When Fan Zhi came from Luoyang, the eastern capital, he took eight officials with him.
Among them, the official surnamed Zhao had been in poor health after passing through Qinzhou, and finally died outside Lanzhou City.
Another official surnamed Zhang lost his footing and fell from the snow-capped mountains while crossing the Hongchi Ridge, killing both his man and his horse.
The remaining official surnamed Sun, who died in Liangzhou and was from the same hometown as him, also contracted the disease due to acclimatization, and it took a long time to recover.
As a scholar, when Fan Zhi studied various classics, he also studied medical books.
On weekdays, he often had headaches and fever, so he would often prescribe prescriptions for himself, so he knew very well that the official surnamed Sun did die from a long-term illness.
Zhang Zhao did indeed intend to kill two people from the imperial court, and finally framed Lanzhou Fu Mo. If he grasped this handle, it would be easier to deal with those dishonest people.
However, Zhang Zhao still underestimated the horror of long-distance travel in this era, and also overestimated the medical level of this era, so there was no need for him to do anything.
An easy journey in the future will be able to take away some people who are not so strong.
There were cheers of joy outside the door of the post house. Fan Zhi gently opened the door and looked outside. It turned out that Zhang Zhao had delivered some samples of the fifty kilograms of Hexi white sugar promised by Zhang Zhao.
And the person yelling in front of him was none other than the book boy who had grown up with him since childhood.
Although their trip was to convey the order, it still did not delay them from using more than a dozen mules and horses to transport some goods from the Central Plains to Hexi for sale.
Of course, Fan Zhi couldn't do these things by himself. It was all done by his bookboys and several subordinate officials. He just waited to share the profits.
The book boy walked up to Fan Zhi quickly and said he was a book boy. In fact, they were about the same age, about twenty years old.
"Dalangjun, all the goods we brought from Dongdu were taken away by a group of Sogdian merchants at high prices. We can make at least two hundred guan in profit from this trip.
For Fan Zhi, two hundred guan is already a lot. Although he was born as a Jinshi, in the Five Dynasties, a civil official and Jinshi was not a great status, and it was not his turn to make much money.
Although Fan Zhi's father also went to Zhengzhou to defend the magistrates, the Fan family did not grow up through martial arts. It was good to be able to protect themselves in these troubled times, and they did not earn much food.
So when he heard that he had earned two hundred coins, he was quite happy.
At this moment, a clerk working in the Privy Council also walked up to Fan Zhi. He opened a small white bag with great interest, and then carefully picked up a piece of icing sugar.
Fan Zhi was attracted by the little official's cautious movements. He curled his lips, wasn't it just sugar frosting? As for holding gold, jewelry, and jade?
But soon, Fan Zhi was stunned by the icing in front of him. Perhaps it could not be called icing.
Almost each one is about the size of a mountain pea (a small pea), and is white and translucent in color, as transparent as hailstones.
The Privy Council clerk picked up one of the pills with a fastener and placed it in the tea bowl in front of Fan Zhi.
"Inspector Fan, please look at this. This is the Hexi sugar sent by Zhang Sikong. This thing is called rock sugar by the Hexi people. I just tasted one. It is as sweet as honey and has a snow-white texture. I don't know how the Hexi people made it. Sugar? It’s really the best product!
Is this thing that looks like hailstones candy? Fan Zhida was also surprised. He quickly reached out and picked up the spoon to fish out the rock sugar from the waterless tea bowl, then put it into his mouth and took a bite.
Instantly, a refreshing sweetness exploded in his mouth. Fan Zhi couldn't help but grind it carefully with his teeth, making a clicking sound, as if he was chewing ice cubes.
It looks like ice and bites like ice. No wonder it is called rock candy.
After a while, his mouth became sweet. The sweetness was very rich and long-lasting, sweeter than a handful of ordinary icing sugar. Fan Zhi narrowed his eyes in enjoyment.
"Its shape is like ice, its color is snow-white, and its sweetness is like honey. The name of rock candy is well-deserved! It seems that this Hexi rock candy will soon become popular all over the world."
The book boy and the Privy Council clerk next to him also grinned. If such rock candy is shipped back to Luoyang, the eastern capital, it is not expensive to sell it for more than three guan per kilogram, right?
Then this way. On average, each person can earn at least 150 coins.
With a large sum of money in their accounts, Shutong and several other minor officials had a good impression of Zhang Zhao, whom they had met outside Xuanwu Gate, and the Privy Council officials were generous in their praise.
"Inspector Fan, since we left the Eastern Capital, we have seen everywhere, no matter it is Chang'an, Xijing, Fengxiang, Qinzhou, let alone Lanzhou or Weizhou, but Liangzhou is the only one that is a paradise!"
The book boy was also very happy, and he had followed Fan Zhi for so many years, and he had been studying and seeing the world, so he was somewhat knowledgeable.
