Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

At this time in the kiln camp, Han Ye was sitting in a barracks, eating roasted lamb and looking at the old man and the young man kneeling below.

Han Ye suddenly asked, "Brother Zhang, how many years have you been with me?"

Zhang Bazong's hands couldn't stop shaking, and he replied tremblingly, "To answer the captain, it's been fifteen years!"

"Yes, fifteen years ago. I was only in my twenties then. It wasn't long after I was released from the prisoner camp in Chahar that I was recruiting and I found you!"

"You've been educated for a few years, and you're a powerful figure in the village. You've helped me a lot. You've been promoted from a small flag officer to a captain. You've clearly made a great career following me. Why are you asking for trouble?"

The younger soldier suddenly stood up, pointed at Han Ye and cursed: "That's because you are worse than pigs and dogs! Han Ye, you are killing the people and forcing them to do forced labor. God will take you away! I'm dying soon, I'm not afraid of you, come and kill me!"

It was a collapse, a roar of despair.

Zhang Bazong closed his eyes and thought: It’s over!

"Very good, you have guts! Take out his intestines, and feed them to him if he's not dead yet!" Han Ye clapped his hands and ordered two of his men to drag the soldier out.

Zhang Bazong was sweating profusely and his legs were shaking uncontrollably as he knelt on the ground.

Han Ye walked up to him, patted his shoulder gently, and said, "Brother Zhang, do you remember what happened to Gao Fei? This man was a master of martial arts, wise and brave, but he just couldn't judge the situation! He could have lived a life of luxury by following me, but he wanted to kill me because of a woman!"

Then he squatted on the ground and whispered in Zhang Bazong's ear, "You are just like him, too soft-hearted. Otherwise, I would have died in your hands long ago..."

Zhang Bazong kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Master Han, please spare my life. I am good at ambushes, but I really can't match Gao Fei's skills. Please spare my life, Master. Please understand!"

"Ah, you spineless thing! Considering the years you've been with me, I'll leave your body intact. Go find a thicker rope, and go faster so he doesn't suffer any more."

Han Ye sighed, then sat back at the dining table. He waved his hand and ordered two of his men to drag Captain Zhang out as well.

Zhang Bazong's entire body went limp, but before he was dragged away, he used his last bit of strength to yell, "Han Ye, you will die a horrible death! You will die a horrible death!"

Han Ye was still chewing on the mutton as if nothing had happened, thinking about Xiao Cui's pretty face.

After a while, a guard came towards him with a letter in his hand.

"Foster father, my second brother has sent me some new information. Please review it."

"Oh?" Han Ye put down the leg of lamb, became interested, took the letter and opened the wax seal.

it reads.

"Wang Huang has fled to Jinzhou. Huangfu Changshui has dispatched a garrison to escort Zhang Jingwei back to the city. The Prince of Jin has also sent people to put pressure on the officials of Yunzhou. My adoptive father will be out of danger soon!"

"Hahaha, Ergou is really a good boy to your father. Your love for you is not in vain!"

After reading the letter, Han Ye burned it, and the ashes scattered all over the floor. This was a huge joy for him now, and he wanted to drink again when he was happy! No one could persuade him.

At sunset, a guard on the gate tower of Yaoying saw a large group of people walking towards this side quickly, so he ran down the gate tower and headed straight for Han Ye's barracks.

"Report! Lord Han, there is a large group of troops attacking our unit. It's getting dark and we can't see which unit they are from."

Han Ye asked doubtfully, "Huh? How many people?"

"There are more than 500 people!"

Han Ye thought to himself: A military camp plus the troops brought by Zhang Jingwei may indeed have 500 people! But that shouldn't be the case, they should have returned to Yunzhou by now!

"Everyone, be on alert! Take the coolies from the caves and bring them up to the tower!"

"Order!"

The guard returned to the gate tower, banging the gong and shouting, "Enemy attack, enemy attack! All camps on alert! Pass on Lord Han's order to bring the corvée to the tower!"

All the guards in the kiln camp were equipped with their equipment, lit torches and ready to go.

The coolies who were still mining in the cave started talking after hearing the noise.

"What's going on outside?"

"I heard someone outside shouting enemy attack!"

"Could they be the Rong people? Why would they go south in the middle of summer?"

"Shh! Stop talking, the kiln boss is coming!"

A heavily armored soldier, holding a whip, walked in hurriedly, said a few words to the guards here, and left.

Two guards came in and gathered all the shackled laborers together.

One of the coolies couldn't help but ask, "Master, what do you want us to do?"

"Stop talking so much nonsense. Just do what I tell you to do. Go!" After saying that, the soldier whipped the coolie hard on the back.

The entire cave camp is not even half the size of the water defense camp, but there are more than a dozen caves of various sizes, and each cave has ten to twenty people.

About a hundred people were taken to the city wall.

……

Han Ye also put on his armor and rushed to the gate tower.

The sky gradually darkened. He first saw Liu Yanzhi and a group of detectives escorting two prison vans, one empty and the other with people in it.

Following behind was Zhang Jingwei's carriage, which was just a flatbed cart. Due to the poor skills of the wooden driver, Zhang Jingwei was dizzy from the bumpy ride.

After seeing Liu Yanzhi's face clearly, Han Ye hurriedly saluted and said, "I am Han Ye, the captain of the Water Defense Battalion, and I am honored to meet the Tongzhi!"

"Since you recognize me, why don't you come out of the camp to welcome me?!" Liu Yanzhi said.

Han Ye refused, "I'm sorry I can't leave the camp. The magistrate didn't explain his purpose, so I dare not leave my post without permission!"

Liu Yanzhi asked in reply, "Huang Miao, you are a captain of the Water Defense Battalion, but you are hiding in this kiln camp. Isn't this deserting your post?!"

Han Ye argued again, "I'm afraid this is also part of the Water Defense Camp. I have the title deed as proof!"

Liu Yanzhi rolled up his sleeves and cursed: "Han Ye! You are withholding military pay, embezzling money, and recruiting private soldiers. This is a serious violation of military discipline!"

"You have persecuted foreign merchants, abducted women, and forced labor. This has violated the laws of our Celestial Empire!"

"You murdered your subordinates in the camp and raped their wives and children. You are violating moral principles!"

"You receive a salary from the imperial court, yet you harbor evil intentions, plotting rebellion, smuggling armor, and even speaking outrageously to incite your subordinates to rebellion. This is truly unforgivable!"

"I hold all your crimes in my hands. If you still refuse to repent and plead guilty, I will grind you to dust and scatter your ashes, leaving you without a burial place!"

The distance was still a bit far as they were separated by the city wall. After Liu Yanzhi shouted a few words at the top of his lungs, he saw stars.

"Hahaha, I want to see how the Tongzhi will let me die in the burial place!" After Han Ye said this, he waved his hand, and two guards brought up a group of coolies.

There were ten coolies tied together. Han Ye used a torch to illuminate them so that Liu Yanzhi could see them clearly.

"I know that the magistrate loves the people like his own children. If you are willing to withdraw your troops today, I will give them a way out! If anyone dares to force their way in, I still have a hundred people who can do the same kind of hard labor. All of them will accompany me on the road!"