Three days later, Zhang Xuan and Chai Shao followed the caravan led by Zhao Dan and rushed eastward. Two days later, they gradually arrived in Xingyang.

The Royal Caravan has more than 50 people. In addition to the great manager Zhao Shan, there is also a deputy manager, surnamed Sun, and the other 50 people are all clerks and guards.

They had more than 300 mules and more than 50 camels, loaded with various expensive goods, worth thousands of gold. In Zhao Dan's words, this trip north would earn at least 5,000 taels of gold.

"Uncle Zhao, which road should we take to the grassland?" Zhang Xuan rode a horse and seemed very excited.

"Of course we are going to Bingzhou Line. We first cross the Yellow River from Guan, enter Shangdang County from Taihang Xing, and then to Taiyuan Prefecture, and finally enter the grassland from Mayi County. This is the first time Mr. Zhang goes north!"

Zhang Xuan nodded, "It's indeed the first time he went north."

Zhao Dan glanced at him and smiled, "It's rare to go to the grassland. Don't Mr. Zhang want to bring some goods and make some money by the way?"

Zhang Xuan was also a little moved. He was not opposed to doing business. However, he had other purposes to go to the north of Seitou this time and had never considered trafficking goods to go north. Zhao Dan reminded him that perhaps he could ask the Turks about the situation of the purple insect jade pupa by buying and selling goods.

Thinking of this, he asked with a smile: "But now that I have left Luoyang, is it still too late to buy goods?"

"It might be fine. We have to pass through Taiyuan Prefecture. I have to replenish a batch of goods in Taiyuan. At that time, I can buy some good bargains for you. I have a way."

"Then thank you Uncle Zhao!"

"Haha! You're welcome. Actually, Mr. Chai has more opportunities in Taiyuan, so I want to ask him to help!"

Zhang Xuan suddenly remembered, didn’t Li Yuan be a left-behind in Taiyuan at this time?

He turned around Chai Shao and looked at him. Seeing that Chai Shao seemed to be worried, Zhang Xuan slowed down and waited for Chai Shao to come forward. He asked with a smile: "Sichang, we are going to pass through Taiyuan, are you going home?"

"Go home? Oh! Of course I have to go back and have a look."

"Sichang seems to have something to worry about?" Zhang Xuan asked as he stared at him.

"Not it, it's just a little... I won't say it anymore, hey! It makes people laugh at it."

Chai Shao no longer thought about it. He pointed to the city wall in the distance with a horse whip and smiled: "Brother Zhang, that's Hulao Pass. Haven't you always wanted to go and see it? It's there!"

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After crossing the Yellow River from Guan, crossing the Taihang Mountains northward, he entered the Changping County of Bingzhou. Bingzhou is today's Shanxi. The majestic and tall Luliang Mountain divided Bingzhou into two.

Going north from Changping County, there are towering mountains to the west, stretching for thousands of miles, and the terrain gradually slows down to the east. The hills are crisscrossed with valleys and plains, and villages are nestled among hills and plains.

The team went north along the official road. Although bandits in the Central Plains were rampant and there were many bandits and robbers, the Bingzhou area was relatively safe. From the busy farmers and the shepherds who were herding cattle leisurely, it can be seen that the security in this area is good and there is no worries about bandits.

The team went north along the Danshui. In the evening that day, they came to thirty miles south of Gaoping County. Zhao Dan, who had no choice but to do so, encountered a small setback here.

The inn where he was preparing to stay was burned down by a fire two days ago, and they missed the Inu.

"Sorry, we can only stay in Gaoping County. There are still thirty miles left. Everyone works harder and strive to arrive at the county town before dark."

Zhang Xuan leaned forward and looked west, and saw the setting sun revealing a red forehead on the top of the mountain. He struggled not to set the mountain. The sky was covered with purple sunset, and a light blue smoke began to spread in the woods on both sides of the official road, making the cold official road ahead even more narrow.

He shook his head, and there were still thirty miles away. How could he arrive at the county town before it was dark? He looked back and saw that the official road behind was deserted and there was no pedestrian. It was probably only them who missed Guantou.

Helplessly, everyone had to speed up and head north.

Perhaps because of his mistake in judgment, Zhao Shan felt guilty and walked at the front of the team to open the way, while Zhang Xuan and Chai Shao stayed at the rear of the team.

