Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 80

Luo Shicheng reached out and pressed his hand onto Wu Sheng’s. Then, with force, he pushed Wu Sheng’s blade down.

Wu Sheng barked viciously, “What are you doing?”

Luo Shicheng turned his head, his tone calm. “What do you think this is? This is Wuhetan, not Donglin.”

Wu Sheng said, “Wuhetan belongs to Xichou territory. Now all of Xichou has been taken under Donglin. Are you saying Wuhetan can just declare independence?”

Luo Shicheng said in a low voice, “Put your sword away. Or I’ll take my men and withdraw first, and you can figure out how to search for people on your own.”

Wu Sheng craned his neck and glared at Luo Shicheng for a long moment, but in the end he sheathed the blade.

Luo Shicheng cupped his hands toward Huo Fenghua. “Apologies, Master Su. You know we’re carrying out official business. If you don’t let us search your residence once, this matter can’t be closed. There are only six of us. We’ll go in and search once. We absolutely won’t disturb anyone in your household. If we don’t find anyone, then it was a false accusation, and we won’t come trouble you again.”

Huo Fenghua’s fingers tapped lightly along his thigh. His gaze slowly swept over the six men outside. Suddenly, Ruan Qin’s soft footsteps sounded behind him.

Huo Fenghua nodded. “Please come in, Deputy General Luo.”

This residence had once belonged to Third Master Luo. Its layout was complicated, and Huo Fenghua still hadn’t even figured out how many cellars it had. Hearing Ruan Qin come out, he knew she must have settled Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang somewhere safe. So he let them in.

They might not find Feng Tianzong. But if they did, then none of these people would be leaving through that gate tonight.

Huo Fenghua had already thought through the consequences. At worst, it would provoke Donglin into pulling troops to attack Wuhetan. If that happened, he’d get Feng Tianzong and the others out first, then find a way to deal with Wuhetan’s crisis.

Once they entered the front courtyard, Luo Shicheng stopped and instructed his men. “Split into three pairs. Search separately. You’re not to disturb anyone in Master Su’s household, and you’re not to damage anything. If there’s a door you can’t open, come to me. I’ll ask Master Su to open it for us.”

The men responded loudly, “Yes, sir!”

Then Luo Shicheng said to Wu Sheng, “You follow me. Agreed?”

Wu Sheng nodded reluctantly.

Huo Fenghua said to Ruan Qin, “Find two people to follow these soldiers. Make sure every room and every corner is searched thoroughly. When they don’t find anyone, I expect Deputy General Luo to give me an explanation. Who exactly framed me with this false report.”

Luo Shicheng answered with a smile, “All right.”

Huo Fenghua raised an arm. “After you. Where would you like to start searching?”

“The inner courtyard,” Luo Shicheng said.

Wu Sheng was unhappy. He grabbed Luo Shicheng’s sleeve and muttered a few words under his breath. Luo Shicheng shook his head. Then, still polite, he had Huo Fenghua accompany them into the inner courtyard.

Huo Fenghua’s room was clean and orderly, with no signs anyone else had lingered there. Luo Shicheng opened the door and looked in from outside. Wu Sheng, however, charged straight in. He even flipped up the bedding and searched thoroughly. Finding nothing, he knocked along the walls inch by inch, then struck the floorboards with the butt of his blade to confirm there was no hidden chamber or cellar. Only then did he withdraw.

They searched through the inner courtyard room by room. Whenever one man went inside to search, the other guarded the courtyard gate to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.

Huo Fenghua understood well enough: besides the six men searching inside, there were definitely more Donglin soldiers hidden outside in the dark, watching for a chance for Feng Tianzong and the others to slip away. Huo Fenghua himself didn’t know where Ruan Qin had hidden them. But he’d already made up his mind, and that steadied him. With calm, measured composure, he followed Luo Shicheng and Wu Sheng as they searched each room.

Luo Shicheng kept his lazy, indifferent manner, but Wu Sheng grew more and more impatient as time passed. He stood in front of a door bolted from the inside and pounded hard. No one answered, so he lifted a foot and kicked the door open. Luo Shicheng tried to stop him, but it was too late.

The door flew open, revealing a naked figure with a long, supple body standing beside a wooden bathing tub. The person snatched up clothing and threw it on in one swift motion. In the next instant, he was already in front of Wu Sheng and slapped him viciously across the face.

He moved too fast for Wu Sheng to react. The slap snapped Wu Sheng’s head sideways. Wu Sheng roared in rage, turned back, and drew his blade, pointing it at the person inside.

Huo Fenghua immediately squeezed into the doorway and blocked Wu Sheng. “Calm down. That’s my son. He’s an idiot.”

“An idiot?” Wu Sheng clearly didn’t believe him.

From behind Huo Fenghua, Wen Heyi wrapped his arms around Huo Fenghua and complained with a wronged voice, “Dad, he was peeking at me bathing.”