He praised with exclamation: "Dalangjun, I have seen Zhang Sikongkang's generosity, and he can also treat the virtuous corporal, he is a real master! The people of Hexi will have a good life!"
Fan Zhi couldn't help but smile and nodded. Zhang Sikong, the Guiyijun, really gave people such a feeling, and Fan Zhi's feeling was stronger than that of Shutong.
If you want to compare a figure in this dynasty, this Sikong is so similar to the Zhuang Temple before entering Luoyang, the eastern capital.
He values people over money, values trust and keeping promises, is decisive in doing things, and is very good at seizing opportunities.
Sudden! Angel Fan, who has been known as a child prodigy since childhood, suddenly stood up from his chair, and his face instantly turned white.
The book boy and the Privy Council clerk all looked at him in surprise, and were about to come up to ask, when Fan Zhi suddenly waved his hands at them.
"I have nothing to do. You go on your own. Keep the receipt in your hand and take it with you when we come back from Shazhou!"
Before he finished speaking, Fan Zhi opened the door directly and started pacing in the yard of the post house.
What made Fan Zhi lose his composure was that he suddenly thought of a particularly terrifying possibility.
Judging from Jia Yanchang's suggestions and the deeds of Liangzhou Zhang Sikong he inquired about.
If these three accompanying officials had not died of illness on the way for various reasons, would Zhang Sikong, who looked kind and righteous on the outside but was actually quite ruthless on the inside, cause any accident to them?
Anyway, judging from Zhang Sikong's attitude towards Lanzhou this time, he must have been thinking about Lanzhou for a long time.
Then Fan Zhi thought that on the way from Liangzhou to Shazhou Dunhuang, he would pass through Ganzhou Uighurs. He tried to recall the information collected from all parties before setting off.
The Ganzhou Uighurs and the Guiyi Army are mortal enemies. The two sides had a bloody feud, and a very important reason why the Ganzhou Uighurs were able to suppress the Guiyi Army was that the Central Plains court favored one over the other.
Because compared with the Guiyi Army, which had established itself as emperor and once had its hands in Liangzhou, the Central Plains Dynasty was quite wary of the Guiyi Army.
The Ganzhou Uighur behaved like I am obedient and I just want to be a slave guarding the house, which can be described as extremely submissive.
The frequency and humility of their tribute to the Central Plains Dynasty can be regarded as the highest among the forces in Hexi.
In his memorial, he called the emperor of the Central Plains Dynasty his uncle and regarded himself as his nephew. Compared with them, the Guiyi Army had a lot of bad records.
From this point of view, compared with the Lanzhou Laomo, the Ganzhou Uighurs were the most serious problem for the Guiyi Army.
Then could Zhang Sikong have the intention of using his own head to attack the Ganzhou Uighurs? Just like he is now going to take advantage of Lanzhou Aimo's attack on the mission to get angry.
It is better to believe that it exists than to believe that it does not exist!
Fan Zhi looked up at the sky. Large flakes of snow were falling. He dusted the snowflakes off his shoulders and sighed secretly.
Why not spend the Lantern Festival in Liangzhou City and then go to Dunhuang? You can also take this opportunity to observe Zhang Sikong up close. If he is indeed an outstanding person, you might as well recruit him as a foreign aid.
For Fan Zhi, who was born into a family of officials and passed the Jinshi examination, it was naturally impossible for him to be an inspector of the Ministry of Household Affairs for the rest of his life. He also had pursuits.
Although military men were in power at this time, senior civil servants such as those who were directly bachelor of the Privy Council and Tong Zhongshu's subordinate Ping Zhangshi still had a high status and lived much better than ordinary people.
Fan Zhi also saw this very clearly. For people like him, there was only one way to enter the center, which was to write to the emperor or the emperor's ministers, show talents or win favor.
To secure a position in the center, the support of force is indispensable, but it is too risky to make friends with the commanders of the vassal towns in Henan and Hebei. Only a commander like Zhang Sikong, who is similar to the external vassal, is more suitable.
. . . .
There was a soft whooshing sound, although it was only a light sound, but to the ears of the five or six thieves who were climbing over the earth wall, it was like the scream of a murderous ghost.
The head was wrapped with a crooked thief's head. He didn't even hum. His neck was violently thrown back, and a long arrow was accidentally inserted into his left temple.
The tip of the arrow penetrated into the bone, and red and white things were pouring out from the wound, and he could no longer die.
Following the leader's sudden death, the thieves on the wall howled in horror and jumped outside like dumplings.
But there was only a bang, and five or six more arrows were missed, shooting from all directions, and a few guys who jumped a step too slow lost their lives in an instant.
However, the thieves who were lucky enough to jump out did not catch up. With a creak, the door of the posthouse suddenly opened, and more than a dozen soldiers wearing armor, armed with long swords and bows and arrows rushed out.
The thieves at the base of the wall were not even able to catch their breath when Zhang Feng and Bai Yujian arrived, and seven or eight more people were killed immediately.
