Zhang Shougui truly was approaching Plateau 1313. He had first received a report from Zhao Hanzhang saying that Plateau 1313 had already been broken through and that there weren't many soldiers left. When the main force arrived, they would be able to push through.
At the same time, he had also received news that Zhao Hanzhang had discovered people on Plateau 225 from his position and that there was also an ambush in the nearby low-lying areas. In addition, he had engaged in a scout battle with an unknown number, but the enemy had already left.
He had also given a guarantee that he would be like a sharp knife, firmly thrust into the enemy's heart so that no matter what the enemy did, it would be impossible for them to succeed.
When he first received this news, Zhang Shougui had been happy for a few moments, thinking that victory was at hand. Just as he was planning to quickly advance, he suddenly hesitated.
"Measure wind direction and speed. Glider team, take off and scout Plateau 1313." Zhang Shougui resisted the urge to give the order to advance, instead having the troops slow down and the scouts move out.
The messenger quickly returned. "Reporting, the fortifications on Plateau 1313 are in disarray, most of them destroyed. From the air, we can faintly see wounded lying on the ground, groaning. When my scouts flew over, they were not attacked. Over."
Zhang Shougui softly cursed at Zhao Hanzhang. "So … so close. Zhao Hanzhang, you tricked me to death."
Turning his head to the officers in the room, he asked, "Did you see anything?"
"My guess is that the other side should have some means to counterattack. Therefore, they first pretended to be weak and waited for our army to rush up and catch us off guard. According to General Zhao's information, the other side should have a battalion or one and a half battalions of soldiers at the top of the mountain.
However, the number of wounded soldiers is less than one hundred, so the rest are definitely lying in ambush. Our army should be opening up a path with cannons and taking Plateau 1313 in one go. This is called beating them at their own game. "
A general voiced his analysis and waited for Zhang Shougui's approval.
But Zhang Shougui didn't look him in the eye. "Beat my ass! Do you think the enemy's commanders are idiots? They just suffered a round of attacks, so how could they not understand the power of cannons?
If they dare to set up such a formation, they probably aren't really weak, but they have an even bigger backup plan. If our army is charging straight up and the enemy really does have a backup plan, then tell me, how are we going to calculate our losses? "
The general who had spoken just now did not say anything, but he was unwilling to accept it. Since they did not know, why did they say that his idea was wrong?
Zhang Shougui continued, "I was worried that this was a trap. Zhao Hanzhang truly charged too quickly. He didn't clear out the soldiers along the way, so he believed that with his advanced weapons, he wanted to charge straight into the enemy's main force and determine which army they belonged to.
If the other party was Wang Juan's main force, would he be able to gain any advantage by rushing over? If it wasn't, I would have risked my life to keep his brigade. That's not good. "
At this point, Zhang Shougui shivered and said to the messenger, "Send a report to General Zhao at the vanguard. Order him to quickly retreat and join up with our army. There is no time to be lost. Our army is to set up camp and guard the surroundings. Do not move recklessly."
Zhang Shougui's army of more than ten thousand immediately began to set up camp, and various defensive fortifications were set up. The officers carried out Zhang Shougui's orders, and this time, no one objected.
This was because they recalled something. Yang Qiang's 1st Brigade had charged too quickly in the Fuyang region. They didn't even set up camp before they launched an assault on the enemy.
The result was that the enemy had managed to withstand cannon fire after cannon fire, and in the end, they had successfully ambushed and surrounded the enemy. Even now, it was still unknown if anyone from that brigade had survived.
"My opponent is the outstanding commander of the military academies of the Zhang Family and Wang Family. Outstanding, very outstanding. Normally, if I can think of something, they can definitely think of it as well. If worst comes to worst, I can just advance step by step."
Zhang Shougui had once more emphasized who his opponent was. At this crucial moment, he had actually changed his disposition as a commander, no longer constantly searching for opportunistic opportunities to inflict massive damage on the enemy.
He had begun to walk a steady path. Afraid, truly afraid, afraid that if he were to advance too rashly, he would be schemed against. When the time came, his soldiers would be gone, and so would his position. The Middle Army would easily be burdened to death by him.
Zhao Hanzhang wasn't slow to receive the telegram. However, the speed at which he was leading his four thousand men was also extremely fast. By the time they were still two hours away from Highland 737, the scouts of both sides had first come into contact with each other.
When they received the telegram from the rear, they were just about to heed the order to retreat and kill off the enemy in the depression when a messenger ran in.
