The team escorting the lord of Huaqing and Zhu Changfa back to Xiangyang was led by Zhao Dangshi himself. In order to avoid complications, everything is done in a low-key manner. The escorts were only twenty people selected from the Zhao Ying Family Care Division, and Hua Qing and Zhu Changfa were only in ordinary carriages. In addition, this time to hand over the lord of Huaqing, Zhao Dangshi did not know about the political envoy of Huihu Guangbu, but only sent someone to find Chen Hongfan.

Zhao Dangshi did this, on the one hand, naturally because of caution, and on the other hand, it also contained the meaning of showing favor to Chen Hongfan. Chen Hongfan is a smart person, and he can see Zhao Dangshi's intentions at a glance. Of course, he was happy to welcome back the county lord with such a great merit and sent it to the door, and he also handed an olive branch to Zhao Dangshi in turn, inviting Zhao Dangshi to drink and have fun together after sending him back to the county lord. In Zhao Dangshi's layout, Chen Hongfan can be called the most important link, and now since you have affection and I have intentions, everything is easy to say.

Before leaving the camp, Guo Ruke happened to return with his troops. He asked Zhao Dangshi to report on his work, but Zhao Dangshi refused on the grounds that he couldn't get rid of himself. Although Zhao Dangshi has a "legitimate reason" to escort the county lord on the trip, it is conceivable that he is as keen as Guo Ruke, and he naturally has a good attitude towards Zhao Dangshi in his heart, and he has the right to beat him in advance.

Zaoyang is not far from Xiangyang, only thirty-five miles by taking the official road, slow with horsepower, early in the morning, and can arrive at dusk. Zhu Changfa's carriage was in front, Huaqing's carriage was behind, more than 20 horses rode in parallel, and at noon, they had arrived at Caiyangpu on the north bank of the Rolling River. Although Caiyangpu is small, before the Tang Dynasty, it was also a county office. There is a white horse temple in the southeast direction built along the river, Zhao Dangshi took people to the temple to have a fast meal, and after a short rest for two quarters of an hour, he began to beckon everyone to leave.

Zhao Dangshi helped Huaqing get into the carriage, but he didn't see Xiaozhu left and right, and asked: "Where did Xiaozhu go?" ”

Hua Qing said with a smile: "It's not because of the General Meng in your camp, it's really a pleasure." ”

Zhao Dangshi frowned slightly and said: "She is your own person, if you don't have her by your side, it will be inconvenient for you to act." There are also fewer people to talk to. ”

Hua Qing shook his head and said, "It's okay." I asked Xiaozhu to stay. ”

Zhao Dangshi sighed lightly: "Why are you so troubled." ”

"We can avoid staying away, and there will be a Buddha to bless the manifestation in the underworld. In the "Zengyi Ahan Sutra", it is said, 'If there are sentient beings who know repeatedly, this person is respectable, and the small grace is not forgotten, let alone the great grace'. Let's be grateful for the blessing of the Buddha and Bodhisattva with virtue, so what's the harm in having one more good thing for adults? ”

When Zhao Dangshi heard this, he was silent for a long time, and said: "As long as you are happy in your heart, I will feel at ease." He continued, "If you miss Xiaozhu in the future, and send someone to say or repair a book, I will send her to see you." ”

Hua Qingwan smiled: "Then I will bother you again at that time, General Zhao." ”

Seeing this innocent smile, Zhao Dangshi's heart suddenly relaxed, and he felt that the best and most beautiful things in time were nothing more than this. He was coming out of his mind when Zhou Wenhe walked up and said in a deep voice: "Lord, there is something wrong outside the temple. ”

Zhao Dangshi listened, looked back at Hua Qing again, Hua Qing winked at him, and retracted into the compartment. He followed Zhou Wenhe a few steps, and a thin figure in the afterglow hurried up. Looking at it, it is the presiding officer of this White Horse Temple.

The presiding officer was a thin old monk, and the gray monk's robe had not been cleaned for some time, and it was stained with dust and mud. But Zhao Dangshi knew that this monk was kind and benevolent on weekdays, and helped many poor people near and far, so he was not prejudiced by his sloppiness, and still respected Hestedao: "Presiding, your temple's food is refreshing and delicious, and I am grateful." ”

The host returned the salute, with an anxious look on his face, and said: "There are a group of officers and soldiers outside the temple, all of whom are fierce and vicious, and they keep saying that they want to enter the temple to search for villains. The little monks couldn't stop it, knowing that the adults had the courage to help, they specially invited the adults to come forward to help solve the siege. ”

When Zhao Dangshi heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and Zhou Wenhe said: "It should be the group training and archers from Zaoyang County." ”

"Regimental training and archers?" Zhao Dangshi's face darkened. According to Yang Zhaofeng's previous description, he and Meng Aocao encountered a group of Zaoyang County archers on the way, and after a fight, there were some fish left behind. This time, these people came again to search for any "bad guys", and it was very likely that it was at the behest of Chu Xidi, who was also the patrol officer of Zaoyang County.

