"What's going on? Something doesn't seem right?" Opening the thin window screen, the girl in snow clothes looked out the window with some doubts. She came all the way from Qingyang. The carriage was moving very slowly, and it was more than two hundred miles away. After running for three days, she noticed that the situation seemed to have changed. Although there was still an endless stream of caravan travelers on the road, she could clearly feel the change in the atmosphere, especially the large number of military vehicles on the road and the transportation requisitioned by the government. Tools come and go frequently, and soldiers of the established army can be seen everywhere. This is very different from the situation when I first entered Partridge Pass, and it does not fit well with the style of the Northwest Military and Government Jiedushi Mansion I heard during this period.
"Well, sister, look, it seems that the situation has changed in the past few days. Why are all the transportation teams with government requisition marks running on this road?" The girl with a slightly foreign accent also looked confused. "Did something big happen in the northwest? Or is there going to be a war?"
"War?" The girl in snow clothes was startled for a moment, then she said with a smile: "Didn't I hear that the situation in the Western Region has eased? What else will happen? But looking at the "Northwestern Star" in the past two days, it seems that because of the situation in Yinchuan Mansion in the northwest The cause of death of Sun Yuanliang, the former city guard, has caused quite a stir. I wonder if there is another conflict between the northwest and the Hessi Luo people in the north?"
"Well, sister, do you think it's possible? Although public opinion is raging, do you think Northwest will actively provoke the Heathrow people at this stage? It's unlikely at this stage, don't you think?" said someone with a slightly exotic accent. The accent sounds elegant and magnetic, giving people an indescribable feeling of comfort.
Unexpectedly, her unintentional words were immediately exposed by the other party. The girl in snow clothes was slightly stunned, and after thinking for a while, she said: "Everything is changing with the passage of time. There are too many variables in everything, especially It is more difficult to determine what is hurt at the political level. With Li Wufeng's temper, will he tolerate the separatist rule of local forces who are colluding with foreign hostile forces? You must know that Ganlan Fortress is not only a key point on the northward trade route, but more importantly, if the Sith are allowed to If the Luo people take control, the threat to the northwest will be too great."
"Oh? What you are saying is that as long as he seizes the opportunity, Li Wufeng will do everything possible to take back Ganlan Fortress, without even considering his own current situation?" The girl with the exotic accent is naturally Sophia, with just a layer of gauze covering her face. She was covered tightly, making it more difficult for outsiders to see her true face clearly, and the person riding in the same carriage with her was naturally Lin Yuexin. Although Lin Yuexin was not masked, her exquisite disguise technique only made slight adjustments, and her peerless appearance suddenly became very dull and dull, without attracting anyone's attention at all.
Seeing her companion's aggressive questioning, Lin Yuexin smiled lightly and said, "Sister, I'm serious. This is just my random guess. It can't be taken seriously. I heard that Li Wufeng is quite knowledgeable. I'm thinking that he won't just do it." If this long-term stalemate persists, he will only know when a conflict will break out. However, the newspapers in the past two days have been full of propaganda and propaganda. It is difficult to say that Northwest is not deliberately provoking public opinion guidance and gaining public support for the war. Well. You must know that there are wars everywhere now, and only the situation in the northwest is relatively stable. The people may not necessarily support this war. It will be much more difficult to carry out a war that lacks a public opinion basis. From what Li Wufeng has learned in the past few years It can be understood from his performance that he is a guy who pays more attention to public opinion, at least on the surface."
Although she said it unintentionally, Lin Yuexin, who was extremely eloquent, was able to express the reasons for her opinion in a hurry.
Shaking her head slightly, Sophia obviously disagreed with the other party's statement, "My sister's words are wrong. Although my sister doesn't understand military affairs, she also knows that in war, the emphasis is on surprise and unpreparedness. Moreover, I heard from you in the past two days that Li Wufeng is also a veteran of this method. If he publicizes it with great fanfare before the war begins, isn't it intended to remind the other party to prepare for war? Then how can he seize the opportunity? Isn't this self-defeating? "
She glanced at the other party in surprise, and Lin Yuexin had to admire the other party's sharp words. Although she didn't know the other party's true identity, she could guess that the other party must be a figure who came to the northwest on behalf of a certain force in the imperial capital. As for the other party's coming to the northwest The purpose was hard for her to guess at the moment. After these few days of contact, both parties have become very familiar with each other. The noble temperament inherent in the other party is definitely not something that ordinary officials can develop. She even has some doubts about whether the other party is the child of a royal family member of the empire, but It was obvious that the other party had a foreign ancestry, and many members of the royal family married foreign women, and their children were also numerous, and she had no way of knowing clearly for a while. It's just that although there are many princesses and princesses in the imperial family, only a few are outstanding. If the other party's appearance is not very different from that of the Tang women, she really doubts that the other party is either the thirteenth princess of the empire, Situ Yushuang, or the eighteenth princess, Situ. Jade is real.
