In the middle of the night, Lin Baotong suddenly woke up. He has been practicing martial arts for a long time, and his hearing is naturally excellent, and he can sensitively detect subtle noises at night.
The night wind not only carries the fragrance of green grass and the sweet smell of earth after rain, but also... there is also the unique smell of men.
The grass stems made a slight "shasha" sound under the men's footsteps, which should mean that enemies from three directions were closing in.
Lin Baotong glanced at the small bowl quietly, let go of the hand holding the scabbard, and chose the whistle stick again.
Suddenly a figure appeared from behind the bonfire. Master Lin stood up straight and jabbed his stick behind him. He didn't care about the "ouch" sound coming from behind and threw it away with his hand.
Before the man on the other side could stand still, he saw that the stick had already reached his head with the sound of wind, and he hurriedly raised his shield to block it. Unexpectedly, the stick was very powerful, and with a muffled sound, he was knocked back several steps, and finally he couldn't stand anymore. ” and fell into the pond.
By the time he emerged, Lin Baotong had already knocked down two or three more.
At this time, Xiao Wan'er also woke up, but he still didn't understand what happened.
He grabbed his eyebrow-leveling stick and dodged it. He blocked the two weapons and hit one of them on the calf with the stick. However, he was forced by the other person's shield knife and could not return to his master.
Lin Baotong also encountered two people with better martial arts who forced him, and he was besieged by several people from behind. In his haste, he kicked over the support and the pottery pot hanging on it fell down. The remaining fish soup extinguished the bonfire.
Without the light, these people immediately panicked. Lin Baotong sneered and stopped panicking when he knew the strategy was working. Fighting in the dark by listening to the sound, the group's numerical advantage was lost.
He began to move closer to his disciple. Suddenly he heard a step that he had never seen before rushing towards him.
"Get out of the way!" A voice shouted: "Surround the thieves and don't let them escape!" It sounded familiar.
Before Lin Baotong could think too much, a cold sword light flashed by. He hurriedly hid to avoid it. The sword light came after him again, as if he knew how to dodge. Lin Baotong quickly dodged again, taking the opportunity to sweep away with his stick, but Sweeped it all.
The two of them went back and forth like this for six or seven times. They saw the light of the sword and the whistling of the stick. The people around looked at the figure in admiration, but did not hear any sound. They were all stunned.
Suddenly I saw the two sides ducking away, and the man using the knife shouted: "Hold on! Is the person on the opposite side a disciple of Longhushan or Sanqing Temple?"
Lin Baotong chuckled: "I also think your voice is familiar, but I can't remember it for the moment. Could it be that my family collided with my family in the black world?"
After hearing this, the big man hurriedly called to his men: "Bring a torch and light up my face!" A torch lit up, reflecting Shenjie's clear-cut face.
"So it's Senior Brother Shen?" As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Baotong came out from the darkness, clasped his fists and cupped his hands and asked teasingly: "We haven't seen each other in Longhu Mountain for so many years, why did Senior Brother start cutting trails here?"
"Ha! Junior brother Liu Xin, how come it's you who has caused such trouble for half the night?" Shen Jie couldn't laugh or cry: "Who is the king of the mountain? I am now working for Yu Qian's Southern Metropolitan Inspection Department, and I can be regarded as a half-corporate person. .
When I received the news, I thought I could catch a big thief, but I didn't know it was my junior brother. What kind of thing is this! "After that, he asked Xiang Yongdu to put down his weapons.
Lin Baozong took a look around and saw that there were at least half a hundred black heads. "Where is my disciple?" he asked immediately.
"Master, I'm here!" Xiao Wan'er agreed and squeezed in from behind.
"Here, let me meet a big shot. This is your uncle, Suo Tiangang Shenjie, one of the Three Heroes of Jiangnan. Kowtow quickly!"
Xiao Wan'er looked at the bearded man in surprise and hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed three times.
Suo Tiangang laughed, stretched out his hand to pull him up, patted him twice on the shoulder, asked his age, nodded and said: "Most of my brothers here are good soldiers in the army, but I didn't expect that your disciple can fight against four people." It’s not easy, it’s not easy!”
These words made Xiao Wan'er's face heat up, but luckily it was still dark and no one saw him. In fact, he had lost his footwork just now and could only parry. He felt embarrassed to be praised, so he had to smile and pass it by.
"Okay, since you're one of your own family, it's easy to talk."
Jie turned around, and a young man wearing green arrow sleeves, bare leather armor, and a gray felt hat with red tassels appeared in the light of the fire.
"Sergeant Zhou has worked hard and asked the brothers to be on guard in all directions. I will chat with my junior brother here for a few words and take a rest by the way."
"As ordered!" The officer gave a military salute and turned around to greet his superiors for arrangements.
Soon the bonfire was rekindled, and the three of them sat down on the field ridge. Shenjie took off his cloak and started drying it on the fire, while casually chatting with Master and Disciple Lin Baotong about where to recruit his disciples and other topics.
