Chapter 341 Change your strategy and take more hostages
"You!" Madam Guilan was caught in one sentence. After some hesitation, she sighed.
"Okay, there are some vacant rooms on the third floor. I'll take you up."
"By the way, I will arrange for someone to bring you three meals a day into the house. If nothing happens, please don't come out."
The Lotus Leader nodded, "Very good. When the city gate opens, I will leave. Don't worry, I won't treat you badly."
At this time, Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying had already begun to teach the villagers how to make charcoal.
Chen Xiaobei probably knew a little about making charcoal, but only roughly.
So I have to learn from Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying humbly.
Huang Ying led the people and first built a circle of stones with stones that was one person deep and about one foot in diameter.
Then leave two fire inlets, and then load wood inside.
The wood should be installed vertically.
After filling the wood, pile some thin branches on top, then bury it with soil, leaving a hole at the top as a smoke outlet.
Then carefully use mud to seal all possible air leaks.
After all this busy work, it was already dark.
Seeing that such a large project was completed in one day, Chen Xiaobei secretly sighed that there is indeed strength in numbers.
At this moment, a homing pigeon landed quietly in Liu Rumei's house.
After reading the letter, Liu Rumei couldn't help but frown.
After pondering for a moment, he stood up and went to see Prince Xiao Jingyun, "Your Highness has just received information. Early this morning, Qingniu County garrison general Zhu Yan was killed, and his head was hung on the county government office for public display."
"It is said that the city's defenders have been searching door to door for a whole day, but so far they have not caught the murderer."
After hearing this, Jamel Xiao couldn't help but frowned.
"What?"
The scene where he asked Princess Zhaoning yesterday flashed through his mind. Princess Zhaoning's master went down the mountain, but something happened in the city right away.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jingyun angrily knocked on Princess Zhaoning's door.
When she saw it was Xiao Jingyun, Princess Zhaoning's heart skipped a beat, because Tian Wen also sent her the same news.
Princess Zhaoning tried to remain calm, "Brother Emperor, what's wrong with you? Who made you angry?"
Xiao Jingyun sat on the chair, looked at Princess Zhaoning and asked coldly, "Let me ask you, where did the Lotus Cult Master go?"
"Didn't I tell you? She went to Xiaojia Town and can't get used to living here."
Xiao Jingyun grabbed Princess Zhaoning's arm and said, "Okay, then you can take me to Xiaojia Town to see which inn he is staying in."
Being forced into a corner, Princess Zhaoning had no choice but to explain with a blushing face.
"Brother Emperor, since you already know, I won't hide it from you. Master went to Qingniu County yesterday. He said he wanted to kill Zhu Yan to make the first contribution."
Jamel Xiao was so angry that he slapped the table and said, "Nonsense."
"If you make a scene like this, I'm afraid the situation will change and we will be passive in dealing with it."
After saying that, he threw up his sleeves angrily and left.
Standing in the yard, Xiao Jingyun looked up at the stars and let out a long sigh.
God couldn't help me. I had already made a plan, but who would have thought that something like this would happen.
It is understandable that his sister was also eager to perform meritorious deeds. Zhu Yan was a rebel general and should be killed, but the timing of the killing was wrong. He was killed too early.
Sure enough, Jamel Xiao's worries became reality.
At dinner time, Taoist Master Jue listened to the reports from various people with a gloomy face. He had been busy all day and got nothing.
He turned his sleeves upside down and twirled them back and forth several times in front of everyone.
"The other party has already started to take action, so we have to adapt."
"You will leave the city immediately and go to the nearby villages to invite all the people in the villages to come to the city. Remember to be polite and help them bring more food and clothing. I don't know how long we will stay."
After the arrangement was completed, Taoist Master Jue immediately wrote a letter, and the flying pigeon sent the letter to Zhu Meng on the mountain.
Zhu Meng spent the past few days in the Dogwood Forest. Although he was nervous, he was at ease. There was nothing else to do except eat and drink every day.
When he received a report in the morning that Zhu Yan had been killed, he was very worried and sent Wang Long to lead troops and horses down to the foot of the mountain to prepare for possible accidents.
But after waiting for a day, the weather was calm and there was nothing unusual.
Just when he was puzzled, he received another letter from the Taoist Master.
In the letter, Taoist Master Jue suggested that he capture more villagers and go up the mountain as hostages.
Zhu Meng didn't say a word after reading it, but handed the letter to Zhang Liao.
After Zhang Liao read it, he sighed deeply, "I didn't expect that the prince would suddenly attack Zhu Yan."
Zhu Meng nodded, "Yes, it makes sense for Taoist Priest Jueding to do this. If we don't capture more hostages and make Xiao Jingyun throw a rat weapon, I'm afraid Qingniu County won't be able to save it."
Zhang Liao also agreed with Zhu Meng's point of view.
"The commander is right, we have to grab some people and come to the mountains. We must at least hold on until the Great Tu Kingdom and the Dalin Kingdom send troops."
After listening to Zhang Liao's words, Zhu Meng nodded.
"Wang Lung happens to be at the foot of the mountain, so I'll leave this matter to him."
It was already the second watch when Wang Long received the order. After thinking for a while, he set his sights on Cuijiazhuang, which is next to Hetou Village.
Thousands of soldiers rushed towards Cuijiazhuang like wolves and tigers.
The village protection team in Cuijiazhuang are all long-time workers of Dana Cui.
As soon as he saw the officers and soldiers coming, he turned around and ran away in fright.
At this time, the only person in charge of the Cui family compound was Cui San, the housekeeper, and Cui Dana had already gone to Xiaojia Town.
As soon as he heard that the army was coming, Cui San panicked in his heart, but on the surface he had to keep calm, "Why are you panicking? Stay calm and let me go and take a look."
Cui San was dressed neatly and was about to go out when a soldier came to the door. He was very polite to Cui San and said, "Everyone, I'm here to pass a message to the Generalissimo, asking you to go up the mountain to help cook. By the way, it's best to cook for yourself."
Bring some clothes, and if you have food at home, bring it with us and buy it at the price."
Cui San had received the reward and reported Chen Xiaobei, but he was not that afraid of the officers and soldiers.
As soon as he heard that he was asked to go up the mountain to cook, he immediately understood what was going on and gave a fist to the approaching officers and soldiers.
"This military master, I want to report a person to you. His name is Cui Fugui, and he is the father-in-law of Chen Xiaobei, the head of Hetou Village."
"This Chen Xiaobei took the villagers to help the prince move a lot of things up the mountain a few days ago."
These soldiers were worried that they had no chance to make meritorious deeds. When they heard that they could capture Prince Xiao Jingyun, they were so polite.
Under the leadership of Cui San, this group of people soon knocked on the door of Cui Fugui's house.
At this time, Cui Fugui had already been awakened by the noise in the village. As soon as he got dressed, he heard the door being smashed.
Cui Fugui quickly said to his old servant Axiang, "They are probably coming for me. You should hide in the cellar. If something happens to me, someone might as well send a message to Hong Yu."
Ah Xiang wanted to say something more, but Cui Fugui had already stood up and walked to the door to greet him.
Axiang had no choice but to get into the woodshed and hide in the cellar, listening carefully to the movement on the ground.