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

Chapter 374 Is this what they call passing down the family tradition of farming and scholarship? It's utterly despicable!
Thirty miles outside Chang'an City, there is a long-abandoned village.

The crumbling walls and ruins were overgrown with waist-high weeds, which rustled in the wind, giving the place a desolate feel.

But in the cracked fields at the edge of the village, several men dressed in coarse cloth and short jackets were weakly wielding hoes to dig the ground.

The spring planting season had long passed, and there wasn't a single rice seedling in the field. Their actions seemed more like a pretense, their eyes glancing around warily at passersby.

"Phew... This sun is too strong."

A man wiped the sweat from his brow, muttering under his breath as his hoe left a shallow mark on the ground, barely penetrating the soil.

The person next to him immediately glared at him.

"Stop talking nonsense and keep a close eye on things. If we mess things up, we'll all be in big trouble!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar.

The men immediately straightened up, gripped the short knives hidden at their waists, and stared intently at the source of the sound.

On the official road, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old was riding a small brown-red pony, followed by three attendants with long swords at their waists, slowly heading towards the village.

The boy was wearing a brocade short robe with a jade pendant around his waist. He looked impatient and muttered something under his breath.

"This awful weather, it's getting hotter and hotter. I should never have listened to Cui Dalang and come to this wretched place."

The men in the field exchanged glances, confirming that the boy was coming for the village. The leader, a man with a dark complexion, immediately put down his hoe and hurried to meet him, a simple, honest smile plastered on his face.

"I have met several distinguished guests! May I ask what important matter brings you here?"

The boy, feeling annoyed by the heat, saw someone blocking his way and immediately raised his riding whip, lashing it across the dark-skinned man's face with a "snap."

The copper bar on the whip slashed the man's cheek, and blood instantly seeped out.

"Are you blind? Don't you even know who I am? How dare you block my horse?"

The boy roared, his tone full of arrogance.

The dark-skinned man clutched his face in pain, but dared not show the slightest anger. Instead, he quickly bowed and apologized.

"Yes, yes, please forgive me, sir! It's just that things haven't been peaceful in this village lately. The village head said there were bandits around, and he told us to be careful. I was afraid of offending you, so I took the liberty of stopping you on the road to ask."

"Bandits?"

The boy chuckled, reined in his horse, and looked down at him.

"Don't try to fool me! I was introduced by Cui Dalang. He said you have some fun things here, so he specifically sent me to check it out. If you dare to make up any more excuses, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Cui Dalang?"

The dark-skinned man was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed drastically. He quickly lowered his hand from his face and bowed deeply to the boy.

"So you're a good friend of Master Cui! I was blind and didn't recognize you. Please forgive me! I'll show you the way right away. Tea has been prepared inside."

The young man nodded in satisfaction, dismounted, tossed the riding whip to his attendant, and swaggered forward.

"You're smart enough to know what's good for you. Hurry up and lead the way, don't delay my time."

The dark-skinned man quickly agreed, bowing as he walked ahead, but secretly glanced at the young man's entourage out of the corner of his eye.

The three men had their hands on the hilts of their swords, their expressions wary; they were clearly trained. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stopped, a troubled look on his face.

"Honorable guest, there's something I need to tell you... These are all distinguished guests, and according to the rules, knives are not allowed inside. What about your entourage...?"

"how?"

The boy's face darkened, and he shouted sternly.

"When I go to the Cui family mansion, my attendants can carry knives, but they can't when I come to this wretched place of yours? Or are you deliberately making things difficult for me and not wanting me to go in? If so, I'll go back to Chang'an right now and ask Cui Dalang what kind of place he recommended!"

The dark-skinned man trembled with fear.

He knew Cui's methods; if this young man really went to complain that he had neglected a distinguished guest, he would probably lose his life.

He immediately knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly: "Please forgive me, esteemed sir! It was my foolishness that I forgot about the special privilege for distinguished guests of Master Cui! Your attendants are allowed to carry knives, and I will take you in right away. I would never dare to stop you again!"

"Humph, it would have been better if it had been like this."

The boy snorted and stepped forward. "Hurry up, Yeye has to go back to Chang'an later, he doesn't have time to waste here with you."

