The wind whimpered, and the lights in the small town gradually dimmed. However, at midnight, a bunch of torches ran on the road, and it became lively. At the dock, the lights on several large ships had been lit, and the commotion spread in a small area.
In her room, Zhou Pei opened a crack in the window and peeped outside. She saw that several generals on the ship had been alerted, and the soldiers had also left in groups. At this time, there were not many guests on the ship, but the soldiers also tried to avoid the places where the distinguished guests lived. After listening for a while, Zhou Pei learned that Lu Chun, the son of Marquis Yan Lu Peijiang, had a quarrel with someone in the brothel, and then was kidnapped.
Although Jiangning was a big city, among the nobles, Marquis Yan Lu Peijiang was also a person of considerable power. This time, the fleet went north to protect the birthday program for the Empress Dowager. Several generals on the ship were capable people in the army of Jiangning, but in front of the Marquis, they were nothing. Originally, they thought that the security of the canal was stable, and the children of the nobles were protected by their family guards, so it was not a big deal for them to go out and play. Who knew that such an accident would happen? As soon as the news came, everyone immediately took action and killed their way to the town.
With such a clamor, the inside and outside of the dock, and on and off the ships were all on high alert. Within the town, it was estimated that the people from the yamen had also begun to cooperate. Naturally, Zhou Pei did not like the jealousy in the brothel. After watching for a while, she heard the sound of Ning Yi and Xiaochan getting up. She tiptoed back to the bed, and Ning Yi knocked on the door, asking her if she had been woken up. After a while, Xiaochan came in with a pot of tea, put it down, and softly told him what she had heard, and then went out.
In fact, the two were not much different in age. Xiaochan also looked like a young girl, and her face was young and inexperienced. She had just gotten up and hastily combed her hair like a woman. Lying on the bed, Zhou Pei compared herself with her, and soon forgot about the matter of the young Marquis.
However, the noise outside came in waves, far and near, and there was no sign of it stopping even after a long time. Naturally, she could not fall asleep. Not long after, the rear cabin became lively. Someone had come to look for Ning Yi. They were talking in the corridor, and the young Junzhu was listening attentively.
"That Young Duke Lu … hasn't been found yet …"
"This guy is skilled in martial arts. We've searched everywhere in Xuyi, but we still haven't found him. I'm afraid he's already been here. If this goes on, he won't be able to leave tomorrow."
"What a good choice of people. If this was premeditated, could it be … for the sake of this birthday program?"
"I don't think it's possible. This line …"
The people who were talking to Ning Yi were naturally Wenren Bu 'Er, Qi Xinyong, and the others. They were all experienced in Jianghu. Just by looking at the opponent's method of attack and the difficulty of the pursuit, they could tell whether it was an accident or a premeditated plan. However, it was still too sensitive to judge that the opponent was here for the birthday program. This waterway had always been prosperous, and the government's management was also strong. They stopped at the side of Xuyi. The other side of this big county was near Hongze Lake. There were some water bandits on the lake, but it was unlikely that they would dare to touch the birthday program or people with the status of Marquis.
However, Ning Yi and the others did not have any responsibility to the young Marquis. At this time, they were discussing this matter, and it could be considered as preparing for a rainy day.
That night, the soldiers and constables of Xuyi government office, as well as most of the officers and soldiers on the ship, struggled in the county until dawn. The next day, the fleet did not depart. The deputy general in charge of the fleet's safety was called Chen Jingui. When the young Marquis boarded the ship, his father Lu Peijiang had told him to take care of him. If anything happened to Lu Chun here, even if he safely sent the birthday program to Bianliang, he would probably be in danger when he returned.
Most of the people who came back from the city now knew about Lu Chun's kidnapping. Since the fleet did not leave, they were happy to rest in Xuyi for a day, but they all strengthened the security around them. There were also people who said that if they had already reached Huai An, there would be a lot more places to play.
