"What? Bandits blocking the way? Do you want us to take out two or eight thousand silver before they will let them go? ”

Wang Mang was shocked, and his face showed anger, "Bastard, eight thousand silver taels, how many people can be fed in troubled times?" How dare they? ”

The scout soldier said bitterly: "Lord Wang, Wang Xunjun also said the same. But the thief didn't give up, and he couldn't say anything less. ”

Wang Jingyan on the side heard the situation, and was also very angry, and said to Wang Mang: "Xianggong, now the silver taels left on our bodies are only 10,000. If we give them 8,000 now, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to go to Yuzhou. ”

Wang Mang nodded and said: "I also know this, now we are a little short of our own silver, where is there any excess for them?" But if we don't give them to them, if they come into conflict with us, then the people we protect will surely be killed. After all, now we have to escort the people away, and we can't clash with them. ”

Wang Mang put down the rice porridge in his hand, stood up and walked back and forth, thinking about how to deal with it.

After thinking about it for a while, he didn't think of any good way, so he just said to Wang Jingyan: "Jingyan, you can sit here for a while, and I'll go and see how the situation is." ”

"No, I'm going with you." Wang Jingyan said resolutely.

"This...."

Wang Mang frowned, and then nodded in agreement.

He got on his horse and ran with the scout creeps towards the place where the bandits had intercepted him.

When the two of them walked a little distance, Qiu Tong inadvertently curled his lips and chuckled.

Then he whispered a few words to his nephew Qiu Han, secretly grabbed a horse, and chased after him, wanting to see how Wang Mang handled the matter.

Within twenty minutes, Wang Mang came to the place where the bandits intercepted.

He sat on his horse and looked around, only to see that in the middle of the avenue in front of him, there were many people intercepting him. And in the jungle on both sides, there are many figures flickering and moving, and it seems that there are many ambushes hidden in the dark.

These people are all good-looking and burly. The big knife in his hand shimmered with cold light, and he knew at a glance that it was not easy to mess with.

Of this group, three are the most conspicuous.

There were two men and a woman, one in his twenty-seven or eighteenth year, the other in his early thirties, and the other woman in her early thirties.

The reason why these three people are eye-catching is because the military advisor Wang Xun is negotiating with them, and it seems that the three of them are the leaders of this group of bandits.

At this time, Wang Mang heard Wang Xun smile at the thirties-year-old bandit: "Heroes, where do I have eight thousand silver taels?" Please be accommodating and let us go. ”

"No money? Let you go? ”

The thief sneered: "I opened this road, I planted this tree, if you want to pass from here, leave the road money, this is my strict rule." As a member of an official family, how can you have no money? In a word, either take the money, or don't blame me for not giving face and robbing it. ”

Wang Xun replied: "Ladies and gentlemen, don't hide it, we do have the eight thousand silver taels." However, there are nearly 100,000 people behind me to escort to Yuzhou. Without this money, wouldn't they starve to death on the way?

It is not easy for these people to flee and seek our protection, so please make it easier for you. As long as I arrive in Yuzhou smoothly, I can call the shots, and I will definitely send the money at that time, guaranteeing no less than one cent. ”

"Hmph, you don't have to fool around!" The twenty-seven or eighteen-year-old bandit said coldly, "I have already found out your situation. Many of the people you have blessed are wealthy merchants and have a great fortune. If you can't take out the silver taels, won't they be able to take it out?

This time, I saw that you are not like ordinary officials, and you will even protect the fleeing people, so there are only 8,000. If I had been someone else in the government, I would have been a killer a long time ago. ”

"How can I get the rich merchants, who have property, but it belongs to them and not to me? And when they sought our protection, they also paid the necessary taels of silver. If I ask them for money again, will I not be untrustworthy? ”

Wang Xun continued to negotiate: "Everyone, I can swear to the heavens that as long as I wait until I arrive in Yuzhou, I will definitely give the toll with both hands, and there will be no jokes. ”

The thief shook his head and said, "I don't care so much, I only know that among your group, you can definitely make up eight thousand silver taels." Wang Xun, you are also a good official for the people, I don't want to kill you. You can quickly go back and negotiate with those rich people, and let them make up enough money, otherwise don't blame me for not being merciful. ”

Wang Mang saw this situation, and expected that Wang Xun would not make sense, and the other party would definitely not let go.

So he rode his horse to him and said to the bandits, "Listen to your tone, you are also good bandits who rob the rich and help the poor?" ”

"Who are you?" The bandit asked.

"I am Wang Mang, and I am also the one who is in charge." Wang Mang replied.

When Wang Xun saw Wang Mang coming, his face was ashamed, and he arched his hand and said: "Lord Wang, my subordinates are incompetent, and I have disturbed you to come in person, and I hope that your lord will give you sin." ”

"It's okay, it's not your fault." Wang Mang said with a smile.

"Oh? Are you Wang Mang? Is it the one who is in charge? The thief Yan You was stunned for a moment, looked at Wang Mang and Wang Jingyan, and said with a light smile: "It's good that you are the person in charge, you can make a choice in this matter, give it a good time, don't have to talk to me." ”

When the young woman and thief saw Wang Mang suddenly appear, a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes, and she seemed to be very surprised.

She thought about it secretly, whispered a few words to Yan You, and then said to herself: "Wang Mang, I have heard your name and know some things about you. You are the descendant of the royal family of Qingzhou, and you left Qingzhou more than three months ago and came to Zhuzhou. There are tens of thousands of people scattered along the way.

You are not an ordinary gentleman, but a person of great goodness. I didn't know that these soldiers and horses belonged to you before, but now that I know the reason, then I will also give you a face. Eight thousand silver taels are halved, you only need to pay four thousand, and you can pass this way. ”

"Yes, that's what I mean!"

The twenty-seven or eighteen-year-old bandit also spoke: "Wang Mang, I heard that when you were in Yingchuan, you killed many gangsters and won the trust of many people. I was originally a person from Yingchuan Luoyang Mountain, and I heard what you did that day, so I left Yingchuan overnight and went to my eldest brother Yan You. Not now, but that's how we met. ”

"Oh? Are you from Yingchuan Luoyang Mountain? ”

Wang Mang was a little surprised, and looked at this person a few more times.

There are many gangs of gangsters in Yingchuan City, and two of them are quite righteous. He has always not embarrassed ordinary people, but only robbed the rich and helped the poor. These two places are one for Luoyang Mountain, and the other is Tianmingpo Mountain.

That day, Wang Mang also wanted to see the demeanor of these two bandit gangs, but things changed, but he didn't have this opportunity.

"Yes, I am the person from Luoyang Mountain, my name is Chen Shou." The thief nodded and smiled: "Wang Mang, don't you still want to kill me?" Do I know that the scholar who killed the life, the holy hand of picking flowers, the five brothers of the Jiang family and others were all cut off by you to show the public. ”

(End of chapter)