My years as a soldier

Although enough torches have been lit, the speed of travel at night is still much slower than during the day.Seeing that ball of fire seems very close, but in fact, there is still a considerable distance between the small temple and the officers and soldiers.Not halfway through the journey, a black shadow flashed by the side of the road. It was Lao Zhao who had followed Cao Yi out of the city from Yanping Gate.

At first sight of a black figure emerging from the road, He Tiantong trembled with fright.

"who!"

He Tiantong let out a loud roar, while Chen Fan quickly reined in his horse, not in a hurry.

"Hey, isn't this the old Zhao who went out to inquire about the news earlier? Come on! Tell Captain He, what have you heard?"

Hearing this, the unscrupulous people on the ground hurriedly knelt down on one knee under He Tiantong's horse, and joined hands to salute.A set of movements is smooth and flowing, if it is not that the black clothes are almost integrated with the ground, the movements should be quite beautiful.

"Hey! Report back to Mr. He, Mr. Chen, Cao Yi is indeed the real culprit who kidnapped King Su's son. Now the son has been taken by Cao Yi to the small temple in front of the fire. There is still one person in the temple. I don't know if it is Cao Yi's." accomplice."

"Since he was waiting in the temple, he is probably an accomplice!" He Tiantong probably realized his gaffe just now, and when he spoke again, his voice added a bit of majesty that could not be pecked at.

Chen Fan rolled his eyes, and didn't answer He Tiantong's words, just staring at him in thought.

"...Master He, I think the most urgent thing is to ensure that Cao Yi will not take the opportunity to escape."

Chen Fan looked towards the little fire in the field, saw that He Tiantong hadn't spoken, so he spoke leisurely.

"We have a lot of people, and it's inconvenient to hide when we move. Master He, I don't think it's better than this. Anyway, we have already lit a lot of torches. If we extinguish the fire now, it will easily alert Cao Yi. Now that we have confirmed that Cao Yi is in the temple First, I will send a dozen or so brothers to sneak over and surround the small temple on all sides. The rest of the people should go in a large group. How many torches we have lit now, and the lights are right. Master He, such an arrangement is very good. good?"

"It's right to send someone to sneak there, but..." He Tiantong stroked the mustache on his chin, as if he still had some scruples.

"If that fellow Cao Yi ran away with his son before we arrived, how would that count?"

"If Cao Yi wanted to run away, he would definitely not dare to light a lamp. Under such circumstances, he would take someone with him, and even if he ran, he would not be able to get anywhere soon. And if Cao Yi chose to leave his son behind and run away alone, then what would happen? It's much easier. Master He only needs to go to the temple to welcome the son back, and send him back to King Su's mansion intact, presumably, whether it is King Su or the son, he will inherit the love of Master He."

"Then according to what you said, it is the most beneficial strategy for me to create momentum and provoke Cao Yi to escape?"

He Tiantong looked at Chen Fan with a hint of cunning in his eyes.

"Hey, how can this be?" Chen Fan waved his hands again and again, "Of course, my subordinates hope that Mr. He can not only successfully save the son, but also bring the murderer to justice. After all, Mr. He is good, and our bad brothers will also be honored. , don’t you think so?”

As Chen Fan spoke, he turned around and asked the dozen or so subordinates who were following behind him.These words have been brought out by Chen Fan, and He Tiantong is not easy to refute, after all, he is the most face-saving person, so he chuckled lightly, and his voice raised another octave.

"That's for sure. You also have to teach me how to be clever. If we do meritorious deeds this time, we will all have a share. Those who catch the leader of the thief will be rewarded!"

He Tiantong is also a veteran of leading troops and dispatching generals, and he is very good at boosting morale.What he said so passionately was more effective than what Chen Fan himself said.When a group of people heard this, they didn't say whether it was true or not. The words sounded comfortable, and they walked like a tiger.Chen Fan took the opportunity to pick more than a dozen capable and bad people as the advance party, and approached the small roadside temple silently in the dark.

As for the brigade, He Tiantong made up his mind to knock the mountain to shake the tiger, so he didn't restrain himself. He rushed straight to the little fire with a group of people, and ran a few minutes before the battle. Charge posture.

Seeing the officers and soldiers outside getting closer, Cao Yi grabbed Ding Xiaozhan's arm and dragged him to the back door of the small temple.

"It's still too late for you to escape! When you go back, you will say that you have never seen me. If the government finds out about the workshop, you can just separate yourself from me. I did this kind of thing in Chang'an for my own pleasure. .”

"I'm not going back!"

Cao Yi's strength was so strong that Ding Xiaozhan's small body was lifted off the ground by Cao Yi's arms on both sides without struggling a few times.But even so, Ding Xiaozhan still spared no effort to struggle in Cao Yi's hands.

"Brother Cao, it might be useful if you tell them whatever you want, but it's useless to me! You gave me my life, and I'd rather die with you than live alone! The hostages are still in our hands, they haven't reached the end of the mountain yet!"

Ding Xiaozhan yelled hoarsely, Hu Jiuzhang and Li Muyun were both attracted by the yelling, but neither of them made a sound.

"Just leave as soon as I tell you, where are there so many words!"

Cao Yi took Ding Xiaozhan to the gate of the temple in a few steps. Seeing that he was about to step out of the door, Ding Xiaozhan's struggle became more and more intense.His face was flushed with suffocation, and his forehead was already soaked with beads of sweat.

"I won't go! I won't go! Brother Cao, you put me down! Why do you have to help me and not allow me to share our troubles with you? Do you consider me a friend?"

When Ding Xiaozhan asked this question, Cao Yi's face became more and more gloomy.He grabbed Ding Xiaozhan's slender waist like a stick with both hands, and lifted him up to a height of one foot.

