Xiao Huanzhang thought for a while, and said thoughtfully: "I have really heard of Yan Pingshi's name, but I heard that he is a wandering lang, and folk legends say that his medical skills are very good, but I have not seen it in person." Qi Dao: "Brother Chu, are you looking for Yan Pingshi in Qingtang County?" Could it be that Yan Pingshi appeared in Qingtang? ”

Chu Huan hesitated for a moment, and finally told what happened to him, Xiao Huanzhang's expression changed drastically, and he said sharply: "You mean, Zhou Renkang lured you into a trap with the intention of assassinating you?" ”

Chu Huan nodded and said, "From the captured population, I know that this matter is related to a person called Hulu Village. ”

"Hulu Village?" Xiao Huanzhang sneered: "Brother Chu, don't you know, this gourd village is now a cancer in your Xiguan Road, and there are many bandits in Xiguan Road, and this gourd village is the first of it." ”

Chu Huan sat up straight and asked, "Lord Xiao, is the gourd village very strong?" ”

"Hulu Village is in Hulu Mountain, at the junction of Xiguan Yuezhou and Tianshan Shazhou, and it was divided into two roads in that year, which was bounded by Hulu Mountain." Xiao Huanzhang explained: "Hulu Mountain is the largest mountain range in Xiguan Road, stretching for nearly 100 miles, the mountains are surrounded by arches, the terrain is very complex, the ravines are vertical and horizontal, the mountains have rivers, the slopes have holes, as far as I know, Hulu Village has gathered thousands of people, the most important thing is that I heard that many people in the pioneer battalion of the Northwest Army were in the ...... of the war!" ”

Chu Huan touched his chin and said, "I see." ”

"The people in the pioneer battalion are all trained in the military." Xiao Huanzhang sighed: "When these people arrived at Hulu Village, do you say that Hulu Village is just a group of rabble?" ”

"Isn't there anyone to exterminate these bandits?"

"That's not true." Xiao Huanzhang said: "Actually, I came here this time, firstly, to meet Brother Chu, and secondly, to tell Brother Chu some information about Xiguan. Before the old general Yu Buqu left, he transferred the 30,000 troops in the northwest to Yanmen Pass and built 36 dock forts, which was to guard against the Xiliang people, and there were nearly 30,000 people on the Ningshan side, there were 20,000 guards brought by the old general Yu from the pass, and nearly 10,000 officers and soldiers who were previously subordinate to the Northwest Army. ”

"Pingxi Army?"

Xiao Huanzhang nodded and said: "Exactly, the Pingxi Army was divided into eight battalions, and after the death of General Yu, it was temporarily under the command of Zhu Lingyue. ”

"Governor Zhu is still over there in Ningshan?"

"I've returned to the Tianshan Mountains." Xiao Huanzhang said: "Most of the Pingxi Army in Ningshan was also transferred away and went to level bandits everywhere. Brother Chu should also know that when the Xiliang people came in, the state armies in the states had long ceased to exist, so the four states of Xiguan, Jinzhou transferred a battalion, Hezhou transferred a battalion, Yuezhou four battalions, and there were still two battalions left in Ningshan, Jiazhou...... These Pingxi Army, before the reorganization of the state army, can only rely on them to stabilize the situation in Xiguan! ”

"Who is under the command of the Pingxi Army now?"

"Oriental letter." Xiao Huanzhang said with a smile: "In the past, it was the commander of the Guards under Zhu Lingyue, and since then, Zhu Lingyue has handed over the command of the Pingxi Army to Dongfang Xin. ”

Chu Huan remembered this person, he returned from Xiliang and saw this person at a banquet, and this person was still drunk and crazy at the banquet.

"Since Dongfang Xin is in charge of the military power of the Pingxi Army, he never thought of going over to exterminate Huluzhai?"

"Two months ago, thousands of soldiers and horses were sent to attack Huluzhai, but they were defeated." Xiao Huanzhang said: "Dongfang Xin transferred four battalions from the Pingxi Army, and now they are stationed outside Shuoquan City, Yuezhou...... There are many bandits in Yuezhou, but the most powerful is Hulu Village, but although thousands of soldiers and horses were sent to attack Hulu Village before, it is said that even Hulu Mountain was not able to enter half a step ......! He seemed to be smiling, and stroked his beard and said: "I don't know if the Pingxi army is useless, or the bandits in Huluzhai are too powerful, but the terrain of Huludao is really complicated, and the cavalry is not strong, and it is like infantry...... I heard that the camp of Hulu Village is in the most precipitous place in Hulu Mountain, and if you want to enter Hulu Village, you must kill it from two suspension bridges. ”

Chu Huan touched his chin and said, "In this way, they don't have any scruples about assassinating their own officials, but they just think that the officers and soldiers are not good for them?" ”

"In the eyes of the bandits in Huluzhai, it may not be so." Xiao Huanzhang said: "They burned and looted in order to harm Yuezhou, which was more ferocious than the Xiliang soldiers, and the people of Xiguan had no food and clothing, but it is said that Huluzhai stored a lot of grain through looting...... Brother Chu, Xiguan wants to recover his vitality, and the people want to live and work in peace and contentment, this gourd village is indispensable. ”

Chu Huan bowed slightly, and arched his hand: "Thank you Lord Xiao for your advice." ”

"But then again, why would Huluzhai be so deliberately stinging the Lord?" Xiao Huanzhang stroked his beard and said thoughtfully: "Zhou Renkang is an official of the imperial court after all, he is in armor, and Hulu Village is in Yuezhou, the two places are far apart, how can Hulu Village use Zhou Renkang to lead Brother Chu into the trap?" Why did Renkang collude with the people of Huluzhai again this week? ”

Chu Huan said with a smile: "Actually, this is also a question that Chu can't figure out. ”

