The forbidden army took more than 300 loads of grain, drove livestock, and spent four days all the way back from the Red Sand Valley to Nitou Mountain.

General Liu and Lieutenant He exchanged congratulations for a while, laughed and talked, and then returned the hand.

"The general's trip has been fruitful and fruitful, and on the way back, what are the movements of other cottages?"

"There was no movement, the journey was safe, and no one harassed him. How do adults ask this? "General Liu knows what Lieutenant He means, if there are bandits on the road who come to rob and kill, they will not be able to return so smoothly.

"General, then your purpose of exterminating the Red Sand Valley has not been achieved in this dispatch, and there should be other plans in the future, otherwise we will be busy in vain." Lieutenant He sighed.

"Your Excellency, don't worry too much, wait for us to rest for a while, and then go to exterminate the stronger bandits, not afraid that they will not resist, as long as we lose two or three out of ten, we can ask for troops to help. As long as there are two battalions of troops, we have the final say in this Tianzhu Mountain, no matter how much old money they have accumulated, it will not all belong to us in the end. After a big victory, General Liu was in high spirits.

"Okay, that's what the general said." County Lieutenant He laughed.

"What we agreed to before?" General Liu is not a forgetful person.

"If it is like Red Sand Valley, it will be the same in the future." Lieutenant He stretched out three fingers.

"Good, good." General Liu said hello three times in a row, and then said: "From now on, everything will depend on the adults." ”

"Well, let's talk about it, you rest for two days, and when the spies sent come back, we will make a plan."

After the forbidden army returned to the mountain to hand over all the supplies, they all returned to the camp to rest according to General Liu's order.

The reward for the promised soldier was also allocated by Lieutenant He on the same day, and naturally no one complained about the scorching heat, no one complained about the difficulty of the mountain road, no one complained about running around for days, and all the hidden dissatisfaction was instantly scattered by the copper coin, and the excitement was inexplicable, and there was even a threat to fight again. Seeing that the morale of the soldiers was high, Lieutenant He was overjoyed, that is, he wanted to let them dare to fight and fight more tough battles, otherwise they would all be busy for several months.

Two days later, the spies reported that bandits near Hongyan Cave were coming and going frequently, and there were signs of linkage.

Once they are united, the number of bandits is large, and a battalion of forbidden troops does not have an advantage, and they lack confidence in the mountains, so it is necessary to quickly send troops to break their linkage in order to ensure that the forbidden army can gain a firm foothold in the mountains.

On the same day, General Liu led eight teams of more than 400 lightly armed forbidden troops, looking for a big road and going straight to Hongyan Cave.

Hongyan Cave is a natural karst cave on a mountain, the entrance is not big, only three zhang to be wide, but there is a cave in the cave, extending in all directions, the space is vast, there are many holes and gaps leading directly to the outside of the mountain, there is air circulation in the hole, the light is not dim, and there is basically no need for lighting in summer.

There are many bandits outside the cave, each with a weapon, and they are divided into mountains and rocks and valleys to chat and sit idly.

There was a group of people in the cave talking secretly in a small sealed cave, and there was no lack of frustration between the words.

"I used to say that we worked together to take the Red Sand Valley, and their things were divided equally, you just don't agree, each has its own ghosts, and now it's okay, all of them have been moved away by the official army, and there is no hair left." There is resentment.

"At that time, I also agreed to do it together, everyone divided something, didn't someone disagree, and I just forgot it." And humane.

"You approve of a fart! Who doesn't know what idea you play. Someone scolded directly.

"Okay, don't make any noise. Today I came to discuss how to deal with the officers and soldiers, they destroyed the Red Sand Valley, and you all sent people to see it, the chickens and dogs were not left, the methods were cruel, and all the property was looted. Obviously, they went into the mountains this time to arrest the fugitives under the guise of killing people and making a fortune. Everyone has been in the mountains for a long time, and they have some savings, and they have oil and water in their eyes, and you used to think that the officials and soldiers would be satisfied after eating Nitou Mountain, but now it seems that they are greedy and insufficient, and the destruction of Hongsha Valley is an example. If you want to get through this difficulty, don't make a small calculation, first pull all the men and horses to the Hongyan Cave, if the officers and soldiers dare to come, we also have seven or eight hundred people, and we can fight with them. If you still have your own thoughts at this time, when the officials and soldiers go to fight you, don't come to my Hongyan Cave. ”

"Cave master, it's not that we don't want to come, it's just that we're dragging our family with us, and it's really troublesome to move around."

"The autumn grain will be harvested in more than a month, and now come over, the field will be barren, this year is good, and you can collect three or four hundred quintals of grain, and this time I am afraid that if you want to collect two hundred quintals, it is enough to choke."

"Who says no, there is not much summer grain left in this year's harvest, and I am counting on this season's autumn grain in winter and spring, and if I miss the harvest, what will hundreds of people eat?"

"What do you mean, but you're not coming?"

None of the others replied.

"You don't want to think about it, when the officers and soldiers come, if you don't run or die, how many things you can take with you, not to mention the crops in the fields, even the grain in your granary. Look at the Red Sand Valley, you don't have a long memory, do you think that one or two hundred people can be worth the official army? How many people are in Nipple Mountain? Didn't the officers and soldiers run away as soon as they arrived, and they took away grain and livestock? Think about Hongsha Valley, what will happen if you don't run, and then look at Nipple Mountain, what will be the result of running. ”

The crowd remained silent.

