Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 273 A hundred riders rise up in resistance and break through the encirclement.

"Rebel!"

Zheng Yuanzhu practically tumbled off the carriage; the hem of his magnificent brocade robe was creased by the wheels and covered in dust from the post road.

He staggered a couple of steps when he landed, a sharp pain shooting through his ankle, but he was oblivious to it. He charged toward the vermilion gate with bloodshot eyes.

A surge of anger rose within him, and he felt like a piece of charcoal pulled from a stove, ready to explode with sparks at any moment.

"Stop him!"

The hundred riders guarding the gate shouted sternly.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, they only caught a glimpse of a figure rushing towards them like a madman, unable to see the face clearly, and assumed it was a counterattack by the remnants of the Zheng family.

More than thirty swords were drawn simultaneously, their black iron blades drawing sharp arcs in the morning light, their cold gleam aimed directly at Zheng Yuanzhu's face.

"Lang Jun!"

The guards' exclamations pierced the morning mist.

The lead guard lunged forward, his arms gripping Zheng Yuanzhu's waist tightly like iron hoops, using every ounce of his strength.

His master's strength at this moment was even more savage than that of the ox pulling the cart.

The remaining guards drew their swords, their blades clashing against the swords of the hundred riders in mid-air, producing a piercing metallic clang that startled the sparrows perched under the eaves, causing them to flutter away in alarm.

Zheng Yuanzhu's gaze passed over the wall of people, like two red-hot awls, stabbing hard into that dark red threshold.

Several corpses covered with straw mats were being carried out by a hundred riders. The grayish-blue clothes of the servants hung down from the corners of the mats, and the bloodstains stained them with a thick, dark red hue in the morning light.

He let out a low growl like a trapped beast, the veins on his forehead throbbing as if they would burst through his skin: "You traitors! Look carefully! This is the residence of the Zheng family of Xingyang! How dare you be so presumptuous before the esteemed family of five surnames and seven prominent clans!"

"Traitors! You traitors!"

He struggled fiercely, tearing the front of his brocade robe askew and revealing his sweat-soaked undergarment underneath.

Spittle flew with his roar, landing on the guards' hands, burning them and making them tremble.

“The Zheng family ambushed a hundred cavalrymen and should be executed.”

The hundred riders took a step forward, their black armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

He slowly sheathed his sword, the soft clanging of the blades clashing together drowning out Zheng Yuanzhu's roar.

The veins on his hand gripping the knife were slightly visible, yet his grip was as steady as a rock. When his gaze swept over the bloodstains in front of the door, he was as calm as if he were looking at the stone slabs under his feet: "We are investigating a case by imperial decree. It was you who first secretly harbored armored soldiers and then attacked us with weapons. Young master has ordered that you act in self-defense and kill us without mercy."

"fart!"

Zheng Yuanzhu suddenly arched his back, almost breaking free from the guards' grip. "My Zheng family has always valued farming and scholarship. How could we commit such a treasonous act! You bunch of traitors and rebels, continuing to slander me, I, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained away and abruptly stopped.

The rumors he had heard on the way, about "Jung Yunho being captured" and "the Jung family mansion being besieged," exploded in his mind like thunder.

Where is my son?

He turned his head sharply, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the centurion, his voice rising abruptly, hoarse and strained.

"What have you done to my son Yunho?!"

Upon hearing this, even the strength to struggle weakened, leaving only a deep sense of panic spreading in her eyes.

"And what about my grandson?!"

An old man's startled cry suddenly came from the street corner. The elderly Cui family of Boling, leaning on a cane and supported by two servants, stumbled over.

His white beard trembled wildly in the morning breeze, and the hem of his blue official robe was stained with mud, indicating that he had also been traveling in haste.

Hearing Zheng Yuanzhu's roar from the carriage earlier had made his heart tighten, and now seeing the scene at the gate, he was terrified.

"This morning, my grandson said he wanted to come here to see Wen He..."

The old man's voice trembled uncontrollably, and his cloudy eyes were fixed on the tightly closed door.

"The court meeting has just ended; he must still be inside! Still inside!"

He recalled his grandson's spirited appearance when he left home, saying he was going to see Wen He, who was now hailed as a reincarnation of Gan Luo in Chang'an, and what kind of predicament he would be in today, so that the arrogant brat would know the power of the aristocratic class.

But the scene before me was bloodstained, with corpses being carried out and a hundred ferocious riders.

They had considered everything, but they never expected Wen He to act unpredictably.

He actually dared to commit massacres against the Zheng family in Xingyang.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest and almost fell to the ground. He was only able to stand up by being held firmly by his servants.

"Break in! Break in!"

The old man, surnamed Cui, suddenly raised his voice, slamming his cane heavily on the ground with a dull thud, the tip of the cane even cracking open.