Huo Fenghua said to Wu Sheng, “Everyone in Wuhetan knows it. Deputy General Luo has surely heard as well.”

Luo Shicheng pressed down on Wu Sheng’s hand. “You barged in and broke down the door. You’ve offended Master Su’s young master. Put your blade away.”

Wu Sheng stared suspiciously at Wen Heyi. “Your son’s this old? How is that possible?”

Huo Fenghua smiled faintly. “That’s why I said he’s an idiot.”

Wen Heyi glared at Wu Sheng, buried his face against Huo Fenghua’s shoulder, and clung to him. “Dad—”

Wu Sheng was still simmering, but he slowly sheathed his weapon. He rubbed his cheek and said, “I’m going in to search.”

Huo Fenghua stepped aside from the doorway. “Please.”

Once Wu Sheng went inside Wen Heyi’s room to search, Huo Fenghua turned back to Wen Heyi. Wen Heyi’s clothes were only loosely draped on him. His collar hung open, exposing his strong muscles. Huo Fenghua immediately reached up and pulled the clothing closed for him. “Get dressed properly.”

Wen Heyi clutched the garment tighter and started tying the sash around his waist.

Huo Fenghua remembered what he’d glimpsed of Wen Heyi’s body just now and, in a furtive whisper, said, “Come, let Dad have another look.”

Wen Heyi, completely baffled, lowered his head, pulled the clothing open again, and showed him. Huo Fenghua, satisfied, patted his chest and abdomen. He held himself back from letting his hand go any lower. He pulled the clothing back into place, smiling as he fastened it for him. “Not bad. Dad likes you a lot.”

Wen Heyi immediately said, “Yi’er likes Dad too.”

Huo Fenghua finished dressing him and turned around to see that Wu Sheng had searched the entire room and found nothing.

When they left Wen Heyi’s room, Luo Shicheng’s other men had gathered in the central garden. Their group had, front to back, searched Huo Fenghua’s entire estate.

They hadn’t found anyone or any traces of Feng Tianzong.

Huo Fenghua asked, “Well?”

Luo Shicheng said to him, “We disturbed your household in the night. My apologies.”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “It’s your duty, I understand. But there’s one thing. Who was it that told you I was hiding someone here? Could you inform me?”

Luo Shicheng hesitated.

Just then, Wu Sheng suddenly said, “Wait!”

Huo Fenghua turned to look at him.

Wu Sheng gave a cold laugh, tightened his grip on the blade hilt, and turned toward the direction of Wen Heyi’s room.

Luo Shicheng frowned and told his men, “Wait here. Make sure no one escapes.” Then he and Huo Fenghua followed Wu Sheng inside.

Wen Heyi had gotten dressed and was sitting at the edge of the bed, swinging his long legs and humming a tune. The bathing tub was still in the room, the water inside already cold.

Hearing hurried footsteps, he looked up. Wu Sheng appeared in the doorway. Wen Heyi stood, barefoot.

Wu Sheng seemed wary of him. He drew his blade at the threshold and pointed it at Wen Heyi. “I am an imperial escort of the court. I’m here to seize the criminal Feng Tianzong. If you take one step toward me, don’t blame my blade for being merciless!”

Wen Heyi looked like he hadn’t understood, tilting his head at Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng moved inside. Holding his blade up defensively toward Wen Heyi, he walked to the bathing tub and shoved it aside.

Wen Heyi only watched, not moving.

Huo Fenghua and Luo Shicheng had caught up. They entered in time to see Wu Sheng push the tub away, crouch down, and strike the floorboards with his blade hilt. The floor gave a hollow thump-thump sound.

Wu Sheng sneered. “So it’s a tunnel.”

Wen Heyi stared at the back of Wu Sheng’s neck. Slowly, his right hand curled into a claw.

Huo Fenghua saw it and quickly raised a hand, pressing downward to signal him to stay calm. Wen Heyi relaxed his hand again, then lifted it to grab his long hair at his chest, watching Wu Sheng’s actions with curiosity.

Wu Sheng pried up the floorboards with his blade. Beneath them was a passageway. He was about to jump down, then suddenly realized the risk. He turned back to Luo Shicheng. “He’s definitely in there. Have them seal this place off. Don’t let Feng Tianzong escape.”

He wasn’t sure whether the tunnel led outside the estate, and he still didn’t feel at ease. “Request reinforcements. Lock down all of Wuhetan too.”

Luo Shicheng didn’t respond.

Wu Sheng shouted, “Did you hear me?”

Luo Shicheng asked, “Are you certain Feng Tianzong is down there? If there’s no one, how do we explain it to our superiors?”

Wu Sheng’s brows knotted. He still didn’t dare jump down to seize anyone. Then an idea struck him. “Go get fire. Smoke whoever’s inside out.”

