At that time, the Pingcheng County Government was extremely busy. Faced with the group of people who entered the city forcefully, they were full of resentment, but there was nothing they could do. The county magistrate and county lieutenant had to greet them with a smile, and finally threw the hot potato to the boss.
Zhao Zhengli did not attack, but just waited quietly in the city. He was waiting for the person to instruct Ge Xiao. This demonstration must have another purpose.
Less than an hour after the few people entered the city, a group of people arrived outside the city. The conspicuous luxury carriage was tall and majestic. There was a guard of honor in front to open the way, and two lines of cavalry were behind to finish. Dozens or hundreds of people looked very impressive.
People inside and outside the city watched curiously. Even though there were many generals in the north who showed off their talents from time to time, scenes like this were still rare.
The person driving the carriage was a young man in a long gown with narrow sleeves. He looked bookish from inside to outside, from top to bottom. He was far from handsome, and his unique temperament showed his extraordinary character.
The convoy went straight to the courtyard of Zhao Zhengli and others.
The rough guy Mu Dongfang raised his nose and eyes at the group of people, but the scholar was not angry. He politely handed over his hand and surrendered three points. He accurately stated Mu Dongfang's identity and flattered him a few times.
The rough-cheeked man suddenly felt as if he was bathing in the spring breeze, and the scholar was really pleasing to the eye.
At that time, Zhao Zhengli came to the courtyard gate and felt contempt for Mu Dongfang Piao Piao and the hopeless look. Maybe he still didn't understand that if a person is Piao Piao, he will be stabbed.
When the scholar in the narrow-sleeved gown saw the green shirt, he handed over his hand and explained his purpose: "I'm Yao Hanbei. I've heard of Taoist Master Zhao's reputation for a long time. This time I came to escort him to Taiyuan Prefecture and went north to join the Changning Army."
Zhao Zhengli didn't recognize this person, but how could Chen Xiaoyao, who was following him, not recognize him? He immediately echoed, "Yao Hanbei is the son of Yao Xuda, the deputy commander of Hedong Road."
Zhao Zhengli nodded slightly, and one hundred and eight thoughts flashed through his mind. Could it be that the commander-in-chief and deputy commander of the Hedong Roadside Army were playing tricks on him? Testing the truth?
Since they came to Hedong Road, Zhao Zhengli made plans to block them with troops and cover them with water and soil.
Yao Hanbei's name is extremely powerful, but his appearance is extremely gentle, like a weak scholar who has no power to tie a chicken.
Since they were waiting for someone, Zhao Zhengli and his party followed Yao Jiangzhong, who took the initiative to escort them, and rushed to Taiyuan Mansion.
When they were leaving the city, there was a horseman watching from a distance. Zhao Zhengli and several masters with their vision could tell at a glance that the man was Ge Xiao.
Yao Hanbei, who had driven his carriage into the city earlier, was now riding a strong horse out of the city. He glanced at the distance, summoned a cavalryman to whisper a few words, and then asked him to pass on the message.
Yao Hanbei smiled brightly at Zhao Zhengli and his group: "There are always some guys who use tiger skins as banners. Don't blame me if they offend you!"
The cavalryman in the distance didn't know what he said, but he actually asked Ge Xiao to turn his horse and leave.
Zhao Zhengli took a deep look at this handsome young master. Yao Hanbei noticed and smiled at each other.
This smile made Zhao Zhengli feel confident that everything was expected, and his intuition told Zhao Zhengli that this general was not an easy person.
According to the plan, a few dozen miles northwest of Pingcheng is the Tushui River that leads directly to Yuci City. Then we can take a boat all the way north. Although sailing against the current is slow, it is more comfortable and does not have to be bumpy on the back of a carriage and horseback day and night. It has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The carriages leaving the city are very characteristic of the north. They are large and spacious, and the horses are strong and strong. They belong to the northern grassland horse breed. They have strong limbs and are good at running. Their tall bodies can also carry heavy loads and wear armor. They are the best choice for heavy armored cavalry.
It is said that there is a more powerful kind of horse, which is comparable to wild horses and is several times taller than ordinary horses. If three or five horses are put on iron chains and lined up in a row, they are specially used for large-scale killings. The chain is sharper than a blade, and ordinary infantry can be cut in half directly, which is comparable to a battlefield strangulation weapon.
