What gave Ouyang Xuan and the others a headache was how to enter the village of Liuliba. Because of the deep forest and dangerous road in the Jiguan Mountain Area, it has been a mixed place of Han and Tibetan since the Tang Dynasty. In the more than 20 years since the invasion of Shu by Kuduan, the Southern Song Dynasty officials have never formed effective governance here, and it has always belonged to the land outside the country. Because of the rampant bandits in the mountains, few people from outside the mountains reach the mountains. Liuliba is located in the depths of the Jiguan Mountains, where the road is even more remote, and no one in the grain conscription team has ever been here. Zhu Jiaozi, a new recruit, went into the mountains once a few years ago when he was a foot merchant, and that time he picked up some needles and threads to try his luck in the mountains, and these things were in demand in the mountains. As a result, as soon as he arrived at Wanjiaping, he was robbed of the goods by the bandits of Wanjiazhai under the pretext of taxation, but fortunately his life was not harmed, but then he did not dare to set foot in the mountains again.

Ouyang Xuan had often hiked in the Jiguan Mountains before crossing, but the foreground was not quite consistent with his memory, fortunately, the terrain had not changed much, but Rao was so, and he was wrong twice in the guidance. After passing Wanjiaping, Ouyang Xuan relied on the memories of his previous hiking, tried to discern the direction of the mountains and rivers, estimated the itinerary, and finally found the Liuliba. When he saw the gate of Liuliba from a distance, Ouyang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, and sighed that he finally didn't go the wrong way this time.

Just as everyone was preparing to march towards the village, Zhu Zhuozi's words extinguished everyone's enthusiasm: "Lord Ouyang, most of the Zhongshan people here are Qiangbo, they are brutal by nature and do not obey the king, they have never interacted with the government, and they don't like the arrival of the official army.

Just before Cao Ergou came back, Ouyang Xuan proposed that he and Zhu Xuanzi pretend to be monks and merchants respectively to go to the cottage to explore the way. It's only been a few days since he crossed over, and Ouyang Xuan's hair is still very short, and the clothes on his body are also different from ordinary people, thinking that he can hide from the guards of the walled gate. As for Zhu Zhuozi, he was a foot merchant before he was confiscated, and there was no problem of dressing. It's just that his idea of risking his life was opposed by the fire commanders.

Just before Cao Ergou came back, Ouyang Xuan proposed that he and Zhu Xuanzi pretend to be monks and merchants respectively to go to the cottage to explore the way. It's only been a few days since he crossed over, and Ouyang Xuan's hair is still very short, and the clothes on his body are also different from ordinary people, thinking that he can hide from the guards of the walled gate. As for Zhu Zhuozi, he was a foot merchant before he was confiscated, and there was no problem of dressing. It's just that his idea of risking his life was opposed by the fire commanders.

After Cao Ergou returned to the team, everyone discussed for a while, but there was still no good plan. Seeing that the sky was getting darker and darker, and looking at Yu Zhu, who was lying on a temporary stretcher with a high fever and talking nonsense, Ouyang Xuan ignored everyone's opposition, and immediately decided that he and Zhu Zhuozi would go to visit the village first, and the rest of the people would wait for news in one mile, and if he had any accidents, the whole team would obey Huang Dagen's order.

The Liuliba gate is also standing at the dangerous place of the mountain road, and is made of logs two zhang high. Several mountain people guarding the gate saw Ouyang Xuan and the two coming with weapons, but they did not panic, they just closed the gate from a distance, and stopped the two of them standing in place to ask, their words full of vigilance. When they learned that Ouyang Xuan was a monk from Youfang, the mountain people were surprised and puzzled, after all, there was no temple here, and no monk had ever come here, but when they asked Zhu Xuanzi to be a merchant, they were all surprised, got off the wall and opened the gate to walk to the two of them, and asked Zhu Xuanzi to take out the goods for sale. The sudden enthusiasm and demands of the mountain people did not make Zhu Zhuozi feel panicked. Due to the destruction of production due to the war, the mountain road where Liuliba is located is difficult to travel, and the mountain bandits cut the path, very few outsiders can come here, so the materials here are extremely scarce. Fortunately, before Zhu Zhuozi's goods were confiscated, he also hid a little on his body. Under the intently gaze of several mountain people, Zhu Zhuozi took out a small cloth bag in his arms, and when he opened it, he revealed some bits and pieces, including shiny sewing needles, jelly beans, marriage powder, and silk head ropes........

When they learned that the goods brought by the two were only the things in the cloth bag, several mountain people suddenly couldn't hide their disappointment, and Zhu Zhuozi was also a little embarrassed, as a merchant, he brought too few goods. However, as a long-term businessman, Zhu Zhuozi is not only good at observing the psychological changes of customers, but also skillfully guiding the needs of customers, he took out an oily paper bag from his arms, opened it and dipped his index finger in some white powder and sent it to his mouth, and handed the oiled paper bag to the mountain people. After tasting it, a few mountain people had a cheerful expression on their faces - this was the salt that was so scarce in the stockade.

Although there are few salt and groceries, Zhu Zhuozi has been selling goods for many years, and he transferred the robbery of his goods by the mountain bandits a few years ago to this time, and bitterly reported the evil deeds of the mountain bandits, which not only won the sympathy of the mountain people, but also convinced the mountain people of the identity of the two. "It's a pity, just order the goods. The other groceries don't matter, if only there was more salt!" A stout mountain man sighed, and after talking, he learned that this person's name was Shi Zhongshu, and he was the small leader of the mountain people guarding the Zhaimen.

"There will be more in the future, bring more salt into the mountain in the future", Zhu Zhuozi sneered while approaching the tree in the stone.

"The salt is carried by the companions who walk behind." Ouyang Xuan continued, and let out a whistle, and the team hidden at the bend of the mountain road walked out of the hiding place one after another, led by Huang Dagen towards the cottage door. This made Shizhongshu's complexion change greatly, he took a few steps back, and then ran back with the rest of the mountain people, and at the same time slammed the big iron bell at the gate of the wall, and suddenly the loud bell echoed throughout the small half of the valley. Shi Zhongshu stood on the gate tower of the cottage and said loudly to Ouyang Xuan and Zhu Zhuozi outside the gate: "This matter is very important, I have sent someone back to invite the leader, and I also ask the two of you to wait." ”