In the thirty-second year of the reign of Emperor Shizong of Yu Kingdom, there was a great drought in the three southern states, and the displaced people were everywhere...... In October, Li Xuantong's troops besieged Changshan City...... The Xia family, a big family in the city, responded internally, and opened the city gate at night, and the county seat was broken.

……

In the direction of the city gate, there are shouts and drums...... World shaking.

"The city is broken!"

"The thieves have come in!"

"The Xia family reverses the water and dedicates the city to ......"

……

Such frightened shouts spread like a tidal wave into the city, causing great chaos.

Some of the officials, arresters, and watchmen who were still barely maintaining order dispersed in unison in such a voice.

……

Xia family, main hall.

"Old lady, that thief misunderstood my Xia family!"

A middle-aged man in brocade said indignantly: "...... Judging from the reaction of the Taiping thief, I am afraid that the Lin family has no intention of dedicating the city......"

"Yes, the person who delivered the planks to my house clearly wanted to borrow a knife to kill someone!"

"I think it must be a trick of the thieves......"

"His heart can be punished!"

……

Knock knock!

Sitting at the top was an old man with gray hair, wrinkled face, and gorgeous silk cloth, when the pitch-black dragon head crutch in his hand was knocked, and suddenly, the whole house was silent.

This person is the old lady of the Xia family.

From the outside, this is just an ordinary rich old man, but if there is a martial arts master here, he will inevitably notice: this person's temples bulge, breathing long, the heart beating, the subtle sound of blood flow, there is an indescribable sense of rhythm, like a hidden thunder, if you don't move, it is enough, and a movement is bound to be thunder and fire.

"Our Xia family has dedicated the city and voted for the righteous army, that is the person of the righteous army, in the future, don't say anything about the thief army."

The old lady of the Xia family made a final decision and finalized the matter: "Moreover, this is not necessarily a bad thing...... At least, not at the moment...... Later, they all went with the old man to greet General Xuantong......"

Now that the Xia family has been on the boat, they can't get off, and others are old and refined, so they naturally know that at such a moment, the two ends of the first mouse are the most taboo.

"Yes!"

Everyone in the hall agreed in unison.

No matter what thoughts they had in their hearts at this moment, they all suppressed them one after another, and subconsciously followed the decision of the old lady of the Xia family, which was the prestige of the other party for many years.

"Of course,"

The old lady of the Xia family paused in her voice: "The person who sent the plank, check it slowly...... If it's really a rebel, it's just that......"

"If not, it's someone else......"

Boom!

He slammed his cane on the ground, and the solid wooden floor under his feet shattered: "No mercy!" ”

Such a cold voice made everyone in the Xia family under the hall feel their hearts sink together.

——As the old lady gets older, they rarely see such an emotional exposure, which shows how angry the old lady is by the cunning villain who plays weird.

To some extent, this is also a kind of ability.

……

Lin family.

"Good, good! That old horseman, start fast enough! Decisive enough! Lin Xiong, the head of the Lin family, slapped his palm on the yellow rosewood table, causing the entire wooden table to fall apart in an instant.

This person has a ruddy face and narrow eyes, a middle-aged man in his forties, and his eyes are particularly bright, as if they are shining with a sparkling essence.

Below, the descendants of the Lin family gathered here, all showing bitter faces, talking to each other, whispering, and the atmosphere was extremely depressing, as if the sky had fallen.

"Master, how is this good?" Someone asked in alarm.

"Yes, the Xia family suddenly put aside our dedication to the city...... When the Taiping thieves enter the city, I am afraid that they will find our family's bad luck! "There are people who can see and understand.

"Not necessarily, it's a big deal to cut the flesh ......" There are still people who have illusions.

……

"What's the panic?!"

Lin Xiong let out a deep sigh, quieted down the people below, his anger was restricted, the lines on his face became stiff, and he gave orders in an orderly manner: "Our Lin family, quickly change our attitude, use all our networks, and make every effort to attack the Taiping thief...... No, the relationship of the rebels...... Don't be petty, get ready to cut the meat......"

