Chapter 334: Sixty-three, Variable in the Return North

Sixty-three, Variable in the Return North

Hu Fu encountered the main force of the returning border soldiers head-on within the territory of Tan Prefecture.

On the day he arrived, according to news from the front, the returning border soldiers were crossing the river.

Hu Fu headed there without stopping.

According to the introduction of the reception officials of Tan Prefecture, this rushing river flowing north was named the Xiang River.

Hu Fu looked up and saw a water-land island piled up by sand and soil in the center of the Xiang River, like a long belt floating on the Xiang River.

Seeing this, the Chief Clerk of Tan Prefecture introduced: "Lord Hu, this island is called Orange Island by the local people."

"Hmm."

Hu Fu couldn't help but look into the distance and take a few extra looks.

In front of him, the sky was clear and thousands of miles wide, the Xiang River flowed north, and the head of Orange Island.

A feeling of heroic spirit of the vast sea and sky suddenly arose in Hu Fu's chest.

"Lord Envoy, those border soldiers are in front, just crossing the river."

"Go."

Hu Fu suddenly rode his horse forward alone.

"Lord Envoy, wait for us! Be careful of your safety."

The officials and guards of Tan Prefecture hurried to follow this bearded eunuch. This was the Emperor's private envoy, representing the Empress. If something happened to him, they would also be unlucky.

Hu Fu ignored them and let his horse go.

Soon, the crowd of soldiers appeared before his eyes.

"Envoy, wait, the subordinate will send someone to negotiate..."

"No need, you stop."

Hu Fu gave the order, didn't look back, and went alone.

Facing the crowd that suddenly appeared in front, the returning border soldiers who had just crossed the river, led by a few leader-like men, quickly gathered into columns.

They held weapons and looked at the team of government soldiers with vigilance.

"Who are you? Please stop." The leading man stepped forward to shout.

"I am Hu Fu, the Emperor's imperial envoy, representing the Saint, here specifically to issue an edict."

The returning border soldiers were stunned, as if they didn't expect a eunuch's voice to be so vigorous and heroic.

However, what surprised them even more was that this bearded eunuch came to the front, didn't pull the reins at all, continued to whip his horse forward, left the government soldiers of Tan Prefecture far behind, and walked alone into the crowd of armed border soldiers who were on guard.

A few leading men didn't make a sound, and the crowd of border soldiers subconsciously made a path, letting Hu Fu enter.

Hu Fu rode alone, holding a roll of yellow silk in his hands, passing by the border soldiers.

Along the way, he turned his head left and right, his gaze falling on the tired faces of the returning border soldiers, their dusty armor, and their cooking utensils, scanning them one by one seriously.

The whole scene was silent.

The leading men, the returning border soldiers, and even the officials of Tan Prefecture in the back witnessed this scene silently.

Hu Fu's expression was natural, but in fact, he was a bit nervous, but he forcibly suppressed it.

He reined in his horse in the center of the crowd, took off his cloak, unfolded the imperial edict with both hands, read it out heroically, his tone steady:

"The Emperor's edict..."

Words of pardon were spat out from Hu Fu's mouth, echoing through the silent scene.

Finished reading.

The whole scene was silent.

Hu Fu looked at those few leading men.

One of the tall and thin men, fully armored and wearing a red cloak, stood at the very front of the few leading men, as if he were the leader of the mutiny, Cai Qin.

As for the Jiangzhou Chief Clerk Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan and the Third Regiment Captain Su Li Qian whom he had mentioned privately, they should be one of these leading men, but Hu Fu couldn't recognize them, and didn't care much right now.

Just when Hu Fu was observing the expressions of the generals, the generals were also observing the expression of this Emperor's private envoy.

Hu Fu handed out the imperial edict with both hands and signaled, his vigorous high voice:

"General Cai, please accept the edict."

Cai Qin was silent.

Hu Fu kept his expression unchanged and did not urge him.

Time passed second by second.

Hu Fu, who was stared at by a group of martial artists who had killed on the border, stared at Cai Qin without blinking, but his eyes lost focus, as if his perception of time had become dull.