They were all from rich families. On this day, some people went out with friends to play, while others did not dare to wander around, so they stayed at the docks, called restaurants over to hold a banquet, or invited people from opera troupes and brothels. The sanitary conditions on the docks were not good, but this side had always been used by officials. With such a disturbance, there were banquets and dramas below, which made it a different scene.
In fact, at this time, Xuyi County had already started to be under martial law. If they really went out, it would probably not be too dangerous. Wenren Bu 'er, on the other hand, was worried that someone would make a move on the birthday program. At this time, the situation in the Wu dynasty was sensitive. After the threat of Fang La was suppressed, the henchmen were scattered, and the number of bandits and rebellions increased. After all, Wenren Bu' er worked in the Office of Secret Investigations, so she knew more. But this route was usually considered safe, so to say that someone would rob the birthday program would sound like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow.
After all, the three brothers of the Qi family had been stirring up trouble in the south, so they were not clear about the situation here in Huai An. Ning Yi was also a person who believed in intelligence. After asking some people who were familiar with the environment here, his guesses about this matter were reduced. But this morning, news about bandits came from time to time. When Deputy General Chen sent out a few groups of soldiers, they all came back empty-handed. Ning Yi also discussed this with Wenren Bu 'er and the others.
"Right now, the possibility of someone having designs on the birthday program is not high. It is also impossible to make Deputy General Chen and the others raise their guard. We can only be a thief for a thousand days, but we can't guard against thieves for a thousand days. But fortunately, this is all we care about. I think we should think of a way to avoid this possibility … "
He discussed with Wenren Bu 'er, Qi Xinyong, and the others. Then, he also called Su Wenyu and Su Yanping to listen. Everyone expressed their own views for a while. Then, someone outside sent in a visiting card, seemingly inviting Ning Yi to go out and meet. Ning Yi did not know anyone here, so he kept a low profile on the way. He opened the card and first looked at the signature. The card was written in a messy cursive script. The person who invited him was surnamed Li. He looked carefully and then recognized the name. He was puzzled.
"Uh … this guy … why is he running around …"
*****
While Ning Yi was discussing with Wenren Bu 'er and the others, more than ten horsemen were walking between the mountains by the Hongze Lake between Xuyi and Huai An. At this time, there were many clouds in the sky. Not far from the lake shore, they could occasionally see cargo ships passing by. Those horsemen pointed at them and then stopped by the side of a small forest. Among them, a middle-aged man was pointing at the water and talking.
"It seems that there are cautious people among the imperial court officials. Xuyi to Huai An is less than half a day's journey. If they did not stop last night, they would have reached Huai An before midnight. But the fleet stopped in the river and did not enter the lake. But if not, we would not have found such a good opportunity. The young Marquis was caught by us, so the army will not leave. After all, the Xuyi yamen does not have enough manpower. But if there are people who care about the birthday list, they will not let the goods stay in Xuyi. Only when we reach Huai An will everything be safe. At that time, these few lakeside will be our opportunity … "
The person who spoke was tall and carried two sabers on his back. He looked like a martial artist from the Greenwood Forest. His eyes were full of spirit and his tone was calm. The other people got off their horses and walked around. Someone said, "This is not the best place to attack. There are two more places in front. Let's see how it goes." It seemed that he was quite familiar with the surroundings.
