After Zhang Suo's death, there is nothing to talk about in the next battle. Those who resist will die, and those who beg for mercy will live.
The thieves who were still drunk and numb were also strung up with hemp ropes and thrown on the yellow mud ground.
They may not believe it when they wake up, but in just one sleep, the whole world has changed in Dazhai.
Two of Ren Yun's right back molars were knocked out. The soldiers were teasing him, saying that he would no longer be able to eat beef and would only eat and lick the cow's head.
Ren Yun was not convinced, so he walked to the fire pit in the hall, tore off a piece of roasted beef and chewed it. Then he swallowed the beef mixed with blood in his mouth.
Everyone laughed and gave stick signs one after another. Ren Yun laughed and ate even more deliciously.
Over there, Zhang Qiu, who was tied up in the lobby, was also dragged over.
Previously, when Zhang Suo led his troops back to the front hall for reinforcements, he saw an opportunity and was about to run away, but was dragged back by several key thieves, Kou Yuan, who had been hiding in another corner of the hall.
This request is the entry point for these people.
Sure enough, when the bandits who came in saw this man, they were overjoyed and not only released them, but also asked them if they were willing to join their army.
Of course, if they don't want to, he will also give them food and send them down the mountain.
These people are all the backbone of the original Diaotiushan external department. They have been heartbroken by the leader Zhang Suo before. Seeing that this person is willing to take him in, how can he not be unwilling? After all, people like them who are used to doing knife work, how can they not? Can I still carry the hoe?
It's no wonder that they are disloyal to the Zhang family, just because Diaoyu Mountain, as the second nest of the Zhang family in Licheng, has always been divided into internal and external departments.
Internally, they are all the descendants and tribes of the Zhang family, while externally, they are all strong men from the mountain people and shantytowns who were taken in by Diaotiao Mountain. They have always been treated as cannon fodder, so how can they become loyal to the Zhang family.
At this time, Duman waited for others to check and entered the hall. As soon as he came in, Zhang Qiu, who was kneeling on the ground, was shocked.
Isn't this the grass craftsman in Li Zhong? Why is he here?
He suddenly remembered what Qing Nu had told him when he entered the mountain: Zhang Gouzi and his third brother were not dead, and it seemed that Duman had also survived.
When Zhang Qiu looked at Du Man, Du Man was reporting on the post-war situation with Zhang Chong, and then he also glanced at Zhang Qiu who was kneeling there.
Zhang Qiu's heart tightened. What kind of look is this? Why is it so emotionless?
Suddenly, he thought of something and his whole body was shaking with fear. Apparently, he remembered how Duman's father died.
Here Zhang Chong was listening to Du Man's capture statistics. This battle was really beautiful, with more captures and less damage.
With the supplies from Diaotiao Mountain, he finally had the confidence to devour this group of stolen goods from Mount Tai.
And there is another thing, which is related to this request.
He patted Du Man on the shoulder and whispered:
"Daman, do you still remember what we said when we were at Xue's wall? When we fight back to Licheng, we must settle the score with Zhang Hong's family! Now, this request is here, and he is in your hands Up."
As soon as Zhang Qiu heard this, he knew something was wrong. He didn't care about the shame. He stuck out his butt and begged Zhang Chong:
"Hero, don't kill me. I have something to offer to Kui. Keep me. I will be of great use."
"No need, I know what you're talking about."
What, what do you know? What I’m talking about is...
As if he knew what Zhang Qiu was thinking, Zhang Chong said:
"The thing you are talking about is the treasury of King Zhang Bu of Qi. When you and your brother were fighting in this hall, I was here and heard it clearly. And do you really not know me?
?”
After speaking, Zhang Chong squatted down and asked Zhang Qiu to look at him.
Zhang Qiu looked at it carefully, then glanced at Duman, and then thought of Zhang Bingnan's appearance in Dasang a year ago, and the whole thing was connected.
"Are you the waiter of that Gouzi family?"
When he said this, Zhang Qiu's waist straightened up unconsciously, but then he was stepped back by Ding Sheng.
Bah, if you dare to pretend in front of the leader, I will trample you to death.
Zhang Qiu was pushed to the ground unwillingly and said:
"Since you know what I'm talking about, why don't you let me go? With my help, there's nothing you can't accomplish by raising my ancestor's property."
Perhaps because he knew he had a rare commodity, he began to take a liking to Zhang Chong.
He struggled to free himself from Ding Sheng's feet and said loudly:
"You have people and I have money. If the two of us join forces, who else can rule us in this Qingzhou territory?"
Good guy, this man wants to jump from being a prisoner to the leader of Zhang Chong's team. After all, he is a powerful man. Even in such difficulties, he can use all his means to turn everything upside down.
Duman's heart also tightened, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Emotionally, he hoped that Zhang Chong would not listen to this man and leave him to him so that he could avenge his father.
But intellectually, he knew that what Zhang Qiu said was right. If they could really gain access to the treasury of Zhang Bu, the then King of Qi, their team would be completely transformed in no time.
He knew that Zhang Chong had great ambitions, and he was willing to do his best to help, so he also hoped in his heart to get the money.
Suddenly, Zhang Chong turned to Duman and said:
"Daman, why are you still standing there? Everyone has been given to you, why don't you pull me down?"
