"In two thousand years, those who deliver express delivery won't come so early."

While complaining, Ren Hong put on a robe and hurried out. The temperature difference between day and night in Hexi was large. The Dunhuang Gobi Desert during the day was extremely hot, but it was a little cold in the early morning.

The envoy who knocked on the door outside was welcomed by the night-time people. Under the light of the pine torch, a face tanned by the sun was reflected, and sweat solidified the sand and salt on its face.

This is the courier from the Han Dynasty. She wore a soap scarf on her head, a wide-sleeved shirt on her right collar, and a long boot on her feet. The bags she was carrying were red and white. Don’t say it, they were a bit similar to the packages on JD.com.

The lips were cracked and the eyes were covered with blood. After seeing Ren Hong, he took out a red painted wooden box from the bag hanging on his body:

"The county government must hand it over to the sir to the sir for a look! In addition, I hope to prepare a new horse for me, and I will rush to the next place later!"

"Please follow me."

Ren Hong had received night-distance entourages many times, and was familiar with the business. While asking the East Kitchen to pour water and prepare food, he asked the stable staff to prepare horses.

On the way to the office hall of Zhisefu, Ren Hong asked where the inn was from, but learned that he had only set out from Dunhuang early yesterday morning and arrived at Xuanquanzhi after 130 miles a day.

"It should be an urgent matter so fast!"

When they walked to the hall where they used for daily offices and banquets, Xu Fengde had limped and got off the upstairs. His official cloth robe was not worn straight, and the Liu crown on his head was a little crooked.

Xu Fengde made up his clothes, took the red painted wooden box with both hands, placed it respectfully on the table, and opened it in front of the postman.

At this time, all the lamps on the bronze lamp stand were lit, and the hall was already flashing with light and shadow.

But inside the lacquer box, there were two bamboo slips tightly attached, one foot and five inches long, and a seal with ink seals—one at both ends and one at the middle.

"Three seals of the sacred journey!"

Ren Hong looked at it carefully and couldn't help but his eyelids twitched.

The Han family has a complete system of delivering letters, from one to five, representing different reception specifications: one letter to horse, two letters to sage, three letters to sage, four letters to sage, and five letters to sage.

It's a bit complicated to say specifically, so why not apply Ren Hong's summary:

"One letter of triviality, two letters of chaos, three letters of pigs and sheep..."

It corresponds to the busyness of Xuanquanzhi to deal with different specifications of letters.

In short, after receiving three letters of riding, Xuan Quanbai had to prepare a "four horses to get off the feet" and a number of pigs, sheep, chicken wine.

This situation is definitely not a small person. According to Ren Hong's experience, either an official with a level of 2,000 stones like Yumen and Yangguan Duwei took office, or an envoy of the court who belonged to the Nine Ministers passed by...

Before he could think deeper, Xu Fengde had already ordered:

"Ren Hong, seal."

"promise!"

Ren Hong opened the wall cabinet with great care, took out the stamp board that each store had to be backed up, compared it with the seal on the letter, and confirmed it was exactly the same...

He raised his head: "The miser is indeed the seal of the censor!"

Xu Fengde checked it himself and asked, "What time is it now?"

Ren Hong had just asked the person on the night, even if he had raised the latest chicken, he had been chirping for a long time, and the sky was still dark, so he reported: "Jiu Jimao, what day!"

Unlike later generations who thought that no matter which dynasty in ancient times, it was twelve hours. At least in the Hexi Corridor, everyone lived the "16-hour system", with 16 hours a day.

Starting from 0 o'clock, they are: midnight, rooster crowing, morning, daytime, sunrise, flea food, eating time, not midday, sunrise, sun loss, sun loss, glutination, sunrise, dusk, night food, people calm down.

In the station like Xuanquan, the time is divided into thirty-two! For example, the morning hours (3 to 4:30) are divided into chicken crows, and there are two points.

Because they must confirm that if the specific time of each letter arrives and leaves is not accurate enough, and if something happens in the future, the accountability will be arguing.

So Ren Hong felt that Xuanquan is still missing a position for the "Hunquan 32 Times" to ring the gongs loudly.

After confirming that the seal is correct and remembering the time, Xu Fengde gently opened the letter.

He glanced at the words on it, his eyes widened, and then glared at Ren Hong fiercely!

The letter was handed over to Ren Hong: "Record it quickly!"

Ren Hongyingnuo knelt on the mat and prepared to write, but when he saw the letter, he was stunned.

