The Great Qin Dynasty: The egg of the Black Bird was revered as a national guardian beast.

Pei County.

As counties and prefectures across the land rose up in rebellion against Qin.

The magistrate of Pei County sat alone in the county court for a long time before finally making up his mind. He then summoned Xiao He, the chief clerk, and Cao Can, the prison clerk, to discuss the matter.

County Court.

The county magistrate sat alone behind his desk, his hand on his forehead.

Not long after, Xiao He and Cao Can, who had been summoned by the county magistrate, hurriedly arrived at the location.

Upon entering the county court, the two bowed together.

"The lower-ranking official has met with the county magistrate."

With a wave of his hand, the magistrate, sitting behind his desk, said, "No need for formalities, please sit down and let's talk."

"Yes." The two responded and sat down.

After sitting down, Xiao He guessed what the magistrate wanted to ask them, but he pretended not to know.

He raised his eyes to look at the county magistrate.

He asked with a faint smile, "May I ask why the magistrate has summoned us here?"

He let out a breath.

The magistrate placed his hands limply on the table.

Looking at Xiao He and Cao Can in front of him, he said, "Nowadays, people in all the counties and prefectures of the land are rising up against Qin. I fear that disaster may befall Pei County as well."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but shake his head.

He then looked at the two men and said, "I summoned you here to seek your advice. What strategy can prevent this calamity from reaching Pei County?"

After he said that, there was a moment of silence in the room.

After a long while, Cao Can, who had remained silent, slowly raised his hand and then spoke to the magistrate.

"Magistrate, although the whole country is now in rebellion..."

"But among them were bandits who ravaged the countryside under the guise of anti-Qin, causing great harm to all around."

"Bandits pass by like a comb, soldiers pass by like a fine brush; there's no strategy we can employ!"

The magistrate nodded; he knew that, of course, but it wasn't the answer he wanted.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Then she shifted her gaze to Xiao He.

His face was smiling, but there was no smile in his eyes: "I wonder what plan the chief clerk has?"

Xiao He was being watched by the magistrate of Pei County.

Knowing that all those who rise up in rebellion are killing officials in response, the county magistrate is afraid that disaster will befall him.

So he raised his hand.

Looking at the magistrate for a long time, he tentatively spoke.

"Why don't the county magistrate lead the entire city in an uprising? That way, we won't be affected by the uprisings of the righteous armies across the country."

"Oh?" The magistrate looked away from Xiao He.

He placed his hand on the table in front of him, silently pondering the pros and cons. After a long while, he said, "Continue."

Xiao He breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "The county magistrate alone is probably not enough to accomplish this, so I think..."

"What did you think?"

The magistrate of Pei County turned his gaze to Xiao He.

Xiao He sat down in front of the magistrate of Pei County. Upon hearing the magistrate's voice, he leaned down and spoke.

"It was thought that Liu Ji, who was in exile, should be recalled."

At this point, Xiao He leaned forward slightly, his sleeves folding on the ground, his face expressionless.

But upon hearing his words, the magistrate fell silent.

Finally, he looked at Xiao He and asked, "Why?"

Raising his hand and thinking for a moment, Xiao He then addressed the county magistrate.

"Liu Ji was good at making friends and had connections with wandering knights from all over the country."

"If we summon Liu Ji, we can not only strengthen our forces, but also attract wandering knights from all directions to join us. In this way, the uprising will be more than halfway complete."

"With such a magistrate commanding his own troops and having wandering knights from all directions flocking to him, his power will be greatly increased, and no one will dare to attack!"

The magistrate of Pei County raised his hand, preventing Xiao He from continuing.

"Let me think about it, let me think about it."

He just said this with his eyes closed.

His hands slumped down and rested on the table in front of him.

"Very well, Magistrate, please think about it some more."

Xiao He and Cao Can exchanged a glance, bowed, and left the room, leaving the magistrate alone.

He knew what choice the magistrate would make.

After all, he had probably already made up his mind when he summoned the two of them, and was only hesitant now.

He did that, but it just happened to give him a push.

The magistrate sat alone in his room.

There was no one in the room except for a solitary lamp, which illuminated his profile clearly, while the other half remained dark.

"Cough cough cough."

He coughed a few times, and then he made his decision.

He let out a long breath, feeling more relaxed than ever before, as if a huge mountain had been lifted off his shoulders.

Xiao He and the others did not leave; they simply stood outside.

When the magistrate came out, he gave people a feeling they had never experienced before, as if he had become a different person.

Looking outside at Xiao He and Cao Can.

He put his hands behind his back and smiled, "In that case, I'll trouble the chief clerk to convey this message to Liu Ji on my behalf."

I heard the magistrate's voice.

Xiao He bowed slightly and raised his hand.

"yes!"

..............

Liu Ji felt like he was riding high lately.

He led dozens of convicts to hide in Mangdang Mountain.

The area was densely forested and rugged, and with the news of his slaying of the white snake spreading, many people came to join him.

During this period, his team gradually grew in size.

Now, he has hundreds of followers, hundreds of people who follow his lead without question, something he has never experienced before.

"This is the life a real man should live."

Sitting on a protruding rock, Liu Ji had a blade of grass between his teeth and was thinking to himself.

But just then, someone ran up.

Looking at Liu Ji, he then pointed down the mountain, "Someone has come from down the mountain, saying they have a past connection with you."

After a moment of surprise, Liu Ji spat out the grass in his mouth.

He climbed off the rock and headed down the mountain. During this time, many people from Pei County had come to seek refuge with him, so he was no longer surprised.

However, since they are people who have come to pledge allegiance to him...

It's only natural that he would personally go and meet with him.

Before long, they reached the foot of the mountain and saw a person standing there who looked somewhat familiar.

Rubbing his eyes, Liu Ji was overjoyed and hurriedly went to greet Xiao He, asking, "Xiao He, what brings you here?"

When he served as the head of the Sishui Pavilion, he frequently visited Xiao He, and their personal relationship gradually became close.

Looking at Liu Ji's appearance, Xiao He smiled.

"Liu Ji, I have come here today with good news."

He had long seen that although Liu Ji was unrestrained in his behavior, he was not bound by trivialities, was magnanimous, and knew how to use people well.

This great chaos in the world will surely lead to great achievements.

Therefore, the magistrate of Pei County summoned him for questioning, and then suggested that the magistrate recall Liu Ji.

"Oh, what good news?"

While it was a joy to see an old friend again, Liu Ji became suspicious after hearing Xiao He's words.

Xiao He's arrival didn't seem to be an invitation to join forces.

"Liu Ji," Xiao He said, looking at Liu Ji, "the county magistrate intends to join the uprising and has summoned you back to Pei County to assist him."

"real?"

Liu Ji raised his head and looked at Xiao He, asking a question.

Hiding in the Mangdang Mountains is certainly a good thing, but his relatives, friends, wife and children are all in Pei County. How could he not miss them?

However, he secretly released prisoners and fled.

He hesitated, fearing that the magistrate of Pei County had sent Xiao He to lure him in in order to arrest him.

Looking at Liu Ji, Xiao He understood what he was thinking.

He then smiled and said, "Of course it's true. If you're worried about a trap, I'm happy to go with you."

After saying that, he added jokingly.

"If I'm lying to you, you can be my hostage."

Liu Ji nodded, believing him. He then gathered the people on the mountain and led several hundred men back to Pei County.