Liu Jun is different from scholars like Li Chunjiang, he has been a man in two lives, especially the hard work in the years after he was discharged from the army in his previous life, which made him truly understand all kinds of things in the world. One of the most profound things to understand is that you can't eat alone, especially when you're not strong.

This time the bandits were able to kill more than 30 thieves in one battle, capture more than 10 alive, and kill the bandit leader, which is already very remarkable. With this alone, they are a nine-headed bird that can be completely hit by a single hit. But they must also point to the end, not to mention that continuing to attack the thief's den may cause great damage, even if there is no loss, Liu Jun can't let Li Chunjiang bring people over again.

Lin Jiazhai was slaughtered, which made the nature of the matter rise rapidly, this is no longer a small fight by a few thieves, but a rather bad thing, and even stabbed to the third division of Huguang and even the governor in the end. This is an extremely bad thing for the magistrate of Macheng, for the officers and soldiers of the Huangzhou Guard, and even for the Huangzhou Mansion and even the guarding, patrolling, and arming several Taoist yamen.

If something goes wrong, it has to be solved.

The best remedy is to exterminate the thief immediately and atone for his sins. Therefore, the thief's den of Qiting can't be beaten by the nine-headed bird and horse team no matter what, and if it is done, it is not a merit, but a bad thing. The merit of exterminating the thieves must be exterminated by Macheng County and even Huangzhou Wei, the capital of Huangzhou, at least under their command and extermination.

"Gongji, I mean that the two of us immediately rode to Shenzhuang and reported the results of tonight's battle, as well as the information about the thief's den learned from the interrogation, to Duke Mei."

"Why don't you report to the county at the same time?"

"No, we will report to Mei Gong, and then Mei Gong will notify Lu Zhixian." Liu Jun deliberately emphasized. Directly crossing Mei Zhihuan to report to the county, then Mei Zhihuan will be in an embarrassing situation. And if Mei Zhihuan is reported first, and then Mei Zhihuan notifies the county government, then the situation is completely different.

In this way, their battle can be regarded as a victory under the command of Mei Zhihuan. Although the township regiment failed to prevent the tragedy, they eliminated the gang of thieves as soon as possible and found out the thieves' den as soon as possible. In this way, Mei Zhihuan and the Baoshengbao Township Regiment can be in a more advantageous position.

When Mei Zhihuan notified the county government, and the county government reported to the prefect, then the county could be regarded as a quick counterattack. In short, a simple notification sequence can make a big difference.

"Why don't we go first, and then the team sets off for Queen City?"

"Don't go back to Queen City, let everyone go directly to the county seat like this."

After a brief explanation, Liu Jun and Li Chunjiang went down the mountain and got on the horse, took the team and began to rush to Shenzhuang overnight.

Shen Zhuang, the station of the Baoshengbao Township Regiment.

Although it was the middle of the night, the castle was as brightly lit as day. Such a big thing happened, the entire township regiment had been mobilized, and Ye Bushu and several branches of the horse team were all sent out to look for traces of the thieves.

The main barracks, ranger barracks, and artillery teams also received orders, and they all assembled at Fort Baosheng and were ready to go. Inside and outside Baosheng Fort, there were teams of Xiangyong everywhere, and this time, Mei Zhihuan was completely angry.

This is groundbreaking on Tai Sui's head, is it tolerable or unbearable?

"Report, the Taiping Township Brigade has been ordered to arrive."

"Report, the Guishan Township Warrior Team was ordered to arrive!"

Villagers rushed to Baosheng Fort, and Baosheng Fort became a huge military camp, and people neighed and screamed.

"Are there any traces of thieves?" Mei Zhihuan also made an exception today and put on the Vermilion Lacquer Mountain Wen Armor, wearing a phoenix winged hood on his head, and a sword hanging from his waist, walking around in front of the map, the iron armor on his body clanging.

"The night is not closed and the horse team has not yet returned, and it has not been discovered for the time being."

"Have all the villagers arrived?"

"At the moment, only the Queen's City Nine-Headed Bird Horse Team has not been ordered to assemble." The iron-clad family returns.

Mei Zhihuan frowned, "Why haven't they arrived yet?" ”

Jia Ding bowed his head and replied, "The Jia Ding who rushed to give the order just came back, saying yes, saying that before dark, the Nine-headed Bird and Horse Team had already set off and headed south, and it was said that they had found the traces of the thieves and were going to exterminate the thieves. When the family returned, he didn't believe the news. However, the family who went to give the order reported in this way, and now that Mei Gong asked, he had no choice but to report it truthfully.

"Hmph, they found the traces of the thief, and they took the initiative to go to kill the thief? Ha, that's funny. An officer in the main barracks sneered, "So many of us can't find any trace of the thief, and he found the nine-headed bird?" What else did you say about sending troops to suppress thieves, I guess I was hiding in fear, right? ”

Someone on the side answered, "If they really have the ability to find the traces of the thief so quickly, then why didn't they notice the thief before, why did they let Lin Jiazhai be slaughtered, at that time, where were they?" ”

"Alright, don't talk about it." Mei Zhihuan waved his hand to stop the cynicism of his subordinates.

Although Mei Zhihuan was very optimistic about Liu Jun and Li Chunjiang, he didn't believe that they could find the traces of thieves so quickly at this time, and he took the initiative to attack so boldly. Their nine-headed bird and horse team has a very loud name, and Li Chunjiang has taken out a lot of money, so the equipment is generally stronger than other Xiangyong, and the strength is comparable to his elite horse team. But after all, it has only been established for more than a month, and two hairy young men, with a group of newcomers, rushed to attack. If they didn't find the thief, it would be fine, but if they really found the thief's trace and crashed into it, Mei Zhihuan was very worried.

