Chapter 1 First Meeting (Three)

The way to heaven is a must-hang plaque in almost every green forest village.

Even Zhang Jincheng and Zhu Can, a famous man-cannibal devil in history, would have the same four words hung on the roof of their own Juyi Hall.

As for what the way of heaven in their hearts is, it is unknown. Anyway, God never speaks, and anyone can speak for him at will. (Note 1)

Early the next morning, the "heroes" from Yingchouling came out in full swing and rushed straight to Yi County. Along the way, whenever they encountered living people, whether they were passing vendors or local sheep-herding kids, they all fell to the ground with one knife, so as not to notice the intention of the "heroes" and take the initiative to inform the defenders of Yi County.

Poor people around Yi County, they had only been peaceful for a few months. They never thought that they were so poor that they would still be hit by bandits? Unpredictable, they were killed and corpses were everywhere. Until the "heroes" were weak and had to stop and eat wine and meat to replenish their energy, seven or eight young people with quick legs escaped, crying and shouting to the city to ask for help from the government.

Unexpectedly, their legs just entered the west gate of the county town, "Hulala", the defenders on the top of the city had already scattered birds and beasts. No matter how many hundred generals on duty shouted, they couldn't even hold them together.

"The bandits are entering the city!"

"The bandits are entering the city!"

"The mountain kings of Yingchouling have come down!"

...

The hundreds of generals could not restrain their soldiers, but the news that the bandits were about to attack the city spread wildly. In a blink of an eye, the vendors on the street rolled from west to east like leaves in the autumn wind. Behind them, only dry goods, wild vegetables, straw sandals, felt hats, pots and pans were left.

The news reached the county government office. Commander Sun Fangding left the beautiful concubine who was holding in his arms, jumped onto a war horse, and left. Immediately afterwards, three yamen runners, the chief prisoner, and the clerk, all joined the fleeing army. When the county magistrate He Chen came back from the shock and wanted to organize people to resist, there were only sixty-five-year-old masters and twelve-year-old scholars left by his side. Even if everyone was reincarnated by Nan Jiyun, they were unable to turn the world back. (Note 2)

"Well, He has been taking the folk paste for several months, so he can't even take his face!" After walking around the empty county government lobby, the county magistrate He Chen sighed and said sadly.

Commander Sun Fangding could escape, and three yamen runners and clerks of various departments could escape, but he could not. Commander Sun Fangding was the clan brother of the governor Sun Fangjian. As long as his brother held the military power of the Yiwu Army tightly in his hand, the court would not dare to touch a hair. The yamen runners and clerks were not considered formal officials of the court. After the bandits left, the court wanted to restore order in Yi County, but they could not escape. He Chen was the only civil servant appointed by the Ministry of Personnel in the entire Yi County and even Taizhou. If he dared to abandon the city and flee when the people were in trouble, he would not only be caught and cut off his head to appease the people's hearts, but his parents, wife and children would probably be doomed.

"Owner, no, why not go to the east gate first. Maybe..., this season is the time when vendors go out of the blockage. I said, maybe I can find some swordsmen and friends to fight with the bandits for the goods!" Seeing that the county magistrate was about to close his eyes and wait for death, Master Cao Shen staggered to him and stammered in his suggestion.

He is already at his age, and even if he escapes from the city, he will starve to death halfway. So the only way out is to find a way to help the boss guard the county town, and maybe he can survive in a desperate situation.

"East, at the east gate? Why?!" County Magistrate He Chen was confused when he heard this, and asked in a low voice with tears on his face.

"There are only two gates in Yi County. So many people are running out in a mess. How could they all go out in a short while? Dongweng, you can die anyway, so you can shout with your life. Maybe you can be a living horse! "Master Cao Shen was so anxious that he was sweating. He pushed County Magistrate He and added loudly.

"Dead horse, dead horse, oh-!!" He Chen was pushed back several steps one after another, and his tailbone hit the pillar, grinning in pain.

After the pain, he stimulated his wildness. He made his heart a little bit wild and said loudly: "You are right. At worst, it's a death. I might be able to keep my name in history! San'er, go to the East Gate. I don't believe that there is no man in the entire county town!"

