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Autumn goes and winter comes, and the wind is cold and cold.

In the heavy snow that was dancing all over the sky, two fast horses galloped from the southeast Wuguan Road.

On the front of a horse, a handsome man in black, wearing a hat and carrying a sword, with a hand gun slanted around his waist, and a short black beard on his chin, which was Yu Wuya who had left for several months.

On the back of the horse, there was a woman wearing a straw hat and a face towel.

One in front and the other behind, they crossed the Weihe Bridge in the wind and snow, and entered the city from the east gate and headed straight for the Qinghe Marquis' Mansion.

"Clang~"

The closed study door was pushed open.

The fire in the study was burning strongly, and the room was as warm as spring. Chen Xu was sitting in front of the desk and writing and painting. The desk was filled with all kinds of papers filled with strange formulas and symbols. Shui Qingrou was sitting next to him and was helping to sort out and copy these messy manuscripts.

Hearing the sound, the two turned around and saw Yu Wuya and Xia Zijin rushing in with a cloud of cold air. They took off their hats and cloaks and stomped their feet while rubbing their hands.

"Senior brother, sister Zijin!" Shui Qingrou stood up in surprise.

"Brother Yu, why are you back so cold?" Chen Xu also put down his pencil and stood up in surprise.

"It's too cold. Give it a little warm first. Junior sister quickly helps get some food, and it's starving to death!" Yu Wuya threw the hat and cloak on the chair and sat down next to the stove. Xia Zijin turned around and closed the door and sat down. Shui Qingrou quickly poured hot tea for the two of them, and then went out to ask the maid to bring some snacks.

After Yu Wuya drank the hot tea for a few sips, he picked up a mooncake with his mouth, turned around and looked around, stuffed it into his mouth and took a bite. He couldn't help but tremble his face: "My benefactor, he made delicious food again while we are away!"

"This is called mooncakes, which are made on the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are specially reserved for you and Miss Xia. Let's eat them first!" Chen Xu dragged the chair to the stove and sat down.

"Um, it's extremely sweet and delicious. Zijin will eat a few of them as soon as possible!" Yu Wuya nodded while eating.

After drinking two mooncakes, Yu Wuya felt much warmer all over and rubbed his cheeks and said, "My benefactor, we have found out about Ji Bu's whereabouts!"

"Really, where is it?" Chen Xu asked with a happy face.

"It's in Funiu Mountain near Xi County!"

"That's great. I originally wanted to take Xier back to Nanyang to visit relatives, but I was afraid that Ji Bu would cause trouble in secret, so I was a little worried and had never set out. Since I already knew his whereabouts, I would definitely capture him and kill him this time to prevent future troubles!" Chen Xu stood up.

"I'm afraid it's not easy. Since the last reward, Ji Bu may have been hiding in Funiu Mountain after hearing the sound of the wind. Now in the cold winter, there is no clothing or food in the mountains. A month ago, we met several merchants in Xinzheng. I accidentally heard that they were talking about a caravan that was robbed by bandits on Wuguandao. Some servants died and several trucks of goods were lost. So we inquired about the specific situation and went to the vicinity of Xi County to investigate again. Sure enough, it was true, and more than one caravan was robbed. Since the beginning of winter, several incidents of caravans being robbed have occurred. The police guards in Xi County have also investigated and pursued them, but they have returned in vain several times. I heard that some manpower has been lost..."

Yu Wuya quickly and simply told him what he had inquired, then stood up and moved a glass jar of wine with a tiger whip on the bookcase, opened it and sat down again, drinking and continuing to eat mooncakes.

Xia Zijin stared at the wine jar and licked her mouth. Shui Qingrou stood up and poured half a cup of amber wolfberry from another wine jar and handed it to Xia Zijin and said, "Sister, you can drink some wolfberry wine to warm up!"

"It's snowing heavily in the cold winter. Even if you know that Ji Bu is hiding in the mountains, it's hard to capture him..." Xia Zijin gulped down a big mouthful of wine, and a blush suddenly appeared on her snow-white cheeks, and the mark that seemed to be a tattoo made even more red.

"The situation in Funiu Mountain is complicated, and it is snowing heavily now. It is indeed difficult to pursue it. But after finally finding out his whereabouts, you must find a way to find him to kill him. Otherwise, after the beginning of spring, all counties and counties relax, they will easily escape!" Chen Xu said after pinching his chin and pondering for a while.

"That's true. This is also the reason why we are rushing to come back and notify our benefactor. They have been hiding in the mountains for more than a year, and there will inevitably be clues. However, it is too difficult to find it easy to capture and kill. The best way is to mobilize the army to search, and then cooperate with the musket and divine thunder. This is the possibility of success!" Yu Wuya nodded.

