Tail docking

"An hour?!"

Liu Quan rushed back, and his exclamation sounded particularly jarring in the oppressive study.

The cold sweat that instantly beaded on his forehead glittered faintly under the dim oil lamp.

He felt as if his heart was being squeezed by an icy hand.

"Master Ling! Even if the messenger is sent by eagle, the core craftsmen are scattered in various places, and it would be difficult for them to evacuate all of them in two hours! Not to mention their families and valuables!"

Ling Zhan's gaze remained unwavering, without the slightest hesitation.

"Sever all ties! The top five craftsmen on the list, those who master the core Xuanji secret technique, and their immediate family members and guards are to be assembled immediately! Identification documents, silver notes, and three days' rations! Everything else is to be discarded! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

This order was cruel, but it was the only option in a desperate situation that offered a chance of survival.

Thanks to Magistrate Huo's "official weaving workshops" preparing to recruit workers on a large scale, the loss of ordinary craftsmen was well covered, and there was no need to worry about relocating all of them.

She turned to Su Wan, whose face was pale: "Su Wan, mislead the enemy! Spread the word: Shen Hong, the young master of Shen Ji He Dongjia, has topped the list of successful candidates in the imperial examination. The entire workshop will have three days off, and wages will be paid as usual! All craftsmen are ordered to go home and stay indoors. No one is allowed to go out. Those who violate this rule will be severely punished!"

She wanted to use Magistrate Huo's "happy occasion" and Shen Ji's "favor" to delay the time it would take for the blade to fall.

"Wang Zhongqing!"

Ling Zhan turned his gaze to the white-haired accountant, Wang, and said decisively, "Before you go up the mountain, there is one more thing that must be taken care of!"

Accountant Wang (Wang Zhongqing) immediately bowed: "Please give your instructions, Madam!"

"The list of all 132 ordinary artisan households who were unable to accompany us is here!"

Ling Zhan shoved a thin booklet into Wang Zhongqing's hand, the edges of which were already burning from her grip. "You do it yourself! Remember, it has to be you! Take with you two of your most capable and discreet guards!"

Her voice was even lower, each word carrying immense weight: "Set off immediately! Disguise yourself and infiltrate the county town! Before midnight, you must find Magistrate Huo! Tell him—the Shen family is grateful for his sincerity in establishing the government-run weaving workshop and understands his urgent need to recruit skilled craftsmen! We are now transferring to him, free of charge, all contracts, evaluation records, and lists of skilled craftsmen under the Shen family workshop, except for the five core workshops! We hope he will make good use of them and ensure they can fully utilize their talents! The Shen family's assets have been entirely entrusted to him; we hope he will cherish them!"

Wang Zhongqing instantly understood Ling Zhan's deeper meaning.

This is to completely and legally entrust those artisans who cannot be taken away to Huo Heng under the guise of "free transfer"!

Huo Heng is currently short-handed, and receiving this "gift" will only make him ecstatic. He will certainly do his best to settle these artisans, and may even value them more than he did when he was with the Shen family! This is not only to give the artisans a stable way to make a living, but also to use Huo Heng to make him an invisible shield for the artisans!

"Understood!" Wang Zhongqing tucked the roster tightly into his bosom.

I will personally hand it over to Huo Heng before midnight! I will make sure to clearly convey the lady's benevolent intentions!

A barely perceptible hint of heaviness flashed in Ling Zhan's eyes: "Tell them... the Shen family owes them, and if there is a future, they will repay them handsomely! Right now, Magistrate Huo's place is the best place for them to settle down."

This was the safest arrangement she could manage for the ordinary artisans who had followed her for years during her hasty escape.

She cannot shirk this responsibility.

"The mountaintop is the eye!"

Ling Zhan looked at Wang, the accountant, whose hair and beard were white but whose eyes were sharp. "Old Wang, take ten elite guards, along with the account books, the mother seed, and the core secret map (especially the Xuanji Technique), and immediately head up the mountain lightly equipped! Target—Tianchi Pass! Take advantage of the terrain and set up a beacon tower! The pursuers are approaching the county town; three plumes of black smoke are rising straight into the sky!"

The Tianchi Pass, a strategic choke point perched atop the mountains, will become their last glimpse.

Attention everyone!

Ling Zhan looked around at everyone and lowered his voice, "All carriages and horses will pretend to take the official road openly, making a big show of it! In reality, at midnight tonight, everyone must secretly gather at Eagle Beak Rock at the foot of the mountain! Elder Yang, open the secret passage, we'll take the secret passage!"

She looked at the one-armed old man and said, "Since Elder Yang knows the secret door mechanism in the rock wall, he can tell you that behind the door is a secret passage used by the garrison of the previous dynasty, leading directly to the Black Pine Forest seventy miles away! The way out is here!"

Upon receiving the order, the Shen family manor was like a pot of boiling oil poured into cold water—it instantly boiled over, yet the turmoil was forcibly suppressed.

Wang Zhongqing took the lead.

