The night sky began to light up. In the east, people could see a bright light, which was green on the top and pink on the bottom. Finally, it became a golden-red light, getting wider and wider, as if the moon was retreating before that light. The light became brighter and brighter.
Showing pink, getting brighter and brighter, dewy, getting a night's rest, the happy world wakes up.
When the first ray of sunlight shone on the main hall of King Wu's Palace in Jianye City, Zhou Yu, who had just assumed the post of Jianye Order, was seen walking quickly towards the main hall of King Wu's Palace in official uniform.
In the main hall, King Wu Sun Jian was sitting on the throne. Except for a few personal guards standing on both sides of the hall, there was no one else in the whole hall.
Zhou Yu walked straight into the main hall with vigorous steps. As soon as he entered the main hall, he knelt down and worshiped: "Your Majesty, Zhou Yu, bows to your Majesty."
Wu Wang Sun Jian waved his hands and said gloomily: "Get up."
Zhou Yu stood up, leaned over and said, "Your Majesty summoned you in a hurry. I don't know what the matter is."
Sun Jian said: "You are now the Jianye Order. Didn't your predecessor tell you when we handed over yesterday? Bandits have been rampant outside Jianye City recently. As the Jianye Order, how can you not observe carefully?"
"Is there such a thing?" Zhou Yu was suspicious for a moment, thinking that during the handover yesterday, his predecessor did not mention any bandits, and he had been in Jianye City for a while, and he had never heard of any bandits.
"What? You don't know? What even I, the king, know, you, the Jianye Order, don't know? At the foot of the majestic royal city, bandits are so rampant. If this spreads, how will our Wu country's face be saved? You immediately
Lead a group of people out of the city and go to Laomaling in the southeast to wipe out the group of bandits."
Zhou Yu said: "I obey your order. However, I don't know anything about the bandits. I don't know how many bandits there are in Laomaling. I know myself and the enemy, so I can dispatch troops and horses."
"Not many, only one or two hundred people. It is enough for you to lead three hundred people." Sun Jian said.
Zhou Yu thought suspiciously: "The king is busy with everything, but he still has the mood to care about a group of small bandits. There must be a reason for this."
Sun Jian saw that Zhou Yu didn't answer and looked thoughtful, so he said to Zhou Yu: "Gong Jin, yesterday Prime Minister Zhang Zhao objected to your taking over the Jianye Order because he thought you were too young. That's why I specially asked you to destroy this group of bandits.
, just show your strength
Let these old guys take a look. After you wipe out this group of bandits, I believe they won't say anything more and they will naturally be convinced of you. In fact, I can also send others to go, but for your future, this time
Bandits, you must go there yourself."
Zhou Yu heard Sun Jian's explanation and believed it to be true. He nodded solemnly and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will certainly live up to your Majesty's high expectations."
After coming out of the main hall of King Wu's palace, Sun Jian personally went to the barracks and dispatched 300 cavalry to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu took Wang Ling, and he himself also put on the cavalry. He took the 300 cavalry out of Jianye City, and the group headed southeast
Went to Laomaling.
Laomaling is almost fifty miles away from Jianye City. There is a hilly area there. Zhou Yu led his group of three hundred cavalry and galloped all morning before approaching Laomaling.
"Stop!" Zhou Yu reined in the horse, raised his hand, and shouted loudly.
The subordinates stopped one after another, and a village chief came forward and asked: "Sir, Laomaling is just ahead, why do you have to stop?"
Zhou Yu said: "Have you ever heard that there are bandits in Laomaling?"
"Of course, Laomaling is famous for its rampant bandits. It's just that the people in Jianye City don't know it because they are afraid of causing panic. I heard that the group of bandits burned, killed and looted yesterday." replied the village chief.
.
Zhou Yu said: "Since it is so rampant, why didn't it be eradicated earlier?"
"It's none of my business. I'm just following orders. As for suppressing bandits, that's the responsibility of Jianye Ling. The former Jianye Ling was dismissed by the king because he didn't do things well. Your Excellency was originally the military advisor of Ce Yu's army.
At that time, I served as the Jianye Order. As soon as I took office, I immediately won the favor of the Lord. I asked you to go and suppress the bandits. Isn't it clear that I want you to perform meritorious service?"
Zhou Yu listened to the village chief's eloquent answers and thoughtfulness, so he took a look at the man. Seeing that the village chief was about the same age as himself, but with a different kind of majesty in his eyes, he asked: "What is your name?"
name?"
The village chief replied: "Xu Sheng, courtesy name Wenxiang, is from Langyaju County, Xuzhou."
"Xu Sheng, how much do you know about Lao Maling?" Zhou Yu asked.
"Not much, I just heard about some situations in Laomaling."
"Very good, just a few will be fine. How is the terrain of Laomaling?"
"The road in Laomaling is complicated, with hills on three sides and a lake on one side. I heard that the bandit's camp was set up on a hill with the back of the lake, and there are about 200 people there."
Zhou Yu thought for a while and then said: "Give me the order. All soldiers will rest where they are and we will move forward after an hour."
"Sir, why did you wait so long?"
