Under the declaration of surrender, Jiang Mingyu, Zhuge Yu, Tuxluo and Li Goudan were stunned almost at the same time, with expressions of disbelief on their faces. Jiang Mingyu asked with confusion: "Poisonous Scorpion"

, what do you mean?"

He was full of confusion. Just now he had led the army through the wind and snow without hesitation, but now he heard the news that a bandit leader wanted to surrender. He continued with a confused look on his face: "I led the troops to run for dozens of miles in the wind and snow.

, the knife is drawn out, you tell me to surrender?"

Poisonous Scorpion lowered his head and said humbly: "Sir, you may not know that the villain joined the bandits because he was forced by the landlord and had no choice."

There was a hint of helplessness and justification in his voice, "Perhaps you have also heard, Imperial Envoy, that although the villain is a bandit, he never disturbs the people nearby."

"The villain has spent many years in the banditry and knows that this is not a long-term solution. He has long wanted to escape from this path."

"Today, Your Majesty personally led troops to attack, which shows that Your Excellency loves the people. However, our strength in Xiewanggou is simply not enough to compete with Your Majesty's army, so I decided to surrender."

His words were full of regret and determination. He continued: "I once heard that your Excellency wiped out the bandits in Sanqing Mountain and Heifeng Ridge. Now that their leader has died in your hands, I don't think you care about my head."

."

Poisonous Scorpion pointed at the bandits behind him and continued in a firm tone: "We have put down our weapons and are waiting for your disposal. If you are willing, I can also hand over these people to show our sincerity."

Jiang Mingyu nodded and thought seriously for a moment: "You are right, I have wiped out the bandits in Sanqing Mountain and Heifeng Ridge, but they did it themselves."

He frowned and stared at the poisonous scorpion sharply: "Although you are a bandit, from your tone, it seems that you are not killing innocent people wantonly."

Poisonous Scorpion smiled slightly and responded: "Yes, although I am a bandit, I have always avoided harming innocent people. Although I feel guilty in my heart, I still have a clear conscience."

His face looked slightly gloomy, but he still said firmly: "Everyone in my village has put down their weapons. If you want to use our heads to take credit, I will have no complaints."

He lowered his head, looking weak but firm, as if he was a sinner facing the sentence.

After Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment, he asked: "I wonder how Venomous Scorpion plans to deal with himself in the future if I allow you to surrender?"

Poisonous Scorpion's eyes flashed with joy, and he answered without hesitation: "Don't worry, sir."

He continued to explain: "Although our brothers in the village have gone astray, they are all sons of good families who have been forced to do nothing. As long as the Lord allows us to surrender, I will order the disbandment of the village early tomorrow morning and return to our hometown to engage in farming."

Jiang Mingyu asked again: "But after you go back, aren't you worried that the landlord will bully you again?"

Poisonous Scorpion puffed up his chest and looked confident and determined: "Sir, I have just said that your ability to lead the army to suppress the bandits shows your love for the people. Moreover, your heroic deeds in the Xixia area, although we are in the village

, I have already heard and witnessed it.”

His voice was full of admiration and a hint of reverence: "With a good official like you making decisions for the people, even if we are bullied by landlords again in the future, we will have a channel to complain."

These words are not only an explanation, but also a beautiful polish for Jiang Mingyu.

Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Since you said so, I won't embarrass you anymore."

He glanced at the sky, which was already getting dark: "It's already getting dark now, and our army is camping outside the stronghold. Early tomorrow morning, you and I will burn the stronghold together and set off to leave here."

Poisonous Scorpion was so excited that he could hardly suppress his excitement. He suddenly knelt down in front of Jiang Mingyu and said, "Sir, thank you for your generous grace."

He stood up hurriedly and said in an excited tone: "Please wait a moment, sir. I will immediately order people to prepare wine and food for you and your brothers to enjoy themselves."

Jiang Mingyu nodded and smiled: "Thank you for your hard work, Poisonous Scorpion. I will arrange a camp here and will go there later."

Poisonous Scorpion bent down deeply, and after respectfully saying a few words of thanks, he led the people back to the village. His expression was full of gratitude and joy, as if he had seen the light of day again from the bottom of the valley.

In the newly built camp, Jiang Mingyu glanced sharply at the people in front of him: "Tell me, what do you think about this matter?"

