Huaqiaopu is a large town in the east of Hengzhou, west of the Feishui River, and sandwiched between the Feishui River and the Xiangjiang River.
Less than thirty miles away from here is the famous Quanxi Town near Hengzhou City.
Quanxi is a famous ancient ferry near Hengzhou. Less than twenty miles to the west is the world-famous Hengzhou City.
In the heat, the sky will be bright.
He quickly pulled back the reins and urged the horse to shine on the Jade Lion at Night, causing the horse to slow down completely at the entrance of the town. Let the BMW move forward slowly, feeling a little relaxed now.
After galloping all night, we could have reached here long ago at the speed of a jade lion that travels thousands of miles in a day. But to take into account the speed of the team behind him, Qu Quji had to slow down. After receiving Pan Chongche's message, Qu Quji did not hesitate at all.
Sitting in Suizhou was Qu Ji's good fortune, and he became the first governor of the Southern Han Dynasty to expand the capital of the state. Although everything was starting from scratch, it gave Qu Quji more room to flourish.
Many people are not optimistic about Qu Quji's appointment, not only because he was born a slave, but also because he was born in the prince's palace of Jiaozhou. If we go back two years, not to mention that Qu Quji can take up this position, even if he is a servant of the Wang family, his identity will cause an uproar in the world and Lingnan.
It has to be said that Emperor Liu Jixing's courage and willfulness, and his personal appointment completely eliminated the attention and rumors of others.
Qu Quji was grateful to the emperor, and even said that he could do everything for him.
What is even more shocking is that it is said that Pan Chongche, the first general in Lingnan, had always been at odds with the Qu family. Who knew that the emperor actually asked Qu Quji to work with Pan Chongche.
Some people say it was to let Qu Quji monitor Pan Chongche, while others said it was to let Pan Chongche take charge of the north and control the fierce horse of the Qu family.
No matter what you say, no matter how others speculate, the Holy Will has been the most difficult to understand since ancient times!
Pan Chongche and Qu Quji got along very well. For the officials of Prince Xing's palace, few people knew the truth. After all, they were so far apart. Emperor Liu Jixing was in control, because the secret party's function was to control.
It is undoubtedly a huge thing for the Qu family, which has lost power in recent years, to have a slave of the Qu family be released as an official in a state. Whether it was Qu Ye, the king of Jiaozhou who now ascended the throne, or Qu Chengzhou, the last prince of the Qu family, Wenzhou Gong, they all expressed enough goodwill towards Qu Quji.
But everyone has not forgotten that Qu Quji grew up in Tangzhou Houfu and has been following the current Huaihua General Quju. If Qu Ju had not gone to the southwest, Qu Quji would have definitely gone to ask Qu Ju for advice. Regarding the goodwill of the Prince's Mansion and the Duke's Mansion, Qu Quji maintained appropriate etiquette.
Qu Quji didn't know if he would be called ungrateful, but in the days after arriving in Ji'nan, he not only built Suizhou City, but also received Pan Chongche's guidance.
In his spare time, Qu Quji also seriously asked for advice on his doubts. Not only did Pan Chongche not refuse or hold back, but after getting Qu Quji's own confirmation, he pointed out many of Qu Quji's cultivation problems. She even spoke to him and told him to be a person with your heart and do things with your heart.
After gradually understanding the emperor's intentions, Qu Quji naturally became more and more loyal to Bole, which also allowed him to gradually take control of the power near Ji'nan. The emperor even delegated power to major decisions, as long as they were beneficial to the court.
Qu Quji was one of the main participants in this encirclement plan in the southern part of the Chu region. Not only was he responsible for monitoring the Tang state, he was also responsible for attacking Zhang Wenbiao.
After receiving a secret report that Zhang Wenbiao left the city, Yongzhou City was responsible for blocking and intercepting Zhang Wenbiao. Shaozhou used Guo Jing as the main force to exert pressure to prevent Zhou Xingfeng from going south to reinforce the secret party and carry out the assassination operation. Then Pan Chongche rushed to Hengzhou City to seize the city.