"Reporting, our remaining ten gliders have been shot down by the enemy using crossbows. One person managed to survive, but he was heavily injured. Reporting back, two enemy regiments have appeared behind us and to our left. They are advancing extremely quickly and will soon cut off our path of retreat."
"Reporting, the enemy has appeared behind us and is advancing extremely quickly. The majority of our scouts have been shot down by the enemy. The returning scouts report that the enemy has already cut off our path of retreat. Please make a decision."
Two messengers came in to report. One was from the glider unit, while the other was from a scout. The scouts were a bit slower than the enemy's advancing speed.
"Set up camp here. Divide the unit into two. Two thousand people form a defensive circle and form a triangle. Hurry." For a moment, Zhao Hanzhang no longer considered how to attack the enemy's highland. Instead, he switched from offense to defense.
He also knew who his opponent was. Since the enemy was able to mobilize four regiments, they were at least divisions in size. How could their commanders be lacking?
"Send a report back. Our army is unable to complete the retreat mission. We are surrounded. Please give your orders." Zhao Hanzhang couldn't think of a better plan. He wanted to say that they would defend and wait for reinforcements, but he was afraid that they would implicate their own troops. He wanted to say that they would break out of the encirclement, but he was also worried that they would disrupt the deployment of their rear.
When Zhang Shougui received Zhao Hanzhang's report, he felt like his head was about to explode. He looked at Highland 1103 on the sand table and said, "They want to force me to attack or go around to rescue the vanguard. Tell me again, what should we do?"
The officers also realized that something was wrong. Those who had just said that they wanted to take the highland in one go no longer dared to have such thoughts.
"A forceful attack definitely won't work. Even if we succeed, our ammunition will be greatly depleted. When our army first came ashore, we shouldn't have left the area around Hangzhou. Instead, we should have stabilized the defensive line and waited for the reinforcements to arrive. If our ammunition can't keep up, how can we fight?"
"I'm asking you about the present. Why are you bringing up the past? When I gave the order, none of you objected. Now you want to force me down first? What do we do now? "
Zhang Shougui slapped the table and reprimanded the officer.
The officer was startled. His words just now had been unintentional. After all, he was just analyzing the situation. He began to analyze the cause. Seeing that the general was angry, he quietly said, "Let's go around. I propose that we go around. General Zhao still has four thousand men. Let's go around a place where the enemy's defenses are lax. In one go, we can coordinate from the inside and outside and rescue General Zhao's men.
After that, we'll retreat back to Hangzhou's harbor and resupply with ammunition and provisions. Then we'll make plans. Otherwise, if we run out of ammunition, our army can only fight with bayonets. The enemy still has crossbows. "
"Then do you know how many people the enemy has? Our army has gone around them. By the time we meet up with the vanguard, the enemy has already retreated from the vanguard.
Our fourteen thousand men might have entered an even larger encirclement. Our advantage is our weapons, not our speed. We also need two legs to walk, and those few horses are used to pull cannon carriages. Tell me, what should we do if we're surrounded? "
Zhang Shougui continued to ask.
This time, no one made a sound.
Zhang Shougui circled the sand table, muttering, "Our army isn't suited for siege warfare. The best terrain is either high ground for defense or flat plains. But why do we have to be the ones to attack?
Oh, I remember now. We're using advanced weapons to lead the Great Tang soldiers to attack the natives. Right, we're the aggressor. Aiya, these natives are too smart, smart to the point where they know themselves and their enemy.
If we're there, we'll have to kill at least sixty thousand of the natives' main force if we want to win. If they're in hiding, then it's easier to deal with them. We can just send out scouts to find them.
But now, we're making it seem like there's a problem. We must have miscalculated somewhere. Think, calm down, and think carefully. "
While Zhang Shougui circled the sand table, the other generals returned to their own matters.
After a full thirty minutes, Zhang Shougui suddenly stopped, clapped his hands together, and laughed. "Ha! I know where the problem lies.
Our army should have gathered together and linked up the supply lines. Then, we should have deployed the main force to find the enemy's main force. If we found that they were defending the mountain, we should first surround it.
Then, we should wait for the artillery to arrive and bombard them, first cutting off their supply lines and then destroying their fighting strength. If they organize other forces to counterattack, our army can take advantage of the terrain and fight a defensive battle.
