The speed of the convoy was not fast, but it came slowly, and finally arrived in Nanping.

When he arrived in Nanping County, Wu Xie realized how serious the situation was.

There are refugees everywhere.

He thought about it for a long time, and could only think of such a sentence to describe it.

To the south of Nanping Mountain, the only exit is a pass, called "Zhennan Pass". This pass, built 500 years ago in the Great Qi era, ignores the passage of time and the change of dynasties, and still stubbornly holds the road to the south.

The city wall built at the top of the mountain cliff, the total height is more than one hundred and fifty zhang, the annular artificial slope leading to the bottom is called the "ladder to the sky", it is one of the famous scenery of the Southern Chu country, Wu Xie has always wanted to see this super slope more than 500 meters high before, and reminisce about the great achievements of the ancestors, and finally get his wish today.

However, when he saw with his own eyes the great slope that was said to have been built with the help of the immortals, the first thing he felt was not the magnificence of nature or the greatness of the ancestors, but a deep shock and sympathy.

The long slope was full of victims, and at first glance it was dark and overwhelming, and it was impossible to count.

Because of the fear that the victims would break through the pass, the gate was not opened, but there were several cauldrons outside the city gate, and a group of soldiers who were brave enough to be big enough and hard enough to guard there, cooking the grain sent down in hanging baskets in the gate into thin porridge every day to maintain the minimum life of the victims.

They can only go so far because they also have limited food.

Before the disaster relief team sent by the imperial court arrived, they could only rely on the grain stored in the pass and the food sent by some enthusiastic people to help the victims, in order to use this bit of food as long as possible, the general soldier Wang Qinian took the lead in drinking porridge every day, and after drinking the porridge for more than a month, his eyes were a little green when he saw the grain truck.

"Brother Xu, you have always been in the capital and are well-informed, do you know what happened in the capital recently?" After eating a few people's dry food in one go, Wang Qinian recovered a little bit of energy, he wondered and asked angrily, "What's wrong with the imperial court?" When the disaster first appeared last month, I sent a messenger to report it quickly, but I replied, 'I'll talk about it when there is a disaster'; when the disaster situation became severe this month, I sent a messenger again and replied, 'There is something else important'...... Are the big people in the court crazy? Do you have to cause a civil change to be willing? ”

Hearing this, except for Wu Jie, who was already suspicious, everyone in the team was stunned, you look at me, I look at you, and they couldn't help but doubt their ears.

"Mr. Wang, you say...... Did the disaster happen last month? It was Shen Yi who reacted first and hurriedly asked, "When was last month?" ”

"The first time I sent a messenger was on the 10th day of the ninth month." Wang Qinian counted the time with his fingers, "The second time a messenger was sent was September 28. The victims began to come to Zhennanguan on the sixth day of October. Around October 15, the situation was very serious...... What's wrong? Don't you know the way? ”

"I'm afraid you don't believe it, we really don't know the way. The news received by the imperial court was that there was a hint of a disaster on the third day of October, and if food could not be delivered before the end of October, the disaster could be completely expanded. That's why disaster relief teams were sent, and we were the first to do so. Xu Hai's brows furrowed almost into a line, "The statements on both sides are completely incorrect!" ”

This time it was Wang Qinian's turn to be stunned, he thought about it, and ordered those messengers to be found to ask what was going on.

Of course he wasn't lying, and the people in the disaster relief team certainly weren't lying, so most of the problem was with the messengers!

A few minutes later, the word "mostly" was crossed out.

"The four messengers before and after, all gone?" Wang Qinian almost jumped on the table, and his saliva sprayed on the face of the deputy chief soldier, "The four big living people were all lost at once, and you actually found out now?" How did you become a deputy commander-in-chief! ”

Now it is very clear that this disaster is not only a natural disaster, but also a human disaster!

