The Rise of the Marquis

Chapter 12 Maling City

On the fifteenth of Brumaire, the party reached Sentinel Hill.

Wang Jian first saw the tall old willow tree next to the post station. In front of it, the post station with wooden roof and beams looked low and petite.

Even though it was still early at this time, the old man habitually ordered the team to stop and rest, and stayed overnight at Sentinel Ridge.

However, Wang Jian was very interested in the old willow tree, because he felt a strong aura around the big tree, and the aura from all around would always gather here from time to time, and ripples would appear with the breeze stroking the willow, and the people around did not feel it. , They all gathered under the tree to enjoy the shade, chatted and laughed, and the groom also easily unpacked the luggage for the horses, letting them drink water in the trough not far under the tree.

At this time, Liu Yuke came over and said with an unhappy expression: "Why are you in a daze!"

"This tree is breathing, and it will become a spirit in a few hundred years." Wang Jian said.

Liu Yu glanced at him like a fool, and said no more.

Wang Jian looked at the roots of the tree. Such an old tree should have the mysterious spirit liquid. If there is the mysterious spirit liquid and the green beard root, wouldn't he be able to make Qi Gathering Pills!He seemed to suddenly see another way.

However, he did not act rashly. The people present were mixed with various forces, including spies from the Han Empire, elites from Heyangling, and people from Lishi City. It was not the right time.

In the afternoon, my father took him and the people of Shady Castle to sacrifice to the shrine of the Lord of the Mountain on Sentinel Hill behind the old willow tree.

The old man cut the knife himself and sprinkled the blood of chickens and sheep on a large dark stone at the left back of the shrine, which means offering sacrifices to the thick soil, and then sprinkled the wine under the root of an old tree, which means reaching heaven.

Everyone lit the incense one by one and placed it around the shrine. Be careful during this period, and the old man repeatedly warned not to knock the incense down.

Then, under the leadership of the old man, they bowed to the shrine three times and kowtowed nine times in turn, muttering: "The Lord of the mountains is above, bless your people as solid as a rock, the road is smooth, and the journey is smooth."

When it was Wang Jianshi, he finally saw clearly the appearance of the people worshiping the gods in the shrine. It had a human face and a bull body, with huge horns like peach branches growing on its head. His face was as hard and rigid as a rock.

This is the god that all Zhao people worship.

However, warlocks are not included. Warlocks only believe in their "Supreme Supreme", which also makes many of them aliens.

The sacrifice took an entire afternoon. Two chickens, one dog, and one sheep were fortunate enough to be "sacrifices" and offered to the Lord of Lingshan as sacrifices. During the process, everyone looked serious and did not dare to slack off or make any mistakes. , the etiquette is very thoughtful.

And in some grand sacrifices, people even kill people as sacrifices. For the current people, this is very important. important.
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In the evening, everyone sat around the fire outside the station, chatting and laughing. The tents had been set up in the open space on the south side of the avenue. Only the nobles could live in the houses of the station to avoid the wind and cold.

Because of the limited room, Wang Jian was "voluntarily" to live in tents with the soldiers, while the warlocks had their own military tents. When he came back from washing his feet by the river, he met Liu Yu who was meditating under the old willow tree. In the past, I asked curiously: "Do you believe in the Lord of Lingshan?"

Liu Yu slowly opened his eyes and looked back at him. He was a little annoyed by the interruption, but he still said: "No matter what it is, whether it is a mountain spirit or a ghost, or the people's imagination, the Supreme Purity is our respect." host."

Are you so sure that the so-called supernatant is not the imagination of you people?Wang Jian subconsciously wanted to ask, but he was afraid of being beaten to death, so he didn't say this.

"Besides, who can say such a thing clearly." Liu Yu looked at the old willow tree above his head: "I don't speak strange powers, maybe it's people who shaped the Lord of Lingshan in reverse, and many Zhao people are willing to believe that it exists naturally. .”

"You don't think it exists in itself? It's a kind of... wishful thinking."

Liu Yu looked at him curiously, "Are you really from Zhao?"

