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Yecheng, originally the capital of Yuan Shao. After Cao Cao captured Yecheng in the ninth year of Jian'an, in order to facilitate control of Hebei, he moved the capital to Yecheng.

Not only did the Emperor of Han and the court officials move to Yecheng, but the Prime Minister's Mansion and the residences of many important ministers also moved to Yecheng, making the importance of Yecheng more than Xuchang, the same capital.

It was early April, and Cao Cao led an army of 200,000 to fight against Wuhuan. He had already set out for more than a month, so his chief Cao Pi led 50,000 troops to guard Yecheng.

Yecheng is known as the largest city in Hebei. It has a circumference of more than 40 miles and a population of more than 100,000. It is backed by the Zhang River in the north. It has fertile land and is very developed in agriculture.

After several years of recovery after the war, Yecheng gradually restored its prosperous business. Merchants from both north and south were in constant contact, and various goods from both north and south were piled up like mountains.

That afternoon, a caravan composed of more than a dozen people came along the spacious official road towards the south gate of Yecheng. The caravan led the caravan with mules and horses, loaded with large and small bags of goods. In Yecheng, such a caravan can only be considered medium, and many groups appear every day.

The caravan rode two horses in front of the caravan. One was a little older, long-skinned, slightly dark-skinned, while the other was very young, over twenty years old.

These two elderly people were Li Fu, the chief clerk of Yuan Shao who was visiting Jiangxia. He had been in Ye County for several years and was very familiar with it, so Liu Jing ordered him to be the leader.

The other person is Liu Min, the chief clerk of Jiangxia, who is a nephew of Liu Xian. He is careful and steady and courageous. Liu Jing attaches great importance to him. In order to exercise his abilities, he ordered him to be the deputy leader and come to Yecheng together.

They disguised themselves as a team of Nanyang County merchants, full of Chu brocade bought from Jingxiang. This brocade is simple and elegant, popular in the upper class of Xudu and can be sold at a good price in Yecheng.

Of course, their real task is to transport Jia Xu's old mother, wife and children back to Jiangxia, and sort it according to the importance of the task. This task was designated as A-1, which is its importance.

In the Jiangxia Army's file records, the importance of taking Xu Shu's mother to Jiangxia was determined to be A 2. Now, for the family of a Cao Cao counselor Jia Xu, he actually had to perform the highest level of tasks, which really puzzled Liu Min.

Is Jia Xu more important than Xu Changshi? Liu Min has been thinking about this question these days and can't figure it out.

Li Fu next to him was also thinking about his thoughts, and he was also full of questions, but his question was not Jia Xu, but himself. He did not expect that Liu Jing would ask him to perform this task, although it was because he was familiar with Yecheng and had certain connections here.

Maybe he could think it was a kind of help, but Li Fu still felt strange in his heart. From Liu Jing's instructions and acceptance of the task before leaving, he had no intention of helping at all. Liu Jing completely treated him as a subordinate.

But he made an appointment with Liu Jing that it must be Yuan Shang and the brother Yuan Xi died before he could be loyal to Jiang Xia. Now, the conditions have not yet been established. Could it be that Liu Jing has forgotten this agreement?

But after this month of getting along, especially the battle with Liao Hua, Li Fu has a new understanding. He doesn't know much about Liu Jing, but he knows Liao Hua very well, and has extraordinary courage but is cautious. He is a rare general. It is said that Liao Hua is also from the Yellow Turban Army.

More importantly, Liu Jing handed over almost all the cavalry to him. Liao Hua was completely in power. If Liao Hua was willing, he could take this cavalry to surrender to Cao Cao and obtain high-ranking officials and generous salaries. However, Liao Hua had no idea at all. He was loyal to Liu Jing.

It is this trust and loyalty that made this cavalry exert great power, which made Li Fu sigh. In contrast, the Yuan brothers were suspicious of each other and fought for power and profit, and were finally defeated by Cao Cao. Hebei was defeated, and there was a cause and effect. Even if he followed the Yuan brothers again, could he still have a future?

Li Fu's heart was shaken. He was like an employee who participated in the internship in later generations. When the internship expired, he had already developed a sense of identity with this career.

It was precisely this sense of identity that Li Fu did not refuse when accepting the Yecheng mission, and even he himself did not know why he accepted it.

"Shopkeeper Li, you're at the city gate"

A friend's reminder made Li Fu wake up in contemplation. He turned around and told his subordinates, "Try to speak as little as possible, and I will deal with everything."

Most of his subordinates are from the south, and they will attract attention as soon as they open their mouths. The caravan will soon arrive at the city gate, and there are soldiers on duty to investigate. Ordinary vegetable farmers, single merchants, porters, elderly, weak, women and children will not interfere, but like them, there are nearly twenty people and a strong mule, and they will definitely be investigated.

Li Fu knew very well that more than five people would usually have to be investigated, and more than twenty people would be taken to the yamen for special inquiry, so he only brought eighteen people into the city, and more than ten people remained outside the city.

"Where are you from the businessmen?" A military officer walked up and asked after a distance.

"We came from Nanyang to transport some goods to make some money."

Li Fu smiled and said in the same accent as the officer. As he spoke, a small ingot of gold was quickly stuffed into the officer's hands, weighing about five or six taels. Liu Min next to him saw it clearly and his face turned red.