The dark-skinned man quickly got up from the ground, not daring to say another word. He hunched over and walked quickly ahead, leading the boy deeper into the village.

The dark-skinned man led the group of boys through the ruins of the deserted village for a while before finally stopping in front of a crooked thatched hut.

The roof was sparsely thatched, revealing mottled wooden beams; the walls were covered with moss; even the door panels had several deep cracks, clearly indicating that it had been neglected for a long time.

"Could this be the place?"

The boy frowned instantly at the dilapidated scene before him, and instinctively pulled back the hem of his brocade robe, as if afraid of getting it on the wildly growing weeds in front of the house. His tone was full of disgust.

"The good place Cui Dalang mentioned, is this dilapidated thatched hut?"

The dark-skinned man quickly bowed and smiled apologetically.

"Young man, don't be impatient. This is just a decoy. The real good place is underground."

As he spoke, he strode forward and gently knocked on the door.

First came three steady, heavy knocks, followed by a short, light tap; the rhythm was clear, obviously a pre-arranged signal.

A moment later, the door creaked open from the inside, and an old woman with gray hair and a wrinkled face poked her head out.

She leaned on a cracked wooden cane, wore coarse cloth clothes covered in patches, and spoke in a trembling voice, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

"Who are you? What are you doing in this old woman's dilapidated house?"

"Aunt Chen, these are some of my friends who are passing through and would like to ask you for a meal."

The dark-skinned man wore a simple, honest smile, but his eyes secretly met those of the old woman.

The old woman squinted her cloudy eyes, peering at the group of young people through the dark-skinned man's shoulder.

Her gaze swept over the jade pendant at the boy's waist and the sword at the attendant's waist, her eyes sharp and unwavering, showing no sign of impending death.

"Eat? Did you bring any money? This old woman is poor and has no means of getting a free meal."

The young man was already unhappy about the dilapidated state of the area, and hearing the old woman's words only made him angrier, so he raised his voice.

"What? You won't let us in? Didn't Cui Dalang tell you?"

"Please wait a moment, sir!"

Seeing that the boy was about to get angry, the dark-skinned man quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, and then whispered to the old woman to add to the situation.

“These are all good friends of Master Cui, and they are all well-off. They certainly won’t be short of money for your meals.”

The boy's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood.

The seemingly ordinary conversation between the old man and the young man was actually a coded exchange, a test to discover their identities.

He stood there silently, waiting for the old woman to relent.

Upon hearing this, the old woman's wariness vanished instantly, replaced by a fawning smile, and even her voice became a few degrees brighter.

"So you are a distinguished guest of Young Master Cui! This old woman has been blind! Please come in, please come in!"

As she spoke, she stepped aside to let the boy and his group into the house.

The thatched hut was empty, with only a wooden table missing a leg and two rickety broken chairs. Some damp firewood was piled in the corner, and a musty smell filled the air.

The old woman walked to a half-person-high old wooden cabinet in the corner, and the dark-skinned man immediately stepped forward to help. Together, the two of them moved the heavy wooden cabinet aside.

Where the cabinet had been resting against the ground, a dark hole had suddenly appeared, with a faint light shining up from below, mixed with muffled noises, and a warm breeze carrying the smells of alcohol and sweat wafted out.

"Is this the way to a better place?"

The boy frowned, peeked into the cave entrance, and his brows furrowed even more.

"Couldn't we have used the main entrance? Why did we have to crawl through this dark hole?"

"Yes, yes, there is another main entrance."

The dark-skinned man nodded quickly, then hesitated before speaking.

"But the other entrance is several miles away, and that area..."

“My sir, it’s close by and the path is easy to walk. There are flat stone steps down there, so it’s no trouble at all.”

The old woman suddenly interrupted him, glancing quickly at the dark-skinned man, her tone urgent, clearly afraid he would let something slip.

The dark-skinned man then realized he had almost said something inappropriate and quickly agreed.

"Yes, yes, it's close by. It's only a short walk from here, no trouble at all."

The boy sighed helplessly. Although he was dissatisfied, he didn't want to turn back and take a detour, so he could only wave his hand.