There are large woods on both sides, cold and dark. As the night gradually descends, some unknown creatures begin to move in the woods. From time to time, you can hear the crackling sound of branches being trampled in the woods, which is creepy.

"Please be careful about the goods and don't be stolen by thieves!"

As soon as Zhao Dan finished speaking, an incident suddenly happened. "Ah--" Zhao Dan let out a long scream, and a black shadow flew into the air.

The team was in chaos, and the guys and guards pulled out their knives one after another. Deputy Supervisor Sun An shouted in shock: "Old Zhao! Old Zhao!"

Zhang Xuan and Chai Shao rushed up from behind, and saw Zhao Dan's horse still in place, but the person was gone. Everyone looked in horror at the woods, but there was nothing in the woods.

"Manager Sun, what happened to Uncle Zhao?" Zhang Xuan asked anxiously.

"There is a ghost!"

Sun An trembled all over and pointed to the cold and terrifying forest and said, "A ghost fell from the sky and captured Lao Zhao."

Zhang Xuan looked up and saw a huge trunk standing above their heads. This was a slightly crooked tree with vigorous branches and ancient vines tangled, standing on the official road like a gate.

"Sichang, look here!"

Zhang Xuan pointed to two vines that were still shaking from the big tree and said, "It was obvious that someone was hiding on the trunk of the tree, grabbed the vine and pounced on it, and grabbed Manager Zhao."

Chai Shao nodded. He obviously agreed with Zhang Xuan's judgment. Someone should have ambushed them, not some ghost.

"It is very likely that they set fire to force us to walk on the night road."

"Go and have a look!"

Zhang Xuan rushed into the woods as soon as he urged the war horse. Chai Shao was shocked and called Zhang Xuan too late, so he had to bite the bullet and follow him.

Perhaps because it was raining continuously a few days ago, the woods seemed cold and wet. Zhang Xuan pulled the horse and walked around a few times, observing the chaotic footprints on the ground. At this time, Chai Shao chased after him and asked, "Have you found anything?"

Zhang Xuan turned over and dismounted, picked up a ragged straw sandal covered with mud. The shoelaces had just broken. Zhang Xuan smiled and said, "It seems that these are a bunch of poor thieves."

He threw the reins of the war horse to Chai Shao, "You don't have to follow me, take the horse out, I'll go and check it out, and I'll come back soon."

"My brother, be careful!"

Before Chai Shao finished speaking, Zhang Xuan had already jumped over a dead tree trunk across the ground and ran deep into the woods. Seeing that he was extremely agile, Chai Shao probably would have been a burden to follow him. He shook his head and led his horse out of the woods.

"How is the situation inside? Have you seen the big manager?" As soon as they left the woods, everyone surrounded Chai Shao and asked in a verbal way.

"Don't worry, everyone, Mr. Zhang went in and investigated. It was just a bunch of little thieves, not a night ghost. Everyone should look at the goods first."

Even though they said that, everyone was still very worried, but they did not dare to rush into the woods, so they had to return to the goods, hold swords in their hands, and watch the surroundings vigilantly.

Zhang Xuan ran in the woods with his sword, running for less than two hundred steps. He faintly heard the voices, as if there was still a fire. Seeing a rock forest covering several acres in front of him, he inserted the knife back into the scabbard, grabbed a sharp stone, and climbed to the highest point.

Before he reached the highest point, Zhang Xuan knew that this was a group of mobs. He had not arranged a post, so he easily occupied the highest point.

Zhang Xuan hid behind a big rock and leaned down to see an open space in the middle of a circle of big rocks. A fire was lit in the middle. A dozen thieves sat around, all of whom were ragged and dirty, just like a group of beggars gathering.

On the edge was a strong man with a burly figure, who was only over 20 years old, dark skin, wide face, a big beard, a basin, and a big red nose, but an inappropriate pair of cunning eyes, making his original mighty appearance a little funny.

He put a big Xuanhua axe at his feet, which was fifty or sixty pounds. He rolled up his sleeves, exposed his thick arms with shrugged hair, grabbed Zhao Dan's collar and shouted: "I have done my best. The ransom of 3,000 guan has been reduced to 300 guan. If you dare to bargain, I will roast you and eat it."

