inspire-indiana Chapter 226 The fisherman gets a profit
Chapter 226 The fisherman gets a profit
Chapter 226 The Fisherman Reaps the Benefit
The night is dark and windy.
Dark as ink.
The sounds of fierce fighting could be heard from the horse racing track.
The sound is getting closer.
The cave was bottomless, and lights flickered.
Lou Ye faintly heard the sounds of fighting outside the cave, and he was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks.
These people are crazy, they're all crazy.
Which bastard leaked the news that there was a gold mine at the horse farm?
What a load of bull! He didn't see a single gold mine.
He frantically urged his men, "What are you all dawdling for? Haven't you all eaten? If you don't want to die here, hurry up and move it..."
Before he could finish speaking, his subordinate came to report, "Master, the officials are here. Prefect Cui has brought a large force to suppress the bandits and they are heading this way."
"Besides Prefect Cui, is there anyone else?" Lou Ye's brows were furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.
It must have been Lu Qingyao who reported it to the authorities.
What was bound to happen eventually did happen; I knew those good-for-nothings couldn't stop that woman.
The man replied, "Yes, there is another person beside Prefect Cui, dressed as a scholar, but the officials all seem to obey him and treat him with utmost respect."
Lou Ye felt a chill run down his spine.
He looked like a scholar, and was very respectful...
It seems that the rumored Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was just like that: a scholar in appearance, but with iron-fisted methods.
He suddenly remembered that Qin Tongpan had gone to Lu Garden to investigate Yan Huan's whereabouts, but ended up becoming the mastermind behind the assassination of Prince Jing, and had even implicated him.
conspiracy……
It was all a conspiracy by Yan Huan and King Jing.
He wiped the sweat from his face.
Now this person has come again, and life and death hang in the balance.
He roared at his men who were working hard to move the boxes, "Quickly... quickly pass down the order: stop guarding outside the cave, all of you retreat and block the entrance tightly. You must get all the boxes onto the ship within an hour, or you can all end your own lives."
That's very effective.
If the mission cannot be completed and one does not want to fall into the hands of the Dali Temple, one has no choice but to end one's own life.
This is their fate.
Sure enough, before midnight, all the boxes filled with pay were loaded onto the ship.
Before boarding the ship, Lou Ye had the cave destroyed.
Destroying the body to cover up the evidence is a common tactic they employ.
However, this was exactly what Lu Qingyao wanted. With the cave destroyed, the matter had nothing to do with her; she was simply a victim.
In the horse farm.
The bandits fought each other to the death.
Once they're blinded by rage, they can't stop.
Don't underestimate them just because they're all bandits; there's competition even among bandits.
Fighting for territory, fighting for fat sheep, fighting for women...
They often got into fights.
It's a rare opportunity to gather them together today, to let them fight like the snipe and the clam. By the time the officials arrive, they will already be at their last gasp.
One section collapsed.
Prefect Cui felt like he was the beneficiary fisherman who had gotten a great deal.
As for the caves in the forest, he had no intention of attacking them by force, and only ordered his men to make sounds of fighting at the cave entrance.
The sounds of fighting outside the cave gradually subsided.
The large boxes inside the cave have all been emptied.
unconsciously.
It was already past midnight.
The moon and stars are rare.
The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the river surface.
sparkling.
A full moon is reflected on the water, making it appear as if there are two moons.
One in the air, one in the water.
The moon is full and people are reunited.
Whenever I see a full moon, it always evokes feelings of longing and sorrow.
Lou Ye plopped down on the bow of the boat, letting the night wind dry his sweat-soaked clothes.
Feeling like he had escaped a disaster, he let out a long sigh of relief.
After a busy day, my stomach is empty and I'm covered in sweat, so I feel lightheaded and limp.
Not just him, everyone is like that.
In a moment of distraction, I saw the moon's reflection in the water swaying, and the swaying became more and more violent.
The moon's reflection rippled directly across the water.
He was puzzled, because the wind had stopped and the rustling of the leaves had also ceased.
Why is the water still moving?
quiet……
It was eerily quiet.
There were only the loud chirping of insects and the babbling of flowing water.
The riverbanks were dark and gloomy, with only a few green lights occasionally flickering.
Lou Ye's mind cleared instantly.
"Be careful, there are water bandits... there are people in the water..." he shouted, and immediately stood up.
Everyone was exhausted after carrying the silver for a whole day and night, and their reactions were much slower.
The voice just fell.
Lou Ye felt a chill on his neck, and the biting cold instantly spread throughout his body.
"Don't move if you don't want to die." A woman's voice came from behind, somewhat familiar.
