Qianzhong Wei was not far from the prefectural city of Qianzhong. It took less than half an hour to reach it by fast horse. Because of its proximity, the soldiers of the Wei garrison were frequently called upon by the prefectural yamen or the commandery.
"Brother Li, what big fish are we catching today? Why have all these prison cells been emptied?" the young soldier asked, wiping sweat from his face. Cleaning cells in the heat of summer was not a job for humans.
The slightly chubby soldier next to him also sidled over and asked, "Yeah, usually people are just thrown into the cells, why is it so troublesome now? Not only do they have to be cleaned, but the cell doors also need to be checked. Who are they locking up?"
The eight people responsible for cleaning all dropped their tools and walked over. They were indeed curious. If they were locking up serious offenders or wanted criminals, checking the cells would make sense.
But they had even cleared out the straw from the cells and swept the floors with brooms. Anyone who didn't know would think they were locking up some noble person. But the key was that they had cleared out five cells in a row. How many prisoners were they locking up?
The soldier called Brother Li glanced around. "Alright, all of you are like gossiping old women. I don't know who they're locking up either, but I heard the Hundred Household mention that these people are highly skilled in martial arts. None of you be curious. If something goes wrong, no one can bear the consequences."
The eight men exchanged glances, and they all understood. Although the Wei garrison was full of masters, a slight mistake could lead to them being used as stepping stones, dying without even knowing how. Caution is the parent of safety.
When the sound of horseshoes echoed outside the Wei garrison's camp, the soldiers of the Wei garrison all looked over in unison. They were even more astonished when they saw that there were two carriages in the convoy.
Not to mention ordinary petty thieves, even notorious bandits or murderous outlaws, after being apprehended by Qianzhong Wei, would be handed over to the prefectural yamen for processing. It was rare for them to be brought back to the Wei garrison, let alone with carriages.
"Is that..."
When they saw a fair-skinned and delicate young girl get off the carriage, the soldiers who were secretly peeking at the entrance were so shocked that they couldn't speak. Why was there a young girl?
"Miss, I'm worried you'll get sunburned." He Nuan took a parasol from the carriage without even looking around and opened it to shield Zhan Feiyu from the sun.
Cao, the Deputy Commander, who had dismounted, glanced back with a deep frown. He suddenly regretted taking on this troublesome task. Not to mention the pampered demeanor of the young girl, she remained unfazed even after arriving at Qianzhong Wei. Could she be an ordinary person?
Zhan Feiyu's expression was calm. The Imperial Guards, who were guarded in groups of five, were also the same. They stood with solemn faces, calm and composed. Anyone who didn't know would think they were the soldiers of Qianzhong Wei garrison, not prisoners.
"General Cao, you can have your men inspect the two carriages, and then park them over here. It will save people from messing around and damaging my carriages." Zhan Feiyu looked towards a patch of woods not far to the left, which was perfect for parking carriages.
Pressing his tongue against his back molars, Deputy Commander Cao was so amused by Zhan Feiyu's nonchalant attitude that he almost laughed. What did she think Qianzhong Wei was? She dared to bargain!
But looking at Zhan Feiyu's fair and rosy face, Deputy Commander Cao wanted to refuse. However, as his gaze swept over his subordinates, Deputy Commander Cao was certain that if Zhan Feiyu gave an order, they would dare to kill, even here at Qianzhong Wei.
Having come ninety-nine steps, he wasn't afraid of the last one!
Just as the soldiers of the Wei garrison thought their hot-tempered Deputy Commander Cao, who would kick people at the slightest disagreement, was about to get angry, they heard him speak.
"Park them in the woods. You two go watch the carriages. Without my command, no one is allowed to approach the carriages!" Deputy Commander Cao was determined to wash his hands of this mess. He had captured the people, and as for the subsequent matters, he would absolutely not get involved. Whatever the Commander wanted, he could do.
No way? The Deputy Commander is so accommodating? Those who were stunned looked at Deputy Commander Cao blankly, but when they met their superior's fierce, murderous gaze, they quickly averted their eyes. Their superior was still their superior. Could it be that because the speaker was a delicate young girl, their superior was so lenient?
Regardless of what everyone thought, Zhan Feiyu smiled and thanked them, then took the lead and walked into the camp, occasionally looking around, as leisurely as if she were taking a stroll to Qianzhong Wei garrison.