"The bandits are waiting for work, and our army has traveled a long distance. Now the soldiers are tired, the men and horses are exhausted, and they must rest before moving forward. Otherwise, when the battle begins, the bandits will have a geographical advantage, and our army will suffer a lot."
"Best regards, my lord."
Xu Sheng then went to convey the order, and the three hundred cavalrymen dismounted and rested on the spot, taking out the dry food and water they had brought with them to eat and drink.
Seeing this, Zhou Yu shouted to Xu Sheng: "Take two cavalrymen and follow me to the front to have a look. I'm not sure about the terrain here. You must know yourself and your enemy."
Xu Sheng nodded, called two of his followers, and followed Zhou Yu away.
A group of four people, Zhou Yu took the lead, followed closely by Xu Sheng and the other two cavalrymen. After less than five miles, they suddenly saw a road blocked by huge rocks, with thorns on both sides making it difficult to continue moving forward.
Zhou Yu stopped and saw that the road was blocked, so he smiled and said: "It seems that the bandits are self-defense thieves. They set up such roadblocks because they don't want anyone to pass through."
Xu Sheng said: "Sir, let me go over and move the boulders away and open the road?"
Zhou Yu asked in surprise: "Can you move that huge boulder?"
Xu Sheng chuckled and said: "It's just a small stone, it only weighs about 200 kilograms. How can you defeat me?"
Zhou Yu was surprised by Xu Sheng's physical strength and wanted to see what was going on. He nodded and said, "Then go ahead."
Xu Sheng got off his horse and walked straight ahead. He walked in front of the boulder, first moved away some scattered small stones one by one, and then used all his strength to move away the boulder that was the mainstay.
"boom!"
With a loud noise, Xu Sheng threw the boulder to the side of the road.
After seeing this, Zhou Yu looked excited and laughed loudly: "Who said that the men from Soochow are not as strong as those from the north? Xu Sheng, if you stay with me from now on, if you practice hard, you will definitely become a general.
"
Xu Sheng wiped the sweat on his forehead and said with a smile: "Thank you, sir. It's just that Xu Sheng is under General Cheng. If he wants to be with you, he will need to be mobilized."
Zhou Yu waved his hand and said: "Don't worry, I will do this. As long as you are willing to come, the benefits will be yours."
"promise!"
After the road was opened, Xu Sheng got on his horse again and continued walking forward with Zhou Yu.
The group walked less than three miles, and saw that the road was getting narrower and narrower, with thorns on both sides, and there was a pile of large rocks blocking the way on the road ahead.
When Xu Sheng saw this, he said to Zhou Yu: "The adults will rest here for a while, and the little ones will come back as soon as they go."
After saying that, Xu Sheng dismounted and walked towards the pile of big rocks.
When he walked to the pile of boulders, he stretched out his hand and just moved a small stone away when he suddenly heard the loud sound of gongs and drums, and then many people suddenly appeared in the bushes covered with thorns.
They are burly men with fierce looks and sharp blades. They are wrapped in yellow scarves on their heads, red scarves on their waists, and a cloak made of leaves on their backs, which just hides them well.
"Hahahaha... It's not easy for you. This little brother is also a strong man. He was able to move the boulder on the first line of defense. I really admire him. However, now that you are all surrounded, those who know better will dismount and be tied.
Otherwise, I will shoot you into hedgehogs immediately!" At this time, a masked man in black emerged from the crowd, stood on a high hill, and laughed loudly.
Xu Sheng immediately returned to Zhou Yu, looked around, and saw that they were all bandits, so he said to Zhou Yu: "Sir, what should we do now?"
Zhou Yu didn't panic at all and seemed very calm. He thought to himself: "This group of bandits is not simple. There must be capable people among them to help."
"Did you hear that? Dismount immediately and get tied up!" The man in black raised his hand, and archers poured out from all directions, aiming at Zhou Yu, Xu Sheng and the other four people in the middle of the road.
Xu Sheng said: "Sir, a good man will not suffer the consequences of his immediate loss. This group of bandits is only after money. Why don't we let them kidnap him for the time being. When the news reaches Jianye, it will not be too late to redeem him with a ransom."
Zhou Yu suddenly burst into laughter and said: "The people in Wu State live and work in peace and contentment, and the world is at peace. How can there be any bandits?"
He immediately grabbed Xu Sheng's lapel and asked with a gloomy look: "Tell me the truth, what happened today?"
Xu Sheng blinked, stared at Zhou Yu, and said, "Sir, what's going on? Aren't we here to suppress bandits?"
Zhou Yu pushed Xu Sheng away, sneered, pointed at the group of bandits and said: "You have your heads wrapped in yellow scarves, do you think you are the Yellow Turban Army? You dress up like this, think you are bandits? Which bandit have you seen with such dirty feet?
Wearing official boots and holding uniform weapons?"
Xu Sheng's face was filled with surprise. He looked at the bandits standing on the high hill, and sure enough he saw that they were still wearing the official boots of Wu Guotong on their feet, and of course they were holding weapons in their hands.
"Xu Sheng! Tell me honestly, what is going on today?" Zhou Yu roared at Xu Sheng.