Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 501 Run

Xu En stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the scene before him.

Madam Xie sent Yang Xiaoshan to deliver a message to him, saying that she might have found out Xia Ziqiao's whereabouts, and he immediately secretly mobilized his men to ambush him here.

Afterwards, Madam Xie met Zhao Zhongliang and devised a plan to work together from the inside and outside, which stopped these people here.

Only those who have experienced it firsthand can believe that someone can actually "disappear into thin air".

While the imperial court was arresting criminals everywhere, the guards at the city gates were bribed, and the checkpoints on the Bian River were rendered useless.

If he hadn't brought his troops, these ships would have been able to leave Bianjing smoothly.

Even if you dig three feet into the ground, you won't be able to find these people.

Xu En was curious about the background of the person behind Xia Mengxian. How could so many people be gathered to serve him?

Not only were there a large amount of ironware on the ships, but their men were all like desperate criminals. Knowing they were being blocked, they didn't choose to escape, but instead killed and tried to break through the checkpoint.

Even with such thorough preparations, four soldiers were still killed, three fell into the water and disappeared, and more than a dozen soldiers were lightly or seriously wounded.

Xu En didn't dare to think about what the consequences would be if he let these people go.
Even if they manage to take down Xia Mengxian, they will be able to make a comeback in a few years.

What use are the things they do today?
Shaking off the bloodstains from his steel blade, Xu En pointed to the ship in front of him. He didn't need to say anything more; the soldiers knew what to do.

Arrest those who do not resist, and execute those who do.

“As you all know,” a soldier on a ship quickly approached, “we stopped that ship, but there were only two boatmen on board, not the person we are looking for.”

Just as Sun Changchun led his men to "break through the checkpoint," Xu En had already met him and learned about the Third Manager and Liu Yigui from Sun Changchun.

So this time they came specifically to see the Third Manager.

Xu En frowned: "Search the nearby water immediately; they can't escape."

As soon as Xu En finished speaking, Zhao Zhongliang's boat came alongside.

Zhao Zhongliang boarded Xu En's large ship, and without regard for anything else, he stepped forward, bowed, and asked, "Have you captured the Third Manager?"

Xu En shook his head: "We didn't see the person in charge inside the ship we surrounded. Have you seen the Third Manager? Can you describe his appearance and age?"

Zhao Zhongliang shook his head. This was the most troublesome part: "They were still wary of me, so they had the Third Manager speak to me through the cabin. I didn't see the Third Manager's face, but I knew he was a man under fifty years old."

"However, we captured Liu Yigui."

Xu En said, "People like them... won't easily reveal the truth. If we rush to ask, they'll find out that the Third Manager has escaped, and they'll shut their mouths even tighter."

“Perhaps he’s mixed in with those guards and men,” Xu En said, looking at Zhao Zhongliang. “Go and check on those who have been arrested. If you find anyone suspicious, have the soldiers lock them up in a separate room.”

These tasks can only be left to Zhao Zhongliang.

Zhao Zhongliang nodded, but he was still a little worried. If he couldn't find the Third Manager, at least half of his efforts tonight would be wasted.

Xu En saw through Zhao Zhongliang's thoughts: "Besides us, Madam Xie and the people from the Bianjing porcelain business are also around. They haven't shown themselves yet because they're preventing any from slipping through the net."

Zhao Zhongliang's eyes lit up immediately. He naturally trusted Madam Xie. Everything tonight was secretly controlled by Madam Xie. He still didn't know how Madam Xie had found him.

The large ship belonging to the Buddhist Registry that suddenly appeared was like a beacon in the darkness. Zhao Zhongliang said, "So, Madam hasn't left yet."

Xu En smiled and said, "Back in Daming Prefecture, the situation was even more frightening than this, and even Madam Xie didn't try to escape." He stopped there, not wanting to dwell on the details.

Knowing the urgency of the situation and that now was not the time to talk, Zhao Zhongliang hurriedly followed Xu En's men to identify the people.

After arranging these matters, Xu En looked at the general beside him and said, "There are still a few ships whose men we haven't captured."

He was referring to those who had been sidelined at the beginning, including Xia Ziqiao.

The general said, "I will lead my men there immediately and will not let them escape."

The others naturally had to go with him to capture the third manager.

……

In the darkness, three people emerged from the Bian River.

They gasped for breath, but didn't bother to rest. They quickly determined their direction and continued onward.

There was a shed not far from here, which they had scouted out beforehand. Several boatmen were waiting in the shed. The third manager was just afraid that something might go wrong, so he arranged a last resort for himself.

"Third Manager," the guard whispered, "hold on a little longer, we'll be there soon."

The third manager nodded: "Let's go quickly."

The two guards responded and swam with the third manager again, the three of them diving into the river like three fish.

The sounds of fighting on the river faded into the distance. This time, without stopping for a moment, the three swam straight to a relatively quiet section of the river, where they spotted a small boat.

Behind the small boat are the sheds built by the boatmen.

The third manager stopped and did not go forward. Two guards went to investigate the situation first. Soon, two people came out of the shed and together they welcomed the third manager into the shed to rest.

The boatmen were overjoyed to see the Third Manager. They were the people the Third Manager had ordered to stay on the Bian River. If the Third Manager's departure did not go smoothly, he would come looking for them, and they would escort him out of Bianjing.

In other words, if everything goes smoothly, the Third Manager won't need them, and they'll have to stay on the Bian River as boatmen. The hardships of being a boatman are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. If they can return to the sea with the Third Manager, they won't have to endure such hardship.

Fearing being watched by others, the group dared not light any lamps. A guard stood outside, keeping a close watch on the surroundings, not daring to relax for a moment.

The third manager asked the boatman, "Is there anything unusual tonight?"

The boatman hurriedly replied, "No, our hut is built in an inconspicuous place. There are no other boatmen nearby, and no boats will be passing by tonight."

They hid in the shacks, watching the river through the windows, ready to spot any boats that came by.

The boatman wanted to ask what was happening outside, but he didn't dare to speak. He simply said, "Third Manager, change your clothes and rest for a while."

The third manager shook his head: "Those soldiers will come after us, we have to find a way to get ashore." When he saw the government ships surrounding them, he knew there was a traitor among them. Later, when he heard someone call Zhao Chuan's name, he understood everything.

Zhao Chuan had never met him, but he knew of his existence and would definitely lead the government to search for him. They needed to leave before the government arrived, find a place to hide, and then make further plans.

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