"On the other hand, prepare for the worst......"

One by one, he commanded them to go down.

Hearing that the head of the family made such an arrangement, everyone in the Lin family below realized the seriousness of the matter, and their hearts were all sighing, each like a frosted eggplant, wilting.

In the corner, Lin Feng, the third son of Lin, was also clouded with gloom on his face.

He would never have thought that now, the Lin family is in such a situation, and all the reasons are because of a clever robbery he made a few days ago......

……

'The city is broken', 'The peace thieves have entered the city', such shouts spread in all directions like a tide.

Jiang Ping'an woke up from his sleep: "The city is broken?!" ”

He made up his mind, got up from the bed, hurriedly put on his clothes, pulled on his shoes, and ran into the courtyard.

Outside, the shouting became clearer, like a tsunami from a mountain.

"Broken?! The city is really broken! ”

Jiang Ping'an muttered, and after being stunned for a moment, he suddenly began to laugh out loud.

Of course he has a reason to laugh!

For individuals, as soon as the city is broken, their own situation will be safe, and they no longer need to worry about the court, and they will fight hard with the Taiping thieves in the city.

And......

In such a chaotic time, with the help of the connections in the past, I will make a little difference...... If it is operated properly, not only can this official skin be saved, but it is not impossible to even rise one liter......

This is not a dream!

In the past, the location in the city was a turnip and a pit, but now the Taiping thieves are coming, the world is turned upside down, and the class is replaced......

It is the best chance for the fish dragon to turn over.

A person like Jiang Ping'an, who can be a man, can drill camps, and has connections, as long as he is not too lucky, he can be prosperous in any world......

If you encounter such a chance of changing weather, you may rise with the same wind!

"There is only one point, the city is broken too coincidentally, too urgently, suddenly, as if it were ...... General ...... just for me"

For some reason, Jiang Ping'an suddenly thought that Fang Rui went out last night, and his intuition at this moment told him: The city is broken, and it has something to do with Fang Rui!

Of course, such a 'absurd' idea is only a flash, and it is rejected by the self.

"I'm so stunned!"

Jiang Ping'an patted his forehead: "How could this be Brother Fang's handiwork?" He is just an ordinary martial artist, the eighth rank, and he has survived the seventh rank, how can he control the situation in the city? ”

However, no matter what, he believes that befriending Fang Rui is one of the most correct decisions he has made in his life.

That's when —

Knock knock!

There was a hurried knock outside the door: "Lao Jiang?!" ”

……

"Is the city really broken?!"

Fang Rui muttered, listening to the huge movement outside, rubbing his eyebrows, and turning the kind of 'talking and laughing in the middle of the coffin', 'strategizing, winning thousands of miles away'...... The feeling of being in control, leaving it behind and regaining its composure.

"Pride and complacency are not necessary, but prudence and introspection are the ways to survive."

"Besides, this Changshan City is already crumbling, and the Xia family may have already planned to dedicate the city...... I don't know how much of a role I really played in this......"

"However, no matter what, it will be done in the end, and the Lin family will probably be finished...... It's just,"

Fang Rui sighed: "The most chaotic time has come!" ”

In the past, the Taiping thieves and the forces in the city were deadlocked, and the people were in dire straits, which was a long-term pain; Now that the Xia family is dedicated to the city, the most chaotic moment has come, but it will be a little better later...... It's a short pain......

Although long pain is not as good as short pain......

"However, to a certain extent, I still made a choice on behalf of the people in the city!"

Fang Rui suppressed some guilt in his heart and hardened his heart coldly: "In this world, all living beings are fighting, either striving for the top, or being carried forward by the tide of the times......"

At this moment, he thought of the neighbors in Willow Hutong: Uncle Changlin and Uncle Mantang, who were caught at the head of the city, who went out of the city to take refuge, but were very likely to be captured by the Taiping thieves and attacked the city......

