On the official road in the northwest of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a team of imperial guards escorting millions of official silver was marching in a mighty manner.
The sunlight shines on the glittering official silver, reflecting a dazzling light, which contrasts with the glittering armor on the royal guards, forming a magnificent picture.
Since setting out from the capital, Deputy Commander Xue Zhongfu's mood has been incompatible with this magnificent scene.
He felt more and more that the commander Xiao Gan seemed to be making things difficult for him everywhere, always singing a different tune intentionally or unintentionally.
This made Xue Zhongfu feel depressed and worried about the prospects of this mission.
"Deputy Commander Xue, the post station is ahead. Should we take a short rest?" A messenger walked quickly to Xue Zhongfu and asked in a low voice.
Xue Zhongfu looked up at the vaguely visible post station in front of him, then turned back to look at Xiao Gan who was silent behind him, and sighed in his heart. He knew that the decision was not in his hands.
"Commander Xiao, what do you think?" Xue Zhongfu tried his best to make his tone sound calm.
Xiao Gan glanced at him and said calmly, "This mission is of great importance and should not be delayed. Pass the order down, the entire team should speed up and not stop at the post station."
Xue Zhongfu's heart sank, but he still insisted, "Commander Xiao, not far ahead is the mountainous forest area at the border of the two states. If we insist on going forward, it will be late by the time we get there."
"Traveling through the forest at night might lead to unexpected situations. Furthermore, the soldiers have been traveling for a whole day and night and are exhausted. They truly need a night's rest to ensure a smooth journey tomorrow."
Xiao Gan listened to Xue Zhongfu's suggestion, but instead of paying any attention to it, he curled up a sarcastic smile.
"Deputy Commander Xue, you haven't even become a consort yet, but you've already fallen prey to the habit of coveting comfort and indulgence. Don't you understand the principle of 'the longer the night, the more dreams there are'? The sooner we can reach the border, the sooner we can ensure our safety."
"If you are afraid of traveling at night, you might as well go back to the capital now and stop holding us back."
Xue Zhongfu's face turned pale at Xiao Gan's words, but he remained calm and did not refute. He knew that arguing with Xiao Gan now was useless and would only make the team more panicked.
So he quietly retreated to his position, his heart filled with helplessness and worry. He could only pray that the team could safely survive this long night and successfully complete the mission.
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Gan raised the flag in his hand high, waved his arm and shouted, his voice like a loud bell.
"All troops, listen up! Advance quickly! Anyone who slacks off will be severely punished according to military law!"
Under his command, the Royal Guards immediately sped up their march.
Xue Zhongfu watched the soldiers hurrying past him, and seeing the fatigue and helplessness on their faces, the uneasiness in his heart burned more fiercely like a flame poured with oil.
As night fell, the Imperial Guards continued their rapid march along the official road northwest of the Great Zhou. Although the soldiers were exhausted, under Xiao Gan's strict orders, they could only grit their teeth and continue forward.
Xue Zhongfu's heart grew heavier. He understood that while Xiao Gan's decision might seem tough, it was actually fraught with risk. The forest at night was filled with uncertainty and danger. If something unexpected happened, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Set up camp here!" The messenger's voice echoed in the night sky, clear and powerful.
"Deputy Commander Xue, please have some dry food." The attendant handed over a kettle and a dry and hard steamed bun, his tone revealing his concern and admiration for Xue Zhongfu.
Since setting out from the capital, Xue Zhongfu has shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, and there is nothing special about their food and accommodation, which makes everyone respect him.
In comparison, Xiao Gan's tough style made people complain, and his behavior of asking soldiers to boil water for him to take a shower in the evening did cause a lot of complaints.
Xue Zhongfu took the kettle and steamed buns, drank a sip of cold water, and slowly chewed the slightly hard steamed buns.
In this quiet night, the occasional cry of an owl in the woods adds a sense of mystery and tension to the atmosphere.
He pondered for a moment and decided to take some precautions to ensure safety. He looked up at the several followers who had been following him, with a determined look on his face.
"You guys just do as I say later..." Xue Zhongfu ordered in a low voice. Although his voice was not loud, it revealed an unquestionable majesty.
"Yes! Deputy Commander Xue, I will do it immediately." The followers responded in unison, with determined expressions on their faces, as if they were ready to deal with emergencies at any time.
The night was as dark as ink. The Royal Guards settled down in the camp, their tired bodies longing for a moment of rest.
However, Xue Zhongfu's worries did not dissipate. He proposed to Xiao Gan again: "This place is deep in the mountains and old forests, and the environment is complicated. I suggest that we divide the people into two shifts and take turns to guard the night to ensure safety."
However, his proposal was again rejected by Xiao Gan.
Xiao Gan said coldly, "Deputy Commander Xue, it was you who suggested we go to the post station to rest. Now that I've finally given everyone a chance to get some sleep, you're suggesting rotating night watches. What's your real motivation behind this fickleness?"
"How can this place be compared with the post station? This is a different time now, we need to judge the situation. Don't act on impulse, lest you cause irreparable disaster!" Xue Zhongfu finally couldn't bear it anymore, and his voice revealed obvious anger and worry.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Gan sneered and asked disdainfully, "Misfortune? What exactly do you mean by misfortune?"
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