Chapter 157 The Change on a Moonlit Night
"Nonsense! What does Xie Sizhou's death have to do with our Lord? We can't say that we killed him just because he lived in the same courtyard as us from the North. I could also say that he mistreated his subordinates, which led them to harbor evil intentions and kill him while he was drunk."
"How could the soldiers from Sizhou, who were guarding the entrance to the courtyard, not have heard the fighting inside? Logically, they should have rushed in as soon as the conflict started. But the Sizhou soldiers did nothing, so the thugs must have come from within their ranks!"
"That's right, stop trying to frame our Lord."
...
Centered on Qin Shaozong, his generals spread out like wings on either side of him.
Opposite them, Dong Zhou, Jiang Shi, Li Lishen, and their subordinates were also arranged in a wing-like formation. Compared to those from the North, their wings were larger and more powerful.
On the opposite side, the Qingzhou forces, led by Nangong Xiong, remained silent like hyenas watching from the sidelines.
Xie Yuanyue, who had died, was in a courtyard not far away. The room was brightly lit with candles and the door was wide open.
Li Lishen then said, "You're right. If there were guards at the entrance, they should have known. But everyone drank and had a good time tonight, so it's normal for the guards to be negligent. Besides..."
He pointed to the wall separating the two courtyards. The inner wall was never as high as the outer wall. “Who doesn’t know that Marquis Wu’an is incredibly skilled? For you, Qin Changgeng, this low wall is nothing more than a small obstacle. You can just lift your foot and get over it. If you don’t take the usual route, the guards might not even notice you.”
Master Jiang chimed in at the opportune moment, “Of all those present, you were the only one who had a disagreement with Xie Tengyun. You defeated him in the competition at the banquet and won the dancer he desired. After the banquet, you two lived in the same compound, so you were bound to run into each other again. Given Tengyun’s temperament, he would most likely say something sarcastic to you. Wu’an, you were able to punch him hard at the banquet for the sake of a mere dancer, so it’s understandable that you would sneak into his room and kill him after being provoked.”
"Absurd! All of this is just your speculation. To pin the blame on you based on such a mere assumption, I think it is you, Jiang Yuzhou, who has ulterior motives," Feng Feng said angrily.
There were clearly two people who made the guesses, but Feng Feng only named Jiang Shi, as if he was targeting only him.
Master Jiang's brow twitched, but he quickly calmed down. He took out an object and tossed it in his hand. "It's not all just speculation. There's a little thing that can prove it."
Qin Shaozong subtly glanced at the full moon in the sky.
Unaware of anything amiss, Master Jiang continued, "Just now, you all saw it in the room. There was a purse next to Teng Yun who had fallen to the ground. Wu An, are you familiar with this?"
He suddenly sneered, "Heh, even if you ignored it intentionally or unintentionally just now, it doesn't change the fact that it fell on you before. After all, I saw it clearly at the banquet."
Qin Shaozong scoffed, "What kind of evidence is this? My purse is still on my person. If you just find any purse and claim it's mine, then I can also say that the knife Xie Sizhou has stuck in his chest belongs to you, Jiang Yuzhou."
Master Jiang's expression changed drastically. "Stop talking nonsense!"
Nangong Xiong, who was not far away, had been observing from the sidelines, but as he watched, he sensed something was amiss.
This scheme was clumsy, ridiculous, and extremely rudimentary; it was nothing more than a tattered fig leaf to cover up the truth, yet it still managed to frame someone.
However, it must be said that Prime Minister Dong, who held the reins of power in the court, did indeed have the ability to incite several governors of the surrounding prefectures to call a deer a horse.
It seems that the other side wants to take down Qin Changgeng before Liu Jingzhou goes to the capital.
He wasn't surprised that the Prime Minister had set a trap; this wine-tasting banquet hadn't been entirely innocent from the start. Now, the two sides were just arguing. He could understand why Prime Minister Dong was so eager to pin the blame for "harming Xie Sizhou" on Wu'an, but he couldn't understand Qin Changgeng's attitude.
