Chapter 414
Before Zhan Feiyu could ask Prefect Yuan in detail about the Jin family, a commotion arose outside the inn, and He Nuan's voice sounded at the door.
"Miss, someone is here." He Nuan stood at the railing on the second floor and looked at the group of people rushing into the lobby. They were all burly, strong men in dark, fitted attire, clearly trained fighters.
The attendant guarding the room outside also frowned, then added, "Sir, those are people from the Weiwu Escort Agency."
Escort agencies dealt with dangerous work, so it was no wonder these men were so aggressive.
Inside the room, Prefect Yuan's expression was calm as he explained to Zhan Feiyu, "The Weiwu Escort Agency, including this Dong Sheng Inn, are all properties of the Jin family. They just have different nominal owners on the surface."
From the intelligence Prefect Yuan had gathered over the years, the Jin family was the behind-the-scenes manipulator of many businesses in Minhe Prefecture. However, the Jin family was extremely cautious, always finding someone to act as the public face. If anything went wrong, these individuals would take the blame, leaving the Jin family completely unscathed.
"If the Jin family are spies for the barbarians, then they are after the roster," Zhan Feiyu glanced at the desk by the window. Although the roster had been disguised with the cover of "Ming Fu Ji," Ah Nuan was meticulous, and the book was eventually placed in a hidden compartment within the wooden trunk used for luggage.
"The barbarians' ambition to destroy our Daqing remains undying. Now that Old General Yang has regained military command, the barbarians can only seek other methods." Prefect Yuan possessed the integrity and pride of a Daqing scholar. Having served in Minhe Prefecture for many years, he harbored a deep hatred for the brutal, bloodthirsty, and inhumane barbarians.
After the General's Mansion was reinstated, the barbarians had besieged Xiangwu County on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month. In the new year, General Yang led a team of elite cavalry to raid several barbarian camps.
Although they did not capture livestock like cattle and sheep, they burned the barbarian granaries, killed over three hundred barbarian cavalrymen, and brought back more than twenty fine breed horses.
With the General's Mansion guarding the border, the barbarians would no longer be able to encroach upon Daqing's cities. Therefore, upon learning that Zhan Feiyu possessed the roster, Prefect Yuan deduced that the barbarians would inevitably make a move.
Prefect Yuan had long suspected the Jin family of colluding with the barbarians. Now that the Weiwu Escort Agency had arrived, Prefect Yuan's suspicions were further solidified. If the barbarians obtained this roster and gained firm control over the officials in Suzhou Prefecture and its neighboring prefectures, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The commotion grew louder. Zhan Feiyu stood up, "Does Your Excellency wish to withdraw?"
"Miss Zhan, please be careful." Prefect Yuan was in disguise and had no intention of revealing his identity to the people from the Weiwu Escort Agency.
In the inn's lobby, Cai Bao, the leader, waved his hand, "You few guard the staircase, don't let a single fly out. You few follow me upstairs!"
"Yes, escort leader!" More than a dozen strong men responded in unison, their voices booming like thunder.
Not only were the few scattered guests in the lobby startled and pale, but even the pedestrians on the street were taken aback. Peeking inside, they saw the dark, fitted attire with dragon and tiger motifs embroidered on the back and immediately understood these were people from the Weiwu Escort Agency.
The more timid passersby quickened their pace, fearing that by watching the commotion, they might provoke the Weiwu Escort Agency, which could result in anything from a severe beating to broken limbs.
Zhan Feiyu opened the door and walked out, seeing two burly men guarding the inn's entrance and four standing at the staircase. The remaining dozen or so followed Cai Bao, quickly blocking the corridor on the second floor.
"Miss, three of them are experts," He Nuan whispered as she retreated to Zhan Feiyu's side. For He Nuan to call them experts, their skills, even if not comparable to the trained assassins of noble families, would at least make them captains in the army.
Zhan Feiyu glanced at He Sheng standing in the lobby below, then looked at Cai Bao and the others. Their imposing presence was indeed intimidating; ordinary people would certainly not dare to provoke them.
Cai Bao deliberately increased the tempo of his footsteps, his heavy tread echoing on the wooden floor. Combined with his bear-like physique, he was enough to scare children into crying.
After a few steps, Cai Bao looked down at Zhan Feiyu, shaking his fist, which was as large as a bowl. His hoarse voice boomed menacingly, "You're not old, but you have quite a temper. You dare to lay hands on my brothers, little girl, are you tired of living?"
"So what?" a clear voice rang out. Zhan Feiyu curled her lips, her fair face tilted slightly upwards. Despite her charmingly sweet appearance, her smile exuded undisguised provocation and arrogance. "Ah Nuan, anyone who dares to come within a step of me, kill without mercy!"
