The people who had spent money to explore the road had also returned, saying that the garrison of Xiuxian County was only two or three thousand, and the city was extremely loose.

Chen Nuo also pondered, no matter what, although there were only two or three thousand thieves, if they made up their minds to fight hard, I was afraid that it would be a bitter battle.

Chen Nuo also deliberately pulled Zhu Ling to discuss the method of attacking Xiuxian County when he had nothing to do, but Zhu Ling was very cooperative, and he tried his best to express his opinion. It's just that he also has a problem, as long as Dian Wei is next to him, he stares at Dian Wei with his eyes, as if he has a grudge, and he won't say anything halfway through the conversation.

Na Dian Wei has the responsibility to protect Chen Nuo, so naturally he doesn't dare to be careless, the more Zhu Ling is like this, the more he can't rest assured of Zhu Ling.

Chen Nuo watched them staring at each other, and couldn't guess what was going on with them. If he paid a little attention to Guangchuan City that day, in fact, it was not difficult to find that Zhu Ling scolded Chen Nuo for Yao Gong that day, and Dian Wei came out to look at him.

Dian Wei looked at Zhu Ling's bull's eye, and didn't make a sound, patted his chest, and put his thumb back, meaning that he was not convinced, let's go head-to-head later.

Zhu Ling understood now, glared back at him, and did not show weakness, and stood up.

Chen Nuo also knew that Zhu Ling was very bullish, if he wanted him to be willing to do things for himself in the future, he had to let him soften first.

He was deliberately stunned, grabbed Zhu Ling's sleeve, and asked him: "Halfway through this, General Zhu wants to ......"

Zhu Ling was still sober-headed, thinking that he came out this time to do things for Minister Yao Gong, and if he had a grudge with Chen Nuo's subordinates, he was afraid that it would be a big deal, and he intended to restrain himself. How do you know that Dian Wei glared at him with round eyes, revealing a look of disdain, if he was so cowardly, he would not be bullied to death by Dian Wei in the future? He was also angry, and replied casually: "People have three urgency, even if it is a big matter, the general must be one or two, I am really embarrassed, I am sorry, I quit!" ”

Zhu Ling said, broke free of Chen Nuo's hand, glanced at Dian Wei, turned around and walked towards the dense forest.

Dian Weihu stepped forward, and he was about to pass.

Chen Nuo turned his face back and asked, "What's the matter, you also have three urgency?" ”

Dian Wei is not good at lying, and when he heard Chen Nuo's question, he turned back and blushed all of a sudden. If you want him to lie, you really shouldn't; But if you don't lie, you're afraid you won't be able to get out. If he loses his trust in others, what will he do after him?

Chen Nuo almost didn't laugh when he saw him like that. He stood up, walked forward, and whispered in his ear: "I know that you kid has great strength, but it's better to leave some affection for General Zhu." Remember, don't cripple me, or I won't spare you! ”

Dian Wei was slightly stunned, was the general talking to him? But after seeing that Chen Nuo finished speaking, he walked away with his hands behind his back, and there was no one nearby, so it seemed that he could only tell him.

Dian Wei chewed carefully, suddenly understood, and hurriedly bowed to Chen Nuo's distant back, lord, lord, you are really my good lord!

Dian Wei smiled, and immediately chased forward, burrowing into the dense forest.

That Zhu Ling turned around and glared angrily at Dian Wei. Mean, boy, I've put up with you for a long time!

Dian Wei snorted, each other!

Zhu Ling still hummed, shaking the spear in his hand, then let the horse come!

Dian Wei waved his hand, I don't need to use the blade to fight you!

It's too much of a deception!

Zhu Linghu roared, and a shot swept over. Nadian Wei Kankan jumped out and punched hard. Zhu Ling was not easy to mess with, and immediately shot the gun out and blocked Dian Wei's tiger fist. The two men fought more than a dozen rounds in a matter of moments. It's just that Dian Wei was big after all, and he was forced by Zhu Ling's spear twice, and he actually scratched his clothes, and with a snort, he tore out a long hole in his clothes.

Dian Wei was also surprised, and then saw that the other party took advantage of the situation and swept another shot. This gun is very powerful, and this place is in a dense forest, and the trees are sheltered, and it is difficult to have room to move; Seeing that there was no place to retreat, Dian Wei had no choice but to break up and pull out the halberd, and the halberds went down together, and with a bang, a ball of guns was smashed.

