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

Chapter 376 These damned Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, I've wanted to beat them up for ages!
"Where's Wen He? Where's that little baby?!"

As soon as Li Daozong dismounted, the hem of his brocade robe still covered in dust, he strode toward the entrance of the deserted village, his voice full of impatience.

He lashed his riding whip at the ground, sending a few pebbles flying, clearly eager to see Wen He and find out the whereabouts of his younger brother, Li Daoxing.

Upon seeing this, the two centurions guarding the village entrance immediately stepped forward, crossed their swords in front of them, and said in a deep voice, "King Rencheng, please stop!"

"Go away!"

Li Daozong glared at him, his tone tinged with impatience.

"You two lowly soldiers dare to block my path?"

As the Prince of Rencheng and a general with outstanding military achievements, he was always able to pass through the camps of the Twelve Guards of Chang'an without any obstruction. Even captains had to bow to him when they saw him. He had never been stopped by two ordinary soldiers.
But the two riders showed no sign of backing down; instead, they gripped their swords tightly and spoke with unwavering resolve.

"Excuse me, Prince Rencheng, but without the young master's orders, no one is allowed to enter this place!"

"Straight bitch!"

Li Daozong's mouth twitched with anger, and his grip on the riding whip tightened until his knuckles turned white.

"It was Wen He who sent me. How dare you stop me? Get out of my way!"

He was already seething with anger inside.

This morning, I was pulled aside by my uncle Li Shentong and cousin Li Xiaogong to discuss the matter of the imperial family's stipends and fiefs.

The two insisted that he go to meet the emperor with them. He finally managed to find an excuse to decline, but before he could catch his breath, he received a message from Wen He that his younger brother, Li Daoxing, had run into trouble outside the city.

He rode at breakneck speed, circling around several times before finally finding the deserted village.

I never expected I couldn't even get through the door, how could I not be angry?

Do you really think your Hundred Cavalry is the Willow Camp?

"Prince Rencheng, please wait a moment."

One of the hundred riders still refused to give in.

"I will go and inform the young master immediately. Once he grants your permission, you may enter."

Having said that, he turned to go and report.

"No need to report!"

Li Daozong roared angrily and then tried to force his way in.

He refused to believe that these two hundred riders would dare to lay a hand on him.

Just then, a cold shout suddenly came from not far away: "Prince Rencheng, what are you doing?"

The voice was familiar yet carried a hint of authority, causing Li Daozong to abruptly stop.

He turned around at the sound and saw Wen He walking quickly toward him.

The boy's face was cold and his eyes held a hint of chill, clearly indicating that he had witnessed what had just happened.

Li Daozong's anger subsided by a third in an instant, but looking at Wen He's appearance, he vaguely felt that something was wrong.

He put away his riding whip, forced a smile, and strode forward to greet him: "Little one, you've finally come out! Where is my brother? You sent someone to say he was in trouble, could it be that he was kidnapped by bandits?"

As he spoke, he looked around, trying to spot Li Daoxing behind Wen He.

Wen He stood still, staring at him coldly.

Li Daozong felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, scratched his head, and asked in confusion, "Why are you staring at me like that? Could it be... that something serious has happened to my brother?"

Do you know where you are?

Wen He did not answer his question, but instead asked a question in return, her tone calm but with an undeniable seriousness.

Li Daozong was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously glanced around.

The village was deserted and dilapidated, with a faint musty smell in the air; it didn't look like a good place at all.

He frowned and asked tentatively, "Could it be... a den of thieves?"

Wen He slowly shook his head and uttered four words: "Private gambling den."

"what?!"

Li Daozong's eyes widened instantly, and the smile on his face froze completely.

He took a step back abruptly, staring at Wen He in disbelief, then at the desolate village behind him, his voice trembling slightly: "You're saying... this is a privately run gambling den?"

He finally understood why Wen He looked so grim, and he also understood why the two riders had blocked him from entering.

The laws of the Tang Dynasty strictly prohibited private gambling, especially for members of the imperial family. If found guilty, they would be punished with caning at the very least, and stripped of their titles at worst. This was quite a problem for him, as the elder brother.

Upon hearing Wen He utter the words "private gambling den," Li Daozong felt his temples throb, and the last shred of hope in his heart vanished completely.

He knows his brother too well.

People in Chang'an said that Li Daozong was a scoundrel, but Li Daoxing was ten times more outrageous.