Based on his understanding of the other party, this guy wasn't the type to engage in verbal battles or surrender easily when faced with a problem.
But...
Nangong Xiong glanced at the walls in the courtyard without making a sound. He saw that the dark, low walls resembled mountain peaks rising from the ground, with one "small hill" after another stretching out.
But those weren't small hills at all; they were clearly heads wearing helmets. Under the moonlight, the arrows in the soldiers' hands reflected a chilling glint, like the bared fangs of venomous snakes.
Nangong Xiong inwardly gasped.
It seems there's no other way to clear his name except through verbal sparring. But what's the use of just arguing? Dong Xiang has already decided to take him down tonight; sooner or later, it's all the same—different paths leading to the same end.
Unless Qin Changgeng already knew everything and sent people down the mountain in advance, there would be no need to delay...
But Wu An is not a divine being; how could he possibly foresee everything?
As he was thinking this, Nangong Xiong suddenly noticed Dong Zhou frowning not far away, as if he was pondering something.
Qin Shaozong's ears twitched suddenly, and he said, "Although there are signs of a struggle in the room, Xie Sizhou himself was quite skilled in martial arts. If he really died in a fight, there would definitely be more than just these few signs of a struggle in the room. We need to investigate more carefully to find out the truth."
After saying that, he took the lead and walked inside.
As he took a step, a group of northern generals followed closely behind. They were all tall and had long legs, and in the blink of an eye, the group flowed into the house like a stream, leaving no trace.
Both Master Jiang and Li Li were taken aback.
Almost as soon as Qin Shaozong and his entourage entered the house, someone rushed over from the direction of the courtyard entrance: "Prime Minister! A group of people from outside the garden are forcing their way in, and their attack is extremely fierce. From what I see... the attackers look like they are from the north."
Dong Zhou's expression changed instantly. In that instant, all the subtle, unsettling feelings he had been having were answered.
"The Marquis of Wu'an harmed Xie Sizhou and even tried to destroy the evidence and silence witnesses. His actions are utterly despicable. Men, seize all the people from the North!" Dong Zhou shouted.
As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers who had been clinging to the wall all jumped down, and at the same time, a group of guards poured in from outside the courtyard.
Nangong Xiong's pupils narrowed to needles as a thousand thoughts raced through his mind in that instant.
Advancing would mean joining forces with Qin Shaozong; retreating would mean automatically joining Dong Zhou's camp. He had already allied with Qin Changgeng to jointly attack Qinglian, so even if he surrendered to Dong Zhou now, the latter might not truly trust him.
In this life-or-death struggle, there is no such thing as neutrality.
Nangong Xiong cursed under his breath, then gritted his teeth and ordered his subordinates beside him, "Follow me!"
The group from Qingzhou immediately rushed forward, but the door was already closed. They took a side path to the backyard, intending to exit through the side door.
A fierce glint flashed in Dong Zhou's eyes. "The Marquis of Wu'an is colluding with Nangong Qingzhou. Take him down as well! Execute all those who resist on the spot!"
...
inside the house.
Feng Feng, who was the last to enter, locked the door cleanly.
Without Qin Shaozong giving any instructions, Kuang Ye drew his sword and swung it fiercely at the long table, splitting it in two with a "bang," instantly turning the table into a shield.
Others followed suit.
Besides the main gate, windows were also opened throughout the house, and the group passed through the building and retreated from the other side.
There were also soldiers deployed at the rear, though fewer than at the front. Seeing them jump out of the window, the leader immediately shouted, "They're coming out! Fire!"
Arrows rained down.
*
Inside Chang'an.
On the night Qin Shaozong left, Dai Li did not sleep well. His words, "Things may change tonight," seemed to rise and fall like the tides, echoing in her ears from time to time.
The sword of Damocles hanging overhead finally fell when the silence of the night was broken.