In this way, we'll turn a battle of command and soldiers into a battle of weapons and supplies. Even if the supplies are the same and we have the advantage in weapons, right, that's what we should do. "
After thinking things through, Zhang Shougui was elated. He ordered the messenger, "Send a report to the vanguard. Have them defend for now, build fortifications, conserve ammunition, and deal with all changes by sticking to the status quo. If the enemy dares to engage in a battle of annihilation, give them a vicious beating.
As for supplies … have them think of their own methods. Gather materials from the ground. Feed the horses to the people, and the horses … kill them. As for the wild vegetables, birds, and beasts, tell them to hold on.
Tell them that every day they can hold on will increase the pressure on the enemy. Our army will quickly contact the Central Army and have them come as quickly as possible. Right now, we just need to rely on perseverance and fight for time. Go. "
Once the messenger left, Zhang Shougui said to another, "Our army will expand the defensive perimeter. Kill the horses and gather all sorts of food in the surrounding areas. We have to be quick. The more we gather, the more confident we'll be."
After the messenger left, Zhang Shougui sat down, his eyes on the sand table. His hand lightly tapped against his leg as he began to hum a tune that only he could understand, his head swaying back and forth with Weiwei.
"Haha, I know. The army in front of me definitely isn't led by Wang Juan. Otherwise, why would she leave behind so many supplies for me? If she was leading this army, she would definitely scorch the earth and clear the fields.
She would kill all the beasts in the surroundings, pluck all the fruits from the trees, and burn all the grass in the mountains. She wouldn't even leave behind the bark of the trees. At most, I would be able to dig up some roots that weren't burned to death. "
After analyzing the situation, Zhang Shougui felt that the more he thought about it, the more reasonable it made sense. He felt both a little regret and a little relief that he had not encountered Wang Juan's army.
He said to the messenger, "Have the transfer team pick up the pace. Find a way to contact the Middle Army and tell them that Wang Juan's main force is not on the Yellow Mountain line. However, there are at least thirty thousand enemy soldiers on the Yellow Mountain line. I hope that the Middle Army can pick up the pace and work with my army to wipe out the enemy on the Yellow Mountain."
Zhang Shougui's army stabilized. They did not provide reinforcements, nor did they attack, and they certainly did not retreat. They acted as if they were the ones being attacked, and began to fight a defensive battle.
*****
In the center of the sand table, Li Longji had just closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw that Zhang Shougui's army had stopped and that Zhao Hanzhang's army had been surrounded.
After asking the people who were paying attention to the situation, he nodded and said, "Zhao Hanzhang's army has already been dealt with. They charged too quickly, so it's too difficult for them to get back to the rear. Unless they also gather all their weapons, then they can escape with a small portion of their army.
But if they escape like this, on the actual battlefield, they will definitely be punished and beheaded. So why is Zhang Shougui not daring to advance? It turns out that a powerful opponent can also make a person mature.
It actually made a person who likes to attack and launch surprise attacks learn how to defend. Just defend and see how Xiao Bao and Cuckoo respond. "
"Your Majesty, this concubine believes that if Zhang Shougui really does not move, Xiao Bao and Cuckoo will be able to quickly eat up his army. Your Majesty, look at the weapons on both sides."
Empress Wang could see that Cuckoo had a chance of winning from the situation and happily told Li Longji this.
Li Longji said nothing, waiting for Empress Wang to continue.
Empress Wang continued, "Your Majesty, look. If Zhang Shougui does not move, Cuckoo and Xiao Bao will quickly eat up one of Zhao Hanzhang's brigades in front of them. They can surround them and then attack them every night. When the wind blows, they can release smoke upwind to cut off the water source of the river where they set up camp.
They can also organize small groups of soldiers and use crossbows to shoot. Should Zhao Hanzhang fight or not? If he fights, he will use up his ammunition, and once he runs out of ammunition, he will die. If he does not fight, he will be ambushed every day. How long can he last? "
"Correct. The Empress understands." Li Longji was in a good mood. He hoped that Wang Juan and Zhang Xiaobao could win so that the generals of the Imperial Court would calm down. They should not think that they were invincible just because they had a few weapons. Every small mistake would result in the deaths of many Great Tang men.
Gao Lishi added, "While wearing down Zhao Hanzhang's army, Cuckoo will be able to determine Zhang Shougui's situation and send out her main force to circle around from the side and surround Zhang Shougui as well. Encircling but not attacking, only defending.
Once they were done with Zhao Hanzhang, they could send over some logistics to harass Zhang Shougui's army, preserving the strength of their main force while using the logistics to wear down the enemy's main force. Now that the enemy's entire population was a soldier, transferring manpower and transporting supplies was no problem.
