Three Kingdoms

Chang'an City.

Huan Dian did not expect to see Cao An, or Wei An as he is now called, in Chang'an.

Cao An, or Wei An, was a Qi Menlang under Guang Luxun.

As a senior official in Guangluxun, Huan Dian naturally recognized Cao An and knew that Cao An was from the Cao clan. Of course, there are some differences between Cao An's Cao and Cao Hong and Cao Ren's Cao.

Qimenlang, although he also has the word "lang", he is actually the gatekeeper. Well, I'm here to look after the gates of the palace. Normally, he is responsible for the security of the palace. When the emperor goes hunting, he is responsible for following the guards, so Qi Menlang's chief officer is Pu She.

But Huan Dian would not despise Cao An, the disciple of the Qi family, especially when Cao An claimed to be "Wei An"...

Of course, Huan Dian would not expose her on the spot and say stupid things like why you changed your name. Instead, after saying a few words, he turned around and returned to the small courtyard where he temporarily stayed. He knew that there must be something going on when Cao An suddenly appeared in front of him. The area around the Hundred Medical Center was crowded with people. Not only were there patients coming and going, but there were also soldiers and patrols on duty around the area. It was indeed not a person. Good place for conversation.

Along the way, Huan Dian was thinking about it, and he more or less guessed some of it.

After all, since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the matter of using time has been clearly written in the Art of War. Even though Huan Dian was not a military strategist, he still knew something about it.

Cao An thought he was the same...

It's unlikely. After all, Huan Dian is relatively old. He has more than enough energy to fight and kill. In addition, he is physically ill. Although he won't die immediately, it is definitely not as good as ordinary people. Ordinary people, let alone those who practice martial arts, such as Cao An. .

So why is Cao An looking for him?

Isn't Cao An worried that he will report him?

Huan Dian pondered for a moment, and then sighed slightly.

Cao An may not be the only one...

If something happens to Cao An immediately after he meets Cao An, the guy who may be hiding in the dark will definitely know that something is wrong with him, and then Huandian's family in Xu County...

No, it’s not necessarily that he would be suspicious if something happened soon, but that he was dragged into the water by Cao An right now!

Huan Dian was not only a little angry.

Huan Dian didn't like Cao Cao, but he also didn't like Fei Qian. Huan Dian would not report Cao An for Fei Qian's sake, and even had some secret thoughts in his heart that it would be best for Fei Qian and Cao Cao to die together, but that didn't mean that he would be willing to be manipulated by Cao An...

Damn it, after becoming a eunuch, he is not particular at all!

Huan Dian took a long, slow breath, then exhaled slowly, calming down.

Ordinary people may be afraid of getting into trouble and are unwilling to get along with Cao An, um, or Wei An, for fear of being implicated, but Huan Dian is different. He is afraid of seeing the doctor, but he is not afraid of anything else. It's like there are some people who are extremely violent on weekdays and don't care if they get into fights and have bruises and blood all over the floor, but then when they see such a big needle, they tremble all over and their muscles twist and their heads shrink like a quail. After all, this is considered brave. Still timid?

During the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, when eunuchs were rampant, everyone else was busy trying to avoid making concessions, fearing that they would be noticed by the eunuchs and be persecuted. As a censor, Huan Dian was not only outspoken and honest with the eunuchs, but also often ridiculed him. Riding a green horse, he never flinched when the eunuchs were doing illegal things in the city, so much so that Huan Dian was called "Censor of a Cong Horse" by the eunuchs, and instead avoided Huan Dian.

Of course, the reason why the eunuchs tolerated Huan Dian was because Huan Dian abandoned his official position for Wang Ji and was buried there. He spent three years in mourning, built a grave with soil, built an ancestral hall, and left with all due respects. And Wang Ji is the adopted son of Wang Fu, the regular minister. When Wang Ji died because of his crime, no one else tried to avoid him. Only Huan Dian insisted on carrying out the funeral for Wang Ji according to etiquette.

A peck and a drink, each has its own way.

