Chapter 175

Guo Jianwu's eyes lit up. "What's the plan?"

Zhan Hu smiled. "Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough."

He whipped his horse and galloped to the entrance of the courier station. When he got close, he abruptly pulled on the reins. He first gave Ye Xiaotian an arrogant look before dismounting from his horse. Lightly tapping his palm with the horsewhip, he walked forward with a smile and said, "Who is this courier station official? This official wishes to stay at the courier station."

The deputy saw that Zhan Hu was dressed in brocade and had an extraordinary bearing. He didn't dare to slight him. He quickly adjusted his hat and tightened his apron. Holding a ladle, he politely said, "This humble one is the deputy of this inn. Who are you and why have you come to Ziyang City? Do you have any official documents with you? "

Zhan Hu said, "This official is Zhan Hu from Guizhou's Shiqian Prefecture. I was on my way to the capital and passed by this place."

The deputy said, "Then I'm sorry. This inn is where officials from the imperial court stay. Since you're not an official of the imperial court and you're not traveling on official business, our inn won't accept you."

What the deputy said wasn't false, but in reality, the people who stayed at this kind of inn weren't all officials. Anyone with some connections could stay. The inn's staff would often turn a blind eye to the officials' families coming and going.

This inn was run by the imperial court and didn't make a profit. By the late Ming dynasty, it had become a serious financial burden. However, the deputy was obsessed with studying good food. His little world was the kitchen, so he didn't care much about such worldly affairs.

Moreover, he couldn't even arrange for Ye Xiaotian's group to stay at the inn, let alone Zhan Hu's group. His entourage was no less than the number of people who were escorting Ye Xiaotian.

Mu Dong was displeased and pointed at Ye Xiaotian's group with his horsewhip. "What are you saying? If we can't stay, then what about him?"

The deputy replied, "He's a chieftain. Of course he can stay!"

Guo Jianwu flew into a rage and said, "Preposterous! Why can the chieftains live here but not the tents? What's the difference? "

Xiang Yicheng put on a fake smile and said, "Isn't that simple? A chieftain is appointed by the imperial court. He's an official of the imperial court! A peasant is a retainer appointed by the chieftain himself. If there's a difference, then it's me. I'm appointed by the imperial court and the court pays me a monthly salary. I'm an official of the imperial court. As for my wife, I'm the one who married her. I have to pay her a monthly salary but I don't have anything to do with the imperial court. "

Mu Dong almost fainted from anger. "What bullsh * t comparison! Am I your concubine?"

Deputy Minister Xiang said with a straight face, "I have already taken in two concubines. The most important thing is that they have to be good-looking. I don't want someone as good-looking as you."

Mu Dong stretched out his hand and grabbed his collar. He roared, "Bullsh * t! Are you purposely picking a quarrel with me? "

These two people's words did not agree with each other, and there was a smell of gunpowder from the very beginning. Mu Dong was used to being domineering in his hometown. At this time, he could no longer hold back. However, Deputy Minister Xiang did not have a good temper. When he was suddenly grabbed by the collar and sprayed with spittle in his face, Deputy Minister Xiang's anger soared.

Deputy Minister Xiang raised his ladle and hit Mu Dong's head hard. He shouted, "F * ck off! You're just a foreign official. How dare you come to my territory and behave atrociously!"

The couriers at the gate were all locals and had a strong sense of home. In addition, they were all subordinates of the Xiang Wei Minister. How could they stand by and watch? They immediately swarmed forward. Zhan Hu and Mu Dong's subordinates immediately unsheathed their swords.

Mu Dong was hit by the ladle and felt dizzy. He stumbled and fell to the side. Guo Jianwu sneered and drew his saber. He said disdainfully, "With just you bunch of useless chickens and dogs, I can kill you all in a moment!"

