Chapter 502 Summer Night

Under the bright red lantern, Song Han's face seemed to become even paler.

He whispered, "Come out!"

Five or six guards came out from behind him, dropped their weapons in the yard, and raised their hands high.

Duan Gongyi did not approach, but smiled and said, "Are these the only ones?"

"Just these few people!" Song Han said with a sullen face, "The others are not my people!"

Duan Gongyi nodded to the people around him.

Several strong guards came forward with ropes and tied up all of Song Han's men.

Song Han looked at his face which turned red and white.

Duan Gongyi smiled and said "I'm sorry", then he took out a rope from somewhere and walked towards Song Han.

Song Han realized what he was going to do, and he took a few steps back, shouting, "You dog, what are you doing?"

Duan Gongyi's face darkened and he said, "Second Master, you ordered people to murder the wife and eldest grandson of the Duke of Ying's mansion. Even in front of His Majesty, you will be sentenced to death. I call you 'Second Master' to give you face, don't be shameless!" Then he tied up Song Han in a very rough manner and dragged him towards the small group of rooms on the west side of the back garden.

The villa in Xiangshan was the property of the Duke of Yingguo. When Song Han was young, he often came here with Mrs. Jiang to escape the summer heat. Knowing that the small group of rooms was where the maids of the villa lived, he couldn't help but secretly regret it. He didn't expect Dou Zhao to hide here! But how did she find out that he was plotting something bad?

He thought about it over and over again, but couldn't figure out where he had revealed his flaws, so he pursed his lips and stumbled as Duan Gongyi dragged him into a private room at the back of the small dormitory.

The window frames of the chalet were covered with blankets. From the outside, it was pitch black. However, two palace lanterns were lit inside. Because there was no ventilation, the room was a little stuffy, but the faint fragrance of plum blossoms floated in the room, which did not make people feel uncomfortable. Yuan Ge'er slept sweetly on the big kang next to the window. An unfamiliar old woman fanned Yuan Ge'er with a palm-leaf fan, and Jingui and Yingui stood by to serve him. Dou Zhao sat on the kang, looking at him with a pair of cold eyes like cold stars, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

Song Han's heart shuddered, and he hurriedly called out "sister-in-law", tears falling down: "I have been losing my temper in the yard, but no one paid attention. I wanted to send a message to you and Old An, but I couldn't. I'm so glad that you and Yuan Ge'er are okay. I was afraid that something bad had happened to you, and then I would be blamed for it..."

Dou Zhao just felt disgusted.

She said calmly, "Second Master is not tired of performing, but I, the audience, am tired. Tell me what happened, and I will regard you as someone who was kidnapped and will not pursue the matter any further. If you still want to beat around the bush with me, I will have no choice but to hand you over to the Crown Prince. Second Master, make up your mind quickly. The weather is hot, and I don't have the patience to wait for you to weigh the pros and cons and calculate everything!"

Song Han struggled to step forward and said, "Sister-in-law, you can't wrongly accuse me like this..."

Dou Zhao interrupted him with a sneer, "When the fire broke out in the Duke of Ying's Mansion, the prince was not at home, but I was able to defend Yizhi Hall. Song Han, you underestimate me too much!" She said, and ordered Jin Gui, "You help me count to a hundred. If the second master still says the same thing... Master Duan," she looked at Duan Gongyi, her face covered with a layer of frost, "Drag Song Han out and kill him for me. Anyway, he keeps saying that he was kidnapped, so we can just say that he was silenced by the robbers afterwards!"

Duan Gongyi replied happily, "Yes," and said with a beaming face, "Don't worry, this is not the first time I've done this. That kid from the Pang family beat us into a paralysis last time!"

The two men were talking about murder and fighting as if no one was around, and the old woman next to them was as calm and composed as if she was listening to them talking about the weather.

As Jin Gui counted with a slight tremor, Song Han felt a chill in his heart.

The door was suddenly pushed open, and Chen Xiaofeng, who had been guarding outside the door, rushed in: "Madam, something is wrong! There is not even a sound outside."

Dou Zhao's hair stood on end.

She exchanged glances with Duan Gongyi. Duan Gongyi said, "I'll go out and take a look."

Dou Zhao nodded.

Chen Xiaofeng quickly dodged.

There was a rustling sound outside, followed by a man's gloomy voice: "Madam Dou, please come out with your eldest son. We have no other intentions, we just want you to stay at our house for a few days. Please don't resist in vain. We have more than 50 crossbows pointed at your house! Be careful not to get shot into a hornet's nest."

The crossbow is a controlled item and is only for military use.

Dou Zhao's expression changed drastically.

A thought flashed through her mind.

Duan Gongyi was filled with remorse. He stamped his feet and said, "While the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole is waiting behind. It's all my fault. I fell into Song Han's trap!"

Dou Zhao glanced at Song Han, who still looked somewhat surprised, and shook her head, saying, "It's not your fault. Song Han didn't know that he was being used as bait. It shows that the other party is determined to get me and Yuan Ge'er." She asked Duan Gongyi, "Will Song Han break away suddenly?"

Duan Gongyi puffed out his chest and said, "Except for my late master, no one else can untie the knot I tied."

Dou Zhao nodded and said, "Push Song Han out to stand in front of me. I want to talk to him."

"No..." Song Han's legs went limp and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Duan Gongyi mercilessly picked up Song Han and pushed him to the door.

Dou Zhao looked out over Song Han's shoulder.

