My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 201 Xihe County

On the official road, a group of people were moving forward at high speed.

Li Yuan rode a tall horse, holding Li Xuanba in his arms.

Li Xuanba had already learned to ride a horse, but the problem was that he couldn't keep up with Li Yuan and other skilled veteran riders. So Li Yuan simply let him ride with him on the same horse, put him in his arms, and they began to rush towards Luoyang.

Officials in various places cherished the days without corvée labor. Along the way, one could see many people preparing for spring planting. Because of the previous heavy corvée labor, the farmland had been abandoned, and it was not an easy task to rebuild it.

Li Yuan was very fast. He led a group of strong and capable men, and apart from Li Xuanba, there were no women or children, nor any goods being transported with him. They sped along the road.

The Sui Dynasty had two capitals, but starting from the third year of the Daye era, the emperor basically stayed in Luoyang, and all the officials gathered in Luoyang to work. The families of the nobles also moved there, and the status of Daxing City was declining.

Nowadays, when people talk about the capital, they generally assume it is Luoyang.

When the group arrived at Xihe County, Li Xuanba and the other officials were all panting and exhausted.

Li Yuan had been running around for several days and was quite tired. Looking down at his even more exhausted son, he ordered them to rest at the post station in the city.

Officials of Li Yuan's rank could use any post station along the way without worry. There were special places to welcome them. Li Yuan also gave everyone time to rest. They rested for a day in Xihe before setting off for Hanoi the next day.

Everyone rested for a day.

The next day, before they even set off, the local magistrate came to pay his respects with utmost courtesy.

The governor of Xihe County was not in Xicheng at the moment, but had led his officials to the Pingyao area.

This is all thanks to Li Yuan. When the emperor went to Li Yuan's side, he passed by this place and learned that there had been a people's rebellion in Pingyao, resisting the officials. He severely punished the local governor and ordered him to govern Pingyao well within six months. To this day, the governor and his officials dare not return.

The magistrate of Xicheng looked apprehensive when he saw the passing Duke of Tang, and hardly dared to speak to him.

Li Yuan has caused a lot of trouble these days, which has made these officials extremely afraid.

The county magistrate's assistant was the same; he knelt at a distance, not daring to approach. Only the county head was not so afraid; he was secretly observing Li Yuan.

The county magistrate sent gifts to Li Yuan to express his respect.

"I do not eat people, so why are you so afraid?"

Li Yuan accepted the gift with a smile, and then asked a question.

The county magistrate stammered, "The Duke's might."

Li Yuan's expression immediately changed, and the county magistrate standing nearby immediately spoke up, "The Duke's divine might is feared by all under heaven. Magistrate Zhou comes from the south and is unaware of the affairs of the north. Upon learning of the Duke's arrival, he summoned us overnight and hastily prepared gifts, hoping that the Duke would not take offense."

The county magistrate was originally the county lieutenant, but after the emperor came to power, he changed the title to county magistrate. There was no one in the whole world that he didn't change.

Li Yuan looked at the county magistrate and sized him up. The magistrate was not very old, probably around thirty years old, with a dignified appearance and a commanding presence.

Li Xuanba, who was standing to the side, said, "Father, the magistrate did not mean it. Please do not take offense."

The magistrate only realized at this moment that the higher the rank of the noble, the more they were careful to avoid mentioning the words of the superior. To talk about the "tiger's might" in front of Li Yuan was an insult to him.

Li Yuan didn't take it to heart. He told the magistrate to stand up, "You've come to pay your respects not just to bring me gifts, have you? Or do you have something else to ask of me?"

The magistrate hesitated for a moment, but finally made up his mind and said, "Duke, I do indeed have a request to make!"

“Since last autumn, many bandits have appeared in various parts of Hedong. There are four or five gangs of roving bandits around Xicheng alone, and bandits also roam the nearby mountains. They rob merchants along the way and even dare to attack the countryside. I organized local militia to suppress them, but when these people see the militia, they cross the border directly. My soldiers cannot cross the border to catch the thieves.”