"What's the matter with Xun Mou this time?" ” After Huan Dian saw Cao An again, he asked straight to the point.

"Wei An" had also heard about Huan Dian's temperament, so he didn't find it strange and said simply: "I wonder if Duke Huan knows about the theft of Xuanwu Pond?" 』

Huan Dian nodded slightly, not deliberately denying it.

"Does Duke Huan know who the thieves are?" ” Wei An continued to ask.

Huan Dian frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Jiangdong?" 』

This is not difficult to deduce. After all, apart from the possibility that Fei Qian might have caught the thief himself, if there was really a theft, and it was not stolen by Cao Cao, then naturally there is only one possibility left.

After all, if Cao Cao sent Wei An to steal this technology, Wei An should immediately find a way to return instead of having time to ask Huan Dian if he knew...

Wei An nodded and said: "Jiangdong is already a fierce water war, but now it will be even more difficult if we have to use the method of riding new ships..." The reason why Jiangdong can be ruled by crossing the river is nothing more than relying on the strength of the navy. Li, if we now obtain the technology of new warships, wouldn't it be even more powerful?

Wei Andan doesn't need to say this, Huan Dian can also understand it. After Huan Dian pondered for a moment, he looked at Wei An and said, "What should I do?" Might as well speak up. Huan Dian did not like to shirk things. On the other hand, Cao Cao still represented the Han Dynasty, while Fei Qian and Sun Quan were more like princes who ceded territory. Huan Dian himself also had an official position in the court, so it was impossible to say that he completely ignored the court's face.

Another problem is that Fei Qian's attitude towards "knowledge" makes Huan Dian feel uncomfortable. How can the knowledge that the ancient sages acquired through untold hardships be easily imparted to these ordinary people? This is simply an insult, a blasphemy, and a betrayal of knowledge!

Because of this mentality, Huan Dian is more willing to see people or things that are detrimental to Fei Qian subconsciously, and Cao Cao is obviously Fei Qian's opponent. Helping Cao Cao is equivalent to weakening Fei Qian.

"Intercept it!" ” Wei An said categorically, “Now that Jiangdong has gained something, we can easily transfer it back!” From Guanzhong back to Jiangdong, you can either pass through Tongguan, pass through Hangu, and go through Yuzhou and into Yang... There are many passes on this road, and most of them are traveled by land, without the convenience of boats from Jiangdong... And the other way is through Wuguan and straight down. From Jingzhou, you can board a boat at Jiangling... Therefore, Jiangdong must take this road! 』

Huan Dian thought for a moment, nodded and said, "What you said is true." 』

Although the road to Hangu via Tongguan and past Luoyang to the east is relatively flat and not as rugged as the Wuguan Mountain Road, it is obvious that taking the Tongguan route will pass through many passes. If that pass is discovered, wouldn't all previous efforts be wasted? As for the Wuguan Line, once you pass through Wuguan, there are basically no large passes. In Jingzhou, Cao Jun only controlled the northern Jingzhou area, and in many places it was still the territory of local nobles. Not to mention that the Jiangling area is densely covered with water networks, and boats from Jiangdong are relatively easy to access.

Therefore, if the Jiangdong spies want to leave the customs, they will most likely choose the Wuguan route.

"Gong Huan, the matter is urgent now and we can't mobilize enough manpower," Wei An said his request, "For the sake of the great cause of the country, we can only ask Duke Huan to allocate guards to a certain..." Wei An came to Chang'an mainly to investigate Tongguan. During the incident, no one was organized to sneak into Guanzhong, and now that the Xuanwu Pond incident happened suddenly, it was too late to find help.

Huan Dian frowned and pondered for a long time, "How many people do you need?" 』Although Huan Dian said he had brought some guards, there were not many.

"Three to five is enough!" Wei An smiled and said, "If Duke Huan is willing to help, I will immediately take people to Wuguan to look for an opportunity to get it!" 』

Huan Dian thought for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.

Wei An let go of some worries and smiled slightly.

But the two of them were not full-time counselors, and they did not have time to make careful plans under the urgent situation, so both of them forgot one thing...

