Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 518: Jurchen Bandits' Official Affairs

The next day, Su Kuan came to the county town with two companions. He looked up at the heads hanging on the city wall, vaguely recognized a few familiar faces, and then sat silently in front of a tea stall far away from the city gate.

The shopkeeper seemed to be worried about something. Although he forced a smile, a trace of sadness still appeared between his brows.

Su Kuan said calmly, "Shopkeeper, what happened?"

The shopkeeper sighed, shook his head and said, "What else? The land deeds and house deeds have become waste paper."

As soon as the words came out, the shopkeeper seemed to realize that he had said something wrong. He immediately lowered his head and was about to leave with the big teapot.

Su Kuan grabbed the store owner's sleeve, and a few copper coins fell into his sleeve. "Please explain a few more words to us, sir. We are just traveling merchants, and we don't understand these things. We don't know if the following ships can come to this area."

When a larger caravan sets out, warriors such as bodyguards will go out in advance to gather information, otherwise if they run into a bandit's lair, things will be troublesome.

The shopkeeper wasn't surprised. Seeing there weren't many customers around, he put down his teapot, sat on a bench, and sighed. "Didn't the government send a senior official to divide up the land for us a while ago? We had the deeds ready, but yesterday the county magistrate said they were all invalid because the original owner, Mr. Ge, had come looking for the old deeds."

As he spoke, the shopkeeper sighed again: "My two sons also divided more than ten acres. It's not that they are greedy for these lands, but because they are happy for nothing."

The shopkeeper paused, then continued, "Actually, we're relatively well off. Those who borrowed money at high interest to buy seeds and rent oxen and plows are the ones who are truly suffering. The county magistrate just leaked the news yesterday, and today people are coming to demand repayment. Some of those who borrowed money have even had to sell their children."

At this point, the shopkeeper shook his head repeatedly: "Don't worry, sir. It's not that there's unrest or banditry, but it's just that there's no peace."

Su Kuan listened patiently and then asked, "Shopkeeper, I've heard of this Mr. Ge. He's a very extravagant person. How could he do such a thing?"

The shopkeeper didn't dare to say anything, but just shook his head: "When war strikes, no one has an easy time, including Uncle Ge. His farm was burned down, and now he still lives in the county town. If he really loses even his farmland, it would be really..."

As he spoke, the shopkeeper shook his head repeatedly, as if he was lamenting for Uncle Ge's family.

After chatting for a while, Su Kuan, A Wu and Sun Er left quietly and walked slowly to the ferry pier.

There are all kinds of people here, and there are a large number of young and strong warriors protecting the goods. They are not conspicuous here.

"Brother..." Awu was about to ask when Su Kuan waved his hand to stop him.

"We can't enter the city now. It doesn't matter if those thieves are dead, but there are still yamen runners among them. They may have been discovered by the officials. Then we will be arrested as soon as we enter the city."

Sun Er rubbed the blade of his machete with the sole of his shoe, spat, and said, "When are we going to start?"

Su Kuan looked at the water gate from afar and raised his head: "When it gets dark, we can sneak into the canal boats and enter the city."

As he spoke, a sinister smile appeared on Su Kuan's face: "Today I will chop off Ge Laogou's head to pay tribute to the souls of my brothers in heaven!"

Awu and Sun Er also looked a little excited, but they quickly calmed down. The three of them dispersed, sitting or standing, waiting for the opportunity to come.

However, in the afternoon, when there was still an hour before sunset, a huge noise suddenly broke out in Waidu.

It was as if a large army was marching, or as if spring thunder was rolling. The sudden sound of horse hooves and the abrupt erection of the "gold" flag caused chaos among the people outside. The merchants who were originally loading and unloading goods no longer cared much and ran for their lives with their companions.

However, these nearly one hundred Jin cavalrymen ignored the chaotic crossing and instead shouted in unison in Liaodong accent, then drove their horses towards the gate of Gaoyou County.

Seeing this scene, Su Kuan suddenly remembered what Zhang Baiyu said.

Someone will decide for you when the time comes.

Are these the ones who are in charge?
With this idea in mind, Su Kuan quickly called two companions and did not flee like the others. Instead, he followed the Jin army and rushed directly into the county town.

The city was defended by a part of the Huaidong army, with about 400 people. They were not elite, but they had experienced battles and seen blood.

Even so, the Song army was still in a panic when facing the Jin army, and more than a hundred Jin cavalrymen rushed directly through the gate and killed the defenders of the city gate.

