Jinting Han people

Chapter 69 The Last Wait (4k)

It was the Gengshen year of the sixth lunar month. The sky was slightly overcast. The sun overhead was still blazing, but thick clouds shrouded the sky, filtering the light into a white hue. There was no wind, and the heat was sweltering. Even the chirping of cicadas and sparrows faded, and everything began to fall silent.

"Oh my! The clouds are so high!" Afule climbed up a camphor tree like a monkey and peered upward through the shade. He pointed at a wall of clouds formed by dozens of dark clouds and said to Liu Xian, who was standing under the tree, "Liu Xian, it looks like it's going to rain today!"

Liu Xian wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around at the dense forests above and below Mount Mang. He couldn't help but agree, "I'm afraid it's going to rain heavily again!"

Behind him, Liu Cong, Zu Ti and others followed closely, trudging through the rocks. The purpose of their trip was very clear, which was to take the wild path of Mangshan and directly detour to Jingu Cave.

This was the reconnaissance location they had previously agreed upon. The terrain here was high and axe-like, about ten feet off the ground. However, precisely because of this, the view was extremely wide, allowing one to overlook the entire main courtyard, while those below could hardly see upwards. This made it an ideal reconnaissance location. Before the operation began, the group lay in wait here.

But unexpectedly, there are signs of rain today, which is not a good sign.

Liu Yao said worriedly, "If it rains heavily, many of the measures we have planned will be useless." He paused, turned to Liu Cong and said, "Fourth brother, do you want to wait two days and take action another day?"

Since the day he brought Zu Ti into the group, Liu Cong had been hiding in the Imperial Academy as he said. He only showed up again today after hearing that the plan was complete, but he unexpectedly encountered bad weather.

But Liu Cong was a very decisive man. Once he made up his mind, he would not waver easily. He refuted Liu Yao, saying, "Yongming, now that we've come this far, stop saying discouraging words. The prince and princess's visit to Jingu Garden is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we miss it, there will never be a second chance. Giving up halfway is shameful."

Zu Ti said on the side: "To be honest, the rain is even better. Although we can't set the fire as planned, the guards in the vault will definitely be lowered. We can sneak up at night, and maybe they won't know it!"

One of the two men was the mastermind behind the scenes, and the other was an expert in robbery. They successfully dispelled everyone's hesitation with just a few words.

They continued to move forward. The journey was indeed very uncomfortable. As a barren mountain that no one had been to for a long time, there were thorns and bushes everywhere, as well as many mature cockleburs. The hard thorns hung on the trouser legs and sleeves, making a rasping sound. There were also many mosquitoes buzzing around, which they would sometimes drive away with their hands, but would follow them and bite them.

But no matter what, the whole journey was as planned and no one discovered it. When everyone reached the top of the mountain, although they were a little tired, they were also excited. After all, crawling in the grass and looking down, they saw the richest man in the Western Jin Dynasty. Imagining the wealth they could get, most people felt very excited.

They set out at midnight, and when they arrived above Jingu Cave, it was still early, probably around 1:15 AM.

Liu Xian found a relatively flat piece of land and carefully stuck his head out from the cliff. He could see many maids coming and going on the flat ground of the courtyard below. On the road outside the courtyard, more than a hundred guards were lined up on both sides of the road. He could also see several middle-aged men who looked like butlers moving back and forth among the crowd, shouting loudly.

They were obviously preparing to welcome Sima Wei.

Liu Xian glanced at it and then looked at the buildings in the garden. He had seen most of them before and was very familiar with them. But for Liu Xian, he had only one goal, and that was Chongqi Tower in the southwest corner of Jingu Garden.

Liu Xian had never been inside the Chongqi Tower, but just looking at its exterior, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

This is an exquisitely designed wooden building, square in plan, with five stories and six eaves. Aside from the first and second floors, which are built of stone, the top three floors are entirely wooden, each covered in green tiles. Warriors of various shapes stand on the corners. Beneath the eaves, over three hundred sets of brackets are densely arranged, creating an intricate pattern. Each overhang, each set of brackets, and each lattice window is painted white, creating the illusion of countless white doves flying one above the other. The brocade silks and colorful lanterns hanging high outside the building add a touch of fantasy.

Liu Xian began to re-examine his path to Chongqi Tower.

While he was thinking, a hand reached out to Liu Xian and waved in front of him. Liu Xian turned around and found it was A Fule. He was holding a few Hu pancakes in his hand and said with a smile: "Why, you've been walking for half the night, aren't you hungry?"

