Ji Han Liu Zhang

Chapter 263 Prisoner

After defeating Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, he took advantage of the opportunity to capture Fangling County. Now Zhang Lu entered the official temple of Fangling County with great interest, walked to the main seat without letting others sit down, and greeted his subordinates. Kuai Qi, the magistrate of Ling County, brought him up.

Zhang Lu admired Kuai Qi's loyalty in guarding Fangling and fighting to the death. He began to recruit Kuai Qi, who was born in the Kuai family of Xiangyang. There are not many talents, only one can be recruited.

Kuai Qi was carried to the entrance of the official temple by two ghost soldiers. After Zhang Lu greeted him inside, Kuai Qi was brought into the Mingtang. Kuai Qi lowered his eyelids and glanced with his peripheral vision. Zhang Lu was seen in the main position, and on the left and right were Zhang Lu's younger brother Zhang Wei, meritorious Cao Yan Pu, and Zhang Lu's generals Pu Hu, Yuan Yue, Yang Ang and others.

As a prisoner, Kuai Qi did not bow his head and beg for mercy. After taking a glance, he held his head high, closed his eyes, and stood in the hall without saying a word.

Seeing Kuai Qi's arrogant attitude, Zhang Lu did not get angry. He had a good temper. In other words, he had been practicing Taoism for many years. His temper had been polished to be very peaceful and he rarely got angry.

Although Zhang Lu had a good temper, his younger brother Zhang Wei couldn't help but feel angry when he saw Kuai Qi's arrogant attitude. He stood up, pointed at Kuai Qi and cursed: "Kuai Qi, you are a prisoner of the same rank, waiting to die. People who dare to put on airs like this are seeking their own death."

Kuai Qi just didn't answer when he heard the words. He raised his head higher and turned a deaf ear to Zhang Wei's words. It was like Zhang Wei's loud words were just the buzzing sound of mosquitoes and not worthy of his reaction. .

"So brave." Zhang Wei said in admiration through gritted teeth, then he looked at Yuan Yue and motioned for Yuan Yue to go over and humiliate Kuai Qi to knock off Kuai Qi's arrogance.

Yuan Yue caught Zhang Wei's eyes, and he was about to stand up, push Kuai Qi down and kneel down to humiliate him, but before he could stand up completely, he was stopped by Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu just shook his head, Yuan Yue He sat down again. In Yuan Yue's heart, Zhang Lu was much more important than Zhang Wei.

"County magistrate Kuai." Zhang Lu called Kuai Qi's official position, instead of calling Kuai Qi by his first name like Zhang Wei did: "Liu Jingzhou is old and decayed, and the people he uses in high positions are unscrupulous villains like Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. Cai Mao and Zhang Yun fled in a hurry, abandoning you. You are so loyal, but you have used it in the wrong place... As the old saying goes, good birds choose trees to rest, and good ministers choose their masters. Are you willing to serve under my account? .”

"What do you mean, you prisoner?" Before Zhang Lu responded, Zhang Wei cursed again. He was very unhappy with Kuai Qi's rejection of Zhang Lu's solicitation.

Zhang Lu shook his head. He generally didn't like killing people unless it was necessary, not to mention that he still admired Kuai Qi. Here he asked Yan Pu's suggestion: "Gong Cao, what do you think?"

It's a pity that Kuai Qi didn't bother to reply to Zhang Wei's words. He regained his proud attitude and stood up straight in the hall without saying a word.

Zhang Lu was polite, and Kuai Qi naturally couldn't be rude, but in the face of Zhang Lu's solicitation, his tone was very harsh: "Zhang Shijun, since you know that I am a loyal minister, then grant me death quickly and don't waste your breath."

"Brother, this wolf is so arrogant and regards us as nothing, so why not kill him?" Zhang Wei raised his hands and asked Zhang Lu for orders.

