"Bullshit! What does Governor Xie of Sizhou's death have to do with our lord? You can't just say we killed him because he and our Northern forces live in the same compound. By that logic, I could say he was harsh to his subordinates, causing them to harbor malicious intent and kill him while he was drunk."
"Their Sizhou soldiers were guarding the courtyard entrance, how could they not have heard the commotion inside? Logically, they should have rushed in the moment the dispute began. But the Sizhou soldiers did nothing, so the culprit must definitely be from among them!"
"Exactly, stop framing our lord."
...
With Qin Shaozong at the center, the military officers on his sides spread out like wings.
Opposite them, Dong Zhou, Jiang Shi, and Li Lishen, along with their subordinates, also formed a wing-like formation. Compared to the Northern forces, their wings were larger and exuded a greater sense of power.
On the side of the two opposing factions, the Qingzhou forces led by Nangong Xiong sat like hyenas watching from the sidelines, hiding their intentions.
The dead Xie Yuanyue was in the nearby courtyard, the room brightly lit and the doors wide open.
Li Lishen said at this time, "You make a good point. If there were guards at the courtyard entrance, they should have known. However, everyone drank wine tonight and returned in high spirits. It's perfectly normal for the guards to be negligent. Furthermore..."
He pointed to the wall separating the two courtyards. Inner walls were never as high as outer walls. "Who doesn't know the martial prowess of Marquis Wu'an? A low wall is nothing to you, Qin Changgeng. Just a lift of your foot and you're over. If you didn't take the usual path, it's highly likely the guards wouldn't have spotted you."
Jiang Shi chimed in opportunely, "Among everyone present, only you had a grudge against Xie Tengyun. You defeated him in the banquet's competition and took the dancer he fancied. After the banquet, you both live in the same compound, so you were bound to meet again. Given Tengyun's temper, he probably provoked you. Marquis Wu'an, if you could strike him heavily at the banquet over a mere dancer, it makes sense that you would sneak into his room and kill him after being enraged."
"Absurd! All of this is just your speculation. To pin the crime on our lord based on this alone, I think it's you, Governor Jiang of Yuzhou, who has an ulterior motive," Feng Feng said angrily.
Two people had clearly proposed the speculation, but Feng Feng only singled out Jiang Shi, acting as if he was only attacking him.
Jiang Shi's brow twitched, but he quickly calmed down. He took out an object and tossed it in his hand. "This is not baseless speculation. I have a little trinket to prove it."
Qin Shaozong barely noticeably glanced sideways, quickly looking at the full moon in the sky.
Unaware, Jiang Shi continued, "You all saw it in the room just now. There's a pouch next to the fallen Tengyun. Marquis Wu'an, are you familiar with this?"
He suddenly sneered, "Heh, even if you intentionally or unintentionally ignored it just now, you can't change the fact that it fell from you earlier. After all, I saw it clearly at the banquet."
Qin Shaozong scoffed, "What kind of physical evidence is this? My pouch is still on me. If you just find a random pouch and claim it's mine, then I could say the knife stuck in Governor Xie of Sizhou's chest belongs to you, Governor Jiang of Yuzhou."
Jiang Shi's face changed drastically. "Nonsense!"
Nangong Xiong, who had been a bystander nearby, began to sense something amiss.
This trap was clumsy, ridiculous, and crude to the extreme. It was just a torn fig leaf thrown over it in a vain attempt to frame someone.
But it had to be said that Chancellor Dong, who held the power of the imperial court, really had the ability to mobilize several provincial governors near Chang'an to point at a deer and call it a horse.
It seemed the other party wanted to take down Qin Changgeng before Liu of Jingzhou arrived in the capital.
He wasn't surprised that the Chancellor set a trap; this wine tasting banquet was never pure from the start. Now that the two sides were purely fighting with words, he could understand Chancellor Dong's urgency to pin the crime of "murdering Governor Xie of Sizhou" on Marquis Wu'an, but he couldn't understand Qin Changgeng's attitude.
