Going south from the capital, the water route is naturally much more comfortable than land routes, but there is also one shortcoming, that is, the current dry winter season, and there are also money, grain and tax ships that are constantly transported to Beijing from various provinces on the Caohe River, which will inevitably delay the journey of the ships heading south. It took only seven or eight days to arrive in Huaibei, but this time it will be more than doubled.

Therefore, land has become the first choice for many pedestrian caravans who are eager to move south. However, compared to the stability of water, land has many inconveniences, especially after being far away from the capital, the official roads have become rugged and difficult to travel. Sometimes they have to cross mountains and ridges and stay in the wilderness overnight. It is very hard.

However, this hard work is nothing to Li Ling. Thinking about it, he took a few people and traveled thousands of miles to the southwest, a sparsely populated area. Compared with that, today's journey was really a smooth journey. Even along the way, he could even ride on the horse, without seeing any fatigue.

However, after walking with the officers and soldiers, they all complained after a few days, and their trip was obviously slowed down. However, because the carriages and cargo in the team and Li Tong's coffin were needed to help transport and take care of them, Li Ling and others could only slow down and walk slowly with these officers and soldiers.

After slowing down this way, it took seven or eight days before officially leaving the capital and reaching the intersection of the three provinces with Shandong and the two Huaihe Rivers. Compared with the difficult official roads before, the roads here are much wider and flat, but there are still continuous mountains around, which makes the roads need to pass through the mountains, making this area look even more desolate.

At this time, an officer came to Li Ling and whispered: "Sir, we have to hurry up and pass through this area as soon as possible."

"What? Is there any explanation here?" Li Ling sat on the horse and asked with a look around. He was on a large canal gang ship when he went to the capital to take the exam, so he was really not very clear about the words on land.

"I don't know that the junction of these three provinces means that there are three things that don't care. Many bandits are rampant and block the road and robbery. The younger one once heard people say that there are two groups of bandits here that are the most rampant, and even the officials of several provinces have no choice but to deal with them."

"There is such a thing?" Li Ling looked at the distant mountain thoughtfully, "My Dayue is in a peaceful and prosperous era. Is there any such thief who can't wait to cause harm?"

The officer laughed and did not dare to say more. However, Li Ling glanced at him again: "Are they really bold enough to see you and wait for your soldiers and horses, and dare to attack my team?"

"It's hard to say... Those people are so bold for money."

"Then let's destroy them, which can be regarded as eliminating the harm for the people." Li Ling smiled disconcertedly and shook Yang Zhen beside him again. The latter understood and immediately rode forward to explore the way. At this time, Li Moyun also looked around alertly and turned the horse to Li Ling slightly.

Seeing that Li Ling had said such words, the officer did not dare to say anything else. He then went and told his brothers below to pay more attention. It seemed that the journey today would not be peaceful.

The team did not stop and continued to go all the way. After two or three miles, the official road suddenly narrowed again, allowing only a carriage to pass through. So the whole team turned into a snake-like shape. The carriagemen took several miles to go, which seemed particularly eye-catching among the mountains where leaves were falling due to autumn and winter.

This team naturally fell into the eyes of some people who were interested. On a mountain to the west several miles away from Li Ling and the others, a scar-faced man with a scarred face wearing a gray-black suit and holding a bark in his hand was staring at the convoy, just like a hungry wolf staring at the delicious prey.

After licking the dry lips with his tongue, he said in a hoarse voice: "Brother Hou, are you asking our brothers to rob and kill this team?"

Next to him was a man with a savvy man in the face of a month and a smart face. He nodded at this time: "Master Liu is right. My master just wants to use your hands to kill all the people in this team. As for their wealth and goods, they will naturally belong to you."

Master Liu's village smiled and said, "If I think it's good, there are many officers and soldiers in this team, and you are also officials... Why? Are you going to kill someone with a knife, or do you want to spend time with me?"

"The Lord Liu's village does not need to be suspicious. This is just a personal grudge. I dare not say too much. I just want to say one thing. My elders have suffered many losses in the hands of someone in the team before. This time they finally drove him out of the capital, so naturally they didn't want him to run away like this. So solving him halfway through is the best result.

"As long as you can help my elders do this, not only will the previous things be written off, but my elders can also owe you a favor..."

"Hey, Lord Wei's favor is really not light. OK, I promise you! I, Liu Tianlong, want to see what kind of person is that guy who can make Lord Wei feel difficult!" As he said that, he turned around and shouted.

