Zhongqiu Ancient City.
Guo Tai was seated at the County Magistrate's position in the County Government Office.
Beneath him, on both sides, sat more than ten burly and rugged men.
These men were devouring meat and drinking wine in large cups, while continuously staring at the group of dancing girls in the center, with a ravenous gleam in their eyes.
Some of the men were already eager and impatient.
If not for Guo Tai keeping the scene under control, it might have turned chaotic long ago.
Guo Tai's heart was like a mirror, picking up the summary booklet beside him and reading it; the more he read, the more satisfied he became, stroking his bristles, he thought:
"These grains, fabrics, gold and silver—aren't they enough for our Great Army's use for a year?"
He was extremely satisfied:
"Rumor has it the Zhen Family is wealthy, and indeed it's not false. Just the goods they left in Zhongqiu are enough to cover my Great Army's expenses for eight months. A portion of a family's goods is comparable to a city! No, actually, it exceeds a city's treasury!"
He contemplated for a moment and then ordered someone to bring Zhen Yi up.
Zhen Yi was an extraordinarily handsome and elegant middle-aged man.
But at this moment, he was pulled roughly into the County Government Office's main hall by a soldier, his body bruised.
The dancing girls screamed in fright and were pulled aside by the laughing burly men.
Guo Tai ignored the weeping dancers, fixating his gaze on Zhen Yi and said:
"Zhen Yi, have you considered my offer? Just agree to my demands, and I can let you go immediately. Otherwise, we're enemies. Someday, I might just raid your lair and take your wife and children."
Zhen Yi dared not voice his anger, merely hanging his head slightly, remaining silent.
"Really a tough guy."
Guo Tai felt it was tricky, but more so he was impatient and angry:
"If it weren't for the few benefits you offer, I'd have sliced you up by now!"
He waved his hand:
"Take him down, find a way to make him agree!"
"Yes, General!"
The soldiers dragged Zhen Yi away.
Guo Tai frowned, pondering, when suddenly a hastily loud shout startled him.
"Report!"
A messenger suddenly barged into the main hall.
Guo Tai's brows furrowed into a tight line, his eyes sharp as he looked at the messenger:
"What exactly happened?"
"Reporting to General."
The messenger was deferential:
"There's someone outside the city clamoring for a duel with the generals."
"A duel with us?"
One burly man laughed loudly:
"A bold move, does he even know who we are?"
"The person knows."
The messenger replied truthfully:
"He called us a bunch of cowardly bears! Only knowing how to bully the people, cowards, rats, thieves, and vile men!"
"What?!"
Guo Tai's brows stood up like knives: "He said what else?"
The elderly hate being called old.
The disabled are sensitive when called crippled.
Similarly, being bandits, they are infuriated when called rats, dog thieves!
"He also said the generals are emasculated women! Not daring to duel him at all!"
"Hahaha..."
Guo Tai laughed angrily, slamming the table:
"Our Bai Bo Army runs rampant across Jizhou and Bingzhou, even children stop crying at our name. Yet an ignorant wretch dares to belittle us. What should we do, you say?"
He glanced at the people below.
"Naturally, we should slaughter him."
One burly man pounded his breast and stood up, loudly shouted:
"General, why use a bull's knife to kill a chicken? Let me, Hu Cai, meet him!"
"Better I go."
Another brawny man stood up, laughing:
"Just a petty thief! Dare come here spouting nonsense. I'll sever his head and make it a urinal! To let the world know the consequences of offending us Bai Bo Army!"
"Indeed."
Yet another robust man walked to the center of the hall, saluting Guo Tai:
"This person not only needs to be killed publicly but should be tortured with a thousand cuts, subjected to eighteen tortures. Otherwise, the world might think we Bai Bo Army are easily swayed, and anyone dares to challenge us; this is absolutely intolerable!"
The burly men each spoke their piece, directly setting the plan.
Guo Tai asked a few more details from the messenger.
Upon learning the man had indeed come alone on horseback, he asked:
"Why haven't you sent troops to hunt him down?"
"His horse is fast, we couldn't catch him."
The messenger said:
"If one goes, he kills him. Ten go, they scatter, and he kills them one by one. If gathered to pursue him, he escapes, and we simply cannot catch up. After several cycles of this, with many casualties, we can only report to General."
"Hateful!"
Hu Cai's eyes widened in anger:
"This person killing our brave soldiers is intolerable; I will confront him now."
With that, not waiting for Guo Tai to speak, he grabbed his large blade and charged out.
Not long after.
The sound of horse neighs and a galloping echoed, the noise gradually fading, Hu Cai presumably already far off.
Remaining were the coarsely featured Hann Xian, and the tall, burly Li Le, among others.
These were all good soldiers in the army.
Seeing Hu Cai take the initiative, they couldn't help but be regretful:
"Letting this fellow seize merit; next time, I must be the first."
They evidently believed in Hu Cai's martial power.
Continuing to eat and drink, they enjoyed watching the dancers.
Only Guo Tai patiently waited.
After a while.
"Report!"
A new messenger suddenly stormed into the main hall.
Seeing him full of anxiety and anger, Guo Tai was startled, quickly asking:
"What happened?"
"General Hu was stabbed to death by the other party."
"What?!"
Guo Tai staggered, nearly falling.
Hann Xian, Li Le, and others also glanced sideways, somewhat incredulous:
"Hu Cai is comparable to a second-class general, exceptionally strong, agile and highly flexible, how could a nameless upstart possibly kill him?!"
"Detail the situation clearly!"
Guo Tai shouted angrily.
"Yes, General."
The messenger immediately said:
"General Hu exited the city gate to hunt down the enemy, but the enemy's horse was too fast to catch. After shouting insults at the enemy, seeing no response, he turned back, but unexpectedly at this moment, the enemy charged swiftly. General Hu turned to face the enemy, but due to being too rushed, the enemy exploited an exposed flaw, stabbing him off the horse.
Even off the horse, General Hu fought fiercely, yet the malicious foe further stabbed him several times. Without a horse, General Hu couldn't outrun, getting stabbed to death on the spot as his blood drained. We intended to rescue, but the man ran off quickly, making pursuit challenging."
"Damnable!"
Guo Tai gnashed his teeth:
"This person, if not fried in a pot, will never quell my hatred!"
"General, I'll confront him!"
Hann Xian leaped forward, brandishing a long spear, and without a word, went straight out the door.
"I'm going too."
Li Le said:
"I can provide assistance, be ready to stab swiftly, to prevent that guy from escaping!"