The Era of Generals

Heluo Ancient Road.

It was originally an important commercial route connecting the two provinces of Heyuan and Anluo.

However, since the construction of the new official road to merchants was completed ten years ago, the Heluo Ancient Road has completed its mission and has gradually declined and become inaccessible.

To this day, only a few bards come here occasionally, sitting and watching the yellow sand all over the sky, and sighing as the sun sets.

Today, however, a chase is taking place on the Heluo Ancient Road, which has been silent for a long time.

"Quick! Run!"

"drive!"

"Wait...wait for me, help, help, help!"

Running ahead was a caravan of more than 30 people. Everyone looked panic-stricken, and many of them even had their colors on their bodies. They raised their whips and beat more than ten carriages with all their strength, billowing smoke and dust along the way.

While running, someone looked back in panic, and with just one glance, the panic on his face increased, and despair permeated the entire caravan.

Behind the caravan, about a mile or so away, was a larger, violent yellow sand that looked like a ferocious dragon.

Rumble!

The earth trembled, and the angry horses roared.

Experienced merchants can tell just by the vibration of the ground that there is a team of no less than 300 people chasing them!

Ghosts worry!

All the caravans that often travel in Heyuan and Anluo do not know this name.

This is a bandit force that has been running between the two major provinces all year round. The number is about 300 people. Eight people, not a single one alive!

Not only are they brutal, they are also cunning and changeable, and they do things without discipline.

Sometimes they don't show up for ten days and a half months, and sometimes they commit crimes for two consecutive days. The two provinces of Heyuan and Anluo have sent joint troops many times to wipe out this bandit, but they didn't even catch a single hair of the opponent. Pass.

Over time, he got the title of ghost, like a ghost among the caravans, making every caravan traveling in two places break into a cold sweat.

The caravan targeted by Gui Jianchou is owned by the Wei family belonging to Bo'an City in Anluo Province.

The Wei family has been doing business for generations in Bo'an City. Although it is not comparable to those big families, it is still a small family with some strength.

However, the Wei family has had a bad time recently, and has made several loss-making transactions in a row, which has caused the family's funds to be tight. In desperation, Wei Qiwu, the contemporary head of the Wei family, decided to use all the funds to buy a batch of purple at Senhu Town, an important town near the port in Heyuan Province. The scale fish returned to Bo'an City to resell.

Purple scale fish is the most famous specialty of Senhu Town. Its meat is delicious and thornless. It is a popular fish in Bo'an City and even several surrounding cities.

Who would have thought that Wei Qiwu, who pointed at these dozens of carts of purple scale fish to restore blood for his family, had just finished buying and walked to the border of the new official road, and found that the government had posted a notice here.

The government reminded that ghosts and sorrows were found on Xinguan Road recently, and it is suggested that the merchant convoy should postpone the trip for a few days, and they can go on the road after the officers and soldiers conduct a strict investigation.

This made Wei Qiwu anxious.

It's not easy to preserve purple scale fish, if he waits for a few days before returning to Bo'an City, his dozens of carts of fat fish will probably stink.

As for reselling on the spot, there is no need to think about it.

This place is originally the place where the purple scale fish is produced, not to mention the cheap selling price, and it will not be able to handle such a large amount of goods in a short while.

Seeing that he would end up with nothing to return, some subordinates gave Wei Qiwu an idea.

That is to take the Heluo Ancient Road instead!

It takes about two days longer to go back to Bo’an City from Heluo Ancient Road than taking the new official road. Although the journey is much longer, it is still within an acceptable range, at least the freshness period of the purple scale fish has not expired .

Furthermore, the Heluo Ancient Road has been abandoned for many years and has long been inaccessible. On the contrary, it can ensure the safety of caravans and prevent robbers.

Wei Qiwu, who thought it made sense and was desperate, adopted this suggestion.

In fact, they had been walking on the Heluo Ancient Road for two days, and sure enough, not to mention the robbers, they didn't even see a single person.

Just when everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that they could return to Bo'an City safely, a ghost flag floating in the yellow sand appeared at the end of their sight.

Wei Qiwu was too regretful at this time, unwilling to wait for death, he commanded the convoy to run away desperately, but his dozen or so carriages were full of goods, which was no match for a ghost riding a fast horse, and he was about to be overtaken. At that time, the yellow sand must be stained with blood.

Just when the entire Wei family motorcade was in despair, someone suddenly shouted: "There is a valley ahead, everyone, go in!"

