Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

It's time to leave.

He silently calculated the time. Since he entered the cellar, quite a lot must have happened outside.

As he was pondering this, he heard a familiar, soft sound overhead—the sound of a wooden cabinet being moved. It was Wang Zhen.

"Brother Lin?" Wang Zhen's voice came in a low voice, tinged with urgency.

"Yes," Lin Feng replied, standing up.

Wang Zhen quickly bent down and squeezed in, carrying no food. His expression was more serious than in the past few days, even carrying a hint of barely concealed excitement and nervousness. "Brother Lin, hurry, pack your things and come with me! Master Zhou has sent someone to see you immediately!"

"They've finally arrived!" Lin Feng's spirits lifted, and he nodded to Wang Zhen: "Let's go."

The two climbed up to the cellar one after the other. Inside the shed, besides Wang Zhen, there was a lean man dressed in a plain gray cloth jacket and shorts, looking like a servant, standing warily by the door, his sharp eyes scanning the outside. When he saw Lin Feng come out, the man looked him up and down, a scrutinizing glint in his eyes, and then nodded to Wang Zhen.

"This is Li San from the Zhou family, a trusted confidant of Master Zhou," Wang Zhen quickly introduced, then said to Li San, "This is Brother Lin Feng."

Li San clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lin Feng and, without wasting words, spoke rapidly: "Master Lin, there's no time to lose, please come with me. There's a carriage waiting outside. Captain Wang, we can't stay here any longer. You should also pack up quickly, take your family, and follow Master Zhou's instructions to lay low for a while."

Wang Zhen nodded vigorously: "I understand. Brother Lin, take care!"

Lin Feng clasped his hands in a fist salute to Wang Zhen, everything was understood without words.

Without further delay, he followed Li San and slipped out of the shed.

It was nearly dusk outside, and the streets were nearly deserted as twilight descended.

A worn-out, unassuming blue cloth-covered carriage was parked at the alley entrance diagonally opposite the shed. Li San gestured for Lin Feng to get in, then sat on the carriage shaft himself. With a flick of the whip, the carriage slowly drove into the city.

After traveling for about 15 minutes, the carriage entered a relatively quiet neighborhood and finally stopped at the back gate of a small but elegant house. This was not the Zhou residence; judging from the surrounding environment, it seemed to be some inconspicuous villa.

Li San jumped off the cart and stepped forward to knock lightly on the door a few times.

The door opened a crack, and Li San said something to someone inside. The door immediately opened. Li San gestured for Lin Feng to get out of the car and quickly led him inside.

Inside the gate was a small courtyard, planted with some flowers and trees, which looked somewhat desolate in the twilight. A maidservant dressed in a blue vest, with her head bowed and eyes lowered, was already waiting inside. She curtsied to Lin Feng and said in a low voice, "Master Lin, please come with me. Master is waiting in the study."

The maid led Lin Feng through the courtyard to a side room on the west side of the main house and gently knocked on the door: "Master, Master Lin has arrived."

"Come in." Zhou Wenyuan's familiar voice came from inside, sounding somewhat tired, but still steady.

The maid pushed open the door, stepped aside to let Lin Feng in, and then gently closed the door from the outside.

Inside the study, candlelight shone brightly. Zhou Wenyuan sat behind his desk, dressed in a casual dark blue robe. His face showed obvious weariness, and his eyes were bloodshot, but his gaze was sharp as he looked at Lin Feng who had entered. On the desk in front of him were several documents spread out, and on top of them was the account book wrapped in oilcloth! Beside him lay the "Mysterious Iron Token" that he had picked up from the stove.

Upon seeing Lin Feng, Zhou Wenyuan's face broke into a genuine smile, and he rose to greet him: "Young friend Lin, you've arrived! Come, sit down and let's talk. How are your injuries?"

"Thank you for your concern, Prefect Zhou. I am much better now." Lin Feng bowed and sat down in the guest seat.

He could sense that Zhou Wenyuan's attitude towards him was now closer and more attentive than before.

Clearly, successfully bringing back the account book greatly increased his standing in Zhou Wenyuan's eyes.

"That's good, that's good." Zhou Wenyuan sat back in the main seat, his gaze falling on Lin Feng with undisguised admiration.

"Young friend Lin, we truly owe you a great debt this time! Your courage, meticulousness, and exceptional skills allowed you to retrieve such a deadly item from the encirclement of the 'Shadow Guards' and the 'Yinshan Ghost Fiends'! I will forever remember this merit!"

