It's late at night.

Duan Zhigang, deputy of the Jinyi Wei Xi'an Office, returned to the Jinyi Wei Yamen. He was still thinking about the words that Xu Liang confessed to him in the governor's yamen half an hour ago, and he was excited for a while and afraid for a while.

The inner courtyard of the Jinyi Wei Yamen, like the pattern of other yamen, is inhabited by thousands of households of the Jinyi Guard. When Duan Zhigang passed by the door, he saw that the lights were still on in Honggang's house, and four or five brocade guards outside the house were on guard with knives.

Duan Zhigang was slightly stunned, and said to himself: "It's so late, Lord Qianhu hasn't rested yet." ”

Originally, he sighed so casually, but unexpectedly, one of the two brocade-clothed guards on duty at the gate of the courtyard smiled and said, "Who said no." Our Qianhu adults have been working hard for several days for the case commanded by Ma. I heard that there has been a major discovery in the case, and the thousand households are discussing the case with several hundred households. ”

When Na Lishi said these words, there was a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes when he looked at Duan Zhigang. The Jinyiwei of the entire Xi'an Institute knew that Duan Zhigang, the deputy Qianhu, was a character who was suppressed and excluded by Qianhu Honggang. To what extent? In the serious case of the interception and death of 17 high-ranking officials of the Imperial Command, Duan Zhigang, a deputy Qianhu, was not allowed to participate.

Duan Zhigang was stung by Lux's eyes, his face sank, he looked at Hong Gang's room with hatred, and turned back to his residence.

Seeing that Duan Zhigang had just walked away, Lux turned around and went in to report to Hong Qianhu.

"My lord, Deputy Duan Qianhu has just returned."

Hong Gang was discussing the case with several cronies and hundreds of households, and there was a sneer on the corner of his mouth when he heard this. Waving his hand, he said, "Got it." After Lux withdrew, Hong Gang propped up the table with both hands, his eyes like knives. Glancing at a few hundred households.

Several hundred households couldn't help but hang their heads, not daring to look at Hong Gang.

"It's already clear!" Hong Gang said in a deep voice: "The two knife wounds on the bodies of Commander Ma and Deputy Commander, after comparison, are very consistent with the matching knives in the hands of Governor Xu Liang's guards. This is enough to show that the death of Commander Ma and others was not an accident, but a deliberate plan by Xu Liang! Tomorrow you will gather your brothers, and tomorrow you will report the case to Lord Yang, the governor of the three sides. Ask him to give the order to take people! ”

Several officials from hundreds of households should be lowered. A hundred household officials asked suspiciously, "My lord." Since the evidence of the crime is conclusive, with the identity of our Jinyi Guard, we will directly surround the governor's yamen. Just take that Xu Liangsuo into Beijing. Why do you want to report to Yang He and give him a credit for his surname Yang for nothing? ”

Hong Gang paused slightly, and said in a deep voice: "You know a fart!" We don't want this kind of credit! This Xu Liang is not simple, I heard that he has a good relationship with Xu Ge, the second assistant of the cabinet. Getting rid of Xu Liang is the meaning of the first assistant of the cabinet and the elder Wen Ge. This kind of battle at the top. Our brocade guards are secretly staring at it. Let's leave the things that come out to Governor Yang to do. ”

When several hundred households heard this, they hurriedly praised their hands: "My lord is wise! ”

Hong Qianhu Zhi nodded proudly, glanced at a few hundred households, and commanded in a deep voice: "By the way, about this matter, you must keep your mouth shut, and you must not reveal half a word to Duan Zhigang." ”

"My subordinates understand!"

The next day was the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve. Early in the morning. The entire Chang'an City is immersed in the atmosphere of the New Year. The sound of firecrackers began to sound as soon as the sky was bright, and at first a few families were sparsely la. By the time the sun rises, the sound of firecrackers gradually merges.

The three hundred household officials in the Jinyi Guard counted their subordinates in the Jinyi Guard early and waited in the yamen. Qianhu Hong Gang came out of the inner courtyard with a high-spirited face, strode to the outside of the yamen, took the horses led by his guards, and Hong Gang turned over and got on the horse.

Three officials of a hundred households rushed forward and shouted loudly in unison: "Congratulations to the Lord of a thousand households!" ”

"Haha!" Hong Qianhu immediately shook his head, nodded at the three hundred household officials with a horsewhip, and shouted: "You are waiting here, and the official will go back when he goes!" Everything is waiting for the news of the official. ”

"Yes!"

At this moment, a brocade-clothed guard rushed in from outside the main gate of the yamen, ran in front of Hong Qianhu, clasped his fists and said, "Report!" Lord Qiyu, my subordinates have made a major discovery! ”

"Oh?" Hong Qianhu was stunned, looked at the wrestler who reported the news, and saw that this person was covered in dust and had a gray face, as if he had been lying in a mound of dirt all night. After a closer look, he recognized this person as a wrestler who he swung off.

