East of Xuanfu Red Castle, Mopan Mountain.

Mopan Mountain is a flat-topped mountain range that stretches for dozens of miles. Although the mountain is not steep, the forest is dense and deep. The old forest is dense, and the trees are mostly cold zone forests. It is overgrown and sparsely populated.

This mountain is entrenched in a group of bandits, the leader of which is a reckless man with a scorched yellow beard, known as Scorched Beard. It was originally a small banner of the Longmen Institute, and the Tatars invaded the Grass Valley in the winter of that year, and the Longmen Institute was destroyed, although the Red Castle was less than the Longmen Station, as long as it was rescued, the Longmen Institute would not be destroyed. Later, although Xuanfu cured the sin of not saving the Red Castle, it also had to cure the crime of scorching beard, because the general banner of Longmen was martyred, but his small flag was left alone and failed to die for the country! In a fit of anger, Jiao Huzi led the remaining less than ten brothers to flee into Mopan Mountain, and since then he has refused to obey the discipline of the imperial court.

In the following years, the surrounding people could not bear the Tatars beating the grass valley and went up to the mountains one after another. Jiao Hu could not bear to harass the surrounding people, and always plundered the grain, grass and population plundered by the Tatars when the Tatars were beating the grass valley. The surrounding forts, seeing Jiao Hu like this, are also happy to see it, do not suppress or caress it, let it come.

Now there are hundreds of people under Jiao Huzi, all of whom are from poor backgrounds. When the population is large, eating and drinking becomes a big problem. The Tatars also finally knew that there was such a group of bandits in Mopan Mountain, and after the harvest of the grass valley, they often bypassed Mopan Mountain and left the Qingyangkou of Muma Fort or Changzhong Bunker. Every time he led his men to ambush, the Tatars could always detect the horses, and occasionally a small group of Tatars were plundered by him, but they were routed by the Tatar cavalry. The lack of horses has become the biggest weakness of the scorched beard. People can't help but eat and drink, and the scorched beard can't help it, so he begins to play the idea of rich people and businessmen. He only wants things, not human lives!

On this day, the spies came to report that a caravan of four or five carts passed by at the foot of the mountain.

As soon as he heard this report, Jiao Hu couldn't sit still. Although the sparrow is small, it also has two taels of meat! He decided to take the caravan with his men.

As soon as Scorched Beard and seventy or eighty men had set up an ambush at the mountain pass, the small caravan came from afar.

"Big brother, this caravan is a little strange." Zheng Er, who was lying next to him, said suddenly.

Strange? Scorched Beard couldn't help but look closely. Nothing strange, a small caravan. There are only four or five big cars, and there are less than twenty people driving the cars, what's the difference?

"A small caravan, knowing that our road is not smooth. Don't invite Brother Mazi's bodyguard, this is too bold, right? Zheng Er muttered.

Jiao Huzi realized that this small caravan really didn't have the dart flag of Liu Mazi's dart game! Liu Mazi is his sworn brother, as long as he has his dart flag, this Mopanshan always has to give face to take care of his business, he does not forget this Mopanshan, and at the end of the month, he can send a batch of grain and grass up the mountain.

"Could it be a tender sheep?" Jiao Huzi said in surprise.

Zheng Er was also confused, and said, "Big brother, even if it's a tender sheep, it's a carving osprey fort." You should also know to invite Brother Mazi's dart guard. ”

Scorched Beard couldn't help but nod his head. There is only Liu Mazi's dart bureau in Eagle Eagle Castle, everyone knows that this road to the Tatar territory is exempt from the exploitation of the government, and they all know that this road has been occupied by his scorched beard in recent years, and only Liu Mazi's dart bureau can keep it safe! Even if you don't know, once you arrive at the Eagle Eagle Fort. It's impossible not to know! Even if Liu Mazi doesn't say it himself, those who are in the car inn will say it!

Zheng Er said solemnly: "If they don't invite, they will definitely hold it!" ”

"Hold? What are the holdings? Jiao Huzi couldn't help but whisper angrily: "Can the caravan of the government still come to this broken road?" As long as he doesn't hang Liu Mazi's dart flag, we dare to rob his mother! Even if it's from the government, what can I do? ”

Hearing this, Zheng Er couldn't help but nodded. That's right. If it was that official's private caravan, it must have gone to Qingyangkou, who would go far away? It's not the Tatars who fight the grass valley!

The small caravan staggered into the valley, suddenly stopped, jumped out of the car, and stood in front of the convoy and pointed.

"Huh?"

