Chapter 19, Return on the Road

The next morning, Zu Zhao and his party bid farewell to Wuyi County and continued south along the official road.

The spring sun is shining brightly, and the west wind is gentle, which is quite pleasant.

Just as Xu Wuyi bravely marched and felt the warm weather, the scout who explored the way in the front of the team suddenly turned back and hurriedly reported the situation to Zu Zhao on the road ahead. Zu Zhao immediately signaled the team behind him to slow down, leading Han Dang, Zu Cheng and several cronies to run from the horse to the hill on the side of the official road, raising their eyes to look at the farthest distance of the winding official road.

"Where is it?"

"It's on the official road, and it's almost there."

Before that, a team of dark shadows appeared in the place where the official road and the horizon intersect in the distance, followed by seven or eight horse riders, followed by more than 20 hikers. Because it is far away from Shang Yuan at this time, it is unclear who or what kind of dress it is for a while.

Zu Cheng hit the horse from the rear, frowned and said, "This is still riding a horse. It's definitely not an ordinary person. Son, do you think it's a mountain thief from somewhere?

Zu Zhao slowly shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be nine out of ten. In the light of day, there is such a little person. If it is really a mountain thief, how dare he walk the official road so unavoidantly?

Hearing Zu Zhao's analysis, others felt that it made sense, so their minds slowed down more or less.

Waited for a moment, and the waiting scout asked Zu Zhao for instructions: "Son, what should I do now?"

He took a slow breath. Zu Zhao thought about it. Naturally, he couldn't wait here, so he ordered, "Ayu, take a few people to the front to have a look."

The scout named Ayu immediately nodded and answered, "Yes."

Before leaving, Zu Zhao told A Yu and others to be careful not to be too forward and wait to see the situation clearly before making a decision.

Subsequently, he asked Zu Chengling's brigade that was still waiting on the official road to cheer up. The riders were all arranged, and the archers were all pulled away from the official road and stood in line on the nearby hills so that they could react immediately in the event of an accident.

Staring at A Yu and the three knights trotting along the official road, the figures of several people became smaller and smaller, and they looked so dry and isolated under the bright sunshine. They were getting closer and closer to the team coming from this side. Soon, the other party also noticed the situation here and obviously slowed down the speed. Among them, two knights who were originally in front of the team immediately turned their horses and ran in the direction.

The two sides stopped when they were more than 30 steps apart, and A Yu greeted the people in front of them. The latter soon said something to A Yu, and gradually felt relieved when he looked at the originally tense atmosphere from afar. The two sides quickly took a few steps closer and finally talked face to face. A Yu even pointed to the hillside and waved his hand to Zu Zhao and others who were watching on the hill, telling them that it was not a big deal.

Seeing this, Li Xin said slowly, "It seems that nothing is going on."

Zu Zhao nodded slightly and said, "Let's go up and have a look."

After saying that, he turned the reins, went down from the hills to the official road, and greeted the people waiting on the official road and the side of the hill to continue to move forward. A team of people quickly regained their formation and went to the other end of the official road. Before long, the two sides finally met each other. Zu Zhao has been looking at the other party's team for a long time. Most of the leading knights are young people, dressed up, equipped with horse bows and long guns; and the people who follow them on foot are basically ordinary clothes, looking like ordinary rural farmers, but they still have a weapon, or Long gun, or simple knife, or long sickle.

Judging from these costumes alone, there are also some yellow scarf thieves or rebels, but they are not as rags wrapped in a yellow scarf or clothes.

A Yu returned to Zu Zhao and introduced them to Zu Zhao and others first: "The eldest son, they are righteous in Wuxian County. They have just come back from the county."

Zu Zhao narrowed his eyes and immediately asked, "The bravery of Wuji County? Just came back from the county?"

Ayu nodded. He knew very well why Zu Zhao seemed a little surprised. Just as he had just heard that these people reported themselves, he just heard that he had arrived at the county house yesterday. Why did these people come back from the county house after one night? Hasn't the plight of the county been lifted?

Zu Zhao bypassed Ayu and came to the front of the riders on the opposite side. First, he introduced himself: "Xu Wuzuzhao, dare to ask why did you come back from the county government?"

A young man appeared in the opposite rider's queue, politely bowed his hand to Zu Zhao, and immediately said, "There is no end to Gaohai. I have heard of the prestige of Zu's eldest son. It's really an honor to meet you today."

Zui Zhao's face was indifferent. He raised his gift and continued to wait for the other party's reply.

After a brief pause, the young man named Gao Hai continued and said, "I'm afraid Mr. Zu doesn't know something. I have arrived in the north of Pinggang County yesterday afternoon and met Yiyong who rushed to help the county government. There were 500 people who waited a day earlier than me, but they told me to wait, saying that the number of traitors who attacked the county suddenly increased in the early morning yesterday, and even surrounded the county government and even blocked several nearby roads. We outside counties have no way to enter the city at all.

Before Zu Zhao could speak, Li Xin, who came up with Zu Zhao, couldn't help but change his face and asked, "What, the thief's power suddenly expanded? How many people can be expanded to surround the county?

Gao Hai sighed and shook his head and said, "We didn't believe it at first. Later, we sent a lot of people to explore the perimeter of the county, but... Alas, all the people sent back said that there were thieves on the nearby roads. Two of us were found by the thief and returned from injuries. They inquired about the people near the county government and said that the county government had two or three thousand reinforcements overnight, blocking all seven gates in the city.

Li Xin was surprised and wanted to refute a few more words, hoping that Gao Hai's words were wrong or hearsay. He really didn't expect that it had been eight days before he and Zu Zhao came out of the county government. The notice sent by the county government the day before yesterday did not say that there were reinforcements. How long has it been? As soon as the reinforcements came, the county government was already deeply encircled!

He couldn't help looking back at Zu Zhao. He hoped that Zu Zhao could come up with a decisive idea at this time, and also worried that Zu Zhao would simply withdraw his self-preservation in the face of disaster like these righteous bravery in Wuyi County.

At this time, Zu Zhao, who was silent for a moment, suddenly opened his mouth and asked Gao Hai, "Because the county is besieged, will you withdraw by yourself?" His tone was very cold, with a three-point accountability that penetrated into the bone marrow.

Gao Hai and others were stunned and looked at each other, and then showed different degrees of displeasure on their faces. They don't care what Zu Zhao wants to do. Everyone meets each other, and they have enough respect for him. How can the young man's spirit be tolerated?