"What's the situation?"

Nalux arched his hand and said: "My lord, my subordinates and Captain Guo were drinking in the tavern last night, and I actually heard the conversation of the five people at the next table. Upon closer listening, there was a major discovery. The five of them said something like the governor asking them to go outside the city to avoid the limelight and not to return to the city for the time being. What else did the Jinyi guard keep an eye on the case commanded by the horse, and asked them to be careful, etc...... His subordinates and Captain Guo felt strange, so they paid attention. It's just that there are five of them, and they all bring weapons, and it is inconvenient for the two subordinates to take people directly, so they followed the five people all the way out of Chang'an City. ”

Hong Gang's expression became serious when he heard this, and he shouted, "Pick the key points." ”

"Yes." Lux said: "The subordinates and Captain Guo followed the five people all the way, and in the middle of the night, they found that the five people had joined another group of two or three hundred people at the foot of the mountain thirty miles outside the city. The two subordinates didn't dare to get too close! However, the two subordinates recognized one of the men! ”

"Who is it?" Hong Gang had already jumped off his horse, stared at the priest and asked. The three hundred household officials also felt that the situation was serious, and they gathered around and stared at Nalux.

Lux licked his thirsty lips and said, "That person is the general who is responsible for escorting Commander Ma and other seventeen officials into Beijing. Square face, sword eyebrows, navy blue cloak! The man sat by the fire, and the light of the fire illuminated the man clearly. The subordinates and Captain Guo repeatedly confirmed that they would never admit their mistakes. Captain Guo stayed there to monitor, and ordered his subordinates to return to the city to report to the adults. ”

Hong Gang's breathing became heavy. The three hundred household officials looked at each other excitedly, and asked Hong Qianhu for his life: "My lord, all the seventeen prisoners including Commander Ma were killed, but the generals and soldiers who escorted them were still happy outside the city!" If the escorted general can be caught, Xu Liang's murder of the court minister will be a certainty! ”

"My lord, the brothers have gathered. You give the order! ”

Hong Qianhu's eyes rolled and said to the three hundred: "Don't be bored!" People are definitely going to be caught. However, the other party also had two or three hundred people, and they were fighting. Our Jinyi guards will also have dead and wounded! For such a big matter, I have to inform Governor Yang anyway. ”

After Hong Gang finished speaking, he smiled gloomily, gave the three cronies a look, and then got on the horse and went straight to the Yamen of the Shaanxi Political Envoy.

Half an hour later, a large group of people appeared thirty miles outside Chang'an City. If anyone in the know saw the composition of this team, their eyes would widen. Unbelievable. The three or four hundred people who walked in the front were wearing flying fish suits and embroidered spring knives hanging from their waists. The famous brocade guard. And the more than 300 people who followed were also guards with bright armor, but they were the guards of Yang He, the governor of the three sides. The last three or four hundred people will be inferior in equipment. But it was the people led by Qian Ning, the younger brother of the political envoy Qian Yongtai.

Such an army of thousands of men appeared on the official road. Hurried forward.

Jinyi Wei Qianhu Honggang sat on a white horse, full of ambition, and his eyes fell to the foot of the mountain in the distance.

"How far is it?" Hong Qianhu turned his head and asked the wrestler beside him.

Lux said, "My lord, it's at the foot of that mountain." ”

The team advanced for a while, and a hundred meters ahead was the foot of the mountain, and a path stretched into the valley.

Hong Gang raised his hand, stopped the team, and looked ahead with a frown.

Qian Ning came to Hong Qianhu's side. Song Shiwen frowned and said, "Lord Hong, there is only one way into the mountain ahead?" This terrain is so easy to ambush! ”

Hong Qianhu listened to Qian Ning's self-righteous words. Disdain in my heart. As a thousand households of the Jinyi Guard's Xi'an, he is naturally more alert to the danger ahead than anyone else. Where do you still need Channing to remind.

The two of them stopped to observe for a while, and then they saw a brocade-clad lieutenant running out of the bushes at the entrance at the foot of the mountain, and rushed towards this direction.

Lux said happily: "My lord, Captain Guo is here!" ”

Captain Guo ran to Hong Qianhu and reported: "Lord Qianhu, there are nearly 300 people on the other side, and they stayed at the foot of the mountain for one night last night. If we catch up, we should be in time. ”

Hong Qianhu was still groaning, and a hundred brocade guards behind him laughed and said, "It's really self-defeating." Lord Qianhu, this place is familiar to the subordinates, after crossing the foot of the mountain is a river, the river is three or four zhang wide, deep and urgent. In this cold winter, if you want to wade through the river and cross the river, you have to peel off your skin if you don't die. ”

When Hong Qianhu heard this, his face was happy, and with a wave of his big hand, he chased after more than 1,000 people.

Thousands of people moved with great momentum, and when they entered the trail at the foot of the mountain, a flock of birds was startled. After walking about half a mile, I saw four or five bonfires on the way, and there was still smoke left in the fires, and there were piles of gnawed bones and messy footprints passing through the foot of the mountain.

