I started as an exile, and I relied on space to support my family of loyal heroes.

Meng Zhuang asked to see the prefect of Guangfeng and asked the prefect to send some yamen runners to escort him to the city gate.

At the prisoners' current speed, it would take at least three days to reach the city gate.

With the help of the yamen runners to escort him, he could save a lot of trouble.

The prefect was eager to get rid of this hot potato as soon as possible, so he immediately arranged for twenty yamen runners to help escort it.

You know, the Xiao family members have been locked up in the cell for the past few days, and he has been worried every day.

Fearing that Xiao Yunzhan would die in Guangfeng City, he even went so far as to find a doctor to check Xiao Yunzhan's injuries.

However, there were so many spies from all sides that he couldn't find any opportunity.

Meng Zhuang did not expect that the prefect of Guangfeng not only met with him, a small escort officer, in person, but also agreed to his request.

When he went there, he was extremely nervous, and when he came out, he was followed by 20 yamen runners, and they walked with the wind.

Zhang Erniu had already brought people to watch the prisoners waiting at the prison gate.

"Boss, this is amazing. You look like an imperial envoy, very impressive."

Zhang Erniu walked up to Meng Zhuang, got close to him, and flattered him with his teeth bared.

Meng Zhuang couldn't suppress the upward curve of his lips. He glanced at the Xiao family and a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

It was all Xiao Yunzhan’s fault. He was almost beaten to death.

This account is owed to Xiao Yunzhan, and he will get it back sooner or later.

"Let me be frank with you. If anyone holds us back on this road and makes a noise..."

Meng Zhuang looked at everyone with a cold face and narrowed eyes, and hit the palm of his left hand twice with the whip in his right hand.

Old Madam Niu was frightened by the beating. When she saw the whip in Meng Zhuang's hand, she trembled all over and shook her head.

"Don't hold back..."

Lin Yiran curled her lips, looked at Meng Zhuang's bullying behavior, and rolled her eyes silently.

She gently lifted Xiao Yunzhan up on her back.

Xiao Yunzhan's whole body stiffened, and his hands and toes couldn't help but curl up in embarrassment.

He was clearly holding himself up and not sliding down, but Lin Yiran was still pushing him up...

Meng Zhuang sneered and glanced at the cowering old lady Niu.

"set off!"

Meng Zhuang took the lead and walked forward. The 20 yamen runners were divided into two teams and dispersed on both sides of the prisoners, while the rest of the officials followed behind.

In order to reduce noise and speed up the journey, Meng Zhuang didn't even let these people wear shackles.

It was a quiet night, with a bright moon in the sky, so the streets didn't seem that dark.

At midnight, there was no one to be seen on the streets.

The only sound on the entire street was the sound of their footsteps.

This walk took five or six hours.

It was not until dawn that Meng Zhuang hurriedly booked the nearest inn.

He could take the prisoners on the journey without sleep or rest, but the yamen runners could not.

Meng Zhuang looked at the ugly faces of the yamen runners and quickly prepared several tables of good wine and food to entertain them.

Meng Zhuang generously gave each of the prisoners half a whole-grain steamed bun to keep them alive.

"Erniu, Wanhua Tower is nearby. Go ask around and call the madam over."

After sending the yamen runners to rest, Meng Zhuang turned around and assigned a task to Zhang Erniu.

It takes too much time to take care of these concubines, so just do some of them and take it easy.

There was an unwritten agreement when escorting female prisoners, which was that they would be sold and then reported as having a reason for their death.

It is very normal for a female prisoner to die during escort.

Why do the officials like to be escort officials? It is because it is easier and freer, and their relatives will bribe the escort officials with silver.

How to travel quickly depends entirely on a word from the escorting officer.

When to rest, how long to rest, whether to walk slowly or fast, all depends on a word from them.

There is a sense of satisfaction in controlling other people's life and death.

Zhang Erniu rubbed his sore legs and went to look for Wanhua Tower.

.......

“Are there fewer members of the Niu family?”

The second sister-in-law pulled Lin Yiran's arm and raised her chin towards the Niu family.

Of the originally numerous crying concubines, only about ten were left.

There were twenty or thirty people, and suddenly there were so many fewer people, and the street felt a lot emptier.

Lin Yiran looked up and said softly,

"She was sold to a brothel by the officials..."

Meng Zhuang was not so kind as to let these prisoners stay in the guest rooms of the inn.

They were locked up in a woodshed and an empty house of the inn respectively.

Both houses are located in the dark and unventilated southwest corner.

She heard cries and screams as the concubines were dragged away.

The second sister-in-law pursed her lips and cursed inwardly for a long while, "These beasts!"