Huh? What? Duman was stunned.
He was deeply moved, but he still muttered:
"Chong, I think this request is right. We need this money. With this money, we will be able to quell the bandits in this thousand-mile mountain. By then, our pursuit will be realized. Compared with these, I will repay my father.
Hatred becomes insignificant."
As he said this, Duman's eyes lit up, and he felt that he had done the right thing.
The kneeling Zhang Qiu raised the corners of his mouth after hearing Du Man's words.
Sure enough, Duman, what if I kill your father? You don't dare to kill me here. Also, although my brother is dead, he is right in what he said, the dove occupies the magpie's nest.
Now it's time for you to fulfill your destiny. When I join you, how can you, the weaklings, be compared to me? You will still have to be used by me.
Just when Zhang Qiu felt that everything was under control, Zhang Chong over there heard Du Man's words, sighed and scolded:
"Daman, you are good in every way, but you have the temperament of a scholar and think too much. Do you feel that you endure private hatred for justice? Do you feel that you have a public heart and are worthy of your actions?
But you are wrong. People have thousands of personalities, some good and some bad. We always think that benevolence, justice and courtesy are great, but we don’t know that all of them can be used by others.
Now this Zhang Qiu is taking advantage of your public spirit. He only said a set of empty words and made you lose your desire for revenge. But you know what his King Qi's treasury is, and you know that he is the only one who knows about this treasury.
?
And more importantly, you underestimate me. Even if I have a lot of money, I will not make my brother uncomfortable. This kind of insult also wants to destroy the friendship between you and me?"
At this time, Zhang Qiu became anxious. He heard Zhang Chong's murderous intention, and he immediately shouted:
"Only I know where King Qi's treasury is, don't kill me."
Zhang Chong ignored him and just said to Duman:
"Daman, what a coincidence, if there really is a so-called treasury of King Qi, I really know where it is."
Then, Zhang Chong asked someone to extinguish the fire pit in the hall. Zhang Chong walked beside it, observed it carefully for a while, then jumped to the side of the fire pit, swept away a layer of soil, and revealed a ground door.
Everyone exclaimed, guessing that this was King Qi's treasury.
Zhang Chong took the lead and opened the door. Duman and others were curious and followed closely behind.
Ding Sheng and Li Wu looked at each other and carried the kneeling Zhang Qiu down together. They made up their mind that if there was any mechanism below, they would let this person go forward.
Unexpectedly, there is nothing in the basement below, only a relief carving depicting a happy scene of several children riding bamboo horses under a big mulberry tree.
On the wall next to the relief, there are several lines of words written:
"Don't think like this, don't think like this. I, the descendant of the Zhang family, Lu Chou, only want to be a rich man, and I have no official title."
Then there is a string of handwriting written by Zhang's children. The last line was written by Zhang Hong, the father of Zhang Qiu and Zhang Suo:
"My descendant, Zhang Hong, please remember this."
Zhang Chong sighed, "It turns out that this is the treasure left by King Zhang Bu of Qi to future generations. He is such a sincere person."
But when Duman and others saw this, they were extremely disappointed. No one expected that there was no money, silk or weapons at all, but a family letter.
The one who couldn't believe it the most was Zhang Qiu. He was completely stunned. He never thought that his ancestors would leave behind such tattered nonsense.
He thought again of the conversation he had with his father in the dark temple more than a year ago. It turns out that his father knew everything, but why didn't you tell him directly?
Thinking of this, Zhang Qiu burst into tears. But no one present felt pity for Zhang Qiu, they only felt that he was disgusting.
Seeing Zhang Chong's expected expression, Du Man asked curiously:
"Kui, why do you look so unsurprised?"
This was what everyone was curious about. They all stared at Zhang Chong and listened to his opinion.
"Money and silk touch people's hearts. The Zhang family has been passed down for two hundred years. After more than ten generations, some people would not be able to afford it if they knew that their ancestors had some money left here.
Therefore, regardless of whether there is a treasury of King Qi or not, it is impossible to have it in Zhangqiu's generation. It's pitiful for this man, because of this nihilistic thing, brothers are fighting against each other. It's pitiful."
Then Zhang Chong also lost his temper. After handing Zhang Qiu to Du Man, he went to see the injured brothers.
-----------------------
Here, Li Wu and Ding Sheng carried Zhang Qiu and followed Duman out. They asked curiously:
"Dusheng, please tell me what you are going to do with this Zhang."
"My father died because he frightened his horse and fell into the dung, so let him fall into the dung."
Li Wu and Ding Sheng glanced at each other and said nothing. They just held Zhang Qiu's arm and walked to a cesspit outside the village.
Then, no matter how Zhang Qiu struggled or begged for mercy, the two of them threw them into the cesspool with all their strength.
Zhang Qiu cried and begged Duman, saying that he was wrong and that his life would be spared in order to let Duman go to Dongpingling to study.
But it was useless, Duman ignored him at all.
In the end, Zhang Qiu slowly sank into the cesspit next to the Diaohu Mountain Dazhai.
Along with Zhang Qiu, Duman's anger sank.
He looked at the sky, trying to find who his father was, but he couldn't find him. He even couldn't remember what his father looked like, but he only knew that he loved to laugh.
But Duman forgot that the people in heaven will never be small people like them.