Zhou Wen smiled and exchanged greetings with Xiong San while taking out a certificate from a dirty satchel. Xiong San took it and saw that it was indeed a certificate issued by the 24th Division's stay in Xuchang. He also learned to recognize a few words in the army, which proved that he could still understand them. But if Zhou Wen explained it, it would be strange if he believed it.
He didn't know what Zhou Wen was planning, but with proof, someone would take the blame. He could also repay the favor he owed Zhou Wen. What's more, he didn't dare to underestimate this young man. He was a man with ideas and a ruthless man who didn't talk much. When he killed several bandits, his expression never changed.
So he said to Zhou Wen: "Brother Xiao Zhou is one of our own, and now that we have this proof, we have nothing to say. How many people are there in your transport team? Bring them all in."
Zhou Wen said with a smile: "Thank you, Third Brother. I appreciate your kindness. Have you been stationed at the east gate? When the brothers settle down, I will treat Third Brother to a drink."
Xiong Sanke didn't care whether Zhou Wen was snooping for information or not. Anyway, he was just a marginal figure and there was no need to be secretive. He said cheerfully: "Yes, our company is stationed at the east gate. As long as there are no combat missions, brothers can come over at any time. Brother, I'll treat you."
Zhou Wen took the team members out of the defeated army, said goodbye to Xiong San, and walked towards the city. Before walking a few steps, Xiong San's voice sounded from behind again: "Brother Zhou, your 24th Division's left-behind office has been merged into the City Defense Headquarters. The original compound is now the Logistics Department of the City Defense Headquarters. Commander Zhou Jinbao serves as the department. long."
After hearing this, Zhou Wen turned around and solemnly saluted Xiong San with a fist in his arms. Xun Xun thought: "This Xiong San is a man who knows how to make trouble. He knew that he was just making it up, but he still let him into the city. This shows that he is not loyal to Shangguan wholeheartedly. He can be persuaded to cooperate with his actions."
The group of people hurried to Hongxiu's house. On the way, Zhou Wen asked Gao Xiaoshan to take several brothers to the compound of the original detention center to find Zhou Jinbao. Zhou Jinbao is a key figure in Zhou Wen's plan, but Zhou Wen is sure to persuade him to surrender to the National Army.
As soon as he walked into the small courtyard where Hong Xiu's family lived, Zhou Wen's heart sank. The gate to the yard was open, and the yard was in a mess, as if there were signs of a fight. There were still some blackened blood stains on the ground. With a gesture from Miaohua, the team members who entered the yard spread out to look around alertly.
Zhou Wen shouted: "Hongxiu!" He quickly walked a few steps and opened the door of the main room. The room was filled with the smell of decoction, and I saw a stranger wearing a long gown sitting beside the bed, lowering his head to help a person lying on the bed apply medicine and bandage.
Hearing the noise, the stranger looked up in surprise. He looked to be in his twenties, slightly fat and with a slight beard on his forehead. He raised his hands to Zhou Wen and said, "Are you a friend of Mr. Zhou? My surname is Feng, and I am a doctor entrusted by Chief Zhou Jinbao to treat Mr. Zhou."
Zhou Wen stepped forward and saw that the unconscious person lying on the bed was Zhou Yongbin. He asked anxiously: "What's going on? Why did Mr. Zhou become like this? Where is Hongxiu? And where is Sister-in-law Xiuqin?"
The young doctor sighed softly and said: "I heard from Chief Zhou Jinbao that Mr. Zhou's home was robbed. The details are not very clear. It's just that Mr. Zhou was injured on the head and has been unconscious."
Miaohua walked in at this time and said: "Junior brother, there are blood stains on and under the tree in the yard. It seems that someone fell under the tree, but there are traces of an adult. Don't worry, the Hongxiu family is entrusted to Zhou Jinbao is taking care of him. We’ll see what he says when he comes. As long as we’re still in the city, it’s not difficult to find someone with our brothers’ skills.”
