Chapter 138: Attacked on the Road
The twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.
The year is coming to an end.
There were a lot of people walking on the street and the hawking sounds were non-stop.
There is a lot of traffic and business travelers are rushing back and forth.
An inconspicuous little carriage followed behind a convoy, blending in with the crowd of cars.
Not easy to detect.
Cui Xingzhou's carriage followed to a farm at the foot of Qingyunguan Mountain.
Turned a corner and stopped in a secluded place.
"Liu Lang, why don't you follow?" Jiang Zifeng asked puzzledly as he watched the convoy going away.
"Look, the farm is guarded all around. We're just walking through it so openly. Are we afraid of losing our lives?"
Cui Xingzhou led them through the bamboo forest and around to the back mountain of Zhuangzi.
Jiang Zifeng followed behind with his sister on his back.
The servant Xiaojiu was watching at the intersection.
Cui Xingzhou stood under a big tree as thick as a bucket and looked around. He then pulled some leaves from the side, tied them around his waist and feet, and made a hat to wear.
He climbed up the tree, holding on to the branch like a monkey.
It is said that these young masters from aristocratic families are delicate and precious.
Jiang Miaomiao felt that Brother Cui must be a habitual offender.
This movement and this level of proficiency are even better than those of the kids in the village who often climb trees.
"Big Pot, do you want to go up?" Little Miaomiao looked up at her brother.
Jiang Zifeng looked at his sister's bright eyes and rubbed her cheeks.
"You are still young and can't climb trees. I will come down and tell you later."
Jiang Miaomiao: “…”
How come my brother suddenly became smart!
Jiang Miaomiao pouted and blinked at his brother.
With my brother's current skills, it's no problem to take her up.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Zifeng scratched his nose and made a gesture to keep quiet.
"There's no point in crying. If you cry, your brother will be taken away by the bad guys. Don't make any noise!"
"All right!"
Jiang Miaomiao hung her head. It seemed that her brother was a little unresponsive today, and no matter how she acted coquettishly or cutely, it was of no use.
Fortunately, Jiujiu came forward.
However, the chirping feathers seem a bit eye-catching, so I have to paint it black someday.
After receiving the order, the little red bird flew directly to Zhuangzi.
After Cui Xingzhou came down, Jiang Zifeng put his sister in his arms, and then he slid to the top of the tree in a few seconds.
Jiang Miaomiao feels that her elder brother is slightly better than Brother Cui.
Cui Xingzhou originally wanted to ask the little girl, who is better, your elder brother or Brother Cui?
At this moment, he quietly shut his mouth.
Jiang Zifeng stood on the tree and looked out.
The view is very good, and you can just see the yard of the farm.
The housekeeper of Qi Caiwei's mansion led people to move things into the farm, one sack at a time. Some of the sacks that were not tied tightly would drop grains of grain onto the ground.
After a rough count, there should be more than twenty bags.
An old man came out of the house, followed by a strong man holding a wooden box.
Jiang Zifeng could only see his back and didn't recognize who he was.
At this time, an old woman came in from outside the door.
It’s Mei Gu.
The old man walked up to her, opened the box, and inside was a shiny silver ingot.
The two talked for a long time.
It was too far away, and Jiang Zifeng couldn't hear clearly even though his ears were perked up.
Aunt Mei returned the silver to the person in front of her, "Shopkeeper Lou, this is my wife's reward for you. Please help me with this matter!"
"Okay, okay, Mei Gu, just relax. I've found some of Jiangzhou's best martial arts masters, and I'm sure this will work."
Shopkeeper Lou asked someone to carry the silver back, and he smiled so hard that his teeth showed.
Aunt Mei was still a little worried, so she reminded him, "Don't think I'm being nagging. That woman is a man of both civil and military talents, not like an ordinary woman. Don't be careless..."
Shopkeeper Lou stroked his beard, raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "This is the first time I've seen someone like Aunt Mei praise her enemy like this."
Both civil and military.
I guess it's just some fancy moves to bluff people.
He was used to seeing young ladies from aristocratic families bragging about everything in order to gain a good reputation.
They are just two women, how can they cause such a big uproar?
If it weren't for the old woman's instructions, he would have thought the number of people he sent was too many.
But he still agreed, "Mei, please tell your wife that I will do my best. If it doesn't work out, I will return the money with both hands."
He also had selfish motives in getting rid of that woman.
Ever since that woman appeared, the business of their Tianxianglou has plummeted.
"Thank you, Manager Lou. My wife will reward you handsomely after the task is completed!" After getting his promise, Mei Gu left with satisfaction.