"Compared to those who stand up and do not help themselves, they do not know when the wind will come and from which side...... I want to take the initiative and take control of my own destiny......"

"He who knows me says I'm worried, and he who doesn't know me says what I want? I just want to live, bring my family and friends, and live well! ”

If it were to do it again, Fang Rui would not hesitate, and would definitely make such a choice.

"Brother Rui!"

At this time, the third lady got up.

Fang Xue also came out of the house almost one after another.

"Brother!"

"Brother Arry!"

Even the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, were woken up and came to the door hand in hand.

"You're all up?"

Fang Rui looked back and smiled gently: "It's okay, didn't I tell you before?" The city is broken, and just like that, I will protect your ......"

……

As Fang Rui expected, Changshan County was at its most chaotic.

The ruffians, hooligans, and thieves in the city went out in groups like locusts, smashing and breaking down doors with open fire, raping and plundering.

For them, the most chaotic moment is the best moment, a grand feast, waiting to be seated......

Even, not only ordinary people...... This fire burned more and more, and after all, it still burned to the big family.

Those idle warriors who had waited for many days, had strength and ambition, and also went out one after another, like hungry tigers descending from the mountains, showing their minions......

Pawnshops, money banks, and some big families that are not strong...... It's their goal!

Even the two families, Rulin and Xia, the top two families in Changshan County, also had dizzy idle warriors break in, but it didn't take long for them to turn into corpses and be thrown out......

Without the city wall, the two major families can't fight the Taiping thieves, which is true, but it is not a problem to suppress the idle warriors in the city.

Of course, at such a moment, the power of the Rulin and Xia families can only be left alone to protect the nest...... That's all.

Except for these special very few places, the rest of Changshan City is full of chaos.

The streets are full of people fleeing, crying, and robbing...... There are also those who are carried away by anger and set fire......

Looking down from the sky, the entire Changshan City, dotted with firelight jumping, eroding each other with the dark night, blood and fire, red and black, surging in the sound of crying......

If you pull down the perspective, you can see that in every firelight, there are large hideous faces and distorted shadows......

It's like hell on earth.

……

Sweet Water Well Hutong, the courtyard of the Fang family.

Maybe it's been suppressed for a long time, at this most chaotic time, a few days ago, the ruffians and hooligans who were afraid of Fang Rui's prestige spontaneously gathered more than a dozen people to find the field.

"Inside, get out of here...... someone slammed the door.

"The kid who lives here, his surname is Fang, right? I heard you're crazy, come on, come on, come out and let the masters see! The words were full of ruffians.

"A martial artist? Bah, a bird?! Now, isn't it a shrunken turtle? "It's jealous.

"That's right, shrunken turtle...... Hahahahaha! ”

"I'll count dozens of them, and if I don't open the door, I'll set it on fire!"

……

"Mother, third sister, let's take Ling'er and Nannan in...... Don't worry, it's okay, it'll be fine soon. ”

Fang Ruimu sent Fang Xue's family, Sanniangzi, Fang Ling, and Nan Nan into the house, the smile on his face narrowed a little, and his expression was cold.

"Why do you want to come to death?!" He muttered and strode to the front yard.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven...... Three ......"

Just when the ruffians outside counted to 'three'—

Click!

The gate in the front yard suddenly opened.

However, before the faces of this group of ruffians showed joy, they saw an incredible scene, their eyes widened, and the expression on their faces instantly turned into horror!

"Up!"

Fang Rui turned into a humanoid stone thrower, and smashed the boulders hoarded by the door of the front yard one by one.

What do you mean by 'pulling out the mountains and covering the world'?!

Because this stone is big enough, it doesn't need too much precision at all, and it will hurt if you rub it, and you will die if you touch it......

Rumble! Rumble!

In the blink of an eye, the two or three ruffians led by the ruffians were smashed into a blur of flesh and blood, and their bodies were deformed.

"Damn, this is what you call a martial artist? The pit is dead! ”

"Ah, don't smash me!"