"Mistress!" Hurried footsteps followed by Qiao Wangfei's voice, "A large number of military patrols have arrived outside the manor. The leader, who claims to be a petty thief they've been searching for, has sneaked into the manor and demands that we open the gates for a search."
Dai Li sat up in shock, clutching the blanket, and her first words were, "Don't open the door."
Qiao Wangfei hurriedly replied, "Of course it's not open. But the outside forces are coming in a fierce manner, as if they won't give up until they achieve their goal. I ordered people to climb trees and go to several pavilions in the mansion to look out from a high place. We found that not only the main gate, but also several side gates were filled with military patrols. I roughly estimate that there are no less than a thousand people."
Dai Li's heart sank to the bottom.
She had two hundred elite soldiers, but there were no fewer than a thousand people surrounding the mansion. What about those lying in ambush in other hidden places?
In a city as vast as Chang'an, it was common to have tens of thousands of guards on patrol. Two hundred against tens of thousands—even the strongest soldiers could be worn down.
Dai Li quickly got out of bed and dressed, saying, "It seems there will be a fierce battle tonight. Make sure they wear their armor properly. Only by preserving our fighting strength can we have a chance of survival. By the way, which gate is the leader at?"
Qiao Wangfei said it was at the main gate.
Dai Li: "Send someone to tell the military patrol leader to wait a moment, I will speak with him personally."
"You mustn't, Madam!" Qiao Wangfei said urgently. "The other party came while the Lord was away. They have ulterior motives. You mustn't fall for their tricks."
“I must go. There’s a saying: ‘Courtesy before force.’ If we want to delay, we must use ‘courtesy’.” Dai Li fastened her belt and then tucked the short knife Qin Shaozong had left behind into her waistband. “Don’t dawdle, do as I say!”
Dai Li's voice has always been gentle, with no hint of heroism. But now, as she lowers her voice slightly, even her gentle, spring-like voice reveals a touch of majesty.
Qiao Wangfei unconsciously tensed his spine, the muscles on the side of his cheeks bulged and then calmed down. Finally, he raised his voice and called to the guard outside the main courtyard, asking him to pass on the message.
This message has been spread, but other things should also be said.
Qiao Wangfei reminded her, "Mistress, Chang Le Garden is half a day's journey from Chang'an. Even if the Marquis knows about the changes in the manor now, he won't be able to get back until tomorrow morning at the earliest."
No matter how much they try to delay, the other party is not going to spend the whole night outside with them.
There isn't enough time.
"Creak." The door suddenly opened.
The moon shines tonight, its light falling on the woman's cold, beautiful face, as if draping it in a sacred veil. Her features are gentle, but her eyes are as bright as snow blades, as dazzling as fire, concealing a sharp edge and a fierce spirit.
“Who said we have to wait for Qin Changgeng to come back?” Dai Li walked quickly out of the courtyard. “Distant water can’t quench a fire nearby. Tonight we can only save ourselves.”
Qiao Wangfei subconsciously followed her, and was about to ask how to save himself when he heard Dai Li continue, "You just said that several gates of the mansion are surrounded by military patrols. Which gate has the fewest soldiers?"
This really stumped Qiao Wangfei.
As the commander of the Xuanxiao Cavalry, with several hundred soldiers under his command, he didn't need to do everything personally. He was told by his men that there were military patrols blocking the side gates.
Seeing his pause, Dai Li realized he didn't know either. "Quickly send someone to investigate. Once you've found out, organize a hundred people to go around that small door and open it to welcome them in."
Qiao Wangfei's expression changed drastically. "Mistress, how can this door be opened? If the door is opened, the guards outside will swarm in. And if a hundred men are transferred away, then there will only be a hundred men left in other places. This mansion is very spacious, and the outer wall defenses have consumed a lot of manpower. In this way, there will be even fewer people left by your side."
“I didn’t tell you to leave the door open the whole time, let a group of military patrols in, and then close it.” Dai Li turned to look at Qiao Wangfei, her eyes seeming to shine even brighter. “I need the uniforms the military patrols are wearing; that’s the key. We have to get them!”