Zhou Wen also knew not to be anxious, but when he thought about what might happen to Hong Xiu... his heart suddenly shuddered and he didn't dare to think about it any more. Thinking back to the lesson of losing control when he learned about Wang Huzi's bad news, he immediately forced himself to calm down.
He said to the doctor: "I'm sorry, Doctor Feng. I lost my etiquette just now because I was anxious. I am Hong Xiu's brother. How is Mr. Zhou doing now?"
Doctor Feng smiled and said: "It's okay, no one has time to be in a hurry. Mr. Zhou was hit on the head with a blunt instrument, and I have already applied medicine. If he takes the medicine I boiled, You'll wake up this afternoon." But she felt strange in her heart. Zhou Wen said she was Hongxiu's brother, so why did she still call her father Mr. Zhou? What a mess.
At this moment, he heard hurried footsteps outside the courtyard door. Zhou Wen hurried out and saw Zhou Jinbao in an officer's uniform hurriedly into the courtyard. Zhou Wen stood still, watching Zhou Jinbao silently without speaking.
Zhou Jinbao looked at Zhou Wen's calm eyes, but felt the violent storm hidden under the calmness. Then look at the teenagers behind him blocking his retreat. He smiled bitterly in his heart, knowing that if he didn't give brother Zhou Wen a reasonable explanation today, he might not be able to leave this courtyard.
He helplessly spread his hands and said to Zhou Wen: "Shi Shouxin is back. He came back very secretly. Even I don't know..."
It turned out that Shi Shouxin secretly returned to Xuchang three days ago, with the purpose of taking away the property he had collected through various means over the years, and taking away his favorite concubine.
Originally, this had nothing to do with the Hongxiu family, but unfortunately, Fatty Zhao, who had been discharged from the army due to injury, moved his family to Xuchang to join his sister in order to avoid the war. One day when he accidentally went out, he recognized Zhou Yongbin who was out shopping for groceries. He sent someone to follow Zhou Yongbin home and learned where they lived.
After Fatty Zhao was forced to retire from the army and return to his hometown because his legs were disabled, his former glory had long since disappeared, and he was naturally very unhappy. He has been looking for an opportunity to gain Shi Shouxin's attention again. This time I found out that Zhou Yongbin and his family were all in Xuchang and couldn't help but be overjoyed. He was able to keep his composure and remained silent. It wasn't until I met Shi Shouxin three days ago that I informed him of the news.
Who is Shi Shouxin? He is known as a devil of lust, not to mention that Zhou Yongbin's wife is a beauty he has been missing for several years. As the saying goes: a wife is worse than a concubine, a concubine is worse than a thief, and a thief is worse than not being able to steal.
Now he found that the beauty that he had been itching for for several years was within easy reach, and he could not hold himself back. So on the second day after returning to Xuchang, that is, early yesterday morning, he broke into Hongxiu's house with a few close guards. At first, he shamelessly persuaded Zhou Yongbin to divorce his wife and give her to her. After being severely rejected and scolded by Zhou Yongbin and Sun Xiuqin, they lost their shame and went straight to snatch her.
Zhou Yongbin, a weak scholar, could not beat several strong men in the army. During the fight, the guard hit him in the head with a gun and he fainted on the spot. Sun Xiuqin was also tied up and prepared to be taken away.
No one expected that the little girl Hongxiu, who was frightened at first, suddenly became violent after seeing her parents suffer, and injured several people with a dagger she took out from nowhere.
Although she is young, her movements are agile and her attacks are quite methodical. In addition, the dagger in her hand was extremely sharp. One of the guards, who had some skills, tried to grab the knife, but she cut off half of his bloody palm with a light swipe.
Now everyone was on guard, and the guards did not dare to shoot casually in the city for fear of making things worse. For a moment, she was helpless, and she used a knife to untie Sun Xiuqin's rope.