At this time, he no longer looked as smiling as before, and his voice was also very low.

Li Goudan replied without hesitation: "Sir, do you need to say more? I take back what I just said, this poisonous scorpion is really a good man. Not only did he put down his weapons and surrender, he also prepared a banquet for us and killed them, and the people still didn't scold us.

?”

Tuxlow, who was wearing a snow-white cloak and had a gentle face, was silent and just listened quietly.

Seeing what Li Goudan said, Zhuge Yu thought for a moment and then said: "The problem may lie in this banquet."

Li Goudan looked confused: "What do you mean? Isn't it okay to treat us to a drink?"

Zhuge Yu said with a hint of anger: "Why can't you use your brain?"

His tone became sharp: "The poisonous scorpions claim that they rarely rob the people, so where does their food come from?"

"Have you ever thought about how much food is needed to hold a banquet for the two of us?"

"Just now, I asked the scouts who were sent here to conduct reconnaissance..."

Li Goudan was a little confused by the scolding and hurriedly asked: "What did the scout say?"

Zhuge Yu smiled: "The scout said that although the people praised the poisonous scorpion, their eyes were full of fear."

His tone was full of worry: "This means that the people nearby have been frightened by them and do not dare to tell the truth, and they do not even dare to disclose the real situation."

"I think this situation is just like what the master on the road said. The poisonous scorpion may be a very threatening person, and there may be other purposes hidden behind their surrender."

Jiang Mingyu continued to guide: "Keep talking."

Zhuge Yu thought for a moment and then continued: "Although I don't know their intentions yet, as far as they are concerned, surrendering now is definitely not the best choice."

"Except for the three of Shang Mu's most famous bandits, Sanqing Mountain and Heifeng Ridge have been wiped out by us."

"As long as Poisonous Scorpion can persist in our attack and block this wave of offensive, he will have a chance to dominate."

His voice became calmer: "Once he leaves the mountain village, it means giving up years of hard work and losing everything."

"What's more, if he surrenders to us, he may become a victim of his master like Yang Dazhuang."

"If you were poisonous scorpions, would you choose this kind of business that makes you lose money instead of making money?"

Tuxlow finally interjected: "What the gentleman means is..."

Before Zhuge Yu could answer, Jiang Mingyu had already taken over: "He means that this surrender may be just a trap."

"He may want to use the banquet later to attack us and eliminate us. Once we are dead, the so-called bandit suppression operation will be in vain. And they continue to be here. Who knows what kind of county magistrate will appear in the future?

."

"Once this official dies, Shang Mu will inevitably fall into chaos. It will be the time when Zhuge Yu said that 'the whole family will dominate'."

Tukslow still had some doubts: "But how could there be a few hundred of them destroying our two-man army? Isn't this unreasonable?"

Jiang Mingyu sneered: "How did the four of us defeat hundreds of Xixia cavalry back then?"

A flash of vigilance flashed in Tuxlow's eyes: "My lord, are you saying that they might be poisonous?"

Zhuge Yu then said: "Eight or nine are inseparable from ten."

Tuxlow's murderous intention became even stronger: "In this case, I will lead people into the stronghold and eliminate them all."

Although Tuxluo was full of murderous intentions, Zhuge Yu quickly stepped forward to stop him: "Don't act. There is no conclusive evidence for what we have speculated. We cannot make judgments easily."

He continued to explain: "And the master has agreed to leave a way for them to survive. If we change our minds, how will we explain to the sergeants in the future?"

Li Goudan's anxiety became more obvious: "Then shall we just let them poison us?"

At this moment, he had long forgotten what he said before about poisonous scorpions being "good people".

Anger filled Tuxlow, and he couldn't help asking: "My lord, what should we do now?"

Jiang Mingyu chuckled, with a hint of meaning in his tone: "Can these little tricks still stump me? You quietly inform the sergeants..."

His voice gradually became deeper and deeper, carrying a firm determination.

Tuxlow nodded, and as soon as he stepped out of the tent, the bandits from the village had already arrived.

They stood respectfully in front of Jiang Mingyu one by one. A leading bandit bent down and said: "Sir, the banquet has been prepared. Please come and dine with your brothers."
Chapter completed!