Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 446 Killing the Enemy
The end of Hai hour and the beginning of Zi hour.

Sheng Mansion, West Corner Gate.

The night was as thick as ink, pressing down heavily and swallowing the upturned eaves of the mansion, leaving only a blurry outline.

Inside the mansion, all the masters had left—the old lady and the eldest daughter-in-law, along with Minglan and Rulan, "coincidentally" went to the Zhongqin Earl's mansion to visit Hualan, who was "sick," while Sheng Hong and his son Sheng Changbai had not yet returned home from their official duties. Even Sheng Changbai's wife, Hai Chaoyun, brought Zhuojie'er along with the eldest daughter-in-law to take care of her.

The entire mansion was enveloped in an unusual emptiness and silence.

Without a leader, the servants inevitably become lax.

The night patrol servants leaned against the pillars of the corridor, holding their clappers, their heads nodding off. The maids on night duty gathered in the side room, chatting and laughing softly by the dim light of the oil lamp, their eyelids drooping heavily.

The once bustling Sheng Mansion during the day now seemed to have been emptied of its soul, leaving only the faint whistling of the wind rustling through the withered branches, which made the stillness of the night all the more unsettling.

Old Zhang, the gatekeeper who should have been on duty at the west corner gate, was now huddled inside the gatehouse, eating a plate of peanuts and sipping cheap liquor. His cloudy old eyes were half-closed as he pondered the hefty reward promised by Lin Xiaoniang and how to sneak open a crack without anyone noticing...

Inside Zeyu Hall, a warm yellow candlelight shone through the window lattice, flickering and casting shadows on the window paper, outlining the silhouette of a slender figure sleeping at a desk, as if the homeowner, Sheng Changquan, had already fallen into a deep sleep, completely unaware of the impending storm.

Inside Linxi Pavilion, Lin Qinshuang paced back and forth restlessly, like an ant on a hot pan. Her expensive brocade skirt swept across the floor, making a rustling sound.

She would stop from time to time, listening intently to the monotonous dripping of the water clock outside the window, or the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper. Each slight sound made her heart skip a beat.

Zhou Xueniang stood by with her hands at her sides, her face appearing exceptionally pale in the candlelight. She dared not breathe loudly, and she too pricked up her ears to catch any unusual sounds in the night.

From the direction of the ancestral hall, faint, intermittent sobs of Mo Lan could be heard, adding to the desolation in the silence.

There was nothing she could do; she had hurt Sheng Hong's dream of a top scholar, so she was punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall to reflect on her actions, and she has not been released from this punishment to this day.

The Sheng Changfeng courtyard, located near the western wall and in a secluded area, was already pitch black and deathly silent.

He took leave early during dinner, citing "worrying about catching a cold, feeling dizzy and unwell."

Since his younger sister Mo Lan was punished in the ancestral hall, and he himself was also neglected by his father, coupled with the approaching spring imperial examination and his repeated failures, the pressure and uncertainty of preparing for the spring imperial examination this time made him even more restless.

At this moment, there wasn't a single light in Sheng Changfeng's courtyard, but the master was not at rest.

At the west corner gate, Zhang Laosi, the gatekeeper, peeked around for a moment to make sure no one was around and the night patrol was far away.

He licked his chapped lips, thinking of the heavy silver ingots that Lin Xiaoniang had given him. He gritted his teeth, and with trembling hands, he stretched out his withered hands and used all his strength to slowly move the heavy, cold iron bolt, creating a narrow gap that only allowed one person to squeeze through sideways.

After doing all this, he shrank back into the gatehouse like a frightened mouse, slammed the door shut, leaned against the door and gasped for breath, his heart pounding and cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

And almost the instant that gap appeared!
Several dark shadows, deeper and faster than the night, like boneless ink or venomous snakes gliding along the ground, silently "flowed" in through the gap!

The leader was none other than "Over the Mountain Wind" Zhao Mang, with broad shoulders and a thick back. His bowed legs carried the savage and domineering air unique to mountain bandits.

His triangular eyes gleamed with a greedy and cruel light in the darkness. Behind him followed four equally burly, menacing thugs with fierce eyes.

Finally, two shifty-looking thugs, who had been temporarily brought in for courage, squeezed in, their teeth chattering with nervousness.

"You all better be smart!" Guo Shanfeng said in a hoarse voice, "Find Ze Yutang. Target—cripple that brat's right hand! Be quick and keep it as quiet as possible! Anyone who messes up, I'll cripple them first!"

He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for the riches and the thrill of revenge, completely unaware that he was stepping into a battlefield.

However, just as all seven of them squeezed through the side gate and their feet touched the soft soil inside the Sheng residence—

"Bang—!!!"

A deafening roar, so heavy it shattered one's heart, exploded like a thunderclap from the heavens!
The gap was violently slammed shut by an immense force!
The heavy iron bolt slammed down with a clatter, producing a piercing metallic clang that instantly shut out the inside from the outside!
The loud slam of the door in the dead of night was like a powder keg exploding!
"Damn it! There's an ambush!!"

