That night, Zhao Hongrun, who had fallen asleep, was woken up and received a report that someone was staying in the warehouse in the north of the city in violation of the ban and was planning to do something evil. This news suddenly cheered him up.
However, because the matter is not clear yet, Zhao Hongrun will not make a decision rashly because of Xu Jiong's one-sided words. After all, it is not yet confirmed whether the young man who behaves suspiciously is a member of the Lun tribe of the Yi tribe. Even if he is, it cannot be confirmed.
Prove how this matter has anything to do with Lu Balong, the leader of the Lun tribe of the Yi tribe.
Therefore, he asked the Zongwei to boil some water, brewed a large horn cup of tea using low-quality tea cakes that were easy to carry, and sat in the tent and waited quietly. Because he knew that since Xu Jiong ordered people to report to him
Xu Jiong would personally state the matter to him later, regardless of whether it was a misunderstanding or true.
Sure enough, around Zishi, Xu Jiong's voice sounded from the felt tent: "Everyone, may I ask if His Royal Highness Prince Su has had a rest?"
When he heard Xu Jiong asking the Su Wang guards on duty outside the tent, Zhao Hongrun said casually inside the tent: "Come in, Xu Jiong."
"Uh...yes."
Xu Jiong responded outside the tent, then lifted up the tent and walked in. He held his hands and fists in front of him and paid a heavy courtesy.
"Just you?"
When asking, Zhao Hongrun looked up and down at the three thousand general of the Shang Shui Army in front of him.
As far as he knew, this 3,000-man general was not promoted by Wu Ji casually. This man was once the guard general of Chen County. Including Wu Ji's deputy general Zhai Huang, there were many senior officials in the Shangshui Army.
The Thousand-Man General and the Three-Thousand-Man General were all former generals of Xiong Hu, Lord Pingyu of Chu. They were surrendered by Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji on their way to attack Pingyu, Xiangcheng, and Chen County last year.
, and then along with the large wave of Chu people, they submitted to Wei.
After that, because these people were familiar with Gu Liangwei, Wuma Jiao, and Wu Ji, they chose the Shang Shui Army between the Yanling Army and the Shang Shui Army instead of Qu Cheng's Yanling Army.
military.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is these generals who have supported the weak general system of the Shangshui Army. Otherwise, the Shangshui Army would have been in chaos simply by relying on those generals who were promoted from soldiers to generals of 500 or 1,000.
.
"Ah, there is only one general..." Xu Jiong subconsciously answered, and then he realized the reason why His Royal Highness King Su in front of him asked this question, and quickly clasped his fists and explained: "Because General Zhai (Huang) Wei
Patriarch Lubalong interceded, plus..."
"What else?" Zhao Hongrun asked curiously when Xu Jiong suddenly became hesitant.
A look of embarrassment appeared on Xu Jiong's face, and he whispered: "Clan Chief Lu Balong called his two youngest sons to the general and told him to stay with him as hostages. He said... if he
Even if His Highness Prince Su has a hint of betrayal, the general can kill his two sons..." At this point, he raised his head and looked at Zhao Hongrun with a stern look.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongrun could guess that Xu Jiong must have pressed too hard at that time, so Lu Balong had to use this method to prove his loyalty and innocence.
But he did not mean to accuse or blame Xu Jiong. After all, Xu Jiong was loyal to his duties and should be praised rather than criticized.
"Sit." Zhao Hongrun raised his hand and motioned Xu Jiong to sit diagonally across from him. He then personally poured him a cup of tea from a horn cup, and then said with a joking smile: "There is no good tea.
There’s no matching tea set either… I’ll just make do with tea cakes and horn cups.”
"How dare you..." Seeing Zhao Hongrun pouring tea for himself, Xu Jiong was flattered and took it with both hands. Although it was just a cup of crude tea, he felt inexplicably touched.
Once upon a time, the Chu generals like Xu Jiong who were persuaded to surrender by Wu Ji and others during their attack on Pingyu had actually never seen Zhao Hongrun before, but had only heard about His Highness Prince Su from time to time, and the ones they heard were not those.
What can make them feel at ease is the story of how Zhao Hongrun forced Wu Ji and others to surrender, and how he forced 50,000 Chu troops to surrender, etc., which made Xu Jiong and other generals extremely fearful of His Highness King Su.
It was not until later that they gradually realized how approachable His Highness Prince Su, who was rumored to be vicious in private, was. More importantly, His Highness Prince Su was not as rude to foreigners as Sima An, the great general of the Dangshan Army.
He was prejudiced against the Wei people and the Chu people who submitted to the Wei State.
Benevolence, the most direct manifestation of which is undoubtedly that His Highness Prince Su regards the Shang Shui Army as his direct descendants, and equips them with sharp weapons such as repeating crossbows and catapults. It is also said that His Highness Prince Su is still planning to
Personally design the armor of the Shang Navy Army, and prepare to have the Metallurgical Manufacturing Bureau build an armor for them.
Perhaps out of his trust in Zhao Hongrun, when Xu Jiong saw that His Royal Highness Prince Su was not impatient, his anxious mood gradually calmed down.
However, he still has to say what needs to be said, this is his duty.
"Your Highness Prince Su, what do you think of... this matter?"
In fact, what he wanted to ask was what he thought of Lu Balong, the leader of the Lun tribe, but he could not deny that Lu Balong's behavior of using his two young sons as hostages also made Xu Jiong have a little trust in him, so
Of course you have to think carefully about the words you use.
