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At the junction of Linbei between Shaanxi and Shanxi, there is a steep valley called "Tangnan Mountain". On the mountainside of Tangnan Mountain is an inconspicuous dilapidated Taoist temple called "Yuqing Temple", which was originally a Taoist temple in the wild. A place of pure repair.
But three years ago, Yuqing Temple was occupied by a group of bandits. This group of bandits called themselves the "Black Tiger Army". They were originally just a group of rogues who often did some theft and extortion. It has a bad reputation and is difficult to achieve. However, due to the natural disasters in the Shaanxi-Gansu region for many years, the Black Tiger Army took the opportunity to recruit many desperate refugees. In recent years, it has grown extremely rapidly, gradually reaching a scale of two to three hundred people, and has also begun to blatantly rob people. After plundering the people in nearby villages, his reputation gradually increased.
If that's the case, the Black Tiger Army can only be powerful for a while when the government has no time to take care of it. It will still be insignificant and will be wiped out by the government army sooner or later. At most, it can only leave a few records in the county annals of nearby counties. !
But just twenty days ago, the Black Tiger Army did an earth-shattering thing - they kidnapped Liang Fuchen, the current court elder and imperial envoy! And he also extorted a sky-high ransom of 100,000 taels of gold from the Shaanxi-Gansu government!
The horse bandits kidnapped important officials of the imperial court and demanded ransom from the government. This is probably the first time since Qin Shihuang unified the country that such an astonishing deed has happened. I don’t know whether they should be called bold or stupid!
If it weren't for the top officials of the Shaanxi-Gansu government and the imperial court who had been trying their best to block the news, this kind of thing would definitely cause an uproar in the government and the public. The Black Tiger Army would definitely be famous all over the world, record in history, and become an idol among the green forest heroes.
However, on this day, the legendary story of the Black Tiger Army is destined to end.
Under the full cover of the imperial court, the astonishing feats of the Black Tiger Army are destined to be lost in the long river of history, leaving no records or traces.
*
During this period of time, Liang Fuchen has been imprisoned in the cellar of Yuqingguan by the horse bandits.
Liang Fuchen's entourage and bodyguards were also imprisoned here.
The cellar was not large, only two or three feet wide and long, but it held thirty or forty people. It was naturally overcrowded, but Liang Fuchen's bodyguards and followers were all loyal, even when life or death was uncertain. Dare to be disrespectful to Liang Fuchen, no matter how narrow the cellar space is, they are just huddled together, but it left enough room for Liang Fuchen to move, so Liang Fuchen's living environment during his imprisonment was not particularly bad.
At this time, Liang Fuchen was huddled in the corner of the cellar. Because he had not been able to take care of his appearance for a long time, his hair and beard were unkempt, his beard and hair were messy, his complexion was sallow and sickly, his figure had also lost a lot of weight, and he no longer had the majesty and solemnity of the past.
However, Liang Fuchen's eyes were still bright and sharp, and they had not changed at all due to the humiliating and frustrating experience during this period. His whole temperament had become more aggressive, like a sword that had been sharpened for many years and was about to be unsheathed at any time. Blood.
Ever since he was imprisoned and kidnapped by horse bandits, Liang Fuchen has been thinking about a question - who instigated this group of horse bandits to kidnap him?
The amount of information was too small for Liang Fuchen to make an accurate judgment. However, Liang Fuchen believed that the scope of the masterminds behind the scenes was not large. Those who had the courage, ability, and reasons to do such a thing were those at the center of the imperial court. There were three choices to be made: several powerful ministers, Han internal officials who were bribed by the Mongolian tribes, and Zhao Junchen, who was currently in charge of the military and political affairs of Shaanxi and Gansu.
"I am a cabinet minister and an imperial envoy. Unless all the horse bandits are completely insane, how can they dare to provoke them? This group of horse bandits is just a ragtag group and is by no means a match for my accompanying bodyguards. However, the horse bandits are attacking. At that time, I and the guards just happened to have a bad stomach at the inn. This coincidence is also strange... No matter how you deduce it, there must be someone behind this incident...
