next day
After meeting Zhao Dexun, Gu Qi changed to riding a horse and walked side by side with Zhao Dexun.
Xue Peilin's carriage followed behind, and another carriage carried luggage and dry food. The coachman and two boys were sitting on it.
Not far away, Zhao Dexun said: "I'm sorry, brother Pei, I was delayed yesterday because of something, which made you have to wait for me."
Gu Qi smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, Master Xue seems to have a problem with you."
Zhao Dexun turned his head and glanced back and said, "I'm used to it, but this old man never had a good impression of me."
"Why is this? Logically speaking, you are considered relatives."
"What kind of relatives are we not related to?" Zhao Dexun waved his hand: "After my mother got married, the Xue family almost lost contact with our family. Occasionally, this old man would come, just to visit Zhao Zishu, and he was always cold to us. .”
Gu Qi shushed: "After all, I am your eldest sister, and now I am Zhao Liangren. You must be careful when speaking."
"Of course I know this," Zhao Dexun touched the hair on the horse's neck and said, "Let's not talk about it. Brother Pei, have you been to Tuzhou?"
Gu Qi shook his head: "I've never been there. You know that I'm weak and have always stayed in Zezhou."
"I have been to Tuzhou several times. There are many mountains there and the people are very fierce."
"Why?"
Zhao Dexun shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know, maybe he is crazy about being poor. He blackmails people at every turn. Many women pester you and accuse you of being rude, and a group of men come over with hammers and hoes."
Hearing this, Gu Qi laughed out loud: "Did your boy molest some girl and was taught a lesson?"
"How... how is it possible!" Zhao Dexun's face turned red from laughter and he stuttered when he spoke: "You will know when you get to Tuzhou. Let me see how you deal with it!"
The team marched for another seven or eight days, passing through several counties in Luozhou, and arrived at the gate of the northern city of Luozhou. It was almost dusk.
Zhao Dexun stopped at the door of an inn and said to Gu Qi: "Let's rest here today. We will leave the city tomorrow, but there will be no inn."
"Brother Zhao means that after leaving this city gate, we will reach Tuzhou?"
Zhao Dexun dismounted and patted the dust on his body: "Yes, it's just that the journey is long, and it will take about seven or eight days."
Gu Qi couldn't help but sigh: "That's far enough."
Zhao Dexun didn't seem to want to talk to Xue Peilin, so he got off his horse and went directly into the inn.
Gu Qi had no choice but to dismount and walk towards the carriage behind.
Standing outside the carriage, he said to Xue Peilin: "Master Xue, it's getting late. Let's rest here for the night and leave the city tomorrow."
Xue Peilin opened the curtain, took a look, and said with a smile, "That's fine."
After helping Xue Peilin out of the car, Zhao Dexun came out of the inn, glanced at Xue Peilin, and muttered: "So slow."
Gu Qi looked embarrassed, Xue Peilin just pretended not to hear and slowly entered the inn.
At dinner, Xue Peilin ordered a few dishes of vegetarian dishes, and Zhao Dexun ordered some soy beef and pork knuckles, and boiled two pots of hot wine. After having enough wine and food, they sat together and chatted.
"The prosperity of Luzhou is no less than that of the capital city." Gu Qi said while looking at the bustling guests downstairs.
Zhao Dexun picked his teeth and said with a smile: "That's right, Luozhou has good geographical conditions. It relies on the canal to transport some salt, tea and porcelain, so the economy will naturally not be bad."
Xue Peilin sighed: "It would be a pity that Ruotu Prefecture can be like Luo Prefecture, relying on water to feed water and relying on mountains to feed on mountains."
Zhao Dexun glanced at Xue Peilin and did not answer.
Gu Qi smiled and said: "There will be such a day, as long as we work together."
Xue Peilin stroked his beard, smiled and nodded.
"Brother Zhao, I just heard you say that after leaving the city tomorrow, we will have to walk along the official road for seven or eight days?"
"right."
"Are there any inns along the way?"
Zhao Dexun shook his head.
Gu Qi calculated in her mind and said, "I'm afraid we don't have enough dry food, so we might as well take this opportunity to stock up on some."
"Sure," Zhao Dexun stood up: "Then I'll prepare some food. It's getting late, so you should rest early."
Seeing Zhao Dexun's reckless appearance, Xue Peilin laughed out loud: "This kid has no city government at all."
"It's rare for him to be so sincere. Mr. Xue, I'm going back first. You can rest early."
"Okay. Mr. Pei, please rest early."
He got up and went back to his room.
I don’t know what the progress is on Yan Churong’s side and whether he has sent the news out.
Seeing that we were getting closer and closer to Tuzhou, I felt more and more uneasy.
next morning
Everyone finished packing and left the city.
Traveling in the northwest direction, the passing vehicles become increasingly rare, which is very different from the bustling scene of Laozhou.
It's early spring. Looking around, the grass is green and yellow, and there are very few leaves on the trees.
