There were two roads to go from Chang'an to Chang'an.
The first was to go to the east, crossing Hua County over Tongguan, crossing Spiritual Treasure, Xin'an, and other places, and then to Luoyang, then to the south, crossing Shuchuan to Xuzhou.
Wherever this road went, it was capital.
The official road was guarded by Imperial Guards, which was very safe.
The only difference was that the long way was more difficult.
The second road to the south was to go through Shang County to get out of Wuguan, and it went through Wan City, Fang City, and Ye County to Xuchang.
It was a short way, but it was full of bandits along the way.
It was also a place with many yellow-scarved rebels, so it was not safe.
Originally, Zhang Xiu proposed going to Luoyang to transfer Xuchang's road.
Although it took a lot of time, the important thing was security, and walking outside was absolutely the most important word.
Moreover, the goods of the Bai Clan's Trading Company this time were very expensive and valuable.
If something went wrong, no one could afford this responsibility.
However, Bai Chi, as the manager of the Bai's Trading Company, tried his best to take the road of Wan City to Xu Chang.
The reason was that since the goods of this trip were of great value, they should be sent to Xu Chang in the shortest time, so that he could reduce more risks.
Moreover, he said that he believed in the ability of the martial arts masters of the Tongs Martial Arts Club led by Zhang Xiu, so there would be no accident.
After all, Bai Chi was the principal of the caravan while Zhang Xiu was just an outsider.
The result of the discussion between the two sides was naturally based on Bai Chi's opinion.
Although Zhang Xiu felt helpless when the caravan walked into Xu Chang's road from Wan City, she could only be more careful on the way.
Besides, she had to test the daily food and drinking water by herself before leaving it for everyone to eat and drink.
At night, she had to do it herself and arranged for the people who were on duty at night.
In short, she had done her best to do everything in case of accidents.
Fortunately, they didn't encounter much trouble along the way.
Although a few small thieves came to harass them, they were repelled by the crowd.
Even Tong Ying and Tong Ling didn't have a chance to fight, which made Tong Ling very depressed.
Because of the large number of goods, the caravan marched very slowly.
They could not walk dozens of miles a day.
Until the third day, a long blue river appeared in front of them, and Tong Ying knew they had arrived.
Zhong Shui, also known as Jun River, was one of the tributaries of Han River.
It was called Beitong Hong Nong, Nanda Zhong County, also a main road of destiny.
After the confluence of the lower river and the Xun River, there was the famous Dan River.
Zhang Xiu ordered everyone to rest here for a while and let the horse rest for a day.
She herself rode to the banks of the Tong River and stood on her horse for a long time, staring at the slowly flowing river.
She seemed to be lost in thought.
"Elder brother, have some water." Tong Ying and Tong Ling came to Zhang Xiu slowly.
Tong Ying took a leather pouch from the horse and handed it to Zhang Xiu.
"Oh, thank you." Zhang Xiu took the water bag, took a sip and gave it back to Tong Ying.
Tong Ying took the water pouch.
After hesitating for a moment, he said in a soft voice, "Senior Brother, I think you seem to have something on your mind.
Why don't you tell us about it and have a discussion with us?" Hearing this, Zhang Xiu glanced at Tong Ying and paced back and forth.
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"Junior Brother, don't you think it's too peaceful on the way these two days?" After a moment of silence, Zhang Xiu said quietly.
"Is it not good to be calm?" Tong Ling asked in confusion.
"As the saying goes, there must be demons." Zhang Xiu shook her head and said slowly, "I have walked from Chang'an to Xu Chang more than ten times.
Although it is not too dangerous along the way, it is definitely not as peaceful as this time.
There are only one or two waves of thieves." "What do you mean, Senior Brother?" Tong Ying seemed to have realized something.
She raised her head and happened to meet Zhang Xiu's eyes.
"You two take a look at them." Zhang Xiu looked past Tong Ying and Tong Ling and looked at the crowd in the distance.
The two also turned their heads.
They saw those martial artists gathered in twos and threes.
Perhaps they were chatting or playing, and there was no trace of nervousness on their faces.
"This time, the people I brought out were all old martial artists who have been with me for the past few years.
I thought that their experience and martial arts are better than those young men, so when they come out, they will get twice the result with half the effort." Looking at those martial artists who were absent-minded, Zhang Xiu frowned more tightly.
"But I didn't expect that their success in the past few years has become their inner demons.
Their over-proactivity self-confidence has made these people lose their motivation to make progress, and even their essential caution has been reduced a lot..." Tong Ying and Tong Ling listened quietly to Zhang Xiu's words.
Both of them could hear that Eldest Brother was upset at this moment.
"Besides, the journey has been peaceful these two days.
I'm afraid these people have lost their most fundamental vigilance.
