When the words "slaughtering the city" came out of Zhou Zhuchen's mouth, the other four people present all showed deep fear, but the county lieutenant Li Tiancheng still gritted his teeth and pointed out the exaggeration in Zhou Zhuchen's words: "Outside the Zhou Yuan, you said that there are 30,000 Tubo people outside the city, this official doesn't believe it, these days this official and Ma Xiaowei led people to inspect the public security, how many times have we walked in the city and under the city, although we have suffered a lot of casualties, but the casualties of the Tubo people are even worse, not to mention 30,000 people, Tubo is not even 20,000 people at this time, we may not be able to hold it!" ”

With a sneer, Zhou Zhuchen said coldly: "County Lieutenant Li, even if there are less than 20,000 Tubo people, that is more than four times that of the city, the city wall is already broken and can no longer be broken, how long can Zhao Ziliang's stinky kid resist?" One day? Two days? Three days? With so many people gathered in the city, the daily food consumption is a terrible number, how long can the food in the city last? Besides, County Lieutenant Li, before the Tubo people came, you secretly accepted bribes to release the contraband materials smuggled into Tubo, if these things were known by the above, do you think you can still live? There is also the county lord and Lord Ma, you and the county lieutenant Li murdered the former county commander Wu to death, secretly supported the merchants to sell contraband materials to Tubo, and received soft hands when collecting money, once these things are known by the imperial court, it is also a big crime of the nine clans, can you escape? ”

Ma Yukun and Li Tiancheng's faces changed drastically when they heard this, and Ma Yukun's tone was gloomy: "Why does Zhou Yuanwai want to use these to threaten us and others?" ”

Zhou Zhuchen smiled and said: "Don't dare, don't dare, I just want the two adults to recognize the reality, now the Tubo soldiers have been attacking the city for more than ten days, and the city is only broken in the morning and night, I Zhou don't want to die, let alone lose the property that I have struggled for most of my life, Zhou has to plan for myself, and you should also plan for yourself, and now I only need to secretly help the Tubo army break the city." We can not only save our lives, but also keep our property, but this matter Zhou can't do it alone, and we need the help of two adults and two brothers to do it, I don't know what the two adults and two brothers think? ”

The matter of colluding with the Tubo army to break the city is too big, even if Ma Yukun and Li Tiancheng have been giving the green light to smugglers such as Zhou Zhuchen, Liu Chongyang and He Dayou for money, they have never thought of treason, but now there are Tubo troops outside the city eyeing and attacking the city for days, so that Panhe City is crumbling, and Zhou Zhuchen threatens with those things. The two of them were in deep fear, but they both knew that they had to make a choice now! ”

Zhou Zhuchen saw that Ma and Li were weighing and hesitating, and did not persecute them repeatedly, he turned to look at Liu Chongyang and He Dayou, and asked, "Brother Liu, Brother He, what do you two mean?" ”

Liu Chongyang smiled bitterly: "Brother Zhou, since we smuggled contraband materials to Tubo for money, we never thought of being loyal ministers to the imperial court, of course we want to save our lives." But how did we contact the Tibetan people, how can you be sure that as long as we help break the city, the Tibetan people will let us go and let us keep our property? ”

This is also a question that Ma Yukun, Li Tiancheng and He Dayou are all concerned about. Therefore, the three of them all looked at Zhou Zhuchen, Zhou Zhuchen smiled and took out a note from his wide sleeve robe and said: "I can't hide it, Zhou used to do business with the Tubo people and was familiar with General Tie Jian Xinluo, the general of the Tubo army this time, and he sent someone to send a secret letter the day before yesterday. This is the content of the secret letter, you can take a look, the Iron Blade General made a promise. As long as we decide to do this, we make a plan to assist the Tubo army in breaking the city, and only the Tubo army will not touch us a single cent! ”

The note turned around between the four of them and finally returned to Zhou Zhuchen's hand, Zhou Zhuchen put away the note and smiled: "Now you all believe it, right?" What do you think? ”

Ma Yukun looked at Zhou Zhuchen and asked in a deep voice: "If the official's expectations are good, Zhou Yuanwai is only afraid that he has already been a Tubo person in Hexi, right?" ”

Li Tiancheng, Liu Chongyang and He Dayou all looked at Zhou Zhuchen in surprise when they heard this, and Zhou Zhuchen laughed: "Hahaha······ I didn't expect to be seen by Master Ma, that's right, Zhou has been doing things for the Tubo people for a long time, otherwise he wouldn't be able to save such a big family business, since you all already know Zhou's true identity, then now you can rest assured, as long as you promise to help break the city, after breaking the city, you can not only save your life and property, but also have a rich return, Zhou will protect the Iron Blade General to promote Master Ma as the commander of Panhe County, Lord Li as the county commander, Brother Liu as the main Bo, Brother He as the county lieutenant! ”

The four of them glanced at each other, and at this time they all knew that if they didn't agree, they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to leave the Zhou family tonight, and even if they could go back, their affairs would be leaked out in the future, and their lives would be in danger.

Ma Yukun, as the person with the largest official position and the most right to speak among the four, first said: "If Zhou Yuanwai promised that he would give us what he deserved afterwards, this official agreed!" ”

Li Tiancheng and the other three also agreed one after another at this time.

