Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

The man reported: "The villain is He Tao, the envoy arrested in the three capitals of Jezhou. Back then, because Chao Gai's gang of thieves robbed the grand master's birthday outline, the prefect ordered the villain to arrest the thief within a limited time, in advance on the villain's face If you can't solve the case or catch the thief, you will send the villain far away from the evil army state. With this golden seal on the face of the villain, don't blame me!"

It turned out that this person was He Tao, the three capital envoy sent by the prefect of Jeju to arrest Chao Gai and others after Chao Gai and others gathered together to outwit the birthday plan.

This He Tao worked diligently to solve the birthday gang case, captured the "white day mouse" Bai Sheng, and took orders to Yuncheng County to arrest Chao Gai and others.

Unexpectedly, the black and white parties in Yuncheng County are closely colluding. The governors Song Jiang, Dutou Zhu Dian and Lei Heng of Yuncheng County all have deep friendship with the leader of the bandit, Chao Gai. .

He Tao was loyal to his official duties and led his troops to hunt down the thieves, but was defeated by Chao Gai and other robbers. The whole army was annihilated and he himself was arrested.Although He Tao was finally sent back to Jeju City alone, his ears were cut off by the villain Ruan Xiaoqi in order to demonstrate to the government.

When the Liangshan army broke through Jeju City, officials such as the prefect and the judge were all killed. An inconspicuous official like He Tao escaped with his life because he was a local.After the government and army regained Jeju, He Tao returned to the Jeju mansion and continued to serve as his envoy for arresting Sandu.

Gao Lian asked He Tao why his ears were cut off, and He Tao told Gao Lian, the prefect, about the arrest of Chao Gai and others.

After Gao Lian heard this, he asked He Tao: "In this way, He Guan is suffering for the official affairs of the court, which is really admirable! He Guan, I think you have a deep hatred with Chao Gai, the leader of the Liangshan bandit. Why? Didn't you get rid of that guy in the death row to avenge yourself?"

He Tao replied: "Mr. Fu, although the villain He Tao is incompetent, since he took the job of arresting the envoys in Sandu, he has never dared to neglect his official duties. The villain, Chao Gai and Wu Yong did have their ears cut off." Assassin's revenge, but the country's law is in place, the imperial court wants to punish Chao Gai in Bianliang City, Tokyo, as an example to others. How dare the villain use his own to abolish the public, and assassinate Chao Gai and Wu Yong in the cell. If so, wouldn't it be cheaper for those fellows? The villain dare not lie to the gentleman, just now when the gentleman ordered someone to beat that fellow Chao Gai, the villain had already used some tricks and ordered his subordinates to beat him harder. It takes half a month to recover."

"He Guan, but you are also upright, you are a man! The government ordered you to escort Chao Gai and other serious criminals to Beijing with Yu Tongzhi. Would you like to go?" Gao Lian asked He Tao.

"Sent by my husband is to praise the villain, how dare the villain not try his best?" He Tao clasped his fists and replied.

After Gao Lian heard this, he admired He Tao even more in his heart, so he said to him: "He Guan, you should step back from the control and make preparations, and set off early tomorrow morning! After you return from Bianliang City in Tokyo, the government will promote you to I do business under my account!"

"Xie Xianggong! The villain will leave." He Tao gave a big gift to Gao Lian, and followed Yu Zhi, the governor, out of the magistrate's yamen.

Yu Zhi, the governor from Gaotang Prefecture, was not very proficient in the yamen and prisons of Jeju City, so he entrusted He Tao with all the miscellaneous tasks such as preparing prison vehicles. He went to the military camp to select soldiers and horses. He Tao agreed on the departure time for the next day.

He Tao hurriedly directed his men to prepare the prison cart and iron shackles. After careful inspection, he got on the horse and returned home. He led the horse to the back stall and tied it to the back. inside the house.

He Tao hadn't been so proud for a long time. When his wife saw him, she asked him, "Husband, why are you so smug today? But who's filial piety has been paid for?"

As He Tao's wife asked, she looked into He Tao's arms to see if there were large ingots of gold and silver bulging there.

