The sergeants opened the water gate of the North City and sneaked out of the city on sampans and bamboo rafts. There were enemy invaders everywhere outside the city. Although the North City had not yet been attacked by the enemy, Cao Zhi's soldiers still did not dare to use any lights.
Lu Kang's sailors, with their years of experience in robbery at night and their extraordinary eyesight, rowed sampans and bamboo rafts one after another into the river in the dark, and went straight around the waterway to Ruxuwu. It was really unknown to gods and ghosts.
Sleep.
Leaving the city from Shuimen and ambushing the enemy on the only way to retreat, Lu Kang's plan was flawless. He also comforted Cao Zhi by saying that there would not necessarily be danger there, and Zheng Bao and his like might not necessarily escape Wancheng first. But according to Cao Zhi,
, Xia Houyuan and Li Ru's analysis, Lu Kang mobilized a large number of troops to send troops to Ruxuwu, so he would not be prepared for the impossible. Lu Kang had been dealing with Zheng Bao and his like for many years, how could he not know their habits? There must be something going on there
Fierce fighting.
Although Cao Zhi is the highest officer on this trip, he doesn't understand the way of fighting in water warfare. Fortunately, Min Guang and others around him are experienced in many battles. These water thieves used to often fight with the officers and soldiers during the encirclement and suppression.
He also fought against Zheng Bao's Chaohu water thieves, and later fought against Jiangxia barbarians. He did countless murders and arson. However, this is Ruxuwu, the home base of Min Guang and others. Once there, he can occupy all the time.
Due to the favorable location, even if Zheng Bao had more than 10,000 men, he could still be killed alone in the reed swamp.
Each sampan and bamboo raft was controlled by a navy soldier who was good at sailing, and they traveled all night. Li Ru was a scholar after all, and was not as strong as ordinary soldiers. He only went into the water once when he was in Wancheng, and his nose was already wet.
DC. At this time, he was even more seasick and vomiting, and he was about to vomit out bile. Cao Zhi ordered his people to lie down on a bamboo raft, wrap him in a quilt, and let him sleep.
Better.
By the next day, the snow had already settled and the clouds had settled. Cao Zhi and others sat on the bow of the boat and looked around, but they saw that the sky and the earth were still blurry. At this time, the pieces floating on the water were all floating corpses, and Cao Zhi became suspicious.
, ordered people to go to the shore to investigate.
After a while, spies came to report and explained the reason. It turned out that several groups of barbarians sneaked into nearby villages last night. They besieged Wancheng in a hurry. However, the important area of Wancheng was heavily defended. For a while, the surrounding city could not be attacked in a hurry, and the army was short of food and grass.
A group of thieves rushed here. There were barbarians from various tribes, some were sent by Zheng Baoshui bandits to explore the way, and there were even some unknown bandits. Several soldiers and horses rushed forward at night and accidentally bumped into one place.
Between the enemy and ourselves, fierce fighting affected several surrounding villages. After the bloody battle, these villages were reduced to the ground.
At that time, most of the villagers were sleeping soundly at night, and some people were planning to go into the mountains to escape the soldiers and bandits. Suddenly, they heard the sound of swords. When they opened the door and wanted to escape, they were enveloped by the rebels coming from all directions. The whole village was filled with men, women, old and children.
, never got away with one.
There is a saying: "When people move to murder, things can sense it, but when heaven moves to murder, no one can know it." At that time, the world was in chaos, and killings were happening everywhere. This was probably because God had the intention to kill, and Lu Kang alone
In the past few years of suppressing the Jiangxia barbarians, nearly tens of thousands of people died due to famine and war. In the counties where the war was the most intense, the villages were really empty, and the population was extinct, even for dozens of miles.
There was not even a single living person to be seen. Even those villages and towns that were not flooded by the snowstorm were mostly empty and had their houses collapsed. Not even the crowing of chickens or dogs could be heard. There was a dead atmosphere everywhere.
