Han official!

Chapter 102: Tiger Talisman (Long Chapter, Please Subscribe)

brother?

Wang Wenshu, the most inhumane of the cruel officials, actually treated me as a brother.

this.
Guo Jie looked at Wang Wenshu, who hadn't yet achieved success, and felt at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He was also delighted at the unexpected surprise. He bowed and said, "Thank you very much. I'll drink a few cups of Paoma wine with you in a few days."

Luoma wine is made from cow and sheep milk cheese, and is also a delicacy eaten by dukes and marquises.

Wang Wenshu's face was filled with joy. "I've heard for a long time that Paoma wine is a rare delicacy, but I haven't tasted it yet. Captain Guo, please don't break your promise. Treat me to a feast of Paoma wine in a few days."

Guo Jie looked at Wang Wenshu with a look of joy and laughed. He thought that the most inhumane and cruel official Wang Wenshu was bribed with just a cup of horse-drawn wine. Fortunately, Wang Wenshu did not become successful and was now in a relatively low-status stage in his life.

A rare window of opportunity.

Also.

Apart from Guo Jie, no one knew about Wang Wenshu's achievements, and no one would deliberately win him over.

Guo Jie unexpectedly became Wang Wenshu's only friend in poverty.

"Brother."

Zhang Qian, returning from his village in Jincheng, was shocked to learn that Du Juecao had detained Guo Jie. He immediately rode a white-covered carriage to fetch him personally. "As I journeyed repeatedly to the northwestern frontier, an idea struck me. I wished to discuss it with my brother."

Guo Jie was kneeling inside the carriage covered with white cloth, and an idea came to his mind when he heard Zhang Qian say something.

He smiled bitterly in his mind.

Zhang Qian's expedition to the Western Regions is finally coming.

According to historical records, Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions in the second year of Jianyuan (139 BC). Now it is the first year of Jianyuan, which is one year earlier than in history.

The sooner we open up to the Western Regions, the more beneficial it will be for the Han Dynasty.

Although Guo Jie was reluctant to let them go, he would not stop them. However, after this separation, it would probably be ten years before the two of them would meet again.

Zhang Qian's first trip to the Western Regions took him ten long years to return to Chang'an. During this time, he encountered all kinds of dangers and nearly died in the Western Regions several times. He almost couldn't return to the Han area.

The two of them were silent all the way until the carriage covered with white cloth stopped at the door of Gaojie Duting.

Zhang Qian said solemnly, "In a few days I will be on duty at the forest garden built by Minister Sang. Then, I will have the opportunity to meet the Emperor and tell him about my intention to travel to the Western Regions. This journey will take us through the vast grasslands of the Xiongnu, and life and death are unpredictable. Before we leave for the Western Regions, there is one thing I must do."

He did not say what he wanted to do. He drove the carriage covered with white cloth out of Gaojie Pavilion, continued forward, and drove into the gatehouse of Zhicheng Gate.

At dusk (15:45-16:30), Zhang Qian came back again, holding a box for food in his hand. He walked into the long house and took Guo Jie to a small hall at the back of the house, which was also a small guest room.

The long residence of the head of the Gaojie Duting Pavilion is also a curved courtyard house like the official residence of the Chang'an official temple. The main house is the inner chamber, and the side rooms are inside the side rooms. Compared with the inner chamber which has only one main door, there is usually a door facing south. There is a small hall behind the side room, which serves as a more private guest room.

There is a camphor tree planted in front of the small guest room, which emits bursts of cool fragrance and has the effect of repelling insects. When the windows of the small guest room are opened, the fragrance of the camphor tree outside wafts in, making the room brighter.

There were three people kneeling in the room. In addition to Guo Jie and Zhang Qian, there was also the inseparable Mang Tong, who was holding a handful of millet, stuffing it into his mouth and chewing it continuously.

"Brother."