He was mediocre in both literature and martial arts, but proficient in all vices, including eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring.

There wasn't a single gambling den or brothel in Chang'an that he hadn't visited.

If it weren't for his father, Li Shao, holding his hand and telling him to take good care of his younger brother before he passed away, he would have let that good-for-nothing fend for himself long ago.

"Let's go, I'll take you to see him."

Wen He's voice interrupted Li Daozong's thoughts. The young man turned and walked towards the depths of the deserted village, the hem of his black outfit swaying gently in the wind.

Li Daozong took a deep breath, suppressed his agitation, and quickly followed.

Along the way, he could see the hundred knights guarding the prisoners and taking inventory of the gambling den's property in an orderly manner. Occasionally, he could also hear the low sobs of the abducted women and children, which made his anger rise even higher.

If Li Daoxing had only been gambling in Chang'an, it would have been one thing, but he actually went to such a filthy place outside the city, which might even be involved in human trafficking. If the Imperial Clan Court found out, even he wouldn't be able to protect his younger brother.

After passing through several dilapidated houses, the two arrived at a relatively intact thatched hut.

Five or six hundred-strong cavalrymen stood outside the house, holding swords and looking vigilant; they were clearly there to guard the house.

Unlike other prisoners who were held in one place, this thatched hut provided separate isolation, which could be considered a special privilege for members of the royal family.

"Young Master." The riders bowed respectfully upon seeing Wen He, their eyes filled with reverence.

Wen He nodded slightly, signaling them to open the door.

The moment the door was pushed open, a flurry of whispered panic came from inside.

"What should we do? I heard that this Wen County magistrate even dares to mess with the Cui family members. What if he sends us directly to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs?"

A member of the imperial clan, dressed in a blue official robe, spoke in a trembling voice.

Another slightly overweight member of the royal family hurriedly waved his hand, his face turning pale.

"If we're sent to the Imperial Clan Court, that's fine. We're just here to gamble; we haven't done anything immoral. At worst, we'll just get a scolding from the Imperial Clan Court and have some of our salaries deducted..."

Even as he said that, his voice grew softer and softer, clearly indicating that he didn't believe it himself.

"Reprimand? Deduct salary?"

An older member of the royal family next to him sneered, his tone filled with fear.

“That’s the Little Killer of a Hundred Riders! He stormed into the Zheng family’s mansion and killed dozens of people. How did we end up in his hands?”

Upon hearing this, the royal family members were immediately filled with fear.

These people, let alone going to the battlefield, have never even killed a chicken.

In the past, he knew nothing but eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring.

Now that they're in Wen He's hands, they're all completely bewildered, remembering the rumors about Wen He in Chang'an.

They felt a chill run through their bodies.

Li Daoxing huddled in the corner, hugging his knees, his face even more pale than the others.

He kept glancing up at the doorway, his heart filled with conflicting emotions: he hoped his elder brother Li Daozong would come to rescue him, but he also feared being severely punished by his brother. This conflicting feeling made him restless.

Just then, with a loud bang, the wooden door of the thatched hut was kicked open from the outside, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

Li Daozong's figure suddenly appeared at the doorway, his brocade robe still covered in dust, his face full of anger, and his eyes sweeping over everyone in the room like knives.

When the members of the royal family inside saw him, their faces turned deathly pale, and they all retreated, fearing that he would take his anger out on them.

Li Daoxing was terrified and scrambled towards the corner of the wall. In his panic, he tripped and fell, hitting his knee on the ground. He winced in pain but didn't bother to rub it; he just kept crying out.

"Brother! I was wrong! I was really wrong! I'll never do it again! Please forgive me!"

Seeing his pathetic state, Li Daozong's anger intensified.

He strode forward and, without saying a word, kicked Li Daoxing hard in the back.

Li Daoxing screamed and fell heavily to the ground, still begging for mercy: "Brother, I really know I was wrong. I'll never gamble again, and I'll never come to a place like this again..."

"Not gambling anymore?"

Li Daozong sneered, bent down to pick up the horsewhip that had fallen to the ground, and lashed it at Li Daoxing.

"You said the same thing last time! And the time before that! Look at yourself now! You've completely disgraced the imperial family! Do you even know where you are? This isn't just a gambling den; it's also a haven for kidnapped women and children! If you really get involved, even His Majesty can't save you!"

