"Master Ji has arrived, Master is waiting for you inside, I won't go in anymore." Zhang Shifu retreated with a bow.

  Zhu Laojiu then lifted the curtain and walked in, Zhao Chuhai was waiting for him here. The two sat facing each other, just like the scene back then.

  "Speak up, what trouble is it this time that requires my intervention?" asked Zhu Laojiu.

  "Lao Jiu, you've helped me a lot over the years, I'm well aware of that. I also know you've been wanting to settle down and find a wife to carry on your family line. I promise this is the last time, if we succeed in this matter, you and I will have no more dealings with each other."

  Lao Jiu looked at him coldly. Since their transaction, Lao Jiu had been doing his best to help Zhao Chuhai. Lao Jiu killed people and Chuhai benefited. It went on for year after year, and the two also made a promise: if one day Lao Jiu wanted to wash his hands and live a peaceful life, Zhao Chuhai would not make things difficult for him, and from then on they would be strangers in a strange land.

  Two years ago, Zhu Laojiu had expressed his desire to wash his hands and rely on the savings of these few years to marry a good wife who would give birth to children for their family.

  Zhao Chuhai, who should have fulfilled his promise, pushed three and blocked four, repeatedly advising Lao Jiu to wait a few more years, planning to drag it on until the end of his term. Lao Jiu has expressed dissatisfaction with this many times, but Pinggu County is still Zhao Chuhai's place on the surface, and he, an unscrupulous person, didn't dare make a scene.

  Zhao Chuhai also knew that the rift between him and Zhu Laojiu had grown wider over the years, and Zhu Laojiu was no longer as easy to control as he was when he first brought him out of prison.

  Now, all the big and small gangs in Pinggu County are under Zhu Laojiu's control. He also has several good hands who can fight and die for him, all of whom he has recruited over the years. These people are ruthless but loyal to him, and it is their existence that prevents Zhao Chuhai from turning against Zhu Laojiu. Otherwise, he would have wanted to get rid of this increasingly disobedient knife long ago, after all, Zhu Laojiu is not as easy to control as Zhang Shiyeye.

  Zhao Chuhai saw that Zhu Laojiu was ignoring him and smiled awkwardly, saying carelessly: "Don't worry, Laojiu, we've been cooperating for many years. This time I've already smoothed out the relationships with those above, and after next year's evaluation, I'll be promoted. By then, you and I will no longer have any connection."

  Lao Jiu snorted and said, "Really?"

  Really

  "Alright, speak up, who is it that wants me to take care of this time?" Lao Jiu asked with a hint of puzzlement. After all, Zhao Chuhai had been in the position of county magistrate for so long now, and he was no longer as insignificant as when he first took office. He had sold his life to Lao Jiu for many years, killing so many people, and in Pinggu County, those who could oppose him were either dead or had surrendered. It wasn't an exaggeration to call him the local emperor of Pinggu County.

  Zhao Chuhai smiled and said: "It's just a few rustic rascals, you can naturally take them down with one hand."

  "Hum, you've said it clearly, what kind of person is he?"

  "He's just the leader of a gang of mountain bandits from outside Pinggu County."

  Zhu Laojiu paused with his chopsticks, furrowing his brow and saying: "That gang of mountain bandits can't even be eliminated by the Wei Prefecture's soldiers, what use would it be for me to go?"

  "This time it's different, they robbed the army's food a few days ago and even killed the soldiers of this camp, almost causing the military to be defeated. I heard that only one person escaped with his life. This is getting out of hand, the King of Yan has directly dispatched two thousand households to come and quell the rebellion. You just need to kill those rebel leaders at the right time, but you must not let them be captured alive by the King's personal guards, otherwise I'll be in big trouble, and if it involves you, it won't be good for you."

  "Haha, it seems that these bandit leaders are quite formidable. The threat they pose to you is so great that they want to take advantage of this opportunity to wipe them out completely."