What family raised this little girl? She was truly bold! Deputy Commander Cao couldn't be bothered to look at Zhan Feiyu. He sternly ordered his subordinates, "Take them all to the prison and guard them. Tell that brat Tao An that unless they have the tokens of Commander Xu and myself, no one is allowed to step into the prison. Not a drop of water or a grain of rice is to be sent in!"
This was to prevent someone from poisoning them to silence before the matter was clarified. Of course, seeing how composed these people were, Deputy Commander Cao couldn't help but suspect who would be silenced in the end. But no matter what, the necessary instructions had to be given clearly.
After speaking, he looked up at Zhan Feiyu walking ahead, and then at He Sheng and He Nuan on either side. Deputy Commander Cao couldn't be bothered to say more. He knew without asking that these two personal guards would not leave.
A quarter of an hour later, Zhan Feiyu, He Sheng, and He Nuan were temporarily confined in an empty room on the west side of the camp. It looked more like a small hall for guests. It was probably not used much, as the tables and chairs were covered in a layer of dust.
"Miss, no one is eavesdropping outside." He Sheng carefully listened at the two windows. The closest one was more than twenty feet away, so as long as the voices inside were not too loud, people outside could not hear them at all.
Zhan Feiyu wiped the sweat from her face. After the journey, the ice in the carriage had long since melted into water. It was already preferential treatment to have a room to stay in instead of being locked in a prison. As for ice, she couldn't expect it.
"Are there no our people in Qianzhong Wei?" Zhan Feiyu asked. If there were, she wouldn't have received no news at all before.
"Qianzhong Wei Commander Xu Heng, Deputy Commanders Cao Dey i and Zhu Ping. Commander Xu is from a farming family. He became a Commander through his martial arts skills. The Cao family, where Cao Deyi belongs, is also a military family, but the highest official position they reached was his. Zhu Ping is from the Zhu family, and in terms of relation, he is a distant uncle of Magistrate Zhu."
He Sheng glanced at the door again, his voice lowered slightly, "Commander Yin of the Commandery is our person."
Commandery Governor Tongzhi Yin Ling, a third-rank military official. Since he had not sent any news to the Imperial Guards, it meant that this operation was a private action by Qianzhong Wei, and it had been kept very secret, with no news leaking out. Otherwise, Commander Yin would not have been unaware.
After listening, Zhan Feiyu narrowed her eyes and muttered, "I wonder who in Qianzhong Wei has a connection with Grandfather."
...
On the other side, after a trip that left him drenched in sweat, Deputy Commander Cao was filled with suppressed anger.
He strode into the room and looked at Commander Xu and Deputy Commander Zhu, who were leisurely sitting by the ice basin to cool off. He gritted his teeth in anger. "Next time there's such a troublesome matter, don't look for me. I'm not a runner! What is all this!"
"It's just that Your Excellency's status is too noble." Deputy Commander Zhu, who was in his fifties, smiled slyly like those merchants. His face was kind, but his eyes were sharp.
Although Commander Xu was only a fifth-rank official, he was in charge of more than ten hundred household posts under Qianzhong Prefecture, and even had some say in the Commandery. Therefore, the task of arresting people was indeed not suitable for Commander Xu to handle.
He pulled over a chair and sat down. Deputy Commander Cao glared at the smiling Deputy Commander Zhu with his bull-like eyes. "What about you?"
"I need to avoid suspicion," Deputy Commander Zhu said with a smile. He got up, poured a cup of cool tea for Deputy Commander Cao, and handed it over. "It's not like the person just left the Liuxian County managed by my nephew, and then I, his uncle, arrested him."
He gulped down the cup of water in one go. Deputy Commander Cao was still not appeased. He slammed the teacup onto the table. "Why should we get involved in this mess? That little girl is no ordinary person. I even have to send people to guard two broken carriages. This isn't capturing a prisoner; it's inviting an ancestor back!"
If Zhan Feiyu had shown even a hint of fear or trepidation on her face, Deputy Commander Cao wouldn't have felt so wronged. It was precisely because she was too calm that Deputy Commander Cao realized Zhan Feiyu was fearless. It was obvious that she was a hot potato.
Fearing that the two would not believe him, Deputy Commander Cao quickly recounted the events. "I've had people temporarily detain the young girl in the west room. Your Excellency, the news will definitely not be kept secret. The Commandery will surely send people over."