Qiao Wangfei was stunned.
"Madam, are you planning to take advantage of the darkness and confusion to escape?" After making this guess, Qiao Wangfei quickly weighed the pros and cons and finally shook his head: "It's not very feasible. The soldiers surrounding the mansion are only the first line of defense, and the city gates are the second."
Saying it's "not very feasible" is already a euphemism.
Even with the cover of night, the curfew imposed on the city's inhabitants, keeping them confined to their homes, actually reduced many unnecessary obstacles.
This cat-and-mouse hunt might not last all night, ultimately because two hundred people are too few.
“I know everything you’re saying, and I have a way to get reinforcements.” Dai Li continued walking.
Qiao Wangfei froze for a moment.
Reinforcements? Where are the reinforcements coming from?!
The main force of Xuanxiao Cavalry is thirty miles outside the city. Now that the city gates are tightly closed, news from inside the city cannot get out, so how can reinforcements arrive?
Qiao Wangfei's mind raced, and he even wondered if the Marquis had secretly left a secret guard for his mistress before leaving.
The situation was urgent, so the two walked and talked. Just as they came out of the courtyard, they encountered three juniors who had come after hearing the news.
Unable to be in two places at once, Dai Li could only tell her son briefly, "Zhouzhou, something is going to happen tonight. You and your younger siblings stay with Hu Bao and don't run around."
After instructing the younger generation, Dai Li, without stopping, continued to say to Qiao Wangfei, "Our residence is surrounded by the dwellings of people from several other states. Tonight, the military patrol was very aggressive; I don't believe they are unaware of this. Since it's a blockade, who says it can only be a hunt in the North?"
Qiao Wangfei's breath hitched. After understanding the meaning behind Dai Li's words, he was so excited that his hair stood on end. "You want to borrow the uniforms of the military patrol so that we can pretend to be soldiers from Chang'an and attack several residences in Sizhou, Yuzhou, and Xuzhou?"
"yes!"
Dai Li gave an affirmative answer, "I don't believe they are of one mind with that Dong fellow. As long as they are not a monolithic group, as long as there is still suspicion among them, they can be used by us. It just so happens that the governors are not here tonight, and their camps are all located in the suburbs, leaving only two or three hundred men, or even fewer, in their residences. If they are suddenly attacked in the middle of the night, they will definitely be suspicious and guess that Prime Minister Dong wants to wipe them out in one fell swoop."
These were not solutions that Dai Li came up with in a few moments, but rather the thoughts she sorted out after tossing and turning in bed and waking up several times from her dreams before falling asleep.
Dai Li: "It's true that we only have two hundred people, but if we can take advantage of the chaos to lure everyone over and unite them as one, we will have a force of at least a thousand people, all of whom are elite soldiers. It's not impossible for us to open the city gate from the inside and leave the city."
It should be noted that when Dong Zhuo captured Luoyang, he only had a force of 3,000 elite soldiers. This shows that the power of elite soldiers is far superior to that of inferior soldiers.
“Simply attacking the other governor’s mansions at the same time, a hundred or so people are far from enough. It would be best to get the assistance of the neighboring Qingzhou.” Dai Li paused. “By the way, Nangong Qingzhou has gone to a banquet. His daughter must be staying at his mansion. We need to send a team over, both as envoys and to bring her out.”
She remembered that Nangong Xiong had always intended to cooperate with Qin Changgeng.
Tonight, things will change in Chang Le Yuan. It all depends on the other side's choice. On the bright side, her actions are to protect the daughter of an ally; on the dark side, it is to take an important hostage of the enemy.
Qin Yanzhou glanced at Qin Qinian, whose mind was as sharp as lightning; the two brothers were unusually in sync.
"Mother, leave this matter to me and Qinian."
"Mother, leave this matter to my second brother and me."
Author's Note: Here I am! [dog head with rose in hand]
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