After listening to Li Xin's words, Zu Zhao couldn't help but smile and sighed: "I really didn't expect that only Brother Xianyan won this year's inspection." ”

Li Xin shook his hand and said rather bitterly: "Brother Zu, don't say that. Now that there is an accident in my hometown, the safety of my family is uncertain, and I am worried every day, which is not comfortable. Moreover, I am not the only one who stayed in the county government, do you remember Tian Kai Tian Zihui? He was also retained in the county, and a few days ago Japan followed Captain Wen to Changcheng to suppress thieves, but unfortunately it was not the right time, the former Japanese Captain Wen was defeated, and I don't know what his situation is at this time. ”

Zu Zhao let out a long sigh, looked worried, and was silent.

After a while, Li Xin suddenly spoke again: "Do you know who called me to protect you this time?" ”

Hearing this question, Zu Zhao was quite surprised, according to Li Xin, it was not because of the Taiping Dao Uprising that caused the defeat of Wen Chou's army and the county government fell into a crisis, so he would recruit volunteers everywhere. In this way, there is another way of saying that the Buddha is reversed.

He Qi asked, "Brother Xianyan, what do you mean by this?" ”

Li Xin smiled and said, "Don't you know, although Liu Taishou was killed, those old departments of Taishou Mansion are still loyal to Liu Taishou's family. Now Taishou Mansion is not without people's words, Liu Taishou's eldest son Liu Cheng Liu Gongzi returned from the capital half a month ago, and the whole government elected Liu Gongzi to preside over the plan. Although this Liu Gongzi is a scholar and has no intention of managing government affairs, with the assistance of several elders in the house, he can still take care of the top and bottom in an orderly manner. ”

Zu Zhao never expected that there would be such a scene, it is indeed normal for the Three Kingdoms period to be too dominant and the son to inherit his father's position, to say that the initiator of this phenomenon is Liu Yan, the current assassin of Youzhou. However, it is not the Three Kingdoms at the moment, and the family political system in the late Eastern Han Dynasty has not yet taken shape, how can the Liu family of Youbeiping County be so closed-door?

He thought silently for a while, and then asked, "What, could it be that this Liu Gongzi wants to protect me?" ”

Li Xin shook his head and said matter-of-factly: "Not really. The reason why I am telling you this is just to tell you that the Taishou Mansion still has prestige in the county, including the two governors of the north and south who are loyal to the Taishou Mansion, and the government affairs of the county are represented by Liaoxi County, which is just a scene of effort. ”

Zu Zhao nodded, but he didn't say anything, he was still waiting for Li Xin to answer his question just now.

After a slight pause, Li Xin continued: "Actually, this time it was the third lady of the Taishou Mansion who ordered me to come to protect you. ”

Zu Zhao didn't have any impression for a while, and was puzzled: "Third Miss? Why is there an extra third miss? ”

Li Xin laughed and said, "Have you forgotten? At the dinner party in Taishou's Mansion that day, didn't Liu Taishou invite the third lady to touch the piano? After a sudden change, it was you zuihou who saved the third lady. ”

Hearing Li Xin's mention, Zu Zhao only recalled, he slowly bowed his head, seemed to understand a little, and said, "I see." Didn't the third lady remember that I saved her that day, so she had to save me this time? ”

He felt a little embarrassed about this matter, after all, he didn't rush to rescue the third lady in the Taishou Mansion at the beginning, and in the real sense, the third lady was still dead, and she was not killed on the spot by the assassin's arrow.

Li Xin said: "I think it should be like this. Of course, in addition to this, it is also necessary for your ancestors to contribute. Now Taiping Dao is openly in rebellion, the whole county is not at peace, Wen Duwei is newly defeated, and the county government is short of soldiers. Presumably, Changcheng Zhang Wan will definitely gather rebels in the near future, unite with Taiping Dao, and try to invade the county government. You have a good reputation in the county, and you also have many experiences in fighting with thieves, so you are truly a rare talent. ”

Zu Zhao smiled and said, "Brother Xianyan is so overestimated, my brother is really ashamed." However, if there is really a place for the younger brother, the younger brother will die. ”

Li Xin comforted: "You can rest assured, this matter has already been reported to Jixian County, and Lord Liu will definitely be able to understand the matter and judge this case." No matter how difficult it is, it should be prioritized. ”

Zu Zhao restrained his smile slightly, sighed slightly, and then said, "I hope so." ”

After a day's journey, the group finally arrived in the northern suburbs of Pinggang County in the evening.