"Send a team of horses to Queen City immediately to find the team of nine-headed birds, find them, and bring them here."

The centaurs were sent out, but Mei Zhihuan was very worried in his heart, he admired the two young people very much, and it was rare to meet such a young man with such an appetite. In case something happens to the two little guys, how will he face it, especially Li Chunjiang is still the most talented Xie Yuan of the Li family's generation, and he is about to participate in the examination for the top prize in the Jinshi.

Uneasy, he didn't feel sleepy, and sat in the hall all night staring at the map, waiting for news.

It was slightly bright, and the family walked in.

"Any news from the Nine-Headed Bird?"

"Not yet."

"Is there any news of the thieves?"

"Not yet."

Mei Zhihuan let out a long sigh, his face haggard.

"Mei Gong, you haven't slept all night, it's already dawn, go back to your room and sleep, I'll notify you immediately if there is news." Jia Ding persuaded. Mei Zhihuan nodded helplessly and walked slowly to the backyard. After entering the bedroom, he washed up, and as soon as he lay down, fatigue hit, his eyelids drooped, and he fell into a deep sleep.

"Sir, sir."

In her sleep, Mei Zhihuan heard a shout and woke up suddenly. He opened his eyes and saw the old servant calling him at the bedside.

"When?"

"It's still morning, and you've just slept for a quarter of an hour or so." The old servant replied, "Master, the head of Team Mei wants to see you." ”

Mei Zhihuan rubbed his sore eyes, "Tell him to come in." ”

The head of the family Ding team strode into the bedroom, "Mei Gong, there is news from the Nine-Headed Bird and Horse Team." ”

"Oh, where are they?"

Team Mei replied, "The Nine-Headed Bird Horse Team is heading towards Shen Zhuang. ”

Mei Zhihuan nodded, "It's okay if they're fine." ”

Team Mei's expression was a little complicated, and he smacked his lips, "Gong Mei, the horse team who came back to report the news said that the nine-headed bird horse team had just fought a battle with thieves. ”

Mei Zhihuan sat up, "What did you say?" His voice couldn't help but raise an octave. In his mind, if the nine-headed bird met that fierce group of thieves, eight to nine times out of ten it would suffer.

Team Leader Mei continued to report with that complicated expression, "According to Kuaima's report, after Li Chunjiang and Liu Jun were slaughtered in Linjiazhai, they immediately sent people to track down the thieves, and then found the thieves settled in Xing'an Temple, a ruined temple not far from Linjiazhai. Then, Liu Jun and Li Chunjiang immediately led the whole team of nine-headed birds to gallop to Xing'an Temple. After dark, they launched a surprise attack, and then, in one fell swoop! ”

Mei Zhihuan's eyes were full of disbelief, "How many thieves are there?" ”

"Fifty-three thieves in all!"

"The thief was attacked and fled?" In Mei Zhihuan's opinion, maybe when the nine-headed bird was killed, the thief fled, so the nine-headed bird won.

"No, Mei Gong, the horse team reported that when they met the nine-headed bird and horse team, they came from the south, all of them were stained with blood, and their horses were all tied with many heads, thirty-nine thieves' heads. Behind the horses, fourteen captives were hanging. And so many women who were rescued from thieves! ”

"This!" Mei Zhihuan's mouth opened wide, but he forgot to take it back.

"It can't be!" When he was an official in Guangdong, he suppressed pirates, and when he was an official in Gansu, he killed thieves, and in the township over the years, he set up a township regiment and exterminated many thieves and bandits, and he had rich experience. The thieves who slaughtered Lin Jiazhai were so ruthless, they were not ordinary thieves.

Fifty-three fierce bandits, against more than 100 new nine-headed bird soldiers who have not been trained for more than a month, Mei Zhihuan does not think that the nine-headed bird can win. Or thirty-nine beheadings and fourteen captures.

He suddenly thought of an important question and hurriedly asked, "How many casualties are the nine-headed birds?" ”

Team Mei hesitated for a while before saying, "There are three serious injuries, but there is no worry about life, and they will not be crippled, and the rest are minor injuries." ”

"How many people died in battle?"

"Nope."

"How much?"

"Didn't die in battle." Captain Mei didn't believe it when he said this, he always felt that the people of the horse team had made a mistake. More than 100 Xinding dealt with more than 50 bandits, killed 39 and captured 14, none of them escaped the net, and he actually only had three serious injuries and one did not die, this is simply impossible, it must be a mistake.

Or, the nine-headed bird is not a thief at all.

Mei Zhihuan was also shocked by this casualty ratio, he glanced over, just saw the suspicious look of the head of the Mei team, and couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart, could it be?

"What's going on in your mind?"

"Nothing."

"If you want to say it, you can say it."

"It's hard for my subordinates to believe this casualty comparison, and I think it's either the team that returns to the team who made the mistake in casualty figures. Either that, or that. ”

"Or what?"

"Either the thieves who were killed were not the ones who slaughtered the village, or they were just ordinary thieves, or they were just a group of outcasts!"

Mei Zhihuan's face changed, and his palm slapped heavily on the bedside case, "Do you suspect that the Nine-Headed Bird and Horse Team is taking the lead?" ”

"The subordinates are just guessing!"