Not only did Cai Bao freeze for a moment, but the two attendants brought by Prefect Yuan were also taken aback. It was likely that no one had expected Zhan Feiyu to be even more arrogant than Cai Bao, daring to utter the words "kill without mercy" in broad daylight and under the eyes of everyone!
"If the Jin family are spies for the barbarians, then they are after the roster," Zhan Feiyu glanced at the desk by the window. Although the roster had been disguised with the cover of "Ming Fu Ji," Ah Nuan was meticulous, and the book was eventually placed in a hidden compartment within the wooden trunk used for luggage.
"The barbarians' ambition to destroy our Daqing remains undying. Now that Old General Yang has regained military command, the barbarians can only seek other methods." Prefect Yuan possessed the integrity and pride of a Daqing scholar. Having served in Minhe Prefecture for many years, he harbored a deep hatred for the brutal, bloodthirsty, and inhumane barbarians.
After the General's Mansion was reinstated, the barbarians had besieged Xiangwu County on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month. In the new year, General Yang led a team of elite cavalry to raid several barbarian camps.
Although they did not capture livestock like cattle and sheep, they burned the barbarian granaries, killed over three hundred barbarian cavalrymen, and brought back more than twenty fine breed horses. "The barbarians' ambition to destroy our Daqing remains undying. Now that Old General Yang has regained military command, the barbarians can only seek other methods." Prefect Yuan possessed the integrity and pride of a Daqing scholar. Having served in Minhe Prefecture for many years, he harbored a deep hatred for the brutal, bloodthirsty, and inhumane barbarians.
With the General's Mansion guarding the border, the barbarians would no longer be able to encroach upon Daqing's cities. Therefore, upon learning that Zhan Feiyu possessed the roster, Prefect Yuan deduced that the barbarians would inevitably make a move.
Prefect Yuan had long suspected the Jin family of colluding with the barbarians. Now that the Weiwu Escort Agency had arrived, Prefect Yuan's suspicions were further solidified. If the barbarians obtained this roster and gained firm control over the officials in Suzhou Prefecture and its neighboring prefectures, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The commotion grew louder. Zhan Feiyu stood up, "Does Your Excellency wish to withdraw?"
"Miss Zhan, please be careful." Prefect Yuan was in disguise and had no intention of revealing his identity to the people from the Weiwu Escort Agency.
In the inn's lobby, Cai Bao, the leader, waved his hand, "You few guard the staircase, don't let a single fly out. You few follow me upstairs!"
"Yes, escort leader!" More than a dozen strong men responded in unison, their voices booming like thunder.
Not only were the few scattered guests in the lobby startled and pale, but even the pedestrians on the street were taken aback. Peeking inside, they saw the dark, fitted attire with dragon and tiger motifs embroidered on the back and immediately understood these were people from the Weiwu Escort Agency.
The more timid passersby quickened their pace, fearing that by watching the commotion, they might provoke the Weiwu Escort Agency, which could result in anything from a severe beating to broken limbs.
Zhan Feiyu opened the door and walked out, seeing two burly men guarding the inn's entrance and four standing at the staircase. The remaining dozen or so followed Cai Bao, quickly blocking the corridor on the second floor.
"Miss, three of them are experts," He Nuan whispered as she retreated to Zhan Feiyu's side. For He Nuan to call them experts, their skills, even if not comparable to the trained assassins of noble families, would at least make them captains in the army.
Zhan Feiyu glanced at He Sheng standing in the lobby below, then looked at Cai Bao and the others. Their imposing presence was indeed intimidating; ordinary people would certainly not dare to provoke them.
Cai Bao deliberately increased the tempo of his footsteps, his heavy tread echoing on the wooden floor. Combined with his bear-like physique, he was enough to scare children into crying.
After a few steps, Cai Bao looked down at Zhan Feiyu, shaking his fist, which was as large as a bowl. His hoarse voice boomed menacingly, "You're not old, but you have quite a temper. You dare to lay hands on my brothers, little girl, are you tired of living?"
"So what?" a clear voice rang out. Zhan Feiyu curled her lips, her fair face tilted slightly upwards. Despite her charmingly sweet appearance, her smile exuded undisguised provocation and arrogance. "Ah Nuan, anyone who dares to come within a step of me, kill without mercy!"
Not only did Cai Bao freeze for a moment, but the two attendants brought by Prefect Yuan were also taken aback. It was likely that no one had expected Zhan Feiyu to be even more arrogant than Cai Bao, daring to utter the words "kill without mercy"!