Prime Minister

Chapter 205 Chapter 204 [Spring Light]

When Yu Chengguang led the elite canal troops ashore, Liu Yi's fate was sealed.

Even if he wanted to run away, he couldn't. The two seas of fire he had used to block the government's reinforcements had now cut off his and Liu's elite soldiers' escape route.

Even though Liu Yi wielded his long sword with ferocious speed and madness, and the assassins fought bravely and relentlessly, in the face of absolute disadvantage, will and determination could not turn the tide.

"Xue Huai!"

Liu Yi swung his sword, cleaving Yu Chengguang's steel blade in two. Taking advantage of the moment when two bodyguards blocked the attack for him, he shouted fiercely, "You will die a horrible death! Even if I become a ghost, I will not let you go!"

Xue Huai looked up, his gaze devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at a completely unrelated dead person.

That look drove Liu Yi almost mad. He let out a desperate roar and strode straight toward Xue Huai.

Jiang Sheng always kept his duty in mind and protected Xue Huai. Seeing that the situation was now settled, he stepped forward with his knife and blocked Liu Yi's attack before Bai Cong and Yue Zhenshan could. He then pressed forward and clenched his left fist like a hammer.

Liu Yi dodged to the side, but Jiang Sheng's left fist was just a feint. By the time Liu Yi realized something was wrong, Jiang Sheng had already kicked him hard in the thigh.

The powerful kick knocked Liu Yi to the ground. Before he could struggle to get up, four or five knives were almost simultaneously held against him.

Under the encirclement and attack of the elite canal troops, seven or eight out of ten of Liu's elite soldiers were killed. Those who were still alive, seeing that Liu Yi had been captured, finally lost their determination to resist. Some surrendered, while others jumped into the Xiao Qinhuai River in an attempt to escape.

The problem is that today is the eighth day of the first lunar month. Although the weather has cleared up and the sun is relatively warm, the river water is still extremely cold.

The elite soldiers of the canal army, who were skilled in swimming, did not rush into the water. Instead, they boarded a fast boat and calmly followed the thieves who had jumped into the river, until the thieves cried out for help in pain before they pulled them ashore and brought them under control.

On the long embankment, none of Xue Huai's personal guards were killed, but seven were wounded. Seeing that the fires on both sides were still raging, he asked Yu Chengguang to send people to Yingyuan for treatment.

Yu Chengguang quickly made the arrangements, then turned back to Xue Huai and asked, "Lord Xue, what should we do next?"

Xue Huai glanced at Liu Yi, who was gagged and tied up, and calmly said, "Take this man with us and we'll head to Dongguan Wharf immediately."

Yu Chengguang respectfully replied, "Yes."

He left behind more than thirty men to clean up the mess and guard the surviving assassins, while ordering the others to prepare the fast boat and escort Xue Huai and his guards along the Xiao Qinhuai River directly to the vicinity of the East Gate.

At this moment, the once orderly Dongguan Wharf was in chaos. A group of thieves had kidnapped more than a hundred people. The patrol officers and canal soldiers who rushed to the scene dared not take action, while more and more people gathered around to watch.

Until Xue Huai appeared.

"Lord Xue has arrived!"

Jiang Sheng's booming roar tore through the suffocating fear above Dongguan Wharf, like a thunderclap exploding on the chaotic waterfront.

In an instant, countless eyes focused on the figure walking steadily towards them.

Under the midday sun, Xue Huai's official robes gleamed with a calm luster. With a stern face and steady steps, he strode forward, surrounded by a group of valiant guards.

He looked ahead and saw the kidnapped civilians huddled in a corner in the southeast. Seventy or eighty ruthless bandits, wielding gleaming steel knives, held the knives menacingly to the civilians' necks. The leader's build and appearance were remarkably similar to Liu Yi's.

This man's real name was Deng Liu. As he watched Xue Huai's figure approaching, he was filled with doubt and uncertainty.

According to Master Liu's plan, these people only needed to create chaos at the docks and wouldn't face too much risk. Once Liu Yi killed Xue Huai in the city, it would inevitably attract the attention of all the government troops and constables. At that time, these salt smugglers could easily escape and collect a hefty reward.

However, Xue Huai actually survived and arrived at Dongguan Wharf.

Without a second thought, Deng Liu roared at Xue Huai, "Stop! If you dare take another step forward, I'll kill all of them right now!"

The crowd gasped in astonishment.

The government troops and constables surrounding the outer circle were hesitant to act rashly, their palms sweating as they gripped their weapons, while the large crowd of onlookers in the distance held their breath.

Xue Huai stopped five or six zhang away, his gaze sweeping steadily over "Liu Yi" and the bandits around him, and said loudly, "I am Xue Huai. What do you want?"

"What do you want?"

Deng Liu let out a piercing laugh. He kicked the back of a boy's leg with all his might. The cold steel knife was held against the boy's tender neck. He gritted his teeth and said, "Xue Huai, you caused the destruction of my Liu family. Today, I will use your life to pay for your debt. Otherwise, I'll show you whether the blood of these pigs can dye the entire canal red!"

The boy's screams were particularly shrill, and the surrounding crowd became agitated, staring at Xue Huai's back with either indignation or pleading.

"Liu family?"

Xue Huai's lips curled into a cold smile as he stared at the other person and said, "Are you Liu Yi?"

Deng Liu knew something must have happened in the city, but he could only force himself to say, "Grandpa is right!"

"You are Liu Yi..."

Xue Huai shook his head slightly, as if he had heard a bad joke, and then asked, "Then who is he?"

As he spoke, he stepped to the side, revealing Liu Yi, who was tightly restrained by two guards, gagged, and bound hand and foot!
Liu Yi's hair and beard were disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot like those of a trapped beast. He struggled desperately but to no avail, his eyes filled with resentment and despair.

