The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

"What does it matter if I know, what does it matter if I don't know? I can't escape death anyway, right?" Ye He held his stomach and burped again, saying nonchalantly.

"If you tell the truth, I can let you die more comfortably. Otherwise, I don't mind letting you experience the ten most cruel tortures of the previous dynasty. So far, no one has experienced more than four of them at the same time. I see that you are in good health, maybe you can give it a try." Zhang Ping'an was sitting opposite Ye He and was no longer in a hurry.

Ye He remained calm after hearing this. Instead, he smiled and said jokingly, "I didn't expect you would use torture to threaten others. This is not like you at all!"

"Haha, it seems you've asked about me. Is this a compliment?"

"I'm not asking, I just heard Guo Jia mention you before," Ye He suddenly replied, mentioning the name that Zhang Ping'an was once familiar with.

Zhang Pingan frowned when he heard this, but said nothing.

Ye He smiled and asked, "Why, you don't want to ask me how I know Guo Jia? And where did you meet him?"

Zhang Pingan tapped his fingers on the table unconsciously. "It seems you know quite a bit. So tell me, how did you get to know him, and where did you meet him? The name Guo Jia sounds like a Han Chinese, and you grew up on the Mobei grasslands. How did you get to know a Han Chinese? That's a bit strange!"

"As for me, I was born and raised on the grassland, so naturally I met him on the grassland. Moreover, we are sworn brothers. As you Han people say, we don't ask to be born on the same day, but we ask to die on the same day. Everything was fine, but suddenly one day, he had new ambitions, and we parted ways. We didn't meet again until recent years. I learned that he later went to the Central Plains, met many different people, and had different experiences. Lord Zhang, you are talented, passed the imperial examination at a young age, and are famous in Lin'an. Many people know you, so there is no need to deliberately inquire about you. Guo Jia has always admired you."

When Ye He said this, the nonchalance on his face disappeared, he became much more serious, and there was a look of reminiscence in his eyes.

Zhang Pingan was basically certain that the Guo Jia he was talking about was the Guo Jia he knew, the current Khan of the Jinwu Khanate.

But given his current status and at this critical juncture, he certainly couldn't admit it frankly.

So he smiled faintly, "Really? I also have a friend named Guo Jia in Lin'an, what a coincidence, but he is a native Han Chinese, smart and enthusiastic, and hates war the most, let alone sworn brotherhood with the Hu people."

"So what happened next? How is he now?"

"What happened next?" Zhang Ping'an recalled, half-jokingly saying, "He went out on business and never came back. I never saw him again, and I don't know how he's doing now. But he's always been smart, and I believe he'll be fine wherever he is."

"I think so too. Anyone who can choose this name sounds smart," Ye He nodded in agreement.

"Okay, now that we've finished talking about Guo Jia, shouldn't we get down to business? You said someone under General Wei tipped you off. What's their name? Do you have any evidence? Slandering a general without proof is also a capital offense." Zhang Pingan brought the topic back.

Perhaps because they were talking about someone they knew in common, Ye He was much more frank this time.

He said bluntly: "Of course there is evidence. The gongs and drums have already started, so how can we not perform the whole set?"

Zhang Ping'an had anticipated this. Given Zhou Ziming and Guo Jia's meticulousness, they would have made thorough arrangements.

"Where's the evidence? Let me see!"

"It's in my quiver. There are a few hollow arrows in it. You can see them when you open it."

Ye He paused after he finished speaking before continuing, "But I advise you not to have any other thoughts. Your position as a second-rank official today was not easy to come by. Don't be foolish!"

There was actually some sincere admonition in his eyes.

Zhang Pingan was suddenly at a loss for words: "You are the prisoner, and I am the presiding judge. You come to persuade me not to be stupid. Is there a case of mistaken identity?"

"However, I still appreciate your kindness."

Seeing Zhang Ping'an getting ready to leave, Ye He called out, "Hey, are you leaving just like that? Are you missing a procedure? I haven't signed or sealed my confession yet!"

"Why are you in such a hurry? Someone will be here soon," Zhang Ping'an said calmly.

After leaving the tent, Chi Bao was guarding the door.

"Have you eaten? Did anyone pass by the tent just now?" Zhang Ping'an asked in a low voice.

After eating, he shook his head and replied, "No."

"Now go and call over the best fighters under my command. Have some of them guard the tent, and some hide in the dark. Remember not to make it public, especially to General Wei and the others. Also, arrange for Old Qiu to deliver a letter to Qian Jie at the Guazhou camp."

After giving his instructions, Zhang Pingan took out a small bamboo tube as thick as a finger from his arms.

Although Chi Bao was very surprised, he did not ask any more questions. He nodded and left as usual.

This was also the reason why Zhang Ping'an brought Old Qiutou with him. On the surface, it was because he had someone around to help with chores and serve the team, help with feeding and share the burden, but in reality, he wanted to keep a backup plan.

Old Qiutou is a knowledgeable and interesting person who knows his limits. He is usually taciturn and has a low sense of presence. No one would care if he disappeared for a day or two.

Most importantly, he has extensive travel experience, is cautious, is a good horseman, and has some survival skills of the little guys.

Therefore, Zhang Pingan felt that he was the most suitable choice.

Qian Jie was a smart man. After reading the letter he sent, he knew what it meant and what to do next.

What's more, the letter basically contains coded words that only the two of them understand. Even if the letter accidentally falls into Wei Chengfeng's hands, he doesn't have to worry about leaving any evidence and letting others know his deployment in advance.

He ate quickly and came back with a breakfast in a short while. He nodded slightly at Zhang Pingan, meaning that the job was done.

After a group of people were replaced to guard the tent, Zhang Pingan went to the small tent next to it to eat.

After eating his fill, he took out a silver needle from his sleeve and tested it, then he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not poisonous."

"Well, you've been very thoughtful. Although General Wei probably won't attack me, it's better to be safe than sorry." Zhang Pingan was amused and sighed at this.

"I never thought that one day I would have to use a silver needle to test for poison in my food. It seems that I am really an important person now."

Chi Bao disagreed when he heard this, and replied with some admiration: "Sir, you are the most intelligent person I have ever met in my life. You will be even better in the future. Of course, you must take care of yourself."

Zhang Ping'an felt warm in his heart when he heard this. He smiled and said seriously: "We all have to take care of ourselves. Thank you for always staying with me."