Miao Chu

Chapter 208 Dagger
Unlike Cen Dezhang's nervousness, the inspector was overjoyed.

Over a hundred people went missing in the capital during the Lantern Festival. After much effort, a clue was finally found, revealing that it was the work of a gang. However, the gang eventually escaped. People all over the country took this as a warning and were on high alert.

The arrest warrant was also sent to Huazhou, where a search was conducted, but no results were found.

If we actually encounter the bandit leader this time, it would be a great achievement delivered to our doorstep. Even if we mistake him for someone else, it wouldn't matter; it would just be a wasted trip.

Because Han Li said that Lü Mao was cunning and ruthless, and that they should make thorough preparations to prevent anyone from escaping or implicating others, the inspector dared not act rashly.

This man personally oversaw his subordinates, and the group of inspectors dared not be negligent. They first summoned the village head to find out the situation, and then immediately summoned Xiang Yuan's partner, a medicinal herb merchant. This man had lived in Huazhou for generations and was a well-known merchant in the area. He had a clean reputation and was not afraid of colluding with others.

When questioned, the herbal medicine merchant initially tried to evade the question, refusing to say much. He even inquired whether Rui Fusheng had committed any wrongdoing or if it was a misunderstanding. However, upon learning that Rui Fusheng might be a kidnapper who had fled from the capital, he was so shocked that he could no longer sit still.

He initially refused to believe it, but when he discovered that Rui Fusheng's arrival time in Huazhou matched perfectly—a few days after he jumped off the ship—he was asked about the scar on Rui Fusheng's hand. He hadn't paid attention to it, only knowing that Rui always wore long sleeves and robes in the sweltering heat. He had previously thought it was just a habit, but now it was clear that it was to cover it up.

The more this person thought about it, the more frightened he became.

He had previously seen that Rui Fusheng's family was wealthy and had a small household, and that Rui Fusheng himself was handsome. He had already been thinking that once the business on the river was going well, he would arrange a marriage between his younger sister and Rui Fusheng.

"No wonder!" He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "No wonder when I casually complained about my servants not doing their jobs properly last time, he said, 'Kill two as a warning, and the rest will become more sensible.' I thought he was joking, but it turns out he really does kill people like chickens!"

Upon hearing that the government officials wanted him to bring officers to arrest the person, the herbal medicine merchant immediately trembled, his face turned pale, his eyes widened, and he kept shaking his head and waving his hands, saying, "No! No!"

He added, "If I didn't know, it would be fine, but once I did, my legs would go weak at the sight of him. Forget about getting him to open the door; I'm afraid that as soon as he opens his mouth, the people inside will know something's wrong just by listening to his voice!"

"Why don't we wait for him to come out tomorrow and just grab him at the door!"

"Even if we were to take action now, it wouldn't be reasonable for me to step in—showing up at your door in the middle of the night, even a fool would know something's wrong, right?"

He repeatedly declined, but seeing that the yamen wouldn't let him go, he thought and thought and came up with an idea. He said, "Why not call Xiang Yuan—I've known him for many years and I can vouch for him. He definitely has no connection with that villain—besides, he's currently living in the same courtyard as Rui Fusheng, no! Lü Mao. It would be more appropriate to go and call him!"

"Coincidentally, I just saw him discussing something with Boss He from the canal gang. He probably hasn't gone back yet—we should intercept him now without giving any indication!"

He stamped his foot again and said, "My house! Alas, not only is it a place of trouble, but the government is also coming to arrest people. I'm afraid it will ruin the feng shui!"

***
Han Li was seconded to the Water Conservancy Bureau, where he was only in charge of river management. Naturally, matters such as catching thieves and people were not under his jurisdiction.

But he didn't leave, watching and waiting for the inspector and the others to make their assignments.

After everyone had received their orders and set off, Han Li then said to the patrol inspector, "I had previously told you that Lü Mao is an excellent swimmer. I noticed that the residence is very close to the river. Why don't we arrange for a team of men to ambush him by the river, just in case?"

The inspector was somewhat dismissive, saying, "There are guards at both the front and back gates, and people are standing at the base of the wall. There's also another team going in to catch people. There are thirty or forty people in total. If we only catch one thief, even a fly can't escape. Isn't it unnecessary to go to such lengths?"

