The city wall was several feet high, and there was no place to stay, so Fang Linyuan couldn't jump down immediately, so he could only take the stairs at the back.

As soon as he gave the order, he turned around and rushed down as fast as he could, bypassing the turns of several flights of stairs.

"What's the matter, General?"

The two people behind didn't come back to their senses, but when they saw Fang Linyuan rushing straight down, they also rushed to the front of the city wall.

But when he saw that the guards were coming forward to take the people, the old and weak women and children in the carriage jumped out of the carriage as if they had changed people, and the silver light flashed in their hands, and they had already cut the ropes of the first carriages behind, turned over and stepped on the horses pulling the carts, and the reins pulled back, and fled into the distance.

The men were apparently well-trained, and the guards were in a hurry, but they only caught the coachman who was at the head of the group, and the young man closest to them.

The next moment, Fang Linyuan rushed out of the city wall, but only the backs of the group of people were left in front of him.

"Chase! Hurry up and prepare your horse to chase it! I only heard Fang Linyuan shouting to the guards around him.

The soldiers who defended the city had come out with their horses, and they were on their horses to chase after them. Fang Linyuan grabbed the reins of the leader of the man.

"Leave me a troop of men, no more than ten. The rest just have to chase after them, and the battle will be big, but remember, after following them for five miles, they will be thrown away, and they must not be entangled again. ”

- What are the requirements?

The man looked up at the city wall, and saw Zhu Song, who had woken up most of the wine, raised his fist angrily: "What a daze!" ”

"Yes!"

The guard hurriedly answered, and led a large group of soldiers and horses to chase after the group.

Zhu Song was so anxious that most of his body hung on the city wall.

"General Fang, what's going on!" He asked, raising his voice.

saw Fang Linyuan's eyebrows heavy, and walked in front of the two people who were arrested.

The coachman at the head of the team had weak legs and feet at this time, and he was carried by two guards before he fell to the ground. At this moment, he was in tears, and went straight to Fang Linyuan to say that he was held hostage by them, and he didn't know who these people were.

The other one stared at Fang Linyuan directly, with no fear on his face, and he looked like he would never confide half a word without being tortured.

Fang Linyuan didn't talk nonsense with him, and ripped off his collar.

I saw a strange lotus flower in the center of his collarbone, under the light of the torch, like a spirit with teeth and claws.

Fang Linyuan looked up at Zhu Song.

"Holy Lotus Cultist!" Zhu Song was dumbfounded.

At this moment, the ten people that Fang Linyuan wanted had already come over on horseback. The one at the head was holding an empty horse, which was prepared for Fang Linyuan.

"General Fang, bring more people!" Zhu Song, who was on the city tower, hurriedly said.

But seeing Fang Linyuan shook his head, turned over and stepped on the horse, raised his head and said a short word to them, he took out the horsewhip and raised it violently, leading the people into the deep night.

Lin Zimiao behind Zhu Song turned around and left.

"That's someone from the Holy Lotus Sect!" Zhu Song grabbed him. "How can General Fang take so many people, the prefect of Suzhou has been looted by them!"

saw Lin Zimiao turn around with a serious expression and said to him.

"The more people, the louder the momentum." He said. "General Fang is going to lead people to follow them and smash the thieves' nest, I need to go to Your Majesty immediately and send reinforcements."

"How do you know?" Zhu Song asked hurriedly.

"General Fang's mouth shape just now, did you see it clearly?" Lin Zimiao said.

"What is it?"

"No thief in sight."

Zhu Song was stunned.

Fang Linyuan would say this, obviously he had already memorized the portrait on the wanted warrant of Sun Bai, the leader of the Holy Lotus Sect. And after a brief sweep of the night, he actually recognized the appearance of everyone below?

And the thief is not seen......

It's time to go and catch the thief himself.

——

Under the lights, the maids of Huaiyu Pavilion holding lanterns and small rattan baskets walked around under the flowers and trees in front of the door.

When Silk Su entered the courtyard with the newly taken silver candle in her hand, several maids saluted her playfully: "Aunt Juansu, is this coming back from the treasury?" ”

Seeing that Juan Su nodded slightly, he said, "Your Highness's candle flame for reading books is running out." What do you guys do here? ”

"Seeing that the flowers have begun to fall, the prince in the small kitchen said that this is the sweetest time." The maid holding the flower basket handed the small basket in her hand to the silk and said with a smile. "Let's discuss collecting some flowers, so that we can teach the prince to make peach blossom shortbread for His Highness to eat."