When everyone was bewildered, someone took the lead at this time, and immediately swarmed towards the small valley not far ahead.

"Now... what should we do now?"

Hurrying quickly, everyone finally entered the valley before Gui Jianshou caught up.

However, Wei Qiwu, who was full of hope to use the complex terrain in the valley to get rid of ghosts and sorrows, felt deep despair after entering the valley.

This is just a small valley, not too big. Although the forest inside is dense, there is no other way out. To go out, there is still only the entrance from when we came.

Isn't this a catch in a urn?

Looking at his subordinates who were still in shock and ashen-faced, Wei Qiwu felt powerless for a while.

"Master, don't worry, we are safe for the time being at least!"

At this moment, an old man with a goatee leaned in front of Wei Qiwu, his expression was calm and confident, different from others, he didn't look flustered at all.

"Mr. Yang, do you have a solution?"

Looking at the old man in front of him, Wei Qiwu's eyes lit up, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.

The old man called Mr. Yang smiled slightly and said, "Those people may not dare to come in."

Wei Qiwu was taken aback, "Sir, what you mean is..."

"Hold on!"

The old man surnamed Yang twirled his beard and said, "The enemy has dozens of times more people than us. This is our disadvantage, but the terrain in this valley is complex and has a lot of vegetation, which can greatly offset the opponent's numerical advantage."

"In addition, Gui Jianchou is proficient in the art of bow and horse, and if they want to enter the valley, they must change their cavalry to infantry, which weakens the opponent's combat power."

"That is to say, as long as we seal the only entrance in advance, no matter how many of them there are, we will come and kill them one by one!"

"This..." Wei Qiwu lowered his head and pondered for a long time, then said: "Then if the other party doesn't come in, how about besieging and not attacking?"

Mr. Yang laughed loudly and said, "There is no need to be afraid!"

"The owner forgot, what is our convoy transporting?"

"Purple...scale fish!"

As soon as this remark came out, Wei Qiwu's eyes brightened, and in a moment of panic, he forgot about it.

"I understand what you mean, sir!"

He looked overjoyed and said: "If Gui Jianchou dares to come in, let's block the entrance and kill him to his heart's content, but if he doesn't come in, we have abundant supplies here, and they can't compare to us in consuming them!"

"exactly!"

Mr. Yang clapped his hands and smiled: "Ghosts are mainly light cavalry, and they must not have much dry food. If we delay it for a day or two, they will starve to death outside!"

"Don't forget, this is the Heluo Ancient Road, and it has long been deserted. Where are they going to get supplies?"

"Furthermore, when he found out that the ghost was worrying, the old man sent his disciple Li Xiaoer to hide secretly. He is already on his way to Senhu Town. As long as he leads the officers and soldiers here, we can even attack back and forth. Annihilate all these hateful robbers, and by then, the Patriarch will be considered a great achievement!"

"As expected of Mr. Yang, he really has no plans!"

A few words made Wei Qiwu's face radiant, and after wiping the sweat off his brow, he regained his composure as the patriarch.

"You all heard?"

"Hurry up and set up at the entrance!"

He glanced at the frightened attendant, and scolded: "Mr. Yang's plan can not only solve the immediate crisis, but also help us make great contributions. We will be prosperous and rich in the future, and the master of this family will definitely have you!"

In addition to the coachman driving the car, the Wei family's convoy also had more than a dozen strong bodyguards, but they were scared out of their wits by the ghost before, and they couldn't resist at all.

Just now, what Mr. Yang said was reasonable and reasonable, and then the head of the family said that he is rich and prosperous, and these bodyguards immediately regained their courage.

It's death anyway, so it's better to spell out a future!

So he gritted his teeth, stood up abruptly with red eyes each holding a sword, gun, bow and arrow, and was about to follow Mr. Yang's instructions to guard the entrance.

"laugh--"

However, at this moment, an untimely sneer sounded from the crowd.

"Why are you so excited, he told you to die!"

The voice sounded a little immature, and everyone looked for the reputation, but it was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy in uniform.

"Chen Ze, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Wei Qiwu saw it, and immediately opened his mouth to shout angrily.

"Boy, you can eat indiscriminately, but you can't talk indiscriminately!"

Mr. Yang also glanced at the young man coldly, a murderous intent flashed in the depths of his eyes.

"Nonsense?"

The young man named Chen Ze was not afraid of Mr. Yang's cold gaze, and walked out of the crowd calmly with a relaxed smile on his face.