"You and Miss Xia are tired for a few months, and you will have a few days off in the mansion. It will definitely be difficult to mobilize the army. I will go to the palace first to see if I can use some imperial guards to cooperate!"

Chen Xu put on a hat and wrapped himself in a cloak and went out, calling the guards and servants to prepare their carriages and horses to go straight to the palace.

Half an hour later, Chen Xu returned to the house, and Yu Wuya and Xia Zijin had moved to the restaurant and were eating hot pot.

"My benefactor, come, the food in the house is still delicious!" Yu Wuya greeted him drunk.

Chen Xu was so amused that he had to accompany him to eat and drink. At the same time, he told the emperor that he had promised to mobilize 500 imperial guards to cooperate in the suppression of Ji Bu. Yu Wuya was relieved and drank a few drinks with Chen Xu and was completely drunk. He was helped by the maid to rest. Xia Zijin was also drunk and stuffed into a quilt to sleep.

"Husband, this matter is quite dangerous. Let me go with my senior brother. I will definitely bring Ji Bu's head back to pay tribute to Miss Chu Yue!" Shui Qingrou said worriedly.

"It's okay, with the cooperation of the imperial guards, dozens of muskets and Taiyi divine thunder, Ji Bu is hard to fly this time, I must watch him kill him with my own eyes!" Chen Xu shook his head.

When dealing with Ji Bu, Chen Xu can be said to be hated to the core. The ambush at Hangu Pass not only caused Jiang Chuyue to die, but also more than 20 people in the mansion died. Although the culprit behind the scenes was Xiang, this would never have happened without the cooperation of Ji Bu and Ji Xin. Therefore, Chen Xu must kill Ji Bu himself to show the world his attitude towards his enemies.

Because everyone in the world knows that the Ji brothers who ambushed the Qinghe Hou were the brothers, but they don’t know that Xiang was making trouble behind the scenes.

Moreover, since the bounty was offered in the newspaper, news about Ji Bu was reported in some places. Yu Wuya and Xia Zijin went out to inquire based on these clues, but none of them gained anything. After several months of clamor among the people, the bounty hunters seemed to have gradually lost interest, and the news later became less and less. Later, Ji Bu disappeared completely. Chen Xu guessed that Ji Bu should have eyeliners in Xianyang and could inform him.

But today, cold and heavy snow blocks the road, and Jibu is short of clothes and grain, and finally can't stand it and reveals its legs. We must take this opportunity to completely kill it to prevent future troubles.

Two days later, under the escort of the Five Hundred Guards and Imperial Guards, Chen Xu took thirty young men in the musket team, carrying sufficient ammunition and hundreds of grenades to Xixian.

The leader of the imperial guards was Bai Zhen, deputy commander of the Weiwei. After Zhou Bo received the news, he personally asked the emperor for his order and set off with twenty Qianniu Guards.

The heavy snow had stopped after a few days, but the snow was more than a foot deep on the ground. The mountains and fields were cold and white. There were almost no cars, horses and pedestrians on the oriental road, which was full of traffic on weekdays, and it was extremely deserted.

Chen Xu, the water was gentle, Yu Wuya and Xia Zijin all followed the imperial guards with swords and guns. The flags were flying in a vast way, hundreds of horses and the full-scale armed imperial guards looked neat and strict, shattering the snow all the way, crossing the Wei River Bridge south, crossing the Chang'an Palace, crossing the Ba River Bridge, then turning to the southeast across Lantian County, and heading straight to Xi County.

Xixian County, later called Xixia County, was more than 200 miles away from Wuguan, and the road was narrow and twisty, all between the mountains and ridges.

Although Wuguan Road is the most important road leading from Xianyang to Chu, and it has been fully built, due to the influence of mountain torrents and landslides, it is still difficult to pass through many places in Wuguan Road. With the improvement of the cement oriental road, there have been fewer caravans on Wuguan Road in the past two years. A large number of caravans and even court documents have detoured on Luoyang to the east road. They would rather go by hundreds of miles than by Wuguan Road. Therefore, Wuguan Road is much deserted than before. After the national unification, the military role of Wuguan Road has been continuously reduced and weakened. There are not many business trips and pedestrians on this road.

What's more, the mountains are covered with heavy snow in the cold winter, and the roads are even more muddy and difficult to walk. As long as there is not a town, sometimes you can't see a passerby on the road for more than ten miles.