Seeing the defeated Jin soldiers attacking the city, the defending general was shocked and angry, and quickly led the remaining 200 soldiers to resist.

But just as they gathered, they were blocked in the camp by hundreds of elite soldiers carrying the Dongping Army's Li flag.

Li Jun said that the Dongping Army had been chasing the Jin Army for a long time, and now they had surrounded them, and the rest of the Song Army could not intervene!

The Song army garrison commander was puzzled and also felt sad and angry.

If you start a war in Gaoyou County and destroy the city, who will be responsible? Will he be the one to suffer in the end?

However, no matter what he thought, he could not do it, and he could only fight with Li Jun at the camp gate.

After a short delay, the Jin army cavalry arrived at the Ge family's house. After a simple encirclement, they stormed in through the main gate. Although Ge had some servants to guard the house, they were no match for the regular soldiers. In a short while, all those who resisted were killed, and then all the male members of the Ge family were dragged out.

The Jin army moved all the gold, silver and valuables out of the house, then picked out the land deeds and house deeds and burned them on the spot.

Then, beside the fire, the soldiers raised their swords and executed all the male members of Ge Da Hu's family on the spot.

Su Kuan and three others hid in the corner of an alley, watching the scene in amazement.

"Brother, what the golden thief is doing..." Sun Er murmured.

Su Kuan immediately gritted his teeth and then instructed: "You all wait here. If I don't come back, you will follow the same route to seek refuge with the Iron Bow Commander."

As he spoke, Su Kuan stuffed the broadsword in his hand into Awu's hand and strode towards the armored cavalry of the Jin army.

"Brother! Brother!" Awu called out loudly, but he did not dare to attract the attention of the Jin army. He could only stomp his feet on the spot.

At this time, some armored cavalry also noticed someone running towards them, and immediately went forward to scare and drive them away.

Su Kuan waved his hands and shouted, "I am here on orders, on military orders!"

He was smart enough not to mention Zhang Baiyu's name in public.

The armored cavalryman dressed in Jin army was also a little hesitant, then pointed with his spear and brought Su Kuan to Dian Lun.

"Hurry up! All squad leaders must strictly observe military discipline! Military law is unforgiving!" Dian Lun knew the situation was urgent and was shouting at his men to be more efficient. Then he saw Su Kuan, whom he had seen through the curtain the day before.

Su Kuan didn't waste any words and pointed in a direction. "The magistrate is over there. He's in cahoots with Ge Laogou! People from our village are also imprisoned in the dungeon!"

Dian Lun nodded immediately and tilted his head towards Xiemao Zhanggu beside him.

Xiemao Zhang Gu understood and led more than 30 armored cavalrymen to rush in the direction pointed by Su Kuan.

Su Kuan didn't know how to ride a horse, so he just ran behind the horse, with Liu Er and A Wu following closely behind him.

By the time they arrived at the county government office, Xiemao Zhanggu had already rushed in and pulled out the county magistrate, who was as fat as a ball.

"Mercy...Mercy...I surrender, I surrender!" the magistrate said loudly, trembling all over.

Xiemao Zhanggu didn't waste any words and threw the magistrate and a sharp knife for cutting wrists in front of Su Kuan.

Su Kuan didn't waste any words. He picked up the sharp knife and stabbed the magistrate to death on the spot. Then he cut off his head and put it on his waist, just like he did in the past when he was in the army.

Xiemao Zhanggu nodded in appreciation, then pointed inside the county government office: "The dungeon has been broken open. We can't stay here any longer. Follow the ships flying the Dongping flag, return to the Dongping army, and head to Shandong."

Having said that, Xiemao Zhanggu rode away on his horse.

Su Kuan rushed into the dungeon, chopping down the jailer who blocked his way with a machete he had picked up, and shouting loudly.

"Wang Damazi!"

"Liu Sancai!"

"I know you're not dead! Make a sound!"

"Big brother is here! Over here!"

"The key is right over there!"

"These people were arrested because of the land deeds. Release them all!"

In just a moment, all the more than 30 people in the dungeon were released.

"Let's go! I have a way!" Su Kuan shouted in the chaos, "Let's go to Shandong together! There are better days there!"

Liu Sancai, his face covered in whip marks, shouted back, "There's nothing left to do in this shabby place. Let's go to Shandong and join Liu Dalangjun, the leader of the Jingnan Army!"

"go!"

(End of this chapter)