As if experiencing a sudden burst of lucidity before death, his cloudy eyes flashed with an astonishing light, and he pointed at the gate of the mansion and roared, "Save my grandson! Whoever can save my grandson, the Cui family will reward them handsomely!"

The accompanying guards exchanged glances, their hands gripping the knives trembling slightly.

Looking at the gleaming armor of the riders, at their steady grip on their swords, and then at their own frail bodies, they dared not step forward.

They had all witnessed the speed at which the hundred riders drew their swords. If they had actually charged forward, they probably wouldn't have even reached the gate of the mansion before becoming victims of the swords.

The morning breeze carried the stench of blood from the ground, which mingled eerily with the aroma of noodles wafting from the breakfast stalls along the street.

Zheng Yuanzhu was still struggling in vain, the old man Cui was trembling as he leaned on his cane, and the hundred riders stood like javelins, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

The knife was gleaming brightly.

If any of these people dare to step forward, their blades will fall swiftly.

"It's so lively."

A soft laugh suddenly erupted, carrying a scathing contempt, followed by heavy footsteps, each step deliberate and deliberate, shattering the deathly silence of the morning mist. The sound was unhurried, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

Zheng Yuanzhu froze, and the old man from the Cui family staggered back half a step. The two of them looked up sharply and saw a young man in black robes walking out from behind the vermilion gate.

The Imperial Guards and 100 Riders following behind him had bloodstains on their armor that gleamed eerily red in the morning light, and drops of blood from their blades splashed onto the bluestone slabs, forming tiny red plum blossoms.

They stood silently in two rows, like demons who had just crawled out of a sea of ​​blood, their heavy presence suffocating.

It was like a wall of knives, standing there.

"Father! Father, save me!"

"General Zheng, save me!"

Jung Yunho, who was being dragged by the 100 riders, suddenly burst into a cry, as if a broken gong was stuck in his throat.

His hair was disheveled, and his once spotless moon-white brocade robe was now soaked in blood, with a large tear in the front revealing trembling flesh underneath.

Another member of the Cui family, who was also tied up, was in tears, his usual arrogance and haughtiness vanished in fear.

Who would have thought that while they were laughing at Wen He for being a fool in the study, saying that he had fallen for a trap and was even smug about it, a hundred riders suddenly burst through the door as if they had appeared out of nowhere.

But when they saw the hundred fierce-looking riders barging in, everyone in the study turned pale for a moment.

He still remembers clearly the cold smile on Zhang Wenxiao's lips when he kicked open the study door.

Those people had expressions of fear mixed with disbelief.

"I've seen stupid people, but I've never seen anyone as stupid as you. Are you just waiting to be caught like turtles in a jar?"

Isn't it?

The sounds of fighting in the front yard were deafening, yet they were still leisurely sipping tea and discussing philosophy, showing no basic sense of vigilance whatsoever.

Only a few guards remained at the gate, and they were easily captured by the 100 cavalry.

It wasn't until he was taken to the front yard that Jung Yunho understood what a human tragedy was. More than a hundred guards lay sprawled on the ground, some with their heads chopped off, others with gaping holes in their chests, warm blood flowing into streams that soaked the soles of his boots.

The heavy smell of blood made his stomach churn. When he looked at Wen He again, he felt that this boy was not human, but a demon that had crawled out of hell.

"A hundred riders slaughtered my guards and trespassed on the residence of a third-rank official! Wen He, aren't you afraid of the law?!"

Jung Yunho's voice was weak, but he still tried to maintain his composure.

He stared intently at Wen He, a hint of frantic anticipation hidden in his eyes.

Insult me, mock me—if you show even the slightest arrogance, if you dare utter a single presumptuous word, I will make sure you suffer eternal damnation!
He even forgot that he was a prisoner at the moment; the muscles on his face were twisted, revealing a hint of ferocity.

Cold sweat trickled down his temples and dripped onto his blood-stained brocade robe, leaving a small dark patch, but he didn't notice at all, waiting for Wen He to fall into his final trap.

Wen He simply watched him quietly, as if he were looking at an ant baring its fangs and claws.

The morning breeze ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead, revealing his smooth brow. In his glassy eyes, there was not a trace of anger, only a bottomless calm.

"Wang Fa?"

The boy suddenly spoke, his voice clear and melodious like a mountain stream, yet it made Jung Yunho's heart sink.

"Jung Yunho, you colluded with outsiders to set fire and ambush a hundred cavalrymen. Which of these actions should not be punished according to the law?"

Wen He slowly walked forward, his black robe sweeping across the bloodstains on the ground.

"Or is it that in the eyes of your aristocratic class, the law only binds others, not yourselves?"

Jung Yunho's face instantly turned a deep liver color.

