Zhao Hongrun pointed at Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu who fell to the ground and was struggling, and looked at the four generals Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao and Wu Ji with calm eyes.
Zhao Hongrun did not have a thorough understanding of the national conditions of the Chu State, but there was one thing that he was very clear about, and that was the status of the Xiong family's bloodline in the Chu State.
In Zhao Hongrun's eyes, Chu State is a typical clan state, a country with an obvious class system like a pyramid.
And in this pyramid called the Kingdom of Chu, there is no doubt that the King of Chu is at the top of the steeple.
The first step after that is the Xiong family, the direct descendants of the King of Chu.
The second step is the Xiong clan, including all the branch nobles of the Xiong clan, including Mi and Qu.
After that, the third step is composed of non-Xiong nobles, some nobles, nobles, and so on.
The civilians serve as the bottom and cornerstone of this pyramid.
The clear distinction between status and classes made the class differentiation in Chu State extremely obvious. The treatment of nobles and commoners was like a world of difference.
The most famous of these regulations is the various immunity rights of nobles. For example, nobles are not guilty of killing domestic slaves, and they are not guilty of killing civilians who are disrespectful to the nobles. However, civilians, no matter what the reason, even if they accidentally hurt
If you reach the nobility, you will also be punished with death, etc.
The entire Chu State seemed to be made up of unfair and differentiated treatment. Sometimes it was hard for Zhao Hongrun to imagine that a country with such a clearly differentiated hierarchical system not only did not collapse, but its national power exceeded that of the Wei Dynasty. It was really unbelievable.
It can only be said that countless Xiong nobles have mastered too much power and power in the entire Chu State. They are aloof. With the support of many non-Xiong nobles, they control the lifeline of the entire country and occupy too powerful a position in class conflicts.
The power is so powerful that the non-aristocratic protesters are unable to fight for anything.
Because of this, Zhao Hongrun thought that using Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu, a member of the Xiong clan, to further restrain the four surrendered generals Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao and Wu Ji was a safer way.
After all, if Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji actually slashed Xiong Hu with their swords, then the effect of this threat would be far more effective than just asking them to kill the other Chu prisoners.
After all, in Chu State, no matter what the purpose is, if a commoner harms a noble, the end will be death, and it may even harm his family.
In other words, as long as Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji actually wielded their swords and wounded Xiong Hu, Lord Pingyu, then if this matter spread, Chu would no longer have these four surrendered generals.
With a foothold, these four people have no other way to survive except to sincerely take refuge in Zhao Hongrun and the Wei Dynasty.
"Someone comes first."
After a moment of silence, Qu Cheng took the lead in picking up the knife on the ground. Under Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu's unbelievable gaze, he stabbed Xiong Hu's left leg with the tip of the knife, and the blade penetrated the entire thigh.
…
Zhao Hongrun was stunned for a moment, then glanced at Qu Cheng thoughtfully. Then he clapped his hands in approval: "Very good, Qu Cheng, you have won more of my trust."
Qu Cheng's expression remained unchanged, he clasped his fists respectfully and took two steps back.
With him as a "role model", Gu Liangwei, Wu Majiao, and Wu Ji became much more determined. At Zhao Hongrun's instruction, they made several cuts on Xiong Hu's legs.
There was no other way, after all, Zhao Hongrun wanted to keep Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu alive, so he could only choose his legs, which were not in a critical position, to attack.
"Papa pa pa"
Zhao Hongrun clapped his hands gently and glanced at Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu, who was rolling on the ground in pain.
Perhaps because of the intense struggle, the cloth in Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu's mouth fell off. He stared at Zhao Hongrun resentfully, gritted his teeth and cursed: "Ji Run, you... you don't have to die...
"
"Huh?" Zhao Hongrun looked at him with a half-smile, shook his head and said, "What a surprise, do you still have the energy to insult me? Isn't it good to save some energy?"
Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu smiled miserably, gritted his teeth and cursed: "It's a small trick, I have personally gone to the battlefield many times, but with injuries like this, how can you make me surrender?... You can use whatever tricks you have, dog.
Son of a bitch!"
…
Zhao Hongrun frowned in displeasure. Although he didn't want to argue with Xiong Hu, it was undeniable that this guy's insults were really unpleasant.
No, Zong Weizhong walked up expressionlessly and stepped on the wound on Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu's leg. The pain caused the latter to roll on the ground but he still kept cursing.
Seeing this, Junshui Camp General Li Qian stepped forward, gently pushed Zhongzhao away, and said to the latter with a smile: "Boy, you are not ruthless enough, let me do it."
After that, he took out a small cloth bag from his arms under Zhongzhao's doubtful eyes and threw it to Zhongzhao.
Zhongzhao was stunned for a moment, then he gently spread out the small cloth bag in his palm. Only then did everyone realize that the small cloth bag contained some small yellow-white solid particles.
"Salt?" Zhongzhao's murmur made Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu, who fell on the ground, suddenly change his face and sweat like blood.
"Apply it to his wound." Li Qian said calmly.
Without doubting that it was him, he grabbed a small cluster of salt and applied it hard on Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu's injured legs.