"On August of the second year of Yuanfeng, Guihai, Grand Sima Chenguang, the Censor and Grand Sixin, the Censor and Chief Censor, and the Censor said:

The horse supervisor Fu Jiezi was ordered to entrust the Northwest Kingdom.

The Censor Xin went down to the right Fufeng, Longxi, Anding, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang counties. The stables were established. The next letter was the master. The man should be passed on to the house, and the man should be passed on to the car, which was the master's three letters, as the rule of law!"

This is the standard format for the Han Dynasty's letters. It was issued a year ago by General Huo Guang, the Censor's Office, which means that the guest houses of the counties along the way must be received by Fu Jiezi, the court envoy who was traveling to the Western Regions according to the specifications, regardless of whether they came or went.

It is not wrong. There is already a similar record of the letter sent by Xuan Quanzhi, and Ren Hong has read it repeatedly.

That time was a record of going to the Western Regions, and seeing this letter again now means that Fu Jiezi has returned!

The postman's words proved this: "Fu Majian has arrived at the county government, and he is eager to return to Chang'an, and only rests in Dunhuang City for one night, and he will travel east early in the morning."

"The county magistrate and the supervisor ordered me to hurry before them, inform each station along the way, and prepare for reception in turn."

Ren Hong hurriedly asked the postman: "When will Fu Majian arrive at Xuanquan? We still have time to kill sheep and hoe."

"Tomorrow, it's not right..."

The messenger poured a sip of water into his mouth and shook his head:

"It's the July Jimao, and it's evening!"

...

The mailman hurriedly ate and drank, and used cold water to stimulate his face. Without any time to rest, he stepped on the newly replaced mailma and left. He was wearing a red and white bag with a letter on his shoulder, holding a clearance talisman with one hand, pursing his lips tightly, and steering the red-maned horse, heading towards the east like an arrow!

He had to rush to the next stop, whether to change horses or people, and had to run to Jiuquan County in the east to complete his mission.

At this time, the sky had already revealed white white. Xu Fengde watched the postman go away, but suddenly turned around and wanted to kick Ren Hong, but he flexibly avoided it.

Xu Fengde scolded in anger:

"You little boy, didn't you say that Fu Jiezi still has eight or nine geniuses to arrive?"

Ren Hong explained: "It should be said that this is the case. It's all because Su Yannian and Chen Pengzu went too late, which made me calculate the time wrong."

There are no telegrams these days, even if the two sides agree on a specific time, it is common for a few days to meet.

After all, even Zhang Qian, the Marquis of Bowang who is familiar with Hudi and can automatically find a way, can lose his time when he defeated the Huns so late.

But then again, Fu Jiezi just arrived at Yumen the day before yesterday, arrived in Dunhuang City yesterday, and today he was going to Xuanquanjie. This is too hurrying!

There are nine places hundreds of miles east and west of Dunhuang County. From Yumen Pass to this place, there are Longle, Dunhuang, and the need to be placed. After that, it is the Hanging Spring, which is about 60 miles a day, and it is a stop for walking a day.

But Fu Jiezi ran wildly at a speed of two stops a day!

"Is this Fu Jiezi in a hurry to go back to Beijing to take the exam?"

Ren Hong muttered secretly, just about to discuss countermeasures with Xu Fengde, but this old man was also very worried, and he yawned and said:

"I don't care. You have taken this matter at once. Whether Fu Jiezi is here today or tomorrow, I will prepare it for me!"

He even patted Ren Hong on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Ren Hong, Ren Hong, if you can't handle this little change, just be content with yourself and stay in Xuanquan to take over me. Don't think about being a real man and going to a foreign land to make contributions!"

After saying that, he stretched his body and went back to take a break.

Seeing that Xu Fengde was the boss, and he was the only one who carried the burden, Ren Hong couldn't help but take a deep breath, but finally smiled:

"I feel a little nervous!"

He knew that today, July Jimao, this will be an extremely busy day!

...

PS: Yan Shigu's note in Han Shu: "Lu, all those who should pass on the pedestal and send the pedestal to pass on the letter of the five-inch wood, and seal it with the seal of the Censor. The pedestal and seal it with the seal of the Censor. The pedestal and seal it with three. In a while, it will seal it with two ends, two ends, and four seals. The pedestal and seal it with five ends, two ends, and one central one. The pedestal and two horses are sealed with one horse and one seal."
Chapter completed!