bookbashuk Chapter 15: People from the Prefectural Government Arrive; A Storm is Brewing!
Chapter 15: People from the Prefectural Government Arrive; A Storm is Brewing!
One hour!
One hundred cavalrymen!
A master at the seventh level of the Day After Tomorrow realm!
These three pieces of news were like three thunderclaps, exploding in the courtyard.
Qin Shuyu's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and her body went limp, almost collapsing to the ground.
What does one hundred cavalrymen mean?
Those weren't the city guards under Li Wei who were just coasting along; they were real, battle-hardened soldiers!
One man and one horse, well-equipped, were enough to flatten the entire Qixia Town!
Not to mention, there's also a master at the seventh level of the Acquired Realm leading the team!
Finished!
This time, it's really over!
She looked at Yang Qian in despair, her eyes filled with tears:
"Uncle...we...we must leave quickly! It's not too late to go!"
However, Yang Qian's face did not show the panic she had imagined.
He simply stared quietly at the letter in his hand, his brow furrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.
"Master, what should we do?"
Qian Si's voice trembled slightly.
Although he had devised a plan to take responsibility for the matter, it was all based on the premise that the prefectural governor's office would only send a few officials to investigate.
He never expected the other side to react so strongly, sending out an army!
Faced with a hundred cavalrymen, his claim of being a "notorious bandit putting up a stubborn resistance" was simply a joke.
They won't waste any words with you; they'll just trample you and the entire Black Tiger Gang into ashes!
His newly assembled forces were utterly insignificant compared to that expert at the seventh level of the Acquired Realm.
Qian Si's heart sank to the bottom.
For the first time, he felt that he had boarded this ship a little too hastily.
Yang Qian did not answer them immediately; his mind was racing.
The situation was indeed beyond his expectations.
He hadn't expected Li Wei's father to have such power, react so quickly, and be so ruthless.
Sending troops directly here is no longer an investigation, it's a crackdown!
It's clear that he intends to use swift and decisive measures to eliminate all "destabilizing factors" and avenge his son.
The Seventh Heaven...
Yang Qian assessed his own strength.
He is currently at the first level of the Acquired Realm. With his perfected "Eternal Spring Skill" and his rudimentary understanding of the "Seven Limits of Devouring Heaven and Destroying Earth," he can cripple Li Wei, who is at the fifth level of the Acquired Realm, in two moves.
But what are the chances of winning against someone at the seventh level of the Acquired Realm?
He wasn't sure.
Moreover, the enemy also has a hundred cavalrymen.
Once caught in a cavalry charge, even a master would likely fare poorly.
A direct confrontation is definitely the worst possible strategy.
"escape?"
The thought flashed through Yang Qian's mind, but he immediately rejected it.
He could escape alone, but what about his sister-in-law? She was just a weak woman and couldn't withstand a long journey.
Taking her with you, we definitely can't outrun the cavalry's pursuit.
Besides, he's not the kind of person who would run away.
In my past life, I was mediocre and lived a miserable life.
In this life, he has gained power and people he wants to protect, and he will never choose to back down again!
Since we can't fight them head-on, and we can't run away...
Then we'll have to outsmart them!
A bold plan quickly took shape in Yang Qian's mind.
He raised his head and glanced at the anxious Qin Shuyu and Qian Si, his face regaining its composure.
"What's the panic?"
He said calmly:
"The sky hasn't fallen yet."
His calm demeanor stunned both Qin Shuyu and Qian Si.
What time is it? Why is he still so calm?
"Qian Si".
Yang Qian looked at Qian Si.
"Master...Master, please give your orders!"
Qian Si quickly agreed.
"Do three things right now."
Yang Qian spoke slowly, but every word he uttered was filled with undeniable power.
"First, fill ten large chests with all the gold and silver jewelry in the mansion and display them in the front hall—the more the better, enough to make everyone envious!"
"Secondly, go to the best restaurant in town and bring their chefs and signature dishes to my residence. Prepare the finest banquet!"
"Third, evacuate all our men from this house and have them lie in ambush at several key points on the outskirts of town. Remember, this is just an ambush; they are absolutely not to show themselves without my order!"
Qian Si was completely confused.
"Master, what is this...?"
With a formidable enemy at hand, instead of thinking of resisting, they are preparing a feast of gold and silver?
Is this a prelude to surrendering and then bribing the other side with money and fine wine?
But the other party came to avenge the murder of their son, how could they possibly be bought off with such a small thing?
"Don't ask so many questions, just do as I say, right now! Immediately!"
Yang Qian's tone became more forceful.
"yes!"
Qian Si dared not ask any more questions. Although he was filled with doubts, he immediately turned around and went to do it.
In the courtyard, only Yang Qian and Qin Shuyu remained.
"Uncle, what...what exactly do you want to do?"
Qin Shuyu asked uneasily.
Yang Qian looked at her with a gentle smile on his face. He reached out and gently tidied her hair that had been ruffled by the wind.
"Sister-in-law, haven't you always wanted to know what kind of person your brother-in-law has become?"
"Today, I'll show you with your own eyes."
"You don't need to do anything, and you don't need to be afraid of anything. Just sit quietly next to me and watch how I turn this huge problem into a huge opportunity for us!"
His words were full of mystery and confidence, which inexplicably calmed Qin Shuyu's flustered heart.
She looked into Yang Qian's deep eyes, and although she still didn't understand what he was going to do, she chose to believe him.
Trust him unconditionally.
……
One hour later.
Outside Qixia Town, dust billowed and horses' hooves thundered on the official road.
