Colluding with bandits, attempting to rob and kill Jin Feng, the appointment and dismissal document, Captain Zhao fleeing in panic, the shouting Master Peng and Master Zhu, Zhao Tingzhi’s words…
In an instant, countless scenes and words flashed through the captain’s mind.
Looking down again at the appointment and dismissal document stamped with the prefect’s seal, he understood everything.
“Zhao Tingzhi, you have harmed me!”
The captain knew he had been deceived. He turned his head and roared, “Everyone, quickly make way for me!”
The prefectural soldiers were already terrified facing so many cavalrymen. Upon receiving the captain’s order, they felt as if granted amnesty and hurriedly cleared the path.
Jin Feng also breathed a slight sigh of relief in his heart.
Although he had brought many escort masters, these escort masters had not been summoned back by him. They had voluntarily returned to provide reinforcements upon learning of Jin Feng’s attack.
Bringing them along was also to prevent conflicts with the prefectural soldiers led by Captain Zhao.
But if fighting could be avoided, Jin Feng naturally did not want to clash with the prefectural soldiers.
The current situation was what he hoped for most.
Giddyup!
Xiao Duwei took the lead and chased after them.
A few hundred metres away, Master Peng and Master Zhu were running with sweat pouring down their heads.
They were usually pampered and lived in comfort. Having walked all day yesterday, they were already exhausted to the point of collapse, but for the sake of survival, they could only endure.
But now, Captain Zhao had abandoned them and ridden away alone on horseback.
This left the two completely desperate.
Hearing the horse hooves getting closer and closer behind them, the two knew they could not outrun war horses. They quickly ducked into the woods beside the official road.
Qing Mulang sneered and gave A Mei a wink.
A Mei understood, flipped her hand and threw out several flying daggers.
The next second, the two local gentry who had lorded over Jinchuan for many years fell to the ground one after another, clutching their buttocks and howling like pigs being slaughtered.
Jin Feng and Qing Mulang were too lazy to even glance at them. Their horse speed did not slow at all as they galloped past the two from the side.
Even Iron Hammer only glanced at them, then signalled to those behind before accelerating to catch up with Jin Feng.
The other escort masters also passed quickly like Iron Hammer. Only the last two cavalrymen stopped, tied up the howling gentry.
Although the captain quickly cleared the way, some time was still delayed. By now, Captain Zhao on horseback was already four li away.
The horse Captain Zhao rode was not a grassland war horse, but a small war horse produced in Shu. In terms of size, endurance, or speed, it was inferior to grassland war horses.
But under Captain Zhao’s desperate whipping, this war horse burst out with speed comparable to a grassland war horse.
However, its back was whipped with bloody marks, and white foam began to appear at its mouth. Clearly, it could not hold on much longer.
Just as Captain Zhao was galloping madly, a small tree suddenly fell in front of him.
Neigh!
Captain Zhao instinctively reined in the horse’s bridle.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The war horse still crashed headfirst into the tree and tripped spectacularly.
Captain Zhao was thrown flying, rolling on the ground for seven or eight metres before finally stopping. He rubbed his shoulder in pain.
Old Black led the hunter Tang Fei out of the woods.
Although Jin Feng was not skilled in schemes, he would not fall into the same pit twice.
Last time, when pursuing Zhou Wenyuan, he had escaped by water. This time, Captain Zhao was heading straight for the Jialing River, so Jin Feng was more cautious.
Not only did he send Iron Hammer to follow Captain Zhao from behind, but he also had the hunter bring Old Black ahead to ambush on the only path to the Jialing River.
That was why, when he saw Captain Zhao fleeing on horseback, Jin Feng remained calm and unhurried.
At this point, Captain Zhao had been thrown until his head was broken and bleeding. He struggled to get up from the ground, only to be kicked over again by Old Black.
“Good man, as long as you let me go, I will give each of you five hundred taels of silver. How about it?”
Captain Zhao endured the intense pain in his arm, took out two banknotes from his bosom, and handed them to Old Black and the hunter.
“This little money to bribe me?”
Old Black sneered. “If I kill you, all your money will be mine!”
Upon hearing this, Captain Zhao’s face immediately changed. He gritted his teeth and took out all the banknotes from his bosom.
“Good man, this is all my family fortune, a full nine thousand taels. As long as you let me leave, it is all yours!”
“Nine thousand taels?!”
Old Black and the hunter both gasped in shock.
This was an astronomical figure they dared not even dream of!
To say they were unmoved would be false.
Old Black even had the thought of taking the money and running away.
But the next second, he forcibly suppressed the idea.
He snatched the banknotes from Captain Zhao’s hand, then kicked him hard several more times before working with the hunter to tie him up.
Not long after, Jin Feng arrived with the main force.
“Sir, you are truly prescient. Zhao Tingzhi indeed planned to escape by water.”
Upon seeing Jin Feng, Old Black immediately handed over the banknotes. “These were searched from his body.”
“Tsk tsk, quite a lot?”
Jin Feng praised, but there was no trace of surprise on his face.
These nine thousand taels of silver, who knew how many commoners Captain Zhao had driven to death to amass them.
Jin Feng felt the banknotes in his hand were somewhat heavy.
However, he was not so principled as to throw away the silver he had obtained.
At worst, he could find ways to compensate the common people in the Heishuigou territory later.
“Hahaha, Jin Feng, actually the total silver searched from me by this black brute is twelve thousand taels. The two of them hid three thousand taels!”
Captain Zhao knew he was doomed and actually tried to sow discord between Jin Feng and Old Black.
“Sir, he is lying. I only found nine thousand taels!”
“Yes, sir, I can testify. We really did not embezzle any silver!”
Old Black and the hunter panicked upon hearing this.
The hunter even started to undress to let Jin Feng check.
“Old Tang, Old Black, stop undressing. I am not going to suspect my own brothers because of an outsider’s words!”
Jin Feng said sincerely. “I believe you, really!”
If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. Even the emperor does not send hungry soldiers. Whether Old Black and the hunter had hidden silver or not, Jin Feng had no intention of pursuing it.
He was even less likely to search Old Black and Tang Fei’s bodies over this matter.
But Old Black and Tang Fei were unwilling. They insisted on proving their innocence. Before Jin Feng could stop them, they stripped down to just a loincloth in a few moves.
“Old Black, are you courting death!”
Qing Mulang blushed and cursed loudly, quickly lowering her head.
“Old Black, enough!”
When Zhang Liang saw Old Black reaching to untie his loincloth, he darkened his face and kicked him.
“Brother Liang, he is wrongly accusing me. I really did not embezzle silver!”
On the day of the attack, Old Black had taken two knife wounds without flinching, but now he was so angry his face was red. “Brother Liang, all my things are there. Search me!”
“What is there to search?” Zhang Liang said coldly. “Sir said he believes you!”
“No, you must search. How else to prove my innocence?”
Old Black stubbornly insisted on being searched.
“Fine, Brother Liang, search then.”
Jin Feng sighed helplessly, turned to look at Captain Zhao, and asked coldly, “Are you satisfied now?”
