https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-561-Accumulating-Meritorious-Deeds/12536875/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-563-Leading-the-Tiger-Away-from-the-Mountain/12536878/
Chapter 562: Taking the Long Way
Chapter 562: Taking the Long Way
The convoy safely exited Chang'an City, traveling through Xianyang, Xingping, and Wugong before passing through Fufeng and reaching Fengxiang Prefecture. They had covered more than a tenth of their entire journey.
The journey thus far couldn't be described as calm, but it was uneventful. Even the spies rarely showed themselves.
Lien Cheng-bi watched Shi Tu Zhongping, who was commanding the convoy with calm and composure, and praised, "He truly lives up to his reputation as steady as Mount Tai. With so many people in the convoy, he manages them with impeccable order and not a single loophole."
Setting aside Shi Tu Zhongping's true character, one had to admit that he possessed genuine talent. In terms of commanding and managing a convoy, this man was definitely superior to Lien, even surpassing Tie Zhongqi.
He deserved his position as the chief escort leader of the 72 joint venture escort agencies. Whether it was in the fine details of management or in boosting morale, he knew how to keep the team spirited and vigilant, leaving their enemies with no opportunity to exploit.
Unless their opponents directly confronted them, this escort mission could indeed be as stable as Mount Tai.
However, if a direct confrontation were to occur, although the number of martial artists in the convoy might not surpass that of the bandits, the monks were the real deal. With several eminent monks and a group of Shaolin warriors forming the Arhat Formation, even the bandit leaders would think twice before engaging, fearing they might not return alive.
After all, these bandits didn't belong to the same gang, and everyone was worried about being sacrificed for the benefit of others.
Thus, a stalemate ensued.
Shi Tu's strategy was a well-calculated one. He remained calm and unarrogant, steadily advancing and first ensuring an invincible position. It was evident that this stalemate favored the convoy.
Hearing Lien Cheng-bi's praise, Shen Bijun also smiled and said, "Escort Leader Shi Tu has dedicated his life to the escort business for four to five decades, and he has undertaken countless escort missions without a single failure. It's not mere luck that has earned him his reputation. Even without leaving my boudoir, I often hear tales of his greatness."
...
During the day, two escorts would lead seven or eight scouts ahead to survey the road, reporting back every incense stick's worth of time.
For meals in the morning and evening, the scouts would personally buy ingredients, supervise the cooks in the kitchen, and the team would take turns eating in batches.
At night, when they stayed in an inn, they would assign shifts for guards and set up fire prevention measures with water buckets, guard against horse poisoning, and remind each other with coded language.
Shi Tu Zhongping was managing the convoy with military-like precision, which would be sufficient to deal with most irregular armies. How could the bandits' discipline and rules possibly compare to that of an army?
So, after they left Fengxiang Prefecture, they safely passed through Sangguan and entered the Gansu-Longyou region. Following the Wei River, they arrived at Qinzhou, then traveled through the Longxi Road to Lintao Prefecture and finally reached Lanzhou.
By this time, they had completed half of their journey.
"Hahaha!"
"Chief Escort Leader is awesome! The bandits didn't have a chance to make a move thanks to your arrangements!"
"We've finally arrived in Lanzhou."
"The Chief Escort Leader has spoken. We can take turns resting for a day here in Lanzhou before setting off again."
"The road ahead won't be easy. We should stock up on more supplies in Lanzhou. We might have to travel through deserts and sleep outdoors."
"But it'll get better once we reach the Jiayuguan Pass."
"I heard that Dunhuang is very prosperous, and there are even beauties from the Western Regions. Let's spend our reward money there and have some fun, shall we?"
"Hahaha!"
Lanzhou was the last major city before venturing further northwest. The convoy rested well for two days under Shi Tu Zhongping's arrangements and specifically prepared two horse carriages stocked with ample supplies before continuing their journey.
"We've come a long way, and I've noticed that we haven't encountered any spies for quite some time now."
Shen Bijun asked, "Do you think they've given up?"
It seemed like a grand spectacle, but in reality, nothing would come of it.
"Chief Escort Leader!"
Just then, a scout rushed back from the front, "There's a landslide up ahead blocking the road. The locals from a nearby village are working to clear the path, but it's impassable for the time being!"
Leading the convoy, Lu Shiheng raised his hand to signal a halt. From the middle road, Shi Tu Zhongping and Ai Ziqi rode forward, "What's the situation?"
"There's a mountain path about three li ahead that's been blocked by a landslide three days ago. Huge rocks and fallen trees are obstructing the way," the scout explained, "When we went to investigate, the village elders were still working to clear the road."
"Three days ago?" Shi Tu Zhongping asked.
The scout nodded repeatedly, "We asked several people, and they all confirmed it was three days ago."
Frowning, Ai Ziqi inquired, "So the road is impassable?"
"People can get through, but not carriages," the scout replied, "Dragon Chief Escort sent us ahead to check, and we encountered three massive boulders that would require too many hands to move."
At that moment, the lead scout, Long Changxing, returned with the rest of his team.
"Chief Escort Leader," Long Changxing bowed, "I inquired with the nearby villagers, and they said that while landslides aren't common, they do occur every few years. It will take at least ten days to clear the road."
"That's too slow!" Shi Tu Zhongping shook his head.
"What if we pitch in?" Ai Ziqi asked.
Long Changxing shook his head, "The area is quite small, and there are already many locals working on it. Even if we join, it won't make much of a difference."
"Then we have no choice but to take a detour." Shi Tu Zhongping turned to Ai Ziqi.
"I'm not familiar with the terrain here. Aside from this official road, I don't know of any other routes," Ai Ziqi replied.
"I've made some inquiries." Long Changxing spoke up, "To get to Liangzhou from here, there are two alternative routes, one to the north and one to the south. The northern route is smoother, but it's a longer detour, probably adding about ten days to our journey."
"And the southern route?" Shi Tu Zhongping asked.
"The southern route is shorter, but it involves more mountainous terrain, and there are reportedly wild beasts and robbers in the area, making it more dangerous," Long Changxing explained, "However, it's faster, and if we keep moving without stopping, we'll only lose a day at most."
Upon hearing this, Ai Ziqi laughed, "Are we afraid of robbers?"
Long Changxing joined in the laughter, "That's why I've already inquired about the southern route and even found a guide willing to accompany us."
Only then did everyone notice the anxious-looking guide standing among the scouts.
Shi Tu Zhongping dismounted, patted the guide on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Just lead the way, and once we're through, you'll be rewarded handsomely."
"Yes, yes, yes!" The guide nodded vigorously.
Thus, the convoy set off on the alternative route, bypassing the nearby village and heading into the mountainous terrain under the guide's lead.
Although this path wasn't an official road, it was still passable for carriages.
According to the guide, this route used to be an official road a hundred years ago, but it had fallen into disuse after the government surveyed and built a new road. However, mountain villagers still used it, so it remained passable.
The convoy traveled swiftly and finally reached a mountain village as night fell.
(End of Chapter)
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