Zhang Qian knelt on the sitting platform, took out the box he carried with him, and pulled out something from it: "Although I am a low-ranking official, on the days when I was required to be on duty, I saw the current emperor from afar. I know that the current emperor is vying for power with the Dou family, the foreign relatives. I have no excuse and cannot gradually cut off the wings of the Dou family."

He took something out of the box.

Guo Jie and Mang Tong were both stunned.

One was so bold as to kill an official at the palace gate.

A man bold enough to assassinate Emperor Wu of Han.

When the two saw what Zhang Qian was holding, they couldn't help but stand there in a daze.

Mang Tong was so stunned that he forgot to chew. The corn grains in his mouth fell to the ground, and he hurriedly picked them up and put them back in his mouth.

A gold-inlaid tiger talisman.

A tiger talisman that can dispatch troops.

The tiger talisman is made entirely of bronze, with an engraved inscription inlaid with gold. There is a groove on the back and a small hole in the neck. The tiger is in a walking shape with its tail curled up.

The inlaid gold inscription has nine lines and forty characters: The symbol of weapons and armor is on the right by the king and on the left by Du. Whenever a land is to be built and armored, and more than fifty soldiers are to be employed, the symbol of the king must be presented before the action can be taken. Even without the symbol, the matter of burning tunnels can still be carried out.

The tiger talisman is shaped like a crouching tiger with its head slightly raised, looking straight ahead, with wide eyes, round ears, a short snout, a wide nose, and a short spherical tail. The gold-inlaid inscriptions covering its entire body are like the colorful stripes on a tiger's body.

"you"

Guo Jie's heart trembled. "Forging the tiger talisman is a serious crime punishable by beheading and public execution. While there are no outsiders in the guest room and no one knows about this, I should quickly get the tiger talisman."

"Brother!"

Zhang Qian suddenly stood up, tiger talisman in hand, his face filled with determination. "Nanpi Marquis Dou Pengzu already suspects you of being a bandit who killed his enemies. You must not be allowed to stay! I remember you once used your hidden armor to annihilate the Yangdi Yuan clan. A thought struck me: if you hid your armor, you wouldn't be able to kill Nanpi Marquis Dou Pengzu."

His face was resolute, and the lowly, risk-taking nature within him surfaced once again. "I'm heading to the Western Regions, and my fate is uncertain. Before I leave, why not tell the emperor about the forged tiger talisman? Tell him that someone has found a forged tiger talisman at the gate of Sheguili, the residence of Dou Pengzu, the Marquis of Nanpi. If we find the talisman, Dou Pengzu, the Marquis of Nanpi, will be beheaded and thrown into the streets, posing no further threat to me."

Guo Jie didn't want his affairs to involve Zhang Qian, so he immediately stood up to stop him.

Before he could grab Zhang Qian's sleeve, Zhang Qian had already walked to the door of the small guest room and walked out.

Zhang Qian, standing beneath the eaves, suddenly stopped in his tracks, tilted his head and bowed solemnly: "After today's farewell, we two brothers will hardly meet again. Take care!"

After he said his farewell words, he strode forward and walked out of the Quzhi house.

"brother."

Guo Jie felt as if something was stuck in his throat. He hurried out and looked at Zhang Qian who was striding forward, his eyes slightly red.

Never thought of it.

Zhang Qian would actually make such a great sacrifice for him.

He was willing to bear the risk of being beheaded and even executed along with his entire clan in order to help him eliminate his biggest threat, Dou Pengzu, Marquis of Nanpi.

Guo Jie took a deep breath and watched Zhang Qian leave silently without trying to stop him.

No longer hindering Zhang Qian's strides forward.

"Mr. Zhang is so trustworthy."

Mang Tong rarely spoke. "It's a pity that Zhang Qian hadn't married or had children yet. He went to the Western Regions and passed through the vast grasslands of the Xiongnu. He almost died, but at least he left behind a bloodline."

"Mangtong."

Guo Jie glanced in the direction of the stables and said, "Go and take Hongque to the Zhicheng Gate and give it to Zhang Qian. Tell him that he must come back from the Western Regions. I am waiting for him in Chang'an to drink with you."

