I was just solving crimes, how could I become an immortal?

Chapter 102 The Difficulty of Beiyan
  Tianshan County is the closest to the Holy Mountain.

The herring is fat and the pasture is lush. It can be said that it is one of the richest counties in Beiyanzhou.

"It's a pity that the river is frozen and the wind and snow are blowing. Now the granary is empty and it is really difficult to maintain the livelihood of the people!" The magistrate of Tianshan County looked like a good official.

There are more than 1 people in the county. In order to tide over the difficulties, he has opened granaries for disaster relief, and has also spent gold and silver to buy the people's cattle and sheep to share food. He has done everything he can.

But no matter how good the treatment is, it can't withstand the heavy snow in these months.

In previous years, the first snowfall was in November, but this year it was a full three months earlier. No food storage for the winter was prepared. If no supplies arrived, I am afraid that most people would not be able to survive this winter.

Cao An looked at the briefing and felt a little desperate.

It's not that the Daxing Dynasty doesn't pay attention to Beiyan, but that the place is blocked by snow and the mountains are blocked.

If you are a simple master of martial arts, working alone will not have much impact.

However, ordinary material convoys cannot leave no trace in the snow like Mr. Ma. They must shovel the snow slowly and push forward. This is time-consuming and laborious, and for the people of Beiyan, it is just a drop in the bucket.

If you want to survive this natural disaster, you must mobilize all available forces.

Before that, Cao An must first determine whether the person in front of him is trustworthy.

The magistrate of Tianshan County, surnamed Zeng, is a middle-aged man in his 50s with a goatee and half-white hair. He seems to have turned gray because of this natural disaster.

Cao An placed the token in his arms on the coffee table. The token itself had no effect, but the pattern on it was the code left by Master Fan.

If you can connect, you are one of your own.

Sure enough, when Magistrate Zeng saw the token, he stood up excitedly and bowed again.

"It turns out that Mr. Cao also has an old relationship with General Fan. I am really grateful to you!"

"Can you tell me about General Fan's situation?"

"Yes, although General Fan works in Shangjiang City, he has always been concerned about our land in Beiyan. He donates materials every year and the people love him very much. He came back last month, but unfortunately he could not solve the problem of the snow disaster. .”

Totally right! It seems that this person is indeed one of the people Mr. Fan said.

But there have been rumors outside that the county magistrate is dead? What's going on?
  Whenever I go out to eat a bowl of noodles, I encounter three people who accuse you of being killed.

Cao An thought for a while, but still didn't ask. There must be a monster if something goes wrong, so he might as well observe it a little.

But fortunately, after showing this token, many conversations can continue.

"Magistrate Zeng, do you have any good ideas to solve this disaster?"

"I dare you, Lord Cao, to help me regain the vitality of Beiyan Holy Mountain. Only by letting the holy river flow again can we solve this crisis."

Well, this person’s thoughts are consistent with Master Fan’s.

Many of the rivers Cao An knew had their sources formed by the melting of frozen snow at high altitudes.

Including those fat herrings, it can also be seen as schools of fish following the river downstream after reproducing at the source.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that there is some blessing from immortal power, then this holy river will be even more powerful, and it will not be a problem to feed the people along the bank.

But now it is suddenly disconnected, and there may be something wrong on the holy mountain.

"Take me to see the river first."

"Yes, please come with me, sir."

Heavy snow has blocked the mountains, making it difficult for convoys to pass. The most direct way now is to catch herring in winter.

But when Cao An rushed to the so-called holy river, he saw that the river was nearly dry, with heavy snow covering it, and thick ice forming at the bottom of the river.

"The source is really cut off. Has this happened before?"

"It's never happened before. This year's heavy snow came early and violently, as if the holy mountains were frozen, and the water flow has bottomed out, let alone the herring."

Cao An followed Magistrate Zeng's guidance and looked at the mountains in the distance.

The ice and snow covered the place, turning it into a white glow.

And between the mountains, a magnificent peak comes into view.

The top of the mountain is sharp and straight, like a sharp knife reaching into the sky.

Amid the clouds and mist, you can't even see how high the peak is. Even though it's thousands of miles away, you can still feel its mysterious and majestic power.

No wonder Mr. Fan has always said that no one can climb up. At this height, coupled with the interference of mysterious forces, he doesn't have the confidence to climb just by looking at it.

It's just that the source of the holy river is there. If we don't go up, it seems that the problem can't be solved!

"I'll think of a solution when I go back. That's it for today. It's getting late. Let's go back to the posthouse to rest. Mr. Ma, give the food you brought in the car to Magistrate Zeng for distribution."

On this trip, the car was loaded with a lot of dry food.

Although it is difficult to feed the whole county, it is still possible to provide a meal. This blizzard will not stop in a short time, and we need to endure it for a while.

Fortunately, the imperial convoy also arrived on the second day.

It was still snowing heavily, and the four of them rested in the post house for a night, and today they all changed into thick clothes.

