Late Ming Dynasty: From the Defeated Soldiers at Daling River to Ascending the Throne

Zhang Tongyuan stood at the entrance of the alley, watching his men disappear into the night, his heart pounding in his chest.

cheated!

Those two people, what kind of noble people are they, what kind of lackeys are they? They're all just pretending.

If those people were just bandits from Liaodong who got the membership card by sheer luck and were only after money, that would be fine.

But if those people are government officials, and the government finds out about the owner's business, then everything is over!

Moreover, if Fourth Master found out about this... Zhang Tongyuan shuddered and dared not think any further.

No, we can't let Fourth Master know. We must bring those two damned thieves back!

He suddenly remembered the Yong Sheng Qing shop behind him, where there were account books. If someone took the opportunity to raid it... he immediately turned around and tried to rush back.

Before he could even take a step, a rough, powerful hand suddenly reached out from the shadows behind him and covered his mouth and nose tightly.

At the same time, a cold, sharp dagger was pressed against his throat.

"Don't move." A deep Liaodong accent came from behind. "If you move, I'll kill you."

Zhang Tongyuan froze, a sudden urge to urinate rising within him, as he was dragged into the darkness behind him.

At the same moment he was subdued, four dark figures jumped down from the roof and swiftly covered the mouths, twisted the arms, and stabbed the two guards he left behind.

Before the guard could utter a sound, he was dragged into the depths of the dark alley.

Zhang Tongyuan was covered in the mouth and dragged staggeringly into Yong Shengqing's door.

The curtain fell, the oil lamp on the counter was still lit, and the Western clock made a "click-clack" sound.

The five people who were holding them hostage were all masked, with only their terrifying eyes showing.

The five people were Hao Dadao, Meng Changgeng, Xie Liu, Yan Guishan, and Luo Zheng.

As soon as Chen Feng and Zhao Sheng left the alley, they took advantage of the darkness and darted into the alley next door, where several people had already prepared new clothes.

After Hao Dadao and his four companions took Zhang Tongyuan and his two companions into the shop, Chen Feng and Zhao Sheng also changed their clothes and entered the shop, also wearing masks.

"Shopkeeper, don't be afraid." Chen Feng looked at Zhang Tongyuan, who was being held at knifepoint, and patted his face. "Answer whatever I ask. Just shout, my brother, this knife doesn't have eyes."

Zhang Tongyuan recognized Chen Feng as one of the two who had entered earlier, and was terrified, nodding vigorously.

Hao Dadao closed the door, turned around, and lowered his voice, saying, "Boss, is this really a risky move? What if those people who chased after us come back..."

"It should be fine," Chen Feng said.

He glanced at Zhang Tongyuan, then his gaze fell on the other two restrained guards in the room:

The shopkeeper, realizing he's been tricked, is only focused on capturing us and covering up the incident. He'll definitely order his men to chase after us with all their might. Right now, there should only be a few of us left in the alley. Shopkeeper, am I right?

Zhang Tongyuan didn't speak, but his desperate expression said it all.

Chen Feng continued, "To maintain secrecy, they won't have many people stationed in the capital. Those dozen or so who rushed out just now should be their entire force."

He looked at Yan Guishan and Luo Zheng, who were holding down a guard, and said, "Yanzi, Luo, Xiucai, and Zhao, you go to the alley entrance and wait for anyone to come back. If anyone does, drag them into the house and kill them! Curfew is coming soon, so someone will definitely come back! This is the best time for us to clean up the mess."

Meng Changgeng exchanged a glance with Yan and Luo, and then Meng Changgeng pushed the guard he was holding onto to Hao Dadao.

Just then, another guard who had been held down by Hao Dadao suddenly burst out with fierce strength, and with a sudden struggle, broke free from Hao Dadao's grasp.

Hao Dadao reacted swiftly, grabbing him by the back of his collar and yanking him back forcefully.

Before the guard's cry for help was even out of his throat, a cold glint flashed in Hao Dadao's eyes, and he delivered a powerful punch directly to the guard's Adam's apple.

With a crisp "crack," the guard's eyes rolled back, his limbs twitched violently a few times, and then he fell silent.

Meng Changgeng shuddered in fright and instinctively tightened his grip on the guard's hand.

The four men beside Xie Liu were also shocked. This "Master Hao," who usually seemed so amiable, actually possessed such skill! And he was so ruthless.

Upon seeing his companion's death, the guard who had been held down by Meng Changgeng lost all will to flee. He trembled violently, tears streaming down his face, and whimpered, begging for mercy.

Zhang Tongyuan's legs went weak, and he knelt directly on the ground, his crotch soaked with sweat.

Hao Dadao turned around and glared at him, then whispered, "Anyone else want to shout?"

Zhang Tongyuan shook his head frantically, his head bobbing like a rattle drum.

The other guard also shook his head frantically, making a whimpering sound in his throat.

"Drag the body inside," Chen Feng ordered.

Hao Dadao bent down to drag the corpse, and as soon as he touched the man's clothes, he frowned. "Boss, this kid is wearing chainmail."

Chen Feng walked over, lifted the deceased's clothes, and saw that he was wearing a finely crafted chainmail.

He then checked on another guard who was being held down; he was also wearing chainmail under his clothes.

Chen Feng frowned. No wonder this group of people didn't leave the alley. If they were allowed to go out and were discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Five Cities Garrison, not only would Yong Sheng Qing be exposed, but the owner behind it might also be exposed.

