"Why hasn't Fan Tingquan returned yet?"
Zuo Gongquan impatiently paced back and forth in a courtyard to the northwest of the Provincial Governor's Residence, occasionally glancing outside as he softly muttered to himself.
Fang Gongteng had ordered a group of soldiers from the Bing Province Barracks to guard the Provincial Governor's Residence and assist the yamen runners in guarding the prison to prevent the Turkic spies from breaking into the prison. As the highest ranking officer of this army, Zuo Gongquan naturally needed a place to handle official business and rest.
This courtyard was not very large, but it was very close to the Provincial Governor's Residence. It was the property of an official from the Provincial Governor's Residence. With this emergency in Taiyuan City, this small courtyard had been given up to serve as Zuo Gongquan's temporary 'office' near the Provincial Governor's Residence.
But the other soldiers of the Bing Province Barracks did not receive such a good treatment. They were still on night duty at the various intersections of the Provincial Governor's Residence and around the prison cells!
Fifteen minutes had passed since Fan Tingquan had gone to 'receive' Zhao Deyan on Zuo Gongquan's orders. Logically speaking, there should have been some news from that side, but Zuo Gongquan had still not received any news. How could he not be worried?
The room was quiet, and no one answered Zuo Gongquan's question, because he was the only one in the room.
At this moment, Zuo Gongquan suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing coming from the east. His eyes suddenly darkened. He hurriedly pushed open the door and walked out quickly. He stood in the small courtyard and looked towards the east. That was the back door of the Provincial Governor's Manor. It was also the exact location where he had sent Fan Tingquan to receive Zhao Deyan!
Had something happened over there?
Zuo Gongquan's heart trembled!
He had taken an enormous risk in assisting the Turkic spies in receiving Zhao Deyan. If this matter was exposed, not only would he not receive a single copper coin from An Shunshan, he would also find it difficult to maintain his current status. No, it would be more accurate to say that he would find it difficult to keep his little life!
"No! I can't fail! "
Zuo Gongquan clenched his teeth and prepared to gather his men and personally lead them to the back gate of the Provincial Governor's Residence to reinforce Fan Tingquan. At this moment, a soldier hurriedly ran in and cupped his fist to Zuo Gongquan.
"Commander, it's bad! Fan Tingquan encountered one hundred cavalry at the back gate of the Provincial Governor's Residence. Inside the residence, Constable Feng and the other one hundred cavalry are gathering yamen runners to capture Fan Tingquan! "
"What? One hundred cavalry? You said one hundred cavalry? "
Zuo Gongquan was startled when he heard the soldier say that there were over a hundred cavalrymen in the Provincial Governor's Mansion. His expression greatly changed as he grabbed the soldier's collar and shouted.
"Yes … yes! One hundred cavalry! The brothers in the Provincial Governor's Office saw it with their own eyes! Constable Feng was very respectful to the leader and even addressed him as General Li! "
The soldier trembled as he replied.
"What? General? "
Hearing this, Zuo Gongquan almost fainted from fright. His face was ashen as he muttered to himself, "Hundred Cavalry Commander Li Junxian has come personally! Why was there's one hundred cavalry there? Why did he and he and and and there … "
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"Commander! What do we do now? Fan Tingquan only brought a few people. If Constable Feng and the one hundred cavalry surround him, he'll be doomed! "
The soldier saw that Zuo Gongquan's eyes were lifeless and he had been silent for a long time, so he anxiously asked.
"What do we do? What else can we do? While the one hundred cavalry are still in a daze, leave! Hurry! Leave through the back gate! "
Zuo Gongquan snapped out of his daze and gnashed his teeth.
If it was only the bailiffs from the provincial government who blocked Fan Tingquan's path, he might have gone all the way and directly led a group of men to fight with those bailiffs from the Provincial Governor's Office, using the shortest amount of time to rescue Zhao Deyan.
But now, after knowing that even Baiqi was involved in this matter, how could Zuo Gongquan not understand that their every move was likely to have been discovered by Baiqi. Therefore, the other party had planted spies around the Provincial Governor's Mansion in advance!
He knew that the one hundred cavalry were the Great Tang's most elite army. His men naturally wouldn't find it difficult to deal with untrained yamen runners, but they would find it very difficult to win against the one hundred cavalry, much less exterminate them in a short time!
If this dragged on, the patrolling soldiers in the city would hear the commotion and arrive, and Zuo Gongquan wouldn't even have a chance to escape!
Thus, now that he knew that the one hundred cavalry were in the Provincial Governor's Residence, and that their commander, Li Junxian, was also present, Zuo Gongquan did not dare to take the risk!
At this time, he only wanted to preserve his life!
A few moments later, Zuo Gongquan led three or five of his trusted aides out of the residence's back gate and began to head west.
As for the guards at the main entrance, they were completely unaware that the house was completely empty. There was not a single person in the house!
… … …
"Surround it! Surround this place! Don't let a single person escape! "
Half an hour later, Li Junxian led the one hundred cavalry and yamen runners to Zuo Gongquan's residence. With a single order, the residence was completely surrounded.
The guards at the gate were alarmed by this development. They didn't understand what was going on, but two of them still stepped forward and asked, "You … what are you doing? This is the temporary office of Zuo Langjiang. "
"Zuo Gongquan has betrayed the country and colluded with Turkic spies! Where is he? "
Li Junxian sternly demanded.
"Zuo Langjiang has betrayed the country?"
The two guards were dumbfounded. They were just ordinary soldiers and didn't know about Zuo Gongquan's plans. Realizing what was going on, the two of them hurriedly stepped aside and said to Li Junxian, "Zuo Langjiang is inside!"
Li Junxian kicked open the gate and was the first to charge in, followed by the one hundred cavalry and the prefectural government runners.
The courtyard was immediately filled with the rumbling of boxes and cabinets being overturned.
"Reporting to General Li, there is no trace of Zuo Gongquan in the room!"
A few moments later, the yamen runners and one hundred cavalry cupped their fists at Li Junxian.
Li Junxian's brow creased as he looked at the two captured guards. The two of them hastily said, "General, we've been standing guard outside this entire time. We're sure that Zuo Langjiang has been inside this entire time!"
At this moment, one of the one hundred cavalry cupped his fist and said, "General, this residence has a back gate! Zuo Gongquan probably learned of this beforehand and escaped through the back gate! "
Li Junxian's face darkened. After a few moments of silence, he waved his hand and said, "Leave a few people here to continue the search. The rest of you, follow me back to the Provincial Governor's Residence! The city gates have been sealed, so Zuo Gongquan can't have gotten far! "
… … …
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