Tai'an Escort Bureau has always enjoyed the reputation of "the best escort agency in the world". It has been more than a hundred years since its establishment. Over the past hundred years, it has escorted countless escorts, large and small, with very few mistakes. However, because most of the bodyguards hired were warriors, the price was extremely expensive and few ordinary people could afford it. Therefore, most of the Tai'an Bodyguard Bureau worked for the emperor's relatives and court officials, and won their favor and trust.
Within the escort agency, the escorts are divided into four levels: C, D, B, and A, with "C" being the lowest and "A" being the highest. The higher the level of the bodyguard, the more valued they are by the emperor's relatives and the court, and the things entrusted to him are usually priceless and precious. As for the lowest level of "C", most of the bodyguards are low-ranking warriors who are not of high rank, and most of the things used to escort the bodyguards are daily necessities.
Ten miles away from the capital, there is a forest and snowfield, with dead trees scattered in clusters. The official and horse roads leading to various states and counties are covered with ice and snow, making it slippery and difficult to travel.
Guarding escorts in winter is the most annoying thing for every escort. Not only are they often hungry and cold, they are also more likely to encounter thieves who rob escorts of their belongings.
The bearded swordsman frowned and looked at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. After a while, he turned to look at the six escorts, his eyes were very unhappy, especially when he saw two people, his eyes were cold. He snorted extremely dissatisfiedly.
Including the bearded swordsman, there were seven people in total, and five of them were wearing special clothes from the Tai'an Escort Bureau. There was a thin layer of chain armor on the inside of the clothes, which could protect against cold arrows and sneak attacks, and could also reduce the injuries suffered during the fight. , in short, there are many benefits.
But the remaining two people are very strange. One is an old man who walks tremblingly, and the other is a white-haired young man who complains that his feet hurt and needs to rest while walking. No matter how you look at it, they don't look like they can. A person who holds the position of escort.
An old man is taking a nap in the sun. The white-haired young man noticed the bearded swordsman's unkind gaze, tilted his head slightly, pretended to be a woman, and smiled brightly in return.
boom!
The bearded swordsman stabbed the machete into the stone, grunted angrily, sat down, and looked at the cart full of heavy goods with a gloomy expression on his face. I really don’t know what the escort agency that suffered a thousand cuts thought, escorting five hundred taels of silver and a thousand bolts of silk and satin, instead of using an "A"-level escort, but instead bullying himself, the lowest-ranking person? As long as that's all, if we hire a few more escorts to escort him, there won't be much risk.
But what's the result? The results of it? Take a look at these guys. They are four chicks who are not even first-grade warriors. They are just porters. They all look like emaciated poles. Who can they beat? . The most ridiculous thing is not this. In order to make up the number of people, the escort agency who had been stabbed a thousand times found two laymen at random! ah? Is Tai'an Escort Agency so short of people? Can the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled be bodyguards? In the future, will animals be able to serve as escorts for people?
The bearded swordsman has made up his mind, since your Tai'an Escort Agency is such a virtuous person, you can't blame anyone else for having your sign smashed, it's all your fault! This time, if the escort really encounters a bandit with a large number of people and his life is at stake, why don't you care about five hundred taels of silver and one thousand taels of silk and satin? I don't care about anything and just run away! As for the two old, weak, sick and disabled people and the four chicks, whether they can survive or not depends on their own luck!
The bearded swordsman raised his head and drank a sip of strong wine. His inner anger calmed down a little, and he suddenly pulled out the sword and said angrily: "Get up! Let's get to work!"
The four porters reluctantly stood up from the ground, the young man was still sitting where he was, and the old man was still dozing off.
When the bearded swordsman saw this scene, he finally couldn't contain the anger in his heart. He slashed the sword violently, his eyes were about to burst and he roared: "Get up!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a towering dead tree collapsed, and the earth seemed to tremble.
The dozing old man suddenly woke up and looked around with confused eyes, a little confused. The young man brushed the snow off his clothes and slowly stood up.
So this most pitiful team of escorts from Tai'an Escort Bureau finished their rest and got back on the road.
This escort was entrusted by a high-ranking official in the imperial court. The Tai'an Escort Bureau did not dare to neglect it. The next day, the escort took the escort on the road to Shuanghua City, which was five hundred miles away from the imperial city. Along the way, you will pass through two small cities, namely Greenbelt City and Qingqian City. Both cities are famous in the north for their summer lotus scenery.
The road outside the city is not easy to walk, there is ice and snow everywhere. In order to save time, most of the time an escort team does not take the Guanma Avenue, but the narrow path that the escort masters are familiar with. The same is true for the long-bearded swordsman, in the ice and snow It was difficult and slow to set off on the road, and we were dragging two old, weak, sick and disabled people with us. If we delayed, we would miss the day to deliver the escort, and we would also be easily coveted by thieves who communicated with each other.
