flstandardbreds Chapter 224 Entering the city smoothly
Chapter 224 Entering the city smoothly
"Generals, how about having my wife take a message to the head of the Xu family in the city, asking him to come out and take you into the city? The Xu family is the richest family in Yingzhou City. Their ancestors were imperial merchants, and they have nepotism with many dignitaries in Kyoto. Pan Fu doesn't dare to offend them."
Gu Qingrong hesitated. "It would be great if I could get help from others, but is this Master Xu really reliable?"
Captain Yun nodded. "My son Yunhua was able to reach Kyoto smoothly, thanks to him for arranging people to stop the pursuers... The head of the Xu family is a kind-hearted person. He can't stand Pan Fu's brutality, but he is just a businessman and can't confront a local garrison. Besides, Pan Fu was respectful to them because of the Xu family's wealth."
The next morning, just as Captain Yun said, Pan Fu ordered his men to take down the body hanging on the city gate. He held the sword at his waist, walked back and forth at the city gate, and said loudly to the onlookers, "See? This is the fate of disobeying this general! This general is the garrison commander of Yingzhou City. We guard here day and night to protect you and let you enjoy peace, but you deliberately make things difficult for us! If I take something from you, you will fight to the death! This general just wants to let you know that the sky is high and the emperor is far away! Here, I am your sky! If anyone is blind and wants to go to the capital to file a complaint, I will let you know what it means to cry to the sky and the earth for help!"
The people looked indignant, but no one dared to speak out.
They were defenseless and could only be oppressed.
After Pan Fu's soldiers carried the bodies off the ground, a fence was built around them.
Anyone who wants to leave or enter the city must be checked and searched.
A woman in her sixties followed behind the long team. She had some gray hair on her temples, but she looked much more energetic than people of her same age.
She carried a medicine box on her shoulder, stood straight and looked straight ahead.
This is Captain Yun’s wife, Yu.
She is a famous doctor in Yingzhou City. She has excellent medical skills and is a kind person.
"Hey! Doctor Yu, you're in the city again today to see Madam Xu? You've been treating Madam Xu for half a year, right? How come she hasn't been cured yet? Could it be that your medical skills have declined?"
Pan Fu also did not dare to offend the doctor who treated the Xu family, but he spoke to him in a sarcastic tone.
Doctor Yu glanced at him and asked, "Why did General Pan come to guard the city gate in person today? Did something happen?"
Pan Fu snorted coldly, "This general is wise and brave, what can happen? Doctor Yu, if you can't cure Madam Xu's illness, I'm afraid you will be embarrassed to come to your house every day, right?"
Doctor Yu ignored him and cooperated with the soldiers to check his identity before entering the city openly.
She didn't have to go to the Xu family today. Mrs. Xu's illness had been cured long ago. She just needed an excuse to go into the city, so she kept asking Mrs. Xu to cover for her.
Madam Xu was a little surprised when she saw her, "Why is Doctor Yu coming into the city today?"
Doctor Yu glanced around and said nothing. He just handed a letter to Madam Xu and said, "Thank you, Madam. Please give it to the head of the Xu family..."
Seeing her serious expression, Mrs. Xu did not dare to delay and went straight to the study with the letter.
The head of the Xu family is a burly middle-aged man with a righteous face and a businessman's shrewdness in his eyes, but he is a very conscientious person.
After reading the letter, he immediately asked the housekeeper to find the manager of the rice shop to pick up the person.
The army has food, so Qiao Zhuangcheng's caravan delivering food is the simplest and most direct method.
If the head of the Xu family went to pick up the person in person, his target would be too obvious, so he only let the manager of the rice shop come out.
Sure enough, in today's Yingzhou City, the Xu family is the best pass.
Gu Qingmao and several deputy generals dressed up as caravan members, carrying food, but were stopped at the city gate.
Although Pan Fu was a man who indulged in both alcohol and women, he was able to be a local commander, so he was naturally not a good-for-nothing.
The sudden arrival of a caravan delivering food would surely attract his attention.
In particular, these people were dressed in rags, with dust on their faces, and looked very miserable.
Only the people of Yingzhou City knew about the martial law in Yingzhou City.
Outsiders didn't know, so Gu Qingsu and the others were a little angry and shouted, "We encountered heavy rain in the neighboring county, and the mountains collapsed. We were almost buried underneath! We finally managed to save our lives, and wanted to finish this escort mission quickly so that we could find a place to relax! What's wrong with you! Why won't you let us into the city!"
Pan Fu's eyes kept looking back and forth among these people.
Their every move seemed to be normal. In the neighboring county, there was indeed a landslide due to heavy rain for several days, which buried many people.
But these people are still very suspicious.
The shopkeeper of Xu's Rice Shop came hurriedly and saw this scene. His face darkened. "What's going on? I've been waiting for you in the shop since early morning! What are you still waiting for here?"
Pan Fu slowly put away the suspicion in his eyes, "Manager Liang? Is this really your Xu family's caravan? How come there is not even a sign?"
Shopkeeper Liang seemed to have just seen him, and immediately picked up his tone, "General Pan is busy with all kinds of affairs, how could he know the sufferings of the world? Heavy rains in the neighboring county washed away a mountain, and my Xu family's caravan was almost trapped underneath with people and food. Fortunately, these people were lucky and escaped. If my rice shop had not been out of stock for several days, would I be so anxious to make a trip in person just for a little food?"
Pan Fu was choked and speechless for a moment. He could only bow his head slightly and apologize, "It turned out to be a misunderstanding. It's my fault for being short-sighted..."
He stood up straight, and said to the soldier beside him with a dark face, "Let them pass!"
Gu Qingmao and his group entered the city smoothly and went directly to Xu's rice shop.
Shopkeeper Liang knew that these people were not ordinary people, so as soon as they entered the rice shop, he took them out through the back door.
The back door is a very quiet alley that is not easy to attract attention.
Doctor Yu was relieved to learn that the people had entered the city safely.
Worried that they were unfamiliar with the route and would delay their journey, she arranged for a former patient of hers to secretly lead the way for them.
Although Magistrate Lu was under house arrest, he could seek medical treatment if he wanted.
Pan Fu simply didn't let him go out and didn't treat him like a prisoner.
Gu Qingmao dressed up as a security guard and followed Doctor Yu into the backyard of the prefectural government office.
When Prefect Lu learned that Doctor Yu and his wife had gone through untold hardships to send their son out of Yingzhou and asked him to go to Kyoto to report the news, and that someone had already arrived from Kyoto, he was so excited that he burst into tears.
"General Gu! The people of Yingzhou all rely on you!"
He bowed deeply to Gu Qingmao.
Gu Qingmao helped him up. "Lu Zhifu, you and I are officials in the same court, so there is no need to be so polite. My brother is on the mountain outside the city with his troops. I need you to cooperate with me to control Pan Fu first, so that we can take back the control of Yingzhou City. If we attack by force, I am afraid he will be desperate."