Another day passed, the last day of the first lunar month, and Zhu Pingjin finally left Bifeng Gorge for Tianquan Tusi. Song Zhensi, He Youyi, Cao Sanbao and others followed, and Song Zhenzong and Shu Guoping, the military and political chiefs of the caravan, stayed behind to continue training the army. They planned to go outside the city of Yazhou first, meet with the royal guards led by Cao Santai and the Gao retinue, and then follow the Yatian Trade Road through Feixian Pass to Tianquan. Sun Hong wanted to rush back to Chengdu Mansion to buy people, so he said goodbye to Zhu Pingjin and others outside the outpost, and took Wang Daniu's younger brother Wang Erniu and two soldiers from the special service platoon to take the shortcut of Lizhen and Jiamen Pass, and returned to Chengdu Mansion through Qiongzhou. In order to prevent accidents during Tianquan's trip, Wang Daniu and Luo Jingyun's spy platoon strengthened Chen Youfu's class, which had recently achieved outstanding training results, and followed up behind Zhu Pingjin and his party on foot in civilian clothes. According to the plan, they will be stationed at Feixian Pass and wait for Zhu Pingjin to return from Tianquan. In order to avoid any complications, they were all dressed in the clothes of the people and carried the weapons they had brought with them. If the government asked, it would be said that it was a caravan guarded by Lord Liao, the governor of the country.

The road from Yazhou to Tianquan traces the left bank of the Tsing Yi River (Note 1) up. On the right side of the road is Cui Wei's towering boulder cliff, and on the left is a bottomless cliff valley. The mountain road is winding and rugged, and it is necessary to lead the horse to climb the steep stone steps from time to time. What worries Zhu Pingjin the most is the rockfall that can be seen everywhere on the road, the big ones are like one or two houses, and the small ones are countless. In a few places, the road has been completely buried by the flowstones on the mountain, and pedestrians can only pass with their hands and feet, or drag their horsetails when passing. According to Gao Antai, this is a remnant of the Yazhou earthquake a few years ago. After the earthquake, there were fewer and fewer merchants coming and going to Tibet.

Yazhou is actually not far from Tianquan, that is, more than 100 miles, and it takes two or three hours to ride a horse. Zhu Pingjin drove up the plateau by car in his last life, starting from Ya'an, passing through Lhasa and finally to Shigatse. So psychologically, he felt that the journey from Yazhou to Tianquan was very close. But now he is not driving, but riding. Zhu Pingjin struggled to move forward under the careful escort of the left and right, sometimes he met the flat road and threw two whips and walked a few miles quickly, sometimes he stepped on the rocky reins and moved forward slowly, and sometimes he had to get off the horse to shake his legs and walk. Zhu Pingjin estimated that at their current turtle speed, it would be dark to reach Tianquan.

Maybe it's because of the number of back and forth, Gao Antai is not nervous, but he is very interested. Along the way, he kept introducing the scenery and stories along the way to He Youyi and Cao Santai, as well as the guards of the palace, so that they could relieve their fear of the difficult journey.

Gao Antai said loudly to He Youyi, Cao Santai and the guards: "Not far ahead is Feixian Pass!" We're resting at Feixian Pass. The younger brother has an acquaintance who has opened an inn in Guanli, and the beef there is well cooked, so why don't we eat there at noon? The crowd walked for a while, and they were already sleepy and tired, so they applauded.

Gao Antai said again: "The front of Feixian Pass is divided into two roads, left and right. Go to our Tianquan on the left, and go to Lushan County on the right. On the road ahead, there is a gate set up by the inspection department of Linguan (now Lingguan Town), and the students go to say hello first! With that, he grabbed his horse's belly and ran to the front of the group.

The group continued to move forward, and suddenly faintly heard the quarrel in front of them, and Gao Antai's angry scolding was sandwiched between them. Zhu Pingjin called Cao Companion, Cao Sanbao understood it, and immediately hit the horse to check. Zhu Pingjin turned around a prominent cliff, only to see that the road in front of him was much wider, but on the road between the cliff and the river valley, there was a row of horses several zhang long. After rejecting the horse, there was a small house with wooden planks as a wall and a bark as the roof. A green-robed civil official was arguing with Gao Antai about something across the horse, and there were four or five rotten soldiers standing next to him cheering.

