an extinguished match rope made of corn silk that was more than an inch long.
This kind of match rope is very common in Guanzhong.
Most of them are common people who smoke dry tobacco and carry them with them.
"Aren't you from the government?" Duan Tianming asked in a low voice.
"The government is equipped with fire ropes. This corn silk match rope should be used by the people. I also checked the arrows on the ground. They are crudely made and are not government property."
"But this kind of gunpowder should not be owned by the people." Duan Tianming thought for a moment and spoke slowly.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly: "Dongchang has only been established for half a year, and there has not yet been such a great hatred among the people. The use of match ropes is just a cover-up."
He casually threw the match rope ends in his hand into the pile of rocks beside the official road: "On the top of the mountain, there are seven or eight such short match rope ends. The ones that can burn the match ropes are only about this inch long. They are here
It should take some time to wait for us in this canyon."
"With the emperor's decree, we will set off overnight. How can this news reach us?"
"The news that we will come does not come from the capital, but from Gongchang Mansion." Xiao Chen's eyes became colder and colder.
Duan Tianming's face was also gloomy and scary: "You mean, the murderer is Gong Changfu?"
"No." Xiao Chen shook his head, "The person who did it must not be from Gongchang Mansion. But the one who gave the order must be related to Gongchang Mansion."
Duan Tianming clenched his fists tightly, and the joints of his ten fingers "cracked".
"What should we do? Take down the prefect of Gongchang directly?"
"No, the first thing we have to do is provide disaster relief. We should calm down the people first, and then investigate the matter in detail. After killing eight of my Dongchang army horses, I will chop him into eight pieces to commemorate everyone in Dongchang.
A military horse." Xiao Chen's face was expressionless, but the coldness in his eyes made people shudder.
"Eight military horses were injured and killed. Are we going to go to Gongchang Mansion like this?" Duan Tianming asked in a low voice.
"After leaving the Qinling Mountains, the closest place is Qingshui County, which is under Qinzhou. Go to Qingshui County, pick up the generals and horses, and inquire about any larger local gangs in the Qinzhou area."
Xiao Chen said coldly.
Two people were riding on a military horse, which greatly reduced Dongchang's marching speed.
As evening approached, I saw the towering city wall of Qingshui County from a distance.
At the city gate, there is a soldier standing on each side.
The red tassel on the spear in his hand fluttered slowly in the breeze.
Seeing the Dongchang team coming from a distance, the soldiers guarding the city looked at each other, walked a few steps ahead, and waved their spears across their hands as a salute.
Xiao Chen on the horse also nodded slightly towards the other party.
"Excuse me, sir, who are you?" the soldier asked.
Duan Tianming, who was next to him, had already taken out the Dongchang Plum Blossom Order from his waist and flashed it to the soldiers: "Dongchang, I have been ordered to go to Gongchang Mansion for disaster relief."
Seeing the dark plum blossom order, the soldier quickly retreated and opened the city gate: "Please, sir."
"Lead the way to Qingshui County Government Office." Duan Tianming put away the plum blossom order and said again.
"Yes. Sir, please follow me." The soldier responded respectfully, holding the spear tightly in his right hand, and trotted to clear the way in front.
Qingshui County Government Office, the magistrate was playing with bird cages in the back hall, when a government official ran in in a hurry: "Sir, sir, the people from Dongchang are here."
"Dongchang? Why do the people from Dongchang come all the way to our Qingshui County? Where are the people?" the magistrate put down the birdcage and asked in disbelief.
"We have arrived at the county government hall. Your Excellency is waiting inside."
"Ah? We've already arrived at the court." The magistrate stood up hurriedly, clapped his hands on his body, and walked towards the door.
In the lobby, Xiao Chen and Duan Tianming were sitting on seats against the wall.
A clever government servant had already poured tea for the two of them, and then respectfully left the door, waiting to be dispatched.
The magistrate walked in with his body hunched over and a smile on his face. He raised his hands and said, "Are you two adults from the East Factory in the capital?"
Xiao Chen said nothing and nodded with a smile, which was regarded as acquiescence.
Without saying a word, Duan Tianming took out the plum blossom order from his waist and handed it to the other party.
Dongchang's Plum Blossom Order was passed by the entire Ming Dynasty without any hindrance. How could the county magistrate not recognize it?
He glanced at the Plum Blossom Order, but he didn't dare to take it and examine it carefully.
He hurriedly waved his hands: "The plum blossom order in Dongchang is really painted in the emperor's edict. I will remember it in my heart, so there is no need to check it."
Seeing that the other party was so respectful, Xiao Chen went straight to the point: "Dongchang, under the order of the emperor, went to Gongchang Mansion to provide disaster relief. There are more than fifty people in the group. Please also ask the county magistrate to make proper arrangements for a temporary stay in the post house. We will stay there early tomorrow morning
Let’s set off.”
"When Dongchang arrives in Qingshui County, there will naturally be arrangements for this. Sir, don't worry." The county magistrate said respectfully.
"Something happened on the road. Eight military horses died. I would like to ask the county magistrate to think of a way to provide horses to Dongchang before setting off tomorrow morning."
"There are still a lot of horses in the Qingshui Guards. The number is not a problem, but I'm afraid they are not as strong as the horses in Dongchang." A trace of embarrassment appeared on the magistrate's face.
"It doesn't matter. It's not a long journey to Gongchang Mansion. The magistrate can just try his best to choose better military horses."
"Okay, I will try my best."
Seeing that the other party agreed to everything so smoothly, but kept standing in front of the two of them, Xiao Chen felt a little embarrassed.
Pointing to the chair next to him: "Sit down and talk, sir."
"Okay, okay." The magistrate's face was filled with a smile, his body was slightly arched, and he slowly put his buttocks on the chair.
"May I ask the county magistrate, from Fengxiang Mansion to the west to Gongchang Mansion, are there any big civil organizations in between?" Xiao Chen asked with a smile.
"Non-governmental organization?" The magistrate frowned slightly, a little confused.
"Oh, it's just like a gang." Xiao Chen explained with a smile.
"Gang? Gang?" The magistrate lowered his head and seemed to be thinking hard.
Xiao Chen was not in a hurry and waited quietly.
"The caravan, the biggest gang is the caravan."
The magistrate looked at Xiao Chen excitedly and said.