Based on his understanding of the man, he wasn't the type to enjoy verbal sparring or surrender without a fight.
But strangely...
Nangong Xiong quietly looked at the walls in the courtyard. On the dark, low walls, it seemed as if mountain peaks had risen from the ground, with "small hilltops" appearing continuously.
But those weren't small hilltops; they were clearly heads wearing helmets. Under the moonlight, the arrowheads in the soldiers' hands reflected a cold, sinister gleam, like the bared fangs of venomous snakes.
Nangong Xiong gasped inwardly.
It seemed there was indeed no other way but to clear his suspicion through verbal sparring. But what use was mere verbal sparring? Since Dong had decided to capture him tonight, sooner or later would be the same; they would end up at the same destination.
Unless Qin Changgeng had known everything in advance and sent people down the mountain ahead of time, which was why he needed to stall...
But Marquis Wu'an wasn't an immortal; how could he foresee everything?
While thinking this, Nangong Xiong suddenly saw Dong Zhou frown nearby, as if pondering something.
Qin Shaozong's ears suddenly twitched, and then he said, "Although there are signs of a struggle in the room, Governor Xie of Sizhou was quite skilled in martial arts. If he really died in combat, there couldn't possibly be only such a small amount of struggle marks in the room. The specifics need to be carefully investigated further."
With that, he took the lead and walked inside.
As soon as he stepped forward, the group of Northern military officers followed closely behind. They were all tall, and with their long legs taking large strides, the group flowed into the room like water in the blink of an eye, completely retreating.
Jiang Shi and Li Lishen were both stunned.
Almost as soon as Qin Shaozong and the others entered the room, someone hurried over from the courtyard entrance. "Chancellor! A group of soldiers has arrived outside the garden and is forcing their way in. Their attack is extremely fierce. It looks like... the attackers are from the North."
Dong Zhou's expression changed instantly. In that moment, the faint, spiderweb-like anomalies in his mind all found their answers.
"Marquis Wu'an murdered Governor Xie of Sizhou and even attempted to destroy the corpse and silence witnesses. This is truly despicable. Men, capture all the Northerners!" Dong Zhou shouted.
As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers who had been climbing the walls all jumped down, while another group of guards surged in from outside the courtyard.
Nangong Xiong's pupils shrank to pinpricks, a myriad of thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant.
To advance meant joining Qin Shaozong; to retreat meant automatically joining Dong Zhou's camp. He had already formed an alliance with Qin Changgeng to jointly attack the Qinglian Faction. Even if he submitted to Dong Zhou now, the latter might not truly trust him.
In this life-and-death struggle, there was no neutrality.
Nangong Xiong couldn't help but curse, gritted his teeth, and said to his subordinates, "Follow!"
The Qingzhou group immediately rushed forward. The room door was closed, so they took a side path to the backyard, intending to exit through the side door.
A fierce glint flashed in Dong Zhou's eyes. "Marquis Wu'an is colluding with Governor Nangong. Capture them all! Kill anyone who resists on the spot!"
...
Inside the room.
Feng Feng, the last to enter, swiftly locked the door.
Without Qin Shaozong's order, Kuang Ye drew his sword and swung it fiercely at the long desk. With a "bang," it was split in two, turning the desk into shields.
The others followed suit.
In addition to the main door, windows in various parts of the room were also opened. The group passed through the house and retreated from the other side.
There were also soldiers stationed at the rear, though fewer than at the front. Seeing them jump out of the window, the leader immediately raised his voice, They are out! Fire the arrows!
Swish, swish, swish!
Arrows rained down.
Meanwhile, in Chang'an. Spring Day.
On the night Qin Shaozong left, Dai Li did not sleep soundly. His words, There might be changes tonight, seemed to become an ebbing and flowing tide, echoing in her ears from time to time.
The Sword of Damocles hanging over her head finally fell when the silence of the late night was broken.
My Lady! There were hurried footsteps, followed by Qiao Wangfei's voice. A large group of military patrols has arrived outside the estate. The leader claims that a petty thief they are pursuing has slipped into our manor, and they are demanding that we open the gates for a search.