... Once the news that I was kidnapped by horse bandits spreads, my reputation will be destroyed, and His Majesty's plan to control the cabinet through my hands will also come to nothing! In the eyes of those powerful ministers, the fire sifting into the bandits was just a minor skin disease. Naturally, they would not care about the impact this incident would have on the Shaanxi-Gansu border defense... Considering this aspect, the mastermind behind the scenes may indeed be the temple. One of the powerful officials here, or even their joint efforts, they can also accurately grasp my route and time after leaving Beijing... However, most of these powerful officials are cautious and scheming people. , now I have not completely broken up with them, but it is hard to believe that they would suddenly make such a risky move..."
"Over the years, various Mongolian tribes have been committed to buying Han spies as lackeys in Shaanxi and Gansu. There are actually many traitors like the Wang family... If the Mongolian Tatars and these traitor lackeys learn that I am about to return to Huama The news that Chi Ying is in charge of the overall situation naturally makes me regard this as a big worry. It is natural to temporarily bribe the horse bandits to attack me... However, if the mastermind behind this incident is the Mongolian Tatars, why would they? Leave me alive till now?..."
"There is also Zhao Junchen, who is also very suspicious... On the surface, Zhao Junchen has no reason to harm me. He just temporarily took charge of the military affairs of Shaanxi and Gansu by chance. But now the three sides of Shaanxi and Gansu are in full swing. Facing the most serious intruders in decades, the border army was extremely corrupt, and Zhao Junchen himself was a civil servant who was not familiar with military strategy. Under such circumstances, once there was a problem with the Shaanxi-Gansu border defense, Zhao Junchen would inevitably be the scapegoat. The candidate, logically speaking, he should be eager for me to rush to Huamachi Camp as soon as possible to take over his position...
However, Zhao Junchen's city government scheming is not inferior to Zhou Shangjing's, and no one can guess his true thoughts... Looking back carefully, Zhao Junchen has been using the northwest border defense to drive me to do something for him. He does things, and his experience of leaving the capital for Shaanxi and Gansu as an imperial envoy for disaster relief is also full of strangeness. It always gives people a sense of foresight and deliberateness... Now, Zhao Junchen is already in Shaanxi and Gansu. With sole power, if he really has some ulterior motives and learns that the imperial court has arranged for me to go to Huamachi Camp to replace him, he will definitely find a way to prevent me from arriving at Huamachi Camp. It is also common to use horse bandits... "
As he was thinking secretly, Liang Fuchen's eyes couldn't help but gleam, and he secretly concluded in his heart: "In short, whether it is the powerful officials in the temple, the Mongolian Tatars and Han spies, or Zhao Junchen, all three parties are suspected... ...Now that I am detained in the dungeon, I have no information at all, but I am unable to make any further inferences. However, this group of horse bandits have not attempted to kill me since they kidnapped me, which means that I will not be killed in a short period of time. Sooner or later, the court will rescue me from the horse bandits... When I see the light of day again, I only need to find out what happened outside while I was imprisoned by the horse bandits, and I can make further inferences!
If the Mongolians had known about my kidnapping by horse bandits early on, it means that the masterminds behind the scenes were probably Mongolian Tatars and Han spies! If this matter became a big deal and everyone knew about it while I was imprisoned, and the court could not conceal the news at all, it means that the mastermind behind the scenes only wanted to damage my reputation and prestige, but several powerful officials at the center of the court were the most suspected. ! But if during my imprisonment, Zhao Junchen took advantage of the opportunity to monopolize power in Shaanxi and Gansu to do something big, that means... Zhao Junchen is the most suspect! In the final analysis, it all depends on who benefits the most from my being kidnapped by horse bandits! "
During this period of time, Liang Fuchen has been imprisoned in the cellar. No matter what he wants to do, he has no chance and conditions. He can only repeatedly think about being kidnapped by horse bandits.
Liang Fuchen was originally a man of great strategism. After such a long period of careful consideration and careful inference, even when there was insufficient information, it was enough for him to deduce something useful.
Therefore, after countless repeated deliberation, various hypotheses were deduced countless times, and all the ideas were extremely clear in Liang Fuchen's mind.
