Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 400 Yanggu
Three days after Gao Hu's visit, Zhao Zhen returned to the fantasy world with the Black Pheasant Beehive and a group of soldiers.

The black pheasant was given to Zhao Shiqilang for training. Zhao Shiqilang really loved the black pheasant. Zhao Zhen explained the characteristics of the black pheasant and let Zhao Shiqilang take it away.

The beehives and golden-ringed hornets were sent to Tang Ding. The bees were still being cultivated to produce honey, but the golden-ringed hornets were what Zhao Zhen wanted Tang Ding and others to use for experiments.

After all, with the four people who became beekeepers thanks to "Xiaochuji Fengjipian", plus the original three people and apprentices, there are more than 30 farmers in the county engaged in honey collection.

These people work in groups of three or four, releasing bees everywhere. Sometimes they even go to the mountains. If they can tame golden ring tiger bees, they can not only protect themselves, but may also be used in other places in the future.

For example, Snake, Jiulingyi, and others were treated as spies by Zhao Zhen. These people were active not only in the villages ruled by Liangshan, but also in nearby prefectures.

Just after dealing with the black pheasant and the beehive, Wu Yong came to the door.

After the greeting, Wu Yong told Zhao Zhen about Shi Qian's trip to Yanggu County after Zhao Zhen left. Zhao Zhen laughed and said, "How come, brother Shi Qian is also thinking about starting a family?"

Wu Yong nodded and said worriedly, "Sir, Brother Shi Qian left on the same day as you did. He just went to take a peek and should be back soon. Should we ask a brother to go and find out something?"

Zhao Zhen asked: "Only him?"

"[Street Rat] Zhang San and [Green Grass Snake] Li Si accompanied them."

"These two are very smart, so I think it's nothing serious. Since the scholar is worried, he sent a pigeon letter and asked Brother Lehe to find out about it." Zhao Zhen said.

After that, Zhao Zhen wrote a pigeon letter and was about to ask Zhao Yuanli to send it to Ding An. When he saw Ding An coming over, Zhao Zhen took the pigeon letter from Ding An, read it, and hurriedly handed it to Wu Yong.

Zhao Zhen was furious and shouted, "Scholar, Shi Qian and Zhang San are now in jail. How dare the corrupt officials do this? Wait for me to mobilize the troops and go to Yanggu County right away."

Wu Yong said quickly, "Sir, there is no time to lose. Please ask Brother Hua Rong to go to Yanggu County and rescue Brother Shi Qian first. Sir, bring the cavalry and rush to help later."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen quickly wrote a pigeon letter and handed it to Tang Ding. He said, "Send three letters in a row to Jingyang Town."

"Xuejiu, go to the South Camp to recruit cavalry and gather them in front of the village." With that, Zhao Zhen stood up and hurried up the mountain.

Zhao Zhen dressed in full armor, picked up his reed spear, and rode on his Kicking Snow Black Horse. He called on Lü Fang, Guo Sheng, Huo Wancheng, and Wang Liang's cavalry guards and headed straight for the entrance of Xixi Village.

When Zhao Zhen arrived, the three battalions of Lin Chong, Wang Tianba and Qin Ming were already waiting there. In addition to the three battalions of cavalry from the South Camp, Hu Sanniang, who was training in the South Camp, also followed with her female cavalry.

There were 1000 cavalrymen in total, one man riding two horses, all wearing military uniforms, with armor tied to their horses' backs. Zhao Zhen had a gloomy face, waved his spear, and led Qin Ming as the vanguard, riding his horse straight to Yanggu County.

They rushed all the way and arrived outside Yanggu County at 11 p.m.

When they were two miles away from the city gate, they saw the lights on the top of Yanggu County. Zhao Zhen sent out cavalry to conduct reconnaissance, and the soldiers all dismounted and ate some dry food and beans.

Zhao Zhen and his group also silently chewed the dry food they brought with them when they passed through Jingyang Town. After a while, two cavalry soldiers ran over and said, "Sir, the soldiers patrolling the top of the city seem to be soldiers from the county."

Wu Yong heard this and asked, "Could it be Brother Hua Rong?"

Zhao Zhen heard this and said, "Brother Hua Rong's troops are not seen outside the city, so it seems possible."

