“My lord, you can rest assured. We know the rules, and besides, the reward you’ve given us is enough to let us enjoy ourselves at the pleasure house for months. We definitely won’t touch her.”
The burly man quickly raised his hand to swear.
“Good, as long as you understand.”
The masked man nodded, stepped off the carriage, leaped over the nearby courtyard wall, and vanished.
“How can he jump so high?” the middle-aged woman exclaimed, wide-eyed.
“He’s reminding us he could kill us anytime,” the man who had spoken earlier said, turning to his companion. “Second, you better keep your hands to yourself. Don’t touch this woman. Once this job is done, I’ll take you to the pleasure house, and you can have your pick.”
“Don’t worry, big brother, I know the score. Besides, I’ve seen Tang Xiaobei at the flower queen contest. They say she’s a night enchantress. I wouldn’t touch a jinx like her.”
To prove he understood, Second deliberately moved behind the woman, farther from Tang Xiaobei.
“Good, you get it,” the man said, relieved.
“Big brother, I heard the Moonlit House has lots of new games now. Can you take me to see them?”
“Sure, once the job’s done.”
“Can I pick two girls?”
“If the job’s done well, you can have three.”
“What about four?”
“If you do the job perfectly, I’ll get you eight. How’s that?”
“Eight’s too many. I can’t handle that. Four’s enough, one in front, one behind, one in each arm. Any more, and there’s no room.”
“You’ll die on a woman’s belly one day.”
“Dying under a pomegranate skirt, even as a ghost, I’d be carefree. Dying on a woman’s belly would be the best.”
“Just drive the carriage. I heard Tang Xiaobei is close to the governor. They might start searching this area soon. We need to leave fast.”
“Got it.”
The carriage sped towards the north of the city amid their chatter.
…
Jin Feng was strict with his veteran and female soldiers. In the city, the veterans rarely drew their swords, keeping a low profile most of the time.
But now, outside the governor’s mansion, a female soldier galloped wildly on a tall warhorse, causing pedestrians to scatter.
At the governor’s mansion gate, she didn’t wait for the gatekeeper’s announcement, dismounted, and rushed into the inner residence.
The governor, being the head of the region, had mansion guards. Seeing someone barge in, the guards rushed forward with spears.
Fortunately, the guard captain recognised her as one of Tang Xiaobei’s people and only stopped her, not harming her.
“Big brother, Miss Xiaobei has been kidnapped! Please inform the lady quickly, or it’ll be too late!” the female soldier cried, nearly in tears.
“What, Miss Xiaobei was kidnapped?”
Everyone in the governor’s mansion knew how much the governor’s wife adored Tang Xiaobei.
The guard captain, startled, realised the gravity of the situation. “Miss, wait here. I’ll go at once!”
He dropped his spear and ran to the back courtyard.
Moments later, the usually calm and gentle governor’s wife ran out from the back, her maids trailing behind, pale-faced, urging her to slow down.
“Miss, what happened to Xiaobei?” the governor’s wife asked anxiously.
Tang Xiaobei was obedient, articulate, and often came to chat with her. The governor’s wife truly saw her as a daughter.
“Madam, we accompanied Miss Xiaobei to the brokerage this morning…”
The female soldier quickly recounted the events.
“Those damned villains, why would they kidnap Xiaobei?” the governor’s wife fumed, gritting her teeth. “Miss, come with me. We’ll go to the master and make sure this villain is caught and punished severely!”
The governor was in his study, where his wife usually dared not disturb him.
But now, she couldn’t care less and barged in with the female soldier.
Hearing Tang Xiaobei was kidnapped, the governor was shocked.
Tang Xiaobei had once hung his niece at the Moonlit House’s entrance. It wasn’t possible to say he liked her, but he feared Jin Feng.
After that incident, he had sent people to investigate Jin Feng.
He learned that the seemingly refined young scholar was a ruthless killer.
It was said that Jin Feng had killed thousands of Dangxiang people at the border, with blood flowing over ankles, enough to float bamboo poles.
Heads rolled, and blood flowed like rivers on the battlefield.
His killing intent was heavy enough there, but the governor also learned of Jin Feng’s conflict with the Iron Can Mountain bandits.
The investigators reported that the threshing ground at Xihewan village, though deeply ploughed by villagers, still reeked of blood.
Hearing this, the governor broke out in a cold sweat.
This was a merciless killer. If Jin Feng had killed him in anger back then, even if the court punished Jin Feng later, what good would it do?
Moreover, Jin Feng had great achievements at the border and was backed by Qinghuai and Duke Qing. Even if he killed the governor, the court might not punish him for an old, retiring governor.
His patrons in the court were no match for Duke Qing. If he died, his position would be vacant, and the court’s bigwigs would only fight to fill it, not avenge him.
Initially, the governor harboured some resentment towards Jin Feng, but after understanding this, he lost all thoughts of resistance. He only hoped Jin Feng wouldn’t trouble him, letting him retire safely.
To this end, he swallowed his displeasure and encouraged his wife to build a good relationship with Tang Xiaobei.
But now, Tang Xiaobei had been kidnapped in Guangyuan City…
Cold sweat dripped from the governor’s forehead as he rushed out of the study, shouting to the guard captain at the door:
“Quick, notify Lieutenant Xiao, muster all the mansion guards, and lock down all city gates immediately! Dig three feet deep if you must, but find Miss Xiaobei!”
Lieutenant Xiao’s guards were usually lax, freeloading at taverns and visiting brothels without paying, countless times.
But as a lieutenant, he had basic instincts. Hearing the captain’s orders, he knew the governor was truly furious this time.
If he dawdled now, his position as lieutenant might be over.
Pushing aside the girl in his arms, he grabbed his weapon without time to don armour and rushed out.
Soon, teams of guards poured out of the barracks, swiftly closing all city gates.
Then, Lieutenant Xiao led over two hundred guards to the brokerage.
“First Company, seal off all roads within a hundred paces of the brokerage. No one in or out! Second and Third Companies, search every shop and household around the brokerage. Don’t miss a single corner!”
