Traveling through the busy farmland of a peasant girl

Early the next morning, Bai Jin, Shen Li, and their group set out in a hurry, heading for the capital. As they reached a dozen miles outside the city gates, the trees on both sides of the road grew denser, and the atmosphere gradually became somewhat eerie.

Suddenly, the sound of a gong broke the silence, and then a group of masked bandits rushed out of the woods, blocking their way.

Bai Jin's heart moved, and he looked at Shen Li. They understood each other and decided to pretend to be defeated.

Bai Jin feigned panic and shouted, "Who are you? How dare you rob an official in broad daylight!"

The robbers did not answer, but rushed forward waving their weapons.

Bai Jin and his men "fought hard", but their moves deliberately revealed flaws.

Shen Li was also dodging the attack in a panic, shouting, "What should I do? What should I do?"

After several rounds, Bai Jin pretended to be exhausted and was kicked to the ground by the robber.

Shen Li ran over anxiously to help, but was pushed away by the robbers. The robbers quickly took control of the situation and laughed triumphantly.

The leading robber shouted, "Take everything out of the car!"

The bandits rushed forward and dragged several large bags off the cart. At this moment, one of the robbers opened the bag and said in a feigned outrage, "What is this? Why are there only rags and weeds?"

Another bandit chimed in, "Boss, have we been tricked? These officers don't have anything valuable!"

The leading robber's face darkened, and he said viciously, "Hmph! You dare to cheat us? Burn all these bags!" With that, the robbers piled several bags together, doused them with kerosene, and lit torches and threw them on. Flames instantly rose up and engulfed the bags.

Bai Jin and Shen Li watched the bag burning with a barely perceptible smile on their faces.

They knew that all this was planned. These robbers were actually arranged by them in advance to create an illusion so that the enemies who secretly coveted the grain would think that the grain had been burned and thus relax their vigilance.

When the bag was almost burned, the robbers dispersed cursing.

Bai Jin then stood up, dusted off the dust on his body, and said to Shen Li: "Okay, the show is over, and we should continue on our journey."

Shen Li nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement: "Now, they will definitely not be able to guess our true plan."

So, the group packed up their belongings and headed towards the city gate, leaving behind only the smoking ashes and a piece of land trampled by horses' hooves, as if telling the story of the thrilling "robbery" that had just happened.

After a bumpy journey, Bai Jin and Shen Li finally arrived in the capital in the afternoon.

The towering city walls soar into the clouds, and the city gate is bustling with people coming and going and cars flowing.

After entering the city, Shen Li's eyes were too busy to take it all in. She saw shops lining both sides of the street, bursts of laughter coming from the wine shops and teahouses, and a wide variety of exquisite goods.

There are dignitaries wearing gorgeous silks, as well as vendors selling special snacks. The air is filled with the unique aroma of various foods and spices.

Bai Jin followed the clues left by Chen Sheng and wandered through the alleys of the capital before finally finding the temporary courtyard.

Although the courtyard is not big, its location is relatively hidden, making it very suitable for them to stay temporarily.

After settling everyone in place, Bai Jin did not dare to delay for even a moment and immediately began to prepare to submit the memorial to the palace.

He first carefully tidied his official uniform, making sure it was neat and wrinkle-free, then sat down at the table, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, pondered for a moment, and began to write the memorial.

His writing style was neat and powerful, and he succinctly and clearly described the purpose, process and results of the trip in the memorial, especially emphasizing Shen Li's contribution of high-yield grain seeds and the huge benefits it might bring.

After finishing writing, he checked it over and over again, and only after confirming that it was correct did he carefully put the letter into the envelope.

Bai Jin then summoned a capable subordinate and solemnly instructed, "Send this memorial to the palace immediately and make sure it is delivered to the relevant eunuchs. No mistakes can be made."

Only after his men took the order and left did Bai Jin breathe a sigh of relief. He sat on the stone bench in the yard, secretly thinking about the meeting with the emperor tomorrow.

Shen Li asked curiously, "Bai Jin, if we submit this memorial, will the emperor definitely summon us?" Bai Jin smiled and patiently explained, "The emperor values ​​agriculture. The grain you presented is of great significance. I have explained the situation in detail in the memorial, so the emperor should summon us. However, everything still needs to wait for his order."

Shen Li nodded, not quite understanding, and said excitedly: "This capital city is really prosperous, much more lively than I imagined.

Look at the jugglers on the street, their skills are superb."

Bai Jin followed her gaze and saw a group of people gathered not far away, cheering continuously.

He smiled and said, "The capital is at the foot of the emperor, so it's naturally prosperous. After the audience tomorrow, if I have some free time, I'll take you on a nice tour."

Shen Li's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great!" Although the courtyard was filled with a tense atmosphere of waiting to be summoned, Shen Li's excitement and curiosity also added a different color to this slightly dull atmosphere.

Bai Jin looked at Shen Li's expectant expression, and felt a little more warm and comforted in his heart. He just hoped that tomorrow's summons would go smoothly and live up to their hardships and efforts along the way.