"I've told the prefect several times, hoping he'd take this matter seriously, but... alas, he didn't listen." Li Yuan squinted. He felt this matter wasn't so simple. It was just about catching thieves; why wouldn't the prefect listen? What was he being asked to do about something like this?
The magistrate's words became increasingly incoherent, and he suddenly looked at the county clerk beside him.

"Sigh, Xuanling! You should speak."

The county magistrate bowed and looked up at Li Yuan. "Duke, in reality, ordinary thieves are not a great threat; the county can handle them on its own."

"However, there was one band of outlaws who was very special. Even the local militia were no match for them. I suspected that they were people in disguise. They did not appear in the local area, but came all the way from the north. I sent people to investigate many times, but these people appeared and disappeared like ghosts. I could not find any trace of them. Later, I finally caught a bandit who had contacted them and learned that these people were looking for a Hu merchant named Shi Shu Hu Xi."

"According to this person, those people didn't seem to be from the Central Plains, neither in appearance nor in their horses. Based on their description, I felt they were Turks, but how could Turks appear in such a remote area as Hexi? After repeated investigations, I only found a merchant named Shi Shu, who happened to pass through here recently on his way to Luoyang."

Li Yuan frowned as he listened, scrutinizing the person in front of him. "Why are you telling me all this?"

“Duke, we are of low rank and should not be concerned with important matters. However, these people are staying in Xihe County and wandering around. I think they are waiting for that foreign merchant. I told the governor about this, but the governor ignored me and scolded me for having unrealistic ideas.”

“If these people cause any trouble in Xihe in the future, we will definitely not be able to get away. Therefore, I have informed the Duke of these matters. I privately think that this matter may be related to the internal affairs of the Turks. For the Turks to be so rampant, it must be that the matter is of no use to us but may be beneficial to the Duke.”

Li Yuan shook his head slightly. "There couldn't possibly be any Turks here. There are so many checkpoints and guards along the way. Turks can't fly. Perhaps they are just bandits who have gathered together to rob Hu merchants."

The county magistrate was somewhat helpless, but Li Yuan had already stood up.

"The matter of the thieves will be handled by someone else; you need not worry about it."

Li Yuan ignored them and simply ordered preparations to be made. The county magistrate and the county head exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat downcast. Just as the county head was about to leave, he noticed someone standing in front of him.

The county magistrate was taken aback. Standing in front of him was a little child, but he knew who this child was: "Lord Jun."

"After I arrive in Luoyang, I will inquire about that foreign merchant. I met him in Loufan. Also, I will send people to investigate the problem of thieves here. You all should focus on preparing for spring planting and reassure the people."

As Li Xuanba spoke, he smiled at him again.

The man was taken aback, then quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency."

Soon, Li Yuan left with his entourage. The county magistrate watched them go, his eyes filled with helplessness. He looked at the county official beside him and said, "Fang Xuanling! Fang Xuanling! This time, listening to you has cost us dearly! We haven't been able to deal with the thieves, and we've lost so much stuff. We haven't even earned the Duke's respect. You're usually so capable, so why can't you persuade people at this crucial moment?"

Fang Xuanling looked down at the county magistrate and said earnestly, "Your Excellency, please do not be anxious. Since the Duke already knows, he will not turn a blind eye."

"Well, I hope so."

Li Xuanba, sitting in his father's lap, suddenly said, "Father, I saw that foreign merchant when I was in Loufan."

"Ok?"

"It's that Shi Shu Hu Xi I just mentioned. He said he found a horse and came back specifically to return it."

Li Xuanba told Li Yuan what he had seen.

Li Yuan slowly narrowed his eyes.

Finding a horse and delivering it to their doorstep? And they don't even ask for a reward? What kind of foreign merchant is this?

Shi Shu Hu Xi, the name Shi Shu Hu Xi sounds familiar.

"Well, let's talk about it when we get to Luoyang."

Li Yuan did not press the matter further. Li Xuanba sat on his horse, pondering the words of the man he had just heard, and countless thoughts raced through his mind.

The Turks transporting precious horses, the suddenly appearing Hu merchants, and the powerful bandits who specialize in finding out the location of the Hu merchants.
If my second brother were still alive, he would definitely be able to guess what this is. Perhaps Zhang Du could send someone to deliver a message to my second brother and ask for his opinion.
(End of this chapter)