After walking like this for four or five days, I thought I could reach Tuzhou smoothly, but I didn't expect that something happened on the way.
"Brother, if you have something to say, say it well, but don't hurt our people."
A thin and small man put a knife on the boy's neck and looked at Gu Qi blankly: "Leave your baggage, all your money and food!"
Zhao Dexun drew his sword, pointed it at the man and said, "You dare to disturb your grandfather Tai Sui's head. Are you tired of living?"
The man yelled: "Put down your sword! Or I'll kill him!"
The boy was kneeling on the ground, already scared out of his wits, and his pants were all wet.
"You!" Zhao Dexun looked impatient, his eyes bulging.
Gu Qida took a quick look and saw a group of thieves all holding long knives.
Among his group, only Zhao Dexun can fight.
At this time, I can't expose my martial arts skills.
No matter how you look at it, there is no chance of winning.
Gu Qi put on a smile and pressed Zhao Dexun's sword: "Everyone, money and food are external things. If you need it, just take it. Just don't hurt anyone."
A rough man was sitting on a carriage not far away, turning over the food and clothing in the carriage. He shouted to the minions next to him: "Go and tie them up."
Several people came over with ropes, took Zhao Dexun's sword, and tied Gu Qi and others together.
"Good man! Good man!" Seeing them leaving, Gu Qi hurriedly shouted to stop them.
"Boy, what are you shouting for?" The thin man pointed at him with a knife.
There are many enemies in front of us and we are few, so we cannot act rashly.
Gu Qi had no choice but to hold back her feeling of shame and anger, and continued to smile: "You can take away the baggage, but you can leave this carriage for us. How can we get out of this place without a village or store?"
"I don't care how you go? Your grandma is stupid!" the man spat, turned around and got into the carriage.
In this way, everyone watched them take everything away.
"Brother Pei, I'm not telling you, you're too cowardly!" Zhao Dexun was a little angry, speaking with excitement, spitting stars on Gu Qiyi's face.
Gu Qi was full of anger, but could only endure: "There are many enemies and we are few, and you are the only one who can fight. If we really fight, it doesn't matter if you hurt me, but what if you hurt Mr. Xue?"
Xue Peilin leaned against Gu Qi and said, "Why didn't you just say that we were sent by His Majesty? It could also deter these brats."
"Absolutely not!" Gu Qi swallowed hard: "Grass bandits like this do all kinds of evil. If we say they are from the imperial court, we are afraid that our lives will not be saved now."
Zhao Dexun said dejectedly: "What should we do now?"
"Wait a minute." Gu Qi took out the dagger from his sleeve and cut the rope bit by bit.
After the rope was broken, he stood up quickly, untied Xue Peilin and Zhao Dexun, then walked towards the boy and the coachman and untied the rope from his hands.
Zhao Dexun loosened his wrist, pointed at Gu Qi's dagger and said with a smile: "Okay, you actually carry this with you."
"I prepared it just in case something unexpected happened. I didn't expect it to be used." Gu Qi put the dagger in his sleeve and looked at the place where the carriage disappeared.
Xue Peilin frowned behind him: "What should we do now? Everything is in the car."
Gu Qi looked around. The wind and sand here were serious. The solid official road was covered with sand and dust. When the carriage passed by, it left deep ruts.
"Look! As long as you follow this mark, you can know where they will end up."
Zhao Dexun came over and took a look: "How about after you find it?"
Gu Qi thought she was confident and said: "Steal."
"Stealing?" Zhao Dexun said with a look of disgust: "A great man, what's going on with stealing?"
"Or do you have a better way?"
He looked at Gu Qi and was speechless.
Xue Peilin rubbed his sore knees: "In that case, let's follow this mark as soon as possible. If it's later, the mark will be covered by sand."
Walking forward in the direction of the rut, about four miles away, the rut began to deviate and extended to a ravine not far away.
"It seems like this is it." Zhao Dexun raised his hand to cover the sun and looked towards the valley.
Xue Peilin was exhausted from walking all the way and was out of breath.
Gu Qi supported Xue Peilin, raised her eyes and said: "It's hard to get close to the sky now with clear sky and daylight. Let's do this. Brother Zhao and I will go to explore in the evening. You guys will take Mr. Xue to a place to rest while we rush. When you arrive, leave quickly.”
The group of people entered the nearby forest and rested against the tree.
Until the sun sets and night falls.
After a long day of hard work and no food, my stomach was growling with hunger.
Zhao Dexun came over and said, "Brother Pei, when should we set off?"
Gu Qi raised his head and looked up: "It should be Xu time now. They robbed a vote today. I think they want to celebrate. They are drinking and chatting at the moment. They have to wait a little longer."
Zhao Dexun retreated, and then came over to ask every hour or so.
"Brother Pei, let's go!"
"hold on."
"Brother Pei, let's go!"
"hold on."
"Brother Pei——"
"Okay, let's go!"