"Alright, alright, since we're here, let's leave."

As he spoke, he lifted his foot to step into the cave.

"Ouch! Young man, wait a minute!"

Suddenly, a servant's voice came from behind. The man clutched his stomach, his face pale, and bent over, looking pained.

"I'm suddenly experiencing severe abdominal pain, probably from eating something bad this morning. I need to go to the outhouse first, so please wait a moment, young sir!"

"You piece of shit!"

The boy flew into a rage, turned around, and kicked the attendant in the leg.

"Why did I have to poop now of all times?! Lazy people have so much poop and pee, it's really ruining my mood!"

He snorted coldly and waved his hand impatiently.

"Get out! You wait here outside. I'll take you back to Chang'an after I'm done!"

The attendant immediately prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed to apologize. Only after the boy and two other attendants followed the dark-skinned man into the cave and their figures completely disappeared into the darkness did he slowly stand up. The pain on his face instantly faded, replaced by a hint of vigilance.

He gave the old woman an awkward smile.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. Is there a public toilet nearby?"

The old woman's smile faded, and she spoke with a somber expression.

"There is a latrine, but the roads in this village are confusing, and you might not be able to find it. I'll have someone take you there."

"Thank you very much, Auntie."

The attendant smiled and nodded, but his eyes secretly swept over the furnishings in the room, memorizing the location of the opening and the appearance of the wooden cabinet.

Meanwhile, the boy followed the dark-skinned man down the steep stone steps. Oil lamps were lit on both sides of the passage, their dim light illuminating the damp walls, and the noise in the air grew clearer.

After walking for about half an incense stick's time, the area ahead suddenly opened up.

It turned out to be a spacious underground space, with a sturdy wooden beam supporting the ceiling and many oil lamps embedded in the walls, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

The space was bustling with excitement, filled with shouts, the clinking of dice, and the clinking of glasses.

In the open space in the middle, several women dressed in light dance costumes were swaying their waists to the music. Their slender waists swayed gracefully, and their dance moves were so elegant that they drew bursts of laughter and whistles from the people around them.

The surrounding area was filled with gambling tables.

Some tables were covered with blue cloth, and several people were playing leaf games around them. Some people were clapping the table with joy, while others were rubbing their legs in frustration.

Some tables had dominoes on them, and the dealer shouted "Open the cards!" while the people around held their breath, staring intently at the cards on the table.

Other tables were crowded with people throwing dice around a ceramic pot. The moment the dice landed in the pot, everyone's eyes were glued to the opening. The winners cheered and jumped for joy, while the losers cursed and swore.

But as the boy scanned the area, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Most of the gamblers were dressed in coarse cloth shorts, some with their shirts open, some with their arms bare, their faces greasy, their behavior rude, and their mouths full of foul language.

They were clearly scoundrels and idlers from outside the city, and even some emaciated farmers, obviously lured here.

"This shabby place dares to call itself a good place?"

The boy pointed at those people, his tone full of anger.

"Did Cui send me here to watch these filthy people gamble?"

The dark-skinned man was startled and quickly stepped forward, lowering his voice to explain, "Young master, please calm down. This place is frequented by rough men, certainly not worthy of your status! The real distinguished guests are in the inner room, in private elegant rooms, with the finest wine and dishes, grape wine from the Western Regions, and even more beautiful dancers. Please come with me, we'll be there shortly!"

As he spoke, he quickly led the boy toward a wooden door with a brocade curtain hanging deep inside the space, afraid that the boy might actually get angry and turn away.

The dark-skinned man led the boy into the inner room, but after only a few dozen steps, footsteps suddenly came from ahead, and several well-dressed men escorted one person as they walked in.

The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in a blue brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist. He had a neatly trimmed goatee and a fair complexion, which made him look somewhat refined, a stark contrast to the noisy underground gambling den.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the dark-skinned man's expression changed drastically. He quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke with a hint of awe.

"This humble servant greets Mr. Mo."

"Ah."

Mr. Mo simply nodded, but his gaze passed over him and landed on the boy, his brows furrowing unconsciously.