"Mr. Guo!"

Mang Tong was stunned. "Hong Que is a swift and powerful horse. If we encounter disaster in the future, we can take Guo Jun and flee Chang'an immediately to Jinchenglu, a place on the Longxi border."

He knew that he was Guo Jie's life-saving talisman.

The Thousand-Li Horse and the Red Sparrow are Guo Jie's second life-saving talisman.

Don't give it away easily.

"Mangtong!"

Guo Jie said nonchalantly, "My brother Zhang Qian was able to forge a tiger talisman and risk his life by being beheaded. What's a red bird to him? Besides, if this swift horse stays in Chang'an, it will be just a domesticated goose. Only if it follows Zhang Qian to the Western Regions will it become an eagle. Send it to him. With this swift horse, Zhang Qian will have a better chance of survival."

Mang Tong said no more, walked towards the stable of Gaojie Duting, and led Hongque to Zhichengmen.

Guo Jie clenched his fists and thought to himself: Brother, you must come back. I am waiting for you in Chang'an to drink with me.

"Chief Guo."

A few days later, Yin Qi hurried into the Gaojie Duting and found Guo Jie, who was working on official documents in his residence. He looked terrified and said, "Hurry up and open the five armored warehouses. Bring all the armored guards and follow me to the official temple immediately."

Guo Jiefang put down his brush and stood up from the table. Seeing the panic-stricken face of the cruel official Yin Qi, he couldn't help but feel excited.

coming.

Finally, she arrived. "Wait a moment, Yin Zecao."

Guo Jie hurriedly walked out of the side room next to the palace, called all the guards, opened the five armories and began to put on red armor, holding spears, and standing in front of the gate of Jieting in a neat and orderly manner.

The residents passing by Gao Street were startled and quickly moved away from the entrance of Gao Street Duting and walked through the other side.

Yin Qi said nothing and hurried to the official temple in Chang'an in a carriage covered with black cloth.

Guo Jie did not take a carriage, but rode a Hexi horse, followed by twenty armed guards, and headed towards the official temple in Chang'an.

At the Hanque Gate of the official temple, the cruel officials Zhao Yu and Zhang Tang were already prepared. Besides the thief catchers and prison clerks, they were also accompanied by hundreds of executioners armed with wooden clubs.

"Walk."

With the arrival of Guo Jie, Zhao Yu gave an order and immediately led many officials and executioners to Zhangtai Street, disturbing many people along the way.

Many nobles and dukes were kneeling in the red carriage. It was the first time they saw the cruel official Zhao Yu leading such a large group of people. They were surprised and asked the carriage's steward to make way.

The young men from Wuling who loved riding horses quickly dismounted and led their horses past the cruel official Zhao Yu. Their usually loud voices were also much lower.

Some dukes, nobles, marquises and young men from the Five Tombs were very curious about what had happened that caused Zhao Yu to make such a big fuss, so they followed him from a distance as he walked forward.

The further the dukes and nobles walked, the more frightened they became.

The direction Zhao Yu was heading towards was actually Disheguili on Zhangtai Street.

Finally, under the astonished gaze of the ministers and marquises, Zhao Yu led his men to surround the residence of Dou Pengzu, Marquis of Nanpi.

Zhao. How dare Zhao Yu!

Dou Pengzu was the nephew of Empress Dowager Dou and a direct descendant of the Dou family, her in-laws.

How dare Zhao Yu besiege the Dou family, the in-laws who were at the peak of their power!
There is no other official in the whole Chang'an who is so bold.

"hehe."

Zhao Yu's face was filled with joy, and his heart was filled with excitement. He knew that today was the most important opportunity in his official career. As long as he captured Dou Pengzu, he would be valued by the emperor.

He was the only one who dared to take action against the Dou family, his empress dowager.

The emperor's will needs to be carried out by someone.

Not everyone has the courage to arrest the Dou family, a relative of the emperor.

