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墨書 Inktalez
The night breeze was gentle, and the Waxing Crescent Moon hung low like a compassionate Bodhisattva, looking down upon the ignorant and arrogant people of the world. Youzhou City remained noisy and chaotic, with local soldiers and patrol officers searching house by house, creating a state of unrest.
Inside the residence of Governor Gao Lvxing, the lights were bright as day, and many aides gathered to discuss the events of the night. In the hall below, Captain Guoyi Yang Ting knelt, still in his bloodstained clothes, his face and body covered in dried blood, a truly horrifying sight.
“Damn those dog slaves!”
Gao Lvxing shouted in anger, smashing a cup. A timid Maid came forward to replace it, but was struck to the ground by the furious governor. Tears streamed down her face, yet she dared not utter a word.
Murong Hanzhu felt helpless; he had only intended to obstruct Xu Zhen's journey to allow Zhang Jian to accuse her of delaying her appointment or neglecting her duties. Alternatively, he thought of sending Xu Zhen to the front lines to confront Goguryeo, secretly harming her life in the process. Unexpectedly, Gao Lvxing was so arrogant and Gao Di so dismissive of the Rule of Law that they actually wanted to kill Xu Zhen!
Gao Lvxing was blind to everything around him. Although he had heard of Xu Zhen, he looked down on her due to his family background. Now he even thought about capturing her and fabricating facts to deal with her swiftly!
No matter how Murong Hanzhu tried to persuade him, he could not quell Gao Lvxing's fury. It might be better to let him fall into Xu Zhen's hands for a while, learning from his mistakes; otherwise, he could never be of use to the Crown Prince. Furthermore, if Gao Lvxing completely antagonized Xu Zhen now, it would make future dealings easier for Murong Hanzhu. He held this matter in his hands and was not afraid of Gao Lvxing being disloyal to the Crown Prince.
Thinking of this, Murong Hanzhu felt grateful for the extremely foolish Gao Di. If it weren't for this commotion caused by Gao Di, he would not have found an opportunity to subdue Gao Lvxing!
“Your Excellency must not be angry. With the city gates closed now, even if Xu Zhen had wings, she would find it hard to escape; being captured is just a matter of time. However, preventing public outcry is more important than guarding against floods. This matter has likely already leaked out and will bring nothing but harm to you…”
The aides were already terrified by Gao Lvxing's wrath and dared not speak up. Seeing Murong Hanzhu take the lead in advising him, they all rose in agreement until Gao Lvxing finally calmed down.
“Since it is thus, what advice do you have for me, Mr. Cui?” Gao Lvxing sighed lightly after drinking a cup of bitter wine and poured another cup for Murong Hanzhu.
“If Your Excellency intends to kill Xu Zhen, you must not get involved personally. The matter regarding Chief of Staff must be suppressed; if even a hint leaks out, it could implicate you severely. In extraordinary times, one must take extraordinary measures; when it's time to abandon something, there should be no hesitation…”
Although Murong Hanzhu spoke vaguely, everyone present was astute enough to understand that this was a strategy akin to severing one's own arm. It was true that Gao Di deserved retribution for his actions; however, he had familial ties with Gao Lvxing and shared a childhood bond with him. If it weren't for this connection, he wouldn't have become so arrogant.
Gao Lvxing understood the reasoning behind it, but after hearing Yang Ting's report, he felt unwilling. He initially planned to teach Xu Zhen a lesson, but unexpectedly, things escalated to this extent. Not only did he fail to capture her, but Xu Zhen also burned down the Chief Historian's Residence, causing a stir throughout the city. Now, everyone was talking about Xu Zhenzhi, leaving him, the governor, in a difficult position.
“Mr. Cui's intention is clear to me, but our brotherhood runs deep. Xu Zhenxin is ruthless; if we don't take this opportunity to eliminate him, he will surely become a future threat!” All present were trusted aides, and Gao Lvxing felt no need to hide his thoughts. Everyone had expected Murong Hanzhu to dissuade Gao Lvxing, but instead, it ignited his fighting spirit.