The boy in front of me looked no more than eleven or twelve years old. Although he was wearing a brocade short robe and had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, exuding a bit of nobility, how could a child of such a young age have found this hidden underground gambling den?
“Mr. Mo, this is a distinguished guest introduced by Mr. Cui. He comes from Chang’an.”

The dark-skinned man quickly explained, afraid of offending the other party.

"Oh? A distinguished guest from Chang'an?"

A hint of suspicion flashed in Mr. Mo's eyes. He took two steps forward, stood in front of the boy, and cupped his hands in greeting.

"My name is Mo Anshan, and I am in charge of this place. May I ask which family's young master this distinguished guest is from? That would allow me to know how to entertain him."

"Hmph, you lackey of the Cui family, how dare you ask my name?"

The young man snorted coldly, slightly raising his chin, his tone full of the arrogance of a spoiled brat.

Upon hearing this, Mo Anshan showed no anger whatsoever, and continued to smile warmly.

“You are right, esteemed guest. I was being presumptuous. This place is meant for enjoyment, so there is no need to be concerned about status. Young man, please enjoy yourself.”

After saying this, he bowed slightly to the boy, then turned to look at the dark-skinned man, his tone instantly turning colder.

"Stay with the young master properly, or you'll be in for a beating!"

"Yes, yes, yes! I will serve you with all my heart and dare not make any mistakes!"

The dark-skinned man quickly agreed, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

Mo Anshan turned back to look at the boy, his smile gentle.

"I have other important matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

"Wait a minute."

Just as Mo Anshan turned to leave, the boy suddenly spoke, his voice clear yet carrying an undeniable force.

Mo Anshan paused, turned around, and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Is there anything else, young master?"

The boy suddenly laughed, his previous arrogance vanished instantly, and his eyes sharpened, like a fledgling eagle hunting its prey.

"I think it's boring for him to keep me company. How about we ask Mr. Mo to accompany me instead?"

He pointed to the dark-skinned man beside him, his tone tinged with amusement.

Mo Anshan's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal, but his tone became more tentative.

“Young master, your actions are against the rules here. I have other matters to attend to and I am afraid I cannot accompany you to your heart’s content.”

"Oh?"

The boy raised an eyebrow, took a step forward, and stood no more than three feet away from Mo Anshan. He lowered his voice, but every word was clear.

"How can there be any rules for running such a filthy gambling den, luring people and amassing wealth privately?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Anshan's smile vanished completely, his eyes turning icy cold. He stared intently at the boy, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly chuckled softly.

“Young master is quite perceptive. Since you are in the mood, I certainly won’t be negligent. But may I attend to an urgent matter first? It will only take half an incense stick’s time. Once I’m done, I’ll come and drink with you.”

"No."

The boy refused without hesitation, his tone resolute.

"I want you to come and keep me company."

Mo Anshan's brows furrowed sharply, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

The men beside him also sensed something was wrong and stepped forward, placing their hands on their waists.

A short knife was clearly hidden there, and the person stared at the boy with an unfriendly expression, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.

The dark-skinned man standing to the side was completely dumbfounded, standing there helplessly, his mind a complete mess.

What exactly happened here?
Everything was fine just a moment ago, how did things suddenly become so tense?

This young man is clearly a distinguished guest introduced by Cui Langjun, how dare he speak to Mr. Mo like that?
Mr. Mo is a favorite of the Cui family. Ordinary people would be too busy currying favor with him. Isn't this young man afraid of offending the Cui family?
He secretly glanced at the boy, only to see that the boy's face had lost all its playful expression, his eyes were as cold as ice, and he was staring intently at Mo Anshan, as if he were examining his prey.

"Is the young master going to kill us all?"

Mo Anshan narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing in his long, narrow pupils, like a wolf driven to the brink of despair, staring intently at Wen He, his tone full of tense pressure.

He tried to appear calm and took a half-step back, his fingertips secretly touching the short knife at his waist, but his voice was trembling with urgency.

"This place has been hidden underground for more than ten years, and the money embezzled here is more than a million strings of cash!"

