Just as Jiang Zhongxia stared dumbfounded at the dead county captain Peng Lin on the ground, a servant rushed in.
"Report, Mr. Jiang..." The officer looked at Jiang Zhongxia, who was sitting on the ground with horrified eyes, and Peng Lin, who was lying sprawled in a pool of blood. His whole face turned pale, like a It was as if all the energy, blood and courage had been wiped out in an instant. The guard's mouth was half open, but he had no strength to say what he said, as if he regretted breaking in. He saw something he shouldn't have seen and heard something he shouldn't have heard. He should have heard it, and he wished he could dig a hole in the ground and bury himself now. He didn't understand what was happening here. Apart from the chaos in his mind, he was also filled with fear that could not be dissipated.
"I...I don't know anything..." The guard's eyes now fell on Zhu An who was standing in the hall, especially the man standing next to Zhu An with a slight nod and a fierce look on his face. The pressure and fear were like a hand strangling the guard's neck. The guard was aware of the strange atmosphere and the evil murderous intent here. Although his legs were shaking a little, he still looked at the door subconsciously. Retreat.
"Stop," Zhu An yelled loudly.
The officer was deeply frightened, as if he was possessed by a demon. He dared not stop. Under such stimulation, he turned around and ran away. In his haste, he tripped over the threshold and stumbled up from the ground. Got the same escape.
Zhu An watched helplessly as the officer fled out the door without setting off or giving any orders to pursue him.
Just as the officer crossed the second door, suddenly a man dressed in gray clothes and coarse cloth fell from the eaves and stood in front of the officer, blocking his way to escape. The officer was caught in front of him. The man jumped, staggered, and was thrown sideways. Subconsciously, the officer who fell on the ground did not want to take out the simple knife from his waist. It was the last struggle before death.
Just when the blade of the sword had just come out of its sheath, the man in gray clothes and coarse cloth stepped on the officer's arm that was drawing the sword with agility. The officer was in excruciating pain, and his hand was numb and weak, and he had no strength at all. The man in gray clothes and coarse cloth stepped on it and hooked it, and the plain knife in the guard's hand was deftly kicked out of the sheath, flew up diagonally, and was held firmly by the man's outstretched arm.
The guard looked at his plain knife, and the fear on his face was reflected on the bright blade. His teeth began to clash with each other in an increasingly disobedient manner: "Spare...spare...spare my life, I...can't do anything..."
The man in gray clothes and coarse cloth didn't listen to his ramblings. He took his feet away from him, covered him with a big hand, pulled his collar, and carried him all the way back to the government hall.
The officer was thrown into the courtroom. You don't need to look at it to know that the frightened and pale county magistrate sitting on the ground is definitely not the person here, but the person standing on the ground who came to seek refuge a few days ago is the one who should be here. The speaker.
Zhu An looked at the guard with an expression that was half a smile but said, "Why are you running?"
"Little...I..."
"When someone dies, you have to report it to the county magistrate, right? You just had something to say. After you finish talking to him, he can't be so ignorant of the rules," Zhu An said with a condescending attitude and the overall situation in hand.
When the officer heard this, he remembered what he had just come in to report. Hearing what the man wanted him to say, he knelt on the ground tremblingly and said to Zhu An: "Report... report to your lord..."
"I'm not your adult. Where your adult is, you have to go and tell him," Zhu An said, pointing to Jiang Zhongxia sitting on the ground.
The officer glanced at Zhu An in a panic. He was a little confused about what this man meant, but he didn't care so much. He turned around on the spot, knelt down and reported to Jiang Zhongxia: "Vice General Li accidentally slipped... He fell off the city wall and died." The officer said this, and then he seemed to have some realization, as if he had seen the truth. His eyes suddenly enlarged in a circle, shaking a little abruptly, and the next sentence was omitted. "It's strange to say" and "unexpected" were used. His mouth was a little stiff, and he continued a little stiffly: "...Vice General Wang fell from his horse and broke the Tianling Cap, so..."
"He's dead too..." Jiang Zhongxia finally said something.
"Dead...dead," the officer said. When he finished speaking, he couldn't help but tremble all over. Smart people knew that even the county lieutenant had blood splattered on the spot. A small character like him, after finishing his words, would be of little use. No more, the time of death has quietly arrived.
"Go down," Zhu An shouted with his back turned, and then ignored the several kilograms of frightened servants who collapsed, and slowly walked up to Jiang Zhongxia.
When the officer saw Zhu An's words, he immediately kowtowed twice and ran towards the door. This time, every step was as heavy as a mountain. His eyes were fixed on the door of the government office. At this moment, he was coming and going. The way to go has become extremely long, so he runs with all his strength. He knows that what he wants to escape is no longer just a government office, but his humble destiny. Although he is just a follower, he is I have never seen the darkness in this government office. How many people failed to take the last step alive in front of the government office.
Whoosh, bang.