It turned out to be time for lunch. Liu Xian crawled back a few steps, stood up and looked back. He found that most people were eating bread with the kettle, and a small number of people were already lying on the ground, squinting their eyes and resting, obviously they were all conserving their energy for today's action.

Liu Xian took the Hu pancake from Afule's hand, took a bite, and smiled at the Jiehu boy, "What? Aren't you going to rest?"

"Not very tired." Afule patted his thigh and smiled softly at Liu Xian, "You forgot, my hometown is Shangdang, where there are mountains everywhere. Every time I go out to graze, I run to three or four mountains at a time. I'm used to it!"

Liu Xian smiled and said, "I haven't left Luoyang yet. Is the scenery in your hometown, Shangdang, nice?"

"Whose hometown isn't scenic? But Shangdang does have some unique sights you won't find anywhere else. There's a canyon near my home, where the rocks are as slender as fingers, with springs bubbling between them. Then there's the Eighteen Bends, a stepped mountain with two thousand steps, so high you can climb through the clouds. And then there's the natural stone walls of Shunping, with all sorts of stones, like the Monkey Laughing at the Sky stone and the Green Turtle Emerging from the Mountain stone..."

The Jiehu boy was talking and Liu Xian was listening. When Liu Xian finished eating the Hu cake, Afule was still narrating the wonders of his hometown. He talked until his throat was smoking, and then he stopped to drink water.

"It seems Shangdang is really good." Liu Xian said, "It's a pity that I didn't have the chance to see it."

A Fule smiled and said, "No matter how beautiful the scenery is, you'll get tired of it after looking at it for a long time. That's why I wanted to go to Luoyang this time."

"Is it enough to visit Luoyang?"

"Of course not." Afule looked up at the sky, a longing sound coming from his throat. "The world is so big, there's more to it than just Luoyang. I also want to see the high winds of Mobei, the river valleys of Longyou, the snow-capped mountains of Liaodong, the spring tides of Jiangnan, the elephants of Minyue, and all the scenery in the world."

Having said this, he lowered his head again and gave Liu Xian a brilliant, pearly smile. His mouth and teeth were stretched out in an unseemly way, yet it also filled people with a genuine joy. He said, "Life is only a few short decades long. If we are stuck in one place, how boring it would be."

Yes, Liu Xian had thought the same thing when he read history books. He, too, wanted to survey the lands of the Nine Provinces with his own two feet. Faced with such a vast world, why should he be confined to a small piece of land instead of conquering it all? However, due to his status as the heir apparent of the Anle Duke, he had never left Luoyang to this day.

Liu Xian suddenly understood why he liked Afule. There was a desolate and wild aura about him that allowed him to express his feelings without restraint. He was like a natural eagle that could soar freely in the sky, and no one could become his obstacle.

Although I have a noble status, I am far less free than him.

Liu Xian couldn't help but ask, "Afu Le, what are you going to do after this?" "I haven't decided yet." Afu Le looked down at the Jingu Garden, a look of longing on his face. "There's no need to think about it. Many things are destined by God, with both good and bad sides. This time in Luoyang, I lost many relatives, but I also got to know you and saw scenery I had never seen before. As long as you have an attitude of enjoying life, there is fun in every day."

A Fule said this, turned around and looked at Liu Xian, "Liu Xian, I really envy you."

"What?" Liu Xian was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "You're not envious of me because I'm richer than you, are you?"

"Hahaha, just wait. Sooner or later, I will be much richer than you." After laughing, Afule's face turned serious again. "I envy you. As the prince of Anle, a hostage who attracts the world's attention, you still have a heart that refuses to be restless. You are so interesting! I dare not imagine how wonderful your future life will be!"

Me? Wonderful? Liu Xian laughed dumbly. His life so far had been mostly lonely and quiet. This was the first time someone had described him in this way. Yet, he couldn't help but be moved, because this was truly what he was pursuing. There was still a fire in his heart, a desire to break free from this cage.

"After today, I will leave Luoyang." Afule said to him, "I have a feeling that we will meet again."

Liu Xian's heart moved, and he also said: "Okay, then I hope to see you successfully next time."

The two men laughed heartily, and while they were joking, Zu Ti suddenly said, "Quiet! The King of Shiping and his men are here!"

Several people immediately held their breath, lying prone to peer into the courtyard. Sure enough, looking down from above, they could see three carriages slowly entering the main courtyard, and pea-sized figures emerged. Liu Xian could clearly see Sima Wei and Sima Xiuhua among them. Shi Chong personally led the clan members forward, surrounding the two and greeting them. Although their expressions could not be discerned, their elegant attire left a deep impression on everyone.

