SWDnovel Chapter 38: The Wei River Flows Smoothly
Chapter 38: The Wei River Flows Smoothly
"Boom!"
The rumbling of carriages and horses rolled over the hard, frozen ground of the road.
Zou Yun placed his hand on the lattice window frame, pushed it open a crack, and looked outside.
"Everyone says that the Wei River is surging, but the Wei River in early winter is nothing special."
Outside the window is the Wei River.
At this moment, however, the magnificent scene described in ancient poems is nowhere to be seen; only a thin layer of fragile ice, as delicate as glass, gleams coldly in the sunlight.
The withered grass on the riverbank stretched to the horizon, a desolate scene, all tinged with yellow.
Based on their itinerary for the first day, they will travel northwest.
From the north gate of Xianyang, passing through Weicheng, you can settle down and rest in Yunyang County.
However, the accompanying guard commander, Baiwen, completely disregarded the itinerary and kept urging them on from the moment they left the city.
Finally, they forced the carriages and horses to cross the Jing River ferry and arrived at Shimenting in the twilight.
According to the postal system of Qin County, a pavilion was set up every ten li along the main national road. The pavilion had walls, offices, post stations, barns, and beacon towers.
The duties of the officials include patrolling and preventing adultery, delivering mail, and providing lodging for travelers.
Shimenting is a strategic location, nestled between the two mountains of Ziwu Ridge, guarding the dangerous passage northward along the straight road.
When the rammed earth pavilion, exuding a rough and rugged feel, finally came into view.
After enduring a bumpy ride and being exhausted to the point of numbness, the group finally managed to squeeze out a relieved smile.
As a crucial pass on the straight road, the rammed earth walls of Shimen Pavilion are a full twelve feet high.
The walls were unpainted and exposed, revealing rough yellow earth, with thin ice formed from the night's freezing at the edges.
The gate is a double-leaf solid wood gate without any ornamentation. A pillar stands on the side of the gate, its wooden surface plain, except for three powerful Qin seal characters written in ink at the top: "Shimen Pavilion".
Beside the pillar, there was a copy of the laws and regulations from the Court of Justice.
Although the characters have been blurred by wind and frost, upon careful reading, one can still discern ironclad rules such as "No action may be taken without a talisman" and "It is forbidden to privately possess the words of various schools of thought."
"Great Master, we've finally arrived!"
Feng Zhixue, supporting the carriage, let out a long sigh of relief, his joy evident in his expression.
However, this hint of joy lingered on his face for only a moment before being replaced by resentment.
"That Bowen is extremely arrogant and rude. He actually dares to disregard the king's wishes and urge him to hurry on his way."
"If it were any other time, we would already be washing up and having dinner in Yunyang County by now. Why would we be staying in this desolate mountain lodge?"
"Absolutely!" Zheng Ze nodded as well.
Only Zou Yun remained calm and composed.
Apart from a few traces of the weariness of the journey between his brows, he showed no sign of anger, as if he didn't care at all about Wei Changbo Wen's overstepping of his bounds.
"Alright, Mr. Feng."
He smiled faintly and said in a calm tone, "Then you may take the tally and inform the village head."
"only!"
Seeing that the Grand Master ignored his complaints, Feng Zhixue had no choice but to suppress his anger and respectfully agree.
Meanwhile, the carriages and horses stopped far away before even reaching the gate.
They didn't knock on the door, didn't make a fuss, and just waited quietly.
According to the Qin Dynasty's "Laws on Running Scripts," all lodging, meals, and horse changes at post stations along the postal route required a tally or official document as proof of entry; those without a tally were prohibited from entering.
This is not Xianyang City, and the imperial bamboo tally they carry cannot be used to govern the local officials.
Therefore, Wei Changbo Wen had already dismounted and strode to the carriage where Zou Yun was riding. He was about to bow and ask Zou Yun to take out the talisman and let him rest there.
Bai Wen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, as if he was about to speak.
Just then, Feng Zhixue slammed open the wooden door of the carriage and jumped down nimbly.
Completely ignoring Bai Wen, he simply said, "Chief Bai, let's go."
Having said that, without waiting for Bai Wen's response, he strode ahead and headed towards the gate of the pavilion.
Meanwhile, there was also activity inside the Shimenting Pavilion.