Wu Yong said, "Sir, why don't we ask two loudmouths to go outside the city gate and say that the officials from Liangshan County who were on their way to Bianjing on official business missed their night stop and ask the city gate officer to open the gate and let them rest in the city. Let's see what the reaction is." Huang Xin, who was standing by, heard this and said, "Sir, I'll go."

After saying this, he mounted his horse, took a slight detour, ran towards the city gate, and rushed through on horseback.

About half an hour later, Zhao Zhen was getting anxious when he saw a fire rising on the top of the city wall. The city gate opened, and a group of cavalrymen with torches rushed out and headed towards Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen and his men quickly mounted their horses and formed their battle array. From a distance, they heard Huang Xin shouting, "Sir, Hua Rong and Sun An have rescued Shi Qian."

Seeing that it was Huang Xin and Sun An who came, Zhao Zhen laughed and said to Wu Yong: "It seems that the military advisor's guess was correct."

Before he could even salute, Zhao Zhen asked, "Brother Sun An, how is the city?"

Sun An said, "Don't worry, my lord. Brother Shi Qian is fine. We are now guarding the South Gate, waiting for dawn to return to Jingyang Town. We dare not kill people wantonly, and we are now confronting the soldiers and thief hunters of Yanggu County."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen and others followed Sun An into the city.

Just as Sun An said, Hua Rong and his men were guarding the South Gate, and many soldiers from Yanggu County surrounded it but did not dare to move forward.

Seeing Zhao Zhen's large group of troops coming in, the Yanggu County government troops were in a commotion. Zhang Chuang, the militia commander, saw this and quickly sent two of his trusted aides to the county government to report the news.

Zhao Zhen pointed to the bandit-catching officers and soldiers about a hundred steps away and asked, "Brother Hua Rong, are these people going to force you to stay?"

Hua Rong said, "If they were not all government servants, I would have shot them dead with an arrow long ago. Today, I received a pigeon letter from the great official, and I led my troops into the county. Led by the Li Si brother, I broke into the prison and brought out the Shi Qian and Zhang San brothers. I wanted to leave the city immediately, but the county official Xia Gongji led his men to chase us, and I shot off his futou with an arrow. His delay allowed the soldiers to surround us, so we had to occupy the south gate. These people were afraid of my archery skills and did not dare to move forward, but they did not dare to retreat either. The stalemate lasted for more than two hours."

Shi Qian, who was standing aside, said at this time: "Master, it is all my fault. Please come and save me."

Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "Brother, you have been gathering information everywhere and have never failed. How come you failed in Yanggu County? Are there any of these girls that you like?"

Hearing this, Shi Qian shook his head repeatedly and said awkwardly, "No, no. I came to Yanggu County to visit secretly, and I happened to see Li Yanei teasing Meng Yulou. I couldn't help it and stepped forward to scold him. Li Yanei ordered seven or eight of his hangers-on to come up and fight. Zhang San, Li Si, I and both beat them away, and Meng Yulou also took advantage of the chaos to escape."

"At first, I didn't know that this man was Li Gongbi, the son of County Magistrate Li Datian. No one told me, so I just thought he was that playboy, so I didn't take it seriously. The three of us were drinking in the restaurant and were about to return to Liangshan County when County Magistrate Qian Cheng and his archers surrounded us."

Wu Yong said, "Sir, Magistrate Li did not teach his son well and detained the head of Liangshan County without arresting and punishing him. How can he not be looked down upon by others?"

After that, Wu Yong whispered to Zhao Zhen: "Sir, don't worry. The court has always been tolerant of the vassal counties. Now the court's attention is all on Song Jiang in Qingzhou. Just make trouble and occupy Yanggu County first to see the court's reaction."

Zhao Zhen heard this and shouted, "Brother Shi Qian is the head of my Liangshan County. How can we let him be insulted in Yanggu County for no reason? Brothers, just go forward. Capture Li Datian and Li Gongbi, father and son. We will not stop until they apologize."

After hearing this, everyone mounted their horses. Qin Ming also shouted loudly, "Go to the county government office and arrest Li Datian." He led the way and rushed to the opposite side.

When the cavalry moved forward, Zhang Chuang, the team commander on the opposite side, was horrified. He shouted and led his men to scatter.

Zhao Zhen took advantage of the situation to control the four gates. In the county government office, Li Datian, Li Gongbi and his son, as well as the escaped militia commander Zhang Chuang, the county magistrate Qian Cheng, the chief clerk Ren Tinggui, and the clerk Qian Lao were all searched out.

(End of this chapter)