On the city gate tower, the sound of metal clanging could be heard.
Yuan Gang and Wei Duo, who had just left the city, looked back and saw that the city gate guards were blocking people from entering and exiting the city. The city gate was slowly closing.
Wei Duo secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, Yuan Gang was well-prepared and had already calculated the fastest route out of the city on the map. If they were a little later, it would be difficult to leave the city.
"Let's go!" Yuan Gang called out to him and quickly left. At the same time, he reminded him, "Probably soon, the surrounding passages to Jinzhou will have to be blocked. To be safe, I'm afraid we will have to walk on the mountain road for a while."
"It's … it's … alright! Just … just … that sound … was it … you … that … thing? "
"If you can't explain it clearly, don't say so many words."
In the Fragrant Pavilion, a sedan chair arrived. Under the protection of people and horses, it went directly to the source of the sound.
After landing, Hai Ruyue, who had simply tidied up, got out of the sedan chair. Along the way, she saw a huge deep pit on the ground. She remembered that there were a few artificial mountains here, but now they were all gone.
Looking at the surrounding flowers and trees, most of them had disappeared. Some of the trees further away had been uprooted and toppled over, while others had been destroyed beyond recognition. The pavilion nearby had completely collapsed, and the buildings further away had been smashed into rubble and broken walls.
Li Wuhua had already arrived first. He was standing beside the deep pit with his hands clasped behind his back.
Hai Ruyue leisurely walked to his side and asked in surprise, "Elder, what exactly happened?"
Li Wuhua shook his head. "I'm not sure."
Hai Ruyue asked, "Elder, you've never seen this kind of movement before?"
Li Wuhua looked up at the sky and pondered. "According to my experience, it should be a meteorite that fell from the sky and hit this place. That's why it could cause such a big movement!"
Hai Ruyue also looked at the sky and then at the deep pit on the ground. She asked doubtfully, "Where's the meteorite?"
Li Wuhua said, "It's probably smashed."
"I see!" Hai Ruyue nodded. She turned around and called Zhu Shun over. She instructed in a low voice, "Spread the news that a meteorite fell from the sky. It's an auspicious omen to appease the people! Make a meteorite and parade it in the streets to dispel rumors! "
"Yes!" Zhu Shun answered.
Li Wuhua looked back at her and smiled. This woman was good at government affairs. She wouldn't make it difficult for him to explain to the sect.
Hai Ruyue looked around and turned around to ask the person in charge, "I heard that someone was injured. Is Mr. Yuan in the courtyard in the west all right?"
The person in charge said weakly, "He's gone!"
Hai Ruyue frowned. "What do you mean by gone?"
The person in charge said, "He might have taken advantage of the chaos to escape!"
"Ran away?" Hai Ruyue sneered, "You can't even keep an eye on a person who has placed a restriction on him. What else can you do?" She waved her sleeves with an imposing manner.
Immediately, a few people came up and dragged the person in charge away.
"Princess Royal … Princess Royal …"
Ignoring the pleas for mercy, Hai Ruyue turned around and called for a general, "Immediately seal the city gates and search!"
The general cupped his fists and said, "Replying to Princess Royal, as soon as this side was informed, this general had already issued a military order to seal the city and search for them!"
"Good!" Hai Ruyue praised, "You must find him!"
The river was curved, and there was an arch bridge. There was a courier station at the end of the bridge.
A group of people and horses crossed the bridge, led by a bearded officer on a tall horse. Behind him were a hundred foot soldiers.
The troops and horses stopped outside the relay station. The bearded officer, who was swaying unsteadily on horseback, led a dozen or so people into the relay station.
Just as he jumped off the horse, the courier station chief hurried over and cupped his fists. He smiled and said, "So it's Centurion Wang. Where are you going?"
The bearded officer stretched his back and said, "Is my errand something you can question? Prepare two tables of food and wine for me first. "
"Okay, please wait for a moment." The courier station chief answered and immediately called for the courier to get busy.
The bearded officer led a group of key subordinates into the shed and sat down. Someone came over with wine and started drinking while laughing.
A courier carried a bundle of firewood to the kitchen. As he passed by, a decarch who had been drinking put down his bowl and quietly left his stool to follow him. He untied the rope around his waist and shot forward like an arrow. Using the rope, he strangled the courier's mouth. His movements were clean and efficient.
Crash! The firewood fell to the ground. The courier tried to resist, but a few soldiers rushed over and pressed the courier to the ground. Some twisted his arms, while others twisted his legs. It was as if they were slaughtering a pig. The corporal holding the rope tightened his grip and did not let go. He pressed his knee against the courier's back, pinning him to the ground.
The courier whimpered as much as he could, but there was a rope in his mouth. His face had already been squeezed in, so how could he speak?
The couriers in the courier station cried out in alarm. The hundreds of people outside heard the commotion and moved. Dozens of people circled around the courier station and charged in, aiming their bows at the couriers.
The courier station chief, who was flattering the centurion, was dumbfounded. He asked, "Sir, what is the meaning of this?"
The centurion leisurely drank a bowl of wine and stood up. He raised his chin at the courier who had been knocked to the ground and asked, "Is this the newcomer?"
The courier station chief nodded in fear. "Yes. How did he offend you?"
"Hmph hmph!" The centurion sneered and waved his hand. "Find his room and search it!"
A group of people rushed into the room and rummaged through it.