Lin Baotong glanced at it unintentionally and knew that manpower had been deployed around him, and about twenty people were standing on both sides, looking intently. The sentry commander Zhou also stood one step behind Shen Jie with his sword pressed. ap.
Suddenly something moved in his heart, and he looked at everyone carefully. At this time, they were all wearing raincoats and hats.
They came with raincoats and hats, he thought. "Senior brother, it's very majestic to mobilize troops and mobilize people this night!" Lin Baotong said casually with a smile.
"Awesomeness!" Shenjie smiled bitterly: "You didn't see, these people are all militiamen from the district team under the Santang Inspection Department.
They were supposed to be sleeping in a warm bed at home, but when they heard the warning that they were going to catch a female gangster, they ran here regardless of the wind and rain to set the net. Unexpectedly, it was your brother who they caught. "
"I'm not a good girl." As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized a question: "You came all the way to lower the net, knowing that we would take this route?"
"Of course! If you go to Santang Town, where else can you go? This is the shortest way."
"How did you know I was going to Santang?"
"Because you have our people following you all the way."
"Are you following me?" Lin Baotong was shocked and thought: "No, if someone was following me, I should have discovered it long ago!"
"How can you detect someone who is several miles away?"
"How can this be?"
"How is this impossible? We have a telescope!" As he said, Shenjie took out a copper pipe-like object from his bag and showed it to him: "When it gets daylight, try it and you will know whether what I say is true or false. .”
"Okay, even if what you said is true, where did you start following me?" Lin Baotong still didn't believe it.
"Our observation post noticed you as soon as you came out of the Tatehanako Camp. The news was reported to the Intelligence Section, and orders were given to follow you. Then three groups of people took over and followed you west.
When it was discovered that you were indeed going to Santang Town, a sentry rider rode a mule to Yanbu Ferry and flagged a signal to notify the other side of the river. After receiving the message, the inspector from the Inspection Department on the other side immediately rode a mule to Santang to report the news.
Then we sent out a sentry and rode a carriage across the river from the port to round up them. That's how it goes. "
"No wonder you guys came so fast, it turns out you didn't just walk!"
"There are dense water nets in Yugan. Walking is tiring and slow. It is better to ride a horse or a horse-drawn carriage to go faster.
In fact, we have other ways. For example, if we don't block it here, there will be boats on the way back and on the Santang River in front of you. No one can escape anyway! "
"So Liaohuazi didn't get any news from Huxi. Is it because you deliberately concealed it?"
"Yes!" Shenjie grinned, then stretched out his hand: "Bring it here."
"What?"
"The Liao bandits must have written letters to the Huxi people, right?"
Lin Baotong blinked his eyes twice. It was now bright and clear, and he could see that the village heroes were tightly surrounding the place. With Shen Jie beside him, he knew that it would be impossible to escape today.
"Do you think I should give it to you, or definitely give it to you?"
"Otherwise? Do you still want to chase me to the underworld to deliver a message for Polygonatum?"
"What do you mean, senior brother?"
"Chen Yuanhai and his son were beheaded a few days ago. The people they gathered together dispersed like birds and beasts. The Chen family's Stone Brain Village no longer exists! Junior brother, where else do you plan to send this useless letter?"
Lin Baotong stared at Shenjie dumbfounded for a while, then reached into his arms and took out the letter and handed it to him.
"I'm just a messenger, just
In order to repay him for saving my life, now that things have failed, I have to go back and repay him in other ways. Lin Baotong was a little troubled after saying that. He originally thought he could escape from the sea of suffering, but now...
"Junior brother, you don't have to be like this." Shen Jie received the letter and said, "A man should treat millions of people in the world, so why should he do small favors for himself?
He rescued you and you promised to deliver the letter, but did he have to deliver it? That doesn't make sense! You didn't know beforehand that the Chen family and his son were committing suicide. It's not your fault that the letter wasn't delivered.
You and him are already in peace, why bother asking for trouble? Furthermore, Liaohuazi has fallen into the plan of the metropolitan inspection team. He himself cannot protect himself, and his junior brother is still going to be a moth to the flame. Will he be martyred with him? "
Lin Baotong lowered his head and admitted in his heart that Shen Jie was right. However, the new goal he just had was suddenly lost again, and he was a little unsure of what to do. Lin Baotong looked at his disciple and put his arm around Xiao Wan'er's shoulders.
In the morning light, Shenjie noticed the shiny scar on his right cheek, and he couldn't help but sigh:
"Back then, Uncle Master had already reached a safe place, because Peng Yazi had saved his life, so he went back to help him, and as a result, you got such a scar on your face.
Does this story have to be played out again? Listen to me, a character like Polygonatum is not worth it! "
"I also know that his character is not very good, but..., alas! I don't know what to do. Should I go back to Santang Town with you, or send me to the prison in Yugan County?"
