Volume 1 Chushan Bandits Chapter 11: The slightest disturbance
At first, Xu Huai really didn't notice the two assassins in disguise blending in with the team, until he heard a disturbance at the back of the team, saying that they were two people from Biyang who were traveling with him, and suddenly turned into a fork in the road and rode away without a sound. Then he looked in fear at the figures galloping towards the depths of the jungle in the distance.
"stop!"
Tang Wenbiao is a member of the Tang clan, but a distant branch. When he was young, he followed his family and started out as an ordinary clerk. The fact that he can stand on his own at this age is definitely not entirely because he has more experience than others.
He narrowed his triangular old eyes, stared at the two people who were leaving in a cloud of dust, his brows furrowed as hard as a mountain, and waved his hand to signal the camel and horse caravan to stop moving forward.
The horse thieves' spies disguised themselves as merchants and approached the merchant caravans for reconnaissance. This was called "stepping on the plate" and was nothing new in Tongbai Mountain.
Two merchants with foreign accents said in the morning that they were going to Bianyang. At this time, they had only traveled more than 20 miles from the Huaiyuan military camp, and suddenly left from the fork in the road without saying a word. If Tang Biao still thought that nothing was wrong, he would have died many times on this road over the years.
What’s more, there were horse thieves around Yingzizui yesterday!
After Tang Biao stopped the caravan, he did not hesitate for long before deciding to turn around and return to Huaiyuan. He did not even think of sending anyone to explore the way ahead.
This time, there were only eight armed guards accompanying him. In addition, Xu Xin'an and Xu Huai, on behalf of the Inspection Office, escorted Wang Bin to Biyang.
It would be fine if there is no danger ahead, but if there is a large group of bandits lying in ambush ahead, wouldn't it be a waste of time to send two or three people to scout the way?
Let's return to Huaiyuan now. This batch of medicinal materials can be sent to Biyang three to five days later. Nothing will go wrong.
If they ran into an ambush by a large group of bandits, even if Tang Wenbiao was not afraid of death, he would not be able to take the responsibility.
Xu Huai was eager to have an excuse to return to Huaiyuan, but he did not expect that an assassin would infiltrate the caravan.
"Is it the assassin from yesterday?" Xu Huai reined in his horse, moved towards Lu Xiong, and asked in a low voice with some uncertainty.
Lu Xiong was sitting at the front of the carriage all the way, his vision was blocked by the carriage, and he had no chance to meet the two men.
However, their appearance could be concealed, but the backs of the two men hastily riding their horses into the woods were difficult to disguise.
Lu Xiong frowned and nodded, but he was as confused as Xu Huai. Why did these two assassins suddenly leave?
"What's going on?" Wang Bin asked with a pale face as he lifted the car curtain.
"Two assassins followed us in disguise, but suddenly turned into a fork and left. I don't know what happened - there may be an ambush ahead," Lu Xiong whispered to Wang Bing, "We have to go back to Huaiyuan Town with the caravan now!"
Wang Bing was not afraid of death, but he could not insist on taking Lu Xiong, Xu Huai and another young man with the surname Xu to take a dangerous journey. He sighed miserably, said nothing more, lowered the curtain and sat back in the carriage.
Xu Huai jumped off the horse and helped Lu Xiong turn the carriage around in the narrow mountain road. Wang Xuan, the girl who had been shyly hiding in the carriage all morning, poked her little face out from behind the curtain and looked back uneasily.
The caravan had turned back, so Xu Xin'an couldn't rashly tell them to continue moving forward...
…
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After some trouble, Xu Huai, Xu Xin'an and Lu Xiong escorted Wang Bing back to the Huaiyuan military camp. It was already afternoon, and they happened to meet the inspector Deng Gui and his patrol soldiers coming back from outside.
Inspector Deng Gui was also embarrassed.
Generally speaking, a tour of inspection in a military camp would take at least three to five days.
Deng Gui left at noon yesterday and returned to the military camp just one day later. Doesn't this clearly mean that he intentionally wanted to avoid Wang Bing yesterday?
"...These bandits are too rampant. They are stepping on the plate and trampling on the head of our Tang family!"
The caravan was still at the ferry and had not all returned to the warehouse at the east end of Hedong Street. Tang Wenbiao stopped Deng Gui from complaining angrily.
Xu Wujiang and Tang Tiande, who represented the Tang family as deputy chief of the Inspection Office, rushed over upon hearing the news.
Xu Huai was not considered an official soldier of the Inspection Office, so he just stood aside holding his horse, watching Deng Gui from afar. He did not look particularly angry, but more hesitant and suspicious, which made him more certain that he had determined yesterday that Wang Bing's encounter with bandits was not a simple matter.
The assassin refused to give up, and Wang Bing had to retreat back to the Huaiyuan military camp under his jurisdiction. How could Deng Gui, who wanted to stay out of the matter, be in a good mood?
"Horse thieves are lurking around, and the roads are full of thieves. For Mr. Wang's safety, he must stay in the military camp to observe the situation. Deng will immediately send someone to Biyang to report to the prefect Chen Langjun, and ask Chen Langjun to make the decision!"