Silk Su glanced at the basket, and did not forget to advise: "Be careful, the tree is not very flat, be careful of falling." ”

The maids laughed and responded.

Silk Su nodded at them, and entered the pavilion with the silver candle in his hand.

The night was getting darker, and this was supposed to be Zhao Pu's time to rest, but he was still sitting under the window reading a book. Anping Hou went out to socialize and drink, and he hasn't come back yet, Zhao Pu seems to be waiting for him, and even sent Wu Xinghai out to inquire half an hour ago.

Juan Su lightly put the silver candle on the cabinet, took out two, and replaced the candle flame that was about to burn out in front of the table for Zhao Pu.

Presumably, His Highness is also worried.

A few days ago, Wu Xinghai got the news that Fang Linyuan had a very close relationship with the envoy of the Beizhen Mansion of Jinyiwei, and they went to drink wine together that day, and they met with him today.

The few people who came out of their palace had a clear division of labor, Songyan managed the subordinates for His Royal Highness, she was responsible for food and daily life, and as for the affairs of the court and China, Wu Xinghai was in charge.

However, even if he has never handled it, Juan Su has heard it on the side, and knows that this envoy of the Beizhen Mansion is the most trusted subordinate of Jinshang, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he is a minion.

And between His Majesty and the princess, there has always been incompatibility.

Even if you are almost under the same roof, how can there be no doubt between people? Presumably, Marquis An Ping went to see this person, and His Royal Highness would never rest assured.

Silk replaced the light and raised his eyes to look at Zhao Pu.

But under the slightly beating light, Zhao Pu's hand twisting the page rubbed gently, and he had already rolled the corners of the page, but he hadn't turned to the next page.

Juan Su was about to retreat, but heard Zhao Pu ask, "What time is it?" ”

Juan Su hurriedly replied: "Back to Your Highness, it's already two o'clock." ”

Zhao Pu's eyebrows were slightly pressed together for a moment, and the hand holding the corner of the book immediately stopped.

"Wu Xinghai's people haven't come back yet?" He lowered his eyes, frowned and flipped a page back.

There was a bang, like a hand-to-hand battle, not like reading a book.

"Slave maid, go and urge him for His Highness." Silk said.

At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard in the distance. When Juan Su turned around, he saw that it was Wu Xinghai who was in a hurry, and as soon as he closed the door, he knelt down in front of Zhao Pu.

"Your Royal Highness Princess, it's not a good thing!" Wu Xinghai Road.

I saw Zhao Pu holding the book on the table, although his posture was steady, he almost knocked over the candlestick on the table.

"What's wrong with Fang Linyuan?" I saw him ask.

"News has come from outside the city that something has happened to the Holy Lotus Sect!" Wu Xinghai Road. "The group of people who entered the city were spotted by Anping Hou in front of the city gate, and Anping Hou is now out of the city and is chasing them!"

"How many people did he bring?" Zhao Pu's hand on the spine of the book immediately tightened.

"Your Highness, don't worry, I only brought ten!" Wu Xinghai said. "The slave has already ordered the people who are ambushed around him, and he will definitely be able to stop An Pinghou and prevent him from causing a big deal!"

But before his words fell, there was a bang, and the book in Zhao Pu's hand was raised on his face.

“…… Your Highness? ”

saw Zhao Pu's hand resting on the table tightly tightened.

"Ten people can protect him?" His voice was almost squeezed out of his teeth. "They are dead soldiers, and every shot will see blood."

"This ......"

"Let them retreat immediately, and don't move the abyss! If there is any change in the Holy Lotus Sect, protect him. ”

Under the candlelight, Zhao Pu's voice was cold and fast, like a blade cutting through the night, leaving only an inaudible cold light.

But he stared at Wu Xinghai's eyes, but it was as cold as a cold pool.

"Your Highness?!" Wu Xinghai showed a rare look of surprise on his face, and looked up at Zhao Pu.

Zhao Pu stared at him, like a fierce ghost tearing off the skin of the painting.

Wu Xinghai's cloudy eyes looked straight at him, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

The next moment, his forehead slammed to the ground.

"Your Highness, no! You've been planning for days, and now you're just one step away! If Sun Bai is killed by the Marquis of Anping, the overall situation of His Royal Highness will be ruined! ”

——

Zhao Pu's layout, from the day of the Holy Lotus Sect's incident, has been calculated step by step for the camp to today.