"I never considered you a friend."

Cao Yi's voice was low and deep, but every word was so decisive that it was impossible not to listen carefully.

"If you tell you to go now, go quickly, if you are here to hold your legs back, no one will be able to run away then!"

As Cao Yi said, he was about to throw Ding Xiaozhan into the grass behind the temple.But how did he know that Ding Xiaozhan suddenly became quiet as soon as he finished speaking.He stopped making a sound, or even struggled, and just stared blankly at Cao Yi's face with his eyes open.

"I... hold back?"

The voice was almost subconscious, even Ding Xiaozhan didn't realize that he actually asked this question out of his mouth.

After hearing that question, Cao Yi was also stunned.He froze his unraised hand in place, but at that moment, the determination froze in his eyes again.

"Yes, with you here in the way, I can't escape even if I want to." Cao Yi said in a deep voice.

When the two looked at each other, Ding Xiaozhan suddenly let out a soft snort, but his face was sad.

But this time, before Ding Xiaozhan could move, Cao Yi let go of his hand.Ding Xiaozhan fell to the ground.

"Walk."

Cao Yi said coldly.

Ding Xiaozhan straightened up from the ground and turned to look at Cao Yi.There was still a little hope and a little doubt in his eyes.But Cao Yi's expression became more and more gloomy.

"Get out, get out! I don't need you to get in the way here."

Cao Yi scolded Ding Xiaozhan severely.Ding Xiaozhan turned his head suddenly. At that moment, no one saw the expression on his face, but Cao Yi clearly heard a sob.

As soon as Ding Xiaozhan got up and stood firmly, he dodged like a mouse and ran into the dark grass.Cao Yi stared at the direction where Ding Xiaozhan disappeared for two or three seconds, but when he turned back to the room, he let out a long breath.

That's fine...

he thought to himself.

Seeing Cao Yi enter the room, Hu Jiuzhang spoke first.He stood in front of the bonfire and looked at Cao Yi with a little doubt on his face.

"If Brother Cao leaves now, that's all for now. Why don't you leave with that little brother?"

"It's strange for you to ask this question. If I run away now, and the man surnamed Li wants the officers and soldiers to hunt him down, what do you think I should do?" Cao Yi didn't think so. He glanced at Li Muyun who had got up from the quilt, There was still disdain in his eyes.

"Mr. Li is not a person who does not believe what he says. If you can't trust him, can't you trust me?"

Hu Jiuzhang couldn't help but raise his voice, frowning.

"Brother Hu, what's the use of my trusting you? First, I don't know whether the surname Li will abide by the agreement. Second, I don't know whether the officers and soldiers will obey the orders of a prince's son. So For me now, the only way to be safe and secure is to hold hostages in my hands. But you... I think it is the best policy for you to escape now to avoid the limelight. Otherwise, when the officers and soldiers arrive, To accuse you of being my accomplice."

Cao Yi said with a sneer of disdain, and he didn't know whether he was laughing at Li Muyun or Hu Jiuzhang.

"Cao Yi, even though I'm just an unofficial son of a vassal prince, even if the magistrate of Chang'an County comes, he still has to sell me!"

Seeing that expression, Li Muyun immediately became angry.It is true that he may not be able to say anything about the officers and soldiers who came to the rescue, but there is one thing in it that only he knows.

The person who reported it was Fan San, and the person Fan San reported was Chen Fan, the bad commander of Chang'an County.Chen Fan must be among the officers and soldiers who came to rescue, Li Muyun felt that even if he couldn't save anything else, he would definitely be able to save Hu Jiuzhang.After all, Chen Fan and Hu Jiuzhang had a friendship, and Chen Fan had something wrong with Hu Jiuzhang about Hu Yan's matter. He absolutely could not include Hu Jiuzhang, who just met here by chance, among the kidnappers.

As for Cao Yi...

Although Li Muyun agreed, but if Chang'an County is determined not to sell the face of Prince Su's mansion, he has nothing to do.

After all, Li Muyun didn't care whether Cao Yi was alive or dead.Even if he has the ability to fight for a way out for Cao Yi, he doesn't want to fight now.

Facing Li Muyun, Cao Yi always had doubts in his eyes.For a moment, the atmosphere in the three room suddenly turned cold.The bonfire in the open space kept making crackling sound of splinters, and the night wind poured into this dilapidated small temple wantonly, alternating cold and warm, so that people could not get rid of the coldness of winter night even by the flames.

"Brother Cao..."

Hu Jiuzhang was about to open his mouth to save the siege, but suddenly there was a scream from behind the small temple, causing the three of them to freeze in place almost at the same time.

"Xiao Zhan!"

Cao Yi was the first to react.But instead of running to check behind the temple, he ran straight to Li Muyun, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the quilt.When Hu Jiuzhang flew to rescue him, Li Muyun had already fallen into Cao Yi's hands.

"Brother Cao, calm down!"

Hu Jiuzhang still wanted to persuade Cao Yi, but Li Muyun pressed Cao Yi's arm holding his collar with both hands, and he was already hoarse when he spoke.

"Old Hu! There's a knife in the car!"

Hu Jiuzhang only looked at Li Muyun's pale face, bit his back molars hard, and flew to the courtyard.

And outside the small courtyard, it was already lit up by the torches of the officers and soldiers.Hu Jiuzhang stumbled and rushed towards the carriage, before he arrived, he heard a man's loud voice shouting directly in front of the courtyard gate.

"I am He Tiantong, the county captain of Chang'an County! The bandit leader Cao Yi, you are surrounded by my army! I advise you to surrender immediately and release the son. Otherwise, don't blame this officer for being ruthless! "