Uncle Eight was right. The island where Zhang Gou and other pirates were located was full of agencies.
But this cannot stop two thousand officers and soldiers and one thousand government officials.
Only half of the soldiers landed on the island, and the remaining half surrounded several exits of the island.
After arriving on the island, there is a pile of rocks with many deep pits and traps.
The pit was filled with sharpened bamboos, and falling in meant death.
After passing the pile of rocks, there were also traps in the bamboo forest ahead. A soldier accidentally touched a rope, and immediately a large tied wooden stake swung over, knocking several soldiers away.
Another soldier accidentally stepped on a moving stone, and immediately several bamboo shoots shot down from the treetops above him.
There are many similar institutions, but after all, the number of officers and soldiers was large. After experiencing a lot of casualties, they still fought their way outside the stronghold established by the pirates.
The fighting only lasted less than an hour, and the pirates were defeated.
The officers and soldiers were large in number and well-armed. But the pirates had been killed by the Japanese, half of whom were killed not long ago, and their vitality was severely damaged.
Outside the village gate.
The head of the Hangzhou County Government, Mr. Nian, saw Zhang Gou being escorted over, with an expression of relief on his face.
If he couldn't bring Zhang Gou back this time, he wouldn't have to go back. This is what the county magistrate said to him before departure.
"Zhang Gou, you are quite capable. Not only did you run away, but you also got a bunch of idiots to work for you. I admire you very much, Mr. Nian." Nian Captou snorted coldly.
Zhang Gou is a man about thirty years old. Unlike those villagers, he has a fair face and his hands are more delicate than women.
He closed his eyes and didn't even look at Mr. Nian, as if the man in front of him would steal his eyes.
At this moment, a captain from Zhe Chong Mansion came over and asked: "Nian arrests the head, what to do with the captured pirates?"
Nian Captou glanced at Zhang Gou and saw his cheeks trembling slightly. He suddenly felt a burst of joy and sneered: "A bunch of pirates who have done all kinds of evil are not even qualified to be jailed. Just kill them all!"
Zhang Gou suddenly opened his eyes and said: "If you kill them, I will go on a hunger strike immediately."
He spoke slowly, deeply and forcefully, making those who heard him feel that since he could say it, he would definitely do it.
Mr. Nian can no longer laugh.
When he imprisoned Zhang Gou before, the county magistrate specifically told him that if Zhang Gou died, he would also be buried with him.
Hangzhou County Magistrate Jiang Ping was as ruthless as he was to those above him.
The last arrest was because Magistrate Jiang sank him into the West Lake and fed him to the bastard because he failed to keep his mouth shut after helping him handle a personal matter.
Naturally, Mr. Nian did not dare to disobey the county magistrate's instructions, and said coldly: "Arrest him first, and take him to the county jail, where he will listen to the county magistrate."
Because the battle ended sooner than expected, it was just after noon when we returned to the beach.
A gust of sea breeze blew by, bringing not only the moist smell of sea water, but also a warship.
Nian Captou didn't pay much attention to it at first, thinking it was the ship that surrounded the pirates.
However, when the warship approached, Mr. Nian finally realized something was wrong.
The proportions of this incoming ship are wrong, the hull is very high, it seems to be a building ship.
However, in this operation to encircle and suppress pirates, Zhechong Mansion only dispatched one large ship, which stopped in front of him.
Where did this new ship come from? Could it be another reinforcement sent by the county magistrate?
The building boat approached slowly, and a group of officers and soldiers came down from it. The leader was Qianniu Guards School Lieutenant Ma Zhanyuan.
After Li Duozuo left, he temporarily commanded the army.
Qianniuwei's standard armor quickly let Mr. Nian know the identity of the visitor, and he couldn't help but be surprised: "General, are you Qianniuwei?"
Ma Zhanyuan said coldly: "Nonsense, besides us Qianniu Guards, who else dares to wear this military uniform?"
Nian Baotou cupped his hands and said: "I am the head of the Hangzhou County Government. Nian Fu'an, I wonder why the general is here?"
Ma Zhanyuan said: "We are the Qianniu Guards who came out of the capital with Prince Changping. We are ordered by the Prince to hunt down these pirates."
Nian Captou was surprised and said: "Chang, His Highness the Prince of Changping? How could His Majesty the Prince pursue these pirates?"
"Is this what you should ask?" Ma Zhanyuan said coldly.
"I don't dare to be humble, just, just..."
"Just what, do you want to disobey His Highness the County Prince's order?"
Nian's thinking was completely unable to keep up with the situation in front of him. For a moment, he was confused and at a loss.
Even if you give him three pieces of leopard gallbladder, he won't dare to offend Prince Changping.
But if Zhang Gou cannot be brought back, he is afraid that he will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.
The captain of the Zhechong Prefecture next to him did not have so many scruples. Wu Chengsi was now the Governor of Yangzhou and the supreme commander of the Zhechong Prefecture Army of the Jianghuai River.
With such a famous general in the court serving as the commander-in-chief of Zhechong Mansion, all the soldiers were honored. Several captains of Zhechong Mansion raised their hands together and said: "The last general takes orders!"
