Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 24 Breaking the deadlock with force, waiting for the wind to come!

The Big Wine Vault was one of the most popular places for ordinary people in the capital.

As the name suggests, the core furnishings of this restaurant are large, rough pottery jars half-buried in the ground.

The mouth of the vat was covered with a thick wooden board, which served as a table. Diners sat cross-legged on the cushions around it, drinking cheap wine poured from the vat and eating smoked eggs and pork skin jelly that cost a few coins a plate.

Those who come here are mostly peddlers, laborers, and porters, all looking for a cheap deal.

Chen Ye hadn't expected Wu Xiaorui to choose such a place.

However, he quickly realized what the girl was thinking; she was probably worried that he was short of money and wanted to save himself some.

He didn't point it out, but simply found an empty wine vat and sat down.

"Waiter, two jin of strong liquor, a plate of sliced ​​pig's head, and a dish of peanuts!" Wu Xiaorui called out, her voice crisp and clear, carrying the straightforwardness of a江湖儿女 (jianghu children, people of the martial arts world).

The food and drinks were served quickly.

Despite her slender figure, Wu Xiaorui has a surprisingly high alcohol tolerance, downing cup after cup of spicy liquor without batting an eye.

Chen Ye had important business to attend to that night, so he only took a couple of sips of wine before putting down his glass.

A handsome young man and a pretty young woman sitting in this environment filled with the smell of sweat and alcohol seemed somewhat out of place.

The surrounding diners cast curious and speculative glances at her from time to time, but Wu Xiaorui didn't care at all and ate her food with great interest.

She had traveled all over the country with the opera troupe since she was a child, and had seen all kinds of scenes. As a woman of the martial arts world, she didn't have so many fussy rules.

The two chatted about all sorts of things, mostly strange and unusual tales from the martial arts world.

As the conversation progressed, the topic inevitably turned to the most sought-after person in Beijing at the moment.

"Hey, Chen Ye, do you think that 'Moon-Treading Hero' will really go tonight?" Wu Xiaorui lowered her voice, her bright eyes sparkling with admiration and longing.

"The Duke of Anguo's mansion is now under tight surveillance, with all the officials and soldiers in the city watching. If he goes there, he really... has too much guts!"

Chen Ye picked up a piece of pig's head meat and put it in his mouth, then mumbled, "Who knows?"

Seeing his expression, Wu Xiaorui couldn't help but purse her lips: "You're so boring, not excited at all."

Chen Ye smiled and continued eating.

By the time the meal was finished, it was completely dark.

Lanterns along the street lit up one by one, outlining a hazy warmth in the night of Beijing.

"I'll take you back," Chen Ye said.

"No need," Wu Xiaorui waved her hand, her face showing a hint of tipsiness and girlish charm.

"I've lived in the capital for so many years, I could walk away with my eyes closed. Besides, I'm a member of the Cai Zi Men, so it's fine."

Seeing that she insisted, Chen Ye did not force her any further. The two parted ways at the street corner. Wu Xiaorui smiled and waved, then turned and merged into the crowd.

People in the martial arts world grow old together; coming together and parting are the norm. Chen Ye simply watched Wu Xiaorui leave before turning and disappearing into a deserted alley.

In a few leaps, he climbed onto the rooftop, avoiding the sight of all pedestrians, and swiftly traversed the rows of rooftops, heading towards the rented safe house.

Wu Xiaorui's visit inadvertently provided him with a perfect excuse to leave the tenement without anyone noticing.

After arriving at the courtyard, Chen Ye packed all the things he would need for the night and then quietly headed towards the Duke of Anguo's mansion.

At this moment, the Duke's mansion is less a residence and more a massive military fortress.

There was a guard every three steps and a sentry every five steps. Inside the mansion, everything that could be lit was set on fire, with torches and lanterns hanging in every corner.

The area in front of the mansion gate was completely sealed off by soldiers from the military patrol station, strictly prohibiting any unauthorized personnel from approaching.

Chen Ye stood in the shadow of a small building in the distance, observing quietly.

