Xiao Cuo pulled Fang Jun aside and whispered: "Master Hou, please help me this time!"
Fang Jun looked solemn and said sternly: "Song Guogong has always been close to my father, and I am full of admiration and admiration for the Xiao family. Uncle Shi, if you need your help, please speak up. As long as I can do it, I will not delay it."
Xiao Cuo breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much relieved. Fang Jun had rejected Xiao's proposed marriage before, and he thought he would take the opportunity to attack the Xiao family this time. After all, the Xiao family was the initiator of this smuggling...
"This time the fleet went to sea and gathered private soldiers from various major families. They were powerful in fighting and originally were not afraid of pirates. However, due to the leak of the news, someone revealed the time and route of the voyage to the pirates, so the pirates waited for work.
He took advantage of the sudden rain and wind to set up an ambush, which led to a huge defeat and the entire army was completely wiped out..."
Xiao Cuo's eyes were rolling around and he was making up lies.
Fang Jun raised his eyebrows and asked: "Then who is this person who colludes with pirates?"
This is the scapegoat.
Xiao Cuo gritted his teeth and whispered: "Wang Qi!"
Fang Jun asked: "Who is Wang Qi?"
Xiao Cuo turned around and pointed at Wang Qi, who was beating his heart.
Wang Qi was pointed at like this. Although he didn't know the reason, he still trembled. He felt more and more that a disaster was coming and the situation was not good...
Fang Jun was silent, thinking in his heart.
This time, although a large part of the private soldiers of the Jiangnan gentry were eradicated with the help of pirates, and the merchant fleet of the Jiangnan gentry was used as bait, the pirates gathered together and killed them all, completely eliminating the island troubles in the East China Sea. It can be regarded as killing two birds with one stone.
But it is not without its consequences.
It's hard to explain why they failed to rescue the Jiangnan gentry's fleet within half a day but instead wiped out the pirates at night.
Some things are not about whether others know or not, but about not being able to give others an excuse.
Even though smuggling is illegal, if Fang Jun used the merchant fleet as a bait to annihilate the pirates, but his words about not saving the merchant fleet were spread, it would definitely make the Jiangnan nobles and Fang Jun become enemies, even if the Jiangnan nobles
Not wanting to go against Fang Jun, he had to bite the bullet.
If you still swallow your anger after suffering such a big loss, do you still want the dignity of the Jiangnan nobles?
What if others follow my example in the future?
Even if it is just for the sake of face, I have to fight hard with Fang Jun...
Fang Jun's original thought was that it didn't matter, as long as he achieved his desired goal, he didn't care what the Jiangnan nobles thought or did.
But now that he found a scapegoat, Fang Jun naturally did not want to face the Jiangnan nobles for the first time. After all, he was indeed at fault this time, and his reputation might be ruined in Jiangnan. After all, so many private soldiers died.
Soldiers and sailors all died indirectly in his hands...
As long as there is a scapegoat, he can clear away the suspicion. All Jiangnan nobles will vent their anger on the scapegoat. Who dares to falsely accuse Fang Jun without any evidence?
The perfect escape.
As for who this scapegoat is, he doesn't really care.
Anyway, it was Xiao who found him by mistake. Even if the scapegoat goes to hell in the future, he cannot be blamed for this in front of the Lord of Hell...
Fang Jun pondered for a while, and then asked: "You talk in vain, and others won't believe you if you say it, right?"
I don’t know how much hatred this Wang Qi has with Xiao Cuo. This will not only kill Wang Qi, but also nail him to the pillar of shame in history. Not only the Jiangnan family hates him to the bone, but even his own
The whole family will be ashamed because of such a bastard...
Xiao Cuo said with a stern look on his face: "Under three trees, what can I ask for? As long as Lord Marquis lends me a few soldiers, I will definitely make him admit his crime honestly!"
Fang Jun immediately shook his head like a rattle and refused: "How could I do such a thing? Even if Wang Qi is really a pirate spy, if I interfere like this, I am afraid he will be accused and framed.
It is absolutely forbidden to do so."
Are you kidding me? Do you think I'm stupid?
Fang Jun's words revealed his thoughts, Xiao Cuo was slightly embarrassed, and explained with a bitter face: "I didn't mean this, the Marquis is overly concerned."
But I was cursing secretly in my heart, this little bastard is really cunning, and he won't be fooled at all...
Fang Jun refused, but changed his tone and said: "Of course I won't do this, but Uncle Shi can do it himself..."
Xiao Cuo had no choice but to nod.
When the two came back, Fang Jun said: "The soldiers are cleaning up the battlefield. Today I will let you rest on the battleship for a while. Tomorrow we will return together and send you back. But it is definitely not possible to go home. You smugglers
The evidence of the goods is conclusive, so I must report it to the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple first, or I may have to go to Chang'an to find out who else is responsible."