It was an extraordinary time, and the gates had been closed early. Li Xin arranged for Shen Yuan and the others to rest in a pavilion outside the city first, and then enter the city after dawn. That night, Li Xin arranged a simple banquet to entertain Shen Yuan at Tingyi, and he deliberately ignored Wang Wei, not only because he was impatient with General Zhang's overstepping his authority, but also because he was disgusted with Wang Wei's own virtue of being a fox and a fake tiger. At the banquet, Li Xin said good things for Zu Zhao, and once again emphasized the current situation of Beiping County. After pushing the cup and setting it up, Shen Yuan was completely relieved and said that the matter would definitely be as accommodating as possible.

At dawn the next day, as soon as the city gate was opened, Li Xin ordered everyone to enter the city.

When passing through the city gate, it was clear that it was more strict than usual, and the guards strictly checked all those who entered the city to prevent thieves from sending inner ghosts into the city. Li Xin showed the token, and then led everyone smoothly. When I came to the county government again, I already had a feeling that time had passed, and the people I saw on the streets were all in a hurry and indifferent, and the prosperity that had been there was now was a depression, and many shops and stores were closed.

The spring breeze in February was like scissors, the trees and grass did not recover from the harsh winter, and from time to time some dirty branches and leaves could be seen rolling with the wind on the ground, which only added a little desolation and loneliness.

Zu Zhao saw the scene outside through the window of the ox cart, and involuntarily gave birth to many feelings in his heart, the troubled times are coming, people are like ants, and the order under the world is returned to chaos.

As we get closer and closer to the Taishou Mansion, you can even see groups of soldiers coming and going on the streets.

According to Li Xin's introduction, a conscription camp was set up on a small street near Taishou Mansion. Since Wen Duwei set out to conquer Changcheng, Taishoufu has been trying to solve the problem of reserve troops. It's just that the current situation is not clear, one is that the county government has limited financial resources and cannot solve the problem of the supply of food and grass for too many soldiers, and the other is that the county is now in turmoil, and Pinggang County is on the cusp of the limelight, and many people in the county have left as soon as possible, and the population loss is relatively serious, so it is impossible to recruit more soldiers.

Arriving at Taishou Mansion, Li Xin first arranged for Shen Yuan and others to rest, and then hurriedly reported relevant matters to the mansion.

It wasn't until near noon that Zhao Yu, the new county governor of Taishou Mansion, came to meet Shen Yuan and Wang Wei.

In terms of official ranks, although Shen Yuan does not have the rank of a county guard, his status within the state and county is still slightly higher than that of the county guard. What's more, at this time, Youbeiping County has not been guarded too much, and it is really rude to let Shen Yuangan wait for nearly an hour. After Zhao Yu arrived, he hurriedly bent down to apologize to Shen Yuan, Xie said that the Taishou Mansion is currently short of manpower, and there are many urgent events in the county, so he is a little neglected, and he hopes that Shen Yuan Haihan will forgive him.

Shen Yuan was originally displeased, but after all, he was a person with identity and demeanor, and seeing Zhao Yu so daoqian, he could be regarded as accepting.

Zhao Yu first reported the current situation in the county to Shen Yuan in detail, most of the content had already been described by Li Xinyan on the way to Pinggang, and Zhao Yu's words now were nothing more than adding fuel and vinegar to make everything more critical. But in addition, Zhao Yu Zuihou said: "Yesterday evening, the county just received an urgent report from Xiyang County, and the traitor Zhang Wan gathered more than 5,000 people from Changcheng rebels and the surrounding Taiping Daoists yesterday morning, and is heading in the direction of Xiyang County, I am afraid that I will attack Xiyang County in the near future." ”――

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