Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 519 Lin Daiyu: You naughty senior brother~ I wanted to say goodbye to you, but I couldn't find you anywhere~
"I'm going to clean up the rubbish, what are you going to do there?"

Lin Dao found it hard to understand. The Lin Daiyu in the book was intelligent and had seen early on who was trying to trick him and who disliked him.

But as an orphan, how could they cope? Weren't they always miserable and prone to tears?

What I encountered was different from what was described in the book.

Is this person in front of me, who throws tantrums at the drop of a hat, acts cute and charming, and has a bright smile, really Lin Daiyu?
"There will be bloodshed soon."

"People will die!"

Lin Dao coaxed and threatened, "The blood spurted out several feet high, and it was so smeared on the ground that water couldn't wash it off!"

"The smell is fishy and pungent, making one want to vomit."

"Ah~" Lin Daiyu was so frightened that her face turned pale. She let go of her hands, covered her face, and ran away.

"You little brat." With a flick of his hand, Lin Dao set off.

More than a hundred feet away from the Guandi Temple, in the dark forest path, thermal imaging cameras were put on.

Compared to night vision devices and low-light devices, thermal imagers are more effective.

Because as long as someone is alive, they will radiate heat, and there's nowhere to hide.

He raised the rifle, which was equipped with a special silencer purchased at great expense. With Lin Dao's arm strength, he didn't need to use anything; he simply held his arm horizontally as a gun mount.

Of course, the alloy armor on the arms can provide insulation.

'Puff puff puff puff~'

In less than half an incense stick's time, all the scouts and ambushes around the Guandi Temple were cleared out.

Only the coachman, packhorse, and Jia Lian's personal servant remained outside the Guandi Temple.

"Lin Daiyu was born with superhuman strength!"

"I also have technology to protect me."

"When I go to sleep at night, I need to ask my master why I'm the only one who can command the wind and rain."

Inside the Guandi Temple, Jia Lian is undergoing a test.

"We've already given you the silver notes, what more do you want?"

Jia Lian angrily flung his hand away, shouting, "A man should keep his word!"

"Young Master Jia, you've misunderstood."

The leader smiled kindly and spoke calmly, "We simply wish to ask Young Master Jia for help in obtaining an audience with the Salt Commissioner."

Several thousand taels of silver is a huge sum, but it's nothing to those behind the scenes.

What they really wanted was a chance to get close to Lin Ruhai.

Logically speaking, there should be quite a few outsiders who can get close to Lin Ruhai.

People in the government offices, the big salt merchants in the salt merchants' guild, and so on, could all approach him legitimately.

The problem is that these people all have official status.

Given their status, it's hard to imagine them being willing to commit the crime of wiping out their entire family as assassins.

Even if it were Ken, once the imperial envoy investigates, everyone involved will be caught.

Moreover, the emperor would use this as an opportunity to carry out a large-scale purge.

Therefore, an assassin must be an anonymous person, someone who appears to have no connection with anyone.

This is the same principle as when poisoning someone was done by pretending to be sick.

"Who are you?"

Following Lin Dao's instructions, Jia Lian stalled for time as much as possible, asking, "Why do you want to see the Salt Commissioner?"

"We are interested in getting into the salt business and would like to request Lord Lin to issue us salt permits."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian knew they were talking nonsense.

Salt permits were issued by the imperial court and sold exclusively by salt merchants' guilds.

Lin Ruhai himself was not qualified to issue salt permits; he was in charge of supervising the collection of salt taxes and managing the salt merchants' monopoly.

If Lin Ruhai could issue salt permits, supervise and collect salt taxes, and manage salt merchants, then his power would be immense!

'Zihou was right after all; they were heading straight for my uncle.'

"Brother Zihou, come quickly and save me!"

The group used threats and inducements, threatening to expose his shameful deeds and offering him money, beautiful women, and shares.

But Jia Lian insisted that he was just a distant relative and didn't have that ability.

He's just a womanizer, not a fool.

