As a large number of thieves came out of the ambush, more than ten of Li Rusong's cavalry had disappeared, and several more soldiers guarding the rations fell.
In an instant, the morale of the army was weakened.
The rest threw down their swords and guns and ran away again, rolling and crawling.
Soon the dock was controlled by thieves again...
The wind and rain were a little lighter at this time.
Wang Hu came over again and said softly: "Sir, these people... are not bandits."
Shen Lie nodded.
Feel the same.
I wonder how a group of bandits could be so well-trained and well-organized, and even know how to use tricks. Even Li Rusong, who had experienced many battles, was tricked.
The person in charge is unusual.
Wang Hu came over and said firmly: "Sir, these are officers and soldiers."
Shen Lie nodded again and looked at this useless subordinate with some surprise. This person was not useless, but he was quite clever.
In the light rain.
After several iterations, Tongzhou Pier finally became quiet, and Shen Lie quickly raised his monocular to look over.
In the dim vision, one could vaguely see the group of well-trained thieves. They did not touch the food in the warehouse, but ran towards Shuiguan in groups.
One after another, figures jumped onto the grain ship that was parked at Shuiguan and had just arrived before it could be unloaded. Then they cut off the ropes and struggled to hold up the boat pole.
After a while.
Several grain boats floated leisurely and rowed towards a tributary connected to the canal.
Shen Lie was speechless again.
Wang Hu also clicked his tongue and praised: "Sir, the plan of this group of thieves is really thorough. I never thought that the person in charge would be so cunning..."
The words are not finished yet.
Shen Lie had already put the monocular telescope in his arms, holding the flintlock musket, and with his waist bent, he chased the disappearing grain ship.
There is one sentence left.
"Chase!"
Wang Hu was stunned for a moment.
I saw Mr. Qianhu already leaping far away, with his strong figure holding a musket and walking swiftly in the mud, like a strong civet cat.
Wang Hu was stunned.
Seven or eight fans looked at him blankly and said nonchalantly: "The boss..."
Wang Hu was confused for a while, remembering Dongchang's strict family laws. If Mr. Qianhu made any mistake, I'm afraid...
Once he gritted his teeth, he closed his eyes.
Wang Hu started to curse: "What are you still doing? Chase me!"
Following the commander's order, seven or eight fans hurriedly stood up from where they were crouching in the corner and followed Lord Qianhu in a noisy manner.
As Shen Lie and others left.
The Tongzhou Pier in the rainy night became deathly silent. It took another half an hour before a large number of soldiers swarmed in from all directions.
There was a chorus of yelling and yelling.
After dawn.
The rain has stopped, but the sky is still gloomy.
Thirty miles away from Tongzhou Pier.
A tributary of the Haihe River.
River branch.
Following a noise in the bushes beside the river bank, Shen Lie ducked out, carrying a flintlock musket, and crouched in the bushes with only his head exposed.
Looking around.
Only a few hundred meters away, several grain boats loaded with military rations finally stopped.
Some thieves in messy clothes and with their faces covered docked the grain boat, and then hurriedly moved away the heavy bags of rice.
Shen Lie wiped the sweat from his palms, took out his monocular and observed carefully, looking at the gang of thieves who had been waiting for a long time by the river branch.
Donkey carts and big green mules left quickly carrying rice and grain.
Cold sweat broke out on Shen Lie's forehead, but he didn't dare to wipe it off. The organization of this group of thieves far exceeded his expectations!
Recalling the entire process of robbing the grain, some people feigned attacks, some ambush, some diverted the tiger away from the mountain, and there were even others who responded.
Everything seemed so orderly.
Although hectic.
But no one made a sound.
This scene made Shen Lie stunned again. After observing it carefully for a moment, he could vaguely identify that this place was a small tributary of Haihe River.
After chasing him all night, he had actually reached the boundary of Tianjin Wei.
As Shen Lie narrowed his eyes, he finally found some clues, as his eyes passed over the thieves one by one.
Among the thieves wearing coarse linen clothes and covering their faces, one could vaguely make out the shabby military uniforms worn by several thieves leaders.
The originally red mandarin duck battle coat has been washed and turned white, and it is still patched. The military boots and military cap are all in standard Ming army style.
There were actually a few sparse cavalrymen scattered around on guard. The nearest cavalryman was only about 200 meters away from Shen Lie.
Shen Lie squatted down a little lower and narrowed his deep eyes.
Thinking about it.
It seems that Wang Hu is right, this group of people are officers and soldiers and cannot make mistakes.
To be precise, they were guardsmen.
At this time, there was another rustling sound in the bushes behind him.
Shen Lie turned around and saw the panting Wang Hu and seven or eight fans chasing after him hard, all of them panting like an ox.
Wang Hu and others were all dizzy when they ran away. They finally managed to touch them and gasped: "Master Qianhu..."
"Shh."
Shen Lie gestured to them to hide, and then continued to observe. Wang Hu quickly followed his example and crouched on the ground, rolling his eyes and gasping for air.
The other fans were not much better. There were seven or eight people who were originally chasing them, but now half of them got away. Only three people, including Wang Hu, were still following closely.
These three masters...
They all fell down from exhaustion and crouched in the dense bushes not far away, sticking out their tongues regardless of their appearance and panting like dogs.
The sound of breathing reached my ears.
Shen Lie looked at his group of idiot subordinates and couldn't help but shook his head. After running for dozens of miles at night, they were exhausted. How could they be called the elites of Dongchang?
I felt helpless.
Shen Lie thought about how many days would pass before the village chief from Shenjiazhuang came over.
You have to practice hard!
By the time.
Shen Lie wants these idiots to know what cruelty is.
After Wang Hu had regained his breath, Shen Lie handed over the monocular and said, "Come and see, do you know where this place is?"
Wang Hu took the telescope and looked at it. After thinking for a moment, he said with certainty: "Sir, this should be the mouth of the Sancha River, the territory of Tianjin Zuowei. These people are..."
He didn't say the rest of the sentence.
Shen Lie also understood.
Those who robbed the grain were the officers and soldiers of Tianjin Zuowei.
Shen Lie frowned as he looked at the shabby and patched military uniforms of the guardsmen who were busy carrying food.
Shen Lie asked for the telescope and planned to continue observing...
Wang Hu said tremblingly: "Sir, let's retreat quickly."
This shocking case has now come to light. Thanks to Mr. Senhu's astuteness, the origins of the culprits have also been found out.
It's time to withdraw.
Shen Lie did not refute him this time, but nodded in agreement. There was no need to take any more risks, as long as he and his men could return alive.
All I need to do is bring the clues to the real murderer directly to you.
This is a great achievement!
So the two of them looked at each other, bent their waists in a tacit understanding, and retreated step by step deeper into the bushes. They were about to retreat into the dense forest by the river.
at this time.
On the edge of the river a few hundred meters away, a few guardsmen on horseback seemed to have discovered something. They turned around and looked over with vigilance.
