Zongfang said: "My father's wish is that if you return all the captured people, we will release half of the prisoners; when you return General Sun Li, we will release another half of the prisoners. As for the future, we will see later."
Deng Fei couldn't help but get anxious after hearing this, and said angrily: "You are so good at settling accounts, why don't you do business? We captured no less than 300 people last night. Even the leaders who are good at fighting, there are five of them. You can't take them all." The four of me will pay back this half and the other half. I don’t know, but you guys won the battle?”
Zongfang calmed down, smiled slightly, and just looked at Cao Cao without saying a word.
How could Cao Cao be willing to offend Deng Fei and said calmly: "My brother's word is my word. In three to five days at most, we can mobilize thousands of troops and horses. By then, your city will be destroyed, and no chickens or dogs will be left behind."
Zongfang's expression did not change, and he forced a smile and said: "My father said that although Wu Daguan is ambitious, he has a beautiful world in his heart, and he is a heroic figure. He will never kill innocent people indiscriminately."
Cao Cao looked at him coldly, without revealing any truth: "If you are influenced by the words of the world, you are not worthy of being called a hero. Mr. Zong does not need to talk to Wu. Since we are united, there will be no innocent people in the city."
Zongfang finally lost the smile on his face, clasped his fists and said, "In this case, this matter is beyond my control. I will report it to my father when I go back."
Cao Cao suddenly laughed and said: "Sending messages back and forth can be done by a small soldier under my command. Why should the Young Master of the Labor Sect rush back and forth while overestimating talents and underutilizing them?"
Qin Ming and Deng Fei understood, and Pegasus rushed out and took Zongfang directly. Zongfang's face changed drastically, and when he was about to escape, he suddenly heard a cowardly scolding: "Don't hurt my father!"
A white horse ran out of the path next to it, with a knight on it. He raised his hand and fired two arrows. Qin Ming and Deng Fei felt their helmets shake, and the two helmet tassels fell into their arms. They hurriedly reined in the horse, and then they saw clearly. The knight was actually a girl.
The two generals couldn't help but be surprised: shooting off the tassel was an astonishing move. The tassel did not fall back with the arrow, but fell forward. This shows that his control over the power of the arrow has reached an advanced level. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would have thought that it was just a matter of time. A teenage woman actually has such magical skills?
When Zongfang saw his daughter, he was furious: "My ancestor ordered you to stay at home, how dare you sneak out?"
Zong Yuner puffed up her face and retorted: "If I don't come out, wouldn't they want to bully you?"
Cao Cao immediately held up his hands and said, "Thank you, girl, for being merciful and not hurting my two brothers." He was secretly glad in his heart. If Qin Ming and Deng Fei were killed, they would have no choice but to die.
"Shut up!" Zong Yun'er's expression suddenly changed. He stared at Cao Cao, his big eyes full of anger: "I thought you were good friends, but unexpectedly you turned out to be a bad guy. You want to attack our city and kill us all. Yes, I heard this with my own ears, and I, Zong Yuner, really misjudged you!"
As he spoke, he reached out and touched his quiver, then drew his bow and pointed it at Cao Cao: "Don't retreat yet! I will kill you now!"
Cao Cao was slightly startled - there was clearly nothing on the bowstring.
"Is this girl trying to scare me?" As soon as this thought came to his mind, the strong uneasiness in his heart changed Cao Cao's mind. He suddenly remembered that when we first met, Zong Yuner once boasted: "If I really show off the unique skill of the Shadowless Arrow, I’m afraid no one in the world can escape.”
Are there really shadowless and invisible arrows in the world?
Cao Cao couldn't understand her truth for a while, but he puffed up his chest and said solemnly: "If something happens to me, my brothers will definitely defeat Dengzhou!"
Zongfang said anxiously: "Yun'er, don't do anything."
Cao Cao continued: "Let's see, for Miss Zong's sake, as long as your ancestor is willing to return my four brothers, Wu will retreat and all the captives will be returned to you. As long as Zong Tongpan is still alive, Wu will As for the brothers under my command, how do you feel about Master Zong not being able to touch even a single inch of land in Dengzhou?"
Zongfang thought for a moment and said, "General Sun Li, you should return it to me."
Cao Cao said: "Sun Li is Luan Tingyu's junior brother, and I never wanted to hurt him. I promise you, I will let him go as soon as I get back."
Zongfang nodded and said: "In that case, let me repay my father!"
Then he shouted to his daughter: "Put away your bow and arrows and follow your father back to the city!"
Zong Yun'er slowly put away the bow and arrows and put the arrows back into the quiver. Cao Cao opened his eyes and took a closer look, but he still couldn't see anything clearly in her hand, and he became more and more confused.
The father and daughter of the Zong family flew away on horseback, but Cao Cao did not stop and drove his troops directly to the gate of Dengzhou City.
The city gate of Dengzhou was closed tightly. There were many people on the city head, carrying various instruments. When they saw it, they all exclaimed: "The thief is coming, the thief is coming."
