In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 801 Going with the Flow, Waiting for the Cicada Behind
Time passed, and shortly after the Yingtian Trading Company's caravan entered the post station,
The last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by darkness, and the sky became completely dark.

It was nearly mid-August, and the sky over Zhili was cloudless.

A bright jade plate hung in the sky, scattering a vast expanse of silvery-white light, as if sprinkling a layer of fine salt on the entire plain and the official road.

As darkness fell in the post station, dim candlelight was lit one by one.

Under each small window, a person's shadow was reflected.

The first and second floors, where people dine and replenish supplies, are often filled with loud laughter and a lively atmosphere.

Thick wisps of smoke rose into the sky, carrying with them a delightful aroma.

This made Gong Xianzhi, who was observing from inside the room, feel a sudden hunger.

He held the telescope still in his left hand, touched his stomach with his right hand, and asked:

"Haven't Yu Qilun and the others gone to eat yet?"

Not far away, Yun Lang stood by the window, holding a telescope and staring intently at a window on the west side, and replied:
"No, they haven't made a sound since they went into the room. They must have eaten in the room for safety reasons."

"Then let's eat too. Go get some simple dry food."

"Yes!"

Some soldiers straightened their clothes and made themselves look like they had just finished working.

Then he walked out of the house and went down to the first floor.

Gong Xianzhi suppressed his hunger and looked at the room on the third floor facing due south, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes.

In the candlelight, a figure was clearly visible.

You can tell they're looking outwards, and even the long, narrow telescope right in front of them is quite conspicuous.

A deep sense of doubt flashed in Gong Xianzhi's eyes. What exactly was going on with the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

Could it be that two groups are on the same mission?

One group draws attention and exposes themselves, while the other group makes their move.
Upon closer reflection, Gong Xianzhi felt that this was unlikely.

The more people involved in such clandestine operations, the more complex the plans, and the more prone they are to going wrong.

Based on previous reconnaissance, there were at least a dozen Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), which was more than enough.

"Could he be a newbie? Inexperienced? That can't be right."

Gong Xianzhi looked at the black cloth blocking the entire window in front of him, and a sense of absurdity welled up in his heart.
How could the Embroidered Uniform Guard make such an obvious mistake?
"Strange, really strange."

"Everyone be careful and watch your surroundings. There may be several groups of Imperial Guards."

After much deliberation, Gong Xianzhi decided to prepare for the worst and ordered martial law.
"Yes!"

On the south side, in a three-story building, Wei Hua, carrying a food box, walked leisurely back to the building with a relaxed expression.

He knew that the time he had just eaten was the last leisurely moment of the day.

After the meal, we need to start planning the "lesson" and stay on high alert at all times.

If discovered, the leisurely time they just had might be the last relaxing moment of their lives.

Therefore, even very ordinary large-pot dishes...
Wei Hua also thoroughly enjoyed and reminisced about it.

He pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The group of people waiting inside all turned their gazes toward the food box in his hand, their eyes filled with longing.

After a busy day, it's finally time to eat.

But the strange thing is,
The group inside noticed that the adult was standing there, stunned, his expression slowly changing.

what happened?
Wei Hua stared intently at the Imperial Guard standing by the window, his body tense, observing intently.

His pupils swayed slightly, and his expression shifted constantly, from shock, astonishment, disbelief, to resignation.

In just three breaths,
Wei Hua had already planned out his life in prison for the rest of his days.

"What are you doing!"

Wei Hua's voice, choked with rage, forced out from his throat, leaving everyone present looking at each other in dismay.

"Sir, what's wrong?"

Shen Jie, who had been taking notes, came out upon hearing this, his face full of confusion.

"What is he doing!"

Wei Hua pointed at the Imperial Guard by the window and demanded an explanation in a stern voice!

Shen Jie glanced at it and answered somewhat blankly:
"They're monitoring Yu Qilun and the others."

"call--"

Wei Hua's breathing suddenly became rapid, and the veins on his forehead throbbed violently.

He now understood why Lord Mao was always angry.

With colleagues like these, even a good thing can turn into a bad thing!

He strode over to the table.
He ripped the person off and cursed:

"Standing by the window with the lights on late at night, are you afraid that people outside won't notice you?!"

Upon hearing this, the previously puzzled house fell silent instantly, and everyone looked somewhat astonished.

They all looked towards the window, peering through the half-open window,
I saw dark figures moving back and forth in the windows across the street!

"This this."

Shen Jie's face turned extremely ugly, and he quickly looked at Wei Hua:
"My lord, most of the brothers here work in the yamen and haven't been on a mission for a long time, so they're a bit rusty. Please forgive them."

Wei Hua took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes.

To avoid attracting attention, this operation employed a group of people who had long worked in government offices doing clerical work, precisely to avoid any familiar faces.

I assumed that as members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they would be professional enough.

But Wei Hua never expected that such a simple and obvious oversight could be made.

This is only what he discovered.
I wonder if there were any other oversights along the way.

"call"

It took Wei Hua several breaths before his breathing calmed down.

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again; I had regained my composure.

