In late autumn, the level of the wet residual water flowing through the gorge is low, and in many places it overflows along the gravel, barely reaching the surface of the foot, so that pedestrians can easily cross it. The trees and vines in the forest are no longer verdant in spring and summer, and are gradually withering. The dark brown color of the bare tree trunk is mottled with the color of the iron-black Qianren cliffs, as if the iron wall of the golden city has been through vicissitudes, but it has not fallen after a hundred battles.

Lu Yao vaguely remembered that in another thousand years, this majestic and dangerous mountain range will have a new name: "Badaling". And the northern end of the canyon that Lu Yao traveled through here is named after Juyong County, Shanggu County, which later moved eastward, which is known as Juyong Pass, which is known as the Shuangshuang Key. This shows the importance of the strategic position of this place.

In the past few months, Daijun and Youzhou have been divided by this mountainous area between Juyong and Jundu. The Daijun garrison was at the northern end, and at the south entrance of the Jundu Gorge, Wang Jun sent a military horse to garrison after the defeat of the source. The terrain of the south pass is more dangerous than the north pass, although the defenders of Youzhou are not many, but relying on the deep layers of mountains and rivers, the forests are dangerous, and the Great Wall ruins during the Warring States period can also be used as a barrier, which is enough to play the role of a man who is a pass.

It's just that the pass guard general appointed by Wang Jun is surnamed Mai, and he is a member of Mai Zeming, the commander of the Youzhou Army who was captured by Weiyuan.

Although the Youzhou army was defeated, the civil and military forces of Daijun did not despise them because of this, but felt a little sympathy because of the bitter battle. Many generals and colonels in the Youzhou army who can fight are the targets of the county. Especially Mai Zeming, a battle-hardened veteran, was treated very favorably, and Mai Zeming also expressed his willingness to obey Lu Yao, and Lu Yao immediately released him back to Youzhou.

Under the instruction of Mai Zeming, the defenders of the military capital pass with the Mai clan as the core have been lying high all day long, and they will no longer stop the entry and exit of the people of Daijun. What's funny is that the soldiers and civilians of Youzhou occasionally come and go here, but they have to undergo interrogation, or be extorted for some tolls and the like.

After crossing the military capital, the group turned south, bypassed the county seat of Changping, and marched along the intersection of mountains and plains. After about half a day, a river rushed eastward, blocking the way. Climb high and explore, this river is estimated to be about 30 miles long, the river channel is wide and straight, extremely spectacular. Ask the locals to know that this is the carriage canal built by Liu Jing, the general of Zhenbei and the governor of Hebei during the Jiaping period of Cao Wei.

The carriage canal is part of the water conservancy facility of the Gulling. When Liu Jing governed Youzhou, the hydrological conditions of the water flowing through the northwest of Jixian County were very complicated. In the summer, when the water rises, it often breaks through the embankment and destroys the farmland and villages. Liu Jing then organized 10,000 people to build a dam to divide the water in Liangshan, upstream of the water. There is the mausoleum of Liu Dan, the son of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Dan colluded with the courtiers to rebel when Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty, and failed to commit suicide, so he was called "Ran", and the tomb was called the tomb. This diversion dam and the attached water conservancy facilities are collectively known as the Erling Dam.

The water diverted from the Erling mounds reached Lu County through the carriage canal, and according to the calculations at the time of completion, it was possible to "irrigate the fields for 2,000 hectares in years." Where the fiefdom is more than 100,000 acres", regardless of the scale of construction or the scope of irrigation, it was the leading water conservancy facility in Hebei at that time.

During the Yuankang period, the flood broke out and broke the dam, causing a serious disaster. At that time, it was Liu Jing's young son and Ningshuo's general Liu Hong. Liu Hong personally went to the mountains and rivers to plan and construct, and mobilized 2,000 people to repair the tomb. Because this project won the hearts of the people, even the princes of the Hu tribe also sent people to participate in the repair.

It's a pity that over the years, Wang Jun has been busy with military affairs and has been a little negligent about the administration of Youzhou. Today's carriage canal still vaguely looks like a carriage, but it is indeed a broken car, and the downstream water diversion channel has been mostly destroyed. The original paddy fields were left untended and became swamps overgrown with reeds, which gave high-ranking officials and nobles a good place to hunt and play.