Everything in Tang State is relatively stable at present, and there is no possibility of any unusual movement. This was also the main reason why Qu Quji and Pan Chongche boldly marched north. If you advance from the north to the south, you can have a solid backing. If Guo Jing from the Chu region moves, it is very likely that he will be outflanked by Zhou Xingfeng.
After receiving the message from Pan Chongche, Qu Quji was inevitably filled with passion. After all, it was the emperor's plan to march north to Chu, and it was also a huge change in Qu Quji's life. Regardless of whether it is successful or not, it will cause a sensation in the world.
Hengzhou has always been a nightmare for the small southern imperial court to be unable to advance northward. Since ancient times, there has been no precedent for entering the Central Plains from the north and the south. When he thought of this, Qu Quji couldn't help but feel unable to calm down.
Arrangements were made for deputy general Ye Doo to guard Suizhou, and Qu Quji personally led a team to rush to Hengzhou City for reinforcements. Hengzhou City is known as the South Gate of the Chu Land. It is guarded by Zhang Wenbiao, Zhou Xingfeng's number one general, which is a symbol of the undefeated Chu Land.
While following Pan Chongche, Qu Quji had studied Zhang Wenbiao in depth. Zhang Wenbiao was a rising general in the Chu region. After Ma Chu withdrew from the Chu region, he became known as a fierce general among the ten brothers in the Chu region.
This person was very loyal to Zhou Xingfeng. When Pan Chongche was stationed in Chenzhou, he had many conflicts with Zhang Wenbiao in Guiyang Prison. However, due to the terrain of Wuling and the changing pattern of the Chu region, and more importantly, Pan Chongche was afraid of the court's suspicion, there was no in-depth result.
But now with the instructions from Emperor Liu Jixing and the emperor's personal layout, it is inevitable to attack Hengzhou City. The passion in Qu Quji's heart was naturally unlimited. It was the honor of a minister to open up new territories for the emperor and the court.
Although the number of men and horses they brought this time was not too many, after all, Suizhou City had just been established, and there were still too many unstable factors around it. But for the current military strength of the Chu region, and the current situation in Hengzhou City, the thousand men following Qu Qujiji were still powerful.
The mountains in the Wuling area are special and form many complex terrains with Chu. It not only hinders the normal movement of the team, but also facilitates sneak attacks during the march.
As early as two months ago, Pan Chongche arranged spies to cooperate with the secret parties in Chu Territory and found a shortcut to penetrate into Chu Territory. Nowadays, this mountain road that villagers usually walk has undoubtedly become the key to entering Chu.
No matter how smart Zhang Wenbiao was, he could not have imagined that Qu Quji would quickly march on land and water to break through the defense line. What's more, because the dividing line between Chu and Lingnan is too long, it is impossible to defend each place with a large number of troops. Qu Quji led his team in, and it was almost an unobstructed intrusion.
Even if someone sees Yanling and Anren counties passing by along the way, they may not be able to stop this force. What's more, Qu Quji cleverly avoided the passes and water villages. In the face of the general trend, these small forces did not need to uproot themselves.
However, in order to avoid affecting his schedule, Qu Quji naturally could not enter Chu Land blatantly, so Qu Quji led his bodyguard to go ahead, clearing the way for the thousand soldiers behind him. The thousand soldiers behind him avoided unnecessary complications, but followed up quickly after traveling a long distance.
Although this journey involves marching by foot, it is actually only a few dozen miles of mountain road, plus nearly a hundred miles of bamboo rafts on land and water. However, considering the supervision of Pan Chongche in Hengzhou City, if he arrived in Hengzhou City earlier, he would naturally be able to retain more power in the city.
Qu Quji naturally believed in Pan Chongche's ability, but he also knew that he did not have many people following him. What's more, Hengzhou City is Zhang Wenbiao's hometown. Although he temporarily occupies this city, Zhang Wenbiao will definitely have a trump card.
Seeing that Hengzhou City was not too far away, Qu Quji was praying in his heart, hoping that nothing would happen to Pan Chongche. Occupying Hengzhou City is an important part of this plan. It will not only completely lock Zhang Wenbiao, but also determine whether Chunan can be completely occupied.