The incident of the Holy Lotus Sect was ostensibly a mob turmoil in a vain attempt to change the dynasty, but in fact it was the result of the Jiangnan Party officials headed by Sang Zhixin and the local officials in Jiangnan in Beijing, and accumulated evils to this day.

Jiangnan has always been the territory of Sang Zhixin.

He is a powerful minister from a poor family in Jiangnan, and he is the canopy of many officials in Jiangnan who covers the sky and the sun. Over the years, he has promoted many township parties, and as if he was raising Gu in Jiangnan, he has cultivated those officials into his unrestrained roots.

Corruption in the towns in the south of the Yangtze River is not a day or two, and the floods in the south of the Yangtze River last year were the chaos caused by them after they exploited them layer by layer and made a fortune that caused a national disaster.

The money from the disaster relief was sent from Shangjing to Jiangnan, and then through the officials of Jiangnan to pay tribute, and finally returned to the capital, and flowed into the pockets of officials of Sang Zhixin's lineage.

For example, Qiu Shuo, the salt transport envoy who was transferred to the capital from the south of the Yangtze River, relied on the exploitation and bribery of the previous year to ascend to the heavens and the earth and ascended to Beijing in one step.

And the so-called Holy Lotus Sect is just a group of desperate people in Jiangnan who have risen up.

From Jiangnan to the capital, a huge net has long been woven by Jiangnan officials, from local officials to Beijing, selling officials and protecting each other, all of them are ghosts who drink their flesh and blood.

They want to fight with their lives against the ghosts, but their meager lives can't get the justice they want. On the contrary, thieves like them can stir up the deep pool under the great net, and smooth out many unclean foolish accounts for those people.

But it just so happened that Zhao Pu had already planned to cut this net.

He has been well versed in the way of female celebrities since he was a child, and knows that as long as it is a net, there will be no threads.

The thread he grabbed was Feng Hanxue, the prefect of Suzhou.

Last year, he relied on the Chu family to get involved in shipping affairs, and spent money to raise a group of private soldiers, which was just able to rely on Cao Yun to spread people's hands and eyes.

These people brought back the news and let him know that it was Feng Hanxue who embezzled the disaster funds, and relied on Qiu Shuo's path to catch up with He Hongfang, thus climbing to the Beijing official of Sang Zhixin.

And these disaster relief money from Jiangnan was also exchanged for his promise of being promoted to the school next year, and Sang Zhixin personally sent someone south to Jiangnan to clean up the chaos for him.

Sang's plan was foolproof.

But the premise for him to realize his plan is that all his opponents are well-behaved.

But it just so happens that Zhao Pu never behaves by the rules.

The private soldiers who were heading south along the canal assisted the Holy Lotus Sect in capturing Feng alive

The prefect let them escape, and when they were desperate, they received a secret letter from Zhao Pu from the senior officials in Beijing sent by Yuan Honglang's hand.

The secret letter said that Feng Hanxue's living mouth can be exchanged for their glory and wealth.

These people immediately took Feng Hanxue to the north, and the road was peaceful, all because of Zhao Pu's secret assistance.

Everything is in Zhao Pu's calculations.

These people will soon fall into the hands of Zhao Pu and become his sharp blades to cut through that huge net. When he designed them to appear in front of Emperor Hongyou, he would shatter the unbreakable trust between Emperor Hongyou and Sang Zhixin.

However, tonight was out of Zhao Pu's plan.

Sun Bai did not trust the official who delivered the letter to him, and took the lead in sending a team of subordinates into Beijing to check the situation; Fang Linyuan was above the city gate and happened to bump into the group of sect members under Sun Bai.

Zhao Pu's hand resting on his knees was cold for some time.

His gradually retracted plan is a killing machine with swords and swords everywhere. The men and horses raised by his men are all blades that kill people without blinking.

Fang Linyuan......

In front of his eyes, he saw a deer leaping away into the bottomless jungle with high spirits, but he didn't know that tigers and wolves were surrounded by traps he had laid.

He's going to hurt him.

Wu Xinghai in front of him kowtowed violently, telling him not to forget the plan for many days, as well as the huge number of court officials involved in the plan.

But Zhao Pu could only see that when the deer turned around, a pair of gentle eyes that did not understand the darkness.

"If Fang Linyuan misses the slightest, I want the lives of all of you."

Zhao Xuan couldn't hear his pleading, only his own voice, trembling uncontrollably in the cold.