Captain Ma glanced at Nian Baotou and said calmly: "Well, since you are also following orders, I will tell you a few more words and let you have an explanation when you go back."
Nian Captou was surprised and happy, and said hurriedly: "General, please give me some instructions."
"The situation is like this. The prince once captured a group of gangsters in Taizhou, some of whom claimed to be stonemasons, and the prince asked people to arrange for them to return to Taizhou.
"Unexpectedly, these people escaped secretly on the way back to Taizhou. The prince suspected that these people were pirates, so he ordered us to track them all the way. We found that those people had escaped to this island, so we came to arrest them!"
Nian Baotou listened very carefully and recited it silently in his mind several times. Fang cupped his hands and said: "I understand, I understand. Since it is the prince's order, I should obey it."
Ma Zhanyuan nodded and ordered Zhang Gou and other pirates to be escorted onto the ship.
The big ship weighed anchor and soon disappeared along the coastline.
In the Hangzhou County Government Office, although Mr. Nian had prepared for the worst, he still did not expect Magistrate Jiang's reaction after hearing the news.
Jiang Ping almost jumped up from his chair, his face became ferocious and terrifying, and he said every word: "You said Zhang Gou was taken away by the people of Prince Changping?"
"Yes, it is."
Magistrate Jiang grabbed Nian Baotou by the collar and roared angrily: "Fart, Prince Changping is in Taizhou, how could his people show up in Hangzhou? Did you let him run away and just find any reason to stall this county?"
Nian Captou looked like he was about to cry, and said with a grimace: "No matter how brave I am, I wouldn't dare to deceive you. The general also said that he was chasing me from Taizhou."
County Magistrate Jiang said sternly: "Exactly what the situation is, tell me clearly."
The arrester Nian immediately recounted Ma Zhanyuan's words word for word.
Magistrate Jiang hammered the desk hard and said angrily: "It's useless, how do you want this county to explain it to Qian Changshi and King Yingchuan?"
"Your Majesty, that's an order from Prince Changping. There's nothing you can do about it even if you're in a humble position." Nian Captou cried bitterly.
"Why didn't you set off earlier! Why didn't you deal with those pirates earlier!" Magistrate Jiang roared.
"County Lord, I..."
Magistrate Jiang waved his hand and said coldly: "Come here, put him in jail and put his whole family in jail as well. If this county can't pass this test, we will send your family on the road!"
After saying that, he strode out of the study without riding in the carriage. He asked someone to pull a horse and galloped towards the Qian Mansion.
…
Zhang Gou was originally in a worse mood than Magistrate Jiang. He only thought that if he was caught this time, he would never be able to escape. Who would have thought that he actually saw his eighth uncle on the deck of the ship.
"Uncle Eighth, why are you here?" Zhang Gou was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth.
"I...I will bring them to you." Uncle Eight replied cautiously.
After being taken aboard the warship by Zhuge Nan, he learned that Mr. Wu was also a member of the government. He recalled that he had cursed the government in front of him, which made his eighth uncle a little uneasy.
Zhang Gou suddenly misunderstood and said coldly: "It seems that you have indeed taken refuge with the government. Did you let me go ashore that day just to capture me?"
Zhuge Nan suddenly said angrily: "Why are you so suspicious? We are not the same as the Hangzhou County Magistrate."
Zhang Gou's heart moved, and he remembered the captain who had spoken to Nian Baotou just now, and asked, "Are you really sent by the Prince of Changping County?"
The eighth uncle was stunned and said: "County, Prince?"
Zhuge Nan explained: "I'll tell you the truth, Mr. Wu is the Prince of Changping County. He is here to make decisions for you."
"Master Wu is the prince?" Uncle Eighth's eyes widened.
Zhuge Nan nodded and said: "I hope you will not reveal His Highness's identity to others, otherwise it may bring danger to His Highness."
"Don't leak it, absolutely won't leak it!" Uncle Eight waved his hands hurriedly, lowered his head after speaking, and murmured to himself: "Your Majesty... He turned out to be the Prince. If we can be saved, our whole village can be saved!"
Zhang Gou was still confused and said: "Eighth Uncle, what is going on? Who is Master Wu you are talking about?"
Uncle Eight came back to his senses and said with a smile on his face: "It was Mr. Wu who rescued Xiaosi and bought food for all of us. He is the great benefactor of our Lijia Village. But I didn't expect that he turned out to be the prince, haha!"
Zhuge Nan glared and warned: "I tell you, father-in-law, it's okay for you to talk on the boat. When you get off the shore, you must not reveal your highness's identity. Otherwise, your highness will be in danger, and no one will save your village!"
Uncle Eight quickly covered his mouth and said, "If you don't tell me, you won't tell me even if I beat the old man to death."
Zhugenan's eyes turned to Zhang Gou again.
Zhang Gou said hurriedly: "I am not an ignorant person. Your Majesty is willing to help me, so I won't talk too much."
Zhuge Nan nodded, then untied Zhang Gou, and had others untied all the villagers.
Zhang Gou's group of pirates originally numbered more than 400 people, but nearly half of them were killed by the Japanese. More than half of them died when the officers and soldiers attacked the island just now. Now there are only a few dozen people left.
The big boat carried the dozens of surviving people to the dock near Lijiacun.