Chapter 37: Accidentally Entering Dulong
Wu Song's persuasion could not be refused, so Yang Chang had to agree to return to Yanggu.

Since Wu Song's exile to Mengzhou has returned to the original plot, it is expected that he will meet Shi En when he goes to the prison camp this time, and then stories such as beating Jiang Menshen while drunk and making a big fuss in Feiyunpu will happen.

Although Wu Song had to suffer some hardships during this period, his life was not in danger.

Yang Chang wanted to stay in Mengzhou to help out indirectly and let Wu Song suffer less, but after listening to Xu Ji's reminder yesterday, he realized his own insignificance.

Yes, it was not easy for him, a foreigner, to gain a foothold in Mengzhou, let alone help Wu Song.

Although he has the strength of a tiger, this attribute is too economical.

Of the five taels of silver that Yang De gave him and the salary he had received in the past few months, only two or three taels were left. He was afraid that if he used brute force frequently, Wu Song would not be able to help him and he would run out of food.

Killing and robbing in order to survive is what Zhang Qing and Sun Erniang did.

Yang Chang didn't want to degenerate in the name of a hero, and he didn't want to become the person he hated.

Wu Song later went to Erlongshan and Liangshan. Erlongshan was in Qingzhou, east of Yunzhou, and Liangshan was at the junction of Yunzhou and Jizhou. Yanggu County was not far from both places.

Yang Chang planned to go back to Yanggu to be the team leader first, thinking that if he couldn't make a name for himself in officialdom, it wouldn't be too late to curry favor with Wu Song. But with his wisdom as a future man, he should be able to handle it with ease, right?
Wu Song originally wanted to say goodbye in Mengzhou City, but Yang Chang and Xu Ji insisted on seeing him off to Anping Village, so the three of them walked together for a while.

Seeing the gate of Anping Village closed and Wu Song's figure gradually walking away, Yang Chang felt empty.

"Don't be sad. We have to set off quickly while the sun is not too hot. It's more than 600 miles to Yanggu. Even if we go fast, it will take more than ten days."

"Oh."

After hearing Xu Ji's reminder, Yang Changsui returned with his companions.

After walking more than ten miles to the southeast, the sun had already risen to the zenith.

The scorching sun is like frying oil.

There were farmlands all along the way. Apart from a few lonely small trees on the side of the road, there was no forest to provide shade, and no villages to rest.

Traveling in the hot summer seems to be more painful than traveling in the cold winter.

Sweat soaked my eyes, and through the water droplets hanging on my eyelashes, I could see layers of heat waves.

"Fourth brother, do you have any water?"

"I have nothing left either. I didn't expect the sun to be even hotter today than in the past few days. Let's hold on."

Before Xu Ji finished speaking, a gust of south wind suddenly blew on his face. Unlike the hot wind in the fields before, this wind was a little cool.

According to life experience, there should be a river nearby where you can go down to cool off.

"Sanlang, hold on, there will be a big river ahead soon, take a good rest when you get there."

"Dahe? Okay."

In his previous life, Yang Chang worked as a game agent. He lived in an air-conditioned room that was warm in winter and cool in summer, so he didn't have a deep understanding of the true cold and heat. But he came here in late autumn and early winter last year. He first realized the difficulty of walking in the snow, and now he is experiencing the heat of ancient midsummer. Naturally, his tolerance cannot be compared with that of the native Xu Ji.

Dragging his tired body, he continued walking forward for two miles and indeed saw a big river. But when it came to taking a bath in the river, Yang Chang asked himself if he was a good swimmer, after all, this was the Yellow River.

"Look, there's a pier and a teahouse by the river!"

"saved"

Hope was right before their eyes, so the two of them picked themselves up and headed forward. They ordered some drinks and snacks, and began to eat leisurely.

Seeing Yang Chang chewing on a steamed bun, Xu Ji asked curiously, "Don't you prefer plain pancakes instead of steamed buns? Why did you change your taste today?"

"Does stupidity look like that on my face?"

"Why at the Cross Hill?"

"I suddenly didn't want to eat it at that time, but now I want to eat it again"

Yang Changxin said that Sun Erniang’s steamed buns might produce prions, and we are not willing to take the risk.

The teahouse at the pier is not big, and its customers are mainly ferrymen who come for shade. At noon, there are no customers crossing the river, so they rest and wait here.