"The man you captured...is he really a member of the Lun tribe?"
"Yes." Xu Jiong nodded and said: "In addition, it was not just one person. Later, when the general ordered martial law, the soldiers arrested several young people, all of whom were from the Lun tribe."
"Is that so...what happened next?"
"After this happened, the last general sent someone to notify General Zhai Huang at first, asking him to... well, temporarily detain Lu Balong. However, General Zhai Huang acted prudently and took the Lu Balong clan leader to the city wall to confront him in person. At that time,
The general saw with his own eyes that Lu Balon was very angry when he saw those young people, and even called out the name of one of them..."
After hearing this, Zhao Hongrun was even more convinced that this matter had nothing to do with Lu Balong. After all, according to common sense, if Lu Balong really had any evil intentions, he would never yell stupidly after discovering that the tribesman had failed.
If you name those tribesmen, wouldn't it just make people suspicious?
"Where are Patriarch Lubalong and the young people from the Lun clan now?" Zhao Hongrun asked.
I saw Xu Jiong hesitated for a moment and whispered: "I was taken away by Lu Balong. He said that he will definitely give an explanation to His Highness Prince Su about this matter."
Give me an explanation...
Zhao Hongrun gritted his teeth gently, with a strange expression on his face, because he could guess what the angry Lu Balong was referring to when he thought about it.
However, after catching a glimpse of Xu Jiong's doubtful gaze, Zhao Hongrun resumed his previous posture and said with a smile: "Since Chief Lu Balong left these words, I believe he will give me a satisfactory explanation... General, take a break.
For a moment, I guessed that the leader of the Lubalong clan will come to see the king in person soon and tell the matter. We will analyze it slowly at that time;... Come, drink tea."
Xu Jiong took a sip of crude tea as he was told, and then he seemed to have thought of something, and whispered: "By the way, Your Highness Prince Su, some items were found from those young people, and I think His Highness Prince Su is the best."
Let's take a look..." As he spoke, he took out a dagger and a flint from his arms, and added in a low voice: "Those people all have these two objects."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongrun put down the croissant cup, picked up the dagger and looked at it for a while.
This is a bone blade.
Don't underestimate this bone blade. You must know that the Yi people have a long bone blade culture. They are very good at polishing sheep bones and horns into sharp blades, and even into arrowheads.
Although the bone blades made by the Shen people are not as hard as the bronzes of Chu and the irons of Wei, they are no less sharp at angles. Especially an arrow made of thin hollow bones of sheep, which can be called
It's terrifying. Once the enemy is shot in the chest, the air is forced into the enemy's body along the hollow of this bone arrow, which can directly render the enemy speechless, and then the whole body becomes stiff. He can only open his eyes and wait helplessly for death.
But it is a pity that as far as Zhao Hongrun knows, the Yi tribe, Jie tribe, Yi tribe, and the bone blade culture seem to have gradually disappeared. Compared with the things left by these ancestors, the people of Sanchuan have gradually tended to use stronger bronze and iron wares.
.
"Your Highness."
At this time, Zongwei Gao Kuo lifted up the tent and walked in. He said with a strange expression: "Chief Lubalong of the Lun tribe wants to see His Highness."
"Is he the only one?" Zhao Hongrun asked casually.
After hearing this, Gao Kuo's expression became even more awkward. He hesitated for a moment and then said hesitantly: "Human, it's true that he is alone, but... he still has a few heads." After that, he showed a look.
Your Highness, you might as well see it with your own eyes, raised the tent sideways with an expression on his face.
At this moment, Lu Balong, with a gloomy face, strode into the tent, holding three bloody human heads in his right hand.
Good guy...
Looking at the oozing heads of the three people who were still dripping with blood, Zhao Hongrun subconsciously leaned back slightly and felt that the pungent smell of blood suddenly filled the tent.
Although he had already guessed that Lu Balong would use this method to prove his innocence, the so-called confession, he really didn't expect that this reckless Sheang man would come directly to see him with his bloody head.
No wonder Zongwei Gao Kuo had a strange expression on his face just now.
"Crack."
Lu Balong directly threw the three heads on the ground as if they were dirty things. He then knelt on the ground with one knee, put his right hand on his heart, lowered his head, and gave Zhao Hongrun a very solemn gift on the grassland.
, the urn in his mouth said: "King Su, the Lun family has betrayed King Su's trust. There are indeed unruly people in our clan. However, I, Lu Balong, have killed all those shameful traitors... Please surrender to King Su."
crime!"
"Clan leader, please get up." Zhao Hongrun raised his hand to give a gesture of support, and at the same time motioned with his eyes to Gao Kuo, the Zongwei who was standing near the tent.
Gao Kuo understood and stepped forward to help Lu Balong up.
At this time, Xu Jiong seemed to have noticed something. He stood up and looked at the heads for a while, frowning and said: "These three heads do not seem to be the ones I captured..."
"Yes." Lu Balong nodded after being lifted up by Gao Kuo, and said calmly: "One of these three heads is a leader of our clan, and the young men of our clan captured by the general
This person is the one who was sent to try to use the fierce fire oil to create civil strife in the city!" At this point, he paused, glanced down at a certain head on the ground, a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes, and he closed his eyes.
He closed his eyes and sighed slightly: "At the same time, he is also my younger brother."
"..."
Zhao Hongrun, Xu Jiong, and Gao Kuo looked at each other in confusion.