A cart full of escort items, the outer three layers and the inner three layers are covered with coarse linen soaked in lard. This not only prevents rain and snow, but also prevents scratches and stabs. In this way, if someone wants to take advantage of the escorts, It is impossible to steal the dart item quietly without paying attention.
The Tai'an Escort Bureau is worthy of its wealth. Every time the escort is escorted, horses are equipped. On the one hand, it is to take care of the escorts, and on the other hand, the horses can pull the cart faster. On the other hand, in the little-known escort bureaus all over the world, the escorts have to carry the goods themselves. When they are exhausted, the thieves will come. As a result, the cost of the lost escorts has to be borne by the escorts themselves.
Among the six people, the long-bearded swordsman walked quickly and always walked in front of the horses. No one wanted to let the horses have an accident and then pushed the cart himself, so he had to walk in front to ensure the safety of the road ahead.
As for the four chicks who had just joined Tai'an Escort Agency, two on the left and two on the right were responsible for guarding both sides of the escort.
As for the old, weak, sick and disabled people mentioned by the bearded swordsman, they followed slowly behind the team, always keeping a few steps away from the team. This is a carriage and horse walking in the ice and snow, so the speed is not very fast. If the carriages and horses start running on the Guanma Avenue where the ice and snow have melted, a sluggish old man or a frail young man will definitely not be able to keep up with the team.
There are many stones covered with ice and snow on the road, which are not obvious and can easily cause people to trip. The old man accidentally tripped on a stone and almost stumbled to the ground. He didn't know whether his body could bear it. Fortunately, the young man caught him in time.
"A handful of old bones..." The old man was shocked, turned to look at the young man, and said with a smile: "Thank you, little baby."
"Respecting the elderly and caring for the young has always been a moral character promoted by the Jing Dynasty. Young people of our generation should adhere to it consistently," the young man said with a smile.
"Is there this thing? Why didn't I know?" The old man looked at Guiliu with a suspicious look on his face.
"You don't know something!" The young man slapped his thigh, approached the old man, and said quietly: "I heard that the plague prince once personally mentioned the four words "respect the old and love the young" on a plaque, and hung the plaque high on the beam of the house. , I would look at it twice before going to bed every night and recite it silently in my mind several times. It can be seen that the plague prince is not as crazy as the rumors."
The old man really listened to this, looked emotional, and said softly: "If we have another hundred years, will we be able to walk on the great road and the world will be fair?"
The young man was slightly surprised when he heard the words, "During the debate between the three religions decades ago, the Confucian sages made an astonishing statement. This was the words. At that time, the government and the public were shocked, the world was in an uproar, and the two religions, Buddhism and Taoism, were defeated because of this. Old Senior, since you are so well versed in Confucianism, could it be that you are a Confucian?"
"I don't dare to take it seriously." The old man shook his head quickly, "It's just a book or two I read blindly when I was young. I can't hold too much ink in my flat belly. Don't flatter me, a humble man from the countryside."
The young man stopped saying anything and turned his head to look in the direction of the capital, but he could only see a vast snowy scene. There should be the sound of reading loudly in the Imperial College now, the sound of decisions should be heard in the three provinces and six ministries and the political hall, the sound of shouting and selling should be heard in the bustling long street, and the sound of surging water should be heard on the banks of the Yaojiang River.
The young man suddenly remembered the top star of Chunxian Tower, the charming woman with whom he had had a relationship for a few days. He remembered her appearance that brought disaster to the country and the people, and her soft and gentle lyrics that day.
He felt guilty for leaving her without saying goodbye.
But he has made up his mind that if he can go back alive this time, he must redeem her.
At that time, she could go wherever she wanted. Anyway, the world was big and she would be free at that time.
Of course, if she is willing to stay in the palace and stay with her, that would be the best thing.
A charming woman like her who brings disaster to the country and the people, even if you just look at her a few times, you will find it pleasing to the eye. The most beautiful woman in the world, many people yearn for it so much that they can’t get it, so why don’t they want her for nothing?
"Eight Sounds and Twenty States" is widely circulated. He can sing it wherever there is well water. Geiliu, who is familiar with the method of singing lyrics, can naturally sing it.
Then a soft voice sounded.
"The evening rain sprinkles on the river to cleanse the autumn. The frost and wind are getting colder and colder, and the Guanhe River is desolate. The remaining light shines on the building. The red and green trees in this place are declining, and everything is gone. Only the water of the Yangtze River flows eastward without a word."
Everyone present, including the bearded swordsman, quietly pricked up their ears and held their breath, secretly listening to the soft and melodious lyrics. Naturally, they also know the well-known "Eight Voices and Twenty States", but because their voices are rough and uninformed in music, the singing is difficult to listen to, so they will only hum a few words quietly when no one is around.
"I can't bear to climb high and look far away, looking at the dimness of my hometown. I can't bear to think about it..."
