Niu Chengzhong, the second leader, was naked, holding a spear in his right hand and an armor coat in his left hand.

Behind him were two brothers who usually accompanied him on his side, also carrying spears and armor.

The armor is cotton armor. It is stuffed with a special silk cloth into cotton, finely sewn, then washed, beaten and crushed with tools, and then exposed to the scorching sun, so that the cotton fiber and the silk cloth are closely fitted, like a hard sheet, the role is naturally not to keep warm, but to become a battle suit that can resist some cold weapons and is much lighter than iron armor.

When Niu Chengzhong first came to Shuizhai, in addition to a small group of people, he also brought several sets of cotton armor and gave them to the big boss and a few brothers with old qualifications. This well-made cotton armor from the north is better to wear than the local shoddy and heavy iron vest like a coffin board.

The bandits guarding the livestock shed stared at Niu Chengzhong, who was drenched in sweat, and asked respectfully and in surprise: "The second master, it's almost ugly, what are you doing?" Why do you still carry guns and armor? ”

Niu Chengzhong threw the cotton armor to his relatives behind him, took off the white shirt wrapped around his waist, wiped the beads of sweat on his chest, and wrote lightly: "Lao Tzu can't sleep, practice the gun with the brothers, and try the strength of the spear head to cut the armor." ”

"Oh, the second master came to find the little one, and he wanted to ......"

Niu Chengzhong sneered, and said angrily: "What are you doing with this red guy, I'll mention that little girl in the middle." ”

"Huh?" The guard was stunned for a moment, and said cautiously, "That maid?" ”

"Why, no? The big boss promised me. Fang just practiced the gun and practiced the fire head, Lao Tzu simply made a mandarin duck with her today. ”

"This ...... Belch...... Okay, the small ones will open the door to the big bosses. ”

The guard stammered, picked up the key on his waist, and muttered in his heart, the second master did not bring his family with him when he entered the village, and he didn't see him get a woman back for more than half a year.

The lock clanged, and the door was kicked open unceremoniously.

Huang Zunsu, who had already stood up, dragged the chain to meet him and faced Niu Chengzhong, who was half a head taller than him.

Like the two women in the house, he heard the vulgar words that Niu Chengzhong said in the courtyard.

Huang Zunsu raised his wrist locked in shackles, hugged his fist at Niu Chengzhong, and said loudly: "Second master, you are a dignified seven-foot man, either from literature or from the army, you are all on the right path." It is already unrighteous to fall into the grass and kill people and sell goods, and it is even more ......unbearable to force a weak woman from a good family to force a weak woman."

"Hehe, Mr. Huang, how do you know she doesn't want to." Niu Chengzhong with a teasing tone, cleanly cut off Huang Zunsu's generous words.

After speaking, he pushed Huang Zunsu away, stepped to the bed in a few steps, and pulled Zheng Haizhu out of the shadows.

Han Ximeng was so anxious that he reprimanded: "You, you, what is the difference between you and that one-eyed!" ”

Zheng Haizhu stumbled a few times, but clearly felt that as soon as Niu Chengzhong touched her wrist exposed outside the narrow sleeve of her upper shirt in the dark, he immediately let go and grabbed the knot on her wrist instead, as if deliberately avoiding contact with her skin.

She was in her confusion when she heard a muffled scream at the door.

The three prisoners followed the prestige, and saw the guard who followed the shed to see the excitement, and was pressed to the ground by one of Niu Chengzhong's subordinates, motionless.

The subordinates stepped forward and asked Niu Chengzhong in a low voice: "Young master, do you want to slaughter it?" ”

Niu Chengzhong said: "He hasn't done anything evil, just knock him out." Shut his mouth, tie his hands and feet, and quickly get his key to open the backyard. ”

Then he commanded the other two subordinates: "Go with you, do you remember the code?" ”

"Remember, young master, rest assured."

A few of his subordinates turned around and went out the door, disappearing into the darkness like loaches sliding into a deep pool.

Niu Chengzhong let go of Zheng Haizhu, quickly put on his middle coat and cotton armor, tied his belt, and said to the three stunned prisoners in front of him: "Mr. Huang, two girls, I was sent by the imperial court to suppress bandits. Now I let go of your hands and feet, and you will flee on your own, and be careful on the way. ”

After that, he first felt two small keys from the guard who was unconscious, opened Huang Zunsu's handcuffs and anklets, and then took out a dagger to cut the rope between Han Ximeng and Zheng Haizhu's wrists.

Zheng Haizhu rubbed his wrist and asked Niu Chengzhong concisely: "Lord Niu, are the officers and soldiers coming to attack tonight?" Wouldn't it be safer for me to hide in this shed and come out again after you have finished killing the bandits? ”

Niu Chengzhong looked down at her eyes, and in them, there were two small oil lamps, like two stars in the dark sky.

He thought: Thanks to her, I believe I can win.

The corners of Niu Chengzhong's mouth tugged, and he said in a harmonious voice: "Girl, there is no battle that can be won or lost before it is fought." It would be better if you could leave the land of right and wrong sooner. ”

Niu Chengzhong turned to Huang Zunsu again: "By the way, Mr. Huang, have you sued the candidate surnamed Shen for cheating in the field?" It was the man's father, Lord Shen, the governor of Henan, who instructed Qiu Wanliang to tie you up. I will distinguish between right and wrong, and if tonight's suppression of bandits does not suffer accidents, I am willing to testify for you later. ”

Huang Zunsu bowed his hand, thanked him deeply, and asked, "Does General Niu know why these two girls were taken captive?" ”

Niu Chengzhong said: "It was Qiu Wanliang who asked the one-eyed Ah Liu to do it, I only know a little about it, and it was also kidnapped for others, wanting to humiliate his innocence." Women do not walk around like men, and if someone is interested in harming them, they can watch out for villains among the people of their hometown. Mr. Huang was going to be the official of Songjiang, and after escorting the two back to Songjiang, he happened to secretly check for the two girls. Now, come with me. ”

When he said this, Zheng Haizhu, whose hands were completely free, had already touched the things he wanted to take away from the burden thrown on the bed board, stuffed them into his arms, and then went to help Han Ximeng.

"I don't need your help, and I have never bound my feet, and my escape may not be slower than yours." Han Ximeng's tone was calm and calm, and his figure had followed the two men to the door.

In the Ming Dynasty, the ladies wrapped their feet were not the common fracture-type cruel wrapping method of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in later generations, but followed the practice of the Southern Song Dynasty, first wrapping the forefoot tightly and becoming slender, and then making the five toes upturned and fixed, in order to pursue the beauty and beauty when wearing crested shoes.

But in the eyes of the maverick Miss Han, the slenderness of this outline is artificial, and the "dignified" soles of the feet and toes are squeezed to force the slow walking, which is clearly more like the inconvenience of the legs and feet of the old dragon clock. She was very resistant to foot binding, and her uncle and aunt couldn't resist her, so she had to give up.

At this moment, Han Ximeng mentioned the pleated skirt of Songjiang's lightly dyed medicinal spotted cloth on his body, and his steps were as flexible and fast as a squirrel in the forest.

The three of them followed Niu Chengzhong through the gap between the firewood house and the livestock shed, and in front of them was a large wooden door one foot high, which had been opened by several of Niu Chengzhong's subordinates

Niu Chengzhong raised his hand and made a silent gesture to Huang Zunsu and the others.

Zheng Haizhu stared out, and there seemed to be a short road outside the door, facing the dark silhouette of the walled city in the starry night.