A river beach about a hundred miles northwest of Qiejia, on the edge of Qianshui River.
The river breeze blew over the river bank, and the reeds swayed and rustled. The man, who was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, looked into the distance for a moment, his brows furrowed. "Today is the tenth day, and His Highness has not contacted us yet."
This is the leader of the Qing Zhai Camp, Captain Han Xi.
In fact, this is not true. The Qing Zhai Camp is no longer the Qing Zhai Camp it used to be, and Han Xi is no longer the commander of the Great Chu.
The Qing Zhai Camp was different from ordinary soldiers. They were loyal to Wei Jing and had basically no family burden. As soon as the so-called treasonous news was announced by the imperial edict, the whole camp was in an uproar. While the people arranged by the late emperor were busy taking over the Northern Army, they left the camp without hesitation and immediately disguised themselves and sneaked to the capital to rescue their master.
Before they reached the capital, news of their exile arrived, so they hastily changed their route.
Unfortunately, due to the failure to obtain accurate intelligence, they were one step late. By the time they caught up, Wei Jing and Shao Qing had been forced to jump into the Qianshui River.
Therefore, this group of people continued to search along the upstream without stopping, and dispersed their forces to leave secret signals, until now.
Han Xi was so anxious that he got several big blisters on his mouth. His black cloth clothes were covered with dust and he looked anxious and tired.
"I just hope that Your Highness is now in a secluded place to recuperate, so he didn't see the secret sign."
There were three other people standing with Han Xi. Two tall men in tight-sleeved uniforms, the former Zhenhu General Zhang Yong and Tiger Tooth General Chen Qi; a long-bearded scholar in a gray cloth robe, the former marching Sima Jihuan.
Zhang Yong and Chen Qi were two of the ten great generals under Wei Jing's command in the past. Like Han Xi, they were both sons of ordinary military households promoted by Wei Jing himself. Their parents all died at the hands of the Tatars, so they had few concerns. They have started a family in recent years, but their wives and children are all at the border, so they just bring them along quietly.
Ji Huan was a counselor under Wei Jing. He came here because he admired the name of King Qi. He did not originally join the Great Chu, and his loyalty was always to the former. When he was shocked by the incident, he immediately contacted Zhang Yong and others and left.
There were also quite a few plain-clothed men guarding the riverbank. Although their attire was different, their standing posture and mental demeanor all hinted at their military background.
Zhang Yong had a hot temper and cursed: "Fuck the emperor! What you did is inhuman!"
Who says it’s not? No one knew better than them how much effort and energy their lord had spent in suppressing the Tatars.
But Ji Huan said in a deep voice: "Please be careful with your words. Now we must focus on finding His Highness and not create any unnecessary troubles!"
Even though this place is heavily guarded by our own people, we must not let our guard down, and it is easy to curse out loud if we are used to it.
Zhang Yong shut up angrily: "Sir, what should we do next?"
The three of them stared at Ji Huan. Ji Huan pondered for a while and said, "Your Highness may really be hiding in a secluded place to recuperate, but it is also possible that after reading the secret sign, he has not contacted us yet."
As for falling into the river and dying, no one mentioned it. It was not because they were avoiding the topic, but because they had an inexplicable confidence that Wei Jing would not die so easily.
This time they brought with them more than 3,000 people. If one or two of the new emperor's spies were among them, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Don't be impatient, I'm waiting."
After Ji Huan finished speaking cryptically, he asked Han Xi, "Chengping, I asked you to figure out the people under you earlier. Did you get any results?"
"I have selected more than a hundred people and have ordered people to observe them carefully. If there are indeed spies, we should be able to get news in the near future."
There were nearly 5,000 people in the Qing Zhai camp, and these 3,000 people had been screened several times. After receiving instructions from Ji Huan, Han Xi was very picky and selected more than a hundred people.
As they were talking, there was a sudden loud noise downstream on the riverbank. The four men frowned and rushed over, only to see several brothers holding a man in blue clothes to the side of the river bank. Upon closer inspection, they saw that it was Zhang Kuo, the squad leader of Team Six.
"Zhang Kuo quietly hid the item on the riverbank and made a hidden mark."
A brother handed over an irregular piece of cloth cut from underwear. Han Xi and the other three took it and looked at it, only to see a few words written in blood on it.
"As usual, no contact."
"You damn thief! How dare you secretly pass on the message!"
Zhang Yong was furious. He took a few steps forward and kicked Zhang Kuo in the heart. He was born with supernatural power. Zhang Kuo screamed, vomited blood and fell into unconsciousness.
