Chapter 67: Riding alone against bandits
Chapter 67 Riding Alone Against Bandits
Long in the middle of the Qinling Mountains, Zhongnan Mountain.
Xiongzhi south of Chang'an, in a Taoist temple in the deep mountains as the barrier of the capital, Cui Dunli and Zheng Xuanli were bound by five flowers and taken into the Jade Emperor Hall.
The Jade Emperor wears an imperial crown and a dragon robe and sits in the main niche; the left and right side halls are dedicated to Xuantian God and Tianshiye, and there are sun and moon shrines on the two walls, on which are the sun gods, moon mothers, wind, thunder, and clouds. , Rain four gods.
Cui Dunli was pushed in and staggered.
Finally stabilized his figure, but was startled by a loud roar from the hall.
"Hey!"
"You are so courageous, you dare to go into the mountains."
Cui Dunli looked along the prestige, but saw Xue Wanche glaring at him in armor.
"Cui Dunli, Zuo Sima, the governor of a certain town, came here to meet General Xue and others under the order of Qin Sicheng."
"Tenfu Division? I haven't heard of it."
"General Xue doesn't know the sun and the moon in Zhongnan Mountain, but he doesn't know that the world has turned upside down outside. It's normal to not know. It's normal to teach General Xue that now His Royal Highness is in charge of the court and restraining the world's soldiers and horses. Chang'an has long been stable, and His Highness has issued General Xue doesn’t know about the amnesty decree?”
Xie Shufang on the side snorted coldly, "A pardon? I'm afraid it's just a cover to lure me down the mountain. If you believe me, I'm afraid you will die without a place to die."
"General Xie, I have an amnesty decree signed by His Royal Highness. As long as the generals go down the mountain, the past will be forgotten. Not only that, His Highness also commended your loyalty. All the generals and schools will be upgraded by one level, and the soldiers will be rewarded with money and food. There is a reward." Cui Dunli said.
But Xie Shufang, Feng Li, Feng Xu, Xue Wanche and others refused to believe it.
Feng Li even said loudly, "Back then, Liu Wenjing had to pay two death-free coupons, which can forgive two deaths, but in the end, even one death didn't offset it."
Among the several generals, Xie Shufang and Xue Wanche both serve as guards in the Qi Palace, while Feng Li brothers are Donggong Yiwei Chariot Generals.
But when Li Shimin was recruiting, they all had the same attitude, thinking that Li Shimin was lying.
"We have already learned that after the palace change, Li Shimin killed the crown prince and all the princes of King Qi without leaving any of them. He is so cruel and cruel. How can we believe that he will keep us?"
"Don't talk nonsense with them, cut off the heads of these two people." Xie Shufang shouted.
Zheng Xuanli said a little flustered, "Everyone, please don't mistake yourself, His Highness does intend to pardon you all."
"It's better to lock up people first, and exchange some food and grass with the government." Xue Wanche said.
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Chang'an in the early morning is quiet and beautiful.
Qin Lang woke up in the warm and fragrant nephrite.
It feels good to have a beautiful woman in his arms, which makes him feel like spring is coming to an end.
"Sanlang, what will you do with Thirteen Niangs?" Yu Xiao asked, she obviously didn't sleep well all night, and her eyes were a little swollen.
"Is she honest?"
"Very sad."
"Tell her that everyone is looking for the princess now. If she wants to protect the princess, it's best to stay here with peace of mind."
Yu Xiao put her head on Qin Lang's chest, "Why did Sanlang take the risk to help her?"
This is what she is very puzzled about. Could it be that Sanlang has an old relationship with Zheng Shisanniang? impossible.
"I feel sorry for them, or something else, I don't know." Qin Lang looked at the four-year-old Princess Wenxi and always reminded him of his lovely daughter.
"Could it be that Sanlang fell in love with Thirteen Niangs? If he had known that Thirteen Niangs were so beautiful, maybe he wouldn't have refused to marry him?"
"Hehe." Qin Lang shook his head.
After getting up and washing up, a bowl of locust leaf cold pottery is refreshing and appetizing.
Ma Zhou also temporarily lived in Qin Lang's mansion, he said to Qin Lang while mixing cold pottery, "Is it worth it?"
"have no idea."
"I think it's a bit worthless, but what you do makes people feel very humane, or you are still young at heart after all, or maybe a hero is sad and a beauty!" Ma Zhou said.
"It has nothing to do with beauty or not."
"But it's very risky for you to do so. If it spreads, I'm afraid the consequences will be serious."
Qin Lang sighed, and also felt that he was causing trouble.
"Then do you think I should turn people over now?"
Ma Zhou finished a bowl of cold pottery in a few mouthfuls, wiped his mouth, and squatted there, saying, "If you leak something and get impeached, the consequences will definitely be more serious than if you take the initiative to speak out. My personal suggestion is that you should find a chance." Take the initiative to speak out about this matter. But you have already concealed it first, I am afraid you will have to bear some consequences."
"By handing over people directly, wouldn't I, Qin Lang, become a repeated villain?" Qin Lang shook his head. "Perhaps I should ask Chang Le to intercede, or go directly to the Crown Princess?"
After breakfast, Qin Lang and Ma Zhou rode to Pingkangfang Yamen together.
"When will you move?"
"You can move at any time, but Yuxiao said to pick an auspicious day. What about you?"
Ma Zhou smiled, "I'm single, with no care and no worries. It doesn't matter where I live. I plan to go to the backyard of the yamen to pack up a house and come out to live. Can you agree?"
"I think it's better for you not to live in the backyard of the yamen, or you and I move to Pingkang Fang, anyway, how many people live in the 200-acre mansion is not a problem. Or, you don't move at all, I will take Yong'an This house is given to you."