One hundred cavalrymen, clad in black iron armor and wielding sharp sabers, swept in like a black torrent.
Leading the group was a middle-aged general with a stern face, riding a tall horse.
He was about forty years old, wearing silver chainmail, with an ancient longsword at his waist. His temples were bulging, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. He exuded an aura of iron-blooded killing intent.
He was Chen Xiaotian, the commander of the personal guards of the Prefect of Nanyang, a powerful expert at the peak of the seventh level of the Acquired Realm!
"Commander, we're at Qixia Town just ahead!"
A deputy general stepped forward to report.
Chen Xiaotian reined in the horses, and the army slowly came to a stop.
He looked at the quiet town in the distance, his brows furrowed slightly.
It's too quiet.
According to intelligence, the town's garrison captain and a squad of soldiers have mysteriously disappeared, and the Black Tiger Gang has also been involved in a firefight. The entire town should be in chaos.
But now, there isn't even a single guard at the town entrance; it's as quiet as a dead city.
There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.
"Send a scout team into the town to investigate!"
Chen Xiaotian gave the order in a deep voice.
"yes!"
A cavalry unit of ten men immediately broke away from the main force and spurred their horses toward the town.
However, they retreated shortly after entering the town.
"Reporting, Commander!"
The lead scout captain wore a strange expression on his face:
"Everything in town...everything in town is as usual, except...except that in front of the Li residence in the town center, someone has set up a banquet, saying...saying it's to welcome us and wash away the dust of our journey!"
"A welcome dinner?"
Chen Xiaotian was stunned.
All the cavalrymen behind him looked at each other in bewilderment.
They came to demand an explanation and to suppress the rebellion, but instead of closing their doors and guarding the city, the other side held a banquet to welcome them.
What kind of show is this?
"Who hosted the banquet?"
Chen Xiaotian asked in a cold voice.
"It's said to be a new gang leader in town, named Qian Si."
The scout captain replied:
"It was him who publicly claimed to have killed Wang Hu and Li Wei."
"Qian Si?"
A murderous glint flashed in Chen Xiaotian's eyes:
"How dare he! He killed a high-ranking official and still dares to make such a fuss! Does he think he can get away with just throwing a banquet?"
"Pass on my orders!"
Chen Xiaotian drew his long sword from his waist and pointed it forward.
"All troops advance into the town! Surround the Li residence! I want to see just what kind of monster this Qian Si really is!"
"yes!"
One hundred cavalrymen roared in unison, their voices echoing across the fields.
The black torrent started again, surging into Qixia Town with an unparalleled momentum!
The townspeople, terrified by the sight of the menacing army, fled back home and locked their doors and windows tightly.
Soon Chen Xiaotian led his army to the gate of the Li residence.
The mansion gates were wide open, with a red carpet laid out at the entrance, and two rows of pretty maids standing on either side, each holding a tray filled with gold and silver.
A young man in fine clothes stood at the door with a stunningly beautiful woman, smiling as if welcoming a distinguished guest from afar.
Seeing this scene, even the well-traveled Chen Xiaotian was stunned.
What's going on?
Who is that young man?
Who is the woman beside him?
Where is that so-called gang leader, Qian Si?
Chen Xiaotian's heart was filled with doubt.
With a wave of his hand, his army immediately dispersed, completely surrounding the Li residence. All the sabers and arrows were aimed at Yang Qian and Qin Shuyu at the gate.
At his command, the two men would be riddled with arrows.
Chen Xiaotian dismounted and walked step by step toward Yang Qian. His deputy and personal guards immediately followed, protecting him in the middle.
"Who are you?"
Chen Xiaotian stood in front of Yang Qian, looking down at him and asking, his aura of the seventh level of the Acquired Realm pressing down on Yang Qian without any concealment.
He wanted to teach this arrogant young man a lesson.
However, Yang Qian remained unfazed by his imposing aura, and even the smile on his lips did not change.
On the contrary, Qin Shuyu, who was beside him, was so frightened by this powerful aura that her pretty face turned pale and her body swayed. However, she still bit her lip tightly and forced herself not to fall.
Yang Qian noticed her unusual behavior, reached out and gently put his arm around her slender waist, and a gentle internal force flowed over her, instantly relieving all the pressure.
Qin Shuyu felt a warmth spread through her body, and the feeling that had almost suffocated her instantly vanished.
She glanced at Yang Qian gratefully, feeling much more at ease.
"My name is Yang Qian, a commoner from Qixia Town."
Yang Qian looked at Chen Xiaotian and smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"I have long heard of Commander Chen's reputation, and seeing him today, I can confirm that it is indeed well-deserved."
"I have prepared a small cup of wine to welcome the Commander and all the generals and to celebrate their journey home!"
As he spoke, he made a "please" gesture.
Chen Xiaotian frowned even more deeply.
This young man named Yang Qian was too calm, almost eerily so.
He couldn't see through the other person's true nature at all.
"Yang Qian?"
Chen Xiaotian snorted coldly:
"I've never heard of you. I'm asking you, where is Qian Si, the one who killed Captain Li and called himself the gang leader?"
Yang Qian's smile remained unchanged:
"Commander Chen is joking. What Qian Si? I don't know. As for Lieutenant Li... isn't he right here, perfectly fine?"
As he spoke, he turned to the side, revealing a brand-new plaque hanging on the gate of the mansion behind him.
The plaque bears three large characters written in a vigorous, flowing style.
"Li Xiaowei's Residence".
Chen Xiaotian followed his gaze, and when he saw the plaque, his pupils suddenly contracted.
He felt as if he had fallen into an elaborate trap.