Chapter 143 Changing Face
"Your Highness, this is not right."
Minglu lay on the side of Rongque, looking at the bandits patrolling back and forth in the mountains, with a puzzled look in his eyes.
"This doesn't look like bandits, it looks more like regular troops."
Before coming to Bashu, after Su Qingqing received the news from Shattered Red Tower, Rong Que sent people here to inquire.
I didn't find out who the Duke of Zhenguo was hiding here, but I did find out about the stronghold of the bandits here.
Early the next morning after arriving in Bashu, Rong Que brought Ming Lu and the others to the vicinity of this stronghold.
After spending two whole days and two nights here, we didn't find any weaknesses of the bandits. Instead, we discovered from their daily drills that they might not be bandits at all. Even if they were, their combat capabilities were probably stronger than those of regular troops.
There were as many as 500 cavalrymen, all well-equipped.
There are thousands of infantrymen, and these people do not have the banditry of ordinary bandits. They are strictly disciplined and have a tough training and combat style.
In addition, the food for these people was better than that for the soldiers in the Xishan camp. Whenever they cooked, the aroma of meat was extremely strong.
These people are so close to Nanchong County, and while the county is suffering from famine, here they have a strong army and abundant food.
Where do their military rations come from?
Is this really a violent gangster?
Rong Que was certain that no matter who these people were, he couldn't take them down in one fell swoop.
He had experience in suppressing bandits, but he had no experience in fighting against regular troops.
To fight against the regular army, that's the guy.
Rong Que was lost in thought when Ming Lu suddenly tugged at his sleeve, "Your Highness, look."
Following the direction pointed by Minglu, Rong Que saw a familiar face at a glance.
Su Xiang.
How could he be here!
Wasn't he on his way to exile?
Who brought him here?
Su Xiang is a useless playboy, what's the point of saving him?
Su Yunhe is dead, what's the point of keeping Su Xiang alive?
Many questions flooded into Rong Que's mind in an instant, and before Rong Que had time to think, he saw Su Xiang walking towards where they were lying in ambush.
There was a man in armor following Su Xiang, who seemed to be the leader of these people.
As they walked in, the sound of conversation gradually drifted over.
"…I've had enough. I'd rather be exiled. I'm living like a monk here. Let me go. What's the point of keeping me here? I can't stand it even for a day."
Su Xiang complained in pain, a little hysterically .
The people following him said impatiently, "Young Master Su, please be patient for a few more days. We will send you to the prefecture in a few days."
"In a few days, in a few days. You all said in a few days. I'm going today!"
"Master Su, don't be willful. The Crown Prince is coming to Bashu to suppress bandits and provide disaster relief. If you run into him, what will you say?"
Su Xiang waved his hand impatiently, "Don't think I don't know. You have already received the order. This time you want to kill the prince here. What can he do if he meets me? He will be dead anyway, so what trouble can he cause?"
"Mr. Su, please be patient and wait." The man's eyes and brows were full of impatience, but his voice was not loud. It was obvious that he was trying his best to be patient for some reason.
Su Xiang didn't buy his nonsense. "Stop talking nonsense. I'm going today. Either you take me or I go alone. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are both in Nanchong County now. How can I run into them when I go to the prefecture? Stop making excuses."
The man accepted Su Xiang's anger completely, but did not change his attitude. He just said, "Please be patient for a few days, Mr. Su."
Su Xiang wanted to go out, but was stopped by the man.
"Master Su, please don't be willful. This is all for your safety. The general will be back in a few days, and you can do whatever you want. Before the general left, he asked me to look after you, and I dare not make any mistakes."
Su Xiang pushed him away and was about to force his way out, but the man had no choice but to raise his hand and slap Su Xiang, knocking him unconscious. As Su Xiang fell limply, he lowered his body, picked him up and returned to the camp.
When they walked away, Minglu breathed a sigh of relief.
If Su Xiang really came over, he would be on top of them in just fifty steps.
"Your Highness."
Su Xiang just said that these people received an order to kill Rong Que here.
There is no need to guess who this order came from. Before they came to Bashu, a person from Bashu just visited the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
In other words, these people obey the orders of the Duke of Zhenguo.
Then their food and salary came from the Duke of Zhenguo.
Could it be the military rations that were sold off from the Xishan Camp before?
Rong Que vaguely felt that it was not that simple.
The military rations that were sold off in the Xishan camp involved Rong'an Marquis's Mansion and Nanliang, and these people were obviously the Duke of Zhenguo's own private army... Wait, that's not right.
According to the news, the Duke of Zhenguo is keeping a person from Southern Liang here!
It was as if a huge net was spread out above Rong Que's head. He carefully sorted out all the details, but he could not piece everything together.
But one thing is certain, it will be difficult for him to get out of here beautifully.
"Go back first, and talk about it later."
…
The flower-viewing banquet for the county magistrate's wife was not held in the inner residence of the county government office, but at the home of the wealthy Hu family in the county town.
The Hu family's ancestors were imperial merchants. Although they had already fallen into decline by this generation, the family's wealth is still unmatched by ordinary business families.
The spacious house was built in a grand manner, with pavilions, towers, rockeries and flowing water. As they walked along, even Jixiang couldn't help but smack his lips, "His family is really rich."
Su Qingqing glanced at the county magistrate's wife.
If he had no money, how could he be chosen by the county magistrate's wife?
If something happens to her here today, the Hu family will be implicated. At that time, they will need to rely on the county magistrate to help them solve their predicament. How can the benefit fee be small?
Su Qingqing was welcomed to the seat of honor like the moon surrounded by stars . Seven or eight women below, each with their own daughters, came to greet her and bowed.
Su Qingqing adhered to her principle of not letting her character fall, and waved her hand impatiently, "Where are the people playing Cuju? I have no interest in these chrysanthemums."
The county magistrate's wife hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. Cuju cannot be played here. Why don't we go after we have dinner..."
Su Qingqing didn't give her face and rejected her directly, "Have I never eaten or seen flowers? Didn't you feed me the leftovers you didn't want to eat the first day I came to your house?"
No matter how calm the wife of the county magistrate was, she was so angry at the moment that she couldn't hold back her anger. She clutched the handkerchief tightly with a pale face and said, "Your Majesty, there is a misunderstanding. I can explain it."
Su Qingqing rolled her eyes. "What's the use of explaining? When I came here, I was starving and exhausted from the journey. What did you give me and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to eat?"
He glanced coldly at the ladies present.
"You guys were there at the time, right? What? Have you all lost your memory? Stop talking nonsense. I came here to watch Cuju. If not, I wouldn't be bothered to watch you guys changing faces here. You're a master of face changing. Who can change faces as well as you guys?"