Qu Qujiji had a special nine-foot sword hanging on his side. The blade was four feet long and the handle was five feet long. This sword was forged by Emperor Liu Jixing himself. It is two feet longer than the standard seven-foot horse-cutting sword. Using hundreds of refined steel and secret casting techniques, the entire Southern Han Dynasty only had two.
It is said that Pan Chongche personally asked the emperor for the horse-cutting sword in Qu Quji's hand, so that it could be used as a horse weapon for Qu Quji. Pan Chongche said that Qu Quji was born with divine power and had an excellent talent for the art of swordsmanship.
The weapon used by Qu Quji before was a thick-backed sword passed down from the ancestors of the Qu family. Because of this inheritance, Qu Quji has been questioned a lot in the Qu family. Of course, it is also for this reason that Qu Quji is somewhat aloof among the Qu family.
Many people questioned how this thick-backed sword came into the hands of Qu Quji. Not to mention the direct descendants of the Qu family, there were also many descendants of concubines. This thick-backed sword was the weapon that accompanied King Jiaozhou from Jiaozhou to King Xing's Mansion.
As the founding king of the Southern Han Dynasty with a different surname, Quhao, the king of Jiaozhou, was well known for his aloofness. He followed the great ancestor Liu Yan in various battles and won hereditary favors for the Qu family. And this thick-backed sword has also become a symbol of King Jiaozhou. If King Jiaozhou hadn't handed it over to Qu Quji before he died, I'm afraid Qu Quji would have been quartered by the Qu family's children.
Qu Quji has become one of the top ten elites of the Qu family, which is naturally enviable to outsiders, but to many of the Qu family's children, they feel aggrieved and helpless. Even though Qu Quji originally followed Qu Ju, many of his disciples were deeply hostile to Qu Quji.
However, since Qu Quji joined the emperor, gained the emperor's appreciation and entered the Dongguan Military Academy, and personally trained him for several months, and was given an important position, this sword can truly belong to Qu Quji.
But now this thick-backed sword is always carried on his waist. The horse-cutting sword has become Qu Quji's main weapon. Even if Qu Quji keeps practicing his sword skills, he rarely uses it because there are many tooth soldiers around him. arrive.
There are similarities between the thick-backed sword and Pan Chongche's tyrant sword. They are both short-weapon swords. Qu Quji failed to get the special skills taught by King Jiaozhou, but unexpectedly he got close to Pan Chongche.
The Qujia's "Mu Nao Dao Technique" that Qu Quji studied was limited to a few basic moves. It wasn't until he temporarily took over Suizhou that King Quye of Jiaozhou generously ordered someone to send him a complete set of sword manuals. As a musician, this is a supreme honor.
Naturally, Qu Ye, in his special capacity, took the initiative to let Qu Quji enter the Qu family's family tree. This not only represented the Qu family's meaning, but also showed that Qu Qu Ji was truly recognized by the Qu family.
Although it is also a kind of psychological comfort for Qu Quji, anyone can see the meaning. When the Qu family is gradually declining, they hope to retain their glory through Qu Quji. But these superficial things are no longer what Qu Quji cares about and cares about.
Obtaining the complete "Mu Nao Knife Technique" was once the highest goal in life for Qu Quji. But after actually getting it, this kind of thinking has become much calmer as it continues to grow.
Pan Chongche, who was also good at swordsmanship, undoubtedly stood at the pinnacle of his current research on swordsmanship. After constantly studying with Pan Chongche, Pan Chongche naturally would not covet this sword technique, but instead gave Qu Quji countless pointers.
Qu Quji and Pan Chongche undoubtedly benefited a lot from being together. Pan Chongche himself would also have some insights. After all, the set of swordsmanship left by King Quhao of Jiaozhou is not only the understanding of the swordsmanship by the ancestors of the Qu family of Jiaozhou, but also the swordsmanship that Qu Hao himself perfected after following Liu Yan.
Pan Chongche told Qu Quji without any taboo about the strengths and advantages of this set of sword techniques, nor did he hide the insights he gained. Therefore, not only did Qu Quji completely succeed in learning, but he also solved many problems that Qu Quji encountered, and naturally he also added some of his own ideas.