He quickly changed into an inconspicuous gray cloth outfit, and together with two equally disguised and sharp-eyed guards, like three fish swimming into the night, they silently slipped out of the back door of the Shen residence and sped toward the county town where the lights were still on.

Time was of the essence; he had to complete this final task before midnight and then rush to the mountaintop!

Accountant Wang, accompanied by ten guards and carrying heavy iron boxes containing account books, the Snowflake Mother Seed, and the core secret map, rushed towards the steep mountain peak like an arrow released from a bow.

The mountain path was rugged, with loose rocks tumbling down, and heavy breathing was especially clear in the silent forest.

Sweat soaked through his clothes; every step he took was a matter of life and death.

At the mountaintop, at the Stargazing Rock. The night wind is biting cold.

Ling Zhan personally set up three specially made beacon towers. The heavy earthenware urns were filled with oil-soaked cotton and linen, waiting for just a spark.

She stood tall at the highest edge, her gaze sweeping across the area like that of a hawk.

The official road, winding like a dead snake, the sparsely lit Linshan Town, and the menacing Qingzhou border in the distance.

Daya knelt on the frozen soil by the Heavenly Lake and dug with all her might with a shovel.

She carefully selected and wrapped the "Snowy" cotton seeds in oilcloth, burying them deep in the soil.

He kowtowed deeply before the deep, dark Heavenly Pool, tears silently streaming down his face.

"Goddess of the Earth Spirit... I beg you... to protect these seeds for me... Suihe... Suihe will definitely come back! She will!"

The tiny cotton seed carries the weight of hard work and unwavering hope.

Not far away, Little Stone blew a strange bird song with his bone whistle.

A snow-white bird with snow-feathered plumage quietly landed on his shoulder.

Little Stone tied a wooden strip with a crooked monkey head carved on it to the bird's foot and gently stroked its feathers: "Go, tell Jinbao and the Wolf King...we're leaving...but we'll be back. Tell them to take care of themselves."

The snowbird gently pecked at his finger, then flapped its wings and disappeared into the night sky.

The atmosphere at the Shen Family Manor at the foot of the mountain was oppressive and suffocating.

Five artisans who had mastered the core Xuanji secret technique were half-dragged and half-pulled into the heavily guarded inner courtyard by the guards under the pretext of "urgent meeting".

Their families were "escorted" by Kong Wu's guards, which was tantamount to kidnapping them.

The child's sobs were tightly muffled by the mother, leaving only suppressed whimpers.

The adults were ashen-faced, exchanging terrified glances; the air was thick with desperate obedience.

At the same time, the vermilion gate of the Shen Family Manor suddenly burst open!

Three luxurious, spacious carriages adorned with lanterns, escorted by dozens of armed guards, set off in a grand display!

The clatter of hooves and the jingling of carriage bells sped along the official road toward the prefectural city!

The carriage curtains were drawn low, and the blurry figures of "Chen Yan" and "Ling Zhan" could be vaguely seen—they were carefully chosen stand-ins.

This dazzling team, like a giant magnet, attracts all potential informants, striving for a glimmer of hope for a real escape.

A quiet corner in the back alley of the Linshan County Government Office.

Wang Zhongqing was still catching his breath, his face covered in dust from his journey.

He waited anxiously.

Finally, the back door of the county government office creaked open, and Magistrate Huo, accompanied by two trusted yamen runners, slipped out with a look of surprise on his face.

"Mr. Wang? What's the matter that's so urgent in the middle of the night?"

Huo Heng lowered his voice and glanced at Wang Zhongqing and the two silent guards behind him.

Wang Zhongqing immediately stepped forward and stuffed the still-warm roster and a contract into Huo Heng's hands.

He spoke very quickly but clearly.

"Lord Huo! This matter is sudden, so I will make a long story short! The master is grateful for your sincerity in establishing the government-run weaving workshop and understands your urgency in recruiting skilled craftsmen! He has specially ordered me to transfer all the contracts, evaluations, and skill lists of the remaining 132 craftsmen under Shen Ji's name, except for the five core master craftsmen who have urgent family matters to attend to with the master, to you free of charge! I hope you will make good use of them and ensure that they can give full play to their talents and abilities! The Shen family's properties in Linshan County have been completely entrusted to you, and I hope you will take good care of yourself!"

By the dim light of the lanterns carried by the constables, Huo Heng hurriedly flipped through the roster and contracts, his eyes instantly bursting with ecstatic joy!

This is like a windfall!

He was worried about the lack of skilled craftsmen in the new workshop, but the Shen family actually handed over their entire team.

And it even came with such detailed files!

"Lord Shen...Lord Shen is so kind! Please tell Lord Shen that I, Huo, will certainly live up to your expectations! I will treat these craftsmen as honored guests and make the best use of their talents! I will also take good care of the Shen family's property!"

Huo Heng's voice trembled with excitement as he gripped the roster tightly.

"Very well! The master instructed us, and the craftsmen are all experienced elders. We hope you will take good care of them! We have other matters to attend to, so we will take our leave now! Take care, sir!"