Even if these concubines, who were like dodder flowers, were not sold, the officials would not let them go during their exile.

For a moment, she didn't know whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that these concubines were sold.

When the third sister-in-law heard the conversation between the two, she lowered her eyelids to hide the tears in her eyes.

If we sell concubines now, we will sell them all soon.

If that day really comes, she will bang her head against it and die.

Lin Yiran sighed lightly and looked around in the moonlight.

What she is more worried about now is when Du Tianli will suddenly lead his men to attack.

Only on the first day in Guangfeng City did she see Du Tianli following them.

I didn't see him again during the next few days in jail.

Now I have been out of the cell for two days, but I still haven't seen Du Tianli.

This made her worry.

........

"What!? Fang Congming is leading people to assassinate Xiao Yunzhan?"

Du Tianli looked up at Zhao Cheng in shock, and then quickly pleaded for mercy.

"Sir, Fang Congming wanted to take credit for himself and didn't even inform his subordinates."

"And when I came back, the Xiao family was still alive and well."

Damn it, Fang Congming, how dare you cheat me.

Du Tianli was so angry. Maybe Fang Congming was still secretly guarding the Xiao family, ready to take action at any time.

He clearly left a secret code, but Fang Congming dared not inform him.

"Xiao Yunzhan is still alive?"

Zhao Cheng glared at Du Tianli, slapped him in the face, and roared, "You idiot, why don't you take people to chase and kill him? If you can't kill Xiao Yunzhan, no one can save you."

Four days had passed and there was still no news from Fang Congming. He must have been killed accidentally.

If Emperor Wu of Liang had not been so absorbed in finding the national treasury and the dragon throne these days that he had not taken the time to ask him whether Xiao Yunzhan was dead or not, wouldn't he have been stripped of his official hat?

Du Tianli's head was buzzing from the beating, and a stream of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. He lowered his head, enduring the pain.

"Yes."

After Du Tianli left, Zhao Cheng was worried and arranged for six palace guards to chase after him.

What a waste he raises.

Du Tianli clearly came back last night, but he waited until dawn to report to him.

So much time was wasted in vain.

(Du Tianli spat out a mouthful of blood: I heard that you slept for so many days. I thought it was nothing important, so I didn't have the heart to disturb you. My efforts were in vain...)

........

Du Tianli rode at full speed to the Guangfeng City prison, but found nothing.

He immediately led his men to chase after the city gate, but after running for the entire afternoon, he didn't even see a single person.

"Damn it, how can you walk that fast?"

Du Tianli cursed angrily as he looked at the horse foaming at the mouth.

After a whole day's journey, seeing that his brothers were all exhausted, he could only arrange for them to rest first.

Anyway, when the prisoners were on their way, they were a larger target group.

He would definitely catch up with him tomorrow morning if he followed the same path.

So what if we let them walk a day first? Can those who walk be faster than those who ride horses?

Just after Du Tianli and his group had eaten and gone to sleep, Meng Zhuang woke up the prisoners who had slept all day and quietly set out on their night journey again.

The inn where Du Tianli rested was only twenty meters away from the inn where Meng Zhuang rested.

Meng Zhuang stayed in inns of relatively low quality in order to save money.

Du Tianli is different. He must stay in the highest-end inn to show his status as a palace guard.

When the sky was slightly brighter, Meng Zhuang finally saw the city gate. He was so excited that he almost burst into tears.

He has been hiding during the day and working at night these days, which really makes him very tired.

After leaving Guangfeng City, he must have a good rest.

Meng Zhuang led everyone straight to the city gate and left as soon as the gate opened.

The prisoners all sat together near the city gate.

The Xiao family members all looked unhappy. Old Madam Xiao's face was frighteningly pale, and she looked like she would fall down at any time.

The second sister-in-law dragged her heavy legs to spread the quilt on the ground, and helped Old Madam Xiao lie down to rest.

My third sister-in-law's legs were shaking like sieves and she could hardly stand steadily.

The sister-in-law struggled to hold Xiao Linghui from Lin Yiran's arms.

Along the way, Lin Yiran held Xiao Linghui in her arms and carried Xiao Yunzhan on her back, which moved the Xiao family very much.

Lin Yiran didn't feel tired, she had plenty of energy.

However, traveling for eight or nine hours continuously at night is definitely not something a child can handle.

Just as Lin Yiran put Xiao Yunzhan down and sat on the ground, the green bubble suddenly lit up.

Lin Yiran was stunned for a moment and turned her head to glance at Xiao Yunzhan.

What's this guy up to again?

Lin Yiran clicked on the green bubble out of curiosity and her eyes widened in shock.

One of the gray avatars in the green bubble suddenly lit up.