Just like the weapons of the Great Tang's attacking side, according to the rules, every once in a while, a batch of ammunition and cannons can be shipped over. If Zhang Shougui, the vanguard, is eaten up, the Great Tang army will be greatly affected. "
Gao Lishi was excited. His son and daughter-in-law were formidable, and he also felt proud.
But what he hadn't expected was that a single military examination would produce such an effect. At the start of the battle, no one could have imagined that Zhang Shougui would suffer such a huge loss.
Of course, the current situation was good. The Great Tang generals would know that their advanced weapons were not as effective as they imagined in the desperate resistance of the enemy.
Just as Cuckoo had said, in war, it wasn't just weapons that mattered, but people as well. If the general was incompetent, the army would be exhausted to death. When the enemy gathered the strength of an entire race to stake their lives against you, you had to be extremely careful.
See, the current situation was like this.
Zu Zazan was the one who was watching the battle the most seriously. In this military examination, he had seen that sometimes, cannons and guns couldn't directly decide the outcome of a battle. There were many ways to deal with them.
If he had dealt with them properly, he might have been able to achieve the results of Wang Juan's side. Of course, the reason why Wang Juan's side was so formidable was not because of the desperation of the natives, but because of the excellence of their commanders.
If the commanders of every regiment, every battalion, and even the commanders of every squad could display their own abilities, they would be able to slowly obtain the results they deserved, gathering small victories to create a great victory.
"On the battlefield, opportunities change too quickly. Don't underestimate the strength of every single soldier," Zu Zazan concluded.
Then, she whispered to Princess Jincheng, "Nunu, don't you think I was very embarrassed at that time? When I was on Mount Hua, I saw the power of the cannon and the advantage of the hot air balloon flying in the sky. I was directly scared.
But look at Cuckoo. She and Xiao Bao weren't afraid. Their military academy commanders weren't afraid either. In a situation where their weapons were inferior, they thought of all sorts of methods and didn't back down. "
"Husband, there's no need to be so upset. Others were also afraid. The Turks and the tribal leaders of the northern Hebei Province were all scared stiff. In the end, our Great Tang was able to so easily take back the land.
The weapons were man-made under the command of Xiao Bao and Cuckoo, so they naturally knew the strengths and weaknesses of the weapons. How could they be afraid? Also, before the military examination, how much effort did they spend to gather intelligence on the enemy commanders?
They already did everything they could. When they realized that the weapons weren't good, they tried everything. If you want to blame someone, you can only blame the generals of our Great Tang Imperial Court for being too arrogant. "
Princess Jincheng consoled Zu Zazan.
"Yes, if you want to blame someone, blame Zhang Shougui. Why did the vanguard charge so quickly? Weren't their supplies limited? If I were him, I would first think of a way to annihilate a portion of the enemy and then steal their weapons. Once I ran out of ammunition, I wouldn't be slaughtered by the enemy. "
Zu Zazan slapped his thigh and loudly spoke, placing all the blame on Zhang Shougui.
On the side, Li Longji pondered for a moment before speaking up for Zhang Shougui.
"You can't blame Zhang Shougui entirely. He believed that Juanjuan would set up an array and wait for them, and then he would directly engage in a direct battle. Going to Mount Huangshan was also not wrong. If you want to talk about a mistake, it's that his opponent was Juanjuan, and there's also Xiaobao. His personality and fighting style have all been figured out.
In truth, the battle had already begun a long time ago. It was just that the generals didn't realize it. They even spent other people's money, went to other people's restaurants to eat, and bought other people's things. "
"Your Majesty's words are correct. Xiao Bao likes to first obtain information and then act. Unless there's a special emergency, Xiao Bao is very steady. Even now, Xiao Bao still has his own caravan trade with a small country in the southwest.
He even has caravans that travel long distances to Duoshi. In order to get on good terms with the other side, he even sells important strategic resources, such as ironware, tea leaves, salt, and other things, including good medicines to treat diseases.
His goal is not to get on good terms with the other side, but to gather information on the other side. For example, Your Majesty, if you look at Xiao Bao's account book, you will realize that if you factor in the cost of transportation and labor, sometimes the things he sells are basically capital.
He has to bribe people, he has to bribe them, and he also has to spend money to put on the image of a good person for the local people. Every time a caravan makes a trip, not only does it not earn a single copper coin, it might even end up losing money. "
Gao Lishi recalled what his godson had said to him and brought it up for everyone to hear.