Zhao Yu was also a little afraid, but he suppressed it. Today he wanted to explain something to the emperor.

He, Zhao Yu, wanted to be the sharpest knife in the emperor's hand.

The craziest dog.

"Somebody come!"

Zhao Yu shouted, "Take down the sheep's head hanging from Dou Pengzu's door lintel, smash it open, and find the evidence hidden inside."

Peach seals and sheep heads are hung on the door, and the door is smeared with white dog blood to ward off bad luck.

A six-inch long and three-inch square peach wood seal is hung on the door with a red rope to stop bad energy.

Hang a sheep's head on the door to keep away thieves.

Kill a white dog and write a message on the door with its blood to drive away bad luck.

No matter how many peach seals and sheep heads are hung, or how much white dog blood is smeared, the cruel official Zhao Yu cannot be driven away.

"Who dares!"

Dou Pengzu, with a body as fat as a ball, wore a three-beam Jinxian crown on his head and a deep-collared robe with dogwood brocade. He walked out of the gate with many guests, and the guests drew their two-foot swords to block the door.

The two sides were at war with each other.

When the thief catcher, the prison clerk, and the executioner saw the Marquis of Nanpi coming out, they all swallowed their saliva and dared not go forward, let alone take off the sheep's head.

Zhao Yu's face darkened.

Without someone to take off the sheep's head, Dou Pengzu could not be captured.

All the plans are just empty talk.

Guo Jie glanced at Zhao Yu, whose face was grim, and thought that what happened today once again proved a point.

Power comes not only from the top down, but also from the bottom up.

No matter how high the position or how great the power, if no one follows the orders issued, the power is useless.

But.

The hesitation of the officials was a good thing for Guo Jie.

"Pavilion guard!"

Guo Jie's control over his subordinates almost reached the point of blind loyalty: "Step forward and ward off these reckless guests."

No matter how skilled the guests were in sword fighting, they would still retreat unwillingly when facing the guards wearing red armor and holding spears.

The thief catcher and the prison clerk did not dare to arrest Dou Pengzu, but they would not hesitate to take action against the guests and hit them hard with the iron bars in their hands.

Under Dou Pengzu's angry expression.

Guo Jie walked over and took down the sheep's head from the door lintel in public.

Smashed in public.

"Dangdang!"

The sheep's head actually made a sound like metal and stone falling to the ground.

Under the astonished gazes of numerous nobles and dukes, a gold-inlaid tiger talisman fell out of the sheep's head and rolled onto the road of Zhangtai Street.

Tiger. Tiger talisman.

Dou Pengzu actually dared to secretly hide the tiger talisman!
Doesn't he know that he is a relative by marriage?

The Lu family, who almost overthrew the Han Dynasty, were also relatives by marriage.

Dou Pengzu himself was shocked.

I never thought that there would be a gold-inlaid tiger talisman inside the sheep's head.

Dou Pengzu never hid the tiger talisman. Even if he wanted to hide it, he would not be stupid enough to place it at the door.

"Someone is coming."

Zhao Yu was overjoyed and said, "Go and capture Dou Pengzu and bring him to the Chang'an official temple. I will personally interrogate him to find out when he hid the tiger talisman, who he colluded with, and when he planned to rebel."

Not yet in prison.

The cruel official Zhao Yu has already convicted Dou Pengzu.

"Who dares!"

Dou Pengzu was so angry that he was shaking all over. He stared at Zhao Yu, who was full of joy, and said coldly: "I am the Marquis of Nanpi, and I am also the nephew of the Empress Dowager. Who dares to arrest me?"

The thief catcher and the prison clerk looked at each other, their hands holding the iron bars trembling slightly, and they did not dare to step forward to arrest Dou Pengzu.

Zhao Yu's face looked extremely ugly.

"Snapped!"

Guo Jie walked over with a two-foot sword in his hand, and hit Dou Pengzu's fat face with the scabbard. Then he kicked Dou Pengzu in the knee, knocking him to the ground on the spot.

"I dare!"

(End of this chapter)