welcomed Zhang Yuan, Zhang Pre and others into the backyard, and instructed the servants to prepare tea and serve everyone.

Zu Zhao introduced several uncles to Zhang Yuan and Zhang Pre, and once again retold the plan to encircle the thieves.

After a brief reflection, Zhang Yuan only put forward some suggestions on some details, and there were generally no objections.

Subsequently, Zu Zhao asked several uncles to bring the people brought by the Zhang brothers and form a team with the children of Benzhuang. After all, the Zhang brothers are not very familiar with other people, so when they are in formation, they are arranged to be with him as much as possible.

It was almost noon, and Zu Fan received a message from Zu Zhao that he rushed to Zujiazhuang from the county seat. After hearing that the backyard had been assembled and that he would leave soon, his face was slightly anxious, and he rushed straight to the backyard. As soon as they arrived in the backyard, the children of the ancestral family and the Zhang brothers had already mounted their horses and were driving outside the village. Zu Fan only found Zu Ke in the crowd, and in a hurry, he could only ask him for specific news.

Zu Ke told Ah Cheng, Ah Bao and others about the situation, and he was a little puzzled that Zu Fan rushed over at this time, and said: "I sent someone to look for you earlier, and I made an appointment to let you take someone to the official road for a round." You're turning it back now, aren't you going now?

Zu Fan was helpless, sighed, and said: "The eldest prince is so anxious, I really don't know the situation in the county. Yesterday evening, Chen Xianjun gave a death order, and without the official approval of the county government, he would never easily cross the county to the order branch. The words have already spread below, not only the county lieutenant Wen can't move, but the more than ten strong men gathered by the juniors can't move.

Zu Ke snorted angrily, and said teasingly: "The surname Chen is really following the rules!" That's it, what if my ancestral family didn't have his help, how many people can be transferred by the county government, and not all of them are from the wall.

When Zu Fan heard this, he was very embarrassed for a while, and his face was a little solemn. Of course, he knew that the ancestral family had a big business, not to mention that he needed the support of the county government, and I was afraid that the county government would have to ask the ancestral family for support if necessary. But precisely because the family is big and the business is big, we should be more cautious, so as not to attract truth. Especially this time, the ancestral family is making such a big move, and the armor is exhausted, if it is really investigated afterwards, I am afraid that I will be unable to argue, it is really big or small.

The reason why he sent someone to tell him about this matter yesterday was that he hoped that the ancestral family would cooperate with the county government during this trip, and only then would he have anything to say. At this time, everyone in the ancestral family had already set off on the road, and even if he tried to persuade him, it would be useless.

At this time, Zu Ke asked: "If you want to go with you, you can get on the horse, if you are afraid of delay, then go back by yourself."

With that, he beat his horse and followed the team out of the backyard gate.

Zu Fan let out a long sigh and hesitated for a moment.

Zu Zhao, Zu Ling, Zu Ji, Zhang Yuan, Han Dang and others walked at the front of the team, and the team of more than 100 people in front and back was fully armed, looking full of vigor in the clear winter sun. Passing by the nearby grange farming and forestry, many people stopped and looked at it in surprise when they saw such a scene. Although every winter to prepare for theft, the county will invite all the strong men in each township and pavilion, and its scale is no less than the current one, but after all, such a situation is not common, coupled with the recent boiling horse robbery case, it must be related to this matter.

The speed of the procession was not very fast, and it took half an hour before they arrived at the official road in the east of the county.

Originally, it was agreed to meet Zu Fan here, but Shi Cai heard Zu Ke talk about Zu Fan on the way, so Zu Zhao didn't stop long, led the team on the official road, and galloped towards Lingzhi County. I have to say that Zu Zhao still has a little regret that Zu Fan has never been with him, in addition to his personal appreciation of Zu Fan, he also knows that this time the Zu family is in turmoil, and it must be covered by the identity of the government. Of course, now we can't stand still.

Anyway, chaos is coming, and all existing order and rules will be subverted.

However, not long after leaving the east of the county, a call from a child was suddenly heard from the rear.

Zu Zhao, who was in the lead, slowed down, and the team of more than 100 people slowed down. He looked back, only to see the figure of the five horsemen chasing on the official road behind the team, and not long after, when the other party approached, he could see at a glance that the leader was none other than Zu Fan.

Zu Zhao grabbed the reins, turned his horse's head and returned to the rear of the team.

Zu Fan and the other four horsemen quickly caught up with the team, they were not as fully armed as the children of the Zu family or the Zhang family brothers and others, they were all lightly armed, and they were only equipped with a long sword.

"Ah Fan, why are you coming with you again?"

"It's a big matter, even if you disobey the order, I just hope I can help somewhat." Ancestral Positive Color Road.

"Okay." Zu Zhao smiled, didn't say anything, and led Zu Fan to keep up with the team.

On the way to Lingzhi, Zu Zhao told Zu Fan about the encirclement plan arranged earlier, because the formation had been decided, there was no way for Zu Fan to continue to lead a suspicious army and temporarily join under his team.