Deputy Xiang was riled up. He straightened his neck and said, "Come, come, come, come, kill me! My head is right here. Take it if you have the ability. Damn it. I don't believe the imperial court won't punish you for killing an official. Your entire family will be executed. "

Ye Xiaotian lazily said to Vice Leader Pi, "Official Pi, this is too outrageous. Aren't you going to do something about it?"

Vice Leader Pi was watching the show with a smile. Since his sugar daddy had spoken, he didn't want to give him face. He waved his hand. The soldiers immediately raised their swords and spears and closed in. They surrounded Zhan Hu and the others.

Vice Leader Pi shouted, "I'm here. Whoever dares to rebel will be killed without mercy!"

The deputy immediately raised his ladle and pointed at Guo Jianwu. "Him! He's the one who wants to rebel! "

Zhan Hu quickly went forward to persuade Guo Jianwu and Mu Dong. "You two don't need to argue with others over such a small matter. We followed him all the way here to see Ye Xiaotian die a horrible death. Why complicate matters?"

As Zhan Hu spoke, he secretly signaled the two with his eyes. The two remembered that Zhan Hu had just said that Ye Xiaotian's burial place was in Ziyang. Their anger dissipated. Guo Jianwu angrily waved his hand. Their men didn't continue forward. They avoided another conflict with the deputy and Vice Leader Pi's men.

Zhan Hu sneered at the deputy and said, "You said that the hotels don't accept people from the countryside. But along the way, I've never been rejected by any of the hotels. For someone like you who doesn't understand the ways of the world, you'll have to be a deputy for the rest of your life. "

The deputy curled his lips. "Do I need you to worry about my future?"

Zhan Hu snorted. He said to Mu Dong and Guo Jianwu, "Let's go. We'll find another place to stay." He turned his horse around and left. The deputy watched them go far away. He turned around and looked at Ye Xiaotian and Vice Leader Pi. His face was full of smiles and he was very friendly.

Although he wasn't afraid of the local officials, they had the advantage in numbers. If they had really fought just now, he would have been at a disadvantage. Fortunately, Ye Xiaotian and Vice Leader Pi appeared. Otherwise, he wouldn't have suffered a beating. He was very clear about this favor.

The deputy walked in front of Ye Xiaotian and the others with a ladle. He said enthusiastically, "Sir Ye, sir Pi, many thanks to the two of you for your help. These country bumpkins are used to flaunting their strength in their hometown. They really think they have some weight outside. Pah! They don't know the immensity of heaven and earth! "

The deputy looked at Zhan Hu, Mu Dong, and the others with disdain. He then said to Vice Leader Pi, "Sir Pi, my hotel is too small. There are only three hundred people. We can't just accommodate the people, not to mention so many horses. However, I can find another place for you to stay. It's enough to accommodate three hundred people and horses … "

Vice Leader Pi rubbed his hands. "Then the money for the accommodation and food …"

The deputy said, "Naturally, this official will pay for it! Don't worry, I'm very familiar with the owner there. I'll just give him a heads up. I'll slowly settle the bill for the accommodation and food with him. "

When Vice Leader Pi heard that he didn't need to spend a single copper coin, everything could be discussed. He immediately beamed with joy. "That's good. Thank you, Deputy Xiang."

Xiang Hongchen said, "This is nothing. It's my duty. There's no need to thank me. Sirs, please come to the hotel and have a cup of tea. I'll change my clothes and bring you there."

… …

Zi Yang County wasn't big. A child could pee in the south of the city and flow to the north. It was already good enough that there was a hotel in such a small place. How could it be big? Similarly, there were very few restaurants here. The most prosperous part of the city was a small two-story building. This was the largest restaurant in the county.

This building was called the Orange Building because Zi Yang had been known as the home of oranges since ancient times. The oranges produced here were as red as fire, the flesh was tender, the juice was plentiful, and the sweetness was just right. Since the Tang Dynasty, the oranges had been a tribute to the imperial court.

Zhan Hu booked the entire building and drank with Mu Dong and Guo Jianwu upstairs. He also sent people out to the four cities to find a place to accommodate so many people.

