In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era: I became Yang Guozhong's eldest son.

After the three left, Afu finally couldn't help but ask:

"Boss Pei, Chen Ye is actually quite capable, why don't you recruit him first?"

Pei Zhao threw the smoke bomb into the fire without even looking up.

"A sharp knife doesn't necessarily mean it's usable."

"A sharp knife that cannot be held properly is worse than a dull knife."

"We don't lack people who dare to charge ahead."

"They lack the ability to obey orders, to keep quiet, and to go to remote areas without first showing courage to others."

Upon hearing this, Cui Shen's heart skipped a beat.

It's not just about picking up a knife.

This is actually about choosing which floor of Yaozhou Station people will be on in the future.

Lu Cheng is the type who can suppress the outer circle.

Dou Ping is someone who can navigate mountain roads, recognize horse caravans, and know secret passages.

As for Chen Ye, once he's truly honed, he'll become an extremely sharp and effective blade.

But if it can't be ground out, it can only be considered the root of trouble.

Uncle Wen didn't understand everything he heard.

But he understood one thing best.

With a large population, the pressure on medicine and food becomes heavy.

So he frowned and asked:

"My lord, are these two really staying?"

"Keep."

Yang Xuan then spoke from inside the car.

"Lu Cheng and Dou Ping, stay in the outer circle for now."

"Chen Ye, take another look."

"For the next ten days, they will be neither considered one of our own nor outsiders."

"Eat and walk according to the team rules. Anyone who breaks the rules will be kicked out."

Ah Fu then realized what was happening.

This is even more ruthless than simply taking it.

You're not considered accepted just because you're given a meal.

Instead, it lets you stand on the threshold first.

Only by establishing a firm foothold can one move on to the next step.

Yanhe glanced at the departing figures of the three men and whispered:

"Good for your health."

"On this journey south, we must let the outside world know that we are not without people, but we also cannot allow our own side to be overwhelmed by riffraff."

Cui Shen smiled.

"The princess's words have been heard by both civil and military officials."

"It's all the same thing."

Yanhe said calmly.

"If there are many people but no distinctions, it is better not to have many."

"Before we get to Yaozhou, every additional person on our team should be of greater use."

"If there's just one more mouth, it's a disaster, not a power."

Yang Xuan nodded slightly upon hearing this.

Then, he looked at Pei Zhao:

"Besides these three, are there any others on the road?"

"have."

Pei Zhao answered quickly.

"There are four or five more who want to post this."

"Either you're too greedy, or you're too shaky, or you're too arrogant and disobedient."

"Bringing this kind of person into Yaozhou is more troublesome than bringing people from outside."

Yang Xuan said:

"Then they'll all be blocking the way."

"Remember this sentence."

"We're not taking in homeless people, nor are we just putting on a show."

"The first step is to assemble the framework that can be used to go down into wells, hold up government offices, and travel on mountain roads."

"If someone doesn't deserve to be on the bus, don't let him even get near it."

Pei Zhao responded in a deep voice.

He liked hearing that.

Because that's exactly what he's been doing these past two days.

Ning Que.

However, it should not be abused.

Night slowly descended.

Lu Cheng and Dou Ping were allowed to sit by the fire on the outer ring for the first time. Although they hadn't reached the first floor of the main carriage yet, they were already half a step closer to Bai Ri.

Chen Ye sat quietly on the outside, cleaning his gun while reflecting on what had gotten into him in the past two days.

No one comforted him.

No one looked down on him.

Because everyone in the team understands.

Pei Zhao's four gates seemed to be screening out newcomers.

In fact, it's also setting new rules for everyone.

Whether you can stay in this team in the future will not depend solely on your usefulness.

It depends on whether you can hold onto that little bit of usefulness.

The firelight flickered.

Afu sat down next to them with his knees drawn up, and suddenly realized that the group of people in front of him was finally different from what he had seen a few days ago.

It's not just that there are two and a half more people.

It's more like this team, which was originally united by a single thought, is finally starting to grow into a group that can "truly get things done on the ground."

Further south along the official road, the mountain scenery deepens day by day.

The half-smoke cake that Lu Cheng brought back during the day still had a bit of ash left. Cui Shen had already written it down after looking at it.

Rough goods from the north.

Old Junlu Pass.