He didn't know how long it had passed, was it an instant, or forever.

Until...

Cai Qin dismounted, stepped forward to accept the edict, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head to thank the grace.

A wave of sound suddenly erupted in the whole scene.

It was a cheer. It was like the waves of the Xiang River beside them, sweeping through the crowd on the riverbank.

The bearded eunuch on horseback quietly breathed a long sigh of relief, and when he reacted, his back was already soaked.

At this moment of being the center of attention, he couldn't help but turn his head and look at the sandbar in the center of the Xiang River that looked like a floating belt.

Cai Qin and other generals stepped forward to greet him.

The crowd of border soldiers surged over joyfully.

The officials of Tan Prefecture also stepped forward cautiously to celebrate.

Everyone had their own state, and the scene was chaotic.

Later, Hu Fu forgot how he comforted and dealt with Cai Qin and other soldiers.

He only felt that this pardon process on the bank of the Xiang River was full of vitality, and all things were competing for development.

That night, he got drunk with the soldiers in the temporary military camp outside Tan Prefecture City, and simply didn't return to the refined official residence arranged in the city, but lived with these border soldiers.

Waking up the next day, walking out of the tent, and going to the main tent to discuss with Cai Qin and others, Hu Fu clearly felt the closeness and respect of the soldiers in the military camp toward him...

In the following days, while staying in Tan Prefecture, Hu Fu was always with the recruited soldiers.

Cai Qin and other generals trusted him more and more.

Even when Hu Fu expressed slight worry about weapons and armor, Cai Qin didn't hesitate, took off his armor, and at the same time ordered all border soldiers to remove their weapons together.

So these weapons and armor were left in Tan Prefecture.

On this day, after resting, everyone set off and left Tan Prefecture.

Before leaving, Tan Prefecture sent military rations and fodder to supplement the border soldiers.

Hu Fu decided to follow Cai Qin and others and return north together.

It could also be considered as setting an example, representing the imperial court, and expressing an attitude.

Before leaving Tan Prefecture, Hu Fu, in the capacity of an imperial envoy, sent several letters, sent people to the prefectures along the way, clarified the situation, and ordered officials along the way not to block them, and let the border soldiers pass through the border and return north...

Especially Hongzhou and Jiangzhou, which were the destinations of the return north, ordered the main officials of the two prefectures to prepare for the reception.

The official documents were sent out, arrangements were made, Hu Fu followed the main force, left Tan Prefecture, and continued north.

Now that the recruitment was successful, the matters prepared in advance were all proceeding according to plan.

He only felt that everything was going smoothly.

Perhaps it was because they admired his heroic move of reading the edict alone.

On the way of the return north, Hu Fu gradually became familiar with Cai Qin and others.

Moreover, in order to integrate into the atmosphere of the military camp, the bearded eunuch envoy, who didn't drink much, also learned to drink at the table together.

During this period, Hu Fu finally saw the Third Regiment Captain Su Li Qian.

This was a round-faced man who was like a dull gourd, with a strong build and wheat-colored skin. He was indeed like a border military officer. He drank silently at the wine table and spoke very little.

Although among these fifteen hundred border soldiers, most were soldiers of the Hongzhou Zhechong Prefecture, and the Jiangzhou border soldiers led by Su Li Qian were in the minority,

but perhaps because of his dull and honest personality, Su Li Qian had a good relationship with the Hongzhou generals like Cai Qin, at least there was no such exclusion or cold treatment.

Hu Fu observed this, but because the recruitment and comforting went smoothly and there were no difficulties, Hu Fu didn't take the initiative to find Su Li Qian.

And Su Li Qian was silent toward Hu Fu, who occasionally wore a certain waist knife, or it could be said that he was silent toward Cai Qin and others, and didn't take the initiative to strike up a conversation with Hu Fu.

Hu Fu didn't care much about this.

As the days passed, things moved in a stable and good direction, until everyone entered the hinterland of the Jiang Nan Circuit.