"Whatever you do, you must always have a purpose." Xiao Huanzhang said solemnly: "Hulu Village is making a big move, and it is a long way to go, running from Hulu Mountain in Yuezhou to Qingtang to assassinate the adult, what are they trying to do?" It is common for bandits to rob homes and houses, but it is very rare to assassinate officials with such a deliberate intention, and what good is it for them to assassinate Brother Chu, is it just because they are worried that Brother Chu will encircle and suppress them after taking office? ”

Chu Huan smiled faintly: "Chu doesn't think this reason seems to be too convincing. ”

Xiao Huanzhang smiled: "I also feel a little strange......!" After thinking for a while, he asked, "Brother Chu has any enemies in the northwest?" Such a vicious trick, it is to put Brother Chu in the place of death to be willing, to be able to make the Qingtang County Order obey the dispatch, I always feel that Huluzhai should not have such ability, right? ”

"Enemies?" Chu Huan smiled bitterly: "Chu has just arrived, how can he make enemies? ”

Xiao Huanzhang nodded and said, "That's the same." Thinking thoughtfully, his brows suddenly tightened, and he muttered to himself: "Could it be ......!" seemed to realize something, and immediately smiled: "Fortunately, Brother Chu will be cautious in the future, the northwest is not peaceful, this is not a verbal word, you must be careful everywhere." ”

Chu Huan said: "There is Lord Lao Xiao who is concerned, and Chu is grateful." By the way, what does Lord Xiao seem to think, is there anything bad to say? ”

"No, no." Xiao Huanzhang waved his hand, then lowered his voice and asked, "Brother Chu, have you seen Zhu Lingyue?" ”

"There have been several encounters!"

"What do you think of him as a person?" Xiao Huanzhang picked up the teacup, the tea in it was already cold, but Xiao Huanzhang still tasted it very cultivated.

Chu Huan said: "It is said that Governor Zhu stepped forward when he was in danger, the Northwest Army was once forced by the Western Liang Iron Cavalry, and it was Zhu Lingyue who rushed to the front line with the Janissaries of Tianshan Road, and used the Janissaries to gather the Northwest Army and build a defensive line, which once blocked the pace of the Western Liang Army, and waited for General Yu to rush to the northwest. ”

"It's true." Xiao Huanzhang stroked the end of the tea leaves with the tea lid, "Now Zhu Lingyue is famous in the northwest, because of this...... Otherwise, they would not have taken charge of the military and political affairs of the three northwestern provinces in wartime......! ”

"Lord Xiao is saying that Zhu Lingyue also interfered in Beishan's military and political affairs?" Chu Huan asked.

Xiao Huanzhang put down the teacup and said: "I am sick, when the Xiliang people came in, they were suffering from dysentery, and this old life was almost lost, he transferred all the state troops in my Beishan Sandao, it is related to the northwest war situation, I naturally will not object." It's just that this Governor Zhu doesn't want to think about it, and it is naturally the responsibility of the people of Xiliang to fight, but it is all hollowed out, if there is a riot, how can it be good? I told him about it, but what he meant was that the national crisis was at hand, so he could only take care of the Xiliang people first, and the civil strife could not be taken care of for the time being. ”

"What happened?"

"As I expected, the troops of the states are empty, fighting in front, and those bandits in the back are waiting for an opportunity to rise, and the governor has seen the bandits raging, but the strength of his hands is not enough at all." Xiao Huanzhang sighed: "It's not important, after the Xiliang side retreated, this Governor Zhu immediately folded the bullet to impeach the officials of Beishan, and said that the corpses of the officials of Beishan were vegetarian, and the front-line soldiers fought bloodily, but the officials in the rear could not even calm down the local bandits, resulting in instability in the rear of the Northwest Army...... Dozens of officials from top to bottom in Beishan were killed, and the dismissal was light, and many of them were escorted to the execution ground and beheaded in public, saying that they wanted to kill the unconscious officials and stabilize the people's hearts...... Zhu Lingyue did this quite unauthentically. ”

Chu Huan didn't want to have such a thing, and before he could speak, Xiao Huanzhang had already shook his head and smiled bitterly: "The state army has been transferred, and there are no soldiers and horses, how can the thieves be quelled?" In fact, the governor understands very well in his heart that Zhu Lingyue has made great contributions to the country and has made great contributions to the country, and the court naturally ......believes in his excerpts! Speaking of this, he immediately waved his hand and laughed at himself: "That's it, how can you talk, it's like complaining in front of Brother Chu...... Brother Chu, let you laugh. ”

Chu Huan shook his head and said: "Lord Xiao is talking to me like this, it is heart-to-heart, how dare Chu laugh." ”

Xiao Huanzhang showed appreciation and said, "Well said. Brother Chu, the Holy Wisdom knows people, and sent you to Xiguan to support the overall situation, there must be something to do, but the situation in Xiguan is not yet clear, everything starts from scratch, and many things may not go well, the Northwest Department, although you and I belong to two ways, but they are all for the well-being of the people in the Northwest, Xiguan is in trouble, Beishan will not sit idly by, if there is a place in need of Beishan's help in the future, I Beishan must be duty-bound. ”

Chu Huan got up and bowed deeply, Xiao Huanzhang had already smiled and pulled Chu Huan to sit down, "Brother Chu, don't be like this, between you and me, support each other, it can't be said that it is me Beishan to help you, maybe you will need your Brother Chu to help you in the future, I am from the northwest, and I have always spoken straightforwardly, you treat me as your own person, and Xiao will also treat you as your own person." ”

Chu Huan had a smile on his face, but his heart suddenly understood, this Xiao Huanzhang's dignified governor, came to the dilapidated small county town here, and dared to be an ally with him.