Under the bright moonlight, people were standing on the roofs all around. The sharp arrows were flashing with a faint cold light, as if they would shoot over and pierce the heart of someone to death if they were not careful.

Dou Zhao's heart tightened.

However, Song Han uttered a sad cry: "Don't shoot, don't shoot! I am the second master Song from the Duke of Ying's Mansion! Your master promised me that as long as I can catch Dou, he will give me a future..." Then Dou Zhao and Duan Gongyi smelled the smell of urine.

Dou Zhao frowned.

Duan Gongyi sneered, "You are so brave, and you want to imitate others to kill and rob! Don't blame your master for not taking you seriously." He then sarcastically said, "You are just a discarded pawn, otherwise they wouldn't let you throw a brick to attract jade, so don't flatter yourself here. Do you believe that if they have a disagreement with the lady, they will be the first to shoot you to death?"

Song Han was trembling and couldn't utter a word.

Duan Gongyi kicked him and said, "Why don't you confess the mastermind quickly? Do you still want to wait for death?"

Song Han's eyes were filled with fear, but he kept his mouth shut.

Dou Zhao was too lazy to pay attention to him and asked Duan Gongyi: "How long can we hold off those arrows?"

Duan Gongyi hesitated for a moment and said, "If we don't lose any casualties and hold on to this hut, we should be able to hold out until dawn."

Chen Xiaofeng and the others were all outside the house, afraid that if they moved, the other side would start shooting indiscriminately.

Dou Zhao didn't dare to take any risks, so he had to delay and said to Duan Gongyi, "I want to talk to the other party. You signal Chen Xiaofeng and the others to slowly move over here. As many people as can come in, let them in."

Duan Gongyi nodded.

Dou Zhao shouted, "Who are you? I am the wife of the prince of the Duke of Ying, a lady of the first rank. Didn't anyone tell you that kidnapping an official's family is a heavier crime?"

The other party said slowly: "Madam, we are also acting in an emergency, please don't make things difficult for us..."

As he was speaking, there was a sound of breaking wind, and an arrow shot towards Chen Xiaofeng who was quietly moving. If Chen Xiaofeng had not paid full attention to the surrounding movements and dodged quickly, he would have been shot.

Dou Zhao's face turned cold.

The other party said sinisterly: "Madam, please don't refuse a toast and drink a penalty wine."

Dou Zhao laughed disdainfully and whispered to Duan Gongyi, "Push Song Han out and let him stand in front of Chen Xiaofeng."

"Ah!" Duan Gongyi opened his mouth wide.

Song Han screamed like crazy: "How dare you do this to me! I am the second master of the Duke of Ying's Mansion. Those lowly guards are not even worthy of carrying my shoes, and you actually want me to block their arrows?"

Duan Gongyi also asked: "Don't you still want Song Han's confession?"

Dou raised his head, looked at the moonlit night sky, and said, "No need, I already know who wants to arrest me and Yuan Ge'er. He is useless now, just get him out!"

Song Han yelled incoherently.

Dou Zhao hid behind the door.

Duan Gongyi shouted "Chen Xiaofeng" and pushed Song Han out mercilessly.

Chen Xiaofeng grabbed Song Han and held him against his chest, then retreated towards the room.

Seven or eight arrows shot towards them like meteors.

Chen Xiaofeng subconsciously swung his sword and knocked the arrow to the ground, while he took the opportunity to run into the compartment.

Dou Zhao smiled with his teeth showing.

Chen Xiaofeng left Song Han, who had fainted from fright, and saluted Dou Zhao with a fist, calling her "Madam" excitedly.

"Don't say anything." Dou Zhao said with a smile, "Tell the guards outside and use Song Han as a shield to rush in."

Chen Xiaofeng hesitated for a while, but finally his brotherhood prevailed. He said "yes" respectfully and threw Song Han out.

This time, Song Han was not lucky at the hands of Chen Xiaofeng. He was shot by arrows in the shoulder and thigh and woke up in pain.

Dou Zhao once again ordered Duan Gongyi to throw the man out.

Song Han hugged Duan Gongyi's thighs tightly, tears and snot were indistinguishable: "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! I just ask you not to throw me out again!"

Dou Zhao was unmoved and said coldly: "Throw him out."

After all, Song Han was the son of the Duke of England, and Duan Gongyi and others looked at each other in bewilderment.

Dou Zhao said: "In my heart, you are more important than him. Just follow my instructions, and I will take care of it if anything goes wrong!"

For a moment, everyone inside and outside the house felt their noses sore, and Chen Xiaofeng's eyes were slightly moist. He clasped his fists and said "yes", then threw Song Han out.

Song Han shouted: "If you dare to let me go, I will betray your master!"

The other party hesitated for a moment.

Dou Zhao's guards took the opportunity to rush towards the compartment.

"Shoot!" Seeing this, the other party chose to shoot.

There was a shower of arrows in the sky.

Several people who rushed in at the end were hit by arrows, but fortunately they were not hit in vital areas.

Although Song Han escaped death because he was lying on the ground, he was hit by two arrows in the back and arm.

The guards he brought with him were tied up and left in the yard, and were all shot like hedgehogs by arrows.

Song Han was so frightened that he fainted again.

Everyone ignored the difference between men and women. Chen Xiaofeng helped his brother heal his wounds, but Duan Gongyi couldn't help asking Dou Zhao, "Who wanted to capture you and the master?"