“Gaoyang County Magistrate, if you are willing to show leniency, all this money can be yours! The brothers of the Hundred Cavalry will also get a share. From now on, several thousand strings of cash will be sent to the Hundred Cavalry camp every month, as long as you keep it a secret and don’t investigate this matter again, how about it?”

Wen He sneered inwardly.

Sure enough, his true identity had been seen through long ago. His feigned playboy demeanor earlier was merely to lull the other party into a false sense of security; now it seemed that Mo Anshan did have some discernment.

"Gaoyang County?!"

A sudden exclamation rang out. The dark-skinned man, upon hearing this, was so frightened that his legs went weak and he leaned heavily against the wall.

His eyes widened as he stared intently at Wen He, his mind completely blank.

The boy in front of me, who looks no more than eleven or twelve years old, is actually Wen He, the "Hundred Rider Killer" who is rumored to be in charge of a hundred riders and has ruthless methods.
I dared to put on airs in front of him just now, even leading him into this gambling den. It was like stroking a tiger's whiskers!
Fortunately, the surrounding drums and music, along with the shouts of gamblers, quickly drowned out his exclamation. Those immersed in the gambling and dancing were completely unaware of the commotion.

Wen He ignored the limp, dark-skinned man and instead looked at Mo Anshan with interest: "You're smarter than I thought."

He stroked his chin, his tone tinged with amusement.

"I thought I played the role of a spoiled brat quite convincingly, so how did you recognize me at a glance?"

"It's not that I'm clever, but that in Chang'an, Master Cui has never had a friend of the same age as the county magistrate."

Mo Anshan chuckled self-deprecatingly, the tension on his face easing somewhat, replaced by a hint of helplessness.

He paused, then added, "But I never expected that the county magistrate would be so perceptive, seeing through my plan to slip away at a glance."

He had said he had to take care of some business, but in reality he wanted to slip away and find a chance to inform Cui Wei. However, he did not expect that Wen He would not give him a chance to breathe.

Wen He smiled calmly, her tone steady yet sharp: "You left in too much of a hurry. Since you know I am a good friend of Cui Wei, given the Cui family's style, how could you, as the person in charge, not personally and warmly entertain me, but instead hand me over to a servant? This is completely contrary to the etiquette of the gentry. Such deliberate distancing, what else could it be but guessing my identity?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Anshan's face paled slightly. He gave a self-deprecating laugh and bowed solemnly to Wen He.

"I have always considered myself to be cautious in my actions, but I never expected to make a mistake in such a detail. Thank you for your guidance, sir."

After the ceremony, he looked up at Wen He again, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes, and asked her a question.

"I wonder if the county magistrate is interested in my proposal? A million strings of cash, plus several thousand strings of cash in monthly stipends, would be enough to ensure that you and your brothers in the Hundred Cavalry have no worries about food and clothing. It is far more worthwhile than making a contribution."

He didn't believe Wen He could resist such temptation.

Even the most upright official is not immune to the temptation of millions of coins.

Moreover, Wen He was originally from a humble rural background.

Wen He slowly shook her head, her eyes filled with pity, as if looking at a confused person: "Mr. Mo, you're confused."

He took a step forward, his voice clear and firm.

"If I take you down and destroy this gambling den, won't all the money here still be mine?"

"Why would I make a deal with you when I can gain merit, recover the stolen money, and uncover Cui Wei behind you? It's a win-win situation."

Wen He's words instantly shattered Mo Anshan's last glimmer of hope.

The color drained from his face at a visible speed, and his lips trembled slightly.

But in a short while, he forced himself to calm down, a fierce composure flashing in his eyes.

"I don't understand what you're saying, Mr. Wen."

Mo Anshan slowly took a step back, deliberately keeping his voice steady, trying to distance himself from the situation.

"This private gambling den was set up by me alone and has no connection whatsoever with Master Cui or the Cui family. County magistrate, please do not make any unfounded accusations and tarnish the reputation of our distinguished family."

Wen He raised an eyebrow.

He is a loyal man; even in this predicament, he is still thinking about protecting his master.

But what he wanted was never Mo Anshan's verbal confession, but irrefutable evidence.

He spoke calmly.