Hu Fu and Cai Qin and other border soldiers came to the territory of Rao Prefecture, which was not far from Hongzhou.

Passing through a city checkpoint, they suddenly found something different.

"Lord Hu, what is the meaning of these guards arranged at the checkpoint?"

At the front of the team, Cai Qin turned his head and asked the voice of all the generals and border soldiers in confusion.

Hu Fu looked at the checkpoint guarded by strict soldiers behind him.

He comforted broadly: "Should... should be that there are many bandits in the local area, and the government is stationed to guard against them."

A captain muttered dully: "In this hinterland of Jiang Nan, it has been peaceful for a long time. Where are there such rampant bandits that require strict soldiers to guard?"

The marching team fell silent.

Hu Fu frowned slightly.

In the following days, passing through some checkpoints, they still encountered the phenomenon of strict soldiers guarding key points. Who they were guarding against seemed very obvious.

Although they were allowed to pass, Cai Qin and others' behavior of looking sideways at Hu Fu became more and more frequent.

Hu Fu's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but curse the main officials of Rao Prefecture and other places in his heart.

When the team approached Rao Prefecture City, Hu Fu immediately entered the city, entered the Rao Prefecture main hall, called out the main official of Rao Prefecture, and questioned this matter.

The Rao Prefecture Prefect was recently sick and on leave, and only a Rao Prefecture Chief Clerk surnamed Zhao came out to deal with it.

Explained that Rao Prefecture was in the hinterland of the Jiang Nan Circuit, and the location was critical. For the sake of safety, they sent government soldiers to guard the checkpoints to prevent trouble. This was the duty and responsibility of local officials, and they had to do it.

However, Chief Clerk Zhao emphasized that it was just routine precautions and would never block the return north of the Envoy and the border soldiers.

Hu Fu understood this kind of old oil-slick psychology and shirking responsibility, and naturally was very dissatisfied, and scolded him. Chief Clerk Zhao bowed and scraped, full of apologies, but still played Tai Chi.

However, in the end, under the pressure of the Emperor's private envoy, Rao Prefecture still bowed its head, withdrew part of the checkpoint soldiers, and only sent sporadic soldiers to guard the pass, just going through the motions...

Finally, the Rao Prefecture officials respectfully sent the dark-faced Hu Fu and the silent returning border soldiers out of the border.

Leaving the "unreasonable" Rao Prefecture, Hu Fu breathed a sigh of relief.

At the wine table at night, he comforted Cai Qin and other generals. Everyone nodded in response, and Cai Qin took the initiative to liven up the atmosphere.

But soon, Hu Fu and a group of generals discovered that Rao Prefecture was not an isolated case.

Perhaps it was the alternative model of Rao Prefecture, or perhaps they knew that the hinterland of the Jiang Nan Circuit was too important, and the long-term officials of all places were afraid that the border soldiers would cause trouble when passing through the border and they would be blamed.

Passing through the states, I saw that at every checkpoint, there were strict soldiers ready to go, patrolling and guarding, staring coldly at Cai Qin and other border soldiers who were unarmed, passing by under their eyelids.

Hu Fu, as an envoy, although powerful, could not scold the various places for such actions,

let alone the round-about shirking of responsibility and disobedience of the small officials.

Hu Fu had to try his best to deal with it, and at the same time made promises to comfort Cai Qin and other generals and border soldiers.

And just after encountering this situation of strict soldiers guarding, Cai Qin and others would look at Hu Fu in confusion, or complain a few words, but later, after experiencing more, Cai Qin and other generals became silent.

Hu Fu traveled with them every day, and naturally found that the atmosphere of the surrounding border soldiers became silent, and their attitude toward him, although still respectful, was no longer as enthusiastic and close as at the beginning.

This sign and atmosphere made Hu Fu feel a little uneasy.

On this day, night.

The military camp of the border soldiers was stationed in the suburbs of a county city.

Just like usual, they received military rations and comfort from the government of this county, but they were tacitly kept outside the city gate. Except for the Envoy, others were not allowed to enter the city.