In other words, I made my choice as a matter of course.

……(*`ェ′*)……

Tongguan.

Wang Ling is off today.

When the sun rose to the treetops, he walked out of his residence and headed towards the most prosperous place in Tongguan City, where the smell of fireworks was the strongest. He was wearing a gray robe today and did not wear a belt that represented his status. He was walking around like an ordinary scholar.

When passing near Fan Cong's house, Wang Ling noticed two men dressed as farmers on the side of the well at the corner of the long street who seemed to glance at him. Wang Ling continued to walk forward unhurriedly as if he didn't see anything unusual, and the two farmers quickly looked away.

Many times, if you don't pay special attention, you may not notice anything abnormal. It's like a bright spot or dark spot on the screen of a mobile phone. If you haven't discovered it before, you may not be able to detect it until it breaks down. But as soon as you discover it, you will notice that spot every time you use your mobile phone.

The same is true for Wang Ling now.

The two monitors pretending to be farmers by the well were not the kind of trained intelligence officers of later generations. They would subconsciously cover up in front of Fan Cong, but they might not be as vigilant in front of other people. There are inevitably some inconsistencies. For example, it is normal for farmers to fetch water, but who stays by the well for a long time? Farmers also have their own things to do.

In Xintongguan City, most of them are soldiers, but there are also a small number of ordinary people. These common people were responsible for farming on the Linzhi Plateau, which allowed the Tongguan garrison to meet their needs for grain, grass, vegetables, etc. nearby.

If there are people, of course there is a market.

The market in Tongguan is not big. Not far outside Tongguan City, there are some straw sheds. Every day after the city gate opens, many vendors will come here to sell their stalls. There are cheap clothes, simple utensils, ordinary food, etc., which are all used by ordinary people. As for the relatively high-end restaurants and shops, they form a certain degree of stability in the streets of the city. complementary.

Wang Ling walked out of the city gate and walked to Tongguan Waiji. The closer we get to the market, the more people there are, and there are more and more vendors, carriages and horses coming and going. Large caravans may have their own fixed residence and a canteen with dedicated personnel, but for small caravans and individual traders, if they want to meet their daily meals, the relatively cheaper Tongguan Waiji is undoubtedly the best choice. . It's cheap, large in quantity, and filling. From the time the city gate opens to before it closes, you can have a hot soup and rice anytime you come to eat.

There were many stalls selling various things in the market. Wang Ling would stop from time to time and sometimes chat with the vendors. It seemed like he was really just visiting the market.

When Wang Ling arrived at the market, the market had already opened for a long time. There were people everywhere, shouting, shouting, bargaining, the snorting of mules and horses, and the sounds of children playing and crying. Into one piece. Various smells floated in the hut, and white water vapor mixed with the smell of food filled people's noses.

On the west side of the hut in the market, there are various stalls of small vendors selling various groceries, including various sundries needed by some caravans, repair tools, wooden frames, hemp rope, etc., as well as needles, threads, and needles needed by ordinary people. , linen and Geyi, short coat and rags. On the east side of the market hut, there are various food stalls. In the middle of these stalls, there are many small tables, benches, and broken mats. Some of them are not working for the time being. Or the laborers taking a short break gathered around a storyteller, and from time to time they let out exclamations as the storyteller played the tambourine.

Wang Ling walked to a stall selling various kinds of food, looked around for a while, then walked to a shop selling steamed buns, ordered a drawer of steamed buns, then walked to a low table nearby and sat on a broken mat. He stood up and shook his robe forward, covering his crossed legs.

Since General Hussar quit the food preparation method of steamed buns, it has quickly become popular in the north and south of the river, and east and west of Mount Lu. It is simply a classic that is suitable for all ages, and is suitable for both men and women. And as time goes by, it becomes more and more popular. More and more styles of buns were derived. The people of Sanfu, Guanzhong, used their ingenuity and tried everything that could be made into buns. There were indeed many new buns.

Therefore, there is indeed a lot of traffic here at Baozi Pu.