Zhao Shan was not afraid and said slowly: "I can't bargain with you. You took the initiative to reduce the ransom. I said, "You don't look like a thief, so why don't I hire you to go north and earn some money to go home."

"I won't go north with you. I'm going to Wagang to find Brother Dan. Tell me quickly, will you give me any? If you give me fifty taels, you won't be able to lose a penny."

"Brother, didn't you agree to go back to Tudou Town? Why do you want to go to Wagang?" Several subordinates next to you were shocked.

"You go back to Turtle Dove Town, and I will go to Wagang alone. Tell me my mother that when I become rich, I will pick her up and enjoy her happiness."

Zhang Xuan couldn't help laughing. Other robbers took hostages and threatened the caravan for money. But he was so good that he actually bargained with the hostages and leaked the bottom line of negotiations, which was obviously very unprofessional.

Zhang Xuan stood up and smiled and said, "How about I'll negotiate with you?"

A dozen people below were in chaos, picked up wooden stick spears, retreated, and looked at Zhang Xuan above his head in surprise.

The black-faced man picked up the axe, pressed it against Zhao Dan's neck, raised his head and yelled: "If you dare to do anything randomly, I will chop him with an axe!"

Zhang Xuan ignored his threat, jumped down from the big stone step by step, walked to the opposite side of them and smiled: "I won't do anything randomly. He is just the manager of the caravan. If you can't make a decision, I am the owner of the caravan. If you let him go, let's talk."

The black-faced man was suspicious in his eyes. He looked at Zhang Xuan and saw that he was tall and upright, showing off his talent, and the old man was vulgar and thin, he felt a little convinced, and said, "Put down the knife first!"

Zhang Xuan untied his sword, placed it on the big rock next to him, patted his clothes, "There are no other weapons."

The black-faced man winked at his subordinates. His subordinate carefully stepped forward, grabbed the knife, and quickly retreated.

The black-faced man pushed Zhao Dan away, "Get out!"

Zhao Dan hurried behind Zhang Xuan, and Zhang Xuan smiled at him and said, "Uncle Zhao, this hero is a trustworthy person. We can negotiate and resolve the issue without forceful attacks."

Zhang Xuan had already seen that the reason why these people did not dare to force the robbery was because they were few and weak, and one person was panicked, so they were not thieves at all.

"Young Master Zhang, be careful!"

Zhao Dan ran away, but more than a dozen thieves didn't catch him and surrounded Zhang Xuan.

Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry and walked to the black-faced man and sat down, laughing and said, "Let's make a bet. If I win, you go to the Turkic Republic with me and I will pay you two hundred stale money."

The black-faced man narrowed his eyes, and there was a light flashing in his eyes. He asked without saying a word: "What if you lose?"

Zhang Xuan took out a ingot of gold from his arms, "This is fifty taels of gold, and if you win, it will belong to you!"

The black-faced man laughed, "Why did I bet with you? I killed you with one knife and left with fifty taels of gold. Isn't it better?"

"The problem is that you can't leave. You only have fourteen people, half of them are still wooden sticks, most of them don't even have shoes, but we have fifty people, all of them are wearing leather armor, war horses under our crotch, bows and arrows, spears, and swords. If you kill me, you won't be able to survive!"

Zhang Xuan's words hit the vital point of the black-faced man. It was because he had few people and had weak power that he did not dare to rob Zhang Xuan and his caravans. If they really fought, they would have to suffer a big loss.

He had to say angrily: "Tell me! What are you betting on?"

"I know what your name is, where you come from, and why you have been here? Just bet on this."

The black-faced man obviously didn't believe it. He had already hidden his name. How could he, a passerby, know his name?

More importantly, you will not suffer any loss if you win or lose. At most, you will only go to the Turks. At worst, you will run away halfway. Why don’t you bet with him?

The black-faced man was extremely gambled, and he suddenly felt itchy and smiled, "I bet with you!"

"Okay! You all testify."

Zhang Xuan glanced at Xuanhua Daxun and smiled, "Your surname is Cheng, your name is Zhijie, and your courtesy name is Yaojin. You are from Tujiu Town, Dong'a County. You came to Erxian Village, Lucheng to find Shan Xiongxin. Unexpectedly, he had already gone to Wagang. As a result, you had nowhere to go and there was no place to eat, so you temporarily changed your career and became a robber. Maybe we would still have the first vote."
Chapter completed!