Chapter 227: One Shot Each, Hitting Them Until They See Their Grandmothers! Seeking Monthly Tickets
On the official road heading to Raozhou Guard, the moon was sparse and the stars were bright, and the sound of horse hooves was exceptionally clear in the silent night.
The cold wind blew against his face, but it couldn’t blow away the turmoil in Zhang Biao’s heart.
He tightly gripped the reins, his knuckles turning a little pale, his mind uncontrollably replaying the gunshot in the post station, and the blood blooming on the assassin’s forehead.
【 I killed someone… 】
【 I damn well shot and killed someone!! 】
Although he had seen people killed before, and even been killed himself, seeing killing, or being killed, was a different matter from killing with his own hands.
He didn’t know how the protagonists in those transmigration novels online managed to be decisive and kill without hesitation after transmigrating to another world, but his personal experience was that such people were either perverts or just pretending to be calm.
And he, clearly, belonged to the latter.
【 But… that feeling back then, it felt… pretty accurate? 】
【 When I practiced against targets in the basement, I wasn’t this accurate… Could it be that I’ve become a sharpshooting genius after transmigrating? 】
This discovery was like a shot of adrenaline, temporarily suppressing some of his discomfort.
He couldn’t help but look around.
The shadows of the trees under the moonlight seemed to turn into potential targets in his eyes, and a desire to verify again, even a bit of a show-off, quietly arose.
Just then, Song Zhong, who had been closely observing his condition, rode closer, lowered his voice, and asked with full alertness:
“Sir, have you discovered anything unusual?”
He noticed Zhang Biao’s slightly tense body and his eyes scanning everywhere.
Song Zhong’s question immediately made the few Imperial Guards nearby, whose nerves were already taut, feel as if they were facing a great enemy.
“Is there an ambush?!”
“Where?! Protect Sir!”
With a few ‘clangs’, the Xiuchun Sabers were instantly unsheathed, and the men reined in their horses, forming a simple protective circle, nervously scanning the dark woods on both sides of the official road.
Zhang Biao was stunned by the sudden reaction and then realized that his subconscious actions had caused a misunderstanding.
The thought of ‘verifying his talent’ that had just arisen in his heart immediately vanished, replaced by a sense of helplessness.
“Uh…”
He cleared his throat, quickly put on his usual arrogant expression, a bit cocky, and deliberately raised his voice to scold:
“Look at your nerve! Jumping at shadows! So what if there’s really an ambush?”
“Is this ‘thing’ in my hand a vegetarian? I’ll shoot one dead for each one that comes, and send them to see Grandma sooner!”
He patted the spot where he hid his gun in his chest, his movements exaggerated, trying to use this method to cover up his true loss of composure and to bolster himself and his subordinates.
As expected, seeing him so ‘calm’ and mentioning that mysterious and powerful firearm, the few Imperial Guards immediately relaxed, their faces showing awe mixed with a hint of flattery.
“Sir is mighty!”
“Yes, Sir! Your firearm… is truly amazing! Its sound is like thunder, and its speed is like lightning!”
“This subordinate has never seen such a sharp firearm. May I ask which armory produced it?”
“Sir, if we could also be equipped with one…”
“Noisy—!”
Zhang Biao impatiently interrupted them, thinking to himself that at fifty thousand yuan a piece, he himself felt the pinch, and he was going to equip them with one? They must be dreaming!
“Hurry up and get going! We need to reach the next post station to rest before dawn. All of you, stay alert!”
“Yes!”
The few Imperial Guards knew when to stop, laughing as they sheathed their sabers and urged their horses forward again.
Song Zhong, however, gave Zhang Biao a deep look and asked no further questions before silently returning to his position.
He instinctively felt that Zhang Biao’s momentary anomaly was far more than just discovering an ambush.
The secrets of this Censor Zhang, and the firearm of unpredictable power, deepened his doubts and apprehensions.
But he chose to remain silent, only paying more vigilant attention to the surrounding movements.
Before long, the convoy set off again, and the sound of horse hooves became regular once more.
However, about the time it takes an incense stick to burn after they had left, two figures, almost merged with the darkness, quietly appeared in the dense forest by the official road.
One of them gently pulled down his mask, revealing a slightly confused face. Beneath the sleeve of his left arm, the outline of a dark blue Bi’an tattoo was vaguely visible.