"Whether it's related to the Cui family or not is not for you to decide. Since you say you set this place up, why don't you come back to the Hundred Cavalry Camp and have a good chat with me?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Mo Anshan's expression changed drastically.

He abruptly took another step back, his hand resting on the short sword at his waist, and shouted sharply, "You think it'll be that easy for you to lead me back with a hundred cavalrymen, sir!"

The four guards beside him reacted instantly, drawing their swords, the blades gleaming coldly under the oil lamp, and approaching Wen He.

"Young master, be careful!"

Zhang Wenxiao, who had been hiding in the shadows waiting for his chance, immediately rushed out, drew his long sword, and instantly shielded Wen He behind him, confronting Mo Anshan's men.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the entrance. Dozens of riders rushed in from the tunnel entrance.

"Take down everyone here! Don't let a single one escape!"

Wen He immediately shouted, his voice piercing through the clamor of the gambling den. The musicians who had been playing, upon hearing this sharp shout, trembled, and the strings...
It snapped with a "bang," and the joyful drumming came to an abrupt end.

Those who were engrossed in the gambling turned around in surprise, their faces still showing signs of excitement, not understanding what had happened.

"What are you waiting for? I'm on a winning streak today, and I'm going to win all your chips this round!"

Beside a gambling table, a middle-aged man with a flushed face, oblivious to the commotion around him, shouted wildly and reached for the leaf cards on the table. When he saw that he had the highest card value, he burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! We're rich! Put your chips in... Hey? What are you all looking at?"

He turned his head with a smile, only to see a group of a hundred riders dressed in black armor, holding long swords and walking quickly toward him. The words "hundred riders" on their armor were particularly eye-catching.

The middle-aged man's smile froze instantly, then his face turned deathly pale, and he screamed.

"Yes, it's the Hundred Riders! Help!"

The scream was like a pebble thrown into water, instantly creating ripples.

The entire gambling den descended into complete chaos.

The gamblers scattered and fled, some trying to run towards the tunnel entrance, but were stopped and forced to turn back.

Some crawled under the table, only to be dragged out by the 100 riders; others tried to resist, but were instantly silenced when long swords were held to their necks.

Even those hiding in the elegant rooms panicked upon hearing the words "hundred riders".

A few panicked screams rang out, and a group of men and women, barely clothed and not even having time to put their clothes back on, ran out of the private room.

But they had only run a few steps when they were stopped by the hundred riders guarding the gate, and one by one they were pinned to the ground and unable to move.

"How dare you! My father is a physician in the Ministry of Civil Affairs!"

"I am a member of the royal family, how dare you... no, don't hit me in the face!"

"I am from Guangning... Ah! You, you... Be gentle, your arm is going to break!"

Chaos erupted, with cries of pain echoing everywhere.

Over a hundred men were captured by dozens or hundreds of cavalrymen.

As Mo Anshan looked at the chaotic yet firmly controlled scene before him, his expression grew increasingly grim.

By this time, he was already surrounded by a hundred riders and had no way to escape.

“You, sir of Gaoyang County, are indeed difficult to deal with.”

Mo Anshan stared at Wen He, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Unfortunately, you were still one step behind."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly pulled a small white porcelain bottle from his sleeve. The cap was already unscrewed, and a faint bitter smell emanated from it.

"The only thing in this world that can take my life is myself!"

As he spoke, he brought the porcelain bottle to his lips.

He actually wanted to commit suicide by poisoning himself and refused to confess his guilt.

"not good!"

Zhang Wenxiao reacted quickly, exclaiming in alarm as he rushed forward to stop them, but the distance was too great and he couldn't make it in time.

Just at this critical moment, a "whoosh" sound was heard as the air was cut through.

An arrow flew past Zhang Wenxiao and pierced Mo Anshan's right arm, which was holding the bottle!

"Ah!" Mo Anshan screamed in pain, and the porcelain bottle in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang". The black venom inside spilled onto the stone slab, instantly emitting tiny white wisps of smoke and making a "sizzling" sound.

"Take it!"

Wen He put down the crossbow in his hand and said coldly.

The surrounding cavalry immediately stepped forward, pinned the injured Mo Anshan to the ground, and tied him tightly with ropes. No matter how much he struggled and cursed, he could not break free.