"How on earth did you get involved with Polygonum Huazi?" Hearing Shenjie ask this, the little bowler next to him started talking and told him everything.
"Oh, according to what you said, you never joined the gang, you were just suppressed by him for a while. What kind of crime is that?"
Shen Jie shook his head: "You are not considered prisoners at all, and there is no reason for me to send you to prison!" He thought about it and suggested:
"Why don't you go to Yugan as a guest for a few days, meet with the governor, and rest for a few days to figure out where to go and what to do, and then we'll talk?"
Lin Baotong turned his face and looked at the small bowl. When he saw his disciple nodding his head, he smiled and handed over his hands: "This kid has long wanted to get to know Li Sanlang. If he can get his wish, I'll be very lucky! I leave it to my senior brother to arrange everything."
Shenjie laughed and said it was easy. Then he stood up, patted the soil, and invited him to go to Santangbao Village first, from where he could take a fast boat back to Yugan that same day.
"Will you come back that same day?" Lin Baotong repeated in surprise.
"Yes, let's go by car and boat!" Shen Jie told them proudly: "You haven't seen it before, have you? That car and boat are fast and stable, and are not restricted by wind strength or direction.
In the past, only manpower was used to drive the waterwheel, but now it has been improved. The four-wheel waterwheel only needs two clutches, two navigators and two donkeys. It is very convenient to transport people and goods back and forth! "
As he said this, he called to Captain Zhou to assemble the team. After listening to their conversation, the sentry commander looked at Master and Disciple Lin Baotong with a much gentler look and a bit of a smile.
Shenjie and the others walked in the middle of the team, with two people in front of them, and the others followed behind. On the way, Lin Baotong suddenly remembered and asked Shenjie, "Why are they so active?"
"There is money to be made." Shen Jie told him: "If you catch a female officer alive, you will get fifty taels, and if you catch a dead woman, you will get thirty taels. Even if you have no results, you will get six cents of silver as long as you go on duty."
Lin Baotong exclaimed: "No wonder that Polygonum Huazi can't get any news from Huxi. Isn't this a big reward just to catch them one by one? Even someone like me, didn't I almost catch him?"
His words made Shen Jie burst into laughter. Even Mr. Zhou Shao and the village heroes also laughed after hearing this.
"This is called the whole nation becoming a soldier." Shen Jie said, "In the words of Li Sanlang, it means: Let the evil turtle Polygonum japonica fall into the big net woven by the people. Hey, let's see where he can bite!"
The evil turtle sneezed three or four times in a row. After blowing his nose, he cursed: "Maybe some woman wants me to go back early and huddle under the quilt and think about me!" The leaders around him laughed.
Getting up so early was to try to attack Yugan today, so Liaohuazi decided to go to the north gate to try her luck first.
However, this idea was opposed by several leaders on the grounds that there were many low-lying water pools and crisscrossing water systems in the north of Yugan City.
For the sake of flood control, the cities on both sides of Pengzemen (North Gate)
The wall is extremely tall, solid, thick and strong. Not to mention that no one has ever attacked it, even floods have not touched it. So everyone thinks you are not asking us to touch rocks with eggs?
But Liaohuazi disagreed. He felt that this was a county town after all. No matter what, with the financial and material resources of the county, you couldn't build a Nanchang mansion, right?
Besides, he sent someone to investigate last time, and the report said that the Yugan city wall was in disrepair. As for the group trainers, they were just bluffing people, so he didn't think it was that scary.
Whether it is a mule or a horse, it must be taken out for a walk. He decided to go to the north of the city to try first and see how it went.
Although it is a tentative attack, the airs must be strong enough. Two thousand people were ordered together, and with the siege ladder, the large group of people came towards the north gate in a mighty manner.
There was a hanging bell on the north gate tower, and a patrolman immediately rang the bell to warn. Li Dan took Zhao Jingzi and others to the city to observe the enemy's movements, and Fan County Zun also came trembling.
"Sir, why are you here?" Li Dan hurriedly stepped forward to help him and asked with concern: "I heard that I had a cold the day before yesterday. How can I work hard when my body is not well yet? You can leave it to me to wait here. It's okay. "
Fan Xianzun's face was pale, making it unclear whether he was weak after illness or frightened. "Even though the inspector said so, it's the first time a thief has invaded the city. There's no reason for me to lie on the hospital bed. I must come and see with my own eyes." He said tremblingly.
Everyone had no choice but to borrow a chair for him from the nearest residence and placed it in front of the crenel. As soon as he sat down, they saw Polygonum Flower's team swaggering into view.
All the commanders (including the county magistrate) took out their telescopes from their bags and looked at them. At this time, the lookout upstairs loudly reported:
"My lords, the enemy team in front is flying the 'Polygonium Flag'! Their number is between 2,000 and 2,500!"
Why are there more? Because the captured people were used as auxiliary soldiers, carrying siege ladders and other equipment, the team seemed longer and more intimidating.