"Second Master!"

Deng Liu exclaimed in surprise, and the bandits behind him stirred, all showing expressions of disbelief.

"Did you see it clearly?"

Xue Huai's voice suddenly turned cold, his murderous intent palpable: "Liu Yi has already surrendered. If you immediately lay down your weapons and release the hostages, I will consider your momentary lapse in judgment, your coercion and manipulation by the traitor Liu, and grant you leniency. If you remain obstinate and resist stubbornly, you will face the punishment of slow slicing, and be condemned to eternal damnation and never be allowed to return to your clan!" Every word struck the hearts of those desperate criminals like a heavy hammer.

They were indeed salt smugglers who risked their lives, but they were not the Liu family's loyalists. They would not shed their last drop of blood for the Liu family. Moreover, now that even Liu Yi had been captured, what reason did they have to fight so desperately?
Sensing the wavering of his men, Deng Liu roared, "Bullshit! Don't listen to his nonsense! Kill them—"

The words stopped abruptly.

A crossbow bolt, like a black lightning bolt, struck with perfect accuracy from the side and instantly pierced Deng Liu's neck!
This sudden, precise sniper kill served as a signal, and Xue Huai shouted sharply, "Attack!"

Almost at the same moment, dozens of skilled fighters leaped out from more than ten fast boats that had appeared on the shore at some unknown time. Bai Cong and Yue Zhenshan were among them, along with more than ten other experts from the Jing'an Division dressed in black.

They pounced on the salt smugglers from behind like wolves and tigers.

With Xue Huai's order, Jiang Sheng and Qi Qingshi led a group of guards and charged straight at the enemy from the front, giving the thieves no time to think.

Meanwhile, at several high points nearby, Yu Chengguang and his archers continued to draw their bows and nock arrows, creating opportunities for their comrades to launch an attack.

The arrow that just killed Deng Liu was Yu Chengguang's masterpiece.

The sudden attack by the government troops caught the bandits off guard. Deng Liu's death left them leaderless, and Xue Huai, acting unpredictably, did not continue negotiations with them.

Xue Huai stood solemnly in place, his hands unconsciously clenched together.

He knew that doing so might harm the common people, but he had to make this decisive decision because the salt smugglers on the other side, although not as fierce as Liu's henchmen, were still ruthless and vicious. In addition, they also held a large number of hostages. If he continued to feign compliance, it would only embolden them.

Only by using such drastic measures can we force them into a panic.

"Those who kneel live! Those who wield knives die!"

The roars of the government troops echoed across the dock, quickly gaining the support of the onlookers. The sound surged into the sky, coalescing into a thunderous roar.

With Liu Yi captured, Deng Liu killed, and government troops arriving without hesitation, the overwhelming force quickly broke down the remaining bandits' defenses.

"I...I surrender!"

Someone was the first to shout, hastily dropping the steel knife and crouching on the ground with their hands covering their head.

Clang! Clang! Clang... The sound of steel knives hitting the ground echoed one after another.

Some of the salt smugglers squatted down with their heads in their hands, some collapsed to the ground, and some even wept bitterly.

Yu Chengguang, with his extensive experience, immediately directed the soldiers of the canal army to take action. They worked in pairs to quickly subdue the bandits who had knelt down and surrendered, removed their weapons, and tied them up securely. At the same time, they sent men to comfort the frightened civilians who had been kidnapped.

Xue Huai stood still the whole time, his figure as upright as a pine tree on a solitary peak.

As he watched most of the people being rescued, the coldness on his face slowly faded, replaced by a deep tranquility.

The teenager who had been kicked by Deng Liu earlier was saved from death, and his parents rushed over to hug him.

The boy's face was deathly pale, and his body was trembling uncontrollably. When he noticed a shadow appear in front of him, he couldn't help but raise his head and meet Xue Huai's gentle gaze.

Xue Huai raised his hand and gently patted the boy's shoulder, saying in a low voice, "It's alright."

The boy's parents immediately knelt down and said, "Thank you so much for saving our lives!"

The rescued people also bowed to Xue Huai.

Jiang Sheng stood silently a step behind Xue Huai, knife in hand, like a steadfast rock.

Xue Huai earnestly said, "Fellow villagers, these thieves will not escape the severe punishment of the law. You have been frightened today, and I apologize to you all. Please rest assured that the injured and the wounded will receive compensation and relief from the government."

The people naturally wouldn't blame Xue Huai for this; they simply kept thanking him.

After calming everyone down, Xue Huai turned to Yu Chengguang and Cheng Dong, who had rushed over, and said, "Commander Yu, immediately take stock of the wounded and make sure they receive proper treatment. Inspector Cheng, take your men to evacuate the civilians, seal off the scene, and bring all the thieves back to the government office."

The two men solemnly accepted the order.

As Xue Huai issued one order after another, the officials performed their duties and the situation at the dock was quickly brought under control.

Liu Yi, unable to move, watched as Xue Huai crushed all his plans into dust, letting out a mournful wail.

Xue Huai turned to look at the man and said to Jiang Sheng, "Lock Liu Yi in the death row and escort him to the execution ground tomorrow. I will personally oversee the execution!"

"Yes!"

Jiang Sheng responded loudly, letting out a long sigh of relief, and looked at Xue Huai with reverence.

With the last fugitive brought to justice, there should be no one left in Yangzhou City to hinder Lord Xue.

Xue Huai seemed to know what Jiang Sheng was thinking, and nodded slightly to him, saying, "You've worked hard."

Jiang Sheng smiled憨厚ly and shook his head.

Xue Huai smiled and then turned to look at the canal that winds around the city like a jade belt. The bright early spring sunshine reflected on the water, turning it into scattered gold.

Beautiful.

(End of this chapter)