Including how to find out the mastermind after regaining his freedom, and how to take revenge after finding out the mastermind!
In fact, if Zhao Junchen could learn about Liang Fuchen's thoughts at this time, he would definitely hesitate whether he should really release Liang Fuchen!
*
"Mr. Liang, gentlemen, it's time to eat!"
In the evening of that day, the cellar of Yuqingguan was opened, and a middle-aged man with a wretched appearance appeared at the entrance of the cellar. He first called out to the cellar, and then lowered several boxes of food into the cellar in hanging baskets.
With the appearance of this middle-aged man and the food in the hanging basket, there was a slight commotion in the cellar.
All the attendants and guards who were imprisoned in the cellar turned to look at Liang Fuchen, waiting for Liang Fuchen's attitude.
Liang Fuchen has no intention of going on a hunger strike. Now he only hopes that he can finally escape safely, and he does not want to provoke the horse bandits who kidnapped him.
Therefore, Liang Fuchen nodded slightly, indicating to the guards and entourage that they could accept the food sent by the horse bandits.
This happens every day, and the food in the hanging basket is quickly taken away.
Zhang Daozhen was Liang Fuchen's confidant, and his status among the people in the cellar was second only to Liang Fuchen. After he was responsible for distributing the food, he sent a roasted chicken leg, a piece of grilled fish, and two white flour buns to Liang Fuchen. He whispered: "Mr. Liang Ge, you'd better eat something to fill your stomach first."
Liang Fuchen nodded lightly, showing no restraint at all, and directly picked up the chicken drumstick in front of him and bit into his mouth.
After chewing two bites of chicken leg meat, Liang Fuchen suddenly sneered: "The skill of this roasted chicken is pretty good. Although it is not as good as the chefs of famous restaurants, it shouldn't be the skill of a horse bandit..."
Zhang Daozhen nodded lightly and said in a low voice: "Students have also thought about it seriously. Since we were imprisoned, we have had three meals every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and each meal is considered sumptuous... Let's not talk about the craftsmanship of these meals for now. This is definitely not what ordinary horse bandits should have. The group of horse bandits who kidnapped us are all from the northwest. Everyone is accustomed to having only two meals a day, morning and evening. These three meals a day are a eating habit only found in the capital and areas near Jiangsu and Zhejiang. …”
Liang Fuchen sneered again and said: "Yes, how can the people in the northwest have the habit of eating three meals a day, let alone think so carefully about us prisoners... It seems that the person behind the horse bandits who kidnapped us must be He has something to do with the capital...at least he comes from a wealthy family!"
Zhang Daozhen frowned and thought about it for a moment, and was about to say something when the man outside the cellar asked again with a playful smile: "Mr. Liang, ladies and gentlemen, there are a total of three roast chickens, five grilled fishes, and a large amount of fish for dinner today." There are 30 white-flour steamed buns stewed in the basin. You are all nobles. We, the Black Tiger Army, do not dare to treat you badly. We have been treating you well with big fish and meat. My brothers usually don’t see any meat. I can only be jealous and drooling. You can't be ungrateful... By the way, the leader of my family has said that if you want to eat anything else in the future, just ask for it. If it is within your ability, I will definitely do it. Satisfied everyone!”
Liang Fuchen winked at Zhang Daozhen. Zhang Daozhen nodded slightly, but raised his head and asked: "Brother, there is one thing I want to ask. How long do you plan to lock us up? You are extorting ten dollars from the government. Is there any news from the government about the ten thousand taels of gold?"
The middle-aged man still had a playful smile on his face and said: "Thanks to everyone, the government is preparing gold now, and I, the old cow, will probably be able to get some of it...ah!!!!"
However, before the middle-aged man finished speaking, he suddenly screamed, as if he had been stabbed.
In fact, this middle-aged man was stabbed to death, and everyone in the cellar soon smelled the smell of blood.
At the same time, everyone also faintly heard the sounds of fighting outside the cellar.
And, the desperate cries of the horse bandits!
"Officers and soldiers! Officers and soldiers are coming!!"
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