Until the next day, the supplies in the armored staff warehouse had not yet been counted. Wang Xiaolie sent former officials from the city to help with the count.
At noon, Shao Ling suddenly sent someone, saying that he had something important to report.
Calling the people in, Wang Xiaolie asked, "What happened? Could it be that I caught up with Yang Jin?"
The soldier said: "Zhizhou, we chased all the way but did not catch up with Yang Jin. Yang Jin passed the Guanghua Army and did not attack the city. He went straight to Gucheng County in Xiangyang Prefecture. Judging from his appearance, both Shao Tongzhi and Niu Tongzhi were both It is estimated that he is going to attack Xiangyang Mansion."
"Oh, what's the matter with Shao Ling sending you back?"
The soldier said: "We passed through the Guanghua Army and unexpectedly met the imperial envoy, saying that we were going to Henan Mansion to welcome the gods. In order to avoid Yang Jin's army, we hid in a farmer's house outside the Guanghua Army. Shao Tongzhi wanted to pursue Yang. We had no choice but to send dozens of soldiers to escort them to Dengzhou."
"Envoy?" Wang Xiaolie couldn't help but feel strange after hearing this. This year the Jin army did not move south in a large scale, so why did the imperial court send people to welcome the emperor's mausoleum and the gods to go south? Doesn't this make people doubt that they have no intention of the Northern Expedition?
After pondering for a while, Wang Xiaolie asked: "Who is this person? Where are they now?"
The soldiers said: "The ones coming are Ji Ling from Zhongshushe, and Wang Ruohai from the Supervisory and Examination Institute. They are guarded by the soldiers and are coming to Dengzhou."
Wang Xiaolie asked the soldiers in detail about the number of people who came and the size of the ceremony, and then asked the soldiers to go back and answer. Tell Shao Ling that he must pursue Yang Jin closely. For other unimportant matters, just send someone to tell him, and don't be distracted.
After thinking for a while, Wang Xiaolie decided to greet the imperial envoys in person. I have always played the role of a loyal minister of the court. When envoys come, and their official position is much higher than myself, it is better to be respectful.
Wang Ruohai, who was imprisoned in the Public Security Bureau, did not have a high official position. He was still young and could be left alone. Zhongshu Sheren was a noble Ci official in the Qing Dynasty, and his status in the Song Dynasty court had always been very high. Ci ministers and censors have always been noble. Even if their official positions are the same, their courtesy is much higher. Leaving a good impression on such people and saying a few nice words to yourself in the court will be of much greater use.
Looking at the sky, Wang Xiaolie took Yu Huan and a hundred soldiers out of Dengzhou and marched towards the Guanghua Army in the south. It was already dark after crossing Chaoshui, so we stayed at an abandoned inn for one night and continued southbound the next day.
After traveling for more than twenty miles, it was almost noon. Wang Xiaolie asked to find a place to drink some tea. When the soldiers were looking for a suitable position, they saw a fast horse galloping towards them and dismounted in front of them.
It turned out to be the person sent by Shao Ling to protect the envoy. They were resting at a farmhouse a few miles away by the roadside. When they saw Wang Xiaolie arriving, they hurriedly came to meet them. On this official road, the Jin army passed by last year, burning, killing and looting, and there were no homes left. On the contrary, the houses farther away from the road survived because the Jin army did not have time to search around.
With his subordinates, Wang Xiaolie arrived several miles away. I saw a house by the river with three thatched houses and a bamboo-fenced courtyard, which was very quiet. Outside the courtyard gate, a yellow dog lay lazily on the big stone. When he saw everyone coming, he got up and barked non-stop.
When we got outside the door, someone came out. Seeing that it was Wang Xiaolie, he hurriedly stepped forward to salute.
Entering the courtyard, he saw a pot of charcoal fire lit under the shed in the courtyard and several people surrounding it. Standing in the courtyard outside were the soldiers sent by Shao Ling to protect them. Seeing Wang Xiaolie come in, we crossed our hands and sang promises together.
Approaching the shed, Wang Xiaolie saw that sitting in the middle was an official in purple in his forties or fifties, and an official in green clothes beside him.
At this time, there were regulations on the clothing of officials, such as the color of the official uniform and the type of fish bag used, which could be seen at a glance. Wang Xiaolie recognized that the person sitting in the middle should be Ji Ling and stepped forward to salute. He cupped his hands and said, "The governor of Ruzhou, Wang Xiaolie, has met two envoys."