There were also people who occasionally looked at the martial artist with the two sabers on his back. The leading man with a curly beard said, "Brother Zhu, it is not that I do not trust you, but this matter is too big. In the past, we had small fights on this Hongze Lake. Although we have robbed the imperial court's red goods, we may not be able to take something as troublesome as the birthday list. You suddenly came and said that you want to give us such riches and honor. I really can't make up my mind. If this matter is not handled well, it will be a disaster for our brothers on Hongze Lake. "
The two sabermen had already dismounted. After listening to the curly bearded man, they smiled and cupped their hands. "The outside world says that Water Tiger Qin Weihong, Big Brother Qin, is reckless. I think this rumor is wrong … But Big Brother Qin does not need to be so modest. We heard that Big Brother Qin has subdued twelve large and small water bandits on Hongze Lake in the past half a year and is about to do something big. So we came to offer our services. At this time, the Holy Duke's uprising has shaken the world. The imperial court is busy and has no time to look east. It is the time for heroes to compete. But Little Brother is only saying this. We brothers also know that this red goods are troublesome. It is reasonable for Big Brother Qin to be cautious. It is up to Big Brother Qin to decide whether to take it or not. If Big Brother Qin is worried that we brothers are dragging you down because of our personal grievances with the imperial court, then it is also reasonable to have such concerns. "
The two sabermen surnamed Zhu spoke beautifully. He flattered Qin Weihong and said that it was all up to him. That curly bearded bandit nicknamed Water Tiger stroked his beard. He smiled but didn't say anything, pretending to have a card up his sleeve. Someone at the side asked, "If he doesn't move at all and insists on rescuing the young lord before setting off, or if he lets Huai An's official ship go over to receive him in advance, what will happen?"
The two sabermen shook their heads. "If he doesn't move at all, we will naturally continue to deal with them in Xuyi and let them exhaust their efforts in rescuing the young lord. Even if there are people among them who are uneasy, the general leading the ship will not allow the ship to leave first. This will cause internal strife. As for the latter … this route has always been relatively peaceful. At this time, there are no signs of a ship being hijacked. If he randomly calls for people to go over to receive him, how many troops will be willing to listen to his orders? The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. They can only turn the tables and let the birthday party reach Huai An first. That is the best strategy. "
He paused. "But even so, they will certainly have a certain amount of preparation. But riches are always found in danger. If there is really a chance to take down this red goods, it is impossible not to take the risk. It is not good for us brothers to exaggerate. To be able to lead the action to Hongze Lake and make them split up is already the best opportunity. If we can really take down this red goods, the heroes of the world will definitely come to our aid. We brothers only hope to be able to get a share of the profits. It will also be good for … for the Holy Duke to make a comeback … "
After saying this, the two sabermen's expression was somewhat gloomy. At this time, everyone thought that he was one of Fang La's troops that had been scattered in the battle of Hangzhou and didn't think much of it. After a while, the two sabermen rode away first. Everyone was still there looking at the environment. Seeing that the outsider had left, they then said, "Can this one surnamed Zhu be trusted?"
"Right now, this matter is all done by these brothers. They even robbed the Little Marquis of the imperial court. They don't want to live anymore. We have not shed all pretense of cordiality with the imperial court. Stockade Master, you have to think carefully about this matter. "
"Although we have not shed all pretense of cordiality, will the imperial court tolerate us? Big Brother, I think that one surnamed Zhu is also right. He did come up with the idea, but whether it is right or not, it is still up to us to see. With the current situation, if our water bandits really want to expand, this is also the best opportunity … "
It turned out that this group of people was originally the water bandits of Hongze Lake. That Water Tiger Qin Weihong had recently unified the water bandits around Hongze Lake. Several people came to the door and said that there was a fortune to be given to them. They were talking about the birthday program. Those people claimed to be the generals under Fang La's command. After the city was breached, they wandered in Jianghu and had no home to return to. They were fugitives and had no way out. Before Qin Weihong could make a decision, those people had already robbed the Little Marquis. They said that there was already a chance. When the time came, it would be up to them to decide whether to rob the ship or not. Even if they did not intend to do it, they would bear the responsibility for robbing the Little Marquis. These words were spoken in an extremely straightforward manner. The crowd also repeatedly praised him as a hero and were quite tempted.
However, this matter was after all too big, so they had another round of discussion. Someone said that the famous Liangshan Lake in the Lulin Forest had also robbed the birthday program at the beginning of the uprising. It was obvious that if one wanted to do something big, they would have to rob the birthday program. It was just that the birthday program of the Liangshan Lake disaster was very small. It could not be mentioned in the same breath as this one. However, there were not many people in the birthday program of the Liangshan Lake disaster. Now that they had unified Hongze Lake, they also had a scale of nearly a thousand people. After that, the discussion gradually turned to the problem of where to make the move.