He was startled and dared not move an inch.
They watched helplessly as countless dark figures emerged from the water and quickly boarded their boat.
In no time, both boats were filled with men in black, each one tall and burly.
Without a word, these men drew their knives and charged forward, each strike drawing blood and ruthless.
His men were utterly helpless against these men in black.
"Qiang Qiang Qiang Qiang..."
"Thump thump thump..."
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, some people fell into the water, some were captured, and none escaped.
The water returned to calm.
Lou Ye was bound hand and foot.
In the dim light, he glanced at the people in front of him.
A scholar-like appearance?
It was Yan Huan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; he recognized him.
As for the tall man in the middle, he had no recollection of him, but seeing his skill just now, he was amazed that Yan Huan had such a person by his side.
In the blink of an eye, they spotted the woman beside them.
Lou Ye exclaimed in surprise, "Lu Qingyao, how could it be you? Weren't you injured by bandits?"
The woman who just spoke was her.
They're in cahoots!
Lu Qingyao drew her long sword and pressed it against his throat. "Lou Ye, you aided and abetted evil, embezzled military funds, caused the border soldiers to go hungry, and caused my Lu family to be raided and exiled. So why can't I kill you?"
Lou Ye looked up at the sky, a faint smile on his face.
“Madam Lu, we’re in cahoots, you can’t escape responsibility either…”
Lu Qingyao chuckled awkwardly: "Really? What proof do you have?"
evidence?
Lou Ye froze.
The cave was destroyed, and no one saw them hide the silver there...
They're using a feint to attack from the east while striking from the west.
"You...you deliberately set me up?" He looked at the group in disbelief.
That's it.
The victor is king and the loser is a bandit. "I have nothing to say. Kill me if you want."
Confessing is impossible.
He looked up at the full moon.
I wonder if my wife and children, who live under the same sky, can see this.
I realized that I had been away from home for three years.
He was originally a minor official in the Ministry of Works, holding the rank of sixth grade, in charge of mountains, lakes, gardens, and mining.
Although his official rank was not high.
But he devoted himself wholeheartedly to his duties.
However, he was inexplicably framed for murder and imprisoned.
He thought he was doomed, but he was rescued by Prince Su and sent to Jiangzhou, where he became the manager of a restaurant.
He was tasked with relaying messages from Jiangzhou to Prince Su and procuring grain.
Just when he thought he was living a comfortable and secure life in Jiangzhou and was preparing to bring his wife and children from his hometown to Jiangzhou to reunite with him, he learned that they had already been taken to the capital by Prince Su.
He lived in constant fear.
For the sake of his wife and children, he had no complaints even if he became Prince Su's dog, and could only let him do as he pleased.
a year ago.
Lord Qin brought him to this cave and entrusted him with the task of refining silver.
Lots of silver.
He had never seen so much silver in his life.
When they saw the boxes of gleaming silver in front of them, they were first shocked.
Seeing the official seal on the silver ingot again reminded me of the rumors I heard when I left the capital: General Lu Huai'an, the General Who Guards the North, embezzled military funds, and his entire household was raided and he was exiled...
He was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground.
After careful consideration, he instantly understood where the government funds came from and why Prince Su had chosen him.
Because he once served as the Director of the Ministry of Works, in charge of the gold and silver mining and smelting in Daliang.
The Prince of Su summoned him to refine silver.
He struggled and even considered running away.
But I am at their mercy, like a fish on a chopping board; ultimately, I can't fight city hall.
He wanted his wife and children to live.
Now that things have come to this, if he were to die now, I wonder if Prince Su would show mercy and spare his wife and children.
With that thought in mind, he rammed his head against the blade.
"You really want to die?" Mu Yunji pulled him back.
Didn't die.
Lou Ye hung his head, looking utterly dejected.
Mu Yunji placed a sachet beside him. "Lou Ye, don't you want to know how your wife and children are doing, whether they are alive or dead?"
Yes, of course I do.
Lou Ye's gaze fell on the sachet, his eyes slightly widening in surprise.
He picked up the sachet and stared at Mu Yunji. "Who are you? Why do you have my son's sachet?"
This was embroidered by the wife for her son. Every stitch on the sachet was done by her. Inside was a talisman.
Her son was always by her side.
He quickly opened the sachet...
The amulet is still there.
However, there was an extra note.
The words were written crookedly above: Survive.
This... is my son's handwriting.
His wife was illiterate, and only his son knew a few characters, but he wasn't yet capable of writing letters.
In the past, every letter I received was written by someone else, but each time it was accompanied by a keepsake from my wife.
Why would a son's handwritten letter appear here?