Seeing that the two men had almost finished their meal and the boatman at the next table seemed to have rested enough, he came over and asked them if they wanted to take the boat.

Yang Chang was about to refuse, but Xu Ji negotiated the price with the boatman, and after agreeing on a price, he asked Yang Chang to get on board and set off.

"no."

Yang Chang was stunned for a moment, then stopped Xu Ji and asked, "Fourth brother, we should take the original route back to Yanggu County. Why take a boat to the other side?"

"Hehe." Xu Ji smiled leisurely and said, "You don't understand this, right? There are many towns and trees south of the Yellow River. In the summer, you have to stop and rest more often when traveling." "Then we have to take a detour, right?"

"It's okay to take a detour. Have you forgotten what the Zhang couple talked about with Wu Dutou when they were drinking at the Cross Hill? They were all talk of bandits. I've heard that Hebei is not peaceful. I'm deeply touched by this trip with Dutou and his party. I plan to take a different route on the way back."

"That's fine."

After hearing this, Yang Chang nodded in affirmation. He thought to himself that if he passed by the Cross Hill again on his way back, he didn't know how to face Zhang Qing and his wife. It would be better to just out of sight.

Xu Ji's experience turned out to be correct. The Central Plains area they passed through had a large population, and they passed through towns and villages every day, which made it convenient for the two to replenish supplies and rest when they were tired. They never encountered the embarrassment of the first day on the return journey.

Although they only traveled in the cool mornings and evenings, they still covered forty to fifty miles a day and entered Yunzhou at the end of June.

Once you enter Yunzhou, you’re not far from Yanggu.

Xu Ji was homesick, so he urged Yang Chang to walk more often. However, he was too eager to walk and missed the hotel. He walked in the dark and lost his way, and finally came to a hill.

In midsummer, the daytime temperature is high and many wild animals come out at night.

Walking on the narrow mountain path, they heard strange noises from time to time, which made the two of them nervous.

Holding the water and fire stick in his hand, his palms were full of sweat.

"Fourth brother, do you think there is a big insect on this hill?"

"Don't talk nonsense. If what you said is true, can we handle it? Wu Dutou is not here!"

"Hey, you're sweating all over. It's not common to see big insects."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a sudden rustling sound behind him, accompanied by a strange cry.

Xu Ji hurriedly turned around and waved the torch, and Yang Chang also waved the water and fire stick to show a warning posture. They both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that there was nothing behind them.

"It should be an owl. Let's not talk anymore and go to work and find someone to rest."

"Ah."

About half an hour later, the two of them crossed the hill and could see the foot of the mountain. There were flickering lights and many houses. There were also three lights from near to far.

Xu Ji and Yang Chang were tired and hungry, so they went down the mountain and came to the nearest inn to stay the night.

While the store was preparing food and wine, the two men were sitting at the door with their bare chests to enjoy the cool air, when they suddenly heard the sound of hurried horse hooves.

Upon hearing the noise, Yang Chang ran outside the store to check and saw a ball of fire moving in the northeast. He quickly turned back to report to Xu Ji, but was interrupted by a passing waiter.

"Don't panic, sir. They are not robbers, but patrolling militiamen from Zhujiazhuang."

"Zhu Family Village?"

Yang Chang was stunned when he heard this. He immediately thought of Shi Qian stealing the chicken, which later led to the battle in Zhujiazhuang. So he hurriedly asked, "Are you in Zhujiazhuang?"

"No."

The waiter placed the wine jar on the table and introduced the dishes while arranging them: "We are Hujia Village, to the northeast is Zhujia Village, and to the east is Lijia Village."

"So this is Dulonggang, how did we get here?"

"Where is the path that Fourth Brother led?"

"It doesn't matter."

Xu Ji smiled awkwardly: "Anyway, we are in Yanggu territory. The wine is here. Let's eat something to relieve our fatigue. We will be home in two days."

"Oh."

Yang Chang went inside and just as he sat down opposite Xu Ji, he saw him raising his bowl to receive the wine.

"Come on, come on, for a safe journey and a successful mission, drink three big bowls first."

"Dry."

"Tsk tsk." Xu Ji finished a cup and showed a satisfied expression: "Sanlang, you know what, this wine tastes quite good, it's better than the old wine at the Cross Hill. I have nothing to do today, so I can enjoy it."

“Why do I feel they are all the same?”

“You don’t understand wine.”

(End of this chapter)