There was a large road near the lake shore. When the group of water bandits were looking for a suitable place to make the move, the dual sabersman rode all the way west in the direction of Xuyi. He met with several men dressed as merchants in a teahouse by the side of the road. He sat down and drank a cup of tea. He said, "It took me a lot of persuasion, but I think this group of people is tempted. I just don't know how it is over at the docks."
One of the people in the teahouse said, "Brother Zhu is worthy of the title of Military Advisor Shen Ji. Not long ago, I heard a steward in charge of the ship's goods at the docks quarreling with the leading deputy general. They said that the birthday program was the most important thing. Now that things are strange, we have to go to Huai 'an first. But that general was unwilling to leave. It seems that our deliberate diversion at Xuyi has indeed attracted the attention of the people on the ship. Some are afraid that something will happen to the goods, some are concerned about the safety of the young lord. If this goes on, it will not be internal strife, but they will split up. It's just that I'm thinking, if they split up and the birthday program really falls into that water tiger's hands, what should we do after that? "
The dual sabersman shook his head. "Let's not talk about whether they can succeed or not. Even if they do, this red goods is too eye-catching, they won't be able to swallow it. This goods is priceless, the imperial court will definitely send troops to attack. Around the canal route, there are a dozen or so strongholds on Hongze Lake. They don't have the geographical advantage like our lake, so they will be swept away in the blink of an eye. On the contrary, it will be more convenient for us to transfer the goods. Even if we can't take it away, we can just sink it into the lake and tell the world that it was our Liangshan that caused the imperial court to stumble here. This trip will not be a loss. It just so happens that the water bandits on Hongze Lake are good at fighting on the water. We can also recruit a few of them and bring them back. After a few battles along the way, what's left will be elite soldiers who are good at fighting. "
Everyone nodded. "This is a brilliant plan that kills many birds with one stone."
One of them laughed and said, "Even if that Qin Weihong doesn't succeed, some of the soldiers will definitely be killed or injured. Secondly, they will definitely be proud of breaking this plot. It will be easier for us to make our move in the future. The only thing to worry about is that if the leaders of Qin Weihong's subordinates are captured, it may let the soldiers know that there is another group of people who are plotting against them … "
The dual sabersman laughed and said, "Then they will only know that it's a few scattered remnants of Fang La's gang. This will make them a little more vigilant and make it easier for me to make my plan."
As they were talking, a tall, handsome, and fair-skinned young man with loose hair came over. After a while, he also sat down and cupped his hands towards the dual sabersman, saying, "Brother Zhu is back. How's the situation?"
The dual sabersman told him about what happened on Qin Weihong's side. "Brother Shi, did you just kill someone?"
The young man shook his head and lowered his voice. "I only broke the legs of two soldiers. I left very quickly, so they didn't see my face." There was a hint of disdain in his tone.
"That's good. It's not a good time to kill people. We just need to make them anxious." After the dual sabersman finished, he asked, "How's Xiaoyi's side?"
The young man surnamed Shi laughed heartily. "Xuyi only has one West Court that is still presentable. That West Court's red card, Ji Lianhong, was smitten by Xiaoyi yesterday. If not for that, with so many young masters going over yesterday, we really can't tell who is the best to capture. But today, I heard that a rather famous woman also seems to be here and is also in that West Court. It's just that she didn't show her face yesterday. I heard that this woman is the easiest to board. "
"Who?"
"One of the four top courtesans of the capital, Li Shishi." The young man laughed and said, "I heard from Xiaoyi that this woman is quite talented. Lan Xin Huizhi seems to be a little tempted by her. That woman is also somewhat interested in Xiaoyi. When I left, the two of them had already chatted for a while. I'm not sure if Xiaoyi will pretend or become real after this, haha … "
Speaking of this, everyone burst into laughter. At this moment, there was actually a group of people who came from Liangshan. The one carrying the twin sabers was Strategist Zhu Wu. The young man was the Nine Mark Dragon, Shi Jin. The Xiaoyi they were talking about was Lu Junyi's servant, "The Prodigal Son" Yan Qing. Although he had always been a servant, Yan Qing was highly skilled in martial arts. His wrestling skills were unparalleled on Liangshan. Even the unruly "Black Whirlwind" Li Kui was no match for him. On Liangshan, if the Black Whirlwind went berserk, other than Song Jiang, only Yan Qing could suppress him.