"Heroes spare their lives!"

……

After a scream, the battle went into garbage time.

In addition to being smashed into a blur of flesh and blood, deformed bodies, and directly dead, Fang Rui went out with a Pu knife, and cut the injured mending knife and the escaped one directly after him......

The loud, terrible screams here shocked many ruffians in the distance and did not dare to come.

The whole process is only twenty or thirty breaths.

To be honest, that is, the terrain is limited, it is not easy to perform, and Fang Rui is not easy to rush over and kill indiscriminately; I was afraid of being thought of, so I didn't dare to use lime powder and iron nails......

Otherwise, the battle can end faster.

Subsequently.

Fang Rui disposed of more than a dozen mangled corpses and threw them a little farther away to save people.

Then he turned back to the house.

"Mother, third sister, and Ling'er, Nannan...... Don't worry, those people have been sent by me, and they are fine. ”

Fang Rui sat down with a relaxed expression, and did not mention the bloody battle process, and changed the topic: "Now, it is a foregone conclusion that the Taiping thieves have entered the city and dominated Changshan County......"

"In the future, we can't call it 'Taiping Thief', we have to change our name and change our name to 'Righteous Army', don't say it."

"I know."

Fang Xue and the three ladies all nodded seriously, and after writing it down, they told the two little girls again.

Just sat down for a while.

Knock knock!

Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door.

"Someone else is coming."

Fang Xue's and Sanniang's hearts tightened, and even the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, trembled.

"It's okay, it should be Brother Jiang...... Mother, third sister, you look at the two little girls, just stay in the house, I'll go out and have a look. ”

Fang Rui explained and went to the front yard.

Open the door.

Sure enough, it was Jiang Ping'an, and he also brought Jiang's sister-in-law, Niu Dun, and small bean sprouts, but in addition to them, there was another man in official uniform, who did not look amazing, and looked in his thirties.

Fang Rui was keenly observant, and noticed at a glance: the bones of this person's hands were thick and dark, like fine iron.

Obviously, he is a martial arts practitioner.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"Brother Fang, this is Huang Zhutou......"

Jiang Ping'an's face was not obvious, but there was a bitter look between his eyebrows: "I'm going to guard the county government and bring your sister-in-law, nephew, and niece over, and I want to ask you to help take care of it......"

"Huang Zhutou, can you allow me and Brother Fang to explain two sentences alone......" He looked at Huang Zhutou.

"Lao Jiang, hurry up!"

Huang Zhutou waved his hand impatiently.

'At this time, go to guard the county office?! Isn't this forty-nine years of joining the national army? How could Brother Jiang be so dizzy? Isn't it...... Forced?!

Fang Rui thought secretly, but on the surface he remained silent, and followed Jiang Ping'an to the side.

"Brother Jiang, what's going on?"

The martial artist has a keen sense of hearing, and at this distance, it is useless to deliberately lower his voice, so he just asked vaguely.

Jiang Ping'an also knew this, and he was talking, but secretly he was making his eyes: "...... The county government is in danger, Huang Zhutou is loyal, how can I fall behind? Huang Zhutou is an eight-rank martial artist, and he leads ......"

"Sure enough, as I expected, there is another secret, Brother Jiang is persecuted by the yellow catcher......

Fang Rui's heart moved, and he quickly extracted two key pieces of information from Jiang Ping'an's words: first, this yellow catcher is a diehard loyalist of the imperial court; Second, this person is an eight-rank martial artist.

“…… Let's brothers work together...... Your sister-in-law, nephew, niece, please...... I don't know Brother Fang, maybe take care of it for me? ”

Jiang Ping'an said, and made a vertical cut with his right hand - he turned his back to Huang Zhutou, but he was not afraid of being discovered.

Obviously, this is another metaphor, not asking 'maybe take care of sister-in-law, nephew, niece', but asking: The two of them join forces to kill this yellow catcher.

Maybe there is a deeper meaning: if you can do it, you will join forces and do this vote; If he can't, he will only abandon his illusions and sacrifice himself to feed the tiger.