Soon, a drawer of steamed buns was served, along with a bowl of sour soup.

Sugary food was a rarity in the Han Dynasty, and it was only Yuan Shu who asked for honey water at every turn. Chen Shou, who wrote the history book, wrote about it in great detail, making him laughable for thousands of years. Instead, these physalis, such as rice soup and noodle soup, are common drinks.

Wang Ling was eating and drinking slowly when suddenly a voice came from behind him, "Ahem...this bun is on par with Sun's buns..."

Wang Ling couldn't help but look sideways, and then his eyes narrowed.

Sun Ping gestured towards Wang Ling, then lowered his head and moved slightly behind Wang Ling.

Wang Ling turned around and stopped looking back. Then he pretended to be nonchalant and took a bun, biting it slowly.

"I need to pass the time..." Sun Ping's voice came through from behind.

"Passing a pass?" ” Wang Ling frowned.

"What's wrong? ” Sun Ping noticed Wang Ling’s hesitation.

Wang Ling picked up the physalis water, but did not drink it. As if he was blowing air, he concealed it and said, "The investigation will be tight during this period..."

"Did they find you?" 』

"That's not true. 』

Sun Ping seemed to take a breath, "It takes twenty-five to get through... This matter is very important, and we must hurry up..."

Wang Ling said nothing. He took a sip of syrup, put down the bowl, and his expression became slightly serious, "When do you want it?" 』

"immediately! Sun Ping realized that something was inappropriate and quickly added, "No later than tomorrow..."

"What did you do?" ” Wang Ling asked.

"This is none of your business..." Sun Ping said quickly, and then as if he was worried that Wang Ling was not feeling well, he added, "I just did some small things... You have to get through it as soon as possible!" Give me the news before noon tomorrow..."

After saying that, Sun Ping stood up, said hello to pay, and left.

Wang Ling sighed slightly, then continued to eat the buns slowly. After finishing the last bite, he drank the physalis water in the bowl, took out two Hussar copper coins from his arms, and signaled to the boss of the bun stall. After a while, he put it on the table, then got up and left.

Little things?

Haha, such a "little" thing...

The arrest order has been sent to the Tongguan checkpoint, and you still call it a trivial matter? Although it is said that there are no ten steps, one post, five steps and one sentry within Tongguan, but try to go to Wuli Changban after leaving Tongguan City?

Twenty-five passes? ! Is it true that the places to pass here are just stones on the roadside? How can I pick them up?

Wang Ling had a headache.

If he had been in Linjin before, it would not have been a difficult thing to do, even if it was fifty or hundreds of sheets, but now...

Wang Ling was worried in his heart, but there was not much expression on his face, and he walked back slowly. Before reaching Tongguan City Gate, I suddenly heard some noisy sounds coming from Wuli Changban.

what happened?

Wang Ling couldn't help but walk to the edge of Linzhi Plateau for a while, raised his head and looked down, and saw two or three cavalrymen coming in a hurry at the pass of Wuli Changban!

The cavalry was dusty, but the flag behind the cavalry represented urgent matters, which made Wang Ling's pupils shrink involuntarily!

This is……

Pedestrians and caravans on the Wuli Changban Road ducked to both sides, leaving the middle passage. The cavalry rode past quickly, without stopping, they rushed directly to the crane on the edge of Linzhi Plateau, got off their horses and pounced. To the hanging basket, with uncontrollable excitement, he shouted hoarsely: "The angel is coming!" The Lord has been conferred the title of General of Hussars by the Emperor! Positioned above the Three Lords! 』

After a short period of silence, countless shouts and shouts gradually began to sound, and soon spread to the top and bottom of Linzhiyuan and into Tongguan New City!

"Wan Sheng!" 』

"General Hussars!" 』

"General Hussars!" Won victory! 』

Wang Ling stood on the edge of Linzhi Plateau, his expression a little stunned, and then he quickly recovered. In order not to appear weird, he naturally shouted twice, but after he finished shouting, his eyes suddenly moved, and he seemed to have thought of something. Something...