Deng Gui thought for a while with a gloomy expression, then walked over to talk to Wang Bing, who was sitting weakly in the front of the car.
Under the current circumstances, he could either temporarily leave Wang Bin in the Huaiyuan military camp and send someone to Biyang City to report to the prefect Chen Shi, or he could personally lead troops to safely escort Wang Bin to Biyang.
Otherwise, if he knew that the horse thieves were around many times and he just sat there and watched Wang Bing "encounter the bandits" and get harmed on the way, he would definitely be the "scapegoat" who would be pushed out and bear the main responsibility.
Wang Bing has now been stripped of all his official positions, but it would be foolish to really regard him as a commoner and believe that his death by bandits would not cause any ripples in the court.
"Everything will be arranged by Lord Deng." Wang Bing knew that Deng Gui would not let him go easily, and he could only follow the arrangements made by him and the officials of Tangzhou.
Xu Huai did not feel secretly proud because Wang Bing was forced to stay in the Huaiyuan military camp. He was still confused as to why the two assassins, who had infiltrated the caravan, fled halfway like frightened birds?
Deng Gui seemed to have just noticed that Wang Bing looked pale, and asked with concern, "Mr. Wang, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
"I just feel a little cold and have stomach discomfort, it's nothing serious." Wang Bing said.
"Xu Xin'an, go to the market and find a doctor to diagnose Lord Wang." Deng Gui knew that he couldn't get out of this matter, so he acted quickly. He first ordered Xu Xin'an to cross the river to find a doctor, and then said to Xu Huai sternly and threateningly, "Xu Huai, Lord Wang will stay in the military camp, so you must serve him and not slack off . Otherwise, I will skin you alive..."
"Yes." Xu Huai replied in a muffled voice.
Xu Huai was not old enough to enlist, but since he had already been secretly receiving military pay from the Inspection Office, Deng Gui had previously turned a blind eye to it, but he could not really assume that he was unaware.
However, what did it mean that Deng Gui simply threw a clumsy "fool" like him to Wang Bing's side to take care of him?
This means that he has fulfilled his duties as an inspector and has strengthened the protection of Wang Bing, but his protection of Wang Bing is limited. If the assassin is still unwilling to give up, is there still a chance to kill him?
When the time comes, the assassin will kill Wang Bing, and Deng Gui will lead his troops to surround and kill the assassin, and everything will be explained away - even if the vortex of struggle in the court surrounding Wang Bing's death will not stop easily, it will not have much to do with him, right?
Is this what Deng Gui thought?
Xu Huai's heart tightened secretly, and he suspected that Deng Gui's arrangement was not simple.
Deng Gui didn't know Xu Huai had so many thoughts, so he said to Xu Wujiang, "I'll write an official letter, and you take two people to Biyang immediately and give the official letter to the county magistrate, Biyang Military Commander Cheng Lunying, and the prefect Chen Shi. When Cheng Langjun and Chen Shi have instructions, you can come back and tell me."
"Diniang has been feeling unwell these days..." Xu Wujiang said hesitantly.
"There are not so many trivial things to do. Just go and do them. Can't I send you to do anything? If your wife is not feeling well, just find a maid to take care of her. What are you doing here?" Deng Gui scolded in a bad tone, not allowing Xu Wujiang to shirk the assignment.
Deng Gui doesn't seem to be very powerful on weekdays, but he is a serious inspector. In the county, only Cheng Lunying, the county magistrate and the county military commander, can give him a hard time.
Xu Wujiang didn't dare to stroke Deng Gui's tiger whiskers in public, so he had to agree.
Logically speaking, ordinary soldiers holding official letters might not be able to enter the gate of the county government. This matter had to be handled by people like Xu Wujiang, but there were two captains and six generals in the military camp who could be dispatched.
At this time, Deng Gui sent Xu Wujiang away alone, and did not allow Xu Wujiang to find an excuse to refuse. Xu Huai felt that the matter was not simple.
At this moment, Xu Huai suddenly thought of a possibility: the assassins had successfully mixed in the caravan and suddenly left halfway. Could they have deliberately alerted the enemy and wanted to scare Wang Bin and Lu Xiong back to the Huaiyuan military camp?
Xu Huai felt a chill run down his spine: Deng Guidan arranged him to serve Wang Bing, but resolutely sent Xu Wujiang away. Did he also expect that this was the assassin's intention?
He didn't expect that Deng Gui, who only knew how to drink and visit prostitutes after taking office, was so sinister and even vicious.
Although Xu Huai made such a guess, he did not feel much regret in his heart.
After all, Tang Wenbiao had decided to withdraw, and it was not something he could change his mind. If he could not go with the caravan, it would be even more dangerous for him and Xu Xin'an to insist on accompanying Lu Xiong to escort Wang Bin to Biyang.
Seeing Lu Xiong's suspicious look, he knew that he must have the same idea as him, so he didn't say much. He just helped lead the horses and the carriage and walked towards the post station.
They couldn't guess at all that the assassin was actually scared away by them, and there was no plan to alert the enemy at all!
