The bandit leader was a man with a scar on his face. Everyone called him the Big Boss. Surprisingly, he had a very refined appearance, but there was a fierce and ruthless look in his eyes.

"The boss."

Someone came in looking dejected, his expression revealing his anxiety.

Seeing this scene, the chieftain guessed that the siege had not gone smoothly, and said with a faint expression, "Failed again?"

The henchman flinched, gritting his teeth as he said, "The enemy is too cunning! They're hiding in the city like turtles, and our men can't do anything about it..."

Seeing the leader smile, he immediately fell silent.

In fact, they had a large number of people, so a direct attack wouldn't have been impossible, but the leader had his own considerations. His power was gradually growing, and the imperial court couldn't just let it go unchecked.

Therefore, he needs to preserve his strength. In short, he wants to take Liucheng with minimal losses, so a direct attack is not a good idea.

The silence from above had lasted too long, and the underlings grew increasingly uneasy. Suddenly, an idea struck them: "Boss, I've heard a rumor, but I don't know if it's reliable..."

Seeing that the leader looked up, he didn't dare to keep him in suspense any longer and quickly said, "I heard that the magistrate of Yuncheng County, Liu Yifu, is currently in Liucheng. That kid is really lucky to have hidden there. No wonder we can't find him!"

"Liu Yifu?" A strange light flashed in the leader's eyes.

He had a deep impression of Liu Yifu. The other party was just a weak scholar, whom he initially did not take seriously. But it was this very person who caused him to lose hundreds of people!

This grudge always bothered him. When he learned that the other party had disappeared, he was quite unwilling to accept it. This person had caused him to suffer such a big setback, and if he fell into his hands...

Now that he knew the man wasn't dead, he felt a sense of relief, his eyes filled with interest. Suddenly, a thought flashed through the leader's mind, and after a long pause, he spoke:

“Go to the city gate and say that as long as they hand over Liu Yifu, I can spare the lives of the people of Liucheng.”

This man claims to be wholeheartedly devoted to the people, so let's see what he can do for these people.

Human nature is inherently unpredictable, and he was eager to see what Wen Xiuyuan would do and what the people of Liucheng would do once the news was released.

Being betrayed by the very people he protected must feel incredibly strange, and this could be considered his way of returning the favor to Liu Yifu.

The henchman's eyes lit up: "Boss, you're really something! You even came up with a plan like this! Let them fight amongst themselves first, then we'll take them down one by one!"

The leader smiled knowingly: "Remember to emphasize that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If they refuse to hand over Liu Yifu..."

His eyes turned cold, and a murderous intent spread through them. "Once I enter the city, none of you will live!"

"Yes, sir, I'll take care of it right away!"

——

The bandits shouted and clamored under the city gate, which quickly attracted their attention.

Upon hearing what they were saying, Feng Zhiwen's pupils contracted, and he blurted out, "This is simply a dream!"

His heart skipped a beat, and he turned his head with a somewhat anxious expression: "This is clearly their scheme! We can't afford to panic!"

Wen Xiuyuan's expression was solemn, and he subconsciously glanced at Liu Yifu.

The other person's face was expressionless, his calm eyes looking at him: "If sacrificing myself can save everyone, I would gladly die for it. But the question is, even if I am handed over, will they really let the people of Liucheng go?"

They are bandits; how could bandits possibly keep their word?

Wen Xiuyuan's lips moved, and he subconsciously said, "Don't worry, Lord Liu, I won't do that."

The advisor was getting anxious and secretly gave him a meaningful look.