——

Fang Linyuan rode into the night.

He's going to catch them, and he's going to catch them alive, and he's going to have to catch them all.

As early as when he ordered the guards guarding the city to come forward to chase after him, he already had a plan in his heart. By this time, the night was dark, and the few disciples had sneaked into the darkness, but behind them were the guards who were in hot pursuit, holding torches aloft like beacons of guidance.

Fang Linyuan led a few light horses, following the direction of the torches, and quietly outflanked them, like a silent shadow dragging on the sides of those people.

Gradually, the group of sparkling guards seemed to lose their strength, and gradually they couldn't catch up, and they fell farther and farther.

A quarter of an hour later, they vanished, leaving only the fleeing cultists and shadows that were inseparable from the shadows.

Sure enough, they let their guard down.

Seeing that no one was chasing behind them, they gradually slowed down and breathed a sigh of relief. Then they led the horses in a different direction and hurried unhurriedly in that direction.

As expected, Fang Linyuan's plan.

If someone is chasing after them, they will never lure the wolf into the house. But if they get rid of their pursuers, they will surely rush back as soon as possible and report the situation to the chief.

Fang Linyuan remained silent, and took his bow and arrow and quiver from the guards beside him.

"General......" The guard who handed the bow and arrow finally communicated with Fang Linyuan, he lowered his voice and looked at Fang Linyuan with a hesitant expression. Where are we going? ”

"Camp." Fang Linyuan's words were concise and to the point.

The man was shocked: "But general, there are only ten of us." ”

But seeing Fang Linyuan riding his horse in the night, he raised his hand to carry the quiver behind him, and said, "They fled to the outskirts of Beijing, and they can't bring many people and horses." ”

"But they're all rebels......"

"If you're afraid, you can go back now." Fang Linyuan glanced at him lightly.

The guard immediately shut his mouth.

"At most, twenty or thirty people, we can deal with it." Fang Linyuan said. "They have all fled here, wanting to live more than anyone else, and they do not know how many of us are, and they will surely flee more when they are besieged than they resist. It is your responsibility here not to let a single living person go, and not to kill anyone by mistake. ”

"Yes! Checkmate! ”

About a quarter of an hour later, a field of wheat with a slight greenish appearance appeared in front of them. At the end of the wheat field was a small farmer's yard, and it was pitch black at this time, as if the master's family had slept.

The few members on horseback stopped in front of the door of the small courtyard and entered the courtyard quietly.

Fang Linyuan frowned slightly.

This group of people must have seized the courtyard of a farmhouse, and if he was not mistaken, it was the male owner of this family who drove into the city as a hostage today.

This group of people entered the city in a grand manner, presumably stealing the identity of this family, if this is the case, I don't know whether the old and weak women and children of this family are dead or alive now.

Fang Linyuan dismounted in the jungle in the distance, skillfully scattered the ten guards near the exits around the courtyard, and he himself took up his bow and arrows, jumped several times in the night, and stopped in the blind spot near the courtyard of this family.

Soon, in just a few moments, figures appeared outside several doors of this courtyard, which were on vigil.

They had just been identified at the city gates, and that night was supposed to be a time of nervous vigilance. Fang Linyuan roughly counted the night watchmen, there were only these people in total, presumably there were only thirty people in the courtyard at most.

He relieved himself and raised his hand to signal to the guards around him, signaling them to approach the courtyard in an orderly manner according to his own arrangement.

After the lurking guards gathered a few feet away from the courtyard under the cover of wheat fields and grass and trees, Fang Linyuan raised his hand and signaled them to stand by.

The next moment, he stood behind a tree, drew his bow and set up an arrow, and aimed at the door of the small courtyard.

In the silence of the night, the sound of breaking the sky suddenly sounded.

One of the people who was in front of the door at night was immediately shot through the throat, lost his breath in an instant, and fell straight to the ground.

Panicked cries erupted in the camp.

Fang Linyuan pulled his bow again and aimed in the direction of the courtyard.

The vigil will not be the central figure of the traitors, but his life can be used as a fire to light the haystack and make the flames burn, so that the beasts hiding in them will flee in all directions.

Sure enough, the inside began to panic, revealing their figures.

The guards who went to the capital to defend the city were all good, and it was the elite who followed Fang Linyuan out, and their archery skills were reasonable. Fang Linyuan's order came first, and in the panic, the sharp arrows were shot out one by one, but they all went straight to their legs, and they didn't dare to kill anyone easily.