Fan Biao, who was standing beside Wen He, looked at the arrow on the ground, then at Wen He, and praised him without reservation: "Young master, your archery skills are becoming more and more exquisite! At such close range, you hit his arm with perfect accuracy, preventing him from taking the poison without killing him. You are truly amazing!"

Wen He smiled and rubbed the bridge of her nose, showing no humility whatsoever, and replied without batting an eye, "That's right, it's all talent."

But secretly, he felt fortunate.

Fortunately, he had practiced crossbow shooting with Li Shimin for quite some time. If he couldn't even hit the target at such close range, he would have really lost face.

Mo Anshan was bound hand and foot with thick hemp rope. Blood from the arrow wound on his right arm soaked through his clothes and dripped from his fingertips. The intense pain caused him to shed tears and snot, which hung messily on his face.

Wen He walked slowly to him, looking down at him with a calm but somewhat mocking tone: "It seems you were still one step behind."

"You, sir of Gaoyang County... even if you capture me, what can you do? At worst, you'll just die!"

Mo Anshan was trembling with pain, cold sweat streaming down his face, but he still gritted his teeth and tried to maintain the last bit of dignity.

Wen He suddenly laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He reached out and grabbed Mo Anshan's injured arm. Under the other man's terrified gaze, he yanked the crossbow bolt that was embedded in his flesh out!

"what--!"

A piercing scream instantly echoed throughout the gambling den, and Mo Anshan felt as if all his strength had been drained away.

He knelt down in front of Wen He with a thud, his forehead pressed against the ground, his body convulsing uncontrollably.

Wen He squatted down, wiped the bloodstains from her hands with a handkerchief, gently patted Mo Anshan's cheek, and spoke with a cold and ruthless tone.

"I dislike it most when people try to act tough in front of me."

"Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily."

After saying that, he stood up and ordered the hundred riders beside him: "Take him away, gag him, and assign two people to guard him. Don't let him try to kill himself."

"Here!"

Two riders stepped forward, roughly lifted Mo Anshan up, gagged him with a wad of cloth, and dragged the heavily wounded man deeper into the passage, leaving only a trail of blood.

After Mo Anshan was taken away, Wen He turned to Fan Biao and said.

"Take men and search this place thoroughly, don't miss any corner, especially money, ledgers, and any suspicious people. Bring them all out."

"Yes!"

Fan Biao immediately accepted the order and led his hundred riders to disperse and begin searching every corner of the gambling den.

Before half an incense stick had burned, Zhang Wenxiao walked over quickly with a solemn expression and bowed to Wen He.

"Young master, we found some women and children in a secret room at the very back of the gambling den. The situation... is not good."

Wen He frowned instantly: "Take me to see him."

Following Zhang Wenxiao through the noisy crowd of prisoners, they reached the deepest part of the gambling den, where they saw four riders standing outside a dilapidated wooden house, each with a solemn expression and furrowed brows.

As Wen He approached, she heard suppressed sobs coming from inside the house.

"What's going on inside?"

Wen He asked.

One of the riders quickly replied, "Reporting to the county, there are more than twenty women and a dozen children inside. The oldest is no more than ten years old, and the youngest is only three or four years old. They are not wearing any clothes, only covered with a tattered blanket. They look like they have been frightened a lot, so we dare not go in."

“In the room next door, there are a dozen or so boys, all of them teenagers.”

The hundred riders who spoke let out a long sigh.

"These people are all beasts!"

Wen He's face darkened instantly. He waved his hand and said, "Bring the person guarding this room over."

Soon, a man dressed in coarse cloth shorts was brought over; he was the same man who had been guarding the entrance to the secret room.

Upon seeing Wen He, his legs went weak with fear, and he knelt down with a thud: "Sir, spare my life! Sir, spare my life!"

"What's going on with these women and children?"

Wen He's voice was as cold as ice.

The man stammered, "It was...it was Mr. Mo who ordered it! He said...this would prevent them from running away, and also make it easier...easier for those distinguished guests to choose..."

"Choose?"

Wen He's eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Where did these people come from?"

The man's eyes darted around, and he stammered, not daring to speak.