It is precisely this situation that made Ji Bu hide in Wuguan Road, which is not far from Xianyang, but no one has noticed it for more than a year.

But this time, Chen Xu decided to find Ji Bu no matter where he hid in the mountain corner, and then he would cut off this trouble.

After the attack on Hangu Pass, Chen Xu suddenly became very careful, not afraid of thieves stealing, but afraid of thieves thinking about it. Faced with a ranger like Ji Bu who was desperate and very popular, he could not let him be free and had to crush him to death with thunder.

Although it was only more than 600 miles from Xianyang to Xi County, it took seven or eight days to go through the army. The officials and people in the county towns and towns along the way had already prepared food and grass and accommodation to keep warm.

Moreover, I heard that Qinghe Hou personally led the imperial guards to strangle the bandits, and there were countless hunters and knights who were familiar with bows and horses volunteered to join. By the time he arrived in Xi County, the number of bandit suppression team had exceeded 800.

When the county magistrate and county magistrate of Xi County heard that the Qinghe Hou arrived, they even led the officials, police officers, soldiers, and soldiers out of the city to greet each other for ten miles. After setting up the military camp, they reported in detail about the movements of the bandits hiding in Funiu Mountain.

Since the autumn harvest and winter, these bandits have attacked five caravans, and many civilians on the road have also been recorded as being robbed. However, no one knows that these bandits are the bandits' head Ji Bu, otherwise, they would have notified Xianyang to send imperial guards to encircle and suppress them.

One day after the renovation of Xi County, Chen Xu ordered Bai Zhen to go into the mountain to find Ji Bu's whereabouts early the next morning, led by local police lieutenants and Mount Orion.

However, due to the vastness of Funiu Mountain, the mountains, steep mountains, canyons and ravines, and the deep snow in the mountains are several feet thick, the search process lasted for five days, searching all the areas within a radius of hundreds of miles in Xi County. Finally, under the guidance of some mountain people and woodcutters in the mountains, they found the approximate location where Ji Bu might be hiding.

The vast mountains and fields are covered with snow, the mountains are steep and undulating, and the cliffs are shattered and foggy. After exploring the general area where Ji Bu is hiding, and after another two days of planning, hundreds of bandit suppression troops crossed the mountains and ridges along several different routes, they finally arrived near a steep and deep canyon.

"Marty, according to the guidance of hunters in the mountains, they entered the mountain to hunt wild deer before the first heavy snow. At the entrance of this canyon, they encountered a group of people hunting a tiger. The people had a Guanzhong accent. Several hunters did not dare to stay and left in a hurry. If it were good, Ji Bu and others must be hiding near this canyon." Bai Zhen, who was full of armor, pointed his hand at the depths of the canyon and pointed it at the depths of the canyon.

"My benefactor, this canyon is deep and steep, which is not conducive to the passage and attack of the army. I suggest that people should be arranged to go in and inquire first, so as not to alarm the snakes and let these bandits notice it and then climb over the mountains to escape!" Yu Wuya said after observing the surrounding terrain.

"Marty, the terrain in the mountains is complex, so local hunters and mountain people can cooperate. After they find out the situation inside, they will arrange a large army to raid!" The county magistrate of Xixian also reminded.

"Marty, Bo is willing to go in and inquire!" Zhou Bo stood up and asked for his order.

"Okay, be careful after entering. If you encounter a bandit, don't fight hard to avoid fearless casualties!" Chen Xu nodded and reminded.

"Don't worry, Master!" Zhou Bo clasped his fists and took twenty Qianniu Guards and more than ten Juven mountain people and quickly touched them in the valley covered with dead branches and thorns and several feet thick with snow.

Half an hour passed in a flash, and snow mist rolled in the cold wind, and the surroundings began to become dark.

"Why haven't come out for such a long time?" The county magistrate of Xi County, who was accompanying him, became anxious.

"It's okay, it's difficult to walk through the mountains with heavy snow, and there are no traces of people walking in this valley. These bandits must be hiding in caves or sheltering places and not coming out. Wait for two more minutes, and if there is still no news, arrange for people to go in and investigate!" Chen Xu waved his hand.

In this cold and cold season, since Ji Bu hid in this deep mountains and forests that are dozens of miles away from Xi County, he would definitely not have expected that a large army would come suddenly. This is actually a good opportunity for Chen Xu.

If it were on weekdays, these bandits would definitely not be so quiet, but would come out to inquire about the situation outside.

After waiting for a moment, I saw someone shaking in the canyon. Soon I saw several Qianniuwei and mountain people coming out and caught two men in ragged clothes and messy hair.