Cao Zhi saw the catastrophe of natural disasters and military disasters on the sampan, and his eyes were filled with desolate images. He suddenly realized that in these troubled times, even if he could really make a fortune, he would not be able to enjoy it happily, so he said to everyone: "I see the rise and fall of the country. , Every man has a responsibility, we will sacrifice our lives this time and risk our lives to quell the chaos and kill the enemy, not for anyone else, just for the sake of peace and prosperity for the country and the people, so that the people of the world will no longer suffer from this chaos."
Min Guang, Xu Chu, and Wang Ping all claimed that it was true when they heard this. They all admired him and admired him. However, they didn't know that Cao Zhi was thinking in his heart: "If it weren't for the peaceful and prosperous age when the people were rich and abundant, I would have gained so many people." There is no place to sell the treasure."
Cao Zhi rode on the sampan and followed the army. After walking for a whole day, he saw the vast fields around him and was far from Ruxuwu. At this moment, he suddenly heard a loud "whistle", which was a warning signal. In order to To facilitate communication while on the boat or in the reed swamp, Cao Zhi adopted the whistle commonly used by water thieves as a communication warning method.
Every soldier in the camp carries a "whistle". This whistle is made by piercing the head of a wild goose. It whistles and makes a very sad and miserable sound. It can also imitate the cry of wild geese. , it is blowing at this moment and can be heard in all directions.
Everyone was stunned, and their feelings changed. They thought they encountered rogue bandits on the way, but they didn't know how many enemies came, and they all raised their swords and guns on the boat.
A group of black shadows on the water drifted with the current, getting closer and closer. In an instant, they were just a stone's throw away from the army's sampan and the bamboo raft. Only then did everyone see clearly, and they saw the depths of the surrounding water alley. Suddenly, Countless bamboo rafts poured out, and most of the people on the rows were hunters dressed with bird feathers in their heads and raincoats, and the weapons they held in their hands were all murderous weapons, including bamboo targets, harpoons, shuttle targets, and some swords.
Wang Ping already had three arrows in his hand, and he was about to shoot the arrow with his bow. Suddenly, a whistle sounded from the person on the opposite side. Min Guang on the side quickly stopped Wang Ping from shooting the arrow, raised his whistle and blew the whistle, and all the sailors with him All follow suit.
Cao Zhi and others were all amateurs in this code on the water. For some reason, all the naval forces in the camp were blowing whistles. Just as they were about to ask, Min Guang hurriedly explained to Cao Zhi and others: "This is an old acquaintance of ours. Don't panic, Wei."
In order to make a living in the troubled times, many thieves in Ruxuwu went to Wancheng to become official soldiers and eat official meals. However, there were always some people who were unwilling to eat official meals, so there were still many people left in Ruxuwu. There are few people. Although there are many old, weak, women and children among these people, if the whole group comes out, there will be no less than seven or eight hundred of them who can carry swords to kill. They are still doing moon-dark things in the reeds of Ruxuwu. Killing people, setting fires when the wind is high, eating meat when there is food, and hunger when there is no food.
Two days ago, they received news that the officers and soldiers in Wancheng were at war with the Jiangxia barbarians. They gathered together one or two hundred bandits. Under the leadership of a bandit leader named Jiang Qin, they wanted to take advantage of the officers and soldiers' lack of precautions to arrive in Wancheng. Several nearby villages came to fish in troubled waters.
Cao Zhi and Wang Ping heard clearly and said curiously: "That's it." Cao Zhi signaled Wang Ping to put away his bow, and then ordered the sergeants of the Western Camp to lift the alert. The sergeants all received the order and let the bamboo rafts approach.
Most of the navy soldiers brought out by Cao Zhi were from Ruxuwu. When the boat sailed gradually, both sides were happy to see each other. Cao Zhi ordered the large group of people to find a bank to go ashore and rest for a while, so that the group could People talk about old times.