  Suddenly, Zhu Laojiu slammed his hand on the table and said: "Hmph, you've got a good idea! If I wanted to kill those people, I would have had to sneak in first. And when the army is clearing out the bandits, they must clear the mountain beforehand to prevent ordinary civilians from entering. The bandit problem will not be eradicated until the mountain is sealed off; if I were to complete my task and come down the mountain only to be discovered by the soldiers searching the mountain, they would definitely think I'm a member of the bandits. If I weren't killed on the spot, it would be because I was lucky."

  "Zhao Chuhua, Zhao Chuhua, your plan to kill two birds with one stone by borrowing a knife is quite good. You can eliminate the mountain bandits and use the government troops to get rid of me, while you, Prefect Zhao, sit safely on the fishing platform, without a single hair being harmed."

  Zhao Chuhai hastily explained: "How could I, our many years of friendship, how could I have the heart to want to harm you? I had long expected that the bandit-suppressing army would inevitably drag me into sending people to participate in the mountain-encirclement operation. After all, they don't have enough manpower. At that time, I will arrange for someone to pick you up at the foot of the mountain and ensure that you come out of the mountain safely. Then our matter will be settled, I will continue to serve as the magistrate of Pinggu County waiting for promotion, and you can return home to marry your wife and carry on the family line."

  Zhu Laojiu narrowed his eyes and gazed coldly at Zhao Chuhai, who also smiled back at him.

  "Hmm, it's settled then. I'll go back and prepare immediately, and leave the city before nightfall." Old Ninth said as he walked out of the room, and Chapter Master hastily bowed to see him off at the door.

  Before long, Zhang Shiyu lifted the curtain and walked in, seeing Zhao Chuhai drinking wine, he asked: "Master, how do you plan to receive him when he comes down from the mountain? That is Yan Wang's personal guard, can we deal with it?"

  "Haha, who said I would let him come down from the mountain alive?" Zhao Chuhai smiled gloomily.

  Chapter Master saw his own master tremble uncontrollably, bending his body and standing still, he didn't want to die like Zhu Laojiu, it's better to listen obediently.

  "Come closer and I'll tell you what to do."

  Zhang Shifu hastily walked over and bowed his head to listen to orders.

  "When the time comes, you will do so..."

  A plain outside Pinggu County Town, the extermination army had already rushed to this place, and Wu Chengqian, who came out to meet in advance, was talking with Qiu Fu and others.

  "Brother Qiu has come from afar and must be tired. Why don't you rest for a while at my Wei's camp first?"

  "Alas, Wu Chengqian has been polite to us. We have come on orders to suppress the bandits and do not need to trouble you with a lengthy explanation. As for your camp, we will not ask for mercy. Let's just plan to station here for one night and set out at dawn tomorrow."

  "If there's anything you need help with in the future, just let me know and I'll do my best to assist you."

  Qiu Fu thought for a moment and realized that there was indeed something he needed his help with, so he spoke up: "Brother, let's be frank. This time we have 6,000 soldiers to suppress the bandits. The four of us discussed it and plan to take out 2,000 men to block the mountain roads to prevent any bandits from escaping, but I'm afraid our forces are insufficient and there might be loopholes in our defense. That's why I was thinking of asking you and the county government in the city to lend us some troops to help with blocking the mountains."

  "Hey, it's a small matter, those mountain bandits killed the soldiers of my Wei state, I will certainly send troops to assist, but there are only 500 soldiers left in my camp, and I don't know if they're enough."

  "Five hundred is enough, and adding the flat valley county is a superior county, there are also more than 200 quick-handed capturers in the city. Adding them up, a total of 700 people fill the vacancies, and there shouldn't be any omissions." Chu Fu stroked his beard and said.

  "That's good"

  At this moment, Wu Cheng saw a group of people walking out from the county gate and hurriedly pointed with his hand: "Brother Qiu, look, this must be the county magistrate coming out to welcome you all."

  Qiu Fu followed the direction of his pointing finger and saw a group of people coming towards him, led by a man wearing a six-product blue robe with a mandarin duck official uniform, who was none other than Zhao Chuhai, the magistrate of Pinggu.

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