The Yellow River suddenly opens up to Mengjinkou. The river channel, no longer restricted by canyons, becomes open and the water flow is gentle.
The boat was sailing in the river, following the ups and downs of the waves, but it was relatively stable.
The clear river water that splashed into the boat made Yang Anxuan, who had seen the turbulent waves, deeply moved. Time has changed, the world has changed, and the vicissitudes of life are so great.
Thirty people, four carts, loaded with porcelain, silk, tea and other valuables, as well as half a cart of Yunjie paper, worth thousands of gold.
The goods were sent by Xiahou Zongzhi, the governor of Henan Province. No one asked how they came.
Yang Anxuan was the owner of the goods, Hu Fan was Dian Ji, Yin Ji acted as a long follower, Zhao Tian was the leader of the guard, four on horseback, and the twenty-six soldiers of the Pioneer Battalion were the caravan guards, armed with swords and six bows on foot. The goods were bound for North Dai and these were noted in the check-in.
The trivial matters were left to Hu Fan. Yang Anxuan knew that Hu Fan was resourceful and careful, and considered the details more comprehensively than himself.
Five miles north along the official road is the Yan Market, where many merchants deliver goods. This is the mutual market between Jin and Yan. Going further north, you will enter the territory of Xi Yan.
After paying the tax of 1,000 yuan, the convoy entered the market. A hostage came forward to inquire about the goods and learned that Yang Anxuan and others were heading to Dai State (called Wei in 398). Another person came to introduce them to join the caravan heading north.
As the hostages came to the north of the city, nearly a hundred vehicles gathered there and more than a thousand people were getting ready to go.
The leader of the team, Hu Shang, was Zongti, an old man from Xianbei. He had pale beard and hair, a high nose and deep eyes. He wore a round hood, covering his forehead, with shoulders hanging down on both sides, his hair hanging on the left side, and a fox fur jacket with a narrow waist and tight sleeves.
Zongti's eyes were like those of a hawk. He looked carefully at everything he passed, and compared them with Yang Anxuan and others. He stretched out his hand to touch the goods on the bullock cart and said in blunt Chinese: "Ten thousand yuan will lead you to Yanmen. On the way." Follow my orders in your actions and actions.”
Hu Fan bargained with Zongti and reduced the price to 8,500 yuan, and paid the hostage another 200 yuan.
He took the gold ingot from Hu Fan, weighed it with his hands and put it into his arms. Zongti showed a smile on his lips and said: "There is a war going on right now, and the road may not be peaceful. Please prepare more food. I have smoked preserved fruits and dried fish in the convoy. If you need anything, come to me. You can prepare it first. It will take two-quarters of an hour." Set off later.”
While talking, another caravan wanted to join the convoy, and Zongti left in a hurry.
Yang Anxuan did some calculations and found that there were at least twenty or thirty companies in this group. He was one of the few. He was given nearly ten thousand yuan, which in total would be four to five hundred thousand.
Two-quarters of an hour later, the convoy began to head north. More than a hundred vehicles stretched for two or three miles, slowly heading north along the official road.
Yang Anxuan and others were at the back of the long queue and looked around. The farmland on both sides of the official road was almost deserted. Occasionally, they saw a few undressed farmers standing on the roadside with dull eyes. Xi Yan was even more depressed than the Eastern Jin Dynasty, which is really pitiful for people in troubled times.
Just after Shen Zheng passed and the convoy had traveled twenty miles, Zongti ordered the camp to be set up. As the leaders and guards of the caravan, Yang Anxuan and Zhao Tian were invited by Zongti to discuss the evening defense.
The entire convoy consisted of more than twenty people. Yang Anxuan was considered a small convoy and had no say in the convoy. He was arranged to guard the west together with several large caravans.
Zongti sternly warned that if something happened and caused losses to the convoy, the caravans that were escorting them would be responsible for the compensation.
More than 200 people were divided into two shifts. Yang Anxuan and Hu Fan were on duty for the first half of the night, and Zhao Tian and Yin Ji were on duty for the second half of the night.
It was nearly August, and it wasn't cold at night, but the mosquitoes were infested, and the "crack-crack" sound was constant.
Yang Anxuan and Hu Fan talked softly, exchanging archery experiences. Yang Anxuan asked about his eldest brother's situation in Xiangyang in detail, and learned that Governor Xi took good care of his eldest brother. Yang Anshen followed his advice and had a close relationship with Hu Fan, and the two became good friends.