“Did we… really get discovered by that guy?”
He asked in a low voice, his tone filled with confusion.
They believed they had hidden exceptionally well and had suppressed their presence.
Even in the martial arts world, they were known as the ‘Shadow Twin Killers’.
However, Zhang Biao’s actions earlier had truly startled them.
If Zhang Biao could discover even them, the ‘Shadow Twin Killers’, then Zhang Biao’s background was far deeper than they had imagined.
The other man in black slowly shook his head, his voice hoarse and solemn:
“Uncertain. But this person’s senses are sharp, and his actions are beyond the norm. He should absolutely not be treated as an ordinary civil official.”
He paused and added:
“Especially the firearm in his hand. It requires no fuse, fires rapidly, and its power is astonishing, unheard of.”
“This matter is beyond our ability to handle. We must report it to the ‘Duke’ immediately and dispatch more experts. Perhaps… we will also need to use firearms to deal with him.”
“Exactly!”
The black-clothed man who spoke first agreed heartily: “That Zhang Biao is a madman, and he has such a powerful weapon. He’s truly troublesome! Let’s not delay, let’s go!”
As soon as the words fell, the two dark figures melted back into the shadows of the dense forest like ghosts, as if they had never appeared.
On the official road, only the cold moonlight and the fading echo of horse hooves remained.
Zhang Biao, astride his horse, forced himself to stop thinking about the killing and focused his attention on Raozhou Guard, which he was about to face.
The appearance of the assassins and the confirmation of the ‘Bi’an’ tattoo pressed down on his heart like two heavy stones, also igniting his fighting spirit more intensely.
Suddenly, he remembered something else and asked abruptly, “Investigator Song! Did the assassins who infiltrated the Ministry of Justice Prison to assassinate Shen Lang and the others back then also have the ‘Bi’an’ tattoo?”
Upon hearing this, Song Zhong’s scalp tingled, and he couldn’t help but say, “Sir means that these people are the same group as those who attempted to murder the Crown Prince?”
“Heh, who knows?”
Zhang Biao let out a cold laugh, his gaze becoming even sharper.
At the same time.
In a post station not far from Raozhou Guard, the scene was entirely different.
The brightly lit hall was bustling with noise, the aroma of wine and meat mingling with rough laughter and curses, almost shaking the roof.
Seated at the head of the main table was a burly, resolute-faced middle-aged general with eyes as sharp as a falcon’s, none other than the Duke of Liang, Lan Yu, who had been summoned back to the capital by Old Zhu for reporting and had been appointed Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince.
He had shed his armor and was wearing only an embroidered robe, but it still couldn’t conceal the heroic spirit of a seasoned warrior.
At this moment, he was grabbing a plump lamb leg and tearing into it, not caring that oil stains were smearing his beard.
Sitting around him were several of his most trusted adopted sons and confidant generals, all of them broad-shouldered and radiating killing intent.
“Damn it! The wine in this Capital City is so much weaker than the frontier wine, it’s worthless!”
An adopted son named Blue Dragon tilted his head and gulped down a bowl of wine, wiped his mouth, and complained in a gruff voice.
A fierce scar ran across his face, adding to his ferocity: “Esteemed Father, it’s good to be rewarded and recalled to the capital this time, but thinking about Sichuan, it’s really not satisfying!”
He waved his greasy hand, spittle flying:
“We only captured a couple of rebel leaders and killed some useless prisoners. The regions of Sichuan and Yunnan are filled with miasma, the mountains are high and the forests are dense, and the rebels are like rats in their holes. We haven’t been able to completely pacify them!”
“In my opinion, we should have stayed for another year or half, uprooted those uncivilized barbarians, and wiped them out completely. That would have been truly exhilarating!”
“Blue Dragon is right!”
“Indeed! We haven’t had our fill of killing yet!”
The other adopted sons chimed in, their faces showing the excitement of having fought on the battlefield and regret over not having achieved complete victory.
For these generals who relied on military merit for their status, quelling rebellions and capturing flags was the proper path. While receiving rewards in the capital was glorious, it always felt like it lacked the thrill of fighting with a blade at one’s throat.
Lan Yu listened to his adopted sons’ grumbling, laughed heartily, and took another swig of wine, a hint of lingering desire flashing in his eyes:
“A bunch of monkey cubs, all they know is kill, kill, kill!”
