On the dark roadside, the light from the lantern was dim. A man was lying on the ground, with a sack covering his head and his legs twitching. Soon, the sound of an axe smashing his skull was heard, and the black shadow of the axe was cast on the ground, shaking continuously.
The person on the ground gradually became silent, and the shadow put away the axe, panting as he carried the still limp body onto the horse. He led the horse back for a distance, then left the main road and headed towards a dark forest.
After entering the forest, he tied his horse to a tree trunk and randomly lifted some branches, only to see a deep pit inside. He then picked up the body and threw it into the pit, dug out a shovel from the soil and began to shovel.
Inside the inn east of Taishi Mountain, people were fetching water to put out the fire. Ragged tourists stood in the yard, making noisy and panicked noises. Several big men stood at the gate with swords, bows and arrows in their hands, shouting: No one is allowed to leave. Anyone who trespasses will be killed without mercy.
In a room upstairs, Jing Niang said quietly: And the master blocked the arrow for his subordinate, why did you do that? Guo Shao didn't seem to hear it. He tapped his fingers on the table twice, looking dazed, as if he had fallen into deep thought.
Jingniang whispered again: If anything happens to you today, what's the point of me living
She had cleaned Guo Shao's wound and stopped the bleeding. She looked around for gauze to bandage him, but couldn't find any. She took a short knife and cut a piece of it from her robe, but threw it away immediately, probably because it was too dirty and too thick. Suddenly, her face turned slightly red. She reached into her collar and pulled out a piece of translucent light red with a belt on it. Then she passed it under Guo Shao's armpit and bandaged the arrow wound below his collarbone.
At this time, Guo Shao came to his senses and looked down to see that he was wearing a bra.
Jingniang said softly: Things have their priorities, don't complain.
Guo Shao ignored him, picked up a robe and put it on himself, and said: Send someone back and bring dozens of personal soldiers to completely control this inn. Lu Chengyong
I am here. A strong man walked to the door.
Guo Shao said: Go back and take the soldiers to find paper and pen. I will write a receipt and go find Zuo You first, and then I can gather people. The soldiers on duty in the mansion should not move. Luo Mengzi will stay and help me.
When the paper and pen were brought up, he started writing. At this time, Lu Chengyong asked: My Lord, do you want to report to the authorities
Guo Shao often ordered this man to do things, just because he couldn't even call out the names of some of his personal soldiers, but he was more familiar with Lu Chengyong. Moreover, this man was always conscientious in doing his job, and was actually a smart young man.
After hearing this, Guo Shao thought about it and said, "Don't rush to report to the authorities. We have to interrogate the living first. No one can be trusted as we are. After daybreak, I will send Luo Mengzi to take the letter back and report to the Imperial Guards Ma Bu Division first."
After writing the letter and giving the instructions, Guo Shao was still clearing his mind when he heard Luo Mengzi say, "That son of a bitch Li Chongjin did it, my dear brother. If this is over, just let me know and I will kill him."
Guo Shao glanced at him and cursed: You killed the general without asking any questions. You ran away so fast that Xishi wanted to remarry. I really can't bear to see my sister-in-law sleeping with another man.
When Luo Mengzi heard this, his face looked very embarrassed.
Guo Shao ignored him. At this time, it was useless to think too much. He had to grasp the key point and distinguish the loose and tight. The key was to catch the two people alive. Guo Shao said: "Catch the two people and go and check them immediately. Don't let them die."
As soon as they walked out of the room, they saw Bai Xiangu and Li Niangzi coming. Li Niangzi saw Guo Shao's pale face and said: General Guo, you were injured, I didn't know it would happen. It's all my fault that I asked you to come. Do you blame me
Guo Shao comforted her with kind words: If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have come to Datong Temple and wouldn't have been frightened. This matter is not anyone's fault, so how could I blame you
After that, they both said: I'm glad you're okay.
As soon as they finished speaking, they realized that they had spoken in unison, as if they had discussed it beforehand, not even a single word was wrong. They looked at each other in surprise, and a blush appeared on Li's cheeks.
Guo Shao said: I have something important to do. Madam Li, please stay with your family. After dawn tomorrow, I will send my personal soldiers to escort you home.
After saying that, he walked towards the stairs without looking back.
When they arrived at a room inside the gate, they saw two Chinese characters tied up on a chair with cloth stuffed in their mouths. They looked at the newcomer with fear on their faces.
The guard next to him said: One of them was shot in the thigh by an arrow and was caught by us. Another one climbed the stairs on the east wall and fell down and broke his leg. We caught him when we chased him. These thieves came prepared. There were several stairs on the wall to climb the wall. There were horses outside. I heard the sound of horses' hooves, but it seemed that there were only one or two horses. It was just too dark, we didn't have enough people, and we heard General Luo say not to chase far, so we didn't dare to chase.
While listening to the report from his personal soldiers, Guo Shao walked behind the captives, grabbed their hands and checked their palms, then fixed his eyes on one of the strong men. He was about to ask a question, but the scene of a man biting his tongue to commit suicide rather than surrendering flashed through his mind, so he said: Pinch his mouth and knock out his teeth.
After hearing this, the guard said: I will go find the hammer.
The guy stared with fear and made a few unclear sounds. After a while, the iron hammer came in. The sergeant grabbed the guy's mouth without saying a word, pulled out the cloth ball, and said to another sergeant: "Open your mouth." Then he swung the iron hammer and hit his front teeth hard.