He bowed slightly to Gu Qiwu, and said: "Patriarch, my family has been working in Wei's family since my grandfather's generation. If you are loyal, you should not object?"

Wei Qiwu was startled slightly, his tone softened a bit, and he still said beyond doubt: "But this is not the reason for you to slander Mr. Yang, apology, and the past is not the fault of the past!"

"No."

Chen Ze shook his head slightly, pointed at the old man surnamed Yang, and said firmly: "This old man is a ghostly spy!"

"You! What nonsense are you talking about?"

As soon as the words came out, Mr. Yang was furious immediately, and shouted: "You were still in the womb when the old man came to Wei's house as a guest, you yellow-mouthed child, how dare you slander the old man's innocence!"

"I slander you?"

The corner of Chen Ze's mouth twitched, and he looked directly at Mr. Yang's furious gaze without fear, and said word by word: "Let me ask you, is it your idea to change to the Heluo Ancient Road?"

Mr. Yang said angrily: "That's right, it's the old man's idea, so what?"

"At that time, the old man was taking care of the Patriarch's worries!"

Wei Qiwu nodded again and again, "Chen Ze, the Patriarch agreed to this matter, you can't just guess based on this!"

Chen Ze sighed, "My Patriarch, you really have been sold and counted the money!"

"I'll ask you again!"

Before the two could open their mouths, he spoke very fast again: "Are you the one who told us to enter this valley?"

Mr. Yang couldn't help sneering, "If you don't enter the valley, you are afraid that you will become a corpse now, and you still have life to play tricks with the old man?"

"Is it?"

Chen Ze returned his sneer, and slowly spread his right hand, "Then, how do you explain this thing?"

When Mr. Yang saw the thing in his hand, his complexion changed drastically.

What was spread out in Chen Ze's hand was a small piece of bark. Looking carefully, there were three tiny nicks on the dry bark.

"What is this, I don't understand!"

Although surprised, Mr. Yang still said firmly, "What can you prove with a piece of bark?"

"There is more than one piece of bark."

Chen Ze looked at him coldly and said, "I've been watching you for a long time. After leading us into the valley, wherever there are such notches on the trees, you will go around, turn around and turn us around. brought it here."

"If I'm not wrong, there is not only one entrance in this valley, but a hidden entrance. The function of the notches is to mark the location of the hidden entrance. You avoid all the notches, that is, you don't want to Let's just discover the entrance."

"If the Patriarch doesn't believe it, you can ask someone to go back along the way you came here to see if I'm right?"

The latter sentence was spoken to Wei Qiwu who was frowning slightly.

As the head of the family, Wei Qiwu is not useless, and when he saw the difference in Mr. Yang's expression, he felt suspicious in his heart.

At the moment, he winked, and the clever entourage who had already gone back and forth quietly went back.

"This is just your guess!"

Mr. Yang said angrily: "I haven't noticed any scratches on this tree, so why talk about taking a detour?"

"Besides, the old man has been in the Wei family for more than ten years. Could it be that Gui Jianchou sent the old man to the Wei family as an undercover agent more than ten years ago? Your statement is too ridiculous!"

Chen Ze grinned, smiled at him seriously, and said, "Is it because of lack of money?"

"What... are you talking nonsense?"

Mr. Yang, who was in a rage, suddenly stagnated, and his voice suddenly became weaker.

"Are you the third-class counselor?"

Chen Ze said expressionlessly: "According to the laws of the Qingyang Empire, third-class counselors can go to the military plane to receive their salary every month, and they can also recruit fifteen disciples."

"If I remember correctly, when you first came to the Wei family, there were indeed fifteen disciples, but now there is only one Li Xiaoer left."

"Where did the others go?"

"I think it's because you withheld their salaries that they all ran away?"

"Looking at it this way, can it prove from the side that you are short of money recently?"

Mr. Yang opened his mouth, his face turned green and white, and he finally murmured after a long while: "You...you spitting blood!"

Chen Ze ignored him, but turned to Wei Qiwu, "Patriarch, judging from the notch on the bark, it should have been engraved ten days ago, that is to say, this matter was premeditated."

"But our goods are just purple scale fish. Although the value of purple scale fish is not low, it is not to the point where ghosts spend a lot of time ambush on the Heluo ancient road."

"So I think... Patriarch, you should have something more valuable on your body, and Old Man Yang also knows about this thing!"

As soon as this remark came out, it was Wei Qiwu's turn to change his face drastically, and he subconsciously covered his chest.