"Xiao Min is right, firewood is the first suspicion, riding too professional is the second suspicion, it was Xiao Hai's words at that time that made me feel suspicious."

"Why don't I remember that?" Dong Zi asked suspiciously.

"At that time, Xiaohai's original words were like this, 'The two scholars rode very fast, I don't know how to read?' Originally, I was a little strange in my heart about the scattered firewood, but listening to Xiaohai's words, I immediately became suspicious of the two scholars, and this suspicion prompted me not to let go of their every move at all. ”

"I noticed that although the two of them looked cowering as they passed by us, not only did I not see the look of fear in their eyes, but I also saw something different—they were very attentive, as if they were looking for something or confirming something, which made me feel that there might be something wrong with the scholarly identity of these two men."

"But none of this was enough to make me suspect that there was an ambush in the valley, until the last moment of inspiration and a new piece of evidence came to my mind."

"What evidence?" Everyone asked in unison.

"That's two horses!"

"Huh? Oh, yes, Dong Zi, Ma Qiang, Xiao Hai and others said at the same time, it was obviously two military horses, but we didn't react at all. ”

"Mainly because I already have doubts about the identities of the two scholars, so I may have observed in more detail than the three of you, and that's it, and I didn't react until the two of them rode through a turn."

"But, Brother Fanzi, is it certain that those two horses are military horses that must indicate that there is an ambush in the valley?"

"No, after all, even when we sometimes go out to run errands, we sometimes wear civilian clothes and ride military horses, but those suspicious firewood piles, two scholars who are very professional in horseback riding, two very obvious military horses, and deliberately pretending to be fearful, so many abnormal things are superimposed, and the possibility of accidents is very high."

"But at that time, there was still only a suspicion that there was an ambush in the valley, and it was still not completely certain, just to prevent trouble, I immediately ordered everyone to charge forward, if there was no ambush, it would be a charge training, and it would not have any impact on us."

"Liu Fan, when there is any suspicious case in the Liangzhou Prefect's Yamen, you should be invited, it's a pity that you don't solve the case with your brain." Li Min sighed.

"What you said is so right, I have already thought about it, when the Khitans are destroyed, I will ask your father to help, Ling Han and I will contract a county to operate, Ling Han will be the county commander, and I will be a deputy to Ling Han, who will be responsible for the arrest and theft of the county and other matters."

"Brother Liu is talking nonsense again."

"Haha, can this county be renamed Husband and Wife County?" Li Min laughed.

"Sister Xiaomin! You even followed Brother Liu's nonsense! Ling Han blushed and immediately blocked Li Min's mouth with his hand, and the two women immediately fought together. ”

After two days of travel there was no accident, the third day at noon a group rushed to Chang'an outside the city of Tongcheng Station, because it is the nearest post station from the capital Chang'an, Tongcheng Post built than all the post stations along the road are much larger, in addition to the front of the four-story façade room, the back is set up before and after the seven into the large courtyard, only so to repair so generous, because almost all the officials who come to Beijing to meet have to wait for news here, and wait for the notice to enter the city.

The time is already the first month of the sixth year, the prime minister's office and the yamen of various ministries have taken a big vacation, and most of the state and county officials from all over the country, such as those who came and went to live in the post station, those who gave gifts, those who waited for summons, and those who reported on their work at the end of the year, have returned home.

It is for this reason that the huge post station is deserted, and the arrival of Liu Fan and his entourage immediately made the post Cheng happy, only a few of the more than 200 people have official status, and the rest of the soldiers' food and accommodation add up to at least a lot of income, it seems that this New Year is a happy start!

After the team had eaten and temporarily settled down in the three courtyards, Liu Fan asked Li Min and Ling Han to go into the city first to ask Li Zongxiong about the team's camping, and then enter the city with Ma Qiang after arranging the more than 200 people.

After Li Min and Ling Han left, Liu Fan put down a heart that had been hanging, walked around several courtyards, and saw that most of the soldiers had already fallen asleep, the snoring in the house was like thunder, and all kinds of smells were mixed together, so smoked that they could spit out their overnight meal.

Although his physique has always been good, but the long-distance march of nearly twenty days is also a test of a person's body and perseverance, at this time it was suddenly relaxed, and he took a hot bath under the arrangement of Yicheng, and felt that the fatigue of his body was washed clean along with the dirt, it was still early, and the information in the city was estimated to wait for some time, and Dong Zi and others walked to the front hall, and sat down on the second floor by the window, and the servant had already sent a pot of fragrant tea.

There are only a few tables of guests in the hall, Liu Fan glanced at it casually, and saw that most of them did not look like people with official status, and there were two tables on which it could be seen at a glance that they were merchants who traveled from south to north, it seems that the function of the post station has been expanded and there is not much difference from ordinary inns, only three young officials are sitting on one table, discussing something in a low voice.

Perhaps there was a hint of inquiry in his gaze, and the three officials all looked at Liu Fan's table in unison, and when they saw that it was a few rough soldiers, they immediately withdrew their eyes without interest.

But one of them immediately turned his head again, stared at Shang Cheng with wide eyes, took a breath of cold air, and immediately stood up, walked quickly to Liu Fan's side and saluted respectfully, General Liu, do you remember that you are down? .

"Isn't this Lord Hou! On this big holiday, you don't enjoy this great annual leave at home, what are you doing in this suburbs? Liu Fan stood up and said after returning the salute.

"General Liu said this, isn't it because of you!"

"We?"

"Yes, all the ceremonial processes for the sacrifice of prisoners, military parades and military exercises are the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, no, the parade of the Hedong Camp is going to arrive today, and I will come here with the two adults of the Military Department and Honglu Temple to wait here."

"Oh, then the adults are estimated to be idle this year, and all the forbidden troops and guards participating in the parade must have at least a dozen or so, right?"

"But no, teams have arrived almost every day in the past two days, and we have to make a round trip from the capital every day."

"Lord Hou, when will the parade team of the Hedong Battalion arrive? If it's still early, and don't think we're rude as soldiers, just sit down and talk together, I just arrived in the capital, if I can spare a little time, I want to look around with my brothers, appreciate the places of interest and customs in the capital and nearby, and Hou grew up in the capital since childhood, so I will recommend it to me. ”

Originally, he could have consulted Li Min and Ling Han about this matter, but he had been carrying a heart on the road for the first two days, so he forgot about it, and it was definitely impossible to see Ling Han and Li Min immediately in these two days, Ling Han's mother and Li Min's parents returned to the capital in October, and they must accompany their relatives at home in the past two days, and the two have been away from Beijing for several years, and they have to meet their sisters and friends, of course, it is even more impossible to call Ling Han out to travel together, it doesn't matter if he is a big man, The key is that the reputation of Ling Han's girl's family must be maintained.

"What did General Liu say, if you are still rude, then there are no elegant people in this capital, don't you know, your water tune song is crazy among the literati in the capital, just now I and Lord Wu and Lord Xu are still talking about you, the two adults must let me come forward to introduce and get to know you, no, the opportunity is coming."

"Lord Wu, Lord Xu, don't come over and salute quickly, the protagonist we just discussed is already in front of you."

In fact, when Lord Hou stepped forward to talk to Liu Fan, the two of them had been paying attention to the situation here, and when they heard that Liu Fan was the protagonist of the discussion just now, they immediately stood up. ”