Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

If Gao Mingqian's plan fails, casualties will be inevitable!

If only Imperial Guards were present, Sun Dexiu wouldn't care how many died. He was afraid that Gao Mingqian would invite Lu Chen to watch the arrest process in order to curry favor with him.

Gao Mingqian underestimated the power of these top experts; there were probably no more than a hundred Imperial Guards present.

It's even possible that it's just the fifty-five military officers' sons under Lu Chen's command.

A master who has become bloodthirsty and desperate when he finds himself surrounded is terrifying; these few people simply cannot stop him!

Moreover, Lu Chen, being protected by his subordinates, would be very conspicuous and easily become a target of attack!

The deaths of the Embroidered Uniform Guards are not a pity, but Lu Chen cannot be put in danger!

Gao Mingqian's plan is too risky; I have to get involved!

But how do we intervene?

In Linqing, the Eastern Depot's secret service was not an open organization, and most of its secret agents had various cover identities.

Their main task was to secretly gather information and monitor local officials, including those under the command of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

There are not many people available to carry out military operations.

After Sun Dexiu took over, he also counted the number of people, including himself, and found that there were only twenty or thirty people.

The martial arts skills of this group are about the same as those of the best members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If they were to be taken out for a direct confrontation, they would probably be no match for the five junior officers under Lu Chen.

Even if he mobilized all his forces, he might not be able to ensure Lu Chen's safety in front of a bloodthirsty internal energy master.

No!

No matter what, Lu Chen must not be allowed to suffer even the slightest injury!

Sun Dexiu took out a travel permit that Huang Gonggong had given him before he left the capital. The permit indicated that the holder was on secret business in the Linqing Prefecture area.

With complete official seals and credentials, one can request the cooperation of local officials and garrisons.

Looks like it's time to use it!

However, Gao Mingqian has spies all over Linqing Prefecture, and if I send people to help him, I will definitely not be able to hide it from him.

Sun Dexiu walked to a map of Linqing Prefecture and nearby counties hanging on the wall, and gently traced it with his finger, stopping at Dongchang Prefecture, a hundred miles away.

There, more than 5,000 people from Pingshanwei were stationed.

With this warrant, Commander Wang of Pingshan Guard should have no problem dispatching an elite hundred-man squad to assist in his operation.

. . .

In the afternoon, at the customs office.

"Lord General Banner."

A military officer from the Imperial Guard rushed into the command post and reported to Lu Chen, who was reclining on a bench with his eyes closed.

"Shen Xiaoqi and Gao Xiaoqi, along with their men, have surrounded the 'Ghost's Bane' inside the warehouse."

"Very good!"

Upon hearing this news, Lu Chen abruptly opened his eyes and stood up from the bench.

"Prepare the horses, and gather the men!"

"I will personally lead a team to arrest this notorious bandit!"

. . .

At the same time, along the canal in the east of the city.

"Remember, first lead the horse along the official road towards the centurion's post. After you've gone about a mile from here, mount the horse and gallop at full speed."

Gao Ruopu called over one of his trusted subordinates.

"Make sure you run until you're out of breath, the more rushed you look, the better."

"After you encounter the Commander-in-Chief who is on his way here, do you remember what to say?"

"I will inform the Commander that 'Ghost-Slayer' is highly skilled in martial arts, and the twenty men led by Lord Gao and Lord Shen are almost unable to stop him."

The confidant nodded hurriedly.

"Please, Commander-in-Chief, bring your men and come to our aid as soon as possible."

"Brother Shen."

After watching his trusted confidant leave, Gao Ruopu looked at Shen Zhui beside him.

"Those 'Ghost's Bane' should have turned the warehouses upside down by now; it's about time they realized something was wrong, isn't it?"

"It should be about right. What we put on that death row inmate's body was just a page torn from an aged book, a dubious fake 'secret manual'."

Inside the warehouse, we made many more traces, which at first glance did indeed look like the master who obtained the "martial arts manual" had hidden the original manual somewhere before his death.

Shen Zhui smiled gently.

"That 'Ghost's Bane' won't be satisfied until it has searched every corner of this warehouse."

Speaking of which, Commander-in-Chief is truly a genius; that fake manual he made was remarkably convincing.

If I hadn't read Taoist classics, I probably would have been fooled too.

What about the Way of Heaven, which takes from the surplus and gives to the deficient? What about his own ruthlessness and malice, while I have enough true energy?

It's actually just excerpted from Taoist classics and then modified and reworked by myself.

At first glance, it does sound like a very powerful martial art, but in reality, there's no way to even begin practicing it.

"As long as it can fool people, that's enough."

Gao Ruopu also laughed.

"My father told me that recently, many unfamiliar martial arts practitioners have appeared in Linqing, probably all after this so-called 'martial arts manual'."

If the information we sent hadn't omitted the location, countless martial arts practitioners would probably have come to this place searching for treasure long ago.

It was only after the Commander himself selected this "Devil's Bane" from among the notorious bandits who had been brought to Linqing that we were able to spread clues about the secret manual at the inn where he was staying, so that he could find the warehouse.

Our men should have arrived some time ago. The commander is so concerned about this matter that he will surely set off immediately once he hears that the other side has taken the bait.

After encountering my men who had just been sent to request reinforcements, they will surely rush over at full speed.

It's only ten miles, less than a quarter of an hour.

Tell the men to get ready. If "Ghost Fear" doesn't come out in another 15 minutes, we'll attack.

Father earnestly instructed us that a fight must break out before the Commander-in-Chief arrives!

. . .

About two or three hundred paces to the south, in another warehouse.

"Lord Sun."

A fully armed Ming soldier, clad in armor and carrying a shield, knelt on one knee before Sun Dexiu.

"A scout reports that the Imperial Guards have already engaged in combat with the notorious bandit 'Ghost-Fearer' at the entrance of the warehouse."

About five or six miles to the west, another thirty or forty riders were also heading towards the warehouse.

"We can't wait any longer!"

Sun Dexiu, clad in iron armor, drew his waist knife and addressed another Ming officer standing beside him, dressed in blue cloth-covered iron armor.

"Please, Lord Chen, lead your men to my aid and we must capture this scoundrel!"

"Ghost's Bane" is a notorious bandit with long-standing reputation for great martial arts skills; one must never underestimate him.

"I served in the army in Guyuan for eight years and fought against the Mongol Tartars no less than a hundred times. I have seen all kinds of life-and-death situations."

The Ming army officer grinned.

"If we can't even catch a notorious bandit while leading a fully armed, armored, and shield-wielding hundred-man squad, then all these years of fighting have been for nothing!!"

"Lord Sun, please rest assured, this humble general will certainly capture this so-called 'Devil's Bane' alive."