Li Longji nodded again. "Xiao Bao does indeed like to collect information, whether it's from other countries or from Great Tang. As long as it's information, even if it's just a little bit that doesn't seem to be a problem, he will get it. Let's see how much information his logistics team can get this time."
As he spoke, Li Longji's eyes once again looked at the sand table.
Everyone else also looked at the sand table.
*****
In Wang Juan's room, Zhang Xiaobao also watched from the side. He did not return to his own place.
He had already arranged everything that needed to be arranged. When the battle really started, he would wait for the news from the front line to come back and then analyze it. Then, he would send the order back and let his people do what they needed to do. He estimated that most of his people in the front line would be dead by now.
It was his fault for not having a good communication system. Thus, when the battle started, what really mattered was the ability of the commanders of the various basic units on his side.
Zhang Xiaobao himself was responsible for the major tactical and strategic arrangements.
But because they weren't too far away and the enemy wouldn't be able to intercept all the messengers, Zhang Xiaobao was able to take a little longer to receive the information from the front line.
"Cuckoo, Highland 113 is still there, but Zhang Shougui has actually stopped there to build fortifications. It seems like he doesn't plan to attack. Shouldn't you move your main force a little? My logistics team has many soldiers, but they can't surround Zhang Shougui."
After receiving the latest news, Zhang Xiaobao pointed at an area in front of the sand table where Zhang Shougui's forces were located.
"Let's wait a little longer. Once we've worn down Zhao Hanzhang enough, we'll have some free hands to deal with Zhang Shougui. This Zhang Shougui can be considered quite formidable. I originally planned to send him into the mountains of Huangshan so that he could spread the information.
That way, we could launch a defensive counterattack strategy. Now, he's actually scared and is acting like a coward. This is a rare situation.
"I'm guessing that he already knows that I'm here. That's why when you're fighting Zhao Hanzhang, make your logistics team fight harder. It's best if Zhao Hanzhang can guess where your logistics team is and you, the commander, are also guarding this place.
I'll send half of my main force, thirty thousand people, to stealthily move. I'm waiting for the weather. In Huangshan, there's usually a lot of fog, but it's not coming out. Who threw the dice? What a scam. "
Wang Juan appeared to have nothing to do at the moment. Zhang Xiaobao's team was still fighting, so it was not yet time for her team to go up. Otherwise, if she really did go up, it would be easy for Zhang Shougui to immediately retreat. In any case, the pursuit was not as effective as the initial encirclement.
Zhang Shougui's forces still had not lost their fighting strength, and their weapons were basically exhausted. If she gave chase now, the enemy would come out to stop her.
"Oh." Zhang Xiaobao replied, "That's fine. I'll slowly grind him down. There's no rush. In any case, Zhao Hanzhang can't escape. Through his mouth, we can make Zhang Shougui make a mistake in his judgment. This will give Zhang Shougui some confidence so that he won't run too fast.
Don't you think he's a fool? He dares to charge all the way at the vanguard. I hope that their middle army can learn from him and speed up their advance. It would be best if they reach the Yellow Mountain region. We'll fight here and eat up his middle army. Then, victory will be in sight.
Then I'll go back and wait for a while. If Xiaobei and the others send a message, you should receive it first. There's no need to rush to send it to me. I'll fight until I find a safe distance and meet up with Zhao Hanzhang. I'll scare him to death, haha. "
As he spoke, Zhang Xiaobao ran out to make arrangements. He no longer needed to wait outside the door. This could be considered a privilege, and he could make up for the time he had spent giving Li Longji advice.
*****
Xiaobei's group, which his older brother and sister were worried about, had already arrived at Kaifeng. They were buying local goods, and if they were lucky enough, they could sell them in Jiangzhou and make a fortune.
If they left Kaifeng, they would continue to travel along the waterway, following the Bian River to the Huai River and then into the canal. This way, they wouldn't have to go too far.
The fleet was temporarily docked at Kaifeng's harbor. This place had always been well-developed in terms of water transport. Besides Xiaobei's ship, there were also other ships coming and going.
Most of them were cargo ships, but there were relatively few passenger ships. There were also small fishing boats moving back and forth on the river, occasionally casting a net. Sometimes, they would stop as a small merchant ship, leaning against the shore where the current was less turbulent and waiting for someone to call them.
Kaifeng could be considered a large city. To the west was Luoyang, and a little further down was Chenliu. Besides trade, it was also strategically important, so it naturally had to have a garrison on guard at all times.