"At least half of them, but I'm definitely the smartest person in Zhao country." Wang Jian chuckled, "I'm wondering if the Lord of Lingshan really exists, can he protect me, a Zhao countryman, from you guys? attack?"

"Do you want to try?" Liu Yu looked at him with a half-smile.

"Forget it, I'd rather believe that it's just wishful thinking of the people."

"Huh!" Liu Yu snorted and couldn't help laughing out loud.
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On the [-]th day of Brumy Moon, the team arrived at a big river. The sparkling water shuttled through the forest and flowed westward. The sound of the waves could be heard more than a hundred steps away in the quiet forest, and fish jumped from time to time. Out of the water, some cooking smoke and traces of the village can be seen downstream.

This is the Baishui River, which originates from the Taihang Mountains and flows upstream through Maling City. It has left Heyang and entered the boundary of Maling.

That afternoon, they met the family knights sent by Duke Ma Ling, who took the flag of Maling City as a guide to guide them, and leveled the sentry posts along the way to let them go.

Wang Jian noticed that Ma Ling's knights did not wear rhinoceros armor like the Boulevard cavalry. Their armor was just ordinary hard leather armor, but most of their armor had white paint on the left chest. There were many sentry soldiers along the way. Holding a bow and crossbow, they only wear uniforms, which are linen clothes and do not wear armor. Compared with the soldiers of Boulevard Castle, the armor rate is too low.

He also roughly guessed in his heart that the army of Boulevard Castle is the elite among the elites in the entire Zhao Kingdom. One is that they are highly trained, and the other is that they are well-equipped. They are all purchased from southern countries such as Chu and Changsha. The rhinoceros armor made of high-quality rhinoceros hide has a high armor rate.

The team walked along the Baishui River for two days, and half an hour after setting off in the morning of the third day, the team walked out of the tall forest area and entered a dark green hill with low bushes and weeds up to the knees. Go, on the plain at the foot of the mountain in the distance, the Baishui River winds eastward until a natural moat is formed at the foot of a black city wall. Many rivers dyed dark red by the rising sun gather outside the city, and many scattered villages and towns are scattered around the city. It is unclear how many.

Compared with the simple military fortress like Boulevard Castle, Maling City in the distance is an out-and-out big city. Although the square outer city wall is not as high as Boulevard Fort, it lasts for several miles, transporting a lot of cooking smoke and Fireworks shrouded behind the city wall, well protected.

"Ma Ling City is ahead." Wu Yi said beside him, and then rode his horse down the hillside.

After an hour's journey, the city in the distance was finally within sight. People entering the city had already been driven to the south gate, and many people were already waiting for their arrival at the west gate facing the avenue.

Behind is a large number of soldiers holding spears and spears, and in front is a team of nobles in robes and costumes.

As soon as the Shuangfan met, they immediately greeted and greeted with smiles on their faces. At this time, he also fell behind. Wang Jian's consciousness had already unfolded, and he understood the layout of the surrounding soldiers in an instant. There was no ambush.

He noticed that the other party brought the wine to wash away the wind and dust. The first glass was drunk by Uncle Gong for his father, and then he also drank a glass. Afterwards, Fang all got off their horses and walked into the city.

As soon as he entered the city, Wang Jian noticed that the defenders at the top of the city were a little dense. He thought it might be because the monarch was here and the security had been strengthened.

The other party was an official sent by Duke Ma Ling to guide them to stay in the post house in the city. The accompanying knights and soldiers were also arranged to camp in the open space east of the post house, and the warlocks had their own rooms.

Then the other party explained, let them rest well, and meet the monarch tomorrow to discuss important matters.

Along the way, Wang Jian paid more attention to the food, clothing, housing and transportation of the people in the city, as well as the level of buildings. He found that this place was more affluent than he imagined. Most of the houses in the city were made of wooden structures. There are many means of transportation such as donkeys.

However, even in Maling City, the soldiers' armor rate is still far lower than that of Boulevard Castle, and after entering the posthouse, his spiritual sense found something strange.
(End of this chapter)