Chapter 124: A Flood Washes Away The Dragon King’s Temple
“Why would the Investigative Bureau protect Gao Guangning?” Uncle Bao asked, confused.
“I’ve even been bitten a few times on my backside!” someone nearby cursed irritably. “My whole backside is swollen into a ball!”
The Commander’s expression tensed, and he quickly looked in the direction of the sound, seeing seven or eight figures approaching from a distance, heading straight for the village entrance.
“Mm.” Lu Yun nodded and said softly, “He is not the incompetent ruler we imagined, but rather extremely formidable. Even if he didn’t initially notice someone deliberately spreading news to incite disaster victims, after seeing the account book we sent to the Investigative Bureau, he would understand everything.”
“No wonder he didn’t follow our plan to use that account book to investigate thoroughly and turn everything upside down!” Uncle Bao exclaimed in realization. According to Lu Yun’s original plan, they would first use the disaster victims to make the Initial Emperor think about dealing with the Xiahou Clan, then throw out the account book like a sharp blade for the Initial Emperor to stab the Xiahou Clan severely, ensuring the two sides would clash with real swords.
Who knew the Initial Emperor would only brandish that blade in front of the Xiahou Clan, extort them, and then be done with it… This left Uncle Bao, who had worked hard for months, feeling very disappointed.
“When formulating this plan earlier, I didn’t understand the Initial Emperor enough and oversimplified the problem,” Lu Yun comforted Uncle Bao. “But it doesn’t matter; killing Gao Guangning will have the same effect.”
“Easier said than done!” Uncle Bao was not optimistic. “If the Investigative Bureau is protecting him, it will be difficult for us to act!”
“This time, I will make it impossible for the Investigative Bureau to defend themselves!” Lu Yun said confidently. “Uncle, did you bring what I asked you to prepare?”
“I brought it.” Uncle Bao quickly retrieved a pair of bronze hammers and a pair of judge’s brushes from the cabin.
Lu Yun carefully examined these two weapons and nodded in surprise, saying, “They look exactly the same!”
“Of course,” Uncle Bao said proudly, “I’ve dealt with those two plenty in the past and know their famous weapons like the back of my hand! But,” he said, sounding a bit strange, “why impersonate them? The Xiahou Clan has no reason to assassinate Gao Guangning.”
“The Investigative Bureau thinks the same way.” Lu Yun smiled and took out his disguise tools, gesturing for Uncle Bao to sit well in the cabin, saying, “Uncle, I’ll put some makeup on you.”
.
During the dog theft at the fourth watch, Liujia Village was pitch black, and outside the village, it was impossible to see one’s hand even when held out.
In the wheat fields at the entrance of the village, seven or eight men in strong outfits were squatting or sitting, vigilantly watching inside and outside the village.
With a ‘slap’, someone reached out and slapped their own face, their palm immediately wet with blood.
“Damn it, this slap must have killed at least six or seven mosquitoes,” the person grumbled angrily.
It was precisely the season when mosquitoes were most rampant. These men had squatted for a whole night, regardless of how high your Kung Fu was, they were all bitten full of bumps.
“I’ve even been bitten several times on my backside!” The person next to him angrily cursed, “My entire backside has swollen into a ball!”
“If I bite you twice, you’ll be overjoyed!” someone sneered, and everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
“Quiet, everyone!” a man meditating in a cross-legged position, said with a frown. He was clearly the leader of this group.
The warriors quickly fell silent. One subordinate, close to the leader, whispered, “Commander, how much longer do we have to protect that guy? If we stake out for a few more days, won’t the mosquitoes eat us alive!”
“Protect him as he returns to his hometown in Qi Prefecture, and then observe for a period. Only when no one makes a move against him can we go back,” that Commander said in a deep voice.
“Ah?!” The subordinates wailed upon hearing this: “When will that be?!” “Why should people from the Xiahou Clan need protection from our Investigative Bureau? What kind of reason is that?”
“What’s with all the nonsense,” Commander Huangfu said with a cold snort. “If you have any objections, go tell the Director!”
“……” The subordinates sighed and stopped their nonsense. The Commander then softened his tone and said, “Gao Guangning is worthless now, no one will bother to kill him. Let’s just consider this a trip out…”
Before the words were finished, a few hurried croaks were heard from the front left of the wheat field.
