In the depths of the woods in the Guanshan Pass, beside the deep path, there is a huge fire, a group of people are gathered together, there are men and women, are giggling and cooking on the fire, the newly caught rabbit is skewered and roasted, there is a faint smell of burnt, next to it is stacked a circle of flatbread, the wheat fragrance is rich.

Look at this dressed and energetic appearance, it is Li Xiuyan's line.

Starting from Qingzhou City to welcome relatives, all the way to ride a horse, but the distance is too far, the mountains are lush with woods, and the road can only accommodate two people passing by, if it is an ordinary mountain and mountains, it is also very easy to consume physical strength, it is expected that the porter who works all year round will also pant and pout, even if the heavy sedan chair is replaced by a carriage, but the distance is far away, and everyone is tired.

Thinking that the journey was difficult, and there was no hurry, Li Xiuyan ordered to rectify and rest here, thinking that there were many people, and there must be no bandit who did not have long eyes who dared to rob money, so the doorman collected the brown pine needles and fallen leaves, found the fire fold and ignited it, and a few sturdy subordinates caught a few hares, and after cleaning up, they were grilled next to the firewood, which was not fully cooked, but everyone was already hungry.

Suddenly, there seemed to be a voice from a big insect, and Li Xiuyan became alert: "Come on, go and check, if it's really a big insect, you have to kill it quickly, otherwise you won't be able to be safe tonight." ”

Guanshankou, there are many jackals and beasts, and Li Xiuyan is not willing to make any mistakes.

With Li Xiuyan's order, two secret sentinels immediately rushed out to investigate the situation, and the doorman next to him added a handful of firewood, and the fire burned even more.

"Come, young master, eat something to warm up your body first, it's cold in this mountain, don't freeze to death. A doorman tore off the rabbit's leg and handed it to Li Xiuyan. I saw that the rabbit leg was golden in color, the skin was crispy, although it was only seasoned with salt, but it was still full of meat, although it was not as good as the food at Zhang Dayuan's house at noon, but at the moment there was nothing in the stomach, and naturally I would not be picky about anything.

Li Xiuyan took the burnt yellow rabbit leg and took a big bite: "The game in this mountain is indeed extraordinarily delicious. I heard that among these mountains, there have been natural treasures, if you have the opportunity to get it, it is not impossible to prolong life, but it's a pity, fate has not arrived. Li Xiuyan couldn't help but sigh, sighed and said, "Come on, brothers, hurry up and eat while it's hot." ”

Hearing Li Xiuyan's order, everyone was no longer polite, maybe it was because they were too tired today, and the wild game in the mountains without seasoning was eaten in a blink of an eye, and the corners of everyone's mouths were shiny, obviously they were still unsatisfied, and many guys with a large amount of food were willing to finish after eating a few flatbreads.

"Eat, eat, hold you melon skin. "The amount of food that a porter eats is really amazing, and everyone laughs at it.

When this person heard this, he replied angrily: "Although I have a large amount of food, if there is a small person to commit, I must be the one who makes the greatest effort. ”

A doorman in the crowd quipped: "Come on, Zhu Laosan, you are a porter, and you dare to speak wildly, but I heard that you don't even dare to kill pigs, if the bandits in this mountain come, you are afraid that you will be the first to run, you, or in front of the girls." ”

Hearing what this servant said, the crowd also laughed, and it was expected that the taciturn Li Xiuyan also raised the corners of his mouth and looked relaxed.

The person who walks on the tip of the knife all the year round has long been accustomed to seeing life and death, and his speech is naturally very rude, and the face of the female dependent who accompanied the car turned crimson. Although the words are very vague, the implication is very obvious.

This trip to Qingzhou, with all the brothers who followed Li Xiuyan from birth to death, although this trip is to welcome relatives, it is much safer than before, but there are inevitably thieves and bandits on the road, and they have to be guarded against, so everyone gags, and wants to take advantage of this to raise the spirit.

Seeing that it was not early, everyone was lying or sitting, and after a little trimming, they were a little tired, and some people yawned slightly from time to time. This crossing the mountains and mountains is very hard, and you have to beware of road robbers who may appear at any time, and this trip is exhausting, and it is inevitable that a lot of energy will be consumed.

At this moment, the personal door servants are standing around to be responsible for guarding, and the ladies are simply grooming beside them, and there are many secret sentinels lurking in the dark not far away. These secret sentinels have been cultivated by the Li family in Ningzhou for more than three years, and their bodies are agile and their sight is like a torch, and they have helped Li Xiuyan avoid several dangers.

In the deep mountains in autumn, it was already a little cool, Li Xiuyan took the wine bag on his waist, took a sip, and took a spicy sip in his throat, which was very refreshing.