Although energy protection can dispel the severe cold, I don't know when the snow will end, so it is more appropriate to wear clothes to keep warm.

After leaving the door, I saw a long line of motorcade driving into the county.

Because Master Fan tried his best to suppress the rebellion, the court was very satisfied with his loyalty, and the relief materials sent to Beiyan this time were also very considerable.

Unfortunately, the transport official who led the team was not happy. He handed the document in his hand to Cao An for inspection, his face full of guilt.

"Master Cao, I have tried my best, but in a short period of time, this is the only food that can be provided. As for the other counties in Beiyan Prefecture... I am afraid they are too weak and careless."

The Transportation Department is responsible for allocating disaster relief food across the country. When they said these words, the seriousness could already be imagined.

It’s not that the court is short of food.

Instead, it couldn't be transported in at all, the roads were heavily snow-covered, and all official roads in Beiyan Prefecture were destroyed.

This time, the imperial court needed to transport King Yong's ice sculpture army, so it sent out elite troops to clear the way. They relied on their strength to sweep them all the way, and the transportation department followed behind, so they arrived successfully.

The next trip won't be so easy.

"Where is the general leading the team?"

"The general has already gone to the ice sculpture. He seems to be in a hurry."

These days, how dare you rush to collect corpses? Cao An didn't understand and was going to talk to that person.

Just at this time, Magistrate Zeng also arrived. His face was slightly pale and he looked very haggard.

"What's wrong, Magistrate Zeng? You don't look good?"

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Cao. I made a disaster relief plan last night and stayed up late at night. I just feel a little cold, but it's okay."

"Thank you for your hard work, Magistrate Zeng, please take care of yourself."

It can be seen that this person has indeed worked very hard. This is not a verbal boast, but this Tianshan County is really outstanding.

He worked hard to allocate resources and tried his best to keep the people alive. Cao An walked around and the people were very convinced.

"I'm going to visit the Holy Mountain. Will you go?"

"Of course, I will go with Mr. Cao."

Tianshan County is still a hundred miles away from the Holy Mountain, and the snow on the road is enough for one person. But fortunately there are few of them, so you can go there directly in a carriage.

Along the way, County Magistrate Zeng couldn't help but marvel: "It rides on the snow without leaving a trace and is as fast as lightning. It's really a magical car!"

Roads are blocked by heavy snow, and vehicles can easily get stuck in the snow. In many cases, they are not as sharp as human legs. It is a pity that Mr. Ma is the only one, otherwise it would not be so difficult to transport the relief supplies.

But while everyone was chatting, Magistrate Zeng suddenly changed his expression: "Eh? Those! What kind of monsters are those?"

"Monster?" Upon hearing this, Cao An and others quickly opened the curtains and looked out, but there was no shadow.

"Are you dazzled? Do you think the tree is a monster?"

"There really is a monster, it seems to be one foot tall, and its whole body is covered with white down." Magistrate Zeng tried hard to describe what he just saw, "The monster's legs stood like chicken feet, and it also had a foot-long aquiline nose. I'm afraid it's not This monster in the snow?”

One foot tall, with a hooked nose, chicken claw legs, and white velvet body. Is there such a strange species? Cao An looked at Ying Huorong.

Ying Huorong pointed his chin with his finger, as if communicating with Sister Huhu in his heart. After a long time, he spread his hands and replied:
  "I don't know. There are many monsters in the world, and they all look weird. The one you mentioned looks like a raven monster, but it has black feathers."

Cao An nodded and didn't look into it further.

After all, Shangjiang City is so prosperous, and you can see a few goblins from time to time. It is not surprising to encounter them in this wilderness.

After traveling for an hour, the carriage circled two hillsides and soon arrived at the foot of the Holy Mountain.

Looking up, the holy mountain towers into the clouds and is so majestic that one cannot help but feel a sense of worship.

"Then where is the ice sculpture found?"

"Sir, at the foot of the mountain on the other side, there is a cave there. I heard it can lead to the middle of the mountain. Mr. Fan also wanted to go through the cave that day, but accidentally discovered an ice sculpture."

Cao An nodded as he listened to Magistrate Zeng's reply, his eyes thoughtful.

The carriage started moving again, and soon the whereabouts of the officers and soldiers were seen. Unexpectedly, the leader this time was still a half-acquaintance.

Why half?

Because we knew each other by name and talked, we also had a very pleasant cooperation.

But the place where they met was in Jiaofangsi. One of the suspects who was arrested that night while listening to music with his own Tisi: Captain Jinwu.

"Captain Shi! You're fine!"

"Oh? Is it Cao Shuixiu? Are you here in Beiyan too?"

Cao An bowed his hand in greeting, and the other party naturally gave him enough face.

Jin Wuwei took the official route and set off earlier than him. He relied on experts to sweep the place all the way. Naturally, his speed was not as fast as Ma Lao's carriage. Before setting off, he was not informed that he had received the order to investigate the case.

