Chapter 1638 Arrival in Chenggu County
As soon as the city gates opened, Shu Yu and his companions set off at full speed.
Shu Yu had this experience before. Last time, when she was in a hurry to go to Changjin Mansion to see the abbot of Dongqing Temple, she traveled there day and night in the same way.
Therefore, she was very experienced and made ample preparations this time. She tied thick soft pads around her thighs and put a small soft backrest on the saddle. Although she couldn't lean on it most of the time, she could still rest when she slowed down occasionally.
The Meng family was in a critical situation, and the group of people did not have time to linger. They hurried and finally arrived at Changjin Mansion.
Instead of entering the city, they changed direction and headed towards Chenggu County.
The closer they got to Chenggu County, the slower they moved. It was so quiet along the way; there wasn't a soul in sight, and the atmosphere was unusually tense.
The four of them rode horses along the main road, which actually made them quite conspicuous.
Fortunately, they arrived at their destination safely in the end. The city gate of Chenggu County was heavily guarded, with several layers of soldiers guarding the outside, and barricades blocking the outermost edge.
The city gates were not fully open, but even so, no one went in or out.
Upon seeing Shu Yu and his group of four, soldiers immediately stepped forward and shouted, "Who goes there?"
Meng Yunzheng dismounted first, then helped Shu Yu down. The latter's thighs were still a little sore, but it was much better than last time. Her legs no longer trembled after dismounting, and she could walk without any problems. She got used to it after walking a few more steps.
Meng Yunzheng took out his travel permit and said, "I am Meng Yunzheng, a newly appointed scholar from Chenggu County this year. I heard about the incident in Chenggu County and was worried about my family, so I came back to see them."
Meng Yunzheng is a scholar from Chenggu County who has achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations, and he is a newly appointed scholar this year. Everyone in Chenggu County knows him.
The soldiers who had blocked the road immediately became much more polite, bowing to Meng Yunzheng and saying, "So you are Scholar Meng. Something just happened in Chenggu County, and now we have to strictly check people coming and going. I hope you will understand."
"Of course."
Based on what he has seen so far, it's probably not as simple as strict screening; it's more like ordinary people are not allowed to enter or leave.
However, Meng Yunzheng was a scholar who had passed the county-level imperial examination and whose ancestral home was Chenggu County, while Shu Yu was a village head. Their identities were different.
After confirming that everything was in order, the group was allowed to pass.
As soon as they entered the city gate, their expressions changed slightly. The county town was in a worse state than they had imagined. In the area right by the city gate, there were at least three ruins, with charred beams and bricks that were painful to look at.
The ground was wet, indicating it had been cleaned, and traces of red blood were still faintly visible, a shocking sight.
Aside from the patrolling soldiers, only a few pedestrians hurriedly passed by on the road.
Occasionally, as you pass by a few houses, you can see figures flashing past the windows, each person moving with a light yet uneasy demeanor.
Several people even poked their heads out of the windows, looking at them with a mixture of curiosity and fear. When they saw them looking over, they immediately pulled their heads back in.
Shu Yu also heard a child's suppressed sobs, which were then scolded and forced to be swallowed.
Her fingers slowly tightened. "They've gone too far."
If you want to seize power and resort to intrigue, then fight a proper battle against those who stand in your way. Why target innocent civilians? Must you use such tactics to feign an attack, inflicting such heavy losses on these innocent people? They are simply trying to live their lives peacefully and honestly—what has that done to them?
(End of this chapter)
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