Not long after, someone came back. However, the person who came back wasn't to find a place to stay. Instead, it was to report to him. "Sire Tu She, they've left the city. They've been led by that cook-like deputy to the orange garden in the south of the city."

When Zhan Hu heard this, he excitedly slapped the table and laughed loudly. "Hahahaha … it's a success!"

Mu Dong couldn't help but complain. "Brother Hu, what are your plans? You can say it now. The Cao, Zhan, and Zhang families are now in the same boat. What secrets do you need to hide from us? "

When Zhan Hu heard that Ye Xiaotian had finally fallen into his ambush, he was in a great mood. He explained with a smile, "Please don't blame me. It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that I wasn't sure whether he would fall for the trap here or not. Of course, I can tell you now."

Zhan Hu filled Mu Dong and Guo Jianwu's cups. The three of them toasted before Zhan Hu began to explain to them complacently.

As it turned out, after inspector Ye had given the order to take Ye Xiaotian to the capital for the emperor to decide, Zhan Long, Zhan Hu, Zhang Yuhan, and Cao Ruiyu had gathered together and carefully analysed the situation that would occur afterwards.

In their eyes, the most important thing was obviously to completely destroy the Crouching Bull mountain. As long as they could defeat, defeat, disperse, or even take in the Crouching Bull mountain, even if Ye Xiaotian managed to survive by a fluke, he would definitely be done for.

As a result, the three of them decided that they had to remain in Shiqian and Tongren. While Ye Xiaotian was away and the Crouching Bull mountain was leaderless, they would deal with Crouching Bull mountain no matter what.

However, they obviously could not let go of a scourge like Ye Xiaotian. In particular, they knew that perhaps the emperor would punish Ye Xiaotian severely to give the chieftains of Guizhou an explanation, but it would be very difficult for him to pay with his life. What they wanted was Ye Xiaotian's death.

As a result, they sent Zhan Hu out again and told him that no matter what method he used, as long as it was possible, he had to kill Ye Xiaotian along the way, so as to prevent any future troubles. When, where, and when was the most suitable time to strike, they obviously had no way of predicting. As a result, they did not provide any suggestions as to how they should go about doing it. It was all up to Zhan Hu to adapt to the situation.

Although vice chief Pi's group of elites only consisted of three hundred people, their battle prowess was equivalent to a thousand people. Moreover, they protected Ye Xiaotian very strictly. Along the way, Zhan Hu could not find an opportunity to strike at all. However, he had at least grasped a pattern. No matter what the conditions were, this army would always protect Ye Xiaotian closely. They would never split up.

Under these circumstances, Zhan Hu came up with a vicious plan. From then onwards, he would arrange for his trusted subordinates to set off first every time he set off to scout out the situation ahead. Only when he reached Violet Sun did he finally find an opportunity.

This district city was very small. There were no hotels or inns that could accommodate more than a hundred people in the city. There were not even such large stalls. Moreover, there were no large houses in or outside the city that could be rented. However, there was an orangery in the south of the city.

The owner of the orangery was surnamed Zhang, Zhang Peng. The Zhang family's orangery was responsible for providing tribute oranges to the imperial family. Now that it was the autumn harvest season, the Zhang family had just picked their tribute oranges. They were waiting for the imperial court to send people to check and transport them.

In order to grow the money oranges, the Zhang family had built many shacks. When the weather was cold, the potted money oranges could be moved indoors. During the picking period, it could also be used for hired workers to live in. Looking at the entire Violet Sun, this was the only place that could accommodate more than three hundred people without having to sleep in the wilderness.

After Zhan Hu heard about this news, he knew that his opportunity had come. As a result, he did not hesitate to spend a large amount of money to buy five barrels of gunpowder from the underworld. The barrels of gunpowder were mixed with a large amount of iron nails and porcelain shards.

These five barrels of gunpowder were currently buried under the three best houses in the orangery. He wanted to blow Ye Xiaotian to pieces and send him to heaven!