The pain of the whip lashing his body caused Li Daoxing to scream in agony, his cries and pleas for mercy mingling together and carrying far outside through the open wooden door.

Hearing the scream, Wen He, who was standing at the door, raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and she clicked her tongue twice at Zhang Wenxiao beside her.

"The Prince of Rencheng has a temper that is even more ruthless than I imagined."

Zhang Wenxiao gave a wry smile and said in a low voice.

"The Prince of Rencheng is also disappointed in him. The Prince of Guangning has indeed acted too recklessly this time. If the Imperial Clan Court finds out that he was involved in gambling, even if he is not stripped of his title, he will be confined to his quarters for half a year and have his salary for one year confiscated."

Wen He nodded slightly and said nothing more, simply standing quietly at the door, watching the farce unfold inside.

He knew that Li Daozong's reprimand was not only to teach his younger brother a lesson, but also to show others.

After all, Li Daoxing was a member of the imperial clan. If he were to be dealt with by an outsider like Li Daozong, it would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among other members of the clan. Having Li Daozong personally teach him a lesson would not only maintain the dignity of the imperial clan, but also allow him to plead for his brother's life afterward.

Wen He was standing at the door of the thatched hut, listening to Li Daozong instructing his younger brother inside, when he suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from afar.

It wasn't the faint sound of a few scattered riders, but the heavy tremor of horseshoes striking the dirt road as a large contingent galloped by, making the ground seem to tremble slightly.

"Young master, a large army is coming this way!"

Zhang Wenxiao quickly approached, his eyes fixed on the flickering firelight in the night. The firelight stretched out like a fire dragon approaching the deserted village. His hand, which was resting on the horizontal sword at his waist, tightened involuntarily, and his expression became solemn.

"The gates of Chang'an should be closing at this hour, so why are cavalrymen leaving the city?"

Wen He frowned and immediately raised his hand: "One hundred cavalry, on alert!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the hundred riders guarding the village entrance and alleyway drew their swords, the blades gleaming coldly in the moonlight. They quickly formed a defensive formation, their eyes warily fixed on the source of the firelight.

Before long, the group of people stopped about a hundred paces outside the deserted village. Only three riders rode towards the village entrance, while the rest remained where they were, their shadows stretched long by the torchlight.

"Report! It's General Su, Counselor Xu, and Supervisor Huang!"

The scouts quickly returned to report, their tone somewhat relieved.

Wen He relaxed her tense shoulders slightly and walked towards the village entrance.

As soon as he reached the intersection, he saw Su Dingfang, Xu Jingzong, and Huang Chun dismount and walk quickly toward him.

Huang Chun held a roll of bright yellow silk in his hands, his expression solemn. Upon seeing Wen He, he immediately stopped and said loudly, "His Majesty's edict grants the magistrate of Gaoyang County the authority to act expediently, leading a hundred cavalry to thoroughly investigate illegal gambling and the trafficking of women and children. There is no need to report to the emperor for every matter!"

It's another case of taking the easy way out.

Wen He immediately understood Li Shimin's intention.

Li Er, unwilling to directly confront the Cui family of Qinghe, handed the knife to himself.

He is only eleven years old this year, which is an age when outsiders would think he is "young and impetuous and doesn't know what's important." Even if he acts arrogantly, Li Shimin can find an excuse to get away with it afterward, just like when he dealt with the Zheng family of Xingyang last time.

As long as the lives of the Cui family's direct descendants are not harmed, there will be no uncontrollable chaos.

Having figured this out, Wen He smiled knowingly, stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the imperial decree: "Your subject Wen He obeys!"

"Prince of Gaoyang, please!"

Su Dingfang stepped forward, stepped aside to make way, and spoke in a loud, clear voice.

Wen He followed his gaze and saw thousands of riders holding swords on the open ground outside the deserted village. The torches in their hands formed a sea of ​​fire, turning the night sky red.

Seeing Wen He looking over, all the riders shouted in unison, "Great Wind!"

The shouts were deafening, as if they were going to overturn the night sky over the deserted village.

Inside the thatched hut, Li Daozong, who was scolding Li Daoxing with a horsewhip, was startled by the shout and the horsewhip fell to the ground with a "crack".

He looked down at Li Daoxing, who was lying on the ground covered in blood, his eyes deep and serious: "After we return, I will ask His Majesty to strip you of your title of Prince of Guangning. From now on, you will be confined to your palace to reflect on your mistakes. If you dare to cause trouble again, I will banish you from Chang'an and never allow you to return!"

