Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

"Yes, yes, it's Iron Stream King, he's gone missing."

"Iron Stream King Zhang Hengbo... ran away?!"

This news struck like a heavy hammer against the hearts of everyone in the Yanzhou Iron Prison.

The jailer, Wang Degui, who delivered the message, already sounded like he was about to cry.

Everyone present, whether they were the jailers or the constables under Li Fu's command, was shaken to their core and their minds were buzzing with shock at this earth-shattering news.

The four prison wardens—Ma Shixiong the Soul-Chasing Spear, Yang Jiu the Sick Locksmith, Lu Bo the Smiling Beast, and Shen Tie the Silent Key—had indeed confirmed this devastating news.

Some people's faces turned deathly pale instantly, while others' eyes were filled with disbelief and horror.

"Quick! Come with me to see!"

Ma Shixiong's voice carried an unprecedented urgency and panic.

Without bothering with pleasantries with Li, he turned abruptly and rushed into the depths of the prison like an arrow released from a bow.

Yang Jiu and the other two hurriedly followed, their usual composure and dignity completely gone, leaving only the panic of impending doom.

Li Fu also frowned.

How could he not know the name of Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King? This man was one of the most important prisoners held in the Iron Prison of Yanzhou!

He waved to Chen Tao and the others: "Follow them and take a look."

The constables quickly followed.

Passing through one heavy prison door after another, forged from fine iron and requiring several people to open, we hurried through the long, dark passageway, where only the flickering light of torches on the walls illuminated the darkness.

The further in you go, the more heavily guarded it becomes, with a sentry every three steps and a patrol every five steps.

But at this moment, the faces of these prison guards were also filled with unease and fear. Nightmarish news had already spread throughout the iron prison, and everyone was almost as if they had lost their souls.

Finally, we arrived at the A-cell, where the most serious criminals were held.

Each cell here was independently cast and buried deep underground, with walls over a foot thick, mixed with iron sand, and the locks were specially made interlocking mechanism locks that could not be opened without a key.

The cell where Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, was imprisoned was at the end of the passageway.

At this moment, the incredibly heavy iron gate remained locked, with a specially made padlock hanging perfectly intact.

Everything looked just like usual, as if the person was still safely locked up inside.

But inside the room, a dim oil lamp still flickered, illuminating the empty walls.

In the corner lay a thin, patched prison blanket and a few scattered bundles of straw; nothing else.

The figure of the rebel king who once caused headaches for the imperial court and was admired by bandits has vanished without a trace.

The air seemed to have been sucked out instantly, leaving a terrifyingly still silence.

The only sounds were the crackling of the burning torches and the heavy, varied breathing of the crowd.

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling..."

The jailers in the iron cage were all ashen-faced, their legs were weak, and some even trembled uncontrollably.

The four generals stood frozen in place like clay sculptures, their faces drained of color, leaving only deathly paleness and ashen hue.

Ma Shixiong's lips trembled, Yang Jiu's face was usually unpleasant, but now it was even more unsightly, and Lu Bo's face was twisted into a grimace that looked worse than crying.

Shen Tie stared intently at the empty cell, as if trying to see through the walls.

It truly is a catastrophe.

Chen Tao and the other constables were also pounding with fear. They exchanged glances and saw deep horror in each other's eyes. They looked at their fellow prisoners with deep sympathy.

Having served in public office for so long, how could they not know the seriousness of this matter?

A serious offender escaping from prison is already a huge blunder; but for someone like Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, to escape is an absolute catastrophe!

At the very least, everyone in the Yanzhou Iron Prison, from the jailers and military officers down to the prison guards, was dismissed, investigated, and exiled to the army.

In severe cases, they could be punished for dereliction of duty and letting a wanted criminal go free; their property could be confiscated and they could even be executed!

This iron prison in Yanzhou is likely to be stained with blood.

Chen Tao moved closer to Li Fu, his voice extremely low.

"Boss, this is... a big problem."

Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, was a powerful bandit who once commanded over 100,000 men, fought across more than ten prefectures, and even the imperial court's elite border troops were once unable to subdue him!

Throughout the land of outlaws, countless powerful figures regarded him as their leader!

The imperial court spent a fortune in terms of money, grain, and manpower, and suffered heavy losses in order to trap and capture him five years ago and secretly escort him here... and now he has managed to escape from this impregnable fortress!

"...I'm afraid very few people in this Yanzhou Iron Prison will survive."

Li Fu nodded slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping over every corner of the cell.

Since the Flower and Stone Tribute uprising plunged the land into chaos, rebellions have erupted across the land, with uprisings as numerous as carp crossing a river, only to be swiftly suppressed.

Among so many rebels, this Iron Stream King was unique and unforgettable.

In terms of the scale of their rebellion, it was not particularly fierce.

There was once a rebel king who captured a prefecture, imprisoned the prefect, and successfully occupied a key area of ​​the prefecture.

Some even led rebel militias to sweep across several states, proclaiming themselves kings and enjoying great power for a time.

Li Fu didn't pay much attention to those people, but he was deeply impressed by Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Zhang Hengbo is said to have been a deserter from Shanzhou."

At the beginning of the uprising, there were only a few dozen people.

However, his military tactics were unpredictable; he never held a fixed position, but instead engaged in mobile warfare, fighting across more than ten prefectures in Qin, Jin, Yan, and Yu.

When government troops pursued him, he avoided their attacks.

The government troops were exhausted, and he traveled through prefectures and counties as if they were empty, gathering crowds to launch fierce attacks, breaking through cities, opening granaries, and distributing grain to the people.

At its peak, it commanded hundreds of thousands of starving refugees, young and old, who roamed like a dragon.

He did not claim to be a king, nor did he establish a title; wherever he went, he only did three things.

He opened the government granaries to relieve famine; he punished the corrupt and tyrannical, and executed corrupt officials; he distributed wealth to help the poor and needy.

Therefore, the imperial court regarded him as a major threat and was determined to eliminate him as soon as possible; while countless outlaws, martial arts practitioners, and ordinary people called him the Iron Stream King.

One saying goes that his army was like an unstoppable torrent of iron; another says that he himself possessed an unyielding spirit, a true hero, worthy of being king.

It's hard not to remember someone like that.

Li Fu recalled that when he first arrived in Yanzhou and went to the Iron Prison to handle a case, the former prison warden Wang Degui revealed that the people in the Iron Prison often mentioned which extraordinary people were imprisoned there, in order to intimidate new prisoners.

One of the most noteworthy figures is Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, who once commanded hundreds of thousands of followers and was revered as the leader of all the outlaws in the land, yet could only obediently remain in this iron prison.

This was one of the things that Yanzhou Iron Prison was most proud of in the past, and it is also the best explanation of the name "Iron Prison".

But now, this biggest signboard has vanished without a trace!

This is more than just a matter of being slapped in the face.

This is a matter of life and death, a question of whether or not one can keep their head.

With a serious criminal escaping, especially such an important wanted criminal, everyone in the Yanzhou Iron Prison is in grave danger.

Coming to his senses from the terrible news, Ma Shixiong's body trembled violently. He looked up sharply at the empty cell, his eyes bloodshot, and hissed.

"Investigate! Investigate this thoroughly!"

The prison door was locked and the key was intact. How did the person get out?

Who was on duty last night?

Who else has come in today?

"Dig three feet into the ground, find me even the slightest clue!"

Like a wounded tiger, Yang Jiu couldn't help but slam his fist hard on the iron door, making a dull thud and leaving a shallow palm print. He then coughed excitedly.

"Cough...cough cough, this iron is as solid as a rock, not even a fly could get out, how could a living person just vanish into thin air?!"

"What are you all good for?! You don't even know when someone goes missing?!" The smiling Bi'an Lu Bo's eyes were filled with hatred, as if he wanted to devour the jailers alive.

The three men were both shocked and furious, and they shouted at their jailers and guards.