"Everyone eats together in this land, knows each other and knows the bottom, I also know what concerns you have, I will give you a word today, when I come to my Hongyan Cave, they are all brothers, and after the officers and soldiers retreat, if you want to leave, I will not stop, bring the things you bring, take them away when you leave, and if you are willing to stay, you will sit on a few chairs. That's all I have to say, whether you want it or not, it's up to you, I don't force it. ”

"Cave master, I know all of your kindness, but I can't be the master of this matter alone, I have to go back and discuss it with everyone, and reply to the cave master within three days." Someone was silent for a moment and replied.

"I'm going to go back and discuss with the big guys, and I'll definitely give an answer to the cave master as soon as possible."

"I'll think about it first, and I'll give the cave master an answer later." Everyone said that they wanted to think about it.

"Then you all go back first." The owner of Hongyan Cave has nothing to say, people have killed all the chickens, and they are still watching without knowing whether they are alive or dead, waiting for the knife to be put on their necks, and it is too late to regret it, but they have said everything that should be said, and they don't listen, what can be done.

Everyone stood up and thanked them, and then they were ready to leave.

"Cave Master, there's news!" Suddenly, a word came in from outside the cave.

"Let him in." The cave master immediately raised his voice.

Everyone who was about to leave stopped in unison, and someone asked, "Cave master, is there any news of the official army?" ”

"I don't know yet. Why, you want to hear about it too? ”

"If you don't mind, we'd like to hear it."

"Then sit down and listen to it." The cave master was very generous, and asked everyone to sit down.

Although everyone felt embarrassed, they couldn't take care of it, at this moment, there was news from the officials and soldiers, and they had to listen to it no matter what.

After a short time, one of the bandits entered the cave, and after seeing the leaders, they reported: "The officers and soldiers came down from Nitou Mountain two days ago, and came straight to our side, no less than 400 people, with only weapons and rations, and the speed is very fast, and it is estimated that they will be able to arrive in two more days." ”

Everyone suddenly became nervous, didn't they want to beat them?

"Do you know which cottage they are going to attack?" Someone asked eagerly.

"Not really, they came too fast, according to their direction, it should be coming to our side." The bandit replied.

"They only wiped out the Red Sand Valley a few days ago, and they should be familiar with us, so it's no surprise that they're here to rob again. Last time they were like this, they only brought rations, wiped out the Red Sand Valley, ate and drank enough, carried their hands on their shoulders, and went back with a full harvest. It's just that I don't know which one they fancy again this time. "The idea of the hole has a point.

Everyone's minds are floating, their thoughts are flying, they are not much stronger than the Red River Valley, if the official army comes to fight them, they only have to run, not to mention food and belongings, it would be good to be able to escape. But there are only two days, and it is too late to run if you want to run away.

"Cave Master, we are willing to move to Hongyan Cave, but the officers and soldiers will arrive in two days, and we don't have time to prepare, can we find a way to delay some time?" The leader of the bandit village closest to the direction of Nitou Mountain finally bowed his head, and as soon as the officials and soldiers came, they must be the first to be destroyed.

"Okay, what about you, do you still have to think about it?" The cave master was secretly happy.

"We're also willing to join the Red Rock Caves."

"I'll go back and tell everyone about it, and I'll move in tomorrow." The remaining bandits also hurriedly stated that none of their stockades was enough to resist the official army alone.

"Okay, that's good. As long as we twist into a rope, we will have seven or eight hundred people, and four hundred officers and soldiers are nothing, and this time we will let them have no return. "The cave master is in a good mood, as soon as these leaders are obedient, the forces of the Hongyan Cave are not the first but also the second outside the mountain, even the forces in the mountain have to give him some face.

"Cave Master, do you have a way to retreat from the enemy?" The leaders saw that the cave master's expression was relaxed, as if they were not afraid of the official army going down the mountain.

"Of course. Go back at once and bring all the people, and send the women and children to settle down, and those who can take swords and soldiers will lay an ambush in Niutou Mountain before tomorrow evening, and we will not be afraid of them as long as we gather five hundred men, and give them a hard time in the mountains, and weigh them if they want to come in. "The cave master said with confidence.

"The official army is a 400 forbidden army, have we ever fought it?" There are chieftains worried.

"If you can't beat them, you can drag them down, the officers and soldiers only brought a few days of rations, and when they entered the mountains, they survived by grabbing things, once they were dragged by us, they couldn't grab food, and they would definitely turn around and go back if they didn't eat or drink, and when they were hungry and had no strength, we would catch up and slaughter them fiercely, killing their prestige." The cave master smiled and said lightly.

As soon as the cave master said this, the other leaders also understood that the officers and soldiers had little food, so they would delay it first, and then fight when they were tired. They have been in the mountains all the year round, and they are more familiar with this piece of land than the officers and soldiers, and they secretly set traps for the officials and soldiers, which is enough for the officers and soldiers to drink a pot, not to mention that when the officers and soldiers are too hungry to walk, they will kill or chop them when the time comes, and it is not up to them to have the final say.

The leaders immediately took their leave, and went back to their respective villages to gather their men and prepare to do a big job to teach the officers and soldiers an unforgettable lesson.