"I won't dare... Brother, I really won't dare..."

Li Daoxing trembled all over. With every movement, the pain from his wounds made him grimace, and large tears streamed down his face.

Seeing his younger brother's disheveled appearance, Li Daozong sighed helplessly, bent down to pick up the riding whip, and was about to walk out when Zhang Wenxiao walked in and bowed.

“Reporting to Prince Rencheng, my young master says he is willing to give Prince Guangning a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service.”

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the other members of the imperial clan in the room lit up instantly.

They had been huddled in the corner, their faces filled with fear, but now they rushed forward, shouting all at once, "I can also atone for my crimes! I'm willing to report them!"

"It was Cui Wei! He lured us here by saying there was fun to be had!"

"Yes! It's all Cui Wei's fault, we were deceived by him!"

Seeing that Li Daoxing had a chance to escape punishment, they couldn't contain themselves any longer and all wanted to grasp at this lifeline.

"roll!"

Li Daozong turned around abruptly and flicked his riding whip into the air.

With a sharp "snap," the members of the imperial clan were so startled that they quickly retreated to the corner of the wall, not daring to utter another sound. He turned to look at Zhang Wenxiao and said in a deep voice.

"How can a little kid achieve merit?"

“My young master said he would like to invite Prince Rencheng and Prince Guangning to go to the Cui family mansion in Qinghe to identify Cui Wei, so as to prove Prince Guangning’s innocence.”

Zhang Wenxiao replied.

Li Daozong narrowed his eyes slightly and instantly understood.

Wen He is trying to drag him along to fight their way to their doorstep.

Then they can pin all the blame on Cui Wei, saying that Li Daoxing was tricked and, even if he participated in the gambling, was "unaware" of it. This way, they can both escape punishment and gain favor with His Majesty by having a member of the imperial clan assist in the investigation—killing two birds with one stone.

"it is good."

Li Daozong made a quick decision, turned around and walked out. Just as he reached the door, he heard a shrill scream from inside the house: "My God!"

He turned around abruptly, looked at Zhang Wenxiao, and his face darkened: "You've resorted to torture?"

He had just reprimanded Li Daoxing; if the Hundred Cavalry were to attack again, wouldn't that be disrespectful to him?

These 100 riders are too ruthless; he just beat up his own brother.

"It's probably just alcohol for treating injuries, don't make a fuss."

Wen He patted Li Daozong's arm, her tone dismissive, as if the shrill scream from just moments ago was nothing more than a trivial matter.

He turned to look at Zhang Wenxiao, his tone suddenly becoming crisp: "Leave a few people here, and take Li Daoxing with you later. We'll go ahead first."

After saying that, his gaze swept over the hundred riders behind him and finally landed on Fan Biao.

Fan Biao was calm and steady, and he also knew some basic medical skills, so it was the perfect person for him to stay and take care of Li Daoxing.

"Fan Biao, you stay here and make sure to keep a close eye on the Prince of Guangning. Don't let him cause any more trouble."

"Here!"

Fan Biao responded in a deep voice, stepped forward and stood at the door of the thatched hut, his sword gleaming coldly at his side, exuding a sense of intimidation.

After making the arrangements, Wen He walked towards Xu Jingzong.

Xu Jingzong was standing to the side, his eyes darting around, clearly still figuring out how to avoid the task of going to the Cui family mansion in Qinghe.

Wen He walked up to him, looking at him with a half-smile: "Old Xu, I know you're definitely not happy about going to the Cui family in Qinghe later."

Xu Jingzong's smile instantly turned dry, and his hand unconsciously rubbed his sleeve: "Jiaying, what are you saying? I am also a member of the Hundred Riders, so naturally I should stand with you through thick and thin, but..."

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the prisoners and abducted women and children in the deserted village.

“I think that someone needs to stay here to guard the prisoners and comfort the women and children. These things need to be taken care of. If we all leave, something might happen.”

Wen He raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in her eyes, and then nodded: "Old Xu, you understand my thoughts best. In that case, I'll trouble you to stay and make sure things here are handled properly, without any mistakes."

"Oh! It's what I should do, Jia Ying, don't worry!"

Xu Jingzong quickly agreed, secretly relieved.

Although I know I will inevitably be implicated afterward, at least I don't have to directly confront the behemoth that is the Cui family of Qinghe, which is a blessing in disguise.

