The morning glow in June imprinted a touch of red on the sky, and then the sun rose as red as a girl.
It was the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, the second day after Uncle Zhao came down from the mountain.
Early that morning, Li Zhanyi, the guest of the Yu family, brought two maps for everyone's reference. The triangle marked was the bandit land, the square marked the Yamen Inspector's Gate, and the circle marked the Jianghu sect. More than a dozen people moved in two groups, east and west, in order to move as quickly as possible. The method is to deal with the banditry and disrupt the Yamen inspector's mouth, so that we can proactively find evidence of the Yamen and the banditry.
Daochang Zhao had changed into a long robe today. Coupled with his somewhat elegant appearance, he stood out the most among more than a dozen people. He looked at the map and found that there were hundreds of bandits, and he sighed to himself. The suffering of the people of Shu.
In this way, the two groups of people separated from Shilipo. Zhao Zhengli and his party included the strong man Lao Yue, the middle-aged man who snatched the chicken legs from him yesterday, the man's name was Hu Hai, a swordsman in the world, and the two masked heroines. Listen. It is said that they are the two sisters who repaired the Bihua Sword, Biyu and Birou, but their faces are covered with veils, so I don’t know what they look like.
The five people took the west route, from Daba and Lu counties south to Emei, and merged with the east and west lines of Pingxing and Muchuan. In this way, they can be considered as covering all Shu counties, and the bandit territory can be wiped out. The evidence is consistent with I also have a rough idea of the market situation in Shu.
The roads in Shu are difficult, and most of them are trails. The official roads are not repaired and are overgrown with grass and rocks. They are not suitable for carriages for long distances. Therefore, the young Daochang Zhao got his first car, a black horse, the next day after he went down the mountain!
Although it is not a good breed of horse, it is more than docile and suitable for a novice like him. It is more than enough to replace the foot strength in the mountains. He rode the black horse and followed far behind.
It's not that his dark horse can't run fast, but that the good-looking Daochang Zhao doesn't want to embarrass himself, because the two sisters ride more smoothly than him, and sometimes wave their long whips in a heroic manner.
The five people rode horses on the mountains and rivers of Shu. The five people did not lead the team. The mission this time was simple. They were to suppress bandits, collect evidence, and stir up chaos in the world. If the Yamen interfered openly, it could be completed ahead of schedule, but if they did it secretly. She naturally pretended to be confused and put them away together.
Daochang Zhao was wearing a long gown. After several hours of practice, he gradually became proficient in riding a horse. He began to appreciate the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers along the way. This was his first time to experience the pleasure on horseback. It was very wonderful and extremely fresh.
He sighed in his heart that it turned out to be so enjoyable on horseback, but he always felt that there was something missing. Looking at the figures in front of him with sticks and swords, he suddenly realized that he still lacked a suitable weapon.
After less than ten miles in this way, the five of them clearly felt that there were figures moving in the barren mountains. The sunlight clearly dazzled their eyes with metal tools. By the time they realized what they were doing, they were surrounded by people with knives and guns.
"Hey! Robbery!"
A loud roar made five people laugh one after another.
Lao Yue, a strong man holding an iron rod, looked back and forth at the team of dozens of people and laughed: "You blind thieves, quickly take the grandpas to your lair, or you will kill them all with one stick."
After saying that, he saw the sisters holding rapiers on the side: "And your two grandmothers!"
Biyu and Birou immediately turned pale after hearing this, while Hu Hai couldn't help but laugh, and young Daozhang Zhao held back his laughter.
The strong man Lao Yue felt that he had said something wrong, but felt that he had said something right. When he saw the two women with sullen faces, he could not say anything anymore. He picked up an iron rod and threw it at the robbers who blocked the road.
Seeing this, the bandits retreated in an orderly manner, and the people behind them with bows and arrows cooperated to suppress them. However, the five people present were not ordinary people. They stood on horseback and jumped into the crowd to fight.
Lao Yue's iron rod whirred, knocking down as many as five or six people with one blow. Hu Hai even waved his long sword, and the sword light shot out. The bandits were picking and cutting like fruits, and the two sides of Xiubihua's sword The two of them cooperated closely, and their thin swords were like silver snakes piercing through the gangsters.
Seeing that the situation was in disarray, the archers at the rear turned around and ran away. Seeing that Zhao Zhengli was young and unarmed, the clever bandits took advantage of him and swarmed forward.
Although Taoist priest Zhao was a profound practitioner, he had never killed anyone, so he had no choice but to dodge the slashing sword. When he couldn't avoid it, he kicked him away without any intention of hurting anyone's life.
After a battle, the gangsters discovered that this fair boy was also a master. Fortunately, the other side was merciful. Otherwise, the gangsters in his hands were not less than the other four. Only when the remaining few realized that they chose to retreat, what else could they care about? The companion was injured and knocked unconscious by Daozhang Zhao.
