The military general who came out on behalf of Han Zhan was Chen Dao. He saw that the courtyard was full of kneeling people, but the people at the front knew him, they were all famous gentry in the city, and they had interceded for the grain merchant yesterday, and they were quite unkind to themselves in their words. The rest of the kneeling people, although they had never seen them, must have been in the same capacity. It may be that they were frightened when they saw the grain merchants being killed by themselves, so they came to confess. Thinking that the army would rest here for two days before leaving, and he did not want to deal with these people more, he said disdainfully: "All right, the hour is not early, so you can all go back." ”

The gentry kneeling on the ground, when they usually see the county order, they just bow their hands. I was really scared today, so I lowered my posture and came to show goodwill. originally thought that Han Zhan would always come out to appease each other so that they could get along in the future, but who knew that the other party would not show up at all, but only sent one subordinate to receive him, so that everyone's hearts would be bottomless.

Although Chen Zhi asked them to go home, no one dared to get up easily, who knew if they were the first to go home at such a time, would the wolf-like Jizhou army break into their homes and let themselves follow in the footsteps of those grain merchants? So everyone still knelt on the ground, begging Chen Zhi bitterly, hoping to see Anyang Hou.

Han Zhan naturally wouldn't come out to see them, but in order to reassure these gentry, he still sent Guo Jia out to appease everyone. Seeing Guo Jia appear, the gentry suddenly felt a lot more relieved, and everyone expressed to him that they were willing to give double the salary to reward the Jizhou army who came from afar.

Treating the gentry in Licheng like this was originally a ploy by Guo Jia to help Han Zhan Liwei, from Chen to sing white faces, first scaring the gentry half to death, and then Guo Jia came out to sing red faces to appease people's hearts. In the future, after Han Zhan unified the four northern states, when he came to take Xuzhou again, these gentry would not dare to have any second thoughts.

Guo Jia stepped forward to help up a few elderly gentry, and said kind words to them, he arched his hand in all directions and said: "Gentlemen, the Marquis of Anyang is unable to meet guests because of the occasional cold, so I ordered Jia to come and entertain you." Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats in the hall. Everyone followed him into the lobby, and saw that the banquet had already been lined up here, and they didn't know that the other party had premeditated, but they had to pretend to be happy, so as not to incur death for themselves.

…………

Wang Hun and Zhou Cang took a team of cavalry and rushed to Mount Tai day and night to meet Zang Ba.

Two days later, they came to a small town outside Kaiyang City. There was a team of soldiers wearing Xuzhou military uniforms stationed outside the town, and when they saw a cavalry coming, the little leader who led the team hurriedly came to the middle of the road, blocked everyone's way, and asked bluntly: "Who are you and what are you doing here?" ”

Zhou Cang stepped forward to take a look, although this little leader couldn't be named, he had seen it before, and hurriedly clasped his fists on horseback and saluted: "This brother, a certain is Zhou Cang, who went to Mount Tai to visit Leader Zang!" ”

When the little leader saw Zhou Cang, he also felt familiar with the other party, but because Zhou Cang was wearing a military uniform, he couldn't confirm the identity of the other party. After hearing Zhou Cang's self-report, he hurriedly waved his hand to the back, so that the soldiers who followed behind put down their weapons, and then said with a smile: "It turned out to be Leader Zhou, what kind of wind is blowing your old man here today?" ”

Seeing that the little leader ordered someone to put away his weapons, Zhou Cang's heart was a little more steady, at least he would not disagree, and the two sides would meet each other, so he repeated what he had just said: "I have something important to see Leader Zang, and I want to rush to Mount Tai, and I ask you to make it convenient for us to go over." ”

After hearing what Zhou Cang said clearly, the little leader tilted his head to look at the cavalry behind him, as well as Wang Hun wearing a black official uniform beside him, and asked vigilantly: "Leader Zhou, why are there so many officials and soldiers around you, and when did you take refuge in the imperial court?" ”