If a large group of thieves attack us now, we will be doomed eternally!" Tong Ying thought for a moment and tried to say, "Since they have been under your command for many years, I think they will definitely follow your words..." Zhang Xiu interrupted Tong Ying before she could finish her sentence.
"It's because they've been helping me for so many years and I've been listening to them every day.
I'm afraid they're very lenient with my words.
Even if they try to remind me now, I'm afraid they won't be able to pull themselves together.
Besides, these are just my guesses.
How can they believe me?" Tong Ying was silent.
He naturally knew that Zhang Xiu was telling the truth.
If he told these things to the martial artists now, perhaps anyone would think that Zhang Xiu was just exaggerating.
However, Tong Ying had been with Zhang Xiu for many years and had already known the mind of this elder brother.
He would never say anything he didn't have confidence in.
Now that he said so, it was afraid that there would be no peace in the future.
This was not some kind of prediction ability.
It was just a wariness that had been honed by the martial artists who had been traveling outside for many years.
"Forget it, forget it.
I just said something to you two.
You should keep it in mind, and you don't have to tell others.
After all, it's the first time you two guard the caravan.
I'm afraid these people won't believe it.
Just be more careful." Zhang Xiu whispered a few words to the Ladder and Heying Yang.
Then she got on the horse and waved the whip at the people who were still sleeping, shouting, "Get ready to leave!
Before sunset, you must rush to the Last County!" Hearing his words, everyone stood up lazily and led their horses to go on the road leisurely.
They glanced at each other, with a strange smile on their faces.
It rained in the sky for a few days, just like Zhang Xiu's face, which was so gloomy that it scared people.
He didn't say a word even when there were only Tong Ying and Tong Ling in the field.
He had scolded several martial artists who had made a little mistake, but most of the people in the team were still so slack and scattered.
Tong Ying and Tong Ling knew what Zhang Xiu was upset about, but they couldn't think of a solution.
They had no choice but to stay away from him so as not to get into trouble.
Therefore, they had a lot of time to spend alone, but they didn't know whether it was a good thing or bad thing.
"Our big brother's caravan will arrive at Ye County tomorrow, and Xu Chang will arrive in three days." Tong Ying glanced at the caravan slowly moving forward, and whispered to Zhang Xiu beside him.
"Okay." Zhang Xiu just replied faintly and looked up at the sky.
"The peace before the storm!" Tong Ying frowned and was about to say something when the horses in front of him suddenly became a little chaotic.
After a while, they completely stopped.
Zhang Xiu's face changed and immediately galloped forward.
Tong Ying thought for a moment and turned his head to look at Tong Ling.
Seeing that she also looked at him, both of them saw the confusion in her eyes.

They immediately tightened the horse's belly and hurried to chase her.
"What's going on!" Zhang Xiu came to the edge of the caravan.
She glanced at the chaotic team and looked anxious.
She pulled a martial artist over and asked.
Tong Ying and Tong Ling happened to arrive at his side.
"There's a loser." Tong Ying recognized him.
His last name was Jin, and he was also a qualified martial artist.
Having been in the martial arts club for several years, Jin Liang said with a bitter face, "He failed to pull the cart and knocked over the truck.
Now the cart is in the front, blocking the caravan's way." "Humph!" Zhang Xiu snorted and let go of her hand which was holding the shiny clothes.
She said, "Take me there!" They rode to the front of the caravan, leaving the original carriage on the muddy road.
The carriage was stuck between two bluestones, blocking the way of the caravan.
Several workers pushed the cart in a hurry, but it seemed to be too tight for them to do anything even though they spent a long time driving it.
"Elder Bai, what's the matter?" Seeing this scene, Zhang Xiu turned to Bai Chi and asked.
"You don't know that there's something wrong with this beast.
In just a while, there are eight horses, eleven TCC, and I'm afraid there's no way to go today." Bai Chi sighed and shook his head slightly.
Zhang Xiu searched around for a moment and saw several animals lying on the ground not far away.
Several vet-like animals were walking around these animals.
But they were so busy that they were sweating.
The animals lying on the ground were still in the same state.
It was clear that they couldn't do anything about it.
"Could it be that someone poisoned him?" Tong Ying frowned and softly asked when he saw this.
"It's impossible!
I have checked all the people in the caravan in the past few days, including the livestock, food and water.
There is no chance that they will be poisoned!" Zhang Xiu said firmly.
"In this case, Mr.
Zhang, how can you explain the fact that so many horses and seeds fall ill at the same time?" Deng Mao, who was standing aside, looked at Zhang Xiu with a hint of contempt in his eyes.
Zhang Xiu did not answer and just kept silent.
Now the situation was obvious to all.
It was definitely done on purpose.