Just as everyone was getting impatient and was about to resort to violence.

The dilapidated, half-closed gate of the Guandi Temple was kicked open.

Lin Dao, clad in fine armor and wearing a scarlet cloak, appeared before the crowd with a tall and imposing figure, resembling Guan Yu descended to earth.

This time, Lin Dao didn't bring firearms; instead, he carried a large Guan Dao (a type of halberd).

Everyone looked over in astonishment. What was this thing?
Lin Dao remained silent, simply gripping the large guandao horizontally with both hands, stepping forward, and bringing the blade down with a swift motion.

'puff! '

A severed head slid off with the blade.

Blood pressure in his neck spiked, and blood spurted several feet high.

Until the head fell to the ground and blood splattered everywhere.

The people inside the Guandi Temple finally came to their senses.

Those who were threatening Jia Lian drew their weapons and stepped forward.

As for Jia Lian himself, he yelled and shrunk into a ball, rolling behind the clay statue of Guan Yu to hide.

He peered out from the side of the clay sculpture, cautiously watching the battle unfold.

If nothing unexpected happens, it should be Zihou who arrives.

But where did he get such fine armor?!
It's not uncommon for armor to be exposed, but it's mostly chainmail and the like.

But Brother Zihou was wearing heavy armor for fighting on the battlefield.

Such heavy armor would not be sought after at great expense unless one intended to rebel.

While he was still wondering, Lin Dao had already started a killing spree.

The large halberd, made of alloy steel, weighs tens of kilograms.

But in Lin Dao's hands, it was as light as a wooden stick.

Flying up and down, slashing left and right.

With each stab, someone screamed and collapsed to the ground.

As for counterattacks, those swords, spears, and daggers are utterly useless against full-body heavy armor.

Seeing his men suffer heavy casualties, the leader reached into his robes and pulled out a pistol.

He held a gun in one hand, pointing it at Lin Dao, and used the other hand to light a tinderbox, aiming it at the medicine gate.

Jia Lian, hiding behind the clay figure, screamed in alarm.

Lin Dao, who had been in control of the entire situation, had already seen it all along.

As the gunpowder in the medicine room burned, Lin Dao suddenly raised the large Guan Dao in his hand.

'boom! '

There was a muffled sound.

The lead bullet whistled through the air and struck the upright head.

With a metallic clang, the lead bullet was crushed, shattered, and scattered on the ground.

The few survivors were all stunned.

That's incredible insight.

What they didn't notice was that the impact of the lead bullet didn't even make Lin Dao shake slightly. The leader was still in a daze; after all, it was the first time he had ever seen someone withstand a lead bullet at close range.

But the next moment, Lin Dao swung his large Guan Dao backhand.

The fighting inside the Guandi Temple, or rather, the one-sided massacre, quickly came to an end.

"Come out."

Lin Dao, behind his mask, shook off the bloodstains from the blade. His voice was muffled.

Jia Lian walked out shakily from behind the clay statue of Guan Yu.

Looking at the severed limbs scattered all over the ground, Jia Lian trembled violently.

He forced himself to fight off his fear, gritting his teeth, "How...how can we not leave someone alive to question the mastermind behind this?"

"They're all small fry."

Lin Dao turned and left, saying, "No need to waste time."

"It's time for you to go back."

The next morning, Jia Lian, who was too frightened to sleep after returning home, hurriedly went to find his uncle and told him everything that had happened the night before.

Compared to Jia Lian, whose face was full of fear, Lin Ruhai was much calmer.

He first instructed the steward to go to the Guandi Temple to take a look.

Then he instructed Jia Lian, "The things are almost packed. You should set off this afternoon and take Yu'er back to the capital."

"Remember, you must not tell Lin Zihou."

The other party is already getting desperate.

What follows will be a brutal showdown.

We must get Yu'er out of this cruel vortex as soon as possible.

Yu'er's mother and younger brother perished in the vortex many years ago, and now they cannot allow their precious daughter to be in danger again.

