Qi Chenglang arrived quickly: "Your Highness."
Gu Yuzhi beckoned, "Guard Qi, come in quickly. I have something to tell you." After Qi Chenglang stepped in and stood below Chief Secretary Xie, he continued, "Just now, Eunuch Ran arrived and said that the Emperor's reward had been stolen by bandits. Chief Secretary Xie and I discussed it and decided that you would lead the guards, along with constables and yamen runners from various prefectures in the northern desert, to suppress the bandits. Are you willing?"
Qi Chenglang had no reason to refuse and immediately knelt down, clasping his hands in a fist salute: "Your subject will certainly not fail in your mission!"
"Guard Qi, please get up quickly." Gu Yuzhi puffed out his cheeks, then thought about what Chief Secretary Xie had just told him, and continued, "However, Chief Secretary Xie suspects that these bandits have been able to exist in the northern desert for so many years because they have an inside accomplice. Guard Qi, you'd better send a scout to investigate the situation before taking any action."
Chief Secretary Xie said that the mint would have an official seal when it produced official silver. Even if the bandits stole it, they wouldn't dare to use it. They could only secretly find a place to melt down the gold. As for the jewelry, they would try to sell it to pawnshops.
However, Chief Secretary Xie had the list in his hands. If any pawnshop dared to accept such palace jewelry of unknown origin, he could make them lose everything!
Guard Qi nodded and said, "I will go to find Eunuch Ran to find out the situation. I will send scouts to the vicinity of the stronghold this afternoon. When the constables from other prefectures arrive in the evening, we will discuss the specific plan."
Only then did Chief Secretary Xie speak up: "After the plan is formulated, Guard Qi must be careful of these constables, and no one should act alone."
This is to prevent anyone from tipping them off.
Qi, the guard, had a grim expression on his face and sneered, "Your Highness and Chief Secretary, rest assured, I have my men keep an eye on them tonight. After we finish discussing the plan, we'll set off tonight and I guarantee we'll return with Your Highness's reward first thing tomorrow morning."
Gu Yuzhi's eyes sparkled as she watched Guard Qi leave with the speed of the wind.
Qi, the guard, summoned the deputy head guard to discuss the matter. He then asked Eunuch Ran for the specific address, changed into some comfortable clothes, and left the mansion.
He didn't send anyone else because, among the guards traveling with him, his lightness skill was the best, and his concealment skills were also the best.
Since he had already boasted that he would return the prince's reward by tomorrow morning, he was determined to do so.
It took Eunuch Ran two days to reach Changzhou, but Chief Guard Qi arrived in just one hour.
Upon arriving at the location mentioned by Eunuch Ran, Guard Qi deliberately circled the area, carefully examining the marks and bloodstains on the ground. Although two days had passed and the marks had become very faint, they were still visible upon close inspection.
He carefully followed the trail, hiding himself as he went uphill. When he reached the halfway point, he looked up and spotted the watchtower at the summit.
Very good, these bandits are very professional, they even know to set up watchtowers.
Instead of alerting the enemy, Guard Qi circled the mountainside again to ascertain the size of the stronghold and the number of watchtowers. Only then did he cautiously ascend using blind spots to confirm the number of patrols on the outer perimeter before quietly retreating. He then rode back to Changzhou Prefecture at top speed.
By the time they arrived in Changzhou Prefecture, it was completely dark. The prefectures in the northern desert that were closer to the city had sent over their constables and yamen runners who knew some martial arts. Some of the more distant prefectures sent messages back, but there was no news at all.
Standing beside Prefect Qi, Chief Secretary Xie glanced at the list Prefect Qi had compiled and silently put it away without saying a word. He would investigate the affairs of these prefects when he had time, and start by targeting them. He was determined to ensure that His Highness would gain a firm foothold in the Northern Desert.
Qi Chenglang briefed the deputy head of the guards on what he had seen that day, and the two quickly devised a plan for a strong attack that night. They then named the constables, with all the guards serving as team leaders, and led a group of constables and yamen runners toward the scene of the incident overnight.
At the end of Hai hour, the group finally arrived at the foot of the mountain. Only then did Guard Qi reveal the plan for the night: "The deputy guard captain and I will lead the way. All the other squads will wait halfway up the mountain. After we fire the signal flare, you can rush up."
When Qi Chenglang came to scout the location this afternoon, he discovered that the mountain stronghold had three sides, with the other side being a cliff. Therefore, as long as they guarded these three entrances, taking down the stronghold would not be a problem.
At this moment, the deputy head guard nodded slightly to him and whispered, "It's all arranged. There are three people guarding each of the other two sides."
These six men were all veterans of the battlefield and had killed people. They were the best in the Sang Kingdom's martial arts tournaments over the years. Facing the scattered bandits who had escaped down the mountain, they played an absolutely crucial role.
Under the moonlight, Qi Chenglang and his companion made their way up the tower. Before the watchtower could react, they drew their bows and shot, killing two birds with one stone. The patrolman on the tower instantly tumbled over the railing and fell to the ground with a dull thud.
The two did not delay and continued upwards. The deputy guard captain had also prepared his hidden weapons. When they encountered patrolling mountain strongholds, he threw them without hesitation. In no time, five or six people fell in front of him.
Qi Chenglang chuckled softly and gently patted the shoulder of Deputy Chief Guard Zhang Yuankai: "Not bad, you haven't lost your skills after being in Mobei for so long."
Zhang Yuankai laughed too, silently stretched his body, and complained in a low voice, "To be honest, I haven't had a proper chance to stretch my muscles since leaving the capital. Don't try to take my head tonight, it has to be mine."
Qi Chenglang hummed in agreement: "Sure, if you're so capable, then go ahead and steal the kills."
The two exchanged a glance, then suddenly pushed off with their feet, becoming as light as swallows, and in no time they flew several meters away.
With the outer perimeter so heavily guarded, the two thought they would soon encounter the enemy after entering. Qi Chenglang had even taken out a signal flare, ready to fire it at any moment.
However, in the next second, they both froze. In the dim moonlight, a white figure stood in the middle of the stronghold, with a person in its mouth and green eyes staring at them without blinking.
Here it comes, that familiar sense of oppressive power is here.
Qi Chenglang couldn't help but swallow hard as he looked at the white figure, feeling like crying. How could this old wolf be here?
The white figure glanced at him, opened its mouth to let the person inside fall out, then let out a howl and ran to the backyard of the mountain stronghold, jumping off the cliff.
Only after Old Man Wolf disappeared did Qi Chenglang and Zhang Yuankai let out a long sigh of relief, then exchanged a glance. Qi Chenglang whispered, "Something's not right."
Zhang Yuankai said, "Indeed, it's too quiet."
Even if all these people are fast asleep, there will still be someone snoring, right?
A ridiculous thought popped into Qi Chenglang's mind, and he silently said, "Could it be the work of Old Man Wolf?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
