The sea breeze blew, and the golden dragon-patterned flag rustled.

Liu Xia sat with a sullen face in the square outside the Qinshuicheng County Government Office. The tiger guards on both sides were lined up in a row, holding black knives, with fierce eyes and solemn murderous looks.

In front of him, several guards commanders and magistrates from nearby cities fell to their knees on the ground, all of them trembling with fear and trembling.

"Wang Tianlong, why did you retreat without fighting that day?"

Liu Xia asked coldly.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, Wei Chen led his troops to the outside of Qinshui City that day and saw a large number of pirates in the city. Wei Chen felt that he was outnumbered, so he ordered the troops to retreat."

"Okay! Zhang Yun. Why did you evacuate?"

Liu Xia asked again.

"Wei Chen only had less than 700 troops. Seeing Wang Tianlong evacuate, Wei Chen did not dare to fight. So he also evacuated."[

"So, you have nothing wrong?"

Liu Xia asked.

"The smallest minister knows his sin, and the smallest minister knows his sin."

Zhang Yun hurriedly kowtowed and said.

"No wonder the pirates are so rampant and don't pay attention to our imperial army. Come, drag all these people out and execute them in a hurry. They will whip their corpses for a day."

Liu Xia suddenly stood up and shouted angrily.

Immediately, the tiger guards behind him rushed up without any explanation and dragged those people down.

"Your Highness, have mercy on me, Your Highness, have mercy on me."

Immediately, voices begging for mercy arose one after another.

"Come here, stop their mouths first. Ling Chi won't let them die for less than ten thousand dollars."

Liu Xia drank angrily.

"As a parent official, you knew clearly that the pirates were invading, but you didn't know how to stand up. Instead, you ran away without fighting. This encouraged the pirates' arrogance. If you had dared to enter the city to fight, even if you lost to the pirates, these people would not have been preyed upon like this.

.You still have the nerve to beg me for mercy."

Liu Xia pointed at them and roared.

Immediately, these people were tied to the copper pillars, and the executioner immediately began to strike.

One knife after another, pieces of skin and flesh were cut off. The officials' mouths were blocked and their whole bodies twitched in pain.[

The people watching around him didn't feel relieved.

On that day, if they had not fled in fear of the battle, even if a thousand officers and soldiers rushed in, they would have been able to escape from the city and they would not have allowed those pirates to do whatever they wanted in the city.

Suddenly, cheers and cheers filled the sky.

"Zhang Zong sent an order to the defenders of Jiangzhou, Kunzhou and Taizhou. Anyone who encounters pirates and flees without fighting will be killed and pardoned, and will be punished as treason and collaboration with the enemy."

Liu Xia said angrily.

"As commanded."

Zhang Zong cupped his fists and said.

"Your Highness, it's almost time. It's time for us to set off."

Duan Lingxiao reminded.

Liu Xia immediately turned around and prepared to leave.

At this time, a young man suddenly rushed out from the crowd and blocked Liu Xia's way.

The tiger guard behind him immediately pushed the young man to the ground.

"Let him go."

Liu Xia took a look and saw that this young man was the one who spat on him in the courtyard today.

When the tiger guard heard the order, he quickly let go of him.

"Your Highness, the common people have something to say."

The young man hurriedly knelt on the ground and shouted.

"What's your name?"

"Your Highness, the Cao Min's name is Su Cheng, and he is a fisherman here. Now that the Cao Min's family has been destroyed, I beg the prince to grant permission to let the Cao Min set off with the army. Although the Cao Min has not been on the battlefield, the Cao Min wants to avenge my wife and children. I sincerely ask the prince to give the Cao Min a chance.

.”

Immediately, Su Cheng knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Liu Xia saw that he was also a pitiful person and eager for revenge, so he nodded and said: "Okay. I am sure."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness."

Su Cheng stood up immediately, wiped his tears, and stood to one side.

"Your Highness, we also want to avenge our family."

Suddenly, the surrounding people who were watching fell to their knees with cheers.

Liu Xia looked at them. Everyone had white cloth wrapped around their arms. It was obvious that relatives at home had been killed.

Many people have lost their families and their families.

When Liu Xia saw this, he took a deep breath and said, "I feel your desire for revenge. You are allowed to join the army, but I have something to say."

"As long as His Highness is willing to accept us and let us avenge our relatives, we will agree to anything."

Immediately, a strong man shouted.

"Yes, yes, we listen to the prince."

"Very good, fighting in the army is not a child's play. Everything must obey military orders. Otherwise, I will take military action. As long as you agree, go to war with me immediately."

Liu Xia shouted.

"We promise."

At this moment, these people kowtowed one after another.

When Duan Lingxiao saw this, he smiled helplessly and did not stop him.

Although these people have great hidden dangers, their willingness to set off with the army shows that they still have blood in them.

A soldier can have nothing, but without blood, he is like a tiger without claws and teeth.

"Okay, you go back and pack up, then leave in a quarter of an hour and head north."

Liu Xia said.

Immediately, Liu Xia left with the tiger guards.

In less than half an hour, the army continued to move north.

They rested twice on the way, and in the early morning of the third day, Liu Xia's army arrived at the outskirts of Jiangling.

Immediately, the army began to station.

Liu Xia took Duan Lingxiao into Jiangling City.

Zhang Changyuan went south, and the Jiangling City garrison and state officials went out to greet him.

The guard king Qinghe was very surprised when he saw Liu Xia.

I thought Liu Xia was commanding the suppression of bandits in the south, why did he suddenly come here?

"Master Wang, how many defenders does Jiangling have now?"

Liu Xia asked when he saw him.

"Go back to your lord, there are still two thousand soldiers."

"Sure enough, from now on, the news of my arrival in Jiangling will be blocked immediately. The city will be closed for seclusion and no one will be allowed to enter or exit."

Liu Xia said.

"Your Highness, what happened?"

"I guess that the Ji Island pirates are going to attack Jiangling. You should take people to prepare immediately. Remember, be sure to block the news."

Liu Xia said.

When Wang Qinghe heard this, he immediately understood it as soon as he guessed it. He hurriedly clasped his fists and said, "I understand, little one."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Liu Xia climbed onto the Jiangling City Wall and headed towards Ruhai Wharf.

"Your Highness, when the pirates sacked Qinshui City, they knew everything inside the city. I suspect that someone tipped them off and acted as an internal agent."

Duan Lingxiao said.

"I know. But don't worry. I have my own way to deal with them. Zhang Zong, you can go and inform Huang Pujie now. This time, I want to see how capable these pirates are."
To be continued...