Everyone fell silent, unable to answer.

Shen Tie shouted in a low voice, "Chase! Chase them quickly! Everyone follow me! They might not have gone far!"

"Search! Send men immediately to conduct a thorough search inside and outside the prison. At the same time, keep the news under wraps and strictly prohibit it from spreading!"

Ma Shixiong also suppressed the panic and issued orders.

The person is indeed missing now. The most urgent task is not to find out how the person disappeared, but to see if we can bring the person back.

He then turned to Li Fu, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his tone now filled with pleading and fear.

"Officer Li! This matter... this matter is of great importance, and I'm afraid it's beyond the capabilities of my limited prison."

We will report this to the government office later, but we hope that Your Excellency... will preserve this news and allow us... will allow us to do our best to remedy the situation!

He knew that once this matter got out and became a big fuss, causing a huge uproar among the people and stirring up a storm throughout the country, the four of them would immediately be in danger of losing their lives, with no room for maneuver.

When people are down on their luck and anxious, they certainly don't want to be watched by strangers.

"Head Warden Ma, gentlemen,"

Li returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"Now that the prisoners have been handed over and Li has fulfilled his duties, it is inconvenient for Li to stay any longer, so I will take my leave."

Having said that, he said no more and turned to leave.

Chen Tao and the others quickly followed.

Stepping out of the oppressive, suffocating iron cell, passing through cell doors, and returning to the sunlight, Chen Tao and the others felt the heavy feeling in their chests lessen slightly.

He mounted his horse, its hooves clattering as it trod away from the iron cage.

Chen Tao rode alongside Li Fu, glancing back at the imposing prison that loomed like a giant beast. Still shaken, he whispered:

"Boss, this matter... I feel there's something fishy about it. The place where Iron Stream King Zhang Hengbo is imprisoned is the most heavily guarded place in the Iron Prison, and nothing has happened for five years."

They could never escape before, so how come they've suddenly disappeared?

Li Fu nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the distant official road.

"good.

If a person cannot transform into a fly and disappear into thin air in this heavily guarded iron prison that has kept them there for many years, it can only mean that someone has come to rescue them.

There are two possibilities.

Firstly, a highly skilled thief unlocked the iron lock and helped Zhang Hengbo evade all the guards' eyes and ears, leaving the iron prison silently.

To achieve this, one must have meticulously planned and possess a thorough understanding of the prison's internal layout and guard rotations.

"Secondly," he paused, then continued, "there is the inside man."

Even the strongest fortress will crumble if there are problems inside.

With just one informant of a certain rank, it wouldn't be so complicated. Like a thief, all it would take is a little concealment to lead the person out.

Chen Tao gasped, "Boss, you mean... among the four generals, there might be one..."

"It might not be them; it could be other prison officers."

Li Fu indeed thought so.

The images of Ma Shixiong and the others flashed through my mind again, along with their individual personalities. Some were like smiling tigers, some were cautious and taciturn, and some were fierce and rigid... Among these four, who was more likely to be the one?

Or perhaps, none of the four knew that it was one of their hidden prison guards.

"This matter will have far-reaching implications."

We are not prisoners, nor are we officials of the Ministry of Justice. There is no need for us to get involved. If we do, things that have nothing to do with us will become related.

If something goes wrong or things aren't handled well, then it will be our problem again.

Remember, we're only here to deliver prisoners today. We'll leave once the handover is complete. Know nothing else, and don't reveal anything to anyone else.

Upon hearing this, Chen Tao and the constables behind him all tensed up and nodded solemnly: "Yes, boss, we understand!"

Li Fu might have inquired about the others who had escaped, but this Iron Stream King Yao...

There was no movement from the Heavenly Book.

Then I'll just mind my own business and stay out of it.

However, the people in Yanzhou Iron Prison are probably going to be very busy and in a lot of chaos, and Feng Shaoting will likely be in a lot of trouble.

……

Back at the government office, after handing over official business, Chen Tao and the others surrounded him.

