Tiger Guards

Chapter 666: The Pursuit to the End
Fufeng, Wugong City.

As dawn broke, Sun Zi, the grain supervisor, inspected the supply train that was about to depart, his expression solemn.

They inspected the grain carts, each carrying twenty-five shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain.

But it's winter now, so there's no fear of the grain getting damp, infested with insects, or rotting.

Therefore, this batch of grain carts was loaded with rice and millet that had been pounded and roasted; various beans were also mixed, ground, roasted, mixed with salt powder, and pressed into brick-sized pieces.

In this way, with the same transport volume, frontline troops can obtain more heat-generating and more convenient military rations.

The officer in charge of this escort mission was Captain Xiahou Lan, who followed Sun Zi and watched as Sun Zi inspected the vehicles and seals.

After inspecting several vehicles, Sun Zi immediately affixed the seals again with his stamp.

Only then did Sun Zi lead Xiahou Lan out of the mansion and into an earthen house fifty paces outside the wall of the grain storage area. As he warmed his hands by the fire, he said, "Zifang, you must know the weight of this mission."

"I dare not betray the Grand Tutor's trust!"

Xiahou Lan stood at the entrance like an iron monument, his armor gleaming as he bowed with his hands clasped.

Seeing that he refused to go inside, Sun Zi immediately smiled and said, "I will issue the necessary documents for Zifang right away."

As he spoke, he took the pen from the subordinate and began to write the corresponding inspection documents on a page of official paper.

Xiahou Lan stood at the doorway, glancing back and forth at the busy officials inside. He noticed a few people huddled together in the corner, wearing cloaks and taking a nap to keep warm.

Xiahou Lan remained expressionless, as if she hadn't noticed anything, and simply glanced at him casually.

Sun Zi took out the cold copper seal, first stamped it on his own hand to check, and then officially affixed the seal to the official document after confirming that it was correct.

He then took the official document and handed it to Xiahou Lan, saying, "Zifang, please inspect it."

Xiahou Lan handed the document to his chief clerk, who glanced at Sun Zi and nodded to him in respect before accepting the document with both hands and beginning to examine it.

Xiahou Lan was a general who had surrendered, but he also had Zhao Yun's protection.

Therefore, he was more trusted by Zhao Ji and was able to take on the important task of transporting military food supplies.

Xiahou Lan is similar to Zhao Yun in many ways. At this moment, he only wants to obtain the inspection and release documents issued by Sun Zi. Only with these documents can he pass through Chencang and take the shortest route to Tianshui.

The shortest route is not necessarily the easiest, but the front line is urging them too much, so Xiahou Lan must overcome the difficulties and go to the Chencang line.

After his chief clerk confirmed that there were no problems with any details in the official document, he nodded to Xiahou Lan: "Captain, the official document is correct."

"Mr. Yanlong, I apologize for the intrusion."

Xiahou Lan bowed in apology, then carefully put the official document away. With this document, he could not only pass through Chencang, but also command and requisition boats near Chencang.

With these ships, the military rations could be divided in two, ensuring that some of the rations reached the Tianshui front as quickly as possible.

"Zifang is a conscientious worker, how could I possibly find fault with her?"

Sun Zi smiled amicably and cupped his hands in greeting: "I won't see Zifang off."

Seeing that Sun Zi was unhappy and refused to even leave the warm earthen house, Xiahou Lan didn't mind and simply nodded: "Farewell."

He took two steps back, turned around nimbly, and strode away. The guards on both sides turned and merged into Xiahou Lan's guard as he passed by.

Xiahou Lan mounted his horse, took the lance handed to him by the guard, looked up at the starless and moonless night sky, then turned to look behind him, where the sky was tinged with the red of dawn.

He then lightly kicked the horse's flank and brandished his lance with his right hand: "Let's go!"

After a soft shout, the drummers on horseback nearby struck their waist drums, and the long procession of supply wagons began to move slowly forward.

Sun Zi stood inside the low earthen house, a bear fur cloak draped over his back, his hands clasped in front of his chest, gazing at the slowly departing supply train: "It is not yet the twelfth month, there has been little snowfall, and the Wei River has not frozen even as it has receded, which is really not conducive to the transport of supplies for the army."

