Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 805 Alone
On an official road north of Ningzhou, there is an inn that is particularly lively. The innkeeper is not only attentive but also an excellent cook, which is why he has many regular customers.

The guests got to know each other over time and often shared a table for drinks, which made the unfamiliar faces seem even more out of place.

"Eat quickly, we still have a long way to go."

The steward urged several servants on.

“No need to rush, we’ve traveled for so many days,” said the woman wearing a veil. “Let’s rest here for the night.”

The steward was taken aback, not expecting his master to make such an arrangement, but he immediately agreed, saying that the young lady always had her own ideas and they just needed to obey.

As evening fell, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard outside. The steward, who hadn't dared to rest, immediately went out to greet them. The next moment, he saw a familiar face.

The two pretended not to know each other, but just as they were about to pass each other, a letter was slipped into the steward's hand.

After the man sat down, ate, and left, the steward delivered the letter to his young lady.

The maid turned up the lamp, making the young woman's face exceptionally clear.

Xia Jingxian was thinner than when she was in the capital. After all, she had been traveling around and had no fixed abode these days. How could it compare to the comfort she felt at the Xia family home? Moreover, she received news a few days ago that her mother had fallen ill and she didn't know if she could make it through the winter.

Xia Jingxian was filled with hatred, but she had no way to deal with Xie Yuyan and the Wang family. The only thing she could do was help her boss control the situation and wait for the right time to use her boss to get rid of Xie and Wang. Only in this way could she possibly have a chance to turn the tide.

The steward stood aside, waiting for Xia Jingxian to give instructions.

Xia Jingxian said, "We'll set off tomorrow, heading straight north. Someone will meet us there."

The steward breathed a sigh of relief. They had been hiding all along, afraid that the imperial court would discover their whereabouts. Now, finally, someone had come.

“Please rest well, young lady. I will make the arrangements now,” the steward said. “We will set off after breakfast tomorrow.”

Xia Jingxian nodded.

The inn quickly returned to quiet, and even the waiter guarding the door fell asleep on the table.

……

Three miles from the inn, a troop of soldiers was resting in the woods.

He Tan didn't stand up from under the tree until someone rode over on horseback to deliver the message, and then let the person come closer to talk to him.

The scout whispered, "Someone sent a message to the Xia family. After that, the people around the Xia family instructed the innkeeper to take good care of their horses. They are leaving tomorrow."

He Tan picked up the earthenware bottle and took a sip of water. Although the water in the bottle was cool in the winter, it was not icy cold, which showed that the newly fired double-layered earthenware in Daming Prefecture was better than the previous water storage containers.

He Tan didn't have time to praise Xie Yuyan, because that was a minor matter. What was important now was to start tightening his net.

He Tan said, "When they arrive here, someone will surely meet them. Tomorrow, we will follow them from a distance, without alerting them, until Xia meets with those people, and then we will take them all down."

Everyone responded.

He Xing said in a low voice, "Should we tell the government office to send more people as well?"

He Tan shook his head: "Xia Mengxian has been an official for many years and has a lot of connections in the court. What if there are people planted by Xia Mengxian in the government office? Wouldn't that alert them?"

"The reason I only brought my family guards is because I was afraid that if too many people left, we would be discovered in advance."

He Xing was astonished: "Do those people have such ability? To be able to plant spies all around us?"

He Tan snorted coldly: "Otherwise, why would Wang Yan and Xie Yuyan be in such a hurry to arrest them? If they are allowed to continue like this, they will surely cause great chaos in the future. When the country is in turmoil, the most pitiful people will be the common people."

"One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," those born into military families know this best.

Behind every great achievement lies a life lost.

He Xing seemed to understand, and he nodded: "You don't need to go forward tomorrow, we'll go and get the person."

He Tan said, "I don't care what others say. In my army, there is no reason for me to sit peacefully in the main tent. Don't break my rules." Hearing this, He Xing had no choice but to say, "Then I will stay by your side tomorrow. Otherwise, I can't rest easy."

He Tan did not refuse again.

The group rested where they were, and after daybreak, they ate some dry rations haphazardly. Then, a scout returned and reported, "The Xia family has set off."

He Tan casually stuffed the dry rations into his pocket: "Today's business is done, and I can have a hot meal tonight."

These words lifted everyone's spirits.

He Tan mounted his horse, glanced at the group of thirty-odd people, and frowned slightly.

Seeing this, He Xing asked, "What's wrong with it?"

He Tan shook his head: "He Ji, He Heng and the others didn't come. You'll have to keep a close eye on them later."

“If it weren’t for the fact that a Western Xia army happened to be near the pass, we wouldn’t have had to leave He Ji and the others behind,” He Xing said. “They are the family retainers you are used to employing.”

He Tan said, "If I don't show myself, He Ji can't leave again, otherwise it would be the same as telling others that I'm not in the camp."

He Xing nodded, then added, "You don't need to worry about these people. I personally selected them one by one. They are loyal to the He family. They will do anything for you, even die for you. I will protect you no matter what happens."

He Tan was very satisfied with He Xing's words, and he ordered, "Let's go."

After following Xia Jingxian for about two hours, the scouts brought back another message: "Dozens of people have appeared near the official road; they must be here to pick up Xia."

He Tan's eyes lit up: "Look carefully, who are those people?"

The scouts went to investigate again.

He Xingdao: "Is that the person you're looking for?"

He Tan nodded: "I have long suspected that some tribes in the border city are outwardly submitting to the Great Liang, but secretly colluding with others. I cannot openly investigate, since I have no evidence. They might take this opportunity to launch an attack and collude with other tribes to hold them accountable."

"Now that's settled, let's see what they have to say."

After saying this, He Tan looked at the crowd and said, "Follow me to surround them in a moment. We must take them down before they notice."

He Tan was referring to the leader.

To catch the thief, first catch the king; in this way, those people will collapse without a fight.

He Tan was very familiar with the surrounding terrain. He led his men along the path to encircle the area and soon spotted Xia Jingxian and the dozens of people.

“The Wuya tribe,” He Tan recognized the leader, “it really is them.”

He Tan's face darkened: "The mule carts they're pulling should have weapons on them. Don't be careless. Remember to block their retreat first, so they don't escape back to report."

"Order."

The soldiers responded.

He Tan immediately waved his hand, and then, like an arrow, spurred his horse and charged out first.

He Xing followed closely behind, also drawing his spear from his horse and looking at He Tan's back.

He Tan charged into the crowd of Wuya tribe members, beheading one with a single stroke, while He Xing's spear pierced through another's chest.

The Wuya tribe quickly recovered, lifted the grass on the mule cart, and grabbed their weapons. He Tan, however, was not afraid and continued to urge his horse deeper into the territory, heading straight for the leader, Wumu.

He Tan moved too fast and didn't notice that all of He's family guards had fallen behind him.

(End of this chapter)