Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

"Sir, we are in a hurry and have been traveling for a whole day. We are exhausted and can't hold on any longer. Why don't we find a place to rest? You have been working non-stop like this, please don't tire yourself out!" An older constable rubbed his aching back with a pleading tone in his voice.

A younger yamen runner beside him also agreed with a grin, "Yes, sir, my waist... feels like it's not my own, it's sore and numb, it's almost broken! Forget riding a horse, even if you just stand for a whole day and night, you'll collapse from exhaustion!"

Wang Ergou saw this and raised his brows. He shouted sternly, "You are all more valuable than the young master! The young master hasn't even asked for a break, and you're the first to complain about being tired? Cheer up!"

The old constable who spoke first explained with a bitter face, "Captain, it's not that we brothers are lazy. When have we ever been slacking off on our work? If you tell us to dig up bodies, we dig up bodies. If you tell us to go down the river to rescue people, we go down the river to rescue people. We never say a word! But this horseback riding... it's not that we're being pretentious." He pounded his waist, "I'm old now, and my bones are hard. If I'm jostled around like this on horseback for a while longer, I'm afraid I'll really fall apart, and then I'll be a burden to everyone else."

The others around him nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Captain. You know that we are the hardest-working people in the yamen. Otherwise, we wouldn't be your confidants. But long-distance riding is not something you can learn in a day. Please...please persuade the lord to be more considerate of us."

Wang Ergou saw that his men were indeed exhausted, some even needing to support each other to keep steady. Although he was anxious, he also knew that what they said was true. He gritted his teeth, raised his whip, and made a gesture to hit them: "Stop making noise! ​​If you don't get up and continue on your journey, don't blame me... I'll whip you!"

"This..." Everyone looked frightened, but still hesitated to move forward.

Zhang Jingwei, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke, his voice thick with fatigue. He waved his hand, "Ergou, forget it. If you really can't hold on, don't force it." He turned to the yamen runners who had requested leave, "You guys, go back to Gaoyang first. Huang Zhubu must be incredibly busy over there and needs more help. Keep the receipts for your travel expenses and report them truthfully at the household registration office when you return."

The bailiffs bowed as if they had been pardoned. "Thank you, sir, for your compassion! We will return and will do our utmost to assist Master Huang!"

Watching them hurriedly leave with a look of relief, Qian Ming couldn't help but spit and cursed in a low voice, "Hmph! A bunch of ungrateful wolves! They rush to take advantage of any good things on weekdays, but when the chips are down, they all become cowards!"

Zhang Jingwei seemed much calmer. His eyes fell on the seven or eight young constables in black uniforms who were still behind him. He asked in surprise, "I said we could leave, why didn't you guys leave?"

The leading constable, a burly young man with a simple face, puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Your Excellency! We want to follow you! We thought that if you need help on the road or encounter any trouble, we brothers are young and strong and can help out and lend a hand!"

Zhang Jingwei looked at these young yet resolute faces, and his heart couldn't help but warm up. A relieved smile appeared on his tired face: "Good! My love for you guys has not been in vain."

The burly constable, upon receiving the compliment, grew even more excited and spoke without restraint, "Your Excellency, be wise! Those old men (he was referring to some of the senior officials in the county government) have long since become slippery and slippery in the officialdom. They appear to work diligently, but in reality, they are mostly faking it, working without putting in any effort. When it comes to the crucial moment, it's us young people who are willing to fight and give our all!"

Qian Ming, the only middle-aged man present, frowned as he listened and scolded in a low voice, "What are you talking about! Mind your words!"

The burly constable realized that he had spoken out of turn and quickly bowed to Qian Ming: "Master Qian, please forgive me! I have no ill intentions. I... I'm not talking about you! I'm saying..."

Qian Ming waved his hand, his expression slightly relieved. "Forget it. Considering your loyalty to the young master, I won't bother with you. Think before you speak next time!"

Although the journey was difficult, the presence of these young people joking and bragging beside us did alleviate some of the boredom of the dull and anxious journey.