Having confirmed that Xu Jingzong would handle the aftermath, Wen He didn't delay any longer. Zhang Wenxiao had already brought over the familiar little colt, and Wen He nimbly mounted it.

As soon as he settled in, the hundred riders behind him raised their swords and shouted loudly.

"Gale!"

"set off!"

At Wen He's command, the little colt took off and galloped towards Chang'an.

Su Dingfang and Huang Chun followed closely behind. Thousands of riders, each holding a sword and a torch, formed a long, fiery dragon as they galloped through the night. The sounds of hooves and footsteps mingled together, causing the roadside grass and trees to sway slightly.

Li Daozong, riding his horse alongside Wen He, couldn't help but ask.

"Little one, what should we do when we get to the Cui residence? We can't just barge in, can we?"

Wen He glanced at him sideways, then smiled and asked, "So what do you think we should do?"

"Go...go to their door?"

Li Daozong asked tentatively, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

The Cui family of Qinghe is, after all, the most powerful family in the land. If they were to directly storm the mansion, the commotion would be too great. Wen He smiled without saying a word, simply nodding slightly in acquiescence.

Li Daozong's heart tightened, and he quickly said, "Isn't this too high-profile? If word gets out that our clansmen joined forces with a hundred cavalry to forcibly break into the Cui residence, it might attract criticism."

"Criticism?"

Wen He scoffed, her tone tinged with disdain.

"The Cui family of Qinghe has always valued its reputation, boasting itself as a 'thousand-year-old family with a tradition of virtue.' Now, their descendants are running private gambling dens and colluding with human traffickers to abduct women and children. If this gets out, their thousand-year-old reputation will truly be ruined."

He paused, then turned to look at Li Daozong, his eyes carrying a hint of encouragement: "Besides, the more afraid they are of making a scene, the less likely they are to confront us head-on. In the end, they will only think about settling things peacefully. Moreover..."

A playful smile appeared on Wen He's lips.

"Don't you want to experience what it feels like to humiliate the five surnames and seven clans in front of the whole world?"

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong's eyes lit up instantly.

Having fought for many years, he could not stand the arrogant attitude of the Five Clans and Seven Families.

The whole world considered it an honor to marry a woman from one of the five most prestigious families.

Women of the five surnames refused to marry into the royal family.

Screw him!

To outsiders, Ye Ye, a prince of the county, was not as good as a scion of a prominent family.

We really need to put these people in their place.

Now that we have the opportunity to dampen the arrogance of the Cui family of Qinghe and help my brother get off the bus, why not?
He couldn't help but smile and patted the horse's back.

"Now that you mention it, I'm actually getting a little itchy to try it!"

The two looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh, their previous concerns completely forgotten.

Huang Chun, who was following behind them, couldn't help but twitch his lips a few times as he listened to their conversation.

These two actually think that breaking into the Cui residence is an interesting thing?

Just thinking about the power behind the Cui family of Qinghe made his scalp tingle. He feared that His Majesty would not be able to sleep tonight after learning the news.

Huang Chun quietly turned his head to look at Su Dingfang beside him, wanting to see the reaction of this general, but saw that Su Dingfang's face was cold and his eyes were full of murderous intent.

'Well, this one's a jinx too.'

Huang Chun sighed inwardly, feeling that this mission tonight was likely to cause quite a stir.

As night deepened, the sound of horses' hooves grew increasingly rapid.

Before long, the outline of Chang'an city wall appeared faintly in front, and the torchlight on the wall was faintly visible.

They finally arrived at the gates of Chang'an.

Wen He reined in his horse and looked up at the Mingde Gate of Chang'an.

The heavy city gate was tightly shut, and the black door panels were inlaid with huge copper nails, which gleamed coldly in the torchlight.

The night watchmen on the city wall held swords, their bodies ramrod straight, their eyes warily fixed on the men and horses below, gripping their weapons as if facing a formidable enemy.

Tonight, when the hundred cavalrymen left Chang'an, they deliberately detoured through the Forbidden Garden to avoid attracting attention, instead of taking the main road, Mingde Gate.

Suddenly, the enemy troops arrived at the city gates, and the soldiers on the city walls naturally did not recognize the origin of this force.

With thousands of cavalrymen carrying torches, they looked like a burning flame in the night. Such a sight would make anyone's heart tighten.

It should be noted that when Zhang Liao was renowned for his prowess at Xiaoyao Ford, he only led eight hundred cavalrymen.

