"Sir, I'm here."

Next to a stream fifty miles southeast of Mei County, Wang Zhengnan was the first to stop, turned his head and shouted at Yang Xiao.

"It's counted." Yang Xiao sighed with relief when he heard this, and sat down on the ground. All the great dignity and scholars were left behind.

The same was true for the soldiers behind him. Two or three of them followed him, sat on the ground without any manners, opened their mouths and panted desperately. But more people ran to the stream and drank the cows desperately.

"Sir, have a drink of water!"

Wang Zhengnan held a wooden bowl in his hand and then took a bowl of water to the stream, and then brought it to Yang Xiao.

"Okay, Zhengnan! You have been running to this situation, you haven't thrown away these things yet!" Yang Xiao saw Wang Zhengnan standing straight, although his face was a little tired, he still looked like a standard soldier, and he couldn't help but praise him.

"When I was a child, my family was poor and I was used to running away." Wang Zhengnan smiled slightly.

"Thanks to exercise for a while, otherwise I would have to run away!" Yang Xiao sighed, envious of Wang Zhengnan's physical fitness. He took the wooden bowl in his hand and drank it all in one go.

"Happy!" The cool river water moistened Yang Xiao's throat that was about to smoke and flowed into his stomach and intestines, making him feel comfortable from the inside out.

"Is there any big village nearby? Brothers have not eaten any rice since last night, so they have to find a place to get some food." Yang Xiao took a break for a while and asked Wang Zhengnan.

"There is a Zhaojia Fort twenty miles ahead, which is a local squire." Wang Zhengnan pointed to the east without thinking.

"Which direction is Hanzhong?" Yang Xiao continued to ask.

"Hanzhong is on the west side of Meixian."

"Okay, it's just opposite to the direction of the bandits' advance. Let's take a break and go to Zhaojiabao to get some food." Yang Xiao felt relieved after hearing Wang Zhengnan's words.

"Sir, the food in Zhaojiabao may not be easy to get." Wang Zhengnan said worriedly.

"Why?" Yang Xiao wondered.

"Zhao Yingbi is a juren, and his teacher is Zuo Guangxian." Wang Zhengnan said worriedly.

"Zuo Guangxian! Zuo Guangdou's younger brother!" Yang Xiao raised his eyebrows: "Is this Zhao Yingbi a member of the Donglin Party?"

"It should be!" Wang Zhengnan replied.

Zuo Guangdou was a famous figure in the late Ming Dynasty. Before the Tianqi Year, he was the vanguard of the Donglin Party and Shi Kefa's teacher. When Emperor Xizong of the Ming Dynasty just ascended the throne, Wei Zhongxian was in chaos. Yang Lian submitted a memorial to expose Wei Zhongxian's 24 crimes. More than 70 people including Zuo Guangdou strongly supported him and reported to impeach Zhongxian and others thirty-two beheadings. Wei Zhongxian falsely accused Yang Lian and other six gentlemen who accepted Xiong Tingbi's bribes and ruled that Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou each took 20,000 stolen goods. He was beheaded in the Western Market, which is known in history as the Six gentlemen.

Although his younger brother Zuo Guangxian is not as famous as him, he is not much different. Especially in the battle to suppress the enemy, he is known for his bravery and is Hong Chengchou's confidant. Among the several governors, his trust is even greater than that of Zuo Liangyu.

"It seems that Zhao Yingbi is not easy to mess with!" Yang Xiao thought for a while, and felt it was a bit hot.

"Zhaojiabao goes east for 17 miles, and there is another village called Liujia Village." Wang Zhengnan gritted his teeth and said with difficulty.

"How many households are there!" Yang Xiaofa asked.

"There are about seventy households." Wang Zhengnan answered honestly.

"Is there any gentry in this village?"

"No!" Wang Zhengnan's voice was extremely low.

"We waited for more than 20 people and met Li Ying's men, at least a hundred people. It is too difficult for a village of seventy households to raise these hundred soldiers. Do I want to rob the grain like Zuo Liangyu?" Yang Xiao struggled.

While Yang Xiao was thinking, Wang Zhengnan always stood on one side, with the expression on his face extremely painful.

"The whole team!" Yang Xiao suddenly stood up and shouted loudly.

Hearing Yang Xiao's voice, all the soldiers immediately stood up and lined up in an orderly manner.

"Wang Zhengnan!"

"I'm here!"

"One person stayed behind, waiting for Li Ying. You will lead the way and go to Zhaojiabao to borrow food."

"Huh!" Wang Zhengnan breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately became entangled. Standing in front of Yang Xiao, he stopped talking and said, "Sir, Zhao Yingbi's teacher is not easy to mess with!"

"As a son, he has received many favors from the country. The soldiers killed the thief for the country and were exhausted. It would be too much to borrow some food from him. It would be a double return in the future." Yang Xiao reached out to stop Wang Zhengnan's words.

"Yes!" Seeing that Yang Xiao could not be persuaded, Wang Zhengnan stopped talking. He arranged for someone to wait for Li Ying here, and then led Yang Xiao and the soldiers to advance to Zhaojia Fort.

"Dangdangdang..."

The group walked seventeen or eighteen miles away and saw a huge manor from a distance, built by bluestone, with a hanging bucket at each corner, and the sound of the gong was uploaded from the hanging bucket.

"It seems that Zhao Yingbi is a little capable, and he built the manor like a fortress." Seeing this situation, Yang Xiao said to himself.

"Sir, I don't know anything!" Hearing Yang Xiao's words, Wang Zhengnan said: "Bandits in Shaanxi are everywhere, and the military and civilians are deeply harmed. In order to protect their property, powerful gentry spared no expense to build high walls. They even collected the people and practiced martial arts and preparedness to protect the hospital."

"So that's it!" Yang Xiao looked ahead. But when he saw the people outside the manor, after hearing the sound of gongs, he threw down his work and ran towards the manor with all his life. The gate of the manor was slowly closing.

Even above the high wall, dozens of guards holding bows and arrows and spears appeared. They were all dressed in blue clothes and looked quite neat.

"Who? Stop! Report your purpose, otherwise you will shoot an arrow." Then a loud voice rang out, with a little bit of shock in the voice.

"I am Zuo Liangchen, the subordinate of the five-sided governor Chen Qiyu. These are my soldiers. Because of the lack of food and grass, I came to visit Zhao Juren and ask for borrowing food and grass!" Yang Xiao walked forward a few steps and shouted loudly.

"Wait, I'll invite Juren Zhao." When everyone on the wall heard that there were the officials below, they breathed a sigh of relief, and they felt much more relaxed in their words. After calling out to the man, they quickly got down the high wall.

Soon, a scholar in his thirties walked up to the high wall. His face still had the pride of long-term pampering living, and he stood there, looking down.

"Since he is a subordinate of Lord Chen, then go forward and answer!" the scholar said proudly.
Chapter completed!