Suddenly, five or six people rushed over: "Boss, what do you mean?"

"Don't! Ask brothers to go to the Fenghuling Mountain in front to prepare. This time I will make them unable to leave!" Li Tianlong gave the decisive order. The thieves and brothers immediately became excited, agreed loudly, turned around and ran downstairs quickly, and they were all amazing. They went down the mountain and climbed over, as if they were walking on flat ground.

The Hou, who was surnamed Hou, was delighted when he saw this, and clasped his fists and said, "Then I will wait for you here for the good news from Master Liu."

"It's easy to say!" Liu Tianlong looked at him deeply, then took the knife and left, and he wanted to take a shortcut to the target and set up an ambush on the Shanhuling, which he must pass. After all, there are hundreds of officers and soldiers in his team, so he naturally has to give full play to his own geographical advantages.

After he left, the man surnamed Hou smiled slightly. These rash men were really easy to fool, and they were moved by themselves in a few words. Next, we have to see which of the two sides is more powerful. Thinking in our hearts, his eyes had crossed the large forest and landed on the most steepest ridge in front of us, and overturned the Tiger Ridge!

...

The sun was gradually setting in the west, and the mountain wind at dusk in early winter became colder. While blowing the surrounding forests and trees, a dead leaf was floating down, it also made everyone who was rushing to feel a little cold, unconsciously, making people wrap their clothes tightly and their bodies hunched over.

Li Ling raised his hand and called the officer who reminded him just now, and asked, "From you see, can we get out of this mountain before dark?"

"We can't get out. Although we accelerated, we were still dragged down by the difficult terrain here. Adults, young people thought it would be better to take a night off first, to nourish our spirits, and cross the mountains in an early morning tomorrow."

"Well, it's not impossible. However, there is no village or shop here, and there is no flat and wide place. It's a bit difficult to rest on the spot, right?" Li Ling said as he looked around. Although it was not very tall, his place was a cliff, and it was indeed not suitable for the entire army to station here.

"This... if a small number of people were small, I knew there were still several valleys ahead to rest for a night, but now so many people..." The officer was a little embarrassed.

At this moment, Yang Zhen came back from the front and saw Li Ling and said, "Sir, there is a high mountain in front that will be quite flat as long as it is turned up. I don't think we'll rest there tonight, right?"

"Where?" Li Ling asked, then put on a turret and looked in the direction he pointed. Sure enough, there seemed to be a flat area as smooth as a beam several miles away among the mountains.

The officer looked over there as carefully as he did, but his face changed a little: "Sir, it's called Fanhuling. Although the top is indeed flat and the place is open, it's very difficult to move from bottom to top. Even if it's not easy to go up during the day, it's almost dark, and it will definitely be even more dangerous. Also, if the bandits near this place really want to attack us, that's the best gate."

"Oh?" Li Ling's eyes flashed, "That seems to be our only way?"

"That's right, but it's much easier to walk away in the blue sky and the sun."

"Since you have to pass it all the time, I will just go up today. Otherwise, after a night, some bandits might be arranged for time." Li Ling immediately made the decision and waved his hand. "Everyone worked harder and climbed up the mountain before dark. We rested there for a night and we would enter the Huaibei territory tomorrow."

Seeing that Li Ling had made up his mind, the officer accepted the order after opening his mouth. After all, he had a low status and could only act on the order of Lord Li.

After receiving Li Ling's order, although the officers and soldiers complained a little, they still gritted their teeth and followed the team little by little towards Zhouhuling several miles away.

But these miles of mountain roads were very different from those on the plain, up and down, up and down, and it took them almost half an hour. The sun had already sunk to the other end of the mountain, and they finally arrived at the bottom of the ridge.

I just looked from afar and didn't feel that now I got in front of me, and the steepness of the Canghu Ridge was dozens of feet high, and the road upwards was steeper and narrower. Those vehicles and the like had to rub up against the mountain walls and cliffs little by little.

"It's really hard to leave..." Li Ling couldn't help sighing after turning over and dismounting. Moreover, in his opinion, this place was a natural ambush place. As long as there were about a hundred people on it, it would be enough to bury all hundreds of people here.

It was dark at this time. Looking from bottom to top, I felt the strange rocks were rugged and the mountain wind was howling, which made the plants and trees above rustled, just like ghosts on the top, putting enough pressure on everyone.
Chapter completed!