Otherwise, it could not be explained.
But as an experienced martial artist, how could Zhang Xiu let others poison animals so easily?
Perhaps this was a big question in everyone's mind.
"I didn't expect that Master Zhang was afraid of facing the reality.
Are you afraid that if you admit it, your prestige will be ruined?" Deng Mao sneered and said, "It seems that a meeting is not as good as a reputation!" "Humph, my eldest senior brother has no room for a villain like you!" Tong Ling, who had always been outspoken, rebutted Deng Mao.
"Hahahaha, if that's the case, then I would like to see how the famous Zhang Youwei will cope with today's situation!" After that, Deng Mao did not even look at Zhang Xiu and the other two, but turned and left.
"Don't mind him, Youwei.
He's always so arrogant and doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.
Don't take him to heart." Bai Chi called out to Deng Mao but did not receive any response.
He turned his head and cupped his hands apologetically at Zhang Xiu.
"I think these animals will recover tomorrow.
Youwei don't need to worry too much." "It doesn't matter.
Maybe I was indeed careless today." Zhang Xiu waved her hand and lowered her head in silence, as if she was thinking about something.
"It's late now, but our caravan can't carry cars.
Youwei, you see..." Bai Chi glanced at his men, who were trying to push the car out of his way, and looked at Zhang Xiu with some hesitation.
"Well, we can only rest here tonight.
We can go on the road tomorrow when the horses are better." Zhang Xiu thought for a while and finally shook her head to make this decision.
She looked up at the sky and frowned.
"It will rain heavily tonight.
Please find a good place to pitch camp for everyone, Elder Bai." "In that case, I will go and arrange it now.
I will first instruct them to prepare a fire and make a meal.
Later, I will personally go and find a suitable place to rest tonight." Bai Chi nodded.
He turned around and swiftly left.
"Jin Liang, order everyone to be divided into three classes tonight.
Be careful and don't let others take advantage of the opportunity." Zhang Xiu sent Bai Hou far away.
After thinking for a while, she called Jin Liang and said, "Besides, for tonight's dinner, everyone should eat their own food and water.
Don't eat the food of the caravan." "Yes." Jin Liang nodded.
He quickly walked to the most crowded place of the masters and conveyed Zhang Xiu's words to the crowd.
"First Senior Brother, are you afraid..." Tong Ying couldn't help asking.
"It's hard to guard against bandits day and night.
I've been worrying that outsiders will covet our escort caravan, so I'm focusing on the surrounding area," Zhang Xiu whispered, "but today's incident reminds me that I'm a wise man, so I'm afraid that something may go wrong.
I only focus on outsiders and neglect the possibility of spies among caravans.
What's more, these caravans clearly understand the value of the goods we escort this time.
It's not impossible that some of them are greedy." Tong Ying and Tong Ling looked at each other with a trace of worry in their eyes.
Obviously, they both thought that Zhang Xiu's words were very likely to be true.
"What's more, he is scheming.
This time, we have already fallen into his trap.
We must not be careless again." Zhang Xiu said seriously, "So you must be careful tonight..." "Don't worry, Elder Senior Brother.
We won't sleep tonight, either.
We'll join the person who is on duty at night." Tong Ying understood the meaning of the song, so he nodded quickly and said.
"First Senior Brother, are you suspecting that Deng Mao might be..." Tong Ling was still able to think of what to say.
Without even thinking, she opened her mouth.
"Hey, Junior Sister, be careful with your words." Tong Ying quickly interrupted Tong Ling.
He quickly searched the surroundings from the corner of his eyes to make sure that there were no caravans nearby.
Then he lowered his voice and said, "There's no evidence.
You can't make wild guesses." "Hmph!" Tong Ling shot him a look of annoyance, but she still complied and stopped the conversation.
"You're right, Younger Brother.
It's not the right time to argue with the caravan now.
We'd better be prepared.
After all, it's safer to be prepared." Zhang Xiu nodded and said sincerely.
"Got it, senior brother," Tong Ling lowered her head and said in a low voice.
She then secretly kicked Tong Ying's calf.
Zhang Xiu pretended that she didn't see the boy in pain and said, "I'll comfort the caravan first.
You two be careful." After that, Zhang Xiu did not wait for their response and walked to the place where the caravan was the densest.
"It's all your fault.
Now, let elder brother scold me!" When Zhang Xiu went far away, Tong Ling glared at Tong Ying and said angrily.
"What...
what does it have to do with me?" Tong Ying asked with a confused look.
"Hmph!" Tong Ling's long, shapely eyebrows shot up.
With another snort, she turned and walked away with large strides.
"Hey, Ling'er, where are you going?" Tong Ying was confused by her little temper.
When she saw Tong Ling turn around and leave, she quickly chased after her.