Chapter 595 Locust Plague

Three famous generals besieged him alone. Although he was at a disadvantage now, if it was Gu Rubing's men, he might have been killed long ago.

As the battle continued, both Xu Huang and the soldiers defending the city could not hold on any longer.

Looking at the current situation, Xu Huang immediately ordered a retreat and notified the other gates.

With Xu Huang's loss, Cao Ren and others had no choice but to withdraw from the entire Guanghan County, concentrate their forces in Shu County and ask Cao Cao for help.

Cao Cao did not blame them when he learned that Guanghan County had been lost, but instead dispatched troops from Chengdu for reinforcement.

Compared with the tense battle situation in Yizhou, Gu Rubing's side was much more relaxed.

The three parties had been confronting each other in Jiaozhou for a long time, and none of them had any intention of fighting each other.

Cao Cao's betrothal gift, a million stones of grain and grass, had also arrived in Yangzhou one after another.

With these grain and grass, Sun Jian was finally able to catch his breath, but there was still one biggest problem at the moment, that is, Sun Shangxiang was still in Gu Rubing's hands.

Originally, Sun Jian wanted to delay Cao Cao by saying that Sun Shangxiang had run away, and then find her, but she was in Gu Rubing's hands, so he could delay for a while.

But now Gu Rubing directly told him about Sun Shangxiang's situation in his hands, which completely disrupted Sun Jian's deployment.

Just when Sun Jian was in trouble, Cao Zhang actually came to Yangzhou.

After hearing his subordinates' report that Cao Zhang had come, Sun Jian immediately asked someone to invite Cao Zhang to the living room.

"My dear nephew, what's the matter with you this time?"

Hearing this, Cao Zhang stared at Sun Jian.

"Sun Zhoumu, my father asked me to ask, the deposit has been given to you, I don't know when the wedding can be held, my father has already prepared it."

"My dear nephew, please rest assured that I have already started to arrange it. I believe that the wedding will be held soon."

"Really? If I remember correctly, Sun Shangxiang is still in Liu Bei's hands. Without a bride, how should the wedding be held?"

Hearing this, Sun Jian's face changed and he hesitated.

"Don't worry, nephew. I will deal with this matter as soon as possible."

After sending Cao Zhang away, Sun Jian had no choice but to contact Gu Rubing.

When Gu Rubing saw Sun Jian's envoy and heard that he was asked to release Sun Shangxiang, he directly refused and drove the envoy out.

Sun Jian knew that the discussion would definitely not work out.

Just find a way to sneak the person out.

Late at night.

Gu Rubing was resting.

Outside the house, there were already dozens of men in black hiding under the corner of the wall.

The leader saw that the time was almost up and took the lead to climb over the wall.

Then all the men in black also climbed over.

However, as soon as they landed, all the men in black did not dare to move.

Because they saw that they were surrounded by a group of soldiers.

These people did not carry torches, and they had obviously been waiting for them for a long time.

"Run!"

A man in black shouted and turned to climb over the wall and prepared to run.

"Where to go?"

As the voice fell, a long spear instantly penetrated the body of a black-clad man on the wall, followed by countless arrows raining down.

All the black-clad men fell to the ground.

Only one black-clad man was saved because his companion's body fell on him.

Zhao Yun walked out of the crowd.

Grabbed the black-clad man who was not dead.

"Kill me."

The black-clad man snorted coldly, looking ready to die.

"Kill you? It's not time yet. My lord said you have other uses."

Early the next morning.

Gu Rubing walked out of the room.

Seeing Zhao Yun guarding outside his room.

"Zilong, why don't you go to rest?"

"My lord, the people sent by Sun Jian took action last night and were captured by us. There is one alive, but we interrogated him for a long time. During the period, he fainted several times and refused to say anything."

This was within Gu Rubing's expectations.

Those who can become spies or assassins are all here with the intention of dying, so they will not speak easily.

"Spread the news and say that we have caught Sun Jian's spy and let Sun Jian redeem him."

Zhao Yun nodded immediately after hearing this. Gu Rubing had experienced the same thing, but Gu Rubing handled it perfectly at that time. I just don't know if Sun Jian can handle it so perfectly.

On Sun Jian's side, after receiving the news, he crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the stove beside him.

"You want me to go as a spy? What a joke?"