While Lin Yuexin was guessing the other party's identity again, Sophia was also thinking about the other party's origin. With her keen sense, she could imagine that the other party must be an important figure in the two major vassals of the Southern Empire, especially someone like this It is even more doubtful that a young woman can have such extraordinary insights. However, there were rumors from the outside world that although Lin Yuexin was frail and immortal, her health was in extremely poor condition and she never left the house. Therefore, Sophia could never compare the girl with an ordinary face but no abnormality in her body to the beautiful girl. Get in touch with Lin Yuexin, the jade fox who is the most famous in the empire.
Both girls are generally thoughtful and cautious. However, spending this period of time together in the same car has made the two girls unknowingly let go of their wariness. They have many common topics, elegant conversations, and noble demeanor. The two women subconsciously regarded each other as a rare confidant, although they still had a bottom line in their hearts.
"Haha, sister, I don't think we need to argue and speculate anymore. We are almost at Qingyang City. When we get there, I think we should know clearly. No one can hide such a big movement." Lin Yuexin smiled charmingly and put down the window screen. The wheels of the carriage made a loud sound as they slowly approached the magnificent east gate of Qingyang Mansion.
As the carriage approached, in front of the deep city gate, several soldiers holding swords stood aside. Two patrol policemen also came forward, signaling the two carriages to stop for routine inspection.
"Hey, how come there are army soldiers coming to check?" Glancing outside, the attentive Lin Yuexin immediately noticed something unusual.
The masked Sophia also discovered this. Along the way, starting from entering the Partridge Pass under the control of Li Wufeng, passing through Yangmakou, and passing through Bonan Mansion, the three checkpoints with garrisoned troops were all guarded. No army soldiers were found to participate in routine inspections. At most, they were patrolling on the city tower. Today, there were army soldiers here to cooperate with the inspection. Could it be that his actions aroused the other party's vigilance
Although the two girls were a little nervous, they were not too worried. After all, this was the capital of the northwest and was not under the jurisdiction of the Taiping Army. Even if there were any accidents, I believe their background would not be a big problem. The two women's calm eyes passed through the curtains of the compartment, quietly watching the patrol officers and soldiers who came to check.
"Excuse me, please cooperate with me. Open the cage and the curtain of this car!" The tone was quite kind, but the tough attitude in his tone was undeniable.
At the other party's dock, the two women's attendants also cooperated with the other party's request to open the cage and lift the curtain. Seeing that there was nothing particularly eye-catching, the patrol police and soldiers who inspected did not feel too embarrassed and nodded to indicate that it was okay to pass.
"Is there anything wrong with these military masters? Why would a military master come to check on us? Is there something wrong with us?" Lin Yuexinruo, who was still sitting firmly in the carriage, couldn't help but ask. , she really couldn’t see anything strange about Qingyang. The atmosphere around him seemed very normal, but why would the army get involved in something that was usually the internal affairs police department’s inspection of business travelers entering and leaving the city
"Haha, girl, I misunderstood. By order of Mr. Li, all the prefectures in Northwest County and North Luzon Special Administrative Region have been put under martial law. Each prefectural city is temporarily closed with no entry or exit. These people are here to cooperate with us and take charge of martial law affairs." The two patrolmen explained with a smile.
"Martial law?! Why is there martial law? Is there going to be a war?" Pretending to be frightened, Sophia also asked in a trembling tone.
"You two girls, don't worry. Our northwest is under the jurisdiction of Mr. Li. Don't worry, no one dares to stroke the tiger's beard." The patrolman comforted the two girls with a smile, his tone full of pride, "Think about how Luobei people were back then. Awesomeness, isn’t it just surrendering in despair in front of Mr. Li? Now, who dares to come to Tai Sui to stir up trouble? Isn’t it like lighting a lamp in the latrine and seeking death? "
"But why is there martial law?" Lin Yuexin asked with a smile on her face. Although the disguise technique completely covered her face, seeing a young woman ask so flatteringly still made the patrolman feel comfortable.
Seeing that several soldiers had already left the city gate, the patrolman lowered his voice and glanced around mysteriously and said, "This is a military secret. No one among us knows about it, but I heard that the Loulan people in Northern Luzon caused some trouble. , which annoyed Mr. Li, and I wonder if Mr. Li is going to the Western Regions to discuss things with them?"
Seeing that she had spent so much effort to hear such news, Lin Yuexin couldn't help but feel dumbfounded. Then she thought about it, if the patrol guard guarding the city gate could also know the inside information, then Li Wufeng would really become a joke in the northwest. He nodded and thanked with a smile: "Thank you for the news. Alas, our sisters were talking about going to Gaochang to visit relatives, but it seems that it won't work."
After saying that, he pretended to sigh softly, "Don't you have to stay in Qingyang City, and I don't know how long you will stay?"
"Girl, I'm afraid you can't go anywhere now. Not only this Qingyang Mansion, but also the six northwest prefectures and the two northern Luzon prefectures must comply with the order from Mr. Li. Just wait patiently. I guess it won't be too long. In the past few months, the Taiping cult and gangsters were under martial law, and the ban was lifted in a few days. It's okay, I won't delay your business." The patrolman smiled and reassured, while a companion on the other side was already there. She was greeting him, "Wu Laosi, you can't fucking move around when you see a woman? Be careful when the captain comes and you won't be able to eat and walk around."