Hong Qianhu settled down, pointed ahead excitedly, and shouted: "The goal is ahead, the whole army pays attention, speed up, and kill this official!" ”

"Yes!" The troops responded, the officers shouted, and the ranks picked up speed and swept away like a torrent.

The procession passed through the base of the hill with great ease, with no expected ambushes and no surprises.

The sound of the river rushing could be faintly heard ahead, and the air became damp. Hong Qianhu clamped the horse's belly between his feet, drew a knife in his hand, and chased him out first. Seeing this, the three hundred households behind him also raised their knives and shouted: "Hurry up!" ”

At the exit of the path at the foot of the mountain there was a wide and rapid river. Seven or eight war horses were munching on the dry grass on the beach by the river, when suddenly a large group of men and horses rushed out of the foot of the mountain, and Herod's neighing roar was startled, and they fled in all directions.

Hong Gang couldn't care about the alarmed horses anymore. His gaze fell on the other side of the river. On the opposite side of the river were a few simple wooden boats, and on the beach there were about three hundred people standing neatly, already in formation, with bows and arrows, aiming at this side of the river. Hong Qianhu and others, who rushed out of the foot of the mountain, were exposed to the bow and arrow.

"It's not good, it's a fraud!" Qian Ning rushed over after the horse, and after only one glance, he screamed in surprise. Turn the horse's head, turn the sound and want to run back. However, the team of thousands of people has already blocked the circuit at the foot of the small mountain.

"Shoot the arrow!!"

Shout! Woohoo!

On the other side of the river, three hundred bows shot arrows at the same time, and suddenly the river surface was like a locust crossing the border, enveloping the thousands of households.

"Ambush! Remove! Evacuate! ”

Hong Qianhu hissed and shouted! The brocade guards around him fell to the ground one after another, screaming and wailing. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of Jinyi guards who rushed to the front fell. The river in front of him is blocking the way, and arrows are hurting. Seeing that the road ahead was impassable, the brocade guards turned around one after another and retreated to the original road.

However, the guards of the governor of the three sides behind him, the soldiers led by Qian Ning were not as well-trained as the brocade guards. The rear army pushed the front army, and thousands of people crowded to the intersection. The Jinyi guards who launched the ruthless attack didn't care that this was a friendly army, and when they saw the knife in the way, they cut it! When Qian Ning's people and the Governor's Mansion Guards saw that their own people were killed, they naturally refused to give up, and rushed up to fight against the Jinyi Guard.

Woohoo! In the sky, arrows rain down like rain, and they don't stop!

"Withdraw quickly!"

Hong Qianhu shouted, then looked around with blood-red eyes, and roared angrily: "What about Captain Guo? The official is going to split him alive!! ”

A hundred households stepped forward and pulled Hong Qianhu and cried: "My lord, don't look for it!" We've all been tricked, let's go! If you don't leave, you'll have to die here! ”

Hong Qianhu turned around and looked around, and saw that there were only a dozen brocade guards around him, and the others either fell to the ground or were fighting against Qian Ning's men and horses, trying to fight a bloody path.

Hong Qianhu's eyes cracked, and when he turned his head, he saw that Qian Ning was swinging a knife and slashing a brocade guard. couldn't help but be furious, slapped his horse forward, opened Qian Ning's knife, and shouted angrily: "Qian Ning, are you crazy? ”

Qian Ning was also angry: "It's your people who do it first!" ”

"Don't kill it, let's go!"

Hong Qianhu shouted, and rushed to the original road with more than a dozen brocade guards. Seeing this, Qian Ning behind him stomped his feet hatefully and shouted to the soldiers around him: "Stop fighting, retreat!" ”

Hong Qianhu and the three hundred households retreated into the valley in panic, out of the range of bows and arrows on the other side of the river, they each stopped to count the number of people, after counting the heart, the heart was cold, out of the valley when the Jinyi guards rushed the happiest under his leadership, the casualties were also the heaviest, the four hundred Jinyi guards are now alive less than two hundred. Later, seeing that Qian Ning ran back with people, Hong Qianhu glared at Qian Ning hatefully, if it weren't for Qian Ning's people blocking the retreat in the back, Jinyiwei would not have been so dead and injured.

Qian Ning felt the hatred in Hong Qianhu's eyes, and his heart was falling uneasy, when he suddenly felt a slight vibration on the ground.

"What's going on?" Hong Qianhu also felt it and looked around.

"Look, sir!" One hundred households cried out in despair.

Hong Qianhu looked back and became desperate.

The heavy vibration was nothing else, it was the sound of uniform footsteps as the team advanced. In terms of the way from the valley, the heavily armed Liang army slowly advanced, and the shield hand who walked at the forefront was a hundred steps away from Hong Qianhu and others, and with a bang, the shield stood in front, and the sunlight shone on the shield, reflecting a cold light. (To be continued.) )