His subordinates remained silent, watching the supply train depart in the morning chill, their expressions generally somber. Sun Zi sighed, watched the last of the train disappear from sight, then turned and returned to his earthen house, quietly waiting for full daylight.

Xiahou Lan was actually an emergency, backup transport force, tasked with transporting and resupplying troops who were withdrawing from and assembling at the Tianshui front.

The main core transportation force was the transport team organized by Jia Tong of Youfufeng. This transport team was steady and reliable, and would take a detour north to Jieting to cross the Longshan Mountains.

This year, there wasn't much snowfall in Chencang, but it didn't affect the exchange of messengers between Tianshui and Fufeng.

The messenger also brought back many observations from his journey, such as the severe drying up of the Wei River.

Although the banks of the Wei River are covered with marshes and swamps during the high-water season, the river level drops during the dry season, leaving large, wide, and flat riverbanks.

After winter sets in, these mudflats become ideal for transport vehicles.

Unlike the Yellow River, it doesn't have as many dangerous bends. If the messenger wasn't exaggerating, then Xiahou Lan's supply train would surely be able to pass through Chencang quickly.

Sun Zi silently calculated Xiahou Lan's transportation efficiency, while news of the Tianshui rebellion remained tightly blocked.

Jia Tong will personally oversee Chencang and will intercept and kill any messengers not under his control.

Even so, news of the rebellion of the powerful clans in Tianshui still reached Sun Zi's ears through various channels.

Even without any concrete evidence, Son could still believe it.

The activation of Xiahou Lan's backup supply convoy further solidified Sun Zi's view that the Jin army had encountered a rather difficult battle in Liangzhou.

As for more complicated matters, Sun Zi did not want to speculate or get involved.

The Sun family's property had long been demolished and was in disarray, so the mission of revitalizing the Sun family fell on his shoulders.

Besides, Zhao Yan and Zhao Ji trusted him to a certain extent, so there was no need for him to do something so foolish.

Prioritize ensuring the continuation and growth of the family before considering other matters.

Sun Zi was very good at distinguishing these things, so after thoroughly inspecting Xiahou Lan's transport team as required, he cooperated in issuing the travel documents.

As for other things he could vaguely guess about, he chose to forget them for the time being.

As Xiahou Lan headed towards Chencang, Su Ze, another of Zhao Ji's aides, arrived in Chencang and showed Jia Tong Zhao Ji's handwritten letter.

Jia Tong took out the letter Zhao Ji had given him before to compare the handwriting on this letter with the texture of the paper.

After confirming that the paper, handwriting, and seal were all in order, Jia Tong welcomed Su Ze to sit at the head of the table, while he himself sat at the foot of the table. He took the initiative to explain: "The Grand Tutor suspects that someone in Guanzhong has leaked secrets, but I am truly unaware of this. However, I can guarantee that the messenger who came from Chencang was either returning from official business in Liangzhou or a trusted confidant of mine in Hedong and Taiyuan."

"If what Wenzhen said is true, the one who leaked the information was someone from Liangzhou who went to the capital on official business and leaked the information on his way back to Tianshui?"

As Su asked the question, he even took out a pen to write down their conversation. Jia Tong nodded earnestly: "Only in this way."

"Very well, I will report back to the Grand Tutor truthfully. I also ask Wenzhen to send an envoy to cooperate, as I need to check the lodging and transit information of Liangzhou officials and soldiers who have traveled to and from Chencangting Post Station over the past three months."

"We dare not be negligent."

Jia Tong stood up and quickly bowed in response.

If the specific person cannot be found, all suspects will be detained unless they can prove their innocence.

This leak is far too dangerous and must be thoroughly investigated.

Su Ze, who was from Guanzhong, was a serious man and naturally wanted to escalate the situation and kill a group of people from Hedong.

Judging from Grand Tutor Zhao's current position, too many people from Hedong have climbed to a level beyond their comprehension.

People like this should be eliminated.

(End of this chapter)