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After nightfall, the iron doors of the prison are locked and can only be opened from the inside.
Running to the door in one breath, Zhang Laosan unlocked the door, pulled out the bolt, and pushed it open with a teeth-grinding creaking sound.
It was quiet outside, dark, and there was no one to "connect" with.
Zhang Laosan's face turned pale. He remembered those people saying that after the messenger arrived, they would set fire to the city within a few days, and then they would let him take action.
Now that he has taken action, where are the prison breakers?
An uncontrollable panic came over him, and he subconsciously grabbed the iron door, trying to close it again.
Maybe he got the time wrong and had to hide the body quickly. No, maybe he should confess to the Lord of the Mansion... However, the next moment, a big hand suddenly stretched out and grabbed the door tightly.
Zhang Laosan was so frightened that he trembled all over and wanted to retreat, but the man standing in the shadows took a step forward and smiled: "Brother Zhang, you are one of us from now on."
The night was dark, and the face could not be seen clearly, making the smile blurry and cold, which made people's backs chill.
Zhang Laosan didn't dare to move, and saw seven or eight men in black clothes walk in quickly and head straight for the jailer's room. There were four jailers on duty at night, and two of them were asleep in the room.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open and a short scream was heard. Zhang Laosan's whole body stiffened and he was pushed in by the man holding his shoulders.
The torches in the yard were lit, and Zhang Laosan could finally see the appearance of the people around him.
The man he met with was surprisingly a straight-legged, broad-mouthed, handsome man. He didn't look like a thief, but rather righteous and awe-inspiring. With a change of clothes, he looked like a young general. Was he also from the Straw Clothes Gang?
Sun Yuanrang ignored Zhang Laosan, raised his chin slightly, and several of his men immediately took the keys and rushed towards the prison where the prisoners were held.
Soon, screams, curses, and messy footsteps were heard from the prison. Several men with disheveled hair and fierce faces ran out. When they saw that there was a jailer in the yard, their eyes were wide open, like frightened wild beasts.
Zhang Laosan's whole body stiffened. These people were serious criminals who had been escorted from the county before. They were all desperate murderers. They had been locked up for so long and had been tortured. Would they take their anger out on him?
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the man standing next to him stepped forward and said loudly, "We are all from the Suoyi Gang. We are here to rob the prison today and have already arranged a retreat. If you want to survive, why don't you rush out together!"
Everyone has heard of the fame of the Suoyi Gang, but many people are still hesitant at this time.
This is the state prison. Even if the shackles can be removed and the prison door opened, there are still countless officers and soldiers outside, not to mention the heavily guarded city gates. How can it be so easy to escape?
Seeing the hesitation on the faces of the thugs, Sun Yuanrang immediately said, "We still have our men outside. If the government office is set on fire, the city will be in chaos. Everyone has weapons. Only those who are willing to sacrifice their lives can survive!"
As soon as he finished speaking, flames burst out outside. Someone rushed out the door and saw that the house in the distance was already on fire.
The yamen also became chaotic, with voices being heard, and it seemed that someone would rush in soon.
Those members of the Straw Clothes Gang had already taken their weapons and started distributing them. With knives in their hands, they naturally became bolder and their eyes became fiercer. More and more people came into the yard, and all those who could move in the prison escaped. Even those who had just been beaten limped and followed closely.
"Xiaoshuai, General Yan has been rescued!" a gang member shouted happily.
Then several people came out supporting a man with unsteady steps. The man was obviously a death row prisoner. Some prisoners had even seen him being tortured. Wasn't he one of the bandit leaders of the Straw Clothes Gang?
Sun Yuanrang's eyes lit up with joy, and he immediately said, "You go first, I'll cover your retreat!"
Without further persuasion, several people rushed out, supporting others. Seeing that the people from the Straw Clothes Gang were about to leave, a man who had been imprisoned not long ago shouted loudly: "Damn it, we're going to die, let's fight our way out!"
Following this shout, everyone started to move, waving long swords, long locks, and water and fire sticks, gathering around the bandits of the Straw Clothes Gang, and rushing out with a roar.