Now Qu Quji is eager to give it a try.
Taking advantage of the early morning light, Qu Ququji rode his horse into Huaqiao Pu. Now that we were approaching Hengzhou City, we should be more careful, but Qu Quji was even more fearless. The four cavalry marching forward were followed by the eight cavalry. These were the bodyguards guarding Qu Quji. They were all special forces trained by the Dongguan Military Academy.
These twelve knights are not only good at martial arts, but also good at a set of combined attack techniques and close duels, and they have also received strict training in the use of muskets.
Their accusation was to protect Qu Quji, who was considered Qu Quji's personal bodyguard and tooth soldier. However, Qu Quji was not only the governor of Suizhou, but also the training envoy of Suizhou regiment personally appointed by Emperor Liu Jixing. The future future of these twelve people is obviously limitless.
I rode slowly towards this small town, where the morning market had just started. The dirt streets were lined with stalls from farmers near Huaqiaopu.
It's nothing more than some coarse cloth, fruits and vegetables, iron hoes, three-headed plows, chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep, and even shrimps and river fish, all of which are produced in small places in the countryside. Although they are inconspicuous, they are all the objects of transactions here.
There are even some stalls selling whole grain breakfast and tofu and rice cakes, exuding the tempting original aroma of the food.
There are bargains everywhere, and there are voices one after another. It seems that there is a lot of noise here.
The town is not big, and the streets are not too long. Although it is noisy and dizzying, it still provides a picture of living and working in peace and contentment.
Qu Quji looked around, and there seemed to be no trace of war at all.
Although Huaqiaopu is a small town, it is the main thoroughfare of Quanxi County. It is hard to imagine that in Hengzhou, which is dozens of miles away, an expedition is taking place at this moment, but there is still nothing happening here.
An old farmer carrying fresh vegetables, with an impressive old wrinkle on his face and a pair of yellow old eyes, was looking around to find a place to stay.
Seeing the horse team approaching, he hurriedly stepped out of the way while carrying the vegetables while shaking his body.
An ox cart loaded with fresh straw seemed to have been collected early and rushed over beside the cavalry. The driver of the bullock cart had a simple and honest look on his face, as if he was afraid that he would miss something if he drove the cart. He whipped his whip without even looking at the people riding the horses, causing passers-by to give way.
Because although this is a rescue operation, for the Suizhou army, it is a temporary acceptance operation. What's more, when they came across the border to support Chu, no one was equipped with standard weapons. Although they were all dressed in convenient earth-green outfits, none of them were wearing armor.
Although speed is the key to action, Qu Quji also understands that haste makes waste. I don’t know what Pan Chongche’s situation is now. Hengzhou City cannot be defended by hundreds of people. According to Qu Qujiji's prediction, Pan Chongche's skills should be fine.
The secret party in Hengzhou City still has a certain foundation. As one of the decision-makers of this operation, Qu Quji did not have the right to control the secret party, but he did not have little contact with it. Knowing that they will definitely mobilize the people in Hengzhou City, that is the most practical power.
Now Qu Quji's status is different, and there are many more tooth soldiers and guards around him. After all, when he first entered Suizhou, Qu Quji was assassinated by the twelve zodiac animals. This incident let the emperor know that the emperor naturally paid special attention to Qu Quji's safety.
Although Qu Quji himself never felt that he was any different from before, the guards around him would not obey him. After receiving the emperor's appointment, he naturally needed full protection.
Even Pan Chongche thought about it when he came out of Suizhou this time, so for safety reasons, he asked Qu Quji to take adequate safety measures. Qu Quji still wore a very thin safety suit and a protective goggle on the front and back of his chest to prevent accidental long-range shooting.
This safety uniform was specially made by Prince Xing's Mansion and was specially worn by important officials of the imperial court. It fits well and is comfortable to wear. If most people don't know the magic, they can't tell it with their eyes, so Qu Quji didn't pay much attention to safety along the way.
Although the small town of Huaqiaopu is small, this long dirt road is packed with people. Although it looks noisy, it gives people the feeling of endless prosperity.