In this way, whether they succeed or not, they will not lose anything.
If it succeeds, she will blame it on the bandits and the lady will be the rightful mistress of the Jiang family.
If the child fails to grow up, the money will be returned.
Where can I find such a good thing!
…
Jiang Zifeng observed for a while and felt that there seemed to be too many servants in the manor, and they were all big and strong.
Carrying a sack, he walked steadily and lightly.
It seems that they are all martial artists.
It was not until the old man turned around and went back into the house that Jiang Zifeng recognized the man.
But what is strange is why he took the silver he gave to Mei Gu back. What is he plotting?
When Jiang Zifeng was about to come down, he saw people transporting food to the farm one after another.
There was not only food, but also several large boxes hidden underneath the food.
Logically speaking, Tianxiang Tower is not that big and would not need so much food. It is unlikely that it is engaged in food business.
Even if the grain is transported to the capital at this time, you won’t make much money!
With all kinds of questions in mind, he slid down the tree.
Cui Xingzhou quickly stepped forward and asked, "Well, did you see who it was?"
"Liu Lang, let's go back to the car first. It's not safe here." Jiang Zifeng took his sister and walked back quickly.
He just saw that there were people patrolling around the village, so he had to be careful not to be discovered.
However, there were a few familiar-looking servants among them, but I just couldn't remember them at the moment.
He hurriedly got on the carriage and quickly left the village.
While Jiang Zifeng was covering his sister's cold hands, he asked Cui Xingzhou, "Liu Lang, do you know who owns Tianxiang Tower? Where is all this grain being shipped to?"
During the time he was in Jiangzhou, he had never met the owner of Tianxiang Tower, who was as mysterious as the owner of Yipinju.
"The owner of Tianxiang Tower?"
Cui Xingzhou gathered his cloak and sat down next to Jiang Zifeng.
"I really don't know. I've never seen it. I only heard that it was a wealthy businessman in the capital. As for the grain, it was all shipped to the docks. I guess it was also sent to the capital."
"Have you noticed anything strange?"
Jiang Zifeng nodded. It was so obvious that even a fool could see it.
"Tianxianglou obviously can't consume that much food. If they want to do business, they should collect the grain in the autumn. Why would such a small granary be guarded by so many skilled people?"
"They are all dressed up as servants, and they don't look like people from the escort agency."
Cui Xingzhou nodded in agreement, "Indeed!"
He felt something was wrong from the beginning, so he brought Jiang Zifeng to help with the advice.
There is something even more incredible.
"Brother Feng, have you noticed that among those guards there are people from the government?"
He knew the faces of those people in the yamen better than anyone else.
You won't see it wrong.
"What? People from the government office!" Jiang Zifeng opened his mouth in shock.
No wonder he looks familiar.
I think I saw him in the yamen when Qi Caiwei sued my mother that day.
What secrets are hidden in this?
Cui Xingzhou rested his chin on his hand, frowning in deep thought. After a long pause, he finally spoke: "Brother Feng, to be honest, I have a feeling that there is something else hidden in that manor. Look at those wooden boxes, they don't look right..."
"Do you think I should tell my dad?"
After all, his father is the second in command of Jiangzhou.
But without any evidence, just guesswork, his father probably wouldn't believe it.
In his father's eyes, he is a prodigal son and a playboy who is more likely to cause trouble than to accomplish anything.
That's why I brought Brother Feng with me.
"Don't tell me for now. Let's wait until we find out what is hidden in the manor..." Jiang Zifeng didn't dare to tell his mother.
If I tell my mother, she will know that they secretly brought my sister out.
You're going to get beaten.
Jiang Miaomiao also pricked up her ears and listened.
Jiujiu told her that she had just entered the house to check when no one was paying attention, and that Zhuangzi was heavily guarded.
It enters and exits cautiously.
The room was full of food, and besides food, there were also wooden boxes.
As for the conversation between those people, Jiujiu didn't dare to get too close because Mei Gu had seen it before and was afraid of being discovered.
So I didn't hear it clearly.
I only vaguely heard something about a silver master...
"Guoguo, silver... there is silver hidden inside..." I heard my sister's baby voice in my arms.
Jiang Zifeng and Cui Xingzhou looked at each other.
The things in those wooden boxes really seemed to be silver.
It was obviously more difficult for those people to lift the boxes.
And if it wasn't something valuable, who would send so many people to guard it, including people from the government office?
"Miaomiao, how do you know it's silver?" Cui Xingzhou was very curious.
Jiang Zifeng was used to it. His sister was very smart and often hit the nail on the head and said surprising things.