This wine bag is filled with Ningzhou Li family's own liquor, the entrance is spicy, but not on the head, many people have only heard that Ningzhou Li family has an ancestral recipe, self-brewed good wine, few people have the opportunity to taste, it is said that this is the ancestor of Ningzhou Li family, once took in a traveling pharmacist, the two talked very happily, before leaving, with this wine exchange, as a thank you to Ningzhou Li family ancestor of the rice bucket grace.

With this strong wine in his throat, obviously tired, Li Xiuyan handed the wine bag to the nearest doorman, named Zhang Wuli, Chinese New Year's Eve, handsome, good at double knives, adopted into Ningzhou Li Mansion since childhood, after several years of investigation, became Li Xiuyan's personal guard, carried a lot of knives for the main family, evaded several assassinations, Li Xiuyan is convinced of this person.

"It's not profitable, can you hold on? It's a little cold tonight, let's share this strong wine with everyone, but you have to cheer up, and you can't make the slightest mistake." With that, he looked at the carriage where Miss Zhang was.

"Young master, don't worry, I can hold on. Zhang Wuli replied.

I don't know why, the curtain of Miss Zhang's carriage was never opened tonight, and the ladies seemed to have been ordered a long time ago not to send food to the carriage. However, although Zhang Wuli was curious, he didn't ask, just said that it was the custom of getting married in Qingzhou, and there were so many guards here tonight, so I didn't expect any surprises.

It's about today's long journey, Li Xiuyan is also a little tired, and his speech is not as full of neutrality as during the day: "No profit, you and the golden dart head have worked hard, rest here tonight, and when you get out of this mountain pass tomorrow, the return journey will not be far." ”

"Yes, young master, you should rest early, and you have to hurry tomorrow!" Zhang Wuli said with his hands clenched into fists.

Li Xiuyan waved his hand slightly, signaled to retreat, found a big tree bottom, and rested against the trunk, and began to snore lightly after a long time, the female dependents in the car took a wool blanket to cover Li Xiuyan's body, the mountain was slightly cold, but he couldn't get cold.

Zhang Wuli took the wine bag, took a few sips, it was so spicy that his forehead was sweating, and he only felt comfortable all over, as if he had taken a hot bath in winter, Zhang Wuli couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "The family heirloom liquor of the Li family in Ningzhou is really worthy of its reputation, and I have to ask the young master for a few more sips." After that, he threw the wine bag to the guards who were in charge of guarding the sentry around him, and everyone tasted it, and they were all energetic and not tired.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is still some distance from Ningzhou here, tonight I will make a slight adjustment in this pass, I heard that there are many bandits and wolves here, there are often dangerous things, you need to be in good spirits to guard, and when you arrive in Ningzhou, you will be rewarded, if the young master has a mistake, no one can afford it." Zhang Wuli's expression was grim and he stopped talking nonsense.

On this trip, the silver was a few points more than usual, and everyone wanted to follow the welcome, and there was even an extra silver reward. And Zhang Wuli is Li Xiuyan's personal guard, his words are Li Xiuyan's words. Hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and they answered again and again, and began to scatter around to patrol, looking forward to it, such a trip, it must be excellent to come a few more times.

Zhang Wuli walked to the carriage with the rest of the wine bag and saluted a scarface who was about forty years old: "Jin Darthead, I have worked hard for you today, and when I arrive in Ningzhou, I will definitely accompany you for a drink." ”

This scarface, from the local famous Jinwei Dart Bureau in Ningzhou, is also the younger brother of the head of the Dart Bureau, named Jin Cheng, nicknamed Jin Immortal, has walked through a lot of darts, encountered a lot of dangerous things, but can meet the evil to turn auspicious, in order to have this title, this trip to welcome relatives, Ningzhou Mrs. Li's grandfather has a big face, so he asked this person to promise to go darts. If the guards who welcome the relatives are weak and are robbed by the bandits in the mountains, so that the eldest lady of the Zhang family becomes the lady of the village, then the face of the Li family in Ningzhou will be lost, so it seems that no matter how much money is spent, as long as it is well protected.

Hearing Zhang Wuli's greeting, Jin Cheng just nodded but didn't answer, so he handed Zhang Wuli a peanut wrapped in kraft paper, squeezed with camellia seed oil, with a strong fragrance, refreshing and relieving difficulties, and people who walk darts often use it to pass the time.