It wasn't to guard against enemies from other countries, but to guard against rebellions within the Great Tang. Through this place, they would need to know what was going on.
Because of his older brother's worries, when Xiaobei arrived at Kaifeng, the garrison there was very nervous and immediately protected Xiaobei and the others.
"There's no need to be like this. Right now, it's Kaifeng. You guys go about your own business. I want to see the fishing boat. It's really fun. It can even stop and entertain the people on the shore."
Xiaobei did not disembark. He stood on the deck of the ship. This place was much larger than other places, so he could make some barbecue or hot soup.
Xiaobei had eleven children, and his mouth had not been idle the entire time. If he were to weigh himself, he would have gained two catties.
Kaifeng's garrison used other ships to surround Xiao Bei's flagship. No other ships were allowed to approach. The local commander was surnamed Hu, called Hu Xiao. He was very worried that something might have happened to the Zhang and Wang Family's ancestors in his territory.
Let alone someone plotting against them, even if they fell ill in the heavy rain two days ago, he would not be able to explain it to the world.
So, Hu Xiao took a few people and boarded Xiaobei's ship. They closely followed Xiaobei's footsteps. Only Xiaobei liked to run around, so he took Pan'er with him.
"General Hu, you don't need to worry. I brought a lot of people. To be honest, when you came up, the people I brought had to be on guard against you. It's not that they don't trust you, but they must treat everyone as a threat. Put them back.
Let the people by your side go back, you stay here by yourself. Wow, look at that little boat, that little fishing boat, they actually caught a big shrimp. Aiya, it's two inches long. I want it, quickly go buy it, I'll cook it for Pan 'er. Don't worry, Pan' er. "
While Xiaobei was talking to Hu Xiao, her eyes were always looking at a small fishing boat on the water. That fishing boat was next to a clump of grass on the shore. At the stern of the boat, there was a person fishing for shrimp.
Xiaobei happened to see it. Her eyes were very sharp. Even though it was so far away, two boats away, and there was still some distance between them, she could still see the size of the shrimp.
As she spoke, she had already arrived at the front of the ship.
Hu Xiao was startled by Xiaobei's actions and quickly took off her outer clothes. Inside, she was wearing a short skirt. She was probably prepared to save someone if they fell into the water.
"Go, I'll buy that shrimp. No matter how much it costs, it looks good. It's a good shrimp." Xiaobei even stretched her neck to look. She saw that person put the shrimp he caught into a wooden basin on the boat. She smacked her lips and told someone to go buy it.
The news spread to the other boats. Some people changed boats and headed towards the fishing boat.
Hu Xiao moved closer to Xiaobei and looked at the water below the boat from time to time. The boat was so high that just looking at it made him feel dizzy. When the wind blew, his legs and stomach would cramp. He said to Xiaobei,
"Patrol Envoy Zhang, stand next to me. I'll block the wind for you. Don't stand too far away. I'll be able to buy the shrimp soon. Don't worry."
"Oh." Xiaobei indifferently stepped back a little, giving Hu Xiao some face. Her eyes were still looking at the person fishing for the shrimp. At the same time, she muttered in confusion, "How much can he catch? Others fish at night, but he fishes during the day. Is the shrimp he sells enough for his living expenses?
When I have time, I'll fish too. I'm not as stupid as him. I'll fish at night and see how much I can earn by selling the prawns I catch. General Hu, stop right there. Don't come near me. I can see that you can't even stand properly. If you accidentally fall, I'll have to save you.
For my sake, you have to take care of yourself. I don't want to always jump from such a high place. After that, I have to take a shower and change clothes. It's a waste of my time. "
Xiaobei muttered and said a few words to Hu Xiao, who was about to come over.
Hu Xiao was stunned and asked uncertainly, "Patrol Envoy Zhang, you, you know how to swim?"
"No, I only know how to walk in the water. It's so tiring to swim. Do you know the only difference between the water and the shore? It seems that you don't know either. That is, when you are walking on the shore, when you are tired, you can rest and stop. When you are tired in the water, you can continue to walk with the water and save your energy. "
Xiaobei winked at Hu Xiao and said.
"Ah!" Hu Qiang replied in astonishment.
Xiao Yuan, who was nearby, shouted to Hu Xiao, "Don't worry about Xiaobei. Let me tell you this. Everyone on this boat fell into the water. If only one person can survive, it will definitely be Xiaobei. You should stay away from Xiaobei. Otherwise, if you push her down, she'll get angry."