With his hands free, Lao Yue held a stick and chased the escaping bandit: "Taoist Master Zhao, you are not suitable for walking in the world with a soft heart!"
The other three people also took a few steps in the air to block the bandit's path. Three or two swords killed the others. The only ones left alive were frightened. Seeing the corpses on the ground and being threatened by Hu Hai and others, they trembled and led a few people. Head to the lair.
Daozhang Zhao's legs were also trembling. Although he was a profound practitioner, he was still greatly shocked by the corpses everywhere. He was also frightened by the murderous methods of several people.
It turns out that the rivers and lakes that are willing to let go of grudges are such a happy method?
On the way, middle-aged Hu Hai saw the young Taoist Priest Zhao Zhengli and asked, "Does the Taoist know our purpose here?"
The originally fair face became even whiter due to nervousness: "Of course I know, and I will collect the evidence of the Shu County Sheriff."
"It is the incompetence of the governor of the Shu region that leads to the people's poverty and rampant gangsters. Although we are using money to do things this time, in the long run, isn't it just a matter of saving the people from misery? Isn't it the same to collect evidence, defeat the governor, and let wise ministers govern? To benefit the people?"
The strong man Lao Yue also interjected: "Although these thieves are mortals, they are in the wrong way. Sooner or later the knights will kill them. The Taoist master does not have to be merciful. Just now you were unarmed and you saw them swarming at you." Killing scene.”
During this conversation, Daochang Zhao felt a lot more balanced, but he heard that several people were different from him: "Are you doing things for money?"
The strong man Lao Yue spread his hands: "Otherwise? Who will do business without capital?"
"..."
He really wanted to say that he was the one doing the business without capital, but then he thought about it, maybe it wasn't necessarily to Shanmen?
The middle-aged man Hu Hai pointed at the sisters who were busy walking: "They are not interested in money, they just want to take down the county guard and take revenge. The reason is that the county guard Liu Yuanji sent troops to destroy the Bihua Sect."
Taoist priest Zhao looked at him and saw that his face was full of bitterness and hatred. He had never seen the two of them smiling, and even less so, they were pitiful.
During the chat, the bandits led them to a wall-mounted cliff. This bandit's den was not big, with dozens of people. Apart from the ones who were killed, there were only a few thieves left in the lair who were guarding the gate.
Even if they were vigilant and blew the warning whistle, they still couldn't escape the fate of being blamed. To their surprise, several people were killed in the lair. The thief boss was still having fun in the cave, and he didn't even have time to pull up his pants when he was killed.
The woman in the bed was so frightened that she exposed a large area of her spring. The strong man Lao Yue licked his dry lips. The middle-aged Hu Hai was obviously not surprised. The two sisters Biyu and Birou turned their faces to the side. Only the young Daochang Zhao was the first. Seeing a living body for the first time, even though he has a strong theoretical knowledge, he would inevitably blush at a loss for being exposed like this.
The strong man Lao Yue joked: "Is it possible that the Taoist Priest has never eaten meat? Hehe! Now that he is traveling in the world, Lao Yue Twilight, a young lady who matches the Taoist Priest, will never treat Taoist Priest so pretty with red lips and white teeth. appearance."
The middle-aged man Hu Hai looked at the white-faced Taoist priest cautiously. After all, he tested the other person's elusiveness at the dinner table yesterday, and he didn't want to lose his life with a joke.
The strong man Lao Yue also realized the problem after speaking.
Although Zhao Zhengli was young, he didn't mind his teasing. He smiled and passed by, and the atmosphere relaxed.
The few people didn't do anything, let the woman go, and searched the gangster's den. There was nothing special, except for scattered silver and copper plates, not even a book, let alone expect them to have contact with the Yamen.
Obviously this was a failed bandit suppression for a few people.
He set off on the road again, but within ten miles he was robbed again.
This time, to the surprise of several people, there were actually many martial arts practitioners among the robbers, some of whom were not low-level. The leader had already reached the peak of the Kaidan realm. There were also several monks of the Hinayana realm, but their resistance was in vain. Annihilate them one by one.
In this way, the five people rode on horseback and pushed through several bandit dens. They soon discovered a subtle change. That is, every time a bandit den was destroyed, the nearby villagers in the farmhouse would point fingers at several people behind their backs, and they would also be blocked by the villagers when they entered the village and passed through the alleys. The door hides.
At first, a few people thought it was because the villagers were afraid of their bloody fight, but all the villagers shouldn't be afraid. Besides, the bandits were also killing harm for the people, so why were they so unpopular?
After careful consideration, the five people decided not to destroy the bandits' nest for the time being, but to find out the situation from the villagers. They traveled several miles and stopped at a farmhouse as tourists to inquire. Emotionally, the villagers were not completely afraid of the rampant bandits because there were Some of the villagers turned into bandits. They did not burn, kill or rob poor peasants. They only robbed strangers and wealthy traders on the road, and then robbed the carriages and horses used by the government to collect grain and tax every year.