Murong Hanzhu secretly laughed while maintaining a worried expression, furrowing his brows and pretending to advise Gao Lvxing: “If you are determined, you must not act rashly. You need to plan carefully and proceed gradually…”
Gao Lvxing had hoped for a solid strategy from Murong Hanzhu, but was disappointed by such perfunctory words. He coldly snorted and said, “As a dignified Governor of Lizhou, how can I let a passing bald general hinder me? If we delay, he will surely cross the city and reach Yingzhou, smoothly taking control of the forces at the Department of Diplomatic Negotiation. What can Zhang Jian do then?”
Murong Hanzhu thought that this fool had indeed fallen into the trap and pretended to be decisive: “In that case, Cui will accompany you in this endeavor and boldly offer a plan!”
Gao Lvxing raised an eyebrow, his eyes shining: “Oh? What good plan do you have? Please share it quickly!”
After a moment of contemplation, Murong Hanzhu leisurely said: “I heard that you once allied with the troops from Youzhou Prefecture to eliminate a group of former dynasty bandits. You must have seized many bandit outfits. Why not create a ruse by letting Xu Zhen go back and have someone impersonate bandits to surround and eliminate her? This way, it would naturally have nothing to do with us in Youzhou. However… High Chief of Staff…”
Upon hearing this, Gao Lvxing was immediately delighted. But when he thought about sacrificing Gao Di, he cooled down again. After all, he was someone who aimed for great achievements. Gritting his teeth, he ultimately agreed.
The aides at the Prefectural Office dispersed after a night of turmoil and went to rest. However, the lights in Youzhou City remained lit throughout the night as the search parties continued their efforts.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhen and her companions returned to Qingxiazi's residence to avoid the storm. The old man realized that he had nearly caused trouble for Zhang Suling, feeling quite uneasy about having drugged her previously. He repeatedly apologized to Xu Zhen, who understood the situation and forgave him upon learning that he had acted under pressure from Gao Di.
Now they were all in the same boat. Since Xu Zhen had done a favor for Gou Renwu, they naturally acted together. After resting briefly, they stealthily made their way toward the southern gate of Youzhou City. Although injured, Gao Di dared not utter another word because half of his teeth had been knocked out by the hilt of Zhou Cang's sword.
To rescue Gou Renwu, both Qingxiazi and the young girl had already traversed all over Youzhou City, becoming quite familiar with it. They skillfully avoided search parties along the way and soon arrived at the city gate.
Unbeknownst to them, Gao Lvxing had followed Murong Hanzhu's plan and intentionally relaxed the city defenses, believing that all forces were focused on searching for them. Thus, when they saw that the southern gate's garrison was sparse, Qingxiazi took out prepared ropes and grappling hooks. The young girl nimbly climbed up the City Wall.
The Guards of Defend the City were dozing off, unaware of anything unusual. Caesar swiftly climbed up the City Wall, taking down the guards above in just a few moves. Finally, Xu Zhen and her companions crossed the wall and returned to the Camp.
After Zhang Jiunian left, he entrusted the three hundred personal soldiers to Xue Rengui. Known for his bravery and wisdom, Xue Rengui noticed that Lord and the others had not yet returned. He was contemplating whether to sneak into Youzhou at night to gather information when he suddenly saw Lord returning, which filled him with immense joy. The Brothers waiting in the camp could finally rest easy.
Once outside the city, Xu Zhen did not dare to linger with Gou Renwu and the others. However, upon seeing the disciplined and fierce Xu Zhen's Elite Guards, which were starkly different from the local troops and Imperial Guards of Youzhou City, he felt a chill run down his spine. After some hesitation, he finally spoke up.
“General Xu, I must confess, my family has fallen victim to this High Di Dog Thief. Aside from this girl and the old gentleman, I have no other relatives left. In this vast world, I have nowhere to go. I was wondering... could I follow you under your command? I hope you can take me in!”