Seeing this, Zhang Wenxiao immediately drew his long sword, placed the back of the blade against the man's neck, and shouted sternly, "The county magistrate is asking you a question, answer truthfully! If you dare to conceal anything again, don't blame me for being merciless!"

The cold blade pressed against his neck, and the man was terrified. He cried out and begged for mercy, "I'll talk! I'll talk! These people are... they were all kidnapped from the south!"

Wen He clenched his fists instantly, his knuckles turning white, his eyes filled with rage.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said to Zhang Wenxiao, "Go and call those singers from earlier."

Before long, a dozen or so singers dressed in light dance costumes were brought over. As soon as they saw Wen He, they immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy: "Sir, spare our lives! We were forced into this!"

"Get up."

Wen He's tone softened a bit, and she pointed to the wooden house.

"Please go and get some clean clothes for the people inside."

As soon as she finished speaking, the singers were all stunned for a moment.

Tears welled up in Wen He's eyes as she looked at her.

"My benefactor, my benefactor!"

Suddenly, the crying intensified. One of the bolder singers raised her head and said through tear-filled eyes.

“County girl…we were also abducted, just like the sisters inside.”

“If we don’t obey, they’ll sell us to even more remote places. A few of our sisters resisted before and were tortured to death; their bodies were dumped in mass graves…”

"Please, benefactor, save us!"

Suppressing her anger, Wen He reached out to help the woman up.

Zhang Wenxiao was a step ahead of him, blocking Wen He behind him.

He was worried that the woman's identity was unknown.

"Thank you, thank you," the woman said, sobbing.

The women around her were all weeping, their faces streaked with tears.

Wen He couldn't bear to watch.

"Don't worry, I will stand up for you."

"Thank you, benefactor." The women were about to kneel down again when Wen He stopped them.

"Stop kneeling, or I'll stop caring about you." His cold shout startled the women.

Wen He felt somewhat helpless and inexplicably irritated.

"Let them go help the people inside."

"Here."

The hundred riders responded and took the women away.

After they leave.

"boom!"

Wen He slammed his fist into the wooden pillar beside him, sending wood chips flying. He could no longer contain his anger and shouted angrily.

"This is what they call passing down the family tradition of farming and scholarship? It's worse than that of pigs and dogs!"

Fan Biao, standing to the side, was also furious, his face flushed red. He gritted his teeth and said, "These beasts! They deserve to die!"

Even though he used to be a bully who preyed on the weak.

But even they wouldn't do something so heinous.

Seeing that Wen He was emotionally agitated, Zhang Wenxiao was afraid that he would act impulsively, so he quickly stepped forward to advise him: "Young master, this matter is of great importance. We should first report the situation to His Majesty and let His Majesty make a decision. Please do not act impulsively."

Wen He gave him a cold glance, and Zhang Wenxiao immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word.

But Wen He also knew that Zhang Wenxiao was doing it for his own good and didn't want him to make a mistake out of anger.

He took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his anger, and his tone regained some calmness: "You're right, this matter does indeed need to be reported to His Majesty. However, the most important thing right now is to settle these people properly."

He turned to Fan Biao and instructed, "Immediately send someone back to Chang'an to gather ten carriages and invite several female doctors over. They must be reliable people and cannot leak the news. Also, tonight, brothers, work hard in two shifts to keep watch here, keep an eye on these prisoners, and protect the women and children inside. There must be no more mistakes."

"Here!"

Fan Biao and Zhang Wenxiao agreed in unison and immediately turned around to arrange manpower.

Standing outside the wooden house, Wen He listened to the sounds of dressing and soft words of comfort coming from inside, and her anger subsided slightly.

He couldn't bear to stay there any longer.

The longer he stayed, the more he wanted to lead a hundred cavalrymen into Chang'an to kill people.

So he took Fan Biao to explore the surrounding area.

at this time.

A commotion suddenly arose not far away, accompanied by a familiar shout.

"Brother! Brother! Save your elder brother!"

Wen He turned her head sharply and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

Among the group of prisoners being escorted, a young man in a brocade robe was struggling and shouting in his direction.

(End of this chapter)