The fiercest soldier of the border army

The wind swept away the remaining clouds, and the sky was hazy and gray.

She walked and stopped frequently, closing her eyes and looking at Xiaoxi.

At dusk.

Tang Shun and his entourage continued along the sturdy official road, the horses' hooves clattering heavily on the earth and stones.

The territory of Lingzhou is completely different from that of Tingzhou.

As they traveled, the number of refugees increased, their steps slow, their clothes tattered, and they carried the old and the young, crawling along the roadside like a slow-moving snake.

At first, they were in small groups of three or five, then a dozen or so people gathered together, and later a hundred people walked in groups, leaning on wooden sticks, carrying children, and staring blankly at the direction of the county town ahead.

An old woman sat on a roadside stone, panting. The baby in her arms cried hoarsely. She had been feeding the baby for a long time, but her shriveled breasts had no milk. She could only soothe the baby in a low voice.

The man next to them handed over half a black pancake, broke it in half and shared it. The two men lowered their heads and gnawed at it, their mouths cracking and bleeding.

Zhou Bing spurred his horse forward and whispered, "My lord, we can't go any further ahead."

Tang Shun raised his hand to stop the procession.

The sixty riders slowly came to a stop and lined up along the roadside.

The refugees surged past on both sides like a tide, many kneeling in the roadside, pleading with outstretched hands: "Sir...please give us some food!"

"My child is having cramps from hunger, please have mercy!"

Xie Anzhi's face turned pale, and he gripped the reins tightly.

He initially intended to restrain himself, but seeing a woman kowtowing repeatedly while holding a fainted child, he finally couldn't hold back any longer, dismounted, and shouted loudly:

"Listen up, folks! The military governor's office has dispatched a pacification envoy, and the provisions will arrive today! Hold on for a few more days, and the government will not abandon you!"

The crowd stirred immediately, and someone looked up and asked, "Are they really distributing grain?"

When will it be released?

"Where do I pick it up?"

Xie Anzhi straightened his back: "I guarantee, as an official of the imperial court, that I am not lying! I only ask that you all refrain from blocking the road, clear the official path, and await further news!"

The people looked at each other, a glimmer of hope appearing on their faces, and gradually retreated to the sides.

Tang Shun did not stop them, but only watched coldly. Once the crowd had calmed down, he reined in his horse and rode forward. As he passed Xie An, he whispered:

"If you don't keep your word, you'll be the root of all trouble."

Xie Anzhi's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to defend himself, but in the end he remained silent.

The group set off again, and the closer they got to the county seat, the denser the refugees became.

Most of them came from villages and towns bordering the North and Lingzhou, and became refugees after their hometowns were plundered.

Hearing that there was still surplus grain in Wenchi County, people fled there to seek survival.

The villages along the way were deserted, with no sign of chickens or dogs, only dilapidated houses and broken walls remaining.

Finally, the outline of Wenchi County came into view.

The rammed earth city wall is not high, but the city gate tower is neatly built, and the blue cloth flags flutter in the wind.

The city gate was swept clean, and water was splashed on the street. Both sides of the gate were filled with yamen runners and constables, dressed in bright clothes and hats, holding water and fire sticks and standing solemnly.

Tang Shun squinted and looked around. He saw the county magistrate leading a group of officials standing in front of the city gate. The chief clerk held a book, the three chiefs wore hats with flowers in their hair, and the six clerks lined up on the left and right.

Local merchants, adorned with silk and jade, stood with hands clasped and smiles, making quite a grand spectacle.

As Xie Anzhi rode on his horse, anger surged within him. He sneered, "What a grand display! Outside, corpses of the starving are everywhere, yet instead of helping refugees and settling the people, they've mobilized their entire force to welcome the imperial envoy!"

His words were sarcastic and ambiguous, it was unclear whether he was criticizing the county officials or Tang Shun, the pacification commissioner.

Tang Shun chuckled, unconcerned. "Being able to spend time here proves that you're doing alright on the surface."

He dismounted, straightened his armor, and slowly walked forward. "Let's go take a look."

Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, and others dismounted one after another. Liang Enyi directed his followers to lead the horses to the rear of the group, while Zhou Ren ordered the cavalry to march into the city in formation, maintaining a dignified appearance.

Tang Shun walked at the front, his expression calm, his eyes fixed straight ahead, accepting the attention of everyone.