As soon as Sun Jian finished speaking, a cough sounded.

Sun Jian immediately looked at the source of the sound and found that it was Zhou Yu who walked in.

Zhou Yu winked at Sun Jian.

Sun Jian just reacted and realized that there were still many soldiers standing around him. What he had just said would make them a little sad.

"You go down first, I will take care of this matter."

The soldiers nodded, and before leaving, they all looked at the paper that had been burned to ashes in the stove, feeling somewhat lonely.

These actions were naturally seen by Zhou Yu.

After the soldiers left, Zhou Yu came over.

"Lord, we must save this spy."

"Huh? Liu Bei said that we should go to him to get him. For a spy, you let me take risks?"

"My lord, Liu Bei's spy was also caught by Cao Cao. Liu Bei personally went to Xudu to save people. This is one of the reasons why Liu Bei's army has such high combat effectiveness, so we need to imitate him."

After hearing this, Sun Jian hesitated for a moment, still unwilling in his heart, but he also knew that what Zhou Yu said was right.

"Okay, tell Liu Bei that I will give him whatever he wants to ensure the safety of my spy."

Zhou Yu nodded and was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something.

"Lord, the reason why I came back this time is because Cao Cao arrived at the front line and said he was coming over, so I came back early to tell you. It seems that he is so aggressive. Could it be related to the lady?"

"Really that fast? Is Cao Cao trying to rush me?"

Sun Jian snorted coldly and said nothing.

Zhou Yu also left the room very wisely.

Soon Gu Rubing met the envoy sent by Sun Jian.

Listening to the messenger's words, Gu Rubing knew that he could bite Sun Jian hard again.

"Tell Sun Jian, I only have one person in my hand, so one hundred thousand gold will be enough."

One hundred thousand gold per person, even a robber would not dare to offer this price.

The messenger curled his lips. Although he was dissatisfied, he could only nod in agreement.

After the envoy left, Gu Rubing followed Zhao Yun into the dungeon.

At this time, several crossbow captains were surrounding a man in black, each of them holding a whip in his hand.

Every time the whip is struck, there is flesh and blood.

Although the man in black screamed in pain, he didn't say anything.

"Lord."

When the Younu captains saw Gu Rubing coming, they all knelt on the ground.

"Well, did he say that?"

"Lord, this guy's mouth is too tough. We have tried every method, but there is no way to get him to speak."

Gu Rubing smiled and walked up to the man in black.

"Let me die, let me die!"

After listening to what the man in black said, Gu Rubing took out a piece of black cloth and filled it with vinegar.

While doing it, Gu Rubing said.

"Want to die? Do you know that in today's troubled times, death is the easiest thing. If I catch you, I will let you die. Then why do you think I will catch you? And have you experienced what it feels like to die?"

After Gu Rubing finished speaking, he directly covered the face of the man in black with the black cloth in his hand.

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With his hands and feet tied, the man in black had no other way to struggle except shaking his head.

Soon, the man in black felt suffocated.

The world in front of me is getting darker and darker.

At this moment, Gu Rubing took the black cloth off the face of the man in black.

The man in black opened his eyes suddenly, breathed in the surrounding air greedily, and kept coughing.

"How did it feel just now?"

The man in black looked at Gu Rubing in front of him, with only fear in his eyes.

"It seems it's still not enough."

Gu Rubing once again covered the face of the man in black with the cloth in his hand.

After calculating the time, Gu Rubing took it down.

The man in black gasped and stared at Gu Rubing. In his eyes, Gu Rubing had turned into a devil.

Seeing that the man in black still didn't want to say anything, Gu Rubing was about to use the black cloth in his hand again.

"I said, I said."

Seeing Gu Rubing walking over with a smile, the man in black finally became afraid. Although he was not afraid of death, everyone would be afraid after facing several death threats.

"Look, it won't be long after you said this earlier!"

After Gu Rubing finished speaking, he turned to look at Colonel You Nu on the side.

While Colonel You Nu came forward for interrogation, Gu Rubing left the cell.

At this time Zhao Yun came over.

"My Lord, Sun Shangxiang said that he wants to see you, and the Prime Minister is also looking for you."

"Let the Prime Minister come to see me in the living room. As for Sun Shangxiang, let her wait. The Prime Minister usually comes to see me for important matters."

"yes."

After Zhao Yun left, Gu Rubing walked to the living room.