Now, with these thousand or so cavalrymen below the city, each one well-equipped and exuding a fierce aura, how could the defenders on the city walls dare to be careless?

"Who is under the city?!"

The captain on night duty on the city wall leaned out and shouted loudly, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

His hand rested on the horizontal sword at his waist, his eyes fixed on the leading men below the city, ready to give the order to be on guard at any moment.

Li Daozong and Wen He exchanged a glance, then simultaneously looked at Su Dingfang beside them.

Although Wen He was the leader of this operation, in name, Su Dingfang was the Inspector General of the Hundred Cavalry.

This kind of matter of revealing one's identity and negotiating with the garrison should naturally be handled by him.

Su Dingfang understood, spurred his horse forward, raised the gilded waist token at his waist with his left hand, and pressed his right hand to his chest, his voice as loud as a bell.

"General Su Lie, the Inspector General of the Hundred Cavalry, is here! By order of His Majesty, I have entered the city to capture the wanted criminal! Open the gates immediately!"

Upon hearing this, the captain on the city wall did not immediately order the gates to be opened.

Nowadays, the garrison in Chang'an is equipped with binoculars, one for each captain, so as to ensure that there are no mistakes when checking identities at night.

He quickly picked up the binoculars and first carefully examined Su Dingfang's face.

After confirming that it was indeed Su Lie, the camera turned to the waist tag in his hand. Only after seeing the words "General of the Hundred Cavalry" and the fish pouch hanging from his waist did he feel a little relieved.

But he remained cautious, turning to his adjutant beside him and asking, "Has any relevant message been sent from the palace today?"

According to regulations, if the 100 cavalry were to be mobilized into the city after curfew, the city gate guards would be notified in advance by imperial decree.

The lieutenant nodded quickly and whispered in the captain's ear.

"Yes! An hour ago, the eunuch in charge of the Taiji Hall personally came to deliver an oral message, saying that the Hundred Cavalry might take action tonight. If General Su is seen leading his troops back, the gate must be opened immediately and no one should be obstructed."

The captain finally breathed a sigh of relief, the weight that had been hanging over his heart lifted.

He shouted loudly towards the city walls, "Since you are General Su Zhonglang and have His Majesty's decree, then open the gates!"

Having said that, he waved his hand and ordered, "Men! Open the Mingde Gate immediately!"

The soldiers on the city wall quickly got to work, and the creaking sound of the winches turning was particularly clear in the night.

The heavy city gate slowly opened, revealing a passage wide enough for three riders to ride abreast.

The captain stood on the city wall, watching the city gate slowly open, his heart pounding with anxiety.

He was well aware of the duties of the Hundred Riders.

Specializing in the investigation of secrets in the capital and the capture of wanted criminals, they only mobilized so many people into the city after curfew for extremely important matters.

Now that the gates are open and a hundred riders are entering the city, Chang'an will likely be anything but peaceful tonight.

As soon as the city gate opened a crack, Zhang Wenxiao led a hundred cavalrymen forward to act as the vanguard and enter the city first.

Holding swords, they scanned both sides of the city gate with sharp eyes. After confirming that there was nothing amiss, they waved behind them.

Then, Li Daozong urged his horse forward, with Wen He and Su Dingfang following closely behind, leading the remaining hundred riders in single file.

The horses' hooves clattered on the cobblestone streets, their sound particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Several Imperial Guards patrolling the street heard the commotion and their expressions immediately changed.

After the curfew, according to the law, no one is allowed to go out at will, let alone ride horses at will.

The leader of the Imperial Guards was furious and rolled up his sleeves to stop them, cursing under his breath.

"This is outrageous! Being out during curfew is bad enough, but daring to ride a horse at full gallop! I'd like to see who's got the guts to do this..."

Before he could finish speaking, dozens of riders came galloping towards him. Their black outfits gleamed coldly in the torchlight, and the blades of their swords reflected a chilling light.

"A hundred riders are involved! All bystanders, get out of the way!"

Zhang Wenxiao reined in his horse, gave a cold shout, and his tone carried an unquestionable authority.

The Imperial Guards were already holding back their anger, and hearing this only fueled their rage.

Just as the leader was about to launch an attack, he looked up and saw that behind the hundred riders, there were thousands of men rushing towards them. The torchlight illuminated the entire street in a crimson glow, and the chilling aura made him freeze in place.