But at this moment, a loud shout erupted in the courtyard.

"The person you want, I brought it to you!" It is a strong southern accent, and when you hear it, you will know that it is a dialect from Suzhou.

Fang Linyuan was stunned, not understanding who he was talking about.

But he was stunned for a moment, and he reacted immediately, and as he put away the arrow, he turned his head slightly to look at the nearest guard, and gestured in front of his mouth.

The guard shook his head in fright, but under Fang Linyuan's forced gaze, he reluctantly raised his voice and said, "Did you bring it?" ”

Fang Linyuan nodded at him slightly, gestured twice, and then jumped away, silently sneaking into the small courtyard in the dark night.

Over there, the dialogue between the two sides continues.

"Of course I brought it, otherwise what would I do in the capital!" The man in the room was in a hurry. "I'll send people over in two days, what are you anxious about!"

After a pause, the guard continued as Fang Linyuan conveyed his past instructions in sign language.

"Where people are, I have to see."

There were a few curses coming from inside.

But the man didn't seem to dare to really disobey him, and in a few moments, two people appeared in front of the hospital.

The one in front was a middle-aged man with an embarrassed appearance, with a long beard, and although the robe on his body was dirty, he could still see that it was an official uniform.

The one in the back did not show his face, but set up a bright knife and laid it across the official's neck.

As soon as the official showed his head, he cried loudly: "Lord Qiu, is it Lord Qiu!" Adults save me! ”

The one in the back immediately tightened his dagger, so that he did not dare to move again.

"The person you want, do you see it?"

This time, Fang Linyuan heard the sound.

The voice should have been made by a person of high status, and the voice was still coming carefully from the courtyard, and it was not he who was holding the knife.

The disciples around him had already been knocked down in twos and threes, and there were still many people guarding the doors, and there were probably not a few people left around him.

Fang Linyuan approached him in secret.

This time, the guards didn't know how to respond, and they didn't say anything for a moment.

Fortunately, the man inside had long since lost his breath.

"I don't ask for any glory or wealth, I only need five thousand taels of silver to send me and my brothers out of the gate!" The man said. "In exchange for this dog official in my hand, the price is fair!"

The guards still didn't answer.

But at this moment, Fang Linyuan had already followed the direction of the sound and jumped onto the wall.

Sure enough, it was Sun Bai who was hiding against the wall that was painted on the wanted post. There were only two men around him to protect him, holding daggers, both of whom were short soldiers.

Sun Bai, who didn't get a response, scolded in a low voice.

"These dog officials tricked me into the capital, but they want to kill me......"

Fang Linyuan drew his bow and arrow, and shot straight towards the leg of the disciple behind him.

In the sound of breaking through the air, the man screamed and fell to the ground.

Sun Bai trembled with fright, grabbed the sect members next to him and blocked them in the direction of Fang Linyuan.

But in the moonlight, Fang Linyuan had already jumped down.

He drew his saber, and with a single slash, pierced the thigh of the congregant in front of him, and threw him to the side, not forgetting to snatch the dagger from his hand with one hand.

Sun Bai wanted to escape again, but there was no chance.

He was twisted by Fang Linyuan's shoulder and arm, grabbed in his hand, and saw Fang Linyuan grabbing him with one hand, and flung forward with the other hand, the dagger was like a dart, and before everyone could react, it wiped the hair of the official who was held hostage, and nailed through the palm of the person who was holding the knife against him.

"Kill him!!"

Sun Bai shouted loudly with tears in his eyes.

Immediately, several arrows from all directions shot straight towards Fang Linyuan.

Fang Linyuan drew his saber and threw it around him, and the arrows that shot at him were like falling birds, landing around him one after another.

At this moment, Fang Linyuan heard a sound of wind behind him.

It was an arrow, shot at his vest, and it was too late to shoot down.

Between the lightning and flint, he protected Sun Bai's life with one hand, and he could flash to the side so that the arrow would not hit his vital point.

But the next moment, three feet behind him, there was a bang.

When he turned around, he saw that the downed arrow had fallen to the ground, broken in half.

On the side, the hidden weapon that shot down the arrow was nailed to the wall not far from him.

Fang Linyuan followed the sound and saw that it was a pitch-black dart, three inches into the stone, piercing the wall of the house.

His pupils shrank suddenly.

Who threw it in, and not one of all the people he brought with him wore it! ，