Cao Sanbao soon came back to report that it was a deputy inspection envoy of the Inspection Department who was arguing with Gao Antai in front. And they shall receive our money, and the men and horses, and the gifts they carry. Mr. Gao was not convinced, and was reasoning with them.

Zhu Pingjin's face turned a little pale. This trade route under his feet was an important logistics channel for him to realize the smuggling trade. Being put in a fence is as uncomfortable as if the throat has been stuck in a fish bone. Zhu Pingjin carried his horse forward, and came to the gate more than ten steps away, Cao Sanbao opened the way in front, and Song Zhensi, He Youyi, Cao Santai and the guards followed closely behind. Zhu Pingjin heard the green-robed official say to Gao Antai: "Master Gao, it's not the official who embarrasses you!" You are a child of the hereditary Tuguan family, then you should know the old rules of this inspection department! No matter back and forth, whether it is a man or a horse, a cow or a mule, as long as you pass the customs, you have to pay silver! ”

"Phew! You daring fanatic! A nine-grade micro end, he dares to mention my son and cattle and horses together! Do you want to exterminate the race? Cao Sanbao rebuked angrily in a sharp voice.

Hearing this, the civil official's face was a little unnatural, and he did not answer, but quickly turned around and walked into the wooden house.

When Zhu Pingjin moved forward, he had already seen the little official glance at him with his eyes, and it was estimated that Gao Antai had already mentioned his identity in front of him, and the civil official just confirmed it with his own eyes. In this desolate place of poor mountains and bad waters, a group of cavalry with bright armor and bright helmets flocked to the figures, it is impossible to wait for the sons of idle rich and noble families to come out to enjoy the mountains and rivers.

The green-robed civil official turned out soon after entering, followed by a chubby official in a six-rank military uniform. The military attache seemed to have just woken up, squinted his eyes at the sun outside the house for a while, and didn't look at the others, just walked over and said lazily to Gao Antai: "Gao Gongzi, this official Yazhou guards the thousands of households and hundreds of households Peng Yuanke, this is polite!" ”

Because of the quarrel just now, Gao Antai's black and red face had become red, and he just hummed with his nostrils: "Peng Baihu, our Gao Peng family is an old acquaintance!" ”

Gao Antai's words were thorny, and the military attache named Peng Yuanke was not angry, but just smiled and said, "What Gao Gongzi said is not bad!" Your Gao family is the emperor of the earth in Tianquan, and our Peng family is also on the ground of Feixian Pass for almost three hundred years, and it is the old acquaintance that the well water does not interfere with the river water! Gao Gongzi, since everyone is an old acquaintance, don't use big words to criticize me. A small Feixian Pass, where is it worthy of the prince of Shu? To put it mildly, just a few of you country toasts, and you still want to invite people from the prince of the provincial city? Phew! Peng Yuanke spit out a mouthful of thick phlegm in front of Zhu Pingjin's horse, making the horse a little restless, and shaved his hooves a few times, "If anyone dares to call himself the prince, let him take out the customs clearance document of the governor's yamen." When the official saw it, he immediately came to apologize. But ......" that Peng Yuanke looked directly at Zhu Pingjin with his eyes, and his face couldn't hide his arrogance and contempt, "If not, then the official will join him with Lord Ning, saying that he left the domain without permission and handed over the toast!" ”

When the green-robed official heard this, he also said loudly: "What is the intention of leaving the domain without permission and constructing the toast?" ”

Song Zhensi couldn't bear it anymore. "You seek your own death!" He let out a low roar, and the spear was stabbed with a leap of his horse. The tip of the spear pierced Peng Yuanke's neck with a flash, but he was frightened by the tip of the rejection of the horse, and roared and twisted his body to the left in the air, allowing Song Zhensi's spear tip to cross a few inches outside Peng Yuanke's neck.

Zhu Pingjin's face turned blue, and he had already moved to kill in his heart. It's not that he hates those two petty officials for being disrespectful to him, but that this little gate will destroy his entire plan. He Youyi on the side also whispered in Zhu Pingjin's ear: "Shizi, these people are a scourge. Can't stay! Zhu Pingjin just nodded and did not speak.