Ji Huan took Zhang Kuo's hands and looked at them. He saw seven or eight tiny wounds on the index and middle fingers, which were caused by bites. The earliest wound had already healed.
His heart trembled: "Our whereabouts may be under someone's control. Let's leave quickly and don't stay any longer!"
Fortunately, His Highness did not contact them!
…
Wei Jing and Shao Qing naturally had no idea of the current situation of Han Xi and others. They saw the plum blossom mark several times on the road, but ignored them all.
After walking for a few days, he had left Jia behind. That evening, Kou Xuan asked, there was a town ahead, should he stay in an inn?
Shao Qing lifted the car window curtain and saw that there was indeed a town ahead, with smoke rising from chimneys. It wasn't large, but it was very prosperous thanks to the main road.
Wei Jing said: "Yes."
Kou Xuan responded and immediately called out to Yan Ming in the front. The two donkey carts went towards the town one after the other.
Shao Qing looked towards the shaft of the carriage again and lowered the curtain.
It is said that Kou Xuan is indeed a very interesting person. Since he left Hexiang, the manhunt outside has become more and more intense, but not only has he not made any unusual moves, he has become more polite to Wei Shao and the others.
This politeness reached its peak after he passed the first level that day. From then on, he completely followed Wei Jing's lead.
Kou Xuan chose an inn, drove two donkey carts in, ordered the waiters to unload the donkey carts and feed the people, and then the group moved into the upper room in the backyard.
As they gradually left the lower reaches of Qianshui River, the inspection seemed to be a little lax. The guys told them that the soldiers had checked during the day and would definitely not come tonight, so they could sleep well.
This is good. Although Wei Jing has the means to ensure that the news is not leaked, it is better to avoid trouble if possible.
"Go wash up, I'll change your dressing later."
Due to safety reasons, Shao Qing has always shared a room with Wei Jing. After a while, she got used to it and no longer felt awkward. They just slept on their own sides, not touching each other.
The conditions in the upper room were pretty good. It was divided into an inner room and an outer room. The bath tub was moved into the inner room. She quickly washed up and came out to change into Wei Jing.
After he had washed, she went in with the medicine.
Wei Jing's injuries have almost healed, with only the most serious wound remaining on his collarbone. However, the scab has also become loose, and it is estimated that it will fall off in a few days.
He was able to move freely and his skills had almost returned to their peak.
Shao Qing felt more secure, and happily poured the powder on his scabs: "Yan Ming's medical skills are pretty good."
Wei Jingjing is shirtless, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, tight muscles with smooth lines and full of explosive power. However, he had many scars of varying sizes on his body, some new, but more old.
Swords, arrows, it is hard to believe that a prince would have so many scars on his body. It shows that he has been in the army for more than five years and has always led the troops.
Shao Qing felt a little uncomfortable for a moment, and she suddenly understood his hatred better.
"Um."
Wei Jing looked down at Shao Qing bandaging the wound. He put on his clothes and pulled her over to look at the temple. Seeing that the bruises had all disappeared, he was relieved. "Does it still hurt?"
"Once the blood stasis is gone, it won't hurt."
Shao Qing smiled and responded, wiped his hands, rolled onto the bed, stretched his legs which were numb from the shaking, and said, "Captain Kou Wen seems to be very smart and knows how to handle things. If he and Yan Ming can continue to be like this, it would be great if we would have a helper when we get to Pingtao."
She sincerely hoped that the two of them could cooperate, one was good at medicine, the other was agile, and Pingtao was unfamiliar with the place, so she could be just the right person to assist.
On the other hand, the Kou family has also settled down, living up to the initial friendship between the two sides.
Wei Jing knew what she was thinking, so he told her the truth: "Kou Xuan is a smart man, it all depends on his decision."
That’s right, now it is certain that Kou Xuan has noticed something, and he also knows that Wei Jing’s destination is Pingtao. Now it has entered a critical moment. With the best investment and the combination of interests, Wei Jing can still keep people under his nose.
If he doesn't vote, it probably means that he has other thoughts.
There are two forks in the road, one left and one right, and there are no other options.
Just look at Kou Xuan’s choice.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
In fact, Wei Jing did not take this matter too seriously. After all, no matter what choice the other party made, he could easily deal with it.
"Um."
Shao Qing shrugged and said, "Okay, leave everything to him. I don't like to think about these things." Anyway, he had promised the Kou family that he would not kill them unless they made any unusual moves, so she believed that he would not lie to her.
She just asked, but she didn't expect that Kou Xuan's decision would come faster and more decisively.
…
Shao Qing was exhausted from the journey and felt quite sleepy. He rolled up the quilt and was about to go to sleep. However, just as he closed his eyes, he heard two knocks on the door.