Zhu Ling snorted, and was actually shocked by this incomparably powerful force, and his arm was numb, and the spear was almost thrown out of his hand. His face was red, but he was still unconvinced, and with a snort, he shook the spear in his hand again to regain his majesty. It's just that no matter how much he fights, he doesn't dare to fight Dian Wei hard, so he can only walk away with a gun.

Zhu Ling kept dodging, but in the end there was not enough space, and he was knocked by Dian Wei's iron halberd, and the spear fell off in response. Seeing that the double halberd in the opponent's hand followed and cut down on his brain, Zhu Ling couldn't dodge, and he also knew that this life was at stake, and it was useless to resist, so he could only shake his hands and close his eyes, and let Dian Wei dispose of it.

Chen Nuo, who had been watching the battle in the dark, suddenly saw Dian Wei's halberd smashed down like the wind, and he was afraid that Zhu Ling's life would be destroyed in his hands, but it was too late to shout, and there was a layer of fine sweat in his palms.

The halberd wind poured down, but halfway through, it suddenly stopped.

Zhu Ling waited for a long time and didn't hear any movement, and suddenly opened his eyes, only to see a pair of bull's eyes staring at him, and there was an iron halberd next to him, which was only a few inches away from his head. Although the iron halberd did not come down, the chill on the blade of the halberd drilled straight into the marrow of his brain.

Dian Wei suddenly yelled at him in front of the door, scaring Zhu Ling's last remaining bit of guts. I didn't see any action on Dian Wei, but he sat on the ground with a grunt, and he was dumbfounded, unable to speak for a while.

Chen Nuo turned his back, feeling a little disdainful in his heart, could this be the Zhu Ling he valued, he just had such a little courage?

Zhu Ling did not disappoint Chen Nuo, although he was frightened, at least his dignity was not lost. When he came back to consciousness, he grabbed the spear in his hand violently, turned the handle of the gun upside down, and slammed the tip of the spear into his chest with a snort.

Dian Wei retrieved the halberd, snatched the spear, threw it to the ground, and shouted at Zhu Ling: "The eldest husband will take his own life if he loses a battle, how many people will die like you, and let people live?" ”

He clearly remembered what Chen Nuo told him, although he didn't mean to kill him, he couldn't watch him die in such a daze.

He was so verbose that he dropped his gun and turned away.

However, Zhu Ling was stunned twice, suddenly jumped up, laughed, and said in a long voice: "You are right, if the eldest husband loses, he loses, what is the benefit of suicide?" From now on, you are what I strive for! ”

Dian Wei is a man with a temperament, and he likes to listen to these words the most. He didn't want to pay attention to Zhu Ling anymore, but when he said this, he turned around, hugged Zhu Ling and said with a smile: "This is worthy of being my evil friend, let's go, the lord is still waiting." ”

Chen Nuo couldn't avoid it, so he had to laugh, avoid the thorns and come out, preemptively scolding him: "What, when did you two have a good relationship?" Now the iron is beaten to a piece? I'm easy to find, go away, I have good news for you. ”

Chen Nuo said, stepped forward to one left and one right, grabbed the hands of Dian Wei and Zhu Ling, and walked forward.

Zhu Ling and the others didn't have time to think about how Chen Nuo could find an accurate one at the moment, and when they heard the good news in his mouth, they immediately asked him: "I don't know what good news there is, but you are so happy general?" ”

Chen Nuo laughed and said: "Wenbo doesn't know, I just received a report from Tanma, saying that the county magistrate of Xiu County heard that we were going to kill his county, so he actually abandoned the official and left. Now Xiuxian is like an empty city, and we just need to go over and take it over, don't you think it's good news? ”

Wenbo, Zhu Ling's table character.

When Zhu Ling heard this, he was overjoyed, and before he could speak, Dian Wei first shouted to himself: "When the thieves heard the arrival of my army, they left without a fight, of course this is a good thing...... However, in this way, Dian Wei still wanted to kill him happily, but it seems that this is not the case. ”

Chen Nuo smiled: "If you want to fight and make meritorious contributions, there will be opportunities in the future, why rush at this time?" ”

The three of them came out of the dense forest, and Zhao Xue had already supervised his subordinates to pack up the camp tent and prepare to continue on their way.

