Chen Mu knew that Zhang He would definitely be able to find Xun He. There was no doubt about it. Because the cargo transportation in the Han Dynasty was really easy to track. Three million dollars is not a small amount. If it was pulled by an ox cart, it would take more than 20 carts.
It would cost at least more than ten cars to exchange part of it for items of equivalent value.
These vehicles must be registered when entering and exiting the city. There are a large number of public patrols in the inner city and outer city every day. There are also patrols in each lane, and there are also city gate guards stationed on guard. Just ask a little and you will know where the vehicles have gone.
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But Chen Mu didn't believe that the information Zhang He got from the scholars was 100% true.
If he were Xun He, when he heard that Zhang Rang had sent people out to track down Hou Xu and the whereabouts of those things, he would definitely not be able to tell the truth.
For example, if Hou Xu gave the transaction time and transaction location at a certain time and place, Chen Mu would tamper with it.
After all, you can check where the vehicle has gone, but the further you go outside the city, the harder it is to find clues. Just make a time difference, transport the vehicle out in advance, and then release false news, which will definitely divert the enemy's attention and delay time.
So from the beginning, Chen Mu did not consider Xun He's line, but focused on Ma Fen. Because he knew very well that his goal was not Xun He, but Hou Xu.
If Hou Xu wants to leave, there are only two routes: land and water.
Nowadays, all the water system information in the world is recorded in the "Hanshu Geography" written by Ban Gu. As for the later famous "Shui Jing Zhu", we have to wait for more than three hundred years.
Although the records in "Hanshu Geography" are not detailed, they can already give people a clear concept in their minds.
Before the opening of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, shipping in the north had been underdeveloped.
The reason is that most of the water systems in the north flow from west to east, passing through Yuzhou and Jizhou, and then flowing into the Bohai Sea or the Yellow Sea. There are very few rivers from north to south, and even a few tributaries only reach the Huaihe River.
Water still has to go east.
This means that taking the water route in the north of the Han Dynasty could not actually go very far, and it was not as fast as the land route. Moreover, the target of taking the water route was too large and it was easy to be discovered along the way. Chen Mu did not believe that Hou Xu really planned to take the water route.
Hu Ping's feedback confirmed his suspicion. The group of people pulled their horses and headed east along the Yang Canal, approaching Hongchi.
The time of summer and autumn is when the vegetation is in full bloom. The grass beside Hongchi is as thick as the sea, and the reeds are as deep as the jungle.
Peng Cen's men and Hu Ping followed all the way, and finally found that they had hitched their horses to a carriage on the north bank of Hongchi. Seeing this scene from a distance, Chen Mu said: "Go and capture them, remember to keep them alive."
Hu Ping had long wanted to show off his skills, so he raised his hands and said, "Wei!"
Peng Cen, who was on the side and was eager to make contributions, also said: "Chen Sima, do you want me to go too?"
"Let's all go."
Chen Mu nodded, it would be safer to have more people.
There are about ten people on the other side. With the guards brought from the army and Peng Cen's people on our side, there are as many as forty or fifty people, so we should be able to handle it.
Hu Ping and Peng Cen hid in the reeds beside Hongchi with their men, and slowly approached.
When he reached the river bank, less than a few feet away, Hu Ping suddenly drew his sword and rushed out silently.
Behind him, several brave men in the army and dozens of rangers attached to Zhang He came out at the same time.
"No, there's an ambush."
The people over there were horrified and hurriedly abandoned their carriages and ran away.
The battle ended quickly, a few of the more than ten people were killed, and the rest were captured.
At this time, Hou Xu was going down the river.
The Luoshui River in the south city of Luoyang flows from west to east, and the moat of Luoyang is intercepted from rivers such as Luoshui, Xianshui, and Jianshui. When it reaches the east of the city, it flows into Hongchi. Hongchi continues eastward and finally flows into Luoshui.
Therefore, if Hou Xu took a boat and drifted along the river from Luoshui, he would reach the lower reaches of Hongchi. The two rivers converged, so there was no need to go to other places.
Chen Mu guessed correctly, Hou Xu did not intend to take the water route.
Trying to evade capture by taking the water route in the north is as stupid as trying to evade sharks by swimming in the sea.
Therefore, Hou Xu also made two preparations for his retreat route. The first step was to arrange for the more than 1,200 Yellow Turban soldiers and their families to leave by boat. The second step was to arrange for his family members and a small number of confidants to go south by land.
The reason for this is also very simple. The group of people taking the water route can attract the attention of the court. After all, they do not have large ships. They only found some fishing boats and small boats. There are more than 20 ships alone. There are so many.
People have to pass through many towns, states and counties along the way, so it is difficult not to attract people's attention.
After the group of people who took the water route attracted the court's attention, Hou Xu could take dozens of confidants and take the land route to avoid official roads. Instead of going to the county town, he would only take the country roads. This would not only ensure safety, but also
Perfectly evading the pursuit of the imperial court can be described as killing two birds with one stone.
After completing the transaction, Hou Xu was in high spirits. He knew that Zhang Rang's people were also looking for him. But after working as an internal agent for so many years, Hou Xu understood that his survival depended on caution and prudence.
Even the party members who had contact with him failed to capture him, so Hou Xu didn't think that Zhang Rang's group of people could bring him back.
The Luo water was flowing, and dozens of small boats slowly approached the east bank of Hongchi.
This is the place he agreed with his men.
These yellow scarves who traveled by water were not fools, and they would not watch Hou Xu leave with the money in vain.
So Hou Xu had to have an excuse. Under the pretense of going to pick up his brother's family, he would ask his brother to wait on the shore with a portion of cloth, gold and silver and other easily portable properties, as well as dozens of confidants.
The five horses are used to pull the carriage, and the five war horses are used to provide force for several confidants and protect their lives along the way.
After his brother left with his money and his family, he and the yellow scarves continued south along the river with the copper coins that were not suitable to carry, and then found a place to escape. In this way, he successfully got rid of the burden and completed the Ming Dynasty.
Build a plank road and secretly plot Chen Cang's plan.
With a large army as cover, he didn't believe the court could catch him.
It's a pity that he met Chen Mu, who didn't play by the rules.
Chen Mu's tracking method is unique. No matter how deep your scheme is, you will never deviate from the original plan. As long as you have a grasp of your escape route, you can find the person while waiting for work.
Hou Xu approached the riverside. Several carriages were parked in the distance, and more than ten people could be vaguely seen.
"strangeness."
Seeing this scene, Hou Xu was puzzled.
You came here by yourself, why are your family still in the carriage?
And looking at the appearance of the group of people under his command, there seemed to be something vaguely wrong.
Most of the people lowered their heads and could not see their faces clearly. Only a few confidants standing in front had pale faces and changing expressions.
wrong!
Hou Xu immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and shouted to the people behind him: "Let's go!"
The ship stopped docking, and everyone was at a loss. However, Hou Xu was the leader of the Sili Yellow Turban, second only to Ma Yuanyi, and had a high prestige. Therefore, after he gave the order, there was some initial commotion and was immediately stopped and prepared.
Turn the ship around and leave.
But at this moment, a voice came from the reeds on the river bank: "Mr. Hou, look who he is?"
Hou Xu turned around and saw dozens of people emerging from the reed swamp. A white-faced Confucian scholar with fox eyes stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him with a half-smile. Beside the Confucian scholar, someone grabbed a young man by the throat.
There was a mother and daughter in the distance, who were also being controlled.
This is Hou Xu's wife and daughter.
Hou Xu was plotting against Xun He, Xun He was plotting against Chen Mu, and Chen Mu had caught Hou Xu's little tail early.