Jiang Fan is a city gate soldier in Zhao County. Zhao County is a major transportation hub connecting Yanjing to other places, and the city gate soldiers have always had a lucrative business, not to mention an old hand like Jiang Fan. However, he has been feeling unusually uneasy recently.

After the city gates were closed that day, he and his teammate Zhang Zhao packed up their things and prepared to have a drink in the lounge nearby. Zhang Zhao took a sip of wine and looked at Jiang Fan in confusion: "I'm telling you, what happened to you recently? Did your sister-in-law find out that you hid your private money?"

Jiang Fan sighed, gulped down the wine in the glass, and then said: "I don't know why, but I just can't get myself together, and I always feel like something is going to happen."

"What can happen in this peaceful and prosperous era?" Zhang Zhao sneered, "Besides, even if something happens, the officials above will naturally worry about it. What does it have to do with you, a soldier?"

Jiang Fan smiled bitterly: "If something really happens, what use can the officials be? That thing twenty years ago..."

"Hmph!" Zhang Zhao quickly covered his mouth, He lowered his voice and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? This matter can't be mentioned."

Jiang Fan scratched his hair: "Oh, I only say this to your brother."

"I know, I know." Zhang Zhao also sighed, "I understand your worries. In this world, it is ordinary people like us who suffer in the end."

The two clinked their glasses and were about to finish the wine and go back when they suddenly heard two sharp whistles from the city gate. Zhang Zhao choked on his wine, and Jiang Fan put down his glass in surprise. The two looked at each other and rushed out of the room.

As soon as the two men came out, they saw a little man with a red face running down the city gate, running rashly into the city. Jiang Fan grabbed his collar and frowned, saying, "Why are you running? Did you blow the whistle just now?"

The little man's name was Lin De. He had just become a city gate soldier and was always a little surprised when something happened. This whistle was generally not allowed to be blown. All the city gates of the Great Xia Dynasty must be closed at the hour of Xu. They can only be opened in case of emergency military information or the emperor's special permission, and this whistle is for such situations.

Jiang Fan was afraid that Lin De would blow the whistle for a trivial matter, so he grabbed him and asked him what happened.

Lin De said anxiously, "Brother Jiang, I'm just about to go find the county lieutenant. We can't delay this!"

"Who is that person outside?" Zhang Zhao asked in confusion.

Jiang Fan grabbed Lin De's collar and he couldn't run away. He was anxious and confused: "Hey, that person outside... that person outside is His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu!"

Lin Enshen, the county lieutenant of Zhao County, was Lin De's uncle. After hearing the news from Lin De, he didn't even have time to change his clothes and rode towards the city gate.

At this time, Jiang Fan and Zhang Zhao were already awakened by Lin De. They didn't dare to make a decision on their own and could only wait anxiously for Lin Enshen to come.

As soon as Lin Enshen arrived, he hurried up to the tower. It was already the end of the night, and the sky was dark. Only the torches lit on the city gate could barely make out the outline of the figure.

Lin Enshen shouted, "Is it His Royal Highness the King of Chu who is riding down the tower?"

Hearing the sound of horse hooves, a man replied in a loud voice, "I am Nie Zhishu, Lord Lin, a few months ago, I followed His Royal Highness the King of Chu back to the northern border and met you once. Do you remember?"

Lin Enshen squinted and looked over. The people below also lit torches, and a face full of exotic style suddenly appeared.

Lin Enshen was startled and hurriedly said to Jiang Fan and Zhang Zhao beside him, "Quick, quick, open the city gate!"

Jiang Fan and Zhang Zhao did not dare to neglect it and hurried down the tower. Who knew that Lin Enshen was even more anxious than them, and his fat body rolled down the tower like a ball. Jiang Fan dared not let him wait any longer, so he quickened his pace and came to the city gate.

With the sound of "creaking", the city gate of Zhao County was opened again.

Lin Enshen and the city gate soldiers waited anxiously on the side. Soon, the neat and sharp sound of horse hooves came from outside the city gate. The leader was Nie Zhishu.

In the center of this group of people was a carriage. When the carriage came in front of Lin Enshen, the driver opened the curtain. Rong Zhen, who was in the carriage, said to Lin Enshen, "Sir Lin, I'm sorry to bother you."

"I dare not, I dare not." Lin Enshen said cautiously, "His Majesty has specially approved it. I dare not delay. I wonder if Your Highness would like to rest for a night. I have specially asked someone to prepare a banquet. Please come and enjoy it."

Rong Zhen said lightly, "Thank you Sir Lin for your kindness, but I cannot disobey the emperor's order. Please come with me and open the other city gate so that we can pass."

Lin Enshen nodded repeatedly, "Of course, of course. This is my job." He did not dare to say any more words. He got on the carriage and followed the group of people towards the south gate.

After finally sending this group of people away, Lin Enshen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Jiang Fan and Zhang Zhao on the side were also very angry. In fact, there was no need for the King of Chu to come out in person. Just looking at the overwhelming hostility of the group of people, it was known that they were the Northern Frontier Army.