The wind and waves have experienced countless times, and I don't know how many people have died in my life, forgive a group of township brave archers, of course Zhao Dangshi will not cringe at all. He agreed to host and looked at Zhou Wenhe. Zhou Wenhe and more than a dozen personal guards immediately gathered over, and then followed.

There was a lot of noise at the temple gate, and several monks in the temple were blocking the door, arguing with people outside. When the monk saw the host coming back, he trotted forward, covered his face and cried: "Master, this group of officers and soldiers is so unreasonable, the disciples said that the temple was full and no longer allowed to leave, but they repeatedly wanted to enter the temple arrogantly. Disciple...... The disciples and several senior brothers all ate his ear scrapers on their faces. As he spoke, he moved his hand away, and Zhao Dangshi looked over and saw that half of his face was already red, swollen and swollen, which showed the weight of the opposite hand.

The host tightened his face and looked at Zhao Dangshi and said, "My lord, look at ......"

Zhao Dangshi nodded, stepped forward, and separated the monks, only to see that there were really no less than twenty or thirty officers and soldiers holding sticks and guns outside the mountain gate. A scarred face in the leader walked up, looked at Zhao Dangshi, and said, "On the order of the county government, I heard that there are bandits in this White Horse Temple who have kidnapped nobles and come to rape them. ”

Although the opposite side is just a small leader who is not in the stream, Zhao Dangshi is still polite, and he bowed his hand politely: "Zhao Dangshi, the general in the lower deer head shop, is fasting in the temple." The temple is full of good monks and good people, and there are no bandits. The bandits you are looking for are not here. ”

When the scarred face heard the words "Zhao Dangshi, the counselor of the deer head shop", he seemed to be a little surprised. Zhao Dangshi took someone to take the talisman and seal it for him to proofread. The scarred face turned back, and after a while with a few companions, he walked up again and said, "This place is far away from the deer head shop, I don't know what Lord Zhao has to do." ”

Zhao Dangshi said with a smile: "It is my duty to assist in guarding Xiangyang, and Zaoyang is also a piece of Xiangyang, so what does it matter if I take someone to inspect it." ”

The scarred face thought for a while and said, "A few days ago, the archers of our county encountered a group of thieves on the road, and after the fight, they were outnumbered and told the thieves to escape. But the brothers who fought their way out of the siege still remembered the appearance of the people who were held hostage by the thieves. According to the informant, the person who was held hostage is currently in the temple, if it has nothing to do with the adult, why not make it convenient for the villain to go in and search. ”

Zhao Dangshi shook his head and said: "The place of cultivation in the temple, how can you disturb it at will." I am not only a general, but also responsible for defending the land and catching thieves. The people in the temple, I have checked, and there is nothing abnormal, you can rest assured. ”

The scarred face was still unrelenting, at this time, Zhou Wenhe coughed lightly, and the twenty personal guards who had originally gathered in the temple immediately came out of the temple gate, ranking around Zhao Dangshi. These people are all lean and burly, tall and long, and they are face-to-face with the county soldiers with different postures, as if they are different from birds.

Seeing this situation, the county soldiers shortened their momentum by seven minutes in an instant, and the leader's scarred face hooked his head and looked at it, and the rampant face against the monks earlier had come to naught. Obviously, he didn't expect Zhao Dangshi himself to be in the White Horse Temple.

"Lord Zhao certainly has the responsibility of defending the land, but my patrol department has its own charter. The Lord of the White Horse Temple can enter, and we can also enter. If the adults send the villains away with a word, there is no way to explain to Shangfeng. I hope that the adults will understand. Speaking of the scarred face, it can be seen that he can only stubbornly push up now.

Patrolling and judicially governing the county, it is reasonable, not to mention that Zhao is in the world, and there is no reason for the presiding officer of the White Horse Temple to turn away the county soldiers. The reason why it is difficult to decide at the moment is purely due to Zhao Dangshi's personal prestige. However, if the county soldiers did not retreat, he would not be able to lead people to set out, and if the time was missed, it would have to take some time to enter the city, which contradicted his idea of keeping a low profile at the beginning.