Soon, Shi Chong, Sima Wei, and the others entered the courtyard. The housekeepers then called the guards, ordering them to stand guard around the main courtyard, forming a circular formation to encircle it. Liu Xian mentally counted them—around 117 people, certainly significantly more than the last time he visited.

But he still wanted to ask Zu Ti for confirmation: "Shi Zhi, how many people do you estimate are left in the treasury?"

Zu Ti squinted his eyes and examined them for a long time before answering, "There should be no more than thirty people."

Liu Kun couldn't sit still anymore. He asked, "Everyone is here. When do we start?"

"Don't panic." Liu Cong had already retreated from the cliff edge and stood up to linger. "It's still early, and they're not tired enough yet. Once they have dinner and it's night, with no lights, they'll naturally relax their vigilance. Then we can proceed according to our plan."

His tone and expression were very calm, but the calmer he was, the more everyone could feel the confidence behind him. When they thought that they were about to rob the richest man in the world, their hearts were even more turbulent.

Liu Yao nodded and said, "Although it's still early, it's time for everyone to take their positions." He looked around at the leaders and said, "Before we split up, let's go over the plan one last time."

Everyone nodded and began to make final preparations.

Afule said first, "When night falls and the opportunity is right, I will take ten men and lower them down at night, heading straight for the stables. We will set fire to the stables and release all the horses inside, causing unrest in the garden."

Zu Ti said: "I will take ninety men and lie in ambush in the northeastern woods. When the fire breaks out and the people in the treasury rush out, I will seize the opportunity to force my way through the door and into the treasury."

Liu Yao said, "I will bring two carriages. If you succeed, use the whistling arrows as a signal. I will drive the carriages into the vault, and you will load the gold onto the carriages. Then we will burn the vault as a signal to retreat."

Liu Cong finally said, "At this point, we will all retreat and rendezvous directly at the designated Heyin Ferry. I have already prepared two boats. Once the matter is concluded and the money is divided, my people will return directly to Bingzhou, and everyone will pretend that we have never seen each other."

Liu Xian waited for them to finish speaking, then added, "If it rains heavily today, we won't have to go through so much trouble. We can take advantage of the downpour and rob the gold directly in the rain. We're sure to succeed!"

Liu Kun sighed, "What a shame! If this were to get out, Imperial Household Officer Shi would be humiliated for having lost his gold and silver in Luoyang and not being able to catch the culprit. But who robbed the Jingu Garden right under his nose? I'm afraid the capital will be abuzz with discussion, and the case will eventually become an unsolved mystery."

After saying this, everyone laughed and looked back at the Jingu Garden at the foot of the mountain. They felt that the famous people in the world were just like this, and everything was within the youthful spirit.

At this point, except for Afule and ten other people at the top of the mountain, the rest of the people separated as planned.

At this time, Liu Xian was traveling with Zu Ti and Liu Kun. They walked through the dense forest for about half an hour and arrived at the pre-hidden position. Liu Cong's warriors were already waiting there fully armed. They carried longbows and swords, wore black military uniforms, and led a horse. They looked experienced in archery and horse riding, and were short and strong.

Zu Ti counted the number of people and after confirming that they were correct, he and Liu Xian and Liu Kun found a high place on a large rock with a good view and waited for the signal there.

At this time, Zu Ti suddenly asked Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, if I'm guessing correctly, you didn't join us in robbing the treasury, did you?"

Liu Xian hesitated for a moment. After a few days, he had a good impression of Zu Ti. He decided to tell him the truth and nodded, "While you guys are doing things, I want to take advantage of the chaos to rescue someone."

Zu Ti coughed, touched the hilt of his knife, and asked, "Save someone? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Liu Xian smiled and said, "If you can successfully break into the vault, I will be almost certain of success."

"Well, you are really something." Zu Ti laughed, "So our robbery of the treasury was also a cover for you."

Liu Xian smiled, but felt a little uneasy in his heart. It depended on whether Shi Chong valued the treasury or Lu Zhu more. Liu Xian actually had no answer in his heart.

Gloomy dark clouds were still gathering overhead, and the water vapor seemed to have condensed into waves, silently beating down the people on the ground. Liu Xian prayed in his heart, hoping that the heavy rain would come later. As long as he could hold on until he could rush into Chongqi Tower, everything would be fine.

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(End of this chapter)