Unknowingly, all the listeners were entranced, and the horses walked very slowly. The fine snow fell into pieces, and the wind stopped for a moment, as if there was no sound at all, only the soft and melodious lyrics slowly rippled.
"Know me, leaning against the railing, I am looking down and worried!"
Different from Hu Meizi's gentle and melodious ending, the young man uttered these last words with a sense of sadness and sadness, as if a huge stone smashed into the slightly rippled water, causing huge waves to rise.
The people who were originally intoxicated were suddenly awakened.
The bearded swordsman hurriedly said to himself that it was not good, and without hesitation, slapped himself hard. Being distracted while escorting is a big taboo for escorts. If you don't adjust in time, you may be seduced by the singing this time, and you may be seduced by other things next time.
It may seem a bit excessive, but the journey of being an escort is dangerous and unpredictable. Only by being cautious can we avoid accidents to the greatest extent.
The four chick escorts also quickly came to their senses. They each subconsciously glanced in the direction of the guard. Seeing that there was nothing unusual, they quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Little baby, I didn't expect that you are very good at singing lyrics." The old man said with a smile.
The young man shook his head and said: "It's just right. When it comes to libretto, the women from the imperial palace and the brothel are the most familiar with it, and the clearing of the throat is as graceful as an oriole. I once listened to a song called "Eight Tones of Twenty States", which was the leader in libretto criticism. What he sings is really good, and it can make people drunk."
"Is she the most charming woman in the world?" The old man narrowed his eyes and smiled.
The young man was extremely shocked and asked quickly: "Old senior, do you even know this?"
The old man remained silent, just smiled slightly, then took out two yellowed pages from his arms, held them in his hand and shook them towards Gui Liu.
The young man could see clearly at a glance that one of the old pieces of paper copied the top 100 beauty reviews. And that other piece of paper was the top 100 lyrics and lyrics transcribed.
"Who in the world doesn't love beauties? I think back then I was also a drunkard in a brothel. I slept for ten years and earned a bad name."
The old man looked proud when he mentioned his youth.
"Then...?" The young man looked at the two yellowed papers suspiciously.
When he mentioned this, the old man suddenly felt sad. He put the two pieces of paper back into his arms and touched them through his clothes. Then he felt at ease and said bitterly: "This review book is really expensive. Let's not talk about the most expensive beauty reviews. Even the cheapest lyrics cost one tael of gold, which is worth the harvest of the previous family's hard work for several years. I am poor and cannot afford it. I have no choice but to rob or steal it, so I have to do it every time I pass by. I took a few glances at it quietly, memorized a few names in my mind, went home and wrote them down, and over time I had these two pieces of paper."
The young man burst into laughter. He didn't expect that he spent so much energy just to get two pieces of paper.
"The juniors couldn't bear it that the seniors had such hard work. When they arrived at Shuanghua City, the seniors bought the lyrics review and the beauty review and gave them to seniors."
"Really or not?" The old man looked suspicious, but after thinking about it, he nodded quickly and said: "Yes, you can let the most beautiful woman in the world sing lyrics for you. You, a little baby, should still have some strength. A few taels Gold shouldn't be much for you."
The young man smiled slightly and said, "Old senior, did you have a confidante when you were young?"
"Yes! Why not? There are many!" the old man said proudly, with a high spirit, "I am not bragging to you, back then I was also a handsome young man, riding a horse leaning on a leaning bridge, with red sleeves all over the building."
The young man nodded and chuckled: "It can be seen that the old man's style is still as good as before."
The old man shook his head, pretending to be calm and calm, "It's quite normal, it's just that when the love is deep, it will naturally become 'deep'."
When the young man heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up. He quietly approached the old man and whispered, "Old seniors still understand this?"
"How about it? Do you want to learn?" The old man smiled slightly.
The young man suddenly stopped, clasped his fists and bowed, and said solemnly: "Senior, please give me some advice!"
The old man shook his sleeves, as if he were an immortal, "Okay! Since you are so eager to learn, I will teach you everything I have learned in this life!"
In the deserted snow, the escorts were silent and highly focused, just to prevent a surprise attack.
But only the "weak" one and the "old" one were like old friends, with their heads together, whispering in a low voice. When they got to the point of understanding, both of them were in high spirits and snickered. .
In the capital city, the towering city tower is as red as red.
Emperor Guiqi and Queen Qin Fang looked at the black shadow of mustard seeds in the distance outside the city. They both knew that this separation would probably last for many years.
Qin Fang's beautiful eyes were red, she covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.
Geiqi stared at the tiny figure that was getting further and further away, with his hands behind his back, his eyes were complex, full of sadness and heat.
At that moment, something was growing in his heart.
"Go! Do whatever you want!"
"Prove it to the world that my son, Gui Qi, will never lose to his father!"