In his free time, he still cultivates and raises animals like a simple farmer.
The strong man Lao Yue was surprised: "So, when we encounter three or five groups of bandits along the way, there are villagers?"
He did not mention the fact that he was wiped out by the anti-killing group. The old farmer thought that a few people and horses escaped quickly: "A few heroes took a rest and went to the town to be safer when it was dark. Only a few people in the Sichuan and Sichuan mountains truly dominate the mountains and become kings." , it is a helpless act for the villagers to fall into the grass. The years are not good, and the government does not care about natural disasters and man-made disasters. Instead, it collects grain and arrests the young men every year. After paying the grain, they starve for half of the year. After arresting the young men, there is no one left for ten years. Reply. The brave ones have to put down their hoes and pick up their swords to become bandits in order to survive."
This news really overturned the original understanding of several people. No wonder he was criticized by the villagers earlier and was not welcomed. It was the local villagers who killed him emotionally.
Zhao Zhengli asked: "Aren't you afraid of being surrounded and suppressed by the county government when you go to the mountains to fight against the invaders?"
The farmer smiled bitterly: "The county government is busy colluding with the real bandits and making profits, so they have no time to care about our poor and harsh places."
The middle-aged man Hu Hai asked: "Where are the real bandits? How do they collude?"
This statement also attracted everyone's interest. Even the two sisters of the Bihua Sect, who were silent, both focused their attention on the farmer.
The old farmer didn't want to say it, so he sighed: "This is not a secret. There are one or two groups of real gangsters anywhere near the county. They rob and kill passing vendors, exploit people from all over, and then pay "tolerance fees" to the local county government on a monthly basis. ". Even if the county government has inconvenient matters to deal with, it will be handed over to the bandits. People will come forward, and the inside and outside will be coordinated, and there will be no leakage, but the people will suffer."
Several people wanted to ask more questions, but when the old farmer saw that the repairs were almost done, he ordered the guests to be kicked out. Once they arrived, the horses tied at the door were too eye-catching, and they were afraid of causing trouble. The second thing is that these people don't look like ordinary people when they are wearing swords and holding swords. The sooner they leave, the sooner he will feel at ease.
The farmer pointed to a trail leading to the county town.
Before dark in the afternoon, several people traveled six or seven miles along the mountain road and settled in Nanhe County.
This county is not considered prosperous. It is a street built along the river, with about 200 households, and three or five nearby villages doing business here.
It was getting dark, and there were few pedestrians on the street. Five people were riding horses clattering on the empty stone streets. As soon as they found an inn to check in, the government officials came to check the directions and inquired about their purpose.
Several people took out tokens, which were the signs of Jianghu people tacitly approved by the imperial court. The yamen officials did not care about these and only knew the way. How many people are alone in the world, where can they find official guidance?
The yamen officials wanted to imprison several people as gangsters. After many pulls, the yamen officials let a few people go, but warned the merchants and inns that their identities were suspicious and they were not allowed to stay in the county.
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the street closed their doors and turned away customers, which made a few people feel angry, but there was nothing they could do.
Hu Hai, who has been traveling in the world for many years, rarely has a dark face. He said that this kind of thing is rare in the world, and it is obvious that the yamen officer was deliberately stirring up trouble.
It was hard for Daochang Zhao to imagine that this was the world he had longed for.
A few people didn't want to cause trouble, so they planned to leave the city before dark to find a roadside inn, or stay at a farmhouse. At most, they would spend more money, and then get on their horses and leave the market.
On the other side, the government officials who had just checked quickly took off their official uniforms and rushed to the other side. The waiters who owned the inns on the street all shook their heads and sighed, and then closed the doors and windows of each house in the afterglow of the setting sun. Obviously, this kind of thing happened frequently.
The five people were no more than three miles out of the county seat when they were stopped by a group of people.
It was already dark now, and there were fifty people blocking the road holding torches, holding swords and shields. This lineup was no weaker than a small army, and there were even cavalry wearing armor.
The leader, a man with a muscular body, was carrying a sword several meters long. His hips were shaking and the stubborn horse was reined in. He shouted with great pride: "Leave the valuables behind. The men can leave, but the women can stay."
The five people at this moment were furious. Even the kind-hearted Taoist priest Zhao Zhengli could see that the collusion between the government servants and the gangsters was too obvious. If it were not for hiding their strength, he would have wanted to slap these gangsters to death. .
He had thought this way, and the other four people had already emerged with murderous intentions at this moment and found someone to vent their anger on.
The man with a stubborn horse on his hips seemed to be aware of it: "No one who resists will be left."
"puff!"
The next moment, he was attacked by a smart sword energy. Fortunately, he jumped up in advance, and the sword struck directly under his crotch on the back of the stubborn horse. He was immediately killed in two, and the stubborn horse didn't even have time to neigh.
