Anning County, three miles away from the city gate.
"Your Highness, we are here!"
"We're at peace!"
"Anning County is built on the mountain. After entering the city gate, we walk all the way up the mountain."
"My subordinates have gone to investigate clearly. There is no one at the city gate and you can come and go freely."
"How about we go into the city together so we can take care of each other?"
Wang Kai returned from the investigation and told Song Huan everything about the situation inside.
Now that night has fallen, the world is shrouded in a layer of faint moonlight, and it seems so quiet.
Anning County seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, with no movement at all.
Such silence made Wang Kai involuntarily put down his guard.
But Song Huan was very serious: "When something goes wrong, there must be a monster. It's only a quarter past three, and it's far from the time to rest."
"How can it be that this city is so empty and there's no one there?"
Wang Kai nodded thoughtfully after hearing this.
"Too!"
"Your Highness, actually I have another question."
"As an imperial envoy, you came to An Ning. In fact, the county government in An Ning should have received the news long ago and prepared to welcome your arrival."
"Why don't we go directly to the county government and let the local government negotiate with the people?"
Song Huan said: "The people in An Ning and the government do not deal with each other. If this comes to the county government, the county officials will definitely rack their brains and hope that I will bring reinforcements to suppress these people."
"I don't know the specific situation yet, so I can't be fooled by the county government officer out of nowhere!"
"You should be able to tell whether it's true or false after you see the situation yourself!"
After hearing Song Huan explain everything clearly, Wang Kai immediately became convinced.
"Your Highness, you have thought carefully, this subordinate understands everything!"
After Wang Kai arranged all his guards, he followed Song Huan, Liang Yuanqiao and Lu Qianxue towards Anning County.
The city gates of Anning County are tall and beautiful, and the streets in the city look clean and spacious, with nothing unusual seen.
But Song Huan understands that sometimes the more normal a place looks, the more fishy it actually is!
Song Huan stretched out his hand and pointed to the mountain in the distance. He saw only dots of fire on the mountain, and there seemed to be many traces of human habitation.
"This Anning County is an empty city. All the people should live in the mountains."
"It's better to just go up the mountain and see what's going on..."
However, before Song Huan finished speaking, he saw the silent street suddenly filled with people.
Each of these men wore homemade hard armor and held a bamboo-cut spear in their hands. They instantly surrounded the four of Song Huan.
"who!"
"What are you doing in An Ning?"
Wang Kai reacted the fastest and immediately put his hand into his arms, intending to pull out the dagger he had hidden in advance to defend himself.
But Song Huan shook his head gently and signaled Wang Kai not to act rashly for the time being.
"We are businessmen passing through here and want to live in peace for a while."
"I don't know which hero I have offended. Please be kind and generous and spare us!"
The man in the lead snorted: "Businessman?"
"joke!"
"You don't want to ask around. In recent years, there are still a few businessmen who are willing to come to our peace!"
"Looking at your red lips and white teeth, you must be sent by the government!"
"Come here! Take down the four of them quickly!"
The man gave the order, and everyone gathered around them, and the four of them were captured alive.
Song Huan had already informed Huo Qi, who was staying in the dark, in advance that if his life was not threatened, there was no need to show up for the time being.
After hearing what the leader said, Song Huan had an idea and said, "We are indeed not businessmen, but we are not people sent by the government either!"
"Take me to your leader, I have something to say!"
It turns out that the rumors are true. The people of An Ning are indeed kings of the mountain and are hostile to the government.
I just don’t know yet, what is the reason why they do this?
After listening to Song Huan's words, the leader burst into laughter.
"Meet our leader? You think so!"
"We peaceful people don't like to take human life lightly, but we also don't like traitors who talk nonsense!"
"Get out of peace immediately. If you dare to show up again, don't blame us for being rude!"
As he said that, the man made a move to knock Liang Yuanqiao, who was closest to him, unconscious.
Seeing that the man was neither seeking money nor killing his life, Song Huan was even more convinced that the local people did not choose to be bandits, but had an unspeakable secret that was unknown to everyone!
"Wait!"
"Take me to your leader and I'll say it one last time!"
"If you don't do it, everyone on the mountain will pay the price tomorrow morning!"
"If you have the guts, give it a try!"
The man saw that Song Huan had an extraordinary momentum. Although his words were not cruel, he was decisive and decisive, and did not seem to be speaking arrogantly.
After a fierce ideological struggle, the man waved to his men.
"Put on the blindfold and take it to the mountain!"
Song Huan's eyes went dark, and he felt someone behind him constantly pushing him forward.
He staggered as he walked, fearing that he would accidentally step into the air and fall into the mud.
It was pitch black before his eyes, and his heart was naturally filled with fear of the unknown.
But Song Huan understood that Huo Qi was always guarding his safety in a place that he couldn't see.
Thinking of this, he felt much more at ease.
He didn't know how long he was pushed along like this. Song Huan could only feel that he was going uphill all the way, and he was still panting and sweating profusely.
Finally, the advancing team finally stopped.
"Shua——"
The blindfold was suddenly taken off, and Song Huan couldn't adapt to the sudden darkness in front of him.
"Tell me, what do you want to see me for?"
A female voice cut through the dark night sky, and Song Huan realized that he was already on the mountain in An Ning.
But the mountains here are not in the wilderness, but simple bungalows have been built everywhere, making it look like a small village.
The surroundings were crowded with civilians dressed as hunters, all of whom were staring at him with serious faces, even full of hatred.
"Hey! I'm asking you something!"
"Who are you exactly?"
After being reminded again, Song Huan noticed the woman sitting in front.
She was only in her early twenties, wearing a suit of armor worn by hunters, and carrying a heavy ax in her hand.
Dots of firelight cast on her slightly dark face, revealing a primitive, pure and wild beauty.
Her eyes swept across the faces of Song Huan and the others one by one. When she saw Lu Qianxue, she visibly paused.
"I didn't expect there was a woman!"
"Tell me, why do you want to see me?"
"I'll give you ten more seconds. If you don't answer, I'll kill her first!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she stretched out her arm and pointed the ax in the direction of Lu Qianxue.
"one!"