Just then, Li Daozong spurred his horse past him. Seeing him blocking the road, he frowned and roared in anger, "Get out of here!"

This angry shout, carrying the majesty of a prince and the fierce aura of a warrior, made the Imperial Guard tremble all over. He hurriedly led his men to the side of the street, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Watching hundreds of riders gallop past him, their hooves kicking up dust that covered him, the captain slowly came to his senses. He swallowed hard, looked at his subordinates beside him, and asked in a trembling voice, "What... what terrible thing has happened? Why are so many cavalrymen being allowed into the city?"

His subordinates also shook their heads, their faces full of confusion and lingering fear.

They had been guarding this street for many years and had never seen anything like it.

Even the Xuanwu Gate last year didn't seem to have such a grand spectacle, did it?
The soldiers looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.

The sound of a hundred riders' hooves galloped through the streets of Chang'an, and soon they arrived at the market town where the Cui family of Qinghe lived.

It was late at night, and the market gates were tightly closed. The lanterns hanging on the gate towers swayed in the wind, casting the name of the market on the gates on and off, conveying a sense of tranquility in the deep night.

The magistrate had already been awakened by the commotion outside. He ran up the city wall in his thin clothes and barefoot, and peered out from the crenellations.

He saw a dark mass of people holding torches, surrounding the market gate. In the firelight, he could vaguely see the glint of swords, which made his heart pound wildly.

He didn't even have time to put on his coat before turning around and running downstairs to warn the Cui family mansion.

This market is inhabited by the direct descendants of the Cui family of Qinghe. If anything goes wrong, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to compensate for it.

Before he could even run down the city wall, a cold shout suddenly came from outside the market, the voice clearly piercing the night: "Listen up inside the city! Someone is plotting against the Cui family of Qinghe. His Majesty has specially ordered us to lead a hundred cavalry to protect them! Open the gates immediately!"

Fang Zheng stopped abruptly, turned around abruptly, his face full of shock.

How dare someone lay a hand on the Cui family of Qinghe?
Without thinking twice or verifying the other party's identity, he hurriedly shouted downstairs, "Quick! Open the door! His Majesty's men have arrived!"

He knew the weight of the Cui family; if the Cui family were harmed because he was slow to open the door, he would never have a good life.

Those guarding the market gate dared not delay and quickly turned the winch, and the heavy gate slowly opened.

Just as the gate opened a crack, two riders who had been lying in ambush on either side of the gate suddenly rushed forward, pinned the gatekeeper, who was still directing the opening of the gate, to the ground, and held a sword to his neck.

The remaining hundred riders smashed open the gates, carrying torches and wielding swords, and surged into the market like a tide.

The sound of horses' hooves and footsteps instantly shattered the tranquility of the market.

"Who are you? How dare you commit violence in Chang'an!"

Fang Zheng was pinned to the ground, the blade on his neck icy cold. He struggled to get up, his voice filled with panic.

"One hundred riders."

Zhang Wenxiao walked past him without stopping, only coldly uttering two words, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

"A hundred riders?!"

The warden was immediately shocked. He turned his head sharply and looked in the direction of Zhang Wenxiao's gaze. He saw a young man riding a small pony, surrounded by a hundred riders, slowly entering the market.

“Hundred Riders Killer…” Fang Zheng muttered to himself, his voice filled with fear, too weak to even struggle.

“Little kid, your nickname ‘Hundred Riders Killer’ will probably be famous throughout the world in the future.”

Li Daozong, mounted on his horse, watched the reaction of the neighborhood official and couldn't help but burst into laughter, his tone full of teasing.

Wen He's lips twitched a few times.

Don't let him know who gave him this name.

Otherwise, we must let him know what the Ten Great Tortures are!
He looked down at the Fangzheng who was being held to the ground and asked in a deep voice, "Are you a member of the Cui family?"

The ward official, neck stiff, snorted and said with a hint of defiance, "You trespass into the market and detain the ward official; aren't you afraid of His Majesty's punishment?"

"It seems so."

Wen He spoke calmly, and even though the neighborhood head didn't say it explicitly, his confident tone was something that no ordinary neighborhood head could have.

The ordinary ward was facing a hundred riders and was already terrified out of their wits, so they dared not say anything.

"You're so clever, little one."

Li Daozong turned his head and glanced at the market gate that had been smashed open, and said with a smile.