It's just that Chen Nuo looked at Zhu Ling's lonely expression and was a little puzzled: "Wenbo, do you have anything else to worry about?" ”

Zhu Ling shook his head: "I didn't expect this battle to go so smoothly, it seems that my time to contact the general will be running out." ”

Yes, he can agree with Yao Gong that when he takes Xiuxian, the men and horses sent out will still have to return to Guangchuan. It's just that Zhu Ling seems to be reluctant, and it seems that he regards him as a friend. Chen Nuo smiled and said, "Before the county is repaired, why do you need to feel parting first?" What's more, I am equivalent to General Yuan's subordinates, and I am in Hebei, can I have fewer opportunities for contact in the future? ”

When Zhu Ling heard this, he also felt reasonable, and he was a little relieved.

They were ready, so they hurried to the road while it was still early. After less than half a day, he arrived at the city of Xiuxian, looking at the open city gate and the city fathers and elders who greeted his army under the city gate, Chen Nuo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Dian Wei lowered his head, and the battle was useless.

That Zhu Ling turned his spear and looked at Dian Wei: "Originally, I wanted to fight with you to see who would attack the city first, but there was really no chance." ”

Chen Nuo didn't pay attention to the two of them, slapped the horse, and looked at the county seat of Xiuxian from afar.

The city was low and dilapidated, and it could not withstand the attack of the army at all, so it is no wonder that the county commander here received an urgent military report, and even resisted and quickly fled.

It's just that he left, leaving behind many subordinate officials and officials in Xiu County, and they also knew that they couldn't resist, so they had to open the city gate, lead the fathers and elders in the city, and all came out early to meet Chen Nuo's army. However, the county order is still familiar with current affairs, and he also knows that he has no face to be a magistrate anymore, but he left the county order with the seal, so that Chen Nuo's entry into the city can be regarded as upright and upright.

Chen Nuo took over Xiuxian peacefully, and there was no war in the city, so it was calmed down and restored to the beginning. Xiuxian County was originally a large county, one of the eight cities in the Bohai Sea. At the beginning of the turmoil, there were 132,389 households in Bohai County, with a population of 1,106,500. However, after frequent wars and plagues, half of the dead were gone. For example, in today's Xiuxian County, there were originally more than 10,000 households, but now there are only less than five or six thousand households left, and it is no longer prosperous.

Even the former city walls, after the baptism of war and rain, have not only been flattened a lot, but also collapsed in many places, becoming full of holes; It makes people climb on it, stroking the mottled female wall tiles, and it is also an indescribable sense of vicissitudes.

The city wall is the first line of defense against a strong enemy, and it is also a major event that Chen Nuo must take seriously after entering the city.

It's just that repairing the city wall requires a lot of construction, and it consumes a lot of money and food, but the problem is that this is what he lacks now. Although he took over the county government's treasury, the money and grain had been looted by the county magistrate and some other officials before this, and all that was left for him was an administrative organization with no shell. Of course, he had just entered the city, and he didn't want to waste the people and money, and did something to loot the people's fat and ointment to ruin his reputation, so he had to write a letter to Yao Gong, hoping that he could help.

In the past few days, not only did he not wait for money and food, but he wanted to find Chen Nuo to return to General Zhu Ling and his subordinates.

Zhu Ling can't be detained, but he still has to ask him for money and food. That Yao Gong may have been impatient to fight with Chen Nuo, and because of the loss, he had to give Chen Nuo one-tenth of the money and food he needed. However, these are quite a lot, and the grain and grass he got now can cope with it a little, and the obvious collapse inside and outside the city wall can be repaired a little, as for the rest, he dare not hope for it.

Since Chen Nuo got Yao Gong's money and food, and was urged by Yao Gong again and again, he was embarrassed to keep Zhu Ling anymore.

On this day, Chen Nuo summoned Zhu Ling and handed him a letter from Yao Gong's dignitaries, without saying a word, to see how Zhu Ling handled himself. Zhu Ling had actually already guessed that there would be such a day, he put down the letter, bowed to Chen Nuo, and said, "Since the minister of state has called him, I can't help but reply." General, take your leave! ”

"Wait!"

Chen Nuo said, called some water and wine from outside, and personally served it for Zhu Ling.

Chen Nuo picked up the wine cup and said, "It's all in the wine!" Leaning his neck and drinking it dry, Zhu Ling nodded, and immediately drank the wine in the cup. Chen Nuo patted him on the shoulder, looked at him for a moment, glanced at Dian Wei again, and instructed him: "I am busy with affairs in the city, so I have Lao Dianjun to give you a ride to Wenbo." ”

Dian Wei has been playing well with Zhu Ling since he entered the city, and the two often have nothing to do, and the relationship is good. Even if Chen Nuo didn't say it, Dian Wei also had this intention.

