Chapter 287 The Beheading Deal
When Jiang Qingzhi entered the state government office, the prefect Ma Xing came out to greet him with a smile, "Greetings, Lord Wei."
"Ma Zhizhou." Jiang Qingzhi bowed and asked, "I came here for the Li family, a wealthy family in Changping Prefecture, but I heard that the Li family has fled far away?"
"That's right." Ma Xing sighed, "Today someone came to report that someone found that no one had entered Ma's house for two days, and they felt something was wrong. I sent someone to investigate, but found that Li's house was in a mess... and no one was there."
"How many servants are there in the Li family?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
"Originally... there were more than a hundred people!" someone said.
"How can more than a hundred people leave so easily?" Jiang Qingzhi stared at Ma Xing.
"I don't know either." Ma Xing smiled bitterly. "To be honest, I was asking about it before, but someone was secretly covering up for Li."
"Is there any result?"
Ma Xing shook his head.
Jiang Qingzhi stood up and asked, "Where are the soldiers who have been guarding the city these days?"
"I will send someone to gather them now."
"No need, Benbo will go by himself."
Later, Jiang Qingzhi met General Chen Xi, who was in charge of the city defense in recent days, on the top of the city wall.
"The Li family has more than a hundred servants and more than twenty people in the family. Almost two hundred people go in and out of the city gate. Didn't anyone notice?" Xu Wei sneered.
Chen Xi was sweating profusely, "My Lord, I really don't know."
"I think you are trying to cover up for Li!" Xu Wei shouted, "Do you know that Li is involved in a major case?"
Chen Xi was stunned, "I don't know."
"The capital has been in turmoil recently, and the Li family is involved." Xu Wei stared at Chen Xi, "That's a case of confiscation of property and extermination of the clan. Do you have such a relationship with the Li family? If so, Master Bo doesn't mind using your head here to warn those idiots."
Sun Chonglou pressed the spring, and the long sword sprang out. He stared at Chen Xi's neck and muttered, "Start from here, I can definitely cut off his head with one blow..."
Chen Xi was startled and knelt down, saying, "My Lord, I... I don't know! Li Xian said he had a business deal to go out of the border, so he asked me to help him."
"He is indeed engaged in business." Jiang Qingzhi said coldly: "But it is a business that can lead to death."
"Uncle, please spare me!" Chen Xi's thighs quickly became wet, and then spread downwards.
"This is the general of my Ming Dynasty." Jiang Qingzhi thought of the history when Altan Khan went south and no one dared to stop him, so he could march straight into the capital.
Then dozens of soldiers were tied up.
"It was a favor given by Li's housekeeper, who said it was a small business." A small flag cried, "I let them pass. After dozens of carts left, dozens more came the next day..."
"The person must be in the car." Xu Wei sneered, "But is he heading north?"
"No, we go out of the south gate." Xiaoqi said.
"That must be the north." Jiang Qingzhi said, "Continue to interrogate."
Jiang Qingzhi walked to the top of the city wall and looked to the north.
"Master, hurry up!" Xu Wei followed him, "If we let them out of the border wall..."
"More than a hundred people will be divided into several groups and set off..." Jiang Qingzhi was thinking.
"Li Xian must have taken his servants with him because he was worried about the news leaking out. So, he would definitely abandon those servants halfway and only take his family and confidants with him..."
Xu Wei stroked his beard and squinted his eyes, and said confidently: "He has been walking for more than two days, and he should have started on his way by now. As for the inspection offices, forgive me for being frank, most of the inspection offices we passed by on this trip are just for show. As long as you give some benefits, they dare to let anyone and anything pass."
Jiang Qingzhi turned around and said, "Old Xu, you should go with us this time."
Xu Wei was stunned, "Master, my riding skills..."
"We need to practice!" Jiang Qingzhi walked down from the city wall, "Assemble!"
Three hundred cavalrymen gathered, and Jiang Qingzhi called Chen Ji to give him some instructions. Then Chen Ji and Ye Bushu set off first.
Xu Wei followed Jiang Qingzhi and touched his thigh, "Thank you for your hardship."
……
Dozens of riders and several carriages were traveling on the official road.
Li Xian, who is over 40 years old, still looks gentle and elegant.
Steward Li Si said beside him, "There is a patrol inspection office ahead, but they are all acquaintances. Master, we can speed up our journey after passing this place."
Li Xian nodded. "We left those servants behind last night. Someone must have reported to the police now, but it won't be easy for them to catch up with us. After passing the inspection office in front, turn right..."
"We'll go to Huairou." Li Si was startled. "We won't go to Yanqing?"
"If someone is chasing us, they will definitely think we are heading to Yanqing. We should pretend to be real and pretend to be real. We should go to Huairou, then turn left and go to Bohai..."
Li Xian said calmly: "The officers and soldiers in the capital area are not well trained. Jiang Qingzhi is right. The guard dogs are better than them. Those idiots only know to follow and chase. As for whether they can catch up, what does it have to do with them?"