The efforts of Liu Jing and Liu Hong, two generations of famous ministers, have been abandoned by today's rulers, which is really lamentable.

It is said that there was originally a ferry crossing on the carriage canal, and there was more than one. But most of the ferries are dilapidated. The captain, who has only one ferry crossing, is also lazy, making only two or three round-trips a day. When ferries are insufficient, residents on both sides of the river simply swim to and fro.

Lu Yao and his entourage had horses and could only wait for the ferry. Several cavalrymen ran all the way up and down the canal, but they couldn't find where the captain had gone, and they couldn't help but be a little anxious.

Lu Yao and others had dozens of knights, nearly hundreds of war horses and pack horses, each of whom carried swords and weapons, which was very conspicuous. This is already the core area of Youzhou, and when they asked for directions along the way, some people rushed to report to the local village elders and clan leaders.

The vast majority of the cultivated land in this vicinity belongs to some clan caste. Clans with the same surname lived together, built a grange, and took the dock fort as the core. Compared with what Lu Yao saw in Jizhou, the dock fort in Youzhou is larger in scale, and the military defense role is more obvious. Each dock fort is built with high walls and watchtowers, and standing on the watchtowers can be monitored from a very long distance. Although these dock forts are all armed, Lu Yao and the others are well-trained elite soldiers at a glance, and they are definitely not able to resist ordinary militias. Therefore, the person who reported the report had not yet arrived at the dock fort, and someone in the dock fort had already rushed out to investigate.

They approached where Lu Yao and the others were immediately, and greeted them extremely diligently from afar.

Lu Yao beckoned, and asked the leader of the group of people from the dock fort to come forward and speak: "We are from Beiping County, and we want to cross the river to visit our old friends. Do you know where the captain of this place has gone? ”

How can your accent be like that of Beiping County? The leader of the people in the fort was a short man in his forties. Hearing Lu Yao's words, he slandered again and again, but he was also relieved: at least the purpose of this person in front of him is not local, listening to this person's words are polite and modest, and he is not a bandit, as for the real way of his person, it is my business.

Thinking so, he raised his eyes to look at the people behind Lu Yao. Behind Lu Yao were brave warriors with big shoulders and round waists, this man was short, and when he looked up, he looked like a brick wall that blocked the black pressure; Vaguely, I felt a terrifying momentum coming. These soldiers went in and out of the blade, and each of them had no less than a dozen or twenty lives on hand. Although the man didn't know the reason, he didn't dare to look at Xiong Zhenshi, subconsciously took a step back, and said in a loud voice: "No need for a captain, no need for a captain." ”

The man bowed deeply: "You must cross the river, and our people have boats, and there are also children who are good at boating. ”

Hearing this reply, everyone was happy. Lu Yao smiled: "That's the case, thank you very much." But I don't know your high name, what to call it? ”

"Don't dare to be called tall, the villain's surname is Chen, line two. The honorable guest called me to be Chen Er. Chen Er hurriedly sent his disciples back to the dock fort to report the news and sail the boat, and he was still by Lu Yao's side.

"It turned out to be Brother Chen. I see that Brother Chen's dock fort is well guarded, and the response to us outsiders is also very fast. I don't know who is in charge of your place? ”

Hearing Lu Yao say this, Chen Er straightened his chest with some pride: "Don't hide it from your guests." Twenty miles south after the carriage canal, it is the residence of General Qi, the former general of Youzhou. The setting up of the dock fort and the training of the private soldiers of the tribe were all guided by General Qi, and the thieves never dared to attack and disturb them. ”

Lu Yao immediately heard two meanings from this passage. First of all, it turns out that there are also thieves in the core area of Youzhou, and the thieves' courage is not small, and they dare to attack the manor dock fort. Secondly......

Lu Yao and the people beside him quickly glanced at each other, and continued to ask: "The General Qi that Brother Chen is talking about, is it the former Youzhou Sima Qi Hong?" Coincidentally, we came to find him. ”