It was past noon. Under the tall city tower of the cyan tiles, the soldiers dressed in armor and stomachs held spears in their hands and stood tall. Below the city tower, the pale gray city wall does not know where it stretches, and in the middle position, three wide doorways are open, one high and two low, and the people and horses in and out are endless, a prosperous scene.

The scorching sun hung high in the air, and the huge shadow of the city gate shrouded the flow of people entering and leaving the city, crossing the suspension bridge and moat, all the way to Yuan Ming's feet.

Looking at the familiar city gate, Yuan Ming raised his head slightly, and his gaze finally fell on the gray stone plaque above the doorway. There are only two vigorous and powerful characters in the plaque, "Qu Jiang".

At that time, it was under this plaque that Yuan Ming bid farewell to the people who saw him off and left the capital of the Great Jin Dynasty.

Nowadays, things are not people. He was silent for a moment, then gathered away his distracted thoughts and walked towards the city. "Get out of the way!" As soon as he walked across the suspension bridge, a horsewhip and a scolding suddenly sounded behind Yuan Ming. He turned his head and saw three or four soldiers in armor, riding tall horses and waving whips, driving the chariots and horses in front of the city gate.

Although they were ruthless, the horsewhip was not drawn, but only a deterrent. In the distance, the brigade of chariots and horses came slowly, and the flag was unfurled in the wind, revealing the word "Zhao".

Yuan Ming frowned slightly, but he didn't say much, and gave way like the panicked people on the side. Soon, a road large enough for two carriages to cross the city gate was cleared, and the convoy holding the banner of Zhao Zijing also passed.

There are a lot of people and horses in the convoy, and there are soldiers on war horses in front and behind, although the middle few carriages are not gorgeous, but the lines and carvings on the carriage are simple and elegant, and they are by no means able to ride in ordinary people. However, seeing the decorations on the carriage and the Zhao Zijing flag, a hint of thoughtfulness flashed across Yuan Ming's face.

As the convoy approached, the guards in front of the city gate seemed to be nervous, and a soldier wearing the armor of the gatekeeper hurriedly walked out of the city tower and rushed down to the city gate before the convoy arrived.

In the carriage at the front of the convoy that stopped in front of the city gate, a servant stepped forward and lifted the curtain, and an old man with crane hair sat in the car, with a solemn face. "Welcome to Zhao Hou." The doorman greeted him with a smile and said to the old man.

At the same time, beside Yuan Ming, a person dressed as a businessman asked his companion in a low voice: Brother Lu, whose team is this? Why is it so pompous? The companion looked left and right and lowered his voice: "Be quiet, this is General Jingbei's convoy, if you disturb them, you and I will not be able to compensate for a few lives." "So domineering? I'm coming from the south, and you're preaching? Shang Jia was taken aback.

"You haven't been to the north, you don't know, this old general Zhao has guarded the frontier for many years, and I heard that he is domineering and prestigious." The companion said with a look of awe. On the side, Yuan Ming laughed dumbly, he didn't know if General Jingbei was domineering, but he remembered that when he was a child, General Zhao was a frequent visitor to his house and watched him grow up.

On the other side, General Zhao just nodded slightly at the door captain, and the servants lowered the curtain, and the convoy slowly left, and the previous scene was quickly restored in front of the city gate. But next to Yuan Ming, the two people were still talking: "But speaking of which, General Zhao has been guarding the frontier for a long time and living in the north, and rarely returns to the capital if there is no major event. ”

"How do I know this, I guess something big happened in the imperial court." The merchant man walked and talked to his companions. Yuan Ming had arrived at the city gate at this time, and the city guard at the city gate asked, "Name?" "Yuan Ming." Yuan Ming replied.

"Yuan Ming? Yuan Gongzi of the Yuan Mansion? The city guard was surprised. Yes, exactly. Yuan Ming replied. When the city guard saw Yuan Ming's face clearly, he suddenly screamed, excitedly wanting to hold Yuan Ming's hand. A person on the side said, "Yuan Ming? Yuan Gongzi, it's really you! I heard that your envoy to Southern Xinjiang disappeared before, and I thought there was some accident, but I didn't expect you to be alive! Suddenly, as if remembering something, he patted his clothes and took out a roll of brocade from his bosom.

Wrapped in brocade silk is an extremely exquisite book, and the cover of the book is printed with four bronzing characters "Sheng Gongzi's Journey to the South" "I am a loyal fan of Yuan Gongzi, today I am specially here to buy this hardcover version of "Sheng Gongzi's Journey to the South", I didn't expect to meet you at the city gate. ”

The man's eyes shone brightly, and he held the hardcover book in front of Yuan Ming with great anticipation: "I wonder if I can ask you to sign the book?" I will definitely treasure it! ”

Yuan Mei couldn't resist his enthusiasm, so he had to take the book, but when he wanted to sign it, he said: Sorry, I didn't bring a pen. "I just want to leave." Ah, it's me who didn't think it through, wait a minute.

The man patted his head in annoyance, turned around and grabbed a person next to him: "I'm sorry, do you have pen and ink on you to lend me something?" "Pen and ink? When I go out on errands, what do I bring those things for? Passers-by didn't understand their intentions, and looked at him and Yuan Ming suspiciously, and their eyes suddenly lit up. Hey, are you Yuan Ming and Yuan Gongzi? "Exactly, I just came back from southern Xinjiang." Yuan Ming said with a smile. ""Sheng Gongzi's Journey to the South" is really wonderful for me, and your experience is really ups and downs." That's humane.

