Chapter 21

“Deputy General Liu, are you shielding this person?” Xiao Le had suddenly been kicked by one of her own people, so naturally she was angry.

For a moment, Liu Kun actually did not know how to explain. Instead, the person being protected behind him spoke first.

“Shielding whom? Is General Xiao referring to me?” Su Luoyang removed her helmet and walked out from behind Liu Kun, one hand rubbing her own arm. Clearly, Xiao Le had grabbed her painfully just now.

In the darkness earlier, Xiao Le had not been able to see the other person’s appearance clearly. When the two exchanged blows, she had only fought by instinct. The feeling the other person gave her was that their skill was quite good. Now, with firelight shining brightly, Xiao Le could see clearly that this was unquestionably Su Luoyang.

A spy had transformed in the blink of an eye into the Commandery Princess. Xiao Le felt as if her brain was about to stop working. More importantly, Su Luoyang was even wearing the Black Armor Battalion’s armor, with her hair tied up as well. After the soldiers clearly saw that the person behind Liu Kun was their own Commandery Princess, they were not surprised at all, as though they were already used to it, and all went back to rest on their own.

“Deputy General Liu, you should go rest too. I’ll personally explain to General Xiao.” Su Luoyang knew Xiao Le would certainly have many questions to ask, so she dismissed Liu Kun.

Since Liu Kun had left, Du Fei and Liu Yu naturally would not be tactless either. They also said they were tired and went to rest.

After everyone had left, Xiao Le and Su Luoyang found a place to sit and talk.

Xiao Le looked around in every direction, but did not find the person read the original at bailiantales.com she was looking for. Su Luoyang knew who she was searching for as soon as she saw her like this. “Ah Zheng does not know I came out this time.”

“Then why are you here?” Since the two of them were alone, Xiao Le no longer kept calling her Commandery Princess.

“I received news that the person Great Wu sent to Han County this time is the culprit who killed my eldest brother—Fourth Imperial Prince Yu Shiwen.”

The shizi of the Prince of Luoyang, Su Huai’an. This name immediately appeared in Xiao Le’s mind.

“You want to personally take revenge, so you hid in the team and secretly followed us.” Xiao Le voiced what Su Luoyang was thinking.

“You were afraid I would discover you, so just now, you instinctively hid… Luoyang, this is too dangerous.” Xiao Le’s tone was full of concern.

Su Luoyang turned her head and looked straight into Xiao Le’s eyes. “So you want to persuade me too?”

This was a question from the depths of her heart. Su Luoyang wanted to know whether Xiao Le was the same as everyone else. Whether Xiao Le would use her status as a commandery princess to restrain her. In her heart, she was first Su Huai’an’s younger sister. She was Su Luoyang. Only after that was she the so-called Commandery Princess.

“Hm? Why would I persuade you?” Xiao Le tilted her head and smiled brightly. Both hands gently held Su Luoyang’s as she said slowly, “Since you made this decision, you must have your reasons. But for the sake of your safety, I cannot let you act recklessly. While we are outside, you have to listen to me.”

These words warmed Su Luoyang’s heart. So this was what it felt like to be understood. It really was wonderful… And then, she had not expected Xiao Le’s ​read the original at bailiantales.com​smile to look so beautiful. But how could there be such an understanding man in this world, clear and pure as water?

“Then I will await General Xiao’s orders.” The bonfire flickered, its dim flames reflected in both of their eyes.

…

“Father, just who is that person inside? He is actually so arrogant that he directly injured the yamen runners.”

Zhang Qiao had long been waiting in the study. Seeing his father arrive, he hurriedly went forward to ask.

During the day, outside the county yamen, a luxuriously dressed young man had arrived and specifically asked to see Zhang He. The yamen runner saw that this person’s clothing was extraordinary and that his tone was incomparably arrogant, even daring to call the county magistrate directly by name. So he had asked a couple more questions, only to be knocked to the ground by the other party’s men.

This immediately angered the yamen runners. On ordinary days, they were used to throwing their weight around in Han County. When had they ever suffered such insult? They immediately called people over to surround them. When Zhang He heard the commotion and came out to look, the ground was already covered with fallen yamen runners. It frightened him so badly that he thought the Su family army had attacked.

In the end, the young man leading the group took out a token. Only then did Zhang He realize that these fools had actually offended such a great Buddha.

That was right. This luxuriously dressed young man was Fourth Imperial Prince Yu Shiwen, who had come from Pingjing on Yu Ke’s orders. Originally, he did not need to personally come for such a small matter, but in order to perform well before Father Emperor, he had still come personally.

The moment he stepped into Han County, he felt uncomfortable all over. Of course he did. A favored son of heaven like him—how could he be used to staying in such a poor, ​stolen content​remote countryside? What was even more hateful was that the yamen runners in this broken place all failed to appreciate favors and actually dared to attack him. Truly, unruly people came from poor mountains and bad waters!

Zhang He walked out from the main hall. His face was now full of worry. This great Buddha was far too difficult to serve. He shook his head and said to his son, “That is His Majesty’s most beloved son, Fourth Imperial Prince.”

Zhang Qiao was also so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. The emperor’s son—why would he come to a place like theirs?

“Fourth Highness! What is he doing here?”

At the mention of this, Zhang He’s face turned gloomy. “It’s because of Liu Yu and Du Fei, those two unlucky ghosts. Fourth Highness said they didn’t die, but instead became some rebels! They even ruined a major matter for the court. He came this time to make an example of the Du family and the Liu family.”

Zhang Qiao still wanted to say something, but Zhang He impatiently interrupted him. “Enough. Take people and confiscate the Liu and Du families’ property. Handle it according to the crime of rebellion. Imprison everyone in the jail and choose a day to behead them.”