'A mere eight-rank martial artist......

Fang Rui nodded slightly: "Brother Jiang, don't worry!" ”

"Then please!" A look of excitement appeared in Jiang Ping'an's eyes.

The two came side by side.

"Huang Zhutou, explain it, let's go!"

Jiang Ping'an said, his right hand slowly moved down, touched the waist knife, and waited for Huang Zhutou to turn around and shoot with Fang Rui.

However, Huang Zhutou didn't take action, and looked straight at Fang Rui: "I see, you are also a martial artist, right?" Why don't you go and guard the county government together? ”

'A dead man, it's beautiful to think!' ’

Fang Rui's heart moved, and he refused: "I'm sorry, I am not from the official mansion, but I also have my mother and sister...... Need to look after ......"

"Where do I have to go if I have to go?!"

Huang Zhutou looked unkind, and scolded: "There is no distinction between right and wrong?!" First there is a country, then there is a family, as a person who is in danger of me, everyone has the responsibility to defend the land......"

'Bandang loyalist? If it weren't for the delicate silk lining and the fine white jade hanging from your waist...... And I really believed......

'Moral kidnapping? Or do you want to follow the example of the cat and the tiger, and also force me to be persecuted? ’

Fang Rui was amused in his heart.

If it weren't for the embarrassment, he threw the dozen or so bloody corpses away, I don't know if this person would dare to say this.

——Before, Fang Rui dealt with the more than ten ruffians and hooligans, and the incident was short, and it was only a few dozen breaths before and after...... At that time, Huang Zhutou was at Jiang's house, and he didn't see this scene, but he just heard terrible screams, but those screams were okay to scare others, but they couldn't scare him.

Then.

Taking advantage of Huang Zhutou's attraction to Fang Rui, Jiang Ping'an quietly took two steps back, seized the opportunity, pulled out his waist knife, and slashed it down.

It is a must for a martial artist to hear the sound and distinguish the position, and Huang Zhutou, who was talking to Fang Rui, changed his face slightly, and his body instinctively pounced to the side.

Whew!

This is a killer sword, but it is not fully effective.

just cut through Huang Zhutou's official uniform and lining, and in a tooth-souring sound, it cut through the skin like cowhide, leaving a bloody wound on his back.

"How daring!"

Huang Zhutou bared his teeth, turned around and swept away, and after dodging Jiang Ping'an's attack with another knife, he grabbed his big hand like a fan, like an eagle grabbing a chicken, and strangled Jiang Ping'an's throat.

This grip is full of hundreds of catties of huge strength, and a hideous smile has appeared on his face, as if he has seen the scene of Jiang Ping'an's neck being twisted.

However, just when the difference is only a fraction of a second -

Click!

Huang Zhutou's hand was gripped, as if he was caught by a huge iron tong, and he couldn't move.

It was Fang Rui who made a move!

'Such a great strength...... Huang Zhutou's eyes widened instantly, and he instinctively was about to turn his head, but he was kicked over.

Fang Rui strode forward with a knife.

"You, you ......"

Huang Zhutou, who had planted a dog gnawing mud, struggled twice, but couldn't get up from the ground, he only felt that the place where he was kicked had lost his intuition, and he was numb all over his body, and he couldn't lift his strength.

"Don't come here...... Hold it...... Licentious...... Do you dare to kill an official?! Huang Zhutou was shocked and frightened, his face was hideous, and he shouted.

Fang Rui didn't speak, and when he came to this person, the blade swept by like a match.

Poof!

The head rolled down, and the frightened expression of the yellow catcher froze on his face, and blood burst out like a fountain.

"Are you still an official?!"

Fang Rui shook the blood stained on the Pu knife, looked at the headless corpse of Huang Zhutou, and looked indifferent: "As soon as this city wall is broken, people's hearts will be scattered, officials are no longer officials, and the people are no longer people!" ”

……

(End of chapter)