"Mr. Marquis, there is a Hulu Valley three miles away from the valley. I met these two sneaky men in a shack at the entrance of the valley. I was caught back by us!" A Qianniu Guard bowed and reported.

"Where is Ji Bu hiding?" Chen Xu walked up to a man and asked.

"You... are you the Marquis of Qinghe?" One of the older but only in his twenties looked at Chen Xu and hundreds of imperial guards with neat armor all around him tremblingly.

"Yes, it's Chen Xu, the Marquis of Qinghe. You are waiting to ambush me at Hangu Pass and hide in this mountain like a lonely ghost for more than a year. Do you think I can't find you? Quickly explain where Ji Bu is hiding. I can spare your lives, otherwise you will be in a different place immediately!" Chen Xu nodded with a cold face.

"Mr. Marquis, I was only bewitched by the Ji brothers and then participated in the ambushing plan, but I was timid and did not take action..."

"Fart!" Bai Zhen kicked two bandits who were lying on the snow and kowtowed like pounding garlic to the ground. With a choking sound, he pulled out a sharp and bright steel knife and placed it on one of the men's neck and said viciously: "Horse Qinghe dares to lie and shirk to the face. Tell me, where is Ji Bu hiding, is it in the valley?"

"We...we said, "Marty, please spare me... and let me live?" A man's teeth were chuckling.

"Puff~" Bai Zhen twitched the steel knife, and a stream of blood splattered from the man talking like a fountain, making the man next to him spurt his head and face, and the snow was instantly dyed several feet red.

"Puuuu~" The man fell down while covering his neck, and soon the blood and snow mixed into a ball of plasma and began to solidify.

"Attacking the Qinghe Marquis, you dare to bargain with such courage!" Bai Zhen was like a god of killing. After killing one, the steel knife was placed on the neck of another man who was only eighteen or nineteen years old.

Chen Xu's face twitched a few times. Bai Zhen usually looked mature and steady, but he was as virtuous as his grandfather, and he had no psychological burden to kill people. He even had no time to stop him from killing him.

"Give me your life..." The young man lay on the ground covered in blood and dared not move. His face was distorted to the extreme. "Ji Bu is indeed in the valley, and more than a hundred people follow him. They are all famous knights in Guanzhong. They are now hidden in a cave in the valley. However, the valley is not a dead end, but there are roads and trails leading to another place. Once you enter the valley, you will inevitably be discovered by Ji Bu, and there are also sentry detectives inside..."

After Bai Zhen killed one, the remaining bandit had completely collapsed and dared not hide it at all. He explained the situation inside clearly like a bamboo tube pouring beans.

"Mr. Marquis, if this is the case in the valley, it seems that you have to try to block another path. Otherwise, once you attack and kill, Ji Bu will inevitably escape. It is not easy to catch up with these vast mountains in the snow and ice!" Bai Zhen bowed and said.

"Do you know where the trails in the valley lead to?" Chen Xu asked.

"I know..." The young bandit kowtowed like pounding garlic. "There is another valley to the west of this valley, and the trail leads there, but the terrain is steep and rugged and difficult to walk..."

"You guard the valley entrance, when will the people inside contact each other?"

"When I go back to the Marquis, someone will come out to inquire every hour!"

"My benefactor, it seems that Ji Bu is not a reckless man, he actually arranged so cautiously. The moment is coming. If you notice that these two guys are not there, you will definitely be alert to escape in advance. I think it's better to kill in!" Yu Wuya pulled out his gun and said while installing ammunition.

"The strong attack is not changed. Once Ji Bu escapes, it may take a lot of trouble!" Chen Xu pinched his chin and shook his head. After thinking about it, he said to Bai Zhen, "General Bai arranged for someone to take this person to enter the valley and return to the shack. If there are bandits inside to investigate and inquire, he will lie and deceive him. Brother Yu led some hunters and imperial guards who are familiar with the situation in the mountains to ambush the valley on the side. Once Ji Bu and other bandits escape, you must intercept him. Regardless of the rest of the bandits, Ji Bu must die. The weather has changed now, and maybe it will snow again soon. After you arrive, you will fire a shot, and we will start attacking when we hear the sound!"

"Okay~" Yu Wuya nodded and took a few hunters in the mountains and the imperial guards of the Liangtun quickly left, and Bai Zhen also arranged for people to take the young bandits to return to the canyon again.

The surrounding mountains were howling with the cold wind, and the sound of wolf howling was heard. Snow kept crushing the branches in the vast mountains and fields, and the crackling sound sounded extremely clear in the valley.
To be continued...