His voice was as still as a deep well:

"Get ready, we'll move out at noon. After everyone has finished lunch, we'll start planning our actions."
In particular, any matter concerning the disclosure of one's identity must not be overlooked.
If your identity is revealed, you'll be in for punishment when you get back!

"Will the adults still keep an eye on us?"

Shen Jie breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked a question.

Wei Hua narrowed his eyes, clenched his fists tightly, nodded forcefully, and answered through gritted teeth:
"Of course we'll monitor them! How can we act if they escape?!"

"Yes!"

Shen Jie looked around the room for a moment, and soon his eyes fell on the thick quilt spread on the bed.
Then tear it down, completely blocking the window.
They then made a small hole in the quilt, big enough for a telescope to pass through, and finally stopped.

Wei Hua sat down, utterly exhausted. Regarding these remedial measures…

He nodded reluctantly, knowing exactly what to do.
"Hey?"

In another room, Gong Xianzhi looked at the room covered with a black cloth, somewhat bewildered.

He quickly zoomed in with the telescope, straining to get closer, and finally spotted a tiny reflective spot on the dark window.

He knew that it was the light inside the room reflected by the mirror of the telescope.

Upon seeing this point of fluorescence, Gong Xianzhi was slightly taken aback and muttered to himself:

"Was that really an oversight?"
These Imperial Guards are incredibly unprofessional.

"No, no, we should be cautious and not let our guard down."

Gong Xianzhi did not turn around, but spoke directly:
"The battle plan must be perfect, taking into account all possibilities, especially the variables of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"Yes!"

Inside the room, the six people who were unaware of the battle plan and were sitting around the long table responded and became even more focused on writing and drawing.
As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of the post station gradually subsided.

Only the occasional neighing of horses and the whispers of the night watchmen could be heard from the courtyard.

Wei Hua stood by the window, staring intently at Yu Qilun's room through the small hole in the quilt, plotting his upcoming actions.

"It's midnight, let's move out!"

Wei Hua gave the order in a low voice, his tone carrying an undeniable firmness.

Upon hearing this, the members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard all stood up and checked their equipment.
After confirming that everything was correct, I quietly left the room.

They were dressed in black, their faces covered with black cloth, revealing only pairs of sharp eyes that gleamed coldly in the darkness.

At this moment, the wide corridors of the post station were completely dark.
Most houses have already turned off their lights and are resting, preparing for tomorrow's busy day.

They walked silently in the darkness.
Wei Hua walked at the front, his steps light and steady, each step carefully calculated to make no sound.

However, he was mostly focused on what was behind him, as he was genuinely worried about this group of pampered Imperial Guards from the capital.

He knew in his heart that this operation could not afford to fail.

Once exposed, their lives will be in danger.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and there were no problems from the south side house to the west side house.

Upon arriving outside room number two,
Wei Hua made a gesture, signaling everyone to stop.

He carefully observed his surroundings and, after confirming that nothing was amiss,

He then pulled a thin, long wire from his pocket, gently inserted it into the crack in the door, and skillfully fiddled with the latch.

A moment later, a soft click was heard, and the latch was quietly opened.

Wei Hua pushed open the door and slipped inside first.

The rest of the Imperial Guards followed closely behind and rushed in, leaving four men to guard outside!
At this moment, Yu Qilun was sound asleep, completely unaware of the impending danger.

But not far away, old Mr. Yang was a light sleeper.
He suddenly opened his eyes, and when he saw the moonlight streaming in through the open door, he knew something was wrong and shouted:
"who!"

Wei Hua's eyes turned cold, and with a flick of his wrist, a dagger fell out.

He took three steps at a time and arrived at the small bed where Uncle Yang lived in an instant. Without any hesitation, he began to stab and stab repeatedly!

The squelching sounds were especially jarring in the room!
“Uh.”

Yang Bo was stunned. He hadn't expected that someone would actually dare to make a move, especially on the very first day after leaving the capital.

He wanted to wake the young master who was sleeping in bed, but when he opened his mouth, all he could make were incoherent sounds.
Seeing that he was still alive, Wei Hua's eyes turned cold, and he plunged his long knife into his neck, causing blood to spurt out.

At this point, Yang Bocai truly breathed his last!

Everything happened in just three breaths. Even the Imperial Guards who rushed in didn't have time to react before one of them died.

Seeing them standing there dumbfounded, Wei Hua felt a bit disappointed and waved his hand abruptly.

Only then did the Embroidered Uniform Guard realize what was happening!
The two men immediately stepped forward; one held down Yu Qilun's shoulder, while the other quickly lifted his legs.

Yu Qilun woke up with a start, saw a dark figure in front of him, and cried out in alarm:
"You are"

Just as he was about to shout, a large hand tightly covered his mouth, and he could only let out muffled groans.

"Don't move, or I'll kill you!"

Wei Hua threatened coldly, while drawing a short stick from his waist. The stick had a smooth and soft surface, but inside was an iron rod made of refined iron.

Once it hits the human body, it can cause serious internal injuries, but no marks can be seen on the outside.

Yu Qilun stared wide-eyed at the man in black before him, trying to struggle, but found himself unable to move at all.

