A large group of scholars hurriedly disembarked and hurried to the city, but in half an hour the speed became slower and slower.

"No, it's better to take a break. ”

Eventually, someone can't help but take a break.

It was only half an hour before they were sweating and panting for air. If it wasn't for Shen Shi walking with them, they would have to wonder if they had run a marathon.

"Brother Xian, why don't we rest. ”

At the same time, Kong Xueli also panted and suggested.

"Okay. ”

They were all tired and panting, Shen Shi could only agree, and looking at the sky, it was obvious that it was impossible for them to enter the city at the gate.

This was soon proven, and by the time they got back on the road and arrived in Guobei County, north of the Qiantang River, the gates were already closed.

A group of scholars tried to call the door, but no matter their identity and status, it was impossible to open the door, so ......

"Brother Liu, why don't you try it?"

They are a big group of people, and if they want to say that they have an identity, that is, Liu Yuanze, who is a talent.

"This ...... I'll give it a try. ”

Unable to push the instigation of a group of people, he agreed.

"Liu Yuan, the former imperial envoy, and Yiying scholars are in a hurry, and they can't enter the city, I don't know if you can open the city gate and let us in?"

"What kind of city gate to open, don't you know the rules of the imperial court?" came an impatient voice from the city gate.

"Bold!"

The impatience of the soldiers defending the city angered several people on the spot, and even Cao Jinhua's master and servant were also angry.

Thinking that although Cao Jinhua is not a princess, no one dares to let her eat behind closed doors, even in the palace, she has not entered less. Now, she just went into the city to rest and change her clothes, and the little thief with the army dared to let her eat behind closed doors. She almost had to report her identity and open the door.

However, before she could report her identity, the other scholars rushed first.

"Bastard, the Great Song Dynasty treats scholars preferentially, so you are not afraid that we will report to the imperial court. ”

"It's the opposite, it's the opposite, it's really the opposite! The little thief with the army dares to speak to the scholar like this!"

......

Everyone, every word you say and I say, all are indignant, as if they are teaching some kind of great rebellion. None of them felt that they were at fault. It's the dynasty Mahan, although they have a difficult face, but they are more helpless.

Bao Zheng felt that what they said was wrong, but so what, the anger of the public was hard to do.

They were angry, but they frightened the soldiers inside. Not to mention reporting to the court, even if they reported to their chief officials, they couldn't afford it. But a group of scholars outside are extremely vicious. They were nothing more than an army to defend the city. If you scare the people, you can't afford to provoke the readers.

But they didn't dare to open the gates either.

Seeing that it had become a stalemate, a scholar suddenly noticed a light not far away.

"Well, you see, it's brightly lit over there, and it must be a big town market, so why don't we go there and change into dry clothes, rest for the night, and hire some carriages to take us back to the city tomorrow." ”

A brightly lit market?

The Great Song Dynasty is so prosperous? Did even the night market appear?

Shen Shi looked in the direction he was pointing, and sure enough, not far away, he saw a brightly lit and prosperous place.

At a glance, the people are full of voices and the prosperity is abnormal.

However, the soldiers inside the city gate heard a group of scholars going to the market outside the city. An older soldier hurriedly said, "Your Excellency, please do so." The law of the court is here, and the villain does not dare to disobey it, but the villain has a few lanterns here, and the ministers can go to Lanruo Temple to stay first. ”

"In the evening, which one is going to climb the mountain? Let's take a walk, it happens to be late tonight, so we will go there for a walk, and then go back to the city tomorrow morning. ”

Where will the scholars listen to the words of the soldiers, and the more the soldiers say that they will not be allowed to go, the more they will go.

"Go together, go together. Several tired scholars hurriedly chimed in.

"Ministers, you can't go, you really can't go! It's not a night market, it's a ghost market. The soldiers at the city gate were in a hurry, and they didn't care about the horror, so they hurriedly said.

"Ghost City?"

"Shhhh

It's not so unlucky! There is a water demon in the river, and a ghost market outside the city.

"You...... Look at that place, what do you see?"

In order to prove it, all the scholars compared what they saw.

"Brother Bao, what did you see there?" Even Shen Shi frowned and pointed in that direction.

In ghost matters, Bao Zheng is more professional.

Bao Zheng had been frowning and looking there, listened to Shen Shi's words, and replied: "There is indeed a night market there, it is very lively, there are many lanterns, stalls, and the outside of the city is even more lively than the inside of the city." ”

Bao Zheng groaned as he spoke.

"Brother Bao, what's wrong?"

Bao Zheng stopped halfway through speaking, but made Kong Xueli nervous.

Bao Zheng thought about it, but still said his opinion, "How can there be a night market in this wilderness, I'm afraid there is a problem, it may be a black market for smuggling." ”

This is Bao Zheng's judgment. Commerce developed in the Great Song Dynasty, and the operation of the imperial court was already very dependent on commerce. And after the development of commerce, smuggling inevitably appeared.

The markets made by the local wealthy gentry in places other than those stipulated by the imperial court were all black markets.

"I see. ”

"It doesn't matter if it's a black market or not, since you've encountered it, why don't you go with it, I heard that there are a lot of treasures and interesting things in the black market. Besides, the night is so humid that you and I can't enter the city, so we can't really spend the night in the wilderness, right? Or does someone want to go up the mountain at night?" said a scholar.

On the one hand, you can't enter the city, and on the other hand, there is a black market, how to choose?

As for Lanruo Temple......

Well, this option is better to ignore. Although Shen Shi and they are not afraid of ghosts, and there are a large group of monks in Lanruo Temple now, but when they go to Lanruo Temple at night, Shen Shi is not so boring.

When the group of scholars went to the black market, the soldiers in the city were really anxious, and after sending out the lanterns, the older soldiers hurriedly said to the others, "Send me down with hanging baskets, so that I can inform the master." ”

Without saying a word, the others immediately took out the thick rope of the bamboo basket and sent the old pawn down from the city gate.

The black market outside the city is indeed opened by local tyrants in collusion with some people, and Guobei County is the strongest and has the highest prestige in the hearts of the people.

The monks themselves are financial talents, and there are few who do not participate in such financial activities.

So the veteran soldier hurriedly slid down from the other side of the city wall and immediately ran to report the news.

......

"Hey, Brother Xian, there...... Could it really be a ghost market?" Shen Shi and the others asked in a low voice not long after they headed towards the black market.

"Huh, Brother Kong still has research on ghosts and gods?" asked Gongsun Ce.

"yes, I've seen some weird stories lately. In this barren mountain range, I can't help but worry. Kong Xueli said worriedly.