At this time, Meng Ming wanted to inquire about what Cao Linshou had seen and heard on this business trip, so as to understand and grasp the deployment and movement of the army related to the Liao army.

At this time, he asked: "Master Cao, I also have a close relationship with your Cao family, now I ask you a few questions, and I hope you will answer truthfully." ”

After receiving Cao Linshou's promise, he asked: "Master Cao, you have arrived here all the way from Daliao to Beijing, and during this period, you can find out whether Daliao has any emergency conscription from the people. Is there a large amount of food and grass being raised? ”

I heard Cao Linshou say: "So that the master of the horse knows, the old man came all the way from Shangjing, and he did not find the situation of emergency conscription and large collection of grain and grass in Daliao, the daily life of the Liao people is as usual, and the officials are also on duty normally, and the situation in Daliao is normal and stable at present." ”

He pondered for a while, as if he remembered something again, and listened to him again: "However, there are soldiers and horses in Nanjing, but they are not under martial law in the city, and the lives of the residents are peaceful, and the merchants of the Great Song Dynasty are still allowed to go to do business. ”

After hearing this, Meng Ming was even more sure in his heart that the border of the Great Liao Chen soldiers was purely bluffing, and there would not be a big war with the Great Song Dynasty, at most it would be a local small-scale border conflict.

But he still didn't dare to take it lightly, and still made all preparations for an unpredictable escalation.

At this time, he asked Cao Linshou to retreat, and then asked someone to let him go, and saw Cao Linshou's face showing hesitation, and he looked like he wanted to say something and stopped, and asked for something.

Meng Ming also saw his strangeness, and then asked, "Master Cao, is there anything unspeakable?" If so, it's better to say it, and I'll give you a detailed reference to see if I can help you. ”

When Cao Linshou heard this, he was immediately overjoyed, and said secretly: "It's exactly what I want, God really helps me." ”

I heard him speak: "Master Ma, due to the gradual rise of the Song-Liao border war, the field began to close, so from the Great Liao to the Great Song Dynasty, those official roads have been closed, so you can only take some folk roads, sometimes you have to go over the mountains and mountains, and go to some remote places, so it is easy to meet mountain bandits." Isn't this what we're going to be targeted. ”

After he finished speaking, he pointed to several strangely dressed black-clothed people behind the caravan, most of these people had ugly faces, powerful and powerful, their eyes were shining with fierce light, and they were full of murderous energy.

I heard him say again: "Master Ma, we have also walked this road before, and the first two years were relatively peaceful, but in the past two years, there is a Black Wind Ridge not far ahead, and a gang of bandits has gathered, about four or five hundred bandits, plus their families are almost more than a thousand people; They roared in the mountains and forests, blocked the road and robbed, robbed the house, robbed the people's daughters, killed people and goods, and did all kinds of evil. The key is that these people don't talk about morality at all, and the hostages they take may be torn up even if they pay the ransom. ”

After he finished speaking, he took out a letter from his body and showed it to Meng Ming, Meng Ming saw that it was a threatening letter written to him by the Black Wind Gang, the letter wrote: "I" ghost sorrow, I heard that you and other big businessmen with deep background backers want to walk through one acre and three points of land in my "Black Wind Village", then according to the old rules, you need to leave the money to buy the road, I don't care how deep your background is, how hard the backer is, here I am the "King of Heaven Laozi", even if the emperor Lao'er comes, it is not easy to make, you have to leave the money to buy the road, you only need to leave half of the money and goods, Then you will be released from the mountain; If you don't agree, it will cost you your dog's life and make you lose both your money and money. ”

At this time, Cao Linshou said at this time: "Master Ma, I heard that most of these bandits are deserters from the border army, this ghost is worried, because his wife was occupied by his boss, so he killed Shangguan in a fit of anger and escaped into the mountains and forests to become bandits. I hope that the horse master can send a team of men and horses to escort us through the Black Wind Ridge, and we will have a heavy thanks, how about offering five thousand taels of silver? ”

When Meng Ming heard this, he immediately had an idea, he called Yang Wenguang, and then introduced him to Cao Linshou.