Han Li said, "Although it is already quite proper, this fellow is very cunning. Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it will go all out. If we don't have enough manpower, I will go back and bring a group of students to help, and have experienced officers lead them. What do you think, sir?"

The inspector did not answer, but looked at Cen Dezhang and asked, "What does the Vice Prefect think?"

Cen Dezhang said, "This person's case has been properly investigated. Let's go with his suggestion. It will just be a bit hard on the subordinates."

Having received orders from above, the inspector had no choice but to comply and arranged for other personnel.

***
Leaving that aside, on the other side, Rui Fusheng stormed out of the official post station, only to be caught up by Xiang Yuan, who repeatedly tried to persuade him, saying, "We're in business, harmony brings wealth. A fight or a quarrel is fine, why get angry with a lowly servant? That Zhang Fu owes you a favor, and that pedantic scholar surnamed Kong even twisted your sleeve for you, so proud and so honored, and you just turn around and leave? What does that mean?"

Rui Fusheng stood firm and said, "Brother, you go and talk to them yourself. I'm still furious. I trust you with this matter. I'll leave it at that. Once we've settled things, I'll send someone to follow up later."

Xiang Yuan was so angry that he cursed under his breath, and then tried to persuade him for a long time.

Rui Fusheng replied, "I'm not trying to back down. I've got news about the seafood you asked for last time—dried fish, shrimp, scallops, and abalone. I'll go back and contact them for you."

The river is naturally a bustling market, but my own regular business is the real foundation.

Xiang Yuan had done business with Rui Fusheng before and knew that this man had many connections and could get all kinds of delicacies. This time, he bought a batch of seafood from him and paid the deposit, but there had been no news. Now that he heard that there was progress and saw that the other party refused to go back, he had no choice but to give in.

He returned to the official post station and sought out Kong Fuyang to discuss matters. After waiting for half a day without seeing Han and Lu return, he had no choice but to arrange to meet them at the riverbank early the next morning to discuss the matter. On his way home, he also went to find the canal gang to discuss the transportation of goods by water, but that's another story.

Rui Fusheng, after resigning from Xiang Yuan's post, was in no hurry to return to his residence.

Although it was a borrowed place to stay, the herbal medicine merchant's courtyard was by the water, only a street and a couple hundred steps away from the city's river.

When he arrived at the riverbank, he found a small boat and specifically asked an old boatman to pay him. He told the old man to wait there overnight, saying that he had an urgent matter at home and needed to return to his hometown urgently. He needed to charter the boat to the next dock and said that he was going to pack his bags now and would be back soon. He returned the money and asked the old man to buy some food and water to put on the boat.

After booking the boat, Rui Fusheng turned around and went back to the courtyard.

He locked the door as soon as he entered the house, checked that the window paper was intact, placed half a bucket of water behind the window, and put a rod and a chair behind the door before packing his valuables.

Everything was ready-made and had already been packed in bundles. He counted them one by one. Besides the usual money and valuables, there was a set of monk's robes, a set of Taoist robes, and a set of monk's and Taoist's official documents, as well as all the necessary supplies.

After confirming that everything was correct, Rui Fusheng rewrapped the bundle, changed into an indigo-colored outfit, bound his legs and sleeves, took off his headdress and replaced it with a cloth, and changed into a new belt—a large waistband, which was a bit heavy and had silver and gold sequins sewn inside.

After taking care of everything, he ground ink and picked up his brush, wrote a letter for Xiang Yuan, saying that he had just received news that something urgent had happened in his hometown of Qinzhou, and he didn't have time to talk about it. He also said that he would continue to follow up on his seafood business and not to worry. As for the river project, he couldn't be involved and suggested that Xiang Yuan find someone else to partner with.

After finishing the letter, he was about to blow out the lamp and wait until midnight when he heard footsteps outside. A short while later, someone called out from outside, "Brother Rui, I see you're still keeping the lamp lit. Are you asleep? We've received some urgent news from across the river!"

***
Outside the door, Xiang Yuan's palms were constantly sweating.

It wasn't fear, nor nervousness, but hesitation.

With such a large business and extensive travels, it's impossible not to have a few shady connections.

Chivalrous people use their martial arts to break the law; which powerful family doesn't employ a few thugs? Some wealthy and powerful figures even have guards who have more than one life on their hands.

The incident of the missing person during the Lantern Festival in the capital caused quite a stir, and he had naturally heard about it.