"Yes." Li Si smiled and said, "If you join the army, you will definitely become a famous general. You won't let Jiang Qingzhi surpass you."
"The Li family has a scholarly heritage for generations. How can we associate with those lowly people?" Li Xian said indifferently.
That night, the Li group camped in the wild. After dinner, Li Si accompanied Li Xian for a walk nearby.
"What a pity this time." Li Xian said, "If we can intercept Jiang Qingzhi outside the capital, when the capital launches the attack, the emperor who is experiencing the pain of losing his son will be caught off guard."
"This old servant has been puzzled. Didn't you say you should be patient? Why did you take such a ruthless action this time?" Li Si asked.
"Beijing Guards!" Li Xian pointed in the direction of the capital. "The purge of the Beijing Guards is the trigger. We have dozens of death warriors, originally used for smuggling in the grasslands. This time they paid a high price..."
"Who?" someone shouted from outside.
The sun was halfway down the mountain at this moment. Li Xian looked up and saw a rider turning around and riding away.
Li Si stamped his feet, "We've been discovered!"
Li Xian's brows were filled with gloom. "Could he be passing by..."
"It's dangerous to camp alone at night. The most dangerous thing is to encounter wild animals or thieves." Li Si shook his head. "I have been to the grassland several times. Whenever a single traveler sees a camp like this, most of them will come over on their own initiative."
"We must leave immediately!" Li Si said, "Master, it may be too late!"
Then the camp was in chaos.
"Throw away those burdens!" Li Si kicked a wooden box open with his foot. "Throw away all these clothes. Who will you wear them for when you get to the grassland? For the horse thieves?"
Not long after, the group fled far away.
More than an hour later, Jiang Qingzhi arrived with his men.
Mo Zhan also came this time. He dismounted and looked at the ash, "Master, they have been walking for more than an hour."
"Chase!"
The pursuit lasted until midnight, and one after another, the Li family servants who had fallen behind offered to surrender, including one of Li Xian's concubines.
War horses are fast over short distances, but as the distance gets longer, their advantage becomes smaller and smaller.
People can keep going, but horses cannot.
Before dawn, Jiang Qingzhi and his group stopped the pursuit.
"They should be no more than five miles away from here." Mo Zhan made his judgment based on the confessions.
Everyone looked at Jiang Qingzhi.
Xu Wei sat on the side, rubbing his thigh with a grin, "It should be about the same."
"How far is this place from Bohai Institute?" Jiang Qingzhi lit up the incense and asked tiredly.
"About less than twenty miles." Mo Zhan said.
Jiang Qingzhi glanced at Sun Bu Tong, who was smiling as if nothing had happened.
"Rest for a quarter of an hour and eat some dry food."
"Yes!"
Jiang Qingzhi waved his hand, "Sun Bu Tong, follow me."
Jiang Qingzhi turned around and walked to the side of the official road, looked up at the moon, and asked, "How is the family doing now?"
"Everything is fine!" Sun Bu Tong said, "My uncle is very generous and gave me a lot of money. I have renovated my house. My uncle doesn't know that it was raining heavily outside my house and drizzling inside..."
"My child is also studying now. I didn't agree at first. I was going to let him practice martial arts so that he can protect the young master in the future. But the boy was stubborn and said that studying can also help the master..."
Jiang Qingzhi listened silently, his cigarette butt flickering.
"My wife likes to go to worship Buddha now, and she prays for the Lord every time. Last time she went to the Huguo Temple, she said that when she was praying for the Lord, she heard someone say in her ear: The noble man will be blessed by God!"
"Old Sun!"
"Uncle!"
"Everyone has their own strengths. Your strengths lie in your flexibility and ability to read people's expressions... To be honest, it would be perfect if you could lead Ye Bu Shou."
"You are too kind, my Lord. I am very embarrassed." Sun Bu Tong smiled. "You are an elder of the Jiang family." Jiang Qingzhi emphasized the word "elderly", and Sun Bu Tong smiled.
"There will be more and more things happening in the future, and I guess there will be more and more people involved."
"Don't worry, Master." Sun Bu Tong said seriously, "If it weren't for Master, I would still be waiting for the palace to recruit guards again, making small things to sell every day to supplement my family income.
To be honest, Mo Zhan's swordsmanship is amazing, and I will definitely be no match for him.
But I also have my own strengths, that is, I am smart. But the things that the uncle has done are getting bigger and bigger, and I know...I am not worthy of being on the stage..."
"What a bullshit!" Jiang Qingzhi waved his hands. Sun Bu Tong sniffed. "Mo Zhan is more suitable to lead the guards than me. I am a little unwilling and feel ashamed. But I can survive this."
Jiang Qingzhi patted his shoulder and said, "Mo Zhan is the leader, and you are the deputy. In addition, you should focus on your family."
Sun Bu Tong said jokingly, "So from now on, will I be loyal to the Lord or to the Madam?"