In fact, Yang Wenguang also recognized Cao Linshou, and the two immediately greeted each other affectionately, and Meng Ming called Yang Wenguang aside to discuss.

I heard Meng Ming say: "Brother Pingzhong, I heard that there is a bandit nest in this area, called "Heifeng Village", there are more than 1,000 bandits, and now the Cao family caravan invites us to escort it, as long as it is out of Heifeng Ridge, I am thinking about discussing it with you, we will send a battalion of soldiers to escort it, and send scouts to find out the intelligence of Heifeng Village, and then exterminate it in one go, not only to eliminate harm for the people, but more importantly, it is right for our new army to train soldiers, so that these recruits can see blood, and it is good to hone it." ”

When Yang Wenguang heard this, he immediately became interested, he agreed without thinking, and he hurriedly went back to the camp to arrange the deployment.

He transferred a hundred soldiers from Di Qing's regiment, led by Di Qing, including Wu Heiniu and Qi Dayong; Some disguised as guards, others hid in the wagon's cargo pile. They took the first step, after all, Cao Linshou and his party couldn't stay here for too long, which would arouse the suspicion of the bandits in Black Wind Village.

In addition, he sent Gao Wenhuan's regiment to lead his troops to exterminate the bandits in Heifeng Village, and at the same time break through their lair.

Cao Linshou's convoy began to march towards the Black Wind Ridge, and from time to time he saw the Black Wind Ridge lying in front of everyone's eyes, with mountains and mountains stacked side by side; The trail goes deep into the two majestic peaks, the two peaks are next to each other, and there is a gap between the two peaks, which is like a ray of sky; In the cracks of the stone in the first line of the sky, you will see strange rocks standing in a forest, looking up in the rock peaks, the sky is like a ribbon of gray and blue in the gloomy mountain fog, and the boulders hanging in the air seem to be smiling at the people walking below, which makes people frightened and afraid.

The convoy entered a line of sky, walked a stick of incense for a while, then felt that the field of vision was broadened, and everyone saw that the terrain was wide, and a large group of robbers suddenly appeared in front of the front, and there were also robbers behind at the same time, these mountain bandits had about one hundred and eighty people, and they intended to "catch turtles in the urn" of the caravan, so that they could not fly.

Cao Linshou suddenly became a little flustered, he hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Dare to ask the hero of the Black Wind Village in front, I also received a letter from the owner of the village, we are willing to accept the conditions proposed by the owner of the village, can you raise your hand and let me wait to pass the test?" ”

Standing at the front of the team, I saw that he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, a scruffy beard, and a striking ink-colored tattoo on his cheeks.

At this time, he said: "As you wish, pay the money, and let you return to the south." ”

Cao Linshou hurriedly asked someone to bring boxes of gold, silver, jewelry, silk and satin, these yellow and white treasures reflected a dazzling light under the sun, and suddenly saw that these robbers were greedy and salivating.

When he saw the robbers coming forward one after another, they immediately surrounded the property, and they shouted with triumphant cheers.

Unbeknownst to them, a group of people were approaching them, and Di Qing gave instructions to the recruits, who quickly took up their vantage points, then loaded their guns with their guns, and then took aim with their guns, ready to shoot at any moment.

At this time, Cao Lin's caravan guards also quickly evacuated to a safe area, so that the two sides were accidentally injured during the battle.

At this time, Di Qing shouted loudly, and heard him say: "Wu Na thieves and mountain bandits, we are the official army of the Great Song Dynasty, you are surrounded, hurry up and surrender, otherwise the casualties will not be counted." ”

When this group of bandits heard this, they immediately exploded, and immediately jumped to their feet and scolded bitterly, as if their self-esteem had been greatly provoked, and they saw that they were angry and angry, and they were not afraid to force the officers and soldiers.

Seeing this, Di Qing was immediately furious, and said bluntly: "I don't know whether I live or die, I will ask you and other thieves to taste the power of muskets." ”

I saw him wave the flag violently and shout, "All in place, ready... Shoot. ”