Xu Zhen was slightly surprised but quickly regained her composure. Although this Qingxiazi had drugged them, his strange illusions were even more sophisticated than those of Moya. The young girl was clever and lively, honest and straightforward. While Gou Renwu's identity was unclear, his martial skills were exceptional, particularly his archery. Such talent was not something Xu Zhen wanted to overlook.
Since Gou Renwu took the initiative to speak up, Xu Zhen decided to accept him along with the other two. She ordered someone to fetch uniforms for them and brought them into the camp to settle them properly.
After regaining her composure, Zhang Suling needed some comforting from Xu Zhen. This young girl, though already fine, feigned weakness and fear to keep Xu Zhen by her side until she fell asleep. Only then did Xu Zhen return to her own tent.
Meanwhile, Zhou Cang, bearing multiple Hidden Arrows, was receiving treatment from Liu Shenwei in the medical camp. This man truly had the spirit of Dian Wei. Unfazed during treatment, he spoke casually about what happened in Youzhou, causing surprise among Liu Shenwei and others.
After a night without incident, dawn broke over a bustling Youzhou City. The city gates opened with a loud crash as people entered and exited continuously. Merchants had already gathered early at the gates, waiting for passage.
Early in the morning, Xu Zhen began her practice of the Inner Strength Cultivation Method from the Book of Changes. It seemed that Caesar, feeling guilty for being unable to assist Zhang Suling due to his sleepiness last night, informed Xu Zhen before heading to check on her in her quarters.
With a well-structured military approach, Xue Rengui, alongside Zhang Jiunian, managed the three hundred personal soldiers efficiently. Previously led by Zhou Cang, training had now fallen to Xue Rengui due to Zhou's injury.
A remarkable talent himself, Xue Rengui adeptly wielded dual spears that resembled neither spear nor halberd but were somewhat akin to a hooked sickle or an axe—longer than typical short halberds yet shorter than long spears.
As training heated up in the camp, it ignited a fire within Gou Renwu. Encouraged by many Soldiers around him, he surprisingly challenged Xue Rengui to a duel!
Xue Rengui appeared like a white dragon dancing through the storm, while Gou Renwu resembled a descending qilin stirring up thunder. The two exchanged blows, and surprisingly, neither gained the upper hand. Even Xu Zhen was astonished by their prowess. Zhou Cang, unable to contain his excitement, was about to step in for a spar when he noticed a cloud of dust rising from the direction of Youzhou City. A troop of riders galloped towards them, and upon closer inspection, there were no fewer than eight hundred.
Bound under Yuanmen for public display, Gao Di saw the Youzhou army approaching and immediately rejoiced. He pointed at Xu Zhen and laughed mockingly, "Hahaha! You overstepped your bounds; let's see how you escape from Youzhou today!"
Before he could finish his taunt, Zhang Suling stepped forward and delivered a series of slaps that turned Gao Di's face into a swollen mess, leaving half of his teeth scattered on the ground. From now on, he would probably struggle to eat solid food.
The Brothers could no longer hold back and quickly gathered together, three hundred elite soldiers radiating an aura of menace!
Xu Zhen stood firm with her hand on her sword beneath Yuanmen, slightly raising an eyebrow as she observed the Youzhou Cavalry rolling in. At the forefront was a valiant figure whose face was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages—none other than Yang Ting, the Youzhou Guoyi Duwei from last night!
Yang Ting dragged his spear along as he approached, halting his horse three paces outside Yuanmen. He bowed respectfully to Xu Zhen and then declared loudly, "Youzhou Guoyi Yang Ting pays respects to General Xu. Due to military duties, I cannot dismount to pay my respects; I hope the general will understand."
Xu Zhen waved her hand lightly in return and smiled as she asked, "What brings Yang Guoyi here?"
Yang Ting clenched his teeth before announcing loudly, "Gao Di of Youzhou Prefecture has caused great harm by oppressing the people and exploiting the common folk. He has acted recklessly and deceived others while delaying the Loyal Martial General and his entourage from entering the city. He has imprisoned General Jinyang and her followers—his crimes are heinous! Today, I come under the orders of Inspector Gao Lvxing to apprehend him!"
Everyone present was taken aback by this declaration!
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