At three o'clock in the morning, Su Song arrived outside the door of Du Zhongxiao's residence and said loudly: "Brother Du, is there something wrong today?" Since you don't come, why not find someone to let you know. Plain made me wait there for a long time. ”

After speaking, he saw that the door was empty, and there was no sound inside. After thinking for a while, he pushed the door and entered the room, and at a glance he saw Du Zhongxiao tied there.

Su Song was taken aback, hurriedly stepped forward to take out the rag that blocked Du Zhongxiao's mouth, and asked, "What's going on?" ”

Du Zhongxiao took a deep breath before saying, "Two thieves came last night, took the pamphlet I wanted to present to the imperial court, and tied me here." Brother Su loosened the tie for me and quickly reported to the official, those thieves live not far from here. ”

Su Song hurriedly untied Du Zhongxiao, helped him sit up, and asked in detail what happened.

After listening patiently, Su Song said: "What's the use of these people taking the booklet? The court will go down, where in the world is there a place in the world where they use this method to make money! Even if they are far away in the northwest, which state dares to take them in! ”

Du Zhongxiao sat stunned for a while, and suddenly said: "Of course, there are places that dare to take it in, Brother Su don't want to look at the party members!" ”

Su Song was taken aback: "You mean, those thieves want to vote for the party?" ”

Du Zhongxiao took a deep breath: "It's useless for us to guess. Brother Su, let's go out and have a look, the few northwest guests who live nearby are still here. The thieves said they were from the northwest, so maybe they had something to do with them. ”

With a flash of inspiration just now, Du Zhongxiao suddenly remembered the legends related to Zhang Yuan that he had heard in his previous life. Legend has it that Zhang Yuan went to the northwest under the pseudonym Zhang Yuan, and was deeply valued by Yuan Hao and had a very high status. This man has a lot of skills and has left some legends. One of them was that after arriving in the northwest, he sent someone to the territory of the Song Dynasty to pick up his family and leave calmly. Two days ago, people from the northwest who lived nearby could have Zhang Yuan's family.

Leaving the room with Su Song, Du Zhongxiao went to the inn next to him, found Yang Zhu and Lu Kai, who had not yet left, and asked, "Two days ago, there was a Peng Tishi from the northwest who was drinking with us, I don't know if they are still there?" ”

Yang said: "Peng Tizhi went to the northwest with Zhang Yuan's nephew to lure Zhang Yuan, how can he stay for a long time." Early this morning, he went out of the city with the people of the Zhang family and went to the northwest. Calculating the time, he has already left the city, and he may have passed the octagonal shop. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "There is something strange about this matter. I was robbed there last night, and it was related to the people from the northwest, if you two are fine, how about going with me to report to the police? This matter involves the traitorous thief Zhang Yuan, and it cannot be careless. ”

Yang Zhu discussed with Lu Kai and had no objections. At this time, the imperial court was extremely strict in investigating the party and the spies, and since it was implicated, it could not be escaped. Otherwise, it will really be related to the party in the future, which will affect the future of the two.

However, it was said that Wu Kejiu was coerced out of the city by Ma Da, Niu Er and others, walked a few miles, beat a drum in his heart, and said: "A few people really say, where is this going?" If you act in the army, and you don't see you wearing military uniforms, and you don't see the handover of officials, it makes me feel uneasy. My cousin is in the capital, can you ask someone to go and tell my cousin, don't let the family worry. ”

Ma laughed and said: "Little brother, don't worry, what we do is a confidential matter in the army, so naturally we can't let outsiders know." When you get to the place, you have an official status, and then hand the letter to your family, how honorable! Many of us, what can happen on the road? Peace of mind is on the road. ”

The more Wu Kejiu thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong, and he panicked in his heart. It's just that a few people around him are fierce and vicious, as if they are eating people, and they don't dare to resist, so they have to go with them. By the time the sun had risen, the group had arrived at the octagonal shop.