Most of these horses are deep in desolate and inhabited places. Most of them are captured by humans and die on hunger strike. They can only be cultivated from a young age. The growth is also extremely demanding. It takes nearly ten years for everything to go smoothly. It is time-consuming, laborious and expensive, so it is rare on ordinary battlefields. Even if there is a figure, it should be treated as a treasure in the hope of passing on the family line.
On the way, Zhao Zhengli rode a big horse and followed the carriage beside him. In the carriage were two girls, Biyu and Yu Xiaowei, and on their left and right were two brothers, King Wu and King Liu of the Forbidden Army. For them, being escorted by Yao Hanbei inexplicably was more or less Don't be worried. The two of them were escorted by the emperor. If these dozens or hundreds of people were in the barren mountains,
Ye Ling had a weird idea, and the two of them had no ability to go into the wild waves.
The two brothers' doubts were not groundless. After all, they had deep knowledge of the "bandits and bandits" they encountered along the way.
True to the saying that the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, he takes off his military uniform and transforms into the most ferocious horse bandit.
Among the several people, only his two brothers seemed to be the most vigilant. Like the handsome young man Chen Xiaoyao who drove the carriage, he made the carriage smile with joy.
Daochang Zhao, who was about to take office, was leisurely on horseback with his eyes closed. The rough guy Mu Dongfang, who was just a ride behind him, was chatting enthusiastically with Yao Hanbei.
The two brothers glanced at each other casually, wondering whether they were so big-hearted?
On the surface, Zhao Zhengli looks like he is wandering around with his eyes closed, but in fact he is feeling everyone's aura. People's expressions may be able to deceive others, but aura cannot be hidden, and even those who are successful in cultivating Taoism cannot completely hide it. Hide the breath.
When the carriage arrived at Tu Shui River Pier, a long-prepared boat was waiting.
The boat was not big, with two floors, and was gorgeously decorated. It was obvious at first glance that it was not a merchant ship, but a flower boat specially used for viewing the scenery. It could carry about dozens of people. Yao Hanbei picked a team of ten people to accompany him, and the rest They all go along the coastal land.
After the boat sailed normally, Yao Hanbei, a talented scholar, took the initiative to chat with Zhao Zhengli and boasted: "Among us, Taoist priest Zhao is really a strange person, who can make big waves in the world of temples and rivers at the same time."
Zhao Zhengli smiled miserably and laughed at himself: "I shot the first bird, so I'm worth a million gold now!"
"The Taoist Master is so open-minded and fearless. If it were me, I would have wanted to hide away from the sky."
"It's precisely because I can't hide in the sky that I'm just surviving, and I have to go north to the border to help!"
Zhao Zhengli couldn't figure out his intentions, so he spoke extremely cautiously.
One was flattering, the other was self-deprecating. Seeing that the heat was almost over, Yao Hanbei cut into the topic and said, "I have heard for a long time that the Taoist Master is in a transcendental realm. Now he is serving in the Changning Army. I wonder what the Chief thinks of the Changning Army guarding the border area?"
"As a dabbler in the world, I dare not make any wild guesses."
Zhao Zhengli refused directly. No matter how he answered this question, it would be wrong. He would not seek political advice or talk about his affairs. These are the things that all military generals worry about. Even if he had an opinion, he would not say it openly, not to mention that he was still an unknown person. The deputy commander-in-chief will be planted with details.
Yao Hanbei smiled, as if he could see his concerns, and said to himself: "There is a saying in Jianghu, where there are people, there are Jianghu, and where there are Jianghu, there are grievances, intrigues, and intrigues. I want to say, this sentence The words are not only spoken in the Jianghu, but also in the court and the military camp."
Zhao Zhengli looked at the guy in the narrow-sleeved gown more seriously. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, Yao Hanbei smiled openly: "No matter where you are, if you have an official position, you can't wait to be promoted again and again." If you continue to climb, if you encounter Bole, you may stretch out your hand to pull him. Otherwise, he may stretch out his leg to make a stumbling block or kick him. If he can't kick, he will be stepped on. If he is a senior official, he will be crushed to death! "
Zhao Zhengli was a little confused: "Your Excellency, are you pouring out your sufferings to Zhao?"