A man with a sharp, wiry face and a black silk turban tied around his head had already led several guards and thieves out after hearing the noise.
Feng Zhixue stepped forward slowly and, under the cover of dusk, discreetly showed the dragon token hidden in his sleeve to the head of the pavilion.
He then whispered a reminder, "Please inform the head of this pavilion, and remember not to make a fuss about it."
Upon seeing the dragon-patterned talisman, the village headman's expression instantly turned solemn. He dared not bow loudly, but silently lowered his head.
"The lower-ranking official was unaware of the king's envoy's secret journey and is guilty of a capital offense."
The pavilion chief lowered his voice to a very low hue.
According to the regulations for Qin secret envoys, they did not shout greetings loudly, nor did they display their ceremonial regalia.
They then secretly verified the official documents and checked the secret symbols. They did not publicly examine the official documents, nor did they write down their identity and reason in the post register. They only secretly noted the time of crossing the border.
After verification, the pavilion chief stepped aside and bowed to lead the way, quietly opening the gate and leading the carriages and horses into the courtyard.
Without ringing bells, sounding horns, or informing ordinary guards of their origins, the entire process was completed silently.
Inside the post station, everything had already been quietly prepared according to the highest standards.
The earthen bed was covered with a clean hemp mat, and a plain lacquered table, pottery bowls, and other utensils were all set up inside the room.
In the corner of the room, the charcoal brazier burned at a moderate intensity, just enough to dispel the mountain chill.
The stables were kept in a separate, isolated area, where they were secretly fed high-quality millet and fodder by designated personnel, and unauthorized soldiers were not allowed to approach the carriages and horses.
Having done all this, the pavilion chief stood by the door and reported in a low, cautious voice.
"Everything is peaceful at the mountain pass, the straight road is clear and unobstructed, and the Xiongnu in the north have not made any unusual moves. Those coming and going are all convicts who are building the straight road and ordinary soldiers."
"It's late and the wind is cold here. Patrols have been arranged in the pavilion all night to isolate the inside from the outside. No one dares to spy on the envoy's movements."
After reporting, the pavilion chief remained silent.
He neither inquired about the reasons for his mission nor discussed the new policies of the court, but simply fulfilled his duties as a border official.
"Yes, you may leave."
Inside the room, before Zou Yun could speak, Bai Wen had already told him to leave.
"only!"
Upon hearing this, the village head dared not have the slightest doubt.
He merely raised his eyelids briefly, his gaze landing on Zou Yun, who was dressed in the most luxurious attire.
Seeing that he remained calm and had no objections, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon, bowed deeply once more, and hurriedly left.
However, Bai Wen's overstepping his bounds instantly ignited the long-suppressed anger of Feng Zhixue and Zheng Ze.
"You rude brat!"
Once the village head's footsteps disappeared outside the door, the two could no longer contain themselves and slammed their fists on the table, standing up abruptly.
Their eyes widened in anger, their piercing gazes shooting towards Berwin like sharp arrows.
His chest heaved violently with rage.
Bai Wen merely glanced at them coldly, then turned his head and continued to give orders to the Tiger Guards beside him in a low voice, clearly not taking the two men seriously.
Only Meng Xuande remained, awkwardly sandwiched in the middle.
While hurriedly stepping forward to comfort the trembling Feng and Zheng, he couldn't help but steal glances at Zou Yun, who was sitting in the main seat.
"Chief Bai!"
Suddenly, Zou Yun, who had been silently observing, spoke up.
His voice wasn't loud, but it calmed the tense atmosphere in the room.
"Your subject is here!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Wen immediately stopped what he was doing and bowed slightly in Zou Yun's direction.
Although his posture was respectful, he showed no sign of fear.
Zou Yun remained expressionless, his gaze calmly fixed on Bai Wen, and simply asked, "In your opinion, who should lead this expedition?"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room instantly became eerily silent.
Feng Zhixue and Zheng Ze's angry expressions froze on their faces, Meng Xuande's movements stopped, and even the Tiger Guards waiting behind Bai Wen held their breath.
The air seemed to freeze instantly, pressing down on everyone's hearts.
Everyone remained silent, their gazes fixed silently on Zou Yun and Bai Wen.
Everyone waited for the storm to arrive or subside.