Cao Cao formed a formation outside the range of the bow and arrow, ordered the captured officers and soldiers to be pushed to the front row and knelt down, with spears pressed against their vests behind them. Apparently they had a disagreement, so he attacked these people first.
Many of the soldiers and civilians at the top of the city knew these prisoners, and some were even close relatives. Seeing this situation, they immediately became chaotic, crying and cursing, and the military judge couldn't suppress them even though he yelled and scolded them.
After waiting for about half an hour, the city gate suddenly opened wide, and dozens of public servants pushed out four prison carts. Inside were Luan Tingyu, Shi Xiu, Mu Hong, and Zhou Tong.
When Shi Xiu saw Cao Cao, he shouted: "Brother, don't worry about us, just fight when it's time to fight!"
Zong Yun'er, who was riding on the side, shouted: "Stop, you are talking nonsense, I will kill you!"
Shi Xiu stretched out his neck and said: "Kill you, kill me, kill me, just to save my brother from trouble."
Mu Hong and others shouted: "He lost his head and had a scar as big as a bowl. He is still a man after eighteen years. Come and kill him."
Zong Yuner said angrily: "The surnamed Wu is not a good person. He said before that he would kill all our chickens and dogs. Why do you, why do you do things for bad people!"
Shi Xiu saw that the girl was so anxious that she had tears in her eyes. She softened her heart slightly and said, "There are not many officials in the world as good as your grandfather. Even your grandfather can only protect the people under his rule from suffering. I My brother’s ambition is to make no one suffer in the world. You think he is a bad person, and I also think that someone like your grandfather, who knows the emperor is fatuous but still defends him to the death, is a bad person."
Mu Hong smiled and said, "Brother Shi Xiu, why do you need to say so much? A little girl naturally doesn't understand the principles of a man."
Zongfang was afraid that his beloved daughter would be deceived, so he quickly said: "Although I am ignorant, I know that being loyal to the emperor and serving the country is the right way. Naturally, my family does not understand these fallacies and heresies."
After that, he raised his voice and said: "Master Wu, I have brought your people out. Please let our people go first."
Cao Cao looked from a distance and saw that the four people's clothes were intact and their faces were not bad. He knew that they had not suffered much. He felt confident and ordered: "Let half of them go."
Deng Fei took the order and asked his men to release half of the prisoners. Those people were surprised and happy, and they got up and ran towards Penglai.
Zongfang said: "Okay, you will come to pick me up later."
Deng Fei found an axe, galloped out, dismounted directly to the prison cart, and swung his big ax to split the prison cart. Four heroes jumped out one after another. Wang Zongfang and his daughter clasped their fists, turned around and ran back to their formation, and fell down on their knees. In front of Cao Cao: "Brother, I missed something important."
Cao Cao dismounted and helped everyone up and said: "I don't care about brothers. I underestimated Zongze and didn't expect him to move like thunder."
Ling Deng Fei: "Let the rest of the people go."
Zhou Tong suddenly saw Mrs. Gu in the crowd, pointed and cursed: "Brother, this is the woman who poured a pot of wine over for us and made the boss lose face."
Sister-in-law Gu looked back at him and sneered: "You guys have been around for a long time. You can eat and drink when I give you wine and meat. Do you also eat and drink when I give you shit?"
Shi Xiu is the most shrewd person, but he fell into the scheme yesterday. He didn't say anything on the surface, but secretly took it as a shame and humiliation in his life. At this moment, he stared at Sister-in-law Gu and said: "I also suffer the pain you deceive me. We all meet each other in the mountains and rivers. See you in the future." You will have your own reward.”
Sister-in-law Gu was about to retort, but Sun Xin, thinking that her brother was still available, grabbed the mother-in-law and dragged her away.
Cao Cao looked at the top of the city, waved his hand, and retreated along the same route with his troops.
On the top of the city, a haggard-looking Zongze appeared together with the prefect. Zongze had a sad face, coughed a few times, and whispered: "Mr. Prefect, this man is an extraordinary soldier, and he has many wolves and tigers under his command. If we don't get rid of them early, we will lose money in the future." There must be a big disaster." The magistrate nodded repeatedly and said: "Don't worry, Tongpan. When I tell the whole story, I will send a horse to report to the court and ask for credit for Tongpan."
At the same time, Cao Cao said to Deng Fei: "Brother, I have to work hard for you. I will lead dozens of people who are good at riding and shooting. They will be divided into several teams and take turns to keep an eye on the official road. Ordinary businessmen and travelers will ignore it and see the horsemen. Shoot him down and capture him. After seven days, it won’t be too late for you to return to Erlong Mountain.”
There are different religions: after a fierce battle, everyone withdraws their troops, but the Song Dynasty banner still floats on the city. Everyone understands when they meet in mountains and rivers, and everyone is frightened when encountering rivers and lakes.
(End of chapter)