The group continued on their way, finally reaching Tuofeng Pass. Near the pass stood a large horse ranch. Seeing that their horses were indeed exhausted, Zhang Jingwei decided to refuel there. They traded their draft horses for ponies, common on the grasslands. While not as fast as pack horses, these horses possessed exceptional endurance, making them particularly suited to long journeys, a perfect fit for the unknown distances they still had to cover.

At Tuofeng Pass, Zhang Jingwei spared no expense, spending a full two hundred strings of cash to finally bribe the garrison officer. He first eagerly inquired whether he had seen Huangfu Ling passing by, describing the characteristics of the "Chasing Wind" horse. After receiving a negative answer, he then inquired whether he had seen the woman in the portrait (Wei Jiajia).

The garrison officer, having accepted the bribe, was quite enthusiastic. A councilor beside him even came over with a wink and whispered to Zhang Jingwei, "Sir, you look so anxious. Are you looking for a girl? Hey, there are some good places in our city. Although they are not as good as the provincial capital, they are also unique. If you are willing to spend a little more money, I can take you there to have fun. Why bother looking for one?"

Zhang Jingwei was speechless upon hearing this, feeling both angry and amused. He didn't bother to explain himself to such a person. He simply unfolded the map he carried with him and, in the dim light, carefully mapped out his route to Taiyuan Prefecture. His finger slowly moved across the map, while he silently calculated: If Ling'er had ridden "Zhuifeng," with that horse's speed, she would have already reached Taiyuan by now...right?

At this time, Huangfu Ling had indeed arrived at Taiyuan Prefecture.

Within the Hedong Governor's Mansion lies a unique courtyard—the Staff Court. Unlike the scholarly atmosphere of typical staff courts, this one feels more like a fiercely charged arena for martial arts practice. The courtyard is vast, with a vast bluestone-paved arena at its center. Glinting with cold light, weapon racks surround it, displaying a variety of weapons, including swords, spears, halberds, axes, halberds, hooks, and forks. Stone locks, barbells, and other strength-building instruments are scattered in the corners. This is where the Hedong Governor specifically trains and maintains his personal guards, the "Six Dings and Six Jias." Rather than a staff court, it's more like a fully functional training room.

At this moment, two figures were facing each other on the martial arts stage.

Huangfu Ling was dressed in tight clothes that made it easy to move around. Although she had been on a long journey, her face was tired and haggard, and her lips were a little pale, but her eyes were extremely sharp, as if there were two flames burning deep in her pupils, tightly locked on the opponent opposite her.

Her opponent was Tie Lihua, the daughter of General Tie, the Taiyuan general. Tie Lihua was different today, not wearing a fancy dress, but a tight, neatly-fitting set of light armor. A faint ox-head pattern could be seen on the armor, exuding the fierce aura of a brave general on the battlefield. She frowned slightly at Huangfu Ling's formidable appearance, and said in a steady voice, "Ling'er, I advise you to get a good night's rest. You're in such a state, your energy is weak, your blood is depleted, and your steps are unsteady. You can't possibly defeat me in this state."

Huangfu Ling heard this and a stubborn smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. His voice was slightly hoarse due to fatigue, but it was filled with unquestionable determination: "Fighting doesn't rely on words!"

Seeing that she had made up her mind, Tielihua stopped trying to persuade her and glanced at the weapon rack beside the stage: "Since that's the case, choose a weapon."

Huangfu Ling shook her head impatiently, as if all the pent-up frustration, anger, and grievances within her were about to be released through her fists and kicks. She took a deep breath, took up her stance, and shouted, "Why are there so many nagging rules? According to our Huangfu family's custom, we'll start with punches, then kicks, then grappling, using weapons and internal energy, starting with the simple and then progressing to the complex! Watch!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already exerted force on her feet, and like an arrow from a bow, she rushed towards Tielihua first! That momentum was filled with a desperate ruthlessness.