“There will be plenty of battles for you to fight! The Emperor summoned us back for his own reasons!”
Although he said this, the lingering rebelliousness in his brows showed that his inner thoughts were similar to those of his adopted sons.
He wasn’t unaware of Old Zhu’s suspicion of meritorious officials, but he always felt that as long as he didn’t rebel, Old Zhu, who relied on him, would never move against him.
Moreover, he was the ‘uncle’ of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, and given Old Zhu’s favor for Zhu Biao, how could he possibly move against this general who was loyal to Zhu Biao.
However, at this moment, a thin-faced scholar with a goatee, sitting to Lan Yu’s left, gently put down his wine cup.
He was Lan Yu’s trusted strategist, surnamed Liu, known as ‘Mr. Liu’.
Mr. Liu’s brow furrowed slightly, and his tone carried a hint of imperceptible worry:
“Duke, Generals, returning to the capital this time, although it brings honor and favor, in my humble opinion, it’s hard to say whether it’s a blessing or a curse.”
Boom!
As soon as these words were spoken, the noisy hall quieted down a bit.
Lan Yu paused his chewing of meat, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him:
“Oh? Mr. Liu, why do you say that? I just won a victory, the Emperor bestowed upon me the title of Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and summoned me back to the capital. Isn’t this a great thing?”
“Duke, it may not necessarily be a good thing. Duke, think about what has been happening in the capital recently.”
Mr. Liu sighed and lowered his voice:
“The corruption case of Fu Youwen has widespread implications, the truth of the Crown Prince’s death, the Emperor seems to have been secretly investigating, Prince Qin was therefore deposed and confined to guard the mausoleum, Prince Jin was imprisoned in Fengyang, and even Prince Zhou is now under house arrest in Yingtian…”
“Each of these incidents and matters is filled with strangeness and danger.”
He paused, observing Lan Yu’s expression, and continued:
“Also, the secret letter sent by the Duke of the founding of the kingdom the other day, you’ve read it… His Highness the Third Imperial Grandson is now also indirectly imprisoned in the palace. If the Emperor’s intention in summoning the Duke back to the capital is… the intention of ‘when the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden’…”
He didn’t dare to finish his sentence, but everyone present had faced life and death before, how could they not understand?
Excessive merit and power leading to suspicion, killing the dog once the birds are gone – this has been the rule since ancient times.
Lan Yu’s adopted sons showed expressions of surprise and uncertainty upon hearing this, and even the most reckless Blue Dragon restrained his wildness and looked at Lan Yu.
Lan Yu tightened his grip on the wine cup, and the roguish smile on his face gradually disappeared.
He was silent for a moment, drained the wine in his cup, and then placed the cup heavily on the table with a dull ‘thud’.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”
Lan Yu’s voice held absolute confidence, but upon closer listening, there seemed to be a hint of undetectable lack of confidence:
“The Emperor is not that kind of person! The Great Ming has not pacified the Northern Yuan, and the southwest is not peaceful. There is a need for generals who can fight everywhere!”
“The Emperor still needs me, Lan Yu, to guard the border for him and quell the disloyal!”
“Moreover, this is a time of many troubles. How can the Emperor cut off his own arm?”
Mr. Liu opened his mouth, intending to advise further, such as the Emperor’s advanced age and increasingly unpredictable temperament, the lack of an established new heir, the volatile court situation, and the need for generals to be more cautious.
However, before he could speak, an adopted son named Blue Sparrow, sitting on Lan Yu’s other side, spoke first.
Among the adopted sons, Blue Sparrow was known for his keenness and a bit of cleverness.
“Esteemed Father, Mr. Liu’s words are not without reason.”
Blue Sparrow took over the conversation, his eyes flashing, with a certain disgust and apprehension towards the Capital City:
“If I were to say that Yingtian Prefecture is now a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den, in my humble opinion, that mad Censor named Zhang Biao is definitely the number one monster stirring up trouble within it!”
As soon as the name ‘Zhang Biao’ was mentioned, it was as if cold water had been dropped into boiling oil, and the place exploded.
“That’s right! It’s that Zhang Biao!”
“Damn it! If it weren’t for this madman messing things up, auditing the Six Ministries, and investigating old cases, how would the Capital City be so chaotic?”
