The deputy general nodded and immediately arranged for the soldiers to quietly surround the courtyard.
Shen Yuhan knew that time was running out. If the man in black escaped and sent a message, the entire plan would be disrupted.
His heart sank, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and without hesitation, he led his men to kick open the shaky wooden door.
The door creaked open slightly, and then the soldiers filed in.
There was a commotion in the yard, and it seemed that someone noticed something was wrong and started running around.
Shen Yuhan took the lead, sword in hand, calmly commanding the soldiers to disperse and quickly block all exits.
After a brief panic in the dark, the traffickers reacted quickly and blew out a few sharp whistles.
In an instant, all the mechanisms in the courtyard were triggered, and secret passages and traps opened one after another.
Sensing something was amiss, Shen Yuhan immediately swung his sword to deflect several incoming arrows. Simultaneously, the traffickers, who had been lurking in the shadows, swarmed out, their numbers far exceeding Shen Yuhan's expectations. Many of them wielded sharp blades, their eyes gleaming with murderous intent, clearly well prepared.
Shen Yuhan responded calmly, his swordsmanship sharp, and with a few strikes, he repelled the approaching enemy. However, as the enemy's manpower continued to surge, he gradually felt powerless. The courtyard was full of traps, forcing Shen Yuhan and his soldiers to fight and retreat. Traps on the ground and hidden weapons on the walls made their movements difficult and restricted at every turn.
"Yu Han, the situation is not good. We are short of manpower!" The deputy general panted, dodged a sudden dart with difficulty, and shouted anxiously.
Shen Yuhan knew clearly that if they delayed any further, not only would they be unable to rescue Jian Yizi, but they might even be wiped out.
His brows were furrowed, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to order an attack, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves coming from a distance.
"Kill!" Jian Xianzhi's voice came from a distance, carrying a fierce murderous aura.
Jian Xianzhi led a team of cavalry and quickly rushed into the courtyard. The spear in his hand was like a poisonous snake, accurately piercing the enemy's chest.
His arrival undoubtedly brought great assistance to Shen Yuhan. The two teams merged instantly and their morale was greatly boosted.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the leader of the human traffickers looked sinister. He suddenly grabbed a woman who was tied up on the side, pushed her forward, and put the blade to her throat.
The woman was terrified and trembling all over, obviously frightened to the point of losing the ability to move.
"Don't come over here! If you dare take another step forward, I'll kill her!"
The leader shouted sternly, glaring at Jian Xianzhi and Shen Yuhan fiercely.
Shen Yuhan's eyes grew colder, and he pointed his sword at the leader, saying in a deep voice, "If you dare to hurt her, I will tear you into pieces!"
Jian Xianzhi's eyes were calm. He knew he couldn't act rashly at this moment, so he feigned calmness and said, "Let her go, and we can negotiate terms."
He deliberately delayed time, his eyes always fixed on the leader's every move.
Seeing that they dared not act rashly, the leader sneered complacently and moved the knife in his hand closer and closer to the woman's throat, the sharp blade almost piercing her skin.
At this moment, Shen Yuhan suddenly threw a hidden weapon from his sleeve and accurately hit the leader's wrist holding the knife.
The leader felt his wrist go numb, and the knife slipped out of his hand, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.
The woman fell to the ground, still in shock, but she had escaped death.
Jian Xianzhi immediately seized the opportunity, acted swiftly, and restrained the leader, slashing the blade across his throat.
"Everyone put down your weapons!" Jian Xianzhi ordered sternly, his eyes as cold as a knife.
Seeing that their leader was dead, the traffickers immediately lost their fighting spirit, dropped their weapons and surrendered.
"Capture them all and don't let any of them go!"
Under Shen Yuhan's command, the soldiers began to clear the battlefield, escorted the tied up human traffickers together, and quickly rescued the detained children and women.
Under the cover of night, the atmosphere in the courtyard gradually calmed down.
Jian Xianzhi's gaze fell on the rescued children and women, and he felt a sense of accomplishment but also a bit heavy in his heart.
These innocent people suffered such a disaster. Although they were saved, the trauma in their hearts is difficult to heal.
Shen Yuhan also walked forward, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
He leaned over to check on a shivering child and said gently, "Don't be afraid, you are safe now."
The children's eyes were still filled with fear, but they gradually relaxed under the comfort of Shen Yuhan and Jian Xianzhi.
The women also sobbed softly, and some even knelt down to express their gratitude, thanking the two generals for saving them.
Shen Yuhan gently helped them up, with a look of pity in his eyes: "This is the court's responsibility, there is no need for you to do this. Next, we will arrange for someone to escort you home safely."
Jian Xianzhi looked at Shen Yuhan with a hint of approval in his eyes.
Although the situation remains complicated, at least they protected these innocent people in this battle.
He nodded gently and took over Shen Yuhan's words: "I will arrange for someone to send them back, and the children will be properly taken care of. You stay here to deal with the aftermath. We can't let any clues escape."
Shen Yuhan nodded slightly, and then Jian Xianzhi whispered a few words to the deputy general behind him. The deputy general immediately took action, summoned several soldiers, and escorted the rescued children and women to safe evacuation.
Jian Xianzhi escorted the human traffickers away to ensure that they could not do evil again.
The courtyard gradually quieted down, and Shen Yuhan began to direct his soldiers to search the entire compound and thoroughly clear the scene. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the body of a human trafficker lying on the ground, and his brows furrowed slightly. The trafficker's sleeves were slightly rolled up, revealing a section of his arm, on which a faint tattoo was visible. Shen Yuhan walked closer and took a look, his eyes instantly sharpening. The tattoo's pattern was surprisingly similar to the pattern on the token he had picked up earlier.
"Check all these bodies." Shen Yuhan ordered immediately, his voice filled with urgency. He had a premonition that there might be a bigger secret hidden behind these human traffickers.
The soldiers acted quickly, checking the fallen traffickers one by one, and soon found similar tattoos on all of them.
These tattoos coincided with the intelligence Shen Yuhan had previously obtained. Obviously, these human traffickers were not ordinary thieves, but had close ties with a foreign force.
Shen Yuhan's expression became more and more solemn. This was not just an ordinary human trafficking case, but a conspiracy involving foreign enemies.
He continued to order the soldiers to search every corner of the courtyard, and sure enough, they found a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry in a secret compartment. These treasures were obviously not something that ordinary traffickers could possess.
"It seems that these human traffickers are working for foreign powers, using human trafficking to gain wealth and disrupting public order in the capital."
Shen Yuhan whispered to himself, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
The next morning, the atmosphere in the palace hall was extremely solemn.
At the entrance of the magnificent palace, two rows of guards in military uniforms stood upright, holding long spears in their hands.
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