He Tao spat: "You mother-in-law only know how to ask me for money! I am a law-abiding person, where can I collect filial money? What do you know? Personally choose me to take a trip to Bianliang City in Tokyo. As long as this matter is done well, the Kochi Prefecture will definitely praise me, and when I become prosperous in the future, it will not be better than being greedy for a few ingots of silver today?"

After hearing this, He Tao's wife was also happy and said, "It seems so good! Husband, you have worked so hard in Jeju Prefecture for so many years, and it is worth it!"

"Brother and sister-in-law, what is the happy event at home today?" While He Tao and his wife were talking, a person suddenly pushed the door open and entered.

Chapter 600 Fighting Tiger Brothers

He Tao and his wife raised their eyes and saw that the person who came was He Tao's brother He Qing.Looking at it, He Qing must have lost money in a bet, so he came to his brother to play some autumn wind again.

He Tao laughed and said: "He Qing, I'm not a gambling house here. What are you doing so hard? You just got a few coins from me yesterday. If you don't go to gamble, why do you come here? Could it be that you lost all your money again? "

Ever since He Qing helped He Tao capture the "White Rat" Bai Sheng last time, broke the big birthday case, and saved He Tao from the disaster of assassination, He Tao and his wife have been very affectionate to this brother He Qing. .

Although He Qing is still doing nothing and hangs out in the gambling shop Gou Lan on weekdays, but He Tao always greets this brother with a smile and often helps him because of his kindness in saving his life.

Seeing his elder brother joking with him, He Qing also smiled and scolded: "Sister-in-law, look at my brother, who has always underestimated his brother! Your home is the Golden Palace, brother, I can't come? See what I have in my hand? What is it? Brother won a few strings of money in Anle Village today, specially bought some roast chicken and salted fish, and came to have a few glasses of wine with brother and sister-in-law. Brother, I am not as stingy as my brother, even if there is a lot of money in the family. make."

He Qing said, and handed the roast chicken, salted fish and village wine hidden behind his back to He Tao's wife.

When He Tao saw him, he put on a straight face on purpose, and said angrily, "My brother should keep his money to support the family. How can you feed the whole family and not be hungry? Brother, you should save some spare money to marry a wife..."

He Tao's wife was obedient, and quickly waved her hand and said: "Husband, uncle came to see you for a drink, why are you talking here and there, which is useless, but not to spoil the fun? Uncle, sit down and talk to your brother." .Sister-in-law is going to warm the wine for you."

He Qingdang sat next to He Tao, chatting with him about gossip in and out of the city.

He Tao's wife cut up the roast chicken and salted fish deftly, arranged some wine, meat and vegetables, set up a table full of them, boiled a pot of wine, and sat down to have a drink with brothers He Tao and He Qing.

Seeing that his sister-in-law was beaming with joy, He Qing raised his glass and asked, "What's the big brother's happy event? It made my sister-in-law laugh from ear to ear."

"There's no such thing as a happy event. It's just that the new Kochifu arranged for my brother to go to Tokyo for business. After the matter is completed, he may promote me. Before this matter is even mentioned, your sister-in-law can't hold back anymore. A little bit of the city." He Tao didn't hide it from his brother, so he told He Qing about Gao Lian, the prefect of Gaotang Prefecture, who sent him to escort Chao Gai and others with the army.

"Oh! This is a great joy, shouldn't my sister-in-law be happy? Brother heard that the Gaozhifu is the uncle of the current Emperor Gao Taiwei, and the future is bright. If the elder brother can climb the Gaozhifu, he will be prosperous in the future. After the elder brother has developed, don’t forget to support the first and second brothers. Brothers here first offer a cup to the elder brother and sister-in-law, and wish the elder brother a smooth journey and return as soon as possible.” He Qing said to He Tao and his wife with a cup.

"Auspicious words from uncle!" He Tao's wife laughed first.

The three of them exchanged glasses at home, had a hearty meal, and regarded it as a farewell dinner for He Tao.

After drinking and eating, He Qing bid farewell to his brother and sister-in-law, left He Tao's house, but left Jeju City in a hurry, took a horse from a foot shop outside the city, and rode straight to the Donghuang Temple fifteen miles away from the west gate and go.

The Donghuang Temple outside the west gate is located on a mountain with dense forests. Due to years of disrepair, it has become somewhat dilapidated and dilapidated, and there are few incense believers.Because the incense was not strong and life was hard, Miao Zhu abandoned the temple without knowing when.