"Oh ~!" Hu Xiao understood. He thought that he was a good swimmer, but he didn't expect that this little girl was so good. No wonder she wasn't afraid at all when standing at the bow of the boat. Even if she fell, she could still get back up, even if it was from such a high place.
While they were talking, the people on the other side had already come into contact with the people on the fishing boat. However, from this side, it seemed that things weren't going well. It seemed that there was some kind of dispute.
After waiting for a while, the two boats separated. The small boat that went to buy the shrimp turned back. The people on the boat made a helpless gesture and spread their hands, indicating that they didn't buy it.
"Ah ~! Not selling? I already said, no matter how much it costs, I bought it. I like that shrimp and want to give it to Pan Er. I'm not afraid of spending more money. People are fishing for shrimp in the middle of the day. If they don't sell it for a good price, how can they eat and wear clothes? "
Xiaobei thought that the people she sent over didn't pay enough, so she was a little unhappy.
Hu Xiao saw that his opportunity to show off had come. He glared at them and said, "Who is so bold? How dare they not give me face on the river in Kaifeng? I ruined his business. Someone come. "
"Stop it. If you dare to ruin his business, I will arrest you. You are bullying people in front of me. Are you looking down on us?"
Xiaobei was unwilling. If she really let Hu Xiao use force, her reputation would be ruined. People would think that it was the result of her connivance.
Only then did Hu Xiao react. Xiaobei was a person who specialized in investigating officials, so he quickly explained, "That's not what I meant. I just asked someone to persuade the person who was fishing for the shrimp and to speak nicely."
"No need. I will remember this person. Later, I will ask someone to pay attention to him. If anything happens to him, I will look for you first. Don't say one thing in front of me and another behind my back. I have seen this too many times. Hmph!"
Xiaobei directed all her anger at not being able to buy the shrimp at Hu Xiao.
Hu Xiao opened her mouth, but held back. She didn't want to explain. She thought that she would have to protect that person in the future. Otherwise, Xiaobei's people would think that she was looking for trouble.
When she looked at Xiaobei again, Hu Xiao finally understood why the officials were afraid of them. Although she was small, she was very clever. She could guess anything and didn't give people a way out.
The small boat that went past also slowly approached. A rope ladder went down. A person came up and said to Xiaobei, "Little girl, that old man said he's not selling. No matter how much it costs, he's not selling."
"Oh, he wants to eat it himself? I thought he was a seller. Look at other fishing boats. When they catch a good fish, the people on the shore will just wave and shout for them to buy it.
That boat, his family is really smart. They actually set up a stove on the boat and can start cooking immediately. When the people on the shore smell the fragrance, they can come up to the boat and eat fresh food while drinking and enjoying the scenery. It's really beautiful. "
When Xiaobei heard that the other party was not selling, she thought that it was for the food. What she wanted was the feeling of fishing, not a source of income. This was what they meant by saying that it was difficult to buy her with money unless she used force and took out money to hire people to rob her.
But Xiao Bei couldn't do such a thing. When he heard that it wasn't for sale, he turned his attention to other boats and learned to quickly forget about the shrimp. He wasn't like other children who couldn't get what they wanted if they couldn't get it.
Xiao Yuan overheard and asked the person who just passed by, "Did you mention who we are?"
"No. You usually don't allow me to mention it, right?" the person replied.
"Then you go again. Tell that old man that Xiao Bei wants to eat that prawn. Ask him if he's willing to sell it," Xiao Yuan instructed.
The person really went down. The people on the boat watched to see what the outcome would be.
This time, it was indeed different. The old man said a few words to the person who went over, then raised his head and looked in their direction. Then, he nodded to the person who went over and said a few more words. The person who went over showed a troubled expression and finally came back empty-handed.
"Xiao Yuan, it seems that our reputation is not useful. The old man isn't selling." Xiaobei was really disappointed this time. She didn't care that she couldn't buy anything with money, but she cared a lot about the power of her reputation.
In the past, no matter where she was, even in the palace, once her name was announced, she would be treated differently.
When she was outside, it was even more so. If she said that she was Xiaobei, she wouldn't have to pay for anything. She would have to accept anything that she liked.
Although the value of the gift was higher than what she had bought, she was in a good mood. Why didn't it work today?
Xiaobei was very regretful. Xiao Yuan's expression was not good either. Hu Ming was even angrier. He hated that old man. Xiaobei had already revealed her identity, but he still didn't give her face. Why was it so difficult for such a cute girl to eat your shrimp?