Zhou Cang replied with a big grin: "Don't hide this brother, a certain Anyang Marquis who took refuge in Jizhou, and now he is on his orders to come to see Zang's leader." Please also make it convenient for the brothers, let us go to see Leader Zang. ”

When the little leader saw that Zhou Cang was dressed in military uniform, he thought that he had taken refuge in the Xuzhou Army, but at this moment he was relieved to hear that he had taken refuge in the Jizhou Army. Don't look at him as just a small leader, but he also heard that the Jizhou army has been approaching Xuzhou recently, and Zang Ba is gathering his subordinates to discuss countermeasures. At this moment, Zhou Cang, who took refuge in Jizhou, appeared here, proving that the Jizhou army did not want to be an enemy of Mount Tai, so he said to Zhou Cang with a smile: "I can't imagine that the leader of Zhou has taken refuge in the Jizhou army, which is really gratifying." Leader Zang is not in Mount Tai, he is in Kaiyang City at the moment, why don't you let the little one lead the way for Leader Zhou, how about it? ”

Seeing that the little leader was willing to lead the way for him, Zhou Cang couldn't help but be overjoyed, and hurriedly saluted him with a fist, and said gratefully: "In this way, there will be Brother Lao!" ”

"Little ones!" The little leader shouted at his subordinates: "I'm going to take Leader Zhou to see the big leader, you guys are watching carefully here, and outsiders are not allowed to enter the town casually, understand?" After hearing the resounding answers of his subordinates, the little leader faced Zhou Cang and said, "Leader Zhou, the little one will lead the way, please come with me." ”

Seeing that the little leader had no horses, Zhou Cang hurriedly ordered a cavalryman behind him to give a horse to the little leader, lest he walk too slowly and couldn't keep up with the speed of his team.

The group, led by the little leader, entered the town. Looking at the orderly streets in the town and the pedestrians coming and going, Wang Hun couldn't help but say with emotion: "I really didn't expect that although Zang Ba is a bandit, the people in the place he controls are also living and working in peace and contentment, which is much better than other places." ”

Zhou Cang turned his head to look at Wang Hun and said: "Mr. Wang, strictly speaking, Leader Zang should not be regarded as a thief, he was also an official of the imperial court before, but after turning against Xuzhou Mu Taoqian, he occupied Kaiyang and Mount Tai and other places to stand on his own. ”

Wang Hun had never understood Zang Ba's situation because he was in a hurry, and at this moment, when he heard Zhou Cang say that he had become enemies with Tao Qian, he occupied Mount Tai and Kaiyang and other places to stand on his own, so he couldn't help but ask curiously: "Yuanfu, do you know why he turned against Tao Thorn Shi?" ”

"I only know that Zang Leader used to be a cavalry lieutenant under Tao Qian, and later went to Mount Tai after leaving Xiapi, stayed for half a year, and then sent troops to the south and occupied Kaiyang and other places." Zhou Cang shook his head and said, "As for why he turned against Tao Thorn Shi, I don't know." ”

When they had passed through the town, they had gone seven or eight miles further until they came to the outside of a city. Seeing that there were soldiers at the gate of the city checking the people entering and leaving the city, the little leader turned his head and said to Zhou Cang: "Leader Zhou, you wait here for a while, and wait for the little one to say hello to the brothers at the city gate, so as not to have unnecessary misunderstandings." ”

Zhou Cang nodded, stretched out his hand and made a gesture of please: "Brother Tai, please!" ”

After the little leader left, Wang Hun looked at the city not far away in a daze, and he thought in his heart: The lord is really far-sighted, if Zang Ba is really willing to submit and bring Mount Tai and Kaiyang into the control of the Jizhou army, then Qingzhou and Xuzhou can be connected.

They didn't wait long, and the little leader rode back, and said to Zhou Cang with a smile: "Leader Zhou, I have already greeted the brothers at the city gate, let's enter the city now." ”