Not long after the march, the procession gradually deviated from the official road. The shortcut led by Han Dang will not pass through a populated place along the way, and will run all the way from the wasteland in the north to the forest on the eastern outskirts of Lingzhi County. There were only two short breaks during the trip, and both men and horses drank some water to replenish their strength. When the group arrived in Lingzhi County, just after noon, in order to connect with Zu Cheng, Zu Bao and others in the county seat, Zu Zhao specially sent three children to the south of Xilitun Town, and instructed that once there was any news, they would immediately rush to the east to report.

The brigade continued to drive for more than ten miles, and the shadow of the forest gradually appeared in front of them.

Han Dang suggested that Zu Zhao and the others should divide their troops here in four ways, and agreed to use the fire and shouting of killing on the south road as the signal after dusk, and march together in three ways. The East Road Suspicious Soldiers Team was led by Zu Ke, and because the road was the farthest, they set off first. The west road can stay here for a while, and start collecting branches to tie to the horse's tail. The suspicious army on the West Road was originally led by Zu Fan, but it was adjusted when the formation was suitable, and it was changed to Zu Li to lead the team at this time. Zu Ling and Zu Zhao, Zu Li, Han Dang and others briefly discussed for a while, and then summoned more than 50 people who were in charge of the southern road to go south around the outermost wasteland of the woodland.

Zu Zhao personally led Zu Ji, Gongsun Long, Zu Fan and Han Dang, led more than 60 ambush soldiers on the North Road, and set off to continue northward to the Gobi.

On the way, he really observed this wood, and at a glance it was really not small, and more than 40 thieves hid here like needles in the sea. He had to worry that even if the thieves did flee north in the end, with only the more than 60 people he led, he was afraid that he would not be able to take care of the entire northern exit.

It took two quarters of an hour to walk, and the road ahead became more and more desolate, and the woods to the east became more and more sparse.

As Han Dang said, due north is a large wasteland and the Gobi Desert, and the terrain is sometimes undulating and sometimes flat.

Zu Zhao followed Han Dang and began to turn around, leaning slightly to the east. It wasn't until he came to a mound that he raised his hand and motioned for everyone to stop. More than sixty people behind him slowed down and stopped near the mound, and Shunlin, where the thieves were hiding, was already in the direction of the south at this time.

"Eldest prince, if you want to set up an ambush, this forest stretches for seven or eight miles, and the thieves can escape from any place, how should we estimate?" Zu Fan raised his eyes and looked in the direction of the woods, and said worriedly.

When the others heard this, they looked forward to it, or felt the same way.

Zu Zhao didn't rush to answer Zu Fan's words, but subconsciously glanced at Han Dang, after all, the idea of setting up an ambush in the north was proposed by Han Dang, and Han Dang, as a native of Lingzhi County, should not be unaware of this section. However, at this time, he found that Han Dang didn't say a word, but stared at him with a strange look.

He seemed to have some realization in his heart, in fact, he had been thinking about this problem as early as the way here, even if it was difficult to predict the escape route of the thieves, but it was not impossible. The ambush should be adapted to local conditions, here is both the desert Gobi and the hilly terrain, the best place to lurk is behind the hills, using the horizon to hide the whereabouts. Not only that, but the high position of the hill can also provide an advantage in the line of sight, and at that time, the general direction of the thieves' escape can be judged according to the fire of the group of people in the ancestral tomb in the south.

Taking a step back, even if the direction of the thieves' escape is different from the prediction, but forgive these thieves are mostly poor people, even if they robbed more than a dozen stallions before, no one will know how to equestrian. And all the people who participated in this encirclement and suppression operation are all good at arching horses, and it is not difficult to really need to chase.

Considering this, Zu Zhao did not continue to hesitate, and said directly: "Set up an ambush here, and everyone will move the horses to the back of the hill and hide them." Aji, you go to the place on the left and watch the east side, a hundred paces away; Ah Xing, you go to the right and watch the west side a hundred paces away.

Not far away, Han Dang heard Zu Zhao's order, and a look of appreciation flashed on his face.

The sons listened to the order, and no one objected, and began to move behind the hill.

After riding for most of the day, most of them were sleepy, and they came to the back of the hill and turned over and dismounted one after another. Zu Zhao specially arranged for several people to take turns to take care of the horses, and there were no accidents in the province. In order to hurry, everyone did not eat at noon, and at this time they each took out the dry food that had been prepared and caught a cold fruit belly.

Zu Zhao handed over his mount to the disciples behind the hill to take care of, and he, Han Dang, Zu Fan, Gongsun Long, and others crouched on the top of the hill, closely watching the movement in the direction of the woods. But at this moment, the forest is lonely, and the occasional sound of birds and birds comes out, and everything is safe and sound, and even makes people confused about finding the wrong place.

"Zu Gongzi, then, the thief is really hiding here?" Gongsun Long asked while scratching his head.

Zu Zhao didn't speak, in fact, he was also not 100% sure, which is why he asked Ah Cheng, Ah Bao and others to investigate the reason first. However, judging from the geographical map of Lingzhi County provided by Zu Fan, within a radius of 100 miles, the only place that could hide for a long time was this forest.

"Nine times out of ten, there will be no mistake, with Han's understanding of this place, this wild forest is suitable for hiding. Dozens of miles of barren Mobei is not only difficult to hide, but also even more difficult to supply. Seven or eight miles to the east is He Shangyi, there are people nearby, and thieves dare not go there? At this time, Han Dang said in a very affirmative tone.

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