In the side hall, Xu Ping played with the official seal and quietly waited for the visitors to arrive.

The sound of footsteps sounded outside the door. Xu Ping looked up and saw a 17 or 18-year-old boy following closely behind Tan Hu and walked into the door together.

The boy was wearing a short coarse cloth dress, with his legs raised high and barefoots. He had a bun on his head and was inserted with a thorn branch. Although he was a teenager, his rough and dark face showed vicissitudes.

After entering the room, Tan Hu said to the young man: "I have come here to meet the official entrusting officer."

The young man stepped forward and knelt on the ground, kowtowed to Xu Ping, and said, "Zhou Deming, the third son of the small former governor of Qiyuan Prefecture, pay homage to the official!"

The Song people knelt down and kowtow from time to time from time to time, and gave this great gift, which would really require someone if they had something to do.

Xu Ping said to the young man with a gentle voice: "No need to be polite, get up and talk."

The boy thanked him and stood up.

Xu Ping said to Tan Hu: "Pour a cup of tea for Xiao Yanei to drink."

When Tan Hu left, Xu Pingcai said to Zhou Deming: "If you have anything, just say it."

"My little ancestor was named the governor of Qiyuan Prefecture during Emperor Taizong..."

Xu Ping listened quietly.

It turned out that when Jiaozhi captured Qiyuan Prefecture in the fifth year of Tiansheng, the young yaene took the official seal with him because he was young and hid it. He luckily escaped the disaster. The people of Jiaozhi retreated, and the little yaene brought the official seal to contact his old subordinates. He wanted to think about it again, but he didn't want the Nong family, who was in full swing, attacked again. The little yaene's hope was shattered, so he had to flee with the official seal.

This time, Xu Ping recruited local officials from all over the country in Qianlongdong, and the momentum was great. Zhou Deming rushed over quietly after receiving the news, but wanted Xu Ping to help him fight back to Qiyuan Prefecture and regain his position as governor.

After hearing this, Xu Ping said to Zhou Deming: "Qiyuanzhou is remote and the road is blocked. If you want to fight there, I am afraid that the little force under my command is not enough-"

After hearing this, Zhou Deming burst into tears: "Shangguan, the whole family of Xiao died tragically at the hands of Jiaozhi Ren and Nong's family. This revenge is irreconcilable. How can I be a human being if I don't avenge this--"

As he said that, he would kneel down again.

Xu Ping hurriedly stopped him and said to him: "You have to make a long-term plan for such a major matter, and you can't be in a hurry. This way, you have no place to go. Follow me back to Taiping County first, and you will keep it for a while before making a reason."

What else was Xiao Yanei saying? Tan Hu just brought the tea over, so he had to stop, hold the tea cup and stand aside to drink tea, and look at Xu Ping with his eyes.

The terrain of Qiyuan Prefecture is complex and surrounded by mountains. Although rivers flow into Zuojiang, the water is turbulent and there are many dangerous shoals, and there are no boats. It is difficult to get there from the Song Dynasty. Only Menzhou has roads to access, and then you can get to Guangyuan Prefecture by borrowing Qiyuan Prefecture.

The problem is not under the control of the Song Dynasty. How could Xu Ping agree to this little yanei? It’s easy to say a word, but it’s very difficult to fulfill it. The man has come again, and Xu Ping has no reason to push him out. After all, when there was a conflict with Guangyuanzhou, this man could still be used.

Wei, Huang, Zhou, and Nong are the four major surnames in Guangyuanzhou and Qiyuanzhou. It is true that the Nong family has the upper hand now, but there are also many tribesmen in the other three surnames, and it is a great help if they use them properly.

He comforted Zhou Deming with kind words. Xu Ping finally sent him away and promised to take him back to Taiping County in a few days and slowly find a way to restore Qiyuan Prefecture.

After seeing Zhou Deming off, Xu Ping sat there blankly thinking about his thoughts. He never expected that things would develop to this point. Menzhou actually sent people, and the little yamen from Qiyuan Prefecture suddenly appeared. The door that walked out of Yongzhou to expand south was opened in front of him.

Menzhou, Menzhou, there is really a door. If it occupies the place, it will control Guangyuanzhou to the west, and it will be blocked from Tianzhou to the two sides. It is not afraid of being unable to tie Guangyuanzhou's hands and feet. It will be directly next to Liangzhou to the south. It will only be thirty or forty miles between the two places, and you can reach it in one day. If you move forward, there will be no obstacles to mountains and rivers.

Even if Xu Ping didn't understand, he could guess that Liangzhou is the current Liangshan in later generations, the northern gate of the Red River Delta, the legendary Central Plains dynasty army bound the place where the king surrendered. However, that was a matter of later generations. Now the road from Yongzhou to there is blocked, and the army that occupied the Central Plains dynasty of Liangzhou has become the last of its strength and is unable to face the entire country of Jiaozhi.

But what if he had mastered the road there? Xu Ping only felt his heart beating, which was to pinch Jiaozhi's neck and could hit its heart with one punch at any time.

Xu Ping was a little excited when he thought of such a prospect. Inadvertently, could he change history?

Even if he didn't know that Guo Kui entered Jiaozhi during the Shenzong period, he was severely injured by this road. Most of the soldiers at Shenglongfu were starved due to epidemics and had no choice but to negotiate peace. Just through the terrain, Xu Ping also knew what this road meant to the Central Plains Dynasty. Yongzhou to Shenglongfu only had to reach it in one month, and the cost of transporting grain was borne by Guangnan West Road. He no longer had to start a war against such a small country and shake half of the country. The military expenses and soldiers losses made the Central Plains Dynasty unbearable.