The noise frightened Zhang Laosan so much that he took several steps back, not knowing how to react. Sun Yuanrang immediately grabbed him and said earnestly, "Brother Zhang, follow them and rush out. Don't get too close. You can still escape."
Zhang Laosan was stunned: "My wife..."
"My sister-in-law is safe and sound. I was forced to do this out of urgency. I will kowtow to you and apologize in the future." Sun Yuanrang answered sincerely. He took out a silver ingot from his pocket and stuffed it into Zhang Laosan's hand: "Take it. When you get out, you can be a junior officer. Better days are still to come!"
The silver was heavy, and holding it in one's hand made one feel at ease. Zhang Laosan felt a lump in his throat and could not speak. He could only bow and chase after him.
Soon, shouts of killing were heard outside. This group of people wanted to go out through the horse gate, so they had to fight to the death.
Hearing the noise outside, Sun Yuanrang's expression changed and he quickly walked into the death cell.
There were three other people in the cell, helping to remove the shackles of a haggard, tortured middle-aged man.
Sun Yuanrang whispered, "Uncle Chang, everything has been arranged. Let's go."
The words "arranged" made Chang's face turn pale, but he did not refuse.
Sun Yuanrang personally stepped forward and carried the man on his back, and quickly left the prison with a few of his men. However, they did not go to the horse gate behind the parade ground, but ran towards the burning government office opposite.
On the roof, under the gray-black hood, a pair of eyes could no longer suppress surprise. Yan Yuan swallowed, his heart filled with horror.
It was clear that they only wanted to rescue one person, using the other bandit chief and all the prisoners as bait to divert the attention of the officers and soldiers! Putting aside the means, the escape route chosen by the Suoyi Gang was exactly the same as Cheng Xi's guess...
Half a quarter of an hour ago.
When the gong sounded, Yan Yuan tensed up and got angry! He didn't know how long he had been waiting, but when this moment finally arrived, it was so frightening that the hairs on his body stood up.
A hand was placed on his arm and patted twice. Yan Yuan immediately came to his senses, turned around and walked forward two steps, half-knelt with his legs, and folded his hands in front of his knees.
This was an action they had practiced countless times, and it was the only way to climb up the ten-foot-high wall.
The figure took a few steps back and suddenly rushed forward. Yan Yuan felt his hand sink and raised his arm upwards.
It was too dark, so I could only rely on my senses. The touch was lighter than ever before, and it didn't feel like a person was stepping on it.
Did it work? His heart tightened, and the next moment, Yan Yuan heard a "click" sound. When he looked up, he saw that the figure had already crouched on the eaves.
The hardest part of getting in is climbing over this high wall.
The whole row of houses were covered with eaves, without even a place to hook or claw, but the wall was at least 15 or 16 feet high. The path next to it was extremely narrow, without even a place to help. Even if two or three people piled up together, they might not be able to climb up.
What's even more terrible is the tiles on the eaves. If you use improper force and hit the tile end, some tiles might fall off. It's late at night and there's no one around, and making such a noise is tantamount to seeking death.
However, this deadlock was broken by a little girl. Looking at the figure moving gently on the eaves, Yan Yuan breathed a long sigh of relief. This was almost done!
Soon, a rope was thrown down.
Yan Yuan immediately stepped forward and pulled hard to make sure they could withstand the force. He then asked the two Lin family members to climb forward.
Now the fire has started, and the straw raincoat gang is about to take action. Once the commotion starts, it will not be safe to stay in the corridor, so naturally they have to climb onto the roof first.
Fortunately, the eaves above are very long, and several houses can be arranged in a row.
After the three of them were on the roof, Yan Yuan grabbed the rope and climbed up quickly.
Unlike others, he is bigger and heavier, so he can only choose a more stable corner position.
The view from this place is very good, and you can see the situation in the courtyard clearly.
So, Yan Yuan was stunned by the joint operation and turned his head to look at the people around him.
Cheng Xi also quietly watched the scene below. Due to the angle, some parts could not be seen clearly and some words could not be heard clearly, but what happened generally was not much different from what she imagined.
The fire in the second hall had already started, and the two bandit chiefs were taken away in separate ways. It wouldn't be long before the bailiffs came to check.