"Uh huh"

He was filled with fear, thinking back to the night in the capital when his hands were broken, which seemed exactly the same as now.

Without further ado, Wei Hua swung the wooden stick and smashed it hard against Yu Qilun's legs.

Two crisp "snap" sounds were heard.
Yu Qilun's legs snapped instantly, and he trembled with pain.
His forehead was instantly covered with large beads of sweat, but because his mouth was covered, he couldn't scream.

Wei Hua bent down to take a look; the bone was broken, but not completely broken.

Without further hesitation, he swung the stick with both hands and struck three more times fiercely!
A crisp "click-click-click" sound appeared.

Yu Qilun's two lower legs were bent in opposite directions, with bone fragments piercing the flesh and blood, mixed with yellowish-white substances.

Yu Qilun had already fainted from the pain!

Smelling the blood in the room, Wei Hua felt no pity whatsoever. He coldly ordered, "Withdraw!"

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guards quickly cleaned up the scene, gave the unconscious Yu Qilun some sleeping potion, and then quickly withdrew!
In less than half an hour,
A soft footstep came from outside the door.

The door was gently pushed open, and Gong Xianzhi quietly entered with several of his men.

They were also dressed in black, and their faces showed vigilance.

Gong Xianzhi looked around and found the room in a mess, clearly indicating that a fight had just taken place.

"The person has already come."

Gong Xianzhi said in a low voice, and walked to Yu Qilun's side, squatting down to check his injuries.

"Sir, Yu Qilun's legs have been broken, and an old man is dead. It seems they just wanted to teach him a lesson."

Yun Lang spoke softly.

Gong Xianzhi nodded, a sly glint in his eyes, followed by a resolute expression!

He whispered:

"Since they're so blatant, let's go with the flow and get rid of Yu Qilun completely. Apply the medicine!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Lang nodded in agreement, took out a small porcelain bottle from his robes, and handed it over.

"Here, be careful, this is snake venom."

It will flare up rapidly once it comes into contact with blood, and no one can save it.

Gong Xianzhi took the poison, examined it carefully, and then nodded and said:

"Check the room for any traces."

As he spoke, Gong Xianzhi walked to Yu Qilun's side, squatted down, and carefully poured the poison into the broken wound.

His technique was skillful and precise, ensuring that the poison could penetrate Yu Qilun's body evenly and quickly.

After applying the poison, Gong Xianzhi stood up, closed the porcelain bottle, and whispered the instructions:
"Did you find anything?"

"No, it was cleaned very well."

"What weapon killed that old man?"

“The dagger is one and a half inches wide and two and a half feet long.”

"Um"

Gong Xianzhi lifted his waistband, selected a roughly similar-sized dagger from the various sizes hanging there, smeared snake venom on it, and walked up to Yang Bo.
Following the wound on his neck, he carefully stabbed it in, and then did the same to several other wounds on his chest.

After doing all this, Gong Xianzhi waved his hand:
"Go, check carefully, don't leave any trace."

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, his subordinates nodded in agreement and quickly left the room.

After they returned to their room, the brothers who had stayed behind to observe immediately came to greet them, their voices sounding somewhat strange:
"They...they seem to have left."

"What? Who left?"

Gong Xianzhi was taken aback and asked a question.

"A dozen or so figures from the Imperial Guards have just quietly climbed over the wall of the stable and left."

Gong Xianzhi stood there stunned, scratching his head in bewilderment, with only one question in his mind.
How do these people manage to be both amateur and professional?

"Shall we go too?"

Yun Lang asked tentatively, his expression equally strange.

"No, proceed according to plan."

Take one brother with you and take the clothes, dagger, poison, and telescope with you. You are not on the caravan register.

If we stay, and now that the Embroidered Uniform Guard has run away, things are actually simpler; we just need to remain still.

Remember, when you leave, also go through the stables, make a commotion.

Yun Lang immediately understood the intention behind this and nodded emphatically:
"I see."

"Let's go quickly, first to the Qinhuai River, where someone will meet us. We'll go into the city tomorrow to report to the lord."

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, Yun Lang led the two away from the house quietly, and when they left the stable, they startled many horses, which caused many night watchmen to curse loudly!
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the inn's windows, dappling the floor with a warm yet dazzling glow.

As the post station gradually came to life, the caravan members began to bustle about, preparing for the new day's journey.

However, when several guards arrived at Yu Qilun's room as usual,

When I was about to ask him if he was ready to depart,
The scene that greeted them as they pushed open the door made them freeze instantly, their faces turning deathly pale.

The room was a mess. Yu Qilun lay on the bed, his face dark and bluish, his legs bent unnaturally.
Fresh blood dripped down his calf, forming a puddle; he was lifeless.

In a corner of the room, Uncle Yang lay quietly, a deep wound on his neck and blood on his chest that had congealed into a dark red, a shocking sight.

"What's going on?"

A guard asked in a trembling voice, his eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"Master, Master!"

Another guard reacted quickly and shouted.

Before long, the commotion was noticed by passing merchants and their assistants, and news of the death at the post station spread rapidly.
(End of this chapter)