The Yellow River suddenly opens up from its mouth to Mengjin. The river channel, no longer restricted by canyons, becomes open and the water flow is gentle.

The boat was traveling in the river, following the ups and downs of the waves, and was fairly stable.

The clear river water that splashed into the boat made Yang Anxuan, who had seen the turbulent waves, deeply moved. Time has changed, the world has changed, and the land has changed like this.

Thirty people, four carts, loaded with porcelain, silk, tea and other valuables, as well as half a cart of cloud festival paper, worth thousands of gold.

The goods were sent by Xiahou Zongzhi, the governor of Henan Province. No one asked how they came.

Yang Anxuan is the owner of the goods, Hu Fan is Dian Ji, Yin Ji plays the role of a long follower, Zhao Tian is the leader of the guard, with four people on horseback, and the twenty-six soldiers of the Pioneer Battalion are the caravan guards, armed with swords and six bows on foot.

The goods are destined for Beidai, and these are noted in the check-in.

The trivial matters were left to Hu Fan. Yang Anxuan knew that Hu Fan was resourceful and attentive, and considered the details more comprehensively than himself.

Five miles north along the official road is the Xian Market, where many merchants deliver their goods. This is the mutual market between Jin and Yan, and further north you will enter the territory of Xi Yan.

After paying the tax of 1,000 yuan, the convoy entered the market. A hostage came forward to inquire about the goods. They learned that Yang Anxuan and others were heading to the Kingdom of Dai (called Wei in 398), and someone else came to introduce them to join the caravan going north.

As the hostages came to the north of the city, nearly a hundred vehicles had gathered there and more than a thousand people were getting ready to go.

The leader of the team, Hu Shang, was Zongti, an old man from Xianbei. He had pale beard and hair, a high nose and deep eyes. He wore a round hood, covering his forehead, with shoulders hanging down on both sides, his hair hanging down the left side, and a fox fur jacket with a narrow waist and tight sleeves.

Zongti's eyes were like those of a hawk. He first looked carefully at everything he passed, and compared them with Yang Anxuan and others. He stretched out his hand to touch the goods on the bullock cart and said in blunt Chinese: "Ten thousand yuan will lead you to Yanmen. On the way."

Follow my orders in your actions and actions."

Hu Fan bargained with Zongti and lowered the price to 8,500 yuan, and paid the hostage another 200 yuan.

He took the gold ingot from Hu Fan, weighed it with his hands and put it into his arms. Zongti showed a smile on his lips and said: "There is a war going on right now, and it may not be peaceful on the road. Please prepare more food. There is Xun in my convoy."

Preserved meat, dried fish, if you need anything, come to me. You should prepare it first and set off in two-quarters of an hour."

While they were talking, another caravan wanted to join the convoy, and Zongti left in a hurry.

Yang Anxuan did some calculations and found that there were at least twenty or thirty companies in this group. His own was one of the few. He was given nearly ten thousand yuan, which in total would be four to five hundred thousand.

Two-quarters of an hour later, the convoy began to head north. More than a hundred vehicles stretched for two or three miles, slowly heading north along the official road.

Yang Anxuan and others were at the back of the long queue and looked around. The farmland on both sides of the official road was almost deserted. Occasionally, they saw a few poorly clothed farmers standing on the roadside with dull eyes. Xiyan was even more depressed than the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It was really pitiful.

People in troubled times.

Just after Shen Zheng passed and the caravan had traveled twenty miles, Zongti ordered to set up camp. As the leaders and guards of the caravan, Yang Anxuan and Zhao Tian were invited by Zongti to discuss the night's defense.

The entire convoy consisted of more than twenty people. Yang Anxuan was considered a small convoy and had no say in the convoy. He was arranged to guard the west together with several large caravans.

Zongti sternly warned that if something happened and caused losses to the convoy, the caravans that were escorting them would be responsible for the compensation.

More than 200 people were divided into two shifts, with Yang Anxuan and Hu Fan on duty for the first half of the night, and Zhao Tian and Yin Ji on duty for the second half of the night.

It was nearly August, and it wasn't cold at night, but the mosquitoes were very intrusive, and there was a constant "crack-crack" sound.

Yang Anxuan chatted softly with Hu Fan, exchanging archery experiences. Yang Anxuan asked about his eldest brother's situation in Xiangyang in detail, and learned that Governor Xi took good care of his eldest brother. Yang Anshen followed his advice and made friends with Hu Fan.