Wang Zhongqing clasped his hands in a fist salute, said no more, and quickly turned around with his guards, his figure disappearing into the dark alley, speeding towards the mountain peak outside the city.

That's all he can do.

Madam Ling has done everything she could; the rest depends on the fate of these artisans and Huo Heng's conscience.

He took one last deep look in the direction of the artisan settlement before turning and disappearing into the night.

As the midnight hour struck, the pale moonlight was swallowed by thick clouds, plunging the earth into an even deeper darkness.

The real escape convoy gathered under the menacing shadow of Eagle's Beak Rock.

The packhorses' hooves were wrapped in thick cloth, and everyone kept silent, like ghosts in the dark.

The only sounds were the suppressed breathing and the rustling of the fabric.

The silence within the group was terrifying.

Yang Sijian, with his one arm hunched over, walked to the rock wall that resembled the fangs of a giant beast. His calloused hands groped on the cold, rough, moss-covered rock wall, touching several seemingly natural protrusions and indentations, pressing, rotating, or pushing them with a specific rhythm and force.

Click...click...creak—!

The dull hum of gears turning and the screeching of chains scraping against the rock face emanated faintly from within the thick rock mass.

A seemingly solid, massive rock slowly caved in and slid away—

A dark hole, barely wide enough for one vehicle to pass through, was revealed!

A chilling wind, a mixture of rust, old dust, and decay, rushed out like the breath of a giant beast from the earth!

The icy cold, carrying a strong smell of damp mold and the deathly stillness accumulated over the years, instantly swept over everyone at the cave entrance, sending chills down their spines.

Inside the cave entrance, there was a bottomless darkness, leading to the unknown seventy miles away.

Ling Zhan threw several torches into the cave, and only when the flames were steady and unbroken did he give a low and resolute order: "Go in!"

The ghostly procession, one after another, silently disappeared into the dark maw that seemed capable of swallowing everything.

Yang Sijian was the last to step in.

He looked back at the faint lights of Linshan Town below the mountain, and with his one arm, he forcefully pulled on the mechanism inside the rock wall.

Creak... Boom—!

The heavy stone door slowly closed behind him, cutting off the last glimmer of light.

It also cut them off from everything they once had.

The secret passage was completely sealed off.

Darkness became my only companion on my journey.

The only way forward is to move forward.

The convoy, like a long snake, slowly disappeared into the bottomless darkness.

Just as the last horse was about to disappear into the crevice, Ling Zhan abruptly pulled on the reins, turned the horse around, and looked back one last time at the misty, deathly silent mountaintop—there, there were no three plumes of black smoke that foreshadowed disaster. Only a suffocating silence.

She raised her hand, drew a specially made whistling arrow from the quiver on the side of the saddle, and nocked it onto the powerful bow.

The bowstring vibrated!

The whistling arrow tore through the night sky with a piercing shriek, exploding high above with a "bang," transforming into a fleeting flower of blue flame—

This is the final evacuation signal!

On the mountaintop, Accountant Wang stared intently down the mountain.

The moment that faint blue flame flashed by, his bloodshot eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Madam's signal! Retreat!" a hoarse growl shouted.

The guards moved with the speed of ghosts.

Together, they pushed the heavy iron box to the edge of the Heavenly Pool, next to a pile of rocks. Wang, the accountant, fumbled to activate a pre-set mechanism at the bottom of the pool, silently opening the mouth of the dark stone box beneath the water. The iron box was carefully submerged in the cold pool water, firmly locking itself inside the stone box.

Immediately, the beacon tower was dismantled at top speed, and the firewood soaked in oil and linen was pushed into the abyss.

"Walk!"

Wang the accountant shouted in a low voice and took the lead in rushing towards the cliff behind the Star Gazing Stone.

There, several sturdy rope ladders hang, leading directly to a deep, rarely visited valley below.

Eleven figures silently and rapidly slid down the steep cliff, chasing the escape convoy that had already infiltrated the bloodline of the earth.

The cracks in Eagle's Beak Rock resemble the closed mouth of a giant beast, swallowing the last glimmer of light.

Deep within the mountain, in a crystal cave unknown to anyone.

The core of the Asura Star is like an ancient, fossilized heart.

In absolute darkness and silence, taking ten thousand years as a measure, it slowly draws in the rare and pure energy that is free in the universe.

Each faint, almost nonexistent energy pulse, like a stone falling into a deep pool, creates insignificant ripples in the long river of time.

Its nourishment of the mountaintop is an unconscious and extremely slow gift—

The vegetation is slightly lush, the spring water slightly sweet, and the creatures slightly intelligent—but to those who are currently on the verge of death, it offers no benefit whatsoever.

Ling Zhan's gaze pierced through the night and the rock layers, as if he had made a silent pact with the hidden core:

You sleep peacefully, I will keep my promise. May this mountain be at peace, and may you live in peace forever.

In the dark, secret passage, the wheels rolled over the slippery moss, making a dull, oppressive sound.

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