Ji Ling looked Wang Xiaolie up and down and said: "Are you the magistrate of Ruzhou? You look quite young. We were ordered by the court to go to Henan Mansion to greet the emperors of the past dynasties. Unexpectedly, the Guanghua Army not only did not inform us to greet them, We also encountered thieves. Fortunately, we hid in time, otherwise we would have been killed by the thieves? Now that we have met you, you can escort us to Henan Mansion. "
Wang Xiaolie was startled for a moment. Said: "Sheren, Yang Jin is causing trouble to several states and is extremely difficult to deal with. Even Zhai Taiwei, the envoy of the Northwest Road of Beijing, died in his hands. If we don't capture him and let him escape, we don't know how much trouble he will cause. Come--"
Ji Ling said displeasedly: "There are so many troubles in the world right now, and there are not many thieves anywhere! You local ministers are not careful, so you let them flee in all directions. You can send military generals to chase us, and it is more serious to escort us with a large group! If something happens to us, , how can you, a magistrate, afford it?"
Judging from what he meant, Wang Xiaolie understood that Ji Ling looked down on him. As a magistrate, I was only granted a temporary title by Lu Qing, so how could I compare with courtiers like Ji Ling? If he hadn't been frightened by the thieves and asked Wang Xiaolie to escort him, Ji Ling wouldn't have bothered to say so many words.
Seeing that Wang Xiaolie was silent, Wang Ruohai on the other side said: "In these troubled times, local officials still have to maintain the local area. Wang Zhizhou, you will send two to three hundred soldiers to escort us all the way. Yang Jin, this thief, is Wang Yuan's subordinates are familiar with military affairs and should not be underestimated."
Wang Xiaolie hurriedly handed over his hand: "That's what the prison hospital said. Yang Jin is extremely brave and popular. If he is given a chance, he will gather a large number of people. If he cannot be eliminated in time, it will be a big trouble in the future! From here, go to Henan Prefecture , it’s the way I came after Yang Jin, and it was peaceful all the way. I will send someone to escort you two, so there will be nothing wrong on the way!"
Ji Ling was a little unhappy. However, seeing that Wang Xiaolie was unwilling to escort him, there was nothing he could do. All courtiers and noble poets are of no use now. In troubled times, one must speak with swords and guns. Now Wang Xiaolie is a man with soldiers. He can listen to these courtiers if they want to, but not if they don't want to.
Please ask Wang Xiaolie to sit down. Wang Ruohai said: "After passing Xiangyang Prefecture, there was no one at the post station on the road. There were no officers in the Guanghua Army, and we met thieves again. The road was really hard. When we got here, we happened to meet this family, and the family came over to have a cup of tea. "
This family was several miles away from the road, and Wang Xiaolie couldn't figure out how they happened to find it. It seems that Ji Ling was tired from walking and sent someone to find this place. With people from the Shao Ling faction protecting him, there was no need to walk so tiredly.
After sitting for a while, an old man came out of the house and saluted: "Gentlemen, I have killed a few chickens in my house, and you can fill your stomachs. It is approaching the twelfth lunar month, and I brewed some wine at home, which I was going to drink during the Chinese New Year. , Don’t be dissatisfied with the taste.”
Ji Ling waved his hand and said, "Come up quickly! I haven't been able to sleep well these past few days, and there is no meat taste in my mouth. It's really hard!"
The old man promised. He turned back to the house and brought a large pot of chicken and two wine jars with two children under ten years old.
The wine was poured into the bowl, Ji Ling took a sip and spat it out. He scolded: "This is also called wine? If you sell it in the city, no one will drink it!"
The old man turned pale with fright and apologized profusely.
Wang Xiaolie said: "The village wine is what it is, so you don't have to be offended. Just drink it as water, eat it and let's go on our way."
Ji Ling muttered bitterly, ordered the wine to be poured again, and picked up chopsticks to eat.
In the Song Dynasty, wine making was not allowed in the city without a license, but in the countryside it was not allowed. Therefore, farmers with moderate wealth can make wine. Especially in winter, wine is brewed and drank just in time for the New Year's Day, which is called wax wine. This is what Lu You wrote in his poem "Don't laugh at the muddy wine in farmers' houses". However, the conditions of the farmers are limited, so the wine is not only light in taste, but also muddy. A fastidious official like Ji Ling cannot drink.
Seeing everyone eating, Wang Xiaolie stood up, called a soldier and asked him to bring a piece of silver to his master. A farmer ate some of his chickens, drank a lot of wine, and ate up all his property in one meal. These officials are unwilling to pay from their own pockets unless the government pays for it.
Wang Ruohai sighed secretly when he saw Wang Xiaolie ordering him to send money to his master. In this era, there are not many officials who have this intention, especially a military general. Knowing the suffering of the people, Wang Xiaolie is considered a good person.
Seeing Ji Ling wolfing down the food there, Wang Xiaoxian stopped eating and stood up outside the shed. At this time, the north wind picked up, the dark clouds in the sky became thicker and thicker, and it looked like it was going to snow.