When Zhuge Liang saw Gu Rubing coming, he immediately stepped forward.

"Lord, it's bad, something happened."

"Prime Minister, if you have anything to do, please tell me slowly."

It had been a long time since Gu Rubing had seen Zhuge Liang so anxious. Gu Rubing knew that this matter might not be a trivial matter.

"Locust plagues of varying degrees have occurred in the four continents of Yuzhou, Qingzhou, Yanzhou, and Jizhou. The food saved by the people is less than one-tenth of the usual amount. These four continents are our main grain harvesting areas. This year, our grain and grass may be insufficient. Please make a decision soon, my lord."

"Locust plague?"

Gu Rubing knew that at this time in the Eastern Han Dynasty, droughts, locusts and floods often occurred, so he had already taken precautions and stocked up on food.

However, the successive years of conquests have consumed a lot of money, and the population under their control has also increased, so the things they have stored have long been insufficient.

Gu Rubing remembered that if the food and grass in his hands were to protect the people, then his soldiers would not have anything to eat, and if they were given to the soldiers, the people would have nothing.

You can only choose one of the two.

"Open the granary and distribute relief food first."

Zhuge Liang nodded and immediately started to do it.

Gu Rubing sat on the chair and kept thinking about what to do.

However, at this moment, Sun Shangxiang's voice came over, as well as Zhao Yun's.

"Don't stop me, I want to see if Liu Bei has anything else that is more important than this lady."

"Miss Sun, the master is indeed busy."

"Get out of my way."

Hearing the voice outside, Gu Rubing couldn't think any more.

"Zilong, let her in."

Hearing Gu Rubing's words, Zhao Yun sighed and stopped blocking her, so he could only let Sun Shangxiang in.

"Okay, Zhao Yun told me that you are busy, so your busyness is to sit here and drink tea?"

"Miss Sun, if you have something to do, just tell me directly, if you don't have anything to do, please go back, I still have things to do."

Gu Rubing was also a little scared of the little witch in front of him, especially now that his mind was full of locust plagues and food and grass, he had no extra energy to deal with this little witch.

"Of course I have something to do, I want to go, I want to go back to my father."

Hearing this, Gu Rubing looked at Sun Shangxiang in confusion.

Sun Shangxiang said at the beginning that she would never go back, but now at this time, why did she want to go back?

Did someone say something to her?

"What's the reason?"

"Xiao Die told me that my father's men came quietly last night, but you killed them all. It's my own business that I don't want to get married, why should they die? I don't want to be here anymore, let me go back, I'll tell my father."

"Go back? Miss, what do you think this place is? You can come and go as you please? You can leave if you want, but your father should give me back whatever Cao Cao gave him, and exchange you for him."

Gu Rubing was originally coaxing Sun Shangxiang, but now that Sun Shangxiang has noticed something is wrong and wants to leave, Gu Rubing will no longer pretend and will directly reveal his cards.

Sun Shangxiang didn't expect Gu Rubing to change his attitude towards her. She didn't react for a while and looked at Gu Rubing without saying a word.

"Zilong, keep Miss Sun down and watch her carefully. She is not allowed to go out. Those who disobey the order will be executed!"

Zhao Yun nodded immediately and dragged Sun Shangxiang away.

If it was before, Gu Rubing might not have done this, but now there are locust plagues in the four major grain states, and the output is less than one-tenth. In this situation, how can he fight in the future? There are still so many people to fight.

What Gu Rubing lacks most now is food and grass.

Thinking of this, Gu Rubing first thought of the Anluo Empire in the west.

During this period of time, there has been no war in the Anluo Empire, and the reserves of food and grass should be sufficient.

But soon, Gu Rubing gave up this idea.

At present, the Anluo Empire has not yet confirmed that it is on his side, which means it is a fence-sitter. If he tells Cao Cao about his lack of food, he will suffer.

At the same time.

Cao Cao finally arrived in Yangzhou and met Sun Jian.

"Sunzhou Mu, I have already given the betrothal gift. You have to give me an explanation for this marriage, right? You can't just take the betrothal gift and not give it to others, right?"

Hearing this, Sun Jian immediately smiled and brought Cao Cao a cup of tea.

"Caozhou Mu, what are you talking about? Am I that kind of person? I am also trying to find a way. Give me some more time."