The group walked for a month and finally found Xifengkou. Xifengkou is located at the border of Qianxi County and Kuancheng County, is the pass of the eastern section of the Yanshan Mountains, formed by the Luanhe River, and is a natural channel for the north and south. The left and right cliffs face each other, surrounded by a low mountain and hills, the terrain is abrupt, and the traffic is very inconvenient.

Entering the valley, Aobai's first thought was that this place was easy to set up an ambush. As long as there is enough gunpowder, detonate it in the right place, and separate the Eight Banners Cavalry with stones, the troops in the pass will pour out of the nest and fight to the death, even if they are defeated, they can inflict heavy damage on the Eight Banners Army. Taking this road to invade the Central Plains is not a small risk.

The pace of the march slowed down considerably.

Yao Qianyu was excited, unwilling to take the carriage anymore, she rode with Ao Bai, walked at the front of the team, ready to negotiate with the Ming Dynasty defenders she encountered.

The two were used to being so close, Yao Qianyu leaned into Ao Bai's arms and asked softly, "Are you nervous?" ”

He was really a little nervous, although he didn't have the intention of harming others, but there was a saying that "if you are not of my race, your heart will be different", once he was found out about the identity of the Jurchens, he would be in trouble. Ao Bai smiled: "I was a little nervous, but it was much better to hug you." At the beginning, we rode a horse back to Jinguo, and now we ride a horse to Daming, I remember that you sat very straight at that time, and you would rather be tired than rely on me...... Fate is such a thing as a really amazing thing. ”

Yao Qianyu said faintly: "If my father is not sent to Juehua Island, I will not know you, maybe it is all the will of heaven." ”

Ao Bai knew that he had touched her sore spot again, sighed, and asked, "I haven't asked you yet, is your grandfather a big official?" ”

Yao Qianyu leaned into his arms and said, "My grandfather, father, uncle and others are all military generals. My grandfather used to be a very big official, but later the eunuch Wei Zhongxian framed his good friend Zuo Guangdou, and impeached him as a member of the party, causing him to be dismissed. ”

Wei Zhongxian's name is like thunder, not a good thing. If you can be framed by him, you must be a good official. Ao Bai asked, "What's your grandfather's name?" ”

Yao Qianyu said with a smile: "My grandfather's surname is He, his name is like a pet, and his name is Kanghou." Have you heard of it? ”

"I haven't heard of it." Ao Bai replied truthfully. The officials of the Ming Dynasty, except for the group of people in Shanhaiguan, he knew very little.

Hearing Yao Qianyu say his grandfather's words, he frowned again and said, "Do Han people have words?" When I see your family, will they ask me what I write? ”

Yao Qianyu said with a smile: "Don't be afraid, many people only have names, and if they don't have words, you just say that they are called Huang Peng." ”

Zi, also known as table characters, is an alias that ancient Chinese gave themselves in addition to their names and related to the meaning of their own names. When a person becomes an adult, he needs to be respected by society, and it is disrespectful for his peers to only call him by his name, so he needs to choose a word for himself to use when interacting with others in society to show mutual respect.

The ancients were very particular about taking the table characters, and the situation was also very complicated. There is really no connection between the name Aobai and Huang Peng, and it doesn't make sense to say the word Aobai. Let him think of a suitable one, and he is too lazy to think about it.

I thought that I would be discovered soon, but after walking for a few hours, I didn't find any sentry posts of the Ming army. When I arrived, I met some Mongols, and after inquiry, I knew that the pass was not far away.

The closer you get to the pass, the more people there are, and it is very lively as if you have entered a market. The Mongols drove cattle and sheep to trade with the Han Chinese. Both tribes were defenseless.

Ao Bai told the team to stop, spent money to buy some Han clothes, and changed them together. Changing the line of work, it is easier to enter the customs.

The tall gates were wide open, and a few listless soldiers stood at the gates. When the leader saw them coming, he shouted, "Stop, what are you doing?" ”

Ao Bai stepped forward and said respectfully: "This eldest brother, we are Han people who were displaced after the battle of Juehua Island before, and we heard that the situation has stabilized and want to return to the Central Plains from here. ”

The doorman looked at Ao Bai and said vigilantly, "What about your hair?" How do you prove that you are Han? In case you are a foreigner pretending to be Han Chinese and want to enter the customs, I can't afford this crime. ”

Yao Qianyu stepped forward and said, "My father is Yao Fumin, the guard general of Juehua Island, I don't know which adult is guarding Xifengkou?" As long as I report it, I can prove my identity when I meet an adult. ”

"I don't know your father, I'm busy, who has time to report to you? If you want to enter the customs, you have to come up with evidence. If you're really the daughter of a guard, you won't even understand this rule, right? The doorman smiled lewdly and twisted his fingers.

As soon as he saw his movements, Ao Bai immediately understood that he wanted money. He went to the carriage and carried a bag of silver, which was fifty taels, and quietly handed it to the head of the doorman under cover, and said with a smile: "Big brother, how can we not understand? This little thing doesn't bother the adults at Xifengkou, so let's ask the eldest brother to help. ”

The head of the doorman immediately smiled, put away the silver, and shouted loudly: "They are my merchants of the Ming Dynasty, who went to the grassland to do business, let them go." ”

A soldier pointed at Hari Chagai and the others, frowned, and said, "My lord, you see that they don't look like Han Chinese." How can you just put it in the gate? ”

The little leader shouted: "They deliberately pretend to be foreigners, it is more convenient to go to Guanwai, you don't even understand this thing, what will you do in the future?" I said let it go, and whoever talks nonsense should not do it here. ”

Ao Bai and the others drove the car and successfully entered the Xifengkou Fortress.