"Someone must be doing something wrong, and this person has a lot of energy!" Xu Hai analyzed with a gloomy face, "It's not difficult to buy messengers, but those replies are all sealed by the imperial court, and it is not easy to forge those seals." ”

"There is not only a seal letter, but also a handwritten reply from the right servant of the household department." Wang Qinian took out a letter from the cabinet, "In the past few years, the supplies and the like in our Zhennanguan have been approved by him, and I still know the handwriting." ”

"Then there is something wrong with this squire, or someone has forged his papers." Xu Hai habitually went to touch the wine jug on his waist, but when he touched it, he remembered that he had already made up his mind that he would not drink a drop of wine until the disaster relief was completed, and he didn't even bring out the wine jug.

He sighed and continued, "Besides, I have a question—you see, there are at least tens of thousands of victims gathered here. The disaster happened on September 28, and there were so many people gathered here on October 15th, right? ”

Wang Qinian nodded.

"From September 28 to October 15, that is, less than 20 days. Although Nanping County has always been relatively short of food, it is unlikely that in just 20 days, a large number of victims will be short of food and have fled here! Don't they have food at home? Even if the grain in their homes is flooded, are the official warehouses everywhere all decorations? ”

Xu Hai's question made Wang Qinian think deeply. The local government has official warehouses and has a large amount of grain reserves. This food is not allowed to be used in normal times, but only in times of war and disaster relief - and now, supposedly, it is the time to use this food!

"What is the scale of the official warehouse in Zhennan Pass?" Xu Hai asked again.

"It's relatively small, we have limited space here, and we can't build a big granary."

"But even the official warehouse in Zhennanguan maintained the lives of tens of thousands of disaster victims here for almost ten days. What about the official warehouses in other places? Xu Hai's face became more and more grim, "I remember that about two hundred miles south from Zhennanguan, it is an important town in Nanping County, and the official warehouse there should be prepared according to the consumption of 100,000 people in a month, right?" ”

Wang Qinian didn't expect Xu Hai to know so much about the situation in Nanping County, and he had nothing else to say except nodding his head again and again.

"Then let's ask a few of the victims and ask about the situation over there." Xu Hai sighed deeply, "I have a bad premonition, I'm afraid I'm going to cause something big this time!" ”

His hunch was indeed right, and the victims all said that the official warehouses were almost empty, and the grain that should have been piled up disappeared without a trace.

This news is really too shocking, not to mention people like Shen Yi who have never seen much of the world, even Wang Qinian's general soldier and Xu Hai, a veteran from the battlefield, are unheard of.

For a while, there was silence in the military hall, and even a needle on the ground could be heard clearly.

Seeing this situation, Wu Jie, who had already received the news from Wei Shu, finally couldn't help but speak.

"Lord Xu, Lord Wang, among the civil and military officials of Nanping County, who can have such a great energy to move all the official warehouses in various places silently?" He asked in a "speculative" tone, but the implication was clear.

Xu Hai and Wang Qinian glanced at each other, and they both saw distress and disbelief in each other's eyes.

It's not that they don't know the answer, but the weight of this answer is too heavy, and they can't afford to take that responsibility!

"Who is it?" Wu Xie raised his voice and asked again.

Xu Hai's eyes flickered, and Wang Qinian's eyes wandered.

"It's all this time, do you still have to cover it up for him!" Shen Yi couldn't look at it, and said coldly, "Who else can it be besides Ning Wang Zhu Quan!" ”

Hearing the name "Zhu Quan", Wu Xie nodded slightly, took a step back, and returned the position of the protagonist of the discussion to Xu Hai, Wang Qinian and others.

The matter has been revealed, and he doesn't need to say anything more.

Zhu Quan, the king of Ning, is the only king with a different surname who has real power in Southern Chu.

His ancestors were warlords in the south, and when the Great Qi Dynasty came out one after another, this General Zhu was the first to raise the banner of rebellion against tyranny, and defeated the Qi army that came to crusade several times in succession, fundamentally shaking the rule of the Great Qi Dynasty. However, that hero is a super family freak, and he resolutely refuses to set foot north of Nanping Mountain, but only concentrates on running a paradise-like territory in the troubled times, and at the same time supports the Great Chu Taizu logistically.