Ma Zhou waved his hands quickly.
"Sanlang, I can't afford the kindness of you. Before I committed a night ban, you saved me and took me in. I didn't make any contribution, and you conscripted me as an official in the Zhenfu Division. I am already very grateful." If it’s all over, how can I take over your house again.”
Although the house in Yonganfang is small, it is worth two hundred guan.
Although Ma Zhou was a down-and-out scholar before, he was also a bit of a proud person. How could he justly accept Qin Lang's charity-like gift.
"It's just a small house."
"Why don't you rent that house to me, Sanlang?"
Qin Lang took a fancy to Ma Zhou's talent and his potential to become a prime minister in history, so he invested extra generously in advance, but Ma Zhou was still a little unwilling to accept such a gift.
The two agreed to only rent and not deliver.
Chatting all the way to the yamen, as soon as he entered, the chief secretary Xu Jingzong came over with a sad face.
"The two Sima Cui and Zheng were detained. They sent a letter and asked for a ransom. They said they wanted food and thousands of stones."
Qin Lang smiled, not taking it seriously.
"Xue Xie and others are all famous generals in the imperial court anyway, why did they become bandits who kidnapped and blackmailed?"
"The other party said that if the food and grass are not delivered within three days, the heads of the two Sima will be sent." Xu Jingzong said.
Qin Lang sneered, "The two Sima are both sons of the five surnames, well-known celebrities, they speak clearly and clearly, their eyes are above the bottom, how can they be so incompetent?"
Xu Jingzong felt that these words were a bit harsh. Although his Xu family was not as good as the five surnames and seven clans, it was also a first-class noble family. Qin Lang's words knocked down a boatload of people.
"Forget it, I'll do it myself." Qin Lang said.
"Si Cheng, don't be careless, Xie Xue and the others are probably just getting into a dead end."
"Xie Xue and the others are terrified now, so they like to think wildly. At this time, it is useless to just blindly appease. The better the conditions you give, the more suspicious he will be. You can only use some strong medicine." Qin Lang said confidently. His self-confidence comes from his knowledge that in history, Xie Xue and others finally accepted the imperial court's recruitment, and Xue Wanche even became a generation of famous generals later.
Liu Jiudao, "Then I'll go get the men and horses together, do you want to say hello to the left and right Marquis Marquis and borrow some men and horses from them to go with you?"
"There's no need to mobilize people like this. We really want to go to war. I'm afraid Xue Xie and others will flee in the mountains and forests as soon as we enter the mountain. They can't find them. Just take ten or twenty old brothers for a walk. .”
"Sanlang, Xue Xie and others still have nearly 2,000 rebels under their command at this time. If these people go crazy for a while, I'm afraid our 20 or 20 people will not be enough for them to plug their teeth. Let's take more brothers to rest assured!" Wei Chang also said. While persuading.
Qin Lang smiled, "Haven't you forgotten that when I rushed to the rescue of Hongyi Palace that day, didn't two heads repel thousands of rebellious troops with a few words? At this time, there is no need for more soldiers, the more soldiers It's getting worse."
In the end, Qin Lang insisted that he had seen it, and only let Liu Jiu choose sixteen riders who were former rangers from the frontier fortress to accompany him. In addition, Qin Yong and Ah Huang, the silver-faced Wei Tuo, were worried and insisted on accompanying them.
Originally, Qin Yong wanted to be together, but Qin Lang refused.
"No need."
Qin Lang didn't even put on armor, he just wore hunting clothes, and took Liu Jiu and other nineteen people out of Chang'an in a hunting outfit.
Traveling south for dozens of miles, I came to Zhongnan Mountain, which stretches across the Qinling Mountains.
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"Report, general, the sentry at the foot of the mountain sent an urgent report, saying that they found twenty cavalry coming. The person who came claimed to be Zhenfu Sicheng and Yi Guogong Qin Lang, and wanted to see the generals."
Xie Shufang frowned upon hearing this.
"It's this kid again!"
Brother Feng Li also yelled, "Damn it, just bring twenty people here, but he is really big. If it wasn't for this kid's bad deeds several times before, we would not have been defeated that day. Come, let's get everyone together , follow me down the mountain to catch this kid, I will cut him into pieces and dig out his heart and liver to pay homage to the heroic spirits of the former crown prince and the first king of Qi."
Several people immediately ordered hundreds of elite riders, fully armed, and rushed down the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, Qin Lang and his men waited there calmly, letting the soldiers roar and gallop to surround him.
"I don't know where Xue Xie and other generals are, can you come up and meet each other?" Qin Lang ordered loudly.
A feathered arrow flew over suddenly.
Qin Lang snorted coldly, and brought up the horse lance he had inherited from his family and knocked it away with a lance.
"Did the generals Xue Xie really fall into the mountains and become bandits, not only learned to kidnap and blackmail, but also learned how to throw cold arrows?"
"Children of the Qin family, Hugh is going crazy!"
Xie Shufang galloped towards Qin Lang with a wave of his long spear.
"If there is a way to heaven, you don't go, and if there is no way to hell, you break in. Don't blame Xie for being ruthless today."
"Uncle Xie, don't keep calling yourself the descendant of Xie Xuan. If Xie Xuan, the famous general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, knew that there was such an unworthy descendant like you who hid in the mountains and became a bandit, he would crawl out of his grave angrily and die again!"
Qin Lang was not polite.
"Oh, my son of the Qin family, how dare you fight me."
"My surname is Xie, if you want to be a horse fighter, I will do whatever you want."
(end of this chapter)