Undercurrents in Zengtou City

Chapter Quote: Sneak into the dangerous lair alone, and break the dreamer's dream with clever words. The BMW has disappeared, the storm is fierce, and the murderous intention is approaching in the dark night.

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The north wind chilled the air, turning the breath into frost. Around Zengtou City, camps were already in formation, flags fluttering. Tens of thousands of Liangshan troops had laid siege to this important northern town, impenetrable. War clouds loomed over the city, a murderous aura rising to the skies.

Yan Qing disguised himself as a merchant from outside the Great Wall who sold furs, and mixed in with the traveling merchants who were still trying to travel to Zengtou City for their last business. With his superb disguise skills and calm demeanor, he safely passed the inspection of the outer checkpoints of Liangshan and entered the heavily guarded Zengtou City.

The atmosphere in the city was extremely tense. Soldiers were bustling about in the streets, carrying weapons to defend the city. The people were terrified, and most shops were closed. The air was filled with the smell of saltpeter and tension.

Yan Qing found an inn that was still open and stayed there, quietly trying to gather information. Soon, he understood the current situation.

The Liangshan army had been besieging the city for several days. Zengtou City, relying on its fortified walls and elite cavalry, had repelled several Liangshan probing attacks, leading to a temporary stalemate. However, the city was running low on food and fodder, and more importantly, rumors were spreading.

A rumor said that Teacher Shi Wengong was dissatisfied with the domineering behavior of the Five Tigers of the Zeng family and had long intended to leave, and might even have been secretly communicating with Liangshan.

Another rumor is about a BMW named "Zhao Ye Yu Shi Zi". It is said that this horse was originally obtained by the Zeng family and was a good omen sent from heaven. But now it has disappeared inexplicably, which may be a bad omen.

Yan Qing was filled with awe. Wu Yong's plan to sow discord had indeed begun! And it was moving so quickly!

I must see Shi Wengong as soon as possible!

However, as the chief teacher of Zengtou City, Shi Wengong held a high position, and it was wartime. How could an ordinary merchant meet him just because he wanted to?

Yan Qing pondered for a moment and came up with a plan. He took out a piece of high-quality old mountain ginseng he had brought with him, prepared a generous gift, and through the innkeeper's connections, he found a steward in Shi Wengong's mansion. He said he had long admired Teacher Shi's reputation and was offering a precious treasure from outside the Great Wall in exchange for a meeting.

Seeing the generous gifts and Yan Qing's extraordinary demeanor (although disguised, his demeanor was calm), the steward agreed to pass the message on his behalf. Fortunately, Shi Wengong, perhaps bored by the war or perhaps interested in the "treasures from beyond the Great Wall," actually agreed to meet him in a side hall of the mansion.

That night, Yan Qing followed the steward to Shi Wengong's residence. The furnishings were simple, yet exuded a warrior's toughness. After waiting in a side hall for a moment, a man strode in with the swift gait of a dragon and a tiger. He was dressed in a brocade robe, his face stern, his gaze piercing. It was Shi Wengong, the "Teacher of Zengtou City."

Shi Wengong took a look at Yan Qing. Although he was dressed like a merchant, he had an upright figure and clear eyes, unlike any other merchant. He said calmly, "Are you the merchant from outside the Great Wall who has come to offer treasures? What advice do you have for me?"

Yan Qing dismissed his attendants (the steward had taken advantage and tactfully left), stepped forward, and said in a low voice, "Teacher Shi, I am not here to offer you treasures. I am here to save you and the countless lives of Zengtou City!"

Shi Wengong's pupils shrank slightly, his hand already on the hilt of the sword at his waist. He sneered, "How dare you spread rumors here to confuse the people! Are you a Liangshan spy?"

"Teacher, please understand!" Yan Qing calmly took out an object from his bosom. It wasn't some precious treasure, but an iron plate engraved with the word "Yin" (a token of trust given by Gongsun Sheng). "I am Yan Qing, a disciple of Lu Junyi of Daming Prefecture. I'm here on the orders of Mr. Gongsun of 'Yinyi' to remind you not to fall for Liangshan's schemes to sow discord!"

"Lu Junyi? Gongsun Sheng? Yan Qing?" Shi Wengong had clearly heard of these names, especially Yan Qing, who had become quite famous recently. His expression softened slightly, but he remained wary. "What do you mean by that?"