"It was merely my duty; I dare not claim credit for it," Lin Feng said calmly. "I wonder what brings you here, Prefect? ​​What is the situation outside? Are Miss Yue and... Miss Chen alright?"

"They are safe for the time being and are relatively secure within this government office," Zhou Wenyuan said.

His expression immediately turned serious. "However, the situation outside is already tense, like a storm brewing. This account book you brought back," he pointed to the account book on the table, his eyes flashing coldly, "is irrefutable evidence! Prince Qi, Zhao Yuankai, colluded with the Di and Rong tribes, smuggled weapons, and plotted rebellion. The evidence is conclusive! I have already secretly submitted a copy of the key parts of this account book, along with the memorial, to the capital via the 600-li express courier service, to be presented to the Emperor! At the same time, I have also secretly contacted several censors and colleagues with a reputation for integrity in court, preparing to jointly impeach Prince Qi in court!"

As expected! Zhou Wenyuan chose the most direct and intense method—to reach the emperor's ears and launch a court struggle! This was a high-stakes gamble, betting on whether the emperor's suspicion of the vassal kings and the power of the central government could overcome the foundation that the Prince of Qi had built up in Qingzhou over many years.

"What's the reaction from the King of Qi?" Lin Feng asked. Having lost such a crucial ledger, the King of Qi would certainly not sit idly by and wait for his doom.

"He's already figured it out," Zhou Wenyuan said in a deep voice, tapping his fingers on the table.

"These past two days, the Qi Prince's mansion has been making frequent moves. On one hand, he has intensified his search for 'Di Rong spies' and 'notorious bandits' within the city, actually trying to find you, as well as any other evidence or witnesses who may be out of town. On the other hand, he is also secretly mobilizing troops to strengthen the mansion's defenses, and there have been unusual movements in the units of several of his trusted generals. What's even more troublesome is," Zhou Wenyuan frowned, "that he seems to be contacting certain officials in the court with whom he has a past relationship, attempting to turn the tables and falsely accuse me of 'colluding with border generals, framing a prince, and plotting rebellion'!"

A cornered dog will jump over the wall and bite back. This is not surprising.

"Besides this ledger, does Your Excellency have any other bargaining chips?" Lin Feng asked.

Although the account book is irrefutable evidence, it is still physical evidence and involves royal privacy. How the emperor will decide remains to be seen. If there are witnesses, especially key witnesses like the accountant or Li Si, the weight of their testimony will be significantly different.

Zhou Wenyuan sighed, "The accountant has disappeared and his whereabouts are still unknown; I'm afraid he's likely dead. The warehouse clerk, Li Si, is severely injured. Although I've kept him alive with the best medicine, he remains unconscious and unable to speak. Miss A-Yue is conscious, but her knowledge is limited; she can only testify to the attack on the warehouse and the involvement of the Di Rong people, but cannot directly accuse Prince Qi." He looked at Lin Feng, "Therefore, young friend Lin, you have now become one of the most crucial witnesses. You personally witnessed the fighting in Cui Liu Lane, saw the assassins of the 'Shadow Guards' and 'Yinshan Ghost Fiends,' obtained the account book and this 'Mysterious Iron Token,' and you are the most direct link between Prince Qi, the 'Shadow Guards,' the Di Rong, and this conspiracy!"

Lin Feng understood. Zhou Wenyuan was in such a hurry to see him not only to reward him, but also to confirm his safety and condition as the "witness" and to plan the next steps.

"What does Prefect Zhou need me to do?" Lin Feng asked directly.

Zhou Wenyuan stood up, paced a few steps in the study, and slowly said, "It will take at least five or six days for us to get a preliminary response to the news from the capital. These five or six days are crucial. Prince Qi will not sit idly by and wait for the impeachment; he will definitely try every means to resolve the trouble before the imperial decree is issued. His primary goal is to destroy the evidence and eliminate any incriminating evidence. You, and I, are both thorns in his side."

He stopped and looked at Lin Feng, his gaze intense: "I have already increased the number of guards in my residence, but it is still impossible to guarantee complete safety. As for you, it is probably no longer safe for you to continue hiding with Wang Zhen. Therefore, I will give you two choices."

"Please explain this clearly, Your Excellency."

"First," Zhou Wenyuan said, "I arrange for you to leave the city immediately and head to 'Black Wind Valley,' thirty miles west of the city. There is a fortified village there, stockpiled with provisions and loyal soldiers, easy to defend and difficult to attack. You can take refuge there temporarily and wait for news from the capital. Miss Yue's injuries have also stabilized, so she can go with you and you can look after each other."