As they approached the house, shouts came from the north, and everyone stood up and looked around. The leader on duty in the west was a strong man from the Di tribe. He shouted loudly to everyone to be on guard and not to move.
Zhao Tian and others were awakened and came looking for him with their weapons in hand. The cold blade danced against the bonfire, and Yang Anxuan secretly told Hu Fan and others to gather together and be careful of any unusual movements around them.
The screams from the north were getting louder and louder, and the sound of weapons clashing could be vaguely heard. A hooting whistle took off, signaling a pre-arranged signal to request reinforcements.
Di Han said to the people on duty: "A few people from each family should come with me to take a look."
Yang Anxuan asked Zhao Tian to stay, and took Hu Fan and Yin Ji to follow Di Han. About forty people headed north together.
As he got closer, the shouts of killing became louder and louder, figures swayed in the darkness, cold light flashed, and for a moment it was impossible to distinguish between friend and foe.
The Di Han shouted loudly: "Those wearing leather armor are thieves."
By the moonlight, Yang Anxuan saw a group of people wearing leather armor and wielding swords and guns very fiercely. I thought that these thieves were rich enough to afford leather armor. You must know that An Xuanjun had to be very long to have leather armor.
He waved his sword and joined the battle group. Reinforcements from several other places also arrived. There were more than a hundred troops and they quickly suppressed the bandits. After hearing a whistle, the bandits actually cooperated and retreated.
They were clearly well-trained troops. Yang Anxuan realized that these people should be Xi Yan's defeated troops. Hou Yan attacked Xi Yan, but Xi Yan's defeated troops did not return and started to become thieves.
Zongti restrained the guards not to pursue, and after being busy for most of an hour, Yang Anxuan got a piece of leather armor, and everyone returned to camp.
The Di Han came over with a jar of wine. Yang Anxuan and the others were very brave in the fight just now. The Di Han saw it and wanted to make friends with them.
As soon as the wine bowl touched, the heat went down the throat, and the men sitting around the campfire quickly became familiar with each other.
Di Han patted his chest and said, "Suo Tan."
After Fu Jian unified the northern territory, he vigorously promoted Chineseization. All ethnic groups in the north could speak Chinese, and communication was not difficult.
"Zhao Cheng." Yang Anxuan reported the pseudonym he had given.
"I just saw you take action, what a skill." Suo Tan raised his bowl to indicate.
Yang Anxuan smiled and said: "Brother Suo is as powerful as a tiger, as if he is used to fighting on the battlefield?"
Suo Tan sighed, drank the wine in the bowl, wiped the wine stains on his chin, and recalled: "Suo was originally the captain of the King of Heaven. After the Battle of Feishui, he was injured and returned to his hometown. Later, the King of Heaven died. So I took a group of brothers out to guard the caravan so that I could feel at ease."
Yang Anxuan was silent. Although Fu Jian died, there were many people who missed him. Unfortunately, there were few people to follow him. The Qin State, which was once powerful in the past, fell into pieces, and the heroic soldiers under his command were scattered.
Suo Tan's bravery is no less than that of Zhao Tian, and Yu Wenqi, the man he met at Panlong Mountain, is both a master with extraordinary skills.
At Mao Shi, there was another commotion. Yang Anxuan yawned, thinking that the territory of Xiyan was quite chaotic. Fortunately, he joined the caravan, otherwise a group of thirty people would not be able to cope with it.
Go forward and pass through the inner side of Zhiguan Pass. This time when Later Yan attacked Xi Yan, Murong Yong, the leader of Xi Yan, put his main force on the defense of Taihangxing and Zhiguanxing. Unexpectedly, Murong Chui led his army to attack Fukou and entered Tianjing Pass. Murong Yong was caught off guard and hurriedly transferred the main force of Taihangxing back. Aid the capital.
First, Shangshu ordered Diao Yun and chariot general Murong Chong to surrender to Hou Yan, and then they were defeated in ambush on the wall of the platform. Jinyang guard general Murong You abandoned the city and fled. As a result, the eldest son of the capital was besieged and the situation became uncontrollable.
When approaching Zhiguan, there were some Qingqi. It looked like they were soldiers and horses from the Western Yan Dynasty. They were walking in a hurry and looked frightened. No one came to question the convoy.