After breathing a long breath, Xu Ping picked up the teacup and drank a sip of tea to calm down.

The road has been built to Simingzhou, so I might as well build it for more than a hundred miles forward to Pingxiangdong.

As for what will happen in the future, who can predict the future?

It is already the end of the moon, and the moon has not come out for a long time. Only the stars in the sky dot the night sky, and the silver light shines on the earth, covering the flowers, plants and trees, as if it is dreamy.

Xu Ping was walking gently in the garden, thinking about the situation he was facing now. The garrison in Yongzhou has been much stronger than when he came. Now there are nearly 4,000 people in Zuojiangdao area. More than 1,000 people are distributed in Guwanzhai, Yongpingzhai and affiliated inspection villages. Taiping County and the thousand people he brought out have a total of more than 2,000 people. These troops, plus the newly built rural soldiers, are enough to deal with subordinates.

But using this little force to tease Jiaozhi and Guangyuanzhou? Xu Ping shook his head.

Four or five thousand troops were dispatched, without considering logistics and cover, and it was probably enough to deal with Guangyuanzhou, but it was far from enough to Shangjiaozhi, and no matter how it was calculated, it was not enough. Even if the road to Menzhou was built, it would take 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers to fight under Jiaozhi City. In addition, logistics transportation and defensive retreat routes, it would take more than 30,000 troops and 10,000 or 20,000 civilians to have the confidence to take a risk.

Xu Ping did not have so many troops. Although he was excited just now, he finally calmed down by the cold wind in the backyard. The bigger the belly, he would eat as much as he could, and his appetite would be too strong.

It’s better to build the road to Pingxiangdong first.

A breeze blew in the night, bringing coolness. The kerosene lamp hanging on the trees next to it shone bright yellow and white, attracting some unknown flying insects to rotate around.

This night is quiet and peaceful.

At this moment, Tan Hu ran in "thump, thump, thump".

"What's so panicked?"

Xu Ping was awakened from his contemplation and asked in a deep voice.

Tan Hu saluted with his hands: "Report to the official, Luo Baihuang County Magistrate outside asked for a visit, saying that there was something important to report!"

Xu Ping frowned and said, "What's going on? You'll choose to come this past two nights? Have you asked him what's going on? If that doesn't matter, I'll wait until tomorrow!"

"I have asked about it. Huang Magistrate said that the matter is serious and it is urgent!"

"Okay, let him wait for me in the side hall, and I'll come right away."

Tan Hu took the order and left. Xu Ping stood there for a while but couldn't think of anything. Luo Bai was right next to Taiping County, and now the road was open. Huang Magistrate should swallow it back into his stomach even if he had any small thoughts. Now, it was too late. Xu Ping's knife was already bleeding, so he didn't care about him.

After thinking about it, Xu Ping shook his head and walked to the side hall.

Huang Magistrate stood there tremblingly, hearing footsteps, and looked up and saw Xu Ping coming in. His legs trembled, and before he could speak, he knelt on the ground.

Xu Ping frowned and shouted sternly: "Stand up and say something! What's going on tonight? They all seem to have been broken by someone's knees. You are also a registered official, what kind of ethics do you have!"

"The servants dare not! The crime is too great this time, I just want Shangguan to spare my life!"

Xu Ping had already heard something wrong and said in a deep voice: "Don't beg for mercy first, or tell me what's going on. As soon as I come in, I'm going to die. Could it be that I'm so confused that I want to rebel?"

Huang Magistrate looked at Xu Ping and said carefully: "Although the young man doesn't have that intention, he is bewitched by others, I'm afraid he's really involved in some trouble."

After hearing this, Xu Ping's face turned cold. He sat down on the chair, looked at Huang Magistrate who was kneeling in front of him, and slowly spoke: "Tell me, what's going on? The clearer you say, the better it will be for you!"

"I don't know where to start-"

Xu Ping changed color and said, "If you don't know, go back and think it through, come again! Come late in the middle of the night and hesitate. Are you here to spend time with me?! Don't think you can hide it if you don't talk about things. If you don't talk about things tonight, you won't need to say it when things are revealed in the future!"

At this time, the cool breeze was already cold, and there was already a cool feeling of autumn. But sweat beads appeared on Huang Magistrate's forehead, which dripped onto the blue brick under his knees.

Gritting his teeth, Huang Zhixian said: "The matter starts with Shangguan's promotion of Kuoding Fa in Zuojiangdao several months ago. We local officials do not rely on the salary of the court, and all their wealth is on their subordinates. Kuoding Fa and his party will become ordinary wealthy families. In those days, several of us local officials who were close to each other often discussed together, and they all felt that to protect our wealth, Shangguan's Kuoding Fa would not be able to implement..."

Next, Huang Magistrate told all the details about how several local officials discussed and contacted each other, and finally planned to attack Luobai's military camp to cause riots, and how to cooperate with Jiaozhi.

Finally, Huang Zhixian sighed: "Since the matter was settled, I couldn't sleep every night. I felt that I had caused a big disaster this time, but I couldn't make up my mind to get out. After thinking about it, I made up my mind to report to Shangguan. I am old and I know that this disaster is not small, so I dare not ask Shangguan to let me have a way out, just hope that I will not implicate my family. These days, I have sent my son to his father-in-law. He is not aware of it at all, and I hope Shangguan is merciful!"

Hearing this, Xu Ping's face turned pale.
Chapter completed!