Heard Zheng Er's sigh. Jiao Huzi couldn't help but turn his head and glare, and said angrily, "What's the matter?" ”

"They seem to be looking at the terrain." Zheng Er couldn't help but say suspiciously: "Is it really from the government?" ”

Looking at the terrain? Official? Jiao Hu suddenly became anxious and shouted in a low voice: "Not good! Could it be that the government is coming to exterminate us? ”

When Zheng Er heard this, he was anxious, and hurriedly said, "Big brother." These people come to see the terrain, they must be from the government! If we don't kill them, the government will come to kill us!" ”

Jiao Huzi jumped up, waved the big knife in his hand, and roared angrily: "Brothers, the government wants to kill us!" If you don't give us a way to live, then destroy them! Kill—"

When everyone heard this, they all came out with guns and knives.

Seeing that the valley was suddenly ambushed, the people of the caravan immediately panicked.

Before Jiao Huzi and the others could rush closer, the caravan was in a short period of chaos, and everyone drew their swords to form a circle and protect the cart.

"Bang-", there was a loud bang.

Jiao Hu was stunned and couldn't help but stop.

Zheng Er couldn't help but be taken aback, stopped, and looked at the majestic young man standing on the first big car in a daze. He was holding a swarthy object in his hand, and a puff of green smoke slowly drifted on it.

The scene fell silent.

The people in the caravan were originally quite quiet, all of them were cold-faced and frosty, bowing down and holding knives, looking like bloodthirsty tigers.

A chill rushed up from my back. Scorched Beard felt a thrill of fear that had not been felt in many years. He couldn't help but glance at the brothers gathered around him, and saw that their faces were as white as earth, and there were still people kneeling on the ground, although they were holding the handle of the knife with both hands, but the hands were already trembling.

"Scorched Beard?" The young man in the cart asked unhurriedly.

Scorched Beard couldn't help but be startled. The swarthy thing that the young man was holding must have been a firearm! I've heard Zongqi say that that thing can take people's lives a hundred steps away. Could it be someone from Jingshi's Shenji Battalion? Scorched Beard stared at the firearm, not daring to respond.

The young man suddenly looked at him, lit it with his firearm, and said, "You are the scorched beard?" ”

Now that I have seen it, I have to admit it! Scorched Beard is not afraid of death, but this mysterious firearm makes him creepy.

"I'm a scorched beard! Who is the Honorable Driver? ”

The young man smiled and said, "Since it is a scorched beard, then I will tell you, and it is Huang Haohua below." ”

Huang Haohua? What kind of person is it? Scorched Beard had never heard of that name.

The young man put away his firearm, jumped out of the cart, and walked out of the circle.

Seeing the young man put away his firearm, everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zunjia is a member of the government?" The corner of Jiao Huzi's eyes jumped, and he clenched the handle of the knife and asked.

The young man shook his head and said, "No! How? If he is a person from the government, Boss Jiao is ready to kill people and kill people? ”

When he heard that he was not from the government, Jiao Huzi breathed a sigh of relief. grinning: "How so? Since Brother Huang is not from the government, why do they have firearms? ”

Huang Haohua shook his head and said: "If you have a firearm, you don't have to be a person in the government. My son-in-law is a powerful person in Beijing, and only a few firearms are enough. ”

How many? Not one? Scorched Beard was taken aback.

Seeing Jiao Huzi's surprised face, Huang Haohua couldn't help laughing. Gently slapped his palm, only to see that on the last big car covered with black cloth, the big black cloth was suddenly lifted off. Seven or eight young men armed with firearms jumped from the cart.

"Boss Jiao, are you willing to follow Huang and follow my son-in-law to make a career?" Huang Haohua asked with a smile.

Jiao Huzi couldn't help but be stunned, and said: "I don't want to do anything about rebellion!" ”

"My son-in-law is not a rebellion, you Jiao Boss is a rebellion when you occupy the mountain here!"

"The government doesn't let us live, we just want to beg for food!" Jiao Huzi couldn't help but shout with tears in his eyes, he didn't like others to say that he was a rebel! He was originally a man from the government, and he was willing to die on the battlefield, but he didn't want to die in vain!

Huang Haohua nodded and said, "Okay, it's not a rebellion, then join us and kill that foreigner!" ”

"If I don't join you, we will kill the Tatars in the same way! Kill the thorns! Jiao Huzi shook the big knife in his hand and said: "Since you are also a man who kills Tatars, today I will recognize Jiao Huzi!" Let's go! ”

"Not joining us?"

Seeing that Huang Haohua put away his smiling face, Jiao Huzi also lowered his face and said, "What? Do you still want to rob my Mopan Mountain? ”

"Not bad!" That Huang Haohua smiled and said, "Since you are scorched and bearded and refuse to join, we want this Mopan Mountain!" The six hundred and eighteen mouths on your mountain will not be kept! ”

Hiss! Zheng Er, who was next to Jiao Huzi, couldn't help but take a long breath.

There are really 168 people on the mountain! ……