After Li Tian got married, Fucheng asked Jiang Qingzhi whether to call Li Tian "County Princess" or "Madam". Jiang Qingzhi let Li Tian decide for herself, saying that the woman didn't like the sound of "County Princess", so "Madam" or "Madam" would be fine.
"Get lost!" Jiang Qingzhi cursed with a smile.
Sun Bu Tong left with a smile.
Jiang Qingzhi called Mo Zhan over.
"From this moment on, you are the commander of the guards."
Mo Zhan said indifferently: "Yes."
"Can't you just smile?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
Mo Zhan tried to smile, and Jiang Qingzhi sighed, "Your smile is too creepy, you'd better keep a cold face!"
Mo Zhan felt relieved and returned to his indifferent attitude.
"I will not interfere with how to subdue the guards."
"Yes."
"Sun Bu Tong is a smart man. As your deputy, he can do something for you."
"military adviser."
"Correct."
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "This will be your first battle as the commander."
Mo Zhan raised his head, his eyes firm. "Yes."
Jiang Qingzhi then informed the guards of this decision.
The guards were silent.
"My Lord, aren't you worried that they will cause trouble?" Xu Wei asked.
"Three hundred riders are enough. Anyone who can cause trouble at this moment is unusable. Just stay at home and guard the door." Jiang Qingzhi said coldly.
The treatment of doormen and guards is far worse.
A quarter of an hour later, Jiang Qingzhi led everyone to set off again.
"Mo Zhan, lead the team first!"
"Leader!"
Mo Zhan turned around and looked at the guards, "Let's go!"
It was like a scout team, disappearing into the night.
Li Xian had only a dozen riders and a carriage with him at this moment.
In the carriage were his wife, daughter, and old mother.
Except for the three adult sons, the other ten or so riders were trusted guards and stewards.
Li Si was among them.
When the sky began to turn pale, dozens of riders appeared in front.
"It's the cavalry from Bohai Station!" a guard shouted.
"Show your identity and say that there are thieves chasing us!" Li Si shouted.
A guard rushed out and galloped towards the dozens of riders.
Not long after, two riders came over there.
"Butler Li!" The cavalry recognized Li Si.
"It's me!" Li Si said, "My master and his family were visiting relatives and were chased by thieves last night. I hope you can lend a hand..."
A money bag was quietly handed over. The cavalryman took it and weighed it with satisfaction. "No problem."
Then dozens of riders came over, and the general flag in the lead glanced at Li Xian and said with a smile: "Greetings, Lord Li."
"Thank you for your hard work." Li Xian nodded.
"Set off."
A quarter of an hour later, the cavalry met Mo Zhan and his party.
"kill!"
The cavalry drew their swords and shouted!
"Stop!"
Mo Zhan shouted, "I am the guard of the Changwei Palace, and I am chasing Li Xian and others!"
The general was startled, but he subconsciously shouted: "Get off the horse first!"
Sun Bu Tong whispered, "Beyond this is the Bohai Institute!"
Mo Zhan did not stop his horse and galloped over with his guards.
"Li Xian is plotting treason, and anyone who tries to stop him is an accomplice!" Mo Zhan shouted.
The general flag gritted his teeth and said, "Get off the horse first and verify your identity!"
Mo Zhan drew his sword, and the general shouted, "Do it!"
Choking!
As soon as the long sword was unsheathed, the general felt a chill on his head, and then he was grabbed by Mo Zhan and pulled off the horse.
"How long have Li Xian and the others been gone?"
The long knife was placed on the general's neck.
"Kill me if you dare!" the general shouted.
The long knife moved to another position and stabbed into the general's thigh.
Mo Zhan indifferently drew out his long sword and placed it on the general's thigh.
As soon as he exerted his strength...
"Have mercy! Li Xian just left for a moment!"
"Leave a brother to guard this man." Mo Zhan looked up at the dozens of anxious cavalrymen, "My uncle will be here soon. If you are brave, try running!"
When Jiang Qingzhi arrived with his cavalry, dozens of riders dismounted and knelt on the side.
"I really didn't know that he was my uncle!" The general screamed while lying on the ground.
Jiang Qingzhi asked, "How far did Li Xian run?"
The general flag said: "The Lord's men have probably caught up with us."
When Jiang Qing got off his horse, someone asked, "Master, are we not going to chase him anymore?"
Jiang Qingzhi shook his head, "There aren't many people left around Li Xian, Mo Zhan is enough."
He will need people around him to do a lot of things in the future. Learning to let go and letting everyone do what they are good at is what a leader should do.
When the sun rose, Mo Zhan and others came back.
"Your Majesty!"
Li Xian was carried over and a guard kicked him. Li Xian knelt down, looked up at Jiang Qingzhi and smiled miserably.
"But Long Wilbur?"
"Li Xian is a good name." Jiang Qingzhi said faintly in the morning sun, "I came back from the north and drove fast in the second half of the journey. I thought I could avoid being seen, but I didn't expect to be intercepted by your people. Tell me, who gave you the news?"
(End of this chapter)
