Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 175 Arson in the Streets
Although more than ten days have passed since that palace banquet, Wang Shouzhen's resentment has not diminished much. On the contrary, she is increasingly disappointed because her long-planned scheme has failed, and she is becoming more and more hostile towards Zhang Dai.

For some time, Zhang Dai had been staying at home. No matter how flamboyant and eccentric Wang Shouzhen's actions were, he dared not lead his men to raid the former prime minister's residence, and could only endure and wait.

Having finally waited until Zhang Dai left his home, he could no longer contain himself. He immediately summoned his men and rushed here, determined to capture Zhang Dai in one fell swoop and severely punish and humiliate him.

Zhang Dai had been on guard against this situation and dared not relax his vigilance. Today, in addition to wearing rhinoceros armor, he was accompanied by several guards with high combat skills, including An Xiaochen, Jin Huan, and Yin Huan, who were currently upstairs.

Now that he had indeed been attacked, Zhang Dai was somewhat nervous, but at the same time he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If the other party remains inactive, Zhang Dai will inevitably worry and suspect that they are plotting some malicious scheme, and he will have to expend a lot of energy just to be on guard.

Now, on his first outing after the New Year, he was attacked. Wang Shouzhen brought people to provoke him, which shows that he had been closely watching his movements. Moreover, he did not dare to attack him directly, but waited until he went out before making his move. Obviously, he still had some reservations and did not go crazy recklessly.

He gestured for Li Xia and the others to move closer to the room, while instructing An Xiaochen and the others to guard the stairwell. He pondered a plan in his mind, and at the same time shouted downstairs, "If Wang is willing to stop now, there is still room for maneuver. If he continues to act recklessly, be careful, things will get out of control!"

"I'd like to see how you can get out of control of this situation! Charge!"

Wang Shouzhen ignored Zhang Dai's warning and ordered his servants to rush upstairs. He also instructed, "You few, search this mansion thoroughly. If you find any runaway slaves, arrest them immediately! Also, search the house carefully for any runaway slaves who have smuggled things in, and make sure you have evidence!"

Hearing from upstairs that this fellow not only wanted to arrest people but also wanted to rob his house, Zhang Dai's mind raced and he angrily retorted, "Wang Shouzhen, how dare you break in and plunder under the pretext of arresting slaves! My house contains not only money and silk but also imperial treasures. You cannot bear the responsibility if anything is lost!"

"Zhang Liu is trying to intimidate me with the Emperor's favor? My home is overflowing with gifts bestowed by the Emperor!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouzhen sneered even more and ordered his henchmen, "Search thoroughly for me, and there will be a reward afterward!"

The stairwell was narrow, and although Wang Shouzhen's servants were strong and powerful, they couldn't break through for a while because of the defense of An Xiaochen and the Jin Huan brothers.

However, the courtyard below was unguarded, and the servants and maids were huddled to the side in fear. Wang Shouzhen's followers ransacked the place without restraint, scattering furniture and belongings everywhere, and even some money and silk were found.

Wang Shouzhen and his men's commotion alerted the guards of Wuhou Street stationed in Huixunfang. Soon, a guard with weapons approached and stood at the door, shouting, "Who are you? How dare you enter..."

"We're dealing with matters at the North Gate. You street thugs, don't bother us. Get out!"

Wang Shouzhen first glared and roared fiercely, but then remembered his father's instructions not to take the person back to the North Gate for torture. So he shouted again: "You street thugs have come at the right time. The master here has abducted my runaway slave and is hiding him in his own home. You all come and help me to take him to the police station for interrogation!"

Zhang Dai had been living here for quite some time, and the locals all knew his background. Upon hearing this, their faces fell, and they quickly clasped their hands and said, "Young master, is there some misunderstanding? The owner of this place is the Zhang Yan family..."

"What misunderstanding? Are you deliberately protecting a criminal? You've got some nerve, do you know who I am!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouzhen glared and rebuked him. He also knew people in the Jinwu Guard, but the trip was too rushed and he hadn't had time to inform them yet. As long as Zhang Dai was arrested and brought into the Jinwu Guard's office, someone would naturally come to meet him.

The Southern Garrison is now in decline, while the Northern Garrison is thriving, with even the previously recruited cavalry being transferred to it. Wang Shouzhen, as the head of the Northern Garrison, naturally looks down on these street thugs of the Imperial Guard. After Wang Shouzhen introduced himself, these street thugs complained bitterly, regretting that they had gotten themselves into this mess.

The villa downstairs had been ransacked, but Wang Shouzhen's followers were slow to get upstairs, and Zhang Dai and the others upstairs also needed to ensure their safety for the time being.

Li Xia peeked out and saw the Jinwuwei street thugs entering the house. His eyes lit up immediately, and he quickly shouted, "Help has arrived! Let me call these street thugs to help!"

As he was speaking, he moved toward the window, but before he could even open his mouth, something flew up from downstairs and nearly hit him.

When he peered out again, he saw that the Imperial Guards who had rushed into the house were already standing behind Wang Shouzhen, willingly becoming his helpers. He immediately shouted angrily, "Is the Northern Gate Slave really so arrogant that he even uses the Imperial Guards as his servants!"

His earlier confidence stemmed from the fact that his father, Prince Xin'an, had just received a new appointment after the New Year, becoming the Grand General of the Left Jinwu Guard. Based on this alone, he believed he could rally the street thugs to help him, but now it seemed the situation might not be so simple.

Downstairs, Wang Shouzhen grew increasingly impatient as he couldn't break through the defenses. He ordered his men to pile all the household items under the attic, then roared, "Zhang Liu, do you really intend to stay upstairs forever? If you still refuse to submit and seek your own death, don't blame me for setting the building on fire!"