Huo Fenghua said then, “There’s no one inside. Are you trying to burn down my whole house?”

Wu Sheng said, “Then I’ll tear up the floorboards and see whether there’s someone down there!”

He stood and strode toward the doorway, about to call loudly for men to come help.

Before he could speak, a long saber suddenly drove into the center of his back, piercing straight through his chest.

Wu Sheng’s eyes flew wide. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. He turned his head toward Huo Fenghua, only to see Huo Fenghua’s hands were empty. He realized something at once and turned to look at Luo Shicheng.

Luo Shicheng yanked the saber out of Wu Sheng’s body. Wu Sheng died on the spot, his body collapsing to the floor.

Huo Fenghua stared at Luo Shicheng in shock.

Luo Shicheng carefully wiped the blood from the blade on Wu Sheng’s clothing, sheathed it, and didn’t ask again whether anyone was hidden in the tunnel. Instead, he said to Huo Fenghua, “The one who reported it to me is surnamed Bao—Bao Jinshu. He got the information from a young pharmacy assistant under a doctor named Wei Kai in Wuhetan. Be careful. Deal with whoever needs dealing with. I’ll handle Bao Jinshu, so you don’t have to worry.”

Huo Fenghua glanced down at Wu Sheng’s corpse. “How will you explain this when you go back?”

Luo Shicheng said, “Wu Sheng was arrogant and provoked the vagrants and thugs of Wuhetan. He was hacked to death by random knives. We searched all of Wuhetan and found no trace of Feng Tianzong.”

He paused. “Actually, recently someone has spotted Feng Tianzong in Xichou, heading toward Zhuyue City. But it hasn’t been verified.”

Huo Fenghua knew that was from the decoys he’d sent out, disguised as Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang. It had drawn the Donglin soldiers’ attention, just as intended.

“It’s normal not to find anyone in Wuhetan,” Luo Shicheng continued. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll handle my own affairs.”

With that, Luo Shicheng bent down to hoist Wu Sheng’s corpse.

Huo Fenghua stopped him. “I’ll have someone do it. Wrap the body and toss it out the back gate into a dark alley. The vagrants will strip him and steal his valuables. I’m just not sure whether your men outside are reliable.”

Luo Shicheng looked at Huo Fenghua. “They’re all the General’s men.”

Huo Fenghua froze.

Luo Shicheng smiled. “We’ve met before, Young Master Huo. You probably don’t remember. I used to be one of General Feng’s personal soldiers. I’m older now and lazy by nature. Later, when the General took the northern part of Xichou, I asked to remain behind as a garrison. I followed him back to the capital to report and saw you once.”

This time, Huo Fenghua truly was surprised. The “Huo Fenghua” Luo Shicheng had seen back then wasn’t actually him, so he’d never known Luo Shicheng’s identity from the start.

Luo Shicheng suddenly dropped to one knee, his right hand pressed over his chest and gave a military salute. “Young Master Huo, please take care of the General. If Donglin can’t be returned to, then don’t return. Tell him not to forget: the two hundred thousand troops stationed in Xichou are all his men.”

Huo Fenghua was silent for a moment. “Understood.”

Luo Shicheng rose, one hand resting on the saber at his waist, and walked out with loose steps, his posture relaxed and lazy.

Huo Fenghua had people wrap Wu Sheng’s body. Near dawn, they secretly sent it out.

Feng Tianzong and Su Zeyang emerged from the cellar. Huo Fenghua sat on the steps in front of the room, head tipped back as he stared at the round moon hanging in the night sky, full of mixed feelings.

Su Zeyang walked over and sat beside him, taking one of his hands.

Feng Tianzong stood nearby and asked, “What is it?”

Huo Fenghua didn’t look at him. “You knew Luo Shicheng wouldn’t arrest you. Why didn’t you say so earlier? You scared me half to death.”

Feng Tianzong smiled. “Before this, you never told me the Donglin commander was Luo Shicheng.”

Huo Fenghua frowned, thinking back. He couldn’t remember whether he’d mentioned Luo Shicheng’s name earlier.

Feng Tianzong added, “And I didn’t know who else was with him.”

Huo Fenghua propped his cheek in one hand. “I wonder if this will drag Luo Shicheng down with it.”

Feng Tianzong reached out and patted his head. “We’ll leave Wuhetan as soon as possible.”

Huo Fenghua lifted his head. “But the Donglin soldiers are still posted on the far bank. If we leave now, it’ll be hard not to draw their attention, unless we detour through the Beiyi.”

Su Zeyang said nothing, only listened quietly.

Feng Tianzong fell silent for a moment. “We don’t know when they’ll fully withdraw. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee they won’t keep secretly watching everyone who comes and goes in Wuhetan. We’ll detour through Beiyi. We leave at once.”

Huo Fenghua leaned back into Su Zeyang’s arms and nodded at Feng Tianzong.

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