Chapter 9, Anyang Zhang

The next morning, Zu Zhao recited a paragraph of the Analects of Confucius in his study and reviewed the arithmetic. After noon, he changed his travel clothes and had lunch in advance. The central people went to inform the horse farm to prepare the seats. According to Zu Zhao's earlier instructions, this time he specially summoned more young people to practice horses. When they arrived at the horse farm, 50 or 60 people were waiting and saw Zu Zhao salute one after another. Only Zu Ji arrived a step late. It was not until everyone sorted out the reins and accompanying items that Shanshan appeared. When she arrived, there were still a few rice grains hanging from the corners of her mouth.

Zu Ji hurriedly found Zu Zhaoma and gasped and said, "Sir, I just went to Anyang Pavilion in the morning. I have agreed with the Zhang brothers to meet at Xihe Bridge in the afternoon."

Zu Zhao nodded and said, "Well, thank you for running back and forth."

Zu Ji smiled and touched his head and said, "It's hard. I have nothing to do in my spare time. I often run to Anyang Pavilion."

Zu Showa said with a smile, "Oi, let's go now."

The group of people took on the horse one after another, holding bows and swords, which was quite heroic. Under the leadership of Zu Zhao, the team came out from the southwest door of the manor. Xihe Bridge is located in the north of Anyang Pavilion. According to it, there are eight or nine miles of roads. Although it is called a bridge, there is no water system around it, but a nearby village occasionally gathers as a market.

After about three quarter of an hour, Zu Zhao and others left Bei Guoting and entered the boundary of Anyang Pavilion. When I came to Xihe Bridge, I happened to meet that today was the day when the nearby villagers went to go to the market. More than a dozen stalls were placed on an open space, or straw mats were laid with their own cultivated dishes, or carts loaded with all kinds of dry goods, or one or two hunters hung freshly hunted birds and beasts around their necks and shouted for sale. After the most lively period of the market, there are fewer people selling or buying goods, but the atmosphere is still active. After all, it is the autumn harvest season, and the goods are complete, and it catches up with the peak season to stock up before winter.

There is a tea shop not far away, and business is booming. There are seven or eight horses parked outside the shed, and a few tables outside sit around a group of young people. Most of them are dressed in simple clothes, each with long bows and daggers, which are full of market rangers.

Zu Zhao and his party, Domado, showed a lot of momentum from far and near. Most of the people who travel to and from Xihe Bridge looked at frequently, and even some timid people mistakenly thought that there was going to be some accident and hurriedly picked up the goods and left. One of the rangers in the tea shop shouted, and the other rangers immediately looked out, and then someone stood up first and walked outside the tea shop.

Zu Ji, who followed Zu Zhao, saw the ranger standing outside the tea shop at a glance. He immediately came to Zu Zhao's side and introduced, "Sir, that man is Zhang Yuan, Zhang's brother."

Zu Zhao nodded slightly and waited until he was close to carefully look at the other party for a while. Zhang Yuan has passed a weak crown, but he did not wear a crown on his head. He only wore a short cloth on his head. He was wearing an old and slightly dirty cotton short suit, but he wore a pair of oily leather wrist guards on his wrists. His body was not burly, but he stood upright, with a heroic posture of three or four heroes.

Zu Ji waved to Zhang Yuan while driving his horse to meet him first. He jumped off the horse in front of Zhang Yuan and happily supported his arm with the other party. After saying a few words, he turned around and took him to meet the eldest son of the ancestral family. Those rangers who were still in the shed also rushed out one after another and followed them to see Zu Zhao.

Zu Ji was not angry. Although he stopped talking, he still stared at Zhang Yuan angrily.

Zu Zhao was as calm as ever and said to Zhang Yuan, "Whether my brother is joking or not, I have to justify my brother's words. The three generations of my younger brothers and ancestors were all border soldiers, and their family traditions were like this, and they followed their ancestors. In previous years, if I hadn't been young, I would have participated in the county's preparation for thieves anyway. Although it was a fluke to repel Hu Ma, he was also very happy as a big man. Because of this, my brother has the confidence to make a modest contribution to this year. Thinking that my brother is a hero in the county, and the name of my brother's bravery resounded in previous years, I had to come to visit my brother first and teach my brother.

Zhang Yuan stroked his palm and laughed, with a little pride on his face and said, "Mr. Zu is really full of knowledge and speaks so literary. How can we ignorant people feel ashamed?"

The other rangers echoed again. There were many indignant children behind Zu Zhao, and the atmosphere suddenly appeared tense.

Zu Zhao showed indifferently and said seriously, "My brother has always respected my brother. Why did my brother treat me lightly again and again and again? If the brother really doesn't like to see his brother, there is no need to insinuate and talk too much. Everyone speaks openly and openly, and if they can't become friends, they won't become enemies. What do you think, brother?"

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but be shocked and gradually restrained his expression. He called himself a hero. Even though he was a little dissatisfied with Zu Zhao, the other party frequently apologized, and he repeatedly complained about it, but it was out of measure. With a deep sneer, he changed his words and said, "The eldest son is really good at speaking. Zhang Yijie is vulgar, and please forgive me. Since the eldest son is so serious about preparing for thieves this year, Zhang should accompany him.

As Zhang Yuan said this, a group of rangers followed suit.

Zuzuo nodded and smiled, "I thanked my brother first."

Zhang Yuan inadvertently raised the corners of his mouth and quickly said, "The eldest son is a young hero, who can repel more than 100 horses with 20 horses, which shows that the eldest son has excellent martial arts skills. Today, the eldest son made a special trip to Anyang Pavilion to invite Zhang to practice horses and prepare for thieves. Zhang can take the opportunity to ask the eldest son for advice and see how the eldest son shocked the fugitives on that day.

The reason why Zu Zhao specially invited Zhang Yuan and Zhang Yu to train this time is to make a statement in Xu Wu County to let more people know that they will participate in the preparation for the winter this year. This is only the first step. Next, he will use himself to repel Huma, and with his rich power, he will become a leader of theft.

Although we are weak in age, it is a matter of soldiers to prepare for thieves. As long as you can crown the whole county with bravery, combined with the county's recommendation to participate in the county government's inspection, everything can be logical. Anyang Pavilion is adjacent to Beiguo Pavilion, and Zhang Yuan and Zhang Yu are also well-known city rangers. If they can deter these two people, they can quickly release the news by using each other's mouth, and they can better attract Anyang Pavilion's militia when they are prepared for theft.

He has a plan in this regard, even if Zhang Yuan does not take the initiative, he will still try his best to show his hand. In other aspects, you have to be more or less humble, but the north is a man of martial. If you are twisted in this regard, you will only be looked down upon, and you will be more panicked and take the initiative to become a leader of theft.

Immediately, he said kindly, "I dare not. If it is the competition so far, I sincerely would like to ask my brother for advice."

Zhang Yuan hummed coldly. He had always thought that Zu Zhao was polite, but he didn't expect to become clean and neat now. It is not difficult to see that this son is indeed a good martial artist. He said in a tone without weakness, "That's really good."

Zu Zhao also said, "It's not only in Anyang Pavilion, but also my brother's proposal to be the first.

Zhang Yuan smiled lightly and said, "We wait for northern men to practice martial arts since childhood, and we must have the art of bow riding. The eldest son retreated the horse by riding and shooting again. Zhang did not dare to take advantage of the elderly, so he simply took the title of bow riding.

Zu Zhao replied without hesitation, "Okay."