Zhang Dai also realized that continuing like this was not very meaningful. After the Renri Festival, his grandfather went to Jixian Academy to become a scribe. His father and uncle had both left Luoyang. Even if some relatives came with their servants, they could not fundamentally solve the problem. Only by going downstairs could things develop further.

“Wang’s provocation today is nothing more than an attempt to make things difficult for me. I have several friends upstairs who are unrelated to this dispute; please let them leave. Keeping them here to cause trouble will only make you more enemies and increase your resentment!”

He stood by the window and called down, but before Wang Shouzhen could answer, Li Xia shook his head and said, "I told you, I'm not leaving!" Why the hell is this all an act?

Seeing Li Xia's stubborn loyalty, Zhang Dai felt somewhat helpless and could only say softly, "Only if you leave can you run around trying to rescue me. What good will it do if we stay together? By the way, does Wang Shouzhen know you?"

“I have never liked the nobles of the North Gate, and my family has never associated with them. In recent years, I have been in mourning and have closed my doors to guests. I only saw them once at the palace banquet the other day.”

Upon hearing this, Li Xia quickly added.

Zhang Dai glanced at Li Xia's unremarkable appearance and realized he didn't recognize him. He also thought that Prince Xin'an, who had many children, was someone he'd only briefly met at a palace banquet and probably didn't remember much about.

He also heard Wang Shouzhen's shouts to the Jinwuwei street guards and could understand his thinking. He was worried that taking him to the North Gate would implicate the people in the palace, so he planned to punish and humiliate him outside the neighborhood.

If he learns that the son of Prince Xin'an is a close friend of his, the prince might change his mind and take him away elsewhere.

At this moment, Wang Shouzhen was also downstairs cursing, "I came here today only to teach you a lesson, you ungrateful scoundrel! I have always treated you kindly, and you, you dog..."

He found it difficult to speak of the true reason for the feud between them, but the hatred in his heart was real and surging.

"Don't say anything more later, just go as soon as you can!"

Zhang Dai didn't bother to understand the guy's feelings. He quickly gave some instructions to Li Xia and the others, and then called Ding Qing and Yin Huan aside. He said to Yin Huan first, "You're a new face to me. Go with Li Jiu and the others first, and then hurry to the residence of Duke Guo for help."

He had some acquaintance with Li Xia, but he had only met Prince Xin'an once and was unsure whether the prince would be willing to come to his rescue. So he arranged for Yin Huan to go out and seek help. Upon hearing this order, Yin Huan quickly nodded in agreement.

As for Ding Qing, he had other instructions. He whispered something in the boy's ear, and Ding Qing immediately asked in surprise, "Burn..."

Zhang Dai gestured for him to stop talking, and simply nodded. Then, accompanied by An Xiaochen and Jin Huan, he walked out of the pavilion and came to the outer room, looking at Wang Shouzhen and saying, "I'm going downstairs. What are you going to do?"

"Come with me to Qinghua Ward obediently and confess your crime of harboring my runaway slaves. Return them to their original families, and I will consider whether to be lenient with you!"

Wang Shouzhen first sneered, then looked at the people in the building and said in a deep voice: "Today's matter is only a dispute between me and Zhang Liu, and has nothing to do with you. You should not get involved! I am not even afraid of his grandfather, so you should not cause trouble for yourselves because of a moment of anger!"

The group remained silent, simply following Zhang Dai's instructions. Once Wang Shouzhen's followers had cleared a path, they hurried out.

Seeing these men so cowardly, Wang Shouzhen couldn't help but sneer repeatedly. Then, he glared at Zhang Dai and said in a deep voice, "Come out with me obediently and don't even think about resisting! Tell your servants to quickly lead the two slaves to Qinghuafang to confess their crimes, or they may suffer less physical pain!"

Besides teaching Zhang Dai a lesson, he also wanted to take the opportunity to retrieve the two beautiful maids. He hadn't thought much of them before leaving them idle in the mansion, but after Zhang Dai lured them away, he became increasingly itchy to get rid of them.

Zhang Dai did not insist any further. With An Xiaochen and Jin Huan supporting him from both sides, and under the coercion of Wang Shouzhen's followers, he left his home and headed towards the Jinwuwei yamen in Qinghuafang, north of Luoyang.

But when the group arrived at Xinzhong Bridge, they heard people on both sides exclaiming in surprise. Zhang Dai turned his head and saw thick smoke billowing near Luodi in the Huixunfang section on the south bank, which was close to his own home.

"Wang Shouzhen, you are heartless and insane! I have already been manipulated by you, yet you still ordered your servants to burn down my house and garden!"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Dai immediately pointed at Wang Shouzhen and shouted angrily.

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouzhen glared and retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? Everything was fine when we left just now. Who knows how the fire started!"

"I don't know what caused this. What did you say when you forced me downstairs? It must be that your servants robbed my family of a lot of money and, under this order, secretly planted a fire in the house to destroy the evidence! Otherwise, did my family set fire to the house to frame you?"

Zhang Dai then pointed at Wang Shouzhen's bulging-bellied servants, who were carrying bags in their hands, and said sternly, "These fools think that they can get away with anything just by controlling me and are not afraid of retaliation. Do they even know whose houses are in this neighborhood? If the fire spreads to the left and right, you're dreaming if you think you can get away with this peacefully!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouzhen broke out in a cold sweat. He raised his hand and ordered his two servants, "You two, go back immediately and see what's going on! Quickly gather the thugs from the surrounding neighborhoods and streets to put out the fire!"

(End of this chapter)