Zhuohuo Pass is located at the southernmost protrusion of the Jingji Dynasty. It is surrounded by the Evil Sea on the left and the sea of bamboo on the right. It is stuck in the middle of the bamboo road, which is the only way out.
The dangerous terrain is the first impression of Zhuhuo Pass.
Then comes the dominance.
The narrowest part of the bamboo path is also called Daozikou, with a span of less than one mile from left to right. Zhuohuo Pass was built on this Daozikou.
The overall pass is ten feet high and more than four feet thick. It was built by the former dynasty and reinforced three times by the Houjing dynasty before it became so strong. Not only is the entire body made of boulders formed into three joints of earth, but there are also thunder tunnels and attack slots in the middle, which can organize attacks on the enemy from multiple directions within the wall. There are even said to be more than a hundred various formations.
In all the previous battles against the Nanman, the Clumsy Fire Pass had never been breached even in the most critical moments. This is the dividing line between humans and barbarians, and it is also the red line.
Forty years ago, the barbarians were defeated again. Yang Yansi personally led his army in three consecutive battles at Zhuhuo Guan. He killed the main force of the barbarians until they abandoned their helmets and armor and fled in all directions. Then he killed the then leader of the Black Stone Royal Court, Wolf King Lei Bao, in the red ravine formation outside the pass. Completely destroying the arrogance of the barbarians and dispersing the Black Stone Royal Court.
Although that battle has gone far away, and the fireworks have long been washed away by the wind, frost, rain and snow, this majestic Zhuhuo Pass is still there. Even when you walk in here, you can clearly feel a kind of "Xiao Sha" atmosphere.
There is rarely a relaxed or carefree expression in their interactions, and they all have stern expressions and sharp eyes. Even the patrol soldiers carry an evil spirit that ordinary people would never have. Each eye looks at you like a knife, shaving your skin.
This is the border, and it is a wartime area used by the military as a training ground.
The war is gone, but the flames of war still burn brightly and have never been extinguished for forty years.
In the words of the current emperor Yang Jian: The war was started by the Southern Barbarians, but it is up to me to say when it will end! I will kill until all the Southern Barbarians are wiped out from generation to generation!
Of course, this was just the wishful anger of the emperor who was far away from the battlefield. The result brought to the Southern Barbarians was a population plunder that lasted for forty years. They lost the actual control of most of the land and could only huddle in the southeast.
It was the first time for Tan Bin and the three of them to come to Zhuohuo Pass, and they were speechless by the oppressive feeling of Xiongguan from a distance.
You will sigh when you face the mountains, and you will tremble when you face this man-made miracle.
"Isn't it awesome?" The old rat was still following Tan Bin and the others, and he already considered himself the big brother. He also said that when he arrived at the station, he would take Tan Bin and the others to meet his eldest brother, a captain of the slave caravan main team who had been waiting here early. He said he was very reliable and guaranteed that Tan Bin and the others would make a fortune.
"Well, it's very spectacular. Are we going to enter the border gate later?" Tan Bin was curious and looking forward to it.
"What are you thinking about? You must first go to the garrison to join the main force, and then accept the verification one by one by the border troops. You can only leave the customs after all the procedures are completed, and you cannot stay at the pass? Otherwise, an arrow can nail you to the wall. .”
Just as the old mouse said, Tan Bin followed the large army down the straight road and then turned to the other side of Xiongguan in the distance. There was a mountain col with many tents in it, but no stronghold was built. It seemed that there were no less than a thousand people stationed there.
"That's the headquarters of the Dividend Chamber of Commerce over there. In fact, there are several camps of similar size not far ahead? They are all slave chambers of commerce like us. If you have nothing to do, don't wander into other people's camps. You won't get a meal if you are alone. Is a beating a light one? It’s not worth it if you lose your life.”
"They still dare to kill people?"
"Tsk? What are you afraid of? Not to mention others, you, Liu San, are the only ones who have never had blood on your hands? Stop pretending, no one who can come to the Slave Chamber of Commerce to beg for food is a good person. Let's go, I will take you there Meet my big brother."
After quickly entering the station, the old rat took Tan Bin and the three of them straight to report in, and then turned around to find his elder brother. It’s impossible not to go, because the old rat seemed to be a different person as soon as he entered the station, his waist was straighter, and he spoke a little louder. There were always people behind him coming to say hello? And there were a few who were smiling but not smiling. In the back, it seems that the three people surrounding Tan Bin are surrounded.
"Don't worry? My eldest brother is very easy to talk to."
Really easy to talk to. Soon Tan Bin and the other three saw it. As they had guessed before, this old rat had no good intentions and used the excuse of paying protection money to force Tan Bin and the others to sign an IOU. The amount was not small, which was basically half of the profit from this trip.
Is it okay not to sign? Someone told me directly? If they don’t sign, they will be detained at the station and work as field clerks. They will work for two or three years before being released. If they can make thirty or fifty taels of silver by then, it will be considered good. If they are unlucky, they will end up in the cesspit. If you drown, you can still get some pension from the Chamber of Commerce. Do you want it?
Tan Bin naturally behaved very "appropriately". When it came to acting skills, he and the other two were above the standard. They were filled with indignation, glared, dared to be angry but dared not speak, etc., and they acted so vividly that they didn't seem to be fake at all.
Of course, everyone knows that Liu San, Qi Wu, and Zhang Si are pseudonyms, so they directly use the nameplates issued by the bonus merchants to sign and stamp them. As long as they come back alive, half of the money will be directly intercepted by these people. own pocket.
After leaving the big brother's tent, the old mouse said with a smile: "Don't be so sad. The Dividend Chamber of Commerce is like this, and which other chambers of commerce are not like this? You all look the same when you come out to eat this bowl of rice. You have no cultivation and are not monks. You are just If you can survive by fighting, how can you join the battle without paying some money? Don't worry, as long as you come back alive and join the group next time, you will be free of the money.
In addition, when I said I wanted to keep you safe, I didn’t mean to just talk nonsense to you. I would take you for a walk, show you around, and tell you the rules. "
Tan Bin and the other three were still acting. Angry and helpless, they followed the old mouse into their own tent.
"It is estimated that we will be able to leave the customs tomorrow. It seems that you and I will still be in the exploration team. Then you will follow me. I know the route and will ensure safety. If you are lucky, you may encounter a lone sheep. If you lead one back, you will make extra money. of......"
This person seems to be a bit of a talker, and he can't sit still once he opens his mouth.
"Where have you been so far away that you are so familiar with this place?"
"Haha, how could I not be familiar with you? I have been here several times. The farthest? The farthest is Baektu Gorge. That time I was chasing a ewe from the cat tribe. I chased it for more than ten days and finally caught up. I made over a thousand taels that time!"
Tan Bin and the three of them looked at each other without leaving any trace. There is something moving in my heart. Because the "Baektu Gorge" mentioned by the old mouse just now is a very important key location. Because Baektu Gorge is the furthest distance recorded by the Slave Chamber of Commerce, and there is nothing further to the southeast. If Tan Bin and others want to cross Baektu Gorge and continue walking southeast, it seems that they need "acquaintances" like Lao Mozi.
Tan Bin said with a helpless expression: "Then the three of us will go with you tomorrow."
"Okay, but we have to add three veterans, so it's safer."
"become!"
