"Ah? What does this have to do with your young master?"
"The young master has a cold personality and rarely speaks to anyone, but every time he sees Sister Xu, his eyes become fixed and he talks a lot more."
Xu Jiang was caught off guard by the sweet talk, and her ears felt hot. She pinched Yin Yin's face and said, "You are so clever."
Yin Yin's eyes are curved like crescent moons.
Thinking of Lou Yunchun, Xu Jiang felt extremely guilty. Counting the days, he would soon arrive in Liangzhou.
I wonder if the journey will be safe?
I wonder...when will you return?
————Dividing line————
At Ulan Pass, the setting sun is as red as blood, dyeing the sky and the earth red.
Lou Yunchun stood on the city wall and looked west. The Guanchuan River was like a blood vessel, extending across the red soil of Yanhuang and nurturing patches of green shade.
At the end of the Guanchuan River is the majestic and long Great Wall. Outside the Great Wall is the pasture of the Turks. The river flows into the grassland, nourishing every living creature on this land regardless of race.
Wulan Pass was built on the east bank of Guanchuan River. Across the river was the territory of Liangzhou under the jurisdiction of the Hexi Army. It looked so close, yet it was impossible to set foot in it.
Because the terrain below Wulan Pass is steep and the river is turbulent, and there are many rocks and sand, it is impossible to build a bridge. If you want to cross the river, you have to walk seven or eight miles upstream along the official road on the river bank and pass through the Wulan Bridge built by the border troops.
Old Duan came up and called out, "Sir, the water and food supplies are finished. Are you going to leave?"
Lou Yunchun turned around and said, "Let's go."
Old Duan came up to support him, but he was stopped by waving his hand. The injury on his leg had healed a lot, and although he moved slowly, he no longer needed anyone's support.
The two men came down from the city wall. Lou Yunchun bid farewell to the commander of Wulan Pass and led the team on the journey. They arrived at Wulan Bridge before dark.
There is a checkpoint at the bridgehead, guarded by two teams of soldiers, and the camp is not far away.
Old Duan stepped forward with the imperial seal and asked to be let through, but was unexpectedly refused by the guards.
"This bridge is closed to traffic after dark. If you, a large group of you, wish to cross it, you must report to the captain tomorrow and wait for his approval."
"Our lord is an official appointed by the imperial court, and is going to Liangzhou by order of the emperor. We ask for your leniency."
The guard remained unmoved. "In our Xinquan Army territory, no matter who you are, you must follow our rules."
Old Duan put away his good expression and said coldly, "Is this rule more important than the emperor's order?"
The guard didn't answer, but he didn't give in either.
A trace of anger rose in Old Duan's heart, "What if we insist on passing?"
The guard glanced at them and said, "We have 500 soldiers stationed in this camp. You can give it a try."
What a courage!
Just as Old Duan was about to yell, a sharp voice rang out from behind him, "Are you from the Xinquan Army planning a rebellion?"
The guard was stunned and was about to refute, but when he looked up, he met a pair of sharp eyes, which made him swallow his words immediately.
Lou Yunchun walked over slowly, locking eyes with the guard with a cold and stern gaze. He asked in a resounding voice, "Answer me, are you from the Xinquan Army planning a rebellion?"
"Your Excellency is so kind. The Xinquan Army... has always been loyal to the imperial court." The guard suppressed his fear and said, "I am only following the rules."
"Whose rules are you following? Who are you working for?" Lou Yunchun's eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to see through everything. "Does Dasheng have other laws and regulations, a second master?"
"The Xinquan Army has its own military laws, and the general is away..."
Before he could finish, Lou Yunchun flipped his hand and slashed the guard's face with the scabbard in his hand, causing him to stagger and almost fall. The other guards immediately surrounded him, their hands on the scabbard.
The patrol guards were not to be outdone. They drew their swords and protected Lou Yunchun.
The man who was beaten spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression shocked and angry, but when he saw Lou Yunchun's dark face, he suddenly became weak, "How can you hit someone casually?"
Lou Yunchun spoke his words like nails. "That was just a minor punishment. If you dare to speak disrespectfully again, I will execute you on the spot."
The man's legs went weak and he quickly took two steps back, hiding behind the other guards, not daring to say another word.
The Huining Army escorting Lou Yunchun also gathered around. The leading sergeant stepped forward, flashing his token and identifying himself. "We are from the Huining Army, escorting the special envoy from the capital, Lord Lou, the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, to Liangzhou. Brothers from Xinquan, please give us some leniency." Then, with a veiled warning, he added, "Just consider it a favor for yourself."
The guards exchanged glances and then sent one person to the camp to report the news.
A guard stepped forward, took a deep breath, saluted Lou Yunchun and the others, and forced a smile: "So it's Shangguan from the Dali Temple and the brothers from Huining. We were blind to recognize you. Please forgive us."
After saying this, he bowed to Lou Yunchun individually and apologized, "We are all rough soldiers. I am a straightforward person and not very good at speaking. If my words have offended you, I hope you will forgive me."
Lou Yunchun didn't buy it. He swept his dark eyes over, as if he wanted to peel off the person's skin to see what flesh and blood was hidden inside. Then he said coldly:
"I presented my imperial seal first, and then stated my identity and purpose. You, knowing full well that I was carrying out the Emperor's orders, still tried to stop me. This is disrespectful. You threatened me with the garrison troops, which is insubordination. You spoke disrespectfully of the court and the sage, which is contempt for the emperor. The Dali Temple is the trial court for all officials. If I report any one of these three crimes, it would be enough to cost you your lives, and your Xinquan army would be shed blood."
When the guards heard this, they felt a chill on their necks and couldn't help but groan inwardly. The superiors were competing in a martial arts competition, and they were indeed the ones who were sacrificed to the flag.
Never mind, let me confess my crime first.
Then he knelt and said, "I acknowledge my crime, and I beg you to show me mercy."
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