As they got closer, the two became good friends. As they approached the house, shouts came from the north, and everyone stood up and looked around. The leader on duty in the west was a strong man of the Di tribe, and shouted loudly to everyone to be on guard and not to move.

Zhao Tian and others were awakened and came looking for them with their swords in hand. The cold blade danced against the bonfire. Yang Anxuan secretly told Hu Fan and others to gather together and be careful of any unusual movements around them.

The screams from the north were getting louder and louder, and the sound of weapons clashing could be vaguely heard. A honk rose into the air, signaling a pre-arranged signal to request reinforcements.

Di Han said to the people on duty: "A few people from each family should come with me and have a look."

Yang Anxuan asked Zhao Tian to stay, and took Hu Fan and Yin Ji to follow the Di Han, with about forty people heading north together.

As he got closer, the shouts of death became louder and louder, figures swayed in the darkness, cold light flashed, and for a moment it was impossible to distinguish between friend and foe.

The Di Han shouted loudly: "Those wearing leather armor are thieves."

By the moonlight, Yang Anxuan saw a group of people wearing leather armor, wielding swords and guns very fiercely. He thought that these thieves were rich enough to afford leather armor. You must know that An Xuan's army had to be taller and taller to have leather armor.

.

He waved his sword and joined the battle group. Reinforcements from several other places also arrived. There were more than a hundred troops, and they quickly suppressed the bandits. After hearing a whistle, the bandits actually cooperated and retreated.

It was clearly a well-trained army. Yang Anxuan realized that these people should be the defeated troops of Xi Yan. Later Yan attacked Xi Yan, but the defeated troops of Xi Yan did not return to control, so they simply became thieves.

Zongti restrained the guards not to pursue, and after being busy for most of an hour, Yang Anxuan received a piece of leather armor, and everyone returned to camp.

The Di Han came over with a jar of wine. Yang Anxuan and the others were very brave in the fight just now. The Di Han saw it and wanted to make friends with them.

As soon as the wine bowl touched, the heat went down the throat, and the men sitting around the campfire quickly became familiar with each other.

Di Han patted his chest and said, "Suo Tan."

After Fu Jian unified the northern territory, he vigorously promoted Chineseization. All ethnic groups in the north could speak Chinese, so communication was not difficult.

"Zhao Cheng." Yang Anxuan reported the pseudonym he had given.

"I just saw you take action, what a skill." Suo Tan raised his bowl to indicate.

Yang Anxuan smiled and said: "Brother Suo is as powerful as a tiger, as if he is used to fighting on the battlefield?"

Suo Tan sighed, drank the wine in the bowl, wiped the wine stains on his chin, and recalled: "Suo was originally the captain of the King of Heaven. After the Battle of Feishui, he was injured and returned to his hometown. Later, the King of Heaven died.

So I took a group of brothers out to guard the caravan so that I could feel at ease."

Yang Anxuan was silent. Although Fu Jian died, there were many people who missed him. Unfortunately, there were few people to follow him. The Qin State, which was once strong and prosperous in the past, fell into pieces, and the heroic soldiers under his command were scattered.

Suo Tan's bravery is no less than that of Zhao Tian, ​​and Yu Wenqi, the man he met in Panlong Mountain, is both a master with extraordinary skills.

At Mao Shi, there was another commotion. Yang Anxuan yawned, thinking that the territory of Xiyan was quite chaotic. Fortunately, he joined the caravan, otherwise a group of thirty people would not be able to cope with it.

Go further and pass the inner side of Zhiguan. This time Hou Yan attacked Xiyan. Murong Yong, the leader of Xiyan, put his main force on the defense of Taihangxing and Zhiguanxing. Unexpectedly, Murongchui led his army to attack Fukou and enter Tianjingguan. Murongyong

Caught off guard, they hurriedly mobilized the main force from Taihangxing to return to the capital to aid.

First, Shangshu ordered Diao Yun and the chariot and cavalry general Murong Chong to surrender to Hou Yan, and then they were defeated in ambush on the wall of the platform. Jinyang defender Murong You abandoned the city and fled. As a result, the eldest son of the capital was besieged and the situation became uncontrollable.