Dai Li sat up in shock, clutching her quilt. Her first words were that the gates must not be opened.
Qiao Wangfei quickly replied, Of course we didn't open them. But they are coming on strong and look as if they won't give up until they achieve their goal. I ordered men to climb the trees and go up to several pavilions in the estate to look out. We found that not only the main gate but also several side gates are surrounded by patrols. At a rough estimate, there are no less than a thousand men.
Dai Li's heart sank to the bottom.
She had two hundred elite soldiers on hand, but there were no less than a thousand men surrounding the estate alone. What about those ambushing in the dark?
In the massive city of Chang'an, it was common for the patrol guards to number in the tens of thousands. Two hundred against tens of thousands—even the strongest soldiers would be worn to death.
Dai Li quickly got out of bed and dressed, saying at the same time, It seems a fierce battle is inevitable tonight. Order them to make sure their armor is properly worn. Only by preserving our combat strength as much as possible will we have a chance of survival. By the way, which gate is the leader at?
Qiao Wangfei said he was at the main gate.
Dai Li: Send someone to tell the patrol leader to wait a moment. I will speak with him personally.
You must not, My Lady, Qiao Wangfei said anxiously. They came while the Lord is away, harboring unpredictable motives. You must not fall for their tricks.
I must go. As the saying goes, courtesy before force. If we want to stall for time, we can only do so through courtesy. Dai Li fastened her belt and then tucked a short sword left by Qin Shaozong into her waist. Don't dawdle, do as I say!
Dai Li's voice had always been gentle, having nothing to do with heroism. At this moment, speaking with her voice slightly lowered, that spring-breeze-like voice actually revealed a bit of majesty.
Qiao Wangfei unconsciously stiffened his spine. The muscles on his cheeks bulged and then smoothed out. Finally, he raised his voice and called a guard outside the main courtyard, telling him to pass on the message.
The message was passed, but other things still needed to be said.
Qiao Wangfei reminded her, My Lady, Changle Garden is a full half-day's journey from Chang'an. Even if the Lord knows about the changes in the estate now, the fastest he can rush back is tomorrow morning.
No matter how much they delayed, it was impossible for the other party to spend the whole night outside with them.
There was not enough time.
Creak. The door was suddenly pulled open.
There was a moon tonight. The moonlight fell on the woman's cold and glamorous jade face, which was like a peony on a high terrace, as if covering her in a layer of holy gauze. Her face was soft, but her eyes were as bright as snow blades, shining like firelight, hiding sharpness and a piercing spirit.
Who said we have to wait for Qin Changgeng to come back? Dai Li walked briskly out of the courtyard. Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire. Tonight, we can only save ourselves.
Qiao Wangfei subconsciously followed her. Just as he was about to ask how to save themselves, he heard Dai Li continue: You just said that several gates of the estate are surrounded by military patrols. Which gate has the fewest soldiers?
This really stumped Qiao Wangfei.
As the garrison commander of the Xuanxiao Cavalry, he had hundreds of soldiers under him and didn't need to do everything himself. The fact that several side gates were blocked by military patrols was told to him by his subordinates.
Seeing his pause, Dai Li understood that he didn't know either. Send someone to investigate immediately. Once it's clear, organize a hundred men around that small gate and open it to welcome them in.
Qiao Wangfei's expression changed drastically. My Lady, how can this gate be opened? Once the gate is open, the guards outside will definitely swarm in. Moreover, if we directly transfer a hundred men away, that means only a hundred men will be left elsewhere. This estate is very wide, and the outer wall defense consumes a lot of troops. In this way, there will be even fewer people left by your side.
I didn't tell you to keep the gate open all the time. Lure a batch of military patrols in and then close it. Dai Li turned to look at Qiao Wangfei, the light in her eyes seeming to grow brighter. I need the clothes on the military patrols. This is the key, and we must get them!
Qiao Wangfei was stunned.