"Instead of directly saying that he wanted to take the Cui family, he made up a pretext about guards. Otherwise, how could this gate have been opened so easily? It would have taken a lot of effort."

The imposing weight of this market gate is no less than that of the Mingde Gate.

If we were to launch a full-scale attack, not only would it take a lot of effort, but it would also likely cause a major disturbance.

The whole of Chang'an will be alarmed.

"Small idea."

Wen He chuckled and urged his horse forward.

"You little brat, you get all smug just from being told a few nice things."

Li Daozong rolled his eyes at him and spurred his horse to follow.

The commotion in the market had already woken up many residents.

But not a single household dared to light a lamp.

Some people peered out through the cracks in the window with trepidation, and when they saw a dense mass of hundreds of riders carrying torches galloping past, they were immediately terrified and gasped.

Some people picked up kitchen utensils or wooden sticks from their homes and watched warily.

Within Chang'an City, many people were originally from the military.

So I've seen my share of things.

"What are these soldiers doing here? How dare they break into the market during curfew?"

"My God, cavalry! So many cavalry! Is something terrible about to happen?"

"Don't say anymore, ma'am! This cavalry unit seems to be heading towards the Cui family's residence in Qinghe!"

The crowd gasped in surprise, and some, recognizing the 100 riders' attire, were too frightened to utter a sound.

Several people secretly tried to sneak out of the market to report to other branches, but they were captured on the spot by the Hundred Riders guarding the perimeter as soon as they appeared, without even having a chance to cry for help.

When they were less than a mile away from the Cui family in Qinghe.

Wen He abruptly ordered all the riders to dismount and proceed lightly.

To avoid causing a commotion.

Before long, they arrived at the residence of the Cui family of Qinghe.

This was an extraordinary mansion, with a vermilion gate over ten feet high, inlaid with bronze animal head door knockers, and a black plaque hanging above the lintel with the four large characters "Qinghe Cui Family" written in gold powder, shining brightly in the torchlight.

Wen He reined in the horse, his hand gripping the reins tightening unconsciously.
He looked up and stared coldly at the plaque.

That phrase involuntarily echoed in my mind again.

"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road, frozen corpses lie."

Wen He sighed, and Li Daozong suddenly turned to look at him.

“Little child, you and I are also people from this wealthy family.”

This guy definitely did it on purpose.

Wen He ignored him and then shouted at Zhang Wenxiao beside her, "Knock on the door!"

"Tell the gatekeeper that His Majesty has sent an imperial edict."

"Cough cough."

Huang Chun coughed lightly twice and whispered a reminder: "Gaoyang County Magistrate, falsely conveying His Majesty's decree is a crime of deceiving the emperor."

Wen He glanced at him indifferently and said four words indifferently: "Do what you can."

amount……

Huang Chun was speechless upon hearing this.

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but chuckle, covering his mouth to suppress his laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Wen He glared at him, then told Zhang Wenxiao to go up.

Zhang Wenxiao accepted the order and led two riders to knock on the door.

Not long after, an impatient voice could be heard coming from the side gatehouse.

"Who is it in the middle of the night? What urgent matter is it? We can talk about it tomorrow. My master has already gone to bed."

"Please open the door, we are from the palace. His Majesty has something to discuss with Lord Cui," Zhang Wenxiao replied.

I heard that they came from the palace.

The gatekeeper dared not delay and quickly opened the side door.

As soon as he opened the door, Zhang Wenxiao suddenly stepped forward and punched him in the head.

Before the gatekeeper could even see the person clearly, everything went black, and he fainted.

"Open the door!"

Wen He opened it with a shout.

Zhang Wenxiao led the two riders through the side gate and opened the middle gate.

The main gate of the Cui family mansion in Qinghe was wide open.

Wen He immediately gave the order, and more than a hundred riders mounted their horses and charged inside.

"Come in!"

Upon seeing this, Huang Chun's heart tightened immediately.

'Is the magistrate of Gaoyang planning to slaughter everyone in this mansion?'

He tried to stop them, but none of the hundred riders obeyed his orders.

Dugu Chen, leading the two brothers from the Wu family, charged ahead.

"These damned Five Clans and Seven Noble Families, I've wanted to beat them up for a long time."

Huang Chun immediately found Wen He: "Gaoyang County Magistrate, you've passed, you've passed."

Wen He looked at him, smiled kindly, and uttered only four words.

"Take it easy."

(End of this chapter)