The convoy did not dare to stop near Zhiguan and hurried forward, arriving at Wulongkou at Shenshi. Zongti asked the convoy to stop and stationed in front of Wulongkou tonight.
Yang Anxuan saw Zongti arranging for people to pick things up into the mountain, and asked Suo Tan the reason in confusion.
Suo Tan passed by Wulongkou several times and explained: "There are bandits in the mountains. As long as you give gifts when you pass Wulongkou, the bandits will stop robbing the caravan."
It turns out that paying tolls also has benefits, and the caravan and the bandits can coexist, which opens Yang Anxuan's horizons.
"Brother Zhao, you have enough food for the team. I will go to Sujiawu later to buy some corn and dried meat. Do you want to go together?"
When a caravan travels a long distance, it is impossible to waste too much transport capacity on loading food, and most of the required supplies are replenished along the way.
Yang Anxuan was very interested in Wubao in Beidi and said with a smile: "Okay, Yu just bought some drinks. I'll treat Brother Suo to a few bowls in the evening."
Yang Anxuan took Hu Fan and Yin Ji, hitched an ox cart, and followed Suo Tan and his group to the west.
Not far from the official road is Conglin. After passing through the forest path and walking five miles away, you can see the Wubao in the mountain depression.
"Sujiawu is quite secretive. If acquaintances hadn't led the way, no one would have known about it." Yang Anxuan said.
Sujiabao is square in shape, with a dock wall two feet high and piers built at the four corners, with people guarding the piers.
When Yongjia was crossing south, many people were living in the north of the Yangtze River. The powerful gathered them to build docks to defend themselves. Some did not forget their homeland and responded to the court's call to become refugee commanders. Some claimed to be dock owners to have both sides. Everyone has their own way of living.
More than twenty steps away, loud arrows were fired from the pier, and everyone stopped.
Suo Tan stepped forward alone and shouted loudly outside Wubao: "Suo Tan, a Di man, come to buy grain."
After a while, the dock door opened, and more than ten riders rushed out and circled twice around Yang Anxuan and others. The leader reined in the horse and asked: "Who can lead the team?"
Knowing that Zongti was leading the team, the man nodded and said, "Go in."
People are coming and going in Wubao, children are playing, cocks are crowing and dogs are barking, and it is more lively than the market.
Yang Anxuan saw Wubao covering four or five acres, with terraced fields on the north side stretching all the way into the mountains.
The leader jumped off his horse and led Suo Tan and others to the west. Downstairs there was a warehouse where corn, cured meats, wine and other items were stored.
"Brother Suo Tan, you came from Zhiguan. How was the battle?" The man knew Suo Tan and asked.
"Zhiguan is still there, but the people are panicked and the soldiers have no desire to fight." Suo Tan said: "Fortmaster Su Shao, what news do you have?"
Su Zhi said with concern: "The situation is about to change. I just received the news two days ago that Yao Xing and Lord Fu fought in Ma Mao Mountain, and Lord Fu was captured and died."
Everyone's expression changed. Suo Tan was originally a soldier of the former Qin Dynasty. When he heard about Fu Deng's death, he quickly asked for details.
Yang Anxuan sighed secretly, the situation in the north was really changing, and he saw that Xi Yan and the former Qin were about to perish.
After opening a granary, there were tens of thousands of stones worth of corn, and the warehouse next to it was piled with dried meats and salted fish. There was a mountain of goods in the warehouse. Yang Anxuan estimated that the supplies in the dock would be enough for two years.
There are not only Han people in Wubao, but also people in Xianbei, Di, and Xiongnu costumes, and they seem to be getting along in harmony. In order to survive in troubled times, ordinary people huddle together for warmth, regardless of race.
On the way back, Suo Tan was speechless and sighed. The Qin Dynasty, which had been strong for ten years, fell apart. After the death of the King of Heaven, the two kings of the country, Fu Pi and Fu Deng, were defeated and died one after another. The Qin Dynasty was really destroyed by heaven.
When he passed Wulongkou the next day, Yang Anxuan saw Zongti delivering two hundred stones of corn and a cart of preserved meat, and his men came down the mountain, carrying handbags on their shoulders, chatting and laughing.
The convoy was greeted by bandits as they crossed the border and headed north toward Jianxing (Jin) City.