The mountain wind was so strong it made even the dead tremble! The venomous snake hook at his waist snapped out with a "whoosh," sweeping behind him with a stench!

However, he was not met with screams!

It's light!

The cold, piercing light of torches suddenly shone from all directions!

In an instant, the inner courtyard of the side gate was illuminated as bright as day!
It's a shadow!

From the shadows at the base of the wall, the holes in the artificial hill, and the tops of withered trees, like vengeful ghosts, more than a dozen agile figures suddenly rose up!

Dressed in black and masked, with eyes as cold as ice, short blades, steel spikes, and throwing knives gleamed in their hands—the Tiger Might Escort Agency's "Sharp Blade" Squad!
No shouting!

There was only the sharp sound of a weapon tearing through the air and the muffled groan of a blade piercing flesh!
"Pfft!"

"Well--!"

The last two thugs were pierced through the throat and heart by several cold lights and died instantly!
Blood splattered like ink!

"Damn it! Get out of here!!" Overwind's eyes were bloodshot as he brandished his venomous hook like a mad tiger! Bald-tailed Rat and the others drew their knives and axes to fight back.

"clang!"

The perilous mountain pass was thwarted by Wang Feng's slash, leaving his arm numb!
The retaliatory poison hook was precisely deflected by another short blade!

Their movements were so fast they startled him!

What terrified him even more was that his four trusted confidants screamed in agony as they were being strangled by the "sharp blade," and two more of them fell in the blink of an eye!
The bald-tailed rat had half of its shoulder cut off, and it screamed and rolled around in agony!
"Lu Hongti! You stinking woman!!"

The mountain wind recognized Nightmare Movement Technique and roared hoarsely!

His response was an even more ferocious attack!
Wang Feng's sword strikes were like a raging torrent, causing his tiger's mouth to split open!

confusion!

The shadow of death completely shattered the mountain wind!
escape!
He endured the kick to the back, coughing up blood as he used the force to break through the blockade, and ran for his life toward the seemingly dark and safe Linxi Pavilion, far away from the firelight!

In a panic, they didn't know which way to go!

However, he was unaware that this seemingly deserted road was actually surrounded and secretly rigged with traps...

……

Sheng Changfeng paced back and forth along the secluded bamboo path, his mind in a daze.

The younger sister was crying in the ancestral hall. She was rejected by her father, and the pressure of the imperial examinations was immense. After failing repeatedly, she felt lost and helpless.

The cold look in his father's eyes and the words "rotten wood cannot be carved" still echoed in his ears during the day, gnawing at him with shame, indignation, and despair.

The cold moonlight shone through the bamboo shadows, illuminating his pale, ashen face. He unconsciously, almost self-destructively, tugged at the bamboo leaves.

suddenly!

Heavy, staggering footsteps and labored breathing like a broken bellows came from behind the artificial hill in front!
Filled with terror and violence!
Sheng Changfeng looked up in astonishment, his heart suddenly stopping!

A burly man, covered in blood and with a ferocious face like a demon, charged out like a mad bull!

The venomous snake hook in his hand was stained with blood and gleamed coldly!

A strong, pungent smell of blood filled the air!

"Who goes there?! Someone help me—!" Sheng Changfeng screamed in terror, his soul almost leaving his body.
That scream was like a death knell!

The mountain wind howled fiercely: "Those who block my way shall die!!" The venomous hook, carrying a foul stench, swung with all its might at Sheng Changfeng's right hand, who was instinctively raising his arm to block the way!
"Click——!!!"

A clear, piercing sound of bones breaking!
"Ah—!!!" A bloodcurdling scream, so shrill it was inhuman, pierced the night sky!
Sheng Changfeng was sent flying by a tremendous force and crashed heavily to the ground!
His right arm was twisted grotesquely, bone fragments piercing through his skin and sleeve, blood staining his brocade robe!

The excruciating pain instantly overwhelmed his consciousness, and he passed out!
The mountain wind didn't even glance at it, wanting to escape.

"Zhao Mang! Prepare to die!"

His cold, angry shout exploded like a thunderclap!
A sharp, incomparable silver blade of light tore through the darkness!
Lu Hongti, enraged, launched a counterattack!
"Pfft——!"

The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning!

The mountain wind froze!
A huge, slit-like wound ran across his chest, so deep that the bone was visible!

Blood gushed from his internal organs!

He gasped for breath, and with difficulty turned his head, only to see Lu Hongti's cold figure and indifferent eyes under the moonlight as he sheathed his sword.

“It’s…you…” The fierce light froze, turning to ashes.

The massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of blood.

The notorious bandits of Lüliang died as easily as bedbugs.

At the same time, the battle at the corner gate ended.

Wang Feng coldly surveyed the scene: "Clean up the site, erase all traces, and restore it to its original state."

The "Sharp Blade" team acted efficiently, dragging the body, washing away the bloodstains, and covering up the evidence...

A moment later, only a faint trace of blood remained near the side gate, as if nothing had happened.

The iron bolt is locked.