"Boss, speaking of which, you received an imperial decree of commendation, were promoted to Purple-Clad Constable, and received a Crimson Gold Fish Bag. We brothers haven't had a proper celebration for you yet!"

Chen Tao forced a smile, trying to dispel the tense atmosphere from before.

"Speaking of which, no matter how big the troubles are, our boss has been promoted to Purple-Clad Constable and bestowed with a Crimson Gold Fish Bag by the Emperor. This is truly a joyous occasion!"

After the imperial edict was issued, the case of the massacre of the village came next. Everyone and the leader were busy solving the case and had no time to properly celebrate.

"There's no time like the present. I think the moonlight is quite nice tonight, so why don't we set up a few tables at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant up ahead? Firstly, to celebrate the boss's good fortune, and secondly, to reward the brothers for their hard work these past few days. What do you all think?"

Upon hearing this, all the constables and yamen runners' eyes lit up.

The constant rush to solve cases kept me on edge, and having witnessed such a horrific massacre of a village, my heart was heavy.

Although they knew that something terrible had happened in the iron prison, it didn't directly concern them, which cast a shadow over their hearts.

Who wouldn't want to relax and enjoy some food and drinks at a restaurant?

As the saying goes, wine can relieve a thousand sorrows and ten thousand bitternesses.

Immediately, everyone cheered and applauded.

Li Fuben disliked social engagements, but seeing his subordinates looking on expectantly with eager expressions, and knowing that the series of events had indeed weighed heavily on his mind, he couldn't refuse them any longer and nodded slightly.

"Very well, let's not be too extravagant."

The case of the massacre of the village has been resolved.

Although there are still many unresolved issues, such as Tang Boyong, the second young master of the Tang Clan, who is imprisoned, the Tang Clan will never let this go.

Furthermore, the connection between the soldier, the hermit Wujiang, and the treacherous minister Cai Feng revealed in this case will undoubtedly lead to further trouble.

...But those are not urgent matters at hand.

Besides, Li Fu was not the kind of person who would worry, fret, or be afraid of such things.

Chen Tao and the others insisted on celebrating, and Li Fu couldn't refuse his subordinates' good intentions too much, so he agreed.

Zuixianlou is a famous restaurant in Yanzhou City. Although it is not as elegant as the pavilions frequented by high-ranking officials and nobles, it is known for its affordable and delicious food and lively atmosphere, and is very popular among these officials and wandering swordsmen.

Before long, a large private room on the second floor facing the street was booked, and three tables were set up with a sumptuous feast.

Large bowls of wine, large chunks of meat, steaming hot, and with an irresistible aroma.

The constables and yamen runners took turns toasting Li Fu, saying auspicious words of congratulations on his promotion and admiration for his martial arts skills.

Li Fu was not a heavy drinker; he only took a small sip each time as a gesture of respect.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table became increasingly lively, with the sounds of drinking games and toasts filling the air.

Li Fu took the opportunity to get some fresh air, got up and walked to the private room on the third floor, where he leaned on the railing and looked out.

The night breeze, carrying the chill of late autumn, brushed against my face, dispelling the smell of alcohol.

Across the street, the lights were bright, and the sounds of string and wind instruments could be faintly heard; it was the most famous brothel in Yanzhou City, Nuanxiang Pavilion.

Chen Tao, carrying a glass of wine and with a slightly flushed face, followed over, intending to persuade him to drink more.

Just then, a window on the third floor of the opposite Nuanxiang Pavilion suddenly creaked open.

A young man was seen hastily climbing out of the window.

He was wearing only a single garment, with other clothes in his arms, and his other hand tightly gripping a long sword with a black scabbard. The hilt of the sword was simple and unadorned, with what appeared to be cloud patterns.

He moved with steady steps, almost silently vaulting out of the window like a nimble raccoon.

As if he had a guilty conscience, the man looked around warily after climbing out of the window. By sheer coincidence, his eyes met those of Li Fu, who was standing by the railing of the restaurant across the street!

"Um?"