He discovered that the defenses of the Duke of Anguo's mansion were impeccable, with visible and hidden sentries supporting each other, and the patrol routes and times were meticulously calculated, leaving virtually no loopholes.

It seems there's a mastermind behind it all.

However, this was to be expected, and Chen Ye was not in a hurry.

He is waiting.

Wait for an opportunity.

It was late autumn, and the end of the month, so the night sky was devoid of moon and stars, only a thick, inky blackness. A moment later, an autumn breeze swept by, ruffling the hem of Chen Ye's clothes.

It's now!

In Beijing, autumn nights are often accompanied by northwest winds.

At this moment, Chen Ye was in a favorable position to the Duke of Anguo's mansion.

He carefully took out several fist-sized earthenware jars from his bag, which were tightly sealed with oilcloth and sealing wax.

Then, he took out two pieces of thick hemp rope and a leather bag, and quickly made a simple sling.

The capital city was heavily guarded, and crossbows and armor were strictly prohibited from being privately possessed; being caught would result in a serious crime. In comparison, this sling, which could be made with just two ropes and a cartridge case, was undoubtedly much simpler and more concealed.

During this time, he had put a lot of effort into it. Although he could no longer hit exactly where he was pointing, he was now capable of throwing the jar into that huge mansion a hundred paces away.

Chen Ye carefully placed a sealed ceramic jar into the sling, took a deep breath, swung his arm, and the sling shot whistled above his head.

One lap, two laps, three laps...

At the moment when the speed reached its peak, he suddenly let go!
The pottery jar transformed into a black meteor, streaking across the night sky and landing precisely on the imposing gate tower of the Duke of Anguo's mansion.

"boom!"

The earthenware jar shattered with a crash, and the next moment a burst of orange-red flames exploded, instantly engulfing the ornately decorated gatehouse.

The jar contained the gunpowder that Chen Ye had made himself using saltpeter, white phosphorus, and other materials!
This sudden turn of events threw the guards and soldiers below, who were on high alert, into chaos.

"Water leaked! Put out the fire quickly!"

"Enemy attack? Where did the enemy attack come from?"

However, before they could react, Chen Ye moved with lightning speed, and several Molotov cocktails came whistling through the air!

Fire borrows the power of wind, and wind aids fire!

Buildings in those days were all made of wood and stone. Dry wood, when mixed with gunpowder, was practically flammable.

Even though Duke Anguo and his men had prepared buckets of water and sand beforehand, it was to no avail.

In the blink of an eye, the area in front of the Duke of Anguo's mansion was engulfed in flames.

The shouts and cries for help created complete chaos.

Chen Ye didn't stop, carrying the remaining pottery jars, his figure darting through the darkness, quickly changing positions.

Soon, flames shot up from all sides of the Duke of Anguo's mansion, from the east wall to the west corner tower.

The firelight illuminated half the night sky, and the thick smoke made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

No matter how thorough Li Jun and Cheng Zhiwei's plans were, they never expected the other side to break the deadlock in such a domineering and tyrannical way.

Seeing that the fire was about to spread to the entire street and alley, and then burn down the entire camp, none of the powerful officials living here could escape.

"Put out the fire! Go put out the fire right now!" Li Jun ordered angrily.

All the servants, guards, and even the experts who were originally responsible for protecting Li Chunfeng had no choice but to carry buckets of water and rush to the fires.

The meticulous preparations made earlier crumbled instantly in the face of the raging fire.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, Cheng Zhiwei was extremely anxious.

She knew perfectly well that this was definitely a diversionary tactic by the notorious Moon-Treading Bandit.

While everyone is busy running around, he will definitely sneak into the mansion in the chaos.

But the problem is... where will he come in from?

Amidst the deafening noise and rushing crowds, Cheng Zhiwei forced herself to remain calm, her mind racing as she tried to find a clue amidst the chaos.

At that very moment, a servant, whose clothes were burned to tatters, whose face was blackened by soot, and whose hair was disheveled, was rushing into the mansion carrying a bucket of water.

At that moment, everyone was busy putting out the fire, so no one noticed him at all.

Soon, the servant disappeared from the Duke of Anguo's mansion.

(End of this chapter)