"County Magistrate Kuai is from the Kuai family of Xiangyang. He will be somewhat useful. Killing him will be useless. It is better to imprison him first. Maybe there will be a chance to use him in the future... Besides, raising Magistrate Kuai is just a pair of bowls and chopsticks." As a scholar, Yan Pu could not hide his admiration for Kuai Qi's loyal behavior. It is said that scholar-officials cherish scholar-officials, so he spoke a word for Kuai Qi.

Zhang Lu nodded and said to Kuai Qi: "Magistrate Kuai can think about it for a while. Lu will wait for Magistrate Kuai to change his mind." After saying this, Zhang Lu waved his hand and asked Kuai Qi to be taken away.

After Kuai Qi left, all Zhang Lu's confidants were left in the house. At this time, Zhang Lu breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Fangling has come down, and there are four fortresses at Xicheng, Shangyong, and Fangling." The situation of the land means that we can sit back and relax for a while." "Master Shi is right." Yan Pu agreed: "With Fangling, the situation of Shangyong Land will be complete, just like Hanzhong. It’s a country with four fortresses, so you can sit back and relax.”

……

In the prison of Shangyong.

Before the meal was served, Wenpin heard a sound coming from outside. Soon the sound got closer and closer, until he reached the door of the prison and walked in.

Wenpin raised his head slightly and glanced at it. At this glance, he was a little stunned. It took him a while to come back to his senses. He did not expect that the person coming was Kuai Qi, the magistrate of Fangling County. Kuai Qi was wearing shackles at the moment. , was escorted into the prison next to him by the jailer.

Kuai Qi was captured and Fangling fell? Where are Cai Mao and Zhang Yun? Our Chu army was defeated? The first time he saw Kuai Qi, Wenpin's mind was buzzing with many thoughts. His mouth opened and closed, and he had countless questions to ask Kuai Qi.

When Kuai Qi sat down in the prison, Wenpin immediately approached the prison where Kuai Qi was and asked Kuai Qi: "Magistrate Kuai, how is the situation? Why are you here?"

Kuai Qi looked bleak, and he introduced the external situation in a short story: "Hanzhong was captured by Liu Yizhou, Zhang Lu fled to Shangyong, and the Shen family and Zhang Lu allied their troops to Fangling. After a battle, Cai Zhonglang was defeated and went to Xiangyang. If you go, the mausoleum will be stolen by rice thieves."

Wen Sanyi, who followed Wenpin to the prison where Kuai Yue was, heard this and immediately jumped to his feet and said: "Our Jingzhou family has a great business, and the troops commanded by General Cai Zhonglang should be more than the enemy. How could we be defeated by the Shen family and Cai Maozhi?" hand."

"It doesn't mean you can win with more troops. It's not like you were defeated by Shen's ambush before." Kuai Qi retorted weakly.

Hearing this, Wen San fell silent. He was the one who experienced the previous big defeat, and he became a prisoner because of that big defeat.

"Although Fangling City is not strong enough, it can be regarded as a well-defended city. How did it fall in such a short time?" Wenpin thought about his words. He felt a little incredible. Attacking a city has always been the most difficult. Fangling City has always been the most difficult. There was no way the mausoleum would be breached in just a few days.

Kuai Qi said angrily: "When General Cai Zhonglang sent out troops, he took away the strong men in the city, leaving only the old and weak. How can we defend the city." Here Kuai Qi blamed himself: "Of course Kuai is not a soldier. However, the guards were not very good at it, so they allowed rice thieves to break into the city and became prisoners themselves."

"How could General Cai Zhonglang be like this? He lost battles one after another and fell into Fengling!" Wen San looked up to the sky and said angrily. He was still counting on the Jingxiang army to rescue him, but now it was completely hopeless.

Wenpin was silent. He sat down cross-legged again. Like Wensan, he pointed to returning to Jingxiang to perform meritorious service and wash away the sins of being a prisoner. But now it seems that there is no hope in the near future.

(End of this chapter)