When approaching Zhiguan, there were some light cavalry. It looked like they were soldiers and horses from the Western Yan Dynasty. They were walking in a hurry and looked frightened. No one came to question the convoy.

The convoy did not dare to stop near Zhiguan and hurried forward, arriving at Wulongkou at Shenshi. Zongti asked the convoy to stop and stationed in front of Wulongkou tonight.

Yang Anxuan saw Zongti arranging for people to pick things up into the mountain, and asked Suo Tan in confusion why.

Suo Tan passed by Wulongkou several times and explained: "There are bandits in the mountains. As long as you give gifts when you pass by Wulongkou, the bandits will stop robbing the caravan."

It turns out that paying tolls also has benefits, and caravans and bandits can coexist, which opens Yang Anxuan's horizons.

"Brother Zhao, do you have enough food for your team? I will go to Sujiawu later to buy some corn and dried meat. Do you want to go together?"

When a caravan travels a long distance, it is impossible to waste too much transport capacity loading food, and most of the supplies needed are replenished along the way.

Yang Anxuan was very interested in the Wubao in Beidi and said with a smile: "Okay, Yu just bought some drinks and asked Brother Suo to have a few bowls in the evening."

Yang Anxuan took Hu Fan and Yin Ji, hitched an ox cart, and followed Suo Tan and his group to the west.

Not far from the official road is Conglin. After passing through the forest path and walking five miles away, you can see the Wubao in the mountain depression.

"Sujiawu is quite secretive. If acquaintances hadn't led the way, no one would have known about it." Yang Anxuan said.

The Sujia Fort is square in shape, with a dock wall two feet high and piers built at the four corners. There are people guarding the piers and piers.

When Yongjia was crossing south, many people were living in the north of the Yangtze River. The powerful gathered them to build docks to defend themselves. Some did not forget their homeland and responded to the court's call to become refugee commanders. Some claimed to be dock owners to have both sides.

Everyone has their own way of living.

More than twenty steps away, loud arrows were fired from the pier, and everyone stopped.

Suo Tan stepped forward alone and shouted loudly outside Wubao: "Suo Tan, a Di man, came to buy grain."

After a while, the dock door opened, and more than ten riders rushed out and circled twice around Yang Anxuan and others. The leader reined in the horse and asked: "Who can lead the team?"

Knowing that Zongti was leading the team, the man nodded and said, "Go in."

People are coming and going in Wubao, children are playing, cocks are crowing and dogs are barking, and it is more lively than the market.

Yang Anxuanjian Wubao covers an area of ​​four to five acres, with terraced fields on the north side stretching all the way into the mountains.

The leader jumped off his horse and led Suo Tan and others to the west. Downstairs there was a warehouse where corn, cured meats, wine and other items were stored.

"Brother Suo Tan, you came from Zhiguan, how was the battle?" The man knew Suo Tan and asked.

"Zhiguan is still there, but the people are panicked and the soldiers have no desire to fight." Suo Tan said: "Fortmaster Su Shao, what news do you have?"

Su Zhi said with deep concern: "The situation is about to change. I just received the news two days ago that Yao Xing and Lord Fu fought in Ma Mao Mountain, and Lord Fu was captured and died."

Everyone's expression changed. Suo Tan was originally a former Qin soldier. When he heard that Fu Deng had died, he quickly asked for details.

Yang Anxuan sighed secretly, the situation in the north was really changing, and he saw that Xi Yan and the former Qin were about to perish.

When he opened a granary, he found tens of thousands of stones worth of corn. There were preserved meats and salted fish piled next to the warehouse. The warehouse was full of goods. Yang Anxuan estimated that the supplies in the dock would be enough to last for two years.

There are not only Han people in Wubao, but also people dressed as Xianbei, Di, and Xiongnu. They seem to live in harmony. In order to survive in troubled times, ordinary people huddle together for warmth, regardless of race.

On the way back, Suo Tan was silent and sighed. The Qin Dynasty, which had been strong for ten years, fell apart. After the death of the King of Heaven, the two kings of the country, Fu Pi and Fu Deng, were defeated and died one after another. It was really the fate of the Qin Dynasty.

Passing through Wulongkou the next day, Yang Anxuan saw Zongti delivering two hundred stones of corn and a cart of preserved meat, and his men came down the mountain, carrying handbags on their shoulders, chatting and laughing.
Chapter completed!