As for the couriers in the courier station, including the courier station chief, they all gathered together and crouched on the ground with their hands over their heads. They stood guard with their weapons.
Not long after, someone came out of the room with a birdcage with a golden wing on it. He walked to the centurion and showed him a portrait. "Sir, I found it!"
The centurion looked at the golden wing in the cage and then at the portrait. He chuckled and looked coldly at the couriers on the ground. "Indeed, there's a problem. This is the person the higher-ups want. Be careful and don't kill him!"
Immediately, someone grabbed the courier's hair and pulled his head up. A metal rod was inserted into his mouth, forcing it open. The rope was loosened, and a pair of pliers were inserted into his mouth, pulling out the courier's teeth one by one.
The teeth were not thrown away. Instead, they were placed into a cloth bag at the side.
Soon, the courier's mouth was covered in blood. The people squatting nearby felt their scalps go numb.
After pulling out the courier's teeth, another piece of cloth was stuffed into the courier's mouth. Then, they pulled him up and quickly tied him up.
The people who had searched the courier station came back to report that there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Someone brought a horse over and the centurion mounted it. The people accompanying him grabbed the courier and prepared to leave.
The courier station chief ran over and cupped his hands. "Sir, what's going on?"
The centurion didn't want to answer at first. Then, he thought of something and stopped his horse. He stared at the courier station chief and asked, "I heard you married a beautiful concubine. Is she very beautiful?"
"Uh …" The courier station chief was stunned. He immediately sensed something from the other party's malicious gaze. He took out a gold coin from his sleeve and offered it with both hands. "Brothers, you've worked hard. Here, buy some wine!"
The centurion smiled slyly. His expression suddenly turned serious. He pointed his horsewhip at him. "This person might be an accomplice. Take him away!"
"Sir!" The courier station chief exclaimed. He didn't have time to explain himself. Several people rushed over and pinned him down. They tied him up, gagged him, and dragged him away.
Similar situations didn't just happen here or in the State of Zhao. Apart from the Yan State, similar incidents occurred at courier stations in other countries.
What was rare and unprecedented was that the six countries launched a raid on courier stations within their borders. It was as fast as lightning. What followed was a strict investigation of the families of those arrested and the people who came and went with them. Many families were destroyed in a short period of time …
In the capital of the Scarlet State, a carriage gradually sped up on the official road after leaving the city.
Inside the carriage, Quan Shaokang opened the small window at the back. When the capital of the Jinzhou Province gradually disappeared from his sight, he slowly lowered the curtain. He looked back and sighed. "I'm afraid I won't have the chance to return after this trip."
The butler, Quan Qiao, who was sitting beside him, said, "You and I are from the Yan State. Master misses his homeland every day. You should be happy to return!"
Quan Shaokang said, "From nothing to something. Half of my life's work is in this place. I'm not willing to give it up just like this!"
Quan Qiao said, "Master responded in time. Although the lower levels have suffered great losses, the main network has been preserved. It will be able to develop again soon. Master has prevented more losses for the Yan State. Now that he has returned to his homeland, he has a bright future ahead of him. He should be happy!"
Quan Shaokang smiled bitterly. "There is a fine line between merits and demerits. Because of my mistakes here, many families have been ruined … When I left home, my father was just a small official. I didn't expect that after 20 years, my father would be in such a high position."
Quan Qiao understood what he meant. If it was someone else, he would have been pushed out to be the scapegoat. However, this person had someone backing him up. Even the Yan Intelligence Agency did not dare to push him out to be the scapegoat. Under the operation, the mistake turned into a merit. This showed the capability of the person behind him. If an ordinary person entered this line of work, he would not be able to see the light of day for the rest of his life. How could he be like this person, who was urgently transferred back to the country because of his merit? Obviously, someone wanted to get rid of him. The person behind him was working hard!
"When Old Master returns this time, Old Master probably won't let Old Master do this anymore. I'm afraid he has other plans for you!" Quan Qiao cupped his hands and said, "This time, I also benefited from Old Master!"
The relationship between the two was not that of a master and a servant. They were superior and subordinate. It was indeed because of Quan Shaokang that he could get away this time.
Quan Shaokang looked confused. "Nowadays, the situation in the Yan State is getting worse. When I go back, how can I …" He shook his head and changed his words. "I don't know when the family will arrive."
Quan Qiao said, "Rest assured, Master. The higher-ups will arrange for them to be sent back. The Old Master will not let anything happen to his descendants. They have already set off for a few days. It is estimated that they will reach the Yan State soon. Once they enter the territory, they will be able to reach the capital safely. But the Madam and the young masters and ladies will be shocked by their own identities … "
The carriage stopped at the foot of a mountain. The two alighted. Quan Qiao waved his hand to signal the coachman to continue driving.
The two entered the forest and slowly climbed to the top of the mountain. They picked up some dry firewood and piled it up at the top of the mountain. Then, they lit the firewood.
Quan Qiao took out a porcelain bottle and sprinkled some powder on the firewood. Immediately, a thick yellow smoke rose.
Quan Shaokang stood at the top of the mountain and looked back in the direction of the Chi Zhou Prefecture. "How many of my brothers have lost their families, but I abandoned them and ran away … Niu Youdao, you are ruthless. This debt is not over yet!"
At this moment, a giant black eagle swooped down from the sky and landed on the top of the mountain with a gust of wind. Its body was about three meters tall.
A cultivator jumped down and verified their identities. Then, he pulled them onto the eagle's back and cast a spell to protect them.
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