Someone went ahead of us.

These words, taken individually, are not worth much.

But Yang Xuan stared at the three characters "Old Army Road" for a moment.

Then, I gently tapped the cutting board.

Pei Zhao.

"exist."

"Tomorrow we'll head forward and explore another layer of the mountain road."

"Especially those who are neither like bandits nor like proper government officials."

Pei Zhao looked up.

"Does my lord foresee trouble ahead?"

Yang Xuan did not answer immediately.

He only remembered the two new hoofprints from earlier that day, and the increasing amount of "fear," "avoidance," and "resentment" that Cui Shen had written on paper these past few days.

When many loose threads are exposed, nothing is noticeable.

But once the mountain road gets closer, some hands that have been hiding behind the slopes, by the wells, or under the tattered tents will start to move in advance.

"It's not that I think so."

He said lightly.

"It's time to come."

No one spoke for a moment by the fire.

Only the wind swept down from the rocky slope, carrying a hint of dampness from further south.

......

The next morning, the sky was overcast.

It's not the kind of black that would immediately unleash a torrential downpour.

It's gray.

The grayness resembled a layer of dampness clinging to the mountain walls and tree bark, giving the entire southward-bound road a sticky smell.

Pei Zhao glanced at the sky and knew that the mountain path ahead would only become more difficult.

"We need to get past Ghost Slope before noon."

He rode in front, watching the mountain road gradually narrow, his voice kept low.

"When it rains here, the slopes become slippery, making it easy for cars to pass but difficult for people."

Dou Ping, now officially on the outer circle, looked up at the mountains upon hearing this.

"It's not just bad."

"The forests on both sides of Ghost Slope are thick, and there are two forked ravines below."

"If someone really wants to sabotage things halfway through, this kind of place is the most convenient."

Lu Cheng didn't interrupt, but simply lifted the old knife on his back.

Chen Ye followed and walked ahead.

He hasn't actually been kept on yet, but ever since he said "stay for another ten days" last night, he's been much more composed than before.

He's been talking less.

His eyes also fell further to the ground.

Half an hour later, the mountain slopes indeed began to tighten.

The official road was no longer laid flat on the ground as before, but instead curved along the mountainside, clinging to the cliff on one side and bordering the ravine on the other.

The ditch wasn't deep.

But if the car and its occupants were to roll down the slope, regardless of whether they would be injured or not, the moment they stopped would be enough to create a whole host of problems.

Ah Fu rode next to the passenger bike, and the sight made him feel uneasy.

"This godforsaken place can be called an official road?"

Dou Ping, who was ahead, heard this and twitched the corner of his mouth.

"On the official roads in the border regions, allowing carriages to pass is considered a sign of respect to the imperial court."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a bird in front of him suddenly took flight.

It wasn't just one or two.

The birds of half the forest fluttered outwards all at once.

Pei Zhao immediately placed his hand on the hilt of the knife.

"stop."

The vehicles in front and behind immediately pulled back.

Even the animals pulling the carts on the outermost edge had their noses and mouths covered to prevent them from squealing.

The mountains suddenly became eerily quiet.

Only a few startled birds flew higher and higher.

Lu Cheng looked down at the ground, then gazed at the bend in the slope ahead.

"It's not a mountain beast."

"When mountain beasts are startled by birds, they won't only startle one side."

Dou Ping also said:

"It looks like someone is rushing uphill from the bottom of the slope."

This time, Chen Ye didn't rush to speak, but just squinted at the grove of trees.

Sure enough, in just a few breaths, a series of commotions could be faintly heard from ahead.

First came the sound of footsteps.

Then someone else started cursing in a low voice.

Finally, there was a short, agonizing scream, as if half of his mouth had been covered.

A Fu's neck was suddenly covered in sweat.

They really did run into each other.

At this moment, Yang Xuan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.

"What approach?"

Pei Zhao replied quickly.

"It doesn't look like a direct robbery."

"There weren't many people; it looked like they were chasing someone."

Cui Shen had already poked his head out from the back of the car.

"If it were just robbery, the mountain people wouldn't be so discreet."

"They kept their voices down, probably to avoid startling passersby."

Yang Xuan nodded.

"Then it's not about seeking wealth."

"It means asking someone for help, or asking someone for something they have."