Yao Hanbei shook his head: "The Taoist Priest may not know me, but I know a lot about the Taoist Priest. Your birth, your sect, and your descent from the mountain and a series of deeds are all treasured by me, and I have even reviewed them here and there. , now that the Taoist priest has been sent to the north to march to the frontier, the imperial court’s purpose must be clearer to the Taoist priest than to me, and the Taoist priest calmly and calmly accepted the order, and must have made a decision in his heart.”
He sighed: "If it were me, I would plan a plan carefully to make him sleepless and sleepless."
"I don't understand what you mean!"
Zhao Zhengli was horrified. Is this guy turning his back on the dark side? Or lure the enemy deeper?
Yao Hanbei had an I-know-you expression on his face: "Maybe I can help the Taoist Master. If the Taoist Master wants to gain a foothold in the north, it is not a wise choice to fight alone."
Zhao Zhengli still pretended to be stupid: "I went north to take up the post under the order. I just follow the order, and I am not forming a clique."
"If you still have any doubts, Taoist Priest, I would like to explain it to you first. One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, and it is difficult for two generals to do so. However, the Ge family is very close to the imperial master Qi Taifu Xiao Taifu, and the descendants of the two families are as close as each other. One family, I heard that the Taoist priest had already met Xiao Shizi and the Ge family cousins when he was in Qingzhou. The Taoist priest's current situation is even more closely related to several families.
Guan, so if the Taoist priest has any ideas, our Yao family will naturally provide convenience. Not to mention the distance, we can barely have influence on Hedong Road. "
Zhao Zhengli glanced at him: "Just to break the "vice" to the "right"? Is this a good deal? "
He said happily: "Of course it's not that simple. Taoist priests should understand the principle of "moving one hair can affect the whole body." From the imperial court to the border troops, they are all in a chess game. The choice of the prince is obviously closely related to every powerful general. , who doesn’t want to get a touch of dragon spirit. "
Zhao Zhengli's smile froze and he said extremely calmly: "What if I want to overturn the chessboard and start over?"
Yao Hanbei was like five thunders hitting his head, looking at the beautiful man in green shirt and remaining silent.
Zhao Zhengli patted him on the shoulder and smiled before boarding the second floor of the flower boat.
In the middle is a sand table simulation of a mountain and river map.
It was a scaled-down version of Hedong Road. Zhao Zhengli was surprised by the strangeness of the city. It seemed that Yao Hanbei had really worked hard.
Hedong Road is divided into three prefectures, two prisons, eight armies, and fourteen prefectures, a total of eighty-one counties.
The three prefectures are Taiyuan, Longde, and Pingyang, and the sub-prefectures for supervision are located in Jiaocheng and Mianshang.
The Eighth Army was divided into various locations, including Qingzuo, Weisheng, Pingding, Kelan, Changning, Huoshan, Baode, and Jinning.
Only the Changning, Kelan, Huoshan, and Baode armies were truly facing the Khitan on the northern front. The Jinning Army bordered the Yongxing Military Road to the west and could barely be considered a "neighbor" side by side.
The remaining three armies are all on the second line preparing for war.
The Fourth Army directly facing the northern front is the easternmost Changning Army and has a heavy responsibility. The other three armies can still provide assistance at least. Only the east of the Changning Army's front line and even Daizhou need to be fully considered. However, Daizhou has a vast area, sparsely populated areas and crisscrossed mountains. , and also saves a lot of trouble by forming a natural barrier.
The only thing that Zhao Zhengli really remembers about Daizhou is the Manjusri Bodhisattva Dojo in Mount Wutai.
After all, "the first of the four famous Buddhist mountains" was not groundless. He was curious about what would happen if he visited it?
Is Buddhism and Taoism incompatible? Or are they Buddhists and Taoists? Or was he treated as a high-class guest of the imperial court?
In fact, these are not important. Zhao Zhengli is a Taoist and just wants to go to the head of the famous Buddhist mountain to try his luck with spiritual roots and spiritual objects. After all, those who are destined to get the things in heaven and earth can get them.
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