Facing the county soldiers who were unwilling to retreat, Zhao Dangshi couldn't help but be a little moved. At this moment, a voice came from behind: "Are you looking for me?" ”

The sound came out, which immediately attracted the attention of everyone present, Zhao Dangshi "chuckled" in his heart, looked over, and saw Zhu Changfa holding a folding fan in his hand, shaking his head and walking out of the door. The appropriate pro-care guards all recruited Zhou Wenhe together, because he was not restricted from acting.

Zhu Changfa's sudden appearance made Zhao Dangshi a little at a loss, he coughed lightly, and saluted Zhu Changfa: "Lord Shizi." ”

There was also some commotion on the county soldiers' side, and a few archers ran to Scarface's side in small steps, and said a few words in their ears, and Scarface immediately puffed up his chest and raised his voice: "According to several brothers who broke through, this son is the nobleman who was kidnapped by thieves on the official road at that time. He sneered, "I don't know how Lord Zhao could be with him?" ”

The purpose of this group of county soldiers coming to the White Horse Temple was clear to Zhao Dangshi. It must have been Chu Xi who estimated that Zhao Ying had something to do with the kidnapping case through secret investigation, and now through an informant, he found out Zhao Dangshi's itinerary out of the city, and wanted to send someone to come here to catch it all, and sue Zhao Ying for misdeeds on the grounds of "people and stolen goods". As for his ultimate goal, to put it mildly, he can beat Zhao Dangshi and consolidate his position in Zaoyang; To put it mildly, it is not impossible to completely expel Zhao Ying's station from Zaoyang.

This Chu Xidi is really not an ordinary character, just the ability to see the seams and the judgment of the context before and after, it is enough to be called a talent. However, a wise man must make a mistake in his thousand thoughts, and Chu Xi still underestimated Zhao Ying's adaptability.

At that moment, Zhu Changfa raised his voice and said: "I was held hostage by thieves in the middle of the way, if it wasn't for Lord Zhao's timely rescue, he would have brought me out of Huyang Mountain." By the time you scumbags find me, I'm afraid I'll already be dead bones in the grave! ”

The scarred face was shocked when he heard this, and hesitated: "You said that Lord Zhao saved you?" ”

Zhu Changfa sneered: "Otherwise? Is he going to kidnap me? Then he said, "Lord Zhao is loyal and courageous, not only saved me, but also exterminated the thieves in Huyang Mountain." Now you are going to send me back to Xiangyang, and I don't know how many of you are stuck here, what is it? ”

The scarred face was certainly surprised, but when he heard him speak arrogantly and meanly, he was unhappy in his heart, and hummed: "Although I am a step late, it is not your turn to make irresponsible remarks." If you say it again, Hugh blames Grandpa for taking you for the crime of obstructing the public. ”

Zhao Dangshi's mind was racing, and he felt that today's matter might be decided by Zhu Changfa, so he took the opportunity to say: "This brother must not be open-mouthed. This prince is the son of King Xiang today, how can we be good at dealing with the emperor. ”

These words came out of Zhao Dangshi's mouth, and the credibility was naturally full. The scarred face first didn't expect Zhao Dangshi to be in the White Horse Temple, and now he never wanted to appear in front of him, this arrogant young man was actually the son of King Xiang. For a while, it was cramped and uneasy. Seeing that the situation was not good, several companions behind him surrounded him again, and several people whispered, suddenly changed their faces, and came up with a smile to apologize to Zhao Dangshi and Zhu Changfa respectively.

The villain was anxious and confused. I confessed to the wrong place and the wrong person, offended the two, and asked for forgiveness. "The scarred face is now flattering, and the folds on the face are piled together, and it is indescribably ugly.

"It is inevitable that there will be some mistakes in the public office, you are dedicated to the public and do your best, I Zhao admire. As for what offends and doesn't offend, compared to official business, it is nothing. Zhao Dangshi smiled and waved his hand, turning to look at Zhu Changfa, "Lord Shizi has a lot, and he won't care about you." ”

Zhu Changfa glanced at the group of county soldiers coldly, didn't say a word, turned around and walked back to the temple.

The group of county soldiers looked at each other, and after a moment, they hurried away with the scarred face. Zhao Dangshi's face sank, and he beckoned Zhou Wenhe and said, "Prepare to leave." As he spoke, he said secretly, "You send someone to find Lao Pang and ask him to send some people to Zaoyang County." All you have to do is send him a message, and he will know what I mean. ”

This was the first confrontation with Chu Xidi, and from this point of view, what Zuo Sili said that day was not entirely exaggerated. Chu Xi Di can flourish in Zaoyang County, and there are indeed a few brushes, and they must not be taken lightly in the future. Since the beginning of today's events, Zhao Dangshi has had to regard him as an opponent no less than the enemy on the battlefield.