Jia Lian opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything.

He had no choice but to obey his uncle's instructions.

As for the forest road~
Jia Lian made up his mind that if he appeared before noon, he would talk to him.

If it doesn't happen, then it's fate.

"Father, are you feeling better?"

After lunch, Lin Daiyu, who was absent-minded, suddenly saw her father walking in.

"Ah."

Lin Ruhai smiled warmly, his eyes filled with doting affection.

"Yu'er, it's been a long time since I've seen you write poetry. How about composing one?"

"I will follow Father's instructions." Lin Meimei happily stepped forward, took Lin Ruhai's arm, and entered the flower hall.

Maids prepared writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Lin Daiyu picked up her pen, paused for a moment, and wrote down a new poem on the paper.

Compared to the melancholy poems I recited at Rongguo Mansion before, these poems were more poignant.

Nowadays, Lin Daiyu's poems are full of joy.

They had come to attend a funeral, but their father was perfectly healthy.

I even encountered a divine destiny~
How could one not be happy?

"Yu'er, your handwriting has improved."

Standing to the side, Lin Ruhai stroked his beard and admired, "Not bad."

Lin Daiyu was overjoyed to receive her father's praise.

But then, Lin Ruhai's words completely turned her mood from sunny to stormy.
"Now that my health has improved, there is too much official business to handle at the yamen. You should go back to the capital with your cousin."

The smile on Lin Daiyu's face visibly disappeared.

She didn't speak, but silently looked at her father, her eyes slightly red.

Lin Ruhai was also heartbroken.

But he hardened his heart and said, "The things are ready, let's go board the ship and head to Huai'an Prefecture."

"If the government troops are still blocking the river, then we should take the land route back to the capital."

"When I finish my official duties and return to the capital for an audience with His Majesty, we will meet."

Watching Lin Daiyu's tears fall, Lin Ruhai's heart softened a little.

"If you have any written correspondence, you may write it now."

After saying that, he took a breath and turned to leave.

With Lin Daiyu's intelligence, she naturally understood her father's meaning.

The reason he's so eager to send me to the capital is probably because of my senior brother.

Thinking about it carefully, I realize that I have indeed been getting too close to my senior brother these past few days.

Now that things had come to this, Lin Daiyu took the handkerchief handed to her by Zijuan and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

He personally ground the ink and left a letter for Lin Dao on a different piece of paper.

'Bad senior brother~'

'I have to go into seclusion every day~'

I wanted to say goodbye, but I couldn't find you anywhere.

The convoy left the Salt Administration Office, and Lin Daiyu, wearing a veil and a conical hat, leaned out of the car window to look at the Salt Administration Office behind her.

My father was still standing there seeing me off.

Further back in the government office, there was a senior disciple in seclusion.
They boarded the large official ship they had come on and slowly sailed north along the Grand Canal.

To protect his daughter, Lin Ruhai even dispatched an additional team of salt workers to escort the ship.

You must understand that this is an official ship; attacking an official ship is tantamount to rebellion.

In Lin Ruhai's view, it was foolproof.

With no more worries, it's time for a real showdown.

That evening, Lin Ruhai wrote a memorial to the emperor in his study.

What he needs to do next requires the emperor's support.

Revenge, it must be a severe revenge.

"Master~"

The butler barged in with great rudeness, stumbling and scrambling as he spoke in a state of panic.

"problem occurs!"

"The salt carrier with the guard was left at the door."

"Salt Ding said that both Miss and Cousin were captured by Wei Xiaobao, the notorious bandit leader of Sheyang Lake!"

Lin Ruhai suddenly stood up, his face pale.

He swayed for a moment, then sat back down in the chair.

"What a courage!"

He truly never expected that these people would be so depraved as to use the name of rebels to commit such a vile act!

"quick!"

Lin Ruhai, clutching his chest, screamed in a trembling voice.

"Quickly, go find Young Master Lin to rescue them!"

(End of this chapter)