Leave the city and hide in a fortified mountain stronghold. This is the safest way to save your life.

"And the second one?" Lin Feng asked.

"Second," Zhou Wenyuan's gaze sharpened, "you will remain in the prefectural capital, but not in this official residence. I will arrange a new identity for you, a relatively safe place where you can access the core information of the prefectural capital. You will need to lie low, secretly observe the movements of the Prince Qi's mansion and his cronies, gather as much possible evidence as possible, and at the same time... protect yourself. This choice is extremely risky, but if handled properly, it may play an unexpected role at a crucial moment, and even... gain greater merit and a foothold."

Staying in the prefectural capital, lying low, and venturing into the lion's den—this is a risky move, but also an opportunity. Not only will he be able to take a more proactive stance in controlling the situation, but if he can achieve merit in the ensuing power struggle, his status within Zhou Wenyuan's circle and even the prefectural capital's inner circle will be completely different.

Lin Feng barely hesitated. "I choose the second path." His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Avoidance has never been his style. Rather than passively waiting, he prefers to take the initiative and control his own destiny.

Zhou Wenyuan seemed to have anticipated his choice, his eyes filled with even greater admiration, and even a hint of relief. He needed someone as courageous, insightful, and capable as him to provide support from the shadows.

"Alright!" Zhou Wenyuan walked back to his desk, took out a document and a waist tag that had been prepared in advance from the drawer, and handed them to Lin Feng.

"These are the registration documents and temporary waist tags for newly recruited soldiers of the state army's 'Elite Warriors Battalion.' The 'Elite Warriors Battalion' is an elite force directly under the command of Commandant Zhao Tieying. Recently, due to unrest in the northern border, they are expanding their ranks and recruiting soldiers. Your identity is that of the son of a distant relative of mine. Due to the decline of his family, he has come to join the army to seek a better future. However, the camp is a mixed bag, and there may be spies from the Prince of Qi. After you enter, you must be careful, observe more and speak less, and establish yourself first. With your skills, it will not be difficult for you to stand out in the army, but remember, do not reveal your full strength too early and attract attention."

State Army Elite Battalion?

Lin Feng accepted the documents and the waist token. This was indeed an excellent hiding place.

In the military, ability is valued most, while lineage is least important. By blending in with the soldiers, one can avoid the searches by the "Yinshan Ghosts" and "Shadow Guards" in the city, while also gaining access to the movements of the state army, and perhaps even discovering the Qi King's influence within the military. Moreover, with Zhao Tieying, Zhou Wenyuan's man, around, at least there's someone to look out for him.

"Lin Feng understands." He carefully put away the documents and waist tag.

"Furthermore," Zhou Wenyuan took out a small, antique-style bronze ring and handed it to Lin Feng, "this ring is a token. If you encounter an emergency or learn important information, you can go to 'Liu's Blacksmith Shop' in the west of the city, find Liu the blacksmith, show him this ring, and he will find a way to pass the message on to me. Remember, do not use this channel lightly unless it is a matter of life and death or definitely important information."

Lin Feng took the ring; it felt slightly heavy in his hand, with delicate cloud patterns engraved on it, nothing particularly special. He nodded.

"You shall report to the Sharp Warriors Camp tonight. The camp is located next to the Great Parade Ground in the west of the city. Li San will escort you to the vicinity." Zhou Wenyuan gave his final instructions. "Young friend Lin, the road ahead is fraught with danger, please take care. I await your news in the prefectural capital."

"I will not fail in my mission." Lin Feng stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Zhou Wenyuan also stood up and patted Lin Feng's shoulder forcefully, everything was understood without words.

Li San reappeared, leading Lin Feng out through the back gate of the villa and onto another waiting carriage. This time, the carriage headed straight for the west of the city.

As night deepened, the lights of the prefectural government gradually came on.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of a secluded alley near the Great Parade Ground in the west of the city. Li San whispered to Lin Feng, "Master Lin, go straight ahead, through the alley, and you'll see the gate of the Elite Battalion. The officer on duty tonight is surnamed Han; he's one of Commandant Zhao's men. I've already spoken to him. Take care."

"Thank you." Lin Feng got out of the car, nodded to Li San, then straightened his ill-fitting soldier's uniform, hung his waist tag in a conspicuous place on his waist, took a deep breath, and strode towards the direction where the faint sounds of drills and lights could be heard.