But he quickly calmed down and yelled at Wen He, "Nonsense! This is slander! What evidence do you have that I set the fire? Just because of the threats I made at your residence, you can make that judgment?!"

“But I don’t think I mentioned wool just now.” Wen He’s lips curled up slightly.

Jung Yunho was taken aback, and the muscles on his face twitched a few times.

"What wool? I don't know anything about it. No, I didn't say anything about wool being burned. You, you're bluffing me!"

"Who told you the wool was burned? Someone mentioned wool, so how do you know the wool was burned?"

"No, I mean, it was when you mentioned wool and arson that I came up with this idea."

Jung Yunho quickly tried to explain, his gaze towards Wen He becoming increasingly wary.

This kid actually dared to swindle him repeatedly!

Wen He chuckled softly and shook her head.

Jung Yunho is really not easy to fool; he definitely underestimated these aristocratic scions.

But it doesn't matter, once we bring back the Hundred Riders, we're not afraid he won't confess.

The other aristocratic scions, seeing that Wen He was also going to take them away, hurriedly cried out.

“Mr. Wen, this matter has nothing to do with us. We are just guests here today.”

"Yes, yes, today's events were a conspiracy between the Cui and Zheng families of Boling. We know nothing about it. I am Cui Yuan of the Cui family of Qinghe. You, you cannot take me away!"

The one who shouted looked to be in his early twenties. Although he was tied up, he still held his head high with arrogance.

The Cui family of Qinghe was the foremost aristocratic family in the Tang Dynasty.

"Ahem, Jiaying, this matter requires careful consideration," Xu Jingzong stepped forward and reminded her in a low voice.

Even Zhang Wenxiao, who was standing to the side, nodded silently.

The Cui family has countless disciples and former officials.

There are quite a few people in the court who are involved with them.

Many high-ranking officials had marriage alliances with them.

For example, Cheng Zhijie's wife was from the Cui family of Qinghe.

The two were worried that Wen He would offend the people of Qinghe Cui.

“We are the Hundred Riders, His Majesty’s Hundred Riders!” Wen He coldly replied with only ten words.

Xu Jingzong and Zhang Wenxiao were taken aback for a moment, but then they understood what Wen He meant.

They are His Majesty's Hundred Cavalry, so there can be no excessive restraint.

Everything should be done in the best interests of His Majesty.

"Take it!"

Zhang Wenxiao immediately stopped hesitating.

He came from the Imperial Guard during the Yuan Dynasty, and everything he owns now comes from the emperor. As for what aristocratic families have to do with him, that's irrelevant.

Just as they were taking down those weeping and wailing aristocratic families, Zheng Yuanzhu's furious roar suddenly came from outside.

"Why are you back so early?" Xu Jingzong was taken aback.

"It seems His Majesty has cancelled today's court meeting," Wen He chuckled.

Knowing that someone was plotting a rebellion, Li Shimin naturally had no desire to attend court.

Wen He then asked Zhang Wenxiao to go out first to calm Zheng Yuanzhu and the others down.

Then Zhao Qin and the hundred cavalrymen lined up and escorted the aristocratic youths out together.

Facing Wen He, whom he was meeting for the first time, Zheng Yuanzhu was filled with rage.

I wanted nothing more than to rush up and tear that little thief to pieces.

However, standing beside him were the most elite imperial guards and 100 cavalry of the Tang Dynasty.

With just his guards and Cui's men, they would probably be beheaded in a single charge.

"A hundred riders slaughtered my Zheng clan. Could it be that His Majesty intends to exterminate my five surnames and seven noble families?!"

Seeing that his son was unharmed, Zheng Yuanzhu regained some composure.

He then remembered the trap he had set for Wen He.

As long as his son is safe, the deaths of a few more guards are nothing.

In his eyes, those people were nothing more than a pack of watchdogs.

In the eyes of Zheng Yuanzhu and the elder of the Cui family in Boling, Wen He's actions had become an opportunity.

That's why Zheng Yuanzhu included Li Shimin in his scheme.

"The Zheng family hoarded weapons and armor and colluded with the Turks to burn the winter clothes of the garrison soldiers. I had the authority granted by His Majesty to act expediently, but when I entered the garrison to search, I was ambushed by the Zheng family and seriously wounded. Therefore, a hundred cavalrymen rose up to resist and fought their way out of the encirclement!"

If Zheng Yuanzhu can distort the truth, why can't I?

"Ahem, Jiaying, you don't look seriously injured at all," Xu Jingzong coughed lightly.

Not to mention being injured, Wen He was completely unharmed, thanks to the protection of the Hundred Riders and the Imperial Guards.

"Internal injury," Wen He replied without batting an eye.

His words immediately enraged Zheng Yuanzhu and the old man from the Cui family of Boling, who glared at him with wide eyes.

shameless.

That brat is shameless!

(End of this chapter)