Later, the Great Chu established the country, he was named the King of Ning, the Great Chu Taizu erected a monument as an oath, the Zhu family of the King of Ning was hereditary, and Yongzhen Tiannan - Zhu Quan is his descendant, the contemporary King of Ning.

Zhu Quan is known as a virtuous person, he practiced martial arts when he was young, and later claimed that "martial arts are not enough to Anbang", abandoned martial arts and followed literature, and worshiped under the famous ministers to learn the way of governing the country. A few years later, he returned to Nanping County, as the prince of the temporary regent, the management of everything in an orderly manner, not long ago, the king of the last generation of Ning died of a poisonous insect while hunting, he officially succeeded, with the unanimous support of the court and the people.

In this Nanping County, who can silently empty the official warehouses in various places, infiltrate their own power into Zhennan Pass, buy all the messengers trusted by Wang Zongbing, and let them withdraw in time when they may be exposed...... No matter how you look at it, he is the only one who can do it!

"What is King Koning doing all this for?" Wang Qinian asked rhetorically, "What's in it for him?" Could he still be able to capture this town? As long as he can't capture Zhennan Pass, everything he does will be in vain! ”

"Why do you think he needs to attack Zhennan Pass?" Xu Hai asked rhetorically, "Even your messenger is his person, what is so difficult about trying to overturn you and directly switch him over?" ”

Wang Qinian was speechless for a moment, grinning but speechless.

"How unreasonable! As the prince of a county, he deliberately trapped the people in fire and water, how could he tolerate this kind of goods! Shen Yi's eyes were full of coldness, and the overflowing murderous aura forced everyone except Wu Xie to stand unsteadily, and they all retreated.

"If Shen Daxia wants to go out, count me in." Wu Xie had already made up his mind to kill the traitor and eliminate the evil - if a mad guy like Zhu Quan didn't get rid of it, God knows how many people he would hurt!

Looking at the attitude of the two of them, Wang Qinian suddenly felt that his head was as big as a fight.

The so-called state-owned state has family rules, and Zhu Quan, the king of Ning, is the premier minister of the Southern Chu State, even if he makes any mistakes, he must be carefully investigated, and then supervised by the Son of Heaven himself - maybe an amnesty will be given, after all, the lives of tens of millions of people are not worth the lives of a prince, not to mention that the investigation of King Ning will have a great impact, and the risk is too great.

But he didn't dare to stop Shen Yi and Wu Jie, although Kyushu was big, there were not many innate martial arts powerhouses, and these powerhouses did not need to be attached to the country, but the countries were actively wooing them to fight against all kinds of monsters and disasters that could not be reached by manpower. If the two innate masters were indignant and killed King Ning, the Son of Heaven was afraid that not only would he not blame, but he would be happy.

This at least shows that these two innate masters are ambitious!

But...... The Son of Heaven will not blame Shen Yi and Wu Jie, but he may not punish Wang Qinian severely!

If King Ning does not die and is pardoned by the Son of Heaven, even Wang Qinian with him can be lightly punished; But if King Ning dies and the case is implemented, he can't escape a charge of dereliction of duty and incompetence, and the dismissal is light, and he may be convicted of King Ning's henchmen...... That's going to be a head-loss!

"The stakes are too big to draw conclusions, but I think it's more important to give disaster relief first." Seeing that Wang Qinian's face turned pale, Xu Hai, who understood the reason, hurriedly stood up and played a round, "Two heroes! If it was really King Ning's doing, then he would not be able to escape the punishment of national law. However, King Ning can't leave, and he is not in a hurry to kill him in this day or two, and the victims can't wait for a day! ”

He was right, and everyone had to suppress the doubts and anger in their hearts, and each went to prepare for disaster relief.

And the discussion in the military hall was also given a gag order by Wang Qinian.