Yao Qianyu bit her lip and was reluctant to speak. The phoenix rode up and asked, "Husband, what's going on?" Why did that person say that we are Han? ”

Ao Bai laughed: "Because I bribed him." In the past, the officials of the Han Dynasty bribed Jin Guo many times, and they were all good at playing this game. I just gave the man a bag of silver, enough for him to spend a long time. Look at his appearance, don't say it's us, even if it's Huang Taiji, he will let it in. ”

He saw that Yao Qianyu's face was ugly, and said lightly: "Don't be angry, you don't have to be as knowledgeable as the doorman, right?" ”

Yao Qianyu sighed and said, "What is this?" How can such a critical fortress be defended with this kind of soldiers? In the future, if the Eight Banners Army fights from here, it will definitely break through easily. ”

Ao Bai said lightly: "Frozen three feet, not a day's cold, these things are not something you can control, don't think too much." ”

He had the impression that the Eight Banners Army had attacked the hinterland of the Ming Dynasty several times from this road, and it was really like entering a no-man's land. If the defenders are like this, seeing the enemy's large army killing, I am afraid that the city gate will not have time to close and flee.

Entering the pass, there are many houses, in addition to the garrison, there are many people living here, without the mountains on both sides of the barrier, the road is becoming more and more wide.

In the evening, they came across another pass. The doormen here are more straightforward, and it doesn't matter who they are, they ask for money when they open their hands.

Ao Baixiao asked: "We have already paid the entry fee just now, why do we have to pay it again?" ”

The leader of the person with triangular eyes, nose facing the sky, crooked neck, as if he was going to convulsion, said: "Now the Shanhaiguan is being deployed and the city is being built, in order to ensure the salary of the troops, all tolls must be paid when passing through the customs from here, one or two per person." ”

In the country of Jin, one acre of land is sold for five taels of silver. The greed of this group of guards is outrageous. According to this collection method, people who have no money will die outside the customs, and they don't have to think about entering and leaving.

Yao Qianyu saw that such a bad doorman was still embarrassed, and he was angry, and scolded: "It's just that you people are derelict in their duties, and you have to collect so many tolls and so many military salaries, why do you raise a bunch of waste!" ”

Triangle Eyes smiled: "Shout, the little lady is crazy." Okay, tell the brethren to come out, I suspect they have hidden forbidden things in their cars, search them! ”

Although he could easily kill all these people, Ao Bai still felt patient. If you do it here, you will be in trouble later. With a smile on his face, he stepped forward and said, "This big brother, I am not sensible in the lower inner son, I apologize to you for her." You are guarding the border here, and you have no merit and hard work. Tolls must be paid, do you think these are enough? ”

With that, he handed out another bag of silver.

The triangular eyes weighed, there were dozens of taels, and there was a smile on his face immediately. said: "Don't call people, there is a misunderstanding." Let's go over. ”

After walking not far, Yao Qianyu leaned into Ao Bai's arms and cried softly.

Ao Bai hurriedly said: "Don't cry, it's just a little silver, why are you angry with those guards?" ”

Yao Qianyu sighed: "This kind of errand must be obtained by some people who are officials and find ways to fight for their relatives." I don't know how much oil and water I can collect in a year. For the sake of money, they didn't even care about Daming's safety. How can these people fight? You deserve to be killed! ”

How can you save killing a group of people who deserve to defend the innocent people? The Eight Banners Army has entered the Central Plains from this road many times, and it is said that with the first time, it is necessary to strengthen the defense line, but every time the Eight Banners Army is like a bamboo, as if entering a no-man's land. Ao Bai didn't know the reason in his previous life, but now he understands. It's not that it can't be prevented, but it can't be guarded at all, and the guards who are assigned here are all here to make a fortune.

Ao Bai seems to have seen a microcosm of the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, but the guards are so greedy, how can the country not die?

Yao Qianyu cried because she was disappointed in Daming, but she still had the heart to save the country. By the time everyone is numb, it's all over.

However, Ao Bai is not depressed, only when the world is in chaos, he has a chance. The greater the resentment of the people, the greater his chances. Influenced by thousands of years of feudal ideology, the people have a servile nature in their bones. If it weren't for the fact that the oppressed couldn't survive, they wouldn't rebel, and they would defend the landlords and officials who oppressed them.

The procession walked for four days and passed through six passes, all of which were intended to pass from here and leave behind to buy road money. The only difference between janitors and robbers in these levels is that they are legitimate.

Qi Bu couldn't help but say, "Young Master, no wonder the Great Khan wants to lead troops to rob the Han people." The people here are so rich, a janitor is about to catch up with Baylor, what are the rich of those who are officials? ”

That's true. Ao Bai became the deputy capital of the white flag, and the salary was only a few hundred taels of silver a year. It's so cheating, the gatekeeper at the checkpoint is fiercer than a tiger!