However, in recent days, this dilapidated Donghuang Temple has ushered in a new life. A group of fanatical believers came from nowhere, and the inside and outside of the temple were packed to the brim.

There was not a single woman among these believers, all of them were strong and strong men. All of them stared wildly at the East Emperor Temple, whispering something about "living gods".

When He Qing came to the outside of Donghuang Temple on horseback, several big men who were guarding in the woods jumped out to hold the horses, and said in their mouths: "Brother is back? Master is waiting for you!"

He Qing jumped off the horse, tidied up his clothes, and went straight to the gate of the East Emperor Temple.

The originally blocked temple gate revealed a passage, allowing He Qing to easily enter the temple.

He Qing came to the main hall of the temple, fell to the ground and bowed to a figure sitting under the statue of Emperor Donghua, and said in his mouth: "The disciple pays homage to the master! This time I have entered the city, the disciple has already obtained conclusive information, and the dog officials will meet tomorrow." Escort my guardian Chao Tianwang and others to Bianliang City, Tokyo. The officers and soldiers are scheduled to leave the west gate of Jeju at Chenshi."

……

After his brother He Qing left, He Tao drank a few glasses of wine with his wife and talked a little bit before washing up and going to bed.

Waking up early the next morning, He Tao had eaten breakfast, packed everything up, rode to the outside of the prison, led his men to put the prison carts on horses, and lined up outside the gate.

The commander, Yu Zhi, rode on a tall horse and brought five hundred officers and soldiers of the forbidden army he had chosen to the prison. After seeing the prison cart and iron shackles prepared by He Tao, he was very satisfied, and ordered Chao Chao, the prisoner-level general, to be the prisoner. Gai and the others all came out.

Not long after, Najieji and a group of jailers escorted the six bandit leaders Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Dong Ping, Li Ying, Xiao Rang, and Jin Dajian, as well as the families of Song Jiang and Chai Jin, out. Under the watchful eyes, they put on iron shackles and shackles one by one, put a seal on them, and locked them in the prison car.

After putting the disgraced death row prisoners into the prison cart, the commander Yu Zhi gave an order, and five hundred soldiers escorted the prison cart to the outside of the city.

He Tao also took a hundred servants from the arresting envoy's house, and accompanied Yu Zhi's army to escort the prisoners.

After coming out of the west gate of Jeju City, Yu Zhi and He Tao rode side by side, walking at the forefront of the team.Yu Zhi asked He Tao: "He Guan, how is the road going to Bianliang, Tokyo? Is there anything important to beware of?"

He Tao replied: "Yu Tongzhi, this is a dry road to Tokyo. On the way, you have to pass Huangnigang, Baishawu, Yeyundu, and Chisong Forest. These places are haunted by strong men. Single guests dare not go alone. Pass by. Huangnigang is the place where Chao Gai and other thieves robbed Taishi Cai's birth certificate, and the grassroots thieves behind him are most familiar with it. Apart from this, there is no other dangerous place on the road."

"Hahaha~ If you have any observations, go with me, I don't have to worry about it! Those mere bandits on the way will only run away when they see the elite soldiers of Gaotang Prefecture, how dare they get close to our army?" the commander Yu Zhiqi Immediately look forward to Zixiong.

After He Tao and Yu Zhi left the city with their soldiers and horses, they walked northwest along the official road and came to Anle Village outside Jeju city without knowing it.

As the team was walking, He Tao suddenly heard a voice from beside him: "Brother, I'm so glad to see you again!"

He Tao followed the sound and saw a few idlers sitting by the side of the road, and one of them was his own younger brother He Qing?

Chapter 6 and One

He Qing ran forward in three steps at a time, stopped He Tao's horse's head, and said to him: "Brother, brother has been waiting for you for a long time! Brother knows that brother is going on a long trip, so he specially used the money he won to give it to him. My elder brother bought a lot of wine and meat to do a good job for my elder brother."

He Tao heard the words and looked around, and saw a few idlers behind He Qing carrying wine barrels and food boxes, and followed He Qing to surround him.Looking at the roadside, there are still twenty or thirty barrels of wine, many wine and vegetables.