"Tie those two up too, drag them in, and gag them."

Hao Dadao and Xie Liuli tied up the surviving guard and Zhang Tongyuan tightly, stuffing rags into their mouths.

After tidying up, Meng Changgeng and Zhao Sheng led Yan Guishan and Luo Zheng out of the shop and squatted in the shadows on both sides of the alley.

A moment later, footsteps could be heard coming from the alley entrance.

"Two," Zhao Sheng said in a low voice.

Meng Changgeng gripped his knife tightly and stood behind a door panel.

Yan Guishan and Luo Zheng hid a little deeper in the alley.

Zhao Sheng let the two pass, and when they reached Luo Zheng and Yan Guishan's position, Zhao and Meng suddenly rushed out from behind.

When the two men turned around at the sound, Yan and Luo emerged from the shadows and covered the mouths and noses of the two guards.

Meng Changgeng and Zhao Sheng slashed their knives across the necks of the two guards, who twitched a few times before falling still.

"Drag him in!" Zhao Sheng ordered in a low voice.

After saying that, he and Meng Changgeng retreated back to the alley entrance and continued their ambush; Yan Guishan and Luo Zheng dragged the two corpses deeper into the alley.

Luo Zheng whispered, "Yanzi...didn't the commander usually have us keep watch on them? How come you've turned to robbery and extermination?"

Yan Guishan didn't respond, only saying when they were almost at the door, "Speak less, just follow orders. The squad leader said before that the commander is a man destined for great things, and there are some things we shouldn't ask. Now that we're on this ship, there's no turning back."

When the two entered the room, only Hao Dadao was left in front of the counter. Xie Liu and Chen Feng seemed to be rummaging through drawers and cabinets in the inner room looking for something.

Hao Dadao took the two corpses and dragged them into the inner room, piling them together with the previous one.

Luo Zheng and Yan Guishan retreated outside the door to continue their ambush.

Less than half an incense stick later, three more returned. Two were killed and one was knocked unconscious using the same method.

At this moment, the evening drum had already sounded, and its long, drawn-out sound resounded throughout the capital, instantly plunging the streets into a deathly silence.

Over the next hour, four or five more people returned.

The four men guarding the alley were like two spider webs, silently crushing everyone who entered.

Hao Dadao was in charge of dragging the corpses, while Chen Feng and Xie Liu discovered a hidden silver vault in a corner of the inner room.

Inside the silver vault were several cast iron boxes with extremely precise locks, seemingly requiring a special method to open. Xie Liu fiddled with them for a long time, but in the end could only shake his head in frustration.

Chen Feng climbed out of the silver vault and squatted down in front of Zhang Tongyuan.

At this moment, Zhang Tongyuan had calmed down a bit from his initial panic, but with each corpse dragged in, the despair in his eyes deepened.

He knew that, given the methods these people used, even if he confessed, he wouldn't survive. Moreover, if he revealed anything, his wife, children, and elderly parents would all be doomed.

Chen Feng dragged him into the silver vault and threw him in front of the several boxes.

Chen Feng's voice was icy. "What's your name?"

Zhang Tongyuan was so frightened that he lost control of his bladder and bowels, but he still clenched his teeth and remained silent.

If you don't tell, one person will die; if you do tell, the whole family will die.

Chen Feng sighed, turned around and said to Hao Dadao, who was standing at the cellar entrance, "Close the cellar door."

Hao Dadao knew what Chen Feng was going to do, so he sighed and obediently closed the cellar lid.

After the cellar was sealed, within moments, a chilling scream came from below.

At this moment, Yan Guishan and Luo Zheng dragged in two more corpses. Hearing the mournful cries coming from the cellar, they couldn't help but feel their hair stand on end.

They were seasoned veterans who had seen many dead and wounded soldiers, but this was the first time they had ever heard such mournful cries.

They looked at Xie Liu and Hao Dadao. Xie Liu's expression was similar to theirs, while Hao Dadao frowned slightly, but his expression was one of normalcy.

Yan Guishan cursed under his breath, "Damn it!"

With a resolute glint in his eyes, he abruptly raised his hand, flicked the waist knife in his hand, and reversed his grip, his gaze falling on the guard beside him who still had a faint breath.

Before anyone could react, he had already stepped forward and plunged his long sword into the guard's chest.

After stabbing him, he turned to look at Hao Dadao and said, "Master Hao, the captain told us that Commander Qianhu is a man who is going to do great things. Since Commander Qianhu has let me participate in such a confidential matter, it means that he really has the intention to accept me."

He paused, raised his hand to wipe the blood splattered on his face, and said, "I haven't read many books, nor do I understand any grand principles. I've only heard storytellers say that to join a bandit group, one must present a pledge of allegiance. This blow today is my pledge of allegiance to Yan Gui Mountain. I ask for nothing else, only that the commander trusts me. If I have the slightest disloyalty, may I die a gruesome death, just like this guard!"

Xie Liu glanced at Yan Guishan, then at the guard who was still spitting blood, gripped his knife tightly, walked up to the guard, and stabbed him in the chest again.

After the stab, the guard fell completely still. Xie Liu said, "Count me in."

Luo Zheng stared wide-eyed at their actions. Seeing the guard lifeless, he took two steps forward and chopped off the guard's head. "Count me in too!"