Her guards

Chapter 16 Lockdown and Violence

Opposite the Jiang family's corpses at the city gate were the corpses of Li Hao's bodyguard, Li Zhen, and others who had committed suicide by poisoning themselves.

The Jiang family's corpses were already rotting and stinking, while the Li family's corpses were still fresh and exuded a strong stench of blood. For a moment, the city gate smelled like a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

The city gate guards, who thought they were used to standing on the city gate, felt dizzy and occasionally gagged.

However, Wei Jiao, dressed in a black robe with red underneath, sat calmly among the corpses, still having breakfast.

A woman in embroidered clothes knelt on the ground, using her back as a table.

Another embroidered-clothes officer reported on the interrogation: "Old Madam Li is only half alive. She won't say anything and only wants to die. The other women, children and the elderly know nothing when asked."

Wei Jiao picked up a piece of steamed cake and threw it into his mouth, saying, "She's unlucky. She's not as quick as Li Zhen. If she wants to die, she'll just have to suffer. Bring the women, children, and elderly of the Li family to her and cut them off one by one. Let's see if she'll talk."

The embroidered-clothed woman responded with a "Yes."

The officials who were originally imprisoned in the county government office, as well as the local powerful families, were naturally brought here as well. After being surrounded by the stench of the corpses, they turned ashen-faced upon hearing this, and understood why Li Zhen had died so quickly...

Although the words "a life for a life" were present at the scene, it doesn't necessarily count as evidence. Li Zhen's suicide by poisoning directly indicates that there were indeed problems with the Li family. At the time, I thought Li Zhen was really out of his mind; he could have easily portrayed himself as a victim...

Now it seems that if I didn't die at the hands of that villain, I would have died at the hands of Wei Jiao. In comparison, it would have been more pleasant to die by my own hand.

County Magistrate Huang Zhi also stopped speaking up for the Li family. Although he didn't know why the Li family had wiped out the entire Jiang family—Wei Jiao said the Jiang family was plotting a rebellion, so surely the Li family wasn't doing this out of a sense of justice to eliminate traitors?
Let's leave these aside for now and wait until Xiuyi interrogates the Li family.

The most pressing question now is: who killed the Li family? He couldn't help but look around. Had the culprit been hiding in Zhao County all along, waiting for Li Hao and the others to return?

Or perhaps they followed us in from the outside?
Why not kill Li Hao and the others outside?
Was the intention to take action in Zhao County as a show of force? Or a provocation?
This is outrageous!

Is the perpetrator still in Zhao County?

"Commander Wei." Magistrate Huang disregarded his status and age, and his previous arrogance and dissatisfaction vanished. He bowed deeply to Wei Jiao, his voice trembling, "Please, Commander Wei, apprehend the culprit quickly."

Seeing this, everyone else knelt down, prostrating themselves on the ground and pleading, "Please, Your Honor, apprehend the culprit!" and "Save the people of Zhao County!"

Looking at the people whose attitudes had changed drastically, Wei Jiao laughed and said, "I should thank this villain for clearing my name and proving that I did not make things difficult for you in Zhao County without reason."

After saying that, he smiled at the people who were kneeling on the ground.

"Don't worry, I've already placed Zhao County under martial law, allowing only entry and no exit. That thug committed murder last night and hasn't been able to leave yet."

Magistrate Huang said with some urgency, "Please, Your Excellency, quickly order a search and arrest."

Other people kneeling on the ground also expressed their willingness to do everything they could to help with the search and capture.

Wei Jiao raised his foot and stepped on the back of the embroidered man kneeling in front of him, propping his chin up and raising his eyebrows.

"No rush. Treason is a capital offense. I don't care whether you die by my hand or by the traitors."

His gaze swept over the kneeling crowd, his beautiful eyes shining with joy.

"I wonder whose family will be wiped out tonight."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Huang and the kneeling crowd looked up in despair at the smiling young captain before them, and then at the corpses displayed around them. They felt that Zhao County was simply a ghost town.

.........

.........

The news spread quickly.

In an instant, the streets of Zhao County were deserted again.

The people in the inn were also in a state of panic.

"The city gates are closed?"

"The culprit is still in the city? Oh my god, that's very dangerous. No, I have to leave."

“The embroidered guards are stationed at the four city gates. Anyone who dares to break in will be treated as a criminal and executed on the spot.”

