Cai Mao arranged fast horses overnight to send orders to the entire Nanjun, Ten Kingdoms and Seven Counties to set up cards and nets to wait for Liu Qi to get in. Liu Qi was running non-stop on the Longshan Trail, traveling at all times under the stars.
The four carriages bumped along the long Longshan Mountain for several hours, and finally passed through Longshan. Liu Qi's worry about Cai Mao setting up an ambush on the Longshan Trail did not happen.
After a night of intense driving, when the east was white, Liu Qi and his group of thirteen people gradually felt tired. When they got on the road, they found an inn and parked the carriage on the side of the road, leaving two bronze guards to guard it. They took out a couple of
He gave the money to the shopkeeper and ordered the waiter to feed the horse. Liu Qi and others went into the shop to eat and rest for a while.
The store served a thick steamed bun with a bamboo sieve, a large porcelain basin of corn paste, and a few small pickles. The waiter placed bowls and chopsticks in front of each person, and each filled a bowl of corn paste, saying "Hakka, use it slowly"
, and hurriedly went to another table.
Liu Qi picked up the bowl and said: "Brothers, thank you for your hard work. Because we have to rush on our way, we will not drink for the time being. After eating, we will take a short rest and then set off on the road. Let's have a meal." After saying that, he picked up a steamed bun and was about to go.
Deliver by mouth.
"Sir, wait a minute." Chen Wen didn't wait for Liu Qi to bring the steamed bun to his mouth. He stopped Liu Qi with his hand, took out a silver needle from his sleeve, inserted the silver needle into the large soup basin filled with polenta, and said, "It's out.
In Xiangyang, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so be careful.”
Liu Qi nodded: "Does Chen Wen suspect that this is a black shop?"
"Sir, I'm not sure if it's true or not. I have to do a test before I can rest assured." Chen Wen carefully inserted the silver needle into the large soup basin a few times and carefully observed whether the silver needle would change color.
Liu Qi stared nervously at the silver needle in Chen Wen's hand. Fortunately, he had brought Chen Wen with him. If he had been negligent and the polenta was poisonous, he would have died at this moment.
After being reminded by Chen Wen, Liu Qi looked up at the shopkeeper and the waiter who were greeting customers at other tables. The shopkeeper who looked very enthusiastic and sincere just now felt abnormal no matter how he looked at it at the moment. He couldn't help but press his sword and stared at Chen Wen again.
If the food turned out to be poisonous, Liu Qi would issue an order and bloodbath the inn.
Chen Wen continued to use a silver needle to test the poison in the big soup basin of corn porridge, every steamed bun and every side dish, but found nothing strange. He wiped the silver needle with his handkerchief, put it away in his sleeve, and said with a smile.
: "It's okay, sir, please feel free to enjoy your meal."
Liu Qi breathed a sigh of relief and put down his sword, but he felt strange in his heart. Why was Chen Wen the same hospitable shopkeeper before he tested the poison with a silver needle, but when Chen Wen tested the poison and had not yet got the result, he felt that the shopkeeper became more and more suspicious.
The more unserious it is, this is really a strange psychological feeling. It seems that suspicion can kill people, and you have to rely on facts to speak for everything.
"Brothers, let's eat." Liu Qi blushed consciously, said "let's eat," and started eating. Chen Wen and others also picked up their bowls. After eating, two bronze guards guarding the carriage entered the restaurant to eat.
After taking a short rest, Liu Qi and others got into the carriage and took their places, continuing towards Jiangling.
The carriage ran for a while on the road. Liu Qi's right eyelid suddenly twitched violently. He felt something was wrong and asked Chen Wendao: "Chen Wen, I suddenly feel flustered. I always feel that the journey is too smooth. Could something happen?"
Chen Wen frowned and said, "Sir, I also have a hunch that leaving the city so smoothly is not a good sign."
E Huan was confused as he listened, scratching the back of his head: "Brother Wen, isn't it smooth sailing? Who dares to stop the young master from leaving the city?"
Liu Qi said: "That being said, after all, it's a completely different world after leaving Xiangyang."
Chen Wendao: "General E, it's better to be careful."
Just as he was talking, two fast horses galloped past the carriage as if there was no one around. The two men who looked like officers and soldiers on the fast horses did not attract Liu Qi's attention, but Chen Wen was pretending.