"Well! Master!" Shutong He Saner raised his hand and wiped his nose and tears, responding in a hoarse voice. Like Master Cao Shen, he was also a product that had to starve to death even if he escaped from the county town alive. So he had to stay and bet on his life with his boss.

The only three men in the entire county government supported each other, stumbled and took shortcuts, walked through the alley, and headed straight to the east gate. Sure enough, on the street half a mile away near the door, I saw a crowd of people who had already become blocked.

Three or four carriages that were overturned on the ground filled the city gate. Some strong men with quick hands and feet had already climbed over the carriage and were pushing and shoving each other to get out of the city first. Some yamen runners and soldiers who were anxious but couldn't squeeze near the city gate, waved iron rulers and weapons, and fought against the road fighters around them.

"Oh, thief, you dare to beat me!"

"I'm a bitch, I don't have the courage to kill the thief, but I dare to greet me. I'm fighting with you today!"

"The ungrateful wolf, spit out all the things you usually eat and take to everyone!"

"Battle him, beat him to death. At worst, everyone will die here together!"

"Beat him, beat him, beat him well..."

The other people blocked the door were not all those who were obedient. Seeing that the military and yamen runners wanted to ride on their heads and shit, they were furious. They picked up a soft shoulder pole and a self-defense knife to fight against the military and yamen runners. For a moment, they fought around the city gate and cried and became more and more chaotic.

"Don't, stop fighting, what's the ability for your own people to beat your own people? If you have the guts, come with me to kill the thief to guard the city gate!" County Magistrate He Chen blushed with shame, opened his voice, and greeted both sides in the fierce battle.

No one was willing to accept his mobilization. The surrounding environment was too noisy. The sound he made with all his strength was swallowed up in a blink of an eye.

"You, please help me shout, shout! It's a man, don't be too arrogant, go and kill the thief to guard the city gate!" He Chen was so anxious that he was full of tears. He grabbed his master with one hand and his book boy with the other, and asked loudly.

"Stop fighting, what's the ability to be arrogant in the nest? Can't you find a man in such a big county?" As soon as he finished speaking, a thunder suddenly sounded in his ears. A man about eight feet tall but dressed as a vendor jumped onto a carriage full of goods and ridiculed him loudly.

Both sides were stunned and slowed down at the same time. Before everyone could think about how to talk, someone sneered and ridiculed, "Hey, everyone said that Yan Zhao is so generous and tragic. I also asked someone to ask where Jing Ke's temple was? As a result, Jing Ke's temple was not found, but he saw a coward in a city!"

After a few words, the voice was not too high, but it was rare to be clear. Not only did it attract the attention of both sides who were fighting, but even among the escapees who had climbed through the carriage, some people stopped and turned around embarrassedly.

"Why, did Zhao say it wrong? So many men are rushing to run for life with women and children. What's the point of being a coward?" The questioning voice still came from the same position. The speaker was a young man in his early twenties and fair-faced man. A companion with a slim and long waist stood beside him. Seeing that everyone's attention had been successfully attracted, the two smiled and bowed to the man dressed in the carriage.

The man standing in the carriage dressed as a vendor was slightly stunned, then he understood it, bowed and quickly returned the salute, and then loudly suggested to the surroundings: "Everyone escapes so chaoticly, all of them will be blocked by bandits. Why not leave some people to close the west gate and hold the bandits. Let the old, weak, women and children calmly hit the east gate and leave?"

"Yes, young and strong, follow me to guard the west gate and hold the bandits. Let the young and old leave the east gate first!" County Magistrate He Chen, like a person about to die of thirst, suddenly drank sweet rain, and was greatly mobilized. He waved his arms and mobilized the people around him.

His voice was sharp and high, and his official robe was also very eye-catching, but he still received no response. Among the crowds, most of the people continued to squeeze towards the door desperately. Only seven or eight merchants in long robes turned their heads and shouted at the man standing in the carriage: "Chai Dalang, you said it nicely. You are a man, take your friend to wait for me to cut off the rear! Don't fool me to wait for the west gate, you will leave the east gate first!"

"Of course Chai has to go and break the back personally!" The man standing in the carriage smiled, not at all interested in the runs of his peers. "If you don't believe me, wait and see, which of the guys under Chai are crowded at the door?"

Hearing this, the vendors immediately looked up. Sure enough, in the chaotic group, no face belonging to the Chai caravan was seen. However, the friends and swordsmen under their command either lost their hats or had their coats torn, and they were all as embarrassed as beggars.