The officer's feet gave way, and he rolled to the ground. He was thrown down the steps of the government office in embarrassment. Although his whole body was in pain, when he touched the bluestone and then his head, the officer was greatly shocked. He knew that those people were the Green Forest Army, and he also knew that the so-called death of the deputy general was done secretly by the Green Forest Army. However, at the moment, he thought they would kill him together, but he didn't want to come out alive. But just now, the man in gray clothes and coarse cloth threw the confiscated simple knife out of the door.
The officer rolled and crawled to the other side, put the simple knife back into his waist, pointed it from a distance, secretly thanked him for not killing, and quickly left the place where the matter was.
At this time, Zhu An, with an expression that could tell whether he was sincere or hypocritical, let alone pity or joy, slowly helped Jiang Zhongxia to the chair.
Jiang Zhongxia didn't seem to have recovered yet, and Zhu An could tell that he was deliberately avoiding Peng Lin, who was lying dead on the spot.
Zhu An spoke first, sighed, and said slowly: "Brother Jiang, you won't blame me, will you?"
Jiang Zhongxia did not speak, his eyes were a little bitter.
"You and I have known each other for more than ten years, and I do this..."
"You have fled to the green forest... It's not that you have been defeated... Is it..." Jiang Zhongxia's tone was a little weak, and he said in a nonchalant way: "You are not here to take refuge... you are just here to plot against me. …”
"Brother Jiang, why have you been an official for so many years?" Zhu An looked at Jiang Zhongxia and asked, "Tell me, why? Is it for the people?" Zhu An looked at Jiang Zhongxia, shook his head, and asked, "For the sake of the people?" Great Song Dynasty?"
Jiang Zhongxia didn't answer, Zhu An said: "What's the reason? To put it bluntly, it's not for myself. I'm here this time. Yes, these so-called companions are all people from Green Forest, but I'm not here to cause harm." Yours, I'm helping you," Zhu An approached Jiang Zhongxia and said, "Shi Jin gave me three days, and today is the last day. Do you know that once the three days are up, if I don't take action? , the people here will kill you together. Shi Jin's army comes in and kills everyone. I persuaded you for three days, but you kept saying yes. You said you would incite rebellion against these generals, but, Those guys are all foolish and loyal. If I don’t help you get rid of them, you will just wait to be dragged to death by them."
Jiang Zhongxia looked back at Zhu An and said, "So...if you don't kill me,"
When Zhu An heard this, he understood. He smiled, patted Jiang Zhongxia on the shoulder and said, "How come, we have been old friends for so many years?"
"I'm relieved if I said this earlier," Jiang Zhongxia came back to his senses and said, "I'll send someone to send the house seal out right now. You wait for me here, and I'll go get it right away," Jiang Zhongxia said Then he got up and went to the back of the house.
Zhu An smiled and said, "That's good." After saying this, it was as if a big thing had happened, and he couldn't help but feel relaxed.
Jiang Zhongxia turned in from behind and came out in a moment, bringing with him a shocked servant, saying: "Go and cut off Peng Lin's head, hang it on the city gate for me, and say it is my will." ," After saying this, he paused and said: "By the way, call two more people to drag the body out and throw it away and clean it up." After saying this, Jiang Zhongxia walked back to the hall and said: " It’s all thanks to our brothers from Green Forest that this big event has been accomplished, so why not hold a banquet to celebrate. These three days of hard work should come to an end.”
Zhu An said: "Why not do it? The Green Forest soldiers love wine, Brother Jiang, don't be stingy."
"No, no, then invite them to come together in the hall and have a banquet. We are all in shock. You just... really scared me to death," Jiang Zhongxia said, looking at Zhu An's side. man.
The man hesitated a little, and Zhu An said: "The big thing is done. All that's left is to appease the people and bring the army into the city. I will take care of all these trivial matters. You all can eat it."
The man nodded, and then he took out a short whistle from his sleeve and put it in his mouth. Immediately, there was a gentle and clear bird song. It only sounded here, but after a while, it also sounded from all sides of the government office. The man stopped his whistle and said, "Then I won't bother Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Zhongxia smiled and said: "I should thank these brave men for not killing them. Come, go to Antai Building and order a table of good food and wine to be delivered here."
The officer came in and responded, then quickly went out.
Jiang Zhongxia looked at Zhu An with a smile and said: "This time, it's all thanks to Brother Zhu's help. It's only by chance that you can come here. My savior, come, come with me to the back of the mansion, and I will give you the seal of the mansion. It is in line with your merit that you send it to Shi Jin."
"Hey, Brother Jiang is joking. I'm just a beautiful adult. The real hero is Brother Jiang," Zhu An said, but he had already stood up and walked towards Jiang Zhongxia.
Jiang Zhongxia led the way, and before Zhu An knew it, the corners of Jiang Zhongxia's lips slightly curled up into an imperceptible smile.