The person who went came back and climbed up. Without waiting for others to ask, he quickly said, "That old man said that he could give it to you for free. However, he had conditions. I didn't dare to make the decision, so I left it at that."
"He said that he could give it to you? That's good. What are the conditions? "Xiaobei was happy when she heard that the other party was willing to give it to her. She could eat all of them.
"He said that he caught quite a few shrimps and gave one away. As for the other shrimps, he asked if I wanted to exchange. I said that I only wanted one, but he said no. He could only give one away, but the condition was that the other shrimps had to be exchanged."
The person who came back had a helpless look. It was probably his first time meeting such a person. When he didn't hear the name of Xiaobei and the others, he directly refused. Now that he heard it, he had conditions.
Xiaobei was also surprised. "Exchange? Exchange? What does he want to exchange for? It can't be gold, right? That would be too tacky. "
"No, he wants to exchange for a poem. A poem for each shrimps. That means that if you eat his shrimps, you have to compose a poem for him." The person explained to Xiaobei with a confused look.
"Ah? You can play like that? Poem? What's a poem? Little Yuan, it's up to you. I don't have to eat his shrimps. I just feel that he isn't very spirited. We can't let him look down on us, right? "
When Xiaobei heard that it was a poem, his eyes immediately froze. He could only ask Little Yuan for advice.
Little Yuan didn't care, but she wasn't happy. She said, "You can give him the poem, but his price is too high. What kind of shrimps are worth a poem? Is my poem that worthless? Go down and bargain with him. A poem costs ten shrimps. If you can recite three shrimps, it'll be considered a success. Go on. "
The person went down again. Thankfully, the person running the errands was usually trained. Otherwise, he would have fallen down after a few rounds and had to be rescued.
"Patrolling Inspector Zhang, I have an idea. What do you think?" Hu Qiao felt uncomfortable when he heard that. That old man was a bully.
Hence, he said to Xiaobei.
"What's the idea?" Xiaobei turned his head and asked.
"Isn't it just a poem? We can spend money to buy a poem. With a shout, a poem, regardless of whether it's good or bad, we can buy it for ten copper coins. This old man just wants to show how different he is. He doesn't need money to appear elegant. Let's not give him the chance and use the poem we bought to deal with him.
In that case, on the surface, it looks like he is exchanging the poem, but in fact, won't it still smell like money? Right? We can eat the shrimps and humiliate the old man. What do you think? "
Hu Qiao said his idea with a look as though he wanted to claim credit.
Xiaobei immediately turned his head back and didn't look at Hu Qiao. He acted as though he was very angry.
Little Yuan said by the side, "Then why don't I just let my inner courtyard find a group of people and let each of them sing a poem? I don't need to give the inner courtyard any benefits. Wouldn't it be cheaper if we calculate according to the cost?
The old grandpa isn't doing it for the poem, he just wants to play with us. He probably wants to see what we look like. He has never seen us before, but has always heard of us. Now that there's a chance, he wants to meet us. It's not like we can't meet him, right, Xiaobei? "
At this moment, Little Yuan understood. After some consideration, he felt that his poem wasn't for sale. He felt a lot better.
"That's right. Wait for him to come over. I'll discuss with him and say if singing a song will work. I reckon it will work." Xiaobei went along with Little Yuan's words and said.
Hu Qiao was touched and helpless when he heard that. He sighed and said, "Xiaobei, Little Yuan, the both of you are too kind. It's easy for you to be bullied and cheated."
"That's right, that's right. I'm that kind. Sometimes, I wonder why I'm so kind? Later on, I figured it out. It's because I have a benevolent heart. "
Xiaobei puffed out her chest and patted her chest with her small hand.
Little Yuan and the inner courtyard members of the nearby Zhang Wang family turned their heads at the same time. They didn't look at Xiaobei. They knew very well whether she was kind or not.
They also felt sorry for Hu Qiao. Little Yuan wanted to tell Hu Qiao that he hadn't seen Xiaobei when she was ruthless. If she attacked someone, it would mean that he was too kind or a fool if he could see the slightest bit of kindness in her.
While they were talking, the old man's boat approached. There was also a person who was in charge of rowing the boat.
The old man didn't request for anyone to go down to fetch him. He casually climbed up and was in good health.
The moment he appeared, he stopped and sized them up. When he saw Xiaobei and company, he smiled. "You've grown so big? Good, good. How many years has it been? Sigh ~! Eat some prawns. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