"The Prodigal Son" Yan Qing was highly skilled in martial arts. He was also a straightforward and amiable person. He had a good relationship with everyone on Liangshan. Other than martial arts, he was also proficient in playing the flute and singing. In addition to his handsome appearance, he had always been the favorite of the ladies in the brothels. Yesterday, when they were scouting for information, Yan Qing was the first to make a move. He took care of the top courtesan in West Court and then befriended a few nobles who came down from the fleet. In Zhu Wu's plan, if Yan Qing, who was highly skilled in martial arts, went to the ship to hide, it would be better than any spy.
Everyone knew that he was reliable and would not mess things up. After chatting for a while, they talked about other things. "Brother Lin and the others must have returned to Liangshan by now …"
"The incident in Jiangning shocked the world. Brother Lin and the others were in the limelight. I'm afraid we have to hurry up on our side. "
"When we go back, I want to go to Dulong Gang to take a look. I heard that the people of Zhu Jia Village are very skilled in martial arts … Should we also think of a way to conquer that place?"
"How do you know that we want to find trouble with Dulong Gang …"
"The strategist's plan this time is very big. We've already conquered Zengtou City. We can't just leave Dulong Gang …"
"In the past, Brother Song … seemed to want to recruit us …"
"Times have changed. When Xi Junyu said that we have to seize this opportunity, Brother Song was a little unhappy, but I'm afraid he still agreed. What do you think, Brother Zhu? "
"… Times have changed indeed," Zhu Wu said in a low voice. Zhu Wu said in a low voice, then continued, "But … Big Brother Song still wants to enlist us. But Brother Song also knows that the more trouble we make now, the better our days will be if we can recruit them in the future. "
"Let's not talk about this. I don't know if Brother Lin and the others were injured in Jiangning this time. I heard that Fang La has a lot of people with high martial arts skills. I don't know who they rescued … "
"I heard that the family of the merchant surnamed Su was slaughtered …"
"Of course they'll be killed. Although Xi Junyu and Brother Xi aren't very skilled in martial arts, they're still very powerful. If he wants to take revenge, who can stop him … "
This time, they didn't have a complete goal. Recently, they had set their eyes on the birthday list. After all, they did not have a fixed base here. Although they could send back information about their situation through messenger pigeons, it would be difficult for them to receive any news from the other side. News about Lin Chong and the others came from the streets, so it was naturally rather vague. However, there was no doubt that the heroes of Liangshan had shocked the world in the battle of Jiangning.
As for the details of Bao Xu and the others' injuries, they still didn't know.
*****
Ning Yi, who had just left Jiangning, would never have thought that the people of Liangshan were involved in this matter behind the scenes. He had just experienced the case of family extermination. He wasn't even sure that someone was plotting against the birthday program. After discussing with Wenren Bu 'Er and the others, they were only discussing and speculating ahead of time. If he was the one plotting against the birthday program, he would think of a way to deal with it.
He only thought of this kind of discussion as a way to train Su Wenyu, Su Yanping and the others. But the young Canton Princess next door paid some attention to it. She leaned on the bulkhead and listened intermittently for a while. Using her brain, she also thought of many ways. She wished she could talk to Ning Yi and be happy. But Ning Yi and the others finished their discussion quickly. Not long after, the news that the steward of the Prince Consort's Mansion quarreled with Deputy General Chen came out. At this time, Ning Yi was in his room writing some things he wanted to give to Qin Siyuan.
In the evening, the young man named Zhuo Yunfeng came to Ning Yi with a serious face, as if he was going to negotiate with him …
*****
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