Upon hearing this, the people who were about to rush out became weak in the knees, panicked and at a loss. Some demanded that the inn waive their room and meal fees, while others demanded that the inn guarantee their safety. The noise was deafening.

The innkeepers weren't exactly friendly either: "If you have any complaints, go find Xiuyi!"

Mo Zheng took out a few pieces of silver from her purse and handed them to a shop assistant: "Then we can only trouble you for a few more days." The shop assistant waved his hand and refused: "You've already shown us understanding by not arguing with us, how can we accept your money?"

Mo Zheng stuffed the money into the shop assistant's hand, not allowing him to refuse any further: "Please prepare some more of the herbs I used before. My young lady is frail, just in case."

"You need medicine?" the shop assistant said without hesitation. "Don't worry, I'll go prepare it right away."

As night fell, the inn returned to silence.

The guests dared not venture into the city gate guarded by the embroidered-robed official, and fearing that the thugs in the city might go mad and commit violence, they retreated to their rooms to pray for safety.

Mo Zheng pushed open the door and entered carrying a bowl of herbal soup, immediately filling the room with a rich medicinal aroma.

"Miss," he said softly, looking at Yang Luo who was sitting with her brows furrowed as if deep in thought, "are you divining about the embroidered clothes?"

Yang Luo was slightly nervous when asked the question. Indeed, she was recalling information about embroidered clothes from her previous life.

After arriving in the capital, she was kept at home by her aunt and could only go out a handful of times. Even when she did go out, it was only to visit temples. However, her cousin was the princess's companion and could travel outside and enter and leave the palace. She was well-informed and loved to show off, so she told a lot of interesting stories.

Among them was Wei Jiao, who was in charge of embroidered clothing.

"Wei Jiao is very good-looking."

"The princesses all like him."

"Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong had a fight because of Wei Jiao, but it was pointless. Wei Jiao ignored them and only listened to Princess Heping."

She listened with great interest at the time, but whether someone was good-looking or not, and whether the princesses were jealous of each other, were all useless information.

"Well?" the hunter boy asked expectantly. "Is there a usable way to get out of this predicament?"

Yang Luo felt a little ashamed under that expectant gaze: "Well, my prophecy isn't always accurate."

Mo Zheng said "oh" and didn't ask any more questions. She handed over the medicine bowl and said, "Miss, drink this calming soup and get a good night's sleep."

The boy was very sensible and didn't press her endlessly. Yang Luo was grateful, but when she looked at the bowl of medicine handed to her, she shook her head: "I won't drink it. I'll stay vigilant too. I can't always make you worry."

The medicine smelled even stronger than the one she drank yesterday, so it must be even more effective. She didn't want to fall into a deep sleep again.

Although she had asked him to be her bodyguard and believed in his abilities, she wouldn't really rely on someone else entirely.

Mo Zheng didn't try to persuade her any further: "Then it's too good to waste once it's cooked. I'm sorry to trouble you, Miss. I'll get a good night's sleep tonight."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and gulped down the medicine.

Yang Luo couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, I'll keep watch. You get some sleep and conserve your energy so you're mentally prepared for any danger."

Because the thugs are in the city, and just in case they kill indiscriminately, Asheng and Yang Luo will sleep in the same room tonight.

Mo Zheng walked to the makeshift bed made of chairs, and Yang Luo brought him a quilt. Mo Zheng wrapped himself in the quilt and lay down to sleep without any hesitation.

Whether it was genuine exhaustion or the effects of the tranquilizer, the boy quickly fell asleep. The knife and sword he had bought along the way for self-defense were laid out to the side, along with a bamboo pole.

Yang Luo remembered that the young hunter always carried a bamboo pole, and he didn't throw it away when he left Lu County.

"It's a bamboo pole from the mountains; carrying it, I won't miss home."

Yes, this is the first time the young hunter has left his hometown. Although he is an orphan, he still finds it hard to leave his homeland.

After all, he was only a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.

Actually, the boy was younger than her.

Yang Luo felt a touch of pity, but as she leaned closer, she noticed that the bamboo pole seemed a bit new, different from the previous one…

Perhaps startled by his closeness, the young hunter rolled over.

Yang Luo quickly stood up straight, no longer disturbing him, turned off the lamp on the table, and sat in the darkness to recall that life.

Try your best to find, remember, and memorize all the information; you never know which one might save your life.

She cannot let down the chance God gave her to be reborn.

(End of this chapter)