Luo Yu'er was riding on a group of good horses. He held a long pole between his legs and used the power of his horse to push forward. He picked up an escaped thief directly on the pole.
Then he threw the thief's body directly into Yin Shui on the left like a bag.
"Whose athlete? Why are you insulting us? You don't have to send these foxes and rats from Jianxi City to climb over the wall and dig holes. Are you looking down on a certain athlete from Hexi?"
As he said that, a soldier behind Luo Yu'er suddenly planted a large flag with the words "Guiyi Army" on the ground.
The surrounding soldiers shouted loudly, two Peng platoons were in front, four long guns were behind, and more than a dozen bows and arrows were standing tall with bows and arrows in hand. Luo Yu'er, with both men and horses in armor, made a charging posture.
With only twenty people, they formed a small military formation with foot and cavalry coordination, and were prepared for both near and far!
"They are good athletes! They really do have some skills. A certain family is the chief inspector of the school and a deputy general under the governor of Fenzhou. He asked your family to send 300 strings to ensure that nothing happens to you!"
After Luo Yu'er and others set up their formation, some soldiers wearing armor and stomach and walking steadily appeared on the other side of Yin River. It seemed that these people were the backstage of the thieves.
"This lieutenant general is so unreasonable. If he suits the temperament of a certain family, let alone three hundred guan, a certain family is willing to spend 500 guan to make friends with some good men. If he extorts like this, do you think he will join the rebel army?"
As Luo Yu'er said, she waved her hand, and a soldier beside her shouted angrily. He pulled out a throwing spear from behind, took a few steps, and threw it to the opposite side like thunder.
After Yin Shui was introduced into the city, it was not very wide, but it was at least a hundred steps above.
But the soldier's spear easily passed over Yin Shui and was directly thrust towards the deputy general who was speaking opposite.
The deputy general was also a veteran. As soon as he heard the sound, he knew that the flying spear was accurate and fast, so he quickly used a rolling gourd to avoid it.
Looking back, I saw that the spear shaft was more than two feet into the ground. If it was inserted, it would be useless to wear any armor!
"What a trick! You have a lot of strength!" The lieutenant general who was covered in dirt did not get furious or have any ambition. Instead, he laughed nervously.
"Wuna Jian'er, a certain family's An Taibao has made great contributions to the establishment of the new emperor. If you are willing to come over, you can get as much gold, silver, and my wife as you want!"
An Taibao was the commander-in-chief of this deputy general. He had just been appointed by Shi Jingtang as the Chief Inspector of the School and the An Shenxin of Fenzhou Governor.
Luo Yu'er laughed loudly, "If the deputy general is willing to go to Hexi with me, my Zhang Sikong will also have a lot of gold and silver, my dear!"
The two sides exchanged words across Yin Shui. This was already the tenth day that Pei Yuan and Luo Yu'er had stayed in Luoyang.
In ten days, Luo Yu'er and others killed no less than thirty thieves who tried to enter the post house.
Just like the deputy general of the tooth soldiers under An Shenqi's command opposite him, he also sent away several groups.
It's just that it kills the thieves, but it's like this for the handsome tooth soldiers in each section, showing off their strength while dealing with them.
"Please also inform An Taibao. We are the tooth soldiers under the command of Zhang Sikong in Hexi. An Taibao is the confidant of the new emperor. Everyone in the world knows the tiger's power, and we will definitely be close to him in the future!"
After arguing for a long time, Luo Yu'er did not fall behind, and finally bowed her hands, making a statement that she had long discussed with Pei Yuan.
"It's easy! Then go back and report to the Taibao. If Zhang Sikong is serious about it, we will naturally get close!"
The deputy general thought about it for a moment. The twenty people on the opposite side all had armor and seemed to be proficient in bows and horses. It was impossible to get them at the moment, so it was better to sell them to save face. Anyway, there were plenty of places in Luoyang City that could be plundered.
"Thank you so much, Lieutenant General! I'll have to trouble the Lieutenant General to give you an introduction then."
Luo Yu'er had given the other party enough face. He was a junior lieutenant, roughly equivalent to the general of the Guiyi Army. How could he have the face to introduce Zhang Zhao to An Shenxin.
A smile finally appeared on the deputy general's face, and the two sides exchanged a few more words. At this time, the thieves who were lucky enough to survive also crossed the Yin River and came to the deputy general's side.
A cruel look flashed across the lieutenant's face, and then he waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him fired out their swords and guns, killing all the thieves who had managed to escape.
"My sons, it's getting late today, so go to the homes of these thieves and sleep with their wives!"
With that said, the tooth soldiers belonging to An Shenxin took out the beast's tail hanging from the back of the armor's stomach, wiped the blood on the sword, and walked away with a grin.
Since they don't want to attack the people in the post house across the way, they can't be empty-handed. These thieves have helped them rob for several days. Naturally, they have a lot of valuables hidden in the house. They will take it out now.