Zhou Zhuchen smiled and clapped his hands: "Okay, since you have agreed, then I will make a detailed plan, before you are invited to come, Zhou has already thought about it, you only need to fully assist ······."

Soon, after the five of them finished discussing, Zhou Zhuchen gave everyone a good division of labor, and then got up and said: "Okay, the detailed plan is like this, you all know your tasks, you will start to work after you go back, and start on time the night after tomorrow!" ”

The four of them stood up and nodded, and walked out of Zhou Zhuchen's study one after another.

After a while, several people came out of Zhou Zhuchen's house and got into a carriage and left one after another, Zhou Zhuchen looked left and right before turning around and returning to the gate, and the gate was quickly closed.

A few people appeared in the alley diagonally opposite, and the leader was Ma Lan, who stood up from the side and asked, "Captain, what now?" ”

Ma Ling thought for a while and said coldly: "Secretly arrest the county lieutenant Li Tiancheng!" ”

"No!"

Why did he secretly arrest the county lieutenant Li Tiancheng, this is Ma Lan's careful consideration, unlike the other three, the county lieutenant Li Tiancheng has dozens of county soldiers in his hands, and he is also his assistant to carry out public security patrols and strictly investigate spies.

Li Tiancheng, who was riding a horse, was in a mess on the way home, he didn't expect Zhou Zhuchen to be a Tubo spy in Hexi, and over the years he has been secretly cooperating with this Tubo sitter, covering his smuggling, and ventilating the news, thinking of this, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, but things have come to this point, it is impossible to get out, if you want to live, the only way is to continue to be embarrassed with Zhou Zhuchen, one way to go to the dark, otherwise his life will not be guaranteed, It will also affect relatives.

When I walked to the intersection of the street and turned around, the lanterns hanging at the doors of the shops on both sides of the street were extinguished, and the street was very dark, when suddenly a few people rushed out from under the big trees next to me.

Li Tiancheng was shocked, and before he could pull out the saber at his waist, he was pulled off the horse and fell to the ground by a person, and before he could make a sound, a ball of stinky socks was stuffed into his mouth, and his hands were also pressed, and a rope was very flexible to tie him up strongly.

The dog was slightly angry and said to Ma Lan: "Okay! ”

Ma Lan waved his hand: "Take it away!" ”

Several people quickly disappeared into the streets of the night.

Li Tiancheng was taken to a dark house, and after being tied to a wooden post, the oil lamp was lit, and he saw clearly that it was Ma Lan who had arrested him, and he had been patrolling the streets with Ma Lan these days, and he couldn't be more familiar, his mouth was blocked by stinky socks, and he could only stare wide-eyed and make a whining sound.

Ma Lan shook his head at the dog, the dog stepped forward to take off the stinky socks in Li Tiancheng's mouth and stepped aside, Zhou Tiancheng said angrily: "Captain Ma, what are you doing?" I, Li, didn't offend you, why did you use this method to deal with Li? ”

Ma Lan brought a bench and sat down, stared at Li Tiancheng and sneered: "County Lieutenant Li, did you offend Ma, Ma only asked you, did you come out of the house of the wealthy businessman Zhou Zhuchen just now?" What did you say in Zhou Zhuchen's house? ”

Li Tiancheng's face changed drastically when he heard this, the expression on his face changed uncertainly, and he changed more than a dozen times in a row in a few breaths, he was really a face changing expert.

In the end, Li Tiancheng calmed down and said lightly: "Captain Ma is too much in charge, I'm waiting for Zhou Yuanwai's house to talk and chat, is this also in the way of Captain Ma?" ”

Ma Lan was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect that at this time, Li Tiancheng actually kept his mouth shut, he said coldly: "County Lieutenant Li, you'd better speak out and tell the truth, we already have a lot of evidence about what you are planning, even if you don't say it, we know what you are doing, we just want to see your attitude, your attitude directly determines your ending!" ”

Li Tiancheng laughed: "Hahaha······ Scare the officer? Captain Ma, Li is not scared, you want to frame the official, how can the official agree? ”

Ma Lan is young in the end, and he has no experience in interrogation, where is the opponent of an old oilman like Li Tiancheng, not only did he not interrogate some dry goods, but he was also played by Li Tiancheng.

Until dawn, Ma Lan did not interrogate the results, and as a last resort, Ma Lan could only temporarily lock up Li Tiancheng, and after breakfast, he came to the south city wall to find Zhao Ziliang.

Zhao Ziliang was nibbling on steamed buns and drinking porridge, when he saw Ma Lu coming over with a haggard face, he asked, "Is there a result?" ”

Ma Lan looked ashamed, clasped his fists and saluted: "General, his subordinates are incompetent, his subordinates led people to secretly arrest the county lieutenant Li Tiancheng last night, but this person is cunning and abnormal, his subordinates didn't interrogate anything, and he played ······ around."

After listening to Ma Lan's words, Zhao Ziliang gnawed on the steamed bun, turned his head to look at the distance outside the city, and said: "Yesterday, the Tubo army suffered heavy losses in the siege of the city, and its morale was low, so it should not come to attack the city today, so let's do it, you are on duty on the city wall on behalf of a certain person, and a certain person will meet Li Tiancheng, if there is any movement outside the city, immediately send someone to inform a certain person."

Ma Lan immediately saluted: "No! (To be continued.) )