The city gate was not closed yet. Lin Enshen frowned and looked at the sunset in the distance that had not yet completely set, dyeing the night into a blood-like color. He couldn't help but sighed: "This day looks... not very auspicious..."

Jiang Fan and Zhang Zhao were quite a survivor. They had some friendship with Lin Enshen and knew that this adult had never been arrogant. Zhang Zhao smiled and joked: "I didn't expect that the adult could also read the sky."

Lin Enshen glared at them: "What nonsense are you talking about? Be smart next time if something like this happens." Then he asked them to close the city gate.

Zhang Zhao immediately went to close the gate with the original guards. But before the gate was completely closed, they heard the sound of hurried horse hooves. They looked at each other and cast their eyes to the outside of the gate.

A cavalryman drove his horse directly towards the gate.

Lin Enshen was shocked: "Quick! Stop him!"

Before Jiang Fan and the others could make any move, the cavalryman shouted: "Your Majesty has passed away, and the country is in mourning. During the period of mourning, banquets and weddings are prohibited, and the subjects are in mourning."

These words were like a big hammer hitting Lin Enshen and others' heads heavily. When the cavalryman came to them, they had not yet come to their senses.

"Where is the county magistrate?" The cavalryman, with a black veil wrapped around his arm and a hoarse voice, asked Lin Enshen and others.

Lin Enshen was startled and hurriedly said to Jiang Fan: "Quick, invite the county magistrate."

The cavalryman bowed on horseback and said: "Thank you!"

Lin Enshen had been confused for a long time. He finally calmed down and said: "I am the county lieutenant of Zhao County. I wonder if this brother has seen His Royal Highness the King of Chu when he came here just now."

The cavalryman nodded: "Of course."

Lin Enshen did not dare to ask more questions. Fortunately, the county magistrate came soon. The cavalryman told the county magistrate Pang Min about the matter, and the two of them hurriedly accompanied him to the north gate.

After finally sending the cavalry away, Lin Enshen and Pang Min looked at each other. Pang Min already knew what the King of Chu had experienced. He wiped the sweat off his head and said to Lin Enshen uneasily: "Brother Lin, why do I always feel uneasy in my heart? I always feel like something else is going to happen."

Lin Enshen's heartbeat hadn't calmed down yet, and he couldn't help but sigh: "Don't say that you feel uneasy, my heart is still pounding."

Pang Min approached Lin Enshen and whispered: "Your Majesty has passed away, but I don't know which prince will be the new emperor..." As he spoke, he actually wiped away tears.

During the reign of Emperor Yongning, the Great Xia Dynasty was stable and prosperous, so after his death, the whole country was in mourning. There were many people like Pang Min. Not only were they afraid of political unrest during the transition from the old to the new, they were also afraid that the new monarch would be a person who was ambitious or extravagant. That would not only bring suffering to the people, but also suffering to officials like them.

Lin Enshen's thoughts were not far from his, but these things were too far-fetched for low-ranking officials like them. He felt a little sour in his nose, so he wiped it hard and said to Pang Min, "Lord Pang, we should spread the news quickly. The county government should also hang up black gauze and white banners. I still have a few prisoners. I'm afraid that the new monarch will grant amnesty to the world after he ascends the throne. It can be considered lucky for them."

Pang Min nodded quickly, "This is the right thing to do. I'd like to trouble Brother Lin to notify the county magistrate of Zheng. The three of us have to work together on this matter."

"I'll go ahead now."

As soon as Lin Enshen finished speaking, he heard a whistle from the tower, and Jiang Fan's sharp voice that was about to break: "Who is coming from the tower?"

Lin Enshen and Pang Min looked at each other, and they didn't care about anything else. They climbed up the tower in two steps, but they just happened to hear the answer from the tower: "I am Chen Jiang, the deputy general under the command of the loyal and brave marquis Jian Yu. I have urgent military affairs to report to the court. Please open the city gate!"

The loyal and brave marquis? !

The news of the great victory of the loyal and brave marquis Jian Yu over the Jie people just came from them a day ago. What other urgent military information is there?

No matter what Pang Min and Lin Enshen thought, they could not afford to offend the other party because of their identities, so they could only quickly have the city gates opened. Lin Enshen checked the identities and tokens with Chen Jiang, and before Chen Jiang could say anything more, he said, "General, are you going to leave overnight? I will go to the South Gate with you."

Chen Jiang was a little confused, but he did not ask much, just clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Lord Lin."

Pang Min smiled bitterly and said, "Forget it, I will go with you, so that Brother Lin will not have to send someone to look for me again." Lin

Enshen gave Pang Min a bitter smile in return.

When they finally sent Chen Jiang and his party out of the city, the sky began to turn pale.

Pang Min said helplessly: "I see that it is almost dawn, so I'd better not close the city gates first, in case someone comes later."

"That's right, this night is really restless." Lin Enshen was still worried.

Pang Min sighed: "I'm afraid it's... a troubled time..."