“Exactly! It forced those of us in the Capital to walk on eggshells for the past few months, and even going to a brothel required extreme caution, for fear of being targeted by that madman!”
“The illicit businesses at home have been cleaned out completely, so much so that even a mouse would shake its head and cry if it went in!”
“This life of walking on eggshells is truly suffocating!”
The adopted sons spoke one after another, their words filled with hatred and dissatisfaction towards Zhang Biao.
Clearly, the storm that Zhang Biao had stirred up in the Capital City had deeply affected even them, who were far away at the frontier, or rather, their guilty consciences forced them to restrain themselves considerably.
Lan Yu’s expression also darkened as he listened to his adopted sons’ complaints.
Although he was far away in Sichuan, he had also heard about Zhang Biao’s ‘great achievements’.
Auditing the Imperial Treasury, disrupting the establishment of the Crown Prince, confiscating from Dukes and Marquises, and now investigating the Grain Transport… this madman was like a mad dog, biting anyone he saw, without any regard for rules.
Lan Yu hated this kind of civil official who didn’t play by the rules and specifically went against them, the nobles and military officers.
“Hmph!”
Lan Yu snorted coldly, a natural arrogance flowing from him:
“Zhang Biao? He’s just a reckless fellow who, relying on the Emperor’s favor, doesn’t know his place!”
“Back in the day, when I was in the Northern Desert…”
“Cough!”
He had intended to mention how he had dealt with those who were foolish enough to provoke him in the Northern Desert, but another, more steady subordinate beside him quickly coughed lightly and gestured with his eyes for him to be cautious with his words.
A cold light flashed in his eyes. He didn’t finish his sentence, but the killing intent of a seasoned general seemed to lower the surrounding temperature:
“That brat had better not run into me, or I’ll make him pay…”
After saying this, he snorted heavily again and picked up the wine jar to refill his own cup.
The atmosphere in the hall, from the earlier joyous celebration, had become somewhat subdued and resentful due to the mention of ‘Zhang Biao’.
After an unknown amount of time, just as the atmosphere in the hall reached its peak of oppression, a soldier cautiously weaved through the drunken crowd and whispered a few words to Blue Dragon.
Blue Dragon was first slightly stunned, then a hint of imperceptible joy appeared on his face, but he quickly suppressed it, merely nodding to signal the soldier to retreat.
Their furtive actions were quickly noticed by the sharp-eyed Blue Sparrow.
Blue Sparrow, already quick-witted and having had a bit to drink, immediately spoke with a hint of mockery, teasingly:
“Sixth Brother, look at you sneaking around. What is it? Did you kidnap another wild wench from some mountain den and hide her nearby? Are you eager for a spring night’s reunion and impatient?”
“Hahaha!”
As soon as this was said, it immediately led to hearty laughter from the entire hall, with continuous teasing.
“Third Brother! Keep your voice down a bit, don’t keep the rest of us from sleeping tonight by knocking on your door!”
“What, Third Brother, you want to play with Sixth Brother and the others too!”
“It’s not like we haven’t played together before. Haven’t you guys played before?”
“Hahaha!”
The adopted sons burst into laughter again.
The slight gloom that had arisen from Zhang Biao earlier seemed to have been dispelled by the crude jokes.
Even Lan Yu, seated at the head of the table, laughed and pointed at Lan Long, cursing:
“You scoundrel! How did I warn you in Sichuan? When you reach the Capital City, all of you should keep your tails tucked in!”
“We’re barely here, and you’re already acting recklessly? Don’t you want your heads?!”
Although he scolded them sternly, a smile played on his face, clearly showing he wasn’t truly angry. In fact, he seemed to be subtly indulging his subordinates’ “vitality.”
In his view, what were military men without some vices or romantic entanglements? As long as it didn’t interfere with official duties, it was harmless.
Mr. Liu, standing nearby, watched this scene and could only shake his head in resignation.
He knew Lan Yu was protective, especially of these adopted sons who had followed him through life and death, treating them like his own. As an advisor, he really couldn’t intervene in these “family matters.”
Lan Long, the one being teased by everyone, had a rough face flushed red. He quickly waved his hands, denying:
“My adoptive father, please see clearly! Brothers, don’t make baseless accusations! I know what’s important and would never dare to be presumptuous here!”