Although he said that he would not send it, Chen Nuo personally sent it outside the south gate, and when Zhu Ling pulled out the tent, he boarded the ancient city wall of Xiuxian County accompanied by Zhao Xue, and saw Zhu Ling and others on a ride.

That Zhao Xue stood behind Chen Nuo, and at this moment, he saw Chen Nuo holding on to the cold wall tiles in a daze, and he didn't know what he was thinking. She took two steps forward and whispered, "Big brother, what are you worried about?" ”

Chen Nuo was told by Zhao Xue, and he turned around. He patted the wall tiles with his hand and said with a wry smile: "Although Xiuxian fell into our hands so easily, I always feel that this matter does not seem to be as simple as it seems on the surface." If you want to repair the county is the boundary of the Bohai Sea, then Gongsun Zhan is fighting with the Yellow Turban Army not far from here, can he see that Xiuxian is so easy to change? There is a saying that before a storm, there is always calm. Oh, that's the best way to describe our situation at the moment. ”

Zhao Xue glanced at Chen Nuo, and then said: "No matter how big the storm is, don't worry, big brother, Xue'er will accompany you wherever you go." ”

With her words, Chen Nuo's heart immediately warmed. Looking back at the inside and outside of the city walls, he was actually still a little satisfied. No matter what the future holds, at least now on the one-third of an acre of land in Xiu County, he has temporarily settled down, and he doesn't have to be too anxious for a while. The so-called soldiers will block the water and cover the earth, and do the things in front of you well.

He smiled and grabbed her pair of small hands into his palms: "This is what Xue'er said, you have to remember your words today, and don't regret it!" ”

Zhao Xue glanced at the soldiers guarding the city around him, and was grabbed by Chen Nuo's hand, but he was so shy that he couldn't speak for a while, and he wanted to break free several times.

Chen Nuo smiled: "You don't need to look at them, they are all groups of wood, and they don't dare to look around easily." ”

Zhao Xue finally broke free from Chen Nuo's hand, stomped his feet and said: "This is the general, you don't have self-respect, don't blame me for shouting 'big brother' and 'big brother' when I see you in the future, see what you can do with me then?" ”

"Okay, don't make trouble, it's too windy up here, but don't freeze my Xue'er."

Chen Nuo said, carrying his hands behind his back, and went down to the city with Zhao Xue.

Two days passed so calmly, but what Chen Nuo didn't expect was that Zhu Ling was actually in trouble.

The specific situation is that Zhu Ling led the men and horses all the way out of Xiuxian County to Guangchuan to catch up, but met a group of people halfway.

Originally, Xiuxian was not much away from Guangchuan, and under normal circumstances, it would take a day and a half to arrive. It's just that Zhu Ling was occupied by Chen Nuo at the moment because Xiuxian County was in this place, and he mistakenly thought that it would be very safe for him to never have bandits in this place again, so he relaxed his vigilance when he thought about it like this.

Zhu Ling was not in a hurry to rush back, and walked all the way as if he was playing in the mountains and rivers, and the team naturally loosened. It was also his bad luck that he happened to be bumped into by Gongsun Zhan from the ranger of his younger brother Sun Fan, so he suddenly attacked Zhu Ling's team.

Zhu Ling's department was originally Yao Gong to deal with errands, and some scattered soldiers who were randomly assigned to him for temporary purposes had no combat power at all, plus they were in a hurry, where could they resist Gongsun Fan's Youzhou Iron Cavalry, and suffered heavy casualties.

Zhu Ling led the remaining hundreds of men and horses, but he was unable to rush back, so he had to run into the mountains, hoping to avoid the pursuit of Gongsun Fan Tieqi. That Gongsun Fan got a lot of grain and grass, and was originally going to collect the troops, but he happened to meet Yan Gang's men and horses, and the two of them combined, and they actually surrounded Zhu Ling in the mountains in a grand manner, and forced Zhu Ling to send people to Guangchuan Yao Gong to ask for help. But that Yao Gong was the master who cared about himself and the lives of others, but instead blamed him for coming, and threatened that even if Zhu Ling went out of the siege, he would have to be severely punished, let alone send troops to save him.

Zhu Ling was also helpless, so he remembered Chen Nuo, so he ordered someone to go to Xiuxian County and ask Chen Nuo for help.