If Rui Fusheng is indeed Lü Mao, then it must be said that trafficking so many people is truly immoral.

But the other party didn't kidnap his wife and children, nor did he harm him in the slightest. On the contrary, the two had a good business relationship and had gotten along very harmoniously over the years. It's just that they suddenly fell out this time. But if it was because they were worried about their identities being exposed, it wouldn't be hard to understand.

If the person is caught, many of their businesses and assets will inevitably be shut down.

But I just bought a lot of seafood from the other party, and there are some transactions in the account that haven't been confirmed yet—once they're in the government's pocket, will I be able to get them out?

It's definitely not possible.

In the blink of an eye, countless thoughts had flashed through Xiang Yuan's mind.

"Brother Xiang, what's the matter? I've already arranged for your seafood to arrive in a few days. The shopkeeper will come to see you then..."

Before the door was even opened, Rui Fusheng answered from inside.

He spoke eloquently and handled matters thoroughly.

When the door opened, Xiang Yuan wanted to see what was happening, and he saw Rui Fusheng standing behind the door without a lamp, wearing a robe.

On a sweltering day, there was another outfit hidden beneath the other person's robe. Although it was impossible to tell what it was, the person was not wearing a crown, but rather a cloth covering their head, which was quite unusual.

Xiang Yuan held a lantern in his hand and quietly shone it down—Rui Fusheng's shoes, which were also outdoor shoes, were somehow much shorter than they were during the day.

Xiang Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "It's about the river..."

As he spoke, a glance caught sight of several constables on either side, some already drawing their batons, others their knives. A thought struck him, and as if by magic, he paused, noticing Rui Fusheng looking at him. He first looked at Rui Fusheng, then gave a signal to the doorway on his right. Without the slightest hesitation, Rui Fusheng abruptly stepped back, slammed the door shut, overturned a bucket of water on the ground with a crash, and rushed back.

There was a large window at the back of the house, and it was wide open. He ran very fast, grabbed the bundle on the bed with one hand, jumped out the window, and ran towards it.

Outside, several constables rushed inside almost simultaneously.

—He pounced on the door and smashed it open.

Some who hadn't regained their footing stumbled and nearly fell to the ground, grabbing the door for support. Others who had managed to steady themselves, seeing that Rui Fusheng had already escaped, didn't hesitate and took off after him.

One foot touched the ground.

The ground wasn't water, but slippery and oily; several people slipped and fell.

Someone shouted from behind, "The thief got away! Quickly, go around to the back door and block him!"

Sure enough, someone darted around and followed Rui Fusheng's trail.

Xiang Yuan was on tenterhooks and hurriedly followed suit.

Rui Fusheng climbed out the window, tied his bundle to the door, and ran halfway to the back door. He saw that the back door was ajar, but a faint light shone through the crack. He immediately stopped, and when he turned around, he heard footsteps behind him, knowing that his pursuers were right behind him.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, his mind raced. He neither advanced nor retreated, and decided to climb over the wall by using the artificial hill next to him.

But after climbing halfway up the wall, he saw several people guarding it not far away. Hearing his movements, they shouted, "The thief is here!"

As they were speaking, someone drew their bow and shot an arrow.

Upon seeing the bow and arrow, Rui Fusheng quickly turned his head away. Just as he was hesitating whether to force his way through, he caught a glimpse of someone standing on the plum blossom stakes in the training ground in the backyard, outside a wall.

Not far away, and since it was nighttime, only that place was very bright. Rui Fusheng could tell at a glance that the person holding the lantern was a child who was not quite a child.

There were only two children in the courtyard: Xiang Yuan's son and Xiang Yuan's adopted son.

Forced to flee and then forced back to his original spot, Rui Fusheng had no other choice.

The courtyard was divided in two, with the side gate locked. The left side was Rui Fusheng's residence, while the right side was allocated to Xiang Yuan.

But a door can't stop anything at all.

Rui Fusheng jumped back to the ground, took a few running steps, and climbed over the middle wall, heading straight for the training ground.

At this moment, the pursuers arrived from behind, but they were all blocked outside the wall.

Xiang Yuanzheng followed closely behind.

The lead officer shouted, "Where's the key?! Open the door now!"

The key was on Xiang Yuan's waist, but he only rummaged around on his clothes and almost without hesitation shouted, "The key is with the steward!"