Wei Jing's expression was normal: "It's Kou Xuan, I'll be out for a while, you can go to sleep."
He spoke slowly, then stood up and went out.
Shao Qing was no longer sleepy. This was the first time Kou Xuan knocked on her door at night. She suddenly had a premonition and pricked up her ears to listen.
…
Wei Jing opened the door, and Kou Xuan bowed immediately after entering the room.
"Xuan has this opportunity to follow Brother Yang for a while, and I am convinced. If Brother Yang does not abandon me, Xuan is willing to serve you like a dog and a horse!"
After bathing and changing his clothes, Kou Xuan dressed neatly with a serious expression. After he finished speaking, he bowed to the ground and bowed deeply with great respect.
He did have some feelings in his heart, and seeing Wei Jing entering and leaving the strict checkpoints with ease, he became more and more frightened as he saw the stricter the search became. Recalling some facts that he knew clearly, he couldn't help but break out in a sweat.
He immediately decided to surrender to Wei Jing, but the search was strict in the past few days, and he was afraid that there might be ears on the other side of the wall, so he dared not move. Now that the situation has eased, he came without hesitation.
Thinking about the past, he was always afraid that ordinary words would not be enough to express his determination. After prostrating himself, he solemnly swore: "God, I swear here that from now on I will never have two hearts towards Brother Yang. If I break my promise, I will be struck by five thunders, and my ancestors in the underworld will not rest in peace!"
People at that time revered heaven and earth, and the oaths taken today were completely different from those in later generations. Moreover, Kou Xuan even mentioned his deceased ancestors, which was enough to show his determination.
Wei Jing had been staring at Kou Xuan's head indifferently. After the other party finished speaking, he raised his eyebrows silently, and at the same time his expression changed. He took a step forward and helped Kou Xuan up.
He smiled with delight and said, "Great kindness!"
"With Wen Chang's help, we will be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort in the future."
"Xuan is so honored!"
The newly-appointed host and guest chatted back and forth for a while, and finally Kou Xuanyan said that it was late at night and he did not dare to disturb his lord's rest.
Wei Jing nodded.
This was a happy meeting for everyone. Kou Xuan's wish was fulfilled and he looked very happy. But before he left, he couldn't help but say one more sentence: "My lord, Cunshan has a strange temper, but his character is excellent. Now he doesn't like to be restrained. With time, he will surely become a good subordinate to you."
Before he came, he advised Yan Ming again, but Yan Ming curled his lips and said that he was just a doctor and could not offer any advice, so there was nothing to offer.
Wei Jing said: "It's okay."
Seeing that he was not unhappy, Kou Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, bowed quickly, and walked out.
…
Wei Jing then returned to the inner room, undressed and rested. He saw Shao Qing lying on the bed, looking at him with wide eyes, smiling. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "Are you so happy?"
Although his words and actions just now were impeccable, as if he was very happy with Kou Xuan's affinity, in fact, even if the other party swore a solemn oath, he did not believe it easily.
Let's just wait and see.
But for now, there are benefits for Kou Xuan to vote. They will soon arrive in Pingtao. Many trivial matters still need to be handled by others. No matter how powerful Kou Xuan is, they have now joined forces for common interests. He is more reliable than strangers in Pingtao.
Therefore, Wei Jing was quite satisfied with the result tonight.
Shao Qing rolled inwards to make room, and said with a smile, "Yeah, that's good."
Her black hair was down to her waist, and some of it was on the pillow after she rolled over. Wei Jing lay down and pressed her down. She cried "ouch", and he quickly got up and smoothed her back: "Does it hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore."
Shao Qing grabbed her hair and lay down. She couldn't help but touch the back of her head. There was a short tuft of hair there. She muttered, "Fortunately, my hair is long."
It won’t be noticeable if you roll your hair up, otherwise it would be really ugly to have a bald spot.
As they spent more time together, the two became more familiar with each other, and Shao Qing could already speak gossip, complaints, and the like very naturally.
She was just sighing, but Wei Jing couldn't help but recall the thrill of the poison dart brushing his scalp. He was afraid, so he paused and comforted her, "It will grow out in the future."
"Um."
Shao Qing felt sleepy and yawned, "I'm going to sleep."
"Well, go to sleep, we have to travel tomorrow."
After Wei Jing recovered from his injury, he was full of energy and not tired. After blowing out the oil lamp, he listened quietly to the breathing around him which became light and long. He then listened attentively to the movements around him and when everything was normal, he closed his eyes.
The author has something to say: We will arrive in Pingtao tomorrow! The first plot of land is not far away!
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