In just a few blinks of an eye, Lord Pingyu Xiong Hu gritted his teeth, his whole body tensed up, and sweat poured down his forehead.
This time, he was in so much pain that he couldn't even make a sound.
Seeing this, Zhongzhao's eyes lit up and he muttered: "This is a good idea..."
As he said that, he was about to grab another small bunch and continue to rub it on Xiong Hu's wound, but he was quickly stopped by Li Qi with a strange expression: "That's enough, that's enough. Just what I did is enough to tell this guy to shut up."
...If you give him a little more, he will be dead."
"The little guy doesn't know what's important..." Li Qian muttered and put the little cloth bag back.
Zang scratched his head in a flirtatious manner. After all, he also understood that, at least for now, his Highness Zhao Hongrun did not want Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu to die.
"..."
Zhao Hongrun looked coldly at Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu, who was almost fainting from pain. Seeing that he had almost learned a lesson, he waved his hand and said: "That's enough. He washed the wound and applied the knife and medicine... I still have some leftovers."
It's useful to him."
Not long after, several Wei soldiers took water from outside the tent, poured it on Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu's injured legs, washed away the thick blood that became when the salt dissolved in the blood, and immediately applied the knife
Create medicine.
At this time, Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu had already lost all his strength after the torture. He panted heavily and looked at Zhao Hongrun resentfully, but he no longer dared to curse any vicious words.
After a long time, he said bitterly in a hoarse voice: "Ji Run, you... you kept my life... because you wanted to use me... to threaten them... the four of them, right?"
"Oh? Why did you say that?"
"Ha, stop... stop pretending." Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu took a few breaths and said with difficulty: "Do you think... do you think I can't guess your intentions?... You are just planning to call me These four people returned to Lord Xiong Tuo's army and made them serve as internal agents... leaving me alone. Apart from threatening them, what other intention could there be?"
As soon as these words came out, Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji all had slightly strange expressions.
Think about it, where can the four of them who surrendered to Zhao Hongrun show their greatest effect? Is it in the Wei army's camp?
No! Of course it must be in the camp of Xiong Tuo, Lord of Yangcheng, as an internal response.
Thinking about it this way, Zhao Hongrun just asked the four of them to chop Pingyu Jun Xiong Hu. It was not as simple as venting his anger.
It is no exaggeration to say that Zhao Hongrun has put a yoke on the four of them that they cannot betray. If Qu Cheng and the other four dare to betray him, King Su of Wei. Then Zhao Hongrun only needs to put Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu back. This Duke of Chu, who had been persecuted by his subordinates, would naturally deal with Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao and Wu Ji.
By that time, Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji will definitely be tortured ten times or a hundred times.
Thinking of this, Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji looked at Zhao Hongrun in complicated ways.
"Is...is this like this? Your Highness, Prince Su?" Wu Ji asked with some disapproval. You must know that Zhao Hongrun had a very good impression on him just now.
Facing the surprised looks of the four surrendered generals, Zhao Hongrun smiled as usual and said lightly: "I always behave as a villain first and then a gentleman... Xiong Hu is right. If you wait to betray me, King, then, I will send Xiong Hu and Xiong Tuo to deal with you. But if you are loyal to me... Oh, how can I be willing to release such a valuable bargaining chip as Xiong Hu? Huh?"
"..."
Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji looked at each other a few times. Although they felt a little uncomfortable, it was not unacceptable. After all, they did not think that King Su of the Wei Dynasty would be so easy. trust them.
But just as the four of them nodded, Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu sneered inappropriately again.
"What a good plan, Prince Su Ji Run..."
"Oh? Isn't it Ji Run's child?" Zhao Hongrun looked at Xiong Hu with a half-smile.
The expression on Xiong Hu's face was stiff. He looked at Zhao Hongrun hatefully, but in the end he didn't dare to curse any more.
Seemingly reading his thoughts, Zhao Hongrun said calmly: "Don't worry, I know the rules. As long as you don't provoke my bottom line, I will not order anyone to torture you."
"Is this your measure?" Xiong Hu was a little surprised, and then asked: "Including me ruining your good deeds?"
"What can you do?" Zhao Hongrun asked curiously.
I saw Xiong Hu sneer twice, and suddenly turned to Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji and said, "Listen, four of you, Ruo Ji Run will let you wait until you return to Lord Xiong Tuo's army. , you will tell Master Xiong Tuo everything that happened here, and Master Xiong Tuo will teach you how to deal with the Wei army... I promise that I will not take any blame for what you and others did just now!"
"..." Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what Lord Pingyu meant by Xiong Hu's words.
At this moment, Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu turned his attention to Zhao Hongrun and asked with a sneer: "Like this...do you still trust these four people? Will you let them act as internal agents?"
…
Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji were stunned when they heard this, and their expressions immediately changed.
Inside the tent, like Bailiba, Li Qian and others also looked at Pingyu Lord Xiong Hu in amazement, and were speechless for a while.
This guy... one word actually destroyed the mutual trust that was finally established between His Highness King Su and the four surrendered generals. (To be continued.)