Before Yuan Ming could answer, the passer-by also realized that he had no pen and ink, and just like the person just now, he turned to the passer-by to seek pen and ink. In this way, ten to hundred, after a while, Yuan Ming was surrounded by a large group of people. The commotion in front of the city gates soon attracted the attention of the gatekeeper. "Get out of the way, don't get around, what's going on here...... Yuan Gongzi? He commanded the city guards to squeeze through the crowd, and when he saw Yuan Ming's appearance clearly, he also shouted in surprise.

Yuan Ming was a little puzzled: "You also recognize me?" "Of course! Yuan Gongzi, when Jin Ge Iron Horse took the mission out of the city, I was on duty! Even though you look different and taller, I still recognize you. No, after you disappeared, your books sold out, and some editions were hard to find! The doorman immediately smiled as he instructed his men to separate the crowd.

Yuan Ming couldn't help but laugh dumbly when he heard this, he often heard that the value of the painter's paintings would double after his death, and this time it was his turn.

At this time, one person in the crowd desperately wanted to squeeze in, and shouted: Yuan Gongzi, I found pen and ink! The doorman's face darkened, and he turned around to scold, but Yuan Ming stopped him: "It's okay, let him come over, I promised to sign him." "Yuan Gongzi is still so kind-hearted. The doorman complimented him and ordered his men to get out of the way.

Yuan Ming took the book, wrote a word of encouragement to his daughter on it, and signed it, and the man smirked and retreated. Seeing this situation, the crowd became even more excited, and many people found the same book out of nowhere, and also shouted that they wanted to get the pen and ink left by Yuan Ming. "Yuan Gongzi, is the journey you wrote to the south true?"

"Yuan Gongzi stayed. For a time, the pressure on the city guards increased greatly. Seeing this, Yuan Ming said loudly: "Everyone, I understand your feelings, but I have been away for many years, and I just returned to Beijing today, and I really can't stay longer, I hope you understand." After a few days of rest like this, I will go to Tianming Bookstore to talk to you again. ”

Hearing this, the crowd erupted in chaotic shouts, most of which were words of understanding. The door captain wiped his sweat and hurriedly asked his subordinates to escort Yuan Ming into the city. But as soon as he passed through the city gate, Yuan Ming heard a tsunami-like shout again.

The wide streets were crowded with people, and the surging flow of people blocked the city gate, whether it was a scribe or a peddler, they were all crowded in the crowd at this time, desperately tiptoeing, wanting to see Yuan Ming's demeanor.

Yuan Ming was also taken aback by the scene in front of him, and secretly thought that he didn't seem to have such a great reputation before he disappeared, so he couldn't help but turn his head and smile bitterly: "It seems that I have to trouble you to send some people to inform the General's Mansion and let them come over to open the road." ”

"Such a trivial matter, why bother the people of the General's Mansion, I happen to have some extra people under me, so let them send Yuan Gongzi back." The doorman patted his chest.

Soon, he called several idle city guards and asked them to escort Yuan Ming all the way to the General's Mansion. The city guards with swords in their hands shocked the crowd and finally opened up a walkable path for Yuan Ming.

Even so, there were still a lot of people crowded on both sides of the road, and the restaurants and teahouses on the street also opened their windows, and the diners gathered in front of the windows, looking curiously at the situation outside, and seeing Yuan Ming being escorted by, they were all inexplicably excited.

Soon, the news of Yuan Ming, the best-selling author in the capital and the only son of Zhennan general Yuan Zuochong, who had returned safely from southern Xinjiang after disappearing for several years, spread throughout the capital. In the Jingbei General's Mansion, Zhao Jisheng, the Marquis of Jingbei, stepped out of the carriage with the support of the servants, and was about to enter the mansion when he heard a noise from the street side avenue.

He frowned slightly, and immediately a soldier by his side went to inquire about the news. After a while, the soldier returned with information, and after listening to his report, a trace of surprise flashed on Zhao Jisheng's face, and then he showed a heartfelt smile.

"Hey, Yuan boy, I'll just say that he is blessed with a great life!" He waved his hand to the side: "Come on, prepare a gift for the Yuan Mansion to send, and then send a letter of worship, saying that the old man will visit soon." ”

At the same time, Tianming Publishing House, the shopkeeper of the book club was arranging manpower to put the hardcover edition of "Sheng Gongzi's Journey to the South" on the short-sold bookshelf, and a guy suddenly stumbled in. "Shopkeeper, big things, big things!" "What's so loud about it, what if it disturbs the guests?" The shopkeeper of the book club scolded.

The guy was out of breath, held his knees and rested for a moment before swallowing his saliva and saying, "Good news, the shopkeeper is Yuan Gongzi, Yuan Gongzi is back!" "Yuan Gongzi? Which Yuan, the shopkeeper of the book club was stunned for a moment, and stepped forward a few steps forward and grabbed the man's arm: "What you said, it won't be Yuan Ming, Yuan Gongzi, right?"

"It's him, it's crazy on the street, saying that Yuan Gongzi has come back from southern Xinjiang after hardships!" The guy nodded hurriedly. The shopkeeper of the book club immediately laughed: "Okay, good! Quickly, immediately arrange for people to go out to publicize, and said that in order to celebrate the return of Yuan Gongzi, all books in the store will be sold at a 10% discount, no, 20% off! At his command, the guys in the store soon dispersed, and the shopkeeper of the bookstore was indescribably excited. Your Majesty, Yuan Gongzi is finally back!