After walking for three or two minutes, two more officers and soldiers galloped past on horseback. Chen Wen suddenly tightened his heart. The secret was not good. The officers and soldiers, fast horses, rode past one after another. They must be scouts or messengers. Chen Wen
Wen took a breath and said, "Sir, there is a situation."
"What's going on?" Liu Qi also noticed that four fast horses passed by one after another, which seemed abnormal.
"It can be seen from the clothes of the officers and soldiers on the horse just now that they are soldiers from Xiangyang. They passed by in a hurry. There must be important military intelligence reports." Chen Wen looked at the fast horse raising smoke and dust all the way and said worriedly: "I'm afraid they are Cai Mao's messengers.
"
"Sir, how about I catch two of them and question them?" E Huan opened his eyes wide upon hearing this. From the conversation between Liu Qi and Chen Wen, he could tell that Cai Mao wanted to send an order to send troops to stop Liu Qi.
"Wait a minute, don't act rashly." Liu Qi stopped E Huan, unable to think of a clue for a moment.
"Yes." E Huan lowered his head, immediately lost his temper and obeyed Liu Qi's words.
Da da da da, two more fast horses galloped past while they were talking. Liu Qi and Chen Wen looked at each other, and now they were almost 100% sure that something was going on.
Chen Wen turned sideways and looked back, but did not find any fast horses behind him. He then looked at the six fast horses in front of him, each at a distance, and analyzed to Liu Qi: "Master, go ahead about thirty miles."
, there are two forked roads, one going to Nanyang County and the other going to Nanjun. If the six fast horses just now were Cai Mao's messengers, they would ride in the direction of Nanjun. Then it is certain that Cai Mao wants to send orders and set up obstacles along the way to prevent the young master.
If we pass, I'm afraid there will be heavy troops and young masters to resist."
"The man surnamed Cai is really not a good guy. If you dare to touch the young master, I won't tear his messengers to pieces." E Huan was angry again and couldn't calm down. He thought that he had a unique skill, but Cai Mao judged people based on their appearance and was never reused.
, I only served as an account supervisor, and now I am following the young master Liu Qi. I must show my ability to impress Cai Hao and make Cai Hao regret it.
Chen Wen's words alerted Liu Qi. After thinking for a moment, he stopped the carriage. Liu Qi said: "Okay, General E, you can take off a horse and follow the fast horse in front. At thirty miles, the branch road leads to Nanyang County and Nan County.
Come on, look where those fast horses are going. Chen Wen and I will arrive shortly with the carriage. You wait for us at the fork in the road and don't cause trouble."
"Yes." E Huan got off the carriage, borrowed a fast horse from the carriage behind, untied the reins, pulled out a horse, and gave Liu Qi a fist: "Sir, see you at the crossroads." After saying that, he jumped on the horse and raised both hands.
With his legs tucked into the horse's belly, he followed the fast horse with a roar.
E Huan chased six fast horses and disappeared from everyone's sight. Chen Wen calmly remonstrated with Liu Qi: "What the young master just said is absolutely true. If he is really Cai Mao's messenger, I'm afraid our trip will be more misfortune."
"That's okay. We know that there are tigers in the mountains, so why not go to the Tiger Mountains? We must speed up and wait until we reach the fork in the road to find out where the six fast horses went before we make a decision." Liu Qi has become accustomed to Cai Mao's harm, and is not afraid of Cai Mao.
Harm, now that we have marched towards Gangneung, we have to keep going even if we encounter huge resistance. There is absolutely no reason to give up halfway.
"Yes." Chen Wen waved his riding whip and the carriage accelerated. Although the four carriages could not keep up with E Huan's single rider, they could not be much slower. When they reached the fork in the road, E Huan, who was on the side of the road, was looking back nervously.
Four carriages stopped at the fork in the road. Liu Qi asked: "How are the six fast horses doing?"
E Huan pointed at a fork in the road: "As expected, the six fast horses went to Nanjun one after another."
When Chen Wen heard this, he twirled his short beard and said, "Now we are in big trouble."