Cheng Xi no longer hesitated and whispered, "Go down!"
Yan Yuan immediately grabbed the rope and climbed down. As soon as he landed, he drew his sword to be on guard. The two boys from the Lin family also came down quickly, and last of all, it was Cheng Xi.
When she landed, she shook the rope lightly, and the grappling hook broke free from the roof and was easily retrieved.
In this way, no trace will be left unless you go up to the house to check.
Of course, even if someone discovered it, most people would think it was done by the Suoyi Gang.
Without further hesitation, they hurried into the death row. Most of the cages were now open, but some who couldn't get up were still crying and screaming for mercy. Cheng Xi didn't even glance at them, but went straight to the deepest part of the death row. Both doors were open, shackles scattered across the floor, but one cell was still tightly shut. The lights were too dim, and he could only vaguely see a dark figure huddled in the corner.
"This is it!" Yan Yuan couldn't contain his excitement and shouted out. The Suoyi Gang really didn't take Tian Yu away. They came to the right place!
"Open the door." Cheng Xi ordered in a low voice, his expression still solemn.
The Straw Clothes Gang used bait to attract firepower, so naturally the more people there were, the better. Those who didn't open the door or didn't remove the shackles were all people with limited mobility and found it difficult to escape.
Even the prison door is not open here. I guess there is a reason for that.
The two Lin family boys immediately searched for their keychain and tried several times before finally unlocking the door. The door creaked open and Yan Yuan rushed forward: "Tian Danhui, we are here to rescue you..."
The torch illuminated the room. The huddled man raised his hands to block the light. The next moment, he began to struggle like crazy, screaming "Ahhh" in his throat, and his hands were grabbing in the air like claws, as if he was going to pounce on someone and devour him.
Yan Yuan's mind buzzed. Was he really crazy? The person they risked so much to save was actually crazy?
Cheng Xi took a quick step forward, dodged the two hands, and struck the opponent on the back of the neck.
The man fell to the ground as if he was hit in a vital spot.
"Don't delay." Cheng Xi took off his outer robe and began to look for things.
Yan Yuan also came to his senses and immediately stepped forward, grabbed Tian Yu's messy hair, combed it twice, and tied it into a bun.
A wet towel was handed to him, and he quickly wiped the stains on Tian Yu's face and hands, making him look a little more human. Then he took a set of soldier's clothes and put them on him.
This was not enough. Cheng Xi took off the water bag hanging on his waist, opened the lid and poured the water on him. The thick blood immediately dyed his waist red and poked a hole in it, as if his waist and abdomen were seriously injured.
Of course, Cheng Xi did not forget to stuff a sesame seed into his mouth to prevent him from getting into trouble when he woke up.
After finishing the job, Cheng Xi smeared blood on his face and cut his shoulder with the blade, making him look seriously injured.
Seeing that she was almost dressed, she said, "Okay, let's go to the east gate!"
Without any hesitation, Yan Yuan lifted Tian Yu and retreated with the two boys from the Lin family, running towards the burning second hall.
At this moment, the chief clerk's office in the second hall was filled with thick smoke and flames rising into the sky. The fire was so fierce that it almost blocked the exit.
Several people took off their outer robes, covered their mouths and noses, and rushed forward in the flames. The group of straw raincoat gang members had long disappeared, and as expected, the side door on the east side was wide open, with blood all over the ground. It was obvious that someone was fighting here and opened the passage neatly.
He casually threw his outer robe into the fire, and Cheng Xi stood at the door and took a look. He found that there were only a few bodies of yamen runners, and no officers or soldiers had arrived nearby.
It seems that the methods of the Suoi Gang are not bad. She made a gesture to Yan Yuan.
Yan Yuan handed Tian Yu to the two boys from the Lin family, and asked them to support him on each side. He then bent down and let Cheng Xi lie on his back.
Holding the hilt of the knife with one hand and draping the other hand on Yan Yuan's neck, Cheng Xi leaned on his shoulder and whispered softly, "Let's go."
The person behind him was lighter than he had imagined, but the smell of blood was extremely strong. His heart was beating violently. He took a deep breath, strode forward and rushed out.
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