Lou Ye was somewhat agitated, grabbing Mu Yunji's clothes, "What have you done to my son?"
"Your son is currently in my residence..."
Mu Yunji then took out a silver hairpin from his sleeve and handed it to him. “Your wife died last spring. When I saw your son, he was fighting with beggars for food. These tokens were entrusted to me by him to give to you.”
"Impossible! I received a letter from my wife just last month. How could she be dead?"
Lu Qingyao looked at the note in his hand and asked, "Are you sure that letter was written by your wife herself?"
These words reminded Lou Ye.
How could it possibly be written by my wife herself? She can't read...
That letter can be forged.
Although Lou Ye had come to terms with reality, he still refused to believe it, saying, "How can I believe you?"
Mu Yunji took out his waist token and said, "I am Mu Yunji, Duke of Shen, and I have come here on His Majesty's orders to investigate the theft of military funds."
He originally didn't want to waste time talking, but this person was a crucial witness in the military pay case.
His confession is crucial to whether General Lu can overturn his case.
You have to earn his trust.
Lou Ye believed he was the Duke of Shen, but refused to accept the fact that his wife was dead.
"I want to know how my wife died? I want to know how she and our child have been living these past few years?" He bit his lip hard, a little blood seeping from the corner of his lips, his voice hoarse.
Lu Yunji said quietly, "After Prince Su brought the mother and son to the capital, he settled them in a farm on the outskirts of the capital and then stopped paying attention to them. At first, the farm manager treated them well, but as time went on, the manager saw that the higher-ups didn't care about their lives, so he stopped taking it seriously and began to abuse them. Your wife couldn't bear the humiliation and fled with her son. In order to help your son escape, she was captured and brought back, and was beaten to death..."
"Enough, stop talking." Lou Ye curled up on the ground like a madman, burying his face in his hands and sobbing, his body trembling.
He never imagined that after risking his life for Prince Su in Jiangzhou, that scoundrel would allow his men to humiliate his wife and children.
He caused his wife's death.
hateful.
Damn it... damn it all!
He couldn't let his wife die without knowing why.
Mu Yunji thought he wouldn't believe him, so he continued, "To avoid those people, your son mingled among the beggars. It wasn't until Lord Yan and I took over the case that we found him. He's in my residence now, waiting for you to come back."
After a long silence, Lou Ye suddenly spoke up: "I believe you, I believe you."
He didn't know Mu Yunji, but he trusted Yan Huan, who was known for his impartiality and incorruptibility at the Dali Temple.
No matter what the purpose.
Now, their goals are aligned.
Moreover, only the two of them are not afraid of Prince Su and can protect their son.
He had to find a way for his son to make a living.
He knelt down before Mu Yunji and Yan Huan, saying, "My lords, as long as you can protect my son, I am willing to tell you everything. I will say whatever you ask me to say, and I will confess everything I know."
"Alright, I promise you, I'll protect your son." Mu Yunji nodded in agreement, but he really couldn't feel any sympathy for him.
Countless soldiers on the frontier suffered from food shortages and even their pay could not be paid because of them.
Yet they still had to risk their lives.
These people deserve to die ten thousand times over.
The young child is innocent; that child shouldn't be burdened by him.
With Mu Yunji's promise, Lou Ye became much more energetic.
He still has many things to do; he must not die.
Mu Yunji and Yan Huan are now truly reaping the benefits of this situation, as even the boats are readily available, allowing them to directly transport the two boats northward.
They traveled to the capital without anyone noticing.
When saying goodbye, Mu Yunji had a thousand words to say, but they all boiled down to one sentence: "Wait for our news. Your parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law will definitely return safely..."
Lu Qingyao had a thousand words to say, but they all came out in her voice: "Thank you...take care..."
They both knew that they would see each other again soon.
It's getting light.
The sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.
Xiuxiu rowed a small boat to pick up her older sister and take her back.
Bathed in the morning sunlight, the older sister wore a radiant smile.
This night.
Outside the city, the air was thick with tension and fighting.
The city was calm and peaceful.
The people were awakened by the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking.
The vendors' cries, their shouts, and the rising steam from the open steamer.
It made Lu Qingyao feel that it was simple and warm.
The two exchanged a smile and rushed home as fast as they could, cooking porridge, steaming buns, frying dough sticks, and making wontons before the child woke up...
Today is a good day.
Jiang Miaomiao was awakened by the magpies under the eaves.
When she got up, she saw that her mother and aunt were standing in front of her, both safe and sound.
Her nose stung, and she burst into tears.
Only she knew what her mother and aunt had gone through yesterday.
I'm a little sad, but happiness will follow the sadness...
……