Liu Qi pondered for a moment and said: "Jiangling is the seat of Nanjun. If you take the waterway, you must go through Xiakou, and then go west along the Yangtze River, which is about 2,500 miles. If you want to convey the order quickly, the fast horse will definitely not take the waterway. Besides, we will take the waterway.
We can’t afford to waste time. We ordered the troops to take the land route, and we also took the land route. What would be the result if we rode faster first?"
Chen Wen's eyes lit up and he said: "We will take the land route from Dangyang to Jiangling, and we will travel day and night. It will only take four or five days. If we intercept the messenger halfway, we can save the day."
Liu Qi ordered: "Without further delay, Chen Wen, you and E Huan take four bronze guards and intercept the messengers going to Dangyang and Jiangling. Leave the messengers in other counties alone. We will meet in Dangyang City.
"
Chen Wen hesitated for a moment: "Young Master, the road ahead is rugged and there are many dangers. I will just take two bronze guards and leave General E to escort you there."
Liu Qi waved his hand: "If I encounter a few thieves, I can still deal with them. Intercepting the messenger is the key. Just say that, go quickly."
"Yes." Chen Wen didn't want to say anything else, so he jumped down from the carriage, ordered four bronze guards from behind, untied five fast horses, and gave Liu Qi a fist: "Sir, I'll go first."
"Go." Liu Qi waved to Chen Wen and E Huan.
"General E, let's go." Chen Wen raised his whip and drove forward, and E Huan and the four bronze guards rode forward to chase the ordering soldiers.
After riding for a while, he could see the shadows of several fast horses in the distance. Chen Wen called out to E Huan: "General E, you have to take care of the young master, and I will send some messengers."
"Brother Wen, I haven't killed the enemy before following you, so I'll do it." E Huan held up his halberd and was about to give chase.
"General E, I have not done enough to deal with the messengers, General. There will be many opportunities in the future. The safety of the young master is important." After Chen Wen finished speaking, he shouted to the four bronze guards: "Follow me." He clamped the horse's belly hard,
He drew out his sword, with a flash of cold light, he patted down his horse's back, and then he rode in pursuit of the messenger.
When E Huan heard Chen Wen's words about the young master's safety, he did not dare to pursue him. He slowed down his horse and kept a suitable distance so that he could not be seen by Liu Qi and could hear the faint sound of horse hooves from Liu Qi's carriage behind him. He could take care of Chen in front.
Wen, Liu Qi can be taken care of later.
Chen Wen led four bronze guards on flying horses to the two messengers in front, blocked the way, and raised his sword horizontally: "Bold bandit, where are you going?"
The ordering soldier reined in the reins and took a closer look. He saw five fierce-looking men, four with bronze helmets and bronze armor, and one in full iron armor. At a glance, he knew they were not easy to mess with.
One of the messengers said tremblingly: "Strong man, we are not thieves, we are general Cai Mao's personal soldiers. We have something to go to Jiangling to deliver a message."
Chen Wen was not surprised, thinking that it was indeed Cai Mao's messenger, and his face darkened: "It's so urgent, what kind of letter are you sending?"
"You guys can't talk," another messenger bravely said.
"Hmph." Chen Wen pointed his finger at the messenger who was the first to reply, and shouted: "Say it."
"Yes, yes, I said." The messenger was frightened. If they didn't tell the truth, it was obvious that these five heavily armed men would not let them go.
"Brother, you can't say - ah -" another ordering soldier stopped him. Before he could finish his words, he heard a sound of ah, and a bronze guard's weird weapon with a curling hook pierced his chest and slammed it from his horse.
He fell to the ground and died immediately. The curled sword in the hand of the bronze guard hooked out a section of intestines, which was dripping with blood and was very miserable.
The bronze guard was also a very discerning person. When the ordering soldier spoke to stop another soldier from speaking, he saw a fierce look in Chen Wen's eyes, so he couldn't help but stab him with his spear. The ordering soldier died like this.
Seeing that the ordering soldier died miserably, the other ordering soldier was so frightened that his face turned pale and his calves were shaking. He couldn't sit still and fell off his horse. He didn't care that his head was broken and bleeding profusely, so he kowtowed to Chen Wen as if he was pounding garlic.
He kept shouting: "Hero, spare your life, hero, spare your life, I, I say, I say..."