Ah, the screams were so horrific that I’m afraid the whole yard could have heard them.
Finally, the guy turned his head away in pain and immediately shouted incoherently: I will hire anyone just for money.
Guo Shao didn't expect it to be so easy, so he threatened: If you tell even half a lie, I will stick bamboo sticks into your ten fingers, and I won't let you speak until all of them are stuck. You must cherish the opportunity to speak.
The guy nodded desperately and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Guo Shao thought for a moment and ordered: "Take the other person away and close the door. I will interrogate them separately later. If they don't match, I will torture them together until you surrender."
After the door was closed, Guo Shao asked directly: Who ordered this
The fellow said: "Li Xiaer, my name is Li Mazi." Guo Shao asked: "Who is Li Xiaer?"
Li Mazi said: "He runs a brothel and a gambling house on Guihua Street in the north of Dongjing East Market. I have known him for a few months in the gambling house. He taught me to kill someone, and after the killing, he gave me both the brothel and the gambling house. I have already taken his land deed."
Guo Shao said coldly: A brothel owner would take such a big risk to assassinate the general.
Li Mazi was surprised and said: I really didn't know you were a general.
Guo Shao said: "Tell me everything Li Xiaer asked you to do in detail. Remember, if you say one wrong word, you will have to pay the price the next time you speak. If you want to deceive me, you'd better be more convincing and speak immediately without pausing."
Li Mazi said with a sad face: "The first thing I did was to watch in the inn in front of Li Chuyun's mansion, taking turns with Li Xiaer. When I went there, he had been watching there for a while, so I was the one who watched immediately. I first found a maid hurried out alone, and Li Xiaer followed her, but I was still watching the door."
He came back soon. Two days later, someone from the Li Mansion went out on horseback again. They were all servants, and Li Xiaer followed them. I followed them.
He then told them how to find people, how to prepare bows, crossbows, gunpowder, and manpower, etc. Then he told them about how to scout the inn, book a room, and set up sentry posts.
Guo Shao couldn't help but marvel at this. The mastermind behind the scenes actually used a man named Li Xiaer. The captured Li Mazi was also found by Li Xiaer. Then, relying on a group of refugees, he actually completed the entire process from stalking to assassination. The meticulous planning and carefulness of the conspiracy are not worth making a fuss about. The most surprising thing is that he had the courage to implement it in a short time.
This plan had several links that were prone to accidents, and finally there was a problem with the gunpowder link. If one link went wrong, the whole plan would fall apart; but the plan was still very careful, just a little thin. It can't be said to be perfect, otherwise how could the assassination fail and be captured alive? But this courage can be described as crazy.
Guo Shao asked someone to bring in the crossbow used by the assassin and took a closer look. Luo Mengzi said: Our Zhou army does not use this kind of crossbow. By the way, the thing used by the Southern Tang army when fighting Huainan was very similar to this.
Li Mazi hurriedly said: Yes, yes, Li Xiaer said his hometown is in Huainan.
Luo Mengzi cursed: Li Chongjin, who else but him
Li Chongjin and Guo Shao's first instinct was that he was not the right person. After all, Li Chongjin was a person who was above ten thousand people and below a few people in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and a relative of Taizu Guo Wei. He was closer than the current emperor and Taizu by blood; a veteran general who had commanded the battlefield. Li Chongjin was not a good person, but it was a bit incredible to say that he would use such a simple and despicable and risky method to deal with his political enemies.
Zhang Yongde and Li Chongjin also had a deep grudge. Zhang Yongde said that Li Chongjin had ulterior motives. This kind of hurtful words was probably more serious than Guo Shao asking him to serve and fry fish. But Zhang Yongde rode into Li Chongjin's military camp alone, and Li Chongjin did not take the opportunity to do anything to him. Secondly, Guo Shao analyzed the fact that Li Mazi and others were following Li Chuyun in his mansion. Why would Li Chongjin take Li Chuyun seriously and send people to follow Li Chuyun
A person's name came into Guo Shao's mind very clearly: Zhao San
Ten days ago, it should be the time when Li Mazi and others were following Li Chuyun. Guo Shao met Zhao San and Zhao Pu on the road coming from Li Chuyun's house. This was just a coincidence. Zhao San also said: If I don't marry Li Niangzi in this life, it will be a regret in my life. He fell in love with Li Niangzi, so he might send people to set up secret sentries around.
Guo Shao was speechless for a long time, his heart was in turmoil.
I will start tonight to push for the monthly ticket list, aiming for the top three, give it a try. Two updates first, and one more later.
There is a discount for recharge now, 100 yuan for 1000 yuan, and there are additional amounts and monthly tickets for rewards. You can enter a lottery once for every 2 yuan of consumption, and there are mobile phones and tablets. I wish you all good luck. For details, please see the announcement and reward column on the homepage
I hope it will be helpful. I asked some book friends and did some calculations. I hope I can be in the top three of the monthly votes. Whether I can succeed or not depends on you.
If you want to reward Xifeng Jin, tonight is the most appropriate time. Whether it is from the perspective of discounts and lucky draw surprises, or the important value of the monthly tickets for rewards to Xifeng Jin, it is the best time.
The most important thing is to participate and do what you can. Every bit of support can make me feel a sense of gratitude. Concentration time: now to 12 o'clock tonight