Xiao Cuo, Wang Qi, and Xie Wenhua nodded repeatedly: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. Lord Marquis will enforce the law impartially, which is exactly what he should do."
They are not afraid of trials or anything like that. They are from the Jiangnan gentry and there are several lords in their family. Even if they break the national law, it is just a heinous crime. At most, it is just "paying for sins with money". As long as their lives are alive, then
What does it matter?
Fang Jun added: "It's just that since you are prisoners, there are some rules that you must abide by. Otherwise, there are countless eyes in the army watching, and once word spreads, you won't be able to explain it."
Wang Qi and Xie Wenhua were puzzled. Xiao Cuo said, "This is the case. Don't make things difficult for me, Lord Marquis."
Fang Jun nodded and said, "I'm offended."
Then he waved his hand and ordered people to come forward and tie the three people up again.
Wang Qi was not angry. He boarded your warship and was surrounded by your soldiers. Are you afraid that I could escape?
But by this time, his energy had long been worn away, and he just opened his mouth, not daring to say anything more.
Fang Jun ordered the three men to be escorted to the merchant ship, locked in a cabin, and locked the door.
*****
In the cabin.
When Wang Qi saw that all the soldiers had retreated and there was no one outside, he cursed and said: "This second roommate is really going too far. Do you really think that we are prisoners under the rank? You won't even give us a meal!"
Xiao Cuo said nothing, walked to the only bed, lay down on his side, yawned, and said: "This is not bad. If it weren't for Fang Jun, we are afraid that the final outcome would be to be extorted for a ransom by the pirates."
Damn it, as long as you’re alive, what’s the point of suffering a little?”
Xie Wenhua also nodded repeatedly.
The three of them were frightened and fell into the water. They had been exhausted for a long time. They only managed to keep their spirits up when they were in danger. Now that the crisis was over, exhaustion came back, and they fell asleep in a short time.
In his sleep, Xie Wenhua felt something in his ears. He opened his eyes in a daze and saw Xiao Cuo breaking free of the rope that tied his hands at some point, riding on Wang Qi, and pinching Wang Qi hard with both hands.
Wang Qi's hands were tied around his neck, and his legs kept kicking up, but he couldn't struggle...
What's going on?!
Xie Wenhua was completely stunned.
He was not familiar with Wang Qi, but he also knew that this man was related to the Xiao family. In terms of seniority, he even called Xiao Cuo his uncle. It was said that Xiao Cuo's mother even intended to marry Xiao Cuo's daughter to Wang Qi so that they could have a kiss.
Get married.
But the situation in front of me... is Wang Qi going to be strangled to death?
The two had obviously been fighting for a while, and Xie Wenhua was too sleepy to notice.
At this moment, seeing Wang Qi's face turn red and his eyes bulging out, he was so frightened that he quickly stood up and wanted to step forward to pull Xiao Cuo away, but found that his hands were also tied. Among the three, only Xiao Cuo was
After breaking free of the rope, he could only shout: "Uncle Shi, are you crazy? You are about to strangle people to death!"
Xiao Cuo refused to let go, glared at Xie Wenhua and said angrily: "If you still want to live, get out of here!"
Xie Wenhua was timid and was so frightened by Xiao Cuo's ferocious face that he took two steps back and asked in a trembling voice: "Uncle Shi, what does this, this, this... what does this mean?"
Xiao Cuo strangled Wang Qi's neck tightly and had no time to pay attention to Xie Wenhua.
After a while, Wang Qi's struggle gradually relaxed, and finally there was no sound anymore...
Even so, Xiao Cuo could not let go. He still pinched her hard for a while, and then sat aside with a heavy breath.
Xie Wenhua looked at Wang Qi who was hanging out his tongue and was so scared that he couldn't breathe. He was afraid that Xiao Cuo would strangle him to death next. He cried: "Uncle Shi, why are you doing this?"
Xiao Cuo said: "This trip not only lost millions of goods, but also caused the death of all the private soldiers of the major families. If there is no scapegoat to shoulder all the responsibilities, do you think we can go back alive?
Can all the major families let us go? Even our own clan will probably give up on us!"
Xie Wenhua was timid and arrogant, but definitely not stupid. After being stunned for a while, he understood the meaning of Xiao Cuo's words.
But I don’t understand why Xiao Cuo wants to strangle Wang Qi, who is closer to him, instead of himself, who has nothing to do with him, even if he wants to frame her.
Thinking of this, Xie Wenhua couldn't help but shiver all over. He was walking around in front of the gate of hell and almost fell in...