He was able to sit in the position of garrison commander absolutely not just by brute force without wisdom. Now hearing Dai Li mention the clothes of the military patrols, he immediately thought—
My Lady, are you trying to take advantage of the dark night and muddy waters to escape in the chaos? After stating this guess, Qiao Wangfei quickly weighed the success and failure, and finally had to shake his head: It's not very feasible. The soldiers surrounding the estate are only the first line of defense; the city gates are the second.
Saying not very feasible was already a euphemism.
Even with the cover of night, precisely because night had fallen, the curfew in the city kept the commoners indoors, which ironically reduced many unnecessary obstacles for the enemy.
This cat-and-mouse hunt might not last the night. In the end, two hundred men were simply too few.
I know everything you're saying. I have a way to get reinforcements. Dai Li did not stop walking.
Qiao Wangfei froze for a breath.
Reinforcements? Where would reinforcements come from?!
The main force of the Xuanxiao Cavalry was thirty miles outside the city. Now the city gates were tightly closed, and no news could be sent out of the city. How could reinforcements arrive?
Qiao Wangfei's mind spun, even guessing whether the Lord had secretly left an unknown guard squad for the Lady before he left.
The situation was urgent. The two talked as they walked. Just as they walked out of the courtyard, they met three juniors who had come after hearing the news.
Dai Li could not be in two places at once, so she could only speak concisely to her son: Zhou Zhou, there is an incident tonight. You and your younger siblings follow Hu Bao and do not run around.
After instructing the juniors, Dai Li, without stopping her steps, continued to Qiao Wangfei, Our residence is surrounded by the dwellings of people from several other provinces. Tonight the military patrols are aggressive. I don't believe they are unaware of this. Since it's a blockade, who says they can only hunt the Northern Territory?
Qiao Wangfei's breath hitched. After understanding the meaning of Dai Li's words, he was so excited that his arm hairs stood on end. You want to use the clothes of the military patrols to let us pretend to be Chang'an soldiers, and then attack the residences of Sizhou, Yuzhou, and Xuzhou?
Yes!
Dai Li gave an affirmative answer. I don't believe they are of one mind with that man surnamed Dong. As long as they are not a monolithic block, as long as there is still suspicion among them, we can use it. It just so happens that those provincial governors are away tonight, and everyone's military camps are set up in the suburbs. There are only a mere two or three hundred people left in their estates, or even fewer. Suddenly attacked late at night, they will definitely be full of doubts, guessing that Chancellor Dong wants to wipe them all out in one fell swoop.
These were not countermeasures that Dai Li had thought up in a few moments, but the train of thought she had sorted out after tossing and turning before falling asleep tonight, and waking up in shock from her dreams several times.
Dai Li: It's true that we only have two hundred men, but if we can trick the various families over in the chaos and twist everyone together into a single rope, we'll have a force of at least nearly a thousand men, and all of them elite soldiers. It's not impossible to open the city gates from the inside and get out of the city.
One must know that when Dong Zhuo attacked Luoyang back then, he also relied on merely an elite force of three thousand men. One can imagine that the power of elite soldiers is far beyond compare with a ragtag bunch.
"However, to simultaneously attack the other provincial governors' estates, a hundred or so men are far from enough. It would be best to secure the assistance of neighboring Qingzhou." Dai Li paused. "Right, Governor Nangong has already gone to the banquet, so his daughter must have stayed behind in the estate. We need to send a team over there, not only to act as persuaders but also to bring her out."
She remembered that Nangong Xiong had always intended to cooperate with Qin Changgeng.
With the sudden upheaval in the Changle Garden tonight, everything depended on the other party's choice. Optimistically, her action would be saving an ally's daughter; pessimistically, it would be taking a crucial enemy hostage.
Qin Yanzhou glanced at Qin Qinian. The latter's mind worked like lightning, and the two brothers found themselves on a rare, identical wavelength.
"Mother, leave this matter to Qinian and me."
"Mother, leave this matter to Second Brother and me."