“But Father, a major case involving so many lives—how can they be beheaded just because you say so? Shouldn’t a memorial be sent to the Ministry of Justice for approval?” The Liu and Du families together had over a hundred people at the very least. Zhang Qiao had also picked up a superficial understanding of the law from what he had seen and heard on ordinary days.

At this moment, Zhang He truly wanted to slap his son and wake him up.

“Do I need you to teach me? Do you have a pig’s brain? When you should speak, you don’t. When you shouldn’t speak, you talk as if everything makes sense. Who is sitting inside? Fourth Highness. He represents the imperial command. Does an order from the emperor still need the Ministry of Justice’s approval?”

Zhang Qiao was scolded bloody, but he did not dare argue. He slunk away to handle the matter.

The yamen runners caused an enormous commotion when arresting people. Almost everyone knew that the Liu family and Du family had committed the grave crime of rebellion. The Liu family was still somewhat better off; at least Liu Yu and Liu Feng had already met before, so Liu Feng knew what this arrest was about. But the Du family knew absolutely nothing. In Master Du and Madam Du’s eyes, this was the county magistrate’s conspiracy to swallow their family wealth. A few years ago, he had caused the death of their son. Now he was actually openly coming to arrest people.

When Liu Feng was arrested, he still wanted to resist a little, but he was pressed to the ground and could not move. Several blades were immediately placed against his neck.

“Liu Feng, who would have thought that after fighting with you for all these years, you would end up like this? You really should thank that promising elder brother of yours.” Zhang Qiao squatted in front of Liu Feng, his eyes full of schadenfreude, yet he still pretended to shake his head regretfully.

“Zhang Qiao, even if I die, my big brother and Du Fei will avenge me.” Liu Feng looked at Zhang Qiao with eyes full of hatred.

Zhang Qiao did not care about his threat in the slightest. He sneered. “Take him away.”

The Liu and Du families had secretly plotted rebellion, an unforgivable crime. Their property was confiscated, their nine clans implicated, and they were temporarily held in prison to be executed soon.

When Xiao Le and the others infiltrated Han County to gather information, this was the news they heard.

Du Fei sat to the side, listening to passersby recount the situation at the time, and nearly crushed his own fists.

Xiao Le had not dared bring Liu Yu into the city, afraid his head would heat up and he would lose control. Now it seemed this decision had been correct. Even Du Fei, who was ​stolen content​usually calm and steady, almost lost control.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s rescue them now! It’s only one county town. Can it really stop us?” Du Fei suppressed the fury filling his chest and said to Xiao Le.

“No. Since we have come, we cannot have come for nothing. Acting rashly will alert the snake in the grass. Yu Shiwen’s head—I am taking it. This matter needs to be planned carefully.” Su Luoyang frowned and rejected Du Fei’s suggestion.

Xiao Le also quickly soothed Du Fei’s emotions.

“Don’t worry. They want to use the heads of your two families to establish authority. Before they are brought to the execution ground, they won’t do anything to your family. You understand this reasoning. Calm down properly.”

After this, Xiao Le and the others learned that tonight, County Magistrate Zhang would host Fourth Highness at Guifeng Tower, the best restaurant in Han County. At that time, officials from neighboring counties would also rush over, all for the sake of currying favor with Fourth Highness.

And so, Xiao Le and Su Luoyang planned in this way, and a seamless plan gradually took shape.

The sky gradually darkened, and the moon slowly hung above the branches.

Several black shadows flashed past the city gate. The soldiers guarding the gate looked carefully, only to see nothing again. Just as they thought their eyes had blurred, their throats were already slit the moment they turned their heads. Du Fei and Xiao Kai led the dozen or so people who had slipped into Han County during the day and swiftly cleared away the gate guards, then replaced them with their own men.

In the dark night, the city gate that had already been closed was unknowingly opened wide. Deputy General Liu led the troops that had long been waiting and surged inside. The Black Armor Battalion soldiers began to scatter through the various streets, then gradually closed in on Guifeng Tower as the center in a net-like formation, creating a situation of catching a turtle in a jar.

Liu Yu, meanwhile, led a small portion of troops toward the yamen to rescue people.

At this moment, inside Guifeng Tower, Yu Shiwen was being surrounded by a crowd of local officials. Everyone spared no effort in flattering this Fourth Highness, enjoying it immensely. Fine wine, delicious food, singing and dancing—the entire second floor had been booked by Zhang He. Although Yu Shiwen was not very satisfied with this poor, remote place, the flattery still made him feel very comfortable.

Suddenly, sounds of cursing and fighting came from the doorway of the private room, gradually growing loud enough to drown out the sounds of pleasure-seeking inside. Yu Shiwen’s mood was interrupted all at once, and displeasure and irritation appeared on his face.

Zhang He read the room and immediately stood, walking toward the door. “Did this official not already say the entire second floor was booked? Who dares look down on official authority!” He wanted to see exactly which blind fool had come to cause trouble at a time like this.

Bang!

Zhang He had just reached out to open the door when it was suddenly slammed open, knocking him to the ground. Along with it came a person flying through the air, landing right in the middle of the banquet table. Fragments of bowls and plates scattered everywhere. In an instant, the private room fell into chaos, screams and angry curses rising one after another.

“How dare you! I would like to see who is so presumptuous!”

Yu Shiwen was furious. Knowing full well that this group of officials was hosting him tonight, this was without doubt a slap to his face. The part of his blood that belonged to Yu Ke seemed to awaken, violent and arrogant beyond compare, pushing him to the edge of eruption. The guards inside the private room also drew their blades one after another.

“Heh. Fourth Highness truly has such grand imperial majesty.”

A woman’s cold voice came from the outer room. It sounded rather pleasant to the ear. If it were not under such circumstances, Yu Shiwen might have had the interest to properly consider this person.