He paused, looking at Lan Yu, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness as he explained:
“Here’s the situation. The Commander of Raozhou Guard, Geng Zhong, sent someone to deliver a message saying he wants to host a welcoming banquet for my adoptive father.”
“My adoptive father might not know, but this Geng Zhong is from my hometown. I fled with my parents when I was young and we got separated. Later, I encountered him by chance on the battlefield, and we discovered we were both still alive.”
“Neither of our families survived those times, so it’s just the two of us left. Thus, we swore brotherhood on the battlefield and became sworn brothers.”
A hint of nostalgia and warmth appeared in his eyes:
“For years, I’ve been fighting alongside my adoptive father. He’s also achieved some merit elsewhere and was promoted to Commander of the Raozhou Guard a few years ago.”
“Although we haven’t been in much contact, this brotherhood remains. When he learned that my adoptive father and I would be passing through, he wanted to show us hospitality as the local host.”
After hearing this explanation, Lan Yu and the adopted sons suddenly understood.
“So that’s how it is!”
Lan Yu nodded, his expression softening slightly. “Valuing loyalty and righteousness is a good thing. You actually have a sincere brother.”
He stroked the stubble on his chin, thought for a moment, and then waved his hand:
“However, forget the welcoming banquet. I am returning to the Capital City under imperial decree to report, and many people are watching!”
“At this juncture, privately interacting with the Commander of a local garrison, drinking and feasting?”
“What if some fool, like that scoundrel Zhang Biao, finds out and impeaches me for ‘colluding with the garrison and plotting rebellion’? Wouldn’t that be asking for trouble? It’s better to avoid trouble than to court it!”
Hearing this, Mr. Liu’s eyes lit up.
A gratified smile of “a teachable student” immediately appeared on his face, and he quickly cupped his hands in flattery: “Your Grace is wise! These words are most accurate! Caution is indeed needed at this moment; it’s best to avoid suspicion!”
However, his gratification lasted less than three seconds before Lan Yu changed his tune and said to Lan Long, who was looking at him expectantly:
“However… if you want to go meet your sworn brother and catch up, then go ahead.”
“After all, it’s been many years since you last met; it’s only natural.”
“Remember, it’s just a private meeting, don’t make a fuss, and absolutely do not accept his banquet or gifts!”
“After you’re done talking, hurry back to me! Don’t cause any extraneous trouble and bring me any problems!”
“Yes! Thank you, adoptive father!”
Lan Long was overjoyed to hear this and quickly bowed in response.
Mr. Liu, listening from the side, almost spat out a mouthful of blood, thinking, “What’s the difference between him going and me going with him?!”
If someone were to seize upon this, wouldn’t it still be counted against Your Grace?!
【 This… this is simply fooling oneself! 】
He opened his mouth, wanting to advise further: “Your Grace, this matter…”
“Enough!”
Lan Yu impatiently interrupted him, stretched, and a look of weariness appeared on his face:
“I’ve drunk quite a bit today and I’m tired! I have to travel tomorrow, so all of you go back to sleep!”
He stood up, surveyed the adopted sons who were still laughing, and deliberately put on a stern face, scolding:
“Especially you few monkey brats, behave yourselves tonight!”
“Don’t make any noise that might make me uneasy and disturb my sleep!”
“Hahahaha! Don’t worry, adoptive father!”
“We promise to be quiet!”
The adopted sons roared with laughter, exchanging winks, clearly not taking his words seriously. They bowed with chuckles and slaps on the back, then dispersed to their respective rooms.
Lan Long was even more eager. After bowing to Lan Yu again, he excitedly turned and left the hall, clearly on his way to find his sworn brother, Geng Zhong.
Mr. Liu watched Lan Yu walk towards the backyard, escorted by his personal guards. He then looked at the empty hall, littered with dishes and cups, and could only sigh helplessly, a wave of powerlessness washing over him.
He had a premonition that Lan Long’s seemingly ordinary meeting this time, at such a turbulent moment, could very well become an unpredictable variable.
And with Your Grace’s arrogance and carelessness, this journey back to the Capital would likely be far more perilous than he imagined.
The night deepened, and the post station gradually quieted down, with only the occasional sound of patrolling soldiers’ footsteps.
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