The villainous bosses from their past lives have all been reborn.

Just as Yuan Xiu was watching a good show from the rooftop, a bugle call rang out.

The soldiers, who had intended to attack the woman inside the box, were stunned and became flustered.

"Why is there a bugle call? Which captain from Xiazhou City has arrived?"

"Damn it, why did they have to come at this time?"

"What should we do now?"

"Let's hide here first!"

Seeing that the soldiers had hidden the boxes, Yuan Xiu ran out of the house in his armor.

Outside the garrison, flames were already raging, illuminating half of Hujiaji, where there were thousands of soldiers.

Hujiaji hadn't been this lively in a long time, but not a single resident dared to peek out or look up; they were all pretending to be asleep.

Yuan Xiu sat on the roof. The dozen or so soldiers stationed there ran out, but were all captured by the newcomer at a single command.

The soldiers stationed there were terrified. The reason was simple: the newcomer was none other than Liu Zheng, the commander of Xia Prefecture!

This was a handsome middle-aged man in his early thirties, about the same age as Xia He from the Xia family in Jinzhou.

However, although the two were about the same age and inherited the hereditary position of Commander-in-Chief at a young age, their abilities and reputations were quite different.

Xia He far surpasses Liu Zheng in both ability and reputation.

The two are not comparable in terms of public opinion.

Just like now, Yuan Xiu couldn't understand why Liu Zheng would lead thousands of soldiers to surround a small military outpost and capture a dozen soldiers.

Even if Liu Zheng knew that this garrison was a den of thieves and wanted to arrest people, the most conservative estimate would be that sending a centurion with fifty soldiers would be enough.

After capturing the dozen or so soldiers, Liu Zheng interrogated them and learned something. He then headed towards the house where Yuan Xiu was.

Liu Zheng led several of his captains into the house. When they searched the chest and saw the woman inside, their expressions varied.

Liu Zheng looked delighted, while the other captains looked worried.

"There are so many people, it's frightening."

Yuan Xiu hadn't heard the woman speak earlier because her mouth was stuffed with cotton. Now, however, the woman's voice possessed a captivating and alluring charm.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiu became wary. This woman, who had just been rescued, showed no fear whatsoever; instead, she seemed to be flirting with Liu Zheng.

What surprised Yuan Xiu even more was Liu Zheng's attitude.

"Get out, all of you!"

The captains present were all veterans of the Liu family. Hearing this, they dared not refute it and left angrily.

Liu Zheng helped the woman out of the box, put her in his arms, and comforted her.

"Su Su, why did you leave Xiazhou City? If I hadn't received the news quickly, you would have been killed."

"It's all because of those people around you, who call me some kind of monster every day. I couldn't stand it, so I left."

"Alright, I'll transfer them all when I get back. The Demonic Sect is rampant right now; sending these troublesome old fogies to the front lines will save me the trouble."

The woman smiled and buried her head in Liu Zheng's arms.

"Brother Zheng is so good to me!"

"Of course, you are my wife!"

"So you'll listen to everything I say from now on?"

"I'll do whatever you say!"

"People in my hometown say that eating children's hearts and livers can increase one's cultivation and prolong life. Brother Zheng, please find some for me so we can eat them together!"

Liu Zheng's hand, which was patting the woman's shoulder, suddenly stopped, and he hesitated.

"Eating children's hearts and livers?"

"So what!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiu found the scene before him even more bizarre—

Liu Zheng actually agreed.

"Very well, then I'll send someone to the northern lands to find some."

"No way! The barbarians from the North reek of stench. If I'm going to eat, I'll eat the people from the six northern states."

At that moment, Liu Zheng's remaining rationality prevented him from immediately agreeing. However, the woman in his arms continued to pester him, even threatening to run away from home, and Liu Zheng wavered.

"I am the Commander-in-Chief, my duty is to protect the territory and its people. How can I harm the people under my jurisdiction?"

"During years of famine, it's common for the people of Xia Prefecture to sell their children. How can you call it cruelty if you pay to buy them? Besides, these bandit soldiers stationed here are so despicable; they've committed countless atrocities. They deserve to die. Why don't you try it on their families, Brother Zheng?"

"That makes some sense!"

"Then it's settled!"

The woman lifted her feet off the ground, jumped up, and kissed Liu Zheng.

Then, the woman looked up at the roof, met Yuan Xiu's gaze, and gave him a wicked smile.

"Brother Zheng, there was someone lying on the roof, peeping around. I suspect he's with the bandits stationed there."

Yuan Xiu was startled. Liu Zheng's anger flared instantly, and he roared:

"Who are you, thief!"

Liu Zheng's shout summoned all the soldiers outside the house.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Xiu did not flee. Instead, he laughed heartily, got off the ground, confronted Liu Zheng who had come out of the house, and bowed to him.

"Brother, it's been a long time!"

"Why would Yuan the Sixth Son do such a despicable thing?"

Upon hearing this name, the surrounding captains felt their tension ease by half.

Yuan Xiu smiled and said:

"To be honest, brother, I happened to pass by this place and saw the soldiers of Hujiaji committing all sorts of evil deeds, so I did this."

Yuan Xiu's words made those around him feel somewhat embarrassed. After all, the six commanders of the six northern prefectures usually maintained close relations, and now that these things had happened, they all lowered their heads.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zheng's doubts dissipated, and he was about to put the matter aside when the woman named Su Su came out.

"Brother Zheng, please don't listen to this man's nonsense. Those bandits tied me up just now, and this man lay on the roof for a long time but didn't make a move. If it weren't for Brother Zheng's arrival, I would have almost lost my chastity. Who knows what kind of wicked thoughts this man is harboring? Perhaps he also wants to take advantage of people like those bandits!"

The woman began to cry, and Liu Zheng flew into a rage, saying:

"Yuan Xiu, our two families have been on good terms for generations, but I never expected you to be such a despicable person. You even coveted my wife's beauty."

Several captains, upon hearing this, were about to offer some words of comfort when they saw the woman crying even harder.

Upon seeing this, Liu Zheng, as if possessed, gave the order:

"Men, seize this thief and punish him along with the thieves at the garrison. I want to avenge my wife."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding captains became anxious.

"Master, this is baseless and without evidence; how can you make this claim?"

"Madam has already said, what more evidence do you need!"

Yuan Xiu laughed upon hearing this.

Then he leaped up and came to Liu Zheng's front. Before Liu Zheng could react, he grabbed him by the collar with one hand and slapped him several times with the other.

"You dare hit me?"

Liu Zheng looked incredulous, but Yuan Xiu casually tossed him to the ground.

After that, Yuan Xiu grabbed the hair of the woman named Su Su next to him, dragged her out, and threw her next to Liu Zheng.

Just as everyone was stunned, Yuan Xiu drew the captain's long sword, pointed it at the woman named Su Su, and said:

"This woman is a monster; she should be killed to appease the people of Xia Prefecture!"

……