"Teacher, are you aware that the rumors in the city right now all point to you?" Yan Qing looked directly at Shi Wengong. "They say you're at odds with the Zeng family, and are even secretly colluding with Liangshan. This is Wu Yong's vicious plot, intended to sow discord and cause chaos within Zengtou City, leading to its own collapse!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Wengong's face darkened. How could he not know about the rumors? He had long been dissatisfied with the arrogance of the Zeng Family's Five Tigers, and now that Yan Qing had pointed this out, he was even more annoyed. "Hmph, the clear will be clear, and the turbid will be turbid! Why should I, Shi, explain my actions to others?"

"Teachers are certainly upright, but people's words are terrifying!" Yan Qing said earnestly. "Especially in this critical moment, if Zeng Taigong (Zeng Nong) listens to slander and becomes suspicious of you, Zengtou City will be in danger! If the city falls, even if you have the courage of a tyrant, what can you do? Do you really want to bear the name of a traitor and perish with him?"

Shi Wengong remained silent, his words clearly hitting home. He prided himself on his martial arts prowess, a rare match in the world. How could he be willing to be buried with Zeng Toushi? He certainly didn't want to be branded a traitor.

Yan Qing struck while the iron was hot, saying, "Teacher, the most urgent thing is to put aside past grudges and work together with the Zeng family to fight the foreign enemy! As long as we defeat Liangshan, all the rumors will naturally disappear! Then, you can calmly decide whether to stay or leave. If you harbor resentment now, it will play into Wu Yong's hands!"

Shi Wengong's eyes flickered, clearly a fierce internal struggle brewing. After a long pause, he slowly exhaled and said in a deep voice, "What you say is not without reason. It's just that... those guys from the Zeng family might not be as receptive to advice."

"Everything depends on human effort!" Yan Qing said, "Teacher, you can take the initiative to find Master Zeng and explain the pros and cons, expressing your willingness to live and die with Zengtou City! If you are sincere, Master Zeng will be mature and prudent, and will surely be able to distinguish right from wrong! As for the young masters... I need you to be patient for the time being and put the overall situation first!"

Shi Wengong looked at Yan Qing deeply. This young man was not only courageous but also insightful, his words hitting the nail on the head. He nodded and said, "Okay! I'll trust you this time! I'll go see Taigong tomorrow!"

After calming Shi Wengong down, Yan Qing felt relieved, but another thing made him even more worried - "Zhao Ye Jade Lion"!

He asked tentatively, "Teacher Shi, I've also heard about a horse called 'Zhao Ye Yu Shi (The Jade Lion)'. There are rumors in the city that the horse is missing..."

Mentioning this, Shi Wengong frowned and snorted coldly, "This is strange! The horse was originally presented to Grandpa by 'Golden Retriever' Duan Jingzhu. He had always cared for it personally and kept it in the stable. But a few days ago, both the man and the horse suddenly disappeared without a trace! Now there are rumors all over the city, all kinds of stories!"

Duan Jingzhu disappeared with the horse?! Yan Qing was shocked. This was no accident! Duan Jingzhu was greedy for money and had forgotten his loyalty. He had most likely been bribed by Liangshan and absconded with the horse, intending to use it to cause trouble at a critical moment!

Duan Jingzhu must be found as soon as possible!

He immediately said goodbye to Shi Wengong and left the mansion. He then used the emergency contact method of "Yinyi" to spread the news that Duan Jingzhu and his horse were missing, hoping that Zhu Wu and Gongsun Sheng would find out.

However, while he was busy dealing with the internal crisis in Zengtou City, he didn't realize that a pair of sinister eyes had already been staring at him in the dark.

He returned to the inn and just opened the door when he was greeted by an extremely elegant fragrance, which was almost identical to the datura fragrance he had smelled before at Lu Junyi's sickbed in Daming Prefecture!

Although it was extremely faint, Yan Qing was extremely sensitive to the smell and was instantly alert! He suddenly held his breath and retreated quickly!

But it was still too late! I felt a slight dizziness coming over me, and my hands and feet felt weak!

At the same time, inside and outside the room, several dark shadows flashed like ghosts, with sharp sword lights, aiming straight at his vital points!

The leader was none other than the tall, thin man with a sinister face and a judge's pen who had appeared repeatedly outside Tokyo and at the Xu family manor. He had a sinister smile on his face:

"Yanqing! Let's see where you can escape this time!"

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Chapter 30 End