PFC Chapter 159: Trip to the Border Town
Chapter 159: Trip to the Border Town
Ning Yunxiao didn't exchange excessive politeness with Deng Sijiu, and immediately began talking to Feng Yu. "The people of Border Town are tough and unruly, and the government is practically useless to them. Without the cooperation of the people, I'm afraid our flood control mission will be difficult to advance. I remember that Brother Feng is from Border Town. Could you tell us about their customs and practices?"
Feng Yu nodded without hesitation and started talking to the three of them about the customs and habits of the border town. Feng Yu didn't know what was important, so he just told them everything he could remember.
The three of them listened attentively, and Ning Yunxiao would occasionally pick up on a certain sentence and ask again, so this conversation lasted for a full two hours.
After Feng Yu's explanation, the three of them had a general understanding of the situation in the border town. Deng Sijiu thought about it over and over again, but always felt that something was not right. It took him a long time to react.
"Now that we've made an appointment with our fellow travelers, we understand the situation, and we have medical care, but we can't control the floods by ourselves! We have no food, no people, how can we solve this problem?"
Ning Yunxiao had already thought about this, but now was not the time to reveal everything. After all...
The lessons learned from the last bandit suppression campaign were truly painful.
Therefore, Ning Yunxiao simply pointed to a certain spot on the map and said calmly, "I have already made arrangements for this matter, so don't worry. Our most urgent task is to resolve another problem."
Deng Sijiu, Shi Daizhi, and Feng Yu asked in unison: "What trouble?"
"Time is tight, we need to reach the border town within ten days."
The three of them were all shocked when they heard this.
You know, under normal circumstances, it would take at least a month to travel from the capital to the border town even if you rode at full speed. If you travel day and night, it would take at least half a month.
Ten days? That's just a pipe dream!
Everyone present was well aware of this, so the few people who were chatting animatedly just now put away their smiles and stopped talking.
The night fell silent, and even the air felt a little heavy.
Ning Yunxiao also knew that this was indeed a bit too much to ask. He was thinking about whether to extend the time a little bit when he saw Jiang Lige, dressed in palace clothes, excitedly pushing the door open with a girl of similar age.
It was already past midnight, but Jiang Lige was still energetic, as if he was never tired.
"We have a plan that will get us to the border town within ten days, but we need you all to take a gamble!"
Ning Yunxiao was very curious, "What method?"
"Baoyao's cousin is in the escort business. In order to travel faster, he knows some shortcuts besides the official roads. Although these routes save time, they are also full of dangers. Even the escort company rarely uses them."
Deng Sijiu was naturally the first to speak out. "Just because we rarely travel doesn't mean we never travel. If others can do it, then we can too. I'm saying, I agree to go!"
Jiang Lige was next, "I agree too."
Ning Yunxiao didn't express his opinion, but looked at Shi Daizhi and kindly reminded him, "Doctor Shi has never practiced martial arts and has never traveled far. He can't compare with someone who has been escorting convoys for years. You should think carefully before making a decision."
"Princess Zhaohua doesn't have any martial arts skills?" Shi Daizhi smiled and asked in an uncharacteristically retorted tone, then added, "If a girl isn't afraid, why should I be afraid?"
Ning Yunxiao looked at Jiang Lige after hearing this, and there seemed to be a hint of pride in his tone, "Princess, please don't look down on us."
Jiang Lige smiled upon seeing this, and patted Zheng Baoyao's shoulder in a pretentious manner, "Did you hear that, Boss Zheng? It's settled!"
After all matters concerning flood control in the border town were agreed upon, everyone packed their bags overnight and met at the city gate early the next morning to set off.
Although there were not many people going to control the flood, the team that came to see them off was extremely large.
Look, from Jiang Lige's close friends to Ning Yunxiao's comrades, even Emperor Shengwu, Empress Dowager Jiang and Concubine Xian were all in the attic not far away, seeing them off from afar.
The group was in a hurry to get on the road. As soon as the city gate opened, they bowed and thanked everyone, said a few polite words, and then set off on their journey to the border town.
The person leading this trip was Zheng Baoyao's cousin, Wei Letian. Wei Letian was not as good as his name suggests. He was a very steady person. He talked to everyone about the situation on the road while walking.
The journey took ten days in total. The carriage could be used for the first two days, but on the third day only horses could be driven.
Regardless of her past life or this life, Jiang Lige could be considered a pampered girl raised in the palace, and it was rare for her to travel long distances in such a harsh environment.
Riding a horse is not as comfortable as riding a carriage. After a day of riding, people will be exhausted. Even a man like Shi Daizhi can't stand it. Unexpectedly, Jiang Lige was unexpectedly silent.
Moreover, Jiang Lige not only had to take care of Zheng Baoyao who was "out to broaden her horizons", but also had to be concerned about Ning Yunxiao's physical condition. To be honest, he had to worry about more than the others.
Since the little girl could still hold on, the others didn't dare to complain and had to grit their teeth and persevere.
Even though the hottest season has passed, the autumn heat is still fierce. The group walked against the scorching sun during the day and continued to move forward in the dense forest at night with lanterns.
Only when they are too tired to walk will they find a suitable place to rest for an hour or two. After traveling for several days, they are already exhausted.
On the fifth day, a rainstorm came unexpectedly, and the forest path became muddy. In addition, the mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk on, and the road became narrower and narrower, almost only able to accommodate one person. The crowd had no choice but to abandon their horses and walk.
The lack of horses meant that all the luggage had to be carried by hand.
Ning Yunxiao made a prompt decision. Except for the documents proving the identities of the few people, the necessary food, medicine, and a small amount of silver, everything else was thrown away.
In addition, the girls can bring a set of spare clothes.
Everyone knew that now was not the time to indulge in enjoyment, so they did as they were told without hesitation, as long as they could get through these few days.
Everyone put together the things they had brought with them and repacked what they were going to take away. The heavier packages were distributed to the men, and the lighter packages were distributed to the girls.
Ning Yunxiao took the package and was about to put it on his back when he saw Jiang Lige standing behind him, holding his package with both hands, and he was also carrying a few small packages.
"Princess?"
Jiang Lige lowered his voice and whispered to him, "I'll help you carry it."
Seeing her serious expression, Ning Yunxiao was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. It seemed that Jiang Lige was protecting him like a porcelain doll.
Ning Yunxiao couldn't help but poke Jiang Lige's forehead with his finger, then grabbed his own package and took Jiang Lige's two heavier packages. He smiled and said, "Princess, take good care of yourself, which is the greatest care you can give me."
Jiang Lige was distracted by Ning Yunxiao's smile so close to him, his face turned red, and he finally gave up.