Looking at the stalls selling food on the side of the road, Wu Kejiu said: "When I go out of the city early in the morning, I am really hungry, so it is better to eat something." ”

Niu Er said: "This is a long way to go, and there can be no delay at all." We brought dry food with us, and we could nibble on a few bites to satisfy our hunger. ”

Hearing this, Wu Kejiu became more and more panicked in his heart, feeling that these people did not look like people on the official face. It's just that there are not many pedestrians on the road, and the people around me are watching closely, and they can't find a chance to get out. I had to press my mind and slowly think of a way in my heart.

After passing Yuetai Town, I saw a group of officers and soldiers in front of me. Although the armor is not distinct, it looks a little scattered, but there is no doubt about the officers and soldiers.

Wu Kejiu was overjoyed when he saw it, held his breath, and when he got closer, he rode his horse and ran to the team over there. Although these people around him were vicious, when Wu Kejiu thought about it, he didn't dare to rush into the forbidden army.

The two parties were close, and Wu Kejiu took a sharp breath and was about to ride out. But he didn't want Ma Da in front of him to be the first to come out of the ranks, so he saluted with his hands crossed his hands and said loudly: "Yu Hou is hard! There are so many people here, how did you welcome here? ”

An officer rode forward and returned a salute to Ma Da: "Isn't it bad luck, when I passed through Zhengzhou, I actually took an errand and sent some things to Zhongmu County." The left and right have already arrived here, so they simply came to greet their brother. ”

Wu Kejiu saw in the back that these people from Martha were brothers and sisters with the officials and soldiers, and he couldn't help but be suspicious in his heart. Could it be that these people are really soldiers from the northwest? If you go here, can you really fight for an official body? If so, it's not a bad thing.

There were thirty or fifty officers and soldiers who came, and they joined forces with Ma Da, Niu Er, and others, and turned to the west.

Martha and Marquis Yu walked side by side, and said in a low voice: "Marquis Yu, you are relying on a false name, how can you receive an errand?" ”

"Don't mention it, if you meet a eunuch in Zhengzhou, what goods do you want to transport to Zhongmu County, nine times out of ten you sell goods for profit. We happened to be bumped into by one of his men outside the city, wrote an official letter, and forcibly sent over. This is the hinterland of the Central Plains, and I don't dare to turn against them, so I have to go for them. When we arrive in Zhengzhou, we have to go back and hand in the return papers before we can go on the road with you. If not, we will be unable to fly in the words of a few states and counties. This is their private matter, and it is more difficult than the things that the official family has left behind. ”

When Martha heard this, she couldn't laugh or cry. These people were selected by Zhang Yuan to pick up his family. Some disguised themselves as Beijing, while others forged documents and pretended to be small troops returning to Beijing from the northwest on business. This way through the state and county, abide by the rules, and there is no accident.

At this time, Jingxi Road was not very peaceful, the party was in chaos, Zhang Hai in the south of Shaanxi Road rose up, and turned to Jingxi Road, this kind of small force from Shaanxi Road is not uncommon. The people sent by Zhang Yuan did not enter the city, and there were forged official documents on them, so they were uneventful. It wasn't until near Zhengzhou that he met a lieutenant envoy who came out to do business, recognized them as real forbidden troops, and sent them to deliver private goods to themselves. These people were afraid that they would be seen and hidden, so they had to honestly send things to the place for the eunuch, take the palindrome, and go back to the errand. Zhongmu was not far from Feng, so he greeted him.

From Kaifeng Mansion to Xijing Henan Mansion, there are many forbidden army camps in the prefectures and counties, and a large number of troops are distributed. However, the affiliation of these armies is so intricate that it is difficult to sort them all out even in the Privy Council. As long as you don't make trouble, it's not difficult to pretend to be an army and fish in troubled waters. Of course, once the identity is revealed, there is no escape, and there are heavy troops stationed in almost every direction.

The people sent by Zhang Yuan came and went freely around Kaifeng Mansion, and the people who saw it only thought that they didn't know which military camp they came from, and some thought that they were from other places, and they themselves slowly relaxed.