"Take a sip?", Zhang Wuli held the wine bag and said: "The good wine brewed by the master's family is usually not available, but I have been thinking about it for a long time, if it is not for today's wedding, how can I live this addiction." ”

Jin Cheng frowned, slightly unhappy, and seemed to be very disgusted and pushed the wine bag back: "We dart people, the net worth of life pressed in the itinerary, even if we pay attention to it along the way, but there are always things that are difficult to control, until the dart is handed over, never drink, what I am afraid of is drunk, I don't know what is happening around me, in this case, what is the use of inviting this dart game? ”

"But Fang Baili must know that Jin is immortal, and Jin is the head, and he also knows your dart flag. Zhang Wuli pointed to the dart flag erected on the carriage and said flatteringly. I saw that this dart flag was bordered by yellow, embroidered with obscure inscriptions, and there were faint traces of blood in many places, obviously after many battles. The word Jinwei on it, under the illumination of the firelight, looks sharp and domineering.

Jin Cheng was unmoved, took a peanut and continued: "Although we have a lot of darts in the dart game, it is the first time to take a happy dart, the target is too big, it is difficult to hide, if there is a strong man attacking, the people lying on the ground are drunk people, and they don't know if they are killed in their sleep." Even if my ability is monstrous, it will be difficult for me to protect you, and when the time comes, the Lord will punish you, but don't blame me. ”

Hearing this, Zhang Wuli's face became serious: "Jin Darttou, my net worth is in the hands of the master's family, this trip, there is no room for mistakes, the previous words were inappropriate, tens of millions of Haihan, when you arrive in Ningzhou City, I will accompany you to Nantianju and relax." ”

This Nantianju is a famous restaurant in Ningzhou City, usually only receives high-ranking officials and nobles, wealthy gentlemen, I heard that the chef of this Nantianju is exquisite, only makes ten tables of meals a day, so it is often in short supply, if you eat a meal in Nantianju, it is indispensable to spend some money, for Zhang Wuli and others, it is also distressing.

When Jin Cheng heard Nan Tianju, he didn't raise his eyes, it seemed that he had already become accustomed to it. It is no wonder that the Jinwei Dart Bureau has a big business, although it is not as deep as the Ningzhou Li family, but it is a business on the tip of the knife, some money, so they go out to have fun, no one knows where the head is tomorrow, so the guys in the wine shop, gambling house, Red Mansion Restaurant, etc., are also frequent visitors.

Jin Cheng glanced at the sky, and then swept around and said: "This road is really peaceful, there is not even a robbery, too quiet, it must be abnormal, although we are many people, but we have to beware of people who take risks, after all, after tonight, we will go out of the pass, when the terrain is open, it is difficult for bandits and bandits to evade, and it is difficult to succeed in sneak attacks, so before dawn, remember not to take it lightly, go around and take a look, send a few more sentinels to pay attention to the points, if there is any trouble, remind me in time, and, don't drink." ”

Zhang Wuli clenched his hands into fists and went to patrol the sentry station.

"Manager Zhang, we have two brothers, they said that they went to, this hour has passed, and they haven't come back yet, do you want to send someone to find it, this pass is densely wooded, there are many wild beasts, and the two of them are afraid that it is not safe." When a letter sentinel saw Zhang Wuli, he hurriedly came up and said.

"Which two went?" Zhang Wuli asked casually as he looked around.

"It was transferred by the main family from the old ghost Li at the east dock of the city, and he has been there for more than three years. The letter sentry replied quickly.

"Since I've been on the dock for three years and haven't died, it means that I'm a ruthless character. Don't worry, although there are fierce beasts in this mountain, there are many of us, and we don't dare to approach easily, and there is no sound in the dark sentry around us, which means that the situation is under control, and there is no need to worry. After Zhang Wuli finished speaking, he went to Miss Zhang's carriage, anyone can have an accident on this trip, but Miss Zhang and the young master must arrive safely.

After another hour, Li Xiuyan's snoring became heavier and heavier, and the patrol sentinel began to yawn, it seemed that except for the two who disappeared temporarily, everything was normal, but Zhang Wuli began to be anxious, it seemed that the two disappeared very unusually.

"Something happened", Jin Cheng quietly came to Zhang Wuli's side and said to himself.

"Jin Darthead, how do you know?" asked Zhang Wuli puzzled.

Jin Cheng clenched the handle of the knife, holding the handle of the knife with his thumb, as if he could pull it out at any time: "Perennial darts, we are very sensitive to smells, and we can all know any peculiar smell, don't you smell that there is a smell of blood in the air?"

Zhang Wuyong snorted vigorously, trying to smell the smell in the air, but he didn't smell anything. Immediately, Zhang Wuli imitated the sound of birds and finches and greeted him around, but strangely no one answered.

Zhang Wuli couldn't help but feel a tightness in his heart: "Oops, the agile dark whistle has all been solved, and we don't know it, obviously the other party is prepared." ”

"Here, someone's coming, let the brothers start preparing. Jin Cheng listened attentively, looked at the blurred shadow in the distance, and then said to himself.