The magistrate stepped forward, bowed, and paid his respects.

"Your humble servant, Zheng Wenhan, Magistrate of Wenchi County, along with all the officials of the county, respectfully welcomes Your Excellency! We have long admired the illustrious name of Prefect Tang, and it is truly an honor for our county to meet you today!"

Tang Shun clasped his hands in return, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your warm welcome."

"My lord, please come into the city and rest." Magistrate Zheng Wenhan said with a smile, gesturing for you to enter. "I have prepared a banquet at Chunfeng Tower to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

Tang Shun nodded and stepped into the city.

He walked at a leisurely pace, his gaze sweeping over the shops and the expressions of the people on both sides of the street.

A price notice was posted in front of the rice shop in the market: 93 coins for a dou (a unit of dry measure) of rice. Normally, a dou of rice would only cost 10 or 20 coins.

It's more than four times more expensive!

The pharmacy was closed, and farm tools were piled up in front of the blacksmith's shop, but no one paid any attention to them.

The patrolling constables wore swords at their waists, and each of them had an indifferent expression.

A commotion suddenly arose behind me.

When the city gates opened, a group of refugees rushed forward, kneeling and crying for food.

The constables immediately took out sticks to drive them away, and shouts and curses rose from all sides.

The merchants frowned and backed away, avoiding him at all costs.

Tang Shun and his party walked through Dongshi Street, their feet treading on the potholed, snow-covered rammed earth road, followed by Cheng Feng, Wei Zong, Liang Enyi, and Xie Anzhi.

Zheng Wenhan led the way, his smile never fading, and he kept saying things like, "Your Excellency has come from afar, it must be tiring," and "Although Wenchi is small, we have prepared some small gifts to express our respect."

Tang Shun simply nodded in agreement, his expression calm and composed.

Xie Anzhi lagged half a step behind, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, wishing he could rebuke him on the spot!

Wei Zong, however, observed his expression and tugged at his sleeve, which made him hold back.

Two streets later, a three-story restaurant stands at the crossroads, with the three large characters "Chunfenglou" written on the plaque. It is painted in vermilion and gilded, with lanterns hanging from the eaves and red gauze lanterns.

An incense table had been set up in front of the door, and a band of musicians lined up on both sides. As soon as Tang Shun and his party arrived, they began to play festive tunes.

The innkeeper personally came out to greet him, bowing and cupping his hands in greeting: "Welcome, sir! The feast has been prepared, and we are waiting here for you!"

Zheng Wenhan stepped forward, beaming, "Lord Tang, please come to the private room upstairs."

"The soldiers have worked hard too. A long table has been set up downstairs, and there's plenty to eat and drink. Wine has also been served."

Tang Shun stopped and turned to look at the fifty-eight riders behind him.

Everyone was covered in dust and grime, their armor frosted with frost, having traveled for days and their faces showing signs of exhaustion.

He pointed and said, "Go in, everyone. One bowl of wine each, but no more. Food is unlimited, eat and drink as much as you like. Zhou Bing will be in charge of the Imperial Guards, and Wei Zong will be in charge of the three squads!"

Zhou Bingwei and his companion bowed, "Yes, sir!"

He then waved to the cavalry, "Brothers, lay down your armor and swords, come in and eat! Anyone who dares to cause trouble, drink excessively, or bully the shopkeeper will be dealt with according to military law!"

The soldiers responded with a roar, tied their horses to the wooden stakes outside the building, and went inside on their own.

The first floor suddenly became lively, with the sounds of bowls and chopsticks clattering and laughter mingling together.

The shopkeeper bowed repeatedly and hurriedly ordered the waiters to add more dishes and seats.

Tang Shun then turned around and stepped up the stairs.

On the second floor, by the window, there is a huge round table, its red lacquer gleaming, laden with fruits and snacks.

The seats were filled with local merchants and gentry.

At the entrance of the building, there were two pretty young women kneeling on the ground. They were plump and dressed very lightly, even though it was winter.

However, with two pieces of silk covering the sensitive areas above and below, large expanses of snow-white skin were exposed, making it impossible to look away.

Upon seeing Tang Shun and his group go upstairs, they crawled forward on their knees, bowed their heads with their buttocks sticking out, and displayed their graceful figures to the fullest.

However, Xie Anzhi's angry voice could no longer be contained: "Magistrate Zheng, what do you mean by this?!"