Jiang Miaomiao raised her pink little face and thought about it.
You can't say that it was Jiujiu who saw it.
"I guess..."
This reason is a bit far-fetched, but it also makes sense. Those boxes contain either jewelry or silver and money.
Cui Xingzhou smiled awkwardly.
Well, maybe the little guy was right.
evening.
The sun is setting and the wind is cold.
When they returned home, their mother and Aunt Xiuxiu had not come back yet.
…
The forest path was quiet.
It was strangely quiet.
"Sister, be careful, there is an ambush ahead..." Xiuxiu whipped the horse on the butt, and the horse galloped away.
Lu Qingyao gripped the red tassel spear tightly, ready for defense.
"blow……"
An arrow flew towards them.
Lu Qingyao and Xiuxiu tilted their heads, and the arrow flew through the curtain and into the car.
Then a group of men in black flew out of the woods.
Xiuxiu stopped the carriage without saying a word.
Turning to Lu Qingyao, he said, "Sister, take a rest. Leave it to me."
She drew the soft sword from her leg and leaped out, going behind the man in black at lightning speed.
He wiped the necks of several people in just a few strokes.
Lu Qingyao was stunned for a moment, then shouted to the people who were fighting fiercely, "Xiu Xiu, leave them alive!"
Then he picked up his gun and went forward to help.
She had thought about Xiuxiu's strength, but she had never thought she would be this strong. She was very impressed by her skills.
Xiuxiu pulled the black-clad man's arm and tied the rope while replying, "Okay, sister... I won't let them die, not a single one of them will die..."
Seeing this, the man in black was startled and prepared to escape.
He shouted to the remaining people: "Those who don't want to die, retreat quickly..."
The master asked them to kill two women, and said that the task was very easy and there would be a lot of money.
After that, we have to forge traces of the bandits' presence.
This is not easy at all, it's simply deadly!
“Awoo… Awoo…”
As soon as he finished speaking, the howling of wolves was heard in the woods.
It makes people feel creepy when they hear it.
As the howling of wolves got closer, several wolves suddenly jumped out of the woods.
The wolves pounced on them as if they were being controlled by someone.
Lu Qingyao and Xiuxiu were both a little confused and stopped what they were doing.
"Sister, what's going on?"
The familiar scene made Xiuxiu a little excited, "Sister, it's Xiaobai, Xiaobai is back."
Isn't it the little white wolf...
After a while, two white wolves appeared.
The little white wolf came to Lu Qingyao and Xiuxiu and rubbed their feet.
The man in black felt his scalp tingle as he had never seen such a big wolf.
Such a ferocious wolf was as docile as a dog in front of these two women.
I was careless!
"Tell me, who sent you here?" Xiuxiu put the knife against the neck of a man in black.
"They won't tell you anything now, just tie them up and take them away."
The men in black closed their eyes, each of them looking ready to die.
When Lu Qingyao saw the pills falling out of their mouths, she knew that this group of people were assassins.
What I fear least is death.
In the carriage.
Xiuxiu drove the carriage at a rapid speed.
The men in black were tied up like dumplings and stuffed into the carriage, and the white wolf stared at them with a fierce look.
"Sister, do you want to send them to the government office?"
"No, send him to the Zhuangzi's cellar and interrogate him thoroughly..."
According to her observation, Prefect Qin was not trustworthy at all.
However, she had a vague guess in her mind that these people were probably related to Qi Caiwei.
That stupid woman is falling into the abyss step by step.
Xiuxiu agreed with her, "Sister, I think that idiot Qi Caiwei must have done this... She's making friends with all sorts of people now..."
"But what did you find?"
"She did make some discoveries. I don't know who gave her the bad idea, but she opened a gambling house next to the pawnshop and an antique jewelry store in the east of the city. She also learned to be smart. Those ladies who wanted to give her jewelry and calligraphy didn't give them to her directly, but took them to her pawnshop and pawned them at a low price..."
"And guess what?"
Lu Qingyao's lips curled up, "Then put those jewelry and antique calligraphy and paintings back in the shop to sell, right?"
She had seen this kind of trick before when she was in the northwest.
Many corrupt officials accepted bribes in this way to conceal their tracks, making it difficult for the imperial court to catch them.
"Sister, you are so awesome!" Xiuxiu was a little confused at first, but Yan Ge'er told her the secret.
This woman will eventually kill herself.
"Sister, I'm just worried that when something happens, it will implicate you."
When the woman gets the money, she will definitely use it to honor her father, the Shangshu, and naturally Jiang Yunze and her mother will also get some.
By then, the Jiang family and others might be implicated by her...
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