The officer immediately shouted, "Break down the door!"

There were rocks nearby, and someone had already brought over stones to bang on the door.

Inside the wall, Rui Fusheng leaped and reached the child's side. Upon closer inspection, he recognized him as Xiang Yuan's son, Xiang Lin.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind—Heaven is on my side!
When Xiang Lin saw the person coming and heard the noise outside, before he could react, he was grabbed by the neck and screamed.

The scream was followed by a loud crash as the side door slammed shut.

A group of pursuers rushed in.

But Rui Fusheng already had a plan in mind. With his left hand gripping Xiang Lin's neck, he drew a dagger from his calf with his right hand and held it to the child's neck, shouting at the pursuing soldiers who were closing in: "Get out of the way! If you take another step closer, don't blame me for being merciless!"

He used his strength perfectly, enough to make Xiang Lin cry out, but not enough to make him twist and struggle.

Outside the door, hearing the familiar cries of "Daddy!" and "Mommy!", Xiang Yuan's expression changed drastically. He rushed over and, upon seeing the child in Rui Fusheng's arms, was utterly stunned, exclaiming, "Brother Rui! What are you doing???"

Rui Fusheng sneered, "Brother Xiang, I know you've taken care of me. I can have another son, but I only have one life—you're still young, so have another one!"

As he spoke, he tightened his grip and shouted, "Who dares to step forward! Get out of the way!"

Xiang Lin's crying gradually subsided, and he was too frightened to move.

Seeing that Rui Fusheng had a hostage, none of the officers and soldiers present dared to move. Only the leader hurriedly shouted, "Let's talk this out. Put down your knife."

They repeatedly tried to persuade him with words.

Others dared not move, but Xiang Yuan was different.

He only had this one son, and although he had many flaws, he said he would stop caring about him. But he was still his own flesh and blood, so how could he not love him? Especially since he had known Rui Fusheng for many years, he always felt that this man would give him some face. He couldn't help but step forward and say, "Brother, you..."

Before the word "you" could be uttered, a scream was heard, and something rolled to the ground—it was Rui Fusheng who had twisted Xiang Lin's head, and with a slant of his dagger, sliced ​​off half of the child's ear.

Xiang Lin was covered in blood, half of his body, and screamed in pain.

Xiang Yuan's eyes were bloodshot with rage, his heart filled with both anger and regret. After all, he was also from the streets, and in a moment of anger, he shouted, "You surnamed Rui, don't push your luck!"

As he spoke, he lunged forward.

Rui Fusheng was a trained fighter, and his reaction was incredibly fast. With a sidestep and a sweeping kick, he knocked Xiang Yuan to the ground and delivered a punch to his head.

Seeing that the other man was clutching his head and still trying to get up to fight, and seeing that many soldiers were about to surround him, Rui Fusheng threw Xiang Lin to the ground—the boy's hands were already tied behind his back—and taking advantage of Xiang Yuan's dizziness and inability to resist, he pulled off his belt, ripped off his shirt, grabbed his head, and held him against the plum blossom stake with a knife. He then turned to the soldiers and said, "Who dares to step forward!"

Making an example of someone is the best way to deter others.

Xiang Yuan, being an adult, was still dizzy from the punch to the head. Then, a knife was pressed against him, and with a piece of wood hanging in the air behind him, he struggled incessantly.

Rui Fusheng, consumed by malice, shouted, "Move again and I'll kill you!"

As he spoke, he used the same trick again, swinging his knife to slash at Xiang Yuan's ear.

He had one foot on the plum blossom stake and the other on the ground, which was very stable. But somehow, he heard a "crack" and his foot slipped—the plum blossom stake had broken in the middle, causing him to suddenly step into empty air.

When a person loses their balance, they will subconsciously use their hands to gain leverage.

Rui Fusheng unconsciously swung his knife.

The dagger cut through iron like mud, striking something perfectly before sliding down its length.

He heard a scream, and when he regained his balance, he looked down and saw Xiang Yuan rolling on the ground.

— Blood was gushing from the man's chin to his throat and chest.

　Tomorrow is double the monthly votes! I'll definitely shamelessly ask everyone for votes when I update tomorrow. If you have any votes you want to give to Xiaomiao, please save them up and vote for them tomorrow, okay? Otherwise, it will break my heart to see you vote for her (;_;)/~~~
　　(End of this chapter)