"Chai brought ten carts of tea cakes and more than twenty carts of other groceries. Now Chai is willing to take out five carts of tea cakes to recruit heroes. He doesn't want to be blocked by bandits in the city as sheep and kill them. He goes to the west of the city with me. As long as he survives this disaster, Chai is willing to share the five carts of tea cakes with everyone!" Taking advantage of the time when everyone was looking around, Chai Dalang, who was standing on the carriage, continued to shout loudly. He was not wearing iron armor, nor had he held a sword in his hand, but he was as calm as a general of war.

After an instant, the responses were heard everywhere. The guys from other places, the swordsmen, local village heroes, yamen runners, and young men turned their heads and rushed to Chai Dalang's side.

"I'll go!"

"I don't want your tea cake!"

"I'll go, you, a foreigner, dare to fight to the death. We natives can't all be afraid of death!"

"Let's go to Ximen, go to Ximen, die if you die!"

The group of people crowded at the gate of the city suddenly became loose. Although many young and strong men did not have enough courage to turn around and kill the thief, they were embarrassed to compete with the elderly, weak, women and children for the road. They all hid out sideways and gave their chances of escape to those who need it more.

However, there are also some natural sluts who cannot bear to be nobler than themselves. While continuing to squeeze out the city desperately, they shouted sarcastically, "Hehe, to put it nicely, do you treat everyone as fools? Who doesn't know that you rich guys are in the same group as bandits. When they catch you, they will take away 30% of the goods. When they catch us, those who have no money, they will take the first shot!"

"Isn't it? You can buy your life with money, so don't take us to die."

"Let's go, let's go. The fool only listens to his fooling around!"

"Don't block the way, don't block the way, the bandits will come in immediately!"

"Run, it's too late if you don't run!"

...

In a blink of an eye, Chai Dalang finally stabilized the situation and was disturbed by several rascals. At the east gate of the county town, a big porridge pot was chaotic. The men who had turned around and were about to fight side by side with Chai Dalang also stopped hesitantly.

"Fuck, the bandits have attacked the county town, how could they still follow the rules of the past?" At this moment, the square-faced young master who had helped Chai Dalang spoke again. With one sentence, the fantasy in everyone's hearts was shattered. "I obviously want to do my best to do a big vote and then escape to Liao Kingdom. If you don't believe it, just run and see if you can escape the group of tigers and wolves in the mountains!"

"Fight with them!"

"Search the guys, fight with them!"

"There is no way out, everyone is going to do it!"

"If you fight, they won't let us live, so we..."

The people blocked the door, especially the passing merchants and guys, all turned red with their eyes and gritted their teeth. The bandits rarely attacked the county town unless they had already tried their best to fight the government army to the death. The bandits who had sacrificed their lives would naturally not follow the rules of "flying without drying up the lake". After blocking the vendors, they would definitely kill them all and rob them without leaving any buds!

"I want to fight for you, grandpa will not be with you!"

"Run, run quickly! It's really too late to not run!"

"Run quickly, whoever doesn't run will be stupid!"

"Get out of the way, get out of the way, I..."

The rascals crowded at the door were shouting louder and louder, fearing that the order would not be chaotic enough and delay their own troubled waters.

Just as he was shouting happily, suddenly a flash of lightning flashed through the air.

"Puff!" A cold axe roared from the outside of the crowd, staggering the gangster leader who was shouting the loudest, and he staggered for several steps, and was extremely angry on the spot!

Note 1: Zhang Jin said that Zhu Can was both famous heroes at the end of the Sui Dynasty. The former liked to eat people raw, while the latter liked to steam and put them in wine. Li Yuan once sent an envoy to surrender Zhu Can. Zhu Can first planned to surrender, but later because of a disagreement, he steamed all the envoys and entourages and distributed them to the left and right to eat.

Note 2: Nan Jiyun, Zhang Xun's favorite general, guarded Suiyang with Zhang, killed countless enemies, and was finally caught and killed by the rebels due to lack of food.

Note 3: County Magistrate He Chen and Master Cao Shen, starring enthusiastic readers Hai Yang He Chen and Caosan. The drunkard here thanks everyone for their long-term support.
Chapter completed!