The officer immediately smiled and patted the goods, "Brother, you are so good, you actually got Chu Jin to sell it. This thing has been very popular recently. I heard that the war is going on in Nanyang."

"When the war starts, the business still needs to be done, otherwise everyone will drink the northwest wind."

"That's right, brothers are traveling around the world, and it seems they are sensible."

Li Fu smiled, "Do a little business and support your family."

The officer no longer made things difficult for them and waved his hand to shout to the soldiers: "No problem, let them into the city."

The caravan entered the city in a mighty manner without any investigation. After entering and evacuating the city, Liu Minwang looked at both sides and smiled and said, "I understand. If you have money, you can make the devil push the mill. As long as you get the money, there is nothing you can't do."

Li Fu shook and smiled faintly, "Things are not that simple, there are many things here."

Liu Min touched a soft nail and blushed. After a moment, he couldn't help asking, "Can Uncle Li say something?"

As soon as he called his second uncle, Li Fu smiled and said, "First, look at the overall situation. If there are military judges next to the city gate during the war, if you dare to stuff money, you will definitely be unlucky. At this time, the gatekeepers would not dare to ask for it even if they wanted it."

"What about normal times, for example today."

"It also depends on the situation. There are actually many secret rules here. For example, the general inspection should be that the caravan arrives at the city gate. If you don't notice, did the officer come up from a distance?"

Liu Min nodded, "I'm just wondering, is this the hint of asking for money?"

"This is a hint, but there are also some considerations. For example, the city guard officer is within twenty steps of the city. This means that you can give money, but you need to check it symbolically and make an explanation. This means that there is an order on it, but the order is not strict and you can fool it.

If the officer exceeds twenty steps, it means that there is nothing wrong with the money and leave, but if the officer does not leave the city gate at all, you must be careful. This means that there is a strict order from above and strictly check the people and pedestrians, especially more than five people. In this case, if there is a problem with the goods, it is best not to enter the city."

Liu Min suddenly said something, and he nodded repeatedly, "Listen to your words is better than reading for ten years, and Liu Min has been taught."

When Li Fu saw him bowing seriously, he couldn't help but feel funny. Things are not that simple. In fact, you must observe your expressions and expressions.

For example, if there are many people who need to be investigated, the officers will also lead troops to ten steps outside to investigate. At that time, it will be unlucky to stuff money. Many things that are human and worldly affairs can be explained clearly in just a few words.

But he didn't want to spend so much time now. He pointed to a house at the entrance of the alley in front and smiled: "I know the shopkeeper of that hotel, so we will rest there."

Soon everyone came to the hostel. The hostel was not very big. In some years, the wood on the Chongtou door had turned white and cracked, and a shabby plaque was hung on it. The handwriting on it could be vaguely identified, as if it was the word "Wang Ji".

If it weren't for the two white dead red lanterns hanging next to it, I really wouldn't know that this is a hostel, and it would be obvious that the shop here would not have the intention to run it.

A large group of mules and horses filled the yard. After a while, a guy came out lazy and yawned, and asked listlessly, "I'm here to stay in a hotel."

"Little, are your shopkeepers still sesame eyes?"

The guy was immediately excited and asked quickly: "This man knows my shopkeeper."

"Call him out and say that your old friend is here."

The guy ran in and a white and fat middle-aged man came out for a moment. Only then did Liu Min understand why he called him Sesame Eyes. He had never seen someone with such small eyes. He was even younger than mung beans.

When the man saw Li Fu, he was stunned at first, and then he was so happy that he was crazy. He hugged Li Fu and shouted and jumped. He was so excited that tears flowed out of his eyes, which made everyone sigh. What a moving scene of a reunion between old friends.

Li Fu whispered to the shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper smiled and punched Li Fu in the shoulder, "Don't you change your old habits?"

He immediately asked the guys to come out, arrange for mules and horses, and the goods to be moved into the room, and asked the chef to arrange supper.

Everyone went to the room to clean up. Li Fu and Liu Min lived in a small courtyard with only two rooms and one room. Liu Min was about to discuss the matter with Li Fu. At this time, the shopkeeper Sesame Eye came in with a young woman dressed in a charming dress, and she looked quite beautiful.

The door opened a crack, Li Fu waved and called the woman in with a smile. The woman smiled charmingly, twisted her waist and entered the room, and the door closed immediately.

Liu Min was puzzled and thought to himself that this woman might also be Li Fu's relative, so he had to go and ask about his brothers' food and accommodation first.

After a long time of busyness, Liu Min returned to the courtyard and happened to meet Li Fu to send the woman out. The woman spread her hands and looked at Li Fu with a smile. Li Fu put a handful of money on the woman's hand. She shook her head. Li Fu had to grab another handful of money. Then the woman collected the money and gave Liu Min a charming look, "The little white face is good, better than this old black charcoal." She laughed and twisted her waist and left with charm.

Liu Min then realized that this woman was... His face suddenly turned red and he glared at Li Fu, "You actually looked for a prostitute."

Li Fu smiled faintly, "Do you like her too, brother, if you don't mind that I've used it, I'll call her back."

"You bastard" Liu Min finally cursed, "We are here to do the important business, and it is the most important and confidential matter. You are still in love... I really don't know what to say about you."
Chapter completed!