CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 96 TRAP

The voice was exceptionally clear in the dark night.

It seemed as if the person speaking was right in front of them.

Song Xian felt Chen Zigeng squeeze her hand a little tighter, his small body trying to shield her.

Song Xian reached out to touch Chen Zigeng’s head, hoping to calm him down. Her fingers brushed against his forehead and found it covered in sweat.

After all, he was still a child, and it was inevitable to feel panicked when encountering such a scene for the first time.

Outside the thatched hut, torches lit up one by one, and the Deputy General sat on horseback, looking down at the scene before him. There was not a single movement inside the hut, as if there was no one in there at all.

Before long, several scattered boxes were carried over from nearby. The boxes were opened, revealing furs and high-quality ginseng inside.

The Deputy General drew his knife and picked out the furs, noting that the top-quality ones could be used to make leather armor.

Having obtained the contraband, the Deputy General slightly raised the corner of his lips and said, "Lord County Magistrate, keep these items well; they will serve as evidence in the future."

The Zhenzhou County Magistrate swallowed, just about to speak, but the Deputy General couldn’t help but say, "Where are the archers? These people are attempting to resist; kill them immediately."

Upon hearing this, the Zhenzhou County Magistrate’s face changed entirely. He hurriedly said to the Deputy General, "No, we haven’t questioned them yet; there might be another reason for this."

The Deputy General impatiently replied, "There are witnesses and evidence; what else is there to ask?"

"They are villagers from the village," the Zhenzhou County Magistrate interrupted with cold sweat on his forehead. "We cannot do this. If the court finds out, we are all guilty."

The Deputy General, his face shrouded in darkness, looked fierce and threatening: "Just a few civilians, why would the court pursue this? No... that’s wrong; they’re not civilians, they’re traitors colluding with the enemy. Why is Lord County Magistrate defending them so much? Do you have some connection with them?"

"No... it’s not..." The Zhenzhou County Magistrate stammered in shock, "I’m just saying this isn’t right. We should at least bring them to the government office for questioning. According to Daqi’s Law..."

Before the Zhenzhou County Magistrate finished speaking, he felt a tightness in his throat. The Deputy General, unable to tolerate any longer, grabbed his official robe and lifted him up entirely: "What rules? What the National Guardian General says is the rule."

As soon as the Deputy General finished speaking, he waved his hand and the soldiers beside him immediately drew their bows and arrows.

"Swish, swish, swish..." A volley of feathered arrows shot towards the thatched hut.

The Deputy General was certain that the people of Chen Family Village were inside the hut, a group of clueless civilians who, in panic, stacked a few stones in front of the hut, thinking they could block the attack with them.

It must be said, these people from Chen Family Village were somewhat clever to recognize the current situation, but that was the extent of it, as the stones only exposed their location.

Watching the arrows fly forward, the Zhenzhou County Magistrate’s legs grew weak, causing him to fall off his horse.

The Wang Family Steward’s face showed a relaxed smile.

"Thud, thud, thud." The arrows pierced into the hut.

But unexpectedly for the Deputy General, no cries of agony were heard, nor did anyone rush out and open the door.

What is going on here?

The Deputy General personally held a torch and illuminated the scene, but the hut remained silent.

The Deputy General shook the torch in his hand to illuminate the surrounding area, just about to instruct his men to check the hut.

Suddenly, he heard a commanding voice say, "If not witnessed firsthand, it’s unimaginable that people under the National Guardian General would act so lawlessly, disregarding Daqi’s Law. They’re just a few civilians, aren’t they?"

The Deputy General, hearing this, turned to look behind him, but found what appeared to be nothing, yet also seemed like many people were standing there.

Those people, those eyes were fixated on him.

"Who... who is there?" the Deputy General shouted twice, a figure flashed in his mind. Could it be Song Xian who came? He hadn’t distinguished earlier whether the voice was indeed Song Xian’s.

If not Song Xian, then it must be someone under Song Xian.

"It’s someone colluding with the Liao people," the Deputy General shouted, "Seize them all."

"Who is colluding with the Liao people?" The voice from the darkness rang out again, "Are you referring to me?"

The Deputy General was now certain that the speaker was not Song Xian.

Torches lit up one by one, surrounding the Deputy General and Wang Family together.

A person on horseback took a few steps forward, their visage gradually revealed before the Deputy General.

The Deputy General’s eyes widened, disbelief written across his face.

Impossible, the Deputy General instinctively shook his head.

The person in front of him turned out to be Li You.

Li You, who had left Zhenzhou for the capital, now appeared before them.

Li You waved his hand: "Arrest them all. Those who resist will be charged with treason."

The Deputy General did not wish to surrender, but the morale had already crumbled, leading to his capture by Li You in a short period.

Not far from the hut, Song Xian and others witnessed everything. After suggesting her second uncle stack stones for defense, she immediately realized that the piled stones were too conspicuous. And since there was prior arrangement, the fleeing Wang Family would likely draw someone to capture them, thus they couldn’t stay in the hut.

As Song Xian and the others walked out of the hut, Lord Li You’s guards came to report and protected them, waiting for those people to fall into the trap.

The Deputy General was tied up, and Li You strode forward: "Who ordered you to bring troops here?"

The Deputy General saw that the situation had turned against him, fearing the charge of treason, he trembled and said, "Mr. Li, I was just following orders."

The Deputy General hesitated, his face showing complex emotions, evidently uncertain whether to reveal the truth.

Li You glanced at the Zhenzhou County Magistrate beside him, whom the Deputy General then realized was not bound, but standing obediently next to Li You.

The Zhenzhou County Magistrate said, "I believe it was Song Min. Last night I personally saw Song Min interacting with Wang Jian, and then Song Min’s men went to Qi State and nearby military camps."

Thinking of last night, the Zhenzhou County Magistrate felt his left shoulder terribly sore, having been dragged around by Cheng Yanzhao, witnessing all sorts.

Today, he had to accompany the Deputy General to capture people.

On the way to capture, he had to say those things solely to test the Deputy General’s intentions.

"You," the Deputy General glared at the Zhenzhou County Magistrate, "You knew all along."

The Zhenzhou County Magistrate did not respond to the Deputy General, keeping his head down, eyes focused on his nose and heart. Compared to the National Guardian General, Song Min, he feared Song Xian the most, how could he oppose Song Xian? Song Xian’s eyes would truly not tolerate any deceit, and after having worked under Song Xian, he sincerely felt that Song Xian’s influence was the greatest.

The Deputy General slumped entirely: "It was... it was the Third Young Master... Song Min instructed us to come here, kill the people of Chen Family Village, and frame it on the Eldest Master, successfully charging him with the crime of colluding with the enemy.

Once we completed that... the Third Young Master would mobilize troops... to wipe out the Eldest Master and all the troops under his command."