Song Zhensi's spear swept over, frightening the green-robed official surnamed Ning and falling to the ground. After this pause, the hat wings pointed obliquely to the heavens and the earth. Although a trace of fear flashed in Peng Baihu's eyes, his body remained motionless, looking very hard. Peng Baihu glanced at Ning Patrol in the dust with disdain, and said to Song Zhensi: "This general, we all eat Xingwu meals, don't scare me with that gun, this official doesn't eat this!" Don't take advantage of the large number of people to have the idea of killing people and rushing through the gates. To tell you the truth, there is a closed city behind this official! Without the official to speak, even if you rush over, you don't even want to come back! ”

Zhu Pingjin has already made up his mind that he must get rid of this scourge in front of him. After a moment's thought, he hooked his finger with He Youyi, whispered this and that, and then came to the rejection of the horse with the guards around him.

Zhu Pingjin whispered to Cao Sanbao: "Cao Banban, give them silver!" ”

Cao Sanbao was stunned for a moment, looked at Zhu Pingjin's face, and then got off the horse a little unwillingly to untie the burden on the horse's back and groped for silver. When Peng Baihu heard Zhu Pingjin soften, a smile suddenly bloomed on his face and said: "This son is still sensible, knows the rules of the court, and understands our difficulties!" He said to Song Zhensi and many guards: "These brothers, we are all mixing in the army. In the past few years, the military salaries of the imperial court have often been in arrears to us, and our brothers don't take a few on the road, and the mother-in-law and children at home must not starve to death? Do you think that's the reason? ”

Song Zhensi ignored him with his head held high, and none of the guards dared to talk to him. Zhu Pingjin smiled slightly, and said to Cao Sanbao: "Cao Companion, these officials have worked hard, give them an extra hundred taels!" ”

The team passed the gate, and Gao Antai was still angry. It seems that he was very disdainful of Zhu Pingjin's sudden reluctance, and just walked in front silently, not talking to Zhu Pingjin at all. Zhu Pingjin saw Gao Antai's emotions, so he asked Cao Sanbao to call Gao Antai. Without waiting for Zhu Pingjin to speak, Gao Antai angrily asked Zhu Pingjian: "Why did the prince give that guy silver?" He can bully us in the toast, and he will receive our money back and forth. Why don't you show your identity and suppress them? If they dare to accept the silver of the royal palace, what business will our caravan do in the future? ”

Zhu Pingjin shook his head with a smile and said: "Petty officials are difficult, and it is common practice in ancient and modern times. Look at that guy's skinny hooligan, this son can't scare them when he shows his identity, and he makes trouble for himself. They were dazzled by the silver, and they no longer knew how many catties and taels they had! ”

Gao Antai said indignantly: "The students just wanted to pull out their knives and chop them all!" A small hundred households, how many families can there be? Just the forty-odd of us can go to his gate and kill one back and forth! ”

Zhu Pingjin laughed and said: "You Tusi killed the imperial court official, didn't you just let people sue you and say that you rebelled?" You can't solve this trouble, let this son solve it! Please wait and see! ”

Gao Antai was really disappointed with Zhu Pingjin's weakness today, and after listening to Zhu Pingjin's words, he was still skeptical. Zhu Pingjin diverted the topic and looked around at everyone with a smile: "Mr. Gao said that he has a good friend in Feixian Pass and makes good dishes. There was a lot of noise just now, this stomach is hungry, how about we go to chatter at noon? ”

The crowd shouted yes and quickened their horses. Gao Antai took advantage of people's inattention and asked Zhu Pingjin in a low voice: "This acquaintance is indeed my good friend, but how does the son of the world know?" ”

"When Mr. Gao talks about this person, his pupils are dilated and his eyes are bright, isn't it who is a good friend?"

"Pupil dilation?" Gao Antai looked puzzled.

Everyone laughed all the way, and their interest was high, and they entered the Flying Immortal Pass. No one even noticed that there was suddenly one less person in their ranks.

Note 1: The left bank and the right bank of the river are distinguished as follows: facing the downstream of the river, the left hand side is the left bank, and the right hand side is the right bank.