It is obvious that this place has not suffered any hardships in the recent past, and it is considered a pure land in the south of Chu.
The twelve guards carried the unique muskets of the Southern Han Dynasty on their backs, and all had standard horizontal knives on their waists. Although the people in the small town are all simple and honest, people with a little discernment can also see the differences. Obviously these people are not easy to mess with.
These people are more or less bloody, which makes these people avoid them.
An old man who was almost hunched to the ground was wrapped in a tattered linen clothes. He was holding an old and shiny bamboo sieve in his hand. There were several hot and steaming rice bran in the sieve.
He raised his wrinkled old face, squeezed a bit of a smile, and called out softly to Qu Quji on the horse: "Official! Do you want some rice bran cakes? Tongye bran cakes, they are hot, fragrant and delicious. It’s here!”
A guard behind him was about to ride his horse forward to stop him, but Qu Quji waved his hand to stop him. Looking at the smiling old man, he couldn't help but feel a strong sense of warmth in his heart.
Suddenly he remembered a person, the old man he had seen since he was a child.
That was a very kind old man in Qu Quji's impression, but unfortunately that old man was no longer there. Although Qu Quji thought he was very kind, many people were afraid of him.
In Qu Quji's impression, the old man seemed to be standing by the Crescent Gate, quietly watching him practice his sword.
Although he was born as a servant, the old man's status was particularly noble, but he never looked down on himself. Every time, he would quietly walk to the crescent door and watch his small body practice the sword.
From the time when he started to work, he has become like this old man. The old man's face is full of wrinkles and his body is so stooped that he is about to lie on the ground. But in front of Qu Quji, he felt that this old man was as stable as a mountain.
Every time he saw this old man, Qu Quji felt a warm feeling in his heart. But in Qu Quji's memory, not long after, the old man was gone. Because Qu Quji still remembered being carried to the old man that day.
He lay on a carved wooden bed in that antique room and handed a knife to him. Then Qu Queji never saw him again.
Later, when he was a little older, Qu Quji naturally knew that the old man had passed away and that he was Qu Hao, the old prince of the Qu family.
When Qu Quji took a look at this old man, he obviously knew that he was a powerful nobleman. He lowered his old hand holding the bamboo sieve and actually did not dare to look at Qu Quji anymore.
"Old man, sell all these Tong Ye bran cakes to me!" Qu Quji said softly.
The old man was sure that he heard correctly. Seeing Qu Qujiji's sincere eyes, he excitedly handed the bamboo sieve to Qu Qujiji.
"How about I give you a taste of this rice cake!" A sweet voice sounded just as Qu Quji was about to take the rice cake.
Qu Quji's whole body tensed up for no reason, and he turned his head to see a beautiful young woman, wearing a blue coarse cloth, standing quietly aside. This is a surprising woman. Although she is wearing coarse clothes, she can't hide her aura.
One of the guards gathered the chaff and gave the old man a few coins. The old man left with a lot of gratitude.
Qu Quji looked at this woman quietly, not because of her beauty, but because he felt a strong sense of danger.
This is an inexplicable feeling. Although it is not the sharpness of a killer like the beautiful snake, it is a mysterious and mysterious depression. This kind of depression made Qu Quji feel that his heart was beating faster, but it was also a spiritual feeling that Qu Quji could not get through despite repeated attempts.
Even Qu Quji felt vaguely that he was locked by the opponent. Although the woman did not reveal any of her energy, Qu Quji felt a pressure that only Pan Chongche had experienced.
How could a beautiful woman in her twenties have such skills?
With a flash of light in his mind, Qu Quji suddenly thought of something.
Pan Chongche once told himself that the masters of the world who practiced profoundly would achieve the effect of maintaining their appearance or retaining their youth because of their innate breakthroughs.
Could it be that this woman is this kind of person? Qu Quji is almost certain.
If he had been suppressed by this invisible pressure, Qu Quji knew that not only his practice would be greatly affected, but his state of mind would also be hit in the future. Then Xuan Mei raised his eyebrows and said loudly: "It's just a few rice bran cakes, it doesn't matter!"