Both sides maintained a certain tacit understanding of distance, which was also the norm for the returning border soldiers and the local prefectures and counties along the way.

In a certain tent in the temporary military camp, there was a tall figure of a bearded eunuch pacing back and forth.

Hu Fu frowned, paced in the tent for a while, and turned to look at the county city with faint lights in the distance outside the tent.

"No, the atmosphere is a bit wrong, I must report to the imperial court..."

Hu Fu muttered to himself, the next moment, he turned to pack his identity documents and the Emperor's private envoy badge, and saw a waist knife given by Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan hanging on the shelf out of the corner of his eye, and took it down and wore it on his waist.

He prepared to go out to find his subordinates.

"Where is Lord Hu going?"

There was a team of border soldiers in the shadows not far from the door.

"General Cai?" Hu Fu stuttered a bit: "You, you guys, why are you here, not drinking anymore... what are you doing here?"

He had just walked out of the tent when he ran into Cai Qin and his group of generals.

"Wine can be drunk at any time. Everyone just discussed it, and there is a request for Lord Hu, hoping not to disturb Lord Hu's sleep."

Cai Qin paused, as if discovering something, and asked:

"Where is Lord Hu going in the middle of the night?"

Sensing that they were also walking toward his tent and happened to run into him, rather than waiting for him at the door like ghosts, Hu Fu felt slightly relieved in his heart.

He covered up his panic and guilt, and said with a vigorous voice: "I also have something to discuss with General Cai."

"What is the waist knife for?"

Asked the dull voice of that Captain Du.

"This... just a habit, haha."

Hu Fu took off the waist knife and smiled.

Cai Qin's gaze moved away from the waist knife, looked at him, and spread his hands:

"Lord Hu, please speak first."

Hu Fu looked straight ahead and answered:

"Just some suggestions for the route of the return north, not urgent. If General Cai has important matters, you can speak first."

"Good."

Cai Qin didn't stand on ceremony and nodded.

The tent behind Hu Fu was not lit, and Cai Qin and his group of generals stood mostly in the darkness not illuminated by the torchlight of the nearest torches,

causing Hu Fu to be unable to see Cai Qin and others' expressions for a time, and could only hear the steady voice of this leader of the Guizhou mutinous border soldiers:

"The subordinate has organized a petition, Lord Hu, please take a look."

"What... what petition."

"It's like this, we are almost at Hongzhou, and the soldiers are homesick, and there have been some rumors among the brothers below recently."

Cai Qin continued without pausing:

"The subordinate is worried that this will lead to trouble. We discussed it tonight and organized some small requests, hoping Lord Hu can report them to the imperial court on our behalf."

"This..."

Hu Fu took the paper silently handed over by Cai Qin with trembling fear.

In front of all the generals, he walked quickly to the torch not far away and leaned down.

Looking closely, there were roughly two requests written on the paper:

First, request the dismissal of the Zhechong Commandants, Training Envoys, and Zhechong Chief Clerks of the Zhechong Prefectures in Hongzhou and Jiangzhou, the three military officers who directly caused the delay in border service and whom the border soldiers hated.

Second, request the establishment of a new Zhechong Prefecture for the returning border soldiers, to be under one general, to maintain independence.

Hu Fu finished reading, his heart trembling.

He raised his head to speak, but hit the cold gazes of a group of martial artists in the darkness ahead.

"... Good."

He swallowed his words and nodded with a forced smile, agreeing to this impossible matter.

"I will submit a letter to convey it for the generals tomorrow."

"Then there is labor, Lord Hu."

Cai Qin seemed to nod.

Behind him, a captain said stiffly:

"Please write it immediately, the subordinate will help the Lord send it to the city now, and the official post can send it out tomorrow."

Hu Fu's body stiffened slightly, nodded obediently, "Good."

Under the watch and supervision of Cai Qin and others, he wrote a document according to the petition, sealed it, and handed it over with a hard scalp.

The captain took the document and left, entering the city overnight.

Hu Fu, who was surrounded by Cai Qin and others and pretending to be calm, at some point, looked at the distant city with dim lights.