The crowd immediately fell silent, because it was the outer perimeter warriors sounding the alarm!
The Commander’s expression tightened. He quickly looked towards the sound and saw seven or eight figures approaching from a distance, heading straight for the village entrance.
The Commander silently drew the weapon he carried, and his subordinates also crouched in the wheat field, quietly drawing out their hand crossbows, waiting for the enemy to approach before launching a surprise attack!
Who knew that as soon as the other party reached the wheat field where they were hiding, they started shouting: “Investigative Bureau people, get out!”
In the dead of night, all was silent, but with this loud voice booming out, it immediately startled the village, causing chickens to crow and dogs to bark!
“Scoundrel!” The Commander was in a panic seeing this. If Gao Guangning was scared away and fled the village blindly, who knew what might happen!
But he couldn’t worry about Gao Guangning anymore. The other side had already called out their hiding spot by name, so the Commander could only deal with the immediate situation.
He quickly focused his gaze on the uninvited guests. He saw they were all wearing night clothes. The two leading figures were a thin man holding a pair of Judge’s Brushes, and another shorter one holding a pair of Bronze Hammers.
The Commander’s mind immediately brought up two names: Xiahou En, the “Death-Seizing Judge,” and Xiahou Jun, the “Thin Overlord”!
Both of them were Grandmasters who had been famous in the Xiahou Clan for a long time. Although in the talented Xiahou Clan, they couldn’t be Stewards, their status was quite extraordinary, and they were the vanguards of the Xiahou Clan’s boastful martial prowess!
“So it’s the Xiahou Clan who has arrived!” Seeing it was the Xiahou Clan, the Commander actually became less nervous. He signaled his subordinates not to move, and he slowly stood up.
“I was wondering who it was,” the “Xiahou En” holding the Judge’s Brush recognized the other party immediately and said with a sinister laugh, “So it’s Commander Huangfu. Hiding in the crops in the middle of the night to defecate?”
Hearing Xiahou En’s voice, Commander Huangfu was completely certain and said in a deep voice, “Don’t misunderstand, we are acting under orders to protect Gao Guangning on his journey home!”
“When did the Investigative Bureau become so kind?!” Xiahou En sneered, “I think you are trying to harm Lord Gao!”
“If you don’t believe us, there’s nothing we can do!” Commander Huangfu said indignantly, “But we truly have no ill intentions!”
“Then thank you for the Investigative Bureau’s good intentions,” Xiahou En said impolitely, ushering them away. “However, we, the Xiahou Clan, do not need anyone’s protection! Please, be on your way!”
“No!” Commander Huangfu shook his head. “It is difficult to disobey orders!”
“I’ll count to three,” Xiahou En ordered menacingly, “If you don’t leave, we’ll clear the area!”
With that, he grabbed a handful of wheat stalks and flung them towards Commander Huangfu!
Hearing the sharp whistling sound, Commander Huangfu quickly swung his crescent hook, blocking the wheat stalks aimed at him! But his subordinates beside him didn’t have such skill. They couldn’t block or dodge in time and were hit in the body by the wheat stalks, with screams erupting one after another!
“The temper of the Death-Seizing Judge has grown!” Commander Huangfu secretly marveled at this. In fact, there was something else he didn’t say: the opponent’s cultivation had also increased!
Quickly assessing the situation, Commander Huangfu felt a strong urge to retreat. With two Grandmasters from the opposing side, they would definitely not gain any advantage. Moreover, there was no need to conflict with the unreasonable Xiahou Clan.
“Since you’ve mistaken our good intentions for ill will, we have no need to go out of our way for nothing!” Commander Huangfu snorted coldly, waved his hand, and said, “Let’s go!”
After saying this, he led his injured subordinates and retreated rather embarrassingly under the supervision of the Xiahou Clan members.
After walking a long distance, the Investigative Bureau members finally had time to help their injured comrades pull out the sharp wheat stalks. A subordinate asked with lingering fear, “Commander, what do we do now?”
“We go back and report!” Commander Huangfu said angrily, “What a waste of effort!”
