Traveling through the mountains and farming

Chapter 127: County Blockade

Li Changli and Li Chonghai did not tell the bandits where they were taking them. They just whipped them and drove them out of the mountain.

Seeing that the county town gate was not far ahead, the bandits also realized the intention of Li Chonghai and his men.

Some people just don't want to move forward, but since they've been drugged, they don't have the energy to resist, so they can only sit down and refuse to move forward.

Li Changli glanced at the city gate not far away and saw that it was only about a mile away. He took out the prepared sleeping pills and knocked them all out.

Then they went back and forth two or three times and dumped the unconscious bandits at the city gate.

I had intended to use this trick at the city gate to knock these people out to avoid unnecessary trouble, but I didn't expect to use it in advance.

In order to prevent any further trouble, Li Changli decided to hide in the nearby woods. They could only leave with peace of mind after confirming that these people had been taken away by the gatekeepers.

After much difficulty, they finally waited until the time came to open the city gate, but the gate remained tightly closed. Li Changli and the others were immediately nervous.

They didn't know what had happened in the city and why the city gates were not opened.

Time passed minute by minute, and half a quarter of an hour had passed, but the city gate was still closed.

"What is going on? Why won't the city gate open? Did something happen in the city?" Li Chongwu said with confusion.

"What should we do now?" someone asked anxiously.

"Don't be anxious, wait and see. Maybe there is some special situation that delayed it." Li Chongli answered calmly.

After waiting for a while, the city gate was still closed.

"Uncle Changli, there seems to be some movement on the city wall. They seem to have discovered the bandits at the city gate."

"Let's hide and see how they deal with it."

Looking from a distance, I saw several soldiers running back, probably to report the situation.

Li Changli and his men thought that they should open the city gates and detain these bandits. After all, they had been capturing people everywhere as conscripts before, and now that so many able-bodied men were being sent there, there was no reason to refuse.

Unexpectedly, four or five soldiers with bows and arrows appeared on the city wall, and then they were seen shooting at the bandits at the city gate.

This sudden scene stunned everyone.

"Uncle, what's going on? Aren't they short of people? Why did they just shoot the able-bodied men they got?" Li Chongwu asked in panic.

Li Changli also had a look of disbelief on his face, his brows furrowed. These behaviors in the county were too abnormal.

Did something big happen in the county that made them so cruel?

I wanted to give this group of people a chance to survive, but I didn't expect this to be the result.

"Alas, something big must have happened in the county, which is why these people are so reckless or cautious." Li Changli said worriedly.

Li Chongwu felt that the current situation might be dangerous, and immediately suggested: "Then should we go back now?"

"Let's wait a little longer. Maybe we can find some clues and figure out what's going on." Li Changli said.

Everyone quieted down and continued to hide in the woods, observing the movements at the city gate.

After a while, the city gate was opened and a group of soldiers came out and carefully searched the bodies of the bandits.

After the search, they lifted the body onto a cart and prepared to take it back to the city.

Li Changli and others held their breath, fearing that they would be discovered if they made any noise.

A man who seemed to be the leader in the team whispered a few words, and the soldiers immediately split into several groups and spread out in all directions, as if searching for something.

"Oh no, could it be that they have discovered us?" someone said nervously.

Li Changli made a gesture to silence everyone.

Then one of the soldiers said loudly:

"Search carefully to see if there are any suspicious people. This group of bandits can't appear out of nowhere."

Li Changli's heart tightened and his brain was working rapidly, thinking about how to deal with it if he was discovered.

As the soldiers got closer, their conversation could be heard clearly.

It seemed as if two or three soldiers were walking towards them, and every step seemed to step on everyone's heart.

"The county has been sealed off since yesterday. Today, someone unexpectedly sent a group of people of unknown origin. The higher-ups suspect that they are spies of the enemy and say that they would rather kill the wrong people than let the fish slip through the net."

"Is there such a stupid spy? He stayed around here after sending someone off. He must have run away a long time ago."

"If the higher-ups order a search, we should just follow their orders. Why are we talking so much nonsense?"

"The soldiers haven't received their salaries for this war, and they can't even get enough food. We should at least let people have a say, right?"

"Be careful with your words. I heard that a big shot came to the county and blocked the county yesterday. We who work in the county should not cause trouble for ourselves."

Another soldier came over and said, "I heard a rumor that the big man is the King of Chu. It is said that Jingzhou was lost, the King of Chu was injured, and he secretly hid here."

"Stop talking nonsense. How could the King of Chu come to our remote little county? If you keep talking nonsense, you might lose your head! Do you think that the county magistrate doesn't have much power and you can say whatever you want? Be careful that you might die from your own mouth one day."

Li Changli and others were even more shocked when they heard this conversation.

No wonder the city was closed. It turned out that the King of Chu might be in the county. They didn't expect that such a secret was hidden in the county.

The soldiers were already walking towards where they were hiding, and their footsteps were getting closer and closer.

Li Changli clenched the weapon in his hand, ready to respond at any time.

The others were so nervous that they dared not breathe.

"There seems to be some movement here!"

A soldier shouted from another direction.

"Everyone go and take a look!"

At the leader's command, the soldiers ran in the direction of the noise.

The soldiers who were about to approach Li Changli and his men also turned around and left in a hurry.

Li Changli and others breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's take this opportunity to leave quickly." Li Changli immediately said softly.

Everyone got up quietly as if they had been pardoned and returned quietly the way they came.

They ran all the way until they felt their lungs were about to explode. Only when they thought they were far away from danger did they stop and gasp for breath.

"This is really thrilling!" Li Chongwu said while panting.

"Is the King of Chu really secretly recuperating in the county?" someone asked doubtfully.

"Whether he is in the county or not, I only know that the county has been sealed off and there will be no 'dark market'." Another person said helplessly.

"Yes, Uncle Li also gave us the opportunity to stay for another day to see if we can buy some more salt in the dark market to stockpile."

"I think he wants us to try our luck. Even if the city is not locked down, maybe it will be moved to another place."

Li Changli said, "Don't think about it for now, let's go back quickly."