Cao An took out the imperial edict and explained it briefly, and then Captain Shi suddenly understood.

"Cao Shuixiu has won the favor of the Holy Master at such a young age! I hope you can give him more advice in the future."

"In other words, Lieutenant Shi has been in charge of the Jinwu Guard for many years. I need you to give me more advice. I just didn't expect Captain Shi to be responsible for transporting the ice sculptures?"

"Oh, I don't want to come to this damn place either, even though the Holy One has decreed that we send the ice sculpture back as soon as possible."

"Oh? Why are you so anxious?"

"Isn't it the end of the year? We must make arrangements before worshiping our ancestors next year."

When Cao An heard this, he suddenly realized.

The Jinwu Guards are the imperial guards of the capital. They are usually only responsible for the defense of Shangjiang City. They are the elite among the elite.

Logically speaking, it is generally more appropriate to leave this kind of work to the border guards, and there is no need to mobilize the army from the capital.

But this also involves the issue of burial and ancestor worship.

King Yong is a serious prince. He is now frozen to death in Beiyan. No matter what Cao An's investigation results, the imperial court's obituary to the outside world is that he died in battle and died heroically, and the army he led will also be commended.

It stands to reason that if there is enough time, the court will build a separate mausoleum for King Yong to be buried in peace.

But because more than 20 years have passed since this incident, if the ice melts slightly during transportation, the body will begin to decay very quickly, and it really cannot be left for a long time.

In addition, the New Year is approaching, and the Ministry of Industry is now fully preparing for the ancestor worship ceremony in the spring of next year and is unable to arrange it.

In order not to affect the ancestor worship, the Holy Emperor ordered that King Yong be sent to the royal cemetery to be buried with the princess who died of illness. The remaining soldiers must also be buried before the New Year.

In such a short time, it was necessary to open a road to transport the corpse in the snowy Beiyan. The escort process could not go wrong, and the only choice was to dispatch elite troops.

Either the Jinwu Guards who assist in city defense, or the Imperial City Secretary who protects the imperial city, there is no choice at all.

"Commander Shi has worked really hard to come all the way from the capital. I wonder how the progress is going?"

"It's almost time. This is my third trip here. If nothing else happens, I should be able to transport them all back. Mr. Cao, go in and take a look?"

"Of course that's good... eh? Magistrate Zeng, what's wrong with you?" Cao An looked at Magistrate Zeng behind him. This man had been distracted and looked around fiercely.

Magistrate Zeng rubbed his eyes and frowned: "I don't know if it's because I was dazzled, but I saw those monsters again. They seem to have been staring at us. I don't know what they mean."

"Oh? Is there a monster? It's okay. I'll just have someone go check it out."

The Jinwu Guards are the elite of Shangjiang City, and they are nothing like little monsters.

Relaxed, the group entered the cave.

Judging from the area, the cave is at least ten meters high. Thick layers of ice are condensed on the stalactites. It seems to lead to somewhere in the mountains. The cold wind keeps blowing from the depths, biting and biting.

Everyone walked some distance inside and soon saw the masters of the Jinwu Guard who were busy.

There are countless pieces of ice in the cave, rising from the ground like pyramids, with hundreds of frozen human-shaped ice sculptures mixed in among them.

In order to prevent the body from decomposing faster, they cut off the bottom and moved the entire ice sculpture away.

Cao An took a closer look and saw that it was just like the one in the Imperial Medical Office. The soldiers all held weapons and rushed towards the depths in unison, seeming to be fighting some enemies.

"What's in the depths of the cave?" Cao An asked Captain Shi.

Lieutenant Shi shook his head: "I sent people to explore it, and it seems that it leads to the mountainside. There is nothing special. But I also found some claw marks here."

As soon as Captain Shi said this, Cao An immediately became interested and followed him to a rock wall to carefully examine the traces on it.

The depth of the stone was half a foot, three fingers wide, and the claw marks were quite obvious, even on some solid ice.

"The last time I came here, I specially made a rubbing and went back to consult the Demon Slayer Division. They said that a claw mark of this size could be as large as ten meters in size."

"It seems to be a big guy. Is it possible that these soldiers were frozen while fighting that monster?"

"Well, it's very possible."

The two of them were discussing the case seriously, but Ying Huorong listened, tilting his head with question marks on his face.

Cao An had been studying this case on the way here and put forward many different opinions. Why did he talk nonsense when he arrived at the scene?
  Ying Huorong was so stupid that she didn't understand the meaning of the word 'pull' for the time being, but she understood that the danger was coming.

His expression suddenly changed, and his aura suddenly exploded.

"There is evil spirit, be careful!" Ying Huorong's sudden warning made everyone's hearts tremble.

Just as he was about to ask where the crisis was, he suddenly heard a "rumbling" sound in his ears, and the whole cave trembled.

The avalanche is coming.

(End of this chapter)